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And a perpetual feast of nectar'd sweets,
Where no crude furfeit reigns.

I BRO. Lift, lift, I hear

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Some far off hallow break the filent air.

2 BRO. Methought so too; what should it be?

I BRO. For certain

Either fome one like us night-founder'd here,

Or else fome neighbour wood-man, or, at worst,
Some roving robber calling to his fellows.

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2 BRO. Heav'n keep my Sifter! Again, again, and Best draw, and stand upon our guard.

I BRO. I'll hallow;

If he be friendly, he comes well; if not,
Defense is a good caufe, and Heav'n be for us.

[near;

The attendent Spirit, habited like a fhepherd.

That hallow I fhould know, what are you? speak ; 490
Come not too near, you fall on iron stakes else.
SPI. What voice is that? my young Lord? fpeak

again.

2 BRO. O brother, 'tis my father's fhepherd, fure. 1 BRO. Thyrfis? whofe artful strains have oft de

lay'd

The huddling brook to hear his madrigal,

And sweeten'd every muskrose of the dale.

How cam'ft thou here, good Swain? hath any ram
Slipt from the fold, or young kid lost his dam,
Or ftraggling wether the pent flock forfook?

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How could'st thou find this dark fequefter'd nook? 500

SPI. O my lov'd master's heir, and his next joy,

I came not here on fuch a trivial toy

As a ftray'd ewe, or to pursue the stealth

Of pilfering wolf; not all the fleecy wealth

That doth enrich thefe downs, is worth a thought 505
To this my errand, and the care it brought.
But, O my virgin Lady, where is the?

How chance fhe is not in your company?

I BRO. To tell thee fadly, Shepherd, without blame, Or our neglect, we loft her as we came.

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SPI. Ay me unhappy! then my fears are true. I BRO. What fears, good Thyrfis? Pr'ythee briefly SPI. I'll tell you; 'tis not vain or fabulous, [fhew. (Though so esteem'd by fhallow ignorance)

What the fage poets, taught by th' heav'nly Muse, 515 Story'd of old in high immortal verfe,

Of dire chimera's and inchanted iles,

And rifted rocks whofe entrance leads to Hell;

For fuch there be, but unbelief is blind.

Within the navel of this hideous wood, Immur'd in cypress shades, a forcerer dwells,

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Of Bacchus and of Circe born, great Comus,
Deep skill'd in all his mother's witcheries,
And here to every thirsty wanderer

By fly enticement gives his baneful cup,

With many murmurs mix'd, whose pleasing poison
The vifage quite transforms of him that drinks,
And the inglorious likeness of a beast
Fixes instead, unmolding reason's mintage
Character'd in the face; this have I learnt

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Tending

Tending my flocks hard by i'th' hilly crofts,
That brow this bottom glade, whence night by night
He and his monstrous rout are heard to howl
Like ftabled wolves, or tigers at their prey,
Doing abhorred rites to Hecate

In their obfcured haunts of inmoft bowers.
Yet have they many baits, and guileful fpells,
To' inveigle and invite th' unwary sense
Of them that pafs unweeting by the way.
This evening late, by then the chewing flocks
Had ta'en their fupper on the favory herb
Of knot-grafs dew-befprent, and were in fold,
I fat me down to watch upon a bank
With ivy canopied, and interwove

With flaunting honey-fuckle, and began,
Wrapt in a pleafing fit of melancholy,
To meditate my rural minstrelsy,

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Till fancy had her fill, but ere a close
The wonted roar was up amidst the woods,
And fill'd the air with barbarous diffonance;
At which I ceas'd, and liften'd them a while,
Till an unusual ftop of fudden filence
Gave refpit to the droufy-flighted steeds,
That draw the litter of close-curtain'd fleep;
At laft a foft and folemn breathing found
Rofe like a steam of rich diftill'd perfumes,
And ftole upon the air, that even Silence

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Was took cre she was ware, and wish'd fhe might

Deny her nature, and be never more,

Still to be fo difplac'd. I was all ear,

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And

And took in ftrains that might create a foul
Under the ribs of death: but O ere long
Too well I did perceive it was the voice
Of my most honor'd Lady, your dear Sister.
Amaz'd I ftood, harrow'd with grief and fear,
And O poor hapless nightingale, thought I,
How sweet thou fing'ft, how near the deadly fnare!
Then down the lawns I ran with headlong haste,
Through paths and turnings often trod by day,
Till guided by mine ear I found the place,
Where that damn'd wifard hid in fly difguife'
(For fo by certain figns I knew) had met
Already, ere my beft fpeed could prevent,
The aidless innocent Lady his wifh'd prey,
Who gently ask'd if he had seen fuch two,
Suppofing him fome neighbour villager.
Longer I durft not stay, but soon I guess'd
Ye were the two fhe meant; with that I fprung
Into fwift flight, till I had found you here,
But further know I not.

2 BRO. O night and shades,

How are ye join'd with Hell in triple knot,
Against th' unarmed weakness of one virgin
Alone, and helplefs! Is this the confidence
You gave me, Brother?

I BRO. Yes, and keep it ftill,

Lean on it fafely; not a period

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Shall be unfaid for me: against the threats
Of malice or of forcery, or that power

Which erring men call Chance, this I hold firm,

Virtue may be affail'd, but never hurt,
Surpris'd by unjuft force, but not inthrall'd;

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Yea even that which mifchief meant most harm,

Shall in the happy trial prove moft glory :

But evil on itself shall back recoil,

And mix no more with goodness, when at last,
Gather'd like fcum, and fettled to itself,

It shall be in eternal reftlefs change

Self-fed, and felf-confumed: if this fail,

The pillar'd firmament is rottenness,

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And earth's bafe built on ftubble. But come let's on.

Against th' oppofing will and arm of Heaven

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May never this juft fword be lifted up;

But for that damn'd magician, let him be girt
With all the grifly legions that troop

Under the footy flag of Acheron,

Harpies and Hydras, or all the monstrous forms
'Twixt Africa and Ind, I'll find him out,
And force him to reftore his purchase back,
Or drag him by the curls to a foul death,
Curs'd as his life.

SPI. Alas! good ventrous Youth,

I love thy courage yet, and bold emprise;
But here thy fword can do thee little ftead;
Far other arms, and other weapons, must

Be thofe that quell the might of hellish charms:
He with his bare wand can unthred thy joints,
And crumble all thy finews.

I BRO. Why pr'ythee, Shepherd,
How durft thou then thyself approach so near,

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