and all the Sails Are loosned to receive the flying Gales Whilst I half dead on the forsaken Strand Beheld thee sighing on the Deck to stand Wafting a thousand Kisses from thy Hand And whilst I cou'd the lessening Vessel see I gaz'd and sent a thousand Sighs to thee And all the Sea-born Neriads implorâ— Quick to return thee to our Rustick shore Now like a Ghost I glide through ev'ry Grove Silent and sad as Death about I rove And visit all our Treasuries of Love This Shade th' account of thousand Joys does hide As many more this murmuring Rivers side Where the dear Grass as sacred does retain The print where thee and I so oft have lain Upon this Oak thy Pipe and Garland's plac'd That Sycamore is with thy Sheephook grac'â—â— Here feed thy Flocks once lov'd though now thy scorh Like me forsaken and like me forlorn A Rock there is from whence I cou'd survey From far the blewish Shore and distant Sea Whose hanging top with toy1 I climb each day With greedy View the prospect I run o're To see what wish't for Ships approach our shore One day all hopeless on its point I stood And saw a Vessel bounding o're the Flood And as it nearer drew I cou'd discern Rich Purple Sayls Silk Cords and Golden Stern Upon the Deck a Canopy was spread Of Antique work in Gold and Silver made Which mixt with Sun-beams dazling Light display'd But oh beneath this glorious Scene of State Curst be the sight a fatal Beauty sate And fondly you were on her Bosome laid Whilst with your perjur'd Lips her Fingers plaid Wantonly curl'd and dally'd with that hair Of which as sacred Charms I Bracelets wear Oh! hadst thou seen me then in that mad state So ruin'd so design'd for Death and Fate Fix't on a Rock whose horrid Precipice In hollow Murmurs wars with Angry Seas Whilst the bleak Winds alost my Garments bear Ruffling my careless and dishevel'd hair I look't like the sad Statue of Despair With out-stretch'd voice I cry'd and all around The Rocks and Hills my dire complaints resound I rend my Garments tear my flattering Face Whose false deluding Charms my Ruin was Mad as the Seas in Storms I breath Despair Or Winds let loose in unresisting Air. Raging and Frantick through the Woods I fly And Paris lovely faithless Paris cry But when the Ecchos sound thy Name again I change to new variety of Pain For that dear Name such tenderness inspires As turns all Passion to Loves softer Fires With tears I fall to kind Complaints again So Tempests are allay'd by Show'rs of Rain Say lovely Youth why wou'dst thou thus betray My easie Faith and lead my heart astray It might some humble Shepherds Choice have been Had I that Tongue ne're heard those Eyes ne're seen And in some homely Cott in low Repose Liv'd undisturb'd with broken Vows and Oaths All day by shaded Springs my Flocks have kept And in some honest Arms at Night have slept Then unupbraided with my wrongs thou 'dst been Safe in the Joys of the fair Grecian Queenâ— What Stars do rule the Great no sooner you Became a Prince but you were Perjur'd too Are Crowns and Falshoods then consistant things And must they all be faithless who are Kings The Gods be prais'd that I was humbly born Even tho' it renders me my Paris scorn And I had rather this way wretched prove Than be a Queen and faithless in my Love Not my fair Rival wou'd I wish to be To come prophan'd by others Joys to thee Aspotless Maid into thy Arms I brought Untouch't in Fame ev'n Innocent in thought Whilst she with Love has treated many a Guest And brings thee but the leavings of a Feast With Theseus from her Country made Escape Whilst she miscall'd the willing Flight a Rape So now from Atreus Son with thee is fled And still the Rape hides the Adult ' rous Deed. And is it thus Great Ladies keep intire That Vertue they so boast and you admire Is this a Trick of Courts can Ravishment Serve for a poor Evasion of Consent Hard shift to save that Honour priz'd so high Whilst the mean Fraud's the greater Infamy How much more happy are we Rural Maids Who know no other Palaces than Shades Who want no Titles to enslave the Croud Least they shou'd babble all our Crimes aloud No Arts our good to show our Ills to hide Nor know to cover faults of Love with Pride I lov'd and all Loves Dictates did persue And never thought it cou'd be Sin with you To Gods and Men I did my Love proclaim For one soft hour with thee my charming Swain Wou'd Recompence an Age to come of Shame Cou'd it as well but satisfie my Fame But oh those tender hours are fled and lost And I no more of Fame or Thee can boast 'T was thou wert Honour Glory all to me Till Swains had learn'd the Vice of Perjury No yielding Maids were charg'd with Infamy 'T is false and broken Vows make Love a Sin Hadst thou been true We innocent had been But thou less faith than Autumn leaves do'st show Which ev'ry Blast bears from their native Bough Less Weight less Constancy in thee is born Than in the slender mildew'd Ears of Corn. Oft when you Garlands wove to deck my hair Where mystick Pinks Dazies mingled were You swore 't was â—itter Diadems to bear And when with eager Kisses prest my hand Have said How well a Scepter ' twoâ—'d command And if I danc't upon the Flow'ry Green Wiâ—h charming wishing Eyes survey my Miene And cry the God 's design'd thee for a Queen Why then for Helen dost thou me forsake Can a poor empty Name such difference make Besides if Love can be a Sin thine 's one Since Helen does to Menelaus belong Be Just restore her back She 's none of thine And charming Paris thou art only mine â—Tis no Ambitious Flame that makes me sue To be again belov'd and blest with you No vain desire of being Ally'd t' a King Love is the only Dowry I can bring And tender Love is all I ask again Whilst on her dang'rous Smiles fierce War must wait With Fire and Vengeance at your Palace gate Rouze your soft Slumbers with their rough Alarms And rudely snatch you from her faithless Arms Turn then â—air Fugitive e're t is too late E're thy mistaken Love procures thy Fate E're a wrong'd Husband dos thy Death design And pierce that dear that faithless Heart of thine PARIS TO HELENA BY Mr. RICHARD DVKE The ARGUMENT Paris having sail'd to Sparta for the obtaining of Helen whom Venus had promised him as the reward of his adjudging the prize of Beauty to her was nobly there entertain'd by Menelaus Helens Husband but he being call'd away to Crete to take possession of what was left him by his Grandfather Atreus commends his Guest to the care of his Wife In his absence Paris courts her and writes to her the following Epistle
ALL health fair Nymph thy Paris sends to thee Tho You and only You can give it me Shall I then speak or is it needless grown To tell a Passion that it self has shown Do's not my Love it self too open lay And all I think in all I do betray If not oh may it still in secret lye Till time with our kind wishes shall comply Till all our joys may to us come sincere Nor loose their price by the allay of fear In vain I strive who can that fire conceal Which do's it self by its own Light reveal But if you needs would hear my trembling tongue Speak what my actions have declar'd so long I Love you 've there the word that do's impart The truest Message from my bleeding heart Forgive me Madam that I thus confess To you my fair Physician my Disease And wiâ—h such looks this Suppliant paper grace As best become the Beauties of that face May that smooth brow no angry wrinkle wear But be your looks as kind as they are fair Some pleasure 't is to think these Lines shall find An Entertainment at your hands so kind For this creates a hope that I too may Receiv'd by You as happy be as they Ah! may that hope be true nor I complain That Venus promis'd you to me in vain For know lest you through Ignorance offend The Gods 't is Heav'n that me does hither send None of the meanest of the Powers Divine That first inspir'd still favours my design Great is the prize I seek I must confess But neither is my due or merit less Venus has promis'd she would you assign Fair as her self to be for ever mine Guided by her my Troy I left for thee Nor fear'd the dangers of the faithless Sea She with a kind and an auspicious gale Drove the good Ship and stretch't out ev'ry Sail. For she who sprung out of the teeming deep Still o're the Main do's her wide Empire keep Still may she keep it and as she with ease Allays the wrath of the most angry Seas So may she give my stormy mind some rest And calm the raging Tempest of my breast And bring home all my sighs and all my vowes To their wisht harbour and desir'd repose Hither my â—lames I brought not â—ound'em here I my whole course by their kind Light did steer For I by no mistake or storm was tost Against my will upon this happy Coast. Nor as a Merchant did I plow the Main To venture Life like sordid Fools for gain No may the Gods preserve my present store And only give me you to make it more Nor to admire the place came I so far I have Towns richer than your Cities are 'T is you I seek to me from Venus due You were my wish before your Charms I knew Bright Images of you my mind did draw Long e're my Eyes the lovely Object saw Nor wonder that with the swift winged dart At such a distance you could wound my heart So Fate ordain'd and lest you fight with Fate Hear and believe the truth I shall relate Now in my Mothers Womb shut up I lay Her fatal burthen longing for the day When she in a mysterious Dream was told Her teeming Womb a burning Torch did hold Frighted she rises and her Vision she To Priam tells and to his Prophets He They sing that I all Troy should set on fire But sure Fate meant the flames of my desire For fear of this among the Swains expos'd My native greatness every thing disclos'd Beauty and strength and courage joyn'd in one Through all disguise spoke me a Monarchs Son A place there is in Ida's thickest Grove With Oaks and Firr-trees shaded all above The grass here grows untoucht by bleating flocks Or Mountain Goat or the laborious Ox From hence Troys Tow'rs magnificence pride Leaning against an aged Oak I spy'd When straight methought I heard the trembling ground With the strange noise of trampling feet refound In the same instant Iove's great Messenger On all his Wings born through the yielding Air Lighting before my wondring Eyes did stand His golden Rod shone in his sacred Hand With him three charming Goddesses there came Iuno and Pallas and the Cyprian Dame With an unusual fear I stood amaz'd Till thus the God my sinking Courage rais'd Fear not Thou art Jove's substitute below The prize of heavenly beauty to bestow Contending Goddesses appeal to you Decide their strife He spake and up he flew Then bolder grown I throw my fears away And every one with curious eyes survey Each of 'em merited the Victory And I their doubtful Judge was griev'd to see That one must have it when deserv'd by three But yet that one there was which most prevail'd And with more pow'rful Charms my heart assail'd Ah! would you know who thus my breast could move Who could it be but the fair Queâ—n of Love With mighty Bribes they all for Conquest strive Iuno will Empires Pallas Valour give Whilst I stand doubting which I should prefer Empire 's soft ease or glorious toyls of War But Venus gently smild and thus she spake They 're dangerous gifts O do not do not take I 'le make Thee Love's immortal pleasures know And Ioyes that in full tides for ever flow For if you judge the Conquest to be mine Faire Leda's fairer Daughter shall be thine She spake and I gave her the conquest due Both to her Beauty and her gift of You. Mean while my angry Stars more gentle grown I am acknowledg'd Royal Priam's Son All the glad Court all Troy does celebrate With a new Festival my change of Fate And as I now languish and dye for thee So did the Beauties of all Troy for me You in full pow'r over a heart do reign For which a thousand Virgins sigh'd in vain Nor did Queens only fly to my embrace But Nymphs of form divine and heavenly race I all their Loves with cold disdain represt Since hopes of you first fir'd my longing breast Your charming form all day my fancy drew And when night came my dreams were all of you What pleasures then must you your self impart Whose shadows only so surpriz'd my heart And oh how did I burn approaching nigh'er That was so scorch'd by so remote a fire For now no longer could my hopes resrain From seeking their wisht Object through the main I fell the stately Pine and every Tree That best was fit to cut the yielding Sea Fetcht from Gargarian Hills tall Firs I cleave And Ida naked to the Winds I leave Stiff Okes I bend and solid Planks I form And every Ship with well-knit ribâ— I arm To the tall Mast I Sails and Streamers joyn And the gay Poops with painted Gods do shine But on my Ship does only Venus stand With little Cupid smiling in her hand Guide of the way she did her self command My Fleet thus rigg'd and all my thoughts on thee I long to plow the vast Aegean Sea My anxious Parents my desires
