 | The Enchanted Lovers |  |
ACTUS I.
SCENA I.
MERCATOR, MELINTUS.Mercator.
If you have any service to command me
At Sevil, honour me with your Commission,
To morrow I embarke, and leave the Ile,
Until you Mart returns, and games renue.
Melintus.
But first you'l kisse the fair hands of the Nimph,
And take her pasport with you?
Mercator.
That's a duty
I dare not fail in, though my interest
Were not concern'd in't. I intend this day
6
And choicest merchandise; when she hath bought
What best pleaseth her fancy, I shall be
Dismist, having no more commodities
To sell unto the Shepheards of her Court.
Melintus.
Have you sold well?
Mercator.
To what end should I feign?
The trade goes well enough, I complain not:
Rich Rubies, Pearls of price, bright Diamonds,
Store of fair Coral, costly Amber-greece,
Portraits, and other such dainty devices,
Have passed through my fingers at good rates:
Diana's festival is still kept solemn;
And as the games which fail not every year
To be renu'd, invite unto those woods
The neighbouring Shepheards, to dispute the prizes
Proposed on those dayes, I saw among them
Some noble strangers clad in pastoral weeds
That for the honour of this Island chose it
Their sanctuary and repose.
Melintus.
You need not
Wonder at this, the place which they have chosen
Denotes their judgments; here ambition
Hath no imployment; if at any time
We sigh here, 'tis for love, no other passion
Is seen among us; though this Island be
A part of Portugal, we have our laws,
And Empire to our selves; she that rules here
Hath not the name of Queen, we subjects are
Our Soveraigns companions, and her vertue
Makes us to taste so much repose, that she
7
A hundred Hero's, who wearied with Lawrels,
And the noise of the war, are here retir'd
From the four corners of the World: she rules
So sweetly, that crime onely feels her anger.
And as she is descended from the blood
Of Zoroastres, she knows well the vertue
Of Herbs, and th'influence of every star;
She understands the secret misteries
Of Magick, and sometimes makes use of it
To serve her interests; there is no Prince
Nor Monarch that stands not in fear of her.
And suffereth her not to raign in peace
For his own safety.
Mercator.
I know this Asyle,
And charming residence looks not with envy
Upon the Court o' th' King of Portugal;
Besides I am not ignorant that the fair
Ismenia, drawn here, by the sweet report,
Of these inchanting pleasures, to enjoy them
In quiet, left the favour of her Queen;
And that this beauty by a sudden change,
Adds no small lustre to this Paradise.
Melintus.
See where she comes, Diana too with her,
I must in private speak unto this fair one;
An interest of love obligeth me
Continually to make her my devotions.
Mercator.
Go Sir, and prosper, may your Saint prove sweet
And gentle as those South-gales I expect
In my embarkment.—
Exit Mercator.
8
SCENA II.
DIANA, MELINTUS, ISMENIA.Diana not seeing Melintus.
Diana.
True, I hate that horrid noise;
Now my free thought releas'd from such a trouble,
Enjoyes it self.
Melintus
to Diana.
So soon to quit the sports,
What was your fancy?
Diana.
To avoid discourse
That troubled me, and here I meet with new.
Melintus.
Can such a subject as brings homage to you,
Produce th'effect you speak?
Diana.
What doth not please me,
Both troubles and offends me.
Melintus.
You will one day
Quit those disdainful rigours?
Diana.
Yes, when you
Have neither hope, nor love.
Melintus.
D'ye entertain
Every one thus that loves you?
Diana.
If he be such
As you, I use him just in the same manner.
Melintus.
Surely the Shepheard Clidamant speeds better.
9
'Tis then assuredly because he doth not
Resemble you.
Melintus.
He entertain'd discourse.
With you in gentle whispers at the Sports.
Diana.
I do confess it,
We talk'd of you; and of your little skill.
Melintus.
Your subject was more serious, without doubt.
Diana.
What e'r it was, yours, I am sure, offends me.
Remove this hated object from mine eyes;
Your presence will at last provoke my anger.
Melintus.
