be That is more rich in beauties wealth then she Cheare vp The soueraignty of thy worth enfranches Thy captiâ—…e beautâ—… and thy vertue blanches These staines of fortune Come it matters not What others thinke a letter 's but a blot To such as cannot reade but who haue skill Can know the faire impression of a Quill From grosse and heedlâ—…sse blurres and such can thinke No paper foule that 's fairely writ with â—…nke VVhat others hold a blemish in thy face My skilfull eyes reade Characters of grace VVhat hinders then but that without delay Triumph may celebrate our nuptiall day She that hath onely vertue to her guide Though wanting beautie is the fairest Bride A Bride said she such Brides as I can haue No fitter bridall Chamber then a Graâ—…e Death is my bridegroome and to welcome Death My loyall heart shall plight a second faith And when that day shall come that â—…oyfull day Wherein transcendent pleasures shall allay The heat of all my sorrowes and conioyne My palefac'd Bridegrooms lingring hand with mine These Ceremonies and these Triumphs shall Attend the day to grace that Day with all Time with his empty Howreglasse shall lead The Triumph on His winged hoofes shall tread Slow paces After him there shall ensue The chast Diana with her Virgin crew All crown'd with Cypresse girlands After whom In ranke th' impartiall Destinies shall come Then in a sable Chariot faintly drawne With harnast Virgins vail'd with purest lawne The Bride shall sit Despaire and Griefe shall stand Like heartlesse bridemâ—…ids vpon either hand Vpon the Chariot top there shall be plac'd The little winged god with arme vnbrac'd And bow vnbent his drooping wings must hide His naked knees his Qâ—…iuer by his side Must be vnarm'd and either hand must hold A bannâ—…r where with Charâ—…cters of gold Shall be decipher'd fit for euery eye To read that runs Faith Loue and Constancy Next after Hope in a discoloured weed Shall sadly march alone A slender reed Shall guide her feeble steps and in her hand A broken Anchor all besmear'd with sand And after all the Bridegroome shall appeare Like Ioues Lieuâ—…enant and bring vp the Reare He shall be mounted on a Coaâ—…e-black steed His hand shall hold a Dart on which shall bleed A pierced heart wherein a former wound Which Cupids lauelin entred shall be found When as these Triumphes shall adorne our feast Let Argalus be my inuited guest And let him bid me nuptiall Ioy from whom I once expected all my ioyes should come With that as if his count'nance had thought good To weare Death's colours or as if his blood Had beene imployed to condole the smart And tormâ—…nt of his poore afflicted heart He thus bespake Vnhappiest of all men Why doe I liue Is Death my Riuall then Vnequall chance Had it bin flesh and blood I could â—…aue grapled and perchance withstood Some stout encounters Had an armed host Of mort all riualls ventur'd to haue crost My blest desires my Partheniaes eye Had giuen me power to make that army fly Like frighted Lambs before the Wolfe But thou Before whose presence all must stoope and bow Their seruile necks what weapon shall I hold Against thy hand that will not be controll'd Great enemie whose kingdome 's in the dust And darkesome Caues I know that thou art iust Else had the gods ne're trusted to thy hand So great a priuiledge so large command And iurisdiction o're the liues of men To kill or saue euen whom thou please and when O suffer not Partheniaes tempting teares To moue thy heart Let thy hard hearted eares Be deafe to all her suits If she professâ—… Affection to thee beleeue nothing lesse She 's my betrothed spouse and Hymens bands Haue firmely ioyn'd our hearts though not our hands Where plighted faith and sacro-sanctius vowe Hath giuen possession dispossesse not thou Be iust and though her briny lips bewaile Her griese with teares let not those teares preuaile Whom heauens haue ioyn'd thy hands may not disioyne I am 〈◊〉 and Partheniaes mine Alas we are but one Then thou must either Refuse vs both or else take both together My deare Parthenia let no cloudy passion Of dull despaire molest thee or vnfashion Thy better thoughts to make thy troubled mind Either forgetfull or thy selfe vnkind Starue not my pining hopes with longer stay My loue hath wings and brookes no long delay It houers vp and downe and cannot rest Vntill it light and perch vpon thy brest Torment not him within these lingring fires That 's rackâ—… already on his owne desires Seale and deliuer as thy deed that band Whereto thy promist faith hath set her hand And what our plighted hearts and mutuall vew Haue so long since begun O finish now That our imperfect and halfe pleasures may Receiue perfection by a mariage day Whâ—…reto she thus Had the pleas'd God aboue Forgiuen my faults and made me fit for Ioue To blesse at large Had all the powers of heauen To boast the vtmost of their bounty giuen As great addition to my slender fortune As they could giue or couetous mind importune I vow to heauen and all those heauenly powers They should no sooner beene made mine but yours Nay had my fortunes staid but at the rate They were had I remained in that state I was although at best vnworthy farre Of such a peeâ—…lesse lesse blessing as you are My deare acceptance should haue fill'd my heart As full of ioyes as now it is of smart But as I am let angry Ioue then vent On me his plagues till all his plagues be spent And when I roare let heauen my paines derâ—…de When I match Argilus to such a Bride Liue happy Aâ—…galus let thy soule receiue What blessings poore Parthenia cannot haue Liue happy May thy ioyes be neuer done But let one blessing araw another on O may thy better Angell watch and ward Thy soule and pitch an euerlasting guard About the portals of thy tender heart And showre downe blessings wheresoere thou art Let all thy ioyes be as the month of May And all thy dayes be as a mariage day Let sorrow sicknesse and a troubled minde Be strangers to thee Let them neuer finde Thy heart at home Let Fortune still alot Such lawlesse guests to those that loue thee not And let those blessings which shall wanting be To such as merit none alight on thee That mutuall faith betwixt vs that of late Hath past I giue thee freedome to translate Vpon the merits of some fitter spouse I giue thee leaue and freely quit thy vowes I call the gods to witnesse nothing shall More blesse my soule no comfort can befall More truely welcome to me then to see My Argalus what ere become of me So linckt in wedlocke as shall most augment His greater honour and his true content With that a sudden and tempestuous tyde Of teares orewhelm'd her language and denyde A passage but when passions flood was spent She thus proceeds You gods
That brings me on will quite me with applause Feare not that such a blessing such a wife Was e're intended for so short a life Expect my safe returne as quicke as glorious My Genius tells me I shall 〈◊〉 victorious So said as if that passion had forgot Her mother tongue her tongue replyed not But like to one new stricken with the thunder She stood betwixt 〈◊〉 feare and wonder His lips tooke leaue and as his armes surrounded Her feeble wast she straight fell down and swounded But Argalus transported with the tide And tyranny of honour could abide No longer stay He 〈◊〉 her to the guard Of her owne women left her and repair'd Vnto the Campe wherein he spent some dayes In parley with Amphialus and assayes By all perswasine meanes to make him yeeld To iust demands and not to staine the field With needlesse blood But finding him vnapt For peacefull counsell being strongly rapt With his owne fame and scorning to afford His eare to any language but the sword He ceas'd t' aduise him and enforc'd to try A rougher Dialect wrote him this defie Renown'd Amphialus If strong perswasions backt with reasons could Bin honour'd with your eare your wisedome would In yeelding to so faire a peace haue won As ample glory 〈◊〉 your sword hath done You should haue conquer'd soules where now at most You can subdue but bodies that haue lost The power to resist But since my suit Sowne on so barren 〈◊〉 can find no fruit Receiue a mortall challenge from a hand Whose iustice takes a glory to withstand So foule a cause and labours to subdue Your heedlesse errors whilst it honours you Compose you then to make a preparation According to your noble wonted fashion And thinke not sleight of ne're so weake an arme That strikes when Iustice strikes vp her alarme Argalus No sooner had he read it but his pen With noble speed return'd these lines agen Much more renowned Argalus Your faithfull seruant whose victorlous brow Was neuer daunted yet is daunted now By your braue curtesie being stricken dumbe With your rare worth and fairly ouercome Yet doubting not the iustnesse of my Cause That 's ouer ruled by the sacred lawes Of dearest loue will giue my sword the power Euen to maintaine it to the latest houre I shall expect your comming in the 