Prev | Current Page 202 | Next

Jonson, Ben, 1573-1637

"Cynthia's Revels"

Good Mercury defend us.
AMO. From wearing bracelets of hair, shoe-ties, gloves, garters,
and rings with poesies.
CHORUS. Good Mercury defend us.
PHA. From pargetting, painting, slicking, glazing, and renewing
old rivelled faces.
CHORUS. Good Mercury defend us.
AMO. From 'squiring to tilt yards, play-houses, pageants, and all
such public places.
CHORUS. Good Mercury defend us.
PHA. From entertaining one gallant to gull another, and making
fools of either,
CHORUS. Good Mercury defend us.
AMO. From belying ladies' favours, noblemen's countenance, coining
counterfeit employments, vain-glorious taking to them other men's
services, and all self-loving humours,
CHORUS. Good Mercury defend us.
MERCURY AND CRITES SING.
Now each one dry his weeping eyes,
And to the Well of Knowledge haste;
Where, purged of your maladies,
You may of sweeter waters taste:
And, with refined voice, report
The grace of Cynthia, and her court.
[EXEUNT.

THE EPILOGUE.
Gentles, be't known to you, since I went in
I am turn'd rhymer, and do thus begin.
The author (jealous how your sense doth take
His travails) hath enjoined me to make
Some short and ceremonious epilogue;
But if I yet know what, I am a rogue:
He ties me to such laws as quite distract
My thoughts, and would a year of time exact.


Pages:
190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214