The Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch Conteining the affectionate life, and vnfortunate death of Phillis and Amyntas: That in a Pastorall; This in a Funerall: both in English Hexameters. By Abraham Fravnce |
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| 3. | The third Act |
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 | The Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch |  |
The third Act
first Scene.
Thyrsis, Chorus.O extreame disdaigne, ô most vnmerciful hard-hart,
O vnthankfull gyrle, ô prowde, and no-pity-taking
Woemen, curst by kynde, vnkynd kinde, kyn to a Tyger,
Kyn to a poysned snake. O dame, nay rather a stepdame,
Bunglyng artificer Nature, which framed a woemans
Externall countnance, and outward parts to be chearfull,
But th' internall soule, and inward part to be spytefull.
O perchaunce, poore wretch, himself hath murdred his ownself.
Euery place doe I seeke and search our euery corner,
Euery bush, each caue, each banck, and euery fountaine
All these three howres long, by the well where lately I left him;
Yet noe sight can I get, noe hearing, no not a footestepp
Wherein he troade of late, not a footestepp yet can I light on:
Ile ask these Pastors, if they can shew any tydings:
Good friends, haue you seene, doe yee know any newes of Amyntas?
Chorus.
Some bad misfortune thy minde seemes greatly to trouble:
What mean's this sweating and blowing? Fearst any mischif?
Thyrsis.
Mischif I feare indeede of Amyntas: shew mee Amyntas.
Chorus.
No-body here sawe hym, since you twoo lately departed.
But what mischif fearst?
Thyrs.
That Amyntas murder Amyntas.
Chorus.
Murder Amyntas. Why? What works so desperat outrage?
Thyrsis.
Hate and Loue.
Chor.
Twoo foes, th' one th' other deadly maligning,
Either sufficient, but both more mighty to murder:
Yet make this more playne.
Thyrs.
To be tootoo hartily louing,
And of a loued Lasse to be tootoo spytefuly hated.
Chorus.
But shew all at large: this place is an ord'nary through-fare:
Here some man may passe that may bring newes of Amyntas,
And some wynde himself may hither chaunce to be driuing.
Thyrsis.
Ile shewe all indeede, for I should vniustly be dealing,
If that I blaze not abroade so shameful a fact to the whole world.
If that I blaze not abroade so shameful a fact to the whole world.
Wretched Amyntas knew, and knew by my only relating,
(Now I repent too late, that I was soe fonde a relator)
That Daphn' and Phillis would wash themselues in a well-spring:
Thither Amyntas went, but went very faintily thither,
All vnwilling went, and backwards oft he retyred,
But that I stil stil droue him most vnluckily forward.
Forward thus wee went, and now came nere to Dianaes
Well, when alas wee heard some dolefull sound of a damsell,
That stil cryed, Alas; and saw how woefuly Daphne
Wringed her hands and wept, and seeing vs to be comming,
Lifted her hands and voyce; O run run quickly to Phillis,
Phillis alas is forst, ô run run quickly to Phillis.
Louer Amyntas leapt, as a Rowe-buck prickt with an arrow,
At these woords, and flew, and quickly I hastened after:
When wee came, wee saw faire Phillis bound to a willow,
Naked, stark-naked, bound head hand foote to a willow.
Her locks seru'd for a cord, her gold-locks lapt in a thousand
Knotts, (noe true-loues knotts) were all ty'de fast to the willow:
Her braue Belt, which first that pure virginity guarded,
Bound both hands to to the trunck, and this fowle villany furthred:
And wynding willow, vnwilling foe to be winding,
(And yet glad those leggs with tender twiggs to be tutching)
Lends her slipps to be strings (each thing can further a mischif)
Strings those trembling leggs (ô rufull case) to be bynding.
And that beastly Satyre, which causd this monsterus outrage,
Stood with lusting rage, and raging fury before her,
And now, eu'n iust now had left of fully to bynde her.
Phillis stroue asmuch as Phillis might be a striuing,
But for a naked gyrle with an armed foe to be striuing,
Booteles it had bene sure, if sharpned dart of Amyntas
Gainst that fleshly Satyre had not been tymely directed:
And I myself meane while my lapp with stones was a filling,
Which made lusting beast at last for feare to be flying.
(Now I repent too late, that I was soe fonde a relator)
That Daphn' and Phillis would wash themselues in a well-spring:
Thither Amyntas went, but went very faintily thither,
All vnwilling went, and backwards oft he retyred,
But that I stil stil droue him most vnluckily forward.
