University of Virginia Library

Scæna prima

A Banquett sett,.
Then enter Doctor Makewell, & Modestina, in a shrowde,
Doctor.
The Phisicke (and a nimble cure I hope)
In this small Iunkett, is prepar'd,? all's fitted,
If you be perfect, in yor. Cues, and action,

Mod:
If I be out, pray prompt mee,—

(She lyes downe
Doctor:
Bringe him in.,

Wittworth brought in by the Doctors people, in a Chaire,
Witt:
Why d'ye torment mee thus? & what art thou,
That art soe busie to afflict mee still?

Doctor.
Iniurious soule I'me Charon, I haue crost
Thee o're the Stigian Lake, th'art nowe in Hell,
Where thou shalt reape, the harvest of thy synne,

Witt:
Doe not our earthly sufferings prevaile?
And serve, in liewe of theis,?

Doctor.
ffond Soule they doe not,
If thy amendment breed, they mittigate,
But if dispaire they foster, they presage,
What thou art heere to feele, such differinge torments,
That thou wouldst gladly som̄on them, to ease
And recreate thy Soule;

(Mod: Rises,
Witt:
Ha,! what art thou,?

Mod:
I am a miserable wretched Soule,
That suffer with thee (ah too sad a truth
(aside
I speake att vnawares, would I were dead,
As thou belieu'st thou art, or would I were,
Conceited soe, that I insensibly,
Might passe this sad affliction,

Witt:
I pray thee saie what were thy synnes sweete Soule?
That thou art [hig] hither doom'd?

Mod:
Vnpardonable,
I dyed for loue,

Witt:
Wert thou soe tender hearted?
Was ever mortall, but my selfe soe fond?
Would wee had mett. on earth, when I had fetch'd
Sighes? able to haue tumbled Pelion downe
ffrom Ossa's shoulders,? had'st thou stood vnmou'd?
When from myne eyes, like fountaines in the[s] Rocks
Ran teares enough, to haue drown'd the world againe?
Hadst thou both caus'd, & scorch'd them, as they fell
With mercilesse flames? when I had made deepe vowes,
Which broaken, if vnpunish'd, had repeal'd
The Charter of the gods,? hadst thou stood mute.?
When theis made vpp [[illeg.]] one griefe, wc h might haue done
Ducalions taske, haue mollified pure flints?
Disposeinge those small seeds of fier within them
Into a naturall heate? hadst thou not then
Beene metamorphoz'd?

Mod:
Yes indeed I had
(Had I done well.)

Doctor.
This passion cleares his spiritts,

Witt:
I did adoare that cruell sainct of myne,
And paid to her, the zeale, I owed the gods,
Which makes them thus torment mee; but would shee
Discend amongst vs, all the flames in hell
The frost shee has within her would reduce,
To temporate heate; & then the rest extreames
Would melt, & be noe more., in her faire eyes
Such heavenly fiers remaine, the light whereof,
Would make, our ever midnight, as noone day;
Her breath, ≼fume this Valt, & if it came
fforth clad in words, such harmoney they make
That all the damned Crue, although they felt
Their seu'all Tortures (as they might not doe
If shee were prsent) would forbeare to howle,
Attendinge what shee saies, nor would they then
Envye the blest Companions of the gods;
Might wee inioye her heere, they that doe liue
Beyond vs in Elizium, would retire
As into fuller blisse; with her remaine
The perfect Ioyes, the Poetts stroue to faine,.

Doctor
I finde her nothing mou'd,

Witt:
Lett vs imbrace,
Thou art a lovinge soule thou saiest,

Doctor.
Permitt not,

Witt:
Will it not bee?

Doctor.
Such fond Imbraces leade
To lust, which heere is not maintain'd, but punish'd,

Witt:
Hell is more holy then a bawdie howse!

Mod:
What meanes this Banquett Charon? may wee eate?

Doctor
Oh. by noe meanes, each soule doom'd hither, has
His seu'all punishment, the Traytour, Thiefe,
And Murtherer, wt h the rest, aparte, doe feele,
A differinge torture; wilfully because
You food refus'd, & pyn'd to death, you are
Thus with the glutton Tantaliz'd, (whoe sinns
Not more, in his excesse) att your least touch
Spiritts invisible, that heere attend,
Will rifle all before you,