Had I been won I had deserv'd your blame But sure my part was nothing but the shame Yet the base theft to him no fruit did bear I scap'd unhurt by any thing but fear Rude force might some unwilling Kisses gain But that was all he ever cou'd obtain You on such terms would nere have let me go Were he like you we had not parted so Untouch'd the Youth restor'd me to my Friends And modest usage made me some amends 'T is vertue to repent a vicious deed Did he repent that Paris might succeed Sure 't is some Fate that sets me above wrongs Yet still exposes me to busie tongues I l'e not complain for whose's displeas'd with Love If it sincere discreet and Constant prove But that I fear not that I think you base Or doubt the blooming beauties of my face But all your Sex is subject to deceive And ours alas too willing to believe Yet others yield and Love o'recomes the best But why should I not shine above the rest Fair Leda's Story seems at first to be A fit example ready found for me But she was Cousen'd by a borrow'd shape And under harmless Feathers felt a Rape If I should yield what Reason could I use By what mistake the Loving Crime excuse Her fault was in her pow'rful Lover lost But of what Iupiter have I to boast Tho you to Heroes and to Kings succeed Our Famous Race does no addition need And great Alliances but useless prove To one that 's come her self from mighty Iove Go then and boast in some less haughty place Your Phrygian Blood and Priam's Ancient race Which I wou'd shew I valu'd if I durst You are the fifth from Iove but I the first The Crown of Troy is pow'rful I confess But I have reason to think ours no less Your Letter fill'd with promises of all That Men can good or Women pleasant call Gives expectation such an ample field As wou'd move Goddesses themselves to yield But if I e're offend great Iuno's Laws Your self shall be the Dear the only Cause Either my Honour I 'll to death maintain Or follow you without mean thoughts of Gain Not that so fair a Present I despise We like the Gift when we the giver prize But 't is your Love moves me which made you take Such pains run such hazards for my sake I have perceiv'd though I dissembled too A Thousand things that Love has made you do Your eager Eyes would almost dazle mine In which wild man your wanton thoughts wou'd shine Sometimes you 'd sigh sometimes disorder'd stand And with unusual ardor press my hand Contrive just after me to take the Glass Nor wou'd you let the least occasion pass Which oft I fear'd I did not mind alone And blushing sate for things which you have done Then murmur'd to my self he 'll for my sake Do any thing I hope 't was no mistake Oft have I read within this pleasing Grove Under my Name those Charming words I Love I frowning seem'd not to believe your Flame But now alas am come to write the same If I were capable to do amiss I could not but be sensible of this For oh your Face has such peculiar charms That who can hold from flying to your arms But what I ner'e can have without offence May some blest Maid possess with innocence Pleasure may tempt but vertue more should move O Learn of me to want the thing you Love What you desire is sought by all mankind As you have eyes so others are not blind Like you they see like you my charms adore They wish not less but you dare venture more Oh! had you then upon our Coasts been brought My Virgin Love when thousand Rivals sought You had I seen you should have had my voice Nor could my Husband justly blame my Choice For both our hopes alas you come to late Another now is Master of my Fate More to my wish I cou'd have liv'd with you And yet my present lot can undergo Cease to solicit a weak Woman's will And urge not her you Love to so much ill But let me live contented as I may And make not my unspotted fame your prey Some Right you claim since naked to your eyes Three Goddesses disputed Beauties prize One offer'd Valour to'ther Crowns but she Obtain'd her Cause who smiling promis'd me But first I am not of belief so light To think such Nymphs wou'd shew you such a sight Yet granting this the other part is feign'd A Bribe so mean your sentence had not gain'd With partial eyes I shou'd my self regard To think that Venus made me her reward I humbly am content with human praise A Goddesse's applause wou'd envy raise But be it as you say for 't is confest The Men who flatter highest please us best That I suspect it ought not to displease For Miracles are not believ'd with ease One joy I have that I have Venus voice A greater yet that you confirm'd her Choice That proffer'd Laurels promis'd Sov'raignty Iuno and Pallas you contemn'd for me Am I your Empire then and your renown What heart of Rock but must by this be won And yet bear witness O you Powr's above How rude I am in all the Arts of Love My hand is yet untaught to write to men This is th' Essay of my unpractis'd pen Happy those Nymphs whom use has perfect made I think all Crime and tremble at a shade Ev'n while I write my fearful conscious eyes Look often back misdoubting a surprize For now the Rumour spreads among the Croud At Court in whispers but in Town aloud Dissemble you what er'e you hear e'm say To leave off Loving were your better way Yet if you will dissemble it you may Love secretly the absence of my Lord More freedom gives but does not all afford Long is his Journey long will be his stay Call'd by affairs of Consequence away To go or not when unresolv'd he stood I bid him make what swift return he cou'd Then Kissing me he said I recommend All to thy Care but most my Trojan Friend I smil'd at what he innocently said And only answer'd you shall be obey'd Propitious winds have born him far from hence But let not this secure your confidence Absent he is yet absent he Commands You know the Proverb Princes have long hands My Fame 's my burden for the more I 'm prais'd A juster ground of jealousie is rais'd Were I less fair I might have been more blest Great Beauty through great danger is possest To leave me here his venture was not hard Because he thought my vertue was my Guard He fear'd my Face but trusted to my Life The Beauty doubted but believ'd the Wife You bid me use th' occasion while I can Put in our hands by the good easie man I wou'd and yet I doubt 'twixt Love and fear One draws me from you and one brings me near Our flames are mutual and my Husband 's gone The nights are
Loving you has been my sole offence Nor nature gave me nor has practice taught The Nets with which young Virgins hearts are caught You my accuser taught me to deceive And Love with you did his assistance give For Love stood by and smiling bad me write The cunning words he did himself indite Again you see I write by his Command He guides my Pen and rules my willing hand Again such kind such loving words I send As makes me fear that I again offend Yet if my Love 's my Crime I must confess Great is my Guilt but never shall be less Oh that I thus might ever guilty prove In finding out new paths to reach thy Love A thousand waies to that steep Mountain lead Tho hard to find and difficult to tread All these will I find out and break through all For with my Flames compar'd the danger 's small The Gods alone know what the end will be Yet if we Mortals any thing foresee One way or other you must yield to me If all my Arts should fail to Arms I 'le fly And snatch by force what you my Prayers deny I all those Heroes mighty Acts applaud Who first have led me this Illustrious Road I tooâ— but hold death the reward will be Death be it then For to loose you is more than death to me Were you less fair I 'd use the vulgar way Of tedious Courtship and of dull delay But thy bright form kindles more eager fires And something wondrous as it self Inspires Those Eyes that all the Heavenly lights outshine Which Oh! may'st thou behold love in mine Those snowy Arms which on my neck should fall If you the Vows you made regard at all That modest sweetness and becoming Grace That paints with living red your blushing face Those feet with which they only can compare That through the Silver flood bright Thetis bear Do all conspire my madness to excite With all the rest that is deny'd to â—ight Which could I praise alike I then were blest And all the storms of my vex'd soul at rest No wonder then if with such Beauty fir'd I of your Love the Sacred pledge desir'd Rage now and be as angry as you will Your very frowns all other smiles excel But give me leave that anger to appease By my submission that my Love did raise Your pardon prostrate at your feet I 'le crave The humble posture of your guilty Slave With falling tears your fiery rage I 'le cool And lay the rising tempest of your soul. Why in my absence are you thuâ— severe Summon'd at your Tribunal to appear For all my Crimes I 'd gladly suffer there With pride whatever you inflict receive And love the wounds those hands vouchsafe to give Your Fetters too But they alas are vain For Love has bound me and I hug my Chain Your hardest Laws with patience I 'le obey Till you your self at last relent and say When all my sufferings you with pity see He that can love so well is worthy me But if all this should unsuccessful prove Diana claims for me your promis'd love O may my fears be false yet she delights In just revenge of her abused Rites I Dread to hide what yet to speak I dread Least you should think that for my self I plead Yet out it must 't is this 'T is surely this That is the fuel to your hot disease When waiting Hymen at your Porch attends Her fatal Messenger the Goddess sends And when you would to his kind call consent This Feavour does your perjury prevent Forbear forbear thus to provoke her rage Which you so easily may yet aswage Forbear to make that lovely charming face The prey to every envious disease Preserve those looks to be enjoy'd by me Which none should ever but with wonder see Let that fresh colour to your cheeks return Whose glowing flame did all beholders burn But let on him th' unhappy cause of all The ills that from Diana's anger fall No greater torments light than those I feel When you my dearest tendrest part are ill For oh with what dire Tortures am I wrackt Whom different griefs successively distract Sometimes my grief from this do's higher grow To think that I have caus'd so much to you Then great Diana's witness how I pray That all our Crimes on me alone she 'd lay Sometimes to your lov'd doors disguis'd I come And all around 'em up and down I roam Till I your Woman coming from you spy With looks dejected and a weeping eye With silent steps like some sad Ghost I steal Close up to her and urge her to reveal More than new questions suffer her to tell How you had slept what dyet you had us'd And oft the vain Phisicians art accus'd He every hour Oh were I blest as he Do's all the turns of your Distemper see Why sit not I by your Bed side all day My mournful head in your warm bosom lay Till with my tears the inward fires decay Why press not I your melting hand in mine And from your pulse of my own health divine But oh these wishes all are vain and He Whom most I fear may now sit close by Thee Forgetful as thou art of Heaven and me He that lov'd hand do's press and oft do's feign Some new excuse to seel thy beating vein Then his bold hand up to your arm do's slide And in your panting Breast it self do's hide Kisses sometimes he snatches too from Thee For his officious care too great a Fee Robber who gave Thee leave to tast that lip And the ripe harvest of my kisses reap For they are mine so is that bosom too Which false as 't is shall never harbour You. Take take away those thy Adulterous hands â— or know another Lord that breast Commands 'T is true Her Father promis'd her to Thee But Heaven and she first gave her self to me And you in Justice therefore should decline Your claim to that which is already mine This is the man Cydippe that excites Dianas rage to vindicate her Rites Command him then not to approach thy door This done the danger of your death is o're For fear not Beauteous Maid but keep thy Vow Which great Diana heard and did allow And she who took it will thy health restore And be propitious as she was before 'T is not the steam of a slain Heifers blood Than can allay the anger of a God 'T is truth and Justice to our Vows appease Their angry Deities and without these No â—laughter'd Breast their fury can divert For that 's a Sacrifice without a Heart Some bitter Potions patiently endure And kiss the wounding Lance that works their cure You have no need these cruel cures to feel Shun being perjur'd only and be well Why let you still your pious Parents weep Whom you in ign'rance of your promise keep Oh! to your Mother all our Story tell And the whole progress of our Love reveal Tell Her how first at great Dianas Shrine I
approaching woes divin'd Not Ships at Sea with winds are shaken more Nor Seas themselves when angry Tempests roar Than I when my loud Fathers voice I hear The Bed beneath me trembled with my fear He rush'd upon me and divulg'd my stain Scarce from my Murther cou'd his hands refrain I only answer'd him with silent tears They flow'd my tongue was frozen up with fears His little Grandchild he commands away To Mountain Wolves and every Bird of prey The Babe cry'd out as if he understood And beg'd his pardon with what voice he cou'd By what expressions can my grief be shown Yet you may guess my anguish by your own To see my bowels and what yet was worse Your bowels too condemn'd to such a Curse Out went the King my voice its freedom found My breasts I beat my blubber'd Cheeks I wound And now appear'd the Messenger of death Sad were his Looks and scarce he drew his Breath To say Your Father sends you with that word His trembling hands presented me a Sword Your Father sends you this and lets you know That your own Crimes the use of it will show Too well I know the sence those words impart His Present shall be treasur'd in my heart Are these the Nuptial Gifts a Bride receives And this the fatal Dow'r a Father gives Thou God of Marriage shun thy own disgrace And take thy Torch from this detested place â—nstead of that let Furies light their brands â—nd Fire my pile with their infernal hands With happier fortune may my Sisters wed â—arn'd by the dire Example of the dead For thee poor Babe what Crime cou'd they pretend How cou'd thy Infant innocence offend A guilt there was but oh that guilt was mine Thou suffer'st for a sin that was not thine Thy Mothers grief and Crime but just enjoy'd Shown to my sight and born to be destroy'd Unhappy Off-spring of my teeming Womb Drag'd head-long from thy Cradle to thy Tomb Thy unoffending life I could not save Nor weeping cou'd I follow to thy Grave Nor on thy Tomb cou'd offer my shorn Hair Nor show the grief which tender Mothers bear Yet long thou shalt not from my Arms be lost For soon I will o're-take thy Infant Ghost But thou my Love and now my Love's Despair Perform his Funerals with paternal care â—is scatter'd Limbs with my dead body burn â—nd once more joyn us in the pious Urn. â—f on my wounded breast thou drop'st a tear â—hink for whose sake my breast that wound did bear â—nd faithfully my last desires fulfill â—s I perform my cruel Fathers will PHILLIS to DEMOPHOON BY M r. ED. POLEY The ARGUMENT Demophoon who was Son to Theseus and Phaedra in returning from the Trojan War into his own Country was by a Tempest driven upon the Coasts of Thrace where Phillis who was then Queen of Thrace entertained him and Marryed him When he had staid with her some time he heard that Menestheus was dead who after he had Conquer'd Theseus had Vsurp'd the Government of Athens and under pretence of setling his own Affairs he went to Athens and promised the Queen that he would come back again in a Moâ—th When he had been gone four Months and that she had heard no News of him she writes him this Letter YOu 've gone beyond your time and ought to give So kind a Wife as Phillis leave to grieve You promis'd me you would no longer stay Then till the first full Moon should light your way Thrice did it since its borrow'd light renew And thrice has chang'd but not so much as you Did you