This did I never do but say I did Am I the first of Loves professed foes Whom he hath overcome Niso. I would thou wert so I might see thee once By Love in triumph brought into the troops Of his sworn servants then perhaps I might With confidence unfold the wound that now Lyes hid within and grates my bleeding heart Whereas I yet dare scarce let go a sigh Lest thou shouldst once take notice when it breaths Woes me how many have I forced back Even from my lips into my heart again And if at unawares one hath stoln out How have I fear'd lest while thou shouldst deride My feeling passion Love should in his rage Let sly his Dart at me for having spent His treasures so profusely before those Who do despise his power Amynt Niso thou art deceiv'd for even I Can pitty others sighs O that I could As soon give ease to him that sighs for love Perhaps I might a Shepheard then restore To life again who now lyes at deaths door But thou that long hast learn't to know Loves wiles Hear but his case and tell me then if yet In all Loves kingdom there may be found out A means to cure his ill Niso. I in loves Kingdom nothing know but how With art to drop Salt tears upon the flame That burns within my heart To weep and burn is all I know of love But is that Shepherd one whom I have seen Amyn. Yes thou hast seen him and dost love him too As dearly as thy life Niso. What 's she for whom he mourns Amyn. The fairest Nimph that ere these fruitful fields Of Scyros here have yet beheld display The dangling Tresses of her golden Hair That every gentle blast might therein weave A net to catch poor loving souls withal But more of her anone Thou first shalt hear The mournful story of her dying love Mournful indeed it is and yet but short Since one short hour brought him to misery Yet even he did once profess himself Loves open enemy till at the last His fate would have it so that by mis-chance He too was wounded in his Nimphs defence Niso. But for what cause Amyn. That thou shalt know hereafter now observe The Nimph thus far took pitty of his hurt That many a time and oft she bath'd his wounds In the distilled flouds of lukewarm tears And sweetly breathing on them with her sighs She seem'd to murmur out some powerful charme With which she hop't to mitigate his pain But whilst his tender hearted Surgeon thus Applyed her salves of pitty to his wounds She struck him to the heart when he poor soul Finding he had receiv'd a mortal blow Su'd for relief but in an instance she Turn'd all her pitty into cruelty And flying thence as from a Basilisque Could never since be drawn to see him more Niso. Oh my belov'd Amyntas I must needs Hug thee within these Armes and kiss thee for This pretty quaint disguise Amynt Canst thou imagine then who 't is I mean Niso. And canst thou think I can be ignorant Of him thou wouldst decipher though his name Be lock't up still in silence Amyn. Do thou pronounce it then for I confess I blush so for him that I dare not do 't Niso. I will and if thou do'st desire it in a voyce That 's audible to all the world 'T is Niso Niso do not blush for me For I shall bless my fates that it is so Go thou that livest free from loves command And from his amorous bonds lift up thy proud Untamed Crest to me this yoke is sweet And Niso doth profess himself to be The Shepheard thus subdu'd to loves behest She that with pitty wounded him at fi•st And kills him now with cruelty is cal'd The fairest C•lia for Celia alas For Celia I burn for her I sigh It cannot be deny'd Amyn. Though sigh for Celia sure it cannot be Nor can I yet beleeve it can be so It is another fuel feeds thy flame And all thy sighs sound out another name Niso. Wilt thou not then beleeve me or is this A gentle Artifice for my new love To tax my fault blame mine inconstancie If I have other fuel to my fire Or other heat to warme my fainting soul That fuel is to Ashes burnt by this And all that heat extinguisht by this flame If any other name sound in my sighes 'T is barely then a name a shaddow void Of any subject or a beauty spent And long agone extinct But now for Celia in lively flames I burn indeed and so shall burning die Unless Amyntas help me speedily Amyn. See see alas he seeks to me for help That gives me my deaths wound But I cannot beleeve thee yet say how And when did Love possess thee thus Niso. Whilst wounded there I lay almost extinct Within the arms of death the gentle gale Of her sweet breathing sighs under th' aspect Of two heart-killing Stars O fatal birth My love at first took life And Love becoming thus the Son of Death In imitation of his Mothers power Kils me and yet remains himself alive And thus I dye yet even after death My love must live and love eternally Amynt Thus Love hath in one strait and by one toyl Within in one instant gain'd a double spoyl Niso. As well then as thou feignest thou do'st know That under other shaddows thou hast now From point to point declar'd my malady Nor can I tell how long my silence should Thus blazon forth my wo Unless perhaps I told it in a dream Or talking idly at the point of death The Soul which then doth commonly reflect More truly on her self and so becomes Far wiser than she was hath publisht it Of purpose so to free her self from pain Or else perhaps to glory in the pride Of that fierce cruelty that vanquisht me Fair Celia her self hath made it known Wilt thou not answer me Amyntas is' t not so •myntas whither art thou gone out of thy self Thou seemest stupify'd do'st thou not hear What strong imagination thus transports Thy sences from their sence Amynt Doth Niso burn in love for Celia And is it true that he dissembles not But tell me then what if another should For love of Celia burn as well as he What saith thy heart could it then leave to love Niso. No rather leave to live ah me Thou strick'st my through and through if this be so There is no way but death Amynt No I 'll dye first my self clear up thy brow I spoke it but in jest Niso. I prithee good Amyntas leave to use Such bitter jests as these they come too near I 'll pardon thee this once because thou hast So little sense of Love Amynt What now is in my power shall be employ'd To work thee some relief but time goes on The Sun already from our Zenith bends His course to view the lowly Vales again And near the Temple old Narete staies Attending there to celebrate the pomp And solemn
it divided was made one entire And perfect circle but the Charracters Were then defac't and cut off in the midst Whose half on this part was and half on that The King devided them and then begirt With either parts the naked tender necks Of his two spoused Imps And to them said This one day shall be witnesse of your Love And of the favour which I bear you both Which said he turn'd his face as it appeares Or to restrain or to conceal his tears And I remov'd your children streight from thence And with such goods as then most precious were Conveigh'd them to my Castle as afraid Oh fond and foolish humane providence Of those foul broyls and rapines which are wont Most commonly to wait upon our funerals At such great Princes falls In this mean space a false alarum spread As false a rumour that the King was dead And those that wish't it did beleeve it true 'Mongst whom the King of Smyrna past for one Who thus emboldened on a suddain flew Upon the Thracian confines and advanc't His armes so far till at the last he came Unto that Castle and begirt it round By night took sackt and burnt it to the ground Orm. And were our children there Ay-me consum'd In that so fatal flame Oron. One of my servants whom the darksome shade Of gloomy night befriended to escape The enemies fierce hand assur'd me that One of the Smy•na souldiers snatch't them both Alive out of the flames Orm. And live they prisoners then in Smyrna still Oron. I fear it much For mark The news of all this barbarous excess Arrived soon at Court when yet the King Had onely so much sence and livelyhood As serv'd to hear it told He heard the wrong And injuries he suffer'd and his heart Inflam'd therewith Just anger did so warm His frozen blood as that it soon recal'd His flitting soul that it might once more prove A trusty Minister to execute His just revenging wrath But his faint enemy when once he heard That he yet lived the rumour of whose death Had onely given courage to his fears Betook him quickly to a shameful flight And to appease the Kings just anger first And next that with more ease he might escape Unto Bisantium he sent the spoyls And all the prisoners he had Orm. And our poor children too Oront Those onely wanted those were onely they Were missing whom alone the King desired And for this cause a far more mortal war And a more deadly hatred he proclaim'd Against the King of Smyrna if ere long Untouch't uncharm'd he did not send him back Those pretty slaves whom he alone did lack The one denies to have them in his power The other will by no means give belief To such a lean excuse but needs will have His children or a most severe revenge Thus both sides vow themselves to Armes again And by the fierceness of a cruel War The fruitful fields of Smyrna are layd wast And buryed in destruction so that now Smal hope remains that ever we shall see Your children more whom we have thus in vain Laboured to finde under the ruines of That poor decaying Kingdom Orm. O most unhappy children Sir But parents more unhappy far then they Oront Unhappy children and unhappy Sires But yet in this more happy then the rest That their unhappiness hath been bewail'd With floods of tears sent from his sacred eyes And blood of thousand shed in their revenge Orm. Unhappy tears unhappy blood so shed Unable to restore life to the dead Per. These poor old Shepherds weep and at their plaint Oronte seems a little troubled 'T were not amiss then to divert them Sir The Sun already mounts the highest track Of his most glorious Sphere that to the West He may descend with a more swift carreer And yet as you know well no choise is made Of such young Infants as we come to finde No Trumpet yet accustomed to proclaim Your safe arrival here hath summon'd them To meet you in the Temple Oront Let us return then to our Tents and you Sad Shepherds • ā• us to some shady path Towards the Sea and let this comfort you Dead or alive where ere your children be In Heaven or Earth they needs must win the love Of men below or of the gods above Sir Kind gentle Sir The gods above vouchsafe To you that comfort which cannot be found For us on this uncomfortable ground Act. 2. Scen. 2. Serpilla Celia Serp. WHat ho Celia Celia Woes me speak softly Serp. Why what i' st that thou fear'st Celia Do'st thou not see my Father there Serp. Hee 's going hence and cannot hear us speak But thou in vain do'st hide thy self from me Those very sighs which now thou breathest sorth Into the ayre whilst yet thou do'st beleeve That nothing in these Woods can hear thy plaints But Heaven it self have told me thy distress And courage Wench 't is a disease of love Which is not mortal 't is a pleasing ill Which generates encrease but doth not kill But whereon do'st thou look turn turn again Thy face this way alas poor silly soul Thy blushing cheeks speak what thy tongue for shame Dares not profess and in that language which Nature permits them tells me that their part Lies in the flame which doth consume thy heart If thou do'st love then why do'st thou for shame Conceal thy love Why do'st thou keep it clos'd Within thy brest and bear a rugged brow A fair smooth cheek is a rich Theatre On which true love ascending from the heart Glories to such his power Even I my self once lov'd Ergasto well And thy fair Mother lov'd Ormino too Yet neither of us both are now asham'd That still the valleys eccho out our loves Aegeria burns in young Armillo's flame Vrinda loves Licandor and thy dear Beloved Cloris that fair lovely Maid Cloris that once profest her self to love So great a stranger if thou know'st it not Lives onely now and onely sucks in ayre To breath it out in sighs of sad despare And though from thee she doth conceal her flame Because she thinks thee so insensible Of loves kinde heat yet unto me she tells Her amorous thoughts And whilst I with disdain Reproov'd her once for too much cruelty In living without love she sadly said Oh no Serpilla no poor Cloris lives Without a lover but not without love I love a Shepherd in another world And such an one as though for ought I know He now lies buryed in an earthen Urn Yet I resolve the ashes of his bones Shall be the onely fuel to my flame Oh happy maid whom fate hath so far blest To burn in one love and no more Celia Oh me most wretched then Serp. What doth afflict thee is the falshood of Thy faithless lover cause of this despair Celia Oh peace Serpilla peace press me no more To tell the horror of my deadly sore Serp. Wilt thou not apprehend me then The world goes
I gently did unbinde his wound A stream of blood I know not how gusht forth And stain'd my naked breast which seen he said Oh Celia do not disdain the blood Which by instinct of Nature flies to thee Thou art my heart and when man dies 't is known That to his heart his blood descendeth down Thus in an instant both their loving souls Lay open to my view and I who then Scarce knew that I did live felt in my heart Which yet could not be angry at their love Those Maiden thoughts which labour'd to awake That usual disdain which Maidens use Against loves first assault but then alas I could not use it but instead thereof Found that in spite of me those amorous plaints Made in my soul an amorous eccho sound Yet did I fly with speed but all too late For all the speed that I could seem to make I then fled from them and will never see Again my hearts desir'd felicity But though I fly them 't is impossible To fly from love who traces still my steps By the cold drops of my distilling tears Even through most darksome shades whereof I hide My self from all besides and sure I think He knows me by my voice and groaning sighs But to shun love I yet can fly to death Why then Serpilla dost thou still delay To ease me of this sad tormenting grief As ever thou didst pitty one distrest Pluck thou this faithless heart out of my brest Serp. Poor miserable Maid ah Celia My dearest Celia dry up those tears Take comfort my sweet heart although thy wound Put thee to pain it may be cur'd again Art thou asham'd that double love infests Thy wounded soul Love thou but one alone And let thy future faith take vengeance so Of all thy former infidellity Celia Thy counsels vain Serpilla for my wound Is every way incureable shall I Love onely one and which Ahme and which Shall I then leave to love Serp. Love him of both who best deserv's thy love Desert in love hath an attractive power Celia But I cannot descern a difference For in mine eyes their merits which exceed All othes mens saem equal in themselves Serp. Love him then whom thou first didst love thy self Time gives the priviledge to elder love Celia Both at a time and in one instant both My twin-like loves were born and gathered strength Serp. Love him alone then who best loveth thee For love must ever give the Law to love Celia With equal freedom I have seen them both For me shed tears and breath heart wounding sighs Yea both for me have spent their dearest blood Serp. And yet it cannot be but that sometimes Thy amorous thoughts like waves tost to and fro Must needs bend this way rather than to that Pursue then him that conquers love him best To whom thy heart seems oftest to encline Celia In vain I tell thee still in vain thou tryest To alter what the heavens have decreed 'T is true indeed that whilst I seem to stray Out of my self amidst my troubled thoughts Me-thinks by stealth Amyntas or perhaps Niso perswades me wholly to himself But scarce then can I say Love I am thine When suddenly the other shews himself All torn and wounded in my just defence And forceth me to pitty his distresse Thus in perpetual Wars the victory Still flies from one to other and remains So small a while with either as I doubt And know not unto whom to give the Crown But leave them both far short of their desart A poor reward the conquest of my heart Serp. I am convinc'd and therefore must give way What can be urged more If needs thou must Be still unfaithfull yet high heaven hath For thy discharge made infidelity It self seem innocent nor can I find Another refuge thou canst fly unto Since thou mayst not love one still love them both And let this be thy comfort thou mayst find Within these fertile fields others that feed More than one sucking Infant at their breasts And see where Nerea comes just in the nick She that whilst any would beleeve her vows Had both her hands full and her lap of loves And with her comes Amyntas Celia Or stay or follow me for I must go Like to the Bird of night which still doth shun The gladsom rayes of the bright shining Sun Serp. Turn turn again my Celia hark a word But she nor turns nor hearkens what I say And therefore I will follow her Act. 2. Scen. 3. NEREA. AMINTAS Ner. ANd wouldst thou then that I should speak of love To Celia and that for Niso too A hard employment to perswade a heart Estrang'd from love to love a stranger streight Amynt O gentle Nerea full well I know No enterprize in Love can seem too hard For thee to undertake who canst dispose Of Loves great Empire as it pleaseth thee Ner. Courteous Amyntas time once was 't is true I could doe much when in these lips I bore Vermilian Roses and in these curl'd locks A golden treasure but when beauty fades All force of love decaies Amynt What then thy beauty for thy self could do Thy wit can now procure for others too Amongst those locks where gold then glittering shon Love hath sowen judgements now and on those lips Where formerly Vermilan Roses grew He hath plac'd honey and the pleasing sound Of sweet perswasive words for where thou goest The most ingenuous Bee brings to the hive The honey sweets of love Ner. O true but yet unpleasing Simile I am the Bee which now to others bring That honey which my self must never tast Such is the will of love great love who frees No age from love but hath decreed that those Who in their younger yeares themselves did love Shall in their age be others instruments To win their loves that so all Ages may And all men living serve his powerfull will Either as tinder to endure his fire Or steeles which send out sparkles to raise that fire Either as burning flames of love to all Or bellows to encrease those flames withall O what soft delicate and tender things In things of love did Nature shoure on me In fine I never brook'd nor ever shall To be entreated in a case of love And to deny my help Behold me then Amyntas ready prest To do whatever thou canst ask of me But yet my Son how much more willingly Should I receive those prayers which now thou mak'st To me for others were they for thy self Fond youth I needs must call thee so Though I am sure I speak but to the air How canst thou without shame without disdain And just displeasure 'gainst thy self behold A new come stranger one who scarce arriv'd E'r yesterday within our native soyl And one that never looked since he came But with his eyes still rowling in the dark And gloomy shades of his approaching death Who yet could know how with delight to gaze Upon that beauty and desire it too Which thou
who first were born here and bred up Still in her sight wouldst never look upon Amynt O Nerea I am not blind Ner. But at the least thou' rt purblind so is he And lookes on all a squint that can behold So rich a beauty and yet knows not how Or which way to conveigh it to his heart For thee Amyntas O against thy will Happy Amyntas yea for thee alone And yet thou know'st it not do'st not care for 't For thee the heavens sent fair Celia Do'st not beleeve me Look on her fair eyes Look on thine own love gave them to you both That both of you might still admire and gaze Upon your native beauties Those her fair curled locks these crisped hairs Seem onely fram'd that each of you might tye Each others soul in them eternally Her fair plump rising cheecks thy downy chin Were made that each on other might repose After the stormy blasts of loves sad woes Her rosie mouth and thy Vermillion lips Invite you both with mouth to mouth to taste Those purple Strawberries which there are plac't Seest thou not how in her white bosom rests Those tender swelling and well raised brests Which challenge thee into the lists of love And thou like a Coward dost refuse To answer to their call discurteous youth Canst thou invited thus refuse to try Their loving force and so in love withstand Eternal Fate which all things can command Amyn. Ah me most miserable Nerea What 's that thou saiest Amyn. Nothing Ah me I scarce can breath a sigh Nerea And dost thou sigh alas wherefore Thy heart devoyd of love deceiv'd perhaps Borrows those sighs that sighing thou maist seem To be in love why do I call them sighs Thine are no sighs he that sighs not for love Sighs not but Yawns such sighs no love can move Amyn. But if those sighs be too too truly sighs Which issue from the bottom of my heart And such as I need seek no other where They then perhaps break out onely to shew The secret grief enclos'd within my breast O Nerea Nerea Perhaps the very rocks perceive ere this That heart which thou deceived thus dost call A heart devided of Love so set on fire And burning in the lively flames it feels As without other help it may find out Cause in it self to spend these sighs about Nerea Behold a new Amyntas lately come Out of the bosom of his Silvia And from beyond th' Arcadian Hills ariv'd Newly in Scyros here How feelingly he can discourse of love A breast a heart love flames and burning fire Sighs and Ah me 's all these are proper words Taken from loves best language and thus all True lovers speak which are Inhabitants Of loves great Empire But when wer 't thou there Or where Amyntas didst thou learn so well To speak their mother Tongue Amyn. Even in the very Center of that blest And happy Kingdom where loves Septer rules There have I been and so that country ayre Pleaseth my sense as though it seems to me Still turbulent and cloudy yet no other skye Can ever be more welcome to my eye Nerea Thou speak'st in such a tone Amyntas and so well Dost mix thy sighs together with thy words A•d make sad looks accompany thy sighs As I could almost swear thou wert in love Amyn. True love cannot be feign'd 't is true that once I fled from love but since he overtook Me in my flight I follow him as fast Nerea Oh admirable power against whose will Nor flight nor pollicy can ought avail Now blest be lov'd great love that thus can give Unto thy stony heart a lively sence But wilt thou not then tell me who she is Whom love hath chosen for a worthy means To do so great a work Amyn. No I have told too much already but The tears which spring out of my heart do cause My tongue to glide so fast and now 't is time To teach it silence Nerea Silence to me well then be silent still But yet if I be she which can dispose Of loves great Empire as it pleaseth me Perhaps one day thou wilt entreat me hear The story of thy love and lend thee help When I will be as deaf unto thy prayers As thou art silent to me now Amyn. Good Nerea let us talk of somewhat else Let us discourse of Niso and for him Employ thy care for as for me I yet Nor seek nor hope nor can desire thy help Nerea What a rude rustick lover have we here If love be lodg'd in a rough savage heart Poor love himself becomes a savage too And so hath neither hope nor yet desire But be it as thou wilt for Niso then I will employ my cure and if or will Or Art have any power to win a love In his content thou shalt learn first to see And then repent thine error when thou shalt See that cold Celia that Mass of stone By my endeavours and but easie cure All burning in loves flame and in these fields In these same very fields wherein she now Like a unwearyed huntress beats the ground With her still erring foot when thou shalt see Her in the Arms of lovely Niso. Print Upon these flowry banks more tender steps And gentler signes of a more pleasing choice What then alas what will become of thee I know too well that then I shall thee see Crying Oh help me Nerea Oh help But all in vain for then I will not help But laughing scorn thee for thy foolery Amyn. And dost thou then Ah-me with Celia hope Dost thou with Celia hope to do so much And that for Niso too Nerea Hope Yes with Celia or with any else More out of love with love then she can be And that for Niso or for any else Unhappier in love then he can be This I can do and this I will doe too Make Niso to enjoy his Celia Amyn. Ah me I 'me dead Nerea And I will make her thine who ere she be Whom thou desirest so if thou wilt but Disclose thy love to me Amyn. That Niso my enjoy his Celia That 's all I ask Nerea But wherefore dost thou then lament in time Demand my help and thou shalt have it Nerea Hee 's much perplext and certainly this man Deceives me yet and wisheth somewhat else Then he seems to desire He found his thought Which very hardly can conceal it self Thou troubled soul what i' st that greeves thee now Celia shall be for Niso as thou dost desire Though it be true that with less pains I could Procure her for Amyntas if Amyntas would As Niso doth burn for fair Celias love I know well what I say but 't is not fit I should so easily discover yet The secret thoughts of a young virgin maid To him that cannot apprehend them Amyn. Dost hear me Nerea tempt me no more For Niso 't is I speak and 't is for him That I would have thee speak Nerea He shakes already and will quickly
she may for all this counterfeit For my part I le not swear she doth not so The art of feigning is by nature taught To women so said one and she said true For from their very birth they can conceal Their inward thoughts and though but children yet Under a frowning brow they have the art In secret to conceal a loving heart But be she as she will who yet can say She may not change her mind For women are Like to the Moon and vary both their looks And shapes as well as she if then they love Yet trust them not despair not though they hate But give them time at least to change their thoughts Do'st thou not see the heavens in a trice Both burn and freeze It was but yesterday When thou beganst to love and scarce hast yet Learnt to breath forth a sigh 't is not then time Already to despair a short breath'd sigh Cannot through Loves vast ocean drive a soul Into the port of rest and full content Thou didst but now begin and canst thou then Despair already to attain thy wish Niso. 'T is true alass my love but now begins But yet my life 's already at an end For this confounding flame scarce kindled yet Already hath consum'd my heart Ner. But yet take heart again and live by hope For be assur'd no art that can be found To rouse up love where most he lyes asleep Shall be left unattempted for thy sake Let 's search out all Loves engins then and try The utmost of their forces one by one Tell me then didst thou never yet make known Thy love to her by any other means Didst thou not yet so much as in thy looks Or in thy sighs send to her frozen heart The first embassages of love Niso. Yes but what profit have I gain'd When all my sighs breath'd through the empty air Were by the wind disperst ere they could come Unto the breast to which I sent them forth And Looks the messengers which lovers send To them they love are ever strucken dumb When onely he that sends them looks in vain And she to whom th' are sent looks not again Ner. Didst thou say nothing to her when thou lay'st Wounded and hadst her ever by the side Niso. Ah me would death had shackled up my tongue Which love unhappily did then let loose For then it was she fled away so fast As I could never see her since Ner. And didst thou never since present her with Some amorous token pretty loving gift Niso. Gift heaven defend tempt Celia with gifts To use a gentle Nymph as one would use A covetous base croan I should beleeve With gifts to make a well bred heart become Sooner an enemy than yeeld to love Ner. If thou beleeve so thou beleev'st amiss The heavens themselves are pleased with our gifts And hell is pacify'd nor canst thou think Women less covetous than heaven nor yet Less cruel than the deep infernal pit A gift beleeve me Niso a rich gift Is the great instrument of love or tyrant rather Which doth command and rule love as it please Knowst thou not what Elpino wise Elpino said That in the worlds first infancy when truth And pure simplicity made heart and tongue Speak both one language Nymphs that were in love Could sing no other song but dona dona Which in our later language sounds give give And therefore since with double N because One gift will not suffice a Woman is In the Italian tongue call'd Donna now And if there be such wandring beggars stil As think it no disgrace unto their kind To beg Love as an Alms Then say not thou That none but covetous base women will Beg or receive a gift Niso. Thou telst me wondrous things Ner. But yet as clear as is the Sun and know That man is covetous that in his love Spends though by thousands nothing else but sighs And looks and words and prayers and trickling tears Yea though he joyn some little lyes to boot And make no conscience to be perjur'd too Let him but give a poor lean sucking lamb And he shall give therewith a greater proof Of this true love then all the rest can bring For women now adaies can onely trust A giving love all else are but deceit And 't is but reason that his love who gives Should conquer all their greatest cruelty Since it hath conquer'd his base covetise A monster far more cruel Niso. Alass if it be true then that a gift Contains that power in it to overcome Her yet untam'd unconquer'd cruelty This heart this soul this all what e'r I am Even all my self I give unto her will Ner. Alass poor man this is the gift which all Poor Lovers give their loves with open hands A heart a soul are of too great a price I would not for a world my Son no no I would not have thee be so prodigal Keep them love for thy self and let thy gift Be of less value but yet more desir'd Niso. I a poor stranger in these parts devoyd Of lands and flocks from whence shall I obtain A gift that 's worth the sending here Give her this dart 't is not to be despis'd Mark both the pile and shaft Ner. The pile is sharp and piercing and the shaft Pithie and straight fitted as they should be To dart at savage beasts in the wild woods But for fair Celia's hand to speak the truth For her soft tender hand it seems too big And sure she cannot weild it Niso. What thinkst thou of this horn Ner Oh! I of horns am a great Mistress too And did present her one the other day And with your patience be it spoke perhaps Farier than that Niso. Then now I have bethought me of a gift May happily seem not unworthy of Fair Celia her self Ner. Is it about thy neck Niso. Is' t not a fair one Nirea see Ner. What 's this that shines so take it off that so I may the better view it Niso. Have patience so 't is now undone Ner. Ah what a pure white neck he hath I scarce Could hold from kissing it Niso. O sad remembrance of my former love And of my by-past happiness Go now For heaven ordains thee to a better fate Behold it Nere• Ner. Ah! who did ever see a braver thing It looks as 't were all gold Niso. And 't is all gold But go and see if thou With it canst purchase me my life again Defer no time what do'st thou muse upon Ner. Niso to tell thee true she went from me So troubled and so full of high disdain As I have cause to fear she never will Give ear to me again or if she doe That yet I'shall not have the power to win A favour from her therefore it were fit Some other should present this gift to her Niso. If Nerea thou forsake me I am lost Ner. Have patience heaven it self is on our side Seest thou that Nympy that yonder comes that
