University of Virginia Library

The first Act

first Scene

Daphne, Phillis.
What? Will Phillis then confume her youth as an anckresse,
Scorning daintie Venus? will Phillis still be a Modder,
And not care to be cal'd by the deare-sweete name of a Mother?
Will not Phillis ioy to beholde her selfe in a Phillis,
And her trueloues face in a yong boyes face to be shining?
Change this minde, fond wench, and this resolution alter.
Phillis.
Seeke the delites of loue, who list, (if loue be delightfull)
This life is my loue, my bowe and shafts be my treasure,
Hunting is my ioy; with stubburne beasts to be striuing,
Vntil I fell them downe, and fearefull beasts to be chasing.
And, till woods want beasts, and quiuer feathered arrowes,
Phillis shall not want any sweete sports or prety pastimes.

Daphne.
Fine sweete sports indeede for a girle, and wise prety pastimes,
Still to be killing beasts, and still by the woods to be ranging.
This life, toylesome life, for a while doth seeme to be pleasant,
Only because as yet thou hast not tri'de any other.
So those simple soules that liu'd when Ioue was an infant,
Tooke for pleasant drinke, and meate well worthie a mans mouth,
Streames of purling brookes, and nutbrowne kernel of accorne:
But now, streames of brookes, and nutbrowne kernel of accorne
Are contemn'de as drinke and meate but fit for a beasts mouth,
Since that corne and grapes were once knowne how to be vsed.
If thou couldst, nay wouldst (and who would not, but a fonkin?)
Only but one time taste, and but taste onely the thousandst
Part of those pleasures and ioyes, which still be abounding
In true-louers soule, when he feeles himself to be loued,
Thou wouldst quickly repent, and quickly bewray thy repentance,
And say thus with teares; Each loueles life is a luckles
And accursed life: my best dayes vainly be ended,


Flowring time is gone, and age creepes hastily onwarde.
How-many fruyteles nights, poore foole, did I waste as a Wyddowe?
How-many ioyles dayes as a Nunne did I drawe to the eunyng?
Dayes, to be passed away with winged boyes prety pastymes,
Nights to be spent with toyes and ioyes of louely Cupido,
Pastimes, toyes, and ioyes, which more ioy'de breede me the more ioye.
Change this minde, fonde wench, and this resolution alter.

Phillis.
When that I seeme to repent, or seeme to bewray my repentance,
Or say so with teares; let floods run back to the fountaines,
Let Woolues fly fro the Lambe, and trembling Hare to the Greyhounde,
Let Beares range by the sea, and Dolphin swymme by the deserte.

Daphne.
See what it is to be yong; gyrles always vse to be peeuish:
Soe was I in tymes past, (Good tyme il past) when I wanted
Age and experience, and so did I trudg to the forrest.
Golden locks, cherylips, red-white face, yuory fingers,
Prowde as a praysd Peacock, and so did I trudg to the forrest.
Netts were then my delyte, and bended bow my reioycing,
Poynted dartes my ioy, and slaughtred beasts my triumphing.
If that I sawe myself (myself vnluckily selfwilde)
But by a glaunce, one glaunce of a Louers eye to be noted,
Downe did I hang my head, and bow myne eyes to my bosome,
Sore displea'sd forsooth, and, God wot, greately abashed
When my pleasing face to a loues looke brought any pleasure,
As though t'were some fault, or shame, or mock to my ownself,
For to be looked vpon, to be lou'd, and sought for of others.
But what can not tyme effect? What can not a louers
Continuall wooing, long seruyng, dayly deseruyng
Bring by degrees at length, at length, to a fortunat endyng?
Phillis, I must confesse, at last I began to be yeelding
Vnto a Loues conquest: and these armes made me be yeelding,
Long patience, kyndenes, sighs, teares, importunat askings.
Then did a night, one night, one shorte night teach mee a lesson,
Which many thousand dayes would neuer let me be learnyng:
Then did I quyckly repent, and quickly bewray my repentance,
And say thus with teares: Now farewel mighty Diana,
Bowes and shafts I renownce, and brutish life I abandon.
So, I doo hope, one day, thy gentle-mynded Amyntas
Shall with aboundant teares make thy hard hart to be tender;


