Francis Beaumont

“ Lanc't up her brest, which bloodless fell and cold;
And if belief may credit what was told,
After all this, the Melancholy Swain
Took her into his arms being almost slain,
And to the bottom of the holy well
Flung her, for ever with the waves to dwell.
'Tis she, the very same, 'tis Amoret,
And living yet, the great powers will not let
Their vertuous love be crost. Maid, wipe away
Those heavy drops of sorrow, and allay
The storm that yet goes high, which not deprest,
Breaks heart and life, and all before it rest:
Thy Perigot—
Amor. ”

“ Enter Amaryllis.
Ama. Shepherd, may I desire to be believ'd, What I shall blushing tell?
Peri. Fair Maid, you may.
Am. Then softly thus, I love thee, Perigot,
And would be gladder to be lov'd again,
Than the cold Earth is in his frozen arms
To clip the wanton Spring: nay do not start,
Nor wonder that I woo thee, thou that art
The prime of our young Grooms, even the top
Of all our lusty Shepherds! ”

“ To my Friend Master JOHN FLETCHER upon his Faithfull Shepherdess.
I know too well, that, no more than the man
That travels through the burning Desarts, can
When he is beaten with the raging Sun,
Half smothered in the dust, have power to run
From a cool River, which himself doth find,
E're he be slacked; no more can he whose mind
Joyes in the Muses, hold from that delight,
When nature, and his full thoughts bid him write:
Yet wish I those whom I for friends have known,
To sing their thoughts to no ears but their own. ”

“ Enter Clorin, in her Cabin, Alexis, with her.
Clor. Now your thoughts are almost pure,
And your wound begins to cure:
Strive to banish all that's vain,
Lest it should break out again.
Alex. Eternal thanks to thee, thou holy maid:
I find my former wandring thoughts well staid
Through thy wise precepts, and my outward pain
By thy choice herbs is almost gone again:
Thy sexes vice and vertue are reveal'd
At once, for what one hurt, another heal'd.
Clor. May thy grief more appease,
Relapses are the worst disease.
Take heed how you in thought offend,
So mind and body both will mend. ”

“ Fell by the hand of Pirrhus, may to thee
Be otherwise compar'd, than some dead Tree
To a young fruitful Olive.
Daph. I can love, But I am loth to say so, lest I prove Too soon unhappy.
Clo. Happy thou would'st say,
My dearest Daphnis, blush not, if the day
To thee and thy soft heats be enemie,
Then take the coming Night, fair youth 'tis free
To all the World, Shepherd, I'll meet thee then
When darkness hath shut up the eyes of men,
In yonder Grove: speak, shall our Meeting hold?
Indeed you are too bashful, be more bold,
And tell me I.
Daph. ”

“ Enter Amaryllis.
Amar. Hail Shepherd, Pan bless both thy flock and thee, For being mindful of thy word to me.
Sul. Welcom fair Shepherdess, thy loving swain
Gives thee the self same wishes back again,
Who till this present hour ne're knew that eye,
Could make me cross mine arms, or daily dye
With fresh consumings: boldly tell me then,
How shall we part their faithful loves, and when? ”

“ Teach the young Maidens strictness, that the grooms
May ever fear to tempt their blowing youth;
Banish all complements, but single truth
From every tongue, and every Shepherds heart,
Let them still use perswading, but no Art:
Thus holy Priest, I wish to thee and these,
All the best goods and comforts that may please.
Alex. And all those blessings Heaven did ever give, We pray upon this Bower may ever live.
Priest. Kneel every Shepherd, whilest with powerful hand
I bless your after labours, and the Land
You feed your flocks upon. ”

“ Or mingle my clean thoughts with foul desires,
First let our great God cease to keep my flocks,
That being left alone without a guard,
The Wolf, or Winters rage, Summers great heat,
And want of Water, Rots; or what to us
Of ill is yet unknown, full speedily,
And in their general ruine let me feel.
Amo. I pray thee gentle Shepherd wish not so,
I do believe thee: 'tis as hard for me
To think thee false, and harder than for thee
To hold me foul. ”

“ From the full fraighted bags of our fair flocks:
Your hair more beauteous than those hanging locks
Of young Apollo.
Amo. Shepherd be not lost, Y'are sail'd too far already from the Coast Of our discourse.
Peri. Did you not tell me once
I should not love alone, I should not lose
Those many passions, vows, and holy Oaths,
I've sent to Heaven? did you not give your hand,
Even that fair hand in hostage? ”

