That in their green shops weave the smooth-hair'd
To deck her fons, and that no corner might
Be vacant of her plenty, in her own loins
She hutcht th' all-worshipt ore, and precious gems
To ftore her children with: if all the world - 730
Should in a pet of temp'rance feed on pulse,
Drink the clear ftream, and nothing wear but frieze,
Th'all-giver would be unthank'd, would be unprais'd,
Not half his riches known, and yet defpis'd,
And we should ferve him as a grudging mafter, 753
As a penurious niggard of his wealth,
And live like Nature's bastards, not her fons,
Who would be quite surcharg'd with her own weight,
And strangled with her waste fertility, (plumes,
Th' earth cumber'd, and the wing'd air darkt with
The herds would over-multitude their lords, 740
The fea o'er-fraught would fwell, and th' unfought di-
Would fo imblaze the forehead of the deep, (amonds
And so bestud with stars, that they below
Would
grow inur'd to light, and come at last 745
To gaze upon the fun with shameless brows.
List Lady, be not coy, and be not cofen'd
With that fame vaunted name Virginity.
Beauty is Nature's coin, must not be horded,
But must be current, and the good thereof
Consists in mutual and partaken blifs,
Unsavory in th' enjoyment of itself;
If you let flip time, like a neglected rofe
It withers on the stalk with languish'd head.
Beauty is Nature's brag, and must be shown 755
In courts, in feasts, and high folemnities,
Where most may wonder at the workmanship;
It is for homely features to keep home,
They had their name thence; coarse complexions
And cheeks of forry grain will ferve to ply
The sampler, and to tease the huswife's wooll.
What need a vermeil-tinctur'd lip for that,
Love-darting eyes, or treffes like the morn?
There was another meaning in these gifts,
Think what, and be advis'd, you are but young yet.
Lady. I had not thought to have unlockt my lips
In this unhallow'd air, but that this jugler
Would think to charm my judgment, as mine eyes,
Obtruding falfe rules prankt in reason's garb.
I hate when vice can bolt her arguments,
And virtue has no tongue to check her pride.
Impoftor, do not charge moft innocent Nature,
As if she would her children fhould be riotous
With her abundance; she good caterefs
Means her provision only to the good,
That live according to her sober laws,
And holy dictate of spare temperance:
If every just man, that now pines with want,
Had but a moderate and befecming share
Of that which lewdly-pamper'd luxury
Now heaps upon fome few with vast excess,
Nature's full bleffings would be well difpens'd
In unfuperfluous even proportion,
And fhe no whit incumber'd with her store,
And then the giver would be better thank'd, 785
His praise due paid; for swinish gluttony
Ne'er looks to Heav'n amidst his gorgeous feaft,
But with befotted base ingratitude
Crams, and blafphemes his feeder. Shall I go on?
Or have I said enough? To him that dares 790
Arm his profane tongue with contemptuous words
Against the fun-clad pow'r of Chastity,
Fain would I fomething say, yet to what end?
Thou haft nor ear, nor foul to apprehend
The fublime notion, and high mystery,
That must be utter'd to unfold the fage
And serious doctrin of Virginity,
And thou art worthy that thou should'st not know
More happiness than this thy present lot.
Enjoy your dear wit, and gay rhetoric,
That hath fo well been taught her dazling fence,
Thou art not fit to hear thyself convinc'd;
Yet fhould I try, the uncontrolled worth
Of this pure cause would kindle my rapt spirits
To fuch a flame of facred vehemence,
That dumb things would be mov'd to sympathize,
And the brute earth would lend her nerves, and shake,
Till all thy magic ftructures rear'd so high,
Were shatter'd into heaps o'er thy false head.
Com. She fables not, I feel that I do fear 810 Her words set off by some superior power;
And though not mortal, yet a cold fhudd'ring dew
Dips me all o'er, as when the wrath of Jove
Speaks thunder, and the chains of Erebus
To fome of Saturn's crew. I must dissemble, 815
And try her yet more strongly. Come, no more,
This is mere moral babble, and direct
Against the canon laws of our foundation;
I must not suffer this, yet 'tis but the lees
And fettlings of a melancholy blood:
But this will cure all strait, one fip of this
Will bathe the drooping spirits in delight
Beyond the blifs of dreams. Be wife, and taste.---
The Brothers rush in with fwords drawn, wreft his glass out of his hand, and break it against the ground; his rout make fign of refiftance, but are all driven in; The attendent Spirit comes in.
Spir. What, have you let the false inchanter scape? O ye mistook, ye should have snatcht his wand 825 And bound him faft; without his rod revers'd, And backward mutters of diffevering power, We cannot free the Lady that fits here In ftony fetters fix'd, and motionless : Yet stay, be not disturb'd; now I bethink me,
Some other means I have which may be us'd,
Which once of Melibœus old I learnt,
The footheft fhepherd that e'er pip'd on plains.
There is a gentle nymph not far from hence, That with moist curb sways the smooth Severn ftream, Sabrina is her name, a virgin pure; Whilome she was the daughter of Locrine, That had the scepter from his father Brute. She guiltless damfel flying the mad pursuit Of her enraged ftepdame Guendolen, Commended her fair innocence to the flood, That flay'd her flight with his cross-flowing course. The water nymphs that in the bottom play'd, Held up their pearled wrists and took her in, Bearing her ftrait to aged Nereus hall,
Who piteous of her woes, rear'd her lank head,
And gave her to his daughters to imbathe
In nectar'd lavers ftrow'd with afphodil,
And through the porch and inlet of each fenfe
Dropt in ambrofial oils till fhe reviv'd,
And underwent a quick immortal change,
Made Goddess of the river; ftill the retains
Her maiden gentleness, and oft at eve
Vifits the herds along the twilight meadows,
Helping all urchin blasts, and ill-luck figns 855
'That the fhrew'd medling elfe delights to make,
Which the with precious vial'd liquors heals,
For which the shepherds at their festivals
Carol her goodness loud in ruftic lays,
And throw sweet garland wreaths into her stream
|