Forward thus wee went, and now came nere to Dianaes
Well, when alas wee heard some dolefull sound of a damsell,
That stil cryed, Alas; and saw how woefuly Daphne
Wringed her hands and wept, and seeing vs to be comming,
Lifted her hands and voyce; O run run quickly to Phillis,
Phillis alas is forst, ô run run quickly to Phillis.
Louer Amyntas leapt, as a Rowe-buck prickt with an arrow,
At these woords, and flew, and quickly I hastened after:
When wee came, wee saw faire Phillis bound to a willow,
Her locks seru'd for a cord, her gold-locks lapt in a thousand
Knotts, (noe true-loues knotts) were all ty'de fast to the willow:
Her braue Belt, which first that pure virginity guarded,
Bound both hands to to the trunck, and this fowle villany furthred:
And wynding willow, vnwilling foe to be winding,
(And yet glad those leggs with tender twiggs to be tutching)
Lends her slipps to be strings (each thing can further a mischif)
Strings those trembling leggs (ô rufull case) to be bynding.
And that beastly Satyre, which causd this monsterus outrage,
Stood with lusting rage, and raging fury before her,
And now, eu'n iust now had left of fully to bynde her.
Phillis stroue asmuch as Phillis might be a striuing,
But for a naked gyrle with an armed foe to be striuing,
Booteles it had bene sure, if sharpned dart of Amyntas
Gainst that fleshly Satyre had not been tymely directed:
And I myself meane while my lapp with stones was a filling,
Which made lusting beast at last for feare to be flying.
When this flight gaue leaue to the louing eyes of Amyntas
For to behold his ioys, those lyms so dayntily trembling,
Trembling yet for feare; at last, at last he aproached
Vnto the naked Nymph, and yet yet somwhat abashed:
Pardon, faire Phillis, qd Amyntas, pardon I pray thee
This my toobold hand, which tootoo rashly presumeth,
And to thy spotles lyms, lyms neuer tutcht yet, aprocheth,
Sith soe extreame neede, soe greate a necessity forceth
Forceth Amyntas his hands faire Phillis her hands to be loosing:
Let not then this grace which fortune seemes to aford them,
Seeme any fowle disgrace, or woork any wooe to my Phillis.
For to behold his ioys, those lyms so dayntily trembling,
Trembling yet for feare; at last, at last he aproached
Vnto the naked Nymph, and yet yet somwhat abashed:
Pardon, faire Phillis, qd Amyntas, pardon I pray thee
This my toobold hand, which tootoo rashly presumeth,
And to thy spotles lyms, lyms neuer tutcht yet, aprocheth,
Sith soe extreame neede, soe greate a necessity forceth
Forceth Amyntas his hands faire Phillis her hands to be loosing:
Let not then this grace which fortune seemes to aford them,
Seeme any fowle disgrace, or woork any wooe to my Phillis.
Chorus.
Woords well woorthy to make any hart of flynt to be tender:
But what said Phillis?
Thyrs.
Not a woord; but scornfuly blushing
Looks downe, hyding all that bands would haue to be hidden.
Gentle Amyntas coms, and golden lockes he releaseth,
And as he vnknits knotts, thus golden-locks he beespeaketh,
Golden locks too good this senceles tree to be chayning,
What shal Louers haue, wherein they may be triumphing,
If loues-lace can abide to be stretcht from a Nymph to a willow?
Paltery willow breakes with rude and boysterus handling,
Golden chaine, which gaue such grace to the paltery willow.
As that hee wisht and feard hart-holding hands to be handling.
Lastly, to free her feete, himself he begins to be kneeling:
But when Phillis her hands from bands felt fully released,
His louing seruice with these proud words she refused,
Tutch me not, hence Pastor, mine owne hands shall be my owne leggs
Freedome tutch not a Nymph, that's consecrat vnto Diana.
Chorus.
O graceles guerdon for seruice dutiful offred,
How can a Nymphs sweete brest harbor so fylthy a monster?
Thyrsis.
Gentle Amyntas straight with these woords myldely retyred,
And withdrew himself, not daring once to be lifting
Vp those loue-sick eyes, himself vnkindly denying
Ioyes to his owne poore self, that he might ease his bony Phillis
Of that paine, small paine, of geuing him the deniall.
And withdrew himself, not daring once to be lifting
Vp those loue-sick eyes, himself vnkindly denying
Ioyes to his owne poore self, that he might ease his bony Phillis
Of that paine, small paine, of geuing him the deniall.
All this I heard and saw, whilst vnder an oake I did hide mee,
All this I heard and saw, and once I began to be speaking
For very grief; yet I stayd: But marck yet, marck yet a woonder.
