for this time make an end Some other play some other sport begin That standers by and lookers on be in It ended thus the other play began Some fiftie maides too many for one man Tooke hand in hand which made a spherie round Or globe the perfect st figure to be found Then one whose lot is first among them all Must goe about and let a napkin fall And whom foe re it heth next behind So soone as euer she the cloth doth find Must with swift-running foote the other chace Vntill she come vnto her ranke and place If catch before the fliers forfeit is To gratifie the follower with a kisse The sport begins and Arethusa first Would haue drop-napkin'd Faunus if she durst But she tooke Dorâ—s Doris at next bout Kist Melliflora she fetcht Faunus out She fled yet tooke he follow'd not forsaken She ran yet caught he follow'd and was taken Vpon the backe part fixed she he her eies So firmely that before she nothing sees Put downe she falls the â—ymphes began to wonder 〈◊〉 aboue â—â—t women will he vnder â—â—e her the kisse she willingly though tooke it Gaue it againe the nouice then forsooke it White Nisaeâ— next for Deiopeia prest And she at Faunus he could neuer rest But either catcht or else was to be cought Vntill the freshman faunt and breathlesse brought With tracing was the Nymphes much swifter were For loue is heaâ—enly light compact of aire So that the slow'st among them neuer misses But casts him downe and smothers him with kisses These gamesome Nimphs wÌ„elnere seu'n daies had spent In such like plaies aâ—d sportfull merritment Faunus thought oft Loues fire for to display Desire was bolde but Shamefastnesse said nay If he began to come but somewhat neare her His body quak't as though his heart did feare her All that he said was Nimph when you are at leasure Faine would I speak he might haue spoke his pleasure She found this means only that he might wooe her To loose her Necklace let her Caule forgo her Within the woods that well she could not weare Vntill she found them her loose dangling haire And as she sought them softly thus would say I prethee Faunus helpe me come away If thou shouldst goe into these woods alone Thy Melliflore would follow thee anone Wilt thou not come beleeue me I must chide Yet he in loue for all this would abide When for his loue Loue fram'de the time most fit â—oyes loue is foolish Loue to youth brings wit Then to the hedges walke they on a row To plucke the sweetes how sharply sweetes wil grow From sharpest stinging hawthorne as they go Fortune to turne their mirth to sodaine woe From out the woods did send a fierce wild boare Which seene such beasts they neuer saw before A care or feare or both did make them trudge Some to the woods and some towards the lodge Some vnder hedges some to holes would runne This way and that the best the beast to shunne But Melliflore whose beautie by that passe Like a rubd rubie much augmented was Like muske or ciuit kept in bosome hot Her breath most sweete by running sweetnes got Kept on her course yet neuer lookt behind Whom Faunus follow'd whilst a wanton wind Like to some pleasant ciuit smelling breath Would gently play him with her vaile beneath And come and go heaue vp throw downe to show Twise-wounded Faunus what he did not know Something he staid his swift pursute with leasure Fearing to be depriued of such pleasure But what he saw t is needlesse for to say Heere shall your thoughts and not my pen bewray But as he gan his swifter running slacke The anger-froathing boare was at his backe Which made him turne and at the boare to thrust Into whose heart his hand he guided iust He was but armed with a little knife Some desâ—iny belike preseru'd his life Yet by this fight he Melliflora lost So Faunus thought him worse then euer crost In th'unknowne woods then vp and downe he rangeth This way for that that for another changeth Losing himselfe within a groue he found Loue-sicke Adonis lying on the ground For hating Loue and saying Venus nay Yet meeting Melliflora in his way Loue made Loue weepe to see thy tyrannie Adonis frustrate his vow'd chastitie Whilst narrowly vpon her lookes he spide Strooke with loues arrow he fell downe and dide For by the Bore as all our Poets faine He was not kilde Faunus the Bore had slaine But tracing further who but Venus met him Thinking he had beene Adon thus she gret him Welcome Adonis in thy louelie breast Now do I see remorse and pitie rest Which to returne my deare Adonis moued Venus perswades her selfe she is beloued Hoping to haue some water from the rocke Which shee had pierst she stript her to the sinocke Wrought all in flames of Chrisolite and gold And bout his necke her armes she did enfold So at the least shee meaning to haue kist him He turn'de aside then sorie cause shee mist him To Faunus said faire Saint shun not such kindnesse Can these bright eies be blemisht with such blindnesse If thou wert blind and Venus could not see Yet in the darke best sighted louers be Or giue or take or both relent be kind Locke not Loue in the paradize of thy mind Is Venus louely then Adonis loue her Is she the Queene of loue then what should moue her To sue and not command Is shee loues mother Shall she be loath'd which brings loue to all other With that she dost all to the Iuorie skinne Thinking her naked glorie would him winne The shamefac't Faunus thereat something smiled Venus lookt on him knew shee was beguiled Yet would haue lou'd him for Adonis sake Thus women will one for another take Faunus resisted Venus would no more Sollicite him but mounted as before In her light Chariot drawne with milke-white Doues Away she flies Faunus left in the groues No sooner had the wood him passage lent But home to see his father Faunus went Picus much wondred where his sonne had beene Whom of seuen daies and more he had not seene But sleeplesse nights his being soone reuealed With sighes and teares Loue cannot be concealed His father by his countenance espide him To be in loue and mildely thus gan chide him Fond Boy quoth hee and foolish cradle witted To let base loue with thy yong yeares be fitted This vpstart loue bewitcher of the wit The scorne of vertue vices parasite The slaue to weakenesse friendships false bewrayer Reasons rebell Fortitudes betraier The Church-mens scoffe court camp and countrie 's guiler Arts infection chaste thoughts and youth's defiler And what are women painted weathercocks Natures ouersight wayward glittring blocks True true-bred cowards proude if they by coide A seruile sex of wit and reason voide Shall women moue thee whom so many loathes In gaudie plumes trickte and new-fangled cloathes Thus in our find-fault age many a man Will fondly
