THE Sunne dooth beate vppon the playne fieldes , wherefore let vs sit downe Gallathea , vnder this faire Oake , by whose broade leaues , beeing defended from the warme beames , we may enioy the fresh ayre , which softly breathes from Humber floodes .

Father , you haue deuised well , and whilst our flocke doth roame vp and downe thys pleasant greene , you shall recount to mee , if it please you , for what cause thys Tree was dedicated vnto Neptune , and why you haue thus disguised me .

I doe agree thereto , and when thy state and my care be considered , thou shalt knowe thys question was not asked in vaine .

I willingly attend .

In tymes past , where thou seest a heape of small pyble , stoode a stately Temple of white Marble , which was dedicated to the God of the Sea , ( and in right beeing so neere the Sea ) hether came all such as eyther ventured by long trauell to see Countries , or by great traffique to vse merchandise , offering Sacrifice by fire , to gette safety by water ; yeelding thanks for perrils past , & making prayers for good successe to come ; but Fortune , constant in nothing but inconstancie , did change her copie , as the people their custome , for the Land being oppressed by Danes , who in steed of sacrifice , committed sacrilidge , in steede of religion , rebellion , and made a pray of that in which they should haue made theyr prayers , tearing downe the Temple euen with the earth , being almost equall with the skyes , enraged so the God who bindes the windes in the hollowes of the earth , that he caused the Seas to breake their bounds , sith men had broke their vowes , and to swell as farre aboue theyr reach , as men had swarued beyond theyr reason : then might you see shippes sayle where sheepe fedde , ankers cast where ploughes goe , fishermen throw theyr nets , where husbandmen sowe theyr Corne , and fishes throw their scales where fowles doe breede theyr quils : then might you gather froth where nowe is dewe , rotten weedes for sweete roses , & take viewe of monstrous Maremaides , insteed of passing faire Maydes .

To heare these sweete maruailes , I would mine eyes were turned also into eares .

But at the last , our Country-men repenting , and not too late , because at last , Neptune either wearie of his wroth , or warie to doe them wrong , vpon condition consented to ease theyr miseries .

What condition will not miserable men accept ?

The condition was this , that at euery fiue yeeres day , the fairest and chastest virgine in all the Countrey , should be brought vnto this Tree , & heere beeing bound , ( whom neither parentage shall excuse for honour , nor vertue for entegrity ) is left for a peace offering vnto Neptune .

Deere is the peace that is bought with guiltlesse blood .

I am not able to say that , but hee sendeth a Monster called the Agar , against whose comming the waters rore , the fowles flie away , and the Cattell in the field for terror , shunne the bankes .

And she bound to endure that horror ?

And she bound to endure that horror .

Doth thys Monster deuoure her ?

Whether she be deuoured of him , or conueied to Neptune , or drowned between both , it is not permitted to knowe , and encurreth danger to coniecture ; Now Gallathea heere endeth my tale , & beginneth thy tragedie .

Alas father , and why so ?

I would thou hadst beene lesse faire , or more fortunate , then shouldest thou not repine that I haue disguised thee in this attyre , for thy beautie will make thee to be thought worthy of this God ; to auoide therfore desteny ( for wisedome ruleth the stars ) I thinke it better to vse an vnlawfull meanes ( your honour preserued ) then intollerable greefe , both life and honor hazarded , and to preuent ( if it be possible ) thy constellation by my craft . Now hast thou heard the custome of this Countrey , the cause why thys Tree was dedicated vnto Neptune , and the vexing care of thy fearefull Father .

Father , I haue beene attentiue to heare , and by your patience am ready to aunswer . Destenie may be deferred , not preuented ; and therefore it were better to offer my selfe in tryumph , then to be drawne to it with dishonour . Hath nature ( as you say ) made mee so faire aboue all , and shall not vertue make mee as famous as others ? Doe you not knowe , ( or dooth ouercarefulnes make you forget ) that an honorable death is to be preferred before an infamous life . I am but a child , and haue not liued long , and yet not so childish , as I desire to liue euer : vertues I meane to carry to my graue , not gray haires . I woulde I were as sure that destiny would light on me , as I am resolued it could not feare me . Nature hath giuen me beauty , Vertue courage , Nature must yeeld mee death , Vertue honor . Suffer mee therefore to die , for which I was borne , or let me curse that I was borne , sith I may not die for it .

