passions but recovering her self she thus began to complain What fatall Star is this whose Pestilential influence doth afflict me with succedaneous sorrows and makes me daily fill the air with Complaints as if my soul were griefs Exchequer Misery and despair hath arrested all my powers that all my words and thoughts are steeped in brine sorrows and not a part of me but is forced to bear a part in this Consort to make a horrid harmony in woe My tongue the Organ of my soul blown by the sighing Bellows of my heart never ceaseth its mournful tones whilst the tears flow in such unmeasurable measure from the floud-gates of my Eyes as if my very Soul would be disfused out of those perpetual streaming sluces Not a thought but is sacrificed to him on the Altar of a constant mind And that that confounds me with endless woe and makes my woes endlesly profound is not only an utter despair of ever being blest with the fruition of him which alone were able to kill a lip-sick Lover who with quaint Rhetorications can paint his Mistress face and curl her hair with better art than she her self and think her tears love philters each sentence a heart-charming Exorcism and every frown to dart a death but that my affections should be insnated by one for fading skin-thick beauty whose worth and valour and all that might render him excellent I am wholly ignorant of But Ah! my Soul how darest thou entertain a dishonorable thought of one by externals Natures Minion and thy darling would Nature have Compiled so beautiful a fabrick to be a receptacle for a deformed soul Certainly she would not have made such a Cabinet but to place a Jewel in it and that of no mean value neither do we not see how she hath framed the heavenly Orbes of a more pure quintessential nature than these course-grained Elementary bodies set with glistring spangles garnished with millions of golden Scutchions and all to be a fit Pavilion for the Sun the worlds great General And what is this dull blockish earth but for blind Moles Dens of wild Beasts graves of dead putrisying Corps and at best for man to tread on and as for Trees Plants and Flowers do we not see how they not induring to be imprisoned within its bowels break forth striving to ascend and leave it but that the Earth as loth to part with them fetters them by the roots And wherefore hath she made this Microsm Man the Epitome and total summ of all the worlds Excellencies but that it may befit to contain such an Angelical Soul And will she now be so preposterous as to make Pausanias excell all in beauty but that he excels all in vertue But what 's all this to me I do but Tantalize my self with these fond thoughts since cruel Fortune separates me from him Thus she walked regardless whither she went until she was surprized with a glimmering light appearing through the leaves and boughes the suddenness whereof silenced her incomposed thoughts so that now she be took her self to see what should cause these twinkling sparks of light and having gone some few paces forward she came to a little Plain at the foot of a Hill where lay the Relicks of a stately Edifice as might plainly appear by the ruins of it upon which there stood a Chapel defaced by Antiquity so that it was rather venerable than beautiful only the situation of it made it seem one of the sweetest places in the earth neer the Chapel there was a Crystall Rivulet whose curled streams ran softly along murmuring that their Envious pursuers would crowd them thence so soon And passing through a Grove she came to the Chapel and entering into it she espyed a Lamp and an Inkhorn and Paper lying upon a Table of Stone she took the Paper and looked into it in which were written these Verses Then must I live and will none pitty lend By ending me at once to put an end To these my pains and tears which ne're will cease Untill by death my Soul obtains release Then when O Soul wilt flye and leave these Chains Wherewith this Body cloggs thee and these pains These never ceasing pains tormenting fires Which daily burn to feed some fond desires But Ah! poor Soul long since th' art fled and gone To her 'twixt whom ther 's such an union Made by affection that although by death I should this body to the grave bequeath Yet sooner can thy self dissolved be And loose that knot of immortality Which makes thy woes eternal than be able To loose that Union which Love makes so stable Passions are like the flame which once being felt Within the breast the Soul like Wax both melt Th' Idea is th' Impression which receiv'd Of it the spirit ne'er can be bereav'd What then if thou above the Clouds wert fled And left this clayie body pale as Lead What wilt avail if when thon dost divest Thy self of it thou canst not be at rest Though left this Prison if these passions fly And still bereave thee of thy liberty If when this body 's burnt and in an Urn Yet then with greater endless fires dost burn Only this hope remains that though they may Ascend great Natures dictates to obey When thou their flaming Center dost attain They with that fiery Element will remain Mean while to all vain pleasures bid farewell Since th' art exil'd from her that doth excell What Earths vast Wombe or Heavens influence Did e're produce all other excellence Is but an Empty name if not in her She is the substance others shadows are They 'r wise fair vertuous if like her for she Is Wit and Beauty patience chastity Then since by cruel fates we parted are Henceforth I will be wedded to despair She read the Verses and her own Experience made her to pity the Author so that more out of Compassion than desert she commended them considering also they were the lines of one submerst in sorrows and therefore unable to soar aloft on the wings of an airy fancy And having paused a while she heard a sigh accompanied with a silent but a deep-fetcht groan which was eccho'd back by another from her being moved thereto by the thoughts of her own hard fortune which thoughts made her the more to pity him whose condition so neerly resembled hers insomuch that a Pearl-like tear was ready to distill from her Eyes but her curiosity putting her upon a farther inquiry she took the Lamp and went to the place whence the air convey'd those sad accents to her ears The first Species that presented it self to her view was one in black upon a bed and seeing him possess'd with Sleep Deaths image together with his pale looks sorrows continual concomitant she almost thought he was a Carcase not a man but that she remembred she heard him sigh About his wrist was a Bracelet of Hair in which were wrought in Letters of Gold these verses Though cruel fortune makes us part