yet obscurely shone As when wee see a thinne blacke cloudie clustre Through which the stars do yeeld a darksome lustre A gorgeous choller of deare cheuaâ—all Set with a white embrodered Pyronall And Margarites with workmans rare deuise It seemed like vnto a shining Ice That night adorned in this princely sort Faunus departed from his fathers Court And went vntill for wearines he was Constrainde to lie downe on the yeelding grasse And recommended his faire bodies breath To Morpheus the elder borne of death There Faunus lie and cease my pen to tell What paine those Nimphes abode for thy farewell How sops of sorrow drencht in cups of care In steede of Nectar and Ambrosia were Greefe great in all yet great'st in Melliflore Who thought her Faunus murdred by the Bore She cut the trees and caru'de the tender graffes With dolefull Sestines mourning Epitaphes And stopt with sighs and drownd in kisse-cheeke teares Her halfe-spoke words A garment now she weares Right Rauen-blacke like sorrowes liuerie Cut all in rags yet ioynde so cunningly As by her clothes poore raggednesse was braâ—ed And pouertie no greater riches craued The Sun this morne before hee did appeare Got two houres iourney in his Hemisphere And Melliflora at the Sunnes first peeping With loues sharpe-sighted eie the thickets creeping Vnder the broad head of a Pine-tree spies Faunus asleepe whose face to heaun-ward lies She shrunke aside aside againe she started Thinking he had beene Adon she departed But comes againe for loue lept from his eies And puld her backe t was Faunus then she sees She knew and feared feare she knew before Fearing he had beene murdered by the Bore She layd her eie-liddes to his eies and wept Then she perceiude her dearest Faunus slept With that she ioynd her corrall lips to his Sucking his breath and stealing many a kisse Wishing the life of a Camelion That she might onely liue his breath vpon Which all vnwilling his faire body left And would not from that paradise be rest Or heauenly mansion which he did retaine But there in hope to be enclosde againe This soft sound sleepe to Melliflore gane leysure To see to feele to smell to taste such pleasure As none but onely she could euer know And none but Faunus on the earth could show Oh for how oft whilst loue her marrow warmes Would she embrace twixt Alablaster armes And hugge and cull the snow-white fronted Boy Call him her loue her life her soule her ioy Then pry more nearely on his necke with oft Quicke mouing lookes and with her fingers soft Dimple his breast and hanging ore his shoulder Hold Faunus downe thrise blest with such an holder And then againe though yet he sleeping is Thus she beganne to woe him for a kisse More gratious farre then-dawning of the day Then Venus starre or purple coloured Maie Let not my begging dearest Faunus grieue thee Vpon a note ten thousand kisses giue mee And then as many busses ouerplus As Cinthâ—â— gaue her loue Propentius How many Cupids with the Graces trippe Vpon thy left cheeke and thine vpper lippe How many lifes deaths ioves hopes cares and feares Thy quicker mouing eie-balles Faunus beares So many collings with kind clippings giue mee As Cupids golden headed arrowes grieue me And adde enticements twixt thine amorous kisses And pleasant murmures with sweete sounding hisses As Doues by turnes be either other nibbing And louingly in blither words be snibbing And bloudlesse in my bosome when thou lies And I turne vp my watrie swimming eies Then will I glew thee in my limber arme If cold as lead my breast shall make thee warme And Melliflora with her kisses breath Shall giue her Faunus life in lookt-for death Vntill my spirit in dewie kisses altring Within my body faint and fall a faultring Then take me Faunus twixt thy naked armes And vse thy hugging and thy kissing charmes And in thy hearts spoone coll me least I perish As twixt thy breasts my frozen bloud I le cherish And then like mine thy moistie kisses dew At po ynt of death life will againe renew Thus shall we enioy the heauen of our age And both together both our liues will swage This said she gathered fragrant smelling posies And strewd him o're with violets and roses Then with a kisse faine would she him haue raised Yet stood stone still and wishly on him gazed And forth his sleepe as though she feard to feare him She fixt her kisses to the roses neare him The roses warme by Mellifloraes mouth A whispering gale of wind came West by South How many roses then before she kist If she had knowne this none she would haue mist Her former kisses kisses gainde such plentie That she receiu de for one kisse more then twentie Such store of kisses on the sodaine found Some slipping from her fell vpon the ground That such an haruest came vpon the earth As since we had of kisses neuer dearth But stirring once his pillow made of grasse Faunus awakt and Venus thought she was With that he rose and like the blushing morne Hauing all night the loathsome burden borne Of aged Tython old men do no good Yet will be fumbling angrie then and wood Among the clowdes herselfe shee headlong throwes To meete with