Parting with Mr. Tho. Bebington

DOwn by a River's side together sat
Thyrsis and Hylas, (such was once the State
Of our First Parents, in a friendly Strife,
Thus Innocence might learn to square her life)
Where singing Waters lull'd themselves asleep:
And clouded Heaven did sympathizing weep.
When pensive Thyrsis thus did silence break,
And all in Tears to his lov'd Hylas speak.

THYRSIS.
And canst thou, Hylas, thou, be so unkind
Thus to leave me and Life behind?
And canst thou think of me without regret?
On Love's account for millions run in debt?

HYLAS.
No Thyrsis! Hylas can't unconstant prove,
Nor have I yet been wavering in my Love;
But emulous Fate summons us both to part:
Hast thou not a sufficient Pledge, my Heart?

THYRSIS.
Yet out of sight I shall be out of mind:
Ah! Hylas, should you prove unkind,
Officious Fate would need no other Knife
To cut in two my ravell'd Thread of Life.

HYLAS.
Nature her self shall first unhinged be;
The whole Creation lose its Symmetry:
Iron th' attractive Loadstone shall forsake,
When I the sacred League of Friendship break.

THYRSIS.
Into a confus'd Chaos shall be hurl'd
The shatter'd Atoms of the World:
The Needle too the Northern point shall shun:
And with my Promise Rivers backwards run.

HYLAS.
To Hylas then be sure you never fail
Kisses to send by every gentle Gale.
Let Hylas be your talk, Hylas your Dreams:
Transport me Sighs over the Belgick Streams.

THYRSIS.
To Thyrsis, without intermission, pay
Your bounden Duty night and day;
And nothing less to Thyrsis, than to Heaven,
For Life and Love by both alike are given.
Pray to the Gods; but I can hardly say
Whether to them you first presume to pray:
No—your first and last thoughts must be my due.
Come, Hylas! then once more renew
Your everlasting Vow, before your long Adieu.

HYLAS.
I swear by all the Thunderbolts of Jove;
By those revengeful Darts of injur'd Love:
By Life and Death, and all the Powers above;
To comprehend them all, I swear by You,
That I for ever will be just and true.

THYRSIS.

May all the Plagues that Vengeance has in store
For Infidelity, these and more,
With Aggravations, light on perjur'd Me,
If I be guilty of Unconstancy.
Or if an Action be against me brought,
Of one suspicious Deed, or doubtful thought.

This said, ravish'd into an Ecstasie,
They would in their perfection die;
And strugling hardly to themselves can come,
Like Prophets with their Inspiration dumb.
Cupid the heavenly Mediator came,
And with two Arrows dipt in Honours Flame,
Their golden points piercing through both their hearts,
For tryal of their Faith and Vertue, parts.
Hylas the Seas to Holland troubled bore,
And left deserted Thyrsis sighing on the shore.