Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE TRIUMPH OF PEACE, by JAMES SHIRLEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE TRIUMPH OF PEACE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Most grave opinion!
Last Line: Yet with your smiles shall be restored again.
Subject(s): Great Britain - History; Masques; Peace; English History


SPEAKING CHARACTERS IN THE MASQUE.

OPINION. IRENE.
CONFIDENCE. EUNOMIA.
FANCY. DICHE.
JOLLITY. Genius.
LAUGHTER. AMPHILUCHE.
NOVELTY. The Hours.
ADMIRATION. Chorus.

Carpenter. Taylor's wife.
Taylor. Property-man's wife
Blackguard. Feather-maker's wife.
Painter. Embroiderer's wife.

Guards.

THE MASQUE OF THE GENTLEMEN

OF THE FOUR HONOURABLE SOCIETIES, OR INNS OF COURT.

At Ely and Hatton Houses, the gentlemen and their assistants met, and in
this manner prepared for the Court.
The Antimasquers were ushered by a hornpipe, and a shawm;
riding in coats and caps of yellow taffeta, spotted with silver,
their feathers red, their horses led by men in coats of blue
taffeta, their wings red, and part of their sleeves yellow,
caps and feathers; all the torchbearers in the same habit
appointed to attend, and give plentiful light to the whole train.
FANCY in a suit of several-coloured feathers,
hooded, a pair of bat's wings on his shoulders,
riding alone, as sole presenter of the Antimasques.
After him rode OPINION and CONFIDENCE together:
OPINION in an old fashioned doublet of
black velvet, and trunk hose, a short cloak
of the same with an antique cape, a black
velvet cap pinched up, with a white fall, and a staff in his hand;
CONFIDENCE in a slashed doublet
parti-coloured, breeches suitable with points at knees, favours upon his breast
and arm, a broad-brimmed hat, tied up on one side, banded with a feather, a
long lock of hair, trimmed with several-coloured ribands, wide boots, and
great spurs with bells for rowels.
Next rode JOLLITY and LAUGHTER:
JOLLITY in a flame-coloured suit, but tricked like a morris
dancer, with scarfs and napkins, his hat fashioned likea cone,
with a little fall;
LAUGHTER in a long side coat of several colours,
laughing, vizards on his breast and back, a cap with
two grinning, faces, and feathers between.
Then followed variety of antic music; after
which rode six Projectors, one after
another, their horses led by torchbearers:
The first, a Jockey with a
bonnet on his head, upon the top of it a whip, he seeming much to observe and a
ffect a bridle which he had in his hand;
The second, a Country fellow in a leather doublet and grey trunk
hose, a wheel with a perpetual motion on his head, and in his hand a flail;
The third a grim Philosophical-faced fellow, in his gown, furred and
girdled about him, a furnace upon his head, and in his hand a lamp;
The fourth, in a case of black leather, vast to the middle, and round on t
he top, with glass eyes, and bellows under each arm;
The fifth, a Physician, on his head a hat with a bunch of carrots, a
capon perched upon his fist;
The sixth, like a Seaman, a ship upon his head and holding a line
and plummet in his hand.
Next these, rode so many Beggars in timorous looks and gestures,
as pursued by two Mastiffs that came barking after them.
Here variety of other antic music, counterfeiting the voices of
birds; and after these rode, a Magpie, a Crow, a Jay,
and a Kite, in a quadrangular figure, and in the midst
an Owl; these were followed by three Satyrs, two
abreasit, and one single, sided with torchbearers; then
three Dotterels in the same manner and attendance.
After these a Windmill, against which a
fantastic Knight with his lance, and his
Squire armed, seemed to make their attempts.
These moving forward in ridiculous show
and postures, a Drummer followed on
horseback, in a crimson taffeta coat, a white hat and feather tipped with crims
on, beating two kettle drums. Then fourteen Trumpeters, in crimson satin
coats, white hats and feathers, and rich banners.
The Marshal followed these, bravely mounted; attended with ten
horse and forty foot, in coats and hose of scarlet trimmed with silver
lace, white hats and feathers, their truncheons tipped with silver;
these upon every occasion moving to and fro, to preserve the order
of their march, and restrain the rudeness of people, that in such
triumphs, are wont to be insolent, and tumultuary.
After these an hundred Gentlemen, gloriously furnished
and gallantly mounted, riding two and two abreast, every
gentleman having his two pages richly attired, and a groom to attend him.
Next after these, a chariot drawn by four horses, two and two together, richly
furnished and adorned with gold and silver, the charioteer in a Polonian coat
of green cloth of silver. In this were advanced Musicians, like Priests
and Sybills, sons and daughters of harmony, some with coronets, others with wre
aths of laurel and myrtle, playing upon their lutes, three footmen on each
side in blue satin wrought with silver, and every one a flambeau in his hand.
In the next chariot of equal glory, were placed on the lowest stairs four
in sky-coloured taffeta robes seeded with stars, mantles ash-coloured,
adorned with fringe and silver lace, coronets with stars upon their
heads. In a seat a little more elevate sat Genius and Amphiluche.
On the highest seat of this chariot, sat the three Hours,
or heavenly sisters, Irene, Diche, and Eunomia; all
whose habits shall be described in their proper places: this
chariot attended as the former.
After these, came the four triumphals or magnificent
chariots, in which were mounted the Grand Masquers,
one of the four houses in every chariot, seated
within an half oval, with a glorious canopy over
their heads, all bordered with silver fringe,
and beautified with plumes of feathers on the top;
The first chariot, silver and orange,
The second, silver and watchet,
The third, silver and crimson,
The fourth, silver and white;
All after the Roman form, adorned with
much embossed and carved works, and each of them wrought with silver, and his s
everal colour; they were mounted on carriages, the spring-trees, pole and
axle-trees, the charioteer's seat, and standers, wheels, with the
fellies, spokes, and naves, all wrought with silver, and their several colour.
They were all drawn with four horses afront, after the magnificent Roman
triumphs, their furniture, harness, head-stall, bits, reins, and traces,
chamfron, cronet, petronel, and barb of rich cloth of silver, of several works
and colours, answerable to the linings of the chariots.
The charioteers in Polony coats of the same colour of the chariots, their
caps, feathers, and buskins answerable.
The two out-horses of every chariot led by two men, in habits wrought
with silver, and conformable to the colour of the other furniture, four
footmen on either side of every chariot, in rich habits, also wrought
with silver, answerable to the rest, every one carrying a flambeau in his hand.

