to any Prince So toward as your Sonne he had ere this beene attomes Your sonne has suffer'd let him suffer too Who ever wilfully committed murther And was without excuse but can that save No more should this my Liege I have but said King And wisely Lenon goe bring forth the Knight We are determin'd that he shall not live Exit for him Nor shall he suffer here within our Courts Wee 'le kill him in a nobler gentile way O here he comes Enter Knight bound Alm. You 'r gone false Lenon hath betraid yee to your death David Welcome my Fate King Sir Knight you have not fairely dealt with us Though 'gainst my foes you brought me honour home My deare sonnes life you have tooke for your reward But you shall finde 't is treasure stole not bounty given And for that theft your life must satisfie David King of Tartary heare sad David speake Len. Now the excuse my Lord David Those honours I have brought you home It seemes this accident hath cancel'd And stifles all my merits in your love Yet let 'em hang like pendants on my herse That I did love the unfortunate deceas'd These drops of teares true sorrowes testifie And what hath happend to that lifes deare losse Was not by will but fatall accident I hold my hand up at the hand of heaven not guilty King thinke not I speake to have thee spare my life For halfe my life lies dead there with thy Sonne And here the other halfe is ready too to testifie How well I lov'd the Prince though now I dye Lenon A Heads man and an Axe there King For him that calls him Alm. I that was well said King Spannell no more King Thy hand once more brave English Knight We are at peace and will not what we may But let me now one thing enjoyne you to Not as a pennance for my deare sonnes losse But as a further safety of my Kingdome And larger interest of your love to me David Give me the danger I can meet but death King My hopes are better of thee noble Knight Heare then thy taske thou shalt then hence In Knightly order ride 'gainst him not onely Aided Persia 'gainst our power but shakes our Kingdome with the power of hell blake Ormandine The inchanted Garden-keeper if that thou dar'st Attempt and bring his head I will not onely Quittance this mischance which makes me wretched But halfe my part of this large Crowne Is thine and when I dye David of Wales reignes King of Tartary Speake comfortable words of the attempt David It is the oath of Knight-hood I have tane and here Againe before you I will take from hence being parted ne're to make stay more than a nights Repose till I am there and being there By all the honours of a Knight I vow Blacke Ormandines head and lay it at your feete This by the honour of a Knight I le do or dye in the attempt King 'T is enough rise noble David So now shall I be reveng'd for my sonnes life Without the clamour of the world for it Thou bring his head poore Knight thou maist as well Rob love of lightning or claspe a hand Garnado Being fir'd to morrow morning you shall forward set On with the Herse till you returne We sorrowes path shall tread And bury griefe when thou bringst Armands head A dead March within Exeunt Chorus Our Brittaine Knight we leave in his hard journey But more hard attempt yet all the other have not idle beene For since their parting at the brazen Piller Each hath shar'd strange and perillous adventures Which here in severall acts to personate would in the Meanest fill a larger Scene than on this Stage An Action would containe But to the shortnesse of the time wee 'le sort Each Champion in 't shall beare a little part Of their more larger History Then let your fancies deeme upon a stage One man a thousand and one houre an age And now with patience beare your kind attents to the Red Crosse bearer English George your high renowned Knight who since the hand of Christendome parted her Seven faire Knights the dangers he hath seene and past Would make the brightest day looke pale and tremble Nay death himselfe that ends mortality To thinke of death and that himselfe must dye After renowned George from the fell Dragons jawes Redeem'd Sabrina Pomils onely heire with slaughter Of the Hell-produced fiend his wife he wonne Had Pomil promise kept but in a large requitall Of her life incens'd by the Moroco King our Champions rivall Cast George in prison in a hatefull Dungeon He that deserv'd his Crowne and daughters bed He ingratefully with branne and water fed 7 years together Which time expir'd the miserable Knight found once That opportunity shewed him a little favour For by the breaking of the Iailers neck He gaind the keyes which gave him liberty When being freed and out of dangers port You his kind Countrymen shall see For Englands honour Georges Chivaldry Enter