if chast and holy Doe let in wit the Tongue doth let out folly 30 Pre. To all alike be curteous meeke and kind A winning carriage with indifferent mind But not familiar that must be exempt Groomes saucy love soone turnes into contempt Be sure he be at least as good as thee To whom thy freindship shall familiar bee 31 Pre. Iudge not between two freinds but rather see If thou canst bring them freindly to agree So shalt thou both their Loves to thee encrease And gaine a Blessing too for making Peace But if thou should'st decide the cause i' th' end How e're thou judge thou sure shalt loose a freind 32 Pre. Thy credit wary keepe 't is quickly gone Being got by many Actions lost by one 33 Pre. Vnto thy Brother buy not sell nor lend Such Actions have their own peculiar end But rather choose to give him if thou see That thou hast pow'er and hee necessitie 34 Pre. Spare in thy youth least Age should find thee poore When time is past and thou canst spare no more No coupl'd misery is so great in either As Age and Want when both doe meet together 35 Pre. Fly Dunkennesse whose vile incontinence Takes both away the reason and the sence Till with Circaean cups thy mind possest Leaves to be man and wholy turnes a Beast Thinke whilst thou swallowest the capacious Bowle Thou let'st in Seas to wrack and drown the soule That hell is open to remembrance call And thinke how subject drunkards are to Fall Consider how it soone destroyes the grace Of humane shape spoyling the beauteous face Puffing the cheekes blearing the curious eye Studding the face with vitious Heraldry What Pearles and Rubies doth the wine disclose Making the purse poore to enrich the Nose How does it nurse disease infect the heart Drawing some sicknesse into every part The stomack overcloyd wanting a vent Doth up againe resend her excrement And then ô see what too much wine can doe The very soule being drunke spews secrets too The Lungs corrupted breath contagious ayre Belching up fumes that unconcocted are The Braine o'rewarm'd loosing her sweet repose Doth purge her filthy ordure through the nose The veins doe boyle glutted with vitious food And quickly Fevers the distemper'd blood The belly swells the foot can hardly stand Lam'd with the Gout the Palsie shakes the Hand And through the flesh sick waters sinking in Doe bladder-like puffe up the dropsi'd skin It weaks the Braine it spoiles the memory Hasting on Age and wilfull Poverty It drownes thy better parts making thy name To foes a laughter to thy freinds a shame 'T is vertues poyson and the bane of trust The match of wrath the fuell unto lust Quite leave this vice and turne not to 't againe Vpon Presumption of a stronger braine For he that holds more wine then other can I rather count a Hogshead then a man 36 Pre. Let not thy Impotent lust so pow'rfull â—…ee Over thy Reason Soule and Liberty As to enforce thee to a marryed life E're thou art able to maintaine a wife Thou canst not feed upon her lips and face Shee cannot cloth thee with a poore imbrace My selfe being yet alone and but one still With patience could endure the worst of ill When fortune frownes one to the wars may goe To fight against his foes and fortunes too But ô the greife were trebled for to see Thy wretched Bride halfe pin'd with Povertie To see thy Infants make their dumb complaint And thou not able to releive their want The poorest begger when he 's dead and gone Is rich as he that sits upon the Throne But he that having no estate is wâ—…d Starves in his grave being wretched when he 's dead 37 Pre. If e're I take a wife I will have one Neither for beauty nor for portion But for her vertues and I 'le married bee Not for my lust but for posteritie And when I am wed I 'le never iealous bee But make her learne how to be chast by mee And be her face what 't will I 'le thinke her faire If shee within the house confine her care If modest in her words and cloths shee bee Not daub'd with pride and prodigalitie If with her neighbours shee maintaines no strife And beare her selfe to me a faithfull wife I 'de rather unto such a one be wed Then claspe the choicest Helen in my bed Yet though shee were an Angell my affection Should only love not dote on her perfection An Elegie LOve give me leave to serve thee and be wise To keepe thy torch in but restore blind eyes I will a flame into my bosome take That Martyrs Court when they embrace the stake Not dull and smoakie fires but heat divine That burnes not to consume but to refine I have a Mistresse for perfections rare In every eye but in my thoughts most faire Like Tapers on the Altar shine her eyes Her breath is the perfume of Sacrifice And where soe're my fancy would begin Still her perfection lets religion in I touch her like my Beads with devout care And come unto my Courtship as my Praier Wee sit and talke and kisse away the houres As chastly as the morning dews kisse flowers Goe wanton Lover spare thy sighs and teares Put on the Livery which thy dotage weares And call it Love where heresie gets in Zeal's but a coale to kindle greater sin Wee weare no flesh but one another greet As blessed soules in separation meet Wer't possible that my ambitious sin Durst commit rapes upon a Cherubin I might have lustfull thoughts to her of all Earths heav'nly Quire the most Angelicall Looking into my brest her forme I find That like my Guardian-Angell keeps my mind From rude attempts and when affections stirre I calme all passions with one thought of her Thus they whose reasons love and not their sence The spirits love thus one Intelligence Reflects upon his like and by chast loves In the same spheare this and that Angell moves Nor is this barren Love one noble thought Begets an other and that still is brought To bed of more vertues and grace increase And such a numerous issue ne're can cease Where Children though great blessings only bee Pleasures repriv'd to some posteritie Beasts love like men if men in lust delight And call that Love which is but appetite When essence meets with essence and soules joyne In mutuall knots that 's the true Nuptall twine Such Lady is my Love and such is true All other Love is to your Sexe not You. An Apologie for his false Prediction that his Aunt Lane would be deliver'd of a Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The best Prophets are but good Guessers ARe then the Sibils dead what is become Of the lowd Oracles are the Augurs dumbe Live not the Magi that so oft reveald Natures intents is Gipsisme quite repeald Is Friar Bacon nothing but a name Or is all witchcraft braind with Doctor Lambe Does none the learned Bungies soule
disrumpunt carmina mensas Mucida nec quisquam vina legendo facit Nusquam aliquis terrae securior errat ob unum hoc Grates Helloboro quin agat ille suo In Corydonem Corinnam AH miser nullo felix in amore Corinnam Cum rogat illa negas cum negat illa rogas Ambos urit Amor quid sit fâ—…licius ambos Tempore non uno sed tamen â—…rit amor Cum flagras Corydon frigescit fibra Corinnae Cum tua frigescit fibra Coâ—…inna calet Cur aestas Corydonis hyems sit facta Corrinnae Quidvè Corinnae aestas sit Corydonis hyems Vnde ignis glaciem glacies unde efficit ignem Desine crudeles sâ—…e Cupido jocos Desine sed nec te Corydonis tollere flammas Tollere nec castas Virginis oro nives Vre duos extingue duos pectus utrumque Aut calor aut teneat pectus utrumque gelu Paraphras'd AH wretch in thy Corinna's love unblest How strange a fancy doth torment thy brest When shee desires to sport thou saist her nay When shee denyes then thou desir'st to play Love burnes you both ô'tis a happy turne But 't is at severall times love both doth burne When scorching heat hath Corydons heart possest Then raignes a frost in cold Corinnas brest And when a frost in Corydon doth raigne Then is Corinnas brest on fire againe Why then with Corydon is it summer prime When with Corinna it is winter time Or why should then Corinâ—…as summer bee When it is winter Corydon with thee Can lce from fire or fire from Ice proceed Ah jest not Love in so severe a deed I bid thee not Corydons flame to blow Cleane out nor cleane to melt Corinnas snow Burne both freeze both let mutuall Ferv our hold His and her brest or his and her's a cold Ad â—…assum Nostri Basse solent pretio conducere stultos Quos in deliciis Aulicus omnis habet At si quis cuperet sapientem vendere praeco Rarus erit minimo qui velit asse virum Vsque adeò nocet ingenium tantoque putatur Quo minus est cerebri charius esse caput Vnde tot ignari veneres cur stultus amatur Hei mihi cur tanti non sapuisse fuit Haec ratio est paribus gaudet Venus atque Cupido Et nunquam similes non sibi iungit Amor. To one admiring her selfe in a Looking-Glasse FAire Lady when you see the Grace Of Beauty in your Looking-Glasse A stately forhead smooth and high And full of Princely Majesty A sparkling eye no gemme so faire Whose lustre dimmes the Cyprian starre A glorious cheeke divinely sweet Wherein both Roses kindly meet A cherry Lip