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
love Knowst thou who I am who thou art Lin. Thou art a man or shouldst be one and I Another what I teach Humanity And if thou scorn that name which is my pride Take heed in stead of being deifi'd Thou turn not beast Sil. That monster-taming King From whom my lofty pedegree I bring Had never grown so valiant nor so fam'd If first the monster Love he had not tam'd Lin. See foolish youth how idly thou talkst now Had great Alcides been no Lover how Hadst thou been born Rather if he orecame Monsters and men to Love impute the same Knowst thou not yet that to comply with fair Omphales humour he not onely ware In stead of the fierce Lions rugged skin Womens soft robes but taught those hands to spin And hold a feeble distaffe which did bear The knotty Club His interludes these were Between his Acts And when his ribs were beat With dear-bought Counquests he would then retreat Into her lap the bay of sweet delight As in Love's port to be new built for fight His sighs from his past toils sweet breathings were And spirits strengthning him new toils to bear For as the iron of it self too rough And of a harsh unmalleable stuffe Softned with fire and gentler metall strength From weaknesse gathers and becomes at length Fit for the noblest use so hearts untam'd Which their own stifnesse often breaks enflam'd With generous Love and with his sweets allay'd Are cleerer apter for great Actions made If th' art ambitious then to imitate Great Hercules and not degenerate From thy high strain since woods thou dost affect Follow the woods but do not Love neglect I mean so lawfull and so worthy love As that of Amarillis I approve So far from blaming that as cruelty Thy shunning of Dorinda For in thee Who standst upon thy bloud 't were double shame To scorch thy brest with an unlawfull flame For injuring thy Spouse Sil. What saist thou man Shee is not yet my Spouse Lin. Was there not than A promise solemnly receiv'd and giv'n Take heed proud Boy how thou provokest Heav'n Sil. Man 's freedom is Heav'ns gift which doth not take Us at our word when forced vows we make Lin. I but unlesse our hopes and judgements fail Heav'n made this Match and promis'd to entail A thousand blessings on 't Sil. 'T is like that there Is nothing else to do a proper care To vex the calm rest of the gods above Linco I like nor this nor t'other Love I was a Huntsman not a Lover bred Thou who art all for love go back to bed Lin. Thou sprung from Heav'n harsh Boy nor of divine Can I suppose thee nor of humane Line Alecto's poyson thy cold limbs did fashion Sweet Venus had no hand in thy creation Scena secunda MIRTILLO ERGASTO Mirt. O Amarillis Authresse of my flame Within my mouth how sweet now is thy name But in my heart how bitter Amarillis Fairer and whiter then the whitest Lillies But crueller then cruell Adders far Which having stung least they should pitie bar Their ears and flie If then by speaking I Offend thee I will hold my peace and die I 'll hold my peace but what will that do good If hils and dales roar for me and this wood Which thy deer name can nere forget from me So often heard and carv'd on every tree The windes shall sigh for me the fountains shed Abundant tears grief mourn and pitie plead Or couldst thou bribe whole Nature with a fee To silence lastly Death shall speak for me Hee 'll thunder 't out and to the world proclaim I dy'd a Martyr in my true Loves flame Erg. Mirtillo Love is a great pain at best But more by how much more it is supprest For as hot Steeds run faster at the check Then if you laid the reins upon their neck So love restrain'd augments and fiercer growes In a close prison then when loose he goes Why hidst thou thy flames cause so long from me When the effect could not concealed be Mirtillo burns how often have I said But inward burns and will not call for aid Mirt. Courteous Ergasto out of my respect To her alas I did my self neglect Nor would my festring passion yet unfold But that necessity hath made me bold I hear a buzzing rumour every-where Which to my heart findes passage through my ear That Amarillis shortly weds nor dare Ask more lest so I should my love declare Or prove my fear too true Full well I know Nor hath Love strook me blind that in my low And slender fortunes it were simple pride To hope a Nymph so shap't so qualifi'd So rais'd in wealth in spirit and in blood Above all these so gentle and so good Can ere be mine no I have tane the height Of my unhappy Star my sullen fate Made me for fuell onely born to smother In fires I cannot kindle in another Yet since Fate 's pleas'd I should affect death more Then life at least I 'ld have her know before That shee 's beholding to me for my death And deigne when I sigh out my latest breath To cast her fair eyes on me and say Dye This reasonable boon obtain would I That ere she go to make another blest In having her shee 'ld hear me speak at least But once my deer Ergasto. Now if love Or pitie of me thy soft entrails move Procure me this this physick onely lend To make the passage easie to my end Erg. From one that loves a just from one that dies A small request yet a hard enterprize Woe be to her should her stern father hear That to stoln prayr's she ere had lent an ear Or if some baser pick-thank should disclose It to the Priest her father-in-law Who knows But out of these respects she may eschew Thy company and yet affect thee too For women are more prone to love then men But to conceal 't have more discretion then And if 't were true that she did love thee what Could shee do lesse then shun thee for all that She that wants power to help listens in vain And flies with pity when her stay breeds pain And I have heard 't is still the wisest course To quit that soon which one must quit perforce Mir. O were this true and could I think it so Sweet were my pain and fortunate my woe But deer Ergasto hide it not from me So help thee Pan who may this Bridegroom be So lov'd of all the Starres Erg. Dost thou not know I 'm sure thou dost that famous Silvio Silvio the rich the gallant and the fair The Priest Montano's onely Son and Heir 'T is he Mir. O happy youth whose joy appears So ripe for harvest in his spring of yeers Pardon me gentle swain I envie not Thy happinesse but mourn my own hard lot Erg. Indeed there is no reason to envy Rather to pity him Mirt. To pity Why Erg. Because he loves her not Mirt. And hath he wit Hath he a
