BEN JONSON.
OBERON, THE FAIRY PRINCE.
A MASQUE OF PRINCE HENRY'S.
The first face of the scene appeared all
obscure, and
nothing perceived but a
dark rock,
with trees be-
yond it, and all
wildness that could be
presented :
till, at one
corner of the
cliff, above the horizon,
the moon began to shew,
and rising,
a SATYR was
seen by her light to
put forth his head
and call.
1 Sat.
CHROMIS ! Mnasil !
None appear ?
See you
not who riseth here ?
You saw
Silenus, late, I fear. --
I'll prove
if this can reach your ear.
He wound his
cornet, and thought himself answered ;
but was deceived by the echo.
O, you
wake then ! come away,
Times be short are made for play ;
The humorous moon too will not stay : --
What doth make you thus delay ?
Hath his
tankard touch'd your brain ?
Sure, they're fallen asleep again :
Or I doubt it was the vain
Echo, did me entertain.
Prove
again--
[ Wound his
cornet the second time, and found it.]
I thought 'twas she !
Idle nymph, I pray thee be
Modest, and not follow me :
I not love myself, nor thee.
Here he wound
the third time, and was answered by
another satyr, who
likewise shewed himself.
Aye, this
sound I better know :
List ! I would I could hear moe.
At
this they came running forth
severally, to the
number of
ten, from
divers parts of the rock,
leaping and making
antick actions and gestures
;
some of
them speaking,
some admiring : and
amongst
them a SILENE,
who is ever the prefect
of the Satyrs,
and so presented
in all their chori
and meetings.
2 Sat.
Thank us, and you shall do so.
3 Sat. Aye, our number soon will grow.
2 Sat. See Silenus!
3 Sat. CERCOPS too!
4 Sat. Yes. What is there now to do ?
5 Sat. Are there any nymphs to woo ?
4 Sat. If there be, let me have two.
Silen. Chaster language !
These are nights,
Solemn
to the shining rites
Of the
Fairy Prince, and knights
While
the moon their orgies lights.
2 Sat. Will they come abroad, anon ?
3 Sat. Shall we see young OBERON
!
4 Sat. Is he such a princely one,
As you
spake him long agon ?
Silen. Satyrs, he doth fill with
grace
Every
season, every place ;
Beauty
dwells but in his face ;
He's the
height of all our race.
Our Pan's father, god of
tongue,
Bacchus,
though he still be young,
Phoebus,
when he crowned sung,
Nor Mars
when first his armor rung,
Might with him be named that day
:
He is
lovelier, than in May
Is the
spring, and there can stay
As little,
as he can decay.
Omn. O, that he would come away
!
3 Sat. Grandsire, we shall leave to play
With
Lyaeus
now ; and
serve
Only OBERON.
Silen. He'll deserve
All you
can, and more, my boys.
4 Sat. Will he give us pretty toys,
To beguile
the girls withal ?
3 Sat. And to make them quickly fall.
Silen. Peace, my wantons
! he will do
More than
you can aim unto.
4 Sat. Will he build us larger caves ?
Silen. Yes, and give you ivory
staves,
When you
hunt ; and better wine --
1 Sat. Than the master of the vine ?
2 Sat. And rich prizes, to be won,
When we
leap, or when we run ?
1 Sat. Ay, and gild our cloven feet ?
3 Sat. Strew our heads with powder sweet ?
1 Sat. Bind our crooked legs in hoops
Made of
shells, with silver loops ?
2 Sat. Tie about our tawny wrists
Bracelets
of the fairy twists ?
4 Sat. And, to spight the coy nymphs' scorns,
Hang upon
our stubbed horns
Garlands,
ribands, and fine posies --
3 Sat. Fresh as when the flower discloses ?
1 Sat. Yes, and stick our pricking ears
With the
pearl that Tethys wears.
2 Sat. And to answer all things else,
Trap our
shaggy thighs with bells ;
That as
we do strike a time,
In our
dance shall make a chime --
3 Sat. Louder than the rattling pipes
Of the
wood gods --
1 Sat. Or the stripes
Of the
taber ; when we carry
Bacchus
up, his pomp to vary.
Omn. O, that he so long doth
tarry !
Silen. See ! the rock begins to
ope,
Now you
shall enjoy your hope ;
'Tis about
the hour, I know.
There the
whole scene opened, and within was dis-
covered the
frontispiece of a bright
and glorious
palace, whose
gates and walls
were transparent.
Before the
gates lay
two SYLVANS, armed
with
their clubs, and
drest in
leaves, asleep. At this
the Satyrs wondering,
Silenus proceeds
:
Silen.
Look ! does not his palace show
Like
another
sky of lights ?
Yonder,
with him, live the knights,
Once,
the noblest of the earth,
Quicken'd
by a second birth :
Who, for
prowess, and for truth,
There
are crown'd with lasting youth :
And do
hold, by Fate's command,
Seats
of bliss in Fairy land.
But their
guards, methinks, do sleep !
Let us
wake them.-- Sirs, you keep
Proper
watch, that thus do lie
Drown'd
in sloth !