〈◊〉 Where with a heart not poyson'd with the 〈◊〉 Or gall of 〈◊〉 with my dearest blood Your seruant shall be ready to make good His iust designes assured of no lesse Then treble same if crowned with 〈◊〉 If not There 's no dishonour can accrew In being conquer'd and o'recome by you 〈◊〉 Soone after Argalus whose blood did boyle To be in action comes into the Isle Clad in white 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and strangely drest With knots of womans hayre which from his crest Hung dangling down 〈◊〉 with their bountious treasure Orespred his Corslet in a liberall measure His curious furniture was fashion'd out Like to a flying Eagle round about Beset with plumes whose crooked beake being cast Into a costly 〈◊〉 was made fast To th' saddle bow Her spredden traine did couer His crooper whilst the trappers seem'd to houer Like wings that to the fixt 〈◊〉 eye As the Horse pranc'd the Eagle seem'd to fly Vpon his arme his threatning arme he wore A sleeue all curiously embroydred ore With bleeding 〈◊〉 which faire Parthenia made In those crosse times when fortune so betraid Their secret loue and with a smiling frowne 〈◊〉 their false hopes as copies of her owne Vpon his shield for his deuice he set Two neighbring Palmes whose budding branches met And twin'd together the obscure Imprese Imported this Thus 〈◊〉 as these His Horse was of a fiery Sorrell Blacke His maine his feet his taile on his proud backe A coaleblacke List His nostrells open wide Breath'd warre before his sparkling eye descryde An enemy to encounter vp by turnes He lifts his hasty hoofes as if he scornes The earth or if his tabring feet had found Away to goe and yet ne're change the ground By this Amphialus who all this while Thought minuts yeares was landed in the Isle In all respects prouided to afford As bountious intertainment as the sword And Launce could giue And at the Trumpets sound Their Steeds that needed not a 〈◊〉 to wound Their bleeding flanks both start with smooth running Their 〈◊〉 declining with vnshaken cunning Perform'd their masters will with angry speed But Argalus his well instructed Steed Being hot and full of courage fiercely led By his owne pride prest in his prouder head The which when stout Amphialus espide Well knowing it vnsafe to giue his side Prest likewise in so that both men and horse Shouldring each 〈◊〉 with a double force Fell to the ground But by accustom'd skill And help of Fortunes hand that succours still Bold spirits shunn'd the danger of the fall And had lesse fear'd then hurt no harme at They rose drew forth their swords which now begun To doe what their left staues had lest vndone Haue ye beheld a Leaguer In what sort The deepe mouth'd Cannon playes vpon the Fort And how by peecemeales it doth batter downe The yeelding walls of the besieged towne Euen so their swords whose oft repeated blowes Could finde no patience yet to interpose A breathing respite with redoubled strength So hew'd their proofelesse armours that at length Their failing trust began to proue vnsound And peece by peece they dropt vpon the ground Trusting their bodies to the bare defence Of vertue and vnarmed innocence Such deadly blowes were dealt and such 〈◊〉 That Mars himselfe stood rauisht and affrighted To see the cruell Combate Euery blow Did act two parts both 〈◊〉 and guarded too At selfe-same 〈◊〉 So incomparable Their skilfull quicknesse was that none was able To say although their watchfull eyes attended The strokes who made the blow or who defended Long was it ere their equall skill and force Of armes could show a better or a worse Neither preuail'd as yet yet both excell'd In not preuailing Neuer eye beheld More equall ods No wound as yet could show A droppe of wasted blood yet euery blow Was full of death When skilfull Gamesters play The Christmas box gaines often more then they At length the sword of Argalus that neuer Thirsted so long in vaine till now nor euer 〈◊〉 victory doubtfull for so long a space Fastned a wound on the disarmed face Of stout Amphialus who now does feele The equall temper of his enemies steele Yet was not daunted by the blow receiu'd Nor of his wonted courage so breau'd As by the saucy daring of one thrust To faint or yeeld rather a braue distrust Of his old worth call'd a new anger on And fir'd him to a sudden talion When as directed by some fate-blest charme He made a second stroake that pierc'd the arme Of haughty Argalus and made him know Amphialus would rather dye then owe. Argalus blush't for want of blood Expecting A quicke
reuenge which was not long effecting For whilst Amphialus whose hopes inflam'd His tyrannous thoughts with conquest proclaim'd Vndoubted victory heapt his strokes so fast As if each blow had scorn'd to be the last The watchfull Argalus whose nimble eye Dispos'd his time in onely putting by Put home a thrust his right foot comming in And pierc'd his Nauell that the wound had bin No lesse then death if Fortune that can turne A mischiefe to aduantage had for borne To show a miracle for with that blow Amphialus last made his arme had so O estrucke it selfe that sideward to the ground He fell and falling he receiu'd that wound Which had he stood had enter'd in point blancke But falling only graz'd vpon his flancke Being downe braue Argalus his threatning sword Bids yeeld Amphialus answering not a word As one whose mighty spirit did disdaine A life of almes but striuing to regaine His legs and honour Argalus let driue With all the strength a wounded arme could giue Vpon his head but his hurt arme not able To doe him present seruice answerable To his desires let his weapon fall With that Amphialus though daz'd withall Arose but Argalus ran in and graspt 〈◊〉 clos'd together with him where both claspt And grip'd each in th'unfriendly armes of either A while they grappled grappling fell together And on the ground with equall fortune stroue Some time 〈◊〉 was got aboue And sometimes Argalus Both ioyntly vow'd 〈◊〉 Both wallowed in their mingled blood Both bleeding fresh Now Argalus bids yeeld And now Amphialus Both would win the field Yet neither could At last by free consent They rose and to their breathed swords they went The Combat's now renew'd both laying on As if the fight had beene but new begon New wounds asswage the smarting of the old And warme blood entermingles with the cold But Argalus whose wounded arme had lost More blood then all his body could almost Supply and like an 〈◊〉 that expends So long as he hath either stocke or friends Bled more then his spent Fountains could make good His spirit could giue courage but not blood As when two wealthy Clyents that waxe old In suit whose learned councell can vphold And glaze the cause alike on either side During the time their tearmly golden tide Shall flow alike from both 't is hard to say Who prospers best or who shall get the Day 〈◊〉 he whose water first shall cease to flow And ebbe so long till it shall ebbe too low His cause though richly laden to the brincke With right shall strike vpon the barre and sincke And then 〈◊〉 easie Councell may vnfold The doubt The question 's ended with the gold Euen so our Combatants the 〈◊〉 their blood Was equall 〈◊〉 the Cause seem'd equall good The Victory equall equall was their armes Their Hopes were equall 〈◊〉 was their harmes But when poore Argalus his wasting blood Ebb'd in his veines although it made a flood A 〈◊〉 flood in the vngratefull field His cause his strength but not his heart must yeeld Thus wounded Argalus the more he fail'd The more the proud Amphialus preuail'd With that Amphialus whose noble strife Was but to purchase honour and not life Perceiuing what aduantage in the fight He gained and the valour of the Knight Became his suitor that himselfe would please To pitty himselfe and let the Combat cease Which noble Argalus that neuer vs'd In honour to part stakes with thankes refus'd Like to a lucklesse gamester who the more He loses is 〈◊〉 willing to giue o' 〈◊〉 And filling vp his empty veines with spite Begins to summe his forces and vnite His broken strength and like a Lampe that makes The greatest blaze at going out he takes His sword in both his hands and at a blow Cleft armour shield and arme 〈◊〉 in two But now enrag'd Amphialus forgets All pitty and trusting to his Cards he sets That stock of courage treasur'd in his brest Making his whole estate of 〈◊〉 his Rest And vies such blowes as Arg'lus could not see Without his losse of life so thundred he Vpon his wounded body that each wound Seem'd like an open Sluce of blood that found No hand to stop it till the dolefull cry Of a most beautious Lady who well nie Had run her selfe to death restrain'd his arme Perchance too late from doing further harme It was the faire Parthenia who that night Had dream'd she saw her husband in that plight She now had found him Feare and loue together Gaue her no rest till they had brought her hither The nature of her feare did now begin T' expell the feare