both honey and the Bee So that at last you might perceive the cleer And lively beams of their quick piercing eyes Grow faint and dul as overcome with sence Of too much pleasure and extream delight And I that saw it sayd within my self Ah me 't were to be fear'd these two would dye But that ther 's hope that in a skirmish of So many kisses neithers soul can find A way to vanish and leave them behinde Narete And could poor Phillis then so soon put off The thought of her disdain could she so soon Forget the injury of that new flame Wherein her Thirsis burnt for Celia Serp. It seems that yet thou do'st not understan The laws of loves kind duels thou must know A venie of sweet kisses one to one is able to give satisfaction For any injury love can sustain But if thou dost consider all things well Tirsis did her no wrong he was deceiv'd And did beleeve her dead and t is well known That loves great empire though 't be vast and larg Doth not extend beyond the bounds of life Love hath no jurisdiction ore the dead Nor can his fire raise any kindly heat Amongst those frozen reliques those cold bones Besides all this if any mark can rest Of fault in Thirsis he hath shed those tears That may suffice to wash away the stain And what can she have more poor soul in deep Repentance for his errour he did here Submit himself to death and happy was That Errour that could find a way to make So generous amends Or rather happy was that errour which By erring thus could find a way to make So many blest whom it did not offend His love to Celia was the happy cause Of all our happiness for thence it came That Thirsis was first known to Phillis then Phillis to him and last of all that both Were to the Thracians known Nar. Thou saist exceeding true and now behold How full of windings and obscurity Those secret wayes are which the Gods do use Who would have thought them so in sum 't is true That heaven is a labyrinth in which Who seeks to spy out what th' eternal fates Have there decreed may easily lose himself But then I fear least Celia's fervent love Which yet is fuming hot should still disturb If not young Thirsis with his late quencht heat Yet Phillis with a jealous freezing cold 'T is not a task of easie labour thus Within an instant to extinguish quite Both love and jealousie Serp. What is it thou do'st dream if Thirsis be Son to Ormino must he not then be Brother to Celia too Nar. Forgetfull that I am these many strange And unexpected changes have almost Depriv'd me of my sence Thirsis it is true A brother unto Celia and their love Must now be at an end But what becomes Of C•lia and of A•yntas the• I cannot yet conceive a way to find A wisht for end to their de•pairing greef Serp. In that same very point of time behold A fatal point of time they came unto The Temple Where fair Celia sees fast tied Within the arms of Phi••is her belov'd And yet beleeved Niso guess you then What posture she was in She straight grew pale With jealous rage and cold as any stone And that she died not then I think the cause Was onely that her grief pend up her soul Within her froze• heart Thirsis that saw it quickly freed himself From those imbraces wherewithall he held His Phillis in his Arms And running straight Unto her said O my dear C•lia My dearest Sister but no more my love I am Ormino's son Thirsi• and so Become thy brother our affections er'd For nature should have guided them not love Let us submit then to a lawfull love And spend our erring flames where they may find Fit objects for their heat She whom I did beleeve dead long ago Is sister to Amyntas and my spou•e Espoused to me in her infancy Thou that art now my Sister shalt enjoy Amyn•as for thy husband both your loves Deserve it well and I am well content All that did hear him smil'd and she that yet Amaz'd perhaps at such a sudden change Well understood it not when more at large And more distinctly she had been inform'd Her fancy freed her heart inlightened with The sence of truth made her clear up her looks And give a cheerfull smile Nar. But then what said she Serp. Nothing but half asham'd she did cast down Her eyes unto the ground when yet her heart Sent through her eyes two gentle tears that fell Like tears of joy and gladnesse to declare The sweet content she found Nar. O thou most blest Amyntas who hath kept The laws of love and friendship so intire As that 'mongst friends and lovers thou may'st raise Statues of joy and of eternal praise O thou most blessed Celia see the Hervens Have hitherto been pious lookers on And pittifull beholders of thy woes O heaven O earth O sea O we most happy all But you dear lovers above all the rest Phillis and Thirsis O for ever blest Serp. Since thou art satisfied I now will go And tell these joyfull news in other parts Nar. See how the heavens in an instant have Dissolv'd the most intricate hard knots That ever turning fortune yet did knit And that when unto humane reason they Appear'd indissolable such the strange Eternal power is of high providence And now may future ages fill their Scenes With stories of our unexpected joy Such is the Will of heaven in disport And in th' Abissus of his secret power Thus to confound poor silly mortal men You therefore that with high presumption think By humane wisdom to discover all The secret workings of eternal fate Learn from this wonderfull successe to know That he alone can see these sacred things Who shuts his eyes and trusts what heaven brings FINIS
ceremonies of our Vow Come let 's away perhaps already he Blames us for this delay Niso. Go on I 'll follow thee But if thou do'st Desire indeed here to prolong my daies Defer not then a speedy remedy He that already hath shakt hands with death Hath little time to draw an idle breath Act. 2. Scen. 1. Oronte Perindo Sireno Ormino Oront LEt all the rest stay there And thou Perindo follow me and see Those two old Shepheards come along with thee Siren Quickly Ormino come do'st thou not hear Orm. Where fear of danger wounds a trembling soul The foot goes slowly on Perin Great Sir we all are ready but will you Without attendance or without your Guard Thus wander here alone Cronte In such sweet fields amidst a sort of men So harmless as these are we have no need With armed Squadrons to secure our Guard I left my Tents that here I might enjoy The fresh delightful air which in these fields Breaths with a gentle gale and so allayes The horrour of the rough tempestuous blasts Which did infest the Sea And he that will enjoy the pleasure of Such pleasant fields must not be troubled with The State and Pomp with which we use to grace Our City Train O blessed Meddow O delightful Grove See with what pleasing shadows it doth shield The flowers from withering in the scorching heat Of the Suns burning beams Behold a true A perfect Pastoral Scene wherein we see The Sea on this hand and the Hills on that And round about us Flowers and springing Plants Fresh Rivers Shades and the bright Heavens above Have fram'd a glorious Theater Come forward friends and whil'st the gentle Ayr Thus sweetly breaths I will pursue at length The sad relation of your Childrens Fate Orm. For pitties sake great Sir tell me doth yet My Thirsis live tell me but that and then T•e rest tell at your leisure Oron. Give ear I say When I within the spacious Hall had plac't Those Troops of little Infants so to be Presented there to the grand Signiors view As if the World had then grown young again Whilst he beheld them all attentively And view'd them severally one by one Amongst the rest who seem'd more rudely bred Saucie and bold Your children gave themselves With such a comely wantonness to play The little momes and with such activeness To beautifie their harmless innocence That his great spirit mollifide therewith Seem'd with a smile somwhat to qualifie The terrour of his more severe aspect And reaching forth his hand that hand which us'd Onely to manage Scepters and rude Arms Gently he stroakt them underneath the chin And though he kist them not yet men might see Upon his lips th' affection of his heart And that to me he said Mark me Oronte Me-thinks I see in these two little Imps The signs of two such admirable souls As that it seems if in the outward shape Of humane visage heaven use to write The marks of Fate or I ought understand And more than he doth no man understand That these two children are by destiny Design'd to more than ordinary ends And to some great atchivements therefore see They be not with the rest conducted to The Grand Serraglo but be it thy care To see them Educated by themselves And here in Court instructed in more free And generous Arts and taught to spend their time In studies fitter for their Genius I undertook the charge and they became So dear to me as though I never saw Child of mine own nor had the joy to know A fathers happiness yet did I feel My heart possessed with a fathers care And fraught with as much love to your young babes As they had been mine own And whilst your children thus encreast in years Above their years in them did still increase Beauty and judgement but beyond all this I le tell you now a wonder That quaint boy The little God of love as it should seem And as I verily beleeve it true Playing with them as children use to play By chance did hurt them both and with his darts Made large wide wounds in their small tender hearts Oh what a dear delight it was to see Two little pretty loving souls express Their pretty childish loves with tongues which yet Could hardly mutter either Pap or Mam For scarcely could they draw their vital breath Before they both had learned to breath out Deep sighes of love and scarcely were their eyes Open to see the Suns bright shining beams Before they knew with sweet delight to gaze And dart forth amorous looks Sometimes you might behold those tender hands Which scarcely yet knew how to smooth the Tears Of their beloved Nurse already grown So pompt and nimble in loves gentle art As they had Learnt to strooke each others cheekes And frame unto themselves Rings quaintly wreath'd Within their curled Locks And if at any time that native grace Which deck't their lovely faces did appear More beautiful then other they would then As if it were by stealth run to embrace And hug each other with delightful kisses So that whilst they thus wantonly did woe Love seem'd himself to play the wanton too And hence the King enamoured with their wiles One day cal'd to me and bespake me thus So ripe a love as this cannot be held The meer effect of such young tender years It must proceed from Heaven and Heavens power Doth never work in vain It is decreed These two must one day be made man and wife And I am pleas'd with what the Heavens will But ah the Heavens are too far esloign'd Above our reach nor can our humane sence Attain to see what is decreed above For long it was not ere a sickness seas'd The bold grand Signor and possest him so As he already thought his fatal hour Approaching neer already he dispos'd Himself to take his last farewel on Earth And yet among his greater cares and when His heart was thus encumbred with thoughts He could not then forget to think upon His two beloved lovers whom he caus'd To be conducted to his Royal view And placed there where he thus unto them spake My little children I must shortly pay The debt I owe to nature nor shall I Live here to see you both enjoyn'd in one I am too old and you of too young years Yet I will see you both betroth'd this knot Doth neither pass your judgement nor your age Reach each your hand to other and let Heaven Prosper the plighting of so pure a faith Confirm'd with hands of so much innocence •hus they t'wixt joy and grief joyn'd both their hands And weeping seal'd their promise with a kiss Whilst that great King drew forth a Hoop of Gold Which underneath his Pillow he had plac't In whose round Circle were engrav'd by art Certain Egyptian Characters and to confirm What there was writ with more authority His Sacred Image was cut out thereon The Hoop was double so that either part When
so dear Daughter that thou see'st Young tender loves breeding in youthful hearts Like to young harmless Doves whilst one hath wings And dares to fly anothers downy plain But even then buds forth Whilst one swoln up with pride bears out his Brest And in a murmuring tone breaths out his love Expressing by the circles which he makes The endless Labyrinths of loves great maze Another with his belly on the ground Goes creeping on and by his whining noyse Sets out the passions of a childish love One peeps but even now out of the shell Whilst others sit to hatch their tender Chicks Do not then do not cruel maid conceal Thy passion still though late yet at the last Heaven showrs down vengeance on a faithless love Knowst thou not what Pelorus that Pelore Then whom yet never Nimph in Scyros knew A faithfuller true lover us'd to say Faith is a Deity by which true love At first possest a place in Heaven above Love voyd of faith quoth he is neither love Nor yet a God but an infernal spirit Which having in the foul sulphureous Lake Of burning Phlegeton kindled black flames Doth counterfeit therewith loves glorious light And so goes breathing forth his feigned fries For whose most horrible and wicked sin Oh just and most deserved punishment Which in the bottomless infernal Pit Disloyal lovers are tormented still By those infernal Monsters in the shape Of their betrayed loves Do not then still delay to tell thy woe And if from grief I cannot set thee free Pitty at least shall bear thee company Celia What 's that to me that neither hope for help Nor wish for pitty in my misery Serp. At least yet let me know thine enemie And I will never leave thee till he leave Either his life or else that faithless love Wherewith he thus torments thee Celia Life if thou wilt but love must ne'r be left Serp. Would'st thou then have him dye Celia By all means possible and if I find No other hand to execute my just And lawful vengeance reason then perswades That mine own hand should take the due revenge Of mine oppressed soul Serp. Oh cruel jealousie can then thy fierce And poysonous bait possess a Maidens heart But if I mean to mollifie her rage I then must sooth her in her own desires Take courage Celia for if there be need Even I my self will with these hands pull out That faithless heart of his But tell me then Who is that false disloyal man and how Hath he disturbed thus thy quiet thoughts Celia Now that I finde thee bent to my desires I le tell thee all but see thou doe not change Serp. Thou sooner shalt observe me change my soul Then any thing that I have now profest Celia And whosoe'r it be see that thou take No pitty to thy heart Serp. I would be cruel to my very self Were I my selfe unfaithfull to my Love Celia Heare then and I will tel thee now What rests conceal'd from all the world besides How shall I find a tongue to utter it But yet it bootes not to refrain my tongue When I want power still to restrain my heart Look here Serpilla look here is that foul That impious wretch even here within me rests My horrid enemy Loe I am she Even I am she that carry in my brest A faithless love a foul infernal spirit Burnt in a two-fold flame Ser. As sure as can be this unhappy Nimph Carries two youthful loves within her brest 'T was long ere she conceiv'd and now brings Twins Oh just revenge of love and could he not Make one shaft serve as able to subdue Unto his Laws thy stiff rebllious heart But tell me then who are those fatal loves Celia To what end should I now conceal their