T is my right, and I will haue it.

By what law or necessitie? pray you come back.

I serue the man, and the nobler creature.

But I the woman, and the purer; and therefore the

worthier: because you are a handfull aboue mee, doe you

thinke to get a foot afore mee, sir: No, I appeale to you ladies.

You are too rude, boy, in this presence.

That cannot put modestie into me, to make me come behind you

though, I will stand for mine inches with you, as peremptorie as an Am-

bassador; ladies, your soueraignties, are concern'd in me, I am the wiuesbassador; ladies, your soueraignties are concern'd in me, I am the wiues

page.

And I the husbands.

How!

Ha!

One of vs must breake the wonder, and therefore, I that haue best

cause to be assur'd, of mine owne truth, demand of thee, by what magick

thou wear'st my ensignes? or hast put on my person?

Beware, yong ladies, of this impostor: and mothers, looke to your

daughters and neeces: A false CVPID is abroad: it is I that am the true,

who to doe these glad solemnities their proper rites, haue beene conten-

ted (not to put off, but) to conceale my deitie, and in this habit of a ser-

uant, to attend him, who was yesterday the happy Bridegroome, in the

complement of his nuptialls, to make all his endeuours, and actions more

gracious and louely.

He tells my tale; he tells my tale: and pretends to my act. It was

I, that did this for the Bride: I am the true loue, and both this figure, and

those armes, are vsurp'd by most vnlawfull power: Can you not perceiue

it? Doe I not looke liker a CVPID then he? am I not more a child? La-

dies, haue none of you a picture of me in your bosome? is the remem-

brance of loue banish'd your brests? Sure, they are these garments that

estrange me to you! If I were naked, you would know me better: No re-

lique of loue left, in an old bosome here? what should I doe?

My little shaddow is turn'd furious.

What can I turne other, then a Furie it selfe, to see thy impudence?

If I be a shaddow, what is substance; was it not I that yester-night way-

ted on the Bride, into the nuptiall chamber, and against the Bride-groome

came, made her the throne of loue? Had I not lighted my torches in her

eyes? Planted my mothers roses in her cheekes? were not her eye browes

bent to the fashion of my bow? and her lookes ready to be loos'd thence,

like my shafts? Had I not ripned kisses on her lips, fit for a MERCVRY tolike my shafts? Had I not rip'ned kisses on her lips, fit for a MERCVRY to

gather? and made her language sweeter then his vpon her tongue? was

not the girdle about her, he was to vntie, my mothers? wherein all the

ioyes and delights of loue, were wouen.

And did not I bring on the blushing Bride-groome, to taste those

ioyes? and made him thinke all stay a torment? did I not shoot my selfe,

into him, like a flame? and made his desires and his graces equall? were

not his lookes of power, to haue kept the night aliue in contention with

day, and made the morning neuer wish'd for? was there a curle in his haire,

that I did not sport in? or a ring of it crisp'd, that might not haue become

IVNOS fingers? His very vndressing was it not loues arming? did not all

his kisses charge? and euery touch attempt? but, his wordes, were they

not feathered from my wings? and flue in singing at her eares, like arrowes

tipt with gold?

Hers, hers did so into his: and all his vertue was borrowed from my

powers in her; as thy forme is from me. But, that this royall and honor'd

assembly be no longer troubled with our contention: behold, I challenge

thee of falshood; and will bring vpon the first day of the new yeere, into

the lists; before this palace, ten knights arm'd, who shall vnder-take a-

gainst all assertion, that only I am the child of MARS and VENVS: and,

in the honor of that ladie (whom it is my ambition to serue) that, that

loue is the most true and perfect, that still waiteth on the woman, and is the

seruant of that sexe.

But, what gage giues my confident counterfeit of this?

My bow and quiuer, or what else I can make.

I take only them; and in exchange giue mine, to answere, and pu-

nish this thy rashnesse, at thy time assign'd, by a iust number of knights,

who, by their vertue, shall maintayne me, to bee the right CVPID; and

the true issue of valure and beautie: and that no loue can come neere ei-

ther truth or perfection, but what is manly, and deriues his proper digni-

tie from thence.

It is agreed.

In the meane time, ladies, suspend your censures, which is the right:

and to entertayne your thoughts, till the day, may the court hourely pre-

sent you, with delicate and fresh obiects, to beget on you, prettie and plea-

sing fancies: may you feed on pure meats, easie of concoction, and drinke

that will quickly turne into bloud, to make your dreames the cleerer, and

your imaginations the finer.

NOw, ladies, to glad your aspects once againe, with the sight of loue,

and make a Spring smile i' your faces, which must haue look'd like

Winter without me; behold me, not like a seruant now, but a Champion,

and in my true figure, as I vse to reigne and reuell in your fancies, tickling

your soft eares with my feathers, and laying little strawes about your

hearts, to kindle bone-fires, shall flame out at your eies; playing in your

blouds, like fishes in a streame, or diuing like the boyes i' the Bath, and then

rising on end, like a Monarch, and treading humour like water, bending

those stiffe pickardills of yours, vnder this yoke my bow, or, if they would

not bend, whipping your rebellious vardingales, with my bow-string, and

made 'hem run vp into your wastes (they haue lyen so flat) for feare of my

indignation: what! Is CVPID of no name with you? haue I lost all repu-

tation (or what is lesse, opinion) by once putting off my deitie? Because I

was a Page at this solemnitie, and would modestly serue one, for the ho-

nor of you all: am I therefore dishonor'd by all? and lost in my value so,

that euery iuggler, that can purchase him a paire of wings, and a quiuer, is

committed with me in balance? and contends with me for soueraigntie?

well, I will chastice you, ladies, beleeue it, you shall feele my displeasure

for this; and I will be mightie in it: Thinke not to haue those accesses to

me you were wont, you shall wait foure of those galleries off, and sixe

chambers for me; ten dores lock'd betweene you and me hereafter, and

I will allow none of you a key: when I come abroad, you shall petition

me, and I will not heare you; kneele, I will not regard you; I will passe by

like a man of businesse, and not see you, and I will haue no master of re-

quests for you. There shall not the greatest pretender, to a state-face, li-

uing, put on a more supercilious looke then I will doe vpon you. Trust

me: Ha! what's this?