that would entice Even Gods to kisse at any price You thinke no beauty is so rare That with your shaddow might compare That your reflection is alone The thing that men most dote upon Madam alas your Glasse doth ly e And you are much deceiv'd for I A beauty know of richer grace Sweet be not angry 't is your face Hence then ö learne more milde to bee And leave to lay your blame on mee If me your reall substance move When you so much your Shaddow Love Wise nature would not let your eye Looke on her owne bright majestie Which had you once but gaz'd upon You could except your selfe love none What then you cannot love let me That face I can you cannot see Now you have what to loue you 'l say What then is left for me I pray My face sweet hart if it please thee That which you can I cannot see So either love shall gaine his due Your's sweet in mee and mine in you An Eglogue occasion'd by two Doctors disputing upon predestination Corydon HO jolly Thirsis whither in such hast I' st for a wager that you run so fast Or past your houre below yoâ—… hawthorne tree Does longing Galatea looke for thee Thirsis No Corydon I heard young Daphnis say Alexis challeng'd Tityrus to day Who best shall sing of Shepheards Art and praise But hearke I heare 'em listen to their laies Tityrus Alexis read what means this mistique thing An Ewe I had two lambs at once did bring Th' one black as Iett the other white as snow Say in just providence how it could be so Alexis Will you Pan's goodnesse therefore partiall call That might as well have given thee none at all Tityrus Were they not both eand by the selfe same Ewe How could they merit then so different hewe Poore lamb alas and couldst thou yet unborne Sin to deserve the Guilt of such a scorne Thou hadst not yet fowl'd a religious spring Nor fed on plots of hollowed grasse to bring Staines to thy fleece nor browz'd upon a tree Sacred to Pan or Pales Deitie The Gods are ignorant if they not foreknow And knowing 't is unjust to use thee so Alexis Tytir with me contend or Corydon But let the Gods and their high wills alone For in our flocks that freedome challenge wee This kid is sacrific'd and that goes free Tityrus Feed where you will my Lambs what boots it us To watch and water fold and drive you thus This on the barren mountaines flesh can gleane That fed in flowry pastures will be leane Alexis Plow sowe and compasse nothing boots at all Vnlesse the dew upon the Tilth's doe fall So labour sylly shepheards what wee can All 's vaine unlesse a blessing drop from Pan. Tityrus Ill thrive thy Theves if thou these lyes maintaine Alexis And may thy Goats miscarry sawcy swaine Thyrsis Fie Shepheards fie while you these strifes begin Here creepes the woolfe and there the fox gets in To your vaine piping on so deepe a reed The Lambkins listen but forget to feed It gentle swains befits of Love to sing How Love left heaven and heav'ns immortall King His Coaeternall Father O admire Love is a Sonne as ancient as his fire His Mother was a Virgin how could come A birth so great and from so chast a wombe His cradle was a manger Shepheards see True faith delights in poore simplicitie He pres'd no grapes nor prun'd the fruitfull vine But could of water make a brisker wine Nor did he plow the earth and to his Barne The harvest bring nor thresh and grind the Corne. Without all these Love could supply our need And with five Lâ—…aves five thousand Hungers feed More wonders did he for all which suppose How he was crown'd with Lilly or with Rose The winding Ivy or the glorious Bay Or mirtle with the which Venus they say Girts her proud Temples Shepheards none of them But wore poore head a thorny Diadem Feet to the Lame he gave with which they run To worke their Surgeons last destruction The blind from him had eyes but us'd that light Like Basy lisques to kill him with their sight Lastly he was betray'd ô sing of this How Love could be betray'd 't was with a kisse And then his Innocent hands and guiltlesse feet Were nayl'd unto the Crosse
Though she repaid the wrong done to Philaebus Yet not approving the reuengefull mind Of great Pilumnus scourg'd him with his own asking By threatning an unhappy marriage To his Vrania unlesse he that wooes her Pay an impossible Dowry for as others Give Portions with their daughters Ceres Priests Vse to receive for theirs The words are these That which thou hast not mayst not canst not have Amyntas is the Dowry that I crave Rest hopelesse in thy love or else divine To give Vrania this and she is thine Which while the poore Amyntas would Interpret He lost his wits Take heed of love Laurinda You see th' unhappinesse of it in others Let not experience in thy selfe instruct thee Be wise my Girle so come and follow me Exit Lau. I 'le make a Garland for my kid and follow you What a sad tale was here how full of sorrow Happy that heart that never felt the shaft Of angry Cupid SCEN. 6. Damon Alexis Damon and Alexis Their presence quickly puts these cogitations Out of my mind Poore soules I fain would pity them And yet I cannot for to pity one Were not to pity t'other and to pity Both were to pity neither Mine old Temper Is all the shift I have some dew of comfort To either of them How now bold intruders How dare you venter on my privacy If you must needs have this walk be it so I 'le seeke another What you 'l let me goe Da. Cruell Laurinda if a word so foule Can have so faire a dwelling seale not up Thy eates but let a pity enter there And find a passage to thy heart Alex. Laurinda The name which but to speak I would not wish For life or breath Let not thy powerfull beauty Torment us longer Tell us which of us You value most Da. And t'other for old freindship Strangling his bitter Corrasive in his heart Hath promis'd to desist from further suit Alex. Or if he cannot so as sure he cannot Yet he will rather chuse to dye then live Once to oppose your liking Lau. Since you are Growne so importunate and will not be answer'd With modest silence Know I wish you well Alex. How me Laurinda Lau. Why I wish Alexis I were thy wife Da. Then most unhappy me Alex. That word doth relish immortalitie Lau. And I doe wish thou wer 't my husband Damon Alex. Still more perplexed what doe you think I am Lau. My head Alexis Da. And what I Lau. My heart Da. Which hand am I Lau. Damon my right Alex. Which I Lau. My left Alexis Alex. Thus you scorne my love Lau. Not I Alexis th' art my only hope Da. Then I am all despaire no hope for me Lau. Why so my Damon thou art my desire Alexis is my flame Damon my fire Alexis doth deserve my nuptiall Bed And Damon's worthy of my Maidenhead Exit Lau. Alex. Damon desist thy suit or loose thy life Thou heard'st Laurinda wish she were my wife Da. Thy wife Alexis But how can it be Without a Husband and I must be he Alex. I am her head That word doth seeme t' impart She meanes my marriage Da. How without her heart For that am I besides you heard her say I was the right hand you the left away Desist Alexis mine 's the upper hand Alex. But Damon I next to her heart doe stand I am her hope in that you plainly see The end of her intents doth aime at me Da. But I am her desire in that 't is showne Her only wish is to make me her owne Alex. I am her flame Da. 'T is true but I her fire Alex. The flames the hotter therefore her desire Most aimes at mee Da. Yet when the flame is spent The fire continues Therefore me she meant Alex. She promis'd now I should injoy her Bed Da. Alexis doe so I her Maidenhead Alex. I see she still conceales it and with speeches Perplext and doubfull masks her secret thoughts Da. Let 's have another meeting since her words Delude us thus wee 'le haue a pregnant signe To shew her mind Alex. I goe that way a hunting And will call for her Da. I 'le the while retire Into the Temple if I linger here I am afraid of meeting Amaryllis Who with unwelcome love solicites me Alex. And would she might preuaile Da. Till then farewell Alex. All happinesse to Damon be Except Laurinda Da. All but her to thee Alex. Thus we in love and courtesie contend Da. The name of Rivall should not loose the Freind Exeunt Finis actus I. ACTVS 2. SCEN 1. Pilumnus Vrania Vra. FAther perswade me not The power of heaven Can never force me from Amyntas love 'T is rooted here so deepe within my heart That he which pulls it out pulls out at once That and my soule together Pil. Fond Vrania Can ignorant love make thee affect the seede The hatefull seede of cursed Lalage Did I for this beget thee Vra. Father you know Divinitie is powerfull Cupids will Must not be question'd When love meanes to sport I'have heard your selfe relate it he can make The Wolfe and Lambe kisse friendly force the Lyon T'forget his Majestie and in amorous dalliance Sport with the frisking Kid. When Venus rides Shee 'le linke the ravenous Kite and milder Swan To the same chariot and will yoak together The necks of Doves and Eagles when as shee Commands all things loose their Antipathie Even contrarieties can I