Source Texts: Three Pageants for the Meeting of Queen Elizabeth and Mary Queen of Scots.

 

THE FIRSTE NIGHT.

Firste a pryson to be made in the haule, the name whereof is Extreme Oblyvion, and the Kepers name thereof, Argus, otherwise called Circumspection: then a maske of Ladyes to come in after this sorte.

Firste Pallas, rydinge vppon an unycorne, havinge in her hande a Standarde, in w^ch is to be paynted ij Ladyes hands, knitt one faste w^th in thother, and over th’ands written in letters of golde, Fides.

Then ij Ladyes rydinge together th’one uppon a golden Lyon, w^th a crowne of gold on his heade : th’other uppon a redd Lyon, w^th the like crowne of Gold; signifyinge ij Vertues, that is to saye, the Lady on the golden Lyon is to be called Prudentia, and the Ladye on the redd Lyon Temperantia.

After this to followe vj, or viij Ladyes maskers, bringinge in, captive, Discorde, and False Reporte, with ropes of gold about there necks. When theis have marched about the haule, then Pallas to declare before the Quenes ma^tie in verse, that the goddes, under-standinge the noble meteinge of those ij quenes, hathe willed her to declare unto them, that those ij vertues, Prudentia and Temperantia, have made greate and longe sute unto Jupiter, that it wold please hym to gyve unto them False Reporte and Discorde, to be punished as they thinke good; and that those Ladyes have nowe in there presence determyned to committ them faste bounde unto th’affore-sayde pryson of Extreme Oblyvion, there to be kepte by th’affore-sayde gaylor Argus, otherwise Circumspection, for ever; unto whome Prudentia shall delyver a locke whereuppon shalbe wrytten In Eternum. Then Temperantia shall likewise delyver vnto Argus a key whose name shalbe Nunquam, signifyinge, that when False Report and Discorde are committed to the pryson of Extreme Oblyvion, and locked there everlastinglie, he should put in the key to lett them out Nunquam: and when he hathe so done, then the trompetts to blowe, and th’inglishe Ladies to take the nobilite of the straungers, and daunce.

THE SECONDE NIGHT.

‘First a Castell to be made in the haule, called the Courte of Plentye; then the maske after this sorte. ‘Firste Peace, rydinge uppon a chariott drawen wth an Oliphant, uppon whome shall ryde Fryndeshippe, and after them vj or vijj Ladyes maskers ; and when they have marched rounde aboute the haule, Fryndshippe shall declare before the quenes highnes in verse, that the goddes Pallas hath latelie made a declaracion before all the godds, howe worthilie the night precedent theis ij vertues, Prudentia and Temperantia, behaved them selves in judginge, and condempninge False Reporte and Discord to the prison of Extreme Oblyvion: and understandinge that those ij vertues do remaine in that Cowrte of Plentye, they have, by there mightie power, sent this vertu, Peace, there to dwell with those ij Ladyes, for ever. To this Castell perteyneth ij porters, th’one to Prudentia, called Ardent Desyer, and th’other porter to Temperantia, named Perpetuitie; signifyinge that, by Ardent Desyer and Perpetuitie, perpetuall peace and tranquillitie maye be hadd and kept throughe the hole worlde. Then shall springe out of the Cowrt of Plentie conditts of all sorts of wynes, duringe w’ch tyme th’inglishe Lords shall maske wth the Scottishe Ladyes.

THE THYRDE NIGHT.

Firste shall come in Disdaine rydinge vppon a wilde bore; w^th hym Prepencyd Malyce, in the similitude of a greate serpent. These ij shall drawe an orcharde havinge golden apples, in w’ch orchard shall sitt vj, or viij, Ladyes maskers. ‘Then Dysdaine shall declare before the quenes ma^tie in verse, that his Mr. Pluto, the greate god of hell, takith no little displeasure w^th Jupiter, the god of heaven, for that he, in the ij other nyghts precedent, hath firste by Pallas sent Discord and False Reporte, being ij of his chefe servants, unto Prudentia and Temperantia, to be punisshed at there pleasure; and not content w^th this, but hathe the laste night, sent unto those ij Ladyes his most mortall enymye, Peace, to be onlie betwene them ij imbraced: wherefore Jupiter shall well understande, that in dispite of his doings, he hath sent his chefeste Capitayne, Prepencyd Mallyce, and wyllithe ether Argus, otherwyse Circumspection, to delyver unto hym Discorde, and False Reporte, his saide Masters servants, or ells th’afforesaid ij porters, Ardent Dessyer, and Perpetuitie, to delyver hym there masters enymie, Peace, chuse them whether.

Then shall come in Discretion; after hym Valyant Courage, otherwise Hercules, rydinge vppon a horse, whose name is Boldnes, Discretyon leadynge hym by the raynes of the brydell: after hym vj or viij Lords maskers. Then Discretion shall declare before the quenes highnes in verse, that Jupiter dothe well foresee the mischevous intent of Pluto, and therefore, to confounde his pollyces, hathe sente from heaven this vertu Valyant Courage, w^ch shalbe suffycient to confounde all Plutos devices: neverthelesse thos ij dyvells, Dysdaine, and Prepencyd Malyce, are mervailous warryours; yea, suche as unlesse theis vertues, Prudentia and Temperantia, will of themselves by some signe or token conclude to imbrace Peace, in such sorte as Jupiter hathe sent hym unto them, it wilbe to harde for Valyant Courage to overcome those vyces; but if they once speake but one worde, the battaill is overcome as a trifle. And therefore Jupiter hathe willed Discretion, in the presence of those ij quenes, to repaier unto the Cowrte of Plentie, and there firste to demande of Prudentia, how longe her pleasure is, of her honor, that Peace shall dwell between her and Temperantia? Then Prudentia shall let downe unto Discretion, w^th a bande of golde, a grandgarde of assure, whereuppon shalbe wrytten, in letters of gold, Ever. Then Discretion shall humblie demande of Temperantia uppon her honor, when Peace shall departe from Prudentia, and her grace? Then Temperantia shall lett downe unto Discretyon a girdell of assure, studded w^th gold, and a sworde of stele, whereuppon shalbe written, Never; w^ch grand-garde, and sworde, Discretion shall bringe, and laye at the fete of the ij quenes. Then Discretion (after a fewe words spoken) shall, before the quenes highnes, arme Valyant Courage, otherwise Hercules, w^th the grandgard of ver, and gyrte hym wt the sworde of Never, signifying that those ij Ladies have professed that Peace shall ever dwell wt them, and never departe from them; and signifyinge also that there Valyant Courage shalbe ever at defyance w^th Disdaine and Prepencyd Mallice, and never leave untill he have overcome them. And then shall valyant courage alone go and fight w^th those ij; in the myddeste of w’ch fight, Disdaine shall rune his wayes, and escape w^th life, but the monster Prepencyd Mallyce shalbe slaine for ever: signifyinge that some vngodlie men maye still disdaine the perpetuall peace made betweene those ij vertues, but as for there prepencyd mallice, it is easye troden under theis Ladyes fete. After this shall come out of the garden, the vj or viij Ladies maskers wth a songe, that shalbe made hereuppon, as full of armony as maye be devised.

Source: Collier, John Payne. The History of Dramatic Poetry (1579). citing Lansdowne MS. v, f. 126, endorsed "Maij 1562".

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