But seen these move; they would have then So they do move each heart and eye, Here they danced a third most elegant and curious dance, and not to be described again by any art, but that of their own footing, which ending in the figure that was to produce the fourth, January from his state saluted them thus. Janu. Your grace is great, as is your beauty, dames; [flames. Enough my feasts have proved your thankful Now use your seat: that seat which was, before, Thought straying, uncertain, floating to each shore, And to whose having every clime laid claim, wets His hair therein, nor wears a beam that sets. 1 The Platonic's opinion. See also Mac. lib. 1. and 2 Bom. Sc. For what country is it thinks not her own beauty airest, vet? Long may his light adorn these happy rites, As I renew them; and your gracious sights Enjoy that happiness, even to envy, as when Beauty, at large, brake forth, and conquer'd men! At which they danced their last dance into their throne again; and that turning, the scene closed with this full SONG. Still turn and imitate the heaver And as his planets go, Your brighter Hights do so: HYMENEI; OR, THE SOLEMNITIES OF MASQUE AND BARRIERS AT A MARRIAGE. HYMENÆI, &c. It is a noble and just advantage that the things subjected to understanding have of those which are objected to sense, that the one sort are but momentary, and merely taking; the other impressing, and lasting: else the glory of all these solemnies had perished like a blaze, and gone out, in the beholders' eyes. So short lived are the bodies of all things, in comparison of their souls. And though bodies oftimes have the ill luck to be sensually preferred, they find afterwards the good fortune (when souls live) to be utterly forgotten. This it is hath made the most royal princes, and greatest persons (who are commonly the personaters of these actions) not only studious of riches, and magnificence in the outward celebration or shew, which rightly becomes them; but curious after the most high and hearty inventions, to furnish the inward parts; and those grounded upon antiquity, and solid learning: which though their voice be taught to sound to present occasions, their sense or doth or should always lay hold on more removed mysteries. And howsoever some may squeamishly cry out, that all endeavor of learning and sharpness in these transitory devices, especially where it steps beyond their little, or (let me not wrong them,) no brain at all, is superfluous: I am contented, these fastidious stomachs should leave my full tables, and enjoy at home their clean empty trenchers, fittest for such airy tastes; where perhaps a few Italian herbs, picked up and made into a sallad, may find sweeter acceptance than all the most nourishing and soune meats of the world. For these men's palates, let not me answer, O Muses. It is not my fault, if I All them out nectar, and they run to metheglin Vaticana bibant, si delectentur, All the courtesy I can do them, is to cry again: Prætereant, si quid non facit ad stomachum. As I will from the thought of them, to my better subject. On the night of the Masques (which were two, one of men, the other of women) the scene being drawn, there was first discovered an altar; upon which was inscribed, in letters of gold, 'Ioni. Oimte. Mima. UNIONI SACR. To this altar entered five pages, attired in white, bearing five tapers of virgin wax;" behind them, one representing a bridegroom: his hair short, and bound with party-colored ribands, and gold twist; his garments purple and white. On the other hand, entered HYMEN (the god of marriage) in a saffron-color'd robe, his under vestures white, his socks yellow, a yellow veil of silk on his left arm, his head crowned with roses and marjoram, in his right hand a torch of pine-trec.5 4 1 Mystically implying that both it, the place, and all the Fucceeding ceremonies were sacred to marriage, or Union; ver which Juno was president: to whom there was the like altar erected, at Rome, as she was called Juga Juno, in the street, which thence was named Jugarius. See Fest. ; and at which altar, the rite was to join the married pair with bands of silk, in sign of future concord. 2 Those were the Quinque Cerei, which Plutarch in his Quest. Roman. mentions to be used in nuptials. 