 | The Faery Pastorall or Forrest of Elues |  |
ACT I
SCEN 1.
The Direction.Hysiphyle Orion Florida with attendaunts, Men and women Huntresses on either syde. Hysiphyle with a Ghirlond Imperiall of Bayes. They kist at their meeting Then Hypsiphyle spake as followes.
Hypsiphyle Orion Florida.
Hyp.
My Lord Orion, you be right welcome
To Eluida, how does his Grace? I pray.
Or.
At my departure from Court I left him
In Health, In token of which with these your
Ladiship he greetes, See.
Hyp.
Sir, I thank you.
And where lyes the Court now?
Or.
At Obera.
Hyp.
My Cosens, they do well? all.
Or.
All right well.
Hyp.
Myne eyes haue a Rheume with sitting late,
Deliver them vp, thou, vnto our eares.
Flor.
To my louing Cosen Hypsiphyle Greeting.
I am giuen to vnderstand, that not onely thourough the Negligence
of you, but also by that of your fellow Huntresses my frutefull
and florishing Forest of Eluida goeth to decaye, And that such
abuses do daily rise thereby. Wherefore this is the cause that I
by these my Letters now thought it meet to require you That you
surrender the sayd Forrest together with the Appurtenaunces
thereto belonging to my well beloued kinsman Orion right
famous for his skill and Industry thourough our Forrests and
chases, As for the sayd abuses they will appeare the better vpon
the Reformation of them. This I charge you perfourme and to
perfourme it willingly, For I will beleeue the complaint of my
Keepers. Obera, from our Faery Court there, And from the
last yeare of the Reigne of Julius our Father to this the present
yeare of our Reigne
And the forty and fifth day of this present
Greace 1647.
Your louing Cosen Oberon.
Hyp.
Come you lyke to Laureate victors crownd?
Then with Mineruaes Oliues Bound? Sit you
Sure, For if you can not proue such abuses
To be in Eluida as you suppose
By my Faith you nimbd not furth so lightly
My fingers the Forrest of the Faeryes.
Or.
Madame, if I were disposd so, I could
Produce those abuses that daily be
you would with shame subscribe to your error
Hyp.
Wherein, I pray you. Repeate them if you may.
Or.
No sooner was I entered the Park
But I found, loe, Heardes of Bulls and Boares
Rooting those Commons which my Deere should feede,
Besyde such spoilings and vp turnings where
They came, that such was the Hauock thereby
They pilled not onely the Barks well grown
But eate the young Sprigges in their growth too, So
That they starud the Poore Deere for want of shelter.
Hyp.
Better I hope, my Lord, to let the Swyne
Route those woodes, then the Soyle by its ranknes
Should smother the Bucks in their greace. For such
Heades as they feede better on a short grasse
Then on larger commons.
Or.
Admit they doe,
Yet they should not vndoe the tender Plants
That serue for shelter vnto you and them.
Hyp.
If but of the Plants you do complaine so
Greater Trees will our wants supplye, So that
By the vniointed tattars of your talk
I do see you do come rather to cauill
Then to redresse those Things, that be amisse.
Or.
If so, why do you let the Brakes, I praye,
To Multiplye with Toades and snakes? When as
Y'haue a charme giu'n you by your Ancestours
T'expell the venemous from off your Soyle?
Hyp.
I graunt, wee haue a powrfull charme and that
Verifyde by long Experience, But so
Ibis or ophiophagi to ridde
Our Forrest of so Fructeous a Foe.
Or.
Neuer, I weene, Since Eluida hath beene,
In Eluida such errors haue beene seene.
Hyp.
Faeryes may alter Things as their pleasure,
That if any Thing w' haue spent our Tyme
The same may be redrest in Twink of eye.
At what then may your Lordship so complaine?
Or.
Haue I not cause, think you? to complaine,
Seeing the Pales and Saults to be broake downe,
That in twenty places Malignant witches,
In shapes of Polecattes, Lizards, and weasells,
May creepe in betweene to bewitch the Fawnes?
Hyp.
That's the Syluans' office, my Lord, not ours.
Or.
Wee pay our Syluans, but you pay yourselues.
Hyp.
I dart it to you back, For I'll be sworne
Wee haue not onely pawnd our Bowes and quivers
But sold that Gland wee daily feede on
To satisfye your turne
Or.
other wordes would
Better beseeme your Modesty, Lady.