And why should not I hope, when I see iust matter of hoping?
Is not Amyntas fayre? is hee not lou'd of many Lasses?
Dooth not hee loue Phillis? yet Phillis loue's not Amyntas:
And yet, alas, neyther thy hate, nor loue of an other
Can withdraw his loue: And, if thou looke to thy gentrie,
As sweete Cydippe is know'n to be truly thy mother,
Cydippe daughter to the sacred God that abydeth
In this syluer brooke; soe, father of haples Amyntas
Was good Syluanus, Syluanus son to the greate Pan,
Pan the shepheards greate God, that rul's and raign's by the forrest.
And, if Phillis chaunce to behould her face in a fountayne,
Phillis will not seeme more fayre then fayre Amaryllis:
And Amaryllis fayre lou's gentleminded Amyntas;
And Amaryllis loue is still contemn'd of Amyntas,
For that, Phillis loue still rests in soule of Amyntas,
Although Phillis alas hates her truelouer Amyntas.
Now suppose for a while (God graunt it proue but a suppose)
That Phillis sowre lookes dryue of this loue of Amyntas,
And Amaryllis loue draw on this loue of Amyntas,
And that Amyntas kisse, kisse and embrace Amaryllis,
And laugh at Phillis: what then wi' Phillis imagin?

Phillis.
Well: let Amyntas deale as seemeth best to Amyntas,
And loue somewhere els; his loue hath made me to hate hym.

Daphne.
Loue breede hate? Sweete Syre of a most vnnatural ofspring
And vile degenerate bastard: but when wil a white swan
Hatch any coleblack crowe? or meeke sheepe foster a Tyger?

Phillis.
Daphne leaue this talk, or looke noe more for an answer:
His loue breedes my hate, when I hate to aford what hee loueth:
Hee's not a fryend, but a foe, that my virgynyty seeketh:

Daphne.
Why then, stifneckt bull is a foe, not a fryend to a heyfer,
And to a Turtledoue, not a fryend, but a foe is a Turtle.
Why then sweete springetyme breedes hate and works many mischifs,
Sweetesmyling spring-tyme, that wils each thing to be louing,
World and all in world; ô see how sweetly the Pigeon
There with a murmur sweete his copsemate sweete is a wooing.
Mark that Nightingale, which hops fro the bry'r to the hawthorne,


Harck, how brauely shee sings, I doo loue, and loue to be louely.
Nay eu'n fell serpents with cursed poyson abounding,
Strong and stoordy Lions, and Tygers fierce be a louing:
And yet Phillis alas Phillis more fierce than a Tyger,
Woorse than a wylde Lionesse, and more vnkyn'de than a serpent,
Phillis liues stil alone, and can not abyde to bee louely.
But strong stoordy Lions, fierce Tygers, slippery serpents
Haue sense and feeling, therefore noe wonder at all, if
Serpents, stoordy Lions, and Tygers fierce be a louing:
O then looke to the trees, and learne of them to be louely,
Looke to the senceles trees, and mark how dearely the vinetree
Lou's her louing elme, and clipps him fast with a thousand
Thousand embracements, and beech-tree cleaues to the beech-tree,
And wil'de ash to the ash, and pine-tree leane's to the pine-tree.
Yea that broadebrauncht oake which stands soe stoordyly pitched,
And seemes rude and rough, not moou'd with a storme or a tempest,
Yeelds to a kynde of loue; and, if thou were but a little
Tutcht with loue, thou mights perceaue his louely bewaylings,
And secreate groanyngs: and wilt thou then be for all this
Woorse then a senceles tree, and neuer learne to be louely?
Change this mynde, fond wench, and this resolution alter.