names Know'st thou not Niso and Amyntas yet Serp. Who they that lay for thy delivery Wounded almost to death Celia Those very men Serp. But how could love inflict a double wound Just in an instant in thy stubborn heart Celia I le tell thee now a wounder Love that before had ever found me arm'd Against his shafts and all his subtile trains By others wounds and through anothers heart Found passage into mine And whilst that they Wounded to death lay breathing forth their souls Love all besmeared with their goary blood Usurpt the shape of pitty and then arm'd Under this quaint disguise the traiterous boy Found means to wound my heart and after that Neglecting both mine Arrows and my Bow Despising Earth the Sea and Heaven it self I found no rest to my tormented soul Longer then I stood languishing besides Those wounded Shepherds and with weeping eyes Mixing my plaints with theirs There from their fainting foreheads I did wipe The cold distilled sweat there with these hands Did I still dress their wounds Oh cruel wounds That whilst I drest them could thus wound my soul Yet had I then some Truce with sorrow when I said within my self unhappy Maid What new found sighs are these whence can proceed This unaccustomed heat which boyleth thus In thine inflamed heart Ah silly fool Said then my heart to me this is nought elese But pitty well deserved pitty canst thou be So ignorant as not to know it then Or dost thou grudg them pitty who to save Thee from a fearful death lye dying now Thus whilst I thought it pitty and not love Flatring my passion I still nourisht it And still encreased my unknown desire But when I after came to know it well Oh too too late discovery when once I found them lovers then too late I found I was my self a woful lover too And by the light of their bright burning flame I saw mine own heart burning in the same Serp. And art thou then with equal love belov'd By both of them again this may abate The wounding sorrows of thy troubled soul But how did'st thou discover their desires Celia By many many tokens for me thought I heard within my self a murmuring sound Which eccho'd out their love and then my heart Answer'd that sound again and yet deceipt I know not how did so obscure my sence As I could not at first beleeve it true Till one day it fell out that whilst the poor Amy•tas lying in tormenting pain Which day and night afflicted him so sore That he could hardly finde an hour to rest Pitty so wrought as I obtained Truce Sometime with sorrow that I might invite With the soft accents of my slender voice His heavy eyes to sleep When he with a sad sigh sent from his heart Darted a look at me and to me said Ah my dear Celia when I see thee not I am but as one dead and canst thou think That when I see thee then 't is possible For me to sleep before those glorious beams Which shine out of thine eyes I thus surpris'd Straight fled feom him and ran unto the place Where wounded Niso lay opprest with pain And calling for mine ayd Where whilst
way If the bright glistering of her scattered hair With too much beauty dazle not mine eyes 'T is Cl•ris or 't is rather she because Mine eyes do dazle and from thence I know 'T is she indeed for there is none that can Display such golden locks before the Sun It must be Cloris who alone is she That hath fair Celia's heart Cloris it is Than whom in Scyros Celia never knew A true friend Oh happy thou if she Will but conveigh thy gift Niso. But I am no way known to her do thou Do thou speak for me and entreat her help Act. 3. Scen. 4. CLORIS NISO NEREA. HE comes not yet and I must here attend The old mans leisure Niso. Why do'st thou stay Ner. For loves sake peace Clor. But what shall I do here alone the while Sigh out my love then let us turn again Unhappy love unto our wonted pains And sighing still breath out my luckless wo Into this amourous air Niso. Go yet at last what do'st thou fear Ner. She plaies the wilie wench I know her well By many proofs be stil a while Clo. But where alass O where are you lost sighs And whether do you wander through the air If yet you know not where to find the heart To which love sends you erring messengers Of most unhappy news Niso. Woes me go on and try her though my case Be ne'r so desperate for whatsoe'r befall I can but dye Clo. Ah! shall I never live to see the day When once before I dye I may behold My beauteous Sun again 'T is but a look I beg and then I le dye And dye concent for one look and no more I would give up my life and its worth that Niso. Ah Nerea Ner. Have patience now I go Clo. O heavens Ner. The gracious heavens satisfie Clo. Ah me Ner. Thy just desires my gentle Cloris Clo. Thy unexpected voice made me afraid Ner. But pitty then anothers just desires Use thou that pitty which thou do'st implore Thy self from heaven Clo. What should I say I doubt she hath heard all Thou seest me Nerea here all alone Sighing for that blest day when I shall once Behold again in heaven above that Sun Which I in Smyrna saw But what do'st thou desire of me what is' t Ner. The life of a poor Shepheard Clo. Farewel I 'm gon Thou knowst I never lend an ear to those That speak to me of Love Ner. O spightful soul do'st hear fly not away The thing whereof I speak 't is true is love But such as thou wilt not denie to hear Beleev 't it is and by this hand I swear This fair th is tender hand which now I grasp Clo. What 's that for loves sake give it me Ner. Sh' hath snatcht it from my hand Cloris look on 't Is' t not a fair one but thou shalt have time Hereafter to look on it long enough Now hear what I would say Clo. 'T is none of mine for that 's about my neck It must be that of Thirsis O ye Gods What 's this I see Ner. Bear up my Niso and resume again Thy late lost courage see shee 's pleas'd beyond All measure with thy gift and she will bring Fair Celia to like it too If she but take in hand to give it her See how she looks upon 't Niso. Follow it then Nerea O follow it Thou onely canst revive my hope again If yet my hope can ere revive again Clo. But if my Thirsis should be dead and so The Ring be faln into some others hands Who gave thee Nerea this golden ring Ner. A gentle Shepheard gave it me Clo. A Shepheard here of Scyros Ner. No but a stranger born Clo. And to what end then did he give it thee Ner. He gave it as a token of his love And his eternal faith Clo. Of love to thee Ner. To me Look I like one ' whose love is to be bought With others gifts O no I am too old 'T is not for me to sell my Merchandise She that is rich in years must buy not sell If she intend to please her self in love But thou dost know this and dissemble it His love is of a higher nature fram'd Unhappy he loves a despairing hope Saving that fortune in this hooped ring But mark in what a narrow space still moves And turns his fainting hopes to her he loves Clo I prithee ease my pain and let me know What name that Shepheard bears where he abides Or let me see or let me speak with him Ner. 'T is that which he desires Niso stand forth Behold the Shepheard here for whom I plead It cannot be but he is known to thee As one of those whom if thou didst attend The solemn pomp which was this morning held In payment of his vow thou needs must see Triumphing in the Temple Niso. Yes I am he fair Nymph who did triumph This morning and this very night must dye If love be not my help Clo. Both name and voice and look all different But yet what doth not time and fortune change And still me-thinks he doth resemble him But yet my heart goes faster than mine eyes And therefore I am fearfull least desire Too much desire should mock my fawning hopes Say gentle Shepheard is this ring thine own Niso. It is mine own save onely in as much As I am vow'd unto anothers will Clo. When where or how didst thou come by it or Who gave it to thee excuse my bold demand The thing it self deserves it as a rare And unseen jewel in this Isle before Niso. For loves sake doe not press me to rela•e So long a story now when I have left So short a time to live I had it when I was a child and when My better fates made me live happily I had it from a hand that swaies the rule Of somthing else than beasts or horned heards I had it nor will I deny it to be true I had it as a pledge of love Of faithfull love which I long since have lost And now within these fields Ah me fond hope Go still pursuing the recovery Of my old wonted pains Clo. 'T is Thirsis it is he 'T is Thirsis without doubt and to this hour Lamenting still my loss he rangeth thus These fields to find me out O faithfull heart O me above all else Most happy lover This is that blest day Which I have sigh'd for long and this the bliss The want whereof I have lamented so Now sighs and tears adieu here ends my wo Niso. Seest thou not Nerea how she woes me At every pause still turns her self about And reasons all alone And now if I mistake her not she seems Strangly confounded and I know not why Cl•ris. As yet he knows me not is not assur'd And therefore takes advice of Nerea Nerea Perhaps she yet suspects and is in fear The gift is meant to her thou never law'st A more reserved Wench Clor. How can it be that love doth
the temple and you there shall see Amyntas and his Celia both of them Your children too and enemies before Profest to love who yet were even now For love both hasting to a wilful death Why do I hold you thus and one by one Declare your joyes go to the temple straight And there behold this Isle this little Isle Fill'd with as great a joy as much content As such a little Isle can comprehend The sad despairing lovers are espous'd This Island from an horrid tribute freed The day is come O thousand thousand times Most happy day the day is come when once This little Isle is set at liberty Sir O you supernal powers Orm. Serpilla Ser. But Why doe you still delay the time the hours The flitting hours of mans quick fading life Are too too short and too too long the woes That doe attend it still doe not retard your bliss Go to the temple straight go you your selves And their behold your joyes Sir Le ts go Ormino lets go that once Yet ere we dye these eyes of ours may be Blest with this unexpected happiness Orm. Le ts go but whither thou Sireno guide My fainting steps for I know not which way To move my trembling foot Act 5 Scen 9. Narete S•rpi•la Nar. HEre me Serpilla stay I held my peace With pain 't is true but yet I held my peace Nor would I let my doubts disturb the joyes O• t•ese two good old Shepheards here but yet I understand them not thou do'st let loose With too too large a stream the torrent of So many comforts on a narrow heart Infuse it gently therefore drop by drop And tel me first that Thirsis and that Phillis which Before were Niso and fair Cloris call'd Those whom but now the Thr•cian Captain led To a most certain death shall they now live Serp. They both shall live and are become withall The most contented happy lovers that Ere yet did sigh for love Nar. And was it not then true that for desire Cruel desire of their long wisht for death The Thra•ian Emperour did with such rage Demand them of the King of S•irna Serp. That I cannot tell but sure I am that Thrace Is th' onely authour of their happiness Nar. Yet Cloris did affirm it here but she Was certainly deceiv'd by the fraud Of him in Smirna that conceal'd them both And with good cause Melisso did suspect That he did but dissemble what he said That so they both of them for fear of death Might labour with the greater art to keep Themselves from being known Serp. 'T is true Oronte saith it too Nar. O then how vain is humane providence He sought to cover that by fear of death Which now desire of death hath brought to light But for the fault about the hoop of gold Which here was carelesly thrown on the ground For the contempt against the image shewn How could Oronte find a means to save The guilty person thus against the Law Serp. Their case was dangerous and for my part I gave them both for dead and mourned for Their hard mishap but see how it fell out Wearied with following Niso whom I fought I sate me down close by the temple side Where straight a rumour was disperst abroad I know not well from whence that all in hast Oronte then was coming and did bring Unto the temple two unhappy wights Before condemn'd to dye for their contempt Unto the royal image of his Lord At whose sad coming the proud Thracians seem'd To laugh for joy and so from thousand tongues Sent forth one cry that reacht to heaven it self Exclaming let him dye O let him dye But presently Oronte darts about A fierce imperious look at which they all Amaz'd in silence mutter'd not a word When he reply'd Hear O you Thracians hear The supream Laws of Thrace have onely force Within the Thracian Empire and against Those that do serve the Thracian Emperour But Scyros is not as you now beleeve Subject unto that Empire hear your selves Th' Imperial decree which in this Ring This very Ring it self in which engrav'd The royal Image stands is written here In fair Egyptian Charracters and then I le read it with a voyce so audible And I with that attention heard it read And have it fixed so within my heart As I dare confidently swear I can Repeat it word for word Nar. O then repeat it as thou hop'st for bliss Serp. Phillis and Thirsis two descended from Sireno and Ormino when they come Where ever Heaven shines there let men know Love made them lovers faith combin'd them so That they were both contracted Destiny Had made them slaves the King hath set them free And for their sakes Scyros is from this day Free'd from the tribute which it us'd to pay Thus he and casting then a look that way These he replied these are those happy two Whom their more gracious stars could make so dear To Heaven and to their King these same are they I know them very well let that suffice To you O Thracians And do you two live Quoth he then turning with a gentle smile To those two happy lovers live you still And live still to enjoy your constant love By free possession of your spousal rites Let these sad Mothers take into their Arms Again their little children and let all With chearful acclamations sound aloud The liberty of Scyros Nar. O amongst all whom the blest sun doth warm With his reviving heat and when the Sea Bathes with his quiet waves dearly belov'd And by Celestial providence now made Most happy Isle the winds shall now no more Conveigh thy mournful sighs above the waves After thy dear lost children but the babes Whom thou do'st generate shall bless their birth And be by thee sustained whilest they live And when they dye rest in thy graves in peace That so thou mayst to thy dear issue be A fruitful Mother and a careful Nurse And left a Tombe to free them from the curse Of wandring souls that find no sepulchres But Phillis then and Thirsis what said they Or how did they behave themselves Serp. Their first encounter was like such as seem'd Retir'd for fear and much perplexed with The suddain tremblings of a doubtful heart Bashful and nice and being thereto drawn Even by Orontes self who joyn'd their hands They seemed to embrace unwillingly And kiss as 't were by force But having fuel thus put to their fire It quickly then encreased to a flame And each hug'd other so as you may see The twining Ivy when it seeks to clasp A full grown Elme as if it seem'd to say It could not well subsist without that stay Then might you see from one to others mouth A thousand kisses in an instant sent And whilst their amorous lips as overcharg'd Stood sucking here and there loves Nectar thus That sweetness followed and that Rubie Die So grac't those lips as that they seem'd to me Flowers that did bear
