it doth stand Oppress'd with solitude and mournes the lacke Of noble hospitality like a widow Depriv'd of a lov'd husband I doe long To see Dame Ceres crown'd with wreathes of wheat Kisse plumpe cheek'd Bacchus there in daily feasts To view my table furnish'd with such guests As would esteem 't no trouble to adorne it A yeare or two together and there finde No entertainment like a bounteous minde Exeunt Scena secunda Enter Parthenia with a Lute Exit Enter Demagoras This way she went I followed her thorow the grove of Cypresse to this Bower she cannot be farre off Exit Song Parthenia within Parth. O Argalus Enter Demagoras It was her voyce Parthenia's voyce she nam'd Her minion Argalus that sound though cloth'd In the inchanting accents of her breath Was harsh as Screech-owles or the Whislers notes And shall be fatall to her as the straines The Syrens dancing on the peacefull Seas Bestow on wretched Mariners Come forth Drags out Parth. Imploy your airie numbers on your owne Proud beauties Epitaph Parth. What meanes my Lord This rude intrusion on my retir'd thoughts How dare you hand me thus Uncivill man Forbeare this boldnesse Demag. Perswade me to 't When you can sing the world into a sleepe Or tame wilde lightning with a teare you 'd best Try if the passing sweetnesse of your tunes Can like the voyce of Magick charme my rage To pity or bring Argalus to your rescue Would he were here and arm'd with sulphurous clouds Like Iove imbracing Semele in fire This hand should snatch thee from his circular flames To my revenge inforce him to behold Helplesse the present ruines of thy beauty Parthe. Your threats cannot affright me I defenc'd With mine owne innocence feare not your malice Should it invade my life your foule intent Will like an arrow shot upright descend On your owne head But pray declare my Lord Why you thus riot on my guiltlesse selfe If 'cause I cannot love you I will die That causes Martyr Demag. Die your Fates reserve you Not to so brave a period as death From my great hand I 'le stick on thee a shame Worse than the poore deprivall of thy life Such as will kill thee daily with conceit Of thy unequall'd misery Parth. Perhaps He does intend my ravishment My Lord Mischiefe I see in your distracted looks Pretended to my purity Oh doe not Murder mine honour I 'le resigne my breath With freedome to your fury Surely Sirs A virgins gore sooner than blood of kids Will mollifie your heart of Adamant To a soft fleshie substance Demag. Doe not prate Nor with loud clamours fill the wood nor question What my intent is Though you had not lov'd me You need not in contempt have throwne your heart On that effeminate Argalus that wrong Fills my vast soule with horrour and invites My active thoughts to a severe revenge Since he whom I can name but in contempt Usurps my lawfull priviledge otherwise The injury with patience had been borne Revenges cause is an immediate scorne Exeunt Enter Strephon Clitophon Sapho Aminta Clito. Gentle Aminta heare me Amint. Have you done Winding Meander first shall straitly runne Roses in winter flourish and our flocks Weare golden fleeces in stead of woolly locks Ere Clitophon's false heart doe serious prove And entertaine the perfectnesse of love Streph. 'T is her love to me makes her slight Clitophon thus This 't is to be a handsome man I shall doat shortly seeing my lovely Physnomie in some cleare spring the Shepherds looking-glasse on my owne shadow and like Narcissus leap into the waves to embrace it Which is she among the Swains On whom the gentle Strephon dains To cast a sheeps-eye nod or wink But does her selfe immortall think Who indeed has such a face So full of a bewitching grace My head loves pillow where he does rest As safe as Magpie in her nest My forehead sweetly is bespred With Violets and Tulips blew and red The amber Couslip and the corall Rose Pretious complexion of my sweeter nose My eyes are elements from which fall showers That make my cheeks a spring of severall flowers So is my head a nose-gay growing on one stalke My body is the garden though it walk And ther 's no woman but may well To th' worst part about it smell My armes are Dragons that defend all these Now view in me living Hesperides Sapho Who looks on Strephon that will not suppose The blushing Piony growing in his nose The yellow Primrose that in woods had wont To flourish springs up in his amber front Streph. I had a face of brasse indeed should I deny this for truth shee 'l