full shee doth her fire combine With meeting horns and all the night doth shine Blushing she rises and the lesser starres Doe lose themselves in •hat great light of hers The evening star appeareth not more bright When first he ushers in the sable night Now 2 Hesperus when rising from the main But in the morning Lucifer again Nor thou 3 Bacchus for ever young thy hair Unshorn and vines wreathed about thy spear With which thou dost thy sluggish Tigres wound Thy horned temples with a Mitre bound Dost his untrimmed locks excell nor set Thy beauty Theseus on too high a rate Because the rumour generally goes That Phaedra's 4 sister thee 'fore Bacchus chose Beauty thou most uncertain good the gay And fading treasure of a short-liv'd day With winged feet how dost thou post away The scorching heat of summer hath not kil'd So soon the verdant glory of the field i th' middle of the Solstice when the night Contracts her self and makes more room for light As these fair colours that adorn the face Are in a moment gone no day doth passe But may the ruines of some beauty boast Form is a fading thing O! who would trust So frail a good use it while thou hast power For time doth steal away and every houre Is worse than that which went before Why lov'st thou deserts beauty is I 'm sure In those untrodden paths as unsecure If hid from middayes h•at in woods thou be Loose rings of 5 Naiades will compass thee Who choicest youths imprison in their streams And wanton 6 Silvans shall ensnare thy dreams Or if the 7 Moon thought younger than the old Arcadians from her Starry Orbe behold That she with wonder will be six•d th•re Of late she blush'd nor any clouds appear To v•il her naked Lustre but we grown Sollicitous for th' colour she was on 8 Our kettles beat against Thessalian sp•lls When besides th•e she had no 〈◊〉 else Thou wert her only cause of stay and shee Bu• stopt her ch•riot while shee look'd on thee Let fewer frosts but •ip thee and the rayes Of Phoebus seldomer salute thy face It will excell the Parian Marble how That pleasing frown becomes thy manly brow How grave a Majesty is seated there Although thy neck might with the Suns compare His flowing tresses on his shoulders spread With which hee 's both adorn'd and covered That rugged front becoming thee and those Short curles which only Nature doth compose Though the most warlike Gods thou mightst desie And from the combate bear the Victory Though now while yet a youth thou equallest Al•ides brawnie arms or Mars his chest If when thou ridest Castor never rein'd His Cyllarus with such an even hand If when thy finger to the loop made fast With all thy force thou dost thy javelin cast The Creta•s cannot shoot so far who be Esteemed Masters in Artillery Or Parthian like direct thy shafts on high And no•e return unblouded from the skie But in her bowels sixt doe make the bird Thy prey which in the middle region for'd Yet search all ages records for their fate The fair have s•ldome proved fortunate Some milder God prot•ct thee and may thou Live till thou be deform'd so aged too What dare not vexed women do what snares Shee to entrap the guiltless youth prepares Her cheeks she doth be•ew her head undresses And seeks beleef in her disordered tresses All guil is com'd by woman but who 's he That in his face s•ch marks of Majesty Doth bear his head erected with that state How like Hippolitus he is but that His cheeks do such a ghastly paleness wear And such a filth doth clothis flagging hair See Theseus self return'd to Earth is there Finis Actus Secundi Actus T•rtii Scena Prima Theseus To him Nurse Th. AT length returned from nights gloomy coasts And th Pole which shaddows the imprisond ghosts How light offends mine eies now is the corn 1 Triptolemusses gift the fourth time shorn Four Aequinoctials now hath 2 Libra seen While I uncertain of my Fate have been Betwixt the Ills of life and death divided I Retain'd this part of life when I did lye Buri•d my sence remaind Great Hercules Dragging the 3 dog from hell did finish these M•series and brought me thence but now it wants The prop of strength my tired courage faints And my legs tremble what ado had I To come within the prospect of the skie From Phlegethons Abyss the toil did seem Alike to slie from death and follow him But stay what sudden out-cryes pierce mine ears Speak some one In my gates complaints and tears And sorrow in variety exprest Indeed fit welcomes for a hellish guest Nu. Phaedra resolves to dye she doth despise Our bootless tears and even now shee dies Th. What cause of death why die now I am come Nu. Ev'n that doth hasten her untimely doom Th. Thy doubtful speech some great thing doth presage Speak plainly whence proceeds so wild a rage Nu. In her own bosome she concealeth that To dye determin'd none must know for what Forward good Sir forward the business might Crave your best speed Th. Open the door there straight Actus Tertii