her Scena quinta AMARILLIS CORISCA. Am. DEar happy Groves and you ye sollitary And silent horrors where true peace doth tarry With how much joy do I review you And Had my stars pleas'd to give me the command Over my self that I might chuse my lot And my own way of life then would I not For the Elisians groves about which range The happy shades your happy shades exchange For what we foolish mortals Goods do call If rightly understood are Evils all He that hath most of them in truth hath least Nor is so much possessor as possest Not riches no but of our freedome snares What boots it in the spring-time of one's yeers To have the Attributes of Fair and Good In mortall veins to lock celestiall blood Graces of body and of mind here fair And laughing fields of corn rich meadows there In fruitfull pasture-grounds more fruitfull flocks If with all these the heart contentment lacks Happy that shepherdesse whom some course stuffe Obscurely cloaths yet clean and just enough Rich onely in her self and bravely drest With Nature's ornaments which are the best Who in sweet poverty no want doth know Nor the distractions which from riches grow Yet whatsoever may suffice the mind In that estate abundantly doth finde Poor but content with Nature's gifts retrives The gifts of Nature Milk with milk revives And with the sweet which from the Bee she gets Seasons the honey of her native sweets One fountain is her looking glasse her drink Her bath and if she 's pleas'd what others think It matters not she heeds not blazing starres That threaten mighty ones warres or no warres It is all one to her her battlement And shield is that she 's poor Poor but content One onely care 't is a sweet care doth keep Her heart awake she feeds her Masters sheep With pearled grasse and with her lovely eyes Some honest swain that for her beauty dies Not such as men or Gods chuse to her hand But such as Love did to her choice commend And in some favour'd shady Mirtle grove Desires and is desir'd Nor feels of Love One spark which unto him she doth not show Nor shows one spark with which he doth not glow Poor but content True life which till the breath Forsakes the body knowst not what is death Would Heaven had made me such a one But see Corisca Sweet Corisca. Cor. Who calls me My Amarillis dearer then mine owne Eyes or life to me whither so alone Am. No farther then thou seest nor anywhere Could I be better since I weet thee here Cor. Thou hast met her that never parts from thee Sweet Amarillis and now credit me Was thinking of thee saying in my heart If I'm her soul how can she live apart From me When straight I saw thee here but go Thou car'st not for Corisca now Am. Why so Cor. Why Dost thou ask the question thou dost wed To day Am. I wed Cor. Yes and thou keepst it hid From me Am. How can I tell thee that which I Am ignorant my self of Cor. Do deny And wear a mask to me Am. Still jest with me Corisca. Cor. I am jested with by thee Am. But speakst thou this for truth Cor. I 'le swear 't is so And knowst thou nothing of 't indeed Am. I know I 'm promis'd but that I should be a wife So soon is news to me upon my life But from whom knowst it thou Cor. From my own Brother Ormino and he sayes there is no other Discourse abroad Thou seem'st perplext is this News to perplex one Am. O Corisca 'T is A hideous gulfe I 've heard my mother say W' are then new born Cor. Most true 't is our birth day T' a better life therefore rejoyce Dost fetch A sigh leave sighing to that wretch Am. What wretch Cor. Mirtillo who was present casually At what my brother told mee and was nigh Strook dead with grief and doubtlesse he had dy'd If a good cordiall I had not apply'd By promising to break this Match Which though I said onely to comfort him I know If need were how to do 't Am. Canst thou tell How to break this Match Cor. Yes very well Am. I prethee how Cor. With ease if thou wert but Consenting likewise and assisting to 't Am. Could I suppose this possible and thou Wouldst not reveal it I would tell thee now A secret that hath long burnt in my heart Cor. Who I reveal it Let the earth first part And swallow me alive miraculously Am. Know then Corisca when I think that I Must all my life be subject to a Boy That hates and flyes me and doth take no joy But in the woods preferring hunting farre Before the love of all the Nymphs that are It makes me male content and desperate Indeed almost although I dare not say 't Because my faith I have already given Unto my Father and what 's worse to Heav'n And break with them I neither will nor may But if thy industry can finde a way Alwayes provided that my Honestie My Faith my Life and my Religion be Preserv'd t' untie this knot that galls me so To thee my life and safety I shall owe. Cor. If this were it that caus'd thy sighing thou Hadst great cause for it Amarillis How Oft have I said What pity 't is to throw So rich a thing to one that scorns it so A pearl t' a swine why speak'st not to thy Father Am. Shame stops my mouth Cor. There 's a disease I 'd rather For my part have a Fistula or Feaver But 't will be cur'd Orecome it once 't will never Return again Am. That cannot be orecome That 's naturall For if I drive it from My heart it flies into my face Cor. Alas My Amarillis oft it comes to passe She that through too much wisdom holds her tongue Roars out at last like mad being throughly stung Hadst thou before been willing to discover Thy mind to me this trouble had been over And now thou hast Corisca's power this day In all its colours shall it self display Into more skilfull hands more faithfull then Mine are thou never couldst have faln But when From an ill Husband thou art freed by mee Shall not an honest Suitor welcom be Am. Wee 'l think of that at leasure Cor. That good youth Mirtillo must not be forgot in sooth For parts for spotlesse faith for shape thou knowst Of all men living hee deserves thee most And canst thou let him dye O cruelty Nor wilt so much as hear him say I dye Hear him but once Am. 