The Faithful Shepherdess

 is a Jacobean era stage play, the work that inaugurated the playwriting career of John Fletcher.

Quotes

 * Text from the Second Folio (1679), edited by Arnold Glover and A. R. Waller (Cambridge UP, 1906)

Act I

 * Sing his praises that doth keep Our Flocks from harm, Pan the Father of our Sheep,  And arm in arm Tread we softly in a round, Whilest the hollow neighbouring ground Fills the Musick with her sound.Pan, O great God Pan, to thee  Thus do we sing: Thou that keep’st us chaste and free  As the young spring, Ever be thy honour spoke, From that place the morn is broke, To that place Day doth unyoke.
 * Scene 1, Song

Act IV

 * This place is Ominous, for here I lost My Love and almost life, and since have crost All these Woods over, never a Nook or Dell, Where any little Bird, or Beast doth dwell, But I have sought him, never a bending brow Of any Hill or Glade, the wind sings through, Nor a green bank, nor shade where Shepherds use To sit and Riddle, sweetly pipe, or chuse Their Valentines, that I have mist, to find My love in. Perigot, Oh too unkind, Why hast thou fled me? whither art thou gone? How have I wrong'd thee? was my love alone To thee worthy this scorn'd recompence? 'tis well, I am content to feel it: but I tell Thee Shepherd, and these lusty woods shall hear, Forsaken Amoret is yet as clear Of any stranger fire, as Heaven is From foul corruption, or the deep Abysse From light and happiness; ...
 * Scene 1, Amoret

Act V

 * Stay thy pace, Most loved Amaryllis, let the Chase Grow calm and milder, flye me not so fast, I fear the pointed Brambles have unlac'd Thy golden Buskins; turn again and see Thy Shepherd follow, that is strong and free, Able to give thee all content and ease. I am not bashful, Virgin, I can please At first encounter, hug thee in mine arm, And give thee many Kisses, soft and warm As those the Sun prints on the smiling Cheek Of Plums, or mellow Peaches; I am sleek And smooth as Neptune, when stern Eolus Locks up his surly Winds, and nimbly thus Can shew my active Youth; why dost thou flye?
 * Scene 1, Sullen