NAy, faint not now, so neere the fields of rest,

Here no more furies, no more torments dwell,

Then each hath felt already in his brest,

Who hath beene once in loue, hath prou'd his hell.

Vp then, and follow this my golden rod,

That points you next to aged LETHES shore,

Who powres his waters from his vrne abroad,

Of which but tasting, you shall faint no more.

Stay, who, or what phantastique shades are these

That HERMES leades?

They are the gentle formes,

Of Louers, tost vpon those frantique seas,

Whence VENVS sprung.

And haue rid out her stormes?

No.

Did they perish?

Yes.

How?

Drown'd by loue,

That drew them forth with hopes as smooth as were

Th'vnfaithfull waters he desir'd 'hem proue.

And turn'd a tempest when he had 'hem there?

He did, and on the billow would he rowle,

And laugh, to see one throw his heart away,

Another sighing, vapour forth his soule,

A third, to melt himselfe in teares, and say,

O Loue, I now to salter water turne

Then that I die in; then, a fourth, to crie

Amid the surges, oh I burne, I burne:

A [unclear: f]ift, laugh out, it is my ghost, not I.

And thus in paires I found 'hem. Only one

There is, that walks, and stops, and shakes his head[unclear: ,]

And shuns the rest, as glad to be alone,

And whispers to himselfe, he is not dead.

No more are all the rest.

No?

No.

But, why

Proceedes this doubtfull voyce from destiny?

It is too sure.

Sure?

I: thinkes MERCVRY,

That any things, or names on earth doe die,

That are obscur'd from knowledge of the FATES;

Who keepe all rolls?

And know all natures dates?

They say themselues th'are dead.

It not appeares.

Or, by our rocke.

Our spindle.

Or our sheeres.

Here all their threds are growing, yet none cut.

I[unclear: '] gin to doubt, that Loue with charmes hath put

This phant'sie in 'hem; and they only thinke

That they are ghosts.

If so, then let 'hem drinke

Of LETHES streame.

'Twill make 'hem to forget

LOVES name.

And so, they may recouer yet.

Doe, bow vnto the reuerend lake.

And hauing touch'd there[unclear: ;] vp, and shake

The shaddowes off, which yet doe make

Vs you, and you your-selues mistake.

See! see! they are themselues agen!

Yes, now they are substances, and men.

LOVE, at the name of LETHE flyes.

For, in obliuion drown'd, he dyes.

He must not hope, though other states

He oft subdue, he can the FATES.

'Twere insolence, to thinke his powres

Can worke on vs, and equall ours.

REturne, Returne,

Like lights to burne

On earth,

For others good:

Your second birth

Will fame old LETHES flood,

And warne a world,

That now are hoorld

About in tempest, how they proue

Shaddowes for Loue.

Leape forth: your light it is the nobler made,

By being strooke out of a shade.

VVHy, now you take me! these are rites

That grace Loues dayes, and crown his nights!

These are the motions, I would see,

And praise, in them that follow mee!

Not sighes, nor teares, nor wounded harts,

Nor flames, nor ghosts: but ayrie parts

Try'd, and refin'd as yours haue bin,

And such they are, I glorie in.

Looke, looke vnto this snakie rod,

And stop your eares against the charming god;

His euery word, falls from him, is a snare:

Who haue so lately knowne him, should beware.

Come, doe not call it CVPIDS crime,

You were thought dead, before your time.

If thus you moue to HERMES will

Alone; you will be thought so still.

Goe, take the ladies forth, and talke,

And touch, and taste too: Ghosts can walke.

'Twixt eyes, tongues, hands, the mutuall strife

Is bred, that tries the truth of life.

They doe, indeede, like dead men moue,

That thinke they liue, and not in loue.

Nay, you should neuer haue left off:

But stay'd, and heard your generall CVPID scoff,

To finde you in the line you were.

HERMES, your too much wit, breeds too much feare.

Good Flie, good night.

But, will you goe?

Can you leaue LOVE, and he intreat you so?

Here, take my quiuer, and my bow,

My torches too; that you, by all, may know

I meane no danger to your stay:

This night, I will create my holiday,

And be yours, naked, and entire.

As if that LOVE, dis-arm'd, were lesse a fire?

Away, away.

Yet lest that VENVS wanton Sonne

Should, with the world, be quite vndone,

For your faire sakes (you brighter starres,

Who haue beheld these ciuill warres)

FATE is content, these Louers here

Remayne still such: so LOVE will sweare

Neuer to force them act to doo,

But what he will call HERMES too.

I sweare: and with like cause thanke MERCVRY,

As these haue, to thanke him, and destinie.

All then take cause of ioy: for who hath not?

Old LETHE, that their follies are forgot;

We, that their liues vnto their fates they [unclear: s]it:

They, that they still shall loue, and loue with wit.