tore And murther'd Orpheus so on Hebrus shore As they had thee unlesse her clemencie Whom thou call'st cruell now had rescu'd thee But she is not so cruell as she ought To be for if when she is cruell thought Thy boldnesse is so great what would it be If she were judged pitifull by thee That honest pitie which I could I gave Other it is in vain for thee to crave Or hope for amorous pitie she can ill Bestow who gave it all to one that will Give her none back If thou my Lover be Love my good name my life my honestie Thou seek'st impossibles I am a ward To Heav'n Earth watches me and my reward If I transgresse is death but most of all Vertue defends me with a brasen wall For she that is protected by her honour Scorns there should be a safer guard upon her Look to thy safety then and do not give Battell to me Mirtillo fly and live If thou be wise For out of sense of smart T' abandon life argues but a faint heart And 't is the part of vertue to abstain From what we love if it will prove our bane Mir. He that no longer can resist must yeeld Am. Where vertue is all passions quit the field Mir. Love triumphs over vertue Am. Let that man That cannot what he will will what he can Mir. Necessitie of loving hath no law Am. Love 's wounds will heal which salves of absence draw Mir. We fly in vain what we about us carry Am. Love drives out love like following billows Marry Mir. Strange levitie in me thou dost presume Am. If all wayes fail time will thy love consume Mir. But first my love will have consumed me Am. Is there no cure then for thy malady Mir. No cure at all but that which death affords Am. Death let me speak then and be sure these words Be as a charm unto thee though I know When Lovers talk of dying it doth show An amorous custome rather of the tongue Then a resolve of minde continuing long To do 't indeed yet if thou ere shouldst take So strange a frenzie know when thou dost make Away thy self thou murtherst my fame too Live then if thou dost love me and adieu I shall esteem thee henceforth most discreet If thou take care we two may never meet Mir. Sad doom without my life how can I live Or without death end to my torments give Am. Mirtillo 'T is high time thou wentst away Thou hast already made too long a stay Be gone and take this cordiall along Of hopelesse Lovers there 's a numerous throng There is no wound but carries with it pain And there are others may of love complain Mir. I know I 'm not the only man hath lost His Love but onely wretched I am tost 'Twixt life and death of whom it may be sed That I am neither living nor yet dead Am. Be gone be gone Mir. O wofull parting O End of my dayes from thee how can I go And yet not dye The pangs of death I 'm sure I feel and all that parting souls endure For mine 't is past into my griefs Hence I Have ceas'd to live those live immortally Scena quarta AMARILLIS MIrtillo O Mirtillo couldst thou see That heart which thou condemn'st of cruelty Soul of my soul thou unto it wouldst show That pity which thou begg'st from it I know O ill starr'd Lovers what avails it me To have thy love T' have mine what boots it thee Whom Love hath joyn'd why dost thou separate Malitious Fate And two divorc'd by Fate Why joyn'st thou perverse Love How blest are you Wild beasts that are in loving ty'd unto No lawes but those of Love whilst humane lawes Inhumanely condemn us for that cause O why if this be such a naturall And powerfull passion was it capitall Nature too frail that do'st with Law contend Law too severe that Nature do'st offend But what they love but little who death fear Ah my Mirtillo would to heav'n that were The onely penaltie Vertue which art The bindingst Law to an ingenuous heart This inclination which in me I feel Lanc'd with the sharp point of thy holy steel To thee I sacrifice and pardon deer Mirtillo her that 's onely cruell where She must not pitie Pardon thy fierce foe In looks and words but in her heart not so Or if addicted to revenge thou be What greater vengeance canst thou take on me Then thine own grief for if thou be my heart As in despight of Heaven and Earth thou art Thy sighs my vitall spirits are the flood Of tears which follows is my vitall blood And all these pangs and all these groans of thine Are not thy pangs are not thy groans but mine Scena quinta CORISCA AMARILLIS Cor. SIster no more dissembling Am. Woe is me I am discovered Cor. I heard all now see Was I a Witch I did believe my Heart Thou wert in love now I am sure thou art And would'st thou keep 't from me thy closet tush This is a common evill never blush Am. Corisca I am conquer'd I confess 't Cor. No now I know 't deny it thou wert best Am. Alas I knew a womans heart would prove Too small a vessell for o're-flowing love Cor. Cruell to thy Mirtillo but unto Thy self much more Am. 'T is cruelty that grew From pitie Cor. Poyson ne're was known to grow From wholsom root What diff'rence canst thou show 'Twixt such a crueltie as doth offend And such a pitie as no help will lend Am. Ay mee Corisca Cor. 'T is a vanitie Sister to sigh an imbecillitie Of mind and tastes too much of woman Am. Wer 't Not crueller to nourish in his heart A hopelesse love To fly him is a signe I have compassion of his case and mine Cor. But why a hopelesse love Am. Do'st thou not know I am contracted unto Silvio Do'st thou not know besides what the Law saith 'T is death in any woman that breaks faith Cor. O fool and is this all stands in thy way Whether is ancienter with us I pray The Law of Dian or of Love this last Is born with us and it growes up as fast As we do Amarillis 't is not writ Nor taught by Masters Nature printed it In humane hearts with her own powerfull hand Both Gods and men are under Loves command Am. But if that Law my life away should take Can this of Love a restitution make Cor. Thou art too nice if women all were such And on these scruples should insist so much Good dayes adieu I hold them simple souls Will live obnoxious to such poor comptrolls Lawes are not for the wise if to be kind Should merit death Iove help the cruell mind But if fools fall into those snares 't is fit They be forbid to steal who have not wit To hide their theft For honestie is but An art an honest glosse on vice to put Think others as they list thus I conceive Am. These rotten grounds
loath Cor. Yet do 't in pitie unto her that dyes Unlesse sh' enjoy the fun of thy fair eyes Uncharitable youth art not thou poor And canst thou beat a beggar from thy door Ah! what thou wouldst another should extend To thee do thou now to another lend Mir. What alms can beggers give In short I swore Allegeance to that Nymph whom I adore Whether she tyrant prov'd or mercifull Cor. O truly blind and most unhappy dull Mirtillo who is 't thou art constant to I am unwilling to add woe to woe But thou art too much wrong'd I' faith and I That love thee am not able to stand by And see thee so betraid If thou suppose This crueltie of Amarillis growes From zeal to vertue or Religion Th' art gull'd another doth possesse the throne And thou poor wretch whilst he doth laugh must cry What stricken dumb Mir. I 'm in an ecstasie 'Twixt life and death suspended till I know Whether I should believe thee now or no. Cor. Do'st not believe me then Mir. If I did I Had not surviv'd it sure and I will dye Yet if it be a truth Cor. Live Caitiffe live To be reveng'd Mir. But I cannot believe It is a truth Cor. Wilt thou not yet believe But force me to tell that which it will grieve Thy soul to hear Do'st thou see yonder cave That is thy Mistresse Faith's and Honour's grave There laughs sh'at thee there makes of thy anoy A poynant sawce to thy tir'd Rivals joy In short there oft a base-born shepherd warms Thy vertuous Amarillis in his arms Now go and sigh and whine and constant prove Unto a Nymph that thus rewards thy love Mir. Ay me Corisca do'st thou tell me true And is it fit I should believe thee too Cor. The more thou searchest 't will the worser be Mir. But didst thou see 't Corisca wo is me Cor. Truth is I did not see it but thou mayst And presently for she her word hath past To meet him there this very hour But hide Thy self beneath that shady hedges side And thou thy self shalt see her straight descend Into the cave and after her her friend Mir. So quickly must I dye Cor. See! I have spi'd Her coming down already by the side O' th' Temple mark how guiltily she moves Her stealing pace betraying their stoln loves To mark the sequell do thou here remain And afterwards we two will meet again Mir. Since the discovery of the truth 's so neer With my belief I will my death defer Scena septima AMARILLIS NO mortall work successfully is done Which with th' immortall gods is not begun Full of distractions and with heavie heart I did from hence unto the Temple part Whence Heaven be prais'd I come as light as air And strangely comforted for at my pray'r Pure and devout I felt from thence me thought Another soul into my body shot Which whisper'd Fear not Amarillis go Securely on I and I will do so Heav'n guiding Fair Mother of Love befriend Her that on thee for succour doth depend Thou that as Queen in the third Orb do'st shine If e're thou felt'st thy Son's flames pitie mine