Clowne like a poore shepheard Clow. Oh most astonishable hunger thou that dost pinch worse than any Fairies or the gummes of old women thou that dost freeze the mortall gouts of a man more than the Rozom'd stick of a Base Violl what shall be said what shall be done to thee Oh my glorious Mother what a time of eating had I in thy dayes nay my magnanimous Master whom I lost in the devils arse of Peake what a plentifull progresse had I with thee when we did nothing but kill Gyants and wild beasts then the golden gobbets of Beefe and Bacon whose shining fat would cry clash in spight of my teeth now I may compare with Ploydens law the case is alter'd A shepheard a sheep-biter nay I were happy then I would wish no better bitings than Mutton the Cobs of Herring and parings of Cheese is now a Sundayes dyet and yet they cry out of my abhominable feeding my unsatisfied gut with a Wolfe at the end on 't I have eate up my Tarrebox for hunger already what will be next troe Soft who comes here my fellow Swaine with some pittifull provant for my dinner Enter Shepheard Shep. Suckabus where art thou Clow. Heere where the bare bones of him will be very shortly what hast thou brought me there Shep. A feast a feast here 's princely cheere for thee here 's two Carrots and a Turnip and a little morsell of Beanebread that I stole to hearten thee up withall Clow. Sweet fellow Coridon give me 't I shal grow a Phiosopher shortly if I fare o'th is fashion O the very steame of the three fat Oxen that my Master found boyling for the Gyants dinner which we kill'd would have fill'd both our bellies for a Fortnight Shep. Ha three Oxen for one Gyants dinner Thou art mistaken sure thou art not old enough to see a Giant And could thy Master and thee kill him Clow. Why there 's the wit of a Bell-weather one we kill'd a hundred but talke I
THE Seven Champions of Christendome Acted at the Cocke-pit and at the Red-Bull in St. Johns Streete with a generall liking And never Printed till this Yeare 1638 Written by J. K. LONDON Printed by J. Okes and are to be sold by James Becket at his Shop in the Inner Temple Gate 1638 To his much respected and worthy Friend Master JOHN WAITE Sir THinking of amends to expres my gratefulnes for those many Favours You have shown me I could pitch on no other more fit than this my Genius prompted me it was well thought on if Yours give it the like acceptance I am happy for Workes of this Nature I dare affirme have beene acceptable to most men contemn'd by few unlesse it bee those of the more Stoicall disposition whose rigid Fronts cry downe all things but what themselves approve of For this Worke of it selfe I may say thus much without blushing it received the rights of a good Play when it was Acted which were Applauses Commendations whether it merited them or not I leave to your Judgement the Nature of the Worke being History it consists of many parts not walking in one direct path of Comedy or Tragedy but having a larger field to trace which me thinks should yeeld more pleasure to the Reader Novelty and Variety being the only Objects these our Times are taken with the Tragedy may be too dull and solid the Comedy too sharpe and bitter but a well mixt portion of either doubtlesse would make the sweetest harmony But this Worke as it is and my wishes that all defects in it to my desires and your content were supplide I commend to your perusall my selfe it and resting to bee commanded by you in all friendly Offices John Kirke The Actors Names The seven Champions St. George of England Iames of Spaine Anthony of Italy Andrew of Scotland Patrick of Ireland David of Wales Denis of France Tarpax the Divell The Emperour of Trebozand Three Lords Ancetes Almeno Lenon The King of Tartary Ormandine a Magician 2 Lords his friends Argalio an Inchanter Leonides his friend Brandron the Giant King of Macedon Suckabus the Clowne Violeta the Princesse Carintha her maid Three Daughters to Macedon Calib the Witch Three Spirits Three attendants on the Emperour Three Shepheards A priest of Pan Three messengers Two armed Knights Three Ghosts the Father Mother and Sister of Leonides The seven Champions of Christendome ACTUS PRIMUS Thunder and Lightning Enter Calib the Witch Calib Ha lowder a little so that burst was well Agen ha ha house house your heads you fear-stroke mortal fooles when Calibs consort plaies A Huntse-up to her how rarely doth it languell In mine eares these are mine Organs The Toad the Batte the Raven and the fell whisling bird Are all my anthum singing Quiresters Such saplesse rootes and livelesse witherd woods Are pleasanter to me than to behold the jocund Month of May in whose greene head of youth The amorous Flora