University of Virginia Library

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.