 | The Araygnement of Paris |  |
ACT. I.
SCENA I.
Pan, Faunus, and Siluanus with their attendants enter to giue welcome to the goddesses: Pans sheepeherd hath a lambe, Faunus hunter hath a faune, Siluanus woodman with an oken bowe laden with acornes.Pan incipit.
Pan.
Silvanus , either Flora doth vs wronge,
Or Faunus made vs tarrie all to longe,
For by this morning mirth it shoulde appeere,
The Muses or the goddesses be neer.
Faun.
My faune was nimble, Pan, and whipt apace,
Twas happie that we caught him vp at last,
The fairest fairest fawne in all the chace
I wonder how the knaue could skip so fast:
Pan.
And I haue brought a twagger for the nonce.
A bunting lambe: nay, pray you feele no bones.
Beleeue me now, my cunning much I misse,
If euer Pan felt fatter lambe then this.
Sil.
Sirs, you may boast your flockes & herdes that bin both fresh & faire,
Yet hath Siluanus walkes ywis that stand in holsome ayre.
And loe the honor of the woodes, the gallant Oken-bowe,
Do I bestowe laden with Acornes & with mast enough.
Pan.
Peace man for shame, shalt haue both lambes & dames & flockes and herdes & al,
And all my pipes to make the glee, we meete not now to brawle.
Faun.
Theres no such matter, Pan, we are all friendes assembled hether,
To bid Queene Iuno and her pheeres most humblie welcome hether.
Diana mistresse of our woodes, her presence will not want,
Her curtesie to all her friendes we wot is nothing skant.
SCENA. II.
Pomona entereth with her fruite. Manentibus Pan cum reliquis.Pom.
Yee Par, no farther yet, & had the starte of me,
Why then Pomona with her fruite comes time enough I see:
Come on a while, with countrie store like friendes we enter forth,
Thinkest Faunus that these goddesses will take our giftes in woorth.
Faun.
Yea doubtles, for shall tell thee dame, twere better giue a thing,
A signe of loue, vnto a mightie person, or a king:
For gentlie takes the gentleman that oft the clowne will scorne.
Pan.
Saist trulie Faunus, I my selfe haue giuen good tidie lambes,
To Mercurie may saie to thee, to Phœbus and to Ioue:
When to a countrie mops forsooth, chaue offred all their dames,
And pypt and prayed for little worth and raunged about the groue.
Pom.
God Pan that makes your flocke so thin, & makes you looke so leane,
To kisse in corners.
Pan.
wel-sed wech some other thing you meane.
Pom.
Yea iest it out till it goe alone, but maruell where we mysse
Faire Flora all this merrie morne.
Faun.
some newes see where she is.
SCENA. III.
Flora entereth to the countrie gods.Pan.
Flora well met, and for thy taken payne,
Poore countrie gods city debters we remaine.
Flor.
Beleeue me, Pan, not all thy lambes and yoes,
Nor, Faunus, all thy lustie buckes and does,
(But that I am instructed well to knowe,
What seruice to the hills and dales lowe,)
Could haue enforced me to so straunge a toyle,
Thus to enrich this gaudie gallant soyle.
Faun.
But tell me wench hast don't so trick in deede,
That heauen it selfe may wonder at the deede.
Flor.
Not Iris in her pride and brauerie,
Adornes her arche with such varietie:
Nor doth the milke white way in frostie night,
Appeare so faire and beautifull in sight.
As done these fieldes, and groues, and sweetest bowres,
Bestrewed and deckt with partie collord flowers.
Alonge the bubling brookes & siluer glyde,
that at the bottome doth in sylence slyde,
The waterie flowers and lillies on the bankes,
Like blazing cometes burgen all in rankes.
Vnder the Hathorne and the Poplar tree,
Where sacred Phœbe may delight to be:
The Primerose and the purple Hyacinthe,
The dayntie Uiolet and the holsome Minthe.
Of sommer floures, do ouer peere the greene:
And rounde about the valley as ye passe,
Yee may ne see for peeping flowers the grasse:
That well the mightie Iono and the rest,
May boldlie thinke to be a welcome guest
On Ida hills, when to approue the thing,
The queene of flowers prepares a second spring.
Sil.
Thou gentle Nymphe, what thankes shall we repaie
To thee, that makest our fieldes and woodes so gaie?
Flo.
Siluanus, when it is thy hap to see,
My workemanship, in portraying all the three,
First stately Iuno with her porte and grace,
Her roobes, her lawnes, her crounet and her mace:
Would make thee muse this picture to beholde,
Of yellow Oxstips bright as burnisht golde.
Pom.
A rare deuice, and Flora, well perdie,
Did painte her yellow for her iellozie.
Flo.
Pallas in flowers of hue and collowers red,
Her plumes, her helme, her launce, her Gorgous head,
Her trayling tresses that hang flaring rounde,
Of Iulie-flowers so graffed in the grounde,
That trust me Sirs, who did the cunning see,
Would at a blush suppose it to be shee.
Pan.
Good Flora, by my flocke twere verie good,
To dight her all in red resembling blood.
Flo.
Faire Venus of sweete Violetts in blue.
