dant of a hill to life, with divers boscages and grovets upon the steep or hanging grounds thereof; and at the foot of the hill four delicate fountains, running with water and bordered with sedges and water-flowers. Iris first appeared; and, presently after, Mercury, striving to overtake her. Iris apparelled in a robe of discoloured taffeta, figured in variable colours, like the rainbow, a cloudy wreath on her head, and tresses. Mercury in doublet and hose of white taffeta, a white hat, wings on his shoulders and feet, his caduceus in his hand, speaking to Iris as followeth : Is great Jove jealous that I am employ'd chid 5 1 discoloured] i. e. various-coloured. 2 Stay, stay] These words are found only in the 4to. In other eds. this speech is preceded by a stage-direction, “Enter Iris running, Mercury following and catching hold of her." & curst] "i. e. cross." Ed. 1778. So the 4to. Other eds. "mad; and so Seward. 4 that] The Editors of 1778 and Weber give, with the 4to., "which." rising] So the 4to. Other eds. "winding;" and so Seward. 6 Whose match concerns the general government? Hath not each god a part in these high joys? locks Perform that office to this happy pair, Which in these plains you to Alpheus did, When passing hence, through many seas, unmix'd, He gain'd the favour of his Arethuse! Immediately upon which speech, four Naiades arise gently out of their several fountains, and present themselves upon the stage, attired in long habits of sea-green taffeta, with bubbles of crystal, intermixt with powdering of silver, resembling drops of water, bluish tresses, on their heads garlands of water-lilies. They fall into a measure, dance a little, then make a stand. Iris. Is Hermes grown a lover? by what power, Unknown to us, calls he the Naiades? Merc. Presumptuous Iris, I could make thee dance, Till thou forgott'st thy lady's messages, My power is more; only my breath and this streams, Which rolling down from heaven-aspiring hills, And now united in the fruitful vales, Bear all before them, ravish'd with their joy, And swell in glory, till they know no bounds! Five Hyades descend softly in a cloud from the firmament to the middle part of the hill, apparelled in sky-coloured taffeta robes, spangled like the heavens, golden tresses, and each a fair star on their head; from thence descend to the stage; at the] The Editors of 1778 and Weber give, with the 4to., "his." 7 undissolving bands] The 4to. has "undissolved bonds." 8 measure] See note, p. 146. whose sight the Naiades, seeming to rejoice, meet | Increase of sweetness in those blooming plants and join in a dance. Iris. Great wit and power hath Hermes, to contrive A lifeless dance, which of one sex consists! To honour that which they themselves began. Enter four Cupids from each side of the boscage, attired in flame-coloured taffeta close to their body, like naked boys, with bows, arrows, and wings of gold, chaplets of flowers on their heads, hoodwinked with tiffiny scarfs; who join with the Nymphs and the Hyades in another dance. ended, MERCURY' speaks. 2 That Merc. Behold the Statuas, which wise Vul Under the altar of Olympian Jove, Shall dance for joy of these great nuptials: " The Statuas enter, supposed to be before descended from Jove's altar, and to have been prepared in the covert with the Cupids, attending their call. These Statuas were attired in cases of gold and silver close to their body, faces, hands, and feet, nothing seen but gold and silver, as if they had been solid images of metal, tresses of hair, as they had been of metal embossed, girdles and small aprons of oaken leaves, as if they likewise had been carved or moulded out of the metal: at their coming, the music changed from violins to hautboys, cornets, &c., and the air of the music was utterly turned into a soft time, with drawing notes, excellently expressing their natures, and the measure likewise was fitted unto the same, and the Statuas placed in such several postures, sometimes all together in the centre of the dance, and sometimes in the four utmost angles, as was very graceful, besides the novelty. And so concluded the first anti-masque. Merc. And what will Juno's Iris do for her? Iris. Just match this show, or my invention fails: Had it been worthier, I would have invok'd 1 Mercury] The 4to. here, and in the prefix to the speech which follows, has "Iris." The other eds. also have the wrong prefix. 2 Statuas] See note, p. 378. So the 4to. Other eds. "statues;" and so the modern editors. 3 And gave to them an artificial life, Shall dance for joy of these great nuptials] These lines are transposed by mistake in the 4to. The second line is omitted in other eds. ; and by Seward. On which the horns of my fair bow decline, Which deck the May-games with their clownish 4 sports! Juno will have it so. The second Anti-masque rush in, dance their measure, and as rudely depart; consisting of a Pedant,5 May-Lord, May-Lady; Servingman, Chambermaid; a Country Clown or Shepherd, Country Wench; an Host, Hostess; a He-Baboon, SheBaboon; a He-Fool, She-Fool, ushering them in. All these persons apparelled to the life. the men issuing out of one side of the boscage, and the women from the other. The music was extremely well fitted, having such a spirit of country jollity as can hardly be imagined; but the perpetual laughter and applause was above the music. The dance likewise was of the same strain; and the dancers, or rather actors, expressed every one their part so naturally and aptly, as when a man's eye was caught with the one, and then passed on to the other, he could not satisfy himself which did best. It pleased his Majesty to call for it again at the end, as he did likewise for the first Antimasque; but one of the Statuas by that time was undressed. 