Bring courteous Goddesse by a secret path Quickly that youth to whom I 've pawn'd my faith And thou deer cave till I have done my work Suffer this slave of Love in thee to lurk But Amarillis all the coast is cleer None nigh to see thee and none nigh to hear Securely enter O Mirtillo O Mirtillo if thou dream'dst wherefore I go Scena octava MIRTILLO I Wake and see what I could wish t' have been Born without eyes that I might not have seen Or rather not to have been born Curst Fate Why hast thou thus prolonged my lifes date To bring me to this killing spectacle Mirtillo more tormented then in hell The blackest soul is not to doubt thy grief Not to be able to suspend beleif Thou thou hast heard and seen 't thy Mistresse is Another man's And which is worse not his Whose by the world's Laws she was bound to be But by Love's Lawes snatcht both from him and thee O cruell Amarillis to undo This wretched man and then to mock him too With that unconstant mouth which once did meet And once did call Mirtillo's kisses sweet But now his loathed name which haply rose Like bitter drink that 'gainst the stomack goes Because it should not bitternesse impart To thy delight hath spu'd out of thy heart Since therefore she who gave thee life hath ta'ne That life away and given it again 'T another why do'st thou thy life survive Wretched Mirtillo Why art thou alive Dye dye Mirtillo unto grief and smart As unto joy already dead thou art Dye dead Mirtillo since thy life is so Let thy pangs likewise be concluded Go Out of the anguish of this death which still Keeps thee alive that it may longer kill But shall I dye then unrevenged Sure I 'le slay him first that did my death procure I will dispense with my dire love of death Till I have justly ta'ne away his breath Who slew my heart unjustly Yeeld stout grief To anger death to life till in my life I have aveng'd my death Let not this steel be drunken with the flood Of its own Master's unrevenged blood Nor this right hand be Pitie's till it hath First made it self the Minister of wrath Thou that enjoy'st my spoyls what ere thou be Since I must fall I 'le pull thee after me In the same brake I 'le plant my self agen And when I spie him coming to the den Will rush upon him with this piercing dart At unawares and strike him through the heart But is 't not base to strike him out of sight It is defie him then to single fight Where valour may my justice prove But no This place is unto all so known and so Frequented that some swains may interpose Or which is worse enquire of me whence grows Our quarrell which if I deny 't is naught They 'l think if feign a cause I may be caught Then in a lie if tell 't her name will be Blasted with everlasting infamie In whom although I never can approve That which I see yet I must ever love That which I fanci'd and did hope t' have seen And that which ought I 'm sure in her t' have been Dye basely then the base Adulterer Who hath slain me and hath dishonour'd her I but the blood may if I kill him here The murther show and that the Murtherer What do I care I but the murth'rer known Bewrays the cause for which the murther's done So this ungratefull woman runs the same Hazard this way of shipwrak in her fame Enter the cave then and assault him there Good good tread softly softly lest she hear That she 's at th' other end her words imply'd Now hid with branches in the Rock's left side There is a hollow at the steep stairs foot There without any noyse I 'le wait to put In
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
Lin. But what then became Of the slain beast Dor. I know not for I came Away for fear of being known but I Suppose the head to th' Temple solemnly They 'l bear according to my Silvio's vow Lin. But wilt thou not get out of these weeds now Dor. Yes but my garments with my other geer Lupino has who promis'd to stay here With them but fails Dear Linco if thou love Me seek him for me up and down this grove Far off he cannot be mean while I 'le take A little rest dost see there in that Brake There I 'le expect thee for I am ore-come With wearinesse and sleep and will not home Accoutred thus Lin. I go but stir not then Out of that place till I return agen Scena tertia CHORUS ERGASTO Cho. HAve ye heard Shepherds that our Demy-God Montano's and Alcides worthy blood This day hath freed us from that dreadfull beast Which all Arcadia lately did infest And that he is preparing himself now l'th' Temple for it to perform his vow If for so great a benefit wee 'd show Our gratitude to meet him let us go And joyn our tongues and hearts together there To honour