Arraignment of Paris, The - Act 5, Scena 1
ACT V.
SCENA I.
D IANA , J UNO , P ALLAS , Venus .
Dia. Lo, ladies, far beyond my hope and will, you see,
This thankless office is imposed to me;
Wherein if you will rest as well content,
As Dian will be judge indifferent,
My egal doom shall none of you offend,
And of this quarrel make a final end:
And therefore, whether you be lief or loath,
Confirm your promise with some sacred oath.
Pal. Phaebe, chief mistress of this sylvan chace,
Whom gods have chosen to conclude the case
That yet in balance undecided lies,
Touching bestowing of this golden prize,
I give my promise and mine oath withal,
By Styx, by heaven's power imperial,
By all that 'longs to Pallas' deity,
Her shield, her lance, ensigns of chivalry,
Her sacred wreath of olive and of bay,
Her crested helm, and else what Pallas may,
That wheresoe'er this ball of purest gold,
That chaste Diana here in hand doth hold,
Unpartially her wisdom shall bestow,
Without mislike or quarrel any mo,
Pallas shall rest content and satisfied,
And say the best desert doth there abide.
Juno. And here I promise and protest withal,
By Styx, by heaven's power imperial,
By all that 'longs to Juno's deity,
Her crown, her mace, ensigns of majesty,
Her spotless marriage-rites, her league divine,
And by that holy name of Proserpine,
That wheresoe'er this ball of purest gold,
That chaste Diana here in hand doth hold,
Unpartially her wisdom shall bestow,
Without mislike or quarrel any mo,
Juno shall rest content and satisfied,
And say the best desert doth there abide.
Ven. And, lovely Phaebe, for I know thy doom
Will be no other than shall thee become,
Behold, I take thy dainty hand to kiss,
And with my solemn oath confirm my promise,
By Styx, by Jove's immortal empery,
By Cupid's bow, by Venus' myrtle-tree,
By Vulcan's gift, my ceston and my fan,
By this red rose, whose colour first began
When erst my wanton boy (the more his blame)
Did draw his bow awry and hurt his dame,
By all the honour and the sacrifice
That from Cithaeron and from Paphos rise,
That wheresoe'er this ball of purest gold,
That chaste Diana here in hand doth hold,
Unpartially her wisdom shall bestow,
Without mislike or quarrel any mo,
Venus shall rest content and satisfied,
And say the best desert doth there abide.
D IANA , having taken their oaths, speaketh
D IANA describeth the Nymph E LIZA , a figure of the Queen.
Dia. It is enough, and, goddesses, attend.
There wons within these pleasaunt shady woods,
Where neither storm nor sun's distemperature
Have power to hurt by cruel heat or cold,
Under the climate of the milder heaven;
Where seldom lights Jove's angry thunderbolt.
For favour of that sovereign earthly peer;
Where whistling winds make music 'mong the trees, —
Far from disturbance of our country gods,
Amids the cypress-springs, a gracious nymph,
That honour[s] Dian for her chastity,
And likes the labours well of Phaebe's groves;
The place Elyzium hight, and of the place
Her name that governs there Eliza is;
A kingdom that may well compare with mine,
An auncient seat of kings, a second Troy,
Y-compass'd round with a commodious sea:
Her people are y-cleped Angeli,
Or, if I miss, a letter is the most:
She giveth laws of justice and of peace;
And on her head, as fits her fortune best,
She wears a wreath of laurel, gold, and palm;
Her robes of purple and of scarlet dye;
Her veil of white, as best befits a maid:
Her auncestors live in the House of Fame:
She giveth arms of happy victory,
And flowers to deck her lions crown'd with gold.
This peerless nymph, whom heaven and earth beloves,
This paragon, this only, this is she,
In whom do meet so many gifts in one,
On whom our country gods so often gaze,
In honour of whose name the Muses sing;
In state Queen Juno's peer, for power in arms
And virtues of the mind Minerva's mate,
As fair and lovely as the Queen of Love,
As chaste as Dian in her chaste desires:
The same is she, if Phaebe do no wrong,
To whom this ball in merit doth belong.
Pal. If this be she whom some Zabeta call,
To whom thy wisdom well bequeaths the ball,
I can remember, at her day of birth,
How Flora with her flowers strew'd the earth,
How every power with heavenly majesty
In person honour'd that solemnity.
Juno. The lovely Graces were not far away,
They threw their balm for triumph of the day.
Ven. The Fates against their kind began a cheerful song,
And vow'd her life with favour to prolong.
Then first gan Cupid's eyesight wexen dim;
Belike Eliza's beauty blinded him.
To this fair nymph, not earthly, but divine,
Contents it me my honour to resign.
Pal. To this fair queen, so beautiful and wise,
Pallas bequeaths her title in the prize.
Juno. To her whom Juno's looks so well become,
The Queen of Heaven yields at Phaebe's doom;
And glad I am Diana found the art,
Without offence so well to please desart.
Dia. Then mark my tale. The usual time is nigh,
When wont the Dames of Life and Destiny,
In robes of cheerful colours, to repair
To this renowned queen so wise and fair,
With pleasaunt songs this peerless nymph to greet;
Clotho lays down her distaff at her feet,
And Lachesis doth pull the thread at length,
The third with favour gives it stuff and strength,
And for contrary kind affords her leave,
As her best likes, her web of life to weave.
This time we will attend, and in mean while
With some sweet song the tediousness beguile.
The Music soundeth, and the Nymphs within sing or solfa with voices and instruments awhile. Then enter C LOTHO , L ACHESIS , and A TROPOS , singing as follows: the state being in place .
THE SONG.
Clo. Humanae vitae filum sic volvere Parcae
Lach. Humanae vitae filum sic tendere Parcae.
Atro. Humanae vitae filum sic scindere Parcae.
Clo. Clotho colum bajulat.
Lach. Lachesis trahit.
Atro. Atropos occat.
T RES SMIUL. Vive diu felix votis hominumque deumque, Corpore, mente, libro, doctissima, candida, casta.
Clo. Clotho colum pedibus.
Lach. Lachesis tibi pendula fila.
Atro. Et fatale tuis manibus ferrum Atropos offert.
Vive diu felix, &c.
The song being ended , C LOTHO speaks to the Queen.
Clo. Gracious and wise, fair Queen of rare renown,
Whom heaven and earth beloves, amid thy train,
Noble and lovely peers, to honour thee,
And do thee favour more than may belong
By nature's law to any earthly wight,
Behold continuance of our yearly due;
Th'unpartial Dames of Destiny we meet,
As have the gods and we agreed in one,
In reverence of Eliza's noble name;
And humbly, lo, her distaff Clotho yields!
Lach. Her spindle Lachesis, and her fatal reel,
Lays down in reverence at Eliza's feet.
Te tamen in terris unam tria numina Divam
Invita stauunt naturae lege sorores,
Et tibi, non aliis, didicerunt parcere Parcae.
Atro. Dame Atropos, according as her pheeres,
To thee, fair Queen, resigns her fatal knife:
Live long the noble phaenix of our age,
Our fair Eliza, our Zabeta fair!
Dia. And, lo, beside this rare solemnity,
And sacrifice these dames are wont to do, —
A favour, far indeed contrary kind, —
Bequeathed is unto thy worthiness
This prize from heaven and heavenly goddesses!
Accept it, then, thy due by Dian's doom,
Praise of the wisdom, beauty, and the state,
That best becomes thy peerless excellency.
Ven. So, fair Eliza, Venus doth resign
The honour of this honour to be thine.
Juno. So is the Queen of Heaven content likewise
To yield to thee her title in the prize.
Pal. So Pallas yields the praise hereof to thee,
For wisdom, princely state, and peerless beauty.