After long toyling her feete at last she released,
And scarce, scarce her feete from bands at last she released,
But those winged feete she bestyrs as fast as a yong Hynde,
And to Amyntas giues noe not soemuch as a farewell:
Yet noe cause of flight, for Amyntas made not an offer.
All this I heard and saw, and once I began to be speaking
For very grief; yet I stayd: But marck yet, marck yet a woonder.
After long toyling her feete at last she released,
And scarce, scarce her feete from bands at last she released,
But those winged feete she bestyrs as fast as a yong Hynde,
And to Amyntas giues noe not soemuch as a farewell:
Yet noe cause of flight, for Amyntas made not an offer.
Chorus.
What did he then poore man, when Phillis leaft him alone thus?
Thyrsis.
That can I noeway gesse; for I was soe mad to behold this
Scornefull pride, that I ran t'haue brought her back to Amyntas,
Ran with might and mayne, in vayne: for I feard her away still;
And when I came backward to the well, then I missed Amyntas.
Surely I feare hee's dead, for I know that he fully resolued
Ere that he came to the well, himself t'haue speedily murdred.
Chorus.
That's but an ord'nary thing, for a louer death to be threatning,
But not an ord'nary thing any man for loue to be dying.
Thyrsis.
God graunt it proue soe in Amyntas.
Chor.
Doubt not.
Thyrs.
I feare it.
Yet to the Caue Ile goe, where sage Elpinus abydeth:
There, if hee liue, its like, that Amyntas wilbe recounting
And with pleasant pipe, with voyce soe sweetely resounding
Make those rocks to resound, and wring out teares fro the fountaines.
The second Scene.
Amyntas, Daphne, Fuluia.Thy pity was pityles, Daphne, my dart to be plucking
From this dolefull brest, my paines and pangs be redoubled
By differring death: what meanst thou thus to be turning,
Turning and wynding my troubled minde with a thousand
Fruytles discourses? thou thinckst perchaunce that Amyntas
Will dispatch himself: if he dooe, that's best for Amyntas.
Daphne.
Fy for shame: leaue of these wicked words; for I know, that
Bashfulnes, not pryde, made Phillis run from Amyntas.
Amyntas.
O wretch; sole despaire, that dryues all hope from Amyntas,
Is my sole comfort: fonde hope first wounded Amyntas;
And fond hope, eu'n now (ô endles grief) is a budding
In my balefull brest, and only because that I liue yet,
Which is of all others the deuouringst woorme to the wretched.
Daphne.
Lyue yet wretched a while, and keep thyself for a comfort;
Thinck thou see'st Phillis sitt naked still by the welspring.
Amyntas.
Had not fell fortune and lewd loue plagued Amyntas
With paines sufficient, but wel-springs must be presented
Vnto my eyes: and then to my scortched tong be denyed?
Fuluia.
What? shal I then be the Crow, whose neuer-lucky resounding
Still brings baleful newes? shal I first bring death to the aged
Father Montanus, whose gray-haires now be depriued
Of their chiefe comfort, fayre Phillis, braue bony Phillis?
Ould Father, chyldles Father, nay, now not a Father.
Daphne.
Some sad voyce I doe heare.
Amynt.
I doe heare most dolefuly sounded
Phillis dearest name, which eares and hart is a wounding:
Whoe's that which name's her?
Daph.
Fayre Fuluia, Fuluia dearest
Nymph to the high Huntresse of forrests mighty Diana.
Know it he must and shall, that he may with speede be procuring,
That those louely reliques of Phillis may be preserued;
If those louely reliques of Phillis yet be remaining,
Luckles Phillis.
Amynt.
Alas, what? yet more plagues for Amyntas?
Fuluia.
O Daphne.
Daph.
What's that? Say on, sweete Fuluia, what's that
Which thou spakst to thyself? What made faire Fuluia stil stil
After Phillis name our eares with sighs to be filling?
Fuluia.
How can I choose but sigh, soe ruful a sight to remember?
Amyntas.
O that rueful sight makes my colde hart to be ruefull:
Is my Phillis aliue?
Daph.
Good Fuluia kil not Amyntas
With soe long suspence, let's know what may be the matter.
Fuluia.
O God, why shal I tel such dead news? and yet I must tell.
Phillis came naked to my house, and tould me the cause of
Her comming naked: new drest, she desyr'd mee of all loues
Louing gyrle, that I would accompany her to the pleasaunt
Yuychurches parck, and frame myself to the hunting.
Both content, both went, and met with a company gallant
Of flowring damsells wayting on Pembrokiana,
With bowes and arrows on princelike Pembrokiana.
