Argalus and Parthenia The argument of ye history. Written by Fra: Quarles. Quarles, Francis, 1592-1644. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A10246 of text S112006 in the English Short Title Catalog (STC 20526). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 277 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 83 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A10246 STC 20526 ESTC S112006 99847265 99847265 12292 2240953812

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A10246) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 12292) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1581:02) Argalus and Parthenia The argument of ye history. Written by Fra: Quarles. Quarles, Francis, 1592-1644. Sidney, Philip, Sir, 1554-1586. Arcadia. Cecil, Thomas, fl. 1630, engraver. [6], 160, [2] p. Printed for Iohn Marriott in St. Dunstons Church:yard fleetstreet, London : 1629. The title page is engraved and signed: Tho: Cecill sculp. Based on a story in Sir Philip Sidney's "Arcadia". In verse. In three books. Reproduction of the original in the Bodleian Library. eng Sidney, Philip, -- Sir, 1554-1586. -- Arcadia -- Adaptations -- Early works to 1800. eebo no Argalus and Parthenia The argument of ye history. Written by Fra: Quarles. Quarles, Francis, (1592-1644.) 1629 164 46756 922 0 0 0 0 0 197.19 F The rate of 197.19 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the F category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2002-03 Assigned for keying and markup 2002-04 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2002-05 Sampled and proofread 2002-05 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-06 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

ARGALVS and PARTHENIA

The Argument of ye History

Written by Fra: Quarles . Lusit Anacreon

London Printed for Iohn Marriott in S Dunston's Church-yard fleet street . 1629.

Tho: Cecill sculp .

The minde of the Frontspiece . Reader , behinde this silken Frontspiece lyes The Argument of our Booke ; which , to your eyes Our Muse ( for serious causes , and best knowne Vnto her selfe ) commands should be vnshowne ; And therefore , to that end , she hath thought fit To draw this Curtaine , t'wixt your eye and it .

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE HENRY LORD RICH OF KENSINGTON , EARLE OF HOLLAND , CAPTAINE OF HIS Maties GVARD , AND GENTLEMAN OF THE BED-CHAMBER , CHANCELLOR OF THE VNIVERSITIE OF CAMBRIDGE , KNIGHT OF THE MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER , ONE OF HIS MAIESTIES MOST HONORABLE PRIVIE COVNSEL : AND GREAT EXAMPLE OF TRVE HONOVR AND CHIVALRY .

FRA : QVARLES PRESENTS AND DEDICATES HIS ARG ALVS AND PARTHENIA .

To the Reader . Reader :

I Present thee here with a history of Argalus and Parthenia , the fruits of broken houres : I was a Sience taken out of the O●…chard of Sir Philip Sydney , of pretious memory , which I haue lately 〈◊〉 vpon a Crab-stocke , in mine owne : It hath brought ●…orth many leaues , and promises pleasing frui●… , if m●…leuolent eyes blast it not in the bud . This Booke differs from my former , as a Courtier from a Churchman : But if any thinke it vn●… , for one to play both parts , I haue presidents for it : And l●…t such know , that I haue taken but one play-day in sixe : Howeuer , I should beshrew that hand that binds them all together to make one Volume . In this D●…scourse , I haue not affect●…d to set thy v●…derstanding on the Rack , by the tyranny of strong lines , which ( as they fabulously report of China dishes ) are m●…de for the third Generation to make vse of , and are the meere itch of wit ; vnder the colour o●… which , many haue ventured ( trusti●…g to the Oe●…ipean conceit of their ingenious Reader ) to write non-sense , and felloniously father the crea●…ed expositions of other men ; not vnlike some painters , who first make the picture , then , from the opinion of better iudgements , conclude , whom it resembles . These lines ●…re strong enough for my purpose ; If not for thine , yet reade them , and your vnderstandings may bee magnified by their weaknesse . Reader , thou shalt , in the progresse of this Story , meet with a 〈◊〉 S●…licisme ; which is this ; Demagoras his so f●…ule a deed , ●…ted vpon the faire Parthenia , is fully exp●…st ; and yet , the reuenge thereof p●…st ouer in silence ; wherein ( as I conceiue ) I haue not dealt vniustly . When Prometheus stole fire from heauen to animate and quicken his artificiall bodies , the seuerer Gods ( for punishment of so high a Sacriledge , strucke him not d●…ad with a sudden Thunderbolt , but ( to be more deeply auenged ) l●…t him liue , to be tormented with Vulters , continually g●…awing on his Liuor . The s●…me kind of torture had Ixion : so had Sisyphus : so had Tantalus : Did then Demagoras fault equall ( if not exceed ) theirs , and should his punishment be l●…sse ? H●…d my pen deliuered him dead into your hands , what could ye h●…ue had more ? His accursed memory had soone ro●…ted with his b●…ser name , and there had beene an end of him : In which respect , I haue suffered him to liue , that he might stand like a lack-a-Lent , or a Shrouing Cocke for eue●…y one to spend a Cudgell at , to the wo●…lds end . Ladies ( for in yo●…r 〈◊〉 l●…ps I know this booke will choose to lye , which being farre fetched , if the Stationer be wise , will be most fit for you ) my suit is , that you would be pleased to giue the faire Parthenia your noble ●…ntertainment : She hath crost the Seas ●…or your acquaintance , and is come to liue and dye with you ; to whose gentle hands I recommend her , and kisse them .

FR ; QV. Dublin this 4. of March . 1628.
ARGALVS AND PARTHENIA .
The first Booke . WIthin the limits of th' Arcadian land , Whose gratefull bounty hath inricht the hand Of many a Shepherd swaine , whose rurall Art ( Vntaught to gloze , or with a double heart To vow dissembled loue ) did build to Fame Eternall Trophies of a pastorall name ; That sweet Arcadia ; which , in antique dayes , Was wont to warble out her well-tun'd layes To all the world ; and , with her oaten Reede , Did sing her loue whilst her proud flocks did feed ; Arcadia , whose deserts did claime to be As great a sharer in the Daphnean tree , As his , whose louder Aenead proudly sings Heroick conquests of victorious Kings ; There ( if th' exuberance of a word may swell So high , that Angels may be said , to dwell ) There dwelt that Virgin , that Arcadian glory , Whose rare composure did abstract the story Of true perfection , modellizing forth The ●…eight of beauty , and admired worth ; H●…r name Parthenia ; whose vnnam'd descent Can serue but as a needlesse complement To gild p●…rfection : She shall boast , alone , What bounteous Art , and Nature makes her owne . Her Mother was a Lady , whom deepe age More fi l'd with honour , then diseases ; s●…ge , A modest Matron , strict , reseru'd , austere , Sp●…ring in sp●…ch , bu●… liberall of her eare ; Fi●…rce to her fo●…s , and violent where she likes ; Wedded to what her owne opinion strikes ; Fr●…quent quent in almes , and charitable deeds , Of mighty spirit , constant to her beads , Wisely suspitious ; but what need we other Then this ? she was the rare Parthenia's mother ; That rare Parthenia , in whose heauenly eye Sits maiden-mildnesse , mixt with Maiesty , Whose secret power hath a double skill , By frownes or smiles , to make aliue , or kill ; Her cheeks are like two bancks of fairest flowers , Inricht with sweetnesse from the twilight showers , Whereon those iarres which were so often bred , Composed were , betwixt the white and red : Her haire raught downe beneath her yuory knees , As if that Nature , to so rare a piece , H●…d meant a shadow , labouring to show A●…d boast the vtmost , that her hand could doe : Like sm●…llest flaxe appea●…'d her Nymph like haire , But only fl●…xe was not so small , so faire : H r lips like Rubies , and you 'd thinke , within , In stead of teeth , that orient Pearles had bin : The whiten●…sse of her dainty n●…ck you know , If euer you behold the new-salne Snow ; Her Swan-like brests were like two little Spheares , Wherein , each a zure line in view appeares , Which , were they obuious but to euery eye , All liberall Arts would turne Astronomie ; Her sl●…nder wast , her lilly hands , her armes I dare not 〈◊〉 to view , because all charmes Forbidden are : My bashfull Muse descends No lower sleppe : He●…e her Commission ends , And by another vertue doth enioyne My pen to treate perfection , more diuine : The chast Diana , and her Virgin-crew Was but a Type of one , that should ensue In after ages , which we find exprest , And here fulfill'd in chasts Parthenia's brest : True vertue was the obiect of her will ; She could no ill , because she knew no ill ; Her thoughts were noble , and her words not lauish , Yet free , but wisely waigh'd ; more apt to rauish , Then to entice ; lesse beautify'd with art , Then naturall sweetn sse : In her gentle heart Iudgement t●…anscended : from her milder brest Passion was not exiled , but represt : Her voyce exce●…'d ; nay , had you heard her voyce But warble 〈◊〉 , you might haue had the choyce , To 〈◊〉 her for some smooth-fac'd Cherubin , O●… el●…e some glorious Angel , that had bin A trebble sharer in th' eternall ioyes , Such was h●…r voyce , such was her heauenly voyce : Merry , yet mod●…st ; witty , and yet wise ; Not apt to toy , and yet not too too nice ; Quick , but not ●…ash ; Courteous , and yet not common ; Not too familiar , and yet scorning no man : In bri●…fe , who would relate her prayses well , Must first bethinke himselfe , what is t' exc●…ll . When these perfections h●…d enhaunc'd the name Of rare Parthenia , nimble winged Fame Grew great with honour , spreads her hasty wings , Aduanc'd her Trumpet , and away she springs , And with her ●…ull mouth'd blast she doth proclaime 〈◊〉 glory of Partheniaes name : Who now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Parthenia ? what report Can find admittance in th' Arcadian Co●…rt But faire Partheniaes ? Euery sol●…mne feast Must now be swcern●…d , ho●…ourd , and poss●…st With high discourses of Partheniaes glory , And euery mouth must b●…eathe Partheniaes story . The Po●…t summons now his amorous quill , And scornes a●…istance from the sacr●…d Hill : The sweet lip●… Oratour takes in hand to raise His prouder stile , to sp●…ke Partheniacs praise . The curious Painter wis●…ly doth displace Faire Venus , sets Parthenia in her pl●…ce . The Pleader burnes his bookes , disdaines the Law , And f●…lls in lou●… with whom his ey●…s ne'er saw . Healths to the f●…ire Parthenia fl●… about At euery bord , whilst others , mo●…e 〈◊〉 , Build Idols to her , and adore the s●…me ; And Parrats learne to 〈◊〉 Partheniaes name . Some trust to f●…me ; some secretly disprise Her worth ; some emulates , and some enuies ; Some doubt , some feare lest lauish same belye her , And all that dare beleeue report , admire . Vpon the bord●…rs of the Arcadian Land Dwelt a Laconian Lord ; Of proud command , Lord of much people , youthfull , and of fame , More great then good ; Demagoras his name , Of stature tall , his body spare , and meager , Thicke shoulderd , hollow cheek'd , and visage eager , His g●…shfull countenance swarthy , long and thinne , And downe each side of his reuerted chin●…e A locke of blacke neglected haire ( be friended With warts too vgly to be seene ) descended ; His rowling eyes were deeply suncke , and hiew'd Like fire ; T is said , they blisterd where they view'd . Vpon his shoulders , from his fruitfull crowne , A rugged crop of Elfclocks dangled downe : His hide all hairy ; garish his attire , And his complexion meerely Earth and Fire ; Peruerse to all ; extenuating what Another did , because he did it not : Maligning all mens actions but his owne , Not louing any , and belou'd of none : Reuengefull , enuious , desperately stout , And in a word , to paint him fully out , That had the Monopolie to fulfill All vice ; the Hieroglyphick of all ill . He view'd Partheniaes face : As from aboue Fireballs of lightning hurld by angry Ioue Confound the vnarm'd beholder at a blow , And leaue him ruin'd in the place : Euen so The peerelesse beauty of Partheniaes eyes , At the first sight did conquer and surprise , The slauish thoughts of this amazed louer , Who voyd of strength to hide , or to discouer The tyrannous scorching of his secret fires , Prompted by passion , with himselfe conspires . Accurs'd Demagoras ! Into what a fe●… Hath one looke strucke thy soule ? O neuer , neuer To be recur'd : If I had done amisse , Hath heauen no easier plagues in store , but this ? Promethius paines are not so sharpe as these , Our sinnes yet labour'd both of one disease ; Our faults are equall ; Both stole fire from heauen ; Our faults alike , why are our plagues vneuen ? Be iust ; O make not such vnequall ods Of equall sinnes : Be iust , or else no Gods : Why send ye downe such Angels to the earth , To mocke poore mortalls ? or of mortall birth , If such a heauenlike Paragon may be , Why doe ye not wound her , as well as me But why doe I implore your aydes in 〈◊〉 , That are the hi●…hest Agents in my p●…ine ? Poore wretc●… ! What hope of helpe can ye assure me , When onely she , that made the wound can cure me ? Diuine 〈◊〉 , earths 〈◊〉 Iewell , Would thou 〈◊〉 beene lesse glorious or lesse cruell . Wh●…n 〈◊〉 thine eyes did to these eyes appeare , I read the 〈◊〉 of my ruine there , My necessary ruin●… : Heauen , nor Hell Can salue my sores , by helpe of Prayer , or spell ; Gods are vniust ; and if , with charmes , 〈◊〉 haunt her , Her eyes are counter charmes , to enchant 〈◊〉 : Why doe I thus ex●…lcerate my disease ? By adding torments , hope I to find ease ? Is not her cruelty enough , alone , But must I bring fresh torments of my owne ? Cheare vp Demagor●…s : T is a wise mans part Not to lose all , if his vnpractis'd art Serues not to gaine : A Gamester may not choose His chance : It is some conquest not to loose : Looke to thy selfe : Let no iniurious blast Of cold despaire chi●… thy greene wounds too fast For time to cure : O , hope for no remission Of paine , till Cupid send thee a Physition . She is a woman . If a woman , then My title 's good ; Women were made for men : She is a woman , though her heauenly brow Write Angell , and may stoope , although not now ; Women , by lookes , will not be vnderstood , Vntill their hearts aduise with flesh and blood . She is a woman ; There 's no reason why , But she ( perchance ) may burne as well as I. Moue then , Demagoras , let Parthenia know The strength of her owne beauty , in thy woe : Feare not , what thou ador'st ; begin to moue , Chriscrosse sore-runs the Alphabet of loue : T is halfe perfected , what is once begun ; She is a woman ; and she must be wonne . Like as a Swaine , whose hands haue made a vow And sw●…rne allegeance to the peacefull plough , Prest out for seruice in the 〈◊〉 campe , At first ( vnentred ) finds a liuelesse dampe Beleagring euery ioynt ; as often swounds As ere he viewes his sword , or thinks of wounds ; At length ( not finding any meanes for flying , Switcht and spurd on with desp●…rate feare of dying ) He hewes , he hackes , and in the midst he goes , And freshly deales about his frantick blowes ; Euen so Demagoras , whose vnbred fashion Had neuer yet subscrib'd to loues sweet passion : Being call'd a Combitant to Cupids field , Trembles , and secretly resolues to yeeld The day without a parly , till at length , Fiercely transported by th' vntu●…'d strength Of his owne passion , he himselfe assures , That 〈◊〉 torme●…ts must haue desp'rate c●…res And thus to the diuine Partheniaes eares Applies his speech , deuo●…d of doubts and f●…ares . Fairest of creatures , If my ruder tongue , To right it selfe , should d●…e your patience wrong : And lawlesse passion make it too too free , O blame your heauenly beautie , and not me : It was those eyes , those precious eyes that first Enforc'd my tongue to speake , or heart to burst , From those deare eyes I first receiu'd that wound , Which seekes for cure , and cannot be made sound , But by the hand that strucke ; To you alone , I sue for helpe , that else must hope for none : Then crowne my ioyes , thou Antidote of despaire , And be as mercifull , as thou art faire . Nature , ( the bounty of whose liberall hand Made thee the iewell of the Arcadian land ) Intended in so rare a prize , to boast Her masterpeece : Hid Iewells are but lost . shine then , and rob not nature of her due , But honour her , as she hath honour'd you . Let not the best of all her workes lye dead In the nice Casket of a Mayd●…nhead : What she would haue reueal'd , O doe not smother , Th' art made in vaine , vnlesse thou make another : Giue me thy heart , and for that gift of thine , Lest thou shouldst want a heart , I le giue thee mine , As richly fraught with loue , and lasting duty , As thou , with vertue , or thine eyes , with beauty . Why dost thou frowne ? why does that heauenly brow Not made for wrinkles , show a wrinkle now ? Send forth thy brighter sun-shine , and the while , O lend me but the twilight of a smile : Giue me one amorous glance : why standst thou mute ? Disclose those ruby lips , and grant my suite ; Speake ( loue ) or if thy doubtfull minde be bent To silence , let that silence be consent : Nor begge I loue of almes , although in part , My words may seeme t●…implead my owne desert . Disdaine me not , although my thoughts descend Below themselues , t' enioy so faire a friend : 〈◊〉 that haue o●…t , with teares , bin sought to , sue ; And Queens haue bin his seruants , that serues you . The beauties of all Gr●…ece haue bin at strife To winne the name of great Demagoras wife , And bin despis'd , not worthy to obtaine So high an honour ; What they sought ( in vaine ) I here present thee with as thine owne due , It being an honour fit for none but you : Speake then ( my loue , ) and let thy lips make knowne , That I am either thine , or not mine owne : Haue you beheld when f●…esh Auroras eye Sends forth her early beames , and by and by Withdrawes the glory of her face , and shrowds Her checkes behind a ruddy m●…ske of clouds , Which , who beleeue in Erra Pater , say Presages winde , and blustry stormes that day , Such were Partheniaes lookes , in whose faire face , Roses and Lillies , late had equall place . But now , twixt mayden bash fulnesse and spleene , Roses appear'd and Lillies were not seene : S●…e paus'd a while , till at the last she breakes Her long kept angry silence , thus ; and speakes , My Lord , Had your strong Oratory but the Art , To make me conscious of so great desert , As you perswade , I should be bound in duty To praise your Rhet'ricke , as you prize my beauty ; Or if the frailty of my iudgement could Flatter my thoughts so grosly , as to hold Your words for currant , you might boldly dare Count me as soolish , as you terme me faire . If you vye Courtship , fortune knowes that I Haue not so strong a Game , to see the vye : Alas , my skill durst neuer vndertake To play the game , where hearts be set at stake ; Needs must the losse be great , when such haue bin Seldome obseru'd to saue themselues that win : You craue my heart ; My Lord , you craue withall , Too great a mischiese ; My poore heart 's too small To fill the concaue of so great a brest , Whose thoughts can scorne the amorous request Of loue sicke Queenes , and can requite the vaine , And factious suits of Ladies with disdaine : Stoope not so low beneath your selfe ( great Lord ) To loue Parthenia : Shall so poore a word Staine your faire lips ? whose merits doe proclaime A more transcendent fortune , then that name Can giue : Call downe Ioues winged Pursuiuant , A●…d giue his tongue the power to enchant Some easie Goddesse , in your name , and treat A mariage fitting so sublime , so great A mind as yours , and fill the fruitfull earth With Heroes , sprung from so diuine a birth : Partheniaes heart could neuer yet aspire So high : Her homebred thoughts durst ne're desire So fond an honour , matcht with so great pride , To hope for that , which Queenes haue beene denyde . Be wise , my Lord ; vouchsafe not to repeat S'vnfit a suit ; Be wise , as you are great : Aduance your noble thoughts : hazard no more To wrack your fortunes on so fleet a shore , That , to the wiser world , it may be knowne The lesse y' are mine , the more you are your owne . Like as a guilty prisner , vpon whom Offended Iustice lately past her doome , Stands trembling by , and , hopelesse to preuaile , B●…ules not for mercy , but to the loath'd Iaile D●…agges his sad yrons , and from thence commends A h●…sty suite to his selected friends , That by the vertue of a quicke Reprie●…e The wretch might haue some few daies more to liue . Euen so Demagoras , whose rewounded heart Had newly felt the vnexpected smart And secret burthen of a desp'rate doome , Replies not , takes no leaue , but quits the roome , And , in his discontented mind , reuolues Ten thousand thoughts ; and at the last resolues What course to runne , relying on no other , But the assistance of Partheniaes mother . Forthwith his fierce misguided passion droue His wandring steps to the next neighboring groue . A keene Steeletto in his trembling hand He rudely grip'd , vpon his lips did stand A milke white froth ; his eyes like flames ; sometimes He curses heauen ; himselfe ; and then , the times ; Railes at the proud Parthenia ; raues ; despaires ; And from his head rends off his tangled hayres ; Curs . s the wombe that bare him ; bans the Fates ; And , drunke with spleene , he thus deliberates . Why dyest thou not , Demagoras , when as death Lends thee a weapon ? Can the whining breath Of discontent and passion send reliefe To thy distraction , or asswage thy griefe ? Why moou'st thou not the Gods ? Or rather , why Do'st not contemne , and scorne their power , and dye ? But stay ! Of whom dost thou complaine ? A woman . To whom ( fond man ) dost thou complaine ? A woman . And shall a womans frownes haue power to grieue thee ? Or shall a womans wanton smile relieue thee ? Fye , fie , Demago●…as , shall a womans eye Pre●…aile , to make the stout Demagor●…s dye , And leaue to after times an entred name 〈◊〉 Callender of fooles ? Rouze vp for shame Thy wasted spirits : whet thy spleene and liue To be reueng'd : She , she that would not giue Admittance to thy proferd loue must drinke The potion of thy hate : stirre then the sinke Of all thy passion ; where thou canst not gaine By fairer lauguage , Tarquin-like constraine . But hold thy band , Dem●…goras , and aduise ; Art giues ad●…antage oft , where force denyes ; Suspend thy fury : Make Parthenia●…s mother Thy meanes : One Adamant will cut another : Sweeten thy lips with amorous Oratorie ; Affect her tender heart , with the sad story Of thy deare loue ; Extoll Parth●…niaes beauty ; But most of all , vrge that deserued duty Thou ow'st her vertue , and make that the ground Of thy first loue , that gaue thy heart the wound : Mingle thy words with sighes ; and it is meet , If thou canst force a teare , to let her see 't Against thy will : Let thy false tongue forbeare No vowes and though thou beest forsworne , yet sweare : If ere thy barren lips shall chance to pause , For want of words ; Parthenia is the cause , Who hath benumm'd thy heart ; If e're they goe Beyond their lists , Parthenia made them so . Withall ; be sure , when ere thou shalt aduance The daughters vertues , let the glory glance Vpon the prudent mother ; Women care not To heare too much of vertue , if they share not . When thus thou hast prepar'd her melting eare To soft attention ; closely , in the reare Of thy discourse , preferre thy sad petition , That she would please to fauour the condition Of a distressed louer , and afford In thy behalfe , a mothers timely word ; So shalt thou wreck thy vengeance by a wilde , And make the mother bawd to her owne childe . He paused not ; but like a rash proiector ( Whose franticke passion was supreme director ) Fixt his first thoughts , impatient of the second Which might bin betterd by aduise , and reckon'd All time but lost , which he bestowed not On th' execution of his hopefull plot ; Forthwith his nimble paces he diuided Towards the Summer Pallace , where resided The faire Partheniaes mother , boldly enters , And after mutu●…ll complement , aduenters To breake the yce of his dissembled griefe ; Thus he complaines , and thus he begs reliefe . Madam , The hopefull thriuing of my suit depends Vpon your goodnesse , and it recommends It selfe vnto your sauour , from whose hand It must haue sentence , or to fall , or stand ; Thirce three times hath the Soueraigne of the night , Repaird her empty hornes with borrowed light , Since these sad eyes , these beauty blasted eyes Were stricken by a light , that did arise From your blest wombe , whose vnasswaged smart Hath peirc'd my soule , and wounded my poore heart ; It is the faire Parthenia , whose diuine And glorious vertue led these eyes of mine To their owne ruine ; Like a wanton fly , I dallied with the flames of her bright eye , Till I haue burn'd my wings : O , if to loue Be held a sinne , the guilty gods aboue ( Being fellow-sinners with vs , and commit The selfe same crimes ) may eas'ly pardon it . O thrice diuine Partheni●… , that hast got A sacred priuiledge which the gods haue not , If thou hast doom'd that I shall be bereauen Of my loath'd life , yet let me dye for giuen : And welcome death , that with one happy blow Giues me more ease , then life could euer doe . Madam , to whom should my sad words appeale But you ? Al●… , to whom should I reueale My dying thoughts , but vnto you , that gaue Being to her , that hath the power to saue My wasted life ? The language of a mother Moues more then teares , that trickle from another . With that a well dissembled drop did slide From his false eyes . The Lady thus replyde . My Honorable Lord , If my vntimely answer hath preuented Some further words your passion would haue vented , Pardon my haste ; which , in a ruder fashion Sought onely to diuide you , from your passion : The loue you beare Parthenia must claime The priuiledge of mine eare , and in her name , ( Though from an absent mind as yet vnknowne ) Returne I thankes , with intrest of my owne . The little iudgement , that the gods haue lent Her downy yeares ( though in a small extent ) Does challenge the whole freedome of her choyce , In the resignement of a mothers voice : The sprightly fancies of a virgins mind Enter themselues , and hate to be confinde ; The hidden Embers of a louers fire Desire no bellowes , but their owne desire , And like to Dedalus his forge , if blowne Burnes dimme and dyes ; blazes , if let alone ; Louers affect , without aduisement , that Which being most perswaded to , they hate . My Lord , adiourne your passion , and refer The fortune of your suite to time , and her . Like to a Pinace is a louers minde , The Saile his fancy is ; A storme of winde , His vncontrouled passion ; the Stea●…'s His reason ; Rocks and Sinds , are doubts and feares ; Your storme being great , like a wise Pilot , beare But little Saile , and stoutly ply the Steare . Leaue then the violence of your thoughts to me , My Lord , too hasty Gamesters ouersee . Goe , moue Parthenia , and let Iuno's blessing Attend your hopefull suite , in the suppressing Loues common euills ; and if her warme desire Show but a sparke , leaue me to blow the fire . Goe , lose no time : Louers must be laborious ; My Lord goe prosperous , and returne victorious . With that Demagoras ( prostrate on the ground , As if his eares had heard that blessed sound , Wherewith the Delphian oracle acquites The accepted sacrifice ) performes the rites Of quicke deuotion , to that heauenly voice , Which fed his soule with the malignant ioyes Of vow'd reuenge ; vp , from the floore he starts , Blesses the tongue that bles●… him ; and departs . By this time , had the heauen-surrounding Steeds Quell'd their proud courage , turn'd their fainting head Into the lower Hemispheare , to coole Their flaming nostrills in the Westerne poole , When as