observe it and you shall find a Thrid running throughout the whole Piece eqnally interwoven of Passion for your Tender Soul Mirth for your Lighter and Musick and Document for your more grave and serious as finding by experience That the main reason why Virtue is no better followed is because t is no more delightfully perswaded which also may be the reason why more sleep at Sermons than at these Representations For the rest I have observed all the Rules of Art in handling it the Scene at Amathonte in C•pres never going out of view nor out of the Precincts of Love's Temple Continued to the End of the Act to make an intire piece of every Act and some distinction by cleering of the Stage betwixt the end of an Act and the ending of a Scene The Time only from Morning till Night to which not to add nor diminish any thing thereof I will detain thee no longer Reader with this Preface but remit thee to the perusal of the Piece it self The Persons Represented and their Habits PHilostrates Love's Soveraign Pontif and Governour of Cypres in Pontificial Ornaments a Tyara on his head c. Euphanes a Noble Cypriot loving Bellinda and beloved by Philena like your antient Heroes in Military array a Javelin in his hand Philander a Stranger and Bellinda's betroth'd habited at all parts like Euphanes but girt with a Scimiter c. Polydor one of Love's Ministers and Confident of Euphanes in Roba longa of Taffata unto the knee white Buskins crown'd with Mirtle or Roses c. Pamph•us a Cockscomb Stranger to the Customs of Love's Dominions in Ridiculous Fantastique Equipage Mysti and Chorus like the antient Egyptian Priests in long Robes crown'd with Roses or Mirtles Buskins c. Philena a Noble Nymph of Cypres hospitably entertaining Bellinda and loving Euphanes in long Taffata robes to the mid-legg with a Tynsel mantle of different colour fastned on the one shoulder and hanging down under the other arm silver'd Buskins with falls of white Tynsel on either side her hair curled wreathed or pleyted with a Coronet of Roses or Mirtle white gloves a collar of Pearl about her neck c. Bellinda a Noble Nymph cast on shore in Cypres by strange Accident habited at all parts like Philena their colours only different Flamette a facetious Nymph of Cypres and Confident of Philena more simply and matronly habited than the rest Masquers Prologue Hope In green Garments Fear In pale Ash-colour Joy In white Fruition In Sky-colour Lover and his Mistresse All properly habited for the Dance Guards Executioner Grex of Youths and Virgins c. Love's Dominion The first ACT The Scene a Boscage with the adjacent Prospect of a delightfull Valley here and there Inhabited with a magnificent Temple afar off discovered Scene I. A Chorus of Love's Priests with Asperges and Thuribles lustrating the place 1 Mysti WE with pure Conspersions thus Sacred rites and hallowed Thus To render every Lover true Do Element Love's dominions new That no heart too strongly beat We give his Fires temperate heat We give his Waters vertuous force T' asswage 'um taken in their source •ogg of perjur'd Vows and Oaths Which fair Truth and Candor loaths We purge the Air from and the Earth From every fowl and monstrous birth For as some Lands their Monsters fear Unruly Lust's our Monster here As others poys'nous Beasts molest So Avarice is our poys'nous Beast From which when once a Realm is freed Then Love's d•ominion 't is indeed SCENE II. Euphanes in desperate Action of throwing himself on his Iavelin withheld by Polydor. Pol. YOu wo'n't be mad Eup. I will be nothing but For Love and for Love I will be any thing Pray unhand me shall Bellinda the Divine Bellinda who is to Beauty what Beauty is to others all Grace and Ornament Shall she be banish'd hence to day and shall Euphanes live to see 't Pol. And shall Euphanes The gallant and the brave Euphanes die Only to prevent death how low And poorly wou'd it shew and that 's the worst That can come on 't but I hope better still Venus the Goddess of this Isle has oft Done greater miracles than this to make one young And fair to love Eup. Who has onely miracles For Hopes has Hopes but nigh Despair Pol. Yet Time 's A mighty Qualifier of Fortune's harms And he who headlong throws himself into Despair precipitates his life whilst he Circumvents death who lets himself down into 't by degrees But pray consider has she not promis'd you If any in Cypres she loves it shall be you and Is this no hope No comfort Eup. Just as much As 'mong the numerous and unhappy throng Of excluded Lovers to stand next the door First expos'd t' affronts and most concern'd In the disgrace Pol. Nay if you give your self Despair there 's none can give you Hope at worst If Euphanes loves Bellinda as he says What hinders him following her whersoe'r she goes Bootlesly and idlely does he complain Of Winter who but following of the Sun Might still enjoy the Spring Eup. But following an Eclipsed Sun what should he gain by it But only dark and dismal visions to His Eys and to his Heart black Melancholy thoughts Pol. Well Euphanes as the Experient prove There are strange turns strange mysteries in Love Who oft as by experience we find Changes the most obstinate obdurate mind For know the Temple of Love is not compos'd As by th' gross ignorant vulgar 't is suppos'd O' th' dull materials Of dead senseless stones But he has more sensible and living ones The hearts of every one which he do's fit And apt at pleasure for composing it Of which some Nature makes so fit to love They with small difficulty Lovers prove Others so stuborn and unapt again They love not but with mighty toil and pain And those who finally so useless prove Th' are wholy unfit for th' fabrique of Love As in Bellinda 't may be you 'll see to day Offended Love do's cast'um quite away But far be th' omen from my words for though 't be more yet to be wish'd than hop'd it is Impossible she should not feel Love who Do's make so many feel it nor have no fire In her herself who kindles it in so many breasts But see Philena here makes me behold you as A thing of pity Go haplesse youth and sacrifise to Love Whose Deity you must have highly offended sure Inflicts on you so heavy punishment To love one who neglects you and neglect Her here so dearly loves you Eup. Stay you will Not go I hope Pol. Excuse me i' th quarrels of Lovers 't is dangerous interposing E•p I 'll warrant you Love shoots not his darts so fast and vehemently From either of our encountring eys You need fear being shot Pol. How ever I 'll not trust you For in these pretty skirmishes None knows When you are friends or foes For now ther 's falling out Now truce Now war And