of Nature stepping in Betweene their pointing swords she prostrate lay Before their blood-bed abbled feet to say She knew not what for as her lips would striue To be deliuer'd a deepe sigh would driue The abortiue issue of her language forth Which borne vntimely perisht in the birth And if her sighes would giue her 〈◊〉 to vent it O then a teare would trickle and preuent it But 〈◊〉 the winde of her loud sighes had laid The 〈◊〉 of her teares she sobb'd and said O wretched eyes of mine O wailfull sight O day of darknesse O eternall night And there 〈◊〉 stopt her eyes being fixt vpon Amphialus she sigh'd and thus went on My Lord 'T is said you loue Then by that sacred power Of loue as you 'd 〈◊〉 mercy in the houre Of greatest misery leaue off and sheathe Your bloody sword or else if nought but death May slake your anger O let mine let mine Be a sufficient offring at the Shrine Of your appeased thoughts or if you thirst For Argalus 〈◊〉 life then take mine first Or if for noble blood you seeke if so Accept of mine my blood is noble too And worth the spilling Euen for her deare sake Your tender soule affects awake awake Your noble mercy Grant I care not whether Let me dye first or kill vs both together With that Amphialus was about 〈◊〉 speake 〈◊〉 Argalus whose heart 〈◊〉 almost 〈◊〉 To heare Partheniaes words 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ah Parthenia Then must I 〈◊〉 bought and sold for teares Is my condition So poore I cannot 〈◊〉 but by petition So said He 〈◊〉 aside for feare by chance The fury of some misguided blow may 〈◊〉 And touch Parthenia and fill'd with high 〈◊〉 Would haue 〈◊〉 the Combat fresh againe But now Amphialus was charm'd his hand 〈◊〉 no sufficient warrant to withstand Parthenia's suit from whose faire eyes there came Such precious teares in so belou'd a name His eyes grew tender and his melting heart Was ouercome his very soule did smart He 〈◊〉 not but kept him at a distance And putting by some blowes made no resistance But what can long endure Lamps wanting oyle Must out at last although they blaze a while Trees wanting Sap must wither strength and beauty Can claime no priuiledge to quit that duty They owe to Time and Change but like a Vine The vnsound supporters
failing must decline Poore Argalus growes 〈◊〉 and must giue o're To strike his feeble arme can strike no more And natures 〈◊〉 ' d Bayly now destraines His blood for that small debt that yet remaines 〈◊〉 His arme that cannot vse the poynt Now 〈◊〉 vpon the pomell euery ioynt Disclaimes their idle sinews and his eye Begins to double euery obiect by Nothing appeares the same it was the ground And all thereon does seeme to daunce the round His legs grow faint and thinking to sit downe He mist his Chaire and 〈◊〉 into a swoune With that Amphialus and Parthenia ran Ran in with hast Amphialus 〈◊〉 To loose his Helmet whil'st her busie palme Chaf'd his cold Temples and distilling Balme Into his wounds her hasty fingers tore Her linnen sleeues and Partlet that she wore No wipe the teare mixt blood away and wrap His wounds withall vpon her panting lappe She laide his liuelesse head and wanting bands To binde the bloody cloathes her nimble hands As if it were ordained for that end And therefore made so long did freely rend Her dainty haire by handfuls from her head But as she wrapt the wounds her eyes would shed And wet the rags so much that she was faine 〈◊〉 sighs and sobs to drie it vp againe Thus halfe distracted with her griefes and feares These words she enter mingles with her teares Distrest Parthenia Into what estate Hath fortune and the direfull hand of Fate Driuen thy perplexed soule O thou O thou That wert the president of all ioyes but now Now turn'd th' example of all misery For torments worse then death to practise by How lesse then nothing art thou and how more Then miserable Thou that wert before All Ladies of the earth for happinesse But very now ah me now nothing lesse O angry heauens what hath Parthenia done To be thus plagu'd or why not plagu'd alone If guilty what shall poore Parthenia doe To whom shall she complaine alas or who Shall giue reliefe nay who can giue reliefe To her that hopes for succour from her griefe O death Must we be parted then for euer And neuer meet againe what neuer neuer Or shall Parthenia now be so vnkinde Te leaue her Argalus and stay behind No no my dearest Argalus make roome There 's roome enough in heauen I come I come Who euer saw a dying coale of fire Lurke in