oppresse my vitall part A gentle fire is kindled by the Heart And least too great a heat procure my paine The Lungs fanne winde to coole those parts againe Within the inner closet of my braine Attend the nobler members of my traine Invention Master of my Mint growes there And Memory my faithfull Treasurer And though in others 't is a treacherous part My Toungue is Secretary to my heart And then the pages of my soule and sense Love Anger Pleasure Griefe Concupiscence And all affections else are taught t' obey Like subjects not like favourites to sway This is my Mannor-house and men shall see I here live Maister of my family Say then thou man of worth in what degree May thy proud fortunes over-ballance me Thy many barks plough the rough Oceans backe And I am never frighted with a wracke Thy flocks of sheepe are numberlesse to tell And with one fleece I can be cloth'd as well Thou hast a thousand severall farmes to let And I doe feede on ne're a Tenants sweat Thou hast the Commons to Inclosure brought And I have fixt a bound to my vast thought Variety is sought for to delight Thy witty and ambitious Appetite Three Elements at least dispeopled be To satisfie judicious gluttony And yet for this I love my Commons here Above the choicest of thy dainty cheere Noe widdowes curse caters a dish of mine I drinke no teares of Orphans in my wine Thou maist perchance to some great office come And I can rule a Common wealth at home And that preheminence injoy more free Then thou puft up with vaine Authority What boots it him a large command to have Whose every part is some poore vices slave Which over him as proudly Lords it there As o're the rusticke he can domineere Whilst he poore swaines doth threat in his own eyes Lust and Concupiscence doe Tyrannize Ambition wrackes his heart with jealous feare And bastard flattery captivates his eare He on posterity may fixe his care And I can study on the times that were He stands upon a pinacle to show His dangerous height whilst I sit safe below Thy father hords up gold for thee to spend When death will play the office of a friend And take him hence which yet he thinkes too late My nothing to inherit is a fate Above thy birth-right should it double be No longing expectation tortures me I can my fathers reverend head survay And yet not wish that every haire were gray My constant Genius sayes I happier stand And richer in his life then in his land And when thou hast an heyre that for thy gold Will thinke each day makes thee an yeare to old And ever gaping to possesse thy store Conceives thy age to be above fourescore 'Cause his is one and twenty and will pray The too slow houres to hast and every day Bespeake thy Coffin cursing every bell That he heares tole 'cause 't is anothers knell And justly at thy life he may repine For his is but a wardship during thine Mine shall have no such thoughts if I have one He shall be more a pupill then a sonne And at my grave weepe truth and say deaths hand That bountifully unto thine gave land But rob'd him of a Tutor Cursed store There is no piety but amongst the poore Goe then confesse which of us fathers be The happier made in our posterity I in my Orphane that hath nought beside His vertue thou in thy rich parricide Thou severall Artists doest imploy to show The measure of thy lands that thou maist know How much of earth thou hast while I doe call My thoughts to scan how little 't is in all Thou hast thy hounds to hunt the timorous hare The crafty fox or the more noble deere Till at a fault perchance thy Lordship be And some poore citty varlet hunt for thee For 't is not poore Actaeons fault alone Hounds have devour'd more Masters sure then one Whilst I the while pursueing my content With the quicke Nostrils of a judgement sent The hidden steps of nature and there see Your game maintain'd by her Antipathye Thou hast a Hawke and to that height doth flye Thy understanding if it soare so high While I my soule with Eagles Pinions wing To stoope at Heaven and in her Talons bring A glorious constellation sporting there With him whose belt of starres adornes the spheare Thou hast thy landskips and the painters try With all their skill to please thy wanton eye Here shadowy groves and craggy mountaines there Here Rivers headlong fall there springs runne cleare The Heavens bright Raies through clouds must azure show Circled about with Iris gawdy bow And what of this I reall Heavens doe see True springs true groves whilst yours but shadows be Nor of your houshhold stuffe so proudly boast Compos'd of curiosity and cost Your two best chambers are unfurnished Th' inner and upper roome the heart and head But you will say the comfort of a life Is in the partner of our joyes a wife You may have choice of brides you need not wooe The rich the faire they both are proferd you But what fond virgin will my love preferre That only in Parnassus joynture her Yet thy base maâ—…ch I scorne an honest pride I harbour here that scornes a market bride Neglected beauty now is priz'd by gold And sacred love is basely bought and sold. Wives are growne traffique marriage is a trade And when a nuptiall of two hearts is made There must of moneyes too a wedding be That coine as well as men may multiplye O humane blindnesse had we eyes to see There is no wealth to valiant poetry And yet what want I Heaven or Earth can yeeld Me thinkes I now possesse the Elisian field Into my chest the yellow Tagus flowes While my plate fleete in bright Pactolus rowes Th' Hesperian Orchard's mine mine mine is all Thus am I rich in wealth poëticall Why strive you then my friends to circumvent My soule and rob me of my blest content Why out of ignorant love counsell you me To leave the Muses and my poëtry Which should I leave and never follow more I might perchance get riches and be poore In Anguem qui Lycorin dormientem amplexus est VEr erat flores per apertum libera campum Vt Cereris spes una legit mea flamma Lycoris At nimio tandem studio nimioque labore Admisit somnos virides defessa per herbas Vtque erat placidum carpebant membrasoporem Alternâ varius maculâ de flore propinquo Per vestes tacitè subrepsit Lubricus anguis Vidi ego attonitam perculsus frigore mentem Omnia pertimui Tu me Rhodopëia conjux Serpentum insidiis blando direpta marito Prima feris sed cum tendentem innoxia vidi Spicula nec lassae fraudem intentare puellae Quam longè timor hic abiit maiore secuto Namque levis totum lustravit vipera corpus Iamque suam Lybiam steriles fastidit arenas
inherit Has Madam Davers dispossest her spirit Or will the Welchmen give me leave to say There is no faith in Merlin none though they Dare sweare each letter creed and pawne their blood He prophecied an age before the flood Of holy Dee which was as some have said Ten generations ere the Arke was made All your predictions but Impostures are And you but prophecy of things that were And you Coelestiall Iuglers that pretend You are acquainted with the starres and send Your spyes to search what 's done in every spheare Keeping your state intelligencers there Your art is all deceit for now I see Against the Rules of deepe Astrologie Girles may be got when Mars his power doth vaunt And boyes when Venus is Predominant Nor doth the Moone though moist and cold shee bee Alwaies at full work to produce the shee Had this been true I had foretold no lie It was the Art was in the wrong not I. Thence I so dully err'd in my beleife As to mistake an Adam for an Eve O grosse mistake and in the civill pleas Error Personae Mr Doctor sayes And may admit divorce but farewell now You hungry star-fed Tribe hence forth I vow Talmud Albumazar and Ptolomie With Erra Pater shall no Gospell bee Nor will I ever after this I sweare Throw Dice upon the shepheards Calender But why doe I t' excuse my Ignorance Lay blame upon the Art no no perchance I have lost all my skill for well I know My Physiognomie two years agoe By the small Pox was mar'd and it may bee A fingers losse hath spoild my Palmistry But why should I a grosse mistake confesseâ—… No I am confident I did but guesse The very truth it was a male child then But Aunt you staid till 't was a wench agen To see th' unconstancy of humane things How little time great Alteration brings All thing are subject unto change we know And if all things then why not sexes too Tyresias we read a man was borne Yet after did into a woman turne Levinus a Physitian of great fame Reports that one at Paris did the same And devout Papists say certaine it is One of their Popes by Metamorphosis Indur'd the same else how could Ioan be heire To the succession of Saint Peters chaire So I at Chairing crosse have beheld one A statue cut out of the Parian stone To figure great Aloides which when well The Artist saw it was not like to sell He takes his chissell and away he pares Part of his sinewy neck shaving the haires Of his rough beard and face smoothing the brow And making that looke amorous which but now Stood wrinkled with his anger from his head He poles the shaggy locks that had o're spread His brawny shoulders with a fleece of haire And workes insteed more gentle tresses there And thus his skill exactly to expresse Soone makes a Venus of an Hercules And can it then impossible appeare That such a change as this might happen here For this cause therefore Gentle Aunt I pray Blame not my Prophecy but your delay But this will not excuse me that I may Directly cleare my selfe there is no way Vnlesse the Iesuits will to me impart The secret depth of their mysterious art Who from their halting Patriot learne to frame A Crutch for every word that fals out lame That can the subtle difference discry Betwixt aequivocation and a lie And a rare scape by sly distinction find To sweare the Tongue and yet not sweare the mind Now arm'd with Arguments I nothing dread But my own cause thus confidently plead I said there was a boy with in your wombe Not actually but one in time to come Or by Antiphrasis my words might bee That ever understands the contrary Or when I said you should a man-child beare You understood me of the sexe I feare When I did meane the mind and thus define A woman but of spirit masculine Or had I said it should a girle have been And it had prov'd a boy you should have seen Mee solve it thus I meant a boy by fate But one that would have been effeminate Or thus I had my just excuse begun I said my Aunt would surely bring a sonne If not a daughter what we seers forsee Is certaine truth unlesse it falshood bee Or I affirme because shee brought forth one That will bring boyes shee hath brought forth a sonne For doe not we call Father Adam thus Because that he got those that have got us What ere I said by simple Affirmation I meant the right by mentall reservation An Epithalamium to Mt F. H. FRanke when this Morne the harbinger of day Blush'd from her Easterne pillow where shee lay Clasp'd in her Tythons arms red with those kisses Which being injoy'd by night by day shee misses I walk'd the feilds to see the teeming earth Whose wombe now swells to give the flowers a birth Where while my thoughts with every object tane In severall contemplations rapt my braine A suddaine lustre like the Sunne did rise And with to great a light eclips'd mine eyes At last I spyed a Beauty such another As I have sometimes heard call theâ—… her Brother But by the chariot and her teame of Doves I guest her to be Venus Queene of Loves With her a pretty boy I there did see But for his wings I 'had thought it had been thee At last when I beheld his quiver of darts I knew t' was Cupid Emperour of our hearts Thus I accosted them Goddesse divine Great Queene of Paphos and Cytherian shrine Whose Altars no man sees that can depart Till in those flames he sacrifice his heart That conquerst Gods and men and heaven divine Yea and hell too Beaâ—…e witnesse Prâ—…serpine And Cupid thou that canst thy Trophies show Over all these and o're thy Mother too Witnesse the night which when with Mars shee lay Did all her sports to all the Gods betray Tell me great Powers what makes such glorious beams Visit the lowly banks of Ninus streams Then Venus smil'd and smiling bid me know Cupid and shee must both to Weston goe I guest the cause for Hymen came behind In saffron robes his Nuptiall knots to bind Then thus I pray'd Great Venus by the Love Of thy Adonu as thou hop'st to move Thy Mars to second kisses and obtaine Beauties reward the Golden fruit againe Bow thy faire eares to my chast prayers and take Such Orisons as purest Love can make Thou and thy boy I know are posting thither To tye pure hearts in purest bonds together Cupid thou know'st the maid I'have seene thee lye With all thy arrowes lurking in her eye Venus thou know'st her love for I have seene The time thou would'st have faine her Rivall been O blesse them both Let their affections meet With happy omens in the Geniall sheet Both comely beauteous both both equall faire Thou canst not glory in a fitter paire I would not thus have praid if I had seen Fourscore and ten wed
Et mirata femur ventremque atque ubera lacte Candidiora suo Tali fas dixit in arvo Fas mihi semper erit perque istos serpere colles Me videt metuens cerni fugit improbus anguis Sub niveoque latet collo sua lilia credens Purpureis mox usque genis allapsus in istis Tutiùs est haerere rosis dulciùs inquit Tum frontem spectans venasque in fronte tumentes Quaenam ait ille jugo violae nascuntur in isto Hinc ad Caesariem surgit flavosque capillos Et stupet â—…uratam formoso in vertice sylvam Hesperiumque nemus iam credit credidit hortum Talibus aut foliis aut tali fronde superbâ Non illi Myrtus Paphiae Dodonaque Quercus Thessala nec Pinus nec erat Penëia laurus Gaudia iam tota implêrant secura perîcli Pectora descendit rursus totosque per aâ—…tus Lascivus gestit numeroso ludere gyro Caudaque formosum cingat dum frigida collum Labra petit labris Nectaris osculalibat Spirantesque haurit Zephiros atque omnia Phoenix Quae potuit moriens precioso imponere bustâ—… Quicquid olent Arabes saevum non inde venenum Sed velut Hyblaeos discurrens incola campos Mella legit nova naper Apis jam credite possit Inter Aristaei serpens armenta vagari Ah quoties metui coelestes frigidus Artes Rivalemque Iovem formâ ne callidus istâ Appeteret nostram petiit Deoïda Nympham Exerit ille caput toto iam corde voluptas Insedit Cantuque suae blanditur amicae Dulciaque erectis 〈◊〉 sibila cristis Excutitur Nymphae â—…omnus iam membra refecta Luminaque attollit totum admittentia Phoebum Dumque ibi dispersos flores lapsamque coronam Colligit in gremio maculosus cernitur anguiâ—… Illa sibi notae quanta est fiducia formae Nil metuens tenerum tractavit pollice vermem Admovitque sinu colloque pectore fovit Hic ludens modo per digitos novus annulus ibâ—…t Splendida nunc mediam complexus Zonae puellam Vivaque per teretes pendens armilla lacertos Gratior ut fieret cultus in mille figuras Flectitur innumeros â—…ese variavit in orbes Candida multiplici constringens brachia nodo Ah nimium superis nimium est dilecta Lycoris Eoâ—…s alii fluctus littâ—…ra rubra Scrutantur nulli misit priùs Africa gemmas Perniciem quaecunque parant flebile virus Humano generi cupiunt ornare Lycorin Namque ea parva licet summo quae pendula tectâ—… Nectit opus cum de serpente monilia facta Aemula vidisset subito novus ardor amantis Pectus agit Serpensnè inquit tibi gemma Licori Nulla ego contulerim divinae munera formae Nec mora deposcit radios sua retia mittit Quaeque solet trepidis venabula tendere muscis Et tibi subtiles meditatur Aranea telas Tu tamen ô serpens qui nostris reptile felix Deliciis fruere triplici rapis oscula linguâ Sic semper novus exuviis pelle renatâ Perfectam repetas per saecula millâ—… iuventam Vestras pulchram artes pharmaca vestra Lycorin Edoceas longam ne sentiat illa senectam Nec fronti turpes inscribant tempora rugas At nova perpetuò facies eademque Lycorin Monstret in speculo nunquam sese altera quaerat Et Venerem formâ superans aevoque Sybillam At tandem hinc abiens ô felicissime Serpens Quando renâ—…scentes numerâsti saepius annos Accedas aftris sidus Pythone remoto Fluminis in morem flexus Tu deinde Lycori Cum taedet vitae Serpenti proxima charo Stella nite coelumque bea tibi detque Cathedram Gassiopaea suam det Bacchi Virgo Coronam Englished thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THe spring was come and all the fields growne fine My flame Lycoris like young Proserpine Went forth to gather flowers bettring their sent They tooke more sweetnesse from her then they lent Now loaden with her harvest and o'repress't With her sweete toyle she laid her downe to rest Lyllies did strow her couch and proud were growne To beare a whitnesse purer then their owne Roses fell downe soft pillowes to her head And blusht themselves into a deeper red To emulate her cheekes Flora did set Her maids to worke to weave the Violet Into a purple rugge to shield the faire Lycoris from the malice of the Ayre When loe a snake hid in the neighbour bowres Ah who could think treason should lurke in flowers Shootes forth her checker'd skin and gently creepes Ore my Lycoris that as gently sleepes I saw it and a sodaine frost possest My frighted soule in my then troubled brest What feares appear'd not to my mind and me Thou first wert call'd bemoan'd Euridice By serpents envy forced to expire From Orpheus rapt and his death conquering lyre But when I found he wore a guiltlesse sting And more of love did then of treason bring How quickly could my former feare depart And to a greater leave my iealous heart For the smooth Viper every member scands Africk he loaths now and the barren sands That nurst him wondring at the glorious sight Of thighes and belly and her brests more white Then their owne milke Ah might I still quoth he Grawle in such fields 'twixt two such mountaines be There me he spied and fearing to be seen Shrowds to her neck thinking 't had Lyllies been But viewing her bright cheekes he soone did crye Vnder you Roses shall I safer lye Thence did her forehead with full veines appeare Good heaven quoth he what violets growe here On this cleare Promontary Hence he slides Vp to her lockes and through her tresses glides Her yellow tresses dazel'd to behold A glistring groue an intire wood of Gold Th' Hesperian wood he thinkes he now hath seene That thought But now they had an Orchard beene For leaves and boughs the Archimenian vine The Dodon Oak and the Thessalian Pine must yeeld to these no trees so bright as they Nor Paphian Mirtles nor Penëian bay Ioy now filld all his brest no timorows feare Of danger could find roome to harbour there Downe slips he and about each limbe he hurles His wanton body into numerous curles And while his taile had throwne it selfe a chaine About her necke his head beares up againe With his black lips her warmer lips he greets And there with kisses steept in Nectar meets Thence Zephyr's breath he suckes then doth he smell Perfumes that all th' Arabian gummes excell And spices that doe build the Phoenix Pyre When she renewes her youth in funerall fire Nor seekes he poyson there but like the Bee That on mount Hybla plyes her husbandry He gathers honey thence now now I know With Aristaeus flocks a snake may goe Ah cold at heart I fear'd some heavenly sleight And love my rival that his old deceit Had once againe this borrowed shape put on To court my Nimph as he Deöis wonne Up lift the snake
alive Give me a Spartan Matron Sabine wife Or any of the vestals hither call And I will make them be thy converts all Who like good Proselites more in heart then show Shall to thy origies all so zealous go That Thais shall nor Helen such appeare As if they only Loves precisians were But now my Muse dull heavy numbers sings Cupid 't is thou alone giv'st verse her wings The Lawrell-wreath I never shall obtaine Vnlesse thy torch illuminate my braine Love Laurell gives Phoebus as much can say Had not he lov'd there had not been the Bay Why is my Presentation then put by Who is 't that my Induction dares deny Can any Lady say I am unfit If so I 'le sue my Quare Impedit I 'am young enough my spirits quick and good My veins swell high with kind and active blood Nor am I marble when I see an eye Quick bright and full ' raid round with maiestie I feel my heart with a strange heat opprest As 't were a lightning darted through my brest I long not for the cherries on the Tree So much as those which on a lip I see And more affection beare I to the Rose That in a cheek then in a garden grows I gaze on beauteous Virgins with delight And feel my temper vary at the sight I know not why but warmer streams doe glide Thorough my veins sure 't is a wanton tide But you perchance esteem my love the lesse Because I have a foolish bashfulnesse A shame-fac'd rose you find within my face Whose modest blush frights you from my embrace That 's ready now to fall if you 'le but daigne To pluck it once it shall not grow againe Or doe you therefore cast my love away Because I am not expert in the play My skill's not known till it be ventred on I have not Aristotle read alone I am in Ovid a proficient too And if you 'd heare my Lecture could to you Analize all his art with so much more Iudgment and skill then e're 't was taught before That I might be cheife master he dull foole The under usher in the Cyprian Schoole For petty Paedagogue poore Pedant he First writ the Art and then the remedie But I could set downe rules of love so sure As should exceed Art and admit no cure Pictures I could invent Love were I thine As might stand copies unto Aretine And such new dalliance study as should frame Variety in that which is the same I am not then uncapable great Love Would'st thou my skill but with one arrow prove Giue me a Mistresse in whose looks to joy And such a Mistresse Love as will be coy Not easily wonne though to be wonne in time That from her nicenesse I may store my rhime Then in a Thousand sighes to thee I 'le pay My Morning Orisons and every day Two Thousand groans and count these amorous prayers I make to thee not by my Beads but Teares Besides each day I 'le write an Elegy And in as lamentable Poetry As any Inns of Court-man that hath gone To buy an Ovid with a Littleton But Love I see you will not entertaine Those that desire to Live amidst your traine For death and you have got a trick to fly From such poore wretches as doe wish you nigh You scorne a yeelding slave and plainly shew it Those that contemne your pow'er you make to know it And such am I I slight your proud commands I mar'le who put a bow into your hands A hobby-horse or some such pretty toy A rattle would befit you better Boy You conquer Gods and men how stand I free That will acknowledge no supremacie Vnto your childish Godhead does it cry Give it a plumme to still it 's Diety Good Venus let it suck that it may keep Lesse bawling gentle Nurse rock it a sleep Or if you be past babie and are now Come to weare breeches much we then allow Your Boy ship leave to shoot at whom you please No whip it for such wanton tricks as these If this doe anger you I 'le send a Bee Shall to a single duell challenge thee And make you to your Mam run and complaine The litlle serpent stung thee once againe Go hunt the butter flyes and if you can But catch 'em make their wings into a fan Wee 'le give you leave to hunt and sport at them So you let men alone But I blaspheme Great Love I feare I have offended thee If so be mercifull and punish me A gratulatory to Mr Ben. Iohnson for his adopting of him to be his Son I Was not borne to Helicon nor dare Presume to thinke my selfe a Muses heire I have no title to Parnassus hill Nor any acre of it by the will Of a dead Ancestour nor could I bee Ought but a tenant unto Poëtrie But thy Adoption quits me of all feare And makes me challenge a childs portion there I am a kinne to Hero's being thine And part of my alliance is divine Orpheus Musaeus Homer too beside Thy Brothers by the Roman Mothers side As Ovid Virgil and the Latine Lyre That is so like thy Horace the whole quire Of Poets are by thy Adoption all My uncles thou hast given me pow'r to call Phoebus himselfe my grandsire by this graunt Each Sister of the nine is made my Aunt Go you that reckon from a large descent Your lineall Honours and are well content To glory in the age of your great name Though on a Herralds faith you build the same I do not envy you nor thinke you blest Though you may beare a Gorgon on your Crest By direct line from Perseus I will boast No farther then my Father that 's the most I can or should be proud of and I were Vnworthy his adoption if that here I should be dully modest boast I must Being sonne of his Adoption not his lust And to say truth that which is best in mee May call you father 't was begot by thee Have I a sparke of that coelestiall flame Within me I confesse I stole the same Prometheus like from thee and may I feed His vulture when I dare deny the deed Many more moones thou hast that shine by night All Bankrups wer 't not for a borrow'd light Yet can forsweare it I the debt confesse And thinke my reputation ne're the lesse For Father let me be resolv'd by you Is 't a disparagement from rich Peru To ravish gold or theft for wealthy Ore To ransack Tagus or Pactolus shore Or does he wrong Alcinous that for want Doth take from him a sprig or two to plant A lesser Orchard sure it cannot bee Nor is it theft to steale some flames from thee Grant this and I 'le cry guilty as I am And pay a filiall reverence to thy name For when my Muse upon obedient knees Askes not a Fathers blessing let her leese The fame of this Adoption 't is a curse I wish her 'cause I cannot thinke a worse And here as Piety
Though she repaid the wrong done to Philaebus Yet not approving the reuengefull mind Of great Pilumnus scourg'd him with his own asking By threatning an unhappy marriage To his Vrania unlesse he that wooes her Pay an impossible Dowry for as others Give Portions with their daughters Ceres Priests Vse to receive for theirs The words are these That which thou hast not mayst not canst not have Amyntas is the Dowry that I crave Rest hopelesse in thy love or else divine To give Vrania this and she is thine Which while the poore Amyntas would Interpret He lost his wits Take heed of love Laurinda You see th' unhappinesse of it in others Let not experience in thy selfe instruct thee Be wise my Girle so come and follow me Exit Lau. I 'le make a Garland for my kid and follow you What a sad tale was here how full of sorrow Happy that heart that never felt the shaft Of angry Cupid SCEN. 6. Damon Alexis Damon and Alexis Their presence quickly puts these cogitations Out of my mind Poore soules I fain would pity them And yet I cannot for to pity one Were not to pity t'other and to pity Both were to pity neither Mine old Temper Is all the shift I have some dew of comfort To either of them How now bold intruders How dare you venter on my privacy If you must needs have this walk be it so I 'le seeke another What you 'l let me goe Da. Cruell Laurinda if a word so foule Can have so faire a dwelling seale not up Thy eates but let a pity enter there And find a passage to thy heart Alex. Laurinda The name which but to speak I would not wish For life or breath Let not thy powerfull beauty Torment us longer Tell us which of us You value most Da. And t'other for old freindship Strangling his bitter Corrasive in his heart Hath promis'd to desist from further suit Alex. Or if he cannot so as sure he cannot Yet he will rather chuse to dye then live Once to oppose your liking Lau. Since you are Growne so importunate and will not be answer'd With modest silence Know I wish you well Alex. How me Laurinda Lau. Why I wish Alexis I were thy wife Da. Then most unhappy me Alex. That word doth relish immortalitie Lau. And I doe wish thou wer 't my husband Damon Alex. Still more perplexed what doe you think I am Lau. My head Alexis Da. And what I Lau. My heart Da. Which hand am I Lau. Damon my right Alex. Which I Lau. My left Alexis Alex. Thus you scorne my love Lau. Not I Alexis th' art my only hope Da. Then I am all despaire no hope for me Lau. Why so my Damon thou art my desire Alexis is my flame Damon my fire Alexis doth deserve my nuptiall Bed And Damon's worthy of my Maidenhead Exit Lau. Alex. Damon desist thy suit or loose thy life Thou heard'st Laurinda wish she were my wife Da. Thy wife Alexis But how can it be Without a Husband and I must be he Alex. I am her head That word doth seeme t' impart She meanes my marriage Da. How without her heart For that am I besides you heard her say I was the right hand you the left away Desist Alexis mine 's the upper hand Alex. But Damon I next to her heart doe stand I am her hope in that you plainly see The end of her intents doth aime at me Da. But I am her desire in that 't is showne Her only wish is to make me her owne Alex. I am her flame Da. 'T is true but I her fire Alex. The flames the hotter therefore her desire Most aimes at mee Da. Yet when the flame is spent The fire continues Therefore me she meant Alex. She promis'd now I should injoy her Bed Da. Alexis doe so I her Maidenhead Alex. I see she still conceales it and with speeches Perplext and doubfull masks her secret thoughts Da. Let 's have another meeting since her words Delude us thus wee 'le haue a pregnant signe To shew her mind Alex. I goe that way a hunting And will call for her Da. I 'le the while retire Into the Temple if I linger here I am afraid of meeting Amaryllis Who with unwelcome love solicites me Alex. And would she might preuaile Da. Till then farewell Alex. All happinesse to Damon be Except Laurinda Da. All but her to thee Alex. Thus we in love and courtesie contend Da. The name of Rivall should not loose the Freind Exeunt Finis actus I. ACTVS 2. SCEN 1. Pilumnus Vrania Vra. FAther perswade me not The power of heaven Can never force me from Amyntas love 'T is rooted here so deepe within my heart That he which pulls it out pulls out at once That and my soule together Pil. Fond Vrania Can ignorant love make thee affect the seede The hatefull seede of cursed Lalage Did I for this beget thee Vra. Father you know Divinitie is powerfull Cupids will Must not be question'd When love meanes to sport I'have heard your selfe relate it he can make The Wolfe and Lambe kisse friendly force the Lyon T'forget his Majestie and in amorous dalliance Sport with the frisking Kid. When Venus rides Shee 'le linke the ravenous Kite and milder Swan To the same chariot and will yoak together The necks of Doves and Eagles when as shee Commands all things loose their Antipathie Even contrarieties can I alone Resist her will I cannot my Amynt as Shall witnesse that Pil. I blame thee not so much For loving him while yet he was Amynt as But being mad and having lost himselfe Why shouldst not thou loose thy affection too Vra. I love him now the rather he hath lost Himselfe for me and should he loose me too It were a sinne he should Pil. What canst thou love In his distemper'd wildnesse Vra. Only that His wildnesse 't is the comfort I have left To make my teares keepe time to his distractions To think as wildlâ—… as he talks to marry Our griefs together since our selves we cannot The Oracle doth aske so strange a Dowry That now his company is the only blisse My love can aime at but I stay too long I 'le in to comfort him Pil. Doe not Vrania Vra. Doe not I must and will Nature commands me no But Love more powerfull sayes it shall be so Exit Pil. The Gods did well to make their Destinies Of woemen that their wills might stand for law Fixt and unchang'd who 's this Corymbus he SCEN. 2. Pilumnus Corymbus Pil. Corymbus welcome Cor. Sacred Pilumnus hayle And fruitfull Sicilie I kisse thy dust Pil. What newes Corymbus Is our Countrie 's Mischeif Fetter'd in chaines Cor. Thrice the sunne hath past Through the twelve Inns of heaven since my diligence Has been imploy'd in quest of him whose death Must give poore lovers life the hatefull Claius Yet could I ne're heare of him The meane while How fare the poore Sicilians Does awfull Ceres Still bend her