praise me shortly into the starres and then I shall for a new Planet be set i' th the Shepherds Kalender What a gull 's this Clitophon how long might he live ere he be in such favour with the Shepherdesses Why when on him they will not gaze On me they stare with much amaze And when on him as on a Clowne With lowring lookes they scowle and frowne Let gentle Strephon but vouchsafe To let them looke on him they laugh Clitoph. Oh you are pleasant Strephon Sapho say Are you as cruell as Aminta Day Loves not the Sunne-shine dearlier than my flame Is equally devoted to your name To yours Aminta joyntly Oh you two Are clearer sweeter than the morning dew Falling in May on Lillies fairer farre Than Venus Swannes or spotlesse Ermins are Which first vouchsafes me answer There does flie Immediate comfort from Aminta's eye Sapho speakes joy in smiles but Virgins here Comes beauties abstract who has no peere Enter Florida Grace me deare Florida with one blest looke Florid. Away dissembler Fishes scorne the hooke They see laid bare before them but prepare The other Shepherds hither comming are Attending on my Lady and her guests This musicke does invite us to Pans feast Enter Kalander Argalus Philarchus Castalia singing Great Pan to thee we doe confine This fleece of Wooll This bowle of Wine To father Bacchus Ceres deare This garland of the wheaten Accept Silvanus we present These fruits to thee thy bounty sent And you maids from whose each eye Winged shafts of love doe flie Doe not shame to let your feet In a countrey measure meet With these youths whose active parts Will play the theeves and steale your hearts Dance Kaland. Shepherds we owe our gratitude to your thankes Sapho Lords and Ladies thankes to all That grac'd our harmlesse festivall Exeunt Shepherds Kalan. I doe admire we wanted my faire Neece At these solemnities me thought the sports Shew'd dull without her noble Argalus My best wishes wait upon you Exit Kaland Arga. Your honours Creature I much wonder where Parthenia has bestow'd herselfe Enter Parthenia Phi. Shee cannot Be absent long see here she comes Madam you were expected here the Shepherds Did in their Pastorall presentments move Dully without your presence Why thus vail'd Extend your glorious beauty and ecclipse The emulous day
proclayme Their soddaine funerall This brave resolve Vanquish'd my steele wing'd Goddesse and ingag'd Peneian Daphne who did fly the Sun Give up to willing ravishment her boughes T' invest my awfull front and this shall prostrat Spight of all opposition your nice soule To my commanding merit Par. These high tearms were apt to fright an enemy or beget Terror in flinty bosoms Can you think A timorous Virgin can affect her feare Yeld the security of her peace and life To the protection of her horror You must not perswade my thoughts that you who vary so the Scene of love can act it perfectly Demag. Slighted in this 't is a contempt inhumane and deserves my utmost scorne Enter Chrisaclea Chri. Nay may most honor'd Lord be not transported with a needlesse rage 't is but her childish folly Parthenia You have done ill to entertaine a man Of such an absolute worth with such a meane Exeunt Dema and Philar Regardlesse value you must alter this Neglectfull temper or my anger will Surpasse my naturall love and I shall chide Your too affected nicenesse Parth. Gracious Madam The zealous duty which religious laws Teaches me owe my parents would inflict A heavy curse for disobedient guilt Upon my Innocence should I transgresse Th' intention of your honourable will In what I can obey it Chri. Then in this You are resolv'd t' usurp the priviledge Of your discretion and not fulfill My will in the disposall of your love Parth. Yes with that freedome that I would to Heaven Tender my best obedience but since love Is by example and discourse allow'd Reasons superior it must be esteem'd Above all duty Chri. Yet there ought to be Consent attayn'd from those whose power sh'ud guide Their childrens youth and actions Parth. 