Phillis.
Well: when I see trees weepe, and heare theyre louely bewaylings
And secreate groanyngs, i'le frame myself to be louing.

Daphne.
Tis but a folly I see, to be wasting wyn'de on a prowd gyrle,
That knows nought her self, and wil not learne of another.
Thou that mak'st but a iest of loue, hereafter, I doubt not,
Wilt full sore lament, and fyn'de all true that I tell thee:
When thou shalt for shame fly back fro the watery fountayns,
Back fro the springs where now thou see'st thy face to be shynyng,
For very shame and griefe to behold thy beauty decayed
And face all wrynckled: that's bad, but that's but a common
Myschief, looke in tyme that a worse plague light not vpon thee.
I'le say nought; but I wot what news were truly reported
By sage Elpinus last day, to the louely Lycoris:
And he reported afore Corydon and Alphesibœus
Twooe greatest maysters of loues lawes, and he reported
In fayre Auroraes greate Caue, whose bewtiful entrance
Hath these woords engrau'd by the hand of louely Cupido,


(This place is sacred, for louers only apoynted)
There Elpinus sayd, and sayd that he heard it of ould tyme
Of that great pastor, (greate man, whose sweetly resoundyng
Pipe did passe fro the fyelds and sang of martial horrors,)
How that in hels deepe pitt, foule fyends haue framed a dungeon,
All as black as pytch, and all as darck as an ouen,
Hard by the ioyles bancks where smokes and foggs be arising
From wayling Acheron: and there these no-pyty-taking
Dames and scornefull gyrles are all condemn'd to be plagued,
All tormented there in dungeons ougly for euer.
There fitt place, fayre walkes for Phillis shalbe prepared:
There shall fogs, and mystes, and smokes, and palpable horror
Wring out teares from her eyes, and force her still to be wayling,
Whom no louers smart, no griefe could make to be weeping.

Phillis.
Good sweete Daphne peace, and tell this againe to Lycoris,
Terrifie babes with bugs: its tyme to be gone to the huntyng
Solempne great hunting which this same day is apoynted
In that pleasant parck, that sweetest parck of a thousand
Yuychurches parck, prety Yuychurch, that on hill topp
Flowring hill topp sitts, and looketh downe to the valleys,
There, ô there, I dooe heare (for soe Philoueuia tould mee)
There that Nymph, braue Nymph, that peareles Pembrokiana
Yuychurches Nymph doth meane herself to be present,
And with her owne person giue grace and life to the pastime.
Ile to my wonted well with Christall water abounding,
There wil I leaue this dust and sweate that I gate by my toyling
Yesterday, when I made that lightfoote Doe to be tumbling.

Daphne.
And i'le hoame, for an howre or twoo: and then to the huntyng,
Then to the parck wee'le goe: in meane tyme marck what I tould thee
More than parcks and wells, and, if symplicity blynde thee,
Know thy not knowing; soe, mayst thou know of an other.

The second Scene.

Amyntas, Thyrsis.
Hollowe caues, ragd rocks, waste hills, greene watery fountaynes
For pyty, sweetely reply, and aunswers make to my mournyng:
Strong oake, tall pinetree, greene laurell, bewtiful Yuy


For pity, sweetly reply, and aunswers make to my mourning,
Shake theyr leaues for grief, and bend theyr bowes to my groning:
Only that one in whom my ioyes are only reposed
Yeelds no louely reply, no aunswer mak's to my mourning,
Phillis faire and fierce; Phillis more fierce to Amyntas
Than strong oake, tall pine, greene lawrell, bewtiful yuy,
Hollowe caues, ragd rocks, waste hills, greene watery fountaines.
When blackmantled night mak's euery thing to be silent,
Euery thing at rest, then wandreth restles Amyntas:
Siluer moone, bright starrs, you knew these heauy bewaylings,
And for grief your course and due reuolution altred:
But shee alas greeues not, tak's no compassion on mee,
Whose hart-chearing face, and sweete illuminat eisight
Siluer moone, bright starrs, and all your brauery stayned,
And made you for shame, your due reuolution alter.
Thyrsis.
Harmeles sheepe and lambs eate grasse: and greedy deuouring
Woolues eate harmeles sheepe and lambs: but surly Cupido
Surly Cupido feeds himself on streames of abounding
Teares, and's neuer fild, and yet stands euer a feeding.