the Daies and Hours and Minutes tell As Phillis does and they that love so well You 'd say 't were time to weep your sorrows too Would justifie those Tears she sheds for you Still did I hope and thought you 'd still be here We hardly can believe those things we fear Now 't is too plain and spight of Love and you â—must both fear it and believe it too â—ow oft did I deceive my self and swore â—saw your Ship just making to the Shore â—hen Curs'd those Friends I thought had caus'd your stay â—ould you were half so innocent as they â—â—metimes I fear'd by foaming billows â—ost â—ou might be Shipwrack'd while you sought the Coast And griev'd t' have injur'd whom I thought so true I beg'd that pardon I 'd refus'd to you Then cruel Man did I the Gods Implore To let you live though I ne're saw you more When I a favourable Gale espy'd He comes if he 's alive he comes I cry'd And thus my love still sought some new pretence And I grew Eloquent in your defence Yet thou avoid'st me still nor do I see Those promises thou mad'st to Heaven and me ' But thy false Vows alas were all but Wind ' Thy vows and wishes made the gale more kind ' They â—ill'd your Sails and you were forc'd away ' By the same wishes which you made to stay What have I done but lov'd to an excess You 'd not been guilty had I lov'd you lâ—ss My only Crime is loving you too well But sure some Merit in that Crime does dwell Where 's now your Faith and where 's the Love you bore Where are the Gods by whom you falsly swore Where 's Hymen too who joyn'd our tender years â—e bid me Love and banish'd all my Fears â—ou swore by th' swelling billows of the Main â—hich oft you'd tried and would yet trust again â—ather than stay with me though much more kind â—nd constant too than are the Seas or Wind. â—ou swore by th' Mighty Ruler of the Flood â—he heav'nly Author of your Royal Blood If er'e a God had any thing to do 〈◊〉 one so â—alse and so unkind as you â—ou swore by Venus and the fatal steel â—f those proud Darts which too too much I feel â—nd by great Iuno whose resistless Art â—ave thee my Hand when I had giv'n my Heart Thou swor'st so much that if each God should be Just to revenge his injur'd self and me Such numerous mischiefs on thy head would fall thou 'dst not have room enough to bear them all Distracted I as if I 'ad fear'd your stay Repair'd your Ships to hurry you away What haste you wanted my curs'd care supply'd Oars to your Sails and Current to your Tide Thus was I falsly by my self betray'd And perish by the wounds my hands have made I foolishly believ'd all th' Oaths you swore The Race you boasted and the Gods you bore Who could have thought such gentle words er'e hung Upon a treacherous deluding Tongue I saw your tears and I believ'd them all Can they lye too and are they taught to fall What needed all that numerous Perjury One was enough to her that lov'd like me I 'me not asham'd I did your Ships receive And your own wants did carefully relieve Those Debts I ought you on a nobler score But then 't is true I should have done no more All I repent
is that I basely strove T' increase your welcom by a Nuptial Love That night that usher'd in th' unhappy day Which did me to your guilty Love betray I wish that fatal Night had been my last Then I had died but then I had been Chast. â— hop'd you were 'cause I deserv'd you True â—s it a Crime to wish what is our due T is sure no mighty Glory to deceive â— tender Maid so willing to believe â—y weakness does but heighten your offencâ— â—ou kindly should have spar'd my innocence â—ou've gain'd a Maid that lov'd you and may 't be â—our greatest Prise and only Victory May your proud Statue rais'd by this success Shame your great Father 'cause his Crimes were less And when late story shall of Tyrants tell And by whom Scyron and Procrustes fell The Centaurs flight the Thebans Over-throw Who 't was durst force the dismal Shades below Then for your Honour shall at last be said Here 's He who by a wretched wile betray'd A Loving Innocent Believing Maid Of all those Acts we in your Father knew His Treachery alone remains in you What only can excuse the Ills you do You both Inherit and Admire it too He Ariadne did betray but she Enjoys a Husband mightier far than He. But the scorn'd Thracians my Embraces shun 'Cause I from them into thy Arms did run Let her they cry to learned Greece be gone We 'll find a Monarch to supply the Throne Thus all we do depends on an ill Fate Which does for ever on th' unhappy wait But may that Fate all his best thoughts attend Who Judges others Actions by the end For should'st thou ever bless these Seas again They 'd praise that Love of which they now complain Then would they say What could she better do Both for her self and for her Kingdom too But I have err'd and thou' rt for ever fled Forget'st my Empire and forget'st my Bed Methinks I see thee still Demophoon Thy Sails all hoisted ready to be gone When boldly thou didst my soft Limbs embrace And with long Kisses dwelt'st upon my Face Drown'd in my Tears and in your own you lay And curs'd the Winds that hastn'd you away Then parting cry'd methinks I hear thee still Phillis I 'll come you may be sure I will Can I expect that thou 'lt er'e see this Shore Who leftst it that thou ne're mightst see me more And yet I beg you 'd come too that you may Be only guilty in too long a stay What do I ask thou by new Charms possess'd Forget'st my kindness on another Breast ' And better to compleat the Treachery ' Swear'st all those Oaths which thou hast broke to me And hast false Man perhaps forgot my Name And ask'st too who I am and whence I came But that thou better maist remember me Know thou ungrateful man that I am she Who when thou'dst wander'd all the Ocean or'e Harbour'd thy Ships and welcom'd thee to Shore Thy Coffers still replenish'd from my own And to that height a Prodigal was grown I gave thee all thou ask'dst and gave so fast I gave my self into thy power at last I gave my Scepter and my Crown to Thee A weight too heavy to be born by me Where Haemus does his shady head display And gentle Heber cuts his Sacred way So great 's the Empire and so wide the Land Scarce to be govern'd by a Womans hand She whom Fate would not suffer to be chast Whose Nupt'als with a Fun'ral Pomp were grac'd Shril cries disturb'd us midst our swiftest joyes And our drawn curtains trembled with the noise Then close to thee I clung all drown'd in tears And sought my shelter where I 'd found my fears And now while others drown their care in sleep â— run toth ' barren Shore and Rocks to weep And view with longing eyes the spac'ous Deep All Day and Night I the winds course survey Impatient till I find it blows this way And when afar a coming Sail I view I thank my Stars and I conclude 't is you Then with strange hast I run my Love to meet Nor can the flowing Waters stop my Feet When near I grow more fearful than before A suddain trembling seizes me all or'e And leaves my body breathless on the Shore Hard by where two huge Mountains guard the way There lies a fearful solitary Bay Oft I 've resolv'd while on this place I 've stood To throw my self into the raging Flood Wild with Despair and I will do it still Since you continue thus to use me ill And when the kinder Waves shall waft me or'e May'st thou behold my Body on the Shore Unburied lie and though thy Cruelty Harder than Stone or than thy self should be Yet shalt thou cry astonish'd with the show Phillis I was not to be follow'd so Raging with Poisons would I oft expire And quench my own by a much happier Fire Then to revenge the loss of all my Rest Would stab thy Image in my tortur'd Breast Or by a Knot more welcom far to me Than that false Man which I have tyed with thee Strangle that Neck where those false Arms of thine With treach'rous kindness us'd so oft to twine And as becomes a poor unhappy Wife Repair my ruin'd Honour with my Life When we can once with our hard Fate comply 'T is easie then to chuse the way to die Then on my Tomb shall the proud Cause be read And thy sad Crime still live when I am dead Poor Phillis dy'd by him she lov'd oppress'd The truest Mistriss by the falsest Guest He was the cruel cause of all her woe But her own hand perform'd the fatal Blow HYPERMNESTRA TO LINUS BY M r. WRIGHT The ARGUMENT Danaus King of Argos had by several Wives Fifty Daughters his Brother Aegiptus as many Sons Danaus refusing to Marry his Dâ—ughters to his Brothers Sons was at last compelled by an Army In revenge he commands his Daughters each to Murder her Husband on the Wedding Night All obeyd but Hypermnestra who assisted her Husband Linus to escape for which being afterwards imprisoned and put in Irons she writes this Epistle To that dear Brother who alone survives lives Of Fifty late whose love betray'd their Writes she that suffers in her Lords defence Unhappy Wife whose Crime 's her Innocence For saving him I lov'd I 'me guilty call'd Had I been truly so I 'de been extoll'd Let me be guilty still since this they say Is Guilt I glory thus to disobey Torments nor Death shall draw me to repent Though against me they use that Instrument From which I sav'd a Husbands dearer life And with one Sword kill Linus in his Wife Yet will I ne're repent for bâ—ing true Or blush t' have lov'd that let my Sisters do Such shame and such repentance is their due I 'm seiz'd with terror while I but relate And shun remembrance of a Crime I hate The frightful memory of that dire night Enâ—rvates so my hand I scarce
can write How er'e I 'le try With Ceremony gay Just at the fall of Night and rise of Day The wicked Sisters were in triumph led And I among 'em to the Nuptial Bed The Marriage Lights as funeral Lamps appear And threatning Omens met us every where Hymen they call Hymen neglects their Cryes Nay Iuno too from her own Argos flyes Now come the Bridegrooms high with wine to find Something with us more lov'd than Wine behind â—ull of impatient Love careless and brave â—hey seize the Bed not seeing there a Grave What follow'd shame forbids me to express â—ut who so ignorant as not to guess â—ow their tyr'd Senses they to sleep commit â— sleep as still as Death ah too like it â—â—was then methought I heard their groans that dyed â—las 't was more than thought I terrified â—ay trembling cold and without power to move 〈◊〉 that dear Bed which you had made me love While you in the soft Bonds of Sleep lay fast Charmâ—d with the joys of love then newly past Fearing to disobey I rise at last Witness sweet heavens how tender was the strife Betwixt the name of Daughter and a Wife Thrice o're your breast which did so lately joyn In such an Extasie of love to mine I rais'd the pointed Steel to pierce that part But ah th' attempt strook nearer my own heart My Soul divided thus these words among A thousand sighs fell softly from my tongue ' Dost thou not heed a Fathers awful will ' Dost thou not fear his power On then and kill ' How can I kill when I consider who ' Can I think death against a Lover too ' What has my Sex with Blood and Arms to do ' Fye thou art now by Love to Shame betray'd ' Thy Sister-Brides by this have all obey'd ' With Shame their Courage and their Duty see ' If not a Daughter yet a Sister be ' No I will never strike If one must dye ' Linus shall live and my death his supply ' What has he done or I what greater ill ' For him to dye and I much worse to kill ' Were he as guilty as my Father wou'd ' Present him why must I be stain'd with bloud ' Poinards and Swords ill with my Sex agree ' Soft Looks and Sighs of Love our weapons be As I lamented thus the tears apace Dropt from my pitying eyes on thy lov'd face While you with kind amorous Dreams possest Threw carelesly your dear arm o're my breast There thinking to repeat Joys lately known Your hand upon my Sword was almost thrown 'T was time to call nor longer I forbore Dreading the Days approach my Fathers more Wake Linus wake I cry'd O quickly wake Or sleep for ever here Th' alarm you take Start up ask twenty questions in one breath To all I answer thus Delay is death Fly while 't is dark and scape eternal night While it was dark you made a happy flight I stay'd to meet the terrors of the Light With day my Father comes the dead to view And finds the dismal Sum one short by you Enrag'd to see his treachery betray'd By his command I 'me thus in Fetters laid Is this reward due to my Love from Fate Ah wretched flame Passion unfortunate Since Iö suffer'd under Iuno's Rage Nothing that Rival'd Goddess can asswage Th' unhappy Mistress of the mighty Iove Chang'd to a Cow a form unâ—pt for Love Views in her Fathers streams her heads array Sees her own horns and frighted starts away When she wou'd speak she lows and equal â—ears From her own self surprize her eyes and ears In vain to loose the frightful shape she tries For Iö follows still where Iö flies In vain she wanders over Lands and Sâ—as Can she find Cure whose self is the Disease Sadly severe the change in her appear'd Whose Beauty Iove and lov'd and Iuno fear'd Grass and the Springs her food and drink supply Her only Lodging 's the unsheltring Sky What need I urge Antiquity my fate Is a fresh instance of the Goddess hate A double stock of Tears by me are spilt Both for my Brothers death and Sisâ—ers guilt Yet as if that were small these Chains arrive 'Cause I alone am guiltless you alive But my dear Lord if any thought you have Or of the Love or of the life I gave If any memory with you does last Or of the Pleasures or the Dangers past Now Linus now some help to her afford Who wants the Liberty she gave her Lord. If life forsake me e're I you can see And death before my Linus set me free Yet my unhappy Earth from hence remove And give those Obsequies are due to Love When I 'me inter'd I know some tears will fall Then let this little Epitaph be all Here lies a Love Compleat tho hapless wife Who catch't the Death aim'd at her husbands life Here I must rest my hand tho much remains 'T is quite disabled with the weight of Chains ARIADNE TO THESEUS The ARGUMENT Minos King of Creet by a sharp Warr compell'd the Athenians who had treacherously slain his Son Androgeos to send yearly seaven young men and as many Virgins to be devour'd by the Minotaure a Monster begotten by a Bull upon his wife Pasiphae while he was engaged in that Warr. The Chance at last fell up on Theseus to be sent among those youths who by the Instructions of Ariadne escaped out of the Labyrinth after he had kill'd the Minotaure and together with her fled to the Isle of Naxos But being commanded by Bacchus he forsook her while she slept When she awaked and found herself deserted she writes this Letter THan savage Beasts more fierce more to be feard Expos'd by Thee by Them I yet am spar'd These Lines from that unhappy Shore I write Where you forsook me in your faithless flight And the most tender Lover did betray While lock'd in sleep and in your Arms she lay When Morning-dew on all the Fields did fall And Birds with early Songs for day did call Then I half sleeping stretch'd me tow'rds your place And sought to press you with a new embrace Oft sought to press you close but still in vain My folding Arms came empty back again Startled I rose and found that you were gone Then on my widow'd Bed fell raging down Beat the fond Breast where spight of me you dwell And tore that hair whâ—ch you once lik'd so well â—y the Moons light I the wide Shore did view 〈◊〉 â—ll was Desart and no sight of you Then every way with Loves mad hast I fly But ill my feet with my desires comply Weary they sink in the deep yielding Sands Refusing to obey such wild Commands To all the shore of Theseus I complain The Hills and Rocks send back that Name again Oft they repeat aloud the mournful noise And kindly aid a hoarse and dying voice Tho faint yet still impatient next I try To climb a rough steep Mountain which was nigh My
