University of Virginia Library

Actus primus.

Enter Evander and Pamphilus.
The Scene, a delightful Landskip or Paisage.
Evander.
Is't not a pleasant place?

Pamph.
As e're I saw;
but I can see no Wenches yet, and that
I long for.

Ev.
Why?

Pam.
What a question's that? why do
the hungry long for meat I pray?

Ev.
Then I
perceive you are an Epicure in Love,
and onely wo'd feed your body.

Pam.
I am no Platonick Philosopher,
who while they feed their mindes,
do starve themselves; give me a Love that ha's
some substance in it.

Ev.

Enter a Troop of Nymphs and Shepherds, singing and dancing hand in hand.
The Song.
Come, and in this pleasant Grove,
Sacred to the Queen of Love,
Let our Voices and our Feet
In harmonious number meet;
Thus we sing the year throughout,
And merrily, merrily dance about.

Exeunt.
Ev.
O happy Land! of all the sun surveys,
where thus perpetually they pass their dayes;
and if onely a living death it be,
or dying life to live in misery;
seeing their joyful lives, we well may say,
in all the world there are none live but they.

Pa.
They're dainty wenches Ile say that for them,
and I must needs follow them.

Ev.
Nay prethee.

Pam.
Never talk of it, I can hold no more
then a good Greyhound when he sees the Hare,
or Hawk the Quarry; it is all my sport
and inclination, and by their mirth and jollity
I know they're right, and of the Game.

Ev.
There's your
errour and ignorance now, who do not know,
how true vertue is a chearful thing,
rendring its favourites and followers far
more chearful too, more vertuous they are.

Pam.
Hang Vertue! I know no chearfulness
but laughing, and I'me sure all the Nymphs here
are as supple and pliant as Kids-leather gloves,
a gentle pluck or two will easily draw them on.

Ev.
How know you that? who came
but yesternight a stranger hither.

Pam.
And how know you the contrary? who came
but hither yesternight along with me? let it suffice
I know all women by instinct; and
is not this Love's Kingdom? answer me to that.

Ev.
Well, what then?

Pam.
Why then I am in mine,
for I'me the loving'st creature
(thou doest not know me yet)
I tell thee I was such a forward Childe,
I fell in Love with my Nurse in the very Cradle;
and they were forc't to wean me,
for fear of spoiling her milk.

Ev.
A great deflowrer of nurses it seems you are
but had you not better tarry till Diophantes comes,
who ha's promis'd to be our guide, and instruct us
in their manners and customs here?

Pam.
Tarry you for him if
you please, my busines can best be dispatcht alone,
and I need no tutors nor conductors for't.
I thank you.

Ev.
Well, thank your self if any harm
come of it.

Pam.
No harm I'le warrant you,
but rather good, the good of posterity,
whose business I am going about; and methinks
I hear the Children yet unborn, crying out
unto me to make haste, and so I will
my little pretty sweet Babes.

Exit.
Ev.
what a wild fellow's this? I'm sorry & asham'd
(now I know him better)
that I came along with him to Cyprus here;
who knows no more of Love then beasts do and's
so bravely impudent and vicious,
he puts vice & impudence to the extreamest proof
and shames not to be impudent enough:
but here comes Diophantes.

Enter Diophantes.
Dio.
Noble Evander, I must demand your pardon
if I instead of waiting on you, have made
you wait for me; but I am Advocate in
Love's Court you know, where so many petty
quarrels of Lovers are daily to be reconcil'd.
W'ave scarcely any vacancy at all,
nor had we dispatcht so soon to day, but for
the grand Solemnity i'th' Temple.

Ev.
What's that I pray?

Dio.
Why, 'tis the anniversary Feast of Venus,
our Sea-born Goddesses first arrival here
upon the Cyprian shore.

Ev.
And with good reason
you Celebrate that with all Solemnity,
that renders you so famous through all the world.

Di.
And to add to th'general Solemnity oth' day
there's a particular Ceremony too
renders it more solemn.

