ROSALYNDE PASSIONATE ALONE

“Ah, Rosalynde, how the Fates have set down in their synod to make thee unhappy:  for when Fortune hath done her worst, then Love comes in to begin a new tragedy:  she seeks to lodge her son in thine eyes, and to kindle her fires in thy bosom.  Beware, fond girl, he is an unruly guest to harbor; for cutting in by entreats, he will not be thrust out by force, and her fires are fed with such fuel, as no water is able to quench.  Seest thou not how Venus seeks to wrap thee in her labyrinth, wherein is pleasure at the entrance, but within, sorrows, cares, and discontent?  She is a Siren, stop thine ears to her melody; she is a basilisk, shut thy eyes and gaze not at her lest thou perish.  Thou art now placed in the country content, where are heavenly thoughts and mean desires:  in those lawns where thy flocks feed, Diana haunts:  be as her nymphs chaste, and enemy to love, for there is no greater honor to a maid, than to account of fancy as a mortal foe to their sex.  Daphne, that bonny wench, was not turned into a bay tree, as the poets feign:  but for her chastity her fame was immortal, resembling the laurel that is ever green.  Follow thou her steps, Rosalynde, and the rather, for that thou art an exile, and banished from the court; whose distress, and it is appeased with patience, so it would be renewed with amorous passions.  Have mind on thy forepassed fortunes; fear the worst, and entangle not thyself with present fancies, lest loving in haste, thou repent thee at leisure.  Ah, but yet, Rosalynde, it is Rosader that courts thee; one who as he is beautiful, so he is virtuous, and harboreth in his mind as many good qualities as his face is shadowed with gracious favors; and therefore, Rosalynde, stoop to love, lest, being either too coy or too cruel, Venus wax wroth, and plague thee with the reward of disdain.”

Rosalynde, thus passionate, was wakened from her dumps[1] by Aliena, who said it was time to go to bed.  Corydon swore that was true, for Charles’ Wain was risen in the north.  Whereupon each taking leave of other, went to their rest, all but the poor Rosalynde, who was so full of passions, that she could not possess any content.  Well, leaving her to her broken slumbers, expect what was performed by them the next morning.

[Footnote 1:  meditation.]

The sun was no sooner stepped from the bed of Aurora, but Aliena was wakened by Ganymede, who, restless all night, had tossed in her passions, saying it was then time to go to the field to unfold their sheep.  Aliena, that spied where the hare was by the hounds, and could see day at a little hole, thought to be pleasant with her Ganymede, and therefore replied thus: