 | Britannia Trivmphans |  |
Fame
sings.
That are the hopefull morne of every day,
Whose faire example makes the light,
By which Heroique vertue findes her way.
And strait those mistie clouds of errour cleere,
Which long have overcast our eyes,
And else will darken all this Hemisphere:
Since not alone confinde unto the land;
Thy Scepter to a trident change,
And strait unruly Seas thou canst command!
Or thee, by what new title shall we call
Since it were lessning of thy stile,
If we should name thee natures Admirall!
We all in darknesse mourne till thou appeare,
And by thy absence dull'd may grow,
To make a doubt if day were ever here!
severall falls of white feathers diminishing upwards in
a Pyramidall forme.
Chorus.
Fame.
Chorus.
Chorus.
The Masquers descend into the roome.
The song ended, the Scene returnes to that of Brittaine:
The Masquers dance their entrie.
Which ended, a new Chorus of our owne moderne Poets rais'd by Merlin, in rich habits differing from the rest, with Laurels on their heads guilt, make their addresse to the Queene.
To thee for Day must now repaire,
Though rais'd to life by Merlins might,
Thy stocke of Beautie will supply
Enough of Sunne from either eye,
To fill the Organs of our sight!
A Cloud of Cypresse or of Lawne,
To come betweene thy radiant Beams:
Our eyes (long darkned in a shade)
When first they so much light invade
Must ake and sicken with extreams.
To wish thy beauties still unvail'd,
'Tis better that it blinde should make us,
Than wee should want such heavenly Fire,
That is so usefull to inspire
Those Raptures which would else forsake us.
From some Refulgent Græcian Dame
Whose beauty gave his Muse supplies:
And would not trust in humble Prose
His noble thoughts, but rather chose
High numbers, though with losse of eies?
Here the Scene changed, and in the farthest part the sea was seene, terminating the sight with the Horizon; on the one side was a Haven, with a Citadell, and on the other broken grounds and Rocks; from whence the sea-Nimph Galatea came waving forth, riding on the back of a Dolphin, in a loose snow white garment, about her neck chaines of Pearle, and her armes adorn'd with bracelets of the same; her faire haire disheveled and mixt with silver, and in some part covered with a veile which she with one hand graciously held up, being arrived to the midst of the sea, the Dolphin stayed, and she sung with a Chorus of musick.
Galateas
song.
Reducing what was wild before,
That fairest sea-Nymphs leave the troubled maine,
And haste to visit him on shore.
Of wondrous Immortality?
And each those sparckling Treasures weares that grow
Where breathlesse Divers cannot Prie?
Vnto the whistling of the wind;
Whose measures hit and meet by erring chance,
Where Musick can no concord find.
How ev'n, and equally they'le meet,
When you shall lead them by such Harmony,
As can direct their eares, and feet.
Which done, she gently past away, floating on the waves as shee came in. After this some ships were discern'd sayling afar off severall wayes, and in the end a great Fleet was discovered, which passing by with a side wind tackt about, and with a prosperous gale entred into the Haven, this continuing to entertaine the sight whilst the dancing lasted.
The Valediction.
To intermit our joyes, and ease our cares,
Invites you from these Triumphs to your rest.
May ev'ry whisper that is made be chast,
Each Lady slowly yeeld, yet yeeld at last;
Her Heart a Prisner to her Lovers breast!
Of youthfull blessings than he had before,
Were but to tempt old Nature bove her might,
Since all the Odor, Musique, Beauteous Fire,
We in the spring, the spheares, the stars, admire
Is his renew'd, and betterd ev'ry night!
From that chiefe beauty shee hath stollen a Beame,
Which will amaze her Lovers curious Eyes!
Each lawfull Lover to advance his youth,
Dreame he hath stolne, his Vigor, Love, and Truth;
Then all will haste to Bed, but none to Rise!
sings.
[1]
Breake forth thou Treasure of our sight,That are the hopefull morne of every day,
Whose faire example makes the light,
By which Heroique vertue findes her way.
(2)
O thou, our cheerfull morning riseAnd strait those mistie clouds of errour cleere,
Which long have overcast our eyes,
And else will darken all this Hemisphere:
21
(3)
What to thy Power is hard or strange?Since not alone confinde unto the land;
Thy Scepter to a trident change,
And strait unruly Seas thou canst command!
(4)
How hath thy wisedome rais'd this Isle?Or thee, by what new title shall we call
Since it were lessning of thy stile,
If we should name thee natures Admirall!
(5)
Thou universall wonder knowWe all in darknesse mourne till thou appeare,
And by thy absence dull'd may grow,
To make a doubt if day were ever here!
The Masquers came forth of the Peristilium, and stood on each side, and at that instant the gate of the Palace open'd, and Britanocles appear'd.
The habit of the Masquers was close bodies of Carnation, embroydered with silver, their arming sleeves of the same; about their waste two rowes of severall fashioned leaves, and under this their bases of white, reaching to the middle of their thigh, on this was an under basis with labels of Carnation embroidered with silver, and betwixt every paine were pufts of silver fastned in knots to the labels, the trimming of the shoulders was as that of the Basis, their long stockins set up were Carnation with white shooes, and roses, their bands and cuffes made of purles of Cutworke, upon their heads little carnation caps embroydered as the rest, with a slit turned up before, out of the midst came
22
This habit was beautifull, rich, and light for dancing, and proper for the Subject of this Masque.
