THE Heroycall Epistles of the Learned Poet Publius Ouidius Naso, Jn Englishe Ʋerse: set out and translated by George Turberuile Gent. with Aulus Sabinus Aunsweres to certaine of the same.
Anno Domini 1567.
¶ IMPRINTED AT London, by Henry Denham.
To the Right Honorable and his Singul [...] good Lord, Lord Tho. Hovv [...]rde Vicount Byndon. &c. George Turberuile wisheth Nestors yeares, increase of Honor, with preseruation of desired health.
RJGHT NOble, indebted to your Honor for a number of vndeserued friendships, and vnable altogither to requite the least of a thousande courtesies: sought the meanes howe to acquite mee of some parte thereof. But waying mine owne defaulte, [Page]and considering your Honors merits, wox almost in vtter dispaire: vntill at length it repairde to my thought, that it was no greater token of Honor, liberallye to bestowe vpon other great rewardes, than a proofe of Nobilitie gratefullye to accept at others hāds slender gifts according to their hability that offred the same. Artaxerxes his good acceptaunce of a handefull of running water, bred me to this boldnesse to offer your Honor a handful of written Papers: hoping that as be thought no disdain of the one, so you wil not take scorne of the other. [Page]Let me craue this one thing at your Honors handes, that the basenesse of this my translatiō of the learned Poet Ouid, procure not you to refuse the Patronage and defence of my slender Muse. Which as J know vndoubtedly shal neuer coū teruaile your courtesies: So doe J assuredlye hope may be a proofe of my good will & not forgottē dutie. The very name, Heroycal (for so are the Epistles termed) deserued an Honorable & Heroycall Personage to be their garde. Which if your honor refuse not (as I know you wyll not refuse) waying the [Page]giuers intent, and seeing that these are the first fruites of his trauaile) you shal not onely purchase immortall praise of others: but I be encouraged and animated to greater and grauer attempts: which I shall no sooner atchiue, but you shall be a witnesse of my endeuours, & arā pier to my exploytes. Thus hauing boldly importuned your assistance, and tediously molested your eares with circumstances, leauing now at length to abuse your friendly pacience, J ende: wishing to your Honor increase of Nobilitie, with a moste happie lyfe: and after the [Page]Catastrophe of this worldly Comedie, (wherein you play a statelye parte) the gladsome ioyes of the euerlasting Seignorie.
Your humble Orator G. Turberuile.
The Translator to his Muse.
GO ( [...]lender Muse) and make report to men
That meere desire to pleasure them in deede
Made mee in hande to take the painefull pen:
Which if I may, I haue my hoped meede.
I neyther gape for gaine nor greedie fee,
My Muse and I haue done, if men in gree
will take this trifling toye.
To the Reader.
LEARNED, Courteous; and Gentle Reader, I had long ere thys time bid thee to a slender banquet: Had it not bene that other by their good willes had preuented my gentle offer and good meaning therein. But I sawe so many riche and stately bourdes couered, so many curious carpets laide, such dainty delicates deuisde, such courtly cates & conficts daily brought in, as loth I was vpon such iunkets [Page]& fine fare to procure the to a rude reare supper. But cō sidering that mine habilitie is not to make ani better or more sumptuous: and waying that of dutie and good will I ought to manifest my well meaning with the reast: I haue here at length byd thee (I saye) to a base banquet, to sharpen thy stomack, and procure thy appetite to fyner fare. Hoping that thou wilte not scorne or lothe any dishe that shal be set before thee. If it be so that thou my slike any thing, impute the [Page]blame to the cooke. For doutlesse the Cates of themselues in their kinde, are passyng curious, but for want of cunning in dressing the same, maye appere nothing delectable to the eie, nor toothsome to the taste. The feast was deuised long agone by Ouid at Rome, & passing wel liked in learned Italie: no lesse for diuersity of disshes, than copie of confictes. May be that if thou shewe thy selfe friendly in well accepting this prouisiō, thou shalt be inuited to a better banquet in time at [Page]my hands, who as soone as occasion wil serue, will giue thee to vnderstand of my good wil. Meane while plaie a friendfull guestes part, and mislike not anye thing that shall be serued thee, without iust cause. Chalenge not vnto thee an ouercurious mouth & taste. Thus loth anye longer to withholde thee from thy vitailes, I wishe thee to feede and farewell.
George Turberuile.
¶ The Argument of the first Epistle, entituled Penelope to Vlysses.
THe angrie Greekes for Helens rape preparde
To Troie: when wise Vlysses marryde late
A furie fainde, in hope to haue bene sparde:
But Palamede lothing to lose a Mate
So needefull as Vlysses was, bewrayde
The fraude of him that gladly would haue stayde.
A way he goes. When ten yeares warre was spent;
And flaunting Troie troden to the ground:
With other Greekes to shippe Vlysses went;
But Pallas then the wrathfull Goddesse fround,
And made the Grecians greedie of their home,
Full ten yeares space on surging Seas to rome.
Which absence long Penelope aggrieude,
That little space hir husband had enioyde:
(For saken wight) she verilie belieude
Some other Lasse Vlysses had acoyde.
And this procurde the louing wife to wright,
That she his cause of absence learne might.
The first Epistle. Penelope to Ʋlysses.
TO thée that lingrest all too long,
thy Wyfe (Vlysses) sendes:
Gayne write not, but by quick returne
for absence make amendes.
To Gréekish Nymphes that hatefull Troye
is now to ruine brought:
Scarce mought the King and all his wealth
requite the wrong they wrought.
O that the surging Seas had drencht
that lustfull Lecher tho:
When he to Lacedemon came
imbarckt, and wrought our wo.
Then shoulde I not haue layde my limmes
in desert coutch alone:
Ne made complaynt that Phoebus steades
too slowe to glade had gone.
Then shoulde no Beldames distaffe made,
my Wydowish hande so faynt:
Whilst I to waste the wearie night,
with spinning was artaynt.
When stoode I not in worser awe
in déede than was befell?
Aye loue is passing full of feare,
though euery thing be well.
Mée thought I sawe a swarming troupe
of Troians thée aboute:
No sooner Hectors name I heard,
but Hector made me doute.
If brute had blazde Amphymachus
of Hector to bene slaine:
Amphymachus by such report
procurde my dreade againe.
Or when Menetius sonne was sayde
in forged armes to die:
I sorrowde that the Troians did
Patroclus craft espie.
When Tlepolemus lost by force
of Lycian launce his life:
By Tlepolemus death were made
my slacked sorrowes rife.
In fine what so they were of Greece,
that dyde amid their foes,
A feare within my breast more colde
than Mountaine yse arose.
But righteous God that Hymen hight,
and true loue hath in care:
Hath kept Vlysses frée from scath,
and Troians caught in snare.
The Gréekish Chieftaines are returnde,
the sacred Altars flame:
Of barbarous spoyle the Gods haue part,
that well deserude the same.
The Matrones for their salued Féeres
most gratefull giftes prepare:
And they, how Troie by their toyle
atchieued was declare.
The sage with siluer haires doe muse,
and daintie Damsels eake:
The wyues about their husbandes hange
when they begin to speake.
And lo when Tables once are laide,
one ginneth straight to showe
The wreakefull warre, and drawes with Wine
the Troian Tentes arowe.
Here Symois (sayth he) did flowe,
here is Sigeian lande:
And here the aged Priams Hawle
and Princely house did stande.
There fierce Achylles pight his Tentes,
there wise Vlysses lay:
Here Hector rent in dolefull wise,
the horses did affray.
Thus auncient Nestor made reporte,
who tolde thy sonne the same:
And he (as was his parte to doe)
declarde it to his Dame.
How Rhesus thou didst make to rue,
and Dolon yeelde to death:
Th'one shéeping, th'other by thy guile
did lose his vitall breath.
And didst thou dare (thou retchlesse man
and ouerbolded wight)
To Thracian Tents to shape thy course
in vgly shade of night?
And onely by the ayde of one,
so many men to slaye
That woonted were to be so ware
and minde thy wedlock aye?
With quaking feare my heart was colde,
and visage passing pale:
When thou didst passe along the Host,
and Thracian horses stale.
But what to me (vnhappie Feme)
auailes the Troian wracke:
And walles which you by breach haue brought,
to vtter spoyle and sacke:
If I in Wydowes state remaine,
as I tofore haue done:
And must for aye Vlysses lacke,
as when the broyle begonne?
To me that Troie sole doth stande
though Souldiers had the spoyle:
And they that Victors were with plough
for lucre tourne the soyle.
Where stately buildings were to see,
and Troian towne did stande:
There sprouteth corne, with Phrygian bloud
so fatted is the lande.
Halfe buried bones of warlike wightes
the crooked Culters teare:
Both grasse and graine with hearbes do growe,
where haughtie houses were.
Thou Victor euer art alack,
ne once wilt make me showe
By louing lynes, or message meanes,
what cause of stay doth growe.
No straunger stumbles on our stronde,
or bringes his Barck to bay,
But I enquire him of thy health
or ere he passe away.
And so his fortune fauour, that
on thée he chaunce to light,
I pray him yéelde those louing lines,
which I to thée endight.
I sent to Pylos to inquire,
(where aged Nèstor dwelt)
No certaine rumor of a truth
from Pylos haue I felt.
From thence I sparde not for expence
to Sparta me to hie:
But Sparta can not make accoumpt,
where thou doe liue or die.
More better were for me (in fayth)
if Troie stoode againe,
(But I vnconstant wight am wroth
with these my wishes vaine.)
Then should I certaine be and sure
where thou didst lead thy lyfe:
Then onely shoulde I dreade the warres,
and stormes of styrred strife.
Then should my drearie dolefull plaint
conioyned be with mo:
That in the absence of their Makes
should take some taste of wo.
I fraughted am with feare, but what
I dreade I knowe not well:
My cares encrease, the way is wide
that leades me to this hell.
No perill on the tossing Sea,
or on the lande is séene,
But I surmise that they forthwith
thy cause of stay haue béene.
Whilst fondly thus amazde I stande,
(such is thy pleasures plight)
Thou mayst bestow thy loue a freshe
vpon some other wight.
To whome thou makste a shew perhaps,
how homely is thy wife:
And how at Distaffe she delights
to leade a Rusticks life.
But (Gods) O let me be beguilde,
let whisking windes transport
Such thoughts, and thou that mayst retyre,
dislodge not in such sort.
Icarius my grutching Syre
woulde force me breake my Heast,
And blaming this thy flack returne,
would make newe marrige feast.
But as I am, I will be thine
let rancor feede his fill,
Penelope will be the wife
of hir Vlysses still.
Yet naythelesse my endlesse sute
at length hath mooude my Syre:
Who rules hys rage with reasons brake,
and Masters wrathfull yre.
From Ilandes rounde about doe flocke
of suters many one:
Zacinthus, Samus, with the reast,
by sute encrease my mone.
Those roysting rufflers beare the sway
within thy Pallace gate:
With catching clawes they waste thy wealth,
and séeke t'impayre thy state.
Pyzander, Medon, Polybus,
Eurimachus yfere:
Wyth Antynous t'is no néede,
for to recite as here.
What shoulde I these, with others name,
who seeke to spende thy good:
Which thou by manly Marte hast got
in daunger of thy blood?
The raskall eke doe rule the rost,
Melanthius, and Ire,
(Which soundes to thy disworship most)
together doe conspire.
Wée are by tale, but thrée, God wote,
thy weake and wretched wife:
Telemachus thy little sonne,
Laërtes lothing life.
Thy Sonne not long ago was like
by craft to bene consumde:
Whilst he, to passe against their willes
to Pylos had presumde.
But Gods I grate this onely boone,
that he by course of kinde,
His fathers eyes and mine may close,
and liue himselfe behinde.
This is the crooked Nurces woorke
and clownish Cowardes care:
And he that dailye serues the swine,
a lyke is woont to fare.
Laërtes ouerlode with yeares,
vnable to the warre,
Amidde these states can strike no stroke
when they begin to iarre.
Thy Sanne (so Gods dee lende him life)
to mans estate will growe:
But thou, in these his childish yeares,
shouldst garde him from the foe.
I Miser wight am not of force
to banishe them the place:
Wherefore see thou who art our ayde,
that thou returne apace.
Thou bast (long mayst thou haue) a Sonne,
that in his tender age,
Shoulde follow on his fathers steppes,
and lyfe for worship gage.
Liue not aye retchlesse of thy Syre,
whose eyes thou oughtst to shutte:
His dying date drawes on apace,
the twine of lyfe is cutte.
And I that at thy parture was,
a Gyrle to beholde:
Of truth am waxt a Matrone nowe,
thy selfe wilt iudge mée olde.
The Argument of the second Epistle, entituled Phyllis to Demophoon.
DEmophoon minding after Troian broyle
To long desired Countrie to retowre:
For all his force, for all his painefull toyle,
Was brought to Thrace by meane of stormie showre,
Where Phyllis raignde, who likte hir guest so well,
As first to boorde, and then to bed they fell.
Within a while Demophoon gan to faine
And forge excuse to Athens to repaire,
With gaged fayth to shape returne againe
Within one Month, and bid hir not despaire:
But when the fixed time was gone and past,
Thus Phyllis wrote vnto hir guest at last.
The seconde Epistle. Phyllis to Demophoon.
I That thine Hostesse, Phyllis was,
a Rhodopeian Mayde:
Mislike that thou my guest, beyonde
thy fixed time hast stayde.
Thy plighted promise was with shippe
here to arryude againe
Before or neere aboute the time
the waxen Moone should waine.
But Phoebe fourthly hath repayrde
hir wasted hornes a newe:
Yet may I not on Thracian coast
take once of thée a vewe.
Though thou accoumpt the fléeting time,
(which Louers note by trade)
Thou shalt not finde that Phyllis hath
too soone hir plaint ymade.
And long ynough I fedde on hope,
for such is Louers guise:
We hardly credit hurtefull happes
till damage doe arise.
I haue oft flattred with my selfe,
and thought the Southren winde
Had stuft thy sayles, and brought thy Barck,
which yet I can not finde.
I haue accursed Theseus oft,
that was thy cause of stay:
And yet may be that he at all
bred not this long delay.
Another while I stoode in awe,
least thou to Haebrus Lake
Directing course, in middle Seas
by wracke thy bane hadst take.
Full often haue I for thy health
in milde and humble wise,
With Incense made request to Gods,
that lodge in loftie skies.
And sundrie tymes when Aeole had
his broyling impes inclosde:
That if thou were aliue, thou wouldst
haue commen, I supposde.
Thus loyall loue (what so might bréede
and be a cause of stay
To such as trauell) did deuise,
excusing thy delay.
But thou not forcing on thy fayth,
ne counting of thy Hest,
Not dreading Gods to witnesse callde,
dost minde thy Phyllis lest.
Demophoon to the windes ingagde
his promisse with his saile:
I sorrow that the ones returne,
and th'others fayth doth faile.
Denounce to mée what I haue done,
but looude thée all too well?
By mine offence I haue deserude
that thou with mée shouldst dwell.
In mee one haynous fault is found
that harbourde such a guest:
But this my guilt hath force of boone,
and merit there doth rest.
Where now thy solempne sacred othes,
thy plighted trouth with hande?
And Gods appealde as true recordes
to witnesse of thy bande?
Where is that holy Hymen nowe,
that vs as chosen Feares
By frée assent conioynde in one
yfeare to wast our yeares?
First sworst thou by that gastly Goulfe,
where winde and waue doe rore:
By whome thou were in poynt to passe,
as oft thou hadst before.
Then Neptune was to witnesse callde,
thy Graunde and woorthie Syre,
(Vnlesse thou faine) who quailes the Surge,
and swelling waters yre.
Then Venus, with hir winged wight,
(that bred me all this téene)
Was sommond, whose reuenger tooles
are bowe and arrowes kéene.
Dame Iuno, that hath spousall charge
and wedlocke, shewde hir face:
And Ceres with hir solempne rytes,
was cyted to the place.
If eche of these forenamed powres
and witnest thus in vaine,
Should seeke on thee to wreake their wrath,
couldst thou endure the paine?
My selfe (least thou shouldst want at néede
a Barck to leaue my lande)
Infonded, did repaire the shippes
that ragged lay on sande.
I trimde vp all thy broken Oares,
whereby thou mightste depart:
And thus my selfe haue forgde the tooles,
that thyrled haue my heart.
Thy many smooth and filed woordes
did purchase credites place:
I did beleue thy stock, thy Gods
stoode all in Phyllis grace.
I thought thy teares had bene of trouth:
can they be forged to?
Thy teares which at commaundment are,
from flattering face to flo.
Thy Gods did make mee iudge the best,
these pledges were in vaine:
God wote one parcell of them mought
a siely Mayden traine.
That I supported thée at néede
it mooues mée nought at all:
So that thy harbour all had bene,
the matter had bene small.
But shamelesse and with blinde forecast,
from bourde to bed to goe:
And there to passe in Venus toyes
doth agrauate my woe.
O that the last forepassed night
before that cursed tyde
Had bene my last: then Phyllis might
with spotlesse fayth haue dyde
I hoped better, by deserte
who had thy friendship wonne:
The hope, which méede and right procures,
they say is well begoonne.
The glorie is not great by guile
to circumuent a Mayde:
You rather should my simplenesse
with friendly fauour payde.
A woman, and a louing wight
thy forged fraude hath made
To be intrapt: God graunt thy prayse
by Phyllis spoyle to vade.
Among th'Athenian noble wightes
thy seate shall be assignde:
Thy Syre amid his spoyles shall stande,
and thou his sonne behinde.
When shamefull Syron shall be read
and fell Procustes death,
And Scynis with the Minotaure,
whome Theseus reft his breath:
When Creon conquerde shall appeare,
and Centaures there be séene:
And be recorded that thy Syre,
at Plutos Court hath béene:
Beneath thy Fathers manly factes,
shall stande this stately stile:
(Lo this is that vnfaithfull guest,
who Phyllis did beguile.)
Of all thy fathers noble actes,
and woorthie feates of fame:
Thou onelie doste resemble one,
which he accoumpts a shame:
For he king Minos daughter reft,
and hir forewent at last:
And thou (as heire of all his guile)
doste frame a iugling cast.
But shée hath made a wise exchaunge,
(I spite not) for the best:
Vpon hir Tigers bridled braue,
shée rydes at quiet rest.
But now such suters as in Thrace,
of mée were scornde before,
Despise to be espousde to hir
who loues a straunger more,
Than such as were my Countrie men,
to Athens let hir go,
(Saye they) to weare the Thracian crowne
we want not one I trowe.
The ende is it that tryes the fact,
God sende him sorie haps,
That alway thinkes it best to iudge
the cause by after claps.
But so my Countrie waues were cutte,
and sundred with the keale,
Then myght I vaunt my loue imployde,
to tende to publike weale.
But slender was the loue I bare
to this my natiue soyle:
My Pallace moues not thée a mite,
ne Bystons pleasaunt goyle.
The countnaunce and the gesture both,
are yet imprinted fast
Within my breast, that thou didst vse,
when Phyllis sawe thée last.
And didst thou dare with clasping armes,
imbrace hir carkasse so?
And touch hir chirrie lyppe with thine,
a thousande times and ino?
And to confounde thy brackish teares,
with Phyllis salted brine?
And that the weather serude so well,
a fault with Aeole fine?
And when thou tookste thy last farewell,
adue how darste thou say?
Demophoon will retyre againe,
that (Phyllis) is no nay.
Shall I expect his gainecome that
hath minde on nothing lesse?
Or gape for sayles that shonne the porte
where was their chiefe redresse?
And yet I can but long to sée
thy comming, though be long:
Though fixed day be past, reuert
and quite somepart of wrong.
But what doe I vnhappie wishe?
an other daintie dame
Both thée, and all thy loue hath wonne
to thy reprochefull shame.
I thinke that Phyllis is forgot,
that vsde hir guest so well:
Fie, fie, of Phyllis make not straunge,
ne aske the place I dwell.
I am that Phyllis (would thou wist)
who harbourde thée at néede:
And gaue thée porte that long on Seas
hadst wandred all in dréede.
Whose goods inricht thy poore estate,
and hauing wealth at will
Did succour thée, and woulde haue done
if thou hadst taryed still.
Euen shée, that made thée Lorde and Prince
of all Lycurgus lande:
And yéelded thee a Scepter farre
vnfit for womans hande.
As farre as chillie Rhodope
to busshie Haemus goes:
And sacred Haebrus with his streames,
and weltring waters floes.
Euen she that gaue thée leaue to pluck
hir Maydenhead all beshroude:
And with thy craftie hande to let
hir honest belt abroade.
At that synister time was prest
Tisiphone in place:
And eke the Owle, with dolefull shriche,
and monstrous vgly face.
Not farre from thence with snakie bushe,
the fell Alecto lay:
Who with hir gastly glowing eyes,
the presence did affray.
Yet naythelesse to ragged rockes,
and shore I vie to hie:
And all about to kenne the coast
I cast my gazing eye.
When starres in rowling skyes doe ratinge,
or Phoebus yéelde his light,
I go to see where Aeols windes
with Neptunes waues doe fight.
And whatsoeuer shippe I vewe
come cutting on the Sea
To Thracia warde: I iudge it straight
our natiue Gods to be.
Then lyke a Bedlam wight to waues
and drenching seas I ronne:
As farre as swelling waters flowe,
when ebbing tyde is done.
But how much more the Barke ariues,
and néerer is to lande:
The more amazde, and from my wittes
estraunged doe I stande.
Then gyn my sences all to fayle,
my liuely partes to faint:
And (were not for my Maydes) I shoulde
with swouning be attaint.
A créeke there standes, that is by kinde,
not farre vnlike a bowe:
Whose picked pointes with ruthlesse rocke,
and hardoned stone doth growe.
I was resolude wyth stayed minde,
and vnappalled heart,
From thence to cast my corps adowne,
and will if thou depart.
Then restlesse floude, and fleeting waues,
my carkasse will applye
To shore, and thou thine Hostesse shalt
vnterred sée with eye.
Though Adamant thy rygor then
and stubburne stéele excéede,
Yet wilt thou saye, fye Phyllis, fye,
this pursute had no néede.
Sometime my fansie serues me well
with venoms drench to die:
And straight with sworde to hast my death,
I am at point to trie.
Then with a string to stoppe my breath,
I thinke it passing fit:
And with a ruthlesse hande, a corde
about my throte to knit.
For certaine fully bent I am,
with spéedie leaning life,
To recompence my spotted fame,
in choyse shall be no strife.
And thou that didst procure my bane,
for thy desert shalt haue
This Verse, or some such other lyke,
insculped on my graue.
Demophoon, that guilefull guest,
made Phyllis stoppe hir breath:
His was the cause, and hirs the hande
that brought hir to the death.
[...]
[...]
The Argument of the third Epistle, entituled Briseis to Achylles.
THe Greekes ariude at Phrygia, fell to sacke
The neighbour townes to aged Priams walles:
When fierce Achylles brought to wailefull wracke
Cilisias both, and tooke two Virgins thrawles:
Th'one Chrysis hight a passing goodly Dame,
And Briseis th'other not much vnlike the same.
Chrysis Atrides chose to sporte withall,
Achylles Briseis had for like intent,
But when at last the Prince forewent his thrall,
He Briseis reft, whome earst Achylles hent:
Which done, he left his Launce, he fled the fielde,
And would no more his wonted weapons wielde.
The Chieftaine sawe at length Achylles lacke,
And former fight in fielde with furious so,
To stint the strife, he sent him Briseis backe,
But he refusde to take the Ladie tho:
Which when the Virgin sawe, this following verse
Faire Briseis sent his brasen breast to pierce.
The thirde Epistle. Briseis to Achylles.
THe dolefull lynes you reade
from captiue Briseis came:
Whose Troian fist can scarcely yet
with Gréekish figures frame.
My flushing teares did cause
the blottes and blurres you sée:
Yet in these dréerie droppes I knowe
the weight of wordes to bée.
If lawfull be to plaine
of thée my Lorde and Féere:
Of thée my Feere and Lorde the plaint
thy selfe shalt quickly heare.
I déeme it not thy guilt,
that I fro thée was sent:
Yet in some part for yéelding mée
so soone thou mayst be shent.
No sooner Eurybate
with Talthybius came:
But I was yéelded to their handes
my iourney forth to frame.
And they with glaunsing eyes
ytossed too and fro,
In secrete silence did consult
my fansies plight to know.
I might haue stayde a while,
deferring of my wo
Had earned thankes, I did not kisse
my Lorde Achylles tho.
But teares beraynde my chéekes,
I retchlesse rent mine heare:
And least I had bene rapte againe,
I stoode in gastly feare.
Ofte minded I by breach,
and fcape to haue retournde:
But scoutes and warders lay in waite,
that me my purpose wornde.
To issue out by night
of foes I stoode in dread:
Though if I had bene caught, I should
to Troian Dames bene lead.
But yéelded vp, I haue
bene many nights alack:
Not rescude by thy haughtie powre,
thy malice is too stack.
Patroclus did enquire,
(when I from thee did go:)
What bred my dole, since quick retyre,
should soone abridge my wo?
Thou doste not onely cease
to sue for me againe:
But aye procurste the most thou mayst,
the Captaine shoulde detaine
Thy Briseis from thy clummes:
go nowe I saye and boast
(Thou hote and earnest louer) of
thy loue in euery coast.
To thée Amyntors sonne,
and Aiax came yfeare:
Thy fellowe Phoenis, Aiax was
by bloud to Achyl neare.
Vlysses was the thirde,
which shoulde haue brought me back:
Of gentle wordes and guerdons great,
thou shouldst haue founde no lack.
Atrides Tables sent
twise tenne of glowing Brasse:
So finely wrought as to beholde
their matches rare it was.
Seauen stooles of semblant Arte
and weyght, with Talants fiue
Of Golde, a dosen stately steades,
to gallop passing bliue.
And (more than néeded too,
or that Achylles lackt)
A troupe of daintie trulles that came
from Cities lately sackt.
With them a pretie peate,
(of Agamemnons thrée
Faire daughters, but thou néeded none)
thy louing wife to bée.
Of lyke the summe is small
Achylles woulde bestowe
Vpon my raunsome, if he scorne,
the things he shoulde forgoe:
That hauing proffer made
of mee with heaped gaine,
Refuseth mée and all the wealth,
and barres mee by and maine.
Aye mée, by what desert
hath Briseis lost thy loue?
Achylles, why so soone from hir
shouldst thou thy heart remoue?
Doth cankred fortune still
persist in yrefull rage
To Myser wightes? will neuer calme
these hurling broyles asswage?
I by thy manly Mart
sawe Lyrnes brought to sack:
And I in Lyrnes had a share,
which now is gone to wrack.
I sawe with ruthfull eye,
of myne allyance thrée,
(Of three my Mother déere was one)
there lyked lyues to flee.
I sawe my husbande eke
on bloudie soyle, with gore
Besprent, with wide and gaping woundes
in vglye wyse to rore.
For all these hurtes endurde
on thée I made my choyse:
That thou my Lorde and Louer art,
and brother I reioyce.
Thou sworste by Tethys tho,
that I shoulde scape annoy:
And that my bondage shoulde not bréede
my domage, but my ioy.
Euen to this fine it tendes
that I with all this dowre,
Shoulde of Achylles be refusde
for Agamemnons powre.
Moreouer brute hath blazde,
that when the morning light
Hath clearde the pole, that thou on Seas
with shippe wilt take thy flight.
Which fell reporte no sooner
came vnto mine care,
But I by sodaine chaunge of hue
declarde my chaunge of cheare.
And wilt thou thus depart?
to whome wilt thou me leaue?
Who will relieue my vile estate,
or succourlesse receyue?
Let gastly gaping gulfe
and quaking earth deuoure:
Or let me féele of Vulcanes boltes
the stroke, and scathfull scoure.
Let flasshing flame of fire
and lightning Briseis burne,
And so by sodaine clappe hir corps
to partched cynders turne:
Ere shée from Pthia sée
hir Lorde Achylles wende
Imbarckt, and leaue his thrall behinde,
which mightie Ioue forefende.
If my returne may like,
or countrie Gods thée please:
My burden shall not bréede the Barcke,
or thée such great disease.
The Victor as a thrall,
(not as a spouse hir Make)
I will attende: my hande to spinne
and carde shall vndertake.
In all the Achaian soile,
to wife the brauest Dame
Receiue, let hir with Achyl lodge
Cupidos feates to frame.
A worthie daughter lawe
for Pelius, Aeacus sonne:
To whome, olde Nereus to become
a Seignour would not shonne.
The while, I sielie wenche
prompt to obey thy hest,
Will doe my taske at turne and Cardes
or Distaffe with the rest.
So that I craue hir nought,
but onely that thy wife,
(Which woulde torment my heart full sore)
will cease from grutching strife.
Ne banishe me myne ease,
ne suffer hir to teare
In spitefull wyse, my golden lockes,
and rent my crysped heare.
In silence to thy selfe
saye: this was once my loue,
As th'other is my wedded spouse,
whose rygor I reproue.
I force not what I bide,
so I with thee may staye:
But Briseis hath a doubtfull dréede,
that puttes good hope awaye.
What dost thou more expect?
Atrides wrath is gone:
And Greece, in dolefull wise, before
thy féete doth make hir mone.
Represse thy raging yre,
that dost the rest subdue:
Now cruell Hector makes the Gréekes
their restlesse rage to rue.
Achylles take thy loue
and Briseis once againe:
And then with luckie Mart, thy fist
with Troian bloud distaine.
Let hir that was the cause
of wrath, appease thine yre:
Let hir, that forst thy griefe, bée cause
that thou to ioye aspire.
Ne doe thou thinke disdaine
to graunt me my request:
Since Meleager yeelded him
to Cleopatras hest.
I speake it by reporte,
thou knowste the matter well:
How Althaea sought to spoyle hir sonne,
(O Achyl) thou canst tell.
Who was a valiant wight,
and noble for his Mart:
And yet he did renounce his armes,
and from his Countrie start.
Whome onely milde request
of Cleopatra bowde:
But Briseis wordes are of no weight,
hir sute is not alowde.
Whereof I ne disdaine,
who may not iustly craue
The title of a spouse, but am
a vyle and bounden slaue.
For sundrie times when thou
were bent to Venus playe,
Then wouldst thou bid vnto thy bedde
thy seruant come hir waye.
Among thy captiues one
a Madams name me gaue,
Those are vnsitting tearmes (quoth I)
not gréeing to a slaue.
By my good husbandes bones
layde in vntimely pit,
(Which bones I minde to honour aye
till liuely twine vnknit)
And by my brothers gostes
which did resist tyll death,
And in defence of natiue Gods
to lauish were of breath:
By both our heades which wée
haue often led yfeare:
And by thy weapons, which my friendes
haue tryde to much, I sweare.
That none of all the Gréekes
my secret partes doe know:
Forsake and as an abiect scorne
mée, if it proue not so.
But if I shoulde demaunde
an othe of thée againe,
That thou hadst with none other Lasse
but with thy Briseis laine.
And say: thou valiant wight,
hast thou not past in play
Since I to Agamemnon went?
Achylles would say nay.
The Gréekes surmise that thou
doste leade thy lyfe in wo,
And mourne for want of Briseis: but
I sée it is not so.
Thou rumblest on thy Lute,
swéete musicke lykes thine eare,
Some lustfull Lasse will not permit
Achylles coutch be leare.
If question were, why thou
didst stynt from wonted fight:
Thou wouldst auouch that Venus were
with greater pleasure freight.
More safetie is to lincke,
and rowe in Venus Barge,
Or with a pleasant Thracian Lute
all sorrowes to discharge:
Than in thy hande to haue
a shielde with bloudie speare,
Or heauie Helmet on thy head,
and feltred lockes to beare.
But worthie workes of warre
were more imbraced earst,
Than such a safetie, when thy breast
with glories Launce was pearst.
What? were thou onely stoute
when I by fight was wonne?
Is all that courage quayled quite
now Lyrnes siege is donne?
Nay, Gods forbid that thou
shouldst séeke thy fame to loose:
Yet rather let thy Launce the breast
of haughtie Hector broose.
Sende me (you Gréekes) to treate,
as seruaunt will I sue
Vnto my Lord, and all my woordes
my kisses shall ensue.
For Briseis will preuayle
farre more than Phoenis can
And more than wise Vlysses tals
or Aiax with the man.
T'is much with folded armes
his neck to haue imbrast:
And louing lookes by fancie forst
with glauncing eye to cast.
Though thou (Achylles) bee
with rigor and with rage
Repleate, yet naythelesse with teares
thy wrath I will asswage.
And may they now take place?
if so, Gods graunt thy Syre
(The worthie Peleus) to his yeares
and hoped age aspire.
If so thou heare my sute,
Gods graunt that Pyrrhus may
(Thy worthie sonne) to battayle go
in good and luckie day.
Beholde thou manly wight.
thy Briseis clad with wo:
Abandon rygor in good time
that paynes thy Louer so.
Or if thy loue be chaungde,
from loue to lothsome hate:
Force hir that liues in heauie plight
to yéelde hir due to fate.
The fine will proue it so,
my corps and colour fade:
The soule to kéepe his former force
thy onely hope hath made.
Which hope, when so shall faint
and be debarde his hyre:
Thy Briseis to hir husbands soule
and brothers shall aspyre.
To force a woman die,
no glorie mayst thou gaine:
But so thou long to haue my death
let me with sworde be slaine.
Some bloud as yet remaynes
in carefull corps inclosde,
Which would flush out, if with thy sworde
the vaine were once disclosde.
With selfe same weapon pierce
my weake and feeble syde,
Wherewith (if Pallas had not beene)
Atrides should haue dyde.
Yet rather saue my lyfe
as thou to fore hast donne:
And thou that were by pittie moonde,
by humble sute be wonne.
On Troian wreake thy wrath,
thy fierce vnfayned foe:
Go hath in Phrygian bloud, thy blowes
on Priams friends bestowe.
Achylles say the worde,
and where thou come or stay,
If thou wilt haue me make returne,
thy Briseis commes hir way.
The Argument of the fourth Epistle, entituled Phaedrato Hippolytus.
THe frantick Phaedra, Theseus wedded Make,
In absence of the Duke hir husband fell
In loue with Hippolyte, and did forsake
The worthie wight that looude his wife so well.
But he delighted with Diana more
Than crancking Cupid, or Dame Venus play:
Aye kept the chase, and slue the sauage Bore,
Not forcing what his Motherlaw did say.
She naythelesse attacht with glowing gleede,
To winne the chastfull youth to filthie lust:
In subtile sort his humors sought to feede,
Perswading him hir sute to be but iust.
With sundrie sleightes she went about to winne
The retchlesse youth, that minded nothing lesse
Than shamefull lust and filthie fleshly sinne.
The Mothers minde this Pistle doth expresse,
These suing lynes hir sluttish sute bewray,
Wherein to Hippolyte thus gan she say.
The fourth Epistle. Phaedra to Hippolytus.
THe health and gréeting that she sendes,
the same shall Phaedra want,
Vnlesse thou (Hippolyte) such health
vouchsafe to Phaedra graunt.
Receyue and reade what so is sent,
what damage may ensue?
In these perhaps there lurckes that may
thy pleasures plight renue.
As well by lande, as surging seas,
such writtes are woont to wende:
And foes that féede on rancour, reade
the lynes the foes doe sende.
Thrise was I bent to haue disclosde
to thée my couert sute:
But thrise my foltring tongue was tide,
I stoode as one were mute.
I mingled bashfull shame with loue,
till loue furpassed shame:
Wherefore the woords I blusht to speake,
in wryting reade the same.
