envy feed Could my glad eyes behold her bleed Aglau O good dear Serpent make her sure Her death our grief can onely cure Oh that she were at my command And that her heart were throbbing in my hand Some miracle may else relieve Her from this death and we afresh may grieve Psyc. Good Sir be gone the will of Heav'n obey Besides if you should longer stay Before the Serpent comes my life will steal away Weigh not your loss but what you have remain You have the comfort of my Sisters left Who will your drooping age sustain When y' are of me bereft Sisters be good and to my Father give All comfort and his grief relieve He from you Two much pleasure may receive Cid Our grief as much as his relief will need Oh that I might with Psyche bleed Did not the Gods self-murder hate I wou'd accompany your Fate Aglau Oh that the Gods would suffer me To be exchang'd for thee Psyc. Sisters farewel pray dry your eyes kisses her Sisters I am for you a sacrifice You may your choice of many Princes have When I am cold forgotten in my Grave Thean Gods can I yet hear this and live Oh take my life or me my Psyche give Psyc. Sir if you longer stay You 'll cause my death not they I on my knees beseech you quit This fatal place and to Heaven's will submit Farewell 't is time I now the Rock my fatal Tomb must climb Farewell for ever Thean Say not so For I to death will go My Soul to morrow shall meet thine below Exeunt all but Psyche Psyche sola Even now grim death I slightly did esteem With the wrong end o'th'Glass I look'd on him Then a far off and little he did seem Now my Perspective draws him near He very big and ugly does appear Away it is the base false Glass of fear Enter Nicander and Polynices Why do you come to see me wretched here What can you hope from her whose death 's so near Polyn. To save your life our lives we will expose Psyc. Can mortal men the heav'nly pow'rs oppose Nican What Heav'n commands is surely good Heav'n has declar'd 'gainst shedding humane bloud Bores Rams and Bulls will serve Apollo's turn Whilst Gums and Incense on his Altars burn 'T is to the Priests that you are sacrific'd Psyc. I must not hear the Oracle despis'd Nican In vain 'gainst prejudice we still dispute Our Swords shall this great Oracle confute No Serpent whilst we live shall you embrace Nor any other Rival in this place Psyc. He carries deadly venome in his breath Which certainly will give you death Polyn. Cadmus without Love's aid the Dragon slew Inspir'd by Love what cannot Princes do Psyc. Why for my preservation shou'd you strive For neither my affection e'r cou'd move Though Heav'n for that wou'd suffer me to live No Prince on earth cou'd ever make me love Nican 'T is time we both of us should die Since we from you no pity can deserve Yet Had we no love for generosity Spight of your self we wou'd your life preserve Polyn. You have made Rivals thus agree Though cou'd you love but one cou'd happy be Each will assist the other and you 'll see In spight of Oracles we 'll set you free Psyc. Farewell I must not hear this blasphemy Nican We cannot leave you till you die No Oracle shall that deny The Earth opens infernal Spirits rise and hurry the Prince away Two Zephiri descend and take Psyche by each arm and fly into the Clowds with her Cupid descends a little way hanging in the air Cup. Be gone you Rivals of an angry Deity Shall I by insolent Princes rivall'd be Shall Mortals for my Psyche strive with me Vulcan make haste prepare My costly Palace for my fair I in that splendid place My Love my Dear my Psyche will embrace He flies away Enter Nicander and Polynices Nican By what Enchantment were we hurri'd hence Psyche is gone Let 's use all diligence Soon to prevent her fate Or we shall come too late Polyn. We will our much lov'd Psyche find Or we will leave our hated lives behind Exeunt ACT III. The Scene is the Palace of Cupid compos'd of wreath'd Columns of the Corinthian Order the Wreathing is adorn'd with Roses and the Columns have several little Cupids flying about 'em and a single Cupid standing upon every Capital At a good distance are seen three Arches which divide the first Court from the other part of the Building The middle Arch is noble and high beautified with Cupids and Festoons and supported with Columns of the foresaid Order Through these Arches is seen another Court that leads to the main Building which is at a mighty distance All the Cupids Capitals and Inrichments of the whole Palace are of Gold Here the Cyclops are at work at a forge forging great Vases of Silver The Musick strikes up they dance hammering the Vases upon Anvils After the Dance Enter Vulcan Vulcan sings YE bold Sons of Earth that attend upon Fire Make haste with the Palace least Cupid should stay You must not be lazy when Love does require For Love is impatient and brooks no delay When Cupid you serve you must toil and must sweat Redouble your blows and your labour repeat The vigorous young God 's not with laziness serv'd He makes all his Vassals their diligence show And nothing from him but with pains is deserv'd The brisk Youth that falls on and still follows his blow Is his favourite still The considerate Fool He as useless lays by for a pitiful Tool 1. Cycl This Palace is finish'd and the other shall be Made fit for his small Deity 2. Cycl But fire makes us cholerick and apt to repine Unless you will give us some Wine Chor. With swinging great Bowls Let 's refresh our dry Souls And then we 'll to work with a Clink clink clink But first let us drink but first let us drink Vulcan Let each take his Bowl then and hold it to his nose Then let him redouble his blows Cycl Nay stint us not so but let each take his two And twice as much then we can do Chor. With swinging great Bowls Let 's refresh c. Vulc. Ye Slaves will you never from drunkenness refrain Remember Ulysses again Cycl Ulysses is a Dog were he here he shou'd find We'd scorn him and drink our selves blind Chor. With swinging great Bowls Let 's refresh c. They take their Kans in their hands Pyra Here Harpes to you Harp Here Brontes to you And so take each Cyclops his due Bron. To thee Steropes Ster Pyraemon to thee Omn. And thus in our Cups wee 'll agree Chor. With swinging great Bowls Let 's refresh c. Vulc. Be gone or great Jove will for Thunder bolts stay The world grows so wicked each day Cycl He has less need of Thunder then we have of Wine We'd drink though great Jove shou'd repine Chor. With swinging great Bowls Let 's