Yet what's the cause Honnest Hysiphyle,
Syluius with his Bands of Forresters
Spoiles the game, murdreth Fawnes, affrights the Doaes?
Committing lyke outrages, whilst you run
Tripping ore the greenes, that for twise-ten bucks
I told before I can now tell but one?
Hyp.
The Rot hath consumd them, thats the cause.
Or.
If not for you the Rot had neuer beene.
Since Cankers swarmd, wee could ne're clench the soyle.
Or.
Stand you? to teare at vs, Hoa, wee haue
Our Commission, by the vertue of which
I require you what be the Lawes you vse?
When lyke Pigmies you ride against thee Deere.
Hyp.
On Rammes and Goates wee compase in the Beast,
With Cymbales, Basons Piping and Tooting,
With goades, with Potguns, Scarcrowes and with reedes,
Then his Parts diuided into shares, wee
Bestowe the Miser in Baskits all along
Or.
Be you not ashamd? First to come in Troupes
Upon a Fugitiue, but also then
With notes of Triumphe make him to bewayle
Th'vnkindnes of his Keepers? I discharge you
Hyp.
Will you enforce vs? our cause not yet hearde?
My Lord, fore I do loose my right, I will
Vse all the Points of woodmanship I haue
Gainst you, win the Crown weare you it and mee,
And loe, in pawn, I hurle him vp our Tropheye.
Or.
Lady, Since you be so Peremptory
I'll accept the Pawn, and vse my whole Skill
To win you and it. Better open Foe
Then Foe conceald
Hyp.
Neuer weild I Bowe I
Make you not forgoe the feild with shame
Or.
Neuer strike I Buck if before night you
Recant not your humour
Hyp.
Come on your wayes,
My totall Skill shall be layd furth against you.
Or.
Swift Delia for vs
Hyp.
And she for vs.
SCEN 2.
Christophel Atys Hylas.Christ.
M
r Atys and Mr Hylas.
At.
Your Seruaunts.
Christ.
Doe you say? If I shall but chewe eury Morning any
one of these Reasons from a Gore-belly Dæmon as I am now I
shall then become Elf as you be?
At.
Just as Jenkin, sure.
Hyl.
Beleeue him, M
r Christophel, on so sacred an Oathe.
Christ.
Once more discouer mee the Frayle, Come.
At.
Thus. First the Squirill will so practise your Corpus
cum Causa, both your worships Temples will distill thereby
lyke the drops of a Lawyers labour.
Hyl.
O for the Excrement of that Excrement but, It might
be sold for much and giuen to Mountibanks.
Christ.
By fate of my body I sweate Indifferently following a
Beare, Therefore neede not in my opinion further breake the
Tombler.
At.
If by maene of following a Beare your Flesh should be
exhaled all euen into a Pumice stone, yet the Dregges of an
Earthy disposition would then lykwise settle in your Breetch,
if the Beare should but regard you grim.
Hyl.
So the Plummet being lowe and base it would Tyranically
aduance the rumbling of your Clock.
Christ.
Then a course or Two at a Butterflye should serue
my turne.
At.
Haulking is Haulking and Hunting is Hunting.
Idem per Idem, yet follow.
At.
If wee that be huntsmen should leaue our Hunting and
fall to Haulking wee might so in Tyme transport our Forrest of
Elues into the Aire.
Christ.
So establish a newe world?
At.
I, Sir.
Christ.
The Gyaunts were dismount for mounting Mounts.
Hyl.
Will you Committ lyke Sacriledge?
Christ.
Seigneur No.
At.
Doe.
Christ.
O no.
At.
What say you?
Christ.
After your Mountibuck Præludium you would but
shewe vs your ware now
At.
Wee will vse you well.
Christ.
I thank you for it.
At.
Come neare I pray you.
Christ.
Myne eares do stretch vnto you
At.
The one Contrary deuoureth the other contrary.
Christ.
As once well clothed Diues did the naked Lazarus.
Hyl.
The same Reason. For what in Ciuill Lawe belongeth
to one, that is the inferior, the same belongeth also to him that
is his superior.
At.
You lykwise, if together with this violence of Squirilling
you would but admitt worshipfull M
r Heate into your Lodge,
he would in a Trice emptye your greasy Tub.