For what so Cupid giues in charge
t'is madnesse to dispise:
For he doth conquer God and man
as nature did deuise.
He when I stoode in gastfull dreade
to penne my earnest sute,
Said, write on Phaedra, he shall yéelde
and pay thy paynes with fruite.
Be prest thou mightie Prince of loue,
and as thy feruent fire
Doth burne my brest: so cause him frie
with Phaedras hote desire.
I minde not by enormous guilt
to breake my spousall knot:
For (would thou wist) my life as yet
is frée from shamefull blot.
How much the longer t'is ere loue
inuades a womans breast:
The sorer is the cruell gashe,
and bréedes the more disrest.
My inward parts are all inflamde,
my bowels boyle with heate:
My scorched heart forepinde with wo
a lurcking wound doth freate.
As Bullocks may not well abide
the crooked yoke at furst:
Nor trampling Colts with bit or brake
to haue their iawes yburst:
So fares it by my skillesse brest
that hardly may endure.
Vnwoonted loue, or such vnrest
as Cupid will procure.
In youth when skill by practise commes,
the knowledge is profounde:
But who so loues when youth is spent
can not with Arte abounde.
The first taste of my spotlesse fame
vnto thy share shall fall
And eche of vs at once shall bée
to sinfull lust in thrall.
T'is somewhat from the fraughted boughes
to pluck the fruite at full,
And Primrose with a nimble nayle
from slender stalke to pull.
Euen so the former brightnesse of
my passed age was cleare,
Obscured with no cloudie crime,
as doth in prouse appeare.
But well it chaunceth that I am
attacht with worthie flame,
A foule Adulter, than the fact
doth bréede a fouler shame.
Though Iuno would to Phaedras vse
of Ioue renounce hir right:
Yet Phaedra would Hippolytus
preferre with all hir might.
And now (which thou wouldst scarcely déeme)
I am not as I was:
I haue delight in quechie groues,
by brutish beastes to passe.
Now Dian with hir bended how
and shaftes is all my care:
I yéel de mée wholy to thy will,
in wrack and wealth to fare.
My pleasure is to haughtie hilles,
and bushie brakes to hie:
To pitch my hay, or with my Houndes
to rayse a lustie crie.
Or else with weake and willing arme
a trembling dart to throwe,
Or wearie limmes in grasse and greaues
with pleasure to bestowe.
T'is oft my practise in the plaine
a Charret for to guide:
And with a bitte, to wrest and winde
the horse from side to side.
Sometimes by restlesse raging fittes
much like to Bacchus Nunne,
Or to Cibeles brainsick Nymphes
in Ida Mount, I runne.
Resembling those whome Dryades,
and Faunes doe force to flée:
Whome Semigods we déemen and
halfe heauenly wightes to bée.
This tale is tolde to me at large
when furious fittes are past:
To mee I say, whose couert parts
with silent loue doe wast.
We may perhaps vnto the fate
and fortune of our kinde
Impute this loue, and Venus longs
by tribute vs to binde.
For first the faire Europa was
of mightie Ioue imbrast:
Who in the figure of a Bull
did play a sluttish cast.
Another brutish Bull my Dame
Pasiphae beguilde:
Who with an vgly Monster was
by him begot with childe.
False Theseus by my sisters shifts
and track of silken twine,
The crooked Caue and doubtfull denne
of Dedal fled in fine.
And last of all, least I should séeme
to swarue from Minos trade,
The remnaunt of that noble race
the like attempt haue made.
And that by fatall doome procurde,
one house two Nymphes hath woonne:
My sister looude the father well,
and I imbrace the sonne.
Two sisters were away conuaide
by thée, and by thy Syre:
Erect two Trophées of one house,
whereto you did aspyre.
That time when we in Athens did
to Ceres incense yéelde:
Would Gods that Gnosian quiet soyle
in Creta me had helde.
Then most of all (but euer well)
thou stoodste in Phaedras grace,
And chiefely tho thy piercesant loue
my yéelding heart did race.
Thy vesture was as white as snow,
and head with garlands deckt:
Thy visage swarth, was séemely then
with Rosie redde infect.
Thy countnance, which to other Dames
so clownish séemes and grimme,
For clownish, comely Phaedra thinks
hir eye doth iudge it trimme.
Fye on those fonde vnmanly men
that séeke in nice attyre
Against their kinde, the curious tricks
of women to aspyre.
Thée (Hippolyte) thy warlike face
and staring locks commend:
Thy countnance grymed all with dust
a comely shape doth lend.
Where thou with Raine dost rule thy horse
and gallop in the fielde:
I maruell at thy Arte, that so
canst force a Courser yéelde.
Or where thou with thy nymble arme
a thyrling Launce dost cast:
I muse how such a slender Dart
should pierce the ayre so fast.
Or where thou holde thy hunting staffe,
ytipt with stubburne stéele,
Or ought dost else, it glads my minde
my heart the ioy doth feele.
Wherefore, this rygor to the woods
and knarrie trées expell,
I am not shée, that doth deserue
to die for louing well.
O to what purpose wilt thou put
Dianas feates in proufe,
And take from Venus all hir due
and stand from hir aloufe?
For what so lacks successiue rest
and respite after toyle
Which should refresh the fainting limmes,
must néedes sustaine the foyle.
For tryall, take thy crooked bow
and let it stand ybent,
And neuer cease to shoote, and thou
shalt féele his force relent.
Though Cephalus in silent woods
were woont to waste his time,
And kill his game with dexter hande
when sauage were in prime:
Yet naythelesse to Auroras Couch
and Cabbin would he wende:
In lothed Tythons woonted roome
the ioyfull tyme to spynde.
Not once, nor twise, but sundrie sithes
the Goddesse Venus lay
With Adon in the waylesse woods
hir pleasures to assay.
So with the faire Atlantas loue
sir Meleager glowde,
Whome he in proufe of perfect loue
the monsters spoyle allowde.
So let vs now at length I pray,
be numbred with the mo:
The rudenesse of your chase appeares
if Venus it forgo.
My selfe will follow at a foote,
though rockie hilles say nay:
No gnashing Bore with threatning tuskes
thy Phaedra shall affray.
Two seas there are that with their waues
enuiron Isthmos so,
That all the Iland heares the flouds
on eyther side that flo.
There I with thée in Trezen will
soiourne in Pytheus raigne:
For now that soyle contents mée more
than all my Countrie vaine.
Now loytring Theseus doth dislodge,
not minding to retire
As yet, Perithous his friend
his presence doth desire.
And least we should apparant truth
with frowarde will denie:
That Pyrrith he preferres before
our looues we may espie.
And not this onely wrong (though this
were much) we both endure:
But he in greater matters doth
our open wrong procure.
My brothers bones with balefull blowes
of knarrie clubbe he brake:
My sister eke suspecting nought,
this Theseus did forsake.
The chiefe of all the Amazons
for prowesse and for fame
Thy Mother was, who well deserude
great fauour for the same.
But if thou chaunce of hir what is
become, demaunde to make:
Thou shalt descrie that she hir death
by Theseus sworde did take.
And that before she was conioynde
in mariage. Wote you why?
For thou base borne shouldst neuer raigne
and Princes roome supplie.
And more than that, on me he gat
some Impes, whom Theseus wrath,
Not mine (I witnesse all the Gods)
too soone bereued hath.
O Lord, what so she were aliue
that would thy spoyle intende:
Amidst hir trauell would hir life
by shamefull death might ende.
Wherefore go too, doe reuerence
vnto thy fathers bedde:
Which he by his vnhonest meanes
and faythlesse flight hath fledde.
Be not surprisde with foolish feare
nor rapt with gastfull awe,
That I thy lotted stepdame am,
and thou my Sonne in lawe.
These rytes and superstitions
by Saturn were maintainde:
But all such lawes in future time
are like to be restrainde:
That rustie Saturn now is dead,
his statutes are all gone:
Now follow Ioue, who gouernes all,
and raignes as Prince alone.
For Ioue as lawfull hath allowde
what so may bréede delight:
And now the brother may his fayth
vnto his sister plight.
They whome Dame nature had allyde
and linckt by lawe of kinde,
By mutuall loue, and friendly league
the knot more firmely binde.
To kéepe in couert such delightes
it is but slender skill,
The cloake of kinred will procure
the worlde to iudge no yll.
When so our kissing shall be séene,
or clipping close be knowe:
That I a stepdame am so kinde,
to both our prayse will growe.
Thou shalt not néede to come by darke
or bleare the Porters eye
By comming to the lodging late
where I am woont to lye:
As we haue soiournde long yfeare,
so we hereafter will:
And as we haue in open kist,
so may we franckly still.
With mee thou mayst be safe and sounde
thy fact shall purchase fame:
And though thou in my bed were séene
it will not bréede thy shame.
Wherefore expell all fond delayes.
and hast to Venus ioy:
So Cupid, that on me doth rage,
procure thee none annoy.
Thou séest I take not in disdaine
in humble sort to sue:
Lord, where is all my pride become
and haughtie wordes that flue?
I was in minde and fully bent
resistance to haue made,
Reuolting aye: but now I sée
no stay in Louers trade.
Thus conquerd, with erected handes
and falling at thy knée
I sue for grace. What best beséemes
we Louers can not see.
Now honest shame hath fled my face
and makes no longer stay:
Relent, and since I doe confesse,
ridde rygor cleane away.
Since Minos that doth owe the Seas
my stately Syre is knowne,
Since from my Grandsires wreakfull hands
the thundring boltes are throwne:
Since Phaedra that doth make request
of Phoebus line discendes,
Who to the soyle his blazing brandes
for earthly comfort lendes:
(In this my loue great honour lurckes)
let noble stocks dissent,
(If Phaedras sute may not be heard)
enforce thée to relent.
All Creta, where the mightie Ioue
was fostred, is my dowre:
Which I will wholy yeelde to thée
to vse thereon thy powre.
Exile this ruthfull rage, my Dame
a sauage Bull could mooue:
More cruell than a brutish beast
wilt thou thy selfe approoue?
For Venus sake I craue remorse,
whome I doe honour faine:
So graunt ye Gods that Hippolyte
may neuer loue in vaine.
Diana chast in silent woods
so prest be at thy call:
And Lawndes so lende thée store of game
to glad thy minde withall.
So Satyrs, friendly shew your selues,
and Mountaine Panes eake,
So on the cruell tusked Boare
thy Iauelaine mayst thou breake.
So, (though thou hate the hurtlesse Nymphes)
let Nymphes from Christall flood,
Alowe the lycor to expell
thy thirst in desert wood.
Vnto these milde requestes of mine
I added teares withall:
When so thou reade the lynes, surmise
thou sawste the drops to fall.
The Argument of the fift Epistle, entituled Oenone to Paris.
KYng Priamus wife with childe,
and neare hir time, did dreame
That she was brought abed with flash,
and flaming fierie streame.
The doubtfull Sire demaundes
the Oracles aduise.
Which tolde that damage by the Babe
to Troie should arise.
The father gaue in charge
the childe should die the death:
The Dame deliuerde sought the meane
to saue hir Babe his breath.
A Hyard bad the childe,
that growne to mans estate,
Of Oenon was enamoured,
and tooke hir to his Mate.
But when the Ladies stroue
for beautie, Paris gaue
His verdit on Dame Venus side:
that promisde he should haue
In token of good will,
a passing wench for hewe:
Meane while the Syre by secret signes
his sonne sir Paris knewe.
[Page 26]To Greece the gallant goes
and steales Atrides wife,
That was the cause of wailefull warre,
and roote of ranckling strife.
Which when Oenone knewe
(Report had blazde it so)
Agrieude shee made hir iust complaint:
and prayde him to forgo
The wrongfull Greekish rape,
and take hir to his Feere,
The wordes shee wrote with painefull penne▪
began as you shall heare.
The fift Epistle. Oenone to Paris.
TO Paris that was once hir owne
though now it be not so,
From Ida, Oenon gréeting sendes
as these hir letters show.
May not thy nouell wife endure
that thou my Pistle reade?
That they with Grecian fist were wrought
thou néedste not stand in dreade.
Pegasian Nymph renoumde in Troie,
Oenone hight by name,
Of thée, (that were mine owne) complaine
if thou permit the same.
What froward God doth séeke to barre
Oenone to be thine?
Or by what guilt haue I deserude
that Paris should decline?
Take paciently deserude woe
and neuer grutch at all:
But vndeserued wrongs will grieue
a woman at the gall.
Scarce were thou of so noble fame.
as platly doth appeare:
When I (the ofspring of a floud)
did choose thée for my Féere.
And thou, who now art Priams sonne,
(all reuerence layde apart)
Were tho a Hyard to beholde
when first thou wanste my heart.
How oft haue we in shaddow laine
whylst hungrie flocks haue fedde?
How oft haue we of grasse and greaues
preparde a homely bedde?
How oft on simple stacks of strawe
and bennet did we rest?
How oft the dew and foggie mist
our lodging hath opprest?
Who first discouerde thée the holtes
and Lawndes of lurcking game?
Who first displaid thée where the whelps
lay sucking of their Dame?
I sundrie tymes haue holpe to pitch
thy toyles for want of ayde:
And forst thy Hounds to climbe the hilles
that gladly would haue stayde.
The boysteous Beech Oenones name
in outwarde barke doth beare:
And with thy caruing knife is cut
Oenon, euery wheare.
And as the trées in tyme doe waxe
so doth encrease my name:
Go to, grow on, erect your selues,
helpe to aduaunce my fame.
There growes (I minde it verie well)
vpon a banck, a trée
Whereon there doth a fresh recorde
and will remaine of mée.
Liue long thou happie trée, I say,
that on the brinck dost stande:
And hast ingraued in thy barke
these woordes, with Paris hande.
When pastor Paris shall reuolte.
and Oenons loue forgoe:
Then Xanthus waters shall recoyle,
and to their Fountaines floe.
Now Ryuer backwarde bende thy course,
let Xanthus streame retier:
For Paris hath renounst the Nymph
and prooude himselfe a lier.
That cursed day bred all my doole,
the winter of my ioy,
With cloudes of froward fortune fraught
procurde me this annoy:
When cankred craftie Iuno came
with Venus, (Nurce of loue)
And Pallas eke, that warlike wench,
their beauties pride to proue,
No sooner heard I of that hap
which thou thy selfe didst tell,
But streight through all my quiuering bones
a trembling feare there fell.
And plunged all in doubtfull dread,
of aged folkes I sought
What might this gastly matter meane:
some haynous thing they thought.
Then with a trice the trées were cut,
the timber went to wrack:
And tallowed Keales did forrow Seas
and made the Cabels crack.
At parture saltish teares were shed
thou canst but say the same:
In fayth this latter loue of thine
deserues the greater shame.
Then showres of brackish brine began
of eyther side to raine:
And both repleate with griefe alike
at parture gan to plaine.
Not Bacchus braunches so imbrace,
ne lymber limmes of vine
Enuiron that whereof it growes,
as thou this necke of mine.
How often were thou wroth with windes
when windes did serue thée well?
Thy iourney Mates began to smyle
when they thy sleightes did smell.
How oft didst thou me sweetely kisse
and then vnkisse againe?
How did thy (last adue) procure
thy foltring tongue to paine?
With wished wind thy sayles were stust
that hoong vpon thy Mast:
The waters waxte as gréene as grasse
th' Oares went on so fast.
With sight as long as sight would serue,
thy Barcke I did pursue
And when mine eye might sée no more,
my heart began to rue.
To gréene Neriedes I did fue
that thou mightst soone retyre:
And I (to further this my woe)
thy gainecome did desyre.
Whose comming is to others vse
procured by my sute:
(Alas) of all my traueling toyle
a harlot hath the fruite.
A huge and haughtie hill there is
that gapes into the flood,
Repelling all the waltring waues
that beate his banck a good.
From thence I tooke my prime prospect
and knew full well thy shippe:
A sodaine ioy well nigh had made
me from the Mount to skippe.
But whilst I stayde, I sawe in toppe
a purple banner shine:
Which colours made me sore adradde,
I knewe they were not thine.
The shippe that slacked not to sayle
came by and by to shore,
With quaking heart I saw a Lasse
I neuer knew before.
Ne yet could that perdie suffice,
(but wherefore made I stay?)
The hatefull harlot out of hande
hir manners did display.
Then mourning gan I rent my Robes,
then beate I on my brest:
And with vnfriendlie fist my face
in wailefull wise was drest.
My yelling clamours Ida heard,
and witnesde all my woe:
I carred thither to my Cotte
my teares, that fell as snowe.
So graunt yée Gods that Helen rue
and spoyled of hir Make,
Of these my griefes procurde by hir
the greatest share may take.
Now hast thou brought them home by Seas
and ouer wandred waues.
That haue their loyall husbandes fled
and left as lothsome slaues:
But when thou were in vile estate
and led a Hyards lyfe:
Poore Paris had but Oenon tho
to his approoued wyfe.
I am not she that weighes thy wealth
thy Pallace mooues me nought:
Ne to be Priams daughter I
by earnest sute haue sought.
Yet néedelesse is that Priam should
of such a daughter shame:
What should procure olde Hecuba,
to blush to be my Dame?
I well deserude, and verie faine
a Princes spouse would bee:
A Scepter would beséeme my hande
and passing well agrée.
Though I with thée in open holte
amid the sedge were séene:
Disdaine me not, a purple bedde
were fitter for a Quéene.
In fine my loue is voyde of dreade
thou needste not warre at all:
Reuenger ships are not in sight
to sack the Troian wall.
But hatefull Helen is requirde
with wreakefull warre againe:
This is a daintie dowre in déede
where bloudshed is the gaine.
Aske Hectors counsell in this case
where thou shouldst hir restore;
Deiphobus, Polydamas,
with other Troians more.
Let sage Antenors tale be hearde,
let Priam giue aduise:
For they by long expence of yeares
haue gotten to be wise.
It is a shamefull thing in déede
a strumpet to prefarre:
The goodnesse of thy cause appeares,
the Gréekes doe iustly warre.
Maist thou assure hir to be true
or ought in hir affie,
Whome thou so quickly wanst with words
and made hir countrie flie?
As yong Atrides doth lament
and sorrow this his fate,
And takes in griefe a straunger should
enioy his wedded Mate:
So Paris shall in processe proue
and sweare that gaged fayth
Once faléed, may not be restorde
till life doe ende by death.
Put case she loue thée (Paris) well,
so did she loue the Gréeke:
But now the fiely man is sole,
his Helen is to séeke.
Thrise happie was sir Hectors wife,
hir lucke was passing good:
Thou shouldst haue followde Hectors trade
and to thy bargin stood.
More light art thou than partched leaues
when suck and sappe is lost,
That with the winde for want of weight
from place to place are tost.
In thée lesse suretie to be found
than weight in bearde of wheate,
That is surprisde with Sunnie rayes
and Phoebus feruent heate.
I call to minde thy sisters sawes
which tho I tooke as vaine:
The Prophetesse pronounst in prouse
that now is passing plaine.
What madnesse makes thée thus inragde
to sow thy séede in sande:
O Nymph (she said) with bootelesse Plough
thou breakste a barraine lande.
A Gréekish Hayfer comes to Troie,
that both thy Countrie soyle
And thée, thy house, (which Gods forefend)
will bring to vtter foyle.
With spéede go sincke that shamefull ship,
let drowne the beastly Barcke
That fraughted is with Phrygian bloud,
repleate with Troian carcke.
No sooner had this Sibyll sayde,
hir Vassels thought hir woode:
But I with quaking feare was rapt,
my haire erected stoode.
Thy words (Cassandra) were of weight,
thou art a Sibyll true:
The Hayfer leapes within my leaze
that makes my heart to rue.
Surpassing though hir beautie bée
dishonest is hir life,
That leaues hir Countrie Gods, and is
become a straungers wife.
Once was she earst away conuayde
from Greece by Theseus theft:
I wote not by what Theseus, but
by Theseus was she reft.
Might she with Maidenhead make retyre
from such a wanton guest?
No, no, I know the trade of loue
as well as doth the best.
Well, pose it to be rape and stealth,
so cloake the crime with name:
Yet shée that was so often wrongde
assented to the same.
Oenon neuer swarude hir Hest
though Paris were vniust:
Of right thou shouldst haue béene beguilde
in whome was slender trust.
Sage, swift, and séemely Satyrs would
with me bene coupled faine,
Whome they in leauie woods haue sought
with great and grieffull paine.
The fonded Faunus oft in Ide
my friendship did request:
Whose head with hurelesse hornes, and boughes
of Pine was brauely drest.
The faithfull Phoebus (Troians trust
and rampire) looude me well:
Vntill such time my daintie fruite
vnto sir Phoebus fell,
And that by force: in proufe whereof
I rent his golden haire,
And scratcht his face with frowarde fist,
the signes as yet appeare.
No Iewels I, ne Gemmes receiude
for filthie lukers hyre:
T'is beastly so t'ingage the corps
for greedie mucks desyre.
He déemde it recompence ynough
his Phisick to bestowe:
My skillesse bande and barraine skull
he taught his Arte to knowe.
What hearbe soeuer were of powre
or vertue to recure,
To learne his force and lurcking might
I could my selfe assure.
Aye me, the most vnhappie wench,
vnluckiest vnder Sunne:
Though I in Phisick haue good sight
by loue my skill is wunne.
Apollo Phisicke that diuisde
Admetus flock did féede:
And had his godly breast incenst
with Oenons partching gléede.
But Paris worst thou what? the health
that neyther hearbes may lende
Ne Gods may graunt, thy friendly fist
at once to me may sende.
Thou canst, and I haue well deserude,
take mercy of a Mayde:
I come not like a Gréekish foe,
Atrides powre to ayde.
But thine I am, and from thy youth
thy louer haue I béene:
And will whilste (lungs shall lende me breath)
thy faythfull friend be séene.
The Argument of the sixt Epistle, entituled Hypsiphyle to Iason.
THe Oracle pronounste
to Pelyas, that hee
Should then in daunger stand of death
when be did chaunce to see
One barefoote, doing rytes
vnto his Fathers ghost:
T'was Iasons hap to mecte him,
that by hap his shoe had lost
In floud Auaurus foord.
The Vncle waying than
The prophecie, to stande in doubt
of dreadfull death began,
To Colchos he per swades
the lustie youth to fleete
To fet the golden Fleese
a spoyle for such a Gallant meete,
In hope the daungers would
the wanton wight deuourde
Sir Iason with a troupe of Greekes
through chocking chanell scourde.
At Lemnos he at length
and all his route arriude,
An Yle where cursed women had
their husbandes lyues depriude.
[Page 33]Hypsiphyle the Queene
did entertaine the Greeke
And all his traine, for courtesie
they neuer sawe the like,
There two yeares he soiournde,
his Mates at last bespake
Their Captaine; and perswade him thence
his voyage on to take:
The Queene was great with Babe,
away the Grecians go,
Ariude at Colch he wanne the Fleese
Medea looude him so.
The conquerour conueyes
the Mayde with him to Greece:
Which Queene Hypsiphyle hearing off,
and of his prettie piece,
Repynde at Iason sore;
that Medea had possest.
The place which shee had woonne before
by vsing well hir guest.
She ioyes at his retourne,
the Witch shee felly hates,
And thus with ioyfull Iason in
hir Pistle shee dehates:
The sixt Epistle. Hypsiphyle to Jason.
THe flickring fame reportes
that to Thessalia soile
Thou art with luckie Barck returnde,
enricht with golden spoile.
I ioy (as much as thou
wilt giue me leaue mine owne)
To heare thy health, but yet I shoulde
thereof by letter knowne.
For that thou shouldst not leaue
my lande at thy returne
Vnséene: thou couldst not haue the windes
to serue thy hoped turne.
Thou shouldst haue sent mée lines
though weather did not serue:
I stande assurde that Hypsiphyl
a greeting did deserue.
Why came report before
thy Letters made me showe,
That bluddy Mars his sacred Bulles
the pinching yoke did knowe?
And that of scattred seede
there weapned Wightes arose?
And that thy balefull hande was prest
to deale them deadly blose?
And that the waker Fenne
the glittering spoyle did kéepe:
Which thou in fine with manly hande
hast reft the shining shéepe?
To such as hardly woulde
beleue the wonders tolde,
How blest were I, if I my vaunt
thus Iason wrote. Beholde.
What shall I say thou hast
not playde the husbandes part?
So I be thine, thy friendship farre
surmounts my small desart,
The brute doth blast there is
a barbarous Witch arriude
With thee, who hath mée of my spouse
and bridely bedde depriude.
Loue lightly will beleue:
woulde God I might be sed
A rashfull Dame, and false reportes
of Iason to haue spred.
A guest of Thessal came
from Hemus partes of late,
Who scarcely had set foote within
my vnacquainted gate.
How fares my Loue (quoth I)
olde Aesons sonne I pray?
But he with countnance cast to grounde
for shame had nought to say.
Then forth I skipt in hast,
and renting mine attire:
Liues he (quoth I) or doe the fates
my death also require?
He liues (quoth he) an othe
in proufe therof I craue:
I made him sweare, yet to his Gods
I hardly credit gaue.
When to my selfe I came,
thy manfull actes to knowe
I long: and he how Mars his Bulles
had turnde the soyle did showe.
He sayde that snakie téeth
for séede were cast on lande:
And vpstart men with armour cladde
both sworde and shielde in hande.
And that the earthly broode
in ciuill warre was slaine:
And in a day lost sodaine lyfe
by sodaine death againe.
And of the Serpents fall.
againe where Iason liues
I aske. So hope and doubtfull dread
for chiefest credit striues.
Whilst he eche thing displayes
desirous for to prate:
He makes me shew how thou hast wrongde
thy loyall spouse of late.
O where is plighted fayth?
where nuptiall othes and bande?
And that which shoulde béene cast in flame,
I meane the spousall brande?
Thou knowste me not by stealth,
Dame Iuno was in place,
(Who hath the marrige charge) and there
did Hymen shew his face.
But neyther Iuno did
nor Hymen holde the light:
Some furie fell with bloudshot eyes
did frame this cankred spight.
Why I with Minyes did deale?
or Pallas sacred pine?
Or (Tiphus) what hast thou to doe
with any soyle of mine?
Here was no famous Ramme
with fléese of glowing golde:
In Lemnos was no Pallace for
your aged Prince to holde.
First was I fully bent,
(but destnie me withdrue)
By womans powre to put them off
and wandring guestes subdue:
For Lemnian Ladies knowe
too well to warre with men:
My lyfe with such a valiant troupe
should haue bene garded then.
I gaue the man at once
my hostage and my heart:
For two yeares date thou werte with mée,
and neuer didst depart.
When thirde Autumne came on
that thou of force were faine
To hoyse thy fayles: these woords thou spakste
with gushing teares amaine:
Mine owne I must depart,
if Fortune say Amen,
From hence I passe thy spouse, and will
thy spouse repasse agen.
The Impe within thy Wombe
Gods graunt that it may liue:
And wée his parents both yfeare
a decent name may giue.
Thus much (I minde) thou spakste,
when salted teares berainde
Thy falsed face, the remnant of
thy sermon was restrainde.
The last of all thy Mates
thou clambst the sacred Arge,
That spinde along, thy sayles did stroute
they had so great a charge.
The ship was shooude apace
vpon the grayish flood:
Thou threwste thine eyes to shore, and we
to Seawarde lookte agood.
There standes a Turret by
that ouerlookes the place:
To whome I ranne, and did with teares
imbrue both breast and face.
I looked through my teares,
mine eye as friendly light
Had larger kenning than of course,
and farder stretcht his sight.
Adde therevnto my vowes
and Prayers ioynde with dred:
Which sacred vowes I will perfit
since thou hast haply sped.
But shall I pay my vowes?
shall Medea them enioy?
My heart doth ake, and wrath with loue
combyned doth annoy.
Shall I beare gifts to Church
or be at charge at all?
To loose my louing Iason shoulde
there any Hayfer fall?
I was not calme in minde,
I alwayes stoode in awe
Thy Father would not entertaine
in Greece a daughter lawe.
Of Greece I was in dréede,
but other worke my woe:
I haue receyude a hurt of one
whome earst I did not knowe.
By beautie nor desert
she wonne thée, but by charme:
With Sorcerers Syth she sheares the Grasse
whereby she workes thy harme.
She sayes from woonted track
the waywarde Moone to wrie:
And dimme with duskie cloude the stéedes
that praunce in open skie.
She bridles running streames
and fleeting flouds doth stay:
Shee makes the Holtes and ragged rocks
for ioy to skip and play.
Dissheueld with hir lockes
she walkes by buriall graues:
And certaine of the lothsome hones
from wasting flame she faues.
She curseth absent wightes,
of Waxe she pictures makes:
And prickes with pinnes the pensiue lungs
wherewith the bowels akes.
Thus Loue that should be wonne
with beautie and desarte:
Is got (which would I had not tryde)
by Herbes and hurtfull Arte.
What? canst thou roll and clip
or sléepe in selfe same bed
With hir, deuoide of waking care
and free from carking dred?
As earst she yokte the Bulles
so hath she bound thée fast:
And tamde thée, as the Dragons fell
were conquerde by hir cast.
To that she spoyles both thée
and all thy Mates of prayse:
And by the meane of such a wife
the husbandes fame decayes.
In Thessalie are some
to poyson that impute
Thy factes: and there will be ynough
which will beleue the brute.
Not this olde Aesons sonne
but Oeetes daughter wrought:
T'was she, not Iason, that the fléese
of Golde from Colchos brought.
Aske Alcimedes aduise,
thy Dame doth this disléeke:
Thy Father eke from chilly Role
who did a daughter séeke.
Let hir to Tanays go
and séeke in Scythian soyle
Hir louing spouse, and gape for him
from Phasis farthest goyle.
Fye, faythlesse Iason, fie,
more light than windie blast:
Why dost not thou thy painted words
with déede confirme at last?
Thou partedst hence my spouse,
why art not so returnde?
O barre not that at gainecome which
at parture was not wournde.
If Noble line thou lyke,
and gentrie mooue thy minde:
That I King Thoas dearling was
and daughter mayst thou finde.
My Grandsire Baechus was,
and Bacchus wife ycrownde
Doth farre surpasse the lesser lights
that hir enuiron rounde.
Lemnos shall be my dowre,
as fruitfull as the best
To such as there soiourne: and me,
accoumpt among the rest.
Who now am brought a bed,
let dubble ioy possesse
Thy heart, the Father made the throwes
of trauaile séeme the lesse.
The number gladdes my minde,
(Lucina thancked bee)
Of good successe, a luckie twinne
to light are brought by mée.
Whose shape and shewe they beare
if thou demaunde, I vaunt
Thou mayst be knowne by them, saue they
the fathers fraude doe want.
Whome I was euen at poynt
by Legates to conuaie,
Saue that the cruell stepdame was
the onely cause of staie.
Medea made mée dréede,
who iustly may be thought
More than a stepdame, with hir hande
eche cursed fact is wrought.
She that hir Brothers bones
and fleshe coulde fling in fielde,
Rent first with cruell fist: would shée
haue ruth vpon my childe?
Yet hir the fame reportes,
(O woode and wretched Wight)
That thou before thy Hypsiphyl
preferrste with all thy might.
She goyng for a Mayde
hath playde a harlots cast:
But with vnspotted bridely chaine
we two were lincked fast.
Hir Father she betrayde,
I saude King Thoas lyfe:
Shée fled from Colche, in Lemnos I
remaine thy louing wyfe.
But whereto? if a Drabbe
an honest woman winne?
And that hir crymes for iointure haue
and stead of dowrie binne?
I blame the Lemnian Maydes,
I muse not at their déede:
For dolour to the angrie will
bring wreakefull tooles with spéede.
Say on, if forst with windes
(as right did will thée doe)
Both thou and all thy troupe at once
my Port had commen too:
And I with this my broode
had met thée at the doore:
Then wouldst thou not haue wisht the gasping
soyle thy corps deuoure?
(Ʋnthriftie) wyth what face
vpon those Babes and mée
Wouldst thou haue lookte? fie traytor what
had bene fitte death for thée?
Thou mightst haue liude at ease
and safe by my consent:
Not for thou didst deserue so well,
but cause I did relent.
I with that Wytchesse bloud
my face shoulde haue imbrude:
And Iasons eke, which with hir Hearbes
the Harlot did delude.
To Medea I shoulde
haue bene Medea then:
(And if in skies be any Ioue
that will giue eare to men)
As Hypsiphyl doth plaine
and sobbe alone hir fill:
So let that beast (Medea) mourne
plagude with hir handie skill.
And as I lose my Impes
and am bereft my Make:
So graunt, that hir as many babes
and husband may forsake.
Ne that she may retaine
but leaue with worser hap
Ill gotten goodes: and banisht begge
hir breade with dish and clap,
As loouing sister shée
and daughter eke hath bene
To Father and to Brother both:
Gods graunt she may be séene
So spitefull to hir Spouse,
and armde with prefull rage
Euen to hir tender Children whome
she ought to garde in age.
When Sea and Lande she hath
consumde, vp to the skie
Let hir go rangle lyke a Rogue
and by selfeslaughter die.
Thus I bereft my spouse
King Thoas daughter pray:
In cursed Cabbin leade your liues
you beastly folkes I say.
The Argument of the vij. Epistle, entituled Dido to Aeneas.
WHen Priam was opprest
and Troie brought to sack,
Aeneas with his aged Syre
and Reliques on his back,
Ingagde himselfe to Seas
and shope his course aright:
But yet at length it was his luck
on Libie land to light
By force of froward floud,
where Dido gan to rayse
A stately towne. The curteous Queene
the wandring Troian prayes
To make abode with hir:
shee likte Aeneas so,
As host age with hir heart at once
on him shee did bestow.
The messenger at length
from mightie Ioue was sent
To new Carthago to demaunde
the Troian what he ment
In Libie lande to lodge
and loyter so in loue,
And not to seeke the lotted lande,
that was for his behoue.
[Page 40]Away the Troian trudgde,
whose will when Dido knew
Was fully bent to leaue hir lande:
the Princesse gan to sue,
That eyther he would staye
according to his hest,
Or graunt hir space to banish griefe
from hir agrieued brest.
When shee had wasted wordes
and manie teares yshed,
At poynt of death the quiuering Queene
thus to Aeneas sed.
The .vij. Epistle. Dido to Aeneas.
EƲen so when fates doe call
ystrecht in moysted spring,
Ʋpon Meanders winding banches
the snowishe Swanne doth sing.
Not for I thinke my wordes
may ought preuaile, I write:
For why I knowe the haughtie Gods,
at this my purpose spite.
But since my fame, my corps,
and spotlesse minde are lost
By cankred hap: to wast my woordes
I reck it little cost.
Now art thou bent to passe
and leaue poore Dido so:
And with the selfe same windes thy sayles
and fickle fayth shall go.
Aeneas now thou mindste
thy Nauie with thy vowe
To lose: and séeke Italia lande
but where, thou doste not knowe.
Not Carthage built anewe,
ne yet the rysing wall,
No not my stately Scepter may
conuert thy minde at all.
Thou fléest the thing atchiude
for those that are not donne:
Thou hast bene in one lande, and now
wilt to another runne.
Suppose thou finde an Ile,
who will giue thée the place
To rule? will any yéelde his soyle
to men of forraine race?
Newe loue remaynes for thee
another Dido eake,
With other troth to be impaunde
which thou againe mayst breake.
When will it be that thou
wilt builde Carthagos péere?
Or vewe from Turrets top a troupe
of such as soiourne héere?
Though all these came to passe
and thou hadst wishe at will:
Yet where wouldst thou haue such a spouse
to beare thée like good will?
