It withers on the stalk with languish'd head.
Beauty is Nature's brag, and must be shown
In courts, in feafts, and high folemnities,
Where most may wonder at the workmanship;
It is for homely features to keep home,

755

They had their name thence; coarse complexions

And cheeks of sorry grain will serve to ply

760

The sampler, and to tease the hufwife'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,

764

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 false 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 most innocent Nature,
As if she would her children fhould be riotous
With her abundance; fhe good caterefs
Means her provision only to the good,

770

775

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 fhare
Of that which lewdly-pamper'd luxury
Now heaps upon some few with vast excess,

780

Na

Nature's full bleffings would be well difpens'd

In unfuperfluous even proportion,

And she no whit incumber'd with her ftore,
And then the giver would be better thank'd,
His praise due paid; for swinish gluttony
Ne'er looks to Heav'n amidst his gorgeous feast,
But with befotted base ingratitude

785

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 something 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 ferious doctrin of Virginity,

795

And thou art worthy that thou should'st not know More happiness than this thy present lot.

800

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,

805

That dumb things would be mov'd to fympathize,
And the brute earth would lend her nerves, and shake,
Till all thy magic ftructures rear'd so high,
Were fhatter'd into heaps o'er thy false head.

Com

Com. She fables not, I feel that I do fear Her words fet off by some superior power;

810

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 diffemble, 815
And try her yet more ftrongly. Come, no more,
This is mere moral babble, and direct

Against the canon laws of our foundation;

820

I must not suffer this, yet 'tis but the lees
And settlings of a melancholy blood:
But this will cure all strait, one sip of this
Will bathe the drooping spirits in delight
Beyond the bliss 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 fhould have fnatcht 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 ftay, be not disturb'd; now I bethink me,
Some other means I have which may be us'd,
Which once of Melibous old I learnt,

830

The foothest shepherd that e'er pip'd on plains.

There is a gentle nymph not far from hence, That with moist curb sways the smooth Severn stream, Sabrina is her name, a virgin pure;

836

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,

840

845

850

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 wrifts 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 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 maiden gentleness, and oft at eve
Vifits the herds along the twilight meadows,
Helping all urchin blasts, and ill-luck signs
That the fhrew'd medling elfe delights to make,
Which she with precious vial'd liquors heals.
For which the fhepherds at their festivals
Carol her goodness loud in ruftic lays,

855

And throw sweet garland wreaths into her stream 860

Of

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'd in warbled fong,

For maidenhood she loves, and will be swift

865

To aid a virgin, such as was herself,

In hard-besetting need; this will I try,

And add the pow'r of fome adjuring verse.

SONG.

870

Sabrina fair,

Liften where thou art fitting

Under the glaffy, cool, tranflucent wave,
In twisted braids of lillies knitting

The loose train of thy amber-dropping hair;

Liften for dear honor's fake,

875

Goddess of the filver lake,

Liften and fave.

Listen and appear to us

In name of great Oceanus,

By th'earth-shaking Neptune's mace,
And Tethys grave majestic pace,

By hoary Nereus wrinkled look,
And the Carpathian wisard's hook,
By fcaly Triton's winding shell,
And old footh-faying Glaucus fpell,
By Leucothea's lovely hands,
Q 3

880

885 And