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

Actus Quintus.

Scena Prima.

Elpine, Chorus.

DOubtlesse the lawes where with Loue gouerneth His Empire euermore, are neither hard To follow, nor vniust; and those his workes Which many men do condemne wrongfully, Are full of prouidence, and mistery, Lo with what art, And by how many vnknowne waies, he leades His votaries vnto their happinesse; And placeth them among the highest ioyes

And pleasures of his amorous Paradise, When oftentimes they feele themselues sunk downe Eu'ne to the very bottome of all ills. Behold Aminta with his headlong fall, Aspires vnto the top of all delight; O happy' Aminta; and so much the more Happy now, as vnfortunate before. This thy example makes me hope no lesse, That once at last my louelesse faire (that couers Vnder those freindly smiles, such cruelty) Will with true pitty heale the wounds, that shee Hath with her fained pittie made in me.

Cho:

Yon is the reu'rend Elpine; and me thinkes Speakes of Aminta' as if he were aliue, Calling him happy, blest, and fortunate, Ah hard condition of vnhappy louers; He belike counts him fortunate, that dyes For loue, and is belou'd (when he is dead) Of her he lou'de so well; and this he calls The paradise of loue; O with how light And poore rewards the wing'd Loue-god contents His seruants. Art thou (Elpine) then indeed In such a pittifull estate, as that Thou canst terme fortunate, the miserable Death of the poore Aminta? and wouldst thou So farr thy life to loues subiection bowe, And vndergoe the like fate?

Elp:

Freinds be merry What of his death perhaps ye haue heard, is false.

Cho:

That were a welcome newes. Did he not throw himselfe downe headlong then From yon high Mountaines topp?

Elp:

Tis true he did. But 'twas a fortunate and happy fall; That look'd so like death, and is proou'd to him Not life alone, but a most ioyfull life; For now he lyes lull'd in the tenter lapp. Of his beloued one that seemes much more Fonde of him now, then she was coy before; Drying each teare he lets fall, with a sighe, Or with the like, freindly requiting it. But I am going to finde out Montane Her Father, and conduct him where they bee; For there wants nothing else but his consent, To both their boundlesse ioyes accomplishment.

Cho:

Their age, their bloud and birth, their mutuall loues, And all agree; and the good oulde Montano Will he glad doubtlesse of posteritie, And to' arme his gray haires with so sweet a guard, So that his will no doubt shall second theirs. But thou (good Elpine) tell what god, what fate In that so dangerous, and deadly fall Prescru'd Aminta.

Elp:

I am well content; Heare then, heare that which with these eyes I saw; I was before my Caues mouth, which ye knowe Lyes at the hills foote, on the valleyes brimme; There Thirsi' and I were reasoning together

Of the faire shee that in the selfe same nett Had first insnar'd him, and me afterward; When I preferring my lou'de seruitude Before his free state; all at once we heard A shreeke; and saw a man fall frbm aboue, Vpon a bushy knowle; for on the side Of the steepe hill, there growes (all of a heape, And as 'twere woue tog ther,) a round masse Of brambles, thornes, and certaine weedes among; There first he light before he lower fell; And though hee made way through them with his weight, And fell downe to the ground before our feete; Yet so that stop abated the falls force, As 'twas not mortall; though so dangerous As that he lay a while deuoyd of sense, And as a dead man without show of motion. We with amazement, and compassion were Dumbe-strucken at the sudden spectacle: And knowing him, and knowing soone (with all) He was not dead, nor perhas like to die, Appeaz'd his woe, and eas'd him all we could; Then Thirsis made me throughly' acquainted with Th'whole passage of his loues. but while we sought To bring him to himselfe againe, and sent To fetch Alphesibeo (t'whom Appollo Tanght th'art of Phisicke, when he gaue his Harp And Lute to me) came Daphne, and Siluia, Who (as I heard) had bin to seeke him out

Whom they suppos'd dead. But when Siluia Had found and knew him, and beheld his cheekes And lips so bloudlesse, and discoloured, As the wanne Violet's hue their paleness past; And saw him languish, as if then he had Bin drawing his last breath; shee gaue her sorrowes A liberall passage through her earnest cryes; And beating her faire brest, falls downe vpon him, Laying her face on his, and on his lipps Her lipps.

Cho:

And did not bashfull shame restraine Her more, who is so strict and so seuere?

Elp:

Bashfulnes oft barrs weak loues of their longings, But is too weake a curbe for a strong loue. But then, as if her eyes had bin two fountaines, She drown'd his colde face with her powring teares; Whose water was of so great force, and vertue, That he reuiu'd; and op'ning his dimme eyes, He sighes foorth a hollow' Ay mee, from the bottome Of his sad brest; shee caught the heauy sound Of that same bitter breath; and mingled it With her sweet breath; and so restor'd, and heal'd him. Then; who can say? who can imagine what Both of them thought, and at that instant felt? Each now assur'd of others life? and he Assur'd of her loue, and to finde himselfe Intangled in so lou'd, and louing armes? He that loues firmly may imagine it, Yet hardly too; but no tongue sure can tell it.

Cho:

Is then Aminta safe belike, and well, And so cleare from all danger of his death?

Elp:

He's safe, and well; saue that he has a little Battred his flesh, and somwhat scratcht his face; But 'twill be nothing; and he wayes it not. Thrise happy he, t'haue giu'n so great and high A signe, and earnest of his Constancie; And now inioyes the fruit of his firme loue; To which his sad indurings, and paines past, Prooue pleasing and sweet sawces at the last. But peace be wi'yee'; I must goe seeke about Till I haue found the good Montano out.

Chorus.

I Know not whether the much sowre This (now blest) Louer (seruing, burning, Now dispairing, and still mourning) Hath felt; may in one happy' houre Be thoroughly repay'd againe With pleasure equall to his paine. But if the good more pleasing be, And come more welcome, after wee Haue felt the ill; I doe not craue (O Loue) this happiness to haue. Let others be so blest by thee, And graunt the Nimph I loue, may bee Wonne with a little lesse adooe; Less pray'rs, less seruice when I wooe;

And let the sawce to our loues, be Not so much paine, and misery: But sweet disdaines, repulses sweet; Fall off a little, and straite meete. That after a short frowne or twayne, New peace, or truce may knit our hearts againe.

Th'end of Tasso's Aminta.