IN the border that enclosed the Sceans and made a frontispice to all the worke, in a square Neech on the right hand stood two figures of women, one of them expressing much majesty in her aspect, apparelled in sky colour with a crowne of gold on her head, and a bridle in her hand, representing Rea­son: the other embracing her was in changeable silke with wings at her shoulders, figured for intelle­ctuall Appetite, who while she imbraceth Reason, all the actions of men are rightly governed. Above these in a second order, were winged children, one ri­ding on a furious Lion, which hee seemes to tame with reynes and a bit: Another bearing an Antique ensigne: the third hovering above with a branch of Palme in his hand, expressing the victory over the Perturbations. In a Neech on the other side stood two figures joyning hands, one a grave old man in a robe of purple, with a heart of gold in a chayne a­bout his necke, figured for Counsell; the other a woman, in a garment of cloth of gold, in her hand a sword with a serpent winding about the blade, re­presenting Resolution, both these being necessary to the good meanes of arriving to a vertuous end.

Over these and answering to the other side was a round Altar raysed high, and on it the bird of Pallas, figured for Prudence: on eyther side were children with wings, one in act of Adoration, another hold­ing a booke, and a third flying over their heads with a lighted Torch in his hand, representing the intel­lectuall light accompanied with Doctrine and Disci­pline, and alluding to the figures below, as those on the other side.

[Page]Above these ran a large Freese, with a Cornice­ment: in the midst wherof was a double Comparti­ment rich and full of ornament: on the top of this sate Fame with spreaded wings, in act, sounding a Trumpet of gold: joyning to the Compartiment in various postures lay two Figures in their naturall colours as big as the life; one holding an Anchor representing safety; the other expressing Riches, with a Cornu-copia; and about her stood Antique vases of gold. The rest of this Freese was compo­sed of Children, with significant signes to expresse their severall qualities; Forgetfulnesse of injuries, extinguishing a flaming torch on an Armor; Com­merce, with eares of Corne; Felicity, with a basket of Lillies; Affection to the Countrey, holding a Grashopper; Prosperous successe, with the Rud­der of a Ship; Innocence, with a branch of Fearne: All these expressing the severall goods, followers of peace and Concord, and fore-runners of humane felicity: so as the worke of this Front consisting of Picture qualified with morall Philosophy, temper'd delight with profit.

In the midst of the aforesaid Compartiment in an Ovall Table was written.

The Ancient Adagies are these.

[Page]But before I proceed in the descriptions of the Sceanes, it is not amisse briefly to set downe the Hi­stories from whence these Proverbs tooke their o­riginall.

For the first Melas and Arevanias of Argos, and Troezen conducted a common Colony to Habicar­nassus in Asia, and there drave out the barbarous Ca­rie and Lelegi, who fled up to the Mountaines; from whence they made many incursions, robbing and cruelly spoyling the Grecian Inhabitants, which could by no meanes be prevented.

On the top of the right horne of the hill which surrounds Halicarnassus, in forme of a Theater, is a famous Fountaine of most cleare water, and exquisite taste called Salmacis: It happened that neere to this Fountaine one of the Colony (to make gaine by the goodnesse of the water) set up a Taverne, and furnish'd it with all necessaries, to which the Barbarians resorting (entised by the deli­cious taste of this water, at first some few, and after many together in troops,) of fierce and cruell na­tures, were reduced of their owne accord to the sweetnesse of the Grecian customes.

The other Adage is thus derived.

The Citie of Thebes, anciently called Cadmia, had warre with Adrastus, the Argive King, who raised a great Army of Arcadians and Missenians, and fought a battaile with them neere Ismenia, where the The­bans were overthrowne, turned their backs, and fled into their City; the Peloponnesians (not accustomed to skale walled Townes) assaulting furiously, but [Page] without order, were repulst from the walls by the defendants, and may of the Argives slaine: at that in­stant the besieged making a great sally, and finding the enemy in disorder and confusion, cut them all in pieces, onely Adrastus excepted, who was saved by flight: but this victory was gotten with great da­mage and slaughter of the Thebans, for few of them returned alive into their City.

The allusion is, That his Majesty out of his mercy and clemency approoving the first Proverbe, seekes by all meanes to reduce tempestuous and turbulent natures into a sweet calme of Civill concord.

A Curtayne flying up, a horrid Sceane appeared of storme and tempest: no glimpse of the Sun was seene, as if darkenesse, confusion, and deformity, had possest the world, and driven light to Heaven, the trees bending, as forced by a gust of winde, their branches rent from their trunkes, and some torne up by the roots: a farre off was a darke wrought sea, with rowling billowes, breaking against the rockes, with rayne, lightning and thunder: in the midst was a globe of the Earth, which at an instant falling on fire, was turned into a Fury, her hayre upright, mixt with snakes, her body leane wrinkled and of a swar­thy colour, her breasts hung bagging downe to her waste, to which with a knot of serpents was girt red bases, and under it tawny skirts downe to her feet: in her hand she brandisht a sable Torch, and looking a Scanse with hollow envious eyes came downe into the Roome.

[Page]The speech ended, three Furies make their entry presented by

• M. Charles Murrey.
• M. Seymor.
• M. Tartarean.

This Antimasque being past, the Sceane changed into a calme, the skie serene, a farre off Zephyrus ap­peared breathing a gentle gale: in the Landskip were Corne fields and pleasant Trees, sustayning Vines fraught with grapes, and in some of the furthest parts Villages, with all such things as might expresse a Country in peace, rich, and fruitfull. There came breaking out of the Heavens a silver Chariot, in which sate two persons, the one a woman in a watchet garment, her dressing of silver mixt with bulrushes, representing Concord: somewhat below her sate the good Genius of Great Britaine, a yong man in a carnation garment, embroidered all with flowers, an Anticke sword hung in a skarfe, a garland on his head, and in his hand a branch of Platan mixt with eares of corn: these in their dissent sung to­gether.

[Page] Being arrived at the Earth, and descended from the Chariot, they sing this short Dialogue, and then departed severall wayes to incite the beloved people to honest pleasures and recreations which have ever beene peculiar to this Nation.

After which there followed these severall Entries of Antimasques.

Wolfgangus Vandergoose Spagricke, Operator to the invisible Lady stiled the Magicall sister of the Rosi­crosse, with these receits following, and many other rare secrets, undertakes in short time to cure the de­fects of nature, and diseases of the mind:

• 1 Confection of Hope and feare to entertayne Lovers.
• 2 Essence of dissimulation to enforce Love.
• 3 Iulope of fruition to recreate the hot feavers of Love.
• 4 Water of dalliance to warme an old courage.
• 5 A subtle quintessence drawne from mathema­ticall points and lines, filtred through a melancho­ly brayne to make Eunuchs engender.
• 6 Pomado of the Barke of Comelinesse, the [Page] sweetnesse of wormewood, with the fat of gravity to anoynt those that have an ill mine.
• 7 Spirit of Saturus high capers, and Bacchus whirling virtigoes to make one dance well.
• 8 One dramme of the first matter, as much of the rust of times Sythe mixt with the juice of Medeas hearbs, this in an electuary makes all sorts of old people yong.
• 9 An Opiade of the spirit of Muskadine taken in good quantity to bedward, to make one forget his Creditors.
• 10 Powder of Menippus tree, & the Rine of Hemp to consolate those who have lost their money.
• 11 Treakle of the gale of Serpents, and the liver of Doves to initiate a Neophite Courtier.
• 12 An easie vomit of the fawning of a Spaniel' Gallobelgicus, and the last Coranto, hot from the Presse, with the powder of some leane jests, to pre­pare a disprovues welcome to rich mens Tables.
• 13 A Gargarisme of Florioes first fruits, Diana de monte Major, and the scraping of Spanish Romano' as distilled in balneo, to make a sufficient Linguist with­out travelling, or scarse knowing himselfe what hee sayes.
• 14 A Bath made of a Catalogue from the Mart' and Common places, taken in a Frankford drifat, in his diet he must refraine all reall knowledge, and on­ly sucke in vulgar opinions, using the Fricase of con­federacy, will make Ignorants in all professions to seeme and not to be.

Fowre old men richly attired, the shapes proper to the persons, presented by

• M. Boroughs.
• M. Skipwith.
• M. Pert.
• M. Ashton.

Three yong souldiers in severall fashioned habits, but costly, and presented to the life, by

• M. Hearne.
• M. Slingsby.
• M. Chumley.

A nurse and three children in long Coats, with bibbes, biggins, and muckenders.

An ancient Irishman, presented by M. Iay.

An ancient Scotishman, presented by M. Atkins.

An old fashioned Englishman, and his mistrisse presented by

• M. Arpe.
• M. Will. Murry.

These three Antimasques were well and naturally set out.

Doctor Tartaglia and two pedants of Francolin, presen­ted by

• M. Rimes.
• M. Warder.
• M. Villiers.

Fowre Grotesques or drolities, in the most fan­tasticall shapes that could be devised.

The invisible Lady magicall sister of the Rosi­crosse.

A shepheard, presented by M. Charles Murry.

A Farmer and his wife, presented by M. Skipwith.