Christ.
The liquour I confesse, Now for the exhaling the dregs.
At.
A Pantagruel Pille would clench you as you were a Jakes.
Christ.
Vndoe mee the Trick, I pray you.
Pantagruel one day lying on his death bed swallowed
down his Mawe a Ternary of Chimney Sweepes, that were enclosed
into as many Balles of Brasse, who after they had
sufficiently purged his Filth came all back in them againe with
the Tyde in a vomit, So you, Sir, according the Proportion
shall be purged with as many Horse-leeches.
Hyl.
How say you? Sir.
Christ.
No Rakehell enters my Gutts on my Fa.
At.
Take you then an other Receipt into you, I pray you.
Christ.
Rather a Commodity, Therefore passe you now mee
ouer to the Commoditys of the sport, I pray.
At.
Whereas Hunting the Buck you may follow him Three
myle without stop or staye, Hunting the Squirrill at eury step
you make you may then obteyne a Tree to leane on.
Christ.
I mary, How seeme I now vnto you?
At.
A prick-eare Curr.
Christ.
How before.
Hyl.
A Lagged Asse.
Christ.
You aime at my Phisnomies
At.
By his Tayle you may Prognosticate Comming of a
showre.
Christ.
Pretie, How I prittey?
At.
By turning it to the weather.
Christ.
I will institute thereof an Almanack.
At.
Againe, if the storme come, Sayd Tree will keepe you drye.
Christ.
Superlatiuely good for skin and for boane.
At.
If you faint, a Bolt will batter you a whole Bushell of
Nuts down.
Christ.
Liquours refrigorate, Nuts exsiccate.
Twenty to a Three-half pence but you shall find his
store-house pist.
At.
Possibly by leauelling at a Squirrill you may chaunce hit
a Buzzard so merit of the Church.
Christ.
How much?
At.
A Groate.
Christ.
Sett him down.
At.
Has no hornes to poate at you, Mary now and then you
may battle well a Flap of his Tayle, Sir, if so it may like you.
Christ.
With better Furr may a Man be faced?
At.
Finally and in good sadnes, Sir, It will be more pretious
to you then Tyme himself, He is Bald behind, This, if he escape
you, you chaunce may catch him back by the Tayle.
Christ.
Doubt sticketh in my Mawe.
Hyl.
Zounds; spet him furth.
Christ.
That Beast he is his Building in Trees doth oppugne
it.
Hyl.
Did you neuer heare of a Horse-neast?
At.
I euer tooke him for a Hedg-hog, Hylas, I.
Christ.
That Bird he is, His Multiplicitye of feet doth giue
me also the Lye, yet Plinie an Assured Truth-Teller alloweth
in Birds Quadruplicity of them.
Hyl.
An vndoubted Beast he is, you may know him by his
slouens Inne.
At.
You say you? Sir, will you leaue the chace and goe along
with vs? Saye.
Christ,
Hau.
Hyl.
Quick, Sir, Apollo wasteth his Candle, See
Christ.
If I but single, I shall be singeld on the single.
Our Buttocks for yours.
Christ.
Be your Buttocks Buttocks or warrants?
At.
They be Patents.
Christ.
Verily?
Hyl.
Very verily, Sir.
Christ.
Dwelleth in yonder Tree a
A Beast will doe vs glee a
For to behold and see a
Three Merry Men be wee a
Goe wee to the wood all Three a.
At.
Wee thank you, Sir. So come on your ways now.
Christ.
Staye.
At.
What ayle you?
Christ.
The Spartans the better to keepe their Ranks,
wonted March to the tunes of their Pipes, So wee embattle wee
our selues in our March to the wind of our organs lykwise.
At.
Best of all.
Christ.
And be it to the tune of Gracchus his Recorder.
Hyl.
Wee conceiue you well.
Christ.
Neuer a whit you doe.
The First Song.
1.
I see the Squirrill in the Tree,Come away, wantons, come away,
Bring Dog and Bolt along with yee
Him will we haue before shut of day.
2.
Each one with Bat, with Hat, with Cap,Down with him, down ere that he climbe
Hap may the Foole salute the Trap
Ere Destinies haue spun his Tyme.
3.
