who do not know how true vertue is a chearful thing rendring its favourites and followers far more chearful too more vertuous they are Pam. Hang Vertue I know no chearfulness but laughing and I 'me sure all the Nymphs here are as supple and pliant as Kids-leather gloves a gentle pluck or two will easily draw them on Ev. How know you that who came but yesternight a stranger hither Pam. And how know you the contrary who came but hither yesternight along with me let it suffice I know all women by instinct and is not this Love's Kingdom answer me to that Ev. Well what then Pam. Why then I am in mine for I 'me the loving'st creature thou doest not know me yet I tell thee I was such a forward Childe I fell in Love with my Nurse in the very Cradle and they were forc't to wean me for fear of spoiling her milk Ev. A great deflowrer of nurses it seems you are but had you not better tarry till Diophantes comes who ha's promis'd to be our guide and instruct us in their manners and customs here Pam. Tarry you for him if you please my busines can best be dispatcht alone and I need no tutors nor conductors for 't I thank you Ev. Well thank your self if any harm come of it Pam. No harm I 'le warrant you but rather good the good of posterity whose business I am going about and methinks I hear the Children yet unborn crying out unto me to make haste and so I will my little pretty sweet Babes Exit Ev. what a wild fellow 's this I 'm sorry asham'd now I know him better that I came along with him to Cyprus here who knows no more of Love then beasts do and 's so bravely impudent and vicious he puts vice impudence to the extreamest proof and shames not to be impudent enough but here comes Diophantes Enter Diophantes Dio. Noble Evander I must demand your pardon if I instead of waiting on you have made you wait for me but I am Advocate in Love's Court you know where so many petty quarrels of Lovers are daily to be reconcil'd W ave scarcely any vacancy at all nor had we dispatcht so soon to day but for the grand Solemnity i' th' Temple Ev. What 's that I pray Dio. Why 't is the anniversary Feast of Venus our Sea-born Goddesses first arrival here upon the Cyprian shore Ev. And with good reason you Celebrate that with all Solemnity that renders you so famous through all the world Di. And to add to th' general Solemnity o th' day there 's a particular Ceremony too renders it more solemn Ev. What Dio. Why you must know that all strangers by th' Laws of Cyprus here are after three moneths residence to swear they love some one i th' Isle or else be banisht now Sir three moneths to day are just expir'd since there arriv'd a Nymph the most admir'd and most deserving admiration as ever in Love's Kingdom yet was known and whether she 'l take the solemn Oath or no onely her self and the Deity do know for to all else 't is doubtful Ev. Can it be doubted that any here sho'd love where they are all born and bred Lovers the very air inspires it and 't is as natural for them to love as 't is to live and breath Dio. True Sir but for our admiration the gods work miracles sometimes and she is one but where 's your friend Pamphilus Ev. Rambled somewhere abroad I know not whither Dio. Of what humour I pray and disposition is he Ev. Why harmless and merry only a little wilde Dio. He thinks perhaps our Nymphs are wanton here but Sir I can assure you they are all so chaste and pure as Christal you wo'd say is not more pure nor Ice more clear then they And for the Land know Sir in all the spacious world there 's not a more religious place where Love with greater purity is profest nor serv'd and honour'd with more pious breast Ev. I 've understood so much and therefore come expresly hither on devotion to render my vows off'rings at his sacred shrine Dio. I applaud you for 't and may the powers divine for every prayer that you send up to them send you as many blessings down agen Ev. Soft who are those come here Dio. Oh now you 'l see A noble Ceremony and Solemnity Enter Theotimus with Assistants of Loves Sacrifiâ—ators with Asperges and Thuribles besprinkling and incensing the place The. Far hence be all profane whilst here With Solemn Rites thus every year To render all our Lovers true We element Love's Kingdom new That no heart may too strongly beat We give its fires a temperate heat We give its waters vertuous force To swage them taken in their Source Fogs of perjur'd vows and oaths Which spotless truth and candour loaths We purge the Air from and the Earth From every strange and monstrous birth For as some Lands their monsters fear Lust onely is our monster here As others pois'nous beasts molest So avarice is our pois'nous beast From which when once a Land is freed Then thên Love's Kingdom 't is indeed Exeunt Manent Evander Diophontes Ev. A Ceremony as religious as great Di. Y'admire too soon have seen nothing yet if but compar'd to what you 'l see anon worthy your sight and admiration Exeunt Enter Palemon in desperate action withheld by Polydor. Pol. You wo'nt be mad Pal. I will be nothing but for Love and for Love I will be any thing pray unhand me Shall