 | Sicelides A Piscatory |  |
Act. 1.
Scen. 1.
Enter Perindvs, Armillvs, Cvma.Perindus.
Cvma ! beare home our spoyles, and conquering weapons,
And trusse them on a wreath as our iust trophie:
And when Cancrone returnes, returne to mee.
Exit Cuma
Thus: if but thus: yet thus my state is better,
While lesser cares do laugh and mocke the greater;
This change is best when changing I frequent,
Euen now that moyst, now this drie element,
When with this scepter, setting on the Land,
The scalie footlesse people I command:
When riding on my wooden horse, I see
The Earth that neuer mooues, remooue from me.
And why my friend doth not this guise beseeme me?
In this I am not wretchlesse as you deeme me.
Ar.
Not that I censure, but demande the cause,
Why being borne, and bred, in shepheards lawes;
You haue our Hills, and Downes, and Groues forsaken,
And to these Sands, and Waues your selfe betaken.
Shepheard or fisher, I am still the same,
I am a sea guest not for gaine, but game.
Ar.
A gamesome life? thus with vnarmed armes
To fight gainst windes, and winters sharpe alarmes,
And paddle in chill Neptuns Icie lappe?
But if in fishing any plesaure be,
In Shepheards life there is much more say we.
Per.
Yet Fishers life with me doth most consort,
This sporting serues to moralize my sport:
Viewing the stormes, and troublesome waues; I finde
Some thing in nature rest-lesse as my minde:
Each captiue fish tels me that in deaths snare,
My heart is not the onely prisoner.
Ar.
Walke along the shore—
Oft there he walkes
Oft there with me or with the waues hee talkes.
Per.
There in the tide I see fleete fortunes changing,
And state of man, weake state: that's neuer standing:
But rises still, or fals all as the maine,
That ebs to flow, or flowes to ebbe againe.
Yet fortune I accuse thee not for raging,
Let others plaine, I neuer felt the changing,
But wast thou at the first, and so art still,
Before I knew what's good I knew the ill:
And since of all my goods thou first bereau'st me,
I neere expected good, thou neere deceiud'st me;
Therefore although Oracle from whence
I late ariu'd, would feede vaine confidence;
Yet since so sure assurance thou doest giue mee,
Still of the two fortune I must beleeue thee.
Ar.
Vaine feare when th' Oracle doth promise good;
The heauens decrees by chance weere neere withstood.
You feare without a cause, oft cause-lesse fright,
Is th' onely cause that makes that on vs light
Which most wee feare, euer a iealous eye
Makes enemies by fearing emnity.
What fearefull tempest doe the waues foretell,
When seas without a storme to mountaynes swell.
Ar.
Ill is inuited when it is suspected
And griefe already come where he's expected.
Per.
The greatest euills oft are where thee shew not,
I feare the more, because my feare I know not.
Musicke! how sad it sounds; my damped heart
Tells me in these sad straines I beare a part:
I wrong thee fate, or else thou now doest straine thee
Which some vnused welcome t' entertaine me.
Scen. 2.
Enter Dicæus Neptunes Priest following Olinda, led by two Nymphes Cosma and Glaucilla, before and after a Chorus of Fishers and Priests singing.Song.
Go go thy countries ioy and iewell,
The seas and rockes were euer cruell;
Men then may pitty thee in vaine,
But not helpe nor ease thy payne.
Take then these tnares they lacest due,
For euer now alasse adiew.
Olin.
Glaucus; to thee I frendlesse maide,
In these last gifts my vowes haue payd:
These once Olindas, now are thine,
This net, and hooke, this rod, and line:
Thou knowst, why here my sports I giue thee,
Hence came my ioyes, and here they leaue me.
Gla.
Olinda, if that smiles were proofes of sorrow,
Sure I should thinke thee full of woe, and sadnesse,
but in so heaped griefe, when euery eye
Thou only smilst, why euery teare thou seest, is paid to thee—
Olin.
The lesse I need to pay:
Gladucilla I cannot mourne, when I am married.
Gla.
Married? now heauen defend me, if this be marriage,
So to be gript in pawes of such a monster,
And bedded in his bowells—
Cos.
Olinda I should weepe,
And spend the short'nd breath that fate affords me,
In cursing fate which makes my breath so short.
Olin.
Peace peace my Cosma, thou wouldst
Haue me mad with reason!
Cos.
No: reason is neuer sencelesse.
Olin.
Thinkst thou me sence lesse friend?
Gla.
Dost not thou proue it?
Olin.
Why my Glaucilla I see thy drowned eyes,
I feele thy kinde imbracements, and which thou seest not,
Nor feelst, I feele and see, more mirth and ioy
Spring in my heart; then if I now were leading
To the best bed that Sicely affords me.
Glaucilla if there were but fit occasion
That I might shew thee this tormented heart,
It would affright thee friend to heare me tell
How many deaths liue in so narrow Hell.
Decæ.
We stay too long; goe on these idle teares
Quench not her griefe, but adde new kindled feares.
Olen.
Decæus; no feare within this brest is lying.
Who liuing dies, feares not to liue by dying.
Exeunt ad rupem rufam manent reliqui.
Scen. 3.
Enter Perindus, Armillus.Ar.
Saw you the troope which past along here?
Per.
Yes.
Who is it ledde with such a mournfull show?
Per.
My sister.
Ar.