did first appear So I should find her on Cyprian Land again Where Venus fix'd perpetually does remain SCENE II. EUPHANES PHILANDER Eup. IMpatient of expectancy I 'm come Hither to the Temple to await my doom Fear of which made me absent my self before Untill in lieu of one fear a thousand more Soliciting my breast I did conclude Still more in absence than presence sollicitude Does urge our bosoms as Terrors do more affright I' th' dark than in the light Philan Strange th' houses should be all so desolate As some Plague had swept 'um and th' land depopulat As th' Enemy had mow'd it with his sword But see one here to inform my wonder And curiosity Gentle Sir Might a stranger newly ariv'd here desire to know Why all do flock unto the Temple so Is' t any annual feast perhaps they celebrat Eup. No Sir but one Meer Accident has produc'd to day For understanding which be pleas'd to know That by this •lands Laws all Strangers after A six-months residence are solemnly To swear they love some one here or else Abjure the Isle Now Sir six months to day are just expir'd Since there ariv'd here one o' th' most admir'd Nymphs as ever in Cypres yet was known And most deserving Admiration By tempest cast on shore here surprizing so th' while With her excellent beauty th' Inhabitants of this Isle With pious error they all adored her As a second Venus a second time Ascending from the Sea Nor was this Idolatry By Venus punished as any crime at all Since Cupid's self did on th' like error fall Imagining her his Mother she was so fair And so at all parts most resembling her Philan The Time and every Circumstance agree aside It should be she and her Name I pray Sir Eup. Bellinda Phila. Her name too then No farther evidence nor circumstance do's need For to confirm me it is shee indeed aside And where 's this Nymph Sir now Eup. •'th sacred Cell Straight to be produc'd to take the solelmn Oath Phi. And i' st suppos'd she 'll take it Eup. That 's doubtfull yet but this I know That lesse she do you behold in me here Sir The wofullest Lover as ever yet for love Sighing and groaning gaspt out his latest breath The Dreggs of life and Harbingers of death Phi. Ha! I like not this And has she given you no hope Sir of her love For love without hope 's but a dry morsell and goes But hardly down Eup. Only this Sir that if any one she loves Sh' as promis'd it should be me Phi. Nay then you have enough for Nature gives not Youth and beauty but o' th' condition Of loving and their sex gives pledges unto love Reciprocally again But why goe I vainly thus Hunting with mine own curiosity Mine own disquiet I 've ta'n in poyson already at Mine Ear And feel it working defend me Reason from Thine Enemy Rage and thou defend me Love From thy more deadly Enemy Iealousie Thou bring'st forth just as the Viper does its brood When all its endeavour after all its strife Is to give death to thee who gav'st it life But see in happy time variety Of other objects to divert my mind From farther thought of it SCENE III. Chorus PAMPHILUS c. to them Mysti NOw you Virgins all draw near And most needfull doctrine hear First be modest as you go For each looser glance you strow Will be interpreted a snare To catch those youths that present are And your rowling eyes betray A heart that rowls as well as they Cho. sings O Fly then far Glances that are But sparkles of a wanton fire And pledges of a loose desire Fly rowling eyes that but betray A heart that rowls as well as they Pam. Here 's Doctrine ' with a •urren able to infect all The young Wenches in the Parish aside Mysti Then for kisses Oh be sure Never Virgins those indure Are but bellows blows the fire Of Lascivious desire But seals of Lust and poyson that Infect the Mind and Body strait And your lips with kissing us'd Are but just like Cherries bruz'd Chorus sings O Fly then far Kisses that are Incentives of foul Lust which no Virgins lips shou'd ever know Whose lips once with kissing us'd Are but just like Cherries bruz'd Pam. Heyday no kissing neither God help the poor Country wenches then For all their sport is marr'd Mysti But 'bove all Virgins agen Look you fly the Touch of men For you 'r flowres and every Touch Does your fresher beauty smutch And Youth 's a thing so delicate But touch it and it withers strait Which once fading in their hew Youth and Beauty then Adieu Chorus sings O Fly then far Touches that are Things Youth and Beauty chiefly blasts And on them foulest blemish casts Which once fading in their hew Youth and Beauty then Adieu Pam. Pity a their breeding these wenches will be quit• spoyl'• With this Education and good for nothing but To make Inckle and bone-lace Mysti Lastly for injoying I Need not warn you that to fly For flowers gather'd there 's no talk E'r to piece 'um to their stalk And 't is only that the while Makes you so contemn'd and vile Men what e'r they did before Never care for Women more Chorus sings O Fly then far Your men that are Only born for to destroy you Since if once they but enjoy you Whatsoe'r they did before They never care for Women more Pam. Were not Love's Inquisition here so severe I could teach 'um other doctrine whose Liberty Would please 'um a great deal better but well Wou'd I had my Moppet agen At all adventures for that 's the likelyest thing To a Wench I 'm like to get here for ought I see If they be taught a-this manner Eup. By Philostrates return They should be coming oh how my heart does burn And throb now with doubtful expectation Of the event SCENE IV. PHILOSTRATES POLYDOR BELLINDA PHILENA to them c. Philos. SO now produce her Pol. Behold great Sir she 's here Bellinda veiled lead by Philena presented by Polydor Phila. If there be any Sympathy In Lovers hearts 't is she Philos. Draw nigh then Nymph and laying your hands Upon this sacred Volume here Where on the skins of Doves and Swans Love's ' holy Laws recorded are Swear But swear truly on penalty of no lesse Than forfeiture of life if you transgresse Unveil her there They unveil her and she suddenly casts her eyes aside towards the place where Euphanes and Philander stand Phila. Ha t is she ye Gods 't is she But Oh my jealousie tell me some one Skilfull in decyphering Love's Character Whether that glance the superscription of An amarous heart was directed to him or me Eup. What ails this stranger Pol. What means these sudden starts of hers And change of colour Philo. Veil her presently again since she so ill Governs her eys th' are stray still They veil her again Fie Nymph be more
