here is not enough secure Dreames catch his swimming fancies in a net His slumbers broken with illusiue sights Raise sudden starts mutter out words abrupt His haire on tip-toe heaues with vaine affrights Rest do minds troubled rest doth interrupt Anon he wakes calles for his horse to flye He is pursu'd 't is true but whither wilt Thou hear'st about thee thine owne enemy And flye thy countrey mayst but not thy guilt Perceiving then how he did erre he smiles Eu'n out of griefes Antiperistasie Alas thou er'st not nor thy dreame beguiles Pursu'd thou art Crimes the pursuers be But Griefe and he growne more familiar Strange welcomes Artfull gratulations ceast Which more in Innes then Mansions vsed are Not to a daily but a seldome guest Yet when acquaintance would vn-nurtur'd grow And too much on a wearied friend relye Vnmannerly till it be bidden goe He lookes vpon it with disliking eye And to be rid of cumbersome intrusion Cuts kindnesse shorter and directly chides His trouble from him when ingrate confusion Claimes it as due and curtesie derides And hauing got the vpper hand insults Ore his deiected owner rebell-like As when Ambition gathring head revolts And at a crownes forbidden lustre strikes When as the King sees that submit he must Impatience thus in sillables breakes out Blast me some powerfull vapour into dust Circle me Furies with your brands about Oh let the weight of my impietie Presse downe the center dig it selfe a graue Or from two poles crack the warpt Axletree That Nature may a second labour haue Earth shrinke thou vnder me and thou to whom Divided Chaos pitchy darknesse sent Let me inhabit in some vaulted roome Where no light is through guiltie crannies lent You Citizens of Thebes for me distrest Tombe me aliue with stones you childlesse mothers Striping the milke out from your vnsuckt breasts You that haue lost the names of sons brothers You widowed Matrons loue-deprived Maids Pierce me at once with clamors loud and thick 'T is I whom Gods do hate and Man vpbraids The very But where Fate her Arrowes stick Why doe I stay why doth not heauen ordaine Some punishing Iron or some strangling rope Or why descends not some consuming raine Is vengeance layd vp for a further scope I haue sin'd all I can but I mistake A punishment cannot be thought on fit There 's some vnheard-of creature yet to make That ioyn'd to cruelty may haue Art and wit Me thinkes I feele a Vulture peck my liver My intrailes by some Tyger eaten vp Or in the muddy bottome of a river The nibbling Fry vpon my carcasse sup Oh my sad soule do not looke pale on death Feare not thy period vnto all thy feares Delights but Comma's are to gather breath Lest we should tire ere the full poynts appeares See heere for now he had vnsheath'd his sword How easie is it for a man to dye One little touch yea oftentimes a word Mans great bulk falles eu'n conquer'd with a flye There is but one and that a narrow way To enter life but if we would go out Of many thousand beaten paths we may Take our owne choyce we need not goe about And this is all that man can call his owne What else he hath Nature or Fortune lends Many can life deny but death can none Onely to dye vpon mans will depends Dye then so setting to his naked breast His weapons poynt ready thereon to fall Somewhat detaines him to performe the rest Not that he thought death grievous but too small Death is a Felons sentence and shall I For parricide and incest feele no more Some men do count it happinesse to dye A cure esteeme it rather then a sore Yet say the violent separation Of the acquainted body from the soule Chiefly to such who no relation Haue but to earth doth manlinesse controule What then thy Fathers death thy death requires Thy death for incest must the God appease Thy death must quench thy countries funeral fires And with one death can'st satisfie all these Couldst thou dye often could thy corpes renewd Change tenants oft couldst thou be borne againe Dye againe faultlesse could vicissitude Of life and death draw out an endlesse paine Revenge might somewhat be suffisd but now Life is thy greatest torment death espying As more remote so with more frightful brow Sith thou but once oh bee thou long in dying 'T is now growne vulgar to be Stoicall Peasants