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
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
her and me For 't is not hers but my inconstancy If I can think her false when I do know Falshood wo'd even be truth if she were so And nature of things quite change rather then she What she has been shu'd ever cease to be Enter Palemon Pal. Oh fortunate Palemon and the more The more unfortunate thou wert before And happy pains happy affliction From which such pleasure and such joys do come Now I perceive there 's none can better tell What heaven is then who first have past through hell Methinks great conquerors who in triumph come charg'd with the spoils of conquerd nations home Are but the Types of me who in triumph go To th' Temple to enjoy Bellinda now Exiturus Phi. Death If I can suffer this I shall deserve it Pray stay Sir for you have another victory to gain and enemy I 'de have you know to overcome before you triumph so Pal. What victory d' ye mean what enemy Phi. Why I my self and the victory over me for know Bellinda's mine and I her Lover Pal. You did you not say you were her brother Phi. I but that was onely a disguise put on to hide what thên was fit shu'd not be known Pal. Why this does take all faith away from you For eith'r 't was true or false you said before If true why then 't is false you tell me now If false there 's no believing of you more Phi. This fine Dilemma wo'd serve prettily i th' School but not i th' Field where it must be Somewhat of finer temper then your words Must make Bellinda yours I mean our Swords Layes hand on 's Sword Pal. I pray Sir hold and e're you go so far consider but a little where we are here in Love's Kingdom in a peaceful place where never any strife or quarrel was but onely loving ones Phi. And is not ours for Love too Pal. If it be let Love decide it are you content to put it to his Tribunal and Arbitrement Phi. That 's a way poor and low spirits findes This is the Tribunal and Arbitrement of mighty mindes Draws 'T were folly in me to refer my Cause Unto my enemies Tribunal and Laws Pal. Fortune as well as Love 's your enemy Of her as well as Love you fear'd shu'd be Phi. For Love already he 's declar'd my foe What Fortune yet may do I do not know I 'le try at least my comfort is I can Not be in worse condition then I am Cast down so low it is not in the power Of Love or Fortune e're to cast me lower Enter Polydor. Pol. What 's here a quarrel tow'rds Our peace disturb'd and their offensive Swords Th' uncivil Arbitrers of civil strife Already drawn threatning each others life Our guards where are they there Exit hastily Phi. We are discry'd Before they come our quarrel let 's decide Pal. Do and you 'l see how they but bluntly fight Who first consider not their Causes right Whilst those who well consider it before Have but their courages whetted by 't the more Phi. And unto me considering is but like The weak opposing of some bank or dike Unto some torrents rage which more y'oppose more raging and impetuous it grows They fight Enter Polydor with Guards and parts them Pol. Hold hold I charge you in Loves name or else We are to seize your weapons and your selves Phi. What violence is this Pol. Your self 's the cause who first have violate Loves peaceful Laws Phi. Then in Loves Kingdom here shall Lovers be Depriv'd both of their Loves and Liberty Pol. What Love d' ye mean Phi. Bellinda who is my betroathed Pol. How she your betroathed Phi. I all Crete can witness it Pol. If this be so y 'ave too much witness here already and you 've discovered a secret which now 't is known May prove Bellinda's ruine and your own Pal. O heavens now I remember me by another Law who e're doth falsifie the sacred Oath are instantly to dye sacrific'd to th' offended Deity But e're it comes to that my life shall pay the forfeiture of hers Pol. Come let 's away Palemon you 've your cliâmber for prison you Sir must along with me unto Theotimus to be examin'd Pal. I obey you Phi. And I obey necessity Exeunt Manet Palemon Pal. VVell Fortune thou giddy Goddess if Bellinda be to dye And thou hast onely rais'd me up so high To cast me down with greater force I 'le fall So gallantly and bravely yet as all Shall say at least how e're unfortunate Palemon yet deserv'd a better fate Enter Amaranthe in haste with other Nymphs Am. Run run and seek her all about or she 's but dead and when y 'ave found her out bring me word presently as you love her life VVas never a more unfortunate maid and wife Exeunt Nymphs several wayes Pal. What busie haste is this Am. What are you there flye flye Palemon or the Nymphs will tear you in pieces Pal. Why Am. For killing the gentlest maid eye ever saw or Cyprus ever had Pal. What maid d' ye mean Am. Filena Pal. Why is she dead Am. Dead dead kill'd by your cruelty And see poor soul what she does write to me She reads Filena's Letter Pardon me Amaranthe for having taken the poison unknown unto you and deceiv'd you once in my life rather then you shu'd deceive me in my death Commend me to Palemon and tell him that as I liv'd in hope of his love so now I dye for despair of it and let him aster I am dead but wish me rest and I shall rest in peace FILENA Am. And so I hope thou do'st fair gentle maid or th' Gods shu'd else be most unkinde and cruel shu'd they not to thee grant that rest in death which thou in life didst want Now you who for cruelty surpass The cruel'st savage Beast that ever was Some Tyger bore thee sure or thou wert bred With Tygers milk at least and nourished If thou who art the cause of all canst hear This and not vent a sigh nor shed a tear Pal. As for my sighing and my weeping that Is an expression too effeminate Onely for single losses such as mine Requires expressions far more masculine Where grief and sorrows are redoubled For dying Bellinda and Filena dead Exit Am. What 's that Bellinda dying does he say Sure Love and death have chang'd their darts to day and there 's some Planet reigns will kill us all but I forget Filena Enter a Nymph Oh now I shall hear news of her well have you found her Mel. No but Lydia sayes sh'ave trac't her footsteps to the sacred Grove Am. Take a cruise presently Of purest water then and follow me Yet there is hope I may retard her fate And save her life which Love does make her hate Finis Actus quarti ACTUS 5. Filena Sola The Scene a Wood or Boscage Filena THe poison now 's arriv'd unto my heart The place assign'd where life
and I must part And where I must resign my latest breath Then farewel life and welcome sweetest death To prisoners freedom to the weary rest Comfort to th' sad and ease to the opprest who 'd then indure such worlds of miseries When life 's but pain and death no more but this Now now I dye yet Love lives in me still Falls As if what Love does wound Death durst not kill Who doubt then whether thou immortal art O mighty Love could they but see my heart And bosom here where thou canst never dye It would assert thy immortality Enter Pamphilus Pam. Bless me amongst what a generation of Nymphs am I fallen here who are all so precise and pure as when they come but where men are they take the wind of 'um for fear of being got with child as Spanish Ginnets are and when they go away brush themselves carefully from the dust for fear of a spice of fornication ever since they understood that man 's but made of dust Ha! what have we here a Nymph a sleep ah pretty rogue have I caught you napping she sleeps as snug and soundly as a young sucking pig you can scarce perceive her breath what a great blessing is a sleeping woman for they 'l lie quietly yet methinks I shud know her Enter Lydia Lyd. No news of her yet 't is strange but who is here my goblin agen what 's that he looks so wistly at I wonder a Nymph asleep for modesties sake I 'le wake her out alas 't is she and dead help help the glory of Our Hamlets here the pride of all our plains Grace of the Nymphs delight of all the Swains Our Isles chief ornament Filena's dead The gentlest Nymph as Cyprus ever bread Exit Pam. How is she dead what a beast was I then to let her go for I 'me sure she was alive Enter Lydia agen with Polydor and Guards Pol. A Nymph dead in our wood it cannot be here are no Savage Beasts and much less men so barbarous and savage to kill and murther 'um where is she Lyd. There Pol. Alas 't is she indeed how came she dead d' ye know Lyd. Not I onely in this posture I found her and that stranger by her there Pol. Oh I know him and have cause to suspect considering his former misdemeanors here that he 's the likeliest man to have murther'd her seize on him and let him be examined Pam. So now am I finely serv'd for hunting after wenches to be catcht my self instead of catching them and like to be hang'd for it for ought I see well if I be my comfort is I 'm not the first man that wenching has brought unto the Gallows nor am like to be the last Enter Amaranthe with the other Nymphs Am Where is she where is she stand from about her there Pam. So wou'd I with all my heart if I cu'd get away Am. She is not dead but onely intranc't Pam. Marry and I 'm but little better Am. You 'l see with this cool water she 'l strait revive again Pam. And hot water will scarce bring me to my self again Mel. Take my tears too if water can only do 't Lyd. And mine Clo. And mine Mel. And all of ours to boot Enter Palemon Pol. O Palemon welcome I sent for you by order of Theotimus to let you know strange news of Bellinda Pal. I fear I am