embraces of my love and me shall be Such as the Cyprian boy from our abundance Shall take his fires to kindle other hearts Yet leave with us a flame which we will cherish And keepe alive unto eternitie Do. Women are ever credulous most then When knowledge of the truth would but afflict them I dare not now distrust you though I knew What you have said were false it has a semblance Of such a pleasing truth Give me thy hand And take thou mine whilst we walke thus intwin'd I shall thinke Daphnis never was unkind SCENA 4. Eubulus Cleander to them Thyrsis Sylvia WHat are they dead Is the Kings will obey'd Cle. No Sir they live and Hymen in his bands Has ty'd them both the happiest knot that ere Knit two such equall hearts and loves together Oh I am ravish'd with the newes my joy Is greater now then if sh 'had beene the daughter Unto our King and I had married her Eu. I am amaz'd pray Jove thou beest not mad Cle. Somewhat exalted Sir beyond my my selfe But yet not mad Goe Sir unto the King Tell him Cleander lives to make him happy Eu. Sure thou wilt come unto thy selfe anon Prethee bethinke thee Cle. Yes Sir I doe thinke And know that I have newes to make him live And you an age yet longer Eu. This is strange Cle. T is true Eu. But what is true Cle. T is true my Sister Shall be a Queene Eu. If she doe live I thinke She will but yet you know we were commanded To cut that life off Cle. But your hastie sonne That came so speedy with a fatall message Was not so forward now they both doe live And both are married Eu. Jupiter forbid Cle. The Fates command it 't is their proper worke The Shepheard is a Prince your Prince and mine And married to my Sister Eu. Ha! what 's that Prithee digest thy troubled thoughts and tell me What Prince is this thou mean'st Cle. Archigenes Eu. Thou dream'st it cannot be Cle. No then come forth You royall paire and testifie your selves Enter Thyrsis and Sylvia Syl. Father your blessing Eu. Ha! Cle. Nay I 've told all She knowes she is your daughter looke Sir here Here we must place our reverence Eu. Who 's this Cle. Not yet then looke upon this Circle that You know for certaine though you know not him Eu. 'T is it it is the same Archigenes Sonne of Euarchus and Eudora This is my character and this my seale Thy. Sir I have heard that by your piety My infant life was sav'd now by the goodnesse Deriv'd from you unto your sonne I have Not onely found my life but my content The summe of all my hopes this Lady here Without whose love my life had bin a torment Syl. And I the happiest maide that ever was Conducted by the power of simple love Have found in place of him I thought a shepheard A Princely lover Eu. Rise Calligone The Gods are just I see that favoring My innocence have brought this match about But say Cleander what Fate guided thee To this discovery Cle. Sir should I tell you How many waies I cast to save my sister After the fatall message which I brought I should be tedious and keepe you from What you do long to heare In short I soone Resolv'd to make away this royall shepheard And knowing that in this affaire to keepe it Secret dispatch was needefull I commanded A servant of whose faith and courage I Was well assur'd to kill him in my presence Eu. 'T is strange thou should'st be present at a murder Cle. 'T was a necessity was laid upon me Because I would be sure to see him dead I bad him choose his death when manfully He said he car'd not how so he might die I knew to strangle him was the readiest way Which death himselfe was ready to embrace This his so noble resolution Did stande me from mine my servants hands Trembled for feare Presaging what a sinne they were to act He bad him be assur'd he would not start And often call'd him to dispatch him quickly Syl. What man could have a heart for such a deed And see his face Cle. The Prince before he came To put the fatall twist about his necke Besought me as I ever hop't for peace I should preserve the Princesse this I promis'd And whatsoever else he would desire He answered nothing now but hasty death Then stripping off his doublet I espide With a quick eye this golden Circle here When hastily I bid my servant hold And let him goe He ask't me why I staid I told him that about his necke was Sacred He would have rent it off but I forbad it Eu. What did you then Cle. Sir I did well remember What I had heard of th' Oracle and you Which with the computation of his yeares I found agreeing to make up a truth Which you before assur'd me then I ask't him Whether he would be married to the Princesse Before he died he thought that I had mockt him And said I practis'd Tyrannie upon him Then went I to my sister and desir'd The same of her in fine I saw them both Joyne hands and hearts together but the Prince Thought this a dreame of life which certaine death Would wake him from untill I did assure him Of his great State and that his love whom now He thought to be the Princesse was my Sister All which I did referre unto your knowledge Eu. This day for ever let it holy be And you whom love has brought through deepe despaire Unto the haven of your happinesse Enjoy each other freely Of you brave shepheard But now my Prince I shall enquire anon Where and with whom you liv'd Thy. Sir the shepheard Whom I call father stayes without Montanus His name is by whose gentle hands as he as often told me I was rescu'd first From cold and death since under his kind roofe fosterd and bred as his Eu. Goe call him in Enter Montanus Mirtillus you 're welcome both you may applaud your fortune That brought you such a Shepheard stay all here Whilst I goe to the King This day will adde More yeares unto his life when he shall say no day shone brighter on Arcadia Exit Mon. We are both come to doe our duties to you as being sent for and Mirtillus with me To celebrate your joyes within a while The Shepheards and the Nymphs will all be here Thy. My old companions shall be welcome all As you are now I never shall forget Your courtesie nor theirs Syl. Nor I the Nymphs Once my deare fellowes but you Mirtillus Though you did scorne to love yet could you sing Well if you listed of it Cle. Can shepheards then despise that Deity which we adore Mi. Madam I reverence it in you The perfect'st patterne of a constant lover And in the honour of your Nuptialls I have a Song which if your Grace will heare 'T will entertaine the time Syl. Let it be sung Song
your cursing And follow her let me alone with him Cha. Ha! have I found you Hoh Nerina stay Your father calls you was not that my daughter That made away so fast Mi. Who she that 's gon beleeve your eies no more they are false to you Could you take one for her that 's nothing like her T was Cloris went from us Cha. I st possible Mi. T is true Da. I thought that it had bin my love Cha. I durst have sworne that she had bin my daughter What made she here 'T will nere be otherwise Young women will be chatting with young men What ere their father say It was not so When I was young a boy as you are shepheards Mi. Wee are not men with him till after fiftie Cha. We never durst keepe company with women Nor they with us each one did carefully Attend his charge And when the time was come That we grew ripe in yeares and were staid youths Our Fathers would provide us wives we did not Carve for our selves as now a daies they doe But now our children thinke themselves as wise Nay wiser then their Fathers and will rule 'em They can no sooner peepe out of the shell But they must love forsooth I would faine know Whether 't were fit a Maide should be in love I speak now of that skittish girle my daughter Before she aske her Fathers leave and liking Da. T is true Charinus 't were not fit indeed Who should bestow the daughter but the Father Mi. But Shepheards did you never heare that once There was an Age the nearest to the Gods An age we rather praise then imitate When no mans will nor womans was inforc'd To any bent but its owne motion Each follow'd Natures lawes and by instinct Did love the fairest and injoy'd their wishes Love then not ty'd to any interest Of blood or fortune hastned to his end Without controll nor did the Shepheard number Her sheepe that was his choice but every grace That did adorne her beauteous minde or face Riches with love then were not valued Pure uncompounded love that could despise The whole worlds riches for a Mistresse eyes Pray tell me Daphnis you are young and handsome The lover of our fairest Nymph Nerina Would you for all that fruitfull Sicilie Can yeeld or all the wealth of Persia Change one poore locke of your faire Mistresse haire Whilst she is yours and you her shepheard are Da. Would she were mine I 'de aske no portion Mi. Spoke like a Lover of the ancient stampe Cha. Sonne sonne she shall be yours why am not I Her Father she my daughter may not I Bestow her where I please Mi. Yes if she like The man she will bestow her selfe ne're feare it Cha. What she bestow herselfe without my leave No no Mirtillus you mistake my daughter I cannot get her once to thinke of marriage And truely I do muse to see a wench That in all other things although I say it Has wit at will can pin her sheepe in fold As well as any knowes when to drive them home And there she can do twenty things as well Yet when I speake to her of marriage She turnes the head shee 'le be a Dryade she Or one of those fond Nymphs of Dians traine Mi. Old man beleeve her not she meanes not so She loves to keepe the thing for which she is So much belov'd I meane her Maidenhead Which whilst she has she knowes to play the Tyrant And make us slaves unto her scornefull lookes For beauty then it selfe most justifies When it is courted if not lov'd it dies Cha. Well