Can one displease you, speaking of your Loves?
Thou Husband'st for him that so sweet discourse.
Ismenia.
Every one knows that who but speaks Melintus,
Speaks jealous.
Melintus.
It is no secret what men think of thee;
Every one knows, that who speaks but Ismenia,
Speaks cocket.
Ismenia.
Really thou hast much reason
To be afflicted at that late discourse,
Clidamant merits much, and I'le oblige him.
Diana.
Leave us.
Melintus.
He doth expect you, and I trouble you;
But wee'l find out a way to cross his fortune.
Exit Melintus.
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to Ismenia
He thinks that Clidamant enjoys my love.
Ismenia.
Thou hast no reason, Shepheardess, to draw him
Out of his errour: in the mean time wilt thou
Not yield thee to the faithful services,
The prayers and tears of the devout Thersander?
Wilt thou not love him yet? he that encourag'd
By thy fair presence, only to please thee,
Hath gain'd so many prizes, who to give
Thy anger no pretence, though he loves much,
Can more be silent, since the ardent flame
Wherewith he burns for thee, is only known,
To me, unto Thimantes, and thy self.
Diana.
Ne'r speak unto me of it.
Ismenia.
What! still cruel?
But hearken, I will give thee an advise
Shall touch thee; whilst we may, we should lay hold of
The flying time; he only maketh beauties,
And he destroys them; in the lovely season
That thine lasts, use the gifts which nature gives thee;
Thou wilt one day lose this fair lustre which
So charmeth hearts, and be an object of
Comtempt, as now thou art of adoration.
Diana.
Rather that love, whose Orator thou art,
Yet know'st his use so little, doth times office;
'Tis he that withereth a face; the cares,
The troubles and the griefs, which by his means
Possess a heart, deface the lovely features,
And mow the flowers, he is like time the Tyrant
Of all things; he in a few dayes dryes up
Our Roses, and our Lillies.
11
Shepheardess,
Such fear hath smal foundation, quit this thought
For thy own interest; when love is once
Lodg'd in the heart, the ey hath then more light
The face receiveth thence its full perfection;
Then we esteem us, then we please our selves,
And know our utmost value, we correct
By art even to the least defect, we call
Our Glass to counsel in the ordering
Our gate, our carriage, and our countenance;
There our eye cheers with smiles, or kills with frowns,
Or faintly darts its glances, or with strength,
Either to wound neer hand, or further of;
Therefore once more for thy own interest,
I say unto thee, love, at least a little,
Thersander that adores thee.
Diana.
Really,
Thou dost surprise me, to speak thus unto me,
Thou that hast never yet had love, nor thought
Tending to that sick passion, thou that mak'st
So many Lovers only for thy glory,
Without remembring one of them, thou that
Pleasest thy self by turns in their discourse,
Thou that wilt again all, & conserve thee nothing.
Thou sufferest Thimantes to adore thee
To day; but tell me wilt thou entertain
His love to morrow?
Ismenia.
I love, but I have alwayes had my method
In love, the Lover that is troublesome
Unto me, is my Lover for a day;
I burn not yet for love, nor do I sigh for't:
I make a sport on't still, but ne'r a torment;
In thrusting no one of, I'm every day.
Attended by a multitude of servants
That present courtship to me, and all strive
12
And raign as Princess; they suppose they please me
In putting up my praises; when I go
Unto the Temple, they fail not to follow,
And carefully to tread in all my steps.
I am not pleas'd to see in such brave Shepheards
A troop of slaves attending on my train;
I please them all in flattering their desires:
I'm much delighted, when I make them jealous,
Provided that their jealousy extend not
So far as, to betake themselves to arms
For th'honour of my beauty; this high point
Of evidences might, perhaps, enrage
Even all my other lovers.
Diana.
Ha! how ill
Thou know'st love, and his maximes, I behold
Thy changes as so many crimes; for my part,
If my heart were ta'ne with an object once,
I could not pass from love unto contempt;
I should be fix'd unto my first Idea,
And that God wholly should possess my thoughts.
Ismenia.
