University of Virginia Library

For the Celebration of the Ioyfull Feast of Christmas last.

At the house of the Right Honorable Sir Francis Ihones L. Mayor,

Leuity, a person attired sutable to her condition, from a Window, vnexpectedly thus greets the Assembly in the midst of the Feast.
Leu.
Why well said, thus should Christmas be
Lightsome, Iocond, blithe and free,
Now it lookes like Bounties Pallace,
Where euery Cup ha's his full Ballace,
Drowne Cares with Iuice that Grapes haue bled,
And make Times cheeke looke fresh and red,
Let nothing now but Healths goe round,
And no sooner off, but crown'd
With sparkling Liquors, bounding vp,
Quicke in Pallet, as in Cup:
To be heauy, to be dull,
Is a fault so pittifull,
We bar it from the course of Reason,
Care must not peep abroad this Season,
Nor a sad looke dare appeare
Within ten Mile of Christmas cheere;
Sighes are banisht ten leagues farder,
Either Cellar, Hall or Larder;
To be Iouiall then and blithe
Is truely to pay (Christmas) Tithe,
And where free Mirth is and impartiall,
Christmas there h'as made me Marshiall.

Seuerity, from an opposite window, as vnexpectedly reproues her.
Seu.
Why how now? know you where you are? rude thing;
Bold and vnmanner'd Licence, dare you bring
Your free Speech hither, before me begin?
Who let this Skittish thing of Lightnesse in?
Some call the Porter hither, yet stay, stay,
I'ue power in words to chase this toy away;
I wonder that the Musique suffers thee
To come into their roome?

Leu.
Why Nicety?

Seu.
Beleeue me honest Me (what e're you be)
She's able to spoyle all your Harmony,
Corrupt your ayres with Lightnesse.

Leu.
Oh fie, fie,
How ill you blaze my Coate, Seuerity?

Seu.
Is this a place for you? can Lightnesse here
Vnder the Hazard of her Shame appeare?

Leu.
Why thou dull lumpish Thing, void of all fashion,
Mirths poyson, Enemy to Recreation,
Thou Melancholly wretch, so fil'd with spite
Thou eat'st thy heart, when others take delight,
I must be merry, tis my nature—

Seu.
Foole.

Leu.
Dull dogbolt.

Enter below, Temperance.
Seu.
Skit.

Temp.
What? this a Scolding Schoole,
How now? so hie got? and so lowd withall?
Whose doing wa'st plac'st you two there to braule?
Pray marke the Assembly, looke vppon e'm well,
Thinke where you are, and let that rude thought quell
Your vnbeseeming difference, tis not heere
As at a Pit, here's Reuerence, Worth, and Feare.

Leu.
She sayes this place and season suites not me.

Temp.
She sayes but right in that,

Seu.
O Leuity,

Temp.
No, nor you neither,

Leu.
You may be gon too,

Temp.
Y'are Both Extreames, therefore no place for you,
Lightnes becomes not, nor Seuerity,
It must me betweene both, and I am Shee,
Too Light, is bad, and too Seuere as Vilde;
But both well temperd, makes the mixture milde,
As I stand now betweene you, so it makes
A perfect Vertue vp, when it pertakes
Of each, and comes no neerer then I doo,
And Vertue made, We haue no neede of you,
Vanish, be gon.

Seu.
I giue glace willingly
To You, but not to Her.

They giue place.
Leu.
Nor I to Thee,

Tem.
So, Thus things should haue their becomming grace,
For Temperance fits the Reuerence of this place:
Graue Senators, in goodnes still encreast!
Long may you Liue to celebrate this Feast,
This blessed Season of true Ioy compilde
In which faire Heauen and Man were reconcilde:
Musique? thou modest Seruant to this place,
Raise chast Delight, to doe this Season grace.


A Song?
Answered at seuer all places,
Eccho! Eccho! by thy loue once to Narcissus,
I now coniure thee not to misse vs,
But make thy Sound
Vppon the Woods rebound
And Mountains—Ecch:
And mountaines,
And to thy neighbouring Sisters cal,—Sisters cal,
Log'd in Caue or hollow Wall
And those resounding neere faire Fountaines
Ecch:
Neere faire Fountaines,
Let e'm call to one another—To one another
—one another—
And one Sister rayse vp tother
Ecch.
—vp tother—
Let it goe from me to you—From me to you
—Mee—To you,
From you to them, be iust and true
—Iust and True
Neuer cease your Voyces Flight,
Till you raise vp chast Delight
—Vp chast Delight.

Delight
—Who calls me from my Caue


Twas I—Twas I, Twas I;
This is no Time in silence now to lye

Delight
—Who I?


O I;
This is a Season of all Ioy compilde,
In which faire Heauen and Man were reconcilde
Ecch
—Heauen and Man were reconcilde,
Ecch
-Reconcilde;
Behold how many a worthy Guest
Are met to celebrate this Feast.

Delight
—I see it plaine, O blame me then,
I ne're will showe such Sloth agen;
For whose delight am I now raisde?


Oh for the Citties!

Delight
—How? for the Citties?
Ecch
—For the Citties:

Del.
To faile a Mistris so renown'd it were a thousand pitties,
Ecch
—Thousand pitties.


Those are her Honor'd Sonnes you now behold,

Del.
Heauen blesse them all, with Graces manifold.

To the: Musique.
Temp.
So!
Tis thankfully accepted, y'haue exprest,
Your seruice well and fully to this Feast:
Adorn'd and honor'd in each happy part,
With those most reuerend Patrons to Desert:
The Close!
Ioy neuer faile your meetings, good successe
All your Endeuours, and your Fortunes blesse,
Gladnes of heart dwell euer in your Brests,
And Peace of faire Workes bring you glorious Rests.