It withers on the stalk with languish't head.
Beauty is natures brag, and must be shown
In courts, at feasts, and high solemnities
Where most may wonder at the workmanship;
It is for homely features to keep home,
They had their name thence; course complexions
And cheeks of forry grain will ferve to ply
The sampler, and to teize the hufwifes wooll. 750
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 adviz'd, you are but young yet.
La. I had not thought to have unlockt my lips
In this unhallow'd air, but that this Jugler
Would think to charm my judgement, as mine eyes,
Obtruding falfe rules pranckt in reasons garb.
I hate when vice can bolt her arguments,
And vertue has no tongue to check her pride: 760
Impoftor do not charge most innocent nature,
As if he would her children fhould be riotous
With her abundance the good cateres
Means her provifion only to the good
That live according to her sober laws,
And holy dictate of fpare Temperance:
If every just man that now pines with want
Had but a moderate and beseeming share
Of that which lewdly-pamper'd Luxury
Now heaps upon fom few with vast excess,
Natures full bleffings would be well difpenc't
In unfuperfluous eeven proportion,
And the no whit encomber'd with her store,
And then the giver would be better thank't,
His praise due paid, for swinish gluttony
Ne're looks to Heav'n amidst his gorgeous feast, But with befotted base ingratitude
Cramms, and blafphemes his feeder. Shall I go on? Or have I said anow? To him that dares
Arm his profane tongue with contemptuous words
Against the Sun-clad power of Chastity;
Fain would I fomthing fay, yet to what end?
Thou haft nor Ear, nor Soul to apprehend
The sublime notion, and high mystery
That must be utter'd to unfold the fage
And ferious doctrine of Virginity,
And thou art worthy that thou shouldft not know
More happiness then this thy present lot.
Enjoy your dear Wit, and gay Rhetorick
That hath so well been taught her dazling fence,
Thou art not fit to hear thy felf convinc't;
Yet fhould I try, the uncontrouled worth
Of this pure cause would kindle my rap't spirits
To fuch a flame of facred vehemence,
That dumb things would be mov'd to fympathize, And the brute Earth would lend her nerves, and shake,
Till all thy magick ftructures rear'd so high,
Were shatter'd into heaps o're thy falfe head.
Co. She fables not, I feel that I do fear Her words set off by fom fuperior power; And though not mortal, yet a cold shuddring dew Dips me all o're, as when the wrath of Jove Speaks thunder, and the chains of Erebus To fom of Saturns crew. I must diffemble, And try her yet more strongly. Com, no more,
This is meer moral babble, and direct
Against the canon laws of our foundation;
I must not suffer this, yet 'tis but the lees
And fetlings of a melancholy blood;
But this will cure all ftreight, one fip of this 810
Will bathe the drooping fpirits in delight
Beyond the bliss of dreams. Be wife, and taste.
The Brothers rush in with Swords drawn, wreft his Glafs out of his hand, and break it against the ground; his rout make fign of refiftance, but are all driven in; The attendant Spirit comes in.
Spir. What, have you let the false Enchanter scape?
O ye mistook, ye fhould have fnatcht his wand
And bound him faft; without his rod revers't,
And backward mutters of diffevering power,
We cannot free the Lady that fits here
In ftony fetters fixt, and motionless;
Yet ftay; be not disturb'd, now I bethink me,
Som other means I have which may be us'd, 820
Which once of Melibaus old I learnt
The footheft Shepherd that ere pip't on plains.
There is a gentle Nymph not far from hence, That with moist curb sways the smooth Severn Sabrina is her name, a Virgin pure, Whilom she was the daughter of Locrine, That had the Scepter from his Father Brute. The guiltless damfel flying the mad pursuit Of her enraged ftepdam Guendolen,
Commended her fair innocence to the flood
That stay'd her flight with his cross-flowing course,
The water Nymphs that in the bottom plaid,
Held up their pearled wrifts and took her in,
Bearing her straight 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 ftrew'd with Asphodil,
And through the porch and inlet of each sense
Dropt in Ambrofial Oils till she reviv'd,
And underwent a quick immortal change
Made Goddess of the River; ftill fhe retains
Her maid'n gentlenes, and oft at Eeve
Vifits the herds along the twilight meadows,
Helping all urchin blasts, and ill luck fignes
That the shrewd medling Elfe delights to make,
Which the with pretious viold liquors heals.
For which the Shepherds at their festivals
Carrol her goodnes lowd in rustick layes,
And throw sweet garland wreaths into her stream
Of pancies, pinks, and gaudy Daffadils.
And, as the old Swain said, she can unlock
The clasping charm, and thaw the numming spell,
If she be right invok't in warbled Song,
For maid'nhood she loves, and will be swift
To aid a Virgin fuch as was her felf
In hard befetting need, this will I try
And adde the power of fom adjuring verse.
Liften where thou art fitting
Under the glaffie, cool, translucent wave,
In twisted braids of Lillies knitting
The loofe train of thy amber-dropping hair,
Liften for dear honours fake,
Goddess of the filver lake,
In name of great Oceanus,
By the earth-shaking Neptune's mace,
And Tethys grave majestick pace,
By hoary Nereus wrincled look,
And the Carpathian wifards hook,
By fcaly Tritons winding fhell,
And old footh-faying Glaucus fpell,
By Leucothea's lovely hands,
And her fon that rules the strands,
By Thetis tinfel-flipper'd feet,
And the Songs of Sirens fweet,
By dead Parthenope's dear tomb,
And fair Ligea's golden comb,
Wherewith fhe fits on diamond rocks
Sleeking her soft alluring locks,
By all the Nymphs that nightly dance
Upon thy streams with wily glance,
Rife, rife, and heave thy rofie head
From thy coral-pav'n bed,
And bridle in thy headlong wave,
Till thou our fummons anfwerd have.
Sabrina rifes, attended by water-Nymphs, and fings.
By the ruby-fringed bank,
Where grows the Willow and the Ofier dank,
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