University of Virginia Library

ACT. II.

SCENA I.

Venus, Iuno, Pallas.
Ven.
ex abrupto.
But pray you tell me, Iuno, was it so,
As Pallas tolde me here the tale of Eccho.

Iun.
Shee was a nympe indeede, as Pallas tels,
A walker, such as in these thickets dwells:
And as shee tolde what subtill iugling prankes
Shee playde with Iuno, so she tolde her thankes:
A tatling trull to come at euerie call,
And now foresooth not tongue nor life at all.
And though perhaps shee was a helpe to Ioue,
And held me chat, while he might court his loue:
Beleeue me, dames, I am of this opinion,
He tooke but little pleasure in the minion.
And what so ere his scapes haue bene beside,
Dare saie for him a neuer strayed so wyde:
A louely nutbrowne lasse, or lustie trull,
Haue power perhaps to make a god a bull.

Ven.
Gramercie gentle Iuno for that iest,
Ifaith that item was worth all the rest.

Pal.
No matter, Venus, how so ere you skorne,
My father Ioue at that time ware the horne.

Iun.
Had euerie wanton god aboue, Venus, not better lucke,
Then heauen would be a pleasaunt parcke, & Mars a lustie bucke.

Ven.
Tut Mars hath hornes to butte withall although no bull a showes,
A neuer needes to maske in nets, a feares no iellous froes.

Iun.
Forsooth the better is his turne, for if a speake to loude,
Must finde some shifte to shadowe him, a net, or else a cloude.

Pal.
No more of this, fayre goddesses, vnrip not so your shames,
To stand all naked to the world, that bene such heauenly dames.

Iun.
Nay, Pallas, that's a common tricke with Venus well we knowe,
And all the Gods in heauen haue seene her naked, long agoe.

Ven.
And then she was so faire and bright, and louelie and so trim,
As Mars is but for Venus tooth, and shee will sporte with him.
And but me list not here to make comparison with Ioue,
Mars is no raunger, Iuno, he in euerie open groue.

Pal.
To much of this: we wander farre, the skies begine to skowle,
Retire we to Dianas bowre, the weather will be soule.

The storme being past of thunder & lightning, & Ate hauing trūdled the ball into place, crying Fatum Troie, Iuno taketh the bal vp & speaketh.
Iun.
Pallas, the storme is past and gon, and Phœbus cleares the skies,
And loe, beholde a ball of golde, a faire and worthie prize.

Ven.
This posie wils, the apple to the fayrest giuen be,
Then is it mine: for Venus hight the fayrest of the three.

Pal.
The fayrest here as fayre is ment, am I, ye do me wronge:
And if the fayrest haue it must, to me it doth belong

Iun.
Then Iuno may it not enioy, so euery one sayes no,
But I will proue my selfe the fayrest, er I lose it so.
They reade the posie.
The breyfe is this, Detur Pulcherrimæ
Let this vnto the fayrest gyven bee,
The fayrest of the three and I am shee.

Pallas
reades.
Detur Pulcherrimæ. Let this vnto the fayrest gyuen be,
The fayrest of the three, and I am shee.

Venus
reades.
Detur Pulcherrimæ. Let this vnto the fayrest giuen bee
The fayrest of the thre, and I am shee.

Iun.
My face is fayre, but yet the maiestie
That all the gods in heauen haue seene in me,
Haue made them chuse me of the Planetes seaven;
To bee the wyfe of Ioue, and Queene of heauen.
Yf then this prize be but bequeathed to beautye,
The only shee that wins this prize am I.

Ven.
That Venus is the fayrest, this dothe proue,
That Venus is the louely Queen of loue.
The name of Venus is in deede but bautye,
And men me fayrest call, per excellencye.
Yf then this prize be but bequeathed to beautye,
The only shee that wins this prize, am I.