'T were better he would rest In peace and root a love out of his brest That 's vain Cor. That comfort give him ere he dye Am. 'T would rather double his perplexity Cor. If it do so the seeking is his own Am. And what must I expect should it be known Cor. How cowardly thou art Am. And let me still Be cowardly in any thing that 's ill Cor. If thou mayst fail
me I command Ay me Aglaura and Eliza tarry Betrayers of my innocence where are ye Unhand me villain Mir. I obey Am. This plot Corisca laid Now tell her what th' ast got Mir. O whither fly'st thou Cruell ere thou go Banquet thy eyes yet with my death for lo I pierce my bosome with this dart Am. Ay me What wilt thou do Mir. That which it troubles thee Perchance dire Nymph that any should be sed T' have done but thou Am. Ay me I 'm almost dead Mirt. And if this action to thy hand be due Behold the weapon and the brest Am. 'T is true Thou hast deserv'd it of me What could move Thy heart to such a high presumption Mir. Love Am. Love never causes rudeness Mir. Then conclude I was in love because I was not rude For if within thy arms thou caughtst me first I cannot well with rudenesse be asperst Since with so fair an opportunity To be audacious and to use with thee The Lawes of Love I had such power yet over My self I ev'n forgot I was a Lover Am. Upbraid me not with what I blind did doe Mir. I being in Love was blinder of the two Am. Pray'r and sweet language discreet Lovers use To winne their Loves not theft and cheats t' abuse Mir. As a wild beast enrag'd with want of food Rushes on travellers out of the wood So I that onely live on thy fair eyes Since that lov'd food thy crueltie denyes Or else my Fate if like a ravenous Lover Rushing to day upon thee from this Cover Where I had long been famish't I did prove One stratagem to save my life which Love Prompted me to then blame not cruell Maid Me but thy self for if as thou hast said Pray'r and sweet language onely should be us'd By discret Lovers which thou hast refus'd To hear from me thou by thy crueltie Thou by thy flight mad'st me I could not be A discreet Lover Am. If th'adst gi'n her over That fled from thee th'adst been a discreet Lover But know thou persecutest me in vain What wouldst thou have of me Mir. I 'd have thee daign Once'ere I die to hear me Am. See! as soon As thou hast askt thou hast receiv'd the boon Now then be gone Mir. Ah Nymph I 've scarcely yet Powr'd one small drop out to thee of the great Sea of my tears If not for Pitie's sake Yet for the Pleasure thou therein wilt take List ' to a dying man's last accents Am. Well To shun more trouble and thy hopes to quell To hear thee I 'm content But this before Say little quickly part and come no more Mir. Thou dost command me cruell'st Nymph to bind In volume too too small that unconfin'd Desire which scarcely humane thought though it Be as the soul that holds it infinit Hath line to fathom That I do love thee more then I do love My life if thou doubt'st Cruel ask this Grove And that will tell thee and with it each beast Each stupid stock there can the same attest Each stone of these high mountains which so oft I with the voice of my complaints made soft But what need I call any witnesse else To prove my love where so much beauty dwels Behold these flow'rs which make low earth so proud Those Stars which nail Heav'ns pavement all these crowd Into one ring A beautie like that same Is the high cause and forcer of my flame For as by nature Water doth descend The Fire unto the higher Regions tend The Air obliquely spread it self the Ground Lie still and heav'n about all these turn round So naturally do I incline to thee As to my chiefest good so naturally To those lov'd beauties as unto her sole With all her wing'd affections flyes my soul. And he that should imagine he had force Her from her dearest object to divorce Might with as much facility command The Air the Fire the Water and the Land The Heavens too from their accustom'd track And make the Pillars of the world to crack But since thou bidst me say but little I Shall say but little saying that I dye And shall doe lesse in dying since I see How much my death is coveted by thee Yet I shall doe alas all that is left For me to do of hopes in love bereft But cruell soul when I am in my grave Some pitie then upon my suffrings have Ah! fair and lov'd and that wert once the sweet Cause of my life whilst Heaven thought it meet Turn those bright lamps upon me as beni'ne And pitifull as ere I saw them shine Once ere I dye that I may dye in peace Let those fair amiable eyes release My life now bitter which once sweetned it And those bright Starres which my loves torches li't Light too my Funerall tapers and forerun As once my rising now my setting Sun But thou more hard then ere thou wert before Feel'st yet no spark of pity but art more Stiffe with my pray'rs Must I then talk alone Wretch that I am discourse I to a stone Say Dye at least it nothing else thou 'lt say And thou shalt see me dye O Love what way Canst thou not plague me when this Nymph that 's nurst In cruelty and for my blood did thirst Finding my death would now a favour be Ev'n that sad favour doth deny to me Nor will reply a syllable or daign One stabbing word to put me out of pain Am. To answer thee if I