pounds weight, which is nothing of nothing, a trifle. And so the black-guards are pleased with any lease of life, (for some 999,) especially those of the boiling-house, they are to have Medea's kettle hung up, that they may souse into it when they will, and come out renewed like so many stript snakes at their pleasure. But these are petty engagements, and, as I said below the stairs; marry above here, perpetuity of beauty, (do you hear, ladies?) health, riches, honor; a matter of immortality is nothing. They will calcine you a grave matron, as it might be a mother o' the maids, and spring up a young virgin, out of her ashes, as fresh as a Phoenix: lay you an old courtier on the coals like a sausage, or a bloat herring, and after they have broiled him enough, blow a soul into him with a pair of bellows, till he start up into his galliard, that was made when Monsieur was here. They profess familiarly to melt down all the old sinners of the suburbs once in a half-year, into fresh gamesters again; get all the crack'd maidenheads, and cast them into new ingots: half the wenches of the town are alchemy. See, they begin to muster again, and draw their forces out against me! the Genius of the place defend me! You that are both the Sol and Jupiter of this sphere, Mercury invokes your majesty against the sooty tribe here; for in your favor only, I grow recovered and warm. At which time VULCAN entering with a troop of threadbare ALCHEMISTS, prepares them to the first ANTIMASQUE.

Vul. Begin your charm, sound music, circle him in, and take him: if he will not obey, bind

him.

They all danced about MERCURY with variety of changes, whilst he defends himself with his Caduceus, and after the DANCE, speaks.

Mer. It is in vain, Vulcan, to pitch your net in the sight of the fowl thus: I am no sleepy Mars, to be catch'd in your subtile toils. I know what your aims are, sir, to tear the wings from my head and heels, lute me up in a glass with my own seals, while you might wrest the Caduceus out of my hand, to the adultery and spoil of nature, and make your accesses by it, to her dishonor, more easy. Sir, would you believe it should be come to that height of impudence, in mankind, that such a nest of fire-worms as these are, because their patron Mulciber heretofore has made stools stir, and statues dance, a dog of brass to bark, and (which some will say, was his worst act) a woman to speak, should therefore with their heats call'd Balnei Cineris, or horse-dung, profess to outwork the sun in virtue, and contend to the great act of generation, nay almost creation? It is so, though: for in yonder vessels which you see in their laboratory, they have inclosed materials to produce men, beyond the deeds of Deucalion, or Prometheus; of which, one, they say, had the philosopher's stone, and threw it over his shoulder, the other the fire, and lost it. And what men are they, they are so busy about, think you? not common ordinary creatures, but of rarity and excellence, such as the times wanted, and

the age had a special deal of need of: such as there was a necessity, they should be artificial for nature could never have thought or dreamt of their composition. I can remember some of their titles to you, and the ingredients; do not look for Paracelsus' man among them, that he promised you out of white bread, and Dele-wine, for he never came to light. But of these let me see; the first that occurs; a master of the duel, a carrier of the differences. To him went spirit of ale, a good quantity, with the amalgams of sugar and nutmegs, oil of oaths, sulphur of quarrel, strong waters, valor precipitate, vapored o'er the helm with tobacco, and the rosin of Mars with a drachm of the business, for that's the word of tincture, the business. Let me alone with the business. I will carry the business. I do understand the business. I do find an affront in the business. Then another is a fencer in the mathematics, or the town's cunning-man, a creature of art too; a supposed secretary to the stars; but, indeed, a kind of lying intelligencer from those parts. His materials, if I be not deceived, were juice of almanacs, extraction of ephemerides, scales of the globe, filings of figures, dust of the twelve houses, conserve of questions, salt of confederacy, a pound of adventure, a grain of skill, and a drop of truth. I saw vegetals too, as well as minerals, put into one glass there, as adder's-tongue, title-bane, nitre of clients, tartar of false conveyance, aurum palpabile, with a huge deal of talk, to which they added tincture of conscience, with the faces of honesty; but for what this was, I could not learn; only I have overheard one of the artists say, out o' the corruption of a lawyer was the best generation of a broker in suits: whether this were he or no, I know not.

