But say Endymion say She should look sad or sigh when thou depart'st How dost thou think at the same time to quell Two insurrections that at Argos and This sadder one in thy own breast My Dear I must not see thee I must onely make Some little paper happier then my self And write thee why Endymion is unblest Exit Endym. Enter King and Pyrrhus King Well Pyrrhus now our business is done This night Urania after all her pretty blushes and loathness to say Yes is mine Pyr. She is an 't please your Majesty and I am very glad of it knowing your Majesty's passion for the truth is I did very much doubt so much innocence would never have been overcome King She was loath indeed But Pyrrhus prithee see Endymion loyter not She was very passionate in that particular and all her promise is void if he be in towne by six of the clock this Even and it is neere so much already I think Pyr. I shall hasten him if he be not already gone King And then you must see yond Grotto prepared Pyr. It shall be fitted for the Scene of Love King The all I have to do is to make some fair pretence to the Queen for my absence this night Look where she comes Enter Queen alone Pyrrh I shall make haste to wait on your commands Ex. Pyrrh King How doth my Queen what all alone Queen Not now When I have found my Lord who is to me All company King Ah! thou hast found him none Thou 'st found him now disorder'd I 'm not well Qu. Alas I doubt you 've taken cold King I have But hope that this nights rest will make me well Qu. Sure Sir you don't do well to tarry here King I do not Madam I 'll retire Good night Kisseth her Qu. Nay give me leave Sir to attend you King No I will not draw you from the entertainment This pleasant evening will afford you here Qu. Alas my Prince you injure now your Queen To think that evening which gives Pain to you Can give her Pleasure King My dear I am not sick I onely am a little indispos'd I 'll beg thy pardon to retire this night But pray sup you and take no farther care Till at your own appartment I wait on you To morrow morning Queen Your will is still my Law King Once more goodnight Ex. King Queen sol Poore Prince poore Prince How little dost thou think How soon we two shall meet again and she Thou so much fly'st shall prove the very thing For which thou fly'st her How ridiculous Just Heaven doth make the wayes of men when they Forsake the wayes of Vertue This brave Prince At whose victorious Armies Greece now trembles When he contrives inglorious actions shall At the same time be pitied by his servants And a poor Girle shall upbraid him in Contriving to preserve him vertuous How do men ravel back to childhood when They cease to be thy Children sacred Vertue And need the care of every little person That what they call for may not do them harm Poor Prince I pity thee And oh that Heaven Shee kneeles May do so too And though the setting Sun Bode nought but darkness to the world yet may Some charitable Star vouchsafe one beam To his benighted breast lest wicked men Upbraid your wisdome that give Crowns and Scepters To those poor spirits who can softly creep At cowardly midnight to their beds of sin She riseth How happy should I be this tedious night In yonder Grotto to expect in vain And by my penance there to expiate Th' intended crime of my repenting Prince But I must haste Blest Heaven have pity on The folly of my poor deluded Lord. Exit Queen Enter Cleantha She takes two or three turns in the Garden and then breaks into these words Unfortunate Cleantha She walks a turn or two more Too fortunate In that which Fools call Happinesse She walks a little Fate Fate VVhy dost thou thus abuse the world to make Some high some low yet every one alike Unhappy whate'er our stations be VVe meet in this sad Center Misery Yet lest by knowing this we should rebel And every Generous soul turn Destiny Unto it self scorning thy tyranny And rather chusing not to be at all Then be thy sport thou hast contriv'd things so That every person thinks others more happy And that no breast knowes Misery like theirs But those whom thou dost destine to such Plagues As would break forth through private windows thou Dost place in mighty Palaces and with External splendour hid'st their inward Griefs From common eyes and mak'st them silly souls Admire what did they understand they 'd pity How many that behold Cleantha walk Attended by the proudest sparks of Greece And richer clad then Tulips in the Spring Do think her every minute happier far Then Cowards condemn'd are when their pardon 's read And every Lady in Arcadia But wretched when compar'd to her bright Fortune VVhilst poor Cleantha at that very minute Envies some Village-Maid that Russet weares The Livery of those sheep she doth attend But freely favours the poor Swain she loves And sleeps at night