from the Conqu'ror gains the Field Chorus to Trumpets Kettle Drums Flutes Warlike Musick He turns all the horrours of War to delight And were there no Love no Heroes would fight A Returnello by Martial Instruments c. Mars Honour to Battel spurs them on Honour brings Pow'r when War is done But who would venture Life for Pow'r Onely to govern dull Mankind 'T is Woman Woman they adore For Beauty they those dangers find Chorus to Warlike Musick No Princes the toyls of Ambition would prove Or Dominion would prize if it were not for Love A Returnello again Bacchus The delights of the Bottle and the charms of good Wine To the power and the pleasures of Love must resign Though the Night in the joys of good Drinking be past The debauches but till the next Morning will last Chorus to Hoboys and Rustick Musick of Maâ—…des and Aegipanes But Loves great Debauch is more lasting and strong For that often lasts a man all his life long A Returnello again Bacchus Love and Wine are the Bonds which fasten us all The World but for these to confusion would fall Were it not for the pleasures of Love and good Wine Mankind for each trifle their lives would resign Chorus They 'd not value dull life or would live with-out thinking Nor would Kings rule the World but for Love and good drinking A Returnello again Apollo But to Love to Love the great union they owe All in Earth and in Heav'n to his Scepter must bow A general Chorus of all the Voices and Instruments The Dancers mingle with the Singers All joy to this Celestial Pair Who thus by Heav'n united are 'T is a great thing worth Heav'ns design To make Love's Pow'r with Beauty's joyn Six Attendants to the Elizian Princes bring in Portico's of Arbors adorn'd with Festoons and Garlands through which the Princes and they dance the Attendants still placing them in several Figures Iup. For ever happy in your Psyche be Who now is crown'd with Immortality On Earth Love never is from troubles free But here 't is one eternal Extasie 'Mongst all the Joys which Heav'n and Earth can find Love 's the most glorious object of the mind EPILOGUE WHat e'r the Poet has deserv'd from you Would you the Actors for his faults undo The Painter Dancer and Musician too For you those Men of skill have done their best But we deserve much more then all the rest We have stak'd all we have to treat you here And therefore Sirs you should not be severe We in one Vessel have adventur'd all The loss should we be Shipwrack'd were not small But if it be decreed that we must fall We fall with honour Gallants you can tell No Foreign Stage can ours in Pomp excel And here none e'r shall treat you half so well Poor Players have this day that Splendor shown Which yet but by Great Monarchs has been done Whilst our rich Neighbours mock us for 't we know Already th' utmost they intend to do Yet all the fame you give 'em we allow To their best Plays and their best Actors too But Sirs Good Plays from Censure here you 'll not exempt Yet can like Farces there below contempt Drolls which so course so dull sobawdy are The dirty Rout would damn 'em in a Fair Yet Gentlemen such stuff will daily see Nay Ladies too will in the Boxes be What is become of former modesty Yet Best Iudges will our Ornaments allow Though they the wrong side of the Arras show But Oh a long farewel to all this sort Of Plays which this vast Town can not support If you could be content th' expence to bear We would improve and treat you better ev'ry year FINIS
strength shall be her suffering Her to the greatest misery I 'll bring And e'r I 've done I 'll send her down to Hell 1. Fury In Hell too late she shall relent And all her arrogance repent 2. Fury We Furies will torment your Soul And you shall weep and houl 1. Fury And at the sight of ev'ry Snake Tremble and quake 2. Fury There you shall mourn eternally And to the quick shall feel each lash we give 1. Fury There you shall always wish to die And yet in spight of you shall always live Chor. of all There you shall always c. Envy and Furies sink 2. Lad. What horrid words are these we hear I am almost dissolv'd with fear Can Envy this sweet dwelling find 1 Lad. Envy the greatest Bane to all Mankind What dreadful Fate does she foretel What Prophesie is this The Gods will sure do much amiss Should they permit you to be snatch'd to Hell Psyc. Fate do thy worst thou ne'r shalt trouble me The Innocent within themselves are free Envy I can be valiant against thee Enter Prince Nicander 2. Lad. But see the Prince Nicander does appear Industrious Love pursues you every where Nican Madam I to this Solitude am come Humbly from you to hear my latest doom Psyc. The first command which I did give Was that you should not see me here The next command you will receive Much harsher will to you appear Nican How long fair Psyche shall I sigh in vain How long of scorn and cruelty complain Your eyes enough have wounded me You need not add your cruelty You against me too many Weapons chuse Who am defenceless against each you use Psyc. Shall no conceal'd retirement keep me free From Loves vexatious importunity I in my Father's Court too long endur'd The ill which I by absence thought t' have cur'd Nican Planets that cause our Fates cannot be long obscur'd Though Comets vanish from our sense When they 've disperss'd their fatal Influence And nothing but the sad effects remain Yet Stars that govern us wou'd hide themselves in vain The momentary Clouds must soon be past Which wou'd their brightness overcast Psyc. Why should Nicander thus pursue in vain Her o'r whose mind he can no Conquest gain For though my Body thus abroad you see My Mind shall stay within and keep its privacy Nican Blame not the passion you yourself create Which is to me resistless as my Fate Can Psyche own such cruelties