University of Virginia Library

Act. 5.

Enter Ascanio, and Eurymine.
Asca.
Eurymine, I pray if thou be shee,
Refraine thy haste, and doo not flie from mee.
The time hath bene my words thou wouldst allow,
And am I growne so loathsome to thee now?

Eu.
Ascanio, time hath bene I must confesse,
When in thy presence was my happinesse:
But now the manner of my miserie,
Hath chaung'd that course, that so it cannot be.

Asca.
What wrong haue I contriued? what iniurie
To alienate thy liking so from me?
If thou be she whom sometime thou didst faine,
And bearest not the name of friend in vaine,
Let not thy borrowed guise of altred kinde,
Alter the wonted liking of thy minde:
But though in habit of a man thou goest,
Yet be the same Eurymine thou wast.

Eu.
How gladly would I be thy Lady still,
If earnest vowes might answere to my will?

Asca.
And is thy fancie alterd with thy guise?

Eu.
My kinde, but not my minde in any wise.

Asca.
What though thy habit differ from thy kind:
Thou maiest retain thy wonted louing mind.

Eu.
And so I doo.

Asca.
Then why art thou so straunge?
Or wherefore doth thy plighted fancie chaunge?

Eu.
Ascanio, my heart doth honor thee.

Asc.
And yet continuest stil so strange to me?

Eu.
Not strange, so far as kind wil giue me leaue.

Asca.
Vnkind that kind, that kindnesse doth bereaue:
Thou saist thou louest me.

Eu.
As a friend his friend:
And so I vowe to loue thee to the end.

Asca.
I wreake not of such loue, loue me but so
As faire Eurymine lou'd Ascanio.

Eu.
That loue's denide vnto my present kinde.

Asca.
In kindly shewes, vnkinde I doo thee finde:
I see thou art as constant as the winde.

Eu.
Doth kind allow a man to loue a man?

Asca.
Why art not thou Eurymine?

Eu.
I am.

Asca.
Eurymine my Loue?

Eu.
The very same.

Asca.
And wast not thou a woman then?

Eu.
Most true.

As.
And art thou changed from a woman now?

Eu.
Too true.

Asc.
These tales my mind perplex: thou art Eurymine.

Eu.
In name, but not in sexe.

Asca.
What then?

Eu.
A man.

Asca.
In guise thou art I see.

Eu.
The guise thou seest, doth with my kinde agree.

Asca.
Before thy flight thou wast a woman tho.

Eu.
True Ascanio.

Asca.
And since art thou a man?

Eu.
Too true deare friend.

Asca.
Then haue I lost a wife.

Eu.
But found a friend, whose dearest blood and life,
Shalbe as readie as thine owne for thee:
In place of wife, such friend thou hast of mee.

Enter Ioculo, and Aramanthus.
Io.
I here they are: maister well ouertane,
I thought we two should neuer meete againe:
You went so fast, that I to follow ye,
Slipt ouer hedge and ditch, and many a tall tree.

Ara.
Well said my Boy, thou knowest not how to lie.

Io.
To lye Sir? how say you was it not so?
You were at my heeles, though farre off, ye know:
For maister, not to counterfayt with ye now,
Hee's as good a footeman as a shackeld sow.

Asca,
Good Sir y'are welcome, sirrha hold your prate.

Ara.
What speed in that I told to you of late?

Asca.
Both good and bad, as doth the sequell proue,
For (wretched) I haue found, and lost my Loue.
If that be lost which I can nere enioy.

Io.
Faith Mistresse y'are too blame to be so coy.
The day hath bene, but what is that to mee:
When more familiar with a man you'ld bee.

Ara.
I told ye you should finde a man of her:
Or else my rule did very straungely erre.

Asca.
Father, the triall of your skill I finde,
My Loue's transformde into another kinde:
And so I finde, and yet haue lost my Loue.

Io.
Ye cannot tell, take her aside and proue.

Asca.
But sweet Eurymine make some report
Why thou departedst from my fathers Court?
And how this straunge mishap to thee befell,
Let me intreat thou wouldst the processe tell.

