THE HUE AND CRY, &c.] This Masque, which I have called the Hue and Cry after Cupid, bears the following title in the folio, 1616. The Description of the Masque with the Nuptial Songs, at the Lord Viscount Haddington's Marriage at Court, on the ShroveTuesday at Night, 1608. The 4to. 1608, adds after Nuptial Songs -"celebrating the happy marriage of John Lord Ramsey, Viscount Hadington, with the Lady Elizabeth Ratcliffe, daughter to the Right Honourable Robert Earl of Sussex." With this motto:

"Acceleret partu decimum bona Cynthia mensem."

This Masque was celebrated with the utmost magnificence. Rowland White, a courtier, and a very intelligent correspondent of the earl of Shrewsbury, thus writes from Whitehall. "The K. is newlie gon to Tibballes for 6 daies. The Spanish Embassador hath invited the 15 ladies that were of the Q. maske, (the Masque of Beauty, see p. 38,) to dinner upon Thursday next, and they are to bring w them whom they please, without limitañon. The great Maske intended for my L. Haddington's marriage is now the only thing thought upon at Court, by 5 English; L. Arundel, L. Pemb. L. Montgomery, L. Theoph. Howard, and Sir Rob'. Rich; and by 7 Scottes; D. Lenox, D'Aubigny, Hay, M'. of Mar, young Erskine, Sankier, and Kenedie: Yt will cost them about 300l. a man." Lodge's Illustrations, vol. iii. p. 343.

John lord Ramsey, the bridegroom, was one of the persons present at the assault upon James, Aug. 3, 1600, at Perth, when he killed the earl of Gowrie with his own hand, and was rewarded with a pension and the title of viscount Haddington. He was greatly beloved by the king, of which he continued to receive many substantial proofs, till having, in March, 1612, struck another favourite, Philip, earl of Montgomery, on the race-course at Croydon, he was forbid the court. James recalled him some time afterwards, and in 1620, created him baron of Kingston-upon-Thames, and earl of Holderness.

The bride, whom Arthur Wilson calls "one of the prime beauties of the kingdom," did not live to enjoy this last honour. She died of the small pox, and Bishop Corbett wrote an "Elegia" on the occasion, strangely compounded, as the fashion then was, of wit and woe. She was "girl'd and boy'd," he says; but none of her offspring seem to have long survived her.

THE HUE AND CRY AFTER

CUPID.

HE worthy custom of honouring worthy marriages, with these noble solemnities, hath of late years advanced itself frequently with us; to the reputation no less of our court, than nobles: expressing besides (through the difficulties of expense and travel, with the cheerfulness of undertaking) a most real affection in the personaters, to those, for whose sake they would sustain these persons. It behoves then us, that are trusted with a part of their honour in these celebrations, to do nothing in them beneath the dignity of either. With this proposed part of judgment, I adventure to give that abroad, which in my first conception I intended honourably fit: and, though it hath labour'd since, under censure, I, that know truth to be always of one stature, and so like a rule, as who bends it the least way, musts needs do an injury to the right, cannot but smile at their tyrannous ignorance, that will offer to slight me (in these things being an artificer) and give themselves a peremptory license to judge who have never touched so much as to the bark, or utter shell of any knowledge. But their daring dwell with them. They have found a place to pour out their follies; and I a seat, to sleep out the passage.