the dainty and mollitious ayre Had bid the Lady of the Pallace , share In her refined pleasures , and inuited Her gentle steps , fully to be delighted In those sweet walkes , where Flora's liberall hand Had giuen more freely , then to all the land ; There walked she ; and in her va●…ious minde , Proiects and casts about which way to finde The progresse of the yong Partheniaes heart ; Likes this way : then a second thought does thwart The first ; Likes that way ; then a third , the second : One while she likes the match , and then she reckon'd Demagoras vertues : now her feare entices H●…r thoughts to alter ; then she counts his vices : Sometimes she cals his vowes and oathes to minde : Another while , thinkes oathes and words but winde . She likes , dislikes ; Her doubtfull thoughts doe vary , Resolues , and then resolues the quite contrary . One while she feares , that his maligne aspect Will giue the virgin cause to disaffect : And then , propounds to her ambitious thoughts His wealth , the golden couer of all faults : And , from the Chaos of her doubt , digests Her feares ; creates a world of wealth , and rests . With that , she straight vnfixt her fastned eyes From off the ground ; and , looking vp , espyes The faire Parthenia , in a louely bowre , Spending the treasure of an euening houre : There sate she , reading the sweet-sad discourses Of Charicleas loue : the entercourses Of whose mixt fortunes taught her tender heart To feele the selfe same ioy , the selfe same smart : She read , she wept ; and , as she wept , she smil'd , As if her ●…quall eyes had reconcilde The extremes of ioy and griefe : she closde the booke , Then op'ned it , and with a milder looke , She piti●…s louers ; musing then a while , She teaches smiles to weepe ; and teares , to smile : At length , her broken thoughts she thus discouers . Vnconstant state of poore distressed louers ! Is all extreame in loue ? No meane at all ? No draughts indifferent ? either honey or Gall ? Hath Cupids Vniuerse no temp'rate Zone , Either a torrid or a frozen one ? Alas , alas , poore louers . As she spake Those words , from her disclosed lips there brake A gentle sigh ; and after that , another : With that steps in her vnexpected mother . Haue ye beheld , when Titans lustfull head Hath newly di●…'d into the seagreene bed Of Thet is , how the bashfull Horizone ( Enfore'd to see what should be seene by none ) Lookes red for shame ; and blushes to discouer Th' incestuous pleasures of the heauen borne louer ? So look'd Parthenia , when the sudden eye Of her vnwelcome mother did d●…scry Her secret passion : The mothers smile Brought forth the daughters blush ; and leuell coyle They smil'd and blush ; one smile begate another : The daughter blusht , because the icalous mother Smil'd on her ; and the silent mother smilde , To see the conscious blushing of her childe , At length , growne great with words , she did awake Her forced silence , and she thus bespake . Blush not , my fairest daughter ; T is no shame To pitty louers , or lament that flame , Which worth and beauty kindles in the brest : T is charity to succour the distrest . The disposition of a generous heart Makes euery griese her owne , at least beares part . What marble , ah what adamantine care Ere heard the flames of Troy , without a teare ? Much more the scorching of a louers fire , ( Whose desprate fewell is his owne desire ) May boldly challenge euery gentle heart To be 〈◊〉 in his secret smart : Why dost thou blush ? why did those pearly teares Slide downe ? Feare not : this Arbour hath no cares ; Here 's none but we ; speake then : It is no shame To shed a teare ; thy mother did the same : Say ; hath the winged wanton , with his dart , Sent ere a message to thy wounded heart ? Speake , in the name of Hymen I coniure thee ; If so , I haue a 〈◊〉 shall recure thee : I feare , I feare , the yong La 〈◊〉 Lord Hath lately left some indigested word In thy cold stomack : which , for want of Art I doubt , I doubt , lyes heauy at thy heart : If that be all , reue●…ling brings reliefe : Silence in loue but multiplies a griefe : Hid sorrow's desperate , not to be endur'd , Which being but disclos'd , is easly cur'd : Perchance , thou 〈◊〉 Demagoras ; and wouldst smother Thy close 〈◊〉 from thy angry mother , And reap●… the da●…nty fruits of loue , vnseene ; I did the like , or thou hadst neuer beene ; Stolne goods are sweetest : If it be thy minde To loue in secret , I will be as blinde As he that wounded thee ; or if thou dare Acquaint thy mother , then a mothers care Shall be redoubled , till thy thoughts acquire The sweet fruition of thy choice desire : Thou lou'st D●…magoras ; If thy lips deny , Thy conscious heart must giue thy lips the lye : And if thy liking countermand my will , Thy punishment shall be to loue him still : Then loue him still , and let his hopes inherit The crowne , belonging to so faire a merit , His thoughts are noble , and his fame appeares To speake , at least , an age aboue his yeares . The blood of his increasing honour springs From the high stock of the Arcadian Kings : The gods haue blest him with a liberall hand , Enricht him with the prime of all the land : Honour and wealth attend his gates , and what Can he command , that he possesses not ? All which , and more , ( if mothers can diuine ) The fortune of thy beauty hath made thine : He is thy Captiue , and thy conquering eyes Haue tooke him prisner : hee submits , and lies At thy deare mercie , hoping nere to be Ransom'd from death , by any price , but thee . Wrong not thy selfe in being too too nice , And what ( perchance ) may not be proferd twise , Accept at first : It is a foolish minde To be too coy : Occasion 's bald behind : T is not the common worke of euery day , T' afford such offers : Take them while you may : Times alter : youth and beauty are but blasts ; Vse then thy time , whil'st youth and beauty lasts : For if that loath'd and infamous reproach Of a stale maide , but offer to incroach Vpon opinion ; th' art in estimation , Like garments , kept till they be out of fashion : Thy worth , thy wit , thy vertues all must stand Like goods at outcries , priz'd at second hand . Resolue thee then , t' enlarge thy Virgin life , With th' onourable freedome of a wife , And let the fruits of that blest marriage be A liuing pledge betwixt my Child and me . So said ; The faire Parthenia ( in whose heare Her owne affections yet had got the start Of her obedience ) makes a sudden pause , Striues with her thoughts , obiects the binding lawes Of filiall duty , to her best affection ; Sometimes submits vnto her owne election , Sometimes vnto her mothers : thus diuided In her distracted sancy , sometimes guided By one desire , and sometimes by another , She thus replide to her attentiue mother . Madam , Thinke not Parthenia , vnder a pretence Of silence , studies disobedience : Or by the crafty slownesse of reply , Borrowes a quick aduantage to deny : It lyes not in your power , to command Beyond my will : vnto your tender hand , I here surrender vp that little All You gaue me , freely to dispose withall . The gods forbid , Parthenia should resist What you command , command you what you list : But pardon me , the young Laconian Lord Hath made assault , but neuer yet could board This heart of mine : I wept , I wept indeed , But my misconsterd streames did ne're proceed From Cupids spring : This blubber'd book makes known , Whose griefes I wept ; I wept not for mine owne ; My lowly thoughts durst neuer yet a spire The least degree , towards the proud desire Of so great honour , to be call'd his wife , For whom , ambitious Queenes haue bin at strife ; He su'd for loue , and strongly did importune My heart , more pleased with a meaner fortune ; My brest was marble , and my heart forgot All pitty ; for , indeed , I lou'd him not ; But Madam ; you , to whose more wise directions I bend the stoutest of my rash aff●…ctions , You haue commanded , and your will shall be The square to my vneauen desires , and me ; I 'le practise duty , and my deeds shall show it ; I 'le practise loue , though Cupid neuer know it . Wh●…n great Basilius ( he whose princ●…ly hand Nourisht long peace in the Arcadian land ) With triumph , brought to his renowned Court , His new espoused Queene , was great resort Of forraine States , and Princes , to behold The truth , that vnbeleeu'd report had told Of faire Gynecias worth : Thither repair'd The Cyprian Nobles , richly all 〈◊〉 In warlike furniture , and well addrest , With solemne Iousts to glorifie the feast Of mariage royall , lately past betweene Th' Arcadian King , and his thrice noble Queene , The faire Gynecia ; in whose face and brest Nature , and curious Art had done their best , To summe that rare perfection , which ( in briefe ) Transcends the power of a strong beliefe ; Her Syer was the Cyprian King , whose fame Receiu'd more honour from her honour'd name , Then , if he had , with his victorious hand , Vnsceptred halfe the Princes in the land : To tell the glory of this royall Feast ; The Bridegroomes state , and how the Bride was drest ; The princely seruice , and the rare delights ; The seuerall names and worth , of Lords and Knights ; Their quaint Impresa's , their deuisefull showes ; Their martiall sports , their oft redoubled blowes ; The courage of this Lord , or that proud horse ; Who ran ; who got the better , who , the worse , Is not my taske ; nor lyes it in my way , To make relation of it : Heraulds may : Yet Fame and honour hath selected one , From that illustrious crew ; and him alone Haue recommended to my carefull quill , Forbidding that his honour sho●…ld lye still Among the rest , whom fortune and his spirit , That day , had crowned with a victors merit , His name was Argalus ; In Cyprus borne ; And ( if what is not ours , may adorne Our proper fortunes ) his blood royall springs From th' ancient stocke of the great Cyprian Kings : His outside had enough to satisfie The expectation of a curious eye : Nature was too too prodigall of her beauty , To make him halfe so faire , whom Fame , and duty He ought to Honour , cal●…'d so often forth , T' approue the exc'lence of his manly worth : His minde was richly furnisht with the treasure Of morall knowledge , in so liberall measure , Not to be proud : So valiant , and so strong Of noble courage , not to dare a wrong : Friendly to all men , inward but with few ; Fast to his old friends , and vnapt for new : Lord of his word , and master of his passion , Serious in buisnesse , choyce in recreation : Not too mistrustfull , and yet wisely wary ; Hard to resolue , and then as hard to vary : And to conclude , the world could hardly finde So rare a body with so rare a minde . Thrice had the bright surueyour of the heauen Diuided out the dayes and nights by euen And equall houres , since this child of fame ( Inuited by the glory of her name , ) First view'd Partheniaes face , whose mutuall eye Shot equall flames , and with the secret tie Of vndisclos'd affection , ioyn'd together Their yeelding hearts , their loues vnknown to either , Both dearly lou'd : the more they stroue to hide Their loue , affection they the more descride . It lyes beyond the power of art to smother Affection , where one vertue finds another : One was their thoughts , and their desires one , And yet both lou'd , vnknowne ; beloued , vnknowne : One was the Dart , that at the selfe same time Was sent , that wounded her , that wounded him : Both hop'd , both fear'd alike , both ioy'd , both grieu'd ; Yet , where they both could helpe , was none relieu'd : Two lou'd , and two beloued were ; yet none But two in all , and yet that all but one . By this time had their barren lippes betraid Their timorous silence ; now they had displaid Loues sanguine colours , whilst the winged Child Sate in a tree , and clapt his hands , and smil'd To see the combat of two wounded friends : He strikes and wounds himselfe , while she defends That would be wounded , for h●…r paine proceeds , And flowes from his , and from his wound , she bleeds ; She playes at him , and ayming at his breast , Pierc'd her owne heart : and when his hand addrest The blow to her faire bosome , there it found His owne deare heart , and gaue that heart the wound : At length both conquer'd and yet both did yeeld , Both lost the day , and yet both wan the field : And as the warfare of their tongues did cease , Their lips gaue earnest of a ioyfull peace . But ô the hideous chances that attend A louers progresse , to his iournies end ! How many desp'rate rubs , and dangers waite Each minute , on his miserable state ! His hopes doe build , what straight his feares destroy , Sometimes , he surfeits with excesse of ioy : Sometimes , despairing ere to find reliefe , He roares beneath the tyranny of griefe ; And when loues current runnes with greatest force , Some obuious mischiefe still disturbes the course : For loe , no sooner the discouerd flame Of these new parted louers did proclaime Loues sacred Iubilé ; but the Virgins Mother ( The posture of whose visage did discouer Some serious matter , harb'ring in her brest ) Enters the roome : Halfe angry , halfe in iest , Shee thus began : My dearest child , this night , When as the silent darknesse did inuite Mine eyes to slumber , sundry thoughts possest My troubled minde , and robb'd me of my rest ; I slept not , till the early bugle horne Of Chaunti●…lere had summon'd in the Morne T' attend the Light , and nurse the new-borne Day ; At last , when Morpheus , with his leaden key , Had lockt my senses , and enlarg'd the power Of my heauen guided fancy , for an houre I slumbred ; and before my slumbring eyes , One , and the selfesame dreame presented thrice ; I wak'd ; and , being frighted at the vision , Perceiu'd the Gods had made an app●…ition : My dreame was this : Me thought I saw thee sitting Drest like a princely Bride , with robes befitting The state of Maiesty ; thy Nymph-like haire Loosely dissheuel'd ; and thy browes did beare A Cypresse wreath ; and ( thrice three months expir'd ) Thy pregnant wombe grew heauy , and required Lucina's aid : with that , me thought I saw A teame of harnest Peacocks fiercely draw A siery Chariot from the flitting sky , Wherein there sate the glorious Maiesty Of great Saturnia , on whose traine attended An hoast of Goddesses ; Iuno descended From out the flaming Chariot , and blest Thy painfull wombe : Thy paines a while encreast ; At length , she laid her gentle palmes vpon Thy fruitfull flanke , and there was borne a son : She made thee mother of a smiling boy , And , after , blest thee with a mothers ioy ; She kist the Babe , whose fortune she foresold , For on his head she set a Crowne of Gold ; Forthwith , as if the heauens had clouen in sunder , Me thoughts I heard the horrid noise of thunder ; The raine pour'd downe , and yet the skie was cleare , And euery drop that lighted , did appeare As orient pearle , mixt with refined gold ; Wbereat , the goddesse turn'd , and said , Behold , Great I●…ue hath sent a gift : goe forth , and tak 't , Thus hauing spoke , she vanisht , and I wak't : I wak'●… ; and waking , trembled ; for I knew They were no idle passages , that grew From my distemperd thoughts ; t was not a vaine Delusion rouing from a troubled braine ; It was a vision ; and the gods forespake Parthenia's fortune : Gods cannot mistake . I lik'd the dreame ; wherein the gods foretold Thy ioyfull mariage ; and the shower of gold Betokened wealth ; The Infants golden Crowne , Ensuing honour : Iuno's comming downe , A safe deliuerance ; and the smiling Boy Summ'd vp the totall of a mothers ioy : But what the wreath of Cypresse ( that was set Vpon thy nuptiall browes ) presag'd , as yet The gods keepe from me : if that secret doc Portend an euill , heauen keepe it from thee too . Aduise Parthenia : Seeke not to withstand The plot , wherein the Gods vouchsafe a hand ; Submit thy will to theirs ; what they enioy●…e , Must be ; nor lyes it in my power , or thine To contradict : Endeauor to fulfill What , else , must come to passe against thy will . Now by the fil●…all all duty thou dost beare The gods and me , or if ought else more deare Can force obedience ; as thou hop'st to speed At the gods hands , in greatest time of need ; By heauen , by hell , by all the powers aboue , I here coniure Parthenia to remoue All sond conceits , that labour to disioyne What heauen hath knit , Dem●…goras's heart and 〈◊〉 ; The gods are faithfull , and their wisedomes know What 's better for vs mortalls , then we doe ; Doubt not ( my child ) the gods cannot deceiue ; What heauen does offer , feare not to receiue , With thankfull hands : Passe not so sleightly ouer The deare affection of so true a louer ; Pitty his flames ; relieue his tortur'd brest , That findes abroad , no ioy ; at home , no rest ; But , like a wounded Hart before the hounds , That flies , with Cupids Iauelin in his wounds : Stir vp thy rak't vp embers of desire , The gods will bring in fewell , and blow the fire ; Be gentle ; let thy cordiall smiles reuiue His wasted spirits , that onely cares to liue To doe thee honour : It was Cupids will , The dart he sent , should onely wound ; not kill ; Yeeld then ; a●…d let th' engaged gods powre downe Their promis'd blessings on thy head ; and crowne Thy youth with ioyes ; and maist thou after be As blest in thine , as I am blest in thee . So said : The faire Parthenia , to whose heart Her fixt desires had taught th' ●…m willing Art Of disobedience , calls her iudgement in ; And , of two euills , determines it a sin More veniall , by a resolute deniall , To proue vn 〈◊〉 , then be d●…sloyall To him , whose heart a sacred vow had tyed So fast to hers ; and ( weeping ) thus reply●…d : Madam , The angry gods haue late conspir'd to show The Vtmost their enraged hands could doc , And hauing laid aside all mercy , stretch Their power , to make one miserable wretch , Whose curst and tortur'd soule must onely be The subiect of their wrath ; and I am she . Hard is the case ! my deare desires must faile ; My vowes must cracke ; my plighted faith be fraile ; Or else affection must be so exil'd A mothers heart , that she renounce her child . And as she sp●…ke that word , a flowing tide Of teares gusht out , whose violence deny'd Tn'intended passag●… of her doubling tongue : She stopt a ●…hile : Then on the floore sh●… flung Her prostrate body , whilst her hands did teare ( Not kn●…owing what they did ) her dainty haire . Sometimes she struck the ground ; somtimes , her brest : Began some words , and then wept out the rest ; At last , her liuelesse hands did , by degrees , Raise her cast body on her feeble knees , And humbly rearing her sad eyes vpon Her mothers frowning visage , thus went on . Vpon these knees ; these knees that ne're were bent To you in vaine ; that neuer did present Their vnrewarded duty ; neuer rose Without a mothers blessing ; vpon those , Vpon those naked knees , I recommend To your deare thoughts , those term●…nis that attend Your poore Parthenia , whose vnknowne distresse Craues rather death , then language to expresse . What shall I doe ? D●…magoras and Death Sound both alike to these sad eares ; that breath That names the one , does nominate the other . No , no , I cannot loue him ; my deare mother , Command Parthenia now to vndergoe What death you please , and these quick hands shall show The seale of my obedience in my heart . The gods themselues , that haue a secret art To force affection , cannot violate The lawes of Nature , stop the course of Fate . Can earth forget her burthen , and ascend ? Or can th' aspiring flames be taught to tend To th' earth ? If fire descend , and earth aspire , Earth were no longer earth , nor fire , fire . Euen so , by nature , 't is all one to me , To loue Demagoras , and not to be . No , no , the heauens can doe no act that 's greater , Then ( hauing made so ) to preserue their creature . And thinke you that the righteous Gods would fill me With such false ioyes , as ( if enioy'd ) would kill me ? I know that they are mercifull : what they Command , they giue a power to obey . The ioyfull vision that your slumbring eyes Of late beheld did promise and comprise A fayrer fortune , then the heauens can share To poore Partheniaes merit ; whom despaire Hath swas●…ow'd : Your prophetick dreame discride A royal●… mariage ; pointed out the Bride ; Her safe Deliuer ●…ce and her smiling sonne ; Honou●… and 〈◊〉 ; and after all was done , Th●…re wants a Bridegroome : him , the heauens haue seald Within my brest ; by me , to be reueal'd ; Which , if your patience shall vouchsafe to heare , My lips shall recommend vnto your eare . When as Basilius ( may whose royall hand Long sway the scepter of th' Arcadian land ) From Cyprus brought his more then princely Bride , The faire Gynecia , ( whom as Greece deny'd An equall ; so the world acknowledg'd none As her superiòur in perfection : ) Vpon this Ladies royall traine , and state , Agreat concourse of Nobles did awaite , And Cyprian Princes , with their princely port , To see her crowned in th' Arcadion Court ; Illustrious Princes were they : but as farre As midnight Phebe outshines the twinckling Starre , So far , amongst this rout of Princes , one Surpast the rest , in honour and renowne ; Whose perfect vertue findes more admiration In the Arcadian Court , then imitation : In th' exc'lence of his outward parts , and feature , The world conceiues , the curious hand of Nature Outwent it selfe ; which , being richly fraught And furnisht with transcendent worth , is thought To be the chosen fortresse for protection Of all the Arts , and storehouse of perfection●… The Cyprus stock did ne're , till now , ●…ring forth So rare a Branch , whose vnderualued worth Brings greater glory to th' Arcadian Land , Then can the dull Arcadians vnderstand ; His name is Argalus . He ( Madam ) was that Cypresse wreath , that crown'd My nuptiall brows : And now the Bridegroom 's found , Cloath'd in the mystry of that Cypresse wreath ; Which , since the better gods haue pleas'd to breathe Into my soule , O may I cease to be , If ought , but death , part Argalus and me : Yet does my safe obedience not withstand What you desire , or what the gods command : For what the gods command , is your desire Parthenia should obey ; and not respire Against their sacred counsels , or withstand The plot , wherein they haue vouchsaf'd a hand : We must submit our wils ; what they en●…oyne , Must be ; nor lies it in your power or mine , To crosse : we must endeauour to fulfill What else must come to passe against our will ; My vowes are past , and second heauens decree , Nothing shall part my Arg●…s and me . So said ; Th' impatient mothers kindled eye ( Halfe closed with a murtherous frowne ) let flie A scorching fireball , from whence was shed Some drops of choller ; sternly shakes her head ; With trembling hands vnlocks the doore , and flees , Leauing Parthenia on her aking knees , And as she fled , her fury thus began To open , And is Argalus the man ? But there she stopt ; when striuing to expresse What rage had prompted , could doe nothing lesse . All you , whose deare affections haue beene tost In Cupids blanket , and vniuftly crost By wilfull Parents , whose extreame command Haue made you groan beneath their tyrannous hand , That take a furious pleasure to diuorse Your soul●…s from your best thoughts , nay ( what is worse Then torture ) force your fancies to respect , And dearely loue , whom most you dis affect : Draw neare , and comfort the distressed heart Of poore Parthenia ; let your eyes impart One droppe at least : And whosoe're thou be That read'st these lines , may thy desiers see The like successe , if reading , thou fo●…beare To wet this very paper with a teare . Behold ( poore Lady ) how an houres time Hath pluck't her faded roses from their prime , And like an vnregarded ruine , lyes , With deaths vntimely image in her eyes . She , she , whom hopeful thoughts had newly crownd With promis'd ioyes , lyes groueling on the ground ; Her weary hand sustaine her drooping head ; ( Too soft a pillow for so hard a bed ) Her eyes swolne vp , as loath to see the light , That would discouer so forlorne a sight : The flaxen wealth of her neglected haires Stick'●… fast to her pale cheel●…s with dried teares ; And at first blush , she seemes , as if it were Some curious statue on a Sepulchre : Sometimes her brinie lips would whisper thus , My Argalus , my dearest Argalus And then they clos'd againe , as if the one Had kist the other , for that seruice done In naming Argalus : sometimes opprest With a deepe sigh , she gaue her panting brest A sudden stroke ; and after that another , Crying , Hard fortune , O hard hearted mother ! And sicke with her owne thoughts , her passion stroue Betwixt the two extreames of griefe , and loue ; The more she grieu'd , the more her loue abounded ; The more she lou'd , the more her heart was wounded With desperate griefe : at length , the tyrannous force Of loue and griefe , sent forth this selfe d●…scourse . How art thou chang'd ( Parthenia ? ) how hath passion Put all thy thoughts , and senses out of fashion ? Exil'd thy little iudgement , and betray'd thee To thine owne selfe ? How nothing hath it made thee ? How is thy weather beaten soule opprest With stormes and tempests blowne from the Northeast Of cold despaire ? which , long ere this , had found Eternall rest ; had bin orewhelm'd , and drown'd In the deepe gulfe of all my miseries , Had I not pumpt this water from mine eyes ; My Argalus ; ô where , ô where art thou ? Thou little think'st thy poore Parthenia , now Is tortur'd for thy sake ; alas , ( deare heart ! ) Thou know'st not the insufferable smart I vndergoe for thee : Thou dost not keepe A Register of those sad teares I weepe , No , no , thou dost not . Well , well ; from henceforth , Fortune , doe not spare To doe the worst ( thy Agent ) Mischiefe dare ; Deuise new torments , or repeat the old , Vntill thou burst , or I complaine : Be bold , As bitter ; I disdaine thy rage , thy power ; Who 's leuell'd with the earth , can fall no lower ; Doe ; spit thy venome forth , and temper all Thy studied actions with the spirit of gall ; Thy practis'd malice can no euill deuise Too hard , for Argalus to exercise ; His loue shall sweeten death , and make a torture My sportfull pastime , to make houres shorter ; His loue shall fill my heart , and lea●…e no roome , Wherein your rage may practise martyrdoome . But ere that word could vsh●…r out another , The tender Vi●…gins marble hearted mother Enters the Chamber ; with a chang'd aspect Beholds Partheni●… ; with a new respect Salutes her child , and ( hauing clos'd the doore ) Her helpfull arme remoues her from the ●…loore Whereon she lay ; and , being set together , In gentle termes , she thus did commune with her . Peruerse Partheni●… , Is thy heart so sworne To A●…galus his loue , that it must s●…orne Demagoras ? Are your soules conioyn'd so close , That my ent●…eaty may not enterpose ? If so , what helpe ? yet let a mothers care Be not conte●…n'd , that bids her child beware . The sickle that 's too early , cannot reape A fruitfull Haruest : Looke , before you leape : Adiourne your thoughts , and make a wise delay , You cannot measure vertue in a day ; Vertues appeare , but vices baulke the light ; T is hard to read a vice at the first sight . False are those ioyes , that are not mixt with doubt , Fire easely kindled , will not easely out : Diuide that loue , which thou bestowst on one , Twixt two : try both ; then take the best , or none : Consult with time : for time bewrayes , discouers The faith , the loue , the constancy of louers . Acts done in hast , by leasure are repented , And things , soone past , are oft , too late lamented : With tha●… , Parthenia , rising from her place , And bowing with incomparable grace , M●…de ●…his reply ; Madam , each seuerall day Since first you gaue this body being , may Write a large volume of your tender care , Whose hourely goodnesse if it should compare With my deserts , alas , the world would show Too great a summe , for one poore