adulterye Haue wedlocke hurt LY. What is to Ioue to king is leefull thyng To Ioue thou gau'ste a wyfe thou shalt nowe geue one to a kyng And euen of thee shee shall it learne to bee a thing not newe Her husband euen approuing it the better man t' ensewe But if shee stubberne to be matcht with me deny it still Then euen by force a noble childe of her beget I will Meg. O Creons ghosts and all yee Gods of th house of Labdacus And wedding forches blasing bryght of wicked Oedipus To this my wedding geue yee nowe our wonted destenyes Now now yee bloudy daughters all of Aegypts king likewyse Bee here whose hands defyled are with so much bloud out spilt One daughter lacks of Danaus I wyll fyll vp the gylt Ly. Because that stubburnely thou do'st refuse my wedding so And fear'ste a king thou shalt know what the Scepters now may do Embrace thyne aulters yet no God shall euer take away Thee from my hands no not although with world vpturned may Alcides victor yet agayne to Gods aboue returne The woods on heapes together cast let all their temples burne Euen throwne vpon theyr heads his wyfe and all his flocke at laste With vnderlayed fyre let one wood pyle consume and waste AM. This only bowne I father of Alcides aske of thee Which well may me beseeme to craue that I fryst slayne may hes LY. Who all appoyncts with present death to haue their punishment He tyrunt wot not how to be more sundry greeues inuent Restrayne the wretched man from death commaunde that th' happy dye I while with beames prepar'de to burne the pyle encreaseth hye Will him with vowing sacrifyce that rules the seas entreate AM. Oh chiefest powre of Gods and oh of heauenly things so great The guyde and parent eke with whose throwne thunderbolts do shake All things humane throughout the world of king so cruell slake The wicked hande but why do I to Gods in vayne thus cry Where euer thou be heare me soone why start so sodaynely The temples thus with moouing shakte Why roareth out the graūd The noyse of Hell from bottome deepe byneathe hath made a sound Wee herde are loe it is the sound of Hercules his pace Chorus O Fortune hating men of stoutest brest How ill rewards dost thou to good deuyde Eurystheus raynes at home in easy rest Alcmendes sonne in euery battayle tryde To Monsters turnes hys hande that Skyes dyd stay And cruell Neckes cuts of of hydous Snake And Apples brynges from Systers mokt away When once to sleepe hys watchefull Eyes beetake Dyd Dragon set ryche fruicte to ouersee Hee past the Scythian bowres that straye abroade And those that in their countreys straungers bee And hardned top of frosen freate hee troade And sylent Sea with bankes full dumme about The Waters hard want there their floudes to sloe And there before the Shyps full Sayles spred out Is worne a pathe for Sarmates wylde to goe The Sea doth stande to mooue in course agayne Nowe apt to beare the Ship nowe horsemen bolde The Queene that there doth ouer Wydowes rayne That gyrds her Wombe wyth gyrth of glittring gold Her noble spoyle from body drawne hath shee And shyelde and bandes of breast as whyte as snowe Acknowledging the Conquerour with Knee Wyth what hope drawne to headlong Hell alowe So bolde to passe the vnreturned wayes Saw'ste thou Proserpines rayne of Sicylye Wyth Southern wynde or Western there no seas Aryse wyth waue and swellinge Surges hye Not there of Tyndars stocke the double broode Two starres the fearefull Shyps doe ayde and guide Wyth gulph full blacke doth stande the slouthfull floode And when pale death with greedy teeth so wyde Vnnumbred Nations hath sent downe to sprightes Wyth one Boateman all ouer feryed bee God graunt thou maist of Hell subdue the rightes And vnreuoked webs of Systers three There kyng of many people raygneth hee Who when thou did'st wyth Nestors Pylos fight Pestiferous handes applide to matche with thee And weapon bare with triple mace of might And prickt with litle wounde he fled away And lorde of death hymselfe did feare to dye Breake Fate by force and let the sight of day To sorry sprightes of Hell apparant lye And porche vnpast shew way to Gods aboue The cruell lordes of sprightes wyth pleasaunt song And humble bowne full well could Orpheus moue Whyle he Eurydicen them craues among The Arte that drew Woods Byrds and stones at will Which made delay to Floudes of flitting flight At sound whereof the sauage Beastes stoode still With tunes vnwont doth Ghosts of hell delight And clearer doth resounde in darker place And weepe wyth teares did Gods of cruell brest And they which faultes with to seuere a face Doe seeke and former gylt of Ghosts out wrest The Thracian Daughters wayls Eurydicen For her the Iudges weeping sit also Wee conquer'de are chy efe kyng of death sayd then To Gods but vnder this condition goe Behynde thy husbandes backe keepe thou thy way Looke thou not backe thy Wyfe before to see Than thee to sight of Gods hath brought the day And gate of Spartane Taenare present bee Loue hates delay nor coulde abyde so long His gyft hee lost while hee desires the syght The place that coulde be thus subdew'de with song That place may soone bee ouercome by myght THE THYRDE ACTE Hercules O Comfortable guyde of light and honour of the skye That cōpasting both Hemyspheres with flaming chariot hye Thy radiāt head to ioyful lāds about the world dost bring Thou Phoebus pardon geue to me if any vnlawful thing Thyne eyes haue seene cōmaūded I haue here to light out set The secretes of the worlde and thou of heauen to guider gret And parent eke in flashe out throwne of lightning hide thy fyght And thou that gouernest the seas with seconde sceptors syght To bottome synke of deepest waues who so from hye doth see And dreading yet with countnaunce newe the earth desil'de to bee Let him from hence turne backe his sight and face to heauen vpholde These monstrous sights to shun let twayn this mischiefe great behold Hee who it brought and shee that bad for paynefull toyles to mee And laboures long not all the earth thought wide inough may bee For Iunoes hate things vncome to all men I did see Vnknowne to soone and spaces wyde that darke and shadefull bee Which woorser poale geues dyrer Ioue to raygne and rule therein And yet if thyrde place pleased more for mee to enter in I there coulde raygne the Chaos of eternall nyght of hell And woorse then night the dolefull Gods I haue that there doe dwell And Fates subdu'de the death contemn'de I am return'de to light What yet remaynes I sawe and show'de the spryghts of hell to sight Appoynt if ought be moe do'ste thou my hands so long permit Iuno to ceasse what thing byd'st thou to be subdued yet But why doe cruell souldiars holde the holy temples wyde And dread of armour sacred porche
father kingdome house that dearer is to mee The hate of thee the which to me with people for to be In commune woe I am how great is myne alonly part Rule on ful proude beare vp ful hye thy sprites and haughty hart Yet God the proude behynd theyr backes doth follow them to wreake I know the Thebane kingdomes what should I the mothers speake Both suffring and aduentring gyltes what double mischiefe done And mixed name of spouse at once of father and of sonne What brether as double tentes or what as many roages also The mother proude of Tantals brood congeald in mourning Ice And sory stone yet flowes with teares in Phrygian Sipylye Himselfe like wyse erected vp his sealed heade awrye Euen Cadmus measuring throughout th' Illyrian landes in flight Behynd him left of body drawne long slymy markes in sight All these examples wayte for thee rule thou as likes thy will Whyle thee our kingdomes wonted fates do call and oft hap yll Ly. God to these fierce and furious wordes thou woman mad refraine And imperyes of princes learne of Hercles to sustayne Though I the scepters gotten by the force of war do beare In conquering hand all do rule without the law his feare Which armes subdue a few wordes yet to thee now speake I shall For this my cause thy father did in bloudy battel fall Thy brethren fell the weapons kepe no measurable stay For neither easily tempred be nor yet repressed may The drawne swordes yre the battels doth the bloud delite out shedde But he yet for his kingdome fought wee altogether led With wicked lust yet th' end of war is now complayned loe And not the cause but now let all remembraunce therof goe When conquerour hath weapons left the conquerds part should be To leaue his hates Not I that thou with lowly bended knee Mee raygning worship should'st require euen this doth mee delight That thou thy myseries do'st beare with mynde so stout vpright Thou for a king a spouse art meete let 's ioyne our beds anone ME. A trembling colde doth run throughout my bloudles lims ech one What hainous thinge comes to myne eares I fear'de not then at all When all peace broake the noyse of warre did by the city wall Resounde about I bare all that vnfearefully to see I feare the wedding chambers nowe I captiue seeme to mee Let heauy chaynes my body greeue and eke with hunger long Let lingring death be slowly brought yet shall no force full strong My truthe subdue for euen thine owne Alcides will I dye LY. Doth then thy husband droun'de in hell geue thee this stomack hic ME. The hells alowe he toucht that he the height againe might get LY. The heauy paise oppresseth him of all the earth full great ME. Hee with no burdein shall be prest that heauen it selfe sustayn'de LY. Thou shalt be forst ME. He wots not how to die that is cōstrain'd LY. Speake what may rather I prepare then wedding newe for thee More royall gyft ME. Thine owne death els or els the death of mee LY. Thou shalt mad woman die ME. I shall then to my husbande go LY. More then my Sceptors is to thee a seruaunt loued so ME. How many hath this seruant slayne of kings with hendy stroake LY. Why doth he yet a king then serue and still sustayne his yoake ME. Take once away the hard behests what 's vertue then at last LY. Do'st thou it vertue counte to bee to beasts and monsters cast ME. T' is vertues part to tame the things that all men quake to know LY. Him great things braggīg darknes deepe of tartare presse ful low ME. There neuer may from ground to stars an easy passage be LY. Of whom begot the housen then of Gods through pearceth he AM. O wretched wife of Hercles great thy words a whyle now spare My parte it is the father of Alcides to declare And his true stocke yet after all of man so stoute as this So famous deebes and after all appeas'de with hand of his What euer Titan rysen vp doth see or els at fall And after all these monsters tam'de and Phlegrey sprinkled all With wicked bloud and after Gods defended all on hye Is not his father yet well knowne or Ioue doe we beelye Beleeue it yet by Iunoes hate LY. Why do'ste thou sclaunder Ioue No mortall kinred euer may be mixt with heauen aboue AM. To many of the Gods in skyes is this a common trade LY. But were they euer seruauntes yet before they Gods were made AM. Of Delos I le the sheepherde loe the flocks of Pherey fed LY. But through all coasts he wandred not abroade as banished AM. Whō straying mother first brought forth wādring loud to sight LY. Yet Phoebus did no monsters feare or beasts of cruell might AM. First Dragon with his bloud embrew'd the shalts of Phoebus lo Howe greeuous ills euen yet full yong he bare doe you not knoe From mothers wombe the babe out thrown with lightning flame frō hie Euen next his lightning Father stoode forthwith aboue in skye What he him selfe that guides the starres shakes the clouds at will Did not that Infant lurke in Den of hollowe caued hill The byrthes so great full troublous pryce to haue loe alwayes ought And euer to be borne a God with coste full great is bought LY. Whom thou a miser see'st thou mai'st know him a man to bee AM. A miser him deny yee may whom stout of heart yee see LY. Call we him stout from shoulders hye of whom the Lyon throwne A gift for mayden made and eke his Club from hand fell downe And paynted side with purple weede did shyne that he did weare Or may we him call stout of heart whose staring lockes of heare With ointmēt slowde who hands renownde knowne by prayses hye To sound vnmeete for any man of timber did applye With barbarous mytar cloasting in his forhead rounde about AM. The tender Bacchus did not blushe abroade to haue layde out His brayded heares nor yet with hand full soft the Thyrsus light For to haue shooke what time that he with pace vnstout in sight His long train'de batbarous garment drew with golde full fayre to see Still vertue after many workes is woont releast to bee LY. Of this the house of Euritus destroyde doth witnesse beare And virgins flockes that brutishly by him oppressed weare No Iuno did commaunde him this nor none Eurystheus loe But these in deede his owne workes are AM. Yet all yee doe not knoe His worke it is with weapons of his owne hand vanquished Both Eryx and to Eryx ioyn'de Antaeus Lybian ded And aulters which with slaughter of the straungers flowing fast Busyris well deserued bloud likewise haue drunke at last His deede it is that he that met the wounde and sworde is slayne Constrain'de to suffre death before those other Geryons twayne Nor ene all onely Geryon doth with one hand conquer'de lye Thou shalt among these be which yet with none
preasse as flocke in cyties streetes To see the Playes of Theatre newe wrought As great as at Eléus thundrer meetcs When Sommer fift the sacred game hath brought As great as when comes houre of longer night And willing quiet sleepes to bee extent Holdes equall Libra Phoebus Chariots light A sorte the secrete Ceres doe frequent And from theyr howsen left doe hast to comme The Atticke priestes the nyghte to celebrate Such heape is chaste beneath by fieldes so dumme With age full slowe some taking forth their gate Full sad and fillde with life so long now led Some yet doe runne the race of better yeares The virgins yet vnioynde to Spowses bed And yonglings eke on whom grow yet no heares And Infant lately taught his mothers name To these alone that they the lesse might feare Is graunted night to ease with foreborne flame The rest full sad by darke doe wander theare As is our mynde when once away is fled The lyght when eche man sorry feeles to bee Deepe ouer whelmde with all the earth his hed Thick Chaos standes and darknesse fowle to see And colour ill of night and slouthfull state Of silent World and diuers Cloudes about Let hoary age vs thyther bring full late No man comes late to that whence neuer out When once hee is come turne agayne he may To hast the hard and heauy Fate what vayles This wandring heape in wyde landes farre away Shall goe to Ghosts and all shall geue their sayles To slowe Cocytus all is to thee enclinde Both what the fall and rise of sonne doth see Spare vs that comme to thee wee death are signde Though thou be slow our selues yet haste doe wee Fyrst houre that gaue the lyfe it loast agayne TO Thebes is come the ioyfull day Your Aulters touch yee humbylly The fat fayre Sacrifices slay Maydes myxte with men in cumpany Let them in solempne Flockes goe royle And nowe wyth yoake layde downe let câ—ase The Iillers of the fertile Soyle Made is wyth hande of Hercles peace Betweene the morne and Hespers Glade And where Sonne holding myddle seate Doth make the Bodyes caste no Shade What euer grounde is ouerweate Wyth compasse longe of Seas abought Alcydes laboure taemde full well Hee ouer foordes of Tartare brought Returnde appeased beeinge Hell There is remayning nowe no feare Nought lyes beyonde the Hell to see O Priest thy staring Lockes of heare Wrappe in wyth loued Poplar tree THE FOVRTHE ACTE Hercules Theseus Amphitryon Megara WIth my reueÌ„ging right haÌ„d slayne now Lycus loe the grouÌ„d With groueling face hath smit theÌ„ who soeuer fellow fouÌ„d Of Tyraunt was partaker of his paynes did also lye Nowe to my father sacrifice and Gods victor will I And aulters that deserue it with slayne offrings reuerence Thee thee O mate of all my toyles I pray and my defence O warrefull Pallas in whose left hand thy cleare shielde Aegis shakes Fierce threats whead that eche thing stone that looke vpon it makes Let tamer of Lycurgus nowe and of red Sea be heare That poynct of speare with Iuye greene in hand doth couer'de beare And two Gods powre doth Phoebus and his Syster to I pray The sister meeter for her shaftes but hee on th' harpe to play And what soâ—uer brother ells of myne doth dwell in sky Not of my stepdame brother bring yee hyther by and by Your plentuous flocks what euer haue all th' Indians fruicts brought out And what sweete odours th' Arabickes doe get in trees about To th' aulters bring let vapour fat and fume smoke vp full hye Let rounde about the Poplar tree my hayres now beautifye Let th' oliue bowe thee hyde with braunche accustom'de in our lande Theseu for foorthwith reuerence the thundrer shall my hande TH. O Gods the builders of the towne and which of Dragon fell The wilde woods vens and noble waues likewise of Dirces well And Tyrian house enhabite eke of straunger wandring king HE. Cast into fyres the frankencense AM. Sonne fyrst thy hands flowing With bloudy slaughter and the death of enmy purify HE. Would God the bloud of hatefull head euen vnto Gods on hye I might out shed for lycour loe more acceptable none Myght th' aulters stayne nor sacrifice more ample any one Nor yet more plentyfull may bee to Ioue aboue downe cast Then king vniust AM. Desyre that now thy father ende at last Thy labours all let quietnes at length yet gieuen bee And rest to weary folke HE. I will thee prayers make for mee And Ioue ful meete in this due place let stand the haughty skye And land and ayre and let the starres dryue forth eternally Their course vnstayde let restful peace kepe nations quietly Let labour of the hurtles land all yron now occupye And swordes lye hyd let tempest none ful vyolent and dyre Disturbe the sea let from the skyes no flash of lightning fyre Fall downe whyle Ioue ful angry is nor yet with winter snowe Encreased flood the ground vpturnde and field quyte ouerthrowe Let poysons cease and from hensforth let vp from ground aryse No greeuous hearbe with hurtful sappe nor fierce and fell lykewyse Let tyrantes raygne but if to sight some other mischiefe bringe The ground yet shall let it make hast and any monstruous thinge It it prepare let it be myne but what meanes this myd day The darkenes haue incloas'd aboute lo Phoebus goeth his way With face obscure without a clowde who dryues the day to flight And turnes to east from whence doth now his dusky hed the night Vnknowne bring forth whence fil the poale so many rownde about Of daytyme starres lo here behold my laboure first ful stout Not in the lowest parte of heauen the Lyon shyneth bryght And feruently doth rage with yre and byttes prepares to fyght Euen now loe he some star wil take with mouth full wyde to see He threatning standes and fires out blowes and mane vp rustleth he Shaking with necke the haruest sad of shape what euer thinge And what soeuer winter colde in frosen tyme doth bring He with one rage wil ouerpasse or spring tyme bull he will Both seeke and breake the neckes at once Am. what is this sodayne ylle Thy cruel count'naunce whether sonne dost thou cast here and there And seest with troubled daseld syght false shape of heauen appere Her The land is tam'de the swelling feas their surges did asswage The kingdomes lowe of hell lykewyse haue felt and knowne my rage Yet heauen is free a labour meete for Hercules to proue To spaces high I wil be borne of haughty skies aboue Let th' ayre be skaeld my father doth me promise starres t' obtayne What if he it denyde all th' earth can Hercles not contayne And geeues at length to gods me calles of one accorde beholde The whole assembly of the gods and doth their gates vnfolde Whyle one forbyddes receyu'st thou mee and openest thou the skye Or els the gate of stubburne heauen draw after me do I Do I yet doubt I euen the bondes from