Phaebus what they do all knowes Headlong he ran such gamesome loue he scorned As Venus lou'd to haue his loue suborned But Melliflora ranne and ouertooke him And held him hard and neuer once forsooke him Vntil his name was honour'd by her tongue As one that findes great treasure standeth long Doubting hee sleepes so stood the louely boy Loue-sicke amaz'd and surfeited with ioy But when he knew her O what amorous greeting Faunus deuisde to entertaine his sweeting Like to the elme enclaspt with wanton vine Or as the ivie doth the oake combine About her necke his ivorie armes did twine Faint feeble weake and languishing in fine A moystie kisse seald vp their lippes as neuer Iniurious death should their embracements seuer But with their kisses make two bodies one And so their hearts with kisses liue alone Some teares betwixt them teares of ioy againe Did fall like siluer drops in sun-shine raine Then Faunus told her how he scapt the bore And both related th accidents before His ey-browes touch her roundie speaking eyne Kissing her necke and lippes like Corraline Then busseth she his cheeke his chin and brow Red comely-short and like to Cupids bow Yet in this vnion thus displeasde they be Because themselues they kissing cannot see Then like two culuers once againe they cleaue Hugge cull and clippe and sory for to leaue She carries kisses on her doubtfull eies In those two Diamonds prettie babes he spies Vntill they smile which as the sunne doth chace The mist-hung clowdes then shewes his cheerefull face From eies and cheekes did driue away the teares The sighes the sobs the cares and doubtfull feares Faunus resolu'd now had intention To wooe how loue refines inuention And thus he
Poudred vpon so strange that many thought With purple coloured silke it had beene wrought But ah alas it was the crimson staine Of goddesses which Faunus lookes had slaine About his necke he wore a falling band Which tooke it pride from his faire mothers hand His ivory feete appearing vnto sight In murrey veluet buskins rich were dight The middle slits with tyrian Bisse were laced Whose prettie knots his man-like legge embraced In many places bare as vse hath bin To shew the clearenesse of the naked skin The wanton boy attired in this sort Vnto the Latian mountaines did resort Whose prowde height garnisht with such stately trees Seemde to contemne the vally at his knees The humble vally in as good a state But loftie Gallants lower minds do hate Was still replenisht with a pleasant riuer Prowd of the gift and yet more prowd the giuer Whose wanton streames the banâ— so oft do kisse That in her lap at length he falling is Her bubbling water with slow gliding pace Shews her great griefe to leaue that pleasant place And with a murmure when she goes away Greatly laments she can no longer stay Cause th'vpper streams by violence would come To take possession of that ioyfull roome With swift pursute and as they gin to chace it The bankes like armes doe louingly imbrace it Whose purling noise vpon the pibble stones For such departure are the dolefull grones Her teares exhalde such norishment doth giue As on the tree-fringd banks made Pleasure liue Among these trees a goodly Cypresse grew That all the lofty pines did ouer-view Who bow'd her faire head in the sunnie gleames To tresâ—e her greene locks by those glassie streams Her top her shade vpon the Riuer show'd For the kind moisâ—ure on her root bestow'd Running vpon so delicate a ground As that the truth could neuer yet be found Whether it made the grauell pretious looke Or else the grauell purifide the brooke Whose meddowes greene enameled with roses T was Paradise some Poet yet supposes Added a shew so ruddie that most deemed The field to blush at his owne beautie seemed Neare to this valley Shepheards often met And by this valley sheepish squadrons set Within this valley past the time away With leapes and gamboles and with other play Here the Nymphes playd such summer games as Base For it was summer alwaies in this place And Barâ—breake the which when Faunus saw So many wood-Nymphes standing on a row The boy though yong yet who so yong that loues not Or who so old that womens beautie moues not Spide Mellâ—flora Melliflora was Among the number sitting on the grasse Sweete Melliflora I can tell ye true The grasse grew prowd that vnder her it grew Faire Melliflora amorous and yong Whose name nor story neuer Poet sung She wore a garland wrought with Amorets With orphrates ouerlaid and violets Whose lacinth loue-lockes hanged out so faire As drest the garland garland drest the haire And enterlaced with a purle band Like cristall Tagus through his golden sand Which hiding nowe then hidden by the haire At fast and loose to play it did appeare Faire was her face yet fairer might haue beene If that the Sunne so often had not seene Her louely face for halfe the day he spent In kissing her yet neuer was content For God or man thinkes he the Cushion misses That wooes all day and winnes nought else but kisses Vntill the sunne with ouermuch desire Of loue for loue is hotter then the fire Consumde the wreathe of Diamonds in his throne Ouid's beguilde it was not Phaeton For Melliflora was the cause he burned His chariot and the world to cinders turned Strange were her weedes to Faunus yet not strange For in such weedes the wood-Nymphes vse to range A petticote tuckte euen with the knees Garnisht about with leaues of sundry trees And sometimes like a net drawne vp and wrought Which net the eagle Ioue might well haue cought And all her garments made so light and thin Who could restraine but thinke what was within And blacke silke laces whereon siluer bells Did hang aboue her elbowes and of shels Her slippers were her legges her armes her brest In many places naked yet so drest As nakednesse another raiment scorned For she her cloaths her cloaths not her adorned Faunus a