Cleantha's oft admir'd And her great titles reckon'd up whilest she Doth in her closet weep she is not less Heaven Heaven where was thy Mercy then VVhen thou mad'st Life so great a pain and Death A Sin Didst thou create great souls but to Affront them with thy greater power But stay Prophane Cleantha stay and be not more Unfortunate by being wicked too Endymion is all vertue and he would Hate a prophane Cleantha Poor Endymion How little dar'st thou think my thoughts or I Dare say them to thee Ah wretched wretched Princess VVhom Fate hath made greater then Happiness VVhat can I hope for should Endymion speak I then should hate him for his confidence A Crime of which he never can be guilty VVhen once he bled for me and conquer'd too And I on purpose chid my woman that She was unhandy onely ' cause my hand Ambitious was to wipe his wounds and give Him Balsam for the better Balsam of His blood poor Lord me thought he seem'd to wish The earth had been created lower that He might have lower bow'd to give me thanks And was so far from daring to presume That he did seem to make the distance more Betwixt himself and me by placing me Yet higher for my so great charity Nay should he speak in speaking he would forfeit The very thing I love him for that rest He findes in th' Elysium of his thoughts And those true satisfactions which he takes In being all the world unto himself But since my Love is vertuous as its Object VVhy should I stick to tell it all the world Nay why should I not rather glory in it To blush to say I love Endymion were To be asham'd to love Religion ' cause Her Priests are poor If Fortune ' th set him low Fools that are blind like her may do
all but for the love of that poor Maid The Prince not ten months since took from a Cottage As he a hunting was and gave the fair Cleantha for a present Endym. Who Vrania Pyrrh Yes But stay I see him coming Enter King Let us retire It may be we shall hear Some of the thoughts that trouble him Endym. Husht King Ah! VVhere will this tyrant end Heav'n shall I still Be Priest and Sacrifice and Altar too Unto a passion I can satisfie But never conquer what poor things are Kings What poorer things are Nations to obey Him whom a petty Passion doth command Fate why was man made so ridiculous But I can quench my Flame And where my prayers Have not prevail'd my power can command Who in Arcadia dare resist my will But stay When this poor Maid sprung from a stock Low as the Cottage where she first saw light Shall call on Vertue and the Gods to keep Her body they too weakly have expos'd White as her soul which all the world cann't sully Shall I whom men call sacred and divine And look on as deriv'd from Ancestors VVho have not Tombs but Altars without shame And thousand blushes dare with ruder force To drive poor Vertue from her cleanest Temple And use that power the Gods have given me O'er others but t' offend them how I please By Heaven by Heaven I will not But I dy Oh I am mortal Men but flatter me Oh fate why were not Kings made more then Men Or why will people have us to be more Alas we govern others but our selves VVe cannot rule as our eyes that do see All other things but cannot see themselves I must submit I am a King but LOVE 'S a Deity I am resolv'd to trie Whether Urania will Love or die I 'll in and faithful Pyrrhus streight shall prove My fate Lords must be Pimps when Kings do love Exit King Pyrrhus and Endymion appeare again Pyrrh He 's gone Endym. But he first thought on your employment Pyrrh Truth I have had already but too much on 't Endym. Have you then been the Mercury between Him and the fair Urania Pyrrh Yes I have Already done what Language and Rewards Have power to do But she 's as deaf to this As blind to those She seemeth not to see Ought shine but Vertue Endym. But what can she say Poor Country Girl VVhere can she find words And resolution when you do assault her Pyrrh VVhy 'faith my Lord I 'll tell you VVhen I first Mention'd the business to her all alone Poor soul she blush'd as if already she Had done some harm by hearing of me speak VVhilst from her pretty eyes two Fountains run So true so native down her fairest Cheeks As if she thought her self oblig'd to cry ' Cause all the world was not so good as she Endym. aside Heaven how doth this carriage please me Pyrrh For my own part I know not what to say Her tears so innocently beg'd my pity That I was straight turn'd over to her side And had forgot the cause for which I strove 'Till rallying once again I once more gave A new assault and urg'd her to an answer All her reply was No then humbly pray'd me Not to be cruel to a poor weak maid VVho had not any thing in all the world To give her credit but her innocence VVith such success as this I often have Assail'd her vertue adding promises Of all