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

Actus Tertius. Scen: Secunda.

Aminta, Daphne, Nerina.

PIttilesse (Daphne) was that Pitty of thine, When thou held'st backe the dart; because my death Will but more painefull be, the more delay'de: And now, why doest thou stay me trifling thus, And hold me' in vaine with these thy long discourses? If thou beest fearefull of my death, thou fear'st My happinesse.

Daph.

Leaue leaue Aminta This thy vniust despaire: I know her well; And 'twas her bashfulnesse, not cruelty, That made her runne away so fast from thee.

Am:

Ah that my onely friend must be Dispaire, Seeing that onely Hope hath bredd my ruyne: And yet it would be breeding in my brest Againe, and bid me liue; when, what can bee A greater ill to so great misery, Then still to liue, but to be still vnhappy?

Da:

Why liue yet, liue with thy vnhappines; And beare it for thy greater happines When the time comes; think what thou lately saw'st In the faire naked one, and let that serue thee For a reward sufficient for thy hope, And make thee in loue with life.

Am:

'Twas not enough For loue, and fortune, that I was before,

So wretched, as I scarsly could be more; But that I must be shew'd (t'augment my ill) Part of my blisse, yet go without it still.

Ner:

Must I be then the Rauen, and sinister Relater of so bitter newes? O wretched, Wretched Montano; ah what wilt thou do, When thou shalt heare the sad, and killing story Of thy owne only Siluia? poore olde man, Most haplesse father of a hapless childe; Ah now no father.

Da:

I doe heare a sad Lamenting voyce.

Am:

I heare the name of Siluia, That strikes mine eare, and my heart through at once; But who is't names her?

Da:

'Tis I thinke the Nimphe Nerina, shee whom Dian loues so well, That has so liuely eyes, and louely hands, And so becomming a behauiour.

Ner:

Yet he shall know it; and go gather vp Th'vnhappy reliques, (if yet any be;) Ah Siluia Siluia, O accursed fate.

Am:

Ay mee, what meanes this Nimph? what say's shee?

Ner:

Daphne?

Da:

Nerina? what's the matter that thou nam'st Siluia so oft, and sigh'st at eu'ry word?

Ner:

There's cause enough Daphne; ah too too much.

Am:

Ay mee I feele, I feele my brest so full Of yce, my breath halfe stopt; liues shee, or no?

Da:

Tell vs all, tell the worst Nerina.

Ner:

O heau'n, Must I be then th'vnhappy' historian? And yet it's fit I tell my sad tale out. Silu'ia starnak'd (whereof yee know perhaps The cause) came to our house, where being clad, Shee afterward desir'd me I would goe A hunting with her, as it was before Appointed, to the Groue of Okes, (for so The place yee know is call'd;) I did agree; And onn we went, and found there many Nimphes Gath'red together; not farr off, behold Rusheth a huge Wolfe foorth, whose yawning iawes Foam'd with a bloudy froth; Siluia then neare him Let flie a shaft at him; and in his head The arrow light; he tooke the wood againe, And shee at heeles persu'd him with a Dart Into the wood.—

Am:

Ah sorrowfull beginning, I feare, I feare a sad conclusion.

Ner:

I with an other Dart follow'd their footing; But setting out too late, was cast farr off; And hauing gain'd the wood, I lost the sight Of them; yet kept their track, and ranne so farr, Till I was got into the desertest And thickest of the wood; at length I found (And tooke vp) Siluias Dart vpon the ground; And not farr off a white vaile, which (ere while) I did my selfe binde vp her haire withall;

And whilst I look'd about me', Ispi'de seu'n Wolues Licking bloud off the ground, that scatt'red lay About a few bare bones; and 'twas my hap To scape vnseene, while they so earnestly Minded their pray. I full of feare turn'd back, and came my way. And this is all that I can say of Siluia; And heere's the vaile.

Am:

Th'hast sayd, th'hast sayd enough; O bloud, O vayle, O Siluia, 'dead dead —

Dap:

Poore youth he dyes; he's dead; ay me he's dead With griefe.

Ner:

He breath's yet, he's but in a traunce; Tarry he comes againe t'himselfe.

Am:

O griefe, Why do'st, why do'st thou thus torment me? And wilt not end me? th'art vniust. Perhaps Thou leau'st the worke to my owne hand: I am, I am content it shall be my owne care; Since thou wilt not, or canst not doe't; Ay mee, Ay mee if nothing want to make this cleere, And nothing want to make my miseries Now brimfull; why do' I linger? why do I stay? O Daphne Daphne, was it to this end, This bitter, bitter end thou didst reserue me? My death had then bin sweet, and pleasing to me, When thou and heau'n held back my Dart, and sau'd me; Heau'n that was lothe (belike) I should preuent With death, the woes it has prepar'd for me; But now't has done the very worst it can,

I hope both heau'n, and you may suffer me To dye in peace.

Da:

Stay yet, stay wretch, and learne The trueth yet better.

Am:

Ah the trueth is such, 'Iue stay'd too long, alas I'ue heard too much.

Ner:

Ay mee, wretch that I am, why did I speake?

Am:

Gentle Nimphe, let me craue that vayle of thee, The poore remaynder of her; they it may Accompanie me for these fewe sad houres Of way, and life yet left me; and increase That martirdom, that were no martirdom Were it not much more then enough to kill me.

Ner:

Shall I denie't, or shall I giue it him? The cause he askes it for, bids me retaine it.

Am:

Cruell Nimphe, to deny me' a grace so small In my extremity; and eu'n I see How in each trifle fortune crosseth mee. I yeeld, I yeeld; long may it bide with thee: Long liue yee; my way to my death must bee.

Da:

Aminta stay, Aminta', a word Aminta, Harke, stay; alas how swift he flyes away.

Ner:

He runnes so fast, t'will be in vaine for vs To follow him; 'twere best I onward went Vpon my way; and yet perhaps 'twere better I stay'd, and held my peace, then my selfe be Author of poore Montano's misery.

Chorus.

DEath, there is no neede of thee: Loue alone, and Constancie Ar enough (without thy Dart) To tyre vpon an honest heart. Yet so hard is not the way To Loues fame, as many say; For Lone no price but loue regards; And with it selfe, it selfe rewards. And oft in seeking it, is found Glory that liues, when we are vnder ground.