CHLORIDIA.  
RITES TO CHLORIS AND HER NYMPHS.  
Personated in a Masque, at Court.  
By the queen's Majesty And her Ladies.  
At Shrovetide.  
1630.  
unius tellus ante coloris erat.  
LONDON, Printed for Thomas Walkley.   

CHLORIDIA.  
THe King, and queen's Majesty, having given their command for the Invention of a new argument, with the whole change of the Scene, wherein her Majesty, with the like number of her Ladies, purposed a presentation to the King. It was agreed, it should be the celebration of some Rites, done to the Goddess Chloris, who in a general counsel of of the Gods, was proclaimed Goddess of the flowers, according to that of Ovid, in the Fasti.  
Arbitrium tu Dea floris habe.  
And was to be stellified on Earth, by an absolute decree from jupiter, who would have the Earth to be adorned with stars, as well as the Heaven.  
Upon this hinge, the whole Invention moved.  
The ornament, which went about the Scene, was composed of Foliage, or leaves heightened with gold, and interwoven with all sorts of flowers; and naked children, playing, and climbing among the branches; and in the midst, a great garland of flowers, in which was written, CHLORIDIA.  
The Curtain being drawn up, the Scene is discovered, consisting of pleasant hills, planted with young trees, and all the lower banks adorned with flowers. And from some hollow parts of those hills, Fountains come gliding down, which, in the far-off Land-shape, seemed all to be converted to a river.  
Over all, a serene sky, with transparent clouds, giving a great lustre to the whole work, which did imitate the pleasant Spring.  
When the Spectators had enough fed their eyes, with the delights of the Scene, in a part of the air, a bright cloud begins to break forth; and in it, is sitting a plump Boy, in a changeable garment, richly adorned, representing the mild Zephyrus. On the other side of the Scene, in a purplish cloud, appeareth the Spring, a beautiful Maid, her upper garment green, under it, a white robe wrought with flowers; A garland on her head.  
Here Zephyrus begins his dialogue, calling her forth, and making narration of the God's decree at large, which she obeys, pretending, it is come to Earth already: and there begun to be executed, by the king's favour, who assists with all bounties, that may be either urged, as causes, or reasons of the Spring.  

The first Song.  ZEPHYRUS. 
Come forth, come forth, the gentle Spring,  
And carry the glad news, I bring,  
To Earth, our common mother:  
It is decreed, by all the Gods  
The Heaven, of Earth shall have no odds,  
But one shall love another:  
Their glories they shall mutual make,  
Earth look on Heaven, for heaven's sake;  
Their honour's shall be even:  
All emulation cease, and jars;  
jove will have Earth to have her stars  
And lights, no less than Heaven.  SPRING. 
It is already done, in flowers  
As fresh and new as are the hours,  
By warmth of yonder Sun.  
But will be multiplied on us,  
If from the breath of ZEPHYRUS  
Like favour we have won.  ZEPHYRUS. 
Give all to him: His is the dew,  
The heat, the humour,  SPRING. — All the true— 
Beloved of the Spring!  ZEPHYRUS. 
The Sun, the Wind, the Verdure!  SPRING. — All, 
That wisest Nature cause can call  
Of quickening any thing.   
At which, Zephyrus passeth away through the air, and the Spring descendeth to the Earth: and is received by the Naiades, or Napeae; who are the nymphs, Fountains, and Servants of the season—  

The second Song.  FOUNTAYNES. 
Fair Maid, but are you come to dwell,  
And tarry with is here?  SPRING. 
Fresh Fountains, I am come to tell  
A tale in yond soft ear,  
Whereof the murmur will do well:  
If you your parts will bear.  FOUNTAYNES. 
Our purlings wait upon the Spring.  SPRING. 
Go up with me, then: help to sing  
The story to the King.  
Here the Spring goes up, singing the argument to the King; and the Fountains follow with the close.  SPRING. 
Cupid hath ta'en offence of late  
At all the Gods, that of the State,  
And in their Council, he was so deserted,  
Not to be called into their Guild  
But slightly passed by, as a child.  FOUNTAYNES. 
Wherein he thinks his honour was perverted.  SPRING. 
And though his Mother seek to season,  
And rectify his rage with reason,  
By showing he lives yet under her command,  
Rebellious he, doth disobey,  
And she hath forced his arms away.  FOUNTAYNES. 
To make him feel the Justice of her hand.  SPRING. 
Whereat the Boy, in fury fell,  
With all his speed, is gone to hell,  
There to excite, and stir up jealousy,  
To make a party 'gainst the Gods,  
And set Heaven, Earth, and Hell at odds.  FOUNTAYNES. 
And raise a chaos of calamity.   
The Song ended, the Nymphs fall into a dance, to their voices, and instruments, and so return into the Scene.   

