Page:The maid's tragedy (IA maidstragedy00beau 0).pdf/17

5 In all Opinion long; but your Arrival Made me imagine you had heard the Change.

Mel.Who hath he taken then?

Lys.A Lady, Sir, That bears the Light about her, and strikes dead With flashes of her Eye; the fair Evadne, your virtuous Sister.

Mel.Peace of Heart betwixt them: but this is strange.

Lys.The king my brother did it, To honour you; and these Solemnities Are at his Charge.

Mel.'Tis royal, like himself. But I am sad, my speech bears so unfortunate a sound To beautiful Aspatia; there is Rage Hid in her father's breast; Calianax, Bent long against me; and he should not think, If I could call it back, that I would take So base revenges, as to scorn the State Of his neglected Daughter. Holds he still His Greatness with the King?

Lys.Yes; But this Lady Walks discontented, with her warry Eyes Bent on the Earth: The unfrequented Woods Are her Delight; and when she sees a Bank Stuck full of Flowers, she with a Sigh will tell Her Servants what a pretty place it were To bury Lovers in, and make her Maids Pluck 'em, and strOw her over like a Corse. She carries with her an infectious Grief, That strikes all her Beholders; she will sing The mournful'st things that ever Ear hath heard, And sigh, and sing again; and when the rest Of our young Ladies, in their wanton Blood, Tell mirthful Tales in course, that fill the Room With Laughter, she will with so sad a Look Bring forth a Story of the silent Death Of some forsaken Virgin, which her Grief Will put in such a Phrase, that e'er she end, She'll send them weeping one by one away.

Mel.She has a Brother under my Command, Like her, a Face as womanish as hers, But with a Spirit that hath much out-grown The Number of his Years.

Cle.My Lord the Bridegroom!

Mel.I might run fiercely, not more hastily, Upon my Foe. I love thee well, Amintor, My Mouth is much too narrow for my Heart; I joy to look upon those Eyes of thine; Thou art my Friend, but my disorder'd Speech Cuts