Sicelides a Piscatory, Play · Act 5
Act. 5.
Scen. 1.
Enter Alcippus and Thalander with a torch.
Tha.
TEll me, Al…ipp…, is it day or night?
Al.
The light you beare, shews you there is no light.
Tha.
This is none… light was light in her eyes,
In them it liu'd, put out with them it dies.
The sunne is quench't.
Al.
Yet soone will shine againe.
Tha.
Not possible! heauens light will euer plaine.
When her two liuing stars can sinke and die,
How can the sunne dreame immortality?
Al.
Sir, if your to mee, or mine to you, might giuegive me priuiledge, I faine would tell you, that this too fixed louelove seemes ra…her do…ing.
Tha.
Alcippus, didst thou euer louelove?
Al.
I thinke sir neuer.
Tha.
I thinke so too, nor canst know what louelove is.
Al.
Yet this I know, louelove still is of the fairest,
Fond then the louelove, that loues the withered,
But madnesse seemes to dote vponupon the dead.
Tha.
True, true, Alcippus, louelove is of the fairest,
And therefore neuer tyed vntounto the body:
Which if compared vntounto the mindes faire graces,
Seemes like the blocke that Lunaes face defaces.
But grounded on the mind, whose vertuous parts.
And liuing beauties are loues surest darts,
Which makes me now as freely louelove as euer…
Her vertue and my louelove decayeth neuer.
Seest thou this rocke, Alcippus? tis a temple,
Olindaes temple! 'tis a sacred shrine,
Where vertue, beauty, and what ere diuine,
Are to be worshipt, prethee friend now leaue me,
Here is an Altar, I must sacrifice.
Al.
If you will leaue your griefe.
Tha.
I will, I will:
Indeede I will; leaue me: griefs ebbe growes lowe,
When priuate heart… th' eye-bankes ouerflow.
Al.
I will retire, not leaue him: well, I feare,
When two such flood-streams meet, louelove and despaire.
Tha.
Thou blessed Altar, take these worthlesse offring…,
The corral's once more drown'd in brine of sorrow,
These pearly shells, which dayly shall bee fild
VVith my hearts water, through my eyes distild.
You corralls, whose fresh beauti…s are a shadow
O… her sweete blushes, …ell her liuing graces,
Though now as you pluckt from their natiue places,
Are yet as you from your first seate remou'd,
He…e fresher shining then when first I lou'd.
Thou rocke, that in thy blest armes doest infold her,
Witnes my heart as firme as you do hold her.
And now goodnight thou set sunne beauties, neuer,
Neuer more to be seene, goodnight for euer,
Thou siluer forehead and thou golden haire,
My best, my onelyonly treasure when you were,
You snowy plaines, and you faire modest dies,
You liuing stars, but now two quenched lights,
Whose fall, heauens stars with feared ruine frights.
You eyebrowes, which like Rainbowes two appeare;
A miracle, Rainebowes on skie so cleare.
And all you vnseene beauties sof…ly rest,
Sleepe, quiet sleepe you in this stony chest,
I cannot long; I will not long be from you,
Shortly i'le come and in this rockie bed
Slumber with my Olinda, with Olinda
I'le sleepe my fil…meane time as neere as may be,
Here rest mine eyes, rest close by your Olinda.
He lies downe by the rocke.
Harke, harke; Arion, thou choice Musician,
Sing mee a note that may awake pale death,
Such as may moue deafe Hell… and Stygian Io…e,
Such as once Orpheus —O I am idle, idle:
Sleep, sleep, mine eyes, this short releasement take you,
Sleepe, sleepe for euer; neuer more awake you.
Her face your obiect neuer more shall be,
Sleepe then, vaine eyes, why should you wish to see?
Scen. 2.
The Rocke opens: Enter Olinda led by Glaucus and Cir…e: they retire leauing Olinda.
Song.
Olin.
Thou worthie…t daughter of the greatest light,
Most powerfull Circe, and thon honour'd Glaucus,
What dutie a poore fisher maid may giuegive you,
In thankes, and vowes, and holy offerings,
Shall still be ready at your sacred altars.
Thalander, now to thee, what sacrifice?
What offerings may appease thy wronged louelove?
What hauehave I but my selfe? ah worthlesse prize
Of such, so tryed, and so vnmou'd a faith.
Ah, could I spend my body, weare my soule,
And then resume another soule and body,
And then consume that soule and body for thee,
All would not pay the vse of halfe my debt.
