Oberon, the Fairy Prince: A MASQUE OF PRINCE HENRY'S. The first face of the scene appeared all obscure, and nothing perceived but a dark rock, with trees beyond it, and all wildness that could be presented: till, at one corner of the cliff, above the horizon, the moon began to shew, and rising, a SATYR was seen by her light to put forth his head and call. I Sat. CHROMIS !* Mnasil !t none appear? See you not who riseth here? You saw Silenus late, I fear.‡ I'll prove if this can reach your ear. He wound his cornet, and thought himself answered; but was deceived by the echo. O, you wake then! come away, What doth make you thus delay? *They are the names of two young Satyrs, I find in Virgil Eclog. 6, that took Silenus sleeping; who is feigned to be the pædagogue of Bacchus as the Satyrs are his collusores or play-fellows. So doth Diodor. Siculus, Synesius, Julian, in Casarib. report them. A proverbial speech, when they will tax one the other of drinking or sleepiness; alluding to that former place in Virgil: Wound his cornet the second time, and I thought 'twas she! Here he wound the third time, and was Ay, this sound I better know; List! I would I could hear moe. At this they came running forth severally, 2 Sat. Thank us, and you shall do so. 2 Sat. See Silenus !¶ described the whole manner of the scene, and lowing Narcissus; and his self-love. In the pomps of Dionysius or Bacchus, to Chromis et Mnasilus in antro Silenum, pueri, somno videre jacentem, every company of Satyrs, there was still given a Silene for their overseer or governor. And in Inflatum hesterno venas, ut semper, laccho. that which is described by Athenæus in his fifth § Silenus is everywhere made a lover of wine, book. Bini Sileni non semel commemorantur, as in Cyclops Eurip., and known by the notable qui totidem plurium Satyrorum gregibus præensign, his tankard: out of the same place of sint. Erant enim eorum epistatæ, præsules, et Virgil: Et gravis attrita pendebat cantharus coryphæi, propter grandem ætatem. He was ansa. As also out of that famous piece of sculp-also purpureo pallio vestitus cum albis soleis, ture, in a little gem or piece of jasper, observed et petasatus, aureum caduceum parvum ferens. by Mons. Casaubon, in his tract de Satyrica Vid. Athena. Dipnos. lib. 6, de pompa Ptole Poësi, from Rascasius Bagarrius: wherein is maicâ. Solemn to the shining rites These are Of the Fairy Prince and knights: 2 Sat. Will they come abroad anon? Beauty dwells but in his face : Bacchus, though he still be young, Is the spring, and there can stay Omn. O, that he would come away! 3 Sat. Grandsire, we shall leave to play** With Lyæustt now; and serve Only OBERON. Silen. He'll deserve All you can, and more, my boys. 3 Sat. And to make 'em quickly fall? Silen. Peace, my wantons! he will do More than you can aim unto. 4 Sat. Will he build us larger caves? Silen. Yes, and give you ivory staves When you hunt; and better wine I Sat. Than the master of the vine? 2 Sat. And rich prizes, to be won, When we leap, or when we run? I Sat. Ay, and gild our cloven feet? sweet? 1 Sat. Bind our crooked legs in hoops Made of shells with silver loops? 2 Sat. Tie about our tawny wrists Bracelets of the fairy twists? * The nature of the Satyrs the wise IIorace § Mercury, who for the love of Penelope, expressed well, in the word, when he called while she was keeping her father Icarius's herds them Risores et Dicaces, as the Greek poets, on the mountain Taygetas, turned himself into Nonnus, &c., style them piλoкеρтоμоvя. Nec a fair buck-goat; with whose sports and flatteries solum dicaces, sed et proni in venerem, et salta- the nymph being taken, he begat on her Pan: tores assidui et credebantur, et fingebantur. who was born, Capite cornuto, barbaque ac Unde Satyrica saltatio, quæ ikivvis dice-pedibus hircinis. As Homer hath it in Hymnis: batur, et à qua Satyri ipsi oikivvioral. Vel à and Lucian in dialogo Panis et Mercurii. He Sicino inventore, vel àñò ths kɩvýσews, id est, was called the giver of grace, xapidorns, paîdpos, a motu saltationis satyrorum, qui est concita-Kai λevкòs. Hilaris et albus, nitens Cyllenius tissimus. alis. As Bacchus was called avotos, floridus; and Hebo, à lanugine et molli ætate, semper virens. + But