Louers made Men.
A Masque PRESENTED IN THE HOVSE OF THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORD HAYE.
By diuers of noble qualitie, his friends.
For the entertaynment of Monsieur LE BARON DE TOVR, extraordinarie Ambassador for the FRENCH KING.
On Saterday the 22. of FEBRVARY. 1617.
MART.
Quid titulum poscis? Versus duo tresue legantur.
1617.
The Front before the Scene, an Arch-Triumphall, On the top of which, HVMANITIE placed in figure, sits with her lap full of flowres, scattering them with her right hand; and holding a golden chaine in her left: to shew both the freedome, and the bond of Courtesie. with this inscription. ‘SVPER OMNIA VULTVS.’
On the two sides of the Arch
- CHEEREFVLNES and
- READINES
her seruants.
CHEEREFVLNES, in a loose flowing garment, filling out wine from an antique piece of plate: with this word ‘Adsit laetitiae dator.’
READINES, a winged Maid with two flaming bright lights in her handes: and her word ‘Amor addidit alas.’
The Scene discouered, is (on the one side) the head of a boate, and in it CHARON putting off from the shore, hauing landed certayne imagined ghosts, whom MERCVRY there receiues, and encourageth to come on, towards the riuer LETHE, who appeares lying in the person of an old man. The FATES sitting by him on his banke. A groue of mirtles behinde them, presented, and growing thicker, to the other side of the Scene.
MERCVRY.
[Page]NAy, faint not now, so neere the fields of rest,
Here no more furies, no more torments dwell,
Then each hath felt already in his brest,
Who hath beene once in loue, hath prou'd his hell.
Vp then, and follow this my golden rod,
That points you next to aged LETHES shore,
Who powres his waters from his vrne abroad,
Of which but tasting, you shall faint no more.
LETHE.
Stay, who, or what phantastique shades are these
That HERMES leades?
MERCVRY.
They are the gentle formes,
Of Louers, tost vpon those frantique seas,
Whence VENVS sprung.
LETHE.
And haue rid out her stormes?
MERCVRY.
No.
LETHE:
Did they perish?
MERCVRY.
Yes.
LETHE.
How?
MERCVRY.
Drown'd by loue,
That drew them forth with hopes as smooth as were
Th'vnfaithfull waters he desir'd 'hem proue.
LETHE.
[Page]And turn'd a tempest when he had 'hem there?
MERCVRY.
He did, and on the billow would he rowle,
And laugh, to see one throw his heart away,
Another sighing, vapour forth his soule,
A third, to melt himselfe in teares, and say,
O Loue, I now to salter water turne
Then that I die in; then, a fourth, to crie
Amid the surges, oh I burne, I burne:
A fift, laugh out, it is my ghost, not I.
And thus in paires I found 'hem. Only one
There is, that walks, and stops, and shakes his head,
And shuns the rest, as glad to be alone,
And whispers to himselfe, he is not dead.
FATES.
No more are all the rest.
MERCVRY.
No?
1. FATE.
No.
MERCVRY.
But, why
Proceedes this doubtfull voyce from destiny?
FATES.
It is too sure.
MERCVRY.
Sure?
2. FATE.
I: thinkes MERCVRY,
That any things, or names on earth doe die,
[Page]That are obscur'd from knowledge of the FATES;
Who keepe all rolls?
3. FATE.
And know all natures dates?
MERCVRY.
They say themselues th'are dead.
1. FATE.
It not appeares.
Or, by our rocke.
2. FATE.
Our spindle.
3. FATE.
Or our sheeres.
FATES.
Here all their threds are growing, yet none cut.
MERCVRY.
I' gin to doubt, that Loue with charmes hath put
This phant'sie in 'hem; and they only thinke
That they are ghosts.
FATE.
If so, then let 'hem drinke
Of LETHES streame.
FATE.
'Twill make 'hem to forget
LOVES name.
FATE.
And so, they may recouer yet.
MERCVRY.
Doe, bow vnto the reuerend lake.
And hauing touch'd there; vp, and shake
The shaddowes off, which yet doe make
Vs you, and you your-selues mistake.
[Page] Here they all stoope to the water, and dance forth their antimasque, in seuerall gestures, as they liu'd in loue: And retyring into the Groue, before the last person be off the stage, the first couple appeare in their posture, betweene the trees, readie to come fourth, changed.
MERCVRY.
See! see! they are themselues agen!
1. FATE.
Yes, now they are substances, and men.
2. FATE.
LOVE, at the name of LETHE flyes.
LETHE.
For, in obliuion drown'd, he dyes.
3. FATE.
He must not hope, though other states
He oft subdue, he can the FATES.
FATES.
'Twere insolence, to thinke his powres
Can worke on vs, and equall ours.
CHORVS.
REturne, Returne,
Like lights to burne
On earth,
For others good:
Your second birth
Will fame old LETHES flood,
And warne a world,
That now are hoorld
About in tempest, how they proue
Shaddowes for Loue.
[Page]Leape forth: your light it is the nobler made,
By being strooke out of a shade.
Here they dance forth their entrie, or first dance: after which
CVPID
—appearing, meetes them.
WHy, now you take me! these are rites
That grace Loues dayes, and crown his nights!
These are the motions, I would see,
And praise, in them that follow mee!
Not sighes, nor teares, nor wounded harts,
Nor flames, nor ghosts: but ayrie parts
Try'd, and refin'd as yours haue bin,
And such they are, I glorie in.
MERCVRY.
Looke, looke vnto this snakie rod,
And stop your eares against the charming god;
His euery word, falls from him, is a snare:
Who haue so lately knowne him, should beware.
Here they dance their mayne dance, which ended,
CVPID.
Come, doe not call it CVPIDS crime,
You were thought dead, before your time.
If thus you moue to HERMES will
Alone; you will be thought so still.
Goe, take the ladies forth, and talke,
And touch, and taste too: Ghosts can walke.
'Twixt eyes, tongues, hands, the mutuall strife
Is bred, that tries the truth of life.
They doe, indeede, like dead men moue,
That thinke they liue, and not in loue.
[Page] Here they take forth the Ladies, and the Reuells follow: after which,
MERCVRY.
Nay, you should neuer haue left off:
But stay'd, and heard your generall CVPID scoff,
To finde you in the line you were.
CVPID.
HERMES, your too much wit, breeds too much feare.
MERCVRY.
Good Flie, good night.
CVPID.
But, will you goe?
Can you leaue LOVE, and he intreat you so?
Here, take my quiuer, and my bow,
My torches too; that you, by all, may know
I meane no danger to your stay:
This night, I will create my holiday,
And be yours, naked, and entire.
MERCVRY.
As if that LOVE, dis-arm'd, were lesse a fire?
Away, away.
They dance their going out: which done,
MERCVRY.
Yet lest that VENVS wanton Sonne
Should, with the world, be quite vndone,
For your faire sakes (you brighter starres,
Who haue beheld these ciuill warres)
FATE is content, these Louers here
Remayne still such: so LOVE will sweare
Neuer to force them act to doo,
But what he will call HERMES too.
CVPID.
[Page]I sweare: and with like cause thanke MERCVRY,
As these haue, to thanke him, and destinie.
CHORVS.
All then take cause of ioy: for who hath not?
Old LETHE, that their follies are forgot;
We, that their liues vnto their fates they fit:
They, that they still shall loue, and loue with wit.
The end.