furious Love unusual strength supply'd From thence casting my eyes on every â—ide â—ar off the flying Vessel I espy'd â—n your swell'd Sayls the wanton winds did play They Court you since they see you false as they â— saw or fancy'd that I saw you there And my chill Veins froze up with cold despair Thus did I languish till returning Rage In new extreams did my fir'd Soul engage Theseus I cry perfidious Theseus stay But you are deaf deaf as the Winds or Sea Stay your false flight and let your Vessel bear Hence the whole number which she landed here In loud and doleful shrieks I tell the rest And with fresh Fury wound my hated Breast Then all my shining Ornaments I tear And with stretch'd Arms wave them in open Air That you might see her whom you could not hear But when out of my sight the Vessel flew And the Horizon shut me from the view From my sad eyes what floods of tears did fall Till then Rage would not let me weep at all Still let them weep for loosing sight of you 'T is the whole business which they ought to do Like Bacchus raving Priests sometimes I go With such wild hast with hair dishevel'd so Then on some craggy Rock sit silent down As cold unmov'd and sensless as the Stone To our once happy Bed I often fly No more the place of mutual Love and Joy See where my much lov'd Theseus once was laid And kiss the print which his dear Body made Here we both lay I cry false Bed restore My Theseus kind and faithful as before I brought him here here lost him while I slept How well false Bed you have my Lover kâ—pt Alone and helpless in this Desert place The steps of Man or Beast I cannot trace On every side the foaming Billows beat But no kind Ship does offer a retreat And should the Gods send me some lucky Sail â—alm Sâ—as good Pilots and a prosperous Gale Yet then my Native Soil I durst not see But a sad Exile must for ever be From all â—rete hundred Cities I am curst From that fam'd Isle where Infant Iove was nurst Crete I betray'd for you and what 's more dear Betray'd my Father who that Crown does wear When to your hands the fatal Clew I gave Which through the winding Lab'rinth led you safe Then how you lov'd how eagerly embrac'd How oâ—t you swore by all your dangers past That with my life your love should ever last Ah perjur'd Theseus I thy love survive If one forsaken and expos'd does live Had you slain me as you my Brother slew You'ad then absolv'd your self from ev'ry Vow Now both my present Grief denies me Rest And all that a wild Fancy can suggest 〈◊〉 â—â—eadâ—ul Ills to come distracts my Brâ—ast Before my eyes a thousand deaths appear I live yet suffer all the deaths I fear Sometimes I think that Lyons there do go And scarce dare trust my sight that 't is not so â—magine that fierce Wolves are howling there And at th' imagin'd Noise shrink up with fear â—hen think what Monsters from the Sea may rise Or fancy bloudy Swords before my eyes But most I dread to be a Captive made â—nd see these hands in servile works imploy'd Unworthy my Extraction from a Line On one side Royal and on both Divine â—nd which my Indignation more would move â—nworthy her whom Theseus once did love If tow'rds the Sea I look or tow'rds the Land â—bjects of horror still before me stand or dare I look tow'rds Heaven or hope to find â—â—d from those Gods who chang'd my Theseus's mind If Beasts alone within this Island stay Behold me left to them a helpless Prey If Men dwell here they must be Savage too This Soyl this Heaven made gentle Theseus so Would Athens never had my Brother slain Nor for his paid so many lives again Would thy strong Arm had never given the wound Which struck the doubtful Monster to the ground Nor I had given the guiding Thred to Thee Which to my own destruction set Thee free Let the unknowing World thy Conquest praise It does not Ariadâ—es wonder raise So hard a Heart unarm'd might safely scorn The strength and sharpness of the Monsters horn 〈◊〉 Flint or Steel could be secure of wound No room for fear could in that Breast be found Câ—rst be the sleep which seal'd these eyes so fast 〈◊〉 that begun it did not ever last For ever curst be that officious Wind Which fill'd thy Sayls and in my ruin joyn'd Curst hand which me and which my Brother kill'd With what Misfortunes our sad House 't has fill'd And curst the Tongue which with soft words betray'd And empty Vows a poor believing Maid Sleep and the Winds against me had combin'd In vain if perjur'd Theseus had not joyn'd Poor Ariadne thou must perish here Breath out thy Soul in strange and hated Air Nor see thy pittying Mother shed one Tear Want a kind hand which thy fix'd eyes may close And thy stiff Limbs may decently compose Thy Carcass to the Birds must be a Prey Thus Theseus all thy Kindness does repay Mean while to Athens your swift Ship does run There tell the wondring Crowd what you have done How the mix'd Prodigy you did subdue The Beast and Man how with one stroke you slew Describe the Labyrinth and how taught by me You scap'd from all those perplext Mazes free Tell in return what generous things you 've done Such Gratitude will all your Triumphs Crown Sprung sure from Rocks and not of human Race Thy Cruelty does thy great Line disgrace Yet couldst thou see as barbarous as thou art These dismal looks sure they would touch thy heart You cannot see yet think you saw me now Fix'd to some Rock as if I there did grow And trembling at the Waves which roul below Look on my torn and my disordred hairs Look on my Robâ— wet through with show'rs of tears With the cold blasts see my wole body shakes And my numm'd hand unequal Letters makes I do not urge my hated Merit now But yield this once that you do nothing ow. I neither sav'd your Life nor set you free Yet therefore must you force this death on Me Ah! see this wounded Breast worn out with sighs And these faint Arms stretch'd to the seas skiâ—s See these few hairs yet spar'd by Grief and Rage Some Pitty let these flowing Tears engage Turn back and if I 'me dead when you return Yet lay my Ashes in their peaceful Urn. HERMIONE TO ORESTES The ARGUMENT Hermione the Daughter of Menelaus and Helena was by Tyndarus her Grandfather to whom Menelaus had committed the government of his House when he went to Troy contracted to Orestes Her Father Menelaus not knowing thereof had betroth'd her to Pyrrhus the Son of Achilles who returning from the Trojan Wars stole her away Whereupon she writes to Orestes as follows THis dear Orestes this with health to you From her that was your
the brightest Charms Hector I fear much do I Hector fear A man they say experienc'd in War My Dear if thou hast any love for me Of that same Hector prithee mindful be Fly him be sure and every other Foe Least each of them should prove an Hector too Remember when for fight thou shalt prepare Thy Laodamia charge'd thee Have a care For what wounds thou receiv'st are giv'n to her If by thy valour Troy must ruin'd be May not the ruin leave one scar on thee Sharer in th' honour from the danger free Let Menelaus fight and force his way Through the false Ravisher's Troops to his Helena Great be his Victory as his Cause is good May he swim to her in his Enemies blood Thy Case is different may'st thou live to see Dearest no other Combatant but me Ye generous Trojans turn your Swords away â—rom his dear Breast find out a nobler prey Why should you harmless Laodamia slay My poor good natur'd Man did never know What'tis to fight or how to face a Foe â—et in Love's Field what wonders can he do â—reat is his Prowess and his Fortune too â—et them go fight who know not how to woo Now I must own I fear'd to let thee go My trembling lips had almost told thee so When from thy Father's House thou didst withdraw Thy fatal stumble at the door I saw I saw it sigh'd and pray'd the sign might be Of thy return a happy Prophecie I cannot but acquaint thee with my fear Be not too brave Remember Have a care And all my dreads will vanish into Air. Among the Grecians some one must be found That first shall set his foot on Trojan ground Unhappy she that shall his loss bewail Grant O ye Gods thy courage then may fail Of all the Ships be thine the very last Thou the last man that lands there needs no hasteâ— To meet a potent and a treacherous foe Thou 'lt land I fear too soon tho' ne're so slow At thy return ply every Sail and Oar And nimbly leap on thy deserted shore All the day long and all the lonely night Black thoughts of thee my anxious Soul affright Darkness to other womens pleasures kind Augments like Hell the torments of my mind I court e'en Dreams on my forsaken Bed false Joys must serve since all my true are fled What 's that same aiery Phantom so like thee What wailings do I hear what paleness see I wake and hugg my self ' it s but a Dream The Grecian Altars know I feed their flame The want of hallow'd Wine my tears supply Which make the sacred fire burn bright and high When shall I clasp thee in these Arms of mine These longing Arms and lye dissolv'd in thine When shall I have thee by thy self alone To learn the wondrous Actions thou hast done Which when in rapturous words thou hast begun With many and many a kiss prithee tell on Such interruptions graceful pauses are A Kiss in Story 's but an Halt in War But when I think of Troy of winds and waves I fear the pleasent dream my hope deceives Contrary winds in Port detain thee too In spite of wind and tide why wouldst thou go Thus to thy country thou wouldst hardly come In spite of wind tide thou went'st from home To his own City Neptune stops the way Revere the Omen and the God's obey Return ye furious Grecians homeward fly Your stay is not of Chance but Destiny How can your Arms expect desir'd success That thus contend for an Adulteress But let not me forespeak you no set Sail And Heav'n befriend you with a prosperous gale Ye Trojans with regret methinks I see Your first encounter with your Enemy I see fair Helen put on all her Charms To buckle on her lusty Bridegroom's Arms She gives him Arms and kisses she receives I hate the transports each to other gives She leads him forth and she commands him come Safely victorious and triumphant home And he no doubt will make no nice delay But diligently do whate're she say Now he returns see with what amorous speed She takes the pond'rous Helmet from his head And courts the weary Champion to her bed We women too too credulous alas Think what we fear will surely come to pass Yet while before the Leagure thou dost lye Thy Picture is some pleasure to my Eye That I caress in words most kind and free And lodge it on my Breast as I would Thee There must be something in It more than Art 'T were very Thee could it thy mind impart I kiss the pretty Idol and complain As if like Thee 't would answer me again By our Loves Vows which most relgious are By thy beloved Head and those gray Hairs Which Time may on it Snow in future years I come where're thy Fate shall bid Thee go Eternal Partner of thy weal and woe So Thou but live tho' all the God's say No. Farewel but prethee very careful be Of thy beloved Self I mean of me PHILLIS to DEMOPHOON BY Mr. ED. FLOYD The ARGUMENT Demophoon the Son of Theseus and Phaedra ' returning from the Trojan Wars was by adverse Winds driv's on the Thracian shore where he was royally entertained and received into familiarity by Phillis Daughter of Lycurgus and Crustumena King and Queen of Thrace with whom after he had a while remain'd hearing of the death of Mnestheus the Deposer of his Father he went to take possession of his own Realm of Athens yet with earnest protestations of returning within the space of one month But being detain'd past the appointed time by the distractions his people were under he gave occasion to Phillis impatient of delays to write him this Epistle PHillis who entertain'd thy Love and Thee Faithless Demophoon blames thy Periury How when withpain we parted didst thou mourn And seem'dst to live alone for thy return How didst thou limit my distress and swear Within one month thy speedy presence here Yet now four Moons are weary'd out and see Thee still regardless of thy Vows and me Hadst thou a tender sense to know the pain Of absent Lovers who expect in vain Thou wouldst not call me hasty nor upbraid These humble murmurs of a wife betray'd We 're slow in our believing Ills for I Flatter'd my self that yet I shou'd not dye My self I 've oft deluded thought thee kind Thy Ship returning with a prosp'rous wind Theseus I 've curst and yet unjustly him For thou perhaps art Author of thy Crime The dang'rous shoals of Hebrus made me mourn As fancying thee expos'd in thy return Oft for thy health I 've sought the Gods by pray'r And Incense burnt to place thee in their care When e're the Wind stood fair I fancy'd streight Thy sudden presence or thy certain fate Then have I study'd reasons for thy stay And urg'd my wit to savour thy delay Yet dost not thou the sense of Vows retain To Gods and me made equally in vain Thy strictest Vows
