of it which I was to looke out It fortun'd that your Mother then was ready To be deliver'd of your sister and Time and good fortune did conspire to save The Kings child and to make my daughter Princesse Cle. But what did then become of the yong Prince Eu. The Queene protesting to me that it was The Kings owne Childe conjur'd me to preserve it Which as mine owne I could not for already Many tooke notice that my childe was female And therefore I was faine to publish her As dead and buried an emptie coffin I rode forth with the childe a full nights journey With purpose to deliver it to some Plaine honest man that would be carefull of it And not inquisitive to know whose childe It was but give it breeding as his owne When being frighted with the noise of Armes Of some out-lawed theeves that did infest The place I made all haste I could to scape 'em Considering my charge for that I knew If I were taken though they spar'd my life The charge I had must needs betray me to The King and then I could not hope for mercy I laid it downe there cover'd closely o're A circle 'bout his necke wherein was writ Archigenes Sonne of Euarchus and Eudora In characters knowne onely to my selfe And to the King in which I us'd to cloath Secret dispatches when I writ to him From forraigne States and within the Circle I grav'd the Kings lesse Seale which then I kept Some Gold besides and Jewels there I left That whosoe're should finde him might with that Defray the charge of his education Howe're next day I purpos'd to returne With speede and carrie it to some abode Cle. But did the Queene know this Eu. She did not Till my returne next day then when I told her The childe was thence remov'd where I had left him Cle. Belike those theeves had carried him away Eu. 'T is probable Cle. How could the Queene take this So sad a storie Eu. With such impatience That being weake before she shortly di'd Cle. But yet sir with your favour might you not Have made inquirie after him Eu. I durst not For feare of being discover'd on your life Take heed how you reveale this Cle. I am charm'd Eu. Then let us watch my daughter for I feare The flight she made was for some other end Then for retirement which she does pretend Cle. Henceforth I shall obey her as my Princesse And love her as my sister not my Mistresse Eu. You shall do well Come let us to the King SCENA 3. Hylas Mirtillus Chorus of Shepheards and Shepheardesses representing Paris Oenone Venus and the Graces IT was my dreame and I will send it to her Though I my selfe by her too cruell sentence Must never see her face Mi. What paper 's that Love-verses as I live what 's here a Dreame Nay I will read 'em therefore stand aside Mirtillus reades SLeepe thou be calmer of a troubled sprîte Which leadst my fancy to that sweet delight Wherein my soule found rest when thou didst show Her shadow mine whose substance is not so Wrappe up mine eyes in an eternall night For since my day springs onely from that light Which she denies me I account the best Part of my life is that which gives me rest And thou more hard to be intreated then Sleepe to the heated eyes of franticke men Thou that canst make my joyes essentiall Which are but shadowes now be liberall And out-doe sleepe let me not dreame in vaine Unlesse thou mean'st I ne're shall sleepe againe Alas poore foole will she not let thee sleepe Hy. I knew I should be mock't but I 'le divert him What are these thou hast brought along with thee Mi. The Masquers Hylas these are they must trip it Before the King dost like their properties Hy. What Paris and Oenone the old storie Mi. But newly made and fashion'd to my purpose Brought hither to make good my owne positions Against the company of puling lovers Which if I doe not and with good effect Let me be one my selfe and that 's a torture Worse then Apollo laid upon the Satyr When the rude villaine durst contend with him Looke this way Hylas see Oenone here The fairest Nymph that ever Ida blest Court her departing shepheard who is now Turning his loue unto a fairer object And for his judgement in varietie See how the seaborne Goddesse and the Graces Present their darling Helena to him Be happy in thy choise and draw a war On thee and thine rather then set thy heart Upon a stale delight Do let her weepe And say thou art inconstant Be so still The Queene of love commands it you that are The old companions of your Paris here Moue in a well pac'd measure that may shew The Goddesse how you are content for her Faire sake to leave the honor of your woods But first let her and all the Graces sing The Invitation to your offering Venus and the Graces sing COme lovely boy unto my Court And leave these uncouth woods and all That feed thy fancy with loves gall But keepe away the honey and the sport Cho. Come unto me And with varietie Thou shalt be fed which Nature loves and I 2. There is no Musique in a voice That is but one and still the same Inconstancy is but a name To fright poore lovers from a better choice Cho. Come then to me c. 3 Orpheus that on Euridice Spent all