Scena Secunda Theseus Phaedra Nurse Servants O Partner of my bed dost thou receive Me thus This all the welcome I must have Lay by this sword restore my troubled sence And say what fury doth perswade thee hence Ph. Alas great Theseus by thy Scepter by The toward hopes of thy Posterity By thy return and me now dost permit Me here to die The What cause requireth it Ph. The benefit were lost the cause once known The Why none shall hear it but my self alone Dost thou mistrust thy Husband never fear My brest will prove a faithful Treasurer Ph. Conceal thou first what thou wouldst have conceal'd The Yet shall all means of dying be withheld From thee Ph. The willing can't want means The Relate What crime thou with thy death wouldst expiate Ph. Why that I live The Cannot my tears prevail Ph. That death is welcomest which friends bewail The Well she is obstinate but I will force What she conceals with torments from the Nurse Load her with ir'ns stripes shall make her betray What ere she knows Ph. Now I will tell you stay The Why dost thou turn away thy face and seek To hide the tears which trickle down thy cheek Ph. Thee thee Father of gods and thee from whom Our hou•es first Originall did come Dayes brightest Lampe I call to witness how I neither to his prayers nor threats did bow And yet my body did his force sustain But with my bloud I le wash it clean again The Say who hath been the ruine of our fame Ph. One whom then little thinks The Tell me his name Ph. This sword will tell you which he left afeard To be attach'd by the alarum'd guard The Oh me what crimes what monstrous crimes doe I Behold rough with the little Imagerie The Iv'ry hilt with
refuse I life courage my mind Try execute what thou thy self injoyn'd Speak boldly she who fearfully doth crave Begs a deniall my worst crime I have Acted long since Shame commeth now too late I 've lov'd a sin if in it fortunate A Husbands name may palliate the deed Those sins are oft thought honest which succeed Go too begin my soul Sir I a while desire Your privacy let all the rest retire Hip. See here is none to interrupt us speak Ph. But m• seal'd lips cannot the silence break Both urg'd to speech and forced to be still I call you Gods to witness that my will Hip. Can you not speak your mind Nu. Great griefs are best By silence little ones by words exprest Hip. Mother give me the burthen of your cares Ph. The name of Mother to much distance bears An Humbler name becomes our Love Call us Thy sister or thy maid Hippolitus But rather maid I the most slavish yoke Will wear Command it shall be undertook I le clime the frozen Pindus through deep snows Run through the fire and armed t•oops expose My naked brest to naked swords receive 1 This Scepter then and let me be thy slave To rule becommeth thee me to obey It ill becomes a womans arm to sway So great a Nation thou who 'rt in the pride Of blooming youth thy Fathers people guide Protect thy suppliant in thy bosome hid Take pitty on a widdow Hip. Heaven forbid Madam my Father will come safely back Ph. •rom Styx and those insatiate realms no track Doth lead to the forsaken light shall he 2 Who came a ravisher dismissed be ' Lesse Plut'ol sit down a tame Cuckold too Hip. Heavens far more equall power this will doe But while it yet rests in suspence I le please My Brethren with all fitting offices Protect Thee that thou seem not widdowed I The absence of my Father will supply Ph. O credulous Lovers O deceitfull Love Hath he not said enough now prayers shall move O pitty hear even my silence wooe I would yet would not speak Hip. What ailest thou Ph. That which thou little thinks a step-dame should Hip. Speak plainly and thy doubtful words unfold Ph. Why Love within my raging bosome fumes And with a cruel fire my reins consumes The flame which in my bowels hid remains Thence shooteth up and down my melting veins As agile fire over dry timber spread Hip. What with chast love of Theseus thou art mad Ph. Thou art in the right I love that ancient face Which Theseus had when he a stripling was When first the down budding upon his chin He saw the house the 3 Minotaur was in And crooked mazes the long thred up wound How glorious then his hair with sillets bound A dainty blush over his cheek was spread And his soft arms were the securest bed Like thy Diana or my Phaebus then Or rather thee thus thus he looked when He pleas'd his foe thus loftily did bear His head but thou art something hansomer Thou 'st all thy fathers parts and yet against Reason some of thy Mothers too retain'st A S•ythian rigour in a Graecian face Had'st thou come with thy Father in those dayes Then Ariadnes clew had sure been thine Thou thou my Sister wherefoere thou shine In spangled •kies a cause so like thine own Assist one family hath both undone The Father thee and me the Son thou sees A suppliant Princes fallen on her knees Free from aspersions innocently good Chang'd but to