redeeme with easie deaths their feares Who would be manly or heroicall What Cowards thinke intolerable beares Linger my hasty soule be not bankerous Meerely in policie breake not so soone Some sighes thou still hast left to furnish out Thy trade with breath hold out till they be done A sudden shower from his eyes doth raine Haue I teares yet saies he alas vaine wet Thou canst not wash away one spot one staine That my least guilt vpon my fame hath set 'T is not enough to weepe I oft haue vsd Teares in my mirth let them not looke out heere Yet powre it downe if there be bloud infusd And see the eye drop after it's shed teare You shal weep bloud mine eyes sets his nailes Where sight had built her azure monument Thus shed your selues no moisture else prevailes Then from their crakt strings he his eye-bals rent Now now 't is finisht I am cleare no light Betrayes me to my selfe I 'me living dead Exempt from those that liue by wanting sight From those are dead because vnburied So having all the office of his eye Discharg'd by th' other foure his guidlesse feet Are vsher'd by his hands when suddenly His wife his mother both in one him meets Son husband cries she would not both or neither My wombes Primitiae my beds second Lord Why turnst thou hence thy hollow circles whither Those rings without their iewels hold this sword Looke on my bosome with the eyes of thought Lend thou the hand and I will lend the sight My death thou mayst that hast a fathers wrought Strike thou but home thou canst not but strike right Why dost thou stay Am I not guilty too Then beare not all the punishment alone Some of 't is mine on me mine owne bestow A heavy burthen parted seemeth none Oh I coniure thee by these lampes extinguisht By all the wrongs and rights that we haue done By this wombe lastly that hath not distinguisht Her loue betwixt a husband and a sonne Ore-come at length he strikes with one full blowâ— Her life it selfe to a long flight betakes He wanders thence secur'd in dangers now Made lesse already then fate lesse can make Long liu'd he so till heaven compassion tooke Reuenge herselfe saw too much satisfied Ione with vnwonted thunder-bolt him strooke Into a heape of peacefull ashes dryed His sonnes both killing warres his daughters fate To following buskind Writers I commit My Popiniay is lesson'd not to prate Where many words may argue little wit FINIS
bin Prey to thy force grace to thy victories But now I see what the eternall Fate Decrees shall happen all you rest decree Your heauenly willes differ from ours estate Which through our weaknesse still contrary be But you do all conspire in one consent To make vnhappy that which must be so More cruell when your crueltie might preuent What mischiefes fall after you pitie show Wherefore a safe deliuerance thou gau'st And now a goodly issue springs at last Hadst thou destroy'd what thou vnkindly sau'dst My present quill had not told sorrowes past For now no sooner was the tidings brought To Laius hearing of what 's come to passe But that fresh cares and contradicting thoughts Arise to trouble what not setled was But taking truce a while he goes to see After what sort a child so ill might looke Whether not monstrous as his manners bee Seeing the face is the soules reckoning booke Yet he not found what reason thought he should A swarthy visage clouded vp in frownes Sunke eies that buried in their houses stood Or torted shadowe which his temples crowne But there as in a glasse himselfe he saw And in his cheek markt how his cheeke was dy'd Where cunning Nature beds of flowers did draw Whose head to crop hard harts wold haue deny'd Long in this mirror he himselfe beheld Till like Narcissâ—â— selfe-enamored He seem'd transform'd when his peace he held His owne perfections he in silence read In those faire eyes that seem'd to mocke his eyes Imagination from her duty sweru'd Attentiue wondring a selfe-loue descries Being not himselfe when he himselfe obseru'd Pigmalion-like with many a melting kisse He dotes vpon this picture he had made Onely desire in him contraried his Who for his liuelesse Image motion pray'd This grieving that his workemanship exprest Vnto the life a creature so divine Wisht those pure beauties were in Iuory drest Whose white nor sin might spot nor time decline What reason is' t that reason should collect Sayes he when wonder to his words gaue place Our disposition in our eyes aspect Reading our mindes imprinted in our face Were that an axiome who'st that should admire This apt proportion of well-orderd parts This breath perfum'd to kindle Cupids fire These precious chaines to prison captiu'd hearts And would not grant this were the decent bower Where comely Graces had set downe to dwell Where Vertue of her selfe an ample dower Wedded her selfe diuorc'd from other Cell If glorious Temples with their pride declare Th'inhabited greatnesse of the Deity Oh then what precious Iewels lodged are In such a gorgeous well built Treasury Surely at least it can but empty be Of the expected riches and not fraught With the suspected masse of iniuâ—y Nought sure can heere be harbor'd that is naught Sin would haue â—ose a more vnpolish't den Whose vgly building it could not defile More barbarous lookes for direfull agents when These seeme not rude and steed of frowning smile Vnlesse perchance Vice weary of contempt Would borrow count'nance of this countenance Hauing no other beauty but what 's lent It 's owne vnseene misfeature to aduance For had it beene truely apparelled In 't owne natiue garments as soone I should Haue loath'd the forme as that it harboured As soone haue hated as now lou'd it good Oh could our eyes carry a stronger sight Then mans compacted out-side could reflect Or were his brest transparant as the light To let weake beames his inward parts detect This gay attire of beauty would no more Bewitch our fancies then a golden chaine Worne from it's place or Thâ—tis Paramourâ— Divining blush before a showre of raine But when the face is all we can perceiue And as that pleases we affected are How easie is' t for beauty to deceiue When sinne still hides it selfe by seeming faire And it may be 't was for some greater end That subtil Nature fram'd this feature thus Namely to further what the Gods pretend Which nere she could were this not glorious Now such a precious sanguine keepes his tide In th' azure conduits of well-branched vaines As to let out were worse then paâ—ricide In other vessell then what it containes So rare this forme as sure 't is worser farre For me to offer violence then for it T' attempt the crimes that to it destin'd are When It of force I a free fault commit I loue thee sonne too well those powers know The hearts of parents and how much a child In barren'st pitâ—e makes affection grow Oh that thou wer't lesse comely or lesse vild Yet how soere shall my kinde fondnesse adde More power to Fortune ouer subiect man Who well may triumph if we warning had Yet doe not shunne her frailtie when we can Shall I to saue thy life go loose mine owne Procure the name of Incest to my bed And what 〈◊〉 in ages past beene knowne Suffer a brother in a Fathers stead First let me better manifest my loue To thee my sonne first let this beautie dye Vnspotted as such beautie doth behooue Flowers are phâ—ch't when fresh not being drye Neuer shall Writers blot thy memorie Or from thy life fetch argument to their song But for thee blâ—ne deaths hasty crueltie Deem'd vertues hope hadst thou not dy'd so yong Oh you depriued fathers that with teares Behold your childrens time lesse Funerall Dry dry your eyes with them are fled your feares In their deepe graues your cares lye tombed all Call not to minde their forme their wantonnesse They wearied time with neuer alas recount The hopes you had that they your age shold blesse Such reckonings oft fall short of our account Oft haue I seene a curious Gardiner Cherish an imp with the kind start â—e had Whose youth gay flowers goodly bloomes did beare But the best fruit his age could shew was bad Then he repents his â—ares and labours lost Wishing it then had perisht when it pleasd Or that he nere had hop'd since hopes are crost Then a sau'd labour might haue sorrow eaâ—d Many faire Sun-shines doe our youth adorne But when as age giues libertie to sinne A cloudy euening doth eclipse our morne Weedes ouergrow the hearbes before hath bin And far more pleasing do we find it then If being vertuous we had perished That our kind parents might larnent vs when Liuing we