Troades Englished. By S.P. — Troades. English

Troades Englished. By S.P. — Troades. English

Table of contents

[1]

§

Title page

To the Reader.

Dramatis Personae.

The Argument.

TROADES. A TRAGEDY

The first Act.

Act the II.

Scene the I.

Act the II. Scene the II.

Act the III.

Scene the I.

Act the III. Scene the II.

Act the III. Scene the III.

Act the IV.

Scene the I.

Act the V.

Scene the I.

§

COMMENTS UPON THE First ACT.

Upon the Chorus.

Upon the second Act, Scene the First.

Upon the second Scene, Act the second.

Upon the Chorus.

Upon Act the third Scene the first.

Upon Act the third Scene the second.

Upon Act the third Scene the third.

Upon the Chorus.

Upon Act the fourth.

Upon the Chorus.

Ʋpon the fifth Act.

[2]

Title page

§

A PANEGYRICK TO HIS EXCELLENCY General MONCK March 28. 1660.

A PANEGYRICK ON HIS MAJESTIES Entrance Into LONDON.

SOME TEARS Dropt o're the Herse OF THE INCOMPARABLE PRINCE HENRY DUKE OF GLOUCESTER.

POEMS ON Several Occasions.

His Mistress.

The Protestation.

The Passionate Lover,

CORYDONS Complaint.

To SYLVIA Weeping.

THYRSIS in despaire.

ABSENCE.

DAPHNIS Fled.

To LUCIA playing on her LUTE.

ANOTHER.

To CELIA on some verses sent her by another.

On Love.

Song.

DAMON to a foul Maid that courted him.

To LYDIA being retired privately into the Country.

Poema Valedictorium Perdilecto intimoque Suo amico transfr〈…〉tura.

THE DEPART.

TYSTIRUS complaining.

Damon on Amarillis dancing in a Ring

Acrostick.

Acrostick.

The Recovery.

Innocentia & Politia. Veritas & Panurgia.

An Elegy on the matchless Murther of Charls the First of Happy and Blessed Memory.

§

§

§

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[Page]

Seneca.

TROADES.

A Tragedie writen in Latine by LANNAEus SENECA, translated into English by S P. with Comments annexed Splendebat Ante omnes, tanquam m [...] Sol aureus a [...]tris. 1660

§

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[Page]

TROADES ENGLISHED.

By S. P.

[figure]

LONDON, Printed by W. G. for Henry Marsh at the Princes Arms in Chancery-Lane, and Peter Dring at the Sun in the Poultrey neer the Counter. 1660.

[Page]

[Page]

To the Reader.

Reader.

I Had rather be wanting in an Epithet, then at an adventure to impose one upon thee, which may not be Consonant to Truth: A whole Regiment of them would not be enough to Equalize the divers humours of those into whose hands this small piece may come. I am not igrant how dangerous a task I have undertaken in the Edition of this translation, or rather Paraphrase, A man whilst he is recluse is safe and unknown, but if once he steps abroad (in this nature) he must expect to run the hazard of being soundly whipt with the venomous lash of the tongue. That you may see I am very willing [Page] to bear the burthen of my own faults, I have neither got a forlorn Hope of precursorie verses, nor offer'd to gain any to patronize them by a Dedication: I am more chary of my Friends than of my self, for if I have Committed any errors in this version, it is fit that I bear the censures my selfe without exposing them to that trouble, whose charity might o'repasse what a strict and censorious eye will bitingly examine. By this you may see that I already plead guilty to my faults, and am very willing to submit to the judgement of the learned: At their bar I stand, and have nothing to say for my self but that it is my first Essay, and confequently my first fault, and may be the last I shall commit in this nature. If they then absolve me; I shall not regard the tumid words of carping Zoilians, who make it their whole work to detract others, and invalidate all but the issue of their own braines. I assure you I am not Pigmalion to be in Love with the work of my own hands; if I were, I should rather have kept this in my deske then thus freely offer it to a Common prostitution. If thou ask'st why I have offer'd it in publique view, I will not answer thee with that trivial and palliating Come-off, that the intreaties of Friends have forc'd me contrary to my will to tumble into the presse, [Page] where after so desperate a Squeeze, I appeare so mishapen, and besmear'd with black blood: No truly, I freely jump'd in, and have indured the wrack only to pleasure the mere English Reader; and that I might add the more lustre to, and set off with my distorts the beauties of Medea, and Hippolitus, so well translated by severall Hands; I Confesse I had begun this e're I had a view of either, which when I had seen I finish'd it with reluctancy, as knowing how short I came of their eligancy and skill. For to speake any thing in prayse of that noble Philosopher my Author, were to hold a Candle against the Sun, for indeed—Splendebat—Ante omnes tanquam Mediis Sol aureus astris. Therefore I shall wave it as a thing needlesse, being so esteemed by, and well known to all learned men. As for the work, it is with Medea and Hippolitus (according to the Judgment of learned Lipsius and Scaliger) to be preferr'd to all the rest of the Tragedies, as being both the onely Legitimates of the Philosopher, and excelling the rest in Stile and Elegancy. As all his works are full of wise, grave, and wholesome Councells (bating him where he is altogether Stoicall) so although he hath put on the Buskins, and plaid the Tragedaean, even in this Cothurn [...]ll stile, he has many profitable and morall sentences. This has induc'd me to what [Page] I have done, and therefore I shall say no more but be Candid and

Farewell.

Bradfieldiae Cal. Novembris.

S. P.

[Page]

Dramatis Personae.

HEcuba. Queen of Troy.

Agamemnon. General of the Greeks.

Pyrrhus. The Son of Achilles.

Andromache. Hectors Wife.

Helena. The Wife of Menelaus, stolen and married by Paris, the cause of Troys destruction.

Ʋlysses. A Subtle Grecian.

Astyanax. The Son of Hector.

Calcas. A Grecian Southsayer.

Talthybius. A Grecian.

Polyxena. Mute.

Senex.

Nuncius. And

Chorus. Of Trojan Women.

[Page]

The SCENE Troy.

The Argument.

TROY had now withstood ten years Seige, and with incomparable valour resisted the Greeks, when at last her Champion Hector being taken, through the Treachery of a Stratagem, she was sack'd, fir'd, and brought to ruine and destruction. The Greeks intending now to depart to their long left homes, were by a contrary wind stayed, when the Ghost of Achilles appearing, commands them not to stir thence, till they had immolated the Princess Polyxena (under the pretext of a marriage) to his Ghost. Chalcas their Prophet being consulted, he gives judgement, that not only the Princely Virgin must dye, but that also Astyanax the Son of Hector, must be flung from the Top of a high Tower in Troy. Which Tragedies being accordingly acted, the Greeks hoist Sails and depart loaden with Captives, Riches, and Glory.

[Page]

TROADES. A TRAGEDY

Written in Latine BY Lucius Annaeus Seneca; TRANSLATED Into our Vernacular Tongue.

The first Act.

Enter Hecuba alone.

WHo trusts in Kingdomes, and who puissant bears

Rule over mighty Monarchies; nor fears

(¹) Th' inconstant Gods: Who on Prosperitie

Relies too much; Let him consider me,

And thee ô Troy. For Fortune never bore

Of great mens slip'ry state such Proofs before.

The Head of Pollent Asia: The great work

O' th' (²) Gods above doth in its ruines Lurk:

[Page]To whose (³) assistance came both those that drink

At seven mouth'd (⁴) Tanais frigid brink:

And those (⁵) that nere first see the springing day

In the warm East: Those too where, with the Sea

(⁶) Tigris doth mixe. And (⁷) she that neighboured

To the wandring Scythes, her band of Widdowes led

Unto the Pontick bank. Destroyed thus

In her own ashes lyeth Pergamus.

See the Walls pride, her lofty Turrets lie

Huddl'd in their burnt ruines; flames on high

Compasse the Pallace round. All Ilium

Smoaks; yet the Victors greedy hands the flame

Prohibits not. The prey from flames is took;

Nor may the Heav'n be seen for waving Smoak.

The dark day wrapped in a thick'ned cloud

Doth in Troys ashes as in mourning shroud

It self. The proud, and greedy victor stays

And wrath; bow'd Ilium with his eyes surveys:

At length he holds excus'd his ten years wars,

And Troy's sad affliction abhors.

Although he sees she's overcome, yet he

His eyes scarce credits; knows not how't may be.

The robber though Dardanian spoyls, away

Snatches: A (⁸) thousand ships w'ont hold the prey.

The power of the Gods adverse to me,

My Country's ashes, Phrygian King, O thee

Whom Troy hides, with the whole Kingdome; and

Thy Manes Hector, by whom Troy did stand

Whilst that thou stood'st: And ye great flocks of my

Own Children, and the lesser Umbrae, I

Call all to witnesse, what somever ill

Hath hap'ned to us; I beleived still

What ever ills (⁹) Cassandra prophised

In her mad sits; though Godprohibited.

[Page](¹⁰) With-child I this first saw, a Prophetesse

I unbeleiv'd before Cassandra was.

Crafty Ulisses, nor (¹²) Diomedes

His night Companion; nor false (¹³) Sinon, these

Fires hath sown: No, no, this fire is mine,

'Tis by my (¹¹) Firebrand that ye now do shine,

Ah sad old woman! why thus long do'st thou mourn

The Cities downfal? O unhappy! Turn

Thine eyes to fresher griefs: Troy's downfalls old,

That execrable fact I did behold

The (¹⁴) murther of the King: yet greater harm,

'Twas at Jove's Altar; and by Pyrrbus arm

I saw when that fierce man, with fatal hand

In Priamus's curled locks entwin'd

Forceing his head down, hid his horrid sword

In a mortal wound; who willingly was gor'd:

Which done, he from the old man's throat again

Drew forth the blood-wet blade. Whom he amain

Pressing th' extremest point of age; at all

Could not appease but by his cruel fall.

The Gods are witnesse of this mischeif; and

The Altar sometimes of this ruin'd land.

Priam parent of so many Kings e'rewhile

Wants now a Sepulchre; a sun'ral Pile

In flaming Troy. But this sufficeth not

The Gods. See I a Master now by lot

Must choose with th' Daughters of King Priamus,

And his Sons Wives. Whom shall I follow thus

Poor prey? Pyrrhus may joyn with Andromach

Another with (¹⁵) Hellenus Wife may match.

Another doth (¹⁶) Antenors Grave: And thou

Cassandra wants not one to wed thee too:

My lot is fear'd: 'Tis I alone the Greeks

Despise. Why fellow Pris'ners cease your shreeks

[Page](¹⁷) Strike, strike your breasts, send forth sad groans & sighs

Cause to be done Troys sun'ral obsequies.

Forthwith without delay make for to ring

The fatal house of (¹⁸) Ida's direful King.

Chorus.

Thou bid'st to mourn, those who in tears

Are perfect: for these many years

This we have done; Since Paris went

(¹) T' Amyclas, and the rough Sea rent

With Mother (²) Sybit's sacred Pine.

Since which Mount Ida's top hath been

Twice five times periwigg'd with Snow:

And spoyl'd of Trees which there did grow,

To make our funeral Piles. The mower

In fear has twice five times told o're

In the (³) Sigean fields the wheat

Cut down. Alas no day as yet

Our tears did want: New cause of woe

Renu'd our Griefe. To tears we goe.

O Queen (⁴) lift up thy hand, and we

Well taught to weep will follow thee.

Hecuba.

Faithful Mates of our Misery

As it behoves, your (⁵) hair unty;

Your locks spread on your backs you must,

Defil'd with Trojan bloody dust.

Shew your bare stretcht-out arms, and put

Your slackned coats ty'd with a knot

About your wast: and even unto

Your belly, all your bare Limbs shew.

For what Husbands should we I trough

Hiding our Breasts our pudor show?

[Page]Let upper coats your under tie,

So that your hands at Libertie

May be, with furious strokes your breasts

To wound, this habit likes me best.

Your company I do agnize;

Let now return your wanted cries,

Exceed your wanted manner too,

`Tis Hector now lament we do.

Chorus.

Our rent and much decayed hair

We all have loos'd; and now we wear

It hanging down unty'd: we spurt

In our own faces Troy's hot durt.

Hecuba.

Fill your hands full of it, we may

For all Troy's spoils this bear away,

Button'd about your sides now wear

Your Gowns, and shew your Shoulders bare.

Your naked breasts your hands invite

To strokes; let grief draw forth your might

Make all the (⁶) Rhaetian shores resound

With your laments. The (⁷) Eccho found

In Mounts and Caves, let her repeat

Not as she us'd last words; Compleat

Let her return the Trojan Cries.

Harken O ail you Seas, and Skies!

Now let your hands the Tyrants play,

And with vast strokes your breasts repay;

With wonted Cries I'm not content,

'Tis Hector now we do lament.

[Page]Chorus.

O Hector! thus for thee our bare

Arms, and our bloody shoulders tare

Our right hands do: our heads for thee

We beat; our breasts extended be

Torn with maternal hands. And now

Our former wounds for thee, do flow

With blood (⁸) fresh torn. Thou wast the stay,

And Wall of Troy the Fates delay,

(⁹) A Sconce for tyred Trojans, and

Ten years stood Troy propp'd by thy hand,

With thee it fell. Hector's last day

The last was also unto Troy.

Hecuba.

Enough for Hector; change your plaint;

And now King Priamus lament.

Chorus.

Accept our tears twice (¹⁰) lost old man:

Thou living but (¹¹) one ill sustain

Did Troy. 'Twice has the Dardan Towers

Sustain'd the force of Grecian powers:

And (¹²) twice abode th' Herculean Shaft.

The Sons of Hecuba aloft

On Princely Piles, were reared all;

The last part of the funerall

Thou their father dost conclude,

(¹³) At Great Joves Altar murthered:

(¹⁴) Thy trunk lyes on the Trojan shore.

Hecuba.

Iliades, O weep no more

For Priam's death; But rather thus

[Page]Cry all, O HAPPY PRIAMUS!

He free went to the Ghosts below;

Nor shall his neck to Greeks yoak bow:

(¹⁵) Neither Atrides shall he see,

Nor false Ulysses, nor shall be

A prey for Gretian Triumphs. Nor

Shall his neck be subjected for

Their Pomps. Nor's hands accustomed

To Scepters be behinde him ty'd:

Nor bound in Golden Fetters trot

Behinde Atrides Chariot;

Nor be a sight to (¹⁶) Mycene thus.

Chorus.

We all cry, HAPPY PRYAMUS!

He dying with him bore away

His Kingdome, and now safe doth stray

In the shade of th' (¹⁷) Elysian wood;

Where happy he among the good

Soules, seeketh for his Hector, thus

O happy happy PRIAMUS!

``Who dyes in Warre he happy is,

``All things with him consum'd he sees.

Exiunt.

[Page]

Act the II.

Scene the I.

Enter Talthybius, Greeks, Chorus.

WHat long delayes the Greeks i'th' Haven make

Both to (¹) the War, and now they homeward take

Their way. Chor. we pray you shew the causes that

Put thus long stop unto the Grecian Fleet,

And what God stops their voyage back.

Talth.

My heart

Quakes, and a horrid fear shakes every part.

A greater wonder and true too, none yet

'Ere heard of: I, nay I my self did see't.

It was when Titan first 'gan to display

His early beames; Night new o're come by Day;

When on a sodain th'Earth shoke, a hollow sound

Flew from the bottome of the rending ground.

The losty Forrest, and the (²) sacred Grove

Rung with the crash; the Woods their tops did move.

Idaean Rocks broke from their Cliffs fell down;

The Earth not onely shoke; but Seas did own

Achilles presence: for their Surges rose.

Immense Denns then the chapt Earth did disclose.

And gaping by the broken sides did show

The pervious way unto the (³) Gods below.

[Page]A Tomb it did straightwayes discharge; from whence

Sprung the (⁵) great Ghost of the (⁴) Thessalian Prince,

Like as when he did Thracian armes annoy,

(⁶) The Proem to thy fatall fall O Troy!

Or as when he Neptunian (⁷) Cycnus fought,

Or raging in the battail all about

With a strong courage dam'd the Rivers up

With Carcasses, and did slow (⁸) Xanthus stop,

Making him wander by new Fords of blood:

Or when he victor in's high Chariot stood,

(⁹) Great Hector, and Troy drawing on the ground,

Wroth with these words he made the shore resound:

Away away you negligent! and pay

Due honours to my Ghost: Ingrate! away!

Launch out your Ships into our Seas! Greece shall

Appease our anger with no triviall.

A noble prize must do't. Polyxene

Unto our A shes must betrothed be.

Let her be slain by Pyrhus hand, and her

Hot breathing blood imbrew my Sepulcher.

This said, and night now vanquish'd, down agen

He goes, and mersed in that Hellish den,

The riv'd Earth clos'd againe: the Seas lye still,

VVindes lay their threats aside; soft murmurs fill

The Aire; arising from the still'd profound;

A chore of (¹⁰) Tritons th' (¹¹) Hymenaeum sound.

[Page]

Act the II. Scene the II.

Enter Pyrrhus, Agamemnon.

NOw we should spread our merry Sailes at Sea

Home-bound: Achilles is forgotten; he

Whose hand alone Troy with the Earth did lay;

Repensating what ever short delay

He made at (²) Scyros, or at (³) Lesbos where

They doubting neuters stood, till he came there.

Now though thou wouldst obey what he might crave,

Thou giv'st too late: All other Captains have

Already their rewards. What prize is lesse

That may be giv'n to so great worthinesse?

Are his deserts but small who (might have fled

Wars, and in Peace his life continued

Unto an age surpassing (⁴) Nestors years)

Leaving his mothers guiles, (⁵) and guise, appears

A man at Armes? when that proud (⁶) Telephus

Deny'd a passage through his Realm to us,

His hand new practis'd, in Kings blood he dy'd:

(⁷) The same knew how to wound and heal beside.

Then (⁸) Thebes fell. (⁹) Eetian vanquish'd saw

His Kingdome tane, (¹⁰) Lyrnessus the same way

With a small force as from a Rock was cast.

(¹¹) Eriseis too, both Land and shee at last

[Page]Was ta'en; And (¹²) Chrysa cause of strife to us

Cast down: and the most famous (¹³) Tenedos,

In whose fat soyl the (¹⁴) Thracian flocks were fed

And sacred (¹⁵) Cilla too, subdue he did.

But what? (¹⁶) Caycus streams can witnesse these;

Such mighty dread, and so great miseries

Of Nations: so many dismantled townes

As by a suddain whirl-winde, chiefest Crownes

And glory would have been to others, this

Unto Achilles, but his entrance is.

Thus comes my Father, and such Wars he bears,

Whilst he the way but unto War prepares.

Should I in silence other merits smother,

Had not one Hector been enough? my Father

Troy overcame: ye pull'd it down. To tell

His great and noble acts it likes me well.

Hector lay slain before his Fathers eyes;

Fore's Unkle's (¹⁷) Memnon, whose sad Mother dyes

The mournfull day with a pale countenance:

The victor fear'd his own works precidence.

Achilles learn'd by this a Goddesses Son

Might dye. Your great fear ceas'd the (¹⁸) Amazon

Being slain. A maid unto Achilles thou

(If his deserts are justly weigh'd by you)

Dost owe, although he should require that she

A Grecian should, or Mycene virgin be.

Art thou in doubt? Can'st not allow this streight?

Thou who thine own to (¹⁹) Hellen immolate

Didst, canst thou fear that Pelius Son should have

Priamus Daughter? Accustom'd things I crave.

Agamemnon.

A youthfull vice, 'tis not to guide the rage

Of passion. This most in their youthfull age

[Page]Possesse. But thou thy Fathers also. I

Sometimes have meekly born the fierce and high

Threats of surly (²⁶) Aeacides. Bear thou

Meekly more things, the more thou maist it do.

Why would'st thou stain the great Dukes noble Ghost

With a dire slaughter? It behoves us most

To know what Victors ought to do, and what

The Conquer'd suffer can. A cruell state

None long can hold. Firm stands the moderate.

The more that power by Fortune's rais'd, the more

The fortunate ought for to bow; and sore

Afraid be of unconstant chance: and fear

The Gods when they so too much favouring are.

I by my Conquest learned have, that brought

Great things may in a moment be to nought.

Troy has too proud and cruell made us: we

Stand where it did; may fall as well as she.

