 | The Woman in the Moone |  |
Act. 5.
Enter Luna.Lu.
Now other planets influence is done,
To Cynthia lowest of the erring starres,
Is beautious Pandora giuen in charge.
New fangled, fyckle, slothfull, foolish, mad,
Inspight of nature that enuies vs all.
Gu.
Come, come Pandora, we must make more hast,
Or Stesias will ouertake vs both.
Pand.
I cannot go no faster, I must rest.
Gn.
VVe are almost at the the sea side I pray thee ryse.
Pa.
O I am faynt and weary, let me sleepe.
Gu.
Pandora if thou loue me let vs goe.
Pand.
VVhy doest thou waken me ile remember this.
Gu.
VVhat are you angry with me.
Pand.
No with my selfe for louing such a swayne,
VVhat fury made me doate vpon these lookes,
Like winters picture are his withered cheekes,
His hayre as rauens plumes, ah touch me not.
His handes are like the sinnes of some foule sish,
Look ehow he mowes like to an aged ape,
Ouer the chayne Iacke, or ile make thee leape.
Guno.
What a suddayne change is here?
Pand.
Now he sweares by his ten bones, downe I say.
Gu.
Did I not tell you I should haue Larkes,
Pan.
where is the larks, come weel go catch some streight?
No let vs go a fishing with a net?
VVith a net? no, an angle is enough:
An angle, a net, no none of both,
Ile wade into the water, water is fayre,
And stroke the fishes vnder neath the gilles.
But first Ile go a hunting in the wood,
I like not hunting, let me haue a hawke
VVhat wilt thou say and if I loue thee still?
Gu.
Any thing, what you will.
Pand.
But shall I haue a gowne of oken leaues,
A chaplet of red berries, and a faune.
Made of the morning dewe to coole my face.
How often will you kisse me in an houre,
For Nocte latent mendæ.
Gu.
what then?
Pand.
I will not kisse thee till the sunne be downe,
Thou art deformd, the nyght vvill couer thee,
VVe vvomen must be modest in the day,
O tempt me not vntill the euening come.
Guno.
Lucretia tota sis licet vsque die. Thaida nocte vole.
Hate me a dayes, and loue me in the nyght,
Pand.
Calst thou me Thais? goe and loue not me,
I am not Thais Ile be Lucretia I,
Giue me a knife and for my chastety,
Ile dye to be canonized a saynt.
Gu.
But you will loue me vvhen the sun is downe?
Pand.
No but I will not.
Gu.
Did you not promise me.
Pand.
No I, I saw thee not till now.
Gu.
Do you see me now.
Pand.
I and loth thee.
Gu.
Belike I was a spirit all this vvhile?
Pand.
A spirit, a spirit, vvhither may I flye.
Enter Stesias.
Ste.
I see Pandora and Gunophilus.
Pand.
And I see Stesias welcome Stesias.
Ste.
Gunophilus thou hast inveigled her,
And robd me of my treasure and my wife.
Ile strippe thee to the skinne for this offence,
And put thee in a wood to be deuourd,
Of emptie Tygres, and of hungry VVolues,
Nor shall thy sad lookes moue me vnto rueth.
Gu.
Pardon me mayster she is Lunaticke,
Foolish and franticke, and I followed her.
VVhy thinke you I would runne away with her?
Pand.
He neede not for Ile runne away with him,
And yet I will go home with Stesias,
So I shall haue a white lambe coloured blacke,
Two little sparrowes, and a spotted fawne.
Ste.
I feare it is too true that he reportes.
Gu.
Nay stay a while and you shall see her daunce.
Pand.
No, no, I will not daunce, but I will sing,
Stesias hath a white hand, but his nayles are blacke,
His fingers are long and small, shall I make them cracke.
One two and three, I loue him, and he loues me.
Beware of the shephooke,
Ile tell you one thing,
If you aske me why I sing,
I say yee may go looke.
Ste.
Pandora speake, louest thou Gunophilus?
Pan.
I, if he be a fish, for fish is fine,
Sweete Stesias helpe me to a whiting moppe.
Ste.
Now I perceiue that she is lunaticke,
VVhat may I do to bring her to her wits?
Gu.
Speake gentle maister and intreat her fayre.
Ste.
Pandora, my loue Pandora.
Pan.
Ile not be fayre, why call you me your loue.
Loue is a little boy, so am not I.
Ste.
I will allure her with fayre promises,
And when I haue her in my leauie bower,
Pray to our water Nimphes and Siluane gods,
To cure her of this piteous lunacye,
Pand.
Giue me a running streame in both my hands,
A blew kings fisher, and a pible stone,
And Ile catch butter flies vpon the sand,
And thou Gunophilus shalt clippe their wings.
Ste.
Ile giue thee streames vvhose pibble shalbe pearle,
Loue birdes whose feathers shalbe beaten gold.
Musk flyes vvith amber berries in their mouthes,
A boat of deare skins, and a fleeting Ile,
A sugar cane, and line of twisted silke.
Pan.
VVhere be all these.
Stes.
I haue them in my bower, come follow me?
Pan.
Streames with pearle? birdes with golden feathers?
Musk flyes, and amber berries? white Squirrels,
And singing Popiniayes? a boat of deare skins?
Come Ile goe, Ile go.
Exeunt.
Guno.
I was nere in loue with her till now, O absolute
Pandora, because folish, for folly is womens perfection. To
talke Idely, to loke wildly, to laugh at euery breach and play
with a feather, is that would make a Stoyke in loue, yea thou
thy selfe.
O Marcifili annum iam audientem Cratippum idque Athænis.
Grauity in a vvoman, is like to a gray beard vpon a breaching
boies chinne, vvhich a good Scholemaister would cause
to be clipt, and the vvise husband to be avoyded.
Enter Melos and the rest.
Melos.
Gunophilus, vvhere is thy Mistresse?
Guno.
A ketching a blew kings fisher.
Iph.
Tell vs where is she?
Guno.
A gathering little pibles.
Lear.
What dost thou mocke vs.
Guno.
No: but if she were here she vvould make mowes
at the proudest of you.
Mel.
VVhat meanest thou by this.
Gun.
I meane my mistres is become folish.
Iph.
A iust reward for one so false as shee.
Mel.
Such hap betide those that intend vs ill.
Lear.
Neuer vvere simple shepherdes so abusd.
Iph.
Gunopholus thou hast betrayd vs all.
Mel.
And thou this bloody napkin vnto me.
Lear.
And thou this flattering letter vnto me.
Gu.
VVhy I brought you the ring thinking you and shee
should be maried togeather. And being hurt as she told me,
I had thought she had sent for you as a surgeon.
Le.
But why broughtest thou me this letter?
Gu.
Onely to certifie you that she was in health,
As I was at the bringing hereof.
And thus being loth to trouble you, I commit you to God.
Yours as his owne Gunophilus.
Exit.
Mel.
The wicked youngling flouteth vs, let him goe.
Lear.
Immortall Pan where ere this lad remaynes,
Reuenge the wrong that he hath done thy swaines.
Mel.
O that a creature so diuine as she,
VVhose beauty might inforce the heauens to blush,
And make fayre Nature angry at the hart,
That she hath made her to obscure her selfe,
Should be so fickle and so full of slightes,
And fayning loue to all, loue none at all.
Iph.
Had she been constant vnto Iphicles,
I would haue clad her in sweete Floraes roabes:
Haue set Dianaes garland on her head,
Mide her sole mistres of my wanton flocke,
And sing in honour of her diety,
where now with teares I curse Pandoraes name.
Lea.
The springs that smild to see Pandoraes face,
And leapt aboue the bankes to touch her lippes.
The proud playnes dauncing with Pandoraes weight,
The Iocund trees that vald when she came neare
And in the murmur of their whispering leaues,
Did seeme to say Pandora is our Queene,
witnesse how fayre and beautifull she was,
But now alone how false and treacherous.
Here I abiure Pandora, and protest,
To liue for euer in a single life.
Lear.
The like vow makes Learchus to great Pan.
Iph.
And Iphicles though soare agaynst his will.
