University of Virginia Library

Scœna prima.

Enter Herod and his attendants.
Herod.
Haile happie citie, happie in thy store,
And happy that thy buildings such we see:
More happie in the Temple where w'adore,
But most of all that Mariam liues in thee.
Art thou return'd? how fares my Mariam?

Enter Nutio.
Nutio.
She's well my Lord, and will anon be here
As you commanded.

Her:
Muffle vp thy browe
Thou daies darke taper. Mariam will appeare.
And where she shines, we need not thy dimme light,
Oh hast thy steps rare creature, speed thy pace:
And let thy presence make the day more bright,
And cheere the heart of Herod with thy face.
It is an age since I from Mariam went,
Me thinkes our parting was in Dauids daies:
The houres are so increast by discontent,
Deepe sorrow, Iosua like the season staies:
But when I am with Mariam, time runnes on,
Her sight, can make months, minutes, daies of weekes
An hower is then no sooner come then gon.
When in her face mine eye for wonders seekes.
You world commanding citie, Europes grace,
Twice hath my curious eye your streets suruai'd,
And I haue seene the statue filled place,
That once if not for griefe had bene betrai'd.
I all your Roman beauties haue beheld,
And seene the showes your Ediles did prepare,
I saw the sum of what in you exceld,
Yet saw no miracle like Mariam rare.
The faire and famous Liuia, Cæsars loue,
The worlds commaunding Mistresse did I see:
Whose beauties both the world and Rome approue,
Yet Mariam: Liuia is not like to thee.
Be patient but a little, while mine eyes
Within your compast limits be contain'd:
That obiect straight shall your desires suffice,
From which you were so long a while restrain'd.
How wisely Mariam doth the time delay,
Least suddaine ioy my sence should suffocate:
I am prepar'd, thou needst no longer stay:
Whose there, my Mariam, more then happie fate?
Oh no, it is Pheroras, welcome Brother,
Now for a while, I must my passion smother.