alone Resist her will I cannot my Amynt as Shall witnesse that Pil. I blame thee not so much For loving him while yet he was Amynt as But being mad and having lost himselfe Why shouldst not thou loose thy affection too Vra. I love him now the rather he hath lost Himselfe for me and should he loose me too It were a sinne he should Pil. What canst thou love In his distemper'd wildnesse Vra. Only that His wildnesse 't is the comfort I have left To make my teares keepe time to his distractions To think as wildlâ—… as he talks to marry Our griefs together since our selves we cannot The Oracle doth aske so strange a Dowry That now his company is the only blisse My love can aime at but I stay too long I 'le in to comfort him Pil. Doe not Vrania Vra. Doe not I must and will Nature commands me no But Love more powerfull sayes it shall be so Exit Pil. The Gods did well to make their Destinies Of woemen that their wills might stand for law Fixt and unchang'd who 's this Corymbus he SCEN. 2. Pilumnus Corymbus Pil. Corymbus welcome Cor. Sacred Pilumnus hayle And fruitfull Sicilie I kisse thy dust Pil. What newes Corymbus Is our Countrie 's Mischeif Fetter'd in chaines Cor. Thrice the sunne hath past Through the twelve Inns of heaven since my diligence Has been imploy'd in quest of him whose death Must give poore lovers life the hatefull Claius Yet could I ne're heare of him The meane while How fare the poore Sicilians Does awfull Ceres Still bend her
doome Lau. Alexis well deserves but Damon more I wish you him I wisht my selfe before Alex. O I am ruin'd in the height of hope How like the hearb Solstitiall is a lover Now borne now dead again he buds sprouts forth Flourishes ripens withers in a minute Lau. Take him the best of men that ever eye Beheld and live with him for whom I dye Amarillis Here look on 't Dam. Writ with blood o let me kisse My bill of Accusation here my name Lookes like my soule all crimson every line Word syllable and letter weares the livery Of my unnaturall action Amarillis That name of all is black which was alone Worthy so pretious inke as if disdaining The character of cruelty which the rest Were cloathd in for as if that word alone Did weare this mourning colour to bewaile The funerall of my vertue that lies buried Here in this living tombe this moving sepulchre Lau. Know murtherer I hate thy bed and thee Unkind unthankfull villaine Ama. Nay Laurinda You have bound your selfe to stand to my award The sentence now is past and you must love him It cannot be revers'd you are deceiv'd He is not guilty of this sinne his love To me for mine makes him against his conscience Seeme to confesse it but believe him not Lau. Nor will he is all falshood and ingratitude Da. Laurinda you may spare in this harsh language To utter your dislike had you a beauty More then immortall and a face whose glory Farre outshind Angels I would make my choyce Here and no where but here her vertue now Moves a more noble flame within my brest Then ere your beauty did I am enamour'd More of her soule then ever yet I doted Upon your face I doe confesse the fact Pardon me vertuous maid for though the action Be worthy death the object most condemnes mee Take me to death Corymbus Amarillis I goe to write my story of repentance With the same inke wherewith thou wrotes before The legend of thy love farewell farewell Exeunt Corymb Dam. Pil. Laurinda and Alexis doe you call The Sheapheards and the virgins of Sicilia To see him sacrific'd whose death must make There loves more fortunate this day shall be Happy to all Sicilians but to mee Yet come thou cursed Claius the sweet comfort Which I shall take when my revenge is done Will something ease the sorrow for my sonne Clai Amarillis prethee call Amyntas to mee And Thestylis I faine would have mine eye Behold them once again before I dye Ex. Pil. Cla. Ale Come my Laurinda through how many chances Suspicions errors sorrowes doubts and feares Love leads us to our pleasures many stormes Have we sail'd through my Sweet but who could feare A tempest that had hope to harbour here Ex. Alex. Lau. Amarillis sola Amar. All all but the distressed Amarillis Are happy or lesse wretched fair Laurinda Is ready for a wedding old Pilumnus Hath lost a sonne yet mitigates his griefe In Claius death my father Claius dies Yet joyes to have the sonne of his old enemy A partner of his sorrowes my father looses Only himselfe and Damon too no more Amyntas but a father onely I Have lost all these I have lost Claius Damon And my selfe too A father with Amyntas And all the rest in Damon and which more Affects mee I am cause of all Pilumnus Had not else lost his sonne nor had Amyntas Wept for a Father nor poore Thestylis Bewail'd a brother Damon might have liv'd And Claius but for mee all circumstances Concurreto make my miseries compleat And sorrowes perfect for I lost my father As soone as I had found him and my Damon As soone as I had found he lov'd mee thus All I can find is losse o too too wretched Distressed virgin when they both are dead Visit their Ashes and first weepe an howre On Claius Vrne then go and spend another At Damon's thence again goe wet the tombe Of thy dead father and from thence returne Back to thy lovers grave thus spend thy age In sorrowes and till death doe end thy cares Betwixt these two equally share thy teares Finis Actus quarti ACTVS 5. SCEN. 1. Dorylas and a Chorus of Swaines Dor. COme neighbours let 's goe see the sacrifice Must make you happy lovers oh 't will be A fortunate season Father Coridon You and old mother Baucis shall be friends The sheepe-hooke and the distaffe shall shake hands You lovely freeze-coats nothing now but kissing Kissing and culling culling and kissing heighday In hope it will be one day so with mee I am content to live Now let 's ascend SCEN. 2. Alexis Laurinda Medorus Alex. Now my Laurinda now o happy now All lets that stood between my joy and mee Are gone and fled Lau. Long o too long Alexis My doubtfull fancy wavered whom to love Damon or you in both was happinesse But double happinesse was my single misery So far'd it once Alexis for I well Remember it with one of my poore ewes Equally mov'd between two tufts of grasse This tempting one way that inticing t' other Now she would this then that then this againe Vntill poore foole true embleme of her mistresse Shee almost starv'd in choosing which to feed on At last so heaven pittied the innocent foole A westerne gale nipt one which being blasted Shee fed upon the other Ale Pretty fool le ts now no more deferre our nuptial joyes Med. How sweet a folly is this love But rash youth Alexis As youth is rash runnes indiscreetly on While mature judgment ripened by experience Stayes for loves season Alex. Season why can love Be ever out of season Med. Yes Alexis Nothing 's borne ripe all things at first are greene Alex. Lau. And such shall our affection still be seene Med. You are to hasty reapers that doe call For Sickles in the spring Alex. Loves harvest shall Lovers you know his harvest ought to bee All the yeare long Lau. In Cupids husbandry Who reapes not in the spring reapes not at all Med. Woemen indeed too soone begin their fall Yet till curst Claius dye as now he must Alexis and Laurinda let my counsell Asswage the heat of youth pray be perswaded A while for to deferre your nuptiall blisse 'T is but a while Alex. A while in lov 's an age Lau. Maids in a while grow old Med. Temper loves fire Alex. 'T is but cold love that 's temperate in desire Med. Yet loving paire stay 'till a fayrer gale He deserves shipwrack 't is the Marriners flout And justly too that in a storme sets out Lau. I will suppresse my flame ah still it glowes Alex. And I but how unwilling Cupid knowes Med. T is well now let 's goe take our place to see For our sad griefes a sadder remedy SCEN. 3. Amyntas Amarillis Amar. Yes it was he hee 's in the temple brother A place wherein he doth deserve a shrine Yet is to him a prison can you Gods Suffer the place that 's reard
