The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Israel Gollancz William Shakespeare [1641]
Ah, but he that striueth against Loue, shooteth with them of Scyrum agaynst the winde, and with the Cockeatrice pecketh against the steele. I will therefore obey, because I must obey. Fawnia, yea Fawnia shall be my fortune, in spight of fortune. The Gods aboue disdaine not to loue women beneath. Phoebus liked Sibilla, Iupiter, Io, and why not I then Fawnia, one something inferiour to these in birth, but farre superiour to them in beautie, borne to be a Shepherd, but worthy to be a Goddesse.
Ah Dorastus, wilt thou so forget thy selfe as to suffer affection to suppresse wisedome, and Loue to violate thine honor? How sower will thy choice be to thy father, sorowfull to thy subiects, to thy friends a griefe, most gladsome to thy foes? Subdue then thy affection, and cease to loue her whom thou couldst not loue, vnlesse blinded with too much loue. Tush I talke to the wind, and in seeking to preuent the causes, I further the effects. I will yet praise Fawnia, honor, yea and loue Fawnia, and at this day follow content, not counsell. Do Dorastus, thou canst but repent: and with that his Page came into the chamber, whereupon he ceased from complaints, hoping that time would weare out that which fortune had wrought. As thus he was pained, so poore Fawnia was diuersly perplexed: for the next morning getting vp very early, she went to her sheepe, thinking with hard labours to passe away her new conceived amours, beginning very busily to drive them to the field, and then to shift the folds, at last (wearied with toyle) she sate her downe, where (poore soule) she was more tried with fond affections: for loue began to assault her, in so much that as she sate vpon the side of a hill, she began to accuse her owne folly in these tearmes.
Infortunate Fawnia, and therefore infortunate because Fawnia, thy shepherds hooke sheweth thy poore state, thy proud desires an aspiring mind: the one declareth thy want, the other thy pride. No bastard hauke must soare so high as the Hobbie, no fowle gaze against the Sunne but the Eagle, actions wrought against nature reape despight, and thoughts above Fortune disdaine.
Fawnia, thou art a shepheard, daughter to poore Porrus: if thou rest content with this, thou art like to stande, if thou climbe thou art sure to fall. The herb Anita growing higher then sixe inches becommeth a weede. Nylus flowing more then twelve cubits procureth a dearth. Daring affections that passe measure, are cut short by time or fortune: suppresse then Fawnia those thoughts which thou mayest shame to expresse. But ah Fawnia, loue is a Lord, who will command by power, and constraine by force.
Dorastus, ah Dorastus is the man I loue, the woorse is thy hap, and the lesse cause hast thou to hope. Will Eagles catch at flyes, will Cedars stoupe to brambles, or mighty Princes looke at such homely trulles? No, no, thinke this, Dorastus disdaine is greater then thy desire, he is a Prince respecting his honor, thou a beggars brat forgetting thy calling. Cease then not onely to say, but to thinke to loue Dorastus, and dissemble thy loue Fawnia, for better it were to die with griefe, then to liue with shame: yet in despight of loue I will sigh, to see if I can sigh out loue. Fawnia somewhat appeasing her griefs with these pithy perswasions, began after her wonted manner to walke about her sheepe, and to keepe them from straying into the corne, suppressing her affection with the due consideration of her base estate, and with the impossibilities of her loue, thinking it were frensie, not fancy, to couet that which the very destinies did deny her to obtaine.
But Dorastus was more impatient in his passions: for loue so fiercely assayled him, that neither company,