Ge. And Lady of the Swaynes.
Enter Eurymine_.
Faire Forester and lovely shepheard Swaine,
Your Carrolls call _Eurymine_ in vaine,
For she is gone: her Cottage and her sheepe
With me, her brother, hath she left to keepe,
And made me sweare by _Pan_, ere she did go,
To see them safely kept for _Gemulo_.
(_They both looke straungely upon her, apart each from other_.)
_Ge_. What, hath my Love a new come Lover than?
_Sil_. What, hath my mistresse got another man?
_Ge_. This Swayne will rob me of _Eurymine_.
_Sil_. This youth hath power to win _Eurymine_.
_Ge_. This straungers beautie beares away my prize.
_Sil_. This straunger will bewitch her with his eies.
_Ge_. It is _Adonis_.
_Sil_. It is _Ganymede_.
_Ge_. My blood is chill.
_Sil_. My hearte is colde as Leade.
_Eu_. Faire youthes, you have forgot for what ye came:
You seeke your Love, shee's gone.
_Ge_. The more to blame.
_Eu_. Not so; my sister had no will to go
But that our parents dread commaund was so.
_Sil_. It is thy sense: thou art not of her kin,
But as my Ryvall com'ste my Love to win.
_Eu_. By great _Appollos_ sacred Deitie,
That shepheardesse so neare is Sib[124] to me
As I ne may (for all the world) her wed;
For she and I in one selfe wombe were bred.
But she is gone, her flocke is left to mee.
_Ge_. The shepcoat's mine and I will in and see.
_Sil_. And I.
[_Exeunt Silvio and Gemulo_.
_Eu_. Go both, cold comfort shall you finde:
My manly shape hath yet a womans minde,
Prone to reveale what secret she doth know.
God pardon me, I was about to show
My transformation: peace, they come againe.
_Enter Silvio and Gemulo_.
_Sil_. Have ye found her?
_Ge_. No, we looke in vaine.
_Eu_. I told ye so.
_Ge_. Yet heare me, new come Swayne.
Albe thy seemly feature set no sale
But honest truth vpon thy novell tale,
Yet (for this world is full of subtiltee)
We wish ye go with vs for companie
Unto a wise man wonning[125] in this wood,
Hight _Aramanth_, whose wit and skill is good,
That he may certifie our mazing doubt
How this straunge chaunce and chaunge hath fallen out.
_Eu_. I am content; have with ye when ye will.
_Sil_. Even now.
_Eu_. Hee'le make ye muse if he have any skill.
[_Exeunt_.
_Actus Quintus_.
_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 would'st 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 have I contrived, what iniurie
To alienate thy liking so from mee?
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 kinde,
Thou maiest retain thy wonted loving minde.
_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.
_Asca_. And yet continuest stil so strange to me?
_Eu_. Not strange, so far as kind will give me leave.
_Asca_. Unkind that kind that kindnesse doth bereave:
Thou saist thou lovest me?
_Eu_. As a friend his friend,
And so I vowe to love thee to the end.
_Asca_. I wreake not of such love; love me but so
As faire _Eurymine_ loved _Ascanio_.
_Eu_. That love's denide vnto my present kinde.
_Asca_. In kindely shewes vnkinde I doo thee finde:
I see thou art as constant as the winde.
_Eu_. Doth kinde allow a man to love a man?
_Asca_. Why, art thou not _Eurymine_?
_Eu_. I am.
_Asca_. _Eurymine_ my love?
_Eu_. The very same.
_Asca_. And wast thou not a woman then?
_Eu_. Most true.
_Asca_. And art thou changed from a woman now?
_Eu_. Too true.
_Asca_. These tales my minde 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 thou art a man?
_Eu_. Too true, deare friend.
_Asca_. Then I have lost a wife.
_Eu_. But found a friend whose dearest blood and life
Shal be as readie as thine owne for thee;
In place of wife such friend thou hast of mee.
_Enter Ioculo and Aramanthus_.
_Io_. There they are: maister, well overtane,
I thought we two should never meete againe:
You went so fast that I to follow thee
Slipt over 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 sequel prove:
For (wretched) I have found and lost my love,
If that be lost which I can nere enjoy.