3 The dressing of the bridegroom (with the ancients) was chiefly noted in that, Quod tonderetur. Juv. Sat. 6. Jumque à tonsore magistro Pecteris. And Lucan, lib. 2, where he makes Cato negligent of the ceremonies in marriage, saith, Ille nec horrificam sancto dimovit ab ore Cæsariem. See how he is called out, by Catullus in Nup. Jul. et Manl. Cinge tempora floribus Suave olentis amaraci, &c. For so I preserve the reading there in Catul. Pineam After him a youth attired in white, bearing another light, of white thorn; under his arm, a little wicker flasket shut: behind him two others in white, the one bearing a distaff, the other a spindle. Betwixt these a personated bride, supported, her hair flowing, and loose sprinkled with gray; on her head a garland of roses, like a turret; her garments white: and on her back a wether's fleece hanging down her zone, or girdle about her waist of white wool, fastened with the Herculean knot. In the midst went the Auspices; 7 after them, two that sung, in several colored silks. Of which one bore the water, the other the fire; last of all quate tædam, rather than to change it Spineam; and moved by the authority of Virgil in Ciri. where he says, Pronuba nec castos incendet Pinus amores. And Ovid, Fast. lib. 2 Expectet puros pinea tæda dies. Though I deny not, there was also spinea tæda, &c. which Pliny calls Nuptiarum facibus auspicatissimam, Nat. Hist. lib. 16. cap. 18. and whereof Sextus Pompeius Fest. hath left so particular testimony. For which see the following note. This (by the ancients) was called Camillus, quasi minister (for so that signified in the Hetrurian tongue) and was one of the three, which by Sex. Pompei were said to be Patrimi et Matrimi, Pueri prætextati tres, qui nubentem deducunt: unus, qui facem præfert ex spina alba. Duo qui tenent nubentem. To which confer that of Varro, lib. 6. de lingua Lat. Dicitur in nuptiis camillus, qui cumerum fert: As also that of Fest. lib. 3. Cumeruni vocabant antiqui vas quoddam quod opertum in nuptiis ferebant, in quo erant nubentis utensilia, quod et camillum dicebant: eo quod sacrorum ministrum káμλλov appellabant. 7 Auspices were those that handfasted the married couple; that wished them good luck; that took care for the dowry; and heard them profess that they came together for the cause of children. Juven. Sat. 10. Veniet cum signatoribus auspex. And Lucan. lib. 2. Junguntur taciti, contentique auspice Bruto. They are also styled Pronubi, Troxe netæ, Paranymphi. 1 the musicians, diversly attired, all crowned | Hy. Save, save the virgins; keep your hallow'd with roses; and with this Sona began. Bid all profane away; But who themselves have been, Or will in time be seen, The self-same sacrifice. For Union, mistress of these rites, Will be observed with eyes, As simple as her nights. Cho. Fly then all profane away, The song being ended, HYMEN presented himself foremost, and, after some sign of admiration, began to speak. Uy. What more than usual light, Is there some greater deity descended? Or reign on earth, those Powers So rich, as with their beams Grace Union more than ours; lights Untouch'd; and with their flame defend our rites. The four untemper'd Humors are broke out, A power, like reason, left in that huge body Instruct their darkness, make them know and sec, In wronging these, they have rebell'd 'gainst thee. Hereat, Reason, seated on the top of the globe, as in the brain, or highest part of man, figured in a venerable personage, her hair white, and trailing to her waist, crowned with light, her garments blue, and semined with stars, girded unto her with a white band filled with arithmetical figures, in one hand bearing a lamp, in the other a bright sword, descended and spake : Rea. Forbear your rude attempt; what igno rance And bound her influence in their happier Could yield you so profane, as to advance streams? 'Tis so this same is he, The king, and priest of peace: That sits so crowned with her own increase! O you, whose better blisses Have proved the strict embrace Of Union, with chaste kisses, And seen it flow so in your happy race; That know, how well it binds The fitting seeds of things, Wins natures, sexes, minds, And every discord in true music brings: Sit now propitious aids, To rites so duly prized; And view two noble maids, Of different sex, to Union sacrificed. Which all good minds should celebrate. 