How pale he lookes, how strangely alter'd!
Is he not dead? no, no, his pulse is quicke,
His heart is strong, and rising, in his heate,
Threatens with strokes, my churlish hand to beate:
Nature, how couldst in one so firmely tie
Perpetuall motion to fixt constancy?
How can this wonder fall in Notion,
A heart vnmou'd, yet still in motion!
Alas he weepes, I hope his griefe and feares
Swimme fast away in those sad streaming teares.
Th'ast mourn'd enough, more iustly may I weepe,
Leaue me thy teares, rest thou and sweetely sleepe.
Thalander starts vp.
Tha.
Morpheus, one more such dreame shall buy me.
Where, where art, Olinda? whither, whither flyest thou?
Olin.
Nay whither flies Thalander? here's Olinda:
Tell mee why wak'd the substance thou eschewest…
Whose shadowe in a dreame thou gladly viewest.
Tha.
Thou fairest shadow of a Nymph more faire,
…eath yet I see cannot thy light impaire.
Olin.
Thou dreamest still Thalander!
Tha.
Ah too too true;
For such a sight wake shall I neuer viewe.
Olin.
I liue.
Tha.
Would I were dead on that condition.
Olin.
So would not I: beleeue me friend, I liue.
Tha.
Could I beleeue it, I were happie.
Olin.
If mee thou wilt not, trust thy sence, thy eyes.
Tha.
They saw thee dead, how shall I trust my eie,
Which either now or then did vowch a lie?
Olin.
Credit thy touch.
Tha.
Then like a dreame thou'lt flie,
Olin.
Thou flyest, thou art the shadow louelove not I:
Thalander, take this, tis thine for euer,
Nothing but death, nor death this knot shall seuer.
Enter Alcippus.
Al.
How is this! hauehave you learnt, hauehave you learnt your mother Circes art to raise the dead? wonder? thinke shee liues.
Olin.
What says Thalander? does he yet beleeue mee?
Tha.
If thou art dead, faire hand, how doest reuiue mee?
Olin.
Thalander, heart and hand had now beene cold but for, Glaucilla, she preuenting Cosma, temperd the poysonous viall, changing death for sleepe, so gaue mee life, thee louelove.
Tha.
Alcippus, art thou there? thou art my freind I prethee tell mee true, true Alcippus! doest thou not see Olinda?
Al.
I see her in your hand.
Tha.
Art sure tis she? tell me, are wee aliue?
Art sure we wake? are we not both mistaken?
If now I sleepe, O let me neuer waken.
Al.
If you would surely know, trie if shee breathe,
Tha.
Thy hand liues: doe thy lips liue too Olinda!
Alcippus, shee liues and breathes, Al…ippus:
And with that sugred bread my heart both fir'd,
And life and louelove with thousand ioyes inspir'd.
Ah my Olinda.
Olind.
My deare, my deare Thalander.
Tha.
Ist possible thou liu'st? ist sure I hold thee?
These happy armes shall neuer more vnfold thee.
Olin.
Tell mee, my louelove, canst thou such wrongs forgiue mee?
Tha.
My ioy, my soule.
Olin.
I neuer more will grieue you.
Canst thou forget my hate, my former blindnes?
If not, boldly reuenge my rash vnkindnes.
Pierce this vile heart my soules vngratefull center,
Pierce with thy dart where loues dart could not enter.
Tha.
For thy defence my hand shall still attend thee,
My hand and heart, but neuer to offend thee:
The only penance that I enioyne thee euer,
Is that wee liue and louelove and ioy together.
Thinke not my hand will sacriledge commit,
To breake this temple where all Graces sit.
Olin.
True, true my louelove, tis vow'd a temple now,
Where euer shall be worshipt louelove and thou.
Al.
You happie paire, since Cosma's spight's defeated,
And Magoe's charmes… and death by louelove is cheated,
Why stand you here? tis time from hence to moue:
This was the bedde of death, and not of louelove.
Death hath his part of night, louelove challengeth
The rest, louelove claimes the night as well as death.
Tha.
What sayes my louelove?
Olin.
What my Thalander, euer
With thee to life or death, but from thee neuer.
Al.
This halfe perswades mee to become a louer. Exe…nt.
Where better could her louelove then here hauehave neasted?
Or he his thoughts more daintily hauehave feasted?
Manet Alcippus.
Scen. 3.
Enter Tyrinthus and Gryphus.
