Credit to winne so she with mindefull wrath Vpon my corse for thée awroken is So stiffely scarce by Hippolyte she stoode But she a Virgin rather should haue showne Fauor vnto a siely Maydens yeares Which to abridge least she doe long I feare For why the cause of this my languor lurckes And hidden lyes by Phisicke not recurde So meager am I woxe so leane and bare As scarce I had suffising force to write With leaning on mine Elbowe able scarce My pined limmes and carkasse pale to raise Now dreade I least beside my Beldame Nurce Some one discrie our entercomoning Tofore the gate she sittes to askers how I fare that I may write she sayes I sléepe But when within a space fuspected is Excessiue sléepe and slumber ouerlong And such she sées repaire whome to debarre Were duresse then she spits and giues a hemme A feygned signe that some is at the doore I leaue my lynes vnperfite then for hast And to my bosome thrust the scrolle eftsoone Forth with in spéede I plie the same againe And set my hande and penne to former taske Which thing how yrksome toyle it was to me Thy selfe mayst well discerne and be the iudge Which thou in fayth hast passing yll deserude But thy merites and iust deserued hire My ruthfull clemencie shall farre surmount By thée vncertaine of dispayred health So oft by thy deceit I haue and yet Endure tormenting fittes and troublous téene This is the good my vaunted beautie gaines So oft extolde by thée aboue the starres It me annoyes thée to haue likte so well If in thy sight I had deformed béene Which rather I could wishe my blamed corps In neede of Phisicks helpe had neuer stoode Now being praysde I mourne by your discord Betrayde my proper good doth forge my woes Whilst thou dost scorne to yéelde and he repines To lose his roome or be in second place Thou barrste his wish and he doth hinder thine I like a shippe am tost whome Boreas blast Into the Chanell driues but surge and tide Repelles to shore from déeper foorde againe And of my Parents when the wished day Arriues excessiue heates my limmes besiedge And at the cruell mariage day my doores In yrefull rage Proserpina doth shake I blush dread though guiltlesse in my minde Least I by ought haue stirrde the Gods to wrath Some pleade it commes by hap and some surmise This man to be dislikte of heauenly powres And fame of thée hath also hir reporte Some déeme it done by my inchauntments eke The cause is hid my hurtes too plaine appeare Ye wage a restlesse warre and endelesse strife But I meane while am she that bide the smart I nowe will say as I was wont of yore By louing if thou thus annoy thy loue Howe wouldst thou hurt by hate the hated thing If whome thou loue thou hurte go loue thy foe Wish me full yll to fare and saue my lyfe Or now of hoped spouse thou hast no carke Whom vndeserude thou ruthlesse lettste to pine Or if in vaine thou to the Goddesse sue To me why dost thou so auaunt thy selfe That standest nought in Dians grace at all Say what thou wilt thou wilt not swage hir yre I cleane am out of thought thou canst not thou Appease the Goddesse thou art quite forgot Or would I neuer had or notas then Delos that is inuironde withthe Sea Aegaeum knowne a haplesse I le to mee Tho was my shippe to surging Chanell brought Vnluckely sinister was the houre Wherein I shoope to take the cursed Seas How set I foorth my foote from Threshold with What foote went I or to my painted Barck With what vnluckie foote did I repaire Yet twise with froward winds my ship recoylde And made retoure to shore but oh I lie That winde was blissefull and no froward gale A blessed blast that brought me back to baye And went about to barre my haplesse course And would it had contended with my sayles And stoode in longer strife and greater warre But folly is the fickle windes to blame Mooude with the place his fame and fresh reporte To Delos I my hastie voyage shoope And in a nymble Barck did passe the floud How oft did I controll the sluggish Oares Complaining that the sayle clothes did not strout But flagging flue not stuft with gladsome gale Nowe Mycone Tenos and Andros I Had past and Delos was discouerde plaine Which when I scride afarre Ile why quouth I Dost thou me flée Where yet as earst thou didst Doste thou in largie Seas and Chanell rode Aye fléering to and fro I came to lande When day was put to flight and Phoebus gan His wearie stéedes from purple whéeles discharge Whome when he had to wonted rising brought Againe at morne my Mather giuing charge My comely tresses were in order laide And frisled lockes in brauest maner trimde Hir self bespangde my hands with curious Gēmes And purlde my haire with golde hir self applide Vnto my shoulders vesture passing fine Then yssuing out to Rulers of the I le And sacred Gods incense with wine we gaue And whilst my Mother with hir vowed bloud The Altar staines and Bowels broils on coales In ranges casting Fume to loftie skies The busie carefull Nurce led mée about From place to place frō Church to sacred Fane In Porches now I passe now musing at The giftes of kings and sundrie sightes I sawe Then gasting on the Altars made with hornes And tree gainst which the wandring Goddesse at Hir time of bearing childe did rest hir corse And what beside for I ne all to minde Can call or lawfull is I say to tell Was to be séene in daintie Delos tho Whilst I Aconce of these so straungie sightes Was taking vewe thou me perhaps discridste Who for so simple was and voyde of fraude Did sitting séeme to be entrapt of thée By steppes I came into a stately Church Where Dian was might any place more safe Or sicker bée than where the Goddesse stoode Tofore my féete the trilling Apple came Gliding on paued ground whereas I sate Hauing this verse ingraude Aye me well nigh I had to thée another Hest ymade Which Beldame Nurce tooke vp said beholde Where I thy craft O noble Poet read The name of marrige redde blushing I felt My chaunged chéekes to glow with sodaine flash In bosome fired fast mine eyes I helde Mine eyes that workers were of thine intent Vnthrifte why doste thou ioy what glory hast Thou gainde what praise shalt thou a mā atchieue By craft one sielie Virgin to deuoure Not I in armour cladde with Pollare stoode As ventrous Penthesilea did at Troie No Belt with Amazonian golde beset Thou me hast reft as Quéene Hippolyte was Why leapst thou so for ioy in that thy wordes Haue fowly me beguilde and I by dole And subtill sleight a siely Nymph was tane Cydip an Apple tooke Atlanta did The lyke another Hippomenes now thou art More better were it if thou hadst bene thrall Vnto the Boy