whence clouds give birth To horrid thunders and doth also know What light lends lustre to the painted Bow If ought of truth his soule doth understand Let him resolve a question I 'le demand There is a stone which we the loadstone stile Of colour ugly darke obscure and vile It never deck'd the sleiked locks of Kings No Ornament no gorgeous Tire it brings To Virgins beauteous necks it never showne A splendent buckle in ther maiden Zone But only heare the wonders I will tell Of his black peeble and 't will then excell All bracelets and what e're the diving Moore 'Mongst the red weeds seeks for 'i th Easterne shore From Iron first it lives Iron it eats But that sweet feast it knows no other meats Thence shee renews her strength vigor is sent Through all her nerves by that hard nourishment Without that food shee dies a famine numm's Her meager joynts a thirst her veins consumes Mars that frights Cities with his bloody speares And Venus that releases humane feares Doe both together in one Temple shine Both joyntly honour'd in a common shrine But different Statues Mars a steele put on And Venus figure was Magnetique stone To them as is the custome every yeare The Preist doth celebrate a Nuptiall there The torch the Quire doth lead the threshold's green With hallowed Mirtles and the beds are seen To smell with rosy flowers the Geniall sheet Spred over with a purple Coverlet But heare ô strange the statues seem'd to move And Cytherea runs to catch her Love And like their former joyes in heaven possest With wanton heat clings to her Mars'es brest There hangs a gratefull burden then shee throwes Her armes about his helmet to Inclose Her Love in amorous Gives least he get out Here live embraces chaine him round about He stir'd with love breath'd gently through his veins Is drawne by unseene links and secret chaines To meet his spoused Gemme the ayre doth wed The steele unto the stone thus strangely led The Deities their stolne delights replay'd And only Nature was the bridall mayd What heat in these two Metals did inspire Such mutuall league what concords powrefull fire Contracted their hard minds the stone doth move With amorous heat the steele doth learne to love So Venus oft the God of warre withstood And gives him milder looks when hot with blood He rages to the fight fierce with desire And with drawn points whets up his active Ire She dares goe forth alone and boldly meet His foaming steeds and with a winning greet The tumour of his high swolne breast aff wage Tempring with gentle flames his violent rage Peace courts his foule the fight he disavows And his red plumes he now to kisses bows Ah cruell Boy large thy dominions bee The Gods and all their Thunders yeild to thee Great Iove to leave his heaven thou can'st constraine And midst the brinish waves to Lowe againe Now the cold Rocks thou striks't the sencelesse stone Thy weapon feeles a lustfull heat doth runne Through veins of flint the steele thy Pow'er can taine And rigid Marble must admit thy flame De Sene Veronensi Ex Claudiano HAppy the man that all his dayes hath spent Within his owne grounds and no farther went Whom the same house that did him erst behold A little Infant sees him now grown old That with his staffe walkes where he crawl'd before Counts th' age of one poore cottage and no more Fortune ne're him with various tumult prest Nor dranke he unknown streams a wandring guest He fear'd no Merchants stormes nor drummes of war Nor ever knew the strifes of the hoarse Bar. Who though to th' next Towne he a stranger bee Yet heav'ns sweet prospect he injoyes more free From fruits not Consuls computation brings By Apples Autumnes knows by flowers the springs Thus he the day by his owne orbe doth prize In the same feild his Sunne doth set and rise That knew an oake a twigge and walking thither Beholds a wood and he grown up together Neighbou'ring Veron he may for India take And thinke the red sea is Benacus lake Yet is his 〈◊〉 untam'd and firme his knees Him the third age a lusty Grandsire sees Goe seeke whos ' will the farre Iberian shore This man hath liv'd though that hath travel'd more The second Epod of Horace translated HAppy the man which farre from city care Such as ancient Mortals were With his own oxen plows his fathers land Free from Vsurers griping hand The souldiers trumpets never breake his sleepe Nor angry seas that raging keepe He shunnes the wrangling Hall nor foot doth set On the proud thresholds of the Great His life is this O life almost divine To marry Elmes unto the Vine To prune unfruitfull branches and for them To graft a bough of happier stemme Or else within the low couch'd vallies views His well cloth'd floc'ks of bleating ewes Sometimes his hony he in pots doth keepe Sometimes he sheares his fleecy sheepe And when his fruits with Autumne ripened bee Gathers his Apples from the Tree And joyes to tast the peares himselfe did plant And Grapes that naught of purple want Vnder an Oake sometimes he layes his head Making the tender grasse his bed Meane while the streams along their banks doe float And birds doe chaunt with warbling throat And gentle springs a gentle murmure keepe To lull him to a quiet sleepe When winter comes and th' ayre doth chiller grow Threatning showers and shivering snow Either with hounds he hunts the tusked swine That foe unto the corne and vine Or layes his nets or limes the unctuous bush To catch the blackbird or the thrush Sometimes the Hare he courses and one way Makes both a pleasure and a prey But if with him a modest wife doth meet To guide his house and children sweet Such as the Sabine or Apulean wife Something brown but chast of life Such as will make a good warme fire to burne Against her wearied Mate's returne And shutting in her stalls her fruitfull Neat Will milke the kines distended Teat Fetching her husband of her selfe-brew'd beere And other wholesome Country cheere Suppe him with bread and cheese Pudding or Pye Such dainties as they doe not buy Give me but these and I shall never care Where all the Lucrine oisters are These wholsome Country dainties shall to mee Sweet as Tench or Sturgeon bee Had I but these I well could be without The Carp the Sammon or the Trout Nor should the Phoenix selfe so much delight My not ambitious appetite As should an Apple snatch'd from mine own trees Or hony of my labouring Bees My Cattels udders should afford me food My sheep my cloth my ground my wood Sometimes a lambe snatch'd from the wolfe shall bee A banquet for my freind and mee Sometimes a Calfeta'ne from her lowing Cow Or tender Issue of the Sow Our Gardens sallets yeild Mallows to keepe Loose bodies Lettice for to sleepe The cakling Hen an egge for breakfast layes And Duck
to a young fifteen Death in such Nuptials seems with love to play And Ianuary seems to match with May Autumne to wed the Spring Frost to desire To kisse the Sun Ice to embrace the fire Both these are young both sprightfull both compleat Of equall moisture and of equall heat And their desires are one were all Loves such Who would love solitary sheets so much Virginity whereof chast fooles doe boast A thing not known what 't is till it be lost Let others praise for me I cannot tell What vertue 't is to lead Baboons in hell Woman is one with man when shee is brided The same in kind only in sexe divided Had all dy'd maids we had been nothing then Adam had been the first and last of men How none O Venus then thy power had seen How then in vaine had Cupids arrows been My selfe whose coole thoughts feele no hot desires That serve not Venus flames but Vestas fires Had I not vow'd the cloysters to confine My selfe to no more wives then only nine Parnassus brood those that heare Phoebus sing Bathing their naked limbs in Thespian spring I 'de rather bee an Owle of Birds then one That is the Phoenix if shee live alone Two is the first of numbers one naught can doe One then is good when one is made of two Which mistery is thine great Venus thine Thy union can two soules in one combine Now by that power I charge thee blesse the sheets With happy issue where this couple meets The maid 's a Harvy one that may compare With fruit Hesperian or the Dragonscare Her Love a Ward not he that awed the seas Frighting the fearefull Hamadryades That Ocean terrour he that durst outbrave Dread Neptunes Trident Amphitrites wave This Ward a milder Pirat sure will prove And only sailes the Hellespâ—…nt of Love As once Leander did his theft is best That nothing steales but what 's within the brest Yet let that other Ward his thefts compare And ransack all his treasures let him beare The wealth of worlds the bowels of the West And all the richest treasures of the East The sands of Taguâ—… all Pactolus ore With both the Indies yet this one gets more At once by Love then he by force could get Or ravish from the Marchants let him set His Ores together let him vainely boast Of spices snatch'd from the Canary coast The Gummes of Aegypt or the Tyrian fleece Died in his Native purple with what Greece Colchos Arabia or proud China yeilds With all the Metals in Guiana feilds When this has set all forth to boast his pride In various pompe this other brings his Bride And I 'le be judg'd by all judicious eyes If shee alone prove not the richer prize O let not death have power their Love to sever Let them both love and live and die together O let their beds be chast and banish thence As well all Iealousies as all offence For some men I have known whose wives have been As chast as Ice such as were never seen In wanton dalliance such as untill death Never smelt any but their husbands breath Yet the Good-man still dream'd of hornes still fearing His forhead would grow harder still appearing To his own fancy bull or stagge or more Or Oxe at least that was an Asse before If shee would have new cloaths he streight will feare Shee loves a Taylour if shee sad appeare Hee guesses soone it is 'cause he 's at home If jocund sure