As vainly Priests impute to Deities To punish the Affections they inspire As if they 'd kindle to put out a fire If from the Gods we any gifts receive Our Appetites of Nature they must give Let Priests for Self-denial then contend If we 'gainst Nature go we Heav'n offend Who made that Nature to pursue its end Natures desires Heav'ns known prescriptions are Of greater certainty than others far Priests Inspirations may but Dreams be found Th' effects of Vapours or of Spleens unsound But Nature cannot err in her own way And though Priests may she cannot lead astray Psyc. Nature the Gods first uncorrupted made But to corruption 't was by Man betray'd Which when so much exorbitant they found What first they had made free they justly bound Nican If Nature be not what the Gods first meant Then pow'rful Man defeated Heavens intent If the Gods Engine of the World must be Mended by them how did they then foresee Must Men like Clocks be alter'd to go right Or though wound up by Nature must stand still Must we against our own affections fight And quite against the Bias bend the will Psyc. Against your self y'have pleaded all this time If not to follow Nature be a crime Mine so averse to Love by Heav'n is made She above all by me shall be obey'd Enter Polynices Nican Nature incites all humane kind to love Who deny that unnatural must prove How Polynices my great Rival here This is the onely way I him can fear His Arms are far less dreadful then his Love Psyc. Sir what could your injurious kindness move Thus to disturb the quiet of my life In vain great Princes is your am'rous strife Polyn. If I were singular you might think me rude But I can many dang'rous Rivals find A violent passion makes me thus intrude Be but to me as you 're to others kind Let not my death alone be here design'd Too fatal was the first surprise I suffer'd by your conqu'ring Eyes Your pow'rful Charms no Mortal can resist I in an instant lov'd and never can desist Nican Such violent and sudden love Perhaps must soon remove 'T is frail as an abortive Birth And as it soon approach'd it soon may fly As when too early flowers come forth From the first moment of their birth they die Mine by degrees did to perfection grow And is too strong to be resisted now Polyn. That which I have for that illustrious face Is Sympathy not lazy Love The Steel the Loadstone does as soon embrace And of it self will ne'r remove Nican The Steel you speak of may be snatch'd from thence With very little violence Polyn. Who shall commit that violence on me Nican He who before has conquer'd thee Thou didst my Empire dost my Love invade My Love shall be my onely aid And I again thy Conqueror can be Polyn. I was by Fortune then betray'd But now by Love am much more pow'rful made Oh that the way for Psyche to be wone Were for me to possess thy Throne I wou'd believ 't already done And when with ease I 'ad triumph'd o'r thee Thou on thy knees should'st beg her Love for me Nican Did not her Sacred presence guard thy life This fatal place should soon decide our strife I on thy conquer'd neck would tread And make thee forfeit soon thy useless head I 'd put an end now to your Love and you And when perhaps I 'd nothing else to do I might vouchsafe to take your petty Kingdom too Polyn. Should my death soon ensue Which never can be caus'd by you It might to you some bold presumptions give You dare not think such thoughts while yet I live For what thou hast already said Shouldst thou escape me with thy head Yet I will soon depopulate thy Land And leave thee none but Beasts for thy command Or may be if thou fall'st into my hand I openly will thee in triumph lead Thy Cities into Desarts I will turn And thou in Chains shalt tamely see 'em burn Nican Gods Psyc. Princes let your untimely discord cease If my esteem you 'd gain conclude a peace Each to the other must become a friend Though Rivals yet you must agree You but for something in the Clouds contend If thus you think to conquer me Polyn. So absolute is your command That I my Rival will embrace Your will no Lover can withstand I can do any thing but give my Rival place Nican Your Voice may still the fury of the Winds Or calm the most distemper'd minds Wild
more by setl'd order shown The beauty of that order which is found To govern the Creation in a round The fix'd uninterrupted Chain whereby All things on one another must depend This method proves a wise Divinity As much as should the Gods on earth descend Ch. Pr. You speak from Nature which is ignorance But we to Inspiration must advance Nican If Priest by Means not nat'ral Heav'n declares Its will and our obedience so prepares The Gods by this their weakness wou'd confess What you call Miracles wou'd make them less If something without Nature they produce Nature is then defective to their use And when by that they cannot work their end By Miracle their Instrument they mend Polyn. If this be granted Priest by this we find The Gods foresee not or else change their mind But Heav'n does nothing to our sense produce But it does outward Nat'ral Causes use Fools trust in Miracles and fools ne'r doubt 'T is ignorance of Causes Priest makes fools devout Thunders again Ch. Pr. Be gone profane and wicked men You have provok'd Heav'ns wrath again Heav'n does again to you in Thunder speak Nican 'T was nothing but a petty cloud did break What can your Priesthoods grave Philosophy So much amaz'd at common Thunder be Psyc. We should obey without these prodigies I to Heav'ns Will my own will sacrifice Cidip. Must I then with my much lov'd Sister part Aglau The dismal loss will break my tender heart Thean Joy of my life let 's to the fatal place Where thine and all my sorrow is design'd When thee the pois'nous Serpent shall embrace Assure thy self I 'll not stay long behind Polyn. Thus the great Agamemnon was betray'd And Iphigenia thus a Victim made Such horrid ills Religion can perswade Exeunt omnes The Scene changes to a Rocky Desart full of dreadful Caves Cliff and Precipices with a high Rock looking down into the Sea Enter two despairing Lovers 1. Lov. Ah what a dreadful Rocky Desart's this