are returnde the sacred Altars flame Of barbarous spoyle the Gods haue part that well deserude the same The Matrones for their salued Féeres most gratefull giftes prepare And they how Troie by their toyle atchieued was declare The sage with siluer haires doe muse and daintie Damsels eake The wyues about their husbandes hange when they begin to speake And lo when Tables once are laide one ginneth straight to showe The wreakefull warre and drawes with Wine the Troian Tentes arowe Here Symois sayth he did flowe here is Sigeian lande And here the aged Priams Hawle and Princely house did stande There fierce Achylles pight his Tentes there wise Vlysses lay Here Hector rent in dolefull wise the horses did affray Thus auncient Nestor made reporte who tolde thy sonne the same And he as was his parte to doe declarde it to his Dame How Rhesus thou didst make to rue and Dolon yeelde to death Th' one shéeping th' other by thy guile did lose his vitall breath And didst thou dare thou retchlesse man and ouerbolded wight To Thracian Tents to shape thy course in vgly shade of night And onely by the ayde of one so many men to slaye That woonted were to be so ware and minde thy wedlock aye With quaking feare my heart was colde and visage passing pale When thou didst passe along the Host and Thracian horses stale But what to me vnhappie Feme auailes the Troian wracke And walles which you by breach haue brought to vtter spoyle and sacke If I in Wydowes state remaine as I tofore haue done And must for aye Vlysses lacke as when the broyle begonne To me that Troie sole doth stande though Souldiers had the spoyle And they that Victors were with plough for lucre tourne the soyle Where stately buildings were to see and Troian towne did stande There sprouteth corne with Phrygian bloud so fatted is the lande Halfe buried bones of warlike wightes the crooked Culters teare Both grasse and graine with hearbes do growe where haughtie houses were Thou Victor euer art alack ne once wilt make me showe By louing lynes or message meanes what cause of stay doth growe No straunger stumbles on our stronde or bringes his Barck to bay But I enquire him of thy health or ere he passe away And so his fortune fauour that on thée he chaunce to light I pray him yéelde those louing lines which I to thée endight I sent to Pylos to inquire where aged Nèstor dwelt No certaine rumor of a truth from Pylos haue I felt From thence I sparde not for expence to Sparta me to hie But Sparta can not make accoumpt where thou doe liue or die More better were for me in fayth if Troie stoode againe But I vnconstant wight am wroth with these my wishes vaine Then should I certaine be and sure where thou didst lead thy lyfe Then onely shoulde I dreade the warres and stormes of styrred strife Then should my drearie dolefull plaint conioyned be with mo That in the absence of their Makes should take some taste of wo. I fraughted am with feare but what I dreade I knowe not well My cares encrease the way is wide that leades me to this hell No perill on the tossing Sea or on the lande is séene But I surmise that they forthwith thy cause of stay haue béene Whilst fondly thus amazde I stande such is thy pleasures plight Thou mayst bestow thy loue a freshe vpon some other wight To whome thou makste a shew perhaps how homely is thy wife And how at Distaffe she delights to leade a Rusticks life But Gods O let me be beguilde let whisking windes transport Such thoughts and thou that mayst retyre dislodge not in such sort Icarius my grutching Syre woulde force me breake my Heast And blaming this thy flack returne would make newe marrige feast But as I am I will be thine let rancor feede his fill Penelope will be the wife of hir Vlysses still Yet naythelesse my endlesse sute at length hath mooude my Syre Who rules hys rage with reasons brake and Masters wrathfull yre From Ilandes rounde about doe flocke of suters many one Zacinthus Samus with the reast by sute encrease my mone Those roysting rufflers beare the sway within thy Pallace gate With catching clawes they waste thy wealth and séeke t'impayre thy state Pyzander Medon Polybus Eurimachus yfere Wyth Antynous t' is no néede for to recite as here What shoulde I these with others name who seeke to spende thy good Which thou by manly Marte hast got in daunger of thy blood The raskall eke doe rule the rost Melanthius and Ire Which soundes to thy disworship most together doe conspire Wée are by tale but thrée God wote thy weake and wretched wife Telemachus thy little sonne Laërtes lothing life Thy Sonne not long ago was like by craft to bene consumde Whilst he to passe against their willes to Pylos had presumde But Gods I grate this onely boone that he by course of kinde His fathers eyes and mine may close and liue himselfe behinde This is the crooked Nurces woorke and clownish Cowardes care And he that dailye serues the swine a lyke is woont to fare Laërtes ouerlode with yeares vnable to the warre Amidde these states can strike no stroke when they begin to iarre Thy Sanne so Gods dee lende him life to mans estate will growe But thou in these his childish yeares shouldst garde him from the foe I Miser wight am not of force to banishe them the place Wherefore see thou who art our ayde that thou returne apace Thou bast long mayst thou haue a Sonne that in his tender age Shoulde follow on his fathers steppes and lyfe for worship gage Liue not aye retchlesse of thy Syre whose eyes thou oughtst to shutte His dying date drawes on apace the twine of lyfe is cutte And I that at thy parture was a Gyrle to beholde Of truth am waxt a Matrone nowe thy selfe wilt iudge mée olde The Argument of the second Epistle entituled Phyllis to Demophoon DEmophoon minding after Troian broyle To long desired Countrie to retowre For all his force for all his painefull toyle Was brought to Thrace by meane of stormie showre Where Phyllis raignde who likte hir guest so well As first to boorde and then to bed they fell Within a while Demophoon gan to faine And forge excuse to Athens to repaire With gaged fayth to shape returne againe Within one Month and bid hir not despaire But when the fixed time was gone and past Thus Phyllis wrote vnto hir guest at last The seconde Epistle Phyllis to Demophoon I That thine Hostesse Phyllis was a Rhodopeian Mayde Mislike that thou my guest beyonde thy fixed time hast stayde Thy plighted promise was with shippe here to arryude againe Before or neere aboute the time the waxen Moone should waine But Phoebe fourthly hath repayrde hir wasted hornes a newe Yet may I not on Thracian coast take once of thée a vewe Though thou accoumpt the fléeting time which Louers
note by trade Thou shalt not finde that Phyllis hath too soone hir plaint ymade And long ynough I fedde on hope for such is Louers guise We hardly credit hurtefull happes till damage doe arise I haue oft flattred with my selfe and thought the Southren winde Had stuft thy sayles and brought thy Barck which yet I can not finde I haue accursed Theseus oft that was thy cause of stay And yet may be that he at all bred not this long delay Another while I stoode in awe least thou to Haebrus Lake Directing course in middle Seas by wracke thy bane hadst take Full often haue I for thy health in milde and humble wise With Incense made request to Gods that lodge in loftie skies And sundrie tymes when Aeole had his broyling impes inclosde That if thou were aliue thou wouldst haue commen I supposde Thus loyall loue what so might bréede and be a cause of stay To such as trauell did deuise excusing thy delay But thou not forcing on thy fayth ne counting of thy Hest Not dreading Gods to witnesse callde dost minde thy Phyllis lest Demophoon to the windes ingagde his promisse with his saile I sorrow that the ones returne and th 'others fayth doth faile Denounce to mée what I haue done but looude thée all too well By mine offence I haue deserude that thou with mée shouldst dwell In mee one haynous fault is found that harbourde such a guest But this my guilt hath force of boone and merit there doth rest Where now thy solempne sacred othes thy plighted trouth with hande And Gods appealde as true recordes to witnesse of thy bande Where is that holy Hymen nowe that vs as chosen Feares By frée assent conioynde in one yfeare to wast our yeares First sworst thou by that gastly Goulfe where winde and waue doe rore By whome thou were in poynt to passe as oft thou hadst before Then Neptune was to witnesse callde thy Graunde and woorthie Syre Vnlesse thou faine who quailes the Surge and swelling waters yre Then Venus with hir winged wight that bred me all this téene Was sommond whose reuenger tooles are bowe and arrowes kéene Dame Iuno that hath spousall charge and wedlocke shewde hir face And Ceres with hir solempne rytes was cyted to the place If eche of these forenamed powres and witnest thus in vaine Should seeke on thee to wreake their wrath couldst thou endure the paine My selfe least thou shouldst want at néede a Barck to leaue my lande Infonded did repaire the shippes that ragged lay on sande I trimde vp all thy broken Oares whereby thou mightste depart And thus my selfe haue forgde the tooles that thyrled haue my heart Thy many smooth and filed woordes did purchase credites place I did beleue thy stock thy Gods stoode all in Phyllis grace I thought thy teares had bene of trouth can they be forged to Thy teares which at commaundment are from flattering face to flo Thy Gods did make mee iudge the best these pledges were in vaine God wote one parcell of them mought a siely Mayden traine That I supported thée at néede it mooues mée nought at all So that thy harbour all had bene the matter had bene small But shamelesse and with blinde forecast from bourde to bed to goe And there to passe in Venus toyes doth agrauate my woe O that the last forepassed night before that cursed tyde Had bene my last then Phyllis might with spotlesse fayth haue dyde I hoped better by deserte who had thy friendship wonne The hope which méede and right procures they say is well begoonne The glorie is not great by guile to circumuent a Mayde You rather should my simplenesse with friendly fauour payde A woman and a louing wight thy forged fraude hath made To be intrapt God graunt thy prayse by Phyllis spoyle to vade Among th' Athenian noble wightes thy seate shall be assignde Thy Syre amid his spoyles shall stande and thou his sonne behinde When shamefull Syron shall be read and fell Procustes death And Scynis with the Minotaure whome Theseus reft his breath When Creon conquerde shall appeare and Centaures there be séene And be recorded that thy Syre at Plutos Court hath béene Beneath thy Fathers manly factes shall stande this stately stile Lo this is that vnfaithfull guest who Phyllis did beguile Of all thy fathers noble actes and woorthie feates of fame Thou onelie doste resemble one which he accoumpts a shame For he king Minos daughter reft and hir forewent at last And thou as heire of all his guile doste frame a iugling cast But shée hath made a wise exchaunge I spite not for the best Vpon hir Tigers bridled braue shée rydes at quiet rest But now such suters as in Thrace of mée were scornde before Despise to be espousde to hir who loues a straunger more Than such as were my Countrie men to Athens let hir go Saye they to weare the Thracian crowne we want not one I trowe The ende is it that tryes the fact God sende him sorie haps That alway thinkes it best to iudge the cause by after claps But so my Countrie waues were cutte and sundred with the keale Then myght I vaunt my loue imployde to tende to publike weale But slender was the loue I bare to this my natiue soyle My Pallace moues not thée a mite ne Bystons pleasaunt goyle The countnaunce and the gesture both are yet imprinted fast Within my breast that thou didst vse when Phyllis sawe thée last And didst thou dare with clasping armes imbrace hir carkasse so And touch hir chirrie lyppe with thine a thousande times and ino And to confounde thy brackish teares with Phyllis salted brine And that the weather serude so well a fault with Aeole fine And when thou tookste thy last farewell adue how darste thou say Demophoon will retyre againe that Phyllis is no nay Shall I expect his gainecome that hath minde on nothing lesse Or gape for sayles that shonne the porte where was their chiefe redresse And yet I can but long to sée thy comming though be long Though fixed day be past reuert and quite somepart of wrong But what doe I vnhappie wishe an other daintie dame Both thée and all thy loue hath wonne to thy reprochefull shame I thinke that Phyllis is forgot that vsde hir guest so well Fie fie of Phyllis make not straunge ne aske the place I dwell I am that Phyllis would thou wist who harbourde thée at néede And gaue thée porte that long on Seas hadst wandred all in dréede Whose goods inricht thy poore estate and hauing wealth at will Did succour thée and woulde haue done if thou hadst taryed still Euen shée that made thée Lorde and Prince of all Lycurgus lande And yéelded thee a Scepter farre vnfit for womans hande As farre as chillie Rhodope to busshie Haemus goes And sacred Haebrus with his streames and weltring waters floes Euen she that gaue thée leaue to pluck hir Maydenhead all beshroude And with thy craftie hande to let hir
heares the flouds on eyther side that flo There I with thée in Trezen will soiourne in Pytheus raigne For now that soyle contents mée more than all my Countrie vaine Now loytring Theseus doth dislodge not minding to retire As yet Perithous his friend his presence doth desire And least we should apparant truth with frowarde will denie That Pyrrith he preferres before our looues we may espie And not this onely wrong though this were much we both endure But he in greater matters doth our open wrong procure My brothers bones with balefull blowes of knarrie clubbe he brake My sister eke suspecting nought this Theseus did forsake The chiefe of all the Amazons for prowesse and for fame Thy Mother was who well deserude great fauour for the same But if thou chaunce of hir what is become demaunde to make Thou shalt descrie that she hir death by Theseus sworde did take And that before she was conioynde in mariage Wote you why For thou base borne shouldst neuer raigne and Princes roome supplie And more than that on me he gat some Impes whom Theseus wrath Not mine I witnesse all the Gods too soone bereued hath O Lord what so she were aliue that would thy spoyle intende Amidst hir trauell would hir life by shamefull death might ende Wherefore go too doe reuerence vnto thy fathers bedde Which he by his vnhonest meanes and faythlesse flight hath fledde Be not surprisde with foolish feare nor rapt with gastfull awe That I thy lotted stepdame am and thou my Sonne in lawe These rytes and superstitions by Saturn were maintainde But all such lawes in future time are like to be restrainde That rustie Saturn now is dead his statutes are all gone Now follow Ioue who gouernes all and raignes as Prince alone For Ioue as lawfull hath allowde what so may bréede delight And now the brother may his fayth vnto his sister plight They whome Dame nature had allyde and linckt by lawe of kinde By mutuall loue and friendly league the knot more firmely binde To kéepe in couert such delightes it is but slender skill The cloake of kinred will procure the worlde to iudge no yll When so our kissing shall be séene or clipping close be knowe That I a stepdame am so kinde to both our prayse will growe Thou shalt not néede to come by darke or bleare the Porters eye By comming to the lodging late where I am woont to lye As we haue soiournde long yfeare so we hereafter will And as we haue in open kist so may we franckly still With mee thou mayst be safe and sounde thy fact shall purchase fame And though thou in my bed were séene it will not bréede thy shame Wherefore expell all fond delayes and hast to Venus ioy So Cupid that on me doth rage procure thee none annoy Thou séest I take not in disdaine in humble sort to sue Lord where is all my pride become and haughtie wordes that flue I was in minde and fully bent resistance to haue made Reuolting aye but now I sée no stay in Louers trade Thus conquerd with erected handes and falling at thy knée I sue for grace What best beséemes we Louers can not see Now honest shame hath fled my face and makes no longer stay Relent and since I doe confesse ridde rygor cleane away Since Minos that doth owe the Seas my stately Syre is knowne Since from my Grandsires wreakfull hands the thundring boltes are throwne Since Phaedra that doth make request of Phoebus line discendes Who to the soyle his blazing brandes for earthly comfort lendes In this my loue great honour lurckes let noble stocks dissent If Phaedras sute may not be heard enforce thée to relent All Creta where the mightie Ioue was fostred is my dowre Which I will wholy yeelde to thée to vse thereon thy powre Exile this ruthfull rage my Dame a sauage Bull could mooue More cruell than a brutish beast wilt thou thy selfe approoue For Venus sake I craue remorse whome I doe honour faine So graunt ye Gods that Hippolyte may neuer loue in vaine Diana chast in silent woods so prest be at thy call And Lawndes so lende thée store of game to glad thy minde withall So Satyrs friendly shew your selues and Mountaine Panes eake So on the cruell tusked Boare thy Iauelaine mayst thou breake So though thou hate the hurtlesse Nymphes let Nymphes from Christall flood Alowe the lycor to expell thy thirst in desert wood Vnto these milde requestes of mine I added teares withall When so thou reade the lynes surmise thou sawste the drops to fall The Argument of the fift Epistle entituled Oenone to Paris KYng Priamus wife with childe and neare hir time did dreame That she was brought abed with flash and flaming fierie streame The doubtfull Sire demaundes the Oracles aduise Which tolde that damage by the Babe to Troie should arise The father gaue in charge the childe should die the death The Dame deliuerde sought the meane to saue hir Babe his breath A Hyard bad the childe that growne to mans estate Of Oenon was enamoured and tooke hir to his Mate But when the Ladies stroue for beautie Paris gaue His verdit on Dame Venus side that promisde he should haue In token of good will a passing wench for hewe Meane while the Syre by secret signes his sonne sir Paris knewe To Greece the gallant goes and steales Atrides wife That was the cause of wailefull warre and roote of ranckling strife Which when Oenone knewe Report had blazde it so Agrieude shee made hir iust complaint and prayde him to forgo The wrongfull Greekish rape and take hir to his Feere The wordes shee wrote with painefull penne ▪ began as you shall heare The fift Epistle Oenone to Paris TO Paris that was once hir owne though now it be not so From Ida Oenon gréeting sendes as these hir letters show May not thy nouell wife endure that thou my Pistle reade That they with Grecian fist were wrought thou néedste not stand in dreade Pegasian Nymph renoumde in Troie Oenone hight by name Of thée that were mine owne complaine if thou permit the same What froward God doth séeke to barre Oenone to be thine Or by what guilt haue I deserude that Paris should decline Take paciently deserude woe and neuer grutch at all But vndeserued wrongs will grieue a woman at the gall Scarce were thou of so noble fame as platly doth appeare When I the ofspring of a floud did choose thée for my Féere And thou who now art Priams sonne all reuerence layde apart Were tho a Hyard to beholde when first thou wanste my heart How oft haue we in shaddow laine whylst hungrie flocks haue fedde How oft haue we of grasse and greaues preparde a homely bedde How oft on simple stacks of strawe and bennet did we rest How oft the dew and foggie mist our lodging hath opprest Who first discouerde thée the holtes and Lawndes of lurcking game Who first displaid thée where the whelps lay sucking of
here within this soyle doe raine Rne on my Mates and me O Quéene I pray And oblige mee vnto thée by this boone And so a Gretian thou not séeme to scorne But how might I the Gods so friendly finde Sooner my soule to weightlesse ayre shall waste Than any saue your grace with me be linckt In spousall bande and bridely knot be tyde Let Iuno witnesse bée that hath in charge The mariage rites that holy Goddesse too Within whose Marble Church we stooden now These or the least of these a siely Nymph Might moue to ruth our hands were ioyned ekâ—… I saw thy trickling teares Where parte of guile In them doth lurcke so I was quickly wonne And soone entrapt with thy dissembling tongue Thou broughtst to yoke the brasen footed Bulles Vnhurt of flame and brakste the bidden soile With pointed plough wheron in stéede of graine The SerpeÌ„ts teeth thou floongst wherof there sproong A troupe of Souldiers sterne with sworde shielde That I who gaue thée oyntment stoode in dréed To sée the sodaine broode with armour clad Till time the earthly brothers twixt themselues To ciuill combat fell and fought yfeare A griesly sight and wofull thing to tell Behold the waker Serpent hissing came With crackling scales with his bending breast Did swéepe the soile TheÌ„ where was dowre becoÌ„e Then where thy Princely spouse Isthmos that The double Sea deuides and cuttes his course Euen I that nowe so barbarous am become To thée a poore and hurtfull person thought With forced sléepe the Serpents eyes did feede That safely thou mightst reue the golden Fléese My Father I betrayde my natiue soyle And kingdome I forsooke and got the gyft Which in exile a woman may attaine My chastice was a wandring Rouers pray My sister and my louing Dame I left But thée O brother I ne lefte behinde At time of flight my letter in this one Place ginnes to faint the thing my veÌ„trous hand Did dare to doe it dares not to recorde So I but euen with thee should haue bene rent Yet dradde I not for what should me appall As then a woman and a guiltie wight My cursed corps to surging Seas to gage Wher are those gods where those celestial states On vs amid the goulfe deserued plagues And torments sende on thée for thy deceyte On mée for that I gaue such credit light O that the ruthlesse rocks Symphlegads had Our lymmes surprisde and rent our bodies so As might my bones vnto thy carkasse cloong Or cruell Scylla sent vs to hir whelpes And Dogs to bene deuourde for Scylla ought Vngratefull wightes to plague and pay with paine Charybdis eke that belks the swallowde waues O that it had vnder Sicilian surge Our yrkesome