Bellinda the divine Bellinda be banisht hence to day and shall Palemon see it and shall he live Pol. And shall the gallant and the brave Palemon dye onely for fear of death how low and poorly wo'd it shew and that 's the worst but I hope better still Venus the Goddess of this Isle has oft done greater miracles then this to make one young and fair to love Pal. O Polydor who has miracles for hopes has hopes too nigh despair Pol. I grant you but yours are far from that for ha's she not promis'd if any i' th' Isle she loves it shall be you And is this no hope no comfort Pal. Just as much as 'mong the numerous and unhappy throng of her excluded Lovers to stand next the door first expos'd to the affront and nighest concern'd in the disgrace Pol. Nay if you give your self despair 't is in vain to give you hope suppose the worst If you love fair Bellinda as you say and she perchance be banisht hence today what hinders you from following her vainly and ridiculously does he complain of Winter who by following the sun might still enjoy the Spring Pal. I but following an ecclipsed Sun what shu'd he gain by it but onely by that fatal light to have every thing appear more sad and dismal then if it absent were Pol. Well though it seem more to be wisht then hop'd that she shu'd love you yet take
as ever I met withal that refus'd presents when they were offer'd her and I think will be the last This is a strange Countrey where a man can't get a wench neither for love nor money well I perceive this handling 'um with so much ceremony is that which spoils 'um and makes 'um so nice and ticklish there is no touching 'um women shu'd be handled like nettles but press them hard and you may do any thing with them and I 'le try that way with the next I meet Enter Filena Fil. I have bethought me of a way to dye and must go seek out Amaranthe's help Pam. Stay Lady a word with you I pray before you go Layes hold on her Fil. Was ever such a rudeness unhand me sir and know that Virgins are like sacred Reliques beheld with reverence but let men come to touch 'um once their reverence is gone what wou'd you with me Pam. What a question 's that when a man 's alone with a woman you may easily guess what he wou'd have with her Fil. Hence and avoid my sight for now I see How all that we call vicious is in thee Foul corrupter of honour as cankers of fairest flowers Shame of thy Sex dishonourer of ours Pam. Whow whow is the woman mad Fi. Avoid my sight I say thy glowing eyes like Basilisks will kill me else go and repent thee of thy crying sins Exit Pam. What are those I know no crying sins I have but mine own Bastards Well go thy wayes if e're thou marriest I 'le give thy husband this com̄fort he shall have no other issue of thee but nails and teeth if thou be'st such a Vixen Enter Evander and Diophantes Ev. Now Pamphilus what 's the matter that the Nymph is gone in such a rage away Pam. Nothing nothing onely I offer'd her the courtesie o th' Countrey and she refus'd it that is all Ev. Why then I see you need not multiply the Phenix to sum up all the Maidenheads you 'l leave in Cyprus before you have done with them Pam. Well well you do not know yet Ev. Yes but we do Sir more then you imagine of a certain Nymph you met in Plato's great year and how she entertain'd you Pam. ' Slid how comes he to know of that Ev. And of divers other encounters with them since when you could not desire to be better mockt and laught at then you were Dio. And now Sir pray as you finde our Nymphs here so report of them and know 't is not the way for men to gain them reputation here to make themselves more vicious then they are Pam. Nay if he chide once I 'me gone Ev. Y' are deceiv'd he chides you not but rather gives you good counsel Pam. That is as 't is taken 't is good councel to those who mean to follow it but to me 't is flat chiding and I 'le hear no more of it Ev. Nay pray Pam. Not I I swear Chide me who have liv'd like a Saint here and not toucht a Wench to day Exit Ev. But tarry a little Dio. No let him go I see he 's forfeited to vice and debauchery beyond redemption and such as he when vice is once turn'd nature ne're repent till they find their shame or feel their punishment Exeunt Enter Filena and Amaranthe meeting The Scene a Landskip or Paisage Fi. Amaranthe well met I 've sought you all about And co'd not rest until I 'de found you out You know whilst you and I the other day In yonder Mead beheld our young Lambs play One of them stragling from the rest we spy'd Fell down stretcht forth its tender limbs and dy'd In as short time as I 've been telling t' ye And wondring what the reason of 't shu'd be You said 't was with eating a venomous herb grew there Am. 'T is true what then Fi. You know besides how here where Love is even the vital air we breath and its privation consequently death depriv'd once of our Love 't is lawful for us to despair and dye Am. Whither tends this discourse I wonder Fi. Now Amaranthe I must entreat of thee one courtesie Am. What need you with so many circumstances intreat her whom you may command What is 't Fi. 