I grant sometime exalted, and superb

My selfe I bore too high. This thing doth curb

My lofty Spirit, when Fortune's favour might

Have rather been a cause for others height.

Thou mak'st me high and tumid Priamus!

King shall I ought but a vain glorious

Title account? But a false band esteem,

To bind our brows about the Diadem?

A sodain chance may ravish this, without

A thousand Ships, or ten years time to do't.

Bad fortune cometh not so slow to all.

I must confesse (with your leave Greece) the fall

And ruine of Troy I would have helpt, though I

Desired much to have the victory:

But rage, thirst of revenge, Nights conquest let

A Kings command. Revenge did this commit;

And whatsomever cruelty hath pleas'd

[Page]The Victor, whose rage by the night increas'd.

The conq'ring Sword is mad once dy'd with blood.

Let what of ruin'd Troy is left abide.

Enough, and more then enough we'ave punish'd; I

Cannot indure a Princely maid should dye,

A Sacrifice unto a Tombe, or wet

The Ashes with her blood, nor that sell act

Of Murther call a Marriage: Mine be the blame;

Who lets not Sin, and may, commands the same.

Pyrrhus.

Shall then Achilles Ghost have no reward?

Agam.

Yes, all his praise shall sing, strange lands regard

Shall his great Fame. If blood then must be shed

(²¹) To light his Grave; cut off an Oxes head:

Spill blood for which no mothers weep may. O!

What custom's this, when man's in shades below

That t'him rites must be paid? your sire refraine

T'hare, whom you'd worship'd have with others pain.

Pyrrhus.

How lofty lifted up with secund State

Thou art! How fearfull when that dangers threat!

Tyrant! again inflamed is thy breast

With Sodain heat, now of a new come lust?

(²²) Will't alwayes rob us of our spoyles; This hand

The victim shall unto Achilles send.

The which if thou deny'st, a greater shall,

And sitter too, then that of Pyrrhus fall.

My hands from regall blood suffer restraints

Too long: King Priam a companion wants.

Agam.

I don't deny but 'tis thy chiefest fame

I'th Warrs, that Priam by thy Sword lies slain,

Once suppliant to thy Si [...]e.

Pyrrhus

Suppliant to him,

But I as enemies regarded them,

Priam himselfe petitioned, which thou

Quaking or fear wer'in bold enough to do,

[Page]But trembling hidden lay, and to commend

(²³) Thy suit did'st Ajax, and Ulysses send.

Agam.

I do confesse your fire then did not fear,

When, whilst our Fleet burnt, and Greeks slaughter'd were.

Forgetting Armes and Warre he sloathfull lay,

And did upon his pleasant Viol play.

Pyr.

Great Hector then thy Arms contemn'd: yet fear'd

Achilles Song, Thessalian Ships secur'd,

In all that dread lay quietly at rest.

Agam.

Forsooth your Ships, nor Father, in the least

Had cause of fear, from Hector freed.

Pyrrhus.

To grant

Life to a King, of a great King's a point.

Agam.

Why then didst thou a King of Life bereave?

Pyrrhus.

The pitifull Death oft for Life doth give.

Agam.

Your pity then the Virgin slayes I guesse.

Pyrrhus.

To slay a maid now think'st it wickednesse?

Agam.

It doth become a King for to prefer

His Countrey t'his Children.

Pyrrhus.

No Law doth spare

The Captive, nor their punishment impede.

Agam.

But shame does, what the Law doth not, forbid.

Pyrrhus.

The Victor may do what he list by Law.

Agam.

He least of all should do, who freely may.

Pyr.

Why brag'st thou thus, when it was Pyrrhus broke

These conquered, the ten years heavy yoak?

Agam.

(²⁵) Scyros such valour breed?

Pyrrhus.

The same which knows

(²⁶) No brothers Villany.

Agam.

Which waves inclose?

Pyrrhus.

Forsooth our Kin. I of the noble breed

Of Atreus, and Thyestus have heard.

Agam.

And I of thee conceiv'd in furtive play

(²⁸) B'a maid; got by Achilles, yet a Boy.

[Page]Pyrrhus.

The same Achilles whose Kin sparsed be Throughout the worlds. Whose with the Gods. The Sea With Thetis, Hell with (²⁹) Aeacus, and Heaven (³⁰) With Jove he holds.

Agam.

The same Achilles given.

To Death, by Paris hand.

Pyrrhus.

The same whom hand

To hand, none of the Gods durst yet withstand.

Agam.

I can cease brawling truly, and represse

With punishment, this your audaciousnesse:

But my Sword knows how to spare Captives. Let

Calchas the Gods interpreter be fet.

If Fates require I'le yeild.

Enter Calchas.

Thou who didst set

The Crecian (³¹) Fleet loose from their bonds, and let

To Wars, who dost the Poles unlock. To whom

Beasts intrails, Comets, Thunder, what to come

Doth shew, whose Oracles hath cost me wide

dammage. O Calchas with thy Councel guide

Us, and what God ordains do thou declare.

Calchas.

With wonted price their way the Grecians are

To buy, so Fates do Grant. A maid must slain

Be on the Tomb of the Thessalian

Prince, drest as the Thessalians when they wed,

Or like a ³²) Ionian or a Mycene bride.

Pyrrhus must to his Father give the Maid,

So 'twill be rightly done: Not this hath staid

Alone our Ships, blood's due to blood; 'tis higher

Than thine Polyxena the Fates require.

Astyanax thrown from a Tower shall be,

And lucky dye: Then spread your Sails at Sea

Exeunt omnes.

[Page]Enter Chorus of Trojan Women.

Is't true? Or fools do tales deceive,

That Soules (¹) the Bodies buryed live?

(²) When next of kin shall close the eyes,

Last day obstruct the light of Skies,

And Urns sad ashes last enclose;

It boots not Soules to give to those.

Or is't that wretches longer are?

Dye we not all? of us no share

Remains; when with last flying breath

The Soul past into Aire is with

The mixed clouds: and the bare trunk,

Into th' (³) funerall fire sunk?

Whatsoe're the Sun from East to West

Beholds; the Sea with blew waves prest

In's flux or reflux wets, age will

VVith a (⁴) Pegasian Motion spill.

VVith what pace the twelve Signes do fly,

VVith what course through the year doth hie

The Stars Lord; with what haste in her

Oblique course (⁵) Hecate doth stir,

To death we run: who once attains

The (⁶) Stygian Lake no more remaines.

As the black fume which from the fire

Mounts, doth in a short space expire,

As (⁷) Boreas doth assunder blow,

The rain-big clouds we saw but now;

Just so flies hence, our guide, the breath.

After Death nothing: Nothing's Death,

Of a short life the last end. Let

The Greedy hope, the Sad feare set

Aside.

[Page]Where thou shalt be, do'st quaere

aside.

When dead? where the unborn now are.

(⁸) Time us, and Chaos doth devour;

Body and Soul yields to Death's power.

(⁹) The Realm of Dis, and (¹⁰) Taenarus

And the three-headed (¹¹) Cerberus,

The black, and Cruel monster, that

Sits Porter at th' unfacil gate

Are idle tailes, vain words, and seem

Like fables in a pensive Dream.

Act the III.

Scene the I.

Enter Andromach, Senex, Astyanax.

ANd why sad Trojans tare you thus your hairs?

Why knock your breasts? & wet your cheeks with tears?

Our ills are light if we can weep: But now

When long before to me, fell Troy to you?

(¹) When Acchillis drew my Hector's limbs o'th ground,

Whose burden made the Chariot grone: I found

Troy then o'return'd, and fall'n. By Ills I'm made

Dull, stiff, and without sense. Were I not stay'd

By my Astyanax, after my husband, I

Would quickly follow. He forbids to die.

'Tis he my Courage tames, and makes me move

As yet with some request the Gods above.

[Page]Time adds unto my misery. The Chief

Security to fear nothing.

Fruit of all ills h'as rob'd me of: for grief

But not for better luck a way is left:

Most wretched 'tis to fear of Hope bereft.

Senex.

What sudden fear is this afflicts thee thus?

Andro.

From one mischief a greater spring there do's,

The Fate of falling Troy yet has no end.

Senex.

What harms can God find if he would to send?

Andro.

The dores and dens of Styx are op'd, and from

The bottom of his tomb our foe doth Come.

Lest that we dread should want. Alone must the

Way backward previous to the Grecians be?

Sure Death is Equal. Common is the fright

Which fears and grieves the Trojans. What to night

Scar'd me in sleep belong to me it may.

Senex.

What Sighs portend such fear declare, I pray.

Andro.

Two parts of Cherishing Night were almost fled,

And the Sev'n Stars bright wain was turn'd to bed,

When rest not usual did sad me surprise,

And a short sleep crep't o're my weari'd eyes;

(Or rather Scupor of a mind be-scar'd)

When straight wayes Hector 'fore mine eyes appear'd:

Not as when he upon the Argives set,

And sought with flaming pines to burn their fleet.

Nor as when he the slaughter'd Grecians fought,

And they true Spoyles from (²) feign'd Achillis brought.

His Countenance no glorious beamings had,

But like to ours dejected was, and sad,

His hair disorder'd hung; And yet I Joy'd

To see him: when shaking his head he said.

Awake, O faithful wife! and take thy Son,

Let him be hid: he is thy Hope alone.

Leave weeping. Mourn'st thou for the fall of Troy?

Would that might onely fall! Make hast, the Boy

[Page]The small stock of our house remove. I shook

With horror and cold shivering awoke,

Trembling my Eyes I cast now here, now there,

The Child forgot, I wretch for Hector quaere,

But the vain shade did through my hands retire.

O Child, true off-spring of thy mighty Sire!

The Trojans onely hope; and of our sad

House, and most ancient, and most noble blood

The onely stock. How like thy Sire, just that

Visage my Hector had, and such a gate

And habit; so he did's strong hands advance,

His shoulders rear; Threat with his Countenance;

So his spread hair his shoulders did adorn:

Too late for Troy, too soon for me tho'art born.

Shall that day be, that happy day when that

Defender and Avenger of Troy's state

Thou Pergamus rebuild shalt? and bring home

The Sparsed Citizens? render the name

To Troy and to the Trojeans? Of my Fate

I'm unmindful.—I doubt such votes to great

Are. It's enough that Captives live. Ah! where

May I a place finde faithful to my fear?

Where shall I hide thee? The fam'd Cittadel

Strengthen'd with forts, and walls of Gods, is fell

To Dust. All's spoyl'd with flames: Of mighty Troy

Not so much left is where to hide my Boy.

What cunning place now shall I choose? Lo here

The Sacred Tomb is of my Husband dear,

By foes rever'd, rais'd by his Father thus

To this vast height with riches; Covetous

He was not in his sadness:—Best I can

His Father trust.—A cold sweat falls upon

My limbs.—Ah wretch! I tremble lest that this

An omen of his future funeral is.

[Page]Senex.

To be thought Dead the onely way has been

Many to keep alive: Scarce any thing

Of Hope's above. His great birth bears him down.

Andromach.

Can none betray?

Senex.

Let not your fraud be known

To witnesses.

Andromach.

What if the foe shall quaere.

Senex.

He perish'd in the City, say.

Andromach.

The neer

What are we, if at last they finde our Guile?

Senex.

The victors fierceness lasts but for a while.

An.

What, w'thout great fear he cann't be hidden then?

Senex.

``Secure do chuse helps snatch distressed men.

Andr.

What place? what Realm, remote and invious

Shall keep thee safe? who 'le succour trembling us

Who will Protect? O Hector! thou who hast

Alwayes defended thine, defend at last,

Conserve the close deed of thy pious wife.

Keep with thy dust a future victor's life.

Child, Come neer the Tomb—Why run'st back? Despise

Base Corners dost? Thy valour I agnise.

He scorns to fear—Thy Noble Sp'rit forget,

And ancient Courage. Take what thy Fates permit.

See what poor Troop remains, this Tomb, and thou

A Boy, I prisoner—We t' our Ills must bow.

Go to: venture into this (³) holy seat

Of thy Sepulted Sire, thou hast if that

The Fates will unto wretches help infer

Thy Life; if life deny, thy Sepulcher.

Senex.

He's closely hid. But lest your fear betray

Him, hence receed, and go another way.

Andromach.

Who fears at hand is wont to fear the lesse.

But let us from this place, and if you please.

Senex.

Silence awhile, Cease your Complaints, I pray,

[Page] Vlysses moves his Cursed steps this way.

Androm.

Cleave earth! O Husband from Stix deepest womb

The Earth rend, there keep my depositum.

Here's Vlysses; By's musing pace 'tis guest

He Cunning mischief hatches in his breast.

Act the III. Scene the II.

Enter Ulysses and Souldiers.

ILL news I bring, but this I first require,

Though my mouth Speaks't, believ't not my desire,

It is the voyce of all the Greek guides, whom

Hector's Issue keeps from their long-left home.

Him do the Fates require, the Grecians will

Their peace uncertain think, behinde them still

Fear will enforce them for to look, nor can

They lay down armes, whilst Andromach! thy Son

Doth Courage to the Conquer'd Trojans bring.

Andr.

Doth thus indeed your Prophet Calchas sing?

Vlys.

If that our Augur Calchas silent were

Yet Hector tell us this, whose stock we fear.

The generous Seed the growing stock adorns.

So the small Hang-by calf, t' a herd, whose horns

Yet has not cut the Skin, when by and by

His forehead ample grown, and's necks on high

He rules the beasts, and leads his father's flock.

So a small twig left to the lopped stock

[Page]In a small time like to its mother grows,

Shaddows the Earth, its boughs to Heaven shows.

So Sparks left carelessely their strength resume.

Grief is of things an unjust judge. Presume

Thou may'st, that after a ten winters war

As many summers the old Souldiers are

Afraid of other broyles, nor well esteem

Themselves, Troy not destroy'd: A great thing them

Disturbs, A Future Hector 'tis. Do thou

Remove this fear, that onely stays us now.

This stops our ready ships. Cruel suppose

Me not, that I ask Hectors Son, for chose

By lot to do't, (¹) Orestes I'de require.

Come (²) suffer what the Conquerer did bear.

Andro.

O Child! would thou wert in thy Mothers hand:

What Chance bereft me of thee, or what land

Now holds thee? Would I knew. Not Enemies darts

Stabb'd in my breast; Nor cutting bonds, nor smarts

Of fire my sides surrounding e're should shake

My maternal Faith. O Child! what chance doth take,

What place doth hold, thee now? wander unknown

About the Fields dost thou? Or overthrown

Amongst the rubbish of thy Country trod?

Or has fierce victors sported with thy blood?

Or wert thou cast unto some cruel beast?

Or wert thou to the Trojan soules a feast?

Ulysses.

Leave feigning thus. Thou canst not easily

Deceive Ulysses. (³) Mothers Treachery,

Yea wiles of Goddesses I have undone:

Leave these vain setches; tell me, where's thy Son?

Andro.

Where's Hector? Priamus? all the Trojans? where?

Thou ask'st for one, I for them all do Quaere.

Ulysses.

You shall be forc'd to tell what you deny.

Andro.

For he who ought, would, can, 'tis safe to die.

[Page]Ulysses.

Approaching Death will scare great words away.

Andro.

If Andromach, Ulysses! thou'lt betray

With fear; threat' life, to die is my desire.

Ulys.

What now thou hid'st by torments, stripes, death, fire,

Thou shalt be forc'd to tell, unwilling, pain

Thy closest Secrets from thy breast shall drain.

Necessitie's wont to do more then zeal.

'Tis vain to hide, what straight thou must reveal.

An.

Flames, wounds, & the dire tricks of torments threat.

Famin and cruel thurst, all Plagues complete,

Hot irons thrust into my bowels, the

Plague of close Prison, and what e're may be

Pleasing to th' angry tumid Conquerer.

The valiant mother can admit no fear.

Ulysses.

This Love in which thou dost so stifly 'bide

The Greeks warns for their Children to provide.

After a ten years war, and so far off

I less should fear, what Calehas prophiseth,

If For my self, but thou do'st wais prepare

For (⁴) Telemachas. Androm. I will ease from Care

Ulysses and the Greeks. O sorrow! Griefes!

Say unto those you trouble: Joy O Greeks!

Do thou as thou wert wont Good news declare

To the (⁵) Pelasgians. Dead is Hector's heir.

Ulysses.

How wilt thou prove that this is true?

Andromach.

So let

The Greatest ill the Conquerer doth threat

Happen to me, Let Fates me quickly sley,

May I be buried in my Country; may

The Native soil (⁶) lightly on Hector spread,

As he wants light, and lies amongst the dead,

And with due exequies laid in his Tombe.

Ulysses.

The Fates are pleas'd if Hector's Son is gone.

[Page]A solid peace, and Joy to th' Greeks I'le Give.

Aside.

What dost Ulysses? will the Greeks believe

Thee? who thou? The Mother. What wont she swear?

Is't not Death's dreadful Omen makes her fear?

Fear Omens! what should such fear more? now she

Has ty'd her Faith by oath, what thing may be

Worse to be fear'd, then that she perish? Now

Wiles, Craft, Fraud, and thy self Vlysses shew.

``Truth will appear. Search out the Mother. Mourn,

Shed Tears, Lament she doth, at every turn,

Now here, now there her anxious steps she bears,

My words receiveth at her Careful Ears.

She fears more than she Mourns. Here's work for wit.

To Andromach again.

That parents ease to parents give 'tis fit.

Thou may'st rejoyce that thou dost want thy Son,

Whom a most Cruel Death did waite upon,

For from the Tower, that which remains alone

Of Troy, he should have been cast headlong downe.

Andromach.

My feeble limbs do shake, my Spirit's lost;

My blood grows stiffe bound with a frigid frost.

Aside.

Vlysses.

See how she trembles: This is the way to do't.

Fear has detected her: Now I'le renew't.

Aside.

To the Souldiers, they seek about.

Go, Go make hast, bring forth where e're he's hid,

The Greeks last plague, hid by his mothers fraud.

(⁷) So so he's Caught: Go to; Make hast:

He'r lead.

To Andromach.

Why look'st thou back and fear'st? Thy Son is dead.

Andro.

Would I might fear! This is accustom'd fear.

``What we learn long, we cannot soon forbear.

Vlysses.

Since that the youth a purging Sacrum may

Not be, nor we our Prophet thus obey,

He being snatch'd by a more gentle Fate,

[Page](⁸) Thus Calchas saith. Our ships may remigrate,

If Seas to please we Hector's ashes spread

About, and's Tomb with th' Earth be equal made.

Since he escap'd has the appointed fate,

Our hand this Sacred Seat must violate.

aside.

Andro.

What shall I do? my mind a double fear

Distracts. My Son; the ashes of my dear

Husband. O Hector! I to witness, Call

The Cruel Gods; the True, thy (⁹) Ghosts an all,

Nought but thy self in my Son pleaseth me;

May he live then for to be like to thee!

Shall's ashes merged be? his Tomb pull'd down?

Shall I let's bones into the Sea be thrown?

First let

Astyanax.

him die. But Can'st thou see him sent

To death? hurl'd down from the high battlement?

I will. I'le suffer 't. I will indure't, that the

Dead, by the victor's hand mayn't dammag'd be.

He may be sensible of pain; at rest

The Fates have placed him. Why waverest?

Determine which thou'lt save—Do'st doubt ingrate?

This is thy Hector—Both are Hecters, yet

This is alive, revenge perhaps he may

His dead Father. Both cann't be sav'd. Delay

Why dost? save him the Greeks do fear.

Vlysses.

I will

Distroy this Tomb, and th' Oracle fulfill▪

Andromach.

(¹⁰) That which ye sold?

Vlysses.

I will the Sepulchre

Rase to the Ground.

Andromach.

The help of Gods deter;

Achilles Faith I Call: O Pyrrhus! thy

Sire's gift desend.

Vlysses.

This Tomb shall by and by

O're all the field be spread.

[Page]Andromach.

Such villanies

The Greeks yet have not dar'd; (¹¹) of Deities

Your friends, you violated have the Fain,

Your Rage yet spar'd the Tombs.—

I'le you restrain:

My naked hands yours arm'd shall set upon.