Much tyme with pastimes was past, sports drew to an ending,
And on a soddayne loe, where earst no woolf was abyding,
Rau'ning woolf runs forth with blood-red mouth fro the bushes,
And on a soddayne loe, whilst others bows be a bending,
Phillis sent her shaft from her owne eare vnto the woolus eare:
Soemuch wrought in her hart sweete sight of Pembrokiana,
Soemuch did she desyre to be praysd of Pembrokiana.
Wounded woolf to the wood, stout Phillis runs to the wounded
Woolf with a dart in her hand.
Amynt.
O dreadful dart to Amyntas,
How can a pleasant ende come from soe deadly begynning?
Fuluia.
And with an other dart to theself same place I repayred;
But Woolf and Phillis (grief spurd th' one, glory the other)
Were quyte out of sight: yet I trac't them both to the thickest
And most desert place: there, (ô deare dart to my Phillis)
There lay Phillis dart, and not far thence was a white lawne
And as I turned about, seu'n other woolus by the naked
Bones of a mangled corse, gore blood were greedily licking:
And as chaunst (would God such chaunce had Phillis) I saw them,
Yet they saw not mee, they were soe greedily gorging,
And soe bent to the pray: So thence for feare I retyred:
And this is all that I know: and here's that lawne, that I spake of.
Amyntas.
And is this not enough? ô lawne of my bony Phillis:
O bony Phillis blood, th' art dead my sweete bony Phillis.
Daphne.
O dooble deaths wound: dead Phillis murdreth Amyntas.
Fuluia.
Tis but a swowne; for he breath's; and loe, hee's quickly reuyued.
Amyntas.
Griefe, leaue of lingring: make quick dispatch of Amyntas:
Griefe, th' art too too slowe; if death be reseru'd for Amyntas
Hand, hee'le take it in hand. For alas, if nought be a wanting
Vnto the highest poynt of griefe, if nought's to be added
Vnto Amyntas woe, for what then stayeth Amyntas?
Griefe, th' art too too slowe; if death be reseru'd for Amyntas
Hand, hee'le take it in hand. For alas, if nought be a wanting
Vnto the highest poynt of griefe, if nought's to be added
Vnto Amyntas woe, for what then stayeth Amyntas?
O Daphne, Daphne, was Amyntas lately repelled
From death, sweete deaths dore by Daphnes meanes? Was Amyntas
Kept saulf for these ioyes? O, then, then I might in a good time
Haue dischargd myself of a huge and horrible Ætna:
But Daphne would not, but cursed Desteny would not,
Least that I might by death those plagues haue tymely preuented,
Which accursed Fates for Amyntas lately prepared.
But now, since my woes at last are come to a full groath,
Desteny and Daphne may well, well let mee be dying.
From death, sweete deaths dore by Daphnes meanes? Was Amyntas
Kept saulf for these ioyes? O, then, then I might in a good time
Haue dischargd myself of a huge and horrible Ætna:
But Daphne would not, but cursed Desteny would not,
Least that I might by death those plagues haue tymely preuented,
Which accursed Fates for Amyntas lately prepared.
But now, since my woes at last are come to a full groath,
Desteny and Daphne may well, well let mee be dying.
Daphne.
Yet differ thy death til certaine newes be receaued
Wheather Phillis lyue or dye; and then be resolued.
Amyntas.
Lyue or dye? whoe doubts? would God that were to be doubted.
Fuluia.
And would God my tongue had clou'n to my roofe, when I blabbed.
Amyntas.
Geaue mee the lawne, good Nymph, white lawne, which only remaineth
Of sweete-white Phillis, that I may in stead of a Phillis
Kisse my Phillis lawne, and soe my ioyes be prolonging,
Fuluia.
What? shal I giue or keepe? Lewd cause wherefore he desir's it
Wills me to keepe it still, least it bring fancy to fury.
Amyntas.
Nymph extreamely cruel, that thincks it much to be geuuing
One poore peece of lawne, eu'n at last gasp of Amyntas.
Well, then I yeeld to my death, and destiny noe-pity-taking:
Let lawne stay with you, and you stay here for Amyntas.
Daphne.
Harck, come back, here, take, ô stay, and run not Amyntas.
And yet Amyntas runs, enraged, desperat, headlong.
Fuluia.
Yea, and runs soe fast, that hee is not like to be outrun.
Therefore better I were to my iourneys end to be hasting:
And yet I greeue myself, Montanus minde to be greeuing,
Least these newes inflict as deadly a wound in a father,
As they gaue eu'n now to the feynting hart of a Louer.
| The Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch | |