TIME VINDICATED TO HIMSELFE, AND TO HIS HONORS.
In the presentation at COVRT on Twelfth night. 1622.
—qui se mirantur, in illos
Virus habe: nos haec nouimus esse nihil.
[...]
TIME ƲINDICATED.
A Trumpet sounded.
FAME entreth, follow'd by the Curious, the Ey'd, the Ear'd, and the Nos'd.
FAME.
GIue eare, the worthy, heare what Time proclaimes.
EARES.
What? what? I'st worth our eares?
EIES.
Or eies?
NOSE.
Or noses?
For we are curious, Fame: indeed, the Curious.
EIES.
We come to spie.
EARES.
And hearken.
NOSE.
And smell out.
FAME.
More then you vnderstand, my hot Inquisitors.
Is it not so?
NOSE.
We cannot tell.
EIES.
It may be.
EARES.
Howeuer, goe you on, let vs alone.
EIES.
We may spie out, that, which you neuer mean't.
NOSE.
And nose the thing you sent not. First, whēce come you?
FAME.
I come from Saturne.
ERRES.
Saturne, what is he?
NOSE.
Some Protestant I warrant you, a Time-seruer,
As Fame her selfe is.
FAME.
You are neere the right.
Indeed, he' is Time it selfe, and his name KRONOS.
NOSE.
How! Saturne! Chronos, and the Time it selfe.
You' are found: inough. A notable old Pagan.
EARES.
One of their Gods, and eates vp his owne children.
NOSE.
A Fencer, and do's trauaile with a sith
in stead of a long-sword.
EISE.
Hath bin oft call'd from it,
to be their Lord of misrule.
EARES.
As Cincinnatus
[Page]Was, from the plough, to be Dictator.
EIES.
Yes.
Wee need no interpreter, on, what of Time?
FAME.
The Time hath sent me with my trumpe to summon
All sorts of persons worthy, to the view
Of some great spectacle he meanes, to night,
To' exhibite, and with all solemnity.
NOSE.
O, we shall haue his Saturnalia.
EIES.
His dayes of feast, and liberty agen.
EARES.
Where men might do, and talke all that they list.
EIES.
Slaues of their lords.
NOSE.
The seruants of their masters.
EARES.
And subiects of their Soucraigne.
FAME.
Not so lauish.
EARES.
It was a braue time that.
EIES.
This will be better.
I spie it comming, peace, all the impostures,
The prodigies, diseases, and distempers,
The knaueries of the Time, we shall see all now.
EARES.
And heare the passages, and seuerall humors
Of men, as they are swayd by their affections:
Some grumbling, and some mutining, some scoffing,
Some pleas'd, some pyning, at all these we laughing.
NOSE.
I haue it here, here, strong, the sweat of it,
And the confusion (which I loue) I nose it,
It tickles mee.
EIES.
My foure eies itch for it.
EARES.
And my eares tingle, would it would come forth:
This roome will not receaue it.
NOSE.
That's the feare.
Enter CHRONO-MASTIX.
CHRON.
What? what? my friends, will not this roome receaue?
EIES.
That which the Time is presently to shew vs.
CHRO.
The Time? Lo I the man, that hate the time
[Page]That is, that loue it not; and (though in ryme,
I here doe speake it) with this whipp you see,
Doe lash the Time, and am my selfe lash-free.
FAME.
Who's this?
EARES.
'Tis Chronomastix, the braue Satyre,
NOSE.
The gentleman-like Satyre, cares for nobody,
His fore-head tip't with bayes, doe you not know him?
EYES.
Yes Fame must know him, all the Towne admires him.
CHRO.
If you would see Time quake and shake, but name vs,
It is for that, we'are both belou'd, and famous.
EYES.
We know, Sir: but the Time's now come about.
EARES.
And promiseth all liberty.
NOSE.
Nay licence.
EYES.
We shall doe what we list.
EARES.
Talke what we list.
NOSE.
And censure whom we list, and how we list.
CHRO.
Then I will looke on Time, and loue the same,
And drop my whip: who's this! my Mistris! Fame!
The Lady whom I honor, and adore!
What lucke had I not to see her before!
Pardon me, Madam, more then most accurst,
That did not spie your Ladiship at first,
To' haue giu'n the stoop, and to salute the skirts
Of her, to whom all Ladies else are flirts!
