 | The Maydes Metamorphosis |  |
Act. 4.
Enter Ascanio, and Ioculo.Asca.
Shall then my trauell euer endles proue?
That I can heare no tydings of my Loue?
In neither desart, groue, nor shadie wood,
Nor obscure thicker, where my foote hath trod?
But euery plough-man, and rude shepheard swain,
Doth still reply vnto my greater paine?
Some Satyre then, or Goddesse of this place,
Some water Nymph, vouchsafe me so much grace
As by some view, some signe, or other sho,
I may haue knowledge if she liue or no.
Eccho.
No.
Asca.
Then my poore hart is buried too in wo:
Record it once more, if the truth be so?
Eccho.
So.
Asca.
How, that Eurymine is dead, or liues?
Eccho.
Liues.
Asca.
Now gentle Goddesse thou redeem'st my soule
From death to life: Oh tell me quickly where?
Eccho.
Where?
Asca.
In some remote far region, or else neere?
Eccho.
Neere.
Asca.
Oh what conceales her from my thirstie eies?
Is it restraint? or some vnknowne disguise?
Eccho.
Disguise.
Io.
Let me be hangd my Lord, but all is lyes.
Eccho.
Lyes.
Io.
True, we are both perswaded thou doest lye.
Eccho.
Thou doest lye.
Io.
Who I?
Eccho.
Who I?
Io.
I thou.
Eccho,
I thou.
Thou dar'st not come and say so to my face.
Eccho.
Thy face.
Io.
Ile make you then for euer prating more.
Ecch.
More.
Io.
Will ye prate more? Ile see that presently.
Ascha.
Stay Ioculo, it is the Eccho Boy,
That mocks our griefe, and laughes at our annoy.
Hard by this groue there is a goodly plaine
Betwixt two hils, still fresh with drops of raine:
Where neuer spreading Oake nor Poplar grew,
Might hinder the prospect or other view,
But all the country that about it lyes,
Presents it selfe vnto our mortall eyes:
Saue that vpon each hill, by leauie trees,
The Sun at highest, his scorching heat may leese.
There languishing my selfe I will betake,
As heauen shall please, and only for her sake.
Io.
Stay maister, I haue spied the fellow now, that mockt
vs all this while: see where he sits.
Aramanthus sitting.
Asca.
The very shape my Vision told me off,
That I should meet with as I strayd this way.
Io.
What lynes he drawes? best go not ouer farre.
Asca.
Let me alone, thou doest but trouble mee.
Io.
Youle trouble vs all annon, ye shall see.
Asca.
God speed faire Sir.
Io.
My Lord doo ye not marke?
How the skie thickens, and begins to darke?
Asca.
Health to ye Sir.
Io.
Nay then God be our speed.
Ara.
Forgiue me Sir, I sawe ye not in deed.
Asca.
Pardon me rather, for molesting you.
Io.
Such another face I neuer knew.
Ara.
Thus studious I am wont to passe the time,
By true proportion, of each line from line.
Io.
Oh now I see he was learning to spell,
Theres A.B.C. in midst of his table.
Tel me I pray ye sir, may I be bold to craue
The cause of your abode within this Caue?
Ara.
To tell you that in this extreme distresse,
Were but a tale of Fortunes ficklenesse.
Sometime I was a Prince of Lesbos Ile,
And liu'd belou'd, whilst my good stars did smile:
But clowded once with this worlds bitter crosse,
My ioy to grife, my gaine conuerts to losse.
Asca.
Forward I pray ye, faint not in your tale.
Io.
It will not all be worth a cup of Ale.
Ara.
A short discourse of that which is too long
How euer pleasing, can neuer seeme but wrong:
Yet would my tragicke story fit the stage,
Pleasaunt in youth, but wretched in mine age.
Blinde Fortune setting vp and pulling downe,
Abusde by those my selfe raisde to renowne:
But yr which wrings me neer, and wounds my hart,
Is a false brothers base vnthankfull part.
Asc.
A smal offence comparde with my disease,
No doubt ingratitude in time may cease
And be forgot: my grief out-liues all howres:
Raining on my head, continual haplesse showers.
Ara.
You sing of yours, and I of mine relate:
To euery one, seemes worst his owne estate.
But to proceed, exiled thus by spight,
Both country I forgoe, and brothers sight:
And comming hither where I thought to liue,
Yet here I cannot but lament and greeue.
Asca.
Some comfort yet in this there doth remaine:
That you haue found a partner in your paine.
Ara.
How are your sorrowes subiect, let me heare?
Asca.
More ouerthrowne, and deeper in dispaire
Than is the manner of your heauie smart,
My curelesse griefe, doth ranckle at my hart.
