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.

Clo.  Shepherd, once more your blood is staid,
Take example by this Maid,
Who is heal’d ere you be pure,
So hard it is lewd lust to cure. 
Take heed then how you turn your eye
On each other lustfully: 
And Shepherdess take heed lest you
Move his willing eye thereto;
Let no wring, nor pinch, nor smile
Of yours his weaker sense beguile. 
Is your Love yet true and chaste,
And for ever so to last?

Alex.  I have forgot all vain desires,
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.

Peri.  I dare not.

Clor.  Satyr, see Who it is that calls on me.

Sat.  There at hand, some Swain doth stand, Stretching out a bloudy hand.

Peri.  Come Clorin, bring thy holy waters clear, To wash my hand.

Clo.  What wonders have been here
To night? stretch forth thy hand young Swain,
Wash and rub it whilest I rain
Holy water.

Peri.  Still you pour, But my hand will never scower.

Clor.  Satyr, bring him to the Bower, We will try the Soveraign power Of other waters.

Satyr.  Mortal, sure ’Tis the Blood of Maiden pure That stains thee so.

[The Satyr leadeth him to the Bower, where he spieth Amoret, and kneeling down, she knoweth him.

Peri.  What e’re thou be, Be’st thou her spright, or some divinitie, That in her shape thinks good to walk this grove, Pardon poor Perigot.

Amor.  I am thy love,
Thy Amoret, for evermore thy love: 
Strike once more on my naked breast, I’le prove
As constant still.  O couldst thou love me yet;
How soon should I my former griefs forget!

Peri.  So over-great with joy, that you live, now
I am, that no desire of knowing how
Doth seize me; hast thou still power to forgive?

Amo.  Whilest thou hast power to love, or I to live; More welcome now than hadst thou never gone Astray from me.

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.

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