bright to every eye and Lords And greatest persons of the Court are proud To say Urania favours them to wear The Title of her Servant as a Gem Too rich to be examin'd whence she came For her low Birth Madam this morning sprung First to our eyes from yonder barren hill And so will thousand Stars at night though this And they and she are lights from Heaven all Their rise is mean or noble only from Our situation so is hers You cast Your eyes upon her from the hight of Birth And fortune too and see her low whilst that Some other Princess Born as high but not Beneath so happy Stars beholds her through The thicker Medium of her Tears and thinks Her Birth more noble ' cause more free and less Subject to Fate that doth like Thunder oft O'erturn vast Oaks whilst Rue and Vervin stands Her Loves are free without which we may wear Fetters of gold but they are Fetters still And fit as hard as Iron though more rich Whilst many great folks are constrain'd to wed By Law and Policie and marry those Old Men in Council shall think fit who have So many years for gotten love and hate Now all but wealth and Empire ' cause themselves Have nothing else to boast of left Cleantha being not able longer to contain her self at this goes abruptly from Endym. to a Sun-Dial which stood not far from the walk where she lets fall some tears her back being towards Endymion and says with a low voice Cleantha Now thou art not fond Endymion saith Thou art unhappy And wilt thou say so And leave me so Endymion No my passion Is now Authoriz'd and I 'll speak She wipes her eyes My Lord Would you think it were so late already Endym Indeed Endym. Comes to the Dial. I cou'd not think it had been night so late But every part of Heaven hasts to see What it so loves and favours your bright self Cleant. Well my Lord I do not wonder much So great a Wit should thus maintain so great A Paradox since that in nothing less It can find its true exercise But say And tell me truly should I make 't my care To chuse a Mistress for you fair as Urania If thousands may be judges and as Vertuous Because she truely honours Vertue but Extracted from a Family would give Luster to yours although it were as mean As hers you court now say would you not leave Urania for her who doth seem to me To undervaule your respects Tell me my Lord. Endym. pauseth a while Madam should your highness condescend to chuse A Torment for me it were impudence In me to chuse ought else But that 's all blest Which is so like Urania Cleant. So like to her Vrania's body's fair but what 's that mind Which cannot apprehend the true contents Of being bound with sacred chaynes to him Who in her Closet and alone can be The whole world to her unto whom she may Bring all her doubts and tell her sorrows and Repeat her joyes and have his censure on them What is that minde which cannot value such True satisfactions more perchance then Crowns And Sceptres which is more then e'er Vrania Doth ever hope for sure Endym. Great Princess could I own Half those perfections I might happy be Without Vrania But Urania knows She may find thousands of more merit then The poor Endymion who durst never measure Himself but by the passion he had for her Cleant. Sure 't was his modesty He might have thriven Much better possibly had his ambition Been greater much They oft-times take more payns Who look for Pins then those who finde out Stars Endym. They do and are unfortunate But know Know highest Princess those may search for such Small things you 're pleas'd to name who only have A little candle of as small a value But those who seek out Stars must be provided VVith Arts and Glasses and such costly things As humble folkes must be content to want Cleant. Those coyer Stars indeed which so retire Their little eyes in Heavens vast Bosom do They say require those things you mention but For others of more magnitude you need Only to fix your eyes and they 'll appear By their own light and all you have to do Is to receive those Beams they cast upon you Endym. You cannot erre great Princess But 't is hard To fix our eyes aright upon that part Of Heaven where those Stars inhabit if VVe have not some directions first Cleant. Indeed Those who look downwards ought to be directed To look above them to the highest sphere For there the Stars are then I 'm apt to think Their task will not prove hard She blusheth My Lord I blush Thus to instruct you in Astronomy Endym. No wonder Madam if I 'm proud of what You blush at and esteem this my best knowledge VVhich your unbounded wit perhaps to morrow Will with much greater reason quite deny Clean. My Lord you think no woman's ever constant To what she saith a day but your Urania But till you 've try'd pray have more charity You 'll after have more Faith 'T is late my Lord You have oblig'd me with your company Exit Clean. Endym. sol VVhat meant this last discourse Heaven blest Heaven VVas 't not enough to lose my dear Urania Unless I also did adore the hand VVhich snatch'd her from me Cleantha love Endymion The great the pure Cleantha All my hopes In rich and holy Incense stifled are The worlds best light hath burnt my Phenix with A thousand Spices but Fool â— it cannot be Can brave Cleantha love the poor Endymion Cleantha pardon this wild thought forgive The proud Endymion Never may he know Thy noble breast harbour a thought so low Exit Endym Finis Act. 3. ACTUS 4. Enter Neander sol in a fury Neand. I Wonder who the Devil intends I shall marry with for marry I will by Heaven though the Match be made in Hell I have been a servant as they call it that is I have sworn and ly'd and spent money upon every Lady of Quality in the whole Court yet I am still so far from having a Wife among them all as the veryest Eunuch in the Great Turks Seraglio is from having a Child among all those wenches Indeed I never was in any probability unless in my own conceit of winning any one but the sweet Evadne and now that the Queen and her ugly Father should cross me should forbid her to speak to me to see me it is what I cannot I will not bear though Fate it selfe say I shall do it No I have been told that most old folks when the Wine of Love is worn our in them live some years by its Vinegar Spight and I will do the same I am resolved and that old gray Priest and his Mistress the Queen shall be my subjects And yet I am not ambitious to shew my valour so far as to be hang'd for it neither This if I
chance to be seen by any in their passage thither This he asserted with much violence and at last after much discourse the Priest was perswaded by him to attend the Queen there in the habit of a woman instead of Neander whose enterance he had promised to hinder by shutting the door he was to pass at to get into the garden and thus when the Queen should begin to speak to him as her Lover he should then make know himself unto her and do his duty in justly blaming her for so unvertuous an action King Where ends this Lordreads on This the Priest did And he was not sooner entred into the grotto but he found the Queen there before him But the Queen seeming to expect his speaking first and he not allowing his lips to be provided on this subject told her plainly that she was mistaken of her Lover that he was her Priest and then producing a little light he had concealed in a dark Lanthorn he manifested himself and perfectly discerned the Queen although in a disguise The Queen thinking her self bound to give an account of her being there and yet very loath to speak the cause of it at last told him that as her Confessor she would reveal unto him that the King had of late somewhat an immoderate respect for a young lass named Urania belonging to the Princess and that having forced a promise from the poor maid she did by the Lord Endymions means easily perswade her self for the securing of the Kings honour to supply the place of the said Vrania they having agree'd to have no lights and to speak very low which she accordingly had done for some nights before and with such success that the King returned rather satisfied