Wrath Strength will Give. As the fierce (¹²) Amazon

Beat down the Grecian Troops: As (¹³) Menas strook

By Bacchick sury, all the forrests shook

With her Enthean rage, and furnished

With (¹⁴) Thyrsus, mad, ne'r felt the wounds she made.

So in the midst I'le rush, a Mate become

To's Ashes in defending of his tombe.

Ulysses.

Cease ye? what doth a simple womans do

to the soldiers.

And fury move? Obey and quickly too.

Andr.

O slay me first! foil hell! break Fates delay!

Hector remove the Earth; So that you may

Ulysses tame: Thy Ghost can do't.—See see

He shakes the weapons: Hurleth fires; do yee

See Hector? or do onely I?

Ulysses.

Down down

With't to the Ground.

Andromach.

What do'st? shall overthrown

Aside.

Thy Son and Husband be together? pray

The Greeks, perhaps you pacifie them may.

The massy ruines of the Tomb will strait

Crush th' hidden wretch. O rather let his Fate

Be some where else, lest that the Father kill

The Son, the Son the Father's ashes spill.

I suppliant at thy feet do fall although

To Ulysses.

My hands did ne'r such humble postures know,

I lay them at thy Feet Ulysses, hear

My pious prayers gently, patient bear,

Pity a Mother; And the higher thou

[Page]By th' Gods art rais'd, unto the fallen shew

Less rigor: who the needy helps, doth gain.

So may'st thou thy (¹⁵) chast wife's bed see again!

So may thy sight extend thy Fathers years!

Thy Son receive thee! May thy voteful prayers

In thy Son's virtues, more then answer'd be!

His grand-sires age, thy ingenuitie

May he surpass! The Mother pity; save

My onely Joy.

Ulysses.

Bring forth thy Son and Crave.

Act the III. Scene the III.

Andromach, Ʋlysses, Astyanax.

MIserable wretch Come from thy Den!

Andromach calls Astyanax from the Tomb, he comes out.

—See here

The Child Ulysses who your Ships doth fear.

Submit thy self fall prostrate on thy face,

At thy Lord's feet intreat: Nor think that base

Which fortune to the wretched hath assign'd.

Thy Kingly Grand-fathers put from thy mind,

And famous Priamus's mighty Power,

Hector forget, and like a Captive bear

Thy Self with bended knees.

If tho' art not sensible as yet of Death

Yet imitate thy mothers Tears.—Troy hath

[Page]Once seen the (¹) tears of her young Princely heir:

The fierce (³) Alcides threats removed were

By little Priamus; That fierce one who

(⁴) Did monsters by his mighty Strength subdue,

Who broke hell's gates, returned thence, yet he

Was by the tears of 's little Enemie

O'recome; Take here, said he, the reins, possesse

Thy Father's seat, and Throne; more (²) faith express

In ruling now. His Captives, not repent

We should: By Hercules learn to relent.

Must onely Hercules's (⁵) arrows please?

As good as Priamus here suppliant lies

Before thy feet: his life he begs; as for

The Realm he that to Fortune doth refer.

Ulys.

The Mourning of this 'frighted mother sore

Aside.

Moves me, but yet the Grecian dames move more,

To whom this Child great Sorrow once may yield.

Andromach.

Shall he this ruin'd City e're rebuild?

Shall these hands Troy erect? No hopes Troy has

If such as these: we ruin'd are, alass!

Not so that we to any fear may Cause.

Doth's Father Cause this rigor?—(⁶) True the place!

Hector himself after Troys downfall would

Have left his Courage, by such great Ills Cool'd.

If punishments you seek, worse can you lack

Than to the yoak to use his noble neck?

Sure he may serve, who 'le this a King deny?

Ulysses.

'Tis Calchas this denies to you, not I.

Andromach.

Author of Fraudes! worker of Cruelty!

None in the wars did by thy valour die:

By the Sly fraudes of thy infected minde

(⁷) Greeks too have fallen. Why dost thou pretend

The Prophet, and the Guiltless Gods? when this

Night Champion! of thy own devising is?

[Page]Tho'art valiant to slay a Child; 'Tis now

Alone by day thou any thing dar'st doe.

Ulysses.

Ulysses valour to the Greeks is known

Enough, too much to you: I may n't in vain

Words Spend the day. Our Anchors way'd will be.

Andr.

Grant some short stay whilst that I render the

Last duties of a Parent to my Childe,

And have my griefs by my last Clippings fill'd.

Ulysses.

Would I might pity shew! this onely may

Be shewn; we grant at thy request delay,

And time to weep. Tears griefs disburden does.

Andr.

Sweet pledge! O glory of our fallen house!

Last end of Troy! O fear to Greeks! O vain

Hope of thy Mother! for whom thy Gran-sires raign

In his best State, thy Father's fortitude

I did request: The Gods our votes delude.

In Iliums royal Court Troys Scepter thou

Shall n't bear, nor laws give to thy people now:

Nor to thy yoak submit the Conquer'd rout,

Nor Grecians slay; Nor Pyrrhus drag about.

Nor shall thy tender hands Arms exercise,

Nor boldly in the lawnes wilde beasts surprize.

Nor shalt thou with the noble youths resort

To use th' (at solemn (⁸) Lustres) (⁹) Trojan sport.

Nor with swift feer (¹⁰) dance in the Phrygian fanes

About the Altars, whilst the (¹¹) warlike straines

Of Curved pipes excite. Dire death, alass!

Worser than death; Something more sad than was

Hector's Troy now shall see.

Ulysses.

Break off thy Tears

Great dolor never of it Self forbears,

Andr.

Small is the time for tears that we require,

Vlysses! grant before that he expire,

I wish my hand may close his little Eyes.

[Page]Thou dyest young but fear'd by Enemies.

Thy Troy expect thee; Go free Trojans see

From bondage freed.

Astyanax.

O Mother succour me!

Andr.

Why hugg'st thou me? Why hold'st thy mothers hands?

Thou tak'st a vain defence. As trembling stands

By 'is mothers side the tender youngling, when

It hears the Lion roar: She gon, he then

With his vast jaws teareth the tender prey,

So thee thy foe snatch from my breast away

Will. Here receive my Kisses, Tears, and hair

(¹²) Rent off. To th' Sire now full to me repair.

Tell him thy mothers plaints: If Ghosts retaine

Their former Love, not perish'd in the flame.

O Cruel Hector! wilt thou suffer thy

Andromach serve the Greeks? and slothful lie?

Achillis back return'd. Take here, take here,

Once more my rented hair, and tears, what e're

Is of my Hector lest: These Kisses give

Unto thy Sire. This Coate thy mother leave:

This touch'd has my dear's ashes, and his tomb;

I'le search his ashes and what's left (¹³) lick down.

Ulysses.

Thou hast no measure in thy tears: away,

'Tis time to break the Grecians Ships delay. Exeunt omnes.

Chorus.

Which is the place where we must dwell?

Thessalian Mounts, and (¹) Tempe's vail?

Or (²) Phthie, bearing Mermidons?

Or asper (³) Thrachyn full of Stones,

Where the fair droves of beasts bred be?

Or (⁴) Jolchos Mistress of the Sea?

(⁵) Or Hunder'd City'd spacious Crete?

[Page]Small (⁶) Gortine? or barren (⁷) Trice?

Or knee holm bearing (⁸) Methony,

Which in th' (⁹) Oetian woods do ly

Whence came those Cruel shafts, which more

Then once Troy's fatal ruine bore?

(¹⁰) Olenus where few houses be?

(¹¹) Pleuron Diana's Enemie?

Or Seas-indented (¹²) Troezean?

Or Prothous Kingdom (¹³) Peleon,

(¹⁴) The third step to heaven? where then

In th' Hollow Mount a spacious den

Was, where great (¹⁵) Chiron master to

(¹⁶) The Cruel youth did use to shew

His skill, striking the sounding Strings

With's bow; and there whilst wars he Sings,

His mighty ire stir up he dos.

Or Marble-bearing (¹⁷) Carystos?

(¹⁸) Or Chalcis nere the Shore of the

Swift (¹⁹) Euripus th' unquiet Sea?

(²⁰) Echinae ope to every winde?

(²¹) Or Genoessa where gales finde

A Constant vent? or (²²) En [...]spae

Which fear the North-East winde? or the

(²³) Ptrithaedos joyn'd to Attica?

(²⁴) Elusis which do (²⁴) hidd'n rites injoy?

Or Ajax Country (²⁵) Salamin?

(²⁶) Or Calydonia which hath been

Well noted for the Cruel bore?

(²⁷) Bessa and Scarphe, which (the shore

Even reach'd) Titaressus laves

About with his dull sluggish waves?

(²⁸) Ancient Pilos? (²⁹) Pharis? Jove's

(³⁰) Pisa? (³¹) Elis which great games loves?

Sad Storms which thus the wretched send

[Page]By every one to every land:

But whilst that we for

Helena.

her do pay

Who has done thus to Greece, and Troy,

Far may Sparta, and (³³) Argos be,

And mighty (³⁴) Pelops Mycenae!

(³⁵) Neritus lesse than (³⁶) Zacynthus!

And guileful Stany (³⁷) Ithacus.

What fate remains, O Hecuba!

For thee? what Lord shall lead away

Thee? and to what Land shalt thou fly?

Or in what Country shalt thou dye?

Act the IV.

Scene the I.

Helena, Andromach, Hecuba, Polyxena, Mute.

Enter Helena alone, with Grecian Tires and Ornaments in her hand.

'Tis fit a Bride-maid Helena should be

At every deadly Hymen, and where the

Mariage doth cries, grief, slaughter, blood produce.

I'm forc'd the Conquer'd Trojans to abuse;

Pyrrhus's false nuptials I am charg'd to shew,

And Grecian tires, and trimings carry to

Polyxena: So Paris sister shall

Deceived by my fraud, and Cunning fall.

[Page]Be She deceived; 'will easier be for her,

'Tis a wish'd death to die without Death's fear.

Why dost thou not as thou art bid? Crimes still

Forced, return on th' authors of the ill.

Enter Polyxena, Hecuba and Andromach.

O noble Maid of the (¹) Dardanian House!

A better God now the afflicted does

Begin for to regard: A dowry he

To Polyxena.

And happy mariage doth prepare for thee,

And such a Husband Priamus he cou'd

Not have giv'n thee though Troy it self had stood.

For

Pyrrhus.

Thessaly's great Prince desires to wed

With holy rites, thee to his lawful bed;

Whose Kingdom spreads o're Spacious Thessaly:

Great (²) Tethis and the Lady's of the Sea,

And (³) Thetys the proud Seas fair Lady, shall

Call thee their's; (⁴) Peleus shall thee Cousen Call,

When thou art Pyrrhu's wife; and (⁵) Nereus too:

Offers her the Grecian Tires.

Put off these mourning robes and these indue;

Forget Captivity: Let maids prepare

With art-ful hands to Curle and plait thy hair.

Thou by this fall perchance mayst higher rise;

``Many have gain'd by being made a prize.

Andr.

For to be glad the only ill has been

Wanting to ruin'd Trojans: Troy's now seen

In Flames. O Time for weddings! Who dares though

Deny? or who will be in doubt to go

For to be Married when that Helena

Perswades? to Grecians and to Trojans ah!

(⁶) The ruine, Pest, and Plague. Se'st thou these Tombs

Of Captaines? and these inhumated bones

[Page]Spread o're the fields? Thy Hymen's fruites they be:

Asia's and Europ's blood was shed for thee,

Whilst thou with doubtful wishes and no care,

(⁷) Thy husbands fighting Saw; Go too, prepare

The wedding. What needs Torches? fire? or bright

(⁸) Nuptial Faxes? Troy'l this new wedding light.

O Trojans Pyrrhu's wedding Celebrate!

Let Tears and Groans sound it in seemly rate.

Helena.

Although great grief, wants reason, and denies

To yield, and Your sad fellows to despise

Doth cause, yet I my Cause defend do dare,

That my Griefs greater far than yours are,

Before a prejudic'd Judge. Andromacha

Bewaileth Hector, Priamus, Hecuba:

For Paris onely prively doth mourn

Helen; You servitude hard to be born

And heavy think: Ten years this Captive yoke

I bore. Your family and Troy now strook

Are to the Earth; 'Tis sad indeed to bear

Your Country's losse; but worse for me to fear.

Your ills are by partakers casie made;

Me both the Greeks and Trojans ires invade.

You know not yet whose Pris'ners you shall be,

Without a Lot my Lord will straight take me?

I Cause of these wars and Troy's overthrow.

But 'twas your fleet on Spartane Seas did row.

But if the Phrygians me a prey did make,

(⁹) Being Venus gift for her victory's sake,

Then pardon Paris. Angery Menalaus

Will shortly sharply Judge my Crime and Cause.

O Andromach stop thou thy tears, and gain

Polyxena to wedd, I cann't refrain

From weeping.

Andromach.

O what mighty Evill's this!

That Helen weeps? why weeps she? Tell what is

[Page] Ulysses plot, what wickedness doth he

Contrive; what, must the Maid cast headlong be

From the Idaean rocks? must she be sent

From the high Tower's highest Battlement?

Or from those rocks must she into the vast

Sea, which Segeon's clef [...] side bounds be cast?

Tell tell what's hid in thy deceitful breast.

Alass! this evill's worse than all the rest.

That Hecuba's and Priam's Son in Law

Pyrrhus should be. What plagues preparest, say?

Shew, and let's not in our Misfortunes be

Beguil'd; To die we ready are you see.

Helena.

Would Calchas also would Command me to

With Sword the Stays of hated life undoe.

Or that I might by Pyrrhus's cursed hand

Be slain before Achilles tomb, and stand

O Polyxen! a part'ner in thy woo.

Achilles doth Command that thou be to

Him given; that thou thy life 'fore's ashes yield,

That he thy Spouse may be ith' Elysian field.

An.

See with what joy her death pronounc'd she hears,

With Princely ornaments her self she tires,

Her hair she suffers to be Curl'd, It seems,

She Mariage Death, and Death a Mariage deems.

But see! my Mother swoons at this sad news,

She faints! Arise! take Courage Mother! use

Courage! take heart—. How small a thread doth stay

Her parting Soul! A small thing Hecuba

Can happy make!—She breaths:—She lives: thus still

``Desired death fly from the wretched will.

Hecuba.

Doth yet Achilles Live to punish us?

Rebels he yet? O Paris (¹⁰) hand that thus

So lightly struck! His Tomb and ashes they

Thirst for our blood. About my side a gay▪

[Page](¹¹) Troop once did stand. I wearied was to deal

My Kisses and my Love amongst them all.

This onely's left, Hecuba's onely Child,

Companion, joy, she who my griefs beguild.

(¹²) I onely her call Child. Unhappy still!

Fly hence Soul case me of this onely ill.

See Tears bedew her Cheeks, a sudden shower

From her dejected Countenance doth power.

Be glad O Child Cassandra would rejoyce,

Or Andromach, to be espoused thus.

Andr.

'Tis we! 'tis we! O Hecuba 'tis we

Should be lamented, scatter'd on the Sea

And up and down dispers'd: But Helen then

Shall her dear Earth and Country see agen.

He▪ You'd grudge my State more did you know your own.

Andromach.

Is any part of my Torment unknown?

Helena.

The Fickle lot hath giv'n you masters shall.

Andramach.

Whose Servant? who must I master Call?

Helena.

The Pyrrhus. Scyrian youth by Lot doth Challenge thee.

Andromach.

Happy Cassandra! (¹²) Phaebus sets thee free.

Helena.

The General has her.

Hecuba.

Is Hecuba by any claim'd?

Helena.

Thou art Ulisses's prey▪

Hecuba.

What Cruel and unjust Lot sorting Guide

Was this, Princes to Princes that deny'd?

What God the Captives lots thus badly drew?

What Cruel Judge, who for poor wretches knew

Not how to chuse them Lords? And whose dire hand

Has gi'n us such unequal Fates? who send

Doth Hectar's mother to (¹³) Achilles Arms?

I'm to Ulysses sent. And now all harms,

Captivity, and Death, doth me behem:

Not of my Bondage but my Lord I am

[Page]Asham'd. He Hector's spoyle doth bear, who does

Achilles Arms bear? Land that Seas inclose

And barren shall that hold my grave? Away

Ulysses lead me; for I make no stay.

My Lord I follow: me my Fates. The Sea

May it no Calm retain! But let it be

With Winds disturb'd. The Fates of Priamus

And of my self, wars, Fire follow us!

So shall my pain prove gain to me, so that

Such prize Ulysses by his Lot may get.

But Pyrrhus with a hasty pace doth run,

And Cruel Look▪ why stay'st thou Pyrrhus? Come

Priamus and She.

Pierce my breast too, and let * us now Conjoyne:

Old Priam's Murtherer, fit this blood of mine

Is by thee to be shed. Polyxena

Take hence and with her Cruel death beray

The Gods above, and eke below. why should

I you beseech? To such rites Seas I would

Have answerable. On your mighty fleet,

And Ship that Carries me all Curses light.

Chorus.

Companions Sweeten Grief; 'tis found

Less hard when Cries whole Swarmes resound.

Sorrow and Tears more gently bite

When Troops with like tears are in sight.

Great grief desires still to see,

Many fellows in Miserie:

And not alone the pain to bear.

None nills when all suffer a share.

No man wretched himself doth hold

If all are so: Men rich in Gold

[Page]Remove: Remove all such that use

To Cut rich land with a hunder'd ploughs;

And then the poors Cast minds will rise.

None's poor but when he rich espies.

In great mishaps 'tis Sweet to see

In Sadness every face agree.

He doth his fate moan and deplore,

Who naked gains the sought-for shore,

By swiming from Shipwrack alone.

He danger less and's Chance doth moan,

Who a Thousand ships did see

Together swallow'd by the Sea:

Whilst Shipwrack'd planks spread on the Shore

When that the (¹) North-west wind doth rore,

Holding back the Constrained waves.

(²) Phrixus for Helle's drowning raves,

When that the Golden-fleeced Ram

On's guilded back bore she and him,

And she sell thence into the Sea.

(³) Deucalion and Pyrrha they

When they nothing beheld but waves

Where all but they had made their graves,

Griev'd less together. Alass! all we

Anon shall seperated be;

And tossed Ships disjoyn our tears,

When that the Sayles the Mariners

At Trumpet sound shall hoist; and when

With winds, and hasty oars they from

The flying Shores hast to the Deep.

What State of mind shall wretches keep

When Seas increase, and Earth grows small?

When (⁴) Ida high, lye hidden shall,

Then Children to their Mothers, they

To th' Children where Troy stood shall shew,

[Page]And poynting with their fingers Cry,

That's Troy where the Smoak on high,

Creeps to Heav'n. The Trojans so

By black Smoak shall their Country know.

Act the V.

Scene the I.

Nuncius, Andromach, Hecuba.

O Dire! Cruel! horrid! miserable fare

So sad and Cruel wickedness begat

This ten years wars had not. Andromacha's

Grief shall I first Condole, or Hecuba's?

Whose ills some e're thou moan'st, thou mine dost Moan.

All others ills I bear; they but their own.

For me all's spoyl'd: all wretches mine remain.

Nun.

The Child's flung from the Tow'r: the Maid is slain,

But both bore death with an Heroick minde.

Andr.

That double ill shew, how to death assign'd:

Go to, tell all for my indurate heart,

Desires to hear, o'th' mischief every part.

Nun.

(¹) One Tow'r of famous Troy's yet left, and where

Priamus us'd to Sit wars Arbiter,

And by signs guide the Armies. In that place

His Nephew in his bosom Cherish'd was,

Where whilst his Sire with fire and sword persu'th

The flying Greeks; h' his acts shew'd to the youth,

[Page]This noted Tower, once the walls chief pride,

But now a Cruel Rock, on every side

Begirt was, with the Captaines, and with the

Spread troops of Plebeans: Ships relinquish'd be

The vulgar thither run. The hill some bord

Which doth a Prospect to the place afford:

Some gain the high rock, from whose top a band

To see this doleful sight on tiptoes Stand.

Some bayes; some beaches, others pines get up:

The whole wood Shaketh with the hanging troop.

