Classic Poem

ACT . V. S CEN . IV.

To them Pyle, Eudemus .

Pyl . Make room for heaven's sake; pray y' quit the Place.
What, will you stifle her with this Multitude?
Mis. Thunder it self shall not remove me hence.
[Leucasia awakens and casts her Eye on Misander.]
Leuc. O! who disturbs the quiet of my Soul
I'd been by this time at Elysium
Had none molested me. But I am glad
I am call'd back, being that I here enjoy
A pleasure far beyond all those below,
In only viewing you.
Mis. Canst thou behold
Him that did wound thee, and approve the sight?
Leuc. It is a favour to me that you would
Take so much notice of me. I am not
Worthy of any thing that comes from you.
'T had been too great a Blessing to me, if
Y' had only lov'd me without seasoning
That Happinesse with some Castigation
For my intruding boldnesse. I am blest,
In that I was once in those sacred Thoughts,
Which make all worthy that they think upon.
Mis. By what good Pow'r art thou so sudden chang'd?
Blest be the hand that laid thee in this sleep.
Terp. I beleeve now, and't please your Majesty,
This Widdow ne'r had ought to do with her.
Pyl. The Art was mine: her Father here came to me,
And urging me to take Revenge upon you,
Intreated me to help him to a Poyson,
Which this Leucasia here was to have giv'n you.
I, carefull of your safety, gave him somthing
Which I call'd Poyson: but 'twas only an Essence
Whose Virtue was to cast him that should take it
Into a sleep, and make him fall in Love
With the first Object that should offer it self
Unto him, as he wak'd; thinking indeed,
Because I lov'd you, to present my self.
But envious Fates have cross'd my fair Intents,
And turn'd my means unto another's Ends,
Leucasia drinking it her self: which yet
Out of your Princely Grace you may correct.
Eud. Th' hast done thou know'st not what: it is prov'd Poyson,
In that she dotes on him.
Mis. O would some God
Would make thee sleep too, to the same effect.
Is it too great a blessing to my Scepter
To have the love of good Eudemus too?
Eud. Of good Eudemus? how can I deserve
This Imputation? for I count all praise
From thee Aspersion.
Leuc. My most honour'd Father,
Think not so ill of blest Misander : for
I see him like a vigorous spark among
Things tumbling in the Common night o'th' world;
Sent to make that we call a Pilgrimage
Deserve the name of life: without him, 'twere
Onely to stand without doors, till it pleas'd
The Gods to call us in.
Mis. Fairest of things,
And only like thy self, those pleasures, which
The laden bosom of this lower world
Permits to carefull Mortalls, are too grosse,
Too earthy to be ours: Let's mount the wings
Of our desires, and take a flight into
Nature's sincerer Kingdome, where she mints
And shapes refin'd delights, delights like thee.
Leuc. Wee'll to those places set a part for Love,
Where Trees kiss Trees, and Branch embraceth Branch;
Poplar to Poplar whispers there, and Myrtle
Doth sigh to Myrtle; Flow'rs erect themselves,
And Boughs encline to meet 'em in salutes
With an unquestion'd freedome; no stalk being
Made yellow there by jealousie, no Tree
With'ring through sad suspition, that this Flower
Doth court that Bough, or that Bough serve this Flower.
Mis. O! these are joys fresh from the Dugs of Nature.
There some Plants shew th' have fire, ev'n in their Colors:
Some Dialogues make: and some more passionate grieve;
Sweet Odors are their sighes; and Dew their teares.
Some Leaves, they say, have words of woe inscrib'd,
As if that Flowers writ mutuall Letters too.
Our ancient Love-Priests say, that in that Garden
A Rose and Lilly (to whose sacred leaves
The neighboring Flowers do reverence) mingle Roots
In a most streight embrace, and thence produce
Male Roses blanch'd with th' whiteness of the Lilly,
And Female Lillies dipt i'th' blush o'th' Rose;
Each borrowing others Beauty so, that 'tis
Thought Natures Prophecie of some future times,
Which shall fulfill it, and be happy.
Leuc. As
'T hath types of things to come, so too 'tis said
That Ancient Stories are cut there in Trees;
And the mysterious Hedges are the Annals
Of former Ages: Thus each thing containing
Something that may be read, doth make the whole
But one fair Volume to instruct blest Souls.
Mis. Among those pleasures we shall walk, and see
Here some Girl twisting of her Lovers locks,
Weaving, what caught her heart, into a Net;
There others making Dialogues which sighs
In a sad Parly; these from richer Banks, here
Culling out Flow'rs, which in a learned order
Do become Characters, whence they disclose
Their mutuall meaning, Garlands there and Nosegales
Being fram'd into Epistles; yonder he
Watching his sleeping Lady, doth protect her
From Rivall Lyzards, and such loving Creatures,
And with a Bough of Myrtle guards her slumbers,
Lest the Bee should mistake her Beauteous Cheeks:
Others perhaps in a dissembled anger
Pursue their Coyer Loves, who at each turn
Fling Violets in their Faces, thus maintaining
Soft Love-fights, like the Parthian , who yet flie,
Not to escape, but to be caught.
Leuc . And we
When we come there, what chaster pleasures shall we
Indulge to our Affections?
Mis. Thou shalt sit
Queen of that Kingdom in a Chair of Light,
And Doves with ointed wings shall hover o'r thee,
Shedding Perfumes, as if blest Nature reign'd
Delights, and powr'd 'em on our tender Loves
To make 'em flourish: fresh, and well tun'd winds
Shall bring thee Viands in, and at each change
Of Service, alter their respectfull Musick.
Fountains shall walk upon thy Table, and
Birds singing to the fall of their soft waters
Shall by the Marriage of their mingled sounds
Create an Harmony shall make Syrens sleep.
Thence rising thou shalt walk, and view young Nymphs
In Currents gravell'd with transparent Amber,
Breaking their shapes at every step: thy self
Outshining both the Currents, and them too.
Then shalt thou sail in one entire rich Shell
Through Labyrinths of waters, whose perplex'd
And interwoven Banks shall be environ'd
With shady Trees charg'd with delightfull fruits,
Nature there making one continued Season.
Leu. O! I am ravish'd with delight, and could
Live on the very thought: but all those joyes
Must, like a Morning Cloud pass into nought;
My incensed Father not permitting me
To enjoy you, who are your self all these.
Mis. Consider, good Eudemus , do not nip
These buddings of our Souls: thou art that wall
That stands between our Hearts, let them but meet,
But meet, Eudemus , and the wheel of things
Shall turn another way; all that you shall
Complain of shall be only too much Joy.
All things shall flow according to your mind,
And yet before your wishes: when I do not
Prevent the earlinesse of your Desires
(Not staying so long as to meet 'm) say
They come too late, Misander is grown tardy.
Eud. I will not dash these hopes. Be she then yours:
And be she fruitfull in her Vertues first,
Then in her Issue; that she may bring forth
Heirs to your Mind, as well as to your Throne.
Mis. Thy Prayers must be heard; she is the only
Cause, that all Worth goes not upwards; Earth
Whiles it containeth her, hath somthing, which
The Heav'ns themselves adore. Let's to the Temple,
Which will be more a Temple, she being there:

Pyl. I'm slighted then? I would 't had been true poison.