did mix with common Air Nor does thy tardy Fleet the fault repair Thy absence fully does my Crime reprove And seems design'd to pay so cheap a Love My only fault was loving easily And yet that fault claims gratitude in Thee Where 's now thy faith thy supplyant hands and where The God prophan'd by thy fallacious pray'r Where 's Hymen now that should our hearts unite Bless and secure our conjugal delight First by the Sea thou swor'st thy meaning just The Sea that then thou wert about to trust Thou swor'st by thy prentended Grandsire's name The God that does rebellious storms reclaim By Venus and by Love's Artillery The Instruments of mighty woes to me By Iuno who of marriage Vows takes care And Ceres who the hallow'd Torch does bear Shou'd these wrong'd Pow'rs be just cou'dst thou withstand The angry stroke of an Almighty hand Thy Ships I did repair thy Sails improve And strengthen'd the deserter of my Love I gave thee Oars as Instruments of speed And sharpen'd all the darts by which I bleed Thy Words Thy Kindred Gods whate're was fain'd With Joy I heard with Faith I entertain'd View'd with regard thy false commanded tears Thy artful sorrow and thy seeming fears Thy Arts of Love to me thou might'st have spar'd For I was too unhappily prepar'd Nor shou'd I grieve to have well treated Thee And limited my hospitality But to admit thee loosely to my breast Is Treason fatal to my present rest Ah! had I dy'd before that evening came I then had dy'd in peace secure of fame Yielding I hop'd thy gratitude might move And shewing mine deserve thy utmost love But 't is inglorious thus to have betray'd All pittiless a frail believing Maid A Maid that lov'd thee thou hast rob'd of fame And may no greater honour reach thy name In Athens when thy Statue shall be plac'd Near thy great Father with his Trophies grac'd When Scyron and Procrustes shall be read Scinis and Minotaure in triumph lead Thebes quite reduc'd the Centaure's overcome Hell storm'd the black King disturb'd at home Thy hated Image thus inscrib'd shall End He who betray'd his Mistress and his Friend Of all thy mighty Father has atchiev'd Thou lik'st that Ariadne was deceiv'd What he repented thou dost still admire And only to his treachery art Heir unenvy'd she enjoys a nobler Mate And drawn by harness'd Tygres rides in state The Thracian's whom I scorn'd now shun my bed As one by strange polluted hands misled Says one let learned Athens be her place Some nobler Hand shall govern warlike Thrace The End proves all and may he never hit His rash presage who dares condemn thee yet For shou'dst thou now return each will conclude I study'd with my own my Country's good I 've fail'd alas Thou no review dost make Or of my Palace or the Chrystal Lake My eyes retain thy graceful Image when With mournful Bowes thou bad'st me hope agen Thou did'st embrace me and with such delay That long breath'd kisses seem'd to mean thy stay Thou didst exchange and mix our tears swear The Wind was inauspicious when 't was fair When our divorce thou cou'dst no more decline Thou saidst Expect me Phillis I am thine Him I expect who meant to come no more And Ships no more design'd to touch this shore Yet still I hope ah come tho' past thy time That thy delay may be thy only Crime Some wanton Maid perhaps seduces Thee And buyes thy love with cheap discourse of me Thou can'st not be unmindful who I am Consult thy self for my neglected name Phillis thy Constant hospitable Friend Who did her harbour and assistance lend Love Empire All submitted to thy will Who gave thee much wish'd to give thee still Lycurgus's Land surrender'd to thy sway And to thy Hand its Scepter did convey As far as Rhodope and Haemus go And the soft streams of sacred Hebrus flow Thee my last blushes blest thy loves long toyles Rewarded with my conquer'd Virging Spoyles The howling Fiends and ominous Birds of Night With dismal notes perform'd each Nuptial Rite With her curl'd Snakes the fierce Alecto Came To light our Tapers with infernal flame On Rocks I walk and o're the barren Sand Far as my Eyes can reach the spacious Strand Look out all hours to see what Wind stands fair By Earths cold damp untir'd or Heav'ns bleake air When any distant Sayl I chance to spy I fancy thy loose Streamers drawing nigh Launch'd into Sea the tardy Gales I chide And to meet thee I stem th' impetuous Tide When their approach declares my hopes are vain I fainting crave th' assistance of my Train Above the Bay which the spent Billows blocks And form 's a Precipice of pendent Rocks Thence my despair presented me a grave And nought but thy return my life shall save May some kind Wave to thy own Shore convey And at thy feet thy floating Phillis lay Thy melting heart this dismal sound will groan In these Embraces joyn'd we meet too soon Oft have I thirsted for a pois'nous draught As oft a death from some kind Ponyard sought Oft round that neck a silken Twine I cast Which once thy dear perâ—idious Arms embrac'd By death I 'le heal my present Infamy But stay to choose the speediest way to dye This sad â—hort Epitaph shall speak my doom And fix my mournful story on my Tomb This Monument did false Demophoon build With the cold Ashes of his Mistress fill'd He was the cause and hers the hand that kill'd A PARAPHRASE ON OENONE to PARIS BY M rs A. BEHN The ARGUMENT Hecuba being with Child of Paris dreamt she was delivered of a Firebrand Priam consulting the Prophets was answer'd the Child shou'd be the Cause of the Destruction of Troy wherefore Priam commanded it should be deliver'd to wild Beasts as soon as born but Hecuba conveys it secretly to Mount Ida there to be foster'd by the Shepherds where he falls in love with the Nymph Oenone but at length being known and own'd he sayls into Greece and carries Helen to Troy which Oenone hearing writes him this Epistle TO thee dear Paris Lord of my Desires Once tender Partner of my softest Fires To thee I write mine whilst a Shepherds Swain But now a Prince that Title you disdain Oh fatal pomp that cou'd so soon divide What Love and all our Vows so firmly ty'd What God our Loves industrious to prevent Curst thee with power and ruin'd my Content Greatness which does at best but ill agree With Love such Distance sets 'twixt Thee Me. Whilst thou a Prince and I a Shepherdess My raging Passion can have no redress Wou'd God when first I saw thee thou hadst been This Great this Cruel Celebrated thing That without hope I might have gaz'd bow'd And mixt my Adoration with the Crowd Unwounded then I had escap'd those Eyes Those lovely Authors of my Miseries Not that less Charms their fatal pow'r had drest But Fear and Awe my
Love had then supprest My unambitious Heart no Flame had known But what Devotion pays to Gods alone I might have wonder'd and have wisht that He Whom Heaven shou'd make me love might look like Thee More in a silly Nymph had been a sin This had the height of my presumption been But thou a Flock didst feed on Ida's Plain And hadst no Title but The lovely Swain A Title which more Virgin Hearts has won Then that of being own'd King Priam's Son Whilst me a harmless Neighbouring Cottager You saw and did above the rest preser You saw and at first sight you lov'd me too Nor cou'd I hide the wounds receiv'd from you Me all the Village Herdsmen strove to gain For me the Shepherds sigh'd and su'd in vain Thou hadst my heart and they my cold disdain Not all their Offerings Garlands and first born Of their lov'd Ewes cou'd bribe my Native scorn My Love like hidden Treasure long conceal'd Cou'd only where 't was destin'd be reveal'd And yet how long my Maiden blushes strove Not to betray the easie new born Love But at thy sight the kindling Fire wou'd rife And I unskil'd declare it at my Eyes But oh the Joy the mighty Extasy Possest thy Soul at this Discovery Speechless and panting at my feet you lay And short-breath'd Sighs told what you cou'd not say A thousand times my hand with Kisses prest And look'd such Darts as none cou'd e're resist Silent we gaz'd and as my Eyes met thine New Joy fill'd theirs new Love and shame fill'd mine You saw the Fears my kind disorder shows And broke your Silence with a thousand Vows Heavens how you swore by ev'ry Pow'r Divine You wou'd be ever true be ever mine Each God a sacred witness you invoke And wish'd their Curse when e're these Vows you broke Quick to my Heart the perjur'd Accents ran Which I took in believ'd and was undone Vows are Loves poyson'd Arrows the heart So wounded rarely finds a Cure in Art At least this heart which Fate has destin'd yours This heart unpractic'd in Loves mystick pow'rs For I am soft and young as April Flowers Now uncontroul'd we meet uncheck't improve Each happier Minute in new Joys of Love Soft were our hours and lavishly the Day We gave intirely up to Love and Play Oft to the cooling Groves our Flocks we led And seated on some shaded flowry Bed Watch'd the united Wantons as they fed And all the Day my list'ning Soul I hung Upon the charming Musick of thy Tongue And never thought the blessed hours too long No Swain no God like thee cou'd ever move Or had so soft an Art in whispering Love No wonder that thou wert Ally'd to Iove And when you pip'd or sung or danc'd or spoke The God appear'd in every Grace and Look Pride of the Swains and Glory of the Shades The Grief and Joy of all the Love-sick Maids Thus whilst all hearts you rul'd without Controul I reign'd the absolute Monarch of your Soul Each Beach my Name yet bears carv'd out by thee Paris and his Oenone fill each Tree And as they grow the Letters larger spread Grow still a witness of my Wrongs when dead Close by a silent silver Brook there grows A Poplar under whose dear gloomy Boughs A thousand times we have exchang'd our Vows Oh may'st thou grow to an endless date of Years Who on thy Bark this fatal Record bears When Paris to Oenone proves untrue Back Xanthus Streams shall to their Fountains â—low Turn turn your Tide back to your Fountains run The perjur'd Swain from all his Faith is gone Curst be that day may Fate point out the hour As Ominous in his black Kalender When Venus Pallas and the Wife of Iove Descended to thee in the Mirtle Grove In shining Chariots drawn by winged Clouds Naked they came no Veil their Beauty shrouds But every Charm and Grace expos'd to view Left Heav'n to be survey'd and judg'd by you To bribe thy voice Iuno wou'd Crowns bestow Pallas more gratefully wou'd dress thy Brow With Wreaths of Wit Venus propos'd the choice Of all the fairest Greeks and had thy Voice Crowns and more glorious Wreaths thou didst despise And promis'd Beauty more than Empire prize This when you told Gods what a killing fear Did over all my shivering Limbs appear And I presag'd some ominous Change was near The Blushes left my Cheeks from every part The Blood ran swift to guard my fainting heart You in my Eys the glimmering Light perceiv'd Of parting Life and on my pale Lips breath'd Such Vows as all my Terrors undeceiv'd But soon the envying Gods disturb'd our Joys Declare thee Great and all my Bliss destroys And now the Fleet is Anchor'd in the Bay That must to Troy the glorious Youth convey Heavens how you look'd and what a Godlike Grace At their first Homage beautify'd your Face Yet this no Wonder or Amazement brought You still a Monarch were in Soul and thought Nor cou'd I tell which most the Sight augments Your Joys of Pow'r or parting Discontents You kist the Tears which down my Cheeks did glide And mingled yours with the â—oft falling Tide And 'twixt your Sighs a thousand times you said Cease my Oenone Cease my charming Maid If Paris lives his Native Troy to see My lovely Nymph thou shalt a Princess be But my Prophetick Fear no Faith allows My breaking Heart resisted all thy Vows Ah must we part I cryd those killing words No further Language to my Grief affords Trembling I fell upon thy panting Breast Which was with equal Love and Grief opprest Whilst sighs and looks all dying spoke the rest About thy Neck my feeble Arms I cast Not Vines nor Ivy circle Elms so fast To stay what dear Excuses didst thou frame And fanciedst Tempests when the Seas were calm How oft the Winds contrary feign'd to be When they alas were only so to me How oft new Vows of lasting Faith you swore And 'twixt your Kisses all the old run o're But now the wisely Grave who Love despise Themselves past hope do busily advise Whisper Renown and Glory in thy Ear Language which Lovers fright and Swains ne're hear For Troy they cry these Shepherds Weeds lay down Change Crooks for Scepters Garlands for a Crown ' But sure that Crown does far less easie sit ' Than Wreaths of Flow'rs less innocent sweet ' Nor can thy Beds of State so grateful be ' As those of Moss new fall'n Leaves with me Now tow'rds the Beach we go all the way The Groves the Fern dark Woods and Springs survey That were so often conscious to the Rites Of sacred Love in our dear stol'n Delights With Eyes all languishing each place you view And sighing cry Adieu dear Shades Adieu Then 't was thy Soul e'en doubted which to do Refuse a Crown or those dear Shades forgoe Glory and Love the great dispute persu'd But the false Idol soon the God subdu'd And now on Board you go