Between every of these chariots, four musicians in their robes and
garlands, were mounted, riding two abreast, attended with torchbearers.
The habit of the Masquers gave infinite splendour to this
solemnity; which more aptly shall be expressed in its place.

This Masque was presented in the Banquetting-house at
Whitehall, before the King and Queen's Majesties, and a
great assembly of lords and ladies, and other persons
of quality, whose aspect, sitting on the degrees
prepared for that purpose, gave a great grace to this spectacle, especially bei
ng all richly attired.
At the lower end of the room, opposite to the State, was raised a
stage with a descent of stairs in two branches landing into the room. This base
ment was painted in rustic work.
The border of the front and sides that enclosed all the scene, had first
a ground of arbour-work, intermixed with loose branches and leaves; and in
this was two niches; and in them two great figures standing in easy
postures, in their natural colours, and much bigger than the life.
The one, attired after the Grecian manner, held in one hand a
sceptre, and in the other a scroll, and a picked antique
crown on his head, his cuirass was of gold richly
enchased, his robe blue and silver, his arms and
thighs bare, with buskins enriched with
ornaments of gold, his brown locks long and curled, his beard thick, but not lo
ng, and his face was of a grave and jovial aspect; this figure stood on a
round pedestal, feigned of white marble, enriched with several carvings;
above this in a compartment of gold was written MINOS. The figure on the ot
her side was in a Roman habit, holding a table in one hand, and a pen in the
other, and a white bend or diadem about his head, his robe was crimson and
gold, his mantle yellow and silver, his buskins watchet trimmed with
silver, his hair and beard long and white, with a venerable aspect,
standing likewise on a round pedestal answerable to the other; and
in the compartment over him was written NUMA. Above all this,
in a proportionate distance, hung two great festoons of fruits in colours, whic
h served for finishing to these sides. The upper part, in manner of a large
frieze, was adorned with several compartments with draperies hanging down,
and the ends tied up in knots, with trophies proper to feasts and
triumphs, composed of masking vizards and torches. In one of the
lesser compartments, was figured a sharp-sighted eye, and in the other a golden
yoke; in the midst was a more great and rich compartment, on the sides of
which sat naked children in their natural colours, with silver wings, in
action of sounding golden trumpets, and in this was figured a caduceus
with an olive branch, all which are hieroglyphics of Peace, Justice, and Law.
A curtain being suddenly drawn up, the SCENE was discovered,
representing a large street with sumptuous palaces, lodges,
porticos, and other noble pieces of architecture, with
pleasant trees and grounds; this going far from the
eye, opens itself into a spacious place, adorned
with public and private buildings seen afar off, representing the forum or piaz
za of Peace. Over all was a clear sky with transparent clouds, which
enlightened all the scene.
The spectators having entertained their eyes awhile with the
beauty and variety of this scene, from one of the sides of the streets