Tyr.
Knowst thou Perindus sister, or Olinda?
Al.
I know them both sir.
Tyr.
Liue they yet and breathe?
Al.
They liue and now most happy. Exit Alcippus.
Tyr.
Thou mak'st me happy, in thy happy newes.
All thankes yee heauenly powers, when I forget
Your goodnesse in my childrens life and safety,
Let heauen forget both me and mine for euer.
Gryphus, backe to our shippe, and fetch mee thence
The vestments vowd to Neptune, and the chest,
Wherein I lockt my other offerings. Exit Gryphus.
This rocke my heart prefers before a palace.
Fond men that hauehave enough yet seeke for more,
I thought by traffique to encrease my store,
And striuing to augment this carefull pelfe,
I lost my goods, my liberty, my selfe:
Taken by Persians on the Graecian seas,
So I my captaine and the King did please,
Soone was I loosed from my slauish band,
And straight preferd to hauehave a large command,
There hauehave I now consum'd these thrice …iue summers,
There might I hauehave liu'd long in wealth and honour,
But ah thou little home, how in thy want
The world so spacious, yet seemes too too scant…
At my departure hence I left two infants,
Perindus and Olinda, the boy some eyght,
The girle but two yeeres old, t…eir mother dead,
Who giuing life to'th'girle, so tooke her death,
And left her owne, to giuegive h… in…ant b…ath.
Great Ioue and Neptune, I will keepe my vowes,
Seeing my Children liue, two chosen bulls,
With mirtle crownd, and Oake leaues laid with gold,
Shall fall vponupon your altars.
Enter Pas.
Pas.
You sacred vertues, truth and spotlesse fayth,
Where will you liue, if not in such a Nymph?
Whose brest will you now seeke? what mansion?
Tyr.
My trembling heart doth some great ill diuine,
And tels me, eueryevery griefe and feare is mine.
Pas.
VVhere now can vnsuspected friendship rest?
If treachery possesse so faire a brest.
Tyr.
Fishers what newes?
Pas.
Sir, little as concernes you.
Tyr.
Pray heauens it doe not.
Pas.
Your habit speakes a stranger,
And yet me thinkes, I somewhat else hauehave …eene,
Some lineaments of that face: are you Tyrinthus?
Tyr.
The same.
Pas.
O cruell heauens I could you finde
No other time, to giuegive him backe his country?
If thus you giuegive, happy whom you deny,
The greater good, the greater iniury:
Thy onelyonly daughter
Tyr.
Is dead. Tyrinthus falls.
Pas.
I should hauehave sayd so. Alas, he falls.
Tyrinthus, what, one blow thus strike thee vnderunder fortunes feete?
How loth his life returnes!
Tyr.
How well I had forgot my griefe,
And found my rest, with losse of restlesse life!
Thou much hast wrong'd me, fisher, 'tis no louelove,
Death from his iust possession to remoue:
Heauens, ye hauehave thankes for both, yet one you slue,
GiueGive backe halfe of thy thankes, take but your due:
I owe you nothing for Olinda, nothing.
Ah poore Olinda… I shall neuer more,
Neuer more see thee: thy father must lament thee,
Thy father, wh… in death should long preuent thee,
How long since died shee?
Pas.
With the last sunne she fell.
Tyr.
Sure heauens, ye mocke me: alas, what victo…y?
What triumph in an old mans misery?
VVhen you hauehave wonne, what conquest, that you slue
A wretch that hated his life as much as you?
Pas.
Sir, you forget your selfe: to warre with heauen,
Is no lesse fond, then dangerous…
Tyr.
Tell me fisher, hauehave you a child?
Pas.
No sir.
Tyr.
No maruell then
Thou blam'st my griefe, of which thou hast no …ence:
First lose a child, then blame my patience.
Pas.
If thou be grieu'd, this is no way to ease it,
Sooner we anger heauen, then thus appease it.
T…y.
But when the heart such weight of sorrow beares,
It speakes from what it feeles, and what it feares.
Died she by a naturall, or by violent meanes?
Pas.
Nature refuses an office so vnnaturall.
Tyr.
Hard fate, most fitly were you women made:
Since fate vnmercifull, vnmoued stands,
VVell was lifes distaffe put in womens hands.
Kild by a man?
Pas.
No man was so vnnaturall.
Tyr.
A woman!
Pas.
Yes.
Tyr.
Fit instrument of women: what was the weapon?
Pas.