his love on others scorne Now on the bankes of Heber torne Findes the reward of foolish constancy Cho. Come then to me c. 4 And sigh no more for one love lost I have a thousand Cupids here Shall recompence with better cheere Thy mis-spent labours and thy bitter cost Cho. Come then to me c. The Dance ended Enter a Messenger Nun. Shepheards if you have any pittie come And see a woefull spectacle Mi. What is 't That can be worth the breaking of our sports Nun. The gentle Nymph Nerina Hy. What of her Nun. The last of her I thinke she lies a dying And calls to speake with you Hy. Curse of your follies Do I live here whilst she is dying there Mi. But shepheard what disease is 't that so soone Could spend his force upon her she was well This morning when she made poore Hylas sicke Mun. I know not I am sent unto the well Of Aesculapius to fetch some water For her recovery I must be gone Mi. Shepheards here let us end I thinke we are Perfect in all the rest This night the King Must see 't resolve on that Cho. We are all ready Mi. Then le ts away and see what will betide This gentle Nymph Nerina Cho. We 'le goe with you SCENA 4. Charinus Nerina Dorinda Hylas Mirtillus Nuntius HOld up thy head good childe see he is come Bring me the water quickly whilst there is Some life in her now chafe her good Dorinda Ne. All is in vaine I cannot live deare father
Farewell what shepheard 's that lies on the ground Is it not Hylas Do. Yes it is he Nerina Ne. Alas poore shepheard t is my greatest griefe That I have grieved him I would beg life For nothing but to make him satisfaction Mi. Hylas what on the ground looke up and speake Alas he 's dead Ne. It cannot be good father Let me goe to him and but touch his eare It may be that my voice may have more vertue Cha. Do what thou wilt sweete heart see my poore child How charitable she is being halfe dead Her selfe she pities others Ni. Marke her finenesse Now at the brimm of death she kisses him And tooke this way to mock her simple father O fine invention sure a womans wit Does never faile her Ne. Hylas Hylas speake Nerina calls thee speake to thy Nerina Mi. What cannot love doe It revives the dead He 's come to himselfe againe Hy. What God is it That has the power to returne my soule From the Elysian fields Mi. It is no God A Goddesse rather Hylas 'T is Nerina Looke where she is Hy. Ah then I do not wonder I cannot die when my best soule comes to me Shall wee live ever thus Ne. How faine I would Forthy sake Hylas but it cannot be I feele a heavy sleepe sit on my head And my strength failes me helpe me sweet Dorinda Farewell for ever oh I die I die Hy. And must I then be call'd to life againe To see my life expire before my face You Fates if you will take a ransome for her Then take my life but you are sure of that You le say already for in her one death Two lives are forfeit Nerina gentle Nymph The cause why now I live open these eyes Once more and I shall flourish like those plants The sunne gives life to else I fall and wither Leaving behinde naught but a worthlesse stemme Speake to thy Hylas sweete Nerina speake Cha. Ay me my daughter hadst thou liv'd perhaps I might have seene thee married to Daphnis Now we must see thee buried Ay me Ne. Hylas Hy. She lives give me some more of that That water there see now she comes againe O gentle destinies but spare this thred And cut a thousand courser speake Nerina Give me some comfort give thy father some Or else behold three lives fall in thy death Ne. You Fates that keepe th' accompt of all our daies Adde but one minute to my life that I May quit my soule of those two heavy burthens Which now oppresse it Dry your eyes good father Remember that the Gods doe send us nothing But for our good and if my journey be Shorter then yours the lesse will be my trouble Will you forgive me father that I have not Paid so much duty to you as I ow'd you Take my good will I pray insteed of it Cha. See her good Nature I childe 't is enough Thou alwaies wert obedient Ne. Shall I dare To speake my thoughts and so discharge my soule Of one loade yet Cha. I doe my childe speake freely Ne. I 've heard you say that no sinne was so heavy As is ingratitude Cha. 'T is true Nerina How she remembers what her father said Ne. Then be not angry if I now must tell you That this poore shepheard whose swolne eyes you see Cover'd with teares for many yeares now past Has courted me but still with such a love So full of truth and gentle services That should I not requite him with my love I should be guilty of ingratitude Therefore before I die spray give leave That he may have my dying heart which living I still debar'd him of Hylas thy hand O stay a little death here take thou mine And since I cannot live the wife of Hylas Yet let me die so Sir are you content Cha. I am with any thing that pleaseth thee Ne. Tell me are you so Hylas Hy. O my love Aske me if I would live amongst the Gods But aske not this Sir have we your consent Cha. You have it is in vaine now to denie it You see Dorinda what her vow 's come to Ne. Then let