Love's Dominion :: :: University of Virginia Library

Philostrates, Polydor, Flamette, Pamphilus, Chorus, Bellinda, Philena, &c.
Cho.
sings
Holy Love that do'st command
In Fire, Water, Air, and Land,
Gently thy commands inspire
To all in Land, Air, Water, Fire,

Philos.
[Enter Polydor]
Now is the Nymph come?

Pol.
Behold great Sir shee's here—
Know you the reason Philena why Euphanes
Is not present?

[aside]
Phile.
He misdoubts his temper,
And therefore wisely do's absent himself.

Pol.
I fear'd some other cause, & am glad he's so discreet—
Stand by there.

to Pamphilus in his way
Pam.
What are you there whiffling agen?
Goodly, Goodly, heer's more ado
With your under Officers

Philos.
Draw nigh then Nymph, and t'understand
What Sacred mysteries in every Ceremony
Involved lie, Know first
By this sprinkling's signified
he sprinkles her with his asperge
How minds ar to be purified

Er' they receive the Deity,
Who deigns in purified breasts alone
To make on earth its habitation:
Next for your Eys and Ears by which two ports
There often issues forth, and enters in
Much pollution and sin
(And by one sluce bootlesly we should drain
Out Objects, if by another we let them in again)
Veiling your Eys w'are to conduct you to
The sacred Cell, where far from noise
Of Tumult and the publick voice,
Only attending to holy orisons
An hower inclos'd y'are to remain:
No bosom (in fine) but wholy abstracted and
Sequestred from humane consortship,
Being capable of Divine—
So before (for compliment of all)
We charm you silent, If you have ought to say
Now freely spake

Bel.
Unto the Gods
I need not speak seeing they know my mind,
And to men I will not, seeing it is not fit
They know it yet—what should I say then, but
Behold th'intirely resign'd Bellinda here stands
Ready to obey your holy orders and
The Gods Divine commands.

Phil.

Reach us the sacred wand then, whilst we thus
Invoke with due solemnity, silence to come,
And in its softer chains bind up her Tongue.
Still born silence thou that art

he waves his wand above her head.

Floodgate of the deeper heart

Offspring of a heavenly kind,
Frost o'th' mouth, and Thaw o'th' mind,
Secrecies Confident, and he
That makes Religion mystery;
Admirations speakingst tongue,
Leave thy desart shades, among
Reverend Hermits hallowed cells,
Where retir'dst devotion dwells,
With thy Enthusiasms come
Seize this Nymph, and strike her dumb,—
Now give us the sacred veil

he veils her.

To veil her eyes,—thus Nymph
We close your eyes tow'rds Earth, and open 'um
Tow'rds Heaven—
Now whilst the air you sweetly move,
Gently excite her mind to Love,
“For Musick to Religion,
“'s just like those who temper and mold the wax
“For th'seals impression

The Song voce sola.

VVhilst with her Lilly and Rosie hands
Nature molds beauteous forms, Love stands,
And ever as he does espy
A fair and gentle one,
This, this, is fit for me
To work upon, sayes he,
And layes it by.

Chorus.
What fools are those then who can miss,
So grosly to suppose
Bellinda, and mark how gentle sh' is
And fair: were none of those
Whom Love's own hands had chose?

Philost.

Now let the pompous train move on, and let
The Musick in sweet harmonious strains,
O'r all these spacious plains,
Resounding higher yet,
Invocate Loves sacred Deity
T'impose blest end to this solemnity.

Chorus
sings.
Holy Love, that dost command
In Fire, Water, Air, and Land,
Gently thy commands inspire,
To all in Land, Air, Water, Fire.

Exeunt omnes.
Manet Pamphilus, Flamette.
Pam.
Here's a do indeed!
I could have dispatcht her my way
In half this time, and with half these Ceremonies too;
But let her go, and—now if this Wench
Perform but her promise, shee'll redeem
Her self and this Isle from my ill opinion;—
And see just where she comes.

Flamette Enters.
Fla.
Oh! 'tis well you're here.
The Nymph I told you of—

Pam.
I, where is she? where is she? I long
To see her.

Fla.
You shall find
Sleeping in the wood there.

Pam.
Excellent opportunity!
And is she so kind say you?

Fla.
So kind (as I told you) and so far from coy,
You may do what you will with her—she can
Deny you nothing, nor say no to anything.

Pam.
And I'll put her too't presently

Fla.
Behold her there,
But look you don't disturb her.

Pam.
a Nymph sleeping discovered.
Ah pretty Rogue?
Have I caught you napping?
at these breaches he looks nearly on her.
She sleeps as snugg & soundly as
A sucking pigg—you can scarce hear her breath,—
Shee's handsom, exceeding handsom, I see that,
A very Goddess;—the gods make me thankfull,
Hey, hey,—how jocund shall I be?

[Capers.]
Fla.
Softly, softly.

Pam.
Oh! I'd forgot,—soft
he spruces up himself.
I think she stirs,—what a sloven was I
Not to put on a clean band to day?
No 'twas only the leaves,—I'll jogg her softly,—
But first I'll steal a kisse of her whilst she sleeps,—
Ha! how's this?

he discovers it to be a Puppet only.
Fla.
Ha, ha, ha.

Pam.
By this hand

A Maukin, a Mammet, a very Moppet with
No more life in't than a Scar-crow, or
The Puppet of a Tire womans stall.

Fla.
Ha ha ha,
Make much of your Mistresse Sir.

[Exit]
Pam.
D'you laugh too? shame on her how she has cozen'd me;
Is this your Gentle Nymph with a vengeance,
So far from coy you may do what you will with her,
She can deny you nothing, nor say no to any thing:
So me thinks indeed—hey
discovers the wood.
This is the Log now
And tother the stork, 'tis 'question which wou'd make
The better Mistresse—only this I may mock
While tother mocks me—farewell to your Ladyship.

throws it away and Exit.