SCENE III.]

COMUS

Enter

31 [The morris dancers make their exit with " ducks and nods," and place themselves at left-hand corner of stage. court dancers, who perform a graceful dance. When finished they form a semicircle at back of stage. The ATTENDANT SPIRIT leads the two brothers and the LADY and presents them to their father and mother.]

Noble Lord and Lady bright,
I have brought ye new delight:
Here behold so goodly grown
Three fair branches of your own;
Heaven hath timely tried their youth,

Their faith, their patience, and their truth,

And sent them here through hard assays,

With a crown of deathless praise,

To triumph in victorious dance

O'er sensual folly and intemperance.

[The dancers finish their dance, and group themselves gracefully at back of stage, and the ATTENDANT SPIRIT (coming to front of stage) closes with the following lines.]

To the ocean now I fly,
And those happy climes that lie
Where day never shuts his eye,
Up in the broad fields of sky.
There I suck the liquid air,

All amidst the gardens fair

Of Hesperus and his daughters three
That sing about the golden tree.
Along the crispèd shades and bowers
Revels the spruce and jocund Spring;
The Graces and the rosy-bosomed Hours
Thither all their beauties bring.

There eternal Summer dwells;

And west winds with musky wing

Along the cedarn alleys fling
Nard and cassia's balmy smells.
Iris there with humid bow

Waters the odorous banks, that blow
Flowers of more mingled hue

Than her purfled scarf can shew
(List, mortals, if your ears be true).

But now my task is smoothly done:
I can fly or I can run,

Quickly to the earth's green end,
Where the bowed welkin slow doth bend,
And from thence can soar as soon
To the corners of the moon.
Mortals, that would follow me,
Love Virtue; she alone is free.
She can teach ye how to climb
Higher than the sphery clime;
Or, if Virtue feeble were,

Heaven itself would stoop to her.

[SCENE III.

The COURT DANCERS advance and form a semicircle around the ATTENDANT SPIRIT.

The morris dancers and satyrs run in and quickly group themselves into a tableau, with the principal performers, and a classic Season Song" sung by them all makes a pleasing finish.

[Curtain falls.

Court Dancers

1. Underskirt of white art muslin; deep rose-colour

over-drapery

2. Underskirt of pale rose; over-drapery white, with

pink flowers

2