Ev.
What?

Dio.
Why, you must know
that all strangers by th'Laws of Cyprus here
are after three moneths residence to swear
they love some one ith'Isle, or else be banisht;
now Sir, three moneths to day are just expir'd,
since there arriv'd a Nymph the most admir'd,
and most deserving admiration,
as ever in Love's Kingdom yet was known;
and whether she'l take the solemn Oath or no,
onely her self and the Deity do know;
for to all else 'tis doubtful.

Ev.
Can it be doubted that any here sho'd love,
where they are all born and bred Lovers; the very
air inspires it, and 'tis as natural
for them to love, as 'tis to live and breath.

Dio.
True Sir, but for our admiration
the gods work miracles sometimes, and she is one;
but where's your friend Pamphilus?

Ev.
Rambled somewhere abroad,
I know not whither.

Dio.
Of what humour, I pray,
and disposition is he?

Ev.
Why, harmless and merry, only a little wilde

Dio.
He thinks perhaps our Nymphs are wanton here;
but Sir, I can assure you they are all
so chaste and pure, as Christal you wo'd say
is not more pure, nor Ice more clear then they:
And for the Land, know Sir, in all the spacious
world there's not a more religious place,
where Love with greater purity is profest,
nor serv'd and honour'd with more pious breast.

Ev.
I've understood so much, and therefore come
expresly hither on devotion,
to render my vows & off'rings at his sacred shrine

Dio.
I applaud you for't, and may the powers divine
for every prayer that you send up to them,
send you as many blessings down agen.

Ev.
Soft! who are those come here?

Dio.
Oh now you'l see
A noble Ceremony and Solemnity.

Enter Theotimus with Assistants of Loves Sacrificators, with Asperges and Thuribles be sprinkling and incensing the place.
The.
Far hence be all profane, whilst here
With Solemn Rites thus every year,
To render all our Lovers true,
We element Love's Kingdom new;
That no heart may too strongly beat,
We give its fires a temperate heat;
We give its waters vertuous force,
To swage them (taken in their Source)
Fogs of perjur'd vows and oaths,
Which spotless truth and candour loaths,
We purge the Air from, and the Earth
From every strange and monstrous birth:
For as some Lands their monsters fear,
Lust onely is our monster here;
As others pois'nous beasts molest,
So avarice is our pois'nous beast:
From which when once a Land is freed,
Then, then Love's Kingdom 'tis indeed.

(Exeunt Manent Evander & Diophontes.
Ev.
A Ceremony as religious as great!

Di.
Y'admire too soon, & have seen nothing yet,
if but compar'd to what you'l see anon,
worthy your sight and admiration.

(Exeunt.
Enter Palemon in desperate action, withheld by Polydor.
Pol.
You wo'nt be mad?

Pal.
I will be nothing but for Love,
and for Love I will be any thing;—
pray unhand me:—Shall Bellinda, the
divine Bellinda be banisht hence to day,
and shall Palemon see it, and shall he live?

Pol.
And shall the gallant and the brave
Palemon dye onely for fear of death?
how low—and poorly wo'd it shew!
and that's the worst; but I hope better still:
Venus the Goddess of this Isle
has oft done greater miracles then this,
to make one young and fair to love.

Pal.
O Polydor! who has
miracles for hopes, has hopes too nigh despair.

Pol.
I grant you,
but yours are far
from that;—for ha's she not promis'd,
if any i'th' Isle she loves, it shall be you:
And is this no hope? no comfort?

Pal.
Just as much
as 'mong the numerous and unhappy throng
of her excluded Lovers to stand next the door,
first expos'd to the affront, and nighest concern'd
in the disgrace.

Pol.
Nay, if you give your self despair,
'tis in vain to give you hope; suppose the worst:
If you love fair Bellinda, as you say,
and she perchance be banisht hence to day,
what hinders you from following her? vainly and
ridiculously does he complain of Winter,
who by following the sun might still enjoy the
Spring:

Pal.
I,—but following an ecclipsed Sun,
what shu'd he gain by it, but onely by
that fatal light to have every thing appear
more sad and dismal then if it absent were?

