University of Virginia Library

Scena Tertia.

Loud Musick. Then Enter, Pyrontus, Bassanes, Phylocles, Ovid, Clorina, Armelina.
Bassanes.
Welcom for ever to my hand, Clorina,
Who long hast been the Regent of my heart.
This day hath made me Owner of such Riches,
(The Mine of Joyes in my delicious Bride)
That I our mightiest Cæsar do not envy
Why do's my dearest blush? Because thy Modesty
Doth see so many Beauties here Inferior
To thy supremest one! But blush on, fairest,
Like to a setting Sun, at the approch
Of this so longd for Night, that's to determine
Your Virgin Honour.

Clor.
Now you make me blush
Indeed my Lord.

Pyron.
I wish you (Madam) a Life so circled in
With joy, that you may never breathe a sigh:
And (when you shall grow weary of the Earth)
Become Jove's Dotage and be Queen of Heaven.

Clor.
My Lord Pyrontus. I return you thanks:
And hope th'immortall gods will recompense
This kindness, with an happiness transcending
What ever yet you could desire.

Ovid.
May Heaven
Propitiously smile on you with all those
Bright eies that do enlighten Night and Day.

Arm.
I did not think this City could have showne
A Multitude so gallant of both Sexes.

Bassa:
They come (I thank them) to grace our Nuptials.

Phyloc.
They come no doubt to see and to be seen.

Enter Marullus, Dacus, Cypassis, Spinella.
Mar.
Hymen be praisd, we are come in time

Cypas.
Venus bless mine eyes! what a fine shew is here?

Spin.
Indeed (Captain Dacus) you have endeard me much
We are beholding to your lusty Shoulders,
That made a Pritty Lane through all the Croud.

Dacus.
My best of strength shall evermore attend.
To do you service.

Mar.
Here let us keep together
This is the best Room that is left. Pray tell me
How do you like the Bride? Do not her eies
Dart subtle rayes, such as may kindle fires
Within the breasts of all mankind?

Spin.
I do not know how some may love heart-burning.

Cypas.
It is a Pretty Lady, but I have seen
Some faces that have seemd as well.

Mar.
O Envy! Madam Cypassis, where beseech you?

Dacus.
I hope Spinella would be loth enough
To change with her.

Spinel.
I am not yet a weary
Of mine own.

Bas.
It doth grow late, and time they did begin

Ovid.
They only waited your Commands.

Mar.
That's Publius Ovidius Naso, the chief Poet
Not only of Rome, but all the mighty Empire.

Cypas.
I know him well enough, and was acquainted
Many years with him, ere I saw this Country.

Ovid.
May Musick bring
Some Deities from Olympus-Top, to grace.
This Night's Solemnities.

The Maskers all attir'd according to the Fancies of the Ancient Poets.
After a Flourish of loud Musick, Enter Hymen, Cupid, and Venus singing.
Ven.
I smil'd with eies, that darted rayes
Of sweet desire on either's face.

Cupid.
And I such shafts did put in ure
As only they themselves could cure.

Hym.
And I Love's best Physitian quickly found;
Each others hand might heal each others wound.

Ven.
May they dissolve in love, yet prove
No Diminution by their love,

Cup.
May they their fears and pains requite,
And spend (in such revenge) this night.

Hym.
What ere they do, they may with ardent Zeal;
For they have Licence under my great Seal.

Enter Mercury.
Merc.
Jove hath commanded me to let you know
You shall not want a grace that Heaven can show.
By virtue therefore of my sacred Wand
Juno, and Pallas, hither I command;
That they (with Venus) may again contest,
To whom belongs the Golden Apple best.
And Paris (by my Caduceus Power),
I charge to come from thy Elizium Bower.
Now let thy doom meet the just will of Jove
And thou shalt feast with Deities above,
Forgo thy Solitary shades, and sit
A judg upon Olympus for thy wit.

Enter Juno, and Pallas.
Pallas.
Wherefore are we thus summond to appear
To humain view? and to these Mortals here?

Juno.
I hope Jove now will not disturb our Raign,
And fall in love with women-kind again.

Pallas.
Surely long since (Queen of the Deities)
He did abandon terrene vanities.

Juno.
Daughter, he swore (by Dis) to me himself,
He would for ever leave all amarous stealth:
Yet Juno cannot but suspect the worse;
He once so long continu'd such a Course.

Pallas.
Pallas hath often blush'd to hear Mars tell,
Following his Fathers steps he did but well,
My brother was too blame.

Juno.
Alas! my son
Gloried to imitate what Jove had don.
Your sister Venus was an hansome Child.

