University of Virginia Library

ACTUS IV.

SCENA I.

THIMANTES, ISMENIA.
Thimantes.
How! in the night, perfidious, to exasperate
My anger, dar'st thou to grant private meetings
To any but my self? yea in the night
Without light and attendance in the Garden,
Thou entertain'dst the Shepheard Clidamant.

ISMENIA.
How's this! Thimantes in a rage, O Gods!
Who would have thought it?

Thimantes.
Wilt thou say that J
Complain now without reason, that J have
A crack'd brain, and bleer'd eyes? it is too long,
Inconstant, to arrest thy spirits, behold
This witness, it hath told me everything;
Yet J should not believe that thou wert guilty,
If such an evidence accus'd thee not,
But since J dis-ingage my faith to thee,
This very instant, J restore thy papers
And will have nothing more to do with thee.

Ismenia.
Well, let it be so then, J doubt it not,
But J shall be provided in good time;
When one forsakes me, presently another
Offers his service, otherwise J should,
In this unlucky moment of thy change,
Be destitute of an officious Lover;
But thanks unto the Gods, more then one calls me
His Mistress, and J shall have no less courtship
And press for thy departure, these notes here
Express the names of those that I've subjected,
I'l blot thee presently out of my Table-book.

THIMANTES.
Light Shepheardess!

ISMENIA.
For all this J am troubled
For thy disquiet, without further jesting,
Know that this trouble which possesseth thee
Proceeds but from a fiction, speedily
I'l clear it to thee, only have but patience
To stay here till the Shepheard Clidamant
Arrives, before whom I have order to
Discover the deceit; and then I know
Thou wilt excuse me for it.—

here he comes.

SCENA II.

CLIDAMANT, ISMENIA, THIMANTES.
CLIDAMANT.
Have J not staid too long? suspect me not,
Thimantes, J was sent for: well what is
Your pleasure?

Ismenia.
Thy misfortune is extream
Thimantes cannot suffer that another
Should love me, and one that accompt intends
To measure with thee sword and arm to day.

CLIDAMANT.
He is my friend, and therefore J am loath
To have a quarrel with him; to accord it,
Chuse of us two him whom thou think'st most faithfull.
I am content to stand unto my fortune.

ISMENIA.
Thimantes, what say you?

THIMANTES.
J agree to 't.

ISMENIA
, to CLIDAMANT.
Then thus; for him, J do confess I love him
A little, but for thee,—nothing at all.
My mouth interprets truely what my heart thinks

CLIDAMANT,
O the most fickle and most wanton issue
Of the inconstant sex! thou lov'st a moment,
J love a moment also.

ISMENIA.
Notwithstanding
J have a secret to impart unto thee.

CLIDAMANT.
A Secret in thy heart loseth its name
In less time then a minute, without doubt:

ISMENIA.
Thou thought'st last night, that I discours'd with thee
At th'Eccho of the Garden?

CLIDAMANT.
Yes,

ISMENIA.
But what
If thou wert then deceiv'd, and that another
In my place counterfeited there my voice?

CLIDAMANT.
What hast thou told me?

ISMENIA.
That which may be true.

CLIDAMANT.
J cannot comprehend it, nor find thee;
Thou dost do nothing but deceive at all times,
And in all places; thou canst turn thy heart
And eyes into all fences; how! an other
Possess my place?

ISMENIA.
What if by this advise
J gained thee the heart of a fair Mistress,
One that's illustrious, and of noble blood,
And who after the Nymph hath the chief rank!

CLIDAMANT.
Well feign thy fill, thou may'st speak what thou list;
I'm henceforth in no humour but to laugh.

ISMENIA.
If by the greatest oaths wherein my honour
Can be ingag'd, thou wilt believe the truth
Of what J told thee, that another person
Beside my self receiv'd thy vows last night
J hope thou wilt find out some fitter Epithits
Then false and wavering for me.

CLIDAMANT.
After such
An obligation, my charity
Would sway me much.

ISMENIA.
Then solemnly J swear,
It was Parthenia in my place, to whom
Thou didst express thy love; she borrowed
My name and shape, and thine eyes suffered
This sweet imposture.

CLIDAMANT.
Still thou dost abuse me,
J knew thee by thy voice.

ISMENIA.
When we spake loud,
'Twas I that spake; then presently Parthenia
Advancing in my place discovered softly
Her soul and thought unto thee: after this,
Iudge, if I have deserv'd from thee, or no.

CLIDAMANT.
How! is it possible that she, to whose
High rank, I should not dare t'aspire unto
So much as in a thought, that she to whom
I durst not speak a word in way of plaint,
That she, to whom my high respect conceal'd
My amity, should yet feel pitty for me?
Alas! this cannot be, 'tis sin to think it.

ISMENIA.
Thou shalt see if I lie, and how sh' esteems thee;
I wait her here.

CLIDAMANT.
Therein I should obtain
The hight of my ambition; for this favour,
Oh let me kiss thy hands and die with pleasure.

SCENA III.

PARTHENIA, ISMENIA, CLIDAMANTES, THIMANTES.
PARTHENIA.
What spectacle is this? I see Ismenia
Sports with my fortune, if I trouble you,
I will retire, continue that rare favour;
Who freely gives the hands, may give the heart.

ISMENIA.
Ha! Madam, really you are a novice
In love; I gave him intimation of
The arri fice we us'd, and he at first
Received my discourse with so much joy,
That he crav'd from me that civility.
Unto what jealous strange suspitions
Are you drawn by this object! he but aim'd
To kiss my hand, and you are like to die for't?
Trouble your self no more thus to no purpose.

PARTHEIA.
Ismenia thou restor'st me life, and rest,
I love thee, Clidamant; this jealous fit,
Methinks, might well have spared me the shame
Of telling it.

CLIDAMANT.
Fair Nymph, believe—

PARTHENIA.
Bur let us
Enter into this Wood.

CLIDAMANT.
I wish the Eccho,
Sometimes a friend to Lovers, would redouble
My voice in saying to you that J love,
And make you to repeat my words, J love.

PARTHENIA.
Ismenia, be a faithful witness of
Our chast amours, and come along with us
To hear what we discourse, Thimantes be
Discreet and secret.

THIMANTES.
Madam, I'm all silence.
See, what a strange unnecessary evil
Is that a jealous person doth sustain;
Foolish Melintus how thou art deceiv'd
In thinking that Diana is the object
Gf Clidamant's affection—here she comes
Discoursing with her brother, J will leave them.

SCENA IV.

DIANA, THERSANDER.
Diana.
Let us consider what we are to do,
She loves thee infinitely, and J have
Command from her to speak to thee again,
In her behalf.

Thersander.
Advise me what to do.

Diana.
Since the Nymph loves thee with such passion,
As I perceive she doth, 'tis fit thou flatter
Her grief a little, otherwise I fear
That I shall lose thee after having found thee.
What mischief can she not do, when provoked?

Thersander.
Since there needs but to feign all will succeed.

Diana.
In the mean time, Ismenia, will be carefull
To inquire for us, when the Merchant-ship
That's bound for Sevill will be fully ready
To set sail from the harbour; we shall hire him
To land us where we will; till when, our care
Must be not to offend the Nymph, for fear
She ruine us; she'l presently be here.
She's come already; act the Lover well,
Dissemble handsomly, therein consists
All that we can expect.

SCENA V.

MELISSA, DIANA, THERSANDER.
MELISSA.
A word, Diana.
Hast thou remov'd that fatal obstacle,
Which came to interrupt the pleasant course
Of my affections? hast thou setled
My lifes content, and razed Celia
Out of thy Brothers spirit?

Diana.
His heart follows
Where my voice and his glory calleth him,
And cheerfully yieldeth obedience
To such sweet Laws.

MELISSA.
Blessed Interpreter
Of a most ardent love! hast thou advis'd him
To keep it secret?

Diana.
Only that point, Madam,
J have forgotten, but J will redeem it;
And tell him on't before you; if you please
That I go for him.

MELISSA.
Go, and bring him hither.

Diana.
softly.
Feign handsomly unto her

Thersander.
softly to Diana.
Fear it not.
I'l speak before her but of you, and to you,
And yet not make her jealous.

Then he saith to Melissa, by whose side is Diana, whom he looks upon.
THERSANDER.
aloud.
Could you doubt
My heart should be so stupid, and insensible
Of my felicity how happy is
My fortune, and how gentle was the storm
That gave me this bless'd port, whereof great Kings
Are jealous? What proud Conqueror would not
Submit and lay his arms down with himself
At the fair feet of such a charming object?
A rude obdurate rock, would be consum'd,
The coldest Marble would be kindled by it:
Yes, Madam, a fair eye but openeth
Its lid here, & 'tis day; the nights black shadows
Fly only from the Sun of those bright eyes,
Her fires too at the sight of them grow pale.
I must confess then, Madam, that J love them,
And that J live more in this beauteous object
Then in my self: my spirit is charmed with
A happiness unparallell'd, when J
Think that J love them, and am belov'd again.

MELISSA.
Come, thou but feignest love? do not abuse me.