Alas Gallathea , to consider the causes of change , thou art too young , and that I should find them out for thee , too too fortunate .

The destenie to me cannot be so hard as the disguising hatefull .

To gaine loue , the Gods haue taken shapes of beastes , and to saue life art thou coy to take the attire of men ?

They were beastly gods , that lust could make them seeme as beastes .

In health it is easie to counsell the sicke , but it 's hard for the sicke to followe wholesome counsaile . Well let vs depart , the day is farre spent .

Faire Nimphe , are you strayed from your companie by chaunce , or loue you to wander solitarily on purpose ?

Faire boy , or god , or what euer you bee , I would you knew these woods are to me so wel known , that I cannot stray though I would , and my minde so free , that to be melancholy I haue no cause . There is none of Dianaes trayne that any can traine , either out of their waie , or out of their wits .

What is that Diana a goddesse ? what her Nimphes virgins ? what her pastimes hunting ?

A goddesse ? who knowes it not ? Virgins ? who thinkes it not ? Hunting ? who loues it not ?

I pray thee sweete wench , amongst all your sweete troope , is there not one that followeth the sweetest thing . Sweete loue ?

Loue good sir , what meane you by it ? or what doe you call it ?

A heate full of coldnesse , a sweet full of bitternesse , a paine ful of pleasantnesse , which maketh thoughts haue eyes , and harts eares , bred by desire , nursed by delight , weaned by ielousie , kild by dissembling , buried by ingratitude , and this is loue , fayre Lady wil you any ?

If it be nothing els , it is but a foolish thing .

Try , and you shall find it a prettie thing .

I haue neither will nor leysure , but I will followe Diana in the Chace , whose virgins are all chast , delighting in the bowe that wounds the swift Hart in the Forrest , not fearing the bowe that strikes the softe hart in the Chamber . This difference is betweene my Mistris Diana , and your Mother ( as I gesse ) Venus , that all her Nimphes are amiable and wise in theyr kinde , the other amorous and too kinde for their sexe ; and so farewell little god .

Diana , and thou , and all thine , shall knowe that Cupid is a great god , I will practise a while in these woodes , and play such pranckes with these Nimphes , that while they ayme to hit others with their Arrowes , they shall be wounded themselues with their owne eyes .

BLush Gallathea that must frame thy affection fitte for thy habite , and therefore be thought immodest , because thou art vnfortunate . Thy tender yeeres cannot dissemble this deceipt : nor thy sexe beare it . O woulde the gods had made mee as I seeme to be , or that I might safelie be what I seeme not . Thy Father doteth Gallathea , whose blind loue corrupteth his fonde iudgement , and iealous of thy death , seemeth to dote on thy beauty , whose fonde care carrieth his parciall eye as farre from trueth , as his hart is from falshood . But why doost thou blame him or blab what thou art , when thou shouldest onelie counterfet what thou art not . But whist , heere commeth a ladde : I will learne of him how to behaue my selfe .

I neither like my gate , nor my garments , the one vntoward , the other vnfit , both vnseemely . O Phillida , but yonder staieth one , and therefore say nothing . But ô Phillida .

I perceiue that boyes are in as great disliking of themselues as maides , therefore though I weare the apparell , I am glad I am not the person .

It is a pretty boy and a faire , hee might well haue beene a woman , but because he is not , I am glad I am , for nowe vnder the color of my coate , I shall decipher the follies of their kind .

I would salute him , but I feare I should make a curtsie in steed of a legge .

If I durst trust my face as well as I doe my habite , I would spend some time to make pastime , for saie what they will of a mans wit , it is no seconde thing to be a woman .

All the blood in my bodie would be in my face , if he should aske me ( as the question among men is common ) are you a maide ?

Why stande I still , boyes shoulde be bolde , but heere commeth a braue traine that will spill all our talke .

God speede faire boy .

You are deceiued Ladie .

Why , are you no boy ?

No faire boy .

But I see an vnhappie boy .

Saw you not the Deare come this waie , hee flewe downe the winde , & I beleeue you haue blancht him .

Whose Deare was it Ladie ?