wherein thou maist Revenge my scorne Take it but I 'le prevent thee he strikes her Amar. Welcome death From him all things are so Damon fly hence Thou hast shed bloud here in the Sacred Valley Make hast away or thou art lost for ever Dam. Thy counsell's good no matter whose the guilt Exit Damon Ama. What was it he said last Thou hast indeed A time wherein thou maist revenge my scorne With love no otherwise and there thou shalt not Prevent mee Damon I will write This inke Deserves not to record the name of Damon T is black and ugly thou thy selfe hast furnisht mee With that of better colour 'T is my blood That 's truly Cupids inke love ought to write Only with that This paper is too course O that I had my heart to write it there But so it is already Would I had A Parchment made of my own skin in that To write the truth of my affection A wonder to posterity Hand make hast As my bloud does or I shall faint I feare Ere I have done my story SCEN. 6. Enter Dorylas Dor. These milkemaids are the daintiest rogues they kisse As sweet as sillibubs surely Oberon Lives a delitious life Ha! who lies here A Nymph If 't were but now in Oberons power To steale away her maidenhead as she sleepes O 't would be excellent sport to see how shee Would misse it when she wakes what misery 't is To be a boy why could not my good father Have got me five yeares sooner here had been A purchase well 't is but five yeares longer And I shall hope to see a merrier world No body neere too Slid the very thought 's Enough to make me man o th sudden well I 'le kisse her though Amar. Oh I faint Dor. She dreames Now shall I know all secrets These same women Are given so much to talke when they are awake That they prate sleeping too Ama. My blood congeales Within my quill and I can write no more Dor. Love letters she was troubled yester night About inditcing and she dreames on 't now Poore sleepy secretary Ama. I will fold it up And send it who 's that 's here my eyes Are dimme ha Dorylas Dor. Now she dreames shee gives it me to carry I halfe feare I use to carry letters in my sleepe Wearying my selfe all night and that 's the reason I am so loath to rise i' th' morning Ama. Dorylas carry this letter for mee Dor. I thought so That 's all that I can doe carry their letters Or runne of errands well come five yeares hence They may imploy me better Vnto whom is it Amar. Vnto Laurinda take it Dor. How a red letter Amar. Say I wish all health to her and Damon And being not able for to beare my griefes I sought a remedy from mine own speare and died Dor. How dead oh mee See how her blood hath stain'd the holy Valley Well you have done me wrong to kill your selfe Only to have me sacrifis'd on the Altar I nere deserv'd it Amar. Fear not Dorylas Dor. Fear not to dye so like a calfe oh Dorylas oh Ama. Good Dorylas be gone whilest yet my breath Will give me leave to say it was not you Dor. See that you doe and so farewell Exit Amar. Farewell How fearfull death is unto them whose life Had any sweetnesse in it my daies have all Been so oreworne with sorrow that this wound Is unto me rather a salve then fore More physick then disease whither my journey Shall lead me now through what dark hideous place Among what monsters hags and snake-hair'd Furies Am I to goe I know not but my life Hath been so spotlesse chast and innocent My death so undeserv'd I have no reason If there be Gods but to expect the best Yet what doth most torment mee is the thought How long 't will bee ere I again enjoy My Damon's presence untill then Elysium Will be no place of pleasure and perchance When he comes thither too he then may slight mee As much as now That very feare doth make thee Dye wretched Amaryllis SCEN. 7. Enter Claius Cla. How no feare Can make me loose the father Death or danger Threat what you can I have no heart to goe Back to the mountaines 'till my eyes have seen My Amaryllis Amar. O was ever love So cros'd as mine was ever Nymph so wretched As Amaryllis Cla. Ha! I heard the sound Of Amarillis where 's that blessed creature That owes the name are you the Virgin Ama. Yes That fatall name is mine I shall anon Be nothing but the name Cla. O speak what hand What barbarous Tigers issue what cursed whelpe Of Beares or Lyon had the marble heart To wound so sweet a Nymph Amar. O sir my bloud Calls none but fortune guilty I by chance Stumbled on mine own dart and hurt my selfe Clai Then I have hearbs to cure it heaven I thank thee That didst instruct me hither still the bloud Flowes like a scarlet torrent whose quick streame Will not be checkt speak Amarillis quickly What hand this sinne hath stain'd upon whose soule This bloud writes murther till you see the man Before your eyes that gave the hurt all hope In Physick is despaire She will not speak And now the cure growes to the last Yet here I have a Recipe will revive her spirits Applies a medicine and rubs her tēples And 'till the last drop of her blood be clean Exhausted from those azure veines preserve her But then shee 's lost for ever Then O Ceres If there be any in these groves men virgins Beast bird or trees or any thing detesting This horrid fact reveale it Sacred grasse Whose hallowed greene this bloudy deed hath stain'd Aske nature for a tongue to name the murtherer I 'le to the Temple If this place containe Any Divinity Piety or Religion If there be any God at home or Priest Ompha or Oracle Shrine or Altar speake Who did it who is guilty of this sinne That dyes the earth with bloud makes the heavens Asham'd to stand a witnesse SCEN. 8. Enter Pilumnus Corymbus Pilum What sad voyce Disturbs our pious Orgyes Cor. See Pilumnus A virgin all in gore Pil. Ceres defend us The Sacred Vally is prophan'd Cor. The place So deare to Ceres all defil'd with bloud Pil. By Ceres and her holy Ompha hee That did it with his blood shall satisfy The Goddesse anger who by blood offends By his own sacrific'd must make amends Cla. I durst presume upon the power of art Did I but know the murtherer Pil. How soever 'T is death to him that did it Cor. Speake his name Faire virgin Ama. O if it be death to him That did it I have not the power to live Behind him Cor. Why who was it then Ama. My selfe And therefore in my death your law is satisfied The blood and act both mine Cla. It is not so For had it been by her own hand my skill Could have preserv'd her