not but already understand That when the Thracian bold Grand Signior first Mel. O sad beginning from a Tyrants name Sir Subdu'd unto his barbarous Empire all The Towns and Cities seated round the Coasts Of the Aegean Sea He a most cruel tribute then impos'd Not of fine Wool nor of our woolly flocks Not of our horned Heards of Gold or Gems The baser off-spring of Dame Natures Womb But of our proper Children which to us Are the dear gifts of Heaven of those sweet Imps And tender Infants which from two years old Had not yet breath'd out five years of their Age Mel. I know it well Sir He then doth every fifteen years imploy A Captain from these Coasts to bear away Those pretty little slaves who from each place Some ten a hundred or a thousand takes According as the place abounds in store And from this most unhappy Island here Great onely in the sorrows which it feels Twenty and twenty he exacts by course Such as amongst a thousand chosen first By his own will shall by a cursed lot Be destin'd to his power That cursed lot which fifteen years agone Made poor Ormino and my self become Above all forlorn Parents most forlorn Alas I cannot hold from sad laments Each minute that I think on 't Then then I say this self same man this same Oronte snatcht from him Thirsis his son From me my daughter Phillis and from both Our very hearts O me most wretched man Mel. Could not the children of Ormino then And of Siren which are descended from The great Achilles those young Imps of love Through whom all Scyros is so famous grown Be spar'd in Scyros Is there no regard In Kings to those that are deriv'd from Kings Sir O no Melisso no Kings Royal blood Without a Royal Scepter brings smal good And who dos't thou beleeve would think to find Under a lowly Hut a Shepheards Weed Amidst our simple manners Royal Seed Mel. If men cannot Sireno yet Heaven should Bright Heaven which sees what yet the Sun nere saw And Heaven may one day yet some pitty take And some Compassion of our Misery But tell me then is he that 's here arriv'd A Thracian Captain and a Thracian born Sir A Thracian of Bisantium and the great Servant and Favorite of the Thracian King If all be true which when his fatal foot Last trode in Scyros I was made beleeve And his great charge it is to take a care Of all these tributes upon which his thoughts Are so intentive as he hath not past One day of his due time since fifteen yeers Are this day just compleat and he return'd Hither again to re•ovate our woes As if both Winds and Waters had conspir'd To bring him flying hither Mel. No more new cares even now suggest themselves Unto my thoughts and bid me hast away Sir Go and be happy as thy heart can wish And I will to the Temple bend my steps And thence unto the place where under Tents Oronte lies lodg'd by the Ocean shore To learn at least if my poor Phillis came Alive unto the Thracian strand Act. 1 Scen 2. Cloris Melisso CLo. Celia my Celia But shee 's not here nor answers to my call Mel. Ah daughter Cloris Clo. Alas my father whither now so fast Why with so sad a look Mel. To thee I come my child Clo. To me so troubled woes me what 's the cause What is the sad misfortune that you bring Mel. Thracians arriv'd in Scyros to this shore Death comes conducted by thine enemies Thou know'st too well how that great Tyrant seeks And thirsteth for thy bloud Clo. Ah me Thirsis ô Thirsis Ah my dearest Soul Mel. But fear not daughter and yet prithee fear Fear yea and tremble too a surer Guard Then fear is cannot now preserve thee safe In thine own hands thy welfare then consists And to a tender maidens heart and easier help Cannot be well prescrib'd then fear Clo. You are deceiv'd Sir Heaven yet d•nies To grant me such a favour as to fear Whil'st I am unresolv'd and cannot learn Whether my Thirsis be alive or dead I cannot well tell whether I should fear Or rather seek mine end O Thirsis Thirsis If I a thousand times on thy loud name Have cal'd in vain at least in this so great So suddain danger answer me and say Art thou alive or dead Dead or alive my Thirsis tell me Dear Where must I seek thee out amongst the cold And naked shadows of uncloathed souls Or amongst living Men Mel. Poor silly fool See how her fancy raves Still upon love Dost thou beleeve that death Bears such an Amorous look that thou darst play Thus with thy love whilest he sits on thy Brow Clo. If my lov'd Thrisis be amongst the dead Death cannot but seem lovely then to me And if perhaps dear Father you have sought Out of a needless pitty to my woe Still to conceal his death High Heaven then I know not which to say Reward or pardon this your pious fraud For what is past already But since Fate By these rude Thracians hands doth open now So large a Path unto my wished end Cease then at last that merciful deceit Which is to me so cruel For if death Have seiz'd upon my Thirsis then I know That Death and He expect me both below And since he fees me now so neer the Bark That may transport me thither loe me thinks I see him come to meet me and whilest he Kinde loving soul puts forth his hand to me Shall I turn back from him Ay me Mel. With those deep sighs let all thy fancies end Thy Thirsis lives I say thy Thirsis lives But thou art too incredulous I oft Have sworn by Heaven and Earth t is true yet thou Wilt not beleeve it see I swear again Again he lives and to thy love he lives And to thy Spousal Rites and to thy Life His Life he still preserves Clo. Is it then true and may it be beleev'd Lives yet my Thirsis shall I ever see That day when I may see him once again Mel. Thou shalt if thou wilt but attend the time Clo. But when how long how long shall that time be Mel. Not long Dost thou not see that Heaven which brings And Marshals all our days is restless still And in continual motion hastens on With all the speed it can Suffer the Fates then to produce their Will In their appointed time and force them not By an abortive Birth to bring thy Hopes To an untimely end Clo. What shall I doe then where which way shall I Defend my Life from cruel Thracians Hands Already I do fear and tremble Mel. Even Hope it self hath taught thee now to fear Clo. Will you that in the Fields the Woods the Caves I hide my self or seek remoter parts Mel. But what remoter Parts can be found out Where thou mayst follow either Beasts or Heards And not a Thracian trace thee by thy steps A Fair young Maid
if she remain alone In secret places cannot be secure Where Thracians walk the Round Clo. Will you that then I Sail unto the Rocks Thither 't is certain neither Beasts nor Heards Can draw the greedy Thracians to pursue me I le go and if I cannot finde a Barke Ready to wast me from this luckless Shore Though yet the troubled Sea be not at rest I le Swim to save my Life Mel. Fear makes thee now too bold shal a weak Maid By swimming dare to press the angry Waves Of a tumultuous Sea Swim to the Rocks No no my Child not in a well Rigd Boat The Coast is full of People on the Shore The Thrasian Captain keeps his Residence Clo. Is there no way left for me to escape Mel. I with my Hooks and Nets will towards the Sea Direct my steps pretending there to fish And so shall spie which way the Thracians tend And ' e rt be long return to thee again With a more sure advice Clo. And wretched I what shall I do the while Mel. Wait here abouts in open view of all Th' art yet secure and till I shall return Leave all the care to me Let none perceive That either flight or fear sits on thy Brow If Nimphs come here for shade doubt not to put Thy self into their company discourse And laugh and play and pass the time away If thus the Thracians finde thee with thy fears Thou mayst perhaps pass unregarded And yet I know not how those eyes of thine Send forth a sparkling light which cannot shine In any eyes besides it shewes it self But too too glorious such resplendant beams Cannot remain conceal'd Let fall thy hair in some quaint wanton guise Over thy forehead that in part it may Cover those darting looks The less thou shewst Fair as thou art the less thou shalt appear Like to thy self Clo. See not my hair alone dis-cheveld but My Vail let loose Oh me I 'm too too rude Mel. And yet th' art not less fair but thy best guard Consists in the discretion of thy words Dost thou remember what was taught thee when Thou wert a little pratling Girle Canst thou Answer to him shall ask thee who thou art Clo. Yes very well Mel. Answer me then What is thy name Clo. Cloris Mel. Where wert thou born Clo. In Smyrna Mel. Who begot thee there Clo. Melisso of Armilla Mel. Thirsis Clo. I know not who you mean Mel. Eillis Clo. I understand you not Mel. Thracia Clo. I never yet was there Mel. Right right 't is right such thy Answers be Beware of faultring if thou love thy life Does no man here us See there comes a Nymph Down from the Wood Clo. Oh oh 't is Celia Shee that hath my heart Shee whom I wandred up and down to find Mel. Stay then with her Act. 1 Scen. 3. Cloris Celia Clo. O My sweet Celia Scarce had I rob'd The Fertile Earth of a few fragrant Flowers Before I lost the sight of the But why Turn'st thou away those eyes and why those steps In such a troubled guise dost thou disdain That I should look upon thee once again What suddain change is this when first I came This morning to thy Lodg scarce didst thou deign To entertain me with a seeming smile Which yet discovered plainly that thy Heart Answered not to thy looks and when thou then With thy neglecting Arms didst make a shew As if thou wouldst embrace me thou didst not Hug me close in thy bosom but at last From thy cold frozen Lips thou didst let fall Not dart a kiss at me and with a soft Dull fainting voice I knew not if thou saidst Th' art welcome Cloris but 't is sure enough I could not here thee say as thou wert wont Whilst I was dear to thee my life my heart My gentle Cloris welcome After all this thou gav'st thy self to stray And wander up and down troubled and sad I follow thee thou flyest I speak thou wilt not answer me I look upon thy lovely Face thou weepest And dost thou hate me then ingrateful Wench What have I done that could deserve thy hate Or rather what ' i st that I have not done To make thee love me Are we still the same That we were wont to be Am I still Cloris art thou Celia Celia O grief that Wounds my Heart Ah grant me but So short a respit as may give me leave To answer her and yet conceal my grief Clo. And wilt thou thou then discurtious as thou art Deny to me a part of these lost words which thou so freely spendest in the Ayr Who must I speak to now since thou deniest To give me Answer What ' i st I must doe Ayme since thou who only heretofore ' Wert wont to lessen my tormenting pains Art now she that torments me but allas This happily is some prodigious signe Of my more desperate ruine and perhaps High Heaven hath decreed my tears shall be Eternal since it now denyes to stay Her that was wont to wipe them all away Celia Ah Cloris Ah my Life Clo. That same my Life comes from thy mouth per force I know it well enough 't was not thy Heart That sent it thither Celia Let them dissemble then that can my Tongue Cannot tell how to give my heart the lye Hear me then Cloris and I do not say Life of my Life because my Life to me Is now a burden but thou art not so I am no more that Celia that I was T is true but what so ere I am I fly And hate my self not thee Thus far thou mayst know of me but no more Permit me then to wander still alone In secret horrors of the savage Woods Where through obscurity of darksome shades I may not see my self Clo. Ahyme what new malignant Star Hath Heaven produc't that can compel thy grief Thus to neglect it self and shall I then Forsake thee too Not till I know thy ill Yet what but love and his most intricate Turmoyls can trouble thus thy happy state I oft have heard the wisest lovers say He knows no grief that knows not loves delay For else what can it be unless perhaps And can that bring so great a misery Mongst other Nimphs upon some solemn day Thy Darts or Arrows have not cleft the Mark Or by misfortune happily thou hast lost Thy goodly Ivory Bow I see it not Hang by thy side Or is thy gentle Kid Thy dearest dear delight and this 't is true Is the most sad mishap ill luck can send Is he I say come to untimely end Celia He was at least the cause of all my woe For by his means I did become the prey Of Eurito the Centaur whence arose The spring and sourse of all my misery Clo. Wert thou the Centaurs prey and how and when Do not conceal so strange an accident Colia I le tell it thee but ask me then no more Clo. Be it as thou wilt have it Celia Hear then
yet all was nothing worth Till those same fearful howlings which 'gainst Heaven That horrid Monster sent up from the Toils Made all the Valleys far and neer to Ring And drew both Nimphs and Sheapherds to those parts Where when they came too soon to them appears Two over-whelm'd in blood and one in tears They speedily conveigh'd the wounded pair To old Sirenos House the Father of Poor young Amyntas Clo. And live they yet yet their strength restor'd Celia I cannot tell Clo. And canst thou take so little care for those Who for thy safety thus ingaged their lives Sure thou art too ingrate Celia Cloris no more this is the Period when I must enjoyn thee silence thou hast heard All that thou didst demand now let me part Ay me what do I see Clo. What hath she espyed out there why did she turn Her steps so suddainly another way Ho! Celia it is a Shepherd and I think It be Amyntas Act. 1. Scen. 4. AMYNTAS THanks be to Heaven I am now return'd Once more to Sollace in these fertile Fields To breath in open Ayr and to behold This glorious Sun again Ye Sacred Gods If when to you I sent my humble prayers You did restore life to my liveless Limbs Give now a lively spirit to my soul Whilest I with true devotion pay my vows And lowly thus adore this blessed Sun I do adore the Sun but where alas Where is the Suns fair Idol which above This Sun I must adore I pay my vows Unto the Sun that hath restor'd my life But woes me where is she that is my life I cannot see thee my sweet Celia and yet Thou art alone the life I must implore And thou the Idol which I must adore Where art thou then where dost thou hide thy self Celia that art the brightness of the Spheres Sent like a flash of lightening first to smite My tender heart and then to vanish quite Thou fleddest from me then when I could not Remove my foot from deaths infernal snare But into what part canst thou wander now Whither I will not follow thee through Woods Through lowly Valleys and ore Mountains Tops I will pursue the still though still in vain I hunt thy footsteps with Eternal pain It shall be my delight to lick the Earth Where thy fair foot hath trod it may be known By the sweet Flowers where they do thickest grow It shall be my delight to suck the Ayr Which once hath kist thy Face it may be known By the calm blasts where they do sweetest blow It shall be my delight still to admire And still admiring seek thy beautious Rays Amongst Vermillian Roses and amongst The whitest Lillies and the fairest Flowers Amongst the glittering Stars and in that Shpere Where the bright Sun most glorious doth appear But yet fond fool in vain mine eyes do gaze First up to Heaven and then down on Earth I see the Sun Roses and Gilliflowers But cannot see my Celia without whom The Sun in all his glory gives no light Nor the best colour'd flowers can please my sight O you dead semblances of lively worth You are too dull displayers of her rich Of her diviner beauty come my dear My dearest Celia come for thou alone Art to mine eyes thine own true Paragon But hear I not one whistle here hard by Is it not Niso sure it must be he And then he 's in pursuit to find me out My dear beloved Niso he cannot Without me well stay long in any place For since he lately came to make abode With us in Scyros here the Sun by day Nor yet the Stars by night have never seen Him far off from my side What then shall I doe now or how can I Conceal