cause that moves us to display our war O is 't not meritorious and far Beyond the price of their despised blood Your wisdome knowes your losse our cause is good Too good alas for them I know your love Still still remains alive which makes me move Those valâ—…ant hearts which alwayes you injoy'd To seek revenge 'gainst those that have destroyd Your noble friend my Father This o this Makes me require your help nor greater bliss Can to your dying tombes more honour gather Than to revenge your noble friend my Father O you so well belov'd I need not show The slothâ—…ull Thebans fearfulness you know The manner and the matter of their war How through disorder and discord they jar Amongst themselves your swords their Towers shake At the remembrance of your names they quake When in the skirmage you your valour send To court their necks and shew their lives their end Bethink you for whose sake you fight and let His wonted valor and remembrance whet Your all-commanding swords what greater gain Than their subjection can you obtain Honor from thence will spring their wealth glorieâ—… By you enjoy'd will fill your famous stories With never-dying fame and for your merit Your Sons shall everlasting praise inherit We for revenge renown and amity Our wars display they but for liberty When we have girt their City with the choice Of Martiall men then shall we hear their voice Come creeping to us but our ears are stopt From Traytors mouths till we have overtopt For justice sake on which we have reli'd Their weighty sins and high aspiring pride O you belov'd of all t is not a cause Of little worth nor only for applause I move you to this War survey your hearts There see his tomb his wounds and his deserts Ever to be admir'd your noble freind My Father whose too too unhappy end Requires their bloodâ—… desires no greater bliss Than to present his joyfull soul with this These and such words I us'd with me they swore To fetch the glory which the Thebans wore And plac't upon my Fathers tombe to crown Him with Heroick conquests and renown With me they went with me they overcame The Thebans pride and brought with them their fame Detain'd at wars I saw you not till late Returning home my ever happy fate Blest me to hear your voice My nimble Steed To gratulate my labour with the deed So well belov'd as if he knew my mind Lost me that you fair Lady might me find At this she smiles while his lov'd tale goes on Now since it is your chance to light upon What was ordain'd your own debar me not That service from which is my own by lot While I infolded in your love declare Those sweet contents in Venus pleasures are a For who with more delight can live What are Those joyes that may with these delights compare She blusht and said for e're she spake she blusht Then from her sweet but angry lips there rusht This angry speech beloved Sir I owe More inward zeal than yet I will bestow On your lascivious love and being near Her Talmos flung away and would not hear His quick-prepar'd excuse who over-waid With death-tormenting grief look'd up and said Shall these contempts ore-rule thy virtuous will O Sepha knowest thou whom thy scorns do kill Well she goes on nor looks behind to see The fruits of her disdain his Amitie But hasted home by fond suspition led So Arethusa from Alphaeus fled Till to her chamber come she unawares Beginning now to be perplext with cares Look'd from a window from a window spy'd Her fair Arcadius dead even then she cry'd Her nimble feet had not such power to bear Her half so fast awayâ—… as now her fear Returns her to him ready to complain Vpon her fate her tender eyes doe strain Balm to bedew his cheeks till a sweet kiss It seems beloved better than that blisse The Heav'ns bestow'd recall'd his sleepy eyes Who opening first straight shut again and lyes Clos'd in her arms as if nought more could grace him With greater joyes than when her arms imbrace him At length remembrance usherd by a grone Proclaim'd his life and am I left alone He said then op't his eyes whose fixed sight Not yet from deaths imbracings free did light Vpon her face about his voice to raise Soft kisses stop his speech those past he sayes Yee Gods whose too too hasty shafts have strook Beguiling joyes into my eyes and took My heavy soule from that thrice blessed place Where Sepha dwells who must Elisium grace What yeelds this Heav'n O would I still might live Her presence yeelds more joyes than Heav'n can give Invest me with all pleasures that you please In Heav'n to have with Canticles of ease That follow pious soules they nought will yield To me but grief while o're th' Elisian field And gloomy shades continuall steps I take For her safe wastage or'e the Stygian lake These words he spake taking her face for Heaven In whom the Powers all powerfull grace had given Where still he thought he was while Sepha griev'd With cordiall water from her eyes reviv'd His not yet living sense with greedy eyes He views her face who with this speech replyes To me 't is strange that you within whose brest Such rare undaunted strength and wit doth rest Through foolish grief should yeeld your sacred soul To Charons boat who shall your death condole So slightly caus'd shall I beleeve me no I 'le rather seek some noble means to show How much you strive with faint tormenting mind To raise that heart wherein you lie inshrind Should men dispair for once or twice refusall Few men would speed for to our Sex t is usual And often words outstep the carelesse lip Which past repent that e're they let them slip Now let this message in thy bosome light Arcadius thou art the sole delight Of this my wretched life for thee I live To live with thee to thee my love I give Preserve it then so worthy to be lov'd That of thee alwayes I may be belov'd Let no lascivious thought pollute the same Which may increase a scandall to my name But with unstain'd desires let me be led By Hymens rites unspotted to thy bed Have you not heard young lambs with wailing cries Lament their dams departure who still lies Vnder the sheerers hands with discontent Thinking them dead their sudden death lament While they to hinder the bemoning notes Get up and pay their ransome with their coats Even so Arcadius with attentiveâ—… care Observ'd each word her heav'nly lips did spare Still fearing lest some various conclusion Should draw his life to sable nights confusion But when he heard the full Ladies I know You can conceive what streams of joy did slow In his still honor'd brest he nimbly rose Conjur'd the Air to keep her message close From babling Ecchoes to her self he vows An amrous kiss and she his kiss allows He
