University of Virginia Library

Scene. 4.

Stella, Hylas.
Stella.
Your pleasant Humor you have left, I find;
If not to me, be to your self more kind:
Shake Dulness off; can his own Enemies Death
Thus droopingly stop merry Hylas breath?

Hylas.
It was from his my Harmony did spring,
And now is ended where it did begin;
Opposites support each other; one Wit
Enter Phillis with a merry countenance smilng on Hylas.
Begets Another, and subsists by It.
How, Phillis! doth that Countenance become
These Times? Or hath thy Inmate left his room?
In your Sex ne're Inhabitant was Sorrow,
For still 'tis here to day and gone to morrow.

Phillis.
Hylas! I'de persecute thee thus an Age,
And change thy wonted Mirth into a Rage,
Leonice and Tyrsis listen at distance to their discourse.
Could I my Joy within it self contain;
Know then, whom thou thought'st were, are now not slain.

Hylas.
Hah!

Phillis.
Astræa, Diana thou shalt see,
VVith Celadon and Sylvander living be.

Hylas.
By what strange Miracle?

Phillis.
It seems the force
Of Magick Charms were here, not to divorce
The Soul and Body, as thought, but t'invade
The depriv'd Senses with Death's seeming shade,
A breathless Slumber, which now having end,
New life to us in their revivings send.

Hylas.
I do begin m' Heresie to forsake,
But such another will a Convert make.

Leonice.
Leonice and Tyrsis enter.
By such Another, such you Other see.
Phillis me pardon your Loves Jealousie.

Tyrsis.
And let the Innocent your Grace partake.

Phillis.
Ye both are such, if such I both can make.

Hylas.
I'm thunder-strucken! how, joyn quick and dead?
I will believe now any thing can be sed.

Leonice.
We did partake your Sorrows when t'us shown,
Which by your Joy had death so soon as known.

Tyrsis.
To perfect which, let us them haste to see,

Phillis.
To that your eys may present witness be.

The whole troop of Shepherds enter in solemn manner, with great silence; which at distance making a stand, after a while Adamas alone approacheth the Temple, and kneeleth: which done, all the rest do the like at that distance they were at.
Adamas.
Ador'd Divinity, fair Venus son,
Who Agent art of all that e're begun,
Foe to Confusion; first of Heav'nly race;
As thou did'st Chaos, so vouchsafe thy Grace
Our amaz'd Doubts to order and enlight.
We come not Cur'osity to delight,
But thy prescribed Ord'nance to obey,
In consulting thy Oracle this day.
Pronounce thou God in favour of our Groves,
VVhat Destiny thou dost disign their loves.
Th'object of our Demands is to please thee;
Let our Content thy Answers Subject be.

A flaming Cupid appears in the mid'st of the fountain on a Porphic pedestal.
Oracle.
Since that faithful Lover requir'd,
Alexis, is to all expir'd,
Celadon receive thy happy Choice,
Astræa thee Heav'n doth present,
The price of thy long Discontent,
To which let none oppose his voice.

Celadon.
He avanceth and again kneels in Shepherds habit.
My humble thanks, just Love, for this thy Grace;
Thy Ordinances still I will imbrace
Above all Deities: To thee each day
I will fresh Tributes of Devotion pay;
Instead of Sighs and Tears, I will renew
The purest Flames thy Altar ever knew,
Which shall like Vestal's fier never dye,
Replenish't still by her Sun-staining Eye;
And since thou hast in Love giv'n me the Prize,
I will for ever be thy Sacrifice.

Adamas.
Celadon rising, retires to the rest of the company: all continue kneeling.
Great God, propitious still, once more disclose,
How of Sylvander doth your Will dispose.

Oracle.
Sylvander must no longer live.
To Paris I Diana give,
And Adamas my just Command
Bids that he die by thine own Hand.

Sylvander.
Cupid vanisheth. Sylvander hastily runs and casts himself on his knees before the Altar, while all the rest rise.
Thou ireful God, who become envi'us art
Of my Fdelity; glut thee with a Heart
Inshrines a Beauty would thee dispossess
Of thy usurped Pow'r, did'st not supress
By unjust Force her humble Devotairs,
Winding them thus in these thy cruel Snares;
Yet this I have to thank thee for, that I
He rises.
Shall have the Glory thus for her to die.

Diana.
You cruel Gods, mix Mercy with your Spight,
Both Lives and Loves see that you disunite.

Paris.
My Soul doth grieve it cannot happy be
Without this his preceding Misery.