4 clownish] The Editors of 1778 and Weber give, with the 4to., "country." 5 a Pedant, May-Lord, May-Lady, &c.] "The persons enumerated here as characters in the May-games were no doubt selected by the imagination of the poet, as most of them do not appear to have been usual at these country festivities. The Pedant evidently appears in the same character as Gerrold in The Two Noble Kinsmen." WEBER. worst] "The sense seems to require us to read most for worst; unless it means, which should worst the other." Ed. 1778. "As the text cannot possibly bear this meaning, and hardly bears any at all, the amendment has been adopted." WEBER. Nichols, who reprinted the present masque in his Prog. of King James, retained the old reading, and observed that "we are told in the introduction [Argument] Mercury and Iris were striving which should do worst in producing what was outré and ridiculous." ii. 598. The words of the Argument are at least to that effect; and "worst" is doubtless the right reading. 7 marriage] So the 4to, -the word being used here as a trisyllable. Other eds. "marriages ;" and so the modern editors. Till his high will was done: the Olympian games, Which long had slept, at these wish'd nuptials He pleas'd to have renew'd, and all his knights Are gather'd hither, who within their tents Rest on this hill; upon whose rising head, Beholl, Jove's altar, and his blessed priests Moving about it! Come, you holy men, And with your voices draw these youths along, That, till Jove's music call them to their games, Their active sports may give a blest content To those, for whom they are again begun. The main Masque. The second traverse is drawn, and the higher ascent of the mountain is discovered; wherein, upon a level, after a great rise of the hill, were placed two pavilions, open in the front of them: the pavilions were to sight as of cloth of gold, and they were trimmed on the inside with rich armour and military furniture, hanged up as upon the walls; and behind the tents there were represented in prospective the tops of divers other tents, as if it had been a camp. In these pavilions were placed fifteen Olympian Knights, upon seats a little embowed near the form of a croisant; 2 and the Knights appeared first, as consecrated persons, all in veils, like to copes, of silver tiffiny, gathered, and falling a large compass about them, and over their heads high mitres, with long pendants behind falling from them; the mitres were so high that they received their hats and feathers, that nothing was seen but veil. In the midst between both the tents, upon the very top of the hill, being a higher level than that of the tents, was placed Jupiter's altar, gilt, with three great tapers upon golden candlesticks burning upon it; and the four Statuas, two of gold and two of silver, as supporters, and Jupiter's Priests in white robes about it. Upon the sight of the King, the veils of the Knights did fall easily from them, and they appeared in their own habit. The Knights' attire. Arming doublets of carnation satin, embroidered with blazing stars of silver plate, with powderings of smaller stars betwixt ; gorgets of silver mail; long hose of the same, with the doublets laid with silver lace spangled, and enriched with embroidery between the lace; carnation silk stockings embroidered all over; garters and roses suitable; pumps of carnation satin embroidered as the doublets; hats of the same stuff and embroidery, cut like a helmet before, the hinder part cut into scallops answering the skirts of their doublets; the bands of the hats were wreaths of silver in form of garlands of wild olives; white feathers, with one fall of carnation; belts of the same stuff, and embroidered with the doublet; silver swords; little Italian bands and cuffs embroidered with silver; fair long tresses of 4 And this day's sins he doth resolve That we his priests should all absolve] "From the debaucheries committed at court-masques, the necessity of such an absolution of sins may be inferred." WEBER. See note, p. 384, and A Wife for a Month, act ii. sc. 4. 5 galliards, durets, corantoes] Sir John Davies describes the galliard thus; "But for more diuers and more pleasing show, Yet with a certaine answere and consent A gallant daunce, that liuely doth bewray. A spirit and a vertue masculine, With lofty turnes and capriols in the ayre." Orchestra, st. 67, 68. Of the coranto he says; "What shall I name those currant trauases That on a triple dactile foot doe runne Close by the ground with sliding passages, Wherein that dauncer greatest praise hath wonne Which with best order can all orders shunne; For euery where he wantonly must range, And turne, and wind, with vnexpected change?" St. 69. Concerning" durets" I know nothing. Gave Time wild wings to fly away, The Knights dance their parting measure, and as 1 clip] The Editors of 1778 and Weber give, with the 4to., "cut." cend, put on their swords and belts; during which time the Priests sing THE FIFTH AND LAST SONG. Peace and silence be the guide That all the world may wonder! By keeping you asunder. FOUR PLAYS, OR MORAL REPRESENTATIONS, IN ONE. い 3 4 5 يا Four Playes, or Morall Representations, in one. In the folios, 1647, 1679. Ar what date these Four Plays in One were originally produced, it is impossible to ascertain. From internal evidence Weber concludes that Beaumont furnished the Induction and the two first Triumphs, and that Fletcher was the writer of the other two: there is at least every reason to believe that both poets were concerned in the composition of this medley. Entertainments of a similar description had been exhibited on the English stage anterior to the appearance