 | Sicelides A Piscatory |  |
Scen. 4.
Enter Perindus, Armillus.Ar.
Perindus thou knowst how late was my arriuall,
And short abode in this your Sicely,
And how delighted with these accidents
So strange and rare, I haue decreed to make
Some longer stay, but since I saw this Atyches
His loue more strong then death, a resolution
Beyond humanity I much desir'd
To know him, what he is, and what his country
That breeds such minds: let me intreate you then
At large to giue me all this story
Somewhat t'will east your griefe, iust are his paines
That sorrow with more sorrow entertaines.
Per.
It will be tedious, and my heauy minde
Fit words for such a tale can neuer finde:
Yet I'le vnfold it all, that you may see
How beautious loue showes in inconstancy:
Who hath not heard of Glaucus loue? haplesse
Whilst fairest Scylla baths him, loue inspires
At once herselfe she cooles and him she fires.
Glaucus findes neither waues nor hearbes to ease him
Cold were his eyes more cold her coy disdaine:
Yet none of boeth could quench loues schorching flame:
Till Circe whom scornd loue to madnes moues
Quenches at once her beautie and his loues.
There stands shee now a proofe of iealous spite
As full of horror now as then delight:
Ar.
The fruite of iealousie is euer curst,
But when tis grafted in a crab tis worst.
Bad in a man, but monstrous in a woman,
And which the greater monster hard to know
Then ielous Circe, or loath'd Scylla now
After when time had easd his greife for Scylla,
Circe with charmes, and prayers and gifts had wone him
Her loue shee reapt in that high rocky frame,
Which euer since hath borne faire Circes name:
The Moone her fainting light 10 times had fed,
And 10 times more her globe had emptied:
When two fayre twins she brought, whose beauteous shine,
Did plainly proue their parents were diuine.
The male Thalander, the female calld Glaucilla,
And now to youth arriu'd so faire they are
That with them but themselues who may compare,
All else excelling; each as faire as other
Thus best compard the sister with the brother.
Ar.
So liuely to the eare thy speeches show them,
That I must halfe affect before I know them.
Per.
Vaine words that thinke to blase so great perfection,
Their perfectnes more proues words imperfection.
But if these words some little sparkle moue,
How would their sight inflame thy soule with loue?
Scarce did his haire betray his blooming yeares,
When with his budding youth his loue appeares,
My selfe and sister equally he loues,
So on vs two his soule still fixt, still louing
Was euer constant, by his constant mouing:
Yet neuer knew wee which was most respected,
Both equally and both he most affected.
In mee his worthy loue with iust reflexion,
Kindled an equall and a like affection,
But shee my sister most vngratefull maide,
With hate, ah hatefull vice, his loue repaide.
Ar:
Cea'st he not then to loue? this sure wee hold
That loue not backe reflected soone grows cold.
Per:
No though all spite within her bosome sweld,
Spite of her spite his loue her hate exceld;
At length to shew how much he was neglected,
His riuall vgly riuall shee affected:
Such riuall could I wish whose foule distortion,
Would make seeme excellent a meane proportion,
For Mago, thus his hated riuall's nam'd)
All blacke and foule, most strang and vgly fram'd
Begot by Saturne, on a sea-borne witch,
Resembling both, his haires like threeds of pitch
Distorted feete, and eyes suncke in his head:
His face dead pale, and seem'd but moouing lead
Yet worse within, for in his heart to dwell
His mothers furies haue their darkest hell.
Yet when Thalander woo'd her, shee neglects him,
And when this monster flatterd shee respects him.
Ar:
I'st possible. troth Sir but that I feare mee,
If I should speake some women should ore: heare mee:
Mee thinks I now could raile on all their kinds,
But who can sound the depth of womens minds?
Per.
Shortly to come to'th' height of all their wrong,
So could this Mago fill his smoothest tongue,
That shee Thalander banisht from her sight,
Neuer to see her more his sole delight:
And he to none his hidden greife in parted,
Leauing our groues in woods he grows a ranger
To all but beasts and sencelesse trees a stranger.
Thus in a desert like his loue forsaken
When no hing but cold death his flames could slacken
Atyches spyed him, but so griefe had pin'd him.
That when he saw him plaine, he could not find him.
And so had sorrow all his graces rest
That in him, of him nothing now was left
Onely his loue; with which his latest breath
He power'd into his eares, so slept in death.
The rest when better leisure time affords
This lucklesse day askes rather teares then words.
Exeunt,
CHORVS.
Who neere saw death, may death commend,
Call it ioyes Prologue troubles end:
The pleasing sleepe that quiet rockes him,
Where neither care; nor fancy mockes him.
But who in neerer space doth eye him,
Next to hell, as hell defye him:
No state, no age, no sexe can moue him,
No beggars prey, no Kings reprooue him:
In mid'st of mirth, and loues alarmes,
He puls the Bride from Bridegroomes arms
The beautous Virgin he contemnes,
The guilty with the iust condemns.
All weare his cloth and none denyes.
Dres't in fresh colour'd liueries.
Kings lewe as beggars lie in graues,
Nobles as base, the free as slaues,
Bles't who on vertues life relying,
Dies to vice, thus liues by dying.
Surfetst in ioy, art drunke in pleasure.
Sweetes do make the sower more tart.
And pleasure sharp's deaths keenest dart.
Deaths thought is death to those that liue,
In liuing ioyes, and neuer grieue.
Happelesse that happie art and knowst no teares
Who euer liues in pleasure, liues in feares
Exit.
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