in his reason then his Love King All truth Lord reads on But having re-assumed his desires she had again this night a summons to the same taske from a woman of hers nam'd Phronesia which was the occasion of her being in that place But all this she did very passionately desire the Priest to be secret in in that it concerned so neerly the Kings honour King And what then Lord. On this we immediately sent for Geron who after many threats confess'd as followeth That the Lord Neander being crossed in his love to Evadne Daughter to the Priest by the Queen and Priest her Father was resolved on a revenge for them both and by removing them out of the way to accomplish his design of marrying Evadne To this end he promiseth to Geron great rewards for the contrivance of the business wo accidentally by his sculking up and down in every corner to watch his wife Phronesia of whom he is very jealous over-heard the agreement between Urania and Endymion concerning the Queens supplying her place in the Grotto On this foundation he founds the whole fabrick of his hellish plot For sending his wife Phronesia who having been horribly abused by him was willing notwithstanding to purchase his respect at any rate whatever unto the Queen as from Urania only with these words in her mouth That she humbly desired her Majesty to think of her royal promise at eleven of the clock that night and of the King as she had been pleased to do some few nights before the Queen he knew would on this resolve to be at that time in the Grotto After which he goes himself to the Priest and counts to him what is before repeated in the Priests confession And in the last place he had the impudence to come to your Majesty and tell you what your Majesty was pleased to inform us of And all this Neander and he were resolved to outface with oaths in case it should ever come to be examined for they supposed it probable that your Majesty would in fury have killed both the Queen and Priest on the place which was the reason for which Geron perswaded your Majesty to have Pistols or a Stilletto with you King Wicked Villains Lord. After this we sent for Neander who amaz'd at his condition confessed the whole business in the same manner As also Phronesia what Geron affirmed concerning her King Blest Heaven how are thy wayes just like thy orbs Involv'd within each other yet still we finde Thy judgments are like Comets that do blaze Affright but dye withall whilst that thy mercies Are like the Stars who oft-times are obscured But still remain the same behinde the clouds Pyrrh May all your doubts and fears thus terminate Lord. Thus are you shaken to be more confirm'd King Pyrrhus send for Urania she shall wear This day the just rewards of Vertue I Will visit my brave Queen who rather chose To die unjustly as a Criminal Then that her Lord should justly so be term'd For which I will proclaim my fault since she Will have the glory of concealing it Exit Pyrrhus Lord. Heaven bless your Majesty King My Lord. I 'd have the Councel with all speed remove Into the Hall where before all the Court I 'll bring my Queen in triumph there to hear Her base accusers sentenc'd Lord. It shall be done Exeunt King and Lord. Enter Evadne weeping Evad. Alas Evadne miserable Maid Why didst thou ever begg to leave thy cell Where thou didst never injure any one To see this place and here in some few weeks To do more mischief then whole Generations Can parallel Unfortunate Evadne It had been better thou hadst ever dwelt In those retirements where small sins seem great And great Devotions small where folks make conscience To taste of any thing that ever bled Then to be found there where the blood of Queens And Priests are sacrifices to the Malice Of wicked Men. It this to be at Court Ah poor poor Girl How hath thy Ignorance Deluded thee And 't was but just that she Who did begin to disobey her father Until he gave her new commands should be Punish'd by that which tempted her It is Enough she 's innocent although she prove Unfortunate Whatever Neander did Heaven knows I never knew Yet I much doubt I 'm somewhat guilty ' cause 't was for my sake Exit Evadne Enter the Lords of the Councel and seat themselves Enter a guard of Souldier with Neander Geron and Phronesia who are placed at the Bar as Prisoners to receive sentence Enter Musick then the King leading his Queen crown'd and in royal apparel after them the Priest They place themselves on high in the middle of the Councel and the Priest somewhat lower next the King Then this Song is sung Thus from the Prison to the Throne Vertue comes to claime her own And now appears Upon that Throne a Star Who lately at the Bar Stood only Jewel'd with her Tears 1. Great Queen 2. Great Queen Chorus Whoever was so well content To suffer and be innocent To suffer and be innocent Exit Musick Enter Gentleman leading Urania King The fair Vrania Madam I must this day Turns to the Queen Do honour to this Virgin And since it 's To
his fame Is this poor childe for whom I beg your mercy Not to extinguish with one stroke all that The strokes of Fate have left among the ruines Of a late glorious Family King Her language Bespeaks her something else then her mean habit 'T is strange But how do you make good What you affirm How came you to Arcadia Parth. Will you Majesty be pleas'd in short To hear my story I shall be brief King Say on But if you speak not truth you shall partake Your daughters Fate Parth. Let heaven by my witness And if I lye my Executioner I shall not now repeat the long misfortunes Of my unhappy Prince by that dire War His Rebel-Subjects rais'd against him through His too great goodness These reports enough Already have afflicted all good ears And all good hearts I now shall only tell you When he had acted out his Tragedy And wicked hands had made him glorious By patient suffering all that Malice could Inflict upon his person They next come To his Relations How they did betray And butcher divers of them all have heard And I have felt I having now remaining Of all my Treasure this poor Jewel only Some few Months old and knowing how soon Kingdoms Seem to grow weary of th' unfortunate Resolv'd when all look'd strange upon me to Retire to some small place such as my fortune Could make my own and there to buy my Peace With my obscurity and learn to be Contented with a little since Heaven thought Much too much for me Hither then I came Invited by the Peace of this blest Region And purchas'd the small Cottage where I dwell And learn'd to change my Scepter for a sheep-hook And thus I bred this childe and never told her Ought of her Father's or of my Misfortunes Not willing to disturb those sweet contents She took in being all she hop'd to be And all she understood she felt no care And with more pleasure govern'd her small flock Then her unhappy Father his great Kingdom And this was my content and Heaven can witness How oft I 've blest those Powers it doth contain For this condition and how little I Have envi'd any one But Heaven that oft Affronts the highest Probabilities And gratifies by ways were never thought of T' incourage men to pray but not prescribe When all my greatness now was set when I Had lost the Twi-light too of hope and was Gone far from all my Losses to forget them When my great Palace where I once commanded Was shrunk into a Cottage to obey in When I despair'd to see Urania great The only spark that still kept in my Life And only pray'd she might be innocent In this low Ebb when all my hopes were grown More prostrate then my fortune Heaven begins To dawn upon me and instruct me those Are neerer it who kneel in humble Cells Then such as stand on tip toe on high Towrs For now Theander makes Vrania more A Princess then a Kingdom could by courting Her as a shepherdess and shews the world That more then Chance conduced to her greatness Immerit persons may be born thus but By wise folks they will ne'er be chosen to it And such Theander's known to all the world I could have told Theander the whole truth When he would needs aske my