the barriers

8/12/2019 The Barriers

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Ben Jonson,Barriers at a Marriage

From:

Hymenaei, or the Solemnities of Masque and Barriers,

magnificently performed on the eleventh and twelfth nights, from Christmas,

at court: to the auspicious celebrating of the Marriage union between

Robert, arle of sse!, and the lady "rances, second daughter of

the most noble arle of Suffol#e, $%&%

THE BARRIERS.

'( the ne!t night, whose solemnity was of BARRIERS, )all mention of the former being utterly

removed and ta#en away* there appeared, at the lower end of the hall, a mist made of delicate

perfumes+ out of which )a battle being sounded under the stage* did seem to brea# forth two

ladies, the one representing TRUTH, the other OPINION+ but both so ali#e attired, as they could

by no note be distinguished -he colour of their garments was blue, their soc#s white+ they were

crowned with wreaths of palm, and in their hand each of them sustained a palm.bough -hese,after the mist was vanished, began to e!amine each other curiously with their eyes, and

approaching the state, the one e!postulated the other in this manner:

-ruth Who art thou, thus that imitatst m !ra"e,

In ste#s, in ha$it, an% resem$&e% 'a"e(

'pin )ra*e Time an% In%ustr m #arents are+

name is Truth, -ho, throu!h these soun%s o' -ar,

Whi"h 'i!ure the -ise min%s %is"ursi*e si!ht,

In mists $ nature -ra#t, sa&ute the &i!ht.

-ruth I am that Truth, thou some i&&usi*e s#ri!ht+

Whom to m &ieness, the $&a" sor"eress Ni!ht

Hath o' these %r, an% em#t 'umes "reate%.

'pin Best hera&% o' thine o-n $irth, -e&& re&ate%,

Put me an% mine to #roo' o' -or%s, an% 'a"ts,

In an /uestion this 'air hour e0a"ts.

-ruth I "ha&&en!e thee, an% 'it this time o' &o*e,

With this #osition, -hi"h Truth "omes to #ro*e+

That the most honour% state o' man an% -i'e,1oth 'ar e0"ee% the inso"iate *ir!in2&i'e.

'pin I tae the a%*erse #art+ an% she that $est

1e'en%s her si%e, $e Truth $ a&& "on'est.

-ruth It is "on'irm%. With -hat an e/ua& $ro-

To Truth, O#inions "on'i%ent3 an% ho-,

4ie Truth, her ha$it she-s to sensua& ees3

But -hosoeer thou $e, in this %is!uise,

5&ear Truth, anon, sha&& stri# thee to the heart+

An% she- ho- mere #hantasti"a& thou art.

6no-, then, the 'irst #ro%u"tion o' thin!s

Re/uire% t-o+ 'rom mere one nothin! s#rin!s:


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Without that not, the theme thou !&oriest in,

7The un#ro'ita$&e *ir!in,8 ha% not $een.

The !o&%en tree o' marria!e $e!an

In Para%ise, an% $ore the 'ruit o' man+

On -hose s-eet $ran"hes an!e&s sat an% sun!,

An% 'rom -hose 'irm root a&& so"iet s#run!.

4o*e 7-hose stron! *irtue -ra#t hea*ens sou& in earth,

An% ma%e a -oman !&or in his $irth8

In marria!e o#ens his in'&ame% $reast+

An% &est in him nature shou&% sti'&e% rest,

His !enia& 'ire a$out the -or&% he %arts+

Whi"h &i#s -ith &i#s "om$ines, an% hearts -ith hearts.

arria!e 4o*es o$9e"t is+ at -hose $ri!ht ees,

He &i!hts his tor"hes, an% "a&&s them his sies.

For her he -in!s his shou&%ers+ an% %oth '&

To her -hite $osom, as his san"tuar:

In -hi"h no &ust'u& 'in!er "an #ro'ane him,

Nor an earth -ith $&a" e"&i#ses -ane him.She maes him smi&e in sorro-s, an% %oth stan%

T-i0t him an% a&& -ants, -ith her si&*er han%.

In her so't &o"s his ten%er 'eet are tie%+

An% in his 'etters he taes -orth #ri%e.

An% as !eometri"ians ha*e a##ro*e%,

That &ines an% su#er'i"ies are not mo*e%

B their o-n 'or"es, $ut %o 'o&&o- sti&&

Their $o%ies motions+ so the se&'2&o*e% -i&&

O' man or -oman shou&% not ru&e in them,

But ea"h -ith other -ear the ana%em,

irrors, thou!h %e"% -ith %iamon%s, are nou!ht -orth,I' the &ie 'orms o' thin!s the set not 'orth+

So men or -omen are -orth nothin! neither,

I' eithers ees an% hearts #resent not either.

'pin Untou"h% ;ir!init, &au!h out+ to see

Free%om in 'etters #&a"e%, an% ur!% !ainst thee.

What !rie's &ie !roanin! on the nu#tia& $e%(

What %u&& so"iet( in -hat sheets o' &ea%

Tum$&e an% toss the rest&ess marrie% #air,

Ea"h, o't, o''en%e% -ith the others air(

From -hen"e s#rin!s a&&2%e*ourin! a*ari"e,But 'rom the "ares -hi"h out o' -e%&o" rise(

An%, -here there is in &i'es $est2tem#er% 'ires

An en%, set in itse&' to a&& %esires,

A sett&e% /uiet, 'ree%om ne*er "he"%+

Ho- 'ar are marrie% &i*es 'rom this e''e"t(

Euri#us, that $ears shi#s in a&& their #ri%e,

)ainst rou!hest -in%s, -ith *io&en"e o' his ti%e,

An% e$$s an% '&o-s se*en times in e*er %a,

Toi&s not more tur$u&ent, or 'ier"e than the.

An% then -hat ru&es hus$an%s #res"ri$e their -i*es3

In their ees "ir"&es, the must $oun% their &i*es.

The moon, -hen 'arthest 'rom the sun she shines,

Is most re'u&!ent, nearest, most %e"&ines:


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But our #oor -i*es 'ar o'' must ne*er roam,

But -aste their $eauties near their &or%s at home:

An% -hen their &or%s ran!e out, at home must hi%e,

When their &or%s &ist to 'ee% a serious 'it,

The must $e serious+ -hen to she- their -it

In 9ests an% &au!hter, the must &au!h an% 9est+

When the -ae, -ae+ an% -hen the rest, must rest.

An% to their -i*es men !i*e su"h narro- s"o#es,

As i' the meant to mae them -a& on ro#es:

No tum$&ers $i%e more #eri& o' their ne"s

In a&& their tri"s, than -i*es in hus$an%s "he"s.

Where *ir!ins, in their s-eet an% #ea"e'u& state,

Ha*e a&& thin!s #er'e"t+ s#in their o-n 'ree 'ate+

1e#en% on no #rou% se"on%+ are their o-n

5entre an% "ir"&e+ no-, an% a&-as one.

To -hose e0am#&e -e %o sti&& hear nam%

One )o%, one nature, an% $ut one -or&% 'ram%,One sun, one moon, one e&ement o' 'ire,

So o' the rest+ one in!, that %oth ins#ire

Sou& to a&& $o%ies, in their roa& s#here.

-ruth An% -here is marria!e more %e"&are% than there(

Is there a $an% more stri"t than that %oth tie

The sou& an% $o% in su"h unit(

Su$9e"ts to so*erei!ns( %oth one min% %is#&a

In the ones o$e%ien"e, an% the others s-a(

Be&ie*e it, marria!e su''ers no "om#are,

When $oth estates are *a&ue%, as the are.The *ir!in -ere a stran!e, an% stu$$orn thin!,

Wou&% &on!er sta a *ir!in, than to $rin!

Herse&' 'it use an% #ro'it in a mae.

'pin Ho- she %oth err, an% the -ho&e hea*en mistae3

4oo, ho- a '&o-er that "&ose in "&oses !ro-s,

Hi% 'rom ru%e "att&e, $ruise% -ith no #&ou!hs,

Whi"h th air %oth stroe, sun stren!then, sho-ers shoot hi!her,

It man ouths, an% man mai%s %esire+

The same, -hen "ro#t $ "rue& han% tis -ithere%,

No ouths at a&&, no mai%ens ha*e %esire%:So a *ir!in, -hi&e untou"h% she %oth remain,

Is %ear to hers+ $ut -hen -ith $o%s stain

Her "haster '&o-er is &ost, she &ea*es to a##ear

Or s-eet to oun! men, or to mai%ens %ear.

