felt the extremes of love and grief Which never cou'd have found relief And hand in hand we plung'd into the deep To seek repose by deaths last sleep Polyn. Since you were lost to ease us of our care We both obey'd a generous despair For since we could not live for you Our miserable lives we could not bear To all th'insipid World we bad adieu Since nothing that remain'd could please us there Nicand Death we enjoy'd and heavy life remov'd For we in death behold your charms again Those charms which both in life and death we lov'd Which we had sigh'd and wept for there in vain Psyc. Poor Ghosts why would you suffer for my sake In vain too was your death design'd Now I no recompence can make And then by force I was ungrateful and unkind Could I have lov'd your merits were so much Your equal greatness and your vertues such I ne'r had fix'd my choice on one of you But must eternally have waver'd betwixt two She weeps Nicand Who would not willingly resign his breath Who by a glorious death The honour of your tears might gain Polyn. I cannot now of Fate complain Nor would with tedious fools above remain Nor can your pity now or love implore Since you from hence must mount above And must embrace th'all pow'rful God of love And at an humble distance we must you adore Nicand Nor can we you of cruelty accuse Who for a God all mortal Kings refuse Polyn. Farewell our Destiny recalls us now And we t'immortal happiness should go If without you it could be so Psyc. Stay Princes and declare where and what it is This everlasting place of Bliss Nicand In cool sweet Shades and in immortal Groves By Chrystal Rivulets and eternal Springs Where the most beauteous Queens and greatest Kings Do celebrate their everlasting Loves Polyn. In ever peaceful fresh and fragrant Bowers Adorn'd with never fading Fruits and Flowers Where perfum'd Winds refresh their heat And where immortal Quires their Loves repeat There your great Father we have seen Where he afresh enjoys his beauteous Queen Nicand Who did for hopeless Loves themselves destroy Are there the greatest Hero 's far Your God with infinite and endless joy Rewards their meritorious despair Polyn. Each moment there does far outgo The happiest minute Earthly Lovers know With soft eternal Chains of Love combin'd There they are ever youthful ever kind Their endless pleasure is all Extasie And not like Earthly Joys disturb'd with care Each fruitful minute does new pleasures bear From all unwelcome interruption free Each moment there more pleasure is design'd Then mortal Lovers can when first united find Psyc. 'T is fit that you those glorious Crowns should wear Of Friends and Rivals the unequal'd pair Nicand The splendid Crowns of Lovers we 've receiv'd But are by Heav'n of you bereav'd Strangers to Love we are alone Our Love is up to Adoration grown Our hours in contemplation we 'll employ Of the transcendent glory which you share Our am'rous sighs shall turn to holy pray'r While we that Friendship which you made enjoy Polyn. For ever without you we must remain And now we must no longer stay Lest we contribute to your pain And your immortal happiness delay Farewell for ever and remember me Nicand Farewell for ever and remember me Ex. Nic. Pol Psyc. Farewell such Friends and Rivals ne'r were found How much am I by Love and Honour bound Exit Psyche The Scene changes to the Marish which was in the former Act. Enter Psyehe Psyc. These Lovers must for ever in my thoughts remain And would for ever give me pain Did not the thoughts of him my mind employ who 'll banish all my cares and will compleat my joy But ah my sufferings have transform'd me so My decay'd face and languid eyes My ruin'd Beauty He 'll not know Or if he does he will my looks despise But I have here a Sacred Treasury Which all my ruines may repair Since it can make Venus her self more fair Is 't an offence if it be us'd by me She opens the Box. Oh! what dark fumes oppress my clouded brain I go and never shall return again Farewell my Love for ever fare thee well She swoundâ—… Cupid descends Cup. Love o're my anger has the victory gain'd Thy pardon is at length obtain'd Thy dangers and thy sufferings I have known My Love has made them all my own With thee I languish'd with thee did complain With thee I sigh'd and wept and suffer'd all thy pain Why dost thou hide thy conqu'ring eyes Dost thou a Lover and a God despise Open thy pretty eyes I am still the same I still retain my unresisted flame And all my vows are still paid to thy sacred name She 's she 's dead O whether art thou gone O Tyrant death what has thy bold hand done O cruel Mother whose insatiate rage Could thee against such innocence