strowes her various flowers And smiles to see how brave she has deckt her girle But passe we May as game for fangled fooles That dares not set a foote in Arts darke secret And bewitching path as Calib has Here is my mansion within the rugged bowels of this Cave This cragge his Cliffe this denne which to behold Would freeze to Ice the hissing tramels of Medusa Yet here inthron'd I sit more richer in my spels And potent charmes than is the stately mountaine Queene drest with the beauty of her sparkling jems To vie a lustre 'gainst the heavenly Lampes But we are sunke in these Antipades so choakt With darknesse in great Calibs Cave that it can Stifle day it can and shall for we doe loath The light and as our deedes are blacke we hug the night But where 's this boy my George my love my life Whom Calib lately doates on more than life I must not have him wander from my love further than Sommons of my eye or becke can call him back agen But 't is my fiend gotten deformed issue that misleads him For which I le rappe him in a storme of haile and dash him 'Gainst the pavement on the rocky den He must not lead my joy astray from me The Parents of that boy begetting him Begot and boare the issue of their deaths which done The childe I stole thinking alone to triumph in his death And bathe my body in his popular gore But Dove-like nature favoured so the child that Calibs killing Knife fell from her hand and stead of stabs I kist I kist there I lipt boy and since have brought him up Cope mate and fellow with my owne sweete sonne And now the boy desires to know what Calib Hath so long conceal'd from him his parentage Which still I must as I have done put off And cast some pleasing game to file that question Out of his thoughts His heart soares high fame on his temple plaies And Calib feares her death by Autumes day For which my light wing'd spirit of the Aire Grand Tarpax prince of the gristy North What ho Tarpax obey my charmes And with the steele tipt pinions of thy wings Cut through the Clowds and flye unto thy Calib Thunder and Lightning Tarpax descends Tar. No more my Calib see thy Tarpax comes More swifter than the motive of an eye Mounted on wings swift as a thought I flye unto my Mistresse now what wouldst thou Calib Be full resolv'd of feare struck suddain doubts Age makes my spanne of dayes seeme but an inch And snowes like cold December on my heart See how I tremble Tarpax as doth the listning Hart When he heares the feather'd arrowes sing his funeral dirge Tar. Name what afflicts my love Calib But will my Tarpax tell me Tar. Both must and will Calib When must I dye then when must Calibs life Be backe surrenderd by the hands of death Age can no longer to me subsistance give My Taper hath watcht long when will it out Performe no flattering part for to delude me When ha when my Tarpax Tar. Fates keepe unknowne from spirits those last times Of dayes and houres yet can I riddle out a prophesie Which if my Calib well observe and keepe Thy time may farther runne death stay his sleepe Calib Say on sweet Tarpax Tar. Whilst Calib in her powerfull hand Holds fast her powerfull art So long may Calib by her power Command Death hold his Dart But when fond Love by dotage shall Blindfold wise Calibs eyes With that great power she did command The great Inchantresse dies Cal. Ha ha ha and when will that be Tarpax Vanish like smoake my feare come kisse me my Love Thou hast earn'd thy breakefast Chuck here suck thy fill Clowne within Clow. Illo ho ho Illo Tar. What mortall 's that disturbs us Shall I blast him Cal. Hold my Love 't is Suckabus our sonne fall off Tar. The foole nere saw his Father yet Make us acquainted Enter foole bloody Clow. So ho ho Mother Mother Cal. Defend me Tarpax what doth
The shock of all the Knights our parts hath seene Ere shrinke under the sinews of an Army Al. Why now just now we have Have we not still by daring challenges oppos'd our selves The round worlds opposites Have not our prowesses In stately lifts tost up the golden ball and wonne it Is not bright honour free in Princes Courts We have o'recome and now we are o'recome And shall we envie what we ever loved And were lov'd for so thinkes the Adder When his sting is gone his hissing has the power to venome too Cast off that coate it not becomes thee Lenon 'T will weare thy honour thread-bare to the bones And make death seize on thee with infamy Le. Let Death come how he will And doe you tamely suffer what you will This Brittish Knight shall never boast in Wales That ere he triumpht Victor over me Al. Another charge A charge and a shout cry Arbasto What over desperate and life-weary foole Dares meete the couched Lance of this brave Knight Seeing the