University of Virginia Library

At the house of the most worthely honour'd preferrer and gracer of all honorable Actions, and vertues, (sir Edward Philips Knight, Master of the Rolls) al the Performers and their Assistents made their Rendes vous, prepar'd to their performance, and thus set forth.

Fiftie Gentlemen, richly attirde, and as gallantly mounted, with Foot-men perticularly attending, made the noble vant-guarde of these Nuptiall forces. Next (a sit distance obseru'd betweene them) marcht a mock-Maske

of Baboons, attir'd like fantasticall Trauailers, in Neapolitane sutes, and great ruffes, all horst with Asses; and dwarfe Palfries, with yellow foot-cloathes, and casting Cockle-demois about, in courtesie, by way of lardges; Torches boarn on either hand of them; lighting their state as ridiculously, as the rest Nobly. After them were sorted two Carrs Triumphall, adornd with great Maske heads, Festones, scroules, and antick leaues, euery part inricht with siluer and golde. These were through-varied with different inuention, and in them aduanc't, the choice Musitions of our Kingdome, sixe in each; attir'd like Virginean Priests, by whom the Sun is there ador'd; and therfore called the Phœbades. Their Robes were tuckt vp before; strange Hoods of feathers, and scallops about their neckes, and on their heads turbants, stucke with seuerall colour'd feathers, spotted with wings of Flies, of extraordinary bignesse; like those of their countrie: And about them march't two ranks of Torches. Then rode the chiefe Maskers, in Indian habits, all of a resemblance: the ground cloath of siluer, richly embroidered, with golden Sunns, and about euery Sunne, ran a traile of gold, imitating Indian worke,: their bases of the same stuffe and work, but betwixt euery pane of embroidery, went a rowe of white Estridge feathers, mingled with sprigs of golde plate; vnder their breasts, they woare bawdricks of golde, embroidered high with purle, and about their neckes, Ruffes of feathers, spangled with pearle and siluer. On their heads high sprig'd-feathers, compast in Coronets, like the Virginian Princes they presented. Betwixt euery set of feathers, and about their browes, in the vnder-part of their Coronets, shin'd Sunnes of golde plate, sprinkled with pearle; from whence sprung rayes of the like plate, that mixing vvith the motion of the feathers, shew'd exceedingly delightfull, and gracious. Their legges were adorn'd, with close long white silke-stockings: curiously embroidered vvith golde to the Middelegge.

And ouer these (being on horse backe) they drew greaues or buskins embrodered with gould, & enterlac't with rewes of fethers; Altogether estrangfull, and Indian like.

In their Hands (set in seueral postures as they rode) they brandisht cane darts of the finest gould. Their vizerds of oliue collour; but pleasingly visag'd: their hayre, blacke and lardge, wauing downe to their shoulders.

Their Horse, for rich show, equalld the Maskers them-selues; all their caparisons being enchac't with sunnes of Gould and Ornamentall Iewells. To euery one of which, was tackt a Scarffing of Siluer; that ran sinnuousely in workes ouer the whole caparison, euen to the daseling of the admiring spectators.

Their heads, no lesse gracefully and properly deckt with the like light skarffing that hung about their eares wantonly dangling.

Euery one of these horse, had two Moores, attir'd like Indian slaues, that for state sided them; with swelling wreaths of gould, and watshed on their heads, which arose in all to

the number of a hundred.

The Torch-bearers habits were likewise of the Indian garb, but more strauagant then those of the Maskers; all showfully garnisht with seueral-hewd fethers. The humble variety whereof, stucke off the more amplie, the Maskers high beauties, shining in the habits of themselues; and reflected in their kinde, a new and delightfully-varied radiance on the beholders.

All these sustaind torches of Virgine wax, whose staues were great canes al ouer gilded; And these (as the rest) had euery Man his Moore, attending his horse.

The Maskers, riding single; had euery Masker, his Torch-bearer mounted before him.

The last Charriot, which was most of all adornd; had his whole frame fill'd with moulded worke; mixt all with paintings, and glittering scarffings of siluer; ouer which was cast a Canopie of golde, boarne vp with antick figures, and all compos'd a la Grotesea. Before this in the seate of it, as the Chariotere;

vvas aduanc't a strange person, and as strangely habited, half French, halfe Swizz; his name Capriccio; wearing on his head a paire of golden Bellowes, a guilt spurre in one hand, and with the other mannaging the reignes of the fowre Horses that drewe it.

On a seate of the same Chariot, a little more eleuate, sate Eunomia, the Virgine Priest of the Goddesse Honor, together with Phemis, her Herald: The habite of her Priest, was a Robe of white silke, gathered about the necke; a pentacle of siluered stuffe about her shoulders, hanging foldedly downe, both before and behind.

A vestall vaile on her head of Tiffany, strip't with siluer, hanging with a trayne, to the earth.

The Herrald was attyr'd in an Antique Curace of siluer stuffe, with labells at the wings and basses; a short gowne of gould stuffe; with wide sleeues, cut in panes: A wreath of gould on his head, and a Rod of gould in his hand.