wring more teares then being dead Here forcing pitty somewhat to retire A yet-ne're-guilty weapon forth he drawes Which lifting vp t' accomplish his defire Affection staies his hand and makes him pause The child with apprehension innocent Smiles at his image in his fathers eyes The soone-mâ—â—'d father herewithall relents And in distracted passion thus he cryes Can nature be so farre vnâ—aturall As that a father should a Butcher bee Can the least drop that a childs eye le ts fall Passe vnregarded without efficacy Or if there could can heauen forget to speake In the loud language of confused Thunder Can such an act be and the clouds not breake Not Ioues
prevention Witnesse these rash proceedings for now come To Pholus Temple he with suppliant vowes Implores the Deities determin'd doome Who with prophetick fires his Priests endowes Soone the Castalian Nymph inspir'd replies Dare Mortals dally with Immortalitie Thinke they the Delian Oracle telles lies That for ones fate they twise solicit me Do I ere vse my selfe to contradict Or am I not â—t euery time the same Am I benigne sometimes and sometimes strict Change I decrees as you do change your flame If not why then what diffidence is this In our truths power that what once answer'd was As 't were to pose vs now propounded is Hope you for better things to come to passe Know thou that hadst thy sentence yet vnborne Which heretofore thy haplesse Sire receiu'd Though now what wee foretold thou laughst to scorn That our prophetick laurel's not decein'd Quickly begone our doome to verifie That by thy fate our credit may bee wonne Yet liues thy father by thy hand to dye Thy mother yet to beare her sonne a sonne Furie and madnesse now possesse him first That superstition should inforce beliefe Gainst all assurance in his bosome nurst Which in our iudgment shold perswade vs chiefe Anon with Phoebus he the cause debates I wonder not saies he that thou dost erre Nor do I credit what thou dost relate Thy licence's knowne thou art a traveller Tell me Apollo if thou canst me tell To whom is mans corrupted inside knowne Doth not himselfe himselfe perceiue as well As you and best determines of his owne If not how vaine is' t that thy Temple doore Commands selfe-knowledge when doe all hee can To know himselfe man knowes himselfe no more Then I beleeue thou know'st thy selfe of man And if we doe oh why shouldst thou perswade Vs to be such whereof we nothing know But that 't is false Never is that gain-said Which in our selues we are assur'd is so See if coelestiall eyes that power haue To view our intrailes ransacke every nooke Where cogitation wanders in her caue Obserue me throghly with one searching looke Marke strictly and declare if thou canst finde One thought one little motion whereby To be confirm'd nay if thou scan'st my minde There nothing dwels which giues thee not the lie I know thus much I am not ignorant So farre in my soft-natur'd disposition Though to diseases apt it health may want Yet I presume I m'e still mine owne Physition And but I finde mine innocence gainsayes Eu'n with my life I d'e finish that intent And yet there are evasions many wayes Death set apart to hinder the event Before those rayes wherewith thou seest me now Twise maske their glories in the clouded West Ere twise Aurora with a bashfull brow Asham'd of Tithon blvshes in the East I l'e ease this ground whereon I now do tread Of my loath'd burthen all the world I l'e range Whersoere I am by fame or fancy led That changing climates I my fate may change Corinth fare-wel and all my houshold Lares Thy pleasures your protection I forsake For sorrow dangers povertie and cares 'T is vertue onely me an exile makes Nere will I take repentant step to turne Where my mischance is natiue as my soile And first I l'e see thy loved buildings burne Before thy smoke shall tempt me from my toyle Parents fare-well Thus I your haplesse sonne Turne hence m'vnwilling lights for why I feare I am tâ—â—n'd 〈◊〉 like whose infection 〈…〉 in the eye-bâ—lles else I know not where Inhospitable regions stay for me Wildes vnfrequented shores vâ—â—â—â—'d vnknowne Nights pitchy birth-right where no Sun they see Each countrey's mine to breath in same mine own Thus in distemper'd bloud he Dâ—â—phâ—s