 | The Qveenes Masqves |  |
The honor, and splendor of these spectacles was such in the performance, as could those houres haue lasted, this of mine, now, had been a most vnprofitable worke. But (when it is the fate, euen of the greatest, and most absolute births, to need, and borrow a life of posteritie) little had beene done to the studie of magnificence in these, if presently with the rage of the people, who (as a part of greatnesse) are priuiledged by custome, to deface their carkasses, the spirits had also perished. In dutie, therefore, to that Maiestie, who gaue them their authoritie, and grace; and, no lesse then the most royall of predecessors, deserues eminent celebration for these solemnities: I adde this later hand, to redeeme them as well from Ignorance, as Enuie, two common euills, the one of censure, the other of obliuion.
Pliny, Solinvs, Ptolomey, and of late Leo the African, remember vnto vs a riuer in Æthiopia, famous by the name of Niger; of which the people were called Nigritæ, now Negro's: and are the blackest nation of the world. This
Some take it to be the same with Nilus, which is by Lucan called Melas, signifying Niger. Howsoeuer, Plinie, in the place aboue noted, hath this: Nigri fluuio cadem natura, quæ Nilo, calamum, papyrum, & casdem gignit animantes. See Solin. aboue mentioned.
First, for the Scene, was drawne a Landtschap, consisting of small woods, and here and there a void place fill'd with huntings; which falling, an artificiall sea was seene to shoote forth, as if it flowed to the land, raysed with waues, which seemed to moue, and in some places the billow to
The forme of these Tritons, with their trumpets, you may read liuely describ'd, in Ouid. Metamor. l.1. Cæruleum Tritona vocat, &c. and in Virgil. Æneid. l.10. Hunc vehit immanis Triton. & sequent.
Lucian. in ΡΗΤΟΡ. Διδας. presents Nilus so. Equo fluuiatili insidentem. And Statius Neptune, in Theb.
Oceanvs, presented in a humane forme, the colour of his flesh, blue; and shaddowed with a robe of sea-greene; his head grey; and
The ancients induc'd Oceanus alwayes with a Bulls head: propter vim ventorum, à quibus incitatur, & impellitur: vel quia Tauris similem fremitum emittat, vel quia tanquam Taurus furibandus, in littera feratur, Euripid. in Oreste. Ωκεανος ον ταυροκρανος α'γκα'λαις ελισσων, κυκλει χθονα. And riuers somtimes were so called. Looke Virg. de Tiberi, & Eridano. Geor. 4. Æneid. 8. Hor. Car. l.4. Ode. 14. and Eurip. in Ione.
Niger, in forme and colour of an Æthiope; his haire, and rare beard curled, shaddowed with a blue, and bright mantle: his front, neck, and wrists adorned with pearle, and crowned, with an artificiall wreathe of cane, and paper-rush.
These induced the Masquers, which were twelue Nymphs, Negro's; and the daughters of Niger; attended by so many of the Ocianae, which were their light-bearers.
The Masquers were placed in a great concaue shell, like mother of pearle, curiously made to moue on those waters, and rise with the billow; the top thereof was stuck with a cheu'ron of lights, which, indented to the proportion of the shell, strooke a glorious beame vpon them, as they were seated, one aboue another: so that they were all seene, but in an extrauagant order.
On sides of the shell, did swim sixe huge Sea-monsters, varyed in their shapes, and dispositions, bearing on their backs the twelue torch-bearers; who were planted there in seuerall graces; so as the backs of some were seene; some in purfle, or side; others in face; and all hauing their lights burning out of whelks, or murex shells.
The attyre of Masquers was alike, in all, without difference: the colours, azure, and siluer; but returned on the top with a scroll and antique dressing of feathers, and iewells interlaced with ropes of pearle. And, for the front, eare, neck, and wrists, the ornament was of the most choise and orient pearle; best setting off from the black.
For the light-bearers, sea-greene, waued about the skirts with gold and
siluer; their haire loose, and flowing, gyrlanded with sea-grasse, and that stuck with branches of corall.These thus presented, the Scene behind, seemed a vast sea (and vnited with this that flowed forth) from the termination, or horizon of which (being the leuell of the State, which was placed in the vpper end of the
By this, one of the Tritons, with the two Sea-Maids, began to sing to the others lowd musique, their voyces being a tenor, and two trebles.
SONG.
[Triton. Sea-Maids.]
Sound, sound aloud
The welcome of the Orient floud,
Into the West;
Fayre, Niger,
All riuers are said to be the sons of the Ocean: for, as the Ancients thought, out of the vapours, exhaled by the heat of the Sunne, riuers, and fountaines were begotten. And both by Orph. in Hymn. & Homer Iliad. ξ Oceanus is celebrated tanquam pater, & origo, dijs, & rebus, quia nihil sine humectatione nascitur, aut putrescit.
Now honord, thus,
With all his beautious race:
Who, though but blacke in face,
Yet, are they bright,
And full of life, and light.
To proue that beauty best,
Which not the colour, but the feature
Assures vnto the creature.
OCEANVS.
Be silent, now the ceremonies done,
And Niger, say, how comes it, louely sonne,
That thou, the Æthiopes riuer, so farre East,
Art seene to fall into th'extremest West
Of me, the king of flouds, Oceanvs,
And, in mine empires heart, salute me thus?
My ceaselesse current, now, amazed stands!
To see thy labour, through so many lands,
There wants not inough, in nature, to authorize this part of our fiction, in separating Niger, from the Ocean, (beside the fable of Alpheus, and that, to which Virgil alludes of Arethusa in his 10. Eclog. Sic tibi, cum fluctus subter labere Sicanos, Doris amara suam non intermisceat vndam) examples of Nilus, Iordan, and others wherof see Nican. lib.1. de flumin. & Plut. in vita Sillæ. euen of this our riuer (as some thinke) by the name of Melas.
And, in the sweetnesse, stretch thy diademe,
To these farre distant, and vn-equall'd skies
This squared Circle of cœlestiall bodies.
NIGER.
Diuine Oceanvs, tis not strange at all,
That (since the immortall soules of creatures mortall,
Mixe with their bodies, yet reserue for euer
A power of separation) I should seuer
My fresh streames, from thy brackish (like things fixed)
Though, with thy powerfull saltnesse, thus far mixed.
“Vertue, though chain'd to earth, will still liue free;
“And hell it selfe must yeeld to industrie.
OCEANVS.
Bvt, what's the end of thy Herculean labors,
Extended to these calme, and blessed shores?
NIGER.
In satisfying euery pensiue heart
Of these my Daughters, my most loued birth:
Who though they were the first form'd dames of earth,
And in whose sparckling, and refulgent eyes,
The glorious Sunne did still delight to rise;
Though he (the best iudge, and most formall cause
Of all dames beauties) in their firme hiewes, drawes
Signes of his feruent'st loue; and thereby shewes
That, in their black, the perfectst beauty growes;
Since the six't colour of their curled haire,
(Which is the highest grace of dames most faire)
No cares, no age can change; or there display
The fearefull tincture of abhorred Gray;
Since Death her selfe (her selfe being pale and blue)
Can neuer alter their most faithfull hiew;
All which are arguments, to proue, how far
Their beauties conquer, in great beauties warre;
And more, how neere Diuinitie they be,
That stand from passion, or decay so free.
Yet, since the fabulous voices of some few
Poore brain-sicke men, stil'd Poets, here with you,
Haue, with such enuie of their graces, sung
The painted Beauties, other Empires sprung;
Letting their loose, and winged fictions flie
To infect all clymates, yea our puritie;
As of one Phaeton, that fir'd the world
And, that, before his heedlesse flames were hurld
About the Globe, the Æthiopes were as faire,
As other Dames; now blacke, with blacke dispaire:
And in respect of their complections chang'd,
Are each where, since, for lucklesse creatures rang'd.