Vul. Thou art a scorner, Mercury, and out of the pride of thy protection here, makest it thy study to revile art, but it will turn to thine own contumely soon. Call forth the creatures of the first class, and let them move to the harmony of our heat, till the slanderer have sealed up his own lips, to his own torment.

Mer. Let them come, let them come, I would not wish a greater punishment to thy impu dence.

Enter the second ANTIMASQUE, of imperfect creatures, with helms of limbecks on their heads. whose dance ended, MERCURY procceded. Mer. Art thou not ashamed, Vulcan, to offer, in defence of thy power and art, against the excellence of the sun and nature, creatures more imperfect than the very flies and insects that are her trespasses and scapes? Vanish, with thy insolence, thou and thy impostors, and all mention of you melt before the majesty of this light, whose Mercury henceforth I profess to be, and never again the philosophers'. Vanish, I say, that all who have but their senses, may see and judge the difference between thy ridiculous monsters and his absolute fea

tures.

At which the whole scene changed to a glorious bower, wherein NATURE was placed, with PROMETHEUS at her feet, and the twelve Masquers

The Court being seated, and in expectation, Loud music: PALLAS in her chartot descending, to a softer music.

Look, look! rejoice and wonder

That you, offending mortals, are
(For all your crimes) so much the care
Of him that bears the thunder.
Jove can endure no longer,

Your great ones, should your less invade;
Or that your weak, though bad, be made
A prey unto the stronger,

And therefore means to settle

Astræa in her seat again;

And let down in his golden chain
The Age of better metal.
Which deed he doth the rather,

That even Envy may behold
Time not enjoy'd his head of gold
Alone beneath his father.
But that his care conserveth,

As time, so all time's honors too,
Regarding still what heav'n should do,
And not what earth deserveth.

[A tumult, and clashing of arms heard within. But hark! what tumult from yon cave is heard? What noise, what strife, what earthquake and alarms,

As troubled Nature for her maker fear'd;
And all the Iron Age were up in arms!
Hide me, soft cloud, from their profaner eyes,
Till insolent Rebellion take the field:
And as their spirits with their counsels rise,
I frustrate all with showing but my shield.
[She retires behind a cloud.
The IRON AGE presents itself, calling forth the
EVILS.

I. Age. Come forth, come forth, do we not hear
What purpose, and how worth our fear,
The king of gods hath on us?
He is not of the Iron breed,

That would, though Fate did help the deed,
Let Shame in so upon us.

Rise, rise then up, thou grandame Vice
Of all my issue, Avarice,

Bring with thee Fraud and Slander,
Corruption with the golden hands,
Or any subtler Ill, that stands

To be a more commander.

Thy boys, Ambition, Pride, and Scorn,
Force, Rapine, and thy babe last born,
Smooth Treachery, call hither

Arm Folly forth, and Ignorance,
And teach them all our Pyrrhic dance⚫
We may triumph together,
Upon this enemy so great,
Whom if our forces can defeat,

And but this once bring under,
We are the masters of the skies,
Where all the wealth, height, power lies,

The sceptre, and the thunder.
Which of you would not in a war
Attempt the price of any scar,

To keep your own states even? But here, which of you is that he, Would not himself the weapon be, To ruin Jove and heaven? About it then, and let him feel The Iron Age is turn'd to steel,

Since he begins to threat her: And though the bodies here are less Than were the giants; he'll confess

Our malice is far greater.

The EVILS enter for the Antimasque and DANCE. to two drums, trumpets, and a confusion of martial music: At the end of which, PALLAS re-appears, shewing her shield. The EVILS are turned to Statues.

