The Secular Masque

  _Enter_ JANUS.
  _Janus_. Chronos, Chronos, mend thy pace;
  An hundred times the rolling sun
  Around the radiant belt has run
  In his revolving race.
  Behold, behold the goal in sight,
  Spread thy fans, and wing thy flight.



  _Enter_ CHRONOS, _with a scythe in his hand, and a globe
  on his back; which he sets down at his entrance_.
  _Chronos_. Weary, weary of my weight,
  Let me, let me drop my freight,
    And leave the world behind.
  I could not bear,                                                   10
  Another year,
  The load of human kind.
      _Enter_ MOMUS, _laughing_.
  _Momus_. Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! well hast thou done
      To lay down thy pack,
      And lighten thy back.
    The world was a fool, ere since it begun,
    And since neither Janus nor Chronos, nor I,
      Can hinder the crimes,
      Or mend the bad times,
    'Tis better to laugh than to cry.                                 20
  _Chorus of all three_. 'Tis better to laugh than to cry.
  _Janus_. Since Momus comes to laugh below,
      Old time begin the show,
  That he may see, in every scene,
  What changes in this age have been.
  _Chronos_. Then goddess of the silver bow begin.
      [_Horns, or hunting-music within._]

      _Enter_ DIANA.
  _Diana_. With horns and with hounds, I waken the day,
  And hie to the woodland walks away;
  I tuck up my robe, and am buskin'd soon,
  And tie to my forehead a waxing moon;                               30
  I course the fleet stag, unkennel the fox,
  And chase the wild goats o'er summits of rocks;
  With shouting and hooting we pierce through the sky,
  And Echo turns hunter, and doubles the cry.
  _Chorus of all_. With shouting and hooting we pierce through the sky,
  And Echo turns hunter, and doubles the cry.
  _Janus_. Then our age was in its prime:
  _Chronos_. Free from rage:
  _Diana_.--And free from crime.
  _Momus_. A very merry, dancing, drinking,                           40
  Laughing, quaffing, and unthinking time.
  _Chorus of all_. Then our age was in its prime,
  Free from rage, and free from crime,
  A very merry, dancing, drinking,
  Laughing, quaffing, and unthinking time.
  [_Dance of Diana's attendants_.]
  _Enter_ MARS.
  _Mars_. Inspire the vocal brass, inspire;
  The world is past its infant age:
    Arms and honour,
    Arms and honour,
  Set the martial mind on fire,                                       50
  And kindle manly rage.
  Mars has look'd the sky to red;
  And Peace, the lazy god, is fled.
  Plenty, peace, and pleasure fly;
    The sprightly green,
  In woodland walks, no more is seen;
  The sprightly green has drunk the Tyrian dye.
  _Chorus of all._ Plenty, peace, &c.
  _Mars._ Sound the trumpet, beat the drum;
  Through all the world around,                                       60
  Sound a reveillie, sound, sound,
  The warrior god is come.
  _Chorus of all._ Sound the trumpet, &c.
  _Momus._ Thy sword within the scabbard keep,
    And let mankind agree;
  Better the world were fast asleep,
  Than kept awake by thee.
  The fools are only thinner,
    With all our cost and care:
  But neither side a winner,                                          70
    For things are as they were.
  _Chorus of all_. The fools are only, &c.
  _Enter_ VENUS.
  _Venus_. Calms appear when storms are past;
  Love will have his hour at last:
  Nature is my kindly care;
  Mars destroys, and I repair;
  Take me, take me, while you may,
  Venus comes not every day.
  _Chorus of all_. Take her, take her, &c.
  _Chronos_. The world was then so light,                             80
    I scarcely felt the weight;
    Joy ruled the day, and Love the night.
  But, since the queen of pleasure left the ground,
      I faint, I lag,
      And feebly drag
    The ponderous orb around.
  _Momus_. All, all of a piece throughout;
  [_Pointing to Diana_.] Thy chase had a beast in view;
  [_To Mars_.] Thy wars brought nothing about;
  [_To Venus_.] Thy lovers were all untrue.                           90
  _Janus_. 'Tis well an old age is out.
  _Chronos_. And time to begin a new.
  _Cho. of all_. All, all of a piece throughout;
  Thy chase had a beast in view:
  Thy wars brought nothing about;
  Thy lovers were all untrue.
  'Tis well an old age is out,
  And time to begin a new.
  _Dance of huntsmen, nymphs, warriors, and lovers_.
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FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 45: This Masque, with the song of a scholar and his mistress, was performed in 1700, for the author's benefit, with the play of the Pilgrim, altered by Sir John Vanbrugh, his fortune and health being at that time in a declining state.]

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