Who shall bathe him in the streams
Of your blood, and send you dreams
Of delight?

Sphynx. Away, go bear him

Hence, they shall no longer hear him.

Here the MUSES PRIESTS, in number twelve, advance to his rescue, and sing the SONG to a meas

ure.

Gentle Love, be not dismay'd.

See the Muses pure, and holy,
By their priests have sent thee aid
Against this brood of Folly.
It is true, that Sphynx their dame
Had the sense first from the Muses
Which in uttering she doth lame,
Perplexeth, and abuses.

But they bid that thou should'st look
In the brightest face here shining,
And the same, as would a book,
Shall help thee in divining.

Love., 'Tis done! 'tis done! I've found it out-
Britain's the world the world without.

The king's the eye, as we do call
The sun the eye of this great all.
And is the light and treasure too;
For 'tis his wisdom all doth do.
Which still is fixed in his breast,
Yet still doth move to guide the rest.
The contraries which time till now
Nor fate knew where to join, or how,
Are Majesty and Love; which there,
And no where else, have their true sphere.
Now, Sphynx, I've hit the right upon,
And do resolve these all by one:
That is, that you meant ALBION.

Priests. "Tis true in him, and in no other,
Love, thou art clear absolved.
Vanish, Follies, with your mother,
The riddle is resolved.

Love.

Sphynx must fly, when Phoebus shines,
And to aid of Love inclines.

[Sphynx retires with the Follies.

Appear then, you my brighter charge,
And to light yourselves enlarge,

To behold that glorious star,

For whose love you came so far,
While the monster with her elves,

Do precipitate themselves.

Here the GRACES enter, and sing this SONG, crown

ing Cupid.

A Crown, a crown for Love's bright head, Without whose happy wit

1 Here is understood the power of Wisdom in the Muses ministers; by which name all that have the spirit of prophecy, are styled, and such they are that need to encounter Ignorance and Folly: and are ever ready to assist Love in any action of honor and virtue, and inspire him with their own soul

All form and beauty had been dead,
And we had died with it.

For what are all the graces
Without good forms, and faces?

Then, Love, receive the due reward
Those Graces have prepar❜d.

Cho. And may no hand, no tongue, no eye
Thy merit, or their thanks envy.

CHORUS and GRACES.

Cho. What gentle forms are these that move,
To honor Love?

Gra. They are the bright and golden lights
That grace his nights.

Cho. And shot from beauty's eyes,

They look like fair Aurora's streams. Gra. They are her fairer daughter's beams, Who now doth rise,

Cho. Then night is lost, or fled away;

For where such beauty shines, is ever day

The Masque Dance followed.

Which done, one of the Priests alone sung.

1 Priest. O what a fault, nay, what a sin

In fate, or fortune had it been,

So much beauty to have lost!

Could the world with all her cost
Have redeem'd it?

Priest. How so?

Cho. No, no, no

Cho. It would nature quite undo,
For losing these, you lost her too.
The Measures and Revels follow.

2 Priest. How near to good is what is fair! Which we no sooner see,

But with the lines, and outward air

Our senses taken be.

We wish to see it still, and prove,

What ways we may deserve;
We court, we praise, we more than love.
We are not griev'd to serve.

The last Masque-Dance.
And after it, this full

SONG.

What just excuse had aged Time,

His weary limbs now to have eased, And sate him down without his crime,

While every thought was so much pleased

But he so greedy to devour

His own, and all that he brings forth,

Is eating every piece of hour

Some object of the rarest worth.

Yet this is rescued from his rage,

As not to die by time, or age:

For beauty hath a living name,

And will to heaven, from whence it came.

Grand Chorus at going out.

Now, now, gentle Love is free, and beauty blest With the sight it so much long'd to see. Let us the Muses priests, and Graces go to rest,

For in them our happy labors be.

Then, then, *** music sound, and teach our feet, How to move in time, and measure meet: Thus should the Muses priests, and Graces go to rest Bowing to the sun, throned in the west.

The King and Court being seated, and in expectation,

Enter MASQUERADO.