trouble in the world •tis pleasure to me rather Phi. Pray Sir excuse me I am presently To go forth again on visit Pam. Why I 'll accompany you And wait upon you thither too Phi. By no means Sir 't is to a friend of mine Y' are not acquainted with besides I have Some businesse Pam. Nay an 't be to a friend of yours I must needs Be acquainted with them being so much your servant as I am And for your business my presence Shall no ways hinder its dispatch Phi. Now I think on 't too I must visit by the way A friend of mine there lately brought abed Won't that shake him off aside Pam. I 'll wait upon you thither too I Am the welcom'st man amongst the Gossips You won't think how they love my Company Phi. T is a sign I 'm none then no getting rid of him Oh see in happy Time Flamette here SCENE II. FLAMETTE PAMPHILUS PHILENA Phil. PRithy Flamette an' thou lov'st me get me rid Of this Im•ortune heer is more tedious Than a painful-sleepless night and worser than A Feaver or Catharr I am even sick of him Fla. Oh! have you found him then This comes of your complacency I told ye so All curtesie is cast away on him and discurtesie Is no discurtesie to such as he Who either brag of favours they ne'r received Or el•e abuse those they receive of us Pam. I I shall be sure Of your good word still but no matter what You say she knows me well enough and I Know what I owe too to such Nymphs as she Fla. Nothing but a blanquetting as I know of Pam. Come Lady shall we go offers to take her by the hand Phi. What shall I do to rid me of this Importune Fla. Why an' take my counsel a flat denyal's best And if that won't do a good Cudgel I know No other way Pam. Come come let her talk Till her tongue 's a-weary and let us go Phi. Still does this Burr Stick on me Fla. Burr he is Pitch rather defiles all those He touches 't is imputation enough of Curtezan For any Nymph but to be seen in 's Company But hear you not the News Pam. H•h she must come Tattling with her News now Phi. No what i st Fla. The lamentablest and dolefullest As ever yet was heard in Cypres Will leave I fear no heart without a sorrow No eye without a tear Phi. For heavens Love what Fla. Why Bellinda The lovely Bellinda and so belov'd of all Who merited to live beyond the natural bounds Of life this day untimely is to die Phi. Ay me how so Fla. Condemn'd to death By our Ilands Laws for falsifying her faith To Gods and men in swearing she lov'd one here Whilst 't is prov'd she was betroath'd before Unto another Phi. And how 's that known Fla. By a Stranger's arrival here Just on the point she took the sacred Oath And proving her forsworn Phi. Strange but on a strangers bare information This may not be believ'd there may be malice And consequently falshood in it and may 't not be That other to whom she was betroth'd she swears she loves Fla. The Oath you know admits no such equivocation Being expresly limited to some one in the Isle Phi. •nd so may he be for ought we know Fla. •hat probability of that •nd you at her lodging ne'r know of it •o no her guilt 's but too apparent Pam. •gh ugh ugh He cryes Fla. •hat ails the Fool Pam. •h I 've lost the best Wife the best Wife •s ever poor Husband had what shall I do What shall I do Fla Why prethee go hang thy self So we were rid of thee Pam. Oh oh such a Wife such a wife exit crying Phi. • see now The man is vain and foolish but this is wondrous strange The patient gods latter or sooner still Follow 't is true all crimes with punishment But just i' th Act to meet her punishment Declares them mightily offended I can't believe it yet Where there is gain in sinne there is excuse For sinning but he sins twice who commits An unprofitable crime as must be this of hers To lose her life for nothing for an Oath A breath Fla. Unhappy breath the Whilst And most unhappy she That what is cause of others living shou'd be Her cause of death but see where Polydor comes We shall know all of him SCENE III. POLYDOR to them speaking to some within Pol. FOr the Prisoners now you may restore 'um to thei• liberties With prohibition only of wearing arms Death being their Rivall ther 's no fear now Of their farther Rivalship Phi. O Polydor Is this news true Pol. Too true alas unfortunate she the while Vnfortunate we unfortunate all the Isle Phi. Never gave Fate then a greater document If the fair Bellinda be to die No beauty's proof gainst death and calamitie But this comes of dissembling and now I see That Falshood and Dissembling are but twins And wher t 'one ends the• other but begins SCENE IV. CHORVS MYSTI POLYDOR Pol. OWelcom welcom and in this general dismay Tell us since Love so gentle was of old As w'ar by Antient Sages told Whence is it that to day He so tyrannical and cruel proves Myst• That 's Fortunes fault none of Love's for know Love and Death o' th' way once meeting Having pass'd a friendly greeting Sleep their weary ey-lids closing Lay them down themselves reposing When this Fortune did befall um Which after did so much apall 'um Love whom divers cares molested Could not sleep but whilst Death rested All in hast away he posts him But his hast full dearly costs him For it chanc'd that going to sleeping Both had given their darts in keeping Unto Night who Errors mother Blindly knowing not th' one from th' other Gave Love Death 's and ne'r perceiv'd it Whilst as blindly Love receiv'd it Since which time their darts confounding Love now kils instead of wounding Death our hearts with sweetness filling Gently wounds instead of killing Pol. Next pray tell us with what fire Our brests are charg'd that our desire And hearts so vehemently shou'd move Towards the Object of our Love Mysti That speculation is more high And deeper the Philosophie Know thât from the Impulsion Of self-divided things does come Which separated are in pain To re-unite and joyn again As branches we asunder bend Forcibly again tow'rds one another tend For Nature did both sexes knit At first in one Hermaphrodit Till finding by conjunction so near Both but more dull and more unactive were To edge their Appetite agen She sever'd and dis-joyned them Whence does proceed that gentle pain And longing appetite to conjoyn again SCENE VI EUPHANES to them Eup. BEllinda to dye O ye just gods whom yet I will not blame Nor asperse with foul imputation and stain Of such a horrid crime till she be dead And then though you show'r down all your punishments And plauges upon my head I 'll say