engage Thou hast by this all ties of duty broke No longer I 'll endure thy yoke My filial duty to revenge shall turn You soon shall feel what to my pow'r you owe With hopeless Love you shall for ever burn Your unregarded pains no ease shall know You still shall rage with love and to despair shall bow Venus descends in her Chariot Ven. What insolence is this I hear This from a Son I can no longer bear Resume your duty and put on your fear Cup. Duty to her who has made Psyche die Revenge shall piety succeed Revenge shall make your cruel heart to bleed And by your torments you shall find that I Am much the greater Deity Ven. Sure the great Thunderer asleep does lie Or does not hear this blasphemy Cup. My pow'r can make the Thund'rer bow You all the dire effects of it shall know For thee dear Psyche full revenge I 'll take And of my Mother first I 'll the example make What hellish rage provok'd you to this deed Whom Monsters would have spar'd you have made bleed Ven. You suffer'd her my glory to invade And when I call'd Apollo to my aid You did the fraudulent God suborn For you he that ambiguous Riddle made And promis'd judgment did to mercy turn And by that Oracle I was betray'd Now to deceive me is beyond his power Not all his Art can make her live one hour For none but I cou'd Psyche's life restore Cup. Can you Oh do and punish me If there were any crime 't was mine For her I 'd lose my immortality Oh give me her I 'll all my power resign Here take my Quiver take my Darts You when you please shall rule all hearts You shall the power of Love to that of Beauty joyn Ven. Psyche and you have so provok'd my hate Your pray'rs as soon may alter Fate Cup. Behold the all-commanding Deity Kneels An humble suppliant on his knee Look on my Love can you this form destroy Oh my lov'd Psyche Oh my onely Joy Oh give me her my duty I 'll
strength shall be her suffering Her to the greatest misery I 'll bring And e'r I 've done I 'll send her down to Hell 1. Fury In Hell too late she shall relent And all her arrogance repent 2. Fury We Furies will torment your Soul And you shall weep and houl 1. Fury And at the sight of ev'ry Snake Tremble and quake 2. Fury There you shall mourn eternally And to the quick shall feel each lash we give 1. Fury There you shall always wish to die And yet in spight of you shall always live Chor. of all There you shall always c. Envy and Furies sink 2. Lad. What horrid words are these we hear I am almost dissolv'd with fear Can Envy this sweet dwelling find 1 Lad. Envy the greatest Bane to all Mankind What dreadful Fate does she foretel What Prophesie is this The Gods will sure do much amiss Should they permit you to be snatch'd to Hell Psyc. Fate do thy worst thou ne'r shalt trouble me The Innocent within themselves are free Envy I can be valiant against thee Enter Prince Nicander 2. Lad. But see the Prince Nicander does appear Industrious Love pursues you every where Nican Madam I to this Solitude am come Humbly from you to hear my latest doom Psyc. The first command which I did give Was that you should not see me here The next command you will receive Much harsher will to you appear Nican How long fair Psyche shall I sigh in vain How long of scorn and cruelty complain Your eyes enough have wounded me You need not add your cruelty You against me too many Weapons chuse Who am defenceless against each you use Psyc. Shall no conceal'd retirement keep me free From Loves vexatious importunity I in my Father's Court too long endur'd The ill which I by absence thought t' have cur'd Nican Planets that cause our Fates cannot be long obscur'd Though Comets vanish from our sense When they 've disperss'd their fatal Influence And nothing but the sad effects remain Yet Stars that govern us wou'd hide themselves in vain The momentary Clouds must soon be past Which wou'd their brightness overcast Psyc. Why should Nicander thus pursue in vain Her o'r whose mind he can no Conquest gain For though my Body thus abroad you see My Mind shall stay within and keep its privacy Nican Blame not the passion you yourself create Which is to me resistless as my Fate Can Psyche own such cruelties As vainly Priests impute to Deities To punish the Affections they inspire As if they 'd kindle to put out a fire If from the Gods we any gifts receive Our Appetites of Nature they must give Let Priests for Self-denial then contend If we 'gainst Nature go we Heav'n offend Who made that Nature to pursue its end Natures desires Heav'ns known prescriptions are Of greater certainty than others far Priests Inspirations may but Dreams be found Th' effects of Vapours or of Spleens unsound But Nature cannot