'T is confest But not except it justly sympathise With their affection you would have suffred A conflict in your peace had you been forc'd When your free will had yeelded up your heart My fathers choyse t o've had it ravish'd back And in despight of your resolve confer'd Upon another Chri. I was not so childish To contradict my parents but subscrib'd To their discretions as I would advise You would obey mine and yeeld consent To wed Demagoras Parth. What can your Wisdome Behold in him if with impartiall Eyes You would survay his quality that should ingage Your inclination to inforce my love Besides the native fiercenesse of his looks Apter to fright a Lady than beget Fancy his courtships cloth'd in angry threats As if that Love were turn'd a Souldier And had unyok'd her teeme of spleenlesse Doves To have her Chariot drawn by ravenous Wolves Tygres or trecherous Leopards had put off Her wreath of harm esse Mirtle to invest Her brow with Yew or Cipresse Chri. This excuse Proceeds not from his merit but your love To Argalus a stranger only known For his brisque Courtship the Queen supports His wavering Fortune he depends on her And should she faile by death his utmost hopes Embrac'd a soddaine ruine Parth. Argalus Were he more abject in his fate than your Imagination could conceit deserv'd My Equalst fancy in his youthfull looks Sits a divinity able to inchant Queenes to admire nay to adore his worth Continued smiles make Summer on his cheeks At his bright Eyes does Cupid warme his wings When he intends to fly at Womens hearts Musick and rich perfumes are in his breath Aptly resembling aromatique winds That sing the Phenix Exequies Chris. Can my daughter So much decline the greatnesse of her spirit Hereditary to her bloud To affect a person meerly for his smiles Effeminate carriage without any proofe Of manly valour in him Parth. You mistake His character though he can tread in peace An ayery measure to the warbling Lute Demeane his actions with that sweet deceit Can cosen Ladies of their soules yet when The glorious war does summon him to th' field He does excell in feats of active armes The ablest youth of Arcady instructs Old Souldiers Martiall discipline that those Who had beheld his sweetnesse in the Court Pusled in Faith believed that conquering Mars Had cloth'd his fiercenesse in a Cupids shape To vanquish some more beautious prize than was The blind Gods mother Chri. 'T is offensive I 'le heare no more of this Parth. Thus I 'me inforc'd to prove Dead to obedience if I live to love Chri. Your nicenesse Must not excuse the due respects we beare The Lord Demagoras if the shepherds be prepar'd They shall present their mirth to expell his melancholy Exeunt Chris Parth. Scena 2. Clitophon Strephon. Strep. Pish you 'r as fierce an aspen leafe you wag every way Clitop. I 'le tell thee honest Strephon I No more affect a woman than the Sky Does Birds that sore in it they are as vaine Inconstant as the flying showers of raine In Aprill Strephon Strep. The more dissembling fellow you why do you protest to every Wench you see you are inamor'd on her why you should see and seeing ought to imitate your betters Clitophon ther 's not a Lasse That trips nimbly ore the Arcadian grasse When shee does faire Strephon veiw Though I fly but will pursue Throw her eyes out on my shape Call me Pigsny pretty Ape Some there are that doe suppose Loves hot fire in my nose With which they scorch'd for pitty cry Blow it ou't Strephon or we die Others say my head 's a bell My hayre the ropes that ring the knell My tong the clapper which though their deaths it rings They sweare no Courefeu halfe so sweetly sings The hollow of my eyes the grave Which with their nailes they dig but have But who comes here Enter Sapho and Aminta Sapho Strepho you 'r well-met good Aminta see Is he not chast and faire as young Goates be His head like to a Cedar over-growes His studded cheeks and rich enameld nose Strepho. I would be loath to give my face for the washing Girle now Clitophon doe not you not imagine Venus girdle was My swathband the maids so doate on my well timber'd limbs Here 's a leg Sapho that 's as neatly made As any that ore Shepherdesse is laid A thigh proportionable I tak 't I know thou longst to feell it nak't A taile some say does hang therby Which none must know but thee and I I have a back too though I say 't That should not can beare any waight Full limbs with sinews strong and plump A lusty chine and for my rumpe 'T is so well made and firmely knit The Nymphs are all stark mad for it Because they think the rest of my members proportionable Clito. What a quick flame Into my brest from Saphos bright eyes came Another from Aminta's my desire Erst cold as Ice grows active as the fire Dearest Aminta Sapho lend your eare To my just vowes Ami. Fond Clitophon forbeare To sweare in earnest I do know your heart Was never wounded with the blind Gods dart Saph. See how bright Strephon does intice
