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THE QUEEN'S SECOND MASQUE,

WHICH WAS OF

BEAUTY.

THE MASQUE OF BEAUTY.] "The second Masque, (Jonson says,) which was of Beauty, was presented in the same Court at Whitehall, on the Sunday-night after the Twelfth-night, 1608."

This masque was published together with the former in 4to. without date, but probably in 1609, and again in fol. 1616.

THE MASQUE OF BEAUTY.

[graphic]

WO years being now past, that her majesty had intermitted these delights, and the third almost come, it was her highness's pleasure again to glorify the court, and command that I should think on some fit presentment, which should answer the former, still keeping them the same persons, the daughters of Niger, but their beauties varied according to promise, and their time of absence excused, with four more added to their number.

To which limits, when I had apted my invention, and being to bring news of them from the sea, I induced BOREAS, one of the winds, as my fittest messenger; presenting him thus:

In a robe of russet and white mixt, full and bagg'd; his hair and beard rough and horrid; his wings gray, and full of snow and icicles: his mantle borne from him with wires, and in several puffs; his feet" ending in serpents' tails; and in his hand a leafless branch, laden with icicles.

But before, in midst of the hall, to keep the state of the feast and season, I had placed JANUARY in a throne of silver; his robe of ash-colour, long, fringed with silver; a white mantle; his wings white, and

So Paus. in Eliacis, reports him to have, as he was carved in arcâ Cipselli.

b See Iconolog. di Cesare Ripa.

his buskins; in his hand a laurel-bough; upon his head an anademe of laurel, fronted with the sign Aquarius, and the character: who, as Boreas blustered forth, discovered himself.

Boreas. Which, among these, is Albion, Neptune's son?

Januarius. What ignorance dares make that question?

Would any ask, who Mars were in the wars,
Or which is Hesperus among the stars?
Of the bright planets, which is Sol? or can
A doubt arise, 'mong creatures, which is man?
Behold, whose eyes do dart Promethean fire
Throughout this All; whose precepts do inspire
The rest with duty; yet commanding, chear:
And are obeyed more with love, than fear.

Boreas. What power art thou, that thus informest

me?

Janu. Dost thou not know me? I too well know thee

By thy rude voice, that doth so hoarsely blow;
Thy hair, thy beard, thy wings, o'er-hill'd with snow,'
Thy serpent feet, to be that rough North-wind,
Boreas, that to my reign art still unkind.

I am the prince of months, call'd January;
Because by me, Janus the year doth vary,
Shutting up wars, proclaiming peace, and feasts,
Freedom and triumphs; making kings his guests.

c Ovid Metam. lib. vi. near the end see,-horridus irâ, Quæ solita est illi, nimiumque domestica, vento, &c.

1 Thy wings o'er-hill'd with snow,] i. e. covered over with snow: the spelling is varied, but it is the same with the Saxon word hele. WHAL.

It is scarcely worth dispute; but surely Jonson uses the word in its common acceptation.

d See the offices and power of Janus, Ovid. Fast. 1.

Boreas. To thee then thus, and by thee to that king, That doth thee present honours, do I bring Present remembrance of twelve Æthiop dames : Who, guided hither by the moon's bright flames, To see his brighter light, were to the sea Enjoin'd again, and (thence assign'd a day For their return) were in the waves to leave Their BLACKNESS, and true BEAUTY to receive. Janu. Which they received, but broke their day: and yet

Have not return'd a look of grace for it,

Shewing a coarse and most unfit neglect.
Twice have I come in pomp here, to expect
Their presence; twice deluded, have been fain
With other rites my feasts to entertain:

And now the third time, turn'd about the year,
Since they were look'd for, and yet are not here!
Boreas. It was nor will, nor sloth, that caus'd their
stay;

For they were all prepared by their day,
And with religion, forward on their way:
When Proteus,' the gray prophet of the sea,
Met them, and made report, how other four
Of their black kind (whereof their sire had store)
Faithful to that great wonder, so late done
Upon their sisters, by bright Albion,

Had followed them to seek Britannia forth,
And there to hope like favour, as like worth,
Which Night envied, as done in her despite,"
And, mad to see an Æthiop washed white,
Thought to prevent in these; lest men should deem
Her colour, if thus chang'd, of small esteem.

* Two marriages, the one of the earl of Essex, 1606; the other of the lord Hay, 1607.

Read his description, with Vir. Geor. 4. Est in Carpathio Neptuni gurgite vates, Caruleus Proteus.

Because they were before of her complexion.

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