farre off stood stone-still and gazed The more he lookt the more Loue inly blazed He would haue quencht it with his teares but then A sparke of beautie burnes a world of men It burnt the more yet who can well refraine From drinking water when he feeles the paine Of burning feuer though that water drenches And turnes to fire which like Loue neuer quenches But youth may loue and yongmen may admire If old age cannot yet it will desire For since that time old men of sixty yeeres Bearâ—ng a beard or rather beard them beares Will heate their blouds with loue and yong wiues chuse At such sweete weddings yongmen nothing loose Faunus kneel'd downe and vnto Venus prayde Before his prayers were the one halfe said He thought it best vnto the Nimph to write And shew his loue but ginning to indite He tride the Muses with his often changes Loue neuer loues to rest but alwaies ranges If once on Melliflora he did thinke He wet his paper both with teares and inke Fearing to end before he had begunne Mistrusting each word which his wit had done One was too darke another was too plaine This word too lostie and the other vaine That set not downe the sorrow of his hart This shew'd his passion but it shew'd no Art He tore his papers cast away his pen Sore was he grieude and yet not angrie men In true loue are not angrie for he knew The more hee studied still the worse it grew Then he resolude to take the rose-strowne way Into the valley where he saw them play Accosted all with Venus and the Graces With white haire hiding their enticing faces Which hand in hand would make a circle round With often turning then themselues confound In Pyrrhus daunce like souldiers armed twine them And wedge-wise yoked in array combine them And when he came that wood-Nymph was most faine That to their play might Faunus entertaine And if he spake the Nymphs drew somewhat neare him To taste the sirrop of sweete wordes and heare him And gray-eyd Dorys she would alwayes eye him Till she was strucke purblinde she could not see him Some wisht him sooner though he came too soone Before the pleasure of the day was done Some saide the night for Louers was the day And Loue delighted in the night to play For now the day his office gaue to night To lend our aduerse hemisphere his light The Nymphs requested Melliflora than To moue this sute to Faunus she beganne I would we had such eloquence as might Intreate your Highnesse lodge with vs all night We and our arbour euermore would rest Content and honourd with so great a ghest You shall but lie
vpon a bed of roses Your sheetes white lillies pillowes fragrant poses Your blankets flowerdeluces shall be drawne With prety pinkes your curtaines leasie lawne And in my bed My vnawares out slipt Her face bewraide how that her tongue had tript Which Faunus seeing would haue kist her then To hide those blushes oh how kind are men Fresh she begins thinking that word to alter The more she speakes the more her tongue doth falter And gainst her will that My she spoke againe Loue will not let such words be spoke in vaine This past as vnregarded Faunus said I were inhumane if this were denaid Orecome with ioy they in the mid rancke set him He thought their arbour in the midway met him Such force of Musicke conquerd length of way With torches making artificiall day Aboue all trees in th odoriferous meades With greene vine branches curling their prowd heades And honni-suckles at their lodging doore Doth grow the pleasing brode leau'de Sycamore Her entrances adornd with pretious stone Built in the forme of a pauillionâ— Ridings cut out so that the eie might iudge What Angells did inhabite in the lodge And like a comet yet more pretious farre Stretching her tale vnto a lesser starre He pointed at a pleasant summer hall Wherein the Nymphes did vse to banquet all The coloured marble beautified the top Whose pillars seru'de the house to vnderprop And vnderneath whereas a riuer rode Was minerall her streames an handfull broade Her shaking Christall was a perfect mirrour To all the beauties in the garden neare her Whose water washt them rather they did wash it For when their snow-white â—uorie hands would plash it Like honie-bubbling Ladon or Pâ—reâ—e Cleare Castalie or luke-warme Hippocrene Vpon her face she makes ten thousand lines Ten thousand Saphir coloured bubbles shines As not content in large to haue their pinctures In each of them sets forth their liuely tinctures And comes againe to play embrace and threaten And laughes and smiles and leapes to be so beaten Behind this brooke or thicket was a greene Whereas fiue hundred grasie rounds had beene Made one in one like to these water rings Thence to a gallerie Melliflora him brings There was Dâ—ana when Acteou saw her Bathing her selfe alas he did not know her A goldsmiths wife once nakt without her pearle Hard to be knowne is from a countrie gerle A foolish Nimph sate weeping for loue can Make goddesses like women loue a man The posture of whose limmes so liuely seated As Art and Nature Loue and Anger â—reated Within this gallerie when as Faunus comes The grapes with childe and diuers coloured plums Gaue to the eie a pleasant taste before Vnto the mouth they came and euermore The cooâ—â— wine sild into the goblet skips And laughes for ioy to come vnto such lips As Faunus drunke still would he steale a looke Thus Faunus swallowed Cupids golden hooke Then laide his eies wide ope his loue to view Thus he receiu'd the darts which Cupid threw Then closde his eie-lids from that glorious light Thus he preseru'd the riches of his sight And thus faire words and power attractiue beuty Bring men to women in subiectiue duety But supper ends and all the Nymphes expected Some amorous talke of Faunus he neglected Vntiil a Nymph this order yet we vse Sayd let vs husbands in the ashes chuse In louers rites Faunus though rude and raw It was no dallying yet with Nimphs