Hidaspes, _Daughter to the Duke_.
Cleophila, _and_ Hero _her Attendants_.
Bacha, _a Strumpet_.
Urania, _her Daughter_.
Bacha's _Maid_.
Urania's _Maid._
_Servants and Attendants._
_Actus Primus. Scæna Prima._
_Enter_ Dorialus, Agenor, Nisus.
_Agenor._ Trust me my Lord _Dorialus_, I had mist of this, if
you had not call'd me; I thought the Princesses birth-day had
been to morrow.
_Nisus._ Why, did your Lordship sleep out the day?
_Dor._ I marvel what the Duke meant to make such an idle vow.
_Nis._ Idle, why?
_Dor._ Is't not idle, to swear to grant his Daughter any thing
she shall ask on her birth-day? she may ask an impossible
thing: and I pray heaven she do not ask an unfit thing at one
time or other; 'tis dangerous trusting a mans vow upon the
discretion on's Daughter.
_Age._ I wonder most at the Marquis her Brother, who is always
vehemently forward to have her desires granted.
_Dor._ He's acquainted with 'em before.
_Age._ She's doubtless very chaste and virtuou.
_Dor._ So is _Leucippus_ her brother.
_Nis._ She's twenty year old, I wonder
She aske not a Husband.
_Dor._ That were a folly in her; having refus'd all the
Great Princes in one part of the world;
She'll die a Maid.
_Age._ She may ask but one, may she?
_Nis._ A hundred times this day if she will;
And indeed, every day is such a day, for though
The Duke has vow'd it only on this day,
He keeps it every day: he can deny
Her nothing. [_Cornets._
_Enter_ Hidaspes, Leucippus, Leontius, _Timantas_, _Tellamon_.
_Leon._ Come fair _Hidaspes_, thou art
Duchess to day,
Art thou prepar'd to aske, thou knowest
My oath will force performance.
And _Leucippus_, if she now ask ought that shall,
Or would have performance
After my death, when by the help of heaven,
This Land is thine, accursed be thy race,
May every one forget thou art my Son,
And so their own obedience.
_Leucip._ Mighty Sir,
I do not wish to know that fatal hour,
That is to make me King, but if I do,
I shall most hastily, (and like a Son)
Perform your grant[s] to all, chiefly to her:
Remember that you aske what we
Agreed upon.
_Leon._ Are you prepar'd? then speak.
_Hida._ Most Royal Sir, I am prepar'd,
Nor shall my Will exceed a Virgins bounds,
What I request shall both at once bring
Me a full content.
_Leon._ So it ever does:
Thou only comfort of my feeble age,
Make known thy good desire,
For I dare swear thou lov'st me.
_Hidas._ This is it I beg,
And on my knees. The people of your Land,
The _Lycians_, are through all the Nations
That know their name, noted to have in use
A vain and fruitless superstition;
So much more hateful, that it bears the shew
Of true Religion, and is nothing else
But a false-pleasing bold lasciviousness.
_Leon._ What is it?
_Hidas._ Many ages before this,
When every man got to himself a Trade,
And was laborious in that chosen course,
Hating an idle life, far worse than death:
Some one that gave himself to Wine and Sloth,
Which breed lascivious thoughts;
And found himself conjoyn'd
For that by every painful man,
To take his stain away, fram'd to himself
A _god_, whom he pretended to obey,
In being thus dishonest, for a name
He call'd him _Cupid_. This created _god_,
Mans nature being ever credulous
Of any vice that takes part with his blood,
Had ready followers enow: and since
In every age they grew, especially
Amongst your Subjects, who do yet remain
Adorers of that drowsie Deitie:
Which drink invented: and the winged Boy,
(For so they call him) has his sacrifices.
These loose naked statues through the Land,
And in every Village, nay the palace
Is not free from 'em. This is my request,
That these erect[ed] obscene Images
May be pluckt down and burnt: and every man
That offers to 'em any sacrifice, may lose his life.
_Leon._ But be advis'd my fairest daughter, if he be
A god, he will express it upon thee my child:
Which heaven avert.
_Leucip._ There is no such power:
But the opinion of him fills the Land
With lustful sins: every young man and maid
That feel the least desire to one another,
Dare not suppress it, for they think it is
Blind _Cupid's_ motion: and he is a god.
_Leon._ This makes our youth unchaste. I am resolv'd:
Nephew _Ismenus_, break the Statues down
Here in the Palace, and command the City
Do the like, let proclamations
Be drawn, and hastily sent through the Land
To the same purpose.
_Ismen._ Sir, I will break down none my self,
But I will deliver your command:
Hand I will have none in't, for I like it not.