we will thinke of this Come Daphnis come I see you love my daughter and you onely Shall have her it is I that tell you so That am her Father Da. Thanke you good Charinus But I had rather she had told me so ACTUS SECUND. SCENA PRIM Thyrsis Montanus To them Mirtillus THis day the Sunne shot forth his beames as faire As ere he did and through the trembling aire Coole Zephyrus with gentle murmuring Breath'd a new freshnesse on each Tree and Plant My Kids as game some too as ere they were All shew a face of gladnesse but my selfe Mon. And why not you aswell by their example Thy. Not in this life here joy would be untimely The Gods reserve for me their comforts in Th' Elyzian fields or else they mocke my sorrows Mon. O say not so they 're just and pittifull Thyr. They are but Father so I still must call you When in the sadnesse of my soule I askt Before the Altar of our great Apollo What should become of me or where my love Bright Silvia was whether alive or dead Why should the Oracle reply Goe home Thou shalt enjoy thy Silvia Mon. What more could you Desire to heare Th. I but when greedily I askt the time the answere was That day Thou art not Thirsis nor she Silvia Then in this life I 'me sure it must not be For I was Thyrsis ever call'd and she Knowne by no other name then Sylvia Mon. It may be for your importunity You might deserve this answere or else is it Because the Gods speake not their mysteries To be conceiv'd by every vulgar sence I now remember what Acrisius The wise and vertuous Acrisius Was wont to say Th. Why what said he Does it concerne me ought Mon. It may do sonne He bid us flie all curiositie Seeking to know what future time may bring To us which onely Gods above do know And if at any time they do impart This knowledge unto us it is inwrapt In such a mist as we shall neere see through it Because said he we have enough to doe With what is present the celestiall powers Would not cut of our hopes nor multiply Our cares by shewing us our destinie Thy. Oh this discourse to a despairing lover What comfort does it bring for heavens sake leave it And me for I am best I finde alone Yet stay there 's something that I faine would aske you You said this Circle here about my necke Has so continu'd from my infancie When first you tooke me up Mon. T is true that Circle Hung loosely then about your necke which since Is filld with it I left it there because I saw some letters that were wrought about it Thy. And may they not be read Mon. I thinke they may But I could never finde so greate a Clerke As could tell how t' expound the meaning of them Thy. My life is nothing but a Mystery That which I was and that which I shall be Is equally unknowne Now if you 'le leave me Unto my thoughts they 'le keepe me companie Mon. I will but here is one come to supplie me Enter to him Mirtillus Mi. I let me alone Sings HE that mournes for a Misteris When he knows not where she is Let him kisse her shaddow faire Or ingender with the ayre Or see if with his teares he can Swell at an ebb the Ocean Then
if he had not rather die Let him love none or all as I This is the doctrine that I ever taught you And yet you profit not these scurvy passions Hang on you still You that are yong and active That may have all our Nymphs at your devotion To live a whining kind of life as this How ill it does become you Th. True Mirtillus And yet I doe not envie thee the pleasure Thou hast in thy dispers'd affections M. You would if your head were right once but love Your love does make an Asse of all your reason Th. Sure a true lover is more rationall Then you that love at randome every where Mi. I doe not thinke so all the reason love Has left you to imploy in this discourse Will hardly bring me to confesse it to you Th. Why all mens actions have some proper end Whereto their meanes and strict endeavours tend Else there would be nought but perplexitie In humane life and all uncertaintie Mi. Well what will you inferre on this Thy. That you Who know no end at all of wild desire Must in your wandring fancie see this way Leads unto madnesse when too late you finde That nothing satisfies a boundlesse minde Mi. I but I do confine my selfe to two Or three at most in this varietie I please my selfe for what is wanting in One I may finde it in another Th. No Not in another one is the onely Centre The line of love is drawne to must have all Perfections in her all that 's good and faire Or else her Lover must beleeve her so Mi. I there 's your error that 's the ground of all Your teares and sighs your fruitlesse hopes and feares When she perhaps has not so much t' adorne her As the least grace your thoughts bestow upon her Th. Well be it so and yet this faire Idea Which I have fram'd unto my selfe does argue Vertue in me so that if she be lost Or dead ay me the sad remembrance of My Sylvia causes this yet I must love Because the Character is indelible Writ in my heart and heaven is witnesse to it Mi. Well I 'le no more of this I 'le be converted Rather then call this griefe to your remembrance Th. Why dost thou thinke I ever shall forget her Or that where ere I set my carefull foote As in this place will it not tell me that Here Sylvia and I walkt hand in hand And here she pluckt a flower and anon She gave it me and then we kiss't and here We mutually did vow each others love Mi. Nay leave good Thyrsis I did come to tell you This holy-day our Royall Prince Euarchus Being remov'd to his house here neere adjoyning Sent to command us to attend his person With all our sports and wonted merriment Wherein you alwaies bore the chiefest part And I have heard 't is not to make you blush The Princesse has commended your rare Art And hansome graces which you gave your Musicke Come you must goe with us for Hylas is So farre ingag'd in love and neere his hopes He will not stirre unlesse his Mistresse goe Thy. Alas Mirtillus I have broke my Pipe My sighs are all the musicke which I now Can make and how unfit I am t' attend So great an expectation you may see Yet give me leave to thinke on it at night Perhaps I le goe with you Mi. Till then farewell The gentlest youth that ever plaid on Pipe But see who 's here oh 't is my other Lover His Mistresse with him I will not disturbe him SCENA SECUNDA Nerina Hylas Mirtillus SHepheard I would you 'd leave to follow me Hy. How can I sweetest when my heart is with you Ne. With me then tell me where and see how soone I shall restore it you Aside Mi. Oh this is fine Hy. It hangs upon your eies where being scorcht With their disdaine and dazel'd with their lustre It flies for ease unto your rosie lips But beaten thence with many a harsh deniall Faine would it come for better harbour here But here for ever it must be an Exile For pittie then faire Nymph receive it you And if you can teach it the hardnesse of Your owne and make it marble as yours is Mi. I see he is not such a Novice as Aside I tooke him for he can tell how to speake Ne. Well if my heart be such as you will make it I am so much the gladder that it is Of strength to be a fence unto my honour Hy. In vaine a fence is made to guard the sheep Where no wolfe ever came Ne. What if within It keepe a dog of prey would they be safe For my part I le not cherish in my breast The man that would undoe my chastitie Hy. Then cherish me for you best know I never Attempted any thing to cast a spot On that white Innocence to which I am A most religious votary Mi More foole you Aside It may be if you had it needed not Ha' come to this Ne. Yes yes you may remember I blush to tell it you when first my thoughts Were pure and simple as I hope they are Still and will so continue whilst I flie Such companie as you I thought you one Whom never any flame impure had toucht Then we converst without suspect together Hy. And am I not so still why do you now Flie from me thus Ne. The cause I shall tell you Since you will not remember though it be Unfit for me to speake yet you shall know How just my anger is Hy Ay me most wretched What have I don Ne. When tending of my flocks Under the shade of yonder Mirtle tree Which beares the guilt of your soule misdemeanour My maide Corisca cried out for my helpe Because a bee had stung her in the face You heard me speake in pittie of her smart A charme my mother taught me that being said Close to the place affected takes away The paine which gave her ease but you uncivill Turning my courtesie to your vile ends Fain'd you were stung too and cried out your lips Had from the same sharpe point receiv'd a wound Prayd me to say the same charme over there I charitably lent my helpe to you Mistrusting nothing of your purposes When with ungentle hands you held me fast And for my thanks gave me a lustfull kisse Canst thou remember this and yet not blush O impudence Hy. You will excuse the heate Of my desires still I feele that sting But dare not aske the cure nor did I then Do any hurt but since you thinke it was A fault I do repent it and am sorry I did offend you so Mi. Better and better He 'le cry anon he has already askt Forgivenesse of her Aside Ne. Well shepheard looke You never see me more I cannot love At all or if at all not you let this Settle your thoughts Hy. Oh it distracts them more But since my presence is offensive to you I must obey yet if