Pol.
Well, though it seem more to be wisht then hop'd,
that she shu'd love you; yet take this from me,
your Nymphs are bashful, and so cautious too,
they will not seem to love, although they do:
and 'twod appear a miracle to me,
she shu'd not feel love who makes so many feel it;
or that her heart shu'd resist that alone,
was never yet resisted by any one:—
But there's I fear some farther misery
in't, and the gods are highly offended w'ye,
or they'd ne're inflict on you as they do
so heavy a punishment to love one, who
neglects you; and the while, to neglect one
so dearly loves ye, and see where she does come.

Enter Filena.
Fi.
Where shu'd this Nymph be? she's not at home,
nor in the sacred Grove; and 'tis too soon
to go to th'Temple yet.

Pol.
Well, I'le leave you.

Pal.
What, will you go
and leave me alone then?

Pol.
How can I leave you better accompanied?

Pal.
In company of one I hate!

Pol.
In company of one
who dearly loves you, and for your hate to her
in these pretty skirmishes, there is no fear
of danger; for now y'are foes, and then
the peace is made, and you are friends agen,
and so I leave you.

Exit.
Pal.
What shall I do? she has
spy'd me, and there's no avoiding her; I'de best
dissemble then, and by one importunity
avoid another:—Gentle Filena, well met.

Fi.
Kinde looks
(aside.
that guild the sun-shine, as that guilds the day:
Kinde words,
whose ravishing sweetness melts into my heart
at sun-shine of those looks of his; how I'me
o'rejoyed with them!

Pal.
I have a suit unto you.

Fi.
And I another to you.

Pal.
To me! fye, fye,
Nymphs sue to men!

Fi.
Why, not Palemon here,
where Love's not onely Love, but Vertue too;
it no wayes misbeseems a Nymph to wooe:—
But what's your suit? you may be sure that I am too much yours (Palemon) to deny
you any thing.

Pal.
You know Filena, how much
I love Bellinda, and how much I long to know
if she loves me, which you can tell me best,
are confident of all the secrets of her breast.

Fi.
Some secrets she confides to me 'tis true,
but of her Love I know no more then you;
for that's a warfare where each one's a spy,
and every rival is an enemy:
She'd ne're trust me with't then, whom she does know
am both a Lover, and her Rival too.

Pal.
Howe're Filena, you do know at least
those softer minuts, when Nymphs minds are best
dispos'd for the impressions of Love;
in one of those then prethee do but move
my Suit unto her, especially before she goes
to th'Temple, when she must needs be more
dispos'd then ever, and thou shu'dst infinitely
oblige me by so dear a courtesie.
D'ye hear?

Fi.
I do, and will you hear me now?

Pal.
If y'ave any new thing to say I will,
but of old businesses I pray no more.

Fi.
That can't be old that's every day renew'd.

Pal.
And how can that be new I pray,
that needs renovation every day?
But of this enough:—prethee Filena go,
and if you love me as you say you do;
know now's best time to shew't, for Love's best shown,
by doing their wills we love before our own.

Fi.
Well then, to shew
how much, how dearly I love you, I will go;
and though Love a burthen be,
which two hearts equally
shu'd bear, and then 'tis sweet and light:
But when once all the weight
lyes upon one alone,
a grievous and intollerable one:
my heart shall bear it yet, and ne're repine,
or else I'le not acknowledge it to be mine.

Pal.
That's bravely and nobly resolv'd.

Fi.
But is there no hope, no pitty for Filena?

Pal.
To deal ingeniously w'ye,
and not abuse you with civility,
There's pitty, but no hope; for Bellinda has all
my stock of Love, and consequently
for loving any other has rendred me so poor,
as I can dye, but I can love no more.

Fi.
Since you are so resolv'd, Palemon know,
Filena too can dye as well as you;
and be assur'd that the same messenger
brings news Palemon does Bellinda wed,
shall carry back the news, Filena's dead.

