CHLORIDIA.
RITES TO
CHLORIS AND
HER NYMPHS.
Personated in a Masque at Court.
By the Queenes Majestie
And her Ladyes.
At Shrove-tide.
1630.
The Inventors.
Ben. Johnson. Inigo Jones.
Unius tellus ante coloris erat.
CHLORIDIA.
THe King, and Queens Majestie, having given their command for the
Invention of a new argument, with the whole change of the Scene,
wherein her Majestie, with the like number of her Ladyes, purposed a
presentation to the King. It was agreed, it should be the celebration of
some Rites, done to the Goddesse Chloris, who in a generall counsell of
the Gods, was proclaim'd Goddesse of the flowers, according to that of
Ovid, in the Fasti.
Arbitrium tu Dea floris habe.
And was to be stellified on Earth, by an absolute decree from Iupiter,
who would have the Earth to bee adorn'd with starres, as well as the
Heaven.
Upon this hinge, the whole Invention mov'd.
The ornament, which went about the Scene, was composed of Foliage,
or leaves heightned with gold, and enter-woven with all sorts of flowers;
and naked children, playing, and climbing among the branches; and in
the midst, a great Garland of flowers, in which was written,
CHLORIDIA.
The Curtaine being drawne up, the Scene is discover'd, consisting of
pleasant hills, planted with young trees, and all the lower bankes ador-
ned with flowers. And from some hollow parts of those Hills, Foun-
taines come gliding downe, which, in the farre-off Land-shape, seem'd
all to be converted to a River.
Over all, a serene skie, with transparant cloudes, giving a great lustre
to the whole worke, which did imitate the pleasant Spring.
When the spectators had enough fed their eyes, with the delights of
the Scene, in a part of the ayre, a bright Cloud begins to breake forth;
and in it is sitting a plumpe Boy, in a changeable garment, richly adorn'd,
representing the mild Zephyrus. On the other side of the Scene, in a purp-
lish Cloud, appeareth the Spring, a beautifull Maid, her upper garment
greene, under it, a white robe wrought with flowers; A garland on her
head.
Here Zephyrus begins his Dialogue, calling her forth, and making
narration of the Gods decree at large, which she obeyes, pretending, it is
come to Earth already: and there begun to be executed by the Kings fa-
vour who assists with all bounties, that may be either urg'd, as causes, or
reasons of the Spring.
The first Song.
ZEPHYRVS.
Come forth, come forth, the gentle Spring,
And carry the glad newes, I bring,
To Earth, our common mother:
It is decreed, by all the Gods
The Heav'n, of Earth shall have no oddes,
But one shall love another:
Their glories they shall mutuall make,
Earth looke on Heaven, for Heavens sake;
Their honour's shall be even:
All æmulation cease, and jarres;
Jove will have Earth to have her starres
And lights, no lesse then Heaven.
SPRING.
It is already done, in flowers
As fresh, and new as are the houres,
By warmth of yonder Sunne.
But will be multiply'd on us,
If from the breath of ZEPHYRUS
Like favour we have wonne.
ZEPHYRVS.
Give all to him: His is the dew,
The heate, the humour,
SPRING.
-----All the true.
Beloved of the Spring!
ZEPHYRVS.
The Sunne, the Wind, the Verdure!
SPRING.
----All,
That wisest Nature cause can call
Of quick'ning any thing.
At which, Zephyrus passeth away through the ayre, and the
Spring descendeth to the Earth: and is receiv'd by the Naiades,
or Napeæ; who are the Nymph's, Fountaines, and Servants of
the season.
The second Song.
FOVNTAINES.
Fayre Maide, but are you come to dwell,
And tarry with us here?
SPRING.
Fresh Fountaines, I am come to tell
A tale in yond' soft eare,
Whereof the murmure will doe well:
If you your parts will beare.
FOVNTAINES.
Our purlings waite upon the Spring.
SPRING.
Goe up with me, then: helpe to sing
The story to the King.
Here the Spring goes up, singing the argument to the King;
and the Fountaines follow with the close.
SPRING.
Cupid hath ta'ne offence of late
At all the Gods, that of the State,
And in their Councell, he was so deserted,
Not to be call'd into their Guild
But slightly pass'd by, as a child.
FOVNTAINES.
Wherein he thinkes his honour was perverted.
SPRING.
And though his Mother seeke to season,
And rectifie his rage with reason,
By shewing he lives yet under her command,
Rebellious he, doth disobey,
And she hath forc'd his armes away.
FOVNTAINES.
To make him feele the Justice of her hand.
SPRING.
Whereat the Boy, in fury fell,
With all his speed, is gone to hell,
There to excite, and stirre up Jealousie,
To make a party 'gainst the Gods,
And set Heaven, Earth, and Hell at odds.
FOVNTAINES.
And rayse a chaos of calamitie.
The Song ended, the Nymphs
fall into a Daunce, to their voyces, and
instruments, and so returne into the Scene.
THE ANTIMASQVE.
First Entrie.
A part of the under-ground opening, out of it enters a Dwarfe-Post
from Hell, riding on a Curtall, with cloven feet, and two Lacqueys:
These dance, and make the first entry of the Antimasque. Hee alights,
and speakes.
POSTILION.
Hold my stirrop, my one Lacquey; and looke to my Curtall, the other: walkehim well, Sirrah, while I expatiate my selfe here in the report of my office! oh
the Furies! how I am joyed with the title of it! Postilion of Hell! yet noMer-
cury. But a meere Cacodæmon, sent hither with a packet of newes! newes! ne-
ver was Hell so furnished of the commoditie of newes! Love hath beene lately
there, and so entertained by Pluto, and Proserpine, and all the Grandees of
the place, as, it is there perpetuall Holy-day: and a cessation of torment granted,
and proclaimed for ever! Halfe-famish'd Tantalus is fallen to his fruit, with
that appetite, as it threaten's to undoe the whole company of Costard-mungers, and
ha's a River afore him, running excellent Wine; Ixion is loos'd from his wheele,
and turn'd Dancer, does nothing but cut capreols, fetch friskals, and leades La-
valtoes, with the Lamiæ! Sisyphus ha's left rowling the stone, and is growne
a Mr. bowler; challenges all the prime gamesters, Parsons in hell, and gives them
odds: upon Tityus his brest, that (for sixe of the nine acres) is counted the sub-
tlest bowling-ground in all Tartary. All the Furies are at a game call'd nine-
pins, or keilles, made of old Usurers bones, and their soules looking on with de-
light, and betting on the game. Never was there such freedome of sport. Dana-
usDaughters have broke their bottomlesse tubs, and made bonfires of them. All
is turn'd triumph there. Had Hell gates beene kept with halfe that strictnesse, as
the entry here ha's beene to night, Pluto would have had but a cold Court, and
Proserpine a thin presence, though both have a vast territorie. Wee had such a
stirre to get in, I, and my Curtall, and my two Lacqueys all ventur'd through
the eye of a Spanish needle, wee had never come in else, and that was by the favour
of one of the guard who was a womans-taylor, and held ope the passage. Cupid
by commission hath carried Jealousie from Hell, Disdaine, Feare, and Dissimulation,
with other Goblins, to trouble the Gods. And I am sent after post, to raise
Tempest, Windes, Lightnings, Thunder, Rayne, and Snow, for some new exploit
they have against the Earth, and the Goddesse Chloris, Queene of the flowers,
and Mistris of the Spring. For joy of which I will returne to my selfe, mount
my Bidet, in a dance; and corvet upon my Curtall.
The speech ended, the Postillion mounts his Curtall, and with his
Lacqueys, danceth forth as he came in.
2. Entry.
Cupid, Jealousie, Disdaine, Feare, and Dissimulation, dance together.
3. Entry.
The Queenes Dwarfe, richly apparell'd, as a Prince of Hell, attended
by six infernall Spirits; He first danceth alone, and then the Spirits: all ex-
pressing their joy, for Cupids comming among them.
4. Entry.
Here the Scene changeth, into a horrid storme; Out of which enters
the Nymph Tempest, with foure Windes, they dance.
5. Entry.
Lightnings, three in number, their habits glistering, expressing that ef-
fect, in their motion.
6. Entry.
Thunder alone dancing the tunes to a noyse, mixed, and imitating
thunder.
7. Entry.
Rayne, presented by five persons all swolne, and clouded over, their
hayre flagging, as if they were wet, and in their hands, balls full of
sweet water, which, as they dance, sprinkle all the roome.
8. And last entry.
Seven with rugged white heads, and beards, to expresse Snow, with
flakes on their garments, mix'd with hayle. These having danced, re-
turne into the stormy Scene, whence they came.
Here, by the providence of Juno, the tempest on an instant ceaseth:
And the Scene is changed into a delicious place, figuring the bowre of
Chloris. Where, in an arbour fayn'd of Gold-smiths worke, the ornament
of which was borne up with Termes of Satyres, beautifi'd with Pestones,
Garlands, and all sorts of fragrant flowers. Beyond all this, in the skie
a-farre off appear'd a Rainebow, in the most eminent place of the Bowre,
fate the Goddesse Chloris, accompanied with fourteene Nymphs, their ap-
parell white, embroydered with silver, trim'd at the shoulders with great
leaves of greene, embroydered with gold, falling one under the other.
And of the same worke were their bases, their head-'tyres of flowers,
mix'd with silver, and gold, with some sprigs of Ægrets among, and from
the top of their dressing, a thin vayle hanging downe.
All which beheld,
The Nymphs, Rivers, and Fountaines with the Spring,
sung this rejoycing Song.
Song 3.
RIVERS, SPRING, FOVNTAINES.
Run out, all the Flouds, in joy with your silver feet;
And hast to meet, the enamour'd Spring;
For whom the warbling Fountaines sing:
The story of the flowers; preserved by the Howres;
At Juno's soft command, and Iris showers;
Sent to quench jealousie, and all those powers
Of Loves rebellious warre:
Whil'st Chloris sits a shining starre
To crowne, and grace our jolly song, made long,
To the notes, that we bring, to glad the Spring.
Which ended, the Goddesse, and her Nymphs, descend the degrees,
into the roome, and dance the entry of the grand-masque.
After this, another Song by the same persons,
as before.
Song 4.
RIVERS, FOVNTAINES.
Tell a truth, gay Spring, let us know
What feet they were, that so
Impres't the Earth, and made such various flowers to grow!
SPRING.
She that led, a Queene was at lest,
Or a Goddesse, 'bove the rest:
And all their graces, in her selfe expres't!
RIVERS, FOVNTAINES.
O,'twere a fame, to know her name!
Whether shee were the root;
Or they did take th'impression from her foot.
The Masquers here dance their second dance.
Which done,
The farther Prospect of the Scene changeth into ayre, with a low Land-
shape in part covered with clouds: And in that instant, the Heaven ope-
ningJuno, and Iris are seene, and above them many aëry spirits, sitting in
the cloudes.
Song 5.
JVNO.
Now Juno, and the Ayre shall know
The truth of what is done below,
From our discoloured bow. Iris, what newes?
IRIS.
The ayre is cleare, your bow can tell,
Chloris renown'd, Spight fled to Hell;
The businesse all is well. And Cupid sues
JVNO.
For pardon. Do's hee?
IRIS.
Hee sheds teares
More then your Birds have eyes.
JVNO.
The Gods have eares.
Offences, made against the Deities,
Are soone forgot-
IRIS.
If who offends, be wise.
Here, out of the Earth, ariseth a Hill, and on the top of it, a globe,
on which Fame is seene standing with her Trumpet, in her hand; and on
the Hill, are seated four Persons, presenting Poesie, History, Architecture,
and Sculpture: who together with the Nymphs, Floods, and Fountaines,
make a full Quire, at which, Fame begins to mount, and moving her
wings, flyeth, singing up to Heaven.
FAME.
Rise golden Fame, and give thy name a birth
CHORVS.
From great and generous actions, done on Earth.
FAME.
The life of Fame is action.
CHORVS.
Understood
That action must be vertuous, great, and good!
FAME.
Vertue it selfe by Fame is oft protected,
And dies despised-----
CHORVS.
Where the Fame's neglected.
FAME.
Who hath not heard of Chloris, and her Bowre
Fayre Iris act, employ'd by Juno's power
To guard the Spring, and prosper every flower,
Whom Jealousie and Hell thought to devoure?
CHORVS.
Great actions, oft obscur'd by time, may lye,
Or envy-----
FAME.
But they last to memory.
POESY.
We that sustaine thee, Learned Poesie,
HISTORY.
And I, her sister, severe History.
ARCHITECTVRE.
With Architecture, who will rayse thee high,
SCVLPTVRE.
And Sculpture, that can keepe thee from to dye.
CHORVS.
All helpe lift thee to eternity.
JVNO.
And Juno, through the ayre, doth make thy way,
IRIS.
By her serenest Messenger of Day.
FAME.
Thus Fame, ascend's, by all degrees, to Heaven:
And leaves a light, here, brighter then the seven.
CHORVS.
Let all applaud the sight.
Ayre first, that gave the bright
Reflections, Day or night!
With these supports of Fame,
That keepe alive her name!
The beauties of the Spring.
Fount's, Rivers, every thing:
From the height of all,
To the Waters fall-,
Resound and sing
The honour's of his Chloris, to the King.
Chloris, the Queene of Flowers;
The sweetnesse of all Showres;
The ornament of Bowres;
The top of Par-amours!
Fame, being hidden in the clouds, the hill sinkes:
and the Heaven closeth.
The Masquers dance with the Lords.
The Names of the Masquers as they
sate in the Bowre.
- The Queene.
- Countesse of Carlile.
- Countesse of Berkshire.
- Countesse of Newport.
- La
- Howard
- Countesse of Oxford.
- Lady Anne Cavendish.
- Lady Penelope Egerton.
- M
- Eliz. Savage.
- Lady Strange.
- Countesse of Carnarvan.
- M.Porter
- M
- Anne Weston.
- M.Dor.Savage.
- M
- Sophia Cary.