Torquato Tassos Aminta Englisht To this is added Ariadne's complaint in imitation of Anguillara; written by the translater of Tasso's Aminta.

The Prologue.

CVPID

in habit of a Shepheard.

WHo would beleeue that in this human forme, And vnder these meane Shepherds weedes, A god head? nor yet of the lower ranke, But the most mighty 'mong the gods; whose powre were hid Makes oft the bloudy Sword of angry Mars Fall from his hand; sterne Neptune hurle away His powerfull trident; and great Ioue lay by His thunderbolt: and thus attyr'de, I hope My mother Venus shall haue much adoe To find her Cupid. For the troth to tell, Sh'has made me play the run-away with her: Because (forsooth) shee will sole mistresse bee, And to her pleasure binde my shafts and mee; And (vaine ambitious woman as shee is) Would tye me to liue stil 'mongst Crownes, & Scep∣ters, And to high Courts confine my power and me; And to my vnder-followers graunts to liue

Here in these woods; and to aduance their powres, Ore silly Shepherds brests; but I that am No childe, (though childish be my gate and lookes) Will for this once, doe as shall please me best: For not to her, but me allotted were The euer awfull brande, and goulden bowe: Therefore I purpose to conceale my selfe, And runne from her entreates; (for other powre Then to intreate, shee shall not haue ore me:) I heare shee haunts these groues, and promiseth Vnto the Nymphes and Shepherds, which of them Will bring me to her, kisses for their paines, And more then kisses too; and cannot I To them shall hide me from her, liberall be Of kisses, and more too as well as shee? The Nymphes I know will like my kisses best, When I shall woe them that am god of loue: Therefore my mother doth but looze her paine, Here's none will bring her home her sonne againe. But to be surer, that she may not know Or finde me out by the vsd'e markes I beare, I'ue layd my quiuer, bowe, and wings from me; Yet come I not hither vnarm'de; this rodd I carry is my brand transformed thus, And breathes out vnseene flame at eu'ry pore; And this dart (though it haue no goulden head) Of heu'nly temper is; and where it lytes

Inforceth loue; and eu'ne this day shall make A deepe and curelesse wound in the hard brest Of the most cruell Nymph, that euer yet Hath bin a follower of Dianas traine; Nor will I pitty Siluia more, (for so Th'obdurate stony-brested Nymph is call'd) Then erst I did the gentle-hearted Swaine Aminta, many winters since, when he (Poore wretch) then young, follow'd her younger stepps From wood to wood in eu'ry game and sport: And for more sure effecting my intent, I'le pause a while till some remorse and pitty Of the poore Shephedrs sufferings, haue a little Thawde the hard yce congeal'd about her brest With mayden peeuishnesse; and when I finde She growes more plyant, will I launch her brest: And this to doe with better ease and arte, Amongst the feasting troopes of the crown'd Shep∣herds That hither come to sport o'hollydayes, I'le put my selfe; and heere, euen in this place I'le giue the speeding blow vnseene, vnknowne. To day these Woods shall heare another voyce Of loue then ere before, and more refin'de; My god head heere shall in it selfe appeare Present no longer in my Ministers: I'le breath soft thoughts into their courser brests, And make their tungs in smoothest nūbers moue;

For wheresoere I am, still am I Loue; No lesse in Shepherds then in greatest Peeres; And inequallity in people, I Can temper as I please, such is my power. The Rurall sound of homely Shepherds reede I can make equall with the learned'st lyre, And if my mother (which disdaines forsooth To see me heere) be ignorant of this, Shee's blinde, not I Whom the blind world reputes blinde wrongfully.