Euen as a waxen Torch
with Sulphure toucht I burne
Both day and night to Didos thought
Aeneas makes returne.
Euen that vngratefull guest
that scornes the gistes I gaue:
And he, whome I might want full well
as wisdomes loare doth craue.
Yet hate I not the man
though he deserue dispight:
But make complaint of his vntruth,
and lesse imbrace the wight.
O Venus, vse hir well
that maried with thy Sonne:
O Cupide, friend thy brother, let
him in thy number ronne:
Or else let him (for why
I ne disdaine to loue)
Whome I began to fancie, force
me greater cares to proue.
I sée I am deceyude,
his Image bleard my sight:
He differs from his mothers trade
and swarues hir maners quight.
Thee rocks and ragged Hilles
and Okes in Mountaynes bred
Begat, and thou of brutall beasts
in desert hast bene fed,
Or of the goulfe, which nowe
thou séest turmoylde with winde:
On whom (though waues rebell) to passe
thou fixed hast thy minde.
Why? whither fleest? the stormes
doe rage: let stormes haue powre
To ayde my case, see how the Seas
doe surge with Eurus sco wre.
Let mée indebted be
to stormes, for that which I
Had rather owe to thée: more iust
than whome the waues I trie.
I am not so much worth
(though thy desert be small)
That fléeing me by waltring Seas
thou lose thy life and all.
Thy hate is deare in déede
and of no slender price,
If whilst thou goe from mée, to die
thou reck it but a trice,
Within a while the Seas
will cease their swelling tyde:
And Triton with his grayish Stéede [...]
on calmed waues will ryde.
O that with winds thou wouldst
exchaunge thy ruthlesse minde:
And so thou wilt, vnlesse of Okes
thou passe the stubburne kinde.
What if thou didst not knowe
how raging Seas coulde rore?
Yet thou that hast so often tryde
wilt trauaile as before?
Though waues were neuer so smouth
when thou shouldst leaue the bay:
Yet dure and dooleful things God wote
might happen by the way.
And further, they that false
their fayth in daunger are
On perillous seas: the place with them
for treasons guilt doth warre.
And most when loue is wrongde,
cause Venus hath béene thought
T'haue had hir ofspring of the waues
that in Cytheris wrought.
I feare least I vndone
shall be thy cause of woe:
Or least by wrack of ship I should
endaunger thée my foe.
I pray thée liue, for so
I may reuenged bée
Farre better than by death: thou shalt
be saide to murther mée.
Put case, that thou were caught
with sway of whirling winde:
(But vaine be this abodement fell)
what then would be thy minde?
Then wouldst thou oft reuoke
to thought the Phrygian tongue,
That did pronounce the periurde talke
which wrought poore Didos wrong.
Before thine eyes the forme
and Idoll of thy Féere
Deceyude, would stande in saddest sort,
with bloudie feltred héere.
Thy selfe wouldst graunt, thou hadst
deserude these torments all:
And thinke the thunder cast on thee
what so should hap to fall.
Wherefore giue time to wrath
and rage of roaring flood:
Great is the price of little stay,
thy passage will be good.
Hast no respect to mée?
yet spare Iülus breath:
Sufficeth thée to haue bene thought
the Author of my death.
What poore Ascanius hath
or Countrie Gods deserude?
The Sea shall sinck the Saints, which were
from Phrygian flame preserude.
But neyther thou thy Syre
ne priuate Gods didst beare
Vpon thy back: thy vaunting crakes
these to Elisa were.
Thou lyste at euerie worde,
not now thy tongue doth ginne
To gloze, ne I the first in trappe
and guilefull snare hath binne.
If question were what of
Iülus Dame became:
Hir cruell husbande hir forsooke
to his eternall shame.
This thou to mée displayste.
which made my breast to bende:
Much sooner will my torment finde
than this my cryme an ende.
And I doe nothing doubt
but that thy guiltie minde
Will thée condemue. Thou seauen yeares space
no resting place couldst finde.
At length I gaue thée porte,
cast vp on blisfull shore:
And did infeffe thée with my Realme
thy name scarce tolde before.
Would Gods this had bene all
the friendship I had showne:
And that report of bedding had
not bene so lightly blowne.
That day procurde my bale
in which for sodaine raine
That pourde adowne, to couch in one
selfe Caue we both were faine.
I hearde a voyce, I thought
the Nymphes had howlde for ioy:
But they were Furies that forespake
of this my fell annoy.
Nowe broken fayth I owde
to olde Sichaeus name,
On me take vengeance, that to Hell
must go bereft of shame.
In shrine of Marble made
I haue Sichaeus bones,
Whome boughes and snowwhite fléeses shroude
appoynted for the nones.
Foure times with wonted mouth
he callde me to the place:
To whome with whispring voyce, he said
come Dido, come apace.
Without delay I came
sometime thy wedded Féere:
But this my shamefull fact procurde
me slacker to appéere.
Forgiue my fault, alykeloe
man hath mée betrayde:
And one that hatred of the fact
and foule despight hath stayde.
His Dame a heauenly wight,
his Syre on shoulders borne
Did force me iudge he would haue stayde,
and not haue béene forsworne.
If néedes I must haue errde,
this errour hath a showe
Of iust pretence: Be true and then
I shall not yrke it so.
But as my life at first
vnluckie was begonne:
Euen so the tenour of the same
to latter day doth ronne.
At sacred Altars slaine
my husband fell to ground,
And of the fact the spoyle vnto
Pigmalion did redound.
I as a wight exilde
my natiue soyle did lose:
And left the cynders of my spouse
pursude by wreakefull fose.
At length escaping Seas
and brothers wrath, was brought
To coast vnknowne, where all the soile
I gaue to thée I bought.
I framde it vp a towne,
and with farre stretching wall
Enuironde it, to neighbour townes
which was a deadly gall.
Then battayles broyle began,
with warre a forraine wight,
And fielie woman was pursude
when gates was scarcely pight.
A thousand suters came
which ioyntly did complaine
That I a raskall had preferrde,
and had them in disoaine.
Why staggerest thou to yéelde
mée to Hiarbas handes?
My self will stretch mine armes abrode
to bide thy cursed bandes.
I haue a brother eke
whose hungrie hande doth long
For Didos bloud, as earst it did
Sichaeus life to wrong.
Lay downe thy Gods prophande
and Reliques brought to lande:
It fittes thée not such facred things
to touch with hurtfull hande.
If thou of force were he
that should transport the same,
Reserude from fire: no force had bene
if they had burnt in flame.
(Vnthrist) perhaps thou leauste
thy Dido great with childe:
And in my wombe is part of thée
whome thou hast so beguilde.
The miser Impe will adde
vnto his Mothers death:
So thou shalt kill a fiely Babe
that neuer tasted breath.
Iülus Brother with
his Dame shall so be slaine:
And one selfe torment shall bereus
the liuely powres of twaine.
But God doth force thée flee,
would God had kept away
Such guilefull guestes, & Troians had
in Carthage made no stay.
No doubt that God procures
the waywarde windes to blowe:
And makes thée waste the wearie time
in sandie Seas so flowe.
As when that Hector liude
if Troie stoode againe)
To passe to Troie thou scarcely shouldst
endure a greater paine.
But not to Symois thou
but Tiber mindst to passe:
Arriued there, yet shalt thou be
a straunger naythelasse.
Thou seekste a lurcking lande
and vncouth place to holde:
Which scarce will be thy lot to finde
till thou be waren olde.
Ambages layde aparte,
more better were for thee
Pigmalions wealth to haue in hande
and soiourne here with mée.
With luckie happe to Tyre
thy Troian stocke transport:
And sacred Scepter holde in hande
in place of Princely port.
But if thou long for warre,
or yong Iülus séeke
By manly Mart to Purchase prayse
and giue his foes the gleeke:
Cause naught should want, he shall
haue foes to wreake his wrath:
This place of lawes and armes good store
and broyling battayles hath.
For olde Anchises sake
and bowe of Venus Boie:
For all those sacred Gods which thou
hast safely brought from Troie:
So Gods agrée that they
which from thy Countrie came,
May Victors be, and all mishap
conuert to gladsome game:
And yong Ascanius liue
white siluer lockes to haue,
And olde Anchises broosed bones
may lodge in quiet graue:
I pray thée spare the house
that yéeldes it selfe to thée,
Saue that I looude, what crime at all
mayst thou impute to mée?
Not I from Phthia came,
ne from the Mycene lyne:
My husband ne my father were
no spitefull foes of thine.
Thine Hostesse let me bée
if of thy spouse thou shame:
So I remaine thy Dido still
I force not on the name.
The waues on Afrus bancks
that beate I know full well:
Sometime they fauour passengers
sometimes they doe rebell.
Then launch thy ship from shore
when weather doth applie,
But now the wéedes will let thy Barcke
on waltring Seas to hie.
Giue me in charge to marke
the Tyde, and then be bolde
To furrow flouds: though thou wouldst stay
then will I not withholde.
Thy wearie wandring Mates
doe lack, and looke for rest:
Thy Nauie faine would stay, till tyme
hir tackle were adrest.
For my deserts, and that
which after I shall owe
To thée, for marrige hope doe not
as yet thy thrall forgoe:
Till surge of Seas doe cease
and loue doe temper trade:
Meane while for to sustaine the worst
I stronger shall be made.
If not, I minde to waste
my lothsome life ere long:
It is but for a time that thou
shalt worke poore Dido wrong.
Mine ymage whilst I write
O that thou sawste with eye:
I write, and in my lappe the while
thy Troian sworde doth lye:
Downe by my chéekes the teares
vpon the weapon fall:
Which now in steade of brine with bloud
shall be imbrued all.
Full well thy giftes agrée
to this my wretched fate:
My graue shall be small charge to thée
vnsitting to my state.
Not now my brest at furst
with cruell Launce is pierst
That place with dure and deadly dinte
hath Cupid crased earst.
Thou sister (Anne) that wast
of counsell in this case:
Now offer vp thy latter boone
to Dido in the place.
When that my corps is burnt,
I will not then be sed
Sichaeus Dido: on my Herse
this scripture shall be red.
Aeneas gaue the cause
and sworde wherewith I dyde:
But desperate Dido on hir selfe
hir ruthlesse hande hath tryde.
The Argument of the viij. Epistle, entituled Hermione to Orestes.
BEfore the styrre at Troie to Pyrrhus was
Hermion by sir Menelaus behight:
The Father hauing cause from Greece to passe
To quaile the courage of his foes in fight,
Left all the rule to Tyndarus, that than
Despoused Hermion to another man.
Orestes had a promisse of the peece,
Who thought him selfe assured of a Mate:
But when proude Pyrrhus made retourne to Greece
He reft the Mayde, whome shee pursude with hate:
For that in deede shee looude Orestes so,
As loth shee was with Achylls Sonne to go.
But choyse was none to choose: shee naythelasse
By secret stealth aduertisde him that shee
Might rescude be, and from his Prison passe.
Which fell in fine: for when Aegysthus he
The Lecher had despoylde and Mother eake,
Orestes gaue Achylles Sonne the gleake.
The .viij. Epistle. Hermione to Orestes.
TO him that both my spouse of late
and brother was I wright:
My brother now, for of my spouse
another hath the right.
That Pyrrhus, that Achylles steppes
for courage doth ensue:
Gainst law and right hath closde me vp
and kéepes me fast in mue:
As much as lay in me to doe
I stoutly did withstande:
But I could doe no more than might
a weake and womans hande.
What dost thou (Pyrrhus) now quoth I?
will none reuenged bee
Thinkst thou? I am but as a Mayden
seruant vnto thée.
He deffer than the ruthlesse waues
when I (Orestes) caulde:
Me by the locks with cruell hande
into his Cabbin haulde.
If Troian Dames me thrall had tane
or Lacedemon wonne:
I should no worse haue bene abusde
than now by Achylls Sonne.
[...]
[...]
More friendly founde Andromache
Achaias famous soyle:
When with the gastly Grecian flame
the Troian wealth did broyle.
But oh Orestes (if to mée
thou haue respect at all)
Lay hands on that which is thine owne,
and to thy bootie fall.
What? if by falsehoode from thy folde
thy flock be borne away,
Wilt thou take armes? and for thy spouse
to fight in fielde wilt stay?
Let Menelaus myrrour bée
that for his rapted wife
Did vndertake such honest warre
and stirde such stately strife.
Who if had slept and slugde at home
or loytred like an Asse:
My Dame had béene to Paris linckte
as to my Syre she was.
Thou hast no néede a thousande shippes
or bending sayles so haue,
Nor any Gréekish Souldiars helpe,
thy onely ayde I craue.
Yet rather so (than not at all)
I should be fette againe:
T'is famous for a man to fight
if wedlock suffer staine.
What? was not Grandsire to vs both
Atreus King Pelops sonne?
At least thou art my bresher, if
the marrige were vndonne.
I pray thée Brother helpe thy Sister,
husbande helpe thy Féere,
A dubble title will procure
thée in my cause to stéere.
My Grandsire for his aged yeares
and wisdome passing graue,
(Who of his Neece had all the rule)
mée to Orestes gaue:
To Pyrrhus not acquainted with
the match, my Father vowde:
But most of both my Grandsires deade
as caldste should be allowde
When I with thée conidynde, I wrongde
none by my spousall right
But if I [...]incke with Pyrrhus, their
from thee I am not quight.
My Father Menelaus will
wincke at my fact I knowe:
For cause himselfe hath felt the force
of winged Cupids bowe.
That will he graunt his sonne in lawe
which he himselfe hath looude:
My Dames example aydes my case
that Venus sportes hath prooude.
Looke what my Syre is to my Dame,
euen that art thou to mée:
The slipper practise Paris playde,
with Pyrrhus doth agree.
And he is stoute and stately for
the factes hys Syre hath donne:
So thou mayst bragge and boaste vpon
the spoyles thy Father wonne.
Who all the trowpe of Tantals trayne,
Achylles eke did leade:
A chieftaine he among the Dukes,
a Souldier stoute at neade.
Thy Grandsire great King Pelops was,
and Pelops worthie Sire,
And if thou coumpte aright from Ioue
thou art the fift esquire.
Thy manhoode is well knowne ynough,
thou foughtste I wote well whan:
But what shouldst thou doe in that case?
thy mother slue the man.
Would God vpon a better cause
thy stoutenesse had bene wrought:
Yet dare I vaunt the cause was giuen
to thee, and neuer sought.
But thou didst bring it to effect
that Aegisthe did with gore
Of gaping wounde defile the floure
as had thy Syre before.
And thereof Pyrrhus often prates,
and to reproche doth wrye
Thy earned prayse, and yet endures
my presence with his eye.
I frette, and as my face doth puffe,
so swelles myne inwarde minde:
And burning breast with silent flame
of dolor scorcht I finde.
Before Hermions face imbrayded
should Orestes bée?
I want but force and brainsick blade
to be reuengde for thée.
But wéepe and wayle I may my fill
which lessens parte of woe:
And downe on eyther side my face
my teares as conduites floe.
Them onely to commaunde I haue
and out I poure them still:
Alongste my stayned théekes eche hours
the welling teares doe trill.
This fortune followes all our race
and to our age is brought:
And all that are of Tantals line
a séemely rape are thought.
I will not hete alleadge the lyes
of false and fayned Swanne:
Ne yet complaine that Ioue in plume
did lurck both God and manne.
Where Isthmos streatching out at length
two Seas did so deuide:
Hippodamie on waxen whéeles
and counterfaite cart did ride.
Faire Helen once conuaide away
by craftie Theseus traine,
By Castor and sir Pollux was
in fine restorde againe.
The selfesame Ladie through the Seas
by Troian guest was brought:
For whome the noble Gréekish Péeres
in wreakefull maner fought.
I scarce remember, yet I minde
how tho the people wept,
In mournefull moode: and dismoll dreade
into their hearts it crept.
The Grandsire gronde, the sister sobde,
the brothers gan to broyle:
Lamenting Leda with the Gods
and Ioue did kéepe a coyle.
And I with locks not long as then
rent all about my hedde
Exclamde, O mother leauste me thus?
and from thy childe art fledde?
(For then hir husbande was a lacke.)
and least I shoulde be sed
No Impe of Pelops broode, I am
a praye by Pyrrhus led.
O that Achylles had bene frée
and scapte Apollos bowe:
Then woulde he blame the beastlye rage
of Pyrrhus pride I knowe.
It neuer pleasde, ne now would lyke
Achylles, if he liude,
To heare a wifebounde Wight lament
of lyked looue depriude.
What guilt of mine hath made the Gods
and Heauenly powres so rage?
What cursed starre might I accuse
to gouerne thus my age?
My Dame I was bereft in youth,
my father waged warre:
And though they both did liue, yet I
from them was kept afarre.
Not I to thée in tender yeares,
nor Cradell clowtes did crye
Deare mother mine: nor from my lippes
the lisping words did flye.
Ne did I with my pliaunt armes,
thy séemely neck enfolde:
Nor thou vpon thy louing lappe
thy babling Brat didst holde.
No carke of clothing me, ne care
did pierce thy pensiue brest:
Ne didst thou cause a marrige bed
for Bridewife to be drest.
But when thou didst returne againe
(the troth I not denie)
I met thee, but my Mothers face
I coulde not then descrie.
But for thy beautie did surpasse,
for Helen thée I tooke:
And thou didst make enquirie then,
and for thy daughter looke.
Good hap in one respect I had,
that Oreste was my Make:
But he vnlesse he fight it out
Hermion must forsake.
Mée Pyrrhus as a Vassell kéepes
though Victor be my Sire:
This goodly guerdon haue I gainde
for Troie burnt with fire.
When golden Titan ginnes to guide
his glistring steades by day,
Then I (vnhappie wenche) some ease
of pensiue paine assay.
No fooner blackfaste night doth growe,
in howling sort I hie
Vnto my cankred carefull couche
appointed there to lie.
In place of swéete and slumbring sléeps
mine eyes with teares doe floe:
And from the man in all post haste
I flée as from a foe.
Oft times mishaps doe make me muse,
vnmindefull of my case
I touche with hande proude Pyrrhus parts
vnwitting of the place.
I leaue to touch the man as soone
as euer I knowe the fact:
And thinke my handes polluted straight
with such a shamefull act.
Oft times for Neoptolems name
Orestes doe I call:
And loue the errour of my tongue,
right well content withall.
I sweare by this vnluckie lyne
and Lorde of all the race,
That Land and Seas yea haughtie skies
afrayes with frowning face:
And by the bones of him that was
mine Vncle and thy Sire:
Who owes thée for reuenge of those
that did his death conspire:
Or I will in these flowring yeares
abandon lothsome life:
Or I (that came of Tantals broode)
will be Orestes wife.
The Argument of the ix. Epistle, entituled Deianeira to Hercules.
THe heauie stepdame Iuno by hir fraude
And friende Eurystheus, purposde to destroy
Alcydes: for the Prince of Mycene lande
Stirrde him to conquer Monsters. But with laude
And life he scapt away, nor had annoy
By any beast the Champion tooke in hande:
Bulles, Dragons, Dogges, and Semitaurs he slewe,
And aye more greene his gotten glorie grewe.
He conquerd all, till filthie loue at length
Of King Eurytus daughter made him thrall,
Whose Syre and Countrie be had earst atchiude:
Fled was his force, stint was his stately strength,
To spinne and carde be thought no shame at all,
Nor of his Lions spoyle to be depriude:
Which Deianeira bearing by report,
(His louing wife) sent to him in this sort.
Amid whose lynes and letters that she wrought
Came newes (a dolefull thing to written here)
And tidings, that the Shirt the wife had sent
Alcydes bane, and spitefull spoyle had brought,
The louing wife had slaine hir manly Feere,
Which shee poore sielie woman neuer ment.
But to requite hir husbandes death with paine,
At poynt to hang hir selfe thus gan she plaine.
The .ix. Epistle. Deianeira to Hercules.
QEchalia to be woonne
I ioy to heare the fame:
It grieues me that the Victor should
haue yeelded to the same.
Report was brought of late
to Grecia that agrées
Full yll with any fact of thine
the tales we heard were these,
That whome not Iuno coulde
nor dreadfull trauels foyle,
The selfesame man had Iole made
in seruage yoke to toyle.
Eurystheus would it so,
and Iuno passing faine
Would learne that thou with such a crime
thy former facts would staine.
What? t'was not thou I trowe
that could not be conceyude
In one whole night? I thinke herein
my selfe to be deceyude.
More domage Venus doth
than Iuno earst to thée
This raysde thee vp by spitefull hate,
she makes thée bende I sée.
Behold the world by thée
that liues at quiet ease,
As wyde as watrie Nereus gyrdes
the ground with frothie Seas.
The greater part of earth,
and all the flouds as farre
As both Apollos lodges reach
to thee indebted are.
The Skies thou hast sustaynde
that shall thy carkas beare:
And Atlas holpe thée at a pinch
when thou too wearie weare.
But what saue open shame
by these thy facts is got?
If those thy valiant feates of armes
with bawdie rule thou blot?
Doe men report that thou
(for Ioue a worthie childe)
In Cradle crasht two crawling Snakes?
in fayth they are beguilde.
That Babe was better farre
than is this bourly man:
Thou nothing makste an ende so well
as thou thy déedes began.
Whome not a thousand beastes
nor Steneleus atchiude,
Nor Iuno could for all hir spite;
hath craftie Cupid giude.
But for I am the wife
of Hercules, and hée
My fatherlaw that guides the Skies
and lettes the thunder flée:
I am surmisde a happie Dame
and maried well to bée.
How yll vnegall Steares
in painefull Plough accorde:
So yll a simple woman matcht
with such a stately Lorde.
No honour commes thereby
but burthen and debate.
Who so wilt well be wedded, wed
with one of thine estate.
My husband is alack,
my spouse is absent aye:
A straunger better knowne to mée,
he dreadfull beastes doth stay.
I in my desert home
doe nought but wishe afright,
And sore tormented least my spouse
be spoylde of foes in fight.
Amid the Serpents I
and gréedie Lyons pawes,
And tusked Boares am tost, in feare
I stand of gaping iawes:
Of Dogs, that with their téeth from bones
will rent thy flesh by flawes.
And mée debowled beastes
and ydle dreames of night,
With griesly pictures of the dead
doe maken sore afright.
For fléeing fame I hunt
and rumors rashly spred:
By doubtfull hope is feare exilde,
and hope by feare is fled.
Thy Mother is alack,
and grieuously doth grutch
That to haue likte the mightie Ioue
hir destinie was such.
Amphitryon is away,
whome men surmisde to béene
Thy Syre: and Hyll the stripling eake
of vs can not be séene.
Eurystheus that doth forge
the cruell Iunos wrath
Is felt of vs: endurde to long
the Goddesse anger hath.
But these are trifles, oh,
thou addest forraine loue:
And eche may be a Mother made
by thée that list to proue.
I spare to speake as nowe
of Auge whome ere while,
(Alcide) amid Parthenian vales
thou fowly didst defile.
And thée (Astydame) I minde
of purpose to concile.
Ne meanes thy wife God wote
Teuthrancian trulles to name
(Of whome there scapte not one vntoucht)
to bréede thy farther shame.
A recent crime there is
a foule yll fauourde iade,
That vnto Lamus mée of late
a Mother lawe hath made.
Meander (that so oft
in one selfe circle ronnes,
And eke rebounding waues againe
vpon his shoulders, shonnes)
Sawe when about thy neck
there hoong a chaine of golde:
That neck that thought the burden light
the Welkin to vpholde.
What? didst thou nothing shame
those brawned armes of thine
With Goldsmithes work, wt glittring Gemmes
and owches braue to bine?
Euen those selfe armes (I say)
the Lyons lyfe that rest:
Whose noble spoyle for mantell serues
vpon thy shoulder left?
What? didst thou dare aloft
vpon thy curled heare,
(For which a Popple fitter was)
a mytred Hat to weare?
Ne didst thou blushe in guise
of Lydian Lasse to don
A silken Scarfe, and Riband fine
thy bourly Waste vpon?
Was Diomede forgot
that cruell Carle then?
That fatted vp his trampling steades
with fleshe of murthred men?
In such a nice attire
if Busyre thee had séene:
No doubt he woulde haue scornde of thée
yconquerde so to béene.
Let Antaeus loose for shame
these iewels from thy throte,
For feare he loth that thou the palme
in wrestling collars gote.
T'is blasted that thou stoodste
of womans threates in awe,
And eake amyd Meonyan Maydes
the twisted twine didst drawe.
What? didst thou nothing shame
that hande with Flare to foyle,
That had long earst in valiant fight
ygot so many a spoyle?
With thwacking thombs thou drawste
a very boysteous thréede:
And to thy stately Maystresse yéeldste
a iust accoumpt with dréede.
How often whilste thou sponne
with fingers nothing fine,
Amid thy crabbed crushing handes
hath crackt the twisted twine?
And standing of the whip
in trembling feare, they say
That thou before thy Maystresse féete
in dréede of lashing lay.
And spoyles ylaide a part
of gotten prayse the pryce,
Thou toldste thy déedes that should bene tho
concealde in any wyse.
To witte, in cradle how
the crawling Snakes thou slue:
And rent their gaping ia wes in two
and did their force subdue.
And how Tegaean Boare
in Erymanthus lyes:
And with his weight doth wrong the ground,
so monstrous is his sies.
Thou dost not let to tell
of Diomedes hedde
Firt on his Thracian gate, his Stéedes
with flesh of man that fedde.
And of the triple beast
Geryon thou didst boast:
That for his heirde the welthiest was
in all the Spanish coast.
And of the Hellish hounde,
that Cerberus was height
(Thrée headed Curre,) whose pate with locks
of Snakes was fowly freight.
The Serpent eke, whose woundes
reserude him from the death,
And gashing scotches giuen afresh
infeft with better breath.
And how Antaeus hoong
with broken iawes betwyne
Thy left side (an ylfauourde weight)
and shoulders right behyne.
Ne doste thou then conceale
how Centaurs thou didst chase
(That double shaped were, and dars [...]
not trust their legges in place)
Athwart Thessalian craggie cliffes,
and made them runne apaee.
And canst thou cladde perdie
in Sidon soft araye,
And womans nyce attyre, for shame
haue any worde to saye?
Beside the Iardan Nymph
vpon hir shoulders thrue
Thine armour, and did conquer the [...]
that Monsters didst subdue.
Go now, and proudly vaimt
thy noble déedes of fame:
A man thou shouldst not bene of right
she bett deserude the same.
Than whome so much thou art
inferiour, how much more
Thou stronger were than such as thou
hadst slaine with hande before.
Shée hath atchiude the fame
of all thy former déedes:
To hir, as to thy lawfull heyre
thy purchasde prayse procéedes.
Oh, shame: the shagheard case
the Lyons rybbes bereast,
Enuironde rounde a womans corps
and to hir carkas cleast.
Tushe, thou art foule deceiude,
no Lyons spoyle it is,
But thine thou flewste the beast, and shée
hath conquerde thée ywis.
A woman bare thy darts
with venom ranck that weare
And Hydras beastly bloud imbrude,
in hande that scarce coulde beare
A Distaffe fraught with Flax:
thy knarrie clubbe she helde,
And gazing in a shining Glasse
thine Armour she behelde.
This brute I hearde, but gaue
no credit to the same,
But yet from eare some part of griefe
vnto my senses came.
But now before my face
the hatefull Whoore doth ride:
Nor I the secrete smart I féele
haue farther powre to hide.
Thou wilt not haue hir gone,
shée passeth through the stréete
A captiue: whome of force we sée,
not as a captiue méete:
With tresses hanging downe
declaring hir estate,
And hidden face to shew that Channes
hath giuen hir the Mate:
But braue in beaten Golde
she passeth to and fro:
As thou ere this in Phrygia were
accustomed to go.
From stately seate shée yéeldes
the people such a chéere,
As though Oechalia stood againe
and eake hir Father deere
Did liue, and thou (Alcides) by
Eurytus conquerde wéere.
Perhaps deuorcement made
twixt Deianeire and thée,
No more thy drabbe this hatefull Whoore
but wedded wife shall bée.
Th'abodement makes me feare,
[...] colde my corse
Doth [...] hande doth lie
in bedde withouten [...]
And me among the rest
as wife with honest zeale
Thou hast pursude: I causde thée twise
with warlike tooles to deale.
For Achelous vppe
his broken hornes did take
With dreerie chéere that laye disperst,
and hid in durtie Lake
His maymed front and erdwne yerackt
for Deianeiras sake.
The Monster Nessus with
thy deadly darte was slaine,
And with his Horses gorie bloud
the waters did distaine.
But whereto write I this?
for tidings now is brought,
The shirt I gaue my husbande hath
his cruell death gwrought.
Aye me, what haue I done?
what forste me this to frie?
O Deianeire, O cursed wench,
why dost thou doubt to die?
And shall thy noble Féere
in Oeta Mount be rent?
And thou suruiue that were the cause
and wrought that foule intent?
What now remaines to [...]
a perfite prouse [...]
Was H [...]cles wife? the truth therein
my doolefull death shalt trie.
Thou Meleager in mée
thy sister shalt descrie:
O Deianeire, O cursed wenche
why doste thou doubt to die?
O lynage of missehappe,
O haplesse house I say:
My aged Syre Oeneus lyues
at point of last decay.
Tydeus my brother is
a poore exiled Squire,
The tother fryde by Mothers meanes
aliue in fatall fire.
My Dame vpon hir Corps
the cruell sworde did trie:
O Deianeire, O cursed wench,
why doste thou doubt to die?
By geniall rights I craue
this onely thing of thée
Not to surmise this wicked death
of purpose meant by mée.
For Nessus stroke with Dart,
declarde me that his blood
Would forcen loue, and saide it was
for that excéeding good.
I sent a Shirt to thée
imbrude therewith to trie:
O Deianeire, O cursed wench,
why doste thou doubt to die?
Now crooked Sire farewell,
and sister Gorge adue:
Thou Countrie with my brother exilde,
farewell I say to you.
And thou that art so lyke
to be the latter light
Mine eyes shall see: and Hercules
my spouse (O that thou might)
And little Hyl (my prettie boy)
I bid you all good night.
The Argument of the x. Epistle, entituled Ariadne to Theseus.
ANdrogeus by deceyte was done to death
And murthred by the men of Athens towne:
King Minos warrde to wreake his lasse of breath,
And brought in fine his sturdie enmies downe,
Scuen Mayden Babes, as many men by th'yeare
They yeelded vp to make his Monster cheare.
By lot they went, vntill they came at last
To Theseus, he into the doubtfull denne
(Clept Laberinth) to Minotaur was cast:
But ruthfull Ariadne taught him then
How to destroy the Monster, and to passe
By tracke of twist from Prison where he was.
With Ariadne he, and Phaedra scapes,
Ariude at Naxus, Bacchus gaue him charge
To leaue the one of those his goodly rapes
(That Ariadne hight) and let hir large.
When night was come, and she to slumber led,
With Phaedra he from Ariadne fled:
The Nymph (when sleepie nap was quite exilde,
And senses came to former force againe,)
Seing hir selfe so shamefully beguilde,
In wretched wise with teares began to plaine:
Requesting ruth, and platly making showe
That he to hir a better boone did owe.
The .x. Epistle. Ariadne to Theseus.
MOre friendly haue I founde
than thée the brutish kinde:
A worser garde than thou hast bene
I déeme I mought not finde.
Theseus: the lynes thou vewste
from that selfe shore I wright:
From whence (forsaking me by meane
of sayle) thou tookste thy flight.
Where mée, my fléepe, and thou,
(a wofull wight) betrayde:
Thou (out alas) that chose thy stemme
when I to sléepe was layde.
It was the tyme when soyle
with foggie Deaw was dight
But lately falne: and shrowded Foules
in shadie bushes shright.
Where I were waking then
or slumbring I wote nere:
But out I floong my fist to féele
where Theseus were there.
Was none such. Backe I drewe
my hande: and out againe
I rousde mine armes about the bed,
but (oh) it was in vaine.
The feare all sléepe exilde,
I rose in gastly dredde:
And from my wyddowish Couch I fell
and foule forsaken bedde.
Forthwith with ruthlesse handes,
I strake my bared brest:
And rent my locks, that hoong (as I
abrayde from sléepe) vndrest,
The Moone gaue light, I lookte
to vewe the countrie rounde:
But saue the stronde, and stonie rudge,
was nothing to be founde,
Now hither, thither then
I ranne and too and fro
I rangde, the Sande did lode my legges
I had much worke to go.
Thus whilste about the shore
on Theseus name I crie:
The hollow rocks at erie call
and cleaping did replie.
How oft I callde, the place
so often Theseus namde:
As though it woulde a wofull wight
hir ayde and succour framde.
There was a Mount, whereon
fewe trees aloft did growe:
Which now is wore a hanging rocke
yfret with waues that flowe.
Whereto I clambe, the heart
my limmes doth strenthen so:
As rounde about the surging Seas
my wandring eyes I throw.
From thence (for tho the windes
on me did vse their powre)
I sawe how with a Southren gale
thy strouting sayles did scowre.
I sawe it: or at least
for that I so surmisde,
More colde I woxe than yse, and deadly
pangues my heart surprisde.
Whome long to languish griefe
would not permit as than:
Abrayde from traunce, vpryste to call
on Theseus I began.
Why? whither fléest? (quoth I)
retire vnthriftie wight:
Doe turne thy Barck that lacks his load,
and is not throughly fright.
Looke what my voice might not
my plangor did supplie:
And with my wordes I medled strokes,
eche blowe ensude a crie.
Put case thou didst not heare:
yet mightst thou sée it plaine:
My handes displayde gaue siker signes
and tokens of my paine.
Vpon a pole I hoong
a flittering Kerchiffe white:
That might reuoke to minde, that thou
hadst mée forgotten quite.
At length I lost thy sight
then teares gan flush apace:
My chéekes long earst were woxen wanne
and flecked was my face.
What should mine eyes haue done
but waylde my wofull plight?
When that they saw they might no more
haue Theseus ship in sight?
Or I with tresses then
depending sole did runne,
Incited by the Ogigian God
as doth the drousie Nunne:
Or casting eye to Sea
did sit vpon a stone,
My selfe as much a rocke as was
the seate I sate vpon.
Oft times to bedde that had
receiude vs both I hast:
The bed which coulde not yéelde againe
the man that thence was past.
And as (I might) for thée
thy steps I did imbrace:
And eke the couch not throughly colde
where thou thy corps didst place.
I laie me downe, when teares
my deadly chéekes distaine:
And crie, reyéelde accoumpt of two
that hast receyued twaine.
Since hither both we came,
why part we not yfeare?
Thou trayterous couch, the chiefest part
make shewe where is it? where?
What might I doe? or sole
why whither should I flée?
Within this Ile ne workes of men
nor toyles of Oxen bée.
The Sea enuirons rounde
the Lande on euery side:
No shipman here, nor Hulck that dares
on perillous Sandes to ride.
Put case I had both Mates
and windes with wisshed saile:
My Syre debarres me to returne,
what shall the rest preuaile?
Though in a blissefull Barck
through calmed Seas I passe:
Though Aeole pease the windes, I shall
be banisht naythelasse.
Not Crete, that fostred Ioue
is léefull for to sée:
Wherein of great renoumed fame
a hundreth Cities bée.
For not alone the soyle
where Minos beares the sway,
But eke my Father by my fact
I fowly did betray.
When least thou vanquisht, shouldst
in Laberinth haue dide,
I gaue thée twiste thy skillesse foote
and twine thy steppes to guide,
When thou me spakste (by these
my present perills I
Protest that thou shalt aye be mine
till both of vs doe die.)
