VENUS. Not all in haste; you do not so intend: You have begun, but I must make an end. THE THIRD ACT. _Enter_ BOMELIO _solus, like an_ HERMIT. BOMELIO. He that hath lost his hope, and yet desires to live, He that is overwhelm'd with woe, and yet would counsel give; He that delights to sigh, to walk abroad alone, To drive away the weary time with his lamenting moan; He that in his distress despaireth of relief, Let him begin to tell his tale, to rip up all his grief, And if that wretched man can more than I recite Of fickle Fortune's froward check and her continual spite, Of her inconstant change, of her discourtesy, I will be partner with that man to live in misery. When first my flow'ring years began to bud their prime, Even in the April of mine age and May-month of my time; When, like the tender kid new-weaned from the teat, In every pleasant springing mead I took my choice of meat; When simple youth devis'd to length[en] his delight, Even then, not dreaming I on her, she poured out her spite: Even then she took her key, and tuned[90] all her strings To sing my woe: list, lordings, now my tragedy begins. Behold me, wretched man, that serv'd his prince with pain, That in the honour of his praise esteem'd my greatest gain: Behold me, wretched man, that for his public weal Refused not with thousand foes in bloody wars to deal: Behold me, wretched man, whose travail, pain, and toil Was ever prest to save my friends from force of foreign spoil; And see my just reward, look on my recompense: Behold by this for labours past what guerdon cometh thence! Not by my fiercest foes in doubtful fight with us, But by my fawning friend[91] I was confounded thus. One word of his despite in question call'd my name; Two words of his untrusty tongue brought me to open shame. Then was I banished the city, court and town; Then every hand that held me up began to pull me down. O, that the righteous gods should ever grant the power, That smoothest sands and greenest bogs should soonest me devour. Yet that I might descry the better their device, Here have I liv'd almost five years, disguis'd in secret wise: And now somewhat it is, but what I cannot tell, Provokes me forward more than wont to leave my darksome cell, And in my crooked age, instead of mirth and joy, With broken sighs in doleful tunes to sing of mine annoy. [_Song_. Go walk the path of plaint, go wander, wretched, now In uncouth ways, blind corners fit for such a wretch as thou. There feed upon thy woe; fresh[92] thoughts shall be thy fare, Musing shall be thy waiting-maid, thy carver shall be care; Thy dainty dish shall be of fretting melancholy, And broken sobs with hollow sighs thy savoury sauce shall be. But further ere I walk, my servant I will send Into the town to buy such things as now he can intend. What, Lentulo! [_To_ LENTULO _within_. LENTULO. Anon, forsooth. BOMELIO. What, Lentulo, come forth. LENTULO. Anon, forsooth.