Absyâ—tus limbs whom she had taken with her thereby to stay her father while he gathered up his Sons bones And so at length safely arriving in Thessaly Iason renewed his Father Aesons age by Medeas help who also made Pelias Daughters kill their Father For pretending that she would make him young as she had done Aeson she perswaded his Daughters with a knife to let out all his old black blood that she might infuse new fresh blood instead thereof His Daughters having done so Pelias straightway dyed Iason hereupon or for some other cause repudiates Medea and marries Creusa the daughter of Creon King of Corinth Medea herewith enraged Writes to Iason expostulating with him of his ingratitude and threatens speedy revenge unless he receive her again MEDEA to JASON AT that time Queen of Corinth I did raign When thou didst seek by my art help to gain I wish my thred of life which then was â—pun By the three sisters had been cut and done Then might Medea have dy'd innocent My life since then hath been a punishment Woe 's me that ere the lusty youth of Greece Sail'd hither for to fetch the golden Fleece Would Colchos never had their Argos seen Would the Grecians ne're on our shoar had been Why was I with thy lovely brown hair took Or with thy tempting tongue and comely look Or at least when thy ship came to our shore Bringing thy self with gallants many more I might have let thee run and found a death By those fiery Oxen with their flaming breath I might have suffer'd thee to sow that seed Whence armed men did spring up and proceed That the sower might by his own tillage die When each ear of coâ—â—e did prove an enemy They had prevenâ—ed then thy treâ—chery And kept me both from grie ' and misery To upbraid thy ingratitude pleases me In this alone I can triumph o're thee For when thy ship arrived at the shore Of Colchâ—s where it nâ—re had been before O then Medâ—a was beloved there Of thee as thy new wife 's bâ—loved here My father was as rich as hers he raign'd O're Corinth which 'twixt two Seas is contain'd My father possess'd all the Land which lay Between Ponâ—us and snowy â—cythiâ— My father did thy Grecians entertain Affording lodging to thee and thy train I saw thee then then did of thee enquire And then thy love did sâ—t my heart on fire I saw thee and that sight to love did turn While my heart did like a great Taper burn Thy beauty drew me to my destin'd fate And thy fair eyes my eyes did captivate Which thou percevid'st for who can love conceale Whose glowing flame doth it own selfe reveale My father then commanded thee to yoak Those Oxen that were to the plough ne're broak For they were Mars his Oxen whose horns werâ— Sharp and their breath did like a flame appear They had brasse hooâ—â— and nostrils arm'd with brass Blackt with the breath that through them did passe And thou wert bid to sow in the large field That seed which did an armed â—eo â—e yield VVhich sprung up would assail thee straight again Thou for thy harvest such a crâ—p shouldst gain And thy last labour was to charm a sleep The Dragon that the golden â—eece did keep When Aeetâ—s said thus you all stâ—aight rose And every one much discontentment showes So that you did your purple seats forsake And then the Table they away did take Greaâ— Creens daughter thou didst now contemn And Câ—â—â—sas dowry could not help thee then Sadly thou didst depart and discontent yet my weeping eyes on thee still were bent And as thou wâ—ntst away this one word sell In a soâ—t murmure from my tongue Farewell And when I went to bed I never slept Wounded with love all nighâ— I griev'd and wept The fieâ—ce Bulls were alwaâ—es before my eyes And the Armed mâ—n which from the earth did rise And then the watchfull Dragon did affright My senses and was still before my sight Thus love and fear my breast at once did trouble My love of thee did make my fear to double At last it chanced that early in the morning My loving sister came and found me mourning And lying on my face with all my hair Loose spread the pillow wet with many a tear She and two sisters more did me invade With fair entreaties foâ— to help and aid Iason and his Thesâ—alians who did want My assistance I in love their suit did grant There is a wood so dark with thick-leav'd trees That the bright Sun but seldome through it sees There doth a Chappel of Diana's stand VVhose golden statue there was rudely fram'd I know not whether this place is by thee Forgotten as thou hast forgotten me VVe being thither come thou then didst break Thy mind to me and thus beganst to speak My life and fortunes are at thy command My life and death are both within thy hand you may let me perish if so be you will But 't is more noble to preserve then kill Then by my present sorrows I entreat Which you can ease if you the word would speak By thy kindred and uncle Phoebus who Sees all things that on earth we mortals do By Diana's triple-sace and sacred rites And Gods wherein this Nation delights O Virgin have some pity at this time On me and make me so for ever thine And though I cannot hope the gods should be So kind and favourable unto mee yet if you would be pâ—eased now to take A Tâ—essalian and him a husband make Then I do promise I will faithfull be And vow that I will marry none but thee Let Iuno be a witnesse to my vow And Diâ—na in whose Tempâ—e we are now Thou took'st me by the hand those words of thine A maidens fancy did straight way inâ—â—ine For such thy languâ—ge was as soon did move My honest heart to entertain thy love By thy deceitfull tears I was betrayed For they had â—ower to betray a Maid So that the â—ulls whose breath like flames did smoaâ—â— I taught thee how to tame and how to yoak And thou did'st sow the Dragons teeth for seed Whence armed â—â—n did spring up and proceed I that did give thee those securing â—â—arms Grew pale to see those new-sâ—â—ung men in armes When straight those earth-bred brethren there in â—â—ght Did sâ—ay each other in a bloody fight The watchful Dragon now the earth did sweep While he upon his scaly breast did creep Where was the Dowry of thy royal wife Or King of Corinth could they save thy life No it was I that now am thus rejected And as a poor Enchantresse disrespected I charmâ—d the Dragons flaming eyes asleep That thou mightst get the Fleece which he did keep My Father I betray'd and I forsook My Countrey and with thee a voyage took Though my life a sad banishment should be I was content to wander still with thee Thou of my Maiden-head didst me deceive Who my Mother and my
OVIDS HEROICALL Epistles Englished by W. S. Veniam pro laude peto nunâ—â—itibus Mutaraè quaero Tristiâ— The â—th Edytion London printed for W Gilbertson at the Bible in Gilt-spurstrâ—â— 6 6â— OVID'S HEROICAL Epistles Englished by W.S. Veniam pro laude peto nunc mitibus Mutare Quaero Tristia LONDON Printed for William Gilbertson at the sign of the Bible without Newgate in Gilt-spur-street 1663. TO THE VERTUOUS LADIES AND GENTLEWOMEN OF ENGLAND YOur beauties Ladies and Gentlewomen are but types and shadows of the beauty of your vertuous minde which is discerned by Noble and Courteous actions I may therefore presume that Ovid's Heroical Epistles chiefly translated for your sakes shall find a gentle acceptance sutable to your Heroical dispositions for Courtesie and Ingenuity are the companions of Gentility But those who claim this Title and are degraded of it by their own vitious qualities Ovid disclaims them Vertue is an invisible gift which is not discerned by the outward habit but by speech and action and a certain delectation in vertue as Modesty Temperance and especially curtesie to which Ovid doth appeal For when Rome knew him famous he was esteemed of Love and Ladies so that he was fain to shadow the ambitious love of the Emperours daughter towards him under the vail of Corynna but the Emperour saw through it and banished him Besides these Epistles in regard of their subject have just relation to you Ladies and Gentlewomen being the complaint of Ladies and Gentlewomen for the absence of their Lovers And that their sorrow may be more sensible