Into this foul and fearful place,

The fair one innocent

Was cast, before her lady's face;

Her malice to content.

65

This maid no sooner enter'd is,

But strait, alas! she hears

70

The toads to croak, and snakes to hiss:
Then grievously she fears.

Again he to his lady hies

With all the haste he may:

She into furious passion flies,
And orders him away.

Still back again does he return

To hear her tender cries;

The virgin now had ceas'd to mourn;
Which fill'd him with surprize.

85

In grief, and horror, and affright,

He listens at the walls;

But finding all was silent quite,

He to his lady calls.

100

Too sure, O lady, now quoth he,

Your cruelty hath sped;

I fear the virgin's dead.

She starts to hear her sudden fate,

And does with torches run:

But all her haste was now too late,

For death his worst had done.

Make hast, for shame, and come and see;

105

The door being open'd, strait they found
The virgin stretch'd along:

110

Two dreadful snakes had wrapt her round,
Which her to death had stung.

One round her legs, her thighs, her wast,

Had twined his fatal wreath:

The other close her neck embrac'd,

115

And stopt her gentle breath.

The snakes, being from her body thrust,
Their bellies were so fill'd,

That with excess of blood they burst,

IX.

Jealousy, Tyrant of the Wind.

THIS song is by Dryden, being inserted in his TragiComedy of Love Triumphant, &c. On account of the subject, it is inserted here.

WHAT state of life can be so blest,
As love that warms the gentle brest;
Two souls in one: the same desire
To grant the bliss, and to require?
If in this heaven a hell we find,
Tis all from thee,

O Jealousie!

Thou tyrant, tyrant of the mind.

All other ills, though sharp they prove,
Serve to refine and perfect love:

5

10

In absence, or unkind disdaine,

Sweet hope relieves the lovers paine:

But, oh, no cure but death we find

To sett us free

From jealousie,

Thou tyrant, tyrant of the mind.

False in thy glass all objects are,

15

Some sett too near, and some too far;
Thou art the fire of endless night,

The fire that burns, and gives no light.
All torments of the damn'd we find
In only thee,

20

O Jealousie!

Thou tyrant, tyrant of the mind.

X.

Constant Penelope.

THE ladies are indebted for the following notable documents to the Pepys collection, where the original is preserved in black-letter, and is entitled, "A Looking-Glass for Ladies, or a Mirrour for Married Women. Tune, Queen Dido, or Troy town."

WHEN Greeks and Trojans fell at strife,
And lords in armour bright were seen,
When many a gallant lost his life
About fair Hellen, beauty's queen;
Ulysses, general so free,

Did leave his dear Penelope.

When she this wofull news did hear,

That he would to the warrs of Troy;

For grief she shed full many a tear,

At parting from her only joy:
Her ladies all about her came,
To comfort up this Grecian dame.

Ulysses, with a heavy heart,
Unto her then did mildly say,
The time is come that we must part:
My honour calls me hence away;
Yet in my absence, dearest, be
My constant wife, Penelope

Let me no longer live, she sayd,
Then to my lord I true remain;
My honour shall not be betray'd
Until I see my love again;
or I will ever constant prove,
As is the loyal turtle-dove.

10

15

20

Thus did they part with heavy chear,
And to the ships his way he took;
Her tender eyes dropt many a tear;

25

Still casting many a longing look: She saw him on the surges glide, And unto Neptune thus she cry'd:

30

Thou god, whose power is in the deep,
And rulest in the ocean main,

Since she had lost her hearts delight.

40

Now shall my practice be, quoth she,
True vertue and humility