The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Israel Gollancz William Shakespeare [1643]
Nay therefore (quoth Dorastus) maids must loue, because they are yong, for Cupid is a child, and Venus, though old, is painted with fresh colours.
I grant (said she) age may be painted with new shadows, and youth may haue imperfect affections: but what arte concealeth in one ignorance reuealeth in the other. Dorastus seeing Fawnia held him so hard, thought it was vaine so long to beate about the bush: therefore he thought to haue giuen her a fresh charge: but he was so preuented by certain of his men, who missing their master, came posting to seeke him: seeing that he was gone foorth all alone, yet before they drew so nie that they might heare their talke, he vsed these speeches.
Why Fawnia, perhaps I loue thee, and then thou must needes yeelde, for thou knowest I can commaund and constraine. Trueth sir (quoth she) but not to loue: for constrained loue is force, not loue: and know this sir, mine honesty is such, as I had rather die than be a concubine even vnto a king, and my birth is so base as I am vnfit to bee a wife to a poore farmer. Why then, quoth he, thou canst not loue Dorastus? yes said Fawnia, when Dorastus becomes a shepheard, and with that the presence of his men broke off their parle, so that he went with them to the pallace, and left Fawnia sitting still on the hill side, who seeing that the night drew on, shifted her fouldes, and busied her selfe about other worke to drive away such fond fancies as began to trouble her braine. But all this could not preuaile, for the beautie of Dorastus had made such a deepe impression in her heart, as it could not be worne out without cracking, so that she was forced to blame her owne folly in this wise.
Ah Fawnia, why doest thou gaze against the Sunne, or catch at the wind: stars are to be looked at with the eye, not reached at with the hand: thoughts are to be measured by fortunes, not by desires: falles come not by sitting lowe, but by climing too high: what then, shall all feare to fall, because some hap to fal? No, lucke commeth by lot, and fortune windeth those threedes which the destinies spin. Thou art fauored Fawnia of a prince, and yet thou art so fond to reiect desired fauours: thou hast denial at thy tounges end, and desire at thy hearts bottome: a womans fault, to spurne at that with her foot, which she greedily catcheth at with her hand: Thou louest Dorastus, Fawnia, and yet seemest to lower. Take heede, if he retire, thou wilt repent: for vnles he loue, thou canst but die. Die then Fawnia: for Dorastus doth but iest: the lion neuer prayeth on the mouse, nor faulcons stoupe not to dead stales. Sit downe then in sorrow, cease to loue, and content thy selfe, that Dorastus will vouchsafe to flatter Fawnia, though not to fancie Fawnia. Heigh ho: Ah foole, it were seemelier for thee to whistle as a Sheapheard, than to sigh as a louer, and with that she ceased from these perplexed passions, folding her sheep, and hying home to her poore cottage. But such was the inconstant sorrowe of Dorastus to thinke on the witte and beautie of Fawnia, and to see how fond hee was being a prince: and how froward she was being a beggar, then he began to loose his wonted appetite, to looke pale and wan: insteed of mirth, to feede on melancholy: for courtly daunces to vse cold dumpes: insomuch that not only his owne men, but his father and all the Court began to maruell at his sodain change, thinking that some lingring sicknes had broght him into this state: wherefore he caused Phisitions to come, but Dorastus neither woulde let them minister, nor so much as suffer them to see his vrine: but remained stil so oppressed with these passions, as hee feared in himselfe a farther inconuenience. His honor wished him to cease from such folly, but Loue forced him to follow fancie: yea and in despight of honour, loue wonne the conquest, so that his hot desires caused him to finde new deuises, for hee presently made himselfe a shepheardes coate, that he might go vnknowne, and with the lesse suspition to prattle with Fawnia, and conueyed it secretly into a thicke