Pall.
To stand on tearmes of beautye as yow take it,
Beeleue me, Ladies, is but to mystake it:
The beautye that this subtill prize must vvin,
No outvvarde beautye highte, but dvvels vvithin.
And syftest as yovv please, and yovv shall finde,
This beautye, is the beautye of the minde.
This fayrenes, Vertue highte, in generall,
That many braunches hathe in speciall:
This beauty vvysdom hight, vvhereof am I,
By heauen appointed, goddesse vvorthelye.
And looke hovv muche the minde, the better parte,
Doth ouerpasse the bodye in deserte:
So much the mistris of those guyfts devine,
Excells thy beautie, and that state of thine.
Then yf this prize bee thus bequeathed to beautye,
The only she that vvins this prize, am I.

Ven.
Nay, Pallas, by your leaue, yovv vvander cleane,
Wee must not conster heereof as yovv meane:
But take the sense as it is plainly ment,
And let the fayrest hate, I am content.

Pal.
Our reasons wilbe infinite, I trowe,
Vnles vnto some other point we grow.
For first heres none mee thinkes disposed to yeelde,
And none but will with wordes maintaine the fielde.

Iun.
Then if you will to auoyde a tedious grudge,
Refer it to the sentence of a iudge,
Who ere he be that commeth next in place,
Let him bestowe the ball, and ende the case.

Uen.
So can it not go wronge with me not at al.

Pal.
I am agreed how euer it befall.
And yet by common doome, so may it bee,
I may be sayde the fayrest of the three.

Iun.
Then yonder loe that sheepeherde swaine is he,
That must be vmpter in this controuersie.

SCENA II.

Paris alone. Manentibus Pal. Iunone, Venere.
Ven.
Iuno, in happie time, I do accept the man,
It seemeth by his lookes, some skill of loue he can.

Par.
The nymphe is gone, and I all solitarie,
Must wend to tend my charge, opprest with melancholy.
This day (or else me fayles my sheepeherdes skill)
Will tide me passing good, or passing ill.

Iun.
Sheepeherd, abash not, though, at sudden thus,
Thou be aryued by ignorance among vs,
Not earthlie but deuine, and goddesses all three,
Iuno, Pallas, Venus, these our titles be.
Nor feare to speake, for reuerence of the place,
Chosen to ende a harde and doubtfull case.
This apple loe (nor aske thou whence it came)
Is to be giuen vnto the fayrest dame.
And fayrest is, nor shee, nor shee, but shee,
Whom, sheepeherd, thou shalt fayrest name to be.
This is thy charge, fulfill without offence,
And shee that winnes shall giue thee recompence.

Pal.
Dreade not to speake for we haue chosen thee,
Sith in this case, we can no iudges be.

Ven.
And, sheepeherd, say that I the fayrest ame,
And thou shalt win good guerdon for the same.

Iun.
Nay, shepherde, looke vppon my stately grace,
Because the pompe that longs to Iunoes mace,
They mayst not see: and thincke Queene Iunoes name,
To vvhome olde shepherds title vvorkes of fame,
Is mightye, and may easily suffize,
At Phebus hande to gaine a golden prize.
And for thy meede, sythe I ame Queene of riches,
Shepherde, I vvill revvarde thee vvith greate monarchies,
Empires, and kingdomes, heapes of massye golde,
Scepters and diadems, curious to beholde,
Riche robes, of sumpteous vvorkmanship and cost,
And thovvsand thinges vvhereof I make no boast
The moulde vvhereon thovve treadest shall be of Tagus sandes,
And Xanthus shall runne liquid golde for the to vvash thy handes:
And yf thou lyke to tend thy flock, and not from them to flie,
Their fleeces shalbe curled gold to please their masters eye.
And last, to sett thy harte one fire, gyue this one fruite to me,
And, shepherd, lo this Tree of Golde vvill I bestovve on thee.
IVNOES SHOWE.
Heereuppon did rise a Tree of gold laden with Diadems & Crownes of golde.
The grovvnde vvhereon it groes, the grasse, the roote of golde,
The body and the bark of golde, all glistringe to beholde,
The leaues of burnysht golde, the fruites that there on grovve:
Are diadems sett vvith pearle in golde in gorgeous glistringe shovve:
And yf this Tree of Golde, in lue may not suffize,
Require a grove of golden trees, so Iuno beare the prize.