from him what turns love hath produc't Within my amorous Soul I yet am but Young in loves school but he hath learn't to love From his first infancy and now he bears Grave ancient love in lusty youthful years I may do well then to disclose my self To him whose long experience is fit To give me good advice and so procure Some help to ease me in my misery But shall Amyntas then Amyntas who Hath ever been a hunter and profest Himself an open enemy to love Confess himself to be a lover now I am in love but shame to say I am I therefore will take her advice that was The Mistress of loves School I will make known The love but not the lover and so frame Means to conceal my self yet shew my flame Act. 1. Scen. 5. AMYNTAS NISO AMyntas Whether Oh Niso Nis To Amyntas but Whether without his Niso doth Amyntas go Amyn. Unto the Temple I Niso. And thither I will bear thee company But let me here Amyntas breath a while For I begin to faint my hurt is cur'd But yet my feet tread not a steddy pace They tremble still and still my dazling eyes Deceive my sight so that it seems my heart Dare not rest confident on either part Amynt No marvel since we scarcely yet have left Those beds of sloth wherein we both have lien Wounded and kept in dark obscurity So long that thrice the love-sick Moon hath woed The Sun to re-inforce her borrowed light Niso. Yet thou so lightly o'r these rugged fields Do'st hast away as I can scarce pursue Thy foot-steeps with mine eyes Amynt O Niso such a sweetness seems to breath Of late me-thinks from earth and heaven both As 't is no wonder if it do deceive My trembling limbs though faint with loss of blood Since it already hath deceiv'd my heart Which as if I had never touch'd the ground Hath brought me flying hither Niso. Some woody Deity perhaps hath caught My gentle young Amyntas in his arms To waft him o'r the Plains Amynt Mock not dear Nisis no it was a God Beleev 't it was but a celestial God No Godhead of the Woods a God with wings That without wings can teach us men to fly But I disclose my self too far Niso. Some jest or other now thou fain would'st put Upon poor love to laugh him stil to scorn But do not jest too far Love is no Boy ••leeve me Friend that will be jested with Amynt Niso thou do'st me wrong I 'm no such man Or if I be 't is thou led'st me the way Niso. Who I no no whilst we lay wounded both Nor Nymph nor Shepheard came to visit us In whose discourse I found not something still That did not point at thy neglect of love They told me that thou never mention'dst him Without contempt and scorn that in disdain Of his great power as Trophies of thy pride When other Shepheards in the long liv'd Oak Or in the tender bark of some young sprout Had grav'd the marks of their eternal flame Thou there wouldst carve thy name inlaced with Th' inhumane title which proclaims the still To be Amyntas the young Hunter and to Love An Enemy profest And wilt thou now Profess thy self a Lover Amynt
fall Well I will do 't but if she shall be found To him inexorable milt thou then Permit me try what I can do for thee All women are not cruel to all men Amyn. She moves my very soul nor can I tell How to withstand it But poor Niso then What will poor Niso say Nerea Amyntas did for me more then he would Do for himself and therefore I rejoyce His bliss can rise out of my misery This will he say But whereon dost thou think Why dost thou scratch thy head when all the itch Thou feel'st is in thy heart Amyn. Mercy Oh Mercy I am overcome And hear me Nerea Yet peace Peace tender lover but unfaithful friend But I were best be gone Nerea adieu Thou knowst what I desire I speak for Niso dost thou conceive me Act. 2. Scen. 4. NEREA. EIther I nothing understand in love Or else Amyntas loves fair Celia But wherefore speaks he then for Niso thus It is perhaps a lovers folly that Under a feigned affection seeks to prove The faithful heart of his beloved love Oh ill advised youth how darst thou tempt A womans faith by forging new loves still Darst thou trust fuel in a burning flame Or feathers to the winde full ill thou knowst How many I have seen these tryals cause Soon to repent them of their former love But it may be the pitty of a friend Perhaps it may be so and Niso doth Himself too burn for love of Celia And yet the simple soul Amyntas speaks Onely for him and doth not know that love Values no friend when once his force doth move But be it as it will I 'me glad to see Them both sad frequent lovers yet that so I may be double arm'd and with more force Give on a brave assault to that hard heart Of pittiless but lovely Celia For I will kindle in her Virgine brest Both these hot flames that one at legst may take And pittifully paint before her eyes Them both for love of her brought to deaths dore And both from love and from her father too I mean to tell her that in her own hands The power of choice doth lye Th' art but a fool my Celia if thou starve For want of love when to such lovers bring Such dishes to the feast Oh that I could But change change fortunes with thee cruel Nimph Change and take thou my hot inflamed brest Or send one thy soft golden glittering hair White snowy locks with an heart all on fire Soft golden hairs with an heard Iron heart Are Monsters too too cruel but I le go And seek her out sure I shall conquer her For I ner'e knew a fair young maid deny To love at last if su'd to constantly Act. 3. Scen. 1. Celia OH Nerea thou hast kil'd my woeful heart And from thy lips death shot his fatal dart Woes me 't was long ere I did burn but now I am all fire nor can there be Ah-me A way to quench the fury of my flame Love be my guide Amyntas To thee my dear Amyntas unto thee I do submit my self I will be thine And thou shalt be my love my life my all Ah-me what did I say And can I then without my Niso live No No but for Amyntas I can dye And dow behold me given over quite Unto my wonted fury Oh Celia Unhappy Celia still dost thou rave What dost thou think and whether dost thou tend In this estate depriv'd of all my bliss It cannot be I should continue long Enjoy but one Love will not give me leave To enjoy both both Heaven and Earth forbid Then I must dye for other remedy Then death this death cannot invent Must I then dye But lately born and must I dye so soon Sad mourning eyes the time is short which fate Allotted to you to behold this Sun And yet alas I have but seen too much Fool that I am what i' st I greeve for for thus Loss of my life and what can I expect To gain by living here nought else but woe Nothing but grief and doth it greeve thee then To part with grief Oh no let death kinde death Come then and with his hand close up mine eyes And dry up all my tears And yet alas Those tears nor all my sad despairs cannot Call out so loud for death in my poor foul As others torments do Oh Nerea Nerea For love of me then doth Amyntas burn And Niso too for me doth Niso dye Yea and Amyntas too and I who love you both Unhappy lovers is it I whom love Too cruel love hath set against you both And is it I that kill you then 't is I 'T is I must dye and fear not I will dye That so my death may either give you ease Or else revenge your cruel suff'rings Oh direful voice And yet base Coward heart Fear'st thou one death that dost not fear two loves No no vain pitty pitty pittyless Base trembling fear and you cold frozen thoughts You can no longer lodge within this breast Behold my hand full armed for the deed Oh vile and cowardly hand what trembling thus Dost thou discharge thy darts Woes me I want Force that will second this my just revenge Let then my feet do what my hands deny Oh my sad furies Oh despairing grief Be you my faithful guide lead on lead on Shew me another way to finde out death Conduct me to a Precipice where I Shall need no force to press me to my fall But if a bush or any stub should stop My fatal fall for so Amyntas was Sav'd when he would have dyed for Silvia That would be my misfortune then that was to him A happy blessing What then shall I do Oh you Celestial Gods and you sad powers That govern in the deep infernal Lake You that inspir'd me with desire to dye Shew one the way to do it speedily Act. 3. Scen. 2. Filino Celia FElino Oh me most miserable Oh my dear pretious and my lovely joy Oh my lost treasure Celia What mournful voice thus sounds within mine ears Is not this Filino Filino Oh Celia weep weep gentle Celia Do not so much as stay till I have told What cause thou hast to weep Celia And to what new misfortune can the Gods Preserve me yet in this smale hour of life What can there be that can disturb me more Speak quickly Filino for well I know The grief which hath already seiz'd my heart Can leave no place for any new supply Fil. Distressed Filino unhappy Celia Thy joy and all my wonted bliss The beauty of the Meades flower of the fields The love of all thy flock thy gentle kid O me my heart will break to tell it out Thy gentle Kid is dead Cel. O happy boy since all thy sorrows are Compriz'd within so poor a loss as this But say who was 't that kild him Fil. Beleeve 't was neither Shepheard nor wild beast For I would then have dyed in his defence Cel. What
know not how the mournful memory Of my first earnest but unhappy love Is even now in mid'st of my new flames When it should least have troubled my sad thoughts Renew'd within my soul and whilst now this Now that and each within an instant prefs Sighs from my heart and tears out from mine eyes Tears overflow and sighs confound me so As my poor heart doth faint Amyn. And so thy heart amid'st such ardent flames Such fervent heats serves onely now to be The hot consuming furnace of true love Oh miserable soul when Celia darts One flashing beam hath it not power enough To burn one silly heart Unless love force New flames out of a beauty now extinct Is she not dead if I remember well What thou hast said who now revives thy heart Niso. O yes she died a child and in the East My rising Sun declined to the West She died a child and if a beauty since And such a beauty as perhaps did not Seem coy to me such as thou seest me here Offer'd me love I in an instant turn'd Mine eyes another way or dull'd their sight With the full flowing streams of showring tears Onely the unkind beauty of my Celia Had force to work that strange effect in me Which the most loving beauty else could not Nor can I tell how it was brought to pass That I could neither flye nor yet withstand Her all commanding power and thus new flames Without confounding of my former heat Incense my heart afresh whence I am forc'd St•ll to bewail my Phillis still to sigh For Celia's love she is already lost And her I cannot hope ere to enjoy This then is all I can expect to gain To lose my sighs and spend my tears in vain Amynt Whilst thou do'st thus bemoan thy sad mishaps Grief grows into excess Let us discourse Upon some other subject I can learn No news of Cloris nor of Nerea From that young Goatheard with whom for that end I stayd behind thee talking in the wood Niso. Which way shall we pursue them then depriv'd Of all the helps that may direct our course Amynt Why should we follow thus their steps in vain I am already weary and 't were best To rest us here in this large open plain From whence we may discover round about What passeth too and fro and underneath These spreading Beech es here we may attend In hope to meet them and refresh our selves In this cool breathing shade where we may dry The trickling sweat from off our me ting brows And take a sweet repose Niso. Agreed Amynt But what is' t I behold there in the skirts And entrance of the wood betwixt those twigs And the round body of that tree Niso. It seems a Nymph sure by her cloaths Amynt Oh! 'T is fair Celia see her Azure gown Those silver buskins and that golden Bow Shew it is Celia which lyes here retir'd Under this gentle shade 'T is she Niso. Lies Celia in the shade behold then you That wish to see the Sun conceal his beams Under a shadow here enjoy your wish Amynt Speak softly for I think she sleeps Niso. Sleeps she O if some pittifull I will not say Or God or man but some kind gentle dream Some wandring spirit would but whilst she sleep Securely thus present before that soul That cruel soul the lively image of The poor tormented Niso with his cheeks Bedew'd with tears his grisly pale-fac'd looks Brought to the very point of death and beg Some spark of pitty for me Who can tell What hope it might produce for sure I am That whilst I sleep I feel love waking still Even in the very shaddow of my dreams But wretched man to what pass am I brought When dreams and fancies must sustain my hopes Yet now at least I may for once behold That lovely visage unsurpris'd with fear To see her flye me straight Amynt And I alass must every moment hear Anothers woes and yet conceal mine own But I am silent still because I dye Each minute that I breath and no man cries At that same very instant when he dies Niso. I look on every side yet cannot come To view her beauteous face Amyntas see Me thinks that Bramble-bush still craving seems With too much love to stretch his thorny twigs Too near as if he meant to kiss The sweet vermilion Roses of her lips O impudent bold rival thy base briers Though arm'd with spiny prickles shall not thus Prevent me in my happiness Amynt Softly dear Niso that thou wake her not Niso. Ah me so near to my beloved fire I am all Ice and in a shaking fit Wonder of men Yet thus we ought to fear The beauty we adore I dare not move Me•thinks great love from thence darts forth at me Invisible strong powerful shafts do thou Do thou Amyntas who art out of fear Of all his Darts with freer boldness try To let me see her face Amyn. I will But yet alas to me 't is not a task So easie as he deems Niso. Amyntas Ah! Amyntas do'st not feel Thy trembling foot march an uncertain pace Stay stay awhile me thinks thy pale-fac't looks Tell me thy fears yet thou art not in love From whence then come these frights Amyn. I cannot tell perhaps some god-head sent From Heaven to gard these sleeping members may Strike terror to my soul Niso. No no the beauty of that face can work Awe in the boldest heart Act. 4. Scen. 4. Narete Amyntas Niso. BUt go Silvanus go and take a care The Kid escape not from thee if thou meanst To keep poor Filino alive Amyn. It is Narete Narete See then from him thou fly to Celia And tell the happy tidings of her love Niso. Ah me do'st thou not hear Amyntas Ha! Amyn. Narete welcome but what happy news Hast thou for Celia that concerns her love Narete That her beloved Kid is yet alive Niso. Thanks be to Heaven I am restor'd again Amyn. What that young Kid which Filino ere while Went all about Lamenting with such tears Narete The simple boy beleev'd him surely dead And he had surely dyed had I not come Led thither by his cryes for he had fed Upon a poysonous herb whose mortal juyce First casts into a sleep then sleeping kills If ere the venome seize upon the heart The visage be not bath'd or sprinkled with Some moystening drops which may recall again From depth of sleep the cold benummed soul And therefore I to whom the hearb is known Straight ran unto the Brook and therein bath'd The dying Kid and drew him forth alive But what my sons were you beholding there Some beast within his den Niso. O my Narete 't is a savage beast I dare tell thee no will I keep it hid For thou art old yet with those snow white locks Know'st how to pitty simple youthful love Here lyes a savage beast more savage far Then is the Basilisk more deadly too For he doth onely poyson with his looks