Pal. So change, and perish, scarcely knowing how,

That 'gainst the gods do take so vain a vow,
And think to equal with your mortai dates,
Their lives that are obnoxious to no fates.-

'Twas time t appear, and let their folly see, 'Gainst whom they fought, and with what destiny.

Die all, that can remain of you, but stone And that be seen awhile, and then be none ! Now, now descend, you both belov'd of Jove, And of the good on earth no less the love;

[The scene changes; and she calls
ASTR.EA and the GOLDEN AGE.
Descend, you long, long wish'd and wanted pair
And as your softer times divide the air,
So shake all clouds off with your golden hair :
For Spite is spent: the Iron Age is fled,
And, with her power on earth, her name is dead.
ASTREA and the GOLDEN AGE descending with a
SONG.

Ast. G. Age. And are we then
To live agen,
With men ?

Ast. Will Jove such pledges to the earth restore
As justice?

Pal. Then see you yonder souls, set far within the shade,

That in Elysian bowers the blessed seats do keep,

That for their living good, now semi-gods are made

And went away from earth, as if but tam'd with sleep?

These we must join to wake; for these are of the strain

That justice dare defend, and will the age sustain.

Cho. Awake, awake, for whom these times were kept, O wake, wake, wake, as you had never slept! Make haste and put on air, to be their guard, Whom once but to defend, is still reward.

Pal. Thus Pallas throws a lightning from her shield. [The scene of light discovered. Cho. To which let all that doubtful darkness yield.

Ast. Now Peace.

G. Age. And Love.

The first DANCE.

Pal. Already do not all things smile? Ast. But when they have enjoy'd awhile The Age's quickening power:

Age. That every thought a seed doth bring, And every look a plant doth spring, And every breath a flower:

Pal. The earth unplough'd shall yield her crop
Pure honey from the oak shall drop,
The fountain shall run milk:
The thistle shall the lily bear,
And every bramble roses wear,
And every worm make silk.

Cho. The very shrub shall balsam sweat,
And nectar melt the rock with heat,
Till earth have drank her fill:
That she no harmful weed may know,
Nor barren fern, nor mandrake low,
Nor mineral to kill.

Here the main DANCE.

After which,

Pal. But here's not all: you must do mcre,
Or else you do but half restore
The Age's liberty.

Poe. The male and female us'd to join,
And into all delight did coin
That pure simplicity.

Ast.

Then Feature did to form advance,
And Youth call'd Beauty forth to dance,
And every Grace was by:

It was a time of no distrust,

So much of love had nought of lust,
None fear'd a jealous eye.

The language melted in the ear,
Yet all without a blush might hear,
They liv'd with open vow.

Cho. Each touch and kiss was so well placed,
They were as sweet as they were chaste,
And such must yours be now.

Here they dance with the Ladies.

What change is here? I had not more
Desire to leave the earth before,

Than I have now to stay;

My silver feet, like roots, are wreath'd
Into the ground, my wings are sheath'd,
And I cannot away.

Of all there seems a second birth,
It is become a heaven on earth,
And Jove is present here.
I feel the god-head; nor will doubt
But he can fill the place throughout,
Whose power is every where.
This, this, and only such as this,
The bright Astræa's region is,

Where she would pray to live,
And in the midst of so much gold,
Unbought with grace, or fear unsold,
The law to mortals give.

Here they dance the Galliards and Corantos.

Pallas. [ascending, and calling the Poets.]
'Tis now enough; behold you here,
What Jove hath built to be your sphere,
You hither must retire.

And as his bounty gives you cause Be ready still without your pause,

To shew the world your fire. Like lights about Astræa's throne, You here must shine, and all be one, In fervor and in flame; That by your union she may grow, And you, sustaining her, may kn‹ ❤ The Age still by her name.

Who vows, against or heat or cold,
To spin your garments of her gold,
That want may touch you never;
And making garlands every hour,
To write your names in every flower
That you may live for ever.

Cho. To Jove, to Jove, be all the honor given,

That thankful hearts can raise from earth to heaven.