SCEN. 3.
Clematis, Eglantine.
Cle.
Oh impotent desires, allay the sad consort
Of a sublime Fortune, whose most ambitious flames
Disdaine to burne in simple Cottages,
Loathing a hard unpolish'd bed;
But Coveting to shine beneath a Canopy
Of rich Sydonian purple; all imbroider'd
With purest gold, and orientall Pearles;
In tesselated pavements, and guilded roofes,
Supported by proud artificiall Columnes,
Of polish'd Ivory and Marble; doth love delight
There; doth he, like a mighty Tyrant, rage,
Subverting the whole edifice of reason
With his impetuous conflagration:
That this is true, the gentle Shepheardesse
Faire Eglantine doth evidently shew:
For she, a sister to the great Cynosbatus,
Was Courted lately by the Shepheard Rhodon:
Whose suit she entertain'd with due respect,
Requiting love with love: but Fate (it seemes)
Not condescending that great Hymen should
Accomplish their desires; forbade the Banes,
And Rhodon hath relinquished his suit;
And is return'd to Hybla sweet; whose flowry vales
Began to droope, and wither in his absence.
But Eglantine remaines disconsolate;
Like to a Turtle that hath lost her mate.
See where she comes, expressing in her face
A perfect Map of mellancholy:
I will retire, because I well descry,
Shee's out of love with all society.
Enter Eglant. with her Lute.
Eg.
Addresse thy selfe sweet warbling Instrument,
My sorrowes sad Companion; to tune forth
Thy melancholly notes; somewhat to slake
Those furious flames that scorch my tender heart.
She sings and playes upon the Lute.
Upon the blacke Rocke of despaire
My youthfull joyes are perish'd quite,
My hopes are vanish'd into ayre,
My day is turn'd to gloomy night:
For since my Rhodon deare is gone,
Hope, light, nor comfort, have I none.
A Cell, where griefe the Landlord is,
Shall be my palace of delight;
Where I will wooe with votes and sighes,
Sweet death to end my sorrowes quite;
Since I have lost my Rhodon deare,
Deaths fleshlesse armes why should I feare?
Enter Cle.
Cle.
What time shal end thy sorrowes, sweetest Eglantine?
Egl.
Such griefe as mine cannot be cur'd by time.
But when the gentle fates shall disembogue
My weary soule, and that Celestiall substance free
From irkesome manacles of clay; then may I finde,
If not a sweet repose in blest Elysium,
Yet some refrigeration in those shades,
Where Dido and Hypsiphile do wander.
Exit Egl.
Cle.
Thou gentle goddesse of the woods & mountains,
That in the woods and mountaines art ador'd,
The Maiden patronesse of chaste desires,
Who art for chastity renowned most,
Tresgrand Diana, who hast power to cure
The rankling wounds of Cupids golden arrowes;
Thy precious balsome deigne thou to apply,
Unto the heart of wofull Eglantine;
Then we thy gracious favour will requite
With a yong Kid, than new falne snow more white.
Exit.
