The Amusement. Nahum Tate Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Tate, Nahum, c. 1652-1715. Poems by N. Tate. London Printed by T.M. for Benj. Tooke ... 1677 pp. 34-37. [15],133p.

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The Amusement . Strephon . WHy Weeps my Sylvia , prethee why ? Sylvia . To think my Strephon once must Die , To think withal poor Sylvia may When He's remov'd , be doom'd to stay . Streph . Nymph you'r too Lavish of your Tears , To spend them on Fantastick Fears . Sylv . No , for when I this Life resign , ( If Fate prolong the Date of Thine ) The Tears you'l give my Funeral , Will pay me Int'rest , Stock and all . Steph. Not so , for shou'd this setting Light Ne're Rise again in Sylvia's sight , Without a Tear in mine I'd view Her Dying Eyes . Sylv . 'Tis False ! Streph . 'Tis true . Sylv . Not weep false Shepheard ? Swear . Streph . I Swear I wou'd not give thy Hearse a Tear . Sylv . Break swelling Heart ! Persidious Man ! Death ! are you Serious ? Swear agen . Yes ! Swear by Ceres and by Pan . Streph . Let then great Pan and Ceres hear , And punish if I falsely Swear . Sylv . Gods ! can ye hear this and Forgive ? You may , for I have Heard and Live ! Half this Unkindness timely shown , Had kept me Blest , kept me my Own ; E're to your false embrace I came , I cou'd have quencht my kindling Flame ; I cou'd have done't without Remorse , Parting had then been no Divorce . Streph . Rage not rash Nymph , for I've Decreed When Sylvia Dies — Sylv . Speak , what ? Streph . To Bleed . I'll drein my Life-blood from my Heart , But no cheap Tear shall dare to start . Sylv . Kind Shepheard , cou'd you Life Despise , And Bleed at Sylvia's Obsequies ? Streph . To Ceres I appeal , for She Knows this has long been my Decree ; And knows that I resolve it still . Sylv . Since then you cou'd your Vow fulfill , Swear , Swear once more you never will .