withstand And both with pious tears my stay command Cassandra too with loose dishevel'd hair Just as our hasty Ships to sail prepare Full of Prophetick fury cries aloud O whether steers my Brother through the flood Little ah little dost thou know or heed To what a raging fire these waters lead True were her fears and in my breast I feel The scorching flames her Fury did foretell Yet out I sail and favour'd by the Wind On your blest Shore my wisht for haven find Your Husband then so Heav'n kind Heav'n ordains In his own house his Rival entertains Shews me whate're in Sparta do's delight The curious Travellers enquiring sight But I who only long'd to gaze on you Could taste no pleasure in the idle show But at thy sight oh where was then my heart Out from my breast it gave a sudden start Sprung forth and met half way the fatal dart Such or less charming was the Queen of Love When with her rival Goddesses she strove But Fairest hadst You came among the three Even she the prize must have resign'd to thee Your Beauty is the only Theme of Fame And all the world sounds with fair Helens name Nor lives there she whom pride it self can raise To claim with you an equal share of praise Do I speak false rather Report do's so Detracting from you in a praise too low More here I find than that could ever tell So much your Beauty does your Fame excel Well then might Theseus he who all things knew Think none was worthy of his Theft but you I this bold theft admire but wonder more He ever would so dear a prize restore Ah! would these hands have ever let you go Or could I live and be divorc't from you No sooner I with life it self could part Than e're see you torn from my bleeding heart But could I do as he and give you back Yet sure some taste of Love I first would take Would first in all your blooming excellence And Virgin sweets feast my luxurious Sense Or if you would not let that treasure go Kisses at least you should you would bestow And let me smell the slow'r as it did grow Come then into my longing armâ— and try My lasting fixt Eternal constancy Which never till my funeral pile shall wast My present fire shall mingle with my last Scepters and Crowns for you I did disdain With which great Iuno tempted me in vain And when bright Pallas did her bribes prepare One soft embrace from you I did prefer To Courage Strength and all the Pomp of War Nor shall I ever think my choice was ill My judgment 's settled and approves it still Do you but grant my Hopes may prove as true As they were plac'd above all things but you I am as well as you of Heavenly race Nor will my Birth your mighty line disgrace Pleias and Iove our noble Lineage Head And them a race of God-like Kings Succeed All Asia's Scepters to my Father bow And half the spacious East his power allow There you shall see the Houses rooft with Gold And Temples glorious as the Gods they hold Troy you shall see and divine Walls admire Built to the consort of Apollo's Lyre What need I the vast floud of people tell That over its wide banks do's almost swell You shall gay troops of Phrygian Matrons meet And Trojan Wives shining in every street How often then will you your self confess The emptiness and poverty of Greece How often will you say one Palace there Contains more wealth than do whole Cities here I speak not this your Sparta to disgrace For wheresoe're your Life began its race Must be to me the happyest dearest place Yet Sparta's poor and you that should be drest In all the riches of the shining East Should understand How ill that sordid place Suits with the beauty of your charming face That face with costly dress and rich attire Should shine and make the gazing world admire When you the Habit of my Trojans see What think you must that of their Ladies be Oh! then be kind fair Spartan nor disdain A Trojan in your Bed to entertain He was a Trojan and of our great line That to the Gods do's mix immortal Wine Tithonus too whom to her rosie bed The Goddess of the Morning blushing led So was Anchises of our Trojan race Yet Venus self to his desir'd embrace With all her train of little Loves did flie And in His arms learnt for a while to die Nor do I think that Menelaus can Compar'd with Me appear the greater Man I 'm sure my Father never made the Sun With frighted Steeds from His dire banquet run No Grandfather of mine is staind with blood Or with his crime names the Myrtoan flood None of our race do's in the Stygian Lake Snaâ—ch at those Apples he wants pow'r to take But stay since You with such a Husband joyn Your Father Iove is forc't to grace his Line He Gods a wretch unworthy of those charms Do's all the Night lie melting in your armes Do's every minute to new joys improve And riots in the luscious sweets of Love I but at Table one short view can gain And that too only to encrease my pain O may such Feasts my worst of Foes attend As often I at your spread table find I loath my food when my tormented eye Sees his rude hand in your soft bosom lie I burst with envy when I him behold Your tender limbs in his loose robe enfold When he your lips with melting kisses seald Before my eyes I the large goblet held When you with him in strict embraces close My hated meat to my dry'd palat grows Oft have I sigh'd then sigh'd again to see That sigh with scornful smiles repaid by thee Oft I with Wine would quench my hot desire In vain for so I added fire to fire Oft have I turnd away my Head in vain You straight recall'd my longing eyes again What shall I do your sports with grief I see But 't is a greater not to look on Thee With all my Art I strive my flames to hide But through the thin disguise they are descry'd Too well alas my wounds to you are known And O that they were so to you alone How oâ—t turn I my weeping eyes away Lest he the cause should ask and I betray What tales of Love tell I when warm'd with Wine To your dear face applying every line In borrow'd names I my own passion shew They the feign'd Lovers are but I the true Sometimes more freedom in discourse to gain For my excuse I drunkenness would feign Once I remember your loose Garment fell And did your naked swelling breasts reveal Breasts white as snow or the false down of Iove When to your Mother the kind Swan made Love Whil'st with the sight surpriz'd I gazing stand The cup I held dropt from my careless hand If you your young Hermione but kiss Straight from her lips I snatch the envy'd
bliss Sometimes supinely laid Love Songs I sing And waâ—â—led kisses from my fingers fling Your women to my aid I try to move With all the pow'rful Rhetorick of Love But they alas speak nothing but despair And in the midst leave my neglected prayer Oh! that by some great prize you might be won And your possession might the Victor Crown As Pelops his Hippodamia won Then had you seen what I for you had done But now I 've nothing left to do but pray And my self prostrate at your feet to lay O Thou thy houses Glory brighter far Than thy two shining Brothers friendly Star O worthy of the bed of Heav'ns great King If ought so fair but from himself could spring Either with thee I back to Troy will fly Or here a wretched banisht Lover die With no slight wound my tender breast dossmart My bones and marrow feel the piercing dart I find my Sister true did Prophesie I with a Heavenly Dart should wounded die Despise not then a Love by Heaven design'd So may the Gods still to your Vows be kind Much I could say but what will best be known In your apartment when we are alone You blush and with a superstitious dread Fear to defile the Sacred Marriage Bed Ah! Helen can you then so simple be To think such Beauty can from faults be free Or change that face or you must needs be kind Beauty and Vertue seldom have been joyn'd Iove and bright Venus do our thefts approve Such thefts as these gave you your Father Iove And if in you ought of your Parents last Can Jove and Leda's Daughter well be chast Yet then be chast when we to Troy shall go For she who sins with one alone is so But let us now enjoy that pleasing sin Then Marry and be innocent agen Ev'n your own Husband doth the same perswade Silent Himself yet all His actions plead For me they plead and he good man because He 'll spoil no sport officiously withdraws Had he no other time to visit Crete Oh! How prodigious is a Husbands Wit He went and as he went He cry'd My Dear Instead of me you of our Guest take care But you forget your Lords Command I see Nor take you any care of Love or me And think you such a thing as He do's know The treasure that he holds in holding you No did he understand but half your charms He durst not trust 'em in a strangers arms If neither his nor my request can move We 're forc't by Opportunity to Love We should be fools even greater fools than He Should so secure a time unactive be Alone these tedious winter nights you lie In a cold widow'd bed and so do I. Let mutual joys our willing bodies joyn That happy night shall the mid day out shine Then will I swear by all the Pow'rs above And in their awful presence seal my Love Then if my wishes may aspire so High I with our flight shall win you to comply But if nice Honour little scruples frame The force I 'le use shall vindicate your same Of Theseus and your Brothers I can learn No precedents so nearly you concern You Theseus they Leucippus Daughter stole I 'l be the fourth in the illustrious roll Well man'd well arm'd for you my Fleet do's stay And waiting winds murmur at our delay Through Troys throng'd Streets you shall in triumph go Ador'd as some new Goddess here below Where ' ere you tread Spices and Gums shall smoak And Victims fall beneath the fatal stroke My Father Mother all the joyful Court All Troy to you with presents shall resort Alas 't is nothing what I yet have said What there you 'l find shall what I write excâ—eed Nor fear lest War pursue our hasty flight And angry Greece should all her force unite What ravisht Maid did ever Wars regain Vain the attempt and fear of it as vain The Thracians Orithya stole from far Yet Thrace near heard the noise of following War Iason too stole away the Colchian Maid Yet Colchos did not Thessaly invade He who stole you stole Ariadne too Yet Minos did not with all Crete puruse Fear in these cases than the danger 's more And when the threatning tempest once is o're Our shame 's then greater than our fear before But say from Greece a threatned War persue Know I have strength and wounding weapons too In Men and Horse more numerous than Greece Our Empire is nor in it's compass less Nor do's your Husband Paris ought excel In generous courage or in Martial skill Ev'n but a Boy from my slain Foes I gain'd My stolen Heard and a new Name attain'd Ev'n then or'come by me I cou'd produce Deiphobus and great Ilioneus Nor hand to hand more to be fear'd am I Than when from far my certain Arrows fly You for his Youth can no such actions feign Nor can he e're my envy'd skill attain But could he Hector's your security And he alone an Army is to me You know me not nor the hid Prowess find Of Him that Heav'n has for your bed design'd Either no War from Greece shall follow thee Or if it do's shall be repell'd by me Nor think I fear to fight for such a Wife That prize would give the Coward 's courage life All after ages shall your fame admire If you alone set the whole world on fire To Sea to Sea while all the Gods are kind And all I promise you in Troy shall find HELEN TO PARIS By the Right Honourable the Earl of MULGRAVE AND Mr. DRYDEN The ARGUMENT Helen having received the foregoing Epistle from Paris returns the following Answer wherein she seems at first to chide him for his Presumption in Writing as he had done which could only proceed from his low Opinion of her Vertue then owns her self to be sensible of the Passion which he had expressed for her tho she much suspect his Constancy and at last discovers her Inclinations to be favourable to him The whole Letter shewing the extream artifice of Woman-kind WHen loose Epistles violate Chast Eyes She half Consents who silently denies How dares a Stranger with designs so vain Marriage and Hospitable Rights Prophane Was it for this your Fate did shelter find From swelling Seas and every faithless wind For tho a distant Country brought you forth Your usage here was equal to your worth Does this deserve to be rewarded so Did you come here a Stranger or a Foe Your partial Judgment may perhaps complain And think me barbarous for my just disdain Ill-bred then let me be but not unchast Nor my clear fame with any spot defac'd Tho in my face there 's no affected Frown Nor in my Carriage a feign'd niceness shown I keep my Honor still without a stain Nor has my Love made any Coxcomb vain Your Boldness I with admiration see What hope had you to gain a Queen like me Because a Hero forc'd me once away Am I thought fit to be a second prey
long I fear to lie alone One House contains us and weak Walls divide And you 're too pressing to be long denied Let me not live but every thing conspires To joyn our Loves and yet my fear retires You Court with words when you shou'd force employ As Rape is requisite to shamefac'd joy Indulgent to the wrongs which we receive Our Sex can suffer what we dare not give What have I said for both of us 't were best Our kindling fires if each of us supprest The Faith of Strangers is too prone to change And like themselves their wandring Passions range Hipsypile and the fond Minoian Maid Were both by trusting of their Ghests betray'd How can I doubt that other men deceive When you your self did fair Oenone leave But lest I shou'd upbraid your treachery You make a merit of that Crime to me Yet grant you were to faithful Love inclin'd Your weary Trojans wait but for a wind Shou'd you prevail while I assign the night Your Sails are hoysted and you take your flight Some bawling Mariner our Love destroys And breaks a sunder our unfinish'd joys But I with you may leave the Spartan Port To view the Trojan Wealth and Priam's Court. Shown while I see I shall expose my Fame And fill a foreign Country with my shame In Asia what reception shall I find And what dishonour leave in Greece behind What will your Brothers Priam Hecuba And what will all your modest Matrons say Ev'n you when on this action you reflect My future Conduct justly may suspect And what er'e Stranger Lands upon your Coast Conclude me by your own example lost I from your rage a Strumpet's Name shall hear While you forget what part in it you bear You my Crimes Authour will my Crime upbraid Deep under ground Oh let me first be laid You boast the Pomp and Plenty of your Land And promise all shall be at my Command Your Trojan Wealth believe me I despise My own poor NatÌ„ive Land has dearer ties Shou'd I be injur'd on your Phrygian Shore What help of Kindred cou'd I there implore Medea was by Iasons flatt'ry won I may like her believe and be undon Plain honest hearts like mine suspect no cheat And Love contributes to its own deceit The Ships about whose sides loud Tempests roar With gentle Winds were wafted from the Shore Your teeming Mother dreamt a flaming Brand Sprung from her Womb consum'd the Trojan Land To second this old Prophecies conspire That Ilium shall be burnt with Grecian fire Both give me fear nor is it much allai'd That Venus is oblig'd our Loves to aid For they who lost their Cause revenge will take And for one Friend two Enemies you make Nor can I doubt but shou'd I follow you The Sword wou'd soon our fatal Crime pursue A wrong so great my Husband's rage wou'd rouze And my Relations wou'd his Cause espouse You boast your Strength and Courage but alas Your words receive small credit from your Face Let Heroes in the Dusty field delight Those Limbs were fashion'd for another fight Bid Hector sally from the Walls of Troy A sweter quarrel shou'd your arms employ Yet fears like these shou'd not my mind perplex Were I as wise as many of my Sex But time and you may bolder thoughts inspire And I perhaps may yield to your desire You last demand a private Conference These are your words but I can ghess your sense Your unripe hopes their harvest must attend Be Rul'd by me and time may be your friend This is enough to