The cowards weapon, poyson.
Tyr.
Canst tell the murderers name?
Pas.
Her name Glaucilla:
A Nymph thought absolute, though now infected,
That heauen it selfe might sooner bee suspected.
Tyr.
Tell me the circumstance.
Pas.
'Twill but more grieue you.
Tyr.
True, but 'tis pitty in vnhelpt distresse,
Condemned soules with all the weight to presse.
Pas.
Olinda this last night complain'd to Cosma,
(A Nymph which lately came from faire Messena)
That this Glaucillaes powerfull charmes had fir'd her,
And with Thalanders louelove now dead, inspir'd her
With such a feeling griefe, her griefe lamenting,
That she, to helpe so desperate louelove consenting,
Gaue her a water which she oft did proue,
Wo…ld eyther quench or ease the paines of louelove,
Which Cosma swore, the other nere denyed.
Glaucilla chang'd, Olinda dranke a…d dyed.
Dicaeus hearing this —
Tyr.
Liues then Dicaeus?
Pas.
As well and iust as euer.
Tyr.
His life doth somewhat mend
My childs sad death, after a child, a friend.
Pas.
Dicaeus by this euidence condemnes her
By 'th' law, from that high rocke to fall, and she
With smiling welcom'd death, and quietly
Steal'd to the rocke from whence shee must be cast.
Wonder so heauie guilt should flye so fast!
She led her leaders to that deepe descending,
The guilty drawes the guiltlesse to their ending:
And thus I left them, and with her iust Dicaeus,
To see her execution, who goes not from her,
Till from the rocke, in seas she leaue her breath,
Die must she as she kild, water her crime and death.
Tyr.
Ah my poore Olinda! had I seene thee yet
And clos'd thine eyes, alas my poore Olinda!
Pas.
This griefe is vaine and can no more reuiue her, you lose your teares.
Tyr.
When that I hold most deare is euer lost, poore losse to lose a teare.
Pas.
Your sonne striues, the good which heau'n bereaues you,
You quickly see, but see not what it leaues you.
Tyr.
Art sure he liues?
Pas.
Two houres since, sad I left him,
But safe.
Tyr.
What chances happen in an houre?
By this he may be dead and buried.
But yet Perindus, if thou liuing be,
My halfe ioy liues, my halfe ioy dies in thee.
Scen. 2.
Enter Cancrone and Scrocca bound: Nomicus …he Priest.
Can.
Ah Scrocca, thou hast often heard me say, it would be my lucke to be deuoured; and to tell thee true, I euer fear'd those Cyclops most; I neuer had any minde to them.
Scr.
Why Cancrone, this is the slauery on't, had wee beene Master fishers, we should neuer hauehave beene troubled to climbe vp these Mountaines, wee should neuer hauehave beene cast to our old acquaintance the fish.
Tyr.
Fisher, knowst thou these men?
Pas
I know the men, but not their meaning.
Can.
That would neuer hauehave angred me, thou knowst wee hauehave fed vponupon fish this many yeere, and for vsus to hauehave made them one merry meale, had beene but the signe of a thankefull na…ure, but ah those C…clops, clops, clops. Scro…ca, I cannot digest them.
Scr.
I feare they will …gest vsus well enough.
Can.
And yet I care not much if I were sure to bee eaten vp by that Cyclops that ate vp my grandsire, for then I might hauehave some hope to see the good old man once againe before I die.
Scr.
I care not whose hands I fall into, I'me sure hee shall hauehave no sweete bitte of mee now; nothing grieues mee, but that hauing done but one good deede in all my life, I must die for that.
Nom.
Thou foolish fisher, thinkst it good to stop
The course of iustice, and breake her sword, the Law?
By Law thou li…'st: hee iustly death deserues,
VVho that destroyes, which him and his preserues.
Tyr.
Are not these my old men, Scrocca and Cancrone?
Scr.
VVell sir, you may say what you will, but if wee liue by the Law, how commeth it to passe, that we must die by the Law?
Can.
Mee thinks I see how busie Rimronce will bee about me: he surely will be vponupon my backe, for my being vponupon his, a while a goe.
Scr.
Nay Cancrone, thou diest for sauing thy master too.
Tyr.
Ay me, my sonne?
Can.
I hauehave no minde to climbe these Mountaines, I begin to bee short-winded already, I shall neuer hold out; had I thought it would hauehave come to this, I would hauehave bene vilely tempted to ha let my Master drowne quickly.