leaues With some few private friends and as a man Desperate himselfe of all forecast bereaues Dares all the worst that now misfortune can Eu'n as a Pinnace by a Pirat chac'd Steeres her indifferent keele for any coast Harbors with any danger met in hast Rather then try the danger feared most So he vntraâ—eld in the seas of chance To Sâ—illâ— from supposd Chaâ—yâ—â—is hies Mischiefe once known and shun'd with ignorance Is mâ—t the same he followes which he flyes Turne â—â—â—e to Corinth fond misdeeming youth Keepe thy selfe there and keepe thy selfe secure Our fortune vs as we the world pursueth And sure she is but in a place vnsure Then be not thou degenerate from good So farre as to take paines in doing ill If thou must quench thy Eagles thirst wth blood Shun tediousnesse and drinke with ease thy fill Change the white liuery of Polybius head With his effused gore and that being done Deface the print of Mâ—râ—pes chast bed Think thou dost all that now this thinkst to shun And so perchance thou mayst prevent with doing What thou must do in seeking to prevent Thy warinesse workes now thine owne vndoing And by resisting furthers Fates intent But thou must on to act and I to â—ell Thy deeds of horror that without thine ayd Learnings great armed Goddesse on me dwell I shall 〈◊〉 lesse heynous being afraid From Thâ—bâ—s there lies a narrow beaten way Made rudely pleasant with vneven thorne Which wandring long through coole Castalia Looses it selfe vpon a plaine vnworne There Nature portraid Flora's counterfet In youthfulst beauties on a ground of greene Which she with such skild workmanship had seâ— As well how much she scorned Art was seene Neere whose embroydred margent Elâ—â— glides With crooked turnings winding in and out That she might longer in the meade abide And finde the readiest way in going about Hitherest Lâ—iâ—â— came as was his vse With soluce to spurre on the tardy time Reposing his wilde thoughts and taking truce With conscience still accusing him of crime And now alas 't was his vnhappy hap As he from Thâ—bâ—s to Phâ—â—â—s ioâ—â—â—ied A litle towne within whose purple lap Tipsie Lyaus layes his drowsie head Here on this greene to meet his thought-dead son Posting to Thebes whose indigested rage In him had all humanitie vndone Left no respect neither of state nor age For growne to choser after melancholly Hee rudely rushes through the peacefull traine And passing forth with more irreverent folly Ore-turnes his fathers Chariot on the plaine The Kingly old man all possest with spleene Thirsts after a revengefull recompence And as the flies haue stings the Ant her teene He drawes the sword he wore for shew not sense His readinesse doth prompt his company To the like valorous opposition But Oedipus as ready as was he Askes pardon with maintaining not contrition Now the inconstant Goddesse 'gins to smile Triumphing in her selfe-lou'd policie How queintly she can mans intents beguile And blinder then herselfe make those that see You Furies too th'obseruant slaues of chance Though discords nurses yet you now conspire Where Death sounds Iron harmony to dance To crowne Erinâ—is with your brands of 〈◊〉 But Nature where art thou Where Sympaâ—hy That Elmes and Vines espouseth vanishe gone 'Twixt whom or where
should Inclination be If here abandon'd in the Sire and Sonne Or you neglectfull Geâ—â—ij that attend On our directed actions where are you That now you loyter Is' t to be contemn'd We are indulgent or a debt we owe Me thinkes the liberall expence bestow'd On your vnnecessary feasts might charme From you some succour that some power bestow'd To hinder purposes that tend to harme But you oft-blamed sistes in my verse That do determine mans vncertaine yeares 'T is you but thou of all the three most fierce That a soâ—nes sword mistakest for thy sheares By which poore Laius threed being cut he falles Eu'n as an antique edifice of stone Struck with a thundring peale of shot whose wals If not by force would haue decay'd alone No sooner fell he but the Thebans fled Some for assistant succor some for feare Some washt their bloudy cheeks in tears they shed Others with out-cries forced others teare The murderers not knowing whom th 'had slaine Howseuer would not trust their innocence