foyle we tooke Le. The cry went in our Prince Arbasto's name Hearke another charge gives 'em a second meeting 'T is well he kept his saddle at the first A charge a cry Arbasto Looke to the Prince there some and take him For falne I 'me sure he is before this time Al. I now admire and love this venture in him Well done young twig of a most Royall bough Thou hast wonne our losses which we must allow Le. Heark the third charge is begun A charge a crye save the Prince Al. I doe not like that sound what ever accident Betides Arbasto hath not lost but wonne renowne Now what newes bringst thou Enter Messenger Mes. Set ope your eares to entertaine sad news I sing the latest Requiem of our Prince hee 's slaine Al. Falne I beleeve but yet I hope not slaine Le. This whet-stone makes revenges edge more keene Goe forward good mischance Mes. Twice met this brave young Prince the Brittish Knights And bore his body stiffe against his shock Vnmov'd of either stirrop or of saddle Their shiver'd Launces quarrell'd as they brake And as they upward flew clasht strong together And he unmov'd undanted twice appear'd As faire for Victor as his stout opponent And had he rested there he had equall shar'd The dayes bright honour with him Le. Well the disaster Mes. Bowing his plumed head unto his Syre Who sent him smiles of joyes incouragement Addrest him for the third and last Careere The Christian Knight likewise 'gan couch his Lance But as he graspt it in his manly fist An angry fire circled about his eyes And from the furrows of his browes Revenge Leapt forth and seizes on the Prince They charg'd he fell and in the fall his neck He broke so ends my heavy Nuntius Both The Prince Al. So Honour sprung a bud and blasted it Before it grew to his maturity Noble Prince I pitty thy misfortune more the Knights And I for this condemne nimble mischance But not the Knight at all Le. Murderous villain if my braines can invent torture Sufficient sufficient here begins thy hell And I thy first devill Al. And I will second be how to prevent yee Enter the King of Tartary two Knights in armour the body of the Prince Arbasto in a Herse King Set downe the broken columne of mine age The golden Anchor Hope once shewed to me Hath split and sunke the vessell held my wealth Oh my Arbasto Alm. Take comfort Royall sir Fame stories few are living more the dead Death hath but rockt him then on honours bed Then let him sleepe King Hee 's a good Physitian that can quite kill griefe That hath but newly made his patient of me Teares must give vent first to the oppressed heart And Time lay drawing plaisters to the sore Before he can find ease but yet I thanke yee Le. Most Noble Sir Teares shews effeminate in noble spirits Those aged sluces want that Raine that falls Bewaile him not with teares but with revenge If drops must needs be spilt let 'em be blood His blood that wilfully sheds blood The Law of Nations wisely did allow All Iusts and Turnaments in Princes Courts For honours cause to breake a friendly staffe But not to make a butchery or shambles in Court lists Therefore if I might of his jury be My Verdict should be given up he must dye Alm. Lord Lenon 't is most certaine he must dye I love my Soveraigne well I lov'd his sonne But dare not say that he deserves to dye This stranger here came here in honours cause Stak't honour downe and bravely bore it hence Your selfe silence but envies tongue can witnesse with me I have spoke but truth where lives the Noblenesse But in the minde wild beasts have strength irrationall And rude but want the sence of reasons government Let rage hot raines bite upon temperance The Iron handed Fates warres hard at game And threw a cast at brave Arbastoes life But let your sentence passe my Lord ha' done Len. Spoke like no lover of his Soveraignes sonne Alm. Reply'd not like a lover unto either Your valours 's horse-like and it must be tam'd Len. T will breake the Riders necke dares but to back him King Forbeare I say on your allegeance Had my Arbasto dyed in our defence Against the pride of the hot Persian Host That seekes to pale his Temple with our wreath And name Tartary new Persia Our cares had beene but slight but in a friendly Breathing exercise when honor goes a feasting but for shew A jesting practice in the Schoole of Armes There for to lose him Len. An ill intent arm'd Executions hand King I know not that why should he ruine him Shewing more kind innated friendship to him Than brother shewes to brother Len. Remus and Romulus my Lord one suckt more Harder on the Wolfe than tother Thinke what a game Hope lost Alm. Upon my soule my Lord the Knight is cleare Of any foule intent against your sonne Len. Why Almaine Almaine dare