But she doth kill whether she looks or no For see Narete see she sleeps secure Yet I stand dying here Narete I see And now both know the beast and understand The poyson that she brings and my kinde son Would I were as well able to give help To thy disease as I can pitty thee 'T is true I 'me old but I remember yet Mine own young wanton joys and envy not Anothers youthful love Niso. If thou canst do nought else yet prove at least If with thy hand though trembling thus for age Thou hast the courage to remove those twigs And let the beauty of her face appear We both have tryed in vain so sweet a task For thence I know not how there still breaths forth A secret vertue which when once the foot But tends that way doth stupifie the hand And nums with cold the vigour of the soul Even in the very Center of the heart Narete Hear a bewitching beauty and a work Done by enchantments Womens beauty is If yet you know it not the Magick power Of Heaven above by which it works on Earth Those stranger wonders which weak men admire And that same heat and cold that courage and That trembling fear with which when Heaven is pleas'd To bridle and restrain a lovesick soul Are bare effects of her great Magick art 'Gainst which nor charm nor hearb nor pretious stone Hath power to help for scarce can it avail To bear a rugged visage cover'd with A wrinkled skin which many years agon Was partch't with heat of the Suns burning beams Yet I that am thus armed may perhaps More boldly venture on this enterprise Then you can do and bring to happy end What you see unsuccesfully begun Niso. Go on and prosper then Narete And stay you there Niso. But hark Narete hark take heed thy noise Do not awake her for thou then shalt see Her like a flash of lightning vanish straight And after her my silly heart will run So hastily as I shall not have time To say poor heart adieu Narete Stand you concealed then for if she wake And see not you she will not fly for me Amyn. Do'st hear do'st hear Narete Good Heavens guard me Amyn. Take heed least whilst thou do'st remove those thornes No prick do race her gentle tender skin Narete Thou seem'st more tender far then she Go back and look but yet be silent still Niso. Now he is there and now he goes to work But ah me thinks that hand whilst thus it moves Afflicts my jealous heart Narete Alas dear Shepherds Oh! dear Shepherds run Run quick Ah me for Celias either dead Or will be by and by Amyn. Ah me Niso. O fates fair Celia dead Narete Here is no shadow which can darken thus Her clearer colour'd face Niso. Oh Celia life of my life Amyn. But I have not the courage to behold Her dying looks Niso. Wilt thou not answer us Ah me sweet Celia Nar. Niso break thou those boughs from off that bramble Bush And I will draw her forth upon the grass Amyn. Say good Narete doth she live or no Narete For all this motion I cannot perceive That yet she breaths again But let us lay her here Act. 4. Scen. 5. Niso. Narete Amyntas Celia OH my sweet Celia Oh my dearest soul Nar. Give way that I may let her Bodice loose And give ease to her breast Amyn. Lives she Narete say Narete Now I may feel her heart What leaves are these which in her bosome thus Lye here conceal'd as if they had of late Been gather'd by her hand Amyn. Comes she not yet unto her self Niso. Oh sad discouler'd Roses mixed with This perfect snowy white loe here the shape Which death should take if death could then be made Subject to love Narete O miserable strange unheard of case O most unhappy Maid unusual death O most cruel homicide Amyn. Ah me then is she dead Niso. And who was he that was the Homicide Where is the wretch Amyn. •n what foul den or in what horrid Cave May the most hateful Tigre be found out Niso. Let us pursue him straight Amyn. Le ts go Already I have kil'd him in my thoughts And now me thinks I tear him with my teeth Down to the very heart Narete Fond frantick men what fury thus transports Your erring minds or whither will you go Niso. To seek revenge Narete Ah turn again blinde men the murderer The Homicide is here Niso. Come back Amyntas her 's our enemy Amyn. And where Niso. Where good Narete where Narete See here at once both she that did the deed And she that suffers under it extinct Observe what here with her own proper hands The unhappy maid hath written in these leaves For Niso and Amyntas I did burn But I was cruel and a faithless love And that I might not still be false to them And cruel to my self Lo thus I dye O thousand thousand times most wofull chance Amyn. Ah me Niso. Ah me so loud that Heaven it self may hear Amyntas ah Amyntas was this fair Amyn. Niso for loves-sake peace by all the Gods Thou do'st me wrong thus to complain of me I lov'd by force yet never made it known Niso. And this thy silence now brings death to me Amyn. Ah me no more Niso. But since fair Celia's dead 't is fit I dye And yet alas my death 's not worthy hers Amyn. Ah me Narete Yet I would see at least how 't was she dy'd Niso. Amyntas ah since thou did'st help to make Me thus unhappy help me now to mourn Narete Her fair white neck carries no guilty signe Of any strangling cord Amyn. Ah me poor soul my grief is all shut up Within my broken heart and there it feeds Onely on tears and will not suffer one To spring out of mine eyes Narete Nor is this place neer any precipice Amyn. But cruel Wo insatiable griefe Do thou devour my heart and let my tears Distil out of mine eyes give way at last To pitty that it may break up The deep abyssus of my sad laments Narete Her dart is innocent of this offence Niso. Sweet Celia wilt thou not hear me yet Poor naked soul to what place art thou fled Could'st thou endure to leave this comely frame Here all alone benum'd and frozen thus Narete Her garments are untouch't Niso. Come back return and look but once again Upon this lovely feature and then fly From it the second time if thou hast power Narete What hearb is this wherewith her lap is fild Niso Amyntas run run quickly run Unto the nearest fountain Niso. What neerer Fountain can there be found out Then the fresh springing current of mine eyes Let us lament our office is to mourn Let bathes and funeral piles be others care Narete Alas 't is now no time to weep in vain Go go I say fetch me some water straight To bath her face withal leave off begon Amyn. What other water needs there here to bath Her face
withal which thou seest all bedew'd With our distilling tears Narete Then I must go my self Amynt Come come Narete come me-thinks she stirs Niso. Quickly Nar•te come fair Celia lives And 'gins to breath again Nar. O blest eternal providence O happy tears strange powerful Antidote Which trickling down upon her face prevails Against this poysonous hearb and so recals Her wandring soul into her breast again Niso. Ah Celia Amynt Celia Nar. Disturb her not see she makes shew to rise Lend her your help Cel. How hard and wearisom's the way to death I am quite tir'd all my visage melts Into faint drops of sweat Nar. Amazed yet she raves and thinks your tears Are drops of sweat upon her fainting face Cel. I am arriv'd at last within the skirts Of the vast shady empire and these are The baleful Stygian fields Nar. Go both of you and hold her up Cel. Who presseth on me thus now out alass Behold th' infernal Monsters which are wont In form of their abused Lovers to torment False faithless souls Niso. Ah Celia C•l. Ah me Nar. Go from her shepheards go and silent stand Conceal'd apart till I can undeceive Her poor distracted fancie thus abus'd Cel. And yet their looks renew within my soul The wonted fire of love Ah me can then Th' infernal Monsters breath out loving flames O hell is too too cruel if it burn With the hot flames of love Nar. O daughter Cel. But who is he with that white hoary beard Perhaps 't is aged Charon am I not Yet past then to the other side Nar. Celia thou talk'st idlely call again Thy wandring sences thou art yet alive And if thou wilt not credit what I say Look up and see the heavens turning round The Sun descending down into the West Which not long since thou sawst rise in the East Observe that with the motion of the air These fading leaves doe fall In the infernal region of the deep The Sun doth never rise nor never set Nor doth a falling leaf there ere adorn Those black eternal plants Thou still art on the earth 'mongst mortal men And still thou liv'st I am Narete these Are the sweet fields of Scyros know'st thou not The meddow where the Fountain springs this wood Euro's great mountain and Ormino's hill The hill where thou wert born why do'st thou look So wistly round about thou know'st them all Speak then leave musing art not yet awake Cel. I am alive then it is too too true Narete saith it yet my fence of grief Makes me beleeve it rather true then he But I was dead and once I was below Within deaths empire and there one by one Saw all the hellish furies horrid hags And fearful torments which doe there abide Who then had power to draw me thus by force Out of th' infernal deep Nar. Thy wofull lovers mourning for thy death Were able by their tears to give thee life Cel. 'T was ill for me their tears had power to make Even hell it self seem pittifull but sure 'T was not their tears for I am well assur'd Where Hydra's hiss and bawling Cerberus Sends out his howling noise no other voice Can there be heard It was the horror of this faithless soul Which horrid hell it self could not endure But sent it back And woes me do I live Doe I live still and is my hatefull life The vomit of th' infernal pit Niso. Mark good Narete how she is involv'd In the chymeraes still of hell and death Cel. Unhappy life when even death it self Proves false to thy desires Nar. Do you without disturbing her take heed She doe not come again to her despair And act a second death C•l. But thou eternal justice of the heavens Thou happily art pleased to decree That being doubly false I should return Into this life again that once again I might submit to death and double death Might so revenge my double hearted sin Niso. But thou Narete whither do'st thou go Ah leave us not here all alone to act So hard a part as this Nar. I goe into the valley of Alcander and Will straight return with hearbs to purge the brain And free her from this extasie Cel. To death then let us go to death Act. 4. Scen. 6. Amyntas Celia Niso. Amynt TO death my Celia to death again If thou wilt needs be dying take this soul This grieved soul of mine and dye with it For thou canst never dye unless it flit Out of this wounded breast Niso. He speaks to her yet she flies not away Celia Why art thou so unwilling I should dye Wilt thou deny me then a remedy Against my wo wilt thou contend against The just decree of heaven Niso. Nay more she hears him and doth answer him Amynt The heavens prescribe another remedy Now to thy woes then by a second death Cel. What other remedy canst thou beleeve My woes can find since even death it self Which is the end of all mans ill cannot Yet put an end unto my miseries Niso. But I will soon break off this their so sweet And amorous discourse Amynt My death not thine and with my death the lo•• Of Niso now the heavens have decreed To be the remedy for all thy ills Niso. But I will not disturb them I will first With silence hear them speak Cel. Ah! ah Amy•t. Do not disdain me first with favour hear The reasons I can bring Dear Celia If thou do'st love thy Niso Niso. He pleads against me now Amynt With reason thou do'st love thy Niso the Niso deserves thy love Ni•o that knew How to take fire so quickly from thy flame Even then when dying he did open first His dazled eyes to gaze upon thy light And happy he though late he saw the sun Yet late it was not ere his fire begun So that in Scyros he may rightly be Esteem'd a new come guest but cannot yet Be tax'd for tardy love Niso. Where will he pitch what is it he intends Amynt In me alass what canst thou well discern Which may deserve thy love who every way Voyd of desert do love and burn 't is true But like a sensless block that 's good for nought Such sensless blocks are long ere they take fire But burn to ashes straight and such am I That could for many years behold those eyes And never yet take fire So late a love Cannot deserve such speedy pitty then I am not worth thy love nor doe I crave Thy smallest pitty such a blessedness Great love denies me I do onely beg That thou wouldst let me dye and that my death Thrice happy death may so restore thee to Thy perfect health again then mayst thou love Amyn as and thy Niso too and yet Be neither cruel nor a faithless love For loving one alive the other dead Him thou mayst love enjoying love again Me thou mayst love in mourning for my pain Nor shalt thou mourn too long one gentle tear Shed for my death shall pay for all my
could both sigh and weep For others love No sigh no tear can fall Which can have power to purchase ought of thee And since that nothing but my death can please Let then my death beg pardon for my fault Such powerful Sutors should not be deny'd Deny not then the thing it onely craves For I will dye and do thou pardon me That 's all I beg both for my wandring soul And for this frame when it is turn'd to dust Cloris Shepherd the Heavens know and love can tell Whether thou hast done ill or no he can Punish thy fault and let him pardon thee I a mean Silly Shepherdess a poor Abused maid forsaken and forlorn Have no•disdain which he need to regard Who did so slenderly regard my love Niso. Ah me Clo. Ah Thirsis Thirsis Narete Phillis was she before now Thirsis he Clo. Thou falsifier of those amorous sighs Can it be thou that mournest can it be And thou that hast already kill'd me thus Can it be thou that with such fervent zeal Desirest now to dye and dye for me Cannot thy stony heart rest satisfied With my tormenting pain unless thou strive Even in thy pitty to be cruel too 'T is faigned pitty and those sighs are faign'd I know them too too well faign'd are thy tears Thy grief is feign'd and feigned thy desire Yet can I not endure to see thee greeve Thou I am sure thou dost but feign to greeve The very naming of thy death affrights My poor afflicted soul be quiet then And live since thou hast one will dye for thee Live and in peace enjoy thy new lov'd love In which if thou hadst freedom by the bruit Of my supposed and perhaps by thee Long wisht for death I do not now desire My life should be the accuser of thy faults Or interrupt thy joys No I will dye Take courage then I le dye and pray the Heavens They may not arm their fierce revengeful wrath Against thy faults for if thou didst offend This heart endures for thee such horrid pains That heaven may well accept my sufferings For all thy foul offence Why say I mine No they are thine I had them all from thee And I endure them all to set thee free Act 5. Scen. 4. Melisso Niso Cloris Narete Mel. O Cloris how I tremble yet Dost thou not know my child nor do not you Kind Shepheards know who is that wofull wight That most unhappy wight that on the ground Did cast the proud insulting image of The Thracian Emperour Niso. And why with so much fear dost thou desire To know the man Mel. Ah if thou know him go and bid him fly Fly swift away or he 's but a dead man And shall we not be gone too daughter for Here come the Thracians hard at hand And now In greater rage than ever Clo. Why should I fly away from Thracians now When Thracians are to me my best beloved Ni•o. But why should that man dye and for what cause Mel. Their barbarous Law condemns him that 's enough Clori• lets go dost thou not know too well Hast thou forgot le ts go Nar. I prethee stay and tell me what new wo Their barbarous fury brings us which is still Fruitfull in bringing forth our miseries Mel. I le tel you then but yet do you mean while Look well about lest any of them come The Thracians have a Law that wheresoere The royal image of their tyrant Lord Shall be by any seen it shall be there By him ador'd And 't is no less than forfeit of his life Who shall by chance on set purpose shew The least contempt to it whoere he be Nar. Inhumane Law see if proud man cannot Exhalt his horns