't was cruelly and unjustly done Phi. Enter Philander another way O Heaven and Earth Why do's not t' one sink under me and tother Fall on my cursed head am guilty of Bellinda's death but yet 't is needless too For though they both forbear to punish me I do so loath My ha•ed life for 't I 'll die in spight of them If flames or steel or precipices have any force To take away a life Eup. To be conducted by Love only to Hope And have only a glimpse of Hope to light Me to despair if this be to Love and Hope Happy who hate and those who desperate are Phi. To have sought her only to find her false And found her only to be the loss of her Eup. Cruel Fortune thus to have lifted me up Only to throw me more violently down again Phi. But I dally and trifle a friendly Sword Might do me a pleasure now and see in happy time Euphanes who for need could help me Eup. Art thou there murtherer compleat thy wickedness then And take my life too Bellinda's but half dead yet When thou hast slain me thou shalt find the other half Here panting in my Bosom Phi. I prethee spare Thy reproaches Euphanes and do not add Affliction to Affliction have more humanity Than to wound a dying man know I am more Miserable already than Miseries self Can make me or thou thy self couldst wish Bellinda's murtherer Eup. Yet killing of me thou might'st add unto thy crime Phi. But it would take from thine By killing me Eup. If thou knowest no better way To die than by my hand I wish thee no Greater punishment than still to live The Sword is Angers weapon faint-hearted Coward Grief has a keener one if thou canst find it out Phi. Thou advisest well a single death Suffices not for Philanders crime indeed And I shall but redouble it by seeing of her die SCENE VI PHILOSTRATES PHILENA Chorus to them c. Philos. THat a Nymph so fair and young Should rush thus voluntarily upon A sacrilegious Oath and so incur Her own destruction 's a folly and rashness to Be expiated equally with a prodigy Go let a Sacrifice presently be prepar'd I' appease the angry Deity Phile Too much of Blood We have already the water of mine Eyes Shall furnish out the rest of sacrifice As who 's so hard-hearted so avaritious Of sorrow and grief he wou'd not spare a tear From all calamities to spend it here But see Euphanes Now still and still D' ye persever ill-advised Youth to love Where y' are not lov'd and prefer Bellinda's Falshood to Philena's Truth Eup. Thy heart then never by experience it seems did prove Only to love where w' are belov'd again Is bargain and not Love And what silly Nymph avails it you Toward the obtaining of Euphanes love that Bellinda's false Who but collects from thence no woman can be true Philost Bring forth our sable robes and let The Executioner with the fatal Ax Be ready against the hour expires Mysti Behold 'um here Phil. Then whilst we vest us all in solemn black Let Musick make a Funeral doleful moan For her whose sad disaster moves the very Rocks Unto compassion Chorus sings VVO to what we vertuous call Wo to fair and sweet withall Since she must dye who was 'um all Let 'um seek in all their story They shall find she was their glory Oh! what heart then is not sorry Come Musick with thy doleful tones Come Sorrow with thy sighs and groans And assist our grievous moans Since all love had of sweet and fair All the world of good and rare Is to perish now with her SCENE VII POLYDOR with BELLINDA veyl'd c. to them Pol. ROom room before there Eup. She comes she comes now to declare A Resolution great as its causes are Dar'st thou Philander when her death we see Resolve to die with me Philan For my resolve Euphanes never fear I will not say to die with you but her Philos. Now unveil her whilst thus it is with pain with his Wand he uncharms her O open the port of speech Shortly by deaths hand to be clos'd up again Bel. Ha! what means this deadly Tragick spectacle This Funeral Livery those bloody Ensigns of cruel And abhorred death is there any thing can be In Philanders presence able to frighten me Eup. How 's this Bel. She runs embraces him and he looks strangely on her Ha! he unkindly reject me Nay then away with all These deadly preparations The shadows of death it self The Axe and th' Executioner too For one unkind look of Philander's Can kill me sooner than all the rest can do Philos. Thy Falshood Nymph makes him behold thee so Occasioning all this affliction and woe To swear thou lov'dst one here betroth'd before Unto another Bel. And what else should I swear embraces him age• Beholding my betroth'd Philander here When passing along to take the sacred Oath And hearing of his voice amid'st the Throng I glanc'd mine eys aside And instantly espi'd My dear Philander For Lovers are quick sighted Though Love be blind Pol. Error of Humane minds How were we all deceiv'd then Philos. all shout for joy Strange but so 't is in Religious minds Still in high contemplation Error of humane things is often found As those who most do contemplate the Stars Do soonest fall to ground Phila. But that I of all men shou'd be so deceiv'd Knowing my Bellinda so well is an Error I Shall ne'r pardon in my self nor do I know Deerest whe'r thou can'st ever pardon or no Bel. Well well Pol. See how she sweetly nods and smiling Out th' rest do's seem to say Well well Philander I 'll be jealous another day Philos. Away with these dolefull preparations then And resume your former joyfull ones agen Pam. Enter Pamphilus crying Ugh ugh ugh I have lost the best Wife the best wife As ever poor Husband had But soft what this Alive agen and in anothers Arms How comes this about this is fine geer I faith Fla. Why thou perpetual Doult Thou unconscionable Asse Thou mak'st People Kill themselves with laughing at thee If she'ave Philander's both before she arrived here And since and now when should she be thy Wife I prethee Pam. Why even when she pleases I am ready for my part Fla. I dare swear thou art for any one Pol. See how hand in hand These happy Lovers stand So lost in joy for their escape from death As yet they do not know Whether they live or no Mean time you may perceive By their ey-beams twisted their fixt regards Their unmovable posture and their minds surprize Ther 's nothing glews so fast as Lovers eyes Philost O happy pair Now safely to your Port arrived are Happy whose former suff'rance and annoy Does now but heighten more your present joy Happy who after y 'ave so long On Fortunes rough tempestuous Seas been tost May truly say y 'ad been lost indeed Unless you