in the Silenes was nothing of this petulance and lightness, but, on the contrary, all gravity and profound knowledge of most secret mysteries. Insomuch as the most learned of poets, Virgil, when he would write a poem of the beginnings and hidden nature of things, with other great antiquities, attributed the parts of disputing them to Silenus rather than any other. Which whosoever thinks to be easily, or by chance done by the most prudent writer, will easily betray his own ignorance or folly. To this, see the testimonies of Plato, Synesius, Herodotus, Strabo, Philostratus, Tertullian, &c. He was then lovely, as being not yet stained with blood, and called χρυσοπήλεξ"Αρης, quasi aureum flagellum (vel rectius auream galeam) habens. Among the ancients the kind, both of the Centaurs and Satyrs, is confounded; and common with either. As sometimes the Satyrs are said to come of the Centaurs, and again the ** In Julius Pollux, lib. 4, cap. 19, in that par Centaurs of them. Either of them are divès, which he entitles de satyricis personis, we read but after a diverse manner. And Galen observes that Silenus is called mannos, that is, avus, to out of Hippocrates, Comment. 3 in 6 Epide-note his great age: as amongst the comic permicor. that both the Athenians and Ionians sons, the reverenced for their years were called called the Satyrs φηρας, or φηρέας ; which name Tάлπоι and with Julian in Cas. Bacchus, when the Centaurs have with Homer: from whence, he speaks him fair, calls him anπídcov. it were no unlikely conjecture, to think our word Fairies to come Viderint critici. tt A name of Bacchus, Lyæus, of freeing men's minds from cares: παρα τὸ λύω, solve. 4 Sat. And, to spight the coy nymphs' scorns, Hang upon our stubbed horns 2 Sat. And to answer all things else, Trap our shaggy thighs with bells; That as we do strike a time, In our dance shall make a chime 3 Sat. Louder than the rattling pipes Of the wood gods- I Sat. Or the stripes Of the taber ;* when we carry Silen. O, that he so long doth tarry! Silen. Look! does not his palace show Like another sky of lights? Yonder with him live the knights, There are crowned with lasting youth: But their guards, methinks, do sleep! I Sat. They've ne'er an eye To wake withal. 2 Sat. Nor sense, I fear; For they sleep in either ear.1 3 Sat. Holla, Sylvans!-sure they're caves Of sleep these, or else they're graves. 4 Sat. Hear you, friends!-who keeps the keepers? 3 Sat. Or that we had a wasp or two For their nostrils. I Sat. Hairs will do Even as well: take my tail. 2 Sat. What d' you say to a good nail Through their temples? 2 Sat. Or an eel In their guts, to make 'em feel? 4 Sat. Shall we steal away their beards? 3 Sat. For Pan's goat, that leads the herds? 2 Sat. Or try whether is more dead, His club or the other's head? Silen. Wags, no more: you grow too bold. 1 Sat. I would fain now see them rolled Down a hill, or from a bridge Headlong cast, to break their ridgeBones: or to some river take 'em, Plump; and see if that would wake 'em. 2 Sat. There no motion yet appears. Silen. Strike a charm into their ears. At which the Satyrs fell suddenly into this catch. Buz, quoth the blue flie, Hum, quoth the bee: And so do we. In his ear, in his nose, [They tickle them. He eat the dormouse; The two Sylvans starting up amazed, and betaking themselves to their arms, were thus questioned by Silenus : Silen. How now, Sylvans! can you wake? I commend the care you take In your watch! Is this your guise, To have both your ears and eyes and means to sleep soundly, without any thoughts of care.-WHAL. They had it from the Greek: it is rightly rendered by Whalley. Επ' αμφοτερα νυ χ' η 'πικληρος ουατα Sealed so fast; as these mine elves 3 Sat. We had thought we must have got 2 Sat. Or have fetched some trees to heave Up your bulks, that so did cleave 4 Sat. Are you free Yet of sleep, and can you see I Sat. Be your eyes yet moon-proof? I Sat. Say you so? then let us fall Shall we, grandsire? Let us sport, Silen. Do, my wantons, what you please. I'll lie down and take mine ease. I Sat. Brothers, sing then, and upbraid, As we use, yond' seeming maid. SONG. Now, my cunning lady: moon, Of the boy you keep so hid? Of your paleness to be rid. But perhaps it is your