Enter OPINION; CONFIDENCE meets him; they salute.

Con. Most grave Opinion!
Opin. Confidence, most welcome!
Is Fancy come to court?
Con. Breaking his way
Thorough the guard.
Opin. So violent?
Con. With jests
Which they are less able to resist;
He'll crack a halbert with his wit.
Opin. A most
Strong Fancy! yet we have known a little engine
Break an ingenious head-piece. But your master—
Con. Companion, sir; Fancy will keep no servants,
And Confidence scorns to wait.
Opin. Cry mercy, sir;
But is this gentleman, this Signor Fancy,
So rare a thing, so subtle, as men speak him?
Con. He's a great prince of th' air, believe it, sir,
And yet a bird of night.
Opin. A bird!
Con. Between
An owl and bat, a quaint hermaphrodite,
Begot of Mercury and Venus, Wit and Love:
He's worth your entertainment.
Opin. I am most
Ambitious to see him; he is not
So nimble as I wish him. Where's my wife,
My Lady Novelty?

Enter NOVELTY.

Nov. Your wife! you might
Have framed a newer word; they can but call
Us so i' the country.
Opin. No exception.
Dear Madam Novelty; I must prepare you,
To entertain a gentleman. Where's Admiration,
Our daughter?

Enter ADMIRATION.

Adm. Here, sir. What gay man is this?
Opin. Please you honour us, and bring in your friend,
Con. I'll do't; but he prevents me. [sir.

Enter FANCY, JOLLITY, and LAUGHTER.

Opin. Sir, I am ignorant
By what titles to salute you, but you're welcome
To court.
Fan. Save yourself, sir, your name's Opinion.
Opin. And your's Fancy.
Fan. Right.
Jol. Mine Jollity.
Laugh. Mine Laughter; ha, ha, ha!
Nov. Here's a strange shape!
Adm. I never saw the like.
Fan. I come to do you honour with my friends here,
And help the masque.
Opin. You'll do a special favour.
Fan. How many antimasques have they? of what nature?
For these are fancies that take most; your dull
And phlegmatic inventions are exploded.
Give me a nimble antimasque.
Opin. They have none, sir.
Laugh. No antimasque! I'd laugh at that, i'faith.
Jol. What make we here? No jollity!
Fan. No antimasque!
Bid 'em down with the scene, and sell the timber,
Send Jupiter to grass, and bid Apollo
Keep cows again; take all their gods and goddesses,
For these must farce up this night's entertainment,
And pray the court may have some mercy on 'em,
They will be jeered to death else for their ignorance.
The soul of wit moves here; yet there be some,
If my intelligence fail not, mean to show
Themselves jeer majors; some tall critics have
Planted artillery and wit murderers.
No antimasque! let 'em look to't.
Opin. I have heard, sir;
Confidence made 'em trust, you'd furnish 'em:
I fear they should have made their address earlier
To your invention, but your brain's nimble.
Pray, for the expectation that's upon 'em,
Lend them some witty fancies, set some engines
In motion, that may conduce to the design.
I am their friend against the crowd that envy 'em,
And since they come with pure devotions
To sacrifice their duties to the king
And queen, I wish 'em prosper.
Fan. You have charmed me:
I'll be their friend to-night; I have a fancy
Already.
Laugh. Let it be ridiculous.
Con. And confident.
Jol. And jolly.
Fan. The first antimasque
We will present ourselves in our own persons;
What think you on't? Most grave Opinion,
You shall do well to lead the dance, and give it
Authority with your face; your lady may
Admire what she finds new.
Nov. I shall applaud
The novelties.
Adm. And I admire.
Fan. They tumble;
My skull's too narrow.
Laugh. Now his fancies caper.
Fan. Confidence, wait you upon Opinion;
Here Admiration, there Novelty;
This is the place for Jollity and Laughter;
Fancy will dance himself too.