THERSANDER.
O Gods! what do you say? Madam, J love
Or rather J adore.

Melissa.
How hast thou then
Dispos'd of Celia that reign'd o'r thy heart?

THERSANDER.
That affair's ordered well, I've put her interests
Into my Sisters hands; sh' 'ath promis'd me
To make all fair of that side, and will answer
To me for her.

MELISSA.
Hast thou not boasted to me
That her eyes were the object of thy love?
That for thy sake she cherished the light
Of the alternate day, and that they would
Cover themselves with an eternal night,
If thou shouldst cease to live or to be faithfull:
Think well of thy part what th'ast promised;
Be firm, be constant, fail not in that point,
Consider not at all this supream greatness;
Stick to thine object, love it for it self,
And have no interest for thy ambition,
Flatter thee with the honour to possess her,
Look only if she loves thee, not if she
Enricheth thee; the beauty whom thou serv'st,
Should be thy crown, all greatness whatsoever
Should be esteem'd in thy accompt beneath it.

Thersander.
Ne'r doubt it, Madam, J shall have those thoughts;
Greatness shall never blind me so far forth
As to oblige me to forget my love;
Which alwaies shall pure as the day star burn
Base interest shall never sully me.

Diana.
I'l tell my Brother now, what I forgate
To THERSANDER.
If thou know'st well to love, know thou as wel
To hold thy peace, love like the other Gods,
Is not without his secrets, he is serv'd
Sometimes by hearts that can't express themselves:
Take heed how thou provoke his jealous power,
Adore his Altars, but adore in silence;
For silence is a part of his Religion;
And oftentimes this fierce God is offended
At his own name; if any thing hereof
Should be known in the Isle, thou art undone:
Love, without speaking of it, that's the law,
Which is imposed on thee; she for her part
Will love thee likewise, use the secret well,
Melissa otherwise would die with grief;
J know th'excess of love wherewith thy soul
Is filled; but for thy own interest,
Put a seal on thy mouth.

Melissa.
Yes, have a care
That none suspect our love, I'l take my time
To publish it, in the mean time I'l study
Thy setrlement and thy repose which makes
That of my life; this free confession now,
Would call up envy from her Cell, and make
Our greatest Hero's, to dispute with thee
What J have promis'd thee, thine enemies.
Judge then how precious thy obedience is;
Since all thy good and happiness depends
Upon thy silence.

Thersander.
Sure, J should be strucken
With a strange blindness, if J observ'd not
This your command; J will obey so well,
That, Madam, even you your self shal doubt
Whether J love, or whether you J love.

MELISSA.
In the mean time thy sister shall assist me,
And have the ordering of our Amours;
Believe what she shall say, since I will make her
My only bosom friend, unto whose trust,
J will commit the secrets of my heart.

THERSANDER.
J will make use of her in the same manner.

Enter Melintus, he speaks to Melissa
Melintus.
Madam, a Jeweller, that useth still.
To come unto the Games, desires accesse
Unto your presence.

MELISSA.
Cause him to come in:
This Sevil Merchant cometh every year
To sell and traffick in the Island with us.

SCENA VI.

MELISSA, MERCATOR, THERSANDER, DIANA, MELINTUS.
MELISSA.
Shall you remain sometime yet on our shore?

Mercator.
I stay but for your Passport to depart.
Every year, Madam, by your Highness bounty
My traffick thrives so well, that whatsoever
Commodities I bring unto your Isle,
J carry nothing back, you empty still
My casket: now I'l shew you, if you please,
such rarities, as can be had no where
But in my hands.

MELISSA.
Let's see them.

Mercator.
Here's a Diamond
Darts flame of all sides.

MELISSA.
'Tis a sparkling stone
I like his lustre.

Mercator.
Will you have it, Madam?

MELISSA.
I'l tell you presently, shew all at once,
Then I shall soon chuse: let me see that Coral.

Mercator.
The piece is very fair; till now your Isle
Hath never seen the like.

MELISSA.
And what's that other?

MERCATOR.
A piece of Amber-greece; Madam, 'tis rare
And of great price; I have pass'd divers Seas
To purchase it; alone 'tis worth as much
As all my casket.

Diana.
For my part, J cannot
See any thing that's new here.

MERCATOR.
Shepheardess,
This rope of Pearl is very rich and new,
'T would make you look more fair, more gay, more sparkling.

MELISSA.
Without those Ornaments of Art, she is
Charming enough, she needs no strange additions.
She maketh all our Shepheards die for love:
But for all this, though you are fair without them
I will bestow them on you, if you like them.
What saies Diana.

Diana.
Madam, your great bounties—

MELISSA.
Lay them aside.