'T is that thou'dst shew me this same slye And subtle Thief that so insensibly Does steal us from our selves the lookers on Do scarce perceive w' are going till w' are gone Am. And why wo'd you know this Fi. Onely for curiosity Am. Take heed take heed Filena it is no Good curiosity to desire to know Such dangerous secrets as we well may say Their ignorance does no harm their knowledge may Fi. See Amaranthe how unkinde th' art grown Wo'dst all my secrets know but tell me none But now to satisfie your curiosity In plainer terms know I 'm resolv'd to dye And having heard how death's a bitter cup To tell thee true before I drink it up I 'de sweeten it so as though the Fates do please That I shu'd live in pain I 'de dye with ease Am. How you dye now the Gods forbid Fi. No no Thou art deceiv'd for Amaranthe know They are so good as when 't is misery For us to live I 'me sure they 'd have us dye Am. But think think what death is Fi. What is it more then going to rest when we are weary or sleep when we 'd rest Am. I grant you when w' are dead Death is like rest and th' grave but like our bed But if we chance to finde unrest there thên As we lye down can we rise up agen Fi. What is in t'other life I cannot tell But what there is in this I know so well As I 'me resolv'd to dye spare then your pain To seek to hinder me for 't is in vain There 's but one way to live but nature ha's Provided us to dye a thousand wayes And hinder us from living every one Can do but hinder us from dying none Am. I must take some other way to hinder her Aside For this but makes her long for death the more And for the way that she ha's chose to dye Unknown to her I know a remedy Well then since you are so resolv'd I 'le shew You this venomous herb upon condition you Let me ha'th ' tempering it to make 't so sweet You even shall be enamour'd with taste of it Fi. On any condition Amaranthe I 'le dye But on no condition live in misery Life is not worth it and For noble spirits 't is brave necessity When they can't honourably live to dye Whilst to ignoble ones the Gods do give For punishment dishonourably to live Exeunt Enter Philander Phi. Since no where we a constant woman finde But all light and wavering as the winde And there is no woman in all this wide Circumference true but she was never try'd Why shu'd I grieve as 't were my fate alone What 's common I perceive to every one But these are thoughts unworthy
Love's Kingdom A Pastoral Trage-Comedy Not as it was Acted at the Theatre near Lincolns-Inn but as it was written and since corrected BY Richard Flecknoe With a short Treatise of the English Stage c by the same Author LONDON Printed by R. Wood for the Author 1664. Licensed April 22 1664. Roger L' Estrange To his Excellence William Lord Marquess of Newcastle My Noble Lord THe People who as one sayes well are Iudges without Iudgement and Authors without Authority had condemn'd this Play on the Stage for want of being rightly represented unto them at which many noble Persons were so much offended as I could not in any one Act do it more right or give them more satisfaction then by Printing it to shew its Innocence As it is it has had the honour to have been approv'd by most of the better and wiser Sort and if your Excellence but adde unto it your Approbation I desire no more It wants much of the Ornament of the Stage but thât by a lively imagination may easily be supplyed For my part unless it may be presented as I writ it and as I intended it I had rather it shu'd be read then acted and have the World for Theatre rather then the Stage Having said thus much by way of Prologue I leave you to the Play remaining alwayes Your Excellencies Most humble and most devoted Servant Richard Flecknoe To the noble Readers TO think to write without faults is to think to peel a Bulbus Root to the last Rinde or sweep an earthen Floor to the last grain of dust and 't is hêre as in the Mint where if the Dross exceed not the pure Or it passes for currant Coin The greatest fault in this kinde of writing is to erre agâinst Art and Decorum of which I hope this Play is free who findes fault with the mirth in it never consider how here with us mirth in Playes of this kinde is like Alloy in Coin which though it abases it yet makes it more passible For the Rhyme 't is more excusable in Pastorals then in other Playes and where I leave the Rhyme or numbers I imagin'd that as a good Actor was like a good Singer so a good Play was like a good Song where 't is not necessary all notes shu'd be of an equal length For the Plot 't is neat and handsome and the Language soft and gentle suitable to the persons who speak neither on the Ground nor in the Clouds but just like the Stage somewhat elevated above the common In neither no stifness and I hope no impertinence nor extravagance into which your young writers are apt to run who whilst they know not well what to do and are anxious to do enough most commonly overdo Those who think it so easie now to make a good Play will tell me some twenty years hence how hard it is when they will finde that 't is not a good Humor or two in a Comedy will do