err in her own way And though Priests may she cannot lead astray Psyc. Nature the Gods first uncorrupted made But to corruption 't was by Man betray'd Which when so much exorbitant they found What first they had made free they justly bound Nican If Nature be not what the Gods first meant Then pow'rful Man defeated Heavens intent If the Gods Engine of the World must be Mended by them how did they then foresee Must Men like Clocks be alter'd to go right Or though wound up by Nature must stand still Must we against our own affections fight And quite against the Bias bend the will Psyc. Against your self y'have pleaded all this time If not to follow Nature be a crime Mine so averse to Love by Heav'n is made She above all by me shall be obey'd Enter Polynices Nican Nature incites all humane kind to love Who deny that unnatural must prove How Polynices my great Rival here This is the onely way I him can fear His Arms are far less dreadful then his Love Psyc. Sir what could your injurious kindness move Thus to disturb the quiet of my life In vain great Princes is your am'rous strife Polyn. If I were singular you might think me rude But I can many dang'rous Rivals find A violent passion makes me thus intrude Be but to me as you 're to others kind Let not my death alone be here design'd Too fatal was the first surprise I suffer'd by your conqu'ring Eyes Your pow'rful Charms no Mortal can resist I in an instant lov'd and never can desist Nican Such violent and sudden love Perhaps must soon remove 'T is frail as an abortive Birth And as it soon approach'd it soon may fly As when too early flowers come forth From the first moment of their birth they die Mine by degrees did to perfection grow And is too strong to be resisted now Polyn. That which I have for that illustrious face Is Sympathy not lazy Love The Steel the Loadstone does as soon embrace And of it self will ne'r remove Nican The Steel you speak of may be snatch'd from thence With very little violence Polyn. Who shall commit that violence on me Nican He who before has conquer'd thee Thou didst my Empire dost my Love invade My Love shall be my onely aid And I again thy Conqueror can be Polyn. I was by Fortune then betray'd But now by Love am much more pow'rful made Oh that the way for Psyche to be wone Were for me to possess thy Throne I wou'd believ 't already done And when with ease I 'ad triumph'd o'r thee Thou on thy knees should'st beg her Love for me Nican Did not her Sacred presence guard thy life This fatal place should soon decide our strife I on thy conquer'd neck would tread And make thee forfeit soon thy useless head I 'd put an end now to your Love and you And when perhaps I 'd nothing else to do I might vouchsafe to take your petty Kingdom too Polyn. Should my death soon ensue Which never can be caus'd by you It might to you some bold presumptions give You dare not think such thoughts while yet I live For what thou hast already said Shouldst thou escape me with thy head Yet I will soon depopulate thy Land And leave thee none but Beasts for thy command Or may be if thou fall'st into my hand I openly will thee in triumph lead Thy Cities into Desarts I will turn And thou in Chains shalt tamely see 'em burn Nican Gods Psyc. Princes let your untimely discord cease If my esteem you 'd gain conclude a peace Each to the other must become a friend Though Rivals yet you must agree You but for something in the Clouds contend If thus you think to conquer me Polyn. So absolute is your command That I my Rival will embrace Your will no Lover can withstand I can do any thing but give my Rival place Nican Your Voice may still the fury of the Winds Or calm the most distemper'd minds Wild
Beasts at your command in peace would be When you make Rivals thus agree They embrace Psyc. I ne'r can value Birth or State 'T is virtue must my heart obtain You may each other emulate In glorious actions but must quit all hate Ere either of you my esteem can gain The next command I give must be Not to invade my privacy Princes farewel you must not follow me Nican So sacred are the dread commands you give From you my death I humbly wou'd receive For I can scarce hear this and live Polyn. Your breath mens minds to any thing may move When you make Rivals one another love Exit Psyche But see her envious Sisters do appear Whose anger less then love we fear As they are going off in haste Enter Cidippe and Aglaura Cid Great Princes whither do you fly so fast Aglau 'T is to their Idol Psyche by their haste Cid What Prince-like virtue can you find In her poor and groveling mind Aglau Heav'n did her Soul for Cottages create And for some vulgar purpose