had been lost Bel. Oh my dearest and don't my eyes deceive me Phil. she tenderly reclines her head upon his Arm. My dearest dearest heart Come come let 's go and take from Love And Fortune both the power they had before Of making us ever miserable more For yet some farther proof there needs and some More true and real joy to let us know Whe'r that w'enjoy be real true or no Philost Lead on unto the Temple then There to conjoyn them by Hymens sacred hands In eternal and unseparable bands And as unto the Temple they pass along Let th' Chorus sing aloud their Nuptial Song Chorus sings ALL the joyes that unto heart Heav'n Earth did e'r impart All the pleasures that the Spring Or Love to Youth did ever bring All contentments too that e'r Yet in any's bosom were With a Ravishment to boat At all parts answerable too 't May blest Hymen all and more In these Lovers bosoms store Till satiat with it they may cry To pitious heaven 't wou'd let 'um die And to a better life translate 'um Where joys pleasures contents ne ' tiate 'em Exeunt Manent Philena Flamette Euphanes Fla. And won't you go along Phile No Flamette to a heart And pallat so sad and so out of tast as mine No Musick no Feast can relish and the sight Of others wealth and happiness wou'd but make me More sensible of mine own poverty and misery Let them abound with happiness then and surfet with Deliciousness I envy not their fortunes But pity and lament my own Fla. Excellent sweetness Heaven 's my witness I Heartily pitty her Phi. But see where Euphanes stands turn'd musing Statua Who knows but now may be the fittest time To move my Sute again to love beyond The possibility of enjoying is Hope Too far stretcht beyond the end of Love I 'll try then now Bellinda's love Is probably extinct in him whether Philena's yet Have any flame to enkindle it again Euphanes Eup. Hence troublesom and importune Out of how profound a slumber and sweet Reverie has she awak'd me whilst I imagined With gratefull Error Philander's happiness Might possibly have been mine own had Love And Fortune pleas'd the more fool I the whilst Who with these fancy'd joyes and imaginary wealth But feed my Thoughts whilst I am starv'd my self Phile Cruel and pittyless Is this then all the thanks And reward I have for preferring thy Loves Int'rest to my own and betraying mine own Love in pleading for thee to Bellinda Against my self Eup. And what 's the effect of it Phile Th' ingratefull only judge by the Event The Gratefull by the Act and the Intent Thy face belies thy heart for that is gentle And full of Love but with my heart now what Shall I do since thou whose 't is reject'st it Wou'd I cou'd gratifie thee with it any wayes Though I tore it out of my bosom Eup. Prithee If thou 't gratifie me let me never see thee more Exit abruptly Phil. And so perhaps cruel as thou art Thou never shall't My mind condenses with multitude of thoughts I feel transporting me to somwhat high and brave Let 's see but for that which we approve our selves And cann't b' approv'd by others until 't be done There needs but small deliberation Flamette a word with thee Exeunt Finis Actus Quarti ACT V. SCENE I. PHILENA FLAMETTE Phi FLamette Thou knowst the secrets of every herb and plant And nothing's in Nature so hidden and abstruse Thou penetrat'st not with thy skill Amongst the rest I remember th' other day Feeding thy Flocks i' th' pasture there below And spying suddenly one of thy tender Lambs All-trembling stretching out its fainting limbs And closing its dying eyes thou straight cryedst out A venumous herb had poyson'd it and bidst Lycisca bear him to the River with all speed And drive thy Flocks from thence Fla. 'T is true and what of this Phile Nothing but the seeing these wondrous effects Gives me a curiosity to learn of thee A little of thy skill and to know what herb it is That works so by surprize it steals away A Life so insensibly one scarce perceives it A friendly office it might do to some Who weary of living fear not so much to die As the pains devancing death Fla. Take heed Philena This is a Curiosity more dangerous Than knowing the cheats of Gaming by how much life Is more precious than coyn and those Who know these tricks t is fear'd at need will use 'em Phil. Thou art deceiv'd they 'd rather know them to Avoid them therefore I prethee tell me What herb t was Fla. If you desire as you say to learn my skill I 'll teach you the natures of a hundred More soveraignly vertuous Phi. Malicious wench That wilt not understand me Fla. I fear I understand you but too well Phi. Must I be put to 't then To discover a secret to thee that concerns My life so nearly Fla. I that 's it I fear Phi. Yet why should I dissemble Dissimulation is child of Fear And how fearless are those who are resolv'd to dy Not only of those lesser Tyrants Want And Misery but of those greater Love And Fortune of whom now I q•it all my fears Being Deaths subject and no longer theirs Know then since thou 't needs know 't aweary of Repulse upon repulse aweary of Euphanes scorns and finally aweary of •y wretched being I am resolved to die Fla. •h far from so gentle a bosom be o cruel thought Phi. •hey are rather cruel wou'd divert me from 't •ruel as those wou'd keep poor wretches still •pon the Torture rather than dispatch their pain Fla. •ut d' ye know what 't is to die Phi. I know what 't is to sleep the afflicted'st ease Repose o' th' weary comfort of the distrest When all our troubles all our cares do cease And sleep and death but in the length and the Continuance nothing differ so as deferring My death thou but defer'st my happiness For know Flame•te when life is misery 't is hapiness to die Fla. You talk the while As if all were fabulous of the other world Furies there were none nothing Their Torments and no Gods to punish those Impiously leave There stations here on Earth e'r they command Phi. Troublesome ignorance those who understand Their Language the Gods perpetually command So when we virtue eagerly persue They bid go on when we abstain from ill By repentance or avoidance it is they who still Recall us or prohibite us and finally When we feel in us a desire to leave this life 't is they infallibly command us for to die Fla. But consider Phi. Prithee no more consideration Flamette I ask help Not counsell of thee wo't do What I desire Fla. I 'll see Phi. Nay who give us doubtfull help Do but deny us in necessity Say 't shall be done yet that 's too slow prithee say 't is done Fla Since bootless 't is to deny you I