2 One thought in act against these mysteries? Herself nor suffers spring, nor end, nor change. And urge the masqued and disguised pretence Inform yourselves, with safer reverence, specials but in some language is known by a masculine word. Again, when their influences are common to both sexes, and more generally impetuous in the male, I see not why they should not, so, be more properly presented. And, for the allegory, though here it be very clear, and such as might well escape a candle, yet because there are some must complain of darkness, that have but thick eyes, I am contented to hold them this light. First, as in natural bodies so likewise in minds, there is no disease or distemperature, but is caused either by some abounding humor, or perverse affection; after the same manner, in politic bodies (where order, ceremony, state, reverence, devotion, aro Af-parts of the mind) by the difference or predominant will of what we metaphorically call humors and affections, all things are troubled and confused. These, therefore, were tropically brought in, before marriage, as disturbers of that mystical body, and the rites, which were soul unto it; that afterwards, in marriage, being dutifully tempered by her power, they might more fully celebrate the happiness of such as live in that sweet union, to the harmonious laws of nature and reason. Here out of a microcosm, or globe, (see p. 674) figuring a man, with a kind of contentious music, issued forth the first masque of eight men. These represented the four Humors and four fections, all gloriously attired, distinguished only by their several ensigns and colors; and, dancing out on the stage, in their return at the end of their dance, drew all their swords, offered io encompass the altar, and disturb the ceremorics. At which Hymen, troubled, spake : 1 Tho custom of music at nuptials, is clear in all antiquity. Ter. Adel. act. 5. Verum hoc mihi mora est, Tibicina, et Hymenæum qui cantent. And Claud. in epithal. Ducant pervigiles carmina tibiæ, &c. 3 That they were personated in men hath already come under some grammatical exception. But there is more than grammar to release it. For, besides that humores and affectus are both masculine in genere, not one of the 3 Alluding to that opinion of Pythagoras, who held all reason, all knowledge, all discourse of the soul to be mere number. See Plut. de Plac. Phil. 4 Opyta, with the Greeks, value the same that cere monia with the Latins; and imply all sorts of rites: how soever (abusively) they have been mado particular to Bacchus. See Serv. to that of Virg. Æneid. 4. Qualis commotis excita sacris Thyas. 5 Macrob. in Som. Scip. lib. 1. To these mysterious rites, whose mystic sense, Reason, which all things, but itself, confounds, Shall clear unto you from the authentic grounds. At this the Humors and Affections sheathed their swords, and retired amazed to the side of the stage, while Hymen began to rank the persons, and order the ceremonies: and REASON proceeded to speak. Rea. The pair, which do each other side, Though yet some space doth them divide, This happy night must both make one; Blest sacrifice to Union. Nor is this altar but a sign Of one more soft, and more divine. The tead of white and blooming thorn, Whence hallow'd Union claims her bliss. 1 Properly that which was made ready for the new-married bride, and was called Genialis, à generandis liberis. Serv. in 6 Æn. 2 See Ovid. Fast. lib. 6. Sic fatus spinam, quâ tristes pellere posset 3 Plutar. in Quest. Rom. and Var. lib. 4. de ling. Lat. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 21. cap 8. Pomp. Feet. Briss. Hotto. de Rit. Nup. Var. lib. 6. de ling. Lat. and Fest. in Frag. 7 Fest. ib. 8 Plutar. in Quæst. Rom. et in Romul. 9 Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 8. cap. 48. 10 That was Nodus Herculeanus, which the husband at night untied, in sign of good fortune, that he might be happy in propagation of issue, as Hercules was, who left seventy children. See Fest. in voc. Cingul. 