consent to wed My erst neglected childe but that I would not Lessen those great contents he seem'd to take In his Arcadia that a Cottage had Brought forth a person fit to be a Princess But chiefly I reflected on the dark Meandrous paths of fate and gratifi'd My former sufferance by being now admitted Into its Councels and the Prospect of Its hidden steps 'Till now it thinks not fit I longer should enjoy the priviledge It hath deny'd the more deserving world For witness of all this I do invoke Those powers who never testifie untruths And here produce those small remains of Greatness She shews several very rich Jewels Misfortune yet hath left me See here great Prince That so fam'd Jewel which so many Kings Of Thrace have worn and with such veneration Have still preser'd on an old Prophecie This should preserve the Thracian Family King I need no Testimony but those words All Queens might blush to hear from Cottagers But is it possible so mean a place So long should hold great Cleopatra How could she lift her eyes to Heaven beneath So low a roofe When they look'd up for mercy How were they minded of it's Cruelty Unheard of Patience Cleopat Know great Prince and know it From one who hath experimented greatness too When I had satisfi'd my self in my Endeavours of regaining my lost Rights And saw it all unprosperous as if Heaven long enough had giv'n one Family The priviledge to govern other folks I was as well content to be the first Must learn to act again with common people As he who first was call'd from them to rule And did endeavour by my Vertue to Deserve again what possibly my sin Had made me loose And thus I found in patience As much content in suffering as I did In Moderation in prosperity And pay'd to Heaven as true as real thanks For this as e'er I did for that King Great Queen The Prophecy is now fulfill'd That Jewel Will serve to satisfie the world as much Of all you say as your own words have me And thus preserve the Thracian Family Embraceth and kisseth Vrania Dear Daughter Still be happy And forgive Our ignorance I cannot love thee better Then at that very time I did condemn thee I could as well have sentenc'd my two eyes Salutes Cleopatra And pardon us dear sister if we first Ask'd pardon where we did most need it Call Our Queen immediatley and tell Cleantha Urania is alive Pyrrh I shall be proud To be the Messenger Exit Pyrrh Trumpets without King What 's that The Prince is come Lord. The Prince is come King What will Theander say to see his dear Urania thus attir'd at his return Vran. He 'll say you 're merciful Enter Queen and Cleantha King My Queen See here great Cleopatra And call her Sister Take Cleantha take Her thou hast wept for Pyrrhus hath told you All Heavens goodness The Queen Salutes Cleopatra then runs and embraceth Urania Enter Theander King See here the Prince My Son Never more welcome Never did more joy Spring from more sorrow He sixeth his eyes on Uran. Theand. Bless me dread Sir What scene doth entertain me Are your joys Express'd by sacrifice King Theander take Take thy Urania and wonder not At any thing but her Theand. My Triumphs more Affright me then my conquests Queen My Son be happy In thy best choyce Let not thy wonder make Us longer languish Theand. Madam I will believe Salutes the Queen And hope in time to understand Dear Cozen. Goes to salute Cleantha who steps back Cleanth Sir when you first have done Your merited respects unto the Queen Of Thrace your Mother then to
THE Revvards of Vertue A COMEDIE By J. F. Gent. LONDON Printed by Ja. Cottrel for Hen. Fletcher at the three Gilt Cups in St. Pauls Church-yard 1661. The Persons BASILIUS the King THEANDER the Prince The PRIST PYRRHUS a Lord of the Court the Kings confident NEANDER a vain Lord of high birth ENDYMION a Lord of a small fortune GERON an old jealous Knight husband to PHRONESIA The QUEEN CLEANTHA a young Princess Neece to the QUEEN URANIA a young Shepherdess waiting on CLEANTHA EVADNE daughter to the PRIEST newly come to the Court. PHRONESIA an ordinary Court-Madam belonging to the QUEEN PARTHENIA Mother to URANIA The Scoene Arcadia Actus 1. Scoena 1. Enter Pyrrhus Neander and Endymion Pyrrh BElieve 't my Lords they say the Prince doth wonders Neand. They say he kils a world of men indeed But 'faith I think the wonder'd greater been Had he made but half so many live Pyrrh Perchance my Lord you 'd have him turn Physitian Nean. Rather then Butcher 't is the nobler Trade Pyrrh Why but they are his enemies he kills Men that offend and do deserve to die Neand. Oh! then I think you 'll praise the Hang-man next You give a definition of his Trade Pyrrh If I do not mistake your humour Sir You never were much taken with this dying It is a thing I do confess doth mar A Courtier much Neand. Why faith my Lord 't is true Let broken Merchants and the busie rout Who durt the Streets when their designs miscarry Cry that there 's nothing certain in this world I think there 's less in that which is to come Here I am sure of something I 'm a Lord And live with Men. But to be turn'd a grazing In the Elysian-Fields that men do talk of Among Philosophers ne'er could make a leg Who purblind grew with viewing of those Stars Ne'er made them worth a groat and took strange pains In measuring Sea and Land when they 'd more need To have a Taylor come and measure them In troth my Lord here 's blessed Companie Who would not change this world for such a life Endym. Fie fie Neander This is too prophane And rellisheth far more of beast then man Neand. My Lord I ask you pardon I 'd forgot You are a Vertiosi 'T is my Lord Pyrrhus That makes me wander from my argument By putting me in mind o' th' world to come A Theam indeed on which few men speak sence But to the matter first propos'd My Lord The thing I only stuck at was that you So wise a man should give so mighty Names To killing Men. Why celebrate the Plague What General ever did destroy like that Or study glorious Titles for old-age That kills all those whom nothing else can kill Great Warriors are but the journey-men Of fatal Atropos whose swords she useth To cut mens lives off but to save her sheers Which else had sure been edgeless long ago With too much work and we for ought I see By this time might have all immortal been Having by long dying worn out Death it self Endymion smiles Pyrrh My Lord 'faith he that dares dispute with you Must be a cunning Sophister I see Must be content to give you victory Without receiving truth in exchange for 't Neand. The truth is my Lords in short you have all the wit though I have all the talk Fare you well I believe I shall not much mar your discourse by my absence nor will you much mend my manners by your presence adieu Exit Neand. Pyrrh 'T is a mad Lord as e'er was born 't were pretty If possible to sit within his skull And take a Prospect of his giddy thoughts Which do like Centaurs seem half Man half Beast Endym. He 's too prophane and chuseth to buy wit At the expence of Friends Religion And all but Ladies smiles which he more values Then honest Men do the kinde looks of Heaven Pyrrh And nothing hates like Reputation won By Arms. He hates all Deities for Mars his sake And swears that Generals onely famous grow By valiant Friends or cowardly Enemies Or what is worse by some mean piece of chance Endym. The truth's my Lord 't is pretty to observe How little Princes and great Generals Contribute oft-times to the fame they win How often hath't been found that noblest mindes With too short arms have fought with fatal Stars And have endeavoured with their dearest blood To mollifie those Diamonds where dwell The fate of Kingdoms and at last have fallen By vulgar hands unable now to do More for their cause then dy and have been lost Among the sacrifies of their own swords No more remembred then poor Villagers Whose ashes sleep beneath the common flowers That every meadow wears whilst other men With trembling hands have caught a victory And on pale fore-heads worn triumphant bayes Pyrrh Believe 't 't is true Endym. Besides my Lord I 've thought A thousand times in times of War when we Lift up our hands to Heaven for victory Suppose some Virgin Shepherdess whose soul 'S as chast and clean as the cold spring where she Quench's all her thirsts being told of enemies That seek to fright the long-enjoyed Peace Of our Arcadia hence with sound of Drums And with Horse Trumpets Warlike Ayrs to drown The harmless Musick of her Oaten Reedes Should in the passion of her troubled spright Repair to some small Fane such as the Gods Hear poor folks from and there on humble knees Lift up her trembling hands to holy Pan And beg his helps it 's possible to think That Heaven which counts the purest vows most rich May not permit her still to weep in vain But grant her wish for would the Gods ne'er hear The pray'rs of poor folks they 'd ne'er bid them pray And so in the next Action happeneth out The Gods still using means the enemy May be defeated The glory of all this Is attributed to the General And none but he 's spoke loud of for the Act Whilst she from whose so unaffected tears His Lawrel sprung for ever dwells unknown Pyrrh Your Lordship doth not doubt the Prince his merit Endym. By no means Sir I know the Prince a man Who owns a soul of that vast magnitude That flesh did never circumscribe a greater And merits so much from the vertuous world By 's rare example that the world it self VVere but too mean a present to require him All that I say is what I 've thought upon Some hours of sweet retirement when I 've sat And view'd the fleeting state of poor man-kind A thing too giddy to be understood Pyrrh Indeed the Prince doth more then give us hopes Arcadia shall command those Provinces VVho lately thought our long and happy Peace Had soft'ned so our mindes that now we were Fit to be lorded over by their wills But strange it is to see the King so little Joy'd with the news that still he wears a face More troubled then Cicilian Seas in storms And
Queen I suppose will by this time expect you Think over what I 've told you Exeunt Priest and Evad. Enter Geron sol Geron. And have not I brought my self into a sweet condition now Heavens nothing grieveth me but that I am an old fool Why could not I remember how many I had cuckold my self and to think I should not be served in the same kind if ever I married was to suppose neither wickedness nor justice in the world How could I imagine that any one of the lower rate of Court-Ladies would ever keep her self honest three minutes when once she feared neither the danger of taking Savine nor a big-belly Without all doubt now the Priest hath given her leave to eat flesh she runs from dish to dish like a starved prisoner at a feast who for three months hath had only the priviledge to think of meat and that 's the reason her belly is so soon full I might have been these four years a getting her by the rate I went to work with her but now I think I could do it with my horns were it to do again Ah! Geron Geron What a cocks-comb art thou in thy old age A reverent fool How prettily do horns mingle with thy gray hairs And yet thou art likely to cause more laughter then a wit Heaven What a condition am I in My Lord Pyrrhus he 's a man of an aspiring spirit and of what else the world may imagine but my head must have a hard bargain of it My Lord Edymion he 's a Poet forsooth and can finde no other place but my reverend fore-head for his forked Parnassus And for my Lord Neander the Priest convinced him the other day that adultery was a very great sin and that is reason enough for him to lie at rack and manger What a conspiracie is there here to make me a cuckold O that I had now but the generosity to hang my self Now do I perfectly perceive the pains that poor Children indure at the coming of their teeth by the coming of my horns How happy was I when I was a young man when my care was only to keep my hair from forking and I gave every Barber a fee for a receit but Oh that I had got but one receit to keep my head from forking in this my old age Wicked Phronesia How hast thou used me How hast thou affronted my weakness that thou hast made a collection through all the Court for a big-belly But what a comfortable sight will it be to me to see her lie in what a deal of pleasure I shall take to pay the Midwife and Nource Well it is now in my own power to make my self maz'd immediately O O O. I must away I must But ah I dread I near shall get these horns out of my head Exit Geron as in a fury Finis Act. prim Actus 2. Scoena 1. Enter Pyrrhus and Urania as in a Garden Pyrrh VVEll Madam Urania You imagine my business As long as you are pretty folks will be amorous You know my meaning Vran. The Heavens forbid Pyrrh Sure 't is the twentieth time I've told you it And must you hear it o'er again once more I hope my business then is almost done When thus you love the repetition of it Vran. My Lord Oh add not injury to my misfortune Oh! pity rather pity a poor Girl Who fain would seem to be as innocent As late she was and not to understand How harmless words by men are turn'd to sins Pyrrh Why should you be thus obstinate To be A Mistress to a King what greater honour Can those you serve ere hop'e t' aspire to Vran. A Mistress to a King No no you 'd have me To be a Servant to his vice an honour I should not envie her that sought my ruine Pyrrh Is love a vice Vrania Then surely nature Did make us vitious when she did immerse Love in the very beings of all Creatures Search the great Universe and shew me there What but affrighted man is not as free To satisfie his loves as thirst or hunger They near dispute the lawfulness of what Is natural No stone was e'er so dull To make 't a case of conscience whether it Should follow 'ts natural motion to the Centre Love's natures representative to whom she seems To 've taught her Trade and instituted it Still to continue all her self had made Without which surely this whole world had been But one poor Generation and each species Had been made up but of one He and She. Vran. You do do well my Lord when you intend Unlawful loves to instance not in men But beasts But let me ever be Of that affrighted number who follow vertue Rather then your examples with four feet Pyrrh Mistaken Sophistress How much more powerfully Dost thou dispute with those soft eyes of thine Then with thy pretty tongue Let these then be Rather imploy'd to see thy errour then This to defend it Know that instances In beasts do hold in men when they relate Unto that Nature which is truely common Unto them both And such is this of Love They cannot Say their passions like to us But they can Meane them with as strong an Ardor And though they do not sing their loves in verse Like me they do attain them less in prose And is this wickedness Sure vice is known By its own fruit and what do these bring forth Thy sheep Urania gave thee gentle Lambs The warmer Goat brought forth a prity Kid That thou wouldst play withal And wilt thou blame That play which did produce thy play-fellow No no Urania Love like men was free Ere power and laws had taught them both the use Of chaynes and fetters Nature ne'er confin'd Her noblest creature to the narrowest prison Nor gave him inclinations to torment him And therefore when thy Prince who only doth In right abridge thy other liberties Shall offer to restore thee this thou maist As freely take it as thou might'st the rest Vran. How is the King my Lord oblig'd unto you To serve whom even in sin you can permit Your noblest faculties to abuse each other Your Reason to abuse your Love But say my Lord Do you do well to plant so mighty Engines Against so weak a Fort that is design'd Only a poor shelter unto Innocence Pyrrh Well Urania I do perceive you still Make me to toil in vain But though 't is hard And painful to deliver harder dooms To pretty folks yet I must plainly tell you The King 's resolv'd to leave you but this choice Either to Love or Die to be the Subject Of his Revenge or Pleasure answer quickly And answer wisely For believ 't Vrania If you refuse his Love this houre 's your last Vran. Sure Sir the King 's more just She cries Pyrrh By Heaven it 's true Vran. Then Heavens more merciful Unfortunate Unfortunate Urania what canst thou do Pyrrh What Thou canst grant the Kings desires and live Come be brief
