University of Virginia Library

The sixth day.

Since Phillis buryall, sixtymes sprang light fro the Mountayns,
Six tymes had Titan brought back his coach fro the mayn-sea,
And flying horses with salt waues all to be dashed,
With puft-vp nosthrils greate fyre flames lustyly breathing.
When to the wyld woods went careles, yet careful Amyntas,
Leauing flock in fould, noe creatures company keeping,


Beating brest with fist, with teares face fowly defacing,
Filling ways as he went with such and soemany waylings,
As were sometymes made by the sweete Rhodopcian Orpheus,
When by the rocks of Thrace, by the fatall water of Hæbrus,
His sweete Euridice with most sweete voyce he bewayled,
When sweete voyce, sweete harpe ioyned most sweetly togeather,
Made both byrds and beasts, both stocks and stones to be mournyng.
Euery beast in fyeld wisheth day-light to be comming,
Mornyng starr by the byrds in fylds is sweetly saluted,
As soone as shee begins by the breake of day to be peeping;
Euery beast in fyeld wisheth darck night to be commyng,
Eu'ning starr to the kydds well fed, coms hartyly welcome,
As soone as she begyns by the nights approach to be shynyng,
Neyther day nor night can please displeased Amyntas,
All day long doe I mourne, and all night long am I playnyng,
Noe day's free fro my playnts, and noe night's free fro my mourning.
Whosoe thincks it strange, that thus tormented Amyntas
Can thus long endure, who thincks it strange, that Amyntas
Lyues, yet taks noe rest, but stil lius, stil to be dying;
This man knows not alas, that loue is dayly triumphant,
Loue can abyde noe law, loue always lou's to be lawles,
Loue altreth nature, rules reason, maystreth Olympus
Lawes, edicts, decrees: contemns Ioue mightyly thundring,
Ioue, that rules and raigns, with a beck that bendeth Olympus.
Loue causd Hippolitus with bryr's and thorns to be mangled,
For that he had fowle loue of lusting Phædra refused.
Loue made Absyrtus with systers hands to be murdred,
And in peeces torne, and here and there to be scattred.
Loue forc't Pasophae mans company long to be loathing,
And, for a whyte Bulls flesh, Bulls company long to be lusting.
Loue and luring looks of louely Polixena, caused
Greekish Achilles death, when he came to the Church to be wedded.
Loue made Alcides, that greate inuincible Heros,
Master of all monsters, at length to be whipt by a Mystres.
Loue drownd Læander swymmyng to the bewtiful Hero,
Vnto the towne Cestos from towne of cursed Abydos.
Loue made loue, that's ruler of earth and ruler of heauen,
Lyke to a selly Shepherd, and lyke to the fruytful Echidna,
Lyke to a fyre, to a Swan, to a Showre, to a Bull, to an Eagle,
Sometymes Amphitrion, sometymes Dyctinna resembling.


But what neede I to shew this blynde Boys surly behauyour,
Lewd prancks, false policies, sly shifts, and wyly deuises,
Murdring mynde, hard hart, dead hand, bent bow, bloody arrowes?
Nobody knows better what bitter grief is abounding
In lou's lewd kingdome, than luckles louer Amyntas.
Whether I goe to the groaues, or whether I clymbe to the Mountayns,
Whether I walk by the bancks, or whether I looke to the fountayns,
Loue stil wayts at an inch, and neuer leaues to be pinching,
Euery thing complayns, and aunswereth vnto my playnyngs,
Euery thing geus cause and fresh increase to my mournyngs.
If that I mourne in woods, these woods seeme al to be mournyng,
And broade-brauncht oake trees their vpright topps to be bowing.
Yf that I sigh or sob, this pine-tree straight by the shaking,
This peareles pine-tree for company seem's to be pyning,
As though himself felt th' enduring pangs of Amyntas.
And that byrde of Thrace, my woeful company keeping,
Cry's and calls for Itys, with monstrous villany murdred,
Murdred alas by the merciles hart and hands of a Mother,
Eaten alas by the cursed mouth and teeth of a father.
And poore Turtle-doue, her mates good company myssing,
Sits on a naked bowe, and keepes mee company mournyng.
When that I clymbe to the ragged rocks, & creepe to the Mountayns,
Staying feeble knees with a staffe, for feare of a falling,
If that I then curse death, and rayle on desteny fatall,
For marring that face, those cheeks, those yuory fingers
Of my sweete Phillis; Phillis coms back with an Eccho,
Eccho returns Phillis, fyue tymes fro the rocks, fro the Mountayns.
Euery beast which hears these woefull playnts of Amyntas,
Coms and setts him downe twixt leggs of woeful Amyntas,
Sustring back to be stroakt with staff of mourneful Amyntas:
As that good Lyonesse, which first was cur'de by a Romayne,
In Romayne theater gaue life for lyfe to the Romayne.
O, if such pyty were in Desteny noe-pyty-taking,
Phillis I should not mysse, nor Phillis mysse of Amyntas.
Yf that I come to the bancks, and cast myne eyes to the waters,
Waters augmented by these my watery fountayns,
Then these fowle-mouth'd froggs with iarring tunes doe molest mee:
Soe that I am compeld with bowing knees to be praying,
Praying vnto the Nymphs in bowres of water abyding,
That they would vouchsafe to receaue my carkas among them,


And fro the sight of man, fro the light of sunne to remoue it,
As that loued Hylas they sometymes fryendly receaued.
But yet I wish in vayne, and nought can I get by my wishing,
And of my wishing these lewd windes make but a whistling,
Soe noething contents poore malcontented Amyntas,
Clogd with an heape or cares, and closd in a hell ful of horror.
Then to his homely Cabin, by the moone light hasted Amyntas.