How. For the honour of Wales.

Here the Men and Women dance together.

Jen. Digon! enough, enough, digon.-Well now all the absurdities is removed and clear'd; the rest, and please your grace, s'all tarry still, and go on as it was; Virtue and Pleasure was well enough, indifferently well enough: only we will intreat Pleasure to cym out of Driffimdore, that is the Golden Valley, or Gelthleedore, that is the Golden Grove, and is in Care Marden, the Welse Garden. Is a thousand place in Wales as finely places as the Esperides every crum of him; Merlin was born there too, put we would not make him rise now and wake him, because we have his prophecies already of your madestee's name to as good purpose, as if he were here in presence, Pod hy geller, Evan?

Ev. You will still pyt your selve to these plunses, you mean his madestee's anagrams of Charles James Stuart.

Jen. Ay, that is Claimes Arthur's Seate, which is as much as to say, your madestee s'ud be the first king of Gread Prittan, and sit in Cadier Arthur, which is Arthur's Chair, as by Got's blessing you

4

A Digon!] i. e. enough! The words below should be Dyffryn oyr, and Gelhy oyr.

5 We would not make him rise now, because we have his prophecies already, &c.] This alludes to the speech of the Lady of the Lake, in Prince Henry's Barriers (p. 150):

"And that a monarch equal good and great,

Wise, temperate, just, and stout, CLAIMES ARTHUR'S SEAT.” The last three words of which form, as Evan observes, and as graver heads than his had observed long before him, the celebrated anagram, CHARLES JAMES STUART, and prove, to the satisfaction of all the world, that this good monarch was the person at whose high destinies Merlin pointed, and in whom the prediction was fulfilled. Pod hy geller is, Let us do as well as we can.

do: and then your son, master Sharles his, how do you caull him? is Charles Stuart, Calls tru hearts, that is us, he calls us, the Welse nation to be ever at your service, and love you, and honour you, which we pray you understand it his meaning. And that the musicians yonder are so many Brittis bards that sing o'pen the hills to let out the prince of Wales, and his Welse friends to you, and all is done.

Grif. Very homely done it is I am well assured, if not very rudely: but it is hoped your majesty will not interpret the honour, merits, love and affection of so noble a portion of your people, by the poverty of these who have so imperfectly utter'd it: you will rather for their sakes, who are to come in the name of Wales, my lord the prince, and the others, pardon what is past, and remember the country has always been fruitful of loyal hearts to your majesty, a very garden and seed-plot of honest minds and men: what lights of learning hath Wales sent forth for your schools? what industrious students of your laws? what able ministers of your justice? whence hath the crown in all times better servitors, more liberal of their lives and fortunes? where hath your court or council, for the present, more noble ornaments or better aids? I am glad to see it, and to speak it, and though the nation be said to be unconquered, and most loving liberty, yet it was never mutinous, and please your majesty, but stout, valiant, courteous, hospitable, temperate, ingenious, capable of all good arts, most lovingly constant, charitable, great antiquaries, religious preservers of their gentry and genealogy, as they are zealous and knowing in religion.

In a word, it is a nation bettered by prosperity so far, as to the present happiness it enjoys under your most sacred majesty, it wishes nothing to be added but to see it perpetual in you and your issue.

God of his great goodness grant it, and shew he is an arrant knave, and no true Briton, does not say Amen too with his heart.

PLEASURE RECONCILED TO VIRTUE followed:

AND SO IT ENDED.

NEWS FROM THE NEW WORLD

DISCOVERED IN THE MOON.

A MASQUE.

AS IT WAS PRESENTED AT COURT BEFORE KING JAMES, 1620.

Nascitur è tenebris: et se sibi vindicat orbis.

NEWS FROM THE NEW WORLD, &c.] This was the Author's first Masque after his return from Scotland, where he had been on a visit to his "friend" Drummond. A masque had been composed for the court during his absence, (I know not by whom,) and ill received; so that the wish for Jonson's return was pretty generally expressed. "I have heard,” says this second Pylades,* (putting aside for a moment the atrocious string of calumnies which he was industriously fabricating against his unsuspecting correspondent,) "I have heard from court, that the late Mask was not so approved of the king, as in former times, and that your absence was regretted. Such applause hath true worth! even of those who are otherwise not for it. Your loving friend." Jan. 17, 1619.

Jonson did not disappoint his admirers, for the World in the Moon is written with all the elegance and ease of the best days of queen Ann. The satire too is of the most delicate kind, and the wit is perpetual and abundant.

* Drummond's Letters "to his worthy friend, B. Jonson." fol.

P. 233.