him as our Deliverer Which honour though it be reward too small For such a fair and valiant soul 't is all Vertue can have on earth Erg. O sad disaster O bitter chance O wound that hath no plaister O day to be for ever steep'd in tears Cho. What dolefull voice is this that strikes our ears Erg. Starres that are enemies to man alwayes Why do you mock our faith why do you raise Our hope on high that when it falls again The precipice may be with greater pain Cho. Ergasto by his voice and it is hee Erg. But why do I acuse Heav'n wrongfully Accuse thy self Ergasto Thou alone Thou thou against the steel didst knock the stone Thou layd'st the match unto the tinder whence A flame unquenchable is kindled since But Heav'n doth know I for the best did do it And pitie onely did induce me to it O ill starr'd Lovers wretched Titiro Poor Amarillis childlesse Father O Mourning Montano O Arcadia gone In a consumption far and we undone In short most sad all I have seen or see Or speak or hear or think Cho. What may this be Alas that in one accident alone Includes a generall desolation This way hee bends his course let us go meet Him swains Erg. Eternall Gods is it not yet Time to abate your wrath Cho. Unfold to us Courteous Ergasto what afflicts thee thus What dost thou moane Erg. Your ruine and mine own The ruine of Arcadia I moane Cho. Alas why so Erg. The very staffe the stay Of all our hope is broke is pull'd away Cho. Speak plainer Erg. Titiro's daughter that sole prop Of her old House and Father the sole hope Of our deliverance promis'd here below Above decreed to marry Silvio As th' onely means that should Arcadia save That Heav'nly Maid so sober and so grave That President of honour crown'd with Lillies Of chastitie that peerlesse Amarillis Shee she alas I have no heart no breath To tell it you Cho. Is dead Erg. Is neer her death Cho. Alas what have we heard Erg. Nothing as yet She dies a malefactresse That That 's it Cho. A malefactresse Amarillis how Ergasto Erg. Caught with an Adult'rer now And if ye stay a little longer here Led pinion'd to the Temple ye shall see her Cho. O female structures glorious and most fair But weak withall O chastitie how rare Art thou and shall it then be truly taxt No woman's chast but shee that ne're was akst Erg. Indeed when she that 's vertue 's self doth fall We well may doubt the vertue of them all Cho. Pray if it will not too much trouble be Tell the whole story to these swains and me Erg. I will The Priest early to day ye know Did with this wretched Nymph's sad Father go Unto the sacred Temple with one care Both moved to facilitate with pray'r Their childrens desired marriage For this end At once their incense did to heav'n ascend At once their offrings bled their sacrifice At once was done with due solemnities And such glad auspice that no entrails e're Were fairer seen no flame was more sincere And lesse ecclips'd with smoke mov'd with such signes Thus the blind prophet speaks and thus divines This day Montano shall thy Silvio love Thy Daughter Titiro a wife shall prove Go and prepare the Marriage O absurd And vain depending on an Augur's word And thou as blind in soul as in thy eyes If thou hadst said Prepare her Obsequies Then a true Prophet thou hadst prov'd indeed Yet all the standers by were comforted And the old Fathers wept for joy apace And Titiro was parted from the place When in the Temple suddenly were heard Sinister omens and dire signes appear'd Boading Heav'ns wrath At which alas if each Stood there astonisht and berest of speech After so fair beginnings Friends judge you Mean while the Priests themselves alone withdrew Into an inner room and whilst they there And we without intent in praying were Devout and weeping puffing through the presse The curled Satyr loe demands accesse Unto the Priests I Porter of that place Admit him Hee then O he has a face To bring ill news cry'd Fathers if your Pray'r Find not the Gods your vows and incense are Not acceptable and your sacrifice If from your altars an impure flame rise Think it not strange that likewise is impure Which is committing now hard by your door In Ericina's cave a false Nymph there Is breaking with a base adulterer Your lawes and her own faith Send with me now Your Ministers and I will shew them how I' th' act to take ' em Then O humane mind When thy Fate 's neer how dull thou art how blind The good Priests breatâ—'d supposing 't was no more But remove them and Heaven would as before Look on their sacrifice beni'nely There Upon they order their chief Minister Nicandro presently to take that guide And bring both