THE CHAST and LOST LOVERS Lively shadowed in the persons of Arcadius and Sepha and illustrated with the severall stories of Haemon and Antigone Eramio and Amissa Phaon and Sappho Delithason and Verista Being a description of several LOVERS smiling with delight and with hopes fresh as their youth and fair as their beauties in the beginning of their Affections and covered with Bloud and Horror in the conclusion To this is added the Contestation betwixt Bacchus and Diana and certain Sonnets of the Author to AURORA Digested into three Poems by Will Bosworth Gent. Me quoque Impune volare sereno Calliope dedit ire coelo London Prnted for William Shears and are to be sold at the sign of the Bible in St. Pauls Church-Yard 1653. To the true Lover of all good Learning the Honourable John Finch Esq SIR IF Poetry be truly conceived to carry some Divinity with it and Poets on what Subjects soever their Fancies have discoursed have bin intitaled Divine as the Divine Mr. Spencer the Divine Ronsard the Divine Ariosto how much more properly may they be esteemed to be Divine who have made chast Love their Argument which is a fire descended froÌ„ Heaven and habituall in its Action is alwayes ascending and aspiring to it This is that Love which Xenophon doth distinguish from the sensuall and doth call it The heavenly Venus and with this our Poet being powerfully inspired hath breathed forth these happy raptures to declare That Love and the Muses are so near of kinne that the greatest Poets are the greatest Lovers And Sir although there is no man a more absolute master of his passions than your self and therefore you cannot be said to be subjected unto Love yet it shall be no dishonor to you to acknowledge your self to be a lover of the Muses In this confidence I have made bold to tender unto you these Poems the work of a young Gentleman of 19 years of Age who had he lived might have been as well the Wonder as the Delight of the Arts and been advanced by them amongst the highest in the Temple of Fame The Myrtle and the Cypresse Groves which he made more innocent by his Love shall remember and the musick of the Birds shall teach every tree to repeat to one another his chast complaint and the flourish of the trees shall endeavour to raise unto Heaven his name which they shall wear ingraved on their leaves These are onely his first flights his first fruits the early flowers of his youth flowers they are but so sweetly violent that as their Beauties doe arrest our eyes so I hope their perfume will continue through many Ages to testifie the Influence of your protection and the most gracefull resentments of him who is Sir Your most humble and devoted servant R. C. To the Reader THis Booke hath the fate which the modesty of Antiquity did assigne to their Bookes which is not to be extant till the Death of the Authâ—…r declining thereby the pâ—…esumption of an assumed and a sawcy Immortality and owing this new life which by their remaining labours they received to the Benefit and Commendation of Posterity These Poems are secure in themselves and neither fear the tongue of the Detractor nor desire the praise of the Encomiastick their one worth can best speak their own merit but this it shall be lawfull for me to insert that in one Book and of so small a bulke you shall seldome see more contâ—…ined He doth swell Not with th'how much he writeth but th'how well You shall find in this System the Idea of Poetry at large and in one garland all the flowers on the Hill of Parnasus or on the banks of Helicon The high the fluent and the pathetick discourses of his lovers and the transformation of them after their death into precious stones into Birds into Flowers or into Monuments of Marble you shall finde hath allusion to Ovids Metamorphosis which in Ovids own iudgement was the best piece that ever he composed and for which with most confidence he doth seem to challenge to himself the deserved honour of a perpetuall Fame The strength of his fancy and the shadowing of it in words he taketh from Mr. Marlow in his Hero and Leander whose mighty lines Mr. Benjamin Iohnson a man sensible enough of his own abilities was often heard to say that they were Examples fitter for admiration than for parallel you shall find our Author every where in this imitation This the one Some say fair Cupid unto her inclin'd Mourn'd as he went and thinking on her pin'd And in another place And as she went casting her eyes aside Many admiring at her beauty dy'd This the other And mighty Princes of her love deny'd Pin'd as they went thinking on her dy'd You shall finde also how studious he is to follow him in those many quick and short sentences at the close of his fancâ—… with which he every where doth adorn his writings The weaving of one story into another and the significant flourish that doth attend it is the peculiar Grace of Sir Philip Sidney whom our Author doth so happily imitate as if