(For so by certain figns I knew) had met Already, ere my best speed could prevent, The aidlefs innocent Lady his wifht prey; Who gently ask'd if he had seen such two, Supposing him fome neighbour villager : Longer I durft not stay, but foon I guess'd Ye were the two fhe meant, with that I fprung Into fwift flight, till I had found you here. But farther know I not. Y. Bro. O night and shades, How are ye join'd with Hell in triple knot, Against th' unarmed weakness of one Virgin Alone, and helpless! Is this the confidence
You gave me, Brother? Eld. Bro. Yes, and keep it Lean on it fafely; not a period
Shall be unfaid for me: against the threats Of malice or of forcery, or that power, Which erring men call Chance, this I hold firm, Virtue may be affail'd, but never hurt, Surpriz'd by unjuft force, but not inthrall'd; Yea even that, which mischief meant most harm, Shall in the happy trial prove most glory.
But evil on itself shall back recoil,
And mix no more with goodness, when at last Gather'd like scum, and settl'd to itself,
It fhall be in eternal restless change
Self-fed, and felf-consumed; if this fail,
The pillar'd firmament is rottennefs,
And earth's bafe built on ftubble. But come, let's Againft.th oppofing will and arm of Heav'n,
May never this just Sword be lifted up;
But for that damn'd Magician, let kim be girt
With all the griefly legions that troop Under the footy flag of Acheron,
Harpyes and Hydras, or all the monftrous forms 'Twixt Africa and Inde, I'll find him out, And force him to restore his purchase back, Or drag him by the curls to a foul death, Curs'd as his life.
Spir. Alas! good vent'rous Youth,
I love thy courage yet, and bold Emprise, But here thy Sword can do thee little ftead; Far other arms, and other weapons must
Be thofe, that quell the might of hellish Charms & He with his bare wand can unthread thy joints, And crumble all thy finews.
Eld. Bro. Why, prithee, Shepherd, How durft thou then thyself approach fo near, As to make this Relation?
Spir. Care and utmost shifts
How to fecure the Lady from surprisal, Brought to my mind a certain Shepherd Lad, Of small regard to fee to, yet well skill'd In every virtuous Plant and healing Herb,
That spreads her verdant leaf to th' morning ray: He lov'd me well, and oft would beg me fing, Which when I did, he on the tender grafs Would fit, and hearken ev'n to extafie, And in requital ope his leathern scrip, And fhew me fimples of a thousand names, Telling their ftrange and vigorous faculties. Amongst the rest a small unfightly root, But of divine effect, he cull'd me out;
The leaf was darkish, and had prickles on it, But in another Country, as he said,
Bore a bright golden Flower, but in this foil Unknown, and like efteem'd, and the dull Swain Treads on it daily with his clouted shoon, And yet more med'cinal is it than that Moly That Hermes once to wife Ulyffes gave; He call'd it Hæmony, and gave it me, And bad me keep it as of Sov'reign use 'Gainst all inchantments, mildew, blaft or damp, Or gaftly furies apparition.
I purs'd it up, but little reckoning made, Till now that this extremity compell'd, But now I find it true; for by this means I knew the foul Inchanter, tho' difguis'd, Enter'd the very lime-twigs of his spells, And yet came off: if you have this about you, (As I will give you when we go) you may Boldly affault the Necromancer's Hall; Where if he be, with dauntless hardihood, And brandisht blade rush on him, break his glass, And shed the lufcious liquor on the ground; But feize his wand, though he and his curft crew Fierce fign of Battle make, and menace high, Or like the Sons of Vulcan vomit smoak; Yet will they foon retire, if he but shrink.
Eld. Bro. Thyrfis, lead on apace, I'll follow thee; And fome good Angel bear a shield before us.
"The Scene changes to a fately Palace, fet out with all manner of deliciousness: foft Mufick, Tables Spread with all dainties. Comus appears with his rabble, and the Lady fet in an inchanted Chair, to bom be offers his Glafs, which he puts by, and goes about to rife.
Comus. Nay, Lady, fit; if I but wave this Wand, Your nerves are all chain'd up in Alabaster, And you a Statue, or, as Daphne was, Root-bound, that filed Apollo.
Thou canst not touch the freedom of my mind With all thy Charms, although this corporal rind Thou haft immanacled, while Heav'n fees good.
Co. Why are you vext, Lady? why do you frown? Here dwell no frowns, nor anger; from these gates Sorrow flies far: See! here be all the pleasures That fancy can beget on youthful thoughts, When the fresh blood grows lively, and returns Brifk as the April buds in Primrose-seafon. And first behold this cordial Julep here,
That flames and dances in his crystal bounds, With spirits of balm, and fragrant Syrups mixt. Not that Nepentes, which the Wife of Thone, In Egypt gave to Jove-born Helena, Is of fuch power to stir up joy as this, To life fo friendly, or fo cool to thirft. Why fhould you be fo cruel to yourself, And to those dainty limbs, which Nature lent For gentle ufage, and foft delicacy?
But you invert the Cov'nants of her trust, And harshly deal, like an ill borrower, With that which you receiv'd on other terms, Scorning the unexempt condition,
By which all mortal frailty must subsist, Refreshment after toil, ease after pain, That have been tir'd all day without repast, And timely reft have wanted: but, fair Virgin, This will reftore all foon.
La. 'Twill not, falfe traitor,
'Twill not reftore the truth and honesty,
That thou haft banifht from thy tongue with lyes, Was this the cottage, and the safe abode
Thou told'ft me of? What grim afpects are thefe, Thefe owly-headed Monsters? Mercy guard me! Hence with thy brew'd inchantments, foul deceiver. Haft thou betray'd my credulous Innocence With vifor'd falfhood, and bafe forgery, And would'st thou feek again to trap me here With lickerish baits, fit to infnare a brute? Were it a draught for June, when she banquets, I would not taste thy treasonous offer: none But fuch as are good men can give good things, And that, which is not good, is not delicious To a well-govern'd and wife appetite.
Co. O foolishness of men! that lend their ears To thofe budge Doctors of the Stoic Fur; And fetch their precepts from the Cynic Tub, Praising the lean and fallow Abstinence. Wherefore did Nature pour her bounties forth With fuch a full and unwithdrawing hand,
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