University of Virginia Library

Scene II.

Enter to them Clarimond. Adrian.
Clar.
Why surely, here the shaddowes of the night
Have made you quite forget what we design'd,
You still go on, and never have regard,
That happily our Foole sees you farre off,
And if he know you, he will strait conjecture,
Seeing our Demi-gods, what's our design.

Adrian.
Alas!—t'allow of what they do propose,
He has too strong opinion of his change,
And 'tis but vain to think, your feign'd Deities
Can draw him from a Tree he holds so dear.

Angel.
Though he was tractable with Hircan, yet
This his last act seems to exceed my faith;
For since he speaks, yet how can he presume
That Heaven would shut him up within a Tree?

Adrian.
By that I strove to make him understand,
That he is not what he believes himselfe:
But, 'gainst all reason hee's a Tree, his Gods
Ought that rare Destiny to his deservings.—
A curse on Ovid, and his Sectaries!

Clar.
If the Moon lend us but a constant light,
I'm of opinion you'l be satisfi'd,
And vainly fear he should be long a Tree—
He's out of's Trunk!—

(looks into a Tree.)
Adrian.
Good Gods! I cannot believ't.

Clar.
You well may doubt it in a darker night.

Adri.
I thank the Gods, that of his own accord,
H'has left a Trunk to which he was so charm'd!
And that to draw him out your Nymphs o'th' woods
And forraign Demi-gods are of no use;
They far from curing him would have a fresh
O'return'd his mind, and troubled his sick brain.

Clar.
Well, he's now out of it, but you may feare
The rising morning may replant him there.
You believe him too soon demetamorphoz'd.

Angel.
While he is absent now the cure is easie,
Let us cut down the Tree; Ile labour all
I can to stop the progresse of his folly,
And Ile renounce my pastimes, that I may
Facilitate the means of your departure.

Adrian.
Ile hast to borrow succours to defeat him.—

Exit.