there is a Table prefixed adjoyning to the book presenting the several Pictures of the Arguments of the Epistles So much concerning the work and the Author Ovid now you expect a complement for the Dedication Ladies and Gentlewomen since this book of Ovid's which most Gentlemen could read before in Latin is for your sakes come forth in English it doth at first address it self a Suiter to wooe your acceptance that it may kiss your hands and afterward have the lines thereof in reading sweetned by the odour of your breath while the dead letters form'd into words by your divided lips may receive new life by your passionate expression and the words married in that Ruby-coloured Temple may thus happily united multiply your contentment And in a word let this be A Servant with you to the Lady Vertue Wye Saltonstall TO THE VERTUOUS LADIES AND GENTLEWOMEN OF GREAT BRITAIN OF all the Poets that in verse did raign As Monarchs none could equal Ovid's strain Especially in the affairs of Love Ovid the Master of that Art did prove His fancies were so pleasing and so sweet That Love did wish no other winding sheet If he had mortal been for he would die To live again in his sweet Poesie When he intended to inflame the mind Or shew how Lovers proved too unkind As in these Epistles where Ladies bemoan Themselves when their unkind lovers were gone He doth so mournfully express their passion In such a loving and a lively fashion That reading them grief will not let you speak Untill imprison'd tears from your eyes break Such passions in his Letters do appear That every word will make you drop a tear But you fair Gentlewomen of this Isle He would have you to glance one gentle smile On his Epistles stil'd Heroical Because by Lords and Ladies written all You know that Love is the Hearts pleasant tamer Whose motto is this Omnia vincit Amor For he can with his lighted Torch enflame Assoon the Lord and Lady as the Swain If then you hope to be happy in Love If other sorrows may your pity move If you the complaints of fair Ladies tender Which English doth for your contentment render Unto your view let these Epistles here Enjoy your beauteous favour shining clear On Ovid belov'd by th' Emperours daughter For which by Caesar he was banisht after Yet this his comfort was in Banishment His Love and Lines did yield your sex content Let English Gentlewomen as kind appear To Ovid as the Roman Ladies were So wisheth Wye Saltonstall THE INDEX A ABydos a City in Asia Ep. 17. Achelouâ— a river of Etolia 9. Achilles son of Peleus and Thetis Ep. 3. Acontius signifies an Arrow Ep. 19 20. Acteon beheld Diana bathing her self and was transformed into a Stag Ep. 20. Aetna a burning Mountain Ep. 21. Adonis the son of Cinyras Ep 4. Aegyptâ—s brother to Belus Ep. 14. Aeneas son to Anchises and Venus Ep. 7. Aeolus King of the winds E. 10 Aethâ—a Ep. 16. Agamemnon Prince of the Grecians Ep. 3. Ajax Ep. 3. Alcions Sea Birds Ep. 17. Alecto one of the Furies Ep. 3. Androgeus Minos son Ep. 10. Andromache Hectors wife E. 5. Antilochus Ep. 1. Apollo god of Poetry Physiâ—k and Musick Ep. 5 6. Ariadâ—e Ep. 10. Ariadnes Crown a Constellation Ep. 17. Ascanius son to Aeneas Ep. 7. Athens a famous University Ep. 2. Atias a Mountain Ep. 10. Atreus son to Pelops Ep 10. Aurora or the morning Ep. 4. B BRiseis a captive Virgin taken by Achilles Ep. 3. C CAcus a Gyant Ep. 9. Canace Sister to Macareus Ep. 11. Carthage a City of Lybia E. 7. Cassandra a Prophetess who foretold the destruction of Troy Ep. 15. Cephalus signifies the head E. 4. Cerberus Porter of hell Ep. 9 10. Ceres Goddess of corn and Plenty Ep. 2. Caryâ—dis a rocky gulf Ep. 12. Colchos where the Golden Fleece was kept Ep. 6. Corinth a City Ep. 12. Clymene waiting maid to Helena Ep. 16. Crete an Island Ep. 16. Cynthia or the Moon Ep. 17. D DEdalus who made himself and his son Icarus wings to fly withall Ep. 17. Daphne turned into a Lawrell-tree Epist. 21. Deianira Daughter to Oenus King of Caledon Ep. 9. Deiphobus or fearing the gods Epist. 5. Delos an Island it signifies manifest or clear from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deucalion who with his Wife Pyrrha survived after the general Deluge Ep. 2. Demophoon signifies a light to the people by his exemplary Vertues Ep. 2. Diana called Lucina Ep. 19. Dido signifies to fear Ep. 7. Dolon Ep. 1. E ELisa or Dido Epist. 7. Elysian Elysium was a fain'd place of joy for the dead E. 3. Endymion was beloved of the Moon Ep. 17. Eurystheus King of the Mycemans Ep. 9. Erynnis a Fury Europa signifies fair faced from whom the chiefest part of the world is called Europa Ep. 4. H HEmeus a Mountain of Thrace Ep. 2. Hector the valiantest of all the Trojans Ep. 1. Helena wife to Menelaus Ep. 5. Helespont or the Sea wherein Helle was drowned Ep. 8 7. Hercules begot by Iupiter in three nights on Alcmena in the shape of Amphytrio Ep. 9. Hermione Epist. 8. Hydra a monster whose fruitfull heads would grow as they were lopped off Ep. 9. Hero or a Noble Heroical Lady Ep. 17. Hymen the god of marriage Ep. 2. Hypermnestra Wife to Linus Ep. 14. Hyppolitus was torn in pieces by his
horses Ep. 7. Hypsiphile Queen of Lemnos Ep. 6. I JAson son to Eson Ep. 6. Icareus Penelopes father Icarus 17. Idean or Trojan Ep. 9. Hercules's Mistress Ep. 9. Isâ—hmus a neck of Land joyning two Continents together having the Sea beating on both sides Ep. 4. Iuno Iupiters Queen Ep. 5. L LAcedaemon a City in Greece Ep. 15. Laertes Ep. 1. Laodamia Ep. 13. Leander signifies a Lion-hearted man Ep. 17. Linus husband to Hyperranestra Ep. 14. Lucina the goddess of Child-birth Ep. 5. M MAcareus brother to Canace Ep. 11. Meander a crooked winding River Ep. 7. Medea a sorceress beloved by Iason Ep. 12. Menelaus signifies the envy or scorn of the people he was Helenas husband Ep. 5. Minotaure a monster which by Daedalus Art Pasiphae had by a Bull while Minos was at the Athenian wars hence it was called a Minotauru Ep. 10. N NEctar the drink of the Gods Ep. 15. Neptune the god of the Sea Ep. 2. Nereides Sea Nymphs Ep. 5. Nestor lived three ages Ep. 1. Nylus a River of Egypt Ep. 14. O OEchalia a City Ep. 9. Oenone a Nymph Ep. 5. Orestes son to Agamemnon and Clytemaestra Ep. 8. Orubya beloved of Boreas Ep. 17. P PAllas the goddess of wisedom Ep. 4. Paris son to Priam and Hecuba Ep. 5.15 Pernassus the Muses mountain Ep. 19. Pasiphae a lustful wanton woman Ep. 4. Paâ—roclus signifies the honour of his Father he was son to Menaetius and having put on Achilles Armour was slain in fight by Hector E. 3. Penelope Ulysses wife Ep. 1. Pirithous a faithful friend to Theseâ—s Ep. 4. Phaedra sister to Ariadne daughter to Minos Ep. 4. Phyllis from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leaves or from Phylla signifying in Greek an Almond tree E. 2. Phaon a fair young man E. 21. Pyrrha Deucalions wife Ep. 21. Polyphemus Ep. 1. Sab a Gyant Pygmalion brother to Dido Ep. 7. Protesilaus signifies the chief among the people he landing first on the Trojans ground was slain by Hector Ep. 10. Pylos a City in Messenia where Neleus Nestors Father reigned Ep. 1. Pyrrhus the son of Achilles Ep. 3.8 R RHodope a Mountain of Thrace Ep. 2. S SAppho a wanton witty woman Ep. 27. Scylla a rocky gulf Ep. 12. Sestos a City in Europe Ep. 17. Simoeis a Trojan River Ep. 1.7 Sparta a City of Greece E. 15. Sychâ—us Hercules Priest and Dido's husband Ep. 7. T TAntalus who stood in Hell to the chin in water yet could not drink Ep. 15. Telemachus Ulysses son Ep. 1. Theseus son of AEgeus Ep. 2. Thetis Queen of the Sea E. 19. Tisiphone one of the Furies Ep. 2. Tlepolemus Ep. 1. Tybris a River of Italy Tyresias a Prophet who told Iuno that feminine pleasure exceeded masculine in acts of Venus Ep. 1. Sab. V VLysses a valiant Graecian Ep. 17. Z ZOne or girdle because the brides girdle was untied by the bridegroom on her wedding night Ep. 2. Carmen instar mille blande laudantium In laudem Authoris carmen non desit Amici Hoc opus Anthorem laudat hic Author opus This Author needs not owe any friend For Verses in his praise The Author doth his work commend And his work gives him Bayes OVID'S