had promised As well as hear thee this were justly sed Thou call'st me cruell hoping that to shun That vice into the contrary I 'le run But know my ears are not so tickeled With that by me so little merited And lesse desired praise thou giv'st to me Of beauty as to hear my self by thee Stil'd Cruell which to be to any other I grant were vice t' is vertue to a Lover And what thou harshnesse call'st and crueltie Is in a woman perfect honestie But say that ev'n t' a Lover 't were a sin Yet tell me when hath Amarillis bin Cruell to thee was 't then when justice bad To use no pitie yet on thee I had So much that I from death deliver'd thee I mean when 'mongst a noble companie Of modest Virgins mingled thou didst cover With a Maid's habit a libidinous Lover And our chast sports polluting didst intrude 'Mongst kisses feign'd and innocent thy lewd And wanton kisses such an act as yet I blush as oft as I but think on it But at that time I knew thee not Heav'n knows And when I did my indignation rose Thy wantonnesse I from my mind did keep And suffred not the amorous plague to creep To my chast heart on my lips outer skin The poyson stuck but none of it got in A mouth that 's kiss'd perforce If it spit out the kisse is ne're the worse But what wouldst thou by that bold theft have got If I had to those Nymphs discover'd what Thou wert the Thracian women never
eyes Scena sexta MIRTILLO CORISCA. Mir. HEar ye damn'd spirits that in hell lament Hear a new sort of pain and punishment See in a Turtles look a Tigers minde She crueller then death 'cause she did find One death would not suffice her bloody will And that to live was to be dying still Enjoyns me not to make my self away That I might die a thousand times a day Cor. I 'le make as though I saw him not I hear A dolefull voice pierce my relenting ear Who should it be Mirtillo is it thou Mir. I would it were my ghost Cor. Well well but how And tell me true thy self now dost thou find Since to thy dearest Nymph thou brak'st thy mind Mir. As one who in a feaver cast Forbidden liquor long'd to taste If gotten sets it to his mouth And quenches life but cannot drouth So I with amorous feaver long Consumed from her eyes and tongue Sweet poyson suck'd which leaves me more Enflamed then I was before Cor. Love upon us no power can have But what our selves Mirtillo gave As a Bear doth with her tongue Polish her mishapen young Which had else in vain been born So an Am'rist giving form To a rude and faint desire That would otherwise expire Hatches Love which is at first Weak and raw but when 't is nurst Fierce and cruell Take 't upon My word an old affection Tyrannizes in a brest And grows a Master from a guest For when the soul shall once be brought To be fettered to one thought And that not have the pow'r to move A minute from its object Love Made for delight will turn to sadness And which is worse to death or madness Therefore my advice shall be To part thy love to two or three Mir. Let death or madness me betide Rather then my Flame divide Amarillis though she be Cruell and unkind to me Is my Life and Reason too And to her I will be true Cor. Foolish Swain that canst not tell How to make a bargain well What change love for hatred I Rather now then do 't would dye Mir. Cruelty doth faith refine As the fire the golden mine Where were the loyaltie of Love If women should not tyrants prove In my many suffrings this All my joy and comfort is Sorrows tortures exile gall Here 's a cause will sweeten all Let me languish let me burn Let me any thing but turn Cor. O brave Lover valiant brest More impetuous then a beast And yet tamer then a rock Which endures the Ocean's shock In Lovers hearts there cannot be A worse disease then Constancie O most unhappy those in whom This foolish I do I finds a room Which shackles us when we might prove The sweet variety of Love With this dull vertue Constancie Tell me simple Lover why Amarillis For her face Whom another must embrace Or do'st thou affect her mind Which to thee is not inclin'd All then thou canst doat upon Is thine own destruction And wilt thou be still so mad To covet that cannot be had Up Mirtillo know thy parts Canst thou want a thousand hearts Others I dare swear there be That would sue as much to thee Mir. To be Amarillis thrall Is more then to command them all And if she my suit deny All that 's pleasure I defie I to make another choice In another I rejoyce Neither could I if I would Neither would I if I could But if possible to me Such a will or power be Heav'n and Love before that hour Strip me of all will and pow'r Cor. Thou art enchanted otherwise Couldst thou too thy self despise Mir. I must when I 'm despis'd by her Corisca Cor. Come Mirtillo ne're Deceive thy self perhaps thou dost suppose Shee loves thee in her heart although shee showes An outward scorn If thou but knewst what shee Talks oftentimes to me concerning thee Mir. All these are trophies of my constant love With which I 'le triumph o're the Pow'rs above And men below my torments and her hate O're Fortune and the world o're Death and Fate Cor. Wonder of Constancy if this man knew How much hee 's lov'd by her what would hee do Mirtillo how it pities me to hear These frantick speeches Tell me wert thou ' ere In love before Mir. Fair Amarillis was My first and shall be my last Love Cor. Alas It should seem then that thou didst never prove Any but cruell but disdainfull Love O that 't had been thy chance but once to be In love with one that 's gentle courteous free Try that a little try it and thou 'lt finde How sweet it is to meet with one that 's kinde That loves and honours thee as much as thou Thy sowre and cruell Amarillis how Delightfull 't is to have a joy as great As is thy love a happinesse compleat As thy own wish to have thy Mistresse twine About thy neck and her sighs eccho thine And after say My Joy all that I have All that I am and thy