would be brim-full with a raging pang which would struggle for birth but in striving to vent all it could vent nothing but only stop the passage of her speech till at length her breath would be delivered of a Groan which capring thorow the Bowes and Leaves would be re-bounded to her Ears by Eccho which Glycera hearing the better to pass away the mournful hours of the night began thus to entertain a Dialogue with her which because the Knight thought worthy the relation to Pandion as well as I can remember I shall relate to you Who is that said Glycera derides my misery I said Eccho Who is that I Is it Eccho â—Tis Eccho What dost thou mock at woe No. No sure thy own woes might make thee pity mine Pity mine Thy griefs indeed would extort pity from the â—â—intiest heart but oh What grief 's like mine Mine â—Tis true thine might extract the tribute of a bleeding-eye I. But sure my sorrows need pity too Need pity too Tell me then Eccho must these griefs still perâ—â—ver Ever Ever That 's a sad doom what must my miseries alwayes proceed Seed What no sooner â—ipe and blown but Seed again Gain Gain indeed to exchange a few joyes for a million of sorrows but yet O that Heaven would release me of my Bargain Bare gain Bare gain certainly to sell my Soul for sighs and Tears but oh when shall I find release Lease What not till my lifes Lease is out But when that 's done whither shall I then fly High What to the Elizium of eternal bliss Yes When once arrived there what shall my Soul enjoy Joy What joyes are those that inhabit the Heaven Empyreal Real Mean time will not Heaven hear my cry Cry That I have oft done but yet had no reply Ply What if I should Ply it still what Medicine will Heaven apply to my Disease Ease What if I shall forbear vocal or mental Prayer Erre Why will not Heaven hear the shrill moans of distreâ—t Innocence No sense Why are there any cryes more shrill Ill. Ill cryes aloud for vengeance but oh the sweet perfumes that ascend from the chast Innocent No sent What can such sweet exhalations yeeld no sent No sent Why is it that such a redolent Balm as Innocencye which ascends to Heaven as a perpetual Sacrifice should yeeld without Prayer no sent Without Prayer nocent When the nocent prayes what return doth Heaven make to his desire Ire What Answer will Heaven return if the Innocent pray Ray. A Ray of Love or Light or both Both. Which of the Powers sublime can affect a Mortal All. When a beam of Love shines from Heaven into a Mortal what part doth it comfort Fort. The Fort or Life where the soul chiefly retires which is that part Heart How long will such Divine consolations stay Ay. For ay will they abide Bide Oh Heavenly newes But Echo how com'st thou to be of Heavens Privy-Counsel Didst e're fly so nigh the Gods as to read the Records of Destiny Nigh Thou art mortal as well as I art thou not Not. Art thou not born below among the Trees and Dens and Caves re-sounding when we hollow Low But prethee Echo tell me what made thee pine for coy Naâ—cissus love Love And what became of thy sweet body O dy Where went thy soul when thou grieving saw'st thy Narcissus tears so many shed Vanished What inchanted Charms were in his beauteous Face to effect so strange a transformation Ah shone And could his shining-beauty thee so soon annihilate Late What didst thou do when thou sawest him Metamorphosed into a Flower Lowre And what when thou heardst his last groan Groan And what did the Woods do when he pin'd with the sight of his own beauty in the Spring Ring And what hast thou done ever since Heaven did transmute thy shape Ape Since then thou art nothing but a Mortals Ape how knowest thou Heavens Decrees so well Well How canst thou pry into their Designes who all earth-born Mortals in wisdom so surmount Mount And will the Gods above none from their Counsels exclude Lewd Art thou not lewd that for fond Narâ—issu's love dost moan incessantly Lye Sure such unchast affection is not holy Oly. But I have vowed to live for ever chast Haste And doth not such a vow oblige to chastity Tye tye Well since it tyes me so I 'll hence be gone Be gone And through Heavens assistance perform what I have vowed to do Do. Thus did poor Glâ—cera sâ—rive to divert the thoughts of her misery somtimes by discoursing with Echo somtimes be â—oaning to her self her own hard fortune somtimes praying to Heaven for relief somtimes wishing for Death and if she chanced to heaâ— a whisâ—râ—ng wind flutter among the Leaves her sorrow would perswade her fancy to conceit it to be some Messenger of Heaven or Death to bring her the tidings of a reprival or removal from her state of woe and if a whispering blast chanced to re-bound to her from the Leaves presently grief would represent to her fancy Deaths Arrowes singing her Elogies as they flew to her obvious heart Thus did she spend that night in wayling weeping sighing sobbing grieving groaning till Titan's fiery Steeds had chased away the lesser luminaries that had usurped his Throne but yet no Day-break of hope dawned upon her with beams of comfort but in that woful despairing condition did she run through invious Woods rocky Desarts and hollow Caves where night kept house with mournful solitariness and over hills and mountains inhabited only by the Clouds until at length she came into a pleasant Vale incircled with a murmuring River which seemed with silent mutterings to repine at her sorrows and over-spread with a gloomy shade by reason of hanging Rocks that defended it from the Suns invasion seemed as it were dâ—essed in funeral-attire to mourn for Glycera's sorrows Glycera observing this Vale to be a fit place where she might bid her Adieu to the world and all sublunary contentments resolved there to sit her down and dye For of four dayes and nights that she had wandred through those Desarts had she not received the least sustenance and therefore her fainting spirits too weak Chains to fasten her Soul to her Body were oft ready to let loose their Prisoner By this River she sat down and prayed to Heaven to let loose the bands of Life and not to retard slow-pac'd Death any longer but to consort her among the shades that wander in the Elizium Plains And further begg'd That when Death should crumble her body to Atomes and resolve it into individual Units that then her soul might be united to the great and only Eternal Individual and dwell among those beatified Souls that float like Atomes in the Sun-shine of his resplendent glory This having said she laid her down upon the Brink of the mournfully-grumbling River and closed her Eyes thinking never more to behold the loathed Light and hourly expected the sweet Gaol-delivery