A Country Gentleman, his Wife, and his Bailiffe, pre­sented by

• M. Boroughs.
• M. Ashton.
• M. Pert.

An amorous Courtier richly apparelled, pre­sented by M. Seymor.

Two Roaring boyes, their suites answering their profession.

Fowre mad Lovers, and as madly clad.

A jealous Dutchman, his wife and her Italian Lover, presented by

• M. Arpe.
• M. Rimes.
• M. Tartarean.

Three Swisses, one a little Swisse, who playd the wag with them as they slept, presented by

• M. Cotterell.
• M. Newton.
• M. Ieffrey Hudson.

Fowre anticke Cava­liers, imitating a manage and tilting.

• M. Arpe.
• M. Iay.
• M. Atkins.
• M. Tartarean.

A Cavaleritro and two Pages.

[Page]All which Antimasques were well set out and ex­cellently danced, and the tunes fitted to the per­sons.

The Antimasques being past, all the Sceane was changed into craggy rockes and inaccessible moun­taynes, in the upper parts where any earth could fa­sten, were some trees, but of strange formes, such as only grow in remote parts of the Alpes, and in de­solate places; the furthest of these was hollow in the middest, and seemed to be cut through by art, as the Pausilipo neer Naples, & so high as the top pierced the clouds, all which represented the difficult way which Heroes are to passe ere they come to the Throne of Honour.

The Chorus of the beloved people came forth (led by Concord & the good Genius of Great Bri­taine,) their habits being various and rich, they goe up to the State and sing.

The song ended they returne up to the Stage, and divide themselves on each side; then the further part of the Sceane disappeard, and the Kings Maje­sty and the rest of the Masquers were discovered, sitting in the Throne of Honour, his Majesty highest in a seat of Gold, and the rest of the Lords about him: this Throne was adorned with Palme trees, be­tweene which stood statues of the ancient Heroes: in the under parts on each side lay captives bound in severall postures, lying on trophees of armours, shields, and Antique weapons, all his Throne being fayned of Goldsmiths worke. The habit of his Ma­jesty and the Masquers was of watchet, richly em­broydered with silver, long stockins set up of white: Their caps silver with scrowles of gold, and plumes of white feathers.

Whil'st the Chorus sung this Song, there came softly from the upper part of the Heavens, a huge cloud of various colours, but pleasant to the sight; which discending to the midst of the Sceane open'd, and within it was a transpa­rent brightnes of thin exhalations, such as the Gods [Page] are feigned to descend in▪ in the most eminent place of which, her Majesty sate, representing the chiefe Heroin, environed with her martiall Ladies; and from over her head were darted lightsome Rayes that illuminated her seat, and all the Ladies about her participated more or lesse of that light, as they sate neere or further off: this brightnesse with many streakes of thin vapours about it, such as are seene in a fayre evening skie softly discended: and as it came neere to the Earth, the seat of Honour by little and little vanished, as if it gave way to these Heavenly Graces. The Queenes Majesty and her Ladies were in Amazonian habits of carnation, embroidered with silver, with plumed Helmes, Bandrickes with Antique swords hanging by their sides, all as rich as might be, but the strangenes of the Habits was most admired.

When this heavenly seat touched the Earth, the Kings Majesty tooke out the Queene, and the Lords the Ladies, and came downe into the Roome, and danc't their entry, betwixt which and the second dance was this song.

The second Dance ended, and their Majesties be­ing seated under the State, the Sceane was changed into magnificent buildings composed of severall se­lected peeces of Architecture: in the furthest part was a Bridge over a River, where many people, coaches, horses, and such like were seene to passe to and fro: beyond this on the shore were buildings in Prospective, which shooting far from the eye shew­ed as the suburbs of a great City.

From the highest part of the Heavens came forth [Page] a cloud far in the Sceane, in which were eight per­sons richly attired representing the spheares; this joyning with two other clouds which appeard at that instant full of Musicke covered all the upper part of the Sceane, and at that instant beyond all these, a Heaven opened full of Deities, which celestiall Pro­spect with the Chorus below filled all the whole Sceane with apparitions and harmony.

After this song the Spheares past through the Ayre, and all the Deities ascended, and so conclu­ded this Masque: which was generally approoved of, especially by all Strangers that were present, to be the noblest and most ingenuous that hath been done heere in that kinde.

The Invention, Ornament, Sceans and Appari­tions, with their Descriptions, were made by INIGO IONES, Surveyor Generall of his Majesties Workes.

What was spoken or sung, by WILLIAM DAVENANT, her Majesties Servant.

The Subject was set downe by them both.

The Musicke was composed by LEVVIS RI­CHARD, Master of her Majesties Musicke.