MERCATOR.
But, Madam, look upon
This Master-piece of Art, it is the Portrait
In little of the King of Andalousia.

MELISSA.
He's one of the best made that I have seen.
And who is this?

MERCATOR.
It is his favourite
Nearchus sometime Prince of Pichery,
Who by a beauty fatal through her charms,
Gave up his arms, and life unto his Rival,
A gallant Gentleman, his name Cleagenor.

THERSANDER.
the first line softly.
May I believe! good Gods! how he observes me?
But are you certain of Nearchus death?

MERCATOR.
He return'd sorely wounded from the fight,
And died four daies after, as all know.

MELISSA.
His valour seems yet painted in his face.

MERCATOR.
But he that conquer'd him had more by much.
Behold his Portrait.

THERSANDER.
softly
Oh! what sheweth he?

MELISSA.
Is this that valiiant Cleagenor?

MERCATOR.
Yes, 'tis his picture.

THERSANDER.
softly,
O unlucky accident!

Mercator.
Of all those that J had, this only's left me:
Th'offended King commanded me to carry them
Unto all places where J went, and traffick'd,
That so he might be known, and then arrested;
For after this great Combat, to secure
His head from pursuit, he took flight immediately.

MELISSA.
Thersander, in my judgement, nothing can
Better resemble you, J think your sister
Will say as much.

THERSANDER.
Madam, we see that Nature
Sports sometimes in her works, and makes some feitures
In faces to resemble somewhat neerly.

MELISSA.
This Merchant,, I believe, 's of my opinion.

MERCATOR.
Madam, without doubt, 'tis Cleagenor,

THERSANDER.
The thing is little certain on the faith
And bare ground of a Portrait.

MERCATOR.
Sir, you are
The very same, I am confirmed now
In my first thoughts, all that which hitherto
Hindered me to judge so, was the name of
Thersander, and the habit of a Shepheard.

THERSANDER.
Who! J, Cleagenor?

MERCATOR.
Yes, Sir, J saw you
The last yeer in the fortunate Islands, and
Not above four-moneths since in Portugal;
Sevll's your native Country; since you meet here
Your safety, to what purpose should you cover
Those things with silence?

MELISSA.
Sure, you need not blush,
Thersander, at this fair acknowledgement.

THERSANDER.
I confess, Madam, that J blush a little,
Not that mine arm hath not done all that which
It ought to do in the death of my Rival,
Nearchus was too rash, and insolent;
From the fair and unspotted object which
Made my most chast desires, he in his thoughts
Formed the object of his filthy pleasures;
But he hath paid for't, and his death is just:
Only the thing that troubles and afflicts me,
And for which I am sorry at my heart,
Is thar J told you nothing of my secret.

MELISSA.
J guess the cause of it, and know your thought.
And what fear troubled it, and that you chose
Another name only to free you from
The penalty o'th' Law; but fear not any thing;
I'l oppose power to power for your defence;
Your interests are mine, J'l make your peace;
The King of Andalousia shall be weary
Of persecuting you; if he persist
To trouble your repose, J'l invade his:
If he refuse to grant what we demand,
From our request we will proceed to arms.

THERSANDER.
What obligation have you upon me
For all your goodness?

MELISSA.
But let's make an end
Of seeing all the rarities.

MERCATOR.
Behold
With admiration, Madam, this rare piece,
It is Diana's Picture.

MELISSA.
How Dianaes?

Diana.
softly.
O sad misfortune!

MERCATOK.
It is the Divinity,
Whose Temple's here, the Goddess of this place.

softly,
Diana.
I cease to tremble, all is well again.

MELISSA.
What Portrait's this?

MERCATOR.
It is a Beauties, Madam,
Whose heavenly graces made two desperate Lovers,
That sight for her, arm for the field, and fight;
It is that fair ones whom I told you of
For whom Cleagenor and Nearchus burn'd,
And who persued hotly by two Rivals,
Cost the one flight, and life unto the other.
After Nearchus death, I bought his Portraits:
This that he had without doubt's to the life.
But who can better then Cleagenor
Instruct you in this point?

MELISSA
, to THERSANDER.
D' ye know this piece?

THERSANDER.
I know not what to say on't.

MELISSA.
I observe
Much of thy sisters air in't.

Diana.
O ye Gods!
Turn aside this misfortune.

MELISSA.
Really
The glass, Diana, which receives thy image,
Represents less thy shape and countenance;
And any other but the Painter would
Believe indeed that he finish'd this Portrait
Upon thy presence.

MERCATOR.
There's no doubt of it.
One may admire in this adventure how
Art imitateth nature: It is she
For whom Nearchus sigh'd.

