Cynthia's Revels Part 33

PHA. From waving fans, coy glances, glicks, cringes, and all such simpering humours,

CHORUS. Good Mercury defend us.

AMO. From making love by attorney, courting of puppets, and paying for new acquaintance.

CHORUS. Good Mercury defend us.

PHA. From perfumed dogs, monkies, sparrows, d.i.l.d.oes, and paraquettoes.

CHORUS. 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, n.o.blemen'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.

I neither must be faint, remiss, nor sorry, Sour, serious, confident, nor peremptory: But betwixt these. Let's see; to lay the blame Upon the children's action, that were lame.

To crave your favour, with a begging knee, Were to distrust the writer's faculty.

To promise better at the next we bring, Prorogues disgrace, commends not any thing.

Stiffly to stand on this, and proudly approve The play, might tax the maker of Self-love.

I'll only speak what I have heard him say, "By--'tis good, and if you like't, you may."

"Ecce rubet quidam, pallet, stupet, oscitat, odit Hoc volo: nunc n.o.bis carmina nostra placent."

GLOSSARY

ABATE, cast down, subdue.

ABHORRING, repugnant (to), at variance.

ABJECT, base, degraded thing, outcast.

ABRASE, smooth, blank.

ABSOLUTE(LY), faultless(ly).

ABSTRACTED, abstract, abstruse.

ABUSE, deceive, insult, dishonour, make ill use of.

ACATER, caterer.

ACATES, cates.

ACCEPTIVE, willing, ready to accept, receive.

ACCOMMODATE, fit, befitting. (The word was a fas.h.i.+onable one and used on all occasions. See "Henry IV.," pt. 2, iii. 4).

ACCOST, draw near, approach.

ACKNOWN, confessedly acquainted with.

ACME, full maturity.

ADALANTADO, lord deputy or governor of a Spanish province.

ADJECTION, addition.

ADMIRATION, astonishment.

ADMIRE, wonder, wonder at.

ADROP, philosopher's stone, or substance from which obtained.

ADSCRIVE, subscribe.

ADULTERATE, spurious, counterfeit.

ADVANCE, lift.