11 Plutarch. in Quæst. Rom. Which, joined thus, you cannot sever 14 Here the upper part of the scene, which was all of clouds, and made artificially to swell, and ride like the rack, began to open; and the air clearing, in the top thereof was discovered Juno,13 sitting in a throne, supported by two beautiful peacocks; her attire rich, and like a queen,' 15 a white diadem 18 on her head, from whence descended a veil, and that bound with a fascia of several color'd silks, 17 set with all sorts of jewels, and raised in the top with lilies and roses: 18 in her right hand she held a sceptre, in the other a timbrel, at her golden feet the hide of a lion 19 was placed: round about her sat the spirits of the air in several colors. making music: above her the region of fire, with a continual motion, was seen to whirl circularly, and Jupiter standing in the top (figuring the heaven) brandishing his thunder: beneath her the rainbow, Iris, and on the two sides, eight ladies attired richly, and alike, in the most celestial colors, who represented her powers, as she is the governess of marriage,20 and made the second masque. All which, upon the discovery, REASON made narration of. Rea. And see where Juno, whose great name Is Unio, in the anagram, Displays her glittering state and chair, 13 With the Greeks, Juno was interpreted to be the air itself. And so Macr. de Som. Scipio. 1. 1. c. 17. calls her. Mar. Cap. surnames her Aeria, of reigning there. 14 They were sacred to Juno, in respect of their colors and temper, so like the air. Ovid de Arte Amand. Laudatas ostendit aves Junonia pennas: And Met. lib. 2. Habili Saturnia curru Ingreditur liquidum pavonibus Æthera pictis. 15 She was called Regina Juno with the Latins, because she was soror et conjux Jovis, deorum et hominum regis. 16 Read Apul. describing her, in his 10th of the Ass. 17 After the manner of the antique bend, the varied colors implying the several mutations of the air, as showers, dews, serenity, force of winds, clouds, tempest, snow, hail, lightning, thunder, all which had their noises signified in her timbrel: the faculty of causing these being ascribed to her by Virg. Æneid. lib. 4. where he makes her say, His ego nigrantem commista grandine nimbum 18 Lilies were sacred to Juno, as being made white with her milk that fell upon the earth, when Jove took Hercules away, whom by stealth he had laid to her breast; the rose was also called Junonia. 19 So she was figured at Argos, as a step-mother, insulting on the spoils of her two privigni, Bacchus and Hercules. 20 See Virg. Æneid. lib. 4. Junoni ante omnes cui vincla jugalia curæ: and in another place, Dant signum prima et Tellus et Pronuba Juno: and Ovid. in Phil. Epist. Junonemque terris quæ præsidet alma Maritis. 21 They were all eight called by particular surnames of 12 See Mart. Capel. lib. 6. de Nupt. Phil. et Mor. in Juno, ascribed to her for some peculiar property in marriage. numero Pentade. as soinewhere after is more fitly declared. That govern nuptial mysteries; Their descent was made in two great clouds, that put forth themselves severally, and, with one measure of time, were seen to stoop, and fall gently down upon the earth. The manner of their habits came after some statues of Juno, no less airy than glorious. The dressings of their heads, rare; so likewise of their feet: and all full of splendor, sovereignty, and riches. Whilst they were descending, this SONG was sung at the altar. These, these are they, Whom Humor and Affection must obey; The married pair to fresh delights: As courtings, kissings, coyings, oaths, and vows, That chaster love allows. Cho. Haste, haste, for Hesperus his head down bows. This song ended, they danced forth in pairs, and each pair with a varied and noble grace, to a rare and full music of twelve lutes, led on by Order, the servant of Reason, who was there rather a person of ceremony than use. His under garment was blue, his upper white, and painted full of arithmetical and geometrical figures; his hair and beard long, a star on his forehead, and in his hand a geometrical staff: to whom, after the dance, REASON spake. Rea. Convey them, Order, to their places, First, Curis comes to deck the bride's fair tress, 1 This surname Juno received of the Sabines; from them the