The Tree sinketh.
Pall.
Me Ivst not tempt thee vvith decayinge vvealthe,
Which is embaset by vvant of lusty healthe:
But yf thou haue a minde to fly aboue,
Ycrovvned vvith fame neere to the feate of Ioue:
Yf thou aspire to vvysdomes vvorthines.
Where of thovv mayst not see the brightnes
Yf thou desyre honor of chyuallrye,
To bee renouned for happy victorie,
To fighte it out, and in the clumpaine feilde,
To shrovvde thee vnder pallas vvarlike sheilde,
To praunce on barbed steedes, this honor loe,
My selfe for guerdon shall on thee bestowe.
And for encouragement, that thou mayst see,
What famous knightes dame Pallas warriors be,
Beholde in Pallas honour here they come,
Marching alonge with sounde of thundring drom.

PALLAS SHOW.
Hereuppon did enter .9. knights in armour, treading a warlike Almaine, by drome and fife, & then hauing march't foorth againe, Venus speaketh.
Uen.
Come sheepeherde, come, sweete sheepeherde looke on me,
These bene to hoat alarams these for thee:
But if thou wilt giue mee the golden ball,
Cupide my boy shall hate to playe withall,
That when so ere this apple he shall see,
The god of loue himselfe shall thinke on the,
And bid thee looke and chuse, and he will wounde,
Whereso thy fancyes obiect shalbe founde,
And lightlie when he shootes he doth not misse:
And I will giue the many a louelie kysse,
And come and play with thee on Ida here,
And if thou wilt a face that hath no peere,
A gallant girle, a lustie minion trull,
That can giue sporte to thee thy bellyfull,
To rauish all thy beating vaines with ioye,
Here is a lasse of Venus court, my boy,
Helen entreth with 4. Cupides.
Here gentle sheepeherde, heres for thee a peece,
The fayrest face, the flower of gallant Greece.

VENVS SHOW.
Here Helen entreth in her brauerie, with 4 Cupides attending on her, each hauing his fan in his hande to fan fresh ayre in her face. shee singeth as followeth.

Exit.
The song being ended Helen departeth, & Paris Speaketh.
Par.
Most heauenly dames, was never man as I
Poore shepherde swaine, so happy and vnhappy:
The least of these delights, that you deuyse,
Able to wrape and dazle humaine eyes.
But since my silence may not pardoned bee,
And I appoint which is the fayrest shee,
Pardon, most sacred dames, sythe one not all,
By Paris doome must haue this golden ball.
Thy beautye, stately Iuno, dame deuine,
That lyke to Phœbus golden beames doth shine,
Approues it selfe to bee most excellent,
But that fayre face that dothe me most content,
Sythe fayre, faire dames, is neyther shee nor shee,
But shee whome I shall fairest deeme to bee.
That face is hers that hight the Queene of Loue,
whose sweetenes dothe bothe gods and creatours moue.
He guieth the golden Ball to venus.
And if the fayrest face deserue the ball,
Fayre Venus, Ladyes, beares it from yee all.

Ven.
And in this ball dothe Venus more delight,
Then in her louely boy faire Cupids sighte.
Come shepherd comme, sweete Venus is thy frend,
No matter how thow other gods offend.

Venus taketh paris with her.
Exeunt.
Iun.
But he shall rue, and ban the dismal day
wherein his Venus bare the ball away:
And heauen and earth iust wittnesses shall bee,
I will reuenge it on his progenye.

Pal.
well Iuno, whether wee bee leyse or lothe,
Venus hathe got the aple from vs bothe.

Exeunt Ambo