THE SONG

          The Chorus sung by all

  Love, if I can scape free from forth thy holde,

    Beleeve it for a truth,

  Never more shall thy falshoode me enfolde.

  When I was yong, I entred first thy fights,

  Supposing there to finde a solemne peace:

  I threw off all my Armes, and with delights

  Fed my poore hopes, as still they did encrease.

  But like a Tyrant, full of rancorous hate,

    Thou tookst advantage:

  And I sought refuge, but it was too late.

    Love, if I can scape free, etc.

  But being thus surprized in thy snares,

  To my misfortune, thou madst me her slave;

  Was onely borne to feede me with despaires,

  And keepe me dying in a living grave.

  For I saw nothing dayly fore mine eyes,

    But rackes and tortures:

  From which I could not get in any wise.

    Love, if I can scape free, etc.

  My sighes and teares I vented to the winde,

  For none would heare or pittie my complaints;

  My torments still encreased in this kinde,

  And more and more I felt these sharpe restraints.

  Release me now at last from forth his hell.

    Asswage thy rigour,

  Delight not thus in cruelty to dwell.

    Love, if I can scape free, etc.

  If this thou wilt not grant, be yet so kinde,

  Release me from those worse then servile bands,

  Which new vaine hopes have bred, wherein I finde;

  Such violent feares, as comfort quite withstands.

  Be now (at length) a little moov'd to pittie,

    Be it nere so little:

  Or in my death listen my Swan-like Dittie.

  Love, if I can scape free from forth thy holde,

    Beleeve it for a truth,

  Never more shall thy falshood me enfolde.

  After that Madame Eliza had made an end of her Song, which shee

sealed up with an heart-breaking sigh: they all sate amazedly

wondering at her moanes, not one among them being able to

conjecture, what should be the reason of her singing in this manner.

But the King being in a good and pleasing temper, calling Tindaro,

commaunded him to bring his Bagge-pipe, by the sound whereof they

danced divers daunces: And a great part of the night being spent in

this manner, they all gave over, and departed to their Chambers.