he were one of the same Inteligences that moved in that incomparable Compasse His making the end of one Verse to be the frequent beginning of the other besides the Art of the Trope was the labour and delight of Mr. Edmund Specer whom Sir Walt Raleigh and S. Keâ—…eâ—â— Digby were used to call the English Virgill and indeed Virgill himself did often use it and in my opinion with a greater grace making the last word only of his Verso to be the beginning of the Verse following as Sequitur pulcherrimus Astur Astur equo sidens veâ—…siâ—…oloribus armis Virgill hath nothing more usuall than this gracefull way of repetition as those who are most conversant with him can readily witnesse with me Our Authors making use of one and the same Verse in several places is also taken from Virgill as you shall often find in his Georgicks which he would never have let passe being full twelve years in the compleating of that work if he had conceived it would have bin looked upon as an imperfection either of two much Haste or Sloth and this also is often to be found in Homer You behold now how many and what great Examples our Author hath propounded to himself to imitate if it be obiected that it is a disparagement to imitate any be they never so excelent according to that of Horace O imitatorum stultum pecus It is no absurdity to make answer that Horace wrote that in a criticall hour when he abounded with a hypercrytical sense for if you please to look upon the Fragments of those Greek Poets which in many books are inserted at the end of Pindar you shall undoubtedly find that Horace hath translated as much of them as are now extant word for word and put them into the first book of his Odes which is very easie in this place
Lyrick and a nest Of Heav'nly raptures perfum'd odours sweet Which Nectar and Nepenthe breathings meet For Heav'ns great Queen such was her vertue given That where she was there was a second Heav'n Her face so sweet as Nature can devise Was drest with sparkling Diamonds of her eyes The sweet composure of whose beauty yeelds A Medall of the true Elisian fields Her forehead fittest place to go before Since who so speaks of beauty treads it o're Was justly call'd a path whereon did pass A way that leads you where all beauty was Close by that path two radiant lamps did rise Which some abruptly did intitle eyes Too mean a name for two such Heav'nly lights As far beyond all eyes as dayes from nights To whom was added that Coelestiall grace Of perfect pureness to adorn the face That whensoe're these seeing lamps did move They 'd light spectators on their way to love Between which eyes if eyes they may be nam'd A pillar as of purest marble fram'd Then call'd her nose did lead you to two plains Pure white and red like milk which clarret stains Two flowry fields where Flora seem'd to dwell Where white and red were striving to excell Whose raptures seem'd like a Celestiall nest Whereon distressed lovers seem'd to rest Which Paradise if any lover seeks It was presented in fair Sepha's cheeks Two pearls of that inestimable price So far beyond th' perfection of her eyes Impall'd with that excessive form of bliss Smiling you 'd think th' invited you to kiss What name or title fits fair Sepha's lips Shall some Ambrosian cup where great Jove sips Nectar from Ganamed too mean it is To bear their form it is too mean by this Jove out of them Nepenthe us'd to sip But that Nepenthe grew on Sepha's lip Then gan her teeth in a most perfect line Plac't each by other through her lips to shine More white more true than Nature could prefer To any other was it not to her Those that ne're saw might judge what they had been Like picture pearl through crimson shadows seen So was her chin like Christall over red So was her hair in decent manner spred Which she all careless down her back did wear As a fit object for the wanton Air Careless to sport with next to them was prais'd Her neck as of a Marble pillar rais'd Proud to support the weight of such a fâ—…ce In whom three Graces seem'd to be one grace Then might you see her Amber brests more white Than Scithian snow and yeelding more delight Than silly quill is able to report They were the hills where Cupid us'd to sport Between which hills there lay a pleasant Alley Whose milky paths did lead into the Valley This was that Sepha who unhappy dy'd This was that Sepha for whose hap I cry'd This was that Sepha whom the Valleys miss And this was her whose Tragick stories this Sepha the glory of the scorned earth In Talmos dwelt sometimes a place of mirth The ground whereon it stood was deck't with flowers Here lay a Meadow there were Sabine bowers The house was with a Grove of trees inclos'd Proud of the beauty that therein repos'd Only a glead there lay the trees between Where Arathea was of Talmos seen In Arathea young Arcadius dwelt A man where Nature had so freely dealt Her chiefest art and artificiall skill Pleasing each eye but most to Sephas will Oft by her window did Arcadius ride Sometimes to hunt and sometimes to divide The Air with riding swift Italian horses Here making stops there running at full courses When she unknown to him with watchfull eye Oft saw his going and his coming by So that of fire which Lovers sometimes find A spark began to kindle in her mind Once did she blame unkindly Cupid much Darling said she and is thy power such Vnkindly thus pure streams to overcome And force a heart to love she knows not whom Is he too good that thus thou dost deny Me to receive one courting from his eye Cupid scorn'st thou my prayers or dost thou shame Is he so mean to let me know his name Yet let me live let me his feature seâ—… If hee 's but vertuous 't is enough for me This said her eyes drawn by a heavy sound Saw young Arcadius groveling on the