The Melancholly Region of despair Where e'r I turn me poisonous Serpents hiss And with their venomous breaths infect the air 2. Lov. Here pestilential vapours do abound And killing Dumps the Vaults and Caverns breath From dreadful gapings of the craggy ground The fatal Desart seems to yawn forth death 1. Lov. A gloomy darkness hovers o'r this place Here sure the Sun ne'r shews his joyful face Nature this place for horrour did design No beam of comfort here can shine 2. Lov. Nothing but houls of sad despair And dismal groans of Wretches fill the air Who in Agonies their hated lives resign 1. Lov. How many various ways to death we have Some from that Rock have plung'd into the Deep And in the Sea we saw 'em find a grave 2 Lov. Some by their Ponyards meet deaths easie sleep Some desp'rate Lovers find out death By wilful stopping their own breath 1. Lov. Nature this place did for my griefintend 2. Lov. And here my fatal life and love shall end 1. Lov. Psyche is hither by Apollo sent Here to fulfil the Oracles intent Two despairing Men and two despairing Women sing as follows 1. Man BReak break distracted heart there is no cure For Love my minds too raging Calenture 1. Wom. Sighs which in other passions vent And give them ease when they lament Are but the bellows to my hot desire 2. Wom. And tears in me not quench but nourish fire 2. Man Nothing can mollifie my grief Or give my passion a relief 1. Man Love is not like our carthly fire You soon may smoother out that flame Concealing does increase desire No opposition Love cantame 2. Wom. Despair in Love transcends all pain Lost hope will ne'r return again 1. Wom. In Hell there 's no such misery As now oppresses me I this one pang alone Wou'd change for Sisyphus his Stone 2. Man I would the torments which I feel Change for Iâ—…n's Wheel 2. Wom. The Vulture should on me for ever feed Rather then thus my heart for Love should bleed 1. Man Oh Tantalus for thy eternal Thirst I 'm more on Earth then thou in Hell accurst 1. Wom. Was ever grief like mine 2. Wom. Like mine 1. Man Like mine 2. Man Like mine Chorus Was ever grief like mine Was ever c. 2. Wom. Nothing but death can cure our misery 1. Wom. I 'll die 1. Man I 'll die 2. Man I 'll die Chorus Nothing but death can cure our misery Nothing but c. 1. Man speaks How long shall I for this dull Serpent stay Ere I become his prey Come forth from out thy pos'nous Den Dost thou despise the flesh of Men 2. Man The lazy Serpent breakfasted to day I will not for his waking stomach stay I ll b' Author of my fate and make my self away Falls on his sword 1. Wom. Your Sex no more in courage shall excel For I can die as well I in this dagger my relief will find And kill my body thus to ease my mind Kills her self 1. Man I to the top of all the Rock will climb And if in little time The Serpent there I cannot see I 'll find a way to follow thee 2. Wom. My heart that office will perform for me A death-like pang I feel I have no need of steel A faint cold sweat besmears my face I can make haste and die apace And these are the last words I ere shall speak Farewell my cruel Love for thee my heart does break She dies Then he on the top of the Rock falls headlong into the Sea Enter Theander Psyche Cydippe Aglaura Psyche's two Women and other Attendants in Funeral habits weeping then the Guards Psyc. Oh stop those Royal Fountains tears are things Which ill become the Majesty of Kings Thean But they become a Father who must lose The onely comfort of his fading life Who barbarously must his Child expose By Heavens command to be a Serpents Wife Psyc. That dread command l 'm ready to obey I beg you will no longer stay Deaths cold embraces I will court I can my fate but not your tears support Thean Ye Gods why did ye ever bless Me with this gift to snatch it back again My burden's greater then I can sustain Psyc. I never could deserve such tenderness Nay good Sir dry your eyes my heart will break To bear your grief I am too weak Thean Oh that I 'd never seen thy much lov'd face And that thou'dst perish'd in the womb I had not led thee to this fatal place Thy Father had not brought thee living to thy Tomb. Psyc. Your sad complaints so soften me My heart will melt to that degree That I shall have none left when death I see Thean Heav'n what could thus your cruelty provoke Your Altars by my bounty daily smoke With Fat with Incense and with Gums Nor have you wanted Hecatombs And must I thus rewarded be Cidip. See how the Dotard weeps while we Rejoyce at this her Destiny Oh how it wou'd my
find to day The Monster had not yet made her his prey Cyd. What if he had we two are left behind And by the Gods you are for us design'd Nican Heav'n has not yet to me reveal'd that mind My inclinations still are hers I find The honour 's great we might by you enjoy But it would all our vows and all our love destroy Polyn. To Psyche I have offer'd my whole heart Sh' has for no other left me the least part Pardon that I the honour must refuse No Mortals can their own affections chuse Love Heav'ns high power does into us infuse Nican When we lost Psyche solemnly we swore The search of her we never wou'd give o'r Polyn. Should we not find her we our lives must spend Which in th'unwearied search of her must end Aglau Think you with safety you shall us despise Though we 're too weak to wound you with our eyes Our full revenge shall both of you pursue And give what to your insolence is due Cyd. Your heads shall pay for the affront you give And you shall die or we will cease to live Nican If danger cou'd our courages remove We were not fit t' aspire to Psyche's love Polyn. Our absence now you must excuse We in our search no farther time must lose Exeunt Nican Polyn. Aglau I have a trusty Villain which I 'll send Who in disguise shall their unwary steps attend And then an ambush shall for them be laid That their base lives may be to us betray'd Cyd. The powers of all this Kingdom we 'll engage To sacrifice their lives to our insatiate rage Aglau They dearly shall by their example show How soon rejected Love to dangerous Rage can grow Exeunt ambâ—… ACT IV. The