Harefield

Reporting by Thomas Copeland.

Archides, part of an entertainment presented to the Countess Dowager of Derby at Harefield by some noble persons of her family, who appear on the scene in pastoral habits moving toward the seat of state with this song one song look nymphs and shepherds look what sudden blaze of majesty is that which we from hence descry too divine to be mistook this this is she to whom our vows and wishes bend here our solemn search hath end fame that her high worth to raise seem'd erst so lavish and profuse we may justly now accuse of detraction from her praise less than half we find exprest envy bid conceal the rest mark what radiant state she spreads in circle round her shining throne shooting her beams like silver threads this this is she alone sitting like a goddess bright in the centre of her light might she the wise latona be or the tower'd sibylle mother of a hundred gods juno dares not give her odds who hath thought this climate held a deity so unparallel'd as they come forward the genius of the wood appears and turning toward them speaks genius stay gentle swains for though in this disguise i see bright honour sparkle through your eyes of famous arcady he are and sprung of that renowned flood so often sung divine alpheus who by secret slues stole under seas to meet his arethunes and ye the breathing roses of the wood fair silver buskend nymphs as great and good i know this quest of yours in free intent was all in honour and devotion meant to the great mistress of yon princely shrine whom with low reverence i adore as mine and with all helpful service will comply to further this nights glad solemnity and lead ye where ye may more neer behold what shallow searching fame hath left untold which i full oft amidst these shades alone have sate to wonder at and gaze upon for know by lot from jove i am the power of this fair wood and live in oaken bower to nurse the saplings tall and curl the grove with ringlets quaint and wanton windings woe and all my plants i save from nightly ill of noisome winds and blasting vapours chill and from the boughs brush off the evil dew and heal the harms of thwarting thunder blue or what the cross dye looking planet smites or hurtful worm with canker'd venom bites when evening gray doth rise i fetch my round over the mount and all this hallow'd ground and early ere the odorous breath of morn awakes the slumbering leaves or tassel'd horn shakes the high thicket haste i all about number my ranks and visit ev'ry sprout with puissant words and murmurs made to bless but else in deep of night when drowsiness hath lock'd up mortal sense then listen i to the celestial sirens harmony that sit upon the nine unfolded spheres and sing to those that hold the vital shears and turn the adamantine spindle round on which the fate of gods and men is bound such sweet compulsion doth in music lie to lull the daughters of necessity and keep unsteady nature to her law and the low world in measured motion draw after the heav'nly tune which none can hear of human mode with gross unpergd ear and yet Such music worthiest were to blaze the peerless height of her immortal praise, whose luster leads us, and for her most fit, if my inferior hand or voice could hit inimitable sounds, yet, as we go, what e'er the skill of lesser gods can show, I will assay, her worth to celebrate, and so attend ye toward her glittering state.

Where ye, may, all that are of noble stem, Approach, and kiss, her sacred vesture's hem.

2.

Reporting by Thomas Copeland.

Archides, part of an entertainment presented to the Countess Dowager of Derby at Harefield by some noble persons of her family, who appear on the scene in pastoral habit.