The broken mountain's highest part one gets,

Another th' halfe burnt houses tops: This sets

Upon a hanging Stone o'th' falling wall;

Another he on Hector's tomb doth Crawle

To see, O wicked! Through the Crouded place

Ulysses walketh with a Stately pace,

And Priam's little Nephew in his hand;

Who with no slow pace to the Tow'r did wend:

From whose high top with an undaunted heart,

His earnest eyes he threw on every part.

As the Stout Lion's tender whelp, who yet

Not able for to tear his prey doth threat,

His Courage swells, he tries to bite in vain:

So the fierce youth a hostile hand restrain

Did: whilst he moved into tears below

The Captaines, vulgar, and Ulysses too,

He onely tearless stood, whom all be waild.

But whilst their Prophets words Ulysses told,

And to those rites the Cruel Gods did call,

He of himself leap'd down amongst them all.

An.

(²) What Colchian e're; or barbarous (³) Scythe commit

Did such an act? what (⁴) Caspian borderer that

A lawless people are thus much dar'd doe?

(⁵) Buseris on's Altar no Children Slew:

[Page]Nor did the (⁶) Horses of Diomedes

Banquet upon such tender limbs as these.

Who shall unto thy limbs give burial?

Nuncius.

What limbs remains there after such a fall?

The fall has dash'd, and Split his bones, his face,

His father's noble Marks, his bodies grace,

Confounded are by's fall. His neck is broke,

His head is rent, and by flints Cruel stroke

His braines dash'd out are; thus his members doe

Deform'd lye.

Andromach.

Thus he's like his father too.

Nun.

When that Astyanax from the Tow'r was thrown,

Waild by the Greeks who this vile fact had done,

The same unto Achilles Tomb do hie

For to perform another Tragedy.

The Rhaetean Seas with gentle waves do beat,

The farther side; the field doth Compass it

On th' other; and the valley riseth there

With a small rise; Like to a Theater,

The midst inclosing. Swarmes do fill the shores;

Some hope her death will free their sluggish oars.

Some joy to see their foes Stock slain, To see

Most hate the Crime in which they actors be.

The Trojans too with fear do thither go

Where they behold Troy's utter overthrow.

Now mariage wise the Torches march before

And

Helenae.

Tyndaris the bride-maid marcheth there,

In th' head. The Trojans wish (⁷) Hermiona

Such marriage: and th' Adultresse Helena

So giv'n t' her Spouse. Both sides amazed are;

The Maid cast down her bashful looks doth bare.

But yet her Eyes did shine, and fairer shew

Her beauty did that it was wont to do.

So sweeter shews Phaebus's setting light,

[Page]When rising Stars bring on the neighbour night.

The people Marvail; all do greatly praise,

Th' about to die; her Beauty Moyeth these,

These her soft age; Things flying changes those,

But with what Courage she doth death oppose

Moves all. Before, Pyrrhus she went: All do

Tremble, and Marvail, and her pity too.

When they unto the sad hill's top were Come,

And Pyrrhus mounted on his Father's tombe,

The bold virago not a step withdrew,

But met the fierce Stroke with a valiant hew.

Such Courage mov'd the Mindes of all, a new

Wonder Pyrrhus was slow to run her through.

But when his sword h' had hidden in her skin,

At a large wound blood flow'd, where death crept in.

Nor dying did she Courage lose, she prone

And with an angery force fell, as if on

Achilles she the (⁸) Earth would heavy make.

Both Greeks and Trojans wept, these prively

With fear, the others wept more openly.

Such order had these rites, the ground no drop

But the blood-thirsty Tomb, her blood drunk up.

Hecuba.

Go Greeks, you go home now in safety may,

And your Safe Ships with spread Sayles plow the Sea.

The Maid and Child are slain: wars done; where may

I bear my Tears? where burst death's long delay?

For Daughter, Nephew, Husband shall I moan?

For Country? or for all? or me alone?

Death's my Sole vote. Infants and virgins be

Slain by thee, where some e're, thou ragest me

Alone thou fear'st, & shun'st; from me thy flight

Thou tak'st, though 'mong swords, darts, fires, sought all Night.

Foes, dangers, fire, hath not my Members spill'd,

Though I so neer to Priam stood when Kill'd.

[Page]Nuncius.

Hast Captives now to Sea: The sayls are spread,

The Ships already are unharboured.

FINIS.

§

[Page]

These Comments are not for the learned's sight,

The dark unlearn'd these Tapers onely light.

COMMENTS UPON THE First ACT.

(¹) TH' Inconstant Gods] It may be meant the Inconstant Goddesse Fortune, who was the Servant of the Gods, to whom was attributed the disposal of all sublunary things, she was painted with the horn of plenty in one hand, and a wheel in the other, by which was meant, her disposal of all earthly riches and the inconstancy of them:

Volat mobiles alis

Nec ulli prestat velox fortuna fidem.

Fortune flies with swift wings, nor doth

With any, fickle she, keep faith. Sen. in Hippol.

[Page]She was painted, also blindfolded, as bestowing her favours either impartially, or promiscuously as Senec. in Hippol.

Res humanas ordine nullo

Fortuna regit, spargit (que) manu

Munera Caecâ.

Humane affaires w'thout order Fortune guides:

And with a blind hand all her gifts divides.

Or else,

—Faciles dare summa deos, eadem (que) tueri

Difficiles.—

The Gods are prone great things to send,

But backward the same to defend.

(²) The Great work of the Gods above.] Neptune and Apollo, who induing humane shapes, were hired by Laomedon, to build the Walls of Troy, which being finished, he deny'd them their promis'd reward: The Gods angry at his perfidiousness and perjury afflicted the City, Neptune with inundations, Apollo with a pestilence. Laomedon Consulting the Oracle, it was answer'd, that the Gods could not be appeased, without they chose a Trojan Virgin by lot yearly, and exposed her to be devoured by a monstrous Whale: After many had run this fatal Chance, it fell at last on Hesione, Laomedons daughter, Hercules coming thither by chance, and seeing the Virgin bound to a rock, bargains with Laomedon to set her at liberty, and slay the Monster for his Horses begotten of divine seed: Hercules perform'd his part, but Laomedon denying him his reward, he returns afterwards with an army and sacked Troy, taking Priamus then a Child prisoner, but having flain Laomedon, he sets Priamus at liberty to enjoy his fathers Realm. Thus Ovid. Met. 11.

[Page]

—Apollo,

Cum (que) Tridentigero tumidi genetore profundi

Mortalem induitur formam, Phrygiae (que) Tyranne

Aedificat muros, pacto pro moenibus auro, &c.

By Sands Translated thus.

—Apollo,

Who with the father of the tumid main

Indues a mortal shape: and entertain

Themselves for unregarded Gold to build

The Phrygian Tyrants walls. That work fulfill'd

The King their promised reward denies, &c.

(³) To whose assistance Came] Rhesus King of Thrace, whose horses had they drunk of the River Xanthe by Troy, (as the Oracle delivered) Troy had been invincible, but he was slain, and his horses taken before they came thither by Ulysses and Dromedes.

(⁴) Tanais] put for Ister which falls (like Nile) into the Sea at 7 mouths.

(⁵) And those that neer first see] Memnon with his Eastern Troops the Son of Tithon and Aurora Priamus's Nephew: slain by Achilles, whose ashes were converted to fowles. Ovid. Met. 13.

—Cum Memnonis arduus alto

Corruit igne rogus:—

Atra favilla volat: glomerata (que) Corpus in unum

Densatur, saciem (que) Capit—&c.

Sands Translat.

—When greedy flame, devour'd the funeral pile,

The flying, dying Sparkles joyntly grow

Into one body. Colour, form, life, spring

To it from fire, which levity doth wing,

First like a fowl, forthwith a Fowl indeed, &c.

[Page](⁶) Those too where with the Sea Tigris] The Troops that came with Memnon, about the Perfic Gulfe, where the swift river Tigris disimbokes it self.

(⁷) And she that neighboured] Penthesilea, Queen of the Amazons, slain by Achilles. See note third, upon the 5 Act.

(⁸) A Thousand Ships] the number of the Grecian Fleet, when they first set out for Troy.

(⁹) Cassandra] Priamus's daughter, whom Phoebus loving, Sued for her maidenhead, which she promised him on Condition that he would indue her with the gift of Prophesie, or foretelling things to come; which having granted her, She would no [...] to her promiss, which the deceived God seeing ad [...] his former gift, that whatsoever she foretold, though never so true, should not be Credited: Nor did the Trojans believe what she predicted till afterwards they found it true to their sorrow.

Virg. Aen. 2.

Tunc etiam fatis aperit Cassandra suturis

Ora, dei jussu, non unquam Credita Teucris.

Cassandra then, these future fates foretold,

Whom Trojans ne're believ'd, so Phoebus would.

Ogleby interpret.

(¹⁰) With Child I this]

(¹¹) Tis by my fire brand]

Hecuba when she was with-Child of Paris, dreamed that she was delivered of a fire-brand, which proved true, in that he was the Cause of Troys destruction.

(¹²) Dromedes] King of Aetolia, the Constant Companion of Ulysses in all his exploites: In stealing the horses of Rhesus and the Palladium of Troy, which could not be Conquer'd whilst that remained there.

(¹³) False Sinon] He by whose Craft, the wooden horse was admitted into Troy, out of whose belly came the hidden Greeks, who surpriz'd the City by that Stratagem.

[Page](¹⁴) The murther of the King] Priamus slain by Pyrrhus at the Altar of Jupiter Hercius, which was in the Court, between the Entrance and the Hall, where the Kings use to be Crowned.

(¹⁵) Helenus's wife] Andromach, who after Pyrrhus had taken Hermione from Orestes, was given to Helenus, who was Priamus's Son, and a great Prophet; So that the time is here anticipated by the Author.

(¹⁶) Another doth Antenors Crave] Theano. Antenor was a Trojan Prince, who after Troys overthrow, fled to the Venetians: he built Padua.

(¹⁷) In Imitation of mourners, as the manner of the Preficae was, to knock their breasts, tear their dishevell'd tresses, and lam [...] groans and ejulations.

(¹⁸) Ida's direful King] Paris, whose residence was on mount Ida, where whilst he kept sheep, the three Goddesses Juno, Pallas, Venus, presented themselves to him, making him the arbitrator of their strife for the Golden Ball, which he, despising the proser'd wisdom of Pallas, the Riches of Juno, adjudged to Venus, who had promis'd him the fairest Beauty in the world, which was Helena, whom she gave him in reward for his arbitration.

Upon the Chorus.

(¹) To Amyclas] A City in Laconia, where the Brothers of Helena, Castor and Pollux were born.

(²) With mother Cybeles Sacred Pines] The Ship in which Paris went, being made of the Pines that grew on Mount Ida, a Mountain Sacred to Cybele, and where she was chiefly worshipped, from whence her Priests where Call'd Idaei dactyli.

(³) In the Sigean fields] The fields adjoyning to Troy, denominated from the promontorie Sigeum, by [Page] which was the Sepulchre of Achilles.

(⁴) O Queen lift up thy hand] after the manner of the Praeficae, which was the sign to begin their lamentations.

(⁵) Your hair untye] Here is described the custome of those women hired to lament at funerals, they wore their hair disshevel'd, their necks and breasts bare, and striking their hands against them, made a fearful ejulation, and howling.

Hae la crymis sparsêre deos, hae pectora duro

Af flixêre solo: lacerasq, in limine sacro

Attonitae fudere Comas: votis (que) vocari

Assuetas crebris feriunt ululatibus aures.

—Una madentes

Scissa genas, planctu liventes atra lacertos,

Nunc ait ô miserae contundite pectora matres,

Nunc laniate Comas, &c.

Lucan. lib. 2.

May English.

One weeps before the Gods; one her torn locks

Throws in the Sacred porch: another knocks

Her breast against the ground: the God whose ears

Were us'd to prayers, now only howlings hears:

—But one there

Her plaint-bruis`d armes, and moysten'd cheeks did tear

Now now quoth she, oh Mothers teare your hair

Now beat your breasts—

Such was the manner of the ancients mourning fully

described in his Chorus.

(⁶) Make all the Rhaetian Shores] A promontory of Troy, in which was the Sepulcher of Ajax Telamonius.

(⁷) The Eccho found, In Mounts and Caves] Is the repercussion of the air against some rock or hill, or some [Page] obvious body which repears the dilated sound by reflection. But the Poets have feign`d it the effect of Love, whose Metamorphosis you may read in Ovid. lib. 3. She was a Nymph of the river Cephissus, who falling in Love with Narcissus, and being by him rejected pined her self with grief to a stone, her voyce onely remaining, &c.

—In aere succus

Corporis omnis abit: vox tantum at (que) ossa supersunt,

Vox manet: ossa ferunt lapidis traxisse figuram.

Inde latet sylvis, nullo (que) in monte videtur:

Omnibus auditur, sonus est qui vivit in illa.

—Her blood converts to air,

Nothing was left her but her voyce and bones:

The voyce remaines: the other turn'd to stones.

Conceal'd in words, in mountaines never found.

She's heard of all: and all is but a sound.

Sands.

Here 'tis said she is never found in Mountains, and that is because there is no obstacle to strike back the air, but if you stand at a Convenient distance from the mountain (especially if there be any Caverns.) you will according to my author finde this vocal Nymphs habitation to be at the foot of the hill, or on the sides of the rock.

(⁸) Our wounds do flow with blood fresh Torn] They did believe that humane blood was pleasing to the defunct, which made them not onely use these Praeficae to teare their breasts, but also the gladiators were brought into use, who unmercifully shed one anothers blood.

(⁹) A Sconce for tyred Trojans] Hector might be well call'd the safeguard of Troy, for whilst he liv'd she was impregnable.

Virg.

O lux Dardaniae, spes O fidissima Tencrum.

O Dardan light! O Troy's chief Confidence.

[Page] Hector—Cum quo sua Troja sepulta est

Conduntur pariter qui periere simul.

Hector with whomTroy's sepulcher'd, they lye

Together now, who did together dye.

(¹⁰) Twice lost old man] He was twice Captivated when a youth, and being lead into Greece, he was ransomed by his Sister Hesione.

(¹¹) Thou living but one ill sustain] That is, by the Death of Hector the Kings Son, now the King himself is slain.

(¹²) And twice abode th▪ Herculean shaft] Without the arrows of Hercules, Troy could not have been conquer'd, they were fatal to Troy; Twice, that is this last time, and once before, when Hercules subdued it: See the 2 note of the first Act.

(¹³) At great Joves Altar] See note 14. Act the first.

Virg.

Aedibus in mediis, nudo (que) sub aetheris axe.

Ingens ara suit.

Amid'st the Court under heav'ns Canopy.

An Altar stood, &c.

(¹⁴) Thy Trunk]

Vir. Aen. 2.

Jacet ingens littore Truncus

Avulsumque humeris caput, &c.

His body lyeth on the shore without a head.

Here Virgil alludes to the fall of Pompey, whom our author follows.

(¹⁵) Neither Atrides] Agamemnon and Menelaus both Sons to Atreus.

(¹⁶) Mycene] A City of Peloponnesus, built by Perseus, in which Agamemnon the Captain general of the Greeks reigned.

(¹⁷) In the shade of th' Elysian wood] The habitation of the blessed after death, some suppos'd it to be in the Sphere of the Moon, others placed it in the [Page] Atlantic or Fortunate Islands, Homer in Spain, Plutarch in Brittain. It is supposed the Greeks borrowed their Elysium from the Egyptians, who came to the Knowledg of it by the Hebrews, so that it was answerable to their Paradise, where Pious Souls received all the joys and pleasures annexed to the other life. But the Poëts have described the pleasures of Elysium too sensually, it may be as Mahomet did his Paradise, not but that they knew better, but knowing that such sensual descriptions would soonest take with vulgar Capacities.

Virg. Aenei. 6.

Devenere Locos laetos, & amaena vireta

Fortunatorum nemorum, sedes (que) beatas.

Largior hic Campis aether, &c.

In joyful places they arriv'd at last,

And came to Groves where happy souls do rest,

In pleasant Greens the dwellings of the blest.

Here larger Skies did cloath the purple rayes

The field, &c. Ogilvius.

Upon the second Act, Scene the First.

(¹) BOth to the war] when the Grecians lay at Aulis, a City of Baeotia ready to embarque themselves for Troy, Agamemnon by chance kill'd Diana's Stag; for which being wroth, she stay'd their progress with contrary winds, till Agamemnon was fain to appease her anger with the slaughter of his daughter Iphigenia on her Altar. For which Sacrifice, Ulysses was employ'd with his Craft to gain her from her mother, which he did, by beginning a Mariage betwixt her and Achilles. But when she was ready to be Sacrific'd,

Victa dea est, nubemque oculis objecit & inter

Ossicium, turbam (que) sacri, vocesque precantum,

Supposita fertur mutasse Mycenida Cerva.

[Page]

—Dian' doth pity shew

Who o're their eyes a cloudy meteor threw;

And while they prosecute her rites and pray'd

Produc'd a hind to represent the Maid.

Ovid. Met. 12.

From thence by the Goddess she was conveyed to Taurica, &c.

(²) The Sacred Grove] on Ida Sacred to Cybele.

(³) The Gods below] were Pluto, Proserpina, Minos, Aeacus, Rathamantus. The Furies; Parcae, Hecate and others.

(⁴) Thessalian Prince] Achilles.

(⁵) The Great Ghost] which is meant either, because that Ghosts (as they held) appeared in a larger Size than their bodies, or it has respect to the Stature of Achilles, which they say was nine Cubits high.

(⁶) The Proëm to Troys fatal fall] which was when he encounter'd with, and overcame Cisseus King of Thrace, father to Hecuba, and Telephus Prince of Mysia, who were coming to the aid of Troy.

(⁷) Neptnnian Cycnus] He was Nephew to Neptune, and invulnerable, as Ovid. met. 12.

—Removebitur omne

Tegminis officium, tamen indistrictus abibo.

—Should I display

My naked breast, thy force could find no way.

Sand.

However Achilles after a long sight throtl'd him with his Knees, but his body was not to be found, being Converted into a Swan.

(⁸) Slow Xanthus] A river by Troy called also Scamandrus.

(⁹) Great Hector and Troy drawing on the ground] [Page] when Achilles had slain Hector, he tyed him to his Chariot, and drew him round about the walls of Troy; and the tomb of Patroclus, one whom Hector had slain in Achilles Armour. He was kept inhumated 12 dayes, and was at length Ransom'd by Priamus. Homer Il. lib. 23.

Troy drawing on the ground] for when Achilles had slain Hector, he Cri'd out, I have overcome Troy; in that he was the onely defence and safeguard of the City.

(¹⁰) A Chore of Tritons] Sea Monsters, whose upper parts were like men, their lower like fishes; They were the Trumpeters of Neptune, and at the Sound of their Concha, the Seas see their raging, and become Calm.

Caeruleus Triton, cava buccina sumitur illi

Tum quo (que), ut ora dei madida rorantia barba

Contigit, & cecinit jussos inflata recessus, Ovid. Met. 1.

Omnibus audita est telluris & aequoris undis, Ovid. Met. 1.

Et quibus est undis audita Coërcuit omnes.

Blew Triton his wreath'd Trumpet takes, and set

To his large mouth, he Sounded a retreat;

All Floods it heard that Earth or Ocean knew,

And all the Floods that heard the same withdrew.

(¹¹) Hymenaean] The Mariage Song, from Hymen the God of mariage, which the Grecians used to sing with the repetition of Hymenaee, as the Romanes did Thalassio.

Upon the second Scene, Act the second.

(¹) Troy with the Earth did lay] See note 9 upon the second Act, Scene the first.

(²) At Seyros]▪ An Island in the Aegean Sea one of the Cyclades, and the Countrey of King Lycomedes: In this place Achilles was Conceal'd habited like a virgin, [Page] and accompaning with Deidamia the Kings daughter, he got her with Child, by whom he had Pyrrhus: he was brought hither by his mother Thetis goddess of the Sea, because she had foreseen his fate before Troy, but he was drawn hence by the subtle perswasions of Ulysses.

(³) Lesbos] An Island also in the Aegean, which Achilles overran before he joyn'd to the rest of the Greeks.

(⁴) Nestor's years] A man very eloquent, who was at the Trojan wars, although he had liv'd.

Annos bis centum: tunc tertia vivitur aetas.

Two Ages, then he in the third did live.

(⁵) Guiles and Guise] When she hid him, as in the second note.