Scene is a stately Garden belonging to the Magnificent Palace seen in the former Act. The great Walk is bounded on either side with great Statues Figures of Gold standing on Pedestals and small sitting at their feet And in large Vases of Silver are Orenge Lemon Citron Pomegranate and behind Mirtle Jessemine and other Trees Beyond this a noble Arbour through which is seen a less Walk all of Cypress-Trees which leads to another Arbour at a great distance Enter Aglaura Cydippe Psyche with her Train Aglau ENough the Splendor of your Court w'have seen Such ne'r was known by any earthly Queen Cyd. But we your Conqu'ring Lover wou'd behold Of whom such charming stories you have told Psyc. Oh! he 's the brightest thing your eyes e'r saw Beauty he has might give the whole world Law And then such tender kindness you shall see For he delights in nothing but in me We sport and revel all the day In soft delights melting the hours away And such resistless ways he has to charm We kiss embrace and arm in arm With am'rous sighs and soft discourse Our fainting passions still we reinforce When I would speak my words he does devour And when he speaks I kiss him o'r and o'r And whâ—… from kissing we our lips remove He tells a thousand pretty Tales of Love And all the while his beauty I survey And he so greedily beholds my eyes As he 'd devour them But a moment stay And he will you as he did me surprise Exit Psyche Aglau What cursed Fate is this that did ordain That she shou'd have such pleasure we such pain Oh that I had infection in my breath I my own life wou'd lose to give her death Cid Base Fortune that on Psyche wou'd bestow So vast a share of happiness And give her elder Sisters so much less That she shou'd be so high and we so low Aglau Such glory yet no Monarch ever saw Such humble Vassals such obedient awe Such shining Palaces yet ne'r have been Such pomp the Sun in all his progress ne'r has seen Cid A thousand Beauties wait for her command As many heavenly Youths are still at hand And to our envious eyes she chose These hated objects to expose Aglau When we to our great joy believ'd That she destroy'd had been Oh how the Ridling God has us deceiv'd We see her here like some immortal Queen Whom all her Subjects serve not but adore Cid Oh! I shall die with envy say no more But of some quick revenge let 's meditate To interrupt their happy state Let 's by some Art cause fatal jealousies Between these prosperous Lovers to arise Enter Cupid and Psyche with many Attendants Aglau They 're here What divine object strikes my eyes Cid What heavenly thing does my weak heart surprise Aglau Her hated sight I can no longer bear Cid Oh with what joy I could her heart-strings tear Aglau This is the goodliest Creature Heav'n ere made And I will summon Hell up to my aid But I will Psyche's life destroy And I will then this God-like Youth enjoy Cid When I am dead he may be had by thee But know Aglaura I 'll ne'r live to see This goodly thing enjoy'd by any one but me Cup. Ladies You such a welcome in this place shall find As fits the greatness of your Sisters mind And by your entertainment I will show What I to my lov'd Psyche owe For her shall Quires of Cupids sing For her the Sphears shall their loud Musick bring SONG LEt old Age in its envy and malice take pleasure In business that 's sower and in hoarding up treasure By dulness seem wise be still peevish and nice And what they cannot follow let them rail at as vice Wise Youth will in Wine and in Beauty delight Will revel all day and will sport all the night For never to love wou'd be never to live And Love must from Wine its new vigour receive How insipid were life without those delights In which lusty hot Youth spend their days and their nights Of our nauseous dull beings we too soon should be cloy'd Without those bless'd joys which Fools onely avoid Unhappy grave Wretches who live by false measure And for empty vain shadows refuse real pleasure To such Fools while vast joys on the witty are waiting Life's atedious long journey without ever baiting Now see what is to Psyche's beauty due And what th' Almighty pow'r of Love can show These senseless Figures motion shall receive Psyche's bright beams can life to Statues give Ten Statues leap from their Pedestals and dance Ten Cupids rise from the Pedestals strew all the Stage with Flowers and fly all several ways During the Dance Cupid and Psyche retire Cid With what divine Magnificence They in this place treat every sense Aglau Excess of Love and Hate disturb my rest Which equally divide my breast Cid You may hate her and other Princes love But your affection must from him remove Or th' utmost rage of a revengeful Rival prove Aglau Mountains shall sooner leap or fly The Sun may prove inconstant but not I All my presumptuous Rivals I 'll destroy I cannot live unless I him enjoy Cid Then suddenly resign your hated breath You shall not live to
cause my death Your fruitless Love shall soon be lost You to your elder Sister shall give place For I will this Celestial Youth embrace Tho' it the lives of half the world shou'd cost Aglau The pow'r of Hell shall ne'r change my design I wou'd a thousand Lives before one Love resign Cid But Psyche's Life and Love must have an end Or we in vain for him contend What e'r against each other we design Against the common Enemy let 's joyn Aglau Should we kill her it would provoke his hate And on our selves pull down a certain Fate Let 's poison them with jealousie And Lovers had much better die Then suffer that extremity Enter Psyche Psyc. Now Sisters how do you approve my Dear Cid You are secure but give us leave to fear Psyc. Fear not you are in my protection now Aglau We fear not for our selves but you Psyc. For me I am so full of joy That nothing can my happiness destroy I have my Love and that 's enough for me My life is one continued Extasie His love to me is infinite Each moment does transcend Ages of of common gross delight For which dull sensual men so much contend Cid Why does he still conceal his name It argues little love or else much shame Psyc. You cannot doubt his love he is