I would I could make them a show myself! In troth, ladies, I pity you all. You are in expectation of a device to-night, and I am afraid you can do little else but expect it. Though I dare not shew my face, I can speak truth under a vizard. Good faith, an't please your majesty, your Masquers are all at a stand; I cannot think your majesty will see any show to-night, at least worth your patience. Some two hours since, we were in that forwardness, our dances learned, our masquing attire on and attired. A pretty fine speech was taken up of the poet too, which if he never be paid for now, it's no matter his wit costs him nothing. Unless we should come in like a morrice-dance, and whistle our ballad ourselves, I know not what we should do we have neither musician to play our tunes, but the wild music here; and the rogue play-boy, that acts Cupid, is got so hoarse, your majesty cannot hear him half the oreadth of your chair.

Enter PLUTUS, as CUPID.

See, they have thrust him out, at adventure. We humbly beseech your majesty to bear with us. We had both hope and purpose it should have been better, howsoever we are lost in it. Plu. What makes this light, feather'd vanity here? away, impertinent folly! Infect not this assembly.

Masq. How, boy!

Plu. Thou common corruption of all manners and places that admit thee.

Masq. Have you recovered your voice to rail at me?

Plu. No, vizarded impudence. I am neither player nor masquer : but the god himself, whose deity is here profaned by thee. Thou, and thy like, think yourselves authorized in this place to all license of surquedry. But you shall find custom hath not so grafted you here, but you may be rent up, and thrown out as unprofitable evils. I tell thee, I will have no more masquing; I will not buy a false and fleeting delight so dear: the merry madness of one hour shall not cost me the repentance of an age.

Enter ROBIN GOODFELLOW

Rob. How! no masque, no masque? I pray you say, are you sure on't? no masque, indeed! What do I here then? can you tell?

Rob. Nay, I'll tell you that when I can. Does any body know themselves here, think you? I would fain know if there be a masque or no.

Plu. There is none, nor shall be, sir; does that satisfy you?

Rob. Slight, a fine trick! a piece of England's Joy, this! Are these your court sports? would I had kept me to my gambols o' the country still, selling of fish, short service, shoeing the wild mare, or roasting of robin-redbreast. These were better, than, after all this time, no masque: you look at me. I have recovered myself now for you, I am the honest plain country spirit, and harmless; Robin Goodfellow, he that sweeps the hearth and the house clean, riddles for the country maids, and does all their other drudgery, while they are at hot-cockles; one that has discoursed with your court spirits ere now; but was fain to-night to run a thousand hazards to arrive at this place: never poor goblin was so put to his shifts to get in to see nothing. So many thorny difficulties as I have past, deserved the best masque; the whole shop of the revels. I would you would admit some of my feats, but I have little hope of that, i'faith, you let me in so hardly.

Plu. Sir, here's no place for them nor you. Your rude good-fellowship must seek some other sphere for your admitty.

Rob. Nay, so your stiff-necked porter told me at the gate, but not in so good words. His staff spoke somewhat to that boisterous sense: I am sure he concluded all in a non-entry, which made me e'en climb over the wall, and in by the wood-yard, so to the terrace, where when I came, I found the oaks of the guard more unmoved, and one of them, upon whose arm 1 hung, shoved me off o' the ladder, and dropt me down like an acorn. "Twas well there was not a sow in the verge, I had been eaten up else. Then I heard some talk of the carpenters' way, and I attempted that; but there the wooden rogues let a huge trap-door fall on my head. If I had not been a spirit, I had been mazarded. Though I confess I am none of those subtle ones, that can creep through at a key-hole, or the cracked pane of a window. I must come in at a door, which made me once think of a trunk; but that I would not imitate so catholic