SCENA I.
D IANA , J UNO , P ALLAS , Venus .
Dia. Lo, ladies, far beyond my hope and will, you see,
This thankless office is imposed to me;
Wherein if you will rest as well content,
As Dian will be judge indifferent,
My egal doom shall none of you offend,
And of this quarrel make a final end:
And therefore, whether you be lief or loath,
Confirm your promise with some sacred oath.
Pal. Phaebe, chief mistress of this sylvan chace,
Whom gods have chosen to conclude the case
That yet in balance undecided lies,
Touching bestowing of this golden prize,
I give my promise and mine oath withal,
By Styx, by heaven's power imperial,
By all that 'longs to Pallas' deity,
Her shield, her lance, ensigns of chivalry,
Her sacred wreath of olive and of bay,
Her crested helm, and else what Pallas may,
That wheresoe'er this ball of purest gold,
That chaste Diana here in hand doth hold,
Unpartially her wisdom shall bestow,
Without mislike or quarrel any mo,
Pallas shall rest content and satisfied,
And say the best desert doth there abide.
Juno. And here I promise and protest withal,
By Styx, by heaven's power imperial,
By all that 'longs to Juno's deity,
Her crown, her mace, ensigns of majesty,
Her spotless marriage-rites, her league divine,
And by that holy name of Proserpine,
That wheresoe'er this ball of purest gold,
That chaste Diana here in hand doth hold,
Unpartially her wisdom shall bestow,
Without mislike or quarrel any mo,
Juno shall rest content and satisfied,
And say the best desert doth there abide.
Ven. And, lovely Phaebe, for I know thy doom
Will be no other than shall thee become,
Behold, I take thy dainty hand to kiss,
And with my solemn oath confirm my promise,
By Styx, by Jove's immortal empery,
By Cupid's bow, by Venus' myrtle-tree,
By Vulcan's gift, my ceston and my fan,
By this red rose, whose colour first began
When erst my wanton boy (the more his blame)
Did draw his bow awry and hurt his dame,
By all the honour and the sacrifice
That from Cithaeron and from Paphos rise,
That wheresoe'er this ball of purest gold,
That chaste Diana here in hand doth hold,
Unpartially her wisdom shall bestow,
Without mislike or quarrel any mo,
Venus shall rest content and satisfied,
And say the best desert doth there abide.
D IANA , having taken their oaths, speaketh
D IANA describeth the Nymph E LIZA , a figure of the Queen.
Dia. It is enough, and, goddesses, attend.
There wons within these pleasaunt shady woods,
Where neither storm nor sun's distemperature
Have power to hurt by cruel heat or cold,
Under the climate of the milder heaven;
Where seldom lights Jove's angry thunderbolt.
For favour of that sovereign earthly peer;
Where whistling winds make music 'mong the trees, —
Far from disturbance of our country gods,
Amids the cypress-springs, a gracious nymph,
That honour[s] Dian for her chastity,
And likes the labours well of Phaebe's groves;
The place Elyzium hight, and of the place
Her name that governs there Eliza is;
A kingdom that may well compare with mine,
An auncient seat of kings, a second Troy,
Y-compass'd round with a commodious sea:
Her people are y-cleped Angeli,
Or, if I miss, a letter is the most:
She giveth laws of justice and of peace;
And on her head, as fits her fortune best,
She wears a wreath of laurel, gold, and palm;
Her robes of purple and of scarlet dye;
Her veil of white, as best befits a maid:
Her auncestors live in the House of Fame:
She giveth arms of happy victory,
And flowers to deck her lions crown'd with gold.
This peerless nymph, whom heaven and earth beloves,
This paragon, this only, this is she,
In whom do meet so many gifts in one,
On whom our country gods so often gaze,
In honour of whose name the Muses sing;
In state Queen Juno's peer, for power in arms
And virtues of the mind Minerva's mate,
As fair and lovely as the Queen of Love,
As chaste as Dian in her chaste desires:
The same is she, if Phaebe do no wrong,
To whom this ball in merit doth belong.
