The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Israel Gollancz William Shakespeare [1638]
blanket in steed of a rich mantle, nourishing it so cleanly and carefully as it began to bee a iolly girle, insomuch that they began both of them to be verie fonde of it, seeing as it waxed in age, so it increased in beautie. The shepheard euery night at his comming home, would sing and daunce it on his knee, and prattle, that in a short time it began to speake and call him Dad, and her Mam: at last when it grew to ripe yeares, that it was about seuen yeares olde, the shepheard left keeping of other mens sheepe, and with the money he found in the purse, he bought him the lease of a prettie farme, and got a small flocke of sheepe, which when Fawnia (for so they named the childe) came to the age of ten yeares, hee set her to keepe, and shee with such diligence performed her charge as the sheepe prospered maruellously vnder her hands. Fawnia thought Porrus had been her father, and Mopsa her mother, (for so was the shepheard and his wife called) honoured and obeyed them with such reuerence, that all the neighbours praysed the dutifull obedience of the childe. Porrus grewe in a short time to bee a man of some wealth, and credite: for fortune so fauoured him in hauing no charge but Fawnia, that he began to purchase land, intending after his death to giue it to his daughter: so that diuerse rich farmers sonnes came as wooers to his house: for Fawnia was something cleanly attyred, beeing of such singular beautie and excellent witte, that whoso sawe her, would haue thought she had bene some heauenly nymph, and not a mortall creature: insomuch, that when she came to the age of sixteene yeeres, shee so increased with exquisite perfection both of bodie and mind, as her natural disposition did bewray that she was borne of some high parentage: but the people thinking she was daughter to the shephard Porrus, rested onley amazed at her beautie and wit: yea she woon such fauour and commendations in every mans eye, as her beautie was not only praysed in the countrey, but also spoken of in the Court: yet such was her submisse modestie, that although her prayse dayly increased, her minde was no whit puffed vp with pride, but humbled her selfe as became a countrey mayd and the daughter of a poore sheepheard. Every day she went forth with her sheepe to the field, keeping them with such care and diligence, as all men thought she was very painfull, defending her face from the heat of the sunne with no other vaile, but with a garland made of bowes and flowers: which attire became her so gallantly, as she seemed to be the Goddesse Flora her selfe for beautie. Fortune, who all this while had shewed a friendly face, began now to turne her backe, and to shew a lowring countenance, intending as shee had given Fawnia a slender checke, so she would give her a harder mate: to bring which to passe, she laid her traine on this wise. Egistus had but one onely sonne called Dorastus, about the age of twentie yeeres: a Prince so decked and adorned with the giftes of nature: so fraught with beautie and vertuous qualities, as not onely his father ioyed to haue so good a sonne, and all his commons reioyced that God had sent them such a noble Prince to succeede in the Kingdome. Egistus placing al his ioy in the perfection of his sonne: seeing that he was now mariageable, sent Ambassadors to the king of Denmarke, to intreate a mariage betweene him and his daughter, who willingly consenting, made answere, that the next spring if it please Egistus with his sonne to come into Denmarke, hee doubted not, but they should agree vpon reasonable conditions. Egistus resting satisfied with this friendly answere, thought conuenient in the meane time to breake with his Sonne: finding therefore on a day fit oportunitie, he spake to him in these fatherly tearmes.
Dorastus, thy youth warneth me to prevent the woorst, and mine age to provide the best. Oportunities neglected, are signes of folly: actions measured by time, are seldome bitten with repentance: thou art yong, and I old: age hath taught me that, which thy youth cannot yet conceive.
I therefore will counsell thee as a