it which are good supports 't is true but to think they will make a Play is to think a Pillar or two sufficient to make a House nor the writing a fine Copy of Verses or two sufficient to make a Tragedy or Trage-Comedy but there must go a Genius as well as Ingenium to 't with long exercise and experience But to leave their Playes and return to ours if you like it for whom I writ it I have my end which was onely in an innocent and harmless way to divert my self and you The Persons represented THe Prologue spoken by Venus from the Clouds Theotimus Loves Arch-Flamin and Governour of Cyprus Polydor Loves Inquisitor Diophantes one of the Advocates of Loves Court Palemon A noble Cypriot in Love with Bellinda and lov'd by Filena Evander A stranger come to Loves Kingdom on devotion Pamphilus A vicious young fellow stranger to Love's Kingdom and imagining all as vicious as himself Philander a noble Cretian Bellinda's betroth'd Bellinda a noble Cretian Nymph stranger in Love's Kingdom Filena a noble Cyprian Nymph Amaranthe Governess of the Nymphs Cloria Mellissa Lydia with others Nymphs of Cyprus Chorus of Musicians and young Virgins 2 Aruspices Love's Sacrificators The Popa or sacred Executioner Guards c. The Scene Cyprus with all the Rules of Time and Place so exactly observ'd as whilst for Time 't is all compriz'd in as few hours as there are Acts for Place it never goes out of the view or prospect of Loves Temple The Prologue Spoken by Venus from the Clouds IF ever you have heard of Venus name Goddess of Beauty I that Venus am Who have to day descended from my sphere To welcome you unto Love's Kingdom here Or rather to my Sphere am come since I Am present no where more nor in the Sky Nor any Island in the world then this That wholly from the world divided is For Cupid you behold him here in me For there where Beauty is Love needs must be Or you may yet more easily descry Him 'mong the Ladies in each beauteous eye And 'mongst the Gallants may as easily trace Him to their bosoms from each beauteous face May then fair Ladies you Finde all your Servants true And Gallants may you finde The Ladies all as kinde As by your noble favours you declare How much you friends unto Love's Kingdom are Of which your selves compose so great a part In your fair Eyes and in your loving heart Love's Kingdom Actus primus Enter Evander and Pamphilus The Scene a delightful Landskip or Paisage Evander IS 't not a pleasant place Pamph. As e're I saw but I can see no Wenches yet and that I long for Ev. Why Pam. What a question 's that why do the hungry long for meat I pray Ev. Then I perceive you are an Epicure in Love and onely wo'd feed your body Pam. I am no Platonick Philosopher who while they feed their mindes do starve themselves give me a Love that ha's some substance in it Ev. Well this is no time for to convert you behold some coming here Enter a Troop of Nymphs and Shepherds singing and dancing hand in hand The Song Come and in this pleasant Grove Sacred to the Queen of Love Let our Voices and our Feet In harmonious number meet Thus we sing the year throughout And merrily merrily dance about â—xeunt Ev. O happy Land of all the sun surveys where thus perpetually they pass their dayes and if onely a living death it be or dying life to live in misery seeing their joyful lives we well may say in all the world there are none live but they Pa. They 're dainty wenches I le say that for them and I must needs follow them Ev. Nay prethee Pam. Never talk of it I can hold no more then a good Greyhound when he sees the Hare or Hawk the Quarry it is all my sport and inclination and by their mirth and jollity I know they 're right and of the Game Ev. There 's your errour and ignorance now
perhaps when she explains her minde Pol. Pray heaven she may mean time let us go see This stranger who shall ever honour'd be Alive and dead and be all Lovers boast and honour to Love's Kingdom Am. And that most deservedly for never any yet For truly loving did more honour get Nor ever any whilst the world lasts or There 's Lovers in the world shall e're get more Exeunt Enter Theotimus Chorus of Musicians Philander led to Sacrifice crown'd Victim-wise Youths and Virgins with baskets of flowers strewing the way c. Evander The. Go noble youth who does in dying prove Death who has power o're all has none o're Love And shews to th' world that who refuse to give Their lives for honour ne're deserv'd to live Go take with thee this consolation You lose a life that easily wo'd be gone But gain one by 't when thousand years are past And thousand other lives shall alwayes last And though you might have longer liv'd yet know You ne're could dye more gloriously then now To have all our Youths and Virgins strew With flowers all the way you go With Roses and with Mirtle Boughs Adorning your victorious browes And singing with triumphant Song Your praises as you go along Chorus sings Thus shall he ever honour'd be Who dyes for Love and Constancy And thus be ever prais'd who dyes Love's Martyr and his Sacrifice The. And if alive you thus are honoured Much more you shall be after