Melibæus, Alcippe, Asteria, Licida, Alcimedon, and Amira

Melibæus. Welcome fair Nymphs, most welcome to this shade,Distemp'ring Heats do now the Plains invade:But you may sit, from Sun securely here,If you an old mans company not fear.

Alcippe. Most Reverend Swaine, far from us ever beThe imputation of such Vanity.From Hill to Holt w'ave thee unweary'd sought,And bless the Chance that us hath hither brought.

Asteria. Fam'd Melibæus for thy Virtuous Lays,If thou dost not disdain our Female Praise,We come to sue thou would'st to us reciteOne of thy Songs, which gives such high delightTo ev'ry Eare, wherein thou dost dispenseSage Precepts cloath'd in flowing Eloquence.

Licida. Fresh Garlands we will make for thee each morne,Thy reverend Head to shade, and to adorne;To cooling Springs thy fainting Flock we'll guide,All thou command'st, to do shall be our Pride.

Meli. Cease, gentle Nymphs, the Willing to entreat,To have your Wish, each needs but take a Seat.With joy I shall my ancient Art revive,With which, when Young, I did for Glory strive.Nor for my Verse will I accept a Hire,Your bare Attentions all I shall require.

Alci. Lo, from the Plain I see draw near a PairThat I could wish in our Converse might share.Amira 'tis and young Alcimedon.

Alci. It being yet their luck to come this way,The Fond Ones to our Lecture we'll betray:And though they only sought a private shade,Perhaps they may depart more Vertuous made.I will accost them. Gentle Nymph and Swaine,Good Melibæus us doth entertainWith Lays Divine: if you'll his Hearers be,Take streight your Seats without Apology.

Alci. Paying short thanks, at fair Amiras feet,I'le lay me down: let her choose where 'tis meet