Their guilt assures them that they shall be tane If long they stay so they depart from thence Leaving the busie multitude imploy'd In vaine enquiry of they know not whom All the whole cheerefulnesse of Thebes destroyd And Cadmus race quite sorrow ouercome Amongst the rest the but halfe-living queene Comes where her other best-lou'd halfe lay dead Whose mangled body when she once had seene Her heart his wounds receiu'd but faster bled Anone herselfe on his stiffe trunke she throwes Kisses his bloud-left cheekes oh thus quoth she The all she hath of thine thy wife bestowes Eu'n till she hath no breath shee 'l breath on thee And being dead thus on thy graue I l'e lye Tombing thee in an Alablaster shrine With open bosome that the passer by May see what thy heart was by seeing mine And now I thinke thee happy Niobe Whose marble breast yeeld to no sence of woes After thou twise seven funerals didst see Twise didst thy children in thy wombe inclose Oh wold my fortune now like thine might proue I m'e sure the griefe is greatest I abide Thou but for children mourned'st I for a Loue Might haue made me a mother ere I dy'd Remembrance now at this sad name of Mother Doth old mishaps to be wept ore bring out A greene wounds anguish oft vnskinnes another Sorrow 's a circle and still turnes about Now comes to minde her child-births bitternesse Made heavier with the burden that she bore Which had he liu'd yet wold haue grieu'd her lesse Though he had triumph'd in his fathers gore In vaine oh Laius didst thou kill thy sonne When from a stranger thou hast death receau'd If needs thy threed must haue bin cut ere spunne Would he had liu'd thy life to haue bereau'd He might haue best bin authour of thy death In whom thou liu'dst through him perpetuall Succession might haue lengthend thy short breath Built from these ruins towers that nere should fall Now both are perisht with your memory Of whom no age-withstanding record's left Onely my breast retaines what none can see What soone will faile so soone of you bereft Oh ill betide thee cruell hearted man If man thou be'st that had a heart so cruell Vncivill monster I thinke rather than Composd of heauenly fire and earthly fuell The sauage tyrant of the forrest would Haue loath'd the fact to do and being done Flints wold haue wept rocks if here they stood Would melt as wax at presence of the sunne Oh rockes and snaggy flints when we compare Hard men with you we do you iniury Men are themselues I most like men they are When they are furthest from humanitie Here from the bounds of charitie transported She on the murdrer bitterly exclaimes Wishing him woes not to be comforted To proue his fathers ruines mothers shame Till what her sad attendants could affoord She tastes of comfort if there comfort liue ' Mongst those that in one miserie accord Wanting that most which they desire to giue Reason at last establisht patience So taking vp the reliques of their King With slow procession they depart from thence Towards Thebes with theÌ„ their sad load do bring Where long it was not ere with Funerall Rites The corpes were brought vnto the Funerall pile Musick sounds harsh though it elsewhere delights What mirth did vse now vsd doth mirth exile Performed are the Obsequies at last The people cloath'd in customary black To giue more state vnto their sorrow past Mould to present it by their looking back Scarce were their Cypresse garlands withered Scarce of their spent tears had they took their leaue Ere Mischiefe Hydra-like exalts her head Which by the formers losse she doth receiue For angry Iuno neuer reconcil'd To her corriuals brothers progeny Burning in rage so oft to be beguil'd Thus wreakes her selfe on them with tyranny Hard by the Citie in Crenaa's sight A hill there is whose spired top commands A spacious prospect which Phycaeos hight Washing his graueld feet in Duces sands Here the too much inraged Goddesse plac'd Echidna's daughter triple featur'd Sphinx Of rare composure ' boue the doubtfull wast Which baser growes as neerer earth it sinkes A virgins face she had where might be read Perfection printed in each gracefull part And from her head a golden curtaine spread Hangs as the couer to some curious Art As for her voyce no Princes wronged Lad