you stand to this Alm. Lenon I dare and in thy venome blood write He 's not guilty King No more I say upon your lives no more Too hard it is for me to give a true descidence to the cause The Knight was ever courteous faire and free And 'gainst the Persian in my just defence Ransom'd my sonne from multitudes of losse And brought home conquest to our very gate I cannot then in honour take his life Our neighbour Kings would say I dealt not faire And quite disclaime in us all brother-hood To banish him were but the more to enlarge his fame All kingdomes are but Knight errands native home Len. In private be it spoke my Liege I like not Almonas love to this same Knight It little shewes love to the deceased Prince What was he but a young strait tender plant The sturdy Oke might well have spar'd him then His toward hopes were ruin'd and cut downe Had he done this in any other Court
hell-bred sorcery I must needs through or sinke Tar. There 's nothing we can doe Can quell the valour of this Christian Knight Orm. My feares devine this is the man By whom great Ormand falls hee 's come unto the gates And now sticke fast my sword and we are yet secure So in spight of all the tampring of your Arts We are got something neare you now This is the gate what have we here a Brazen Pillar In it a golden sword immur'd and rivited A golden Tablet with inscriptions on 't Let me discourse with you a little first Ormand be bold secure and free Revell in arts strong potency Till from the cold and Northerne Clime A Knight poast on the wings of time Ha what 's here Till from the Northerne Clime A Knight poast on the wings of time A Northerne Knight why that 's my selfe Let 's see a little farther Being lighted on Tartary's ground Of fame belov'd by honour crown'd I am arriv'd here in Tartary a Northerne Knight And for my same and deeds of Chivaldry with honour Hath been crown'd in Princes Courts a little farther yet From Brute descended and his brest Is with a sanguine Crosse be blest I have enough David of Wales from Brute descended is A Christian Knight that weares the sanguine Crosse That must dissolve this blacke Inchantment here Come let me clutch thy temper in my hand Thus draw thee forth and thus will you not come Orm. O you are not the man ha ha Feare Vanish once agen goe Spirits sieze that Knight And bring him straight Ormand and all laugh Spirits with fiery Clubs they fight Enter Ormandine Orm. Knight Knight forbeare In vaine thy stroaks are dealt against our power Thou maist as well number those briny drops As cope with these or scape with life did not we pitty thee Spirits away Dav. Art not thou Ormandine Orm. The same thy friend and Ormandine Dav. That head I come for and must ha 't Runnes at him with his sword he puts it by with his wand Orm. The body will not yet so part with it This is the Tartars cruelty not thine I know thy oath stands gag'd to bring this head Or not returne thus shalt thou save thy oath Here shalt thou live with Ormandine thy friend Here spend thy dayes crown'd with delight and mirth Pleasure shall be thy vassell to command With new inventions fresh varieties And when thy dalliance would consort with love Queenes shall infold thee in their Ivory armes Which to affirme and give thee love and liking This waving of my wand above thy head Dissolves this horrour and does give thee cause To change thy minde The day cleares inchantments cease Sweete Musicke Dav. What alteration 's here your pardon mighty Sir Oh let me never never part from hence Orm. Be Master of your wish come sit here by me I le rape your care and captivate your eye soft Musicke Enter free Excesse immodest Mirth Delight Desire Lust satied and sicknesse they dance after the dance Excesse Delight and Desire embrace him to a lazy tune they touch him he falls into their armes so carry him away Orm. How happy now is Ormandine in this I will no more Credit the Tablet I shall for ever raine as now I doe Eternity shall seale my habitation here The Brittaine Knight is now within my power Charme hangs a drousie rest upon his eyes And he shall sleepe his youth to a full age As for the Arabian bird and the proud Tartar Revenge arm'd with destruction to them flies Who seekes my life without my pitty dyes Exeunt Enter George arm'd and Clowne with him Geo. Come on sir Suckabus how doe you like this alteration Clow. Nay we are come to weare good cloth agen and we fill our bellies at other folkes cost marry we part with crackt Crownes for our Ordinaries They that in the low Countrey-garrisons kill men for three shillings a weeke are punies to us by that time I have serv'd but halfe my time I shall be able to play with all the Fencers in Christendome