“ Any tree, with windy force,
Cross thy streams, to stop thy course:
May no beast that comes to drink,
With his horns cast down thy brink;
May none that for thy fish do look,
Cut thy banks to damm thy Brook;
Bare-foot may no Neighbour wade
In thy cool streams, wife nor maid,
When the spawns on stones do lye,
To wash their Hemp, and spoil the Fry.
God. Thanks Virgin, I must down again,
Thy wound will put thee to no pain:
Wonder not so soon 'tis gone:
A holy hand was laid upon.
Amo. And I unhappy born to be, Must follow him that flies from me.
Actus Quartus. Scena Prima.
Enter Perigot. ”

“ Hid from the eyes of men, that were intended
To live amongst us swains.
Cloe. Thou art befriended,
Shepherd, in all my life I have not seen
A man in whom greater contents have been
Than thou thy self art: I could tell thee more,
Were there but any hope left to restore
My freedom lost. O lend me all thy red,
Thou shamefast morning, when from Tithons bed
Thou risest ever maiden.
_Alex. _If for me,
Thou sweetest of all sweets, these flashes be,
Speak and be satisfied. O guide her tongue,
My better angel; force my name among
Her modest thoughts, that the first word may be—
Cloe. ”

“ Clor. Satyr, help to bring her in.
Sat. By Pan, I think she hath no sin,
She is so light: lye on these leaves.
Sleep that mortal sense deceives,
Crown thine Eyes, and ease thy pain,
Maist thou soon be well again.
Clor. Satyr, bring the Shepherd near, Try him if his mind be clear.
Sat. Shepherd come.
Daph. My thoughts are pure.
Sat. The better trial to endure.
Clor. In this flame his finger thrust,
Which will burn him if he lust;
But if not, away will turn,
As loth unspotted flesh to burn:
See, it gives back, let him go,
Farewel mortal, keep thee so. ”

“ As my quick thoughts could wish for.
Enter Shepherd.
Shep. Fresh Beauty, let me not be thought uncivil,
Thus to be Partner of your loneness: 'twas
My Love (that ever working passion) drew
Me to this place to seek some remedy
For my sick Soul: be not unkind and fair,
For such the mighty Cupid in his doom
Hath sworn to be aveng'd on ”

“ Peri. And when thou lov'st alone And not I, death, or some lingring pain That's worse, light on me.
Clor. Now your stain
This perhaps will cleanse again;
See the blood that erst did stay,
With the water drops away.
All the powers again are pleas'd,
And with this new knot appeas'd.
Joyn your hands, and rise together,
Pan be blest that brought you hither.
Enter Priest, and Old Shephe [rd] .
Clor. Go back again what ere thou art, unless
Smooth Maiden thoughts possess thee, do not press
This hallowed ground. Go Satyr, take his hand,
And give him present trial.
Satyr. ”

“ Farewel all hope of that Sex, whilst I thought
There was one good, I fear'd to find one naught:
But since their minds I all alike espie,
Henceforth I'le choose as others, by mine eye.
Clor. Blest be ye powers that give such quick redress,
And for my labours sent so good success.
I rather choose, though I a woman be,
He should speak ill of all, than die for me.
Actus Quintus. Scena Prima.
Enter Priest, and old Shepherd. ”

“ For lusty Grooms to mix their quicker blood
With that dull humour, most unfit to be
The friend of man, cold and dull Chastitie.
Sure I am held not fair, or am too old,
Or else not free enough, or from my fold
Drive not a flock sufficient great, to gain
The greedy eyes of wealth-alluring Swain:
Yet if I may believe what others say,
My face has soil enough; nor can they lay
Justly too strict a Coyness to my Charge;
My Flocks are many, and the Downs as large
They feed upon: then let it ever be
Their Coldness, not my Virgin Modestie
Makes me complain. ”

“ Per. Fair maid, You only love to hear it often said; You do not doubt.
Amar. Believe me but I do.
Per. What shall we now begin again to woo? 'Tis the best way to make your Lover last, To play with him, when you have caught him fast.
Amar. By Pan I swear, I loved Perigot, And by yon Moon, I think thou lov'st me not.
Per. By Pan I swear, and if I falsely swear,
Let him not guard my flocks, let Foxes tear
My earliest Lambs, and Wolves whilst I do sleep
Fall on the rest, a Rot among my Sheep.
I love thee better than the careful Ewe
The new-yean'd Lamb that is of her own hew ”

“ Enter Perigot.
Per. Night do not steal away: I woo thee yet
To hold a hard hand o're the rusty bit
That guides the lazy Team: go back again,
Bootes, thou that driv'st thy frozen Wain
Round as a Ring, and bring a second Night
To hide my sorrows from the coming light ”