Pallas.
And Mars (when he was young) was very wild.

Merc.
Saturnia, needless, I do know your fears;
Had Jove meant so, hee'd not have met you here.
Paris is slow in his Approach. Sure some
Fine Dreams have fix'd him in Elizium.
Again I must command him to appear.

Enter Paris.
Paris.
You need not (Maia's sons) for I am here.
I had not made such stay, but was in talk,
With my fair Queen in a delicious walk.
Where Agamemnon, and the Spartan King,
And all those many Princes, they did bring
To fight for the Revenge of that fam'd Rape,
Did laugh at our Discourse, not envy at.
Thrice happy are those Shades, where none do bear,
Those Passions that so tyrannize it here.
The Grecian Chieftains have a thousand times
Curs'd their own rage, that cros'd us in our Crimes:
For when their wiser souls were loosned from
Their Bodies (forc'd unto Elizium
By violent deaths) and clearly understood,
Those follies they had sealed with their blood.
Amazement ceas'd upon them all. Our Troy,
(Which that so fatall Quarrell did destroy.)
Had flourish'd still in Pompe; All they and we
Had liv'd in peace and in Felicity.
And died in our own beds, had they been blest
T'have had those thoughts wherewith th'are now possest.
We are not jealous in those plains of Bliss:
They for fruition care not, there, that kiss
Hellen of Greece, and I (without dispight
To Menalaus self) take what Delight,
Pleaseth us there the most. Every one there,
Sleights those things most they doted upon here.
Our Bodies being compos'd of Elements
Incline Mankind to seek to please the sense.
But there our Spirits (being unconfin'd)
Strive at the satisfaction of the mind.
Though Souls embrace, They Organs want, and Places
To raise a jealousy at their embraces:
We at our old Amours do often laugh.

Merc.
Then you was in discourse, which I broke off?

Paris.
No matter (Mercury) 'tis fit I pay
My duty unto Jove, and him obey:
What therefore is his will? that I may soon
Submit to his Inevitable Doom.

Merc.
You must again an Umpire be, and tell
(In beauty) which of these doth most excell.

Paris.
My Judgment I have given, once, and why
Should that again to my discussion lye?

Merc.
'Tis Jove's Decree, And he (if you refrain)
Will make you Subject unto Pluto's Raign,
From the Elizium Plains, remove you quite,
And cast you into an eternall night;
(Insteed of Helen's voice) where evermore
You shall hear Cerberus bark, Cocytus rore,
And dreadfull Phlegeton (with horrid Noise)
Torment your ears, as darkness shall your eies.

Paris.
I must submit.

Merc.
Here take this golden Ball.
And give't to her that's hansomst of them all.

Paris.
I shall (in my Opinion) doom aright:
But wish that Jove had chose some other wight.
But the last time these goddesses emploid
Me in this kind, it was on Sacred Ide.
Why therefore here, in so remote a Town?
And Countries, so far distant from mine own?

Merc.
Cast but your eies about this Crouded Place,
And you may judge, it is to do a Grace
To some in this fair Company.

Hymen.
To day,
That generous youthfull Pair became my Prey.

Cupid.
But they had never been your Captives bound,
If I had not compeld them by a wound.

Merc.
Jupiter (to do honor to this Night)
Hath summond these t'appear to humain sight:
And hath commanded you (before this Throng)
To give that Apple where't doth most belong:
Be well advis'd (after exact Survey)
How you dispose the golden Fruit away.

Paris.
Prime goddesses of the Olympick Court,
That Paris grace again with your Resort.
I on my knees beg leave, that what I do
For One, may not offend the other Two:
Because our Poets have profes'd, that we
Have been afflicted for my first decree;
For thence two of you did our foes become,
And hastned-on the Sack of Ilium.
I must obey Imperious Jove's Command,

Venus.
And we to thy Arbitriment will stand.

Juno.
I do protest (by all my Rule above),
I'le not be angry howsoe're It prove.

Pallas.
And, Priams son, I will be nothing stirr'd
Or discontent, if others be prefer'd.

Paris.
Having implor'd your Mercies, Now I fall
To look to whom belongs the Golden Ball.
Juno hath sweet black eies, Pallas fine hair,
Venus is just proportion'd wondrous fair.
As I have done before, again I must,
Venus The Ball's thine; And my judgment just.

Gives it to her.
Juno.
To tax thy Doom, were but a needless shift,

Pallas.
Nor do We envy her the petty guift.

Venus.
To show there is no falling out, Lets all
Fall in, and dance (before this Pair) a Ball.

Juno.
You and I (Trojan Prince) will lead: this sport

Juno.
You have been famous for, in Priam Court.

Paris.
Supremest goddess, you a Grace conferre
Too high, upon your humble Honorer.

Juno.
Hymen, Cupid, and Maia's son, advance;
Let's show these Mortals an Olympick Dance.

All the Maskers dance.
After a Flourish of Solemn loud Musick, Enter Jupiter.
Merc.
The King of gods and men! Haile thundring Jove!

Pallas.
Why hath my Father left his Throne above?

Jupiter.
Perceiving Venus, and her wanton Son,
(To do some service) were by Hymen won
From my star-paved Court, and looking down
Upon the world, and (in it) on this Town,
I soon espide the business: Therefore straight
Summond you both to meet (this Nuptiall night)
My daughter Venus here, that we might do,
A Grace divine unto these happy two.
How Paris hath bestow'd the Ball, I've seen:
But give it me again (you amorous Queen
Of Cyprus) It hereafter must not be
A Trophy to the Paphian Diety.

Ven.
Great Jupiter, I yield to thy Command,

Jupi.
And I thus give it t'a more beautious hand.
Gives it Clorina.
Here may you flourish long in bliss, and when
You weary grow of the abodes of Men,
I'le fix you both (t'amaze all human eies,)
A glorious Constellation in the skies.
Pallas and Venus do not take offence,
For she is a superior Excellence:
And frown not Juno; I no more will make
Converse with Mortals, for thy Quiet's sake.
Hadst thou thus given the Golden Ball, I had
Speaks to Paris.
Made thee Companion unto Ganimed.
Take hands, and dance, whilst our attentive eares
Do guide our feet, to Musick of the sphears.

They dance the second Dance.
A Song.
Hymen.
Blest, and best Pair make haste to bed,
The Bride still owes her Maiden-head.

Cupid.
There you can only find a Balm,
The festring of my Darts to calm.

Venus.
And Youth, and Beauty may delight,
In all Joyes of a Nuptiall night.

Chorus.
There when you shall be left alone, and Kiss,
You need not envy to the gods, their Bliss.

Jupiter.
'Tis time we leave these to a new Delight,
And therefore Jove himself doth bid good night.

Exeunt, Maskers.
Bassanes.
Let us to bed, my Dear: I long to lose,
My self in thy Embraces. Gentle Ovid
The bright Clorina, and my self shall owe,
All power we have to serve you to the utmost:
And may propitious Heaven encline great Cæsar,
To look with gratious eies, on your Misfortunes.

Ovid.
You both vouchsafe too much of honour to me,
If you forgive the rudeness of my Muse.

Pyron.
I find my self extreamly ill o'th soddain
And must not be so barbarous t'interrupt
With any sign of sickness) the Felicities
Of this Bles'd Company: Good night to all!
Farewell my Lord, The happiest of mankind:
Clorina too goodnight,—you most unkind.

Exeunt Bassanes, Ovid, Clorina, Armelina.
Marull.
Captain I do commit to your Conduct
Madam Cypassis, and her pritty daughter.
Iust go help the Groom to bed, and see
The Bride to tast her last Virginity-posset.
Exit Marullus.

Dacus.
I shall be carefull of my charge, Spinella,
I had rather have spent my time in bed with thee,
Then have been at this Maskque.

Spin.
So had not I with you.

Dacus.
I know you jest my litle Rogue.

Cypas.
Juno was of a demure look, and had a grave Behaviour.

Dacus.
Pallas had a smart cast with her eyes.
I warrant you she beat
Her husband, if she were ever Married,

Spin.
Venus indeed was the hansomst of them all.

Dacus.
But you are hansomer then she my pritty One.

Exeunt. Dac. Cyp. Spin.
Phyloc.
Tis very late and time to hasten home.
How is it with my Noble Lord Pyrontus.

Pyr.
I am undon (my Philocles) for ever.
And have too tamely yielded to this March.
I should have challenged my friend Bassanes,
If he would not have given up his interest:
And (by his fall) rays'd up my self some hope.
Or lost her bravely with my life together.

Phyl.
My Lord for Heavens sake, cast aside such Thoughts,
And (to your Aide) call generous Patience.

Pyron.
The Cowards virtue! O the Multitude
Of those grand joyes Bassanes is possest of
By this Conjugall knot! And oh the Myriads
Of Miseries, my poor life is to wade through
By her severe Command! were I the mighty
Tiberius, and (or'e the conquer'd world)
Bore Soverainty, the Empire I should sleight,
And give't Bassanes for his Room to night,

Exeunt Ambo