warme embers till some breath inspire A forc'd reuiuall how obscure it lies And being blowne glimmers a while and dies So Argalus to whom Parthenia's breath Giuing new life a life in spite of death Recall'd him from his death-resembling traunce Who from his panting Pillow did aduance His feeble head and looking vp he made Hard shift to sorce a language and thus said My deare Parthenia Now my glasse is runne The Tapours tell me that the Play is done My dayes are summ'd Death seizes on my heart Alas the time is come and we must part Yet by my better hopes grimme death does bring No griefe to Argalus no other sting But this that I must leaue thee euen before My gratefull actions can crosse the score Of thy deare merits But since it pleases him whose wisedome still Disposes all things by his better will Depend vpon his goodnesse and relye Vpon his pleasure not inquiring why And trust that one day we shall meet and then Enioy each other ne're to part agen Meane while liue happy Let Parthenia make No doubt but bessed Argalus shall partake In all her ioyes on earth which shall encrease His ioyes in heauen and soules eternall Peace Loue well the deare remembrance of thy true And faithfull Argalus let no thought renew My last disgrace thinke not the hand of Fate Made me vnworthy though vnfortunate And as he spake that word his lips did vent A sigh whose vio'lence hâ—…d well nigh rent His heart in twaine and when a paâ—…ting kisse Hâ—…d giuen him earnest of appoaching blisse He snatch his sword into his hand and cryed O death thou art the Conquerour and dyed With that Parthenia whose liuelihood was founded Vpon his life bow'd downe her head and swounded But griefe that like a Lyon loues to play Before it kils gaue death a longer day Else had Parthenia dy'd since death depriued Him of his life in whose deare life she liued But ah Parthenia's sorrow was too deepe Too too vnruly to be lull'd asleepe By ought but Death She startles from her swound And nimbly rising from the loathed ground Kneeles downe and layes her trembling hand vpon His lukewarme lips but finding his breath gone Griefe playes the Tyrant fierce distruction driues her She knowes not where vnbounded 〈◊〉 depriucs her Of sense and language here and there she goes Not knowing what to doe nor what she does Somtimes her faire misguided hand would teare Her beautious face sometimes her bountious haire As if their vse could stand her in no stead Since her beloued Argalus was dead But now Amphialus that all this space Stood like an Idol fastned to his place Where with a world of teares he did bemoane The deed that his vnlucky hands had done Well knowing that his words would aggrauate Not ease the miserie of her woefull state Spake not but caus'd her women that came with her To vrge her to the Ferrie where together With her dead Argalus she ' embrackt from whom She would not part no sooner was she come To t'other shore but all the funerall state Of militarie discipline did waite Vpon the Corps whil'st troopes of trickling eyes Fore-ran the well perform'd solemnities The Martiall Trumpet breath'd her dolefull sound Whil'st others traild their Ensignes on the ground Thus was the most lamented Corpes conuaid Vpon a Chariot lin'd and ouerlaid With Sables to his house a house then night More black no more the Palace of Delight Where now we leaue him to receiue the Crowne Prepar'd for vertue and deseru'd renowne Where now we leaue him to be full possest Of endlesse peace and euerlasting Rest. But who shall comfort poore Parthenia now What Oratory can preuaile or how Can counsell chuse but blush to vndergoe So vaine taske and be contemned too May Counsell mooue a heart whose best 〈◊〉 Consists in desperate yeelding to a griefe O what aduice can rellish in her eares That weepes and takes a pleasure in her teares Readers forbeare sorrowes that are lamented Are but exulcerated but augmented Forbeare attempt where there is no preuayling A desperate griefe growes stronger by bewaying Leaue her to time and fortune let your eyes No longer prye into her miseries True mourners loue to be beheld of none Who truly grieues desire to grieue alone But now our bloodhound Muse must draw and track Amphialus and bring the Murtherer backe To a new Combate Where if fortune please To crowne our Tragick Sceane and to appease The crying blood of Argalus with blood Our better rellisht story making good Your hopefull expectations shall besriend The teares of our Parthenia and end