"If you'll refort but thither, I'll not mifs

"To be in those woods ready for you, where "We may depart in fafety,.and no more “With dreams of pleasure only heal our fore.” 500 LXXX.

To this the happy lovers foon agree;

But ere they part Philetus begs to hear,
From her enchanting voice's melody,
One fong to fatisfy his longing ear:
She yields; and, finging, added to defire:
The lift'ning youth increas'd his am'rous fire. 506

SONG.

"TIME! fly with greater speed away,

Add feathers to thy wings,

Comforts, Sun! we then fhall fee,

Tho' at first it darken'd be

With dangers, yet those clouds but gone,
Our Day will put his luftre on.

3.

Then tho' Death's fad night appear,

515

And we in lonely filence reft,

Our ravish'd fouls no more shall fear,
But with lafting day be bleft...

4.

And then no friends can part us more,
Nor no new death extend its power.
Thus there's nothing can diffever

Hearts which Love hath join'd together."

LXXXI.

Fear of being feen Philetus homeward drove ;
But ere they part fhe willingly doth give
(As faithful pledges of her constant love)
Many a soft kiss; then they each other leave,
Rapt up with fecret joy that they have found
A way to heal the torment of their wound.

LXXXII.

But ere the fun thro' many days had run,
Conftantia's charming beauty had o'ercome
Guifardo's heart, and scorn'd affection won:
Her eyes foon conquer'd all they shone upon,
Shot thro' his wounded heart fuch hot desire,
As nothing but her love could quench the fire.
LXXXIII.

In roofs which gold and Parian stone adorn

(Proud as the owner's mind) he did abound; In fields fo fertile for their yearly corn,

520

525

530

535

As might contend with scorch'd Calabria's ground; But in his foul, that should contain the store

Of fureft riches, he was bafe and poor.

540

LXXXIV.

Him was Constantia urg'd continually,

By her friends, to love: fometimes they did entreat With gentle speeches and mild courtesy,

Which when they fee defpifed by her, they threat.
But love too deep was seated in her heart,

To be worn out with thought of any smart.
LXXXV.

Soon did her father to the woods repair,

To feek for fport, and hunt the started game;
Guifardo and Philocrates were there,

545

With many friends, too tedious here to name: 550
With them Constantia went, but not to find
The bear or wolf, but Love, all mild and kind.
LXXXVI.

Being enter'd in the pathless woods, while they
Purfue their game, Philetus, who was late
Hid in a thicket, carries straight away
His love, and haftens his own hasty fate,
That came too foon upon him, and his fun
Was quite eclips'd before it fully shone.

LXXXVII.

Conftantia mifs'd, the hunters, in amaze,

555

Take each a fev'ral course, and by curs'd Fate 560

Guifardo runs, with a love-carried pace,

Tow'rds them, who little knew their woeful state:

Philetus, like bold Icarus, foaring high

To honours, found the depth of misery :

LXXXVIII.

For when Guifardo fees his rival there,

Swelling with envious rage, he comes behind
Philetus, who fuch fortune did not fear,
And with his sword a way to's heart does find :
But e'er his fpirits were poffefs'd of death,
In these few words he spent his latest breath.
LXXXIX.

565

570

"O fee, Conftantia! my short race is run; "See how my blood the thirsty ground doth dye; “But live thou happier than thy love hath done, "And when I'm dead think sometimes upon me. "More my short time permits me not to tell, 575 "For now Death feizes me. My Dear! farewell.”

XC.

As foon as he had spoke these words life fled
From his piere'd body, whilft Conftantia she
Kiffes his cheeks, that lose their lively red,

And become pale and wan: and now each eye 580
Which was fo bright, is like, when life was done,
A ftar that 's fall'n, or an eclipsed fun.

XCI.

Thither Philocrates was driv'n by Fate,

And saw his friend lie bleeding on the earth;
Near his pale corpse his weeping fifter fate,

585

Her eyes shed tears, her heart to fighs gave birth.
Philocrates, when he faw this, did cry,

"Friend, I'll revenge, or bear thee company.

Volume 1.

K

XCII.

"Juft Jove hath fent me to revenge this fate. "Nay, stay, Guifardo! think not Heav'n in jeft; 590 "'Tis vain to hope flight can secure thy state :" Then thruft his sword into the villain's breast. "Here," faid Philocrates," thy life I fend "A facrifice t' appease my slaughter'd friend." XCIII.

But as he fell, "Take this reward," said he, "For thy new victory." With that he flung His darted rapier at his enemy,

595

Which hit his head, and in his brain-pan hung.
With that he falls, but lifting up his eyes, t
"Farewell, Constantia!" that word faid he dies. 6co
XCIV.

What fhall she do? fhe to her brother runs,
His cold and lifeless body, does embrace;
She calls to him that cannot hear her moans,
And with her kiffes warms his clammy face.
"My dear Philocrates!" fhe weeping cries,
"Speak to thy fifter;" but no voice replies.

XCV.

Then running to her love, with many a tear
Thus her mind's fervent paffion fhe express'd;
"O stay, blefs'd Soul! ftay but a little here,
"And take me with you to a lasting reft;
"Then to Elyfium's manfions both shall fly,
"Be married there, and never more to die."

605

610