heart to owe ; I must confesse my heart is not so sworne To Argalus his merit as to scorne D●…magoras ; nor yet so loosely tyed , That I can slip the knot , and so diuide Entire affection , which must not be seuer'd , Nor euer can be ( but in vaine ) endeuour'd . My heart is one , and by one power guided ; One is no number ; cannot be diuided . And Cupids learned schoolemen haue resolu'd That loue diuided is but loue dissolu'd ; But yet , what plighted faith , and honour may Not now vndoe , your counsell shall delay . Madam , Partheniaes hand is not so greedy , To reape her corne , before her corne he ready : Her vnaduised sickle shall not thrust Into her hopefull Har●…est , ere needs must : To yours P●…rthenia shall submit her skill , Whose season shall be season'd by your will : Her time of haruest shall admit no measure But onely what 's proportion'd by your pleasure . S●… ended she ; But till that darknesse got The mastry of the light , they parted not . The mother pleads for the Laconian Lord ; The daughter ( whose impatience had abhort'd His very name , had not her mother spok't ) S●…e pl●…ads her vow , which cannot be reuokt . Y●…t st●…ll the mother pleads , and does omit No way vntryed , that a hard hearted wit Knowes to deuise ; perswades , allures , entreats ; Mingles his words with smiles , with tears , with threats ; Commands , coni●…es ; tries one way , tryes another , Does th●…tmost that a marble brested mother Can doe ; and yet the more she did apply , The mor●… she taught Parthenia to deny ; The more she did ass●…ult , the more contend ; The more she taught the virgin to defend . At last , despairing ( for her words did finde More ease to moue a mountaine , then her minde ) She sp●…ke no more ; but from her chaire she started , And spit these words , Goe , peeuish Girle , and parted . Away she flings , and finding no successe In her lost words , her fury did addresse Her raging thoughts to a new studied plot ; Actions must now enforce , what words could not . Treason is in her thoughts ; Her furious breath Can whisper now no language , vnder death ; Poore Argalus must dye ; and his remoue Must make the passage to Demagoras loue : And till that barre be broken , or put by , No hope to speed ; Poore Argalus must dye . Demagoras is call'd to counsell now , Consults , consents ; and , after mutuall vow , R●…soluing on the act , they both conspire , Which way to execute their close desi●…e . D●…awing his keene Seeletto from his side , Madam ( said he ) This medicine well applide , To Arg●…lus his bo●…ome , will giue rest To him , and me ; the sudden way is best . My Lord ( 〈◊〉 she ) your trembling hand may misse The marke , and then your selfe in danger is Of outcry ; or perchance his owne resistance . Attempts are dangerous , at so small a distance . A drugg's the better weapon ; which does breathe Deaths secret errand , carries sudden death Clos'd vp in sweetnesse : Come , a drugge strikes sure , And works our ends , and yet we sleepe secure . My Lord , bethinke no other ; Set your rest Vpon these C●…rds ; The surest way is best : Leaue me to manage our successfull plot , And if these studious browes contriue it not Too sure , for art of M●…gicke to preuent , Ne're trust a womans wit , w●…en fully bent To take reuenge : Begone , my Lord ; repose The trust in me : Onely be wise , be close . That night , when as the vniuersall sh●…de Of the vnspangled heauen , and earth had made An v●…ter darknesse ; ( darknesse , apt to further The horrid enterprise of rapes , and m●…her ) She , she , that now lacks nothing to procu●…e A full reuenge , she calls Athleia to her , ( Partheniaes handmaid ) whom sh●… thus ●…espake . Athleia , dare thy priuate thoughts partake With mine ? Canst thou be secret ? Has thy heart A locke that none can pick by theevish art , Or brake by force ? Tell me , Canst thou digest A secret , trusted to thy faithfull brest ? Madam , said sh●… , L●…t me bee neuer true To my owne thoughts , if euer false to you : Speake what you please ; Athleia shall conceale , Torments may make me roare , but ne're re●…eale . Replyde the Lady then : Athleia knows How much , how much my deare affection owes Partheniaes heart whose welfare is the crowne Of all my ioyes , which now is ouerthrowne And deeply buried in forgotten dust , If thou betray the secret of my trust . It lyeth in thy power to remoue Approaching euills : Parthenia is in loue : Her wasted spirits languish in her brest , And nought , but look'd for death , can giue her rest ; T is Argalus she loues ; who , with disdaine , Requites her loue , not louing her againe ; He sleights her teares : The more that he neglects , The more entirely she ( poore soule ) affects : She groanes beneath the burden of despaire , And with her sighes she cloyes the idle ayre . Thou art acquainted with her priuate teares ; And you , so oft exchanging tongues and eares , Must know too much , for one poore heart t' endure ; But desperate's the wound admits no Cure : It lies in thee to helpe : Athleia , say , Wilt thou assist me , if I find the way ? Madam , my forced ignorance shall be Sufficient earnest of my secresie : Your lips haue vtter'd nothing that is new To Athleias eares : Alas , it is too true . Long , long ere this , your seruant had reueal'd The same to you , bad not my lips bi●… seal'd : But if my best endeauors may extend To bring my Mistresse sorrowes to an end , Let all the enraged D●…ties a●…ot To me worse torment , if I doe it not : My life 's too poore to hazard for her ease ; Madam , I le do●… ; Command me what you please : So said ; The treacherous Lady steps aside , In●…o her serious close●… ; and applide Her hasty , and perfidious hands , to frame This fo●…ged letter , in Partheniaes name . Constant Parthenia to her faithfull Argalus . ALthough the malice of a mother Does yet enforce my tongue to smother What my desire is , should flame ; yet Parthenia is the same . Although my fire be hid a while , T is but fire slak'd with oyle ; Before seuen Suns shall rise and fall , It shall burne , and blaze withall . What I send thee , drinke with speed , Else let my Argalus take heed ; Vnlesse thy prouidence withstand , there is treason ne're at hand ; Drinke as thou lou'st me , and it shall secure thee From future dangers ; or from past , recure thee . This done , and seal'd , she op'd her pri●…te doore , Call'd in Athleia , and said ; For euery sore The gods prouide a salue . Force must preuaile , Where sighes and teares , and deepe entreaties faile . Forthwith from out her Cabinet she tooke A little glasse , and said , Athleia , looke Within these slender walls , these glazed lists , Parthe●…aes happinesse , and life consists ; It is Nepenthe ; which the factious gods Doe vse to drinke , when ere they be at ods , Whose secret vertue ( so infus'd by loue ) Does turne deep hatred , into dearest loue ; It makes the proudest louer whine and baule , And such to dote , as neuer lou'd at all ; Here take this glasse , and recommend the same To A●…galus in his P●…theniaes name , And to his hand , to his owne hand commit This letter ; Betweene A●…galus , and it Let no eye come : Be sure thy spee●… preuent The rising Sun : and so heauens crowne th' euent . By this the feather'd Bellman of the night Sent forth his midnight summons , to inui●…e All eyes to sl●…mber , when they both addrest Their thoughtfull minds , to take a doubtfull rest . O heauens ! and you , O you celestiall powers , That neuer slumber , but imploy all houres In mans prorection ; still preseruing , keeping Our soules from obuious dangers , waking , sleeping . O , can your all-descerning eyes behold Such impious actions prosper , vncontroll'd ? O can your hearts , your tender hearts endure To see your seruant ( that now sleepes secure , Vnarm'd , vnwarn'd , and hauing no defence , But your protection , and his innocence ) Betray'd , and murther'd , drawing at one breath His owne prepar'd destruction , his owne death ? And will ye 〈◊〉 ? He that is the crowne Of prized vertue , honour and renowne ; The flowre of Arts ; the Cyprian liuing story ; Arcadias Girland , and great Graeces glory ; The earths new wonder ; and the worlds example , Must dye betraid ; Treason and death must trample Vpon his life ; and , in the dust , must lye As much admit'd perfection , as can dye . No , Argalus , the coward hand of death Durst ne're assault thee , if not vnderneath The Maske of loue : Thou art aboue the reach Of open wrongs ; Mans force could ne're make breach Into thy life : no , Death could ne're vncase Thy soule , had she appeared face to face . Dreame , Argalus ; and let thy thoughts be troubled With murthers , treasons ; Let thy dreams be doubled And what thy frighted fancy shall perceiue , Be wisely superstitious , and beleeue . O , that my lines could wake thee now , and seuer Those eyelids , that ere long must sleepe for euer . Wake , now or neuer Argalus ; and withstand Thy danger ; Wake , the murtheresse is at hand . Parthenia , oh Parthenia , who shall weepe Thy world of teares ? Canst thou , O canst thou sleep ? Will thy dull Genius giue thee leaue to slumber ? Does nothing trouble thee ? no dreame incumber Thy frighted thoughts ? and Argalus so neere His latest houre ? Not one dreaming teare ? Sleepe on : and when thy flattring slumber's past , Perchance , thine eyes will learne to weepe as fast . His death is plotted ; And this morning light Must send him downe , into eternall night . Nay , what is worse then worst ; His dying breath Will censure thee , as Agent in his death . By this the broadfac'd Quirister of night Surceas'd her screeching note , and tooke her flight To the next neighbring Ivy : Brids and beasts Forsake the warme protection of their nests , And nightly 〈◊〉 , whilst darknesse did display Her sable curtaines , to let in the day , When sad Athleia's dreame had vnbenighted Her slumbring eies : her busie thoughts were frighted : She rose , and trembled ; and being halfe distraught , With her prophetick feares ; she thus bethought . What ayle the Gods , thus to disturbe my rest , And make such earthquakes in my troubled brest ? Nothing but death , and murthers ? Graues and Bells ? Frighting my fancy , with their hourely knells ? T was nothing but a dreame ; and dreames they say , Expound themselues the cleane contrary way . The Riddle 's read ; and now I vnderstand My dreames intents : Some mariage is at hand : For death interpreted , is nothing else But mariage ; And the melancholly Bells , Is mirth and musicke : By the graue , is read The ioyfullioy , full , ioyfull , mariage bed : I , I t is plaine : And now , me thinks , 't was I , That my prophetick dreame foretold , should dye . If this be death , Death exercise thy power , And let Athleia dye within this houre . Doe , doe thy worst ; Athleia's faithfull breath Shall pray for nothing more then sudden death . But stay , Athleia , the too forward day , Begins to gild the East ; away , away . So hauing said ; The nimble fingerd Lasse Tooke the forg'd letter , and the amorous glasse , And , to her early progresse , she applies her ; D parts , and toward ; Argalus she hies her ; But euery step she tooke , her mind enforc'd New thoughts , and with her selfe , she thus discours'd . How fraile's the nature of a womans will ! How crosse ! The thing that 's most forbidden , still They more desire ; and least inclinde , to doe What they are most of all perswaded too . Had not ( alas ) my Lady bound these hands , Athl●…ia ne're had struggled with her bands . I must not tast it ! Had she not enioyn'd My lips from tasting it , Athleia's mind Had neuer thought on 't ; now , me thinkss I long ; Desires , if once confinde , become too strong For womans conquer'd reason to resist ; A womans reason 's measur'd by her list . I long to tast : yet was there nothing did Mooue my desires , but that I was forbid . With that she stayd her weary steps , and hasted T'vntye the Glasse ; lift vp her arme and tasted ; That done ( and hauing now attain'd , almost Her iourneyes end ) the little time she lost , New speed regaines ; The nimble ground she traces With double hast and quicke redoubled paces . All on a sudden , she begins to faint ; Her bowells gripe , her breath begins to taint ; Her blistred tongue growes hot , her liuer glowes ; Her vaines doe boile , her colour comes and goes : She staggers ; falls ; and on the ground she lyes ; Swels like a bladder ; roares ; and bursts ; and dyes . Thus from her ruine , Argalus deriues His longer life , and by her death , he liues ; Liue Argalus , and let the gods allot Such morning draughts to those that loue thee not : Liue long ; and let the righteous powers aboue , That haue preseru'd thee for Parthenia's loue , Crowne all thy hopes , and fortunes , with euent Too sure , for second treasons to preuent . By this time , did the lauish breath of Fame Giue language to her Trumpet , and proclaime Athleias death , the current of which newes Truths warrant had forbidden to abuse Deceiued eares : which , when the Lady heard , Whose trecherous heart was greedily prepar'd To entertaine a murther ; she arose , And with rude violence desperately throwes H●…r trembling body , on the naked floore , But what she said , and did , I will deplore , Not vtter ; but with forced silence smother , Because she was the faire Parthenia's mother : May it suffice , that the extreames of shame , And vnresisted sorrow ouercame Her disappointed malice ; lesse lamenting The treason , then successe ; and more repenting Of what she fail'd to doe , then what she did , Her sullen soule dispaires ; her thoughts forbid What reason wants the power , to perswade ; Her griefes b●…ing growne too deepe for her to wade , She sinks ; and with a hollow sigh , she cryed , Welcome thou easer of all euills ; and dyed . Now tongues begin to walke ; and euery eare Hath got the Saturyasis to heare This tragicke sceane : The breath of Fame grows bold Feares no repulse , and scornes to be controlld , Whilst lowd report , ( whose tender lips before , Durst onely whisper ) now begins to roare ; The letter , found in dead Athleias brest , Bewray'd the plot ; and what ( before ) was guest , Is now confirm'd , and clear'd : for all men knew Whose hand it was , and whence the malice grew . But haue we lost Parthenia ? In what Isle Of endlesse sorrow lurks she all this while ? Sweet Reader , vrge me not to tell , for feare Thy heart dissolue , and melt into a teare . Excuse my silence : If my lines should speake , Such marble hearts , as could not melt , would break ; No , leaue her to her selfe : It is not fit To write , what being read , you 'd wish vnwrit : I leaue the taske to those , that take delight , To see poore Ladyes tortur'd in despight Of all remorse ; whose hearts are still at strife To p●…int a torment to the very life . I leaue that taske to such , as haue the powre To weepe , and smile againe within an houre . To those , whose flinty hearts are more content●…d To limme a griefe , then pitty the tormented . Let it suffice , that had not heauen protected Her Argalus ; the ioy whereof , corrected That 〈◊〉 griefe , which passion recommended To her sad thoughts , her story here had ended . When Time ( the enemy of Fame ) had clos'd Her babling lips , and gently had compos'd Partheniaes sorrowes , raising from the ground Her body , spent with griefe , and almost drownd In her owne teares ; a long expected Sceane Of better fortune enters in , to dreane His marish eyes : Her stormy night of teares Being past , a welcome day of ioy appeares ; The rocke's remou'd , and loues wide Ocean now Giues roome enough ; lookes with a milder brow . Reader forget thy sorrowes ; Let thine eare Welcome the tydings thou so longst to heare : A louers diet 's sweet , commixt with sower ; His hell and heauen , oft-time , diuides an houre . Now Argalus can finde a faire accesse To his Parthenia : now , feares nothing lesse Then eares and eyes ; and now Partheniaes heart Can giue her tongue the freedome , to impart His louder welcome , whilst her greedy eye Can looke her fill , and feare no stander by . She 's not Parthenia , he not present with her ; And he not Argalus , if not together . Their cheeks are fill'd with smiles ; their tongues with chat , Now , this they make their subiect , and now that . One while they laugh ; and laughing wrangle too , And iarre , as iealous louers vse to doe . And then a kisse , must make them friends againe ; Faith , one's too little ; Louers must haue twaine ; Two brings in ten ; ten multiplyes to twenty ; That , to a hundred : then because the plenty Growes troublesome to count , and does incumber Their lips ; their lips gaue ●…isses without number . Their thoughts run backe to former times : they told Of all loues passages , they had of old .
ARGALVS AND PARTHENIA . The Second Booke . SAyle gentle Pinace : Now the heauens are cleare , The winds blow faire : Behold the harbour's neere . Trydented Neptune hath forgot to frowne ; The rocks are past ; The storme is ouerblowne ; Vp wetherbeaten voyagers ; and rouze yee , Forsake your loathed Cabbi●…s ; vp , and louze ye Vpon the open decks , and smell the land ; Cheare vp ; the welcome shoare is nigh at hand : Sayle gentle Pinace , with a prosperous gale , To th' Isle of peace : S●…ile gentle Pinace , saile ; Fortune conduct thee ; Let thy keele diuide The siluer streames , that thou mast safely slide Into the bosome of thy quiet Key , And quite thee fairely of th' iniurious Sea . Great Seaborne Queene , thy birthright giues thee power T' assist poore suppliants ; grant one happy houre . O , let these wounded louers be possest , At length , of their so long desired rest . Now , now the ioyfull mariage day drawes on ; The Bride is bu●…ie , and the Bridegroome 's gone To call his fellow Princes to the feast ; The Girland's made ; The bridall chamber 's drest ; The Muses haue consulted with the Graces , To crowne the day , and honour their embraces With shadow'd Epithalmes : Their warbling tongues Are perfect in their new made Lyrick songs ; Hymen begins to grumble at delay , And Bacchus laughs to think vpon the day ; The virgin tapors , and what other rights Doe appertaine to Nuptiall delights , Are all prepar'd , whereby may be exprest The ioyfull triumph of this mariage feast . But stay ! who lends me now an yron pen , T'engraue within the marble hearts of men A tragick sceane ; which whosoe're shall reade , His eyes may spare to weepe , and learne to bleed Carnation teares : If time shall not allow His death preuented eyes to weepe enow , Th●…n let his dying language recommend What 's left to his posterity to end . Thou saddest of all Muses ; come ; afford Thy studious helpe , that each confounding word May rend a heart ( at least ; ) that euery line May pickle vp a kingdome in the brine Of their owne teares : O teach me to extract The spirit of griefe , whose vertue may distract Those brests , which sorrow knowes not how to kill ; Inspier , 〈◊〉 inspire my melting Quill , And , like sad Niobé , let euery one That cannot melt , be turn'd into a stone : Teach me to paint an oft-repeated sigh So to the life , that whosoe're be nigh May heare it breathe , and learne to doe the like By imitation , till true passion strike Their bleeding hearts : Let such as shall rehearse This story , houle like Irish at a Herse . Th' euent st●…ll crownes the act : Let no man say , Before the euening 's come ; T is a faire day : When as the Kalends of this bridall feast Were entred in , and euery longing brest 〈◊〉 great with expectation , and all eyes ( Prepar'd for entertaining nouelties ) Were growne impatient now , to be suffis'd With that , which Art and Honour had deuis'd T' adorne the times withall , and to display Their bounty , and the glory of that day , The rare Parthenia taking sweet occasion To blesse her busie thoughts , with contemplation Of absent Argalus , whose too long stay Made minutes 〈◊〉 dayes ; and euery day A measur'd age ; into her s●…cret bower Betooke her weary steps , where euery houre Her greedy eares expect to heare the summe Of all her hopes , that Argalus is come . She hopes , she feares at once ; and still she muses What makes him stay so long ; she chides ; excuses ; She questions ; answers ; and she makes reply , And talkes , as if her Argalus were by ; Why com'st thou not ? Can Argalus forget His languishing Parthenia ? what , not yet ? But as she spake that word , she heard a noise , Which seem'd as if it were the whispering voice Of close conspiracy : she began to feare She knew not what , till her deceiued eare , Instructed by her hopes , had singled out The voice of Argalus from all the rout , Whose steps ( as she supposed ) did prepare By stealth to sieze vpon her vnaware : She gaue aduantage to the thriuing plot , Hearing the noyse , as if she heard it not . Like as young Doues , which ne're had yet forsaken The warme protection of their nests , or taken Vpon themselues a selfe-prouiding care , To shift for food , but with paternall fare Grow fat and plump ; think euery noise they heare , Their full cropt parents are at hand , to cheare Their crauing stomacks , whilst th' impartiall fist Of the false Cater , rifling where it list In euery hole , surprises them , and sheds Their guiltlesse blood , and parts their gasping heads From their vaine struggling bodies ; so ; euen so Our poore deceiu'd Parthenia , ( that did owe Too much to her owne hopes ) the whilst her eyes Were set , to welcome the vnualued prize Of all her ioyes , her dearest Argalus , Steps in Demagoras , and salutes her thus : Base Trull ; Demagoras comes to let thee see , How much he scornes thy painted face , and thee ; Foule Sorceresse ! Could thy prosperous actions think To scape reuenge , because the gods did wink At thy designes ? Think'st thou thy mothers blood Cryes in a language , not to be'vnderstood ? Hadst thou no closer stratagem , to further Thy pamper'd lust , but by the saluage murther Of thine owne aged parent , whose sad death Must giue a freedome to the whisp'ring breath Of thy enioy'd adult'rer ? who ( they say ) Will cloake thy whoredome , with a mariage day ; Nay struggle not ; here 's none that can reprieue Such pounded beasts ; It is in vaine to striue , Or roare for helpe : why do'st not rather weepe , That I may laugh ? Perchance , if thou wilt creepe Vpon thy wanton belly , and confesse Thy selfe a true repentant murtheresse , My sinfull Page may play the foole , and gather Thy early fruit into his barne , and father Thy new got Cyprian bastard , if that he Be halfe so wis●… , that got it , but to flee . Hah ! dost thou weepe ? or doe false mists but mocke Our cheated eyes ? From so obdure a rock Can water flow ? weeping will make thee faire ; Weepe till thy mariage day ; that who repaire To grace thy feast , may fall a weeping too , And , in a mirrour , see what teares can doe . Vile strumpet ! did thy flattering thoughts e're wrong Thy iudgement so ; to thinke , D●…magoras tongue Could so abuse his honour , as to sue For serious loue ? So base a thing as you ( Me thinks ) should rather fixe your wanton eyes Vpon some ea●…e groome , that hopes to rise Into his masters fauour , for your sake ; I ; this had beene preferment , like to make A hopefull fortune : thou presumptuous trash●… What was my courtship ? but the minuts dash Of youthfull passion , to allay the dust Of my desires , and exuberous lust ? I scorne thee to the soule , and here I stand Bound for reuenge , whereto I set my hand . With that , he c●…ught her rudely by the faire And bounteous treasure of her Nymph-like hayre ; And , by it , dragd her on the du●…y floore : He stopt her mouth , for feare she should implore An aid from heauen , she swounding in the place , His salvage hands besmear'd her liuelesse face With horrid poyson , thinking she was dead , He left her breathlesle , and away he fled . Come , come ye Furies , you malignant spirits , Infernall Harpies , or what , else , inherits The land of darknesse ; you , that still conuerse With damned soules ; you , you that can rehearse The horrid facts of villanies , and can tell How euery hell hound lookes , that roares in hell ; Suruey them all ; and , then , informe my pen , To draw in one , the monster of all men ; Teach me to limme a villaine , and to paint With dextrous art , the basest Sycophant , That e're the mouth of insolent disdaine Vouchsas'd to spit vpon ; the ripened blaine Of all diseased humours , fit for none But dogs to lift their hasty legs vpon : So cleare mens eyes , that whosoe're shall see The type of basenesse , may cry , This is Hee ; Let his reproach be a perpetuall blot In Honours booke : Let his remembrance rot In all good mindes : Let none but villaines call His bugbeare name to memory , wherewithall To fright their bauling bastards : Let no spell Be found more potent , to preuaile in hell , Then the nine letters of his charme like name ; Which , let our bashfull Chriscrosse row disclaime To the worlds end , not fitting to be set As mutes , within the Iewish Alphabet . But harke ! Am I deceiu'd , or doe I heare The voice of Arg'lus sounding in mine eare ? He calls Parthenia : No , that tongue can be No counterfeit : He 's come : 't is he , 't is he . Welcome too la●… , that art now come too soone ; Hadst thou bin here , this deed had ne're bin done . Alas ! when louers linger , and outgoe Their promis'd date , they know not what they doe : Men fondly say , that women are too fond ; At parting , to require so strict a bond For quicke returne : Poore soules ! 