But say Endymion say She should look sad or sigh when thou depart'st How dost thou think at the same time to quell Two insurrections that at Argos and This sadder one in thy own breast My Dear I must not see thee I must onely make Some little paper happier then my self And write thee why Endymion is unblest Exit Endym. Enter King and Pyrrhus King Well Pyrrhus now our business is done This night Urania after all her pretty blushes and loathness to say Yes is mine Pyr. She is an 't please your Majesty and I am very glad of it knowing your Majesty's passion for the truth is I did very much doubt so much innocence would never have been overcome King She was loath indeed But Pyrrhus prithee see Endymion loyter not She was very passionate in that particular and all her promise is void if he be in towne by six of the clock this Even and it is neere so much already I think Pyr. I shall hasten him if he be not already gone King And then you must see yond Grotto prepared Pyr. It shall be fitted for the Scene of Love King The all I have to do is to make some fair pretence to the Queen for my absence this night Look where she comes Enter Queen alone Pyrrh I shall make haste to wait on your commands Ex. Pyrrh King How doth my Queen what all alone Queen Not now When I have found my Lord who is to me All company King Ah! thou hast found him none Thou 'st found him now disorder'd I 'm not well Qu. Alas I doubt you 've taken cold King I have But hope that this nights rest will make me well Qu. Sure Sir you don't do well to tarry here King I do not Madam I 'll retire Good night Kisseth her Qu. Nay give me leave Sir to attend you King No I will not draw you from the entertainment This pleasant evening will afford you here Qu. Alas my Prince you injure now your Queen To think that evening which gives Pain to you Can give her Pleasure King My dear I am not sick I onely am a little indispos'd I 'll beg thy pardon to retire this night But pray sup you and take no farther care Till at your own appartment I wait on you To morrow morning Queen Your will is still my Law King Once more goodnight Ex. King Queen sol Poore Prince poore Prince How little dost thou think How soon we two shall meet again and she Thou so much fly'st shall prove the very thing For which thou fly'st her How ridiculous Just Heaven doth make the wayes of men when they Forsake the wayes of Vertue This brave Prince At whose victorious Armies Greece now trembles When he contrives inglorious actions shall At the same time be pitied by his servants And a poor Girle shall upbraid him in Contriving to preserve him vertuous How do men ravel back to childhood when They cease to be thy Children sacred Vertue And need the care of every little person That what they call for may not do them harm Poor Prince I pity thee And oh that Heaven Shee kneeles May do so too And though the setting Sun Bode nought but darkness to the world yet may Some charitable Star vouchsafe one beam To his benighted breast lest wicked men Upbraid your wisdome that give Crowns and Scepters To those poor spirits who can softly creep At cowardly midnight to their beds of sin She riseth How happy should I be this tedious night In yonder Grotto to expect in vain And by my penance there to expiate Th' intended crime of my repenting Prince But I must haste Blest Heaven have pity on The folly of my poor deluded Lord. Exit Queen Enter Cleantha She takes two or three turns in the Garden and then breaks into these words Unfortunate Cleantha She walks a turn or two more Too fortunate In that which Fools call Happinesse She walks a little Fate Fate VVhy dost thou thus abuse the world to make Some high some low yet every one alike Unhappy whate'er our stations be VVe meet in this sad Center Misery Yet lest by knowing this we should rebel And every Generous soul turn Destiny Unto it self scorning thy tyranny And rather chusing not to be at all Then be thy sport thou hast contriv'd things so That every person thinks others more happy And that no breast knowes Misery like theirs But those whom thou dost destine to such Plagues As would break forth through private windows thou Dost place in mighty Palaces and with External splendour hid'st their inward Griefs From common eyes and mak'st them silly souls Admire what did they understand they 'd pity How many that behold Cleantha walk Attended by the proudest sparks of Greece And richer clad then Tulips in the Spring Do think her every minute happier far Then Cowards condemn'd are when their pardon 's read And every Lady in Arcadia But wretched when compar'd to her bright Fortune VVhilst poor Cleantha at that very minute Envies some Village-Maid that Russet weares The Livery of those sheep she doth attend But freely favours the poor Swain she loves And sleeps at night Cleantha's oft admir'd And her great titles reckon'd up whilest she Doth in her closet weep she is not less Heaven Heaven where was thy Mercy then VVhen thou mad'st Life so great a pain and Death A Sin Didst thou create great souls but to Affront them with thy greater power But stay Prophane Cleantha stay and be not more Unfortunate by being wicked too Endymion is all vertue and he would Hate a prophane Cleantha Poor Endymion How little dar'st thou think my thoughts or I Dare say them to thee Ah wretched wretched Princess VVhom Fate hath made greater then Happiness VVhat can I hope for should Endymion speak I then should hate him for his confidence A Crime of which he never can be guilty VVhen once he bled for me and conquer'd too And I on purpose chid my woman that She was unhandy onely ' cause my hand Ambitious was to wipe his wounds and give Him Balsam for the better Balsam of His blood poor Lord me thought he seem'd to wish The earth had been created lower that He might have lower bow'd to give me thanks And was so far from daring to presume That he did seem to make the distance more Betwixt himself and me by placing me Yet higher for my so great charity Nay should he speak in speaking he would forfeit The very thing I love him for that rest He findes in th' Elysium of his thoughts And those true satisfactions which he takes In being all the world unto himself But since my Love is vertuous as its Object VVhy should I stick to tell it all the world Nay why should I not rather glory in it To blush to say I love Endymion were To be asham'd to love Religion ' cause Her Priests are poor If Fortune ' th set him low Fools that are blind like her may do
Which sort of temper being no wise proper To your more sprightly age and 〈◊〉 I As one oblig'd by Heaven to serve you and Authori'zd too to speak presum'd to watch A fitting opportunity to pray Your Highness to unfold whether its cause No wise concerns my Function or if I Might serve you with my Counsel or my Prayers Clean. Sir You have ever been a Father to me And possibly your great respect a little May injure your great judgement and present Things you are pleas'd to fear as though they were Priest No Madam pardon me I 'm not mistaken But much more doubt what you with so much art Desire to hide Sure 't is no common thing You can think worth the covering with such language Cleanth Indeed I am no wise sad Sir you but doubt it Priest Pardon me Madam if I dare to tell you You do not well to say so You are troubled Madam you are in love You ought not to Deny it ' cause 't is truth Cleanth Nor ought I to Confess it ' cause it is no sin Priest If it be not Indeed you are not bound to 't But if you Love one beneath your birth and Fortune Madam That is a sin Cleanth It may be so but I Am no wise guilty of it Sir Pri. Madam Endymion is so Cleanth And can I help it Sir So are a thousand more it may be Pri. Madam 'T were to affront your Highness should I longer Delude you by my seeming ignorance Of what would Heaven had ne'er been