did design Her mind 's too narrow for a Prince's state She has no virtues which in Courts may shine Cidip. Her beauty like her mind is vulgar too Like the dull off spring of some Village Pair She might perhaps some Shepherds heart subdue But should poor â—…hing of Princes looks despair Aglau A thousand times more charms they here might find Beauty that 's fit to attract great Princes eyes But silly Love forsooth hath struck them blind For could they see they would their Love despise Nican Farewell Such blasphemies we must not hear Against the Goddess we adore Poly So beautiful to us she does appear That none shall ever charm us more Exeunt Nicander Polynices Cidip. Blasted be her Beauty and her charms accurst That must our ruine bring I am almost with envy burst To see each day she can command a King Aglau And whilst she lives we can no Lovers have Oh that her Cradle had become her Grave Cid She by each Prince is Idoliz'd Whilst our neglected Beauties may grow old And not be sought by them she has despis'd Aglau Oh that I live to hear this story told This Theme has made my anger bold I on her Beauty will revenge our Cause We are not safe whilst breath she draws Her an Example of Revenge I 'll make Cidip. Must we be thus neglected for her sake Venus redress the wrongs which she has done She may in time insnare your Son She such an Idol by Mankind is made Your pow'r no more will be obey'd Your Sacred Beauty they 'l neglect Your Deity will have no more respect Aglau No Incense more will on your Altars smoke No Victims more will burn Each Prince her Worshipper will turn Let this your great Divinity provoke Revenge your self and take our part Punish her stubborn heart And by your utmost fury let her smart A Symphony of soft Musick Cidip. What Divine Harmony is this we hear Such never yet approach'd my Ear Venus descends in her Chariot drawn with Doves Aglau See Venus Chariot hovering in the Air The Goddess sure has heard our pray'r Venus sings With kindness I your pray'rs receive And to your hopes success will give I have with anger seen Mankind adore Your Sister's beauty and her scorn deplore Which they shall do no more For their Idolatry I 'll so resent As shall your wishes to the full content Your Father is with Psyche now And to Apollo's Oracle they 'll go Her Destiny to know Iby the God of Wit shall be obey'd For Wit to Beauty still is subject made He 'll so resent your cause and mine That you will not repine But will applaud the Oracle's Design Cidip. Great Goddess we our thanks return We after this no more shall mourn Aglau Your Sacred pow'r for ever we 'll obey And to your Altars our whole Worship pay Venus ascends with soft Musick Enter Theander with his Followers and Psyche with two Ladies Thean Daughters no more you shall contend This happy day your strife shall end The Oracle shall ease you of your care We to the Temple will repair And Psyche will obey What e'r the Delphick God shall say And What e'r Apollo shall command shall be I swear by all the Gods perform'd by me Psyc. And on my knees I make this solemn vow To his Decree I will devoutly bow Let his commands be what they will I chearfully will them fulfill Thean Let 's to Apollo's Temple then repair And seek the God with Sacrifice and Pray'r Exeunt omnes ACT II. The Scene is the Temple of Apollo Delphicus with Columns of the Dorick Order inrich'd with Gold in the middle a stately Cupulo on the top of it the Figure of the Sun some distance before it an Altar lin'd with Brass under it a large Image of Apollo upon the Tripod Enter in a Solemn Procession the Chief Priest crown'd with Lawrel in a white Vestment over that a Purple Gown over that a Cope embroidered with Gold over all a Lamb-skin Hood with the Wool on He has four Boys attending two before two behind clad in Surplices and girt with Girdles of Gold the first carrying a golden Censor with Mirrhe Frankincense and sweet Gums c. The Second a Barley Cake or Barley Meal with Salt upon a golden Service The third a golden Cruise full of Honey and Water The fourth a large gilt Book emboss'd with Gold After them six Priests with Books of Hymns clad in Surplices and embroider'd Copes Then Men with Wind-Instruments clad in Surplices all crown'd with Wreathes of Lawrel After them Nicander Cidippe Polinices Aglaura Theander Psyche Then a Train of Ladies All the Women with their faces cover'd with white Veils After all Theander's Attendants and Guards in their Procession This following Hymn is sung in Chorus Chor. LEt 's to Apollo's Altar now repair And offer up our Vows and Pray'r Let us enquire fair Psyche's destiny Repeat The Gods to her will sure propitious be If