of the present piece. In the Revels' Account for 1584-5, we find, “An Invention called Fyve Playes in one, presented and enacted before her Ma.tie on Twelfe daie at night in the hall at Grenewiche by her highnes servaunts." "An Invention of three playes in one prepared to have ben shewed before her highnes on Shrove sondaie at night, and to have ben presented by her Ma.ts servaunts at Somerset Place." Malone's Shakespeare (by Boswell), iii. 409; in Henslowe's memoranda, "uu playes in one, the 6 of marche 1591"-"7 of aprill, 1597, at v plays in one." Id. iii. 298, 307; and the second title of A Yorkshire Tragedy, attributed to Shakespeare, and first printed in 1608, runs as follows, All's One, or, One of the foure Plaies in one, called a Yorkshire tragedy, &c.1 Weber conjectures that the Trionfi of Petrarch suggested to Beaumont and Fletcher the idea of introducing the Triumphs of Honour, Love, Death, and Time The Triumph of Honour," says Langbaine, "is founded on Boccace his Novels, Day 10. Nov. 5." (Account of Engl. Dram. Poets, p. 209), which Weber epitomizes nearly as follows. Dianora, the wife of Gilberto, in order to get rid of the importunities of her lover Ansaldo, promised to gratify his desires, if he would present her with a garden bearing flowers and fruit in the month of January. Ansaldo realised her wish by the assistance of a magician, who, to the astonishment of the whole city of Udine, produced the desired miracle. Dianora, having confessed to her husband the bargain which she had made with Ansaldo, was enjoined by the former to use every endeavour to procure a release from her engagement, but, if she found that impossible, to fulfil the pledge. When the lover beheld the sorrow of Dianora, and learned the generosity of Gilberto, he released the lady from her promise." The Triumph of Love, observes Langbaine, is founded "on the same Author, Day 5. Nov. 7; "2 and Weber proceeds with an abstract, which I have altered into the following shape. "In the reign of William, King of Sicily, Amerigo, a rich and noble gentleman, dwelt at Trapani; and one day a Genoese vessel coming into port with slaves, who had been captured in a Turkish galley, he purchased a youth, supposed to be a Turk, whom he caused to be baptized Pietro. When he grew up, a strong attachment took place between him and Violante, the daughter of Amerigo. As the family were once returning from their country-house, a thunder-storm forced them to make all possible haste homewards. The young slave and Violante out-stripped the rest in speed, and being forced into an old ruinous cottage by a shower of hail, they took the opportunity to consummate their wishes. The effect of this soon became apparent, and Pietro would have avoided the impending danger by flight; but Violante promising not to betray him as the author of her shame, and threatening to kill herself if he left her, he consented to remain. When the time of parturition arrived, she feigned a tale to her mother, who in order to conceal her condition from Amerigo, removed her to their country-house. There, however, just as Violante had been delivered of an infant, Amerigo unexpectedly arrived; and his wife was obliged to acquaint him with what had happened. He rushed into his daughter's apartment, and putting his sword to her breast, extorted from her the whole truth. Pietro, having been apprehended, confessed his guilt; and was sentenced by Currado, the governor of Trapani, to be whipped, and afterwards to be hanged. Amerigo then gave a phial of poison and a dagger to a servant, bidding him carry them to his daughter, that she might choose one of the two deaths, and threatening to burn her alive in case of refusal: the infant he ordered to be killed, and its carcase to be thrown to the dogs. When Pietro, having been whipped, was conducted to the gallows, a crimson spot upon his breast led to his recognition by Fineo (then on an embassy from the king of Armenia to Rome) as his son Teodoro, who, fifteen years before, had been carried off by pirates. Fineo immediately made the circumstance known to Currado, who sent for Amerigo. In all haste Amerigo despatched a messenger to his country-house, to prevent the execution of his former orders, who fortunately arrived there before the servant had compelled Violante to make choice of dying by the poison or the sword. The marriage of the lovers followed of course." "The Triumph of Death," continues Langbaine, "[is founded] on a Novel in The Fortunate, Deceiv'd, and Unfortunate Lovers, part 3. Nov. 3. See besides Palace of Pleasure, Nov. 40. Belleforest, &c.; and Weber adds, "The original, however, is the first novel of Bandello, which seems to have been founded on fact. Buondelmonte, of one of the principal families in Florence, is betrothed to one of the Amadei. A widow of the family of the Donati, ambitious to match her daughter to him, puts her in his way, and he is immediately so struck with her beauty, as to forget his pre-contract, and to marry her; in consequence of which he is murdered by the two great families, the Uberti and Amadei." With respect to The Triumph of Time, Langbaine is forced to confess, that, as far as he can discover, it "is wholly the Author's Invention." 1 "The same design," says Weber, "was afterwards adopted by Sir William Davenant in his Playhouse to be Let, and by Motteux in The Novelty, or Every Act a Play. One of Calderon's plays, Los tres mayores prodigios, is formed on a similar plan, every one of the three journadas, or acts, forming a separate play. The subjects are the adventures of Jason, Hercules, and Theseus. They are not, however, connected together as the present drama. 2 Langbaine by mistake has written "8." |