Romans gave it her of the spear, which (in the Sabine tongue) was called curis, and was that which they named hasta celibaris, which had stuck in the body of a slain sword player, and wherewith the bride's head was drest, whereof Fest. in voce celibar. gives these reasons: Ut quemadmodum illa conjuncta fuerit cum corpore gladiatoris, sic ipsa cum viro sit; vel quia matronæ Junonis curitis in tutela sit, quæ ita appellabatur à ferenda hasta ; vel quòd fortes viros genituras ominetur; vel quod nuptiali jure imperio viri subjicitur nubens, quia hasta summa armorum, et imperii est, &c. To most of which Plutarch, in his Quæst. Rom. consents, but adds a better in Romul. That when they divided the bride's hair with the point of the spear, ovußodov εἶναι τοῦ μετὰ μάχης καὶ πολεμικῶς τὸν πρῶτον γάμον yevcobat, it noted their first nuptials (with the Sabines) were contracted by force, and as with enemies. Howsoever, that it was a custom with them, this of Ovid. Fast. lib. 2. confirms. Comat virgineas hasta recurva comas. 2 For the surname of Unxia, we have Mart. Capel. his testimony, De Nup. Phil. et Mercu. lib. 2. quòd unctionibus præest: us also Servius, libro quarto Æneid. where they both report it a fashion with the Romans, that before the Here they danced forth a most neat and curious measure, full of subtilty and device, which was so excellently performed, as it seemed to take away that spirit from the invention, which the invention gave to it and left it doubtful, whether the forms flowed more perfectly from the author's brain, or their feet. The strains were al notably different, some of them formed into letters, very signifying to the name of the Bridegroom, and ended in the manner of a chain, linking hands: to which this was spoken. new-married brides entered the houses of their husbands, they adorned the posts of the gates with woollen tawdries, or fillets, and anointed them with oils, or the fat of wolves and boars; being superstitiously possest that such ointments had the virtue of expelling evils from the family and that thence they were called Uxores, quasi Unxores. 3 She was named Juga, propter Jugum, (as Servius says,) for the yoke which was imposed, in matrimony, on those that were married, or (with Sex. Pomp. Fest.) quòd Juges sunt cjusdem Jugi Pares, unde et Conjuges, or in respect of the altar (which I have declared before) sacred to Juno, in Vico Jugario. 4 As she was Gamelia, in sacrificing to her, they took away the gall, and threw it behind the altar; intimating that (after marriage) there should be known no bitterness nor hatred, between the joined couple, which might divide or separate them. See Plutarch. Connub. Fræ. This rite I have somewhere following touched at. 5 The title of Iterduca she had amongst them, quòd ad sponsi ædes sponsas comitabatur, or was a protectress of their journey. Mart. Capel. de Nupt. Philol. et Mercur. libro secundo. The like of Domiduca, quòd ad optatas domus duceret. Mart. ibid. 7 Cinxia, the same author gives unto her, as the defendress of maids, when they had put off their girdle, in the bridal chamber; to which Festus, Cinxia Junonis nomen sanctum habebatur in nuptiis, quòd initio conjugis solutio erat singuli, quo nova nupta erat cincta. And Arnobius, a man most learned in their ceremonies, lib. 3. advers. Gent. saith, Unctionibus superest Unxia. Cingulorum Cinxia ra plicationi. 8 Telia signifies erfecta, or, as some translate it, Perfectrix; with Jul. Pol. Lib. 3. Onomast. pa réλc:a values Juno! Præses Nuptiarem: who saith, the attribute depends of TEAεtos, which (with the ancients) signified marriage, and thence were they called réλcio that entered into that state. Servius interprets it the same with Gamelia Æneid. 4. ad verb. Et Junone secunda. But it implies much more, as including the faculty, too, mature and perfect. See the Greek Scholiast on Pind. Nem. in Hym. ad Thyæum Uliæ filium Argi. τέλειος δὲ ὁ γάμος διὰ τὸ κατασκευάζειν την τελειό τητα τοῦ βίου; that is, Nuptials are therefore called τέλειοι because they affect perfection of life, and do note that maturity which should be in matrimony. For before nuptials she is called Juno Tapévos, that is, Virgo; after nuptiala TEActa, which is, Adulta, or Perfecta |