And oft before his lady's face, As thinking her her friend, He would the maiden's modest grace And comeliness commend. All which incens'd his lady so, She burnt with wrath extreame; At length the fire that long did glow, For on a day it so befell, When he was gone from home, The lady all with rage did swell, And to the damsell come. 40 45 Where they were wont, in days of yore, 55 Offenders great to keep. There never light of chearful day Dispers'd the hideous gloom; But dank and noisome vapours play Around the wretched room: 60 And adders, snakes, and toads therein, Long in this loathsome vault had bin, And were to monsters grown. The toads to croak, and snakes to hiss: With bleeding heart he goes agen 85 The virgin now had ceas'd to mourn; 95 In grief, and horror, and affright, He listens at the walls; But finding all was silent quite, He to his lady calls. Too sure, O lady, now quoth he, Your cruelty hath sped; Make hast, for shame, and come and see; I fear the virgin's dead. She starts to hear her sudden fate, For death his worst had done. 100 105 The door being open'd, strait they found The virgin stretch'd along : Two dreadful snakes had wrapt her round. Which her to death had stung. One round her legs, her thighs, her wast, Had twin'd his fatal wreath : 110 The wicked lady, at this sight, With horror strait ran mad; Let me advise you, ladies all, It causeth many a one to fall, 125 IX. JEALOUSY, TYRANT OF THE MIND. This Song is by DRYDEN, being inserted in his Tragi-Comedy of LOVE TRIUMPHANT, &c.-On account of the subject, it is inserted here. WHAT state of life can be so blest, To grant the bliss, and to require ? But, oh, no cure but death we find To sett us free From jealousie, Thou tyrant, tyrant of the mind. 15 |