of my Cave and with all speed came running to me I was no less astonished at the beauty of the youth than amazed to see him in such an unfrequented place for during thirty years that I spent in this solitary place I never beheld the face of any here before him whom after my mean manner I have entertained for some years not being able to direct him to the Foresters habitation This story told with so much gravity and deliberation so moved Periander to compassion as that he resolved to accompany young Pandion into Thessalia and there by all means endeavor his restauration which however if he could not effect yet he would render himself renowned for his high Attempt and therefore blessed his Fortune which though hitherto had been adverse to him yet now had presented him with such an happy occasion and so fit a place for a Theatre whereon to Act the Heroick Exploits which were already transacted within his thoughts Neither was Athalus less desirous of acting a part in that honorable enterprise so much of his spirits had not steamed forth from those streams of bloud as to enfeeble both his body and mind but still he was as propense to embrace any action that required valour for its performance as ever but the weakness of his body would not permit him to undertake any thing proportionable to the greatness of his mind For though the care and diligence of the Hermit had brought him from a despair of life yet not out of danger of death should he be too negligent of himself so that with a seeming unwilling willingness he yielded to Perianders and the Hermits perswasions rather to return to his Castle and when necessity should require assist them with Forces from thence And though it was the wound uncured in his body that was the pretence it was chiefly the wound incurable in his heart that made him withdraw which nothing could heal but a Sympathetick Plaister applyed to the Dart that gave the wound and that was Matilda's Beauty and therefore to her must he return if he will ever find ease which accordingly he determined to do Having made these conclusions among themselves they walked abroad to refresh themselves and Athalus who for several days had not tasted the fresh Air the Hermit entertaining them with discourses one while of the vanity of Sublunary delights how that their greatest perfection is but imperfection and in their best injoyment attended with annoy and how â—â—itting transitory and fading and how unreasonable for a reasonable Soul of such a depurate immaterial and supercelestial Nature and therefore a fit soil for the most sublime thoughts and enravishing affections to spring up in to delight it self in such course embracements Then he would be lavish in the praises of a contemplative life the happiness and sweet repose of solitude how that freed from the worlds tumultuary distractions and Corroding cares the Soul doth mount aloft upon the Wings of Contemplation above the Star-glistring Heavens and satiate her self with Angelical delights that reside in a higher Sphere than Nature and thence descending taste what excellency Heaven and Earth will present which as a solemne repast after such transporting and rapturous delights fills and dilates the Soul with excess of joy and contentation Can any humane Artifice said he please and delight the eye as it doth the intellectual eye of the Soul to see with what unwearied swiftness the rowling Heavens whirl the sparkling Globes of light and with such violence as if it meant to sling them out of the Universe had not Nature there unmoveably riveted them to see how the envious Moon as it were repining at her brothers glories strives maliciously to obscure and hide them from the view of the admiring world by interposing her opake body between it and the Suns refulgent Beams and then how the Earth to requiâ—e that maligne interposition wrappeth her in a misty shade and makes darkness triumph over her and plunder her of all her resplendent lightsomness and render her invisible that gives visibility in the mids of darkness to all sublunary beings To read the events of all things written in Golden Characters by the hand of the All-seeing Deity To see how the revolutions and alterations of persons and actions depend upon their circumvolutions what earthly Palace can compare with that where the worlds great Monarch keeps his Court invironed with an Aethereal Wall whose ten arched stories borders upon the Empyreal Palace moated with a Crystalline Ocean guarded with hoasts of twinkling partizans whose gilded shields and glistering Spears reflect back the Suns radiant glances to see the flaming Courtiers clad in golden Treasses dance to the Musick of the Spheres roving and traversing the transparent floor with such confused order as if they measured each pace by the sweet Charmes of the Musicks modulations whose harmonious accents consist of disagreeing concords so they are most constant and regular when most irregularly inconstant Neither are there wanting Tiltings and Turnaments and feats of Chivalry for how often doth the Sun himself mounted in his glory-beaming Chariot sâ—od with burning bosses run the Celestial Ring with all his flaming attendants pursuing after in their full career through Heavens arched Galleries The Air is his Kitchin where his Cates are prepared the Clouds the steam that ascends from his boyling Caldron Thus they went the Hermit beguiling the time with his grave discourses till they came to the top of the Hill which proudly elevating it self above the humble valleys and levelling plains blest their Eyes with the most delightsom prospects the Country could afford there might you have seen Art and Nature joyn in Consort and strive to present a most beautiful Harmony to the eyes There were the natural Theatres of lofty Hills where the most refined gusts of air would dance to the warbles of the winged Choristers chirping under the green Canopies of shady Groves Vales treasuring up silver Rivers which gently gliding would steal away beholders senses by which the Shepherds would sit feeding their Flocks whilst the wanton Lambs would dance to the Musick of their Oaten Pipes Not far distant stood a pleasant Town on the side of a Hill compassed with green Meadows water'd with the â—ilver streams of little bubling Rivers that strayed to and fro in wanton Meanders the streets so intermixed with shady Trees seemed as if the Woods had left their melancholy retiredness and grown sociable meant to inhabit the Town or as if the Town had left its chearful sociablenesse and grown to a kind of civil wildness meant to inhabit the Woods or rather as a marriage between both Hither did Periâ—nder Pandion and Athalus repair to furnish themselves and Pandion especially with Armour and all acouttements fit for their intended undertakings having first taken leave of the good old Hermit and returned millions of thanks for his charitable kindness telling him that they counted their present unhappiness chiefly to consist in this that thereby
some truth in that saying that the Soul is not where it animates and informs but where it loves for as if her Angel-form by a sympathetical attraction had snatched away his he raves like one deprived of his intellectuals regards not his interest neglects his men and would forsake all to pursue her were he not terrifyed by those of the Nobility and Gentry that fide wiâ—â— him So that were your party in as distracted a condition as ours we would with a few men soon dissipate the sorce of both and make our selves Masters of all As they were thus discoursing and plotting they espyed on a Hill several Horsemen that rid as if they pursued them and both suspecting that they were suspected and fearing lest they should be overtaken and discovered they mounted their Horses and â—led with all speed into an adjacent Wood whither 〈◊〉 they were followed so that they could hardly escape their pursuers till the nights darkness concealed them when wandring and roving to and fro noâ— knowing where they were they saw at a great distance a moving light rowl up and down much like an Ignâ—s Fâ—tuus as they conceited at first they wer◠〈◊〉 with this sudden fiery appearance but at length they resolved to ride up to it and see whether their fancies were not deluded hoping it might be the Torch of some Traveller that could direct them in the way But as soon as they came pretty neer and were able to discern it to be no such Meteor as they before conceived they heard a hoarse yelling shriek that eccho'd through the Woods and the light falling as if it sank into the Earths bowels presently vanished but suddenly two other lights succeeded it so that Danpion and Periander retaining their wonted courage were now more earnest than before to satisfie themselves what it should be but their desires were soon fulfilled for before they were come up to them they saw a young Wench rubbing of an old Beldame and pulling her by the Nose striving to â—etch life in her who it seems as they were afterward told swounded away by the fâ—ight she received with the noise of Danpions and Perianders Horses As soon as the Wench heard the neighing of the Horses no less affrighted than her old Grandam she ran into the house and 〈◊〉 the door and left her lying upon the ground like a Witch in an Extasie whiles Danpion Periander glad that their Apparition vanished into this hoping they might now meet with a Guide rode up to the house but ere they were there they were encountred by an ill-favoured crooked-backt ruffainly Rustick that with a Forest-Bill on his neck came out of the house swearing by Pans cloven-hoof that whether they were men or devils he cared not he would teach them for base dastardly Cowards as they were to fright a poor old woman But he no sooner saw them but he flung down his Bill and in all dutious reverence on his knees intreated them to be mercifull and said they were poor folks and had nothing fit for such Gentles as they were We desire not any thing said Periander we are Servants that have lost our way in these Woods and desire to be conducted to some place where we may lodge to night and to morrow travel hence about our occasions Truly said the man I am very ingrant of the way hereabouts and can give you no saâ—tifaction where you may lye to night unless in this house and Battus the Forester that dwells here is gone abroad and will not be at home these nine dayes and none but he knows these places Danpion and Periander hearing this smiling at the fellows rusticity alighted off their Horses and went into the house where there was none but the Wench that had been so officious to the old woman and she sat in the Chimney-corner sniâ—ling and drivling in such a posture as would have made one loath all lamentation and she was sure she said she should not have such another loving Grandam and what would her Grandsir say when he comes home and many other the like expressions But as soon as they came in she arose from her seat and making a loathsomly squeamish Countenance and wiping her Eyes with the fag-end of a Dish-clout and â—â—ying her Body and her Neck as if she was in a Convulsion-fit made many fine Daps and ran out of the house to her Grandmother who before she could get to her had made a shift to raise her self on her withered legs and came grunting and crawling to the door like a carcass newly risen from a Tomb for her Eyes looked like two Worm-holes and her Face like snips of tannd Leather stitcht together and the wrincles like the diâ—ty seams The old Tooth-drawer Time had rob'd her of all her Teeth excepting one that out of compassion he left to adorn and Pallisado her Chops and withal to fence in her upper Lip which otherwise would have slapped too near her Chin and hid the comliness of her neather Her Cheeks hollow like her heart contained Dens of dirt where Deformity lay battening it self and looked like the Earth in Dog-dayes drought when the Sun hath â—uckt out all its moisture Her bearded Chiâ— and worm-eaten Nose as if inamoured with each others Beauâ—y were near kissing but Nature wisely considering that if they met too close they might hinder the passage of her words had caused the But-end of her Nose to turn up like a Hunteâ—s-horn Her Body was a bundle of Bones sowed together like a Sceleton that few but would have taken her for a Fury for she was not like one defaced but gnawn with Age. But though her other Parts were thus decrepit yet her old Palsied Tongue was lively that that is the Vltimum morions and last decaying Member in a woman for all the way as she came limping and supported by her Daughter for so any one would swear she was by their likeness that never left shaking and scolding at her for minding her no more and letting her lye on the cold ground she thought she said to let her have the Sheâ—herd Mâ—schus and have given her somthing that she had kept in a clout for her should have done her good but since she had no more care she knew what she knew well enough Bion and Anus page 154. Danpion and Periander that with abundance of mirth beheld this pittiful fray had much adoe to contain themselves from bursting out with a loud laughter but considering it would more provoke the old woman returned her the same answer they did to Bion and requested a lodging there for that night and told her that if they could have a guide to conduct them out of this Forest they would be gone the next day Welcom said the old woman Minx quoth she to her Daughter get you up stairs and fit the best bed for these strangers and put in the fine sheet you are to lye with Moschus in when you are married and if you be