't is they endure Oft times the danger of the forfeiture ; I blame them not ; for mischiefe still attends Vpon the too long absence of true friends . Well ; Argalus is come , and seekes about In euery roome , to finde Parthenia out ; He askes , enquiers ; but all lips are sparing To be the authors of ill newes , not daring To speake the truth ; they all amazed stand ; And now , my Lord 's as fearfull to demand ; Dares not enquire her health , lest his sad eare Should heare such words , as he 's afraid to heare : All lips are boulted with a linnen barre , And euery eye does , like a bl●…zing star , Portend some euill ; no language findes a leake ; The lesse they speake , the more he feares to speake . Faces grow sad ; and euery priuate eare Is turn'd a Closet for the whisperer ; He walkes the roome , and like an vnknowne stranger They eye him ; from each eye , he picks a danger ; At last , his lips not d●…ting to importune What none dare tell him , vnexpected fortune Leads his rash steps into a darkned roome , A place more black then night ; No sooner come , B●…t he was welcom'd with a sigh , as deepe As a spent heart could giue ; he heard one weepe , And by the noise of groanes and sobs was led ( H●…uing none other guide ) to the sad bed . Who is 't ( said he ) that calls vntimely night To hide those griefes that thus abiure the light ? With that , as if her heart had rent in two , She past a sigh , and said , O aske not who ? Vrge not my tongue to make a forc'd reply To your demand : Alas ! it is not I : Not I ( said he ? ) what language doe I heare ; Darknesse may stop mine eye , but not mine eare . It is my deare Parthenia's voice ; ah me , And can Parthenia , not Parthenia be ? What meanes this word , ( Alas ! it is not I ) ? What sudden ill hath taught thee to deny Thy selfe ? or what can Argalus then claime , If his Parthenia be not the same , She was ; alas , it seemes to me all one To say , Thou art not hers , that 's not her owne . Can hills forget their pondrous bulk , and flye , Like wandring Atomes , in the empty sky ? Or can the heauens , ( growne idle ) not fulfill Their certaine reuolutions , but stand still , And leaue their constant motion , for the winde T' inherit ? Can Parthenia change her minde ? Heauen sooner shall stand still , and earth rem●…e , E're my Parthenia 〈◊〉 her loue : Vnfold thy Riddle then ; and tell me , why Those lips should say , ( Alas it is not I. ) Whereto she thus reply'd ; O doe not thou So wrong thy noble thoughts , as once t' allow That cursed name a roome , within thy brest , Let not so foule a prodigy be blest With thy lost breath ; Let it be held a sin Too great for pardon , e're to name 't agen ; Let darknesse hide it in eternall night ; May it be clad with horror , to affright A desp'rate conscience ; He that knowes not ●…ow To mouthe a curse , O let him practise now Vpon this name ; Let him that would contract The body of all mischiefe , or extract The quint'ssence of all sorrowes , onely claime A secret priuiledge to vse that name : Far be it from thy language , to commit So soule a sin , as once to mention it : Liue happy Arg'lus ; doe not thou partake In these my miseries : O forbeare to make My burthen greater , by thy tender sorrow ; Alas , my heart is strong , and needs not borrow Thy needlesse helpe : O be not thou so cruell To feed my ●…aming fiers , with thy fuell ; Why dost thou sigh ? O wherefore should thy heart Vsurpe my stage , and act Parthenia's part ? It is my proper taske : what dost thou meane , Without my licence , to intrude my Sceane ? Alas ! thy sorrowes ease not my distresse ; God knowes , I weepe not one pocre teare the lesse : My patent's sign'd and past ; whereby appeares That I haue got the Monopoly of teares : In me , let each mans torment finde an end : I am that Sea , to which all Riuers tend : Let all spent mourners , that can weepe no more , Take teares on trust , and set them on my score . And as she spake that word , his heart not able To beare a language so vnsufferable , But being swolne so big , must either breake Or vent , his darkned reason grew too weake T' oppose his quickned passion ( like a man Transported from himselfe ) he thus began ; Accursed darknesse ! Thou sad type of death ! Infernall Hagge , whose dwelling is beneath ! What meanes thy boldnesse to vsurpe this roome , And force a night , before the night be come ? Get , get ●…hee downe , and keepe within thy lifts ; Goe reuell there ; and burle thy hideous mists Before those cursed eyes , that take delight In vtter darkenesse , and abhorre the light ; Returne thee to thy dungeon , whence thou came And hide those faces , whose infernall flame C●…ls for more darknesse , and whose tortur'd soules Craue the protection of th' obscurest holes , To scape some lashes , and auoid those strict And horrid plagues , the furies doe inflict : But if thou needs must ramble here , abou●… ; Goe to some other Clymate , and remoue Thy vgly presence from our darkned eyes , That hate thy Tyranny : Goe exercise Thy power in Groues , and solitary springs , Where Bats are subiects , and where Owles are kings ; Goe to the granes , and fill those empty voomes , That such as slumber in their silent Toombs May blesse thy welcome shades , and lie possest Of vndi●…rbed and eternall rest : Or if thy more ambitious fogs desire To haunt the liuing ; hast thee , and retire Into some Cloyster , and there stand b●…ene The light , and those that faine would sin , vnseene ; Assist them there ; and 〈◊〉 thy vgly shapes Count'nance close treasons , and incestuous rapes : Benight those roomes ; and ayd all such , as feare The eye of heauen ; Goe ; close thy curtaines there ; We need thee ●…ot ( foule witch , ) away , away ; Thou hid'st more beauty then the noone of day Can giue ; O thou , that hast so rudely hurl'd On this darke bed , the glory of the world . So said ; Abruptly he the roome departs , His cheeks looke pale , his curled hayre 〈◊〉 L●…ke quills of Porcupines , and from his eye Q●…icke flashes like the flames of lightning flye ; He calls for light ; the light no sooner come , But his owne hand connayes it to the roome From whence he came , and as he entred in He blest himselfe ; he blest himselfe agin ; Thrice did he blesse himselfe , and after said , Foule witch , begon ; and let thy dismall shade For sake this place ; Let thy darke fogs obey Great Vulcans charge ; 〈◊〉 Vulcans name , away ; Or if thy ●…out rebellion shall disclaime His soueraignty , in my Parthenia's name I charme thee hence . And as that word flew out , He steps to that sad bed , where round about , Clos'd were the curtaines , as if darknesse did Command that such a Iewell should be hid : His left hand held the tapour , and his right Enforc'd the curtaines , to absolue the light ; Which done ; appear'd before his wondring eye The truest pourtrait of deformity , As e're the Sun beheld : That louely face That was , of late , the modell of all grace And 〈◊〉 beauty , whose imperious eyes 〈◊〉 where e're they lookt , and did ●…urprise The very soules of men ; she , she of whom Nature her selfe w●…s proud , is now become So loath'd an obiect , so deform'd , dis●…z'd , As darknesse , for m●…s sake , was well aduis'd To cloath in mists , lest any were incited To see that face , and so depart affrighted . All this when Argalus b●…held , and found It was no dreame , he fell vpon the ground ; And 〈◊〉 ; and rose agen ; stood still ; and gaz'd ; At first he startled , then he stood amaz'd ; Lookes now vpon the light ; and now on her ; One while his tyred fancy does refer His th●…ughts to silence ; as his thoughts encrease , His p●…ion striues for vent , and breakes that peace , Which conquer'd reason had , of late , concluded , And thus began ; Are these false ●…es deluded ? Or haue inchanted mists stept in betweene My abused eyes , and what 〈◊〉 eyes ●…aue seene ? No ; mischi●…fe cannot act so faire a part , Taffright in i●…st ; it goes beyond the art Of all blacke bookes , to maske , with such disguise , So sweet a face ; I know , that these are eyes ; And this a light ; False mists could neuer be Betwixt my poore Parthenia , and me . Accursed Tapour ! what infernall spright Breath'd in thy face ? what Fury gaue thee light ? Thou impe of Phlegetor ; who let thee in , To force a day , before the day begin ? Who brought thee 〈◊〉 ? I ? did I ? From whom , What leane chapt fury did I snatch thee from ? When as this cursed hand did goe about To bring thee in , why went not these eies out ? Be all such Tapours cursed , for thy sake ; Ne're shine , but at some Vigill , or sad Wake ; Be neuer seene , but when as sorrow cals Thy needfull helpe to nightly ●…unerals ; Be as a May-game for th' amazed Bat To sport about ; and Owles , to wonder as : Still h●…nt the Chancels a : a midnight knell , To fright the Sexton from his passing Bell : Giue light to none but treasons , and be hid In their darke lanthorns : Let all mirth forbid Thy treacherous flames the roome : and if that none . Shall deigne to put thee out , goe out alone ; Attend some misers table , and then waste Too soone , that he may curse thee for thy haste ; Bur●… dimme for euer : Let that flat●…'ring ligh●… Thou feed'st , consume thy stock : be ●…isht quite From Cupids Court : When louers goe abou●… Their stol●… pleasures , let your flames goe out ; Henceforth be vsefull to no other end , But onely to burne day light , or attend The midnight Cups of such as shall resigne , With vsurie , thir indigested wine : Why dost thou burne so cleare ? Alas ! these eyes Discerne too much ; Thy wanton blaze doth rise Too high a pitch : Thou burnst too bright , for such As see no comfort ; O thou shin'st too much : Why dost thou vexe me ? Is thy flame so stout Tendure my breath ? This breath shall puffe thee out . Thus , thus my ioyes are quite extinguisht , neuer To be re●…iu'd : Thus gone , thus gone sor euer . With that , transported with a furious hast , He blew it out : but marke , that very blast ( As if it meant , on purpose , to disclaime His desp'rate thoughts ) reuiu'd th' extinguisht flame . He stands amaz'd ; and , hauing mus'd a while , Beholds the Tapour , and begins to smile . And can the gods themselues ( said he ) contriue A way for hope ? Can my past ioyes reuine , Like this rekinàled fier ? If they doe , I 'le curse m●… lips ( bright Lamp ) for cursing you . Eternall Fates ! Deale fairely ; dally not : If your hid bounties haue reseru'd a lot Beyond my wained hopes , be it exprest In open view ; make haste ; and doe your best : But if your Iustice be determin'd so , To exercise your vengeance on my woe , Strengthen not what at length you mean●… to burst ; Strike home betimes ; dispatch ; and doe your worst : That burthen is too great for him to beare , That 's 〈◊〉 poised betmixt hope and feare . And there he stopt ; as fearing to molest The silent peace of her dissembled rest . He gaz'd vpon her ; stood as in a trance ; Sometimes her liuelesse hand he would aduance To his sad lips ; then steale it downe agen ; Sometimes , a teare would fall vpon 't ; and then A sigh must dry it ; Euery kisse did beare A sigh ; and euery sigh begat a teare : If I had lou'd thee , for thy heauenly eye , I might haue courted the bright maiesty Of Tiran : If thy curious lips had snar'd My lick'rish thoughts , I might haue soone prepar'd A blushing Currall , or some full ripe Chery , And pleas'd my lips , vntill my lips were weary ; Or if the smoothnesse of thy whiter brow Had charm'd mine eyes , and made my fancy bow To outwards obiects , polishs Marble might Haue giuen as much content , as much delight ; In briefe , had Argalus his flatter'd eye Bin pleas'd with beauties bare Epitomy , Thy curious picture might haue then supply'd My wants , more full , then all the world beside ; No , no ; 'T was neither brow , nor lip , nor eye Nor any outward exc'lence vrg'd me , why To loue Parthenia : 'T was thy better part , Which mischiefe could not wrong , surpris'd my heart . Thy beauty was but like a Christall case , Through which , the Iewell of admired grace Transparent was , whose hidden worth did make Me loue the C●…ket , for the Iewels sake ; No , no ; my well-aduised eye pierc'd in Beyond the filme ; sunk deeper then the skin ; Else , had I now bin chang'd , and that firme duty I owe my vowes , had faded , with thy beauty ; Nay , weepe not ( my Parthenia ; ) let those teares Ne're waile that losse , which a few after yeares Had claim'd as due ; Cheare vp ; thou hast forsaken But that , which sicknesse would ( perchance ) haue taken , With greater disaduantage ; or else age , That common euill , which ●…rt cannot asswage ; Beauty 's but bare opinion : White and Red Haue no more priuiledge , but what is bred By humane fancie ; which was ne're confinde To certaine bounds , but varies like the winde ; What one man likes , another disrespects ; And what a third most hates ; a fourth , affects ; The Negro's eye thinkes blacke beyond compare , And what would fright vs most , they count most faire : If then opinion be the Tutch , whereby All beautie 's tride ; Parthenia , in my eye Out shines faire Hellen ; or who else she be , That is more rich in beauties wealth , then she . Cheare vp : The soueraignty of thy worth , enfranches Thy capti●…e beaut●… ; and thy vertue blanches These staines of fortune ; Come ; it matters not What others thinke : a letter 's but a blot To such as cannot reade ; but , who haue skill , Can know the faire impression of a Quill From grosse and heedl●…sse blurres ; and such can thinke No paper foule , that 's fairely writ with ●…nke : What others hold a blemish in thy face , My skilfull eyes reade Characters of grace ; What hinders then ; but that without delay , Triumph may celebrate our nuptiall day ? She that hath onely vertue to her guide , Though wanting beautie , is the fairest Bride . A Bride ? ( said she ) such Brides as I , can haue No fitter bridall Chamber , then a Gra●…e ; Death is my bridegroome ; and to welcome Death , My loyall heart shall plight a second faith ; And when that day shall come , that ●…oyfull day , Wherein transcendent pleasures shall allay The heat of all my sorrowes , and conioyne My palefac'd Bridegrooms lingring hand , with mine ; These Ceremonies , and these Triumphs shall Attend the day , to grace that Day with all . Time with his empty Howreglasse shall lead The Triumph on ; His winged hoofes shall tread Slow paces ; After him , there shall ensue The chast Diana , with her Virgin crew , All crown'd with Cypresse girlands ; After whom In ranke , th' impartiall Destinies shall come ; Then , in a sable Chariot faintly drawne With harnast Virgins . vail'd with purest lawne , The Bride shall sit ; Despaire and Griefe shall stand , Like heartlesse bridem●…ids , vpon either hand . Vpon the Chariot top , there shall be plac'd The little winged god , with arme vnbrac'd , And bow vnbent ; his drooping wings must hide His naked knees ; his Q●…iuer by his side Must be vnarm'd , and either hand must hold A bann●…r ; where , with Char●…cters of gold Shall be decipher'd , ( fit for euery eye To read , that runs ; Faith Loue , and Constancy , Next after , Hope , in a discoloured weed , Shall sadly march alone ? A slender reed Shall guide her feeble steps ; and , in her hand , A broken Anchor , all besmear'd with sand . And after all , the Bridegroome shall appeare Like Ioues Lieu●…enant , and bring vp the Reare ; He shall be mounted on a Coa●…e-black steed ; His hand shall hold a Dart ; on which , shall bleed A pierced heart ; wherein , a former wound Which Cupids lauelin entred shall be found . When as these Triumphes shall adorne our feast , Let Argalus be my inuited guest , And let him bid me nuptiall Ioy : from whom I once expected all my ioyes should come . With that ; as if his count'nance had thought good To weare Death's colours ; or as if his blood Had beene imployed to condole the smart And torm●…nt of his poore afflicted heart , He thus bespake : Vnhappiest of all men , Why doe I liue ? Is Death my Riuall then ? Vnequall chance ! Had it bin flesh and blood , I could ●…aue grapled , and ( perchance ) withstood Some stout encounters : Had an armed host Of mort all riualls ventur'd to haue crost My blest desires ; my Partheniaes eye Had giuen me power to make that army fly Like frighted Lambs , before the Wolfe ; But thou Before whose presence , all must stoope and bow Their seruile necks ! what weapon shall I hold Against thy hand , that will not be controll'd ? Great enemie ! whose kingdome 's in the dust And darkesome Caues ; I know that thou art iust ; Else had the gods ne're trusted to thy hand So great a priuiledge , so large command And iurisdiction o're the liues of men , To kill , or saue euen whom thou please , and when ; O , suffer not Partheniaes tempting teares To moue thy heart ; Let thy hard hearted eares Be deafe to all her suits : If she profess●… Affection to thee , beleeue nothing lesse ; She 's my betrothed spouse , and Hymens bands Haue firmely ioyn'd our hearts , though not our hands . Where plighted faith , and sacro-sanctius vowe Hath giuen possession , dispossesse not thou . Be iust ; and though her briny lips bewaile Her griese with teares , let not those teares preuaile . Whom heauens haue ioyn'd , thy hands may not disioyne , I am 〈◊〉 ; and Partheniaes mine . Alas ! we are but one ; Then thou must either Refuse vs both ; or , else , take both together . My deare Parthenia , let no cloudy passion Of dull despaire molest thee , or vnfashion Thy better thoughts , to make thy troubled mind Either forgetfull , or thy selfe vnkind . Starue not my pining hopes , with longer stay My loue hath wings , and brookes no long delay . It houers vp and downe , and cannot rest Vntill it light , and perch vpon thy brest . Torment not him , within these lingring fires , That 's rack●… already on his owne desires . Seale and deliuer as thy deed , that band , Whereto thy promist faith hath set her hand ; And what our plighted hearts , and mutuall vew Haue so long since begun , O finish now ; That our imperfect and halfe pleasures may Receiue perfection , by a mariage day : Wh●…reto , she thus ; Had the pleas'd God aboue , Forgiuen my faults , and made me fit for Ioue To blesse at large ; Had all the powers of heauen ( To boast the vtmost of their bounty ) giuen As great addition to my slender fortune As they could giue , or couetous mind importune , I vow to heauen and all those heauenly powers , They should no sooner beene made mine , but yours . Nay , had my fortunes staid but at the rate They were ; had I remained in that state I was ( although , at best , vnworthy farre Of such a pee●…lesse lesse blessing as you are ) My deare acceptance should haue fill'd my heart As full of ioyes as now it is of smart ; But , as I am , let angry Ioue then vent On me his plagues , till all his plagues be spent . And when I roare , let heauen my paines der●…de , When I match Argilus to such a Bride . Liue happy , A●…galus , let thy soule receiue What blessings poore Parthenia cannot haue ; Liue happy : May thy ioyes be neuer done , But let one blessing araw another on : O may thy better Angell watch and ward Thy soule , and pitch an euerlasting guard About the portals of thy tender heart , And showre downe blessings wheresoere thou art ; Let all thy ioyes be as the month of May , And all thy dayes be as a mariage day . Let sorrow , sicknesse , and a troubled minde Be strangers to thee ; Let them neuer finde Thy heart at home ; Let Fortune still alot Such lawlesse guests to those that loue thee not : And let those blessings , which shall wanting be To such as merit none , alight on thee . That mutuall faith , betwixt vs , that of late Hath past , I giue thee freedome to translate Vpon the merits of some fitter spouse : I giue , thee leaue , and freely quit thy vowes . I call the gods to witnesse , nothing shall More blesse my soule ; no comfort can befall More truely welcome to me , then to see My Argalus , ( what ere become of me ) So linckt in wedlocke , as shall most augment His greater honour , and his true content . With that , a sudden and tempestuous tyde Of teares orewhelm'd her language , and denyde A passage , but when passions flood was spent , She thus proceeds : You gods , if you are bent To act my Tragedy , why doe you wrong Our patience so , to make the play so long ? Your Sceanes are tedious ; Gainst the rules of Art , You dwell too long ; too long , vpon one part . Be briefe , and take aduantage of your odds ; One simple mayde against so many gods ? And not be conquer'd yet ? Conioyne your might , And send her soule into eternall night , That liues too long a day ; I le not resist , Prouided you strike home , strike where ye list . Accursed be that Day , wherein these eyes First saw the light ; Let desp'rate soules deuise A curse sufficient for it ; Let the Sun Ne're shine vpon it ; and what ere 's begun Vpon that fatall day , let heauen forbid it Successe ; if not , to ensnare the hand , that did it . Why was I borne ? Or , being borne , O why Did not my fonder nurses Lullaby ( Euen whilst my lips were hanging on her brest ) Sing her poore Babe to euerlasting rest ? O then my infant soule had neuer knowne This world of griefe , beneath whose weight Igroane . No , no , it had not : He that dyes in 's prime , Speeds a long businesse , in a little time . But Argalus ( whose more extreame desire , Vnapt to yeeld , like water-sprinkled fire , Did blaze the more ) impatient of denyall , Gaue thus an onset to a further tryall ; Life of my Soule ; By whom , next heauen , I breath , Excepting whom , I haue no friend but Death , How can thy wishes ease my griefe , or stand My miserie in stead , when as thy hand , And nothing but thy helping hand can giue me Reliefe , and yet refuses to relieue me ? Strange kinde of Charity ! when , being afflicted , I finde best wishes , yet am interdicted Of those best wishes , and must be remou'd From loues enioyment ; why ? Because belou'd . Alas ! alas ! How can thy wishes be A blessing to me , if vnblest in thee ? Thy beauty 's gone , ( thou saist ; ) why , let it goe ; He loues but ill , that loues but for a show ; Thy beauty is supply'd in my affection , That neuer yet was slaue to a complexion . Shall euery day , wherein the earth does lacke The Suns reflex , b'expell'd the Almanacke ? Or shall thy ouer-curious steps for beare A garden , 'cause there be no Roses there ? Or shall the sunset of Parthenia's beauty Enforce my i●…dgement to neglect that duty , The which my best aduis'd affection owes Her sacred vertue , and my solemne vowes ? No , no ; it lyes not in the power of Fate , To make Parthenia too vnfortunate , For Argalus to loue . It is as easie for Parthenia's heart To proue lesse vertuous , as for me to start From my firme faith : The flame that honours breath Hath blowne , nothing hath powre to quench , but death . Thou giu'st me leaue to chuse a fitter spouse , And freedome to recall , to quit those vowes I tooke : Who gaue thee license to dispense With such false tongues , as offer violence To plighted faith ? Alas , thou canst not free Thy selfe , much lesse hast power to license me : Vowes can admit no change ; They still perseuer Against all chance , they binde , they binde for euer : A vow 's a holy thing ; no common breath ; The limits of a vow , is heauen , and death ; A vow that 's past , is like a bird that 's flowne From out thy hand ; can be recall'd by none ; It dies not , like a time beguiling I●…st , As soone as vented ; liues not in thy brest , When vtterd once ; but is a sacred word , Straight enterd in the strict and close record Of heauen ; It is not like a Iuglers knot , Or fast , or loose , as pleases vs , or not . since then thy vowes can finde no dispensation , And may not be recall'd , recall thy passion ; Performe , performe , what now it is too late T' vnwish againe ; too soone to violate ; Seeke not to quit , what heauen denies to free , Performe thy vowes to heauen ; thy vowes to me . Thrice dearer then my soule , ( she thus r●…plide ) Mad my owne pamper'd fancy beene the guide To my affection , I had condescended Ere this to your request , which had befriended My best desiers too ; I lou'd not thee For my owne pleasure , in that base degree , As gluttons doe their diet , who dispense With vnwash'd hands , ( lest they should giue offence To their grip'd stomackes , when a minutes stay Will make them curse occasion all the day . ) I lou'd not so ; My first desires did spring From thy owne worth ; and , as a sacred thing , I alwaies view'd thee , whom my zeale commands Me not prophane with these defiled hands : T is true ; Performance is a debt we owe To Vowes , and nothing's dearer then a Vow ; Yet when the gods doe rauish from our hand The meanes to keepe it , '● is a countermand . He that hath vow'd to sacrifice each day At Iuno's Altar's bound , and must obey . But if ( being vnder vow ) the gods doe please To strike him with a leperous disease , Or foule infection ; which is better now , Prophane the Al●…ar , or to breake the vow ? The case is mine ; where then the gods dispense , We may be bold , yet tender no offence . Admit it were an euill ; 't is our be●…est Of necessary ills to choose the least . The gods are good : The strickt recognisance Of vowes , is onely taken to aduance The good of man ; Now if that good proue ill , We may refuse , our vowes entire still . I vow a mariage ; why ? because I doe Entirely affect that man , my vowes are to ; But if some foule disease should interpose Betwixt our promis'd mariage , and our vowes . The strict performance of these vowes must proue I wrong ; and therefore loue not , whom I loue . Then vrge no more : Let my deny all be A pledge sufficient twixt my loue and thee . So ended sl●…e : 〈◊〉 vehement desire , ( That c●…n be quencht with No ; no more , then fire , With oyle ; and can submit to no condition ) Lends him new breath : Loue makes a Rethoritian . He speaks : she answers : He , afresh , replyes ; He stoutly sues ; As stoutly she denyes . He begs in vaine ; and she denics in vain●… ; For she denies agai●…e ; He begs again●… ; At last , both weary , ●…e his suite adiournes , For louers dayes are good , and bad by turnes . He bids farewell : As if the heart of either Gaue but one motion , they both sigh'd together . She bids farewel' ; and yet she bids it so , As if her farewell ended , if he goe ; He bids farewel' ; bu●… so , as if delay Had promis'd better farewells to his stay . She bids farewell ; but holds his hand so fast , As if that farewell , should not be the last . Both sigh'd , both wept , and both , being heauy harted , She bids farewell ; He bids farewell ; and parted . So parted they : Now Argalus is gone ; And now Parthenia's weeping all alone ; And , like the widowed Turtle , she bewailes The absence of her mate : Passion preuailes Aboue her strength : Now her poore heart can tell , What 's heauen , by wanting heauen ; and what is hell By her owne torments : Sorrow now does play The Tyrants part ; Affection must obey ; And , like a weathercocke , her various minde Is chang'd , and turn'd with euery blast of winde . In desp'rate language she deplores her state ; She faine would wish ; but then , she knowes not what ; Resolues of this ; of that ; and then of neither ; She faine would ●…lee , but then she knows not whither ; At length ( consulting with the heartlesse paire Of ill aduisers , Sorrow , and Despaire ) Resolues to take th' aduantage of that night , To steale away ; and seeke for death , by flight ; A Pilgrims weed her liuelesse limmes addrest From hand to foot : A thong of leather blest Her wasted loynes ; Her feeble feet were shod With Sandalls ; In her hand a Pilgrims rod . When as th' illustrious Soueraigne of the Day Had now begun his Circuit , to suruay His lower kingdome , hauing newly lent The vpper world to Cynthiaes gouernment , Forth went Parthenia , and begins t' attend The progresse now , which only Death can end . Goe haplesse virgin ! Fortune be thy guide , And thine owne vertues ; and what else beside , That may be prosperous : may thy merits find More happinesse , then thy distressed mind Can hope ; Liue , and to after ages proue The great example of true Faith and Loue : Gone , gone she is ; but whither she is gone , The gods , and fortune can resolue alone ; Pardon my Quill , that is enforc'd to stray From a poore Lady , in an vnknowne way . To number forth her weary steps , or tell Those obvious dangers , that so oft befell Our poore Parthenia , in her pilgrimage , Or bring her miseries on the open st●…ge ; Her broken slumbers ; her distracted care ; Her hourely feares , and srights ; her hungry fare ; Her daily pe●…ils ; and her nightly scapes From rauenous beasts , and from a●…tempted rap●…s , Is not my taske ; who care not to incite My R●…aders p●…ssion to an appetite . We leaue Parthenia now ; and our discourse Must cast an ●…ye , and bend a settled course To Argalus . When Argalus ( returni●…g To v●…sit his Parthenia , the n●…xt morning ) P●…rceiued she was fled , not knowing whither ; He makes no stay ; Consults not with the weather ; Stayes not to thi●…ke , but claps his hasty knees To his fleet Courser ; and away he flees ; His haste enquires no way ; ( he needs not feare To lose the roade , that goes he knowes not where ; ) One w●…ile he pricks vp●… the fruitfull plaines ; And now , he gently s●…ks his prouder reines , And climbes the barren hills : with fresh C●…reers He tryes the right hand way ; and then he ver●…s His course vpon the left : One while he likes This path ; when , by and by , his fancy strikes Vpon another tract . Sometimes , he rou●…s Among the Springs , and solitary Groues ; Where , on the tender barkes of sundry trees , H'engraues Parthenia's name , with his : then flees To the wild Champian : his proud Ste●…d remoures The hopefull fallowes , with his horned 〈◊〉 ; He baulkes no way ; rides ouer rocke , and mountaine ; When led by fortune to Diana's Fountaite , He straight dismounts his steed ; begins to quench His thirsty lippes ; and after that , to drench His fainting limmes , in that sweet streame , wherein Parthenia's dainty fingers of●… had bin . The Fountaine was vpon a steepe descent , Whose gliding current nature gaue a vent Through a firme rock ; which Art ( to make it known To after ages ) wall'd , and roof'd with stone ; Aboue the Christall fountaines head , was plac'd Diana's Image ( though of late defac'd : ) Beneath , a rocky Cysterne did retaine The water , s●…ding through the Cocks of Cane ; Whose curious Current , the worlds greater eye Ne're viewed , but in his mid-day M●…jestie : It was that Fountaine ; where , in elder times