so kind Envy in him no cause of shame can find What need I care who 't is I love Since all that see him must my choice approve Aglau This violent Love may soon decay And he for some new Mistris may Your easie heart betray Cid When he shall please to frown You from this heighth are suddenly thrown down And when he thus shall have abandon'd you On whom will you inflict the vengeance due Psyc. Could I this fatal change survive I sure should be the wretched'st thing alive Aglau True Love has no reserve this is some cheat Your wisdom 's small though your affection 's great Cid Th'Impostor does by Magick Art surprise And this is all delusion of our eyes The Miracles each moment does produce Sufficiently may make this clear Your Lover does no Natural Causes use All Natures Order is inverted here Aglau You see that his Attendants are The winged Spirits of the Air. He 's sure some Demon which commands the Winds And him the Clouds obey How easily may he delude our minds Wh'our bodies can by Winds and Clouds convey This must be some inchanted place Cid aside Let him be what he will I 'll him embrace To her How soon may Fate your seeming Heav'n destroy Which like a dream reflects imaginary Joy Psyc. Oh I am seiz'd with an unusual fright A sudden stop is put to my delight Aglau This still may be the Serpent you did fear Tho' with a humane shape he cheats your eyes And Heav'n by this more cruel will appear After this Joy to ruine by surprise Cid In wrath the Oracle thy doom declar'd Here no effects we of its anger fee Thou know'st not yet what ruine is prepar'd What dreadful Fate Heav'n does reserve for thee Psyc. How I 'm amaz'd Oh my poor trembling heart Enter Zephyrus Zeph. My Lord commands your Sisters must depart And none must his commands deny Aglau What is 't I hear I dye I dye Cid But if I die I will not die alone She shall not here remain when I am gone Aglau Hold take me with thee in thy brave design I 'll in the noble execution joyn Both offer to stab at Psyche aâ—… she looke another way and aâ—… snatch'd away by Zephiri Psyc. Ah! what unwelcome change is this I see Must they so suddenly be snatch'd from me Enter Cupid Cup. Now let 's enjoy our selves the time invites True Love alone in privacy delights What is 't disturbs my Psyche's mind What fatal change is this I find Such a black storm me thinks hangs on thee now As I have seen upon the Mornings brow Which blushing first had promis'd a fair day But strait did nought but dark-swoln Clouds display Is it your Sisters absence makes you grieve All such relations you shou'd now forget Lovers should for each other onely live And having one another should have no regret Psyc. So small a thing cannot afflict my mind Cup. 'T is for some Rival then your griefs design'd Psyc. This mean suspition proves my Lord unkind Ah! did your charms but to your self appear You 'd know that I no other chains cou'd wear No Rhetorick can paint my Loves excess Ere mine can be describ'd it must be less Cup. I love thee too at such a rate No Mertal can approach my height What is it can produce thy grief Psyc. I fear you 'l not afford it your relief Cup. If thou by any thing my wrath cou'dst move 'T wou'd be by thy suspition of my love Thou o'r my heart art grown so absolute That no commands of thine I can dispute Thou of thy pow'r know'st not the large extent To ease thy doubt make an experiment Psyc. No I shall find a harsh repulse I fear Cup. By thy victorious eyes Which govern now the heart they did surprise By th' Gods inviolable Oath I swear By Styx all thy commands shall be to me Sacred as Heav'ns decree Psyc. I with these am'rous vows am doubly pleas'd I am of half my grief already eas'd By this all fear of coldness you remove And then you 'll tell me now who 't is I love Cup. Heav'n Starts Psyc. 'T is fit that I who did great Kings refuse Shou'd know who is the charming Youth I chuse Cup. What do I hear Psyc. 'T is true I love and glory in my chains But to compleat my joys it yet remains That thou my Love wou'dst thy dear name expose And my illustrious choice to me disclose Why dost thou frown thou must my doubts secure I by my Love and by this Kiss conjure If thou dost love me this assurance give 'T is Love my Dear makes me inquisitive Thou shou'dst all secrets to my breast resign Besides th' hast sworn this is no longer thine Cup. I 've sworn and if you will I must comply But then thy fatal curiosity Inevitably ruines Thee and Me. Psyc. Is this my Sov'reign Empire over thee Cup. You must what e'rs within my power command But your extravagant desires withstand Unless you will abandon him you love And will for ever from my sight remove Psyc. You found a heart too ready to believe And wou'd you still that poor weak heart deceive Cup. Must I my fatal secret then resign Psyc. Can you keep back your heart and yet take mine Cup. Consider yet what 't is you do Psyc. I fear'd I shou'd be thus refus'd by you Cup. Let me not yet my name declare Psyc. Oh unkind Youth thou mak'st me now despair That thou 'lt reward my love or ease my care Cup. Consider yet and let me hold my peace Psyc. Will your unkind denials never cease Cup. Know then my self a God I must declare
hand go plunge into the deep There all our sorrows may for ever sleep Polyn. Agreed and our immortal Souls shall that way go And meet our much lov'd Psyche down below They arm in arm fling themselves into the River Enter Aglaura and Cidippe with Souldier Aglau Villain what Cowards did you entertain That two weak men could not by you be slain Cid Oh Heav'n the Princes are with Psyche fled Base Slave thou hast forfeited thy head Souldier runs out Cupid descends Cup. Oh envious Fools that Psyche thus pursue You both shall soon a deserv'd vengeance find Hells everlasting pangs to you are due Since she is gone you shall not stay behind 'Gainst Psyche you provok'd my Mothers rage And your destruction must my wrath asswage When from below my Psyche shall return You with damn'd Spirits shall for ever mourn Arise ye Furies snatch 'em down to Hell No place becomes such envious Hags so well Aglaura and Cidippe sink ACT V. The