altered which many observed as also how he affected solitariness to walk and talk alone sometimes breathing forth his complaints in the Groves and Gardens sometimes inwardly sighing and groaning as if his heart held a dialogue with sorrow And when he was in company his thoughts ran so much of Amphigenia as all the jollity and recreation the Court did abound in seemed to him but unnecessary Parentheses and tedious digressions to that sweet subject that his soul silently discoursed of And when he was in Hiarbas presence though his policy would compell him to throw off those mourning weeds wherein grief had attired his countenance lest he should lay a foundation for suspicion in Hiarbas thoughts yet the countenance holds such a sympathy with the mind that it is very difficult so to counterfeit a contrary affection that a judicious eye in every lineament of the face may not read the dissimulation so that Hiarbas could not but by every action discern the passion wherewith he was affected his dull dejected looks his impertinent discourse his frequent sobbing abrupt sighing and the very tone of his voice that did plainly proclame his heart held a correspondence with sorrow This suddain alteration in Danpions countenance and behaviour bred admiration in many Noblemen of the Court but especially one Bascanius a great emulator and corrival of Danpions observing his deportments that he might discover the cause of his grief which he conjectured could not be ordinary since the effect was so superlative and extraordinary he on a day in a private place meeting with Kalapistus Danpions Page examined him very strictly concerning his Lord what the cause was of his extremity of grief whether he was in love and had received some repulse or whether he had committed any traiterous fact and feared discovery the latter of which he chiefly hoped might be the distemper and if so he in his thoughts had soon found a remedy to wit remediless disgrace and ruine Kalapistus of late having unjustly as he thought received a box on the ear from his Master as he was walking with him in the Cypress-grove the occasion of which being onely this Danpion as was said delighting much in solitudes and soliloquies one morning walked forth with his Page into the Grove where through intensness of mind forgetting that he was attended he fell into a lamentation of his hopeless condition and despairing affection and through vehemence of passion at length giving liberty to his voice to declare his sorrows something louder than ordinary his words were retorted back to his ears by Eccho which Danpion hearing minding not whence the voice came on a sudden turned round and espying his Page presently entertained a conceit it was he that repeated his words and so for his misconceived sawâ—iness gave him that correction which being more than his due he with an ingrateful kind of gratitude resolved to requite it when opportunity presented And now fortune endeavouring like Penelope in a night of black adversity to unweave that golden web of happiness wherewith she had hitherto invested Danpion incited this faithless Boys evil Genius to inspire his mind with so much hellish rancor as to betray his Lord which he did to Bascanius's great satisfaction telling him how his Lord was in Love with Amphigenia and what means he used to gain her affection and how he once sent him in the night into her Chamber attired like an Angel with a pretended letter from Venus and what a secret passage he had through a crankling vault to her Chamber and many things so to Bascanius's content as that he gave him fifty Sestercies telling him my sweet Boy said he thou art my Paris and I accept this news from thee with higher resentments than the Cytherean Queen on Ida's top received the golden Apple from the fair Trojan shepherd and I doubt not but by thy means to procure that Helena of glory so courted by us but yet by him ravished from us With these words they parted Bascanius being a man of an implacable malice repining at every beam of honor that shone from his Peers never allaying the surges of rage and envy till he had swallowed up his Competitors a great suter to fortune and had obtained her for his Paramour till of late she wedded her self to Danpion bringing with her her whole dowry of honor and riches and every thing else that makes her so desirable having thus discovered a passage to the haven of contentment resolved since the wind blew so prosperously from such a corner of the heavens not to lose the benefit of success proffered him in the access of so fit a means to procure Danpions declension but though he was rejected by fortune yet since he was thus courted by opportunity he would not slight its importunities And being Danpion was so great a Favourite it was not therefore safe for him to obey the violent impulse of his inordinate Passion which prompted him to nothing but present satisfying of his Malice that thirsted for Danpion's immediate ruine but rather to wake slowly and securely For having no other to testifie Danpion's affection to Amphigenia but his Page he feared lest if he should inconsiderately inform the King without some more pregnant confirmations of it than his own and the Boyes bare affirmations the King should discern his envy and so the ruine he intended Danpion might attend himself And therefore to bring about his purposes he intices Kalapistus with promise of a most liberal reward to bring him those clothes in which his Master was arrayed whâ—n Amphigenia saw him in the Grove The Boy having gratified his desires 〈◊〉 on a day attires himself in them and watching his opportunity when Amphigenia was bathing her self he rudely rushes into the Garden and comes upon her just as she was come out of the silver streams which seemed to murmur for her departure having onely a rich thin mantle cast over her naked body Bascanius who had never before beheld so much excellency contracted and united could not but gaze himself into admiration and astonishment that he thought her to be the very refined Elixar of all perfections and every part of her a small volume of all created excellencies in heaven or earth epitomiz'd and writ in golden Characters he thought her to be some incarnate Angel clad with a body composed of the same quintessential matter with the heavens but refined to such a purity and even transparency that every part seemed a burning mirror wherein the Angelical beams it inclosed were united to the inflaming of all beholders in fine she seemed in a definite circumference to set forth an infinite beauty so that Bascanius stood a while even ravished with a stupefying contentation as if he had lost his soul in that world of beauty or as if all the faculties of his mind thronging together to behold that wonder had overwhelmed each other What shall I say to describe his unexpressible admiration were a task fitter for those sublime