Meli. What shall I sing? what shall my Muse reherse?Love is a Theme well sutes a Past'ral Verse,That gen'ral Error, Universal Ill,That Darling of our Weakness and our Will;By which though many fall, few hold it shame;Smile at the Fault, which they would seem to blame.What wonder then, if those with Mischief play,It to destruction them doth oft betray?But by experience it is daily found,That Love the softer Sex does sorest wound;In Mind, as well as Body, far more weakThan Men: therefore to them my Song shall speak,Advising well, however it succeed:But unto All I say, Of Love take heed.So hazardous, because so hard to knowOn whom they are we do our Hearts bestow;How they will use them, or with what regardOur Faith and high Esteem they will reward:For few are found, that truly acted beBy Principles of Generosity.That when they know a Virgins Heart they've gain'd,(And though by many Vows and Arts obtain'd)Will think themselves oblig'd their Faith to holdTempted by Friends, by Interest, or by Gold.Expect it not: most, Love their Pastime make,Lightly they Like, and lightly they forsake;Their Roving Humour wants but a pretenceWith Oaths and what's most Sacred to dispence.When unto such a Maid has given her Heart,And said, Alone my Happiness thou art,In thee and in thy Truth I place my Rest.Her sad Surprize how can it be exprest,When all on which she built her Joy she finds,Vanish, like Clouds, disperst before the Winds;Her self, who th'adored Idol wont to be,A poor despis'd Idolater to see?Regardless Tears she may profusely spend,Unpitty'd sighs her tender Breast may rend:But the false Image she will ne're erace,Though far unworthy still to hold its place:So hard it is, even Wiser grown, to takeTh'Impression out, which Fancy once did make.Believe me Nymphs, believe my hoary hairs,Truth and Experience waits on many years.Before the Eldest of you Light beheld,A Nymph we had, in Beauty all excell'd,Rodanthe call'd, in whom each Grace did shine,Could make a Mortal Maid appear Divine.And none could say, where most her Charms did lye,In her inchanting Tongue, or conquering Eye.Her Vertue yet her Beauties so out-shon,As Beauty did the Garments she put on!Among the Swains, which here their Flocks then fed,Alcander with the highest held his head;The most Accomplish't was esteem'd to be,Of comely Forme, well-grac't Activity;The Muses too, like him, did none inspire,None so did stop the Pipe, or touch the Lyre;Sweet was his Voice, and Eloquent his Tongue;Alike admired when he Spoke, or Sung!But these so much Excelling parts the Swain,With Imperfections no less Great, did stain:For proud he was, of an Ungovern'd Will,With Love Familiar, but a Stranger stillTo Faith and Constancy; and did his Heart,Retaining none, expose to ev'ry Dart.Hapless Rodanthe, the Fond Rover, caught,To whom, for Love, with usual Arts he sought;Which she, ah too unwary, did bestow:'Cause True her self, believ'd that he was so.But he, alas, more wav'ring than the Wind,Streight broke the Chain, she thought so fast did bind;For he no sooner saw her Heart was gain'd,But he as soon the Victory disdain'd;Mad Love else-where, as if 'twere like Renown,Hearts to subdue, as to take in a Town:But in the One as Manhood does prevail,Both Truth and Manhood in the other fail.And now the Nymph (of late so gay and bright,The Glory of the Plains and the Delight,Who still in Wit and Mirth all Pastimes led)Hung like a wither'd Flow'r her drooping Head.I need not tell the Grief Rodanthe found,How all that should asswage, enrag'd her Wound;Her Form, her Fame, her Vertue, Riches, Wit,Like Deaths sad Weights upon her Soul did sit:Or else like Furies stood before her Face,Still urging and Upbraiding her Disgrace,In that the World could yield her no Content,But what alone the False Alcander sent.'Twas said, through just Disdain, at last she brokeThe Disingenious and Unworthy Yoke:But this I know, her Passion held long time,Constancy, though Unhappy, is no Crime.Remember when you Love, from that same hourYour Peace you put into your Lovers Power:From that same hour from him you Laws receive,And as he shall ordain, you Joy, or Grieve,Disabl'd both to Act, and to Command.Oh Cruel Fetters! rather wish to feel,On your soft Limbs, the Gauling Weight of Steel;Rather to bloudy Wounds oppose your BreastNo Ill, by which the Body can be prest;You will so sensible a Torment find,As Shackles on your captivated Mind.The Mind from Heaven its high Descent did draw,And brooks uneasily any other Law,Than what from Reason dictated shall be,Reason, a kind of In-mate Deity.Which only can adapt to ev'ry SoulA Yoke so fit and light, that the ControleAll Liberty excels; so sweet a Sway,The same 'tis to be Happy, and Obey;Commands so Wise and with Rewards so drestThat the according Soul replys, I'm Blest.This teaches rightly how to Love and Hate,To fear and hope by Measure and just Weight;What Tears in Grief ought from our Eyes to flow,What Transport in Felicity to show;In ev'ry Passion how to steer the Will,Tho rude the Shock, to keep it steady still.Oh happy Mind! what words can speak thy Bliss,When in a Harmony thou mov'st like this?Your Hearts fair Virgins keep smooth as your Brow,Not the least Am'rous Passion there allow;Hold not a Parly with what may betrayYour inward Freedom to a Forraign Sway;And while thus ore your selves you Queens remain,Unenvy'd, ore the World, let others reign:The highest Joy which from Dominion flows,Is short of what a Mind well-govern'd knows.Whither my Muse, would'st uncontrouled run?Contend in Motion with the restless Sun?Immortal thou, but I a mortal SireExhaust my strength, and Hearers also tire.

Al. O Heaven-taught Bard! to Ages couldst prolongThy Soul-instructing, Health-infusing Song,I with unweary'd Appetite could hear,And wish my Senses were turn'd all to Ear.

Alcim. Old Man, thy frosty Precepts well betrayThy Blood is cold, and that thy Head is grey:Who past the Pleasure Love and Youth can give,To spoyl't in others, now dost only live.Wouldst thou, indeed, if so thou couldst perswade,The Fair, whose Charms have many Lovers made,Should feel Compassion for no one they wound,But be to all Inexorable found?

Me. Young man, if my advice thou well hadst weigh'd,Thou would'st have found, for either Sex 'twas made;And would from Womens Beauty thee no lessPreserve, than them secure from thy Address.But let thy Youth thy rash Reproach excuse.