Lovers to the Temple ty'd With all his under-ministers he goes Pursuing that vile Satyr through a close And crooked way into the cave The Maid Strook with their torches sudden light assay'd From where she was to run out of the door Which that base dog had stopt it seems before Cho. And what did he the while Erg. He went his waies When he had led Nicandro to the place But friends I cannot tell the generall Astonishment that fell upon us all When it the Daughter prov'd of Titiro Who taken in a trice I do not know Out of what place forth bold Mirtillo flew And a sharp dart which he was arm'd with threw Like lightning at Nicandro which if it The place that it was aimed at had hit Had sent him to the shades But whether I May call it Fortune or agility At the same instant the one aim'd his blow The other stept a
little backward so The mortall steel past by leaving his brest Untoucht and in his coat of skins did rest Into the which I know not how 't was wove So intricately that Mirtillo strove In vain to pull it out and so he too Was taken Cho. And with him what did they do Erg. He to the Temple by himself was brought Cho. For what Erg. To try if he 'd discover ought Touching the fact in question Perhaps too Th' affront he in their Minister did do Unto the priestly majesty might some Penance deserve Would yet I might have come To comfort my poor friend Cho. What hindred thee Erg. The waiters at the altar may not be Admitted to delinquents therefore I Sequesterd from the other company Go by my self unto the Temple where With many a prayer and devouter tear I 'le beg of Heaven that it would chase away This sullen storm that overclouds our day Deer Shepherds rest in peace and joyn with ours Your pray'rs to batter the celestiall towers Cho. We will when we have paid to Silvio That duty first we to his goodnesse owe. O ye great Gods now now if ever prove Your anger lesse eternall then your love Scena quarta CORISCA. EMpale ye triumph-decking Lawrell boughs Empale my glorious and victorious brows Into Love's lists hedg'd round about with flame This day I came I saw I overcame This day hath Heav'n and Earth Nature and Art Fortune and Fate Friend and Foe ta'ne my part Ev'n that base Satyr who abhorres me so Hath helpt me too as if he too did go Some share with me How much more happily Did fortune bring Mirtillo in then I Contriv'd to have brought Coridon to make Her crime more show of likelihood to take And though Mirtillo's apprehended too That matters not they soon will let him go Th' Adultresse onely payes the penaltie O famous triumph Solemn victorie If lying may deserve a trophie I Deserve a trophie for my amorous lye Which from this tongue and bosome hath done more For me then Love with all his charms before But this is not a time to talk Withdraw Thy self Corisca till the doom of Law Fall on thy Rivals head for fear that she T' excuse her self should lay the blame on thee Or that the Priest himself should wish to know What thou canst say before he give the blow When a mine springs 't is good to stand aloof A lying tongue requires a flying hoof I 'le hide me in those woods and there will make Some stay till it be time to come and take Possession of my joyes O! it hath hit Beyond all thought Successe hath crown'd my wit Scena quinta NICANDRO AMARILLIS Nic. A Heart of flint or rather none had he Nor humane sense that could not pitie thee Unhappy Nymph and for thy sorrow grieve The more by how much lesse they can believe This should befall thee who have known thee best For were it but to see a Maid distrest Of venerable count'nance and that show'd So vertuous and so excellently good One that for heav'nly beauty merited Temples and Sacrifices to be led Unto the Temple as a Sacrifice Who could behold it without melting eyes But he that should consider further how And for what purpose thou wert born That thou Art Daughter unto Titiro and shoud Have married been unto Montano's bloud Two the most lov'd and honour'd shall I say Shepherds or Fathers of Arcadia And that being such so great so famous and So beautifull a Nymph and that did stand By nature so remote from thy death's brink Thou shouldst be now condemn'd He that doth think On this and weeps not wails not thy mishap Is not a man but wolf in humane shape Am. If my mishap had come through mine own fault And the effect had been of an ill thought As of a deed that seems ill it had been Lesse grievous to mee to have death pay sinne And very just it were I should have spilt My bloud to wash my impure soul from guilt To quench Heav'ns wrath and since man too had wrong Pay what to human justice did belong So might I still a crying conscience And mortifi'd with a due inward sense Of deserv'd death render my self more fit To die and through that purgatory get Perchance to Paradise But now in all My pride of youth and fortune thus to fall Thus innocent is a sad case a sad Nicandro Nic. Nymph would to Heav'n men had Sinn'd against thee rather then thou 'gainst Heav'n For satisfaction might be easier giv'n To thee for thy wrong'd Fame then unto it For its wrong'd Deities Nor know I yet Who wrong'd thee but thy self Wert thou not caught Alone with the adult'rer in a vault To Silvio precontracted wert not thou And so thy nuptiall faith hast broken How Then innocent Am. For all this have not I Transgrest the Law and innocently dye Nic. Not Natures law perchance Love where thou wilt But that of Men and Heav'n Love without guilt Am. Both men and Heav'n if all our fortune be Deriv'd from thence transgrest have against me For what but an ill destiny could bid That I should die for what another did Nic. What was that Nymph bridle thy tongue with high Flown grief transported ev'n to blasphemie The ils we suffer our own sins pull down Heav'n pardons many wrongs but it doth none Am. I blame in Heaven onely my own starre But one that hath deceiv'd me more by farre Nic. Then blame thy self thy self thou didst deceive Am. I did when I a coz'ner did believe Nic. They who desire to be deceiv'd are not Am. Dost think me naught Nic. Nay ask thy actions that Am. Actions are oft false comments on our hearts Nic. Yet those we see and not the inward parts Am. The heart may be seen too with th' eys o' th' mind Nic. Whithout the senses help those eyes are blind Am. The senses must submit to reasons sway Nic. Reason in point of fact must sense obay Am. Well I am sure an honest heart I have Nic. Prethee who brought thee then into the cave Am. My folly and too much credulity Nic. Thou trustedst with a friend thy honesty Am. I trusted a friends honestie Nic. Thy blood Was that the friend thou wouldst have understood Am. Ormino's Sister who betraid me thither Nic. 'T is sweet when Lovers are betraid together Am. Mirtillo enterd without my consent Nic. How enter'dst thou then and for what intent Am. Let this suffice 't was not for him I came Nic. It cannot if no other cause thou name Am. Examine him about my innocence Nic. Him who hath been the cause of thy offence Am. Call her to witnesse who betraid me hath Nic. Why should we hear a witnesse without faith Am. By chast Diana's dreadfull name I swear Nic. Thou by thy deeds art perjur'd unto her Nymph I am plain I cannot flatter thee Into a hope which in extremitie Will leave thee more confounded these are dreams A troubled fountain
in vain But dost thou breath nor art to pity barr'd Art thou a tender brest or marble hard I would not idolize fair Alablaster Led by the humane likenesse as thy Master And mine when on the outside he did look A harmlesse woman for a beast mistook I strike thee strike thee Love Nor can I wish For my revenge a greater plague then this Yet must I blesse the day that I took fire My tears and martyrdome All I desire Is that thou praise my faith my zeale but no Revenging me But courteous Silvio That to thy servant kneel'st why this to me Or if Dorinda must thy Mistresse be Obey her then the first command I give Is that thou rise the second that thou live Heav'ns Will be done with me I shall survive In thee and cannot dye whilest thou' rt alive But if thou thinkst unjust I should be found Without all satisfaction for my wound Be that which did it punish'd 'T was that Bow Let that be broke I 'm well revenged so Lin. A very heavie doom Sil. Come then thou mad Thou bloody actor of a deed so sad That thou maist ne're break thred of life again Thus do I break thee and thy thred in twain And send thee a uselesse trunk back to the wood Nor you ill sanguin'd with an innocents blood Which my deer Mistresse side so rudely rent Brothers in ill shall scape your punishment Not shafts nor flights but sticks since yee shall want Those wings and heads which garnisht you Avant Plum'd and disarmed Arms. How well O Love Didst thou foretell me this from yonder grove In a prophetick Eccho O thou high Conqu'rour of Gods and men once enemy Now lord of all my thoughts if 't is thy glory To tame a heart that 's proud and refractory Divert Death's impious shaft which with one blow Slaying Dorinda will slay Silvio Now thine so cruell death if it remove Her hence will triumph or'e triumphant Love Lin. Now both are wounded but the one in vain Unlesse the other's wound be