 | The Amorovs Warre |  |
55
SCÆNA. V.
Theagines, Meleager, Orithya, Thalæstris, Menalippe, Marthesia.Theag:
Ladies, you see we've kept our Words; The Houres
Did fly with leaden Wings 'till we did earne
The sweet Rewards y'have promised.
Mel:
Next unto
The thought of this nights Raptures, which you will
Inspire into our soules, we doe take pleasure
To be thought worthy to be Actours in
Your just revenge.
Orith:
My Lords, we looke on you
As those we dare trust; such as understand
What Ladies favours are, How merited;
And withall, how to be concealed. Love hath
His Mysteries, as well as shrines, & Temples;
To which a Secrecy is due; And th'are
Profaned when publisht.
Thal:
Besides, you are our Equals;
And though we cannot call you Husbands, yet
To reape the fruit of Husbands from you, will be
No staine, or blemish to us. But could you thinke us,
So vulgar, so indifferent, so hard driven,
In making our Elections, to defile
The Honours of our Beds with those who next
Would finde us Bodies?
Orith:
Especially, with those
Who'd make our Nights the Discourse of Their Dayes.
And so they might gaine credit by our favours,
Would prostitute our Fames; And when They did not
Enjoy our persons, would call't new pleasures to
Lye with our Reputations.
Thal:
What would These Three
Parcell-guilt silken Gentlemen have said
Had They possest us, who so freely boasted
The leave we gave them to make visits to us?
As if to show good breeding were a Crime;
Or to be Civill in a strange place.
Theag:
True Ladies;
They said you were the most strange easy Things;
So inclining to Mankinde, as if you had
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T'invite Men to your Lodgings; And would propose
Rewards to them who best performed.
Thal.
They said
You had two Ladies too, which did use painting;
And ne're wore their owne faces; But did vary
Shapes every Morning; And goe forth of their Closets
Things of their owne Creation.
Orith.
They left it
Doubtfull too, and to be suspected, as if
Your Ladies loved Plurality; And that they
At Court did goe halfe Husbands with you.
Mel.
Well,
Halfe our Revenge is past; The other Halfe
We will contrive betweene your Melting Armes.
Orith:
You two sing us asleepe; And when y'have done,
Goe walke the Round, and see the Watch releived.
Exeunt.
The first Song, sung by Two Amazons.
(1)
Time is a feather'd Thing;And whilest I praise
The sparklings of thy Lookes, and call them Rayes,
Takes Wing;
Leaving behind him as He flyes,
An unperceived Dimnesse in thine eyes.
His Minutes whilst th'are told,
Doe make us old;
And every Sand of his fleet Glasse,
Increasing Age as it doth passe,
Insensibly sowes wrinkles there,
Where Flowers and Roses doe appeare.
Whilest we doe speake our fire
Doth into Ice expire.
Flames turne to Frost;
And e're we can
Know how our Crow turnes Swan,
Or how a Silver Snow
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Our fading Spring is in dull Winter lost.
(2)
Since, then, the Night hath hurl'dDarknesse, Loves shade,
Over its Enemy the Day, and made
The World,
Just such a blind and shapelesse Thing,
As 'twas before Light did from Darknesse spring;
Let me imploy its treasure,
And make shade pleasure;
Let's number out the Houres by Blisses,
And count the Minutes by our Kisses.
Let the Heavens new Motions feele;
And by our Imbraces wheele.
And whil'st we try the Way,
By which Love doth convey
Soule into Soule;
And mingling so,
Makes them such Raptures know,
As makes them entranced lye
In mutuall Extasy:
Let the Harmonious Spheares in Musicke rowle.
Ex: Men: & Marth:
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