With other flowers infixt for chaunge of hue,
Her plumes, her pendants, bracelets and her ringes,
Her dayntie fan and twentie other thinges:
Her lustie mantle wauing in the winde,
And euerie part in collor and in kinde:
And for her wreath of roses she nil dare,
With Floras cunning counterfet compare
So that what lvuing whight shall chaunce to see,
These goddesses, eche placed in her degree,
Portrayed by Floraes workemanshipe alone,
Must say that Arte and nature met in one.
A deintie draught to lay her downe in blue,
The collour commonlie betokening true.
Flo.
This peece of worke compact with many a flowre,
And well layde in at entraunce of the bowre,
Where Phœbe meanes to make this meeting royall,
Haue I prepared to welcome them withall.
Pom.
And are they yet dismounted, Flora, saie:
That we may wende to meete them one the way.
Flo.
That shall not neede: they are at hand by this,
And the conductor of the trayne hight Rhanis.
Iuno hath left her chariot longe agoe,
And hath returned her Peacocks by her rainebowe.
And brauelie as becommes the wife of Ioue,
Doth honour by her presence to our groue.
Faire Uenus shee hath let her sparrowes flie,
To tende on her and make her melodie:
Her turtles and her swannes vnyoked bee,
And flicker neere her side for companie.
Pallas hath set her Tygers loose to feede,
Commaunding them to waite when shee hath neede.
And Hitherward with proude and statelie pace,
To doe vs honor in the Siluan chace
They marche like to the pompe of heauen aboue,
Iuno the wife and sister of king Ioue,
The warlicke Pallas, and the Queene of loue.
Pan.
Pipe Pan for ioy and let thy sheepeherdes sing,
Shall neuer age forget this memorable thing.
Flo.
Clio the sagest of the sisters nine,
To do obseruaunce to this dame deuine,
ladie of learning and of chyualrie,
Is here aryued in faire assemble,
And wandring vp and downe th'unbeaten wayes,
Ringe through the wood sweete songes of Pallas prayse.
Pom.
Harke Flora, Faunus, here is melodie,
A charme of birdes and more then ordinarie.
An artificiall charme of birdes being harde within, Pan speakes.
Pan.
The sillie birdes make mirth, then shoulde we doe them wronge,
Pomona, if we nil bestowe an Eccho to their songe.
The songe. A quier within and without.
Gods.
OIda, oIda, oIda happie hill,
This honour done to oIda may it continue still.
Mus.
Yee countrie gods, that in this Ida wonne,
Bring downe your giftes of welcome:
For honor done to Ida.
Gods.
Beholde in signe of love we sing,
And signes of ioyfull wel come bring.
For honor done to Ida.
Mus.
The Muses giue you melodie to gratulate this chaunce,
And Phœbe cheife of siluan chace commaundes you all to daunce.
Gods.
The rounde in a circle our sportance must must be,
daūce.
Holde handes in a hornepype all gallant in glee.
Mus.
Reuerence, reuerence, most humble reuerence.
Gods.
Most humble reuerence.
SCENA. IIII.
Pallas, Iuno, and Venus enter, Rhanis leading the way,Pan alone sings.The songe.
The God of sheepeheardes and his mates,
With countrie chere salutes your states:
Faire, wise, and worthie as you bee,
And thanke the gracious Ladies three,
For honour done to Ida. The birdes singe.
The songe being done, Iuno speakes.
Iuno.
Venus, what shall I saie, for though I be a dame deuine,
This welcome and this melodie exceedes these wittes of mine.
Ven.
Beleeue me, Iuno, as I hight thee soueraigne of Loue,
These rare delightes in pleasures passe the banquets of king Ioue.
Pall.
Then, Venus, I conclude, it easelie may be seene,
That in her chaste and pleasant walkes fayre Phœbe is a Queene.
Rha.
Diuine Pallas, and you sacred dames,
Iuno and Venus, honoured by your names:
Iuno, the wife and sister of kinge Ioue,
Faire Venus, Ladie president of loue:
That can afford but homely, rude and base,
It pleaze your godheads to accept in gree,
That gratious thought our happinesse shalbe.
My mistresse Dian, this right well I know,
For loue that to this presence shee doth owe,
Accountes more honoure done to her this day,
Then euer whilom in these woods of Ida.
And for our countrey gods, I dare bee bolde,
They make such cheere, your presence to beholde,
Such iouysaunce, such myrth and merryment,
As nothing els their minde might more content:
And that you doe beleeue it to bee so,
Fayre goddesses, your louely lookes doe showe.
It rests in fine, for to confirme my talke,
Yee dayne to passe alonge to Dians walke:
Where shee amonge her troupe of maydes attends
The fayre aryuall of her vvelcome friends.
Flora.
And vvee vvill vvayte vvith all obseruance due,
And doe iust honour to this heauenly crue.
Pan.
The god of sheepheardes, Iuno, ere thou goe,
Intends a lambe on thee for to bestovve.
Faun.
Faunus, high raunger in Dianas chace,
Presents a favvne to lady Uenus grace.
Sylu.
Syluanus giues to Pallas deitye,
This gallant bovve raught from the Oken tree.