THERSANDER.
softly.
O Gods! where are we?
Our fortunes now are desperate.

Diana.
Know'st thou me?

MERCATOR.
I am of the same Town, and therefore know you;
Your mother is Melora, and she dwells
At Sevil; I shal make her a glad woman
At my return, to tell her that her Celia
Lives yet, and is in health here in this Island.

MELISSA.
How! Celia?

MERCATOR.
Yes, Madam, that is her name,

Diana.
What cloud of errour blindeth thy soul thus?
That Celia whom thou mean'st, and dost discourse of,
Died before Nearchus.

MERCATOR.
It was believ'd so
At first; but since, all Sevil knows the contrary,
And that false death is now no more a mystery
Unto me; J know where the mourning went,
And how a Coffin only was interr'd
Instead of you, that this apparent sign
Of your death only could secure you from
Nearchus ill designs; I know besides
That you betook your self unto the Sea,
Where you sight not, but for Cleagenor;
The Sea prov'd false to you, and to your mother,
And separated you one from another
By the assistance of a hideous storm:
She having sav'd her self upon a plank
Sought you from one end of the World to th'other;
But hearing no news of you, she believ'd
At her return to Sevil that the Sea
Had swallowed you, and death had made her search
Unprofitable.

Diana.
Thou knowest secrets which
To me are Riddles.

MERCATOR.
Wherefore should you, Lady,
Dissemble thus your knowledge of a thing
Which is no more conceal'd; one of your people
A complice of the Plot, divulg'd it lately;
Melora too since her return reveal'd
The whole Imposture, all impediment
Being remov'd after Nearchus death:
This that I know, I understood from her.

THERSANDER.
All this thou saiest, is strange news unto us.

MERCATOR.
You have the art, I see, well to dissemble;
But by your favour might it not be you
That did imploy a friend unto me lately
To pray me to receive into my bark
Two Shepheards, natives of the Town of Sevil?

THERSANDER.
Madam, this Merchant doth compose Romants.
And tells you all these strange adventures only,
To shew his wit, and faculty that way.

MELISSA.
Yet his discourse is not without some ground,
I find good reason so to judge of it;
If I remember well, you willingly
Did put the interest of Celia
Into your sisters hands, she promised
To make all fair of that side, and to answer
To you for her: Merchant, another time
See us again. How both of you abuse me
With an Imposture form'd under false names
To carry on your love in a disguise!
What in my Palace, in my Court, my presence,
Sport with my person thus in a contempt!
Insolent wretches, you shall feel what force
My anger hath when thus provok'd, I'l make you—

THERSANDER.
Oh, Madam!

MELISSA.
Go, Impostor, thou shalt answer
For all the troubles of my heart; none ever
Affrontd me yet without punishment:
I'l sacrifice you both to my disgrace,
In such a manner, that ye shal repent
Eternally that e'r ye made me blush:
Depart my sight.

THERSANDER.
O what misfortune's this!

MELISSA
, to MELINTUS.
See that you separate them one from another
In several apartments, that they may
Hold no discourse together. O misfortune
Not to be parallell'd! What shall I do?
Of whom should I take counsel in this case?
Shall I hear yet my love that murmureth?
Ought I to suffer, or repel the injury?
It is resolv'd in my offended heart
That those black Passions shal succeed my love,
By which the soul when in disorder, bteaks
The chain wherewith she's ti'd, break forth my fury,
And ruine these ingratefull they shal know
My power, as they have seen my goodness to thē:
They shall not mock at my simplicity,
Nor reproach me for my credulity:
How! treacherous Thersander; oh! that name
Thersander combats yet within my heart,
In its defence, my spirits at this name
Are wavering, and my anger's weak, my hate
Is in suspense; I am not pleas'd with that
Which I demand; I fear what J would most.
Ha traitor, must J to torment my self
Suspend my judgement upon thy destruction?
Must J dispute the case within my self
As doubtfull to determine, no pass sentence
Against him for this barbarous affront:
Arm my despair, and inspire thou my rage:
And let me see how faithfully my Art
Will serve my vengeance in the punishment
Of these ingratefull Lovers, I intend not
To give a sudden death to either of them,
But they shall suffer that which shall be worse:
By the effect, and strange force of my charms,
They shall have, without dying, every day
A thousand deaths; I will continually
By turns afflict the sad eyes of the Lover,
And of his Mistress: both of them shal see,
That they may suffer equally, each other
To die and to revive, this punishment
Is strange and cruell; but 'tis that I use
In my revenges; come, why loiter we
In our design? my heart like flint shall be
Insensible of their calamity.