heal'd again About it then Dor. Ah Linco do not pray Carry me home disguis'd in this array Sil. Why should Dorinda go to any house But Silvio's surely she shall be my Spouse ' Ere it be night either alive or dead And Silvio in life or death will wed Dorinda Lin. Now she may become thy Wife Since Amarillis is to marriage life And vertue lost Blest pair Ye Gods that doe Wonders with one cure now give life to two Dor. O Silvio I shall faint my wounded thigh Feebly supporting me Sil. Good remedy For that take heart th' art mine and Linco's care And I and Linco thy two crutches are Linco thy hand Lin. There ' t is Sil. Hold fast a chair Let 's make for her of our two arms Rest here Dorinda suffring thy right hand t' imbrace The neck of Linco thy left mine Now place Thy body tenderly that the hurt part May not be strain'd Dor. O cruell pricking dart Sil. Sit at more ease my Love Dor. It is well now Sil. Deer Linco do not stagger Lin. Nor do thou Swag with thine arme but steddy go and wary It will concern thee Ah! we do not carry A Boars head now in triumph Sil. Say my Deer How is it now Dor. In pain but leaning here My Heart to be in pain is pleas'd to be To languish health to die eternity CHORUS FAir golden Age when milk was th' onely food And cradle of the infant-world the wood Rock'd by the windes and th' untoucht flocks did bear Their deer young for themselves None yet did fear The sword or poyson no black thoughts begun T' eclipse the light of the eternall Sun Nor wandring Pines unto a forreign shore Or War or Riches a worse mischief bore That pompous sound Idoll of vanity Made up of Title Pride and Flattery Which they call Honour whom Ambition blindes Was not as yet the Tyrant of our mindes But to buy reall goods with honest toil Amongst the woods and flocks to use no guile Was honour to those sober souls that knew No happinesse but what from vertue grew Then sports and carols amongst Brooks and Plains Kindled a lawfull flame in Nymphs and Swains Their hearts and Tongues concurr'd the kisse and joy Which were most sweet and yet which least did cloy Hymen bestow'd on them To one alone The lively Roses of delight were blown The theevish Lover found them shut on triall And fenc'd with prickles of a sharp denyall Were it in Cave or Wood or purling Spring Husband and Lover signifi'd one thing Base present age which dost with thy impure Delights the beauty of the soul obscure Teaching to nurse a Dropsie in the veins Bridling the look but giv'st desire the reins Thus like a net that spread and cover'd lies With leaves and tempting flowrs thou dost disguise With coy and holy arts a wanton heart Mak'st life a Stage-play vertue but a part Nor thinkst it any fault Love's sweets to steal So from the world thou canst the theft conceal But thou that art the King of Kings create In us true honour Vertue 's all the state Great souls should keep Vnto these cels return Which were thy Court but now thy absence mourn From their dead sleep with thy sharp goad awake Them who to follow their base wils forsake Thee and the glory of the ancient world Let 's hope our ills have truce till we are hurld From that Let 's hope the sun that 's set may rise And with new light salute our longing eyes Actus Quintus Scena Prima VRANIO CARINO Vr. ALl places are our Country where w' are well Which to the wise is wheresoe're they dwel Car. It is most true Vranio and no man By proof can say it better then I can Who leaving long ago my Fathers house Being very young and then ambitious Of something more then holding of the plough Or keeping sheep travell'd abroad and now To the same point where I began return When my gilt locks are to the silver worn Yet a sweet thing it needs must be confest To any that hath sense is his first nest For Nature gave to all men at their birth Something of secret love unto that Earth Where they were born which never old doth grow In us but follows wheresoe're we go The Loadstone which the wary Mariner Doth as Directer of his travels bear Now to the rising Sun now to his set Doth never lose that hidden vertue yet Which makes it to the North retort its look So he that hath his native soil forsook Though he may wander far much compasse take I and his nest in forraign Countries make Yet that same naturall love doth still retain Which makes him wish his native soil again O fair Arcadia the sweetest part Of all the world at least to me thou art Which my feet trod on but my thoughts adore Had I been landed blindfold on thy shore Yet then I should have known thee such a floud
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