he saw Then smiling said Faire Nymphs the shepheards lasses Thus chuse them husbands turning crabs in ashes If in these woods good husbands be so scant Will you sweete Nymphes with me supplie some want But some said nothing these gaue ful consent And some said twice No which affirmes content And some said once No these would grant and giue In womens mouths No is no negatiue Whereat he blusht and fearing to offend The fondling thus abruptly made an end Sorie God knowes the Nymphes were hee had done Then Deiopeia mongst them all begun To speake whose words to Beril straight distilld As from her lippes the orient peade trilld Looking at Faunus smilingly then said A cumbersome companion to a maid Is modesty our elders all contemn'd it For cowardize most valiant men condemn'd it Blushing and sighing Thesens neuer stroue To woe and winne Aâ—tiope his loue Nor would hee haue his time so spent and lauisht But laid her downe and some say shee was rauisht And so she was but rauisht with content And got with childe belike both did consent Stout Hercules yong loles father slew And then by force his force faire Iole knew Yet this vnfathered Ladie would beginne Most sportfully put on the Lions skinne And tooke his clubbe betwixt her hands and viewd it Though shee was rauisht yet she neuer rewd it Soft Menelaâ—s Helen could not brooke Yet what inforcing Paris gaue she tooke Women are seruants seruants vnto men But praise your seruants what will follow then A readie horse straight yeeldes when he hath found One that will haue him yeeld else falles to bound And thus she parl'de thus she plainely woode Yet childish Faunus hardly vnderstood Vntill to bedward all the Nimphes them drest To take their rest yet tooke no ease in rest The night beginnes be angrie when she sees She can distill no sleepe in louers eies Tossing her selfe among the cloudes now hath Sent the red morne as Herald of her wrath Whose louer Phoebus rising from his bed With his dewie mantle hath the world ouer-spread Shaking his tresses ouer Neptunes ebbe And giuing tincture to the Spiders webbe These faire Nimphes rose seeing the light did call them And fairest Faunus equipaged all them A fairer beuie of faire virgines neuer The worlds faire eie the Sunne could yet disseuer Their prettie pastimes and their plates begunne At Barlibreake yong Faunus needes must runne In couples three the mid place called Hell But since that time the play is knowne too well With Deiopeia it was Faunus lot First to be Hell they ran and Syrinx got Syrinx and Spio so pursude the chase That Melliflora had the middle place Her partner Atte at Deiopeia ran But first for Faunus she her course beganne He ran but ranne with eie cast o're his shoulder Not caring how so that hee might behold her She tooke him straight about his necke she clang And on the grassie carpet Faunus flang Willing he was yet wrastled stroue and fought And fell to feele and said hee was not cought By law of Barlibreake because hee fell It was his heau'n though thus to be in Hell For many one for Hell not Heauen would pray If such shee diuels were in Hell to play Longer hee stroue that longer hee might stay But Deiopeia bade her come away For shee poore soule was huer-sicke of loue And â—ear'd such strife another strife would moue And yeeld to Faunus then she parts him froe Though she from him nor he from hir could goe Let vs she feard againe they would contend Of Barhbreake
courted Faunus thus begunne To wooe a Nymph who was already wonne Sweete namelesse Saint no name can set thee forth All titles are but staines to such thy worth Whose ornaments and beautie pure diuine Do make the cittie at these woods repine If that great highnesse can discend so low Vouchsafe those eies to see their ouerthrow Disdaine him not whose wit whose life whose daies Doth studie liue and serue to shew thy praise Thinke not my sute of small weight in thine eares Nor lesse regarded for my boyish yeares With that in his he tooke her moisty hand How white God knowes and gently did demand Shall these white hands quoth he and then he kist them And turnde and lookte as though his kisses mâ—st them Become as withered grasse drie leane and yellow And these ripe yeeres be fruitlesse rotten mellow Shall such a field lie leyes and not be tilled Shall such rare sweetes be spent and neuer spilled Shall beautie fade and earth enioy this couer And not remaine and flourish in your louer The heauens preuent from woman-kind that fall Women were borne to beare and borne withall That burdens borne that they might beare another A mothers childe must be a childes faire mother Deare Nymph enioy the spring-tide of your age These Aprill flowers in winter will asswage Spend that you cannot keepe it is not best That death should take his ayme from beauties rest Beautie faire Nymph is womans golden crowne Mans conqueresse and feminine renowne Not ioynde with loue who deare yet euer solde it For Beautie 's cheape except Loues eie beholde it You haue the beautie Faunus heart to moue You haue the body to reward his loue Impart them both vnto the longest liuer It 〈◊〉 a gift which will enrich the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it sues it offers to be taken High I sue and would not be forsaken If Beautie smile then Faunus thinkes him blessed Then Melliflora with a smile expressed How hard it is true loue not to discouer With that not coy nor lauish to her louer She said who taught thee eloquence and witte Conceit was quickned and his words made fitte She knew by loue whose force might wel perswade And make thee bragge the conquest of a maide Small were that boast and smaller is my beautie The smallest praise deseruing and lesse dutie You talke of beauty if the truth were knowne Because so well acquainted with your owne For mine or any other excellence Were all imparted to me by your presence Which if I were sole