life Amar. It was my selfe Or one as deare Cla. Who 's that Ama. I 'le rather dye Then name him though it be a name I use Oft to repeat and every repetition Is a new soule unto mee 't is a name I have taught the birds to caroll every Laurell and Cedar beares it registred Vpon his tender barke it is a name In which is all the life I yet have left A name I long to speake yet I had rather Dye all the severall sorts of death twice over Then speake it once Clai I charge thee by that duty Thou ow'st to me Amarillis that thou owest to me Who gave thee life Pil. What should this mean Corymbus Cl. And by the womb that bare thee by the breasts Of thy dead mother Lalage Cor. This is strange Cla. Conceale him not in plain I am thy father Thy father Amarillis that commands thee By these gray haires to tell mee I am Claius Pilum How Claius and so fortunatly found Claius I glut your hate Pilumnus let your soule That has so long thirsted to drinke my blood Swill till my veines are empty and carowse Deep in my heart till you grow drunke and reele And vomit up the surfet that your cruelty Quaft off with so much pleasure I have stood Long like a fatall oake at which great Iove Levels his thunder all my boughes long since Blasted and wither'd now the trunke falls too Heaven end thy wrath in mee Pilum Blessed be Ceres What unexpected happines is here Rejoyce Sicilians miserable lovers Crowne all your browes with roses and adore The Deity that sent him he is come Whose blood must quench the fire of Ceres wrath And kindle more auspitious flames of love In every brest Cla. I doe I feare not death Let every Virgins hand when I am slaine Ring me a knell of Plaudits let my Dirges Be amorous Ditties and in stead of weeping Dance at my funerall T is no griefe for mee To dye to make my countrymen some sport Here 's one in whom I only wish to live Another age Amar. What joy have I to live That nere liv'd yet the time that I have spent Since first I wept then when I first had entrance Into this world this cold and sorrowfull world Was but a scene of sorrow wretched I Fatall to both my parents For my birth Ruin'd my mother and my death my father O Tragick life I either should have been Nere borne or nere have died When I began To be my sinne began why should it then Out live mee for though now I cease to be That still continues Eyes flow forth a pace And be asham'd to see my wound run blood Faster then you drop teares Enter Damon See here he comes His absence never untill now I wisht Dam. My Conscience brings me back the feet of guilt Goe slow and dull 't is hard to run away From that we beare about us Cla. The Murtherer Is in this place the issue of her blood Is stop'd o th' sudden Cruell man 't is thou Hast done this bloudy act that will disgrace The story of our nation and imprint So deepe a blemish in the age we live in For savage Barbarisme that eternity Shall nere weare out Pilumnus on my knees I beg the justice of Sicilian lawes Against this monster Pilum Claius 't is your hate And old revenge instructs you to accuse My Sonne you would have fellowes in your death And to that purpose you pretend I know not What mysteries of art Cla. Speak Amaryllis I' st not this wolfe Pilum Say virgin was it hee Ama. O I am angry with my blood for stopping This coward ebbe against my will betraies mee The streame is turn'd my eyes run faster now Pilum Can you accuse my sonne Amar. By Ceres no I have no heart to doe it does that face Look cruell doe those eyes sparkle with hate Or malice Tell me Father lookes that brow As if it could but frowne Say can you thinke T is possible Damon could have the heart To wound a Virgin surely barbarous cruelty Dwels not in such a brest mercy and mildnesse Courtesy love and sweetnesse breath in him Not Anger wrath or murther Damon was not Fed at a Thracian teat Venus did send Her Doves to nurse him and can he be cruell Whence should he learne so much of barbarisme As thus to wrong a Virgin if he wound mee T is only from his eyes where loves blind God Whets his pil'd arrowes He besides you know Had never cause to wrong mee for he knowes Alwaies I lov'd him Father doe not wrong An innocent his soule is white and pure T is sinne to thinke there lives a sinne in him Impiety to accuse him Clai In his lookes He carries guilt whose horror breeds this strange And obstinate silence shame and his conscience Will not permit him to deny it Amar. T is alas His modest bashfull nature and pure innocence That makes him silent think you that bright rose That buds within his cheekes was planted there By guilt or shame no he has alwaies been So unacquainted with all act of sinne That but to be suspected strikes him dumb With wonder and amazement For by Ceres I think my oath be lawfull I my selfe Was cause of this Cla. Still I am confident 'T was hee Pilum It is your envy makes you so