Who the faire Olinda?
Per.
Yes:
Ar.
And doe you know the end and purpose?
Per.
No:
Ar.
Nothing but no and yes? fie fie Perindus
Your too much passion, shewes you want affection;
Your sister in such sort conuey'd, and you
So carelesse of her griefe? it much misseemes you
Why learne you not the cause?
Per.
Thou counsailst well,
Griefe weary of it selfe, all sence depriuing.
Felt neyther sence, nor griefe, by ouergrieuing:
Enter Atyches.
But see my Atyches: what different passions
Striue in his doubtfull face, pitty would weepe,
And danger faine would rocke high thoughts a sleepe,
Whiles resolution chides the daring feare,
And courage makes poore feare afrade to feare.
Atych.
Thou God that rulst the sunnes bright flaming cart
If thou my grand-sire art, as sure thou art
For in my breast I feele thy powers diuine,
Firing my soule, which tels mee I am thine:
Direct my hand and guide this poynted dart,
That it may peirce, and riue the monsters heart.
Per.
Atyches.
Atych.
Ah Perindus this lucklesse howre
Bids thee vnwelcome, fly and neuer more,
Neuer approach to view this deadly shore.
Per.
Why whats the newes?
Atych.
Thy sister the fayre Olinda must die.
Ar.
So must we all.
Atych.
But none of all as she.
Per.
Canst tell the cause and manner?
Atych.
yes; and till the sunne
Twixt noone and night his middle race shall runne,
Thou knowst by Neptunes temple close their growes
A sacred garden, where euery flowers blowe:
Here blushing roses, there the Lillies white,
Here Hyacinth, and there Narcissus bright:
And vnderneath, the creeping violets show:
That sweetness oft delights to dwell below:
Vaulted aboue with thousand fragrant trees,
And vnder pa'ud with shamefast Strawberies,
Which creeping lowe doe sweetely blushing tell,
That fairest pleasantst fruits, doe humblest dwell.
Breifly a little Heauen on Earth it seemes:
where euery sweete and pleasure fully streames.
Ar:
Fisher thou now describ'st some paradice,
Can any ill from so much good arise?
Atych:
Henbane and roses in our garden growe,
Ah that from fruits so sweete, such gall should flowe!
Here faire Olinda, with her Mymphs arriues,
And time away, time to fast posting driues,
While Nago that deformed enchanter, ranging
Along these trees, his shape and habit changing
Seem'd then Glaucilla, such his statelike eyes,
Such haire, such lipps, such cheekes, such rosie dies,
So like Glaucillas selfe that had shee spide him,
More would shee doubt her selfe, the more shee eyd him
Ar.
Can art forge nature with so true a lie?
Atych.
The falsest coine is fairest to the eie,
Singling thy sister forth, they chance to see,
The sacred graft of that Herperian tree,
Whose golden apples much the eye delighting,
Would tempt the hands: the longing tast inuiting:
And now the subtill witch spies fit occasion,
And with fitte speech and oaths, and soft perswation,
So words hee mind; that shee (ha little guessing,
What monster lay vnder that faind dressing,
Puls of th' vnhappie fruit straight downe shee falls,
The preist knew what the fearefull voice portended,
And faire Olinda halfe dead apprehended:
And to the temple beares her, there reseruing
Till the third day with death payes her deseruing
So Neptune, bids, that who shall touch the tree.
With hands profane, shall by Malorcha die;
Malorcha bread in seas, yet seas do dread him,
As much more monstrous then the seas that bred him
Per.
Ah my Olinda who can pitty thee
That wouldst not pitty th' excellent Thalander.
'Tis iust yee seas well doth impartiall fate
With monstrous death punish thy monstrous hate.
And whither art thou now thus armed going.
Atych.
Downe to the fatall rocke I goe to see
And act a part in this foule Tragedy.
Per.
Why canst thou hope such losses to repayre?
Atych.
Who nothing hopes yet nothing ought despaire.
Per.
What 'tis impossible? ah cease to proue?
Atych.
What euer was impossible to loue?
Per.
'Tis certaine thou adst thy death to hers
Atych.
Vnworthy loue that life for loue prefers
Per.
What good canst do when thou canst not restore her.
Atych.
to liue with her or else to die before her.
Per.
'Tis fate that in this monster bids engraue her.
Atych.
And 'tis my fate to die with her or saue her.
Per.
In vaine to fight against all conquering Ioue:
Atyoh.
But in my hand shall fight Ioue conquering loue.
Per.
Atyches why shouldst thou thus betray thy selfe?
She was my sister, and as deare to me
As euer was a sister to a brother:
Had fate felt any hope, my willing hand
Should be as Prest to giue her ayd as any.
Were not the fight gainst heauen I might aduenture,
But here I needs must leaue her, though a brother
She neuer loued mee.
I lou'd her euer.
Per.
More shouldest thou hate her now:
Atych.
Can Seas or Riuers stand can Rocks remooue?
Could they? yet could I neuer cease to loue:
Perindus, if now I see thee last, farewell:
Within thy breast all ioyes and quiet dwell.
Adiew: Olinda now to thee I flye
For thee I liu'd, for thee i'le gladly die,
Exit Atyches.
Per.
Goe choycest spirit: the heauenly loue regard thee,
And for thy loue, with life, and loue reward thee.
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.
Finis Actus Primi.
| Sicelides A Piscatory | |