known to you Nor me Madam you love that poor Mean Lord Endymion 'T is for him that you Look pale and sigh and walk alone and die To all that 's glorious and worthy you So high a Princess 'T is for him you slight The Prince of Macedon and disoblige The King your Unkle 'T is for him you are No more Cleantha no more that noble Princess That like a Deity reflected on Your own perfection that Supreme Estate Nature and Fortune thought you worthy of And did esteem your self at the same rate Heaven and the Gods had valued you But Madam 'T is not too late yet to recant all this And there is oft more glory in repenting Us of some errours then never to have err'd Because we find there are more folks have Judgment Then Ingenuity Madam let me be The happy Messenger of this good news Cleanth Poor Cleantha poor Endymion Aside Pri. Madam Cleanth Enough Sir I am not asham'd My Priest should know what my Prayers are not Asham'd to own Pri. Then you love Endymion Confess it if you 're not asham'd Cleanth It may be It suits not with my Modesty to say so Nor yet with my Religion to deny it I am sorry you are angry Sir Pri. Ah! dear Princesse I am not angry that would not become me I am afflicted Madam I am afflicted At what much less becomes your Highness Can You love so mean a Lord and own it too And still think your self innocent and talk Of Modesty and say Love is no sin And pray Cleanth Nay Sir I must be bold when you Instruct me to be so and interrupt That Language Sir you must not let me hear Know I may love Endymion and yet talk Of Innocence and Modesty much more then you May of Civility when you presume Sir To tell me to my face the contrary You 'll pardon me I hope Sir I would fain Remember you yet not forget my self Pri. Pardom my passion Madam 'T is for you Clean. 'T is not for me to hear That Modesty You dar'd to doubt heaven have I heard it Know She cryes Is much too tender to be touch'd Sir with Hard fingers yet Priest Dear Princesse pardon me Clean. Had you not been my Priest I could have thought So bold a passion but for you who teach That all the Wealth and Grandeur in the world Doth hold no more proportion with true Vertue Then this world with Elysium her reward For you who teach this and have taught it me And if you teach it not your Function's nothing For you I say to be so much in passion I love Endymion who is poor but hath More vertue then a thousand Princes this Is wonder Sir But for your office sake I 'll think you speak not your own words and so I still may reverence you as you well know I still have done Priest Madam have I your pardon Cleanth You have it Sir Priest Then give me leave to be Gratefull and serve you Humbly to discusse This Love you 're pleas'd to own without the least Of prejudice or favour Thus you may Best judge of this great action of your life Cleanth You have it Sir and may oblige me with it Priest Then know faire Clean. But when you name Endymion Priest Your pleasure Madam Clean. Nothing I do attend you Priest Nay Madam pray be free Clean. It 's nothing Sir Endymion needs not my Apology Priest Madam you do acknowledge that you love The Lord Endymion Cleanth Sir I do to you But never have to him and it may be I never will Priest Your Highnesse doth oblige me And you do seem to give this reason ' cause He ownes more vertue then a thousand Princes Which sure is probable Yet Madam know That there are Princes too are vertuous As he and in particular the high Born Prince of Macedon who courts your Highnesse Doth yield to none but hath as good a title To Virtue as his Crown Now though you ought To prefer Vertue before Wealth or Greatnesse As what is of more value then them both Yet these are both fair Pedals unto Vertue They much advance her stature and do make Her more conspicuous to the world and so Much more ador'd and therefore alwayes are To be preferr'd when to be had with her Low Violets may smell among the grasse And their own leaves whilst that the nobler Rose Adornes the Garden and is no lesse sweet Clean. Sweeter then both in your comparison But Sir if it be possible t' advance This humble Violet almost unto The stature of the Rose to whom great Nature Hath gi'n a higher stem though not more sweetness Pray would it not be more of charity And judgement then t' endeavour with more hazard To adde some leaves unto that Rose whom Nature Already had made fair enough Pri. Madam I well do understand your Highnesse owns Greatness enough to make another Great And that the Prince of Macedon appears Already fair enough to all the world Yet surely Madam though your structure be Noble and high if you will build it on A low foundation it can ne'er appeare So high as if your Basis higher were You may appear your self but when you do Joyn with an equall you appear him too Clean. Pardon me Sir I onely him appear I lose my name and all I was before I am not greater when his wife because I was a Princesse for should he but wed The meanst Lass in all
accuser fall her sacrifice But if she can forget her former Vertue I can forget my former Love and be As just as she is wicked I can take As true a pleasure then to see her blood Drop from the fatal sword as ere I did To see it blushing on her cheek when erst I thought her modest And for the Priest whom I Have ever Father call'd and have rever'd More in my thoughts then language if he can Un-priest himself by wickedness I can Be glad to see those hands in iron which So oft have blest me to behold him burn VVho hath burnt holy incense and perfum'd All my Devotions with it I can glory To let him feel this Truth That 't is Heaven's guise Not to have beasts for Priests but Sacrifice Enter Queen and Priest Look where they come Let us withdraw it may be VVe shall hear something Pyrrh Sure they see you Priest And nothing is more common Then this which is not thought a sin because It seemeth rather an impulse of Nature King Hear'st thou Pyrrhus Queen The King Priest All happiness attend your Majestie King I must contain How doth my Queen Queen Always happy whilst your Majesty Is so King And what are you discoursing Queen Nothing but good with this good person sure King VVhat 's that you talk of that which is not sin ' Cause an impulse of Nature Queen Smiles What means your Majesty Priest I know not how we came by chance to speak How little wantonness is thought a sin Because it seemeth an impulse of Nature VVhereas the Vertuous still do fix their eye On the Command not the Temptation And think 't enough if what Heaven gives as Law Be possible although not natural King aside 'T is well put off I shall never hold To hear this hypocrite Well I must leave you Queen I shall wait upon your Majesty If 't may not be a trouble King To you it may be Queen Smiles That as your Majesty's pleasure is to make it Exeunt King and Queen Priest How happy 't is to see a King and Queen Thus blestly live together Pyrrh Heaven keep them so Priest Pray Heaven Amen My Lord adieu Exit Priest Pyrrhus solus Did I but dare to disobey my Prince In any thing or call my self to counsel VVhether I should reveal a secret he'th Vouchsaf'd to tell me I would certainly Prevent this Tragedy My Queen and Priest Should still be white and holy But what Kings Please to command requires obedience not Examination when they once have judg'd 'T is want of judgment if we dare judge too Enter King hastily King Pyrrhus I had forgot one thing Thou knowst the Prince is expected here to morrow and I doubt he will be somewhat early too It will be necessary his coming be retarded untill this business be over that I may know with what face to receive him after all the glorious actions he hath done I would not for a world his arrival should happen 'till the whole examination be over Pyrrh It will be an unhappy entertainment for his Grace Would your Majestie please to have me go my self King If thou canst handsomely do it and be early back in the morning It is but riding all night In the morning I shall want thee Pyrrh I shall do it with much ease if it be your Majesties pleasure King I