Amyntas.
No, no, Thyrsis, alas: Loue lacks no teares of Amyntas,
Surly Cupido's full, stuft full with teares of Amyntas,
And thyrsts now for blood, seeks blood of woful Amyntas,
And what he seeks, he shal haue; I'le quēch theyr thirst by my hartblood,
Blynde boy's, proud gyrles thirst: and glut theyr eyes with aboundant
Streames of purpled gore of tootoo wretched Amyntas.

Thyrsis.
O bloody word, fowle word, ô God forbid that Amyntas
Should or think, or woork any outrage vnto Amyntas.
Cast of these fancies, leaue these toyes, pluck vp a mans-hart:
If bony Phillis scorne, and make but a mock of Amyntas,
Yet shal Amyntas finde as braue gyrls as bony Phillis.

Amyntas.
Finde braue gyrls? ô griefe: if Amyntas finde not Amyntas,
How can he finde others? ô how shal he finde bony Lasses,
If that he loose himself? ô how shal I seeke any other,
Since my setled soule and hart are like to an aged
And well grounded tree, which now is come to the full groath,
And will rather breake, than bend, or yeeld to be turned.


Hate augments my loue; her frownes geue fyre to my fancy,
As gentle spaniel, whom beating makes to be louing.

Thyrsis.
Feare in a feareful man frets more than plagues that he feareth:
Hope, and haue, in time any man may gaine any woeman.
Long time mighty Lions at length hath brought to the brydle,
And wyldest Tygers at length are tam'de in a long tyme.

Amyntas.
Yea, but alas long tyme's too long for wretched Amyntas:
Death must speedely speede, noe wretch can abyde any long tyme.

Thyrsis.
Stay but a while, noe doubt these things will mend in a short time:
Thou knowst that woemen by kinde are mutable euer,
Soone hoate, and soone cold, like and mislike in a moment,
Change as a weathercock, and all as light as a feather.
But let Thyrsis now know more at large of Amyntas
His distressed state; for though thou touldst me a great while
Since, that Loue gaue first occasion vnto thy torments,
And that prowd Phillis gaue fresh increase to thy sorrowes,
Yet whence this loue sprang, who was that Phillis I knew not.
And sith soemany yeares w'haue liu'd so friendly togeather,
And apply'd ourselu's to the lores of learned Apollo,
Ther's cause why Thyrsis should know those things of Amyntas,
Which his Amyntas knows, and will shew only to Thyrsis.

Amyntas.
Know ô Thyrsis then, know this mine infinite anguish,
Which these hills well know, which these sweete watery wells know,
And yet no man knowes: my fatall howre is aproaching,
My death drawes so neare, that now its time to prouide some
Time to prouide some friend, which may and wilbe reporter
Of death and deaths cause, which wil for a friendly remembrance
Death and cause of death ingraue in barck of a beech tree,
Hard by the damned place, where corps of murdred Amyntas
Bloodles corps shall lie, that when that braue bony damsel
That pytiles Phillis shall chaunce that way to be passing,
Her prowde foote, and yet sweete foote may ioy to be treading
Treading and trampling these baleful boanes of Amyntas.
And that serpents tong, thus take a delite to be vaunting;
This death is my triumph, these bruysed boanes my trophæum;
That such strange trauelers as this way chaunce to be wandring,


And forren Pastors that passe by the graue of Amyntas,
May know this conquest, and make it know'n to the countrey.
And perchaunce (ô noe, that's too too good for Amyntas)
Yet perchaunce one day may once come, when bony Phillis
When bony sweete Phillis, now moou'd with a louely repentance,
Louely remorse, may take some small compassion on mee,
And, when tis too-late, lament this losse of Amyntas,
Sheading some sweete teares for death of murdred Amyntas,
His death; whom when hee lyu'd, herself did cause to be dying;
Saying, O that hee were, that hee were not a murdred Amyntas,
O that he liued now, and were my louer Amyntas.
But now harck and marck of cares and woe the beginning.