1 Sat. They have ne'er an eye
To wake
withal.
2 Sat. Nor sense, I fear ;
For they
sleep in either ear.
3 Sat. Holla, Sylvans ! -- sure they're caves
Of sleep
these, or else they're graves.
4 Sat. Hear you, friends ! -- who keeps the
keepers?
1 Sat. They are the eighth and ninth sleepers !
2 Sat. Shall we cramp them ?
Silen. Satyrs, no.
3 Sat. Would we had Boreas here, to blow
Off their
heavy coats, and strip them.
4 Sat. Ay, ay, ay ; that we might whip them.
3 Sat. Or that we had a wasp or two
For their
nostrils.
1 Sat. Hairs will do
Even as
well : take my tail.
2 Sat. What do you say to a good nail
Through
their temples ?
3 Sat. Or an eel,
In their
guts, to make them feel ?
4 Sat. Shall we steal away their beards ?
3 Sat. For Pan's goat, that leads the herds ?
2 Sat. Or try, whether is more dead,
His club,
or the other's head ?
Silen. Wags, no more : you grow
too bold.
1 Sat. I would fain now see them roll'd
Down a
hill, or from a bridge
Headlong
cast, to break their ridge-
Bones
: or to some river take 'em,
Plump
; and see if that would wake 'em,
2 Sat. There no motion yet appears.
Silen. Strike a charm into their
ears.
At which the Satyrs fell suddenly into this catch.
Buz, quoth the blue flie,
Hum, quoth the bee :
Buz and hum they cry,
And so do we.
In his ear, in his nose,
Thus, do you see ? -- [They tickle them.
He eat the dormouse ;
Else it was he.
The two
Sylvans starting up amazed, and betaking
themselves to their
arms, were thus questioned
by
Silenus :
Silen.
How now, Sylvans ! can you wake ?
I commend
the care you take
In your
watch ! Is this your guise,
To have
both your ears and eyes
Seal'd
so fast ; as these mine elves
Might
have stol'n you from yourselves ?
3 Sat. We had thought we must have got
Stakes,
and heated them red-hot,
And have
bored you through the eyes,
With the
Cyclops, ere you'd rise.
2 Sat. Or have fetch'd some trees to heave
Up your
bulks, that so did cleave
To the
ground there.
4 Sat. Are you free
Yet of
sleep, and can you see
Who is
yonder up aloof ?
1 Sat. Be your eyes yet moon-proof ?
1 Syl. Satyrs, leave your petulance,
And go
frisk about and dance ;
Or else
rail upon the moon :
Your
expectance
is too soon.
For before
the second cock
Crow,
the gates will not unlock ;
And, till
then, we know we keep
Guard
enough, although we sleep.
1 Sat. Say you so ? then let us fall
To a song,
or to a brawl :
Shall
we, grandsire ? Let us sport
And make
expectation short.
Silen. Do, my wantons, what you
please.
I'll lie
down and take mine ease.
1 Sat. Brothers, sing then, and upbraid,
As we
use yond' seeming maid.
SONG.
Now, my cunning lady : moon,
Can you leave the side so soon,
Of the boy, you keep so hid?
Midwife Juno sure will say,
This is not the proper way,
Of your paleness to be rid.
But, perhaps, it is your grace
To wear sickness in your face,
That there might be wagers laid
Still, by fools, you are a maid.
Come, your changes overthrow,
What your look would carry so ;
Moon, confess then, what you are,
And be wise, and free to use
Pleasures that you now do lose.
Let us Satyrs have a share.
Though our forms be rough and rude,
Yet our acts may be endued
With more virtue : every one
Cannot be ENDYMION.
Here they fell suddenly into
an antick
dance full of
gesture and swift
motion, and continued
it till the
crowing of
the cock :
at which they were inter-
rupted by Silenus.
Silen. Stay, the cheerful Chanticleer
Tells you that the time is near : --
See, the gates already spread !
Every Satyr bow his head.
There
the whole palace opened, and
the nation of
Faies
were discovered,
some with instruments,
some
bearing lights,
others singing ; and within,
afar off in
perspective, the
knights masquers sit-
ting in
their several
sieges : at the further end of
all, OBERON , in a
chariot, which,
to a loud tri-
umphant
music, began to move forward, drawn
by
two white
bears, and
on either side guarded by
three Sylvans, with one
going in front.
SONG.
Melt earth to sea, sea flow to air,
And air fly
into fire,
Whilst we in
tunes, to Arthur's chair
Bear Oberon's
desire ;
Than which
there's nothing can be higher,
Save JAMES, to
whom it flies :
But he the wonder
is of tongues, of
ears, of eyes.
Who hath not heard, who hath not seen,
Who hath not
sung his name ?
The soul that hath
not, hath not been
;
But is the
very same
With buried
sloth, and knows not fame,
Which him doth
best comprise :
For he the wonder
is of tongues, of
ears, of eyes.
By
this time the chariot was come as far forth as
the face
of the scene. And
the Satyrs beginning
to leap
and express their joy for the unused
state
and solemnity, the foremost SYLVAN began to
speak.
