University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

Philena, Flamette,
Phi.
Flamette,
Thou knowst the secrets of every herb and plant,
And nothing's in Nature so hidden and abstruse,
Thou penetrat'st not with thy skill; Amongst the rest,
I remember th'other day,
Feeding thy Flocks i'th' pasture there below,
And spying suddenly one of thy tender Lambs
All-trembling, stretching out its fainting limbs,
And closing its dying eyes, thou straight cryedst out
A venumous herb had poyson'd it, and bidst
Lycisca bear him to the River with all speed,
And drive thy Flocks from thence.—

Fla.
'Tis true;—and what of this?

Phile.
Nothing, but the seeing these wondrous effects,
Gives me a curiosity to learn of thee
A little of thy skill; and to know what herb it is
That works so by surprize, it steals away
A Life so insensibly, one scarce perceives it,—
A friendly office it might do to some,
Who weary of living fear not so much to die,
As the pains devancing death—

Fla.
Take heed Philena,
This is a Curiosity more dangerous
Than knowing the cheats of Gaming, by how much life
Is more precious than coyn,—and those
Who know these tricks, tis fear'd at need will use 'um.

Phil.
Thou art deceiv'd, they'd rather know them to
Avoid them; therefore I prethee tell me
What herb 'twas.

Fla.
If you desire, as you say, to learn my skill,
I'll teach you the natures of a hundred
More soveraignly vertuous.

Phi.
Malicious wench!
That wilt not understand me.

Fla.
I fear I understand you but too well.

Phi.
Must I be put to't then,
To discover a secret to thee that concerns
My life so nearly?

Fla.
I, that's it I fear.

Phi.
Yet why should I dissemble?
Dissimulation is child of Fear,
And how fearless are those who are resolv'd to dy,
Not only of those lesser Tyrants, Want,
And Misery, but of those greater, Love,
And Fortune, of whom now I quit all my fears,
Being Deaths subject, and no longer theirs—
Know then since thou't needs know't, aweary of
Repulse upon repulse, aweary of
Euphanes scorns, and finally aweary of
My wretched being, I am resolved to die.

Fla.
Ah! far from so gentle a bosom be
So cruel thought.

Phi.
They are rather cruel wou'd divert me from't;
Cruel as those wou'd keep poor wretches still
Upon the Torture, rather than dispatch their pain.

Fla.
But d'ye know what 'tis to die?

Phi.
I know what 'tis to sleep; the afflicted'st ease,
Repose o'th' weary, comfort of the distrest,
When all our troubles, all our cares do cease;
And sleep, and death; but in the length, and the
Continuance nothing differ, so as deferring
My death, thou but defer'st my happiness,
For know Flamette when life is misery,
'tis hapiness to die.

Fla.
You talk the while
As if all were fabulous of the other world,
Furies there were none, nothing
Their Torments, and no
Gods to punish those Impiously leave
There stations here on Earth e'r they command.

Phi.
Troublesome ignorance; those who understand
Their Language, the Gods perpetually command:
So when we virtue eagerly persue,
They bid go on, when we abstain from ill
By repentance or avoidance, it is they who still
Recall us, or prohibite us, and finally,
When we feel in us a desire to leave this life,
'tis they infallibly command us for to die.

Fla.
But consider—

Phi.
Prithee no more consideration; Flamette I ask help,
Not counsell of thee, wo't do
What I desire?

Fla.
I'll see.

Phi.
Nay, who give us doubtfull help,
Do but deny us in necessity;
Say't shall be done, yet that's too slow, prithee say
'tis done.

Fla,
Since bootless 'tis to deny you, I'll but run
To th'mead, and instantly be here again.
[Exit Fla.

Phi.
Thou shalt find me in the Cipress grove—
So now my minds at ease, and it rejoyces me
To think how I shall triumph over Love
And Fortune, yet o'r Love for Euphanes sake
I'll do't more gently, and not insult too much; but o'r Fortune
I'll march in state, while she to her despite shall see't
How I'm above her, now tramples me under feet.—
But stay, being to divest me of this life,
And strait to die, 'tis requisit I make
My latest Legacy; first then my sufferance I bequeath
To desperat Lovers, my constancy to death,
My sighs to th'winds, to th'ocean my tears,
To Bellinda my hop'd-for joyes,
To Euphanes my memory; and lastly, my hopes and fears
To those wou'd live in longer misery;
Philena will not; for the rest,
All other passions die with us, only Love
Accompanies us to th'blest Mansions above.

Exit.