The Mask was prefented in 1634, and confequently in the 20th year of our author's age. In the title-page of the first edition, printed in 1637, it is faid that it was prefented on Michaelmas night, and there was this motto, "Eheu quid volui mifero mihi! floribus austrum "Perditus In this edition, and in that of Milton's poems in 1645, there was prefixed to the Mask the following dedication. To the Right Honorable JOHN Lord Viscount BRACKLY, fon and heir apparent to the Earl of BRIDGEWATER, &c. MY LORD, THIS HIS poem, which received its firft occafion of birth from yourself and others of your noble family, and much honor from your own perfon in the performance, now returns again to make a final dedication of itself to you. Although not openly acknowledg'd by the author, yet it is a legitimate offspring, fo lovely, and fo much desired, that the often copying of it hath tir'd my pen to give my several friends fatisfaction, and brought me to a neceffity of producing it to the public view; and now to offer it up in all rightful devotion to those fair hopes, and rare endowments of your much promifing youth, which give a full affu rance, to all that know you, of a future excellence. Live, fweet Lord, to be the honor of your name; and receive this as your own, from the hands of him, who hath by many favors been long oblig'd to your most honor'd parents; and as in this representation your attendant Thyrfis, fo now in all real expreffion Your faithful and moft humble Servant, H. LAWE S. A MASK. A MAS The firft Scene difcovers a wild Wood. B The attendant Spirit defcends or enters. EFORE the ftarry threshold of Jove's court My manfion is, where thofe immortal shapes Of bright aereal Spirits live infpher'd In regions mild of calm and ferene air, Above the smoke and ftir of this dim fpot, Which men call Earth, and with low-thoughted care 15 20 The The unadorned bofom of the deep, Which he to grace his tributary Gods By course commits to feveral government, And gives them leave to wear their sapphire crowns, And wield their little tridents: but this Ile, The greatest and the best of all the main, He quarters to his blue-hair'd deities; 25 30 35 And new-intrufted fcepter; but their way Lies through the perplex'd paths of this drear wood, The nodding horror of whofe fhady brows Threats the forlorn and wandering passenger; And here their tender age might fuffer peril, 40 But that by quick command from sovran Jove 45 50 And |