but too familiar with it already they whisper Am. See she begins to stir And opens her eyes I told you their fair light Was but ecclipst and not extinguisht quite Pol. Then you may let him go Pam. Marry and I 'le be gone then as fast as I can and flye the land too before I 'le be put in such a fright again Exit Fil. Where am I in what Region of the dead not in hell sure for there are far more horrid visions then are here nor yet in heaven for there agen are far more glorious ones where am I then An. She thinks she 's dead still Fil. Ha Palemon here nay then I see Love takes delight still in tormenting me And there 's some middle place 'twixt Heaven and Hell Where wretched Lovers such as I do dwell Where sh'ud I go to flye the sight of men And where to flye Loves fires and arrows when Where e're I go just like the wounded Dear I flye in vain that which I carry here Exit Am. Go follow her and look carefully unto her Her wandring minde you 'l see will come anon unto its self when her amazement 's gone Pal. Whate're it be methinks there 's somewhat here Whispers remorse and chides me as it were For my unkindness and stern cruelty Unto this Nymph who thus wo'd dye for me But as loud windes won't let us hear the soft And gentle voice of others so the thought Of dying for Bellinda will not let Me hear its voice nor hearken to it yet Enter Diophantes Dio. O noble youth whose famous memory Shall never be forgot or ever be remembred without praise Pal. What news brings Diophantes he 's so transported with it Dio. Thât which had I a thousand tongues to tell Or you a thousand ears to hear wou'd well Deserve them all Soon as 't was rumored Bellinda must dye for having falsified The sacred Oath but this stranger instantly Offered himself with such alacrity to dye for her as Love ne're gain'd so glorious a victory nor ever so triumpht over death before Pal. Oh me if this be so I shall become th' derision and the scorn of every one and was his offer accepted Dio. That you know by th' Laws here co'd not be refus'd him Pal. How Ha's he prevented me but do I stand Senseless and stupid as I were dead here and Had not a life to lose as well as he No generous stranger whosoe're thou be Since thou wert born my Rival thou shalt prove I 'le rival thee in Death as well as Love Exit Pol. I fear the event of this Am. And so do I But wherefore is Bellinda doom'd to dye Pol. For perjury and falshood whilst she swore She lov'd one here being betroath'd before unto that stranger there Am. All thât may be Without forswearing yet and perjury For what if he she swore she lov'd be he she was betroath'd unto Pol. That cannot be For she was in the sacred Cell 't is clear Long time before he e're arrived here In Sequestration separated from Society of all mean time her tongue Charm'd silent and eyes blinded as they were How co'd she see or know that he was here Dio. Are you convinced yet Am. No not alwayes they Convinced are who know not what to say For my part until farther proof shall shew Her guilty I shall ne're believe her so For just as Images in Tapestry Do all appear distorted and awry Until they 're fully explicate and then We see they appear all right and streight agen So shê we now think guilty we may finde Innocent
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
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
this from me your Nymphs are bashful and so cautious too they will not seem to love although they do and 'twod appear a miracle to me she shu'd not feel love who makes so many feel it or that her heart shu'd resist that alone was never yet resisted by any one But there 's I fear some farther misery in 't and the gods are highly offended w' ye or they 'd ne're inflict on you as they do so heavy a punishment to love one who neglects you and the while to neglect one so dearly loves ye and see where she does come Enter Filena Fi. Where shu'd this Nymph be she 's not at home nor in the sacred Grove and 't is too soon to go to th' Temple yet Pol. Well I 'le leave you Pal. What will you go and leave me alone then Pol. How can I leave you better accompanied Pal. In company of one I hate Pol. In company of one who dearly loves you and for your hate to her in these pretty skirmishes there is no fear of danger for now y' are foes and then the peace is made and you are friends agen and so I leave you Exit Pal. What shall I do she has spy'd me and there 's no avoiding her I 'de best dissemble then and by one importunity avoid another Gentle Filena well met Fi. Kinde looks aside that guild the sun-shine as that guilds the day Kinde words whose ravishing sweetness melts into my heart at sun-shine of those looks of his how I 'me o'rejoyed with them Pal. I have a suit unto