thee I 'm sure none else have woo'd This day to gri•f or life an end shall bring Pitty a Lover Hip. Thou Almighty King Of Gods canst thou so mildly see so mildly hear Her wickednes if now the Heavens be clear When wilt thou thunder let the troubled air Now run on heaps and day a Vizard wear May the reversed Stars now backwards •un And what dost thou thou the irradi•te Sun Behold thy Grand•ilds lusts for shame lay by Thy beams and into utter darkness fly And why art thou idle Spectator turn'd Great Iove the world not yet with lightning burn'd Thunder at me let thy quick flame consume Me I am wicked and deserve the doom I 've pl•as'd my Step-dame merit I to be Inc•ous thought for this Impiety Seem'd I most fit deserves my strictness this O Women excellent in wickedness O thou in thy unbounded lusts more wild Than was thy Mother Sh•e only defil'd Her self yet was the wicked the•t betray'd By the Prodigious issue which shee had The doubtfull birth witness'd his Mothers shame With his fierce look from the same womb thou came Thrice happy are they in their prosp'•ous fate Who are by fraud consum'd destroid by hate Father I envie thee this sin this sin Is greater then Medeas could have been Ph. I know our houses Fate I crave I know What is forbid but cannot h•lp it tho Thee thorough flames o're rocks the foaming deep And heady torrents comp•ny I 'le keep Where ere thou goes there frantick I will be Behold coy youth again I kneel to thee Hi. Keep of and touch not my chast lims what now Immodest wretch wilt thou imbrace me too Then shall my sword du• vengeance take my hand Wreath'd in her hair her shameless neck doth bend Bow-bearing Goddess never bloud with more Justice was on thy Altars spilt before Ph. Why now Hippolitus I have my wish Thou curst my frenzy 'bove my hope was this To perish by thy hand and chast Hip. Avaunt And live least any thing to thee I graunt Nor shall this steel by thee polluted ere Defile my chaster side by hanging there What Tanais what Maeotis which doth pay His waters tribute to the Pontick sea Can wash me clean not all great Neptunes flouds Can expiate this crime O Beasts O Woods Nu. Why so dull sulled now the crime is known Let us plead force and uncompelled own The impious act Sin is best hid by sinn Who fear to be accused should begin Whether the lewd attempt were ours or his Since secret who shall be his witnesses Help help Athenians servants the obscene Hippolitus is ravishing the Queen Her with his naked sword he threatneth And awes her chastity with fear of death See now he flyes and by his fearfull speed Hath left his sword a witness of the deed First chear the Queen but let her hair still be Thus torne and thus disordered as you see These pregnant testimonies of an act So vile bear to the City recollect Your senses Madam Why alas do you Afflict your self and sly the publike view No Woman ever was from the event Esteem'd immodest but from the assent Exeunt CHORUS SWift as a tempest doth he fly so fast Cloud-gathering Chorus doth not make such hast A shooting Meteor doth more slowly stream When rapid winds fan the extended flame Now may admiring Fame conferr on thee The honour due to all antiquity For so thy beauty doth all others passe As Phoebe seemeth fairer then she was When at the
it be fully morn Though bounteous Heav'n no blessings hath in store Which you deserve not richly to enjoy Whatever Phoebus doth behold and more Even to twist the thread of Destiny Though you deserve the Seas discovered womb Should unto you her hidden Treasures give Which when you die should serve to build your Tomb But all the Gods attend you whilest you live Though we confesse all this to be your due Yet do not boast that it is yours alone Your Husband meriteth both this and you What then deserve you now conjoyn'd in one May you live long and happy all your dayes Crown'd with a lasting plenty and content May no disturbance ever cloud the Face But what one doth let be by either meant A fruitfull and a toward Linage blesse Your youth the subject to support your age And when Death summons you in happinesse May they succeed as well as Heritage And if more may be said may you two have Blessings above your hopes above your wishes And when age fits your bodies for the Grave May then your spirits meet breath'd out in Kisses Thus the uncaptiv'd Gods do joyntly pray Yet Iuno vows a chast revenge withall Swearing fair Bride that you a while shall stay Before you do upon Lucina call On a Necklace of small Pomander given him by a Lady ANd art thou mine at length com'st thou to deck My worthlesse Wrist thus persum'd by her neck Canst thou so freely to my use dispense That precious Odor thou receivedst thence Couldst thou alas such real joys forsake For this sad cause to justifie thy black Me thought thou wert while thou didst that invest The cinders of the Phoenix spiced Nest Out of whch rose her admirable Face As the sole