_A Nimph is marryed to a Fay,
Great preparations for the Day,
All Rites of Nuptials they recite you
To the Brydall and inuite you._
_Mertilla._ But will our _Tita_ wed this Fay?
_Claia._ Yea, and to morrow is the day.
_Mertilla._ But why should she bestow her selfe
Vpon this dwarfish Fayry Elfe?
_Claia._ Why by her smalnesse you may finde,
That she is of the Fayry kinde,
And therefore apt to chuse her make
Whence she did her begining take:
Besides he 's deft and wondrous Ayrye,
And of the noblest of the Fayry, 10
Chiefe of the Crickets of much fame,
In Fayry a most ancient name.
But to be briefe, 'tis cleerely done,
The pretty wench is woo'd and wonne.
_Cloris._ If this be so, let vs prouide
The Ornaments to fit our Bryde.
For they knowing she doth come
From vs in _Elizium_,
Queene _Mab_ will looke she should be drest
In those attyres we thinke our best, 20
Therefore some curious things lets giue her,
E'r to her Spouse we her deliuer.
_Mertilla._ Ile haue a Iewell for her eare,
(Which for my sake Ile haue her weare)
'T shall be a Dewdrop, and therein
Of Cupids I will haue a twinne,
Which strugling, with their wings shall break
The Bubble, out of which shall leak,
So sweet a liquor as shall moue
Each thing that smels, to be in loue. 30
_Claia._ Beleeue me Gerle, this will be fine,
And to this Pendant, then take mine;
A Cup in fashion of a Fly,
Of the Linxes piercing eye,
Wherein there sticks a Sunny Ray
Shot in through the cleerest day,
Whose brightnesse _Venus_ selfe did moue,
Therein to put her drinke of Loue,
Which for more strength she did distill,
The Limbeck was a _Phoenix_ quill, 40
At this Cups delicious brinke,
A Fly approching but to drinke,
Like Amber or some precious Gumme
It transparant doth become.
_Cloris._ For Iewels for her eares she's sped,
But for a dressing for her head
I thinke for her I haue a Tyer,
That all Fayryes shall admyre,
The yellowes in the full-blowne Rose,
Which in the top it doth inclose 50
Like drops of gold Oare shall be hung;
Vpon her Tresses, and among
Those scattered seeds (the eye to please)
The wings of the Cantharides:
With some o' th' Raine-bow that doth raile
Those Moons in, in the Peacocks taile:
Whose dainty colours being mixt
With th' other beauties, and so fixt,
Her louely Tresses shall appeare,
As though vpon a flame they were. 60
And to be sure she shall be gay,
We'll take those feathers from the Iay;
About her eyes in Circlets set,
To be our _Tita's_ Coronet.
_Mertilla._ Then dainty Girles I make no doubt,
But we shall neatly send her out:
But let's amongst our selues agree,
Of what her wedding Gowne shall be.
_Claia._ Of Pansie, Pincke, and Primrose leaues,
Most curiously laid on in Threaues: 70
And all embroydery to supply,
Powthred with flowers of Rosemary:
A trayle about the skirt shall runne,
The Silkewormes finest, newly spunne;
And euery Seame the Nimphs shall sew
With th' smallest of the Spinners Clue:
And hauing done their worke, againe
These to the Church shall beare her Traine:
Which for our _Tita_ we will make
Of the cast slough of a Snake, 80
Which quiuering as the winde doth blow,
The Sunne shall it like Tinsell shew.
_Cloris._ And being led to meet her mate,
To make sure that she want no state,
Moones from the Peacockes tayle wee'll shred,
With feathers from the Pheasants head:
Mix'd with the plume of (so high price,)
The precious bird of Paradice.
Which to make vp, our Nimphes shall ply
Into a curious Canopy. 90
Borne o're her head (by our enquiry)
By Elfes, the fittest of the Faery.
_Mertilla._ But all this while we haue forgot
Her Buskins, neighbours, haue we not?
_Claia._ We had, for those I'le fit her now,
They shall be of the Lady-Cow:
The dainty shell vpon her backe
Of Crimson strew'd with spots of blacke;
Which as she holds a stately pace,
Her Leg will wonderfully grace. 100
_Cloris._ But then for musicke of the best,
This must be thought on for the Feast.
_Mertilla._ The Nightingale of birds most choyce,
To doe her best shall straine her voyce;
And to this bird to make a Set,
The Mauis, Merle, and Robinet;
The Larke, the Lennet, and the Thrush,
That make a Quier of euery Bush.
But for still musicke, we will keepe
The Wren, and Titmouse, which to sleepe 110
Shall sing the Bride, when shee's alone
The rest into their chambers gone.
And like those vpon Ropes that walke
On Gossimer, from staulke to staulke,
The tripping Fayry tricks shall play
The euening of the wedding day.
_Claia._ But for the Bride-bed, what were fit,
That hath not beene talk'd of yet.
_Cloris._ Of leaues of Roses white and red,
Shall be the Couering of her bed: 120
The Curtaines, Valence, Tester, all,
Shall be the flower Imperiall,
And for the Fringe, it all along
With azure Harebels shall be hung:
Of Lillies shall the Pillowes be,
With downe stuft of the Butterflee.
_Mertilla._ Thus farre we handsomely haue gone,
Now for our Prothalamion
Or Marriage song of all the rest,
A thing that much must grace our feast. 130
Let vs practise then to sing it,
Ere we before th' assembly bring it:
We in Dialogues must doe it,
The my dainty Girles set to it.
Claia. _This day must _Tita_ marryed be,
Come Nimphs this nuptiall let vs see._
Mertilla. _But is it certaine that ye say,
Will she wed the Noble Faye?_
Cloris. _Sprinckle the dainty flowers with dewes,
Such as the Gods at Banquets vse: 140
Let Hearbs and Weeds turne all to Roses,
And make proud the posts with posies:
Shute your sweets into the ayre,
Charge the morning to be fayre._
Claia. } _For our _Tita_ is this day,
Mertilla. } To be married to a Faye._
Claia. _By whom then shall our Bride be led
To the Temple to be wed._
Mertilla. _Onely by your selfe and I,
Who that roomth should else supply?_ 150
Cloris. _Come bright Girles, come altogether,
And bring all your offrings hither,
Ye most braue and Buxome Beuye,
All your goodly graces Leuye,
Come in Maiestie and state
Our Brydall here to celebrate._
Mertilla. } _For our _Tita_ is this day,
Claia. } Married to a noble Faye._
Claia. _Whose lot wilt be the way to strow
On which to Church our Bride must goe?_ 160
Mertilla. _That I think as fit'st of all,
To liuely _Lelipa_ will fall._
Cloris. _Summon all the sweets that are,
To this nuptiall to repayre;
Till with their throngs themselues they smother,
Strongly styfling one another;
And at last they all consume,
And vanish in one rich perfume._
Mertilla. } _For our _Tita_ is this day,
Claia. } Married to a noble Faye._ 170
Mertilla. _By whom must _Tita_ married be,
'Tis fit we all to that should see?_
Claia. _The Priest he purposely doth come,
Th' Arch Flamyne of Elizium._
Cloris. _With Tapers let the Temples shine,
Sing to Himen, Hymnes diuine:
Load the Altars till there rise
Clouds from the burnt sacrifice;
With your Sensors fling aloofe
Their smels, till they ascend the Roofe._ 180
Mertilla. } _For our _Tita_ is this day,
Claia. } Married to a noble Fay._
Mertilla. _But comming backe when she is wed,
Who breakes the Cake aboue her head._
Claia. _That shall _Mertilla_, for shee's tallest,
And our _Tita_ is the smallest._
Cloris. _Violins, strike vp aloud,
Ply the Gitterne, scowre the Crowd,
Let the nimble hand belabour
The whistling Pipe, and drumbling Taber: 190
To the full the Bagpipe racke,
Till the swelling leather cracke._
Mertilla. } _For our _Tita_ is this day,
Claia. } Married to a noble Fay._
Claia. _But when to dyne she takes her seate
What shall be our _Tita's_ meate?_
Mertilla. _The Gods this Feast, as to begin,
Haue sent of their Ambrosia in._
Cloris. _Then serue we vp the strawes rich berry,
The Respas, and Elizian Cherry: 200
The virgin honey from the flowers
In Hibla, wrought in _Flora's_ bowers:
Full Bowles of Nectar, and no Girle
Carouse but in dissolued Pearle._
Mertilla. } _For our _Tita_ is this day,
Claia. } Married to a noble Fay._
Claia. _But when night comes, and she must goe
To Bed, deare Nimphes what must we doe?_
Mertilla. _In the Posset must be brought,
And Poynts be from the Bridegroome caught._ 210
Cloris. _In Maskes, in Dances, and delight,
And reare Banquets spend the night:
Then about the Roome we ramble,
Scatter Nuts, and for them scramble:
Ouer Stooles, and Tables tumble,
Neuer thinke of noyse nor rumble._
Mertilla. } _For our _Tita_ is this day,
Claia. } Married to a noble Fay._