Bill on 3 Jun 2013  •  Link

The song mentioned by Pepys is entitled 'A Storme' and bears the character of a monologue. Chloris at sea, near the land, is surprised by a storm. Amintor on the shore, expecting her arrival, thus complains:

'Help, help, O help, Divinity of Love,
Or Neptune will commit a rape upon my Cloris,
She's on his bosom,' etc.

The music is of a declamatory character and depicts the situation of the unfortunate Amintor with considerable force.
---Italian and other studies. F. Hueffner, 1883

Terry Foreman on 16 Jun 2016  •  Link

[ A Storm ]

Help, help, O help, Divinity of Love,
Or Neptune will commit a rape
Upon my Chloris, she's on his bosome,
And without a wonder cannot scape.

See, see, the winds grow drunk with joy, and throngs
So fast to see love's Argo, and the wealth it bears,
That now the tackling, and the sails they tear,
They fight, they fight, who shall convey
Amintor's love into a bay,
And hurl whole Sea's at one another,
As if they would the welkin smoother?

Hold Boras, hold, he will not hear,
The Rudder cracks, the Main-mast falls,
The Pilot swears, the Skipper bawls,
A shore of Clouds in darkness fall,
To put out Chloris light withal;
Ye Gods, where are ye, are ye all asleep,
Or drunk with Nector? why do you not keep
A watch upon your Ministers of fate?

Tie up the winds, or they will blow the Sea's
To heaven, and drown your Deities.
A calm, a calm, Miracle of love,
The Sea-born Queen that sits above,
Hath heard Ami¿tor's cryes,
And Neptune now must lose his prize.

Welcome, welcome, Chloris to the shore,
Thou shalt go to Sea no more;
We to Tempes Groves will go,
Where the calmer winds do blow,
And embark our hearts together,
Fearing neither Rocks, nor weather,
But out-ride the storms of love,
And for ever constant prove.

The NEW Academy OF COMPLEMENTS, ERECTED For Ladies, Gentlewomen, Courtiers, Gentlemen, Scholars, Souldiers, Citizens, Country-men, and all persons, of what degree soever, of both Sexes.
Stored with Variety of Courtly and Civil Complements, Eloquent Letters of Love and Friendship. WITH An Exact COLLECTION Of the Newest and Choicest SONGS à la Mode, Both Amorous and Jovial , COMPILED By the most refined Wits of this Age.
London: Printed for Samuel Speed, neer the Inner Temple-gate in Fleetstreet. 1669. Page 114, Song 45.
http://www.horntip.com/html/books…

Bill on 29 Dec 2023  •  Link

This song is also mentioned in the Diary on Nov. 24, 1660.