Poore Corydon compos'd his rurall rimes , And left them closely hid , for his vnkinde And marble hearted Phyllida to finde . All rites perform'd ; he re-amounts his Steed , Redeemes his losse of time with a new speed : And with a fresh supply , his strength renewes His progresse , God knowes whither ; He pursues His vow'd aduenture , brooking no delay , And ( with a minde as doubtfull as the way ) He iournies on ; he left no course , vnthought ; No traueller , vnask'd ; no place , vnsought . To make a Iournall of each Circumstance ; His change of fortunes , or each obuious chance Befell his tedious trauell : to relate The braue attempt of this exploit , or that ; His rare atchieuements , and their faire successe ; His noble courage , in extreame distresse ; His desp'rate dangers ; his deliuerance : His high esteeme with men , which did enhanse His meanest actions to the throne of I●…ue : And what he sufferd , for Partheniaes loue , Would make our volume endlesse , apt to try The vtmost patience of a studious eye ; All which , the bounty of a free conceit May sooner reach too , then my pen relate . But till bright Cynthiaes head had three times thrise Repayr'd her empty hornes , and fill'd the eyes Of gazing mortalls , with her globe of light , This re●…lesse louer ceas'd not , day and night , To wander , in a sollitarie Quest For her , whose loue had taught him to digest The dregges of sorrow , and to count all ioyes But follyes ( weigh'd with her ) at least , but toyes . It hapned now that twise six months had run , Since wandring Argalus had first begun His toylesome progresse ; who , in vaine , had spent A yeare of houres , and yet no euent , When fortune brought him to a goodly Seat ( Wall'd round about with Hills ) yet not so great As pleasant ; and lesse curious to the fight , Then strong ; yet yeelding euen as much delight , As strength ; whose onely outside did declare The masters Iudgement , and the builders care . Arround the Castle , nature had laid out The bounty of her treasure ; round about , Well fenced meadowes ( fill'd with summers pride ) Promis'd prouision for the winter tide , Neere which the neighb'ring hills ( well stockt and stor'd With milke white flocks ) did seuerally afford Their fruitfull blessings , and deseru'd encrease To painfull husbandry , the childe of peace ; It was Kalanders seat , who was the brother Of lost Parthenia's late deceased mother . He was a Gentleman , whom vaine ambition Nere taught to vnderualue the condition Of priuate Gentry , who preferr'd the loue Of his respected neighbours , farre aboue The apish congies of th' vnconstant Court ; Ambitious of a good , not great report . Beloued of his Prince , yet not depending Vpon his sauours so , as to be tending Vpon his person : and , in briefe , too strong Within himselfe , for fortunes hand to wrong : Thither came wandring Argalus ; and receiu'd As great content , as one that was bereau'd Of all his ioyes , could take , or who would striue T' expresse a welcome to the life , could giue : His richly furnisht table more exprest A common bounty , then a curious feast ; Wherea●… , the choice of precious wines were profer'd In liberall sort ; not vrg'd , but freely offer'd ; The carefull seruants did attend the roome , No need to bid them either goe or come : Each knew his place , his office , and could spy His masters pleasure , in his masters eye . But what can rellish pleasing to a taste That is distemper'd ? Can a sweet repast Please a sicke pallate ? no , there 's no content Can enter Argalus , whose soule is bent To tyre on his owne thoughts : Kalanders loue , ( That other times would rauish ) cannot moue That fixed heart , which passion now incites T' abiure all pleasures , and forsweare delights . It fortun'd ; on a day , that dinner ending , Kalander and his noble guests , intending T' exchange their pleasures in the open ayre , A messenger came in ; and did repaire Vnto Kalander ; told him , That the end Of his imployment , was to recommend A noble Lady to him ( neare allyde To faire Queene Hellen ) whose vnskilfull guide Had so misled , that she does make request , This night , to be his bold , and vnknowne guest ; And by his helpe , to be inform'd the way To finde to morrow , what she lost to day . Kalander ( the extent of whose ambition Was to expresse the bountious disposition Of a free heart , as glad of such occasion To entertaine ) return'd the salutation Of an vnknowne seruant ; and withall profest , A promis'd welcome to so faire a guest . Forthwith Kalander , and his noble friends ( All but poore Argalus , who recommends His thoughts to priuate vses , and confines His secret fancy to his owne designes ) Mounted their praunsing Steeds , to giue a meeting To his faire guest , they met , but at first meeting Kalander stood amaz'd ; ( for he suppos'd It was Parthenia ) and thus his thoughts disclos'd ; Maddam ( said he ) If these mine aged eyes Retaine that wo●…ted strength , which age denies To many of my yeares . I should be bold ( In viewing you ) to say , I doe behold . My neece Parthenia's , face : Nor can I be Perswaded ( by your leaue ) but you are she ? Thrice noble Sir ( she thus replide ) your tongue ( Perchance ) hath done the faire Parthenia wrong , In your mistake , and too much honour'd me , That ( in my iudgement ) was more fit to be Her foyle , then picture ; yet hath many an eye Giuen the like sentence , she not being by ; Nay , more ; I haue bin told ; that my owne mother Fail'd often to distinguish t 'one from t'other . Said then Kalander : If my rash conceit Hath made a fault , mine error shall await Vpon your gratious pardon ; I alone Was not deceiu'd ; for neuer any one That view'd Parthenia's visage , but would make As great an error , by as great mistake . But ( Madd●…m ) for her sake , and for your owne , ( Whose worth may challenge to it selfe alone , More seruice then Kalander can expresse ) Y' are truly welcome . Enter , and possesse This Castle as your owne ; which can be blest In nothing , more , then in so faire a guest . Whereto , the Lady ( entring ) thus replide . Let euerlasting ioyes be multiplide Within these gentle gates ; and let them stand As lasting monuments in th' Arcadian la●…d , Of rare and bounteous hospitalitie To after-times . Let strangers passing by Blesse their succeeding heires as shall descend From such a Lord , from such a noble Friend . When as a little 〈◊〉 had repai●…'d Her weary limmes , which trauell had impair'd , The freenesse of occasion did present New subiects to discourse ; wherein they spent No little time ; among the rest , befell Kalander ( often stopt with teares ) to tell Of Argalus , and lost Parthenia's loue , Whose vndissembled passion did moue A generall griefe ; the more that they attended To his sad tale , the more they wish'd it ended . Maddam ( said he ) although your visage be Like hers ; yet may your fortunes disagree ; Poore girle ! and as he ●…pake that word , his eyes Let fall a teare . The Lady thus replyes ; My soule doth suffer for Parthenia's sake ; But tell me , Sir , did Argalus for sake His poore 〈◊〉 whom he lou'd so deare ? How hath he spent his daies e're since ? and where ? Maddam ( said he ) when as their marriage day Drew neare ; mischiefe , that now was bent to play Vpon the Stage , her studied master prize , With ougly leprosie did so disguise Her beauteous face , that she b●…came a terroar To her owne selfe : But Arg●…lus the mirrour Of truest constancy , ( whose loyall heart , Not guided by his eye , 〈◊〉 to start From his past v●…wes ) did , in despight of fortune , Pursue his fixt desires , and importune Th' entended mariage 〈◊〉 : But she , Whom reason now had taught to disagree With her distracted thoughts stands deafe and mute , And at the last , to auoyd his further suit , Not making any prinie to her flight , She quits the house , and steales away by night ; But Maddam , when as Argalus perceiu'd That she was fled ; and being quite bereau'd Of his last hope poore louer , he assayes By toyle some pilgrimage to end his dayes , Or finde her out : Now twice sixe months haue run Their tedious courses , since he first begun His fruitlesse iourney , ranging farre and neare , Suffering as many sorrowes as a yeare Could send ; and made by the extreames of weather Vna●…t for trauell , fortune brought him thither ; Where he as yet remaines , till time shall make His wasted bodie fit to vndertake His discontented progresse , and renew His great enquest for her , who at first view , Maddam , you seem'd to be . So said ; The Lady from whose tender eyes Some drops did slide , whose heart did sympathize W●…th both their sorrowes , said ; And is their then Such vnexpected constancy in men ? Most noble Sir ; If the too rash desires of a stranger May be dispens'd withall without the danger Of too great boldnesse , I should make request To see this noble Lord , in whose rare brest ( By your report ) more honour doth reside , Then in all Greece ; nay , all the world beside ; I haue a message to him , and am loath To doe it , were I not ingag'd by ●…ath . Whereat , Kalander , not in breath , but action Applies himselfe to giue a satisfaction To her propounded wish : protraction wasts No time ; but vp to Arg●…s he hasts : Argalus comes downe ; and after s●…lutation G●…uen , and re●…iu'd , she accosts him on this fashion My noble Lord , Whereas the loud resounding trump of fame Hath nois'd your worth , and gloriside your name Aboue all others , let your goodnesse now Make good that faire report ; that I may know By true experience , what my ioyfull eare ●…ad but , as yet , the happinesse to heare . And if the frailty of a womans wit May chancet ' o●…end ; ●…e noble , and r●…mit . Then know ( most noble Lord ) my natiue place , Is Co●…inth ; of the selfe same biood and race , With faire Queene H●…llen , in whose princely Court I had my birth , my breeding : To be short ; Thither not many daies ago●… , there came , Disguis'd and chang'd in all things but her name , The rare Par●…a , so in shape transform'd , In feature altred , and in face d●…form'd . That ( in my iudgement ) all this region could Not show a thing , more vgly to b●…hold . Long was it , ere her oft repeated vowes And solemne protestations could rouze My ouer dull beliefe ; till , and the last , Some passages , that heretofore had past In secret , twixt Parthenia and me , Gaue full assurance't could be none but she ; Abundant welcome , ( as a soule so sad As mine , and hers , could giue or take ) she had So like we were in face , in speech , in growth , That whosoeuer saw the one , saw both : Yet were we not alike in our complexions So much as in our lones , in our affections One sorrow seru'd vs both ; and one reliefe Could ease vs both , both partners in one griefe Much priuate time we ioyntly spent ; and neither Could finde a true content , if not together . The strange occurrents of her dire misfortune She oft discourst , which strongly did importune A world of teares from these suffused eyes , The true partakers of her miseries . And as she spake , the accent of her story Would alwaies point vpon th' eternall glory Of your rare constancy , which whosoere In after-ages shall presume to heare And not admire let him be proclaim'd Arebell to all vertue , and ( defam'd In his best actions ) let his leprous name Or die d●…shonour'd , or suruiue with shame . But ah ! what simples can the hand of art Finde out to stanch a louers bleeding heart ? Or what ( alas ) can humane skill apply To turne the course of loues Phlebotomie ? Loue is a secret sire , inspir'd and blowne By fate ; which wanting hopes , to feed vpon Workes on 〈◊〉 very soule , and does torment The vniuerse of man : which being spent And wasted in the Conflict , often shrinkes Beneath the burthen ; and , soconquerd sinkes ; All which , your poore Parthenia knew too well , Whose bed rid hopes , not hauing power to quell Th' imperious fury of extreame despaire , She languisht , and not able to contraire The will of her victorious passion ; cryed , My dearest Argalus , farewell , and dyed : My Lord , not long before her latest breath Had freely paid the full arrears to death , She cald me to her ; In her dying hand She strained mine , whilst in her eyes did stand A showre of teares , vnwept ; and in mine eare She whisperd so , as all the roome might heare . Sister ( said she ) ( That title past betweene vs Not vndeseru'd ; for , all that ere had scene vs , Mistooke vs so , at least ) The lat●…st sand Of my spent 〈◊〉 is now at hand . Those ioyes , which heauen appointed out for me , I here bequeath to be possest by thee . And when sweet death shall clarifie my thoughts , And draine them from the dregs of all my faults , Enioy them thou , wherewith ( being so refinde From all their drosse ) ●…ull fraught thy constant minde And let thy prosprous voyage be addrest To the faire port of Argalus his brest , As whom the eye of noone did ne'er discouer So loyall , so renownd , so rare a louer : Cast anchor there , for by this dying breath Nothing can please my soule more , after death , And make my ioyes more perfect , them to see A mariage twixt my Argalus and thee ; This Ring the pledge betwixt his heart and mine , A●… freely as he gaue me , I make thine : With it , vnto thy faithfull heart I tender My sacred vowes : with it , I here surrender All right and title , that I had , or haue In such a blessing , as I now must leaue ; Goe to him , and coniure him in my name What loue he bare to me , the very same That he transferre on thee : take no deniall . Which granted , liue thou happy , constant , loy all . And as she spake that word , her voice did alter ; Her breath grew cold , her specch began to faulter ; Faine would she vtter more , but her spent tongue ( Not able to gos further ) faild , and clung To her dry roofe . A while , as in a trance , She lay ; and , on a sudden , did aduance Her forced language to the height , and cryed , Farewell my dearest Argalus : and died . And now , my Lord , although this office be Vnsutable to my sex , and disagree T●…o much perchance , with the too mean condition Of my estate , more like to finde dirision , Then satisfaction ; yet , my gratious Lord , Extr'ordinary merits doe afford Extr'ordinary meanes , and can excuse The breach of custome , or the common vse ; Wherefore , incite●… 〈◊〉 the deare directions Of dead Parther●… , 〈◊〉 mine owne affections , And by the exc'lence of your high desert , I here present you with a faithfull heart , A heart , to you deuoted ; which assures It selfe no happinesse , but in being yours . Pardon my boldnesse . They that shall reproue This , as a fault , reproue a fault in loue . And why should custome doe our sex that wrong , To take away the priuiledge of our tongue ? If nature giue vs freedome , to affect , Why then should custome barre vs to d●…tect The gifts of nature ? She that is in paine Hath a sufficient warrant to complaine . Then giue me leaue ( my Lord ) to reinforce A virgins suit , ( thinking ne're the worse Of proferd loue ) let my desiers thriue , And freely ' accept what I so freely giue . So ending ; silence did enla●…ge her eare , ( Prepar'd with q●…icke attention ) to heare His gracious words : But Argalus whose passion Had put his amorous Courtship out of fashion , Return'd no answer , till his trickling eies Had giuen an earnest of such obsequies , As his adiourned sorrow had entended To doe at full , and therefore recommended To priuacy ; True griefe abhorres the light , Who grieues without a witnesse , grieues aright . His passion thus suspended for a while , ( And yet not so , but that it did recoyle Strong sighes ) he wip'd his teare-bedewed ey●…s , And turning to the Lady , thus replyes . Madam , Your no lesse rare , then noble fauours show How much you merit , and how much I owe Your great desert , which claimes more thankfulnesse , Then such a dearth of language can expresse . But most of all , I stand for euer bound To that your goodnesse , my Parthenia found In her distresse , for which respect ( in duty As I am tyed ) poore Argalus shall repute ye The flowre of noble courtesie , and proclaime Your high deseruings . Lady ; as I am , A poore vnhappy wretch , the very scorne Of all prosperitie , distrest , forlorne , Vnworthy the least fauour you can giue ; I am your slaue , your Beadsman will I liue : But for this weighty matter you propound , Although I see how much it would redound To my great happinesse , yet heauen knowes ( Most exc'llent Lady ) I cannot dispose Of my owne thoughts ; nor haue I power to doe What , else , you needed not perswade me to ; For trust me , were this heart of mine , mine owne , To carue according to my pleasure , none But you should challenge it ; but while I liue It is Parthenia's , and not mine to giue . Whereto she thus replies : Most noble Sir , Death , that hath made diuorse 'twixt you , and her , Hath now returned you your heart againe , Dissolu'd your vowes , dislink'd that sacred chaine , Which tide your soules ; nay more , her dying breath Bequeath'd your heart to me ; which by her death Is growne a debt , that you are bound to pay ; Then know ( my Lord ) the longer you delay , The longer time her soule is dispossest ( And by your meanes ) of her desired rest . Whereto the poore distressed Argalus Pausing a while return'd his answere thus ; Incomparable Lady , When first of all , by heauens diuine directions , We lou'd , we lik'd , we linkt our deare affections , And with the solemne power of an oath , In presence of the better gods , we both Exchang'd our hearts : in witnesse of which thing , I gaue , and she receiued this deare Ring , Which now you weare ; by which she did resigne Her heart to me ; for which , I gaue her mine . Now , Maddam , by a mutuall commerce , My exchang'd heart is not my owne , but hers ; Which if it had the power to suruiue , She being dead , what heart haue I to giue ? Or if that heart expired in her death , What heart had shee ( poore Lady ! ) to bequeath ? Maddam , in her began my deare affection ; In her , it liu'd ; in her , it had perfection ; In her , it ioy'd , although but ill befriended By Fate ; in her begun , in her , it ended . If I had lou'd , if I had onely lou'd Parthenia's beautie , I had soone beene mou'd To moderate my sorrowes , and to place That loue on you , that haue Parthenia's face ; But 't was Parthenia's selfe I lou'd , and loue ; Which as no time hath power to remoue From my sixt heart , so nothing can diminish , No fortune can dissolue ; no death can finish . With mingled frownes and smiles , she thus replide , H●…lfe in a rage , And must I be denide ? Are those the noble fauours I expected ? To finde disgrade ? and goe away reiected ? Most noble Lady , if my words ( said he ) Suit not your expectation , let them be Imputed to the miserie of my state , Which makes my lips to speake they know not what ; Mistake not him , that onely studies how , With most aduantage still to honour you . Alas ! what ioyes I euer did receiue From fortune's buried in Parthenia's graue , With whom , ere long ( nor are my hopes in vaine ) I hope to meet , and neuer part againe . So said ; with more then Eagle winged hast , She flew into his bosome and embrac'd , And her clos'd armes , his sorrow-wasted wast ; Surcharg'd with ioy , she wept , not hauing power To speake . Haue you beheld an Aprill shower Send downe her hasty bubbles , and then stops , Then storms afresh , through whose transparent drops The vnobscur●…d lamp●… of heauen conuaies The brigh●…er glory o●…'s refulgent rayes : Euen so , within her blushing checks resided A mixt a●…pect , 'twixt smiles and teares diuided , So euen diuided ; no man could say , whether She wept , or 〈◊〉 , she smil'd , and wept together , She held him fast , and like a fainting louer , Whose passion now had license to discouer Some words ; Since then thy heart is not for me , Take , take thy owne Parthenia ( said she ) Cheare vp , my Argalus ; these words of mine Ate thy Parthenia's , as Parthenia's thine ; Beleeue it ( Loue ) these are no false alarmes ; Thou hast thine owne Parthenia in thine armes . Like as a man , whose hourely wants implore Each meales reliefe , trudging from doore to doore , That heares no dialect from churlish lippes , But newes of Beadles , and their tor●…uring whips , Takes vp ( perchance ) some vnexpected treasure , New lost ; departs ; and , ioyfull beyond measure , I●… so transported , that he scarce beleeu●…s So grea●… a truth ; and what his eye perceiues Not daring trust , but feares it is some vision , Or 〈◊〉 dre●…me , deseruing but derision . So Argalus●…mazed ●…mazed at the newes , F●…ine wo●…ld beleeue , but da●…ing not abuse His easie saith too soone , for feare his heart Should s●…rfeit on conc●…it , he did impart The truth vnto his fancie by degrees , Where stopp'd by passion , falling on his knees , He thus began ; O ●…ou eternall powers That haue the guidance of these soules of ours , Who by your iust prerogati●…e can doe What is a sin for man to diue into ; Whose vndiscouer'd actions are too high For thought ; too deepe for man ●…'enquier , why ? Delude not these mine eyes with the false show Of such a ioy , as I must neuer know But in a dreame : Or if a dreame it be , O let me neuer wake againe , to see My selfe deceiu'd , that am ordain'd t' enioy A reall griefe , and but a dreaming ioy . Much more he spake to this ●…ffect , which ended ; He blest himselfe , and ( with a sigh ) vnbended His aking knees ; and rising from the ground , H●… c●…st his rolling eyes about , and found T●…e roome auoyded , and hims●…lfe alone ; The doore halfe clos'd , and his Parthenia gone , His new distemper'd passion grew extreame ; I knew , I knew , ( said he ) 't was but a dreame ; A minutes ioy ; a flash ; a flattering bubble Blowne by the fancy , full of pleasing trouble ; Which waking breakes ; and empties into ayre , And breathes into my soule a fresh despaire . I knew 't was nothing but a golden dreame , Which ( waking ) makes my wants the more extreame ; I knew 't was nothing but a dreaming ioy , A blisse , which ( waking ) I should ne're enioy . My deare Parth●…nia tell me , where , O where Art thou that so 〈◊〉 'st mine ●…ye , mine eare ? O that my wak'ned fancy had the might To represent vnto my reall sight What my deceiued eyes beheld , that I Might surfeit with excesse of ioy , ●…nd die . With that the faire Parthenia ( whose desire Was all this while , by fire , to draw out fir●… ; And by a well aduised course to smother The s●…ry of one passion with another ) Stept in , and said ; Then Argalus take thou Thy true Parthenia : Thou dream'st not now ; Behold this Ring , whose Motto does impart The constancy of our diuided heart : Behold these eyes , that for thy sake haue vented A world of teares , vnpittied , vnlamented : Behold the face , that had of late the power To curse all beauty ; yet it selfe , secure : Witnesse that Tapour , whose prophetick snuffe Was outed and re●…iued with one puffe : And that my words may whet thy dull belief●… , 'T was I , that roard beneath the scourge of griefe , When thou did'st curse the Darknesse , for concealing My face ; and then the T●…pour , ●…or revealing So ●…oule a face ; 'T was I , that , ouercome With violent despaire , stood deafe and dumbe To all thy vrg'd perswasions . It was I , That , in thy absence , did resolue to die A wandring pilgrime , trusting to be led By fortune , to my death ; and therefore fled : But see ; the powers aboue can worke their ends , In spight of mortals : and what man intends , The heauens dispose , and order the euent : For when my thoughts were desperately bent To mine owne ruine , I was led by fate ( Through dangers , now too tedious to relate ) To faire Queene Hellens court , not knowing whither My vnaduised steps were guided . Thither My Genius brought me ; where , vnknowne to any , I mournd in silence ; though obseru'd by many , Relieu'd by none . At length , they did acquaint The faire Queene H●…llen with my strange complaint , Whose noble heart did truly sympathize With mine , partaking in my miseries : Who , fill'd with pitty , strongly did importune The wofull cause of my disastrous fortune , And neuer rested , till she did inforce These lips t' acquaint her with the whole discourse . Which done , her gratious pleasure did command Her owne Physitian , to whose skilfull hand She left my foule disease ; who in the space Of twice ten dayes , restor'd me to this face : The cure perfected , straight she sent about ( Without my knowledge ) to enquier out That party , for whose sake I was contented T' endure such griefe with patience , vnrepented . Hoping ( since by her meanes , and help of Art ) My face was cur'd ) euen so to cure my heart . But when the welcome messenger return'd Thy place of boad , ô how my spirits burnd To k●…sse her hands , and so to leaue the Court ; But she ( whose fauours did transcend report As much , as they exceeded my desert ) Detain'd me for a while , as loath to part With her poore handmaid ; till at last , perpending A louers haste , and freely apprehending So iust a cause of speed , she soone befriended My best desiers , and sent me thus attended , Where ( vnder a false maske ) I laid this plot , To see how soone my Argalus had forgot His dead Parthenia , but my blessed eare Hath heard , what few or none must hope to heare : Now farewell sorrow , and let old despaire Goe seeke new brests : let mischiefe neuer dare Attempt our hearts : let Argalus inioy His true Parthenia ; let Parthenia's ioy Reuiue in him : let each be blest in eyther , And blest be heauen , that brought vs both together . With that , the well-nig●… broken hearted louer , Rauisht with ouer ioy , did thus discouer His long pent words : And doe these eyes once more Behold what their extreame despaire gaue o're To hope for ? Doe these wretched eyes attaine The happinesse , to see this face againe ? And is there so much happinesse yet left For a broke heart , a heart that was bereft Of power t' enioy , what heauen had pow●…r to giue ? Breathes my P●…rthenia ? Does Partheni●… liue ? Who euer saw the Septentrionall stone , By hidden power , ( a power as ye●… vnknowne To our confinde and darkned reason ) draw The neighb'ring steele ; which , by the mutuall law Of natures secret working , striues as much To be attracted , till they ioyne and touch ; Euen so these greedy Louers meet , and charmes Each other strongly in each others armes ; Euen so they meet ; and with vnbounded measure Os true content , and time beguiling pleasure , Enioy each other with a world of kisses , Sealing the patent of true worldly blisses ; Where for a while I leaue them to receiue , What pleasures new met louers vse to haue . Readers forbeare ; and let no wanton eye Abuse our Sceane : Let not the stander by Corrupt our lines , or make an obsceane glosse Vpon our sober Text , and mixe his drosse With our refined gold , extracting sower From sweet , and poyson from so faire a flower . Correct your wandring thoughts , and doe not feare To thinke the best : Here is no Tarquine here ; No lustfull , no insatiate Messaline , Who thought it gaine sufficient to resigne An age of honour , for a night of pleasure ; Whose strength t' endure lust , was the iust measure Of her adust desire : Yee need not feare Our priuate Louers , who esteeme lesse deare Their liues then honours , daring not to doe , But what vnsham'd the Sun may pry into . If any itching eares desire to know , What seret conf'rence past betwixt these two ; To them my Muse thus answers ; When your case Shall proue the like , she wils you to embrace True honour , as these n●…ble louers did , And you shall know ; Till then you are forbid To enquire further : Onely this she pleases To let you vnderstand , that loues diseas●…s Being throughly cured , by their meeting , they H●…ue once againe 〈◊〉 a Mariage day ; Which that it might succeed with fairer fortune , Readers , she moues your pleasures , to importune The better gods , that they would please t'appay Their griefes with ioy , and smile vpon that Day . The end of the second Booke .