Geo. Leave your folly sir Clow. Leave your prating sir and then wee 'le leave our livings both together Geo. Villaine no more How pleasant is this place how fresh and cleare As when the last of Aprill offers to sweet May The pride and glory of the youthfull Spring The lovers coupling time the farther that I goe The more Elizium like it doth appeare Clow. Good Master let 's goe back agen I doe not like this talking of Elizium it is a place where good and honest men come in and for mine owne part I am in the minde never to trouble it Geo. I thinke so too What 's here the platforme of a Garden If that the Sun rob'd in his brightest glory Dazell not mine eyes it is the richest that I ever saw The Paradise of some Deity Musicke too Clow. Ey two Taylers are a dancing for a butter'd bunne Geo. List Suckabus hear'st thou no Musick Clow. I thinke I heare the Horse-head and the Tongs Geo. Most heavenly Musick follow me close Wee 'le see the guider of this heavenly spheare For sure no mortall ownes it Clowne Pray Sir le ts backe againe I have no minde to 't the Sunne shines so hot I feare we shall have some raine Geor. What 's here a wonder past the other beauties farre A Brazen Pillar through whose impregnable body Sticks a Sword a Tablet and Inscriptions Writ upon 't wonder falls on me Bee'st thou inchantment th' art the loveliest shape That ever hels Art strove to tempt withall By your leave a little it seemes these are no secrets Y' are open breasted I must know your mind We will not stand on doubts He reads pulls out the sword Thunder and Lightning a great cry within I am the man for England oh y' are welcome Sir Clowne Did not I tell yee now shall I be roasted for Divels and my bones scorcht into small-coales Where 's the goodly weather that we had even now where 's the tongs and the Tailers a dancing Georg. Follow me slave wee 'le in and with this Immur'd blade that I set free cut out my passage through the Gates of horror the inchantment 's done and Georges happy fate Some Christians may redeeme from Tyrants hate Exit George Clown Well I were best runne away while I have legges to carry me he 's a good loving Master this same honest George but he does lead me into more quarrels and dangers than all the roaring Davids in the world but they are cowardly rascals I wil stay no longer my accounts are made even and I will backe agen hay day they are at it Thunder Lightning Divels run laughing over the stage Tarpax with 'em Tar. Come we are freed le ts now prepare his death That being done give welcome to him in confusion Clown O brave that by his likenesse and voyce should be my Sire Suckabus 't is he I le take acquaintance of him Tar. Who
you life give Be good unto my friends I falne take up your friend hence Geor. Well to your Fate farewell Thunder Orm. Oh are you aiming t was time I came you had Fetcht me else so so we are met Thunder strikes him He that sels blisse and would in this Art shine At last shall pay for 't as did Ormandine Geor. So farewell Ormandine wake David wake Dav. Is the Inchantment past where is this fiend this divel Ormandine your charmes no longer shall prevaile on me Geor. No more they shall not noble Brittaine Knight See who with joy imbrace thee in his armes Dav. Brother of England farre-renowned George Am I a second time enlarg'd by thee I shall pay Time a death indebted to thy valour Geo. Doe not engage so farre Who knows what haps attend our next adventure Dav. Brother where 's Ormand Geo. Dead Dav. Oh I am lost for ever lost and gone For ever bearing Knightly Armes agen oh oh Geo. Brave Brittain Knight with patience heare I le tell o're your owne Story Dav. Say on my Oracle I will attend Geo. This Sword you see is mine inchantments done You waken'd from deaths sleepe think it not strange Ormand did declare before his death Your Oaths adventure for to fetch his head By the Tartarian King your Oath shall be perform'd Wee 'le take it off these harmelesse men That hither fled onely to save their lives Shall you get favour'd of their King agen I le beare you company unto the King Where we agen must part you shall be further satisfi'd In all what appeares darke I le open as we ride Come brother David we the world that range Must not admire at accidents or change Exeunt ACTUS QUARTUS Enter Argalio Leonides and spirits Arg. Come deare Leonides My loves sole minion That like the powerfull ruler of the Fates Turnes my restlesse Negromantick charmes Into what forme best fitts thy appetite Speake my Leonides prithee smile and speake it Could Earth or Hell invent a guard To shield black crimes from direfull punishment Walls are by Warres strong Engins raz'd and torne And Center-reaching cavernes of the