mistris of my mind I would repay and be to you as kind But such a vow deuoutly haue I made To die a virgin scarce the halfe word said His wit and senses by desire set open Sweete Saint quoth he that vow must needes be broken It is not lawfull you should make a vow The which Religion cannot wel allow Our pure Precisians thinke themselues most wife Yet in this one point are they not precise No doubt they marrie when they feele the motion Vntimely timely subiect to deuotion Are then your yeeres to what end were you borne Remember but and you wil be forsworne A cloister woman mewd vp in a cell To die a maide and then leade apes in hell A Votaresse a Secluse and a Nunne Nay you must be forsworne when all is done For can you study fast and pray among No no faire nymph your stomacke is too yong Your beautie will dispense with this decree You must be periurde of necessitie If you but come your Orizons to say Dianaes Hunts-men will forget to pray Or rather leaue before they do beginne Are you not then the Autresse of this sinne Or if her priests such fairenesse do espie They will be conquerd by your lookes and die Committing murder what wil follow then This odious name The Murdresse of men Which is flat treason gainst all Deitie For murder is much worse than periurie Saue then my soule and thousands more from spilling You get no praise my Melliflore by killing Such coy account such nicenesse of an oath But they espide not fully ended both Cleare Deiopeia comming from her sport Loue saw his iourney long and time but short In fewer wordes he sealed vp the match And that though Argoes hundred eies did watch They should depart those Nymphs and flie away Faunus kind entertainement spent the day So Melliflora in the tonguelesse night With snowie skinned Faunus tooke her flight Which when heauâ—n saw what doth not heauen see With raine of teares she shewes her dwellers be Rapt with that sight nor trees from mourning keepe But euery twig with dropping teares do weepe Such beauties past them then the clowdes gaue place That heauen might freely smile vpon her face The Moone at full was full prowd of that dutie That she might beare the torch to such rare beautie But to depriue the Moone of this her sight The Sun-set loue-sicke â—ose within the night With his approch they both lay downe oppressed Whose length the earth in beauties liuorie dressed Vnder an hill whose lifted bittle brow Would ouerlooke his prospect then below Whose prowd high Pines vnto this day are prowder They had the hap from summers sunne to shrowd her Now mong the Nymphes is Melliflora mist And also Faunus whither they went none wist They seeke the hills the valleys and plaine ground And this they find they were not to be found With eies with teares and tongue their errand showne And this they knew they were not to be knowne The more they thought they knew not what to thinke But Deiopeia from the rest gan shrinke Thought she was gone with Faunus was most likely Riualls in loue wil be suspitious quickly She offred incense to Dianaes shrine Euen as sweete I offer vnto thine But three dares rites and ceremonies ended Vnto Diana she her iourney tended With lowe obeisance to her deitie She told her Mellifloraes periurie That she and Faunus prince of Italic Were stolne away at such impietie Though Melliflore she loued dearely wroth And angrie was Diana with them both She sware her priests and huntsmen would not tarrie If thus her chastest Nymphes beganne to marrie No more they would but then incontinent Her purest priests and all a wooing went But Deiopeia her selfe banished Dianaes court and in loue languished Faunus alone with her alone required Alone with him which she alone desired Yet now she feares to be with him alone Because no further in loues office gone He would haue sealed with the cheefest armes Of his desire the waxe that Venus warmes But as she did the contrarie command He was afraide durst not her words withstand Did not the boy therein a coward proue Nay rather valiant to withstand such loue The marriage was by one of Vestaes Nuns Solemnized She Faunus neuer shuns He giues she takes and nothing is denide She his he her loue 's force and valor tride And still they striue but who obtainde the day Let him be iudge that er'e fought such a fray But
raile with foule-mouth'd Mantuan Some sharpe witted only in speaking euill Would proue a woman worse then any diuell With prating Picus though that women be Fram d with the same parts of the minde as we Nay Nature triumpht in their beauteous birth And women made the glorie of the earth The life of Beautie in whose supple breasts As in her fairest lodging vertue rests Whose towring thoughts attended with remorce Doe make their fairenesse be of greater force But of this subiect euerie day who reades not Which is so praised as it praises needs not And my conceite not able for to reach them Might bring forth words for praise which might impeach them And so with loue t is easie to find fault Yet not so easie when it giues assault Then to resist his force whose excellence Is to transforme the verie soule and essence Of the louer into the thing beloued This heauenly loue no doubt young Faunus moued But all this while being dumbe Faunus replide Vnto his father and withall denide He louâ—d a woman then his father knew From whence his griefe and melancholy grew And that he was by some wood-Nymph accosted Because the pleasure of the woods he boasted And Latian mountes Then Picus thus againe Sharply rebukte his sonne but all in vaine Thou art no souldier for Dianaes garison Nor twixt her Nymphes and Faunus is comparison Nymphes are like Poets full of wit but poore Vnto thy kingdome adde a kingdome more By marriage let Pycus counsel thee Looke not my boy at wit and Poetrie Faunus no reckning of such counsell makes Light is that loue which any counsell takes Then like Hermocrates the