moving toward the seat of state with this song one song look nymphs and shepherds look what sudden blaze of majesty is that which we from hence descry too divine to be mistook this this is she to whom our vows and wishes bend here our solemn search hath end fame that her high worth to raise seem'd erst so lavish and profuse we may justly now accuse of detraction from her praise less than half we find exprest envy bid conceal the rest mark what radiant state she spreads in circle round her shining throne shooting her beams like silver threads this this is she alone sitting like a goddess bright in the centre of her light might she the wise latona be or the tower'd sibylle mother of a hundred gods juno dares not give her odds who hath thought this climate held a deity so unparallel'd as they come forward the genius of the wood appears and turning toward them speaks genius stay gentle swains for though in this disguise i see bright honour sparkle through your eyes of famous arcady he are and sprung of that renown'd flood so often sung divine alpheus who by secret slues stole under seas to meet his arethus and ye the breathing roses of the wood fair silver buskin'd nymphs as great and good i know this quest of yours in free intent was all in honour and devotion meant to the great mistress of yon princely shrine whom with low reverence i adore as mine and with all helpful service will comply to further this nights glad solemnity and lead ye where ye may more neer behold what shallow searching fame hath left untold which i full oft amidst these shades alone have sate to wonder at and gaze upon for know by lot from jove i am the power of this fair wood and live in oaken bower to nurse the saplings tall and curl the grove with ringlets quaint and wanton windings wove and all my plants i save from nightly ill of noisome winds and blasting vapours chill and from the boughs brush off the evil dew and heal the harms of thwarting thunder blue or what the cross dye looking planet smites or hurtful worm with canker'd venom bites when evening gray doth rise i fetch my round over the mount and all this hallow'd ground and early ere the odorous breath of morn awakes the slumbering leaves or tassel'd horn shakes the high thicket haste i all about number my ranks and visit ev'ry sprout with puissant words and murmurs made to bless but else in deep of night when drowsiness hath lock'd up mortal sense then listen i to the celestial sirens harmony that sit upon the nine unfolded spheres and sing to those that hold the vital shears and turn the adamantine spindle round on which the fate of gods and men is bound such sweet compulsion doth in music lie to lull the daughters of necessity and keep unsteady nature to her law and the low world in measur'd motion draw after the heav'nly tune which none can hear of human mode with gross unpergd ear and yet such music worthiest were to blaze the peerless height of her immortal praise, whose luster leads us, and for her most fit, if my inferior hand or voice could hit inimitable sounds, yet, as we go, what e'er the skill of lesser gods can show, I will assay, her worth to celebrate, and so attend ye toward her glittering state.

Where ye, may, all that are of noble stem, Approach, and kiss, her sacred vesture's hem.

Reporting by Thomas Copeland.

Archides, part of an entertainment presented to the Countess Dowager of Derby at Harefield by some noble persons of her family, who appear on the scene in pastoral habit moving toward the seat of state with this song.

1.

Song.

Reporting by Thomas Copeland.

Archides, part of an entertainment presented to the Countess Dowager of Derby at Harefield by some noble persons of her family, who appear on the scene in pastoral habit.

moving toward the seat of state with this song one song look nymphs and shepherds look what sudden blaze of majesty is that which we from hence descry too divine to be mistook this this is she to whom our vows and wishes bend here our solemn search hath end fame that her high worth to raise seem'd erst so lavish and profuse we may justly now accuse of detraction from her praise less than half we find exprest envy bid conceal the rest mark what radiant state she spreads in circle round her shining throne shooting her beams like silver threads this this is she alone sitting like a goddess bright in the centre of her light might she the wise latona be or the tower'd sibylle mother of a hundred gods juno dares not give her odds who hath thought this climate held a deity so unparallel'd as they come forward the genius of the wood appears and turning toward them speaks genius stay gentle swains for though in this disguise i see bright honour sparkle through your eyes of famous arcady he are and sprung of that renown'd flood so often sung divine alpheus who by secret slues stole under seas to meet his arethus and ye the breathing roses of the wood fair silver buskin'd nymphs as great and good i know this quest of yours in free intent was all in honour and devotion meant to the great mistress of yon princely shrine whom with low reverence i adore as mine and with all helpful service will comply to further this nights glad solemnity and lead ye where ye may more neer behold what shallow searching fame hath left untold which i full oft amidst these shades alone have sate to wonder at and gaze upon for know by lot from jove i am the power of this fair wood and live in oaken bower to nurse the saplings tall and curl the grove with ringlets quaint and wanton windings wove and all my plants i save from nightly ill of noisome winds and blasting vapours chill and from the boughs brush off the evil dew and heal the harms of thwarting thunder blue or what the cross dye looking planet smites or hurtful worm with canker'd venom bites when evening gray doth rise i fetch my round over the mount and all this hallow'd ground and early ere the odorous breath of morn awakes the slumbering leaves or tassel'd horn shakes the high thicket haste i all about number my ranks and visit ev'ry sprout with puissant words and murmurs made to bless but else in deep of night when drowsiness hath lock'd up mortal sense then listen i to the celestial sirens harmony that sit upon the nine unfolded spheres and sing to those that hold the vital shears and turn the adamantine spindle round on which the fate of gods and men is bound such sweet compulsion doth in music lie to lull the daughters of necessity and keep unsteady nature to her law and the low world in measured motion draw after the heav'nly tune which none can hear of human mode with gross unpergd ear and yet, such music worthiest were to blaze the peerless height of her immortal praise, whose luster leads us, and for her most fit, if my inferior hand or voice could hit inimitable sounds, yet, as we go, what e'er the skill of lesser gods can show, I will assay, her worth to celebrate, and so attend ye toward her glittering state.