Highest of all in the most eminent seate of the Tryumphall sat, side to side, the cœlestiall Goddesse, Honour; and the earthy Deity, Plutus; or Riches. His attire; a short robe of gould, frindg'd; his wide sleeues turn'd vp, and out-showd his naked armes: his Head and Beard sprinckl'd with showrs of gould: his Buskins, clinckant, as his other attire. The Ornaments of Honor were these: a rich full robe of blew silke girt about her, a mantle of siluer worne ouer-thwart, ful gathered, and descending in folds behind: a vaile of net lawne, enbrodered with Oos and Spangl'd; her tresses in tucks, braided with siluer: The hinder part shadowing in waues her shoulders.

These, thus perticularly, and with proprietie adorn'd, were strongly attended with a full Guard of two hundred Halbardiers: two Marshals (being choice Gentlemen, of either house) Commaunder-like attir'd, to and fro coursing, to keepe all in their orders.

A showe at all parts so nouell, conceitfull and glorious, as hath not in this land, (to the proper vse and obiect it had porpos'd) beene euer before beheld. Nor did those honorable Inns of Court, at any time in that kinde, such acceptable seruice to the sacred Maiesty of this kingdome, nor were return'd by many degrees, with so thrice gratious, and royall entertainment and honor. But, (as aboue sayd) all these so marching to the Court at White Hall, the King, Bride, & Bridegroom, with all the Lords of the most honord priuy Councel, and our chief Nobility, stood in the Gallery before the Tilt-yeard, to behold their arriuall; who, for the more ful satisfaction of his Maiesties view, made one turn about the yeard, and dismounted: being then honorably attended through the Gallery to a Chamber appointed, where they were to make ready for their performance in the Hall, &c.

The King beeing come forth, the Maskers ascended vnseene to their scœne. Then for the works.

First there appear'd at the lower end of the

Hall, an Artificiall Rock, whose top was neere as high as the hall it selfe. This Rock, was in the vndermost part craggy, and full of hollow places, in whose concaues were contriv'd, two winding paire of staires, by whose greeces the Persons aboue might make their descents, and all the way be seene: all this Rocke grew by degrees vp into a gold-colour; and was run quite through, with veines of golde: On the one side whereof, eminently raised on a faire hill, was erected a siluer Temple of an octangle figure, whose Pillars were of a compos'd order, and bore vp an Architraue, Freese, and Cornish: Ouer which stood a continued Plinthe; whereon were aduaunc't Statues of siluer: Aboue this, was placed a bastarde Order of Architecture, wherein were keru'd Compartements: In one of which was written in great golde Capitalls, HONORIS FANVM: Aboue all, was a Coupolo, or Type, which seem'd to be scal'd with siluer Plates.

For finishing, of all, vpon a Pedistall, was fixt a round stone of siluer, from which grew a paire of golden wings, both faign'd to bee

Fortunes: the round stone (when her feet trod it) euer affirm'd to be rouling; figuring her inconstancy: the golden wings, denoting those nimble Powres, that pompously beare her about the world; On that Temple (erected to her daughter, Honor; and figuring this kingdome) put off by her, and fixt, for assured signe she would neuer forsake it.

About this Temple, hung Festones wreath'd with siluer from one Pillars head to another. Besides, the Freese was enricht with keruings, all shewing Greatnes and Magnificence.

On the other side of the Rocke, grewe a Groue, in whose vtmost part appear'd a vast, wither'd, and hollow Tree, being the bare receptacle of the Baboonerie.

These following should in duty haue had their proper places, after euery fitted speech of the Actors; but being preuented by the vnexpected haste of the Printer, which he neuer let me know, and neuer sending me a proofe, till he had past those speeches; I had no reason to imagine hee could haue been so forward. His fault is therfore to be supplied by the obseruation,

and reference of the Reader, who will easily perceiue, where they were to bee inserted.

After the speech of Plutus (who as you may see after, first entred) the middle part of the Rocke began to moue, and being come some fiue paces vp towards the King, it split in peeces with a great crack; and out brake Capriccio, as before described. The peeces of the Rocke vanisht and he spake as in his place.

At the singing of the first Song, full, which was sung by the Virginian Priests; called the Phœbades, to sixe Lutes (being vsed as an Orphean vertue, for the state of the Mines opening): the vpper part of the Rock was sodainly turn'd to a Cloude, discouering a rich and refulgent Mine of golde; in which the twelue Maskers vvere triumphantly seated: their Torch-bearers attending before them. All the lights beeing so ordred, that though none were seen, yet had their lustre such vertue, that by it, the least spangle or spark of the Maskers rich habites, might with ease and cleerenesse be discerned as far off as the seate.

Ouer this golden Mine, in an Euening sky, the ruddy Sunne was seen ready to be set; and behind the tops of certaine white Cliffes, by degrees descended, casting vp a banke of Cloudes; in which, a while hee was hidden: but then gloriously shining, gaue that vsually-obseru'd good Omen, of succeeding faire weather.

Before he was fully set, the Phœbades (shewing the custome of the Indians to adore the Sunne setting) began their obseruance with the Song, to whose place, wee must referre you for the manner and words; All the time they were singing; the Torch-bearers holding vp their Torches to the Sun; to whome the Priests themselues, aud the rest, did as they sung obeisance: Which was answred by other Musique and voices, at the commandement of Honor, with al obseruances vs'd to the King &c. As in the following places.