her Scena quinta AMARILLIS CORISCA. Am. DEar happy Groves and you ye sollitary And silent horrors where true peace doth tarry With how much joy do I review you And Had my stars pleas'd to give me the command Over my self that I might chuse my lot And my own way of life then would I not For the Elisians groves about which range The happy shades your happy shades exchange For what we foolish mortals Goods do call If rightly understood are Evils all He that hath most of them in truth hath least Nor is so much possessor as possest Not riches no but of our freedome snares What boots it in the spring-time of one's yeers To have the Attributes of Fair and Good In mortall veins to lock celestiall blood Graces of body and of mind here fair And laughing fields of corn rich meadows there In fruitfull pasture-grounds more fruitfull flocks If with all these the heart contentment lacks Happy that shepherdesse whom some course stuffe Obscurely cloaths yet clean and just enough Rich onely in her self and bravely drest With Nature's ornaments which are the best Who in sweet poverty no want doth know Nor the distractions which from riches grow Yet whatsoever may suffice the mind In that estate abundantly doth finde Poor but content with Nature's gifts retrives The gifts of Nature Milk with milk revives And with the sweet which from the Bee she gets Seasons the honey of her native sweets One fountain is her looking glasse her drink Her bath and if she 's pleas'd what others think It matters not she heeds not blazing starres That threaten mighty ones warres or no warres It is all one to her her battlement And shield is that she 's poor Poor but content One onely care 't is a sweet care doth keep Her heart awake she feeds her Masters sheep With pearled grasse and with her lovely eyes Some honest swain that for her beauty dies Not such as men or Gods chuse to her hand But such as Love did to her choice commend And in some favour'd shady Mirtle grove Desires and is desir'd Nor feels of Love One spark which unto him she doth not show Nor shows one spark with which he doth not glow Poor but content True life which till the breath Forsakes the body knowst not what is death Would Heaven had made me such a one But see Corisca Sweet Corisca. Cor. Who calls me My Amarillis dearer then mine owne Eyes or life to me whither so alone Am. No farther then thou seest nor anywhere Could I be better since I weet thee here Cor. Thou hast met her that never parts from thee Sweet Amarillis and now credit me Was thinking of thee saying in my heart If I'm her soul how can she live apart From me When straight I saw thee here but go Thou car'st not for Corisca now Am. Why so Cor. Why Dost thou ask the question thou dost wed To day Am. I wed Cor. Yes and thou keepst it hid From me Am. How can I tell thee that which I Am ignorant my self of Cor. Do deny And wear a mask to me Am. Still jest with me Corisca. Cor. I am jested with by thee Am. But speakst thou this for truth Cor. I 'le swear 't is so And knowst thou nothing of 't indeed Am. I know I 'm promis'd but that I should be a wife So soon is news to me upon my life But from whom knowst it thou Cor. From my own Brother Ormino and he sayes there is no other Discourse abroad Thou seem'st perplext is this News to perplex one Am. O Corisca 'T is A hideous gulfe I 've heard my mother say W' are then new born Cor. Most true 't is our birth day T' a better life therefore rejoyce Dost fetch A sigh leave sighing to that wretch Am. What wretch Cor. Mirtillo who was present casually At what my brother told mee and was nigh Strook dead with grief and doubtlesse he had dy'd If a good cordiall I had not apply'd By promising to break this Match Which though I said onely to comfort him I know If need were how to do 't Am. Canst thou tell How to break this Match Cor. Yes very well Am. I prethee how Cor. With ease if thou wert but Consenting likewise and assisting to 't Am. Could I suppose this possible and thou Wouldst not reveal it I would tell thee now A secret that hath long burnt in my heart Cor. Who I reveal it Let the earth first part And swallow me alive miraculously Am. Know then Corisca when I think that I Must all my life be subject to a Boy That hates and flyes me and doth take no joy But in the woods preferring hunting farre Before the love of all the Nymphs that are It makes me male content and desperate Indeed almost although I dare not say 't Because my faith I have already given Unto my Father and what 's worse to Heav'n And break with them I neither will nor may But if thy industry can finde a way Alwayes provided that my Honestie My Faith my Life and my Religion be Preserv'd t' untie this knot that galls me so To thee my life and safety I shall owe. Cor. If this were it that caus'd thy sighing thou Hadst great cause for it Amarillis How Oft have I said What pity 't is to throw So rich a thing to one that scorns it so A pearl t' a swine why speak'st not to thy Father Am. Shame stops my mouth Cor. There 's a disease I 'd rather For my part have a Fistula or Feaver But 't will be cur'd Orecome it once 't will never Return again Am. That cannot be orecome That 's naturall For if I drive it from My heart it flies into my face Cor. Alas My Amarillis oft it comes to passe She that through too much wisdom holds her tongue Roars out at last like mad being throughly stung Hadst thou before been willing to discover Thy mind to me this trouble had been over And now thou hast Corisca's power this day In all its colours shall it self display Into more skilfull hands more faithfull then Mine are thou never couldst have faln But when From an ill Husband thou art freed by mee Shall not an honest Suitor welcom be Am. Wee 'l think of that at leasure Cor. That good youth Mirtillo must not be forgot in sooth For parts for spotlesse faith for shape thou knowst Of all men living hee deserves thee most And canst thou let him dye O cruelty Nor wilt so much as hear him say I dye Hear him but once Am. 'T were better he would rest In peace and root a love out of his brest That 's vain Cor. That comfort give him ere he dye Am. 'T would rather double his perplexity Cor. If it do so the seeking is his own Am. And what must I expect should it be known Cor. How cowardly thou art Am. And let me still Be cowardly in any thing that 's ill Cor. If thou mayst fail