souls who are acquainted with rapturous contemplations and know what it is to be snatcht into an extasie But oh the vehemence of Amphigenia's passion at this sudden surprizal At first she stood wondring rather whether she saw at all than what she saw so that she stood a while even entranced with astonishment but at length awakned out of her dream of amazement she betakes her self for refuge to her leggs and runs and shrieks with such a peircing shrilness as the Air seemed to hand her voice to the heavens to implore revenge for such hideous presumption but as it fled the Air seemed delighted with so sweet a traveller as it bandyed it to and fro as if each part was ambitious to entertain it The Ladies that were walking up and down in the Gardens some beheading flowers to purifie their brains with fragrant exhalations that steam from those nests of sweets others summing up the riches of the ears in Musicks charming numbers others passing away the time with pleasant pastime these I say hearing thus on a suddain their Lady shriek presently run for her succour and at length they might see the Princess nimbly tripping along upon the verdant Grass which as proud to be depressed with so sweet a foot would erect it self with a pretty kind of stateliness after her departure whilst she ran with so much swiftness as even robbed their eyes of a plenary view of her excellencies and Danpion as they supposed pursuing of her who no sooner saw this beautiful train but he fled with as much celerity from them as before he did towards them and hardly escaped ere the King hearing a whole Consort of shrieks and crys among the Ladies in the Garden came with speed to know the cause and found his daughter surrounded with her Ladies like Diana amongst her Nymphs so that she seemed like Sol among the Planets where all beauty center'd theirs being onely reflections of hers The King seeing that called some of them to him to inform him of the reason of their outcries who told him that Danpion as was conjectured by his Garb had endeavoured to force the Lady Amphigenia Danpion said the King Danpion a ravisher Danpion a ravisher of my daughter oh monstrous impiety horrid enterprise hellish ingratitude what Danpion I say it can never be He who hath received such transcendâ—nt favours from me as would even impoverish a Monarchs gratitude that could command all the riches of the Orient or make the Sea vomit up her treasures such as though he would surrender up his soul it would be too poor a restitution and can it be that he should attempt mine or my daughters dishonor heaven and earth would conspire their forces in avengement of such astonishing ingratitude But if I find it true by all the Celestial powers he had better have mounted on the wings of his ambition to heaven and deâ—lowred Venus This said the King in a fury returns to the Palace and banishes Danpion the Court and confined him to a house some miles from the Palace upon pain of death at the least attempt of liberty Bascanius seeing such a happy result of his plot inwardly so swelled with content that he could not contain his venemous rancor from bursting forth to the poisoning of Danpions honor but privately gives forth scandalous libells and publikely teaches Fame the language of Danpions disgrace which hitherto she had been wholly unacquainted with and makes her declame on nothing but the Theme of his lust and ruine and not contended onely with this but he relates at large to the King Danpions affection to Amphigenia his former attempts to satiate as he termed it his libidinous desires to which this late event stood as a test for confirmation And now all Danpions opposits in the Court that had born him inveterate malice spurn at this muzled Lion and vent their malicious fumes to obscure his lustre Every one can lend a hand to thrust down a tottering Wall Thus this innocent Prince was on the sudden made the subject of Fortunes hate and his enemies malice and his new hatcht glory choaked by the black Acherontick vapours that steamed from his enemies hellish malignity But now to tell you how this gallant and Princely prisoner behaved himself under this sad fate At first indeed the suddeness not the greatness of the woâ— astonished him as whom would it not transport with amazement with a thunderbolt of Fortune in an instant to be hurid out of the Chariot of such dazling glory as would have exhausted a Kings Exchequer but to have made soâ—e representations of it and thrown into a lake of miâ—ery and such was Danpions case he who before was 〈◊〉 hing like Fortunes Admiral in the Sea of her inconstâ—nt glory one little moment and linke of time chains him as a slave to the Galley of misery and disgrace He who before shone with such a lustre as every beam of State seemd to fasten to him numerous pairs of servil eyes that did attend his beck is now plundered of all state of all respect unpittyed unregarded But though misery like Circes cup can thus metamorphose our externals yet it can have no influence on the rational part None but caduque beings are subject to the tyranny of Time and Change and therefore abstracted beings that come not under the predicament of corporeity as their essence so their happiness is of an immutable permanency and though some abject souls that steep their Intellectuals in sence and can relish nothing but Epicurean pleasures may have their delights as transient as time yet a composed soul truly fortified with Vertue is its own destiny and depends not for its felicity on any other than its own arbitrement and that of an eternal Fate which guiding all things according to their natures consequently rules free Agents their Actions and Fortunes happy or unhappy as the former are attended with Vertue or Vice according to the principles it hath placed within them as its Vicegerents and representatives to govern them Now such a one miseries may try cannot discompose or disorder such a one no revolution of time can drive from resolution in the midst of extremities and such a one was Danpion For he seemed a man to whom whatever can merit the epithete of Excellent might be attributed to him having a sublime spirit in a matchless body the former seemed a ray of Prometheuâ— fire something ratifyed and invested with a more pure and active quality not having the least mixture of those pondeâ—â—â—s elements that clogg the mind but all of rare ascending fire that clarified his blood from those feculent â—umors that flow from the grossier elements and composed such a harmony in his soul as no misfortune could make a jarr and the latter was so sweet a composition of all those masculine graces that at once feed both delight and wonder as it seemed that Nature with Lilied beauty had chalked out his soul a lodging proportionable to its own greatness