Eu.
To shew how I arriued in this ground,
Were but renewing of an auncient wound:
Another time that office ile fulfill,
Let it suffice, I came against my will.
And wandring here about this Forrest side,
It was my chaunce of Phœbus to be spide.
Whose loue because I chastly did withstand,
He thought to offer me a violent hand.
But for a present shift to shun his rape,
I wisht my selfe transformde into this shape:
Which he perform'd (God knowes) against his wil:
And I since then, haue wayld my fortune still.
Not for misliking ought I finde in mee,
But for thy sake, whose wife I meant to bee.

Asca.
Thus haue you heard our woful destenie,
Which I in heart lament, and so doth she.

Ara.
The fittest remedie that I can finde,
Is this, to ease the torment of your minde.
Perswade your selues that great Apollo can,
As easily make a woman of a man,
As contrariwise he made a man of her.

Asca.
I thinke no lesse.

Ara.
Then humble suite preferre
To him: perhaps your prayers may attaine,
To haue her turnd into her forme againe.

Eu.
But Phœbus such disdain to me doth beare,
As hardly we shall win his graunt I feare.

Ara.
Then in these verdant fields al richly dide,
With natures gifts, and Floras painted pride:
There is a goodly spring whose christal streames
Beset with myrtles, keepe backe Phœbus beames:
There in rich seates all wrought of Iuory,
The Graces sit, listening the melodye:
The warbling Birds doo from their prettie billes
Vnite in concord, as the brooke distilles.
Whose gentle murmure with his buzzing noates,
Is as a base vnto their hollow throates.
Garlands beside they weare vpon their browes,
Made of all sorts of flowers earth allowes:
From whence such fragrant sweet perfumes arise,
As you would sweare that place is Paradise.
To them let vs repaire with humble hart,
And meekly shew the manner of your smart:
So gratious are they in Apollos eies,
As their intreatie quickly may suffice.
In your behalfe, Ile tell them of your states,
And craue their aides, to stand your aduocates.

Asca.
For euer you shall bind vs to you than.

Ara.
Come go with me: Ile doo the best I can.

Io.
Is not this hard luck to wander so long,
And in the end to finde his wife markt wrong.
Enter Phylander.
A proper iest as euer I heard tell,
In sooth, me thinks the breech becomes her well:
And might it not make their husbands feare then,
Wold all the wiues in our town might wear them.
Tell me youth, art a straunger here or no?

Io.
Is your commission sir, to examine me so?

Phy.
What is it thou? now by my troth wel met.

Io.
By your leaue, it's well ouertaken yet.

Phy.
I litle thought I should a found thee here.

Io.
Perhaps so sir.

Phy.
I prethee speake, what cheere?

Io.
What cheere can here be hopte for in these woods?
Excepts trees, stones, bryars, bushes, or buddes?

Phy.
My meaning is, I faine would heare thee say,
How thou doest man, why thou tak'st this another way.

Io.
Why then sir, I doo as well as I may.
And to perswade ye, that welcome ye bee,
Wilt please ye sir, to eate a crab with mee?

Phy.
Beleeue me Ioculo, reasonable hard cheere.

Io.
Phylander, tis the best we can get heere.
But when returne ye to the Court againe?

Phy.
Shortly, now I haue found thee.

Io.
To requite your paine,
Shall I intreat you beare a present from me?

Phy.
To whom?

Io.
To the Duke.

Phy.
What shall it be?

Io.
Because Venson so conuenient doth not fall,
A pecke of Acornes to make merry withall.

Phy.
What meanest thou by that?

Io.
By my troth sir as ye see,
Acornes are good enough for such as hee.
I wish his honour well, and to doo him good:
Would he had eaten all the Acorns in th'wood.

Phy.
Good words Ioculo, of your Lord & mine.

Io.
As may agree with such a churlish swine.
How dooes his honor?

Phy.
Indifferently well.

Io.
I wish him better.

Phy.
How?

Io.
Vice-gerent in hell.

Phy.
Doest thou wish so, for ought that he hath done?

Io.
I for the loue he beares vnto his sonne.

Phy.
Hees growne of late, as fatherly and milde,
As euer father was vnto his childe:
And sent me forth to search the coast about,
If so my hap might be to finde him out.
And if Eurymine aliue remaine,
To bring them both vnto the Court againe.
Where is thy maister?

Io.
Walking about the ground.

Phy.
Oh that his Loue Eurymine were found.

Io.
Why so she is, come follow me and see.
Ile bring ye strait where they remaining bee.

Exeunt.
Enter three or foure Muses, Aramanthus, Ascanio, Siluio, and Gemulo.
Asca.
Cease your contention for Eurymine.
Nor words, nor vowes, can helpe her miserie:
But he it is that did her first transforme,
Must calme the gloomy rigor of this storme:
Great Phœbus, whose Pallace we are neere,
Salute him then in his celestiall sphere:
That with the notes of cheerfull harmonie,
He may be mou'd to shewe his Deitie.

Sil.
But wheres Eurymine, haue we lost her sight?

As.
Poore soule, within a caue, with fear affright
She sits, to shun Apollos angry view,
Vntill she see what of our prayers ensue:
If we can reconcile his loue or no,
Or that she must continue in her woe.

1. Mu.
Song.

Phœbus appeares.
1. Muse.
Illustrate bewtie, Christall heauens eye,
Once more we do entreat thy clemencie:
That as thou art the power of vs all,
Thou would'st redeeme Eurymine from thrall.
Graunt gentle God, graunt this our small request,
And if abilitie in vs do rest:
Whereby we euer may deserue the same,
It shalbe seene, we reuerence Phœbus name.

Phœ.
You sacred sisters of faire Hellion,
On whom my fauours euermore haue shone,
In this you must haue patience with my vow,
I cannot graunt what you aspire vnto.
Nor was't my fault, she was transformed so,
But her owne fond desire, as ye well know.
We told her too, before her vow was past,
That cold repentance would ensue at last.
And sith her selfe did wish the shape of man,
She causde the abuse, digest it how she can.

2. Muse.
Alas, if vnto her you be so hard,
Yet of Ascanio haue some more regard,
And let him not endure such endlesse wrong,
That hath pursude her constant loue so long.

Asca.
Great God, the greeuous trauells I haue past,
In restlesse search, to find her out at last:
My plaints my toiles, in lieu of my annoy,
Haue well deseru'd my Lady to enioy.
Penance too much I have sustaind before:
Oh Phœbus, plague me not with any more.
Nor be thou so extreame, now at the worst
To make my torments greater than at the first.
My Fathers late displeasure is forgot,
And theres no let, nor any churlish blot
To interrupt our ioyes from being compleat,
But only thy good fauour to intreat:
In thy great grace it lyes to make my state
Most happie now, or most infortunate.

1. Mu.
Heauenly Apollo, on our knees I pray,
Vouchsafe thy great displeasure to allay.
What honor to thy Godhead will arife,
To plaque a silly Lady in this wise?
Beside, it is a staine vnto thy Deitie,
To yeeld thine owne desires the soueraigntie:
Then shew some grace vnto a wofull Dame,
And in these groues, our tongue shall sound thy fame.

Phœ.
Arise deare Nourses of diuinest skill,
You sacred Muses of Pernassus hill:
Phœbus is conquerd by your deare respect,
And will no longer clemency neglect.
You haue not sude nor praide to me in vaine:
I graunt your willes, she is a mayd againe.

Asca.
Thy praise shal neuer die whilst I do liue.

2. Mu.
Nor will we slack perpetual thankes to giue.

Phœ.
Thalia, neare the Caue where she remaines
The Fayries keepe, request them of their paines,
And in my name, bid them forthwith prouide,
From that darke place, to be the Ladies guide.
And in the bountie of their liberall minde,
To giue her cloathes according to her kinde.

1. Mu.
I goe diuine Apollo.

Exit.
Phœ.
Haste againe.
No time too swift, to ease a Louers paine.

Asca.
Most sacred Phœbus, endles thankes to thee,
That doest vouchsafe so much to pittie mee.
And aged father, for your kindnesse showne,
Imagine not your friendship ill bestowne.
That earth shall sooner vanish and decay,
That I will proue vnthankfull any way.

