The Faithful Shepherdess eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 92 pages of information about The Faithful Shepherdess.

The Faithful Shepherdess eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 92 pages of information about The Faithful Shepherdess.
With me, if then her presence did so move,
Why did not I essay to win her Love? 
She would not sure have yielded unto me;
Women love only Opportunitie,
And not the Man; or if she had deny’d,
Alone, I might have forc’d her to have try’d
Who had been stronger:  O vain Fool, to let
Such blest Occasion pass; I’ll follow yet,
My Blood is up, I cannot now forbear.

Enter Alex, and Cloe.

I come sweet Amoret:  Soft who is here? 
A pair of Lovers?  He shall yield her me;
“Now Lust is up, alike all Women be.

Alex.  Where shall we rest? but for the love of me, Cloe, I know ere this would weary be.

Clo. Alexis, let us rest here, if the place
Be private, and out of the common trace
Of every Shepherd:  for I understood
This Night a number are about the Wood: 
Then let us chuse some place, where out of sight
We freely may enjoy our stoln delight.

Alex.  Then boldly here, where we shall ne’re be found,
No Shepherds way lies here, ’tis hallow’d ground: 
No Maid seeks here her strayed Cow, or Sheep,
Fairies, and Fawns, and Satyrs do it keep: 
Then carelesly rest here, and clip and kiss,
And let no fear make us our pleasures miss.

Clo.  Then lye by me, the sooner we begin, The longer ere the day descry our sin.

Sull.  Forbear to touch my Love, or by yon flame,
The greatest power that Shepherds dare to name,
Here where thou sit’st under this holy tree
Her to dishonour, thou shalt buried be.

Alex.  If Pan himself, should come out of the lawns,
With all his Troops of Satyrs and of Fawns,
And bid me leave, I swear by her two eyes,
A greater Oath than thine, I would not rise.

Sull.  Then from the cold Earth never shalt thou move, But lose at one stroke both thy Life and Love.

Clo.  Hold gentle Shepherd.

Sull.  Fairest Shepherdess, Come you with me, I do not love you less Than that fond man, that would have kept you there From me of more desert.

Alex.  O yet forbear To take her from me; give me leave to dye By her.

[The Satyr enters, he runs one way, and she another.

Sat.  Now whilst the Moon doth rule the Skie,
And the Stars, whose feeble light
Give a pale Shadow to the night,
Are up, great Pan commanded me
To walk this Grove about, whilst he
In a corner of the Wood,
Where never mortal foot hath stood,
Keeps dancing, musick, and a feast
To entertain a lovely Guest,
Where he gives her many a Rose,
Sweeter than the breath that blows
The leaves; Grapes, Berries of the best,
I never saw so great a feast. 
But to my Charge:  here must I stay,
To see what mortals lose their way,
And by a false fire seeming bright,
Train them in and leave them right. 
Then must I watch if any be
Forcing of a Chastitie: 
If I find it, then in haste
Give my wreathed horn a Blast,
And the Fairies all will run,
Wildly dancing by the Moon,
And will pinch him to the bone,
Till his lustful thoughts be gone.

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
The Faithful Shepherdess from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.