SCEN. 9. Alexis Laurinda Lau. I will Alexis And so he must if oathes be any tye Alex. To lovers they are none we break those bonds As easily as threds of silke A bracelet Made of your maidens haire 's a stronger chaine Then twenty cobweb oathes which while we break Venus but laughs it must be your perswasion That works him to it Lau. Damon you must stand To what you promis'd how shall I believe Those other oathes you sweare if you respect This one no better It was my device To have her judge was it not Amarillis How all in blood Cla. Yes this unmercifull man If he be man that can doe such a crime Has wounded her Amar. Indeed it was not hee Pil. You see her selfe frees him Lau. When last we left her She was with Damon Ama. Pray believe her not She speaks it out of anger I nere saw Damon to day before Alex. And when we left 'em He was incens'd Amar. You are no competent witnesse You are his Rivall in Laurinda's love And speak not truth but malice 't is a plot To ruin innocence Lau. O ungratefull man The wolfe that does devoure the brest that nurst it Is not so bad as thou here here this Letter Th' eternall Chronicle of affection That ought with golden characters to be writ In Cupids Annals will false man convince thee Of fowle ingratitude you shall hear me read it The Letter Laurinda you have put it unto mee To choose a husband for you I will be A judge impartiall upright just and true Yet not so much unto my selfe as you Alex. Now I expect to hear my blessed
that in our water playes The Goose for us her tender plumes hath bred To lay us on a softer bed Our blankets are not dy'd with Orphans teares Our Pillows are not stuff'd with cares To walke on our owne grounds a stomack gets The best of sawce to tart out meats In midst of such a feast 't is joy to come And see the well fed Lambs at home 'T is pleasure to behold th' inversed Plow The Languid necks of Oxen bow And view th' industrious servants that will sweat Both at labour and at meat Lord grant me but enough I aske no more Then will serve mine and helpe the poore An Elegie upon the Lady Venetia Digby DEath who 'ld not change prerogatives with thee That dost such rapes yet mayst not question'd bee Here cease thy wanton lust be satisfi'd Hope not a second and so faire a bride Where was her Mars whose valiant armes did hold This Venus once that thou durst be so bold By thy too nimble theft I know 't was feare Lest he should come that would have rescu'd her Monster confesse didst thou not blushing stand And thy pale cheeke turne red to touch her hand Did shee not lightning-like strike suddaine heat Through thy cold limbs and thaw thy frost to sweat Well since thou hast her use her gently Death And in requitall of such pretious breath Watch sentinell to guard her doe not see The wormes thy rivals for the Gods will bee Remember Paris for whose pettier sin The Troian gates let the stout Grecians in So when time ceases whose unthrifty hand Ha's now almost consum'd his stock of sand Myriads of Angels shall in Armies come And fetch proud ravisher there Helen home And to revenge this rape thy other store Thou shalt resigne too and shalt steale no more Till then faire Ladies for you now are faire But till her death I fear'd your just dispaire Fetch all the spices that Arabia yeelds Distill the choycest flowers of the fields And when in one their best perfections meet Embalme her course that shee may make them sweet Whilst for an Epitaph upon her stone I cannot write but I must weepe her one Epitaph Beauty it selfe lyes here in whom alone Each part injoy'd the same perfection In some the Eyes we praise in some the Haire In her the Lips in her the Cheeks are faire That Nymphs fine Feet her Hands we beauteous call But in this forme we praise no part but all The ages past have many beauties showne And I more plenty in our time have knowne But in the age to come I looke for none Nature despaires because her pattern's gone An Epitaph upon Mrs I. T. REader if thou hast a teare Thou canst not choose but pay it here Here lyes modesty meeknesse zeale Goodnesse Piety and to tell Her worth at once one that had showne All vertues that her sex could owne Nor dare my praise too lavish bee Least her dust blush for soe would shee Hast thou beheld in the spring's bowers Tender buds breake to bring forth flowers So to keepe vertues stock pale death Tooke her to give her infant breath Thus her accounts were all made even Shee rob'd not earth to adde to heaven An Epithalamium MVse be a bride-maid dost not heare How honoured Hunt and his faire Deere This day prepare their wedding cheere The swiftest of thy pinions take And hence a suddaine journey make To helpe 'em breake their bridall Cake Hast 'em to Church tell 'em love sayes Religion breeds but fond delayes To lengthen out the tedious dayes Childe the slow Preist that so goes on As