DOR AST US AND FAWN I A. 51
Egistus hearing his sonne to flie so farre from the marke, began to be somewhat chollericke, and therefore made him this hastie aunswere.
What Dorastus canst thou not love? Commeth this cynicall passion of prone desires or peevish fro-wardnesse ? What durst thou thinke thy selfe to good for all, or none good inough for thee ? I tell thee, Dorastus, there is nothing sweeter then youth, nor swifter decreasing while it is increasing. Time past with folly may bee repented, but not recalled. If thou marrie in age, thy wives freshe couloures will breede in thee dead thoughtes and suspition, and thy white hayres her lothesomnesse and sorrowe. For Venus affections are not fed with Kingdomes, or treasures, but with youthfull conceits and sweet amours. Vulcan was allotted to shake the tree, but Mars allowed to reape the fruite. Yeelde Dorastus to thy Fathers per-swasions, which may prevent thy perils. I have chosen thee a Wife, faire by nature, royall by birth, by ver-tues famous, learned by education and rich by possessions, so that it is hard to judge whether her bounty, or fortune, her beauty, or vertue bee of greater force : I mean, Dorastus, Euphrania daughter and heire to the King of Denmarke.
Egistus pausing here a while, looking when his son should make him answere, and seeing that he stoode still as one in a trance, he shooke him up thus sharply.
Well Dorastus take heede, the tree Alpya wasteth not with fire, but withereth with the dewe : that which love nourisheth not, perisheth with hate : if thou like Euphrania, thou breedest my content, and in loving her thou shalt have my love, otherwise; and with that hee flung from his sonne in a rage, leaving him a sorrowfull man, in that he had by deniall displeased his Father, and halfe angrie with him selfe that hee could not yeelde to that passion, whereto both reason