Classic Poem

Dance now and sing the joy and love we owe:
Let chearfull voices and glad gestures showe,
The Queene of grace is shee whom we receive;
Honour and State are her guides,
Her presence they can never leave.
Then in a stately Silvan forme salute
Her ever flowing grace.
Fill all the Woods with Ecchoed welcomes,
And strew with flowers this place:
Let ev'ry bow and plant fresh blossomes yeeld,
And all the aire refine.
Let pleasure strive to please our Goddesse,
For shee is all divine.
2

Yet once againe, let us our measures move,
And with sweet notes record our joyfull love.
An object more divine none ever had.
Beautie, and heav'n-borne worth,
Mixt in perfection never fade.
Then with a dance triumphant let us sing
Her high advanced praise,
And ev'n to heav'n our gladsome welcomes
With wings of musick raise;
Welcome, O welcome, ever-honoured Queene,
To this now-blessed place,
That grove, that bowre, that house is happy
Which you vouchsafe to grace.
This song being sung and danced twice over, they fall instantly into a kind of Curranta, with these wordes following .

No longer delay her,
'Twere sinne now to stay her
From her ease with tedious sport;
Then welcome still crying,
And swiftly hence flying,
Let us to our homes resort.