(⁶) Telephus (⁷) The same knew how to wound and heal] Telephus the K. of Mysia denying Achilles passage through his Country, when he went to the wars of Troy, they incountered together, in which battle Telephus was wounded by Achilles, for which wound he could attain no remedy. Thereupon the Oracle being Consulted, it was answered, that he must seek the help from that which wounded him; being then reconcil'd to Achilles, he granted him some of the rust from that Speare with which he was wounded, which immediately cured his wound.

(⁸) Thebos] A City in Cilicia the Country of

(⁹) Aelion] The father of Andromach.

(¹⁰) Lyrnessus] A City under the dition of Troy, and the Country of

(¹¹) Briseis] Otherwise Hippodamia, who after the taking of the City, fell by lot to Achilles.

(¹²) And Chrysa Cause of strife to us] A City of Cilicia under the government of Mynes, the husband of Briseis, who was slain by Achilles: When this City was taken, Chrysis otherwise Astynome the daughter of Chryses, the [Page] Priest of Apollo Smintheus, was taken away by Agamemnon, for whom her father with prayers and intreaties implored Agamemnon, but not prevailing, he sought aid of the God he Serv'd, who forthwith annoy'd the Grecians Camp with so great a pestilence, that Agamemnon was inforc'd to redeliver him his daughter, being perswaded to it by Achilles: But Agamemnon being enraged at the loss of his prize, forceably took Brefeis from Achilles, which begat an implacable feud between those two Princes, insomuch that Achilles by no intreaties could be perswaded to the wars, till Patroclus whom he dearly lov'd was slain, in whose revenge he fought against Troy.

(¹³) Famous Tenedos] An Island over against Troy, very famous before those wars.

—Tenedos notissima famâ

Iusula, dives opum, Priami dum regna manebant.

—Tenedos, the Isle well Known

By fame, and rich whilst Priam held the Crown.

Virg. Aenaeid. 1.

(¹⁴) Thracian flocks] It may be that the Greeks put their horses there to pasture, which they might take from Rhesus King of Thrace, which lay opposite to Tenedos.

(¹⁵) Sacred Cilla] A Town in Cilicia, famous for the Fane of Apollo.

(¹⁶) Caycus] A river of Mysia, running through the fields of Pergamus.

(¹⁷) Memnon] See note 4, Act the first.

(¹⁸) The Amazon] Penthesilea the Queen of the Amazons.

(¹⁹) To Helen Immolate] that is for her sake rather than retard the fleet: See note first, second Act, Scene first.

(²⁰) Aeacides] Achilles.

[Page][²¹] To light his Grave] The Ancients had a fond conceit that the Soul was inhumated with the body, therefore for her better getting forth to go to the Seat of the happy; they used to with that the Earth might lye light upon them, for which there were many rites to the Diis Manibus performed, as the powring Milk, Hony, Wine, Oyle, and Flowers upon the Grave, So Eueas at his Fathers Tomb. Virg.—duo rite mero libans Carchefia Baccho, Fundit tumi, duo lacte novo, duo sanguine sacto, Purpureosque jacet flores—powred two Bowles of rich wine on the floor, Two of new milk, and two of Sacred gore, strewing the place with purple flowers. As also sacrificing of beasts: Nor was there a greater imprecation than that earth might lye heavy upon the Deceased.

(²²) Wilt always rob us of our Spoyls] As when he took Bryseis from her Father. See Note 12. on this Scene.

(²³) Thy Sute] When Achilles and he were fallen out to reconcile whom Vlysses endevoured.

(²⁴) A King of life bereave] Priamus whom he flew. See Note 14. Act 1.

²⁵) Scyros] See Note 2. on this Scene.

(²⁶) No Brothers villany] That was Atreus the Father of Agamemnon, and Thyestes Atreus's Brother; Thyestes had forc'd the Wife of Atreus, for revenge. This Atreus roasted his Children, and put them before him to eat: At the sight of which horrid fact, the Sun was said to run back again towards the East.

(²⁷) Our Kin] Thetis Mother to Achilles.

(²⁸) By a Maid] See Note 2. on this Scene.

(²⁹) Aeacus] The Grandfather of Achilles.

(³⁰ With Jove] The Father of Aeacus, who was a Judge in Hell, and so Achilles Great grandfather.

(³¹) Thou who didst see the Grecian Fleet lose] When the Navy lay wind-bound at Aulis, it was by his Oracles [Page] that Iphigenia was sacrific'd, by whose death they had a permission to proceed. See Note 1. Act 2. Scene 1.

(³²) Ionia] A Region of the lesser Asia between Caria and Aeolis.

Upon the Chorus.

(¹) Souls the Bodies buried live?] Seneca according to the opinion of the Epicures, brings in the Chorus questioning the Immortality of the Soul, and making as if the Soul perishes with the Body, an impious and unwarrantable tenent.

(²) When the next of kin shall close the Eyes] It was the custom of the Ancients, when any body was dying, for the next or neerest of kin to receive the last breath of the dying party into his mouth, and also to close his eyes being dead. Thus Anna did to the dying Dido her Sister.

Virg. Aeneid. 4.

—Extremus si quis super halitus errat

Ore legam—

And if that any breath be wandering found

My lips shall gather it.

(³) The Funeral Fire] The Ancients did not inter the bodies of the dead, but burned them, because they were thereby made secure from the malice of their Enemies, who had formerly used to dig the humated bodies out of their graves, that they might revenge themselves upon the dead Corps. This Pile was called Pyra, built always in form of a Tabernacle.

(⁴) Pegasean motion] That is, Swift, from Pegasus the winged Horse of Perseus, who arose out of the blood of Medusa by him slain; who when he took his flight to Heaven from Helicon rais'd the Rock with his foot, from whence sprung the Muses fountain Hippocrene.

(⁵) Hecate] The Moon: from [...], from shouting [Page] or darting down her rayes. She was called also Dea triformis, Three form'd Goddess; because she was call'd in Hell Hecate, on the Earth Diana, in Heaven Luna; signifying the several Aspects of the Moon: Luna when she is full of light said to be in Heaven; Hecate when she is in the Change, that she affords us no light at all, then said to be in Hell; Diana when it is between the full and the new, then said to be on Earth.

(⁶) The Stygian Lake] Hell on the region of Pluto. From Styx (which signifies Hateful) a river of Hell, had in great veneration by the gods themselves; and to swear by Styx was an inviolable oath, for whosoever of the gods brake it, was devested of Immortality, and kept from Nectar and Ambrosia a hundred yeers.

(⁷) Boreas] The North-wind, whose nature is to dissipite clouds.

(⁸) Time us and Chaos] They held that all things at the appointed time, the world and all, should be chang'd and turn'd into that confused mass it was at first, from whence it should spring again; and thus it should do vicissively for ever. This was the Stoicks Eternity.

(⁹) Realm of Dis] Hell the Habitation of Pluto.

¹⁰) Taenarus] A Promontory of Laconia, where the Poers feign'd to be an entrance into Hell.

(¹¹) Cerberus] The three-headed Dog of Hell, who was the Porter at Pluto's Palace: He was drawn hence by Hercules, who no sooner saw light but he spu'd, from which vomit sprung the deadly Aconite, or Wolfe-bane.

Upon Act the third Scene the first.

(¹) When Achilles drew my Hector's limbs] See Note the 9. upon Act 2. Scene the 1.

(²) Feign'd Achilles] Patroclus the Companion of [Page] Achilles, who having indued his Armour, fought against Hector and was slain, Hector supposing he had slain Achilles.

(³) This holy Seat] The Sepulchres or Domiciles of the Dead were always held sacred by the Ancients, and held a most heinous crime to violate them, and were therefore spared by the Enemies themselves. The Sepulchre was a kind of vault arch'd and roof'd within, where the urn or little chest which held the bones was placed, without, it was built with costly compartments and rare workmanship, and sometimes to a stupendious greatness.

Upon Act the third Scene the second.

(¹) Orestes the Son of Agamemnon.

(²) Suffer what the Conqueror did] See Note 1. Act 2. Scene 1.

(³) Mothers treacheries, yea wiles of goddesses, I have undone] Clytemnestra's when he got from her Iphigenia. See Note 1. Act. 2. Scene 1. And Thetis's, when he gain'd Achilles to the Wars. See Note 2. Act 2. Scene 2. And also Pallas's when he brought away her Palladium out of Troy.

(⁴) Telemachus] The Son of Ulysses.

(⁵) Pelasgians] Grecians, from Pelasgia a part of Greece adjoyning to Macedonia, which was so denominated from Pelasgus the Son of Jupiter.

(⁶) Lightly on Hector spread] See Note 21. Act. 2. Scene 2.

(⁷) So so he's caught] This Ulysses most cunningly feigns, the better to detect the Mothers fear, and by her sudden surprisal, judges that Astyanax is alive.

(⁸) Thus Chalcas saith] This is also feigned by Ulysses, the better to arrive at the end of his project, which was [Page] to gain Astyanax into his power; for as their Augur Chalcas had said, their ships could not be loosed from those shores, nor the Greeks return home, till Hector's Son was thrown from the top of a high tower.

(⁹) Thy Ghosts] The Ancients gave divine honors to the manes of their friends, and chiefly worship'd their lares or houshold gods, above others.

(¹⁰ That which you sold] Hector ransom'd by Priamus, as is shew'd before, Note 9. Act 2. Scene 1.

(¹¹) Of Deities your friends] Of Pallas who was helpful to the Greeks, and took part with them against the Trojans, when he took her Palladium.

(¹²) Amazon] Queen Penthesilea, as before,

(¹³) Menas] Agave the Daughter of Cadmus and Hermione, the Mother of Pentheus, who with other Bacchis frows tore her own Son to peices, because he despis'd their Rites.

Prima videt, prima est insano concita cursu,

Prima suum misso violavit Penthea Thyrso

Mater:—Membra viri manibus direpta nefandis.

His Mother frantickly first to him ran,

First through her own Son thrust her greedy spear,

And limb-meal him with cruel hands doth tear.

Ovid. Met. 3.

(¹⁴) Thyrsus] The Insignis of Bacchus, it was a spear wreathed about with Vine and Ivy-leaves, which his Maenades or Priestesses carried about in his Orgia.

(¹⁵) Chaste wife] Penelope, who continued chaste twenty yeers in her Husbands absence, notwithstanding the daily enticements of her woers.

Upon Act the third Scene the third.

See Note 2. Act. 1.

(¹) The tears of her young Princely Heir.

(²) More Faith express.

[Page](³) Alcides] Hercules.

(⁴) Who Monsters by his strength subdu'd, broke Hells gates, returned thence] The Monsters were the hydra, a Snake with 7 heads, which as fast as he lopt off one, two sprung in the place of it. The Nemaean Lion, the Erymanthian Bore, the Cretian Bull, the Stymphalides vast Birds in Arcadia, the Hesperian Dragon, the three-bodied Geryon, the Centaures and divers others. He bound Cerberus the Dog of Hell. And as Ovid. Met. 7.

—specus est tenebroso caecus hiatu:

Et via declivis, per quam Tyrinthius heros

Cerberon attraxit nexis adamante catenis.

There is a blind steep Cave with foggy jaws,

Through which the bold Tirinthian Hero's strain'd

Drag'd Cerberus with adamant inchain'd.

He brought from Hell Alceste the Wife of King Admetus.

(⁵) Hercules's Arrows] See Note 12. on the 1. Chorus.

(⁶) True the place] Where Hector had shew'd so many noble exploits, and where he was ignominiously and cruelly drag'd by Achilles about after he was slain.

(⁷) Greeks too have fall'n] Iphiginia as before; Palamedes an Enemy to Vlysses, and by him circumvented and falsly accused, was ston'd to death before Troy: Ajax who in contention with him for the Armour of Vlysses, being overcome by his subtilty, slew himself. Ovid. Met. 13.

(⁸) Solemn Lustres] Which was every five year performed by the Romans, in purging their Armies by Sacrifices and the Censors registring at the just valuation of every Citizens estate, then they led about the Army a Bul, a Sow, and a Ram, and afterwards sacrificed them. At which times used to be performed the

(⁹) Trojan Sport] Which also was yearly performed by all the choyce and noble Youths of Rome; it was the [Page] running with the Spear, or Tilt and Turnament, brought by Ascanius the Son of Aeneas out of Troy.

Hunc morem, hos cursus, atque haec certamina primus

Ascanius longam muris cum cingeret Albam,

Rettulit, & priscos docuit celebrata Latinos.

Ascanius when long Alba he did frame,

Did first appoint this Custome, and this Game,

And th' ancient Latines taught to celebrate.

Virg. Aeneid. 5.

[¹⁰] Nor with swift feet dance] This was a Dance in complete harness, invented by Pyrrhus, and therefore called Pyrrhica saltatio, or the Pyrrhic Dance. By this means the Romans trained up their Youth that they might be inured to Arms in their tender years, and that by this Military Exercise they might come to gain a perfect command of their bodies, the better and more nimbly to defend themselves and annoy their Enemies. In this Dance they were excited by the

[¹¹] Warlike Strains] Of Curve trumpets, that is, Phrygian, which excited to War, and inflamed the mind to Battail, and Heroick exploits. There were three other sorts of Musick, which were the Lydian, which was fitted to cheer and exhilarate those who were dejected through grief. Doric which was grave, and pacified the Disturbanes of the mind. Ionian which sharpen'd the wit, and excited the mind to contemplation of Coelestial things. And lastly, the Aeolian, which was requisite for those who were about to go to rest, conducing to the setling of the mind.

(¹²) Hair rent off] It was accounted a great testification of their friendship to tear off their Hair, at the Funeral of their Friends, and to make it squallid, and to neglect the tying of it up.

(¹³) His Ashes lick down] They used rather then the [Page] Ashes of their Friends should come to any misfortune, to bury them safe in their own bowells, so Artemisia Queen of Halicarnassus serv'd the ashes of her Husband Mausolus, which she drunk mixed with Wine. Gellius lib. 10.

Upon the Chorus.

(¹) Tempe] A pleasant Valley in Thessaly, watered with the River Peneus.

[²] Phthia] the Country of Achilles, and the Myrmidons who went with him to the war of Troy, being a very valiant people, and at first sprung from Pismires, at the Vote of Aeacus, which Jupiter granted because his land was laid wast by a Pestilence.

Ovid Met. 7.

—parcum genus est, patiens (que) laborum

Quaesitique tenax, & quod quaesita reservet.

—A people given to spare

Patient of Labour: what they get, preserve.

[³] Trachin.] A very stony Countrey by the Mount Oeta.

[⁴] Jolcos] The Countrey of Jason who ventur'd for the Golden Fleece.

[⁵] Or hundred citied Crete] An Island at the Mouth of the Aegean Sea famous for an hundred Cities, therefore called [...], now Candia.

[⁶] Gortyne] A Town in Crete.

[⁷] Tricca] A Town in Thessaly.

[⁸] Methony] A City in Thrace.

[⁹] Oetian Woods] from the Mount Oeta where Hercules burnt himself.

[¹⁰] Olenus] A Town of Elis, a Country of Greece, watered by the River Alpheus.

[¹¹] Pleuron Diana's Enemy] A City of Aetolia, the Country of Meleager, whose Father Oeneus, when he [Page] had sacrificed to other Gods, and omitted the rites of Diana, she incensed, sent a great a Bore, who spoyl'd all the Country, but was slain at last by Meleagrus.

(¹²) Troezen] A Maritimate of Peloponesus, the Country of Theseus.

(¹³) Peleon] A Town of Thessalie, whose denomination is from the Mountain Peleon the Country of Protheus, a Grecian Captain against Troy.

(¹⁴) The third Step] It is fabl'd, that when the great Gygantomachy was that they heaped one Mountain upon another to come at heaven, the first was Pelion, upon which they threw Ossa; the next was Olympus. See Ovid. Met. 1.

(¹⁵) Chiron] One of the Centaures, very skilful in Medicine and Chyrurgery, whose habitation was in this place, where he became the Schoolmaster to

(¹⁶) The Cruel youth] Achilles, who learned of him Medicine, Musick and Horsemanship.

(¹⁷) Carystos] An Island, one of the Cyclades noted for Marble.

(¹⁸) Chalcis] A City of Eubaea divided from Aulis in Baeotia, by

(¹⁹) Euripus the unquiet Sea] which ebbs and flowes seven times in the space of twenty four hours. Into this Sea Aristotle because he could not find out the cause, cast himself with

—Quia Ego non possum capere te, tu capia [...] me.

Because I cannot comprehend thee, do thou take me.

(¹⁰) Echinae] Or Echinides, small Islands right against the mouth of the River Achelous.

(¹¹) Gonvessa] A Town in Aetolia.

(¹¹) Enispae] Islands in the Aegean.

(¹³) Ptrithados] A Village by Attica, a Country of Grece.

[Page](²⁴) Elusis] A City not far from Athens, from Elusius, who kindly received Ceres, when she sought after her Daughter Proserpina. Here her Sacrifices were yearly performed, called

Hidden rites] because they were performed in the Twy-light, with Torches, and only by Women, whose mysteries it was a great crime to blab, or reveal to any.

(²⁵) Salamin] An Island in the Euboick Sea, opposite to Athens, the Country of Ajax Telamonius.

(²⁶) Calidonia] A City in Aetolia, where the Bore (mentioned note 11.) ranged.

(²⁷) Bessa and Scarphe] two Cities of Thessaly, by which runs the River Titaressus.

(²⁸) Pylus] A Town in the West of Peloponesus, the habitation of Nestor

(²⁹) Pharis] A City of Laconia.

(³⁰) Pisa] A City of Elis under the protection of Jove.

[³¹] Elis] A Country of Greece, and also a Town in that Country, where the Olympic gains were celebrated every fifth year.

[³²] Sparta] The Country of Helena, a City in Peloponesus, renowned for the Laws of Lycurgus.

[³³] Argos] A City in Peloponesus hard by Athens, from which the Greecians were called Argolici.

[³⁴] Pelops Mycena] The Kingdome of Agamemnon, once under the Regiment of Pelops Son to Tantalus, from whom all that Region took its name Peloponesus, in which this City stood.

[³⁵] Nevitus] A Mountain in Ithaca.

[³⁶] Zacynthus [An Island under the Government of Ulysses.

[³⁷] Ithaca] The Country of Ulysses, an Island in the Ionian Sea, full of sharp rocks.

[Page]

Upon Act the fourth.

[¹] Dardanian House] from Dardanus the son of Jupiter and Electra, the founder of Troy, from whom as also the region about was call'd Dardania.

[²] Tethis] the Wife of Oceanus, the Ladies of the Sea, were the Sea Nymphs who attended upon her.

(³) Thetis] was the Wife of Peleus, and the Mother of Achilles, a great Sea-Goddesse also, and could vary shapes at her pleasure. See Ovid. Met. lib. 11.

[⁴] Peleus] The Father of Achilles.

[⁵] Nereus] The Son of Oceanus and Thetis, a Sea God, father to the Sea Nymphs of whom they were call'd Nereids.

[⁶] The ruine, Pest, and Plague] she was the cause of the ruine and utter overthrow of famous Troy, and the losse of many noble Greecians, she was

Virg.

—Trojae & patriae Communis Erinnys.

Common Erinnys both to Greece and Troy.

(⁷) Thy Husbands] Menelaus her former, from whom Paris ravish'd her, and Paris to whom she had been married.

(⁸) Nuptial Taxes] It was the Custome of the Romans to use torches at their Weddings, from which a certain clammy liquor like Tar issued out; they were called Tedas from the tree Teda. They were five in number, which represented Jupiter, Juno, Venus, Suadela and Lucina, which were called the Nuptial or Conjugal powers, for the help they afforded the new married Couple.

(⁹) Being Venus gift] See Note 18. Act. 1.

(¹⁰) O Paris hand that thus so lightly stroke] Who had not wholly slain Achilles. For Achilles being drawn into Troy under the prext of marrying Polyxena was, slain by Paris.

[Page](¹¹) A gay troop of Children] Some say she had 15, some say 22, others 50.

(¹²) I only her call Childe] She had also Cassandra living, but she was not her companion, being the Priestess of Apollo, and so as it were none of hers. And therefore she was to be free from the lot, as not to have been accounted as among the spoyle, but she was alotted to Agamemnon.