would your selfe Da. If you Nerina would vouchsafe to love Him that loves you and ever will you might Make your content such as you would your selfe Ne. Shepheard I oft have wisht you not to trouble Me and your selfe with words I cannot love you Da. As oft Dorinda have I spoke to you To leave to trouble me I cannot love you Do. Will you then slight my love because 't is offer'd Da. Will you then slight my love because 't is offer'd Ne. Some body else may love you I cannot Da. Some body else may love you I cannot Do. O cruell words how they do peirce my heart Da. O cruell words how they do peirce my heart Ne. How can I helpe it if your destinie Lead you to love where you may not obtaine Da. How can I helpe it if your destinie Leade you to love where you may not obtaine Do. It is not destinie that injures me It is thy cruell will and marble heart Da. It is not destinie that injures me It is thy cruell will and marble heart Ne. No Daphnis 't is not hardnes of my heart Nor any crueltie that causes this Da. Then 't is disdaine of me Ne. Nor is it that I do not see in Daphnis any thing To cause disdaine Do. Why do you not replie In those same words to me malicious Eccho Da. Pray leave me I have other businesse now To trouble me if you disdaine me not Faire Nymph as you pretend receive my offer Ne. What 's that Da. My heart Do. I will gentle Daphnis Da. O importunitie Ne. Give her thy heart She has deserv'd it for she loves thee Daphnis Da. First I would teare it peecemeale here before you Do. O me unfortunate O cruell man Ne. Stay good Dorinda I 'le goe with thee stay Da. Let her goe where she will behold sweete saint This Mirror here the faithfull representer Of that which I adore your beautious forme When you do see in that how how lovely are your lookes you will not blame my love Ne. If I refuse it My father will be angrie let me see it Here take thy glasse againe what ailes my head I know not where I am it is so giddie And something like a drousinesse has seiz'd My vitall spirits Da. How do you love not well Ne. Heavy o' th suddaine I le goe home sleepe Da. So let her goe and let this worke awhile Shee cast an eye upon me as she went That by its languishing did seeme to say Daphnis I 'me thine thou hast o'recome at last Alcon th' hast made me happy by thy art ACTUS 3. SCENA 1. Sylvia Delia Q. TEll me what you thinke on earth The greatest blisse A. Riches honor and high birth Q. Ah what is this If love be banished the heart The joy of Nature not of Art 2. What 's honor worth or high descent Or ample wealth If cares do breed us discontent Or want of health A. It is the order of the Fates That these should waite on highest states 3. Cho. Love onely does our soules refine And by his skill Turnes humane things into divine And guides our will Then let us of his praises sing Of love that sweetens every thing Del. Madam you 're overheard Sy. I care not Delia Although my libertie and free discourse Be here denide me yet the Aire is common To it then will I utter my complaints Or to thee friend to whom my love will dare To shew the secrets of my heart for others I do not care nor feare so thou be faithfull Del. Madam I have no life but what I wish May be imploy'd to do your beauties service My tongue is rul'd by yours what you would have It speake it shall else further then my thoughts Nothing shall venter that you leaue to me And those my thoughts I le keepe to such restraint As they shall never come within my dreames Lest they betray your counsells this I vow Religiously by Syl. Hold I will not Have thee to sweare nor would I thou shouldst thinke That I so much suspect thee as to urge An Oath I know thou hast too much of goodnesse That 's bred within thee to betray a trust And therefore without further circumstance I 'le let thee know my fortunes part of which I 'me sure th' hast heard already Del. Madam I have And wisht that they had sorted to your wishes Syl. I thanke thee Delia but my evill Genius That has pursu'd my innocence with hate Brought me from thence where I had set my heart Unto this cursed Court which though it be My place of birth and breeding I doe finde Nothing but torment and affliction in it Del. I guesse the cause sweet Madam but that 's past And now forgotten if you cleere your looks Your Father will inlarge you and ne're thinke On what you did but that you are his daughter Syl. Alas my Delia thou dost mistake My liberty is of no worth to me Since that my love I feare will ne're be free Nor doe I care what idle Ladies talke Of my departure or my strange disguise To colour my intents I am above Their envie or their malice But for th' unluckie chance that sent to me The over-curious eyes of him I hate Thou know'st the man De. Yes you meane Cleander Sonne to Eubulus who is now your keeper What Starre directed him to finde you out Syl. His love forsooth for so he colour'd his Unseason'd boldnesse told me he was not able To want my sight and so when every one Had given o're their strict enquirie of me He onely with too much officiousnesse Observ'd me in the Woods walking alone And when I would have shunn'd him which perhaps Had I not done he had not so well knowne me He came and utter'd as his manner was His tedious complaints untill at length He brought me with him making no resistance And to ingratiate himselfe the more He said he would convey me where my Father Should have no knowledge of me I refused it Willing however to be ridde of him And now you know it is a full Moneth since I did returne to Court but left my heart Behinde me in those fields wherein I joy'd Del. Madam has not the Court more pleasure in it Then the dull Countrie which can represent Nothing but what does taste of solitude 'T was something else that carried you away Syl. T is true my Delia for though thou wert Privie to my departure yet the cause Thou couldst not tell which I will now unfold And thinke I trust my honor in thy hands And maiden modestie 't was love that did it Del. Love Madam sure it is impossible You should finde any thing there worth your love Syl. Thou know'st the shepheards that do dwell about This place which for their entertainements onely The King my father built did use to come As now they do being sent for unto Court I ever lik't their sports their harmelesse mirth And their contentions which were voide of
malice And wisht I had bin borne just such a one Del. Your state is better Madam as you are Syl. But I confesse the rather cause there was One amongst them of a more comely grace Though none of them did seeme uncomely to me Call'd Thyrsis and with him me thought I could Draw out my life rather then any other Such things my fancie then suggested to me So well he sung so passionate his love Shew'd in his verse thereto so well exprest As any one would judge it naturall Yet never felt he flame till this of me Often he came and oftner was desir'd Of me nor did I shame in publique there Before my father to commend his graces Which when I did the whole Court as they use Consented with me and did strive to make them Greater then I or any else could thinke them At last I was surpriz'd I could not helpe it My Fate with love consenting so would have it Then did I leave the Court I 've told thee all Del. T is strange but Madam though in that disguise How could you hope a stranger to be lov'd Of him you held so deare Syl. I fain'd my selfe Of Smyrna and from thence some Goats I had And Sheepe with them a rich commoditie Neare him I bought me land to feed them he Seem'd glad of it and thinking me a stranger Us'd me with such civilitie and friendship As one would little looke for of a shepheard And did defend me from the avarice Of the old shepheards which did thinke to make A prey of what I had At length I saw He did addresse himselfe with feare to me Still gazing on me knowing my love to him I easily beleev'd he lov'd me too For love alas is ever credulous And though I was resolv'd having my end Which was no more then to discourse with him Never to let him know what flame I felt Yet when I saw his teares and heard his vowes Perswasive speakers for affection I could not choose but open to his view My loving heart yet with this caution That he should ever beare respect unto My honor and my virgin chastitie Which then he vow'd and his ambition Never was more then to attaine a kisse Which yet he hardly got thou seest sweete Delia How willingly I dwell upon this Theame But canst thou helpe me now that I have open'd My wound unto thee Del. Alas I would I could Invent the way to cure you I should soone Apply my helpe yet stay this day it is The shepheards come to Court Syl. 'T is true they come But what is that to me if Thyrsis come not Or if he come how shall he know me his Or I injoy his companie Del. Let me alone To worke out that Syl. Thou dreamst thou canst not do it Del. I le undertake it but how shall I know him Without inquiring which must breede suspition Syl. True and beware thou aske the Majestie Which sits upon his brow will say 't is he Thyrsis my love but yet perhaps at this time If I my selfe not flatter thou shalt know him By his eies cast downe and folding of his armes And often sighs that interrupt his words For if his sorrow weares the liveries Which mine does for his absence by these signes Thou shalt descrie him Del. These are silent markes Yet will I not despaire to finde him out Syl. But when thou hast what wilt thou say to him Del. Give me but leave to use my mother wit You would be gone together would you not Syl. Thou speak'st my thoughts do this and I will crowne Thy faith thou shalt be Queene in steed of me Del. If you could crowne me with your vertues Madam I should be a Queene indeed in the meane time As I am Delia I le do this busines Sil. Do it and when th' hast don the God of love Reward thee with thine owne desires for this Del. Madam withdraw I heare your keepers comming SCENA 2. Cleander Eubulus SIr you have put a bridle on my passions And given my soule the libertie it wisht I now intreate your pardon for beginning A thing of so great consequence without Leave and advice from you Eu. T is well Cleander It will behove you then to be reserv'd And locke this secret up for 't is no jesting With Kings that may command our lives and fortunes You now perceive her whom we call the Princesse To be your sister and the love you beare her Must be a brothers freindship not a lovers Passionate heate but yet she must not know That I her father am and you her brother And trust me son had I not seene despaire Of life in you which this love brought you too I should not have reveal'd what now you know Cle. It was a comfort Sir I doe confesse That came in time to rescue me from death So great her scorne was and my love so violent Eu. Now you 're at peace I hope Cle. I am but if I be too curious in asking where The Kings son is I shall desire your pardon For sure it were injustice to deprive So great a Prince of that which he was borne too Eu. You are too far inquisitive yet because I have ingag'd you in a secret of As great importance this I will not hide The King I told you when his wife grew neere The time of her deliverie sent to know Of our great Oracle whether the childe should be Female or Male and what should be their fortune Cle. What said the Oracle have you the answere Eu. It onely was imparted unto me And this it is which I have never shewen To any but the Queene here take and reade it If ere thy issue male thou live to see The childe thou thinkst is thine thine shall not be His life shall be obscure twice shall thy hate Doome him to death Yet shall he scape that Fate And thou shalt live to see that not long after Thy onely son shall wed thy onely daughter This Oracle is full of mysterie Eu. It is and yet the King would needs interpret That should it prove a man-childe t was a Bastard And being loth that one not of his blood As he conceiv'd by this should be his heire Told me in private that if it were Male He would not have it live yet fearing most To publish his dishonor and his wives He charg'd me not reveale it unto any But take the childe and see it made away And make the world beleeve it was still borne Cle. And did you so Eu. No for indeed I durst not For any thing become a murderer Cle. How did you then Eu. I went unto the Queene Shew'd her the state she was in and besought her To be as carefull of me as I was Of her and we would worke a better end Then she expected so we both agree'd That if the Childe she then did labour with Prov'd to be Male I should with care conceale The birth of it and put a female childe Insteed
I 'me conjurd to follow you But I must die first Here is to be with thee Del. Stay hold thy hand I live thy Sylvia lives To make thee happy if thou wilt goe to her Thy. You 're habited like those I 've seene at Court And courtisie they say is ever there Yet mingled with deceit if you do meane T' abuse me for your sport this way will prove Too sad to raise mirth out of There 's no ill That I have done to you or any else Unlesse my constancy be here a sinne Del. His griefes have made him wilde I have no time Left me to use perswasions or to make This truth apparant to you on my word You shall be safe and if you dare beleeve me I le bring you where your love is follow me Thy. Why should I doubt or feare to goe with her Ill does he call for physicke whom the Law Has doom'd to die There 's no condition Can prove worse to me then my present one Pray lead me where you please I 'me sure of this To one that 's desperate no way 's amisse SCENA 2. Euarchus Eubulus Cleander Attendants Ev. ALl leave the roome Eubulus I 'me resolv'd To hold an easier hand over my daughter Then I was wont Therefore I sent Cleander To bring her to my presence though she have Wrong'd her great birth and breeding by her follies Yet I consider that she is my daughter And this restraint cannot but harden her In her fond resolutions have you sought By all the meanes you can to sift the cause Of her departure Eub. Sir I have tryed By all the waies that fit a subject to Enquire a truth of one that is his Princesse Eu. And what have you discover'd Eub. Nothing more Then what my son Cleander did before Eu. I have heard his relation but I wonder How for a whole moneths time she should abide Within our confines when so great a search Through all our Countryes and lowd proclamations Were made for her recovery Eub. T is true She herein was ingenuous and confest That she foresaw what search would be made for her Therefore with some about her she had plotted To hire a barke that might convey her hence In a disguise to Smyrna where she stayd Till time did fit her that with safety She might returne in habite of a Nymph Unto the place where then Cleander found her But why she left the Court she will not tell Eu. I will not force her to 't some little time Perhaps may make discovery of that secret But unto thee my faithfull Counsellor As unto one my heart hath still bin open I will discover what my purpose is In sending for these shepheards to my Court Eub. I should beleeve they resent for to delight Your Majesty as they were wont Eu. No Eubulus But for a greater end I feare my daughter And therefore I have sent for her to see These sports with purpose to observe her lookes For I suspect she loves some shepheard there Eub. It cannot be she will not staine her birth With such ignoble love yet I confesse Revolving all the causes of her strange Departure I could fixe on none but that Eub. Well if she do so I will let her forth Forth of my blood and whosoere he be Whose fortune markt him out to be the object Of this her love shall finde Ixions Fate He shall embrace a shadow by my life They both shall die Eub. O my gracious Lord Remember she 's your daughter Eu. I thou still Dost plead for her but yet am I her King As well as father private men respect Their profits and their private interests Of kindred but the actions of a King To honor and renowne must be directed Cleander enters Consider that and then thou wilt forget her Cleander welcome how does Calligone Is she not glad to come unto our presence Why dost not answere art thou frighted man Cle. I know not how to answere any thing Unlesse your Majesty will signe my pardon Eu. Why what 's the matter speake and speak it freely Cle. Then know great soveraigne that when I went As full of joy as speed with your glad message I found the Princesse Eu. What not dead I hope Cle. Dead to her honor Eu. Ha! Cle. In short my Lord I found her walking in the garden with A shepheard more of him I cannot tell But she was habited in that attire She wore when from the woods I brought her home I slipt away not being seene by them And if you please to goe perhaps great Sir You still may finde them there Eu. How now Eubulus Are my presages true shall I then sleepe With this disgrace and let my neighbour Princes Mocke at my humble fortunes when they heare The daughter of Euarchus matcht her selfe With a base shepheard Goe Eubulus quickly Here take my signet let this be your warrant To put them both to death Eub. How both my Lord Eu. I both Eub. Your daughter too Eu. Why do you question me Haue I not said they both shall die dispatch Let me not see thee till they both be dead Exit Eub. What hast thou done thou rash inhumane boy Depriv'd thy father of a childe thy selfe Of thine owne sister whom but now thou knewst Well may the King take that deare life away Which he did never give I will goe tell him I am her father but I loose my life If I do that as guilty of a treason Go Murderer hadst thou no pittie in thee Cle. Sir I do feele so much of griefe within me For this my act that if my blood will serve To save her life I le make no price of it Yet could I not imagine that the King Would have bin so inrag'd or if he would I had no time to thinke of it before Eu. No time who bid thee hasten to the ruine Of thy poore father and thy family The messages which come to do us hurt Are speedy but the good come slowly on Cle. But Sir remember what a straight we 're in It will concerne us to invent some way To save my sister though the shepheard die He will deserve it for his bold attempt Eub. Go take thy way whither thou wilt thy selfe That way is best which leads me to my grave Exit Cle. What luck is this This is more haste then speed I am resolv'd though my life lie at stake To stand the fury of th' inraged King Who knowes but he may be as sorry for His suddaine act as I for mine 'T is here To save her though it cost her lover deare SCENA 3. Sylvia Thyrsis Cleander NAy stay a little Thyrsis we are safe My warie keepers now are with the King Thy. Madam for my poore selfe I doe not feare But when I thinke on you and how your name And state that is so eminent must needs Receive a certaine scandall and foule blot If we be seene together blame me not Though I do feare or doubt What