It is for you, I reuell so in rime,
Deare Mistris, not for hope I haue the Time
Will growe the better by it. To serue Fame
Is all my end, and get my selfe a name.
FAME.
Away I know thee not, wretched Impostor,
Creature of glory, Mountebanke of witt,
Selfe-louing Braggart, Fame doth sound no trumpett
To such vaine, empty fooles: 'Tis infamy
Thou seru'st, and follow'st, scorne of all the Muses,
Goe reuell with thine ignorant admirers,
Let worthy names alone.
CHRO.
O, you the Curious,
[Page]Breath you to see a passage so iniurious,
Done with despight, and carried with such tumor
'Gainst me, that am so much the freind of rumor?
(I would say Fame?) whose Muse hath rid in rapture
On a soft ambling verse to euery capture,
From the strong guard, to the weake child that reads me,
And wonder both of him that loues, or dread's me!
Who with the lash of my immortall pen
Haue scourg'd all sorts of vices, and of men!
Am I rewarded, thus? haue I, I say,
From Enuies selfe torne praise, and bayes away,
With which my glorious front, and word at large,
Triumphs in print at my admirers charge.
EARES.
Rare! how he talkes in verse, iust as he writes!
CHRON.
When haue I walk't the streetes, but happy he
That had the finger first to point at mee,
Prentice, or Iourneyman! The shop doth know it!
The vnletter'd Clarke! maior and minor Poet!
The Sempster hath sate still as I pass'd by,
And dropt her needle! Fishwiues staid their cry!
The Boy with buttons, and the Basket wench
To vent their wares, into my workes do trench!
A pudding-wife, that would despise the Times,
Hath vtterd' frequent pen' worths, through my rimes,
And, with them, diu'd into the Chamber-maid,
And shee vnto her Lady hath convayd
The seasond morsels, who hath sent me pensions,
To cherish and to heighten my inuentions.
Well, Fame shall know it yet, I haue my faction,
And freinds about me, though it please detraction
To do me this affront. Come forth that loue me,
And now, or neuer, spite of Fame, approue me.
At this the Mutes come in, THE ANTIMASQVERS.
FAME.
How now! what's here? Is hell broke loose?
EYES.
You'l see.
That he ha's fauourers, Fame, and great ones too,
That vnctuous Bounty, is the Boffe of Belinsgate,
EARES.
Who feasts his Muse with claret wine, and oysters,
NOSE.
Growes big with Satyr,
EARES.
Goes as long as an Elephant:
EYES.
She labours, and lies in of his inuentions,
NOSE.
Ha's a male poem in her belly now,
Big as a colt,
EARES.
That kicks at Time already,
EYES.
And is no sooner foald, but will neigh sulphure:
FAME.
The next?
EARES.
A quondam Iustice, that of late
Hath bin discarded out 'o the pack o'the peace,
For some lewd leuitie he holds in capite,
But constantly loues him. In dayes of yore,
He vs'd to giue the charge out of his poems,
He carries him about him, in his pocket,
As Philip's Sonne did Homer, in a casket,
And cries, O happy Man, to the wrong party,
Meaning the Poet, where he meant the subiect:
FAME.
What are this paire?
EYES.
The ragged rascalls?
FAME.
Yes.
EYES.
Meere rogues, you' world thinke'em rogues, but they are friends,
One is his Printer in disguise, and keepes
His presse in a hollow tree, where to conceale him,
He works by glow-worme light, the Moone's too open.
The other zealous Ragg is the Compositor,
Who in an angle, where the ants inhabite,
[Page](The Emblem's of his Labours) will sit curl'd
Whole dayes, and nights, and worke his eyes out for him.
NOSE.
Strange arguments of loue! There is a Schoole master
Is turning all his workes too, into Latine,
To pure Satyricke Latine; makes his Boyes
To learne him; calls him the times Iuuenal;
Hangs all his Schoole with his sharpe sentences;
And o're the Execution place hath painted
Time whipt, for terror to the Infantery.
EIES.
This Man ofwarre i'the rere, He is both Trumpet
And Champion to his Muse.
EARES.
For the whole City.
NOSE.