Thou art in part reveng'd and if mine owne Death doe succeed his I shall goe in peace to my eternity Demag. Sure great Mars Has put on armes against me in this shape For 't is impossible mortality could Atchieve Demagoras conquest Farewell light 'T is fit the world should weare eternall night Dies Arg. I hate to triumph O're his loath'd carcasse which should be a prey To Wolves and Harpyes O Parthenia Here lies the Fatall Cause of all our mischiefes And sure no soule will at his death repine Revenge when just 's not humane but Divine Ent. Serv. Serv. Where have you left my Lord Arg. There lies your Lord Exit Arg. Serv. Dead Curst Fate that so much greatnesse Should suffer this great overthrow and fall From such a height to a sad funerall Exit Amphialus and Philarchus Amphi. 'T is such a cruelty as no report Though it discourse of rapes and timelesse deaths Has ever equall'd Phi. The successe will speake The wonder more prodigious The poore Lady Still lovely in her sorrow after this sad rape Of her rare beauty privately stole thence And with that strictnesse has obscur'd her selfe That though inquest though many indeavour'd In her desir'd search can attain the least Discovery of her present being Amph. How beares Argalus this sad disaster Philar. As a man Whose noble courage 'bove the crosse of Fate Seemes patient at his misery Amph. He and I Are both made up of sorrow our full griefes Might like two swelling Oceans when they meet In a contracted channell aptly combat For rough priority Philoclea My glorious Cousin will by no intreats No services yet be induc'd to love That I was forc'd against the naturall zeale I beare the King my Uncle to transgresse Such is the power of my fancy the strictnesse Of my obedience captivating her By force to whom by a most free consent My soule before was prisoner Phi. I could wish noble Amphialus that your desires Might both atchieve forgivenesse and successe I 'm none of those strict Statesmen though I love My King that hate your vertues for this fact Because I know the greatnesse of your spirit Attempted it not for inveterate hate Or for ambition but to gaine her love Amphi. Philocleas love upon whose meanest thought The Art of Memorie 's grounded and inspires Each organ of our meditating sense With their perfections merit Phi. But my Lord How brooks the king the bold detention Of his faire daughters Sure he will invert Some sudden forces on you and compell Their back-deliverie Amp. He shall first inforce Mortality into nothing I did send To avoid effusion of more humane bloud This faire defiance that he should elect A Champion daring singly to oppose Me in a combat and if Fate decreed My fall by him security for the freedome Of his imprison'd daughters Phi. Did his Grace accept the noble offer Amp. With a freedome Fitting a King but who the person is That hopes to gaine a Trophee by my death Fame has not yet divulg'd This urgent businesse Hinders my visit of my Lord Argalus Present my true hearts service to him tell him I Doe inwardly dissolve into a dew Of bleeding passion for his losse and would To re-invest blest quiet in his heart Act o're the Scene of dangers I have pass'd Since I knew earliest manhood so your Lordship Will please to pardon my rude haste I must As to my friends to my owne affaires be just Exeunt Enter Clitophon Strephon Alexis Clito. Perswade me not to this there is no woman Worthy my love they are all too falsly common To every Suiter Alex. Why Clitophon say you so who are blest With her society whom I love best Yet in her presence I 'm forbid to move My suit nay dare not name the name of love Stre. 'T is your own flat foolery Alexis you should with garbe and gesture pastorall with as much scorne as you would o'returne your enemy at football contemne the force of woman Why Women are shadows fly away When follow'd or desir'd to stay But if you slight them they will sue Follow intreat nay flie to you But if stiffe and strong you stand You may tread them at command But lie downe the pretty Elves Will straight fall under you of themselves Like my Spaniell beaten they Will lick your lips and with you play This is the reason why They love me so doggedly You might by my example edifie And live in peace Alexis Alex. Why Strephon you usurpe without a cause The priviledge of their love your carriage drawes Their laughter not affection you appeare To them for sport not for your person deare Streph. Ther 's your