Thyrsis.
Say on then, for I harck and marck perchaunce to a better
End, than thou thyself canst yet conceaue or imagin.

Amyntas.
When that I was but a wagg, yong wagg, soe yong, that I could scarce
Reach mine outstretcht arme to the bending bowes of a plumtree;
T'was my luck (ill luck) t'acquaint myself with a braue gyrle,
Brauest gyrle that spreades her golden locks to the tender
Wynde, faire Phillis I meane, but alas what meant I to meane her?
Phillis a flame to the soule, and Phillis a flowre to the forrest,
Phillis a Townish gyrls disgrace, and grace to the countrey,
Phillis a fame to the Parck and Phillis a shame to the Pallace,
Phillis that first made Cydippe for to be mother,
Phillis that first made that rich Montanus a father:
With that Phillis I was (most woeful was, when I am not)
With that Phillis I lyu'd (ô luckles lyu'd, when I lyue not)
Phillis a turtledoue, and faithful turtle Amyntas:
Both our bowres were nye, which made vs both to be neighbours,
Both our mynds more nye, which causd vs both to be fryendly:
Both our ages lyke, which first was cause of a lyking,
Both our lyues more lyke, which stil gaue fyre to a fancie.
If that Amyntas were disposed for to be fishing,
Phillis a fishing went: if Amyntas meant to be fowling,
Phillis a fowling went: if Phillis longd for a filberd,
Yonker Amyntas clymbde: if Phillis would be a hunting,
Whoe but Amyntas then, but greene-coate Huntsman Amyntas?
Eithers sport was lyke, and eythers portion æquall.
But when Amyntas thus bestow'd himself on his angling,


Other bayts and hookes tooke secreate hould of Amyntas:
Whilst that Amyntas thus layd trapps and snares for a Redbrest,
White-brest layd new snares and hidden trapps for Amyntas:
Whilst that Amyntas I say ran pricking after a Pricket,
Farre more poysned darts haue prickt hart-roote of Amyntas.
For, by degrees there grew (as an hearb that grows of her owne self)
In my brest there grew, but I wist not whence, a desiring
Still to be with Phillis, poore foole, and stil to be gazing
On those burning lamps, whence stil stil I sucked a sweetnes,
Strange kinde of sweetnes which ended stil with a sowrenes.
Oftentimes did I sigh, yet knew no cause of a sighing,
And was a louer afore that I knew what t'was to be louing:
But now Thyrsis, I know, and mark, Ile tell thee the manner.

Thyrsis.
Say on Amyntas then; this matter's worthy the marking.

Amyntas.
Once on a day (ô day, ô dismallst day of a thousand)
Once on a sommers day (ô sommer worse than a winter)
Vnder a beech (ô beech of Amyntas woe the beginning)
Phillis sate her downe, and downe sate Cassiopœa,
And I betweene them both: when a Bee that gathered honny
Here and there fro the flowres, conueys herself in a moment
Vnto the red-rose cheeke of smiling Cassiopœa,
And there bytes and bytes faire checke of Cassiopœa,
Thinking sure, (as I think) her red-rose cheekes to be roses.
Bee bytes, byting smarts, and smarting Cassiopœa
Wringeth her hands and cryes: But, peace, qd my bony Phillis,
Cassiopœa, be stil, crye not sweete Cassiopœa:
Ile with a word or twoo soone cause thy paine to be ceasing,
Ile soone charme thy cheeke; this secreate lately I learned
Of beldame Sagane, for an yuory combe that I gaue her.
Then sh'applyes her lipps (life-geeuing lipps to a Louer,
And yet alas, yet alas life-taking lipps from a Louer)
Vnto the smarting cheeke of whyning Cassiopœa,
And with a sweete sweete sound her spells she begins to be mumbling:
By and by (strange thing) her payne was past in a moment,
Whether charming woords did woork so mighty a woonder,
Or that Phillis mouth (which rather may be beleeued)
Heales where it tutcheth by some great grace of Apollo.
Then then, whereas afore I desired but to be seeing