desires can crave At thy devotion is If I am fair For thee I 'm fair for thee I deck this hair This face this bosome from this brest of mine I turn'd out my own heart to harbour thine But this is a small river to that vast Sweet sea of pleasure which love makes us taste And they alone that taste can well relate Mir. A thousand thousand times most fortunate Is he that 's born under so blest a star Cor. Hear me Mirtillo ' ere I was aware I 'd almost call'd him mine a Nymph as fair As the proud'st she that curls or spreads to th' air Her golden tresses worthy of thy love As thou of hers the honour of this Grove Love of all hearts by every worthier swain In vain sollicited ador'd in vain Doth love thee onely and thee onely prize More then her life and more then her own eyes Mirtillo scorn her not if wise thou be For as the shadow doth the body she Will follow thee through all the world she will At thy least word and beck be ready still As thy obedient hand-maid night and day With thee shee 'll passe the tedious hours away Ah! do not wave Mirtillo do not wave So rare a blisse the perfect'st joyes we have Are those which neither sighs nor tears do cost Nor danger and on which least time is lost Here thou hast passe-time at thy door a feast Upon the table alwayes ready drest To please thy taste Ay me canst thou receive A greater gift then this Mirtillo Leave Leave this cold hunting after flying feet And her that runs to thy embraces meet Nor do I feed thee with vain hopes command Her come and she that loves thee is at hand Now if thou say the word Mir. I prethee rest Content my pallat is not for a feast Cor. Try but what joy is made of once and then Return unto thy wonted grief agen That thou maist say thou hadst a taste of both Mir. Distemper'd palats all sweet things do
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
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
Arcadia hunt But come Vranio gladly for all this A traveller with language cannot misse His way Or since th' art weary thou wert best To stay at the next Inne to take some rest Scena secunda TITIRO Messenger Tit. WHich first my Daughter shall I mourn in thee Thy losse of Life or of thy Chastitie I 'le mourn thy Chastitie for thou wert born Of mortall parents but not bad I 'le mourn Not thy life lost but mine preserv'd to see Thy losse of Life and of thy Chastitie Thou with thy Oracles mysterious cloud Wrongly conceiv'd Montano and thy proud Despiser both of love and of my Daughter Unto this miserable end hast brought her Ay me how much more certain at this time My Oracles have shew'd themselves then thine For honesty in a young heart doth prove But a weak sconce against assaulting love And 't is most true a woman that 's alone Hath a most dangerous companion Mess. Were he not under ground or flown through th' air I should have found him sure But soft he 's there I think where least I thought Th' art met by me Too late old Father but too soon for thee I 've news Tit. What bringst thou in thy mouth the knife That hath bereft my Daughter of her life Mess. Not that yet little lesse But how I pray Got'st thou this news so soon another way Tit. Doth she then live Mess. She lives and in her choice It is to Live or Die Tit. Blest be that voice Why is she then not safe if she may give Her no to death Mess. Because she will not live Tit. Will not what madnesse makes her life despise Mess. Another's death And if that thy advice Remove her not she is thereon so bent That all the world cannot her death prevent Tit. Why stand we talking here then Let us go Mess. Stay yet the Temple 's shut Dost thou not know That none but holy feet on holy earth May tread till from the vestry they bring forth The destin'd Sacrifice in all it 's trim Tit. But before that Mess. She 's watch't Tit. I' th' interim Relate then all that 's past and to me show The truth unveil'd Mess. Thy wretched Daughter Oh Sad spectacle being brought before the Priest Did not alone from the beholders wrest Salt tears but trust me made the marble melt And the hard flint the dint of pity felt Shee was accus'd convict and sentence past All in a trice Tit. Poor girl and why such haste Mess. Because the evidence was cleer as day Besides a certain Nymph who she did say Could witnesse she was guiltlesse was not there Nor could by any search be brought t' appear Then the dire Omens of some threatned ill And horrid visions which the Temple fill Brook no delay to us more frightfull farre By how much more unusuall they are Nor ever seen since the vext Pow'rs above Reveng'd the wrong of scorn'd Aminta's Love Who was their Priest whence all our woes had birth The Goddesse sweats cold drops of blood the Earth Is Palsey-shook the sacred Cavern howls With such unwonted sounds as tortur'd souls Send out of graves and belches up a smell From its fowl jawes scarce to be match'd in hell His sad Procession now the Priest began To lead t' a bloody death thy Daughter whan Mirtillo seeing her behold a strange Proof of Affection profferd to exchange His life for hers crying aloud Her hands Untie Ah how unworthy of such bands And in her stead who is design'd to be A Sacrifice to Dian offer me A sacrifice to Amarillis Tit. There Spake a true Lover and above base fear Mess. The wonder follows she that was afraid Before of dying on the sudden made Now valiant by Mirtillo's words reply'd Thus with a heart at death unterrifi'd But dost thou think Mirtillo then to give Life by thy death to her who in thee doth live It cannot must not be Come Priests away With me to th' Altar now without delay Ah! cry'd the Swain such love I did not lack Back cruell Amarillis O come back Now thou art more unkind then e're thou wert 'T is I should die Quoth she thou act'st my part And here between them grew so fierce a strife As if that life were death and death were life O noble souls O Pair eternally To be renown'd whether