pitties sake Yet for thine owne good spare this life and take Mine for thou knowst when I am dead this kingdome Thy father will inherit or thy selfe T is but the waiting of an old mans death Who cannot long out-live me will you do 't Thy. Sir you are noble I do see you are You lov'd this Lady once by that dear love With me it was a conjuration To draw my soule out whilst I was so happy I do beseech you spare her noble life Her death will sit full heavie on your soule And in your height of Kingly dignities Disturbe that head which crownes will give no rest to To take my life is justice Syl. Rather mine I have offended in first loving him And now betraying him unto his end Thy. Be not so cruell madam to your selfe And me to envy me a death so noble Sir as you hope your love shall ever prosper Your great designes your fights what ere they are As you do hope for peace in your last houre And that the earth may lightly cloath your ashes Dispatch me quickly send me to my death Cle. A strange contention Madam will you please A little to retire T is your honor That I do strive to save as well as life Pray do not crosse my purpose I shall do Something that you may thanke me for Syl. Cleander Save but the shepheard and I le crowne thy merit Cle. Will you be pleasd to enter here Syl. But sweare That thou wilt save him Cle. I shall do my best I dare not sweare for t is not in my power To do what you command Syl. But will you sweare To let me know of it before he die Cle. I will by heaven Syl. Then I take my leave And Thyrsis be thou sure what ever Fate Attends thy life the same does governe mine One kisse I must not be deny'd Cle. Fy Madam How low is this in you Syl. Then thus we part To meete againe I hope Thy. Downe stubborne heart Wilt thou not breake yet In my death I finde Nothing that 's terrible but this Farewell Presents my soule with all the paines of hell SCENA 4. Mirtillus Chorus of shepheards 1 shep. I 'me sorry that this busines went not forward 2 shep. So am not I we 're rid of so much trouble 2 shep. Yet it is strange the King should send for us And when we were come command us to returne Mi. No 't is not strange it was his will to do so But if you have an itch of dancing friends Next holy-day we 'le ha 't amongst our selves And every man shall dance with his owne sweetheart What say you shepheards wil 't not be as well 1 shep. It will be very fine But where is Thyrsis 2. shep. I where is he you went along with him Where did you leave him Mi. Walking in a garden Where when I came to call him he was gon 2 shep. It seemes he cares not for our company Mi. Neither for yours nor any mans besides 1 shep. He is much alter'd since his love was lost Methinks he is nothing like the man he was Mi. Well then beware my friends how you ingage Your selves in love He is a faire example And Hylas too he 's drooping for his mistresse Daphnis is mad they say if you have a minde To die or to runne mad then be in love 2 shep. See where he comes in what a fume he is Mi. I do not like his fumes pray let 's away SCENA 5. Daphnis to him Dorinda HE will not now be found the Traitor but Where e're he be nor heaven nor hell shall save him From my revenge To take away the life Of that sweet innocent without whose sight He knew I could not live and to do this Under the name of freindship O you Gods What age can parallell so great a mischeife This is his Magicke glasse which had the vertue To make her mine but sent her to the Gods Blest soule I will revenge thy death and then I le follow thee my selfe Do. Daphnis my love Whither so fast Da. Now love deliver me And must you come to trouble me Be gon I cannot stay to heare thy tedious follies Do. Were all your vowes then made but to abuse me Are there not paines to punish perjur'd men And will they not ore'take you Da. 'Las poore foole The Gods doe laugh at such slight perjuries As come from lovers Do. Yet it was no conquest To deceive one that would be credulous A simple maide that lov'd you Da. Then I see There is no end of womens reasoning Or else this might suffice thee that I cannot No nor I will not love thee Do. Never Da. Never Do. Goe cruell man and if the God of love Will heare my prayers thou in thy love shalt thrive As I in mine that when thou art forlorne Thou maist remember her thou now doest scorne ACT. 5. SCENA 1. Hylas IT was the cruell practise of my Fate That lifted me unto the height of blisse To make my fall the greater for no sooner Did I injoy the love of my Nerina But in a moment she was taken from me A love so dearely bought with sighs and teares So many yeares spent in the gaining her And lost in one poore minute It is better Alwaies to live a miserable life Then once to have bin happy she is dead And I alive that cannot live without her T is fit that I die too but by what meanes By violence No that the Gods forbid A lingring greife I neede not feare will kill me When every day I shall repaire as now Unto her tombe and consecrate my teares And tearing sighs unto her blessed Ghost Some pittying God when I 'me disolv'd away Upon her ashes will congeale those teares That they may cloath her dust whilst some kinde shepheard Passing this way does write this on her grave See here Nerina that from Hylas eyes Fed her faire flame now in their dew she lies Thus I will have it so the words shall runne SCENA 2. Daphnis Alcon Nerina to them Hylas Montanus Carinus Mirtillus IT shall not serve thy turne malicious shepheard Though thou hast tane my love away by tricks Yet all thy cunning and thy practises Shall not secure thee from my revenge Al. Are these the thanks I have for that rich jewell Which I bestowd on thee ungratefull man Da. Yes for a poysond glasse a precious jewel Al. I do confesse 't was poysond Da. Do you so And to do me a courtesie you kild her Al. Yet heare me she is not dead and if she be I le pay my life for hers Da. Be sure thou shalt But canst thou hope for such a strong illusion To mocke my sence did I not see her dead Al. She did appeare so what you thought was death is but a lethargie though I professe not To draw the Moone downe from the sphere she is in Or make the sunne looke bloody by my Arte Yet am I well informd in everything This glasse
is made of and I know th' effects it workes and can dicourse 'em Da. Let me heare them Al. Have patience and you shall the Glasse you see Of this rare Mirrour which I gave you is Made of a Memphian stone that has the power To bring a deadly sleepe on all the senses With it to make th' effects more strong is mingled The Quintessence extracted in a Limbecke Of the Torpedo which has such a quality That if the Fisher touch it with his hooke A poison straite will creepe through all his veines Till it benumme his senses This compounded And made into a glassie metall soone Reflects upon the eyes of him that lookes in 't A sleepie poison which will stupifie The vitall parts Yet he that gave it me Taught me the Cordiall water which he us'd To restore spirits and heate unto those vitalls And I have brought it with me for our purpose What have I wrong'd you now or is my present Worthy the thankes you give me Da. Yet you were Too blame that you 'd not tell me this before I gave it her Al. In that I shew'd my love For I did feare your resolution Though I were certaine of recovering her Da. And what must now be done Al. Here where you found me I saw her laid and buried in the clothes she wont to weare her father so would have it I waited on the funerall with purpose To see the stone laid hollow on her grave For feare of hurting her Da. It was well don Al. Here I le apply my medicine you shall see Whether I lie or no Da. Let 's lose no time I long to see my love alive againe Al. Then helpe to lift this stone see where she lies The same Nerina Da. She is dead I see Al. Love is still full of feares give me the water Da. Here but take heede it do not spoile her face Al. If she be dead you neede not feare the change Of any color what a childe is love Da. The Gods I see will not let beautie die She breathes she stirs her eies begin to open As after sleepe O miracle Al. How now Is she alive will you beleeve your sence Now I have put her in your hands be sure You do not let her goe and lose no time If you give credit to her words you 're lost What cannot womens words and flatteries Effect with simple lovers thinke on that Be confident I le leave you to your Fate Ne. You Gods where am I now what place is this What light is this I see are the same things Seene in this new world as they are in th' other Or in the grave do men see waters trees As I do now and all things as I liv'd But sure I live still if I doe why then Was I here buried amongst these flowers Sure I am dead but yet I walke and speake And I have heard that those who once are dead Can never use their voice or action But who is this I see here Daphnis ha Are you dead too as well as I Da. No sweet I live to be the servant of Nerina Ne. I so said Hylas whil'st I liv'd with him Da. She thinks of Hylas still what shall I do Ne. But tell me Daphnis in what place am I Da. In Daphnis heart you live and ever did Ne. And so said Hylas when we liv'd together Da. O Gods againe Nerina thinke not on him You must love me Ne. Must they in this new world As they have chang'd their lives so change their loves I never shall do that Da. You are deceiv'd You are not dead Ne. Not dead how came I hither then Da. By my device to keepe me company Ne. But will you not declare how I came hither Da. Aske me not that but goe along with me Ne. Stay shepheard whither would you have me goe Da. Where love and silence shall befriend us best Ne. But tell me Daphnis was not I once dead Da. You were but I your servant chang'd that death into a sleepe Ne. I know not what you meane Can you change death into a sleepe Da. I can And did for love of you Ne. This is a riddle Pray let me know what you do meane by it Da. Come with me and you shall Ne. Nay tell me first Da. Then know faire shepheardesse that when I saw My love my services my gifts my vowes Did all returne to me without your love I had recourse unto this Artifice A pleasent one of loves Invention Which you may well remember Ne. What was that Da. I did present you with a looking glasse Ne. You did but what of that Da. Nothing at all Pray goe this way with me Ne. But tell me first Da. That cast you into this deepe lethargie Such was the Magicke of it Ne. To what purpose Did you do this Da. To make you mine Ne. Yours Daphnis How could you hope that without my consent Da. My services I thought would merit it Besides the world not dreaming but you were Dead and here