Scr.
What, man? thou could'st neuer hauehave done thy Master better seruice then to dye for him, nay, if Perindus liue, I care not.
Tyr.
Perindus? I can hold no longer, friend, who is thy Master? why art thou manacled?
Scr.
Mantled hither! marry this Priest hath mantled vsus for sauing our Master Perindus.
Tyr.
Ay me, my sonne.
Can.
Vds fish, old Master, where hauehave you beene this 20 yeeres and more;
Nom.
Tyrinthus! at such a time! sir, your arriuall is eyther …ery happy, or else most haplesse, eyther to see, or else preuent a danger.
Tyr.
Priest, how is my Perindus?
Nom.
Doom'd to die.
Tyr.
What is the cause?
Nom.
His will.
Tyr.
Who could perswade him?
Nom.
She who most stroue to hinder and disswade him.
Tyr.
What had he done?
Nom.
That which deserues all li…e and louelove.
Tyr.
How fine the heauens powers can sorrowe… frame!
The fates will play, and make my woe their g…me.
VVhere is he?
Can.
Safe enough I warrant you, get's leaue of the Priest, master, and wee'l goe fetch him.
Scr.
We caught him out of the water.
Can.
O, he had supt a bundance of …ait porri…ge!
Scr.
And brought him to the shippe where the mariners keepe him.
Tyr.
VVhy stand I idle here! O to the shore i'le fly,
And eyther with him liue, or for him die.
Can.
Master, master, master. Exit Tyrinchus.
Pa….
Ile follow him: nature can doe no lesse
Then eyther helpe, or pitty such distresse. Exit Pa….
Can.
Nay if you goe too, then farewell all,
Farewell ye rockes, farewell to thee O louelove,
You louely rockes, you hard and rocky louelove.
Nay I shall turne swaine presently and sing my finall song.
Nom.
I maruell what it is that stayes Dicaus.
Con.
Marry let him stay till I send for him, the Cyclops shall want their breakefast this month.
Nom.
Here I must stay for him.
Scen. 5.
Enter Cosma.
Cos.
Faine would I know how my gin…e thriues and prospers. Ol…nda is fast, and by my disamour hath quencht her louelove with death: if now Glaucilla bee taken in that snare, then am I cunning: well may I proue a fisher, who hauehave tooke too maides so soone with one selfe baite and hooke. Is not that Nomicus? I shall learne of him. Nomicus?
Nom.
Who Cosm… ?
Cos.
Why are these fishers bound?
Con.
For you.
Cos.
For mee?
Can.
I for you, had not you cus'd Glaucilla, shee had not bene condemnd: if shee had not beene condemnd, Perindus would not hauehave died for her: if he would not hauehave died for her, he had not fallen from the rocke: had he not fallen from the rocke, we had not sau'd him: if wee had not sau'd him, wee had not beene bound: were wee not bound, wee would showe a faire payre of heeles,
Cos.
What talks this foole? Perindus falne from the rocke!
Nom.
Hast thou not heard then of Perindus faith and fal…?
Cos.
No, not a word; but faine would heare.
Nom.
And shalt: my tongue is as ready as thy eare; Meane while leade these away, soone as Dicaeus returnes, I'le ouertake you.
Can.
I prethee Mr Priest, let mee craue one fauour; that I may ha…e an Epitaph for mee in Neptunes church porch, Ile neuer goe farther.
Nom.
Heres no time for Epitaphs, away.
Can.
Nay, tis soone done, Ile trouble neuer a poet of them all, I hauehave it already.
Cancrone valorous and kind, where art thou?
Cancrone too kind and valorous to liue,
Ingulft in Cyclops guts. Readers, why start you?
His life for his master he did freely giuegive.
Vngratefull Sicelie that want'st his bones,
Instead of members keeping his memorie in stones.
Short and sweete, Mr Priest.
Scr.
Cancrone, this is a land voyage, you must leade the way.
Can.
But when wee saile downe the Cyclops throat, Ile giu… you the preeminence. Exeunt.
Nom.
After that haplesse Nymph had heard her doome,
As shee was led to'th' rocke, i'th' middle way,
Perindus flying fast, calls out, Stay:
And for he thought his feete too slowly bore him,
Before he came, he sent his voyce before.
Stay, stay, Dicaeus, th'art a man, I see,
And well mayst erre heauens not more pure then she.