As yet we both doe liue
and I am not thy Make,
(If women may be saide to liue
whome periurde men forsake)
If with the Mace, that reft
my brother monsters breath,
Thou me hadst slaine, thy Hest had béene
accomplisht by my death.
Not now to minde alone
my future happes I call,
Which must ensue: but such as to
forsaken wightes doe fall.
Vnto my troubled thought
a thousande kindes of death
Resort, which lesse would grieue my ghost,
than this my lingred breath.
Now feare I [...] Woolues
[...] that come:
With gnashing téeth, and ramping pawes
my griefull guttes to nooine.
Perhaps this sauage soyle
the Lyon browne doth bréede:
Who wottes the ruthlesse Tygres where
this yrkesome yle doth féede?
To that, the Seas are sayd
great Whales to cast on lande:
And who (if I with sworde were wrongde)
by me would friendly stande?
Oh let me not be bound
as Vassell caught in bande:
Ne waste the day at turne and twist,
or carde with captiue hande:
That Minos haue to Sire
and Pasiphae to Dame:
And (that I chiefly fixe in thought)
thy pacted spouse that am.
When I suruey the Seas,
the lande, or stonie fleate:
The grounde doth manace manie things,
the waters eke doe threate.
Then onely skyes were left
the formes of Gods I feare:
A pray in wilde Desart forlorne
for hungrie beastes to teare.
Though men po [...] [...]
I giue no trust at all:
For wronged once, the forraynes fayth
into suspect I call.
O would Androgeus liude,
nor Athens bought so deare,
His doolefull death, by yéelding such
a tribute by the yeare.
Ne thou with knottie Mace
hadst done to death the Beast
That was a man for vpper partes,
a Bullock for the reast.
O that I ne had giuen
to thée the twisted Clewe,
Whereby the darcksome Denne to scape,
when thou the Monster slewe.
That thou art Victor aye
I nothing muse perdie:
Nor that thou madste the vgly Beast
of Creta so to die.
Thy steelie heart coulde not
be pierst with hurtfull horne:
Thy breast was garded well, thereon
though were none armour borne.
Thou thither flints conueydst,
and Adamant didst beare:
And that which slints doth farre surmount,
a Theseus hadst thou there.
O cruell sléepes, why did
you tho my limmes detaine?
I should as then with ruthlesse death
but once for all béene slaine.
Ye windes were spitefull eke
and readie (oh) too soone:
Ye puffing blastes to force my teares
ye haue your deuor doone.
The hand was cruell that
my brother and me hath slaine:
And faith ygraunted me that was
a name requird in vaine.
Sléepe, wind, and gaged troth
did all at once coniure:
One silly Nymph by triple cause
was guild without recure.
Oh that my mothers teares
I dying shall not sée:
Nor any for to close mine eyes
with fréendlie fist will be.
My haplesse ghost to straunge
and vncouth skies will flie:
No louing hand wil noynt my limmes
and carkasse when I die.
But for my bones vngraud
the Seafoule fowle will striue:
A worthy Sepulture for one
that well deserud aliue.
To Athens thou wilt passe,
where in the Cittie when
Thou art receiude, and plast in pride
amids thy countrie men:
And shalt declare the death
of double shaped beast:
And stonie lodge to doubtfull wayes
that doth so ofen wreast:
Display how me forlorne
thou leftst in Desart tho.
I naust not be forgot, ne séeme
to spoyle thy title so.
Not Aegeus was my fire,
nor Aethra gaue the brest:
Of rocks & waues that thou were bred
may eastlie be gest.
From ship top would thou mightst
me miser Wight haue viewde:
My grisly picture would haue forst
thy stony hart t'haue rewde.
Nowe not with eye beholde
but in thy mind suruay,
Mée clinging to the deaten rocke
which makes the waues to staie.
Sée how my locks doo hang
in wailefull mourning moode:
Behold my clothes with teares as moist
as they were washt in flood.
My carkas quakes as corne
enforst with Borias might:
My trembling fist the letters marres
as I my lynes doe wright.
By no desert of mine
(for that it framde awrie)
I sue to thée: let not my factes
deserue such thanks perdie:
Ne griefull paynes procure,
for though thy liuely breath
I ne did saue: yet hast thou no
iust cause to hast my death.
These fainting fistes, with beating
of my breast a good,
I (wofull wretch) extende to thée
through ouerwandred flood.
These locks (which yet are lest)
in doolefull wise I showe:
And by these teares I pray, which teares
thy facts enforce to flowe:
(Good Theseu) turne thy shippe
with wrested winde retoure:
Though ere thou come I die, yet of
the bones thou shalt be sure.
The Argument of the xj. Epistle, entituled Canace to Machareus.
KYng Aeols Sonne Machareus, fell in loue
With Canace beyonde the boundes of kinde,
To bed this beastly broode are gone to proue
Vnlawfull lustes delight, nature repinde:
She naythelesse fowly begot with Childe
Was brought a bed, a signe she was defilde.
The Nurce conuayde the Babe, who at the doore
Exclamde: The Grandsire heard the yelling sounde,
And found the filthie fact: he made no more
Adoe, but sent the Babe in blankets bounde
Into the fieldes of Rauens to be rent,
Or hungrie Dogges, or wandring Woolues he ment.
Beside, a sworde to Canace he sendes,
By cursed death to ende hir beastly life:
To worke hir fathers will the wench intendes,
But ere she felt the force of fathers knife,
To Machareus (to Delphos that was gone
For succours sake) thus ganshe make hir mone.
The .xj. Epistle. Canace to Machareus.
JF any blots doe blinde, or blurre my lynes,
The murther of their Maistresse makes ye sann
My right hande holdes the pen; the left a sworde,
And in my carefull lappe the Paper lyes.
Of Canace such is the griesly forme,
Whilst to hit brother she deuisde to write:
For so I may suffice my wrathfull Syre.
Oh, that himselfe were here a gazer on
His daughters death: Oh, that the Author sawe
With present eye, the thing he gaue in charge.
So ruthlesse he, and passing farre in rage
His whirling Southren blastes, that he with dr [...]
And teareles cheeks, my gaping woūds wold vew
T'is much (in fayth) with raging windes to liue,
Vnto his peoples kinde his nature grées,
A Ruler fitte for such a ruthlesse race.
Hee checks the Southren winde, and Zephyrus,
With Northren Aquilo he kéepes a coyle,
And (Eurus eake) thy stubborne winges he rules.
He maisters all the windes, not swelling wrath,
Vnto his vice, his conquerde kingdome yéeldes.
What now auayles by Grandsires to the skyes
Aduaunst to be? With Ioue to be allyde?
If naythelesse in womanish hande I holde
Vnsitting tooles the sworde, a scathfull gift?
(O Machareu) the day that vs conioynde
After my death one houre should haue be faine.
A brother why, more than a brother ought,
Imbrast thou mee? and why to thée was I
More than a sister to hir brother shoulde?
Eke I was toucht with loue, and I wote nere
What God it was that set my heart in flame.
My colour quite was fledde, my carkas leane
And bare became, my mouth refusde to féede.
Full harde by sléepe I came, eche night a yeare
Did séeme, I gronde, and had no hurt at all:
Ne coulde accoumpt my selfe why so I did,
Ne knewe what loue did meane, and yet did loue.
My Nurse with aged minde, perceyude it first,
And saide at first, I was with loue attachte.
Whereat I blusht, and cast mine eyes to ground,
And whist, which tokens were of guiltie minde.
At length my growing wombe began to stroute,
And wt his weight my weakned limmes opprest.
But then, what hearbe or drench was to be foūd,
That she ne brought, and boldely did applye?
To fine (which onely prancke thou neuer wiste)
My venter might of burthen be releast,
That woxe so fast within my growing guttes?
But (oh) the infant was so rype, and stacke
So nere my ribbes, as it was safe from scathe.
When Phoebus sister ninthly woxen was,
And tēth Moone gan to chase hir lightsome stedes:
I wist not what procurde my sodaine throwes,
A skillesse wight (God wotte) to beare a childe.
No longer I from crying coulde refraine,
Or holde my peace. What will you so vnfolde
(Qd Beldam Nurse) ye crime? & stopt my mouth.
What might I Miser doe? griefe forst me grunt,
But feare, and shame, and Beldam it forbode.
Then dolor I represt, and vttered wordes
Reuokte, and was enforst to drinke my teares.
Death stoode before my face, Lucina quite
Denyde to helpe: and death it selfe had bene
A monstrous cryme, if I as then had dyde.
When thou, with garments rent and foren lacks,
Relieued with thy breste my dying limmes,
And saidst. O sister liue, liue sister deare,
Ne in one corse destroy thou bodies twaine.
Let hope reduce thy force, that brothers spouse
Shalt be, and wife to him by whome thou art
A Mother made. In fayth I was reuiude
At those thy chéerefull words, that lay astraught,
And was releast of griefe and gylt at once.
Why doste thou so reioyce? King Aeole sits
Amid his stately Hawle, my fathers eyes
Muste neuer sée this filthie fact of mine.
The busie carefull Nurse with fillets fine
The Infant hid, and boughes of Oliue white:
A sacrifice she faynde and prayde apace.
My Father and all the people gaue hir way,
And licenst hir with fayned rites to passe.
When she to Thresholde came, the yelling crie
And clamor of the Babe the Father hearde;
And so the sielie childe it selfe bewrayde.
The Infant all inragde, Aeolus, raught,
And with his furious shrich the Pallace fillde,
The falsed sacrifice reuealing quite.
Euen as the Sea doth shake & trembling quappe,
When with a gentle gale it is enforst,
Or as the Ashe with Southren wind doth wagge
So mightst thou se my bloudlesse members shake,
Who lay as then ystraught vpon my bedde.
He rushing in, and with an open crie
Disclosde my fault, and from my Misers face
His ruthlesse handes with much a doe withhelde.
I blushing, nought, saue flushing teares gā shed,
With quaking feare my trebling tōgue was tide.
He gaue in charge the Babe, (his nephew) should
To Dogs and rauening foule in fieldes be floong.
The childe exclamde, as though he had conceiude
The Grandsires minde, to whom he sude for ruth
With voice, as he the sielie Miser coulde,
What heart had I then (Brother) to your doome?
(You may my case coniecture by your owne)
When fore my face into the desert groue,
My cruell foe, in hande my bowels hare,
Of Mountaine Wolues to be in quarters torne?
But out at length he from my lodge diuerts.
Then beate I on my breast with balefull strokes,
And with despitous nayles I rent my face.
Meane while wt mournful chéere frō Aeole comes
In message one, that thus bespake me tho.
Aeole (my Lorde) to thée this sworde hath sent,
(And therwith tooke it mée) and biddes thée know
By thy desert and merite what it meanes.
I wote, and will this sworde with courage vse,
Stabbing my Fathers gift into my breast.
O thou that gauste me life, with such rewardes
My mariage dost thou minde for to enrich?
O Father, shall thy Daughter thus be dowde?
Hymen deceyude, doe way thy bridall brandes,
And flee this wicked lodge with troubled foote.
On me, ye swarth Erinnyes, fling the flames
You beare, therewith to make my buriall blase.
O happie sisters, lincke with better lucke
But aye my fact in mindefull breast retaine.
Alas, what hath the sielie Babe deserude,
So lately brought to light and lothsome Skyes?
What fact of his ye Grandsires wrath might stir?
Let him be thought to haue deserude the same,
If so he could deserue. But (out alas)
His mothers guilt the Miser Infant byes.
O Sonne thy Mothers dole, the pray of beastes,
O thou the day of byrth, thy Dame berest,
O childe of haplesse loue, the piteous pledge,
This day thy first, and this shall be thy last.
Ne lawfull was for me with yolded teares
To bath thy corps: nor on thy graue to cast
My clipped locks, and tresses cut thereto.
Ne lay I on thy limmes, ne from thy mouth
The chillie kisse I caught and latter breath.
But gréedie beastes my rapted bowels rent.
And I by lurching wound the infants ghost
And shadew will pursue: ne will be saide
A Mother long, nor voyde of Babe to be.
But thou (whom all in vaine, and all for naught
Thy wretched Sister hopt) the scattred benes
Collect in fielde of thy yong Sonne and mine,
And bring them to their Dame, & place thē there,
Let one selfe vrne our bodies both containe.
Remember mée, and bath my Herse with teares;
Ne feare the corps of hir that looude thee well,
I craue thée to fulfill thy sisters Hestes.
A Miser most of all: and I will séeke
My cruell Fathers will to put in vre.
Thy dying wyfe and sister sayes adewe.
The Argument of the xij. Epistle, entituled Medea to Iason.
IAson in youthfull yeares to Colchos came,
And with the Fleese be filcht away a Mayde
Medea cleapt, and gan his voyage frame
To Thessalie, where once arriude he stayde.
The feeble Aeson she reducde againe
By solemne charme to lustie youthfull age,
With fresher bloud enstuffing erie [...]aine.
She made him yong to sight that earst was sage.
King Pelias daughters deare she did perswade
(A monstrous acte) to kill their aged Syre,
In hope she would the Prince a princoxe made:
Which they poore sielie Maydes did most desire.
With other fowler factes, which when shee had
For Iasons loue (as she reported) donne,
He shooke hir off, which made Medea mad,
And causde hir write these lynes to Aesons Sonne:
She sigth, she sude, she sobde, she manast eke
To be reuengde vpon the guilefull Greke.
The .xij. Epistle. Medea to Iason.
I Minde it yet how I of Colchos Queene
Aplide to thée, when yu my succor craudste
That I by Arte wold gard thée frō ānoy.
The sisters tho, ye mortall twist dispence,
There flaxen webbe should haue vnfolden quite:
Then might I Medea well haue lost my breath,
From that my lingred life is but a paine.
Aye mée. Why euer forst with youthfull armes
Came Iasons shippe to fet the Phrygian Fléece?
At Colchos why Magnetian Arge arriude?
And Gréekish route of Phasian flood did drinke?
Why more than néeded I thy golden lockes
Did lyke? thy featurde shape, & glosing tongue?
If once (for that a forraine shippe to shore
At Colchos came, & brought vndaunted wightes
And dreadlesse men to lande) Iason vnwares,
Not Phisickt first, had ronne to breathed flames,
And poynant hornes of fell and yrefull Bulles,
Or sowne the seede and had as many foes,
And Tilman had of tillage so bene slaine:
How much disceite (vnthrift) with thée had dide?
And I of how much wo acquited bene?
It is some pleasure to vnthankfull wightes,
For to obiect the good forepassed tournes.
That I will vse of thee, that onely ioy
And solace I will gaine, thou faythlesse man.
Thou hauing charge at Colchos to arriue,
In vncouth Hulke my wealthfull kingdome, and
My Countrie camste vnto, where I was then
The same that here thy nouell spouse is déemde.
My father was as rich, as is hir Syre.
He Ephyren with double Sea possest,
In frostie Scythia tother gouernde all,
As farre as Pontus lefter side doth lye.
Oeta tooke the youthfull Greekes to guestes,
With him, you men of Thessale did soiourne.
Then sawe I thée, and gan to knowe thy name:
That season brought my minde to ruine first.
I both did sée and perisht eke, inflamde
With fire vnknowne, & fride wt straūgie gleade,
As fore the Altars burnes the torche of Pyne.
Both featurde well thou were, and fates me drue,
Thine eyes my dazeled lightes did rauish quite:
Which quickly thou discridste. For who may well
Kéepe loue in mewe, that no man it discerne?
Aye flame it selfe by casting light, bewrayes.
Meanewhile ye king cōmaunds, & giues in charge
The bulles with brawned necks to bring to yoke.
Mauors his bulles they were dreadfull for horne,
Not sole, but breathing out a gastly flash:
Whose houes were brasse compact, their noses set
with gads of steele, which blak wt breathing lookt.
Moreouer in open fieldes to cast the séede
Engendring men thou were commaunded the,
Which wold assaile thée wt their late borne darts,
A thancklesse crop for him that tilde the soyle.
The waker Dragons eyes, that neuer slept
To guile, of all thy trauels was the last.
Thus spake Oetes, vp in gastefull dréede
Ye rose eche one, and from the Table start.
How farre from thee was then Creusas dowre?
And raigne in ioynture giuen? thy Fatherlaw
How farre? & mightie Creons daughter deare?
Away thou wentst dismaide: with vapord eyen
Whome I pursude, and softly bid adewe.
As soone as wounded I to Cabbin came
Where lay my couch: I spent the night in teares,
Before mine eyes the balefull Bullocks stoode,
The cursed séede, the watchfull Dragon eke:
Here feare & quiuering dréed, there loue did stand,
The feare it selfe my loue to more increast.
In dawning to my lodge my sister came,
Where me with toren tresse, and lying groufe
Vpon my face, besprent with teares she found
She craude my helpe for men of Thessalie:
What she requirde, that I to Iason gaue.
There stands a groue wt Béech & houlme so black
As scarce Apollos rayes may pierce the same:
There is in that (or tho at least there was)
Dianas Church, the Goddesse standing there,
With barbarous hande yframde of massie golde.
Minde you? or is the place with me forgot?
Thither we came yfeare, with ruthlesse tongue
And guilefull mouth when yu didst bourd me thus.
To thée hath fortune right and powre assignde
Of life and dreadfull death: within thy hande
(By hir appoynted lore) my state doth stay.
Sufficeth powre to spoyle, if any take
Therein delight: but I reserude from scathe
Shall make thy former prayse and glorie growe,
And blast thy brute in Trumpe of endlesse fame.
By my sinister haps (which lyes in thée
For to redresse) and by thy noble race,
And Grandsire, that all mortall things surueyes:
And by the triple forme of Dian, and
Hir priuie sacred rytes, this Countrie Gods,
(If any here within this soyle doe raine)
Rne on my Mates and me, O (Quéene) I pray:
And oblige mee vnto thée by this boone.
And so a Gretian thou not séeme to scorne,
(But how might I the Gods so friendly finde?)
Sooner my soule to weightlesse ayre shall waste,
Than any (saue your grace) with me be linckt
In spousall bande, and bridely knot be tyde.
Let Iuno witnesse bée, that hath in charge
The mariage rites: that holy Goddesse too
Within whose Marble Church we stooden now.
These, or the least of these, a siely Nymph
Might moue to ruth: our hands were ioyned ek [...]
I saw thy trickling teares. Where parte of guile
In them doth lurcke? so I was quickly wonne,
And soone entrapt with thy dissembling tongue.
Thou broughtst to yoke the brasen footed Bulles
Vnhurt of flame, and brakste the bidden soile
With pointed plough: wheron in stéede of graine
The Serpēts teeth yu floongst, wherof there sproong
A troupe of Souldiers sterne, wt sworde & shielde:
That I (who gaue thée oyntment) stoode in dréed,
To sée the sodaine broode with armour clad:
Till time the earthly brothers, twixt themselues
To ciuill combat fell, and fought yfeare,
A griesly sight, and wofull thing to tell.
Behold, the waker Serpent hissing came
With crackling scales, & with his bending breast
Did swéepe ye soile. Thē where was dowre becōe?
Then where thy Princely spouse? & Isthmos that
The double Sea deuides, and cuttes his course?
Euen I, that nowe so barbarous am become
To thée, (a poore and hurtfull person thought)
With forced sléepe, the Serpents eyes did feede,
That safely thou mightst reue the golden Fléese.
My Father I betrayde, my natiue soyle,
And kingdome I forsooke: and got the gyft
Which in exile a woman may attaine.
My chastice was a wandring Rouers pray:
My sister and my louing Dame I left.
But thée (O brother) I ne lefte behinde
At time of flight: my letter in this one
Place ginnes to faint, the thing my vētrous hand
Did dare to doe, it dares not to recorde:
So I (but euen with thee) should haue bene rent
Yet dradde I not (for what should me appall
As then a woman, and a guiltie wight)
My cursed corps to surging Seas to gage?
Wher are those gods? where those celestial states?
On vs amid the goulfe deserued plagues
And torments sende: on thée for thy deceyte,
On mée for that I gaue such credit light.
O that the ruthlesse rocks, Symphlegads, had
Our lymmes surprisde, and rent our bodies so
As might my bones vnto thy carkasse cloong:
Or cruell Scylla sent vs to hir whelpes
And Dogs to bene deuourde: for Scylla ought
Vngratefull wightes to plague, and pay wt paine.
Charybdis eke that belks the swallowde waues,
O that it had vnder Sicilian surge
Our yrkesome corses cast, & whelmde in goulfe.
Safe thou, and Victor to Aemonia comste,
And to the Gods presentst the golden Fléese.
What should I Pelias daughters name, that did
Aguilt to pittie mooude? who rent with hande
Their aged fathers bones? though other blame
Medea, yet thou haste cause to like hir well,
For whome I haue so often done amisse.
Thou didst not shame (O that I words doe wa [...]
To shew my iust complaint) thou didst not shame
To say: from Aesons house dislodge in haste.
Commaunded I departed, followde with
Mine infants two, and loue of thée, that aye
Pursues my track, and followes where I go.
Vnto mine eares as soone as Hymen came,
Carolde aloude, and kindeled Torches shone
With Bauen blase, & Shaulme began to sounde
Ditties of loue, ioyfull to thée, but more
Doolefull to me than is the Trumpets clang:
Afright I woxe, suspectyng no such yll,
Ne yet so foule offence: but naythelesse
Through all my breast the frostie cold did runne.
A rout of people ranne, and Hymen cryde,
Repeating oft the same: how much the voyce
More neare approcht, the more increast my wo.
My seruaunts sobde, and couertly did mourne
Who gladly would so great an euill reporte?
And me auayling more had bene, what so
It were, not to haue knowne. Yet sad and trist
I woxe, as though I had the truth discride.
When of my Boyes the lesser, for desire
To see tofore the doore at Wickat stoode.
Oh Mother mine (quoth he) forgoe the place,
With ioyly pompe my Father Iason commes,
And glittring twixt two chayned chyuals rydes.
I out of hand (my vesture rent abrode)
Did plague my brest wt blowes, wt nailes my face.
My minde perswaded me amids the throng
And thickest presse to runne, the garlands gay
From tresses smouthly trimde in rage to pull.
I hardely me withhelde from crying outs
(As I dissheuled was) t'is mine: and scarce
From laying handes thereon I tho abstaynde.
O wronged Syre reioyce: ye men of Colche
Be glad: and of my Brothers ghost receiue
Th'infests. My Countrie, house, & kingdome lost,
My spouse in stéede of all that stoode to me,
I reast refusde, and vtterly forlorne.
Serpents I did subdue, and furious Bulles,
One man to daunt vnable or to tame.
And I that raging fire by Arte repelde,
Can by no skill my wasting flame eschue
Inchauntments, herbes, and soceries faylen now,
The Goddesse nought, or mightie Hecate
Preuayles or helpes Medea in néedefull tyme.
Not pleasant is to me the day, the nightes
(That bitter are) I wake: no gentle sléepe
Doth daine to lodge in lamentable breast.
I, that my lymmes to flumber can not force,
Was able well the Dragons eyes to close.
Other my Artes, than me, doe more auaile.
The corps that I preserude a strumpet straynes
With folded armes and of my paynes hath sruite.
And thou perhaps whilst to thy fonded spouse
Dost braue, hir eares desirous to content,
Against my face and maners new found crymes
Dost forge. Well may she laugh at these defaults
Of mine: well let hir laugh in stately seate
With purple Robe attyre: the time will come
That she shall mourne, and wéepe againe as fast,
And farre surmount these hiddē scorching flames.
Whylst yron, fire, or poyson may be found,
No foe of Medeas shall vnwroken go.
If so by hap my prayers be of powre
To touch thy stéely heart, now lende an eare
To wordes that are inferiour to my minde.
For I to thée in humble sort doe sue,
To me as thou full oft hast done of yore,
Ne prone to lie before thy féete refuse.
If me thou set so light, yet haue remorse
Of those our Babes, that common are to both.
A cruell stepdame will my children wrath,
And rigorously entreate in ruthlesse sorte:
And they too much resemble thée, that are
Trapt by thy forme, whose ymage moues me sort
And whome how oft I sée: so oft my face
And moysted chéekes wt teares are all bedewde.
By Gods I make request, by flaming light
My Grandsire giues, and by mine earned boone,
And by thy Babes (the pawnes of perfite loue)
Reyéelde the bridely bed, for which I shonde
So many things: accomplish thy behest,
And doe with ayde thy Miser spouse relieue.
Gainst men, or Bulles, of thée no ayde I craue,
Ne that thou shouldst ye watchful Dragon drench,
And force him yéelde his daunted eyes to sléepe:
But thée (that art mine owne infeft) I craue,
That by thy fact hast me a Mother made.
Demaundste thou for my dowre? in ye self fielde
(That was to eare for golden Fleese) it lay.
That verie Fléese of golde, my ioynture was,
Which if I should reclaime, thou wouldst debarre
Thy selfe preserude my dowre: the Greekish youth
My ioynture was, therewith the wealth compare
Of Creons darling, iudge the price of both.
That thou dost liue and art a wifebound man,
Linckt with a spouse, and hast a Fatherlaw,)
And that thou canst nowe shew thy selfe vnkinde:
To me impute it, whence the guerdon came.
Whome I will out of hande. But to foretell
The paynes what wil auaile? Ay swelling wrath
Is full of threates, disclosing secret thought.
Euen whither yre shall leade, I will enfue.
And then perhaps he shall repent his déede,
As I lament, I gaue a faythlesse man
Such credit, and beléeude the wordes he spake
That god descerne the same, which stirrs my brest
I ne wote what greater thing my heart intendes.
The Argument of the xiij. Epistle, entituled Laodameia to Protesilaus.
WIth fourtie sayle when Protesilaus went
To Troie warde, to fight for Helens rape,
The tempest so withstoode the Greekes intent,
As they from out port Aulide could not scape.
When flickring fame this brute had blasted wide,
His louing wife Laodameia wrought
Him thus, she shewes hir dreames, she willes beside
That he the Prophetes wordes should print in thought.
Whose aunswere was, that who so leapte to lande
First of the Greekes when they to Troie came,
Shoulde die the death, t'was bootelesse to withstande,
For why, the Gods appointed had the same.
He naythelesse for all his spouses wordes
(Coragious Lad) first leapte from shippe to shore,
And for his paine, was done to death with sworde,
As had the Oracle pronounst before,
This was the cause Laodameia pende
These lines, this made the wyfe this Pistle sende.
The .xiij. Epistle. Laodameia to Protesilaus.
AEmonian Laodameia sendeth health,
And gréeting to Protesilaus hir sp [...]use:
And wisheth it, where he soiourns to stay.
Reporte hath spred in Aulide that you lie
In rode, by meane of fierce and frowarde gale.
Ah, whē thou me forsookste, where was ye winde?
Thē broiling seas thine Oares shold haue wtstood,
That was a sitting time for wrathfull waues.
Moe kisses with a greater charge, I would
Vnto my spouse haue giuen, and parled more.
But hedlong hence thou wentst, & wished winde
Of Seamen not of me, thy sayles allurde:
That gale was méete for Mariners, vnfitte
For those that loue. O spouse and Féere electe
Too soone I was thy clasping armes bereft.
Vnperfite were the wordes, my foltring tongue
Pronounste, scarce coulde it speake and bid adue.
Then Boreas blewe and bore thy sayles away,
And yu (O spouse) were quickly hence conuayde.
It did me good (as long as lawfull was)
To gase vpon thy face, and with mine eyes
At parture to beholde thy countenaunce.
When thou were out of sight, I saw thy sayles,
Thy sayles, that long my staring eyes detaind,
When neyther thée at last nor sayles I sawe,
And nought saue waltring waues was to be sene:
With thée my eyesight fled, and bloudlesse all
(With darkesome cloude beset) I fell to ground.
My fainting knées refuse to beare the corps.
Whome Iphiclus my Fatherlawe, nor olde
Acastus lod with yeares, ne Mother searce
With water cold, from swowning might reduce.
A charitable déede they wrought, to me
Gainelesse, I loth that I ne tho had dyde.
Euen with remembrance, griefe renude againe,
And loyall loue did gripe my chastefull breast.
No care had I as then my tresse to trim,
Ne yet with curious robes my limmes to wrappe.
As they with leauie thirse whō Bacchus beates:
So to and fro, as furie forst I ranne.
Phylacian Matrones came to me and cryde,
Laodamie, doe on thy brauest wéedes.
Shall I in purple Robe and Silkes be clad,
And he wage warre vnder the walles of Troie?
Shall I go kembe my tresse, and he an Helme
Vpon his head sustaine? fresh garments should
I weare, and he his clattring Armour welde?
As neare as euer I may, thy trauelles I
Resemble will with doole: and during time
Thou art in siege, will lead a dismoll life.
Duke Paris, Priams Sonne (whose beautie bred
The scath of thine) I wish thou mayst as slow
An enmie be, as yll thou were a guest.
Oh that or thou disliked hadst the face
Of yong Atrides spouse, or she thy porte.
Thou Gréeke, that for thy rapted wife to great
A strife dost stirre, and ouermuch dost toyle:
(Aye me) doolefull reuenge to manie wilte.
In future time, and wailefull wreake procure.
Yée Gods I pray from vs th'abodement fell
Remoue, and graunt that my reuerted Féere
In temple may to Ioue his armour yéelde.
But sore I dreade, and looke how oft I minde
The lamentable warre, and fearefull fight,
Teares from my chéekes as thawed snow do tril.
Ide, Tenedos, Xanthus, and Ilion
With Symois, are gastely names to tell.
Ne would the guest presumde or bene so bolde
Away to haue a Greekish Feme purloynde,
Vnlesse he had by powre and strength of hande
Bene able to maintaine, and beare it out.
His puissant force to him was not vnknowne.
He came reported, all betrapt with Golde,
And Troian wealth vpon his bodie bare:
With men and armoue storde, the aydes of warre.
And who with all his Countrie strength at once
And Princely powre to forraine landes doth goe?
These Helen (I surmise) did thee attache,
And vanquished, which may the Gréekes annoy.
Of Hector I adrad, I know not whome,
But Hector (by report of Paris) fightes
With bloudie hande, & deales with deadly sword.
That Hector, that beware, what so he be,
If any loue of me as yet be left,
His graued name in mindefull brest ensculpe,
Him when thou hast escapte auoide the reast:
And many Hectors there surmise to bée.
And saye (when thou art euen at poynt to fight)
Laodamie my spouse did bid me spare.
If lawfull be that Gréekes shall conquer Troie
And Ilion by sorted lotte subdue:
Without thy woundes let it to ruine runne.
Let Menelaus martch against his fors,
And Paris spoyle of that which Paris reft.
Let him amid the presse of enmies throunge,
And winne in armes, whome he in cause subdues.
The husbande ought the wife to rescue, yea
Though she were plaste amid a troupe of fees.
Thy cause is farre vnlike, contende for life,
And harmelesse to escape, and onely to
Thy Ladyes lappe in safetie to retyre.
Yée Dardanes, of so manie spare me one,
Ne from his corps enforce my bloud to flush.
He is not one whome may be seeme to fight.
Or to his martiall foe his breast to gage.
He better may that fightes for heartie zeale,
Let others flash, let Protesilaus loue.
Him I confesse I would withhelde at home,
My tongue for feare of yll abodement stack.
When from thy fathers house to Troie warde
Thou wentst, thy foote at thresholde stumbled tho.
Which when I sawe, in silence mourning sayde,
Graunt Gods that this portende a good retourne.
Now doe I this display, for thou in armes
Too ventrous shouldst not be: procure that this
My feare to vaine and vacant windes may turne.
And sort (I wote not whome) appointed hath
To vndeserued fate, that first of Gréekes
With forwarde foote shall touch the Troian soile.
O cursed Feme, that first shall waile the losse
Of hir adempted feare. I craue the Gods
Thou shew not then thy selfe excessiue stout.
Of thousand shippes let thine the latter bée,
And last of all the sundred waues deuide,
(And this for warning take) go last on lande.
T'is not thy natiue soyle thou flittest too,
At thy returne let sayle and Oare be plyde,
And haste thy Barck to thy well knowne shore.
Where Phoebus lurke, or else doe shine aloft,
Both day and night thou bréedste my griefull wo.
But most by might, for that a season is
To women (that with clinching armes im brace
Their louers limmes) of sugred sport and ioy.
For falsed sléepes I hunt in carefull Couch,
Féeding on false delights, for want of true.
But why to me thy Image pale appeares?
And from thy mouth why such cōplaint procéeds?
Enforst to watch, the yrkesome ghostes of night
And visions I adore: no Altare through
All Thessalie my fuming smoke doth lacke.
Incense I yéelde with intermedled teares,
Which mingde doe surge as wine ycast in flame
When I with gréedie armes, shall thée retourde
Imbracing lie, and senselesse ware for ioy?
When lodgde with me in one selfe carelesse couch
Wilt thou the valiant factes of battaile blase?
Which whilst yu shalt describe, though I to heare
Shall long, yet will we coll and kisse betwixt.
For kissing deckes the tale with better grace,
And stay procures ye tongue more prompt to parle.
But when I think of Troie, both wind and Seas
Returne to minde: and hope by hoofull feare
Is vanquisht cleane, and put to sodaine flight.
And that the windes your middle passage barre
Moues me. In spite of waues you minde to passe.
Who to his Countrie would with frowarde gale,
Against the will of windes shape his returne?
And you from Greece in troublous tēpest trudge.
Vnto his towne Neptunus barres your course.
Whither hast you? eche vnto his home retyre.
Why, whither go you Gréekes? beholde ye winds
And coūterthwarting blasts. Some God procures
(Not soddain chaūce) no doubt, this lingring stay.
What saue a shamefull drabbe and harlot rancke,
By this your warre & battayles broyle is sought?
Whilst yet you may, and lawfull is your sayles
And flitting Barckes back to Achaia bende.
But why doe I reuoke? or call thée home?
Let all abodements go. I pray the windes
And calmed waues to further thine intent.
I spite at Troian Dames, that shall suruay
The Funerals of their Féeres & waileful spoiles,
Nor haue their foes farre frō their coūtrie boūds.
The late betrothed spouse hir selfe will d'on
Hir husbands Helme and harnesse with hir hand.
She will giue armour, and whilste armour shée
Doth giue (a gratefull thing to both) will kisse,
And fellow forth hir spouse, with charge to make
Retyre, and say (to Ioue thy weapons vowe)
Reseruing he his recent charge in minde,
Will warely fight, and cast an eye to home:
She at returne will loose hir spouses Helme,
And doe his Targe away, his wearie limmes
Relieuing with hir ayde as best she may.
We doubtfull in suspence, and dreade doe stande,
Fearing eche thing that may by fortune fall.
Yet whilste in forraine coast thou wagest warre,
Of War that represents thy face, I haue
A table made: to whome I tell my tale,
And kisse, as I thy corse was wont to coll.
The picture is more than it séemes to sight.
In fayth allowe the waren forme a sounde.
And it will be Protesilaus out right:
That I beholde, and in my husbandes steade
Betwix my paps doe place, and frame complaint
Thereto, as though it had the powre to speake.
By thy retourne, and corps (my saints I sweare)
By egall lightes of mariage and of minde:
And by thy head (which fright with siluer locks
To fine that I may sée: and that thou mayst
In health reuert) I sweare, that whither thou
Shalt giue in charge, to thée I will repayre
As fellowing Mate, whether thou liue, or oh
That more I dreade and stand oh more appald.
With this precept and onely charge I ende,
Respect thy selfe, and haue remorse of me?
The Argument of the xiiij. Epistle, entituled Hypermnestra to Lyncius.
TO fiftie daughters Danaus was Syre,
His brother Aegypt had as many sonnes:
Whome be to match did earnestly desire,
With Danaus daughters: he the mariage shonnes,
And reason why: the Oracle had sed
His sonne in lawe should hewen off his bed.
Aegyptus wroth with this his brothers deede
(Of purpose that to Argos went his way
For cause the mariage should not so proceede)
Sent all his sonnes with Souldiars for to stay
Their Vncle: or his daughters at the least
To take to wiues, and make a mariage feast.
The siedge was layde and Danaus in fine
Of force compellde for safties sake to yeelde
His brothers sute although he did repine:
When mariage day approcht, the father willde
His daughters to destroie with cruell kniues
Their husbandes, and to reaue their Nephewes liues.
The day was come, eche slue hir slumbring Make,
Saue Hypermnestra, that of all the rest
Spared hir spouse, and warned him to take
His flight: such ruth did lodge in louing breast.
According to hir counsell so he did,
And by that meane himselfe from daunger rid.
In dawning when the father came, he sawe
Eche daughter had hir sleepie husband slaine,
Saue Hypermnestra: whome withouten lawe
He sent to warde, in Prison hir to paine,
Where being lodgde, these lynes to Lynceus she
Deuisde and sent from Gyues releast to be.
The .xiiij. Epistle. Hypermnestra to Lynceus.
TO him that of so many brethren lyues,
And sole suruiues, I Hypermnestra sende:
The rest by their wiues guilt were fowly slaine.
I lode with Giues in Prison am detainde,
And not aguilting is my cause of scath.
For that my hande to murther not presumde,
I did offence: but so I had done euill
And ruthlesse bene, I semblant prayse had wonne.
More leffer I accoumpt guilt to sustaine,
Than in such sort to please mine angrie Syre.
Ne loth I hands of murther voyde to haue.
Though me my Syre (whō I ne wrongde at all)
With threatfull flame consumde, or manace with
The fire that present was at sacred rytes,
Or slea with sworde which shamefully he gaue,
And wife sustaine the death hir husbande should:
Yet shall he not my dying iawes enforce
For to repent, or loth such friendly ruth.
Let Danaus, and my sisters for their fact
Agrise: This ende such mischiefe aye ensues.
Recounting of that bloudie night doth make
My heart to quake, and sodaine tremor force
My hand to stay from that I thought to write:
She whom they déemd could haue hir hus [...]d slain
Of murther not committed dreedes to write:
But yet I will assay. With mantle black
When yrkesome shade gan ouerspreade the soyle,
And fayling day did yéelde to growing night:
We sisters led to Danaus Castle came,
And there Aegypt his daughters intertainde,
Which priuily were armde wt wreakfull blades,
On euerie side the golden Lamps did shine,
And in vnwilling flames the incense fumde.
The people Hymen cryde, but Hymen fled
The place, and Iuno tho hir towne forewent.
When staggring they with wine, & fellowes crie,
With garlandes fresh about their moysted locks,
To lodgings glad (their buriall places) go,
And on their funerall beddes their corpses cast.
With Wine and slumber now they loden lay,
And quiet rest throughout all Argos was,
When (to my séeming) round about I heard
Of dying men the grunts: which I in déede.
Did heare, and as I drad, it fell at last.
My bloud was fled, the heate forsooke my limmes
And in my nouell Couch full coulde I lay.
As Zephyrus the flender Reedes doth stirre,
And winter ayre doth shake the Popple trée:
Euen so (or more) I quooke: astraught thou layst,
The wine I gaue thée, was to forcen sléepe.
My fathers charge all feare had quite exilde,
I rose, and tooke in trembling hande the sworde.
(I tell but truth) thrise caught I vp the toole,
And thrise from out my reaching fist it fell.
I naythelesse constrained by my Sires
Ruthlesse precept, and wailefull warning giuen,
Vnto thy throte applide the threatning sworde.
But feare and pitie my attemptes withstoode:
My ruthfull fist refusde my fathers charge.
Renting my purple robes and tresses downe,
In whispring wise then thus I gan to speake.
Thy father (Hypermnestra) cruell is
To thée, fulfill his Hest: a fellow let
Thy husband Lynceus to his brothers goe.
Ah, I a maiden am by nature and
By age debonaire, ne my hande for warre
And slaughter sitting is, vnseemely fact.
But what? go to, and whilste occasion serues,
Thy valiant sisters sue: I déeme by this
They all their Feeres haue sent to Plutos Court.
Fye, if this hand could any murther done,
Vnto my bloud it should an issue giuen.
For bearing rule within their vncles reigne,
They not deserued death, which naythélesse
To forraine sonnes in law should bene assignde.
Put case the men had well deserude to die,
What haue we misers done? or how aguilt?
What makes that I should not be ruthfull aye?
Fie? what with cruell sword haue I to doe?
What should a Maid wt warlike weapons deale?
My handes for turne and twist more fitter were.
Thus I, and whilste I plaine, my teares ensude,
And from my face vpon thy carcasse fell.
Whilst me to colle, yu threwst thy senselesse armes
The sword well nie thine armes had recht a woūd
At length of Sire, his seruants and the daye
Dreading: these words to breake thy sléepe, I spake
Lynceus, that of thy brothers sole doste liue,
This night (vnlesse thou haste) will be thy last.
Thou startst affright, and sléepe abandoned
In trembling fist thou sawste the cruell sword.
To thée that tho didst long to know the cause,
Whilst night wil giue thée leaue (flée, flée, ꝙ I)
By night thou fledst, and I remainde behinde.
Aurora rose, when Danaus gan to compt
And tell the corses of his murthred sonnes:
Thou onely of the tale were founde alack.
That of his nephewes one had scapte the death,
He tooke in rage, complaining not inough
Bloudshed to be: such was his eger thyrst:
I from my fathers féete was taken straight,
And halde by the haire, to cruell prison thrust:
Of ruthfull pitie such the guerdon was.
Dame Iunos wrath hath euer sith endurde,
That Iö of a Nimphe a Cowe became
And from a Cowe to Goddesse was transformde
Alas, t'was paine inough a sielie maide
To lowgh in fieldes, and not hir Ioue to please.
But lately made a Cowe, hir fathers banckes
She stoode vpon, and gazed in the flood
Vpon the hornes which earst were neuer hirs,
And minding for to speake she lowght a good,
Both of hir forme, and of hir voyce afrayde.
Why Myser dost thou flée? why musest at
Thy selfe in foorde, and numbrest so thy féete?
That art to other members now transmude?
Thou, whome Dame Iuno had in great suspect,
With boughes, and sedge thy famine dost expell.
Of floud thou drinkste, and gazest all agast
Vpon thy forme, dreading the hornes thou bearst,
And one, of late so rich as might accoye
The mightie Ioue, lyest bare vpon the soyle.
By Seas, by landes, and cosin flouds thou runst,
Both sea and lande, and lakes doe giue thée way,
Passage both sea and lande, and Lakes allowe.
What is thy cause of flight? why (Iö) why
Ranglest thou so the largie Seas about?
Thine owne countnance yu mayst not wel auoide.
Why (Iö) whither fléest? the thing thou shoonsts
Thou followste aye, and doste by flight pursue:
Thou doste both leade and follow hir that leades.
Nilus, to sea with seauen folde streame yt flowes,
Made hir doe way hir brutishe shape at last.
What néede I name the reast, that aged folke
Recite? my yeares occasion yéelde of plaint.
My Syre and Vncle warre, wée sisters wée
Of Realme and raigne exilde, are banisht farre,
He cruell both the Seate, and Scepter rules,
We néedie rangle with our néedefull Syre.
Of brethren now the lesser parte doth liue.
Whome I (as well the parties done to death
As Authors of the cruell facte) bewayle.
For looke how many brothers I am bereft
So many louing systers loste I eke.
For eyther part my dolefull teares I shead.
Lo, I (cause thou doste liue) sustaine the smart.
What should I guiltie beare? what tormēt bide,
That wrongfull paine without desert endure?
I that was one of hundred allyes earst,
One brother liuing Miser shall be flaine.
But thou (O Lynceus) if regarde at all
Of ruthfull Syster lodge within thy breast,
And worthie be, the friendship I haue showde
Or ayde mée, or with death foredoe my corse.
And laye my limmes deuoide of lyfe by stealth
In earth, my bones engraue with faithfull teares,
And on my Tombe this slender title write.
A boone vnfit for ruth,
in wrong exile the death
Bode Hypermnestra, cause she saude
hir brother Linceꝰ breath.
Much more in heart yet coulde I finde to write,
Saue that my hands ye clincking chaines doe lode,
And gastly feare my wonted strength bereaues.
The Argument of the xv. Epistle, entituled Paris to Helen.
SYr Paris gone to Greece
faire Helena to coy,
In Lacedemon landes at length,
receiued lyke a Roy
At Menelaus house:
the Host to Creta goes
Atreus goodes but lately deade,
in order to dispose.
Whose absence gaue the guest
occasion to bewraye
His sute to Helen, whilst (goodman)
hir husbande was awaye.
He shewes his secret loue
and what good will he beares,
And to make breach into the Forte
the subtile Souldier sweares.
He bragges of stately stocke,
be vauntes of Princely kinde:
He telles of Dardan dames of Troie
and more than was to finde.
The Ladie to allure,
his painted sheath he showde:
And in this wise his Pecocks plumes
the Troian spred abrode.
The .xv. Epistle. Paris to Helen.
THis gréeting Paris sendes
to Ledas daughter deare:
Whose helthfull state doth whole depend
vpon thy friendly cheare.
What? shall I speake? or néedes
not this my flame be showne?
And more than I coulde wishe to be
is loue alreadie knowne?
More leffer shoulde it lurcke
(if I might haue my will)
Till Fortune framde, as feare ne dreade
my gladsome ioyes might spill.
But I to cloake by craft
my loue not knowe the wayes:
For who can hide the flanckring flame
that still it selfe betrayes?
But if thou looke that I
with worde confirme the déede:
Take this as proufe of hidden heart,
I frie with feruent gleede.
Let him that doth confesse
finde at thy hande such grace:
In reading friendly all the reast,
as fittes thy featurde face.
It made mée ioye to heare
my Letters were receyude:
Whereof that he shall fauour finde
thy Paris hath conceyude.
Which hope I wishe to be
of force, nor thou for nought
Of mée through ouerpassed seas
by Venus Hestes be sought.
For least thou witlesse ere,
I came vnto this place
By warning of the Gods, and no
small God doth ayde my case.
Great matters I demaunde,
but not vndue to mée:
For Venus did compounde that I
should fast be linckt with thée.
By hir conduct I from
Sigeian countrye came
In Phereclean Barck, and did
by seas my iourney frame.
Shée gaue me windes at will,
and weather safe to saile:
No maruell if she that was borne
of waues, on seas preuaile.
Let hir persist, and calme
the raging of my breast,
As earst she did the seas: and bring
my vowes to harbours reast.
I brought with mée this fire
I founde not hers my flame:
Which was the cause that hither I
my voyage long did frame.
Not hither winters stormes
or errour mée did driue,
At Tenaris was aye my minde
and purpose to ariue.
Surmise not mée with wares
or marchaunts Mart to wende
Through fishfull flouds: the wealth I haue
immortall Gods defende.
Ne as a gaser I
to Graian Cities came:
For Troian towne (my natiue soyle)
the Greece would lightly shame.
But thou, whome Venus earst
vnto my bedde behight,
Didst cause me come, for whome I wisht
or ere I knewe the wight.
In minde I vewde thy face
before I sawe with eye:
And brute by stickring fame at first
thy beautie did descrie.
And maruell is it none
if I as one that was
Ystroke a farre with thirlings shafte,
in loue my time doe passe.
For so it pleasde thē Fates,
which least thou séeke to breake:
Lende eare to such vndoubted truthes
as I intende to speake.
When me within hir wombe
my mother did detaine:
And that the wearie poyse thereof
hir strowting corps did paine:
She séemde by Morpheus meanes
in dasled doubtfull dreame,
To haue as then bene brought a bedde
with flaming fierie streame.
Afright with feare she rose,
and what she sawe she tolde
The aged King, and he forthwith
consulted sages olde.
Who preaching did pronounce
that Ilion shoulde flame
With Paris fire, this ardent loue
I féele, it was the same.
My forme and forwarde heart
(though then I séemde but base)
Was proufe and token that I came
of Noble haughtie race.
A place there is in Ide
myd bushie laundes belowe,
Whereto no open way doth lye,
but Pire and Houlme doth growe:
Where neyther simple shéepe,
nor Mountaine Goate did gnawe:
Nor lumpishe Oxe with flapping lyppes
had filde hys mownching mawe.
From thence the Dardane walles,
and buildings huge to sée:
And waltring waues of drenching seas,
I leande against a trée.
With trampling féete me thought
the soyle began to moue:
(Though I displaye but truth, yet thou
wilt scarce my tale approue.)
By force of flickring wings
was brought vnto the place
Cylenus, (Atlas Nephewe néere,)
and stoode tofore my face.
(As lawfull t'was to sée,
be léefull to recite)
And in his hande a golden rodde,
the God did holde vpright.
And Heauenly Ladies thrée,
dame Venus, Iuno and
The Princely Pallas, all at once
set footing on the sand.
I quooke for dread, my haire
stoode staring on my head:
When (set thy feare aside) to mée
the winged Herawide sed.
Thou art a Iudge of formes,
stint all this godly warre:
And tell which of these thrée by right
thy verdit doth prefarre.
And least I shoulde refuse,
from Ioue he gaue me charge:
And therewith flue with gate direct
into the Heauens large.
My strength began to growe,
and courage come anewe:
And then I drad not of the thrée
to take a perfite vewe.
All were surpassing wightes,
but yet I stoode in dred,
(Assigned Iudge) that erye one
might not alike be sped.
For one among the reast
surmounted other so:
As that it were the Nurce of loue
thy selfe wouldst lightly knowe.
Such carke they had to winne,
as eche one did intende,
By largesse, and their goodly giftes
my doubtfull doome to bende.
An Empire Iuno gaue,
dame Pallas vertues raigne:
I doubtfull stoode where powre or vertue
were the best of twaine.
When swéetely Venus sinilde,
let giftes not moue thy minde
(Quoth she) friend Paris: both repleate
with trouble thou shalt finde.
My onely boone shall be,
that thou shalt loue, and haue
The snowe white Ledas dearling deare
and daughter passing braue.
She saide, when iustly scande
both formes and profers weare:
The last with pricke and prayse began
to mount vp to hir spheare.
Meanewhile (as frowarde fates
to better fortune grewe)
By certaine signes for Priams childe
the Troians Paris knewe.
The sonne receyude, the house
long time was filde with ioie:
And that selfe day continues still
as halowde yet in Troie.
And as I long for thée,
so maydens looude me well:
Thou onely mayst their wishe atchiue,
and beare awaye the bell.
Not Princes heyres alone
or daintie dames imbrast:
But séemely Nymphes in ardent loue
with me were coupled fast.
But lothsome was their loue,
I wayde them all aléeke.
When I of Helen stoode in hope,
whome Venus willde me séeke.
I waking with mine eye
did sée thy face by daye:
And in my heart I vewde thy forme
when Phoebus fled awaye.
What wilt thou present doe,
that in thine absence so
Didst Paris please? I fryde though farre
the fierie flame were tho.
Ne longer this my hope
I coulde deferre at last,
But that my purpose to aspire
to Sea I went in hast.
With Phrygian Axe were cut
the Troian troes to grounde:
And timber what so for the seas
most fittest then was founde.
The haughtie hilles were spoylde
of great and woxen woods:
And Ida leant me many a trée,
with all their sturdie shrowds.
The Okes for warped Keales
and rudder were ysquarde:
And with his crouked clinching ribbes
the ship was well preparde.
Wée added Maste and toppe,
and hanging sayles thereto:
And in the sides our painted Gods
were portred all aroe.
In shippe wherein I went
was with hir little boye
Dame Venus grauen, whose behest
was causer of my ioye.
When Nauie was addrest,
and readie was the charge:
To passe vpon Aegean seas
was giuen me in charge.
My parents by request
my voyage woulde haue stayde:
And that I would soiourne with them,
as earnest suters prayde.
My sister with hir lockes
(Cassandra) lolling downe:
(When shippes were ready to avale
from porte within a stowne)
Why? whither goste (ꝙ she?)
thy freyghting shall be flame:
Thou little knowste what fyre thou feest,
that doste thys iourney frame.
I finde hir wordes a troth,
I féele the foresaide heate:
And raging loue in yéelding breast
as kindled cole doth freate.
With that I left the porte,
by meane of blissefull blast
And friendly gale: I did arriue
vpon thy coast at last.
Thy husbande tooke mee guest,
with whome I harbourde thoe:
And not without the Gods aduise
he practisde that I knowe.
Who made mée shewe of all
that goodly was to vewe
In Lacedemon, or else where
in stately Greece he knewe.
But nought might please my eye,
or hungrie fansie leeke:
Who for thy passing praysed shape
with longing heart did séeke.
Whome when I sawe, I musde,
mine inwarde parts I fealt
Surprisde with newe vnwoonted cares
in monstrous wise to mealt.
A face resembling thine
(of trouth I minde it well)
Had Venus, when to iudge of hues
to Paris lot it fell.
If thou hadst there bene prest,
contending for the game:
I doubt where Lady Venus shoulde
so lightly wonne the same.
Reporte hath spread thy prayse,
and Fame hir trumpet blowne:
So that in euery countrie is
fayre Helens beautie knowne.
In Troian towne is none,
nor from the rifing Sunne
A famous Lasse, that for hir hue
a semblaunt prayse hath wonne.
And if thou darste beleue,
thy beautie doth surpasse:
And common rumor doth impayre
and bréedes thy beautie lasse.
Here finde I more than mée
the Goddesse had behight:
And all that glory by thy face
and forme is passed quight.
Not Theseus looude for nought,
that knewe so well thy shape:
That were of such a noble Duke
surmisde a séemely rape.
When by the Gréekishe guise
a naked Nymph didst sporte
With naked wightes, in place of playe
where Grecians did resorte.
I prayse him for his rape,
I muse he would forgoe
So good a pray: with valiant heart
it shoulde bene healde you knowe.
For from these shoulders first
should fall my scotched skull:
Ere thee out of my griping handes
a mortall wight shoulde pull.
Would ere these armes of mine
haue let thee so depart?
Or during life mightste thou at all
from Paris clummes astart?
If néedes I should forgone,
I would haue had a share,
Nor all in Idle should haue layne
the lustfull Venus ware.
Or I thy maydenhead woulde
and daintie flowre haue gainde:
Or that which might haue bene allowde;
if maydenhead were restrainde.
To Paris plye, and thou
his constant heart shalt trie:
Who vowes with thée in selfe same fire
and funerall flame to frie.
For I haue thée preferrde
before the regall Mace,
Which welthfull Iuno offred, when
I sate in Iudges place.
And to thée fine I might
with armes thy neck enfolde:
I scornde the vertue Pallas gaue,
more worth than glowing golde:
That time when Ladies thrée
appearde in stately Ide,
By dexter iudgement there to haue
their doubtfull quarrell tride:
I sorrow not my choyce,
ne yet repent at all [...]:
My stable minde doth aye persist
as then it did, and shall.
This one request I make,
let not my hope be vaine,
(O famous dame) that well deseruste
pursute with endlesse paine.
No Raskall séekes to match
himselfe in Gentils blood:
Ne thou to be my wedded spouse
mayst thinke thy selfe too good.
The Pleyade mayst thou finde,
and Ioue with stately stile
To me alide, the middle Grandsires
though I shoulde concile.
In Asia raignes my Syre,
(a freshe and fruitefull soyle)
Which scarcely may enuironde be
with long and painefull toyle.
Of Cities many one,
and lodges shalt thou sée:
And Temples such as fit for Gods
thy selfe wilt déeme to bée.
Great Walles with loftie towres
and Ilion shalt thou bewe:
Which stately buildings by the sounde
of Phoebus musicke grewe.
What of the hugie presse
of people should I tell?
The Countrie scarce containes the folke
that in the Cities dwell.
A troupe of Troian Dames,
and Matrones thée will méete:
The Phrygian Femes will stuffe eche Porch,
and euery other streete;
How often wilt thou saye
Achaia is but powre?
The wealth of Gréekish townes is founde
in euery little bowre,
Ne lawfull is for mee
thy Sparta to despise:
The place where thou were fostred, I
most blissefull doe surmise.
Yet Sparta is but spare,
more pompe thou dost deserue:
So meane a soyle for such a face
doth nothing fitly serue.
Such beautie larger coast
would well beséeme in déede:
And aye on new delights were méete
for such a face to féede.
When thus thou vewe our men
attirde, and brauely dight:
What wilt thou iudge of Troian trulls,
and of their vesture bright?
Now shewe thy selfe a friende,
nor of a Phrygian scorne
Thou daintie dame, in Therapnean
countrie that were borne.
For he a Phrygian was
and come of Troian line:
That to the Gods their Nectar giues
commixt with water fine.
A Troian Tython too,
and yet she likte him well,
That with the golden dawning doth
the drowping night expell.
Anchifes was a Troian
borne, and bred they say,
With whome the Dame of Loue in Ide
in shrouding shaddowe lay.
Thy spouse with me comparde
(though thou thy selfe were iudge)
For yeares and séemely shape would be
a Rascall and a Snudge.
I will not giue to thee
a Fatherlawe, that by
His cursed fact did force the Sonne
his fearefull steades to wry.
Ne Pelops was the Syre
of Priam, that with blood
Of Oenamus imbrude his handes,
and Mirtill drencht in flood.
Nor doth our Grandsire gape
for fruite in flattring lake
Of Styx: nor séekes for waues in Well,
his growing thirst to slake.
But what auaileth this
if one be linckt with thée
Of their discent? Ioue is enforst
this families head to bée.
Fye shamefull act, all night
that same vnworthy patch
With thée doth fléepe, and with his armes
thy sugred corps doth catch.
Thee scarcely I discrie
when table clothes are led:
And that selfe time with cark and care,
and sorrowe ynough is sped.
Vnto my mortall foes
such banquets fall I craue:
As when that Bacchus comes to broode
I sielie Paris haue.
I hate mine harboure sore,
when so the rustick layes
His armes vpon thy snowish necke,
and with mine Hostesse playes.
I swell with wrath (but what
should I now all declare?)
When with his clothes displaide the Chuffe
thy husbande, hydes thy bare.
But when you gan to kisse
and coll eche other apace:
(For that I woulde not sée) the cuppe
I set before my face.
Looke when he thée imbraste,
to grounde mine eyes I threwe:
And in vnwilling mouth my meate,
and yrkesome prawnder grewe.
And grunting oft with griefe,
I sawe full well when thou
At those my woes in wanton wife
wouldst smile with laughing brow.
With wine oft times I would
that fuming flame supprest:
But dronkennesse was flame in fire
and thus my heate increast.
And sundrie sights to shunne,
away my head I tourne:
But thou estsoones wouldst make mine eyes
and fancie to retourne.
Thus doubtfull what to doe,
agriefe these things to sée:
But yet a greater griefe away
from such a face to hée.
As much as lay in mée
this rage I striue to hide:
Yet naythelesse dissembled loue
is quickly to be spide.
Ne art thou ought deceiude,
to thée my woundes be knowne:
And would to God that of my griefes
thou priuie were alone.
How oft when teares gan flush,
turnde I my head awrie?
Least he the cause of mournefull moode
should fortune to discrie?
How often with cup crasde
haue I some looue exprest?
And would vnto thy featurde face
eche worde and sentence wrest?
And of my selfe in close
and fayned name made showe:
Euen I am he that looude so well,
if thou the same not knowe.
And that I franckly might
vse wanton words at will:
I woulde make wise of Bacchus wares
as though I had my fill.
Thy breast (I well recorde)
(thy vesture being lose.)
Displayde vnto my staring eyes,
thy beautie did disclose.
Thy breast than Mountaine snowe
or morning Milke more cleare,
Or Ioue that in the forine of Swanne
to Leda did appeare
Whilst at the sight I gazde
(I helde a Cuppe by happe)
And from my fist the Cuppe it fell
and in the floore did snappe.
When thou thy daughter kist,
I would, the kisse to winne,
Hermions chéekes and cherrie lippes
eftsoone to smack beginne.
Sometime laide bolte vpright
of former loue would sing:
And other sithes by beck would giue
a signe of secrete thing.
The chiefe of all thy Mates
I bourded but of late:
To Clymen, and to Aethra I
in humble wise did prate.
Who aunswerd nothing else
but that they stoode in dread:
And euen amid my earnest sute
away from me they flead.
Would thou were plaste as price
at some notorious watch,
That he who best in armes deserude,
thée for his Feere might catch.
Then as Hippomenes wanne
Atlanta in the fielde,
To whome a flock of suters earst
in running race did yéelde:
As Hercules the hornes
of Achelous broke,
When Deianeiras loue to fight
the Champion did prouoke?
I would my valiaunt prowesse
in semblant sort haue showne:
And that thy beautie causde the same
to thée it should be knowne.
Now nought remaines, but euen
to sue to thee (faire Dame)
And groufe to fore thy feete to fall
if thou permit the fame.
O flowre, and present prayfe
of both thy brothers hyre:
O worthie wife for mightie Ioue
if Ioue were not thy Syre:
Or to Sigeian porte
with thée I will retire:
Or in exile at Tenaris:
my carcasse shall expire.
For why, no slender darte
hath clest my breast in twaine,
The mortall wounde hath broosde the bones,
and ransackt euery vaine.
In this (I minde it well)
Cassandra spake aright:
Who saide in future time on m [...]
a heauenly shaft should light.
Wherefore, doe not despise
the loue allowde by fate:
So mayst thou haue the gastely Gods
thy friendes in néedefull state.
I haue a thousande things
which franckly to recite,
Receyue me to thy carelesse Couch
in fere and silent night.
What? dost thou shame, or stande
in such a bashfull dred,
For to defile with secrete scape
thy chaste and bridely bed?
Too simple sure thou art,
a rustick might I say?
Thinkst thou that so wel formde a face
from guilt may scape away?
Or thou must chaunge thy hue,
or not be hard at least:
Twixt beautie and an honest life
was neuer warre infeast.
For Ioue delightes in stealthes,
and Venus loues the same:
Ne Ioue had bene thy Syre vnlesse
had Leda likte the game.
If griefes of loue haue force
scarce chaste thou mayst be thought:
Whome lustfull Ioue and Leda light
into this worlde brought.
Then leade an honest life,
when we in Troie shall be:
Let none be able to defame
fayre Helen, but by me.
Now let vs forge the fact
which mariage shall amende:
If Ladie Venus wordes be true
as tho she did pretende.
Thy husbande not in wordes
but déedes perswades thereto:
Who, for he would no hindrance be,
deuisde from Greece to go.
He had no fitter time
to ride from home but than:
O Lord it is a worlde to sée
the subtile craft of man.
Mine Host is gone, who saide
at parture: wife I will
Thou take in charge my Troian guest▪
thy husbands Hestes fulfill.
I sweare, thou dost neglect
thy absent Féeres request:
For why, thou hast no carke at all
to entertaine thy guest.
What dost thou thinke in déede
that doltish sielie man,
The thewes of Helens passing forme
may iudge, or throughly scan?
In fayth thou art beguilde:
for if the good he owes
He knew, therewith he would not trust,
a guest he scarcely knowes.
Though neyther thée my voyce
nor friendship may procure
To yéelde me grace: conuenient time
may cause vs to play sure.
Or else we are but Doltes,
and more than he to blame:
If such occasion we permit
to flide deuoyde of game.
In maner with his hande
he gaue his guest to thée:
Sée thou doe vse such simplenesse
that hath such care of mee:
The long and lothsome night
thou lodgest all alone:
And I poore Paris to redresse
my haplesse harmes haue none.
Let intermedled ioyes
conioyne vs both yfeare:
And that selfe night shall séeme to vs
than brightest day more cleare.
Then will I make my vow,
appealing Gods to othe:
And by a sacred bande to thée
for pawne ingage my troth.
And then (vnlesse the trust
I in my selfe repose
Be vaine) I vnto thée estsoones
my Scepter will disclose.
But if thou shame, and dread
to condescend thereto:
I onely will sustaine the guilt
and thou exempt shalt go.
For why, thy brothers fact,
and Theseus will I take
As myrrours: nearer proufe than this
I know thou canst not make.
The Theseus earst, they two
Leucippids haue bereft:
And I as fourth example made
and mirrour shall be left.
My Nauie is at hande,
of men and armour store:
We shall to Troie flit in haste
by meane of winde and Ore.
Thou like a stately Quéene
through Dardan streates shalt ride:
The Commons will some Goddesse new
surmise to haue espide.
What way soeuer thou goest,
the perfumes they shall sweate:
And slaughtred beastes the gorie grounde
with bloudie strokes shall beate.
My sisters with my dame,
my brothers with the King,
And all the Troian Matrons shall
their ample presents bring.
Oh, scarce one parcell I
of future things recite:
Thou shalt haue more than in these lines
my feeble penne can write.
Ne doe thou rapted stande
of dreadfull warre in awe:
Ne feare that grudging Greece hir force
to wreake this rape will drawe.
Though sundry were conuaide,
was neuer none pursude
With clattring armes: of troth this dread
vs causelesse doth delude.
In Boreas name the men
of Thrace Orithia stole:
Yet Byston had no hatefull warres,
nor enmies to controle.
In nouell Barcke was brought
by Iason through the Seas
Medea: Colchos kept no coyle
ne Thessale did disease.
And he that stale the first
reft Minos dearling deare:
And yet his men of Creta did
not once in armour steare.
The feare in these affaires
the daunger doth excell:
But afterwarde of feare we shame
when euery thing is well.
Put case, that warre were wagde?
(if so thou list to thincke)
What, I haue men, and armour eake
yea such as will not shrincke.
And Asia is no lesse,
than is your countrie wide:
Of valiant wightes we haue good store,
and startling steades to ride.
Nor Menelaus shall
of greater courage bée
Than Troian Paris, nor in armes
more stiffe and stoute than hée.
For being yet a childe
I slue my haughtie foes
That stale my heirde: and of that fact
my valiant name arose.
And being but a Ladde
in sundry combats wanne
The palme from Illioneus, and eake
Deiphobus the man.
And least thou sole surmise
mée to preuaile at hande:
I can enforce my thirled shaft
full neare the marke to stande.
The like attempt in youth
Atrides neuer made:
Ne Menelaus mayst thou match
with Paris for his trade.
Though all things else thou graunt,
yet Hector can not bée
His brother, which will stande in steade
of thousande men to mée.
Thou little knowste my powre,
my force from thée is lockt:
Thou canst not tell what man is he
with whome thou shalt be shockt.
Or with no tumult thou
shalt be requirde againe:
Or Greekish tentes to Paris Marte
to yéelde they shall be faine.
Yet néede I not disdaine
to warre for such a wife:
For why, the price doth well deserue
to stirre a greater strife.
And thou, if all the worlde
for thee shoulde séeme to striue:
Shalt stande assurde in after time
for aye to be aliue.
Wherefore hath dreadlesse hope
departing from this shore,
And blissefull Gods, demaunde the giftes
I thée behight before.
The Argument of the xvj. Epistle, entituled Helen to Paris.
WHen Helen had the Troian writte perusde
She thought hir selfe too shamefully abusde.
She deemde it not the part of any guest,
To whoredome so his Hostesse minde to wrest.
To quaile the Princockes pride, and make a prouse
Of spotlesse fame, at first she standes aloufe.
At length when to and fro she had discourste
Of this and that, and collour well disbourste:
She fawnes, she frownes, she freates, she speakes him faire,
She offred hope, but fed him with dispaire,
As women wont, deuising many a toie,
But Paris hir in fine conuayde to Troie.
The .xvj. Epistle. Helen to Paris.
HOw since thy letters haue
thus rashly wrongde my sight:
I thought it needefull with my penne
thy Pistle to requite.
And didst thou dare a guest,
(the boundes of hostage broke?)
And honest Matron well espousde,
to pleasure to prouoke?
For this by whisking windes
ytost on wauing Seas,
Did Taenaris thée with porte relieue
thy painefull plight to ease?
Nor (though inguestred thou
camste from a Countrie farre)
My Pallace did gainst thée as then
his churlish gates debarre?
That such a wrong should be
rewarde for good desart?
Thou that didst enter so hast playde
no guestes, but enmies part.
Though lawfull be my plaint,
yet doubt I not at all,
But thou (when so thou heare thereof)
a rude complaint wilt call.
A rustick let me bee,
so I not passe the bounde
Of honest shame, and in my lyfe
no cankred crime be founde.
So I in fayned looke
doe cloake no churlish cheare:
Nor in my face no grimme disdaine
nor bended broowe appeare.
Yet honest is my fame,
I liue deuoide of spot:
No lustfull Lecher for his life
is able me to blot.
Which makes me muse the more
what should enbolde thée so,
To take this straunge attempt in hand
a maried wife to wowe?
Cause Theseus wrongde me once,
well worthie am I déemde
To be a Ruffians rape againe,
and so to be estéemde?
The guilt was mine if I
allured were to yll:
But so I rapted were by force,
what coulde I doe but nill?
Ne he by that his fact
his hoped bootie gote:
Set feare and womans dread aside,
I nought abode God wote.
The wretch by wrestling wonne
at Helens hande a kisse:
And laide hir on the lippes sometime,
he had no more but this.
Scarce would you bene content
(vnthriftie so you arre)
With that: I thanke the Gods, that he
and thou didst differ farre.
He yéelded me againe
and me did scarcely touch:
And did repent him of his fact,
his modestie was such.
Did Theseus so recant
that Paris should succéede?
For feare least on my blased armes.
the people should not féede?
Yet I am nothing wroth,
(for who can angrie bée
With that shée loues?) if this my loue
be faithfull vnto mée.
For thereof doubt I sore,
not for distrust at all,
Or that my face and featurde forme
into suspect I call.
But for such light beliefe
and credit workes our woe:
And suters tales art freight with fraud,
and fired faith forgoe.
But others doe aguilt,
an honest Matron rare:
Who barres that I among those fewe
should haue a partie share?
For cause my mother errde,
perhaps thou thinkste me light
By hir example to be wonne,
by meane of natures might.
To cloake my mothers crime
an errour is in store:
For why the Lecher lurckt in plume
to worke his will the more.
If I should doe amisse
of force thereof I knowe:
There is no errour mine offence
to hide from open showe.
Hir scape is well allowde,
the Aucthor made it lesse:
There is no Ioue at all to cloake
my fault if I transgresse.
Thou braust vpon thy stock,
thy Grandsires Princes are:
This house of worthie Auncesters
and Nobles is not bare.
I will conceale that Ioue
was Atreus Grandsire great:
Of Tantalus, or Pelops I,
nor Tyndaris minde to treat.
But Leda lendes me Ioue
my stately Sire to bée:
Whome foule beguilde with swannish forme
and falsed byrde we sée.
Now vaunt thy Troian heades
and ginners of thy race:
Let Laomedon be in presse
and Priam eke in place.
Whome I commend: but he
that fift is of your line,
(Thy greatest pryde) I finde the same
the formost man in mine.
Though Troian Scepter I
accoumpt to be of fame,
Yet iudge I not our Empire ought
inferiour to the same.
Suppose our wealth you passe,
and Teucrian troupe excell
Our Gréekish soyle: yet barbarous is
the countrie where you dwell.
So great rewardes your lynes
and Letters me behight,
As well they might accoy, and cause
to yéelde a heauenly wight.
But so I minded were
to breake the boundes of shame:
Thy selfe shouldst sooner make me yéelde
than all thy giftes of fame.
