Shall strive to please: I have the foremost tract; [The SUN disappears. ACT II. SCENE I. The Garden of SPRING. Enter SPRING, RAYBRIGHT, YOUTH, HEALTH, and DELIGHT. Spring. Welcome! The mother of the year, the That mother, on whose back Age ne'er can sit, By whom all things above and under ground That Spring, on thy fair cheeks, in kisses lays name, RAYBRIGHT, as bright in person as in fame! Ray. Your eyes amazed me first, but now mine ears Feel your tongue's charm; in you move all the spheres. Oh, lady! would the Sun, which gave me life, Spring. Why? all my veins Shrink up, as if cold Winter were come back, Ray. Round about me A firmament of such full blessings shine, Than in my father's chariot, should I ride Spring. Oh, that sweet breath revives me; if thou never Part'st hence (as part thou shalt not), be happy ever! Ray. I know I shall. Spring. Thou, to buy whose state Kings would lay down their crowns, fresh Youth, wait, I charge thee, on my darling. Youth. Madam, I shall, And on his smooth cheek such sweet roses set, Are slaves and wretches, Health! that canst nor be sold Nor bought, I charge thee make his heart a tower Guarded, for there lies the Spring's paramour. Health. One of my hands is writing still in Heaven, The five nice senses dance; thou, that dost spin SONG by DELIGHT. What bird so sings, yet so does wail?1 1 What bird, &c.] This is taken from the beautiful song of Trico, in Lily's "Alexander and Campaspe." Jugg, jugg, jugg, terue she cries, [The cuckoo is heard. Ha, ha! hark, hark! the cuckoos sing Cuckoo! to welcome in the Spring. Brave prick-song! who is 't now we hear? How at heaven's gate she claps her wings, The morn not waking till she sings. [The cuckoo again. Ha, ha! hark, hark! the cuckoos sing Cuckoo! to welcome in the Spring. Spring. How does my sun-born sweetheart like his queen, Her court, her train? Ray. Wondrous; such ne'er were seen. Health. Fresher and fresher pastimes! one delight Is a disease to th' wanton appetite. Del. Music, take Echo's voice, and dance quick rounds To thine own times in repercussive sounds. [An echo of cornets. Spring. Enough! I will not weary thee. Pleasures, change! Thou as the Sun in a free zodiac range. Re-enter DELIGHT. [Exit DEL. Del. A company of rural fellows, faced1 Like lovers of your laws, beg to be graced Before your highness, to present their sport. Spring. What is 't? Del. A morris. 1 A company of rural fellows, faced Like lovers of your laws,] i. e. with youthful, ruddy, cheerful countenances.-GIFFORD. Spring. Give them our court. Stay, these dull birds may make thee stop thine ear; Take thou my lightning, none but laurel here Shall 'scape thy blasting: whom thou wilt confound, Smite let those stand, who in thy choice sit crown'd. Ray. Let these then, I may surfeit else on sweets; Sound sleeps do not still lie in princes' sheets. Spring. Beckon the rurals in; the country-gray Seldom ploughs treason: shouldst thou be stol'n away By great ones,-that's my fear. Ray. Fear it not, lady; Should all the world's black sorceries be laid Enter the MORRIS-DANCERS. To blow me hence, I move not. Spring. I am made In that word the earth's empress.— A DANCE. Are not these sports too rustic? Spring. My youngest girl, the violet-breathing Being told by Flora that my love dwelt here, To honour her arrival? Ray. I shall attend. Spring. On then,-[Exeunt Morris-dancers.]—and bid my rosy-finger'd May Rob hills and dales, with sweets to strew his way. [Exit, followed by YOUTH and HEALTH. Enter FOLLY, and whispers RAYBRIGHT. Ray. An empress, sayst thou, fall'n in love with me? Fol. She's a great woman, and all great women love to be empresses; her name, the lady Humour. Ray. Strange name! I never saw her, knew her not; What kind of creature is she? Fol. Creature! of a skin soft as pomatum, sleek as jelly, white as blanched almonds; breath, sweet as a monkey's; lips of cherries, teeth of pearl, eyes of diamond, foot and leg as Ray. My admiration wastes itself in longings Should day last ever, 't would be loath'd as night; Fol. Look you, I do but wind this cornet, and if another answer it, she comes. Ray. Be quick then! [FOLLY winds his cornet, and is answered from without. Enter HUMOUR, followed by a Soldier, a Spaniard, an Italian dancer, and a French tailor. Hum. Is this that flower the Spring so dotes upon? Fol. This is that honeysuckle she sticks in her ruff. Hum. A bedfellow for a fairy! Ray. Admired perfection, You set my praises to so high a tune, My merits cannot reach them. "Hum. My heartstrings shall then, [Aside. As mine eye gives that sentence on thy person, That judge to save thee would condemn a world, Sent up in flattering incense to the Sun, |