University of Virginia Library

ACT. V.

SCENA I.

Diana, Pallas, Iuno, Venus.
Dian.
Lo, Ladyes, farre beyonde my hope and will, you see,
This thankles office is imposd to me:
Wherein if you will rest aswell content,
As Dian wil be iudge indifferent,
My egall doome shall none of you offende,
And of this quarrell make a finall ende:
And therefore, whether you be liefe of loath,
Confirme your promise with some sacred othe.

Pal.
Phœbe, chiefe Mistresse of this siluan chace,
Whom gods haue chosen to conclude the case,
That yet in ballance vndecyded lies.
Touching bestowing of this golden prize.
I giue my promise and mine othe withall,
By Stix, by heauens power imperiall,
By all that longes to Pallas deytie,
Her shilde, her launce, ensignes of chiuallrie,
Her sacred wreath of Oliue, and of Baye,
Her crested helme, and else what Pallas may,
That where so ere this ball of purest golde,
That chast Diana here in hande doth holde,
Vnpartially her wisedome shall bestowe,
Without mislike or quarrell any moe,
Pallas shall rest content and satisfied,
And say the best desert doth there abide.

Iun.
And here I promise and protest withall,
By Stix, by heauens power imperiall,
By all that longes to Iunoes deitie,
Her crowne, her mace, ensignes of maiestie:
Her spotles mariage-rites, her league diuine,
And by that holy name of Proserpine,
That wheresoere, this ball of purest golde,
That chast Diana here in hande doth holde,
Vnpartially her wisedome shall bestowe,
Without mislike or quarrell anie moe,
Iuno shall rest content and satisfied,
And say the best desert doth there abyde.

Ven.
And louely Phœbe, for I knowe thy dome
Wilbe no other then shall thee become,
Beholde I take thy daintie hande to kisse,
And with my solemne othe confirme my promise,
By Stix, by Ioues immortall emperie,
By Cupids bowe, by Venus mirtle-tree,
By Vulcans gifte, my Ceston, and my fan,
By this red rose, whose colour first began,
When erst my wanton boy (the more his blame)
Did drawe his bowe awry and hurt his dame,
By all the honour and the sacrifice,
That from Cithæron and from Paphos rise:
The conclusion aboue.
That wheresoere, &c.
Venus shall rest, &c.

vt supra.
Diana hauing taken their othes speaketh. Diana describeth the Nymphe Eliza a figure of the Queene.
Dian.
It is enough, and goddesses attende:
There wons within these pleasaunt shady woods,
Where neither storme nor Suns distemperature
Haue power to hurte by cruell heate or colde,
Vnder the clymate of the milder heauen,
Where seldome lights Ioues angrie thunderbolt,
For fauour of that soueraygne earthly peere:
Where whystling windes make musick 'mong the trees,
Far from disturbance of our countrie gods,
Amids the Cypres springes a gratious Nymphe,
That honour Dian for her chastitie,
And likes the labours well of Phœbes groues:
The place Elizium hight, and of the place,
Her name that gouernes there Eliza is,
A kingdome that may well compare with mine.
An auncient seat of kinges, a seconde Troie,
Ycompast rounde with a commodious sea:
Her people are ycleeped Angeli,
Or if I misse a lettre is the most.
She giueth lawes of iustice and of peace,
And on her heade as fits her fortune best,
She weares a wreath of laurell, golde, and palme:
Her robes of purple and of scarlet die,
Her vayle of white, as best befits a mayde.
Her auncestors liue in the house of fame,
Shee giueth armes of happie victorie,
And flowers to decke her lyons crowned with golde.
This peereles nymphe whom heauen and earth beloues,
This Paragon, this onely this is shee,
In whom do meete so manie giftes in one,
On whom our countrie gods so often gaze,
In honour of whose name the Muses singe.
In state Queene Iunos peere, for power in armes,
And vertues of the minde Mineruaes mate.
As fayre and louely as the queene of loue:
As chast as Dian in her chast desires.
The same is shee, if Phœbe doe no wronge,
To whom this ball in merit doth belonge.