Celadon.
My Joy's imperfect.

Lycidas.
Alas poor Lover!
He hath try'd one Death, now must try 'nother.

Adamas.
The Gods more cruel are! who me to live
Do suffer yet, then that they Death thee give;
Yet must our Piety obey their Will.
Prepare you strait their Sentence to fulfill.

Sylvander.
He approacheth to Diana, kneels and kisses her hand still holding it.
First then to thee fair Author of this Strife,
Not to the Gods, I offer up my Life;
They it compell'd, but thou it willing hast,
With more Piety, since heav'n's in thee plac't.

Diana.
I will precede thee in thy hasty Flight,
She faints, and is supported by her mother. Astrea, and Phillis.
And vail my Soul in ever mournful Night.

Sylvander.
Let nought disturb your Joys, to all Adue,
Now in my bloud your zealous Sword imbrue.

Adamas.
An Officer stands ready with a basin. Sylvander kneels.
First to observe our wonted Ceremony,
With Victims bloud the Altar sprinkled see,
Truss up your Sleeve, and then extend your Arm.
Here he stops, and after some amazement. fals on his neck; Sylvander still kneeling. He rises, shews the company his arm.
That wel-known Mark my feeble Senses charm;
My Son! Paris my Son! Gods cannot lie,
For by my hand doth now Sylvander die:
Let Wonder cease; see, see, a Branch! see here,
Of that fresh Tree, we welcome the new Year!
This confirms thou art mine, whom Soldiers Rage
In unjust War made innocent Pillage:
Paris, but for thy sake, is Paris nam'd;
Thou art my Son, him only such I fram'd
To salve my Sorrow with a false relief;
Turns to Paris.
Still thou art such in Love; forsake thy Grief.
I will unite thy Alliance to my bloud.
Here Niece to thee.

She pawses, while he gives Paris hand to her.
Leonida.
You must not be withstood.

Adamas.
With half my Wealth; nor is he of Stock mean,
As I suppose; I found him nigh yon Stream;
A child of equal Age and Fate to mine
Whom I had lost, and ev'n about that time.
About his neck did hang in Chain of gold
A rich Jewel did this Inscription fold,
Born of a Lion; Which he still doth wear
They look on it. Bellinda knowing it fals upon his neck.
As to all Eys it plainly may appear.

Bellinda.
My son Ergaste! My too long lost Son!
Not of a Lion born, but of Alion.

Astræa.
Fie, Diana! lift up thine Eys, see, see,
Sylvander shall again thine living be.

Diana.
Sighing awakes as out of a dream.
Why do you thus my dying soul distract.

Bellinda.
Taking Sylvander and joyning his hand with Diana's.
I will it cure with this welcome Contract.

Diana.
Sylvander presenting himself on his knees, is by Adamas separated. They kneel. Adamas takes him by the hand, & again leads him to the Altar, with a silent astonishment of all the troop, expecting some new trouble.
If yet I dream, then let me never wake,
Lest these unexprest Joys I should forsake.

Sylvander.
They are Essential.

Adamas.
Yet a while forbear;
Once more before the Gods you must appear.
You holy Pow'rs, doth this you satisfie,
That thus Sylvander doth in Paris die?
If not, although it seal'd be with mine own,
Paris with Sylvander shall be o'rethrown.

A still kind of musick is heard with great Reverence, and once more Cupid appears in white; In either hand a Garland of Myrrh, which he casteth to Celadon and Sylvander, at which he vanisheth.
Then is heard this Song.

SONG.

At which many little Cupidons appear joyning their Voices, and casting Garlands of Myrrh to the whole Troop.
Adamas.
Adamas takes Silvan. and gives him to Diana.
Thus Heav'n and I you joyn.

Hylas.
More wonders still!
Hylas extends his hand to Stella.
Which I mean a greater to fulfill;
Stella, thy hand; no longer Mistris now,
That Name Ile cancell with another vow.

The whole troop smile to see Hylas serious.
Phillis.
Myraculous!

Adamas.
Now Celadon approve
The fountains Force.

Celadon.
'Twere Injury to Love.

Adamas.
Astræa, your Command.

Astræa.
'Twere Jealousie
Of Both our loves, not suffer both to try.

Adamas.
Celadon first enters, they all follow.
A perfect Myrrour of each perfect Mind,
Which shall a Heav'n in their nigh Unions find,
By mine own Hands; But first your sports prepare
To greet our Princess, Galatæa fair;
I at my house do Her expect to Night;
Let each Invention spring a new Delight.