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Eld. Bro. Thyrfis? whose artful strains have oft delaid
The hudling brook to hear his madrigal,
And sweetn'd every muskrofe of the dale,
How cam'ft thou here, good fwain? hath any ram
Slipt from the fold, or young kid lost his dam,
Or ftraggling weather the pen't flock forfook?
How could'st thou find this dark fequefter'd nook?
Spir. O my lov'd master's heir, and his next joy,
I came not here on fuch a trivial toy

As a tray'd ewe, or to pursue the stealth
Of pilfering wolf; not all the fleecy wealth
That doth inrich thefe downs, is worth a thought
To this my errand, and the care it, brought.
But, O my virgin lady, where is the ?
How chance fhe is not in your company?

Eld. Bro. To tell thee fadly, thepherd, without blame,

Or our neglect, we loft her as we came.

Spir. Ay, me unhappy! then my fears are true.
Eld. Bro. What fears, good Thyrfis? prethee briefly.
Spir. I'll tell ye, 'tis not vain or fabulous,

(Though fo efteem'd by fhallow ignorance).

[fhew.

What the fage poets, taught by th' heav'nly mufe,
Story'd of old in high immortal verfe,

Of dire Chimera's and inchanted ifles,
And rifted rocks whofe entrance leads to hell,
For fuch there be, but unbelief is blind.
Within the navel of this hideous wood,
Immur'd in cypress fhades a forcerer dwells,
Of Bacchus and of Circe born, great Comus,
Deep skill'd in all his mother's witcheries
And here to every thirty wanderer,

By fly enticement gives his baneful cup,
With many murmurs mixt, whofe pleafing poifon
The vifage quite transforms of him that drinks,
And the inglorious likenefs of a beast
Fixes inftead, unmoulding reafon's mintage-
Character'd in the face; this have I learnt
Tending my flocks hard by i' th' hilly crofts,

That brow this bottom glade, whence night by night
He and his monftrous rout are heard to how!
Like ftabled wolves, or tigers at their prey,

Doing abhorred rites to Hecate

In their obfcured haunts of inmoft bowres.
Yet have they many baits; and guileful fpells,
To inveigle and invite th' unwary sense
Of them that pass unweeting by the way.
This evening late by then the chewing flocks
Had ta'en their fupper on the favoury herb
Of knot-grafs dew-befprent, and were in fold,
I fat me down to watch upon a bank
With ivy canopied, and interwove
With flaunting honey-fuckle, and began
Wrapt in a pleafing fit of melancholy,
To meditate my rural minstrelsy,
Till faney had her fill; but ere a clofe
The wonted roar was up amidft the woods,
And fill'd the air with barbarous diffonance,
At which I ceas'd, and liften'd them a while,
Till an unusual stop of sudden filence
Gave repite to the drowfy frighted steeds
That draw the litter of close-curtain'd fleep.
At laft a foft and folemn breathing found
Rofe like a team of rich distill'd perfumes,
And stole upon the air, that even filence

Was took ere fhe was ware, and wifht he might
Deny her nature, and be never more

Still to be fo difplac'd.

And took in ftrains that

I was all ear,

might create a foul

Under the ribs of death; but O ere long
Too well I did perceive it was the voice.
Of my most honour'd lady, your dear fifter.
Amaz'd I ftood, harrow'd with grief and fear,
And O poor haplefs nightingale thought I,
How fweet thou fing'ft, how near the deadly fnare!
Then down the lawns I ran with headlong hafte
Through paths and turnings often trode by day,

Till guided by mine ear I found the place
Where that damn'd wifard hid in fly disguise,
(For fo by certain figns I knew) had met
Already, ere my beft fpeed could prevent,
The aidlefs innocent lady his wifht prey,
Who gently afk'd if he had feen fuch two,
Suppofing him fome neighbour villager;
Longer I durft not ftay, but foon I guefs'd
Ye were the two fhe meant, with that I fprung
Into fwift flight, till I had found you here.
But further know I not. 2 Bro. O night and fhades,
How are ye join'd with hell in triple knot,
Against th' unarmed weakness of one virgin
Alone, and helplefs! is this the confidence

You gave me, brother? Eld. Bro. Yes, and keep it ftill,
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 itfelf fhall back recoył,

And mix no more with goodnefs, when at laft
Gather'd like fcum, and fettled to itself,

It fhall be in eternal reftlefs change

Self-fed, and felf-confum'd; if this fail,

The pillar'd firmament is rott'nnefs,

And earth's bafe built on ftubble. But come let's on
Against th' oppofing will and arm of heav'n

May never this juft fword be lifted up,
But for that damn'd magician, let him 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 reftore his purchafe back,

Or drag him by the curls, to a foul death,
Curs'd as his life.

Spir. Alas! good vent tous youth,
I love thy courage yet, and bold emprife;
But here thy fword can do thee little ftead,
Far other arms, and other weapons must
Be thofe that quell the might of hellilh charms,.
He with his bare wand can unthred thy joints,
And crumble all thy finews.

Eld. Bro. Why prethee, fhepherd,

How durft thou then thyfelf approach so near,
As to make this relation?

Spir. Care and utmost shifts

How to fecure the lady from furprifal,
Brought to my mind a certain fhepherd lad,
Of fmall regard to see to, yet well skill❜ð-
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 even to extafy,
And in requital ope his leathern fcrip,
And fhew me fimples of a thoufand names,
Telling their strange and vigorous faculties;
Amongst the reft a fmall 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 faid,

Bore a bright golden flower, but not in this foil:
Unknown, and like efteem'd, and the dull fwain
Treads on it daily with his clouted fhoon,
And yet more med'cinal is it than that Moly
That Hermes once to wife Ulyffes gave;

He call'd it Haemony, and gave it

me,

And bad me keep it as of fov'reign ufe 'Gainft all inchantments, mildew, blaft or damp, Or gaftly furies apparition:

1 pars'd is up, but little reck'ning made,

Till now that this extremity compell'd,
But now I find it true; for by this means
I knew the foul-inchanter, though difguis'd,
Enter'd the very lime-twigs of his fpells,
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 brandifht blade rush on him, break his glafs,
And fhed the lufcious liquor on the ground,
But feize his wand, though he and his curst crew
Fierce fign of battle make, and menace high,
Or like the fons of Vulcan vomit fmoak,
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 feene changes to a stately palace, fet out with aN manner of deliciousness: foft mufic, tables Spread with all dainties. Comus appears with his rabble, and the lady fet in an enchanted chair, to whom he offers his glafs, which he puts by, and goes about to rife.

Comis. Nay, lady, fit; if I but wave this wand, Your nerves are all chain'd up in alabaster, And you a ftatue, or as Daphne was, Root-bound, that fted Apollo.

La. Fool, do not boaft,

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 wext, lady? why do you frown?
Here dwell no frowns, nor anger, from thefe gates
Sorrow flies far fee 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 primrofe-feafon.

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