Where ye, may, all that are of noble stem, Approach, and kiss, her sacred vesture's hem.

Ray in Worcester Park, it's poetic slumber's final act is to U-turn on his promise to stay...

Lee Hermitage in Harefield.

He could have gone at any point over the summer, but no, he had to try and make yesterday all about himself.

It was spiteful, bitter and a twisted final gesture.

Reporting by Thomas Copeland.

Archides, part of an entertainment presented to the Countess Dowager of Derby at Harefield by some noble persons of her family, who appear on the scene in pastoral habits moving toward the seat of state with this song.

1.

Look, nymphs and shepherds, look, what sudden blaze of majesty is that which we from hence descry, too divine to be mistook.

This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, recording by Thomas Copeland.

Arcades, part of an entertainment presented to the Countess Dowager of Derby at Harefield by some noble persons of her family, who appear on the scene in pastoral habit, moving toward the seat of state with this song.

One.

Song.

Reporting by Thomas Copeland.

Archides, part of an entertainment presented to the Countess Dowager of Derby at Harefield by some noble persons of her family, who appear on the scene in pastoral habit.

moving toward the seat of state with this song one song look nymphs and shepherds look what sudden blaze of majesty is that which we from hence descry too divine to be mistook this this is she to whom our vows and wishes bend here our solemn search hath end fame that her high worth to raise seem'd erst so lavish and profuse we may justly now accuse of detraction from her praise less than half we find exprest envy bid conceal the rest mark what radiant state she spreads in circle round her shining throne shooting her beams like silver threads this this is she alone sitting like a goddess bright in the centre of her light might she the wise latona be or the tower'd sibylle mother of a hundred gods juno dares not give her odds who hath thought this climate held a deity so unparallel'd as they come forward the genius of the wood appears and turning toward them speaks genius stay gentle swains for though in this disguise i see bright honour sparkle through your eyes of famous arcady he are and sprung of that renown'd flood so often sung divine alpheus who by secret slues stole under seas to meet his arethus and ye the breathing roses of the wood fair silver buskin'd nymphs as great and good i know this quest of yours in free intent was all in honour and devotion meant to the great mistress of yon princely shrine whom with low reverence i adore as mine and with all helpful service will comply to further this nights glad solemnity and lead ye where ye may more neer behold what shallow searching fame hath left untold which i full oft amidst these shades alone have sate to wonder at and gaze upon for know by lot from jove i am the power of this fair wood and live in oaken bower to nurse the saplings tall and curl the grove with ringlets quaint and wanton windings wove and all my plants i save from nightly ill of noisome winds and blasting vapours chill and from the boughs brush off the evil dew and heal the harms of thwarting thunder blue or what the cross dye looking planet smites or hurtful worm with canker'd venom bites when evening gray doth rise i fetch my round over the mount and all this hallow'd ground and early ere the odorous breath of morn awakes the slumbering leaves or tassel'd horn shakes the high thicket haste i all about number my ranks and visit ev'ry sprout with puissant words and murmurs made to bless but else in deep of night when drowsiness hath lock'd up mortal sense then listen i to the celestial sirens harmony that sit upon the nine unfolded spheres and sing to those that hold the vital shears and turn the adamantine spindle round on which the fate of gods and men is bound such sweet compulsion doth in music lie to lull the daughters of necessity and keep unsteady nature to her law and the low world in measured motion draw after the heav'nly tune which none can hear of human mode with gross unpergd ear and yet, such music worthiest were to blaze the peerless height of her immortal praise, whose luster leads us, and for her most fit, if my inferior hand or voice could hit inimitable sounds, yet, as we go, what e'er the skill of lesser gods can show, I will assay, her worth to celebrate, and so attend ye toward her glittering state.

Where ye, may, all that are of noble stem, Approach, and kiss, her sacred vesture's hem.

This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, recording by Thomas Copeland.

Arcades, part of an entertainment presented to the Countess Dowager of Derby at Harefield by some noble persons of her family, who appear on the scene in pastoral habit, moving toward the seat of state with this song.

One.

Song.