up before, in several degrees of folds, between the plaits, and set with rich jewels and great pearl. Their bodies were of carnation cloth of silver, richly wrought, and cut to express the naked, in manner of the Greek thorax; girt under the breasts with a broad belt of cloth of gold, embroidered, and fastened before with jewels: their labels were of white cloth of silver, laced, and wrought curiously between, suitable to the upper half of their sleeves; whose nether parts with their bases, were of watchet cloth of silver, cheveroned all over with lace. Their mantles were of several-coloured silks, distinguishing their qualities, as they were coupled in pairs; the first, sky-colour; the second, pearl-colour; the third, flame-colour; the fourth, tawny; and these cut in leaves, which were subtilly tucked up, and embroidered with O's, and between every rank of leaves a broad silver race. They were fastened on the right shoulder, and fell compass down the back in gracious folds, and were again tied with a round knot to the fastening of their swords. Upon their legs they wore silver greaves, answering in work to their labels. And these were their accoutrements.

The ladies' attire was wholly new, for the invention, and full of glory; as having in it the most true impression of a celestial figure : the upper part of white cloth of silver, wrought with Juno's birds and fruits; a loose under garment, full gathered, of carnation, striped with silver, and parted with a golden zone; beneath that, another flowing garment, of watchet cloth of silver, laced with gold; through all which, though they were round and swelling, there yet appeared some touch of their delicate lineaments, preserving the sweetness of proportion, and expressing itself beyond expression. The attire of their heads did answer, if not exceed; their hair being carelessly (but yet with more art than if more affected) bound under the circle of a rare and rich coronet, adorned with all variety, and choice of jewels; from the top of which flowed a transparent veil, down to the ground; whose verge returning up, was fastened to either side in most sprightly manner. Their shoes were azure and gold, set with rubies and diamonds; so were all their garments; and every part abounding in ornament.

No less to be admired, for the grace and greatness, was the whole machine of the spectacle from whence they came the first part of which was a MIKPOKOMMOƐ, or globe, filled with countries, and those gilded; where the sea was exprest, heightened with silver waves. This stood, or rather hung (for no axle was seen to support it), and turning softly, discovered the first masque (as we have before, but too runningly, declared), which was of the men, sitting in fair composition, within a mine of several metals: to which the lights were

so placed, as no one was seen; but seemed as if only Reason, with the splendour of her crown, illumined the whole grot.

On the sides of this, which began the other part, were placed two great statues, feigned of gold, one of Atlas, the other of Hercules, in varied postures, bearing up the clouds, which were of relievo, embossed, and tralucent as naturals: to these a cortine of painted clouds joined, which reached to the utmost roof of the hall; and suddenly opening, revealed the three regions of air: in the highest of which sat Juno, in a glorious throne of gold, circled with comets, and fiery meteors, engendered in that hot and dry region; her feet reaching to the lowest: where was made a rainbow, and within it musicians seated, figuring airy spirits, their habits various, and resembling the several colours caused in that part of the air by reflection. The midst was all of dark and condensed clouds, as being the proper place where rain, hail, and other watery meteors are made; out of which two concave clouds from the rest thrust forth themselves (in nature of those Nimbi, wherein, by Homer, Virgil, &c., the gods are feigned to descend), and these carried the eight ladies over the heads of the two terms; 1 who, as the engine moved, seemed also to bow themselves (by virtue of their shadows) and discharge their shoulders of their glorious burden: when having set them on the earth, both they and the clouds gathered themselves up again, with some rapture of the beholders.

But that, which (as above in place, so in the beauty) was most taking in the spectacle, was the sphere of fire, in the top of all, encompassing the air, and imitated with such art and industry, as the spectators might discern the motion (all the time the shows lasted) without any mover; and that so swift, as no eye could distinguish any colour of the light, but might form to itself five hundred several hues out of the tralucent body of the air, objected betwixt it and them.

And this was crowned with a statue of Jupiter the Thunderer.

1 Atlas and Hercules, the figures mentioned before.

THE BARRIERS.