The first Antimasque, the dance expressing the natures of
the presenters.

Fan. How like you this device?
Opin. 'Tis handsome, but—
Laugh. Opinion will like nothing.
Nov. It seems new.
Con. 'Twas bold.
Jol. 'Twas jocund.
Laugh. Did not I do the fool well?
Ad. Most admirably.
Laugh. Nay, and the ladies do but take
My part, and laugh at me, I am made, ha, ha!
Opin. I could wish something, sir, of other nature,
To satisfy the present expectation.
Fan. I imagine; nay, I'm not ignorant of proprieties
And persons; 'tis a time of peace, I'll fit you,
And instantly make you a representation
Of the effects.
Opin. Of peace? I like that well.
Fan. And since in nothing they are more expressed
Than in good fellowship, I'll present you with
A tavern.

The SCENE is changed into a Tavern, with a flaming
red lattice, several drinking-rooms, and a back door, but
especially, a conceited sign, and an eminent bush.

Nov. A spick and span new tavern!
Ad. Wonderful! here was none within two minutes.
Laugh. No such wonder, lady: taverns are quickly up; it is but hanging
out a bush at a nobleman's door, or an alderman's gate, and 'tis made
instantly.
Con. Will't please you, ladies, to accept the wine?
Jol. Well said, Confidence.
Nov. It will be new for ladies
To go to th' tavern; but it may be a fashion.
Follow me, Admiration.
Laugh. And the fool;
I may supply the absence of your fiddlers.
Jol. If we can, let's leave Opinion behind us;
Fancy will make him drunk.
[Exeunt to the tavern, CONFIDENCE, JOLLITY, LAUGHTER,
NOVELTY, and ADMIRATION.

Another Antimasque of the Master of the tavern, his Wife,
and Servants. After these a Maquerelle, two Wenches,
two wanton Gamesters. These having danced and expressed
their natures, go into the tavern. Then enter a Gentleman,
and four Beggars. The Gentleman first danceth
alone; to him the Beggars; he bestows his charity;
the Cripples, upon his going off, throw away their legs, and dance.

Opin. I am glad they are off:
Are these effects of peace?
Corruption rather.
Fan. Oh, the beggars show
The benefit of peace.
Opin. Their very breath
Hath stifled all the candles, poisoned the
Perfumes: beggars a fit presentment! how
They cleave still to my nostril! I must tell you,
I do not like such base and sordid persons,
And they become not here.
Fan. I apprehend,
If these distaste you, I can fit you with
Persons more cleanly;
What think you of projectors?
Opin. How, projectors?
Fan. Here's one already.

Enter a Jockey.

This is a jockey:
He is to advance a rare and cunning bridle,
Made hollow in the iron part, wherein
A vapour subtly conveyed, shall so
Cool and refresh a horse, he shall ne'er tire;
And now he falls to his pace. [The Jockey dances.

Enter a Country-Fellow.

Opin. This other?
Fan. His habit speaks him;
A country fellow, that hath sold his acres
To purchase him a flail, which, by the motion
Of a quaint wheel, shall, without help of hands,
Thresh corn all day; and now he lays about him.
[The Country-fellow dances.

Enter a third Projector.

This with a face philosophical and beard,
Hath with the study of twenty years found out
A lamp, which placed beneath a furnace, shall
Boil beef so thoroughly, that the very steam
Of the first vessel shall alone be able
To make another pot above seethe over.
Opin. A most scholastic project! his feet follow
[The third Projector dances.
The motions of his brain.

Enter a fourth Projector.