Lear.
In witnesse of my vow I rend these lines,
O thus be my loue disperst into the ayre.
Mel.
Here lie the bloody Napkin which she sent,
And with it my affection, and my loue.
Iphi.
Breake, breake, Pandoraes ring, and with it breake,
Pandoraes loue, that almost burst my heart.
Enter Stesias, Pandora, and Gunophilus.
Ste.
Ah whither runnes my loue Pandora? stay,
Gentle Pandora stay, runne not so fast.
Pand.
Shall I not stamp vpon the ground? I will,
VVho sayth Pandora shall not rend her hayre?
VVhere is the groue that askt me how I did?
Giue me an angle for the fish will bite.
Mel.
Looke how Pandora raues, now she is starke mad.
Ste.
For you she raues, that meant to rauish her,
Helpe to recouer her or els yee dye.
Lear.
May she with rauing dye? do what thou darst.
Iph.
She ouer reacht vs with deceitfull guile,
And Pan, to whom we prayd hath wrought reuenge.
Pand.
Ile haue the Ocean put into a glasse,
And drinke it to the health of Stesias.
Thy head is full of hediockes Iphicles,
So shake them of, now let me see thy hand,
Looke where a blasing starre is in this line,
And in the other two and twenty sonnes.
Ste.
Come come Pandora sleepe within my armes,
Pand.
Thine armes are firebrandes, whers Gunophilus,
Go kisse the eccho, and bid loue vntrusse,
Go fetch the blacke Goat with the brazen heele,
And tell the Bell-wether I heare him not.
This night, not at all, at all, at all.
Dormit.
Guno.
She is a sleepe, mayster shall I vvake her?
Ste.
O no Gunophilus there let her sleepe,
And let vs pray that she may be recurd.
Lear.
Stesias thou pittiest her that loues thee not
Mel.
The vvordes we told thee Stesias vvere too true.
Iph.
Neuer did Iphicles desemble yet,
Beleeue me Stesias she hath been vntrue.
Ste.
Yet vvill you slay me with your slaunderous words
Did you not all svveare for her chastety.
Lear.
It was her subtle vvit that made vs sweare,
For Stesias know she shevved loue to vs all,
And seuerally sent for vs by this svvayne,
And vnto me he brought such hony lines,
As ouercomd, I flevv vnto her bower.
VVho vvhen I came, svvore she loud me a lone.
VVilling me to deny the vvordes I spoke,
And she at night vvould meete me in the groue.
Thus meaning simply, lo I vvas betrayd,
Mel.
Gunophilus brought me a bloody cloth,
Saying for my loue she vvas almost slayne,
And vvhen I came she vsed me as this svvaine,
Protesting loue, and poynting me this place,
Iph.
And by this bearer I receiued a ring,
And many a louing vvord that drevv me foorth,
O that a vvoman should desemble so.
She then for svvore Learchus and this svvaine,
Saying that Iphicles vvas onely liers,
VVhereat I promised to deny my vvordes.
And she to meete me at Enepius bankes,
Ste.
VVert thou the messenger vnto them all.
Gu.
I vvas, and all that they haue fayde is true,
She loue not you, nor them, but me alone,
Hovv oft hath she runne vp and dovvne the lavvnes.
Ste.
Ah how my hart swels at these miscreants wordes.
Mel.
Come let vs leaue him in this pensiue mood.
Lear.
Fret, Stesias fret, while we daunce on the playne.
Mel.
Such fortune happen to incredulus swaines.
Iph.
Sweete is a single life, Stesias farewell.
Exeunt.
Ste.
Go life, flye soule, go wretched Stesias,
Curst be Utopia for Pandoraes sake,
Let wild bores with their tuskes plow vp my lawnes,
Deuouring VVoules come shake my tender lambes,
Driue vp my goates vnto some steepy rocke,
And let them fall downe headlong in the sea,
She shall not liue, nor thou Gunophilus,
To triumph in poore Stesias ouerthrow.
Enter the seauen Planets.
Saturne.
Stay shepherd, stay.
Iupiter.