With bowes of mortall Ewe A tree wherewith the mourners winde Theyr mourning heads Garlands make In this guise all arayde The sacred Priest doth enter in with trembling lims dismayde Than in the Sheepe and Oxen blacke by backwarde course are drawn And odoures sweete Frankencence on flaming fyres are thrown The beasts on burning Altars cast do quake with schorched lims And bloudy streames with fyre mixt about the Aultars swims Than on the darke internall Gods and him that rules them all With deadly shriking voyce aloude the Prophet gins to call And rouls the Magick verse in mouth and hidden Artes doth proue Which eyther power haue to appease or els the Gods to moue Thair bloudy streaming Lycours black with broyling heate doe boyle And all the Beasts consume and burn The Prophet than to toyle Begins And mixed wyne and Mylke vpon the Aultars throwes And all the Dongeon darke and wyde with streaming blood it flowes Than out with thundring voyce agayne the Prophet calles and cryes And straight as much with mumbling mouth he champs in secret wyse The trees do turne The Riuers stÄd The ground with roring shakes And all the world as seemes to mee with fearefull trembling quakes I am heard I am heard than out aloude the Priest began to cry Whan all the dampned soules by heapes abrode outrushing fly Then woods with rumbling noyse doe oft resounding make And Heauen and Earth together goe And bowes and trees do crake And ThuÌ„ders roore And Lightnings flash And waues aloft doe fly And ground retyres and Dogs doe bawl and Beastes are heard to cry And whyther long of Acheron that lothsom Flud that flowes All stinking streames or of the earth that out her Bowels throwes Free place to Sprights to geue or of that fierce infernall Hound That at such times doth bustling make with chayns railing sound The Earth al wide it open gapes And I did see on ground The Gods with colour pale and wan that those dark kingdoms keepe And very night I saw in deede and thousand shapes to creepe From out those filthy stinking Lakes and lothsom pits of Hell Where all the euils vnder Son in darksom shades doe dwell So quaking all for feare I stoode with minde right sore apalde Whilst on those Gods with trembling mouth the Priest full often calde Who all at once out of theyr dens did skip with griesly Face And Monsters grim and stinging Snakes seemd wander in that place And all the fowlest Feendes of Hell and Furies all were theare And all traÌ„sformed Ghosts sprights that euer Hell did beare With Cares ahd all Diseases vyle that mortall mynds doe crush All those and more I sawe out of those Dungeons deepe to rush And Age I sawe with riueled Face and Neede Feare and Death And Fyre and flames thousand ills out fro those Pits to breath Then I was gon and quight amazd The wenche in worser case And yet of olde acquaynted with her Fathers Artes she was The Priest himselfe vnmooued stoode and boldly cited owt Whole Armies of king Ditis men who clustring in a Rowt All flittring thin like Cloudes disperst abrode in Ayre doe fly And bearing sundry shapes and formes doe scud aboue in Sky A thousand woods I thinke haue not so many leaues on trees Ten thousand medowes fresh haue not so many flowers for bees Ten hundred thousand riuers not so many Foule can show Nor all the drops and streams and gulphes that in the Seas do flow If that they might be wayed can sure so great a number make As could those shapes and formes that flew from out of Limbo lake Both Tantalus and Zetus too and pale Amphions Ghost And A gaue and after her ten thousand Sprightes do post Than Pentheus and more and more in like estate ensue Til out at length comes Laius with foule and grisly hue Vncomly brest in wretched plight with fylth all ouergrowne All perst with wounds I loth to speake with bloud quight ouerflown A Miser ryght as seemd to me and most of Misers all Thus in this case at length he spake and thus began to call O Cadmus cruel Citty vyle that stil delightste in bloud O Cadmus thou which kinsmens death accountst as chiefest good Teare out the bloudy Bowels of your Children learne of me Do that and rather more then you would byde the day to see Like ills as late on mee are light Loe mothers loue alas Hath causd the greatest misery that ere in Theba was The Countrey with the wrath of Gods at this tyme is not tost Nor yearth nor ayre infect is not the cause that all bene lost No No A bloudy King is cause of all these mischiefes great A bloudy wretch A wretched child that sits in Fathers Seate And Mothers bed defyles O wretch and entreth in agayne In places whence he came from once and doubleth so her payne Whilst that hee fils the haples wombe wher in himselfe did lie With graceles seede and causeth her twise childbirthes pangues to try Vnhappy Sonne but Father worse and most vnhappy hee By whom the lawes of sacred shame so sore confounded bee For that that very bestes almost do all abhorre to do Euen of his mothers body he hath brothers gotten two O mischiefe great O dredful deede then Sphinx O moÌ„ster more Example vnto ages all of Gods foretold before But I thee thee that Scepter holdst thy Father wil pursue And wreacke my selfe on thee and thyne with plagues vengeance due All restles rage of spite and paine I will vppon thee blow And all the furies foule of hell vppon thee I will throw I wil subuert thy Houses cleane for this thy lothsome lust I wil do this thou wretch And thee and thyne consume to dust Wherfore dispatch at once I say into exile driue your King That ground that first of all he leaues with fresh grene grasse shall spring And sweete and pleasaunt Ayre and healthfull blasts shall ryse And all the euills vnder Sun that mortall men surprise The Pocks the Piles the Botch the blaine death with him shall fly And with him mischiefs all shall passe and Monsters vnder Sky And as for him I know hee would depart with willing mynde But I will clog his Feete and hands his way he shall not finde But groping with his aged staffe shall passe from place to place This shall he doe And none shall rue vpon his ruthfull case Rid you the Monster from the Earth for Heauen let mee alone No sooner sayd but straight away his dreadfull Ghost was gone And fast by thousands after him th' other Sprights in hyde Than Cold trembling feare began through all my bones to glyde OED. The thing I alwayes fearde I see vpon mee now is layde But slender props they are God wot whereby your Treason is stayde Meropa my Mother deare shall mee from this defend Polybius eke shall purge mee quight from Actions all that tend To murder or to incest vile they both
alas to set thine heart at rest Not thou if God him selfe if he his flaming fiers should throw On thee or mischiefs all by heapes vpon thy body strow Couldst once for thy deserued ills due paines or vengeaunce pay Some meanes therefore to wreak Gods wrath vpon thy selfe assay Death death now best contenteth mee then seeke a way to dye So maist thou yet at length finde end for all thy misery O Son lend mee thy hand sith that thou art a Paracyde This labour last of all remaynes this labour thee doth byde Dispatch rid mee thy mother deare from all my deadly woe It will not be no prayers auaile Thy selfe this deede must doe Take vp this sword Goe to with this thy husbande late was slayne Husband thou term'st him false hee was thy syer O deadly payne Shal I quight through my brest it driue or through my throte it thrust Canst thou not choose thy wound away die die alas thou must This hateful womb then woūd O wretch this this with thine own hand Strike strike it hard O spare it not sith both a husband and The same a Son it bare CHOR. Alas alas shee is slaine she is slayne dispatched with a push Who euer sawe the like to this see how the bloud doth gush O heauy doulfull case who can this dyrefull sight enduer Which for the hideousnesse thereof might teares of stones procuer OED. Thou God thou teller out of Fates On thee on thee I call My Father onely I did owe vnto the Destnies all Now twise a Paracide and worse than I did feare to bee My Mother I haue slayne Alas the fault is all in mee O OEdipus accursed wretch lament thine owne Calamity Lament thy state thy griefe lament thou Caitife borne to misery Where wilt thou now become alas thy Face where wilt thou hyde O myserable Slaue canst thou such shamefull tormentes byde Canst thou which hast thy Parents slain Canst thou prolong thy life Wilt thou not dye deseruing Death thou cause of all the griefe And Plagues and dreadfull mischiefs all that Thebane City prease Why dost thou seeke by longer life thy sorrowes to encrease Why dost thou toyle and labour thus in vayne It will not bee Both God and man and beast and all abhorre thy Face to see O Earth why gapst thou not for why doe you not vnfolde You gates of hell mee to receaue why doe you hence withholde The fierce Infernall Feends from me from me so wretched wight Why breake not all the Furyes lose this hatefull head to smight With Plagues which them deserued hath alas I am left alone Both light and sight and comfort all from mee O wretch is gone O cursed head O wicked wight whom all men deadly hate O Beast what meanst thou still to liue in this vnhappy state The Skies doe blush and are ashamd at these thy mischiefes great The Earth laments the Heauens weepe the Seas for rage doe freat And blustring rise and stormes doe stir and all thou wretch for thee By whose incest and bloudy deedes all things disturbed bee Quight out of course displaced quight O cursed fatall day O mischiefes great O dreadfull times O wretch away away Exile thy selfe from all mens sight thy life halfe spent in misery Goe end consume it now outright in thrise as great calamity O lying Phoebe thine Oracles my sin and shame surmount My Mothers death amongst my deedes thou neuer didst recount A meete Exploict for me that am to Nature deadly Foe With trembling fearefull pace goe forth thou wretched monster goe Grope out thy wayes on knees in darke thou miserable Slaue So maist thou yet in tract of time due paynes and vengeaunce haue For thy mischeuous lyfe Thus thus the Gods themselues decree Thus thus thy Fates thus thus the skyes appoint it for to bee Then headlong hence with a mischiefe hence thou caitife vyle away Away away thou monstrous Beast Goe Run Stand stay Least on thy Mother thou doe fall All you that wearyed bodies haue with sickenesse ouerprest Loe now I fly I fly away the cause of your vnrest Lift vp your heads a better state of Ayre shall strayght ensewe Whan I am gone for whom alone these dreadfull myschiefs grewe And you that now halfe dead yet liue in wretched misers case Help those whō present torments presse forth hye you on apace For loe with me I cary hence all mischiefes vnder Skyes All cruell Fates Diseases all that for my sake did ryse With mee they goe with me both griefe Plague Pocks Botch all The ills that eyther now you presse or euer after shall With me they goe with me these Mates bin meetst of all for mee Who am the most vnhappiest wretch that euer Sun did see FINIS THE SIXTE TRAGEDIE OF THE MOST GRAVE prudēt Author LVCIVS ANNAEVS SENECA entituled TROAS vvith diuers and sundrye Additions to the same by IASPER HEYVVOOD To the Reader ALTHOVGH GENTLE Reader thou mayst perhaps thinke mee arrogant for that I onely among so many fine wittes and towardly youth with which Englād this day florisheth haue enterprised to set forth in english this present piece of the flowre of all writers Seneca as who say not fearing what grauer heads might iudge of me in attempting so hard a thing yet vpon well pondering what next ensueth I trust both thy selfe shalt cleare thine owne suspicion and thy chaunged opinion shal iudge of me more rightfull sentence For neither haue I taken this worke first in hand as once entending it should come to light of well doynge wherof I vtterly dispayred and beynge done but for myne owne priuate exercise I am in myne opinion herein blameles thoughe I haue to proue my selfe priuately taken the part which pleased me best of so excellent an author for better is tyme spent in the best then other and at first to attempt the hardest writers shall make a mā more prompt to translate the easier with more facility But now since by request frēdship of those to whom I could denye nothinge this worke agaynst my will extorted is out of my hands I needes must craue thy pacience in reading and facility of iudgement when thou shalt apparantly se my witles lacke of learning prayng thee to consider how hard a thing it is for mee to touch at ful in all poynts the authors mynd beyng in many places verye harde and doubtfull and the worke much corrupt by the default of euil printed Bookes and also how farre aboue my power to keepe that Grace and maiestye of stile that Seneca doth when both so excellent a writer hath past the reach of all imitation and also this our English toung as many thinke and I here fynd is farre vnable to compare with the Latten but thou good Reader if I in any place haue swerued from the true sence or not kept the roialty of speach meete for a Tragedie impute the one to my youth and lacke of iudgement the other to my lacke of Eloquence Now as
beside his center dew And ougsome night in shimmering shade from dungeon darck I drew And cankred Chaos lodged aloafe encountred mee awayne Yet from the deepe I gat to ground whence none returnes agayne Wee straue against the Ocean stormes I balasen the keele Fraught with my waight that wrestling waues could not cōpell it reele What heapes of hazardes tempted I through all the open ayre To qualify thy wedlocks wrath can mischiefe none repayre The earth would loath such baggage bred as I would match by might Yea monsters none are to be founde the fiendes doe shun my sight And Hercules for want of fiendes agaynst him selfe did rage What eluishe creatures curst did I with naked arme asswage Was euer any peuish thing so big vpon the ground That coapt with mee but that my hand alone did it confound Not hether to from vermin vyle through faynting feare I leapt In babish yeares not when to me in Cradell layde they leapt Eache thing that was commaunded me at ease I did obay Thus free from paynefull toyle to me there neuer past a day What vermin haue I vanquished no king commaunding it My courage cloyes me more then all the wyles of Iunoes wit But what auayleth me to rid mankinde of fickle feare The Gods yet cannot raygne in rest while vp the world doth peare New rid of furious fiendes it sees a loft in starry skies The cruell creatures all that earst on earth did fore aggrise Dame Iuno hath transport the elues The scorching Crab doth creepe Abouth the burning zone and loofe at Affrica doth keepe The Tropick line and Haruest fat he feedes with parching heate To Virgo Leo turnes the time and in a reaking sweate He buskling vp his burning Mane doth dry the dropping south And swallowes vp the slabby cloudes in fyry foming mouth The Vrchins all are creapt to skies and haue preuented mee I Conqueror from Earth to Heauen my trauells all may see These gargle Faces grim on heauen Dawe Iuno first did set As though thereof the terrour might to skies my passage let Although she scatter them in Skyes or make the Heauens forlorne More then the Earth or hellike Goulphes wherby the Gods are sworne Yet roome for Hercles shal be made if after monsters quelde Or battells fought or hellike hound in Chaynes as captiue helde If all exploytes cannot preuayle in skies a place to gayne Then soukt vp bee the midland Sea twixt Barbarie and Spayne That eyther shore may ioyne in one with channell none betweene There will I dam the running streame that Sea shall none be seene Or as for Corinth out shot land that tweene two seas doth lye It shall giue way to eyther streame that through the same shall fly And when the seas on passage haue the Fleete of Athens towne May floate in Channell new thus shall the world turne topsidown Let Ister turne his streame and Tanaus slow another way Graunt Ioue a placket graunt whereby the Gods vpholde I may Discharge thy thunder dint where I shall keepe due watch warde If eyther to the ysy poale thou bid mee haue regarde Or burning zone heere let the Gods full safe all force defy Prynce Paean purchast hath an house amid the cristall sky And well deserued he the temples of Pernassus hill For slaughter of a Dragon made how oft recouering still In Hydra poyson Python lay with Bacchus Perseus strong By lesse desert then Hercules haue crept the Gods among But all the East a mighty coast to bond is brought by him Whom Iuno spightes how stearne a bug was snaky Gorgon grim What Impe is he begot betweene my stepdame dyre and thee Whose praysed paynes haue purchaste him a place in heauen to be The heauen that on my shoulders I haue hoisterd vp I craue But Lycas partner of my paynes dispatch our triumph braue Display in pomp the ruin of Euritus house and Crowne And for the sacrifice with speede strike yet the Bullocks downe Where as the Aare that doth adnaunce the Church of Cenei Ioue Lyes open to Euboea sea that wrackfull waue doth moue Chorus THe Gods in blisse that man doth coūteruaile That can at once both Graue glory gayne Death vpon death the whilst doth him assaile Whose wretched life is lingred on in payne With frowning fate in spurning spighte who shiues And sets the Keele of gaping goulphe at nought Will not submit his captiue handes to giues As dishe of dishonour in triumph to bee brought Like carefull caytife hee shall neuer droupe Whelmed in storming thoughts of sower annoy Whose stomacke scornes for dawnting death to stoupe Though seas amid the deepe in hoysted hoy Driue him aloofe when as a southern gale Beates Boreas back or eastern puffe agayne Recoiles the western winde and seemes to hale From deepest sandes the surges torne in twayne Tht broken planckes to catche hee scrambles not Of wracked barke as one that hopes to haue Amid the Channell deepe a landing plot When dismall death appeares in euery waue Hee cannot suffer shipwracke all alone With pined karrayne coarse and streames of teares And with our countrey dust our heades vpon Powldring our lockes wee languishe out our yeares Neyther flashing flame nor thumping thunder cracke Will once dawnt vs O death thou dost pursew Where fortune fawnes but where shee worketh wracke Thou shunnest those that woulde thee not eschew Wee stand not in our razed countrey wall Whose ground shall now bee ouergrowne alas With bramble and bryer and down the temples fall While mucky sheepecotes are planted in their place And now the frostifaced Greeke alas This way this way with all his droue of Neate By so much of AEchalia must passe As heapt on ashes gloweth still with heate The Tessayle sheepherd sitting by the way On iarringe Pype shall play his countrey ryme Singing wyth sighes alacke and weladay Thus to bewayle the sorrowes of our time Ere tyme shall roll the race of many a yeare It will be askt where earst the towne did stand O well was I when as I liued a leare Not in the barren balkes of fallow land Nor in Thessalia on the foodelesse cliues But now among rough Trachin craggy Rocks And ougly shrubs necessity mee driues Whose flaming toppes detarres the feeding Oxe And in the way lesse woods vntrode before All comfortlesse afright and in a maze Needes must I trot alone that would abhorre The saluage beastes that on the mountaynes graze But better lot if any Dames may haue They ouer Inach wambling streame shall row Or shrowd in Dirce Walles where Ismen waue With feeble force of shallow fourde doth flow The hawty Hercles mother heere was wed What Scythian crag what stones engendred him What Rocky mountayne Rhodope thee bred Of Tyrant Titans race a cursed lim Stipe Athos hill the brutish Caspia land With teate vnkinde fed thee twixt rocke stoane False is the tale wherewith thou bearst in hande Two nights for thee thy Mother deare did groane While lingring starres long lodged in purple sky