Yet since the doome i… past i'le, pawne my breath,
And make your fact …sse hanious by my death:
I'le lose he… life in me, and she shall spend
My life in her, so both shall better …nd.
Cos.
This was no ill newes to the Nymph.
Nom.
Yes, yes: then first she thought her selfe condemnd,
Death in him shee fear'd and in her …elfe contemnd.
That law it selfe (says shee) should suffer death,
Which one condemnes, another punnisheth.
True, sayes Perindus, my life, my all's in thee,
When thou offendst, why shouldst thou punish me?
But briefe to giuegive their words in short contracted,
VVas neuer part of louelove more louely acted:
Both loath to liue, and both contend to die,
VVhere onelyonly death stroue for the victory.
Meane time I could but weepe, nor I alone,
That two such loues should die, not liue in one.
Cos.
Their spotlesse fayth's a cristall, where I see
Too late my cancred ha…es deformity.
Nom.
At length the law it selfe decides the strife,
That he with losse of his might buy her life.
Then and but then …he, wept, and to preuent him,
Downe fell shee with a deadly looke and eye,
Acting the prologue of his tragedy,
And wak'd againe, she 'gan to chide and raue,
And vowes to liue no further then his graue;
VVhile he with cheerfull steps the rockes asce…ding:
Fearelesse beholds his death, that steepe descending,
And boldly standing on the vtmost b…owe,
Thus sp…ke:
Poore life, I neuer knew thy worth till now,
How thou art oue… valewed to pay
Her life with thine, gold with base alcumy.
Cos.
Iust, iust, you heauens, I hauehave set a gin
For them, and now my selfe the first am in.
Nom.
Then turning to his louelove, thus spake his last:
Farewell Glaucilla, liue and in thy brest
As in a heauen my louelove and life shall rest:
Seeke not by death thy selfe from griefe to free,
Remember now Perindus liues in thee.
Cherish my hear…, which in thy heart doth lye,
For whilst thou liu'st, Perindus cannot dye:
So leapt he lightly from the cloudy rocke.
Cos.
Is hee then dead?
Nom.
No: for the guilty …ea
With soft embraces wrapt his limbes;
It seemes the waues moou'd with Sympathy,
Would teach vnhumane men humanity.
Though they could not preuent, would ease his fall;
And not consenting to his pious death,
Restor'd him vp againe to aire and breath:
Briefly, those two his seruants not regarding,
Dicaeus threatning voyce, and iust awarding,
With him tooke vp his guilt, and to a shippe
That rides in the hauen safe conuayd him, there
They left him now reuiu'd, themselues were taken
And as the law commands, were doom'd to suffer
The death of sla…es: both to be strongly bound,
And in those hils left to the greedy Cyclops:
And now the stay is onelyonly in Dicaeus,
At whose returne they suffer, iust they dye,
Who louelove their master more then equity.
Cos.
O lawlesse louelove! this soule offence,
Which when it prosperd, pleasd my rauish't sence:
With what a drie aspect, what horrid sight,
Now done, …t fils my …oule with guilty fright,
Who ere thou art, if in t…y spotlesse brest,
Thy vndefiled thoughts doe quiet rest:
Wake them not, and let no blood-hound with thee dwell,
These murthering thoughts are like the mouth of hell,
Into whose yawning 'tis more easie neuer
To fall, then falne, to cease from falling euer.
Enter Pas.
Pas.
Nomicus, thou now mayst let thy prisoners free,
Thalander to Olinda now reuiu'd,
Perindus to Glaucilla are to be married,
And all are brought along with singing,
Hymen the shores, Hymen the ecchoes ringing.
Nomicus, seest thou this Nymph? ah couldst thou thinke
That treason, enuy, murder, spight and hell,
All hell it selfe in such a heauen could dwell?
This is the knot of all these sorrowes; Cosma,
If not for shame, why yet for spight or fashion,
For womans fashion let some teares bee spilt:
A sea of weeping will not wash thy guilt.
Nom.
Great nature, that hast made a stone descry
Twixt mean…r natures, checking baser metalls,
Which proudly counterfeit the purer gold,
Why hast thou left the soule of man no touch-stone,
To iudge dissemblance, and descry proud vice,
Which with false colours seemes more vertuous
Then vertues selfe? like to some cunning workeman,
Who frames a shape in such a forme of stature,
That oft he excells by imitating nature.
He that should looke vponupon this Nymphs sweete ey…
Would vow't a temple sworne to purity.
Pas.