things I could suppose might tempt her But all in vain This Ermyne will not be Perswaded from the whiteness she so loves Endym. And do you think the King will now use force Pyrrh You heard him what he said I cannot tell 'T is hard to say what men whom reason guides Intend to do much more whom passion rides But let 's away I would not have him know VVe were so neer the venting of his thoughts Endym. There comes my Lord Leander let 's away Exeunt severally Enter Neander Cleantha and Urania waiting on her Neand. How doth this hour transport my soul with Joy To have the blessed priviledge to be With fair Cleantha the best Princess Cleanth I 'm glad it makes some body happy Sir Neand. With her who hath my heart Cleanth Have it I Sir Pray my Lord then take it again for I would not be troubled with the keeping such a bauble for all the world Neand. She whom great Nature now grown wanton made To look upon and scorn her other works Cleanth My Lord I see you are resolv'd not to studie to no purpose You will have our your Complement let me say what I please But by the by I hope you will not be angry if I prove somewhat like my scornful Mother as you say and make you the first example of it Fare you well Neanth Nay Madam I beseech your Highness Cleand. Nay my Lord now I have put you out of your Complement I 'll tarry a little longer Neand. Madam You are cruel How do you kill Cleanth Kill Neander No sure for then you would be affraid to come neer me Neand. Great Princess You are cruel But I ne'er Could fear Death from so fair a hand as yours Cleanth Perchance you do your self the justice to think that such will not foul their fingers about you I beleeve indeed my Lord You fear Death least from the hands of a woman which is the reason you chuse to tarry here at Court among the Ladies rather then go to the War with the Prince Neand. Madam You Ladies have a Priviledge Cleanth Yes my Lord it 's sometimes a Priviledge to speak Truth Neand. 'Faith Madam You may say what you please Cleanth Pardon me my Lord it would please me much better if I could say you were in the war in Thessalia Neand. Why truly Madam I could give your Highness very good reasons why I went not to the war with the Prince Cleanth I believe you can my Lord and so can every body else that knows your Lordship It was because you were affraid Neand. Do not disgrace me so Madam I beseechy you It was for very different reasons Cleanth Truely my Lord You will give very much satisfaction to the world if you say what they are and very much undeceive them Neand. Why then Madam to tell you truly I am somewhat troubled with Corns so that I cannot without pain wear a riding Boot And then I am strangely subject to the Tooth-ake which makes me very unfit to lie in the Field Which indeed were the two main reasons made me to refuse the war Cleanth What pity it is so brave a minde should be thus unluckily hindred from shewing it self Neand. Madam I perceive you jeer me Cleanth What a quick apprehension you have my Lord And do not you perceive you merit it But the Queen will expect me and possibly Sir you are by this time somewhat satisfied with my company adieu Exeunt Cleanth and Urania Neand. Pox take her for me for all she is so great
it's Verity VVhich by a thousand and ten thousand words It would have took a poor diluted pleasure To have imperfectly exprest Aside Nource Heaven bless me I do not wonder Lovers oft run Maz'd That think at this strange rate 'T will crack my skull To hear it longer Madam will you not see The execution Cleant. Not for ten thousand VVorlds Nource It is at hand Cleant. Poor Urania I Can find no friends on earth to help thee now I will address my self to Heaven for thee VVho only can reprieve what Great-folks have Condemn'd to Ruine and 's the sole defence Through all the world unto weak-innocence Exeunt Cleantha and Nource There appears a Scaffold covered with black with many Spectators about it The King is present himself to see the Execution done before the Prince his arrival which was at hand Enter Urania in Black weeping led by two of the Princess's Servants in Black King Poor heart did I not fear the Prince's coming I would not see so sad a spectacle But I 'll retire a little I 'd have her live As long 's she may Urania casts her eyes on the Executioner Sheriff Retire 'till you are call'd to do your office Exit Executioner The Two Gentlemen who attend her conduct her to the Rayls of the Scaffold where having wip'd her eyes she speaks thus to the People Vran. Did any thing but my own innocence Lie now at stake which now is all I 've left To comfort me I should not dare to speak Before so many Persons But though I Must quire despair of Mercy in this world I hope I may find Charity and that Good folks will credit a poor dying Person Although she