let you understand For now my Pen has tir'd my tender hand My Woman Knows the secret of my heart And may hereafter better news impart PENELOPE TO ULYSSES BY M r. RYMER The ARGUMENT The Rape of Helen having carried all the Grecian Princes to the Siege of Troy Ulysses amongst the rest there signaliz'd his manhood and prudence particularly But the siege at an end and he not returning with the other Captains Penelope sends this Letter in quest of him She had rendred her self as deservedly famous on her part by resisting all the while the importunity of her Suitors with an unusual constancy and fidelity She complains to Ulysses of their carriage she likewise tells him her apprehensions and fears for him during the War and since acquaints him with the ill posture of his Family through his absence and desires him to hasten home as the only means to set all right again To your Penelope at length break home Send no excuse nor stay to write but come Our trouble long Troy does not hold you now Nor twenty Troy's were worth all this ado Wou'd some just storm and raging Seas had drown'd The Ruâ—â—ian when for Lacedemon bound I should not then of tedious daies complain Nor cold a nights and comfortless have lay'n Nor should this pains to pass the evenings take And work and weave ev'n till my fingers ake I alwaies fear'd worse dangers than the true As alwaies Love unquiet fears pursue Fancy'd thee by fierce Trojans compast round And Hector's name still struck me to the ground When told of Nestors Son by Hector slain Streight Nestors Son rouz'd all my fears again When for his sham how dear Patroclus paid I wept to find that wit no better sped Tlepolemus by Trojan javelin kil'd Thro' all my veins an icy terror thrill'd Whatever Greeks miscarry'd in the fray I fainted and sell well nigh dead as they Heaven for chast Love has better sate in store My Husband lives and Troy is now no more Our Captains well return'd each Altar flames And Temples all Barbarian Booty crams For their safe Loves the women Offrings bring And Trojan Fates by ours defeated sing All stand amaz'd to hear both old and young And listâ—â—ing wives upon their Husbands hung Some on the Table draw each bloody fight And spilling Wine the whole sad Iliad write This Simois that the Sigean Land And there did Priams lofty Palace stand Here skulkt Vlysses there Achilles dar'd There Hector torn the foaming Horses scar'd All did Old Nestor to your Son explain To seek you sent who told me all again Your Sword how Dolon no nor Rhesus scap'd Banter'd the one this taken as he napp'd Fool-hardy you and us remembring ill Nightly amidst those Thracian Tents to steal There numbers slay one only ayding thee Thou hast been wise and would'st have thought on me Still pant I told how all in triumph brave Round your friends Camp those Thracian Steeds you drave But what avails it me that Troy did yield And by your Prowess the Town is now a Field As when Troy stood I still remain alone Th' effect continues though the cause is gone To others sac'kt to only me upheld Ev'n whil'st it lies by Greek abiders till'd 〈◊〉 Priams Towers now lofty corn appears And Phrygian blood a pond'rous harvest rears No House remains nought of a Trojan found Unless you dig their bones from under ground Where art thou Conqueror what
To Me thou ow'st that thou art Creon's Heir That now thou liv'st to call Creusa Fair You 've wrong'd me All and on you All but hold I form Revenge too mighty to be told My thoughts are now toth ' utmost Ruin bent Perhaps I shall the fatal Rage repent But on for I what e're the mischief be Shall less Repent than that I trusted Thee The God alone that Rages in my Breast Can see the dark revenge my thoughts suggest I only know 't will soon effected be And when it comes be Vast and Worthy Me. PHAEDRA TO HIPPOLYTUS BY M r. OTWAY The ARGUMENT Theseus the Son of Aegeus having slain the Minotaur promised to Ariadne the Daughter of Minos and Pasiphäe for the assistance which she gave him to carry her home with him and make her his Wife so together with her Sister Phaedra they went on Board and sail'd to Chios where being warn'd by Bacchus he left Ariadne and Married her Sister Phaedra who afterwards in Theseus her Husbands Absence fell in Love with Hippolytus her Son in Law who had Vow'd Caelibacy and was a Hunter wherefore since she could not conveniently otherwise she chose by this Epistle to give him an Account of her Passion IF Thou' rt unkind I ne're shall health Enjoy Yet much I wish to thee my Lovely Boy Read this and reading how my soul is seis'd Rather than not be with my ruin pleas'd Thus secrets safe to farthest Shoars may move By Letters Foes converse and learn to Love Thrice my sad tale as I to tell it try'd Upon my faultring Tongue abortive dy'd Long shame prevail'd nor could be conquer'd quite But what I blusht to speak Love made me write 'T is dang'rous to resist the pow'r of Love The Gods obey him and he 's King above He clear'd the doubts that did my mind confound And promis'd me to bring Thee hither bound Oh may he come and in that breast of thine Fix a kind Dart and make it flame like mine Yet of my Wedlock Vows I 'le loose no care Search back through all my fame Thou l't find it fair But Love long breeding to worst pain does turn Outward unharm'd within within I burn As the Young Bull or Courser yet untam'd When Yok't or Bridl'd first are pinch't maim'd So my unpractic't heart in Love can find No rest th' unwonted weight so toyls my mind When young loves pangs by Arts we may remove But in our riper years with rage we Love To thee I yield then all my dear Renown And prithee let 's together be undone Who would not pluck the new blown blushing Rose Or the ripe Fruit that Courts him as it grows But if my Vertue hitherto has gain'd Esteem for spotless shall it now be stain'd Oh in thy Love I shall no hazard run 'T is not a sin but when 't is coursely done And now should Iuno yield her Iove to me I 'd quit that Iove Hippolytus for Thee Believe me too with strange desires I change Amongst Wild Beasts I long with Thee to range To thy Delights and Delia I Encline Make her my Goddess too because she 's thine I long to know the Woods to drive the Deer And or'e the Mountains tops my Hounds to chear Shaking my Dart then the Chase ended lie Stretcht on the grass would'st not Thou be by Oâ—t in light Chariots I with pleasure ride And love my self the furious Steeds to guide Now like a Bacchanal more wild I stray Or Old Cybele's Priests as mad as They When under Ida's Hill They Offrings pay Ev'n mad as those the Deities of Night And Water Fauns and Dryards do afright But still each little Interval I gain Easily find 't is Love breeds all my pain Sure on our Race Love like a Fate does fall And Venus will have Tribute of us all Iove lov'd Europa whence my Father came And to a Bull transform'd Enjoy'd the Dame She like my Mother languisht to obtain And fill'd her Womb with shame as well as pain The faithless Theseus by my Sisters Aid The Monster slew and a safe Conquest made Now in that Family my right to save I am at last on the same tearms a slave 'T was fatal to my Sister and to me She lov'd thy Father but my choice was thee Let Monuments of Triumph then be shown For two unhappy Nymphs by you undone When first our Vows were at Eleusis pay'd Would I had in a Cretan Grave been laid 'T was there Thou didst a perfect Conquest gain Whilst Loves fierce Feavor rag'd in ev'ry vein White was thy Robe a Garland deck't thy Head A modest blush thy comely face orespread That face which may be terrible in Arms But Graceful seem'd to me and full of Charms I Love the man whose fashion 's least his care And hate my Sexes Coxcombs fine and fair For whil'st thus plain thy careless Locks let fly Th' unpolish't form is Beauty in my Eye If thou but ride or shake the trembling Dart I fix my Eyes and wonder at thy Art To see thee poise the Iav'lin moves delight And all thou do'st is lovely in my sight But to the Woods thy cruelty resign Nor treat it with so poor a life as mine Must cold Diana be ador'd alone Must she have all thy Vows and Venus none That pleasure palls if 't is Enjoy'd too long Love makes the weary firm the feeble strong For Cyntbia's sake unbend and ease thy Bow Else to thy Arm 't will weak and useless grow Famous was Cephalus in Wood and Plain And by him many a Boar and Pard was slain Yet to Aurora's Love he did encline Who wisely left Old Age for Youth like Thine Under the spreading shades her Am'rous Boy The fair Adonis Venus could enjoy Atlanta's Love too Meleager sought And to her Tribute paid of all he caught Be Thou and I the next blest Sylvan pair Where Love 's a Stranger Woods but Desarts are With Thee through dang'rous ways unknown before I 'le rove and fearless face the dreadful Boar. Between two Seas a little Isthmus lies Where on each side the beating Billows rise There in Trazena I thy Love will meet More blest and pleas'd than in my Native Crete As we could wish Old Theseus is away At Thessaly where alwaies let him stay With his Perithöus whom well I see Prefer'd above Hippolytus or me Nor has he only thus exprest his hate We both have suffer'd wrongs of mighty weight My Brother first he cruelly did slay â—hen from my Sister falsely ran away And left expos'd to ev'ry Beast a prey A Warlike Queen to thee thy Being gave A Mother worthy of a Son so brave From cruel Theseus yet her death did find Nor though she gave him Thee could make him kind Unwedded too he murthered her in spight To Bastardize and Rob thee of thy Right And if to wrong thee more two Sons Iv'e brought Believe it his and none of Phaedra's fault Rather thou fairest Thing the Earth contains I
wish at first ' had dy'd of Mothers pains How canst thou rev'rence then thy Fathers Bed From which himself so Abjectly is fled The thought afrights not me but me enflames Mother and son are notions very Names Of worn out Piety in fashion Then When Old dull Saturn Rul'd the Race of men But braver Iove taught pleasure was no sin And with his Sister did himself begin Nearness of Blood and Kindred best we prove When we express it in the closest Love Nor need we fear our Fault should be reveal'd 'T will under near Relation be conceal'd And all who hear our Loves with praise shall Crown A Mothers kindness to a grateful Son No need at Midnight in the dark to stray T' unlock the Gates and cry my Love this way No busie Spies our pleasures to betray But in one house as heretofore we 'l live In publick kisses take in publick give Though in my Bed Thou' rt seen 't will gain Applause From all whilst none have sense to ghess the Cause Only make hast and let this League be sign'd So may my Tyrant Love to thee be kind For this I am an humble Suppliant grown Now where are all my boasts of Greatness gone I swore I ne're would yield resolv'd to â—ight Deceiv'd by Love that 's seldom in the right Now on my own I crawl to clasp thy knees What 's Decent no true Lover cares or sees Shame like a beaten Souldier leaves the place But Beauties blushes still are in my face For give this fond Confession which I make And then some pity on my suffrings take What though midst Seas my Fathers Empire lies Though my Great Grandsire Thunder froÌ„ the skies What though my Fathers Sire in Beams drest gay Drives round the burning Chariot of the day Their Honour all in me to Love 's a slave Then though thou wilt not me their Honour save Ioves Famous Island Crete in Dow'r I 'l bring And there shall my Hippolytus be King For Venus sake then hear and grant my pray'r So may'st Thou never love a scornful fair In Fields so may Diana grace Thee still And every Wood afford thee Game to kill So may the Mountain Gods and Satyrs all Be kind so may the Boar before Thee fall So may the water-Nymphs in heat of day Though Thou their Sex despise they thirst allay Millions of tears to these my prayrs I joyn Which as Thou read'st with those dear eyes of Thine Think that thou seest the streams that flow from mine DIDO to AENEAS BY M r. DRYDEN The ARGUMENT Aeneas the Son of Venus and Anchises having at the Destruction of Troy saved his Gods his Father and Son Ascanius from the Fire put to Sea with twenty Sail of Ships and having bin long tost with Tempests was at last cast upon the Shore of Lybia where Queen Dido flying from the Cruelty of Pigmalion her Brother who had Killed her Husband Sichaeus had lately built Carthage She entertained Aeneas and his Fleet with great civility fell passionately in Love with him and in the end denyed him not the last Favours But Mercury admonishing Aeneas to go in search of Italy a Kingdom promised to him by the Gods he readily prepared to Obey him Dido soon perceived it and having in vain try'd all other means to engage him to stay at last in Despair writes to him as follows SO on Maeander's banks when death is nigh The mournful Swan sings her own Elegie Not that I hope for oh that hope were vain By words your lost affection to regain But having lost what ere was worth my care Why shou'd I fear to loose a dying pray'r 'T is then resolv'd poor Dido must be left Of Life of Honour and of Love bereft While you with loosen'd Sails Vows prepar To seek a Land that flies the Searchers care Nor can my rising Tow'rs your flight restrain Nor my new Empire offer'd you in vain Built Walls you shun unbuilt you seek that Land Is yet to Conquer but you this Command Suppose you Landed where your wish design'd Think what Reception Forreiners would find What People is so void of common sence To Vote Succession from a Native Prince Yet there new Scepters and new Loves you seek New Vows to plight and plighted Vows to break When will your Tow'rs the height of Carthage know Or when your eyes discern such crowds below If such a Town and Subjects you cou'd see Still wou'd you want a Wife who lov'd like me For oh I burn like fires with incense bright Not holy Tapers flame with purer light Aeneas is my thoughts perpetual Theme Their daily longing and their nightly dream Yet he ungreateful and obdurate still Fool that I am to place my heart so ill My self I cannot to my self restore Still I complain and still I love him more Have pity Cupid on my bleeding heart And pierce thy Brothers with an equal dart I rave nor canst thou Venus ' offspring be Love's Mother cou'd not bear a Son like Thee From harden'd Oak or from a Rocks cold womb At least thou art from some sierce Tygress come Or on rough Seas from their foundation torn Got by the winds and in a Tempest born Like that which now thy trembling Sailors fear Like that whose rage should still detain thee here Behold how high the Foamy Billows ride The winds and waves are on the juster side To Winter weather and a stormy Sea I 'll owe what rather I wou'd owe to thee Death thou deserv'st from Heav'ns avenging Laws But I 'm unwilling to become the cause To shun my Love if thou wilt seek thy Fate 'T is a dear purchase and a costly hate Stay but a little till the Tempest cease And the loud winds are lull'd into a peace May all thy rage like theirs unconstant prove And so it will if there be pow'r in Love Know'st thou not yet what dangers Ships sustain So often wrack'd how darst thou tempt the Main Which were it smooth were every wave asleep Ten thousand forms of death are in the deep In that abyss the Gods their vengance store For broken Vows of those who falsely swore There winged storms on Sea-born Venus wait To vindicate the Justice of her State Thus I to Thee the means of safety show And lost my self would still preserve my Foe False as thou art I not thy death design O rather live to be the cause of mine Shou'd some avenging storm thy Vessel tear But Heav'n forbid my words shou'd Omen bear Then in thy face thy perjur'd Vows would fly And my wrong'd Ghost be present to thy eye With threatning looks think thou beholdst me stare Gasping my mouth and clotted all my hair Then shou'd fork'd Lightning and red Thunder fall What coud'st thou say but I deserv'd 'em all Lest this shou'd happen make not hast away To shun the danger will be worth thy stay Have pity on thy Son if not on me My death alone is guilt enough for thee What has