EPISTLES LIB I. The Argument of the first Epistle WHen the Grecians went with a great Army to Troy to revenge the rape of Helena Vlysses the son of Lâ—â—rtes and Anticlea took such delight in his young wife Penelope that he counterfeited himself mad thereby â—o enjoy her and absent himself from the wars But Palamedes discovering his purpose he was compelled to go with the rest in the Trojan voâ—age VVhere he â—ought many brave combats and after the destruction of Troy which had been ten years besieged intending to return to his own Countrey he took ship with other Grecian Princes but through Minerva's displeasure they were scattered and divided by such a violent tempest that Vlysses wandred ten years more before he returned So that his wife Penelope having lived chastly in his absence and not knowing what hindred his coming home writes this Epistle unto him wherein she perswades him by many reasons to return to his own Country PENELOPE to ULYSSES MY dear Vlysses thy Penelope Doth send this Letter to complain of thee VVho dost so long from me unkindly stay VVrite nothing back but come thy self away For Troy now level with the ground is laid VVhich was envy'd by every Grecian maid Yet neither Troy nor Priams wealth could be â—orth half so much as thy good company O! I could wish that Paris had been drown'd When his ship was to Lacedemon bound Then had not I lain cold in bed alone Nor yet complain'd that time runs slowly on Nor yet to pass away the winters night Had I sat spinning then by candle light Fore-casting in what dangers thou mightst be And such as were not like to trouble thee Thinking on perils more than ever were For love is alwayes full of careful fear The Trojans now thought I do thee assail At Hectors name my cheeks with fear grew pale And when I heard Antilochus was slam By Hector then my fears renew'd again And hearing how that Patroclus clad In Achilles armour such ill fortune had That Hector slew him in that false disguise The sad report drew tears out of mine eyes Or when I of â—Ilepolemâ—s did hear Who with his blood bedew'd Sarpedons spear Tlepolemus death doth then my cares renew And I began straight way to think of you And lastly if I heard abroad by fame That any of the Grecian side were slain My heart for fear of thee was far more cold Than any Ice when such bad news was told But the just Gods to us more kind do prove And more indulgent to our chaster love For stately Troy is unto ashes burn'd But my Vlysses lives though not return'd The Grecian Captains are come home again The Altars do with joyful ncense flame And all the Barbarous spoils which they did take Unto our Country gods they consecrate The love of wives is to their husbands shown By gifts which for their safe returning home Unto the Gods with grateful minds they bâ—â—ng While their husbands songs of Troy's destructâ—on sing Old men and trembling maids do both desire To hear the tale of Troy which they admire And wives do hearken with a kind of joy To their husbands talking of the siege of Troy And some now do upon their table draw The picture of those fierce wars which they saw And with a little wine before pour'd down Can lively paint the model of Troy town Here Simoâ—sâ—loud â—loud here 's the Sigean land And here did Priams lofty Palace stand Here did Achiâ—les pitch his glittering tents And here Vlysses kept his regiments Here in this place did valiant Hector fall Whose body was drag'd round about the wall Of Troy to shew the enemies despite Putting the framing Horses in a fright For whatsoever in those wars was done Old Nestor did relate unto thy son Whom I had
or Vlysses There is a sweeter eloquence in kisses If I incircle thee within mine arms My close embraces are like powerful charms My naked breasts being in thy view laid open Will soon perswade thee though no word be spoken If thou wert like the sea void of compassion My silent tears would move commiseration As thou desirest thy fathers length of dayes Or to see Pyrrbus crown'd with wreaths of Bayes Achillâ—s take thy Briseis once again Have pity on that grief which I sustain If thy love be turn'd to hate yet do not flout me Kill me out-right who cannot live without thee Nay thou dost kill me for my strength doth fade My beauty and fresh colour is decay'd Yet I do hope thou wilt thy Briseis take And this hope makes me live even for thy sake But if my hopes of thee do sail then I To meet my brother and husband will dye Yet when others shall perchance read my sad story To kill a woman will yeild thee no glory Yet let no other kill me thy weapon can Kill me assoon as any other man Let thy sword give me such a wound that I May bleed with pleasure and so bleeding die Let thy sword send me to Elysian rest Which might have wounded Hectors valiant brest But let me live if thou art pleased so Thy love doth ask what thou grant'st to thy foe And rather kill thy Trojan foes than I Express thy valour on thy enemy And whether thou intend'st to go or stay Command me as my Lord to come away The Argument of the fourth Epistle THeseus the son of Aegens having slain the Minotaure brought away by ship Ariadna daughter to Minos and Pasiphae to whom for helping him in killing the Minotaure he had promised marriage and her sister Phâ—dra But admonished by Bacchus he leaves Ariadna in the Isle Naxâ—s or Chios and marries Phaedra who in Theseus absence falls in love with her son in Law Hippolytus Theseus son by Hippolito an Amâ—zon He being a Bachelour and much addicted to hunting she having no opportunity to speak to him discovers he love by this Epistle wherein cunningly wooing and perswading him to love her and lest it might seem dishonesty in a mother to solicit her son in law she begins with an Insinuation PHAEDRA to HIPPOLYTUS PHâ—edra unto Hippolytus sends health Which unless thou giv'st me I must want my self Yet read it for a Letter cannot fright thee There may be something in it may delight thee For these dumb Messengers sent out of hand Do carry secrets both by sea and land The foe will read a letter though it be Sent to him from his utter enemy Thrice I began my mind to thee to break Thrice I grew dumb so that I could not speak There is a kind of modesty in love Which hindereth those that honest suits do move And love hath given command that every lover Should write that which he blusheth to discover Then to contemn loves power it is not safe Who over all the gods dominion hath 'T is dangerous to resist the power of love Who ruleth over all the gods above Love bid me write I followed his direction Who told me that my lines should win affection O! since I love thee may my love again Raise in thy brest another mutual flame That love â—hich hath been a long time delay'd At last grows violent and must be obey'd I feel a fire a fire within my heart And the blind wound of love doth rage and smart As tender Heyfers cannot brook the yoak Nor the wild Colt that is not backt nor broak Endure the bridle so loves yoak I find Is heavy to an unexperienc'd mind When 't is their art and they can easily do it That from their youth have been train'd up unto it She that hath let her time run out at wast Her love is violence when she loves at last The forbidden fruits of love I keep for thee In tasting them let us both guilty be It is some happiness to pluck and cull Fruit from a tree Whose boughs with fruit are full Or from the bush to gather the first Rose I am the tree and bush where loves fruit grows Yet hitherto my fame was never blotted But for white chastity I have been noted And I am glad that I my love have plac'd On one by whom I cannot be disgrac'd Adultery in her is a base fact That with some base fellow doth commit the act But should Iuno grant me her Iupiter In love I would Hippolytus prefer And since I lov'd thee I do now embrace Those sports which thou â—ost love to hunt and chase Wilde savage beasts for I would gladly be A Huntress to enjoy thy company And now like thee no Goddess I do know But chast Diana with her bended bow I love the woods and take delight to set The toyles and chase the Deer into the net And I do take delight to hoop and hollow And cheer the dogs while they the chase do follow To cast a dart I now am cunning grown Sometimes upon the grass I lye along Sometimes for pleasure I a Chariot drive Reyning the horse that with the bridle strive Sometime like those mad Bacchie I do run Who pipe when they to the Idian hill do come Or like those that have seen the horned fawns And Dryads lightly tripping o're the lawns In such a frantick fit they say I am When love tormâ—nts me with his raging flame And this same love of mine perhaps may be By fate entail'd upon one family For it is given to us in love to fall And Venus takes a tribute of us all For first great Iupiter did rarely gull Europa with the false shape of a Bull. My mother Pasiphae in a Cow of wood The leaping of a lustful Bull withstood My sister likewise to false Theseus gave A Clew of silk and so his life did save Who through the winding labyrinth was led By the direction of this slender thred And now like Mino's stock even I Love as the rest did in extremity It fortunes that our love thus cross should be Thy father lov'd my sister I love thee Thus Theseus and Hippolytus his son Do glory that their love hath overcome Two sisters but I would we had remain'd At home when we came to thy fathers land For then especially thy presence mov'd me And from that time I ever since have lov'd thee My eye convey'd unto my heart delight To like of thee for thou wert cloth'd in white A flowry garland did thy soft hair crown And thy complexion was a lovely brown Which some for a stern visage had misâ—ook But Phaedra thought thou hadst a manly look For young-men should not be like women drest A careless dressing doth become them best Thy steâ—nness and loose flowing of thy hair And dusty countenance most graceful were While thy curveting Steed did bound and fling I admir'd to see thee ride him in the ring If with thy strong arm thou didst toss the pike
shouldst marry some young Grecian Maid I fear'd the Grecian Maids but thou hast brought A barbarous Harlot of whom I ne're thought She cannot please thee with her beauteous look VVith her charms and skill in herbs thou art took For from the Sphear she can call down the Moon And hide in clouds the Horses of the Sun She can make Rivers stay their hasâ—y course And make green woods and stones remove by force Unto the graves with loosen'd hair she comes And out of the warm ashes gathers bones VVhen she would bewitch another she doth â—rame In wax his pâ—cture and t' increase his pain In the heart of it small needles doth stick VVhich maketh his own heart to ake and prick And by her cursed charms she can force love VVhich beauty and fair vertue ought to move How canst thou then embrace her with delight Or sleep securely by her in the night But as she did with charms the Dragon quell And Bulls so she hath charm'd thee with a Spell Besides of glory she will have a share Out of those deeds by thee performed were And some of Pelias side will think each deed Of thine did from the force of charms proceed And that though Iason sailed unto Greece Medea brought away the golden Fleece Thy father and thy mother both are wroth That thou shouldst bring a wife out of the North. A husband for her may at home be found Or else where Tanais doth Scythia bound But Iason is more fickle than the wind And in his words no constancy I find As thou went'st forth why didst not come again Coming and going I thy wife remain If Nobility of birth can thee content King Thoas is my father by descent Bacchus my Uncle is whose wifes crown shines VVith stars enlightning all the lesser signes And faithful Lemnos shall my Dowry be VVhich thou might'st have if that thou would'st have me Iason for my delivery may be glad Of that sweet burthen which by him I had For Lucina unto me so kind hath been That I two children unto thee did bring They are most like to thee in outward show Yet they their fathers falshood do not know These young Embassadours I to thee had sâ—nt But their step mother hâ—ndered my intent I feared fierce Medea whose hands be Ready to act all kind of villany She that her brothers limbs could piece-meal tear Would she have pity on my children dear And yet her charms have madly blinded thee To prefer her before Hypsiphile She was an adultress when first she knew thee I by chast marriage was given to thee She betray'd her father I sav'd mine from death She forsook Colchos but me Lemnos hath And though her dowry be her wickedness From me she got my Husband nevertheless Iason I blame the Lemnian womens act Yet wronged sorrow thrust us on each fact Tell me suppose câ—oss winds by chance had droven Thee and thy company into my Haven If with my children I had come to meet thee With curses might not I most justly greet thee How couldst thou look upon my babes or me What death deserv'st thou for thy treachery To preserve thee it had my mercy been And sure I had though thou unworthy seem And with the harlots blood I would not fail To fill my cheeks which her charms have made pale Medea to Medea I would be And furiously revenge my injury If great Iupiter will my prayer receive Like to Hypsiphile so may she grieve And since she like a Succubus me wrongs May she know what unto my grief belongs And as I am of my husband bereft May she be a widow with two children left As to her bâ—other and her father she Was cruell may she to her husband be And may she wander o're earth sea and ayre A hatred murdress hopeless poor and bare Having lost my Husband thus I pray beside May he live accursed with his wicked Bride The Argument of the seventh Epistle AFter the destruction of Troy Aeneas the son of Anchises and Venus taking his Penates or houshold gods with him goes to sea with twenty ships Through tempestuous weather at sea he is driven to Lybia where Dido as Virgil hath fained Daughter to Belus and wife to Sichaus Hercules Priest leaving Tyre for the cruel avarice of her brother Pigmalion who had unawares kill'd her husband for his wealth and built the new City Carthage she most magnificently entertained Aeneas and his companions loved him and enjoyed him but when Mercury admonisht him to depart for Italy which country the Oracle had promised him Dido having in vain endeavoured by entreaty to divert him from his purpose and stay his journey being sick to death writes unto him accusing him as the cause of her death DIDO to AENEAS AS the Swan by Maeanders fords doth lie In the moist weeds and sings before she die So I not hoping to perswade thy stay Since one that will not hear me I do pray Having lost my credit and virginity To lose a few words a small loss will be For thy poor Dido thou mean'st to forsake And unto sea wilt a new voyage make Aeneas thou wilt needs depart from me To finde strange Kingdoms out in Italy Thou car'st not for new Carthage or my Land Whose Scepter I have given into thy hand Thou shun'st my Country which might be thy own And seek'st a Country unto thee unknown Which if thou findest out thou canst not gain For who will suffer a stranger to raign Thou seekest another Dido whom in love Thou may'st deceive and false unto her prove Or when like unto Carthage canst thou build A City that doth store of people yeild If all things happen to thee prosperously Where wilt thou find so kind a wife as I Like a wax taper I burn with desire Or like sweet incense in the funeral fire And still I wish Aeneas would but stay Aeneas I do think on night and day He careless of my love and gifts doth seem Had I been wise I had not car'd for him Yet I cannot hate Aeneas although he Doth plot some unkind dealing against me Of thy unfaithfulness I do complain Having complain'd I love thee more again Spare me O Venus since thou art his mother Help me O Cupid since thou art his brother Soften his heart that he may milder prove And be a souldier in the tents of love And since to love him I think it no shame O may he love me with a mutual flame Thou art some false Aeneas I do find Thou do'st not bear thy mothers gentle mind Stones Rocks and Oakes are hard like to thy brest More merciless than any salvage beast Or than the seas which winds do now incense Yet with contrary winds thou wouldest go hence Winter to stay thy journey hence assayes Look how the Eastern winds the waves do raise Then to the winds let me beholding be Though for thy stay I had rather owe to thee But I see rugged seas and blustring wind More just
is my intent If to be cruel to me thou art bent For I do wish thou couldst behold or see In what sad posture I do write to thee One hand to write unto thee doth afford The other hand doth hold thy Trojan sword And down my cheeks the trickling tears do slide On the sword which shal with my blood be dy'd It was thy fatal gift and it may be To send me to my grave thou gav'st it me And though this first do wound my outward part Yet cruel love long since did wound my heart O sister Anna thou that counselld'st me To yeeld to love shalt now my funeral see On th'urne to which my ashes they commit Elisa wife to Sichaeus shall be writ And these two verses shall engraven be Upon the marble that doth cover me Aeneas did to me my death afford For Dido kill'd her self with his own sword The Argument of the eighth Epistle HErmionâ— the daughter of Mâ—nelaus and Helena was by Tyndarus her Grandfather by the mothers side to whom Menelaus had committed the government of his house while he went to Troy betroathed to Oristes the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra Her fathâ—r Menelaus not knowing thereof had betroathed her to Pyrrhus the son of Achilles who at last returned from the Trojan wars stole away Hermione But she haâ—ing Pyrrhus and loving Orestes admonishes him by this Letter that she might be easily taken from Pyrrhus and she obtained her desire For Orestes being freed from his madness for murdering Aegysthus and his mother he slew Pyrrhus in Apollo's Temple and took her again HERMIONE to ORESTES HErmione writes to him that was of late Her husband now anothers wife by fate Pyrrhus Achilles stout son takes delight To keep me from thee against law and right I did strive with him but my force did fail A womans strength could not 'gainst him prevail Pyrrhus quoth I what dost thou do ere long My Lord on thee will surely revenge this wrong But of Orestes name he would not hear But drag'd me home even by my loosen'd hair Should the barbarous foe Lacedemon take He could but thus of me a captive make And conquering Greece us'd not Andromache When they set fire of Troy as he us'd me But Orestes if th' art toucht with this despight Then fetch me back again I am thy right To fetch thy stollen cattel thou wilt go Why then to fetch thy wife art thou so slow By thy father why dost not example take VVho by a just war did his wife fetch back Had he led in his Court an idle life Thy mother then had been young Paris wife If thou do come thou needst not to provide A fleet or store of Souldiers beside Yet so I might be fetched back again A husband for his wife may war maintain And Atreus was Uncle unto either So that thou art my husband and my brother O! husband then and brother help thou me For these two names implore some help of thee My grand-father Tyndarus grave in his life Deliver'd me unto thee as thy wife My father unto Pyrrhus promis'd me But my grand-father would dispose of me When I marry'd thee I did to none belong If Pyrrhus marry me he doth thee wrong My father will let us love and enjoy For he was wounded by the winged boy And will permit us to love one another In the like sort as he did love my mother As he my mothers husband was thou art My husband Pyrrhus playeth Paris part Though he boast deeds were by his father done Thy father by his actions fame hath won Achilles did for a common souldier stand But Agamemnon Captains did command Pelops and his father thy Ancestors were Thou art but five descents from Iupiter Nor didst thou courage want though thou didst kill Thy father and his precious blood didst spill Would thy valour had been happilier employ'd Though he were unwillingly by thee destroy'd For thou Aegystus kill'dst unluckily And didst fulfill thy hapless fate thereby When Achilles urgeth this one fault of thine And before me doth make it a great crime My blushing colour and my heart doth rise And my old love revives and glowing lies Within my brest if that Orestes be By any one accused to Hermione For then I have no strength in any part As if a sword were thrust into my heart I weep and then my tears my anger show Which like two Rivers down my bosome flow Plenty of tears I only have which rise Wetting my cheeks from the springs of my eyes And this sad fate which happens unto me Hath been the fortune of our family I need not tell how Iupiter became To deceive us a fair and milk-white Swan Hoâ— Hippodamia in a strangers Chariot Over the Hellespont was swiftly carried My mother Hellen in Paris took delight For whom the Grecians ten whole years did fight My Grandfather my Sister and each brother Began to weep for the loss of my mother And Leda did her earnest prayers prefer Unto the gods and to her Iupiter While I did tear my hair and to her cry'd Mother must I without you here abide And lest that I should not be thought to be Of Peleus most unhappy progeny My mother being with Paris gone away I unto Pyrrhus was soon made a prey If Achilles had escap'd Apollo's bow He would have then condemn'd his son I know He knew by Briseâ— loss which he could not brook That from their husbands wives should not be took Why are the gods thus cruel unto me What sad star rul'd at my Nativity For in my younger years I was berest Of my mother and was of my father left Who went unto the wars yet ne'retheless Although they liv'd yet I was Parentless Nor could delight my mother as you see Children will do with stammering flattery Nor round about her neck my weak armes clap While she would fondly set me on her lap Nor did she teach me how to dress my head Nor did she bring me to my marriage bed For when she did return truth I le not smother I did not know her then to be my mother I knew that she was Helen by her beauty She knew not me when as I did my duty 'Mongst all these miseries I most happy am That Orestes for my husband I did gain Yet he alas shall from me taken be Unless he do fight for himself and me Pyrrhus hath took me and doth me enjoy This is all I got by the fall of Troy Yet while the Sun with his bright rayes doth shine My sorrows are more gentle all that time But when at night with grief I go to bed And on my pillow rest my weary head The tears when I should entertain soft sleep Spring in my eyes and I begin to weep And from my husbands side as far off lye As if he were to me an enemy Sometimes through grief forgetting where I am I have toucht some part of Pyrrhus and again I have pluckt back my hand for I
with his childrens wickedness commanded the innocent infant to be cast forth unto Doggesâ— and by one of his guard sent a sword to Canace as a silent remembrance of her desert wherewith she killed her self Yet before her death she declares by this Epistle to Macareus who was fled into the Temple of Apollo her own misfortune entreating him to gather up the childes bones and lay them with hers in the same Urne or funeral Pitcher CANACE to MACAREUS IF blotted Letters may be understood Receive this Letter blotted with my blood My right hand holds a pen my left a sword My pâ—per lyes before me on the boord Thus Canace doth to her brother write This posture yields my father much delight Who I do wish would a spectator be As he is Author of my Tragedy Who fiercer then winds blowing from the East With dry cheeks would behold my wounded breast For since to rule the winds he hath commission He 's of his subjects cruel disposition Over the Northern and South winds he reignes The wings of th' East and West winds he restrains And yet although the winds he doth command His sudden anger he cannot withstand The Kingdom of the winds he can restrain But over his own vices cannot raign For what although my Ancestors have been Unto the gods and Iupiter akin Now in my fearful hand I hold a sword That fatal gift which must my death afford O Macarâ—us would that I had dy'd Before we were in close embraces ty'd More then a sister ought I did affect thee More then a brother ought thou didst respect me For I did feel how Cupid with his dart Of whom I oft had heard did wound my heart My colour straightway did wax green and pale My stomack to my meat began to fail I could not sleep the night did seem a year I often sigh'd when no body did hear Yet why I sighed I no cause could shew I lov'd and yet what love was did not know My old Nurse found out how my pulse did move And she first told me that I was in love But when I blushed with a down-cast look Which silent signes she for confession took But now the burthen of my swelling womb Grew heavy being to full ripeness come What herbs and medicines did not she and I Use to enforce abortive delivery Conceal'd from thee Yet Art could not prevail The quickned child grew strong our Art did fail And now nine Moons were fully gone and past The tenth in her bright Chariot made great hast I know not whence my sudden gripes did grow Nor what pains belong'd to childbirth did know I cry'd out but my Nurse my words did stay And stopt my mouth as I there crying lay What shall I do gripes force me to complain But my Nurse and fear of crying-out restrain So that I did suppress my groans and cryes And drunk the tears that flow'd down from my eyes While thus Lucina did deny her aid Fearing my fault in death should be betray'd Thou by my side most lovingly didst lye Tearing thy hair to see my misery And with kind words thy sister thou didst cherish Praying that two might not at one time perish And thou didst put me still in hope of life Saying dear sister thou shalt be my wife These words reviv'd me when I was half dead So that I presently was brought to bed Thou didst rejoyce but fear did me afright To hide it from my father Aeolus sight The careful Nurse the new born childe did hide In Olive boughs with swadling vine leaves ty'd And so a solemn sacrifice did fain The people and my father believ'd the same Being near the gate the child that straight did cry To his grandfather was betray'd thereby Aeolus tearing forth the child discries Their cunning and pretended sacrifice As the sea trembles when light winds do blow Or as an Aspen leaf shakes to and fro Even so my pale and trembling limbs did make The bed whereon I lay begin to shake He comes to me my fault he doth proclaim And he could scarce from striking me contain I could do nothing else but blush and weep My tongue ty'd up with fear did silent keep He commanded my sâ—n should be straightway Cast forth and made to beasts and birds a prey And then it cry'd so that you would have thought His crying had his Grandfather besought To pity him what grief it was to me Dear brother you may guess when I did see When â— saw my châ—lde caâ—ried to the Wood To feed the mountain Wolves that live by blood When thus my child unto the woods was sent My father out of my bed-chamber went Then I did beat my tender breast at last And tore my cheeks his sentence being past When straightway one of my Fathers Guard came in And with a sad look did this message bring Aeolus sends this sword and doth desire Thee use it as thy merit doth require His will quoth I be done I 'le use his sword My Fathers gift shall my sad death afford O Father shall this sword the portion be And dowry which you mean to give to me O Hymen put out thy deceived light And nimbly now betake thy self to fight Ye Furies bring your smoaky Torches all To light the wood at my sad funeral O sisters may you far more happ'ly marry Than I that by my own fault did miscarry Yet what could be my new-born babes offence Which might his Grandfather so much incense Of death alas he could not worthy be For my offence he 's punished for me O Son thou breed'st thy mother much annoy No sooner bred but beasts do thee destroy O Son the pledge of my unhappy love One day thy day of birth and death doth prove I had not time t'imbalme thee with my tears Nor in thy funeral fire to throw thy hairs To give thee one cold kiss I had no power For the wild greedy beasts did thee devoure But I sweet child will straightway die with thee I will not long a childless Parent be And thou O brother since it is in vain For me to hope to see thee once again Gather the small remainder which the wild And salvage beast have left of thy young child And with his mothers bones let them have room Within one â—â—ne or in one narrow Tomb. Weep at my funeral who can reprove thee For shewing love to her that once did love thee And here at last I do entreat thee still To perform thy unhappy sisters will For I will kill my self without delay And so my fathers hard command obey The Argument of the twelfth Epistle JAson being a lusly comely young man assoon as he arrived at Colchos Medea the Daughter of Aeta King of Colchos and Hecate fancied and entertained him and upon promise of marriage instructed him how he should obtain the beauty he desired Having gotten the golden Fleece he fled away with Medea Her father Aeta pursuing after them she tears in pieces her brother
thou art guilty of my wickednesse Thou that didst cause my fault wilt me upbraid O may I fiâ—st into my gâ—ave be laid But I shall have Troys wealth go rich and brave And more then thou canst promise I shall have Tissue and Cloth of gold they shall present me And store of gold shall for a gift be sent me yet pardon me those gifts cannot inflame me I know not how thy Land would entertain me If in the Trojan Land I should wrong'd be How could my brother or father help me False Jason with fair promiâ—es beguild Medâ—a Who afterward exil'd Her Father Eetes was not there to whom When she was scorn'd by Jaâ—on she might come Nor her Mother Ipsea to whom she Might return nor her sister Chalâ—ioâ—e I fear not this was not Meâ—ea afraid For those who mean best soonest are beâ—rai'd Ships in the harbour do in safety ride But are tost at Sea and do storms abiâ—e And that same fire-brand too affrighteth me Of which thy mother dremt and thought that she Had been deliverâ—d and besides too I Do fear Cassâ—ndra's dismall prophesie Who did foretell as truth did her inspire The Greekes should wast the City Tâ—oy with fire And besides as faire Venus favours thee Because thy judgment gave her the victory I fear the other goddesses do grudge At thee because thou did'st against them judge And I do know that wars may follow after Our fatall love shall be reveng'd with slaughter Yet to allow her praise I am content Why should I question that which she hath meant yet for my â—ow belief be not thou griev'd For such good matters hardly are beleiv'd First I am glad that Venâ—s did regard me Secondly that with me she did reward thee And that Helen when you of her beauty heard Was before Pallas and Iuno's gifts preferr'd Am I both Wisdom and Kingdom to thee Sâ—nce thou â—ov'st me should I no kindnesse shew thee Iâ—me not so cruell yet cannot incline To love him who I fear cannot be mine For suppose I to Sea would go with thee To steal hence I have no opportunity In love's thefâ—s I am ignorant and rude Heavens knows my husband I did ne're delude And in a Letter thus my mind to shew Is a task I before did never do They are happy that do use it every day To offend it is hard to fâ—nd the way A kind of painfull fear restraineth me And how they look on us me-thinks I see Of the grumbling people I am much affraid For Aethra told me long since what they said But take no notice nor dost thou desist I know you can diâ—emble if you list Then sport and spare not but let us be wary And if not chast let us at least be câ—ary For though that Menelaus absent be I must diâ—creetly use my liberty For though he is on earnest businesse gone And for this journey had occasion I took occasion thus my love to show Make hast to return Sweet heart if you go And he straightway to recompence my wish Of his return gave me a joyful kisse Charging me that my care should be exprest In looking to his house and Trojâ—n guest I smil'd and to him could say naught at all I striv'd to refrain laughing with I shall So with a prosperious wind he sail'd to Câ—eet Yet to do what thou dost list is not meet I 'me kept in his absence with guard most strong Do'st thou not know the hands of Kings are long Besides thou wrong'st us both in praising me For when he hears it he will jealous be The fame of beauty maketh me suspected I would I had the same of it negleâ—â—ed Though to leave us together he thought fit To my own keeping he did me commit He knew there could no better guardian be To keep me chast than my own honesty He fear'd my beauty but my chastity Did take away that idle jealousie To make use of time thou advisest me Since his absence gives opportunity I must confess I have a good mind to it But am yet unresolv'd and fear to do it Beâ—ides you know my husband is from home And you without a wife do lie alone The nights are long and while we sit together In one house we may talk unto each other And woe is me when we are both alone I know thou hast a fair alluring tongue Thus every circumstance seemes to invite me And nothing but a bashfull fear doth fright me Since perswasions do no good leave that course And make me leave this bashfullnesse by force Such force would seem a welcome injury And I would fain be thus compell'd by thee yet let me rather my new love restrain A liâ—tle watâ—r quencâ—es a young flame Did not â—he stout inhabitants of Thessalia Fâ—ght with the Centaures for Hippodâ—mia And dost thou not think Menelaus hath And Tyndarus as violent a wrath A though of valour thou do'st boast to me Thy words and amorous face doth not agree Thou art not fit for Mâ—rs nor for the field But for Vâ—nus combats which do pleasures yeild Let valient hardy men of wars approve But Paris follow thou the wars of love Let Hector fight for thee whom thou dost praâ—se The gentle wars of love shall give thee bayes And in these wars 't is wisdom for to fight And any Maid that 's wise will take delight Not upon idle points of modesty â—â—and I may perhaps in time give thee my hand But it is your desire that you and I Should meet I know what you do mean thereby Thus far this guilty Letter hath reveal'd A piece of my mind the rest is conceal'd By Clymena and Aethra we may further Make known our minds more fully to each other For these two Maidens in such matters be Companions and Counsellers to me The Aâ—gument of the sevâ—nteâ—nth Epistle THe Sea of Hellespont being seven furlongs over and as Pliâ—y witnesseth dividing Europe from Asia had on the one side Sectos in Europe where Hero lived and Abydoâ— in Asia where Lâ—andâ—r dwelled being two opposite Cities Leander of Abâ—doâ— being deeply in love with Hero of Seâ—tos did use to swim by night unto her over the Hellespont but being hindred by the tempestuous roughnesse of the Sea after seven dayes were past he sent this Letter to his sweet heart Hero by an adventerous ship mastâ—r that put â—ortâ— to Sea in the storm Wherein he sheweth first that his love is firm and constant Afterward he complaineth that the roughnesse of the Sea should hinder him from swiming to her Lastly he promiseth her that he will â—â—â—tâ—re to come and expose himself to the dangers of the Sea rather than to want the sight of her or hâ—â— sweet company Whence Mâ—rtial thus of him signifieth Câ—m 〈…〉 aâ—daâ— Leander amoreâ— Et fissus tumidujam premeretur aquiâ— Sie miser Instantes affatus dicitar â—ndas Parcite dum propero mâ—rgâ—â—e dum recto While boâ—â— Leander to his Sweet heart 〈◊〉 And swelling waves did beat his weary
limbs To the billowes that beats him so 'T is said that thus he â—pake Spare me while I to Hero go Drown me where I come back LEANDER to HERO THy love Leander wisheth thee all heaâ—th Hero which I had rather being my self For if the rough Seas had more calmer been From Abydos to Sestos I would swim 〈◊〉 the fates smile upon our love then I Do know thou wilt read my lines willingly This paper-messenger may welcome be 〈◊〉 thou had'st rather have my company But the fates frown and will not suffer me As I was us'd to swim unto thee The skie is black the seas are rough alas â—o that no ship or Barke from home dare passe 〈◊〉 one bold Ship-master went from our Haven To whom this present Letter I have given And had come with him but the â—â—ydiâ—us stay'd Upon their watch-towers while the Anchor way'd For presently they would have me descri'd And discern'd our love which we seek to hide Forth with this Letter I did write and so I said unto it happy Letter go This is thy happiness thou must understand That Hâ—ro shall receive thee with her hand And perhaps thou shalt kisse her rosy lips While with her teeth the Seal she open rips Having spoken these words then my right hand after Did write these words upon this silent Paper But I do wish that my right hand might be Not us'd in writing but to swim to thee It is more fit to swim yet I can write My mind with ease and happily indite Seven nights are past which seem to me a year Since first the Seas with stormes inraged were These nights seem'd long to me I could not sleep To think the Sea should stil his roughnesse keep Those Torches which on thy Tower burning be I saw or else I thought that I did see Thricâ—e I put off my cloaths and did begin Three times to make tryal if I could swim But swelling seas did my desire oppose Whose rising billowes o're my face o'rt flowes But Borâ—as who art the fiercest wind Why thus to crosse me doâ—st thou bend thy mind Thou dost not storm against the Seas but me Hadst thou not been in love what woulst thou be Though thou art cold yeâ— once thou dâ—d'st approve Oriâ—â—â— who did warm thy heart with love And would'st â—ave vexed if with Orithya fair Thy passage had been hindred through the air O spare me then and calm thy blustring wind Even so mayâ—t thou from Aroâ—us favour find But I perceive he murmers at my prayer And still the seas are rough and stormy are I wish that Daedalus would give wâ—ngs to mâ— Thâ—ough the Icarâ—â—n seas not far off be Where Icaruâ— did fall when he did proffer To fly too high let me the same chance suffer While flying hrough the air to thee I come As through the waâ—er I have often swom But since both wind and seas deny to me My passage think how I fiâ—â—t came to thee It was at â—hat time when night doth begin Th' remembrance of past pleasures pleasure bring When I who was Amans which we translate A Lover stole out of my Fathers Gate And having put off all my cloaths straightway My arms through the moiâ—â— seas cut their way The Moon did yeild a glimmering light to me Which all the way did bear me company I looking on her said some â—avour have Towards me and think upon the Latmian Cave O favour me for thy Endâ—mâ—â—ns sake Prosper this stollen journey which I take A mortals love made thee come from thy Spheare And she I love is like a goddess fair For none unlesse that she a goddess be Can be so vertuous and so fair as she Nay none but Venus or thy self can be So fair view her if you 'l not credit me For as thy silver beams do shin more brâ—ght Than lesser streams which yeild a dimmer light Even so of all fair ones she is rarest And Cynthia cannot doubt but she 's the fairest When I thâ—se words or else the like had said My passage through the Sea by night I made The Moonâ— bright beams were in tâ—e water seen And 't was as light as if it day had been No noise nor voice unto my ears did come But the murmurâ— of the water when I swom Only the Aâ—cyons for lov'd â—eyx sake Seemed by night a sweet complaint to make But when my Arms to grow tyr'd did Begin Vnto the top of the waves I did spring But when I saw thy Torch O then quoth I Where that fire blazeth my fair love doth lye For that same shore said I doth her contain Who is my goddesse my fire and my flame These words to my Arms did such strength restore Me thought the Sea grew caâ—mer then before The coldnesse of the waves I seem'd to scorn For love did keep my amorous heart still warm The neerer I came to the shore I find The greater courage and moâ—e strength of mind But when I could by thee discern'd be Thou gav'st me courage by looking on me Tâ—en to please thee my Mistriss I begin To spread