me die take me into thy Armes Sweet love you 'le see my coffin strew'd with flowers And you Dorinda will you make a garland I die a virgine though I die his wife Do. Alas she 's gon Hy. She 's dead and do I live Cha. Looke to the shepheard there oh my Nerina Do. Vexe not her soule I pray with often calling You see she 's dead Cha. Then there is no hope left Pray helpe us shepheards now to beare her hence You 'le come I hope to see her in her grave ACT. 4. SCENA 1. Thyrsis Delia HEre I am come unto a place where griefe They say has no abode In Princes Courts I 've heard there is no roome for loves laments For either they enjoy or else forget Thrice happy men to whom love gives such leave It may be that this place or people may Worke so with me and melt this frozen heart Ah foole that canst beleeve the change of place Or ayre can change thy minde the love thou bearst Is woven so within thy thoughts that as Out of this piece thy Sylvia wrought for thee Thou canst not take her name forth but withall Thou must deface the whole so Thyrsis thinke The winde that here may rise or heat or raine Thou maist auoide thy love will still remaine And when thou diest then may it die with thee Till then resolve to endure thy misery Del. This is the garden which I saw him go to And that is he for all the markes she gave me To know him by he beares Thy. A heavinesse Weighs downe my head and would invite me to Repose my selfe I le take the offer here I le rest awhile for I have need of it Del. How if I be deceiv'd and this should proove Another man what then I can excuse it He 's layd already and I feare asleepe I le stay untill he wake but then suppose That any body come and take me here What will they thinke of me Best wake him shepheard It is a hansome youth see what a grace Shewes it selfe in his feature such a face Might take the heart of any Lady living I though she were a Princesse shepheard what Not yet his sleepes are sound Thy. Ah Sylvia Preserve thy life oh let me die Alas I do but dreame me thought I saw my selfe Condemn'd to die and Sylvia to save me Offerd her selfe and would needs die for me 'T was a sweet shadow let me court this dreame Del. He must not sleepe againe shepheard looke up Thy. Who envies me this small repose indeed I do not often sleepe ha who are you Del. Sent to thee from thy Sylvia shepheard rise And follow me Thy. Doe I dreame still what are you Came you from heaven where my Sylvia is And must I thither whoso ere you are An Angell or a feind in such a name You come as
And yet behold They doe appeare as fresh and full of verdure As when my Love cloth'd in her clearest lookes Did give them grace and lustre Why do we Poore silly men bred up in cares and feare The Nurse of our Religion stoope to Nature That onely knowes to forme not to preserve What she has made since carelesse of her worke She leaves to giddy Fortune the whole power Of ruling us These senselesse Trees stand still And flourish too and in their pride upbraide My losse to me but my deare Sylvia being Natures best peece made to excuse the rest Of all her vulgar formes ay me was left To desolation till some horrid Satyr Bred in these Woods and furious in his lusts Made her his prey and now has carried her Into his darke retirings or some Cave Where her poore Thyrsis never more shall see her But I will be reveng'd this Wood that now Is so bedeckt with leaves and fresh array I le levell with the ground untill it be As desolate as I Mon. Alas poore shepheard Thy. It shall affoord no shade to any thing That hither us'd to come for its releife But henceforth be for ever infamous That when some gentle shepheard passes by And sees this ground rent with the crooked plough Here he may say here 't was that Sylvia Was lost and then shall turne another way Mon. Good Thyrsis do not make so much of griefe Y'have fed it with too many teares already Take comfort now Thy. What has my present state To doe with comfort if you see the trees Widdow'd of leaves the earth growne hard and spoild Of the greene mantles which she wont to weare You wonder not if winter then appeare Mon. By these we know that season Thy. And must I When she is gone whose Sun-like eyes did cherish An everlasting Summer in my life Feele any spring of joy to comfort me No father griefe with me is best in season Mon. But whilst you mourne thus who looks to your flock Thy. All as the shepheard is such be his flocks So pine and languish they as in despaire He pines and languishes their fleecy locks Let hang disorder'd as their Masters haire Since she is gone that deckt both him and them And now what beauty can there be to live When she is lost that did all beauty give Mon. But yet mee thinks for one that is a stranger Scarce knowne to any here but by her name These plaints are overmuch besides there are In fruitfull Arcady as faire as she I 'me sure more rich and wise make out of them A choise Nerina is as faire as she Dorinda's flocks are more then Silvia's And carry on their backs more wooll then hers Thy. Let such base Pesants as