shee has some freind to come If shee be sick he thinkes no greife shee felt But wishes all Physitians had been guelt But aske her how shee does sets him a swearing Feeling her pulse is love tricks past the bearing Poore wretched wife shee cannot looke a wry But without doubt 't is flat adultery And jealous wives there be that are afraid To entertaine a handsome Chamber-maid Farre farre from them be all such thoughts I pray Let their Loves prove eternall and no day Adde date to their affections grant ô Queene Their Loves like nuptiall bayes be alwaies greene And also grant But here shee bid me stay For well shee knew what I had else to say I ask'd no more wish'd her hold on her race To joyne their hands and send them night apace Shee smil'd to heare what I in sport did say So whip'd her doves and smiling rid away To Mr Feltham on his booke of Resolves IN this unconstant Age when all mens minds In various change strive to outvie the winds When no man sets his foot upon the square But treads on globes and circles when we are The Apes of Fortune and desire to bee Revolved on as fickle wheeles as shee As if the planets that our rulers are Made the soules motion too irregular When minds change oftner then the Greek could dream That made the Metempseucos'd soule his theame Yea oft to beastly formes when truth to say Moons change but once a month we twice a day When none resolves but to be rich and ill Or else resolves to be irresolute still In such a tide of minds that every houre Doe ebbe and flow by what inspring power By what instinct of grace I cannot tell Dost thou resolve so much and yet so well While foolish men whose reason is their sence Still wander in the worlds circumference Thou holding passions raines with strictest hand Dost firme and fixed in the Center stand Thence thou art setled others while they tend To rove about the circle find no end Thy booke I read and read it with delight Resolving so to live as thou dost wright And yet I guesse thy life thy booke produces And but expresses thy peculiar uses Thy manners dictate thence thy writing came So Lesbians by their worke their rules doe frame Not by the rules the worke thy life had been Patterne enough had it of all been seen Without a book books make the difference here In them thou liv'st the same but every where And this I guesse though th' art unknown to me By thy chast writing else it could not bee Dissemble ne'â—…e so well but here and there Some tokens of that plague would soone appeare Oft lurking in the skin a secret gout In books would sometimes blister and breake out Contagious sinnes in which men take delight Must needs infect the paper when they write But let the curious eyes of Lynceus look Through every nerve and sinew of this book Of which 't is full let the most diligent mind Prie thorough it each sentence he shall find Season'd with chast not with an itching salt More favouring of the Lampe then of the malt But now too many thinke noe wit divine None worthy life but whose luxurious line Can ravish Virgins thoughts And is it fit To make a pandar or a baud of wit But tell 'em of it in contempt they look And aske in scorne if you would geld their book As if th' effeminate braine could nothing doe That should be chast and yet be
feare What the brain coynes goes scarce for currant there Can meeter cancell bonds is here a time Ever to hope to wipe out chalke with rime Or if I now were hurrying to the jaile Are the nine Muses held sufficient baile Would they to any composition come If we should morgage our Elisium Tempe Parnassus and the golden streames Of Tagus and Pactolus those rich dreames Of active fancy Can our Orpheus move Those rocks and stones with his best straines of love Should I like Homer sing in lofty tones To them Achilles and his Myrmidons Hector and Aiax are but Sergeants names They rellish bay-salt 'bove the Epigrams Of the most season'd braine nor will they be Content with Ode or paid with Elegy Muse burne thy baies and thy fond quill resigne One crosse of theirs is worth whole books of mine Of all the treasure which the Poets hold There 's none at all they weigh except our gold And mine 's return'd to th' Indies and hath swore Never to visit this cold climate more TheÌ„ crack your strings good Purse for you need none Gape on as they doe to be paid gape on Vpon Love fondly refus'd for Conscience sake NAture Creations law is judg'd by sense Not by the Tyrant conscience Then our commission gives us leave to doe What youth and pleasure prompts us to For we must question else heavens great decree And taxe it with a Treachery If things made sweet to tempt our appetite Should with a guilt staine the delight Higher powers rule us our selves can nothing doe Who made us love made 't lawfull too It was not love but love transform'd to vice Ravish'd by envious Avarice Made women first impropriate all were free Inclosures mans Inventions be I' th' golden age no action could be found For trespasse on my neighbours ground 'T was just with any Fayre to mixe our blood The best is most diffusive good She that confines her beams to one mans sight Is a darke Lanth orne to a glorious Light Say does the Virgin-spring lâ—…sse chast appear Cause many Thirsts are quenched there Or have you not with the same odours met When more have smelt your violet The Phenix is not angry at her nest Cause her perfumes make others blest Though Incense to th' eternall Gods be meant Yet mortalls Rivall in the sent Man is the Lord of creatures yet we see That all his vassals loves are free The severe wedlocks fetters doe not bind The Pard's inflam'd and amorous mind But that he may be like a Bridegroome led Even to the Royall Lyons bed The birds may for a yeare their loves confine But make new choyce each Valentine If our affections then more servile be Then are our slaves where's mans soveraignty Why then by pleasing more should you lesse please And spare the sweets being more sweet then these If the fiesh Trunke have sap enough to give That each insertive branch may live The Gardner grafts not only Apples there But addes the Warden and the Peare The Peach and Apricock together grow The Cherry and the Damson too Till he hath made by skilfull husbandry An intire Orchard of one Tree So least our Paradise perfection want We may as well inoculate as plant What 's Conscience but a Beldams midnight theme Or nodding nurses idle dreame So feign'd as are the Goblins Elves and Fairies To watch their Orchards and their Dairies For who can tell when first her reigne begun I' th' state of innocence was none And since large Conscience as the proverb shewes In the same sense with bad one goes The lesse the better then whence this will fall 'T is to be perfect to have none at all Suppose it be a vertue rich and pure 'T is not for Spring or Summer sure Nor yet for Autumne Love must have his prime His warmer heats and harvest time Till we have flourish'd growne and reap'd our wishes What Conscience dares oppose our kisses But when times colder hand leads us neare home Then let that winter-vertue come Frost is till then prodigious we may doe What youth and pleasure prompts us to FINIS THE MVSES LOOKING-GLASSE By T. R. OXFORD Printed by Leonard Lichfield for Francis Bowman 1638. THE MVSES LOOKING-GLASSE ACTVS I. SCEN. 1. Enter Bird a Featherman and Mrs Flowrdew wife to a Haberdasher of small wares the one having brought feathers to the Play-house the other Pins and Looking-glasses two of the sanctified fraternity of Black-friers Flo. SEe Brother how the wicked throng and crowd To works of Vanity not a nooke or corner In all this house of sin this cave of filthinesse This den of spirituall theeves but it is stuff'd Stuffed and stuff'd full as is a cushion With the lew'd Reprobate Bird. Sister were there not before Innes Yes I will say Inns for my zeale bids me Say filthy Innes enough to harbour such As travell'd to destruction the broad way But they 〈◊〉 more and more more shops of Satan Flowrd 〈◊〉 aboundeth though pure zeale Teach preach huffe puffe and snuffe at it yet still Still it aboundeth Had we seen a Church A new built Church erected North and South It had been something worth the wondring at Bird. Good workes are done Flowrd I say no works are Good Good works are meerely Popish and Apocryphall Bird. But th'bad abound surround yea confound us No matveile now if Play-howses increase For they are all grown so obscene of late That one begets another Flowerd Flat fornication 〈◊〉 wonder any body takes delight To hear them prattle Bird. Nay and I have heard That in a Tragedy I think they call it They make no more of killing one another Then you sell pinnes Flow. Or you sell feathers brother But are they not hang'd for it Bird. Law growes partiall And findes it but Chance-medly And their Comedies Will abuse you or me or any body We cannot put our monies to increase By lawfull Vsury nor Breake in quiet Nor put off our false wares nor keep our wives Finer then others but our Ghosts must walke Vpon their stages Flow. Is not this flat conjureing To make our Ghosts to walke ere we be dead Bird. That 's nothing Mrs Flowrdew they will play The Knave the Foole the Divell and all for mony Flow. Impiety O that men indued with reason Should have no more grace in them Bird. Be there not other Vocations as thriving and more honest Bailies Promooters Iaylors and Apparitours Beadles and Martialls men the needfull instruments Of the Republique but to make themselves Such monsters for they are monsters th' are monsters Base sinfull shamelesse ugly vile deform'd Pernitious monsters Flow. I have heard our Vicar Call Play-houses the Colledgeâ—… of Transgression Wherein the seven deadly sinnes are studied Bird. Why then the City will in time be made An Vniversity of Iniquity We dwell by Black-Friers Colledge where I wonder How that prophane nest of pernitious Birds Dare roost themselves there in the midst of us So many good and well disposed
