The Masque of Nilus

ISIS, the goddess of this land,
Bids thee, great Caesar, understand
And mark our customs: and first know,
With greedy eyes these watch the flow
Of plenteous Nilus; when he comes,
With songs, with dances, timbrels, drums,
They entertain him; cut his way,
And give his proud heads leave to play;
Nilus himself shall rise, and show
His matchless wealth in overflow.
Labourers. Come, let us help the reverend Nile;
He's very old; alas, the while!

Let us dig him easy ways,
And prepare a thousand plays:
To delight his streams, let's sing
A loud welcome to our spring;
This way let his curling heads
Fall into our new-made beds;
This way let his wanton spawns
Frisk, and glide it o'er the lawns.

This way profit comes, and gain:
How he tumbles here amain!

How his waters haste to fall
Into our channels! Labour, all,
And let him in; let Nilus flow,
And perpetual plenty show.
With incense let us bless the brim,
And, as the wanton fishes swim,
Let us gums and garlands fling,
And loud our timbrels ring.

Come, old father, come away!

Our labour is our holiday.

Isis. Here comes the aged river now,
With garlands of great pearl his brow
Begirt and rounded. In his flow
All things take life, and all things grow:
A thousand wealthy treasures still,
To do him service at his will,
Follow his rising flood, and pour
Perpetual blessings in our store.
Hear him; and next there will advance
His sacred heads to tread a dance,
In honour of my royal guest:
Mark them too; and you have a feast.
Nilus. Make room for my rich waters' fall,
And bless my flood;
Nilus comes flowing to you all
Increase and good.

Now the plants and flowers shall spring,
And the merry ploughman sing:
In my hidden waves I bring
Bread, and wine, and every thing.
Let the damsels sing me in,
Sing aloud, that I may rise:

Your holy feasts and hours begin,
And each hand bring a sacrifice.
Now my wanton pearls I show,
That to ladies' fair necks grow;
Now my gold,
And treasures that can ne'er be told,
Shall bless this land, by my rich flow;
And after this, to crown your eyes,
My hidden holy heads arise.