Charon and Eucosmia

Euc. Charon, O Charon, draw thy boat to th' shore,And to thy many take in one soul more.Cha. Who calls? who calls? Euc. One overwhelm'd with ruth;Have pity either on my tears or youth,And take me in who am in deep distress;But first cast off thy wonted churlishness.Cha. I will be gentle as that air which yieldsA breath of balm along the Elysian fields.Speak, what art thou? Euc. One once that had a lover,Than which thyself ne'er wafted sweeter over.He was---- Cha. Say what? Euc. Ah me, my woes are deep.Cha. Prithee relate, while I give ear and weep.Euc. He was a Hastings; and that one name hasIn it all good that is, and ever was.He was my life, my love, my joy, but diedSome hours before I should have been his bride.Chorus. Thus, thus the gods celestial still decree,For human joy contingent misery.Euc. The hallowed tapers all prepared were,And Hymen call'd to bless the rites. Cha. Stop there.Euc. Great are my woes. Cha. And great must that grief beThat makes grim Charon thus to pity thee.But now come in. Euc. More let me yet relate.Cha. I cannot stay; more souls for waftage waitAnd I must hence. Euc. Yet let me thus much know,Departing hence, where good and bad souls go?Cha. Those souls which ne'er were drench'd in pleasure's stream,The fields of Pluto are reserv'd for them;Where, dress'd with garlands, there they walk the groundWhose blessed youth with endless flowers is crown'd.But such as have been drown'd in this wild sea,For those is kept the Gulf of Hecate,Where with their own contagion they are fed,And there do punish and are punished.This known, the rest of thy sad story tellWhen on the flood that nine times circles hell.Chorus. We sail along to visit mortals never;But there to live where love shall last for ever.

No trust to metals nor to marbles, whenThese have their fate and wear away as men;Times, titles, trophies may be lost and spent,But virtue rears the eternal monument.What more than these can tombs or tombstones pay?But here's the sunset of a tedious day:These two asleep are: I'll but be undress'dAnd so to bed: pray wish us all good rest.