After which they danced forth their second Phos. To rest, to rest ! the herald of the

masque-dance, and were again excited day, by a

Bright Phosphorus, commands you hence ; SONG.

obey.

The moon is pale and spent; and winged i Faie. Nor yet, nor yet, O you in this

night night blest,

Makes headlong haste to fly the morning's Must you have will, or hope to rest.

sight : 2 Faie. If you use the smallest stay, Who now is rising from her blushing wars, You'll be overta'en by day.

And with her rosy hand puts back the I Faie. And these beauties will suspect

stars, That their forms you do neglect,

Of which myself the last, her harbinger, If you do not call them forth. 2 Faie. Or that you have no more worth Your parting longer : then do I give way,

But stay to warn you, that you not defer Than the coarse and country Faerie,

As Night hath done, and so must you, to That doth haunt the hearth or dairy.

Day. Then followed the measures, corantos, gal. After this they danced their last dance liards, &c.,' till Phosphorus, the day

into the work. And with a full SONG star, appeared, and called them away;

the star vanished, and the whole machine but first they were invited home by one of closed. the Sylvans with this SONG.

O yet how early, and before her time,

The envious morning up doth climb, Gentle knights,

Though she not love her bed ! Know some measure of your nights. What haste the jealous Sun doth make, Tall the high graced Oberon

His fiery horses up to take, It is time that we were gone.

And once more shew his head ! Here be forms so bright and airy, Lest, taken with the brightness of this And their motions so they vary,

night, As they will enchant the Faerie,

The world should wish it last, and never If you longer here should tarry.

miss his light.

? Then followed the measures, corantos, gal-toun. By that time these had done it was high liards. ] These light skirmishers (our his time to go to bed, for it was within half hour torian continues), the faies, having done their of the sun's rising.” To this the speech of devoir, in came the princesses ; first the Queen, Phosphorus alludes.--" The Ambassadors of next the Lady Elizabeth's Grace, then the Lady Spaine, of Venice, and of the Low CounArbella, the Countesses of Arundell, Derby, tries were present at this and all the rest of Essex, Dorset, and Montgomery; the Lady these, glorious sights, and in truth such they Hadington, the Lady Elizabeth Grey, the Lady were, Winwood's State Papers, vol. üi. Winsor, the Lady Catharine Peter, the Lady p. 181. Elizabeth Guildford, and the Lady Mary Win

Love freed from Ignorance and Folly:

A MASQUE OF HER MAJESTY'S.

LOVE FREED.] The date of this Masque is not mentioned, nor the particular occasion on which it was presented. There is no earlier edition of it than the folio, 1616. Mr. Stephen Jones (a name utterly unworthy of notice, but as the booksellers have connected it with the drama) assigns the first appearance of all these Masques to 1640. He could grovel in falsehood for the gratification of his senseless enmity to Jonson; but to open one of his volumes for the purpose of ascertaining the truth, appears to have been thought a mere loss of time.

[It was presented at Christmas, 1610-11, in the same season as the Mask of Oberon and Love Restored. On December 15, 1610, John More wrote to Sir R. Winwood : “Yet doth the Prince make but one Mask, and the Queen but two, which doth cost her Majesty but 6ool. Neither do I see any likelihood of any further extraordinary expense that this Christmas will bring."-See Collier's Annals of the Stage, i. 377.-F. C.]

So soon as the King's majesty was set, | And you now, that thought to lay

and in expectation, there was heard a The world waste, must be my prey.
strange music of wild instruments. Το Love. Cruel Sphinx, I rather strive
which a SPHINX* came forth dancing, How to keep the world alive,
leading LOVE bound.

And uphold it ; without me

All again would chaos be.
Sphinx. Come, Sir Tyranne, lordly Love, Tell me, Monster, what should move
You that awe the gods above,

Thy despight thus against Love?
As their creatures here below,

Is there nothing fair and good, With the sceptre called your bow ; Nothing bright, but burns thy blood ? And do all their forces bear

Still thou art thyself, and made In the quiver that you wear,

All of practice, to invade Whence no sooner you do draw

Clearest bosoms. Hath this place Forth a shaft but is a law :

None will pity Cupid's case ? Now they shall not need to tremble, Some soft eye, while I can see When you threaten or dissemble,

Who it is that melts for me, Any more ; and though you see

Weep a fit. Are all eyes here
Whom to hurt, you have not free

Made of marble ? But a tear,
Will to act your rage. The bands Though a false one; it may make
Of your eyes now tie your hands.