bring no witness but her vows All I am now condemn'd for is my Birth That I was meanly born which seems indeed A Punishment but not a Crime or if It were I could not help it sure for this I 'm doom'd to suffer and my poverty Must be reliev'd with death But though I can Find no forgiveness in the world I 'm glad I find it in my self I freely can Forgive who e'er have injurâ—d me if any Have done so for I cannot tell and this Is some ease to me though perchance the living Do little heed the pardons of the dead I do not know I ever hurted any But if I have I hope they will forgive me Only my Lord Endymion I did once Delude to save my life would Heaven I had not But he is merciful to others though He'th met with little for himself I do Confess I 'm marri'd to the Prince But he He sure will witness for me 't was the Effect Of his own choyce I never did presume To think it ere he told me 't should be so Since when how faithful I have been unto him VVitness O'Heaven and those powers who know The thoughts of every one and only dare To quit whom Kings condemn And though I must For this now suffer death I cannot wish It never had been so because it was The Prince his pleasure whom to contradict VVere more then death to me And yet I feel That death is bitter 'T is an enemy Looks cruelly on those who have no friends To speak a little comfort to them 'T is hard To undergo the greatest Task alone But 't is my Fate and Heaven must be obey'd VVhose ways although they seem obscure to men Are known unto it self whole eyes increase VVith it's own dark ness still And 't were not hard Now men have jud'd me thus unfit to live VVould Heaven assure me I am fit to die 'T is a long Hazard that folks run in death And a short warning rather doth disturb Then fit those for it whose poor judgments ne'er Judge well but when they doubt themselves Wer 't not For this I could be well content though young To find that Quiet in a Grave I 've mist Among the living and close up those eyes That have of late beheld so little pleasure And that must see the brave Theander blam'd For his unworthy choyce his judgment question'd VVhich were a living death not to be bought VVith all this world can give But I too long Detain you with complaints whose business is To see me die Live happy brave Theander May all thy sorrows die with thy Vrania And all those joys live with thee which she took In thy contents May'st thou be Happy in A princess Great as thy own Merits Bright As thy own eyes and Vertuous as Are all thy Thoughts and may she honour thee As truly as thy poor Vrania did Enter Executioner She weeps Execut. Are you ready Madam Uran. VVho is this Sir Gent. Madam Vran. VVho is it Sir Gent. Madam It is your destiny Uran. Is this he Sir can you instruct me what I am to do I never yet saw any body die Gent. You must kneel down Vran. How will he strike Gent. VVith all the mercy that he can Execut. Madam when You 've ended all you have to say be pleas'd To kneel Your face that way And give some sign When I shall strike Vran. Pray Sirs be near me VVhen I do fall I cannot tell what postures Death may allow of Gent. You have our promise Madam Vran. And when I 'm dead pray Sirs pray Sirs permit None but my Mother fit me for my Grave She will be careful of me she will pay Holy Devotions for me and bedew With pious tears that Face she still hath lov'd And may blest Heaven give comfort in her sorrows And all those Stars which have been hard to me Be merciful to her May my Misfortune VVork on her only a more true content In the low Sphere she so securely moves in Blest Heaven assist me Sirs farewell Present My humble Service to my noble Princess With thanks for all her favours in my Life And charity in death The gods reward Your mercy Gentlemen Blest Heaven assist me She kneels and the Executioner bares her neck Uran. Pray expect the sign Execut. I shall Enter in haste Parthenia Urania's Mother Parth. Stay stay the fatal blow The King hearing the noyse comes forth King VVhat 's this Parth. A miserable Mother come to save Her only Childe King Executioner do your office Quick Parth. Great King Dread Soveraign hear Hear a distressed Mother Hear for their sakes That at your death must hear you King What will you say Parth. My Childe is innocent King Do your office Executioner Parth. O! stay stay Great King Vrania is A Princess born Her father was a King King What say you Parth. Vrania's father was a King Great but unfortunate The King of Thrace King It is not possible The King of Thrace And what are you Parth. Great King I 'm now your Subject My name Parthenia and my habitation A little Cottage But I once was known By th' name of Cleopatra great in Brith But greater in misfortune and was wife To Pyrocles the Vertuous Prince of Thrace Of whom all that remains besides