Lovers made Men.  
A mask PRESENTED IN THE HOUSE OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD hay.  
By divers of noble quality, his friends.  
For the entertainment of Monsieur LE BARON DE TOUR, extraordinary Ambassador for the FRENCH KING.  
On Saturday the 22. of FEBRVARY. 1617.  MART. 
Quid titulum poscis? Versus duo tresue legantur.  
1617.   

The Front before the Scene, an Arch-Triumphall, On the top of which, HUMANITY placed in figure, sits with her lap full of flowers, scattering them with her right hand; and holding a golden chain in her left: to show both the freedom, and the bond of Courtesy. with this inscription. SUPER OMNIA VULTUS.  
On the two sides of the Arch 

CHEERFULNESS and  
READINESS   her servants.  
CHEERFULNESS, in a lose flowing garment, filling out wine from an antic piece of plate: with this word Adsit laetitiae dator.  
READINESS, a winged Maid with two flaming bright lights in her hands: and her word Amor addidit alas.  
The Scene discovered, is (on the one side) the head of a boat, and in it CHARON putting off from the shore, having landed certain imagined ghosts, whom MERCURY there receives, and encourageth to come on, towards the river LETHE, who appears lying in the person of an old man. The FATES sitting by him on his bank. A grove of myrtles behind them, presented, and growing thicker, to the other side of the Scene.  MERCURY. 

NAy, faint not now, so near the fields of rest,  
Here no more furies, no more torments dwell,  
Then each hath felt already in his breast,  
Who hath been once in love, hath proved his hell.   

Up then, and follow this my golden rod,  
That points you next to aged LETHE'S shore,  
Who powers his waters from his urn abroad,  
Of which but tasting, you shall faint no more.   LETHE. 
Stay, who, or what fantastic shades are these  
That HERMES leads?  MERCURY. 
They are the gentle forms,  
Of Lovers, tossed upon those frantic seas,  
Whence VENUS sprung.  LETHE. 
And have rid out her storms?  MERCURY. 
No.  LETHE: 
Did they perish?  MERCURY. 
Yes.  LETHE. 
How?  MERCURY. 
Drowned by love,  
That drew them forth with hopes as smooth as were  
Th'unfaithful waters he desired 'em prove.  LETHE. 
And turned a tempest when he had 'em there?  MERCURY. 

He did, and on the billow would he roll,  
And laugh, to see one throw his heart away,  
Another sighing, vapour forth his soul,  
A third, to melt himself in tears, and say,   

O Love, I now to salter water turn  
Then that I die in; then, a fourth, to cry  
Amid the surges, oh I burn, I burn:  
A fift, laugh out, it is my ghost, not I   

And thus in pairs I found 'hem. Only one  
There is, that walks, and stops, and shakes his head,  
And shuns the rest, as glad to be alone,  
And whispers to himself, he is not dead.   FATES. 
No more are all the rest.  MERCURY. 
No?  1. FATE. 
No.  MERCURY. 
But, why  
Proceeds this doubtful voice from destiny?  FATES. 
It is too sure.  MERCURY. 
Sure?  2. FATE. 
I: thinks MERCURY,  
That any things, or names on earth do die,  
That are obscured from knowledge of the FATES;  
Who keep all rolls?  3. FATE. 
And know all nature's dates?  MERCURY. 
They say themselves theyare dead.  1. FATE. 
It not appears.  
Or, by our rock.  2. FATE. 
Our spindle.  3. FATE. 
Or our shears.  FATES. 
Here all their threads are growing, yet none cut.  MERCURY. 
I gi'en to doubt, that Love with charms hath put  
This fantasy in 'em; and they only think  
That they are ghosts.  FATE. 
If so, then let 'em drink  
Of LETHE'S stream.  FATE. 
'Twill make 'em to forget  
LOVES name.  FATE. 
And so, they may recover yet.  MERCURY. 

Do, bow unto the reverend lake.  
And having touched there; up, and shake  
The shadows off, which yet do make  
Us you, and you yourselves mistake.   Here they all stoop to the water, and dance forth their antimasque, in several gestures, as they lived in love: And retiring into the Grove, before the last person be off the stage, the first couple appear in their posture, between the trees, ready to come fourth, changed. MERCURY. 
See! see! they are themselves again!  1. FATE. 
Yes, now they are substances, and men.  2. FATE. 
LOVE, at the name of LETHE flies.  LETHE. 
For, in oblivion drowned, he dies.  3. FATE. 
He must not hope, though other states  
He oft subdue, he can the FATES.  FATES. 
'Twere insolence, to think his powers  
Can work on us, and equal ours.  CHORUS. 
Return, Return,  
Like lights to burn  
On earth,  
For others good:  
Your second birth  
Will fame old LETHE'S flood,  
And warn a world,  
That now are hoorld  
About in tempest, how they prove  
Shadows for love.  
Leap forth: your light it is the nobler made,  
By being struck out of a shade.  Here they dance forth their entry, or first dance: after which CUPID — appearing, meets them. 
WHy, now you take me! these are rites  
That grace loves days, and crown his nights!  
These are the motions, I would see,  
And praise, in them that follow me!  
Not sighs, nor tears, nor wounded hearts,  
Nor flames, nor ghosts: but airy parts  
Tried, and refined as yours have been,  
And such they are, I glory in.  MERCURY. 
Look, look unto this snaky rod,  
And stop your ears against the charming god;  
His every word, falls from him, is a snare:  
Who have so lately known him, should beware.  Here they dance their main dance, which ended, CUPID. 
Come, do not call it CUPIDS' crime,  
You were thought dead, before your time.  
If thus you move to HERMES will  
Alone; you will be thought so still.  
Go, take the ladies forth, and talk,  
And touch, and taste too: Ghosts can walk.  
Betwixt eyes, tongues, hands, the mutual strife  
Is bred, that tries the truth of life.  
They do, indeed, like dead men move,  
That think they live, and not in love.  Here they take forth the Ladies, and the Revels follow: after which, MERCURY. 
Nay, you should never have left off:  
But stayed, and heard your general CUPID scoff,  
To find you in the line you were.  CUPID. 
HERMES, your too much wit, breeds too much fear.  MERCURY. 
Good Fly, good night.  CUPID. 
But, will you go?  
Can you leave LOVE, and he entreat you so?  
Here, take my quiver, and my bow,  
My torches too; that you, by all, may know  
I mean no danger to your stay:  
This night, I will create my holiday,  
And be yours, naked, and entire.  MERCURY. 
As if that LOVE, disarmed, were less a fire?  
Away, away.  They dance their going out: which done, MERCURY. 
Yet lest that VENUS' wanton Son  
Should, with the world, be quite undone,  
For your fair sakes (you brighter stars,  
Who have beheld these civil wars)  
FATE is content, these Lovers here  
Remain still such: so LOVE will swear  
Never to force them act to do,  
But what he will call HERMES too.  CUPID. 
I swear: and with like cause thank MERCURY,  
As these have, to thank him, and destiny.  CHORUS. 
All then take cause of joy: for who hath not?  
Old LETHE, that their follies are forgot;  
We, that their lives unto their fates they fit:  
They, that they still shall love, and love with wit.  
The end.