Tham. Medway and Isis, you that augment me, Tides that increase my watery store, And you that are friends to peace and plenty, Seamen skipping, Mariners leaping, Shouting, tripping, Send my merry boys all ashore! A dance of Watermen in the King's and Duke's Liveries. The Clouds divide, and JvNo appears in a Machine drawn by Peacocks; while a Symphony is playing, it moves gently forward, and as it descends, it opens and discovers the Tail of the Peacock, which is so large, that it almost fills the opening of the Stage between Scene and Scene. Merc. The clouds divide; what wonders, What wonders do I see! The wife of Jove! "Tis she, That thunders, more than thundering he! Juno. No, Hermes, no; "Tis peace above As 'tis below; For Jove has left his wand'ring love. Tham. Great queen of gathering clouds, Whose moisture fills our floods, See, we fall before thee, Prostrate we adore thee! Aug. Great queen of nuptial rites, Whose power the souls unites, And fills the genial bed with chaste delights, Prostrate we adore thee! Juno. 'Tis ratified above by every god, And Jove has firmed it with an awful nod, IRIS appears on a very large Machine. This was Juno. Speak, Iris, from Batavia, speak the news! Has he performed my dread command, Returning Albion to his longing land, Or dare the nymph refuse? Iris. Albion, by the nymph attended, And send Astræa down, The ruler of his birth, And guardian of his crown. "Tis time to mount above, And send Astrea down. [Retornella. Mer, Jun. Ir. "Tis time to mount above, And send Astræa down. [MER. JU. and IR. ascend. For Albion and Albanius; For Albion and Albanius. Part of the Scene disappears, and the Four Triumphal arches, erected on his Majesty's Coronation, are seen. ALBION appears, ALBANIUS by his Side, preceded by Full Chorus. Hail, royal Albion, Hail! Thy longing people's expectation! Tham. Sent from the gods to set us free From bondage and from usurpation! Aug. To pardon and to pity me, And to forgive a guilty nation! Tham. Behold the differing Climes agree, Rejoicing in thy restoration. Entry. Representing the Four Parts of the World, rejoicing at the Restoration of ALBIon. ACT II The Scene is a Poetical Hell. The Change is total; The Upper Part of the House, as well as the SideScenes. There is the Figure of PROMETHEUS chained to a Rock, the Vulture gnawing his Liver; SISYPHUS rolling the Stone; the BELIDES, &c. Beyond, Abundance of Figures in various Torments. Then a great Arch of Fire. Behind this, three Pyramids of Flames in perpetual Agitation. Beyond this, glowing Fire, which terminates the Prospect. PLUTO, and the FURIES; with ALECTO, DEMOCRACY, and ZELOTA. Plu. Infernal offspring of the night, And blast the beauteous frame of our victorious foe. made, Thou sire of all things, and their end, From hence they spring, and when they fade, In shuffled heaps they hither tend; Here human souls receive their breath, And wait for bodies after death. Dem. Hear our complaint, and grant our prayer. And whence you fell? Dem. I am thy first-begotten care, Conceived in heaven, but born in hell. When thou didst bravely undertake in fight Yon arbitrary power, That rules by sovereign might, To set thy heaven-born fellows free, Was I begot by thee. Zel. One mother bore us at a birth, And changing name, She's now the Good Old Cause in hell. Plu. Dear pledges of a flame not yet forgot, Say, what on earth has been your lot? Dem. and Zel. The wealth of Albion's isle was ours, Augusta stooped with all her stately towers. Dem. Democracy kept nobles under. Zel. Zeal from the pulpit roared like thunder. Zel. I lorded o'er the gown. Dem. and Zel. We both in triumph sate, Usurpers of the crown. But oh, prodigious turn of fate! Heaven controuling, Sent us rolling, rolling down. Plu. I wondered how of late our Acherontic shore Grew thin, and hell unpeopled of her store; Charon, for want of use, forgot his oar. The souls of bodies dead flew all sublime, And hither none returned to purge a crime: |