University of Virginia Library

SCEN. VIII.

Pamphilus, Evadne, Tyndarus, Techmessa.
Pam.
VVait till we call.
Heaven, if thou hast not emptied all thy treasury
Of wrath upon me; here I challenge thee
To lay on more. What torments hast thou left,
In which thou hast not exercis'd my patience?
Yet cast up all th' accounts of all my sorrows,
And the whole summe is trebled in the losse
Of deare Techmessa.

Tech.
If this grief were reall!

Tyn.
Be not too credulous.

Pam.
I have stood the rest
Of your afflictions, with this one I fell,
Fell like a rock that had repell'd the rage
Of thousand violent billows, and withstood
Their fierce assaults, untill the working Tide
Had undermin'd him: then he falls, and draws
Part of the mountain with him.

Evad.
Pamphilus,
When did you see my sweet-heart? prithee tell me,
Is he not gone a maying?—he will bring me
Some pincks and daysies home to morrow morning.
Pray heaven he meet no theeves.

Pam.
Alas Evadne!
Thy Tyndarus is dead.

Evad.
What shall I do?
I cannot live without him.

Tyn.
I am mov'd:
Yet I will make this triall full and perfect.
What, at this dismall houre, when nothing walks
But souls tormented, calls you from your sheets
To visit our dark cells, inhabited
By death and melancholy?

Evad.
I am come
To seek my true-love here. Did you not see him?
He's come to dwell with you, pray use him well,
He was a proper Gentleman.

Tech.
Sir, what cause
Inforc'd you hither?

Pam.
I am come to pay
The tribute of my eyes to a dead Love.

Tyn.
Fair Lady, may I ask one question of you?
Did you admit no love into your bosome
But onely his?

Evad.
Alas! you make me weep.
Could any woman love a man, but him!
No Tyndarus, I will not long outlive thee:
We will be married in Elysium,
And arm in arm walk through th'-blessed groves,
And change a thousand kisses,—you sha'nt see us.

Tyn.
I know not whether it be joy or grief
Forces teares from me.

Tech.
Were you constant, Sir,
To her whose death you now so much lament?
For by those prodigies and apparitions
That have to night shak'd the foundations
Of the whole temple, your inconstancy
Hath caus'd your Mistresses untimely end.

Pam.
The Sunne shall change his course, and finde new paths
To drive his chariot in: The Load-stone leave
His faith unto the North:—The Vine withdraw
Those strict embraces that infold the Elme
In her kinde arms:—But, if I change my love
From my Techmessa, may I be recorded
To all posterity, Loves great Apostate
In Cupids annalls.

Evad.
If you see my Tyndarus,
Pray tell him I will make all haste to meet him.
I will but weep a while first.

Tyn.
Pretie sorrow!

Tech.
Sir, you may veil your falshood in smooth language,
And gild it o're with fair hypocrisie:
But here has been such grones: Ghosts that have cried
In hollow voices, Pamphilus, O false Pamphilus!
Revenge on Pamphilus! Such complaints as these
The gods ne're make in vain.

Pam.
Then there is witch-craft in't. And are the gods
Made parties too against me?—Pardon then
If I grow stubborn.—While they prest my shoulders
No more then I could beare, they willingly
Submitted to the burden.—Now they wish
To cast it off.—What treacherie has brib'd you,
Celestiall forms, to be my false accusers?
I chalenge you (for you can view my thoughts,
And reade the secret characters of my heart.)
Give in your verdict, did you ever finde
Another image graven in my soul
Besides Techmessa? No! 'Tis hell has forg'd
These flie impostures! all these plots are coyn'd
Out of the devils mintage?

Tech.
Certainly
There's no false fire in this.

Tyn.
There cannot be.

Evad.
Pray, Sir, direct me where I may embalm
My Tyndarus with my teares.

Tyn.
There gentle Lady.

Evad.
Is this a casket fit to entertain
A jewell of such value?

Pam.
Where must I
Pay my devotions?

Tech.
There your dead Saint lies.

Evad.
Hail Tyndarus, may earth but lightly presse thee:
And mayst thou finde those joyes thou art gone to taste,
As true as my affection. Now I know
Thou canst not choose but love me, and with longing
Expect my quick arrivall: for the soul
Freed from the cloud of flesh, clearely discerns
Forms in their perfect nature. If there be
A guilt upon thy bloud, thus I'le redeem it,
(offers to kill herself.
And lay it all on mine.

Tyn.
What mean you, Lady?

Evad.
Stay not my pious hand.

Tyn.
Your impious rather.
If you were dead, who then were left to make
Lustration for his crime? shall foolish zeal
Perswade you to a hasty death, and so
Leave Tyndarus to eternity of flames?

Evad.
Pardon me, Tyndarus, I will onely see
That office done, and then I'le follow thee.

Pam.
Thou gentle soul of my deceased love,
If thou still hoverst here abouts, accept
The vows of Pamphilus.—If I ever think
Of woman with affection, but Techmessa,
Or keep the least spark of a love alive
But in her ashes: let me never see
Those blessed fields where gentle lovers walk
In endlesse joyes.—Why do I idlely weep!
I'le write my grief in bloud.

Tech.
What do you mean?

Pam.
Techmessa, I am yet withheld; but suddenly
I'le make escape to finde thee.

Tech.
O blest minute!