Run Dog, shift Diuell, Hoa, amayne,Sound Drum, strik vp a coursing steuen,
Though he putt to him all his paine,
Wee will haue him yet by St. Stephen.
4.
Oh, my Sir, and be you now tayne?You shall, hence, no more our Trees climbe,
Nor eate vp, your self to maintaine,
Our fruite vnripe before its Tyme.
SCEN 3.
Learchus Picus Hippolon.Lear.
Thus Far haue wee (Hippolon and Picus)
Tended on the Person of Orion
Twoward Purchase of his Right in this Land,
Yet vnto our selues wee haue not as yet
Obteyned least Fruite of our long Longings
Concerning th'Appetition of our Loues
To these Sauage and Cruell Huntresses
Florida, Camilla, Fancia, Then
Saye deare freinds and fellowes in woodmanship,
What course haue wee to take herein? O saye.
Learchus, the eyes of Camilla haue
So bewitcht poore Picus that be hath not
Sence or Feeling what course to take herein,
Yet the Ardure of that Flame that burneth
Within him is so feirce and violent
That Hap had, Hap dab, what course so euer
May be deuised in the enterprise
Will seeme to be both small and vnæquall
To th'obteyning the Palme of his desire.
Hipp.
Nay, Picus, nay, Rather an ordinary course
Is to be attempted before wee shall
Put in vre an Extraordinary
For Mylde wordes and gentle Locutions haue
Moued the Gods of Olympus come down
In releif of their suppliant Mistrisses
As by our sacred Poets hath beene told.
Pic.
Hippolon, Hippolon, those radiant gleames
Camilla gloomes from the circumference
Of her sweet Arched eyen will terrifye
Any shall but dare pleade his cause to her.
Lear.
And for those ruddy cheekes of Florida,
They do seeme to mee those starting Apples
Of Tantalus if I should offer but
One Snatch at their back-sliding boughes, I weene.
Hipp.
But the wordes of Fancia nere so feirce
Will qualify vpon the notes I know
Of my strick and feruent affection of her—
If any tyme I may but sing my suite to her.
Lear.
For there is such a chill of Chastitye
And that by their continuall Practise
In Hunting, that sooner you shall split Rocks
In Twayne then breake them of their Frowardnes.
Pic.
Nay, I think Camilla's extract from line
Of that Camilla in greate virgil told
That sooner would flye ouer Spikes of corne
Then to be tayne by Man in this round Mound.
Lear.
And Florida will sooner leape from Rock
As Ino did then yeild her little Lambe
Vnto the vse of feirce Learchus lust.
So keene she is against th'Assault of vs.
Hipp.
Fancia of an other strayne is sure,
As I am thouroughly persuaded of her,
For as her name doth forcibly Implye
She may Fancey some though late it be,
Nunquam sera est ad bonos mores via.
Lear.
Who that some should be I cannot decerne.
My self, I cannot rectifye my mind so,
Florida myne in any sort will be.
Hipp.
Si vox est canta, si mollia brachia salta,
Et quæcunq, potes dote placere place.
Lear.
For haue I not vsed those many shifts
Could be deuisd to bring my wind about,
Yet see, Oh see, she will be none to mee.
Hipp.
Si precibus non vult cedere rumpe moras.
Pic.
Well brought about, Hoa, For women if soft
Toucht will sting lyke nettles, if rubd againe
Well will beare the Touch, Oh, beare vp, I saye.
Now Picus sheweth him a Man of Proofe.
Pic.
And trye the Conclusion, For my lime-Bush
Shall hent the flightest Haggard, flyes this day.
Lear.
Yet in Importunity men do saye
No losse is, wherefore giue th'Assault once more
And if wee shall not speede so, then let vs
Sing the black Saunce the one against the other.
Come.
Pic.
Well vyde, Learchus by my Truth; Come.
Hipp.
So goe wee on and first see the Tryall.
Lear.
Then come, And follow mee to Court you too.
Hipp.
I doe.
SCEN 4.
Florida Camilla Fancia.Flo.
Sisters myne, I tell you, I am fitted for a seruaunt.
Cam.
Florida, If thou beest better fitted then I am fitted,
Florida, Take thou vnto thee the other Liuerye too.
Fan.
How? each of vs a Horse?
Flo.
I'll be sworne myne's an Asse.
Fan.