eyes Scena sexta MIRTILLO CORISCA. Mir. HEar ye damn'd spirits that in hell lament Hear a new sort of pain and punishment See in a Turtles look a Tigers minde She crueller then death 'cause she did find One death would not suffice her bloody will And that to live was to be dying still Enjoyns me not to make my self away That I might die a thousand times a day Cor. I 'le make as though I saw him not I hear A dolefull voice pierce my relenting ear Who should it be Mirtillo is it thou Mir. I would it were my ghost Cor. Well well but how And tell me true thy self now dost thou find Since to thy dearest Nymph thou brak'st thy mind Mir. As one who in a feaver cast Forbidden liquor long'd to taste If gotten sets it to his mouth And quenches life but cannot drouth So I with amorous feaver long Consumed from her eyes and tongue Sweet poyson suck'd which leaves me more Enflamed then I was before Cor. Love upon us no power can have But what our selves Mirtillo gave As a Bear doth with her tongue Polish her mishapen young Which had else in vain been born So an Am'rist giving form To a rude and faint desire That would otherwise expire Hatches Love which is at first Weak and raw but when 't is nurst Fierce and cruell Take 't upon My word an old affection Tyrannizes in a brest And grows a Master from a guest For when the soul shall once be brought To be fettered to one thought And that not have the pow'r to move A minute from its object Love Made for delight will turn to sadness And which is worse to death or madness Therefore my advice shall be To part thy love to two or three Mir. Let death or madness me betide Rather then my Flame divide Amarillis though she be Cruell and unkind to me Is my Life and Reason too And to her I will be true Cor. Foolish Swain that canst not tell How to make a bargain well What change love for hatred I Rather now then do 't would dye Mir. Cruelty doth faith refine As the fire the golden mine Where were the loyaltie of Love If women should not tyrants prove In my many suffrings this All my joy and comfort is Sorrows tortures exile gall Here 's a cause will sweeten all Let me languish let me burn Let me any thing but turn Cor. O brave Lover valiant brest More impetuous then a beast And yet tamer then a rock Which endures the Ocean's shock In Lovers hearts there cannot be A worse disease then Constancie O most unhappy those in whom This foolish I do I finds a room Which shackles us when we might prove The sweet variety of Love With this dull vertue Constancie Tell me simple Lover why Amarillis For her face Whom another must embrace Or do'st thou affect her mind Which to thee is not inclin'd All then thou canst doat upon Is thine own destruction And wilt thou be still so mad To covet that cannot be had Up Mirtillo know thy parts Canst thou want a thousand hearts Others I dare swear there be That would sue as much to thee Mir. To be Amarillis thrall Is more then to command them all And if she my suit deny All that 's pleasure I defie I to make another choice In another I rejoyce Neither could I if I would Neither would I if I could But if possible to me Such a will or power be Heav'n and Love before that hour Strip me of all will and pow'r Cor. Thou art enchanted otherwise Couldst thou too thy self despise Mir. I must when I 'm despis'd by her Corisca Cor. Come Mirtillo ne're Deceive thy self perhaps thou dost suppose Shee loves thee in her heart although shee showes An outward scorn If thou but knewst what shee Talks oftentimes to me concerning thee Mir. All these are trophies of my constant love With which I 'le triumph o're the Pow'rs above And men below my torments and her hate O're Fortune and the world o're Death and Fate Cor. Wonder of Constancy if this man knew How much hee 's lov'd by her what would hee do Mirtillo how it pities me to hear These frantick speeches Tell me wert thou ' ere In love before Mir. Fair Amarillis was My first and shall be my last Love Cor. Alas It should seem then that thou didst never prove Any but cruell but disdainfull Love O that 't had been thy chance but once to be In love with one that 's gentle courteous free Try that a little try it and thou 'lt finde How sweet it is to meet with one that 's kinde That loves and honours thee as much as thou Thy sowre and cruell Amarillis how Delightfull 't is to have a joy as great As is thy love a happinesse compleat As thy own wish to have thy Mistresse twine About thy neck and her sighs eccho thine And after say My Joy all that I have All that I am and thy desires can crave At thy devotion is If I am fair For thee I 'm fair for thee I deck this hair This face this bosome from this brest of mine I turn'd out my own heart to harbour thine But this is a small river to that vast Sweet sea of pleasure which love makes us taste And they alone that taste can well relate Mir. A thousand thousand times most fortunate Is he that 's born under so blest a star Cor. Hear me Mirtillo ' ere I was aware I 'd almost call'd him mine a Nymph as fair As the proud'st she that curls or spreads to th' air Her golden tresses worthy of thy love As thou of hers the honour of this Grove Love of all hearts by every worthier swain In vain sollicited ador'd in vain Doth love thee onely and thee onely prize More then her life and more then her own eyes Mirtillo scorn her not if wise thou be For as the shadow doth the body she Will follow thee through all the world she will At thy least word and beck be ready still As thy obedient hand-maid night and day With thee shee 'll passe the tedious hours away Ah! do not wave Mirtillo do not wave So rare a blisse the perfect'st joyes we have Are those which neither sighs nor tears do cost Nor danger and on which least time is lost Here thou hast passe-time at thy door a feast Upon the table alwayes ready drest To please thy taste Ay me canst thou receive A greater gift then this Mirtillo Leave Leave this cold hunting after flying feet And her that runs to thy embraces meet Nor do I feed thee with vain hopes command Her come and she that loves thee is at hand Now if thou say the word Mir. I prethee rest Content my pallat is not for a feast Cor. Try but what joy is made of once and then Return unto thy wonted grief agen That thou maist say thou hadst a taste of both Mir. Distemper'd palats all sweet things do
likewise Swains that shew your selves no lesse Devout then they your voyces all unite And once again invoke the Queen of Night Ch. Sh. Sol's Sister Daughter of great Iupiter That shin'st a second Sun in the first Sphere To the blind world Mont. Now shepherds and my servants all Withdraw your selves and come not till I call Valiant young man who to bestow upon Another life abandonest thine owne Die with this comfort For a puffe of breath Which by the abject spirit is call'd death Thou buy'st Eternity and when the tooth Of envious Time consuming the world's youth Millions of lesser names devoured hath Then thou shalt live the pattern of true faith But for the Law commands that thou shouldst die A silent Sacrifice before thou ply Thy knee to earth if thou wouldst ought deliver Speak and hereafter hold thy peace for ever Mir. Father for though thou kill me yet I must Give thee that name My body to the dust Whereof'twas made and kneaded up I give My Soule to her in whom alone I live But if she die as she hath vow'd of me What part alas will then surviving be How sweet will death be unto me if I In mine owne person not in hers may die And if he merit pity at his death Who for meer pity now resignes his breath Take care deer Father of her life that I Wing'd with that hope t' a better life may fly Let my Fate rest at my destruction Stop at my ruine but when I am gone Let my divorced soul in her survive Although from her I was divorc'd alive Mont. Scarcely can I refrain from weeping now O our mortality how frail art thou Son be of comfort for I promise thee I will perform all thou desir'st of me Here 's my hand on 't and solemnly I swear Ev'n by this Miter'd head Mir. Then vanish fear And now for the most faithfull soul make room For Amarillis unto thee I come With the sweet name of Amarillis I Close up my mouth and silent kneel to die Mont. Now sacred Ministers the Rites begin With liquid odoriferous Gumms keep in The flame and strowing frank incense and mirrhe Whole clouds of perfume to the Gods preferre Cho. Sh. Sol's Sister Daughter of great Iupiter That shin'st a second Sun in the first Sphere To the blind world Scena quarta CARINO MONTANO NICANDRO MIRTILLO Chorus of Shepherds Car. DId ever man so many houses view And the inhabitants thereof so few But see the cause If I mistake me not They 're gotten all together here O what A troop how rich how solemn It is sure Some Sacrifice Mont. Give me the golden Ewre With the red wine Nicandro Nic. There Mont. So may Soft pity in thy brest revive to day By this unguilty blood Goddesse divine As by the sprinkling of these drops of wine This pale and dying flame revives Set up The golden Ewre Reach mee the silver cup. So may the burning wrath he quencht which in Thy brest was kindled by a false Maid's sinne As with this water powr'd out like our tears I quench this flame Car. 'T's a Sacrifice but where 's The offering Mont. Now all 's prepar'd there lacks Onely the fatall stroak Lend me the Axe Car. I see a thing unlesse my eyes mistake Like a man kneeling this way with his back Is he the offering 'T is so Ah wretch And o're his head the Priest his hand doth stretch O my poor Country after all these years Is not Heav'ns wrath yet quencht with blood and tears Ch. Sh. Sol's Sister Daughter of great Iupiter That shin'st a second Sun in the first Sphere To the blind world Mont. Revengefull Goddesse who a private fault With publick rod dost punish Thou hast thought Fit so to doe and so in the Abysse Of Providence eternall fixt it is Since faithlesse Lucrin's tainted blood was thought For thy nice Iustice too impure a draught Carouse the guiltlesse blood then of this Swain By me now at thy Altar to be slain A willing Sacrifice and to his Lasse As true a Lover as Aminta was Ch. Sh. Sol's Sister Daughter of great Iupiter That shin'st a second Sun in the first Sphere To the blind world Mont. Ah how my brest with pity now relents What sudden numnesse fetters every sense I ne're was so before To lift this Axe My hands lack strength and my heart courage lacks Car. I 'le see the wretches face and so be gone For such dire sights I cannot look upon Mont. Perhaps the Sun though setting will not look On humane Sacrifice and I am strook Therefore with horrour Shepherd change thy place And to the Mountain turn thy dying face So now 't is well Car. Alas what gaze I at Is 't not my Son Is 't not Mirtillo that Mon. Now I can do 't Car. 