SECULAR MASQUE.[45]

_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,