But what thing's this?
A chimera out of Rabelais?
Fan. A new project,
A case to walk you all day under water;
So vast for the necessity of air,
Which, with an artificial bellows cooled,
Under each arm is kept still from corruption;
With those glass eyes he sees, and can fetch up
Gold or whatever jewels have been lost,
In any river o' the world.
[The fourth Projector dances.
Opin. Strange water-rat!

Enter a fifth Projector.

Fan. This grave man, some years past, was a physician,
A Galenist, and parcel Paracelsus;
Thrived by diseases, but quite lost his practice,
To study a new way to fatten poultry
With scrapings of a carrot, a great benefit
To th' commonwealth. [The fifth Projector dances.
Opin. He will deserve a monument.

Enter a sixth Projector.

Fan. This is a kind of sea-gull too, that will
Compose a ship to sail against the winds;
He'll undertake to build a most strong castle
On Goodwin sands, to melt huge rocks to jelly,
And cut 'em out like sweetmeats with his keel;
And thus he sails. [The sixth Projector dances.

All the Projectors dance after their Antimasque. The Maquerelle,
Wenches, Gentlemen, return, as from the tavern; they dance together; the Ga
llants are cheated; and left to dance in, with a drunken repentance.

Opin. I know not, sir, how this may satisfy;
But might we be beholding to your fancy
For some more quaint variety, some other
Than human shapes, would happily delight
And reach the expectation; I have seen
Dainty devices in this kind, baboons
In quellios, and so forth.
Fan. I can furnish you.
Opin. Fancy will much oblige us.
Fan. If these objects
Please not, Fancy can present a change.
What see you now?

The SCENE becomes a woody Landscape, with low grounds proper for
hunting, the furthest part more desert, with bushes and bye-ways
representing a place fit for purse-taking.
In the furthest part of the scene is seen an ivy-bush, out of
which comes an Owl.

Opin. A wood, a broad-faced owl,
An ivy-bush, and other birds about her!
Fan. These can imagination create.
Silence, observe.

An Owl, a Crow, a Kite, a Jay, a Magpie.
The birds dance and wonder at the Owl. When these are
gone, enter a Merchant, a' Horseback with his
portmanteau; two Thieves, set upon him and
rob him: these by a Constable and
Officers are apprehended and carried
off. Then four Nymphs enter
dancing, with their javelins;
three Satyrs spy them and attempt their persons; one of the Nymphs esca
peth; a noise of hunters and their horns within, as at the fall of a deer;
then enter four Huntsmen and one Nymph; these drive away the
Satyrs, and having rescued the Nymphs, dance with them.

Opin. This all you will present?
Fan. You speak as if
Fancy could be exhaust; invention flows
From an immortal spring; you shall taste other
Variety, nimble as thought. We change the scene.

The SCENE, a Landscape; enter three Dotterels, and three
Dotterel-catchers.

Opin. What are these?
Fan. Dotterels; be patient, and expect.

After the Dotterels are caught by several imitations, enter
a Windmill, a fantastic Knight and his Squire
armed. The fantastic adventurer with his lance
makes many attempts upon the Windmill, which
his Squire imitates: to them enter a
Country-gentleman and his Servant.
These are assaulted by the Knight
and his Squire, but are sent
off lame for their folly. Then
enter four Bowlers, who
show much variety of sport
in their game and postures, and conclude the Antimasque.

Enter CONFIDENCE, JOLLITY, LAUGHTER, NOVELTY, ADMIRATION.

Opin. Madam, accuse your absence—
Nov. Come, we know
All your devices, sir; but I will have
An antimasque of my own, in a new place too.
Opin. Hah, what's the matter?
Confidence, Jollity, Laughter, Admiration,
And Madam Novelty, all drunk! these are
Extremes indeed.
Adm. Admirable Opinion!
Con. Be confident.
Laugh. And foolish.
Jol. I am as light now!—
Fan. Let 'em enjoy their fancies.
Opin. What new change
Is this? these strains are heavenly.
[FANCY and the rest go off fearfully.

The Antimasquers
being gone, there
appears in the
highest and
foremost
part of
the

heaven, by little and little to break forth, a whitish cloud, bearing a chariot
feigned of goldsmith's work; and in it sat IRENE, or PEACE, in a
flowery vesture like the spring, a garland of olives on her head, a
branch of palm in her hand, buskins of green taffeta, great puffs
about her neck and shoulders.