Innocence and Beauty may go free Ch. P. Go on and to the Altar lead Chief Priest turns to the People and sings on This hallow'd ground let no one tread Who is defil'd with Whoredom or with Bloud Lest all our pray'rs should be for them withstood Let none be present at our Sacrifice But of an humble uncorrupted mind The God for wicked men will all our vows despise And will to all our wishes be unkind By this time they come near the Altar they all bow and divide and stand on each side of the Altar and the Chief Priest before The Chief Priest kneels and kisses the Altar The Priest and Boys kneel with him they rise and he holding the Altar in his hands sings alone as follows Ch. Pr. Son of Latona and great Jove In Delos born which thou so much dost love Great God of Physick and of Archery Of wisdom Wit and Harmony God of all Divinations too Chor. of Voices and Instrum To
envy feed Could my glad eyes behold her bleed Aglau O good dear Serpent make her sure Her death our grief can onely cure Oh that she were at my command And that her heart were throbbing in my hand Some miracle may else relieve Her from this death and we afresh may grieve Psyc. Good Sir be gone the will of Heav'n obey Besides if you should longer stay Before the Serpent comes my life will steal away Weigh not your loss but what you have remain You have the comfort of my Sisters left Who will your drooping age sustain When y' are of me bereft Sisters be good and to my Father give All comfort and his grief relieve He from you Two much pleasure may receive Cid Our grief as much as his relief will need Oh that I might with Psyche bleed Did not the Gods self-murder hate I wou'd accompany your Fate Aglau Oh that the Gods would suffer me To be exchang'd for thee Psyc. Sisters farewel pray dry your eyes kisses her Sisters I am for you a sacrifice You may your choice of many Princes have When I am cold forgotten in my Grave Thean Gods can I yet hear this and live Oh take my life or me my Psyche give Psyc. Sir if you longer stay You 'll cause my death not they I on my knees beseech you quit This fatal place and to Heaven's will submit Farewell 't is time I now the Rock my fatal Tomb must climb Farewell for ever Thean Say not so For I to death will go My Soul to morrow shall meet thine below Exeunt all but Psyche Psyche sola Even now grim death I slightly did esteem With the wrong end o'th'Glass I look'd on him Then a far off and little he did seem Now my Perspective draws him near He very big and ugly does appear Away it is the base false Glass of fear Enter Nicander and Polynices Why do you come to see me wretched here What can you hope from her whose death 's so near Polyn. To save your life our lives we will expose Psyc. Can mortal men the heav'nly pow'rs oppose Nican What Heav'n commands is surely good Heav'n has declar'd 'gainst shedding humane bloud Bores Rams and Bulls will serve Apollo's turn Whilst Gums and Incense on his Altars burn 'T is to the Priests that you are sacrific'd Psyc. I must not hear the Oracle despis'd Nican In vain 'gainst prejudice we still dispute Our Swords shall this great Oracle confute No Serpent whilst we live shall you embrace Nor any other Rival in this place Psyc. He carries deadly venome in his breath Which certainly will give you death Polyn. Cadmus without Love's aid the Dragon slew Inspir'd by Love what cannot Princes do Psyc. Why for my preservation shou'd you strive For neither my affection e'r cou'd move Though Heav'n for that wou'd suffer me to live No Prince on earth cou'd ever make me love Nican 'T is time we both of us should die Since we from you no pity can deserve Yet Had we no love for generosity Spight of your self we wou'd your life preserve Polyn. You have made Rivals thus agree Though cou'd you love but one cou'd happy be Each will assist the other and you 'll see In spight of Oracles we 'll set you free Psyc. Farewell I must not hear this blasphemy Nican We cannot leave you till you die No Oracle shall that deny The Earth opens infernal Spirits rise and hurry the Prince away Two Zephiri descend and take Psyche by each arm and fly into the Clowds with her Cupid descends a little way hanging in the air Cup. Be gone you Rivals of an angry Deity Shall I by insolent Princes rivall'd be Shall Mortals for my Psyche strive with me Vulcan make haste prepare My costly Palace for my fair I in that splendid place My Love my Dear my Psyche will embrace He flies away Enter Nicander and Polynices Nican By what Enchantment were we hurri'd hence Psyche is gone Let 's use all diligence Soon to prevent her fate Or we shall come too late Polyn. We will our much lov'd Psyche find Or