corses cast whelmde in goulfe Safe thou and Victor to Aemonia comste And to the Gods presentst the golden Fléese What should I Pelias daughters name that did Aguilt to pittie mooude who rent with hande Their aged fathers bones though other blame Medea yet thou haste cause to like hir well For whome I haue so often done amisse Thou didst not shame O that I words doe waâ—… To shew my iust complaint thou didst not shame To say from Aesons house dislodge in haste Commaunded I departed followde with Mine infants two and loue of thée that aye Pursues my track and followes where I go Vnto mine eares as soone as Hymen came Carolde aloude and kindeled Torches shone With Bauen blase Shaulme began to sounde Ditties of loue ioyfull to thée but more Doolefull to me than is the Trumpets clang Afright I woxe suspectyng no such yll Ne yet so foule offence but naythelesse Through all my breast the frostie cold did runne A rout of people ranne and Hymen cryde Repeating oft the same how much the voyce More neare approcht the more increast my wo. My seruaunts sobde and couertly did mourne Who gladly would so great an euill reporte And me auayling more had bene what so It were not to haue knowne Yet sad and trist I woxe as though I had the truth discride When of my Boyes the lesser for desire To see tofore the doore at Wickat stoode Oh Mother mine quoth he forgoe the place With ioyly pompe my Father Iason commes And glittring twixt two chayned chyuals rydes I out of hand my vesture rent abrode Did plague my brest with blowes with nailes my face My minde perswaded me amids the throng And thickest presse to runne the garlands gay From tresses smouthly trimde in rage to pull I hardely me withhelde from crying outs As I dissheuled was t' is mine and scarce From laying handes thereon I tho abstaynde O wronged Syre reioyce ye men of Colche Be glad and of my Brothers ghost receiue Th'infests My Countrie house kingdome lost My spouse in stéede of all that stoode to me I reast refusde and vtterly forlorne Serpents I did subdue and furious Bulles One man to daunt vnable or to tame And I that raging fire by Arte repelde Can by no skill my wasting flame eschue Inchauntments herbes and soceries faylen now The Goddesse nought or mightie Hecate Preuayles or helpes Medea in néedefull tyme. Not pleasant is to me the day the nightes That bitter are I wake no gentle sléepe Doth daine to lodge in lamentable breast I that my lymmes to flumber can not force Was able well the Dragons eyes to close Other my Artes than me doe more auaile The corps that I preserude a strumpet straynes With folded armes and of my paynes hath sruite And thou perhaps whilst to thy fonded spouse Dost braue hir eares desirous to content Against my face and maners new found crymes Dost forge Well may she laugh at these defaults Of mine well let hir laugh in stately seate With purple Robe attyre the time will come That she shall mourne and wéepe againe as fast And farre surmount these hiddeÌ„ scorching flames Whylst yron fire or poyson may be found No foe of Medeas shall vnwroken go If so by hap my prayers be of powre To touch thy stéely heart now lende an eare To wordes that are inferiour to my minde For I to thée in humble sort doe sue To me as thou full oft hast done of yore Ne prone to lie before thy féete refuse If me thou set so light yet haue remorse Of those our Babes that common are to both A cruell stepdame will my children wrath And rigorously entreate in ruthlesse sorte And they too much resemble thée that are Trapt by thy forme whose ymage moues me sort And whome how oft I sée so oft my face And moysted chéekes with teares are all bedewde By Gods I make request by flaming light My Grandsire giues and by mine earned boone And by thy Babes the pawnes of perfite loue Reyéelde the bridely bed for which I shonde So many things accomplish thy behest And doe with ayde thy Miser spouse relieue Gainst men or Bulles of thée no ayde I craue Ne that thou shouldst the watchful Dragon drench And force
mée this rage I striue to hide Yet naythelesse dissembled loue is quickly to be spide Ne art thou ought deceiude to thée my woundes be knowne And would to God that of my griefes thou priuie were alone How oft when teares gan flush turnde I my head awrie Least he the cause of mournefull moode should fortune to discrie How often with cup crasde haue I some looue exprest And would vnto thy featurde face eche worde and sentence wrest And of my selfe in close and fayned name made showe Euen I am he that looude so well if thou the same not knowe And that I franckly might vse wanton words at will I woulde make wise of Bacchus wares as though I had my fill Thy breast I well recorde thy vesture being lose Displayde vnto my staring eyes thy beautie did disclose Thy breast than Mountaine snowe or morning Milke more cleare Or Ioue that in the forine of Swanne to Leda did appeare Whilst at the sight I gazde I helde a Cuppe by happe And from my fist the Cuppe it fell and in the floore did snappe When thou thy daughter kist I would the kisse to winne Hermions chéekes and cherrie lippes eftsoone to smack beginne Sometime laide bolte vpright of former loue would sing And other sithes by beck would giue a signe of secrete thing The chiefe of all thy Mates I bourded but of late To Clymen and to Aethra I in humble wise did prate Who aunswerd nothing else but that they stoode in dread And euen amid my earnest sute away from me they flead Would thou were plaste as price at some notorious watch That he who best in armes deserude thée for his Feere might catch Then as Hippomenes wanne Atlanta in the fielde To whome a flock of suters earst in running race did yéelde As Hercules the hornes of Achelous broke When Deianeiras loue to fight the Champion did prouoke I would my valiaunt prowesse in semblant sort haue showne And that thy beautie causde the same to thée it should be knowne Now nought remaines but euen to sue to thee faire Dame And groufe to fore thy feete to fall if thou permit the fame O flowre and present prayfe of both thy brothers hyre O worthie wife for mightie Ioue if Ioue were not thy Syre Or to Sigeian porte with thée I will retire Or in exile at Tenaris my carcasse shall expire For why no slender darte hath clest my breast in twaine The mortall wounde hath broosde the bones and ransackt euery vaine In this I minde it well Cassandra spake aright Who saide in future time on m◠a heauenly shaft should light Wherefore doe not despise the loue allowde by fate So mayst thou haue the gastely Gods thy friendes in néedefull state I haue a thousande things which franckly to recite Receyue me to thy carelesse Couch in fere and silent night What dost thou shame or stande in such a bashfull dred For to defile with secrete scape thy chaste and bridely bed Too simple sure thou art a rustick might I say Thinkst thou that so wel formde a face from guilt may scape away Or thou must chaunge thy hue or not be hard at least Twixt beautie and an honest life was neuer warre infeast For Ioue delightes in stealthes and Venus loues the same Ne Ioue had bene thy Syre vnlesse had Leda likte the game If griefes of loue haue force scarce chaste thou mayst be thought Whome lustfull Ioue and Leda light into this worlde brought Then leade an honest life