if he feard he should have done His sermon e're the glasse be runne Bid him post o're his words as fast As if himselfe were now to tast The pleasure of so â—…aire a wast Now lead the blessed Couple home And serve a dinner up for some Their banquet is as yet to come Maids dance as nimbly as your blood Which I see swell a purple flood In Emulation of that good The bride possesseth for I deeme What shee enjoyes will be the theme This night of every virgins dreame But envy not their blest content The hasty night is almost spent And they of Cupid will be shent The Sunne is now ready to ride Sure 't was the morning I espide Or 't was the blushing of the bride See how the lusty bridegrooms veins Swell till the active torrent strains To breake those o're stretcht azure chains And the faire bride ready to cry To see her pleasant losse so nigh Pants like the sealed Pigeons eye Put out the torch Love lovesno lights Those that performe his misticke rites Must pay their Orisons by nights Nor can that sacrifice be done By any Priest or Nun alone But when they both are met in one Now you that tast of Hymens cheere See that your lips doe meet so neare That Cockels might be tutor'd there And let the whisprings of your love Such short and gentle murmurs prove As they were Lectures to the dove And in such strict embraces twine As if you read unto the Vine The Ivy and the Columbine Then let your mutuall bosomes beat Till they create by virtuall heat Mirrhe Balme and spikenard in a sweat Thence may there spring many a paire Of Sonnes and Daughters strong and faire How soone the Gods have heard my praier Me thinks already I espy The cradles rock the babies cry And drousy Nurses Lullaby An Epitaph upon his honour'd friend Mr Warre HEre lyes the knowing head the honest heart Faire blood and courteous hands and every part Of gentle Warre all with one stone content Though each deserv'd a severall monument He was beleive me Reader for 't is rare Virtuous though young and learned though an heire Not with his Blood or Natures gifts content He paid them both their tribute which they lent His ancestors in him fixed their pride So with him all reviv'd with him all dyed This made death lingring come asham'd to bee At once the ruine of a familie Learne Reader here though long thy line hath stood Time breeds consumptions in the noblest blood Learne Reader here to what our Glories come Here 's no distinction 'twixt the House and Toombe Vpon the losse of his little finger ARithmetique nine digits and no more Admits of then I still have all my store For what mischance hath tane from my left hand It seemes did only for a Cipher stand But this I 'le say for thee departed joynt Thou wert not given to steale nor pick nor point At any in disgrace but thou didst go Vntimely to thy Death only to show The other members what they once must doe Hand arme legge thigh and all must follow too Oft didst thou scan my verse where if I misse Henceforth I will impute the cause to this A fingers losse I speake it not in sport Will make a verse a Foot too short Farewell deare finger much I greive to see How soone mischance hath made a Hand of thee
with a second and that too A third wipes of so will we goe To numbers that the starrs out run And all the Atoms in the Sun For though we kisse till Phaebus ray Sink in the seas and kissing stay Till his bright beams return again There can of all but one remain And if for one good manners call In one good manners grant me all Are kisses all they but forerun Another duty to be done What would you of that minstrell say That tunes his pipes and will not play Say what are blossoms in their prime That ripen not in harvest time Or what are buds that ne're disclose The long'd for sweetnesse of the rose So kisses to a Lover's guest Are invitations not the feast See every thing that wee spy Is fruitfull saving you and I Veiw all the feilds survey the bowers The buds the blossoms and the flowers And say if they so rich could be In barren base Virginitie Earth's not so coy as you are now But willingly admits the plow For how had man or beast been fed If she had kept her maiden head Coelia once coy as are the rest Hangs now a babe on either brest And Chloris since a man she took Has lesse of greennesse in her look Our ewes have ean'd and every damme Gives suck unto her tender Lambe As by these groves we walk'd a long Some Birds were feeding of their young Some on their egges did brooding sit Sad that they had not hatch'd them yet Those that were slower then the rest Were busy building of their nest You will not only pay the fine You vow'd and ow'd to Vâ—…lentine As you were angling in the brook With silken line and silver hook Through Christall streams you might descry How vast and numberlesse a fry The fish had spawn'd that all along The banks were crowded with the throng And shall