Ara.
It is sufficient recompence to me,
If that my silly helpe haue pleasured ye.
If you enioy your Loue and hearts desire,
It is enough: nor doo I more require.

Phœ.
Graue Aramanthus, now I see thy face
I call to minde, how tedious a long space
Thou hast frequented these sad desarts here,
Thy time imployed, in heedfull minde I beare:
The patient sufferance of thy former wrong,
Thy poore estate, and sharpe exile so long,
The honourable port thou bor'st sometime,
Till wrongd thou wast, with vndeserued crime
By them whom thou to honour didst aduance,
The memory of whch thy heauy chance,
Prouokes my minde to take remorse on thee,
Father henceforth, my clyent shalt thou bee:
And passe the remnant of thy fleeting time,
With Lawrell wreath, amongst the Muses nine.
And when they age hath giuen place to fate,
Thou shalt exchaunge thy former mortall state:
And after death, a palme of fame shalt weare,
Amongst the rest the liue in honour here.
And lastly know, that faire Eurymine
Redeemed now from former miserie
Thy daughter is, whom I for that intent
Did hide from thee, in this thy banishment:
That so she might the greater scourge sustaine,
In putting Phœbus to so great a paine.
But freely now, enjoy each others sight:
No more Eurymine: abandon quite
That borrowed name, as Atlanta, she is calde,
And here she woman, in her right shape instalde.

Asca.
Is then my Loue deriu'de of noble race?

Phœ.
No more of that, but mutually imbrace.

Ara.
Liues my Atlanta, whom the rough seas waue
I thought had brought vnto a timelesse graue?

Phœ.
Looke not so straunge, it is thy fathers voyce.
And this thy Loue: Atlanta now reioyce.

Eu.
As in another world of greater blis
My daunted spirits doo stand amazde at this.
So great a tyde of comfort ouerflowes,
As what to say, my faltering tongue scarse knowes:
But only this, vnperfect though it bee,
Immortall thankes great Phœbus vnto thee.

Phœ.
Well Lady, you are retransformed now,
But I am sure you did repent your vow.

Eury.
Bright Lampe of glory, pardon my rashnesse past.

Phœ.
The penance was your owne, though I did fast.

Enter Phylander, and Ioculo.
Asca.
Behold deare Loue, to make your ioyes abound,
Yonder Phylander comes.

Io.
Oh sir, well found.
But most especially it glads my minde,
To see my mistresse restorde to kinde.

Phy.
My Lord & Madam, to requite your pain,
Telemachus hath sent for you againe.
All former quarrels now are trodden downe,
And he doth smile, that heretofore did frowne.

Asca.
Thankes kinde Phylander, for thy friendly newes
Like Iunos balme, that our lifes blood renewes.

Phy.
But Lady, first ere you your iourney take,
Vouchsafe at my request, one graunt to make.

Eu.
Most willingly.

Phœ.
The matter is but small.
To weare a braunch of Lawrell in your Caull
For Phœbus sake, least else I be forgot,
And thinke vpon me, when you see me not.

Eu.
Here while I liue a solemne oath I make,
To loue the Lawrell for Apollos sake.

Ge.
Our suite is dasht, we may depart I see.

Phœ.
Nay Gemulo and Siluio, contented bee:
This night let me intreate ye you will take,
Such cheare as I and these poore Dames can make.
To morrow morne weele bring you on your way.

Sil.
Your Godhead shall commaund vs all to stay.

Phœ.
Then Ladies gratulate this happie chaunce,
With some delightfull tune and pleasaunt daunce.
Meane space, vpon his Harpe will Phœbus play,
So both of them may boast another day
And make report, that when their wedding chaunc'te,
Phœbus gaue musicke, and the Muses daunc'te.


The Song.
Since painfull sorrowes date hath end,
And time hath coupled friend with friend:
Reioyce we all, reioyce and sing,
Let all these groaues of Phœbus ring.
Hope hauing wonne, dispaire is vanisht.
Pleasure reuiues, and care is banisht.
Then trippe we all this Roundelay,
And still be mindfull of the Bay.

Exeunt.