Pal. If this be she whom some Zabeta call,
To whom thy wisdom well bequeaths the ball,
I can remember, at her day of birth,
How Flora with her flowers strew'd the earth,
How every power with heavenly majesty
In person honour'd that solemnity.
Juno. The lovely Graces were not far away,
They threw their balm for triumph of the day.
Ven. The Fates against their kind began a cheerful song,
And vow'd her life with favour to prolong.
Then first gan Cupid's eyesight wexen dim;
Belike Eliza's beauty blinded him.
To this fair nymph, not earthly, but divine,
Contents it me my honour to resign.
Pal. To this fair queen, so beautiful and wise,
Pallas bequeaths her title in the prize.
Juno. To her whom Juno's looks so well become,
The Queen of Heaven yields at Phaebe's doom;
And glad I am Diana found the art,
Without offence so well to please desart.
Dia. Then mark my tale. The usual time is nigh,
When wont the Dames of Life and Destiny,
In robes of cheerful colours, to repair
To this renowned queen so wise and fair,
With pleasaunt songs this peerless nymph to greet;
Clotho lays down her distaff at her feet,
And Lachesis doth pull the thread at length,
The third with favour gives it stuff and strength,
And for contrary kind affords her leave,
As her best likes, her web of life to weave.
This time we will attend, and in mean while
With some sweet song the tediousness beguile.
The Music soundeth, and the Nymphs within sing or solfa with voices and instruments awhile. Then enter C LOTHO , L ACHESIS , and A TROPOS , singing as follows: the state being in place .
THE SONG.
Clo. Humanae vitae filum sic volvere Parcae
Lach. Humanae vitae filum sic tendere Parcae.
Atro. Humanae vitae filum sic scindere Parcae.
Clo. Clotho colum bajulat.
Lach. Lachesis trahit.
Atro. Atropos occat.
T RES SMIUL. Vive diu felix votis hominumque deumque, Corpore, mente, libro, doctissima, candida, casta.
Clo. Clotho colum pedibus.
Lach. Lachesis tibi pendula fila.
Atro. Et fatale tuis manibus ferrum Atropos offert.
Vive diu felix, &c.
The song being ended , C LOTHO speaks to the Queen.
Clo. Gracious and wise, fair Queen of rare renown,
Whom heaven and earth beloves, amid thy train,
Noble and lovely peers, to honour thee,
And do thee favour more than may belong
By nature's law to any earthly wight,
Behold continuance of our yearly due;
Th'unpartial Dames of Destiny we meet,
As have the gods and we agreed in one,
In reverence of Eliza's noble name;
And humbly, lo, her distaff Clotho yields!
Lach. Her spindle Lachesis, and her fatal reel,
Lays down in reverence at Eliza's feet.
Te tamen in terris unam tria numina Divam
Invita stauunt naturae lege sorores,
Et tibi, non aliis, didicerunt parcere Parcae.
Atro. Dame Atropos, according as her pheeres,
To thee, fair Queen, resigns her fatal knife:
Live long the noble phaenix of our age,
Our fair Eliza, our Zabeta fair!
Dia. And, lo, beside this rare solemnity,
And sacrifice these dames are wont to do, —
A favour, far indeed contrary kind, —
Bequeathed is unto thy worthiness
This prize from heaven and heavenly goddesses!
Accept it, then, thy due by Dian's doom,
Praise of the wisdom, beauty, and the state,
That best becomes thy peerless excellency.
Ven. So, fair Eliza, Venus doth resign
The honour of this honour to be thine.
Juno. So is the Queen of Heaven content likewise
To yield to thee her title in the prize.
Pal. So Pallas yields the praise hereof to thee,
For wisdom, princely state, and peerless beauty.
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