SONG I.

Irene. Hence, ye profane, far hence away!
Time hath sick feathers while you stay.
Is this delight
For such a glorious night,
Wherein two skies
Are to be seen,
One starry, but an agèd sphere,
Another here,
Created new and brighter from the eyes
Of king and queen?
Cho. Hence, ye profane, far hence away!
Time hath sick feathers while you stay.

SONG II.

Irene. Wherefore do my sisters stay?
Appear, appear Eunomia!
'Tis Irene calls to thee,
Irene calls:
Like dew that falls
Into a stream,
I'm lost with them
That know not how to order me.
Cho. See where she shines, oh see
In her celestial gaiety!
Crowned with a wreath of stars, to show
The evening's glory in her brow.

Here, out of the highest part of the opposite side, came softly descending an
other cloud, of an orient colour, bearing a silver chariot curiously wrought,
and differing in all things from the first; in which sate EUNOMIA or
LAW, in a purple satin robe, adorned with golden stars, a mantle of
carnation laced, and fringed with gold, a coronet of light upon her
head, buskins of purple, drawn out with yellow. This chariot
attended as the former.

SONG III.

Euno. Think not I could absent myself this night:
But Peace is gentle and doth still invite
Eunomia; yet shouldst thou silent be,
The rose and lily which thou strowest
All the cheerful way thou goest,
Would direct to follow thee.
Irene. Thou dost beautify increase,
And chain security with peace.
Euno. Irene fair, and first divine,
All my blessings spring from thine.
Irene. I am but wild without thee, thou abhorrest
What is rude, or apt to wound,
Canst throw proud trees to the ground,
And make a temple of a forest.
Euno. No more, no more, but join
Thy voice and lute with mine.
Both. The world shall give prerogative to neither;
We cannot flourish but together.
Cho. Irene enters like a perfumed spring,
Eunomia ripens everything,
And in the golden harvest leaves
To every sickle his own sheaves.

At this, a third cloud of various colour from the
other two, begins to descend toward the middle of the
scene with sowewhat a more swifter motion; and in it
sat a person, representing DICHE or JUSTICE,
in the midst, in a white robe and mantle of
satin, a fair long hair circled with a
coronet of silver pikes, white wings
and buskins, a crown imperial in her hand.

SONG IV.

Diche. Swiftly, oh, swiftly! I do move too slow,
What holds my wing from making haste
When every cloud sails by so fast?
I heard my sisters' voice and know
They have forsaken Heaven's bright gate,
To attend another state,
Of gods below.
Irene, chaste Eunomia!
Irene and Euno. We,
Diche, have stayed expecting thee;
Thou giv'st perfection to our glory,
And seal to this night's story;
Astrea, shake the cold dew from thy wing.
Euno. Descend.
Irene. Descend.
Euno. Descend, and help us sing
The triumph of Jove's upper court abated,
And all the deities translated.
Cho. The triumph of Jove's upper court abated,
And all the deities translated.
Euno. Now gaze, and when thy wonder will allow,
Tell what thou hast beheld.
Diche. Never, till now,
Was poor Astrea blind; oh strange surprise,
That too much sight should take away my eyes!
Am I in earth or Heaven?
Irene. What throne is that,
On which so many stars do wait?
Dich. My eyes are blest again, and now I see
The parents of us three:
'Tis Jove and Themis; forward move,
And sing to Themis, and to Jove.

Then the whole train of
Musicians move in a comely
figure towards the king and
queen, and bowing to their State, this following ode is sung.

SONG V.

To you, great king and queen, whose smile
Doth scatter blessings through this isle,
To make it best
And wonder of the rest,
We pay the duty of our birth;
Proud to wait upon that earth
Whereon you move,
Which shall be named
And by your chaste embraces famed,
The paradise of love.
Irene, plant thy olives here;
Thus warmed, at once they'll bloom and bear:
Eunomia, pay thy light;
While Diche, covetous to stay,
Shall throw her silver wings away,
To dwell within your sight.