Pal.
If this be shee whom some Zabeta call,
To whom thy wisedome well bequeathes the ball
I can remember at her day of birthe,
Howe Flora with her flowers strewed the Earth,
How euerie power with heauenlie maiestie,
In person honored that solemnitie.

Iun.
The louely graces were not farre away,
They threw their balme for triumph of the day.

Ven.
The fates against their kinde beganne a cheerefull songe,
And vowed her life with fauour to prolonge.
Then first gan Cupids eysight wexen dim,
Belike Elisas beautie blinded him.
To this fayre Nymphe, not earthly but deuine:
Contents it me my honour to resigne.

Pal.
To this fayre Queene so beautifull and wise,
Pallas bequeathes her title in the prize.

Iun.
To her whom Iunoes lookes so well become,
The queene of heauen yeildes at Phœbus doome.
And glad I am Diana found the arte,
Without offence so well to please desart.

Dian.
Then marke my tale the vsuall time is nie,
When wont the dames of life and destinie,
In robes of cheerfull collours to repayre,
To this renowned Queene so wise and fayre,
With pleasaunt songes this peereles nimphe to greete,
Clotho layes downe her distaffe at her feete.
And Lachesis doth pull the threed at length,
The thirde with fauour giues it stuffe and strength
And for contrarie kinde affordes her leaue,
As her best likes her web of life to weaue
This time we will attend, and in the meane while
With some sweete songe the tediousnes beguile.

The Musicke sounde and the Nimphes within singe or solfa with voyces and instrumentes awhile. Then enter Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos singing as followeth: The state being in place.
The songe.
Cloth.
Humanæ vitæ filum sic voluere Parcæ.

Lach.
Humanæ vitæ filum sic tendere Parcæ.

Atrop.
Humanæ vitæ filum sic scindere Parcæ.

Cloth.
Clotho colum baiulat.

Lach.
Lachesis trahit.

Atr.
Atropos occat.

Tres
simul.
Viue diu fœlix votis hominúmque deûmque:
Corpore, mente, libro, doctissima, candida, casta.

They lay downe their properties at the Queenes feete.
Cloth.
Clotho colum pedibus.

Lach.
Lachesis tibi pendula fila.

Atr.
Et fatale tuis manibus ferrum Atropos offert.
Viue diu fœlix, &c.

The song being ended Clotho speakes to the Queene.
Cloth.
Gracious and wise, fayre Queene of rare renowne,
Whom heauen and earth beloues amyd thy trayne,
Noble and louely peeres: to honour thee
And doe thee fauour, more then may belong,
By natures lawe to any earthly wight,
Beholde continuance of our yearely due,
Th'unpartiall dames of destenie we meete,
As haue the gods and we agreed in one,
In reuerence of Elizas noble name,
And humblie loe her distaffe Clotho yeeldes.

Lach.

Atro.
Dame Atrops according as her pheeres
To thee fayre Queene resignes her fatall knife:
Liue longe the noble Phœnie of our age,
Our fayre Eliza our Zabeta fayre.

Dian.
And loe beside this rare solemnitie,
And sacrifice these dames are wont to doe,
A fauour far in deed contrarie kinde,
Bequeathed is vnto thy worthynes.
Shee deliuereth the ball of golde to the Queenes owne hands
This prize from heauen and heauenly goddesses,
Accept it then, thy due by Dians dome,
Praise of the wisedome, beautie and the state,
That best becomes thy peereles excellencie.

Ven.
So fayre Eliza, Venus doth resigne,
The honour of this honour to be thine.

Iun.
So is the queene of heauen content likewise,
To yelde to thee her title in the prize.

Pal.
So Pallas yeeldes the prayse hereof to thee,
For wisedome, princely state, and peerelesse beautie.