Which, when my Daughters heard, (as women are
Most ielous of their beauties) feare, and care
Possess'd them whole; yea, and beleeuing them,
They wept such ceaselesse teares, into my streame,
That it hath, thus far, ouerflow'd his shore
To seeke them patience: who haue since, ere more
As the Sunne riseth, chardg'd his burning throne
With volleys of reuilings; cause he shone
And other Dames, made queenes of all desires.
To frustrate which strange error, oft, I sought,
(Though most in vaine, against a setled thought
As womens are) till they confirm'd at length
By miracle, what I, with so much strength
Of argument resisted; els they fain'd:
For in the Lake, where their first spring they gain'd,
As they sate, cooling their soft Limmes, one night,
Appear'd a face, all circumfus'd with light;
(And sure they saw't, for Æthiopes neuer dreame)
Wherein they might decipher through the streame,
These words.
Whose termination (of the Greeke)
Sounds Tania; where bright Sol, that heat
Their blouds, doth neuer rise, or set,
But in his Iourney passeth by,
And leaues that Clymat of the sky,
To comfort of a greater Light,
Who formes all beauty, with his sight.
That speake out Tania, in their accents last;
Blacke Mauritania, first; and secondly,
Swarth Lusitania; next, we did descry
Rich Aquitania: and, yet, cannot find
The place vnto these longing Nymphes design'd.
Instruct, and ayde me, great Oceanvs,
What land is this, that now appeares to vs?
OCEANVS.
This Land, that lifts into the temperate ayre
His snowy cliffe, is Albion the faire;
So call'd of Neptunes son, who ruleth here:
For whose deare guard, my selfe, (foure thousand yeere)
Since old Deucalion's daies, haue walk'd the round
About his empire, proud, to see him crown'd
About my waues.
At this, the Moone was discouered in the vpper part of the house, triumphant in a Siluer throne, made in figure of a Pyramis. Her garments White, and Siluer, the dressing of her head antique; & crown'd with a Luminarie, or Sphȩre of light: which striking on the clouds, and heightned with Siluer, reflected as naturall
NIGER.
—O see, our siluer Starre!
Whose pure, auspicious light greetes vs, thus farre!
Great Æthiopia, Goddesse of our shore,
Since, with particular worship we adore
Thy generall brightnesse, let particular grace
Shyne on my zealous Daughters: Shew the place,
Which, long, their longings vrdg'd their eyes to see.
Beautifie them, which long haue Deified thee.
ÆTHIOPIA.
Niger, be glad: Resume the natiue cheare.
Thy Daughters labors haue their period here,
And so thy errors. I was that bright face
Reflected by the Lake, in which thy Race
Read mysticke lines; (which skill Pithagoras
First taught to men, by a reuerberate glasse)
This blessed Isle doth with that Tania end,
Which there they saw inscrib'd, and shall extend
Wish'd satisfaction to their best desires.
Britania, which the triple world admires
This Isle hath now recouered for her name;
Where raigne those beauties, that with so much fame
The sacred Mvses sonnes haue honored,
And from bright Hespervs to Eovs spred.
With that great name Britania, this blest Isle
Hath wonne her ancient dignitie, and stile,
A world, diuided from the world: and tri'd
The abstract of it, in his generall pride.
For were the world, with all his wealth, a ring,
Britania (whose new name makes all tongues sing)
Might be a Diamant worthy to inchase it,
Rul'd by a Svnne, that to this height doth grace it:
Whose beames shine day, and night, and are of force
To blanch an Æthiope, and reuiue a Cor's.
His light scientiall is, and (past mere nature)
Can salue the rude defects of euery creature.
Call forth thy honor'd Daughters, then;
And let them, 'fore the Brittaine men,
They flow with, in their natiue graces.
Inuite them, boldly, to the shore,
Their beauties shall be scorch'd no more:
This sunne is temperate, and refines
All things, on which his radiance shines.
