THE MASQUE OF CHRISTMAS.

THE COURT BEING SEATED,

Enter CHRISTMAS, with two or three of the guard, attired in round hose, long stockings, a close doublet, a high-crowned hat, with a brooch, a long thin beard, a truncheon, little ruffs, white shoes, his scarfs and garters tied cross, and his drum beaten before him.

HY, gentlemen, do you know what you do? ha! would you have kept me out? CHRISTMAS, old Christmas, Christmas of London, and captain Christmas? Pray you, let me be brought before my lord chamberlain, I'll not be answered else: 'Tis merry in hall, when beards wag all: I have seen the time you have wish'd for me, for a merry Christmas; and now you have me, they would not let me in: I must come another time! a good jest, as if I could come more than once a year: Why, I am no dangerous person, and so I told my friends of the guard. I am old Gregory Christmas still,' and though I come out of Pope's-head-alley, as good a Protestant as any in my parish. The truth is, I have brought a Masque here, out o' the city, of my

1 Old Gregory Christmas.] An allusion to Pope Gregory's alteration of the Calendar, not long before the accession of James.

own making, and do present it by a set of my sons, that come out of the lanes of London, good dancing boys all. It was intended, I confess, for CurriersHall; but because the weather has been open, and the Livery were not at leisure to see it till a frost came, that they cannot work, I thought it convenient, with some little alterations, and the groom of the revels' hand to't, to fit it for a higher place; which I have done, and though I say it, another manner of device than your New-year's-night. Bones o' bread, the king! (seeing James) Son Rowland! son Clem! be ready there in a trice: quick, boys!

Enter his Sons and Daughters (ten in number), led in, in a string, by CUPID, who is attired in a flat cap, and a prentice's coat, with wings at his shoulders.2

MISRULE, in a velvet cap, with a sprig, a short cloak, great yellow ruff, like a reveller, his torch-bearer bearing a rope, a cheese, and a basket.

CAROL, a long tawney coat, with a red cap, and a flute at his girdle, his torch-bearer carrying a song-book open.

MINCED-PIE, like a fine cook's wife, drest neat; her man carrying a pie, dish, and spoons.

GAMBOL, like a tumbler, with a hoop and bells; his torch-bearer arm'd with a colt-staff, and a binding cloth.

POST AND PAIR, with a pair-royal of aces in his hat; his garment all done over with pairs and purs; his squire carrying a box, cards, and counters.

2 Who is attired in a flat cap, with wings at his shoulders.] This Cupid is worthy of Bunbury himself. But the whole is a whimsical burlesque. An additional proof of the judgment of Granger in selecting it to oppose to Comus!

NEW-YEAR'S-GIFT, in a blue coat, serving-man like, with an orange, and a sprig of rosemary gilt on his head, his hat full of brooches, with a collar of ginger-bread, his torch-bearer carrying a marchpane with a bottle of wine on either arm.

MUMMING, in a masquing pied suit, with a vizard, his torch-bearer carrying the box, and ringing it. WASSEL, like a neat sempster, and songster; her page bearing a brown bowl, drest with ribands, and rosemary before her.

OFFERING, in a short gown, with a porter's staff in his hand, a wyth born before him, and a bason, by his torch-bearer.

BABY-CAKE, drest like a boy, in a fine long coat, biggin, bib, muckender, and a little dagger; his usher bearing a great cake, with a bean and a pease.

They enter singing.

Now God preserve, as you well do deserve,
Your majesties all, two there;

Your highness small, with my good lords all,
And ladies, how do you do there?

Give me leave to ask, for I bring you a masque
From little, little, little London;

Which say the king likes, I have passed the pikes,

If not, old Christmas is undone. [Noise without.

Chris. Ha, peace! what's the matter there? Gam. Here's one o' Friday-street would come in. Chris. By no means, nor out of neither of the Fishstreets, admit not a man; they are not Christmas creatures fish and fasting days, foh! Sons, said I well? look to't.

Gam. No body out o' Friday-street, nor the two Fish-streets there, do you hear?

Car. Shall John Butter o' Milk-street come in? ask him?

Gam. Yes, he may slip in for a torch bearer, so he melt not too fast, that he will last till the masque be done.

Chris. Right, son.

Our dance's freight is a matter of eight,

And two, the which are wenches:
In all they be ten, four cocks to a hen,

And will swim to the tune like tenches.

Each hath his knight for to carry his light,
Which some would say are torches ;

To bring them here, and to lead them there,
And home again to their own porches.
Now their intent-

Enter VENUS, a deaf tire-woman.3

Ven. Now, all the lords bless me where am I, trow? where is Cupid? "Serve the king!" they may serve the cobler well enough, some of 'em, for any courtesy they have, I wisse; they have need o' mending unrude people they are, your courtiers; here was thrust upon thrust indeed! was it ever so hard to get in before, trow?

Chris. How now? what's the matter?

Ven. A place, forsooth, I do want a place: I would have a good place, to see my child act in before the king and queen's majesties, God bless 'em! to-night.

Chris. Why, here is no place for you.

Ven. Right, forsooth, I am Cupid's mother, Cupid's own mother, forsooth; yes, forsooth: I dwell in

3 This tire-woman is the prototype of the Deaf Lover. The author, however, must be acquitted of any depredations on Jonson, of whose works he probably never heard.

Pudding-lane :-ay, forsooth, he is prentice in Lovelane, with a bugle-maker, that makes of your bobs, and bird-bolts for ladies.

Chris. Good lady Venus of Pudding-lane, you must go out, for all this.

Ven. Yes, forsooth, I can sit any where, so I may see Cupid act he is a pretty child, though I say it, that perhaps should not, you will say. I had him by my first husband; he was a smith, forsooth, we dwelt in Do-little-lane then he came a month before his time, and that may make him somewhat imperfect; but I was a fishmonger's daughter.*

Chris. No matter for your pedigree, your house: good Venus, will you depart?

Ven. Ay, forsooth, he'll say his part, I warrant him, as well as e'er a play-boy of 'em all: I could have had money enough for him, an I would have been tempted, and have let him out by the week to the king's players. Master Burbage has been about and about with me, and so has old master Hemings too, they have need of him: where is he, trow, ha! I would fain see him-pray God they have given him some drink since he came.

Chris. Are you ready, boys! Strike up, nothing will drown this noise but a drum: a' peace, yet! I have not done. Sing-

Now their intent, is above to present

Car. Why, here be half of the properties forgotten, father.

Offer. Post and Pair wants his pur-chops, and his pur-dogs.

5

But I was a fishmonger's daughter.] This alludes to the prolific nature of fish. The jest, which, such as it is, is not unfrequent in our old dramatists, needs no farther illustration.

Post and Pair am fairly at fault.

wants his pur-chops and his pur-dogs.] Here I None of the prose descriptions of this game