Others true compassion take.
All the triumphs, all the spoils

I would tell you all the story Gotten by your arts and toils,

If I thought you could be sorry, Over foe and over friend,

And in truth, there's none have reason O'er your mother, here must end.

Like yourselves to hate the treason.

* By this Sphinx was understood Ignorance, face of a woman; the nether parts of a lion, the who is always the enemy of Love and Beauty, wings of an eagle, to shew her fierceness and and lies still in wait to entrap them. For which swiftness to evil where she hath power, Antiquity has given her the upper parts and

* The meaning of this is, that these ladies to hinder all noble actions; but that the Love being the perfect issue of beauty, and all which brought them thither was not willing to worldly, grace, were carried by Love to cele- forsake them, no more than they were brate the majesty and wisdom of the King, abandon it; yet was it enough perplexed, in figured in the sun, and seated in these extreme that the monster Ignorance still covets parts of the world; where they were rudely re- enwrap itself in dark and obscure terms and ceived by Ignorance, on their first approach, to betray that way, whereas true Love affects to the hazard of their affection, it being her nature express itself with all clearness and simplicity.

a

Sphinx. First, Cupid, you must cast about Love. That's smiles and tears,
To find a world the world without,

Or fire and frost ; for either bears
Wherein what's done the eye doth do; Resemblance apt.
And is the light and treasure too.

Sphinx. Which time till now,
This eye still moves, and still is fixed, Nor sate knew where to join, or how.
And in the powers thereof are mixed How now, Cupid ! at a stay?
Two contraries ; which time till now Not another word to say ?
Nor fate knew where to join, or how. Do you find by this how long
Yet if you hit the right upon,

You have been at fault, and wrong?
You must resolve these all by one.

Love. Sphinx, it is your pride to vex Love. Sphinx, you are too quick of Whom you deal with, and perplex tongue ;

Things most easy. Ignorance
Say't again, and take me along.1

Thinks she doth herself advance ;
Sphinx. I say, you first must cast about If of problems clear she make
To find a world the world without.

Riddles, and the sense forsake,
Love. I say, that is already done, Which came gentle from the Muses,
And is the new world in the moon.

Till her uttering it abuses.
Sphinx. Cupid, you do cast too far; Sphinx. Nay, your railing will noi save
This world is nearer by a star:

you. So much light I'll give you to't.

Cupid, I of right must have you.
Love. Without a glass? well, I shall do't. Come my fruitful issue forth,
Your world's a lady then; each creature Dance and shew a gladness worth
Human is a world in feature,

Such a captive as is Love,
Is it not?

And your mother's triumph prove. Sphinx. Yes, but find out A world you must, the world without. Here the FOLLÍES, which were twelve Love. Why, if her servant be not here,

SHE-FOOLS, enter and dance. She doth a single world appear

Sphinx. Now, go take him up, and bear Without her world.

him Sphinx. Well, you shall run!

To the cliff,* where I will tear him Love. Nay, Sphinx, thus far is well begun. Piecemeal, and give each a part Sphinx. Wherein what's done, the eye of his raw and bleeding heart. doth do,

Love. Ladies, have your looks no power And is the light and treasure too.

To help Love at such an hour? Love. That's clear as light; for wherein lies Will you lose him thus ? Adieu ! A lady's power but in her eyes ?

Think what will become of And not alone her grace and power,

you.

Who shall praise you, who admire ? But oftentimes her wealth and dower.

Who shall whisper by the fire Sphinx. I spake but of an eye, not eyes.

As you stand soft tales? who bring you Love. A one-eyed mistress that unties.

Pretty news, in rhymes who sing you? Sphinx. This eye still moves, and still is Who shall bathe him in the streams fixed.