Scene represents Hell consisting of many burning Ruines of Buildings on each side In the foremost Pieces are the Figures of Prometheus and Sisyphus Ixion and Tantalus Beyond those are a great number of Furies and Devils tormenting the Damned In the middle arise the Throne of Pluto consisting of Pillars of Fire with him Proserpina at their feet sit Minos Aeacus and Rhadamanthus With the Throne of Pluto arise a great number of Devils and Furies coming up at every rising about the House Through the Pillars of Pluto's Throne at a great distance is seen the Gate of Hell through which a Lake of Fire is seen and at a huge distance on the farther side of that Lake are vast Crowds of the Dead waiting for Charon's Boat The following Song is sung by Furies and Devils TO what great distresses proud Psyche is brought Oh the brave mischiefs our malice has wrought Such Actions become the black Subjects of Hell Our great Prince of Darkness who e'r will serve well Chor. Must to all Mortals nay Gods shew their spight And in horrour and torments of others delight How cool are our flames and how light are our chains If our craft or our cruelty Souls enow gains In perpetual houlings and groans we take pleasure Our joys by the torments of others we measure Chor. To rob Heav'n of the Fair is our greatest delight To darkness seducing the Subjects of Light How little did Heav'n of its Empire take care To let Pluto take the Rich Witty and Fair While it does for it self Fools and Monsters preserve The Blind Ugly and Poor and the Cripple reserve Chor. Heav'n all the worst Subjects for it self does prepare And leaves all the best for the Prince of the Air. A Dance of Furies Cidip. Some ease they find i'th'midst of pain When Hell does a new Subject gain Aglau But in the hottest flames this sight would please And Psyche's houling will our greatest torments ease Cid Were mine the hottest Furnace of all Hell If she were there my flames I could bear well Aglau Were I into some dreadful Cavern tost Where the Damn'd are bound in eternal Frost Where gnashing teeth and shuddering they lie Cursing their births wishing in vain to die To see her there would warm my icy chain And her extreme damnation thaw my pain Cidip. But Oh our Hell is yet to come With horrour I expect my doom Aglau There our eternal Judges are By their stern looks of mercy I dispair Psyc. Does my too criminal Love deserve this pain Circl'd with horrour must I here remain Through thousand terrours I have been convey'd With dismall yellings shricks and groans dismay'd O'r troubl'd Billows of eternal Fire Where tortur'd Ghosts must houl and ne'r expire Where Souls ne'r rest but feel fresh torments still Where furious Fiends their utmost rage fulfil Tossing poor houling Wretches too and fro From raging Fires into eternal Snow From thence to Flames from thence to Ice again In these extremes th' encounter equal pain And no refreshing intervals can gain The cursed Fiends still laughing at their moans Hugging themselves to hear their shricks and groans Upbraiding them with all their Crimes on earth Each miserable Ghost curses in vain his birth Encompass'd with these horrours round No beam of comfort have I found Oh cruel Venus wilt thou ne'r relent Canst thou of Love such an Example make Can Love deserve such punishment Oh cruel God thus to forsake Me at the moment when I need him most I fear he is for ever lost I could endure the horrours of this place Could I again behold his much lov'd face Pluto sings REfrain your tears you shall no pris'ner be Beauty and Innocence in Hell are free They 're Treasons Murders Rapes and Thefts that bring Subjects to th' infernal King You are no Subject of this place A God you must embrace From Hell to Heaven you must translated be Where you shall live and love to all eternity Proserp Psyche draw near with thee this Present take Which given to Venus soon thy peace will make Of Beauty 't is a Treasury Divine And you 're the Messenger she did design Lost Beauty this will soon restore And all defects repair Mortals will now afresh her Beams adore And ease her mind of jealousie and care No Beauty that has this can e'r despair Pluto Here are your Sisters who your life once sought Their malice to this place has Psyche brought And against her all these dire mischiefs wrought For ever here they shall remain And shall in Hell suffer eternal pain But Psyche shall a Deity embrace Proserp Be gone fair Psyche Pluto Be gone fair Psyche Both. Be gone fair Psyche from this place Chor. of all For Psyche must the God of Love embrace For Psyche must the God of Love embrace Aglau O mercy mercy Sister we implore You 'll intercede for a reprieve Cidip. No more our malice can fair Psyche grieve You 'll be a Goddess we must you adore Minos No grace for you she shall obtain For you must here remain Yet for her sake we 'll ease you of some pain No raging pangs of sense here you shall know But must eternal labours undergo And with the Belides for ever live Still shall wish death but never die Each of you must draw water in a Seive To all eternity The envious Sisters sink with all the Devils and Furies and the Throne of Pluto vanishes Psyc. In vain poor Sisters I deplore your Fate Though living you pursu'd me with your hate 'T is a dark Cloud upon my happiness But I ll strive to forget what 's past redress Were 't not for this my Joys I could not bear Immoderate joy would overthrow Were it not ballasted with care My Love I shall enjoy thee now Together we shall happy be And live and love to all eternity Enter the Ghosts of Polynices and Nicander Psyche starts This was a dismal Tragedy These are the Princes Ghosts we see Oh what sad chance has brought you down to me Nicand We