On the next night, whose solemnity was of BARRIERS (all mention of the former being utterly removed and taken away), there appeared, at the lower end of the hall, a mist made of delicate perfumes; out of which (a battle being sounded under the stage) did seem to break forth two ladies, the one representing TRUTH, the other OPINION; but both so like attired, as they could by no note be distinguished. The colour of their garments was blue, their socks white; they were crowned with wreaths of palm, and in their hand each of them sustained a palm-bough. These, after the mist was vanished, began to examine each other curiously with their eyes, and approaching the State, the one expostulated the other in this manner:

Truth. Who art thou, thus that imitat'st my grace,

In steps, in habit, and resembled face?

Opin. Grave Time1 and Industry my parents are;
My name is Truth, who, through these sounds of war,
Which figure the wise mind's discursive sight,

In mists by Nature wrapt, salute the light.

Truth. I am that Truth, thou some illusive spright;
Whom to my likeness, the black sorceress Night
Hath of these dry and empty fumes created.

Opin. Best herald of thine own birth, well related,
Put me and mine to proof of words and facts,
In any question this fair hour exacts.

Truth. I challenge thee, and fit this time of love,
With this position, which Truth comes to prove;

1 Truth is feigned to be the daughter of Saturn: who indeed, with the ancients, was no other than time, and so his name alludes, Kpóvos. Plut. in Quæst. To which confer the Greek Adage, ἄγει δὲ πρὸς φῶς τήν ἀλήθειαν χρόνος.

That the most honoured state of man and wife,
Doth far exceed the insociate virgin life.

Opin. I take the adverse part; and she that best
Defends her side, be Truth by all confest.

Truth. It is confirmed. With what an equal brow
To Truth,1 Opinion's confident! and how
Like Truth her habit shows to sensual eyes;

But whosoe'er thou be, in this disguise,

Clear Truth, anon, shall strip thee to the heart;
And show how mere fantastical thou art.
Know, then, the first production of things.
Required two; from mere one nothing springs :
Without that knot the theme thou gloriest in
(The unprofitable virgin) had not been.
The golden tree of marriäge began

In Paradise, and bore the fruit of man ;

On whose sweet branches angels sat and sung,
And from whose firm root all society sprung.

Love (whose strong virtue wrapt heaven's soul in earth,
And made a woman glory in his birth)

In marriage opens his inflaméd breast;

And lest in him nature should stifled rest,

His genial fire about the world he darts,

Which lips with lips combines, and hearts with hearts.
Marriage Love's object is; at whose bright eyes,
He lights his torches, and calls them his skies.
For her he wings his shoulders; and doth fly
To her white bosom as his sanctuary:

In which no lustful finger can profane him,
Nor any earth with black eclipses wane him.
She makes him smile in sorrows, and doth stand
'Twixt him and all wants, with her silver hand.
In her soft locks his tender feet are tied;

1 Hippocrat. in a certain epistle to Philopom. describeth her, Mulierem, quæ non mala videatur, sed audacior aspectu et concitatior. To which Cesare Ripa, in his Iconolog, alludeth in these words, Faccia, nè bella, nè dispiacevole, &c.

F

And in his fetters he takes worthy pride.
And as geometricians have approved
That lines and superficies are not moved
By their own forces, but do follow still
Their bodies' motions, so the self-loved will
Of man or woman should not rule in them,
But each with other wear the anadem.

Mirrors, though decked with diamonds, are nought worth
If the like forms of things they set not forth;
So men or women are worth nothing neither,
If either's eyes and hearts present not either.
Opin. Untouched Virginity, laugh out; to see
Freedom in fetters placed, and urged 'gainst thee.
What griefs lie groaning on the nuptial bed?
What dull society? in what sheets of lead
Tumble and toss the restless married pair,
Each oft offended with the other's air?
From whence springs all-devouring avarice,
But from the cares which out of wedlock rise?
And, where there is in life's best-tempered fires
An end set in itself to all desires,

A settled quiet, freedom never checked;
How far are married lives from this effect?
Euripus,1 that bears ships in all their pride
'Gainst roughest winds with violence of his tide,
And ebbs and flows seven times in every day,
Toils not more turbulent or fierce than they.
And then what rules husbands prescribe their wives!
In their eyes' circles they must bound their lives.
The moon, when farthest from the sun she shines,
Is most refulgent; nearest, most declines :
But your poor wives far off must never roam,

But waste their beauties near their lords at home:

And when their lords range out, at home must hide,

1 A narrow sea, between Aulis, a port of Boeotia, and the isle Euboea. See Pomp. Mela, lib. 2.