fair Venus more command By water then she does by land The Phoenix chast yet when she dyes Her self with her own ashes lyes But let thy Love more wisely thrive To doe the act while th' art alive 'T is time we left our childish Love That trades for toyes and now approve Our abler skill they are not wise Look Babies only in the eyes That smooth red smile shews what you meant And modest silence gives consent That which we now prepare will bee Best done in silent secresie Come doe not weep what is 't you feare Least some should know what we did here See not a flowre you prest is dead But re-erects his bended head That who soe're shall passe this way Knows not by these where Phyllis lay And in your forehead there is none Can read the act that we have done Phyllis Poore credulous and simple maid By what strange wiles art thou betraid A treasure thou hast lost to day For which thou canst no ransome pay How black art thou transform'd with sin How strange a guilt gnaws me within Greif will convert this red to pale When every Wake and whitsund-ale Shall talk my shame break break sad heart There is no Medicine for my smart No hearb nor balm can cure my sorrow Vnlesse you meet again to morrow Vpon a very deformed Gentlewoman but of a voice incomparably sweet I chanc'd sweet Lesbia's voice to heare O that the pleasure of the eare Contented had the appetite But I must satisfy the sight Where such a â—…ace I chanc'd to see From which good Lord deliver me I' st not prophane if I should tell I thought her one of those that fell With Lucifers Apostate traine Yet did her Angels voice retaine A cherubin her notes descry'd A Divell every where beside Aske the dark woods and they 'le confesse None did such Harmony expresse In all their bowres from May to Iune Yet nere was face so out of tune Her Virginall teeth false time did keep Her wrinkled forhead went too deep Lower then Gammath sunke her eyes 'Bove Ela though her nose did rise I 'le trust Musitians now that tell Best musique doth in discords dwell Her ayres entic'd the gentle quire Of Birds to come who all admire And would with pleasure longer stay But that her looks frights them away Which for a good Priapus goes And well may serve to scarre the crowes Her voice might tempt th' immortall race But let her only shew her face And soone shee might extinguish thus The lusting of an Incubus So have I seene a lute ore worne Old and rotten patcht and torne So ravish with a sound and bring A close so sweet to every string As would strike wonder in our eares And work an envy in the Spheares Say monster strange what maist thou be Whence shall I fetch thy Pedigree What but a Panther could beget A beast so foule a breath so sweet Or thou of Syrens issue art If they be fish the upper part Or else blind Homer was not mad Then when he sung Vlysses had So strange a guift from Aeolus Who odour-breathing Zephyrus In severall bottles did inclose For certain thou art one of those Thy lookes where other women place Their chiefest Pride is thy disgrace The tongue a part which us'd to be Worst in thy Sexe is best in thee Were I but now to choose my deare Not by my eye but by my eare Here would I dote how shall I wooe Thy voice and not thy body too Then all the brood I get of thee Would Nightingalls and Cygnets be Cygnets betimes their throats to trye Borne with more Musique then they dye Say Lesbia say what God will blesse Our Loves with so much happinesse Some women are all tongue but ô Why art not thou my Lesbia so Thy looks doe speak thee witch one spell To make thee but invisible Or dye resigne thy selfe to death And I will catch thy latest breath But that the nose will scarce I feare Finde it so sweet as did the eare Or if thou wouldst not have me coy As was the selfe-inam our'd Boy Turne only Voice an Eccho prove Here here by heav'n I fixe my Love If not you Gods to ease my mind Or make her dumbe or strike me blind For griefe and anger in me rise Whil'st shee hath tongue or I have eyes The milk-maids Epithalamium IOy to the Bridegroome and the Bride That lye by one anothers side O fie upon the Virgin Bedds No losse is gain but Maiden heads Love quickly send the time may be When I shall deal my Rosemary I long to simper at a feast To dance and kisse and doe the rest When I shall wed and Bedded be O then the qualme comes over me And tells the sweetnesse of a Theame That I ne're knew but in a dreame You Ladies have the blessed nights I pine in hope of such delights And silly Dam'sell only can Milk the cowes teats and think on man And sigh and wish to tast and prove The wholesome Sillibub of Love Make hast at once twin-Brothers beare And leave new matter for a starre Woemen and ships are never
when I wisely aime At greatest honours if I may deserve'm Not for ambition but for my Countryes good And in that vertue all the rest doe dwell In lesser dignities I want a name And when I am not over patient To put up such grosse wrongs as call me coward But can be angry yet in that observe What cause hath mov'd my anger and with whom Looke that it be not suddaine nor too thirsty Of a revenge nor violent nor greater Then the offence know my time when where I must be angry and how long remaine so Then then you may surname me Mansâ—…ude When in my carriage and discourse I keepe The meane that neither flatters nor offends I am that vertue the well nurtur'd Court Gives name and should doe being Courtesy Twixt fly dissembling and proud arrogance I am the vertue time calls daughter Truth Give me my sword and ballance rightly swayd And Iustice is the Title I deserve When on this stage I come with innocent wit And jests that have more of the sait then gall That move the laughter and delight of all Without the griefe of one free chast conceits Not scurrile base obscene illâ—…berall Or contumelious slanders I am then The vertue they have term'd Vrbanity To whom if your least countenance may appeare She vowes to make her constant dwelling here My daughters now are come The Song SCEN. 2. The Masque wherein all the Vertues dance together Mediâ—… You have seene all my daughters Gentlemen Chuse you wives hence you that are Batchelors Can finde no better And the married too May wed 'em yet not wrong their former wives Two may have the same wife and the same man May wed two Vertues yet no Bigamie He that weds most is chastest These are all The daughters of my wombe I have five more The happy Issue of my Intellect And thence syrnam'd the intellectuall Vertues They now attend not on their Mothers train We hope they Act in each spectators braine I have a Necce besides a beauteous one My daughters deare companion louely Friendship A royall Nymph her we present not to It is a vertue we expect from you Exit cum Chorocantantium SCEN. 3. Bird. O Sister what a glorious traine they be Flow They seeme to mee the Family of Love But is there such a Glasse good Roscius Rosci There is sent hither by the great Apollo Who in the worlds bright eye and every day Set in his Car of light survaies the earth From East to West who finding every place Fruitfull in nothing but fantastique follies And most ridiculous humors as he is The God of Physique thought it appertain'd To him to finde a cure to purge the earth Of ignorance and sinne two grand diseases And now grown Epidemicall many Receits He thought upon as to have planted Hellebore In every Garden But none pleas'd like this He takes out water from the Muses spring And sends it to the North there to be freez'd Into a Christall That being done he makes A Mirror with it and instills this vertue That it should by reflection shew each man All his deformities both of soule and body And cure 'em both Flow. Good Brother le ts goe see it Saints may want something of perfection Rosc. The Glasse is but of one daies continuance For Pluto thinking if it should cure all His Kingdome would grow empty for 't is sin That Peoples hell went to the fates and bid 'em Spin it too short a thred for every thing As well as man is measur'd by their spindle They as they must obey gave it a thread No longer then the Beast's of Hyppanis That in one day is spun drawne out and cut But Phoebus to require the black Gods envy Will when the Glasse is broke transfuse her vertue To live in Comedy If you meane to see it Make hast Flow. We will goe post to reformation Exeunt Ros. Nor is the Glasse of so short life I feare As this poore labour our distrustfull Author Thinkes the same Sun that rose upon her cradle Will hardly set before her funerall Your gratious and kind acceptance may Keepe her alive from death or when shee s dead Raise her again and spin her a new thread SCEN. 4. Enter Flowrdew and Bird. Flow. This ignorance even makes religion sin Sets zeale upon the rack and stretches her Beyond her length Most blessed Looking-glassâ—… That didst instruct my blinded eyes to day I might have gone to hell the Narrow-way Bird. Hereafter I will visit Comedies And see them oft they are good exercises I 'le teach devotion now a milder temper Not that it shall loose any of her heat Or Purity but henceforth shall be such As shall burne bright although not blaze so much Exeâ—…nt EPILOGVS Roscius solus Y'Have seen The Muses Looking-glasse Ladyes fair And Gentle-youths And others too who ere Have fill'd this Orbe it is the end we meant Your selves unto your selves still to present A souldier shall himselfe in Hector see Grave Councellors Nestor view themselves in thee When Lucrece Part shall on our Stage appeare Every chast Ladie sees her shaddow there Nay come who will for our indifferent Glasses Will show both fooles and knaves and all their faces To vexe and cure them But we need not feare We doe not doubt but each one now that 's here That has a faire soule and a Beauteous face Will visit oft the Muses Looking-glasse FINIS AMYNTAS OR THE IMPOSSIBLE DOVVRY A PASTORALL ACTED before the KING QUEENE at White-Hall Written by THOMAS RANDOLPH Pastorem Tityre pingues Pascere oportet oves diductum dicere Carmen OXFORD Printed by Leonard Lichfield for Francis Bowman 1638. Drammatis Personae Pilumnus The high Priest of Ceres Father to Damon and Vrania Medorus Father to Laurinda Claius A wild Sylvan father to Amyntas and Amaryllis Corymbus An under Priest Two Rivalls in Laurinda's Love Damon Alexis Amyntas A mad Sheapheard Laurinda A wavering Nymph Vrania A sad Nymph enamoured on Amyntas Amarillis A distressed sheapheardesse in love with Damon Thestylis An old Nymph sister to Claius Iocastus A fantastique sheapherd fairy Knight Bromius His man a blunt Clowne Mopsus A foolish Augur enamoured on Thestylis Dorylas A knavish boy Echo Chorus of Priests Chorus of Sheapheards Chorus of Nymphs Quorum fit mentio Philaebus Lalage Mycon The Scene Sicilie in the holy Vale. The time an Astrologicall day from Noone to Noone PROLOGVS Nymph Shepheard Nym. I Le speak the Prologue Sheap Then you doe mee wrong Nym. Why dare your Sexe compare with ours for Tongue Sheap A Female Prologue Nym. Yes as well as Male. Shep. That 's a new trick Nym. And t'other is as stale Shep. Men are more eloquent then women made Nym. But women are more powrfull to perswade Shep. It seemes so for I dare no more contend Nym. Then best give ore the strife and make an end Sheap I will not yeeld Nym. Shall we divide it then Sheap You to the Woemen speak Nym. You
could keepe a meane Disorder is the Masque we bring And Discords are the Tunes we sing No sound in our harsh eares can find a place But highest Trebles or the lowest Base Flow. See Brother if mens hearts and Consciences Had not been sear'd and cauterized how could they Affect these filthy harbingers of hell These Procters of Belzebub Lucifers Hinch-boyes Rosci I pray yee stirre your selves within a while Exeunt Roscius Solus And here unlesse your favourable mildnesse With hope of mercy doe encourage us Our Author bids us end he dares not venture Neither what 's past nor that which is to come Vpon his Country 't is so weake and impotent It cannot stand a triall nor dares hope The benefit of his Cleargy But if rigour Sit Iudge must of necessity be condemn'd To Vulcan or the Spunge All he can plead Is a desire of Pardon for he brings you No plot at all but a meere Olla Podrida A medly of ill-plac'd and worse pen'd humours His desire was in single Scenes to shew How Comedy presents each single vice Ridiculous whose number as their Character He borrowes from the man to whom he owes All the poore skill he has great Aristotle Now if you can endure to heare the rest Y' are welcome if you cannot doe but tell Your meaning by some signe and all farewell If you will stay resolve to pardon first Our Author will deserve it by offending Yet if he misse a Pardon as in Iustice You cannot grant it though your mercy may Still he hath this left for a comfort to him That he picks forth a subject of his Rime May loose perchance his credit not his time Exit Finis Actus 1. ACTVS 2. SCENA I. Roscius Bird. Flowrdew Rosc. REceive your places The first that we present are the Extreams of a vertue necessary in our Conversation call'd Comitas or Courtesy which as all other vertues hath her deviations from the Mean The one Colax that to seeme over Courteous falls into a servile flattery the other as fooles fall into the contraries which they shunne is Dyscolus who hating to bee a slavish Parasite growes into peevishnesse and impertinent distast Flow. I thought you taught two vices for one vertue Rosci So does Philosophy but the Actors enter Colax Dyscolus Colax How farre they sinne against humanity That use you thus Believe me 't is a Symptom Of Barbarisme and rudenesse so to vexe A gentle modest nature as yours is Dysco Why dost thou vexe methen Colax I Heaven defend My breeding has been better I vexe you You that I know so vertuous just and wise So pious and religious so admir'd So lov'd of all Dysc Wilt thou not leave me then Eternall Torture could your cruelty find No back but mine that you thought broad enough To beare the load of all these Epithites Pious Religious he takes me for a foole Vertuous and Iust Sir did I ever cheat you Cozen or gull you that you call me just And vertuous I am grown the common scoff Of all the world the scoff of all the world Colax The world is grown too vile then Dysc So art thou Heaven I am â—…un'd ridiculous Colax You ridiculous But 't is as impious Age There was a time And pitty 't is so good a time had wings To fly away when reverence was payd To a gray head 't was held a sacriledge Not expiable to deny respect To one Sir of your years and Gravity Dysc My yeares and gravity