with a night engendred hath to thee If East and West if Scithia and euery burning plot That parched is with glowing glede of Phoebus fier hot Doth sing my prayse and if the earth ful satisfyde with peace If languishing and wayling woords in euery towne doe cease If none their alters do imbrew with any guiltles gore Then Ioue let my vncaged spirite haue heauen for euermore As for th infernall dennes of death they do not me detarre Nor scouling Plutoes dungeon darck but Ioue I do abhorre Vnto those gastly Goblins as a stlly shade to goe Sith I am he whose conquering hand gaue them their ouerthrowe Withdraw these foggy clowdes of night display the glimsyng light That Hercles broyld with flying flames the Gods may haue in sight And if thou do denye O fyre the starres and heauen to mee To geue me them agaynst thy will thou shalt constrayned bee If glutting griefe do stop thy speach the Stygian goulphes set oape Aud let mee dye but first declare within the heauenly coape That thou accepst me as thy soone this day it shal be wrought That to bee raysd aloft to starres I may be worthy thought Thou hast doone litle for me yet it may be doubted well Whether Ioue did first beget his sonne or damnd him first to hell And quoth he let my stepdame see how wel I can abyde The scorching heate of burning brandes for fyer then he cride And sayth to me O Philoctet in hast vppon me throw The burning logges why quakest thou dost dastard thow forslow For feare to this wicked deede O coward peasant slaue Thou art to weake to bende my bow vnmeete my shaftes to haue What aylest thou to loke so pale and as thou seest mee lye With cherefull looke couragiously do thou the fier plye Behold me wretch that broyle and burne my father opes the Skyes And vnto me sonne Hercules come come away he cryes O father Ioue quoth he I come with that I waxed pale And toward him a burning beame with might and mayne I hale But backe from him the billets flye and tumbling out they leape And from the limmes of Hercules downe falleth all the heape But he encrocheth on the fyre as it from him doth shrinke That many mountaynes whole were set on fyer a man would thinke No noyse was hard and all was husht but that the fyer did hisse In Hercles glowing paunch when as his liuer burning is It boysteous gyant Typhus had amid this fire bene throwne These torments would haue straind his teares forst him sigh grone Or tough Euceladus that tost a mountayne on his backe But Hercles lifted vp himselfe amid his fyres all blacke With smoake besmeard his corps halfe burnt in shiuers gube flawes And downe the throate his gasping breath flames at once he drawes Then to Alemen he turnd himselfe O mother myne quoth hee Should ye so stand at Hercles death should you thus wayle for me And thus betwene the fire and smoke vpright and stiffe he standes And neyther stoupes nor leanes awrye but moues and stirs his hands With al his liuely gestures still and thus he doth perswade His mother leaue the langusshing and mourning that she made And did encourage all his men t' encrease the fyre than As though he were not burning but would burne some other man The people stoode astonished and scant they would beleeue That fire had any force on him or that it did him greeue Because his chereful looke had such a maiesty and grace And neuer wilde vs meue the fyre that he might burne apace And now when as he thought he had endured pangues ynough And stoutly bode the brunt of death the blocks hee doth remoue That smothering lay to make theÌ„ burne then downward doth he shoue And where the stewing heate did chiefely scorch and burne most hot That way he thrusts his frying lims and thether hath hee got With steaming countnaunce vnapaulde his mouth now doth he fill With burning coales his comely Bearde theÌ„ blazde about his cheekes And now when as the sparkling fier vnto his visage seekes The flame lickt vp his sâ—â—ged hayre and yet he did not winke But open kept his staring eyes But what is this my thinke Alomene cometh yonder as a woefull wight forlorne With sighes and sobs and all her hayre befrounced rent and torne And beares the remnaunt in her Lap of Hercules the great Alcmena Philoctetes LEarne Lordings learne to feare and dread th' unwelldy fatall force This little dust is all that 's lefâ— of Hercles hugy coarse That boysteous Giaunt is consumde vnto these ashes small O Titan what a mighty masse is come to nought at all Aye me an aged womans lappe all Hercules doth shrowde her lap doth serue him for a graue and yet the champion prowde With all his lumpe stils not the roome Aye mee a burthen small I feele of him to whom whole heauen no burthen was at all O Hercules beare chylde O sonne the season whilom was That thou to Tartar pits and sluggish deus aloofe didst passe For to repasse from deepe of hell when wilt thou come agayne For to put loyne the spoyles thereof or bring from captiue chayne To life thy friendly Theseus But when wilt thou returne Alone can flaming Phelegethon thy ghost in torments burne Or can the mastiâ—â—e Dogge of hell keepe downe thy woefull sprite Where then might I come see thy soule and leaue this loathed light When shall I rap at Tartar gate what Iawes shall mee deuower What death shall dâ—wnt mee goest thou to hell and hast no power To come agayne alas why do I wast the day in teares and 〈◊〉 O wretched lyfe why dost thou last thou shouldest droupe and saynt And loath this dreary daye how can I beare to Ioue agayâ—e Another noble Hercules what sonne may I obtayne So valiunt to call mee thus Alcmena mother myne O happy spouse Ampliterio twyse happy hast thou bene In entring at the dennes of death and through the noble sonne The Deutis arthy presentes quake to see thee thether come Though thou but forged father were to Hercules of late Whether shall old beldam goe whom many kinges do hate If any prince remayne with blody breast and murdring mynde Then woe to mee if groning babes be any left behynd That sorrow for theyr parentes deathes now now for Hercles sake Theyr mallice let them wrecke on mee on mee dyre vengeance take If any young Bustris be I feare the Persians sore Wil come and take me captiue hence in chaynes for euermore If any tyrant feede his horce with gubbes of straungers flesh Now let his pampred iades vnto my Carksse fall a fresh Perhap dame Iuno coueteth on me to wrecke her yrâ— And eâ—vs of her burning breast wil turne the flaming fire Her wreckful hand doth loyter now sith Hercules is slayne And now to feele her spurning spyte as harlot I remayne My valyant sonne is cause of this my wombe shall barrayne be Least I should beare another
touch doth flee My wicked hand Am I gladly do this hand embrace to mee By this I beyng slayed will goe this meuing to my brest I le slake my woes Her what place shall I seeke ronnagate for rest Where shall I hyde my selfe or in what land my selfe engraue What Tanais or what Nilus els or with his Persyan waue What Tygris violent of streame or what fierce Rhenus flood Or Tagus troublesome that flowes with Ibers treasures good May my ryght hand now wash from gylt although Maeotis cold The waues of all the Northen sea on me shed out now wolde And al the water ther of shoulde now pas by my two handes Yet wil the mischiefe deepe remayne alas into whet landes Wilt thou O wicked man resort to East or westerne coste Ech where wel knowen all place I haue of banishment quight loste From me the warlde doth flee a back the starres that sydelyng roue Do back warde dryue their turned course euen Cerberus the soue With better count'naunce did behold O faythfull friend I saye O Theseu seeke same lurking place farre hence out of the way O thou a warder of mens gyltes what euer Iudge thou hee That hurtful men dost loue repay a worthy thanke to me And my desertes I thee beseech to ghostes of hell againe Send me that once escaped them subiect to thy raine Restore me yet to those thy bandes that place shal me wel hyde And yet euen that place knowes me wel Th. Our land for thee doth bide There Mars his hande acquite agayne and made from slaughter free Restoard to armoure loe that land Alcides calles for thee Which wontes to quite the gods and proue them Innocent to be HERE ENDETH THE FIRST Tragedye of Seneca called Hercules furens translated into Englishe by Iasper Heywood studente in Oxenforde THE SECOND TRAGEDIE OF SENECA ENTITVtuled Thyestes faythfully Englished by Iasper Heywood Felow of Alsolne Colledge in Oxenforde The Argument of this Tragedie MEGAERA ONE OF THE Hellish furies raising vp Tantalus frō Hell incited him to set mortall hatred betwene his two nephewes Thiestes Atreus being brothers and raining as Kinges ouer Mycenae by enterchangeable turnes that is to witte Thiestes to raine the one yere and Atreus the other Now Atreus enraged with furie against his brother partly for defiling and deflouring his wife Aerope by pollicie and partly for taking from him a Ram with a golden fleese practised with his seruāt how to be reuēged of his brother This Atreus therfore dissēblīg a reconciliation inuiting Thyestes to Mycenae secretly vnknowē to him set before hī at a banquet the flesh of his own childrē to eate Afterward Atreus hauīg also geuē to his said brother the bloud of his childrē in a goblet to drinke did lastly cōmaūd the heads also to be brought in at the doleful sight wherof Thiestes greatly lamēting knowīg the he had eatē his owne childrē was wonderfully anguished But Atreus for that he had thus reuenged himselfe toke therin great pleasure and delectation THIESTES OF SENECA THE FIRST ACTE The names of the Speakers Tantalus Megaera Atrcus Seruant Thiestes Philstenes Messenger Chorus Tantalus Megaera WHAT furye fell enforceth mee to fle th' unhappy seat That gaye and gaspe with greedye lawe the fleeyng food to eate What GOD to Tantalus the bowres wher breathing bodyes dwel Doth shew agayne is ought found worse then burning thyrst of hel In lakes alow or yet worse plague then hunger is there one In vayne that euer gapes for foode shal Sisyphus his stone That slipper restles rollyng payse vppon my backe be borne Or shall my lymmes with swifter swinge of whirling whele be torne Or shal my paynes be Tytius panges th' encreasyng liuer still Whose growing guttes the gnawing gripes and fylthy foules do fyll That styl by nyght repayres the panch that was deuourd by day And wondrous wombe vnwasted lieth a new prepared pray What ill am I appoynted for O cruell iudge of sprites Who so thou be that tormentes new among the sowles delytes Stil to dispose ad what thou canst to all my deadly woe That keeper euen of dungeon darke would fore abhorre to knowe Or hel it selfe it quake to se for dread wherof likewyse I tremble wold that plague seke out lo now there doth aryse My broode that shal in mischiefe farre the grandsyers gilt out goe And gyltles make that first shall dare vnuentred ils to do What euer place remayneth yet of all this wicked land I wil fill vp and neuer once while Pelops house doth stand Shall Minos idle be Meg. Go forth thou detestable sprite And vexe the Goddes of wicked house with rage of furyes might Let them contend with all offence by turnes and one by one Let swordes be drawne and meane of ire procure there may be none Nor shame let fury blynd enflame theyr myndes and wrathful will Let yet the parentes rage endure and longer lasting yll Through childrens children spreade nor yet let any leysure be The former fawts to hate but still more mischiefe newe to see Nor one in one but ere the gylt with vengeance be acquit Encrease the cryme from brethren proud let rule of kingdom flyt To runnagates and swaruing state of all vnstable thinges Let it by doubtfull dome be toste betwene th uncertaine kyngs Let mighty fall to misery and myser clime to might Let chaunce turne th empyre vpsydowne both geue and take the right The banyshed for gylt whan god restore theyr country shall Let them to mischiefe fall a fresh as hatefull then to all As to themselues let Ire thinke nought vnlawfull to be doon Let brother dread the brothers wrath and father feare the soon And eke the soon his parents powre let babes be murdered yll But worse begot her spouse betrapt to treasons trayne to kyll Let hatefull wyfe a wayte and let them beare through seas their warre Let bloodshed lye the lands about and euery field a farre And ouer conqueryng captaynes greate of countreys far to see Let lust tryumphe in wicked house let whoredome counted he The light'st offence let trust that in the breasts of brethren breedes And truth be gone let not from sight of your so heynous deedes The heauens be hyd about the poale when shyne the starres on hye And flames with woonted beames of light doe decke the paynted skyls Let darkest night bee made and let the day the heauens forsake Dysturbe the godds of wicked house hate slaughter murder make Fyll vp the house of Tantalus with mischieues and debates Adorned be the pillers hygh with bay and let the gates Be garnysht greene and worthy there for thy returne to sight Be kyndled fyre let mischyefe done in Thracia once theyr lyght More many folde wherefore doth yet the vncles hand delaye Doth yet Thyestes not bewayle his childrens fatall day Shall he not finde them where with heat of fyres that vnder glowe The cawderne boyles their limmes eche one a peeces let them go Disperste let fathers fires with
brothers banquet now and streight a fonder cuttes The bodyes into quarters all and by the stoompes anone The shoulders wyde and brawnes of armes be strikes of euerychone He layes abroad their naked limes and cuts away the bones The onely heads he kepes and handes to him committed once Some of the guttes are broacht and in the fyres that burne full sloe They drop the boyling licour some doth tomble to end froe In moorning cawderne from the flesh that ouerstandes aloft The fyre doth flye and skatter out and into chimney ofte Up heat agayne and there constraynd by force to tary yet Unwilling burnes the liuer makes great noyse vpon the spit Nor easely wot I if the flesh or flames they be that bry But crye they do the fyre like pitch it fumeth by an by Nor yet the smake it selfe so sad like filthy miste in sight Ascendeth vp as wont it is nor takes his way vpright But euen the Gods and house it doth with fylthy turne defile O pacient Phoebus though from hence thou backeward flee the whyle And in the midst of heauen aboue dost drowne the broken day Thou fleest to late the father eats his children well away And limmes to which he once gaue life with cursed iaw doth teare He shynes with oyntment shed ful sweete all round about his heare Replete with wyne and oftentymes so cursed kynd of food His mouth hath held that would not downe but yet this one thing good In all thy yls Thyestes is that them thou dost not knoe And yet shal that not long andure though Titan backward goe And chariots turne agaynst himselfe to meete the wayes be went And heauy night so heynous deede to keepe from sight be sent And out of tyme from East aryse so foule a fact to hyde Yet shall the whole at length be seene thy ylles shall all be spide Chorus WHich way O Prince of landes and Gods on hie At whose vprise eftsones of shadowd night All beawty fleeth which way turnst thou awrye And drawest the day in midst of heauen to flight Why dost thou Phoebus hide from vs thy sight Not yet the watch that later howre bringes in Doth Vesper warne the Starres to kindle light Not yet doth turne of Hespers whele begin To loase thy chare his well deserued way The trumpet third not yet hath blowen his blast Whyle toward the night beginnes to yeld the day Great wonder hath of sodayne suppers hast The Plowman yet whose Oxen are vntierd From woonted course of Heauen what drawes thee backs What causes haue from certayne race conspierd To turne thy horse do yet from dongeon black Of hollow hell the conquerd Gyantes proue A fresh assaut doth Tityus yet assay VVith trenched hart and wounded wombe to moue The former yres or from the hil away Hath now Typhoeus wound his syde by might Is vp to heauen the way erected hie Of phlegrey foes by mountaynes set vpright And now doth Ossa Pelion ouerlye The wonted turnes are gone of day and night The ryse of Sunne nor fall shal be no more Aurora dewish mother of the light That wontes to send the horses out before Doth wonder much agayne returne to see Her dawning light she wots not how to case The weary wheeles nor manes that smoaking be Of horse with sweate to bathe amid the seas Himselfe vnwonted there to lodge likewise Doth setting sonne agayne the morning see And now commaundes the darkenes vp to ryse Before the night to come prepared bee About the Poale yet glowth no fyre in sight Nor light Moone the shades doth comfort yet What so it be God graunt it be the night Our hartes do quake with feare oppressed gret And dreadfull are least heauen and earth and all With fatall ruine shaken shall decay And least on Gods agayne and men shall fall Disfigurde Chaos and the land away The Seas and Fyres and of the glorious Skise The wandring lampes least nature yet shal hide Now shall no more with blase of his vprise The Lord of starres that leades the world so wyde Of Sommer both and Winter geue the markes Nor yet the Moone with Phoebus flames that burnes Shall take from vs by night the dreadful carkes With swifter course or passe her brothers turnes While compasse lesse she fets in croked race The Gods on heaps shal out of order fall And each with other mingled be in place The wryed vvay of holy planets all With path a slope that doth deuide the Zones That beares the sygnes and yeares in course doth brynge Shall see the starres with him fall downe at ones And he that first not yet vvith gentle spring The temperate Gale doth geue to sayles the Ramme Shall headlong fall a dovvne to Seas agayne Through vvhich he once vvith fearefull Hellen svvam Next him the Bull that doth vvith horne sustayne The systers seuen with him shall ouerturne The twins and armes of croked Cancer all The Lyon hoat that wontes the soyle to burne Of Hercules agayne from heauen shall fall To landes once left the Virgin shall be throwne And leueld payse of balance sway alow And draw with them the stinging Scorpion downe So likewyse he that holdes in Thessale bowe His swift wel fethred arrowes Chiron old Shal breake the same and eke shal lese his shotte And Capricorne that bringes the winter cold Shall ouerturne and breake the water pot VVho so thou be and downe with thee to grounde The last of all the sygnes shal Pisces fall And monsters eke in seas yet neuer drounde The water gulph shal ouerwhelme them all And he which doth betwene each vrsa glyde Lyke croked flood the slipper serpent twynde And lesser Beare by greater Dragons syde Full cold with frost congealed hard by kinde And carter dull that slowly guides his waine Vnstable shall Boòtes fall from hye VVe are thought meete of all men whom agayn Should hugy heape of Chaos ouerly And world oppresse with ouerturned masse The latest age now falleth vs vppon VVith euil hap we are begot alas If wretches we haue lost the sight of sonne Or him by fraught enforced haue to flye Let our complayntes yet goe and feare be pasts He greedy is of life that wil not die VVhen all the world shall end with him at last THE FIFTE ACTE Atreus alone NOwe equall with the Starres I goe beyond each other wight With haughty heade the heauens aboue and highest Poale I smite The kingdome nowe and seate I holde where once my father raynd I nowe lette goe the gods for all my wil I haue obtaynde Enoughe and well ye euen enough for me I am acquit But why enough I wil procede and fyl the father yet With bloud of his least any shame should me restrayne at all The day is gone go to therfore whyle thee the heauen doth call Would God I could agaynst their wils yet hold the Goddes that flee And of reuenging dish constrayne them witnesses to bee But yet which wel enough is wrought let it the father see
vnshaken payse vnmoued yet art thou The Gods are fled Atr. but take to thee with ioy thy children now And rather them embrace at length thy children all of thee So long wisht for for no delay there standeth now in mee Enioy and kisse embracing armes deuyde thou vnto three Thy. Is this thy league may this thy loue and fayth of brother bee And doost thou so repose thy hate the father doth not craue His sonnes aliue which might haue bene without thy gylt to haue And eke without thy hate but this doth brother brother pray That them he may entoombe restore whom see thou shalt strayght waye Be burnt the father naught requires of thee that haue he shall But soone forgoe Atr. what euer part rot of thy children all Remaynes here shalt thou haue and what remayneth not thou host Thy. Lye they in fieldes a food out flung for fleerug fowles to waste Or are they kept a pray for wyld and brutish beastes to eate Atr. Thou hast deaourd thy sonnes and fyld thy selfe with wicked meat Thy. Oh this is it that sham'de the Gods and day from hence did dryue Turn'd back to east alas I wretch what waylinges may I geue Or what complayntes what woeful woordes may be enough for mee Their heads cut of and handes of torne I from their bodies see And wrenched feete from broken thighes I here behold agayn T ys this that greedy father could not suffer to sustayne In belly roll my bowels round and cloased cryme so great Without a passage stryues within and seekes away to get Thy sword O brother leud to me much of my bloud alas It hath let vs therwith make way for all my sonnes to passe Is yet the sword from me withheld thy selfe thy bosomes teare And let thy brestes resound with stroakes yet wretch thy hand forbeare And spare the deade who euer saw such mischiefe put in proofe What rude Heniochus that dwels by ragged coast aloofe Of Caucasus vnapt for men or feare to Athens who Procustes wyld the father I oppresse my children do And am opprest is any meane of gylt or mischiefe yet Atr. A meane in mischiefe ought to be when gylt thou dost commit Not when thou quytst for yet euen this to litle seemes to me The blood yet warme euen from the wound I should in sight of thes Euen in thy lawes haue shed that thou the bloud of them mightst drinke That lyued yet but whyle to much to hast my hate I thinke My wrath beguyled is my selfe with sword the woundes them gaue I strake them downe the sacred fyres with slaughter vowde I haue Wel pleasd the carcase cutting then and liueles lymmes on grounde I haue in litle parcels chopt and some of them I drounde In boyling cauderns some to fyres that burnte ful slow I put And made to droppe their synewes all and limmes a two I cut Euen yet alyue and on the spitte that thrust was through the same I harde the liuer wayle and crye and with my hand the flame I oft kept in but euery whit the father might of this Haue better done but now my wrath to lightly ended is He rent his sonnes with wicked gumme himselfe yet wotting naught Nor they therof Th. O ye encloas'd with bending bankes abought All seas me heare and to this gylt ye Gods now harken well What euer place ye fled are to here all ye sprites of hel And here ye landes and night so darke that them dost ouerly With clowde so blacke to my complayntes do than thy selfe apply To thee now left I am thou dost alone me miser see And thou art left without thy starres I wil not make for me Peticions yet nor ought for me require may ought yet bee That me should vayle for you shal all my wishes now foresee Thou guyder great of skyes aboue prince of highest might Of heauenly place now all with cloudes ful horrible to sight Enwrap the worlde and let the wyndes on euery syde breake out And send the dredfull thunder clap through al the world about Nor with what hand thou gyltes house and vndeserued wall With lesser bolt are wonte to beate but with the which did fall The three vnheaped mountaynes once and which to hils in height Stoode equall vp the gyantes huge throuw out such weapons streight And flyng thy fires and therwithall reuenge the drowned day Let flee they flames the light thus lost and hid from heauen away With flashes fyll the cause lest long thou shouldst doubte whom to hit Of ech of vs is ill if not at least let myne be it Me strike with tryple edged toole thy brande of flaminge fyre Beate through this breast if father I my children to desyre To lay in tombe or corpses cast to fyre as doth behoue I must be burnt if nothing now the gods to wrath may moue Nor powre from skies with thunder bolt none strikes the wicked men Let yet eternall night remayne and hyde with darknes then The world about I Titan naught complayne as now it standes If stil thou hyde thee thus away Atre. now prayse I well my handes Now got I haue the palme I had bene ouercome of thee Except thou sorrow'dst so but now euen children borne to mee I compt and now of bridebed chast the fayth I do repayre Thy. In what offended haue my sons Atr. In that that thyne they were Thy. Setst thou the sonnes for fathers foode Arr. I do which is best The certayne sonnes Thy. The gods that guyde all infantes I protest Atr. What wedlock gods Th. who would the gilt with gylt so quite again Atr. I know thy greefe preuented now with wrong thou dost complayne Nor this thee yrkes that sed thou art with food of cursed kind But that thou hadst not it prepared for so it was thy mynd Such meates as these to set before thy brother wotting naught And by the mothers helpe to haue likewyse my children caught And them with such like to slay this one thing letted thee Thou thought'st them thine Thy. the gods shall al of this reuengers be And vnto them for vengeance due my vowes thee render shall Atr. But vext to be I thee the whyte geeue to thy children all THE FOVRTH SCENE Added to the Tragedy by the Translatour Thyestes alone O Kyng of Dytis dungeon darke and grysly Ghosts of hell That in the deepe and dreadfull Denne of blackest Tarrace dwell Where leane and pale dyseases lye where feare and famyne are Where discord stands with bleeding browes where euery kynde of care Where furies fight in beds of steele and heares of crauling snakes Where Gorgon grimme where Harpyes are lothsome Lymbo lakes Where most prodigious vgly thinges the hollowe hell doth byde If yet a mouster more myshapt then all that there doe hyde That makes his broode his cursed foode yee all abhorre to see Nor yet the deepe Auerne it selfe may byde to couer mee Nor grisly gates of Plutoes place yet dare them selues to spred Nor gaping