Well then, Diana, love, if thou think'st fit,
Beyond the grave, and make so fair a fire
Arise beneath thy ashes.
Diana.
Oh, alas!
Ismenia.
What signify those sighs?
Diana.
They signify
The sorrow of the heart.
13
But whence proceeds
That sorrow? is it from thy brothers death,
Or from some lovers? come, deal plainly with me,
Dost thou not love Thersander yet at last?
Diana.
No, I assure thee.
Ismenia.
Speak, I'm very secret.
Diana.
I'le tell thee then, in Sevil I receiv'd
Both life and love, Cleagenor, Ismenia,
Is the name of the Conquerour, whose image
Is graven in my heart.
Ismenia.
O Gods! how this discourse
Hath cosened my thought, I was about
To give instructions;—but pursue.
Diana.
Our parents
Approv'd our love, and the day for our marriage
Already was appointed, when Nearchus,
Provoked by an infamous desire,
Came to solicit me unlawfully
In favour of his flame; this favourite
Unto the King after a passion painted,
And coloured with sighs, called his presents
To the assistance of his faith; but this
Proving effectless, he resolv'd my ruin;
He came with open force to satisfy
His beastly and unruly appetite;
And to that end would carry me away.
My Mother having notice at that instant
Of his design, made me to take a drink,
To frustrate it, and then, her subt'le policy
14
Indeed the vertue of this drink procur'd me
So long a sleep, that it appear'd to be
The sleep of death; Nearchus terrified
With this sad news, came to behold it painted
Upon my face; remorse of conscience
Within his heart then, quarrel'd with his love:
His sad despair arm'd him to kill himself:
But whilst his soul was troubled herewith,
I was conveyed secretly into
A Bark; scarce had I yet finish'd my sleep,
But at my first waking I saw my self
Upon the Sea. My Mother then related
The whole adventure to me, and the secret
Imposture of my feigned death, when suddenly
A storm brake the discourse, horrour and death
March'd on the floods: alas, what shall I say?
Our vessel being carried by the fury
O'th' winds and waves, was split upon a rock,
The several pieces floated on the waters;
I know not which o'th' Gods took care of me
In putting one under my trembling hand,
Which making me pass on those moving graves
Through the disturbed empire of the winds,
Carried me to the shore in all apparence
Devoid of life; here in this quiet Island
Of Erithréa where Melissa raigns
My body found a receptacle; she
Returning at that instant from the chase,
Perceiv'd it lying, which th'enraged Sea
Yet threatened on its banks, and that same God
Which would compleat his miracle, inclin'd
Her heart to pitty at this spectacle:
She caus'd me to be carried to her Court:
It is unto her succour that I owe
15
My name, the better to assure my flight,
And so to disappoint Nearchus pursuit.
Ismenia.
How Shepheardess, is not thy Name Diana?
Diana.
No, Celia was my true and only name;
But for my safety I made to Melissa
A feign'd relation of the miseries
Of my sad life; since she receiv'd me
Into her palace, where I live with her,
And am now of her Court. Seven times the Sun
Hath finish'd his Carier, since I have seen,
Or heard news of my mother.
Ismenia.
Was Cleagenor
Inform'd of all this?
Diana.
Oh, alas! this is
One of the points that causeth my affliction:
Cleagenor surprised by the same
Imposture, came to see me in my bed,
As in my grave: I wonder that the noise
Of his redoubled cryes brake not my sleep:
The heat to revenge me dry'd all his tears:
He found his rival, and assaulted him;
They fought on equal terms; Nearchus fell
Under his arms for dead; Cleagenor
Was forc'd to fly t'avoid the fury of
Th'offended King: his sudden flight gave not
My Mother oportunity t'inform him
(As she intended) with the fiction
Of my pretended death: since his departure
'Tis now seven years compleat, in all which time
I've heard no news of him; so that I know not
Whether I mourn the living, or the dead;
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And to conceal my miserable fortune,
I feign'd a Brothers death.
Ismenia.