“ Hath crown'd the head of her long loved Shepherd
With gaudy flowers, whilest he happy sung
Layes of his love and dear Captivitie;
There grows all Herbs fit to cool looser flames
Our sensual parts provoke, chiding our bloods,
And quenching by their power those hidden sparks
That else would break out, and provoke our sense
To open fires, so vertuous is that place:
Then gentle Shepherdess, believe and grant,
In troth it fits not with that face to scant
Your faithful Shepherd of those chaste desires
He ever aim'd at, and—
Amo. ”

“ I cannot, no I must enjoy thee, Boy,
Though the great dangers 'twixt my hopes and that
Be infinite: there is a Shepherd dwells
Down by the Moor, whose life hath ever shown
More sullen Discontent than Saturns Brow,
When he sits frowning on the Births of Men:
One that doth wear himself away in loneness ”

“ All looser thoughts, ill tempred fires,
True Love I find a pleasant fume,
Whose moderate heat can ne'r consume.
Clo. And I a new fire feel in me, Whose chaste flame is not quencht to be.
Clor. Join your hands with modest touch, And for ever keep you such.
Enter Perigot.
Per. Yon is her Cabin, thus far off I'll stand, And call her forth; for my unhallowed hand I dare not bring so near yon sacred place. Clorin come forth, and do a timely grace To a poor Swain.
Clo. What art thou that dost call? Clorin is ready to do good to all: Come near. ”

“ The. Was ever Man but I
Thus truly taken with uncertainty?
Where shall that Man be found that loves a mind
Made up in Constancy, and dare not find
His Love rewarded? here let all men know
A Wretch that lives to love his Mistress so.
Clo. Shepherd, I pray thee stay, where hast thou been?
Or whither go'st thou? here be Woods as green
As any, air likewise as fresh and sweet,
As where smooth Zephyrus plays on the fleet
Face of the curled Streams, with Flowers as many
As the young Spring gives, and as choise as any ”

“ Deign it Goddess from my hand,
To receive what e're this land
From her fertil Womb doth send
Of her choice Fruits: and but lend
Belief to that the Satyre tells,
Fairer by the famous wells,
To this present day ne're grew,
Never better nor more true.
Here be Grapes whose lusty bloud
Is the learned Poets good,
Sweeter yet did never crown
The head of Bacchus, Nuts more brown
Than the Squirrels Teeth that crack them ”

“ I'll rather die Than nourish one thought to dishonour thee.
Amar. Still think'st thou such a thing as Chastitie
Is amongst Women? Perigot there's none,
That with her Love is in a Wood alone,
And would come home a maid; be not abus'd
With thy fond first Belief, let time be us'd:
Why dost thou rise?
Per. My true heart thou hast slain.
Ama. Faith Perigot, I'll pluck thee down again.
Per. Let go, thou Serpent, that into my brest Hast with thy cunning div'd; art not in Jest?
Ama. Sweet love, lye down.
Per. Since this I live to see, Some bitter North-wind blast my flocks and me. ”

“ To seek her Perigot, yet cannot hear
His Voice; my Perigot, she loves thee dear
That calls.
Per. See yonder where she is, how fair She shows, and yet her breath infefts the air.
Amo. My Perigot.
Per. Here.
Amo. Happy.
Per. Hapless first: It lights on thee, the next blow is the worst.
Amo. Stay Perigot, my love, thou art unjust.
Peri. Death is the best reward that's due to lust. ”

“ How shall I trust thee when I see thee chuse Another Bed, and dost my side refuse?
Per. 'Twas only that the chast thoughts might be shewn 'Twixt thee and me, although we were alone.
Ama. Come, Perigot will shew his power, that he
Can make his Amoret, though she weary be,
Rise nimbly from her Couch, and come to his.
Here take thy Amoret, embrace and kiss.
Per. What means my Love?
Ama. To do as lovers shou'd,
That are to be enjoy'd, not to be woo'd.
There's ne'r a Shepherdess in all the plain
Can kiss thee with more Art, there's none can feign
More wanton tricks. ”

“ Hold your hand unto the flame,
If thou beest a perfect dame,
Or hast truely vow'd to mend,
This pale fire will be thy friend.
See the Taper hurts her not.
Go thy wayes, let never spot
Henceforth seize upon thy blood.
Thank the Gods and still be good.
Clor. Young Shepherdess now ye are brought again
To Virgin state, be so, and so remain
To thy last day, unless the faithful love
Of some good Shepherd force thee to remove;
Th [e] n labour to be true to him, and live
As such a one, that ever strives to give
A blessed memory to after time.
Be famous for your good, not for your crime. ”