to break When can you Walls like ours of Carthage build And see your Streets with crowds of Subjects fill'd But tho all this Succeeded to your Mind So true a Wife no search could ever find Scorch'd up with Loves fierce fire my Life does wast Like Incense on the flaming Altar cast All day Aeneas walks before my sight In all my Dreams I see him every night But see him still Ingrateful as before And such as if I could I should abhor But the strong Flame burns on against my will I call 〈…〉 Love the Traytor still 〈…〉 Love Thee all the World Adore And shall thy Son slight thy Almighty Power His Brothers stubborn soul let Cupid move Teach me to Hate or him to Merit Love But the Impostor his high Birth did feign Tho to that Tale his Face did Credit gain He was not born of Venus who could prove So Cruel and so Faithless in his Love From Rocks or Mountains he deriv'd his Birth Fierce Wolves or Savage Tygers brought him forth Or else he sprung from the Tempestuous Main To which so eagerly he flies again How dreadful the contending Waves appear These Winter storms by force would keep you here The Storms are kinder and the Winds more true Let me ow Them what I would ow to You. You 'l shew your Hatred at too dear a rate If to fly me you run on certain Fate Stay only till these raging Tempests cease And breeding Halcyons all my Fears release Then you perhaps may change your cruel Mind And will learn Pity from the Sea and Wind. Are you not warn'd by all youv'e felt and seen And will you Tempt the Faithless Floods again Tho 't were calm now it would not long be so Think to what distant Countreys you would go There 's not one God who will that Vessel bless Which Lies and Frauds and Perjuries oppress The Sea let every faithless Lover fear The Queen of Love Rose thence Governs there Still the dear Cause of all my Ills I love And my last words Heav'n for your safety move That your false Flight may not as Fatal be To You as your Dissembled Love to me But in the Storm when the huge Billows rowl Th' unlucky Omen may kind Heav'n controul Think what Distracted Thoughts will fill your soul. You 'l then remember every broken Vow With Horror think on Murdred Dido too My Ghost all Pale and Ghastly shall be there With Mortal wounds still bleeding I 'le appear Then you will own what to such Crimes is due And think each Flash of Lightning aim'd at you Your Cruel Flight till the next Calm delay Your quiet passage will reward your stay I beg not for my self but do not joyn The Guilt of your Ascanius Death to mine What has your Son what have your Gods 〈◊〉 For a worse Fate were they from Flames 〈◊〉 But sure you neither sav'd them from the Fire Nor on your shoulders bore your Aged Sire But did Contrive that Story to Deceive A Queen so fond so willing to Believe Your ready Tongue told many a pleasing lie Nor did it practice first these cheats on me You by like Arts did fair Crëusa gain And then forsook her with a like Disdain I 've wept to hear you tell that Ladies Fate My self now justly more unfortunate T is to Revenge these Crimes the Gods Engage And make you Wander out your wretched Age. A Shipwrack'd wretch I kindly did receive My Wealth Crown to hands unknown did give Had I stop'd there I had been free from shame And had not stain'd my clear and spotless Fame Heaven to betray my Honour did Comply When Thunder black Clouds fill'd all the Sky And made us to the fatal shelter fly The Furies howl'd and dire Presages gave And shrieking Nymphs forsook the guilty Cave I cannot live that Crime torments me so Yet full of shame to my Sichaeus go In a fair Temple built by skilful hands A Sacred Image of Sichaeus stands With snowy Fleeces drest Garlands Crown'd From thence of late Iv'e heard a dismal sound Four times he call'd me with a hollow Voice My loosn'd Joynts still tremble at the Noise My dearest Lord your Summons I obey 'T is shame to meet you makes this short delay Yet such a Tempter might the Crime excuse His Heavenly Race and all his Solemn Vows The best of Fathers the most Pious Son Who could suspect he who such things had done So well had Acted all the parts of Life Could have betray'd a Princess and a Wife Had he not wanted Faith your self must own He had Deserv'd to fill my Bed and Throne In my first Youth what Cares disturb'd my Peace And my Misfortunes with my Years encrease My Husbands Blood was by my Brother spilt And still his Wealth Rewards the prosperous Guilt Through waies unknown a dangerous flight I take His Ashes and my Native Soyl forsake Here sheltred from my Brothers Crueltie I bought this Kingdom which I gave to Thee My City did in Glory daily rise Which all my Neighbours saw with envious Eyes And Force against unfinish'd Walls prepare Threatning a helpless Woman with a War Those many Kings who did my Bed desire Now to revenge their slighted Love conspire Go on my People are at your Command Give me up bound to some fierce Rivals hand Assist my Cruel Brothers black Design Drunk with Sichaeus Blood he thirsts for minâ— But then pretend to Piety no more The False and Perjur'd all the Gods abhor Even those you snatch'd from Troys devouring Flame Are griev'd that from such hands their safety came A growing Infant in my Womb you leave Of your wâ—ole self you cannot me bereave You kill not Dido only if you go The Guiltless and unborn you Murder too With me a new unknown Ascanius dies Tho' deaf to mine yet think you hear his Cries But 't is the God Commands and you Obey Ah! would that He who now forbids your stay Had never led your shatter'd Fleet this way And now this God Commands you out again T' endure another Winter on the Main Scarce Troy restor'd to all her Ancient State Were worth the seeking at so dear a Rate Cease then through such vast Dangers to pursue A Place which but in Dreams you never knew In search of which you your best years may wast And come a Stranger there and Old at last See at your Feet a willing People lies And do not offer'd Wealth and Power despise Fix here the Reliques of unhappy Troy And in soft Peace all you have sav'd enjoy But if new Dangers your Great Soul Desires If Thirst of Fame your Sons young Breast inspires You 'l frequent Tryals here for Valour find Our Neighbours are as rough as we are kind By your dear Fathers Soul I beg your stay By the kind Gods who hither blest your way And by your Brothers Darts which all Obey So may white Conquest on your Troops attend And all your long Misfortunes here take end
fixt my eyes my wondring eyes on thine How like the Statues there I stood amaz'd Whil'st on thy face intemp'rately I gaz'd She will her self when you my tale repeat Smile and approve the Amorous deceit Marry she 'll say whom Heaven commends to thee He who has pleas'd Diana pleases me But should she ask from what descent I came My Country and my Parents and my name Tell her that none of these deserve my shame Had you not sworn you such a one might choose But were he worse now sworn you can't refuse This in my dreams Diana Bad me write And when I wak'd sent Cupid to indite Obey 'em both for one has wounded me Which wound if you with eyes of pity see She too will soon relent that wounded Thee Then to our joys with eager hast we 'll move As full of Beauty you as I of Love To the great Temple we 'll in Triumph go And with our Offerings at the Altar Bow A Golden Image there I 'le Consecrate Of the false Apples innocent deceit And write below the happy Verse that came The Messenger of my successful flame Let all the World this from Acontius know Cydippe has been faithful to her Vow More I could write but since thy illness reigns And wracks thy tender limbs with sharpest pains My Pen falls down for fear lest this might be Althô for me too little yet too much for Thee CYDIPPE Her ANSWER To ACONTIUS By Mr. BVTLER IN silent Fear I read your Letter ore Least I shou'd Swear as I had done before Nor had I read but that I fear'd t' engage By my neglect the pevish Goddess Rage In vain I deck her Shrine her Rites attend The partial Goddess still remains your Friend A Virgin rather shou'd a Virgin Aid But where I seek Relief I am betray'd I languish and the Cause of my Disease As yet lies hid no Medicine gives me Ease In how much pain do I this Letter write To my weak Hand my sicklier Thoughts indite What anxious fear alas afflicts me too Least any but my trusty Nurse shou'd know To gain me time to write the door she keeps And whispering tells the Visitants She Sleeps Worse Ills I could not for your sake sustain Tho you had merit equal to my Pain Your Love betrays my Beauty proves my Snare I had been happy had I seem'd less Fair Whilst with your Rival you contend to raise My Beauty's Fame I perish by your Praise Whilst neither will admit the others Claim The Chase is hinder'd and both miss the Game My Nuptial day draws on my Parents press The Sacred Rights my blooming years no less But whilst glad Hymen at my door attends Grim Death waits near to force me from his Hands Some call my Sickness Chance and some pretend The Gods this Lett to cross my Nuptials send Whilst by severer Censure you are ghest By Philtra's to have wrought upon my Breast If then your love such mischief can create What Miserie is reserv'd for her you Hate Wou'd I to Delos nere had found the way At least not found it on that fatal Day When in our Port our Anchors first we weigh'd Th' unwilling Vessel still i' th Harbour staid Twice did cross winds beat back our flagging Sails Said I cross winds no! those were prosprous Gales Those winds alone blew fair that back convey'd Our Ship and those that oft our Passage stay'd Yet I to see sam'd Delos am in pain And fondly of each hindring blast complain By Tenos Isle and Mycone we Steer'd At last fair Delos winding Clifts appear'd And much I fear left now the Fairy Shore Shou'd vanish as 't is said t' have done before At night we Land soon as the day return'd My platted Tresses are with Gemms adorn'd Then to attend the Sacred Rites we go And pious Incense on each Altar throw My Parents there at their Devotion stay My Nurse and I through all the Temple stray We view each Court each fresh wonder brings Pictures and Statues Gifts of Ancient Kings But whilst into these Rarities I pry'd I am my self by â—ly Acontius spy'd Thence to the inmost Temple we remove The place that should a Sanctuary prove Yet there I find the Apple with this Rhime Ah! me I 'de like to have Sworn the second time The Name of Wedlock I no sooner read But through my Cheeks a troubled blush was spread Why didst Thou Cheat an unsuspecting Maid I shou'd have been entreated not betray'd Is then the Goddess bound to take thy part And ratifie an Oath without the Heart The Will Consents but that was Absent There I read indeed the Oath but did not Swear Yet cannot I deny that I suspect Dianas Rage this Sickness do's inflict Glad Hymen thrice did to our Courts repair Thrice frighted fled to find Death planted there Thin Cov'rings on my Feaverish Limbs are spread My Parents mourn me as already Dead What have I done to merit this distress That read but words whose fraud I cou'd not ghess Do Thou ev'n Thou from whom my suffrings spring T' appease the Goddess Rage thine Offrings bring When will those Hands that writ the fatal Rhime Bear Incense to remove my Pain thy Crime Nor think that thy rich Rival tho' allow'd To Visit is of greater Favours proud By me he sits but still just distance keeps Restless as I Talks seldom often weeps Blushing he takes a Kiss and leaves a Tear And once his Courage serv'd to Cry My Dear But from his Arms still by Degrees I creep And to prevent Discourse pretend to sleep He finds but wou'd his sense o' th flight disguise He checks his Tongue butchides me with his Eyes With grief he wasts and I with Feavours pine 'T is we that suffer but th' Offence was Thine You write for leave to come and see me Here Yet know your former Visit cost me Dear Why wouldst thou hither come thou canst but see The double Trophies of thy Cruelty My flesh consum'd my Cheeks of bloodless Hue Such as I once did in thy Apple view Shou'dst see me now thou woud'st repent thy cheat Nor think me worth such exquisite Deceit To Delos back with greater hast wou'dst go And beg the Goddess to release my Vow On new designs thy fancy would'st employ Contrive new Oaths the former to destroy No Means have been omitted to procure My health but still my Feav'rish Fits endure We ask'd the Oracle what caus'd my Pains The Oracle of broken Vows complains The Gods themselves on your behalf declare What hast thou done to merit this their Care But so it is and I at last incline Since that Thou art their Choice to make Thee Mine Already to my Mother I 've declar'd How by your Cunning I have been ensnar'd I 've done and what I have already said I fear is more than will become a Maid My Thoughts are now confus'd and can indite No more my feeble hand no more can write Nor need I more subscribe but this Be True And since it must be so my Dear Adieu FINIS Earl of Rosc.