The scene to this Masque, was a high, steep, red cliff, advancing itself into the clouds, figuring the place, from whence (as I have been, not fabulously, informed) the honourable family of the Radcliffs first took their name, a clivo rubro, and is to be written with that orthography; as I have observed out of master Camden, in his mention of the earls of Sussex. This cliff was also a note of height, greatness, and antiquity. Before which, on the two sides, were erected two pilasters, charged with spoils and trophies of Love and his mother, consecrate to marriage: amongst which, were old and young persons figured, bound with roses, the wedding garments, rocks and spindles, hearts transfix'd with arrows, others flaming, virgins' girdles, garlands, and worlds of such like; all wrought round and bold: and over head two personages, Triumph and Victory, in flying postures, and twice so big as the life, in place of the arch, and holding a garland of myrtle for the key. All which, with the pillars, seemed to be of burnished gold, and embossed out of the metal. Beyond the cliff was seen nothing but clouds, thick, and obscure; till on the sudden, with a solemn music, a bright sky breaking forth; there were discovered first two doves, then two swans," with silver geers, drawing forth a triumphant chariot; in which Venus sat, crowned with her star, and beneath her the three Graces, or Charites, Aglaia, Thalia, Euphrosyne, all attired according to their antique figures. These, from their chariot, alighted on the top of the cliff, and descending by certain abrupt and winding passages, Venus having left her star only flaming in her seat, came to the earth, the Graces throwing garlands all the way, and began to speak.

• Both doves and swans were sacred to this goddess, and as well with the one as the other, her chariot is induced by Ovid, lib. x. and xi. Metamor.

Ven. It is no common cause, ye will conceive,
My lovely Graces, makes your Goddess leave
Her state in heaven, to night, to visit earth.
Love late is fled away, my eldest birth,
Cupid, whom I did joy to call my son;
And, whom long absent, Venus is undone.

Spy, if you can, his footsteps on this green;
For here, as I am told, he late hath been,
With divers of his brethren, lending light
From their best flames, to gild a glorious night;
Which I not grudge at, being done for her,
Whose honours, to mine own, I still prefer.
But he not yet returning, I'm in fear,
Some gentle Grace, or innocent Beauty here,
Be taken with him or he hath surprised
A second Psyche, and lives here disguised.
Find ye no track of his stray'd feet?

I Grace. Not I.

2 Grace. Nor I.

3 Grace. Nor I.

Ven. Stay, nymphs, we then will try A nearer way. Look all these ladies' eyes, And see if there he not concealed lies; Or in their bosoms, 'twixt their swelling breasts; The wag affects to make himself such nests: Perchance he hath got some simple heart, to hide His subtle shape in; I will have him Cry'd, And all his virtues told! that, when they'd know What spright he is, she soon may let him That guards him now; and think herself right blest, To be so timely rid of such a guest.

Begin, soft Graces, and proclaim reward

go,

To her that brings him in. Speak to be heard.

Alluding to the Loves (the torch-bearers) in the Queen's Masque before.

1 Grace. Beauties, have ye seen this toy,1
Called Love, a little boy,

Almost naked, wanton, blind;
Cruel now, and then as kind?
If he be amongst ye, say?
He is Venus' runaway.

2 Grace. She that will but now discover
Where the winged wag doth hover,
Shall to-night receive a kiss,

How, or where herself would wish :
But, who brings him to his mother,
Shall have that kiss, and another.

3 Grace. He hath marks about him plenty :
You shall know him among twenty.
All his body is a fire,

And his breath a flame entire,
That being shot, like lightning, in,
Wounds the heart, but not the skin.

I Grace. At his sight, the sun hath turn'd,d
Neptune in the waters burn'd;
Hell hath felt a greater heat;*
Jove himself forsook his seat :
From the centre to the sky,

Are his trophies reared high.'

1 Beauties, have ye seen this toy.] This description of Cupid is from the Epws Apaπerns of Moschus: some additions are made to it by Jonson, but in the spirit of the original.

Δραπετίδας εμος εστιν ὁ μανυτας γέρας εξει

Μισθος τοι, φίλαμα το Κύπριδος ην δ' αγάγης νιν,
Οὐ γυμνον το φίλαμα, τυ δ', ω ξενε, και πλεον εξεις.

MOSCH. Idyl. 1. WHAL.

The same poem had been previously imitated by Tasso, in his Amor Fugitivo.

In this Love, I express Cupid, as he is Veneris filius, and owner of the following qualities, ascribed him by the antique and later poets. d See Lucian. Dial. Deor.

e And Claud. in raptu Proserp.

' Such was the power ascrib'd him, by all the ancients: whereof