ground Whose too too nimble horse in striving most To please his master his blest burthen lost Once did she speak once did she move her tongue What sad mishap said she did thee that wrong How didst thou of thy wonted favours miss Was the ground greedy thy fair limbs to kiss At whose Celestiall voice like a sweet charm He started up and said I had no harm Thanks for your love and with a decent grace Stoops down his hat by which she saw his face Sepha said she be glad for thou hast found And seen the Arrow that thy heart did wound Well young Arcadius gets him to his steed Who guilty of the last unhappy deed With nimble strokes his master to delight Slips o're the plain from fairest Sepha's sight Go then said she the height of beauties pride And worlds chief mirror if thy heart is ty'd To any Lady whom thou call'st thy own As sure it is or else thou wouldst have shown Some more respects to me but if thou art If to another thou hast linkt thy heart Twice happy thou thrice she that shall imbrace Thy slender body and enjoy thy face This said she to a silent chamber goes Weary of love but more of mind and throws Sometimes her restless body on a bed Where love is with imaginations â—…ed Then to the window would she take her way And view the place where young Arcadius lay Thence would she to her closet where alone Alone she sate her sorrowes to bemone If such was Isis love to Lignus son Then ignorant why he her love had won And Iphis had in his Ianthe got Not yet a man yet more than one mans lot If such was Philoclea's aâ—…dent love From her own sex such free desires to move When Zelmenes eyes such direfull vapors threw And to her own prodigious accents drew If Isis was of Iphis change most glad And Philoclea her own wishes had Why may not Sepha be possest of hers Not half so far impossible as theirs But Heav'n conspird with an impatient eye And all the powers to act her Tragedy Not that Injustice with the Gods did dwell For how could they 'gainst that sweet face rebell Nor enmity against such beauty bred Whose double portion with amazement led Each greedy eye into a feild of Roses And Lillies which a â—…heaâ—…re incloses But Love whose passions with impartiall flames Now whisper'd 'mongst the Gods aloud proclaims By â—…oveâ—… consent to dispossesse us here Of our faire Heav'n for they did want her there Conspicuous fate her heart already feels Cupids dire bolt and at first Arrow yeelds No Warrier she nor striv'd with strugling hand The dart to break nor would she it
unconstant course Bequeath'd her harme and Seâ—…ha with amaze Tript o're the plains towards that sacred place Casperia nam'd and as she thus did hie Trust me Arcadius came riding by He look't on Sepha oh what good it wrought To her who with her earnest eyes besought One ravisht word to ope those lips but they Lurkâ—… still in glorieâ—… garden as they lay At this she sigh'd ô how she sigh'd at this Farwell said she and if I needs must miss Of these fair hopes yet shall my tender mind Accuse thee not thy horse did prove unkind To carry thee so fast thuâ—… with this thought And such like meditations she was brought Vnto the Temple now with Roses strew'd Then to the altar with sweet balm bedew'dâ—… Where when the Rites and Ceremonies done She read this superscription was thereon Those that Idalia's wanton garments wear No Sacrifices for me must prepare To me no quav'ring string they move Nor yet Alphaean musick love There 's no perfume Delights the room From sacred hands My Altar stands Void and defac't While I disgrac't With angry eyes Revenge the cryes Of you who to my Altar hast And in my lawes take your repast Pursue it still the chief of my pretence And happiness shall be your innocence After sh' had read what vile reproach and stain Her Queen indur'd what just cause to complain Hung on her brest by an aspersion thrown Vpon her Damsells glories and her own She sighes and through enough and too much sorrow Disdaines to live for true love hates to borrow Art to bewail mishap and as she fainted Alas too much unfit and unacquainted With grief she sighing said with swelling eye The root depriv'd of heat the branches dye Then gan her sense to play the Tragick part Of Fate and Atropos joy'd in her art Each thing she saw as all were proud t' advance Themselves to her fair eyes now seem'd to dance And turning round the Temple where she stood To her wet eyes presented a pale flood While she with scrambling hands seeking to take Hold lest she fell fell down into that Lake Where strugling still with many pretty dint Her curious hand did give the earth a print For Sepha's sake which print the earth still keeps Of which wee 'l speak a while while Sepha sleeps A foolish Prince not wise because he vow'd Virginity to dwell within a cloud And so much honor to her did ascribe Many had thought he had receiv'd a Bribe To vaunt her praise and Laurellize her name His mouth and he were Trumpets to her fame I say a Maiden Prince was lately there Whose custome was twice five times ev'ry year Cloth'd all in white and stain'd with spots of black A yellow ribond ty'd along his back To offer Turtle doves with silver plumes And strew the place with AromaÌ„tick fumes He was a Prince born of a royall blood And being nobly born was nobly good Nor onely good he was but stout and wise Save that this fond opinion vail'd his eyes Else he in ev'ry action was upright And free from vice as sorrow from delight Of Courage good for valour oft had bound His Temples up and them with Laurell crown'd Beauty lay lurking in his Magick face Worthy of praise since it chose such a place Those ruddy lips those cheeks so heav'nly fair Where Love did play the wantou with his hair Did witnesse it and witnesse this his line I found ingraven ore his golden shrine By some beloved hand whose pen doth speak Though willingly his praise alas to weak â—…o here he lies inshrind with his own sâ—â—e Whose virtuâ—…'s gone abroad to tell his name This Prince returning home by those dim lights After he had perform'd the sacred rites Of his pure zeal for night came peeping on Whose sable face had thruâ—… the weary Sun Beyond the Northern Pole whether it was To hide her fault and bring his end to passe Or whether t was to view his sacrifice She stealing came or t' keep him from the eyes Of those destroyers thaâ—… about did gather To steal his life or hast distruction rather To me t is not reveal'd but sure it is To sure alas Conspicuous fate was his Could Heaven permit the deed or give consent Who should be just to the accomplishment Of this nefarious act could Phaebus eye Be dazled so or yield a sympathy To this rebellious inhumanity Better had he renounc't the vowes he made And spent his days under some gloomy shade Better had he in flowry fields abide And lead his flock by purling Rivers side Better had he bestrid the fomy waves Where Pactolus his weary body laves Yea better far he nere had been allide To Dian's Laws far better had he dy'd And die he did did death commit a sinne No yet when first his arrows doe begin Vntimely death to force t is often said His sulphur breath hath the sweet spring decaid He was but young the girdle of the year By which our humane actions do appear And so we live and dye had nere imbrac't Thrice three times twice his young and tender wast Scarce could he stand upon the joyfull ground And crop those blushing cherries which he found Vpon their infant trees yet envious eye Conspir'd to end his perpetuity And thus it was as young Eramio came From Dians temple for so was his name Amissa who had oft desir'd to free Her brest of that hell-knawing jealousie By her conceiv'd for this Amissa had Bin with the beauty of Eramio clad In a supreme desire towards his love Oft with her letters did she strive to move With Cupids lawes him to retain alliance Till he who scorn'd obedience gave deâ—…iance This could not cool that heaâ—… which had inspir'd A longing hopes to that which he desir'd She sighs and weeps she sighs and laughs she cryes And in a rage doth heave towards the skyes Her feeble hands she studies how to tempt Him to her lure lovers are oft exempt Of modesty and in a rage doth go Towards her inke as lovers use to doe And frames this letter which I chanc'd to meet Ah me t was young Eramio's winding sheet Amissa to Eramio I Heard how elder times enjoy'd the bliss Of uncouth love Fame the Historian is Men whose heroick spirits scorn to bend Their gallant necks to any servile hand Whose beauty could command as noble eyes I and as many as these Azure skies E're shew'd thy face to view with a desire Their glorious parts and viewing to admire Yet these in whom each God have placâ—…d an eye To make a shrill and pleasant harmony Of all their glories in one sound alone Yet these so far have their affection shown With sword and lance to make their faith approv'd Though as thy self not half so well belov'd How canst thou then disdain this humble â—…ute Of a pure love how can thy pen be mute Many detesting loveâ—… and scorn his name Yet with their pens will certifie the same By answer
while I in faith involv'd Fluentus doe by this make thee resolv'd Eramio to Fluentus REports of Gratulations to retain Me for your vowed servant are but vain For prosperous gales may drive me more your debtor Through Neptunes fomie floods to love you better For this pretext Epithalamium like The mirror of which influence doth strike That Epithesis to my humid sense That young Leander like I banish hence Foolish dispaire when such an easy price Favour'd by love may win a merchandise Richer than Cholchos pride such power and force Have your Platonick lines to make a course That once seem'd tedious when it was begun Pleasant and short to those that needs must run Thus far my thanks your counsell being had Kindly and seriously of one as glad As may be when he finds a friend will say And botch his lines to make an hower a day Trust me the winds are not so false as fleet Nor amorous nor kiss they all they meet Without exception those be foolish winds Which Boreâ—…s like blusters on all it finds There is indeed a breath that takes delight With his obdurate busses to affright Chaldei met come from Lavinium dales In love's disgrace but these are not the gales My Muse reports of t is a pleasing aire Which only sits and nestles in the haire Of my dear love which like a feth'red rain Circuits the Globe and thither comes again Witness the heads of those Aeolin streams Whose bubling currents murmur forth the dreams Of Nymphs and Satyres which acount the groves The ardent Salopia for their loves Ardent Narcissus mist the love he sought Yet foolish boy what ere he wisht he caught He lov'd himself and when himself he misses The eccho's mock him for his foolish wishes Amidst such Hero and such â—…hisban choices Thrusting him farther with their wanton voices To deeper griefs mounted on th' highest tops Dispair could grant those clear and silver drops Which only lingred time to kiss she sweet The innocent the purâ—… and heavenly feet Of my faire love amaz'd him to behold For what they touch't they straitway turn'd to gold For shame Queen Flora daigns not to appeare Abash't to seâ—… a fairer Flora here Nor Cynthia did more chastity embrace Than she nor Venus a more lovely face Whose radient eyes that kindle Cupids fire Are Cos amoris whetstones of desire Then strive not this intire knot to undoe For I can love thee and Amissa too Eramio This by the one wrot by the other read Stopt Letters mouthes and sudden Parly bred In which dispute Eramio did haste To publish