you are dead If such as you can e're be said to dye By whose noble example and memory A thousand Lovers when y' are dead and gone Shall spring up in the world instead of one Who every year on pilgrimage shall come To honour your dead ashes in their tomb Seeing whose votive gifts and offerings The greatest and the mightiest of Kings In envying you and wishing them their own Shall for your tomb gladly exchange their throne Chorus sings Thus shall he ever honour'd be Who dyes for Love and Constancy And thus be ever prais'd who dyes Love's Martyr and his Sacrifice Enter Palemon Diophantes Polydor Amaranthe c. following Pal. Justice Justice Sir The. For what or against whom Pal. Against that stranger there who 'd rob me of the honour and happiness of dying for Bellinda Phi. He 's more unjust then I who ' as rob'd me of the honour and happiness of living for her and now won't let me dye Pal. As if no rocks nor seas nor flames there were Nor other wayes of dying but for her Chuse any of them you please your choice is free Onely dying for her belongs to me Phi. You may live for her what wo'd you more were I So happy as you who 's list for me shu'd dye Pal. You talk as if there were no life to come No blessed Shades nor no Elizium Where those who have been Lovers here possess Eternity of joyes and happiness Phi. Heaven is my witness I ne're think upon The joyes and pleasures of Elizium Nor any joyes or pleasures whatsoe're But that of dying and suffering for her Ev. How like two towering Hawks they mount and soar Love never flew so high a flight before Dio. There'l be no end of this Pol. Peace let them alone Greater example of Love was never shown The. Then let Bellinda come and sentence give Whether of them shu'd dye and whether live Are you content Pal. I am Phi. And so am I ready for her either to live or dye The. Bring her forth thên with all the ceremonies requisite in so dire a Sacrifice All the Nymphs in mourning accompaning her The fatal Axe and Executioner Before her and the whilst they go along The Chorus singing of her Funeral Song The Song sung whilst the Nymphs put on their mourning Veils Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Never was there greater woe Let us all the habits borrow And the face of grief and sorrow who 'd not spare a sigh nor tear From all mishaps to spend it here Enter Bellinda veil'd brought in by Polydor the Popa or sacred Executioner before her all the Nymphs weeping c. Ev. Wherefore this ceremony since she 's not to dye Di. Onely for terrour and formality Th. Come thus I unveil thy eyes that thou mayest see Unto what misery and calamity T' hast brought thy self and us and thus uncharm Thy tongue the fatal cause of all this harm Bel. What means these sable weeds and mourning chear Whilst not a face but wears death's Livery here Th. 'T is all for thee unhappy Nymph put on That thou shud'st dye so untimely and so young Bel. I understand you not nor can I fear Death whilst my dearest life Philander's here Pal. How 's this She goes to embrace Philander and he turns away Ev. This is more strange then t'other Bel. Ha! Philander prove unkinde nay then away With the fatal Axe and Executioner And all these deadly preparations here They need not now one unkinde look or two Of his can kill me sooner then they can do The. It is thy falshood and perfidity Unfortunate Nymph that kills thee and not he Whilst falsly and perfidiously you swore You lov'd one here being betroath'd before unto another Bel. How I ne're did swear That I lov'd any but Philander here Pal. Oh killing declaration The. That cant't be For as for him all Cyprus knows that he Arriv'd not here till after you were inclos'd i th' facred Cell and separated from All conversation i th' mean time your tongue Charm'd silent and Eyes blinded as they were How could you see or know that he was here Bel. Love is a fire and there needs no eye But onely heat to tell when fire is nigh And Lovers by their glowing bosoms know When those are near they love but lest this now Might seem too mystical to make 't more clear As in the Temple I came forth to swear I heard his voice and swounding instantly For joy to hear it whilst officiously They lifted up my Veil to give me air I glanc'd my eyes aside and saw him there The. Can any thing be more clear Pol. Or any more Deceiv'd in judgement then we were before Am. Did I not tell you she was innocent I Bel. Yet can you doubt my faith and constancy Phi. No but I doubt whet'r yet I wake or dream My extasie and joy is so extream They embrace Ev. See how they stand so ravisht with delight And so transported each in t'others sight 'T can scarcely be conceiv'd by humane breast Much less by humane tongue can be exprest Th. Disturb them not now a word with you Palemon Fi. Now Love grant my hopes be true Bel. Co'd you be jealous of me Phi. Dearest know I shu'd not love so dearly as I do Were I not jealous for jealousie 'S but scorching of Loves fire and he shu'd be But a cold Lover who sometimes at least Felt not a little of it in his breast The. Come come I here command you to restore That heart unto