when we in Troie shall be Let none be able to defame fayre Helen but by me Now let vs forge the fact which mariage shall amende If Ladie Venus wordes be true as tho she did pretende Thy husbande not in wordes but déedes perswades thereto Who for he would no hindrance be deuisde from Greece to go He had no fitter time to ride from home but than O Lord it is a worlde to sée the subtile craft of man Mine Host is gone who saide at parture wife I will Thou take in charge my Troian guest ▪ thy husbands Hestes fulfill I sweare thou dost neglect thy absent Féeres request For why thou hast no carke at all to entertaine thy guest What dost thou thinke in déede that doltish sielie man The thewes of Helens passing forme may iudge or throughly scan In fayth thou art beguilde for if the good he owes He knew therewith he would not trust a guest he scarcely knowes Though neyther thée my voyce nor friendship may procure To yéelde me grace conuenient time may cause vs to play sure Or else we are but Doltes and more than he to blame If such occasion we permit to flide deuoyde of game In maner with his hande he gaue his guest to thée Sée thou doe vse such simplenesse that hath such care of mee The long and lothsome night thou lodgest all alone And I poore Paris to redresse my haplesse harmes haue none Let intermedled ioyes conioyne vs both yfeare And that selfe night shall séeme to vs than brightest day more cleare Then will I make my vow appealing Gods to othe And by a sacred bande to thée for pawne ingage my troth And then vnlesse the trust I in my selfe repose Be vaine I vnto thée estsoones my Scepter will disclose But if thou shame and dread to condescend thereto I onely will sustaine the guilt and thou exempt shalt go For why thy brothers fact and Theseus will I take As myrrours nearer proufe than this I know thou canst not make The Theseus earst they two Leucippids haue bereft And I as fourth example made and mirrour shall be left My Nauie is at hande of men and armour store We shall to Troie flit in haste by meane of winde and Ore Thou like a stately Quéene through Dardan streates shalt ride The Commons will some Goddesse new surmise to haue espide What way soeuer thou goest the perfumes they shall sweate And slaughtred beastes the gorie grounde with bloudie strokes shall beate My sisters with my dame my brothers with the King And all the Troian Matrons shall their ample presents bring Oh scarce one parcell I of future things recite Thou shalt haue more than in these lines my feeble penne can write Ne doe thou rapted stande of dreadfull warre in awe Ne feare that grudging Greece hir force to wreake this rape will drawe Though sundry were conuaide was neuer none pursude With clattring armes of troth this dread vs causelesse doth delude In Boreas name the men of Thrace Orithia stole Yet Byston had no hatefull warres nor enmies to controle In nouell Barcke was brought by Iason through the Seas Medea Colchos kept no coyle ne Thessale did disease And he that stale the first reft Minos dearling deare And yet his men of Creta did not once in armour steare The feare in these affaires the daunger doth excell But afterwarde of feare we shame when euery thing is well Put case that warre were wagde if so thou list to thincke What I haue
Cytherons string could steare But me Pegasian Nymphes haue learned on the Lute And throughout all the worlde is borne of Sapphos songes the brute Nor Alcaeus though vpon a statelier string doe sounde My Mate for Arte and Countrie eke a greater prayse hath founde Though I at natures hand no featurde face could gaine Yet those defaults of kinde I quite by goodnesse of the brains Disdaine me not although but meane my stature bée And in pronouncing verie short you Sapphos name doe sée Put case I be not faire swarth Andromed to vewe Duke Perseus pleasde Morisco soyle allowde hir tawnie hewe Full oft the whitest Doues with specled Culuers tred And oft we sée the Turtle browne with Popingay doth wed If none vnlesse hir forme could match thy featurde shape Should lincke with thee thou doubtlesse shouldst from mariage aye escape But when thou vewdste my verse then Sappho séemde in sight A comely wench thou swarste that me alone became to wright I sang I minde it well for Louers fixe in breast Forepassed toyes and thou the whilste to kissing thée addreast Those busses likte thée eke for euerie point I was Befancide well but most when we to Venus prancks did passe Then did my wanton tricks and loftie mounting more With sugred wordes delight thy minde my Phaon than of yore And that when both our ioyes confounded were I lay With wearie limmes and languor lame and had no worde to say Now are Sicilian trulles thy nouell pray I sée In Lesbos what make I a wench of Sicill I will bee O Nysian Matrons O Sicilian Dames I say This loytring guest of ours expell your Countrie boundes I pray Ne let his glosing tongue your listning eares beguile For why to vs he hath ere this yvsde that selfe same stile And Ladie Venus thou that knowen art to dwell Rue on thy Poets piteous plight among the Sicans fell Will aye this cruell chaunce in one selfe tenour roonne And still persist in spitefull sorte as when hir race begoonne For but a Babe in yeares and lacking thrée of nine My parents bones I gathered vp and bathde with saltish brine My néedefull brother burnt with beastly strumpets flame And did endure both wrack of wealth and spitefull losse of fame To beggrie brought he plies the sliding seas with Ore And gettes againe with shamefull shifts the wealth he spent before And me for sounde aduise pursues with deadly hate This was the onely good to me that my freespeaking gate And eake as though I lackt a cause to bréed my dole My little daughter heapes vp hoe that prettie pratling soule But last of all thou art the forger of my bale Aye me poore wench my beaten Barcke flits not with pleasant gale Marke out of order how my lolling tresses flée No glistring Gem or Iuell is vpon my hande to sée My vesture is but vile not spanged is my toppe My hanging haire with Ciuet nor Arabian dew doth droppe For whome vnhappie Girle should Sappho go so gay Whome féeke to please the Author of my brauery is away My gentle yéeiding breast eche lightsome dart may broose And aye I finde a cause to loue and can none other choose Or else at time of birth the sisters set this lawe Allowing me such cruell twist that did my destnie drawe Or custome growes to kinde and vse becomes an Arte I wote not well but sure I haue by kinde a gentle heart What wonder if with such a beardlesse youth I were Attacht whose tender childish yeares allowde his chinne no haire I drad Aurora least for Cephalus thou wold Ychosen him saue that thy former rape doth thée withhold If Phoebe vewe him once that all suruayes with eye My Phaon shall be quickly forste in slumber long to lye In Iuorie Wagon would dame Venus to the starres Borne him but that she fearde he wold haue coyde the God of Warres O thou that neyther art a boy nor man in sight But aptest age of all thy race the most excellent wight Come hither come and to my bosome make retowre No loue I craue in fayth of thée but thée to loue the powre I write and from my chéekes the deawie teares distill Beholde how many blots they cause in Sapphos doolefull bill If