The Maids Tragedy | Page 4

not a place To brabble in; Calianax, joyn hands.
Cal. He shall not have my hand.
King. This is no time To force you to't, I do love you both: Calianax,
you look well to your Office; And you Melantius are welcome home;
begin the Mask.
Mel. Sister, I joy to see you, and your choice, You lookt with my eyes
when you took that man; Be happy in him.
[Recorders.
Evad. O my dearest brother! Your presence is more joyful than this day
can be unto me.
The Mask.
Night rises in mists.

Nigh. Our raign is come; for in the raging Sea The Sun is drown'd, and
with him fell the day: Bright Cinthia hear my voice, I am the Night For
whom thou bear'st about thy borrowed light; Appear, no longer thy pale
visage shrowd, But strike thy silver horn through a cloud, And send a
beam upon my swarthy face, By which I may discover all the place
And persons, and how many longing eyes Are come to wait on our
solemnities.
[Enter Cinthia.
How dull and black am I! I could not find This beauty without thee, I
am so blind; Methinks they shew like to those Eastern streaks That
warn us hence before the morning breaks; Back my pale servant, for
these eyes know how To shoot far more and quicker rayes than thou.
Cinth. Great Queen, they be a Troop for whom alone One of my
clearest moons I have put on; A Troop that looks as if thy self and I
Had pluckt our rains in, and our whips laid by To gaze upon these
Mortals, that appear Brighter than we.
Night. Then let us keep 'em here, And never more our Chariots drive
away, But hold our places, and out-shine the day.
Cinth. Great Queen of shadows, you are pleas'd to speak Of more than
may be done; we may not break The gods decrees, but when our time is
come, Must drive away and give the day our room. Yet whil'st our
raign lasts, let us stretch our power To give our servants one contented
hour, With such unwonted solemn grace and state, As may for ever
after force them hate Our brothers glorious beams, and wish the night
Crown'd with a thousand stars, and our cold light: For almost all the
world their service bend To Phoebus and in vain my light I lend, Gaz'd
on unto my setting from my rise Almost of none, but of unquiet eyes.
Nigh. Then shine at full, fair Queen, and by thy power Produce a birth
to crown this happy hour; Of Nymphs and Shepherds let their songs
discover, Easie and sweet, who is a happy Lover; Or if thou woot, then
call thine own Endymion From the sweet flowry bed he lies upon, On
Latmus top, thy pale beams drawn away, And of this long night let him

make a day.
Cinth. Thou dream'st dark Queen, that fair boy was not mine, Nor went
I down to kiss him; ease and wine Have bred these bold tales; Poets
when they rage, Turn gods to men, and make an hour an age; But I will
give a greater state and glory, And raise to time a noble memory Of
what these Lovers are; rise, rise, I say, Thou power of deeps, thy surges
laid away, Neptune great King of waters, and by me Be proud to be
commanded.
[Neptune rises.
Nep. Cinthia, see, Thy word hath fetcht me hither, let me know why I
ascend.
Cinth. Doth this majestick show Give thee no knowledge yet?
Nep. Yes, now I see. Something intended _(Cinthia)_ worthy thee; Go
on, I'le be a helper.
Cinth. Hie thee then, And charge the wind flie from his Rockie Den.
Let loose thy subjects, only Boreas Too foul for our intention as he was;
Still keep him fast chain'd; we must have none here But vernal blasts,
and gentle winds appear, Such as blow flowers, and through the glad
Boughs sing Many soft welcomes to the lusty spring. These are our
musick: next, thy watry race Bring on in couples; we are pleas'd to
grace This noble night, each in their richest things Your own deeps or
the broken vessel brings; Be prodigal, and I shall be as kind, And shine
at full upon you.
Nep. Ho the wind Commanding _Eolus!_
[Enter Eolus out of a Rock.
Eol. Great _Neptune!_
Nep. He.
Eol. What is thy will?

Nep. We do command thee free Favonius and thy milder winds to wait
Upon our Cinthia, but tye Boreas straight; He's too rebellious.
Eol. I shall do it.
Nep. Do, great master of the flood, and all below, Thy full command
has taken.
Eol. Ho! the main; Neptune.
Nep. Here.
Eol. Boreas has broke