Pal.
Soft, soft Filena, for I'de have you know,
to th'thing call'd dying there goes more then so;
and every Coward is valiant enough
to talk of death, but when it comes to th'proof,
their hearts do fail, as yours no doubt will too,
wherefore dear Filena I'le be gone,
and shall not fear to leave you here alone.

(spoken scornfully. Exit.
Fi.
Cruel Palemon! is't not enough, that thou
refusest me, but thou must scorn me too?
This is not to be endur'd! one nobly born
can better suffer injury then scorn;
but what do I say wretch as I am, or low
com these high thoughts in one that's faln so low.
I'me now engag'd, what ever does befall,
and those who are slaves to Love must suffer all.

Enter Pamphilus, looking after her.
Pam.
Hey! whurr! there boults another wench,
the Warren's all full of them,
and I, like a good Tumbler,
am ready to throw my self after every one:—
and see here coms another! & alone too?
Enter Amarantha.
this opportunity is the shell that Love
is hatched of, and the Nymphs here just like
young Lapwings run away with't on their heads;
you shall see how I'le accoast her now.—
Fair Nymph, might I be so bold I pray,
to request the time o'th' day of you?

Am.
Oh Sir, with all my heart,
it shall be any time oth' day you please for me;
I'le not stick w'ye for half an hour or so.

Pa.
Lo ye there now! there's ne're a sextons wife
in all Cyprus co'd answer ye more courteously:
a kinde Wench I'le warrant her;—
Let's see what's next now?
Pox on't, I better know what to do with wenches
then what to say to them; and we Complementers
of the first head, when w'are past our legs & faces
are past the greatest part of our discourse:—
It shall be so, and how have you done I faith,
since I saw you last?

Am.
Right and methodical!
how d'ye? and what's a clock? I'le wager now
next is, what news? or somewhat about the weather
the ordinary discourse of those who can
discourse of nothing,—and when was't I pray
you saw me last?

Pam.
Why, in Plato's great year,
don't you remember it? I do as perfectly
as if 'twere but to day; by the same token,
meeting you just as I do now, I took you by
the hand, and kissing it, led you just
into such another Grove as this.

Am.
Just no such matter;
pray stay a little, sure you don't remember well.

Pam.
Most perfectly, by the same token I
saluted you too.

(She puts him by.
Am.
I knew you were quite wide,
not me I'le assure you.

Pam.
You can't deny't I'me sure.

Am.
Indeed Sir but I can.

Pam.
And thereupon
I told you, that having so fair opportunity;
but lose it, you'd never have the like agen.

Am.
Opportunity for what?

Pam.
Nay, if you know not that,
we shal never have done;—com leave dissembling
I know you Nymphs here are all so learned, as
your husbands can teach you nothing on the
marriage-night, but what you knew before.

Am.
Bless me! I never heard
man talk thus wildely!

Pam.
And how first time you went abroad
after fifteen, when you return'd agen,
you found y'ad left your gloves, handkercher,
and maidenhead, with some such odd toyes
behinde you.

Am.
Wilder and wilder still! I begin to be,
afraid of him, pray let me go; is this
discourse for Maids?

Pam.
I, as good a Milkmaid as my Nurse I'le
warrant you;—but stay, she may be one perhaps,
and that 'tis makes her so shie and timerous,
for maids apprehend the loss of a maidenhead
as fearfully, as the loss of an arm or leg,
and imagine they shall be maim'd for ever after.—
Come, come, ne're fear, I perswade you to nothing
but what I will do w'ye my self for company.

Am.
I'me more and more afeard of him, I wo'd
some body wo'd come to rid me of him, and see
in happy time here's some, and yonder's more:
now I may be
Some pass over the Stage.
as merry with him,
as he ha's been with me:—Cry mercy Sir,
now I remember this Plato's great year you talk of
as perfectly

Pam.
Oh do you so! I knew
you could not forget it.