Or I for aye will liue
and leade vnspotted life,
Or thée more rather would ensue
than all thine offers rife:
As I not scorne the same,
in price so are they thought
The greatest gifts to whome the giuer
hath their beautie brought.
But most of all I weigh
thy loue, that for my sake
Such paines abodste, whose hope to passe
the Seas did vndertake.
And eke at tables set
(though with dissembling browe
I séeke to hide thine amorous tricks)
I note them well ynowe.
Sometime thou (wanton wight)
doste cast a glauncing blinck
With wrested looke, whereat well neare
my daunted eyes doe shrinck.
Againe you sigh as fast,
another time you take
The Cup, and where I dranck euen there
your falsed thirst doth flake.
With fingers (Lorde) how oft,
and wyth a talking browe,
Hast thou me giuen secret signes
I wote well where, and howe?
And oft I stoode in feare
my husbande sawe the same:
And often dreading to be spide
I blusht with bashefull shame.
Oft times with whispring wordes
vnto my selfe I sedde:
(This is a shamelesse guest) my wordes
did hit the nayle on hedde.
And often wrought in wine,
I rad vpon the boorde,
Euen vnder Helens name (I loue)
I well recorde the woorde.
But that I had distrust
therof, my lookes did showe:
But now (alas) to write the like
doth haplesse Helen knowe.
These fansies might haue forst
my ruthfull breast to bende,
And tournde my heart, if to aguilt
I would at all intende.
Thy feature I confesse
is rare, and such to sée,
As might allure a womans heart
to linck hir selfe with thée.
I wishe that hap to fall
vpon some single dame:
Ere I with forraine loue should séeke
my bridely Bedde to shame.
Well liked things to lack
by my example leare:
It is a vertue to abstaine
from what thou hast so deare.
How many youthes haue wisht
for that which thou doste craue?
What? Paris dost thou déeme, that thou
alone good iudgement haue?
Thou séest no more than they,
but madder is thy minde:
Thy courage is no bett than theirs,
lesse shame in thée I finde.
Would then thou hadst repayrde,
and hither come by floode:
When me in prime and flowring yeres
a thousande suters woode.
Of thousande thou the first
if I thee tho had séene,
(My doome to heare withall I craue
my husbande) thou hadst béene.
To things possest thou comste,
and gotten goods too late:
Too slow thou were, another hath
in that thou crauste, estate.
As then thy Troian wife,
I would haue wisht to bée:
So now Atrides not against
my will enioyeth mée.
Eease thou with wordes therefore
to ransacke Helens heart,
To hir (thou fayst thou loouste so well)
procure no grutching smart.
But let me kéepe the sort
that Fortune hath allowde:
Séeke not my fame and good report
to darke with shadie clowde.
But Venus so behight,
and in the vales of Ide
Thrée heauenly Wightes starke naked came
to clayme their beauties pride.
Of whome one gaue thée raigne,
th'other Bellonas skill:
The thirde pronounst that Helen shoulde
be plyant to thy will.
In faith I scarcely thinke
such Ladies would vouchsaue,
For chiefest beauties péerelesse price
thy doubtfull doome to haue.
Suppose it were a trouth,
the reast was all vntrue:
That for such iudgement I should be
a recompence to you.
I stande not so much on
my beauties pride, to déeme
That me the greatest gift of all
the Goddesse did estéeme.
My feature is content
of men to purchase fame:
I like it not that Venus should
so much commende the same.
But nothing I denie
the prayse full well I léeke:
For to what ende should I gainesay
the thing I chiefely séeke?
Ne let it wrath thée that
I hardely thée beléeue:
To matters of importance great
we scarcely credit geeue.
Wherefore I ioy it most
that Venus likte me so:
And next for such a stately gift
that thou did take me tho.
And that thou didst preferre
my blased beauties good
Fore Pallas gift, and Iunos raigne
that there in iudgement stood.
Then I thy vertue am,
then I to thée a raigne:
I were too stonie if I woulde
not loue the like againe.
Good fayth, I am no stéele,
but him to loue I shonne
Who scarce (I thinke) may be my spouse
when all my worke is donne.
Why should I fondely seeke
to plough the barraine sande?
Or hope on that which place it selfe
doth very much withstande?
I skillesse am in scapes,
the Gods recorde I call
I neuer by deceitefull sleight
beguilde my Féere at all.
In that to couert scrole
my wordes I now commit,
My letters doe attempt a thing
they neuer practisde yet.
Thrise blest that are inurde,
I wote not how to play
That part as yet, to guilt full harde
I doe surmise the way.
This dreade doth much annoy
and sore I am agast,
Suspecting all the peoples eyes
on vs are fixed fast.
Nor this I feare in vaine,
the bussing brute I know:
And Aethra, what report had gone,
to mée but late did show.
Vnlesse thou minde to cease,
dissemble thou therefore:
But why shouldst thou now stint thy sute?
thou canst dissemble sore.
In secret vse thy toyes,
and spare thou not to play:
Now scope we haue, though not the most,
my husband is away.
He now is farre from home
affayres compellde him so:
A iust and good occasion he
had out of towne to go.
When in a doubt he stoode
his iourney forth to take,
Dispatch (ꝙ I) good sir, and sée
a quicke returne you make.
Th'abodement likte him so;
as he to kissing fell:
And gaue me charge of house and goods,
and bad me vse thée well.
I scarce my laughter helde,
which whilste I striue to stay:
Saue that it should be so in déede,
I had no worde to say.
To Crete he went in hast
by helpe of winde and Ore:
But thou, that all things léefull are,
must not surmise therefore.
So is my spouse alacke,
as in his absence well
He doth me garde: that Princes haue
long reach canst thou not tell?
Fame doth impayre our ioyes
for how much more you léeke
And prayse me: So much more you cause
to stande in feare the Greeke.
The laude I loue so well
(as now consistes the case)
Annoyes: more better were that fame
had neuer blazde my face.
That I am left with thée
now he is farre away
Muse not: he trustes my manners well
and thinks in me some stay.
My face did make him dread,
he trustes my life full well:
The suretie which my manners bréede,
my beautie doth expell.
Thou willste me to be wise
and vse the present tide:
And not to let so fitte a time
deuoyde of game to slide.
I would, and am afrayde
as yet my heart doth quake:
And fearefull breast in doubt doth stande,
and knowes not which to take.
My spouse doth nowe dislodge,
and thou alone dost lye:
Thy beautie likes mée well, and Helens
shape contents thine eye.
The nightes are passing long,
and we to chatte begin:
And thou art euen a pleasaunt guest
and both one house within.
Good sooth eche thing doth séeme
this fact to further aye:
And yet I knowe not how the same
my quiuering feare doth staye.
As thou perswadste but yll,
would well thou mightst constraine
Mée to thy will, this rudenesse then
should be expelde amaine.
Sometime receiued wrong
auailes the pacient much:
How blest were I, such force to byde
if Helens hap were such?
More better were while loue
is rawe and gréene, to staye:
For flame that scarcely kindled is
will soone consume awaye:
Fewe drops of sprinckled water will
the sparckling fyre delaye.
As straungers starters are
vncertaine be their loues:
And when thou thinkst them surtte of all
their wauering faith remoues.
Let Hypsiphyl recorde
and Mynos daughter trye:
For they them selues with wandring wightes
in bridely bande did tie.
And thou of whome Oenon
was many yeares imbrast,
Art sayd without a iust desert
to shonne the Nymph at last,
Which thou dost not denie;
and verie troth to tell,
My chiefest care was to enquire
where thou didst vse thée well.
And though thou wouldst full faine
be stable now in loue,
Thou canst not, for thy Teucrian ships
will out of hande remoue.
Whyle we doe tale yfeare,
and fixed night shall bée,
The wind will serue thy sayles so well
as thou wilt part from mee.
Amid his pleasant course,
that vnacquainted play
Will stint, and with the whisking winds
our friendship passe away.
Shall I (as thou perswadste)
go vewe the Troian towne?
Or vnto great Laomedon
a Daughterlaw be fowne?
Perdie I more accoumpt
of swift and flickring fame,
Than that in euery lande it should
haue powre to spred my name:
What Sparta might of me
and all Achaia speake?
What auncient Asias famous townes,
and Priams mansion eake?
What Priamus of me,
and Priams wife might say?
Thy brothers, with the Troian dames
what might they blast I pray?
And last, how mightst thou hope
mée faythfull spouse to finde?
Thy owne example would procure
distrust within thy minde.
What guest soeuer shall
to Ilion repeare,
Will bréede suspect within thy breast,
and make thée stande in feare.
How oft wilt thou inragde
tearme me by harlots name,
Forgetfull that thy owne offence
was causer of the same?
Thy selfe wilt both procure
and blame the fact at last:
Ere that I wish in hollow vaute
my carkasse to be plast.
But I shall haue the wealth
of Trose, and braue aray:
And mo rewards than promise was,
thus did thy Pistle say.
Of precious Purple I
and Arrasse store shall haue:
And be enricht with hugie heapes
of massie golde so braue.
Forgiue that I confesse,
I way not all the golde:
I wote not how this soyle doth séeme
thy Helen to withholde.
For if I wronged were,
in Troie no succour is:
My brothers ayde I stande assurde,
and fathers helpe to misse.
False Iason euerie thing
to Medea behight:
And yet in fine from Aesons lodge
she was expelled quight.
And being so refusde,
she could not make retourne
To Aetes, Ipsea, nor with Chalciope
for shame soiourne.
I nothing dread the like,
no more did Medea tho:
But sundrie times abodements doe
good hope delude, we know.
The shippes that now in surge
and yrefull seas doe ride:
When first they wayd their Ankcors, had
a calme and pleasant tide.
The brande doth bréede my dreade,
wherewith thy Dame was sed
Before hir wonted time of birth,
to haue bene brought abed.
The Soothsayers sawes I feare,
which spake the time would bée,
When men of Troie within their walles
the Greekish flame should sée.
As Venus friendes thee, for
shee wanne the glittring fruite,
And foylde the other two that were
hir riuals in the sute:
So dreade I their disdaynes
which (by thine owne reporte)
In iudgement were so put a back
in such reprochfull sorte.
And if I follow thée,
I doubt it not (alas)
But that through swordes and wreakefull blades
our haplesse loue shall passe.
With Centaurs to discorde,
and bloudie warres to wage
Did Hippodamia cause the men
of Thrace in yrefull rage:
And dost thou déeme my Féere
will vnreuenged go
In quarrell iust? my brothers both
and Tindaris also?
For that in brauerie you
your Martiall déedes recite:
The truth is thus, that from your wordes
your feature differs quite.
For Venus fitter thou
than Mars dost séeme to bée:
Loue Paris, and let men of force
go fight in fielde for thée.
Let Hector, whome thou so
dost vaunt, in armour broyle:
Another kinde of warrefare is
farre better for thy toyle.
If I were in my wittes,
or somewhat bolder were
I would vse these: the woman that
are wise will vse this geare.
And laying shame aside
perhaps hereafter I
Will condiscend, and conquerde with
continuance will applie.
For that in secret thou
dost long the rest to tell,
The couert talke that thou wouldst vse,
I know it passing well.
Too hastie sure thou art,
thy haruest is in grasse:
Perhappes this tariance will the better
bring thy will to passe.
Thus ye my letters leaue
my guiltie minde to showe:
Thou Quill, that wearied hast my hand,
in this no farther go.
The reast by Clymen I
and Aethra will disclose:
Which two are of my counsell chiefs,
in whome I trust repose.
The Argument of the xvij. Epistle, entituled Sappho to Phaon.
Phaon in passage Boate
his pain full liuing gate,
And ferriyng folke from shore to shore,
relieude his needfull state.
T'was Venus happe at last,
without a profred hyre
To Phaon for his painfull toile,
a passage to desire.
The Whirryman agreed,
and ferried hir for nought,
Whome he no heauenlic Goddesse, but
a mortall woman thought.
She in rewarde a Box
of ointment gaue to him,
That coulde enforce a featurde forme,
and make the beautie trim.
Within a while this Lad
the Lasses had allurde,
But wanton Sappho least of all
his beauties beames endurde.
She looude hym passing well,
he forste hir not a rush:
Hir sielie Nymph inragde with loue
a thousand cares did crush.
[Page]To Sicil Phaon goes,
then Sappho seemd vndonne,
And thought by speedie leauing life
bir wasting flames to shonne.
From Leucas she pretendes
(Epyrus Mount) to sall,
And so by hastned death to leaue
both loue and life withall.
To Leucas ere she came,
to suing flat she fill,
And to vnfriendlie Phaon did
deuise this friendlie Bill.
In hope to winne the Wight,
and purchase loue againe,
Wherein she telles hir twi ching griefer
and pennes hir pinching paine.
The .xvij. Epistle. Sappho to Phaon.
WHere when thou sawste at first
my louing lines with eye,
Thou knowledge hadst frō whence they came
and notice by and by?
Where if thou hadst herein
not read the Authors name
And Sappho seene, thou hadst not knowne
from whome this writing came?
Demaund thou wilt perhaps
what me procurde to write
This kinde of verse, that mirrie tunes
and Luting doe delight?
For that this loue of mine
is doolefull, and the verse
Elegia callde, a wofull kinde
of miter to reherse.
No Cytheron serues a mourning minde
whome cruell cares doe pierse.
As straw doth kindle soone,
when Eurus ginnes to driue
The flash into the fertill fieldes:
euen so I frie aliue.
To Aetna Phaon nowe
hath tane his way in hast:
And me poore wench as great a fire
as Aetnas flame doth wast.
I can not frame my frets,
my stubburne strings doe iarre:
For why, in déede of quiet minde
such verses tokens arre.
Pyrino is forgot,
ne Dryads doe delite
My fancie: Lesbian Lasses eke
are now forgotten quite.
Not Amython I force,
nor Cydno passing fine:
Nor Atthis, as she did of yore,
allures these eyes of mine.
Ne yet a hundreth mo
whome (shame ylaid aside)
I fanside erste: thou all that loue
from them to thee hast wride.
In thée doth feature flowe,
thy yeares for daliance apt:
Thy face, O face t'is thou that hast
my shaken senses rapt.
A Quiuer and a Lute
take thou in hande, and thée
Apollo men will deeme: d'on hornes
and Bacchus thou shalt bee.
And Phoebus Daphne looude,
king Minos darling deare
God Bacchus lykte, yet neyther of both
a Cytherons string could steare.
But me Pegasian Nymphes
haue learned on the Lute,
And throughout all the worlde is borne
of Sapphos songes the brute.
Nor Alcaeus (though vpon
a statelier string doe sounde
My Mate for Arte, and Countrie eke)
a greater prayse hath founde.
Though I at natures hand
no featurde face could gaine:
Yet those defaults of kinde I quite
by goodnesse of the brains.
Disdaine me not, although
but meane my stature bée:
And in pronouncing verie short
you Sapphos name doe sée.
Put case I be not faire?
swarth Andromed to vewe.
Duke Perseus pleasde: Morisco soyle
allowde hir tawnie hewe.
Full oft the whitest Doues
with specled Culuers tred:
And oft we sée the Turtle browne
with Popingay doth wed.
If none, vnlesse hir forme
could match thy featurde shape,
Should lincke with thee: thou doubtlesse shouldst
from mariage aye escape.
But when thou vewdste my verse,
then Sappho séemde in sight
A comely wench, thou swarste that me
alone became to wright.
I sang, I minde it well,
(for Louers fixe in breast
Forepassed toyes) and thou the whilste
to kissing thée addreast.
Those busses likte thée eke,
for euerie point I was
Befancide well: but most when we
to Venus prancks did passe.
Then did my wanton tricks
and loftie mounting, more
With sugred wordes, delight thy minde
(my Phaon) than of yore.
And that when both our ioyes
confounded were, I lay
With wearie limmes, and languor lame
and had no worde to say.
Now are Sicilian trulles
thy nouell pray, I sée:
In Lesbos what make I? a wench
of Sicill I will bee.
O Nysian Matrons, O
Sicilian Dames I say,
This loytring guest of ours expell
your Countrie boundes I pray.
Ne let his glosing tongue
your listning eares beguile:
For why to vs he hath ere this
yvsde that selfe same stile.
And Ladie Venus, thou
that knowen art to dwell
(Rue on thy Poets piteous plight)
among the Sicans fell.
Will aye this cruell chaunce
in one selfe tenour roonne?
And still persist in spitefull sorte
as when hir race begoonne?
For but a Babe in yeares,
and lacking thrée of nine,
My parents bones I gathered vp
and bathde with saltish brine.
My néedefull brother burnt
with beastly strumpets flame:
And did endure both wrack of wealth
and spitefull losse of fame.
To beggrie brought he plies
the sliding seas with Ore:
And gettes againe with shamefull shifts
the wealth he spent before.
And me for sounde aduise
pursues with deadly hate:
This was the onely good to me
that my freespeaking gate.
And eake, as though I lackt
a cause to bréed my dole,
My little daughter heapes vp hoe,
that prettie pratling soule.
But last of all, thou art
the forger of my bale:
Aye me poore wench, my beaten Barcke
flits not with pleasant gale.
Marke out of order how
my lolling tresses flée:
No glistring Gem, or Iuell is
vpon my hande to sée.
My vesture is but vile,
not spanged is my toppe:
My hanging haire with Ciuet, nor
Arabian dew doth droppe.
For whome (vnhappie Girle)
should Sappho go so gay?
Whome féeke to please? the Author of
my brauery is away.
My gentle yéeiding breast
eche lightsome dart may broose:
And aye I finde a cause to loue,
and can none other choose.
Or else at time of birth
the sisters set this lawe:
Allowing me such cruell twist
that did my destnie drawe:
Or custome growes to kinde,
and vse becomes an Arte:
I wote not well, but sure I haue,
by kinde a gentle heart.
What wonder, if with such
a beardlesse youth I were
Attacht, whose tender childish yeares
allowde his chinne no haire?
I drad (Aurora) least
for Cephalus thou wold
Ychosen him: saue that thy former
rape doth thée withhold.
If Phoebe vewe him once,
that all suruayes with eye:
My Phaon shall be quickly forste
in slumber long to lye.
In Iuorie Wagon would
dame Venus, to the starres
Borne him: but that she fearde he wold
haue coyde the God of Warres.
O thou that neyther art
a boy, nor man in sight,
But aptest age: of all thy race
the most excellent wight,
Come hither, come, and to
my bosome make retowre;
No loue I craue in fayth of thée,
but thée to loue the powre.
I write and from my chéekes
the deawie teares distill:
Beholde how many blots they cause
in Sapphos doolefull bill.
If néedes thou wouldst haue gone,
yet this allow for true:
Thou mightst haue saide at parture, O
my Lesbian Lasse adue.
But now no teares of mine
ne latter kisse thou had:
Ne (to be short) of such mishaps
as are befall, I drad.
With me is nought of thine,
saue wrong yleft in déede:
Ne gaue I warning that thou hadst
of faythfull loue the méede.
I gaue thee no precepts,
nor would haue done a iot:
But made a sute that Sappho might
at no time bene forgot.
By loue, that neuer farre
may from thy breast astart:
And sacred sisters nine (my saincts)
whome I embrace with heart,
I sweare: when one exclamde
(I wote nere who to mée)
And said, now Sappho iogges thy ioy,
thy Phaon now doth flée:
I had no teares to shed,
my lippes did language lacke,
Mine eyes did want their gushing teares
my foltring tongue it stacke
Vnto the roufe, and ysie colde
my fearefull breast did racke.
When griefe was somewhat swagde,
and sorrow gan to slake:
I howlde with toren lockes, and with
my fist my bodie strake:
As doth the louing Dame
that to the Temple beares
Hir Babe his corps withouten sense,
and bathes his Tombe with teares.
Charaxe my brother ioyde,
and often past before
My face and to and fro did iet
to make my doole the more.
And to encrease my shame,
would wit my cause of woe:
And say, why wéepes this woman? why?
hir daughter liues I trowe.
Oh, shame and earnest loue
can neuer well agrée:
How there with open breast I stoode
the Vulgar folke did sée.
Thou Phaon art my carke,
my dreames reduce to minde
Thy countnance: dreames which clearer than
the shining Sunne I finde.
I meete thée oft in sléepe,
though thou be nothing nie,
But of this sléepe the slipper ioyes
too soone away doe slie.
Full oft vpon thine armes
my lodging neck I laye:
And then me thinks thy head as much
my limber armes doe staye.
I know thy kisses well,
and am not now to seeke
How thou were wont to smack thy wench,
and she to doe the léeke.
I play the wanton Gyrle
sometime, and séeme with thée
To chat, and think my slumbring sense
awaked wide to bée.
I blush to tell the reast
that followes, but there is
Naught left vndone that bréedes delight,
I coulde not Phaon misse.
But when that Titan splayes
his face, and all beside:
I make complaint that winged sléepe
so soone away did slide.
To Groues and Caue I trudge,
as though they did me good:
The Caue and groues that witnesse there
in place of pleasure stood.
Inragde I thither runne,
as doth the Frantike fro
Whome fell Erichtho hath in chase,
my locks at random go.
There plainely I discrie
with rotten Tophe yspred
A place, that earst in lieu was
to me of better bed.
I finde the Wood where we
with boughes and gallant greaues
Yshadowde haue full often laine
among the flittring leaues.
The owner is alack
both of the place and mée:
The place is but a filthie soyle,
the place his dowre was hee.
The twifolde turning turffe
I knowe it very well,
And Grasse, with bended head to grounde
that with our tumbling fell.
I layde me groufe vpon
thy wonted side: the banck
(A pleasaunt plot of pleasure earst)
my flushing feares it dranck.
Againe the naked boughes
(their garments layde in grounde)
Did séeme to mourne, no mirrie fowle
did vse his warbling sounde.
The wofull Dame alone
that fouly was awroke
Vpon hir sonne, that Itis hight
in doolefull dittie spoke.
The chyrping Fowle hir childe,
but Sappho wayles hir loue,
Forlorne Lasse: when all things else
the slumbers ioyes doe proue.
A Christall Well there is
than shining Glasse more shéere,
A holy spring, some déemen that
some sacred Sainct is there.
A watrie Lotos spreades
his sprayes athwart the Well:
And all aboute with tender Sedge
the gréenish grounde doth smell.
Where wofull wight, when I
had layde me on the grasse:
Eftsoone a stripling did appeare,
a proper boy it was.
Hee stoode him still and sayde:
what meanste thou (Nymph) I pray
To frie with such vnegall flames?
to Ambrace go thy way.
There Phoebus from a loft
the open sea doth face:
Leucadium men they say, or else
Actaeum terme the place.
Deucalion thence inragde
with Pyrrhas loue did fall
Of purpose, and he naythelesse
sustainde no hurt at all.
And straight conuersed loue
forsooke his swelting breast
That was ydrencht: and so good man
Deucalion came to reast.
Such is the place his powre
and hidden force by kinde:
Go thither in post, and skip adowne,
let feare not mooue thy miude.
He vanisht with his voice
I rose me vp agast:
And all to bainde my cheerelesse cheekes
with teares that flushed fast.
I (Nymph quoth I) will trudge
vnto the bidden place:
Let raging loue haue force and powre
all feare away to chase.
What fortune so befall,
will better present plight:
O gentle ayre beare vp my corps
that now is passing light.
And thou (O friendly Loue)
come vnderset thy wing:
Least if I die, defame vnto
Leucadian goulfe doe spring.
Then I to Phoebus will
my pleasant Lute bequeath:
And brauely cause to be ingraude
this Ʋerse or two beneath.
O Phoebus, this hir Lute
hath Sappho left to thee:
For in that Arte she during life
and thou did well agree.
Fye (Phaon) why dost thou
me to Actaeum driue:
And thou thy selfe mayst make returne
and saue thy loue aliue?
More healthfull than the floud
of Leucas thou mayst bée:
And by thy beauties féemely shape
Apollo vnto mée.
And canst thou (oh) more harde
than rocke, and ruthlesse waue
If so I die the title of
my death indure to haue;
Ah, how much better might
my breast conioyne with thirie,
Than thus be cast from craggie cliffe
to Sea of surging brine?
That selfe same breast which thou
commended hast so oft:
And which with passing wisedome fraught
thy selfe (friend Phaon) thought.
Now would I were faconde,
but dolour hinders Arte:
And all my witte is me berest
by long enduring smart.
My wonted vaine in verse
is ouerdrie become:
My lowring Lute laments for wo,
my Harpe with doole is dombe.
Ye Lesbian Lasses all
that border on the Lake:
And ye that of the Aeolian towne
your names are thought to take,
Ye Lesbian Lasses (that
for cause I looude you sore
Bréede my defame) vnto my Harpe
I charge you come no more.
Looke what did like you earst,
of that is Phaon sped:
Alas poore wretch, my Phaon I
had very neare ysed.
Cause Phaon to retire
and then your Poet will
Reuert againe: t'is he that doth
both make and marre my skill.
What? doe my prayers preuaile,
or pierce his stéely brest?
Or is he standing stiffe at stay,
a retchlesse rigorous guest?
Or doe the puffing winds transport
my wordes into the west?
The gale that hence conuaies
my voice, oh that it might
Reduce thy fléeing Barck againe,
and bring thy shippe in sight.
O ouerlingring Ladde,
in fayth if thou were wise,
Thou wouldst attempt to make returne
and follow mine aduise.
What? wilt thou come? or no?
we for thy shippe prepare
Our vowed gifts: why doth thy staye
enforce our hearts to care?
Anale, and lose thy Barcke,
take Seas: for Venus shée
That came of seas, wil calme the surge
come off the gale will bée
As friendly to thy comming Keale
as thou wouldst wish to sée.
At Helme will Cupid sit,
and steare thy shippe to lande:
He both will hoyse, and hale the sayles
with skilfull Boateswanes hande.
Or if thy pleasure be
from Sappho farre to trudge:
(Who neuer did deserue so yll
of thée, thy selfe be iudge.)
At least let cruell lynes
will hir vnhappie wench
Ʋnto Leucadian foorde to flée,
and there hir corps to drench.
The Argument of the xviij. Epistle, entituled Leander to Herô.
LEander looude a Lasse that Herô hight
And dwelt in Sest, the chanell did deuide
Their countries so, as Sestus was in sight
Of Abydon, that stoode in th'other side.
Nightly the youth to Herô shoope his waie,
And woulde returne againe before the daie.
At length the tempest rose, the windes did blo,
The waters wrought so roughly as they coulde,
That seauen daies space Leander might not go
To Sestus shore, as he was wont of olde:
But yet by chaunce a Mariner there went,
By whome these lines vnto his Loue he sent,
Wherein he shewes his Loue and faithfull heart,
Wherein he plaines against the troublous Tide,
And vowes at last (all dreade yset apart)
To swim the Seas, that he before had tride:
He rather chose to hazard life, than dwell
A weeke or two from hir he looude so well.
The .xviij. Epistle. Leander to Herô.
FRom Abydon these lynes
Leander doth endite,
And health to Herô sends, which he
would rather bring than write.
If Neptuns waters were
with friendly Gods agréede:
There were no choise for thée to choose,
but thou my woords shouldst réede.
But Gods withstand my wish,
and kéepe my hope arcare:
That will in no wise giue me leaue
to flitte vnto my Feare.
Thy selfe dost sée the skies
with pitchie cloudes so blacke,
And waltring waues so tost with winde
as shippes are nie the wracke.
Yet one, than all the reast
more bolde, by whome I send
These lynes, to Sestus by the Seas
did dare his course to bend.
With whome Leander would
haue bene imbareked faine:
Had not Abydos giuen the gase,
and séene his shipping plaine.
I could not kéepe the fact
hid from my Parents eye
As earst I had, but that they would
At length I tooke my Quill,
wherewith I might endite,
Go blissefull scroll to Heros handes,
than snowe (ꝙ I) more white.
First will she thée receiue,
and after touch with lippe
When she with tooth shall go about
the signed seale to rippe.
These whispring wordes I spake
in soft and silent sort:
The reast my writing hande did will
my Paper to report.
That hande wherewith I would
more rather swimme than write:
And cut the waues from drenching goulfe
my flitting corps to quite.
Than fist that fitter is
to clappe the flood that floes:
And yet will serue my turne right well
my secretes to disclose.
Now seauen nights are ypast
since Neptunes rage begunne:
A yeare well nie it séemes to mée,
so flow the time doth runne.
If any pleasant nappe
or quiet sléepe mine eyes
In all this space surprisde: let Seas
persist in prefull wise.
Sitting in doolefull dumpe
vpon a rock, I sée
Thy strond, my soule is present where
the carkasse may not bee.
Beside in Turrets toppe
a Lambe I did discrie:
Or else mine eyes were foule deceyude,
and tooke their marcke awrie.
Thrise layde I downe my robes
in safe and sandie shore:
And naked thrise assayde to swimme,
as oft I had before:
But swelling waters made
me of my purpose fayle,
And by the force of frowarde streames
did drench me toppe and tayle.
Oh waywardst of the windes,
of Aeols Impes the wurst?
Why dost thou shewe thy selfe to me,
so cruell and so curst?
I, not the surging Seas,
of this sustaine the smart:
This were ynough if thou of loue
hadst neuer fealt the dart.
For though with colde thou quake,
yet canst thou not denie,
But that with Orithias flame
thy frostie flesh did frie.
When thou wast fully bent
Dame Venus sportes to trie:
If any had restrainde thy course
thou wouldst haue lookte awrie.
Oh, (Boreas) tame thy wrath,
rebate thy raging yre:
So Aeole giue thée nought in charge
but as thou wouldst desyre.
My sute is all for nought
my labour is in vaine,
He doth not seeke the tossed waues
to maken smoouth againe.
Would Daedal would allowe
mée wished wings at will:
Though by such sleight his sonne into
the neighbour waters fill.
What fortune so should chaunce
Leander would abide:
To fine his fethred corse might flée
on waues that wont to slide.
But whilste I am debarrde
by wrath of waue and winde
To furrow Seas: I doe reuoke
my passed ioyes to minde.
When Phoebus gan to fall,
and gaue his Sister place:
(I ioy to think) my Fathers lodge
I fled with spéedie pace.
And straight with shifted robes
all dread I did remoue:
And in the floud I flong mine armes,
the Delphins Arte to proue.
The Moone did shine as light
as any Sunnie day:
As one that would with all hir powre
assist me in the way.
I casting vp mine eyes
on hir that clearly shinde:
Said. Mercy (Moone) thy Mariner:
call Latmus Hill to minde.
Endymion thee denies
to beare a ruthlesse heart:
Wherefore to these my secret stealthes
thy friendly face conuart.
Thy selfe (a Goddesse) didst
a mortall Wight imbrace:
And shee, whome I pursue, is euen
a Goddesse for hir face.
I leaue hir thewes vntoucht,
wherein she may compare
With heauenly Péeres, such feature falles
on earthly creatures rare.
Saue Venus passing shape,
and thine vnspotted face
Is none whome shée ne doth excell,
thy selfe discerne the case.
How much thy golden Lampe
(when thou thy pride dost show)
Surmounts all other streaming starres
that in their circles glow:
So farre surpasseth she
eche other mortall wight:
And if thou doubt thereof, good fayth
deluded is thy light.
Such wordes I did pronounce,
or not vnlike to these,
Whilst I by night directed course,
amid the yéelding Seas.
The water glistred with
rebounds of Phoebes rayes:
And night for clearnesse might compare
euen with the brightest dayes.
No voyce I heard with eare,
but euerie thing was husht:
Saue whilst my bodie brake the waues
the troubled water rusht.
Alcyones alone
did vse a pleasant note:
And did recorde Ceycus loue
with sweete and warbling throte.
At length my handes gaue vp,
mine armes coulde worke no more:
Then stoode I on the waues aloft,
and cast mine eyes to shore.
No sooner sawe I light:
My loue is yonder way
(Quoth I) that coast doth harbour hir
on whome my life doth stay.
Then streight my strength renude,
mine armes had force againe:
Me thought (than earst) the foming Seas
I swam with lesser paine.
The ardent gleames I bare
in close and louing breast,
Would not permit that I should be
with watrie colde opprest.
The more I came to shore,
or did approch the lande:
Me thought I could a greater charge
of swimming take in hande.
But when I came in sight
that thou mightst take the vewe:
Thy gladsome lookes my fainting force
with comfort did renewe.
Then shewde I all my skill,
to féede thy hungrie eyes:
And, for thou mightst decerne mine armes,
I heaude them to the skies.
Thée from the flowring foorde
thy Nurce coulde scarce restraine:
With fixed eye I markte it well,
and sawe it passing plaine.
Whome though the Hag withheld,
as was in hir to dooe:
Yet with the swelling Tide thou wettste
the leather of thy shooe.
And clasping me in armes
didst kisse Leander oft:
Such kisses as of Gods by Seas
were worthie to be sought.
And from thy shoulders gauste
me garments of the best:
And dridste my haire that was béedewde,
and with the waues opprest.
The reast, thy guiltie towre,
the night, and we doe knowe:
And Phoebe with hir friendly Lampe
that did my passage showe.
That nightes surpassing ioyes
no bett may be discryude,
Than Hellespontus waltring waues,
that Helles life depriude.
How shorter was the space
on Venus to bestow,
We tooke the greater héede that it
in idle might not go.
Thus weares away the night,
and Lucifer the Starre
Declares that Tythons louing spouse
(Aurora) is not farre.
Then forging doolefull plaintes
that Nox hath runne hir race
With ouer hastie foote, our friendly
kisses walke apace.
But when the crabbed Nurse
beginnes to chide and chowre,
With heauie heart I take my course
to Seawarde from the Towre.
At parture both lament,
to Helles goulfe I goe:
And whilst the furge will giue me leaue,
to thée my lookes I throwe.
In fayth vnto thy stronde
I like my swimming well;
But backwarde when I bend my course,
it likes me neuer a dell.
And certes, when I come,
the middle Sea séemes plaine:
But rough and full of hanging Hilles
when I retyre againe.
And (little wouldst thou thinke)
I stay against my will
In Abydon I long to lodge
with thée in Sestus still.
Oh Gods, why should the surge
two lincked hearts denide?
Why they that are of greeing mindes,
one hostage are denide?
Else I with thée in Sest
would make a long soiourne:
Or thou with mée to Abydon
shouldst shape a quicke retourne.
I force not on the place,
so we yfeare may dwell,
Thou louste my Abydos, and I
thy Sestus like as well.
Why doe I cease to swimme
for raging waters yre?
Or why the roring winde (a slender
cause) makes me retyre?
Now crooked Delphins know
the faithfull heart I beare:
All other kinde of scaly fish
will for Leander sweare.
With passing to and fro
I haue a path ymade
In waters, as the Cartes are wont
where chiefely lyes their trade:
Which could not come to passe
with flitting now and than:
That now for windes I can not doe
the lyke, I curse and ban.
Now drenched Helles floud
is so with tempest tost:
As Hulkes in harbour hardly saue
themselues from being lost.
When she poore siely wench
by waters lost hir life,
I iudge that tho th'infamed waues
were at a semblant strife.
This Goulfe hath hate ynough
and shame for drowning one:
Wherefore it may the better let
Leanders life alone.
I spite at Phrixus fate
that on the golden Ramme,
These fretting Seas in spite of waues
and surges safely swamme.
But I will neyther sheepe,
nor ayde of Shippe require:
If so the waters would be such
as swimmers would desire.
No forraine helpe I craue,
so waues go not too rough:
My selfe will be the passage Boats
and Bargeman well inough.
I will by neyther Beare
direct my stearelesse shippe.
My loue such publike peeuish starres.
estéemes but as a chippe.