your eye endure I will confesse you The Prince of Eagles Apho. Look to it eyes if yee refuse this sight My nayles shall damne you to eternall night Exit Col. Seing no hope of gain I pack them hence 'T is gold gives flattery all her Eloquence SCEN. 3. Acolastus Anaisthetus Rosci Temperance is the mediocrity of inioying pleasures when they are present and a moderate desire of them being absent And these are the extreames of that vertue Acolastus a voluptuous Epicure that out of an immoderate and untam'd desire seekes after all pleasures promiscuously without respect of honest or lawfull The other Anaisthetus a meere Anchorite that delights in nothing not in those legitimate recreations allow'd of by God and nature Acolast O now for an eternity of eating Foole was he that wish'd but a cranes short neck Give me one nature long as is a Cable Or sounding line and all the way a palate To ◅ast my meate the longer I would have My senses feast together Nature envied us In giving single pleasures let me have My eares eyes palate nose and touch at once Injoy their happinesse lay me in a bed Made of a summers cloud to my embraces Give me a Venus hardly yet fifteene Fresh plump and active she that Mars enjoy'd Is grown too stale And then at the same instant My Touch is pleas'd I would delight my sight With Pictures of Diana and her Nymphs Naked and bathing drawn by some Apelles By them some of our fairest Virgins stand That I may see whether 't is Art or nature Which heightens most my blood and appetite Nor cease I here Give me the seven Orbes To charme my eares with their coelestiall lutes To which the Angells that doe move those spheares Shall sing some amorous ditty nor yet here Fixe I my bounds The sunne himselfe shall fire The Phoenix nest to make me a perfume While I doe eate the Bird and eternally Quaffe of eternall Nectar These single are But torments but together O together Each is a Paradice Having got such objects To please the senses give me senses too Fit to receive those objects Give me therefore An Eagles eye a blood-hounds curious smell A staggs quick hearing let my feeling be As subtle as the spiders and my tast Sharpe as a Squirrils Then I 'le reade the Alcoran And what delights that promises in future I 'le practise in the present Bird Heathenish Glutton Flow. Base belly-God licentious Libertine Anai. And I doe think there is no pleasure at all But in contemning pleasures Happy Niobe And blessed Daphne and all such as are Turn'd stocks and stones would I were Lawrell too Or marble I or any thing insensible It is a toyle for me to eate or drink Only for natures satisfaction Would I could live without it To my eare Musique is but a mandrake To my smell Nard sents of rue and wormwood And I tast Nectar with as much loathing and distast As Gall or aloes or my Doctors potion My eye can meete no object but I hate it Acola Come Brother Stoique be not so melancholy Anai. Be not so foolish Brother Epicure Aco. Come wee 'le goe see a Comedy that will raise Thy heavy spirits up Anai. A Comedy Sure I delight much in those toyes I can With as much patience heare the Marriners Chide in a storme Aco. Then le ts goe drinke a while Anai. 'T is too much Labour Happy Tantalus That never drinks Aco. A little Venery Shall recreate thy soule Ana. Yes like an itch For 't is no better I could wish an heire But that I cannot take the paines to get one Aco. Why marry if your conscience be so tender As not to doe it otherwise Then 't is lawfull Ana. True Matrimony's nothing else indeed But fornication licens'd lawfull Adultery O Heavens how all my senses are wide sluces To let in discontent and miseries How happy are the moles that have no eyes How blest the Adders that they have no eares They neither see nor heare ought that afflicts them But happier they that have no sence all That neither see nor heare tast smell nor feele Any thing to torment them soules were given To torture Bodyes man has reason too To adde unto the heape of his distractions I can see nothing without sense and motion But I doe wish my selfe transform'd into it Colax Sir I cōmend this temperance your arm'd soule Is able to contemne these petty baits These slight temptations which we title pleasures That are indeed but names He'ven it selfe knows No such like thing the starres nor eate nor drink Nor lye with one another and you imitate Those glorious bodies by which noble abstinence You gaine the names of moderate chast and sober While this effeminate gets the infamous termes Of Glutton Drunkard and Adulterer Pleasures that are not mans as man is man But as his nature sympathies with beasts You shall be the third Cato This grave look And rigid eyebrow will become a censor But I will fit you with an object Sir My noble Anaisthetus that will please you It is a Looking-glasse wherein at once You may see all the dismall groves and caves The horrid vaults darke cells and barren deserts With what in Hell it selfe can dismall be Anais That is indeed a Prospect fit for mee Exit Acol. He cannot see a stock or stone but presently He wishes to be turn'd to one of those I have another humor I cannot see A fat voluptuous sow with full delight Wallow in dirt but I doe wish my selfe Transform'd into that blessed Epicure Or when I view the hot salacious sparrow Renew his pleasures with fresh appetite I wish my selfe that litle bird of Love Colax It shewes you a man of a soft moving clay Not made of flint Nature has been bountifull To provide pleasures and shall wee be niggards At plenteous boards He 's a discourteous guest That will observe a diet at a feast When Nature thought the earth alone too litle To find us meat and therefore stor'd the aire With winged creatures not contented yet Shee made the water fruitfull to delight us Nay I believe the other Element too Doth nurse some curious dainty for mans food If we would use the skill to catch the Salamander Did she doe this to have us eat with temperance Or when she gave so many different Odors Of spices unguents and all sorts of flowers Shee cry'd not stop your noses would she give us So sweet a quire of wing'd Musitians To have us deafe or when shee plac'd us here Here in a Paradice where such pleasing prospects So many ravishing colours entice the eye Was it to have us winke when she bestow'd So powrefull faces such commanding beauties On many glorious Nymphs was it to say Be chast and continent Not to enjoy All pleasures and at full were to make nature Guilty of that she nere was guilty of A vanity in her works Acol. A learned Lecture T is fit such grave and solid
to the Men. Sheap Gentlemen looke not from us Rurall swains For polish'd speech high lines or Courtly straines Expect not we should bring a labour'd Scene Or complements we ken not what they meane Nym. And Ladies we poore Country Girles doe come With such behaviour as we learn'd at home How shall we talke to Nymphs so trim and gay That nere saw Lady yet but at a May She. His Muse is very bashfull should you throw A Snake into her Cradle I doe know Shee is no Hercules to outlive your Ire Nym. One Hisse would make the fearfull foole expire Without a sting Shep. Gentlemen doe but you Like this no matter what the Woemen doe Nym. It was a sawcy Swaine thus to conclude Ladies the Gentlemen are not so rude If they were ever school'd by powrefull love As to dislike the things you shall approve If you but like him 't will be greater praise Then if each Muse of Nine had fetch'd him Baies AMYNTAS ACTVS I. SCENA 1. Laurinda Dorylas Dor. T Is newes Laurinda that will ravish you Laur. How ravish mee if 't be such desperat newes I pray conceale it Dor. So I will Lau. Nay Dorylas Pray tell it though Dor. T is desperat newes Laur. But prithee doe Dor. I must conceale it Laur. Doe not Dor. Mistresse you have prevail'd I will relate it Laur. No matter though whether you doe or no. Dor. No then I will not tell you Laur. Yet I care not Much if I heare it Dor. And I care not much Whether I tell 't or