a coxcomb as Coryat. Therefore I took another course. I watched what kind of persons the door most opened to, and one of their shapes I would belie to get in with. First I came with authority, and said, I was an engineer, and belonged to the motions. They asked me if I were the fighting bear of last year, and laughed me out of that, and said the motions were ceased. Then I took another figure, of an old tire-woman; but tired under that too, for none of the masquers would take note of me, the mark was out of my mouth. Then I pretended to be a musician, marry I could not shew mine instrument, and that bred a discord. Now there was nothing left for me that I could presently think on, but a feather-maker of Blackfriars, and in that shape I told them, Surely I must come in, let it be opened unto me; but they all made as light of me, as of my feathers; and wondered how I could be a Puritan, being of so vain a vocation. I answered, We are all masquers sometimes : with which they knock'd Hypocrisy o' the pate, and made room for a bombard man, that brought bouge for a country lady or two, that fainted, he said, with fasting for the fine sight since seven o'clock in the morning. O how it grieved me, that I was prevented of that shape, and had not touched on it in time, it liked me so well; but I thought I would offer at it yet. Marry, before I could procure my properties, alarum came that some of the whimlens had too much; and one shew'd how fruitfully they had watered his head, as he stood under the grices; and another came out, complaining of a cataract shot into his eyes by a planet, as he was star-gazing. There was that device defeated!' By this time I saw a fine citizen's wife or two let in; and that figure provoked me exceedingly to take it; which I had no sooner done, but one of the black-guard had his hand in my vestry, and was groping of me as nimbly as the Christmas cut-purse. He thought he might be bold with me, because I had not a husband in sight to squeak to. I was glad to forego my form, to be rid of his hot steeming affection, it so smelt of the boiling house. Forty other devices I had of wiremen and the chandrie, and I know not what else: but all succeeded alike. I offered money too, but that could not be done so privately, as it durst be taken, for the danger of an example. At last a troop of strangers came to the door, with whom I made myself sure to enter: but before I could mix, they were all let in, and I left alone without, for want of an interpreter. Which, when I was fain to be to myself, a Colossus [of] the company told me, I had English enough to carry me to bed; with which all the other statues of flesh laughed. Never till then did I know the want of an hook and a piece of beef, to have baited three or four of those goodly wide mouths with. In this despair, when all invention ard translation too failed me, I e'en went back, and stuck to this shape you see me in of mine own, with my broom and my candles, and came on confidently, giving out, I was a part of the Device; at which, though they had little to do with wit, yet, because some on't might be used here tonight, contrary to their knowledge, they thought

it fit, way should be made for me; and as it falls out, to small purpose.

Plu. Just as much as you are fit for. Away, idle spirit; and thou the idle cause of his adventuring hither, vanish with him. 'Tis thou, that art not only the sower of vanities in these high places, but the call of all other light follies to fall, and feed on them. I will endure thy prodigality nor riots no more; they are the ruin of states. Nor shall the tyranny of these nights hereafter impose a necessity upon me of entertaining thec. Let them embrace more frugal pastimes. Why should not the thrifty and right worshipful game of Post and Pair content them; or the witty invention of Noddy, for counters; or God make them rich, at the tables? but masquing and revelling! Were not these ladies and their gentlewomen more house-wifely employed, a dozen of them to a light, or twenty (the more the merrier) to save charges, in their chambers at home, and their old night-gowns, at draw-gloves, riddles, dreams, and other pretty purposes, rather than to wake here, in their flaunting wires and tires, laced gowns, embroidered petticoats, and other taken up braveries? Away, I will no more of these superfluous excesses. They are these make me hear so ill, both in town and country, as I do; which if they continue, I shall be the first shall leave them.

Masq. Either I am very stupid, or this is a reformed Cupid.

Rob. How does any take this for Cupid? the Love in court?

Masq. Yes, is't not he?

Rob. Nay, then we spirits, I see, are subtler yet, and somewhat better discoverers. No; it is not he, nor his brother Anti-cupid, the love of virtue, though he pretend to it with his phrase and face: 'tis that impostor Plutus, the god of money, who has stolen Love's ensigns; and in his belied figure rules the world, making friendships, contracts, marriages, and almost religion; begetting, breeding, and holding the nearest respects of mankind: and usurping all those offices in this age of gold, which Love himself performed in the golden age. 'Tis he that pretends to tie kingdoms, maintain commerce, dispose of honors, make all places and dignities arbitrary from him, even to the very country, where Love's name cannot be razed out, he has yet gained there upon him by a proverb, Not for Love or Money. There Love lives confined, by his tyranny, to a cold region. wrapt up in furs like a Muscovite, and almost frozen to death; while he, in his inforced shape, and with his ravished arms, walks as if he were to set bounds and give laws to destiny. 'Tis you, mortals, that are fools; and worthy to be such, that worship him: for if you had wisdom, he had no godhead. He should stink in the grave with those wretches, whose slave he was; contemn him, and he is one. Come, follow me. I'll bring you where you shall find Love, and by the virtue of this majesty, who projecteth so powerful beams of light and heat through this hemisphere, thaw his icy fetters, and scatter the darkness that obscures him. Then, in despight of this insolent and barbarous Mammon, your