Let those that list beholde
Andromade the fayre:
The golden crowne, or Parrhasis
that shines in Northren ayre:
Leander makes no coumpt
of any of their light:
No not of hir whome Perseus chose,
or Bacchus for delight.
Another starre I haue
surmounting all the rest:
That will not sée mine earnest loue
with darcksome cloude opprest.
Whereon when I so gaze,
to Colchos Launcher bound
As Iason did, I trauell could,
or to a further ground.
I would in flitting farre
Palaemons cunning passe:
Or Glaucus that became a God
by tasting of the grasse.
Mine armes doe often ake
with sundring of the waue:
That scarcely can I swimme to shore
my wearie corps to saue.
But when I say (good cheere,
you shall not faile your hyre,
And for your paine eftsoones you shall
to Heros neck aspyre.)
Then wonted valiant force
beginnes to grow againe:
And like a Courser forth I thrust
that would be formost faine.
Thus I my burning flames
reserue in couert brest:
And thée pursue of heauenly staule
as worthie as the best.
Yet though thou well deserue
a heauenly wight to bee:
Demour in earth, or make me showe
how I may come to thée.
I sée it thence procéedes
that I thée seld enioy:
And thence it comes that with my mind
the wrathfull Seas annoy.
What gaynes Leander though
the passage be but small?
For him it were as good that these
were wydest Seas of all.
I somewhat doubtfull stande,
what first to wish or craue:
To be so nigh, or farther off
both loue, and hope to haue.
The nearer I approch,
the more my flame doth gléede:
I lacke the thing I most desire,
though Hope mine humor feede.
I may welnigh with armes,
(so neare it is) imbrace,
And not enioy: which makes the teares
ofte tymes imbrue my face.
I may my lotte compare
with Tantals hungrie lore:
That hath both foode and lyquor by,
yet famine bytes him sore.
What shall I neuer straine
thée in my folded armes
But when the water lift? redresse
is none for those my harmes?
And since no suretie may
in winde and waues be found,
Shall all his hoped trust in waues
and winde Leander ground?
If tempests thus doe rage
whilst Aestas is in place:
How wil they rore, when watry signes
shall showe their storinie face?
Or else I doe not knowe
my fonde and witlesse rage:
Or else euen then I shall my corps
vnto the goulfe ingage.
And least thou shouldst surmise
my painted promise vaine:
My deede shall well approue my words
within a day or twaine.
Ere many nights shall passe,
(in spite of Neptuns powre)
I minde to swimme the swelling Seas
Leander dreades no showre.
For eyther will I liue,
and Heros loue enioy.
Or by my death of carefull loue
abandon all annoy.
And so it sorte I die,
this onely boone I craue,
My carkasse to be cast on lande
with thée his Heirse to haue.
I know thou wilt both touch,
and eke deplore the same:
And say (Leander) I thy death
against my will did frame.
This fell abodement may
perhappes offende thy heart:
And these forespeaking lynes of mine
increase thy silent smart.
Let all such fancies go,
helpe (Hero) to request
That waltring waters may be calme,
and belking Seas at rest.
Small time of truce will serue
to bring me to thy shore:
Whē I am there let Neptune frowne,
and ruthlesse Chanell rore.
There may Leander make
a safe and sicker stay:
His shippe no surer harbour can
nor Barck haue better Bay.
Let Boreas me include
where I so faine would bee:
And then Leander loth to swimme
from Sestus thou shalt sée.
I will not then go scolde
with déeffe Seas as to fore:
Ne yet, that waters are vniust
in wonted wise deplore.
Let Heros armes withholde,
Let windes enforce my stay:
Let double cause preuaile to stoppe
Leander if they may.
When tempest shall permit,
to Sestus will I hie:
Sée that thy Lampe be burning aye
for feare I swimme awrie.
The while receyue my lynes
I wrote with quaking pen:
Ere long myselfe will be with thée,
if fortune say Amen.
The Argument of the xix. Epistle, entituled Hero to Leander.
WHen Hero had Leanders lines receiude,
His louing letters read, and throughly scand:
His faythfull heart and constance she perceiude,
Which made hir write againe with willing hand.
Some time for sluggish him the Wench controlde,
To shew hir selfe a louing Lasse in deede:
Some time she biddes him not to be too bolde,
Nor hasten more to Sestus than were neede.
Now cries she out against the Mounting waues,
And craues a calme at cruell Neptuns hand:
And by and by with Aeolus she raues,
And Boreas blamde, that did hir loue withstand.
Some time she dreades least she forelorne were,
(As common trade of Louers is to do:)
But last of all she willes him to forbere,
And not to come whilst windes did bluster so,
And waters warrde, that perill was to passe
The curssed streame where Helle drenched was.
The .xix. Epistle. Hero to Leander.
THe health thou sent in wordes,
that I may haue in deede:
Doe way (Leander) all excuse
and come thy way with spéede.
All stay tormentes me sore,
that doth my ioyes expell:
And mercy, since I doe confesse
I loue thée passing well.
We both doe burne alike
and frie with egall flame:
But I am weakest of the two,
my nature willes the same.
As womens corse is faint,
so are their mindes not strong:
If thou doe not repayre at once
I shall be dead ere long.
You men contriue the time
and lothsome tide away:
Sometime in tillage of your soyles,
sometime you hunt the day.
Sometime at open barre
you plead a Clients case:
To Tennis now, and then with horse
you runn a lustie race.
Sometime you pitch for foule,
for fishe you lay your line:
And when the day is spent and gone,
you fall to quaffing wine.
Now I can none of these
though lesser were my flame:
Thy Hero can doe nothing else
but cleape hir louers name.
And that which sole remaynes
(Leander) that I proue:
And, more than any wight would deeme,
I rage with ardent loue.
Or I with Beldam Nurce
doe sit, and chatte of thée,
And doe not little muse what should
thy cause of lingring bée:
Or séeing Seas to surge
by meane of windie flawes:
In thy behalfe I checke the windes
with wide and wreakefull iawes.
Or when the calmed Seas
haue somewhat quaylde their powre:
I say thou mayst, but wilt not come
to Heros wonted towre.
Amid my griefull plaintes
the saltish teares gush out
By streames which crooked Nurce doth wipe,
and dryes with Linnen clout.
Oft tymes I séeke in sande
where I thy steppes may finde:
As though the foote once gone, the print
would aye remaine behinde.
I aske when any came,
or any mindes to go
To Abydon: to fine I might
thy state by wryting know.
What should I speake how ofte
I kisse with louing lippe
The robes which tho thou lefest behind
when thou to Sea didst skippe?
Thus when the day is spent,
and night our friendfull ride
Hath banisht Phoebus from the Pole,
and starres doe shew their pride:
In stately turrets toppe
a blazing Lampe I sette:
Whereby thou wonted are my shore
and perillous stronde to fette.
Then I to passe the time
in haste to Distaffe coonne:
An Arte which woraen vse the griefes
of yrkesome stayes to shoonne.
O that thou knewste my wordes,
that I pronounce the while:
Leanders name is all my talke,
Leander is my stile.
How thinke you (Nurse) is he
by this come out of doore?
Or doth he stand in dreade of scowtes
that on his passage poore?
Hath he remooude his robes?
(good Beldame tell thy minde)
Or oylde his ventrous carelesse corps
as swimmers wont by kinde?
With that she giues a nod,
not for she heares my talke:
But drowsie slumber so procures
hir gogling head to walke.
And then I pawse a stounde:
then (now he flitts) I say,
And with his well approued armes
he beates the waues away.
Then spinne I for a space,
and twist a threede or twaine:
And where thou be in middle Seas
to learne I am full faine.
Sometime I giue the gaze
where I may see thee swimme:
And then we pray that Neptune will
not shewe his cheare too grimme.
Sometime we heare with eare
a noyse that makes vs thincke,
That thou art then ycome to shore
and safe to Sestus brincke.
Thus when the greatest part
of night is flitted by:
The slumbring sleepe by secret stealth
inuades my weried eye.
Then (gainst thy will perhaps)
thou dost with me foiourne:
And (though thy selfe wouldst faine dislodge)
yet art thou here atourne.
For now I séeme to sée
thée swimming in the flood:
And then to throw thy limber armes
on Heros backe a good.
Another while with clothes
and wonted robes I hide
Thy moysted limmes, and lay me dowlie
fast by thy wished side.
And other toyes to taste
and other feates to frame:
Which though I ioyde to put in vre,
my tongue to tell doth shame.
Oh mée vnhappie wench
whose pleasure makes no stay,
And falsed is: for thou with fléepe
art wont to slippe away.
O Lord let vs that loue
at length wich firmer lace
Inchaine our selues: let dreames no more
true pleasurs so deface.
Why haue I lodgde alone
so many nights arowe
In colde and carefull couch? why dost
thou proue thy selfe so stowe?
As now the waters are
too boysteous I confesse
For such as swimme: but yesternight
Neptunus rage was lesse.
Why lettste thou slip that lide?
thou shouldst haue fearde the wurst:
And not haue stoode in earnest hope
for better than the furst.
What though the weather shape
as well againe to swim?
Yet that, because it was the first,
of both I iudge it t [...]m.
For Seas haue sodaine chaunge,
the floud is altred soone:
And when thou willing art to come
thy course is sooner doone.
Arriude to Sestus shore,
no cause thou shouldst at all
Haue of regréete: thée in mine armes
what winter storme might gall?
Then I with gladsome minde
would heare the windes to rage:
And pray that Neptuns surging Seas
their swelling might not swage.
But how befell you feare
your wonted passage so,
And dréede the goulfe you scornd ere this?
the cause I long to know.
For yet I well recorde
that when thou camste to Sest,
The Chanell was as rough, or nie
as rough as may be gest.
When I exclamde aloude,
(mine owne) be not too bolde:
Least I be forst to rue thy fate,
if I thy death beholde.
Whence comes this sodaine feare?
where is that courage now?
Where he that scornde the force of flouds
and waters wont to flow?
Yet naythelesse be wise,
not retchlesse as thou were:
And swim in safetie if thou mayste,
if not a while forbeare.
So that thy fayth be one,
as those thy lines did showe:
And so that kindled flame of thine
to cinders doe not growe.
I dreade not so the windes
that barre my wished ioye:
As least thy loue, will like the winde
exchaunge by chaunge of toye.
Of this I stande in awe,
least perill passe the gaine:
And least thou thinke thy bootie farre
inferiour to thy paine.
Sometyme I quake for feare
least Abydon deface
My Sest, and least Leander thincke
his Herô farre too base.
But all I can endure,
with well contented will,
So that thou haue no daintie Dra [...]
thy pleasures to fulfill.
So that no strumpets armes
about thy necke depende:
Nor nouell loue procure thy first
and former flame to ende.
Oh rather let me die
than such a crime to know,
Let Herôs liuely twist be shrid,
ere thou doe trespasse so.
Not for thou gauste me causs
of future griefe, I speake
In such a wise: no newe report
moues me my minde to breake,
Saue that I feare the worst,
Who loues deuoyde of dreede?
The place doth forte the absent wight
oft times on feare to féede.
Oh happie Nymphes whome place
and presence makes to know
Committed crymes, and kéepes from seare
of things that are not so.
No lesse the forged fact
than wrong ydone in deede
Doth moue our mindes: from both alike
lyke dolour doth procéede.
Oh, that thou wouldste repaire
or else thy cause of let
From winds & grutching father mightst,
and from no woman fet.
Which if I heard of troth,
for grunting griefe I die:
And great will be thy guilte, if so
thy loue thou séeke to strie.
But more than needes I dreade
thou wilt not so offende:
For churlish tempest is in fault
that will not let thée wende:
O Gods, what mounting flouds
doe driue against the shore?
How doth the darkesome cloude inclose
and kéepe the light in store?
Perhaps the virgins Dame
is commen to the flood:
And for hir drenched dearling sheddes
hir saltish teares a good.
Or Ino being woxe
a Seanymph but of late,
Turmoyles the Goulfe, that Helle brought
to such vntimely fate.
That floud doth nothing-friend
the Mayden sexe I know:
For there did Helle lose hir life,
where Heros hurt doth grow.
But (Neptune) waying well
and calling oft to minde
Thy former flames, me thinks thou shouldst
not hinder loue by winde.
For Amymon can well,
and Tyro trie at neade,
That thou were truely toucht with loue
as we in stories reade.
Alcyonê the fresh,
and Iphimedia faire:
Medusa on whose skull as then
there hoong no hissing haire.
Laodice the browne,
Celaeno fixt in skie:
Whose names I sundrie times haue read,
and séene with searching eye.
With these, and diuers else
(of whome the Poets write)
Thou (Neptune) chambred hast full oft,
and past in loues delight.
Why then that hast so oft
the valiant force of loue
Assayde, by tempest to forelet
our wonted course dost proue?
Cruell be calme awhile,
wage warre where Seas be wide:
This is a slender Chanell that
two Countries doth deuide.
It better would beséeme
a high and haughtie Roy,
To hoyse the Hulkes, to broile with Barks,
or Nauies to annoy.
T'is shame for God of Goulfe
a swimming youth to sincke:
Eche little Lake this conquest would,
and spoyle vnsitting thincke.
He is of noble bloud,
not of Vlysses line:
At whome, not vndeseruedly
thou (Neptune) dost repine.
Giue leaue, at once saue two:
for though he sole doe swim,
Yet in the selfe same tossing Tide
my hope consistes in him.
Meanewhile the Torch (for by
a Torch I sit and write)
Doth happer, a blissefull signe that all
shall not successe aright.
Beholde how Beldame poures
the wine into the flame:
And sayes (to morrow we shalbe mo)
and drinckes vpon the same.
Oh, come by fliding Seas,
increase the tale by one:
Thou whome I fix in faythfull breast,
and let delayes alone.
Home to thy tentes retyre,
that fleest thy friendly spouse:
Why doe I sole amid my Couch
my carefull carkasse rouse?
No cause there restes of dreade,
the bolde is sure of grace
At Venus handes: she that was bred
of flouds, will rue thy case.
My selfe oft tymes to méete
in middle Goulfe doe dare:
Saue for the floud is friend to men,
not women wont to spare.
For why (when Phrixus with
his louing sister came
By Sea) did Helles onely giue
the gastly Goulfe his name:
Perhaps you dreade returne,
least force will faile you feare?
You stand in doubt you may not well
this double trauaile beare.
Wherefore make hast, and méete
thy friende amids the flood:
And there aloft vpon the waues
shall kisses walke a good.
That done, let eyther to
his stronde reuert againe:
Though this were small, t'is better some,
than naught at all to gaine.
Would eyther bashfull shame
that féedes this serret fire,
Or fearefull loue would yéelde to fame:
of both I t'one desire.
For yll they can agrée,
that neuer are at truce:
T'one sweete, and t'other séemely is,
I wote nere which to chuse.
When Iason did arriue
at Colchos carefull port:
Hée his Medea well imbarckt
did thence with spéede transport.
No sooner Priams sonne
to Lacedaemon came:
But straight he made returne to Troie
with famous Grecian Dame.
But thou as often leauste
thy liked loue behinde
As doste repaire: and comste when ships
may scarcely passe for winde.
Be naythelesse auisde
(thou Victor of the Seas:)
So scorne the floud as thou maist feare
least Neptune thée disease.
Huge, high, and haughtie Hulks,
yframde by Arte doe fayle:
And canst thou déeme thine armes will more
than shauen Ores preuaile?
The Pylates stande afright
the shelfes thou swimste to coste:
For Barks ybroosde, and shaken shippes,
in such a sort are loste.
Oh mee vnlucky wench,
I woulde not thus disswade,
But be as bolde for all my wordes
as is thy wonted trade:
So safely thou ariue,
and laie those armes of thine
Vpon my backe, that oft were beate
with Sea of bealking brine.
But I wote nere what colde
my quaking breast doth nomme,
As oft as to my restlesse minde
a thought of Seas doth comme.
My last nights dreame torments
and makes mée sore afright:
Though I to Morpheus ere I slept,
had done my sacred right.
In creake of dawning day
when torchlight gan to faile:
(A tide when true vndoubted dreames
the slumbring corse assaile)
Out of my sléeple hands
the twisted twine did fall,
And to my pensiue Pillow I
my head applyde withall.
And with vnfalsed fayth,
and certaine sight I sawe
A crooked Delphin flit in floud,
ytost with windie flawe.
Who when by drift of waues
and turning Tide was tost
To sandie shore: he both at once
his lyfe and waters lost.
What so it be I dreade,
haue not in scorne my dreames:
Ne (yet vnlesse the waters serue)
commit thy corse to streames.
If selfe care all be past,
yet way thy friendly Mate,
Whose wealth & welfare doth depende
vpon thy healthfull state.
I hope that yrefull Seas
will shortly be at reast:
Then do thou breake the calmed waues
with safe and sicker breast.
Meanewhile, cause surge turmoilde
thy passage doth restraine:
Let louing lynes ysent, abridge
some part of lingring paine.
The Argument of the xx. Epistle, entituled Acontius to Cydippe.
To Delos, where the rites
were done to Dians grace
Acontius trauailde, many Nymphes
and Maydens were in place.
Atroupe to Temple came,
but one aboue the rest
(Cydippe namde,) with louing dart
did craze Acontius brest.
Who for be saw the wight
vnegall in estate:
Surmisde he should not for his life
haue giuen hir the mate.
Yet naythelesse at length
he bourded hir with guile:
And in a goodly Apple did
inclose this craftie stile.
By Dians sacred rytes
and misteries I sweare,
That I will make repaire to thee
and be thy friendly Feeare.
In Temple at hir feete
he floong the flattring fruite:
She tooke it vp, and reade the rymes.
Cydippe woxe as mute
[Page 135]As fish, and Scarlet red
hir lillie Cheekes became:
For hauing made a vowe she knewe
she should obserue the same.
For what so was beheight
before Dianas face,
By commen order was decreede
should take effect and place.
Hir Father after this
vnwitting of the othe
His daughter made, Cydippe to
another did betrothe.
Meanewhile the sillie wench
with Feuers was opprest,
And fealt a thousande furious fits
ybreeding hir vnrest.
Acontius in his lynes
induceth hir to thinck
This Feuer faine by Dians wrath,
forcause she sought to shrinck
Hnd false hir plighted fayth
in presence and in place
Of all those sacred Saincts, but most
of good Dianas grace.
The .xx. Epistle. Acontius to Cydippe.
ABandon dreade, for to thy Louer thou
shalt frame no farther hest ne swere again:
Thy once ingaged faith I recke ynough.
Read & suruay my lines: so may this griefs
And languor leaue thy corps, which is my tene
When any limme of thine sustaineth smart.
Why blush you? and why with vermilion taint
Beflecke your chéekes? in Dians temple so
I déeme thy face with scarlet hue infect.
Marrige and plighted troth, no crime I craue:
I loue not as a Letcher, but a spouse.
Reuoke to minde the wordes in Apple graude,
Which to thy guiltlesse handes I did proiect.
There shalt thou finde confirmde by solemne oth,
That I require: vnlesse both fired faith
And wordes at once out of thy breast are fled.
Euen as I drad in déede, the Goddesse frettes.
O Nimph, thou rather than the Goddesse shouldst
Stand mindefull of thy Hest and promisse made:
And now I feare the like. But oh to more
Hir raging force is growne, and flame increast
By lingring staye. And loue that neuer was
Slender, by yéelded hope in processe springs.
Thou gauste me hope, my loue leant faith thereto
That Dian witnesde thou canst not withsaye.
She tho was prest, and noted well the wordes
And séemde with mooued tresse to giue assent.
Report that by deceite thou were intrapt,
Whilst Cupid did enforce me forge the fraude.
What meant my craft but to be linckt with thée?
That thou complainste, may well me reconcile.
Not guilefull I by vse, or nature am,
Me thou (my wenche) in fayth hast subtill made.
(If I did ought by Arte) with sleightfull words,
The wilye Loue hath fast with mée enchainde:
I knit the knot with wordes that he pronounst,
And craftie I by Cupids counsell, woxe.
Let guile sustaine the name, let me be saide
Subtille, if things beloude to winne, be craft.
Beholde, I write a fresh, and frame request,
Another frande whereof thou mayste complaine.
If I, in that I loue, annoy thée so,
Incessantly I will: and though thou bée
Full well aduisde, I will pursue thée aye.
Others by sword haue many Nymphes purloynd
And shall a letter forgde by craftie sleight,
To me as haynous crime obiected be?
Gods graunt I thee in faster knot may chaine.
As thou mayst neuer finde a way to start,
Nor flie thy fixed faith. A thousand trickes
There are, and I in that one trauaile toyle,
Nothing my loue permits vntride to goe.
Though doubtful be where thou wilt yéeld or no,
(The ende is in the Gods,) but thou shalt yeelde,
And be entrapt, and forst in fine to bow.
Some toyles put cuse thou scape? yet al the ginnes
Thou canst not passe which crafty Cupid pight:
Moe Nettes there are than thou surmisde to be.
If Arte may not auayle, to armes we will,
And I will thee, as rape atchiude enioy.
I am not he that Paris fact controlle,
Nor any that such manlike parts haue playde.
And I. But now no more: though death ensue
This rape, should lesse aggrieue than thée to lose.
Oh, would yu were worse featurde than thou art,
With reason then of me thou shouldst be sought:
Thy-face doth me to valiance now procure.
Thou, and thine eyes (surpassing flaming starres,
Which were the causers of my glowing gleade)
In me this courage moues, and stoutnesse stirres,
Thy yellow golden lockes, thy yuorie necke,
Thy handes, (of whome I long to be accold,)
Thy feature, and thy blusshing countenance
Deuoyde of rustickes grace: and feete such as
With Thetis may cōpare, this boldnesse bréedes,
More fortunate were I, if all the reast
I might condignly prayse: but doubt I nought
But that the whole vnto his parts agrees.
By thys thy forme enforst, no maruell though
I sought to haue thy parling voyce his pledge.
In fine, sith that thou art constrainde to yéelde
Thy selfe beguilde, by my deceytfull sleight
(O Virgine) be thou conquerde at the last.
Let me sustaine the hate, and reape the fruite
For hatred so endurde: So haynous cryme
And blame why doth it want his earned hire?
Hesion Aiax, Briseis Achylles tooke,
And eyther of them their Victor did ensue.
Me spare not to accuse, ne sticke to wrath
Me, so I may thée angrie wight enioy.
We that procurde the yre, will pease the same
If neuer so little leysure be allowde,
And respite giuen to lessen swelling wrath.
Let me besprent with teares tofore thy face
Stand, adding to my teares lamenting sounde?
And as the frequent vse of Vassels is,
When they of lashing scourge doe stand in awe,
(Groufe at thy féete, stretch out my yéelding hāds)
What? knowst yu not thy right & Mistres powre?
Cite me. In absence why am I accusde?
As Ladies woont [...], giue me in charge t'appeare.
Though thou my tresses teare in stately sorte,
And make my face with buffets black and blewe:
Yet all I will endure, fearing but that
My bodie should thy tender fifies annoy.
In Chaine or Gyue t'is néedelesse me to binde
Inlaste in loue, that haue no powre to flée.
When so thy wrath with wreak shal be repleate,
And anger be reuengde: thy selfe shalt say
Oh God, how paciently the man doth loue?
Thy selfe shalt say (when I haue all endurde)
My seruant thou that seruste so well shalt bée.
In absence why am I (vnluekie) dée mde
Guiltie? and though my cause be passing good
Yet for default of Patrone, goes to wracke?
The bill that Cupid wrote, and gaue in charge,
It is my wrong and practisde iniurie,
This onely fact in mee thou must reproue.
Dian with me deserued not the bob.
If so the thing to me thou hast behight
Thou loth to yéelde, let Delia beare the same.
For being prest she saw when thou intrapt
Didst blush, in mindefull eare the words she plast.
Abodements laide ayart more fiercer than
Diana, (when she sées hir Godhead wrongde,)
There is not any God, nor halfe so sterne.
The Calydonian Boare can well recorde:
For by his meane, how cruell was the Dame
Vnto hir sonne, we haue full often read.
Witnesse Acteon eke, that fedde his Houndes
That earst with them had sundrie quarries made.
The haughtie Mother too to Marble turnde,
In ruthfull sort that in Migdoni standes?
Aye me (Cydip) I dreade the troth to tell,
Least I be thought for goodding of my cause
False matter to alledge: yet needes I must
Now plead the same. This is the cause (in fayth)
That thou at Nuptiall day art so diseasde,
Vnable from the sickle Couch to rise.
Dian would doe thée good, and paynes hir sore
Least yu shouldst be forsworne: she gladly would
The sicklesse, and vnbroken Hest reserue.
Thence it precéedes (as oft as thou dost séeke
To swarue thy fayth) yt she thy carkasse plagues▪
Leaue off to stirre the cruell Virgins Bowe:
Yet if thou wilt to ruth she may be brought.
Spare thou thy corse with Feuers to molest,
Reserue thy featurde face for me to vse:
That countnance kéepe, to set my heart on flame
By nature made, where Rose with Lillie striues▪
So fare my foe, and who so else doth barre
Thée to be mine, as the diseasde I liue.
My griefe is one, or when thou linckest with
An other wight, or féelste tormenting téene,
I wote not which I recke the worst of both.
Sometime it yrkes me that I bréede thy doole,
Déeming thy gripes by my deceite to growe,
Praying the plague of periurie to redounde
On mée, that thou mightst by my scath escape.
And oft to wit, and vnderstande thy plight,
Doubtfull (God wote) I wander to and fro,
Thy Mayd at ynches suing and thy Man,
Demaunding how thy meate, and sléepe auaile,
Wo me, that I the rules of Phisick scorne,
And put them not in vre, ne wring hir wrestes,
Ne on hir cowch for comfortes sake, doe lye.
And woe againe, that I absent me thence,
An other perhaps, whome I ne would, is prest.
He féeles thy pulses, and doth sit him downe
By thy diseased corse, hatefull to Gods,
And with the Gods, of me detested too.
And whilst wt thumbe he féeles ye leaping vaines,
He straines by meane thereof, thy snowish armes,
Handling thy breast, and by escheate perhaps
A kisse doth gaine of those thy sugred lips,
A greater guerdon than his paine deserude.
Who gaue thée leaue my haruest to forereape?
Vnto an others hope, who made thy way?
That bosome (friend) is mine, fowlly from me
My kisses thou bereauste: wherefore do waye
Thy flippant fist from that my pacted corps.
Vnthrift, do way thy hands, the thing thou feelst
Is me behight: hereafter if thou doe
The like, thou shalt a Leachers name procure.
On single Nymphes, and not dispoused Maydes
Make choyse: I woulde thou wist, this is possest.
Beleue not mée giue to the bargaine, eare,
And cause hir reade the wryting, to this ende
Thou déeme hir not vntrue or false to bee.
Goe from anothers bridall bed, I saye,
What makst thou here? go pack, this knot is tide.
Put case thou haue a partie promise eake?
Yet is thy cause and mine vnegall farre.
She made me perfect vow: hir Sire the Nymph
To thee behight: but nearer than hir Sire,
Vnto hir selfe the sielie Mayden standes.
Hir Father made a promise: she by othe
Conioynde hir selfe in league of stayde loue.
He witnesde men: She Dian did protest.
He dreades the name of Liar to sustaine:
But she the blot of periurde tongue to beare.
Of both déeme thou which is the greater feare.
And last of both the perils to compare,
Respect the euents of both, and latter lotte.
She lies diseasde: he liues releast of woe.
And we with dispar mindes for hir contende
Ne hope to both, nor egall is the dread.
Thou forcest not the sute: more griefull were
Repulse to me than death: alreadie I
Imbrace the Mayde, whome thou in future time
And after this mayste haue the hap to loue.
If iustice, or regarde of right did lodge
Within thy brest, yu to my flames wouldst yéeld
Now since this furious wight maintaines a strife
In wrongfull cause, (Oh Cydip) to what ende
Do I to thée fruitlesse lines endite?
He bréedes thy doole, and makes thée be suspect
Of Dian: him (if thou be wise) renounce.
Barre, and forbidde him to approche thy lodge.
These perrils by his meane thou doste endure:
That would he might acquite thy corse from we,
That forger is of these thy pinching paynes.
Whome if thou flée, and lincke with him in loue
Whome Dian not condemnes: release of fittes
Thy selfe shalt finde, and I shall be reuiude,
Virgin exile thy feare, doubt not recure,
Reuerence the temple where thou madste ye vow
The Gods delight not with a flaughtred Oxe,
But with a fayth performde without recorde.
Some women health to gaine, and purchase ease,
Both scarring Launce, & scalding flame endure:
Other the bitter drench acquites of paine.
These néedelesse are to thée: flée periurie:
Thy selfe, thy Hest, and mée referue at once.
Pardon of passed crime by ignorance
Shall be procurde: quite from thy mind was fled
And plighted promesse quite thy thought exilde.
Thée both my wordes, and these thy present haps
Haue warned, which thy carefull corse assault
As oft as thou from pawned fayth dost wrie:
When these are ouerblowne in trauell thou
Wilt craue of hir, of baron to be well
And soone releast, and haue thy throwes abridgde.
Which she will heare, and rolling in hir minde
Will aske, who was the sielie infants Sire?
Thou wilt auow. She knowes thy Hest vntrue.
Thou wilt protest, and binde with sacred othe:
But she wottes wel thou canst the Gods beguile.
It nothing toucheth mée: yet greater hoe
I haue, and carefull is my heart of thy
Indaungred life, that now in perill stands.
Why lately did thy doubtfull Parents mourne,
For thy distresse, whom thou thy crime cōcealdste?
And why are they vnwitting of thy guilt?
Cydip, thy déedes deserue no shame at all.
Display in order thine acquaintance first
With me, as to Dian thou didst thy rites:
And how, when first (if well thou didst attende)
I saw thy face, I stayd, and gaue the gaze,
Vewing with staring eyes thy comely corse,
And whilst I muzde thereat (a sicker signe
Of frensie) from my backe my vesture flid.
And after, how by hap (thou wottste not howe)
A rolling Apple trillde, with lynes ingraude
Thereon, which were by subtile sleight deuisde:
Which being read by thée, in presence of
The sacred Goddesse, bound thy faith in bande,
Which, cause Diana heard, must not be slipt.
And to the fine she may the writing know,
As earst thou didst, so reade the same againe.
Wedde (will she say) with my good will, to him
With whom ye blissefull Gods haue thée cōioynd,
Let be my sonne, whom thou to spouse hast tane,
Who so it be, shall like me, for he earst
Hath stoode in Dians grace. Thy Mother thus
Will say, if so that she thy Mother bée.
If who, and what I am, she make demaunde,
Let hir beholde, and she shall well perceiue
That well for thee Diana hath puruayde.
The famous Ile (where the Coritian Nymphes
Did lodge of yore, inuironde with the Sea
Aegaeum,) Caea cleaped is the soyle
Where I was bred: and (if thou doe accoumpt
Of Gentils bloud) my Grandsires were of fame.
And we are wealthie eke, our maners are
Not fraught wt shameful crimes, suppose ther wer
Nought else? yet loue hath shackled vs yfeare.
Vnsworne thou mightst selected such a spouse,
And neuer forst with such a husbande wed.
This is my dreame, Phoebe the Archeresse,
And Loue awakt, did will me write to thee:
Of whom th'ones darts haue thirled erst my hart,
Beware least th'ochers shafts doe thée annoy.
Our healthes are ioynde in one: Rue on thy selfe
And me: why dost thou stagger both to ease?
Which if befal, when blasted Trumpe shal soūd,
And Delos be with yolded bloude imbrude:
The golden Image of the blissefull fruite
Shall stande aloft, with cause in myter graude.
Acontius, by the Apples forme, recordes
Th'insculped lynes to haue bene brought to passe.
But least thy weakened limmes, and féeble corps.
My ouer long Epistle should molest:
To fine I may in wonted maner ende,
Aconce thy friend, biddes the (Cydip) adue.
The Argument of the xxj. Epistle, entituled Cydippe to Acontius.
WHen Cydip saw hir furious fits increase,
And fretting Feuer grow to worse disease,
Then thought she verily that no release
Was to be had, vnlesse she mought appease
Dianas wrath: wherefore she thought it best
To stand vnto hir former plighted hest.
Then tooke she pen in hand, then gan she write
These following lines to Aconce, making showe
That she would yeelde, and banish rigour quite,
And pay the det to him that she did owe:
Crauing his helpe in peasing Goddesse yre,
That she to health the sooner might aspyre.
The .xxj. Epistle. Cydippe to Acontius.
A Fright in silence I thy lines suruayde,
Least yt vnwares my tong to witnes should
Haue callde the Gods, and for records appealde.
I déeme thou wouldst haue bourded me againe.
With craft, hadst yu not thought in iudging mind
One Hest (as thou confest) to haue suffisde.
He had I vewde thy lines and Letters sent,
But that I thought the yrefull Goddesse wrath
By duresse would to furder rage increast.
For all that I can doe, though incense I
To Dian offer, yet she friendes thée more
Than reason willes she should: & as thou crauste
Credit to winne: so she with mindefull wrath
Vpon my corse for thée awroken is.
So stiffely scarce by Hippolyte she stoode.
But she (a Virgin) rather should haue showne
Fauor vnto a siely Maydens yeares:
Which to abridge least she doe long I feare.
For why the cause of this my languor lurckes
And hidden lyes by Phisicke not recurde,
So meager am I woxe, so leane and bare,
As scarce I had suffising force to write,
With leaning on mine Elbowe able scarce
My pined limmes and carkasse pale to raise.
Now dreade I least beside my Beldame Nurce
Some one discrie our entercomoning.
Tofore the gate she sittes, to askers how
I fare (that I may write) she sayes I sléepe.
But when within a space fuspected is
Excessiue sléepe, and slumber ouerlong,
And such she sées repaire whome to debarre
Were duresse: then she spits and giues a hemme,
A feygned signe that some is at the doore.
I leaue my lynes vnperfite then for hast,
And to my bosome thrust the scrolle eftsoone,
Forth with in spéede I plie the same againe,
And set my hande and penne to former taske.
Which thing how yrksome toyle it was to me,
Thy selfe mayst well discerne, and be the iudge.
Which thou (in fayth) hast passing yll deserude.
But thy merites and iust deserued hire
My ruthfull clemencie shall farre surmount.
By thée, vncertaine of dispayred health,
So oft by thy deceit I haue, and yet
Endure tormenting fittes and troublous téene.
This is the good my vaunted beautie gaines
So oft extolde by thée aboue the starres.
It me annoyes thée to haue likte so well.
If in thy sight I had deformed béene,
(Which rather I could wishe) my blamed corps
In neede of Phisicks helpe had neuer stoode.
Now being praysde I mourne by your discord
Betrayde: my proper good doth forge my woes.
Whilst thou dost scorne to yéelde, and he repines
To lose his roome or be in second place,
Thou barrste his wish, and he doth hinder thine,
I like a shippe am tost, whome Boreas blast
Into the Chanell driues, but surge and tide
Repelles to shore, from déeper foorde againe.
And of my Parents when the wished day
Arriues, excessiue heates my limmes besiedge,
And at the cruell mariage day, my doores
In yrefull rage Proserpina doth shake.
I blush & dread (though guiltlesse in my minde)
Least I by ought haue stirrde the Gods to wrath.
Some pleade it commes by hap, and some surmise
This man to be dislikte of heauenly powres,
And fame of thée hath also hir reporte:
Some déeme it done by my inchauntments eke:
The cause is hid: my hurtes too plaine appeare.
Ye wage a restlesse warre and endelesse strife:
But I meane while am she that bide the smart.