foolery still thou hast commerc'd it seemes with none but thine owne sheepe and art farre sillier than they your woman is the greatest dissembler in the world and where they toy and jeere they most affect Finally women are slippery as at their tayles are Eeles Their mindes as light as are their heeles And every one's for what she feeles And so with my opinion farewell Clito. Stay honest Strephon I did late compose verses in hatred of them Stre. They are not prose pray read them Clito. Who would trust a woman when They 'r the onely curse of men Syrens sing but to intice They men to a fools paradise Hyaena's speak 't is to betray To certaine ruine so doe they Crocodiles shed teares of slaughter Women weepe when they meane laughter Inconstant cruell falfe unkinde Are attributes that suit their minde Stre. Now as I am true Arcadian thou would'st be whipt for this Cupid shall cite thee into his Court for this by some of his villanous Apparators where his wide conscienc'd Proctors and their Clerks shall with their pen and inkhornes beat thy braines out if thou scap'st that Ladies shall beat thee to death with their Monkies you jack-a-napes chambermaids shall worry thee to death with kisses than which there can be no greater tyranny then the very Cooke and Milkmaids shall in scolding prose baste thee into a jelly or charme thee into May-butter you shall answer this I 'le peach I 'le play the Informer Clito. I 'le not recant it not deny this truth Alexis you shall heare it justified Exeunt Enter Kalander Argalus and Philarchus Kalan. Where met you Lord Amphialus Phi. In the grove 'twixt Mantinea and his Castle while Our servants led our horses down the hill We did exchange some accents in discourse The noble youth as hopefull of successe In his designe as brave in his resolve But the great rumour'd warfare 'twixt the King And him 's converted to a single fight Betwixt Amphialus and what champion The King will venter to ingage in such A cause of weighty consequence Kalan. I 'm glad Arcadia long blest in a happy peace Shall by the letting of so few veines bloud Continue in her quiet it was fear'd This sad domestick quarrell would have cost More lives than might with justice have beene spar'd But 't is not
That decks the plaines will smile when we do fit On its greene tapistry and aptly fit Our wilde affections Shepherdesses let Our woolly charge within our folds be set Lest the hoarse Wolfe to sate his ravenous thirst With blood of Lambes doe through our weak flocks burst After let 's meet upon the neighbouring plaine And there determine of our loves I 'le straine A little on your patience to rehearse On the late Nuptials this ensuing verse Amint. Doe my deare Sapho Flor. Shepherds attend her Layes Amint. They get us credit and our Sapho Bayes Sapho The holy Priest had joy'd their hands and now Night grew propitious to their Bridall vow Majestick Iuno and young Hymen flies To light their Pines at faire Parthenia's eyes The little Graces amourously did skip With the small Cupids from each lip to lip Venus her selfe was present and untide Her virgine Love when loe on either side Stood as her handmaids Chastity and Truth With that immaculate guider of her youth Rose-colour'd Modesty These did undresse The beauteous maid who now in readinesse The Nuptiall tapers waving 'bout her head Made poore her garments and enrich'd her bed While the fresh Bridegroome like the lusty Spring Did to the holy bride-bed with him bring Attending masculine vertues down he lay'd His snowy limbs by a far whiter mayd Their kisses linke their minds as they embrace A quire of Angels flew about the place Singing all blisse unto this paire for ever May they in love and union still persever Amin. 'T is almost sung for the nuptialls Why was 't not sung with musick Saph Castalia's voyce would have been tir'd with it Come let 's depart Love though obscur'd still flames about the heart Exeunt Enter Amphialus Argalus Philarchus Amph. I could have wish'd the King Had destin'd any to this fatall task But noble Argalus in him there rests Such a commanding fulnesse of true worth That as 't will be a glory to o'recome 'T will be a griefe equall to think 'gainst whom The present fury of my arme must be Unwillingly directed Arg. Famous Amphialus 'T is so much honour to be held your friend 'T were indiscretion in me to admit A thought of being your enemy we two Should meet my Lord to revell not to fight But since th' injustice of our