University of Virginia Library

Sce. 8.

Mirtillo.
What am I blind, or do I too much see?
Ah had I but bene borne without these eyes,
Or rather not at all had I bene borne.
Did spitefull fates reserue me thus aliue
To let me see so bad, so sad a sight?
Mirtill thy torments passe the paines of hell.
No: doubt no more: suspend not thy beliefe,
Thine eies, thine eares, haue seene, haue heard it true.
Thy loue an other ownes not by the lawe
Of earth, that bindes her vnto any one,
But by loues lawe that tyes her sole to thee.
O cruell Amarillis, wa'st not inough
To kill me wretch, but thou must scorne me too?
That faithlesse mouth that sometime grac't my ioies,
Did vomit out my hatefull name, because
She would not haue it in her heart to be
A poore partaker of her pleasures sweet.
Why stay'st thou now? she that did giue me life
Hath ta'n't away, and giu'n't an other man:
Yet wretch thou liu'st, thou dost not die. O die
Mirtillo, die to thy tormenting griefe,
As to thy ioy thou art alreadie dead.
Die dead Mirtillo, finish't is thy life.
Finish thy torment too: fleet wretched soule
Through this soure constrain'd and wayward death:
Tis for thy greater ill that thus thou liust.
But what? And must I die without reuenge?
First will I make him die that giues me death:
Desire to liue so long I will retaine
Till iustly I haue that Vsurper slaine.
Yeeld Griefe vnto Reuenge: Pittie to Rage,
Death vnto life, till with my life I haue
Reueng'd the death, another guiltles gaue.
This Steele shall not drinke mine vnuenged blood,
My hand shall rage ere it shall pitteous bee.
What ere thou art that ioyst my comfortes all,
I'le make thee feele thy ruine in my fall.
I'le place me heere eu'n in this very Groue,
And as I see him but approach the Caue,
This Dart shall sodaine wound him in his side.
It shalbe cowardlike to strike him thus,
I'le challenge him to single combat, I:
Not so; for to this place so knowne and vsd,
Shepheards may come to hinder vs, and worse:
May search the cause that moou'd me to this fight,
Which to deny were wickednesse to faigne,
Will make me faythlesse held: and to discouer,
Will blot her name with endlesse infamie:
In whom albeit I like not what I see,
Yet what I lou'd I do, and euer shall.
But what hope I to see, th'adult'rer die
That robd her of her honor, me my life?
But if I kill him, shall not then his blood
Be to the world a token of this deed?
Why feare I death? since I desire to die.
But then this murder once made plaine makes plaine
The cause whereby she shall incurre that infamie:
I'le enter then this Caue, and so assayle him,
I so, that pleaseth me: I'le steale in softly,
So that she shall not heare me. I beleeue
That in the secretst and the closest part
I gather by her wordes I shall her finde,
Therefore I will not enter in too faire.
A hollow hole there is made in a Rocke,
The left side couer'd all with Yuie leaues:
Beneath th'other asscent there will I stand,
And time attend t'effect what I desire:
I'le beare my dead foe to my lyuing foe;
Thus of them both I shalbe well reueng'd:
Then with this selfe same Dart Ile pierce this brest,
So shall there be three pier'st without reliefe,
First two with Steele, the third with deadly griefe.
(Fierse) she shall see the miserable end
Of her belou'd, and her betrayed friend.
This Caue that should be harbour of her ioyes,
Of both her loues, and that which more I craue,
Of her great shame, may proue the happy graue.
And you the steppes that I in vaine haue followed,
Could you me speed of such a faythfull way?
Could you direct me to so deare a Bowre?
Behold I follow you. O Corisea, Corisea.
Now hast thou told too true, now I beleeue thee.