buried we two might liue Together without being knowne to any Ne. But could you practise tricks on those you love Now you are paid with your owne Artifice For know ther 's none that can dispose of me But Hylas who has long preserv'd my heart And now my father whom I did resolve For ever to obey has made him mine By giving his consent which had not bin But for this tricke of yours Da. Why then it seemes You do not love me Ne. Love you know I had Rather embrace my death againe then thee Da. Then 't is no time to dally come along Or I will force you Ne. Helpe me shepheards helpe Da. Foole stop your mouth no humane helpe shal save thee Enter Hylas Hy. This is the place where I am come to pay My teares first sacrifice upon this tombe That glories in the spoiles of all my wealth Ne. Hylas come helpe me see'st thou not that Daphnis Will ravish me Hy. Ha what doe I heare The voice of my Nerina so she spake When shee did live but now alas shee 's dead Some Devill mockes me with a vision And voice unto it Ne. Will you see me ravisht Before your face O Hylas oh my Love Hy. T is she it is no vision hold Ravisher My love thou canst not take without my life Enter Mirtillus Montanus Charinus Mi. What noise is this Mo. Some shreike much like a womans Ne. Oh helpe my love Mirtillus Mi. Shepheard hold Let goe this Nymph Da. Or death or victory Shall crowne my enterprize Cha. Who makes this out-cry Mi. Sir I shall coole you if you be so hot Cha. My daughter here was shee not buried Away foule spirit away let 's part these shepheards Ne. O father do you thinke that I am dead I am alive as you are touch me see Cha. She is alive indeede how cam'st thou hither Ne. Daphnis whom you would have to be my husband Brought me to this supposed death and
Hymen God of marriage bed Be thou ever honoured Thou whose torches purer light Deaths sad tapers did affright And insteed of funerall fires Kindled lovers chast desires May their love Ever prove True and constant let not age Know their youthfull heate t' asswage 2. Maides prepare the Genial bed Then come night and hide that red Which her cheekes his heart does burne Till the envious day returne And the lusty bridegroome say I have chac'd her feares away And insteed Of virgin head Given her a greater good Perfection and womanhood Thy. Thanks good Mirtillus this indeed was proper Unto your subject Mi. Your thrice happy match Being but now come to my knowledge made me contract my selfe into a straiter roome Then the large subject might afford Cle. The King To these Euarchus Eubulus Eu. Although I wonder yet I doe beleeve thee My faithfull Councellor Eub. Your Majesty Has found me alwaies reall but this truth The Oracles accomplishment will prove That did foretell their match Eu. Reade it Eubulus Once more and then call in my sonne and daughter Eub. If ere thy Issue Male thou liv'st to see The childe thou thinkst is thine thine shall not bee Eu. Calligone is not my childe proceed Eub. His life shall be obscure twice shall thy hate Doome him to death yet shall he scape that Fate Eu. 'T is true that twice I did command his death First thinking him a bastard then a shepheard For his offence the Gods are just Goe on Eub. And thou shalt live to see that not long after Thy onely sonne shall wed thy onely daughter Eu. This was a riddle ever till this day Their marriage has made it plaine Eubulus Call in Archigenes and call thy daughter The faire Calligone that I may powre My blessings on them And I long to see Those characters thou writst about his necke That I may call him mine Eub. See where they are Eu. Archigenes come neerer for thou art A stranger yet although thou be my sonne The Character is plaine it is the same Eubulus writ to me you heavenly powers Give me a heart that may be large enough T' expresse my joy for these and thanks to you Thy. My royall father for I am instructed To call you so If I have don amisse In hasting to this match I aske your pardon Syl. And I for daring to aspire so high Without your leave Eu. Rise both you have my blessing But who are these Thy. This is the shepheard Sir Who tooke me up first whom till now I call'd Father and he deserv'd it for his care Eu. Eubulus this is he Montanus i st not Eub. He is deliverd to me for the shepheard Of whom your Majesty may if you please Be well inform'd of all those passages I left untold Eu. Some other time we 'le heare them Let him be well rewarded Thy. Sir these shepheards Are come to entertaine your Majestie With their devices as their custome is In which sometimes untill my fortune chang'd I bore apart Eu. Let them be feasted all And studdy something new to celebrate These Nuptials which I will have proclaim'd Throughout my kingdome and Eubulus see That every thing be fitted for their honor Come let us to the Temple that we may With holy sacrifice appease the Gods Whose great decrees though we did strive to hinder Yet are they now fulfill'd It is in vaine T' oppose the Fates whose lawes do all constraine Exeunt FINIS The Epilogue to the KING and QVEENE TO you most royall paire whose lives have brought Vertue in fashion and the world have taught That chast innocuous sports become the stage No lesse then civill manners do the age We dedicate this Piece but yet with feares To have displeas'd so chast so tender eares Which if you free us from we 'le call this play No more the Shepheards but our Holy-day THYRSIS A Pastorall Elegie in the person of Sir Kenelme Digby on the Death of his Noble Lady the Lady Venetia Digby THe gentlest Swaine that Arcady ere bred Who Thyrsis hight the saddest of that name Close by a Rivers side his heavy head Laid downe as he with teares would fill the same Regarding nought that might him pleasance give Since what was his delight had left to live And whilst that other Shepheards of his ranke If any Shepheard of his ranke might be Plaid on their merry Pipes upon some banke Making the hills resound their jollity Hee in sad plight his woefull daies did spend Their joyous sports caring not to attend There as hee by that silent water lay Regardlesse of his youth and lusty head His swelling griefe in vaine he did assay To vent in grievous plaints which more it fed Whilst to the ruthlesse waves he did relate The story of his losse and heavy Fate You Nymphs if any doe inhabite here And I have heard that Nymphs in waters dwell Lend to my carefull Verse a gentle eare Whilst I the saddest wight that ere did tell His owne mishaps unfold to you my case In this your balefull place If to the Sea of which you branches are I ever honour did when list me change My Shepheards staffe to seeke adventures farre In the wide Ocean where I long did range And brought renowne home to my native soyle The glory of my toyle Doe not mistake nor offer to compare Those dayes with these wherein my griefe exceeds The joy which once I had to see my faire Welcome me home and gratulate my deeds Which to atchieve her grace as well did move As did my countries love But now with her those graces all are gone Weepe with me waters to make up my moane Gone is my Love and why then doe I see Nature the same as ere shee was before Since to her making all her forces shee Wisely imploy'd and she could give no more Though shee should frame the most caelestiall mould That ere the Earth did hold To draw from all the heads of noble blood The best and to infuse it into one To make a mixture of all faire and good Rare Symmetry and sweete proportion Was it to shew that such a thing might be Without eternitie It was and wee are taught how fraile the trust Is that wee give unto mortality How soone shee is resolved into dust Whom erst the world so beautifull did see But you were just that tooke her though unkinde In leaving me behinde Alas why was I left thus all alone Weepe with mee waters to make up my moane Shee 's gone and I am here yet doe I finde With some small joy the languishing decay Of th' other halfe which she has left behind For halfe of me with her shee bore away Unto those fields where shee immortall is Heaped with heavenly blisse I see her faire soule in that blessed place Where joy for ever dwells and now I know How in a dreame she saw an Angells face And it admiring wisht she might be so Which the celestiall powers would not deny So did shee sleeping dye So did shee breake the bonds of heavy night And when shee wak't wak't to eternall day Where shee in formes Angelicke now is dight And sees her maker and shall see for aye O happy soule I will not thee envy O let me rather flye Unto that blessed place where thou art gone Then waters weepe no more but end your moane I come yet something does retard me here The pledges of our love thou left'st with me Those whom thou living didst account so deare Who still with mee preserve thy memory For their lov'd sakes yet must I longer stay Then will I poste away Then to thy lasting name I have uprear'd A Monument which time shall ne're deface And made the world which as yet have not heard Of thy rare vertues and thy honour'd race Know who thou wert and that thou wentst from hence At Natures great expence Then world farewell you I have seene enough And know how to despise your vanity Your painted glories are of baser stuffe Made to delude those that with halfe eyes see He that 's abstracted from you stands much higher And greater things admire 'T is you I leave to goe where shee is gone Then waters weepe no more here end your moane This to the empty winds and waters hee Alas in vaine they car'd not for his teares Did thus unfold to ease his misery When loe the Messenger of night appeares For the falne Sun which warn'd him to be gone Chang'd to the light uncertaine of the Moone DE TVMVLO PER ILLVStrissimum Dominum Kenelmum Digby lectissimae conjugisuae structo ejusque memoriae dicato EPIGRAMMA HAc tua chara jacet Digbeie Venetia terrâ Quae pietate tuâ nobile marmor habet En Parios lapides atque hac in mole repertum Quod Phidiae potuit Praxitelisve manus Aspicis ut vivunt statuae caelataque doctâ Aera manu quin ut vertice ipsa micat Gloria defunctos si tangit posse videtur Credibile hoc illam velle cubare modo Quaerenti cineres respondent corde jacebo Conjugis tumulo nobiliore tegar Obijt 1. Maij 1633
