University of Virginia Library

Scena Prima.

Thirsis.
Chorus.
O sauadge cruelty'; O th'ungratefull minde
Of a most most vngratefull Mayde; O Sexe
Full of ingratitude: and thou lewd Nature,
Nigligent mistresse, and maker of things,
Wherefore, ah wherefore mad'st thou womankinde
So faire, and sweet, and milde ouely without;
And didst forget to make their insides good?
Poore youth, I feare 'has made away himselfe
Ere this; alas I cannot finde him out:
Three houres from place to place, & wher I left him
Haue I bin seeking him; but cannot finde
Or him, or any print of his strai'd foot:
Sure sure hee's dead.
I will goe aske you Swaines I see, if they
Can tell me any tydings of him. Friends
Did you not see Aminta, 'or happly heare
Newes of him lately?

Cho:
Thou dost seeme to me
Full of distraction, what is't troubles thee?
How cam'st thou so'out of breath, and to sweat so?
What ayl'st thou? say what is't thou fear'st or wantest;

Thi:
I feare Amintas harmes; tell me I pray'
Saw yee him not?

Cho:
Not since he went with you
Awhile agon; but what d'yee feare in him.

Thi:
Alas I feare
Lest he haue slaine himselfe with his owne hand.

Cho:
Slaine with his owne hand? how so? what might cause
Such vengeance on himselfe?

Thi:
VVhy loue, and hate.

Chor:
Two powerfull enemies:
VVhat cannot they doe, when they meet together?
But speake yet clearer.

Thir:
His too much loue, and her too much disdaine
VVhom he lou'd so.

Cho:
Ah tell thy story out;
This is a way of passage, and ere long
Perhaps some one will bring vs newes of him,
Or himselfe come.

Thi:
I'le tell it willingly;
For 'tis not iust that such ingratitude
Should rest without the due deserued blame.
Aminta heard (and I had told it him,
And was his conduct too, the gods forgiue mee)
That Siluia was with Daphne gone to' a Founte
To wash themselues; thither then (not without
A thousand doubts and feares in him) we went;
And twenty times we turn'd againe, (his heart
Being all against it,) but that I was faine
Almost against his will to force him onn;
But drawing neere vnto the Fount, we heard
A sadd lamenting voice; and all at once
Daphne wee spy'de wringing her hands, and straite
Seeing vs comming, ah runne, runne (shee cryes)
Siluia's deflowr'd. Th'inamoured Aminta
No sooner heard it, but swift as a Pard
He flung away; and I made after him:
Nor farre we went, when loe before our eyes
We saw the young mayde nak'd as at her birth,
Fast fettr'd by the faire haire to a tree;
About whose branches in a thousand knotts
The curles were link'd, and entertwin'de, the girdle
That wont to decke, and guard her mayden loynes,
Seru'd as an actor in her rauishment;
Binding her armes about the trees hard trunke,
The tree it selfe became a helper too,
For by her feete a branch or two grew out,
Which (easie bending) both her tender leggs
Had fastned to the tree; and face to face
A beastly Satyr stood; who but eu'ne then
Had newly made an ende of binding her,
All the defence shee could (poore soule) shee made;
But sure 'twould haue but little steeded her,
Had not we come. Aminta with his dart
Flue like a Lyon
Vpon the Satyr; and I gathered stones;
VVhereat he fledd; and gaue Aminta leasure
To feast his greedy eyes with her faire limbes,
VVhich trembling seem'd as tender, white, & soft,
As vnprest curds new from the whay diuided.
Full was her face of anger, griefe, and spight;
He gently accosting her with modest lookes,
Spake thus; O louely Siluia pardon me;
Pardon my hands for daring to approache
So neere these beauteous limbes of thine; alas
It is necessity inforceth them,
Necessitie t'unloose these bands of thine;
And let it (I beseech thee) not displease thee,
That Fate has rais'd them to this happinesse.

Cho:
VVords that would mollifie a heart of flint;
But what reply made shee?

Thir:
VVhy none at all.
But with a looke full of disdaine, hung downe
The head, and hidd her faire lapp all shee could;
He stood vnbrayding her intangled' tresses,
And sighing said (the whiles,) O how vnworthy
Is this rude trunke of so faire knots as these?
See what aduantage haue Loues votaries,
That (like this tree) haue with so pretious bands
Their hearts entwin'd: Cruell plant, couldst thou she
This haire thus iniur'd, that thus honours thee?
Then with his hands her hands he faire vnlooz'd,
In such a sort, as that he seem'd affraide
To touch them, yet desir'd to touch them still:
Then stoop'd he downe t'untye her feet; when shee
Finding her late bound hands at libertie,
Said with a scornefull, and disdayning looke;
Shepherd, I am Diana's; touch me not;
Leaue me, I shall vnbinde my feete my selfe.

Cho:
Ah that the soft breast of a mayde should harbor
Such pride; O Curtesie full ill repayde.

Thir:
Straite he with reuerence withdrew himselfe,
Not lifting once his eyes to looke on her;
Barring himselfe of his delight; that shee
Might lay no blame on his immodestie.
I that was hid neere hand, and saw all this,
And heard it all, was eu'ne exclaiming on her,
But that I curb'd my selfe; see the strange creature;
After she was with much adoe got loose,
Away shee hurryed strait, swift as a Doe,
Without so much as 'Thanke yee, or farewell;
And yet knew well, shee had no cause to feare;
So modest and respectfull was Aminta.

Cho:
Why fled she then?

Th:
Perhaps she thought it shew'd
Better; and argued more her modestie.

Cho:
Her foule ingratitude: but what did then,
VVhat said the poore Aminta?

Thir:
I cannot tell.
For (angry) after her I ranne amaine
To haue oretane, and staid her; but in vaine;
For soone I lost her; and againe returning
Vnto the Fountaine where I left Aminta,
I found him not; and my heart much misgiues me
Of some selfe ill befalne him; for I knowe
He was resolu'd (before this hapned him)
To ende his life and miseries together.

Cho:
It is the common vse and art of Louers
To threaten their owne deaths; but rarely shall
Wee see th'effect in any of them all.

Thi:
Pray heau'ne he be not of those rare ones then.

Cho:
Tush feare him not.

Thi:
Well I'le downe to the Caue
Of the sage Elpine; thither he perhaps
Will be retyr'de, if he be yet aliue;
For there he wont full oft to'allay and ease
The rage of his bitter calamities,
With the sweet sound of Elpines Reeds; that winn
And draw with their alluring voice, to heare them,
The hard stones from the craggy mountaine topps;
Make flouds and waterfounts runne with pure milke;
And oft the rough bark'd trees against their kindes
Distill sweet honny from their bitter rindes.