so high till towring up At last he doth confront even heaven it self Niso. Shepheard proceed Mel. The Captain with his troops was going up Unto the Temple there to see brought in The tribute of our children which we pay And I conceal'd within the bushes sate To view them as they past when one of them Who sure did come this way addrest himself Unto their Captain and thus humbly said Behold great Sir and gave him in his hand I know not what but sure it was of Gold For in those bushes I could see no more And scarcely could perceive the gold to shine Behold quoth he the sacred image here Which even now I found upon the bank Of a swift running stream O sacriledg I found it there cast down upon the ground Without respect to him whose shape it bears At which the rest foaming with rage and ire I know not whether out of custom or As an effect of fury rent their clothes And then the Captain taking by the hand Him that had brought the news of that misdeed Withdrew aside and talking with him there I by a secret path thence stole away And sure they cannot be far off but see See where they come ah daughter le ts away Nar. No for by going thus they may conceive Thee guilty of the fact Act. 5. Scen. 5. Oronte Niso Cloris Melisso Narete Perindo Oront FOr ceatain this is it this is the Ring I know 't exceeding well but yet the Law The Law is plain against the faulty man And he without all hope must lose his head Who cast the royal image on the ground Niso. Now Phillis thou shalt see whether my grief And my desire be feigned yea or no Oront If I can find the wretch if I can find But who it was that did possess this Ring Niso. He 's found already Sir and comes to take At thy great hands deserved punishment The Ring is mine and I am he that threw The royal image here upon the ground This is the faulty hand and this the head Condemned for the fact to be cut off Send for the sword then that it may revenge So capital a crime Mel. O desperate attempt come let us flie Le ts fly my dearest Cloris hence from death Clo. Fly thou unto the place that likes thee best For I must seek my life by meeting death Sir this man labours but to find the means To dye for me The Ring is mine and this the neck which now It hath encompast many years for see It bears the fresh impressions of it still The Ring is mine and I Niso. Ah Cloris Nar. Ah me Perind Shepheards forbear keep silence and take he•d That no man dare to move his foot or tongue Oront Thou Nymph goe on Clo. The Ring is mine and I was she that threw The royal image here upon the ground And if by dying I may satisfie For such a foul offence let no man else Pay for the forfeit I have made for I Even I too have a head which once cut off And separated from this liveless trunk Can find a way to fall and drench in blood The fatal sword which shall revenge the wrong Offer'd unto this sacred image here Niso. O peace a while great Sir she raves for love And
solemn pomp th' Imperial will Of the Grand Signor may be there fullfil'd And see you follow me come on Niso. O Phillis Clo. O Thirsis ay me Niso. Sir if it be resolv'd that by your hand I shall receive my death you must resolve To kill me then before she dying force My soul out of this breast Clo. No no if you kill him before I die Your Pomp will be but short for at one blow We both shal fall to ground Nar. O cruel strife of love where cursed death Leads him in triumph that proves Conqueror Act. 5. Scen. 6. Narete ANd is it true and am I not trans-form'd With cold amazement yet unto a Stone Have I a voice still and yet do not send Loud exclamation up to Heaven above O wretched off-spring Oh unfortunate Unhappy Lovers you are carried now Unto the Temple harmlesse innocent There to be made a horrid sacrifice And love that sees this who would ere beleev 't Even love himself doth put the fatal knife Into the Tyrants hand Could not our own sad miseries suffice Woes me but strangers too must come From forreign parts to adde the mournfull Pomp Of their sad ruine to our endlesse Woes Why do the Heavens lend their glorious light Still to these Fields And why about this shore Doth still the sea contain his angry Waves And neither heaven yet doth hide his light Nor yet the Sea ore-flow this wretched Isle Alass for pitty let these sinful fields Now made the horrid stage of wrath and ire Be overwhelm'd by inundation And so conceal'd under the raging waves Of a tumultuous Sea Act. 5. Scen. 7. Ormino Sireno Narete Orm. WHence dost thou come Sireno Sir From the Temple straight But from that Temple dear Ormino which Is now become to us the Theater Of wo and misery I fly from thence From whence and from the sorrows which it brings Pitty it self for pitty flies away Nar. Do'st thou Sireno from the Temple fly And from the horrid spectacle it shews But how couldst thou have notice with such speed Of that sad sight have they then wings to fly So soon unto their death It cannot be That when thou camst from thence Oronte should Be with th' unhappy couple there arriv'd Sir Or•nte no but with their ill born babes The mournfull mothers are already brought To pay their tribute in the temple O sad sight They there are drawn together in a troop Like to feerful heard that stands amaz'd Encompast round with cruel forragers Ready to seize the spoyl They clasp their little children in their arms And with sad weeping eyes behold them so As whilst their sorrows sends distilling drops Down to their bosoms the poor infants suck More tears then milk from their unhappy breasts And that same troop of cruel hellish curs Encircle them about and view their prey With devillish delight impatient yet Of any small delay since now the wind Sends prosperous bla•s to fill their wicked sails Orm. O most inhumane tribute endless wo And infinite misfortune that men should Thus generate their children to become Slaves to their foes and fathers be constrain'd To mourn more at the birth then at the death Of their unhappy ofspring Nar. But I speak of another misery The tribute is inhumane 't is most true But yet a more inhumane cruelty Is like to make the temple now become A bloody Theater whereto the fierce The hellish Idol of a pittiless Inexorable Godhead to th' incens'd And raging fury of those snarling dogs For having here despis'd the image of That proud insulting tyrant even now Oronte is gone up to sacrifice Two young unhappy lovers Or. O you celestial powers shall then mans blood Thus guiltless shed defile those altars which Are dedicated to your deities Sir Alass me thinks I see the Temple shake And totter under their revengefull hand As too too weak to undergo their rage It needs must fall to ruin and the walls Must of necessity by tumbling down As from a precipice upon their foul Their wicked heads revenge the lasting shame Of such a horrid fact Orm. But what occasion or what wicked rite Doth move their impious sword to offer up So infamous a sacrifice Nar. 'T were too too long to tel I scarcely have Breath left enough to sigh Orm. Yet tell me who those woful wretches are Nar. Niso and Cloris poor unhappy souls Orm. O cruel destiny Sir Cloris the fair young daughter of Melisso here Nar. The very same but Niso is no more That Niso that he was nor Cloris now Is Cloris or Melisso's daughter but They both have other names and both were born To other fortunes other strange events Orm. What names what fortunes or what strange events Nar. The name of Niso now is Thirsis Orm. Ay me Nar. Of Cloris if I well remember it Is Phill•s Orm. Ay me Sir•no Sir•n. Or•ino Thirsis and Phillis were our children call'd Whom in their infancy they took for Slaves And carried into Thrace Who knows but they are they for if they live Still to this hour they must be of their age And like to them youthfull and fair Nar. Your children these fie fie restrain your fears Leave off so fond a thought I blush for shame Your children mark me those young Imps whom once They carried into Thracia for Slaves Must now with in the grand Seraglio If now they live amongst those Troops of Slaves With shaved heads lead a most slavish life Dis-figured so as they can scarce be known By those that gave them suck where these Richly adorn'd within the Thracian fields Were in the Wars there by a Souldier Of Smyrna taken Prisoners and are not then Poor Shepheards children but of that discent As that their fortunes have had power to move Cares and disdains desires and fears and wars And that in mighty Kings Sir Ay me no more Narete Orm. Ay me they are the same Nar. Ay me how can that be Act. 5. Scen. 8. Serpilla Ormino Sireno Narete Serp. WHat mournful Ay me's what indiscreet Importunate laments does thus per turb• Our comon joys in which both earth heaven Do seem to smile upon this happy Isle Narete Siren and Ormino too You happy Shepheards of these happy fields You blessed fathers of an issue blest Cease from your sad laments and chear again Those mournful voices now grown hoarse with cryes Dry up those eyes and let them weep no more Or if they weep let them weep tears of joy And not of grief for lo behold I come The cheerfull messenger of happy news Orm. Siren ' what can this be Sir Alass I cannot see which way to hope For the least shew of comfort Nar. O soul abased by excessive grief Canst thou repose so little confidence In heaven which can do wonders Serp. Go presently unto the temple go And there see Thirsis and his Phillis too See both your children there whom long ago You gave for lost and mourn for now as dead Go to
it will not become you to give ear Unto the dreams and fancies of a Soul Grown frantick in her Passion it is true And I will not deny but that she hath Her part in that same fatal ring but yet No share at all in the offence for when Or where was it she threw it or who can Bear witnesse of the fact I threw it there Just there before you on that craggy cliffe Which to the River lends a rugged Path I know the place full well Per. 'T is true and there close by the River side I took it up Niso. Fillino saw me when I threw it there Poor simple Fillino who wants the wit To frame a Lie and he will witnesse it Clo. Cruel though thou hast rob'd me of Both life and soul permit me yet at least The liberty to die Oro. What do'st thou say Perindo me thinks now In these their riper looks I do perceive The lively semblance of that sweet aspect Their younger age did bear Niso. Do'st thou my Phillis haply grieve to see That I that am thus guilty of thy death Should die for any other cause but thine Per. See what a strife love works sure these are they These are those pretty little Lovers mark How love himself is grown up with their age And he that like a Child in Thracia seem'd To play the little wanton in affection now Shews forth a perfect love which draws them thus Do you observe it to contend and strive How death in one may th' other keep alive Oron. Tel me young maid thy name where wer 't thou born• Who was thy father tell me that Mel. Her name is Cloris and Melisso mine She is my daughter and we both were born Within the fruitful fields of Smyrna Cloris Cloris of Smyrna and the daughter of Melisso I was cal'd whilst I desir'd Under these feigned names to fly from death But now I am no more that Cloris no I now am Phillis and in Thracia Some time I liv'd that Phillis I am now Whose death thy cruel Lord so much desires More of my self I know not this may serve If onely now thou aymest at my death Oron. Cheating old dotard darst thou then to me With such an impudent and shameless face Vent thy pernitious lies Mel. Mercy great Sir mercy I crave my life Lies now within your power Arban of Smyr•a tursted to my care The charge of this young maid and to avoyd Both hers and his and mine own danger thus I labour'd to conceal the truth Oron. Thou speak'st confusedly still nor am I yet Well satisfied in what I did demand Tell me in plainer terms how first she came To live within thy power Mel. Sir I will tell you but restrain a while Your just incensed rage Ah me Oron. Leave off those sighs and answer me with speed Mel. Then when the King of Smyrna did assault The Thracians confines with his armed Troops One of his men that Arban whom but now I named to you took as prisoners This Nimph then but a child and with her too A Boy about her age Niso. And lo Oron. Peace not a word but thou go on Mel. Their looks their cloaths and their behaviour Seem'd to declare their fortune was not mean And therefore Arban much delighted with So rare a booty fearing least the King Might afterwards deprive him of his joy Keeps them conceal'd Nor cares he to obey A strict decree that every souldier should Deposite in his Royal hands such spoyls And all such prisoners as he had got Mean while the King of Thracia full of rage With threatening terms demands his children back Nor can I tell whether that strict demand Proceeded from desire to see them dead Clo. Oh? did not Arban tell thee that it did Hast thou not told me so a thousand times From whence then on a suddain rise these doubts Mel. Arban 't is true did tell me so but yet Perhaps with art he feign'd it purposely You Sir are like to know Oro. I know full well proceed Mel. The King of Thracia urgeth his demand The King of Smyrna hears no news of them And yet desires to send them back to Thrace So to appease the high displeasure of His now incensed enemy and to obtain A speedy wisht for peace And therefore straight proclames just punishment To him that should conceal and large reward To him that should discove• what he sought Arban that fear'd his yet conceal'd theft At last might come to light conveighs them both By night unto the neighbouring mountains where He oft times us'd to hunt and there •e chang'd Their habit and their names fully resolv'd They should unknown lead a rude ru••ick life In country base attire and that the •ne Might not be by the other sooner known To me he gave this maiden and the boy Unto Dametas an inhabitant Of a remoter tract Besides as one that knew 't was ill to tr•st Two loving souls in two such tender breasts He made the two young lovers each beleeve The other surely dead Oron. And how from Smyrna then art thou become A dweller here in Scyros Mel. The fury of the War increased still And as if it intended to assault High heaven it self it first ascended up Into those towring hills and I Poor I alas when I beheld with grief An inundation of fierce armed men To break in round about when I beheld Troops of proud furious horsemen swarm below And fill the neighbouring Vales when I did hear The shril mouth'd Trumpets eccho from the hills With fearfull Birds and harmlesse heards of Beasts I took me to my flight and hither came Where my Progenitors at first did live I flying came to Scyros but Ay me Where can we flie from that which Heaven wills Since the great power of Heaven all places fills Oro. And of the youth Mel. I can tell nothing more of him Niso. If for his death thou askest after him Great sir he is not far behold me here I am that Thirsis whom Arbano gave Unto Dametas and with him I liv'd Untill last April when the warmer Sun Return'd again to melt the Icy snow Then I alone within a steerlesse Bark By an impetuous torrent far from help Was driven off to sea where onely fate Provided me of Sails and in short space I know not how but I was safe convey'd And cast upon this Shore Clo. Sir I begin to faint grief breaks my heart And if thou make not hast it will deprive Thee of the honour of my death Niso. Give ear to me Sir and let her alone At least till I be dead Oro. I do both hear and understand enough I see that both of you desire to die And I will give you both content Per. Alas what wil you do Sir Oro. Perindo peace Mel. Ay me I go for 't is not possible That living I should here behold my death Oro. But let us go unto the Temple straight That in a place of greater eminence And with more