we will leave our hated lives behind Exeunt ACT III. The Scene is the Palace of Cupid compos'd of wreath'd Columns of the Corinthian Order the Wreathing is adorn'd with Roses and the Columns have several little Cupids flying about 'em and a single Cupid standing upon every Capital At a good distance are seen three Arches which divide the first Court from the other part of the Building The middle Arch is noble and high beautified with Cupids and Festoons and supported with Columns of the foresaid Order Through these Arches is seen another Court that leads to the main Building which is at a mighty distance All the Cupids Capitals and Inrichments of the whole Palace are of Gold Here the Cyclops are at work at a forge forging great Vases of Silver The Musick strikes up they dance hammering the Vases upon Anvils After the Dance Enter Vulcan Vulcan sings YE bold Sons of Earth that attend upon Fire Make haste with the Palace least Cupid should stay You must not be lazy when Love does require For Love is impatient and brooks no delay When Cupid you serve you must toil and must sweat Redouble your blows and your labour repeat The vigorous young God 's not with laziness serv'd He makes all his Vassals their diligence show And nothing from him but with pains is deserv'd The brisk Youth that falls on and still follows his blow Is his favourite still The considerate Fool He as useless lays by for a pitiful Tool 1. Cycl This Palace is finish'd and the other shall be Made fit for his small Deity 2. Cycl But fire makes us cholerick and apt to repine Unless you will give us some Wine Chor. With swinging great Bowls Let 's refresh our dry Souls And then we 'll to work with a Clink clink clink But first let us drink but first let us drink Vulcan Let each take his Bowl then and hold it to his nose Then let him redouble his blows Cycl Nay stint us not so but let each take his two And twice as much then we can do Chor. With swinging great Bowls Let 's refresh c. Vulc. Ye Slaves will you never from drunkenness refrain Remember Ulysses again Cycl Ulysses is a Dog were he here he shou'd find We'd scorn him and drink our selves blind Chor. With swinging great Bowls Let 's refresh c. They take their Kans in their hands Pyra Here Harpes to you Harp Here Brontes to you And so take each Cyclops his due Bron. To thee Steropes Ster Pyraemon to thee Omn. And thus in our Cups wee 'll agree Chor. With swinging great Bowls Let 's refresh c. Vulc. Be gone or great Jove will for Thunder bolts stay The world grows so wicked each day Cycl He has less need of Thunder then we have of Wine We'd drink though great Jove shou'd repine Chor. With swinging great Bowls Let 's
hand go plunge into the deep There all our sorrows may for ever sleep Polyn. Agreed and our immortal Souls shall that way go And meet our much lov'd Psyche down below They arm in arm fling themselves into the River Enter Aglaura and Cidippe with Souldier Aglau Villain what Cowards did you entertain That two weak men could not by you be slain Cid Oh Heav'n the Princes are with Psyche fled Base Slave thou hast forfeited thy head Souldier runs out Cupid descends Cup. Oh envious Fools that Psyche thus pursue You both shall soon a deserv'd vengeance find Hells everlasting pangs to you are due Since she is gone you shall not stay behind 'Gainst Psyche you provok'd my Mothers rage And your destruction must my wrath asswage When from below my Psyche shall return You with damn'd Spirits shall for ever mourn Arise ye Furies snatch 'em down to Hell No place becomes such envious Hags so well Aglaura and Cidippe sink ACT V. The Scene represents Hell consisting of many burning Ruines of Buildings on each side In the foremost Pieces are the Figures of Prometheus and Sisyphus Ixion and Tantalus Beyond those are a great number of Furies and Devils tormenting the Damned In the middle arise the Throne of Pluto consisting of Pillars of Fire with him Proserpina at their feet sit Minos Aeacus and Rhadamanthus With the Throne of Pluto arise a great number of Devils and Furies coming up at every rising about the House Through the Pillars of Pluto's Throne at a great distance is seen the Gate of Hell through which a Lake of Fire is seen and at a huge distance on the farther side of that Lake are vast Crowds of the Dead waiting for Charon's Boat The following Song is sung by Furies and Devils TO what great distresses proud Psyche is brought Oh the brave mischiefs our malice has wrought Such Actions become the black Subjects of Hell Our great Prince of Darkness who e'r will serve well Chor. Must to all Mortals nay Gods shew their spight And in horrour and torments of others