The vvoman in the moone As it was presented before her Highnesse. By Iohn Lyllie maister of Artes.

Enter Nature, with her two mai∣dens Concord and Discord.

Nature.

NAture descends from farre aboue the spheeres, To frolicke heere in fayre Vtopia, VVheremy chiefe workes do florish in their prime, And wanton in their first simplicitie. Heere I suruey the pictured firmament, VVith hurtlesse flames in concaue of the Moone, The liquid substance of the welkins waste: VVhere moystures treasurie is clouded vp, The mutuall Ioynter of all swelling seas, And all the creatures which their waues conteine, Lastly the rundle of this Massiue earth, From vtmost face vnto the Centers point, All these, and all their endlesse circumstance, Heere I suruey, and glory in my selfe. But what meanes Discord so to knit the browes, VVith sorrowes clowde ecclipsing our delights?

Discord.

It grieues my hart, that still in euery worke, My fellow Concorde frustrates my desire, VVhen I to perfect vp some wondrous deed, Do bring forth good and bad, or light and darke, Pleasant and sad, moouing and fixed things, Fraile and immortall, or like contraries: She with her hand vnites them all in one, And so makes voide the end of mine attempt.

Nature.

I tell thee Discord while you twaine attend On Natures traine, your worke must prooue but one, And in your selues though you be different, Yet in my seruice must you well agree.

For Nature workes her will from contraries, But see where our Utopian Shepheards come.

Enter Stesias, Learchus, Melos, Iphicles, all clad in Skins. They kneele downe.

Stosias.

Thou Soueraigne Queene and Author of the world, Of all that was, or is, or shall be framde. To finish vp the heape of thy great gifts, Vouchsafe thy simple seruants one request.

Nature.

Stand vp, and tell the sum of your desire, The boone were great that Nature would not graunt: It euer was and shall be still my ioy, VVith wholesome gifts to blesse my workemanship.

Iphi.

VVe craue fayre goddesse at thy heauenly hands, To haue as euery other creature hath, A sure and certaine meanes among our selues, To propagate the issue of our kinde: As it were comfort to our sole estate, So were it ease vnto thy working hand. Each Fish that swimmeth in the floating sea, Each winged fowle that soareth in the ayre, And euery beast that feedeth on the ground, Haue mates of pleasure to vpholde their broode: But thy Utopians, poore and simple men, As yet bewaile their want of female sex.

Nature.

A female shall you haue my louely swaines, Like to your selues, but of a purer moulde: Meane while go hence, and tend your tender flocks, And when I send her, see you holde her deare.

Exeunt Shepheards, singing a roundelay in praise of Nature.

Now Virgins put your hands to holy worke, That we may frame new wonders to the world.

They draw the Curtins from before Natures shop, where stands an Image clad and some vnclad, they bring forth the cloathed image.

VVhen I arayde this lifelesse Image thus,

It was decreed in my deepe prouidence, To make it such as our Utopians craue, A merror of the earth, and heauens dispight, The matter first when it was voyde of forme, Was purest water, earth, and ayre, and fyre, And when I shapt it in a matchlesle mould, (VVhereof the lyke was neuer seene before) It grew to this impression that you see, And wanteth nothing now but life and sowle. But life and soule I shall inspire from heauen. So hold it fast, till with my quickning breath, I kindle inward seeds of sence and minde. Now fire be turnd to choler, ayre to bloud, VVater to humor purer then it selfe, And earth to flesh more cleare then Christall rock. And Discord stand aloofe, that Concords hands, May ioyne the spirit with the flesh in league.

Concord fast imbraceth the Image.

Concorde.

Now do I feele how life and inward sence, Imparteth motion vnto euery limme.

Nature.

Then let her stand or moue or walke alone.

The Image walkes about fearefully.

Herein hath Nature gone beyond her selfe, And heauen will grudge at beautie of the earth, VVhen it espies a second sonne belowe.

Discorde.

Now euerie part performes her functions dew, Except the tongue whose strings are yet vntyed.

Nature.

Discorde, vnlose her tongue, to serue her turne, For in distresse that must be her defence: And from that roote will many mischiefes growe, If once she spot her state of innocence.

Image speakes. Pandora kneeling.

Haile heauenly Queene, the author of all good, VVhose wil hath wrought in me the fruits of life, And fild me with an vnderstanding soule, To know the difference twixt good and bad.

Nature lifting her vp.

I make thee for a solace vnto men,

And see thou follow our commaunding will. Now art thou Natures glory and delight, Compact of euery heauenly excellence: Thou art indowd with Saturns deepe conceit▪ Thy minde as hawte as Iupiters high thoughts, Thy stomack Lion-like, like Mauors hart, Thine eyes bright beamde, like Sol in his array, Thy cheekes more fayre, then are faire Uenus cheekes, Thy tongue more eloquent then Mercuries, Thy forehead whiter then the siluer Moones: Thus haue I robd the Planets for thy sake. Besides all this, thou hast proud Iunoes armes, Auroraes hands, and louely Thetis foote: Vse all these well, and Nature is thy friend, But vse them ill, and Nature is thy foe. Now that thy name may suite thy qualities, I giue to thee Pandora for thy name.

Enter the seuen Planets.

Saturne.

VVhat creature haue we heere? a new found gawde? A second man, lesse perfect then the first?

Mars.

A woman this forsooth, but made in hast, To robbe vs Planets of our ornaments.

Iupiter.

Is this the Saint, that steales my Iunoes armes?

Sol.

Mine eyes? then gouerne thou my daylight carre.

Uenus.

My cheekes? then Cupid be at thy commaund.

Mercury.

My tongue? thou pretty Parrat speake a while,

Luna.

My forehead? then faire Cynthia shine by night,

Nat.

VVhat foule contempt is this you Planets vse▪ Against the glory of my words and worke? It was my will, and that shall stand for lawe, And she is framd to darken all your prides. Ordeynd not I your motions, and your selues? And dare you check the author of your liues? VVere not your lights contriude in Natures shop? But I haue meanes to end what I begun.

And make Death triumphe in your liues decay: If thus you crosse the meede of my deserts, Be sure I will dissolue your harmonie, VVhen once you touche the fixed period: Meane while I leaue my worthy workmanship▪ Here to obscure the pride of your disdaine.

Exit.

Saturne.

Then in reuenge of Nature and her worke, Let vs conclude to shew our Emperie: And bend our forces gainst this earthly starre. Each one in course shall signorize awhile, That she may feele the influence of her beames, And rue that she was formde in our dispight: My turne is first, and Saturne will begin.

He ascends.

Iupiter.

And Ile begin where Saturne makes an end, And when I end, then Mars shall tyrrannize, And after Mars then Sol shall marshall her. And after Sol each other in his course: Come let vs go, that Saturne may begin.

Saturne.

I shall instill such melancholy moode, As by corrupting of her purest bloud, Shall first with sullen sorrowes clowde her braine, And then surround her heart with froward care: She shalbe sick with passions of the hart, Selfwild, and toungtide, but full fraught with teares▪

Enter Gunophilus.

Gratious Pandora: Nature thy good friend Hath sent Gunophilus to waite on thee, For honors due that appertaines her will, And for the graces of thy louely selfe, Gunophilus will serue in humble sorte, And is resolud to liue and die with thee.

Pandora.

If Nature wild, then do attend on me, But little seruice haue I to commaund, If I my selfe might choose my kinde of life, Nor thou, nor any else should stay vvith me, I finde my selfe vnfit for company.

Gunoph.

Hovv so faire Mistres in your flouring youth,

VVhen pleasures ioy should sit in euery thought?

Pand.

Auaunt sir sawce, play you the Questionest? VVhats that to thee, if I be sick or sad? Eyther demeane thy selfe in better sort, Or get thee hence and serue some other where.

Gunophil.

A sowre beginning: but no remedy, Nature hath bound me, and I must obey: I see that seruants must haue Marchants eares, To beare the blast and brunt of euery winde.

Pand.

VVhat throbs are these that labour in my brest? VVhat swelling clouds, that ouercast my braine? I burst, vnlesse by teares they turne to raine. I grudge and grieue, but know not well whereat: And rather choose to weepe then speake my minde, For fretfull sorrow captiuates my tongue.

She playes the vixen with euery thing about her.

Enter Stesias, Melos, Learchus, and Iphicles.

Stesias.

See where she sits, in whom we must delight, Beware she sleepes: no noyse for waking her.

Iphi.

A sleepe? why see how her alluring eyes, VVith open lookes do glaunce on euery side.

Melos.

O eyes more fayre then is the morning starre.

Learch.

Nature her selfe is not so louely fayre.

Stesi.

Let vs with reuerence kisse her Lillie hands,

They all kneele to her.

And by deserts in seruice win her loue. Sweete Dame, if Stesias may content thine eye, Commaund my Neate, my flock, and tender Kids: VVhereof great store do ouerspred our plaines, Graunt me sweet Mistresse but to kisse thy hand.

She hits him on the lips.

Lear.

No Stesias no, Learchus is the man: Thou myrror of Dame Natures cunning worke, Let me but hold thee by that sacred hand▪

And I shall make thee our Utopian Queene, And set a guilded Chapplet on thy head, That Nymphes and Satyrs may admyre thy pompe.

She strikes his hand. He riseth.

Gunoph.

These twaine and I haue fortunes all alyke.

Melos.

Sweet Natures pride, let me but see thy hand, And seruant lyke, shall Melos waite on thee: And beare thy traine: as in the glorious heauens, Perseus supports his loue Andromeda: VVhose thirty starres, whether they rise or fall. He falles or ryseth, hanging at her heeles.

She thrusts her hands in her pocket.

Iphi.

O then to blesse the loue of Iphicles, VVhose heart dooth hold thee deerer then himselfe▪ Do but behold me with a louing looke, And I will leade thee in our sollemne daunce, Teaching thee tunes, and pleasant layes of loue.

She winkes and frownes.

Stesi.

No kisse? nor touche? nor friendly looke? VVhat churlish influence depriues her minde? For Nature sayd, that she was innocent, And fully fraught with vertuous qualities: But speake sweete loue: thou canst not speake but well.

Gunoph.

She is not tongue tyde, that I know by proofe.

Melos.

Speake once Pandora to thy louing friends.

Pand.

Rude knaues, what meane you thus to trouble me?

Guno.

She spake to you my maisters, I am none of your company.

Lear.

Alas she weeping sounds: Gunophilus O helpe to reare thy Mistresse from the ground.

Guno.

This is the very passion of the heart, And melancholy is the ground thereof.

Stesi.

O then to sift that humor from her heart, Let vs with Rundelayes delight her eare: For I haue heard that Musick is a meane, To calme the rage of melancholy moode.

They sing. She starteth vp and runs away at the end of the Song, saying.

Pand.

What songs? what pipes? & fidling haue we here? VVill you not suffer me to take my rest?

Exit.

Melos.

VVhat shal we do to vanquish her disease? The death of that were life to our desires: But let vs go, we must not leaue her thus.

Exeunt. Saturne descendeth on the stage.

Saturne hath layd foundation to the rest: VVhereon to build the ruine of this dame: And spot her innocence with vicious thoughts, My turne is past, and Iupiter is next.

Exit.