you Fi. And I another to you Pal. To me fye fye Nymphs sue to men Fi. Why not Palemon here where Love 's not onely Love but Vertue too it no wayes misbeseems a Nymph to wooe But what 's your suit you may be sure that I am too much yours Palemon to deny you any thing Pal. You know Filena how much I love Bellinda and how much I long to know if she loves me which you can tell me best are confident of all the secrets of her breast Fi. Some secrets she confides to me 't is true but of her Love I know no more then you for that 's a warfare where each one 's a spy and every rival is an enemy She 'd ne're trust me with 't then whom she does know am both a Lover and her Rival too Pal. Howe're Filena you do know at least those softer minuts when Nymphs minds are best dispos'd for the impressions of Love in one of those then prethee do but move my Suit unto her especially before she goes to th' Temple when she must needs be more dispos'd then ever and thou shu'dst infinitely oblige me by so dear a courtesie D' ye hear Fi. I do and will you hear me now Pal. If y 'ave any new thing to say I will but of old businesses I pray no more Fi. That can't be old that 's every day renew'd Pal. And how can that be new I pray that needs renovation every day But of this enough prethee Filena go and if you love me as you say you do know now 's best time to shew 't for Love's best shown by doing their wills we love before our own Fi. Well then to shew how much how dearly I love you I will go and though Love a burthen be which two hearts equally shu'd bear and then 't is sweet and light But when once all the weight lyes upon one alone a grievous and intollerable one my heart shall bear it yet and ne're repine or else I 'le not acknowledge it to be mine Pal. That 's bravely and nobly resolv'd Fi. But is there no hope no pitty for Filena Pal. To deal ingeniously w' ye and not abuse you with civility There 's pitty but no hope for Bellinda has all my stock of Love and consequently for loving any other has rendred me so poor as I can dye but I can love no more Fi. Since you are so resolv'd Palemon know Filena too can dye as well as you and be assur'd that the same messenger brings news Palemon does Bellinda wed shall carry back the news Filena's dead Pal. Soft soft Filena for I 'de have you know to th' thing call'd dying there goes more then so and every Coward is valiant enough to talk of death but when it comes to th' proof their hearts do fail as yours no doubt will too wherefore dear Filena I 'le be gone and shall not fear to leave you here alone spoken scornfully â—xit Fi. Cruel Palemon is 't not enough that thou refusest me but thou must scorn me too This is not to be endur'd one nobly born can better suffer injury then scorn but what do I say wretch as I am or how com these high thoughts in one that 's faln so low I 'me now engag'd what ever does befall and those who are slaves to Love must suffer all Exit Enter Pamphilus looking after her Pam. Hey whurr there boults another wench the Warren's all full of them and I like a good Tumbler am ready to throw my self after every one and see here coms another alone too Enter Amarantha this opportunity is the shell that Love is hatched of and the Nymphs here just like young Lapwings run away with 't on their heads you shall see how I 'le accoast her now Fair Nymph might I be so bold I pray to request the time o' th' day of you Am. Oh Sir with all my heart it shall be any time o th' day you please for me I 'le not stick w' ye for half an hour or so Pa. Lo ye there now there 's ne're a sextons wife in all Cyprus co'd answer ye more courteously a kinde Wench I 'le warrant her Let 's see what 's next now Pox on 't I better know what to do with wenches then what to say to them and we Complementers of the first head when w' are past our legs faces are past the greatest part of our discourse It shall be so and how have you done I faith since I saw you last Am. Right and methodical how d' ye and what 's a clock I 'le wager now next is what news or somewhat about the weather the ordinary discourse of those who can discourse of nothing and when was 't I pray you saw me last Pam. Why in Plato's great year don't you remember it I do as perfectly as if 't were but to day by the same token meeting you just as I do now I took you by the hand and kissing it led you just into such another Grove as this Am. Just no such matter pray stay a little sure you don't remember well Pam. Most perfectly by the same token I saluted you too She puts him by Am. I knew you were quite wide not me I 'le assure you Pam. You can't deny 't I 'me sure Am. Indeed Sir but I can Pam. And thereupon I told you that having so fair opportunity but lose it you 'd never have