Hurt not Pandora louely Stesias.
She awakes and is sober.
Pa.
VVhat meanes my loue to looke so pale and wan.
Ste.
For thee base strumpet am I pale and wanne.
Mer.
Speake mildly, or Ile make thee crabbed swaine.
Sol.
Take her agayne, and loue her Stesias.
Ste.
Not for Vtopia, no, not for the world.
Uen.
Ah canst thou frowne on her that lookes so sweet.
Pand.
Haue I offended thee? Ile make amends.
Mer.
And what canst thou demaund more at her hand?
Ste.
To slay her selfe that I may liue alone.
Luna.
Flint harted shepherd thou deseruest her not.
Ste.
If thou be loue conuey her from the earth,
And punish this Gunophilus her man.
Gu.
O Ioue, let this be my punishment, to liue still with
Pandora.
Nat.
Enuious planets you haue done your worst.
Yet in despight of you Pandora liues,
And seeing the shepherds haue abiurd her loue,
She shalbe placed in one of your seauen orbs.
But thou that hast not serud her as I wild,
Vanish into a Haythorne as thou standst,
Neare shalt thou wait vpon Pandora more.
Exit Gunophilus.
Sat.
O Nature place Pandora in my sphere,
For I am old, and she will make me young.
Iup.
VVith me, and I will leaue the Queene of heauen.
Mer.
VVith me, and Uenus shall no more be mine.
Sol.
VVith me, and Ile forget fayre Daphnes loue.
Venus.
VVith me, and ile turne Cupid out of doores.
Mer.
with me, and ile forsake Aglauros loue.
Lu.
No fayre Pandora stay with Cynthia,
And I will loue thee more then all the rest:
Rule thou my starre, while I stay in the woods,
Or keepe with Pluto in the infernall shades.
Ste.
Go where thou wilt so I be rid of thee,
Na.
Speake my Pandora where wilt thou be?
Pand.
Not with old Saturne for he lookes like death.
Nor yet with Iupiter least Iuno storme.
Nor vvith thee Mars, for Venus is thy loue,
Nor vvith thee Sol, thou hast two Parramours.
The sea borne Thetis and the rudy morne.
Nor vvith thee Uenus least I be in loue,
VVith blindfold Cupid or young Ioculus
Nor vvith thee Hermes, thou art full of slightes.
And vvhen I need thee Ioue will send thee foorth.
Say Cynthia, shall Pandora rule thy starre,
And vvilt thou play Diana in the woods?
Or Hecate in Plutos regiment?
I Pandora.
Pand.
Fayre Nature let thy hand mayd dwe'l with her,
For know that change is my felicity,
And ficklenesse Pandoraes proper forme,
Thou madst me sullen first, and thou Ioue proud,
Thou bloody minded, he a Puritan.
Thou Venus madst me loue all that I saw,
And Hermes to deceiue all that I loue,
But Cynthia made me idle, mutable, forgetfull,
Foolish, fickle, franticke, madde,
These be the humors that content me best,
And therefore will I stay with Cynthia.
Na.
And Stesias since thou setst so light on her,
Be thou her slaue, and follow her in the Moone.
Ste.
Ile rather dye then beare her company,
Iup.
Nature will haue it so attend on her.
Nat.
Ile haue thee be her vassaile, murmur not.
Ste.
Then to reuenge me of Gunophilus,
Ile rend this hathorne with my furious hands.
And beare this bush, if eare she looke but backe,
Ile scratch her face that was so false to me.
Nat.
Now rule Pandora in fayre Cynthias steede,
And make the moone inconstant like thy selfe,
Raigne thou at womens nuptials, and their birth,
Let them be mutable in all their loues.
Fantasticall, childish, and folish, in their desires,
Demaunding toyes: and starke madde
VVhen they cannot haue their will.
Now follow me ye wandring lightes of heauen,
And greiue not, that she is not plast with you,
All you shall glaunce at her in your aspects,
And in coniunction dwell with her a space.
Ste.
O that they had my roome.
Nat.
I charge thee follow her, but hurt her not.
Finis.
| The Woman in the Moone | |