'T is he Mon. And aim my blow Car. Hold sacred Minister what dost thou do Mont. Nay thou profane rash man how dar'st thou thus Impose a sacrilegious hand on us Car. O all my joy Mirtillo I ne're thought Mon. Avant old man that dot'st or art distraught Car. T' imbrace thee in this sort Mont. Avant I say It is not lawfull impure hands to lay Upon things sacred to the gods Car. 'T was they That sent me to this place Mont. Nicandro stay We 'l hear him and then let him go his way Car. Ah courteous Minister before thy hand Upon the life of this young man descend Tell me but why he dyes This I implore By that Divinitie thou dost adore Mon. By such a Goddesse thou conjur'st me that I should be impious to deny But what Concerns it thee Car. More then thou dost suppose Mon. Because to die he for another chose Car. Then I will die for him O take in stead Of his this old already tott'ring head Mon. Thou rav'st friend Car. Why am I deni'd that now Which unto him was granted Mon. Because thou A stranger art Car. And if I should prove none What then Mon. Although thou shouldst it were all one Because he cannot be exchang'd again Who for another in exchange was ta'ne But who art thou if thou no stranger be Thy habit speaks thee not of Arcadie Car. Yet am I an Arcadian Mont. I did ne're See thee before to my remembrance here Car. My name 's Carino I was born hard by This wretche's Father who is now to die Mont. Hence hence lest through thy fond paternal love Our Sacrifice should vain and fruitlesse prove Car. O if thou wert a Father Mont. I am one I and the Father of an onely Son A tender Father too yet if this were My Silvio's head by Silvio's head I swear I would as forward be to do to his What I must do to this For no man is Worthy this sacred Robe but he that can For publick good put off the private man Car. Yet let me kisse him ' ere he die Mon. Nor touch Car. O mine own flesh and blood art thou so much A tyrant to me
bounteous heav'n Cor. But see Ergasto's here How opportunely doth he now appear Erg. At such a time let every living thing Heav'n Earth Air Fire the whole world laugh and sing To hell it self let our full joyes extend And there the torments of the damn'd suspend Cor. What rapture 's this Er. Blest woods whose murmuring voyce When we lamented did lament rejoyce At our joyes too and wag as many tongues As you have leaves now dancing to the songs Of the pleas'd Birds and musick of the Air Which rings with our delight Sing of a pair Of noble Lovers the felicitie Unparalell'd Cor. He doth speak certainly Of Silvio and Dorinda Every thing I see would live How soon the shallow spring Of tears dryes up with us but the swoln river Of gladnesse tarries with the longer liver Of Amarillis who is dead there 's now No more discourse the onely care is how To laugh with them that laugh and t is well done Each man hath too much sorrow of his own Whither so glad Ergasto dost thou go Unto a Wedding happily Erg. I do Indeed Hast heard Corisca then the wonder O' th' two blest Lovers was 't not strange Cor. I underStood it of Linco now with joy of heart Which my great grief doth mitigate in part For the sad death of Amarillis Erg. How Whom dost thou speak of or speak I thinkst thou Cor. Why of Dorinda and of Silvio Erg. What Silvio what Dorinda Dost not know Then what hath past My joy its linage drawes From a more high stupendious noble Cause Of Amarillis and Mirtillo I Discourse the happiest Pair that this day frye Under the torrid Zone of Love Cor. Is not Then Amarillis dead Ergasto Erg. What Death She 's alive glad beauteous and a Wife Cor. Thou mock'st me Shepherd Er. No upon my life Cor. Was she not then condemn'd Er. She was 't is true But presently she was acquitted too Cor. Do I dream this or dost thou dreams relate Erg. Stay here a little thou shalt see her straight Come with her faithful and most fortunate Mirtillo from the temple where they 're now And interchanged have their Nuptiall vow Towards Montano's of the bitter root Of their long Loves to gather the sweet fruit O hadst thou seen mens joyes spring in their eyes If thou hadst heard the musick of their cryes The temple's still as full as it can hold Of numbers numberlesse Men women old Young Prelates Laymen are confounded there Together and distracted cannot bear Their joy With wonder every one doth run To see the happy couple every one Adores them every one embraces them Their pity one extols another's theme Their constant faith is or those graces giv'n To them by Nature or infus'd from Heav'n The laund the dale the mountain and the plain Resound the faithfull Shepherd's glorious name O happy happy Lover to become From a poor Swain almost a God so soon From death to life whilst I speak this to passe And change a winding-sheet which ready was For a remote despair'd-of Nuptiall Though it be much Corisca is not all But to enjoy her whom he seem'd t' injoy In dying for her her who would destroy Her selfe not to excuse but share his Fate His Mate in life and not in death his Mate This is such joy such ravishing joy is this As doth exceed all we can fancie Blisse And dost not thou rejoyce and apprehend A joy for Amarillis that 's thy Friend As great as that which I doe for my true Mirtillo Cor. Yes dost thou not see I doe Erg. O! if thou hadst present been Amarillis to have seen As the pledge of Faith when she Gave her hand to him and he As the pledge of Love did either Give or receive I know not whether A sweet inestimable kisse Surely thou hadst dy'd of blisse There was Scarlet there were Roses All the colours all the posies Art or Nature ere did mix Were excell'd by her pure cheeks Cover'd with a waving shield By her blushing Beauty held Stain'd with blood which did provoke From the striker a new stroke And shee coy and nice in show Seem'd to shun that shee might so With more pleasure meet the blow Leaving it in doubt if that Kisses were ravish'd or not With such admirable Art 'T was in part bestow'd in part Snatch'd from her And that disdain Which she did so sweetly fain Was a willing No an Act Mixt of Conquest and Compact Such a coming in her flying As shew'd yeelding in denying Such sweet anger at th' abuse In forcing her as forc'd him use That force again such art to crave The thing she would not yet would have As drew him the faster on To snatch that which would be gone O heav'nly kisse Corisca I Can no longer hold God bu'y I 'le marry too The Powr's above Give no true joy to men but Love Cor. If he Corisca have told truth this day Quite cures thy wits or takes them quite away Scena nona Chorus of Shepherds CORISCA AMARILLIS MIRTILLO Cho. HOly Hymen hear our pray'r And our Song The Earth hath not A more happy loving pair Both of them Divinely got Pull holy Hymen pull the destin'd knot Cor. Ay me Ergasto told me true I see This is the fruits wretch of thy vanitie O thoughts O wishes as unjust as vain And fond Would I an innocent have slain To compasse my unbridled will So blind So cruell was I Who doth now unbind Mine eyes Ah wretch what do I see my sin With the mask off just as 't is here within Cho. Holy Hymen hear our pray'r And our song The Earth hath not A more happy loving Pair Both of them divinely got Pull holy Hymen pull the destin'd knot See thou Faithfull Shepherd where After many a briny tear After many a stormy blast Thou art landed now at last Is not this behold her shee Heav'n and Earth deny'd to thee And thy cruell Destinie And her Icie Chastitie And thy degree so far beneath And 〈◊〉 Contract and thy Death Yet Mirtillo loe shee 's thine That sweet face those eyes divine Brest and hands and all that thou See'st and hear'st and touchest now And so often hast in vain Sigh'd for now thou dost obtain As thy constant Love's reward Yet thy lips hath silence barr'd Mir. ' Cannot speak I do not know Whether I 'm alive or no. Or if these things reall be Which I seem to hear and see Sweetest Amarillis mine For my soul is lodg'd in thine I from thee would gladly know Tell me Love are these things so Cho. Holy Hymen hear our pray'r And our song The Earth hath not A more happy loving Pair Both of them divinely got Pull holy Hymen pull the destin'd knot Cor. But why do you you still about me stay Arts to deceive the world arts to betray The body's robes but the souls rags For one I 'm sure shee 's cousen'd by you and undone Pack hence and as from worms ye had your birth Return to
love Knowst thou who I am who thou art Lin. Thou art a man or shouldst be one and I Another what I teach Humanity And if thou scorn that name which is my pride Take heed in stead of being deifi'd Thou turn not beast Sil. That monster-taming King From whom my lofty pedegree I bring Had never grown so valiant nor so fam'd If first the monster Love he had not tam'd Lin. See foolish youth how idly thou talkst now Had great Alcides been no Lover how Hadst thou been born Rather if he orecame Monsters and men to Love impute the same Knowst thou not yet that to comply with fair Omphales humour he not onely ware In stead of the fierce Lions rugged skin Womens soft robes but taught those hands to spin And hold a feeble distaffe which did bear The knotty Club His interludes these were Between his Acts And when his ribs were beat With dear-bought Counquests he would then retreat Into her lap the bay of sweet delight As in Love's port to be new built for fight His sighs from his past toils sweet breathings were And spirits strengthning him new toils to bear For as the iron of it self too rough And of a harsh unmalleable stuffe Softned with fire and gentler metall strength From weaknesse gathers and becomes at length Fit for the noblest use so hearts untam'd Which their own stifnesse often breaks enflam'd With generous Love and with his sweets allay'd Are cleerer apter for great Actions made If th' art ambitious then to imitate Great Hercules and not degenerate From thy high strain since woods thou dost affect Follow the woods but do not Love neglect I mean so lawfull and so worthy love As that of Amarillis I approve So far from blaming that as cruelty Thy shunning of Dorinda For in thee Who standst upon thy bloud 't were double shame To scorch thy brest with an unlawfull flame For injuring thy Spouse Sil. What saist thou man Shee is not yet my Spouse Lin. Was there not than A promise solemnly receiv'd and giv'n Take heed proud Boy how thou provokest Heav'n Sil. Man 's freedom is Heav'ns gift which doth not take Us at our word when forced vows we make Lin. I but unlesse our hopes and judgements fail Heav'n made this Match and promis'd to entail A thousand blessings on 't Sil. 'T is like that there Is nothing else to do a proper care To vex the calm rest of the gods above Linco I like nor this nor t'other Love I was a Huntsman not a Lover bred Thou who art all for love go back to bed Lin. Thou sprung from Heav'n harsh Boy nor of divine Can I suppose thee nor of humane Line Alecto's poyson thy cold limbs did fashion Sweet Venus had no hand in thy creation Scena secunda MIRTILLO ERGASTO Mirt. O Amarillis Authresse of my flame Within my mouth how sweet now is thy name But in my heart how bitter Amarillis Fairer and whiter then the whitest Lillies But crueller then cruell Adders far Which having stung least they should pitie bar Their ears and flie If then by speaking I Offend thee I will hold my peace and die I 'll hold my peace but what will that do good If hils and dales roar for me and this wood Which thy deer name can nere forget from me So often heard and carv'd on every tree The windes shall sigh for me the fountains shed Abundant tears grief mourn and pitie plead Or couldst thou bribe whole Nature with a fee To silence lastly Death shall speak for me Hee 'll thunder 't out and to the world proclaim I dy'd a Martyr in my true Loves flame Erg. Mirtillo Love is a great pain at best But more by how much more it is supprest For as hot Steeds run faster at the check Then if you laid the reins upon their neck So love restrain'd augments and fiercer growes In a close prison then when loose he goes Why hidst thou thy flames cause so long from me When the effect could not concealed be Mirtillo burns how often have I said But inward burns and will not call for aid Mirt. Courteous Ergasto out of my respect To her alas I did my self neglect Nor would my festring passion yet unfold But that necessity hath made me bold I hear a buzzing rumour every-where Which to my heart findes passage through my ear That Amarillis shortly weds nor dare Ask more lest so I should my love declare Or prove my fear too true Full well I know Nor hath Love strook me blind that in my low And slender fortunes it were simple pride To hope a Nymph so shap't so qualifi'd So rais'd in wealth in spirit and in blood Above all these so gentle and so good Can ere be mine no I have tane the height Of my unhappy Star my sullen fate Made me for fuell onely born to smother In fires I cannot kindle in another Yet since Fate 's pleas'd I should affect death more Then life at least I 'ld have her know before That shee 's beholding to me for my death And deigne when I sigh out my latest breath To cast her fair eyes on me and say Dye This reasonable boon obtain would I That ere she go to make another blest In having her shee 'ld hear me speak at least But once my deer Ergasto. Now if love Or pitie of me thy soft entrails move Procure me this this physick onely lend To make the passage easie to my end Erg. From one that loves a just from one that dies A small request yet a hard enterprize Woe be to her should her stern father hear That to stoln prayr's she ere had lent an ear Or if some baser pick-thank should disclose It to the Priest her father-in-law Who knows But out of these respects she may eschew Thy company and yet affect thee too For women are more prone to love then men But to conceal 't have more discretion then And if 't were true that she did love thee what Could shee do lesse then shun thee for all that She that wants power to help listens in vain And flies with pity when her stay breeds pain And I have heard 't is still the wisest course To quit that soon which one must quit perforce Mir. O were this true and could I think it so Sweet were my pain and fortunate my woe But deer Ergasto hide it not from me So help thee Pan who may this Bridegroom be So lov'd of all the Starres Erg. Dost thou not know I 'm sure thou dost that famous Silvio Silvio the rich the gallant and the fair The Priest Montano's onely Son and Heir 'T is he Mir. O happy youth whose joy appears So ripe for harvest in his spring of yeers Pardon me gentle swain I envie not Thy happinesse but mourn my own hard lot Erg. Indeed there is no reason to envy Rather to pity him Mirt. To pity Why Erg. Because he loves her not Mirt. And hath he wit Hath he a
heart Is he not blind And yet When I consider with what full aspect Her starry eyes their influence direct Into my brest she cannot have a dart Left in her quiver for another heart But why do they a gemme so precious throw To one that knows it not and scorns it so Erg. Because the Heav'ns did through this Marriage Unto Arcadia long ago presage Deliverance Hast not thou heard that here Is paid to the great Goddesse ev'ry yeer Of a Nymph's guiltlesse bloud a cruell and Unconscionable tribute by this Land Mirt. 'T is news to me nor let that strange appear Since I my self am but a stranger here And since I came by Fate 's decree and Love's Almost a constant Burgesse of the Groves But what strange crime deserv'd so sharp a doom How could such monstrous cruelty finde room In a Celestiall minde Erg. Of me then know From the first head the torrent of our wo A Story that would tears of pitie wrest From heart of oak much more from humane brest Whilest yet the Priesthood was not ty'd to age A youthfull swain of noble Parentage Then Dian's Priest Aminta was his name The Nymph Lucrina did with love enflame All creatures of her sex exceeded shee As much in beauty as unconstancie She long requited or at least to sight If looks and eyes have tongues she did requite The pure affection of the Love-sick lad And fed his hopes whilst he no Rivall had But when a rustick swain her favour sought See now a perfect woman in a thought She left the former with one sigh was shook With the faint batt'ry of one amorous look Her hearts new guest now takes up all the room Dislodg'd Aminta ere he knew for whom Haplesse Aminta who from that day forth Was so abhorr'd held of so little worth By that ungrate whom he did still adore That she would neither hear nor see him more If this unkindnesse cut the wretch to th' heart If he sigh'd wept and rav'd to thee who art Acquainted with Love's pangs I leave to ghesse Mir. O 'T was a torment no man can expresse Erg. When then his tears and prayers he had cast After his heart to Dian turn'd at last If ever with pure heart Goddesse quoth he And guiltlesse hand I kindled flame to thee Revenge my faith which a perfidious Maid Under safe conduct of her smiles betraid The Goddesse gentler then the Nymph was hears The faithfull Lover's and her servant's tears And prayr's and pity kindling her just ire By opposition did augment the fire Her pow'rfull bow into her hand she took And in ARCADIA'S wretched bosome stuck Arrows of death and catching Pestilence Invisible and therefore without fence Without remorse they execute her rage Without respect on every sex and age Nor Antidotes nor Med'cines here avail'd Nor flying now weak Art her Master fail'd And oft whilst he the remedy apply'd Before the Patient the Physitian dy'd The onely hope that 's left is from the skie So to the neerest Oracle they flie Which soon return'd an answer cleer enough But above measure terrible and rough That Cinthia was incenst but that the Land Might be reliev'd if by Aminta's hand That faithlesse Nymph Lucrina or some one For her of the Arcadian Nation Were as an offring to Diana slain So she when long sh' had prayd long wept in vain And long expected her new Lovers ayd To th' holy Altars like a Bride array'd And with what pomp Religion could devise Was led a miserable Sacrifice Where at those feet from which hers fled so fast The feet of her Idolater at last Bending her trembling knees she did attend From the offended youth a cruell end The sacred knife he boldly did unsheathe Rage and revenge his nostrils seem'd to breathe His eyes to sparkle turning then to her Said with a sigh death's hollow messenger Whom thou hast left Lucrina and whom took Learn by this blow And with that word he strook Himself and plung'd the knife in his own brest To th' haft In one both Sacrifice and Priest Fell bleeding at her feet whilst she amaz'd To see that dire unlookt for object gaz'd As one 'twixt life and death nor yet did know If grief had stab'd her or the threatned blow But when she found her tongue again and knew Distinctly what was acted there O true O brave Aminta bathing in a flood Of tears she said O Lover understood Too late who by thy death dost give to me Both life and death If in forsaking thee I sinn'd lo I redeem that sin of mine Wedding my soul eternally to thine This said that knife fresh reeking with the gore Of the now lov'd in death and purpled ore She drew from his pale brest and in her own Sheath'd it again then willingly sunk down Into Aminta's arms who yet had breath And felt perchance that lightning before death Such was this pair of Lovers tragick fall 'Cause he kept too much faith she none at all Mir. O haplesse swain yet happy in his Love Having so rich occasion to approve His spotlesse faith and dying to revive That spark in her he could not being alive But what became then of the poor diseas'd Did the plague cease was Cinthia's wrath appeas'd Erg. It did relent but was not quite put out For the same month the yeer being wheel'd about It burst out with more fury and did make A dire relapse This forc'd us to betake Our selves unto the Oracle agen Which utterd now a sadder doom That then And yeerly we to Nights offended Queen A Maid or Wife should offer past fifteen And short of twenty by which means the rage Which swallow'd thousands one death should asswage Moreover a hard law and weighing well The nature of that sex impossible To keep a law in bloudy letters writ On wretched women was impos'd by it That whatsoever Maid or Wife should prove In any sort a changeling in her love Vnlesse some friend would pay the penalty In stead of her should without mercy die This dire this nationall Calamitie The good old man hath hope to remedie By means of this desired Match because The Oracle after some little pawse Being ask'd again what end our woe should have To our demand this punctuall answer gave Your woe shall end when two of Race Divine Love shall combine And for a faithlesse Nymphs apostate state A faithfull Shepherd supererogate Now there are left in all Arcadia Of heavenly Stock no other slips this day But Silvio and Amarillis She From Pan descended from Alcides He. Nor had there ever to our much regret Of those two Lines a Male and Female met As now there do whence the believing Father Great hopes of good not without cause doth gather For though the things foretold by th' Oracle Be not fulfill'd yet in each particle This is the fundamentall point the rest Is still reserv'd in Fates own secret brest And of the Marriage one day shall ensue Mir. And all this