proofs but in his proofs was cast O dear Fluentus said Eramio In whom my soul revives by this I know Thou art upright so will I be upright No more the wicked boy shall taint my sight With his deluding parables I hate His idle lawes and at as high a rate Esteem Diana's worship as before I ever did and her alone adore And will you then neglect that lovely chase Fluentus said you so much did imbrace I will said he and if Eramio live No more I will my youth and honour give To foolish love Idalia's son I bid Thy laws adue and so indeed he did Which when his love the faire Amissa knew How all her wished joys abortive grew She watch't a time even as Eramio came From sweet Casperia Dian's sacred flame And there by force love conquering did move her By force to make Eramio her lover Eramio starts mistrusting even as reason Her self would do some new intended treason What cause said he hath urg'd you to this plot Against my life ye men I know ye not About to strike the faire Amissa cryes O â—…old thy blow for if thou strik'st she dies Whose death thou seek'st And came the cause from thee Eramio said let this thy glory be Thou worst of Women that thou hast receiv'd Thy death from him whose hand hath thee bereav'â—… Of a polluted soul when thou shalt come 'Fore Rhâ—…damanth there to receive thy doom For this last act lament thy self and houl In that thou hast been tainted with so foul An ignominious stain could thy base hearâ—… Permit fruition to this dev'â—…ish art Of base conspiracy O hel-bred evill Hatch't by infernall potions of that Devill Father to thee and thine had I suppos'd So faire a frame as thine could have inclo'd Such hatefull guess within or had I thought Thy often flatt'ring messages had wrought By that black art from which this harm proceeds Or such faire beauty could have mask'd such deeds Long since thy soule to that black Cave had fled Of envious night and I snatch'd from thy head Those glorious Anadems thou us'd to wear Chaplets of curious flowers I did prepare For thy bewitching browes O how I hate My wicked star my too too envious fate I hate the time that did induce desire Of love I hate the fewel caus'd the fire I hate my eyes too credulous and kind To thy false heart that strikes thy beauty blind And which more honour from thy brest discovers To give example to young foolish lovers I vow by heaven and all the powers there be Therein I hate my self for loving thee His words half spoke Cyandus daughter cryes Is this the meed of zealous love and dyes For young Eramio in this plot deceav'd Vp from the ground the massie stone had heav'd Borne by the fury of a Tyrannous spite And as his present anger did invite Hurl'd it amongst them heard you not the sounds Of strugling vialls powring from their wounds Consumed oyle Amissa's feeble heart Paying untimely death for his wish't dart Its purest streams but lo a sudden change Wrought by inspired miracles doth range There deep amased eares amidst the throngs Of their shrill cryes were heard Elisian songs Like those when Iove his Ganimed had stolâ—… Grâ—…nting a pleasant convoy to her soul Her soul and body gon those Heav'ns to grace As too too worthy for this sordid place Her heart to manifest the cleer complection Of her upright of her unstain'd affection Was metamorphos'd to a Diamont Which so th' afflicted lover did affront With visions dreams and such like signs to move A good conceit of her unspotted love Hold hold said he let my revenge alone The Gods have wayes enowe if once but shown The time will come when Vâ—â—us will inspire Into each scornfull brest tormenting fire By nought to be extinguisht for I know If Poets can divine it must be so It must be so and those who now deride Her holy laws and have too much reli'd Vpon the foolish worships of the Queen Of Chastity whose power is still unseen Ev'n as I am so will I alwayes pray Shall be perplext a thousand times a day This hand curst be this hand and every hand That rescu'd me and helpt me to withstand That glorious yoke my neck should daily move Vnder Amissa's too respective love This hand no more shall sprinkle the persume Of Frankinsence in Dian's
hallowed room But if it ever an oblation make To any Altar or doe e're partake In any solemn sacrificers vow More zeal and honor shall appear in mine Amissa it shall be upon thy shrine These words were stopt by Menothantes Father Who to revenge his Sisters death but rather To quit his stock of an abusive crime Was laid upon the Worthies of the time Suppos'd though false by him whereof you have In this portraite a Copy which I leave To your chast eyes in hope you will permit A charitable censure over it For sweet Eramio's sake old Paeâ—â—s son Striving to perfect what he had begun To which his bloody heart had bin inur'd With his invenom'd dart a death procur'd To young Eramio who sighing said See see unhappy fate hath me betraid But while speaks he to Amissa goes Invokes the powers to pardon him and throws His body on the blood-besprinkled ground Where when distilling tears had washt her wounds Ay me said he that this doth us betide So kist into her lips his soul and dy'd So much the Cretan lad with weeping voice Had told and was about to tell the rest But lest said he Ladies the heavy noise Of her mishap should your chast ears molest A while give respite to my tongue that I May gather strength to end her Tragedy Finis Libri Primi SO far my Childish Muse the wanton plaid To crop those sweets the flowry Meadons bore Pleasing her self in valleys as she straid Unable yet those lofty hills to soar But now her wings by stronger winds aspire In deeper songs to tune her warbling lyre For what before her infant brain declar'd Was but a key to tune her quav'ring strings Allwaies to have her Instruments prepar'd To