THE antimasque.  First Entry. 
A part of the under ground opening, out of it enters a dwarf-post from Hell, riding on a Curtal, with cloven feet, and two Lackeys: These dance, & make the first entry of the Antimasque. He alights, and speaks.  POSTILION. 
Hold my stirrup, my one Lackey; and look to my Curtal, the other: walk him well, Sirrah, while I expatiate myself here in the report of my office! oh the Furies! how I am joyed with the title of it! postilion of Hell! yet no Mercury. But a mere Cacodaemon, sent hither with a packet of news! news! never was Hell so furnished of the commodity of news! Love hath been lately there, and so entertained by Pluto, and Proserpine, and all the Grandees of the place as, it is there perpetual Holiday: and a cessation of torment granted, and proclaimed for ever! Half-famished Tantalus is fallen to his fruit, with that appetite, as it threatens to undo the whole company of costermongers, and has a river afore him, running excellent wine lxion is loosed from his wheel, and turned Dancer, does nothing but cut capreols, fetch friskals, and leads Lavaltoes, with the Lamiae! Sisyphus has left rolling the stone, and is grown a Mr. bowler; challenges all the prime gamesters, Parsons in hell, and gives them odds: upon Tityus his breast, that (for fix of the nine aeres) is counted the subtlest bowling-ground in all Tartary. All the Furies are at a game called nine pins, or keilles, made of old vsurers bones, and their souls looking on with delight, and betting on the game. Never was there such freedom of sport. Danaus' daughters have broke their bottomless tubs, and made bonfires of them. All is turned triumph there. Had hell gates been kept with half that strictness as the entry here has been tonight, Pluto would have had but a cola Court, & Proserpine a thin presence, though both have a vast territory We had such a stir to get in, I and my Curtal, and my two Lackeys all ventured through the eye of a Spanish needle, we had never come in else, & that was by the favour of one of the guard who was a woman's-tailor, and held ope the passage. Cupid by commission hath carried jealousy from Hell, Disdain, Fear, and Dissimulation, with other Goblins, to trouble the Gods. And I am sent after post, to raise Tempest, Winds, Lightnings, Thunder, Rain, and Snow, for some new exploit they have against the Earth, and the Goddess Chloris, Queen of the flowers, and Mistress of the Spring. For joy of which I will return to myself, mount my Bidet, in a dance; and curvet upon my Curtal.  
The speech ended, the postilion mounts his Curtal, and with his Lackeys, danceth forth as he came in.  2 Entry. 
Cupid, Jealousy, Disdain, Fear, and Dissimulation, dance together.  3 Entry. 
The queen's Dwarf, richly apparelled, as a Prince of Hell, attended by 6 infernal Spirits; He first danceth alone, and then the Spirits: all expressing their joy, for Cupid's coming among them.  4 Entry. 
Here the Scene changeth, into a horrid storm. Out of which enters the Nymph Tempest, with four Winds. they dance.  5 Entry. 
Lightnings, 3 in number, their habits glistering, expressing that effect, in their motion.  6 Entry. 
Thunder alone dancing the tunes to a noise, mixed, and imitating thunder.  7 Entry. 
Rain, presented by 5 persons all swollen, and clouded over, their hair flagging, as if they were wet, and in their hands, balls full of sweet water, which, as they dance, sprinkle all the room.  8 and last Entry. 
Seven with rugged white heads, and beards, to express Snow, with flakes on their garments, mixed with hail. These having danced, return into the stormy Scene, whence they came.  
Here, by the providence of juno, the tempest on an instant ceaseth: And the Scene is changed into a delicious place, figuring the bower of Chloris. Where, in an arbour feigned of goldsmith's work, the ornament of which was borne up with Terms of satyrs, beautified with Festones, garlands, and all sorts of fragrant flowers. Beyond all this, in the sky afar off appeared a Rainbow, In the most eminent place of the Bower, sat the Goddess Chloris, accompanied with fourteen Nymphs, their apparel white, embroidered, with silver, trimmed at the shoulders with great leaves of green, embroidered with gold, falling one under the other. And of the same work were their bases, their head-attires of flowers, mixed with silver, and gold, with some sprigs of aigrettes among, and from the top of their dressing, a thin veil hanging down.  
All which beheld,  The Nymphs, Rivers, and Fountains with the Spring, sung this rejoicing Song. 