and given him a body suitable to the vigorous activity of his spirit In fine he that will give a perfect representation of the former must not be ravished with an ordinary fury but his mind must be wholly purified from all drossie conceits his fancy tarified and heightened with Ethereal fire and his soul inspired actuated and inlightned with a beam of Empyreal glory which must form sublime fancys in it as the Sun gives form to sublunary matter And he that would give a true lively and lovely draught of the latter he must either fix his eyes on some person whose complexion features and harmony hold some proportion with the delicacy sweetness and grace of which Danpions beauty was composed or else leave the soul of his love and pass by transmigration into him that so by that Idea love forms in the mind to copy out some imperfect adumbration of his perfections but the one being unlikely and the other impossible renders the Painter unable Now what inundation of misery could overwhelm so great a spirit which like a rich mount of Oar seemed to bid defiance to the turbulent waves of Fortune That that did most strongly invade his breast was the remembrance of the loss of Amphigenia's favour and that indeed compelled him to let his sorrow dissolve in drops and to indulge himself to melting passions One while hee 'd hush his griefs with easie sighes as if they whispered in his listning ear the pleasing news of Amphigenia's pitty and then each groan would seem a note of Love and with those raptures hee 'd lye entranc'd a while Thus subtilly did sorrow insinuate it self into his heart by coming hid under a bait of pleasure But then a deep fetcht sigh would tell him roundly in his ear those pleasing dreams were but delusions then grief would change the former Phrygian harmony in his thoughts to the Dorick tone composed of mournful strains and doleful airs where every note sounds like a groan and every quaver like the trembling sigh of one that weeps And then a flowing Sea of sorrow would supply his eyes with tears which softly trickling down his cheeks would seem to draw a Map of grief in his face here Islands inhabited with sweets and graces and their Garden filled with Roses and Lilies here a lake of liquid Pearls and there a briny stream softly kissing his cheeks Then he would even break out to cursing Bascanius and his Pages treachery but then Amphigenia would fill his thoughts and make him break off abruptly as he broke out passionately At length espying a Lute that hung behind the hangings in a corner of the chamber he took it down and made it discourse his griefs in such melting accents as every note seemed to flye gently into the still entrance of his charmed ear and intrance him with a soft pleasing passion sometimes it would seem even to steal his very soul and imprison it in the Lute the antiâ—athies between the chirping Trebles and the grumbling Base being so sweetly reconciled by the mean as seemed in Musicks language to teach him Vertues mediocrity But he making no other commentary on it than that of grief would think the quavering strings did tremble at his sorrows and the Lutes heart-dissolving airs to sigh forth the lamentations of his unfortunate but passionate love in such sympathizing strains as made him almost think the spirit of some unhappy Lover had taken up its Elizium in its belly and there in silent â—ones breathed forth his woes which the trembling strings in imitation of Fame would seem to eccho to his ears and then laying his mouth to the carved Navel of the Lutes sweet womb he would call aloud If any Lovers soul by transmigration dwells within this little cell of pleasure let him come forth and tune his groans to mine and we will charm our sorrows and stop the Spheres who listning to our tones may not whiâ—le our woful fates so fast upon us and bribe the Destinies to cancel their decrees but then nothing but a hollow sound would give reply to his words as 't were to shew what little substantial comfort such any conceipts afforded It is not so easie to stanch a Lovers bleeding heart But seeing the Lute refused to coffin up his woes he â—lings it down and takes his Pen and Inke and fain would wrap up his griefs in the winding sheet of a Letter which embalmed in tears he would send to Amphigenia to bury them in her pittying thoughts And that each sentence might more lively express his passion hee 'd steep every letter in a tear but then the letters as not able to swim on the briny drops would sink into the tear-bedabled-paper and as iâ— were drowned in sorrow would lose their forms and rather represent a monstrous draught of horror Then he would fling away his paper as not fit to contain the name of Amphigenia and tosse his pen which would seem to weep for its neglect and besprinkle the wall with its tears tears that clad in black seemed as dark mirors or the quintessential extracts of sorrow where each Globe-like-drop that trundled among the dust seemed a little bottle that contained a livelyer resemblance of griefs Elixar than Danpion coul distil out of his brain But then he would take it again and write and blot and enter-line here he thought the expression was too flat and there too full of big-sounding bum-baste words containing more syllables than sense and fuller of noise than reason and not like the Amber-phrases wherein witty Lovers dress their Passions where any Love-schooled eye in every clear conceit may descry Cupid plac'd as in a Crystal shrine Then he would condemn his wit which now would seem too barren then so full of unlickt fancies as their number would choak their grace and render his Style an indigested mass of sense-confounding-nonsense and not like those quick lively raptures begotten by the wanton Boy upon the Invention which so resemble their Father as seem to be his perfect Picture and no sooner born than borne on his Wings out of the view of vulgar eyes Then he would bid fie on his Genius that now should fill his head with nothing but Barbarisms when his brain had more need been a Florilegium of sublime Stories a Store-house of acute Metaphors 〈◊〉 Similitudes and compendiums of Eloquence and an Inventory of all those Excellencies treasureâ— up in every Creature but then that would put 〈◊〉 in mind of Amphigenia and then he would blame his Tongue for its unpardonable presumpâ—ion to mention with the least detestation any thing that had but the shadow of an Image of that that might be call'd hers Thus did his sorrow variously vent it self having none to commiserate him but the sensless Walls which with a dull noise would repeat his moans and say Amen to his cryes and the Marble of the Chimney which would weep and sweat as 't were with sympathizing pain but grief would transform the Form of every