businesse I wonder where all The Nymphs are that none of them appears I must go seek 'um out SCENE VI PHILOSTRAT•S POLYDOR EUPHANES Love's Mysti Chorus of old young and middle age c. Pol. ANd what dispatch to the Provincial governours Touching Platonique Love Phile Tell 'um we 're men pure spirits and had no other end But only the propagating Ideas this communicating Of minds to minds might passe which now has So slippery a way to go It 's outre tendance most commonly falls fowl O' th' Body in its passage towards the Soul Yet in those colder climats have Phlegm enough To quench their amorous flames 't may be allow'd But no ways to those hotter Nations Whose sulphurous Spirits presently take fire At presence of their Mistresses Nor Is' t but with Much caution to be permitted to different Sexes Unlesse of age more different for distinction Is the Art of Wisdom and who imagins One measure for all Bodies may suffice And one rule for all minds are equally unwise Pol. The sacred Philostrates speaks divinest truth Phi. So 'mongst these Chymerical speculations Like the Alchymists great Elixar rarely Or never are reducible to Art And practice it may pass An other abuse They much complain of and deservedly Is the confounding Love with Liking and Calling of every trivial passion Love Each Peasant now who likes but a dairy Maid Crying out He is in Love profaning so The Divinity of Love by making him companion Of every vulgar breast Pol. As every School-boy too Once past the School and School-boys toys next toy He gets is a Mistress whom he straightways courts I' th' canting language of Enamourists Of darts and flames and dying and languishing Which he calls Love forsooth so many degrees Remov'd from 't t is scarce the coverture Love is infolded in a dutious heart Obsequious services and sincere respects Phi. True Polydor such affected triflings Are as far from Love as Valour is from Boast Or Wisdom from Levity But who can hinder The ignorant from being ignorant still So let us leave 'um and pass to our other Affairs Let the Chorus advance singing in praise of Love Whilst the Mysti explicate its sacred mysteries To inform and indoctrinate the tender minds Of Youths and Virgins in its Religious rites For Musick and Poetry Are the Language and the Accent of the Gods Speaking unto us in a diviner strain And moving our minds with far more Energie Than plain dull Rhetorique Religion Still entring easilier and penetrating more Profoundly those hearts th' ave softned before Chorus sings Enter Chorus and Euphanes PRais'd be the Deities above Old We Lov'd Mid. We Love Young And we shall Love Chorus Thus by succession we go Love to Love connecting so Whilst link of Age to Age we knit W' eternize and perpetuate it Mysti Now our doctrine to begin From Love's diviner origin Know two different Loves there are In hearts incessantly do warr Th' on a lustfull brutish one Tother Venus Urania's Son With his Celestial darts and fires In chast hearts kindling pure desires Distance 'twixt whom as much there is As 'twixt high Heaven and deep Abyss As by th' effects you 'll easily find Since th' one imbrutes and soils a mind Whilst th' others purity ne'r can Admit of blemish spot nor stain As unconsistent too as night And darknesse is with cleerest light For i' th' same place on the same day The Swine and Ermin never lay In a word then for to tell What virtuous Love is mark me well 't is a just temper of our Souls All vitious extreams controuls 't is the gust we have and sense Of every noble Excellence It is that whereby we know Whether our Souls have sense or know It is the main spring that our minds To fair and virtuous things inclines And 't's that and only that in fine Which makes men next unto Divine Eup. I better can tell you what it is 't is a mixture and compound of all We happy and unhappy call 't is a contradiction again A bitter sweetnesse and a pleasant pain In one word what Love is to tell Look in Bellinda's Eyes it is a Heaven Look in Euphanes Heart it is a Hell Exit Phil. So now march on before And as you have initiated so proceed And finish the solemnity of the day Exit Chorus singing Cho. PRais'd be the Deitys above Old We lov'd Middle We love You. And we shall love Cho. THus by succession we go Love to Love connecting so Whilst link of Age to Age we knit W' eternize and perpetuate it Phil. Now to the rest Of our affairs Is the Nymph summon'd to The Temple yet Pol. 'T is yet not time Phil. When 't is Be it your care to see it done and all The rites and ceremonies in prepare For the great solemnity This day peculiarly Love is thine Work miracles on 't and shew thy self divine Exeunt Finis Actus primi ACT. II. SCENE I. BELLINDA sola Bell. YE aged Oaks the semi-gods aboads And who your selves in antient times were gods Ye silent walks and solitary groves Places which melancholy passion loves You I make only Confident of My secret thoughts I love O dissipate My words some gentle wind in such minute And aiery particles none in soft Characters May ever read nor ever find imprest This most important secret of my brest But whe'r my lov'd Philander live or no Heaven knows I do not know By other Argument than that I live my self Have so dear sympathy with him infallibly Were he but dead I instantly should die Our Loves and Lives having but one third one knife And once but cut our Loves and cut our Life Mean time my daily musings which only ar But waking dreams and nightly Dreams which ar But sleeping Actions both testimony bears Love 's a solicitous thing and full of Fears But soft I 've blab'd too much I fear See Philena coming here SCENE II. PHILENA BELLINDA Phi. MY dear Bellinda and where have you bin so long Without Philena to call me your life and live •o long without me to call me your heart and make •e such a stranger to your breast tr•st me 't is most •nkindly most unnaturally don Bel. •weetest Philena until my heart was all •epleat with bitterness I call'd you my heart indeed •nd till I was a weary of my li•e •esteem'd you as my life but now all the joy •elight and Comfort lost Bellinda has •y heart and life being all comfited 〈◊〉 bitterness and woe 〈◊〉 is not fit I longer call you so Phi. • sad Complement this Bellinda and such •little shu'd have attended from so dear a friend Complements in friendship being like Sinister ba•s 〈◊〉 Haraldry but marks of Bastardice Why serve friends but when cares and woes molest •o lighten th' heavy burthen of our breast But to be confident w' ye I much suspect You are not so with me and that ther 's somewhat Of Artifice in 't you decline my