Achilles Arms] That was to Vlysses, who had the Armour of Achilles in possession, being to him alotted by the Greeks, from Ajax Telamonius, which so enraged him that he slew himself. Ovid. Met. 13.

Upon the Chorus.

(¹) North west wind] Corus in the Latin: a wind usual in the Sicilian Seas, which drives the waters on the Italian Coasts.

(²) Phryxus for Helles drowning raves

When that the golden fleeced Ram] Phryxus and Helle were the Children of Athamas King of Thebes and Nepheles: their Mother being dead, and Athamas having espoused Ino, she playing the usual pranks of a Step-mother, they were forc'd to fly, and taking a golden fleeced Ram which was given them by their Father, they adventured to swim over the narrow Freet between Europe and Asia upon his back; but Helle falling off, was drown'd, and so Christn'd those Waters with her name, which has ever since been called Hellespont. But Phryxus gaining safe to the shore, fled to the Father of Medea, to whom he gave this golden fleeced Ram, which occasioned the adventure of Jason and the Argonautes to fetch this Fleece, which they called Phryxeus from Phryxus.

(³) Deucalion and Pyrrha] This Ogygian deluge hapned [Page] a Thousand and five hundred yeers before the building of Rome, and overflowed a great part of Greece, Of which the Poets speak so large, that some have thought it that of Noah, when the whole world was submerg'd.

(⁴) Ida High] Ida is a high Hill by Troy, the South part of which maketh a Promontory, and runneth into the Sea. In this place it was that Paris gave sentence for Venus. Of which before.

Ʋpon the fifth Act.

(¹) One Tower] So Ovid Met. 13.

Mittitur Astyanax, illis de turribus, unde▪

Pugnantem pro se, proavitaque regna tuentem

Saepe videre patrem, monstratum à matre solebat.

Astyanax thrown is from that Tow'r from whence

He had seen his Father, by his Mother shown,

Fight for his Kingdoms safety and his own.

(²) What Colchian] Colchis was the Countrey of Medea, which, ever since she most inhumanely tore in peices her Brother Absertes, has been branded with the stigma of Cruell and Barbarous, yet Andromach complains (the people thereof) to be exceeded by the Greeks in Cruelty.

(³) Barbarous Scyth] A people in the North abhorring Humanity, they neither Till nor Sow the ground, nor build Houses, Cities nor Towns, but all their riches lyeth in their Cattle, which they drive from place to place, carrying with them their Wives, Children, and all that they have in Wagons; for which they have the Epithetes of Barbarous and Wandering bestow'd upon them: They were the original of the Tartars or Tattars, which about the yeer of our Lord 1200 overran all Persia, [Page] and began the Empire which they now hold in the Eastpart of the world.

(⁴) Caspian Borderer] The Hyrcanians, which border upon the Caspian Sea, adjoyning to Scythia, who live as the Scythians do, barbarously, without laws or government.

(⁵) Busiris] A most cruel and inhumane Tyrant, who used to immolate all his Guests to Jove, but laying wait for Hercules he was taken by him and slain.

(⁶) Diomedes] A cruell King of Thrace, who fed his horses with mans flesh, but Hercules taking him gave him to be devoured by his own man eating horses.

(⁷) Hermiona] The Daughter of Menelaus and Helena afterward ravish'd by Pyrrhus from Orestes, which was the occasion of his death.

(⁸) The Earth would heavy make] See note 21. upon the second Scene of the second Act.

(⁹) Sought all night] When the taking of Troy was, which was performed in the night, with a bloody rage, horrid tumult, confusion and slaughter. Leaving that City as Ovid describes it 15. Met.

—sic magna fuit, censu (que) viris (que)

Perque decem potuit tantum dare sanguinis annos:

Nunc humiles veteres tantummodo Troja ruinas

Et pro divitiis Tumulos ostendit avorum.

Troy rich and powerful, which so proudly stood,

That could for ten years spend such streams of blood;

For buildings only, her old ruines shows;

For riches Tombs, which slaughter'd Sires inclose.

Thus Time and Fate, of the greatest and most flourishing Cities and Empires, as well as of the weakest and most perishable Creatures and things, has been

THE CATASTROPHE.

§

§

§

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POEMS UPON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

By S. P. Gent.

[figure]

LONDON, Printed by W. G. for Henry Marsh at the Princes Arms in Chancery-lane, and Peter Dring at the Sun in the Poultrey neer the Counter, 1660.

§

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A PANEGYRICK TO HIS EXCELLENCY General MONCK March 28. 1660.

NOW almost twenty years have roul'd about

Since first the flames of our late Wars broke out;

And Brittain fainting with the losse of blood

Under a lawlesse Yoke subjected stood,

When now at last her groanes by Heav'n are heard

Her fainting Soul and dying Hopes uprear'd;

Her sable night of sorrow done away

By the new dawning of a Royall day.

As from the North her first distemper grew,

Thence flowes the Soveraign Med'cine to renew

Her joyes again: She hopes secure to stand

Upheld by her brave Generall's Warlike hand.

Over the Brittish Seas flyes his great Name

Born on the swift wings of no common fame,

Our Enemies tremble, and our friends are glad,

To these 'tis joyfull newes, to those 'tis sad

The mighty shouts, and the Stentorian voice

Of the glad multitude that now rejoyce

[Page]Awak's the drowsie Genius of this I'le,

Who wept so long or'e Charles's Funerall pyle

Till his swolne eyes with a Lethargick sleep

Were seal'd up, having no more tears to weep,

He understands the cause of Englands joy

And least Ambition should their hopes destroy

He boldly doth his mind to Monck expresse

And shewes how he may Brittains ills redresse.

The Genius Speech.

GReat man by blood, by vertue greater made,

Whose presence Banishes the gloomy shade

Of Brittaines night; the faire Aurora too

The Royall Phaebus ushered in by you:

Thy Sword has cut our Chaines of slavery

Thy hands the Gordian knots of Tyranny

Unty'd; thy strenuous Arms unhing'd our Gates

To shew thy strength, the greatest pride abates,

To shew what thou couldst do, that we thereby

Might on thy more than Samson's strength rely:

But what thou didst was at anothers frown,

Thou hung'st them up, that kindnesse was thy owne.

Great Hercules of our Ile at last thou'st slaine

That Hydra never more to rise again,

Though often crush'd, that Monstrous Taile, (which bit

Her own head off) did resurrection git,

But now she's dead, and never more shall rise,

Tryumphs, not teares attend her Obsequies.

And now but one step more and thy great name

Register'd stand shall in the Book of Fame

In so great Characters the world may read

[Page]Thy matchlesse story when that thou art dead:

The World too little for thy fame shall be

And Princes honour shall thy name and thee.

See then great Generall, Brittaines Genius now

Before thee stands, and willing is to owe

A happynesse to thee, wherein thou may'st

Raise honour to thy selfe; if thou delay'st,

Time and necessity will thee prevent

And spoyle the lustre of thy great intent.

Now drooping Brittain raises up her head,

Inspir'd by thee she arises from the dead,

Her War-made breaches now are cur'd again,

And joyes and ease succeed her griefe and pain,

Her spotlesse Virgin Chores begin to sing

Jö Paeans in honour to their King:

Faile not her now-bigg hopes but be content

To raise an everlasting Monument

To thee and thy posterity; that bayes

May Crown thy Brows and Ages speake thy praise.

Thou see'st our wants, and what it is wee'd have

It is a King of Charles's race we crave;

Since all the people in one voyce agree,

God's Oracle, 'tis God that asks it thee,

Who having scourg'd poor Brittain for her sin,

Returns her Baulme to cure her wounds agin.

We 'ave try'd, and too too long, a Commonwealth,

Such as it was, a Bane to Englands Health,

Where fifty Tyrants with one mouth agree,

To eat up Law, Religion, Liberty

Monsters that Kings and Bishops Lands devour,

Kept by extorted sums the Nation poor;

Philosophers that changed all to gold,

And let goe nothing that their gripes could hold;

Yet these were they that needs would stiled be

[Page]The Keepers of our England's Libertie;

But by thy power great Monck wee'r freed again,

And George most bravely has the Dragon slain.

Ambitious Cromwell put the purple on,

And having slain the Father, rob'd the Son

Of right and title, to a royall Crown,

To set himself up, pul'd another down,

And what he got by rapine, he made good,

Though by Religion cloak'd, by force and blood,

All what our Heroes once contended for,

With the sad tempest of a civill War

Himselfe usurp'd; and gloryed in his pride

To have with peace what was to Kings deny'd;

But yet you see the Nation scourg'd, that God

Renews his mercy and has burn'd his rod,

And Cromwell's name grows odious every where,

Which w [...]s obey'd not out of Love, but feare.

Let his example your ambition curb,

Doe not our growing happinesse disturb,

By mounting of a Throne is none of yours,

For be assured that the sacred powers,

Will blast the first fruits of thy tyranny,

Fraud must preserve what's got by policy.

And now our people us'd to subtleties,

To be deceiv'd by crafts are grown too wise,

So that the fates deny thy Regiment,

And people to obey no more are bent,

Till he arises in the Brittish spheare,

Whom all desire the royall Crown to wear.

Thou seest our griefs and knowst the wayes to cure,

Our Maladies, thy Faith we knows too pure

For to be tempted to betray our hopes,

Who doubts thy loyalty, to treason opes

A way; no though tho say'st thou'lt us deceive,

[Page]Such is our confidence wee'l not believe,

Since one so good and great as Monck must be,

The onely Man can give us liberty.

Brittain in sackcloth has mourn'd long enough,

'Tis time to lay aside the Sword and Buff,

'Tis time to pull those Puny-Nobles down,

Who speak against, and yet affect a Crown,

That those by blood and vertue truly great,

May be installed in their long-left seat

These shining in their ermin gallantry,

Beget a reverence due to Majesty.

Now I have done, and you have this to doe,

To bring him in for whom the Nations sue,

Great Charls, who more then by sev'n twelve months try'd,

And in afflictions Furnace purifi'd,

Must come forth brightet then try'd gold, more bright

Then lustrous Sol after a darksome night;

Whose brighter beames of Love shall raise the slain,

And make our Halcyon dayes to live again;

England shall blesse thy name when this is done,

And stile the Phosphor to the rising Sun,

To thee shall Brittain pay her anuall vowes,

Whilst Ducall diadems crown thy Princely brows.

[Page]

A PANEGYRICK ON HIS MAJESTIES Entrance Into LONDON.

THE Heaven's great Star since He saluted Earth

With his diurnal Light, ne'r yet gave Birth

To such a joyfull Day, as that wherein

Charles to his native England came ag'in.

His loyall Subjects Hearts grown big with joy

The best expressions of their Love imploy,

To give a cherefull welcome to their King,

From whose arivall all our blessings Spring,

Whilst Foes, and Traytors to his royall Sire,

Grown mad through Envie, in their rage expire.

Now Phoebus ushers in the happy day,

Which for posterity recorded may

In golden letters ever stand; and bee

A festival for regain'd libertie;

And gilding all the Heavens with his Rayes,

Dispenses smiles, Serenity displayes.

Revived Subjects throng to see their prize,

Joy sparkles in their faces, and their eyes:

Their tongues, and hands with powerfull Eccohs sound

[Page]And joyfull shouts against the heavens rebound.

The Aire is fill'd on every side with noyse;

The voyce of Warr, and death now speaks their joyes.

The Bells have tongues, which sound our Joys aloud,

And say that Charles is come: the Drums are proud

To speak his march. The silver Trumpets say

Charles o're three Kingdoms doth tryumph to day:

Which conquest got by vertues has more charms

To hold a lasting peace, than that by Armes.

London in all its gallantry doth shine,

Conduits convert their water into wine.

Adorn'd the female beauties of the Land

To see their Soveraign in Ballconies stand,

The bravest Heroes of the Brittish Isle

Usher our Caesar through the streets the while;

Whose sacred face with beams of Majesty

Surrounded, far out-vies the bravery

Of his adornments: and the lustrous fire

Of's eyes dismays those who deny'd his fire

And him to reign; now they their folly see

Converted by one look of Majesty.

Ten thousand Hearts and knees doe humbly bow,

As he goes by; each heart a solemne vow

Prepares, of praise, and of obedience too,

For long and happy dayes to Heav'en they sue.

Long live great Charles, and may his sacred Name,

Swell to that worth, not to be spoke by Fame,

May Nestors years his Happy reign attend!

May heav'ns his brest with Solomons choyce befriend!

The people cry. Loud shouts conclude the day,

Phoebus to th' other world hasts to display

The joyfull news: Night now would take her turn,

But slaming fires in every Corner burne,

Which Night to Day change: Phoebus place supply,

[Page]And make a Day without the Heav'n's great eye.

'Tis true whilst Charles possesses his own right,

That loyall Brittains can expect no night.

Our regall Sun, since Charles the first was slain.

Ecclips'd has been, but now shines bright again.

By Heav'n enthron'd thus, in his peoples hearts,

He shall withstand all Machivilian Arts:

Laurells of peace about his brows shall spread,

And three great Crowns surround his royall Head.

Ita Precatur S. P.

[Page]

SOME TEARS Dropt o're the Herse OF THE INCOMPARABLE PRINCE HENRY DUKE OF GLOUCESTER.

FAtal September to the Royal Line,

Has snatch'd one Heröe of our hopefull Trine

From Earth; 'tis strange Heav▪n should not praedeclare

A loss so grievous by some Blazing Star,

Which might our Senses overjoy'd, alar'm,

And time give to prepare for so great Harm.

The Spring-tide of our Joy was newly Flood,

Paying our Thankful Vows for so much good

VVe gather now, under a gracious KING;

Inspired Bards began strong Lays to Sing,

[Page]VVhen (ôh sad Fate!) Ebb'd are our Flowing Seas,

And Epiques chang'd to Doleful Elegies.

Cruel Extremes! thus robb'd of Joyes the chief,

Thrown down like Light'ning into Seas of Grief.

'Tis past the reach of Mortals to divine,

VVhy Heav'n so soon has broke our Threefold Line;

VVe may not pry without a black offence

Into th' Arcana's of his Providence,

But may believe, since with a Bounteous Hand

God has restor'd the Blessings of this Land,

That he has flung us into Griefs extreme,

Not out of VVrath to Us, but Love to Him.

He was Fair Fruit sprung from a Royal Bud,

And grown as great by fair Renown as Blood;

Ripe too too soon; for in a Youth so green

An Harvest was of gray-hair'd VVisdome seen.

Minerva's Darling, Patron of the Gown,

Lover of Learning, and Apollo's Crown

He was; the Muses he began to nourish,

Learn'd Men and Arts under his wings did flourish;

But lest we should commit Idolatry,

Heav'n took him from our Sight, not Memory;

For though he's carried to th Immortal Sphere,

Our Loves will make his Fame Immortal here.

'Tis Autumn now: and Ceres to our hands

Has pour'd the Annual Blessings of our Lands;

VVe'ave robb'd the teeming Trees of all their fruit,

And left them naked till the Spring recruit

Their store again; till then they hang their head,

And stand like Mourners, leaves for tears they shed;

So the high powers cropt from the Royal Stem,

VVhat was too good for us, and fit for them,

VVhilest we lament, till a new Spring arise,

And CHARLES his First-born clear our weeping eyes.

[Page]A general Sadness locks up every Tongue,

Amazedness hast struck the Laureats dumb:

And who would weep, through too much Grief forbears,

Excess of Grief gives yet no vent for Tears,

But when the coming Springs begin to rise,

Grief then will draw a deluge from our Eyes;

Till then these Loyal Drops fall'n into Verse,

Shall wash the Cypress on his Royal Herse.

[Page]

POEMS ON Several Occasions.

His Mistress.

AS Phoebus doth excell the Moons dim light,

Or as the Moon excells the dullest Star,

Her Beauty, and Complexion in my sight

Excells all others I have seen, so far:

Her Sun like beams of beauty shine so bright,

That others in her sight Eclipsed are

The fairest faces are but foiles, each one

Weares but a borrow'd lustre from her Sun.

Her Shape in Wax it were most hard to frame,

Nor Painters to expresse their rarest Skill

Could ever counterfeit so neer the same,

But blemish their's her better Beauty will;

Though Venus who for Beauty had the Name

Compare with her should, she'd be fairest still;

Paris gave her the Ball as beauties Queen,

But she had mist it had he mine but Seen.

Her Aubourn Hair in Crisped Curles doe dangle

Upon her Ivory shoulders, where it spreads

Sly nets, where Hearts themselves doe soon intangle,

[Page]And captive lye, enchain'd by those bright threads,

Spreading soft chaines, and snares in every angle,

It takes all Hearts, whose eye those mazes treads:

Hearts here imprison'd (never can get out)

Those soft Meandres wander must about.

Her Ivory-pollish'd Front with seemly cheere,

Grac'd at the bottom with a double bow,

Where all the Graces in their Throne appeare,

Where Love, and awfull Majesty doe grow,

Expands it self, and shews a feild more clear,

Than Candid Lillys, or the virgin snow;

Her Eyes like Suns shoot rayes more sharp than Darts,

Which wound all Flinty, Love-despising Hearts.

Those twinkling Stars, those sparkling Diamond stones,

Those glorious Suns, where dwells the Eastern Light,

Peirce with the vigor of their Charmes the bones

Of daring Him, who gains of them a fight;

Beholding Kills, yet he their losse bemones,

And 'd rather dye, than they shut live in Night.

Her Nose a comly Prominence, doth part

Her Cheeks, the mirrour of Dame Natures Art.

Her checks are damask Roses blown in June,

B'ing equally with Virgin Lillies mix't;

Or snowy milk with blushing Strawb'ries strewn,

Where equall strife the red, and white's betwixt;

Or pure vermillion on white Sattin shewn,

By Painters rarest Skill, and pencil fix't:

Those cheek: no Colours livelest dye can paint,

Scarlet, and snow seem to their true ones faint.

Her lipps are snips of Scarlet, Juliflowers,

[Page]Spread with the tincture of Vermilion hew,

Bless'd in Self-kisses; past our humane powers

To touch; so high a bliss what Mortal knew?

Between those rubie Gates slide spicy showers,

Which, those slain by her eyes, with life imbue:

Angellick sounds, and charming smiles, so nice,

Thence flow which make her presence Paradice.

Within the portal of her Mouth's lock'd fast,

(Which when she sings she is enforc'd to show)

The Orient's Treasure in due order plac'd,

Of more than precious pearles a double row;

Which stand in Sea-born Coral borders chac'd,

Like Crimson Sattin purl'd with silver snow.

Her smooth, and dimpled Chin doth under lye,

Where envies self cannot a fault espie.

Her Neck's a gracefull Tower of spotlesse snow,

An Alablaster prop to that fair head,

Where Witt, Arts, Wisdome in perfection grow,

Its Basis where are beauties also spread;

For azure streams through milky feilds do flow,

Where blew, with white like Heav'n is married:

Her Breasts like lilly'd Globes, or Mounts appear,

VVhose summetts Crown'd with Crimson cheries are.

Her Arms due measure of proportion have,

Her hands the types of snowy Excellence

VVith Onyx tip'd; her leggs, and feet enslave

Our eyes, and Captive hold from falling thence:

Her whole frames equall Symetry is brave,

And to spectators payes a recompence:

Argus himself cannot discerne the rest,

But I presume the hidden beauties best.

[Page]

The Protestation.

Before bright Phoebus had his beams display'd,

Whilst yet Aurora usher'd in the Day,

The prat'ling Eccho to my ears betray'd,

As I among the trees in ambush lay,

The amorous whispers of Amintas, who

With protestation did his Cloris wooe.

What went before I cannot tell, but she

Reply'd to something that Amintas say'd,

The murm'ring Eccho by the Air to me

These gentle sounds in whispering notes convey'd.

Alas! Amintas would that you could prove

To my distrustfull Heart that men can love.

How oft are wee poor sily maids beguil'd

By charmes of flattering words? when wee beleive

To break their oaths men will not be so vild,

Being fo poor a conquest to deceive

Disarmed virgins? when wee them reward

With Love, they'r cold, and us with scorn regard.

Tis best to keep our own, for when wee yeild

Our Hearts, men supplyants soon forget to be,

And our affections caught, with scorn repell'd

We are subjected to their tyranny:

That maid is more then mad who will be kind,

To men, who waver oftner than the Wind.

[Page]

Blame not our Natures, but your follies blame,

For we should sooner yeild were Men more true,

But since weak virgins to deceive no shame

They think; denialls Cruelty is due.

But yet Amintas would that you could prove

To my distrustfull Heart your constant love.

Amintas with a sigh reply'd. 'Tis true,

Some men are faulty in what you accuse them,

But let not all be blamed for a few,

Nor Woemen men despise, 'cause some abuse them.

For if I went about it, I could prove,

Men equal Weomen in a constant Love.

Our sexe's cause I will not plead; my own

With you, sweet Cloris, will I only plead,

My constant Love must by Obedience shown

Be; else I cann't be truly scann'd till dead:

Constant obedience 'tis doth rightly prove,

A Heart's possessor of a constant Love.

Things that the least of drossy mixture hold,

Last longest; my Hearts flames Aetherial be,

More pure than seven times refined Gold,

Than Cedar's flames: rays of a Deitie

They are It is the purity of Love

Which best of all its constancy can prove.

My love like Adamant endure the stroke

Of strong repulses shall; full draughts of smiles,

Nor worlds of beauties, shall my Heart provoke

T' inconstant Change; nor all th' intising guiles

A proffer'd Love can give. The world shall be

First chang'd, e're I yeild to Inconstancie.

[Page]

The twinkling tapours of the Night shall fall

First from their azure lodging; Hecate

Shall loose her light, and a perpetual

Mask weare of pitch; And Heav'ns bright lamp shall be

With darknesse overcome: Night into Day

Shall change; and cold November into May.

The Sun shall backward course the VVorld about,

The fire shall cease combustibles to burn,

Soft gales shall put the flinty Rocks to rout,

And Neptune shall his fry to grasing turn,

Mountaines to Vailes; valleys to Hills shall rise,

Plaines shall be made of Craggs that touch the Skies.

All beasts shall Metamorphos'd into stones

Be, and all Mortalls shall their exit prove,

Tormented Souls shall cease to fetch sad groans,

The Heav'ns rent from their center first shall move,

E're I to thee fair Cloris be unkind,

Repent me of my love, or change my mind.

My Tongue may't faulter, may my lipps ne're move,

If unto other but to thee they shall

Make protestations of a Serious love!

Cloris beleive! I Heav'ns to witnesse call!

The Maid converted joyn'd her lips to his,

Gath'ring the first fruits of a greater bliss.

[Page]

The Passionate Lover,

HAd I but winde and Lungs enough to tell

How much I Love; Had I a Stentor's voyce,

Had I ten thousand Tongues it would doe well,

To speak how much I Love my dearest Choyce,

Since wholly fill'd, If I should not impart

Loves might, its energy would break my Heart.

Say my five senses has not Love's delight

Bound all your powers with its amourous chains,

Disarm'd your Subjects? Spoyl'd and robb'd you quite?

Can you ought rellish but Love's pleasing paines?

You now disgust all objects of this Ball,

Phillis is th' only object of you all.

When that my eye has light on Phillis face,

It tells my amorous Heart news good, or bad;

By which or well th' alarm'd pulses Pace,

Or ill: my looks by it are light, or sad:

Doth sorrow dimm the Light of Phillis eye,

Joys, and Contentment from my Bosome fly.

Does threatning Anger, or disdaine appear

Cloath'd in the Tyrian blushes in her Cheeks,

No Poet's art in verse can paint my fear,

Nor th' Horror and dismay my vitalls strikes:

I dumb, and movelesse like a statue show

Struck with the Thunder of her Angry brow

[Page]

The fearfull Light'ning, nor the dreadfull voyce

Of roaring Thunder, nor the horrid Night,

Nor Ghosts, nor Goblins, nor tempestuous noise

Of windes, nor Earthquakes can my senses fright,

So much as when Phyllis with anger glows,

And from her quick Eyes scorn-tip't-Arrows throws.

If pleasing smiles sit on their rubie Throne,

If Joy is painted on her smoother brow,

My senses wrapt beyond the Sphears, are thrown

On bedds of pleasure; and forget all woe:

With lesse Content the Miser doth behold

His Stuffed Chests, and full-cram'd bags of Gold.

My Eyes devou're each smile; the more they gaze

On Hers, the more Contentment still they draw;

Her smiles the clue that leads me in that maze:

Her eyes give my obsequious Heart a Law:

For by her smiles, or Frownes I meet delight

Or Woe; or mirth or Grief; or Day or Night.

Seek all the World for pleasing objects, and

Dive to the bottom of the deepest Seas,

Fetch all the Treasures of the Indian strand,

The world's best Beauties, none my fancy please▪

Can, like the Heaven of a pleasing smile,

Which kills me with excesse of Joy the while.

The sparkling Diamonds of the East I prize

Below the value of her pretty Starrs,

There comes far richer glances from her eyes,

Her lipps than Pegues, better Rubies wears;

Who round the World for daintest Roses seeks,

May finde them growing in my Phyllis cheeks.

[Page]

The richest Treasures of the Earth seem poor;

Pearles, Gold, and Diamonds Natur's richest Gems,

The World's great Treasurie, and Neptunes store,

A Lover (such as I) far lesse esteems

Than th' object of his Love: for more delight

Than in all these I take in Phyllis sight.

But when the sweeter Musick of her tongue,

Like the blest voyce of Angels, strikes my ears,

I harken us to Oracles; a strang

Lute in the hands of Orpheus; the Spheares

Sweet Melody; the smooth tongu'd Orator,

Seem but a duller Harmonie to Her.

She charms me to a statue, and amaz'd

With so much Eloquence, dumb I return

No answers but by eyes; my soul is rais'd

Beyond the sphear of Words: though joy'd I mourn

To hear her pause, or periodize her speech:

I then her to begin ag'in beseech.

When in the sweetest quavers of a song

Her voyce she raises, and with' matchlesse straines

Runs o're division with her warbling Tongue;

Hearts she (as stones Amphion's musick) gaines.

Harps, Harpsicall, all Violls, Organes, Lute,

Trumpets, and all noyse else for shame be mute.

Cease duller straines, all other voyces cease,

Sweet Philomel, I pre'thee hold thy tongue;

You early Larkes, and Thrushes hold your peace;

The best of Musick, and of Birds among

The humane, and the feather'd Chores, your choyce

Layes, rev'rence doe unto her sweeter voyce.

[Page]

Though all the Musick in the World should be

By Musick-masters of the rarest kinde

Finger'd, my eares would taste no Harmonie,

No joy my soul, nor no content my mind,

(Nor the Angelick Songs by me I feare

So priz'd) like that when I her Sonnets hear.

Had Sickness prison'd me in my Chamber long,

Or bound with closer fetters to my Bed,

As some by musick cur'd, I by a Song

Chaunted by her divine mouth, should be fed

With that Ambrosiack Essence, that would give

Ease to my paines, and dying make me live.

My Ear then ravish'd equal with my eye,

Counts all sounds harsh, but her sweet Musick, and

Commands all others to her melody

To vaile, and to her notes attentive stand;

As high Apollo to the Muses, she

(Or Philomel 'mong other Birds) must be.

The fragrant blasts of spicy Arabie,

Panchaean Myrrh, Musk, Civet, Ambergreece,

All the perfumes of Indian Spicerie,

Must to the Sweetness of her breath give place:

Flora's sweet garlands in the Month of May,

No such delicious gales of sweetness pay.

My Soul, as if exhal'd by her sweet breath,

Flies to that membrane which receieves the sent,

Raising the sluggish fantasie from Death,

Revives the braine, and gives my Genius vent:

The cherishing Odors her sweet Hybla yields,

Excel the Diapasma's of the fields.

[Page]

My soul upon no other food can feed,

But the rich Banquet, and delicious fare

Of her sweet presence, when before her spread;

Then eas'd from trouble, free from duller care

She feeds: the Stomach can no dainties tast,

Nor hunger, whilst this better Banquet lasts.

When that with ardent boldnesse I aspire

To touch with my profaner lips, her hand,

I think no blisses, in the World are higher,

No joys to that in competition stand:

My soul enflam'd, into my lips doth fly,

Whilst on that bed of Lillies soft they lye.

But when (a favour, seldome shown) I kiss

The seat of smiles, her tender rubie lips,

Joye spirits dilates, and I expire in blisse;

Call'd back again from Death by an ecclips

Of so great ravishment, through a withdraw,

As much as Joy did, grief now breaks the Law.

Thus my five senses banquet at that feast

Of beauty, which shines in my Phillis face;

My passionate Heart swells high within my breast,

And grows too tumid fot its strickt embrace,

Oh! cloud my Phillis! hide her from my eye,

Of too much pleasure I with surfeit dye.

[Page]

CORYDONS Complaint.

THose joys that us'd to flatter me

ô Phyllis when I courted thee,

Under yon' shady beechen tree

To cruell grief are chang'd

Torments my pleasures; griefs my joy,

Pains my quiet rest destroy,

Since thou'rt to Corydon grown coy,

And from my Love estrang'd

Did e're I your commands neglect?

That thus my sute you now reject,

And pay my love with disrespect,

My kindness with disdain?

Say how I purchace may releife,

Or murther'd must I be by griefe▪

Speak that my torments may be brief;

Give death to ease my pain.

[Page]

If you are pleas'd to martyr me,

Or binde me unto slavery,

There is another tyranny

That you may exercise;

Those burning flames, your eyes can give:

A Slave, bound by Loves Chaines I live

May, without Hope of a reprieve;

Thus you may tyrannize.

Since that my words are spent in vain,

Whilest Cruel you laugh at my pain,

I at the feet of your disdain

Will fall, and prostrate lye.

Henceforth I'le banish all my pleasure,

Since you the chiefest of my Treasure,

Have heap'd my Griefs beyond all Measure,

I'le yield to destiny.

[Page]

To SYLVIA Weeping.

FAir Sylvia, you possess more Treasures than

The rubie East; those weeping eyes more Gems

Than the rich Store house of the Ocean,

For you at pleasure can those Chrystal streams

VVhich trickle from the fountaines of your eyes

Convert int' orient pearls; but richer prize.

VVhat taking charmes lye in your sweeter Face,

When freed from cloudy-weeping Griefs you smile

VVith a clear brow! If tears with such a grace

Become? if so much lustre has the foile

To Beauty? what excess of Glory then

VVill bud from those sweet lights when fair agen?

Now the (like silver'd Cyn [...]nthia's beauty, when

The interposing Earth hides her bright face)

Dost suffer an Ecclipse; thy tears restrain

Thy beauties radiant beams; Tears fill the place

Of bounteous Light; yet is that shadow fair;

Others with which (at best) may not compare.

Phoebus now hides behind a watery cloud

His brighter head; by which we better may

Gaze on his Light: thy suns (fair Sylvia) shroud

Themselves behind a cloud of Tears to day;

Out of like kindness, and suppress their bright

And splendid beams, to favour my weak sight.

Enough, fair Sylvia! clear those Cynthian Lights,

From that ecclipse of sorrow; wipe away

[Page]That hanging cloud of Tears; which still excites

Your stillborne Grief such pearly price to pay:

VVere you enflam'd with scorching Love, as I,

Its ardor soon those dewy pearls would dry.

After Aurora with her silver-showers

Has wash'd her Grandame Tellus chapped face,

A pleasant Zephyrus the dark Heaven scoures,

And Sol steps out with a far greater Grace:

After a Storm fair weather doth suceeed;

Let sable Grief your whiter Joys then breed.

I long to see those fairer Suns to shine,

Freed from the dewy moisture of a Tear,

Now they would seem (after this) more divine,

As Phaebus after an eclips more clear:

Let Day the Night succeed, and cease to mourn,

Banish Grief's night, whilst Joy's day takes its turn.

[Page]

THYRSIS in despaire.

SAd night of sorrow! sable night of grief!

For Lovers torments is there no releif?

Must still my bitter food be grief, and fears?

My thirst quench'd howerly with my brinie tears?

No glimmering of the Day of hope arise!

Nothing but darkness muffle up the skies

From my numm'd sight? I in the Bed of care

Do roul; distress behems me round; dispaire

Like curtains shuts me up. Come pale fac'd Hag,

And let not leaden plummets make thee lag:

With open arms I doe embrace thy Dart,

Which can give physick to my wounded Heart.

They say grief that descends to words is weak

Mine is grown so I can no farther speak.

But by my Death I to Corinna prove

Will, that she tryumphs o're me and my Love.

[Page]

ABSENCE.

SUch is the melancholly Earth, when light

Flies thence, and leaves its room to sable night;

VVhen darkness, Cold and Shadows dwell upon

Her Surface; some pale glimerings of the Moon

Is all she can expect; a mourner then

She is till Phoebus brings his day agen:

Such is the matchless, mateless Turtle Dove,

Sighing its murmurs for its absent Love:

Such is the body when the Soul is fled:

Such Pyramus supposing Thisbe dead:

Such the male Palm the female broken down,

As I am now, my fairest Sylvia's gon.

My wither'd Head declines apace, my green

And growing youth to sprout no more is seen.

My blood's grown cold, and frozen; every limb

As if it wanted heat, and life doth seem.

My hoarse complaints the very rocks do move,

VVho eccho the last accents of my Love.

A silent night inhabits my sad breast,

And now no chearful thought will be my guest.

Till her return, whose eyes will cause a day,

Thus must I in my own unquiet stay;

Wishing for the bright morning, which must rise

From th' Luminaries of fair Sylvia's eyes.

[Page]

DAPHNIS Fled.

I'Le eccho in the tell-tale groves

Lycidas and Daphnis Loves

Now she has left this place;

Goe grave names in the tender rinde

VVhisper my trouble to the VVinde,

He'l tell where Daphnis stays:

Send kisses by the Soft lipp'd aire,

Begg charming Philomel to stay her

VVith raptures of her voyce:

Bid Zephyrus gently hold her back;

Smooth fronted sand to shew her track,

That thus forsakes her choyce.

Not all the charmes the spring affords,

The pleasures of delicious gourds,

Flora's enamell'd dress,

Or what is beautifull and fair,

Or what delights above compare,

Can sorrow dispossess.

For Nature now's unkind to me,

And my request denies I see,

For Daphnis will away,

In vain I prattle out my plaints,

She cannot hear my loud laments,

Nor would they cause her stay.

By yonder spring down will I lye,

VVhilst one as great flows from my eye,

[Page]To mingle with its stream

Till her return, thence I'le not move

But weep the absence of my Love,

VVith waves as great as them

If my soul flyes out in a tear,

And she returnes, and that you hear

Her call a loud for me,

Good Nymph that answers him that speaks,

Say if that Lycidas she seeks,

Hee's joyn'd to Niobe.

[Page]

To LUCIA playing on her LUTE.

GReat Orpheus when he struck his Ivory Lyre,

Drew all the Savage Creatures to admire

The sweetnesse of his charming Musick; and

Forgetting their fierce natures tamely stand.

The Wolfe, Lamb, Lyon, and the Kid agree

To Love, whilst charm'd by his sweet harmonie.

Stones move themselves call'd by Amphion's Lute,

And Thebe's build, without man's hands to do't:

Yet fairest Lucia when I heard you play,

I soon confess you have more skill than they:

Your fingers strike a far diviner strain,

And mens Hearts harder than the stones you gain.

Brute Beasts when Orpheus play'd stood still and gaz'd;

When you, stiff-necked men are more amaz'd.

He could unreasonable beasts controule,

But you command a reasonable Soul,

For men more fierce than cruell Tigers, lay

Their necks down, and like captives yok'd obey.

Who then to bondage powerfull'st captives drew?

Orpheus tam'd beasts, a harder task, Men you.

[Page]

ANOTHER.

WHen last I heard your nimble fingers play

Upon your Lute, nothing so sweet as they

Seem'd; all my soul fled ravish'd to my ear,

That sweetly animating sound to hear.

My ravish'd Heart with play Kept equal time,

Fell down with you, with you did Ela climbe,

Grew sad or lighter, as the tunes you plai'd,

And with your Lute a perfect measure made:

If all so much as I, your Musick Love,

The whole world would at your devotion move,

And at your speaking Lutes surpassing charmes,

Embrace a lasting peace, and fling by Arms.

[Page]

To CELIA on some verses sent her by another.

DEar Fair if that some ripet wit

In rapt of some poetick fit

To ease the fancy of his brain

Writ of Love, and Love shall fain,

Shall those lines acceptance have?

Not those indited by thy slave?

Whose troubled brains no muses move,

But the darling God of Love.

If my lines you 'Count a toy

You know Cupid is a boy,

Yet his trifles often finde

Fair acceptance from the kinde;

Such are they whose search doth sist

The givers mind above the guift.

Let others write to shew their wit,

When I; Love shall be Cause of it.

[Page]

On Love.

LOve is a fire, Love is a flame

Which darting came

Th'orow the azure skie;

And just like the rays, in Sol's hottest days

peirc'd me from on high.

My heart before so chill, and cold,

'gan to unfold

It self in those fair beams,

But its mighty flame, soon it overcame

Martyr'd 'twixt extreams.

Lov's masterlesse, and cruell fire

if it grow higher

Will kill with martyrdoms,

As heat forceth heat, to a gentle retreat

Love, Love overcomes.

[Page]

Song.

ASke me not why I am so sad, nor why I here

The Nymps forbear,

Do with my Arms a Crosse walk in this grove?

Within the hollow concave of my troubl'd breast

Which never rests

Lies the true cause, and my tormentor Love.

'Tis jealous fear, causes my care,

And burthens thus my Love-sick Heart,

I fear that she, my deitie

Delights to see my smart;

For still she frowns, and Knitts her brows

And doth abhorr my Company,

Whilst Lycon Courts her, with her sports,

I dare not do't though by.

O cruell fair! why dost thou thus delight to kill

Thy slave who will

Whilst he has life adore thee? and will be

Courted by none for to neglect his duty, though

you are his foe

And with tormenting pains would murther me.

And since that you, forbid me sue

Or ask for mercy, I will ne'r

With my complaints, and sad laments

In vain disturb your ear;

No, death will doe as much as Love hath don

VVith's dart he'l peirce me through;

Death will be found, to Cure that wound

VVhich Coelia would not doe.

[Page]

DAMON to a foul Maid that courted him.

WHat mean'st thou Bacca, Can my senses feast

Upon the members of a parboyl'd Beast?

What boarish appetite thinkst thou I have

That thou shouldst court me, who'd first wed a grave,

And death hug in my Arms, then such a hag,

Whose hide pouch'd like a shrivl'd pudding-bag,

Reaks like another Aetna; thy sous'd face

And hawkie nose has not so good a grace

As Madam monkies; few Hairs on thy scalpe,

Thy mouth is Taenarus, thy Teeth an alpe,

But that no snow, but soot lyes always there,

In other parts like a deformed Bear

Not yet lick'd into fashion. Think'st thou Man

Not turned Beast, forsake his reason can

To fall int' such a sink: Thon stinking Trull

Thou must like Pasiphae lie with a Bull,

Or couple with a boare thy next of kin;

For never hope you Man can tempt to sin,

For he that do'st it, were I to judge his pain,

Should be (and 'tis enough) to do't again.

[Page]

To LYDIA being retired privately into the Country.

NOw to the secret Groves is Lydia gone

Stoll'n from us all, meaning to live alone

Among the silent woods, where she may be

From busie servants entertainments free,

And hear the pleasant songsters of the Groves,

With whistling layes resound their growing Loves:

With uncontrouling freedom view the trammells

Of Flora which the fragrant meads inammels,

With pleasure walke and see the crystall brooks,

Catching the sportive fish, with silver hooks.

Conversing with the flowry Napaeae,

Making diversity of flow'rs agree

Bound up together: 'mong the shady trees

Daunce in a Circle, with the Dryades,

Feeding on cleanly, though but homely food,

Esteem'd the only Goddess of the wood.

O how I fear those rural pleasures may

Entice her there to make a tedious stay,

But J with vows will Frosty Hyems move,

To hast the ruines of the leavy grove;

Pray cold mout'h Boreas kiss her tender cheek,

To make her shelter in the town to seek,

VVhere conversation, and warm fires do bring

Though frost without doors lies; within a spring.

[Page]

Poema Valedictorium Perdilecto intimoque Suo amico transfr [...]tura.