Hart-inflaming eyes, I desired but to be hearing
Soul-inuading voyce, sweete voyce, and like to the purling
Streames of a siluer brooke that creepes with a louely resounding
Murmur among small stones, or lyke to the dayntyly warbling
Noyse of a gentle winde, that makes greene leaues to be trembling,
Then then alas did I long and looke and wish to be ioyning
This my mournfull mouth to the mouth of my bony Phillis:
And in fine I deuisd (Loue fynds out wyly deuises)
How t'obteine my desire: for I faind, that a wasp fro the bushes
Flew to my face in a rage, and poore lipps all to be stinged;
And my dolefull lookes did looke and craue to be charmed,
Though my toong was afraid, and made no sute to the charmer.
Then simple Phillis, who tooke my tale for a Gospell,
Came of her owne accord and ioynd her lips to my sore-lipp,
Sore-sick lip God knowes: But alas, whilst Phillis a fained
Wound with sweete lipps heal'd, her sweete lips gaue mee a true-wound,
Gaue me a mortall wound that ran fro the lipps to the lyuer,
Nay, immortall wound that pierst fro the mouth to the marrow.
No busie Bee can suck more sweete and sugered honny
From sweet-smelling flowrs, than was distild fro the roses
Of chery-lipt Phillis by the boyling breath of Amyntas;
Although bashful feare was somwhat a curb to my kisses,
And restraynd my ioyes: which made me the more to desire that
Poisned bitter-sweete, and faine yet againe that I smarted,
That with Phillis lipps my lipps might freshly be charmed:
And soe charmed I was, soe sting'd, soe deadly bewitched,
So sore inchaunted with spill-soule spells, that I must needes
Either breake my hart, or breake my loue to my Phillis:
This breaking of loue was a loues-breake; better it had bene
Harts-breake or necks-breake to the sore hart-wounded Amyntas.
Once on a time when Nymphs and Pastors chaunc't to be sporting,
Standing all in a round, and each one whispred a secreat
Into an others eare, poore foole I began to be buzzing,
Phillis, I burne with loue, ô take compassion on mee,
Help or I dy Phillis: But Phillis straight with a lowring
Looke and frowning face, and downe-cast eyes to the ground-ward,
Blusht for spite and shame, and gaue not a woord for an aunswer,
But conueyd her away, and flew fro the place in a furie.
From that time, no time would Phillis abide with Amyntas,
Lend no eyes to the teares, no eares to the playnts of Amyntas.


And now flaxen wheate his ripened stalk to the syckle
Hath threetimes yeelded, now cheareful spring, to the forrest
Flowring bowes hath brought threetimes, and flowr's to the meddow,
And each thing but death long since was try'de by Amyntas
For t'appease Phillis; my death now only remaineth
For t'appease Phillis: which death should soone be procured,
So that I were once sure that I should by my deadly departure
Wring any teares from her eyes, or bring any ioy to her hard hart,
Make her weepe or laugh; and wheather should I be wishing?
Indeede Phillis teares and mynde with mercy relenting
Were far better amends for death of murdred Amyntas,
And more friendly reward for luckles loue of Amyntas,
But that I may not wish sweete Phillis minde to be greeued,
Nor Phillis faire face and eyes with teares to be blubbred.

Thyrsis.
And what man, madman, can thinke it possible, if that
Once shee doe heare these plaints, but that shee'le yeeld to be louing?