no. Laur. What is it Dor. Nothing Laur. Sweet Dorylas let me know Dor. What pretty weather-cocks These women are I serve a Mistresse here Fit to have made a Planet shee le waxe and wane Twice in a minute Laur. But good Dorylas Your newes Dor. Why excellent Newes Laur. But what Dor. Rare newes Newes fit Laur. For what Dor. To be conceal'd why Mistresse The Rivalls those on whom this Powerfull face Doth play the tyraâ—…t Laur. Dorylas what of them Dor. Now now shee wanes O for a dainty Husband To make her a full Moone The amorous couple Your brace of sweet hearts Damon and Alexis Desire your audience Lau. Is this all your newes You may conceale it Dor. Now you have heard it told I may conceale it well I thanke thee Nature Thou didst create mee Man for I want wit Enough to make up woman but good Mistresse What doe you think of Damon Laur. As a man Worthy the best of Nymphs Dor. What of Alexis Laur. As one that may deserve the fairest Virgin In Sicilie Dor. What Virgin Lau. Proserpine Were shee yet Ceres daughter Dor. And what Damon Lau. Hee Ceres selfe were she not yet a Mother Dor. Creet Creet There is no Labyrinth but a womanâ—… Laurinda gentle Mistresse tell mee which Of these you love Lau. Why Damon best of any Dor. Why so that 's well and plain Lau. Except Alexis Dor. Why then you love Alexis best Lau. Of any Dor. I am glad on t Lvu. But my Damon Dor. Be this true And I le be sworne Cupid is turn'd a jugler Praesto you love Alexis best but Damon And Damon but Alexis Love you Damon Lau. I doe Dor. And not Alexis Lau. And Alexis Dor. Shee would ha'both I thinke Laur. Not I by Ceres Dor. Then you love neither Lau. Yes I doe love either Dor. Either and yet not both both best yet neither Why doe you torture those with equall Racks That both vow service to you If your love Have pre fer'd Damon tell Alexis of it Or if Alexis let poore Damon know it That he which is refus'd smothering his flame May make another choice now doubtfull hope Kindles desires in both Lau. Ah Dorylas Thy yeares are yet uncapable of love Thou hast not learn'd the mysteries of Cupid Dost thou not see through all Sicilia From gentlest sheapheards to the meanest swaines What inauspitious torches Hymen lights At every wedding what unfortunate hands Linke in the wedding ring Nothing but feares Iarres discontents suspicions jealousies These many yeares meet in the Bridall sheetes Or if all these be missing yet a Barrennesse A curse as cruell or Abortive births Are all the blessings crowne the Geniall bed Till the successe prove happier and I finde A blessed change I le temper my affection Conceale my flames dissemble all my fires And spend those yeares I owe to Love and Beauty Only in choosing on whose love to fixe My Love and beauty Dor. Rare Feminine wisdome Will you admit ' em Lau. Yes goe call them hither Yet doe not now I thinke on 't yet you may too And yet come back againe Dor. Nay I will goe Lau. Why Dorylas Dor. What newes Lau. Come back I say Dor. Yes to be sent againe Lau. You 'l stay I hope Dor. Not I by Ceres Lau. Dorylas Dor. No good Mistresse Farewell for I at length have learn'd to know You call me back only to bid mee goe Exit Lau. T is no great matter sirrah when they come I le beare my selfe so equall unto both As both shall thinke I love him best this way I keepe both fires alive that when I please I may take which I please But who comes here SCEN. 2. Laurinda Thestylis O Thestylis y' are welcome Thest. If Laurinda My too abrupt intrusion come so rudely As to disturbe your private Meditations I beg your pardon Lau. How now Thestylis Grown Orator of late has learned Mopsus Read Rhetorique unto you that you come To see me with Exordiums Thest. No Laurinda But if there be a charme call'd Rhetorique An art that woods and forrests cannot skill That with persuasive magique could command A pitty in your soule I would my tongue Had learn'd that powerfull art Lau. Why Thestylis Thou know'st the brests I suck'd were neither wolves Nor Tygers and I have a heart of waxe Soft and soone melting try this amorous heart 't is not Of flint or marble The. If it were Laurinda The teares of her whose orator I come Have power to soften it Beuteous Amaryllis Shee that in this unfortunate age of love This haplesse time of Cupids tyranny Plac'd her affection on a skornfull sheapheard One that disdaines her love Lau. Disdaines her love I tell thee Thestylis in my poore judgement And women if no envy blind their eyes Best judge of womens beauties Amaryllis May make a Bride worthy the proudest sheapheard In all Sicilia but wherein can I Pitty this injur'd Nymph The. Thus she desires you As you desire to thrive in him you love As you doe love him whom you most desire Not to love Damon Damon alas repaies Her love with skorne T is a request she saies She knowes you cannot grant but if you doe not Shee will not live to aske again Lau. Poore Nymph My Amaryllis knowes my fidelity How often have we sported on the Lawnes And danc'd a roundelay to Iocastus pipe If I can doe her service Thestylis Be sure I will Good
of Delphos Mop. What a brave man am I Amy. Thou canst resolve By thy great Art all questions What is that That which I have not may not cannot have Mop. That which you have not may not cannot have It is my skill you cannot have my skill Amy. Where lies that skill Mop. Lies here within this noddle Amy. Fetch me my wood-knife I will cut it off And send it to Vrania for a dowry Mop. No no I am deceiv'd it is not that Amy. You dolt you asse you cuckoe Mop. Good Amyntas SCEN. 6. Dorylas Mopsus Iocastus Thestylis Amyntas Io. I st not a brave sight Dorylas can the mortalls Caper so nimbly Dor. Verily they cannot Io. Does not King Oberon beare a stately presence Mab is a beauteous Empresse Do. Yet you kiss'd her With admirable courtship Io. I doe think There will be of Iocastus brood in Fairy Mop. You Cuckold-maker I will tell King Oberon You lye with Mab his wife Io. Doe not good brother And I 'le wooe Thestylis for thee Mop. Doe so then Io. Canst thou love Mopsus mortall The. Why suppose I can sir what of that Io. Why then be wise And love him quickly Mop. Wise then I 'le have none of her that 's the way To get wise children ' troth and I had rather They should be bastards Amy. No the children may Be like the Father Io. True distracted Mortall Thestylis I say love him hee 's a foole Dor. But we will make him rich then 't is no matter The. But what estate shall he assure upon mee Io. A Royall joynture all in Fairy land Amy. Such will I make Vrania Io. Dorylas knowes it A curious Parke Do. Pal'd round about with Pick-teeth Io. Besides a house made all of mother of Pearle An Ivory Teniscourt Dor. A nutmeg Parlour Io. A Saphyre dary-roome Do. A Ginger hall Io. Chambers of Agate Do. Kitchins all of Christall Am. O admirable This is it for certaine Io. The jacks are gold Do. The spits are Spanish needles Io. Then there be walkes Do. Of Amber Io. Curious orchards Do. That bear as well in winter as in summer Io. Bove all the fishponds every pond is full Do. Of Nectar will this please you every grove Stor'd with delighfull birds Mop. But be there any Lady-birds there Io. Abundance Mop. And Cuckoes too To presage constancy Do. Yes The. Nay then le ts in To seale the writings Amy. There boy so ho ho. Exeunt Do. What pretty things are these both to be borne To Lands and Livings we poore witty knaves Have no inheritance but Braines who 's this Enter Alexis One of my Mistresse beagles Ale Dorylas I have had the bravest sport Do. In what Alexis Al. In hunting Dorylas a brace of Grayhounds cours'd a stag With equall swiftnesse till the wearied deere Stood bay at both alike the fearfull doggs Durst neither fasten Do. So and did not you Compare the stag to my fair mistresse ha Pursued by you and Damon caught by neither Ale By Cupid th' art i' th right Dor. Alas poore whelpes In troth I pitty you Why such a hunting Have we had here Two puppies of a litter Mopsus and wise Iocastus hunting folly With a full mouth Alex. I much wonder Dorylas Amyntas can be sad having such follies To provoke mirth Do. And to that end his sister Keepes them about him but in vaine his Melancholy Has took so deepe impression Enter Damon Da. My Alexis Well met I 'ave been at your cottage to seeke you Alex. But I am ne're at home Thou and I Damon Are absent from our selves Do. Excellent application To see the wit of love Da. Let us goe seeke her To have a finall judgement Alex. That may end One of our miseries and the others life Do. O lamentable who would be in love Da. Content SCEN. 7. Laurinda Dorylas Alexis Damon Da. Here comes my joy or death Do. O pittifull Al. My sweet affliction Do. Pittifully sweet Nere feare your father Mistresse kisse securely I 'le be your Mercury and charme a sleepe Old Argus Lau. Doe Do. But if he chance to spy You and your sweet-hearts here I know not of it Lau. You doe not Do. Nay you know if I had seene them I should have told him Lau. Y' are a trusty