And yet behold They doe appeare as fresh and full of verdure As when my Love cloth'd in her clearest lookes Did give them grace and lustre Why do we Poore silly men bred up in cares and feare The Nurse of our Religion stoope to Nature That onely knowes to forme not to preserve What she has made since carelesse of her worke She leaves to giddy Fortune the whole power Of ruling us These senselesse Trees stand still And flourish too and in their pride upbraide My losse to me but my deare Sylvia being Natures best peece made to excuse the rest Of all her vulgar formes ay me was left To desolation till some horrid Satyr Bred in these Woods and furious in his lusts Made her his prey and now has carried her Into his darke retirings or some Cave Where her poore Thyrsis never more shall see her But I will be reveng'd this Wood that now Is so bedeckt with leaves and fresh array I le levell with the ground untill it be As desolate as I Mon. Alas poore shepheard Thy. It shall affoord no shade to any thing That hither us'd to come for its releife But henceforth be for ever infamous That when some gentle shepheard passes by And sees this ground rent with the crooked plough Here he may say here 't was that Sylvia Was lost and then shall turne another way Mon. Good Thyrsis do not make so much of griefe Y'have fed it with too many teares already Take comfort now Thy. What has my present state To doe with comfort if you see the trees Widdow'd of leaves the earth growne hard and spoild Of the greene mantles which she wont to weare You wonder not if winter then appeare Mon. By these we know that season Thy. And must I When she is gone whose Sun-like eyes did cherish An everlasting Summer in my life Feele any spring of joy to comfort me No father griefe with me is best in season Mon. But whilst you mourne thus who looks to your flock Thy. All as the shepheard is such be his flocks So pine and languish they as in despaire He pines and languishes their fleecy locks Let hang disorder'd as their Masters haire Since she is gone that deckt both him and them And now what beauty can there be to live When she is lost that did all beauty give Mon. But yet mee thinks for one that is a stranger Scarce knowne to any here but by her name These plaints are overmuch besides there are In fruitfull Arcady as faire as she I 'me sure more rich and wise make out of them A choise Nerina is as faire as she Dorinda's flocks are more then Silvia's And carry on their backs more wooll then hers Thy. Let such base Pesants as the Gods do hate Admire their wealth and them for what they have Their bodies and their soules materiall Alike of drossie substance are compounded And can contemplate nothing but the earth No Silvia whom some better God perhaps For the reward of my well tuned pipe Sent downe to me made up of ayre and fire Though since because I knew not how to use With faire respect a gift so great as she Has justly reft her from me is so much So great a part of me that in her absence Amidst my griefe I feele some little joy To see how much of me each minute wasteth And gives me hope that when I shall dissolve This earthly substance and be pure as she For sure the Gods have taken her undefil'd I may injoy her lookes and though it be Prophane to touch a hallowed thing like her I may adore her yet and recompence With my religion the proud thoughts I had once to injoy her Mo. See how fond you are T' embrace a shadow and to leave the substance The love of Hylas to Nerina has More hopes then yours though she be yong and coy Yet whilst Nerina is and Hylas too One time or other they may both haue joy Thy. May they prove happy in each others love And nothing please but what each other do For so liv'd Thirsis and his Silvia Whilst Silvia was and Thirsis was her loue What ever Thirsis pip'd pleasd Silvia Thirsis admird what ever Sylvia sung And both their joyes were equall or but one Well I can now remember and it is Some comfort to remember what I moane That when our loves began how first I gaz'd On her and she was pleasd that I should looke Till greedily I had devour'd the hooke Love gave me courage then to speake my thoughts And gave her pitty to receive my words They linkt our hearts together from that time When ere she saw me strike the furious Boare Though then my case she ru'd and sigh'd full oft Yet was she pleas'd to see my victory And I receiv'd my vigour from her eye Then would she make me Chaplets of the best And choicest flowers to adorne my head Which when I wore methought I then did graspe The Empire of the world but what of that The more I then enjoy'd of heavenly blisse The more my present griefe and passion is Mon. Well Thyrsis since my words doe but renew The story of your griefe I 'le leave to use Perswasions to you for 't is time I see And not my words must cure your maladie Exit Thy. That time must put a period to my life Or else it never will unto my griefe Come Boy and under this same hanging bow The note which thou attemperst to my words Sing and be happier then thy Master Boy Boy 1. SHall I because my Love is gon Accuse those golden darts Which to a blessed union Strooke our two loving hearts Since Fortune and not Love hath caus'd my moane 2. No her pure Image I shall prize Imprinted in my brest More then the fairest Mistresse eyes That ever Swaine possest Which in eternall bonds my fancie tyes 3. Come then you sharpest griefes and try If you can pierce my heart But use if you would have me dye The best you can of Art To wound a breast so arm'd with constancy Thy. Enough I 'le sigh the rest out Goe my boy Be carefull of thy tender Lambes whilst I Seeke out some hidden place to pine and dye SCENA SECUNDA Hylas Mirtillus BEleeve Mirtillus never any love Was bought with other price then love alone Since nothing is more precious then it selfe It being the purest abstract of that fire Which wise Prometheus first indu'd us with And he must love that would be lov'd againe Mi. Why who can say Mirtillus does not love Mirtillus he who has imploy'd his youth Ever in service of the fairest Nymphs Hy. Mirtillus cannot love Mi. No gentle Hylas This Ribband and this haire you see me weare Are they not ensignes of a lover say What shepheardesse whom ever Swaine thought faire Has not Mirtillus courted and obtaind Some favour from but you will thinke because I do not fold my armes and sigh and spend The dayes the Gods have given me to
rejoice In whining passion walking still alone Now proud with hopes then cast downe with despaire Unequall to my selfe in every thing I cannot love No Hylas know I love Dorinda Cloris Amarillis all Whom ever love did to his Altars call And when this Mistresse frownes I am content To take another when that flame is spent By time or put out by a Rivall straite A third supplies her place perhaps more worthy If lesse because she loves I le thinke her so Hy. Alas Mirtillus I doe pitty thee Pittie the error which thou wandrest in That thinkst thou lov'st and know'st not what it is Mi. Why what is love say you if mine be not Hy. I know Mirtillus that no lover yet Purchas'd a lasting pleasure without griefe For love has gall in it as well as honie And so compounded that who so ere will taste The sweetes of it must take the bitter too Out of both which is made our constancy You that embrace the false delights alone Are a faign'd lover or more truly none Mi. I know not what you meane by constancy I 'me sure I loue the fairest Hy. Still you erre For if you lov'd the fairest none had bin The object of your choise but my Nerina Nerina she the glory of these woods The only subject of all shepheards song Mi. She has her share of beautie with the rest And I confesse she 's fit for love as any But why she onely should take up your breast And shut out all that have a right as good Whose equall or transcendent beautie pleades As just a title to 't as hers can do I cannot reach the reason but admire Your faith and what you praise your constancie Hy. Mirtillus though I know your stubborn heart Could never entertaine a lovers thought Yet did I thinke you would have bin more tender How you prophan'd a name so sacred as Nerina's is whom never any Swaine Nor rurall God nor Satyr though he be Of savage kinde would ever violate Nerina in whose forme love ever dwells Attended by the Graces which do range Themselves in order 'bout her comely face Whose breasts without are hills of whitest snow Within the seate of blamelesse modestie Regard of honor and pure chastity Nor may a loose thought ever harbor there To tempt such lovers as you seeme to be Is it for that you slight her Mi. No I loue her As I do others with whom I compare her But you that loue with such intemperance Make of your love a glasse wherein you see Each thing much greater then indeed it is My loves too cold you say but I am sure Yours is too hot for any to endure A meane perhaps 'twixt these I might approve Hy. You might if there were any meane in love Mi. But whilst we talke thus see the flame has caught you your beauteous flame Nerina is at hand Dorinda with her dare you stay th' encounter Hy. No let 's with draw and watch her where she gos SCENA III Merina Dorinda