I'm sensible
Of thy misfortune, and will bear a part
In thy sad grief, if that will make it lesse;
I no more now condemne thy sighs, nor tears;
But yet at last preserve thy beauty from
Those murthering sorrows; in this doubtfull case
Fix thy fair thoughts upon some other object;
If death hath seiz'd thy Servant, sure thou losest
Too many tears and sighs; or grant he live,
Ist probable that he will keep his constancy
For thee whom he thinks dead? but here's my Lover.
SCENA III.
THIMANTES, DIANA, ISMENIA.Ismenia
to Thimantes.
What busines brings thee hither?
Thimantes.
Here I come
A little to divert my thought.
Diana.
What thought?
Thimantes.
'Tis a disease which doth assault my sense.
Ismenia.
What ist, without more circumstance?
Thimantes.
My plaint
Without words would express it; at the sports
Too many Shepheards had unto my grief
17
A World of people pressed round about thee:
The Shepheard Dorilas, me thought, discours'd
Too long with thee, I saw so many others
Prostrated at thy foot—
Ismenia.
Without more words
Thimantes is become a jealous fool.
Since thou wilt love me, learn to know me well:
Thimantes I am free, and will no Master;
I'le ne'r depend on any but my self.
Tell me, I pray thee, did I ever promise
To speak to none but thee? dost thou imagine
So vainly, that thou art the only Lover
That serves me? have not I yet some which ought
To be conserv'd? and amongst all the Shepheards,
Whose faith I have receiv'd, if I should open
My mouth and eyes on none of them but thee,
And that one of those dayes thy mind should change;
And mine change too, (as all this well may happen)
Would all the others, jealous of this kindness
Express'd to thee thus in particular,
Be still my Lovers, though I had lost thee?
And if my liberty were not expos'd
For all, which of them would commiserate
My fortune in thy losse; I think upon
Th'event of things, which thou canst not assure:
At least if one quits me, another takes me:
Consider if this humour pleaseth thee,
If thou canst serve me all thy life time thus,
And not be jealous; if thou canst, hope one day
Both mouth and hand, and happily the heart
May flatter thy affection.
18
This way
Seems very strange unto me, but almost
Every fair evening some appointed place
Of meeting seems t'assure me of thy love
Sufficiently, and not to flatter me
With frivolous hope.
ISMENIA.
Yet hitherto it is
But airy words.
THIMANTES,
I hope all things from time
In waiting for that day, our names engraven
In every place, will speak my love, Ismenia,
I promise—
Ismenia.
But no more, here comes Thersander;
That Shepheard, whose enflamed heart thine eyes
Hath rendered as hes—
Diana.
Well Ismenia,
I leave you.
ISMENIA.
This is too much rigour, trust me,
At least afford the face, if thou deny'st
The heart.
SCENA IV.
THERSANDER, DIANA, THIMANTES, ISMENIA.Thersander
to Diana.
Oh stay, dear object stay, thou that art cause
Of all my torments, I have but one word
To say before I dye, the Nimph hath crown'd
My valour with these prizes, here I come
19
If thou wilt triumph on this festival day,
Suffer at least thy conquest in thy sight,
That's all th'ambition of this captive heart.
Diana.
Captive to me? if so, make it change Master,
I freely do release it; break its chain
Thy self, if thy design be not to have me
Free it with my own hand.
THERSANDER.
Alas! it is not
Its liberty that I desire.
Diana.
Then let it
Live still a slave, and sigh.
THERSANDER.
How, Shepheardess!
Refuse a heart, this precious present which
Is alwayes worth a Temple, and the Gods!
Think well upon it, it becomes thy justice
Not to despise this noble sacrifice,
Since I give but the same victime and incense
Unto the powers above; in my opinion
Our Goddess in the Temple is less fair,
And thou dost bear the bright name of Diana,
As well as she.
DIANA.
Since this rich present is
Of such high value, as 'tis worthy of
A Temple and the Gods, I believe, Shepheard,
That it becomes my justice not t' accept
This noble sacrifice, and I should wrong
Our puissant Gods in daring to partake
Their glory, and to share their incense with them,
My name's Diana, to thy eyes I'm fair;
But I am not a Goddess like to her.