néedes thou wouldst haue gone yet this allow for true Thou mightst haue saide at parture O my Lesbian Lasse adue But now no teares of mine ne latter kisse thou had Ne to be short of such mishaps as are befall I drad With me is nought of thine saue wrong yleft in déede Ne gaue I warning that thou hadst of faythfull loue the méede I gaue thee no precepts nor would haue done a iot But made a sute that Sappho might at no time bene forgot By loue that neuer farre may from thy breast astart And sacred sisters nine my saincts whome I embrace with heart I sweare when one exclamde I wote nere who to mée And said now Sappho iogges thy ioy thy Phaon now doth flée I had no teares to shed my lippes did language lacke Mine eyes did want their gushing teares my foltring tongue it stacke Vnto the roufe and ysie colde my fearefull breast did racke When griefe was somewhat swagde and sorrow gan to slake I howlde with toren lockes and with my fist my bodie strake As doth the louing Dame that to the Temple beares Hir Babe his corps withouten sense and bathes his Tombe with teares Charaxe my brother ioyde and often past before My face and to and fro did iet to make my doole the more And to encrease my shame would wit my cause of woe And say why wéepes this woman why hir daughter liues I trowe Oh shame and earnest loue can neuer well agrée How there with open breast I stoode the Vulgar folke did sée Thou Phaon art my carke my dreames reduce to minde Thy countnance dreames which clearer than the shining Sunne I finde I meete thée oft in sléepe though thou be nothing nie But of this sléepe the slipper ioyes too soone away doe slie Full oft vpon thine armes my lodging neck I laye And then me thinks thy head as much my limber armes doe staye I know thy kisses well and am not now to seeke How thou were wont to smack thy wench and she to doe the léeke I play the wanton Gyrle sometime and séeme with thée To chat and think my slumbring sense awaked wide to bée I blush to tell the reast that followes but there is Naught left vndone that bréedes delight I coulde not Phaon misse But when that Titan splayes his face and all beside I make complaint that winged sléepe so soone away did slide To Groues and Caue I trudge as though they did me good The Caue and groues that witnesse there in place of pleasure stood Inragde I thither runne as doth the Frantike fro Whome fell Erichtho hath in chase my locks at random go There plainely I discrie with rotten Tophe yspred A place that earst in lieu was to me of better bed
I finde the Wood where we with boughes and gallant greaues Yshadowde haue full often laine among the flittring leaues The owner is alack both of the place and mée The place is but a filthie soyle the place his dowre was hee The twifolde turning turffe I knowe it very well And Grasse with bended head to grounde that with our tumbling fell I layde me groufe vpon thy wonted side the banck A pleasaunt plot of pleasure earst my flushing feares it dranck Againe the naked boughes their garments layde in grounde Did séeme to mourne no mirrie fowle did vse his warbling sounde The wofull Dame alone that fouly was awroke Vpon hir sonne that Itis hight in doolefull dittie spoke The chyrping Fowle hir childe but Sappho wayles hir loue Forlorne Lasse when all things else the slumbers ioyes doe proue A Christall Well there is than shining Glasse more shéere A holy spring some déemen that some sacred Sainct is there A watrie Lotos spreades his sprayes athwart the Well And all aboute with tender Sedge the gréenish grounde doth smell Where wofull wight when I had layde me on the grasse Eftsoone a stripling did appeare a proper boy it was Hee stoode him still and sayde what meanste thou Nymph I pray To frie with such vnegall flames to Ambrace go thy way There Phoebus from a loft the open sea doth face Leucadium men they say or else Actaeum terme the place Deucalion thence inragde with Pyrrhas loue did fall Of purpose and he naythelesse sustainde no hurt at all And straight conuersed loue forsooke his swelting breast That was ydrencht and so good man Deucalion came to reast Such is the place his powre and hidden force by kinde Go thither in post and skip adowne let feare not mooue thy miude He vanisht with his voice I rose me vp agast And all to bainde my cheerelesse cheekes with teares that flushed fast I Nymph quoth I will trudge vnto the bidden place Let raging loue haue force and powre all feare away to chase What fortune so befall will better present plight O gentle ayre beare vp my corps that now is passing light And thou O friendly Loue come vnderset thy wing Least if I die defame vnto Leucadian goulfe doe spring Then I to Phoebus will my pleasant Lute bequeath And brauely cause to be ingraude this Verse or two beneath O Phoebus this hir Lute hath Sappho left to thee For in that Arte she during life and thou did well agree Fye Phaon why dost thou me to Actaeum driue And thou thy selfe mayst make returne and saue thy loue aliue More healthfull than the floud of Leucas thou mayst bée And by thy beauties féemely shape Apollo vnto mée And canst thou oh more harde than rocke and ruthlesse waue If so I die the title of my death indure to haue Ah how much better might my breast conioyne with thirie Than thus be cast from craggie cliffe to Sea of surging brine That selfe same breast which thou commended hast so oft And which with passing wisedome fraught thy selfe friend Phaon thought Now would I were faconde but dolour hinders Arte And all my witte is me berest by long enduring smart My wonted vaine in verse is ouerdrie become My lowring Lute laments for wo my Harpe with doole is dombe Ye Lesbian Lasses all that border on the Lake And ye that of the Aeolian towne your names are thought to take Ye Lesbian Lasses that for cause I looude you sore Bréede my defame vnto my Harpe I charge you come no more Looke what did like you earst of that is Phaon sped Alas poore wretch my Phaon I had very neare ysed Cause Phaon to retire and then your Poet will Reuert againe t' is he that doth both make and marre my skill What doe my prayers preuaile or pierce his stéely brest Or is he standing stiffe at stay a retchlesse rigorous guest Or doe the puffing winds transport my wordes into the west The gale that hence conuaies my voice oh that it might Reduce thy fléeing Barck againe and bring thy shippe in sight O ouerlingring Ladde in fayth if thou were wise Thou wouldst attempt to make returne and follow mine aduise What wilt thou come or no we for thy shippe prepare Our vowed gifts why doth thy staye enforce our hearts to care Anale and lose thy Barcke take Seas for Venus shée That came of seas wil calme the surge come off the gale will bée As friendly to thy comming Keale as thou wouldst wish to sée At Helme will Cupid sit and steare thy shippe to lande He both will hoyse and hale the sayles with skilfull Boateswanes hande Or if thy pleasure be from Sappho farre to trudge Who neuer did deserue so yll of thée thy selfe be iudge At least let cruell lynes will hir vnhappie wench Vnto Leucadian foorde to flée and there hir corps to drench The Argument of the xviij Epistle entituled Leander to Herô LEander looude a Lasse that Herô hight And dwelt in Sest the chanell did deuide Their countries so as Sestus was