Am.
By the same token
Theotimus chief Governour of the Isle
past by with a numerous train just as we were
alone together.

Pam.
Yonder I think he comes indeed.

Am.
When I made bold to ask you one question Sir,

Pam.
What was that?

Am.
Why, whether you lov'd dancing or no?

Ham.
Oh exceedingly.

Am.
Right, so you told me; and thereupon I said
he'd help you then to a certain spritely instrument
to dance after call'd a whip, a whip;
d'ye hear Sir, worth a hundred of
your Kits and Violins, to make such gallants as
your self to frisk and caper.

Pam.
Umh! I remember nothing of all this now,
but beshrew me next Plato's great year I fear.
I shall indeed, 'less I get me gone the sooner.

Am.
Nay, hark ye, hark ye Sir,
Pray don't go yet; now I remember me
I can tell ye what time o'th' day 'tis too.

Pam.
As for that,
I know it now I thank you, it is time
for me to get me gone, as I take it.

(Exit.
Am.
Why then farewel my Platonick Philosopher,
and Anteplatonick Lover.

Enter Theotimus, Chorus of Musicians, and young Virgins, Polydor, Evander; Diophantes, Palemon, &c.
The Song sung by a Bass, Tenor, and Treble.
Chorus
sings.
Prais'd be the Deities above!

Ten.
We love.

Bass.
We lov'd.

Treb.
And we shall love.

Cho.
O ye blest immortal Powers!
Grant this happy Land of ours

1.
Pure fires,

2.
Pure fewel,

Cho.
All things pure,
And that our flames may ever dure.

The.
Now Children, in a word to tell,
what noble Love is, (mark me well)
it is the counterpoise that mindes
to fair and vertuous things inclines;
it is the gust we have, and sence,
of every noble excellence;
it is the pulse, by which we know
whether our souls have life or no;
and such a soft and gentle fire,
as kindles and inflames desire,
until it all like Incense burns,
and unto melting sweetness turns.

Ev.
Whose heart
melts not within his breast at hearing this?

The.
Who's that?

Dio.
A noble stranger come hither on
devotion unto Love's sacred Shrine.

The.
He's welcome.

(Evan. kisses his hands.
Pal.
Somewhat more then this to boo't,
by experience I can adde unto't;
Love is a union of all
we happy and unhappy call;
a mixture where together meet
both pleasing pain, and bitter sweet;
the greatest joy and greatest woe
a mortal breast can ever know,
to shew its great disparity
in fair Bellinda and in me;
in her face 'tis a paradice,
where all delicious pleasure lies,
and in my heart it is a hell,
where all your worst of torments dwell.

Th.
Once more y'are welcom—now set forwards
and with all the pomp and ceremony you may
proceed to Celebration of the day.

(Exeunt.
Manent Theotimus and Polydor.
The.
Polydor, stay you, you're Loves Inquisitor;
look well unto your charge, we hear there are
(besides Atheists, who impious deny
Love's sacred Power and Authority;
and Libertines, whose vicious lives are such,
as they profane the Deity as much)
new Heresies in Love sprung up of late,
Platonicks, Scepticks, dangerous to the State;
e're they take deeper root, and farther spread,
be it your care to see 'um extirpated.

Pol.
It shall, most reverend Sir.

The.
Other abuses there are beside,
'gainst which we must most carefully provide;
as talking of Cupid so familiarly,
as if he were some vulgar Deity;
and making Love the business and employ
of every idle Girle, and wanton Boy;
taking of every fond desire for it,
whilst difference 'twixt them is as infinite,
as 'twixt folly and wisdom, vertue and vice,
or deep abyss, and highest Paradice.—
This must be lookt unto.

Pol.
As 'tis most fit.

The.
Is the Nymph summon'd to the temple yet?

Pol.
'Tis not time yet till the sixth hour be past

The.
When 'tis,
be it your care to summon her, and see
that all be ready for the Solemnity:—
This day peculiarly Love is thine,
work miracles, and shew thy self divine.