at and the bloud of Sacrifice As you all know may lawfully be spilt Even in the Holy vale and so it was Besides your Damon is a Priest by birth And therefore by that Title he may spill The sacrifized Amarillis bloud If this interpretation be not true Speak you Sicilians I 'le be judg'd by you All. Amyntas Amyntas Amyntas Amyntas Pil. Amyntas thou hast now made full amends For my Philebus death Claius all envy Envy the viper of a venemous soule Shall quit my brest This is the man Sicilians The man to whom you owe your liberties Goe Virgins and with Roses strow his way Crowne him with violets and lilly wreathes Cut off your golden tresses and from them Weave him a robe of love Damon pay here The debt of duty that thou ow'st to mee Hence was thy second birth Da. Or hither rather The Balsame of Sicilia flowed from hence Hence from this scarlet torrent whose each drop Might ransome Cupid were he captive tane Amaril. How much owe I my Damon whose blest hand Made mee the publique sacrifice could I shed As many drops of blood even from the heart As Arethusa drops of water can I would outvie her at the fullest tide That other Virgins loues might happy be And mine my Damon be as blest in thee Clai O what a showre of joy falls from mine eyes The now too fortunate Claius my Amyntas My Amarillis how shall I divide My teares and joyes betwixt you Pil. Lovers come Come all with flowry chaplets on your browes And singing Hymmes to Ceres walk around This happy village to expresse our glee This day each yeare shall Cupids triumphs bee Amyn. Still my impossible Dowry for Vrania Leaves mee unfortunate in the mid'st of joy Yet out of piety I will heere a while Though blest I am not 'till she be my bride In publique joyes lay private griefes aside Exeunt cum Choro cantantium Io. And I 'le goe fetch the youngsters of the towne The mortall Fairies and the lasses browne To bring spic'd cakes and ale to dance and play Queen Mab her selfe shall keepe it holy-day Exit Mop. Ah Dorilas that I could not have the wit To have been a mad man rather then a foole I have lost the credit Dor. T is no matter You shall have Thestylis Mop. Shall I Dorylas I had as live interpret her as Oracles Dor. And here she comes give mee your quaile pipe harke you Exit Enter Thestylis Mop. Now Thestylis thou shalt mine Oracle bee Hence forth I will interpret none but thee Thes. Why haue the birds my Mopsus councel'd so Mop. They say I must whether you will or noe Thes. How know I that Mop. The birds doe speak it plain Dorilas with a quaile pipe Harke Thestylis the birds say so again Thes. I understand them not Mop. Will you be judg'd By th' next we meet Thes. Mopsus I am content So you will stand unto it as well as I. Mop. By Ceres Thestylis most willingly Enter Dorylas Mop. Ah Dorilus heard you what the birds did say Dor. I Mopsus you are a happy man to day Mop. What said they boy Dor. As if you did not know Mop. But Thestylis Dor. Why sure she understands it Have you to her this language never read Mop. No Dorylas I can teach her best in bed Dor. The Birds said twice as you full well doe know You must have Thestylis whether she will or no. Thes. And am I caught T is no great matter though For this time Mopsus I will marry thee The next I wed by Pan shall wiser bee Mop. And have I got thee thankes my witty boy Do. Harke Thestylis the birds doe bid you joy Thes. For fooling Mopsus now 't is time give ore Mop. Mad man I may but will be foole no more Thes. Mad after marriage as a foole before For hee 's a foole that weds all wives being bad And shee 's a foole makes not her husband mad SCEN. 6. Iocastus with a Morrice himselfe maid Marrian Bromius the Clowne Dor. See Mopsus see here comes your Fairy brother Hark you for one good turne deserves another Exeunt Dor. Mop. Iocast. I did not think there had been such delight In any mortall Morrice they doe caper Like quarter Fairies at the least by my Knight-hood And by this sweet Mellisonant Tingle tangle The ensigne of my glory you shall bee Of Oberons Revels Bro. What to doe I pray To dance away your Apples Iocas Surely mortall Thou art not fit for any office there Enter Dorylas like the King of Fairies Mopsus Io. See blind mortall see With what a port what grace what majesty This princely Oberon comes your Grace is welcome Do. A beauteous Lady bright and rare Queen Mab her selfe is not so faire Io. Does your grace take me for a woman then Do. Yes beauteous virgin Thy each part Has shot an arrow through my heart Thy blazing eye thy lip so thinne Thy azure cheek christall chinne Thy rainbow brow with many a rose Thy saphyre eares and ruby nose All wound my soule O gentle be Or Lady you will ruin mee Io. Bromius what shall I doe I am no woman If geelding of me will preserve your grace With all my heart Bro. No master let him rather Steale away all your orchard Apples Io. I and shall Beauteous Queen Mab may loose her longing else Do. How 's this are you no woman then Can such bright beauty live with men Io. An 't please your grace I am your Knight Iocastus Do. Indeed I thought no man but hee Could of such perfect beauty bee Io. Cannot your Grace distill me to a woman Do. I have an hearb they Moly call Can change thy shape my sweet and shall To tast this Moly but agree And thou shalt perfect woman bee Io. With all my heart nere let me move But I am up to th' eares in love But what if I doe marry thee Do. My Queene Iocasta thou shalt bee Io. Sweet Moly pray let Bromius have some Moly too Hee 'l make a very pretty waiting maid Bro. No indeed forsooth you have Ladies enough already Do. Halfe your estate then give to mee Else you being gone there none will be Whose Orchard I dare here frequent Io. Sweet Oberon I am content Do. The other halfe let Mopsus take Io. And Thestylis a joynture make Bro. Why master are you mad Io. Your mistrisse sirrah Our grace has said it and it shall be so Bro. What will you give away all your estate Io. We have enough beside in Fairy land You Thestylis shall be our maid of honour Thes. I humbly thank your Grace Io. Come Princely Oberon I long to tast this Moly pray bestow The Knight-hood of the Mellisonant Tingle tangle Vpon our brother Mopsus we will raise All of our house to honours Mop. Gracious sister Io. I alwaies thought I was borne to be a Queene Do. Come let us walke majestique Queene Of Fairy mortalls to be seene In chaires of Pearle