DOrinda I have mist the chase to day Such is my chance and he that lodg'd the deere Told me it was the fairest in these Woods Do. The Gods doe love you sure that have left Your thoughts so free for sport mine are not so Ne. Thou art in love I warrant art thou not Do. That angry God pursues me in his fury And forces me to love where I am scorn'd Haplesse Dorinda why should he despise thee Many a Swaine and many a rurall God Have sought thy favors and have sought in vaine Now thou art justly punisht with disdaine Ne. Trust me Sweet-heart I cannot choose but wonder To thinke that one of such a comely grace I doe not flatter you could sue to any For love who are much fitter to be lov'd Scorne him asmuch as he does thee for men Love us no more when we love them agen Do. Ah good Nerina you have spoken truth It may warne other Nymphs by my example How they professe their loves to any man I 'me past the cure he that wounded me Has left me quite disarm'd and robb'd me of All those defensive arts which men will say Are naturall and proper to our sexe I cannot change a face or weepe one teare Or laugh against my will so violently My Fate hath thrust me to this love that all My faculties confesse their weaknesse and My flame is got so much above my reach I can not put it out nor smother it Me. Alas poore wench tell me who is the man Made up of so much rigid cruelty That I may shun him wheresoere I goe Do. Do not you know him Me. No Do. I heare he boasts To every shepheard and to every Nymph How much I love him Me. Then it must be Daphnis Do. Venus forgive me if I do disclose him But he will do 't himselfe T is he Nerina Me. Daphnis that woes my father to win me He is my daily suitor now I know How much he owes to pitty and to thee Untill he pay that debt I shall despise him Do. Why do not you love him as much as I Me. Love him I know no greater misery Then to love one that 's not of humane race A Tyger rather but a Tyger is More milde then he Do. For loves sake say not so He has a manly feature and does shew As much of grace in his comportment as The best of shepheards can him Titan made Of better clay then he did other men Although his heart be flint and hardest rocke Yet is his heart so hard or are my parts Rather unequall to his high deserts For he can love I see since you he loves And you deserve it had he thought me worthy He would have lov'd me too but as I am Worthlesse Dorinda I am made his scorne And I had rather be so then Nerina Should want a servant such as Daphnis is Me, Prethee no more of him I hate his name As much as I would do the losse of honor Which he injuriously would rob me off No no Dorinda if by love I be inthrald to any Daphnis is not he Do. Why is there any can deserve you more Me. Yes many that I could tell how to love Rather then him for why should I love him Whilst Hylas lives and languishes for me Hylas who lov'd me in my infancy And being then a boy was never well If I was absent nor indeed was I Content with any but his company Our flocks still fed together I on him And he on me did feed his greedie eyes Since though his yeares have stild him man he has Continu'd that first love with such respects So full of innocence and simple truth That howsoere my outward coynesse is My heart within tells me 't is onely his Ay me my father prithee let 's away Do. But Daphnis comes with him for loves sake stay SCENA QVARTA Hylas Mirtillus Charinus Daphnis PAn be as cruell to his flocks and him As he has bin to me Mi. Go leave
grave Cha. By what strange meanes Nerina Ne. By the glasse You bid me I should take he has confest To mee that it was poison'd Cha. Can it be Can Daphnis doe this he had little reason Da. She was a foole to crie I should ha' pleas'd her Ere this perhaps Cha. Here Hylas take my daughter For she is thine you Daphnis I did further In all I could till you would finde a tricke To put your selfe beside her Ne. I forgive him For though it was ill meant yet did it sort By accident unto my good Mo. But will Our Lawes permit a Ravisher to live Hy. No no Montanus let him live and envie Our present happinesse Da. Cover you Gods The world in publique ruine or else shew me A way to hide my shame Mo. What will he doe Mi. He will go hang himselfe what plots hee had To foole himselfe with Mo. They that practise tricks Finde them as jades that throw 'em first then kick 'em As his has don Cha. Come shepheards le ts away And solemnize these nuptials Mi. Stay Montanus Did the King send for you Mo. He did Mi. And how Mo. The message came from Thyrsis Ni. I 'le goe with you 'T is strange the King should send for you pray heaven Thyrsis have done no mischiefe there he 's hansome Of a good grace and moving eloquence Perhaps some Lady may have taken him Up for her selfe and he I le lay a wager Will be so squeamish that if Sylvia Come in his minde he ne're will do her reason And then her plot will be how to betray him Would I were in his place Mo. I would thou wert So he were safe Mi. I would comply ne're feare it They live a heavenly life of love in Court To that which we do here a Mistresse there Will satisfie the longings of her lover And never trouble Hymen for the matter Then if they like not they may looke else-where Mo. Thou wilt be punisht one day for thy mischiefe Mi. The mischiefe 's in my tongue I ne're do any Mo. No I have heard that Stella was with childe By thee and thou must father it Mi. Who I Take me at that once fathering of children And make me common father of them all A child 's a prettie thing and I should joy To see one of mine owne I le tell thee truth Montanus by this hand I never lay With any woman in my life Mo. How then You have courted all who is it that Mirtillus Has not profest to love Mi. I do confesse it And that is all I could do for before I could get earnest of any ones love To whom I made addresse even she would say You have another mistresse go to her I wil not be her stale and so by this meanes Nor this nor that would do me any reason Mo. You had ill lucke it seemes 't was not your fault Mi. No for if they would beleeve me I did sweare I had no other Pray Montanus tell me For you have knowne the severall waies of wooing Which is the best and safest Mo. O Mirtillus Gray haires have put the wilder thoughts of love Out of my head cold blood and frozen limbes Fright all those heates away in place of which Discretion and sobriety should come Mi. But I have heard old men doe sometimes love Mo. They dote Mirtillus give it the right name In old mens bloods Cupid does quench his flames But as we goe I le tell thee not to love At all is best but if you needs must love Love one and seeke no further thou wilt finde Enough of her if once she prove unkinde SCENA 3. Daphnis Alcon To Daphnis Dorinda THere is no way to avoide the shame of this Each shepheards boy that sings unto his flocke Will make me the scorn'd subject of his song Al. Had you bin suddaine as I counsail'd you You had not faild but you young men doe never Goe through with any thing Do. For heavens sake Call not that wicked deede to my remembrance I do repent me that I e're beganne it I would not for a world have ended it Nerina's chaste and faire and I a villaine Leave me I pray for something tells me you Did first advise me to this damned act Al. Nay if you prize my friendship at this rate I 'le leave you to your pennance Exit Da. This old man Is full of malice nothing troubles him The ills that he has done flie from his thoughts And he rejoyces that he did them queintly I have begun my youth as if I meant To have my age so punisht as his is Enter Dorinda Who 's this Dorinda I have done her wrong I su'de for love to her first which obtain'd I stucke disgraces on her let me aske Forgivenesse now for 't were too much to hope That she should love one stain'd with such a deed As I have done so foule and impious Do. Great love if yet thou art not satisfied With all the wrongs I have sustain'd for thee My blood I hope thy anger will appease Which thou maist glut thy selfe with Da. Gentle Nymph Do. I 've beene too gentle doe not mocke me with 't O Daphnis is it you this is not well To mocke me thus your looks when arm'd with frownes Gave not my heart so deepe a wound as this Da. I meane no scorne I come to aske your pardon For what I 've done already not to heape More sinnes upon my head Do. 'T is very strange Da. But true Dorinda will you spit upon me Take your revenge for I have well deserv'd it Do. But is this serious Daphnis oh take heed Cracke not my heart with such a loade of griefe And scorne so prest as this is if you doe The Gods will punish it for though they have Neglected me thus long they will revenge Such injuries as these Da. My many ills Discredit my repentance if my words Can finde no faith with you beleeve my teares Indeed they are not feign'd Do. Even so you look't When first you stole my heart but I forgive you What ere become of me I still must love you Da. Forgive me first and then I will beginne By my endeavours and true services To deserve something of you if not love Do. There is not that hard heartednesse in man Which I did thinke for he repents I see O Daphnis if thou mean'st not this as scorne Take me into thine armes and I will be Thy slave Da. O say not so let me Rather be thine it will be pride in me To be ambitious of it Do. Oh my heart What suddaine joy thou strik'st into it now But yet methinkes I feare thou dost not love me Da. Why should you feare by Pan you are to me What ere you can imagine equall above All that I ere thought faire and if you be Content to hide my faults and take me to Your nuptiall bed which yet I dare not hope But if you will when ere that day shall come Th'