shall leave thee to frame the excuse Pyrrh I shall be gone immediately Heaven grant I meet good newes to morrow morning Exit Pyrrhus King I doubt that Thus we with them in plotting do consent But they plot sin and we plot punishment And little think they in how small a time Poor souls my justice shall o'ertake their crime Too happy were men if they understood There is no safety but in being good Exit King Finis Act. 4. ACTUS 5. Enter the King He walks a while then seateth himself in a Chayre King UNfortunate Basilius How just Are all thy punishments proportion'd Heaven To unjust men Yet should I dare to judge Those happy Essences that dwell in Light And cannot erre I should be apt to say My punishment exceeds my crime my sin Went never farther then th' intention and My sufferance is real But was 't not Solely your goodness that it rested there And must you not be just now ' cause you then Were merciful Enter Pyrrh Pyrrhus undone My eyes are witnesses I saw them both Enter the Grotto Pyrrh The Priest in womans habit King All 's true The Queen hath been already Examin'd by the Councel All she saith Is that she 's innocent but will not say The cause which mov'd her to an action so Suspected though she die for 't But such Fyrrhus Are never innocent who are asham'd To vindicate their deeds when once their lives Do lie at stake for 't Pyrrh Your Majesty was not present King No I leave them totally to justice I Shall make the Law their judge Pyrrh But pray VVhat saith the Priest King I now expect to hear Th' examination It hath been very long Two houres at least It 's bad enough for certain But here it comes My Lord you have been long Enter Lord of the Councel But I expect no good and therefore care not If you had longer been Lord. An 't please your Majesty Before I can give satisfaction to Your expectations I must humbly pray You will pleas'd to pardon the intreating Your answer to a question on which all That we have done depends Pyrrhus withdraws a little King VVhat is it Lord. 'T may seem too insolent but the whole truth Of all th' examination wholly doth Depend upon it Whether your Majesty For reasons known best to your royal self Did not one night command a little Lady VVho waits upon the Princess one Urania To attend you in that Grotto where The Queen and Priest were seis'd on King I did Lord. And she was there King She was Lord. And was your Majesty Assur'd that it was she or might it be The Queen King Her whispers were the Queens Pyrrhus Knows what I told him riseth Lord. Be happy then great Prince Your Queen is Innocent your Priest is holy And Geron and Neader only are The Criminals King Relieve my wonder Lord. Hear Great Prince in short a plot that seems contriv'd In Hell by Heaven to add more whiteness to The Vertuous Here is the Priests confession Unrols a paper and reads it The confession of the Priest and his examination With the confession of Phronesia Geron and Neander That Geron came yesterday in the afternoon unto the Priest and after much seeming troubled told him that he had some houres before over-heard a contrivance between the Queen and the Lord Neander to meet at eleven of the clock that night at the Grotto in the Garden and that Neader was to be habited like a woman and the Queen to be dressed like a young lass named Vrania who waits on the Princess the better to prevent suspition in case they should
noble natures a more pleasing taske To give rewards to Vertue then punishments To wicked folks I 'll in the first place shew How lovely justice looks when we are good And only sin makes her seem terrible Urania approach us Gentlem. Ah great King Vrania's place I doubt will nearer be The Bar then Throne King What mean'st thou Gent. See O see Those cheeks that lately beauty wore now pale With guilt Urania weeps King Her crime Gent. She'th lately had a childe King How know you this Gent. By a strange piece of chance For being sent in haste by my Lord Pyrrhus To bring herto you Majesty by chance I learnt of one o' th' servants of the Princess Near to what place he thought she was and when I made enquiry there at a small house I was acquinted at the woman told me She thought her I enquir'd for was i' th' house And asking of me many circumstances She told me surely it must be the same Only she did in private add she took her Not for a Virgin And as we thus discours'd Urania chanc'd to pass before the door A Virgin said I It may be she is married What hath she had a childe she told me Yes Though much in private but 't was very much Before her time and she affirms she 's married As did her mother who this morning left her At this I went in where I saw her enter And after some examinations she Confest she 'd had a childe but said withall She had a husband too and one who would Dare own her for his wife but would not tell me His name or dwelling and was very loath To move a foot with me but meerly by Constraint as ' t were King And is this truth Urania Lord. Speak to the King Urania It 's true King And who 's your Husband 2. Lord. Be not asham'd to name your Husband Madam 'T will be your shame if you name none Urania I 'm not Asham'd to name him but affraid King What is it Speak Vrania I dare not disobey and by my Lord I am authorized to name him when My Honour shall be question'd who 's more tender Of that then of his own Lord. Name him Urania It is The great Theander Queen The Prince King What are you marri'd Unto the Prince Theander Kneels Urania O pardon me great King That I refus'd not to be taken from A Cottage to the bosom of a Prince On such conditions as we dar'd to call The Gods to witness King Whether she be his wife Or only dare's affirm it though she were More to me then my hands or eyes she should Die ere I sleep The Prince in some few houres Will be in Town If what she says be false This news shall be his welcone But if true 'T is fit his coming be too late to save her Vran. Ah great Prince Pity the distress'd who hath No friend to plead her cause All I affirm Is truth Theander is my witness See Takes a letter out of her bosom That noble name This I receiv'd from him Not three days since King reads it and gives it the Queen King 'T is so But know Urania My Crown will prove too heavie for your off-spring Nor may I mingle blood with those small folks Who dwell in Cottages Heaven it seems Would not permit so foul a stain upon My Family but hath condemn'd to death What men in justice could not that poor infant VVhose only guilt was that it must be born No know Unania 't is enough you have been VVife to a Prince some months you 've liv'd enough In that small time Now 't will behove you to Prepare for death this day within three houres You are to loose your head ' cause 't is not fit To wear a Crown Marshal take her hence Let all things be prepar'd I 'll see her dead By two this afternoon Vran. Is there no mercy then Heaven help the friendless Such must never cry To men for help whose crime is poverty Exeunt Marshal and Vrania King My Lords had not this accident befallen me I 'd been too blest VVise Heaven doth see 't as fit In all our joys to give us some allays As in our sorrow comforts when our Sails Are fill'd with happiest winds then we most need Some heaviness to ballast us These are The ways of Heaven and we who are but earth Must all submit I am afflicted for The poor Vrania But the Gods have sure In death rewards for those who sometimes fall Nor for their crimes but through a kind of sad Necessity I 'm to proceed now to A far more willing task the sentencing Of those most wicked persons at the Bar. Neander I condemn to loose his head Tomorrow morning which I will have plac'd Over his Lodgings to shew those heads who dare Contrive their Princes harm do only meet VVith such advancement Geron I adjudge To die in Chayns that bunger may devour That little body malice yet hath left him A proper Lent for such a sinner And ' Cause what Phronesia did she did not know She ly'd but did not know the consequence Her I condemn only to banishment And thus I hope to expiate the