Pom.
To them that doth this honour to our fieldes,
Her mellovve apples poore Pomona yeildes.
Iuno.
And gentle gods, these signes of your goodvvill
Wee take in vvorth, and shall accept them still.
Uen.
And Flora, this to thee amonge the rest,
Thy vvorkmanship comparinge vvith the best,
Let it suffize thy cunninge to haue,
To call kinge Ioue from forth his heauenly bovvre:
Hadst thou a louer, Flora, credit mee,
I thinke thou vvouldst beedecke him gallantly.
But vvende vve on, and, Rhanis, leade the vvay,
That kens the paynted pathes of pleasunt Ida.
Exeunt omnes.
SCENA. V.
Paris and Oenone.Par.
Oenone, while we bin disposed to walke,
Tell me what shall be subiect of our talke:
Thou hast a sorte of pretie tales in stoore,
Dare saye no Nymphe in Ida woods hath more:
Againe, beside thy sweete alluring face,
In telling them thou hast a speciall grace
Then preethee sweete, afforde some pretie thing,
Some toie that from thy pleasaunt witte doth springe.
Oen.
Paris, my hartes contentment, and my choice,
Vse thou thy pype, and I will vse my voyce,
So shall thy iust request not be denyed.
And time well spent and both be satisfied.
Par.
Well gentle Nymphe although thou do me wrong,
That can ne tune my pype vnto a songe,
Me list this once, Oenone, for thy sake,
This idle taske ort me to vndertake.
They sit vnder aires togeather.
Oen.
And whereon then shall be my Roundelay:
For thou hast harde my stoore long since, dare say,
Fabu.
How Saturne did deuide his kingdome tho,
la. 1.
To Ioue, to Neptune, and to Dis below.
2
How mightie men made foule successes warre,
Against the gods and state of Iupiter:
3
How Phorcias ympe that was so tricke and fayre,
That tangled Neptune in her golden haire,
Became a Gorgon for her lewde misdeede,
A pretie fable Paris for to reade,
A peece of cunnig trust me for the nonce,
That wealth and beautie alter men to stoones.
4
Howe Salmacis resembling ydlenes,
Turnes men to women all through wantonnes.
5
How Pluto raught Queene Ceres daughter thence,
And what did followe of that Ioue offence.
Of Daphne turned into the laurell tree,
That shevves a myror of virginitie.
7
How faire Narcissus tooting on his shade,
Reproues disdayne, and tells how forme doth vade.
8
How cunning Philomelaes needle tells,
What force in loue, what wit in sorrow dwelles.
9
What paynes vnhappie soules abyde in hell,
They say because on earth they liued not well.
10
Ixions wheele, proude Tantals pyning woe.
11
Prometheus torment, and a many moe.
12
How Danaus daughters plie their endles taske.
13
What toyle the toyle of Sysiphus doth aske.
All these are olde and knowne I knowe, yet if thou wilt haue anie,
Chuse some of these, for trust me else Oenone hath not manie.
Par.
Nay what thou wilt: but sith my cunning not compares with thine,
Beginne some Toy, that I can play vpon this pipe of mine.
Oen.
There is a pretie sonnet then, we call it Cupids curse:
They that do chaunge olde loue for new, pray gods they chaunge for worse.
The note is fine and quicke withall, the dittie will agree,
Paris, With that same vowe of thine vpon our Poplar tree.
Par.
No better thing, begine it then, Oenone thou shalt see
Our musicke, figure of the loue that growes twixt thee and me.
They sing: and while Oenone singeth, he pypeth.
Incipit Oenone.
Faire and fayre and twise so faire,
As fayre as any may be:
Oenone.
The fayrest sheepeherd on our grene,
A loue for anie Ladie.
Paris.
Faire and faire and twise so fayre,
As fayre as anie may bee:
Thy loue is fayre for thee alone,
And for no other Ladie.
Oenone.
My loue is faire, my loue is gaie,
As fresh as bine the flowers in May,
My merrie merrie merrie roundelaie
Concludes with Cupids curse:
They that do chaunge olde loue for newe,
Pray Gods they chaunge for worse.
Ambo
simul.
They that do chaunge, &c.
Oenone.
Faire and faire, &c,
Paris.
Faire and faire, &c. Thy loue is faire &c.
Oenone.
My loue can pype, my loue can sing,
My loue can manie a pretie thing,
And of his louelie prayses ring
My merry merry roundelayes: Amen to Cupids curse:
They that do chaunge, &c.
Paris.
They that do chaunge, &c.
Ambo.
Faire and fayre, &c.
Finis Camœne.
The songe being ended they rise, and Oenone speakes.
Oen.
Swete sheepeherd, for Oenones sake be cunning in this songe,
And kepe thy loue, and loue thy choice, or else thou doest her wrong.
Par.
My vowe is made and witnessed, the Poplar will not starte,
Nor shall the nymphe Oenones loue from forth my breathing hart.
I will goe bring the one thy way, my flocke are here behinde,
And I will haue a louers fee: they saie, vnkist, vnkinde.
Exeunt ambo.
| The Araygnement of Paris | |