University of Virginia Library

Hey! hey! how light I am? all soul within?
As my dull flesh, were melted through my skin?
And though a Page when landed on this shore,
I now am grown a brisk Ambassador!
From Persian Princes too, and each as fierce
A Lover, as did ever sigh in verse!
Give Audience then, you Ladies of this Isle!
Lord how you lift your fannes up now, and smile!
To think (forsooth) they are so fond to take
So long a journey for your beauties sake!
For know, th'are come! but sure, e're they return,
Will give your female ships some cause to mourn!
For I must tell you, that about them all
There's not one grain, but what's Platonical!
So bashful that I think they might be drawn
(Like you) to wear close Hoods, or vailes of Lawn.
My Master is the chief that doth protect,
Or (as some say) miss-lead this precise sect:
One heretofore that wisely could confute
A Lady at her window with his Lute,
There devoutly in a cold morning stand
Two hours, praysing the snow of her white hand;
And when he could not rule her to's intent,
Like Tarquin he would proffer ravishment.
But now, no fear of Rapes, untill he find
A maydenhead belonging to the mind.
The rest are all so modest too, and pure,
So virginly, so coy, and so demure,
That they retreat at kissing, and but name
Hymen, or Love, they blush for very shame:
Ladies! I must needs laugh! you'le give me leave
I hope; and 'tis to think how you deceive
Your selves with all this precious art, and care
Tane in your glass to dress your looks, and hair!
When (in good faith!) they heed no outward merit,
But fervently resolve to wooe the Spirit!
Hah! do you all look melancholy now;
And cast a Cloud of anger o're the brow?
'Tis time to flye, and my best swiftness use,
For fear I'm kill'd with Bodkins for my news.
The Page retires, and the Noble Persian youths make their entry, apparelled in Asian Coats of Sea-green embroidered that reached down above their knees, with buttons and loops before, and cut up square to their hips, and returned down with two short skirts; the sleeves of this Coat were large without seam, and cut short to the bending of the Arm, and hanging down long behind, trimm'd with buttons as those of the breast; out of this came a sleeve of white Sattin embroydered, and the Basis answerable to the sleeve, hung down in gathering underneath the shortest part of their Coat; on their heads they wore Persian Turbants silver'd underneath, and wound about with white Cypress, and one fall of a white feather before. Their Dance ended, the mist and Clouds at an instant disappear, and the Scene is all changed into a Sea somewhat calm, where the billows moving sometimes whole, and sometimes breaking, beat gently on the land, which represented a new and strange prospect; the nearest part was broken grounds and Rocks, with a mountainous Countrey, but of a pleasant aspect, in which were trees of strange form and colour, and here and there were placed in the bottom several Arbors like Cottages, and strange beasts and birds, far unlike the Countrey of these parts, expressing an Indian Landschape. In the Sea were several Islands, and a far off a Continent terminating with the Horizon. Out of a Creek came waving forth a Barque of an Antique design, adorn'd with Sculpture finishing in Scrowles, that on the Poope had for Ornament a great masque head of a Sea-God; and all the rest enrich'd with embost work touch'd with silver and gold. In the midst of this Barque sat Orpheus with his Harp, he wore a white Robe girt, on his shoulders (was tyed with a knot) a Mantle of Carnation, and his head crown'd with a Laurel Garland: with him, other persons in habits of Seamen, as Pilots and Guiders of the Barque, he playing one strain, was answered with the voyces and Instruments of the Brachmani joyn'd with the Priests of the Temple of Love, in extravagant habits sorting to their titles: whilst this Barque moved gently on the Sea, heaving and setting, and sometimes rowling, arrived near to the farther shore, it turn'd and return'd to the port from whence it came.