Here the Tritons sounded, and they danced on shore, euery couple (as they aduanced) seuerally presenting their fans: in one of which were inscribed their mixt Names, in the other a mute Hieroglyphick, expressing their mixed qualities. Which manner of Symbole I rather chose, then Imprese, as well for strangenesse, as relishing of antiquitie, and more applying to that originall doctrine of sculpture, which the Ægyptians are said, first, to haue brought from the Æthiopians.
| The Names. | The Symboles. | |
| The Queene./Co. of Bedford. | 1. Evphoris./Aglaia. | 1. A golden tree, laden with fruit. |
| La. Herbert./Co. of Derby. | 2. Diaphane./Evcampse. | 2 The figure Isocaedron of crystall. |
| La. Rich./Co. of Suffolke. | 3. Ocyte./Kathare. | 3. A payre of naked feet, in a riuer. |
| La. Beuill./La. Effingham. | 4. Notis./Psychrote. | 4. The Salamander simple. |
| La. El. Howard./La. Sus. Vere. | 5. Glycyte./Malacia. | 5. A clowd full of raine, dropping. |
| La. Wroth./La. Walsingham. | 6. Baryte./Periphere. | 6. An vrne' spheard with wine. |
- Doris.
- Petraea.
- Ocyrhoe.
- Cydippe.
- Glavce.
- Tyche.
- Beroe.
- Acaste.
- Clytia.
- Ianthe.
- Lycorys.
- Plexavre.
The names of the Oceaniæ were.
Their owne single dance ended, as they were about to make choice of their men: One, from the sea, was heard to call'hem with this charme, sung by a tenor voyce.
Song.
[Oceanus.]
Come away, come away,
We grow iealous of your stay:
If you doe not stop your eare,
We shall haue more cause to feare
To doubt the Syrens of the sea.
Here they danc'd with their men, seuerall measures, and corranto's. All which ended, they were againe accited to sea, with a song of two trebles, whose cadences were iterated by a double eccho, from seuerall parts of the land.
Song.
[Oceaniae.]
Daughters of the subtle floud,
Doe not let earth longer intertayne you;
1. Ecch.
Let earth longer intertayne you.
2. Ecch.
Longer intertayne you.
'Tis to them, inough of good,
That you giue this little hope, to gayne you.
1. Ecch.
Giue this little hope, to gayne you.
2. Ecch.
Little hope, to gayne you.
If they loue,
You shall quickly see;
For when to flight you moue,
They'll follow you, the more you flee.
1. Ecch.
Follow you, the more you flee,
2. Ecch.
The more you flee.
If not, impute it each to others matter;
They are but earth, and what you vow'd was water.
1. Ecch.
But earth 1. Ecch.
And what you vow'd was water.
2. Ecch.
Earth. 2. Ecch.
You vow'd was water.
ÆTHIOPIA.
Inough, bright Nymphs, the night growes old,
And we are grieu'd, we cannot hold
You longer light: But comfort take.
Your father, onely, to the lake
Shall make returne: Your selues, with feasts,
Must here remayne the Ocean's guests.
Nor shall this vaile, the sunne hath cast
Aboue your bloud, more summers last.
For which, you shall obserue these rites.
Thirteene times thrise, on thirteene nights,
(So often as I fill my sphære
With glorious light, throughout the yeere)
You shall (when all things else doe sleepe
Saue your chast thoughts) with reuerence, steepe
Your bodies in that purer brine,
And wholsome dew, call'd Ros-marine:
Of which, the Ocean yet yeelds some,
Whereof bright Venvs, Beavties Queene,
Is said to haue begotten beene,
You shall your gentler limmes ore-laue,
And for your paines, perfection haue.
So that, this night, the yeare gone round,
You doe againe salute this ground;
And, in the beames of yond'bright Sunne,
Your faces dry, and all is done.
At which, in a Daunce they returned to the Sea, where they tooke their Shell; and, with this full Song, went out.
Song.
[Oceaniae.]
Now Dian, with her burning face,
Declines apace:
By which our Waters know
To ebbe, that late did flow.
Back Seas, back Nymphs; but, with a forward grace,
Keepe, still, your reuerence to the place:
And shout with ioy of fauor, you haue wonne,
In sight of Albion, Neptvnes sonne.
| The Qveenes Masqves | |