the Gods do hate Admire their wealth and them for what they have Their bodies and their soules materiall Alike of drossie substance are compounded And can contemplate nothing but the earth No Silvia whom some better God perhaps For the reward of my well tuned pipe Sent downe to me made up of ayre and fire Though since because I knew not how to use With faire respect a gift so great as she Has justly reft her from me is so much So great a part of me that in her absence Amidst my griefe I feele some little joy To see how much of me each minute wasteth And gives me hope that when I shall dissolve This earthly substance and be pure as she For sure the Gods have taken her undefil'd I may injoy her lookes and though it be Prophane to touch a hallowed thing like her I may adore her yet and recompence With my religion the proud thoughts I had once to injoy her Mo. See how fond you are T' embrace a shadow and to leave the substance The love of Hylas to Nerina has More hopes then yours though she be yong and coy Yet whilst Nerina is and Hylas too One time or other they may both haue joy Thy. May they prove happy in each others love And nothing please but what each other do For so liv'd Thirsis and his Silvia Whilst Silvia was and Thirsis was her loue What ever Thirsis pip'd pleasd Silvia Thirsis admird what ever Sylvia sung And both their joyes were equall or but one Well I can now remember and it is Some comfort to remember what I moane That when our loves began how first I gaz'd On her and she was pleasd that I should looke Till greedily I had devour'd the hooke Love gave me courage then to speake my thoughts And gave her pitty to receive my words They linkt our hearts together from that time When ere she saw me strike the furious Boare Though then my case she ru'd and sigh'd full oft Yet was she pleas'd to see my victory And I receiv'd my vigour from her eye Then would she make me Chaplets of the best And choicest flowers to adorne my head Which when I wore methought I then did graspe The Empire of the world but what of that The more I then enjoy'd of heavenly blisse The more my present griefe and passion is Mon. Well Thyrsis since my words doe but renew The story of your griefe I 'le leave to use Perswasions to you for 't is time I see And not my words must cure your maladie Exit Thy. That time must put a period to my life Or else it never will unto my griefe Come Boy and under this same hanging bow The note which thou attemperst to my words Sing and be happier then thy Master Boy Boy 1. SHall I because my Love is gon Accuse those golden darts Which to a blessed union Strooke our two loving hearts Since Fortune and not Love hath caus'd my moane 2. No her pure Image I shall prize Imprinted in my brest More then the fairest Mistresse eyes That ever Swaine possest Which in eternall bonds my fancie tyes 3. Come then you sharpest griefes and try If you can pierce my heart But use if you would have me dye The best you can of Art To wound a breast so arm'd with constancy Thy. Enough I 'le sigh the rest out Goe my boy Be carefull of thy tender Lambes whilst I Seeke out some hidden place to pine and dye SCENA SECUNDA Hylas Mirtillus BEleeve Mirtillus never any love Was bought with other price then love alone Since nothing is more precious then it selfe It being the purest abstract of that fire Which wise Prometheus first indu'd us with And he must love that would be lov'd againe Mi. Why who can say Mirtillus does not love Mirtillus he who has imploy'd his youth Ever in service of the fairest Nymphs Hy. Mirtillus cannot love Mi. No gentle Hylas This Ribband and this haire you see me weare Are they not ensignes of a lover say What shepheardesse whom ever Swaine thought faire Has not Mirtillus courted and obtaind Some favour from but you will thinke because I do not fold my armes and sigh and spend The dayes the Gods have given me to
I thought you would When I am dead the Martyr of your beautie Shed one poore teare on my untimely grave And say that Hylas was unfortunate To love where he might not be lov'd againe My ashes would find rest and so farewell The fairest but the cruellst Nymph alive Mi. What will you leave her thus Hy. I prithee come The sentence of my banishment is past Never to be recall'd Mi. Are these the hopes You fed upon O what a thing in Nature Is a coy woman or how great a foole The man is that will give her leave to rule SCENA TERTIA Nerina ALas my Hylas my beloved soule Durst she whom thou hast call'd cruell Nerina But speake her thoughts thou wouldst not thinke her so To thee she is not cruell but to her selfe That law which Nature hath writ in my heart Taught me to love thee Hylas and obey My father too who saies I must not love thee Oh disproportiond love and duty how Do you distract me if I love my choise I must be disobedient if obedient I must be linkt to one I cannot love Then either love give me my libertie Or nature from my duty set me free Exit SCENA QUARTA Daphnis NErina since nor teares nor praiers can move Thy stubborne heart I le see what