company So much and make me not partaker of Your secret thoughts Bel. Of all I know I will And do Philena but the gods know ther 's Somewhat in my brest I do not know my self You who are my heart divine it if you can Phi. Nay if you know it not how should your heart That 's but a part of you But give me leave Bellinda to admire that in so general a Commotion and solicitude for you You shou'd appear so little solicitous So little mov'd and so unconcern'd to day whilst all Are concern'd so much for you Trust me 't is A Temper or above or below humanity Bel. I 'll tell thee Philena I have considered That of all Creatures Man's the most ingenious In 's own own affliction and in 's consolation the Most dull and that i' th navigation of This life in this frail barque of ours where th' Gods Are Pilots and the World the Sea our solicitude For the future no more avails Than that of every common Passenger how The ship is govern'd Whence I conclude that best Way for our quiets and rest Is to leave all our solicitude to the Gods To whom w' are dearer than w' are unto our selves They having a hundred times more tender care of us And this 't is now makes me for the future no more solicitous Phi This Bellinda for our sex Is high Philosophy but the gods making Every one Architect of their own fortunes what Should hinder you to day to make a fair And noble one of yours and but declare You love Euphanes as already you have declar'd If any one in th' Isle you love it shall be he Bell. And so I do again let that suffice And seek not Philena I prithy to advance An unprofitable knowledge Time will but too soon Accelarat and bring to light Phi. Ay me what says my frend Bell. To explicate My meaning clearer too soon for you I mean Are intrest by your Goodness and Gentleness So far in my Affairs you necessarily must Or lose a friend or Lover by 't SCENE III. POLYDOR PHILENA BELLINDA Phi. NOw gentle Polydor What news from th' Temple Pol. All there is in prepare For th' great solemnity and only fair Bellindas presence expected Into whose brest May th' God of Love propitiously inspire As many loving thoughts as ever yet Were crowded into any's brest Or amorous bosom had capacity to receive Bel. Come Philena let 's away then Phi. So sudden and so unmov'd aside I suspect her more and more to doubtful things We run not with such hast and Resolution And if she be resolv'd there 's somewhat in 't That she conceals it from me Pol. 'T is happy Augury No doubt this hast of hers Love has invisible Attractions and chains which who follows visibly Perceives at last this gentle force of his Does but conduct them to their greater bliss SCENE IV. PAMPHILUS looking after the Nymphs POLYDOR Pam. SUch a Wench Would I give a Limb for now although I begg'd On Crutches ever after and were confiscated to The Hospital I must needs have her and this Same fellow shall be my agent in the business D' e hear Sir do you know Any of these Nymphs I pray Pol. That I do Sir very well What then Pam. Why then I should desire Your better acquaintance For look ye Sir suppose A man should have a mind to one of them Pol. A mind What mind d' ye mean Pam. Why a months mind or so Pol. Why then Sir after a month for ought I know You may be rid on 't This is Aside Some foolish stranger rather deserving my Pity than Anger Pam. I hope you do not mock me Sir Pol. Indeed Sir but I do Pam. •tis well you confesse it otherwise • should be very angry But since I see Y' are a little dull in plainer terms I 'd fain Have a bout with one of them d' ye apprehend me Sir Pol. I think I shall do But know you Sir where you are That you dare talk thus Pom. Why in Love's Dominious Where should I be Pol. In Lust• rather for Loves is not for you if you Be such an one and so as Loves Minister Less you better know to temper your Toung and mend Your behaviour I command you sir Straight to depart the Isle Pam. I hope you are not in earnest Pol. Indeed sir but I am Pam. T is well you are so for I Don't love to be jested with I tell you plain Pol. It seems you love to jest Sir but Look to 't and so farewell Exi Pam. Slud this is the unreasonablest Fellow I ever met withal in my life a man Cann't talk of a Wench but he is angry Temper your Ton•ue and mend your behaviour When can you tell Loves Minister d' ye call him If he teach no better doctrine he scarce deserves To be Minister to the Family of Love SCENE V. FLAMETTE with others PAMPHILUS c. Fla. VVHat my Enamourist agen Sure then being so well accompanied I 'll have some sport with him Pam. Gods so she here I 'll away then Exituru Fla. D'y hear d' y hear Sir pray come forwards here And don't turn Sea-crab d' ye behold that Gentlemā He is one of the terriblest persecutors of yong nymphs H 'as no mercy with him And 's so in love with himself He imagins all women are in love with him too Nay will swear it if they but look upon him once Ther is nothing so cold as to hear him talk of flames And 't wer enough to make a body forswear love but To see how he makes it nay be n't asham'd Of your own Commendations Pam. Commendations d' ye call it what are your Reproches pray •f these be your Commendations aside Fla. Then if he pretend To Poetry that 's Riming with him he wearies Phaebus And all the Muses to find him out similitudes Of R•bies Pearl Gold and Diamonds To compare with his Mistresses lips teeth eys hair If not he is yet a more solemn fool in Prose With 's speech imbroder'd just like your Masquing cloaths With Oos and Aspirations and never a word Of sense in them see now how he fleers and grins The common put-off of the Fool and Impudent Pam. To have an Anatomy Lecture Read over me alive thus there 's no induring it Fla. Nay I 'll promise ye You shall endure it and twenty times more to boot If I meet with you again Pam. Y 'ave met with me Already I thank you but if I meet with you Alone I 'll make y' indure somwhat too for this Fla. Threaten'd too nay then have at you with Another trick well Sir having sufficiently try'd Your patience and finding it invincible I 'll let you see now all the Nymphs here are not So cruel as you imagin thē meet me but hereabouts When Bellinda's gon to the temple I 'll promise you I 'll bring you to the gentlest Nymph in Cypres So far from coy you may do what