ye live or die O glorious Lovers if I had tongues more Then Heaven hath eyes or sands are on the shore Their voices would be drowned in the main Sea of your endlesse Praises Glorious Dame Daughter of Iove eternall as thy Father That Mortals deeds immortallizest gather Thou the fair story and in diamond pages With golden letters write to after ages The bravery of both Lovers Tit. But who wan The conquest in that strife of death Mess. The Man Strange warre which to the victor death did give And where the vanquish't was condemn'd to live For thus unto thy daughter spake the Priest Nymph let 's alone and set thy heart at rest Chang'd for another none can be again Who for another in exchange was ta'ne This is our Law Then a strict charge he gave Upon the Maid such carefull watch to have As that she might not lay a violent hand Upon her self through sorrow Thus did stand The state of matters when in search of thee Montano sent me Tit. 'T is most true I see Well-water'd Meads may be without sweet flowers In Spring without their verdant honour Bowers And without chirping birds a pleasant Grove ' Ere a fair maid and young without her Love But if we loiter here how shall we know The hour when to the Temple we should go Mess. Here better then elsewhere For here it is The honest Swain must be a sacrifice Tit. And why not in the Temple Mess. Because in The place 't was done our law doth punish sin Tit. Then why not in the cave The sin was there Mess. Because it must be in the open air Tit. By whom hast thou these mysteries been told Mess. By the chief Minister and hee by old Tirenio who the false Lucrina knew So sacrificed and Aminta true But now 't is time to go indeed for see The sacred pomp descends the hill yet wee May for thy daughter to the Temple go Before they come Devotion marches slow Scena tertia Chorus of Shepherds Chorus of Priests MONTANO MIRTILLO Cho. Sh. SOl's sister Daughter of great Iupiter That shin'st a second Sun in the first Sphere To the blind world Ch. Pr. Thou whose life-giving and more temp'rate Ray Thy Brother's burning fury doth allay Whence bounteous Nature here produces after All her blest off-springs and Air Earth and Water Enriches and augments with Vegetals With Creatures sensitive with Rationals Ah pity thy Arcadia and that rage Thou dost in others in thy self asswage Ch. Sh. Sol's Sister Daughter of great Iupiter That shin'st a second Sun in the first Sphere To the blind world Mont. Now sacred Ministers the Altars dresse You
likewise Swains that shew your selves no lesse Devout then they your voyces all unite And once again invoke the Queen of Night Ch. Sh. Sol's Sister Daughter of great Iupiter That shin'st a second Sun in the first Sphere To the blind world Mont. Now shepherds and my servants all Withdraw your selves and come not till I call Valiant young man who to bestow upon Another life abandonest thine owne Die with this comfort For a puffe of breath Which by the abject spirit is call'd death Thou buy'st Eternity and when the tooth Of envious Time consuming the world's youth Millions of lesser names devoured hath Then thou shalt live the pattern of true faith But for the Law commands that thou shouldst die A silent Sacrifice before thou ply Thy knee to earth if thou wouldst ought deliver Speak and hereafter hold thy peace for ever Mir. Father for though thou kill me yet I must Give thee that name My body to the dust Whereof'twas made and kneaded up I give My Soule to her in whom alone I live But if she die as she hath vow'd of me What part alas will then surviving be How sweet will death be unto me if I In mine owne person not in hers may die And if he merit pity at his death Who for meer pity now resignes his breath Take care deer Father of her life that I Wing'd with that hope t' a better life may fly Let my Fate rest at my destruction Stop at my ruine but when I am gone Let my divorced soul in her survive Although from her I was divorc'd alive Mont. Scarcely can I refrain from weeping now O our mortality how frail art thou Son be of comfort for I promise thee I will perform all thou desir'st of me Here 's my hand on 't and solemnly I swear Ev'n by this Miter'd head Mir. Then vanish fear And now for the most faithfull soul make room For Amarillis unto thee I come With the sweet name of Amarillis I Close up my mouth and silent kneel to die Mont. Now sacred Ministers the Rites begin With liquid odoriferous Gumms keep in The flame and strowing frank incense and mirrhe Whole clouds of perfume to the Gods preferre Cho. Sh. Sol's Sister Daughter of great Iupiter That shin'st a second Sun in the first Sphere To the blind world Scena quarta CARINO MONTANO NICANDRO MIRTILLO Chorus of Shepherds Car. DId ever man so many houses view And the inhabitants thereof so few But see the cause If I mistake me not They 're gotten all together here O what A troop how rich how solemn It is sure Some Sacrifice Mont. Give me the golden Ewre With the red wine Nicandro Nic. There Mont. So may Soft pity in thy brest revive to day By this unguilty blood Goddesse divine As by the sprinkling of these drops of wine This pale and dying flame revives Set up The golden Ewre Reach mee the silver cup. So may the burning wrath he quencht which in Thy brest was kindled by a false Maid's sinne As with this water powr'd out like our tears I quench this flame Car. 'T's a Sacrifice but where 's The offering Mont. Now all 's prepar'd there lacks Onely the fatall stroak Lend me the Axe Car. I see a thing unlesse my eyes mistake Like a man kneeling this way with his back Is he the offering 'T is so Ah wretch And o're his head the Priest his hand doth stretch O my poor Country after all these years Is not Heav'ns wrath yet quencht with blood and tears Ch. Sh. Sol's Sister Daughter of great Iupiter That shin'st a second Sun in the first Sphere To the blind world Mont. Revengefull Goddesse who a private fault With publick rod dost punish Thou hast thought Fit so to doe and so in the Abysse Of Providence eternall fixt it is Since faithlesse Lucrin's tainted blood was thought For thy nice Iustice too impure a draught Carouse the guiltlesse blood then of this Swain By me now at thy Altar to be slain A willing Sacrifice and to his Lasse As true a Lover as Aminta was Ch. Sh. Sol's Sister Daughter of great Iupiter That shin'st a second Sun in the first Sphere To the blind world Mont. Ah how my brest with pity now relents What sudden numnesse fetters every sense I ne're was so before To lift this Axe My hands lack strength and my heart courage lacks Car. I 'le see the wretches face and so be gone For such dire sights I cannot look upon Mont. Perhaps the Sun though setting will not look On humane Sacrifice and I am strook Therefore with horrour Shepherd change thy place And to the Mountain turn thy dying face So now 't is well Car. Alas what gaze I at Is 't not my Son Is 't not Mirtillo that Mon. Now I can do 't Car. 'T is he Mon. And aim my blow Car. Hold sacred Minister what dost thou do Mont. Nay thou profane rash man how dar'st thou thus Impose a sacrilegious hand on us Car. O all my joy Mirtillo I ne're thought Mon. Avant old man that dot'st or art distraught Car. T' imbrace thee in this sort Mont. Avant I say It is not lawfull impure hands to lay Upon things sacred to the gods Car. 'T was they That sent me to this place Mont. Nicandro stay We 'l hear him and then let him go his way Car. Ah courteous Minister before thy hand Upon the life of this young man descend Tell me but why he dyes This I implore By that Divinitie thou dost adore Mon. By such a Goddesse thou conjur'st me that I should be impious to deny But what Concerns it thee Car. More then thou dost suppose Mon. Because to die he for another chose Car. Then I will die for him O take in stead Of his this old already tott'ring head Mon. Thou rav'st friend Car. Why am I deni'd that now Which unto him was granted Mon. Because thou A stranger art Car. And if I should prove none What then Mon. Although thou shouldst it were all one Because he cannot be exchang'd again Who for another in exchange was ta'ne But who art thou if thou no stranger be Thy habit speaks thee not of Arcadie Car. Yet am I an Arcadian Mont. I did ne're See thee before to my remembrance here Car. My name 's Carino I was born hard by This wretche's Father who is now to die Mont. Hence hence lest through thy fond paternal love Our Sacrifice should vain and fruitlesse prove Car. O if thou wert a Father Mont. I am one I and the Father of an onely Son A tender Father too yet if this were My Silvio's head by Silvio's head I swear I would as forward be to do to his What I must do to this For no man is Worthy this sacred Robe but he that can For publick good put off the private man Car. Yet let me kisse him ' ere he die Mon. Nor touch Car. O mine own flesh and blood art thou so much A tyrant to me
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
worms and strew your grandame earth Once ye were weapons of lascivious Love But now the trophies of fair Vertue prove 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. What stick'st thou at Corisca 't is a day Of Pardons this then ask without dismay What dost thou dread no punishment what-ere Can fall so heavie as thy fault lies here Fair and happy pair the Love Of us here and those above If all earthly Pow'r this day To your conquering Fates give way Let her likewise Homage doe To your conquering Fates and you Who all earthly Pow'r imploy'd To have made their Ord'nance voyd Amarillis true it is He had mine who had thy heart But thou onely hast gain'd his 'Cause thou onely worthy art Thou enjoy'st the loyall'st Lad Living and Mirtillo thou The best Nymph the world ere had From the birth of Time till now I the touch-stone was to both Try'd her chastitie his troth But thou Courteous Nymph before Thou on me thy anger powre Look but on thy Bridegrooms Face Something thou wilt spy therein That will force thee to shew grace As it forced mee to sin For so sweet a Lovers sake Upon love no vengeance take But since thou the flames dost prove Pardon thou the fault of Love Am. I do not onely pardon but respect Thee as my friend regarding the effect And not the cause For poysons if they make Us well the name of soveraign Med'cines take And painfull lancings for that cause are dear So whether friend or foe or whatso e're Thou wert to me in purpose and intent Yet my Fate us'd thee as her instrument To work my blisse and that 's enough for me 'T was a good Treason a blest Fallacy I 'm sure And if thou please to grace our Feast And to rejoyce with us thou art my guest Cor. Thy pardon is to me a better feast A greater joy my conscience now at rest Mir. And I all faults 'gainst me can pardon wel But this long stop Cor. Joys on you both Farewell 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 Scena decima MIRTILLO AMARILLIS Chorus of Shepherds Mir. AM I so wedded then to grief and anguish That in the midst of joy too I must languish Was not this tedious pomp enough delay But I must meet too my old Remora Corisca Am. Thou art wondrous hasty Mir. O My treasure yet I am not sure but go In fear of robbing still till as my Spouse I doe possesse thee in my Fathers house To tell thee true me thinks I fare like one Who dreams of wealth and ever and anon Fears that his golden sleep will break and he Be wak'd a beggar I would gladly be Resolv'd by some more pregnant proof that this Sweet waking now is not a dream of blisse 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 CHORUS O Happy couple that hath sown in Tears And reaps in Comfort What a foil your fears Prove to your joyes Blind Mortals learn from hence Learn yee effeminate the difference Betwixt true goods and false All is not joy That tickles us Nor is all that annoy That goes down bitter True