earth Have oft bin made the inhabitants sad graves But to build thee a stronger Barracado I have fetcht force from underneath the Poles The slimy mists of darke Avernus Lake Cocitus pitchy steems are mixt with that And black compounded smoake the Cyclops send From the foule sulpher of hot Aetna's Forge All which I have compounded in a lumpe To make this Isle obscure and tenebrous I 'le tell thee friend those furious Gyants that did warre with heaven Had they effected their great enterprise Could not more glory in their usurpation Than I doe in this Master-piece of Art Leon. True great Argalio Yet here I live as a repriev'd prisoner In hope of life sure of imprisonment Losing the benefit of lifes repast Arg. In what Leon. In the grand losse of the all-pleasing light Without the which life is a misery too hard to be inflicted Arg. Wrong not thy judgment with that fond opinion Night why 't is the proper spheare the Orbe of pleasure When doe those heires of pleasure Cupids Lords The active Courtiers and attractive Dames Choose to expresse their quintessence of mirth In sports and revells is 't not in the Night Night and the pleasures that she brings with her Shall make thee scorne day as unnecessary My several spirits in an active dance Shall now present themselves Enter spirits and dance thunder lightning Leon. Why are these terrours mixt with our delights Arg. The angry heavens with common destiny Thunder Reprove my sports Leon. As they 'd oppose my sinnes Enter Leopides with father and sister See see where those poore soules Their murthering hands puld from the mortall Motion of their flesh come backe to give The Ferry-man his hire I am behinde hand in that Fatall debt but now in spight of his blacke churlish Oare Wee 'le waft ourselves unto the hoped shoare Arg. Correct thy feare affrighted fantasie Against these fond illusions see they are vanisht Come unto pleasures turne they but abuse thy thoughts Enter Spirits Spir. O great Argalio call thy ablest charmes Never had Art more need to helpe her Mistresse Three bold adventerous Knights prepare themselves To ruine thee and thy Leonides Aurela Queene of this unhappy Kingdome Has given her best advice to further them Arg. Be carefull of your charge Downe to the infernall vaults call up The Legion of the lower World and throw Hels vengeance on them Come my Leonides away with feare Should these charmes faile which to mistrust were poore My Art should helpe thee with tenne thousand more Exeunt Enter Iames Iam. Sure I have lost mine eyes or else am walkt Into eternall darknesse I have read how wise Vlysses saw the under world convers'd with bold Achylles and the Greekes and then returnd alive To earth agen but Fables helpe but weakly Imitate what really I feele I have lost My fellowes in this endlesse night till now Their voyees kept me company Ho Denis Denis Within Here here Iam. Where art thou man Den. Wading through fire and buffetting with aire Iames. Where 's Patricke Within Here here Enter Patr. Pat. Where 's my noble Spaniard Enter Iam. Iam. Here my friend Pat. We all came severall waies then Den. But a worse than I have ventur'd never Man set foote to first through a Lake that Lybias Desarts yeeld not more hot contagions Venome that has strooke confused terrour Throughout all my limbes and pierc'd my armours Closure then was I faine to enterpose my shield Betwixt me and that pondrous weight that fell As if some Castles ruines had falne downe To crush me into nothing Pat. Mulciber like I walkt through fire And as the Salamander bathed in the flames Winding his body in a streame of sulphure So the devouring heate incompast me Iam. But I had musicke in my passage friends The Whistler and the Screech-Owle joyn'd their songs The boding Ravens made the consort up And with their multitudes prest me to earth But here the ayre breaths cold and gently on us Is not yon light or being inur'd to darknesse Have not our eyes forgot their faculties 'T is light what 's here a Pillar and a Tablet on 't The lively Taper which not onely cleares our eyes So long invaded with Cimerian mists but gives Vs light by viewing this Inscription thereby For to unfold this darke Aenigma Read Denis Denis Reades Read and wonder you that be not be Not borne to end this prodigie The golden Fleece which Iason sought In embleme must be hither brought The Floure de Luce and Harpe must ioyne Before the Riddle you untwine Iberias earth must yeeld a Knight That must extinguish this great light By the same water must be found That borne was on unvenom'd ground A gallion Helmet that must hold The water that these Charmes unfold That done this land resumes her rest And all Inchantments here deprest