SCENE III.

PANELION and ZONTES.

Pan. Who would have thought that Tellus, being so fair by nature, so honourable by birth, so wise by education, would have entered into a mischief, to the gods so odious, to men so detestable, and to her friends so malicious?

Zont. If Bagoa had not bewrayed it, how then should it have come to light? But we see that gold and fair words, are of force to corrupt the strongest men; and therefore able to work silly women like wax.

Pan. I marvel what Cynthia will determine in this cause.

Zont. I fear, as in all causes, hear of it in justice, and then judge of it in mercy; for how can it be, that she that is unwilling to punish her deadliest foes with disgrace, will revenge injuries of her train with death.

Pan. That old witch, Dipsas, in a rage (having understood her practice to be discovered), turned poor Bagoa to an aspen tree. But let us make haste and bring Tellus before Cynthia, for she was coming out after us.

Zont. Let us go.

[Exeunt.

CYNTHIA, SEMELE, FLOSCULA, DIPSAS, ENDYMION, and EUMENIDES.

Cynt. Dipsas, thy years are not so many as thy vices, yet more in number than commonly

nature doth afford, or justice should permit. Hast thou almost these fifty years, practised that detested wickedness of witchcraft? Wast thou so simple, as for to know the nature of simples? of all creatures to be most sinful! Thou hast threatened to turn my course awry, and alter by thy damnable art, the government I now possess by the eternal gods. But know thou, Dipsas, and let all the enchanters know, that Cynthia being placed for a light on earth, is also protected by the powers of Heaven. Breathe out thou mayest words, gather thou mayest herbs, find out thou mayest stones agreeable to thine art; yet of no force to appàl my heart, in which courage is so rooted, and constant persuasion of the mercy of the gods so grounded, that all thy witchcraft I esteem as weak, as the world doth thy case wretched. This noble gentleman, Geron, once thy husband, but now thy mortal hate, didst thou procure to live in a desert almost desperate. Endymion, the flower of my court and the hope of succeeding time, hast thou bewitched by art, before thou wouldst suffer him to flourish by nature.

Dip. Madam, things past may be repented, not recalled: there is nothing so wicked that I have not done, nor any thing so wished for as death; yet, among all the things that I committed, there is nothing so much tormenteth my rented and ransacked thoughts, as that in the prime of my husband's youth I divorced him by my devilish art; for which, if to die might be amends, I would not live till to-morrow: if to live, and still be

more miserable, would better content him, I would wish of all creatures to be the oldest and ugliest.

Ger. Dipsas, thou hast made this difference between me and Endymion, that being both young, thou hast caused me to wake in melancholy, losing the joys of my youth; and him to sleep, not remembering youth.

Cynt. Stay; here cometh Tellus, we shall now know all.

Enter CORSITES, TELLUS, PANELION, &c.

Cors. I would, to Cynthia, thou couldst make as good an excuse in truth, as to me thou hast done by wit.

Tel. Truth shall be mine answer, and therefore I will not study for an excuse.

Cynt. Is it possible, Tellus, that so few years should harbour so many mischiefs? Thy swelling pride have I borne, because it is a thing that beauty maketh blameless; which the more it exceedeth fairness in measure, the more it stretcheth itself in disdain. Thy devices against Corsites I smile at, for that wits, the sharper they are, the shrewder they are. But this unacquainted and most unnatural practice with a vile enchantress, against so noble a gentleman as Endymion, I abhor as a thing most malicious, and will revenge, as a deed most monstrous. And as for you, Dipsas, I will send you into the desert amongst wild beasts; and try whether you can cast lions, tigers, boars, and bears, into as dead a sleep as you

did Endymion; or turn them into trees, as you have done Bagoa. But tell me, Tellus, what was the cause of this cruel part, far unfitting thy sex, in which nothing should be but simpleness, and much disagreeing from thy face, in which nothing seemed to me but softness.

Tel. Divine Cynthia, by whom I receive my life, and am content to end it, I can neither excuse my fault without lying, nor confess it without shame. Yet were it possible that in so heavenly thoughts as yours, there could fall such earthly motions as mine, I would then hope, if not to be pardoned without extreme punishment, yet to be heard without great marvel.

Cynt. Say on, Tellus, I cannot imagine any thing that can colour such cruelty.

Tel. Endymion, that Endymion, in the prime of his youth, so ravished my heart with love, that to obtain my desires, I could not find means, nor to recite them, reason. What was she that favoured not Endymion, being young, wise, honourable, and virtuous? Besides, what metal was she made of, (be she mortal) that is not affected with the spice, nay infected with the poison of that (not to be expressed, yet always to be felt) love? which breaketh the brains, and never bruiseth the brow, consumeth the heart and never toucheth the skin; and maketh a deep scar to be seen, before any wound at all be felt ? my heart, too tender to withstand such a divine fury, yielded to love, madam; I, not without blushing, confess, yielded to love.

Cynt. A strange effect of love, to work such

an extreme hate. How say you, Endymion, all this was for love?

End. I say, madam, then the gods send me a woman's hate.

Cynt. That were as bad, for then by contrary you should never sleep. But on, Tellus, let us hear the end.

Tel. Feeling a continual burning in all my bowels, and a bursting almost in every vein, I could not smother the inward fire, but it must needs be perceived by the outward smoke, and by the flying abroad of divers sparks, divers judged of my scalding flames. Endymion, as full of art as wit, marking mine eyes, in which he might see almost his own; my sighs, by which he might even hear his name sounded, aimed at my heart, in which he was assured his person was imprinted; and by questions wrung out that, which was ready to burst out. When he saw the depth of my affections, he swore, that mine in respect of his, were as fumes to Etna, valleys to Alps, ants to eagles; and nothing could be com pared to my beauty, but his love and eternity. Thus drawing a smooth shoe upon a crooked foot, he made me believe, that (which all of our sex willingly acknowledge) I was beautiful; and to wonder (which indeed is a thing miraculous) that any of his sex should be faithful.

Cynt. Endymion, how will you clear yourself?
End. Madam, by mine accuser.

Cynt. Well, Tellus, proceed; but briefly, lest taking delight in uttering thy love, thou offend us with the length of it.