Our Cabal.

Come, my fair Cloris, come away, Hast thou forgot ’tis Holyday? And lovely Silvia too make haste, The Sun is up, the day does waste: 5 Do’st thou not hear the Musick loud, Mix’d with the murmur of the Crowd? How can thy active Feet be still, And hear the Bagpipes chearful Trill? Mr. V. U. Urania’s drest as fine and gay, 10 As if she meant t’ out-shine the day; Or certain that no Victories Were to be gain’d but by her Eyes; Her Garment’s white, her Garniture The springing Beauties of the Year, 15 Which are in such nice Order plac’d, That Nature is by Art disgrac’d: Her natural Curling Ebon Hair, Does loosly wanton in the Air. Mr. G. V. With her the young Alexis came, 20 Whose Eyes dare only speak his Flame: Charming he is as fair can be, Charming without Effeminacy; Only his Eyes are languishing, Caus’d by the Pain he feels within; 25 Yet thou wilt say that Languishment Is a peculiar Ornament. Deck’d up he is with Pride and Care, All Rich and Gay, to please his Fair: The price of Flocks h’ has made a Prey 30 To th’ Usual Vanity of this day. 48 My dear Brother J. C. After them Damon Piping came, Who laughs at Cupid and his Flame; Swears, if the Boy should him approach, He’d burn his Wings with his own Torch: 35 But he’s too young for Love t’ invade, Though for him languish many a Maid. His lovely Ayr, his chearful Face, Adorn’d with many a Youthful Grace, Beget more Sighs then if with Arts 40 He should design to conquer Hearts: The Swains as well as Nymphs submit To’s Charms of Beauty and of Wit. He’ll sing, he’ll dance, he’ll pipe and play, And wanton out a Summer’s day; 45 And wheresoever Damon be, He’s still the Soul o’th’ Companie. My dear Amoret, Mris. B. Next Amoret, the true Delight Of all that do approach her sight: The Sun in all its Course ne’er met 50 Ought Fair or Sweet like Amoret. Alone she came, her Eyes declin’d, In which you’l read her troubled Mind; Yes, Silvia, for she’l not deny She loves, as well as thou and I. 55 ‘Tis Philocles, that Proud Ingrate, That pays her Passion back with Hate; Whilst she does all but him despise, And clouds the lustre of her Eyes: But once to her he did address, 60 And dying Passion too express; But soon the Amorous Heat was laid, He soon forgot the Vows he’d made; Whilst she in every Silent Grove, Bewails her easie Faith and Love. 65 Numbers of Swains do her adore, But she has vow’d to love no more. Mr. J. B. Next Jolly Thirsis came along, With many Beauties in a Throng. 49 Mr. Je. B. With whom the young Amyntas came, 70 The Author of my Sighs and Flame: For I’ll confess that Truth to you, Which every Look of mine can show. Ah how unlike the rest he appears! With Majesty above his years! 75 His Eyes so much of Sweetness dress, Such Wit, such Vigour too express; That ‘twou’d a wonder be to say, I’ve seen the Youth, and brought my Heart away. Ah Cloris! Thou that never wert 80 In danger yet to lose a Heart, Guard it severely now, for he Will startle all thy Constancy: For if by chance thou do’st escape Unwounded by his Lovely Shape, 85 Tempt not thy Ruine, lest his Eyes Joyn with his Tongue to win the Prize; Such Softness in his Language dwells, And Tales of Love so well he tells, Should’st thou attend their Harmony, 90 Thou’dst be Undone, as well as I; For sure no Nymph was ever free, That could Amyntas hear and see. Mr. N. R. V. With him the lovely Philocless, His Beauty heightened by his Dress, 95 If any thing can add a Grace To such a Shape, and such a Face, Whose Natural Ornaments impart Enough without the help of Art. His Shoulders cover’d with a Hair, 100 The Sun-Beams are not half so fair; Of which the Virgins Bracelets make, And wear for Philocless’s sake: His Beauty such, that one would swear His Face did never take the Air. 105 On’s Cheeks the blushing Roses show, The rest like whitest Daisies grow: His Lips, no Berries of the Field, 50 Nor Cherries, such a Red do yield. His Eyes all Love, Soft’ning Smile; 110 And when he speaks, he sighs the while: His Bashful Grace, with Blushes too, Gains more then Confidence can do. With all these Charms he does invade The