That some such fearfull tumbling cast was neer 'T was well for me I tarried by the way A happy chance my father made me stay Though then I did suppose him foolishly T' have been a tedious Remora Had I Come at Lisetta's hour I might have seen Something which poyson to my eyes had been But what shall I do now arm'd with disdain Shall I revenge and mischief entertain No I have lov'd her and this act doth crave My pity not my anger Shall I have Pity on one deceiv'd me Mee she hath Deceiv'd her self leaving a man of faith To give her self a prey into the hand Of an ignoble Swain a stranger and A vagabond that will to morrow be More wavering more without faith then she Shall I take pains then to revenge a wrong That carryes with it the revenge along And quenches all my indignation so 'T is turn'd to pitie She hath scorn'd me though Sh' has honour'd me for she who thus could chuse Highly commends the man she doth refuse She scorn'd me who the way did never know How she should love receive or how bestow Who lik'd at random still or had this curse If two were offerd her to take the worse But tell me Coridon how can it be If scorn of being scorned move not thee To take revenge but that to have been crost By such a losse should do 't I have not lost Her whom I never had My self I have Regain'd whom I unto another gave Nor can't a losse be termed to remain Without a woman so unsure and vain In fine What have I lost Beautie without Vertue A head with all the brains pickt out A brest that hath no heart A heart that hath No soul in it A soul that hath no faith A shade a ghost a carcasse of affection Which will to morrow turn to putrefaction Is this a losse I will be bold to say 't 'T is a great purchase and a fortunate Is there no woman in the world but she Can Coridon want Nymphs as fair as she And far more true But she may well want one Will love her with such faith as Coridon Whom she deserv'd not Now if I should do That which the Satyr did advise me to Accusing her of vow-breach in my breath I know it lies to have her put to death But I have not an heart so Aspine I That with the wind of womans levitie It should be mov'd Too great a happinesse And honour 't were to their perfidiousnesse If with the trouble of a manly brest And breaking of the happy peace and rest Of an ingenous soul I were to be Reveng'd upon Corisca now For me Then let her live or to expresse it better By me not die Live for my Rivall let her Her life's revenge for me sufficient Live let her to dishonour to repent I know not how to envie him or loath Her but with all my heart do pity both Scena octava SILVIO ECCHO within O Goddesse of the slothfull blind and vain Who with foul hearts Rites foolish and profane Altars and Temples hallow to thy name Temples or Sanctuaries vile said I To protect Lewdnesse and impietie Under the robe of thy Divinity And thou base Goddesse that thy wickednesse When others do as bad may seem the lesse Giv'st them the reins to all lasciviousnesse Rotter of soul and body enemie Of reason plotter of sweet thee very The little and great World's calamitie Reputed worthily the Ocean's daughter That treacherous monster which with even water First soothes but ruffles into storms soon after Such windes of sighs such Cataracts of tears Such breaking waves of hopes such gulfs of fears Thou mak'st in men such rocks of cold despairs Tydes of desire so head-strong as would move The world to change thy name when thou shalt prove Mother of Rage and Tempests not of Love Behold what sorrow now and discontent On a poor pair of Lovers thou hast sent Go thou that vaunt'st thy self Omnipotent Go faithlesse Goddesse save that Nymph whom thou Hast poyson'd with thy sweets if thou knowst how From her swift deaths pursuing footsteps now O what a happy day was that for me When my chaste soul I did devote to thee Cynthia my great and onely Deitie True Goddesse unto whose particular shrine The fairest souls in all the Earth incline As thou in Heav'n do'st all the Starrs out-shine How much more laudable and free from pain The sports are which thy servants entertain Then those of faithlesse Ericina's train Wilde Boars are killed by thy Worshippers By wilde Boars miserably kild are hers O Bow my strength and joy My conquerers My Arrows Let that bug-bear Love come trie And match with you his soft Artillerie They whom you wound do in good earnest die But too much honour hence to thee would come Vile and unwarlike Boy to chastise whom I speak 't aloud a rod's enough Enough What art thou that reply'st Eccho or Love That so doth imitate the same The same Most wish'd but tell me true Art thou hee Hee The son of her that for Adonis once So miserably pin'd away Away Well of that Goddesse who was found in bed With Mars when the stars shot to see her shame And the chast Moon blush'd at her folly O ly What madnesse 't is to whistle to the winde Come if thou darest to the wide air I dare And I defie thee But art thou her son Legitimate or else a by-blow I glow O! the Smith's son that 's call'd a God A God Of what the follies of the world The world The Bawd thou art Art thou that terrible Boy That tak'st such sharp revenge upon those wights Who thy absurd commands digest not Iest not What punishments dost thou inflict on those Who in rebellion persevere Severe And how shall I be punish'd whose hard heart Hath alwayes been at odds with Love With Love When Sot if my chaste brest be to those flames More opposite then night to day To day So quickly shall I be in that streight Streight What 's she can bring me to adoring Dorin Dorinda is it not my little childe Thou wouldst say in thy lithping gibberish Ish. Shee whom I hate more then the Lamb the Wolf And who to this shall force my will I will And how and with what Arms and with what bow Shall it be happily with thine With thine Thou mean'st perchance when by thy wantonnesse It is unbent and the nerve broken Broken Shall my own bow after 't is broken too Make war on me and who shall break 't thou Thou 'T is plain now thou art drunk go sleep But say Where shall these miracles be wrought here Here. O fool and I am going now from hence See if thou hast not prov'd thy self to day A prophet with the wine inspir'd Inspir'd But stay I see unlesse I much mistake A greyish thing at couch in yonder Brake 'T is like a Wolf and certainly 't is one O what a huge one ' t is how over-grown O