sp•cies of that Virgin Race There hadst thou grown immortal while worn there No day but added to thy Life a Year But now thou dost with me in Exile live Each day doth take what there each day did give Alas poor Fool Man might have taught thee this Death waits on those are banish'd Paradize Couldst thou have still continu'd there thou 'dst bin Long-liv'd as he had he not found out sin No Fate had cut thy thread nor chance unstrung Thy Beads till the Worlds Passing-Bell had Pearls had look'd pale with Envy Diamonds mourn'd And sparkling forth their prouder anger burn'd While every grain of thee had grown a Gem Of greater price than the whole Race of them The wary Prophets mercenary Wife Who for a Bracelet sold her Husband's life And thought her Crime excus'd the flame-fac'd stones Being such prevalent Temptations All her so dear-bought Iewels would have thrown Down at her feet for the exchange of one thou 'dst grown a Rosary for Angels there Thy glorious Beads dropt in eternal Prayer Offer'd in smoke thou mightst have bought the Gods Out of their Heaven to have chang'd Abodes With thee we should have seen the deathlesse Train About her neck link'd in an endlesse Chain The emulous Powers contending who should rest On the Swan-downy Pillows of her brest Where by a more especial favor thrown They had that Heav'n preferred to their own And canst thou quit so coveted a place To feel such a sick Pulses frantick pace To circle this poor arm which still must mourn Because it must not be where thou wert worn Indeed 't is true my small Physician she Taught thee thy skill but 't is best shew'd on me Thanks charitable Friend For this will I Study a reward great as thy courtesie No Relique shall be kept more safe nor be In greater Adoration had than thee Each morning will I with a trembling kisse Offer my burning Lips in Sacrifice All day look on thee with that greedy view As if I meant to string mine Eyes there too At night my never slumbring thoughts shall keep The Watch while thou dost in my bosome sleep And lest my panting Heart alarm thee there I le turn it out for to be lodg'd elsewhere I would not with a minutes absence buy The World though Heav'n were the Security I 'l tell thy numerous seeds and know the same Not onely by their number but by name Then set a higher price on ev'ry Bead Than I would rans•m upon a Monarchs head No wealth should fetch thee from me unlesse she Would be the price her self who owned thee When scorch'd by some proud Beauty I for shade Will flie to the small knots of thy dark brade And when I 'm ready with despair to freez I will inflame my self by kissing these Driv'n to Extremity I scarce would stoop To take the Chymists greatest secret up For with a touch of thee my fancy would Be sure to turn all Metalls into Gold Thou art my All on Earth and he that robs Me but of one of these thy little Globes I in Heav'ns juster Chancery will lay To 's charge the stealing the whole World away But which when Fate protract thy time is come Hastned with grief to be so long from home Thou shalt from me again to her depart For on the flaming Altar of my Heart I 'll all the filth thou here contracted'st take Away and so in Incense pay thee back Thus I le requite thy kindnesse but be sure Thou dost not wound where thou pretend'st to cure 'T would be a treach'rous and unworthy Art Thus ty'd about mine arm to give my Heart On Himself being Lame I Prithee tell not me of Pox or Gout It is my Fancie's fall'n into my Foot I know her haughty stomack did disdain To lie a soaking in a small-Beer brain This Salamander doth in flames still dwell And in a cooling Iulip findes a Hell Give her a Bowl of Spanish which might breath A Feaver into the cold Limbs of Death Might make the Brethrens Marble rise dance Till it had wak'd the drowsie Puritans And raised their new-molded dust to sing Zealous Encomiums of the Cath'lique King Then she will knock at Heav'n this Tavern flie When throughly drench'd in Sack doth soar most high And like the South-winde from her dropping wings Shakes the bright showre which up in numbers springs Numbers might pose Arithmetick and teach Dull man what feet will up to Heaven reach Numbers which without sweating are distill'd And writ when you 'd believe the Inck was spill'd And that in so harmonious a strain You 'd finde a Musick in the pretious rain Then might you see her Wine-wet cheeks out-shine The Muses washing in their Hippocrene She were a Wife for Bacchus then but that He must not marry what himself begat Then she 'd out-noise Ioves thunder that which rent The Womb of Semele for the Firmament Swear that with Genial Nectar he was warm'd When 's fertile brain brought forth Minerva arm'd And tell me if I 'd heat it well with Wine His should not be more pregnant than should mine She would be my Minerva nor afraid To challenge at both Weapons the great Maid And she would still have swagger'd there no doubt If I