delight How cool are our flames and how light are our chains If our craft or our cruelty Souls enow gains In perpetual houlings and groans we take pleasure Our joys by the torments of others we measure Chor. To rob Heav'n of the Fair is our greatest delight To darkness seducing the Subjects of Light How little did Heav'n of its Empire take care To let Pluto take the Rich Witty and Fair While it does for it self Fools and Monsters preserve The Blind Ugly and Poor and the Cripple reserve Chor. Heav'n all the worst Subjects for it self does prepare And leaves all the best for the Prince of the Air. A Dance of Furies Cidip. Some ease they find i'th'midst of pain When Hell does a new Subject gain Aglau But in the hottest flames this sight would please And Psyche's houling will our greatest torments ease Cid Were mine the hottest Furnace of all Hell If she were there my flames I could bear well Aglau Were I into some dreadful Cavern tost Where the Damn'd are bound in eternal Frost Where gnashing teeth and shuddering they lie Cursing their births wishing in vain to die To see her there would warm my icy chain And her extreme damnation thaw my pain Cidip. But Oh our Hell is yet to come With horrour I expect my doom Aglau There our eternal Judges are By their stern looks of mercy I dispair Psyc. Does my too criminal Love deserve this pain Circl'd with horrour must I here remain Through thousand terrours I have been convey'd With dismall yellings shricks and groans dismay'd O'r troubl'd Billows of eternal Fire Where tortur'd Ghosts must houl and ne'r expire Where Souls ne'r rest but feel fresh torments still Where furious Fiends their utmost rage fulfil Tossing poor houling Wretches too and fro From raging Fires into eternal Snow From thence to Flames from thence to Ice again In these extremes th' encounter equal pain And no refreshing intervals can gain The cursed Fiends still laughing at their moans Hugging themselves to hear their shricks and groans Upbraiding them with all their Crimes on earth Each miserable Ghost curses in vain his birth Encompass'd with these horrours round No beam of comfort have I found Oh cruel Venus wilt thou ne'r relent Canst thou of Love such an Example make Can Love deserve such punishment Oh cruel God thus to forsake Me at the moment when I need him most I fear he is for ever lost I could endure the horrours of this place Could I again behold his much lov'd face Pluto sings REfrain your tears you shall no pris'ner be Beauty and Innocence in Hell are free They 're Treasons Murders Rapes and Thefts that bring Subjects to th' infernal King You are no Subject of this place A God you must embrace From Hell to Heaven you must translated be Where you shall live and love to all eternity Proserp Psyche draw near with thee this Present take Which given to Venus soon thy peace will make Of Beauty 't is a Treasury Divine And you 're the Messenger she did design Lost Beauty this will soon restore And all defects repair Mortals will now afresh her Beams adore And ease her mind of jealousie and care No Beauty that has this can e'r despair Pluto Here are your Sisters who your life once sought Their malice to this place has Psyche brought And against her all these dire mischiefs wrought For ever here they shall remain And shall in Hell suffer eternal pain But Psyche shall a Deity embrace Proserp Be gone fair Psyche Pluto Be gone fair Psyche Both. Be gone fair Psyche from this place Chor. of all For Psyche must the God of Love embrace For Psyche must the God of Love embrace Aglau O mercy mercy Sister we implore You 'll intercede for a reprieve Cidip. No more our malice can fair Psyche grieve You 'll be a Goddess we must you adore Minos No grace for you she shall obtain For you must here remain Yet for her sake we 'll ease you of some pain No raging pangs of sense here you shall know But must eternal labours undergo And with the Belides for ever live Still shall wish death but never die Each of you must draw water in a Seive To all eternity The envious Sisters sink with all the Devils and Furies and the Throne of Pluto vanishes Psyc. In vain poor Sisters I deplore your Fate Though living you pursu'd me with your hate 'T is a dark Cloud upon my happiness But I ll strive to forget what 's past redress Were 't not for this my Joys I could not bear Immoderate joy would overthrow Were it not ballasted with care My Love I shall enjoy thee now Together we shall happy be And live and love to all eternity Enter the Ghosts of Polynices and Nicander Psyche starts This was a dismal Tragedy These are the Princes Ghosts we see Oh what sad chance has brought you down to me Nicand We