No Syren sweeter or more cunning sings Plump moving breast smooth skin white arms she had Fanning a feather ' paire of painted wings But as an Artist leanes his carved worke On formes deform'd or as each wise man telles Worst Serpents vnder gayest flowers lurke Or pleasures welcomes haue but harsh farewelles So Nature in a Lyons halfe had put That other halfe but totally Divine Whose meaning sith from most it vp be shut Disdaine not this moralitie of mine Learning Knowledge by our Sphinx is meant As hid as her Aenigma's posing wits In Hierogliphicks and to this intent On armed Pallas helmets top she sits On hill shee keepes and so the Muses doe Hard are the numbers of a Poets rime Nature Art Vse are the thrâ— steps thereto Care must be had that we directly clime Nature doth rudely our dull masse prepare And if not helpt contemplates but with sence Her groueling lookes downwards deiected are And can deriue but earthly knowledge thence But Art erects it selfe with Reason scans Things aboue reach then taking Vses wings Mans spirit soares vp higher then a mans Houering aboue heauens Christall Orbe he sings Beast Maid and Bird is Nature Art and Vse Ioyn'd in one knowledge as those three in one If you admit not this admit excuse Learning 's a Sphinx her riddles are vnknowne Well here she held long her dominion Propounding questions vnto passers by Given by the Muses to her on condition If answer'd she else the not-answerers dye To many loe her riddles she propounds Whose hidden meaning was so intricate That to her none the
vsher'd with musickes voyce Whose curious running descant and choice strain Would haue mou'd Marble made Hints reioice Able t' haue built Thebes Towers once again The monster laid vpon a silly Asse Is by each fearelesse vulgar eye discern'd Her talents toutcht as she along doth passe For Learning's knot 's vndone who is not learn'd Come to Amphioâ—s wondrous architect Whose Waste a seuen-claspt girdle doth containe The Conquerour in conscience yet vncheckt Claimes his reward Danger requires gaine The honest State denies not but inuests His Temples in the Theban Royalty The Queene and he soone tooke their interests The each of other whereto all agree Appointed is the Nuptiall day and come Whisper'd for fatall by the mourning Doues Nor was the Scritch-owle nor the Rauen dumbe In signes preposterous of preposterous loue Hymens vncheerely flame doth sadly burne And sparely drinkes the sullen wax that fryes Lesse then giues food not surfets hid powers turne Thalassios Ballads into Elegies O Midwife-Goddesse Loue-betrothing Queene Shew some misliking wonder to forbid Thou frown'st when harlots in thy porch are seen Can incest then be in thy Temple hid Borrow some fury of thy brother fell And riue thy guilty Mansion sane profane Better haue no place where thy Rites may dwell Then haue it blemisht with so foule a staine 'T is no dismembred sacrifice of beasts Can an incenst Diuinity appease Gods trafique not with men nor to our feasts Bring guest-like palats for a meale to please They laugh our scorn'd endeuors and though now These from permission gather thy consent Yet shall they find that a long wrinckled brow Is neuer leuel'd with fond blandishment In vaine exempt they from thy hostiall flame To teach the Paphian Turtles loue the gall When in their kisses they shall finde the same And bitternesse e'ne from their sweetes shall fall For take imaginations wings and flye Ouer ten Summers crown'd with ripen'd corne Let ruddy grapes ten luscious Autumnes die And from their surfets see an issue borne Two manly Twinnes to call their father brother This Eteocles Polynices hee Antigone the sister to her mother Too faire a blossome from so foule a Tree Mischiefe is come to age and pleasure must Resigne here birthright what 's supposed cleere Vnknown with knowledge manifests the rust Bad men are guiltlesse till their guilt appeare Vnyoake thy Teame yet weary Waggoner Phoebus hath tane his horses from the Car. Rough are the waies throgh which thou hast to er And daylight askes no Pilots Arctick Star The Milch-cow with full Vdder bellows home And rich Menalchas folds his fleecy Sheepe When Pyrois next on champed bit doth fome Forwards proceed Night cals thee now to sleepe OEDIPVS