for his trayterous adhering to his Enemy but the reason of it he said was partly through fear being terrified with the loss of all that nature and affection could entitle Precious upon the least intimation of discovery and partly for gain being bribed with liberal gifts and great honors above what he knew how to manage being made Commander of the Castle where Pandion chiefly had his residence all which he the more freely accepted because he then dispaired of ever blessing his eyes with the sight of his Highness supposing he had been torn in peices with some of that brutish Nation whom he used for his sport to persecute This said they fell into discourse about Danpions condition whether there was any hopes or means for escape the Forester having first informed him how that Hiarbas was come with an Army to redeem his Daughter then whether it was possible to procure admission to Amphigenia and whether Pandion intended any injury or dishonor to her and whether by force or stratagem she might be releaâ—ed but as they were thus discoursing some souldiers with a haste too slow for their minds though too fast for their leggs came stumbling into the room and called away the Forester their Captain Long had they not been separated ere Danpion heard a noise that sounded like a rude consort of many ill-agreeing voices which seemed to keep time to the Martial Musick of clashing of swords and justling of Armor amongst which he heard from a neighboring Chamber such shrieks as seemed to teach the Air in an unperfect manner the prefect language of misery which by reason of its disordered convoy the Air being variously divided with a strange confusion of noises came not to his ears so distinctly as to give him information of the Authoâ— yet by a strange symyathy it seemed to wound his soul His mind in travail with multitudes of conceptions would fain have been eased of its tortures with the knowledge of Amphigenia's condition which he endeavored by a near access to the Chamber where all those doleful births were generated but ah not to a freedom fâ—om but an augmentation of his sorrow for he plainly too plainly knew it be the voice of Amphigenia With that as if every shriek had been a Dart not from sorrow but from death not from an ordinary death but from a soul-torturing death from a death made deadly with torments having his senses stupified and his reason confounded not with a sorrow rather a desperate madness he ran about exclaiming against Heaven Hell Earth Men Devils Heaven for permitting her to be abused Earth for being the Theatre of such an accursed Tragedy Men for the Actors the Devils for the Inspiâ—ers Then he would cry out Oh! Celadon why didst thou reserve me for this these are torments would make an Atlas grown should a thousand Lyons Den within my breast they would not tear me like one groan of Amphigenia's Oh! cursed walls that hinder all my attempts And cruel Heaven that denyes me the common cure of misery a way to dye which every slave can command one dying groan would summ up all my miseries T is true as a Prince I ought to reserve my self for better fortunes and not to abandon my self though all the world forsake me yet as a Lover of Amphigenia I ought not to hope for joy whilst she remains a Captive to her enemies and the contrary passion These and the like words did Danpion utter and thus did he sacrifize himself to an unexpressible passion who in all things else shewed himself commander of an undaunted mind But now to leave him and return to Pandion who perceiving that Hiarbas was resolute in his purposes and wise in his resolutions and strong to execute what his wisdom had resolved upon thought it more wisdom to Treat with him peaceably than to referr his cause to the Arbitration of War whose partial decision he feared especially considering the unjustness of his cause had made him an Out-law to Heaven from whom he could challenge no protection and therefore he again sends an Envoy with certain Proposals to the King The sum of which was this That if the King regarded either his own or his Daughters safety or honor he should retreat with his men otherwise he must not hope for any other entertainment for himself or her than what a mortal enemy would bestow on the most hateful person And to let them see that his performance should be of an equal extent with his threatnings before the messenger could deliver his errant receive an answer and return Pandion had caused a Scaffold to be erected whereon presently appeared a most excellent Lady lead between two executioners whom both by her Garments and the Majesty that apparrelled her deportments Hiarbas knew to be his Daughter for there seemed in her as well as he could perceive at such a distance the same delicate loveliness lovely excellency Majestick sweetness as were the ingredients of so divine a composition as Amphigenia's Beauty and if the same perfections then sure the same person since none could boast of an equality with her in whom appeared all the excellencies not wherewith Nature had but wherewith she could beautifie a body A lamentable sight it was to see the Diamond of the World set in an endless Ring of miseries to see her act her own Tragedy whose countenance seemed the Theatre of Love and Beauty to see her to whom all hearts do homage to bow to an injurious fortune And that that did extort pity from the cruellest heart was the manner of her gestures wherewith she seemed to Antedate her misery and make misery it self more miserable at least more lamentable for her eyes were fixt on Heaven as if she meant to dart her Soul thither and prevent her enemies cruelty her tongue not profuse of words her sorrow seeming to feed it self with inward contemplation yet those few wherein she embodied her thoughts were guarded with such a captivating force as would have compelled a Tyrants heart to pitty her sorrow but they were no sooner Midwived by her tongue than swadled up in Air and so bequeathed to Heaven that few ears could boast themselves to be the Nurseries of such Divine off-springs of a Heavenly Soul Her hands were clasped and folded each in other and seemed to take their last embracements her arms not extended at their length but something bowing seemed to embrace sorrow not as an unjust effect of humane malice but as a just result of a Divine decree In fine in all her gestures there was such a Majestick humility conquering submission unconquered Piety solid devotion as made a lively and beautiful representation of what a great mind could do depressed under the lowest fortune But though the beholders yea the actors were so acted by pity as to pour forth their sense of her condition in tears and as it were by a repentance to wash way the crime before Commission yet at length as if the necessity of