Of your blood, and send you dreams Love. A rolling eye, that native there

Of delight? Yet throws her glances everywhere ;

Sphinx. Away, go bear him And, being but single, fain would do

Hence, they shall no longer hear him. The offices and arts of two. Sphinx. And in the powers thereof are Here the MUSES' PRIESTS, in number mixed

twelve, advance to his rescue, and sing Two contraries.

this SONG to a measure.2

Take me

* This shews that Love's expositions are not explained by the unfortunate editor : always serious, till it be divinely instructed : with you; i.e., You must consider !” “The and that sometimes it may be in the danger of expression (he adds, with his usual simplicity) ignorance and folly, who are the mother and frequently occurs, not always with this exact issue : for no folly but is born of ignorance. meaning in old plays.". Beaumont and

Fletcher, vol. v. p. 212. Right :-not always, 1 And take me along.) Go no faster than I Mr. Weber, and you do well to put the reader can go with you; i.e., Let me understand you. on his guard. The phrase, which is sufficiently common, is % To a measure.) i.e., to a grave and stately found in the Little French Lawyer; and is thus dance.

*

Gentle Love, * be not dismayed.

For what are all the graces See the Muses, pure and holy,

Without good forms and faces ? By their priests have sent thee aid

Then, Love, receive the due reward Against this brood of Folly.

Those Graces have prepared. It is true that Sphinx, their dame,

Cho. And may no hand, no tongue, no Had the sense first from the Muses,

eye,
Which in uttering she doth lame, Thy merit, or their thanks envy.

Perplexeth, and abuses.
But they bid that thou shouldst look

CHORUS and GRACES.
In the brightest face here shining,

Cho. What gentle forms are these that And the same as would a book,

move Shall help thee in divining.

To honour Love ? Love. 'Tis done! 'tis done! I've found

Gra. They are the bright and golden it out

lights Britain's the world, the world without.

That grace his nights. The King's the eye, as we do call

Cho. And shot from beauty's eyes, The sun the eye of this great all.

They look like fair Aurora's streams. And is the light and treasure too ;

Gra. They are her fairer daughter's For 'tis his wisdom all doth do.

beams, Which still is fixed in his breast,

Who now doth rise. Yet still doth move to guide the rest. Cho. Then night is lost, or fled away; The contraries which time till now

For where such beauty shines is ever Nor fate knew where to join, or how,

day.
Are Majesty and Love ;' which there,
And nowhere else, have their true sphere. The Masque-dance followed.
Now, Sphinx, I've hit the right upon,
And do resolve these All by one :

Which done, one of the PRIESTS alone That is, that you meant ALBION.

saig. Priests. 'Iis true in him, and in no

I Priest. O what a fault, nay, what a other,

sin Love, thou art clear absolved,

In fate or fortune, had it been Vanish, Follies, with your mother,

So much beauty to have lost! The riddle is resolved.

Could the world, with all her cost, Sphinx must fly when Phoebus shines,

Have redeemed it? And to aid of Love inclines.

Cho.

No, no, no. (SPHINX retires with the FOLLIES.

Priest. How so? Love. Appear then, you my brighter

Cho. It would nature quite undo, charge,

For losing these, you lost her too. And to light yourselves enlarge, To behold that glorious star

The Measures and Revels follow. For whose love you came so far, While the monster with her elves

2 Priest. How near to good is what is

fair Do precipitate themselves.

Which we no sooner see,

But with the lines and outward air Here the GRACES enter, and sing this SONG,

Qur senses taken be. crowning CUPID.

We wish to see it still, and prove

What ways we may deserve ; A crown, a crown for Love's bright head,

We court, we praise, we more than love: Without whose happy wit

We are not grieved to serve.
All form and beauty had been dead,
And we had died with it.

The last Masque-dance.

1

* Here is understood the

power

of Wisdom 1 Nor fate knew where to join, or how, in the Muses ministers; by which name all that Are Majesty and Love.] The thought have the spirit of prophecy are styled, and such taken from Ovid :they are that need to encounter Ignorance and Folly: and are ever ready to assist Love in any

Non bene conteniunt, nec in una sede mo.

rantur action of honour and virtue, and inspire him with their own soul,

Majestas, et Amor.-WHAL. VOL. III.