ARGALVS AND PARTHENIA . The third Booke . WHen sturdy Marches stormes are ouerblowne And Aprill , gentle show'rs are slidden downe To close the windchapt earth , succeeding May Enters her month , whose earely breaking day Calls Ladies from their hasty beds to view Sweet Maias pride , and the discolour'd hiew Of dewy-brested Flora , in her bower Where euery hand hath leaue to picke the flowre Her fancy likes , wherewith to be possest , Vntill it fade , and wither in her brest . Now smooth-fac'd Neptune , with his gladder smiles Visits the bankes of his beloued Isles ; Eolus calls in the winds , and bids them hold Their full-mouth'd blasts , that breathles are controlld ; Each one ●…tyres and shrinks into his seat And seagreene Triton sounds a shrill retreat : And thus at length , our Pinace is past o're The barre ; and rides before the Maiden-Towre . Vp , now in earnest ( voyagers ) and stand yee On your faint legs ; O●…r long boat straight shal land ye . Forget your trauels now , and lead your eyes From your past dangers to your present prize . You traffick'd not for toyes ; The gods haue set No other price to things of price , but sweat . Cheare vp ; call home your hearts , and be aduis'd , Goods eas'ly purchas'd , are as eas'ly priz'd . You traffick'd not for trifles ; and your trauell Was not to compasse the almightie grauell Of th' Indian Mines , to ballace your estates ; T was not for blasts of Honour ; whose poore dates Depend on regall smiles , and haue no measures , But Monarchs wils , expiring with their pleasures . T was not to conquer Kingdomes , or obtaine The dangerous title of a Soueraigne ; These are poore things : It is but false discretion To toyle , where hopes are sweeter then possession . No , we are bound vpon more braue aduentures ; True Honour , Vertue , beauty , are the Centers To which we point , whereto our thoughts doe tend , And heauen hath brought our voyage to an end . Haile noble Argalus ; now the Cock boate stands Secure : step forth , and reach thy widened hands , And take thy fairest Bride into thine armes ; Strike vp ( braue spirit ) Cupids fresh alarmes Vpon her melting lips : Take Toll , before Thou set her dainty foot vpon the shore ; So let her slide vpon thy gentle brest , And feele the ground : then lead her to her rest . Goe Imps of honour ; let the morning Sun Gild your delights , and spend his beames vpon Your marriage triumphs ; let his westerne light Decline apace , and make a early Night . Go●… , Turtles , goe ; let trebble ioyes betide The faithfull Bridegroome , and his fairest Bride . L●…t your own●… ve●…tues light you to your rest ; Tomorrow come we to your n●…ptiall feast . By this the curld pate Waggoner of heauen H●… 〈◊〉 his diurnall course , and drinen Hi , pan●…ing S●…eds adowne the W●…sterne hill , When silu●…r Cynthia , rising to fulfill He●…n g●…tly course , le ts fall an euening teare , To see her bro●…her lea●…e the Hemisphere , W●…ich , by the ayre disper●…d , is early found ( And call'd a pearlly dew ) vpon the ground : Still was the night , no language did molest The waking ear ; All mortals were at res●… ; No 〈◊〉 of wind had power to prouoke The Aspine lea●…e , or quell the aspiring smoake ; Sweet was the ayre , and clear●… ; no S●…arre was hi●… ; No enu●…ous cloud was stirring , to forbid The 〈◊〉 Astronomer , to gaze , and looke Into the secrets of his spangled booke ; Whilst round about , in each resounding groue , ( As if the 〈◊〉 of night had stroue 〈◊〉 the warbling Philomele compares , And 〈◊〉 by turn●…s her Polyphonian ayres . And now the horn-mouth'd Belman of the night Had se●…t his midnight summons , to inuite Nights 〈◊〉 rebuls , from their secret holds To 〈◊〉 and visite the securer folds , Whilst drouzie Morpheus , with his leaden keyes , Locks vp the Shepherds eye-lids , and betrayes The sc●…ttered flocks , which lye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Expecting fire when the 〈◊〉 - 〈◊〉 . By ●…his the p●…lefac'd Empresse of the night H●…d 〈◊〉 vp her borrowed light , And to the lower world she now retites , Attended with her traine of lesser 〈◊〉 , And early Hesper shoots his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , To vsher Titan from his purple bed . The gray ey'd lanitor does now begin To ope his Easterne portals , and let in The new borne Day ; who hauing lately hu●…ld The shades of night into the lower world , The dewy cheek'd Aurora does vnfold Her purple Curtaines , all be●…ng'd with gol●… ; And from the pillow of his Crocian bed , Don Phoebus rouzes his resulg●…t head ; That with his all d●●scerning eye suruayes , And gilds the mountaines with his morning rayes . Now , now the wakefull Bride groome ( whose last night Had made her shades too long ) salutes the ligh●… ; Salutes the welcom●… light , which now a●…length , Shall crown his heart with ioyes , beyond th●… 〈◊〉 Of mortall language , whose religious 〈◊〉 Shall light these lou●… to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vp Argalus , and 〈◊〉 thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 T' enioy that ioye , from whence all ioy proc●…ds : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ioyes , from whence all ioy 〈◊〉 Vp 〈◊〉 ; and 〈◊〉 thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . And thou f●…ite B●…ide , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day , Thy Day is come , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Awake , and rouze 〈◊〉 ●…om thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; Thy Day is come : and m●…y thy ioy 〈◊〉 number Thy minutes that are 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; Arise , and bid thy maid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put on thy nuptiall robes , Time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O may thy after dayes be like this 〈◊〉 . By this , bright Phoebus with redoubled glorie Had halfe way mounted to the highest storie Of his Olympicke Palace : there to see This long expected Dayes solemnitie : When all on sudden , there was heard around From euerie quarter ) the Maiestick sound Of many Trampets : all in consort running One point of warre , transcending farre the cunning Of mortall blasts ; and what did seeme more strange , The shrill mouth'd musicke did as sudden change To Dorick straines , to sweet mollitious ayres , To Lyrick songs , and voyces , like to theirs That charm'd Vlysses : whil'st th' amazed eare Stood rauisht at these changes , it might heare Those voyces , ( by degrees ) transforme to Lutes , To Shaulms , deepe throated Sackbuts , and to Flutes , And Eccho-forcing Cornets ; which surpast The Art of man : this Harmony did last Vntill the Bridegroome came : But all men wondred To heare the noyse : some thought the heauens had thundred To a new tun●… ; and some more wiser eares Conceiu'd , it was the Musick of the Spheares : All wonderd , all men gaz'd ; and all could heare , But none knew whence the Musicke was , or where . Forthwith , as if a second Sun had rose , And stroue with greater brightnesse , to depose The glory of the first , the Bridegroome came , Vsher'd along with Eagle-winged Fame , Whose twice fiue hundred mouthes did at one blast Inspire a thousand Tr●…mpets , as he past . His nuptiall ves●…re was of Scarlet Dye So deepe , as it would dazle a weake eye To gaze vpon 't ; to which , the curious Art Of the laborious needle did impare So great a glorie , that you might behold A rising Sunne , imbost with purest gold , From whence ten thousand trailes of gold came down In waued poynts , like Sunbeames from that Sun : Thus from his Chamber , midd'st the vulgar Crowd ( Like Titan breaking through a gloomy cloud ) The long expected Bridegroome came , and past Th' amazed multitude , till at the last , His Herauld brought him to the Hall of State , When all th' Arcadian Nobles did awaite To welcome his approach , and to discharge The lowder volley of their ioyes at large . The Hall was spacious , lightsome , and bestrow'd With Flora's wealth ( a bountie that she ow'd This glorious feast ) The wals were richly clad With curious Tap'strie ; ( such as Greece ne're had Before this day ) wherein you might behold , Wrought to the life , in colourd silkes , and gold , This present Story of these peerelesse Louers , Which , like a silent Chronicle , discouers The seuerall passages , that d●…d be fall 'Twixt their first meeting , and their nuptiall ; Deuis'd and wrought by Virgins borne in Greece , Presented to this Triumph , as a peece Deuoted to the memorie and fame Of Argalus , and his Parthenia's name . No sooner was the Ceremony ended , ( Wherein each noble spirit more contended T' expresse affection , then affect th' expession Of courtly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ba●…e profession Of ayrie friendship ) but a sudden shout Of rudely mingled ●…yees flew th●…oughout The spatious Castle , which confus'dly cry'd Ioy to Parth●…nia , to the fairest Bride . Fo●… 〈◊〉 ( as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had broken loose , And Dei●…ies had meant to enter pose Their heauenly bodies , with the mortall tribe Of men ; or , else , intending to ascribe Their pers'nall honour to this nuptiall ) In more then prin●…ly st●…te , enters the Hall A gloriou●… Show of Ladies , all aray'd In rare and costly robes , and richly laid With Iems vnualued ; and each Lady wore A Scarfe vpon her arme , embroidered o'er With gold and pearle ; Thus hand in hand they pa●…t Into the Hall , but oft their eyes did ●…ast A backward looke , as if their thoughts did minde Some greater glory , comming on b●…hinde : Next after them , came in the virgin crew In milke white robes ( virgins that neuer knew The sacred mysteries of the mariage bed , Nor , finding trouble in a Maidenhead , Erelent a thought to nuptiall ioyes , till now ) Thus past these buds of nature ; two , by two , Their long dis●…heueld treffes d●…angled downe With car●…sse Art , and on each head a crowne Of golden Laurell stood : Their ●…aces 〈◊〉 Beneath a vaile , seem'd 〈◊〉 the Stars were clouded . H●…ue ye beheld in fros●…y winters Euen , When all the lesser twin●…ng lamps of heauen Are fully ●…indled , how the ●…uddy face Of rising Cynthi●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with what a grace She views the Throne of darkenesse , and aspires Th' Olympick brow , amidst the smaller fires ? So after all these sparkes of beauty , came ( They were but sparks to such a glorious flame ) The fayre Parthenia , thus the rose-cheek'd Bride Enters the roome ; A milke white vayle did hide Her blushing face ; which , ne'erthelesse discloses Some glymps of red , like Lawne o're spreading roses ; Thus entred she ; The garments , that she wore , Were made of Purple silke , bespangled o're With Starres of purest gold , and round about Each seuerall S●…arre went , winding in , and out , A trayle of orient pearle , so rarely wrought , That as the garments moou'd , you would haue thought , The Starres had twinckled ; Her dissheueld hayre Hung downe behind , as if the onely care Had bin to reconcile neglect and Art , H●…ng loosely downe , and vayl'd the backer part Of those her sky-resembling robes ; but so , That euery breath would waue it too and fro , Like flying clouds ; through which , you might discouer Sometimes one glim'ring Starre , sometimes another : Thus on she went ; her ample traine supported By thrice three virgins , euenly siz'd and sorted In purple robes : forthwith , the Bridegroome rises From off his chaire ; bowes downe ; and sacrifices The peacefull offring of a morning kisse , Vpon her lips : To such a Saint as this , O , what rebellious heart could chose but bowe , And offer freely the perpetuall vowe Of choyce obedience ? With that , each Noble moues him from his place , And with a posture , full of Princely grace , Salutes the louely Bride , with words , expressing The ioy●…ull modell of a kingdomes blessing . But hark●… ! The Hymenean trumpet sends Her latest summons forth : Hymen attends The noble payre , and is prepar'd to y●…ke Their promis'd hands ; the sacred Altars smoake With Mirr●… and Frankinsence , Thewayes are strowd With Flora's prid●… ; and the expecting crowd Haue throng'd the streets , and ●…uery greedy eye Attends , to see the Tryumph passing by : At length , the gates flew open . And on this fashion Began the Tryumph ; first a Proclamation Was made , with a loud voyce : If any be , Or Lord , or Knight , or whatsoere degree , Professing armes , or honour in the land , That at this time , can chalenge , or pretend A ti●…le to Parthenia's heart , or claime A right , or interest in her loue , or name ; Let him come forth in person ; or , appeare By noble Proxy , if not present here ; And by the exc●…lent honour of a Knight , He shall receiue such honourable right As the iust sword can giue ; Let him now come , And speake ; or , else , for euermore be dumme . Thrice was it read ; which done ; forthwith there came True honours Eaglewinged Herauld , Fame , Sounding a siluer Trump ; and as she past , She shooke the earths foundation , with her blast . Next after whom in vndissembl●…d state The Bridegroome came ; on his right hand did wait The god of Warre , in 〈◊〉 robes of greene , All stain'd with bleeding hearts , as they had ●…eene But newly wounded , and from euery wound , Fresh bloud due seeme to trickle on the ground ; And as the garments moo●…'d , each dying heart Would seeme to pant a while , and then depart . Vpon the Bridegroomes left hand there attended Heauens Pursu●…uant , whose brawny arme extended A winged Caduce ; He had scarce the might To curbe his feet ; his feet were wing'd for flight . Aboue his head their hands did ioyntly hold A crimzon Canopie embost with gold . Next them , twice twenty famous Nobles follow'd , Braue men at armes , whose names the world had hallow'd For rare exploits , and twice as many Knights , Whose bloods haue ●…ansom'd , and redeem'd the rights Of wronged Ladies : These were all aray'd In robes of Needle worke , so rarely made , That he which sees them , thinkes he doth behold Armours of steele , saire filletted with gold : And as they marcht , their Squires did aduance Before each Knight his warlike Shield and Lance. And after these , the Princely virgin Bride , On whom all eyes were fastned , did diuide Her gentle paces , being led betweene Two Goddesses , the one arai'd in greene , On which the curious needle vndertooke To make a forest : here a bubling brooke Diuides two thickets : through the which doth flie The singled Deere , before the deepe-mouth'd Crie , That closely followes : There th' affrighted Herd Stands trembling at the musicke , and afeard Of euery shadow , gazes to and f●…o , Not knowing where to stay , or where to goe ; Where , in a Launskip , you may see the Faunes , Following their crying mothers o're the Lawnes ; The other was in robes , the purer dye Whereof , did represent the midday sky , Full of black clouds ; through which , the glorius beams Of the obscured Sun appeares , and seemes As '● were to scatter ; and at length , to shed His brighter glory , on a fruitfull bed Of noisome weeds ; from whence , you might discerne A thousand painfull Bees extract and earne Their sweet prouision ; and , with laden thighes , To beare their waxy burthens : On this wise The princely Bride was led betwixt these two , The first , was she , that on Act●…ons brow Reueng'd her naked Chastity ; the other Was she , to whom loues pregnant braine was mother Through Vulcans helpe ; and these did iointly hold Vpon her head , a Coronet of gold ; Whose traine Dianas virgin crew , all crown'd With golden wreathes , supported from the ground . Next after her , vpon the triumph waited An order , by Diana new created , And styl'd the Ladies of the Maidenhead , In white , wrought here and there with spots of red , And euery spot appeared as a staine Of louers blood , whom their hard hearts had slaine : Ranckt three , and three ; and on each h●…ad a crowne Of Primeroses , and Roses not yet blowne . Next whom , the beauties of th' A●…dian Court March'd two and two , whose glory came not short Of what th' vnlimited , and studied art Of glory-vying Ladies could impart To such solemnities ; where euery one Stroue to excell , and to b'excell'd of none . Thus came they to the Temple ; where attended The sacred Priests , whose voices recommended The dayes successe to heauen , and did diuide A blessing '●…wixt the Bridegroome , and the Bride : Which done ; and after low obeysance made , The first ( whilst all the rest kept silence ) said : Welcome to Iuno's sacred Courts ; Draw neare : Vnspotted Louers , welcome : Doe not feare To touch this holy ground ; Passe on secure ; Our gates stand open to such guests , as you are ; Our gracious Goddesse grants you your desires , And hath accepted of those holy fires , We offered in your name , and takes a pleasure To smell your Incense in so great a measure Of true delight , that we are bold to say , She crownes your vowes , and smiles vpon this Day . So said ; they bowed to the ground , and blest Themselues ; that done , they singled from the rest The noble Bridegroome , and his princely Bride , And said ; Our gracious goddesse be our guide , As we are yours ; and as they spake that word , Their well-tun'd voices sweetly did accord With Musick from the Altar : As along They past , they ioyntly warbled out this song : THus in Pompe , and Priestly pride , To glorious Iuno's Altar goe we ; Thus to Iuno's Altar show we The noble Bridegroome and his Bride : Let Iuno's hourely blessing send ye As much ioy as can attend ye . May these louers neuer want True iores , nor euer beg in vaine Their choice desiers ; but obtaine What they can wish , or she can grant . Let Iuno's hourely blessings send ye As much ioy as can attend yee . From sacietie , from strife , Iealousies , domesticke iars , From those blowes , that leaue no scars , Iuno protect your mariage life . Iuno's hourely blessings send yee As much ioy as can attend ye . Thus to Hymens sacred bands We commend your chast deserts , That as Iuno link'd your hearts , He would please to ioyne your ●…ands . And let both their blessings send ye As much ioy as can attend ye . No sooner was this Nuptiall Caroll ended , But bowing to the ground , they recommended This princely paire ( both prostrate on the floore ) And with their hands presented them before The sacred Altar , whereunto they brought Two milke white Turtles ; and with prayers be sought That Iuno's lasting fauours would descend , And make their pleasures , pleasures without end . With that , a horrid cracke of dreadfull thunder Possest each fainting heart , with feare and wonder : The rafters of the holy Temple shooke , As if accu●…sed Archimagoes booke ( That cursed Legion ) had beene newly rea●… The ground did tremble , and a mist ore-spread The da●…kned Altar . At length , deepe silence did possesse and fill The spatious Temple , all was whist and still ; When , from the clouded Altar , brake the sound Of heauenly Musicke ; such , as would confound With death , or rauishment the earth bred eare , H●…d not the Goddesse giuen it strength , to beare So strong a rapture . As the Musicke ended , The Mist on sudden vanisht , and ascended ●…rom whence it came . The Altar did appeare , And ashes lying , where the Turtles were : Neere which , great Hymen stood , not seene before : His purple Mantle was embroidred o're With Crownes of Thorne ; mongst which , you might behold Some , here and there ( but very few ) of gold ; Vpon each little space , that did diuide The seuerall Crownes , a Gordian knot was tied : And , turning to the Priest , he thus began ; What meane these sumes ? Say , what hath mortall man To doe with vs ? What great request , what suite Does now attend vs , that they thus salute Our nostrills , with such acceptable sauours ? Tell vs , wherein doe they implore the sauours Of the pleas'd gods ; sor by the eternall throne , And M●…iesty of heauen , it shall be done . Whereto , with b●…nded kne●…s , they thus ●…eplide ; Great God , this noble Bride-groome , and his Bride Whom we , most humbly here , present before Great Iuno's sacred altar , doe implore Your gracious aide : that with your nuptiall bands , Your Grace would please to tie their promist bands . With that , he straight descends the holy stayres , And with his widened armes diuides and shares An equall blessing twixt them both , and said , NOble Youth , and louely Maide , Heauen accepts your ple●…sing fires , And hath granted your desires : By the mystry of our power , First , we consecrate this howre To Iuno's name , that she would blesse Our prosprous actions with successe . With this Oyle ( which we appoint For holy vses ) we anxoint Your temples , and with nuptial●… bands Thus we firmly ioyne your hands : Be ioyn'd for euer : and let none Presume t' vndoe , what we haue done . Be ioyn'd till lawlesse Death shall seuer Both hands & hearts : be ioyn'd for euer : Eternall curses we alot To those , till then , shall loose this knot . So said , he blest them both in Iuno's name , And from their sight he vanisht in a flame . That done , they rose , and with new fumes saluted The smoaking altar . Thrice they prostituted Their bended bodies on the holy ground , Where sending forth the well accepted sound Of thankes and vowes , from their diuided heart , They kisse the sacred Altar and depart ; And with the selfe same Triumph as the came , Returned ; whil'st the louder Trumpe of Fame With a full blast , sends forth a shrill retreate , And reconducts them to the Hall of State ; Whose richly furnisht table would inuite A bed rid stomacke to an Appetite , And make the wastfull Glutton , that does eate His vnearn'd di●…t with his daily sweat , B●…hold his heauen in a more ample measure , Then he had hopes to purchase , with the treasure Of his b●…st fait●… ; such were the dainties : such The vyands , that I dare not thinke too much To tearme it Paradise , where all things did Offer themselues , and nothing was forbid . Soone as the Martial of this Princely feast , Had in his rightfull seat , plac'd euery guest , A soft harmonious rapture did confine All tongues with wonder , as a thing diuine . Forthwith ; with ioyned hands , and smiling faces , With habits more vnequall then their paces , A ●…olly paire drew neare the table ; the one In greene ; His pamper'd body had outgrowne His seame-ript garments , all embroyder'd ouer With spreading Vines , whose fruitful leaues did couer Her swelling Clusters , his outstrutting eyes 〈◊〉'd in his head : his dropsie swollen thighes Quagg'd as he went ; his purple colour'd snout Was freely furnisht , and enricht about With Carbuncles ; around his browes did twine Full laden Clusters , rauisht from the Vine : The other was a Lady , whom the Sun With his bright rayes had too much gaz'd vpon : The colour of her silken Mantle was Twixt greene and yellow , like the saded grasse ; On which were wrought enclosed fields of Corne , Some reap'd , some bound in sheaues , & some vnshorne Well f●…uour'd was her count'nance ; plump & round ; Her golden Tresses dangled to the ground ; Her temples bound with full ripe eares of wheate , Made like a Girland : frequent drops of sweat Downe ●…rom her sw●…rty browes did 〈◊〉 trickle , And in her Sun-●…urnt hand she bare a sickle . Thus vsherd , wi●…h a Bag-pipe , to the Table , They both stood mute : Bacchus as yet vnable To challenge language from his breathlesse tongue , Till smiling Ceres thus began the Song . Ceres . WElcome , fairest virgin B●…ide ; Welcome to our i●…lly feast ; Tast what Ceres did prouide For so faire , so faire a guest . Bacch . Tast what Ceres did prouide For so faire so faire a guest : Welcome fairest Virgin B●…ide ; Welcome to our iolly feast . Chor. Our conioyned bounties doe Make M●…rs smile , and Venus to . Ceres . Welcome noble Bridegroome hither ; Worlds of blisse and ioyes attend ye : Freely welcome both together ; See what Ceres bounty sends ye . Bacch . Freely welcome both together ; See what Bacchus bounty ●…ends yee : Welcome noble B●…idegroome hither ; Worlds of blisse , and ioyes attend yee . Chor. Our conioyned bounties doe Make Mars smile , and Venus to . Ceres . Here is that whose sweet variety Giues you pleasure and delight ; Makes you full , without s●…cietie ; Wasts the day , and hasts the night . Bacch . This will 〈◊〉 the man of warr , When the drum shall beate in vaine ; When his spirits drooping are , This will make them rise againe . Chor. You that ioyntly doe inherit Venus beautie , Mars his spirit , Freely taste our bountie ; so Mars shall smile , and Venus to . The song thus ended ; ioyning hands together , They bow'd ; and vanish●… , none knew how , nor whither . To make relation of each quaint Deuise , That Art presented their vnwearied eyes ; The nature of their mirth , of their discourse ; The dainties of the first , the second course ; The secret glances of the Bridegroomes eye On his faire Bride ; how oft she blusht , and why ; Were but to robbe the Bridegroome of his right , Who counts each houre a Summers day , till night . Me thinke it grieues me , that my pen should wrong Poore Louers disappointed hopes so long ; And it repents me so , that oftentimes , Me thinkes , I could be angry with my Rimes , And for the cruell sins , that they commit , In being tedious ; some I wish vnwrit . Let it suff●…e , what glory , what delight , What state ; or , what to please the appetite , The eye , the eare , the fancy . In a word , What ioy so short a season could afford To well prepared hearts , was here exprest In this our Nuptiall , this our princely feast . Thus when the board was voided , and the Sewer Had now resignd his office with the Ewer , The curious linnen gone , and all the rights Perform'd , that ●…ong to festiuall delights ; The light foot Hermes ent●…rs in the Hall , Holds forth his C●…duce , and adiures them all To depth of silence ; Tells them ; '● is his taske ; To let them know , the Gods intende a Maske , To grace these nuptialls ; and , with that , he spred His ayre-diuiding pinions , and fl●…d : When silence 〈◊〉 had charmed euery eare With wonder , and attention ; they might heare The Masque of the Gods . The winged 〈◊〉 of night , about In euery corner , sweetly wa●…bling out Their Philomelian ayres , and wilder note Which nature taught them to diuide , by rote ; So that the Hall did seeme a shady groue , Wherein b●… turnes , the ambitious 〈◊〉 stroue T'xcell themselues . While thus their eares were seeding with delight Vpon these straines ; the Goddesse of the night Enters her Sceane ; Her body was confind Within a coale black Mantle thorow linde With sable Furres ; Her tresses were , of hiew , Like Ebonie ; on which , a Pearely dewe Hung , like a spiders Webb ; Her face did shrowd A swarth Complexion , vnderneath a Cloud Of black curld Cypresse : On her head , she wore A crowne of burnisht Gold , be shaded o're With Foggs and ●…ory mists ; Her hand did beare A Scepter , and a sable Hemispheare ; She sternely shooke her dewly lockes , and brake A melancholly smile , and thus bespake , Driue on , driue on , ( dull Waggoner ) Let slippe Your louser reines , and vse thine idle whippe ; Thy pamperd Steeds are pursie ; Driue away ; The lower world thinkes long to see the day ; Darkenesse befits vs best ; and our delight Will rellish farre more sweeter , in the night ; Approach ( yee blessed shadowes ) and extend Your early Iurisdiction , to befriend Our nightly sports ; Approach ; make no delay ; It is your 〈◊〉 , your Soueraigne calls away . With that a sudden darknesse fill'd the Hall : The light was ba●…sht , and the windowes all So neerely clos'd their eye lids , round about That day could not get in ; nor darknesse , out ; Thus while the death resembling shades of night Had drawne their misty Curtaines twixt the light And euery darkned eye , which was denide To see , but that , which darkenesse could not hide ; The iealous God , fearing he knowes not whom ( Indeed , whom feares he not ? ) enters the roome , And , with his clubfoot , groping in the shade Vulcan●… speech . Of night , he mutter'd forth these words and said . Where is this wanton Harlot now become ? Is light so odious to her ? or is home So homely in her wandring eyes , that she Must still be rambling , where vnknowne to me ? Can nothing be concluded , nothing done , But intermedling Venus must be one ? Is 't not enough that Phebus does applaud Her lust , but must nights Goddesse be her baud ? Darkenesse , be gon , Thou patronesse to Lust ; If faire m●…anes may not rid ●…hee , fouler must : Away ; my power shall outcharme thy charmes , And find her , painting , in her louers armes , Enter you Lamplets of terrestriall fire , And let your golden heads ( at least ) conspire To counterfeit a day , and on the night Reuenge the wrongs of Phebus , with your light . So said ; The darkned Hall was garnisht round With lighted Tapors : Euery obiect found An eye to owne it , and each eye was f●…li'd With pleasure , in the obiect it beheld . As these deuisefull changes did incite Their quickned fancies , with a fresh delight , Morpheus came in ; His dreaming pace was so , That none could say , he moou'd ; he moou'd so slow ; His folded armes , athwart his brest , did knit A sluggards knot ; His nodding chinne did hit Against his panting bosome , as he past ; And often times his eyes were closed fast ; He wore a Crowne of Poppy on his head ; And , in his hand , he bore a Mace of lead : He yauned thrice , and , after Ho●…age done To nights blacke soueraigne , he thus begun : Great Empresse of the world ; to whom , I owe Morphe●… speech . My selfe , my seruice , by perpetuall vowe ; Before the footstoole of whose dreadfull Throne , The Princes of this lower world , lay downe Their Crownes , their Scepters ; whose victorious hand , In twice twelue houres did conquer and command This Globe of earth ; your seruant ( whose dependance Quickens his power ) comes , to giue attendance