Amyntas.
O good Thyrsis, I doubt, for I neuer gin to be speaking,
But shee recoyls fro my words, as subtile snake fro the charmer.

Thyrsis.
Doubt not, I hope ere long, Ile cause her friendly to heare thee.

Amyntas.
If thou get that I speake, then nought shal I get by my speaking.
Mopsus alas Mopsus foretould me my desteny long-since,
Soothsayer Mopsus that knows what mysterie secreate
And hidden vertues in stones and hearbs be abyding,
And by the flight and chirpe of byrds can tell many wonders.

Thyrsis.
What? that coosnyng squyre, that brokes and sells to the ould wyues
Pelting pills in a box, and so scrapes coyne fro the countrey?
Hope yet Amyntas a while; for I know ther's matter of hoping:
Only because Mopsus say's there's no matter of hoping:
Hope, and meete mee againe in this same place: for I doubt not
But that in one halfe howre, I'le bring good newes to Amyntas.

Chorus.
O sweete age of gold, not sweet, for that by the pastures
Euery brooke and bush with mylk and honny abounded;


Nor that fertile ground vntild, vntutcht was afording
Fresh increase of fruite to the pooremans dayly reioicing;
Nor that stingles snakes and harmeles slippery serpents
Slyded abroad by the fields and neuer breath'd any poyson;
Nor that clowdles skies seem'd euermore to be smyling,
And æternall Spring her spring-time dayly renuing;
Nor that noe pyne-trees as yet cut downe fro the mountaines
Ranged abroad by the rocks with salt waues all to be dashed:
But sweete age of gold, for that this name of a noething,
Idle name of nought, and dayly deceauable Idoll,
Which fooles afterward, fine-fooles haue made to be Honnor,
Was nor nam'd, nor knowne, nor brought new lawes to the countrey
And poore countreymen, whose liues were onely directed
By sweete Natures law, sweete Nature taught them a lesson,
If you will, you may: and strait-lac't rules did abandon.
Then by the greene-mantled pastures and watery fountaines
Lou's yong wanton waggs were always woont to be singing,
And had noe light lampes, and had no dangerus arrowes.
Then braue iolly Shepheards and Nymphs sate sweetly togeather,
Tempring woords with smyles; and euery smyle with a kissing.
Nymphs were not so nyce, but that they yeelded a full view
Of their bared brests to the searching eyes of a louer.
Gyrles were not soe coy, but that they would with a yonker
Friendly together wash, and bathe themselues in a riuer.
Honnor first cou'red wel-spring of louely Cupido,
Honnor pluckt water from scorched mouth of a Louer,
Honnor taught fayre eyes theyr glittring beames to be hyding,
And to the darckned soule theyr light vnkindly denying.
Honnor caught in netts those golden locks, that in ould tyme
Were leaft loose to the wynde dispersed along by the shoulders.
Honnor mar'd our myrth, and louelayes turn'd to a silence,
And all our pastymes to a sollempne grauitie changed.
Honnor taught vs first our mouthes by art to be moouing,
Lookes by a looking glasse, and gate with skill to be framing.
Honnor cal'd it a theft, which first was counted a free guift,
Honnor made it a cryme, which first was thought but a pastyme.
But thou supreame Lord of Loue, thou onely Monarcha,
Which rul'st mighty Monarchs, what doost thou here in a corner,
For soe great a Godhead ô too too simple a corner?
Goe to a prowd Diademe, to a golden crowne, to a scepter,


Breake those great mens sleepe; so shall thy fame bee the greater:
Disgrace not thy-self with poore contemptible abiects,
But let Countrey-fooles liue as they vsde to be lyuing,
Let them liue in loue, whilst they haue tyme to be louing.
Sun setts, and riseth; goes downe, and quickly reuiueth,
But mans light once out, æternall darknes abydeth:
Then let Countrey-fooles liue as they vsde to be lyuing,
Let them lyue in loue, whilst they haue time to be louing.