If murder rest in such a louely grace,
Here do I vow neuer to trust a face.
Shall I call backe your Prisoners?
Nom.
Prethee doe…
Our nets, boates, oares, and hookes shall now goe play,
For heauen hath sworne to make this holy day.
Scen. 6.
Enter Dicaeus, Tyrinthus, Thalander, Olinda, Perindus, Glaucillae, Alcippus, Chorus.
Song.
Hymen, Hymen, come safe on, Hymen.
That I louelove for euer constant stands,
Where hearts are tied before the hands,
Where faire vertue marries beauty,
And affection pleads for duty:
Hymen, Hymen, come safe on Hymen.
Al.
You honourd paire of fishers, see where your louelove,
So full of constant triall now hath brought you,
Se…, blessed soules, through so many teares,
Turnings, despaires, impossibilities,
Your louelove is now most safe arriu'd: Thalander,
Is this the Nymph, whom heauen and angry hell,
Her cold desires, and colder death it selfe
Would hauehave deuoured from thy deseruing louelove?
Thalander, these hands are thine, that heauenly face,
Those starrie eyes, those roses and that grace,
Those corrall lips, and that vnknowne brest,
And all the hidden riches of the rest:
They all are thine, thine is the faire Olinda.
Yet thou, as thou wast wont, all sad and heauy…
Tha.
Blame me not, friend: for yet I seeme forsaken
And doubt I sleepe, and feare still to be waken.
Enter Pas, with Cancrone and Scrocca.
Cos.
Now is the time of pardon. Ye happie maids,
Your louelove in spight of all tempestuous seas,
Is safe arriu'd, and harbors in his ease,
And all those stormes hauehave got but this at last,
To sweeten present ioyes with sorrowes past.
Blessed Olinda, thou hast got a louelove
Equall to heauen, and next to highest Ioue.
Glaucilla, thy losse thou now dost full recouer.
Ah you hauehave found (too seldome found) a louer.
Then doe not her too rigorously reproue,
For louing those whom you yet better louelove.
Olin.
For vsus, we iudge not of your hard intent,
But reckon your ioyes fatall instrument.
Dicae.
Yet this her penance: Cosma, marke thy censure,
Whom most tho… shouldest louelove, thou shalt louelove neuer
Dote thou on dotards, they shall hold thee euer:
The best and wisest neuer shall respect thee,
Thon onelyonly fooles, fooles onelyonly shall affect thee.
Loose now those prisoners; so forward to the temple.
Exit Chorus.
Can.
Ha braue Iudge, now Mistris mine, I must confesse.
Cos.
This charme begins to worke already,
I louelove this foole, and doate vponupon him more,
Then euer vponupon any man before:
Well, I must be content thus to be curst
And yet of louers, fooles are not the worst.
For howsoeuer boyes doe hoote and flout them,
The best and wisest oft hauehave fooles about them.
Can.
I and many a fooles bable too, I warrant the….
Sweete heart, shall we goe to bedde?
Cos.
What, in the morning?
Can.
Morning? tis night.
Cos.
Thou art a foole indeede, seest not the sunne?
Can.
Why that's a candle or the moone, I prethee let's goe to bed…
Cos.
Content; no time vnfit for play,
LoueLove knowes no difference twixt night and day.
Can.
Nay, all the play's done, gentles, you may goe…
I hauehave another play within to doe.
Riddle me, Riddle me, what's that?
My play is worke enough; my w…rke is play,
I see to worke i'th' night, and rest 'ith' day:
Since then my play and worke is all but one,
Well may my play begin, now yours is done.
Exeunt.
EPILOGVS.
AS in a Feast, so in a Comedy,
Two se…ces must be pleasd in both the eye,
In feasts, the eye and taste must be inuited,
In Comedies, the ey… and …are delighted:
And he that onelyonly seekes to please but eyther,
While both he doth not please, he pleaseth neyther.
What euer feast could eueryevery guest content,
When a… t'ea…h man each taste is different?
But lesse a Scene, where nought but as 'tis newer,
Can please, where guests are more, and dishes fewer:
Yet in this thought, this thought the Author easd,
Who once made all, all rules, all neuer pleasd.
Fain… would we please the best, if not the many,
And sooner will the best be pleasd then any:
Our rest we set in pleasing of the best,
So wi…h we you, what you may giuegive vsus: Rest.
FINIS.
End of the text · Phineas Fletcher, Sicelides a Piscatory (1631)