Lets pace them, Sisters deare.
Flo.
Come on.
Cam.
Picus.
Flo.
Learchus.
Fan.
Hippolon.
Flo.
Markst nott how my Gentleman draweth in his lips when
he but talketh lyke a paire of deale Boardes? Camilla.
Fan.
Rather lyke Two shooe-soales had got a leake.
And how fithily he suppeth in his Potage! Roupe
Roupe.
Cam.
Picus is so formall forsooth he will rather spet into his
dish then take furth with his napkin an vnsauourly morsell.
Flo.
I though he had been lisping verses the whiles.
Cam.
Indeed he hath the Booke of Amyntas perfecter then
he has his Creede, Sister.
Fan.
If Hippolon haue not more fretting Qualities then these
be, then do you cutt of my Nose and eate him for an Egge.
Cam.
Breake vp the Goose.
Fan.
Hauing nothing say to you he will stare you in the face,
yet is blind as a Buzard.
Flo.
Belyke he tooke thee for a Mud-wall, Fancia.
Cam.
Didst not course him for his Saucinesse? Sirrha.
Fan.
Consydering his Nobility I conteynd, yet wrung him as
good on the withers.
Flo.
Let's see the girth, wench.
Fan.
Knowing him for worse then a Crowder, I sayd to him
be you pricking Fancyes? my Lord.
Cam.
How warded he thy blowe? Fancia.
Fan.
Thus, No Fancyes, faire Lady, but Fan's eyes.
Flo.
I know where he pickt that Gooseberry.
Cam.
Did he not laugh at sauoure of his own conceit? Ha.
Fan.
Each one knows better the Nature of an other man's
breathe, then he does his own.
Flo.
Learchus has bestowd on mee a Pound of Figges!
Sisters.
Cam.
Sirrha, why didst not ride him with his Asse? then.
Asses ride Mares and women ride Asses.
Flo.
At what laughest thou? Camilla.
Cam.
Since you speake of riding at a pretie Trick my Horse
playd mee.
Fan.
Putt Spurrs to the Jade.
Cam.
Picus being to ride before mee to Park would needes
in courtesye haue had mee mount vp before him.
Flo.
How gottst thou furth the Gripe of his Importunity?
Sirrha.
Cam.
Thus, God made women for the vnder hand not for
the vpper, my Lord.
Fan.
Was he not thereon Blankt or blanketted?
Cam.
Verily no, onely he answerd, I meant not so sweete
Madame, But that your Ladiship would haue but mounted first
the Pillian.
Flo.
So to haue turned thee ouer with his Foote.
Cam.
A Sequence for mee.
Fan.
A Flush for him.
Flo.
Now will you heare what my seruant did? Sisters.
Fan.
For Gods sake, Sister.
Flo.
Being to walk before mee to Court, there was neuer a
wench mett vs on the way betweene this and thither but he
kist her.
Fan.
What was his reason for it? sayd he.
Flo.
As sweete meates must haue sowre sauces to them, so my
sweet kisse, sayd he, would relish so much the better after their
sowre ones.
Fan.
He gaue thee it right.
Cam.
Cum Comento.
With one dost ouer and aboue I beleeue.
Cam.
But is this all may be sayd of them?
Fan.
Much more.
Flo.
Well. Is it not worthy th'obseruing?
That men of their esteeme should be so poore
In Acts Heroick, Cheuallryes, And in
The Treasures of the mynd, while eury Pesaunt
Surpasses them in witt and worthynes?
What's to be done Sisters, Camilla, Fancia?
For such their ill brought vp vntowardnes?
Saye.
Cam.
Since they come t'encroach on Eluida
Not lyke Commissioners but Conquerours
Camillae's resolute opinion is
Wee serue them each an Eluish Trick.
Flo.
Agreed.
Fan.
Who begins?
Flo.
That will I, and but Pray
Whilst I am with Learchus you would but
Moue this Bush and for the rest to leaue mee.
Fan.
And when I wind my Bugle Horne you would
But answere mee with yours from contrary
Places of the Forrest.
Cam.
Camilla, Dames
She will weaue her web without your helpes. Come.
Flo.
Now each her task, which if they hit but right
All, wee will bring you, to your Beds, this night.
Here they knockt vp the Consort.
| The Faery Pastorall or Forrest of Elues | |