Of lighter toes, and fuch court guise

As Mercury did first devise

With the mincing Dryades

On the lawns, and on the leas.

965

This fecond Song presents them to their Father and Mother.

Noble Lord, and Lady bright,
I have brought ye new delight,
Here behold fo goodly grown

Three fair branches of your own ;

Heav'n hath timely try'd their youth,

970

Their faith, their patience, and their truth,

And fent them here through hard affays

With a crown of deathless praise,

To triumph in victorious dance

O'er fenfual folly, and intemperance.

975

The dances ended, the Spirit epiloguizes.

SPIR. To the ocean now I fly,

And those happy climes that lie
Where day never fhuts his eye,
Up in the broad fields of the fky:
There I fuck the liquid air
All amidst the gardens fair

980

Of Hesperus, and his daughters three

That fing about the golden tree:

Along the crifped fhades and bowers

Revels the spruce and jocond Spring,

985

The Graces, and the rofy-bofom'd Hours,
Thither all their bounties bring;
That there eternal Summer dwells,
And weft-winds with musky wing
About the cedarn alleys fling

990 Nard

May thy lofty head be crown'd

With many a tow'r and terras round,
And here and there thy banks upon
With groves of myrrhe, and cinnamon.

Come, Lady, while Heav'n lends us grace,
Let us fly this cursed place,

Left the forcerer us entice
With fome other new device.
Not a waste, or needlefs found,
Till we come to holier ground;
I shall be your faithful guide
Through this gloomy covert wide,
And not many furlongs thence
Is your Father's refidence,
Where this night are met in ftate
Many a friend to gratulate
His wish'd prefence, and befide
All the fwains that near abide,
With jigs, and rural dance refort;
We fhall catch them at their sport,
And our fudden coming there

Will double all their mirth and chear;
Come let us haste, the stars grow high,
But night fits monarch yet in the mid sky.

935

940

945

950

955

The Scene changes, prefenting Ludlow town and the Prefident's caftle; then come in country dancers, after them the attendent Spirit, with the two Brothers and the Lady.

SONG,

SPIR. Back, Shepherds, back, enough your play,

Till next fun-fhine holiday

Here be without duck or nod

Other trippings to be trod

960

of

1

Of lighter toes, and fuch court guise

As Mercury did first devise

With the mincing Dryades

On the lawns, and on the leas.

965

This fecond Song prefents them to their Father and Mother.

Noble Lord, and Lady bright,
I have brought ye new delight,

Here behold fo goodly grown

Three fair branches of your own;

Heav'n hath timely try'd their youth,

970

Their faith, their patience, and their truth,

And fent them here through hard assays

With a crown of deathless praise,

To triumph in victorious dance

O'er fenfual folly, and intemperance.

975

Revels the fpruce and jocond Spring,

985

The Graces, and the rofy-bofom'd Hours,
Thither all their bounties bringi
That there eternal Summer dwells,
And weft-winds with musky wing
About the cedarn alleys fling

990 Nard

May thy lofty head be crown'd

With many a tow'r and terras round,
And here and there thy banks upon
With groves of myrrhe, and cinnamon.

Come, Lady, while Heav'n lends us grace,
Let us fly this curfed place,

Left the forcerer us entice
With fome other new device.
Not a waste, or needless found,
Till we come to holier ground;
I fhall be your faithful guide
Through this gloomy covert wide,
And not many furlongs thence
Is your Father's refidence,
Where this night are met in ftate
Many a friend to gratulate
His wifh'd prefence, and befide
All the fwains that near abide,
With jigs, and rural dance refort;
We fhall catch them at their fport,
And our fudden coming there

Will double all their mirth and chear;
Come let us hafte, the ftars grow high,
But night fits monarch yet in the mid sky.

935

940

945

950

955

The Scene changes, prefenting Ludlow town and the Prefident's caftle; then come in country dancers, after them the attendent Spirit, with the two Brothers and the Lady.

SONG,

SPIR. Back, Shepherds, back, enough your play,

Till next fun-fhine holiday;

Here be without duck or nod

Other trippings to be trod

960

of

Of lighter toes, and fuch court guise

As Mercury did first devise

With the mincing Dryades

On the lawns, and on the leas.

965

This fecond Song prefents them to their Father and Mother.

Noble Lord, and Lady bright,
I have brought ye new delight,
Here behold fo goodly grown

Three fair branches of your own ;

Heav'n hath timely try'd their youth,

970

Their faith, their patience, and their truth,

And fent them here through hard affays

With a crown of deathless praise,

To triumph in victorious dance

O'er fenfual folly, and intemperance.

975

The dances ended, the Spirit epiloguizes.

SPIR. To the ocean now I fly,

And those happy climes that lie
Where day never fhuts his eye,
Up in the broad fields of the sky:
There I fuck the liquid air
All amidst the gardens fair

980

Of Hesperus, and his daughters three

That fing about the golden tree :

Along the crifped fhades and bowers

Revels the spruce and jocond Spring,

985

The Graces, and the rofy-bosom'd Hours,
Thither all their bounties bringi
That there eternal Summer dwells,
And weft-winds with mufky wing
About the cedarn alleys fling

990 Nard