University of Virginia Library

Scæna prima.

Enter Hircan, Anselm.
Hircan.
His eyes betray the secrets of his soule,
Th'have more than once inform'd me of his flame,
And I've too well observ'd Lucida's love
Alone engag'd him to become a Sheepherd,
So that from the first moment that I knew it,
I fed his fires in suff'ring them to rise;
And I can now no more, without injustice,
Forget a secret promised consent,
Montenor's worthy, but, for all his merit,
Th'intrest of my Sister more weighs with me;
I am her Brother, and she must remember,
That though she give her self, he cannot have her.

Ansel.
Think not that his extream affection
Would imploy any but himselfe to gain her;
And in that conquest he presum'd his strong
Endeavours should prevaile 'bove humane Empire:
But do he what he can, a brother's needfull
To force that duty so resolv'd in silence,
And which, though you consent not, will not suffer
A sigh escape, that may detect his secret.

Hircan.
If this sole obstacle thwart his desires,
He ought to praise th'effect of a fair cause:
But Ile take order strait to stop its progress.

Ansel.
For mine own int'rest, I presume to press you,
For (if I must explain my selfe) I saw
Less in my self, than in fair Angelica;
I adore her, and her brother aids my vowes,
But yet to crown them he must first be happy:
That's passion finding kind effects, may let him
See, without Envy, my Felicity.

Hircan.
Heel see it doubtless, and's contented mind
Shall have that fair success your love attends:
But now 'tis time our Past'rall Sports give way
To pleasures of a nobler quality.
Lysis too much is fool'd, and w'ave too long
Cherisht an Errour which ere this had ended.

Ansel.
Your Art's incapable of such a cure.

Hircan.
Yet 'tis by that I make him tractable:
In our last Scene he so rely'd upon me,
That in a flying Chair I sent him home.

Ansel.
Yet more of Amaryllis?

Hircan.
Somewhat of Mysterie
Made up the charm and spoil'd the Sheepherdess:
Then with a secret Spell's unerring power,
I was to force the Nymph to entertain him.
You know the entertainment, what address
He made to's Mistriss in that interview,
Which mov'd her on the fiction of his death
To speak, and countenance his airy Fables.

Ansel.
He's very full of them.

Hircan.
Th'are all his study:—
But as I long to be alone again,
Charita, who I see's arriv'd i'th' Park,
Is a faire obstacle to one would muse,
I therefore must avoid her—fare ye well.

Ex.
Ansel.
'Tis a dark solitory humour, this.