Musick.The Palace sinkes, and Fame remaining hovering in the Aire, rose on her wings singing, and was hidden in the Clouds.
Chorus.
Britanocles, the great and good appeares,
His Person fils our eyes, his name our eare,
His vertue every drooping spirit cheers!
His Person fils our eyes, his name our eare,
His vertue every drooping spirit cheers!
Fame.
Why move these Princes of his traine so slow
As taking root, they would to Statues grow,
But that their wonder of his vertue turnes them so!
As taking root, they would to Statues grow,
But that their wonder of his vertue turnes them so!
'Tis fit you mix that wonder with delight,
As you were warm'd to motion with his sight,
So pay the expectation of this night.
As you were warm'd to motion with his sight,
So pay the expectation of this night.
Chorus.
Move then in such a noble order here,
As if you each his governed Planet were,
And he mov'd first, to move you in each spheare.
As if you each his governed Planet were,
And he mov'd first, to move you in each spheare.
Chorus.
O with what joy you'l measure out the time?
Each breast like his still free from every crime,
Whose pensive weight might hinder you to clime!
Each breast like his still free from every crime,
Whose pensive weight might hinder you to clime!
The Masquers descend into the roome.
The song ended, the Scene returnes to that of Brittaine:
23
Which ended, a new Chorus of our owne moderne Poets rais'd by Merlin, in rich habits differing from the rest, with Laurels on their heads guilt, make their addresse to the Queene.
(1)
Our eyes (long since dissolv'd to Ayre)To thee for Day must now repaire,
Though rais'd to life by Merlins might,
Thy stocke of Beautie will supply
Enough of Sunne from either eye,
To fill the Organs of our sight!
(2)
Yet first thy pittie should have drawneA Cloud of Cypresse or of Lawne,
To come betweene thy radiant Beams:
Our eyes (long darkned in a shade)
When first they so much light invade
Must ake and sicken with extreams.
(3)
Yet wiser reason hath prevail'dTo wish thy beauties still unvail'd,
'Tis better that it blinde should make us,
24
That is so usefull to inspire
Those Raptures which would else forsake us.
(4)
Who knowes but Homer got his FlameFrom some Refulgent Græcian Dame
Whose beauty gave his Muse supplies:
And would not trust in humble Prose
His noble thoughts, but rather chose
High numbers, though with losse of eies?
Here the Scene changed, and in the farthest part the sea was seene, terminating the sight with the Horizon; on the one side was a Haven, with a Citadell, and on the other broken grounds and Rocks; from whence the sea-Nimph Galatea came waving forth, riding on the back of a Dolphin, in a loose snow white garment, about her neck chaines of Pearle, and her armes adorn'd with bracelets of the same; her faire haire disheveled and mixt with silver, and in some part covered with a veile which she with one hand graciously held up, being arrived to the midst of the sea, the Dolphin stayed, and she sung with a Chorus of musick.
25
song.
(1)
So well Britanocles o're seas doth Raigne,Reducing what was wild before,
That fairest sea-Nymphs leave the troubled maine,
And haste to visit him on shore.
(2)
What are they lesse than Nymphs since each make shewOf wondrous Immortality?
And each those sparckling Treasures weares that grow
Where breathlesse Divers cannot Prie?
(3)
On ever moving waves they us'd to danceVnto the whistling of the wind;
Whose measures hit and meet by erring chance,
Where Musick can no concord find.
(4)
But now for their Majestick welcome trieHow ev'n, and equally they'le meet,
26
As can direct their eares, and feet.
Which done, she gently past away, floating on the waves as shee came in. After this some ships were discern'd sayling afar off severall wayes, and in the end a great Fleet was discovered, which passing by with a side wind tackt about, and with a prosperous gale entred into the Haven, this continuing to entertaine the sight whilst the dancing lasted.
The Valediction.
(1)
Wise Nature, that the Dew of sleepe preparesTo intermit our joyes, and ease our cares,
Invites you from these Triumphs to your rest.
May ev'ry whisper that is made be chast,
Each Lady slowly yeeld, yet yeeld at last;
Her Heart a Prisner to her Lovers breast!
(2)
To wish unto our Royall Lover moreOf youthfull blessings than he had before,
Were but to tempt old Nature bove her might,
Since all the Odor, Musique, Beauteous Fire,
We in the spring, the spheares, the stars, admire
Is his renew'd, and betterd ev'ry night!
27
(3)
To Bed, to Bed, may ev'ry Lady dreameFrom that chiefe beauty shee hath stollen a Beame,
Which will amaze her Lovers curious Eyes!
Each lawfull Lover to advance his youth,
Dreame he hath stolne, his Vigor, Love, and Truth;
Then all will haste to Bed, but none to Rise!
- Duke of Lenox,
- L. Wil. Hamilton,
- Earle of Carlile,
- Earle of Elgin,
- L. Phil. Herbert,
- Lord Russell,
- Mr. Francis Russell,
- L. Lodowick Stuart,
- Earle of Devonshire,
- Earle of Newport
- Lord Pagit,
- Lord Wharton,
- Lord Andevor,
- Mr. Tho. Howard,
The Kings Majestie,
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