my arms abroad and strongly swim Thy Nurse from leapâ—ng down could scarce stay thee This without flattery I did also see And though she did restrain thee thou didst come Down to the shoâ—e and to the wavâ—s didst run And to imbrace and kisse me didst begin â—he gods to get such kisses sure would swim And thy own garments thou wouldst put on me Drying my hair which had been wet at Sea What past besides the Tower and we do know And Torch which through the sea my way did show The joyes of that night we no more can count Then dâ—ops of water in the Hellespont And because we had so little time for pleasure We us'd our time and did not wast our leasure But when Aurora rose from Tiâ—bons bed And the morning star shew'd his glistering head Thâ—n we did kisse in hast and kisse again And that the night was past we did complain When thy Nurse did me of the â—ime inâ—oâ—m Then from thy Tower I to the shore return With tears we parted and then I beg'n Back through the Hellespont again to â—wim And while I swom I shouâ—d look back on thee As far as I could the sweet Hero see And if you will believe me when I do come Hither unto thee then me thought I swom But when from thee again I returnâ—d back I seem'd like one that had suffer'd ship wrack To my home I went unwillingly again My City 'gainst my will doth me contain Alas why should we be by seas disjoyn'd Since that love hath united us in mind Since we bear such affection to each other Why should not we in one land dwell together In Sestâ—s or Abydos dwell with me Tâ—y countrey pleaseth mee as mine doth thee VVhy should the rough seas thus perplex our minds VVhy should we be parted by cruel winds The Dolphins with our love acquainted grow The fish by often swiming doth
joy and love is coming now Or think'st thou that his friends watch him that he Is hindred so from coming unto me Dost thou 〈◊〉 think that he even now begins To put off his cloaths and annoint his limbs yes sayes my old Nurâ—e who did strive to keep Time with her head while she did nodding sleep And senselesse of all love car'd not though I Did want thy kisses and sweet company Then I should say to her a little after Now I do think â—e's in swiming through the water And having drawn my threed forth I would say Now I do think he is in the middle way Then I look'd forth and feaâ—fully dâ—d pray The w'nd would favour thee upon the way Sometimes I listned unto every voice Thinking thou wert come if I heard a noise Thus I would spend most of the night till sleep Upon my weary eyes by stealth did creep And sometimes thou sleep'st with me in my dreâ—m And art come though â—o come thou dost not mâ—an And now methinks that in my dream I see Thee swmming now thou art imbracing me And now to cloath thy wet limbes I do strive And in my warm bosome do thee revive And other things I dream of which must be Concealed at this time for modesty For that which in the doing pâ—eas'd us well yet being done it is a shâ—me to tell But woe is me these pleasures are soon done For when thy dream doth vanish thou are gone O let us at the length more firmly meet That our joyes may be real and moâ—e sweet VVhy have I lain so many nights from thee And why doâ—â— thou delay to swim to me Though the Seas yet for swiming unfit are yet yester night the winds more calmer were And why didst thou then fear to come to me VVhy didst not use that opporâ—unity Though you have another season yet at least Because this was the first this was the best The ficle sea doth quickly change her face But thou canst swim it in a little space And suppose winds and storms should keep thee here VVhile I imbrace thee thou needst nothing fear Then I would have the winds blow high enough And I would pray the seas might still be rough But why dost thou the winds and Seas now fear VVhich formerly by thee despised were For I remember thou didst swim to me VVhen the Seas were as rough as now they be VVhen I did wish thee not so rash to be Lest thy rashness should make me weep â—or thee But where is all thy courage now become Who through the Hellespont hast often swom Yet do not thou such rash adventures make But when the sea is calm thy journey take If thou dost love me still as thou dost write And that our flame of love burns clear and bright I fear not winds so much that crosse my mind As that thy love should prove sicle as wind Or that thou think'st me unworthy to enter Such dangers and for my sake to adventure And sometimes I am very much afraid Lest thou of Abydos scorn'st a Sestâ—n maid But it would gâ—â—eve me more then all the rest If thou shouldst love another Sweet-heart best Or if some Harlots armes should thee Embrace While that her new love doth the old displace O may I dye before that I do see My self in such a manner wrong'd by thee yet do I not write this becauâ—e that I From thee or fame have cause of jealousie yet still I fear who can securely love For absence doth often suspition move Those lovers are happy that present are And know when to be Jealous when not to fear We vainly fear and slight true injuries And nourish in our breast fond jealousies O would st thou come or else would I might find No woman hinders thee but the fierce wind Which when I know believe me I shall die VVith griâ—f to think upon thy injury For if that thou hâ—dst a desire to send Me to my grave thou might'st before offend But thou wilt not offend my fears are vain I know the winters stormes do thee detain VVoe's me the billowes do go rough and high And obscure clouds do darken all the sky Or Helles Mother makes the sea waves weep While they her Daughters obsequies do keep Or Iunâ— her step motâ—er now doth please Chang'd to a goddesse â—huâ— to vex the seas This â—ea unto young maids uâ—kind doth prove It drowned Hellâ— and doth câ—osse my love If Neptune his own love had call d to mind Our love had not been câ—ost so by the wnd It is no fable that thou didst approve Of fair Amyâ—nons and her didst love Alcyone and Ceyce th Sweet hearts were And Mâ—dusa before she had snaky hair Laodice and Celaeno Plejades And many I have read of besides these O Nâ—ptunâ— thou these Sweet-hearts had'st in store As Poets do report and many more Since thou so oft the forcâ— of love didst prove Why still from commâ—ng dost thou stay my love Spare us let stormes rage in the Ocean wide The Sea dotâ— two parts of the world divide For thee to tosse great ships it is most meet Or express thy rage in scattering a Fleet. To distuâ—b these seas can no glory be Or to hinder a young man would swim to me For know Leandeâ— nobly is descended Not from Vlysses ill of thee befriended Preserve us both for while that he doth swim He 's in the water but my life 's in him But now my candle by whose watchful light As it stood by me I these lines did write began to sparkle at that very time Which he did take to be a happy signe And my Nurse put wine to it to maintain The Lampâ— and cherish the reviving flame Sayes she here will be strangers I do think To morrow and with these words she doth drink Leander come and let our number be Increas'd for I do love thy company Leander unto thy own love return For why should I still lye alone and mourn Thou hast no cause thus fearfull still to be Venus will calm the sea and favour thee Sometimes to wade through the sea I begin But this sea hath to women fatall bin For Iason over it in safety came But a woman give to these seas their name If thou fear'st thou should'st want strength to performe This double labour to come and return Let us in the midst of the sea both meet And with a kisse each other kindly greet Then to our Cityes both return again This would some comfort be though it were vain I would that we had no regard of Fame Which makes us love in secret nor of shame For love and fearfullnesse do ill agree That perswades to pleasure this to modesty When that young Iason did to Colchos come He bore away Medea with him soon Soon as Paâ—is to Lacedemon came He straight returned with his prey again Thou com'st to me but leavest me behind And swim'st when ships can scarce a passage find But my Leanâ—er have a care