sing more sweet when she of Sepha sings Who from above even for her virtues sake Will shrill my sound and better Musick make Now let me tell how EPIMINIDES With weeping voice and penetrating eyes Reviv'd the Ladies who themselvs did pleaseâ—… By purling streams to wail his miseries Who while the Meads with his complainings rang Wiping his eyes these sad Encomions sang THE HISTORIE OF ARCADIUS and SEPHA Liber Secundus I Told you Ladies if your tender hearts Admit attention while my tongue imparts Such heavie newes how young Eramio came With yearly incense to the hallow'd fame Of the Alphaean worship and how fate Abridg'd his life with nights eternall date I told you also leaving her asleep How Sepha's eyes ore-charg'd with tears did weep And as she swounded how her curious hands Did give the earth a print which print still stands To keep her fame alive but what it was Through too much grief my toâ—…gue did overpass As fit'st it seems to be inserted here That as my heavy story doth draw neer Towards her end so her immortall praise Rap't in her sweet Encomions may raise Conjugall tears from each distilling eye Whose praise and fame shall them accompany With her harmonious voice I mean the love Her soul will powr upon them from above And that her eyes may make all sighs the fairer Her soul will smile to see the love they bare her The spices which Eramio had strew'd About the altar her wet eyes bedew'd With sorrowing tears which daily they did cast Vpon the same and made thereof a paste Like those congealed clouds which some have given A glorious title call'd the walls of Heaven So Sepha falling fell upon the same From whose fair hand that fair impression came By some swift Savo call'd for many say From thence Campanian a Savo took her way And there it is where each Campanian maid For yearly offerings her vow hath paid With the Medean draughts t' revive the fame Of Sepha dead Savo from Sepha came But that 's not all the print whereof I spake Though some affirm 't is yet 't is not a Lake For if the spices which Eramio cast Dry'd up her tears and thereof made a paste How can a Lake ensue but this is sure There was a corner of the altar pure From any blot on this Eramio laid His Aromatick spices as he praid This being turn'd into a past by those Distilling eyes which dying seldome close The palm of her fair hand did gently press The yeelding paste and as she up it reard Like a triangled heart the print appeard The fingers standing just upon the heart Presented Cupids shafts which he doth dart On simple souls from whence ensues the bloud The blood being gon came that â—…amâ—…anian flood Thus palm and fingers having shown the love By â—…upids net intangled strait did move T'another form no figure there was seen While yet they gaze upon 't the place grows green At this they stare at this a flower up-starts Which still presents the form of wounded hearts This being seen by Nymphs that haunt the Springs Each took a slip it to their Mansion brings Where being set it 's now in every grove A pretty flower and call'd the Lâ—…dy-glove Now let me tell of Sepha and her hap That did ensue while she in Fortunes lap Lies lull'd asleep sleep had her sense bereav'd And chieâ—…ly for the love she had conceiv'd Of her Arcadius bethinking hard Either he is of charity debarr'd Or linkt t' anothers virtue and surmising Hee 's not to be imbrac'dâ—… waking and rising She found her self by him to be imbrac't Who being present at her fall did haste To hale her breath again those eyes that wrought Confusion first now more confusion brought Having Arcadus kist she thinks some dream Deludes her wandering sense in which extream Rapt with conceit of this her present good Her greedy eyes with ardent wishes woo'd That Heaven in which her present hopes remain'd A worlds continuance and she had obtain'd What she desir'd had not the winged boy Vnbent his bow with period of their joy Yet something to her hopes he did admit To whet the heavy sacrificers wit While young Arcadius with trembling hand Felt how the pulse as if at Deaths command Sounded a loud Alarm fair Heav'n said he In whom all grace and vertues planted be Why will you suffer that a infernall hound To dare to come to give this heart this wound Vse that celestiall power the powerfull Gods Have giv'n that grief and you may live at odds I know those eyes one wink from those fair eyes Have power to banish hence all miseries Are incident to man so rare a gift Did nature find when onely but this shift T' amaze spectators she for you had left For know when Nature fram'd you she befreft The world of all perfections to make You of divine and Heav'nly good partake As well as humane that there might agree In you of every grace a sympathy So said the blushing damsell with delight Of this new friend did with her eyes requite His too soon ended speech O Heav'ns she said That have respect to me unworthy maid And daigne this good to me so oft desir'd Direct me so