felt the extremes of love and grief Which never cou'd have found relief And hand in hand we plung'd into the deep To seek repose by deaths last sleep Polyn. Since you were lost to ease us of our care We both obey'd a generous despair For since we could not live for you Our miserable lives we could not bear To all th'insipid World we bad adieu Since nothing that remain'd could please us there Nicand Death we enjoy'd and heavy life remov'd For we in death behold your charms again Those charms which both in life and death we lov'd Which we had sigh'd and wept for there in vain Psyc. Poor Ghosts why would you suffer for my sake In vain too was your death design'd Now I no recompence can make And then by force I was ungrateful and unkind Could I have lov'd your merits were so much Your equal greatness and your vertues such I ne'r had fix'd my choice on one of you But must eternally have waver'd betwixt two She weeps Nicand Who would not willingly resign his breath Who by a glorious death The honour of your tears might gain Polyn. I cannot now of Fate complain Nor would with tedious fools above remain Nor can your pity now or love implore Since you from hence must mount above And must embrace th'all pow'rful God of love And at an humble distance we must you adore Nicand Nor can we you of cruelty accuse Who for a God all mortal Kings refuse Polyn. Farewell our Destiny recalls us now And we t'immortal happiness should go If without you it could be so Psyc. Stay Princes and declare where and what it is This everlasting place of Bliss Nicand In cool sweet Shades and in immortal Groves By Chrystal Rivulets and eternal Springs Where the most beauteous Queens and greatest Kings Do celebrate their everlasting Loves Polyn. In ever peaceful fresh and fragrant Bowers Adorn'd with never fading Fruits and Flowers Where perfum'd Winds refresh their heat And where immortal Quires their Loves repeat There your great Father we have seen Where he afresh enjoys his beauteous Queen Nicand Who did for hopeless Loves themselves destroy Are there the greatest Hero 's far Your God with infinite and endless joy Rewards their meritorious despair Polyn. Each moment there does far outgo The happiest minute Earthly Lovers know With soft eternal Chains of Love combin'd There they are ever youthful ever kind Their endless pleasure is all Extasie And not like Earthly Joys disturb'd with care Each fruitful minute does new pleasures bear From all unwelcome interruption free Each moment there more pleasure is design'd Then mortal Lovers can when first united find Psyc. 'T is fit that you those glorious Crowns should wear Of Friends and Rivals the unequal'd pair Nicand The splendid Crowns of Lovers we 've receiv'd But are by Heav'n of you bereav'd Strangers to Love we are alone Our Love is up to Adoration grown Our hours in contemplation we 'll employ Of the transcendent glory which you share Our am'rous sighs shall turn to holy pray'r While we that Friendship which you made enjoy Polyn. For ever without you we must remain And now we must no longer stay Lest we contribute to your pain And your immortal happiness delay Farewell for ever and remember me Nicand Farewell for ever and remember me Ex. Nic. Pol Psyc. Farewell such Friends and Rivals ne'r were found How much am I by Love and Honour bound Exit Psyche The Scene changes to the Marish which was in the former Act. Enter Psyehe Psyc. These Lovers must for ever in my thoughts remain And would for ever give me pain Did not the thoughts of him my mind employ who 'll banish all my cares and will compleat my joy But ah my sufferings have transform'd me so My decay'd face and languid eyes My ruin'd Beauty He 'll not know Or if he does he will my looks despise But I have here a Sacred Treasury Which all my ruines may repair Since it can make Venus her self more fair Is 't an offence if it be us'd by me She opens the Box. Oh! what dark fumes oppress my clouded brain I go and never shall return again Farewell my Love for ever fare thee well She swoundâ—… Cupid descends Cup. Love o're my anger has the victory gain'd Thy pardon is at length obtain'd Thy dangers and thy sufferings I have known My Love has made them all my own With thee I languish'd with thee did complain With thee I sigh'd and wept and suffer'd all thy pain Why dost thou hide thy conqu'ring eyes Dost thou a Lover and a God despise Open thy pretty eyes I am still the same I still retain my unresisted flame And all my vows are still paid to thy sacred name She 's she 's dead O whether art thou gone O Tyrant death what has thy bold hand done O cruel Mother whose insatiate rage Could thee against such innocence engage Thou hast by this all ties of duty broke No longer I 'll endure thy yoke My filial duty to revenge shall turn You soon shall feel what to my pow'r you owe With hopeless Love you shall for ever burn Your unregarded pains no ease shall know You still shall rage with love and to despair shall bow Venus descends in her Chariot Ven. What insolence is this I hear This from a Son I can no longer bear Resume your duty and put on your fear Cup. Duty to her who has made Psyche die Revenge shall piety succeed Revenge shall make your cruel heart to bleed And by your torments you shall find that I Am much the greater Deity Ven. Sure the great Thunderer asleep does lie Or does not hear this blasphemy Cup. My pow'r can make the Thund'rer bow You all the dire effects of it shall know For thee dear Psyche full revenge I 'll take And of my Mother first I 'll the example make What hellish rage provok'd you to this deed Whom Monsters would have spar'd you have made bleed Ven. You suffer'd her my glory to invade And when I call'd Apollo to my aid You did the fraudulent God suborn For you he that ambiguous Riddle made And promis'd judgment did to mercy turn And by that Oracle I was betray'd Now to deceive me is beyond his power Not all his Art can make her live one hour For none but I cou'd Psyche's life restore Cup. Can you Oh do and punish me If there were any crime 't was mine For her I 'd lose my immortality Oh give me her I 'll all my power resign Here take my Quiver take my Darts You when you please shall rule all hearts You shall the power of Love to that of Beauty joyn Ven. Psyche and you have so provok'd my hate Your pray'rs as soon may alter Fate Cup. Behold the all-commanding Deity Kneels An humble suppliant on his knee Look on my Love can you this form destroy Oh my lov'd Psyche Oh my onely Joy Oh give me her my duty I 'll