O, Are you here, sir? you haue got the start of me now, by being Cha-

lenger, and so the precedency, you thinke? I see you are resolu'd to

trie your title by armes then? you will stand to be the right CVPID still?

how now! what ailes you? that you answere not? Are you turn'd a statue

vpon my appearance? or did you hope I would not appeare, and that

hope ha's deceiu'd you?

Art thou still so impudent, to belie my figure? that in what shape

soeuer, I present my selfe, thou wilt seeme to be the same? Not so much

as my chariot, but resembled by thee? and both the Doues and Swannes,

I haue borrowed of my mother, to draw it? the verie number of my

companions emulated! and almost their habites? what insolence

is this?

Good little-one, quarrell not, you haue now put your selfe vpon

others valure, not your owne, and you must know you can bring no per-

son hither, to strengthen your side, but wee can produce an equall. Be it

PERSWASION, you haue got there, the peculiar Enchantresse of your

Sexe; behold, wee haue MERCVRY here to charme against her, who

giues all louers their true and masculine eloquence; or are they the GRA-

CES, you presume on (your knowne Clients) SPRING, BEAVTY, and

CHEEREFVLNESSE: Here are YOVTH, AVDACITY, and

FAVOVR, to encounter them, three more manly perfections, and much

more powerfull in working for loue: child, you are all the wayes of win-

ning too weake, there is no thinking, either with your honour, or

discretion kept safe, to continue on a strife, wherein, you are alreadie van-

quished, yeeld, be penitent, early, and confesse it.

I will breake my bow and quiuer into dust first (restore mee mine

owne armes) or be torne in pieces with harpies, marry one of the furies;

turne into Chaos againe, and dissolue the harmonie of nature.

I? most stiffely spoken! and fit for the sexe you stand for! well, giueO, most stiffely spoken! and fit for the sexe you stand for! well, giue

the signe then: let the Trumpets sound, and vpon the valure, and fortune

of your champions, put the right of your cause.

'Tis done.

Ow sir, you haue got mightily by this contention, and ad-

uanc'd your cause, to a most high degree of estimation with

these spectators? Ha you not?

Why, what haue you done, or wonne?

It is enough for me, (who was cal'd out to this triall)

that I haue not lost, or that my side is not vanquish'd.

COme, you must yeeld both: this is neither contention for you, nor

time, fit to contend: there is another kinde of Tilting would become

loue better then this; to meete lips for lances; and cracke kisses in stead of

staues: which, there is no beautie here, I presume, so yong, but can fancie,

nor so tender, but would venter: Here is the palme, for[inked quad]which you mustnor so tender, but would venter: Here is the palme, for which you must

striue: which of you wins this bough, is the right and best CVPID; and

whilst you are striuing, let HYMEN, the president of these solemnities, tell

you something of your owne storie, and what yet you know not of your

selues: you are both true CVPIDS, and both the sonnes of VENVS by

MARS, but this the first-borne, & was called EROS: who vpon his birth

prou'd a child of excellent beautie, & right worthie his mother; but after

his growth not answering his forme, not onely VENVS, but the Graces,

who nurs'd him, became extremely solicitious for him: and were impeldwho nurs'd him, became extremely solicitous for him: and were impeld

out of their griefe and care, to consult the oracle about him: THEMIS (for

APOLLO, was not yet of yeres) gaue answere there wanted nothing to his

perfection, but that they had not enough consider'd, or look'd into the

nature of the infant, which indeed was desirous of a companion only; for

though loue, and the true, might bee borne of VENVS single and alone,

yet he could not thriue and encrease alone. Therefore if shee affected his

growth, VENVS must bring forth a brother to him, and name him AN-

TEROS: that with reciprocall affection, might pay the exchange of loue.

This made, that thou wert borne her second birth. Since when your na-

tures are, that either of you, looking vpon, other, thriue and by your mu-tures are, that either of you, looking vpon other, thriue, and by your mu-

tuall respects and interchange of ardor, flourish and prosper; whereas if

the one be deficient or wanting to the other, it fares worse with both:

This is the loue, that Hymen requires, without which no marriage is hap-

pie: when the contention is not, who is the true loue, but (beeing both

true) who loues most; cleauing the bough betweene you, and deuidingtrue) who loues most in; cleaug the bough betweene you, and deuiding

the Palme; This is a strife, wherein you both winne, and begets a concord

worthy all married mindes emulation, when the louer transformes him-

selfe into the person of his belou'd, as you two doe now; By whose ex-

ample let your Knights (all honourable friends and seruants of loue) af-

fect the like peace, and depart the lists equall in their friendships for euer;

as to day they haue bene in their fortunes. And may this royall court ne-

uer know more difference in humours; or these well grac'd nuptials

more discord in affections, then what they presently feele, and may euer

auoid.

To this LOVE sayes Amen.