Phisitian Seeing his patient with an incision Sore vext in steede of ministring to the sore Began to chide bade him be ficke no more Or like a friend that visiting his friend Loaden with fetters in darke prison pend With vnkind words and bitter termes doth moue him To leaue those fetters or he would not loue him This other way from loue would Pycus reaue him And bade him leaue to loue or loue to leaue him Or if such loue made Loue not to regard him His loue would loue with hatred to reward him Remember loue and Pycus would the rather Forget his sonne he should forgoe his father Loue all this while on Faunus ey-balls stood Whose Enuie palenesse Anger caused blood In Faunus cheekes to heare such blasphemie Pronouncâ—d by Pycus gainst his deitie With that he leapes from Faunus face and flies Vnto the self-preuented Destinies He found them busie at a Parliament Vnder their feete relentlesse Adamant Aboue their heads the marble was for teele The ribs of yron and the raftrie steele The walls of flint and brazen was the gate And euery one vpon a wooll-packe â—ate Whose sterne austere lookes neuer mou'de to ruth By gold nor fauour beauty age nor youth Yet when loue came what hearts though made of stone In which Loue cannot make impression Welcome he was Loue then his speech began To shew th'vnmanlike crueltie of man How Nature first ordaining one for one Made woman chiefe for procreation But men like drudges not content to vse them In blows sometimes and speeches will abuse them Loue 's will was this that maides should haue their will Not ouermuch but to restraine from ill Ill kept-in-thoughts with vertuous companie Restraining not from well-rulde libertie For maides were made to make such harmlesse plaies Such honest sports as daunce vpon the laies The hey-de-guise and run the wild-goose chace And trie the keeles the â—arlibreake and base But with a barly when the pastimes end And maides must needes for milking homewards wend As some depart some are constraind to stay For when they end then Loue begins to play His play is paine but yet a paine with ease His keeles are coales whose fire doth grieue and please From play for pray Loue takes two louing freeres Traind vp alike perhaps of equall yeeres Yet such is loue of parents such begot That wealth nor worth true loue considers not Sometime a King dotes on a countrie swaine Sometime a Lady loues a lad againe Sometime the meaner will the greatst reiect No not a person Loue'will once respect And hauing pearc'd the soule 's seuen-doubled shield Loue makes the one vnto the other yeeld They yeeld kind soules but parents will not grant With tedious brawlings still they finde a want One is too rich the other is too poore So then twixt Faunus and faire Melliflore Loue told the Loue and fearing fathers ire Loue is defeated of his chiefe desire This kind vnkindnesse children yet must take Vntill their parents price of them do make As in a market then what man wil craue them And giue the most he shal be sure to haue them Thus from Loues mouth the honnie as he spoke 〈◊〉 as from the brode-leau'd builder oake And opall pearle from his lippes did fall The Destinies began to gather all Such pretious iewells if they fell but neare them And prowd of such loue-tokens yet do weare them His sugred tale thus sweetned by his mouth The Destinies did somewhat pittie youth With one consent and voice they all agreed These statutes should for euer be decreed That man for his vnmanlike treacherie Should be tormented with vile iealousie That maids from honest libertie restrained Should alway thinke from what they thus refrained That t was some treasure from the which th' are tide Some Indian iewell which men vse to hide Some strange conserue sweete deare and pretious And women are by nature licorous These thoughtes awaked women growe manwood Nor can these thoughts from actions be withstood What bird is pleasde though in a siluer cage A dogge tide vp in golden chaines will rage That market marriages euermore should be Content the best the worst to disagree That shrewdnesse should possesse the womans heart In stubbornnesse the husband act his part Thus drawing opposite in one yoke aliue Long might they liue but they should neuer thriueâ— And since that time all marriages enforced Neuer agree vntill they be deuorced This sentence giuen Loue then backe returned To louely Faunus who in Loues fire burned But ere he came Faunus had turnd to hate His fathers speeches and grew passionate Who in the night the best meanes for desire Got vp and darklings only his attire And naked beautie with a tresse of Amber Gaue a resplendance to the purle-hung Chamber Sought for a suite yet could not well deuise What garment best might please his faire Nimphs eies If costly then for woddy Nimphs too curious If gay or gawdie that was but penurious This was too olde the other was not new This the Tailer Tailers will not be true Had cut too short that hee might haue a sharing A garment then hee tooke more rich then glaring Of gold beat Samite to his heeles which rought With knoppes and broches birdes and beasts ywrought In tuffes of Cypresse hung the Topaze stone Which through the Cypresse