gifts can do They of my ranke whom most do deeme unworthy Of any virgins love being rough and bred To mannage the estates our fathers left us Unskild in those hid mysteries which loues Professors onely know have yet a way To gaine our wishes first we get the father He knowes our pleasures and gives his consent The daughters eies being blinded with our gifts Cannot so soone spie our deformities But we may catch her to This Alcon saies A man whom age and observation taught What I must learne yet though most women be Such as he has deliver'd my Nerina Seemes not to have regard to what I give But holds me and my gifts both at one rate What can I hope then out of this poore present A looking-glasse which though within our Plaines 'T is seldome seene yet I have heard in Citties They are as common as a locke of wooll However if she take it I am happy So Alcon tells me and he knowes full well He gave it me that whosoe're shall looke Her face in it shall be at my dispose In confidence of this I will present it And see my Fortune sure I must needs speed My friend her father comes along with her But oh my Fate is not that Nymph Dorinda Which keepes them company Yes sure 't is she A curse light on her importunitie Her father urges something and I hope On my behalfe let me observe a little SCENA QUINTA Charinus Nerina Dorinda Daphnis ANd as I oft have told you I doe wish To see you wise Do. Is she not so Charinus Does she say any thing that 's out of reason Cha. Do not tell me of reason I would heare Of her obedience therefore I say be wise And doe as I would have you Do. What would you Have her to doe you see she answers not To contradict you Cha. I will have her answer To what I now demand that is to marry Daphnis and I will have her love him too Do. Love him Charinus that you cannot do Her body you may linke i' th' rights of Hymen Her will she must bestow her selfe not you Da. Oh she was borne to be a plague unto me Aside Cha. Why should she wish or hope for any thing But what I 'de have her wish or hope for onely Come to be short answere me and directly Are you content to marry Daphnis say Ne. What is your pleasure Father Cha. You do not heare It seemes but what you list I aske you once Againe if you will marry Daphnis speake Ne. Sir I would marry whom you please to give me I neither can nor ought to make my choice I would referre that to you But you know My inclination never lay to marry Cha. I know you shal do that which I command Ne. Now heaven forbid that I who have thus long Vow'd to Diana my Virginitie To follow her a Huntresse in these Woods Should yeeld my selfe to the impure delights Of Hymen and so violate my faith Cha. A fine devotion is it not to make A vow and never aske your Father leave The Lawes will not permit it to be so Do. The vow Charinus is not made to men The Lawes have not to doe with that which is Seal'd and recorded in the Court of Heaven Cha. Do not tell me of vowes I 'le have her marry And marry Daphnis Is he not rich and handsome Do. Ay me I would he were nor rich nor handsome It may be then he would regard my sufferings Aside Cha. No Daughter do not you beleeve you can Catch me with shifts and tricks I see I tell you Into your heart Ne. Alas I would you did Then your discourse would tend another way Cha. Yes you have made a vow I know which is Whilst you are young you will have all the Youth To follow you with lies and flatteries Foole they 'le deceive you when this colour fades Which will not alwaies last and you goe crooked As if you sought your beautie lost i' th' ground Then they will laugh at you and finde some other Fit for their love where if you doe as I Command you I have one will make you happie Ne. Ay me most miserable Da. Now I 'le come in And see what I can doe with this my gift Cha. Looke now as if the Fates would have it so He comes just in the nicke of my discourse Come use him kindly now and then you shall Redeeme what you have lost my good opinion Ne. O most ungratefull chance how I doe hate The sight of him Do. Were it to me he came How happie would this faire encounter be Cha. Daphnis you 're welcome very welcome to me And to my Daughter what is that you have there Da. A present which I meane to give my love Cha. See but how true a lover Daphnis is His hand is never emptie when he comes Welcome him Daughter looke what he has for you Da. O good Charinus none must looke in it But she herselfe to whom it is presented Cha. I am an old man I and therefore care not To see my wither'd face and hoarie haire Give it that young thing she knows what to doe with it Daughter come hither use him courteously And kindly too Be sure you take his gift Daphnis I 'le leave you both together here My sheepe are shearing I can stay no longer Da. Farewell old man health to my dearest Mistresse Ne. And to you shepheard Do. Daphnis am not I Worthy to have a share in your salute Do. How can I give thee part of that whereof I have no share my selfe Do. If you would love There where you are belov'd againe you might Make your content such as you