joy is a thing That springs from Vertue after suffering FINIS Presented TO HIS HIGHNESSE THE PRINCE OF WALES At his going into the West Ann. M.DC.XLV Together with CESAR'S COMMENTARIES Sir NOw that your Father with the World's applause Imployes your early Valour in his Cause Set Cesar's glorious Acts before your sight And know the man that could so doe and write View him in all his postures see him mix Terrour with love Morals with Politicks That courage which when fortune ebb'd did flow Which never trampled on a prostrate Foe Admire and emulate Before hee fought Observe how Peace by him was ever sought How bloodlesse Victories best pleas'd him still Grieving as oft as he was forc'd to kill How most religiously he kept his word And conquer'd more that way then by the sword In whom was all wee in a King could crave Except that Right which you shall one day have Yet think Sir it imports you to make good With all his worth the title of your blood Presented TO HIS HIGHNESSE In the the West Ann. Dom. 1646 GRow Royall Plant born for your Country's good The hoped cure of our great flux of blood That Vnion and that peacefull golden Age which to your Grandsire ancient Bards presage And we suppos'd fulfill'd in Him appears By Fate reserved for your riper yeers And Thou self-hurt since that half-Vnion more Then ever Britain thou hadst been before Raise thy dejected head bind up thy hair With peacefull Olive all those things repair Which fire and sword deface and call agen To their spoyl'd mansions thy fled Husbandmen They need not fear to come this Prince's Starrs Promise an end to all our Civill Warrs Never shall English Scots nor Scots again Infest the English with dire feuds and stain Their swords in brothers blood thy Towns lay waste But their hands prompt to War henceforth make haste To clasp in an eternall League And You Blest Parents of a blessed Son add to His great Birth equall Breeding Civill Arts To Arts of Warre and Pietie to Parts No Ship the Rudder so much turns and windes As Princes manners do their Peoples mindes Not Prisons penall Lawes sharp Whips severe Axes with all the instruments of fear Can so constrain as the dumb eloquence Of Vertue and the love and reverence Of a well-govern'd Scepter shall perswade Their wils by great Examples eas'ly sway'd As when th' Arabian Phoenix doth return From his perfumed cradle his Sires Urn Where e're he flyes the feather'd people throng With acclamations to salute the young Admired King not for his purple Seares And golden Pounce the Regall marks hee bears Nor that he 's rarely seen but 'cause he brings His Fathers honour'd ashes on his wings And funerall odours that it may be known He climb'd not till his death his spicie throne This Pietie a Vertue understood By brutes attracts them such a sense of good Nature that heav'nly Steward doth dispense To every living thing that hath but sense So do the People fix their eyes upon The King admire love honour Him alone In Him as in a glasse their manners view And frame and copie what they see Him doe That which the murdring Cannon cannot force Nor plumed Squadrons of steel-glittering Horse Love can In this the People strive t' out-doe The King and when they find they 're lov'd love too They serve because they need not serve and if A good Prince slack the reins they make them stiffe And of their own accords invite that yoke Which if inforc't on them they would have broke And Hee again with this more tender grown More Father of his People on his owne Shoulders assumes their burthens beats the way Which they must tread and is the first t' obey What he commands to pardon others prone Inexorable to himself alone Neither in Diet Clothes nor Train will He Exceed those banks should bound ev'n Majesty Nor rush like beasts to Venus but confine His chast desires to his own geniall Vine Who will with Silks his manly limbs un-nerve That sees domestick Wooll his Soveraign serve Who can the married bed too narrow think Which holds a King or drown himself in drink Under a sober Prince who 'l dare t' import Beyond-sea vices to infect a Court And make his body with excesse and ease A sink to choak his soul in when he sees A Monarch curb his pleasures and suppresse Those weeds which make a Man a Wildernesse Such golden Tiber saw the peacefull Throne Of holy Numa that of Solomon Palmie Euphrates 'T was not the keen blade Or the thick quilted numerous Legion made Those Thrones secure 'T was not the warlike Steed Nor the sythe-armed Chariots furious speed But Wisdome Mercy which no harm will cause And Majestie fenc'd with unarmed Lawes Whilest that great Captain who the World had quell'd And those proud Lords that Rome in bondage held By steel or poyson ended their short date Of pow'r and blood with blood did expiate Frank Nature never gave a better thing Nor ever will to men then a good King In whom his own true Image God doth place This whether Kings shall in themselves deface By ougly Vice or other men by wit Or force demolish God will punish it As a high Sacriledge and will not see Himself abused in Effigie So cruell Nero fierce Domitian so And the Sicilian Tirants whilst they throw Dirt in their Makers face with their black deeds Are from the earth cut off they and their seeds So those rebellious servants that durst joyn Against their Lords and impious Cataline That strove to wrest the sword from them to whom It was committed by the Lawes of Rome Pursu'd to fury and despair did make Hard shift by a most wretched death to shake Their loathed lives off leaving on their name The blot and brand of never-dying shame These lessons let his tender yeers receive His riper practise And let him believe 'T is not so much both Indies to command As first to rule himself and then a Land FINIS Pag. 82. lin 12. for love read lose pag. 147. l. 5. for more read worse * Buchanan in his Genethliacon to King Iames out of which this is taken