University of Virginia Library

Scen. 3.

Bird.
O Sister what a glorious traine they be!
Flow They seeme to mee the Family of Love,
But is there such a Glasse, good Roscius?

Rosci.
There is! sent hither by the great Apollo,
Who in the worlds bright eye and every day
Set in his Car of light, survaies the earth
From East to West: who finding every place
Fruitfull in nothing but fantastique follies,
And most ridiculous humors, as he is
The God of Physique, thought it appertain'd
To him to finde a cure to purge the earth
Of ignorance and sinne, two grand diseases,
And now grown Epidemicall: many Receits
He thought upon, as to have planted Hellebore
In every Garden—But none pleas'd like this.
He takes out water from the Muses spring,
And sends it to the North, there to be freez'd
Into a Christall—That being done, he makes,
A Mirror with it: and instills this vertue,
That it should by reflection shew each man
All his deformities both of soule and body.
And cure 'em both—

Flow.
Good Brother lets goe see it!
Saints may want something of perfection.

Rosc.
The Glasse is but of one daies continuance,
For Pluto, thinking if it should cure all,
His Kingdome would grow empty, (for 'tis sin
That Peoples hell) went to the fates and bid 'em
Spin it too short a thred: (for every thing
As well as man is measur'd by their spindle.)
They, as they must obey, gave it a thread
No longer then the Beast's of Hyppanis
That in one day is spun, drawne out, and cut.
But Phœbus to requite the black Gods envy,
Will when the Glasse is broke transfuse her vertue
To live in Comedy—If you meane to see it
Make hast—

Flow.
We will goe post to reformation.

Exeunt.
Ros.
Nor is the Glasse of so short life I feare
As this poore labour—our distrustfull Author
Thinkes the same Sun that rose upon her cradle
Will hardly set before her funerall:
Your gratious and kind acceptance may
Keepe her alive from death, or when shees dead
Raise her again, and spin her a new thread.