That "on/uest then ma "ro-n me in this -ar,

;ir!ins, O *ir!ins, '& 'rom Hmen 'ar.

-ruth ;ir!ins, O *ir!ins, to s-eet Hmen ie&%,

For as a &one *ine, in a nae% 'ie&%,

Ne*er e0to&s her $ran"hes, ne*er $ears

Ri#e !ra#es, $ut -ith a hea%&on! hea*iness -ears

Her ten%er $o%, an% her hi!hest s#rout

Is /ui"& &e*e&&e% -ith her 'a%in! root+


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B -hom no hus$an%man, no ouths -i&& %-e&&+

But i' $ 'ortune, she $e marrie% -e&&

To the e&m her hus$an%, man hus$an%men

An% man ouths inha$it $ her, then:

So -hi&st a *ir!in %oth, untou"h%, a$i%e,

A&& unmanur%, she !ro-s o&% -ith her #ri%e+

But -hen to e/ua& -e%&o", in 'it time,

Her 'ortune, an% en%ea*our &ets her "&im$,

1ear to her &o*e, an% #arents she is he&%.

;ir!ins, O *ir!ins, to s-eet Hmen ie&%.

'pin These are $ut -or%s+ hast thou a ni!ht -i&& tr,

B stroe o' arms, the sim#&e *erit(

-ruth To that hi!h #roo' I -ou&% ha*e %are% thee..

I&& strai!ht 'et"h "ham#ions 'or the $ri%e an% me.

'pin The &ie -i&& I %o 'or *ir!init.

Here, they both descended the hall, where at the lower end, a march being sounded with drums

and fifes, there entered )led forth by the arl of (ottingham, who was /ord High Constable for

that night, and the arl of 0orcester, arl Marshal* si!teen #nights armed with pi#es, and

swords+

their plumes and colours, carnation and white+ all richly accoutred, and ma#ing their honours to

the state, as they marched by in pairs, were all

ran#ed on one side of the hall -hey placed si!teen others li#e accoutred for riches, and arms,

only that their colours were varied to watchet and

white+ who were by the same earls led up, and passing in li#e manner, by the state, placed on the

opposite side

By this time, the BARbeing brought up, TRUTHproceeded

-ruth No- 9oin+ an% i' this *arie% tria& 'ai&,

To mae m truth in -e%&o"s #raise #re*ai&,

I -i&& retire, an% in more #o-er a##ear,

To "ease this stri'e, an% mae our /uestion "&ear.

0hereat OPINIONinsulting, followed her with this speech

O#in. A, %o: it -ere not sa'e thou shou&%st a$i%e:This s#eas th name, -ith shame to /uit th si%e.

Here the champions on both sides addrest themselves for fight, first single+ after, three to three:

and performed it with that alacrity, and vigour, as if

Mars himself had been to triumph before 1enus, and invented a new masque 0hen on a sudden,

)the last si! having scarcely ended* a stri#ing light seemed to fill all the hall, and out of it an

AN)E4or messenger of glory appearing

2ngel Prin"es, atten% a ta&e o' hei!ht, an% -on%er,

Truth is %es"en%e% in a se"on% thun%er,

An% no- -i&& !reet ou, -ith 9u%i"ia& state,

To !ra"e the nu#tia& #art in this %e$ate+

An% en% -ith re"on"i&e% han%s these -ars.


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To she- his ru&e an% 9u%!ment is %i*ine+

These %o*es to him I "onse"rate -itha&,

To note his inno"en"e, -ithout s#ot, or !a&&+

These ser#ents, 'or his -is%om: an% these ras,

To she-, his #ier"in! s#&en%or: these $ri!ht es

1esi!nin! #o-er to o#e the #orte% sies,

An% s#ea their !&ories to his su$9e"ts ees.

4ast&, this heart, -ith -hi"h a&& hearts $e true:

An% truth in him mae treason e*er rue.

0ith this they were led forth, hand in hand, reconciled, as in triumph 2nd thus the solemnities

ended

;i*ite 5on"or%es, et nostrum %is"ite munus.

the barriers

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