A Maske [Comus] Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634: On Michaelmasse night, before the Right Honorable, Iohn Earle of Bridgewater, Vicount Brackly, Lord Praesident of Wales, And one of His Maiesties most honorable Privie Counsell [by John Milton] |
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 | A Maske [Comus] |  |
Sabrina
rises attended by water Nimphes and sings.
By the rushie fringed banke,
Where growes the willow and the osier dancke
My sliding chariot stayes,
Thicke set with agat, and the azurne sheene
Of turkkis blew, and Emerould greene
That in the channell strayes,
Whilst from off the waters fleet
Thus I set my printlesse feet
Ore the cowslips velvet head,
That bends not as I tread,
Gentle swaine at thy request
I am here.
Spir.
Goddesse deare
Wee implore thy powerfull hand
To undoe the charmed band
Of true virgin here distrest,
Through the force, and through the wile
Of unblest inchanter vile.
Sab.
Shepheard tis my office best
To helpe insnared chastitie;
Brightest Ladie looke on me,
Thus I sprinckle on thy brest
Drops that from my fountaine pure
I have kept of precious cure,
Thrice upon thy fingers tip,
Thrice upon thy rubied lip,
Next this marble venom'd seate
Smear'd with gummes of glutenous heate
I touch with chast palmes moist and cold,
Now the spell hath lost his hold.
And I must hast ere morning houre
To waite in Amphitrite's bowre.
Sabrina descends and the Ladie rises out of her seate.
Spir.
rises attended by water Nimphes and sings.
By the rushie fringed banke,
Where growes the willow and the osier dancke
My sliding chariot stayes,
31
Of turkkis blew, and Emerould greene
That in the channell strayes,
Whilst from off the waters fleet
Thus I set my printlesse feet
Ore the cowslips velvet head,
That bends not as I tread,
Gentle swaine at thy request
I am here.
Spir.
Goddesse deare
Wee implore thy powerfull hand
To undoe the charmed band
Of true virgin here distrest,
Through the force, and through the wile
Of unblest inchanter vile.
Sab.
Shepheard tis my office best
To helpe insnared chastitie;
Brightest Ladie looke on me,
Thus I sprinckle on thy brest
Drops that from my fountaine pure
I have kept of precious cure,
Thrice upon thy fingers tip,
Thrice upon thy rubied lip,
Next this marble venom'd seate
Smear'd with gummes of glutenous heate
I touch with chast palmes moist and cold,
Now the spell hath lost his hold.
And I must hast ere morning houre
To waite in Amphitrite's bowre.
32
Spir.
Virgin, daughter of Locrine
Sprung of old Anchises line
May thy brimmed waves for this
Their full tribute never misse
From a thousand pettie rills,
That tumble downe the snowie hills:
Summer drouth, or singed aire
Never scorch thy tresses faire,
Nor wet Octobers torrent flood
Thy molten crystall fill with mudde,
May thy billowes rowle a shoare
The beryll, and the golden ore,
May thy loftie head be crown'd
With many a tower, and terrasse round,
And here and there thy banks upon
With groves of myrrhe, and cinnamon.
Sprung of old Anchises line
May thy brimmed waves for this
Their full tribute never misse
From a thousand pettie rills,
That tumble downe the snowie hills:
Summer drouth, or singed aire
Never scorch thy tresses faire,
Nor wet Octobers torrent flood
Thy molten crystall fill with mudde,
May thy billowes rowle a shoare
The beryll, and the golden ore,
May thy loftie head be crown'd
With many a tower, and terrasse round,
And here and there thy banks upon
With groves of myrrhe, and cinnamon.
Come Ladie while heaven lends us grace,
Let us fly this cursed place,
Lest the sorcerer us intice
With some other new device.
Not a wast, or needlesse sound
Till we come to holyer ground,
I shall be your faithfull guide
Through this gloomie covert wide,
And not many furlongs thence
Is your Fathers residence,
Where this night are met in state
Many a freind to gratulate
His wish't presence, and beside
All the Swains that there abide,
With Iiggs, and rurall dance resort,
Wee shall catch them at their sport,
And our suddaine comming there
Will double all their mirth, and chere,
Come let us hast the starrs are high
But night sits monarch yet in the mid skie.
Let us fly this cursed place,
Lest the sorcerer us intice
With some other new device.
Not a wast, or needlesse sound
Till we come to holyer ground,
I shall be your faithfull guide
Through this gloomie covert wide,
And not many furlongs thence
Is your Fathers residence,
Where this night are met in state
Many a freind to gratulate
33
All the Swains that there abide,
With Iiggs, and rurall dance resort,
Wee shall catch them at their sport,
And our suddaine comming there
Will double all their mirth, and chere,
Come let us hast the starrs are high
But night sits monarch yet in the mid skie.
| A Maske [Comus] | |