court or council? or at least served out for an ambassador to a dull climate? jests and merriments are but wild weeds in a rank soil, which being well manured, yield the wholesome crop of wisdom and discretion at time ath' year.

Plu. Nay, nay, I commend thy judgment for cutting thy coat so just to the breadth of thy shoulders; he that cannot be a courser in the field, let him learn to play the jackanapes in the chamber; he that cannot personate the wise-man well amongst wizards, let him learn to play the fcol amongst dizzards.

Cap. 'Tis passing miraculous that your dull and blind worship should so suddenly turn both sightful and witful.

Plu. The riddle of that miracle I may chance dissolve to you in sequel; meantime, what name sustain'st thou? and what toys are these thou bear'st so fantastically about thee?

Cap. These toys, sir, are the ensigns that discover my name and quality, my name being Capriccio; and I wear these bellows on my head to show I can puff up with glory all those that affect me; and, besides, bear this spur, to show I can spur-gall even the best that contemn me.

Plu. A dangerous fellow! But what makest thou, poor man of wit, at these pompous nuptials? Cap. Sir, come hither with a charge to do these nuptials, I hope, very acceptable service; and my charge is, a company of accomplished travellers, that are excellent at antemasks, and will tender a taste of their quality, if your worship please.

Plu. Excellent well pleased; of what virtue are they besides ?

Cap. Passing grave, sir, yet exceeding acute witty, yet not ridiculous; never laugh at their own jests; laborious, yet not base; having cut out the skirts of the whole world, in amorous quest of your gold and silver.

Plu. They shall have enough; call them, I beseech thee call them how far hence abide they?

Cap. Sir (being by another eminent quality the admired soldiers of the world), in contempt of softness and delicacy, they lie on the naturally hard boards of that naked tree; and will your worship assure them rewards fit for persons of their freight? Plu. Dost thou doubt my reward, being pleased?

Cap. I know, sir, a man may sooner win your reward, for pleasing you, than de

serving you. But you great wise persons have a fetch of state, to employ with countenance and encouragement, but reward with austerity and disgrace, save your purses, and lose your honours.

Plu. To assure thee of reward, I will now satisfy thee touching the miraculous cause, both of my sight and wit, and which consequently moves me to humanity and bounty; and all is only this, my late being in love with the lovely goddess Honour.

Cap. If your worship love Honour, indeed, sir, you must needs be bountiful. But where is the rare goddess you speak of to be seen?

Plu. In that rich temple, where Fortune fixed those her golden wings, thou seest; and that rolling-stone she used to tread upon, for sign she would never forsake this kingdom; there is adored the worthy goddess Honour, the sweetness of whose voice, when I first heard her persuasions, both to myself and the Virginian princes arrived here to do honour and homage to these heavenly nuptials, so most powerfully enamoured me, that the fire of my love flew up to the sight of mine eyes, that have lighted within me a whole firmament of bounty, which may securely assure thee thy reward is certain: and therefore call thy accomplished company to their antemask.

Cap. See, sir, the time set for their appearance being expired, they appear to their service of themselves.

Enter the Baboons, after whose dance, being

antic and delightful, they returned to their tree, when Plutus spake to Cap

riccius.

Plu. Gramercy now, Capriccio, take thy men of complement, and travel with them to other marriages. My riches to thy wit, they will get something somewhere. Cap. What's this?

Plu. A strain of wit beyond a man of wit. I have employed you, and the grace of that is reward enough; hence, pack, with your complemental fardle: the sight of an attendant for reward is abominable in the eyes of a turn-served politician, and I fear will strike me blind again. I cannot abide these bellows of thy head, they and thy men of wit have melted my mines with them, and consumed me; yet take thy life and begone. Neptune let thy predecessor, Ulysses, live after all his slain companions, but to make him die more miserably living; gave him up to ship

wracks, enchantments; men of wit are but enchanted, there is no such thing as wit in this world. So take a tree, inure thy soldiers to hardness, 'tis honourable, though not clinquant.

Cap. Can this be possible?

Plu. Alas! poor man of wit, how want of reward daunts thy virtue! But because I must send none away discontented from *these all-pleasing nuptials, take this wedge of gold and wedge thyself into the world with it, renouncing that loose wit of thine: 'twill spoil thy complexion.

Cap. Honour, and all Argus' eyes, to earth's all-commanding riches! Pluto etiam cedit Jupiter. [Exit Capriccio. [After this low induction by these succeeding degrees, the chief maskers were advanced to their discovery. Plutus calls to Plu. These humble objects can no high eyes draw, Eunomia (or the sacred power of law), Daughter of Jove, and goddess Honour's priest;

Eunomia.

Plu. Join with Honour ;

In purposed grace of these great nuptials; And since to Honour none should dare access,

But help'd by Virtue's hand (thyself, chaste love,

Being Virtue's rule, and her directful light) Help me to th' honour of her speech and sight.

Eun. Thy will shall straight be honour'd; all that seek

Access to Honour, by clear virtue's beam, Her grace prevents their pains, and comes to them.

Loud music and Honour appears, descending with her herald Phemis, and Eunomia (her priest) before her. The music ceasing, Plutus spake.

Plu. Crown of all merit, goddess, and my love;

'Tis now high time that th' end for which

we come

Should be endeavour'd in our utmost rite Done to the sweetness of this nuptial night.

Hon. Plutus, the princes of the Virgin land,

Whom I made cross the Britain ocean

To this most famed isle of all the world,

THE FIRST SONG.

Ope, Earth, thy womb of gold,
Show Heaven thy cope of stars.
All glad aspects unfold,

Shine out and clear our cares:
Kiss, Heaven and Earth, and so combine
In all mix'd joy our nuptial twine.

[This song ended, a mount opened and spread like a sky, in which appeared a sun setting, beneath which sat the twelve maskers in a mine of gold, twelve torch-bearers holding their torches before them, after which Honour, &c.

Hon. See now the setting sun casts up his bank,

And shows his bright head at his sea's repair,

For sign that all days future shall be fair. Plu. May He that rules all nights and

days confirm it.

Hon. Behold the Sun's fair Priests the Phœbades,

Their evening service in an hymn address To Phoebus setting, which we now shall hear,

3.

Virtue then commix'd her fire,
To which Bounty did aspire,

Innocence a crown conferring; Mine and thine were then unused, All things common, nought abused, Freely earth her fruitage bearing.

CHORUS.

Nought then was cared for that could fade, And thus the golden world was made.

This sung, the Maskers danced again with the ladies, after which Honour.

Hon. Now may the blessings of the golden age

Swim in these nuptials, even to holy rage,
A Hymn to Sleep prefer, and all the joys
That in his empire are of dearest choice,
Betwixt his golden slumbers ever flow,
In these and theirs, in springs as endless
grow.

This said, the last song was sung full.

THE LAST SONG.

Now Sleep, bind fast the flood of air,
Strike all things dumb and deaf,
And to disturb our nuptial pair
Let stir no aspen leaf.

Send flocks of golden dreams
That all true joys presage,
Bring in thy oily streams
The milk-and-honey age.

Now close the world-round sphere of bliss,
And fill it with a heavenly kiss.

After this Plutus to the Maskers.

Plu. Come, Virgin knights, the homage ye have done

To Love and Beauty, and our Briton Sun, Kind Honour will requite with holy feasts In her fair temple; and her loved guests Gives me the grace 't invite, when she and I

(Honour and Riches) will eternally

A league in favour of this night combine, In which Love's second hallow'd tapers shine,

Whose joys may Heaven and Earth as highly please

As those two nights that got great Hercules.

[The speech ended, they concluded with a dance that brought them off; Plu-. tus, with Honour and the rest, conducting them up to the Temple of Honour.