CANTO III. VP sluggish fury see thy Muses friend Solicites matter for thy numerous verse With morn begin thou that thy work woldst end Though night were thy fit'st hearer yet rehearse Hereto with hasty steps thou hast orerun An Infants fate by whom a Sire did die A mothers chang'd relation with her sonne And riddles made in consanguinity Now with as much celerity set downe The iustice of reuengefull Nemesis The sicknesses of an abused Crowne How sin is punisht though vnknowne it is Oh! saddest sister of the sacred nine That shroud'st thy selfe in cabin hung with black Lend me thy Ebon quill or guide thou mine Endow me now with what I most would lacke Time wearing out which ignorance made sweete With execrable pleasures vertuous thought New ills Pandoras box new open'd Fleete By whoÌ„ worse things theÌ„ by the first are wrought No soft Etesiae with coole blasts doth fan The sweaty drops from the least labouring brow And frustrate is the vse of breathing whan The Aire is suckt as from a scalding stow Phoebus bestriding the fierce Lyons backe Stirs vp the fury of th'vnloosed Dog Drinkes vp the Brookes burnes the Earths vesture blacke Wants diving vapours from the fenny Bog Dirce commands no further then her head No watry reliques shew the stranger proofe How far Ismenos liquid greatnesse spread The Oxen passe the Foord with vnwasht hoofe Sickely Diana keepes her Cloudy Chamber Lookes not abroad but with a Countenance pale No healthfull Planet spreds his lockes of amber But from the carth a counterfet exhales Abortiue Ceres doth her fruit deny Addes fuell to her selfe-consuming fire Which when the patient Husbandman doth see He weeps perhaps to quench his scorch'd desire There is no place in Thebes stretcht Territories Free from some plague or other no age no sex Here paraleld were all examples Stories That euer did this Vniuerse perplex Both old and yong fathers and children fall Wiues with their husbands what 's most vnkind Friends are not left to weepe friends funerals Death iust in this le ts none to stay behind Ere scarce the son be rakt vp in the pyre The flame 's againe renewed by the mother Oft are they burned in the selfe-same fire Which earst they kindled to consume another No Art preuailes Physitions cannot giue Themselues assurance shewing their skill they die Promising life to others they not liue The earth more Toombes the woods more piles denie In these afflictions the sad King distrest Powres out himselfe in prayer but vnheard He doth intreate to haue those ills redrest Or that death onely ben't from him debar'd Ione had his Offrings burnt to him with Oake Iuno her Lambe Isis her Calfe did smell The Hyacinth Apollo did inuoke Poppy on Ceres safforn'd Altars fell Pan knew his Pine-tree the Lars their whelps Venus her Pigeons deckt with crimson Roses But none are willing to employ their helpes No God of Thebes yet otherwise disposes Therefore to neighbouring Delphos they repaire Where they do supplyant aske what must be done For Thebos deliuerance what offring pray'r The Gods require for satisfaction To them an answere vsher'd was with Thunder No Star shall looke on Thebes but with a frowne No plague vnheard of till 't is felt with wonder Shall cease it's fiege ' gainst your vnpeopled Town Till he that was the murdrer of your King Be from the Aire you breath in banished His wretched presence doth these mischiefes bring Which liue in him and shall pursue him fled The King great thankes vpon the Gods bestowes Commanding that which to performe behoues The same which iustice to oppression owes No more they may establish Subiects loues Soone shall my Countries plague be cured now Oh easy Gods that with compassionate eyes Behold Thebes desolate buildings marke my vow And be auspicious to my enterprise Be present too oh daylights greater guide Empal'd with Crownets of Maiesticke rayes That in twelue Empires dost thy Orbe diuide Variously treading heauens distinguisht maze Night-wandring Goddesse be not absent neither Nor thou that dost in iron fetters bind Blasting Praenester that with a word canst either Call home or send abroad thy struggling winde And thou lasciuious Neptune that dost cast Thy amorous armes thy Trident laid aside Almost about my Monarchies small Waste