Vpon thy early shaddowes , and to seize Vpon these wearied mortals , when you please T' appoint ; till then , your seruant is at hand , To put in execution your Command . To whom the smiling Goddesse thus replide ; Morpheus ; Our pleasure is to set aside The Goddesle of the nights speech This night to mirth , and time-beguiling sports ; Our sleepe restrayning buisnesse much imports Your welcome absence , whil'st our eares shall number The flying houres : our mirth admits no slumber . That word scarce ended ; but the Queene of Loue Descended from her vnseene seate aboue ; In her faire hand she led her winged Son , And like a full mouth'd tempest , thus begun ; D●…sloyall Sic●…phant ; deaths bastard brother ; Venus speech to Morpheus Accursed spaune , cast from a cursed Mother ; That with thy base impostures , ri●…est man Of halfe his dai●…s , of halfe that little spanne , Nature hath lent his life ; that with thy wiles , Hugg'st him to death ; betray'st him with thy smiles ; What mak'st thou here , and to vsurpe my right , Perfideous Caitife ? Venu●… day is night . Goe to the frozen world ; where mans desire Is made of Ice , and melts before the fire , Yet ne're the warmer : Goe , and visit ●…ooles , Or P●…legmatick old age , whose spirit cooles As quickly as their breath : Goe ; what haue we To doe ( dull Morpheus ) with thy Mace , or thee As leaden as thy Mace ? Th' art made for nought , Bu●… to still Children , or to ease the thought Or brain-sick Phranticks ; or with ioyes to ●…ter Po●…re slumbring soules ; which wak'd , finde no such matter . Goe succour those , that vent by quick retaile Their wits , vpon deare penny-worths of Al●… ; Or marrow'd Eunuchs , whose adust desire Wants meanes to slake the fury 'of their false fire . O that I were a Basiliske , that I Might dart my venome ; or else venom'd , die . Boy , bend thy Bow ; and with thy forked dart , Drawne to the head , thrill , thrill him to the heart : Let flie Deaths arrow ; or if thou had none , In deaths name send an arrow of thine owne ; We are both wrong'd , and in the same degr●…e ; Shoot then ; at once , reuenge thy s●…lfe and me . With that the little angry god did bend His steelen Bow , and in deaths name did send His winged messenger , whose faithfull hast Dispatch'd his irefull errand and stuck fast Within his pierced liuer , and did hide His singing feathers , in his wounded side . Morpheus fell downe as dead ; and on the ground Lay for a little season in a sound , Gasping for breath ; And Louers dreames they say , Haue euermore beene wanton since that day . Venus was pleas'd ; The Goddesse of the night Grew angry ; she would needs resigne her right Of gouernment ; and in a spleene threw downe Her H●…mispheare , her Scepter , and her Crowne ; And with a duskie fogge , she did besmeare The face of Venus ; soyld her golden haire , With her blacke shades ; and , with foule tearmes reuil'd Both her , her cuckold mate , and bastard childe ; Where at the God of Warre , being much offended , Forsooke both seat and patience , and descended ; And , to the world , he proffer'd to make good Faire Venus honour , with his dearest blood . To whom poore Vulcan ( puffing in a rage , To heare his well knowne fortune on the stage ) Scrap'd many a thanke ; and , with his crouching knee Profest true loue , to such true friends , as hee . And euer since , experience lets vs know , Cuckolds are kind , to such as m●…s them so . By this , god Morpheus , waking from his swound , Began to groane ; and , from his aking wound Drew forth the buried shaft : but Mars ( whose word Admits no other Organ , but his sword ) Vnsheath'd his furious brondyron , and let flye A blow at Morpheus head , which had wellnye Clouen him in twaine , had not the Queene of night Hurl'd hasty mists , before his darkned sight ; So that the sword , by a false guided ayme , Struck Vulcans foot , which euer since , was lame . At last , the gods came downe , and thought it good , To n●…ppe this earely quarrell in the bud . Who fearing vprores , with a friendly cup Of blest 〈◊〉 , tooke the quarrell vp ; And , for th' offence committed , did proclame This sentence , in offended Iuno's name . Morpheus , from hence is banisht , for this night , The sentence . And not to approch before the morning light ; Mars is exilde for euer , as a guest , Adiudg'd vnfitting for a mariage feast . Cupid is doom'd to rome and ro●… about To the worlds end , and both his eyes put out . Venus is 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 night , And not ( vnlesse by stealth ) to see the light : Her chiefest ioy to be bu●… pleasing folly , P●…rm'd with = madnes , dog'd with melancholly . And there the Musicke did inuite their paces To measure time ; and , by exchange of places , To lead the curious beholders eye , A willing captiue to variety . Thus , with the sweet vicissitude of mirth They spent the time , as if that heauen and earth Had studied to please man , in such a measure , That Art could not doe more , ●…augment their pleasure ; And so they vanisht . Now Ceres euening bounty reinuites Her noble guests , to her renew'd delights ; And frolicke Bacchus , to refresh their soules , With a full hand , presents his swelling Bowles . Wine came vnwish'd like water from a sourse , And delicates were mingled with discourse . What Art could doe , to make a welcome guest , Was liberally presented at that feast . It was no sooner ended , but appeares An old gray pilgrime , deeply strucke i●… yeares , In tatterd garments ; In his wrinkled hand An houreglasse , l●…bouring with her latest sand . Beneath his arme , a buffen knapsacke hung , Stuft full of writings , in an vnknowne tongue ; Chronologies , outdated Almanacks , And Patents , that had long suruiu'd their waxe . Vnto his shoulders , Eagles wings were ioyn'd ; His head ill thatch'd before , but bal'd behind : And leaning on his crooked Sythe he made A little pause , and after that , he said , Mortalls , 'T is out : My glasse is runne , And with it , the day is done . Darke shadows haue expell'd the light , And my glasse is turn'd for night . The Queene of darkenesse bids me say , Mirth is fitter for the day . Vpon the day , such ioyes attend ; With the day such ioyes must end . Thinke not , Darknesse goes about , Like death , to puffe your pleasures out . No , no , shee le lend you new delights ; She hath pleasures for the nights . When as her shadows shall benight yee , She hath what shall still delight ye . Aged Time shall make it knowne , She hath dainties of her owne . T is very late ; Away , away , Let day sports expire with Day . For this time , we adiourne your feast ; The Bridegroome faine would be at rest . And if night pastimes shall displease yee , Day will quickly come , and ease yee . With that , a sweet vermillian tincture stayn'd The Brides faire cheekes ; The more that she restrayn'd Her blush , the more her disobedient blood Did ouerflow ; as if a second flood Had meant to rise , and , for a little space , To drowne that world of beauty in her face S●…e blusht ; ( but knew not why ) And like the Moone S●…e look'd most red , vpon her going downe . But see : the smiling Ladi●…s do●… begin To ioyne their whispring heads , as there had beene A plot of treason ; till at length , vnspide , They stole away , the vnwilling-willing Bride ; Their busi●… hands disrob'd her , and so led The timorous virgin to her Nuptiall b●…d . By this , the Nobles hauing recommended Their tongues to silence , their discourse being ended , They look'd about , and thinking to haue done Their seruice to the Bride ; the B●…ide was gone . And now , the Bridegroome ( vnto whom delay Seem'd worse then death ) could brook no longer st●…y : Attended by his noble guests , he enters That roome , where th' enterchangeable Indenters Of dearest loue , lay ready to be seal'd With mutuall pleasures , not to be reueald . His garments grow too tedious , and their waight ( Not able to be borne ) doe ouer fraight His weary shoulders ; Atlas neuer stoopt Beneath a greater burthen , and not droopt ; No helpe was wanting ; for he did receiue What sudden ayde he could expect , or haue From speedy hands , from hands that did not wast The time , vnlesse ( perchance ) by ouer hast ; Meane while , a dainty warbling brest , not strong , As sweet , presents this Epithalamion song . Man of warre , march brauely on , The field 's not easie to be wonne ; There 's no danger in that warre , Where lips both swords and bucklers are . Here 's no cold to chill thee ; A bed of downe's thy field : Here 's no sword to kill thee , Vnlesse thou please to yeeld ; Here is nothing will incumber , Here will be no scars to number . These are warres of Cupids making , These be warres will keepe yee waking , Till the earely breaking Day Call your forces hence , away . These are warres that make no spoyle , Death shoots his shafts in vaine ; Though the souldier get a foyle , He will rouze , and fight againe . These be warres that neuer cease , But conclude a mutuall peace . Let benigne and prosp'rous starres Breathe successe vpon these warres , And when thrice three months be runne , Be thou father of a sonne ; A son , that may deriue from thee The honor of true merit , And may to ages , yet to be , Conuay thy blood thy spirit ; Making the glory of his fame Perpetuate , and crowne thy name , And giue it life in spight of death , When fame shal want both trump and breath . Haue you beheld in a faire summers euen , The golden-headed Charioter of heauen , With what a speed , his prouder reynes doe bend His panting horses , to their iourneyes end ? How red he lookes ; with what a swift careire Her hurries to the lower Hemisphere ; And in a moment , shootes his golden head Vpon the pillow of blushing Thetis bed . Euen so the bridegroome ( whose defire had wings More swift then Time , switcht on with pleasure ) springs Into his nuptiall bed ; and looke how fast The stooping Faulkon clips ; and , with what hast , Her tallons seize vpon the timorous prey , Euen so , his armes ( impatient of delay ) His circling armes embrac'd his blushing Bride , While she ( poore soule ) lay trembling by his side . The Bridegroome now growes weary of his guests : What mirth of late was pleafing , now molests His tyred patience : Too much sweet offends ; Sometime , to be forsaken of our friends , In Cupids moralls , is obseru'd to be The fruits of friendship , in the best degree . And thus , at last , the Curtaines being clos'd , They left them , each , in others armes repos'd . And here my Muse bids , draw our Curtaines too , T is vnfit to see , what priuate louers doe . Reader , let not thy thoughts grow ouer rancke ; But vaile thy vnderstanding , with a Blancke . Thinke not on what thou think'st ; and , if thou canst , Yet vnderstand not , what thou vnderstandst . Sow not thy fruitfull heart with so poore seeds ; Or if , perchance , ( vnsowne ) they spring like weeds , Vse them like weeds , thou knowst not how to kill ; Sleight them ; and let them thriue against thy will . View them like euills , which Art cannot preuent , But see , thou take no pleasure in their sent . And one thing more ; When as the morrow light Shall bring the bash full Bride into thy sight ; Be not too cruell ; Let no wanton eye Disturbe , and wrong her conscious modesty ; And if she blush , examine not for what ; Nay , though thou see it ( Reader ) see it not . And shall our story discontinue here ? Or want a period , till another yeare ? Shall we befriend these louers , with the night , And leaue them buried in their owne delight ? And so conclude ? No , it shall ne're be sed , That mariage ioyes end in the mariage bed . Fond , and adulterate is that loue , which founds Her happinesse on such vnstable grounds : And , like a sudden blaze , it neuer lasts , But as the pleasure waxes cold , it wasts . Now Argalus awakes ; and now the light Is euen as welcome to him , as the night : His eyes are fixt vpon his louely Bride , While she la●…s sweetly slumbring by his side . She sle●…pes ; He views her ; Thrice , his mind was bent , To call Parthenia , and thrice it did repent . Sometimes , his lips , with a stolne kisse would greet Her gu●…ltlesse lips ; ( They say stolne goods are sweet ) At length , sh●… wakes ; and hides her blushing cheekes In his warme bosome ; where , she safely seekes For Sanctuary , whereunto should ●…ly The guil●… of her protected modesty . He smiles , and whispers in her deafned eare ; ( Women can vnderstand , and yet not heare ) He sp●…akes , but she ( euen whilst his lips wa●… b●…eaking Their words ) with hers , did stop his lips from speaking When thrice three Suns had now almost , out-worne The rare solemnities , that did adorne These princely nuptialls , and had made report Grow something sparing in th' Arcadian Court , Argalus , whose endeuours were addrest , To practise what might please Parthenia best , Resolu'd to leaue Kalanders house , and crowne Parthenia sole Commandresse of her owne . Long was it , ere Kalanders liberall eare Could be vnlockt ; It had no power to heare The word , Farewell ; S●…ill Argalus entreated , And fram'd excuses ; which , he soone defeated ; But as the stout Alcides did casheire One rising head , another would appeare , Euen so , whilst his ingenious loue did smother One cause of parting , he would find another . Kalander thus at last , ( being ouerwrought With words , which importunity had taught Inexorable Argalus ) was faine To yeeld , what he so long gainsaid , in vaine ; T is now concluded , Argalus must goe , But yet Kalander must not leaue them so ; There is no parting , till the aged sire Shall warme his fingers , by Partheniaes fire ; Parthenia sues ; Kalander must not rest , Till he become Partheniaes promis'd guest . The morrow next , when Titans earely ray Had giuen faire earnest of a fairer Day ; And , with his trembling beames , had repossest The eyes of mortalls , newly rouz'd from rest , They left Kalanders Castle , and that night , Arriu'd they at the Pallace of delight , ( For so 't was call'd ) it was a goodly seate , Well chosen ; not capatious , as neate ; Yet was it large enough , to entertaine A potent Prince with all his Princely trayne ; It seem'd a Center to a Parke , welstor'd With Deere ; whose well thriuen bounty did afford Continuall pleasure , and delight ; nay what , That earth cals good , this Seat afforded not ? Th' impatient Falkner here may learne to say Forgotten pray'rs , and blesse him euery day . The patient Angler , here may tire his wish ; And ( if he please ) may sweare , and yet catch fish . The sneaking Fouler , may goe boldly on , And ne're want sport vntill his powder 's done . And to conclude , there was no stint , no measure To th' old mans profit , or the young mans pleasure : Thither this night the nuptiall troope is gone ; And now Parthenia's welcome to her owne : But would yee heare what entertainment past ? Conceiue it rather ; for my quill would wast Th' vnthriuing stock of my bespoken time , While such free bounty cannot stand with rime : But that , which most did season , and imbellish Their choyce delights , and gaue the truest relish To their b●…st mirth , and pleasures ; was to see With what a sweet conjugiall harmony All things were carried : Euery word did proue To adde some acquisition to their loue ; So one they were , that none couldiusty say , Which of them rul'd , or whether did obey ; He rul'd ; because she would obey , and she In thus obeying , rul'd as well as he : What pleased him , would need no other cause , To please her to , but onely his applaus●… ; A happy paire ! whose double life , but one , Made one life double ; and the single , none . Thus when th' vnconstant Lady of the night Had chang'd her sharpned horns , for an orbe of light , Kalander ( whose occasions grew too strong , And may not be dispenc'd withall too long ) Takes leaue , and ( being equall heauy hearted With sad Parthenia for his hast ) departed . But Argalus ( who neuer yet could owne Himselfe with more aduantage then alone ) And faire Parthenia ( whose well pleas'd desire Hopes nothing else , if Argalus be by her ) Need not the helpe of any , to augment The better ioyes of their retir'd content : Sometimes the curious garden would inuire Their gentle paces , to her proud deligh ; Sometimes the welstor'd Parke would change their pleasure , And tender to her view , her light ●…oot treasure ; Where th' vnmolested Herd would seeme to 〈◊〉 , And craue a death at faire Parthenia's hand . Sometimes their steps would clime th' ambit●…us Tower , From whose aspiring top they might discouer A little commonwealth of land , which none But Argalus durst challenge as his owne . Sometimes ( for change of pleasure ) he would read Selected stories , whilst her 〈◊〉 would seed Vpon his lips , and now and then a kisse Would interpose , like a parenthesis Betweene their semicircled armes , enclos'd ; ( O what dull spirit could be indispos'd To read such lines ! ) and whilst vpon the booke His eyes were fix'd her pleased eyes would look Vpon the gracefull Reader , and espie A story farre more pleasing in his eye . Vpon a day , as they were closely seated ; H●…r cares a trending , whil'st his lips repeated A story , treating the renown'd aduentures And famous a●…s of great Alcides ; enters A Messenger , whose countenance did bewray A hast too serious , to admit delay ; His hand presents him letters , which did bring Their sealed errand from th' Arcadian King ; Whereat Parthenia rose , and stept aside ; Her thoughts were troubled ; euer as she eyed The Messenger , her colour comes and goes ; Parthenia feares ; and yet Parthenia knowes Not what to feare ; Her iealous heart knowes how To feare an Euill , because it feares to know ; And as he read the lines her eye was fixt Vpon his eye , which seem'd to striue betwixt A thousand thwarting passions : Once he cast His eye on hers ; and finding hers so fast On his , he blusht ; she blusht ; both blusht together , Because they blusht for what , vnknowne to either . The letter being read ( and hauing kist Basilius name ) he speedily dismist The messenger ; with promise to obey Basilius iust commands , without delay . That done ; he tooke Pathenia by the hand , His deare Parthenia , by the trembling hand ; And to her greedy eye he straight presents The Paper , ballac'd with it's sad contents : Parthenia , with a fearefull slownesse tooke it ; And with a fearefull hast did ouerlooke it : Her face being blanched with the pallide signes Of what she fear'd too soone , she read these lines . Basilius Rex . WHereas the famous and victorious name Of great Amphialus , makes the trumpe of Fame Breathe nothing but his conquests and renowne ; Whose lawlessè actions fortune striues to crowne ( In spight of Iustice ) with a Victors merit , Respecting more the greatnesse of his spirit , Then iustnesse of his cause , to the dishonour Of vertue , and all such as wa●…te vpon her . And furthermore ; whereas his power is knowne T' oppugne the welfare of our State and Crowne , With strong rebell●…on , to the high aduancement Of his disloyall glory , and inhancement Of his perfidious name , the great increase Of factions , and disturbance of our peace . Likewise , where as his high preuailing hand ( Against the force whereof no flesh can stand ) Could ne're he equall'd yei , much lesse o'recome , But with loud triumph , still does carry home The spoyles of our lost honour , to the fame Of his rebellious glory , and our shame . We therefore in our Princely care , perpending The serious premises , and much depending , On your knowne courage , haue selected you To stand our Champion royall , and renew Our wasted honour , with your sword and launce , In equall Duell ; Thus you shall aduance The glorious pitch of your renowned name , With the braue purchase of eternall fame : In this you shall reuiue our dying glorie , And liue the subiect of this ages story , ( Which shall be read tili time shall haue an end ) And tye Basilius your perpetuall friend . To our right trusty and noble kinsman Argalus . But as she read , a teare did trickle downe Vpon the lines , as if it meant to drowne Th' vnwelcome message , and at length she said ; Ah me ! my Argalus was 't this you made Such hast to answere ? did that answere need To be returned with so great a speed ? Can you , oh can you be so quickly won , To leaue your poore Parthenia , and be gon ? To whom resolued Argalus ( whose eye Was fixt vpon his honour ) made replie ; My deare Parthenia ; were it to obtaine The vnsumm'd welth of Pluto ; or to gaine The soueraignty of the earth , without th' expence Of blood or sweate , without the least pretense Of danger , my ambition would despise The easie conquest of so great a prize , If purchas'd by thy discontent , or by The poorest teare that trickles from thine eye ; But to recall my promise , or forsake That resolution honour bid me make In this behalfe ; or to betray that trust Repos'd in me , the gods would be vniust , ( And not themselues ) if they should but command Or vrge me , with an ouerswaying hand . My deare Parthenia ; Let no false suggestion Abuse thy passion , or presume to question My dearest loue ; Though honour bids vs part , Yet honor can not robbe thee , of my heart : Honour , that calls me with her loud alarmes , Will bring me back , with Tryumph , to thine armes ; So said ; the sad Parthenia , ( whose teares Are turnd Lieutenants to her tongue ) forbeares To tempt her language : Griefes , that are but sm●…ll , Can speake , when great ones cannot vent at all : But tender hearted Argalus ( to whom Such silence speakes too loud ) forsooke the roome ; And , with a brest , as full of pensiue care , As honor , gaue directions to prepare His warlike Steed , his Martiall attire And all things , such imployment does require . And here O thou , thou great supreame protectresse Of bolder spirits , and the sole directresse Of lofty flying quills , which shall deriue To after times , what glorious swords acchiue ; And mak'st the actions of heroick spirits Perpetuate , and crowne their names their merits ; Illustrious Clio : Aide me , and inspire My ragged rimes , with thy diviner fire ; Teach me to raise my stile , and to attaine A pitch , that may transcend the vulgars straine ; Reach me a quill , rent from an Eagles wing ; And let my Incke be blood ; that I may sing Death to the life : let him ; that reads , expound Each dash , a sword ; and euery word , a wound , By this , the Champion royall had put on His martial weeds ; and hasting to be gone , The poore Parthenia , whose cold 〈◊〉 , past : ( Like those in Agues ) now does burne as fast : She leaues the lonely roome ; and comming out , She finds her Argulus , enclosed about With glittering walls of steele , apparell'd round In his bright armes , ( whom she had ●…ather found Lockt vp in her's ) and wanting nothing now , But what her lips could not ( poore soule ) allow , Without sea of teares , her last farewell ; She ranne vnto him ; and wept ; and , weeping fell Vpon her knees ; she claspt him by the arme , And looking vp , she thus began to charme ; My Argalus ; my Argalus : my deare , And wilt thou goe , and leaue Parthenia here ? Wilt thou forsake me then ? And can these teares Not intercede betwixt thy deafned ●…ares , And my sad suit ? Canst thou , ô canst thou goe , And leaue thy poore distrest Parthenia so ? Parthenia sues ; Parthenia does implore ; Parthenia begges , that neuer begg'd before ; Remember , O remember you are , now , Vnder the power of a sacred vow : Honour must stoope to vowes , which once being crackt , You cannot doe an honourable act : I haue a Right vnto you ; you are mine ; I haue that Interest , which I le ne're resigne , Till death : I le neuer hazard to forgoe My whole estate of happìnesse , at one throw , No , no , I will not : I will hold thee fast In spight of Honor and her nine dayes blast ; Your former acts haue giuen sufficient proofe To the wide world ; your valour 's knowne enough Without a further tryall : There 's enow To lose their liues ( lesse worthy ) besides you ; 'T was then a time for armes , when you had none , None other life to venture , but your owne ; Excuse me then , that onely doe endeauor To hold mine owne ; which now I must , or neuer ; Mine , mine you are , and you can vndertake No danger , but 〈◊〉 must partake ; Shall your Parthenia be indanger'd then ? Parthenia shall be present , euen when The strokes fall thickest ; and Parthenia shall Suffer what ere to Argalus may befall ; Parthenia , in your greatest paines , shall smart ; Your blood shall trickle from Parthenia's heart : Can prayers obtaine no place ? By this deare hand , The sacred pledge of our coniugiall band ; By all the pleasures of our dearest loue ; By heauen , and all the heauenly powers aboue ; Or if those motiues cannot finde a roome , Yet by the tender fruit , that in my wombe Begins to budde , or if ought else appeare To thy best thoughts more pretious or more deare , By that , forsake me not , although the rest Preuaile not . Grant this first , this last request : To whom the broken hearted Argalus , Wearied , but not o'recome , made answer thus ; My deare Parthenia ; Thy desires neuer Gainesaid my will , till now : Doe not perseuer To craue that boone , I cannot grant : forbeare To vrge me : Resolution hath no eare : Weepe not ( my Ioy : ) Let not those drops of thine , That trickle from so faire an eye , diuine A foule successe ; Cheare vp ; A smile , or two Would make me halfe a Conqueror , ere I goe : Shine forth ; and let no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 benight The glorious luster of so faire a light ; Doubt not my life : The iustnesse of my cause , That brings me on , will quite me with applause ; Feare not , that such a blessing , such a wife Was e're intended for so short a life . Expect my safe returne ; as quicke , as glorious ; My Genius tells me , I shall 〈◊〉 , victorious . So said , as if that passion had forgot Her mother tongue , her tongue replyed not : But , like to one , new stricken with the thunder , She stood betwixt 〈◊〉 , feare , and wonder : His lips tooke leaue , and as his armes surrounded Her feeble wast , she straight fell down , and swounded ; But Argalus , transported with the tide And tyranny of honour , could abide No longer stay ; He 〈◊〉 her to the guard Of her owne women ; left her , and repair'd Vnto the Campe ; wherein , he spent some dayes , In parley , with Amphialus ; and assayes , By all perswasine meanes , to make him yeeld To iust demands , and not to staine the field With needlesse blood ; But finding him vnapt For peacefull counsell ( being strongly rapt With his owne fame ) and scorning to afford His eare to any language , but the sword , He ceas'd t' aduise him ; and ( enforc'd to try A rougher Dialect ) wrote him this defie . Renown'd Amphialus , If strong perswasions , backt with reasons could Bin honour'd with your eare ; your wisedome would , In yeelding to so faire a peace , haue won As ample glory , 〈◊〉 your sword hath done . You should haue conquer'd soules where now , at most , You can subdue but bodies , that haue lost The power to resist : But since my suit , Sowne on so barren 〈◊〉 , can find no fruit ; Receiue a mortall challenge , from a hand , Whose iustice takes a glory to withstand So foule a cause , and labours to subdue Your heedlesse errors , whilst it honours you . Compose you then , to make a preparation , According to your noble wonted fashion ; And thinke not sleight , of ne're so weake an arme , That strikes , when Iustice strikes vp her alarme . Argalus . No sooner had he read it , but his pen , With noble speed , return'd these lines agen . Much more renowned Argalus , Your faithfull seruant , whose victorlous brow Was neuer daunted yet , is daunted now , By your braue curtesie , being stricken dumbe With your rare worth , and fairly ouercome ; Yet doubting not the iustnesse of my Cause ( That 's ouer ruled by the sacred lawes Of dearest loue ) will giue my sword the power , Euen to maintaine it , to the latest houre . I shall expect your comming in the 〈◊〉 , Where , with a heart , ( not poyson'd with the 〈◊〉 Or gall of 〈◊〉 ) with my dearest blood , Your seruant shall be ready to make good His iust designes ; assured of no lesse Then treble same , if crowned with 〈◊〉 ; If not , There 's no dishonour can accrew , In being conquer'd , and o'recome by you , 〈◊〉 : Soone after ; Argalus , ( whose blood did boyle To be in action ) comes into the Isle ; Clad in white 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 , and strangely drest With knots of womans hayre , which from his crest Hung dangling down ; 〈◊〉 , with their bountious treasure , Orespred his Corslet in a liberall measure ; His curious furniture was fashion'd out , Like to a flying Eagle , round about Beset with plumes ; whose crooked beake ( being cast Into a costly 〈◊〉 ) was made fast To th' saddle bow : Her spredden traine did couer His crooper , whilst the trappers seem'd to houer Like wings ; that , to the fixt 〈◊〉 eye , As the Horse pranc'd , the Eagle seem'd to fly ; Vpon his arme , ( his threatning arme ) he wore A sleeue , all curiously embroydred ore With bleeding 〈◊〉 , which faire Parthenia made , ( In those crosse times , when fortune so betraid Their secret loue , and with a smiling frowne 〈◊〉 their false hopes ) as copies of her owne ; Vpon his shield ( for his deuice ) he set Two neighbring Palmes whose budding branches met And twin'd together ; the obscure Imprese Imported this , Thus 〈◊〉 , as these : His Horse was of a fiery Sorrell : Blacke His maine , his feet , his taile ; on his proud backe , A coaleblacke List : His nostrells , open wide , Breath'd warre , before his sparkling eye descryde An enemy to encounter ; vp by turnes , He lifts his hasty hoofes , as if he scornes The earth , or if his tabring feet had found Away , to goe , and yet ne're change the ground . By this Amphialus ( who all this while Thought