Alci. Fairest Amira let him not abuseThy gentle Heart, by his imprinting thereHis doting Maxims----But I will not fear:For when 'gainst Love he fiercest did inveigh,Methoughts I saw thee turn with Scorn away.

Ami. Alcimedon according to his WillDoes all my Words and Looks interpret still:But I shall learn at length how to Disdain,Or at the least more cunningly to feign.

Alci. No wonder thou Alcimedon art rude,When with no Gen'rous Quality endu'd:But hop'st by railing Words Vice to defend,Which Foulers made, by having such a Friend.Amira, thou art warn'd, wisely beware,Leap not with Open-Eyes into the Snare:The Faith that's given to thee, was given beforeTo Nais, Amoret, and many more:The Perjur'd did the Gods to Witness call,That unto each he was the only Thrall.

Alci. 'Tis the best Colour a False Heart can show;And well it is with Guilt some shame remains.

Meli. Hast, Shepherd, hast to cleanse away thy stains,Let not thy Youth, of Time the goodly spring,Neglected pass, that nothing forth it bringBut noxious Weeds: which cultivated mightProduce such Crop, as now would thee delight,And give thee after Fame: For Vertues FruitBelieve it, not alone with Age does sute,Nought adorns Youth like to a Noble Mind,In thee this Union let Amira find.

Meli. See how Discourse upon the Time does prey,Those hours pass swiftest, that we talk away.Declining Sol forsaken hath the Fields,And Mountains highest Summits only gildes:Which warns us home-wards with our Flocks to make.

Lici. Our Wishes too, That on thy Head may light,What e're the Gods as their Best Gifts bestow.

The Darling of a Father Good and Wise,The Vertue, which a Vertuous Age did prize;The Beauty Excellent, even to those were Faire,Subscrib'd unto, by such as might compare;The Star that 'bove her Orb did always move,And yet the Noblest did not Hate, but Love;And those who most upon their Title stood,Vail'd also to, because she did more Good.To whom the Wrong'd, and Worthy did resort, }And held their Sutes obtain'd, if only brought; }The highest Saint in all the Heav'n of Court. }So Noble was her Aire, so Great her Meen,She seem'd a Friend, not Servant to the Queen.To Sin, if known, she never did give way,Vice could not Storm her, could it not betray.When angry Heav'n extinguisht her fair Light,It seem'd to say, Nought's Precious in my sight;As I in Waves this Paragon have drown'd,The Nation next, and King I will confound.

On a young LadyWhose LORD was Travelling.

No sooner I pronounced Celindas name,But Troops of wing'd Pow'rs did chant the same:Not those the Poets Bows and Arrows lend,But such as on the Altar do attend.Celinda nam'd, Flow'rs spring up from the Ground,Excited meerly with the Charming Sound.Celinda, the Courts Glory, and its fear,The gaz'd at Wonder, where she does appear.Celinda great in Birth, greater in Meen,Yet none so humble as this Fair-One's seen.Her Youth and Beauty justly might disdain,But the least Pride her Glories ne're did stain.Celinda of each State th'ambitious Strife,At once a Noble Virgin, and a WifeWho, while her Gallant Lord in Forraign partsAdorns his Youth with all accomplisht Arts,Grows ripe at home in Vertue, more than Years,And in each Grace a Miracle appears!When other of her Age a madding go,To th' Park and Plays, and ev'ry publick Show,Proud from their Parents Bondage they have broke,Though justly freed, she still does wear the Yoke;Preferring more her Mothers Friend to be,Than Idol of the Towns Loose-Gallantry.On her she to the Temple does attend,Where they their Blessed Hours both save and spend.They Smile, they Joy, together they do Pray,You'd think two Bodies did One Soul obey:Like Angels thus they do reflect their Bliss,And their bright Vertues each the other kiss.Return young Lord, while thou abroad dost romeThe World to see, thou loosest Heaven at Home.

Dutchess of GraftonUnder the Name of ALINDA.