1 Syl. Give place, and silence ; you
were rude too late ;
This is
a night of greatness, and of state,
Not to
be mixt with light and skipping sport ;
A night
of homage to the British court,
And ceremony
due to Arthur's chair,
From our
bright master, OBERON the fair ;
Who, with
these knights, attendants, here preserv'd
In Fairy
land, for good they have deserv'd
Of yond'
high throne, are come of right to pay
Their
annual vows ; and all their glories lay
At's feet,
and tender to this only great,
True majesty,
restored in this seat ;
To whose
sole power and magic they do give
The honor
of their being ; that they live
Sustain'd
in form, fame, and felicity,
From rage
of fortune, or the fear to die.
Silen. And may they
well. For
this indeed is he,
My boys,
whom you must quake at, when you see.
He is
above your reach ; and neither doth,
Nor can
he think, within a Satyr's tooth :
Before
his presence you must fall or fly.
He is
the matter of virtue, and placed high.
His meditations,
to his height, are even :
And all
their issue is akin to heaven.
He is
a god o'er kings ; yet stoops he then
Nearest
a man, when he doth govern men ;
To teach
them by the sweetness of his sway,
And not
by force. He's such a king as they,
Who're
tyrants' subjects, or ne'er tasted peace,
Would,
in their wishes, form for their release.
'Tis he
that stays the time from turning old,
And keeps
the age up in a head of gold.
That in
his own true circle still doth run ;
And holds
his course as certain as the sun.
He makes
it ever day, and ever spring,
Where
he doth shine, and quickens every thing,
Like a
new nature : so that true to call
Him, by
his title, is to say, He's all.
1 Syl. I thank the wise Silenus for
his praise.
Stand
forth, bright FAIES and ELVES,
and tune your lays
Unto his
name ; then let your nimble feet
Tread
subtile circles, that may always meet
In point
to him ; and figures, to express
The grace
of him and his great emperess.
That all,
that shall to-night behold the rites,
Perform'd
by princely Oberon, and these knights,
May, without
stop, point out the proper heir
Design'd
so long to Arthur's crowns and chair.
SONG.
BY
TWO FAIES.
1 Faie. Seek you majesty,
to strike ?
Bid the world produce his like.
2 Faie. Seek you glory,
to amaze ?
Here let all eyes stand at gaze.
Cho.
Seek you wisdom, to inspire
Touch them at no other's fire.
1 Faie. Seek you knowledge,
to direct ?
Trust to his without suspect.
2 Faie. Seek you piety,
to lead ?
In his footsteps only tread.
Cho.
Every virtue of a king,
And of all, in him, we sing.
Then the lesser
Faies dance forth their dance ;
which ended, a full SONG
follows by all the
voices.
The solemn rites are
well begun ;
And though but lighted by the moon,
They shew as rich,
as if the sun
Had made this night his noon.
But may none wonder that they are so bright,
The moon now borrows from a greater light
:
Then, princely Oberon,
Go on,
This is not every night.
OBERON
and the knights
dance out the first
masque dance, which was followed with this
SONG.
Nay, nay,
You must not stay,
Nor be weary yet ;
This is no time to cast away ;
Or for Faies so to forget
The virtue of their feet.
Knotty legs, and plants of clay,
Seek for ease, or love delay.
But with you it still should fare
As with the air of which you are.
After which, they
danced forth their second
masque dance, and were again excited by a
SONG.
1 Faie. Nor yet, nor yet,
O you in this night blest,
Must you have will, or hope to rest.
2 Faie. If you use the
smallest stay,
You'll be overta'en by day.
1 Faie. And these beauties
will suspect
That their forms you do neglect,
If you do not call them forth.
2 Faie. Or that you have
no more worth
Than the coarse and country Fairy,
That doth haunt the hearth, or dairy.
Then followed the
measures, corantos, galliards,
&c., till PHOSPHORUS
the day-star appeared,
and called them away ; but first they were
in-
vited home by one of the Sylvans, with
this
SONG.
Gentle
knights,
Know some
measure of your nights.
Tell the
high-graced Oberon,
It is
time that we were gone.
Here be
forms so bright and airy,
And their motions so they vary,
As they
will enchant the Fairy,
If you longer here should tarry.
Phos.
To rest, to rest ! the herald
of the day,
Bright Phosphorus, commands you hence ; obey.
The moon is pale, and spent ; and winged night
Makes headlong haste to fly the morning's sight :
Who now is rising from her blushing wars,
And with her rosy hand puts back the stars.
Of which myself the last, her harbringer,
But stay to warn you, that you not defer
Your parting longer : then do I give way,
As Night hath done, and so must you, to Day.
After this, they
danced their last dance into the work;
And with a full SONG
the star vanished, and the
whole machine closed.
O yet how early, and before her time,
The envious morning up
doth climb,
Though
she not love
her bed !
What haste the jealous
Sun doth make,
His fiery horses up to
take,
And
once more shew
his head !
Lest, taken with the
brightness of this night,
The world should wish it
last, and never
miss his light.
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