that e're I have expir'd This perfect bliss and am depriv'd the same I may enjoy the knowledg of his name Grant this ye Gods to me impatient till I know his naame his Countrey and his will Then did she pull her scarf from off her face And putting by her hair with that sweet grace That Venus us'd when to Adonis eyes She did expose her love Sepha did rise With such sweet looks as cannot be exprest And said these favors Sir and sigh'd the rest Well thought Arcadius something there remains And t is some weighty cause that it detains Grant Heav'n that as I hope so it may prove By her unpollisht sentence to be love For he in dreams and visions oft had seen A Lady who for him alone had been Tortur'd a thousand wayes with blubbred cheeks She oft had said receive her love who seeks No other life than for thy owne deserts T' enjoy thy presence and admire thy parts She being now recover'd sate her down To view Arcadius whom the Priest did crown With wreaths of Lawrell which he alwayes wore For the upright affection that he bore Then to the Altar went he where he praid While Sepha overcome with passion said So loud that he might hear were I the Saint To whom he prayes sure I would hear his plaint At this Arcadius look't upon her lips And blest them that they let that message slip Then with his pure devotion onward goes and on the Altar throwes A winged heart which lately he had got For sacrifice about the heart was wrote These next insuing lines The purest peice of Mans delight In whom his life and Love consists Whose softness keeps from gloomy night Which nought can peirce but Amatystsâ—… Is here presented on thy Throne Bedew'd with tears of faithfull vowes Presenting thee what is thy own The best to please thy virgin browes To fan thy face with her cool wings And fly the faster as she sings Which I by chance The better hiâ—… sad story to advance Have Copi'd forth about the wings there was Some other Lines which I will not let ' pass That Gentle Ladies ye may not have cause Of his devotion to detract th' applause Fly swift my thoughts and through this sacred fire That by those sweet distilling drops above So may I live and scape the Dart And flourish like those Flowers it fills First let Vâ—…luptas weep Câ—…stâ—…lioâ—… liquor 's free â—…'re I forsake Or yet deny Mount up to her â—…et her to me retire She may infuse to me religious love While her sweet breath saivs up my heart With Nectar sweet which one frown kils And Gloria fall asleep Medea bitter bee Thy praise to make Thy â—…iâ—…tie These and the like Arcadius presents Mingled with deep and choice perfuming sents Of many bitter sighs he turnd him round Salutes the Priest the Altar and the ground Whereon it stood then to faire Sepha turns Who while her heart with strange affection burns Meets him with nimble eyes he gently bends A Trembling Cringe to Sepha who attends With her impatient eares that happy houre When the wish't Sun shall show that gracious flower She loves unknowne till a sigh doth bewray As if the prologue for a following play These next ensuing words and such they were They did requite the time she stayd to hear Harpoc aâ—…es may clame a vow I made Faire Lady under his beloved shade When my insipient years too too blame With rash attempts to Lauralize the fame Of â—…upids power invested that disgrace Which still should be a shadow to my face Then cause one way did lead to both their Towers He took hir Magick hand and with whole showers Of tears first washt them then with a faint kiss Dri'd them and walking homeward told her this The story of PHAON and SAPPHO In Lesbos famous for the comick layes That us'd to spring from her o'reflowing praise Twice famous Sappho dwelt the fairest maid Mitâ—…lin had of whom it once was said Amongst the Gods a sudden question was If Sappho or Thalia did surpass In Lyribliring tunes it long remaind Till Mnâ—…mosyne the Mother was constrain'd To say they both from her begetting sprang And each of th' others warbling Lyra a sang There was a Town in Lesbosâ—… now defac'd Anâ—…issa nam'd by Neptunes arms imbrac'd There Sappho had a Tower in it a grove Bedeck'd with pearls and strew'd about with love â—â—uâ—…otheanâ—…branches overspred the same And from the shadowes perfect odors came To dress it most there was a purple bed All wrought in works with azure mantles spred The tables did unspotted carpets hold Of â—…yrian dyes the edges fring'd with gold Along this grove there stealing ran a Spring Where Sappho tun'd her Muse for she could sing In golden verse and teach the best a vain Beyond the musick of their sweetest straine Here while she sang a ruddy youth appear'd Drawn by the sweetness of the voice he heard Sing on said he fair Lady let not me Too bold give period to your melody Nor blame me for my over bold attempt Although I yeeld of modesty exempt â—…n doing this and yet not over bold For who so hears the voice and doth behold The lips from whence it comes would be as sad As I and trust me Lady if I had But skill to tempt you with so sweet a touch Assure you you your selfe would doe as much She answers not for why the little God Had touch'd her heart before and made a rod For one contempt was past she view'd him hard Whose serious looks made Phaon half affeard She was displeas'd about to goe she cryes Stay gentle Knight and take with thee the prize To thee alone assur'd the boy look'd pale But strait a ruddy blush did make a veil T' obscure the same while thus he panting stood A thousand times he wisht him in the Wood From whence he came and speaking not a word Let fall his hat his javelin and his sword She being young and glad of an occasion Stoopt down to take them up he with perswasion Of an half shewing love detains her hand From it and with his fingers made the band To chain them fast now Love had laid his scean And draw'd the tragick plot whereon must lean The ground of all his Acts great Deity When thy foreseeing nove-sight can descry Things which will hap why dost thou train their loveâ—… With pleasant musick to deceitfull groves See how the love of some with equall weight By vertue poiz'd live free from all deceit To whom thou help'st with thy beloved darts And link'st their true inviolable hearts Why deal'st not so withall are some too hard Or hath inchanted spells their heartâ—… debarr'd From thy keen shafts you Powers should be upright Not harmâ—…ull Godsâ—… yet thou still tak'st delight In bloody ends why did'st not wink at these And send thy shafts a thousand other wayes That more deserv'd thy anger or if needs Thou would'st be doing while thy power proceeds In