_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 strangely erre.
_Asca_. Father, the triall of your skill I finde:
My Love's transformde into another kinde:
And so I finde and yet have lost my love.
_Io_. Ye cannot tell, take her aside and prove.
_Asca_. But, sweet _Eurymine_, make some report
Why thou departedst from my father's court,
And how this straunge mishap to thee befell:
Let me entreat thou wouldst the processe tell.
_Eu_. To shew how I arrived 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 wand'ring here, about this forrest side,
It was my chaunce of Phoebus to be spide;
Whose love, because I chastly did withstand,
He thought to offer me a violent hand;
But for a present shift, to shun his rape,
I wisht myself transformde into this shape,
Which he perform'd (God knowes) against his will:
And I since then have wayld my fortune still,
Not for misliking ought I finde in mee,
But for thy sake whose wife I meant to bee.
_Asca_. Thus have you heard our woful destenie,
Which I in heart lament and so doth shee.
_Ara_. The fittest remedie that I can finde
Is this, to ease the torment of your minde:
Perswade yourselves the great _Apollo_ can
As easily make a woman of a man
As contrariwise he made a man of her.
_Asca_. I think no lesse.
_Ara_. Then humble suite preferre
To him; perhaps our prayers may attaine
To have her turn'd into her forme againe.
_Eu_. But _Phoebus_ such disdain to me doth beare
As hardly we shal 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 crystall streames,
Beset with myrtles, keepe backe _Phoebus_ beames:
There in rich seates all wrought of Ivory
The Graces sit, listening the melodye,
The warbling Birds doo from their prettie billes
Vnite in concord as the brooke distilles,[126]
Whose gentle murmure with his buzzing noates
Is as a base unto their hollow throates:
Garlands beside they weare upon 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 us repaire with humble hart,
And meekly show 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 crave their aides to stand your advocates.
_Asca_. For ever you shall bind us 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_.
_Phy_. A proper iest as ever I heard tell!
In sooth me thinkes the breech becomes her well;
And might it not make their husbands feare them[127]
Wold all the wives in our town might weare 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 leave it's well overtaken 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,
Except trees, stones, bryars, bushes or buddes?
_Phy_. My meaning is, I fane 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_. Beleeve me, _Ioculo_, reasonable hard cheere.
_Io_. _Phylander_, tis the best we can get here.
But when returne ye to the court againe?
_Phy_. Shortly, now I have 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 convenient doth not fall,
A pecke of Acornes to make merry withal.
_Phy_. What meanst 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 the wood.
_Phy_. Good word, _Ioculo_, of your Lord and 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 love he beares unto his sonne.
_Phy_. Hees growne of late as fatherly and milde
As ever father was unto his childe,
And sent me forth to search the coast about
If so my hap might be to finde him out;
And if _Eurymine_ alive remaine
To bring them both vnto the Court againe.
Where is thy maister?
_Io_. Walking about the ground.
_Phy_. Oh that his Love _Eurymine_ were found.
_Io_. Why, so she is; come follow me and see;
He bring ye strait where they remaining bee.
[_Exeunt_.
_Enter three or foure Muses, Aramanthus, Ascanio,
Silvio, and Gemulo_.
_Asca_. Cease your contention for _Eurymine_,
Nor word nor vowes can helpe her miserie;
But he it is, that did her first transform,
Must calme the gloomy rigor of this storme,
Great _Phoebus_ whose pallace we are neere.
Salute him, then, in his celestiall sphere,
That with the notes of cheerful harmonie
He may be mov'd to shewe his Deitie.
_Sil_. But wheres _Eurymine_? have we lost her sight?
_As_. Poore soule! within a cave, with feare affright,
She sits to shun _Appollos_ angry view
Until she sees what of our prayers ensue,
If we can reconcile his love or no,
Or that she must continue in her woe.
1 _Mu_. Once have we tried, _Ascanio_, for thy sake,
And once againe we will his power awake,
Not doubting but, as he is of heavenly race,
At length he will take pitie on her case.
Sing therefore, and each partie, from his heart,
In this our musicke beare a chearfull part.