The SCENE is
changed, and the
Masquers appear
sitting on the
ascent of a
hill, cut
out like
the

degrees of a theatre; and over them a delicious arbour with terms of young men,
their arms converted into scrolls, and under their waists a foliage with
other carvings to cover the joining of the term from the naked, all
feigned of silver; these bore up an architrave, from which was
raised a light covering arched, and interwoven with branches
through which the sky beyond was seen.
The Masquers were sixteen in number, the sons of
PEACE, LAW, and JUSTICE, who sitting in a gracious
but not set form, every part of the seats made a various composition, but all t
ogether tending to a pyramidal figure.
Their habits were mixed, between the ancient and modern; their bodies
carnation, the shoulders trimmed with knots of pure silver, and scallops
of white and carnation, under them the labels of the same, the under
sleeves white, and a puffed sleeve full of gathering, falling down
to the elbow; about their waist was a small scallop, and a slender girdle; thei
r under bases were carnation and white, with labels as at their shoulders, and
all this in every part was richly embroidered with pure silver; their hats
carnation low crowned, the brim double, and cut into several quarters
lined with white, and all over richly embroidered, as the rest; about their hat
s were wreaths of olive, and plumes of white feathers with several falls, the
longest toward the back; their long stockings were white, with white shoes
and roses.
Beneath these a Genius or angelical person, with wings of several colo
ured feathers, a carnation robe tucked up, yellow, long hair, bound with a
silver coronet, a small white rod in his hand, white buskins; who
descended to the stage speaketh.

Gen. No foreign persons I make known,
But here present you with your own,
The children of your reign, not blood;
Of age, when they are understood,
Not seen by faction or owl's sight,
Whose trouble is the clearest light.
But treasures to their eye, and ear,
That love good for itself, not fear.
Oh, smile on what yourselves have made!
These have no form, no sun, no shade,
But what your virtue doth create;
Exalted by your glorious fate,
They'll tower to heaven, next which, they know,
And wish no blessedness but you.
That very look into each eye [The Masquers move.
Hath shot a soul, I saw it fly.
Descend, move nimbly, and advance,
Your joyful tribute in a dance.

Here, with loud music, the Masquers descend and dance
their entry to the violins; which ended, they retire to the
scene, and then the Hours and Chori again move
toward the State and sing.

SONG VI.

They that were never happy Hours
Till now, return to thank the powers
That made them so.
The Island doth rejoice,
And all her waves are echo to our voice,
Which, in no ages past, hath known
Such treasures of her own.

Live, royal pair, and when your stands are spent
With Heaven's and your consent,
Though late, from your high bowers,
Look down on what was yours;
For, till old Time his glass hath hurled,
And lost it in the ashes of the world,
We prophesy, you shall be read and seen,
In every branch, a king or queen.

The song ended, and the Musicians returned, the Masquers dance t
heir main dance; after which they again retire to the scene; at which they no
sooner arrive, but there is heard a great noise, and confusion of voices
within, some crying, "We will come in," others "Knock 'em down,
call the rest of the guard;" then a crack is heard in the works, as if there
were some danger by some piece of the machines falling; this continued a
little time, there rush in a Carpenter, a Painter, one of the
Black guard, a Tailor, the Tailor's Wife, an Embroiderer's
Wife, a Feather maker's Wife, and a Property man's Wife.

Carp. D'ye think to keep us out?
1st Guard. Knock her down.
Tai. Knock down my wife! I'd see the tallest beefeater on you all but
hold up his halberd in the way of knocking my wife down, and I'll bring him a
button hole lower.
Tai. Wife. Nay, let 'em, let 'em, husband, at their peril.
2nd Guard. Complain to my lord chamberlain.
Property m. Wife. My husband is somewhere in the works; I'm sure I
helped to make him an owl and a hobby horse, and I see no reason but his
wife may be admitted in forma paperis, to see as good a masque as this.
Bl. guard. I never saw one afore: I am one of the guard, though of
another complexion, and I will see't, now I am here, though I be turned
out of the kitchen to-morrow for't.
Paint. Ay, come, be resolute; we know the worst, and let us
challenge a privilege; those stairs were of my painting.
Carp. And that timber I set up; somebody is my witness.
Feath. Wife. I am sure my husband sold 'em most of the
feathers; somebody promised me a fall too, if I came to court,
but let that pass.
Emb. Wife. And mine embroidered two of the best
habits: what though we be no ladies, we are Christians
in these clothes, and the king's subjects, God bless us.
Tai. Nay, now I am in, I will see a dance,
though my shop windows be shut up for't. Tell
us?—hum? d'ye hear? do not they laugh at us? what were we best to do? The
masquers will do no feats as long as we are here: be ruled by me, hark every
one; 'tis our best course to dance a figary ourselves, and then they'll
think it a piece of the plot, and we may go off again with the more
credit; we may else kiss the porter's lodge for't; let's put a
trick upon 'em in revenge, 'twill seem a new device too.
All. Content.
Tai. And the musicians knew but our mind now?
[The violins play.
Hark, they are at it; now for a lively frisk. [They dance.
Now, let us go off cleanly, and somebody will think this was meant for an
antimasque.
They being gone, the Masquers are encouraged by a song, to
their revels with the ladies.