Ha's him by roat, recites him at the tables,
Where he doth gouern, sweares him into name,
Vpon his word, and sword, for the sole youth
Dares make profession of Poetick truth,
Now militant amongst vs. To th'incredulous,
That dagger is an article he vses,
To riuet his respect into their pates,
And make thē faithful, Fame, you'l find you' haue wrōgd him.
FAME.
What a confederacy of Folly is here.
They all daunce but Fame, and make the first Antimasque, In which they adore, and carry forth the Satyre, and the Curious come vp agen.
EIES.
Now Fame, how like you this?
EARES.
This fals vpon you
For your neglect.
NOSE.
He scornes you, and defies you,
H'as got a Fame on's owne, as well as a Faction.
EIES.
And this will deifie him, to despite you.
FAME.
I enuy not the [...].
'Twill prooue but deifying of a pompion.
NOSE.
Well, what is that the Time will now exhibite?
EIES.
What gambols? what deuises? what new sports?
EARES.
You promis'd vs, we should haue any thing.
NOSE.
That Time would giue vs all we could imagine.
FAME.
You might imagine so, I neuer promis'd it.
EIES.
Pox, then 'tis nothing. I had now a fancy
We might haue talk'd o' the King.
EARSE.
Or State.
NOSE.
Or all the World.
EIES.
Censur'd the Counsell, e're they censure vs.
EARES.
We do it in Paules.
NOSE.
Yes, and in all the tauernes.
FAME.
A comely licence. They that censure those
They ought to reuerence, meete they that old curse,
To beg their bread, and feele eternall winter.
Ther's difference 'twixt liberty, and licence.
NOSE.
Why if it be not that, let it be this then
(For since you graunt vs freedome, we will hold it,)
Let's haue the giddy world turn'd the heeles vpward,
And sing a rare black Sanctus, on his head,
Of all things out of order.
EIES.
No, the Man
I' the moone dance a Corranto, his bush
At's back, a fire; and his dog piping Lachrimae.
EARES.
Or let's haue all the people in an vprore,
None knowing, why, or to what end: and in
The mid'st of all, start vp an old mad woman
Preaching of patience.
NOSE.
No, no, I'ld ha' this-
EIES.
What?
FAME.
Any thing.
NOSE.
That could be monstrous:
Inough, I meane. A Babel of wild humors.
EARES.
I, all disputing of all things they know not,
EIES.
And talking of all men they neuer heard of,
EARES.
And all together by the eares o' the suddaine,
EIES.
And, when the matter is at hottest, then
All fall a sleepe.
FAME.
Agree among your selues,
And what it is youl'd haue, I'le answer you.
EIES.
O, that wee shall neuer doe.
EARES.
No, neuer agree.
NOSE.
Not vpon what. Something that is vnlawfull.
EARES
I, or vnreasonable.
EIES
Or impossible.
NOSE.
Let 't be vnciuill inough, you hit vs right.
EARES
And a great noyse.
EYES.
To little, or no purpose.
NOSE.
And if there be some mischief, 'twill become it.
EYES.
But see, there be no cause, as you will answer it.
FAME.
These are meere Monsters.
NOSE.
I, all the better.
FAME.
You doe abuse the Time, these are fit freedomes
For lawlesse prentices, on a Shrouetuesday,
When they compell the Time to serue their riot:
For drunken Wakes, and strutting Beare-baytings,
That sauor only of their owne abuses.
EYES.
Why, if not those, then something to make sport.
EARES
Wee only hunt for nouelty, not truth.
FAME.
I'le fit you, though the Time faintly permit it.
The second Antimasque of Tumblers, and Iuglers, who abuse the Curious, and driue them away: led in by the Cat and fiddle.
FAME.
Why now they are kindly vs'd, like such Spectators,
That know not what they would haue. Commonly,
The Curious are ill natur'd, and like flies,
Seeke Times corrupted part to blow vpon:
But may the sound ones liue with fame, and honour,
Free from the molestation of these Insects,
Who being fled, Fame now pursues her errand.
Loud MVSIQVE. To which the whole Scene opens, where Saturne sitting with Venus is discouer'd aboue, and certaine Votaries comming forth below, which are the Chorus.
FAME.
For you, great King, to whom the Time doth owe
All his respects, and reuerence, behold
How Saturne, vrged at request of Loue,
Prepares the obiect to the place to night.
Within yon'd darkenesse, Venus bath found out
That Hecate (as she is Queene of shades)
Keepes certaine glories of the Time obscur'd,
There, for her selfe alone to gaze vpon,
As she did once the faire Endimion.
These, Time hath promis'd at Loues suit to free,
As being fitter to adorne the age,
By you restor'd on earth, most like his owne:
And fill this world of beautie here, your Court.
To which his bounty, see, how men prepare
To fit their votes below, and thronging come
With longing passion to enioy th' effect!
Harke, it is Loue begins to Time. Expect.
VENVS.
Beside, that it is done for Loue,
It is a worke, great Time, will proue
Thy honor, as mens hopes aboue.
SATVRNE.
If Loue be pleased, so am I:
For Time could neuer yet deny
What Loue did aske, if Loue knew why.
VOTARIES.
She knew, and hath exprest it now,
And so doth euery publike vow
That heard her why, and waites thy how.
SATVRNE.
You shall not long expect; with ease
The things come foorth, are borne to please:
Looke, haue you seene such lights as these?
The Masquers are discourered, and that, which obscur'd them, vanisheth.
VOTARIES.
These, These must sure some wonders be!
CHORVS.
O, what a glory 'tis to see
Mens wishes, Time, and Loue agree!
A pause.
There SATVRNE and VENVS passe away, and the Masquers descend.
CHORVS.
What griefe, or enuy had it beene,
That these, and such had not bin seene,
but still obscur'd in shade!
Who are the glories of the Time,
Of youth, and feature too, the prime,
And for the light were made?
VOTARIES.
1 Their very number, how it takes!
2 What harmony their presence makes!
3 How they inflame the place!
CHORVS.
Now they are neerer seene, and view'd;
For whom could Loue haue better sued?
or Time haue done the grace?
Here to a loud Musique, they march into their figure, and daunce their ENTRY, or first DAVNCE. After which.
VENVS.
The night could not these glories misse,
Good Time, I hope, is ta'ne with this.
SATVRNE.
If Time were not, I' am sure Loue is.
Betweene vs it shall be no strife:
For now 'tis Loue, giues Time his life.
VOTARIES.
Let Time then so with Loue conspire,
as strait be sent into the court
A little Cupid, arm'd with fire,
Attended by a iocund Sport,
To breed delight, and a desire
of being delighted in the nobler sort.
SATVRNE.
The wish is crown'd, as soone as made.
VOTARIES.
And CVPID conquers, e're he doth inuade.
His Victories of lightest trouble proue.
For there is neuer labour, where is Loue.
Then, followes the maine DAVNCE, which done, CVPID, with the SPORT, goes out.
CVPID.
Take breath a while, yong Bloods, to bring
Your forces vp, whilst we goe sing
Fresh charges, to the Beauties here.
To the Masquers.
SPORT.
Or, if they charge you, doe not feare,
[Page]Though they be better arm'd then you:
It is but standing the first view,
And then they yeeld.
CVPID.
Or quit the field.
SPORT.
Nay, that they'l neuer doe,
They'l rather fall vpon the place
Then suffer such disgrace.
You are but Men at best, they say,
And they from those ne're ran away.
Pause.
CVPID.
To the King.
You, Sir, that are the Lord of Time,
Receiue it not as any crime
'Gainst Maiesty, that Loue and Sport
To night haue entred in your Court.
SPORT.
Sir, doubt him more of some surprise
Vpon your selfe. He hath his eyes.
You are the noblest obiect here,
And 'tis for you alone I feare:
For here are Ladyes, that would giue
A braue reward, to make Loue liue
Well, all his life, for such a draught.
And therefore, looke to euery shaft,
The Wag's a Deacon in his Craft.
Pause.
CVPID.
To the Lords.
My Lords, the Honors of the Crowne,
Put off your sowrenesse, do not frowne,
Bid cares depart, and businesse hence:
A little, for the Time dispence.
SPORT.
Trust nothing that the Boy lets fall,
My Lords, he hath plots vpon you all.
A pensioner vnto your wiues,
To keepe you in vxorious giues,
[Page]And so your sense to fascinate,
To make you quit all thought of state,
His amorous questious to debate.
But, heare his Logicke, he will proue
There is no busines, but to be in loue.
Pause
CVPID.
The words of Sport, my Lords, and course.
Pause
Your Ladies yet, will not thinke worse
To the Ladies.
Of loue for this,, They shall command
My Bowe, my Quiuer, and my Hand.
SPORT.
What, here to stand
and kill the Flies?
Alas, thy seruice they despise.
One Beauty here, hath in her eyes,
More shafts then from thy bow ere flew,
Or that poore quiuer knew.
These Dames
They need not Loue's, they 'haue Natures flames.
CVPID.
I see that Beauty, that you so report.
SPORT.
Cupid, you must not point in Court,
Where liue so many of a sort.
Of Harmony these learn'd their speech,
The Graces did them footing teach,
And, at the old Idalian bralls,
They daunc'd your Mother downe, shee calls.
CVPID.
Arme, arme then all.
SPORT.
Young Bloods come on,
And charge: Let euery Man take one.
CVPID.
And try his fate.
SPORT.
These are faire warres,
And will be carried without scarres.
CVPID.
A ioyning, but of feet, and hands,
Is all the Time, and Loue commands.
SPORT.
Or if you doe their gloues off strip,
Or tast the nectar of the lip:
See, so you temper your desires,
For kisses, that yee sucke not fires.
The REVELS follow, which ended, the CHORVS appeare agen, and DIANA descends to HIPPOLITVS.
CHORVS.
The Courtly strife is done, it should appeare,
Betweene the Youths, and Beauties of the yeare,
We hope that now these lights will know their sphere,
And striue hereafter to shine euer here:
Like brightest Planets, still to mooue
In th'eye of Time, and orbes of Loue.
DIANA.
Hippolitus, Hippolitus.
HIPPOLITVS.
Diana?
DIANA.
Shee.
Be ready you, or CEPHALVS,
To waite on me.
HIPPOLTVS.
Wee euer bee.
DIANA.
Your Goddesse hath bin wrong'd to night,
[Page]By Loues report vnto the Time.
HIPPOLITVS.
The iniury it selfe will right
Which only Fame hath made a crime.
For Time is wise,
And hath his eares as perfect as his eyes.
SATVRNE.
Who's that descends? Diana?
VOTARIES.
Yes.
VENVS.
By like her troope she hath begun to misse.
SATVRNE.
Let's meet, and question what her errand is.
HIPPOLITVS.
Shee will preuent thee, Saturne, not t' excuse
Her-selfe vnto thee, rather to complaine
That thou and Venus both should so abuse
The name of Dian, as to entertayne
A thought, that she had purpose to defraud
The Time, of any glories that were his:
To do Time honour rather, and applaud
His worth, hath bin her study,
DIANA.
And it is.
I call'd these youth's forth, in their blood, and prime,
Out of the honor, that I bore their parts;
To make them fitter so to serue the Time
By labour, riding, and those ancient arts,
That first enabled men vnto the warres,
And furnish'd Heauen with so many Starres:
HIPPOLITVS.
As Perseus, Castor, Pollux, and the rest,
Who were of Hunters first, of Men the best,
Whose shades do yet remayne within yond' groues,
Themselues there sporting with their nobler loues:
DIANA.
And so may these doe, if the Time giue leane.
SATVRNE.
Chast Dians purpose we do now conceaue,
And yeeld thereto.
VENVS.
And so doth Loue.
VOTARIES.
All votes do in one circle moue.
CHORVS.
Turne Hunters then,
agen.
Hunting, it is the noblest exercise,
Makes men laborious, actiue, wise,
Brings health, and doth the spirits delight,
It help's the hearing, and the sight:
It teacheth Arts that neuer slip
The memory, good Horsmanship,
Search, sharpnes, courage, and defence,
And chaseth all ill habits thence.
Turne Hunters then,
agen,
But not of Men.
Follow his ample,
And iust example,
That hates all chace of malice, and of blood:
And studies only wayes of good,
To keepe soft peace in breath.
Man should not hunt Mankind to death,
But strike the enemyes of Man;
Kill vices if you can:
They are your wildest beasts,
And when they thickest fall, you make the Gods true feasts:
The end.