is thereby wonne Of corne 〈◊〉 admit thou hast in store An hundreth thousand 〈◊〉 on thy barne flore What comes thereby thy bellie holds no more Then mine as if to hirelings thou wert sent Thy shoulders fraught with bags of bread thou went And they receiuing what thou thither brought Thou gaines no more then him which carried nought Or answere this to him which doth propound Nature his guide what booteth him of ground Whether that he an hundreth acres tilles Or else a thousand But to him which filles From a huge heape thou saist It feeds the eie And in the same we condiscend to thee Whilst our repaste contents the mind alwaies Shunning all not wherefore dost thou praise Thy corne 〈◊〉 gardners boue our sacks wee feed On them as well as you they serue our neede As if thou must thy pot with water â—ill And by thy side a fountaine doth distill Yet for affection and to please thine eie Vnto a riuer fuâ—ther off thoul thie At which whilst some haue 〈…〉 The 〈…〉 and they haue fallen in But he that takes â—o serue his vse no more The troubled water neare the slimie shore Needes not to drinke his flâ—ming thirst to coole Nor drowning feare within the muddie poole But greatest part of men with poyson d baite Of wealth bewitch'd aboundance in ech state Is all their blisse their God and earthly store A man is but his money and no more What punishment shall we deuise or find For him that hath this vnder-eating mind Le ts suffer him in sinne to wallow still And wretched be so long as er'e he will Such one we reade of dwelt in Athens towne In substance rich but yet a niggard clowne Whose couetize the world would euer hisse Of infamie he still regardlesse is Let people hisse and mocke me as they list Whilst with my gold quoth he lockt in my chest I please my selfe mine eie still viewing is My gold my goods my God and heauenly blisse Dry Tantalus doth oft aspire to taste The gliding water but his labour's waste Why dost thou laugh what pleasure dost thou take To loue this gold which endlesse griefe doth make For thou endur'st his fate take but his name This fable's told of thee thou art the same What though amidst thy heaped bagges thou sleepe When fearefull dreames thy mind awaking keepe And that which thy confusion will bring Thou sparest it like to some holy thing And Tymon-like thou dost but please thine eie With that which should thine honour raise on hie As though it were in pictures to delight Thou dost not know the vse of money right Disburse it so for to supplie thy want Let bread be bought hearbs wine or what is scant By which abating Nature waxeth faint To wake daies nights to stand in awe and feare Of theeues least of thy riches they should heare Of fire of seruants least they pilfer thee Be these thy gaines Ioue then this boone to me Grant that deuoyd of wealth I euer be But if the cough chance trouble sore thy head Or some disease do cause thee keepe thy bed Thou hast thy friends still at thy elbow prest Which will prouide confections of the best Cunning Phisitians for thy helpe procure And to thy sonnes and kinsfolke thee restore With potions will in perfect health againe Thou art deceiu'd thy wife she workes thy baine Thy sonne thy neighbours maides acquaintance all Weepe but lest death should linger in thy fall What meruaile is 't when siluer was thy Lord None loue thee thou deseruâ—st no louing word For if thy kinsmen and thy friends thou will With slight regard thus bind in friendship still Thy labour 's vaine perseuerance in loue Discordeth much Thou maist as well aboue The sluggish Asse a golden saddle set And teach him chew the bit plaie and curuet This be the end when much thou hast in store Then feare not want and trauaile for no more Thy wil accomplisht liue then at thine ease Let not Ouidius greedie mind thee please It is too long to tell how he woâ—ld turne His coomed coyne which shoules nor would adorne His corps with cloaths but like the poorest wight No better then his seruant euer dight Fearing his riches would in time asswage And he sustaine great penury in his age But loe his wife of Greekish dames most bold Did cut his throte so ended he and 's gold What is it best like 〈◊〉 to liue Or all my goods like 〈◊〉 giâ—e To whores and bawdes why dost thou thus compare Extremities all spend or else all spare I would not thee a greedie 〈◊〉 haue Wilt thou then be a drunkard and a knaue There is a difference twixt the Eunuch Taine And Hermâ—sâ—s that most luxurious swaine A meane there is in all things bonds be pight On this side or beyond which nought stands right But now at length to come to my request How hapneth it that no man liketh best His owne estate His neighbours goate doth beare A bigger bagge her milâ—e is farre more cleare Comparing him not to the greatâ—r sort Whose state is base who liues in meane apport But shoots at highâ—st with him he doth contend To passe in coine and so there is no end For he that all men meanes to leaue behind In running 〈◊〉 some richer eueâ—find As when to winne some lawrell crowned fame The Charrioter as in thâ—olympick game Lashing his thundring Coursers makes the ground Whose rising face their fierie hoofes doth wound To shake and dandle neuer lookes behind At those he coates but swifter then the wind Scoures forward still to ouergo the rest And here it comes that he hath liued blest Not one will say A man we seldome find So cloyd with th' world as one which hath new dindâ— Is with his meate none inâ—s extreamest dayes Will part from life as from a feast his waies But drad Mecoenas now this shall suffize Least thou suppose my volume would arize Greater then that which bleare-â—ide Crispine made Not one word more at this time shall be sayd The first Satyre of Persius O Slight regard of sots or brainlesse men How great their blindfold vanities are when Naught they applaud but tingling Poesie Lulling the sence with itchfull ribaudry What meanes my tragicke clamor to what end My ayrie breath to water do I spend What man takes pleasure who will loose his time In reading of my testy waiward rime To me didst speake no flat-cap low prizde swaine Much lesse my selfe to reade my crabbed graine Will leaue a pleasing Poets sugred vaine Then to respect me shall I find not one Yea two perhaps thou shalt or rather none This retchlesse care is much to be lamented Wherefore not that my soule is discontented Fore me they should Polydemias preferre Or blockish Labeo these but trifles are No for what thing it please tempestuous Rome To raise or throw downe by her bribed doome Thereto assent correct nor make deniall Or in the ballance poise that wicked