SONG VII.

Why do you dwell so long in clouds,
And smother your best graces?
'Tis time to cast away those shrouds,
And clear your manly faces.

Do not behave yourselves like spies
Upon the ladies here;
On even terms go meet their eyes,
Beauty and love shine there.

You tread dul measures thus alone,
Not satisfy delight;
Go kiss their hands, and make your own
With every touch more white.

The Revels being passed, the SCENE is changed into a plain champaign
country, which terminates with the horizon, and above a darkish sky, with
dusky clouds, through which appeared the new moon, but with a faint light
by the approach of the morning; from the furthest part of this ground,
arose by little and little a great vapour, which being come about the
middle of the scene, it slackens its motion, and begins to fall
downward to the earth from whence it came; and out of this rose another cloud o
f a strange shape and colour, on which sate a young maid, with a dim torch in
her hand; her face was an olive colour, so was her arms and breast, on her
head a curious dressing, and about her neck a string of great pearl; her
garment was transparent, the ground dark blue, and sprinkled with silver spangl
es, her buskins white, trimmed with gold; by these marks she was known to be
the forerunner of the morning, called by the ancients AMPHILUCHE, and is th
at glimpse of light, which is seen when the night is past, and the day not yet
appearing.

SONG VIII.

Amph. In envy to the Night,
That keeps such revels here,
With my unwelcome light,
Thus I invade her sphere;
Proclaiming wars
To Cynthia, and all her stars,
That, like proud spangles, dress
Her azure tress.
Because I cannot be a guest, I rise
To shame the Moon, and put out all her eyes.

AMPHILUCHE ascending, the Masquers are called from their revels by
other voices.

SONG IX.

1st Voice. Come away, away, away,
See the dawning of the day,
Risen from the murmuring streams:
Some stars show with sickly beams,
What stock of flame they are allowed,
Each retiring to a cloud;
Bid your active sports adieu,
The morning else will blush for you.

2nd Voice. Ye feather-footed Hours run
To dress the chariot of the Sun;
Harness the steeds, it quickly will
Be time to mount the eastern hill.

3rd Voice. The lights grow pale with modest fears,
Lest you offend their sacred ears,
And eyes, that lent you all this grace;
Retire, retire, to your own place.

4th Voice. And as you move from that blest pair,
Let each heart kneel, and think a prayer,
That all, that can make up the glory
Of good and great may fill their story.

AMPHILUCHE hidden in the heavens, and the Masquers retired, the
Scene closeth.

A SPEECH TO THE KING AND QUEEN'S MAJESTIES, when they were pleased to
honour the City with their presence, and gave a gracious command, the former Tr
iumph should attend them.

Genius. Most great and glorious princes, once more, I
Present to your most sacred Majesty
The sons of Peace, who tender you, by me,
Their joy-exalted heart, and humble knee;
Happy in their ambition to wait,
And pay this second duty to your state,
Acknowledging no triumph but in you:
The honour you have done them is so new,
And active in their souls, that it must grow
A part of them, and be immortal too.
These wonders you create, and every man
Receives as much joy as the island can;
Which shows you nearest heaven, that can let fall
Unequal, yet a perfect bliss to all.
Dwell still within yourselves, for other place
Is straight, and cannot circumscribe your grace,
Whilst men grow old with prayers for your blest reign,
Yet with your smiles shall be restored again.





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