_Leon._ Goe and command it. Pleasure of my life,
Wouldst thou ought else? make many thousand suits,
They must and shall be granted.
_Hid._ Nothing else. [_Exit_ Ismenus.
_Leon._ But go and meditate on other suits,
Some six days hence I'll give thee Audience again,
And by a new oath, bind my self to keep it:
Ask largely for thy self, dearer than life
In whom I may be bold to call my self,
More fortunate than any in my age,
I will deny thee nothing.
_Leu._ 'Twas well done, Sister. [_Exeunt all but these three Lords._
_Nis._ How like you this request my Lord[s]?
_Dor._ I know not yet, I am so full of wonder,
We shall be gods our selves shortly,
And we pull 'em out of Heaven o' this fashion.
_Age._ We shall have wenches now when we can
Catch 'em, and we transgress thus.
_Nis._ And we abuse the gods once, 'tis a Justice
We should be held at hard meat: for my part,
I'll e'en make ready for mine own affection,
I know the god incenst must send a hardness
Through all good Womens hearts, and then we have
Brought our Eggs and Muskadine to a fair Market:
Would I had giv'n a 100 l. for a tolleration,
That I might but use my conscience in mine
Own house.
_Dor._ The Duke he's old and past it, he would
Never have brought such a plague upon the Land else,
'Tis worse than Sword and Famine:
Yet to say truth, we have deserv'd it, we have liv'd
So wickedly, every man at his Livery, and wou'd that
Wou'd have suffic'd us: we murmur'd at this
Blessing, that was nothing; and cry'd out to the
God for endless pleasures, he heard us,
And supp[l]ied us, and our Women were new still
As we need 'em: yet we like beasts still cry'd,
Poor men can number their woers, give us
Abundance: we had it, and this curse withal.
_Age._ Berlady we are like to have a long _Lent_ on't,
Flesh shall be flesh: now Gentlemen I had rather
Have anger'd all the gods, than that blind Gunner.
I remem[b]er once the people did but slight him
In a sacrifice: and what followed?
Women kept their houses, grew good huswives
Honest forsooth! was not that fine?
Wore their own faces,
Though they wear gay cloaths without surveying,
And which was most lamentable,
They lov'd their Husbands.
_Nis._ I do remember it to my grief,
Young Maids were as cold as Cowcumbers
And much of that complexion:
Bawds were abolisht: and, to which misery
It must come again,
There were no Cuckolds,
Well, we had need pray to keep these
Divels from us,
The times grow mischievous.
There he goes, Lord!
_Enter one with an Image._
This is a sacriledge I have not heard of:
Would I were gelt, that I might not
Feel what follows.
_Age._ And I too. You shall see within these
Few years, a fine confusion i'the Countrey: mark it:
Nay, and we grow for to depose the Powers,
And set up Chastity again, well, I have done.
A fine new goddess certainly, whose blessings
Are hunger and hard beds.
_Nis._ This comes of fulness, a sin too frequent with us
I believe now we shall find shorter commons.
_Dor._ Would I were married, somewhat has some favour;
The race of Gentry will quite run out now,
'Tis only left to Husbands, if younger Sisters
Take not the greater charity, 'tis lawful.
_Age._ Well, let come what will come,
I am but one, and as the plague falls,
I'll shape my self: If Women will be honest, I'll be sound.
If the _god_ be not too unmerciful,
I'll take a little still, where I can get it,
And thank him, and say nothing.
_Nis._ This ill wind yet may blow the City good,
And let them, (if they can) get their own children,
They have hung long enough in doubt, but howsoever, the
old way was the surer, then they had 'em.
_Dor._ Farewel my Lords, I'll e'en take up what Rent I can
before the day, I fear the year will fall out ill.
_Age._ We'll with you Sir: And love so favour us,
As we are still thy servants. Come my Lords;
Let's to the Duke, and tell him to what folly
His doting now has brought him. [_Exeunt._
_Priest of_ Cupid, _with four young men_
_and Maids_.
_Priest._ Come my children, let your feet,
In an even measure meet:
And your chearful voices rise,
For to present this Sacrifice;
Lo great _Cupid_, in whose name,
I his _Priest_ begin the same.
Young men take your Loves and kiss,
Thus our _Cupid_ honour'd is
Kiss again, and in your kissing,
Let no promises be missing:
Nor let any Maiden here,
Dare to turn away her ear,
Unto the whisper of her Love,
But give Bracelet, Ring or Glove,
As a token to her sweeting,
Of an after secret meeting:
Now boy sing to stick our hearts
Fuller of great _Cupid's_ darts.