grace To wear sickness in your face, That there might be wagers laid Still, by fools, you are a maid. Come, your changes overthrow, What your look would carry so; Moon, confess then what you are, Let us Satyrs have a share. With more virtue: every one Here they fell suddenly into an antick dance full of gesture and swift motion, and continued it till the crowing of the cock: at which they were interrupted by Silenus. Silen. Stay! the cheerful Chanticleer There the whole palace opened, and the nation of Faies were discovered, some with instruments, some bearing lights, others singing; and within afar off in perspective, the knights masquers sitting in their several sieges: at the further end of all, OBERON, in a chariot, which, to a loud triumphant music, began to move forward, drawn by two white bears, and on either side guarded by three Sylvans, with one going in front. SONG. Melt earth to sea, sea flow to air, And air fly into fire, Whilst we in tunes to Arthur's chair Bear Oberon's desire; Than which there's nothing can be higher, Save JAMES, to whom it flies: But he the wonder is of tongues, of ears, of eyes. Who hath not heard, who hath not seen, Who hath not sung his name? The soul that hath not, hath not been; With buried sloth, and knows not fame, By this time the chariot was come as far forth as the face of the scene. And the Satyrs beginning to leap, and express their joy for the unused state and solemnity, the foremost SYLVAN began to speak. I Syl. Give place, and silence; you were rude too late; This is a night of greatness and of state, Not to be mixt with light and skipping * Vid. Cyc. Euripid. ubi Satiri Ulyssi auxilio sint ad amburendum oculum Cyclopis. pay Their annual vows; and all their glories lay The honour of their being; that they live My boys, whom you must quake at when you see. He is above your reach; and neither doth Nor can he think within a Satyr's tooth: Before his presence you must fall or fly, He is the matter of virtue, and placed high. His meditations, to his height, are even: And all their issue is akin to heaven. May without stop point out the proper heir Designed so long to Arthur's crowns and chair. SONG BY TWO FAIES. 1 Faie. Seek you majesty, to strike? Bid the world produce his like. 2 Faie. Seek you glory, to amaze? Here let all eyes stand at gaze. Cho. Seek you wisdom, to inspire? Touch then at no other's fire. 1 Faie. Seek you knowledge, to direct? Trust to his without suspect. 2 Faie. Seek you piety, to lead? He is a god o'er kings; yet stoops he then Then the lesser Faies dance forth their Nearest a man, when he doth govern men; To teach them by the sweetness of his sway, And not by force. He's such a king as they Who're tyrants' subjects, or ne'er tasted peace, Would in their wishes form for their release. 'Tis he that stays the time from turning old, And keeps the age up in a head of gold. That in his own true circle still doth run; And holds his course as certain as the sun. He makes it ever day, and ever spring, Where he doth shine, and quickens everything, Like a new nature; so that true to call I Syl. I thank the wise Silenus for this Stand forth bright FAIES and ELVES, and tune your lays Unto his name; then let your nimble feet Tread subtle circles, that may always meet In point to him; and figures to express The grace of him and his great emperess, That all that shall to-night behold the rites Performed by princely Oberon and these knights, 1 Then the lesser Faies dance.] "The little ladies (Sir John Finnet says) performed their dance to the amazement of all beholders, considering the tenderness of their years, and the many intricate changes of the dance, which was so disposed that which way soever the changes went the little duke (Charles) was still found to be in the midst of these little dancers." Had Sir John been much skilled in the mysteries of fairyland he would have recollected that the dance; which ended, a full SONG follows by all the voices. The solemn rites are well begun ; And though but lighted by the moon, They shew as rich as if the sun Had made this night his noon. But may none wonder that they are so bright, The moon now borrows from a greater light? Then, princely Oberon, This is not every night. |