Act 5 — [Scene V.][3496]

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 eye5 On this[3497] 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.—10 Is your love yet true and chaste, And for ever so to last? Alexis. I have forgot all vain desires, All looser thoughts, ill-temp’red fires: True love I find a pleasant fume,15 Whose moderate heat can ne’er consume. Cloe. And I a new fire feel in me, Whose chaste flame is not quencht to be. Clo. Join your hands with modest touch, And for ever keep you such.20

Peri. [Aside.] 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?25 Clorin is ready to do good to all: Come near. Peri. I dare not. Clo. Satyr, see Who it is that calls on me. Sat. [coming from the bower.] There, at hand, some swain doth stand, Stretching out a bloody hand.30 Peri. Come, Clorin, bring thy holy waters clear, To wash my hand. Clo. [coming out.] What wonders have been here To-night! Stretch forth thy hand, young swain; Wash and rub it, whilst I rain Holy water. Peri. Still you pour,35 But my hand will never scour. Clo. Satyr, bring him to the bower: We will try the sovereign power Of other waters. Sat. Mortal, sure, ’T is the blood of maiden pure40 That stains thee so. The Satyr leadeth him to the bower, where he spieth Amoret, and kneeling down, she knoweth him. Peri. Whate’er thou be, Be’st thou her sprite, or some divinity, That in her shape thinks good to walk this grove, Pardon poor Perigot! Amo. I am thy love, Thy Amoret, for evermore thy love:45 Strike once more on my naked breast, I’ll prove As constant still. Oh, couldst thou love me yet, How soon could I my former griefs forget! Peri. So over-great with joy that you live, now I am, that no desire of knowing how50 Doth seize me. Hast thou still power to forgive? Amo. Whilst 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,54 And not I [thee,] death, or some ling’ring pain That’s worse, light on me! Clo. Now your stain Perhaps will cleans’d be;[3498] once again. See, the blood that erst did stay, With the water drops away. All the powers again are pleas’d,60 And with this new knot are appeas’d. Join your hands, and rise together: Pan be blest that brought you hither! Enter Priest of Pan and Old Shepherd. Go back again, whate’er thou art; unless Smooth maiden-thoughts possess thee, do not press65 This hallowed ground.—Go, Satyr, take his hand, And give him present trial. Sat. Mortal, stand, Till by fire I have made known Whether thou be such a one That mayst freely tread this place.70 Hold thy hand up.—Never was [Applying the Priest’s hand to the taper.] More untainted flesh than this. Fairest, he is full of bliss. Clo. Then boldly speak, why dost thou seek this place? Priest. First, honour’d virgin, to behold thy face,75 Where all good dwells that is; next, for to try The truth of late report was given to me,— Those shepherds that have met with foul mischance, Through much neglect and more ill governance, Whether the wounds they have may yet endure80 The open air, or stay a longer cure; And lastly, what the doom may be shall light Upon those guilty wretches, through whose spite All this confusion fell; for to this place, Thou holy maiden, have I brought the race85 Of these offenders, who have freely told Both why and by what means they gave this bold Attempt upon their lives. Clo. Fume all the ground, And sprinkle holy water, for unsound And foul infection ’gins to fill the air:90 It gathers yet more strongly; take a pair [The Satyr fumes the ground, etc.] Of censers fill’d with frankincense and myrrh, Together with cold camphire quickly stir Thee, gentle Satyr, for the place begins To sweat and labour with th’ abhorred sins95 Of those offenders: let them not come nigh, For full of itching flame and leprosy Their very souls are, that the ground goes back, And shrinks to feel the sullen weight of black And so unheard-of venom.—Hie thee fast,100 Thou holy man, and banish from the chaste These manlike monsters; let them never more Be known upon these downs, but, long before The next sun’s rising, put them from the sight And memory of every honest wight:105 Be quick in expedition, lest the sores Of these weak patients break into new gores.[3499] Exit Priest. Peri. My dear, dear Amoret, how happy are Those blessed pairs, in whom a little jar Hath bred an everlasting love, too strong110 For time, or steel, or envy to do wrong! How do you feel your hurts? Alas, poor heart, How much I was abus’d! Give me the smart, For it is justly mine. Amo. I do believe, It is enough, dear friend; leave off to grieve,115 And let us once more, in despite of ill, Give hands and hearts again. Peri. With better will Than e’er I went to find in hottest day Cool crystal of the fountain, to allay119 My eager thirst. May this band never break! Hear us, oh, Heaven! Amo. Be constant. Peri. Else Pan wreak With double vengeance my disloyalty! Let me not dare to know the company Of men, or any more behold those eyes! Amo. Thus, shepherd, with a kiss all envy dies.125

Priest. Bright maid, I have perform’d your will. The swain In whom such heat and black rebellions reign Hath undergone your sentence and disgrace; Only the maid I have reserv’d, whose face Shows much amendment; many a tear doth fall130 In sorrow of her fault. Great fair, recall Your heavy doom, in hope of better days, Which I dare promise; once again upraise Her heavy spirit, that near drowned lies In self-consuming care that never dies.135 Clo. I am content to pardon: call her in.— The air grows cool again, and doth begin To purge itself: how bright the day doth show After this stormy cloud!—Go, Satyr, go, And with this taper boldly try her hand.140 If she be pure and good, and firmly stand To be so still, we have perform’d a work Worthy the gods themselves. Satyr brings Amarillis in. Sat. Come forward, maiden; do not lurk, Nor hide your face with grief and shame;145 Now or never get a name That may raise thee, and re-cure All thy life that was impure. Hold your hand unto the flame; If thou be’st a perfect dame,150 Or hast truly vow’d to mend, This pale fire will be thy friend.— [Applies her hand to the taper.] See, the taper hurts her not! Go thy ways; let never spot Henceforth seize upon thy blood:155 Thank the gods, and still be good. Clo. Young shepherdess, now ye are brought again To virgin-state, be so, and so remain To thy last day, unless the faithful love159 Of some good shepherd force thee to remove; Then labour to be true to him, and live As such a one that ever strives to give A blessed memory to after-time; Be famous for your good, not for your crime.— Now, holy man, I offer up again165 These patients, full of health and free from pain. Keep them from after-ills; be ever near Unto their actions; teach them how to clear The tedious way they pass through from suspect; Keep them from wronging others, or neglect170 Of duty in themselves; correct the blood With thrifty bits[3500] and labour; let the flood, Or the next neighbouring spring, give remedy To greedy thirst and travail, not the tree174 That hangs with wanton clusters; let not wine, Unless in sacrifice or rites divine, Be ever known of shepherds; have a care, Thou man of holy life! Now do not spare Their faults through much remissness, nor forget179 To cherish him whose many pains and sweat Hath giv’n increase and added to the downs. Sort all your shepherds from the lazy clowns That feed their heifers in the budded brooms. Teach the young maidens strictness, that the grooms May ever fear to tempt their blowing youth,185 Banish all compliment, but single truth, From every tongue and every shepherd’s heart; Let them still use persuading, but no art. Thus, holy priest, I wish to thee and these All the best goods and comforts that may please.190 All. And all those blessings Heaven did ever give, We pray upon this bower may ever live. Priest. Kneel, every shepherd, whilst with powerful hand I bless your after-labours, and the land You feed your flocks upon. Great Pan defend you195 From misfortune, and amend you; Keep you from those dangers still That are followed by your will; Give ye means to know at length, All your riches, all your strength,200 Cannot keep your foot from falling To lewd lust, that still is calling At your cottage, till his power Bring again that golden hour Of peace and rest to every soul;205 May his care of you control All diseases, sores, or pain, That in after-time may reign Either in your flocks or you; Give ye all affections new,210 New desires, and tempers new, That ye may be ever true! Now rise, and go; and, as ye pass away, Sing to the God of Sheep that happy lay That honest Dorus taught ye,—Dorus, he215 That was the soul and god of melody.

All ye woods, and trees, and bowers, All ye virtues and ye powers That inhabit in the lakes, In the pleasant springs or brakes,220 Move your feet To our sound, Whilst we greet All this ground With his honour and his name225 That defends our flocks from blame. He is great, and he is just, He is ever good, and must Thus be honour’d. Daffadillies, Roses, pinks, and loved lilies,230 Let us fling, Whilst we sing, Ever holy, Ever holy, Ever honour’d, ever young!235 Thus great Pan is ever sung!

Sat. Thou divinest, fairest, brightest, Thou most powerful maid and whitest, Thou most virtuous and most blessed, Eyes of stars, and golden-tressed240 Like Apollo; tell me, sweetest, What new service now is meetest For the Satyr? Shall I stray In the middle air, and stay The sailing rack,[3501] or nimbly take245 Hold by the moon, and gently make Suit to the pale queen of night For a beam to give thee light? Shall I dive into the sea, And bring thee coral, making way250 Through the rising waves that fall In snowy fleeces? Dearest, shall I catch thee wanton fawns, or flies Whose woven wings the summer dyes Of many colours? get thee fruit,255 Or steal from Heaven old Orpheus’ lute? All these I’ll venture for, and more, To do her service all these woods adore. Clo. No other service, Satyr, but thy watch About these thicks,[3502] lest harmless people catch260 Mischief or sad mischance. Sat. Holy virgin, I will dance Round about these woods as quick As the breaking light, and prick[3503] Down the lawns and down the vales265 Faster than the windmill sails. So I take my leave, and pray All the comforts of the day, Such as Phoebus’ heat doth send On the earth, may still befriend270 Thee and this arbour! Clo. And to thee All thy master’s love be free! Exeunt.