Why how ol d am I I am not rotten yet or grown so ranke As I should smell oth'grave O Times and manners Well Colax well goe on you may abuse me Poore dust and ashes wormes meat yeares gravity He takes me for a Carkasse what see you So crazy in me I have halfe my Teeth I see with spectacles doe I not and can walke too With th' benefit of my staffe marke if I cannot But you sir at your pleasure with years and gravity Think me decrepit Colax How Decrepit sir I see young roses bud within your cheeks And a quick active blood run free and fresh Through your veines Dysco I am turn'd boy again A very stripling schooleboy have I not The Itch and kibes am I not scabb'd and mangy About the wrists and hams Colax Still Dyscolus Dysc Dyscolus and why Dyscolus when were we Grown so familiar Dyscolus by my name Sure we are Pylades and Orestes are we not Speak good Pylades Colax Nay worthy Sir Pardon my error 't was without intent Of an offence I le finde some other name To call you by Dysc What doe you mean to call mee Foole Asse or Knave my name is not so bad As that I am asham'd on 't Colax Still you take all worse then it was meant You are too Iealous Dysco Iealous I ha'not cause for 't my wife 's honest Dost see my hornes Doest if thou doest Write Cuckold in my forehead doe write Cuckold With Aqua-fortis doe Iealous I am jealous Free of the Company wife I am jealous Colax I mean suspitious Dysc How suspitious For what for Treason Felony or Murder Carry me to the Iustice bind me over For a suspitious person hang me too For a suspicious person O O O Some courteous plague ceazeme and free my soule From this immortall Torment every thing I meet with is vexation and this this Is the vexation of vexations The Hell of Hells and Divell of all Divells Flow. For pitty sake fret not the good old Gentleman Dysc O! have I not yet torments great enough But you must adde to my affliction Eternall silence ceaze you Colax Sir we strive To please you but you still misconstrue us Dysc I must be pleas'd a very babe an infant I must be pleas'd give me some pappe or plummes Buy me a rattle or a hobby-horse To still me doe be pleas'd wouldst have me get A Parasite to be flatter'd Col. How a Parasite A cogging flatt'ring slavish Parasite Things I abhorre and hate T is not the belly Shall make my brains a captive Flatterers Soules below reason will not stoope so low As to give up their Liberty only flatterers Move by anothers wheele They have no passions Free to themselves All their affections Qualities humors appetites desires Nay wishes vowes and prayers discourse thoughts Are but anothers Bondman Let me tugg At the Turkes Gallies be eternally Damn'd to a Quarry In this state my minde Is free A flatterer has nor soule nor body What shall I say No I applaud your temper That in a generous bravenesse take distast At such whose servile nature strives to please you T is royall in you Sir Dysc Ha! What 's that Colax A feather stuck upon your cloak Dysc A feather And what have you to doe with my feathers Why should you hinder me from telling th' world I doe not lye on flockbeds Colax Pray be pleas'd I brusht it off for meere respect I bare you Dysc Respect a fine respect Sir is it not To
make the world believe I nourish vermine O death death death if that our graves hatch wormes Without tongues to torment us let 'um have What teeth they will I meet not here an object But adds to my affliction Sure I am not A man I could not then be so ridiculous My eares are overgrown I am an Asse It is my eares they gaze at What strange Harpy Centaure or Gorgon am I turn'd into What Circe wrought my Metamorphosis If I be beast she might haue made me Lyon Or something not ridiculous O Acteon If I doe branch like thee it is my fortune Why look they on me else There is with in A Glasse they say that has strange qualities in it That shall resolve me I will in to see Whether or no I man or Monster be Exit SCEN. II To them Deilus Aphobus Bird. Who be these They look like Presumption and Despaire Rosc. And such they are That is Aphobius one that out of an impious confidence fears nothing The other Deilus that from an Atheisticall distrust shakes at the motion of a reed These are the Extreams of Fortitude that steeres an even course between over much darâ—…ing and overmuch fearing Flowr Why stayes this reprobate Colax Rosc. Any vice Yeelds work for Flattery Flow. A good Doctrine marke it Deilus Is it possible did you not fear it say you To me the meere relation is anague Good Aphobus no more such terrible stories I would not for a world lye alone to night I shall have such strange dreames Apho. What can there be That I should fear The Gods If they be good T is sin to fear them if not good no Gods And then let them fear me Or are they Divells That must affright me Deilus Diuells where good Aphobus I thought there was some