Fates does force This sad contention deare Amphialus Think that two brothers may with hot resolve Strive to atchieve one crowne yet still be friends The lawrell destin'd for my head will wither If it be snatch'd from thine Amph. More famous Argalus Under whose hand the great Demais fell These attributes of curtesie doe speake Your noble natures freenesse you and I Should rather exercise our able armes In one anothers quarrell than imploy them Upon our selves Deare Argalus our fates Are too in just t' ingage our swords against Our bodies for in harming thee I offer Wounds to my selfe we two retaine so much Affinity by friendship we must needs be One individuall substance Phi. Good my Lords Since there 's that sympathie of love and nature 'Twixt your two soules dissolve it not the blow That shall divide your hearts will be more impious In sep'rating that union than in cutting Your twists of life asunder Arga. Philarchus you are so noble Our wills desir'd you an indifferent Judge In our unwilling difference since you are An equall friend to both Amph. Philarchus We two are fortunes scorne that we should be Such friends in soule yet by our deeds be thought Severest enemies Deare Argalus Let not thy lenity regard my life Which is so worth lesse 't is a weight I wish Rather to lose than keepe but guard thy owne Preserve that precious bloud which I shall grieve To see diffus'd on earth nay rather weepe Than shed a drop of it Arg. How much my Lord you vanquish him with curtesie Whom your arme means to conquer But Amphialus Since we are mutuall friends and yet must seeme Mutually enemies to testifie 'T is by our fate not malice we are foes I 'le make thee my full Executour bestow A gift upon thee of that pricelesse worth Posterity shall never boast its parallell When I am ashes if there be a wretch For some there are that dare blaspheme the Gods Does injure my Parthenia prithee friend Let be thy Care to punish that contempt 'Gainst vertuous purity and as the last And most supreme inducement of my love If by thy hand I perish let my heart Be sent to my Parthenia Amph. The same justice I beg of thee my Argalus to have mine Convay'd to my Philoclea and if fame As it may chance traduce me after death Noblest Argalus justifie thy friend Thy poore Amphialus and defend the deare Authour of my misfortune sweet Philoclea otherwise Posterity inform'd by bad report May black her precious memory and say A worthlesse man fell by thy sword Let us embrace my Argalus and take A true though sad farewell and once Let us employ our hands against our hearts Arg. Kill our selves mutually for who first does fall Leads but the way toth ' others funerall Fight Enter Parthenia Parth. Eternall darknesse seaze me O my Lord You are reported to be thrall to love for her sake you affect most doe not make A breach in ebbing nature More This bloud Clothing the grasse in purple does convert My heart to Alablaster O Argalus Arg. O Parthenia Never till now unwelcome have I liv'd To such an abject lownesse that my life Must like a malefactors be by prayers Redeem'd from death Let us renew the fight Ha Me thinks I tread on slippery glasse my unsupporting feet Dance measures on light waves and I am sinking Into the watery bosomes there to rest for all eternity Amph. I have seene So dying tapers as it were to light Their owne sad funerall expiring dart Being but stirr'd their most illustrious beames And so extinguish Parth. Angels if ye have charity afford Some Surgery from heaven Now I see the cause Why my sad heart fill'd with propheticke feare Sought to have stopt your journey and why I Compell'd by power of overruling Fate Follow'd you hither Oh Argalus Arga. Parthenia I doe feele A marble sweat about my heart which does Congeale the remnant of my bloud to Ice My Lord I doe forgive you friend farewell Parthenia showre on my pale lips a kisse 'T will waft my soule to its eternall blisse Parthenia O Parthenia Dies Phi. So cracks the cordage of his heart as Cables That guide the heavie Anchors cut by blasts Of some big tempest My Lord your wounds are many And dangerous 't is fit you doe withdraw And have 'm cur'd Amph. I am carelesse growne my life Is now more odious to me than the light Of day to Furies Madam I am past The thought of griefe for this sad fact and am Griefes individuall substance pray forgive me Heaven knowes it was not malice that betray'd Your Lords lov'd life but a necessitous force To save my owne Joy comfort