Song. 3.  RIVERS, SPRING, FOUNTAYNES. 
Run out, all the Floods, in joy with your silver feet;  
And haste to meet, the enamoured Spring;  
For whom the warbling Fountains sing:  
The story of the flowers; preserved by the Hours;  
At juno's soft command, and Iris showers;  
Sent to quench jealousy, and all those powers  
Of love's rebellious war:  
Whilst Chloris sits a shining star  
To crown, and grace our jolly song, made long,  
To the notes, that we bring, to glad the Spring.   
Which ended, the Goddess, and her Nymphs descend the degrees, into the room, and dance the entry of the grand-masque.  After this, another Song by the same persons, as before. 

Song. 4,  RIVERS, FOUNTAYNES. 
Tell a truth, gay Spring, let us know  
What feet they were, that so  
Impressed the Earth, and made such various flowers to grow!  SPRING. 
She that led, a Queen was at least,  
Or a Goddess, 'bove the rest:  
And all their graces, in herself expressed!  RIVERS, FOUNTAYNES. 
O it were a fame, to know her name!  
Whether she were the root;  
Or they did take th'impression, from her foot.   The Masquers here dance their second dance. 
Which done,  
The farther Prospect of the Scene changeth into air, with a low Land-shape, in part covered with clouds: And in that instant, the Heaven opening, juno, and Iris are seen, and above them many airy spirits, sitting in the clouds.  

Song. 5.  JUNO. 
Now juno, and the Air shall know  
The truth of what is done below,  
From our discoloured bow. Iris, what news?  IRIS. 
The air is clear, your bow can tell,  
Chloris renowned, Spite fled to Hell;  
The business all is well. And Cupid sues-  JUNO. 
For pardon. does he?  IRIS. 
He sheds tears  
More than your Birds have eyes.  JUNO 
The Gods have ears.  
Offences, made against the Deities,  
Are soon forgot-  IRIS. 
If who offends, be wife.  
Here, out of the Earth, ariseth a Hill, and on the top of it, a globe, on which Fame is seen standing with her trumpet, in her hand; and on the Hill, are seated four Persons, presenting, Poesy, History, Architecture, and Sculpture: who together with the Nymphs, Floods, and Fountains, make a full Choir, at which, Fame begins to mount, and moving her wings, flieth, singing up to Heaven:  FAME. 
Rise golden Fame, and give thy name a birth  CHORUS. 
From great and generous actions, done on Earth.  FAME. 
The life of Fame is action.  CHORUS. 
Understood  
That action must be virtuous, great, and good!  FAME. 
Virtue itself by Fame is of't protected,  
And dies despised—  CHORUS. 
Where the Fame's neglected  FAME. 
Who hath not heard of Chloris, and her bower  
Fair Iris act, employed by juno's power  
To guard the Spring, and prosper every flower,  
Whom jealousy and Hell thought to devour?  CHORUS. 
Great actions of't obscured by time, may lie,  
Or envy—  FAME 
But they last to memory.  POESY. 
we that sustain thee, Learned Poesy  HISTORY. 
And I, her sister, severe History.  ARCHITECTURE. 
With Architecture, who will raise thee high,  SCULPTURE. 
And Sculpture, that can keep thee from to die.  CHORUS. 
All help lift thee to eternity.  JUNO. 
And juno, through the air, doth make thy way,  IRIS. 
By her serenest Messenger of Day.  FAME. 
Thus Fame ascends, by all degrees, to Heaven:  
And leaves a light, here, brighter, than the seven.  CHORUS. 
Let all applaud the sight.  
Air first, that gave the bright  
Reflections, Day or Night!  
With these supports of Fame,  
That keep alive her name!  
The beauties of the Spring.  
Founts, Rivers, every thing:  
From the height of all,  
To the Waters fall-  
Resound, and sing  
The honours of his Chloris, to the King.  
Chloris, the Queen of Flowers;  
The sweetness of all Showers;  
The ornament of Bowers;  
The top of Paramours!   
Fame, being hidden in the clouds, the hill sinks: and the Heaven closeth.  The Masquers dance with the Lords. 
The END   

The Names of the Masquers as they sat in the Bower.  

The Queen.  
Countess of Carlisle.  
Countess of Oxford.  
Lady Strange.  
Countess of Berkshire.  
Lady Anne Cavendish.  
Countess of Carnarvan.  
Countess of Newport.  
Lady Penelope Egerton.  
M. Porter.  
M. Dor. Savage.  
La. Howard.  
M. Eliz. Savage.  
M. Anne Weapon.  
M. Sophia Cory.