servant Do. Poore Dorylas is blind he sees not here Damon no nor Alexis Lau. No not hee Do. Alack I am innocent if the belly swell I did not fetch the poyson Lau. No begone Exit Dorylas Da. Laurinda now for mercy sake give period To our long miseries Alex. Now you are like cruell To both and play the tyrant equally On him you hate as much as him you love Da. Depriving one the comfort of his joy Ale The other the sure remedy of his death Lau. Damon you have a Love fair Amaryllis Content your selfe with her Da. I 'le rather kisse An Ethiops crisped lip imbrace a Viper Deformity it selfe to her is fair Al. Damon thou hast thy answer Lau. And Alexis There be in Sicilie many Virgins more Worthy your choice why did you plac't on mee Goe seeke some other Alex. O those words to me Are Poyson Da. But to me an Antidote Al. Thus she gave life to me to tak 't away Da. And me she slew to raise me up againe You shall not slight us thus what doe you thinke Of mee Lau. Thou art the glory of the woods Alex. And what am I Lau. The pride of all the Plaines Ale These your ambiguous termes have now too oft Deluded us Da. Shew by some signe which of us You have design'd for happinesse Lau. So I will Shee takes Damon's Garland and weares it on her own head and puts her own on Alexis Damon as I affect thee so I vow To wear this Garland that adornes thy brow This wreath of flowres Alexis which was mine Because thou lov'st me truly shall be thine This is plain dealing let not Cupid's warres Drive your affections to uncivill jarres Exit Exit Da. Now happy Damon shee thy Garland weares That holds thy heart chain'd in her golden haires Alex. Most blessed I this Garland once did twine About her head that now imbraces mine Dam. Desist Alexis for shee deignes to have The Garland that was mine Alex. But me she gave That which was hers Da. T is more to take then give Alex. I think 't is greater kindnesse to receive Da. By this your share 's the lesse you but receive Al. And by your argument yours you did but give Love is the Garland Da. Then shee did approve Of my affection best shee took my love Ale Fond Damon she accepted love frō thee But what is more she gave her love to mee In giving that to mee she proves my right Do. Why took she mine but meaning to requite Alex. I will dispute no more Da. Then let our speares Plead for us Alex. And determine of our feares Come Damon by this argument let us prove Which t is of us Laurinda best doth
inherit Has Madam Davers dispossest her spirit Or will the Welchmen give me leave to say There is no faith in Merlin none though they Dare sweare each letter creed and pawne their blood He prophecied an age before the flood Of holy Dee which was as some have said Ten generations ere the Arke was made All your predictions but Impostures are And you but prophecy of things that were And you Coelestiall Iuglers that pretend You are acquainted with the starres and send Your spyes to search what 's done in every spheare Keeping your state intelligencers there Your art is all deceit for now I see Against the Rules of deepe Astrologie Girles may be got when Mars his power doth vaunt And boyes when Venus is Predominant Nor doth the Moone though moist and cold shee bee Alwaies at full work to produce the shee Had this been true I had foretold no lie It was the Art was in the wrong not I. Thence I so dully err'd in my beleife As to mistake an Adam for an Eve O grosse mistake and in the civill pleas Error Personae Mr Doctor sayes And may admit divorce but farewell now You hungry star-fed Tribe hence forth I vow Talmud Albumazar and Ptolomie With Erra Pater shall no Gospell bee Nor will I ever after this I sweare Throw Dice upon the shepheards Calender But why doe I t' excuse my Ignorance Lay blame upon the Art no no perchance I have lost all my skill for well I know My Physiognomie two years agoe By the small Pox was mar'd and it may bee A fingers losse hath spoild my Palmistry But why should I a grosse mistake confesseâ—… No I am confident I did but guesse The very truth it was a male child then But Aunt you staid till 't was a wench agen To see th' unconstancy of humane things How little time great Alteration brings All thing are subject unto change we know And if all things then why not sexes too Tyresias we read a man was borne Yet after did into a woman turne Levinus a Physitian of great fame Reports that one at Paris did the same And devout Papists say certaine it is One of their Popes by Metamorphosis Indur'd the same else how could Ioan be heire To the succession of Saint Peters chaire So I at Chairing crosse have beheld one A statue cut out of the Parian stone To figure great Aloides which when well The Artist saw it was not like to sell He takes his chissell and away he pares Part of his sinewy neck shaving the haires Of his rough beard and face smoothing the brow And making that looke amorous which but now Stood wrinkled with his anger from his head He poles the shaggy locks that had o're spread His brawny shoulders with a fleece of haire And workes insteed more gentle tresses there And thus his skill exactly to expresse Soone makes a Venus of an Hercules And can it then impossible appeare That such a change as this might happen here For this cause therefore Gentle Aunt I pray Blame not my Prophecy but your delay But this will not excuse me that I may Directly cleare my selfe there is no way Vnlesse the Iesuits will to me impart The secret depth of their mysterious art Who from their halting Patriot learne to frame A Crutch for every word that fals out lame That can the subtle difference discry Betwixt aequivocation and a lie And a rare scape by sly distinction find To sweare the Tongue and yet not sweare the mind Now arm'd with Arguments I nothing dread But my own cause thus confidently plead I said there was a boy with in your wombe Not actually but one in time to come Or by Antiphrasis my words might bee That ever understands the contrary Or when I said you should a man-child beare You understood me of the sexe I feare When I did meane the mind and thus define A woman but of spirit masculine Or had I said it should a girle have been And it had prov'd a boy you should have seen Mee solve it thus I meant a boy by fate But one that would have been effeminate Or thus I had my just excuse begun I said my Aunt would surely bring a sonne If not a daughter what we seers forsee Is certaine truth unlesse it falshood bee Or I affirme because shee brought forth one That will bring boyes shee hath brought forth a sonne For doe not we call Father Adam thus Because that he got those that have got us What ere I said by simple Affirmation I meant the right by mentall reservation An Epithalamium to Mt F. H. FRanke when this Morne the harbinger of day Blush'd from her Easterne pillow where shee lay Clasp'd in her Tythons arms red with those kisses Which being injoy'd by night by day shee misses I walk'd the feilds to see the teeming earth Whose wombe now swells to give the flowers a birth Where while my thoughts with every object tane In severall contemplations rapt my braine A suddaine lustre like the Sunne did rise And with to great a light eclips'd mine eyes At last I spyed a Beauty such another As I have sometimes heard call theâ—… her Brother But by the chariot and her teame of Doves I guest her to be Venus Queene of Loves With her a pretty boy I there did see But for his wings I 'had thought it had been thee At last when I beheld his quiver of darts I knew t' was Cupid Emperour of our hearts Thus I accosted them Goddesse divine Great Queene of Paphos and Cytherian shrine Whose Altars no man sees that can depart Till in those flames he sacrifice his heart That conquerst Gods and men and heaven divine Yea and hell too Beaâ—…e witnesse Prâ—…serpine And Cupid thou that canst thy Trophies show Over all these and o're thy Mother too Witnesse the night which when with Mars shee lay Did all her sports to all the Gods betray Tell me great Powers what makes such glorious beams Visit the lowly banks of Ninus streams Then Venus smil'd and smiling bid me know Cupid and shee must both to Weston goe I guest the cause for Hymen came behind In saffron robes his Nuptiall knots to bind Then thus I pray'd Great Venus by the Love Of thy Adonu as thou hop'st to move Thy Mars to second kisses and obtaine Beauties reward the Golden fruit againe Bow thy faire eares to my chast prayers and take Such Orisons as purest Love can make Thou and thy boy I know are posting thither To tye pure hearts in purest bonds together Cupid thou know'st the maid I'have seene thee lye With all thy arrowes lurking in her eye Venus thou know'st her love for I have seene The time thou would'st have faine her Rivall been O blesse them both Let their affections meet With happy omens in the Geniall sheet Both comely beauteous both both equall faire Thou canst not glory in a fitter paire I would not thus have praid if I had seen Fourscore and ten wed