minuts yeares ) was landed in the Isle , In all respects prouided , to afford As bountious intertainment , as the sword And Launce could giue : And at the Trumpets sound , Their Steeds , ( that needed not a 〈◊〉 to wound Their bleeding flanks ) both start , & with smooth running Their 〈◊〉 declining with vnshaken cunning Perform'd their masters will , with angry speed ; But Argalus his well instructed Steed Being hot , and full of courage ( fiercely led By his owne pride ) prest in his prouder head , The which when stout Amphialus espide , ( Well knowing it vnsafe to giue his side ) Prest likewise in ; so that both men , and horse Shouldring each 〈◊〉 , with a double force Fell to the ground . But by accustom'd skill , And help of Fortunes hand , that succours still Bold spirits , shunn'd the danger of the fall , And had ( lesse fear'd then hurt ) no harme at . They rose , drew forth their swords ; which now begun To doe what their left staues had lest vndone . Haue ye beheld a Leaguer ? In what sort The deepe mouth'd Cannon playes vpon the Fort , And how by peecemeales it doth batter downe The yeelding walls of the besieged towne ? Euen so their swords ( whose oft repeated blowes Could finde no patience yet to interpose A breathing respite ) with redoubled strength So hew'd their proofelesse armours , that at length Their failing trust began to proue vnsound , And peece by peece , they dropt vpon the ground , Trusting their bodies to the bare defence Of vertue , and vnarmed innocence . Such deadly blowes were dealt , and such 〈◊〉 , That Mars himselfe stood rauisht and affrighted To see the cruell Combate : Euery blow Did act two parts ; both 〈◊〉 and guarded too At selfe-same 〈◊〉 . So incomparable Their skilfull quicknesse was , that none was able To say ( although their watchfull eyes attended The strokes ) who made the blow , or who defended . Long was it ere their equall skill and force Of armes could show a better , or a worse . Neither preuail'd as yet ; yet both excell'd In not preuailing . Neuer eye beheld More equall ods : No wound as yet could show A droppe of wasted blood , yet euery blow Was full of death . When skilfull Gamesters play , The Christmas box gaines often more then they . At length the sword of Argalus ( that neuer Thirsted so long in vaine till now ; nor euer 〈◊〉 victory doubtfull for so long a space ) Fastned a wound on the disarmed face Of stout Amphialus , who now does feele The equall temper of his enemies steele , Yet was not daunted , by the blow receiu'd , Nor of his wonted courage so breau'd , As by the saucy daring of one thrust To faint or yeeld : rather a braue distrust Of his old worth , call'd a new anger on , And fir'd him to a sudden talion : When as directed by some fate-blest charme He made a second stroake that pierc'd the arme Of haughty Argalus , and made him know Amphialus would rather dye then owe . Argalus blush't for want of blood . Expecting A quicke reuenge , which was not long effecting ; For whilst Amphialus ( whose hopes inflam'd His tyrannous thoughts with conquest , & proclaim'd Vndoubted victory ) heapt his strokes so fast , As if each blow had scorn'd to be the last . The watchfull Argalus ( whose nimble eye Dispos'd his time , in onely putting by ) Put home a thrust , ( his right foot comming in ) And pierc'd his Nauell ; that the wound had bin No lesse then death , if Fortune , ( that can turne A mischiefe to aduantage ) had for borne To show a miracle ; for with that blow , Amphialus last made , his arme had so O , estrucke it selfe ; that sideward to the ground He fell ; and falling , he receiu'd that wound Which ( had he stood ) had enter'd in , point blancke , But , falling , only graz'd vpon his flancke . Being downe , braue Argalus his threatning sword Bids yeeld ; Amphialus answering not a word , ( As one , whose mighty spirit did disdaine A life of almes ) but striuing to regaine His legs , and honour , Argalus let driue , With all the strength , a wounded arme could giue , Vpon his head ; but his hurt arme ( not able To doe him present seruice , answerable To his desires ) let his weapon fall ; With that , Amphialus ( though daz'd withall ) Arose ; but Argalus ran in , and graspt ( 〈◊〉 clos'd together ) with him ; where , both claspt And grip'd each in th' unfriendly armes of either ; A while they grappled ; grappling , fell together , And on the ground , with equall fortune stroue ; Some time 〈◊〉 was got aboue , And sometimes Argalus ; Both ioyntly vow'd 〈◊〉 ; Both wallowed in their mingled blood , Both bleeding fresh : Now , Argalus bids yeeld . And now , Amphialus : Both would win the field , Yet neither could ; At last , by free consent , They rose ; and to their breathed swords they went ; The Combat's now renew'd , both laying on , As if the fight had beene but new begon . New wounds asswage the smarting of the old , And warme blood entermingles with the cold . But Argalus ( whose wounded arme had lost More blood , then all his body could almost Supply ; and like an 〈◊〉 , that expends So long as he hath either stocke , or friends ) Bled more then his spent Fountains could make good His spirit could giue courage , but not blood . As when two wealthy Clyents , that waxe old In suit , ( whose learned councell can vphold And glaze the cause alike , on either side ) During the time their tearmly golden tide Shall flow alike , from both , 't is hard to say Who prospers best , or who shall get the Day . 〈◊〉 he , whose water first shall cease to flow , And ebbe so long , till it shall ebbe too low . His cause , ( though richly laden to the brincke , With right ) shall strike vpon the barre and sincke , And then 〈◊〉 easie Councell may vnfold The doubt ; The question 's ended , with the gold . Euen so our Combatants , the 〈◊〉 their blood Was equall 〈◊〉 ; the Cause seem'd equall good , The Victory equall ; equall was their armes ; Their Hopes were equall : 〈◊〉 was their harmes . But when poore Argalus his wasting blood Ebb'd in his veines , ( although it made a flood A 〈◊〉 flood , in the vngratefull field ) His cause , his strength , ( but not his heart ) must yeeld : Thus wounded Argalus the more he fail'd , The more , the proud Amphialus preuail'd : With that , Amphialus ( whose noble strife Was but to purchase honour , and not life ) Perceiuing what aduantage , in the fight , He gained , and the valour of the Knight , Became his suitor , that himselfe would please To pitty himselfe , and let the Combat cease ; Which noble Argalus ( that neuer vs'd In honour to part stakes ) with thankes , refus'd : ( Like to a lucklesse gamester ; who , the more He loses , is 〈◊〉 willing to giue o' 〈◊〉 ) And filling vp his empty veines , with spite , Begins to summe his forces , and vnite His broken strength , and ( like a Lampe that makes The greatest blaze at going out ) he takes His sword in both his hands ; and , at a blow , Cleft armour , shield , and arme , 〈◊〉 , in two ; But now enrag'd Amphialus forgets All pitty ; and , trusting to his Cards , he sets That stock of courage , treasur'd in his brest , Making his whole estate of 〈◊〉 , his Rest ; And vies such blowes , as Arg'lus could not see Without his losse of life : so thundred he Vpon his wounded body , that each wound Seem'd like an open Sluce of blood , that found No hand to stop it , till the dolefull cry . Of a most beautious Lady ( who well nie Had run her selfe to death ) restrain'd his arme ( Perchance too late ) from doing further harme . It was the faire Parthenia , who that night Had dream'd , she saw her husband in that plight She now had found him : Feare and loue together , Gaue her no rest , till they had brought her hither : The nature of her feare did now begin T' expell the feare of Nature ; stepping in , Betweene their pointing swords , she prostrate lay Before their blood-bed abbled feet , to say She knew not what ; for as her lips would striue To be deliuer'd , a deepe sigh would driue The abortiue issue of her language forth ; Which , borne vntimely , perisht in the birth ; And if her sighes would giue her 〈◊〉 to vent it , O then a teare would trickle , and preuent it ; But 〈◊〉 the winde of her loud sighes had laid The 〈◊〉 of her teares , she sobb'd , and said : O wretched eyes of mine ! O wailfull sight ! O day of darknesse ! O eternall night ! And there 〈◊〉 stopt ; her eyes being fixt vpon Amphialus ; she sigh'd , and thus went on : My Lord , 'T is said you loue : Then , by that sacred power Of loue , as you 'd 〈◊〉 mercy in the houre Of greatest misery , leaue off ; and sheathe Your bloody sword : or else if nought but death May slake your anger , O let mine , let mine Be a sufficient offring at the Shrine Of your appeased thoughts ; or , if you thirst For Argalus 〈◊〉 life , then take mine first : Or , if for noble blood you seeke , if so Accept of mine ; my blood is noble too , And worth the spilling : Euen for her deare sake , Your tender soule affects , awake , awake , Your noble mercy : Grant , I care not whether ; Let me dye first ; or , kill vs both together . With that Amphialus was about 〈◊〉 speake , 〈◊〉 Argalus ( whose heart 〈◊〉 almost 〈◊〉 To heare Partheniaes words ) 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 , ah Parthenia ; Then must I 〈◊〉 bought and sold for teares ? Is my condition So poore , I cannot 〈◊〉 , but by petition ? So said ; He 〈◊〉 aside ( for feare , by chance , The fury of some misguided blow may 〈◊〉 And touch Parthenia ) and , fill'd with high 〈◊〉 , Would haue 〈◊〉 the Combat fresh againe . But now , Amphialus was charm'd ; his hand 〈◊〉 no sufficient warrant to withstand Parthenia's suit , from whose faire eyes there came Such precious teares , in so belou'd a name ; His eyes grew tender , and his melting heart Was ouercome ; his very soule did smart ; He 〈◊〉 not , but kept him at a distance , And ( putting by some blowes ) made no resistance . But what can long endure ? Lamps wanting oyle , Must out at last , although they blaze a while ; Trees wanting Sap , must wither ; strength and beauty Can claime no priuiledge to quit that duty They owe to Time and Change ; but like a Vine ( The vnsound supporters failing ) must decline : Poore Argalus growes 〈◊〉 , and must giue o're To strike ; his feeble arme can strike no more ; And natures 〈◊〉'd Bayly now destraines His blood , for that small debt that yet remaines 〈◊〉 ; His arme that cannot vse the poynt , Now 〈◊〉 vpon the pomell ; euery ioynt Disclaimes their idle sinews ; and his eye Begins to double euery obiect by ; Nothing appeares the same it was ; the ground , And all thereon does seeme to daunce the round . His legs grow faint ; and thinking to sit downe , He mist his Chaire , and 〈◊〉 into a swoune . With that Amphialus and Parthenia ran , Ran in with hast , Amphialus 〈◊〉 To loose his Helmet , whil'st her busie palme Chaf'd his cold Temples , and ( distilling Balme Into his wounds ) her hasty fingers tore Her linnen sleeues , and Partlet that she wore , No wipe the teare mixt blood away , and wrap His wounds withall ; vpon her panting lappe She laide his liuelesse head , and ( wanting bands To binde the bloody cloathes ) her nimble hands ( As if it were ordained for that end , And therefore made so long ) did freely rend Her dainty haire , by handfuls from her head ; But as she wrapt the wounds , her eyes would shed And wet the rags so much , that she was faine 〈◊〉 sighs and sobs to drie it vp againe . Thus halfe distracted with her griefes and feares , These words she enter mingles with her teares ; Distrest Parthenia ! Into what estate Hath fortune , and the direfull hand of Fate Driuen thy perplexed soule ? O thou , O thou , That wert the president of all ioyes , but now ; Now turn'd th' example of all misery , For torments worse then death to practise by ! How lesse then nothing art thou ? and how more Then miserable ! Thou that wert before All Ladies of the earth for happinesse But very now ; ( ah me ) now , nothing lesse ! O angry heauens ; what hath Parthenia done , To be thus plagu'd , or why not plagu'd alone If guilty ? what shall poore Parthenia doe ? To whom shall she complaine ? alas ! or who Shall giue reliefe ? nay who can giue reliefe To her , that hopes for succour from her griefe ? O death ! Must we be parted then ? for euer ? And neuer meet againe ? what , neuer ? neuer ? Or shall Parthenia now be so vnkinde , Te leaue her Argalus , and stay behind ? No , no , my dearest Argalus , make roome , ( There 's roome enough in heauen ) I come , I come . Who euer saw a dying coale of fire , Lurke in warme embers ( till some breath inspire A forc'd reuiuall ) how obscure it lies ; And being blowne , glimmers a while , and dies ? So Argalus , to whom Parthenia's breath Giuing new life , ( a life in spite of death ) Recall'd him from his death-resembling traunce ; Who from his panting Pillow did aduance His feeble head ; and looking vp , he made Hard shift to sorce a language , and thus said ; My deare Parthenia : Now my glasse is runne ; Argalus last speech . The Tapours tell me that the Play is done ; My dayes are summ'd ; Death seizes on my heart ; Alas ! the time is come , and we must part : Yet by my better hopes ; grimme death does bring No griefe to Argalus , no other sting But this , that I must leaue thee , euen before My gratefull actions can crosse the score Of thy deare merits : But since it pleases him , whose wisedome still Disposes all things by his better will , Depend vpon his goodnesse , and relye Vpon his pleasure , not inquiring why : And trust that one day we shall meet , and then Enioy each other , ne're to part agen : Meane while liue happy : Let Parthenia make No doubt , but bessed Argalus shall partake In all her ioyes on earth , which shall encrease His ioyes in heauen , and soules eternall Peace . Loue well the deare remembrance of thy true And faithfull Argalus ; let no thought renew My last disgrace ; thinke not the hand of Fate Made me vnworthy , though vnfortunate . And as he spake that word , his lips did vent A sigh , whose vio'lence h●…d well nigh rent His heart in twaine ; and when a pa●…ting kisse H●…d giuen him earnest of appoaching blisse , He snatch his sword into his hand and cryed ; O death ! thou art the Conquerour ; and dyed . With that ; Parthenia , whose liuelihood was founded Vpon his life , bow'd downe her head and swounded ; But griefe , that ( like a Lyon ) loues to play Before it kils , gaue death a longer day ; Else had Parthenia dy'd , since death depriued Him of his life , in whose deare life she liued . But ah ! Parthenia's sorrow was too deepe , Too too vnruly , to be lull'd asleepe By ought but Death : She startles from her swound ; And nimbly rising from the loathed ground , Kneeles downe ; and layes her trembling hand vpon His lukewarme lips , but finding his breath gone , Griefe playes the Tyrant ; fierce distruction driues her She knowes not where ; vnbounded 〈◊〉 depriucs her Of sense and language ; here and there she goes , Not knowing what to doe ; nor what she does ; Somtimes her faire misguided hand would teare Her beautious face ; sometimes , her bountious haire , As if their vse could stand her in no stead , Since her beloued Argalus was dead . But now Amphialus ( that all this space Stood like an Idol , fastned to his place ; Where with a world of teares , he did bemoane The deed , that his vnlucky hands had done ) Well knowing ; that his words would aggrauate , Not ease the miserie of her woefull state , Spake not , but caus'd her women that came with her To vrge her to the Ferrie ; where together With her dead Argalus , she ' embrackt ; from whom She would not part : no sooner was she come To t'other shore , but all the funerall state Of militarie discipline did waite Vpon the Corps , whil'st troopes of trickling eyes Fore-ran the well perform'd solemnities : The Martiall Trumpet breath'd her dolefull sound , Whil'st others traild their Ensignes on the ground ; Thus was the most lamented Corpes conuaid , Vpon a Chariot , lin'd , and ouerlaid With Sables , to his house ; a house , then night More black , no more the Palace of Delight ; Where now we leaue him to receiue the Crowne Prepar'd for vertue , and deseru'd renowne ; Where now we leaue him to be full possest Of endlesse peace , and euerlasting Rest. But who shall comfort poore Parthenia now ? What Oratory can preuaile ? or how Can counsell chuse but blush to vndergoe So vaine taske , and be contemned too ? May Counsell mooue a heart , whose best 〈◊〉 Consists in desperate yeelding to a griefe ? O : what aduice can rellish in her eares , That weepes , and takes a pleasure in her teares ? Readers , forbeare : sorrowes that are lamented , Are but exulcerated , but augmented ; Forbeare attempt , where there is no preuayling ; A desperate griefe growes stronger by bewaying . Leaue her to time and fortune : let your eyes No longer prye into her miseries ; True mourners loue to be beheld of none ; Who truly grieues , desire to grieue alone . But now our bloodhound Muse must draw , and track Amphialus , and bring the Murtherer backe To a new Combate : Where if fortune please To crowne our Tragick Sceane , and to appease The crying blood of Argalus , with blood ; Our better rellisht story ( making good Your hopefull expectations ) shall besriend The teares of our Parthenia , and end . Soone as the stout Amphialus had out worne The danger of his wounds , and made returne Into the Martiall Campe ; there , to maintainc His new got honor , and to entertaine Aggrieued challengers , that shall demand , O●… seeke for satisfaction from his hand ; An armed Knight came praunsing o're the plaine , D●…nouncing watre , and breathing forth disdaine . Foure dam ' sells vsherd him , in sable weeds ; And foure came after , all on mourning Steedes ; His curious Armour was so painted ouer With liuely sh●…dowes , that you might discouer The image of a gaping Sepulchre ; About the which , were scattered here and there Some dead mens bones : His horse was black as let ; His furniture was round about beset With branches , slipt from the sad Cypresse tree ; His Bases ( reaching farre below the knee ) Embroydred were with wormes : vpon his shield , For his lmprese , he had a beautious childe , Whose body had two heads ; whereof the t 'one Appear'd quite dead ; the t'other ( drawing on ) Did seeme to gaspe for breath ; and vnderneath , This Motto was subscrib'd , From death , by death . Thus arm'd to point , he sent his bold defie . T' Amphialus , who sent as quick replye . Forthwith , being summon'd by the Trumpets found , They start ; but braue Amphialus , that sound , The Knight had mist his Rest , ( as yet not met ) Scorning to take aduantage , would not let His Launce descend , nor ( brauely passing by ) Encounter his befriended enemy . Whereat the angry Knight ( not apt to brook Such vnsupportable mishappe forsooke His white mouth'd Steed ; throwing his L●…nce aside , ( Which too too partiall fortune had denide A faire successe ) drew forth his glittering sword ; Whereat Amphialus lighted ( who abhorr'd A conquest meerely by aduantage gain'd , Esteeming it but robb'd , and not obtain'd ) Drew forth his sword ; and , for a little space , Their strokes contended with an equall pace , And fiercenesse : He did more discouer A brauery , then anger ; whil'st the other Bewray'd more spleene , then either skill , or strength , To manage it : 〈◊〉 , at length , With more then wonted ease , did b●…tter so His ill defended armour , that each blow , Open'd a door●… , for death to enter in ; And now the noble Conquerour does begin To hate so poore a conquest , and disdain'd To take a life , so easily obtain'd . And mou'd with pitty , ( stepping backe ) he staid His vnresisted violence , and said , Sir Knight , contest no more ; but take the peace Of your owne passion ; Let the Combate cease , Seeke not your causlesse ruine ; Turne your arme ( Better imployd ) gainst such , as wish you harme . Husband your life , before it be too late , Fall not by him , that ne're deseru'd your hate . To whom , the Knight return'd these words againe , Thou lyest , false Traitor ; and I here disdaine Both words and mercy , with a base defie , And to thy throat , my sword shall turne the lye . To whom Amphialus : vnciuill Knight , Couragious in nothing , but in spight , And base discourtesie ; thou soone shalt know , Whether thy tongue betrayes thy heart or no. And as he spake , he gaue him such a wound Vpon the necke , as strucke him to the ground . And , with the fall , his sword ( that now de●…y de All mercy ) deepely pierc'd into his side ; That done ; he loos'd his Helmet , with intent , To make his ouerlauish tongue repent Of those base words , he had so basely said , Or ●…lse , to crop him shor●…er , by the head . Who ●…uer s●…w th' illustrious eye of no●…e ( New broken from a gloomy cloud ) ●…nd downe His earth reioycing glory , and d●…play His golden beames vpon the sonnes of Day : Euen so , the Helmet being gone , a faire And costly treasure of vnbraided haire O'respred the shoulders of the vanquisht Knight , Whose , now discouer'd visage ( in despight Of neighb'ring death ) did witnesse and proclaime A soueraigne beautie in Parthenia's name , And she it was indeed ; see how she lies Smiling on death , as it her blessed eyes ( Blest in their best desire●… ) had espied His fice already , for whose fake she died . The Lillies , and the Roses ( that while 〈◊〉 Stroue in her Cheekes , till they compounded there ) Haue broke their truce , and freshly falne to blows ; Behold ; the Lilly hath o'recome the Rose . Her Alablaster neck ( ●…hat did ou●…goe The Doues in whi●… ness●… ; or the new falne snow ) Was stain'd with blood , as if the red did se●…ke Pro●…tion there , being banisht from her che●…ke : So full of ●…weetnesse was her dying face , Th●…t death had not the power to displace Her natiue beauti●… ; onely by translation , Moulded , and cloath'd it in a newer fashion . But now Amphialus ( in whom griefe and shame Of this vnlucky victorie , did claime An eq●…ll interest ) prostrate on the earth , Accurs'd his swo●…d , his arme , his houre of birth ; Casting his Helmet , and his gauntlet by , H●…s vndissembled teares did testifie , What words could not : But finding her estate More apt for helpe , then griefe , ( though both too late ) Crept on his knees , and begging pardon of her , His hands ( his often cursed hands ) did proffer Their needlesse helpe , and with his life to sh●…w What honour a deuoted heart could doe . Whereto Parthenia ( whose expiring breath G●…ue speedy signes of a desired death ) Turning her fixt ( but oft recalled eyes ) Vpon Amphialus , faintly thus replies : Sir you haue done enough ; and I require Parthenia's last speech . No more ; Your hands haue done , what I desire ; What I expect ; and if against your will , The better ; So 〈◊〉 wish your fauours still ; Yet one thing more , ( if enemies may sue ) I craue , which is , To be vntoucht by you ; And as for Honour , all that I demand Is not to 〈◊〉 honour from your hand . No , no ; 't was no such bargaine made ; That he Whose hands had kill'd my Argalus , should helpe me ; Your hands haue done enough ; I craue no more ; And for the deed sake , I forgiue the Doer ; What then remaines ? but that I goe to rest With Argalus , and to be repossest Of him ; with him for euer to abide , E're since whose death , I haue so often died . And there she fainted ( euen as if the Clock Of death had giuen a warning , e're it struck ) But foone returning to her selfe againe ; Welcome sweet death , said she , whose minutes paine , Shall crowne this soule with euerlasting pleasure ; Come , come , and welcome ; I attend thy leasure : Delay me not ; O doe me not that wrong , My A●…galus will chide , I stay so long ; O now I fe●…le the Gordian-knotted bands , Of life vntied ; O heauens ! into your hands , I recommend my better part with trust , To finde you much more mercifull , then iust ; ( Yet truly iust withall ) O life , O death , I call you both to witnesse , that this breath Ne're drew a dram of comfort , since that houre My A●…galus dyed : O thou eternall power , Shroud all my faul●…s beneath the milkewhite veile Of thy deare mercy ; and when this tongue shall faile To speake , O then : And as she spake ( O then ) O then she left To spe●…ke ; ●…d , being suddenly bereft Of words , the fatall S●…ster did diuide H●…r slender twine of life , and so sh●… dyed . So dyed Parthenia ; in whose closed ey●…s The world of beauty and perfection ly●…s Lockt vp by Angels ( as a thing diuin●… ) From mortall ey●…s , the whilst her vert●…es shine In perfect glory , in the throne of glory , Leauing the world no Relique , but the story Of earths perfection , for the mouth of Fame To confecrate to her eternall 〈◊〉 : Which shall suruiue , ( if 〈◊〉 a●… d●…uine ) ( Though not in these poore monuments of mine ) To th' end of dayes ; and , by th●…se looser ●…imes , Shall be d●…liuer'd to succeeding times : So long as beauty shall but finde a friend , Partheni●…es lasting f●…me shall neu●…r end . Till , to be truly vertuous , to be chast , Be held a sinne , Partheniaes name shall last . Thus when Amphialus had put out this Lampe , This Lampe of hono●…r , he forsooke the Campe ; And , like a willing pris'ner , was confinde To the strict limits of a troubled minde ; No Iury need b'impanell'd , or agreed Vpon the verdict ; none , to att●…st the deed ; None to gi●…e sentence , in the Iudgement hall ; Himselfe was witnesse , Iury , Iudge , and all ; Where now we leaue him , whilst we turne our eyes Vpon Partheniaes women , whose fierce cryes Inforce a helpl●…sse audience . It is said , When Troy was taken , such a cry was made . One snatcht Partheniaes sword , resolu'd to dye Partheniaes death : another , rauing by , Stroue for the weapon ; through which eager strife , They both were hindred ; and each lau'd a life : Others , whom wis●…r passion had taught how To grieue at e●…sier rates , did rudely throw Their carelesse bodies on the purple floore ; Where , sprinkling dust vpon their heads , they tore Their tangled haire , and garments , drencht in teares : And cryed , as i●… Partheniaes blessed eares Could heare the 〈◊〉 of griefe ; such griefes as would Returne her from her glory , if they could ; 〈◊〉 heart was turn'd a wardrobe of true passion , Where griefes were cloa●…hed in a seuerall fashion ; Sometimes their sorrow would recall to view H●…r vertue , chastnesse , sweetn●…sse , and renew Their wast●…d p●…ssions ; and , oft-times , they bann'd Themselues , for obeying her v●…iust command . And now by this , the mourn●…ll Trumpe of Fame ( Grow e ho●…se with very sorrow ) did proclaime And spr●…d her dolefull tidings , whilst all eares A●…d ey●…s were fill'd with death , and sliding teares ; Pitty and Sorrow , mixt with Admiration , Becam●… the threefold subiect of all passion ; Gri●… w●…ther progresse through all he●…rts ; and none From t●…e poore Cottage , to the princely Throne , Could own a thoght , whose best aduice could borrow The smallest respite from th' extreames of sorrow . But all this while , Basilius princely brest , As it commanded , so outgrieu'd the rest ; His share was treble : hearts of Kings are deepe And close ; what once they entertaine , they ke●…pe With violence : The violence of his passion Admits no meane , as yet , no moderation ; But soone as griefe had done her priuate rights And dues to Honour ; Honour ( that delights In publique seruice , and can make the breath Of sighes and sobs to triumph ouer death ) Call'd in solemnity , with all her traine , And military pompe , to entertaine Our welcome Mourners , whose slow paces tread The paths of death ; and , with sad triumph lead The slumbring body , to that bed of rest , Where nothing can disquiet , or molest Her sacred ashes : There , intombed , lay The valiant Argalus ; and there , they say , Ere since that time , th' Arcadians , once a yeare , Visit the ruines of their Sepulchre ; And , in memoriall of their faithfull loues , There , built an Altar ; where , two milk white D●…ues They yearly offer to the hallowed Fame Of Argalus , and his Partheniaes name .
FINIS .
Hos ego versiculos . LIke to the damaske Rose you see , Or like the blossome on the tree , Or like the daintie flowre of May , Or like the Morning to the day , Or like the Sunne , or like the shade , Or like the Gourd which Ionas had , Euen such is man whose thred is spunne , Drawne out and cut , and so is done . The Rose withers , the blossome blasteth ; The flowre fades , the morning hasteth ; The Sunne sets ; the shadow flies , The Gourd consumes , and man he dies . Like to the blaze of fond delight ; Or like a morning cleare and bright ; Or like a frost , or like a showre , Or like the pride of Babels Towre , Or like the houre that guides the time , Or like to beauty in her prime ; Euen such is man , whose glorie lends His life a blaze or two , and ends . Delights vanish ; the morne o're casteth , The frost breakes , the shower basteth , The Tower fals , the flowre spends , The beauty fades , and mans life ends . Finis . Fr. Qu.
The Authors Dreame . MY sinnes are like the haires vpon my head , And raise their Audit to as high a score : In this they differ : these doe daily shed ; But ah ! my sinnes grow daily more and more . If by my haires thou number out my sins , Heauen make me bald before the day begins . 2 My sins are like the sands vpon the Shore , Which euery ebbe layes open to the eye : In this they differ : These are couer'd o're With euerie tyde : My sinnes still open lye . If thou wilt make my head a sea of teares , O they will hide the sinnes of all my yeares . 3 My sins are like the Starres within the skies In view , in number , euen as bright as great ; In this they differ ; These doe set and rise ; But ah ! my sins doe rise but neuer set . Shine Sun of glorie , and my sins are gone Like twinkling Stars before the rising Sun . Finis . Fr. Qu.
Notes, typically marginal, from the original text
Notes for div A10246-e660