thoughts I 've had of my chaste Queen and holy Priest Through those mens wickedness and teach the world That such who dare be traytors to their King Do on themselves the certain'st ruine bring Omnes Heaven bless the King and may our eyes still see Such Justice done on all that traytors be Exeunt Omnes Enter Cleantha and her Nource Cleantha Alas Vrania Now thou hast unriddl'd How thou couldst understand and yet accept not Endymions Love Poor Heart I pity thee Endymion now will be more banish'd when He hears Vraaia's dead Ah Urania VVould thou hadst a crime to die for that My just Endymion might less bewail thee VVhere can he now relieve himself If Vertue Be not security who can be safe Nource VVhy Madam here was now a marriage made According to your Highness principles Purely for Love without consideration Of Portion or equality or friends And here you see the end on 't Cleanth Silly woman Talk not so Idly Had they understood The force of Love who thus condemn'd Urania They ne'er had done it And shall we disesteem Religion ' cause folks often suffer for 't And think it is not true because 't hath Martyrs Wert thou not old thou mightst be brought to know There is a Gust in death when 't is for love That 's more then all that 's taste in all the world For the true measure of true love is death And what falls short of this was never love And therefore when those Tides do meet and strive And both swell high but love is highest still This is the truest satisfaction of The perfectst love For here it sees it self Indure the highest Test and then it feels The sum of delectation since it now Attains its perfect end and shews its object By one intense Act all
Here 's one at hand will have small pity on you Vran. Oh my Lord pity me pity a distressed Maid She kneels Pyrrh Vrania pity your self and pity a Prince that loves you Come do not cast away thy self You 're young And if you please have many years to live And pleasant ones Be wise ere 't be too late Uran. My Lord what shall I do Pyrrh Why love the King Say but the word and hee 'l presently be here Vran. And must I loose my Innocence Pyrrh Come come Urania live The King will streight be with you I 'le turn the Lock and keep you sure till then Ex. Pyrrh and locks the door Vran. sol Unhappy Maid wretched Vrania Thou art undone for evermore undone Lost to the World or Innocence Thy choice Is either to be wicked or to die To loose thy Virginpurity or life Ay me unblest What black what fatal Star Shone sad misfortune at thy birth How happy How blest hadst thou been still hadst thou still dwelt ' Mongst those who wear poor cloaths and honour Vertue Whose chaster Loves made Love a Deity What will thy Mother say when she shall hear Vrania is not Innocent And what Will thy brave Love think who ne'er approacht thee But with a flame as pure as that which burns On holy Vesta's Altars No no die Die die unfortunate but chaste Urania Never be thrifty of that blood which must But serve to blush that it preserv'd it self Endymion from behind an Arbor Endym. 'T is not safe to tarry longer Poor Soul her love To me may prove her ruine Now I see She loves me and I must improve my time He appears My dear Vrania Why these Tears Uran. Is this Endymions Ghost Endym. No 't is his Body Madam He imbraceth her Vran. Then ne'er more welcome Dear my Lord Urania is undone Endym. Not so because Endymion lives Know Urania's ruine never can be writ But in Endymions blood Uran. Undone beyond Endymions help because to help her is To be a Traytor now Endym. If to assist My Queen be to rebell then let me wear The glorious Name of Traytor Vran. Ah! my Lord You know not what I mean Endym. Yes yes my Dear Yond Arbor was my covert whilst I heard Pyrrhus assault thy Noble Innocence Uran. And can you help me now my Lord Endym. I can And I will shew you how I can But know Know my Urania I have lov'd thee long And lov'd thee with a holy flame My Hopes And all my Longings have as vertuous been As those of pious Votaries who court Strait-lac'd Religion All my sighs and tears Have been as pure as are those Gales and Springs That in Elysium do refresh the Blest And yet thou hast not pitied him that loves thee Even though thy very Nature be as gentle As Morning dew just melting into Ayr. And shall I languish thus and die Must Love His Martyrs have as well as other Gods Sure no Vrania he hath no Rewards Beyond this Life How can he gratifie His Martyrs then The cold Inhabitants Of Graves do not desire but dwell alone And never Think like aged Priests and Nuns Help then thy dying Lover and he 'll change His Love to adoration since thou wantst Nothing but pity to become Divine Uran. What shall I serve you in my Lord Endym. Permit Me to enjoy the Title of thy Servant And pay my fire with equal flames again Uran. My Lord I were ungrateful if I should not Endym. Then be not so But to be short I doubt The Kings approach and therefore if thou 'lt promise This night to sleep within mine Arms being first Authoriz'd so to do by Hymen's Priest I 'le free thee from the Kings illicite Love Vran. My Lord I will But satisfie me how Endym. You must appoint the King to meet you here In yonder Grotto and oblige him to The language and the time of Love soft whispers And the Night and I 'll prepare Some other Body to supply your place Vran. Ah! Who will be so wicked as to do 't Endym. Enough Vran. Sure 't is impossible it cannot be What Woman would consent to such an Act Endym. Ten thousand Madam Vran. Would they They let them not I 'll rather chuse a thousand times to die Then own a wretched life sav'd at the Rate Of so much Wickedness Endym. Come be content Chaste Soul the Queen her self shall be the Person I 'll tell her all thy story and I doubt not But she 'll preserve thy Innocence and love it Uran. Thrive brave Endymion thrive in all thy Loves That hast for Love redeem'd and redeem'd too Without a Sacrifice a wretched Maid Nought but whose Blood could have preserv'd her White Endym. My Dear I must retire I fear the King Thou hast a Part to act and so have I. Be happy fair Urania I am blest That my imployment is to do thee service Ex. Endym. as at a private door Uran. sol Poor poor Endymion in what little point Will all the Vertue and Religion end Of thy contrivances How doth thy Fate In the contempt of all that 's brave and worthy Play with thy Noble Actions and endeavour In pride to make Vertue ridiculous Poor poor Endymion How could I now weep If tears were able but to wash away The blackness of thy Fate Now thou hast thought And thought by paths white as the milky-way To lead me from the Labyrinth of my Woes The next thing I must think must be to cheat All thy innocent expectations which Are every of them Honours to my self And condescentions in thy Noble Soul Whilst thou in melting language tell'st my tale And giv'st me so much value by thy words That she who is a Queen shall condescend And love that condescention too to pity The Daughter of an humble Villager And to become her self her Substitute Whilst thou dost this and for no recompence But to bestow on me what were more fit For Temples far a pure unspotted Love I must endeavour at that very time To frustrate all thy hopes and only give My fained promise to the King on this Condition That Endymion must be sent So far from Court that he do not return Until to morrow Sun see us again And my engagement to him be made void And to effect my purpose the more surely I must endeavour to perswade the King That he hath often courted me and hath So wary eyes upon me that I doubt I shall not be secure but by his absence And thus I must reward the brave Endymion But I will recompence thee with my tears And since I cannot sat is fie thy flame I 'll weep it out Poor poor Endymion She weeps How must I cry to see thee like a Ball Toss'd vainly up and down even by those two Blinde Gamesters Love and Fortune Enter Pyrrhus Pyrrh And why with showres allay you thus you beams Uran. You are the Messenger of Sorrow Sir Pyrrh In bringing the sad news a Prince attends Your