who married a Thomas Walsingham of Kent, and too young for the daughter of Elizabeth's celebrated minister, who had besides twice changed her name.

The Oceaniæ are not appropriated; they were probably personated by the younger branches of the noble families mentioned above. They were the "light-bearers," as the poet terms them, and he has judiciously managed to make them an integral part of the exhibition.

THE QUEEN'S SECOND MASQUE,

WHICH WAS OF

BEAUTY.

THE MASQUE OF BEAUTY.] "The second Masque, (Jonson says,) which was of Beauty, was presented in the same Court at Whitehall, on the Sunday-night after the Twelfth-night, 1608."

This masque was published together with the former in 4to. without date, but probably in 1609, and again in fol. 1616.

THE MASQUE OF BEAUTY.

WO years being now past, that her majesty had intermitted these delights, and the third almost come, it was her highness's pleasure again to glorify the court, and command that I should think on some fit presentment, which should answer the former, still keeping them the same persons, the daughters of Niger, but their beauties varied according to promise, and their time of absence excused, with four more added to their number.

To which limits, when I had apted my invention, and being to bring news of them from the sea, I induced BOREAS, one of the winds, as my fittest messenger; presenting him thus:

In a robe of russet and white mixt, full and bagg'd; his hair and beard rough and horrid; his wings gray, and full of snow and icicles: his mantle borne from him with wires, and in several puffs; his feet' ending in serpents' tails; and in his hand a leafless branch, laden with icicles.

But before, in midst of the hall, to keep the state of the feast and season, I had placed JANUARY' in a throne of silver; his robe of ash-colour, long, fringed with silver; a white mantle; his wings white, and

So Paus. in Eliacis, reports him to have, as he was carved in arcâ Cipselli.

b See Iconolog. di Cesare Ripa.

his buskins; in his hand a laurel-bough; upon his head an anademe of laurel, fronted with the sign Aquarius, and the character: who, as Boreas blustered forth, discovered himself.

Boreas. Which, among these, is Albion, Neptune's son ?

Januarius. What ignorance dares make that question?

Would any ask, who Mars were in the wars,
Or which is Hesperus among the stars?
Of the bright planets, which is Sol? or can
A doubt arise, 'mong creatures, which is man?
Behold, whose eyes do dart Promethean fire
Throughout this All; whose precepts do inspire
The rest with duty; yet commanding, chear:
And are obeyed more with love, than fear.

Boreas. What power art thou, that thus informest me?

Janu. Dost thou not know me? I too well know

thee

с

By thy rude voice, that doth so hoarsely blow;
Thy hair, thy beard, thy wings, o'er-hill'd with snow,'
Thy serpent feet, to be that rough North-wind,
Boreas, that to my reign art still unkind.

I am the prince of months, call'd January;
Because by me, Janus the year doth vary,
Shutting up wars, proclaiming peace, and feasts,
Freedom and triumphs; making kings his guests.

c Ovid Metam. lib. vi. near the end see,-horridus irâ, Quæ solita est illi, nimiumque domestica, vento, &c.

1 Thy wings o'er-hill'd with snow,] i. e. covered over with snow: the spelling is varied, but it is the same with the Saxon word hele. WHAL.

It is scarcely worth dispute; but surely Jonson uses the word in its common acceptation.

See the offices and power of Janus, Ovid. Fast. 1.