I nowe will say as I was wont of yore,
By louing if thou thus annoy thy loue,
Howe wouldst thou hurt by hate the hated thing?
If whome thou loue thou hurte, go loue thy foe,
Wish me full yll to fare, and saue my lyfe.
Or now of hoped spouse thou hast no carke,
Whom vndeserude, thou ruthlesse lettste to pine:
Or if in vaine thou to the Goddesse sue,
To me why dost thou so auaunt thy selfe
That standest nought in Dians grace at all?
Say what thou wilt, thou wilt not swage hir yre,
I cleane am out of thought: thou canst not, thou
Appease the Goddesse, thou art quite forgot.
Or would I neuer had, or notas then
Delos (that is inuironde withthe Sea,
Aegaeum) knowne: a haplesse Ile to mee.
Tho was my shippe to surging Chanell brought
Vnluckely, sinister was the houre
Wherein I shoope to take the cursed Seas.
How set I foorth my foote? from Threshold with
What foote went I? or to my painted Barck
With what vnluckie foote did I repaire?
Yet twise with froward winds my ship recoylde,
And made retoure to shore: but oh I lie,
That winde was blissefull and no froward gale:
A blessed blast that brought me back to baye,
And went about to barre my haplesse course.
And would it had contended with my sayles,
And stoode in longer strife and greater warre.
But folly is the fickle windes to blame.
Mooude with the place his fame, and fresh reporte,
To Delos I my hastie voyage shoope:
And in a nymble Barck did passe the floud.
How oft did I controll the sluggish Oares,
Complaining that the sayle clothes did not strout
But flagging flue, not stuft with gladsome gale?
Nowe Mycone, Tenos, and Andros I
Had past, and Delos was discouerde plaine.
Which when I scride afarre. Ile why (quouth I)
Dost thou me flée? Where yet (as earst thou didst)
Doste thou in largie Seas and Chanell rode
Aye fléering to and fro? I came to lande
When day was put to flight, and Phoebus gan
His wearie stéedes from purple whéeles discharge
Whome when he had to wonted rising brought,
Againe at morne (my Mather giuing charge)
My comely tresses were in order laide,
And frisled lockes in brauest maner trimde.
Hir self bespangde my hands wt curious Gēmes,
And purlde my haire with golde: hir self applide
Vnto my shoulders vesture passing fine.
Then yssuing out to Rulers of the Ile
And sacred Gods incense with wine we gaue.
And whilst my Mother with hir vowed bloud
The Altar staines, and Bowels broils on coales
In ranges casting Fume to loftie skies:
The busie carefull Nurce led mée about
From place to place, frō Church to sacred Fane:
In Porches now I passe, now musing at
The giftes of kings, and sundrie sightes I sawe.
Then gasting on the Altars made with hornes
And tree, gainst which the wandring Goddesse at
Hir time of bearing childe did rest hir corse:
And what beside (for I ne all to minde
Can call, or lawfull is I say, to tell)
Was to be séene in daintie Delos tho.
Whilst I (Aconce) of these so straungie sightes
Was taking vewe thou me perhaps discridste:
Who for so simple was, and voyde of fraude,
Did sitting séeme to be entrapt of thée.
By steppes I came into a stately Church
Where Dian was: might any place more safe
Or sicker bée than where the Goddesse stoode?
Tofore my féete the trilling Apple came
Gliding on paued ground whereas I sate,
Hauing this verse ingraude. (Aye me well nigh
I had to thée another Hest ymade)
Which Beldame Nurce tooke vp, & said (beholde)
Where I thy craft (O noble Poet) read.
The name of marrige redde, blushing I felt
My chaunged chéekes to glow with sodaine flash.
In bosome fired fast mine eyes I helde,
Mine eyes that workers were of thine intent.
Vnthrifte, why doste thou ioy? what glory hast
Thou gainde? what praise shalt yu (a mā) atchieue
By craft one sielie Virgin to deuoure?
Not I in armour cladde with Pollare stoode
As ventrous Penthesilea did at Troie:
No Belt with Amazonian golde beset
Thou me hast reft, as Quéene Hippolyte was.
Why leapst thou so for ioy? in that thy wordes
Haue fowly me beguilde, and I by dole
And subtill sleight, a siely Nymph was tane?
Cydip an Apple tooke, Atlanta did
The lyke: another Hippomenes now thou art.
More better were it if thou hadst bene thrall
Vnto the Boy, who hath by thy report
(I wote not well) what flaming fierie brands.
After the guife of honest wightes (by fraude
Not to fordoe thy hope) I rather was
To béene intreated, than by craft intrapt.
Why thou ne me displaydst in time of sute
Such things as I in thee should haue belikte?
Why rather to enforce, than to perswade
Mée didst thou choose, if thy condition redde
By mée had powre to make the bargaine sure?
What now to thée auailes the former othe,
And Goddesse prest for erue recorde appealde
With tongue? it is the minde that makes the hest
(Wherewith I neuer sware) it onely addes
Faith to the words, and makes the stable othe.
It is pretenced minde and purpose set
That bindes the bargain sure: no band auailes,
Or is of force without consenting thought.
If so it were my will to ioyne with thée,
Then spare thou not to claime thy marrige right.
But if I spake the worde and meant it not,
The forcelesse words & nothing else thou gainst,
I sware not, but pronounst the wordes of othe.
I must not so select thée for my spouse.
Guile other so, certes if that be good
And take effect, the riche mans wealth bereaue,
Procure that Princes sweare that thou shalt haue
Their Scepters, & their soueraigne seates possesse,
And let be thine what so the world enioyth.
In faith thou dost surpasse Diana farre,
If that thy letters haue in them inrolde
Such present Godhead and auayling powre.
Yet when I haue thus sayde, and flatte affirmde
Me not to be thy spouse, and pleaded haue
My promesse in best forme that euer I may:
I graunt, I dread Dianas yrefull wrath,
Déeming frō thence my grieful pangues to come,
That plague my wretched corse & limmes tormēt,
For why, as oft as spousals are addrest,
Languish my limmes ransackt with deadly téene?
Thrise Hymens clamour cōming to mine eares
Fled from my chamber doore, and did astart.
Scarce coulde he make th'infased flame to flashe,
Scarce would the stirred bronds & faggots burne.
Oft sithes his head furnisht with garlands gaye,
Annoynted dropt, and oft his Scarlet Robe
And costly vesture was in hand to d'on.
When he approcht the doore, and wayling sawe,
With flowing teares and feare of griesly death,
And other such abhorring his attyre:
Straight from his forhead he the garlands floong,
And from his perfumde locks the Oile did wring.
Shaming with mirth amiddes so sad a route
To rushe, his garments hue his face distainde.
But miser I with Feuers am attachte,
And frie with durning fittes: my vestures are
More weightie than they shoulden weightie be.
Vpon my chéekes I sée my parents showre
Their drearie teares and saltish brine for woe,
And stead of marrige wād, deaths brond appeares.
Thou Goddesse that in quiuers doste reioyce,
And bended bowe, fauor a sickly Nymph,
And lende me now thy skilfull Brothers helpe,
To ridde my corse of this my vexing smart.
T'is shame for thée that he abandons griefe,
And thou doste séeke the title of my death.
Where I vnwares approched haue the place,
Whilst yu didst bathe thy chastfull limmes in ford?
Haue I, of all the Gods thy Altars left
And ouerpast withouten sacrifice?
Or did my Dame the Ladie Mother scorne?
I not aguilt, saue that I periure radde,
And skilfull was in an vnluckye verse.
Doe thou (vnlesse thy loue be fayned) cast
Incense for me into the flaming fire.
The handes that hurt, let them my helpe procure.
Why she that freates that I behight to thée
Am not thy spouse, makes that I can not be?
Hope well thou mayst whilst yet I liue & breath:
But (cruell) why bereues she me my lyfe,
And thée dispoyles of thy well hoped boone?
Surmise not him whose wyfe I am assignde
And lotted spouse, my payned limmes to touch
And féele with griping hande. Certes he sittes
Him downe by me, as lawfull is to doe,
Minding my coutch to be a Maidens lodge.
And I wote néere what he doth iudge of mée.
For oft (the cause vnknowne) he baynes his breast
With showres of trickling teares: Not ouerbolde
He coyes mée, and doth seldome kisse among,
Whispering with fearefull voice, that I am hys.
Ne maruaile I if he discrie my minde,
That doe my selfe so openly bewraye.
When he repayres, I wrie mée rounde about,
And vse no wordes, but winking faine to sléepe,
Shunning his fist that would me gladly touch.
He mournes & drawes his sighes frō silent breast,
And not aguilting hath my high disdaine.
More iustly thou that laughste at my distresse,
And pleasure takste therein (If I coulde spoake
And vse my tongue) shouldst my yll will acquire,
And haue my hate, that such a Panther pight,
By letter leaue and licence thou dost craue
To sée my wretched plight, and feebled corse:
Farre off thou makste abode, and yet annoyst.
I not a little maruailde that thy name
Acontius was: in déede thou hast an edge
So sharpe as farre can lende a lurching wounde.
I scarce am yet recured of the hurt,
Mée like a Dart thy lynes haue scarde aloofe.
Why wouldst thou hither come? a wretched corse
(Thy double spoyle committed) mayst thou sée.
My fleshe is falne away, my colour fled
And bloudlesse is my face, a semblaunt hue
(As I remember) had the subtile fruite.
In visage wanne no scarlet redde appeares.
Of Marble picture hewen but of late
Such is the forme: Such is the siluers hue
At bankets that with chilly water toucht
In Basan cast, is pale for deadly colde.
If now thou sawste mée, thou wouldst quite denie
Me earst with eye of thine to haue bene séene.
And say: by Arte and subtill sleight, in sooth
She not deserude to bene atchiude of me:
Sending me back (for feare I shoulde by othe
In marrige shocke with thee) my plighted Hest:
Desirous that Diana woulde forget
And cleane put frō hir thought the bargain made,
Procuring eke perhaps contrarie othe
And quite repugnant to my former vowe,
Sending a nouell verse for me to vewe.
Yet naythelesse (as thou hast longed earst)
I would thou sawste thy Miser spouses plight,
And limmes with lanquor passingly opprest.
(Aconce) more harder than the stubborne stéele
Though be thy ruthlesse breast, yet pardon thou
In my behalfe wouldst purchase me I knowe.
To shewe the meane how I may be recurde
And come by health againe. At Delphos is
A God forespeaking things that are to come,
Displaying future fates, his counsell seeke.
He eke (as whispring fame doth flie) complaines
Of one (I wote nere whome) that broken hath
And scornde a promise made before recorde.
This both the God, the Prophet, and my verse
Declare, thy vowe doth want no verse his ayde
Such fauor how shouldst thou procure? vnlesse
Some letter late deuisde by thée, the haulte
And stately Gods had tane? Since yu doste stande
In grace and fauor of the Gods so great,
I will ensue the name of heauenly powres,
And willing yéelde my handes vnto thy Hest.
Vnto my Dame by my vnwitting tongue
Of plighted promesse I haue made a showe:
She downe to ground hir blushing coūtnance cast.
Looke what remaines be thine the care & charge,
More than a virgin should (in that my hande
Dradde not to write these lines to thée) I did
Now long ynough my sickly corse with quill
Molested is, my pained hande denies
A farther dutie: What remaines there now,
(Saue that I long to lincke my selfe with thée)
For these my lines, but thée to bidde adue?
The Argument of the replie to the first Epistle, entituled Vlysses to Penelope.
VLysses hauing throughly scand
The earnest verse his wife did write:
Thought good and needefull out of hand
Hir louing letters to requite:
What so she did obiect to him,
The Greeke reaunswerde very trim.
He quittes himselfe of all such blame
As by his wife imputed was:
He telles his worthie feates of fame,
And perils that he chaunst to passe,
And how the Prophet willde the Squire
In beggars habite to retire,
And that his wife alone should knowe
Hir husband that disguisde him soe.
Vlysses Replie to Penelopes Epistle.
VNto Vlysses miser wight
good hap at length hath brought
The louing lines (Penelope)
thy hand in tables wrought.
I knewe thy friendly fist at first
and tokens passing well:
They were a comfort to my woes,
and did my sorrowes quell.
Thou blamest me of retchlesse slouth,
more better were perhaps
To linger, than to wrie my woes,
and tell thée afterclaps.
Greece blamde me not for that ywis,
when I a furie fainde,
And made as though I had bene madde
with thée to haue remainde.
The earnest loue to thée (swéete heart)
and to thy bedde I bare,
Procurde me tho so like a madde
and Bedlam wight to fare.
Thou wouldst not haue me write a whit,
but hasten home a pace:
Loe, when I thinke to come, my sayles
the froward windes doe chase.
I loyter not in Troie, a Towne
of Gréekish Gyrles defide:
For Troie is now to cynders come,
suppressed is hir pride.
Deiphobus is flaine, with sterne
Hector, and Asius eke:
And who so else did bréede thy feare
is conquerde by a Gréeke.
I scapte the Thracian furious fights,
and hauing Rhesus flaine,
Vpon the captiue chiuals came
into my Tents againe.
And safe from Pallas sacred Church
I stole, and did conuaye
The fatall Relique of the Towne
Palladium awaye.
Nor in the horse his hollow wombe
and bellie I adrad:
Although Cassandra (Troians) cryde
burne, burne as she were mad.
Burne, in this fayned tymber frame
the wylie Gréekes doe lurcke:
That séeke this day poore Troians fal
and latter bane to woorke.
Achylles honour of his graue
and Tombe was like to lack:
Had I to Thetis not conuaide
Achylles on my back.
Ne did the Greekes (I thank them) grutch
with prayse my paynes to pay:
I had the Armour of the corps
that I had tane away.
But what auailes it? now t'is drownde,
I haue nor shippe yleft,
Nor Mates aliue: the swalowing Goulfe
hath euery whit bereft.
Thy onely loue that part hath tane
with me of all my paine,
As onely fellow of my fates
doth aye with me remaine.
Not rauening Syllas wawghing whelpes
coulde force him to depart,
Ne yet Charybdis churlish Chanell,
plucke him from my heart.
Not fierce Antiphates, nor yet
Parthenope the trull,
With swéete deceytfull Syrens songes
from mée this loue coulde pull,
Not Circe, nor Calypfo though
by Magick Arte they wrought:
And th'one to bring me to hir bent
by meane of marrige thought.
I had them both by promise bounde
that they woulde take away
My mortall twist, and teache me to
King Plutos Court the way
But I, not forcing of their giftes
did loue my wedlock best:
Although perhaps in séeking thée
I shall be sore distrest.
But thou perchaunce such daintie dames
suruaying in my write:
Impaciently wilt reade the reast,
and be in cholar quite.
What I with Circe had to doe
or fayre Calypso, thée
Will aye procure a (fearefull wench)
in doubtfull dumps to bée.
In fayth when I Antinous name,
and Polybus did reade,
With Medon: I amazed was,
and ouercome with dreade.
Amid so many lustie Laddes
and Tossepots to be chaste?
Alas, what should I thinke herein?
I am full sore agaste.
Why, if thou shed thy teares so fast,
should any leake thy face?
What? haue not yet those trickling teares
beate beautie out of place?
Beside, thou hast behight to wedde
when twist is all ysponne:
And all in feare thou dost vntwist
as fast as thou begonne.
A good deceyte. But take good héede
least whilst with such a wile
Thou doe thy suters eyes deceyue,
thy selfe thou not beguile,
Ah (Polyphem) I rather wish
within thy denne to haue
Bene murthred, and my wofull dayes
yfinisht with the graue:
Yet rather had I conquerde, and
of Thracian sworde bene flaine,
What time the wandring Barges did
in Ismaron remaine:
Or that I had the gréedie iawes
replenisht with my bloud,
Of hungrie Helhounde, when I went
downe to the Stygian floud.
Where I (thou wrotste not of it) sawe
my Mother, well at ease
That was when I departed from
thy coast, and tooke the Seas.
She tolde mée of the house his euils:
and thrise she fled mée fro,
As I with reaching armes did catch
more newes of hir to know.
Sir Protesilaus I discride,
that forcing not a pinne
The Prophets wordes, to fling the flame
to Troie did beginne.
A happie and a blessed man,
for with him went his wife
With laughing browes: that for his sake
forsooke hir lothsome life
For Lachesis the Goddesse had
hir twist not throughly spoonne:
It did hir good vnto hir spouse
before hir time to roonne:
I sawe (but oh with flowing teares
that gusht on eyther cheeke)
Duke Agamemnon lately slaine,
a thrise renoumed Greeke.
He neuer tooke that hurt at Troie,
vntoucht he went his way
Through spitefull Nauplius secret snares,
that in Euboea lay.
But what did that auaile the wight?
for when he surely thought
Returnd to pay his due to Ioue
this beastly death he cought.
This was the guerdon Helen had
prouided for the man,
In steade of better present when
she with the straunger ran.
Ah, how could I reioyce to see
sir Hectors sister, and
His wyfe among thy other thrauls
and Teucrian trulls to stand?
I could the aged Hecuba had
and vsed hir in bed,
That thy mistrustfull minde I mought
beguilde, and ielous hed,
That would haue thought thy husband had
of no such peece ben sped.
She gaue the first abodement fell
that on my shippes should light:
Whome there I sawe not with hir partes
and woonted members dight.
Hir bitter plaintes and wofull cryes
a howling did pursew:
She was become a verie Curre
in euerie part to vew.
Dame Thetis musing at the sight,
turmoylde the quiet flood:
And Aeole gaue his blustring winds
in charge to blow a good.
From that time Miser I was driuen
to wander in the Seas,
And follow euerie floud and flaw,
too cruell things to please.
But if Tyresias be as true
in telling of good haps,
As earst he was in making show
of euill forepassed claps:
Now misaduentures are ypast
by land and sowfing waue,
I hope I shall retyre to Greece,
some better lucke to haue.
Now Pallas vndertaken hath
as following Mate to mée,
To safe conduct mée to the lodge
where I doe long to bee.
I neuer saw hir from the tyme
of Troies latter wrack,
Till now the wronged Goddesse hath
from anger bene alack.
What so Oenides did, it lightes
vpon vs all aleeke:
Vpon the Gréekes from man to boys
reuengement shée did séeke.
Not thee (good Diomed) she sparde
whose armour knowen was:
She hath enforst thée Miser eke
through many broyles to passe.
Nor him that Telamon begat
vpon a captiue Lasse:
Nor him that with a thousande ships
to wreake his wrong did passe.
Plisthenides, thou were yblest,
what fortune so befell:
For aye thy wedlock went with thée,
whome thou didst loue so well.
And whether windes did bréede thy staye,
or surging Seas annoide;
Thou didst by meane of mutuall loue
incroching cares auoide.
Nor blustring blastes, nor troublous tide
from kissing thée dismayde:
With clinching armes thou hir imbraste,
and neuer wert afrayde.
Oh that I might not wander so,
(swéete wench) thou wouldst procure
The surge séeme calme, with thée I should
no deadly smart endure.
No sooner I had tydings that
Telemach was aliue,
But that the newes forepassed griefes
from gladsome minde did driue.
Whose going againe by tossing flouds
in weake and rotten Barck
To Pylos and to Sparta, did
reduce my former carck.
That loue deserues no thancke in déede
wherein such perill is:
And when you let him go to Sea
you did not well ywis.
But all the broyle will be at last,
the Prophet sayd I shoulde
At length imbrace thy friendly corse
as I had done of olde.
Whom thou alone shalt know, but then
take héede and well beware,
That other by your gesture learne
not why so glad you are.
I must not deale with force of hande
or as an open foe,
The Prophet sayd that to foretell
Apollo bidde him soe.
I shall perhaps deuise the tyme,
to be awroken fitte,
With bow in hande to rushe me in
when they at tables sitte.
And then perchaunce they maruell will
mée hatefull man to sée:
Oh Gods, when will that day come on
and pleasant houre bée,
Wherein I may renue againe
the swéete delights ypast:
And thou begin to repossesse
thy louing spouse at last?
The Argument of the replie to the seconde Epistle, entituled Demophoon to Phyllis.
HErein his treason and delay
Demophoon minded to deface,
That had ybēne so long away
from friendly Phyllis noble grace:
Somtime vpon his Countriē men
the lingring Louer layes the blame:
On perillous passage now and then,
and lacke of winde he cast the same;
But last in spite of waue and winde
he made hir promisse to reuart:
And so he did, in hope to finde
the Queene as when he did depart.
But oh, impacient of hir panges,
that she had for hir guest sustainde,
In Almon tree good Phyllis hanges,
and this was all the Hostesse gainde.
Demophoons Replie to Phyllis Epistle.
EVen from his Countrie soyle
Demophoon wrytes to thée:
His Countrie (Phyllis) that he mindes
thy gratefull gift to bée.
Demophoon is not linckt
with any nouell Lasse:
But not so happie as with thée
acquainted well he was.
Duke Theseus, of whome
thou euer stoodste in awe,
(Which made perhaps thy flame the more)
to be thy Fatherlawe:
(A shamefull thing for mée
to suffer such a déede)
By cruell foe was reft his reigne:
this was olde ages méede.
Euen he that whileome had
Amazons courage quaylde,
A mate for Hercules that so
in armour had preuaylde,
Euen he that Mynos made
a father of a foe,
Amazde to sée his monstrous Beast
by valiance conquerde so.
I am accusde to béene
the cause of his exile,
My brother layes it to my charge,
I must not pleade the while.
Whilst thou (quoth he) didst fonde
on Phyllis, and didst craue
By earnest sute vnto thy wyfe
a forraine wench to haue:
The slipper time did passe
with hastie foote away,
Thy loytring was the cause that thou
doste sée this doolefull day.
Thou moughtst perhaps at first
this wicked stirre haue stayde:
At least, though matters had bene past,
thou moughtst haue bene an ayde.
But Rhodopeian Reigne
I better did esteeme:
And of a Nymph, whome better than
hir Scepter I did déeme.
Then Athamas gins to chaufe,
and thundring words bestowes:
And Aethra harpes vpon the same,
a crooked péece God knowes.
She sayth my lingring was
th'occasion that hir sonne
Could not shut vp his mothers eyes
as duetie was to donne.
I can not it denie
they both excladme a good,
And cryde on mée when that my ship
rode on the Thracian flood.
Demophoon (quoth they)
why stayste thou lingring so?
The winde doth serue: home to thy Gods,
and natiue Countrie go.
Let Phyllis myrror be
whome thou dost loue so well:
She fancies thée, but loth she is
for thée hir Realme to sell.
She craues thée to retire,
thy iourney Mate to bée
She scorns: more than thy Raigne she waies
hir barbarous soyle we sée.
But I in silence would
amid their brawles (I minde)
A thousand thankes bestow atonce
vpon the blustring winde.
And when I should depart,
imbracing Phyllis harde,
I ioyde with all my heart to sée
how dashing waters warrde.
Ne would I feare the same
before my Sire to vaunt:
For by thy meritts I attainde
my libertie I graunt.
Thou must of force confesse
that with no stéely heart
I went my way, nor in post haste
thy Countrie did depart.
I sobbde and wéeping thée
to solace made a stay,
When to forgo thy friendly shore
was come the fired day.
I clambe the Thracian Barke,
and tooke my shippe in deede:
When Phyllis bid it should not ouer
hastely proceede.
Forgiue since I confesse,
your selfe remember well
King Mynos daughter in your brest,
that auncient loue doth dwell.
As often as my Sire
to Skieward lookes: he sayes,
She whilome was my louing wench
that hath those glistring rayes.
God Bacchus bidde him leaue
and yéelde him vp the Mayde:
But he (goodman) sustaines the blame,
they say he hir betrayde.
By his example I
a periurde man am thought:
Ne doste thou (cruell Phyllis) aske
the cause mine absence wrought.
Ne thinckst thou it ynough,
or able to requight
My former fault, that I am not
in loue with any wight.
Why (Phillis) hast thou not
heard of the cruell fate
Of Theseus Pallace? of his house?
and lamentable state?
Hast thou not tydings that
my fathers death I wayle?
A farther griefe than fathers fall
Demophoon doth assayle
Not of Hippolyts happe?
he miserable man
Fell headlong from the fearefull stéedes
that downe the Mountaine ran.
I séeke not to excuse
my lingring, though there bée
A thousand cares that heape my hoe,
I aske a space of thée.
Let mée or ere I come
lay Theseus in his graue,
And sée that he who was my Syre
his buriall rites may haue.
Giue space and leaue I pray,
not like a Traytour I
Absent me: than thy soyle I knowe
not safer where to lie.
Since Troie went to wrack,
and battayles broyle did stay,
What ease so ere I felt at Sea
or otherwhere: I say
I had it all in Thrace,
(yet there I found some griefe)
that onely soyle vnto my woes
was succour and reliefe.
And is, if thou be one,
and be not mooude awhight,
That now I haue a stately house
so Castleyke in sight:
Nor that my Fathers happes
or Mothers shamefull fate,
Or these my yll successes cause
thy fancie to rebate.
What if I went to Troie
in mariage linckt with thée?
And thou thy husband waging warre
full ten yeares space shouldst sée?
Thou hearste Vlysses wife
what honour she hath got:
A myrrour she became, for that
she liude withouten blot.
Who (by report) deuisde
a charitable wile
In sprinning: wherewithall hir instant Suters to beguile.
For whatsoeuer she
by day in sight had wrought:
At night the selfe same twisted twine
from thréed to wool she brought.
But Phyllis you doe feare
your Suters will be gone
That profferde wedlock earst in Thrace:
canste thou with any one,
Or haste thou heart to matche
thy selfe in bridely band?
What? will not feare of broken Hest
thy shamefull act withstand?
O Lord how thou wilt blush,
O Lord how thou wilt shame,
When thou shalt vew my sailes aloofe
and know they be the same?
Thou then wilt blame thy rashe
complaint (but all too late)
And say: Demophoon was to mée
a true and faithfull Mate.
Demophoon is retirde
that Southren blast abidde,
And cruell tempest, whilst vpon
the sowsing seas he slidde.
Ah, why in such post haste
did I this blame deuise?
I broken haue my plighted Hest,
which makes my heart agrise.
But (oh) go forward so
more rather than to mée
(Swéete Phyllis) greater griefe and care
should chaunce againe by thée.
What Gibbet (oh) is that
that thou dost manace so
Ʋnto thy selfe, and froward sate
to worke thy waylfull wo?
The Gods that in this soyle doe dwell
are ouerbolde I trow.
I pray thée spare, and cause
no more defame to spring
From out our race: whose traitrous crime
too loude a Bell doth ring.
Ariadne may excuse
my Father since hir lotte
Was party cause shée was forlorne.
who me may iustly blotte?
Now selfe same windes my words
that did my sayles conuay:
I would returne with all my heart
but haue good cause to stay.
The Argument of the replie to the fift Epistle, entituled Paris to Oenone.
THe lynes that Oenon sent
When Paris had perusde,
And saw thereby she ment
That she was quite refusde,
Of him that had conuayde from Greece
Faire Helena that passing peece:
He wrote in this effect,
And flat at first gan tell,
That when he did reiect
The Nymph, he did not well:
But therewithall he laide the blame
On Cupid that procurde the same.
He makes hir open showe,
How stately was the stroke,
Of blinded Cupids bow,
And how he brought to yoke
Both man and God, and did not let
To say that Destnies so had set.
Paris Replie to Oenons Epistle.
SO lawefull is thy plaint
(O Nymph) as I confesse,
My hand doth hunt for currant termes
my meaning to expresse,
It hunts and can not finde,
I féele my guilt so great:
I would recant, but (oh) the same
my nouell loue doth let.
My conscience me condempnes
if thou not angrie bée
Therewith: but what? in cause I know
thou mayst not match with mée.
For mée whome thou dost blame,
Cupido to his raigne
Hath forst to yéelde: anothers pray
euen so I now remaine.
Thou were my wedlock first,
I graunt it true to bée
That I in gréenish yeares my loue
and fayth behight to thée.
Ne was I then so proude
as in your Letters you
Obiected me: ne I my selfe
king Priams noorie knew.
Deiphobus not I
nor Hector thought to bée
My brothers when I fedde my flock
in Ida Mount with thée.
Not Hecuba I knewe
but by a Mothers name:
And thou didst well deserue to had
hir aye to béene thy Dame.
But Loue from Reason swarues,
thy selfe shalt iudge the case:
For thou art wrongde, and hauing wrong
dost loue me naythelasse.
And whereas Panes thée,
and Satyrs did desire:
Thou shoonste their loue, and aye in minde
dost kéepe thy former fire.
Beside, this latter loue
was furthred by the fate:
My sister eke Cassandra sawe
of future things the state:
Not I as then had heard
the brute of Helens name:
Ne to mine eares by hir report
the Gréekish tumult came.
You sée that all is true,
my guilte doth sole remaine:
And to request your pardon I
in humble wise am faine.
Within thy powre doth reast
the doome of life and death:
Now binde me thine for euermore
by sauing of my breath.
Thou weptst (I minde it well)
and yet thou sangst withall:
And sayd, God shilde that no such euill
at any time befall.
No though his déedes deserue
and euerie thing beside:
Yet Oenon I to worke his bane
wil neuer be discride.
Oh pardon: selfesame loue
that forgde this fraude to thée,
Made me to thinke herein not halfe
so many feares to bée.
That God doth strike the stroke:
Sometime into a Bull
He Ioue conuerts, into a Foule
sometime to coy his trull.
Not Helen now in earth
so passing goodly Dame
Had béen, (at wench by nature made
to set my breast in flame)
Had not the mightie Ioue
become a Swanne in sight:
That earst a golden shattering showre
on Danaes lappe did light.
A fayned Fowle sometyme
in Ida Mount did sore:
Sometime amids Agenors neate
in forme of Bull did rore.
Alcydes who woulde thinke
the valiant man to haue
Ysat at distaffe? Loue did make
him twisten lyke a slaue.
Againe the man was séene
in Ioles garment clad:
And she the hairie Lions case
vpon hir shoulders had.
And Oenon thou (I minde)
(I touch my selfe too nie)
The God Apollo scorndste, and didst
to Paris mind aplie.
Not for I him excellde,
but Cupid wilde it tho
That in such sort his subtill shafts
in Oenons breast should go.
But comfort thou thy wrong,
in that thy ryuall shée
A passing wench, and daughter braue
to Ioue is knowne to bée.
But that she came of Ioue
it moues me not a mite:
But (oh) hir face is passing faire,
t'is it that workes the spite.
And (O) I wish that I
a skillesse Iudge had bin,
When to [...] beauties pride
the Ladies did begin.
For then not Iunos ire
nor Pallas wrathfull brest
Should hurt me ought, for liking of
the Ladie Venus best.
She Cupids flames deuids,
and franckly fire on those
(By euen and odde, by quick and slow)
on whome she list bestowes.
Yet neyther she hir selfe
those weapons coulde auoyde:
The Bow she bare for other, hath
hir proper breast annoyde.
For halting Vulcan grutcht
when he by fortune founde
The warlike God and hir in bedde,
and caused to resounde
His wofull plaint before the Gods,
and Ioue that saw them bounde.
And mightie Mauors now
laments and lowres as fast:
For she hath fled this soyle, and of
Anchises is imbrast.
Nowe wholy she delights
Anchises eye to leake:
To him alone she closely clings,
and giues the reast the gleake,
What wonder was that she
should haue the powre to ayde
Those egall flames of loue, whose fire
poore Paris hath assayde?
Whome Menelaus wrongde
doth loue, I fancide well
Not wrongde at all: beside she matcht
with one wrongde neare a dell.
And I perceyue it plaine
that for this rape there arre
Reuenger Gréekes with wreakfull ships
to bidde the Troians warre.
The goodnesse of the cause
(I nothing doubt) will bée
Allowde: to forcen Dukes to fight
hir features are we sée.
If me you not beleue,
beholde the Chieftaine Gréekes
In Armour: I must holde hir fast
whome they so sorely séekes.
But if you stande in hope
by force to wrest my will,
Why cease your hearbes and Magike Verse?
where is thy woonted skill?
For in Apollos Arte
thou canst as much as she
That is the best, the truest dreames
of Hecate thou dost see.
I well remember thou
hast fet the Moone aback:
And stayde the Starres, and dimde the daye
with duske and cloudie black.
I fed the frowning Bulles,
and maruelde much to sée
Amid the Heirde by Oenons charmes
the Lyons tame to bée.
Of Xanthus what shoulde I,
or Simoys now report?
Or tell how both those streames were stayde
by thée in monstrous sort?
Thy Sire him selfe in feare
his daughter farde amisse,
Amid his waters all bewitcht
would often stay ywisse.
Now (Oenon) here is place,
doe what thou canst by skill:
Or quench thy flames, or cleane put out
my brande that blazeth still.
FINIS.
¶ The Translator to the captious sort of Sycophants.
THe Ploughman hopes in recompence of toyle.
And winters trauaile past, to reape the graine
That he (goodman) hath sowen on his soyle,
Wyth great encrease of crop and goodly gaine:
And reason good why so he should in deede,
For he thereon long earst bestowde his seede.
The fearefull Fisherman that castes his Nette
In hauen mouth, and layes his bayted hookes,
Doth trust at length by happie hap to get
Such store of fishe as may suffice the Cookes,
And Caters eke, and bring him in the mucke
That ventred life in hope of happie lucke.
If Ploughman then and Fisher gape for gaynes,
And hope assuredly to haue the same,
To quite there troublous toyles, and dayly paynes
Endurde ere they could bring their feates to frame:
why should not such as climbe the craggie Mount
Where Muses wonne, of earned hyre account?
And looke for laude at least at learned handes,
That knowe the cares of vndertaken woorkes,
And wote full well how hie Pernasus standes
With stately steppes, where Poetes Lawrell lurkes:
A haughtie hill that euerie wight must clime
Ere he attaine with Poets pen to rime.
For though the thing but slender be in sight,
And vaine to vewe of curious carping skull,
In mother tongue a forraine speach to write:
Yet he shall finde he hath a Crow to pull,
That vndertakes with well agreeing File
Of English verse, to rub the Romaine stile.
Deuises of the language diuers are,
Well couched wordes, and feately forged phrase,
Eche string in tune, no ragged ryme doth iarre,
With figures fraught their bookes in euery place:
So that it is a worke of prayse to cause
A Romaine borne to speake with English iawes.
Which laude I leaue, and prayse to paynefull men
That haue with nightly sweate of busie browe
Set out their workes of fame with forwarde pen:
For this my Muse I would accoumpt ynowe
To scape the spitefull Zoyles chiding chaps,
That (like a Curre) eche willing writer snaps.
So I might go vntoucht of Momus traine,
And neuer feele the force of enuious Hate,
Sufficed me, well quitted were my payne,
I might be thought a man of luckie fate.
But, oh, it can not be, the best of all
(That Homer hight) to nipping nayles was thrall.
But let those Snakes, and beastly Vipers broode
(I meane the spitefull Spider, Momus mate)
When they haue done, recoumpt their gotten good,
They gaine ywis but scorne and lothsome hate:
Wherefore departe the racke thou Curre (I say)
And let the lustie Courser champe the hay.
If thou thy selfe for kimpish idle life
No leysure hast to take in hande the like,
But kepste thy Couch: put vp that cankred knife
Wherewith thou wonted art the good to strike:
Let other presse in place to purchase fame,
For vertues sake that woorke to winne a name.
Discerne their deedes, when all their toyle is donne,
Say thou thy worst, when they haue done their best:
Condemne them not or ere thou hast begonne
To vewe their workes, but ouerreade the rest:
That done, let eche sustaine his earned meede,
This were the way to purchase loue in deede.