conjureing abroad T is such a terrible wind O here it is Now it is here again O still still still Apho. What 's the matter Deilus Still it followes me The thing in black behind soone as the Sun But shines it haunts mee Gentle spirit leave mee Cannot you lay him Aphobus what an ugly looks it has With eyes as big as sawcers nostrills wider Then Barbers basons Apho. T is nothing Deilus But your weak Phancy that from every object Drawes arguments of fear This terrible black thing Deil. Wher is it Aphobus Apho. Is but your shadow Deilus Deil. And should not we fear shadowes Apho. No! why should we Deil. Who knows but they come learing after us To steale away the substance Watch him Aphobus Apho. I nothing fear Colax I doe commend your valour That fixes your great soule fast as a Center Not to be mov'd with dangers let slight cock-boats Be shaken with a wave while you stand firme Like an undaunted rock whose constant hardnesse Rebeats the fury of the raging Sea Dashing it into froth Base fear doth argue A low degenerate soule Deil. Now I fear every thing Colax T is your discretion Every thing has danger And therefore every thing is to be feared I doe applaud this wisdome T is a symptome Of wary providence His too confident rashnesse Argues a stupid ignorance in the soule A blind and senselesse judgement give me feare To man the fort 't is such a circumspect And wary sentinell Flow. Now shame take thee for A Luke warme formalist Colax But daring valour Vncapable of danger sleepes securely And leaves an open entrance to his enemies Deil. What are they landed Apho. Who Deil. The enemies That Colax talkes of Apho. If they be I care not Though they be Gyants all and arm'd with thunder Deil. Why doe you not fear Thunder Apho. Thunder no! No more then squibs and crackers Deil. Squibs and crackers I hope there be none here slid squibs and crackers The meere Epitomies of the Gun-powder Treason Faux in a lesser volume Apho. Let fooles gaze At bearded starres it is all one to mee As if they had been shav'd thus thus would I Out-beard a Meteour for I might as well Name it a prodigy when my candle blazes Deil. Is there a Comet say you Nay I saw it It reach'd from Pauls to Charing and portends Some certain imminent danger to th' inhabitants Twixt those two places I 'le goe get a lodging Out of its Influence Colax Will that serve I feare It threatens generall ruine to the Kingdome Deil. I 'le to some other Country Colax There 's danger too to crosse the Seas Deil. Is there no way good Colax To crosse the Sea by Land O the scituation The horrible scituation of an Island Colax You sir are farre above such frivolons thoughts You fear not death Apho. Not I. Col. Not sudden death Apho. No more then sudden sleepes Sir I dare dye Deil. I dare not Death to me is terrible I will not dye Apho. How can you Sir prevent it Deil. Why I will kill my selfe Col. A valiant course And the right way to prevent death indeed Your spirit is true Roman But yours greater That fear not death nor yet the manner of it Should Heaven fall Apho. Why then we should have Larkes Deil. I shall never eate Larkes again while I breath Col. Or should the earth yawn like a sepulcher And with an open throat swallow you quick Apho. T' would save me the expences of a grave Deil. I 'had rather trouble my Exequutors by ' the half Apho. Canons to me are pot-guns Deil. Potguns to me Are Canons the report will strike me dead Apho. A rapier 's but a bodkin Deil. And a bodkin Is a most dangerous weapon since I read Of Iulius Cesars death I durst not venture Into a Tailors shop for fear of Bodkins Apho. O that the valiant Gyants would again Rebell against the Gods and besiege Heaven So I might be their leader Col. Had Enceladus Been halfe so valiant Iove had been his prisoner Apho. Why should we think there be such things as dangers Scylla Charybdis Python are but fables Medeas Bull and Dragon very tales Seâ—… monsters serpents all Poeticall figments Nay Hell it selfe and Acheron meere inventions Or were they true as they are false should I be So timorous as to fear these Bugbeare Harpyes Medusa's Centaurs Gorgons Deill O good Aphobus Leave conjuring or take me into th' circle What shall I doe good Colax Col. Sir walke in There is they say a Looking-glasse a strange one Of admirable vertues that will render you Free from inchantments Dei How a Looking-glasse Dost think I can endure it why there lies A man within 't in ambush to entrap me I did but lift my hand up and he presently Catcht at it Colax 'T was the shadow Sir of your selfe Trust me a meere reflection Deil. I will trust thee Exit Apho. What Glasse is that Colax A trick to fright the Idiot Out of his wits a glasse so full of dread Rendring unto the eye such horrid spectacles As would amaze even you Sir I doe think Your optick nerves would shrink in the beholding This if