And in a word, to heare the summe of all,
I loue, and am belou'd: but there-withall
Whose pleasant tast is chaungde with bitter wo.
Ara.
A conflict, but to try your noble minde,
As common vnto youth, as raine to winde.
Asca.
But hence it it that doth me treble wrong,
Expected good, that is forborne so long:
Doth loose the vertue which the vse would proue.
Ara.
Are you then sir, despised of your Loue?
Asca.
No, but depriued of her company.
And for my careles negligence therein:
Am bound to doo this penaunce for my sin.
That if I neuer finde where she remaines,
I vowe a yeare shalbe my end of paines.
Ara.
Was she then lost within this Forrest here?
Asc.
Lost or forlorn, to me she was right deere.
And this is certaine, vnto him that could
The place where she abides to me vnfold:
For euer I would vow my selfe his friend,
Neuer reuolting till my life did end.
And therefore sir, (as well I know your skill)
If you will giue me phisicke for this ill,
And shewe me if Eurymine do liue,
It were a recompence for all my paine,
And I should thinke my ioyes were full againe.
Ara.
They know the want of health that haue bene sick,
My selfe sometime acquainted with the like,
Do learne in dutie of a kinde regard,
To pittie him whose hap hath bene so hard.
How long I pray ye hath she absent beene?
Asca.
Three dayes it is since that my Loue was seene.
Io.
Heer's learning for the nonce, that stands on ioynts:
For all his cunning, ile scarse giue two poynts.
Ara.
Mercurio regnante virum, subsequente Luna,
Fæminum designat.
Io.
Nay and you go to latin, then tis sure, my maister shall
finde her, if he could tell when.
I cannot tell what reason it should bee,
But loue and reason here doo disagree.
By proofe of learned principles I finde,
The manner of your loue's against all kinde.
And not to feed ye with vncertaine ioy,
Whom you affect so much, is but a Boy.
Io.
A Riddle for my life, some Antick Iest,
Did I not tell ye what his cunning was?
Asca.
I loue a Boy?
Ara.
Mine Art doth tell me so.
Asca.
Adde not a fresh increase vnto my woe.
Ara.
I dare auouch what lately I haue saide,
The loue that troubles you, is for no maide.
Asca.
As well I might be said to touch the skie,
Or darke the horizon with tapestrie:
Or walke vpon the waters of the sea,
As to be haunted with such lunacie.
Ara.
If it be false, mine Art I will defie.
Asca.
Amaz'de with griefe, my loue is then transform'd.
Io.
Maister be contented, this is leape yeare,
Women weare breetches, petticoats are deare.
And thats his meaning, on my life it is.
Asc.
Oh God, and shal my torments neuer cease?
Ara.
Represse the fury of your troubled minde:
Walke here a while, your Lady you may finde.
Io.
A Lady and a Boy, this hangs wel together:
Like snow in haruest, sun-shine and foule weather.
Enter Eurymine singing.
Since hope of helpe my froward starres denie,
Come sweetest death, and end my miserie.
He left his country, I my shape haue lost,
Deare is the loue, that hath so dearly cost.
Eu.
Yet can I boast, though Phœbus were vniust
This shift did serue, to barre him from his lust.
But who are these alone? I cannot chuse
But blush for shame, that any one should see,
Eurymine in this disguise to bee.
It is, it is not my loue, Eurymine.
Eury.
Hark some one hallows: gentlemen adiew,
In this attire I dare not stay their view.
Exit.
Asca.
My loue, my ioy, my life,
By eye, by face, by tongue, it should be shee.
Oh I, it was my loue, Ile after her,
And though she passe the Eagle in her flight,
Ile neuer rest, till I haue gain'd her sight.
Exit.
Ara.
Loue carries him, and so retains his mind,
That he forgets how I am left behind:
Yet will I follow softly, as I can.
In hope to see the fortune of the man.
Exit.
Io.
Nay let them go a Gods name, one by one,
With my heart I am glad to be alone.
Heres old transforming, would with all his Art,
He could transforme this tree into a tart.
See then if I would flinch from hence or no:
But for it is not so, I needs must go.
Exit.
Enter Siluio and Gemulo.
Sil.
Is it a bargaine Gemulo, or not?
Ge.
Thou neuer knew'st me breake my word I wot,
Nor will I now, betide me bale or blis.
Sil.
Nor I breake mine, and here her cottage is:
Ile call her forth.
Ge.
Will Siluio be so rude?
Sil.
Neuer shall we betwixt our selues conclude
Our controuersie, for we ouerweene.
Ge.