Religious-wise And restrain those wandring eys Who in objects takes delight Brings distraction with the sight In their breasts do never find A holy recollected mind Now approach her nearer Eup. Now I shall know my destiny And whether I 'm to live or die Phila. Now Philander thou shalt know Whether she be true or no Phile Now Philena thou shalt soon Proove her faith and know thy doom Philos. waves his wand Proceed and swear then thus I uncharm thy Tongue Bel. Then by Love's sacred Deity I swear I love one here Philos. With the waving of his wand he charms her silent again Enough Eup. O blest voice which heavenly minds applaud With their celestial wings Oh me most happy Philan And most unhappy I. Pol. Did I not tel you it was impossible But she shou'd Love O day ever to be Recorded in the Calendar of Love For holy and festival Which never may Oblivion that like a torrent rouls All things along with 't to the L•thean Lake Abolish the happy memory of Phile Oh the Dissembler how she ' as deceiv'd me Philost Conduct her agen now to the sacred cell Where yet an hour she 's to remain E'r we dissolve our magick spell And then with indicible joy we are again to produce her And solemnly deliver her for ever to repose •n's dear imbraces she has for Lover chose Chorus sings as she goes out PRais'd be Love that does command In Fire Water Air and Land And so gently does inspire All in Land Air Water Fire Manent Philena Pamphilus Flamette Pam. • should laugh now if I were he she lov'd •s who knows but she may be enamoured Of my person as I of hers there 's nothing impossible Phile •ell for her sake I 'll ne'r trust Stranger more Pam. •air Nymph I should desire The honour of conducting you to your lodging If 't might not be troublesom Fla. Troublesom who doubts it why Th' art nothing else but trouble Phile Fie Flamette this is discourteous And to a stranger too Pam. She tels you true pray be gone And don't trouble us you see there are some will accept Of my Courtesie now though you won't he leads Philena out Fla. Neither wou'd she did she know thee as well as I But let her go when th' ast abus'd her curtesy As thou dost others to molestation she 'll know thee better But this sudden turn of Bellinda's affection Is wondrous strange SCENE V. EUPHANES PHILANDER POLYDOR severally Phila. BEllinda false O ye Gods where then Are Faith and Vowes and Oaths nay where are you Your selves for I shall doubt whe'r Love Have any Divinity now at all and think All 's but Idolatry and women that y' ar Angels Till we make you Devils by our adoring ye Eup. There 's no joy like your unexpected one •t comes so striking not falling upon The expectation first that deads and dulls The blow This intermixing difficulty With Love and leading you unto the very brink Of despair and then hoysting you up again There is the Art on 't and that she Grand Artifex of it as she is •ull well did understand Philan The more I think on 't the more •t puzzles my belief and imagination I will •uspend my faith and patience then until •er farther Declaration may confirm me •nd give my passions their full carier Eup. Heavens I am so over-joy'd •o ravished with 't and in so high transport Me thinks like Metors I even walk in Air And have nought of Earth about me nor other fear But only presently to expire and die •n Bellind•'s sweet embraces Phila. Nay then Were my patience bound in Adamantine chains •'d break 'um all know Sir you have Another Victory to obtain before You triumph thus and perhaps too the Fates Have provided you another death to die Than what you fear so much Eup. Enter Polydor What 's that I pray Phila. Why to die by Philanders hand for know Sir Bellinda •'s my espouss'd Eup. Yours Phila. Yes mine for all your scorn Sir And be assur'd long as I live that man Is not alive shall injoy her besides my self Pol. How 's this but this Must be prevented Exit hastily Phil. Wherefore or quit and relinquish your claim of her Or follow me strait to the shore where she first Set foot a land that so that ground she then did tread May receive one of us dead Who cann't be enjoy'd by both of us alive Eup. Although bold stranger I might well decline Thy challenge not knowing whe'r thy quality Be equal unto mine and assured Our conditions are not by thine own confession I being as happy in Bellinda's love As thou unhappy which makes thee desperate of Thy life perhaps yet know I 'll be so noble For Bellinda's sake to kill thee this once my self Who else might leave Thee to a hundred more ignoble deaths Nor is this Arrogance in me but Confidence That those who have honour of Bellinda's love Cann't but come off victorious in fight Philan •lated by good Fortune you talk high Sir Pray Heaven you do so but Love Shall straight determine who has the better cause Th' injust possessor of Bellinda or Th' injuriously depriv'd of her If thou dar'st but fight •n so unjust a Quarrel Eup. Ha ha ha if I dare for that never fear •'ll but instantly arm my self and meet thee there SCENE VI POLIDOR with Guards EUPHANES PHILANDER Pol. STay By order from Philostrates I 'm to Secure your persons Phil. Mine offers to draw Pol. Hold In Love's Dominion where no force is offer'd •n vain is all resistance Now though bold stranger the disturbance of The peace here and sowing of Enmity and Dissention in a happy soyl Produces nought but Gentle Peace and Amity Deserves a more exemplar Chastisement yet here Wher favors are to th' utmost extended punishment The most contracted Confinement to your Chamber shall Be all your punishment Phil. And is' t a-this manner then Lovers in Love's Dominion are treated not only To be depriv'd of their Liberties but of Their Spouses too Pol. What Spouse Philan Bellinda Pol. And is she then your Spouse Phil. All Greece can witnesse it Pol. Too much of witness already you have here If this be true But this must be examined More narrowly by Philostrat•s mean time Indiscreetly have you done in publishing a secret Might better have bin conceal'd which now t is known May prove Bellinda's ruine and your own You Euphanes Have your Chamber for prison you must along with me Eup. I obey you Sir Phila. And I necessity Exeunt several way Guarded Finis Actus Tertii ACT IV. The Scene as at first SCENE I. PAMPHILUS PHIL•NA Phi. SO now Sir my humble thanks For the honour y'a pleas'd to do me Pam. Nay Lady I 'll Wayt upon you in that 's certain I 'm not So coursly bred nor so ill mannerd Phi. I should be at least Sir to trouble you farther and Engage your courtesie so much Pam. No