sports may proceed, and the solemnities of the night be complete, without depending on so earthly an idol.

Plu. Ay, do; attempt it: 'tis like to find most necessary and fortunate event, whatsoever is enterprised without my aids. Alas, how bitterly the spirit of poverty spouts itself against my weal and felicity! but I feel it not. I cherish and make much of myself, flow forth in ease and delicacy, while that murmurs and starves.

Enter CUPID in his chariot, guarded with the Masquers, in number ten.

SONG.

O, now came Love, that is himself a fire,
To be so cold?

Yes, tyrant Money quencheth all desire,
Or makes it old.

But here are beauties will revive
Love's youth, and keep his heat alive:
As often as his torch here dies,
He need but light it at fresh eyes.
Joy, joy, the more for in all courts,
If love be cold, so are his sports.

Cup. I have my spirits again, and feel my limbs.
Away with this cold cloud, that dims
My light! lie there, my furs and charms,
Love feels a heat, that inward warms,
And guards him naked, in these places,
As at his birth, or 'mongst the Graces.
Impostor Mammon, come, resign
This bow and quiver; they are mine.
Thou hast too long usurp'd my rites,
I now am lord of mine own nights.
Be gone, whilst yet I give thee leave.
When thus the world thou wilt deceive,
Thou canst in youth and beauty shine,
Belie a godhead's form divine,
Scatter thy gifts, and fly to those
Where thine own honor may dispose;
But when to good men thou art sent,
By Jove's direct commandment,
Thou then art aged, lame, and blind,
And canst nor path nor persons find.
Go, honest spirit, chase him hence,
To his caves; and there let him dispense
For murders, treasons, rapes, his bribes
Unto the discontented tribes;
Where let his heaps grow daily less,
And he and they still want success.
The majesty that here doth move,
Shall triumph, more secured by Love,

45

Than all his earth; and never crave
His aids, but force him as a slave.
To those bright beams I owe my life,
And I will pay it in the strife
Of duty back. See, here are ten,
The spirits of courts, and flower of men,
Led on by me, with flam'd intents,
To figure the ten ornaments,
That do each courtly presence grace.
Nor will they rudely strife for place,
One to precede the other; but
As music them in form shall put,
So will they keep their measures true,
And make still their proportions new,
Till all become one harmony,

Of honor, and of courtesy,

True valor and urbanity,

Of confidence, alacrity,

Of promptness, and of industry,
Hability, reality.

Nor shall those graces ever quit your court,
Or I be wanting to supply their sport.

HERE THE FIRST DANCE.

SONG.

This motion was of Love begot,
It was so airy, light, and good,
His wings into their feet he shot,

Or else himself into their blood.
But ask not how: the end will prove,
That Love's in them, or they're in Love.

SECOND DANCE.

SONG.

Have men beheld the Graces dance,
Or seen the upper orbs to move?
So these did turn, return, advance,

Drawn back by Doubt, put on by Love.
And now like earth, themselves they fix,
Till greater pow'rs vouchsafe to mix
Their motions with them. Do not fear
You brighter planets of the sphere:
Not one male heart you see,

But rather to his female eyes Would die a destin'd sacrifice, Than live at home, and free.

THIRD DANCE

SONG

Give end unto thy pastimes, Love,
Before they labors prove:

A little rem between,

Will make thy next shows better seen.
Now let them close their eyes, and see
If they can dream of thee,
Since morning hastes to come in view;
And all the morning dreams are true

THE DAY AFTER THE MARRIAGE.

The Court being in expectation, as before.
Enter Two CUPIDS, striving.

1 Cup. It is my right, and I will have it. 2 Cup. By what law or necessity? Pray you tome back.

1 Cup. I serve the man, and the nobler creature.

2 Cup. But I the woman, and the purer; and therefore the worthier. Because you are a handful above me, do you think to get a foot afore me, sir? No, I appeal to you, ladies. 1 Cup. You are too rude, boy, in this pres

ence.

2 Cup. That cannot put modesty in me, to make me come behind you though; I will stand | for mine inches with you, as peremptory as an ambassador: ladies, your sovereignties are concerned in me; I am the wife's page.

1 Cup. And I the husband's. 2 Cup. How!

1 Cup. Ha!

2 Cup. One of us must break the wonder; and therefore I that have best cause to be assured of mine own truth, demand of thee, by what magic thou wear'st my ensigns? or hast put on my person?

1 Cup. Beware, young ladies, of this impostor; and mothers, look to your daughters and nieces: a false Cupid is abroad: it is I that am the true, who to do these glad solemnities their proper rites, have been contented, not to put off, but to conceal my deity, and in this habit of a servant do attend him who was yesterday the happy Bridegroom, in the compliment of his nuptials, to make all his endeavors and actions more gracious and lovely.

2 Cup. He tells my tale, he tells my tale; and pretends to my act. It was I that did this for the Bride: I am the true Love, and both this figure and those arms are usurped by most unlawful power: can you not perceive it? do not I look liker a Cupid than he? am I not more a child? ladies, have none of you a picture of me in your bosom? is the resemblance of Love banished your breasts? Sure they are these garments that estrange me to you! if I were naked, you would know me better: no relick of love left in an old bosom here! what should I do?

1 Cup. My little shadow is turned furious. 2 Cup. What can I turn other than a fury itself, to see thy impudence? If I be a shadow, what is substance? was it not I that yesternight waited on the bride into the nuptial chamber, and, against the bridegroom came,

made her the throne of love? had I not lighted my torches in her eyes, planted my mother's roses in her cheeks; were not her eye-brows bent to the fashion of my bow, and her looks ready to be loosed thence, like my shafts? had I not ripened kisses on her lips, fit for a Mercury to gather, and made her language sweeter than his upon her tongue? was not the girdle about her, he was to untie, my mother's, wherein all the joys and delights of love were woven?

1 Cup. And did not I bring on the blushing bridegroom to taste those joys? and made him think all stay a torment? did I not shoot myself into him like a flame, and made his desires and his graces equal? were not his looks of power to have kept the night alive in contention with day, and made the morning never wished for? Was there a curl in his hair, that I did not sport in, or a ring of it crisped, that might not have become Juno's fingers? his very undressing was it not Love's arming? did not all his kisses charge? and every touch attempt? but his words, were they not feathered from my wings, and flew in singing at her ears, like arrows tipt with gold?

2 Cup. Hers, hers did so into his: and all his virtue was borrowed from my powers in her, as thy form is from me. But, that this royal and honored assembly be no longer troubled with our contention, behold, I challenge thee of falsehood; and will bring, upon the first day of the new year, into the lists, before this palace, ten knights armed, who shall undertake against all assertion, that I am a child of Mars and Venus: and, in the honor of that lady (whom it is my ambition to serve) that that love is the most true and perfect that still waiteth on the woman, and is the servant of that sex.

1 Cup. But what gage gives my confident counterfeit of this?

2 Cup. My bow and quiver, or what else I can make.

1 Cup. I take only them; and in exchange give mine, to answer, and punish this thy rashness, at thy time assigned, by a just number of knights, who, by their virtue, shall maintain me to be the right Cupid; and truc issue of valor and beauty: and that no love can come near either truth or perfection, but what is manly, and derives his proper dignity from

thence.

2 Cup. It is agreed.

1 Cup. In the mean time, ladies, suspend your censures which is the right: and to entertain your thoughts till the day, may the court hourly present you with delicate and fresh