Run to your shrouds within these brakes and trees; Benighted in these woods. Now to my charms, Wind me into the easy-hearted man, And hug him into snares. When once her eye I shall appear some harmless villager Enter the Lady. 210 220 Lady. This way the noise was, if mine ear be true, My best guide now: methought it was the sound 230 Of riot and ill-manag'd merriment; "Such as the jocund flute or gamesome pipe "Stirs up among the loose unletter'd hinds, "When, for their teeming flocks and granges full, “In wanton dance they praise the bounteous Pan, “And thank the gods amiss." I should be loath To meet the rudeness and swill'd insolence Of such late rioters; yet oh! where else Shall I inform my unacquainted feet In the blind mazes of this tangled wood? 240 Comus aside.] I'll ease her of that care, and be her guide. Lady. My brothers, when they saw me weary'd out "With this long way, resolving here to lodge "Under the spreading favour of these pines," Stepp'd, as they said, to the next thicket side To bring me berries, or such cooling fruit As the kind hospitable woods provide. "They left me then when the grey-hooded Even, "Like a sad votarist in palmer's weeds, 249 "Rose from the hindmost wheels of Phœbus' wain ;" But where they are, and why they come not back, Is now the labour of my thoughts: 'tis likeliest They had engag'd their wand'ring steps too far. "This is the place, as well as I may guess, "Whence, ev'n now, the tumult of loud mirth "Was rife, and perfect in my list'ning ear, "Yet nought but single darkness do I find. "What might this be? A thousand fantasies Begin to throng into my memory, "Of calling shapes and beck'ning shadows dire, 260 And aery tongues, that syllable mens' names "On sands, and shores, and desert wildernesses. "These thoughts may startle well, but hot astound, "The virtuous mind, that ever walks attended "By a strong siding champion, Conscience. "O! welcome pure-ey'd Faith, white-handed Hope, "Thou hov'ring angel, girt with golden wings, “And thou unblemish'd form of Chastity! "I see you visibly, and now believe, "That he, the supreme Good (to whom all things ill "Are but as slavish officers of vengeance) "Would send a glist'ring guardian, if need were, SONG. Sweet Echo, sweetest nymph! that liv'st unseen By slow Maander's margent green, And in the violet-embroider'd vale, Where the lovelorn nightingale Nightly to thee her sad song mourneth well, Canst thou not tell me of a gentle pair That likest thy Narcissus are? C 271 280 290 Oh! if thou have Hid them in some flow'ry cave, Tell me but where, Sweet queen of parly, daughter of the Sphere! And give resounding grace to all heav'n's harmonies. Comus aside.] Can any mortal mixture of earth's mould Breathe such divine enchanting ravishment? "How sweetly did they float upon the wings 300 "Culling their potent herbs and baleful drugs, "Who, as they sung, would take the prison'd soul "And lap it in Elysium: Scylla wept, “And chid her barking waves into attention, "And fell Charybdis murmur'd soft applause; "I never heard till now."-I'll speak to her, And she shall be my queen.-Hail, foreign wonder! 310 Whom certain these rough shades did never breed, Dwell'st here with Pan or Silvan, by bless'd song 320 To touch the prosp'rous growth of this tall wood. Not any boast of skill, but extreme shift Com. What chance, good Lady, hath bereft you thus? Com. "By falsehood or discourtesy, or why? 'Lady." To seek i' th' valley some cool friendly spring. Com. And left your fair side all unguarded, Lady! Lady. They were but twain, and purpos'd quick re turn. Com. "Perhaps forestalling night prevented them? Lady. "How easy my misfortune is to hit!" Com. Imports their loss beside the present need? Lady. No less than if I should my brothers lose. 341 Com. Were they of manly prime or youthful bloom? Lady. As smooth as Hebe's their unrazor'd lips. Com. Two such I saw "what time the labour'd ox "In his loose traces from the furrow came, "And the swink't hedger at his supper sat ; |