Sat.

Vot.

Sat.

If Love be pleased, so am I,
For Time could never yet deny

What Love did ask, if Love knew why.
She knew, and hath exprest it now :
And so doth every public vow

That heard her why, and waits thy how.
You shall not long expect; with ease
The things come forth, are born to please:
Look, have you seen such lights as these?

The MASQUERS are discovered, and that which obscured them vanisheth.

1 Vot. These, these must sure some wonders be!

Cho.

O, what a glory 'tis to see
Men's wishes, Time, and Love agree.

[A pause.

SATURN and VENUS pass away, and the MASQUERS

Cho.

1 Vot.

descend.

What grief, or envy had it been,
That these, and such had not been seen,

But still obscured in shade!

Who are the glories of the Time,
Of youth, and feature too, the prime,
And for the light were made.

Their very number, how it takes! 2 Vot. What harmony their presence makes! 1 Vot. How they inflame the place!

Cho.

Now they are nearer seen, and view'd,
For whom could love have better sued,
Or Time have done the grace?

Here to a loud Music, they march into their figure, and dance their ENTRY, or first DANCE.

Ven.

Sat.

Vot.

Sat.

Vot.

After which.

The night could not these glories miss,
Good Time, I hope, is ta'en with this.
If Time were not, I'm sure Love is.
Between us it shall be no strife:
For now 'tis Love gives Time his life.
Let Time then so with Love conspire,
As straight be sent into the court,
A little Cupid, arm'd with fire,
Attended by a jocund Sport,
To breed delight, and a desire

Of being delighted, in the nobler sort.
The wish is crown'd, as soon as made.
And Cupid conquers, ere he doth invade.

His victories of lightest trouble prove;
For there is never labour where is Love.

Then follows the MAIN DANCE;

Which done, CUPID with the SPORT, comes for

ward.

Cup. [to the Masquers.]

Take breath a while, young bloods, to bring
Your forces up, whilst we go sing

Fresh charges to the beauties here.

Sport. Or, if they charge you, do not fear,
Though they be better arm'd than you;
It is but standing the first view,
And then they yield.

Cup: Or quit the field.

Sport. Nay, that they'll never do.

They'll rather fall upon the place,
Than suffer such disgrace.

You are but men at best, they say,
And they from those ne'er ran away.

Cup. [to the King.]

You, sir, that are the lord of Time,
Receive it not as any crime

'Gainst majesty, that Love and Sport
To night have enter'd in your court.
Sport. Sir, doubt him more of some surprize
Upon yourself; He hath his eyes.
You are the noblest object here,
And 'tis for you alone I fear:
For here are ladies, that would give
A brave reward, to make Love live
Well all his life, for such a draught;
And therefore, look to every shaft:
The wag's a deacon in his craft.

Cup. [to the Lords ]

My lords, the honours of the crown,
Put off your sourness, do not frown,
Bid cares depart, and business hence:
A little, for the Time, dispense.

[Pause.

[Pause.

Sport. Trust nothing that the boy lets fall,
My lords, he hath plots upon you all.
A pensioner unto your wives,
To keep you in uxorious gyves,
And so your sense to fascinate,
To make you quit all thought of state,
His amorous questions to debate.
But hear his logic, he will prove
There is no business, but to be in love.
The words of Sport, my lords, and coarse.
Your ladies yet, will not think worse

Cup.

[Pause.

Sport.

Cup.

Of Love for this: they shall command
My bow, my quiver, and my hand.
What, here to stand

And kill the flies?

Alas, thy service they despise.

One beauty here, hath in her eyes

More shafts than from thy bow e'er flew,
Or that poor quiver knew.

These dames,

They need not Love's, they've Nature's flames.
I see the Beauty that you so report.

Sport. Cupid, you must not point in court,
Where live so many of a sort.

Of Harmony these learn'd their speech,
The Graces did them footing teach,

And, at the old Idalian brawls,

They danced your mother down. She calls.
Arm, arm them all.

Young bloods come on,

And charge; let every man take one.
And try his fate.

Cup. Sport.

Cup.

Sport.

These are fair wars;

And will be carried without scars.

Cup.

A joining, but of feet, and hands,

Is all the Time, and Love commands.

Sport. Or if you do their gloves off-strip,
Or taste the nectar of the lip;
See, so you temper your desires,
For kisses, that ye suck not fires.

The REVELS follow; which ended, the Chorus appear again, and DIANA descends to HIPPOLITUS, the whole scene being changed into a wood, out of which he comes..

Cho. The courtly strife is done, it should appear,
Between the youths, and beauties of the year:

We hope that now these lights will know their

sphere,

And strive hereafter to shine ever here :
Like brightest planets, still to move

In the eye of Time, and orbs of Love.

Dia. Hippolitus, Hippolitus!
Hip. Diana?

Dia. She.

Be ready you, or Cephalus,
To wait on me.

Hip. We ever be.

Dia. Your goddess hath been wrong'd to-night, By Love's report unto the Time.

Hip. The injury, itself will right,

Which only Fame hath made a crime,
For Time is wise,

And hath his ears as perfect as

perfect as his eyes. Sat. Who's that descends ? Diana?

Vot. Yes.

Ven. Belike her troop she hath begun to miss. Sat. Let's meet, and question what her errand is. Hip. She will prevent thee, Saturn, not t' excuse Herself unto thee, rather to complain

Dia.

That thou and Venus both should so abuse
The name of Dian, as to entertain
A thought, that she had purpose to defraud
The Time, of any glories that were his:
To do Time honour rather, and applaud
His worth, hath been her study.

And it is.

I call'd these youths forth in their blood,
and prime,

Out of the honour that I bore their parts,
To make them fitter so to serve the Time
By labour, riding, and those ancient arts,
That first enabled men unto the wars,
And furnish'd heaven with so many stars: