Iris.
Hermes forbeare, Juno will chide and strike;
Is great Jove jealous that I am imploy'd
On her love errands? she did never yet
Claspe weake mortalitie in her white armes,
As he hath often done: I onely come
To celebrate the long wisht Nuptials,
Heere in Olympia, which are now perform'd
Betwixt two goodly Rivers, which have mixt
Their gentle rising waves, and are to grow
Into a thousand streames, great as themselves;
I need not name them, for the sound is lowde
In heaven and earth, and I am sent from her
The Queene of Mariage, that was present heere,
And smil'd to see them joyne, and hath not chid
Since it was done: good Hermes let me go.
Mercurie.
Nay you must stay, Joves message is the same,
Whose eies are lightning, and whose voice is thunder,
Whose breath is any winde, he will, who knowes
How to be first on earth as well as heaven.
Iris.
But what hath he to doe with Nuptiall rights?
Let him keepe state upon his starry throne,
And fright poore mortals with his thunderbolts,
Leaving to us the mutuall darts of eyes.
Mercurie.
Alas, when ever offer'd he t'abridge
Your Ladies power, but onely now in these,
Whose match concernes his generall government?
Hath not each god a part in these high joyes?
And shall not he the King of gods presume
Without proud Junoes licence? let her know
That when enamor'd Jove first gave her power
To linke soft hearts in Undissolved bonds,
He then foresaw, and to himselfe reserv'd
The honor of this Mariage: thou shalt stand
Still as a Rocke, while I to blesse this feast
Will summon up with my all charming rod,
The Nymphes of fountains, from whose watry locks
Hung with the dew of blessing and encrease,
The greedie Rivers take their nourishment.
You Nymphes, who bathing in your loved springs,
Beheld these Rivers in their infancie,
And joy'd to see them, when their circled heads
Refresht' the aire, and spread the ground with flowers:
Rise from your Wells, and with your nimble feete
Performe that office to this happie paire;
Which in these plaines, you to Alpheus did;
When passing hence through many seas unmixt,
He gained the favour of his Arethuse.
Immediatlie upon which speech foure Naiades arise gentlie out of their severall Fountaines, and present themselves upon the Stage, attired in long habits of sea-greene Taffita, with bubbles of Christall intermixt with powdering of silver resembling drops of water; blewish Tresses on their heads, garlands of Water-Lillies. They fall into a Measure, daunce a little, then make a stand.
Iris.