Dianaes Deare .

I saw none but mine owne Deare .

This wagge is wanton or a foole , aske the other , Diana .

I knowe not howe it commeth to passe , but yonder boy is in mine eye too beautifull , I pray gods the Ladies thinke him not their Deare .

Prettie lad , doe your sheepe feede in the Forrest , or are you straied from you flocke , or on purpose come ye to marre Dianaes pastime ?

I vnderstand not one word you speake .

What art thou neither Ladde nor sheepehearde ?

My mother said I could be no ladde til I was twentie yeere olde , nor keepe sheepe till I coulde tell them ; and therefore Ladie neither lad nor sheephearde is heere .

These boyes are both agreed , either they are verie pleasant or too peruerse : you were best Ladie make them tuske these Woodes , whilst wee stande with our bowes , and so vse them as Beagles since they haue so good mouthes .

I wil . Follow me without delaie , or excuse , & if you can doe nothing , yet shall you hallow the Deare .

Nowe Cupid , vnder the shape of a sillie girle shewe the power of a mightie God . Let Diana and all her coy Nimphes know , that there is no hart so chaste but thy bowe can wounde , nor eyes so modest , but thy brandes can kindle , nor thoughts so staied , but thy shafts can make wauering , weake and wanton : Cupid though he be a child , is no babie . I will make their paines my pastimes , & so confound their loues in their owne sexe , that they shall dote in their desires , delight in their affections , and practise onely impossibilities . Whilst I trewant from my mother , I will vse some tyranny in these woodes , and so shall their exercise in foolish loue , be my excuse for running away . I wil see whither faire faces be alwaies chast , or Dianaes virgins onelie modest , els will I spende both my shafts and shyfts , and then Ladies if you see these daintie Dames intrapt in loue , saie softlie to your selues , wee may all loue .

Doe sillie Sheepeheards goe about to deceiue great Neptune , in putting on mans attire vppon women : and Cupid to make sport deceiue them all , by vsing a womans apparell vpon a God , then Neptune that hast taken sundrie shapes to obtaine loue , stick not to practise some deceipt to shew thy deitie , and hauing often thrust thy self into the shape of beastes to deceiue men be not coy to vse the shape of a Sheepehearde , to shew thy selfe a God . Neptune cannot be ouer-reached by Swaines , himselfe is subtile , and if Diana be ouertaken by craft , Cupid is wise . I will into these woodes and marke all , and in the end will marre all . Exit .

Call you this seeking of fortunes when one can finde nothing but byrds nestes ? would I were out of these Woodes , for I shall haue but wodden lucke , heer s nothing but the skreeking of Owles , croking of Frogs , hissing of Adders , barking of Foxes , walking of Hagges . But what be these ?

I will follow them , to hell I shall not goe , for so faire faces neuer can haue such hard fortunes . What blacke boy is this .

What a life doe I leade with my Maister nothing but blowing of bellows , beating of spirits , & scraping of Croslets ? it is a very secrete Science , for none almost can vnderstand the language of it . Sublimation , Almigation , Calcination , Rubification , Encorporation , Circination , Sementation , Albification , and Frementation . With as many termes vnpossible to be vttered , as the Arte to be compassed .

Let me crosse my selfe , I neuer heard so many great deuils in a little Monkies mouth .

Then our instruments , Croslets , Subliuatories , Cucurbits , Limbecks , Decensores , Violes , manuall and murall , for enbibing and conbibing , Bellowes , molificatiue and enduratiue .

What language is this ? doe they speake so ?

Poore Phillida , curse the time of thy birth and rarenes of thy beautie , the vnaptnes of thy apparel , and the vntamednes of thy affections . Art thou no sooner in the habite of a boy , but thou must be enamored of a boy , what shalt thou doe when what best lyketh thee , most discontenteth thee ? Goe into the Woods , watch the good times , his best moodes , and transgresse in loue a little of thy modestie , I will , I dare not , thou must , I cannot . Then pine in thine owne peeuishnes . I will not , I wil . Ah Phillida doe something , nay anie thing rather then liue thus . Well , what I will doe , my selfe knowes not , but what I ought I knowe too well , and so I goe resolute , eyther to bewray my loue , or suffer shame .