his head for pleasure now Held all his soule and with erected brow To flatter's Loue he sung he strives to play And hisses forth a well tun'd Roundelay This wakes the Nymph her eyes admit the day Here flowers and there her scatter'd garlands lay Which as shee picks up and with bents retyes Shee in her lap the speckled Serpent spyes The Nymph no signe of any terrour shows How bold is beauty when her strength shee knows And in her hand the tender worm shee grasp'd While it sometimes about her finger clasp'd A ring enamel'd then her tender wast In manner of a girdleround imbrac't And now upon her arme a braslet hung Where for the greater ornament he flung His limber body into severall folds And twenty winding figures where it holds Her amorous pulse in many a various twist And many a love-knot tyes upon her wrist Lycoris to the Gods thou art too deare And too too much of heaven belov'd I feare This or that Nymph's the red-sea spoiles may be But Lybia ne're sent Iewels but to thee What e're to us are deaths and poysons sent Desire to be Lycoris ornament For that same litle spider that hangs up Together with her web on the house top When shee beheld the snake a bracelet made Struck with an envy and a love shee said And shall a snake thy Gemme Lycoris bee And such bright for me receive no tyres from mee Then flings her nets away and throwing by Her subtle toyl shee sets to catch the fly To th'loom Arachne goes and plyes it there To work a robe for my Lycoris weare But thou ô Serpent which so blest canst bee To reap those joyes for which I envy thee That happy worm upon her lip hast hung Sucking in kisses with thy three-fork'd tongue So may'st thou age and skin together cast And oft recall thy youth when it is past Teach my Lycoris what your Arts may bee Let her th' Ingredients of thy Cordials see That shee may ne're grow old that times dull plow May never print a wrincle in her brow I charge thee in the pow'rfull Cupids name May a new beauty alwayes and the same Lycoris shew ne're may shee in her glasse Look for her own and find another face Venus for beauty may shee then appear When shee has liv'd to old Sybilla's year And when deare snake thou wilt no more renew Thy youthfull vigour bid base earth adiew Adde glory to the night or from his spheare Huge Python pull and fix thy torches there Where like a river thou shalt bending go And through the Orbe a starry torrent flow And thou Lycoris when th' art pleas'd to take No more of life next thy beloved Snake Shine forth a constellation full and bright Blesse the poor heavens with more majestick light Who in requitall shall present you there Ariadnes Crown and Cassiopae as Chayr A complaint against Cupid that he never made him in Love HOw many of thy Captives Love complaine Thou yoak'st thy slaves in too severe a chaine I'have heard 'em their Poetique malice shew To curse thy Quiver and blaspheme thy bow Calling thee boy and blind threatning the rod Prophanely swearing that thou art no God Or if thou be not from the starry place But born below and of the Stygian race But yet these Atheists that thy shafts dislike Thou canst be freindly to and daigne to strike This on his Cloris spends his thoughts and time That chaunts Corinna in his amorous rime A third speaks raptures and hath gaind a wit By praising Caelia else had mis't of it But I that think there can no freedom be Cupid so sweet as thy Captivity I that could wish thy chains and live content To wear them not my Gives but ornament I that could any ransom pay to thee Not to redeem but sell my liberty I am neglected let the cause be known Art thou a niggard of thy arrows grown That wert so prodigall or dost thou please To set thy Pillars up with Hercules Weary of conquest or should I disgrace Thy victories if I were daign'd a place Amongst thy other Trophies none of these Witnesse thy dayly triumphs who but sees Thou still pursuest thy game from high to low No age no Sexe can scape thy pow'rfull bow Decrepite age whose veins and bones may bee An Argument against Philosophy To prove an emptinesse that has no sense Left but his feeling feels thy influence And dying dotes not babes thy shafts can misse How quickly Infants can be taught to kisse As the poor Apes being dumb these words would borrow I' was born to day to get a babe to morrow Each plow-man thy propitious wounds can prove Tilling the earth and wishing t' were his love Am I invulnerable is the dart Rebeaten which thou level'st at my heart Ill rest my Parents bones if they have done As Tethis once did to her God-like sonne The great Archilles dipt in Stygian lake Though I am so Cupid thy arrows take Try where I am not proof and let me feel Thy ' archery if not i' th heart i' th heel Perchance my heart lyes there who would not be A Coward to be valiant made by thee I cannot say thy blindnesse is the cause That I am barr'd the freedom of thy laws The wretched out-Law of thy Mothers Court That place of comfort Paradise of sport For they may say that say thou blind canst be Eagles want eyes and only moles can see Not Argus with so many lights did shine For each fair Ladies sparkling eyes are thine Think'st thou because I doe the Muses love I in thy Camp would a faint souldier prove How came Musaeus and Anacreon then Into thy troops how came Tibullus pen Amongst thy spears and how came Ovid say To be enrold great Generall in thy pay And doubts thou me suspect you I will tell The hidden misteries of your Paphian cell To the straight lac'd Diana or betray The secrets of the night unto the day No Cupid by thy mothers doves I swear And by her sparrows 't is an idle fear If Philomel descend to sport with me Know I can be great Love as dumb as shee Though shee hath lost her tongue in such delights All should be like her only talk by nights Make me thy Preist if Poets truth divine I 'le make the Muses wanton at thy shrine They all shall wait and Dian's selfe shall be A votresse to thy Mothers Nunnerie Where zeale with nature shall maintaine no strife Where none swear chastity and single life To Venus-Nuns an easier oath is read Shee breaks her vow that keeps her maiden head Reject not then your Flamin's ministry Let me but deacon in thy Temples be And see how I shall touch my pow'rfull lyre And more inspir'd with thine then Phoebus fire Chaunt such a moving verse as soon should frame Desire of dalliance in the coyest dame Melting to amorous thoughts her heart of stone And force her to untrusse her Virgin Zone Is Lucrece or Penelope