20
Although thou hast no Temple, nor no Altars,
Thou mak'st thy self adored; 'tis to day
Thy festival which I have celebrated:
I have no other worship, nor no other
Diana, the sire of my love is not
A profane fire, and if some spark thereof
Warm not thy breast a little, I must suffer
The violent heat on't.
Diana.
Rather I advise thee,
Quench it with my contempts, this remedy
Will cure thee, that thou shalt complain no more.
THERSANDER.
Good Gods! what remedy is this which thou
Offerest me here? I must dye, Shepheardess,
If thou cur'st so; flatter at least, I pray thee,
With one sole word the love which thou hast rais'd;
If I'm, not happy, make me think I am so.
Alas! I cannot hear a single syllable
To succour me; if thus thou curest, Shepheardess,
I must dye, there is no prevention for't.
ISMENIA.
Why carriest thou a heart still so rebellious
To love?
THIMANTES,
Why dost thou persecute with scorn
This faithful Shepheard?
DIANA.
It is best be gone.
THERSANDER.
Yet thrust of thy disdain, if thou wilt spare
My hand, my death, finish the forming of
21
And I die presently before thine eys;
Speak, answer me.
ISMENIA.
No more, here comes the Nymph.
DIANA.
Happy arrival, which hath freed me from
So great a ttouble!
THERSANDER.
Well for my part then,
I'le try the temper of the marble rocks;
My plaints may pierce them, though they could not move
A Virgins heart to pitty, much lesse love.
SCENA V.
MELISSA, PARTHENIA, DIANA, ISMENIA, THIMANTES, CLIDAMANT, MELINTUS.MELISSA.
Since a full year and more that I have govern'd
This happy Island in the right and lawful
Line and succession of my Ancestours
By the death of my Sister, and since first
Diana's feasts were celebrated here,
Never so many Laurels crown'd your heads,
Nor ever any day ordain'd for pastime
Hath entertain'd mine eyes with such delight.
Every one striving to bear hence the prize
Propos'd to his contention, shew'd his skill,
Both at the Course and Lute; how handsomly
Thersander did behave him at these exercises!
With what a grace he acted every thing!
How charming was his port! and if I may
22
Either from Kings or Gods: how happy is
Thimantes in his friendship!
Thimantes.
This happiness which I enjoy's not new,
It hath a longer date then from to day:
His name is precious to me; 't was my fortune
To have the benefit of his acquaintance
At my last voyage, I saw his arrival
From his own native country at the Court
O'th King of Portugal; the sympathy
Of humors which one man hath with another
Tied us together in so firm a friendship
That having met him sad and full of thought,
I prevail'd with him as to bring him here,
In hope that in this quiet region where
Melissa reigns, he should lose all his grief.
Melissa.
Indeed although that prosperous Shepheard hath
Received all the prizes from my hand
Where with he's crown'd, I find him notwithstanding
Stil melancholy may not this be in him
Some sad effect of love, blest Shepheardess,
Who e'r thou art! thrice happy is thy fortune,
In which this noble stranger bound his choice!
He is so far above the common merit,
That a Nymph should not much abase her self
In loving him.
Clidamant.
Indeed he merits much,
And we esteem him all, we love his vertues,
Without being jealous of them.
Parthenia.
Clidamant
Comes nothing short of him in my opinion.
23
Thimantes too will go as far as he.
DIANA.
Another time, Melintus without doubt
Will perform better.
MELINTVS.
Yes, when you shal turn
Your eys on that side.
MELISSA.
Shepheards, once again
Prepare, I pray you, for the Nuptials
Of Thirsis with Parthenia; Neece, that Shepheard
Is worthy of you, and you are not ignorant
That I intend, as soon as he returns,
To make him (as I hope) your happy husband.
PARTHENIA.
aside
Yes, if my heart can suffer violence.
MELISSA.
In the mean time, let's go unto the Temple,
Our thanks and our devotions to pay
Vnto the Gods on this so glorious day.
The end of the first Act.
| The Enchanted Lovers | |