alas is quight consumde her fauor sweete doth faynt Nor ruddy sanguine purple deye her cherry checkes doth paynt Wyth greedy gripes of gnawing griefe her pinched limmes doe pyne Her foltring legs doe stagger now the glosse of beauty tyne In body Alabaster bright is shronke away and wast Those Cristall Eyes that wonted were resemblance cleare to cast Of radiant Phoebus gold arayes now nothing gentry shyne Nor beare a sparke of Phoebus bright her fathers beams deuyne The trickling teares tril down her chekes dew dampish dropping still Doth wet her warrye plantes as on the toppe of Taurus hill The warry snowes with lukewarme shoures to moisture turnd do drop But lo the Princes pallace is set open in the top She lying downe vpon her golden bed of high estate Hurles of hir wonted royal robes which wounded hart doth hate Ph. Maydes haue our purple garmentes hence vestures wrought with gold These crimsō robes of scarlet red let not myne eyes behold And damaske weedes wheron the Seres embraudet braunches braue Whose Silken substaunce gatherd of their trees aloofe they haue My bosome shal be swadled in with cuttied gaberdine No golden coller on my necke nor Indian iewels fyne The precious pearles so whyte shal hang no more now at myne eares Nor sweete perfumes of Siria shal poulder more my heares My flaryng ruffled lockes shal dagling hang my necke aboute And shoulder poyntes then then apace it shattring in and out Let wyndes euen blow it where it list in left hand wil I take A quiuer of shaftes and in my right a Boorespere wil I shake To cruell child Hippolitus such one his mother was As fleeting from the frosen Seas those countrey costes did passe And draue her hierdes that bet with trampling feete Th' Athenian soyle Or like the trull of Tanais Or like her wil I toyle Of Meotis that on a knot wounde vp her crispen lockes Thus wil I trot with moone like targe among the wodes and rockes Nu. Leaue of thy bitter languishing vnto the sille sort That walter thus in waues of woe griefe giues not testing port Is any measure to be found in thy tormenting fire Some grace at wyld Dianaes hand with sacrifyce require O Goddesse greate of Woods in hilles that onely setst thy throne And Goddes that of the craggy clyues at worshipped alone Thy wrathful threatninges on vs all now turne to better plight O Goddesse that in forrestes wyld and groues obtaynest might O shyning lampe of heauen and thou the Diamon of the Night O threefold shapen Heccate that on the world his face Dost render light with torch by turnes vouchsafe to graūt thy grace To further this our enterprise and helpe our piteous case O mollify Hippolytus his stubborne hardned hart And let him learne the pangues of loue and tast like bitter smart And yeeld his light allured eares entreate his brutish breast And chaunge his mynd in Venus boundes compel him once to rest So froward and vntoward now so crabbed curst and mad So shalt thou be with blandishing and smyling countnaunce clad Thy shimering clowde cleane fading hence then brightly shalt thou bear And glisteryng hornes then whyle by night vpon the whirling sphere Thy cloudy heeled steedes thou guydes the raging witches charme Of Thessal shal not draw thee from the heauens nor do thy harme No Shepherd purchase shal renoume Thou comst at our request Now fauour dost thou graunt vnto the prayers of our Breast I do espye him worshipping the solemne Sacrifyce Both place and tyme conuenient by Fortune doth arise We must go craftely to worke for feare we quaking stand Ful hard it is the buysy charge of guylt to take in hand But who of Princes standes in awe let him defye all right Cast of the care of honesty from mind exiled quight A man vnfit is for the hest of King a bashful wight Hip. O Nurse how chaūce thy limping limmes do crepe into this place With blubbred Cheekes leaden lookes with sad and mourning face Doth yet my Father Theseus with health enioy his life Doth Phaedra yet enioy her health my stepdam and his wyfe Nu. Forgoe these feares and gently come thy blessed hap to take For care constrayneth me to mourne with sorrow for thy sake That hurtfully thou looudes thy selfe with pangues of plūging payne Let him rubbe on in misery whom destny doth constrayne But if that any yeld himselfe to waues of wilful woe And doth torment himselfe deserues his weale for to forgoe The which he knowes not how to vse tush be not so demure Consideryng how thy yeares do runne take part of sport and play Let mirry Bacchus cause thee cast these clogging cares away And reape the frutte of sweete delyght belonging to thy yeares For lusty youth with speedy foote ful fast away it weares Earst tender loue earst Venus feedes the young mannes appetite Be blyth my Boy why Widow like liest thou alone by night Shake of thy sollem sadnesse man that harty youth doth spill Huff royst it out couragiously take bridle at thy will Let not the flowre of plooming yeares all fruitles fade away God poynteth euery tyme his taske and leades in dus aray Each age by order lust as mirth the sappy youthfull yeares A forehed frayte with grauity becommeth hoary hayres Why dust thou bridle thus thy selfe and dulles thy pregnant wit The corne that did but lately sproute aboue the ground if it Be rancke of roote yet in the luske with enterest at large Vnto the hoping husbandman shall trauel all discharge With braunched bough aboue the Wood the tree shall raise his top Whom rusty hand of canckred hate did neuer spill nor lop The pregnant Wittes are euermore more prone to purchase prayse If noble heartes by freedome franckt be nourisht from decayes Thou churlish countrey Clowne Hodgelike not knowing Courtly life Delight in drousy doting youth without a louing wyfe Dost thou suppose that to this end Dame Nature did vs frame To suffer hardnes in this world and to abyde the same With courses and kerereyes fet the prauncing Steedes to tame Or bicker els with battails fierce and broyls of bloudy warre That soueraygne Syre of heauen and earth when fates do vs detarre With signes and plagues prognosticate prouided hath with heede For to repayre the damage done with new begotten seede Go to let bedding in the world be vsed once no more That stil mankind from age to age vpholdes and doth restore The filthy world deformd would lie in yrksome vgly stay No flotting ships on wambling Seas should hoysted Sayles display No Foule should skoare in azur Skie ne Beast to woods repayre And onely whisking windes should whirle amid the empty ayre What diuers dreery deathes driue one mankind to dumpish graue The Seas the sword and trayterous traynes whole countries wasted have Yet for to limit forth our league there is no destny thincke So downe to blackefast Stigian dampes we of our selues do sincke Let youth that neuer felt the ioyes in
rebound The brambles rent his haled hayre the edged flinty stones The beauty batter of his Face and breake his crashing bones At Mouth his blaring tongue hangs out with squeased eyne out dasht His Iawes Skull doe crack abrode his spurting Braynes are pasht His cursed beauty thus defoylde with many wounds is spent The iotting Wheeles do grinde his guts and drenched sims they rent At length a Stake with TruÌ„chion burnt his ripped PauÌ„ch hath caught From riued Grine toth ' Nauell stead within his wombe it raught The Cart vpon his Maister pawsde agaynst the ground ycrusht The Fellies stuck within the wounds and out at length they rush So both delay and Maisters limbs are broke by stresse of Wheeles His dragling guts then trayle about the wincing horses heeles They thumping with their horny Hooues agaynst his Belly kick From bursten Paunch on heapes his blouddy bowells tumble thick The scratting Bryers on the Brakes with needle poynted pricks His gory Carkas all to race with spelles of thorny sticks And of his flesh ech ragged shrub a gub doth snatch and rent His men a mourning troupe God knowes with brackish teares besprÄ“t Doe stray about the fielde whereas Hippolytus was tore A piteous signe is to bee seene by tracing long of gore His howling Dogges their Maisters limmes with licking follow still The earnest toyle of woful Wights can not the coars vp fill By gathering vp the gobbets sparst and broken lumps of flesh Is this the flaunting brauery that comes of beauty fresh Who in his Fathers Empyre earst did raigne as pryncely Peare The Heyre apparant to the Crowne and shone in honour cleare Lyke to the glorious Stars of Heauen his Limmes in pieces small Are gathred to his fatall Graue and swept to funerall TH. O Nature that preuaylste too much alas how dost thou binde Whyth bonds of bloud the Parents breast how loue we thee by kinde Maugre our Teeth whom gullty ecke we would haue rest of breath And yet lamenting with my teares I doe bewayle thy death NVN. None can lament with honesty that which he wisht destroyde TH. The hugiest heape of woes by this I thinke to be enioyde When flickering Fortunes cursed wheele doc cause vs cry alas To rue the wrack of things which earst wee wished brought to passe NVN. If stil thou keepe thy grudge why is the Face with seates besprÄ“t TH. Because I slue him not because I lost him I repent Chorus WHat heape of happes do tumble vpsyde downe Th' estate of man lesse raging Fortune flies On little things lesse leaming lightes are throwne By hand of Ioue on that which lower lies The homely couch safe merry hartes do keepe The Cotage base doth giue the Golden sleepe The lofty Turrets top that cleaues the cloude VVithstandes the sturdy stormes of Southren wynde And Boreas boysterous blastes with threatning loud Of blusteryng Corus shedding showres by kinde The reking Dales do seldome noiance take Byding the brunt of Lightninges slashing flake Th' aduaunced crest of Caucasus the great Did quake with bolt of lofty thundring Ioue VVhen he from cloudes his thunder dintes did beat Dame Cybels Phrygian fryth did trembling moue King loue in hawty heauen ful sore affright The nighest thinges with weapons doth he smyght The ridges low of Vulgar peoples house Striken with stormes do neuer greatly shake His Kingdomes coast Ioues thundring thumpes do souse VVith wauering winges that houre his fligth doth take Nor flitting Fortune with her tickle wheele Le ts any wight assured ioy to feele VVho in the VVorld beholds the starres ful bright And chereful day forsaking gastly Death His sorrowfull returne with groning spright He rewes sith it depriude his Sonne of breath He seeth his lodging in his court agayne More doleful is then sharpe Auernus payne O. PALLAS vnto whom all Athens land Due homage oweth because that THESEVS thine Among vs worldly Wights againe doth stand And seeth the Heauens vpon himselfe to shine And passed hath the parlous myrie Mud Of stinking Stygian Fen and filthy Flud Vnto thy rauening Vncles dreery Gaile O Lady chaste not one Ghost dost thou owe The Hellick Tyrant knovves his perfect tale Who from the Court this shriking shrill doth throwe What mischiefe comes in frantick PHAEDRAS brayne With naked Svvord thus running out amayne THE FIFTE ACTE THESEVS PHAEDRA CHORVS THrough pierst with pangues of pensiuenesse what fury prickes thy brayne What meanes this bloudy blade what meanes this shriking out amayne And langishing vpon the Corps which was thy mallice made PH. O tamer of the wrastling waues mee mee doe thou inuade The Monstrous hags of Marble Seas to rampe on mee send out What euer Thetis low doth keepe with folding armes about Or what the Ocean Seas aloofe embrace with winding waue O Theseus that to thine alies dost still thy selfe behaue So Currishly O thou that for thy louing Friends auayle Dost neuer yet returne thy Sonne and Father doe bewayle Thy pasport brought by death and bloud thy stocke thou dost destroy By loue or hatred of thy wife thou workest still annoy O sweete Hippolytus thus I behold thy battred face And I it is I wretch alas that brought thee to this case What Scinis forst thy lims so torne his snatching boughes to feele Or what Procrustes rackt and rent thee streacht on bed of Steele Or else what Minotaur of Crete that grim twishaped Bull With horny head that Dedalls â—â—nues with lowing filleth full Hath thee in fitters torne aie me where is thy beauty fled Where are our twinckling stars thine eyes alas and art thou ded Appeare a while receiue my words for speake I shall none yll This hand shal strike the stroake wherwith thy bengeance quite I wil And sith that I I Caytive I abridged haue thy life Lo here I am content to yeeld thee mine with bloudy knife If ghost may here be giuen for ghost and breath may serue for breath Hippolytus take thou my soule and come againe from death Behold my bowels yet are safe my lims in lusty plight Would God that as they serue for me thy body serue they might Mine eies to render kindly light vnto thy Carkasse ded Lo for thy vse this hand of mine shall pluck them from my hed And set them in these empty cells and vacant holes of thine Thy weale of me a wicked Wight to win do not repine And if a womans wofull heart in place of thine may rest My bosom straight breake vp I shall and teare it from my brest But courage stout of thine doth loth faint womans heart to haue Thy Noble minde would rather go with manly heart to graue Alas be not so manly now this manlinesse forheare And rather choose to liue a man with womans sprite and feare Then as no man with manly heart in darcknesse deepe to sit Haue thou thy life giue me thy death that more deserueth it Can not my profer purchase place yet vengeance shal thou haue Hell shall not hold me from thy syde nor
shall mee excuse In such a case no meanes at all of tryall I refuse Lay what you can vnto my charge No fault in mee remayns The Thebanes long or I came heere of Laius death complayns My Mother yet alyue my Father still in like estate No no this is some doltishe drift of yon false Prophets pate Or else some mighty God aboue doth beare me no good will And seekes by Plagues on mee to wreke his wrathfull vengeaunce stil Ah Sir I am glad at length I smell your drifts and fetches fyne I know the whole confederacy your sleights I can vntwyne That beastly Priest that blearayed wretch beelyes the Gods and mee And thee thou Traytour in my place hath promist king to bee CRE. Alas would I my Sister of her lawfull kingdome spoyle Thinke you such treason may haue place in brothers breast to boyle Yf that myne Oth could me not keepe content with my degree But that contemning meane estate I would clime aloft to bee Yet should ill Fortune mee deter from such attempts I trowe Whose guise it is on Princes heads huge heapes of Cares to throwe I would aduise your grace betimes this charge from you to cast Least lingring long all vnawares you be opprest at last Assure your selfe in baser state more safer you may liue And shun a thousand Cares Griefs which Princes hearts doe riue OED. And dost thou me exhort thou slaue my kingdome for to leaue O faythlesse head O shamelesse heart that could such treasons weaue Darst thou attempt thou villayne vile this thing to me to breake And fearst thou not in such a cause so boldly for to speake CRE. I would perswade them so O King who freely might possesse Their Realmes such piteous cares I see do Prynces hearts oppresse But as for you of force you must your Fortunes chainge abyde OED. The surest way for them that gape for kingdoms large wyde Is first things meane and rest and peace and base estate to prayse And yet with Tooth and Nayle to toyle to mount aloft alwayes So often times most restlesse beastes doe chiefly rest commend CRE. Shall not my seruice long suffice my truth for to defend OED. Time is the onely meanes for such as thou to worke theyr will CRE. It is so syr but as for mee of goods I haue my fill A great resort A pleasaunt life from Princely cares exempt All these might surely mee disswade from such a foule attempt There is no day almost O King the whale yeare thorow out Where in some royall gyfts are not from countreys round about Vnto mee sent both Golde and pearles and things of greater cost Which I let passe least I should seeme but vainly for to bost Besides the life of many a man hath bin preserude by mee In such a bilsfull state O King what can there wanting bee OE. Good Fortune can no meane obserue but stil she preaseth higher CRE. Shall I than guiltlesse die alas my cause and all vntryde OED. Were vnto you at any time my life my deedes discride Did any man defend mee yet or els my causes pleade And guiltlesse yet I am condemn'de to this you doe mee leade And mee expresse example giue which I entend to take What measure you doe meat to mee lyke measure must I make CRE. The minde which causelesse dred appawls true cause of feare bewraies That cōsciēce is not guiltles sure which euery blast dismates OED. Hee that in midst of perilles deepe and daūgers hath bene cast Doth seeke all meanes to shun like ills as hee hath ouerpast CR. So hatreds ryse OE. Hee that to much doth vse ill will to feare Unskilfull is and knowes not how hee ought him selfe to beare In kings estate For feare alone doth Kingdomes chiefly keepe Than hee that thus doth arme himselfe from feare all free may sleepe CRE. Who so the cruell tyrant playes and guiltlesse men doth smight Hee dreadeth them that him doe dread so feare doth chiefly light On causers chiefe A iust reuenge for bloudy mindes at last OED. Come take this traytor vile away In dongeon deepe him fast Enclose There for his due deserts let him abide such payne And scourge of minde as meete it is false traytors to sustayne Chorus SEt see the myserable State of Prynces carefull lyfe What raging storms what bloudy broyles what toyle what endlesse stryfe Doe they endure O God what plagues what griefe do they sustayne A Princely lyfe No No No doubt an euer duringe payne A state ene fit for men on whom Fortune woulde wreke her will A place for Cares to couch them in A doore wyde open still For griefes and daungers all that ben to enter when they list A king these Mates must euer haue it bootes not to resist Whole fluds of priuy pinching feare great anguishe of the minde Apparant plagues dayly griefes These playfayres Princes finde And other none with whom they spend and passe theyr wretched dayes Thus hee that Princes liues and base Estate together wayes Shall finde the one a very hell a perfect infelicity The other eke a heauen right exempted quight from mysery Let OEdipus example bee of this vnto you all A Mirrour meete A Patern playne of Princes carefull thrall Who late in perfect Ioy as seem'de and euerlasting blis Triumphantly his life out led a Myser now hee is And most of wretched Misers all euen at this present tyme With doubtfull waues of feare Itost subiect to such a Cryme Whereat my tongue amased stayes God graunt that at the last It fall not out as Creon tolde Not yet the worst is past THE FOVRTH ACTE THE FIRSTE SCENE OEdipus Iocasta MY mynde with doubtfull waues of dread is tossed to and fro I wot not what to say Alas I am tormented so For all the Gods on me doe cry for paynes and vengeaunce due They say that these my guiltlesse hands king Laius lately slue But this my conscience voyde of crime and mynde from mischiefe free To Gods vntried to mee well known denies it so to bee Full well I doe remember once by chaunce I did dispatch A man who sought by force with mee presumptuously to match His purpose was a fond attempt my Chariot for to stay This I remember well enough the strife was in the way And he a man well steept in yeares and I a lusty bloud And yet of meere disdayne and pride in vayne hee mee withstood But this from Thebes farre was done a croked three pathd way That was the place in which we fought it hard by Phocis lay Deare Wyfe resolue my doubts at once and mee expresly tell How old was Laius the King whan this mischaunce befell Was he of fresh and lusty yeares or stricken well in age When he was kilde O ease my thoughts of this tormenting rage IOC. Betwixt an old man an a yong but nearer to an olde OED. Were there great Bands of men with him his Person to vpholde IOC. Some by the way deceiued were and
land And old tvvise captiue king receiue our feare VVhile thou vvert king Troy hurtles then could stand Though shaken tvvise with Grecian sword it weare And twise did shot of Hercles quiuer beare At latter losse of Hecubes sonnes all And roges for kings that high on piles we reare Thou father shutst our latest funerall And beaten downe to Ioue for sacrifies Like liueles blocke in Troy thy carkas lies HEC. Yet turne ye once your teares another way My pryams death should not lamented be O Troyans all ful happy is Pryame say For free from bondage downe descended hee To the lowest Ghoste and neuer shall sustayne His Captiue necke with Greekes to yoked bee Hee neuer shal behold the Atrids twayne Nor false Vlisses euer shal he see Not hee a pray for Greekes to triumph at His necke shall subiect to their conquestes beare Ne geue his handes to tye behynde his backe That to the rule of Scepters wonted weare Nor following Agamemnons chare in bande Shall he bee pompe to proude Mycenas land WO. ¶ Ful happy Pryame is each one wee say That toke vvith him his Kingdome then that stoode Now safe in shade he seekes the wandring way And treads the pathes of all Elizius wood And in the blessed Sprightes ful happy hee Agayne there seekes to meete with Hectors Ghost Happy Pryam happy whoso may see His Kingdome all at once with him be lost Chorus added to the Tragedy by the Translator O Ye to whom the Lord of Lande and Seas Of Life and Death hath graunted here the powre Lay dovvne your lofty lookes your pride appeas The crovvned King fleeth not his fatall howre Who so thou be that leadst thy land alone Thy life vvas limite from thy mothers vvombe Not purple robe not Glorious glittering throne Ne crovvne of Gold redeemes thee from the tombe A King he was that wayting for the vayle Of him that slew the Minotaure in fight Begilde with blacknes of the wonted saile In seas him sonke and of his name they hight So he that wild to vvin the golden spoyle And first vvith ship by seas to seeke renovvne In lesser vvaue at length to death gan boyle And thus the daughters brought their father dovvne Whose songes the vvoodes hath dravven and riuers held And birdes to heare his notes did theirs forsake In peece meale throvvne amid the Thracian field Without returne hath sought the Stigian lake They sit aboue that holde our life in line And vvhat vve suffer dovvne they fling from hie No carke no care that euer may vntwine The thrids that vvoued are aboue the skie As vvitnes he that sometyme King of Greece Had Iason thought in drenching seas to drovvne Who scapt both death and gaind the Golden fleece Whom fates aduaunce there may no povvre plucke dovvne The highest God sometyme that Saturne hight His fall him taught to credite their decrees The rule of heauens he lost it by their might And Ioue his sonne novv turnes the rolling Skies Who vveneth here to vvin eternall vvelth Let him behold this present perfite proofe And learne the secrete stoppe of chaunces stelth Most nere alas vvhen most it seemes aloofe In slipper ioy let no man put his trust Let none dispayre that heauy haps hath past The svvete vvith sovvre she mingleth as she lust Whose doubtful web pretendeth nought to last Frailtie is the thride that Clothoes rocke hath sponne Novv from the Distaffe dravvne novv knapt in tvvaine With all the world at length his end he wonne Whose works haue wrought his name should great remaine And he whose trauels twelue his name display That feared nought the force of worldly hurt In fine alas hath found his fatall daye And died with smart of Dianyraes shurt If prowes might eternity procure Then Priam yet should liue in lyking lust Ay portly pompe of pryde thou art vnsure Lo learne by him O Kinges yee are but dust And Hecuba that wayleth now in care That was so late of high estate a Queene A mirrour is to teach you what you are Your wauering wealth O Princes here is seene Whom dawne of day hath seene in high estate Before Sunnes set alas hath had his fall The Cradels rocke appoyntes the life his date From setled ioy to sodayne funerall THE SECOND ACTE The Spright of Achilles added to the tragedy by the Translator The first Scene FOrsaking now the places tenebrouse And deepe dennes of th infernall region From all the shadowes of illusions That wāder there the pathes ful many one Lo here am I returned al alone The same Achil whose fierce and heauy hande Of al the world no wight might yet withstand What man so stout of al the Grecians host That hath not sometyme crau'd Achilles aide And in the Troyans who of prowes most That hath not feard to see my Banner splaide Achilles lo hath made them all affrayde And in the Greekes hath bene a piller post That stvrdy stode agaynst their Troyan host Where I haue lackt the Grecians went to wracke Troy proued hath what Achills sword could doe Where I haue come the Troyans fled a backe Retyring fast from field their walles vnto No man that might Achilles stroke fordoe I dealt such stripes amid the Troian route That with their bloud I staynd the fieldes aboute Mighty Memnon that with his Persian band Would Pryams part with all might mayntayne Lo now he lyeth and knoweth Achilles hand Amid the field is Troylus also slayne Ye Hector great whom Troy accompted playne The flowre of chiualry that might be found All of Achilles had theyr mortall wound But Paris lo such was his false deceipt Pretending maryage of Polixeine Behynd the aulter lay for me in wayte Where I vnwares haue falne into the trayne And in Appolloes church he hath me slayne Wherof the Hel will now iust vengeance haue And here agayne I come my right to craue The deepe Auerne my rage may not sustayne Nor beare the angers of Achilles spright From Acheront I rent the spoyle in twayne And though the ground I grate agayne to sight Hell could not hide Achilles from the light Vengeance and bloud doth Orcus pit require To quench the furies of Achilles yre The hatefull land that worse then Tartare is And burning thrust excedes of Tantalus I here beholde againe and Troy is this O trauell worse then stone of Sisyphus And paines that passe the panges of Tityus To light more lothsome furie hath me sent Then hooked wheele that Ixions flesh doth rent Remembred is alowe where sprites do dwell The wicked slaughter' wrought by wyly way Not yet reuenged hath the deepest hell Achilles bloud on them that did him slay But now of vengeance come the yrefull day And darkest dennes of Tartare from beneath Conspire the fautes of them that wrought my death Now mischiefe murder wrath of hell draweth nere Aud dyre Phlegethon floud doth bloud require Achilles death shall he reuenged here VVith slaughter such as Stygian lakes desyre Her daughters bloud shal slake the
bearing in his recklesse breast his fathers warnings wyse Was burned with the flames which hee did scatter in the Skyes None knew the costly glimsing glades where straggling Phaëton rode Passe not the path where people safe in former tyme haue trode O fondling wilfull wanton boy doe not dissolue the frame Of heauen sith Ioue with sacred hand hath halowed the same Who rowde with valiaunt Oares tough that were for Argo made Hath powled naked Pelion mounte of thycke compacted shade Who entred hath the fleeting rockes and serched out the toyle And tyring trauels of the seas and hath on saluage soyle Knit fast his stretched Cable rope and going forth to land To cloyne away the forren golde with greedy snatching hand Vnto the seas because that hee transgrest theyr lawes deuine By this vnlucky ende of his he payes his forfeyte fine The troubled seas of theyr vnrest for vengeaunce howle and weepe Syr Typhis who did conquer fyrst the daunger of the deepe Hath yeelded vp the cunning rule of his vnweldy sterne To such a guide as for that vse hath neede as yet to learne Who giuing vp his Ghost aloofe from of his natiue lande In forreyn more lyes buryed vile with durty soddes in sande He sits among the flitiring soules that straungers to him weare And Aulis Isle that in her minde her masters losse doth beare Held in the Ships to stand and wayle in croking narrow nocke That Orpheus Calliops sonne who stayde the running Brooke Whyle he recordes on heauenly Harpe with twanckling finger fine The wynde layde downe his pipling blastes his harmony diuine Procurde the woods to styr them selues and trees in traynes along Came forth with byrds that held their layes and listned to his song With lims on sunder rent in fielde of Thrace he lyeth dead Vp to the top of Heber floude eke haled was his head Gone downe he is to Stygian dampes which seene hee had before And Tartar boyling pits from whence returne hee shall no more Alcydes banging hat did bringe the Northern laddes to grounde To Achelo of sundry shapes he gaue his mortall wounde Yet after he could purchase peace both vnto sea and land And after Ditis dungeon blacke rent open by his hand He lyuing spred himselfe along on burning Oetas hill His members in his proper flame the wretch did thrust to spill His bloud he brewd with Nestors bloud and lost his lothsome lyfe By traytrous gyft that poysoned shyrt receaued of his wyfe With tuske of bristled groyning Bore Anceus lyms were torne O Meleagar wicked wight to graue by thee were borne Thy mothers brethren twayne and shee for it with ruthfull hand Hath wrought thy dolefull desteny to burne thy fatall brand The rash attempting Argonautes deserued all the death That Hylas whom Alcides lost bereft of fading breath That springall which in sowsing waues of waters drowned was Goe now yee lusty bloudes the Seas with doubtfull lot to passe Though Idmon had the calking skyll of destentes before The serpent made him leaue his lyfe in tombe of Liby shore And Mopsus that to other men could well theyr fates escry Yet onely did deceyue him selfe vncertayne where to dy And he that could the secret hap of things to come vnfoulde Yet dyde not in his countrey Thebes Dame Theris husband oulde Did wander like an outlawde man Our Palimedes syre Did headlong whelm him selfe in seas Who at the Greekes retyre From Troy to rushe on rockes did them alure with wily light Stout Aiax Oleus did sustayne the dint of thunder bright And cruell storme of surging seas to quite the haynous guilt That by his countrey was commit in seas he lyeth spilt Alceste to redeeme her husbands Phereus lyfe from death The godly Wyfe vpon her spouse bestowed her panting breath Proude Pelias that wretch him selfe who bad them first assay The golden Fleece that booty braue by ship to fetch away Perboylde in glowing cauldron hoate with feruent heate hee fryes And fleering peece meale vp and downe in water thin he lyes Inough inough reuenged are O Gods the wronges of seas Be good to Iason doing that hee did his Eame to please THE FOVRTH ACTE Nutrix MY shiuering minde amazed is agast and sore dismayde My chillish lims with quaking colde do tremble all afrayde Such plagues vengeāce is at hand in what exceding wise Do sharp assaults of greedy griefe still more more arise And of it selfe in smothering breast enkindlesse greater heate Oft haue I seene how ramping rage hath forced her to freate With franticke fits mad bedlem wise against the Gods to rayle And eke bewitched ghosts of heauen in plunging plagues to trayle But now Medea beates her busie brayne to bring to passe A myschiefe greater greater farre then euer any was Erewhile when hence she tript away astonished so sore And of her poyson closset close shee entred had the dore Shee powreth out her Iewels all abrode to light shee brings That which she dreading lothed long most irksome vgly things She mumbling coniures vp by names of ills the rable rout In hugger mugger cowched long kept close vnserched out All pestlent plagues she calles vpon what euer Libie lande In frothy boyling stream doth worke or muddy belching sande What tearing torments Taurus breedes with snowes vnthawed still Where winter flawes and hory frost knit hard the craggy hill She layes her crossing hands vpon each monstrous coniurde thing And ouer it her magicke verse with charming doth she sing A mowste rowste rusty route with cancred Scales Iclad From musty fusty dusty dens where lurked long they had Doe craull a wallowing serpent huge his cōbrous Corps out drags In fiery foming blaring mouth his forked tongue hee wags He stares about with sparkling eyes if some he might espy Whom snapping at with stinging spit he might constrayne to dy But hearing once the magycke verse he husht as all agast His body boalne big wrapt in lumps on twining knots hee cast And wambling to and fro his tayle in linkes he rowles it round Not sharp enough quoth she the plagues tooles that hollow groūd Engenders for my purpose are to heauen vp will I call To reach me stronger poyson down to frame my feate with all Now is it at the very poynt Medea thou assay To bring about some farther fetch then common Witches may Let downe let downe that sprawling Snake that doth his body spred As doth a running brooke abroade his myghty channell shed Whose swelling knobs of wondrous sise buystrous bobbing bumpes Doth thumpe the great lesser beare that feete his heauy lumpes The bygger beare with golden gleede the greekish fleete doth guyde But by the lesse the Sidon ships their passage haue espide He that with pinch of griping fist doth bruse the adders twayne His strening hard clasping hande let him vnknit agayne And crushe their squeased venome out come further thou our charme O slymy serpent Python whom Dame Iuno sent to harme Diana and Apollo both those heauenly spyrites
twayne With whom Latona traueling did grone with pynching payne O Hydra whom in Lerna poole Alcides gaue the foyle And all the noysome vermen vyle that Hercules did spoyle Which when on sunder they were cut with slysing deadly knyfe Can knit agayne their sodred partes and so recouer lyfe Help wakefull Dragon Argos whom first magicke wordes of myne Made Morpheus locke thy sleepy liddes and shut thy slugring eyne Then hauing brought aboue the ground of Serpents all the rout Of filthy weedes the ranckest bane shee pyckes and gathers out That spryng on knotty Eryx hill where passage none is founde Among the ragged Rockes or what on Caucasus his grounde Doth grow that still is clad in Coate of hoary moary frost That euermore vnmelt abydes whose spattred fylde is soste With gubbs of bloud that spowteth from Prometheus gaping maw Whose guts with twitching talent out the gastly gripe doth draw Or any other venemous herbe amonge the Medes that growes That with their sheafe of arowes sharp in field do scare their foes Or what the light held Parthian to serue her turne can sende Or els the rych Arabians that dyp theyr arrowes ende In poyson strong the iuyce of all Medea out doth wrynge That vnderneath the frosen poale in Svveuia land doth sprynge Whose noble state Hircinus woode doth high enhaunce and reare Or what the pleasaunte soyle doth yeelde in pryme of smiling veare When nature byddes the byrd begin her shrowding nest to builde Or when the churlyshe Boreas blast sharpe winter hath exilde The trym aray of braunche and bough to cloth the naked tree And euery thinge with bitter coulde of Snowe congealed bee In any pestilent flower on stalke of any hearbe doth growe Or noysome iuyce doth lye in rotten wrythen rootes alowe Hath any force in breading bane those takes shee in her hande Some plaugy hearbes did Athos yeelde that mount of Thessayle lande And other Pindus roches hye and some vppon the top Of Pingeus but tender twigges the cruell Sythe did lop These Tigris ryuer norisht vp that choakes his whyrlpoale deepe With stronger streame Danubius those in fostring waue did keepe Those did Hidaspus mynister who by the parching zone With lukewarme siluer channell runnes so rych with precious stone And Bethis sonne who gaue the name vnto his countrey great And with his shallowe foarde agaynst the Spanyshe seas doth beat This hearbe aboade the edge of knyfe in dawning of the day Ere Phoebus Face gan peepe bedect with glittring goulden spray His slender stalke was suepped of in deepe of silent nyght His corne was cropt whyle she with charme her poysned nayles did dight Shee chops the deadly hearbes wrings the squesed clottered bloud Of Serpentes out and filthy byrdes of irkesome miry mud She tempers with the same and eake she brayes the heart of Owle Foreshewing death with glaring Eyes and moaping Vysage foule Of shryke Owle hoarce alyue she takes the durty stinking guts All these the framer of this feate in dyuers percels puts This hath in it deuouring force of greedy spoyling flame The frosen ysle dulling coulde engenders by the same Shee chauntes on those the magicke verse that workes no lesser harme With bustling frantickely shee stampes and ceaseth not to charme MEDEA O Flittring Flockes of grisly ghostes that sit in silent seat O ougsome Bugges O Gobblins grym of Hell I you intreat O lowryng Chaos dungeon blynde and dreadfull darkned pit Where Ditis muffled vp in Clowdes of blackest shades doth sit O wretched wofull wawling soules your ayde I doe implore That linked lye with gingling Chaynes on wayling Limbo shore O mossy Den where death doth couche his gastly carrayne Face Relesse your pangues O spryghts and to this wedding hye apace Cause yee the snaggy wheele to pawse that rentes the Carkas bound Permit Ixions racked Lymmes to rest vpon the ground Let hungry bytten Tantalus wyth gawnt and pyned panche Soupe vp Pirenes gulped streame his swelling thyrst to staunche Let burning Creon byde the brunt aud gyrdes of greater payne Let payse of slyppery slyding stone type ouer backe agayne His moylyng Father Sisyphus amonges the craggy Rockes Yee daughters dyre of Danaus whom perced Pychers morckes So oft with labour lost in vayne this day doth long for you That in your lyfe with bloudy blade at once your husband slewe And thou whose aares I honored haue O torch and lampe of night Approche O Lady myne with most deformed vysage dight O three folde shapē Dame that knitst more threatning browes then one According to the countrey guise with dagling locks vndone And naked foote the secrete groue about I halowed haue From dusky dry vnmoysty cloudes the showers of rayne I craue Through me the chinked gaping ground the soked seas hath drunk And mayner streame of th' ocian floud beneath the earth is sunk That swelteth out through hollow gulph with stronger gushing rage Then were his suddy wambling waues whose power it doth asswage The heauens with wrong disturbed course and out of order quight The darkned sonne glimmering stars at once hath shewed theyr light And drēched Charles his stragling wayne hath ducie in dasshing waue The framed course of roaming time racte out of frame I haue So my enchauntments haue it wrought that when the flaming sunne In sommer bakes the parched soyle then hath the twigges begunne With sprowting blossom fresh to blome and hasty winter corne Hath out of haruest seene the fruite to barnes on sudden borne Into a shallowe foorde his sture distreame hath Phasis wast And Isters channell being in so many braunches cast Abated hath his wrackfull waues on euery silent shore He lyeth calme The tumbled flouds with thundring noyse did rore When couched close the windes were not mouing pippling soft With working waue the prauncing seas haue swolne leapt aloft Whereas the wood in alder time with thicke and braunched bowe Did spread his shade on gladsome soyle no shade remayneth now I rolling vp the magicke verse at noone time Phoebus stay Amyd the darkned Sky when fled was light of drowsy day Eke at my charme the watry flockes of Heyaeds went to glade Time is it Phoeba to respect the seruice to thee made To them with cruell bloudy hands these garlands greene were twynde Which with his folding circles nyne the serpent rough did bynde Haue here Tiphoias fleshe that doth in Aetnas Foruace grone That shoke with battery violent king Ioues assaulted trone This is the Centaures poysoned bloud which Nessus villayne vyle Who made a rape of Dianire entending her to fyle Bequethed her when newly wounde he gasping lay for breath While Hercles shaft stack in his Ribs whose laūce did worke his death Beholde the Funerall cinders heere which vp the poyson dryed Of Hercules who in his fyre on Oeta mountayne dyed Loe heere the fatall brand which late the fatall sisters three Conspyred at Meleagers byrth such should his destiny bee To saue alyue his brethyng corpes while that might whole remayne Which saufe his
He all bedasht your fathers princely hall Eft stepped into seruile Pallace stroke To filthy vices lore one easly broke Of Diuelish wicked with this Princocks proude By stepdames wyle prince Claudius Sonne auoude VVhome deadly damme did bloudy match ylight And thee against thy will for feare did plight Through which successe this Dame of corage fine Durst venture mighty Ioue to vndermine VVho can so many cursed kindes report Of wicked hopes and actes in any sort Or such a womans glosed guyles can name That raumpes at rule by all degrees of shame Then holy sacred zeale put out of grace Her stagring steppes directed forth apace And sterne Erinnis in with deadly steps To Claudius Court all desert left yleps And with hir dririe drakes of Stygian fort Hath quite distainde the sacred princely port And raging riuen in twaine both natures lore And right to wrongs mishapen fourme hath tore That haughty minded dame first gaue her make A deadly poysoned cup his thyrst to slake Straight wayes againe through vise vnkindly touch Her Nero causde with him in hell to couch And thee vnhappy Britt in all that broyle Till that of breth and life he did dispoyle Thilk greedie bloudy tyraunt neuer stent VVhose dolefull death for aye we may lament Ere whyle vnto the world the starre that shone And was the stay of princely court alone Now loe light ashes easly puft aforne And griesly goast to graue with torche yborne VVhom blessed Babe thy stepdame did lament Nor from hir gushing teares did scarce relent VVhen as shee gaue eche trimme appointed parte And goodly portraide limmes with natures arte Of flaming stacke to be deuoured quite And sawe the scortching feruent fire in sight Thy naked ioynts to rauin vp a pace And like the flittring God thy comely face Oct. Dispatch he me least with this hand he fall Nut. That power you nature graunted not at all Oct. But wondrous dolor great and wrathfull yre And miseries will it graunt without desyre Nu. Nay rather cause your angry moody make VVith souple cheere his fury for to slake Oct. VVhat that he will by guilt once slaine before Aliue againe my brother mee restore Nut. Nay safe that you may liue and issue beare Your fathers auncient court for to repayre Oct. That court doth wayte another broode they say And poore Britts death tugges me another way Nut. Yet let the cities loue vnto your grace Your troubled minde confirme but for a space Oct. Their mindes so prest to pleasure me I know Great comfort brings but do not slake my wo Nut. Of mighty power the people haue bene aye Oct. But princes force doth beare the greater sway Nut. He will respect his lawfull wedded wife Oct. His mynion braue can not so leade her life NV. Of no man shee esteemde Oct. But dear to make NV. She can not truely yet of wifehood crake Oct. Ere longe she shall a mother eke be made So farre therein I dare most boldly wade Nut. His youthfull heate at first in filthy loue With lusty crusty pangs doth boyle aboue Thylke corage quickly colde in lust apace As vapour sone extinct in flame giues place But holy louing chaste vnspotted spouse Her loue endureth aye with sacred vowes That wanton first that there durst couch hir hed And tumbling stayned quite your spousall bed And being but your mayde hath ruled longe Hir soueraine Lord with beauties grace bestong That pranked Paramour pert shal croutch with pain VVhen she your grace shall see preferd againe For Poppie subiect is and meeke of spright And now begins her goastly tombs to dight VVhereby she closely graunting doth bewray Hir secret hidden feare eche other day That swift vnconstant double winged lad With cloute before his blinded eyes yclad That fickle brayned God th unhappy boy Shall leaue hir in the midst of all hir ioy Although for beauty bright the bell she beare And goodly glistring garments new she weare And now do vaunt her selfe in gorgeous geere Shee shall not long enioy this gladsome cheere Be not dismayde Madame for such like paine The queene of gods was forced to sustaine VVhen to ech pleasaunt shape the heauenly guide And syre of Gods yturned from skyes did glyde The swannes white wings to se how they could fadge He did on him and cuckoldes bullysh badge That God shone bright in Golden raynie showre To Danaes brest through top of fortred towre The twinckling starres the twinnes of Laeda bright Whom Pollux some and Castor call aryght In large and ample space of starry scope With cristal glimering faces shyne wyde ope And Semeles sonne whom Bacchus we do call In heauenly byrthright doth himselfe ystall And Hercules that puissant Champion stoute His sturdy brawnes his Hebe wyndes aboute Nor once regardes how Goddesse Iuno fare Whose lowring stepdame now she is yframde That whyle on earth his prowes he did declare Agaynst that maryage aye was sore inflamd Yet loe her wise and closly couched greefe Debonaire face obeisaunce to her leefe Causde him at length his mynd for to remoue Through mortall feeres estraundge from Iunos loue And now that mighty heauenly Goddesse great No more adred of mortall strumpets feat Aloft alone in cloudy bowre contentes The thundring Lord which now to her relentes Nor now with earthly Ladyes beauty bright Yfyred leaues his starry specked right Now madam sith on earth your powre is pight And haue on earth Queene Iunos princely place And sister are and wyfe to Neroes grace Your wondrous restles dolours great appease Oct. Nay sooner shall the roaring froathy seas And mounting flashing flawes ymatch the skye And smoaking stifling parching fyer drye With dankish pooles agree and watrye fenne And griesly Plutoes filthy feltred denne With starbright heauen shal sooner coupled be And shyning light with glomy shades agree And with the cleere drye day the dewy night Than vnto seruile lore of husbande wight That brutish wyse in bloud takes his delight My heauy woeful mynd can I addresse Whyle brothers death my heart doth stil possesse O that of heauenly powers the prince and syre That shogges and shakes the earth with thūdring fyre And with his wondrous feareful cursed crackes And straunge mishapen monsters which he makes Our feareful musing myndes doth sore amase Would coyne some cureles burning wildfyre blase To pelt and pash with thumping fyer bright That diuelish pate that cruell cursed wight We saw from heauen with beames forthshoting farre Doubtles a dreadful heary blasing starre That spouted out a mortall fiery flake Whose force a princes bloud can only slake Euen where that hayting carman sloe Boote With chilling cold al starcke of frosen pole Doth guyde aright Charles whirling running rote In steade of night that neuer away doth role Loe now the open ayre in euery streate With doggish tyrantes breath is poysoned quite And dreadful starres some sodayne death do threate To people rulde by wicked Neroes spright So sterne a freake or mankynd tyrant stoute Not Tellus with the Gods displeasd brought out
disheueled hayre The Matrons sage of Latin land did mourne And sounded shryking sighes as though forlorne They were the dolefulst wightes that liue on ground And oft among the warlike trumpets sound I sawe my husbands mother teribly stand With threatning looke berayed with bloud in hand A light fyre brand she bare which oft she shooke And made mee goe with her through feareful loke When downe we came through op'ned earth shee led The way I after went with bowing hed And musing much therat marke what I say My bed me thought I saw wherin I laye When first espousde I was to Rufe Chrispyne And hee me thought with first sonne of his lyne With many following them agaynst me fast Did come and me to cleepe did swift his hast And as he wonted was he kist me oft Then rusht into my house with pace not soft Amased Nero sore in Chryspines breast That hidde his faulchion kene feare shakte of rest From mee I trembling stode with quiuering feare And brest dismayd to speake made me forbeare Til now O Nurse I met with thee whose trust And fayth into these wordes haue made me brust Alas what threatneth mee eche griesly spright What meanes of husbands bloud that doleful sight Nu. The hidden sacred vayne that moueth swift Which fantasie we call by secret drift When we do take our rest doth shew agayne The thinges both good and bad that broyle in brayne You maruel that you saw your make and bower His ghostly funerall stackes at that same hower Round clasped close in armes of husband new Hereto the beaten breastes with handes mou'd you And maydens hayre on mariage day displayd Octauias friendes with heauy hartes bewrayed Amids hir brothers both and fathers hall Their heauy cheere for her vnluckye fall That dreadful blasing flame of fyre forborne In Agryppynas hand your grace beforne Which you did follow streigth declares renowne To you though enuye stryue to keepe it downe The seat you saw beneath doth promise you Your state to stand ful sure not chaunging new That Nero prince in Crispins throat did hyde His sword it telles that he in peace shall byde Vnknowen to bloudy ruthful warre for aye Therfore Madam plucke vp your hart I pray Receiue both mirth and glee cast feare asyde With ioy and ease you may in bowre abide Pop. To temples hie where mighty Gods do dwell I wil repayre and offringes to them fell In humble wyse their heauy wrath t' ppease And me of mighty sight and dreams to ease My second wish shal be that this feare all Vppon my foes as sodayne chaunce may fall O Nurse pray thou for mee some vowes do make Toth ' Gods that ghostly feare his flight my take THE SECOND SCENE Chorus IF stealth discloasde by blabbing fame And lusty pleasaunt thankfull loue Of IOVE be true who fourme did frame Of swan to come from skies aboue And did enioy the sweete consent Of Ladye LEDAS loues delight VVho like a Bull his labour spent Through flowing floods to cary quite EVROPA slylie stolne awaye Hee will no doubt leaue raygne of Skye And POPPIES loue disguisd assaye If hee her soueraygne beauty spye VVhich hee might wel preferre before Fayre LAEDAS sugred sweete delight And DANAE whom hee wonne of yore Amasde with golden shoure so bright Let SPARTE now for HELENS sake Of beauty bragging fame vprayse Admit the TROIAN heardman make Of gayned spoyle tryumphant prayse Fayre HELEN here is stayned quight VVhose beauty bredde such boyling yre That earth was matched euen in sight VVith TROIAN towres consumde with fyre But who is this that runnes with feare opprest Or els what newes bringes he in panting breast THE THIRD SCENE Nuntius Chorus WHat sturdy champion stoute doth ioy with glee Our chieftaynes royal bower safe to see Then to his court I counsel him to wend Gainst which the populus rout their force doth bend The rulers runne amasde to fetch the gard And armed troupes of men theyr towne to ward Nor woodnes rashly cought through feare doth ceasse But more and more their power doth encrease Ch. What sodain rage doth beat their brawling braine Nun. The garisons great with fury astonde againe And sturred vp for Queene Octauias sake With monstrous mischiefe vile their rage to slake They rumbling rush into the Pallace farre Cho. What dare they do their counsailers who are Nun. Aduaunce their Empresse old subuert the new And graunt hir brothers beds as is hir due Cho. Which Poppie now with hole consent doth hold Nun. Yea that vnbrideled rage in brest vprold Sets them agog and makes them wondrous wood What euer ymage grauen in marble stood If Poppies badge it bare or if in sight It tended for to shew hir beauty bryght Though it on heauenly altares braue did stand They break or pull it down with sword or hand Some parts with ropes sure tide they trayle thē forth Which spurnd with durty feete as though naught worth With filthy stinking myre they it all beray And with their deedes their talke doth iumpe agree Which mine amased minde thinks true to bee For fierie flames they threat for to prepare Wherewith to waste the princes Pallace faire Vnlesse vnto their furious moode he giue His second wife and with Octauia liue But he by me shall know in what hard stay The City stands the rulers I le obay Cho. A lack what made you cruell warres in vaine To moue sith prisoner loue you can not gaine You can not him ouercome your fiery flame He recketh not his syre ouercomes the same He darkened hath those thundring thumps that shake Heauen Earth Hel sea al things that makes to quake Yea mighty Ioue in heauen that weares chief crowne His flames from welkin hie hath brought adowne And you not victors now but vanquished Shall raunsome pay the price of hearts bloud red Loue pacient can not be but hote in rage No easie thing it is his wrath t' asswage Achilles worthy sight that was so stout To twang the Harpe he made in Ladies rout Prince Agamemnon sterne that boy benumd And rable rude of Greekes with loue bronds bumd King Priams raigne he topsie turuie tost Aud goodly Cities great he chiefly lost And now my minde sore frighted stands agast What Cupides furious force brings vs at last THE FOVRTH SCEANE Nero AH ah our captaines sloe dispatching coyle And our long suffring yre in such a broyle That streames of bloud yet do not quēch their rage Which thei against our propre person wage And that all Rome with corses strewd about Those cruell villaines bloud doth not sweat out But deedes already done with death to pay A small thing t' is a greater slaughtrous day The peoples cursed crime and eke that dame Whom I did aye suspect deserues the same whome to yelde those peasaunts would me make At last she shall with life our sorow slake And with hir bodies bloud shall quench our yre Then shall their houses fall by force of fyre What burning both and buildings fayre
her desire fulfill Shee sometime subiect to hir slaue To death was put with souldiours blade VVhat shee that easly hope might haue Toth skies hir raigne to rise haue made Prynce Neroes lusty Parent great First tost with shipmans boysterous force Then torne with sword in Prynces heat Did shee not lye a senceles corse Oct. Loe mee the tyrant stern will send To yrcksome shades and hellish sprits Why wretch doe I the tyiue thus spend Draw mee to death you to whose myghts False Fortune hath bequeathed mee I witnesse now the heauenly powre What dost thou bedlame leaue to flee With prayer to Gods who on thee lowre I call to witnesse Tartar deepe And sprytes of Hell reuenging freakes Of haynous facts in Dungeon steepe And Syre whom death deserued wreakes I doe not now repyne to dye Deck vp your Ship and hoyse your Sayle On frothing seas to windes on hye Let him that guides the Helm not fayle To seeke the shore of Pharian Land Cho. O pippling puffe of western wynde Which sacrifice didst once with stand Of Iphigen to death assignde And close in Cloude congealed clad Did cary hir from smòking aares Which angry cruell Virgin had This Prynce also opprest with cares Saue from this paynefull punishment To Dians temple safely horne The harbarous Moores to rudenesse bent Then Prynces Courtes in Rome forlorne Haue farre more Cyuile curtesie For there doth straungers death appease The angry Gods in heauens on hie But Romayne bloude our Rome must please FINIS THE TENTH TRAGEDY OF L. ANNAE SENECA Entituled HERCVLES OETAEVS Translated out of Latin into Englishe by I. S. The Argument HERCVLES hauinge subdued the Sonnes of EVRITVS Kynge of OEchalia who contrary to theyr promise denied to geue their Sister IOLE vnto him hauing made conquest of the City and countrey thereabout meant to sacryfice vnto the Gods for his victory in that behalfe and successe in briging away perforce his beeloued IOLE For the solemne celebration whereof he sent LYCAS his seruaunt vnto DEIANEIRA his Wyfe to fetche his Robe which hee alwayes vsed when hee sacrifized DEIANEIRA dippinge and besprinckling the same Robe in the bloude of NESSVS the Centaure because she feared least her husband loued IOLE better then he did her for NESSVS being shot through and slayne by HERCVLES had perswaded aduised her that shee shoulde so doe whensoeuer shee doubted that her husbands loue were alienated from her to any other sent it vnto him Which Garment when HERCVLES had put on the poyson wherein it was dipped and washed enuenomed all his Vitall partes and droue him into most intollerable tormentes For remedy vvhereof hee sent to APOLLO his Oracle at Delphos from vvhence hee receiued aunswere that hee should bee caryed vnto Mounte OEtus and there that a greate fier shoulde bee made and as for all other things they should bee referred to the pleasure and direction of IVPITER The fier being there made and kindled by PHILOCTETES vnto vvhom HERCVLES bequeathed his Arrowes HERCVLES vvent vp into it was there burned Whose boanes being afterward sought for and not founde the standers by vvere fully perswaded that he vvas deified taken vp into Heauen When knowledge thereof vvas broughte vnto DEIANIRA shee thinking herselfe to bee the cause of her husbandes tormenting death strangled her selfe FINIS The Speakers names HERCVLES ALCMENA HYLLVS NVTRIX IOLE CHORVS PHILOCTETES DEIANIRA THE FIRST ACTE HERCVLES alone O Lorde of Ghostes whose fyrye flashe that forth thy hand doth shake Doth cause the trembling Lodges twayne of Phoebus Carre to quake Raygne reachlesse nowe in euery place thy peace procurde I haue Aloofe where Nereus lockes vp lande Empalde in winding Waue Thwack not about with thunder thumpes the rebell kinges bee downe The rauening tyrauntes Scepterlesse are pulled from their crowne By mee all daunted is whereon thy boults thou shouldst bestowe And yet O Father yet the Heauens are still withhelde mee froe At all assayes I serue as might an Impe of Ioue behoue And that thou ought to Father mee my stepdame well doth proue Why dost thou linger in delay is Heauen of vs afraide Seeme wee so awfull fell and fierce and wherefore are wee staide And cannot Atlas boysteous backe on stouping shoulder tough Vpholde the payse of Hercules and heauen well inough What is it sier what is it Ioue that thee so much detarres What may thee force keepe backe thy sonne from scaling of the Starres For death hath let me passe againe from dungeon darke to thee When mischiefes fell and monsters all destroyde and spoyled bee That eyther Lande or Seas or Ayre Or hell engender coulde Arcadian Lion none to raunge in saluage Nemea wolte The Stymphall Foule hath chased bin with Bowe and Brusell boulte No nimble heart of Menalus doth lye in hill nor houlte The Dragon daunting with his bloud hath goarde the goulden groue And Hydra hath his courage coolde and Diomedes droue Whose puffed paunches pampred were with stoare of straungers bloud That scoarde the Coaste and barren bankes of cruell Heber floud I slaughterd them and that the force of foe might well bee seene I prowlde away the boottes of the prowde Amazon Queene Of silent shades in glummy Goulphes the dreadfull doomes I saw On Cerber black the Tartar Tike the sonne did shine with awe And he with steaming Goggle eyes hath glyed vpon the soone Anteus yawnes and gapes no more whose gasping breath to doone A-front his alters Busir fell was knockt vnto the grounde By him whose hande gaue Gerion his deepe and deadly wounde And slew the mighty Bull that was to hundred heartes a dreade All noyous plagues I spoyled haue that euer Tellus bread And daunted by my hand they lye the Gods now neede not free The worlde to aunswere Iunoes yre no monsters now can get Now shew thy valiaunt sonne his sire or set him in the clowdes Thou shalt not neede to bee my guide my selfe will climbe the shrowdes Doe thou my passage but allow and I shall finde away But if thou dreade that monsters more the earth engender may Hast on eache monster hideous to shew it selfe in time Whyle Hercules hath his aboade beneath the heauenly Clyme For who encounter shall the fiendes who i st that Grecia hath That may be meete to bide the brunt of mighty Iunoes wrath My prayse burtes not my health my fame doth fly from land to land The ysy poale doth know mee where the northerne beare doth stand The easterlings encombred with the gleede of scorching sunne The south where Phoebe by crooked cleare of Tropick Crab doth rūne In euery coast O Titan where thou dost thy selfe reueale How I haue met thee face to face to thee I doe appeale Aloofe beyonde the compasse of thy light I set my foote And neuer coulde thy blaze so farre his glymsinge glory shoote As I haue forst the honour of my triumphes for to streatch The day it selfe hath had his stint within my trauells reatch Dame Nature faylde the worlde was shogd
of swerd N. Thy wrath deare foster child Is greater then the crime that hath thy Hercules defilde With egall mallice measure faultes Alas why dost thou bring So great and sore a penalty vpon so swale a thinge Let not thy griefe be greater then the sorrow thou sustaynes DE. Set you it light that with our wedlocke linkt an harlot raygnes ? Nay rather thinke it still to much that doth thy sorrows breede NV. And is the Ioue of Hercules reuolt from thee in deede DE. T' is not reuolt deare foster Dame fast in my bones it stickes But yre boyles hoate in burning breast when loue to anger prickes NV. It is almost a common guise that wedded wyues doe haunte Theyr husbands hearts by magicke Arte and witchcraft to enchaunte In winter coulde I charmed haue the woods to make them sprout And forst the thunder dint recoyle that hath bin boulting out With waltring surges I haue shooke the seas amid the calme I smoothed haue the wrastling waues and layde downe euery walme The dry grouÌ„d gaped hath like gulphs out new springs haue gusht The roring rocks haue quaking sturd none therest hath pusht Hell glounimy gales I haue brast cape where grisly ghosts all husht Haue stood aunswering at my charme the goblins grim haue scoulde The threefolde headed hounde of hell with barking throates hath houlde Thus both the seas the lande the heauens hell bowe at my becke Noone day to midnight to and froe turnes at my charming checke At my enchauntment euery thing declynes from natures lawe Our charme shall make his stomacke stoupe bring him more in awe D. What hearbes doe grow in Pontus sea Or els on Pindus hill To trownce this machelesse champton where shall I finde the ill The magicke vearse â—uchaunts the Moone from Starry skies to grouÌ„d And fruictfull haruest is thereby in barren winter found The whisking flames of lightning leames oft sorcery doth stay And noonetyde topsy turuy â—ost doth dim the dusky day And leaue the welkin to the starres and yet not cause him stxsoupe N. The Gods them selues by charme of loue haue forced bin to droupe DE. Perhap hee shall be woon by one and yeelde to her the spoyle So loue shall be to Hercules the last and latest toyle By all the hoste of heauenly powers and as thou seest mee feare The secrets that I shall attempt in councell see thou beare NV. What may it be that thou woulde haue me keepe so secretly DE. No broyle of blades no priue cote no fiery force perdye NV. I you assure I can conceale if mischiefe none be ment For then the keeping close of it is sure a lewbe entent DE. Then looke about if none be heere our councell to betray Looke rounde about on all sides cast thy countnaunce euery way NV. Beholde the place is safe inough from any listning eare DE. Beside the place of our estate there is a secret nooke A couert corner for our talke that sonneshyne neuer tooke Neyther at morne nor euening tyde when Titans blaze doth quench And hee in ruddy westerne waue his firy wheeles doth drench There secret lyes the priuy proofe of Hercules amorous thought I le tell thee all deare foster dame This witchcraft Nessus taught Whom Ixion engendred of a mysty grouing clowde Where Pindus hauiy hill his top among the starres doth shrowde And other stipe doth heaue his Crest about the ryding rack When Achelous ouer layde with many a thumping thwack Of Hercles club did shift him selfe to euery kinde of shape And triall made of all his sleights none serued to escape At length he turnde him selfe into the lykenesse of Bull And so was fowly vanquished in forme of horny scull While Hercules being Conquerour did me his Wyfe enioy Returning home to Greece agayne it hapned Euen lake To ouerflow the drowned marshe and channell to forsake And strongly streamde to seas hee runns and swells aboue his bankes And Nessus vsde to passe the poole and search the croking crankes As Ferryman demaundes his fare and bare mee on his backe And wading forward brake the Waues and surges of the lake At length yet Nessus waded out vnto the farther shore Yet Hercules had swam but halfe the riuer and no more And plyde it hard to cut the streame but when espied had hee That Hercules was farre behinde Madam quoth hee to mee Be thou my booty and my wyfe and clasping mee about Away he flings and Hercules besturres him mauger Waue Though Ganges gulph and Ister streame quoth he thou traytour slaue Might roon in on yet shiâ— to scape them both well coulde I make And in thy hast a shaft shall soone they running ouer take And ere he spake the word his arrow flew out of his bowe And wrought a wounde in Nessus ribbs hee coulde no farther goe It sped him sure to looke for death Hee cried well away The baggage running from the wounde reserued as hee lay And putting it into his hoofe the which vndoyng hee In cutting yt with his owne hand did geue it vnto me And thus at latter gaspe he sayde the witches haue me toulde That loue may charmed be by this to haue and keepe his hould The conning witch dame Michale did teach Thessalia dames Who onely forst the Mone to stoupe to her from heauenly frames Therfore quoth he at any tyme when hateful whores abuse Thy spousall bed or waueryng man do haunt to any stewes Then with this salue annoynt his shyrtes and let it see no sonne But kepe it close in corners darke the bloud then shall not shonne His strength and thus ful sodenly he left his talke with rest And deadly sleepe with senceles death his feeble lims opprest Thou Dame to whom in hope of trust my secrets all bewray On that the poyson soakt into the vesture bright it may Preace through his limmes vnto his hart sinke through euery bone N. I wil dispatch it all in hast make thou thy earnest mone Vnto the God whose tender hand his stedfast dartes doth weild D. I thee beseech that art of earth and heauen in honour helde And thou that shakest burning boltes thou curst and cruel boy Whose eluish weapons make thy mother feare thy sharpe annoy Now arme thy hand with speedy shaft not of the slender sort But biggest boultes with which as yet thou hast assault no fort We neede no litle shaft that may styrre Hercules to loue Bring cruel handes and force thy how his depest draught to prooue Now now draw forth thy shaft wherewith thou caused cruelly The burning breast of Ioue by fyttes of seruent loue to frye When as the God his thonder bolt and lightning layd assyde Gan boalne with bumpes on forehead big and throught the waue he hid And swam with Europ on his backe in shape of horny Bull Now powre downe loue and therwithall let Hecles hart be full If Ioles beauty kyndle heate and Hercles hart doth moue Quench thou these coales and force him glow with vs
he hastned his decay N. Wilt thou forgoe thy sonne and eake preuent thy dying day D. Her selfe hath liued long ynough who buryed hath her childe N. And wilt thou follow on to death thy spouse D. yea Ladies mild Before their husbandes vse to dye N. Thy selfe thou dost accuse Of guylt if thou coÌ„demne thy selfe D. No gylty one doth vse To take reuengemente of themselues N. But those are pardoned 〈◊〉 That do offend of ygnoraunce and not of peuish wil Who wil condemne the deede hee doth D. Ech man doth seeke to shun His lot when spite of frowning fate against him seemes to runne N. And he for whom thou languishest with arrow slow his wyfe Hight Megara and did destroy his tender childrens life When as a braynsicke beast in hand he tost his knarrye mace That squeasde the snake in Lerna lake before his fathers face He played thryse the murtherer himselfe yet he forgaue And for the haynous gylt hee did when frenzy made him raue He purgde himselfe in Cynips spring toward the Southerne poale And in the water bath'd his hand againe to make him hoale Now whether wilt thou caytiffe wretch why dost thou dam thy handes D. In condemnation of these the ghost of Hercles standes I meane to plague the treachery N. Your Hercules wel I know Perhap he wil be heare agayne and mayster al his woe Then shall your slaked greefe vnto yobr Hercules geue place DE. They say the serpents poyson doth deuowen him apace The poyson of his wicked Wyle his lusty lims destroyes NV. And think yee it to bee the serpents bane that him annoyes That hee cannot escape who bare the brunt of it aliue And how to pare of Hydraes heads he coulde full well contryue When as the victour stoode with grinning teath amid the moode And all his body slauerde fowle with venomous spit and bloude And shall the Centaur Nessus goare agaynst the man preuayle That made thy pithy strength it selfe of Nessus for to quayle DE. In vayne yee rescue her that is of purpose set to dye Therefore I haue determinde with my selfe this lyfe to flye And long inough hee lyued hath that may with Hercles dye NV. I doe beseech thee humbly for this gray and hoary head And for these pappes that as thy Mother haue thee nourished Remove the feruent fits that cage within thy boyling breast And suffer not these despret thoughtes of death in thee to rest DE. Who woulde perswade a wretch to liue He hath a cruell heart And though that death be vnto me a great and grieuous smart Yet vnto other some it is an eâ—sâ—ing of their payne NV. O wreatch excuse thy handy worke and say at last agayne T' is ignoraunce that did the deede and not the willfull Wyfe DE. It wilt be quit whereas th' infernall â—â—endes shall stint the stryfe And quit my guilty ghost my conscience doth my hands condem But Pluta Prince of glummy goulph shall purge from slaughter them Before thy bankes I will appeare forgetfull Lethes Lake And being then a dolefull ghost my husband will I take But thou that wields the scepter blacke of darke internall skies Apply thy toyle the haynous guilt that nons durst enterpryse This ignoraunce hath ouercom Dame Iuno neuer dare To take away our Hercules Thy plunging plagues prepare Let Sisiphs stone on my neck force my stouping shoulders shrynke And let the fleeting licour from my gaping gums to synke Yea let it mock my thyrsty throate when as I meane to drynke And thou that rackes Ixion King of Thessayle O thou Wheele My haynous handes deserued haue thy swinging sway to feele And let the greedy gripe scratch out these guts on eyther side If Danaus pitchers cease by mee the rome shal be supplide Set open hell take mee Medea as 〈◊〉 of thy giult This hand of myne then both of thyne more cruell bloud hath spilt More then thou did as in respect of mother to thy thylde Or loking to thy brothers ghost whose gore hath thee defylde Haue with the Lady thou of Thrace for such a cruel wyfe And the Althe that burnt the brand of Meleagers life Receyue thy daughter now denye me not thy babe to bee Why such a one should quayle by you some reason let vs see Ye honest matrons that enioy the groues of holy wood Agaynst me shut the heauens or such whose handes with husbandes blood Haue bene imbrewde if any of the fifty sisters dyre Defying honest duty all that wedlocke did require But desprat dames with goary blades stood armde in me let them See and allow theyr bloudy handes that other wil condem I wil go get my selfe among the troupe of cruel wyues But they wil shunne such gylty handes as shred their husbandes liues O valiant spouse a guilâ—â—sse ghost but gylty handes I haue Ah silly woman woe is me that giuen light credite haue O traytor Nessus while I ment by Centaures subtil charme To draw from Iole Hercles loue my selfe sustayne the harme Hence Phoebus hence and thou O flickring life of her that lackes Her Hercules and giuest day to wretches in their wrackes This is a dismal day to thee Small penaunce yeld I will And life with all my woeful fate shal I continue stil Deferryng death O spouse that of thy hand I may be slayne And doth their any sparke of life yet in thy breast remayne Or can thy hand yet draw the bow Sarmacian shaft to cast Do weapons cease and haue thy feble handes giuen vp at last Thy bow but if thy hardy wyfe to thee a toole may reache I long to perysh of thy hand myne hower yet wil I stretche Like gyltlesse Licas mangle me disperse in other townes My corpes and hurle me 〈◊〉 worlde beyond the trauayles bownes Trounce mee like monster Arcadie or ought that did rebell And yet thou shalt do nought but that becommes an husband wel Hi. I pray you mother spare your selfe forgeue your fatal lot If ye offend of ygnoraunce then blame deserue yee not De. If thou regard true honesty thy wretched mother slay Why trembleth thus thy feareful hand why lokest thow away Such sinne shal be a sacrifyce why dastard dost thou feare I spoylde thy father Hercules this hand this hand aleare Hath murdred him wherby I haue done thee a more despyte Then ioy I did in that my woâ—be did bring thee first to light If yet thou know not how to kill then practise fyrst on mee If as thou like within my throate thy blade shal sheathed bee Or if to paunch thy mother soone thou meane to take in hand To yeeld her dreadlesse ghost to thee thy mother still shall stande It shall not wholly be thy deede by thee it shall be done And caused by my wil to be Art thou Alcides soon And all affrayd so shal thou neuer great exployts atchieue Nor passe the worlde such feats of armes and sleightes for to contriue If any monster should be bred thy fathers courage shew And to it with
vnfeareful arme loe ouerchargde with woe My breast lies bare vnto thy hand Stryke I thy gylt forgeue The fâ—endes infernall for their sinne thy soule shal neuer greeue What yerking noyse is this we heare what hagge here haue we fowndâ— That beares aboute her writhen lockes these vgly adders wound And one her yrksome temples twayne her blackysh â—innes do wagge Why chase ye mee with burning brandes Megera filthy hagge Alcides can but vengeance aske and that I wil him get But haue the iudges dyre of hell for yt in counsell set But of the dreadful dongeon dores I see th unfoulding leaues What auncient sier is he that on his tatred shoulder heaues Th' unweildy stone that borne toth top agayne doth downward reele Or what is â—e that spraules his lims vppon the whirling wheele Lo heare stood ougly Tisiphon with sterne and ghastly face And did demaunde with steaming eies the manner of the case O spare thy strypes Megera spare and with thy brandes away Th' offence I did was ment in loue but whether do I sway The grouÌ„d doth sinke the roofe doth cracke whether went this raging route Now al the world with gasing eyes stand staring me about On euery side the people grudge and call for their defence Be good to me O nations whither shall I get mee hence Death onely is my loade of rest there may my sorrowes byde I do protest the fiery wheeles that Phoebus charyot guide That heare I dye and leaue the worlde ther 's Hercles yet behynde Hi. Away she runnes agast aye me shee hath fullylde her mynd For purposed she was to dye and now remaynes my wil For to preuent her that by force her selfe she shall not kill O mise rable prety if I my mother saue I sin agaynst my father then but if vnto the graue I let her goe then toward her a trespas soule there lyes And tâ—hus alas on eyther syde great mischiefe doth aries And needes her purpose must be stayde I le hie and take in hand To stop her despret enterpryse and mischiefy to withstand Chorus FVll true the dytty is That holy ORPHEVS sang On Thracian harpe with sounde whereof the Rocks of Rodop rang That nothing is creat For euer to endure Dame Natures byrdes each on must stoupe when death throwes out the lure The head wyth Crispen lockes or goulden hayres full In time hath borne an hoary bush or bin a naked scull And that which tract of time doth bring out of the grayne Olde SATVRNE sharps his Syth at length to reape it downe agayne Though PHOEBVS ryse at morne with glistring rayes full proude Hee runnes his race and ducketh downe at length in foggy Clowde Toth Gaetans ORPHEVS sang such kinde of melody And how the gods themselues were bounde to lawes of destiny The God that doth the yeare By egall partes dispose Howe fatall webbe in euery clyme are dayly spunne he showes For all thinges made of moulde The grounde agayne will gape As Hercles preacheth playne by proofe that nothing can escape For shortly shall ensue Discarge of Natures Lawe And out of hande the gloming daye of doome shall onwarde drawe Then all that lies within The scorching Libicke clyme The poale antarticke of the South shall ouerwhelme in tyme Poale articke of the North Shall iumble all that lyes VVithin the Axeltree whereon drye BORES blasinge flyes The shiuerynge Sunne in Heauen Shall leese his fadyng lighte The Pallace of the frames of Heauens shall runne to ruin quight And all these blockish Gods Some kynd of Death shall quell And in confused CHAOS blynde they shall for euer dwell And after ruin made Of Goblin Hegge and Elfe Death shall bringe finall destenye at last vppon it selfe VVhere shall be then bestowde The world so huge a masse The beaten hye way vnto hell is like away to passe To leade vnto the Heauens That shall be layed flatt The space betwene the Heauen and earth inough thinke ye is that Or is it not to much For worldly miseryes VVher may such heaps of sinnes be lodgd what place aboue the skyes Remaynes but that the sea VVith Heauen and lowest Hell Three Kingdomes cast in one are like within one roofe to dwell But hark what roaring crye Thus beates my fearefull eare But lo it s Hercules that yelles t is Hercules I heare THE FOVRTH ACTE Hercules Chorus REtyre retyre thy breathing breastes O Titan blasing bright Vnfold thy mysty mantle blacke of dim and darkesome Night And dash this dreary day wherin I Hercules must die With blemish black of filthy fogge defyle the griesly skye Preâ—â— enâ— my stepdames naughty mynd Now should I haue resignde O Father my inheritaunce of Plutoes dungeon blynd Heauen frames should here there be brast eyther poale should crack Why sparest thou the starres and least thy Hercles go to wracke Now Ioue loke round aboute the heauens and if thou can espye On gyant heaue the Thessaill cliues agaynst th assalted skye Vnburdned be Enceladus of hugye Osir hill And hurled be on Hercules the mighty mountayne still Prowde Pluto shall vnbarre the gates of blacke and glummy caue Yet maugre all their might o Father Ioue I wil thee saue From fury of thy foes and set thee vp agayne in skyes Yet lo Ioue loe her that on earth thy thunderdint supplies And for to be liuetenaunt of thy boultes on earth was borne Is sent to burning Limbo lake in tormentes to be torne The sterne Enceladus agayne in ramping rage shal ryse And hurle the weighte that now doth croâ—de him downe against the skies Thus by my death they shal presume to conquer heauen all But ere that day vppon my corse compel the heauens to fall Breake downe breake downe the welkin that thou suffrest to decay Ch. O sonne of thunder thumping Ioue no shadowes do thee fray Now Ossa mount of Thessalie shal Pelion hill downe crush And Athos pilde on Pindus toppe his bushy hed shall push Among the starry skes therby aboue the craggy rockes Typhoëus vp shal clyme and thumpe with store of baâ—tryng knockes Iuarmen stone in Tyrren sea from thence eake shall he beat The smoaky forge of Aetna mount that glowes with stewing heate Enceladus not ouerthrowne yet with the thunder cracke Shal hew the mountayne syde in twayne and trusse it on his backe The signes of heauen shal follow thee and goe with thee to wracke Her I that returnde from dennes of death and Stigian streame defyed And ferryed ouer Lethes lake and dragd vp chaind and tyde The tryple headded mastiffe hownd when Tytans teeme did start So at the ougly sight that he fel almost from his cart Euen I whose pith the kingdomes three of Gods ful wel haue knowne Lo yet myne end I daunted am by death and ouerthrowne But yet no bloudy blade agaynst my riued rybbes doth crash It is no rock that vnto death my brused bones doth pash Nor as it were with O sir hill that clouen were in twayne Nor with the sway of all the
day of death to mee Thus earst to mee did say A charmed Oake and all the wood that range with yetling noyse Of Parnass hill the Temples shooke and thundred out this voyce The dead mans hand whom thou before hast slayne O Hercules shall murther thee agayne Thou hauing mot the space of gulph and grounde And deapth of hell heare shall thou bee confounde I therefore doe bewayle no more such should our ending bee That Hercles conquerde after him no man aliue may see Now let mee dye a manly death a stout and excellent And meete for mee this noble day shall valiauntly bee spent Fell all the Timber on the grounde hew down all OEta wood Let coales deuower Hercules let fyer fry his blould But ere I dye thou noble Impe of Peans royall race This dolefull duety doe for mee See that an whole day space My funerall fier flaming burne And now my tender Hill The last peticion of my mouth make vnto thee I will Among the captiue Ladies one there is a noble Dame Of royall bloud Euritus Chylde Iole is her name Accept her to thy spousall Bed whom victour I vnkindâ— Haue trayned from her natiue home and but my heart and mynde Poore silly mayde I gaue her nought and now shee shall mee lose Loe thus the wretched woman walles her still encreasing woes But let her foster that she hath conceaued as Ioues ally And childe to mee bee 't thyne by her that earst begot haue I And as for thee deare mother myne your dreary dole forgoe Your Hercules shall liue doe not vayne teares on him bestowe My manhoode made a strumpet thought a Stepdame vnto thee But if that eyther Hercles byrth shewe her vnsure to bee Or be a man my ster or els be falsified my kin Now let Ioues 〈◊〉 cease and let my mothers slaunder â—in I haue deserued a father well that haue aduaunst so hye The glory of the rolling heauens of nature tramde was I To worke the wondrous prayse of Ioue and Ioue him selfe doth Ioy To haue the name of Hercules begetting such a boy But pardon now my strayned teares but you as Ioue his niece Shall as a stately matrone bee among the Dames of Greece Though Iuno with the thunderer in spousall chamber lyes And in her heauenly hand doth weilde the scepter of the skies When euer bare shee such a Babe and yet though heauen she hould In heart agaynst a mortall man she fosters mallice oulde For spighte that borne of womans womb be counted thus I should Goe Tican goe run out thy Race thee onely I forsake I that went with thee foote by foote nowe to th' infernall lake And Ghostes I go yet with this prayse to 'th pit down will I passe That Hercules of open foe yet neuer foyled was But hee in open combats brought his conquests all to passe Chorus O Titan crownd with blasâ—ing bush whose morning moystures make The Moone her foamy bridell from her tyred teame to take Declare to 'th Easterlinges whereas the ruddy morne doth ryse Declare vnto the Irishmen aloofe at western Skies Make knowne vnto the Moores annoyed by flaming axentree Those that with the ysy Wayne of Archas pestred bee Display to these that Hercules to th' eternall ghostes is gone And to the bauling mastriffes den from whence returneth none With dusky dampe of filthy fog O Titan choake thy blaze With lowring light of wanny Globe on wofull wordlings gaze And let thy head bee muffled vp with cloudes and darknesse dim For Hercles sake when shall thou finde or where the like to him O wretched worlde to whom wilt thou henceforth thy woes coÌ„plaine If any scattring pestilence on earâ—h shall be renewde By uenom ranck from poyson mouth of scaly Dragon spewde If any Bore of Arcadie shall comber all a wood And teare the trauelers flesh with tuske embrewed in goary blood If any champion rough of Thrace with heart more hard in breast Then are the ysy rockes where as the frozen Beare doth rest Shall trample thicke his stables fowle with bloud of slaughterd men When people quake for feare of warre who shall assist them then If wrathfull Gods for vengeaunce will foâ—he monsters to be bread Loe nowe enfebled all of force his Karkasse lyeth dead Whom Natures moulde had made a match to thuÌ„dring Ioue in streÌ„gth Hale out alas and let your playnt be hearde to townes at length Let women beat their naked armes and wring their trembling handes Untrusse their hayre and from theyr locks pluck of their binding bands Boult vp and lock the Temple gates of Gods and â—ape bee none But despret Iunoes Chapple doares O Hercles thou art gone To Lethes lake and streame of Stix from whence no Keele agayne Shall bring thee backe O silly soule thou goest to remayne Among the grisely goblins grymme from whence thou whilom came With triumph sooner daunted death and conquest of the same With gastly face and karrayne armes and neck that yeeldes to waight Thy ghost returnes but Carons boate then shall not haue her fraight As balased with thy onely payse and yet shalt thou not byde Among the rascall sprites but sit on bench by Eacus side And with the Iudges twayne of Creete as Umpier there to bee Appoynting paynes to soules that maye to their desartes agree FroÌ„ slaughter hold your guiltlesse hands bath not your blades in bloud Yee states that beare high sayle on earth and floaâ—e in worldly good It merits prayse a mayden sword vndipt in goare to beare And while thou rayne to keepe thy realme from cruell doings cleare But vertue hath a pryuiledge to passe vnto the skies To 'th top of frosen Apell tree O Hercules wilt thou ryse Or where the sunne with scorching blaze his burning beames doth rest Or wilt thou bee a shyning starre amid the lukewarme west Where Calpe Rocke is heard with roaring noyse of wrastling waue What place amid the azur skye entendest thou to haue What place shall be in all the heauens from hurley burley free When Hercules amid the starres shall entertayned bee Let Ioue appoynt thy byding from the ougly Lion farre And burning Crab least thou with grysely countnaunce do theÌ„ skarre And make the trembling starres in heauen for feare to breake aray And Titan quake while spring doth prank with flowers the tender spray Then hasty winter strip the trees of all their braunches greene Or sudden Summer deckt with leaues in busshy woods be seene And from the trees the Apples fall the haruest being doone No age on earth shall wipe away the fame that thou hast woone As farre as Sun or Stars can shyne thy glorious name shall goe Amid the botome of the Sea first Corne shall sprout and grow And brackish Seas his waters salt to water fresh shall chaunge And fixed starre of ysy beare from Clime to Clyme shall raunge And sink into the frozen poole agaynst his kindly sway Ere people cease the honour of thy triumphes to display O soueraygne Ioue wee wretched wightes this
child as hardy as was hee Oh whether may Alcmena goe or whether shal she wend What countrey or what kingdomes may my careful hed defend Where may I couch my wretched coarse that euery where am knownde If I vnto my natiue soyle repayre among myne owne Euristeus is of Argoe lord thus woefully forlorne I wil to Thebes where I was wed and Hercules was borne And where with Ioue I did enioy dame Venus deare delight O blessed woman had I bene and in most happy plight It Ioue with flash of lightning leams and blasing flakes of fyre Had smolthred me as Semele was sowst at her desyre Would God that Hercles whyle he was a babe had rypped bene Out of my wombe then wretchedly I should not this haue seene The pangues and tormentes of my sonne whose prayse doth couÌ„teruaile Euen Ioue then had I learnd that death at length might him assayle And take him from my sight O child who wil remember thee For now vnthankfulnes is great in men of each degree 〈◊〉 for thy 〈◊〉 I do not know where entertaynd to bee The â—word of the Cleonies I will attempt and fyre Whom from the Lyon rescâ—wde he and made the monster dye Or shal I too th' Archadians go where thou didst sleâ— the boare Where thy renowne remaine 〈…〉 of great exploytes before The parlous 〈◊〉 Hydra heare was slayne there fel he dead That with the flesh of slaughtred men his greedy horses fedde And yonde 's were the Stimphall burdes compelde to leaue the saye And tamed by the handy toyle now doth the Lyon frie And belketh 〈◊〉 fumes in heauens whyle thou liest in thy groue O if mankynd but any sparke of thankful nature haue Let all men prcace to succour mee Alcmene thy mother deare What if among the Thracians I venter to appeare Or on the 〈◊〉 of Hebet floud thy prowesse euery where Hath succoured all these soylts for earst in Thrace thou did put downe The fleshy meangres of the King and put him from his crowne By slaughter of the saluage printe the people liue in peace Where diddest thou denye thy helpe to make tormoyling cease Vnhappy mother that I am a shryne where may I haue To shrowde thy coarse for all the world may striue aboute thy graue What temple may be meete to shryne thy reliques safe for aye And hallowed bones what nations vnto the ghost shal pray O noble sonne what sepulchere what hearse may serue for thee The world it selfe through flying flame thy fatal tombe shal be Who taketh here this payse from me his ashes which I beare Why loath I them imbrace his bones keepe stil his ashes here And they shal be a shield to thee his dust that thee defend To see his shadow princes prowde for feare shal stoupe and bend Ph. O mother of noble Hercules forbeare your dreary playnt His valiant death thus should not be with femal teares attaynt Ye should not languish thus for him nor count him wretched man In dying who by noble mynd preuent his destny can His cheuatry forbyddeth vs with teares him to bewayle The stately stomacke doth not sloupe they sigh whose hartes do fayle Alc. I le mone no more behold behold most wretched mother I Haue lost the sheild of land end sead where glittring Phoebe displayes With whirling wheeles in foamy gulphes and red and purple rayes The losse of many sonnes I may lament in him alone Through him I lifted Kings to frowne when crown my selfe had none Ayd neuer any mother liude that neded lesse to craue Of Gods then I I asked naught while I my sonne might haue What could not Hercles tender loue like on me to bestow What God would once denâ—â— to 〈…〉 or what he held me froe I was in my powre to aske and haue If Ioue would ought denye My Hercules did bring to passe I had 〈…〉 by What mortall mother euer bare and lost so deare a sonne Earst downe the cheekes of Niobe the 〈…〉 When of her deare and tender brattes she wholly was hereuen And did bewaâ—le with strayned sighes her children seuen and seueâ— And yet might I compare this one my Hercles vnto those And I in him as much as shee in all her impâ—s die lose The mothers that are mourning dames do lacke on hâ—d and chefe And now Alcmene shal be shee depriude of all releefe Cease woeful â—â—thers cease if that among you any are Constrayne to shed your streaming teares by force of peasâ—ue careâ— Ye Lady whom lamenting song of women fourmed rockes Geue place vnto my gluttyng greefe beat on with burning knockes Ye handes vppon my riueled breast alas am I alone Enough for such a funerall to languish and to moue Whom al the world shall shortly neede yet steech thy feble armes To thumpe vppon thy sounding breast thy griefe with boleful 〈◊〉 And in despyte of al the gods powre put thy woeful erye And to receiue thy flowing teares thy warry cheekes applye Bewayle Alcmenas woful state the sonne of Ioue bewayle Whose byrth did cause the duâ—ay day in kindly course 〈◊〉 fayle The East compact two nightes in one Lo to a greater thing Then glorious day the world hath lost now let your forrowes ring Yet people al whose lowryng lordes he draw to dennes of death Theyr blades that reckt with guiltles 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 into the sheath Bestow on him your Christall teares which he deserued wellt Howle out ye heauens ye mardle seas and goulphes with gronings yell O Crete Deare darling vnto Ioue For Ioue of Hercles roâ—e Ye hundred cityes beate yond armes my sonne for euermore Is gone among the griesâ—y ghostes and shimmering shades of hell Lament for him ye woeful mightes that here on 〈◊〉 do dwell Hercules Alcmenâ— WHy Mother wayle you mee an 〈◊〉 〈…〉 hoâ—t of hell Or 〈…〉 of death sith I among 〈◊〉 Spheares doe dwell Forbeare forbeare to moane for mee for vertue opened hath To mee the passage to the Starres and set mee in the path That guides to euerlasting Lyfe whence coâ—s this dreadfull sounde Alc. Whence roares this thundring voyce that doth against mine eares rebosid And biddeth mee to shine my teares I know it now I know The darksome dungeâ—â—â— daunied are and Demies of Lakes alow O Sonne art thou retâ—rnd to the from Stygian gulph agayne And can thou twise of ougly death the con quest thus obtayne And brast the balefull prisons twise of glum and gastly night Agaâ—â—st 〈…〉 thus by might May any scape from 〈…〉 thou stape alone Hath hell no power to holde thy sprite when breath from breast is gone Or els hath Pluto baalde thee out for feare least thou alone Should cloyne his Scepter from 〈◊〉 hand pluck him from his front For I am sure I sawe thee layde vpon the burning trees And from thy Corps the flame and sparkes agaynst the welkin flyes That sure thou wast to poâ—ldee burne and feeble lyfe was lost But sure the deepes and pits of 〈◊〉 did not lock vp thy ghost Why were the deuills alrayde of thee why quaked Ditis grim And did thy noble ghost seeme such a gastly bug to him HE. The dampy 〈◊〉 of Cocitas coulde not keepe me from light Nor Carons fusty musty Barge transported hath my sprite Now Myther 〈…〉 more once haue I seeme the 〈◊〉 of hell And all the 〈…〉 that dwell That mortall moulde I tooke of you to nought the flames haue fryed Heauen hath the substaunce that I tooke of Ioue in fier yours died And therefore rawse your playntius teares which parents vse to shed When wretchedly they wayle their sonnes that dastardly are dead Thus vulgar varlets weepe loe vertue hopes the Starres to get But faynting feare 〈◊〉 on death from heauen where I am set You heare my voyce Euristeus now shal byde the deadly push With charyot sway his cracked scull ye shal on sunder crush Now must I hence aduaunce my Ghost vp to the rolling skyes Once more I daunt the deuilles and do the goblins grim aggrise Alc. But stay awhile my sonne he fades and shrinketh from my sight Aduaunst he is among the starres doth this my charmed Spirite Dote in a traunce or do I dreame that I haue seene my sonne A troubled mynd can scante beleue the thinges he seeth done But now I see thou art a God possessing heauen for aye I see it sure I wil to Thebes thy triumphes to display Chorus LO vertue scapes the gastly shades of hell Ye noble peeres that shyne in vertue bright Dire desteny cannot constrayne you dwell Among the glowming glades of ougly might Nor sinke your fame in loathsome lakes of spyte But when deaths day drawes on the gasping howre You purchast glory shall direct your right To fynd the passage to the heauenly bower When flesh doth fall and breathing body dies Then Fame the child of Vertue doth arise But sluggish sottes that sleepe their dayes in sloth Or geue their golden age to loath some lust Them and their names the wretches bury both When as their bones shall shryned be in dust The clay shall couer their carkases forlorne As though such kaytisses neuer had bene borne But if that ought of memory they haue In thafter age it shal be filthy shame The gnawing wormes torment not so in graue Their rotten flesh as tounges do teare their name That dayly kild to further mischiefe liues Lo both the fruites that vice and virtue giues FINIS Ouid. Omne genus scripti grauitate Tragoedia vincit
Saturne wyll vndoe And euen agaynst the kingdome prowde of wicked father loe My graundsyre loase let Titans now prepare agayne their fight With me theyr captaine raging stones with woods I will down smight And hye hilles tops with Centaures full in right hande will I take With dauble mountayne now I will a stayre to Gods vp make Let Chyron vnder Ossa see his Pelion mountayne gret Olympus vp to heauen aboue in thyrd degree then set Shall come it selfe or ells be cast AM. Put farre away from thee The thoughts that ought not to be spoake of mynde vnsounde to see But yet full great the furious rage asswage and lay away HE. What meaneth this the Gyauntes doe pestiferous armes assay And Tityus from the sprights is fled and bearing torne to see And empty bosome loe howe neere to heauen it selfe stoode hee Cythaeron falles the mountayne hie Pallene shakes for feare And torne are Tempe he the tops of Pindus caught hath here And Octhen he some dredfull thing threatning doth rage about Erynnis bringing flames with stripes she soundes nowe sharken out And burned brandes in funeralles loe yet more neare and neare Throwes in my face fearce Tisyphone with head and vgly heare With serpentes set nowe after dogge fet out with Hercles hand That empty gate shee hath shut vp with bolte of fyry brande But loe the stocke of enmious king doth hidden yet remayne The wicked Lycus seede but to your hatefull father slayne Euen now this right hande shall you sende let nowe his arrowes light My bowe out shoote it seemes the shaftes to goe with such a flight Of Hercles AM. Whether doth the rage and fury blinde yet goe His mighty Bowe he drewe with hornes together driuen loe And quiuer loaste great noyese makes with violence sent out The shaft and quight the weapon flewe his middle necke throughout The wound yet left HE. His other broode I ouerthrow will quight And corners all What stay I yet to me a greater fyght Remaynes then all Mycenes loe that rockye stones should all Of Cyclops being ouerturn'de with hande of myne downe fall Let shake both here and there the house with all stayes ouerthrowne Let breake the poasts and quight let shrinke the shaken piller downe Let all the Pallace fall at once I here yet hidden see The sonne of wycked father AM. Loe his flattring handes to thee Applying to thy knees dooth craue his lyfe with piteous mone O wicked gylt full sad and eke abhorde to looke vpone His humble right hand caught he hath and raging rounde about Him rolled twyse or thryse hath cast his head resoundeth out The sprinkled houses with the brayne of him throwne out are wet But shee poore wretch her little sonne in bosome hyding yet Loe Megara like one in rage doth from the corners flee HE. Though runagate in bosome of the thundrer hid thou bee This right hand shall from euery where thee seeke and bring to sight AM. Wher goest thou wretch what lurking dens seekst thou to take or flight No place of sauegarde is if once bee Hercles styrde with yre But doe thou rather him embrace and with thy meeke desyre Assay t' asswage him ME. Husband spare vs I beseech thee nowe And knowe thy Megara this sonne thy countenaunce doth showe And bodyes pytche behould'st thou howe his hands vp lyfteth hee HE. I holde my stepdame followe on due penaunce paye to mee And bounden Ioue from fylthy bonde deliuer free away But I before the mother will this litle monster slay ME. Thou mad man whither goest thou wylt thou thine owne bloude sheade AM. Th' infant with fathers fyry face astonnted all for bread Died euen before the wounde his feare hath tooke away his lyfe And now likewise his heauy club is shaken towarde his wyfe He broaken hath the bones her head from blocklyke body gone Is quight nor any where it stayes dar'ste thou this looke vpone To long lyu'de age If mouruing doe the greeue thou hast then loe The death preparde Doe thou thy breast vppon his weapons throe Or ells this club with slaughter stayn'de of monsters slayne that bee Nowe hyther turne thy parent false vnfit for name of thee Ryd hence away least he should be to thy renowne a let TH. Which way the father toward thy death dost thou thy selfe cast yet Or whyther goest thou mad man flee and lye thou cloasely hid And yet from handes of Hercules this onely myschiefe rid HE. T' is well the house of shameful king is now quight ouerthrowne To thee O spouse of greattest Ioue I haue loe beaten downe This offred flocke I gladly haue fulfill'de my wyshes all Full meete for thee and Argos now geue other offrings shall AM. Thou hast not sonne yet all perform'de fill vp the sacrifise Loe th' offring doth at th' aultars stande it waytes thy hand likewyse With necke full prone I geue my selfe I roon I follow loe Mee sacrifice what meaneth this his eyes rolle to and froe And heauines doth dull his sight see I of Hercules The trembling hands downe falles his face to sleepe and quietnes And weary necke with bowed head full fast doth downeward shrynke With bended knee nowe all at once he downe to ground doth sinke As in the woods wylde Ashe cut downe or Bulwarke for to make A Hauen in Seas Liu'ste thou or els to death doth thee betake The selfe same rage that hath sent all thy famyly to death It is but sleepe for to and fro doth goe and come his breath Let tyme bee had of quietnesse that thus by sleepe and rest Great force of his disease subdew'de may ease his greeued brest Remoue his weapons seruants least he mad get them agayne Chorus LEt th' ayre complayne and eke the parent great Of haughty Sky and fertile land throughout And wandring waue of euer mouing freat And thou before them all which lands about And trayn of Sea thy beames abroade dost throe With glittring face and mak'st the night to flee O feruent Titan bothe thy lettinges loe And rysing hath Alcides seene wyth thee And knowne lykewise hee hath thy howsen twayne From so great ills release yee nowe hys brest O Gods release to better turne agayne His ryghter mynde and thou O tamer best O sleepe of toyles the quietnesse of mynde Of all the lyfe of man the better parte O of thy mother Astrey wynged kynde Of hard and pyning death that brother arte With truth mingling the false of after state The sure but eke the worste foreteller yet O Father of all thynges of Lyfe the gate Of lyght the rest of nyght and fellowe fyt That com'st to Kyng and seruaunt equally And gently cherysshest who weary bee All mankynde loe that dreadfull is to dye Thou doost constrayne long death to learne by thee Keepe him fast bounde wyth heauy sleepe opprest Let slomber deepe his Limmes vntamed bynde Nor soner leaue his vnright raginge breaste Then former mynd his course agayne may fynd Loe layd on ground with full fierce hart yet still