ALas! what fate (or rather providence)

Is this (dear C) unthought of rapt's thee hence?

What makes thee leave this Isle, and seas pass o're

To seek the blessings of a forrain shore?

Cann't ours content thee? yea but thy free hand

Transports the panneous blessings of our land,

And (for exchange bring's back what ours hath none

Of,) by exoticks to inrich our own.

Since then it is for publique good, and thine,

That thou leav'st us, it must needs be for mine.

I'le not complain, since truly one friend shou'd

Suffer disasters for another's good,

And this is one (and that of no mean weight)

That thee, and I, (dear C—must separate.)

Vota Auspicata.

Farewell! farewell! may fruitefull Neptune please

To sound retreat unto the surging seas,

By Triton's voyce! may his resounding shell,

The threatning rage of all the billows quell.

May great Oceanus, and Tridentifer

(Lest in th' envious liquid pathes you erre)

Be your conductors; Let the Sea-Gods place,

Themselves about your ship for greater grace.

May Amphetrite and the Neriedes

With all the Gods, and graces of the seas,

Assembling sing Io-paeans to thy Honour,

And may the sea for joy thou rid'st upon her

Express't with gentle leapings! May the twinns

Be never seen apart! The God of winds

Great Aeolus, may he reflateing gales

Enchaine within th' Hyperborean vales!

[Page]And let none 'Scape but Aura's from his hand

To drive you forward to your wish'd-for land!

May glorious Titan pleasant make the dayes,

And gild the Sea, with his projected rayes!

Serener nights attend you! may the bright

Phaebe, at full, give you her borrow'd light!

May Mercurie th' Negotiators God

Attend you too, with his Cyllenian rod,

And cause your gains ariseing from the fleece

Of English Sheep, Surmount that brought to Greece

By Jason's hand! May these on you therefore

Attend and bring you safe to this blest shore.

Vero Panomphaeo.

Thou thou true Neptune who the seas command'st,

Without a Trident still the billows can'st,

And with one single word make all obay

Whether in Heav'n, in Earth, Hell, Land, or Sea!

Take thou my C—under thy safe protection,

Guide him and favour 'im, with thy sure direction,

And he'le not fear the threat'ning of the waves

Anchoring his hope upon a God that saves.

Be thou propitious to my prayers, and then

I shall be sure to see him once agen.

Coronis.

Fare well, dear C—I wish you well, adiew!

My tears stop words, once more farewell to you.

Sospitet Te Deus: Opt. max.

Epigram.

Stay Triton, hold your breath, and o're the main

Conduct my C—reduce him safe again

To Albion's shore: then sound your shell, brave boy,

And make the waves leap to the skies for joy.

[Page]

THE DEPART.

ADieu sweet Chloris, for the Fates deny

Me longer life and longer liberty.

I'ave lost the one in gazing on that face,

Which justly may ot'h Daphian Queen take place

To thee my liberty's resign'd the grave

Tomb shall bespeak me Chloris constant slave.

How can I longer think to live when I

Ravish'd from the clear Sun-shine of thine eye

Feel chilling colds; and winter frosts begirt

Continually with fatal blasts my heart?

No'tis those beams, which thy bright eyes display

That must dispell, and chace these snows away,

That killing absence brings: nought butthy breath

May now redeem me from the dart of Death.

But there's no hopes, no other hopes but I

Banish't your presence, must resolve to dye:

Cloris adeiu▪ for ever now adeiu,

For dye I must be'ng forc'd to part with you.

[Page]

TYSTIRUS complaining.

BReak sadded heart, burst thou with griefs complaint

Let thy laments

The hardest marble unto tears provoke:

Make flints to weep

Increase the deep

With drops expressed from that cruell stroke.

Wounded I lye, and suffer from that hand

That gave the wound

Unto my bleeding Soul. And from those eyes.

Light'nings proced

Which strike me dead

Nor w'thout she raise me can I ever rise.

Torment of cruell silence breeds this woe

I undergoe;

My tongue is setter'd, and I dare not speak

Although my heart

Feels deadly smart

And swell'd with sorrow at the last must break.

But here's a joy which feeds my sadded mind

None hath divin'd

The cause of my sadnesse and distress,

First shall my Love

My murther prove

Before, to wrong her, I my Love confess.

[Page]

Damon on Amarillis dancing in a Ring

SEE my fortune; See my fortune

How she flyes me

And denys me

Wo alas! wo alas too soon

Still I follow! still I follow!

But she flyes me

And denys me

And cannot be wonn.

Cruel sport; In this sort

With woes to fill me

Which will kill me

Ah! from this pain release me.

For whilst she flys, my eyes

They discover

I'm a lover

And that it is her self must ease me.

Round we go, round we goe,

But she flys me

And denys me

Stil I follow wrapt in woe.

She moves swiftly, and yet sweetly

Don't forsake me

I'le o're take thee

If thou wilt pity bestow.

Cruel sport, in this sort!

To increase my fires

And desires

And to exhibit my despaire:

She Shifts her place, apace

I after move

Be'ing urg'd by Love

But in vain still my endeavours are.

[Page]

Acrostick.

FEar-killing Faith, Bold-zeal, declares thy name,

Art pick't it out but nature lai'd the frame.

If ever name and nature did agree,

'Tis thine which are in perfect Harmonie:

Heav'n-blessed Faith, which shakes th' Aethereal towers

Cold-burning zeal 'gainst Heav'n-opposeing powers

Offer themselves to view: Thy virgin breast

Loves Heav'n alone, doth sordid Loves detest.

Death cannot shake thy Faith, nor ever may

Zeal like to thine, a purer breast display.

Eternal flames of Heav'n-refined zeal

And [...]oreing Faith, thou in thy breast do'st feel,

Live ever happy! Faith and zeal with thee

E're stay, t' effect this thy name's Prophesie.

[Page]

Acrostick.

AGe bles't I hope thou art: May many years

Run their swift courses, and the rouling spheres

Tire in their motions; May the circl'ing Sun

About this round globe th'row the zodiack run

Giving a hund'red springs and Autumns e're

Earth or the Silent grave entomb thee there.

Bles't be thou here with Age: with vertues more,

Let graces, with thy years encrease; thy store

E're multiply: So as thou hast begun

Shine thou in vertue till thy race be run:

Death fear to touch this blooming blossom; Now

In Aprill stay untill December bow

Her head with age and mak't the earth to kiss;

Ope then thy fatal arms; beat her to bliss.

Pluck her from hence, 'fore Age doth call thee to her,

E're curs'd be, for thou pulls the worlds cheif flower.

[Page]

The Recovery.

HAil gentle virgin! now my joys renew

Their plumes, for they were Sick as well as you,

And had you dy'd they had been buried too.

How'oft betwixt my hope, and fear I dy'd;

Each symptom that my watchfull eyes espied,

My heart with thousand Torments crucify'd.

When scarlet seas did double dye thy face,

Mine pal'd to see how strong thy feaver was,

How great a Tyrant to usurp that place.

When thou grewst pale I even sunk for fear

Lest Death's cold ashes had been strowed there,

Or that, that Tyrant came to dominere.

When thou did'st sound, my heart was made a prize,

To pallid fear, nor could it ever rise,

Till hope to raise it sprouted from thine eyes.

My heart yet trembles, now I think upon't,

The thoughts oft with pale sadness paint my front:

Thou liv'st: such mercies e're forget I wo'nt.

My Muse did languish by a Sympathy,

As if her life depended had on thee,

It seems thine was her numbers Treasurie.

Distress'd she sat in Mourning Liveries,

Whilst the clear Fountaines of her crystal eyes,

Wept in soft Tears most dolefull Elegies.

[Page]As thy cheeks Hyacinths o'recome their snows,

As vanquish'd are their Lillies, by the Rose,

So on my muse new heat and vigor grows.

This Day mythought thy starry orbs were prest

With wonted lustre: and new beauties drest

Thy Face: which gave flames to my Muses breast.

Inspired thus she now begins to sing,

New ardors now her spritely Numbers wing,

And as thy health doth, so her raptures spring.

Both consecrated are my Muse, and I,

To sing the bliss of thy recovery,

And chaunt Io Paeans untill we dye.

May Heav'n as he has rais'd thee from the Dead,

(Whose Name be blest!) his mighty bucklar spread,

From Death's fell arrows to defend thy Head.

Daine but to cherish (with a gentle glance

Of Favour shot from thy bright countenance)

These lines, and it my Numbers will advance.

Such mercies cannot but my spirits raise,

In highest Notes to chaunt my sprightly lays,

And for thy Health to Heav'n sing songs of prayse.

[Page]

Innocentia & Politia. Veritas & Panurgia.

WHen that Astrea took her flight from hence,

To find in Heav'n a better residence,

Dame Innocentia wanting her protection

Was scorn'd of all: And Pollicy's infection

Spreading th'row Cities, Courts, and such great places

Expos'd that Dame to thousands of disgraces.

Sly Subtlety the Merchant entertains,

Deceit the Trades-man, to encrease his gains,

The Great man Honor; that vain puf'd-up Pride,

With covetousnesse of every one; beside

Protean Policy, whose great resort,

Is in the City, and the Prince's Court,

Wherein Deceit so often doth frequent,

That Dame's inseparable accident:

But Innocence, of all men was discarded,

Her nackednesse laugh'd at and disregarded.

At last a Country-man, whose smoother brow

Ne'r entertain'd Deceit; nor's mouth knew how

With flatt'ring words to speak; with Court intent

To utter that thing which his Heart ne'r meant,

But being taught of Truth his words to spell,

His Heart, and Tongue rann ever parallel:

He `Spies this naked Dame's distresse with ruth,

Invites her with him to go dwell with Truth:

She soon consenting, thankes him for his pity.

And bids adiew both to the Court and City.

[Page]The stately buildings of the Court she shuns,

Thence swifter than the Eastern-wind she runs,

Far from the City, and th' infectious Court

She finds where Truth is wonted to resort:

Met, they as Sisters joyn, delighting so

That never since they would assunder goe,

Their cottage low (free from all Courtly state)

Strong built on holy ground is Scituate:

Two moats surrounding mak't an Amnick Isle,

The better to keep forth Deceit and Guile,

A strong-built Wall doth it defend, whose Gate,

Like that of heav'n is made angust and strait,

That every one who is admitted there

Mayn't enter if Deceitfull cloaths they were;

For Truth gives entrance unto none, but those

Who'r naked like her self; or else whose cloathes

Prove tegments for to hide Truths parts divine,

From the perverting Eyes of mu [...]ling Swine.

Within the closure of Truth's cottage wall

No high Ambition that aspires (a fall)

No twy-fac'd Guile, no Discord, and no Pride,

Are by these Dames permitted to reside:

But Love and Meeknesse, and such Heav'nly Graces

Cohabit still in those serener places.

The Shadowie Groves with a perpetual spring,

Sweet Philomel makeing the woods to ring,

With other birds peirch'd on the tender sprays,

Whose notes from warbling Throats salute the Days

Approach; whose trebles to the murm'ring water

According, make sweet Musick to their Maker,

Maketh as if the Earth in Heav'n were plac'd

Or Heav'n descended Earth with's Joys had grac'd,

Such is the state, (and far more full of bliss)

Where truth conjoyn'd to Innocency is.

[Page]Thus dwell these Nymps enriched with the Treasures

Of rurall joyes, and of Caelestial Pleasures,

Useing to travel all the Country round,

'Till the strange ecchoes of the Trumpets sound,

'Till Mars with blood bedy'd, and horror fell,

Affrighted them back to their closer cell:

Deceit, and Guile, and Policy then flew,

VVith speedy feet about the Country too

VVhere they increased so their Progenie,

That never Since the country could be free,

So that pure Truth, and Innocentia fair,

Unto some secret place, confined are.

But now when Hyem's frosty snow-beard swelld

VVith chilling cold; and neveous mantles held

The World enwrapt; and Mountain tops did show

Their lofty Heads encircl'd round with snow,

Dame Innocentia cloathed all in White,

Her usual Badg, Steals from her secret site;

Leaving the Countrey to the Court she goes,

To view the Quarters of her bitter foes.

B'ing thither come, the first she met was Guile,

VVhose clothing made that spotlesse Dame to smile,

For like to her in every thing she seem'd,

So that most men her Innocentia deem'd:

Look what she wore Guile ever wore the same,

And counterfeited still that purer dame.

In pure White Garments was she dec't, the snow

Could not than she a colour purer show:

But she whose eyes peirc'd her base covering,

Saw her all bloached with foul spots within,

And th'row her plaster'd White, and painted face

Saw that with all men she usurp'd her place.

The next she met with was Dame Policie,

VVho with a thousand shapes deludes the eye,

[Page]Her cloaths were changeable, and her disguise

To ev'ry colour would Camelionize,

Her shapes so divers and her forms so many

That none could truly say that she had any.

Her hand-maid Guile who still attends upon her

Bowing her Head full low unto her Honor

Held up her train, when that she neer was come

She thus salutes her, Dame we have no roome

To lodge you here, our bedds are all implete,

Nor may this court, for you become a seat,

For your carbasious tegment, which doth vie

For whitenesse with the snow, cannot come nigh

Our sullied garments, but it shews our stains

And Truths perspective shews to all our blains,

Our albeous Garments seem as white as thine,

Our Laws seem holy, our decrees divine,

If thou art absent; but if thou art by

Our white shews black, our seeming truth's a lye,

Our Laws deceitfull, and it doth appear,

Our Kingdom falls if thou remainest here.

My neece Ambition cannot be displac'd,

Her Sister flatt'ry 'ld think her self disgrac'd,

Should I dislodge them for your sake, they'd snuff,

And pride would think you were not fine enough:

But adulation who her words can change

T' as various shapes as there are humours strange

Shall entertain you, and with Speeches fair

Shall fill you full, if you'l be fill'd with air.

VVe two are inconsonant; we cann't agree,

I you oppose, you'r opposite to me,

And 'tis as hard for us to joyn (it clear is)

As pale fac'd Famine to conjoyn with Ceres,

I am not wont apertly thus to speak,

However now my mind I truly break

[Page]To you, and tell you, se'ing we cann't agree,

That you must hence, and leave this place for me.

Contraries cann't conjoyn, we here no room

Have, therefore pray depart from whence you come.

Dame Innocentia soon perceiv'd, the place

Nothing afforded to her but disgrace,

And scorn, therefore lest thence she should be thrust

And her white garments spoyled with the dust,

And stains of sin, the court unto her foes

She leaves with speed (while Guile dirt at her throws)

And to truths cottage, where she was before

Returns; and vows to see the Court no more.

Aula procul Innocentiâ.

[Page]

An Elegy on the matchless Murther of Charls the First of Happy and Blessed Memory.

SInce Brittains great Apollo left the land,

Laurells are blasted, and dejected stand;

Poets are dumb-struck, and amaz'd to see

So strange, unutterable Prodigie,

Charles forc'd to swim in his own sacred Gore

From this accurs'd, to an immortal Shore,

So that none dares, all struck with silent dread,

To say, Much lesse to sing that Charles is dead.

For many months my Soul and Blood was froze,

Till Anger thaw'd this Ice, and zeal arose

Through all my Veins, which gave me Liberry

To weep out first, then write an Elegy.

Lame, and unequal as the woful times

Painted with Sighs, and Tears, must run my rithmes,

For who can, struck with so much grief, erect

A Verse, but in a faultring Dialect?

He must forget the rugged times the while,

That can indite ought in a pollisht stile.

Who will not blush, and fire his Face with Shame,

That thinks by Verset' immortalize that Name,

Which charactrized in our Rithmes, will give

Life to our Lines, and make our Fumes to live,

Whilst Charles shall flourish in mans memory,

Which shall till times supp'd up b' Eternity

Bee? Royal Phoebus gains no ray of Light

By mortals praises; he 'tis gives them Sight,

So Brittains Son, shall never live by verse,

But Men and Rithmes, whilst they his Name reherse

Shall flourish; for the Theme these shall be read,

And live soul'd by him, tho' himself be dead.

Dead! ah more! murthered, and martyr'd too,

By cursed hands (who once their deed shall rue)

[Page]That by Pretext of guilt and crimes do draw

To th' block of Death the Head of Church and Law;

Both fell with thee great Monarch, when that Fate

Made thee a Martyr of the Church and State.

The Earth and all her mighty Monarchs stand

Amaz'd, and drooping dare not now command,

Benumm'd their Fingers cann't the Scepter sway,

Kings cannot rule, nor people well obay,

Since by thy Death the Soul of Monarchie

Has suffer'd, and the Head of Majestie

Chopp'd off; no King now thinks himself secure

Since Laws (the Walls where Princes did immure

Themselves from vulgar rage) are wrested so

That murthers issue whence Justice us'd to flow.

Asham'd and blushing Princes stand, to see

Themselves, and regal acts outdone by thee,

To see the Glory of thy setting Sun

Damp all the lustre of their splendid Noon.

Heav'n, and the Lamp of day, Nights Tapors tell

England, that they an Act to parrallel

Its bloody deed, ne'r yet beheld; thy Stage

O raging Isles! the wonder of this Age,

And thou shalt blush dy'd with a Tyrian Stain,

(Unless thou wash it quickly off again

By some notorious Act, as great as good,

And take away the stains of blood, with blood)

And be the scorn of Nations, whilst the Sun

Shall in the twelve roads of the Zodiack Run.

No Pen can reach to words sufficient

To speak thy Death; no Elegy lament

Thy fatal loss can in a strain that's fit,

The more we strive the more fall short of it,

For thou 'rt a Theme too great for thoughts, much lesse

Can weaker words speak thee; o'r unhappinesse

[Page]In floods of brinie tears wee'l ever tell,

And loyal hearts shall make the Ocean swell

VVith sighs; which will at last bring judgement down,

And 'wake th' Almightie's Justice for his own.

Rebells think not 'twas his o're-weight of sin

That press'd him down, alive he still had been,

But for the Nations crimes; we first his life

Took from him by our sins, then with the knife.

God for a Notion's sins oft dealeth so,

Takes off the Righteous, lets the wicked go,

In mercy to the first, to set them free

From following plagues, and suddain jeopardie.

So our yet bleeding Monarch was a gem

Too good for us, and we too bad for him.

Although the murtherers grant no monument

Crown'd Heroe! Fame his hasty missives sent

To all Earth's Monarchs! who allready have,

Counting the VVorld two little for thy grave,

Rear'd up a pyramis of high renown,

VVhich shall our-last the longest Monarchs crown,

VVhere long-live'd Fame upon its summit sings

The fatal trag'die of the best of Kings:

In vaulting thee so close, think let them not

That e're their Regicede shall be forgot,

For though thou hidden under ground dost lye,

Their Names above ground rot, and ne`r shall dye.

God turns Hells spiteful Arrows on his head,

The world Salvation gain'd, Christ Crucified,

And murther'd Charles the Name of Martyr gains:

Tho' Life and three Crowns lost: more now remains

For him a Life Immortal, and a Crown,

Of Shining Glory, and of high Renown.

Which spight of Rebels Acts▪ though he be Dead,

Shall now for ever Crown His Royal Head.

THE END

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

Troades Englished. By S.P.Troades. English

Seneca, Lucius Annaeus, ca. 4 B.C.-65 A.D.

Edition statement

1660

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A92908

ID [STC]

Wing S2527

ID [STC]

Thomason E2128_2

ID [STC]

ESTC R203504

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99863445

ID [PROQUEST]

99863445

ID [VID]

115647

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A92908)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 115647)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 242:E2128[2])

Source

— Troades Englished. By S.P., Troades. English, Seneca, Lucius Annaeus, ca. 4 B.C.-65 A.D., Pordage, Samuel, 1633-1691?.

Extent

[10], 67 [i.e. 70] p.

Printed by W.G. for Henry Marsh at the Princes Arms in Chancery-Lane, and Peter Dring at the Sun in the Poultrey neer the Counter,. London :: 1660.. (S.P. = Samuel Pordage.) (In verse.) (With an additional title page, engraved: Troades. A tragedie writen in Latine by L Annæus Seneca, ..) (Numerous errors in pagination.) (Annotation on Thomason copy: "Jan: Jan. 3.".) (Bound with Pordage's: Poems upon several occasions. By S.P. Gent.) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

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