Not I, but thou, for though thou iet'st in greene,
As fresh as Meadow in a morne of May,
And scorn'st the shepheard, for he goes in gray.
But Forrester, beleeue it as thy Creede,
My mistresse mindes my person, not my weede.
So 'twas I thought, because she tends thy sheepe
Thou thinkst in loue of thee she taketh keepe:
That is as townish damzels lend the hand,
But send the heart to him aloofe doth stand.
So deales Eurymine with Siluio.
Ge.
Albe she looke more blithe on Gemulo,
Her heart is in the dyall of her eye,
That poynts me hers.
Sil.
That shall we quickly trye.
Eurymine.
Ge.
Erynnis stop thy throte,
Vnto thy hound thou hallowst such a note:
I thought that shepheards had bene mannerlesse,
But Wood-men are the ruder groomes I guesse.
Sil.
How shuld I cal her Swain, but by her name?
Ge.
So Hobinoll the plow-man, calls his dame.
Call her in Carroll from her quiet coate.
Sil.
Agreed: but whether shall begin his note.
Ge.
Draw cuttes.
Sil.
Content, the longest shall begin.
Ge.
Tis mine.
Sil.
Sing loude, for she is farre within.
Ge.
Instruct thy singing in thy Forrest waies,
Shepheards know how to chant their roundelaies.
Sil.
Repeat our bargain, ere we sing our Song,
Least after wrangling, should our mistresse wrong.
If me she chuse, thou must be well content:
If thee she chuse, I giue the like consent.
Ge.
Tis done: now Pan pipe on thy sweetest Reede,
And as I loue, so let thy seruaunt speede.
As little Lambes lift vp their snowie sides,
When mounting Larke salutes the gray-eyed morne:
Sil.
As from the Oaken leaues the honie glides,
Where Nightingales record vpon the thorne.
Ge.
So rise my thoughts.
Sil.
So all my sences cheere.
When she surueyes my flocks.
Sil.
And she my Deare.
Ge.
Eurymine.
Sil.
Eurymine.
Ge.
Come foorth.
Sil.
Come foorth.
Ge.
Come foorth and cheere these plaines.
And both sing this togither, when they haue sung it single.
Sil.
The Wood-mans Loue.
Ge.
And Lady of the Swaynes.
Enter Eurymine.
Faire Forester and louely shepheard Swaine,
Your Carrolls call Eurymine in vaine:
For she is gone, her Cottage and her sheepe,
With me her brother, hath she left to keepe:
And made me sweare by Pan ere she did go,
To see them safely kept, for Gemulo.
They both looke straungely vpon her, apart each from other.
Ge.
What? hath my Loue a new come Louer than?
Sil.
What? hath my Mistresse got another man?
Ge.
This Swayne will rob me of Eurymine.
Sil.
This youth hath power to win Eurymine.
Ge.
This straungers beautie beares away my prize.
Sil.
This straunger will bewitch her with his eies.
Ge.
It is Adonis.
Sil.
It is Ganymede.
Ge.
My blood is chill.
Sil.
My heart is cold as Leade.
Eu.
Faire youthes, you haue forgot for what ye came,
You seeke your Loue, shee's gone.
Ge.
The more too blame.
Eu.
Not so, my sister had no will to go:
But that our parents dread commaund was so.
It is thy scuse, thou art not of her kin,
But as my Ryuall, com'ste my Loue to win.
Eu.
By great Apollos sacred Deitie,
That shepheardesse so neare is Sib to me,
As I ne may (for all this world) her wed:
For she and I in one selfe wombe were bred.
But she is gone, her flocke is left to mee.
Ge.
The shepcoat's mine, and I will in and see.
Sil.
And I.
Exeunt Siluio and Gemulo.
Eu.
Go both, cold comfort shall you finde,
My manly shape, hath yet a womans minde:
Prone to reueale what secret she doth know,
God pardon me, I was about to show
My transformation: peace they come againe.
Enter Siluio, and Gemulo.
Sil.
Haue ye found her?
Ge.
No, we looke in vaine.
Eu.
I told ye so.
Ge.
Yet heare me, new-come Swayne.
Albe thy seemly feature set no sale
But honest truth vpon thy nouell tale,
Yet (for this world is full of subtiltie)
We wish thee goe with vs for companie
Vnto a Wise-man wonning in this wood,
Hight Aramanth, whose wit and skill is good:
That he may certifie our mazing doubt,
How this straunge chaunce and chaunge hath fallen out.
Eu.
I am content: haue with ye, when ye will.
Sil.
Euen now.
Eu.
Hee'le make ye muse, if he haue any skill.
Exeunt.
| The Maydes Metamorphosis | |