University of Virginia Library

The Mask.

Night rises in mists.
Nigh.
Our raign is come; for in the raging Sea
The Sun is drown'd, and with him fell the day:
Bright Cinthia hear my voice, I am the Night
For whom thou bear'st about thy borrowed light;
Appear, no longer thy pale visage shrowd,
But strike thy silver horn through a cloud,
And send a beam upon my swarthy face,
By which I may discover all the place
And persons, and how many longing eyes
Are come to wait on our solemnities.
[Enter Cinthia.
How dull and black am I? I could not find
This beauty without thee, I am so blind;
Methinks they shew like to those Eastern streaks
That warn us hence before the morning breaks;
Back my pale servant, for these eyes know how
To shoot far more and quicker rayes than thou.

Cinth.
Great Queen, they be a Troop for whom alone
One of my clearest moons I have put on;
A troop that looks as if thy self and I
Had pluckt our rains in, and our whips laid by
To gaze upon these Mortals, that appear
Brighter than we.

Night.
Then let us keep 'em here,
And never more our Chariots drive away,
But hold our places, and out-shine the day.

Cinth.
Great Queen of shadows, you are pleas'd to speak
Of more than may be done; we may not break
The gods decrees, but when our time is come,
Must drive away and give the day our room:
Yet whil'st our raign lasts, let us stretch our power
To give our servants one contented hour,
With such unwonted solemn grace and state,
As may for ever after force them hate
Our brothers glorious beams, and wish the night
Crown'd with a thousand stars, and our cold light:
For almost all the world their service bend
To Phœbus, and in vain my light I lend,
Gaz'd on unto my setting from my rise
Almost of none, but of unquiet eyes.

Nigh.
Then shine at full, fair Queen, and by thy power
Produce a birth to crown this happy hour;
Of Nymphs and Shepherds let their songs discover,
Easie and sweet, who is a happy Lover;
Or if thou woot, then call thine own Endymion
From the sweet slowry bed he lies upon,
On Latimus top, thy pale beams drawn away,
And of this long night let him make a day.

Cinth.
Thou dream'st dark Queen, that fair boy was not mine,
Nor went I down to kiss him; ease and wine
Have bred these bold tales; Poets when they rage,
Turn gods to men, and make an hour an age;
But I will give a greater state and glory,
And raise to time a noble memory
Of what these Lovers are; rise, rise, I say,
Thou power of deeps, thy surges laid away,
Neptune great King of waters, and by me
Be proud to be commanded.

[Neptune rises.
Nep.
Cinthia, see,
Thy word hath fetcht me hither, let me know why I ascend.

Cinth.
Doth this majestick show
Give thee no knowledge yet?

Nep.
Yes, now I see.
Something intended (Cinthia) worthy thee;
Go on, I'le be a helper.

Cinth.
Hie thee then,
And charge the wind flie from his Rockie Den.
Let loose thy subjects, only Boreas
Too soul for our intention as he was;
Still keep him fast chain'd; we must have none here
But vernal blasts, and gentle winds appear,
Such as blow flowers, and through the glad Boughs sing
Many soft welcomes to the lusty spring.
These are our musick: next, thy watry race
Bring on in couples; we are pleas'd to grace
This noble night, each in their richest things
Your own deeps or the broken vessel brings;
Be prodigal, and I shall be as kind,
And shine at full upon you.

Nep.
Ho the wind.
[Enter Eolus out of a Rock.
Commanding Eolus!

Eol.
Great Neptune!

Nep.
He.

Eol.
What is thy will?

Nep.
We do command thee free
Favonius and thy milder wind to wait
Upon our Cinthia, but tye Boreas straight;
He's too rebellious.

Eol.
I shall do it.

Nep.
Do, great master of the flood, and all below,
Thy full command has taken.

Eol.
Ho! the main;
Neptune.

Nep.
Here.

Eol.
Boreas has broke his chain,
And struggling with the rest, has got away.

Nep.
Let him alone, I'le take him up at sea;
He will not long be thence; go once again
And call out of the bottoms of the Main,
Blew Proteus, and the rest; charge them put on
Their greatest pearls, and the most sparkling stone
The bearing Rock breeds, till this night is done
By me a solemn honour to the Moon;
Flie like a full sail.

Eol.
I am gone.

Cin.
Dark night,
Strike a full silence, do a thorow right
To this great Chorus, that our Musick may
Touch high as heaven, and make the East break day
At mid-might.

[Musick.

SONG.
Cinthia to thy power, and them
we obey.
Joy to this great company,
and no day
Come to steal this night away,
Till the rites of love are ended,
And the lusty Bridegroom say,
Welcome light of all befriended.
Pace out you watry powers below,
let your feet
Like the Gallies when they row,
even beat.
Let your unknown measures set
To the still winds, tell to all
That Gods are come immortal great,
To honour this great Nuptial.


The Measure.
Second Song.
Hold back thy hours dark night, till we have done,
The day will come too soon;
Young Maids will curse thee if thou steal'st away,
And leav'st their blushes open to the day.
Stay, stay, and hide
the blushes of the Bride.
Stay gentle night, and with thy darkness cover
The kisses of her Lover.
Stay, and confound her tears, and her shrill cryings,
Her weak denials, vows, and often dyings;
Stay and hide all,
but help not though she call.

Nep.
Great Queen of us and Heaven,
Hear what I bring to make this hour a full one,
If not her measure.

Cinth.
Speak Seas King.

Nep.
Song.
Measure.

Eol.
Ho! Neptune!

Nept.
Eolus!

Eol.
The Seas go hie,
Boreas hath rais'd a storm; go and applie.
Thy trident, else I prophesie, ere day
Many a tall ship will be cast away:
Descend with all the Gods, and all their power to strike a call.

Cin.
A thanks to every one, and to gratulate
So great a service done at my desire,
Ye shall have many floods fuller and higher
Than you have wisht for; no Ebb shall dare
To let the day see where your dwellings are:
Now back unto your Government in haste,
Lest your proud charge should swell above the waste,
And win upon the Island.

Nep.
We obey.

[Neptune descends, and the Sea-gods.
Cinth.
Hold up thy head dead night; seest thou not day?
The East begins to lighten, I must down
And give my brother place.

Nigh.
Oh! I could frown
To see the day, the day that flings his light
Upon my Kingdoms, and contemns old Night;
Let him go on and flame, I hope to see
Another wild fire in his Axletree;
And all false drencht; but I forgot, speak Queen.
The day grows on I must no more be seen.

Cin.
Heave up thy drowsie head agen, and see
A greater light, a greater Majestie,
Between our sect and us; whip up thy team;
The day breaks here, and you some flashing stream
Shot from the South; say, which way wilt thou go?

Nigh.
I'le vanish into mists.

[Exeunt.
Cin.
I into day.

[Finis Mask.
King.
Take lights there Ladies, get the Bride to bed;
We will not see you laid, good night Amintor,
We'l ease you of that tedious ceremony;
Were it may case, I should think time run slow.
If thou beest noble, youth, get me a boy,
That may defend my Kingdom from my foes.

Amin.
All happiness to you.

King.
Good night Melantius.

[Exeunt.