Judicious wit, now raise thy brain,
Now heat thy nimbler spirit,
Show what delicious faces strain;
Much passion shows much merit.
Cynth. Now meet, now break, then feign a warlike sally;
So Cynthia sports, and so the gods may dally.
Lascivious youth not dare to speak
The language of loose city;
He that Diana’s bonds doth break
Is held most rudely witty.
Cynth. Now meet, now break, then feign a warlike sally;
So Cynthia sports, and so the gods may dally.
Disgracious dullness yet much mars
The shape of courtly talking;
He that can silent touch such stars
His soul lies in his walking.
Cynth. Now meet, now break, then feign a warlike sally;
So Cynthia sports, and so the gods may dally.
During this song, the masquers presented their shields, and took forth their ladies to dance. After they had danced many measures, galliards, corantos, and levaltos, the night being much spent, whilst the masquers prepared themselves for their departing measure, Cynthia spake thus:—
Cynth. Now pleasing rest; for, see the night
(Wherein pale Cynthia claims her right)
Is almost spent; the morning grows,
The rose and violet she strows
Upon the high celestial floor,
’Gainst Phœbus rise from paramour.
The Fairies, that my shades pursue,
And bathe their feet in my cold dew,
Now leave their ringlets and be quiet,
Lest my brother’s eye should spy it.
Then now let every gracious star
Avoid at sound of Phœbus’ car;
Into your proper place retire,
With bosoms full of beauty’s fire;
Hence must slide the Queen of Floods,
For day begins to gild the woods.
Then whilst we sing, though you depart,
I’ll swear that here you leave your heart.
The eclogue which a despairing shepherd spake to a nymph at my Lady’s departure:—
Stay, fair Beliza, and, whilst Heaven throws
On the crack’d earth
His burning breath,
O hear thy Dorus’ woes,
Whose cause and cure only Beliza knows.
See now the god of flames in full pomp rides,
And now each lass
On flowery grass
By the cool fountain sides
With quiet bosom and soft ease abides.
Do you so too, for see this bounteous spring:
Pray thee sit down,
Then shall I crown
Thy brows with flowery ring,
Whilst thus with shepherd’s homely voice I sing.