Heart, which when he has betray’d, 115 He slights the Trophies he has won, And weeps for those he has Undone; As if he never did intend His Charms for so severe an End. And all poor Amoret can Gain, 120 Is pitty from the Lovely Swain: And if Inconstancy can seem Agreeable, ’tis so in him. And when he meets Reproach for it, He does excuse it with his Wit. Mr. E. B. and Mrs. F. M. 125 Next hand in hand the smilling Pair, Martillo, and the Lovely Fair: A Bright-Ey’d Phillis, who they say, Ne’er knew what Love was till to day: Long has the Gen’rous Youth in vain 130 Implor’d some Pity for his Pain. Early abroad he would be seen, To wait her coming on the Green, To be the first that t’ her should pay The Tribute of the New-born Day; 135 Presents her Bracelets with their Names, And Hooks carv’d out with Hearts and Flames. And when a stragling Lamb he saw, And she not by to give it Law, The pretty Fugitive he’d deck 140 With Wreaths of Flowers around its Neck; And gave her ev’ry mark of Love, Before he could her Pity move. But now the Youth no more appears Clouded with Jealousies and Fears: 145 Nor yet dares Phillis softer Brow Wear Unconcern, or Coldness now; But makes him just and kind Returns; And as He does, so now She burns. 51 Mr. J. H. Next Lysidas, that haughty Swain, 150 With many Beauties in a Train, All sighing for the Swain, whilst he Barely returns Civility. Yet once to each much Love he Vowd, And strange Fantastique Passion show’d. 155 Poor Doris, and Lucinda too, And many more whom thou dost know, Who had not power his Charms to shun, Too late do find themselves Undone. His Eyes are Black, and do transcend 160 All Fancy e’er can comprehend; And yet no Softness in ’em move, They kill with Fierceness, not with Love: Yet he can dress ’em when he list, With Sweetness none can e’er resist. 165 His Tongue no Amorous Parley makes, But with his Looks alone he speaks. And though he languish yet he’l hide, That grateful knowledge with his Pride; And thinks his Liberty is lost, 170 Not in the Conquest, but the Boast. Nor will but Love enough impart, To gain and to secure a heart: Of which no sooner he is sure, And that its Wounds are past all Cure, 175 But for New Victories he prepares, And leaves the Old to its Despairs: Success his Boldness does renew, And Boldness helps him Conquer too. He having gain’d more hearts then all, 180 Th’ rest of the Pastoral Cabal. Mr. Ed. Bed. With him Philander, who nere paid A Sigh or Tear to any Maid: So innocent and young he is, He cannot guess what Passion is. 185 But all the Love he ever knew, On Lycidas he does bestow: Who pays his Tenderness again, Too Amorous for a Swain to a Swain. 52 A softer Youth was never seen, 190 His Beauty Maid; but Man, his Mein: And much more gay than all the rest; And but Alexis finest Dress’d. His Eyes towards Lycidas still turn, As sympathising Flowers to the Sun: 195 Whilst Lycidas whose Eyes dispense No less a grateful Influence, Improves his Beauty, which still fresher grows: Who would not under two such Suns as those? Cloris you sigh, what Amorous grown? 200 Pan grant you keep your heart at home: For I have often heard you Vow, If any cou’d your heart subdue, Though Lycidas you nere had seen, It must be him, or one like him: 205 Alas I cannot yet forget, How we have with Amyntas sat Beneath the Boughs for Summer made, Our heated Flocks and Us to shade: Where thou wou’dst wond’rous Stories tell, 210 Of this Agreeable Infidel. By what Devices, Charms and Arts, He us’d to gain and keep his Hearts: And whilst his Falsehood we wou’d Blame, Thou woud’st commend and praise the same. 215 And did no greater pleasure take, Then when of Lycidas we spake; By this and many Sighs we know, Thou’rt sensible of Loving too. Come Cloris, come along with us, 220 And try thy power with Lycidas; See if that Vertue which you prize, Be proof against those Conquering Eyes. That Heart that can no Love admit, Will hardly stand his shock of Wit; 225 Come deck thee then in all that’s fine, Perhaps the Conquest may be thine; They all attend, let’s hast to do, What Love and Musick calls us to.