in sight Of Abydon that stoode in th' other side Nightly the youth to Herô shoope his waie And woulde returne againe before the daie At length the tempest rose the windes did blo The waters wrought so roughly as they coulde That seauen daies space Leander might not go To Sestus shore as he was wont of olde But yet by chaunce a Mariner there went By whome these lines vnto his Loue he sent Wherein he shewes his Loue and faithfull heart Wherein he plaines against the troublous Tide And vowes at last all dreade yset apart To swim the Seas that he before had tride He rather chose to hazard life than dwell A weeke or two from hir he looude so well The .xviij. Epistle Leander to Herô FRom Abydon these lynes Leander doth endite And health to Herô sends which he would rather bring than write If Neptuns waters were with friendly Gods agréede There were no choise for thée to choose but thou my woords shouldst réede But Gods withstand my wish and kéepe my hope arcare That will in no wise giue me leaue to flitte vnto my Feare Thy selfe dost sée the skies with pitchie cloudes so blacke And waltring waues so tost with winde as shippes are nie the wracke Yet one than all the reast more bolde by whome I send These lynes to Sestus by the Seas did dare his course to bend With whome Leander would haue bene imbareked faine Had not Abydos giuen the gase and séene his shipping plaine I could not kéepe the fact hid from my Parents eye As earst I had but that they would At length I tooke my Quill wherewith I might endite Go blissefull scroll to Heros handes than snowe ê™ I more white First will she thée receiue and after touch with lippe When she with tooth shall go about the signed seale to rippe These whispring wordes I spake in soft and silent sort The reast my writing hande did will my Paper to report That hande wherewith I
flawes In thy behalfe I checke the windes with wide and wreakefull iawes Or when the calmed Seas haue somewhat quaylde their powre I say thou mayst but wilt not come to Heros wonted towre Amid my griefull plaintes the saltish teares gush out By streames which crooked Nurce doth wipe and dryes with Linnen clout Oft tymes I séeke in sande where I thy steppes may finde As though the foote once gone the print would aye remaine behinde I aske when any came or any mindes to go To Abydon to fine I might thy state by wryting know What should I speake how ofte I kisse with louing lippe The robes which tho thou lefest behind when thou to Sea didst skippe Thus when the day is spent and night our friendfull ride Hath banisht Phoebus from the Pole and starres doe shew their pride In stately turrets toppe a blazing Lampe I sette Whereby thou wonted are my shore and perillous stronde to fette Then I to passe the time in haste to Distaffe coonne An Arte which woraen vse the griefes of yrkesome stayes to shoonne O that thou knewste my wordes that I pronounce the while Leanders name is all my talke Leander is my stile How thinke you Nurse is he by this come out of doore Or doth he stand in dreade of scowtes that on his passage poore Hath he remooude his robes good Beldame tell thy minde Or oylde his ventrous carelesse corps as swimmers wont by kinde With that she giues a nod not for she heares my talke But drowsie slumber so procures hir gogling head to walke And then I pawse a stounde then now he flitts I say And with his well approued armes he beates the waues away Then spinne I for a space and twist a threede or twaine And where thou be in middle Seas to learne I am full faine Sometime I giue the gaze where I may see thee swimme And then we pray that Neptune will not shewe his cheare too grimme Sometime we heare with eare a noyse that makes vs thincke That thou art then ycome to shore and safe to Sestus brincke Thus when the greatest part of night is flitted by The slumbring sleepe by secret stealth inuades my weried eye Then gainst thy will perhaps thou dost with me foiourne And though thy selfe wouldst faine dislodge yet art thou here atourne For now I séeme to sée thée swimming in the flood And then to throw thy limber armes on Heros backe a good Another while with clothes and wonted robes I hide Thy moysted limmes and lay me dowlie fast by thy wished side And other toyes to taste and other feates to frame Which though I ioyde to put in vre my tongue to tell doth shame Oh mée vnhappie wench whose pleasure makes no stay And falsed is for thou with fléepe art wont to slippe away O Lord let vs that loue at length wich firmer lace Inchaine our selues let dreames no more true pleasurs so deface Why haue I lodgde alone so many nights arowe In colde and carefull couch why dost thou proue thy selfe so stowe As now the waters are too boysteous I confesse For such as swimme but yesternight Neptunus rage was lesse Why lettste thou slip that lide thou shouldst haue fearde the wurst And not haue stoode in earnest hope for better than the furst What though the weather shape as well againe to swim Yet that because it was the first of both I iudge it tâ—…m For Seas haue sodaine chaunge the floud is altred soone And when thou willing art to come thy course is sooner doone Arriude to Sestus shore no cause thou shouldst at all Haue of regréete thée in mine armes what winter storme might gall Then I with gladsome minde would heare the windes to rage And pray that Neptuns surging Seas their swelling might not swage But how befell you feare your wonted passage so And dréede the goulfe you scornd ere this the cause I long to know For yet I well recorde that when thou camste to Sest The Chanell was as rough or nie as rough as may be gest When I exclamde aloude mine owne be not too bolde Least I be forst to rue thy fate if I thy death beholde Whence comes this sodaine feare where is that courage now Where he that scornde the force of flouds and waters wont to flow Yet naythelesse be wise not retchlesse as thou were And swim in safetie if thou mayste if not a while forbeare So that thy fayth be one as those thy lines did showe And so that kindled flame of thine to cinders doe not growe I dreade not so the windes that barre my wished ioye As least thy loue will like the winde exchaunge by chaunge of toye Of this I stande in awe least perill passe the gaine And least thou thinke thy bootie farre inferiour to thy paine Sometyme I quake for feare least Abydon deface My Sest and least Leander thincke his Herô farre too base But all I can endure with well contented will So that thou haue no daintie Draâ— thy pleasures to fulfill So that no strumpets armes about thy necke depende Nor nouell loue procure thy first and former flame to ende Oh rather let me die than such a crime to know Let Herôs liuely twist be shrid ere thou doe trespasse so Not for thou gauste me causs of future griefe I speake In such a wise no newe report moues me my minde to breake Saue that I feare the worst Who loues deuoyde of dreede The place doth forte the absent wight oft times on feare to féede Oh happie Nymphes whome place and presence makes to know Committed crymes and kéepes from seare of things that are not so No lesse the forged fact than wrong ydone in deede Doth moue our mindes from both alike lyke dolour doth procéede Oh that thou wouldste repaire or else thy cause of let From winds grutching father mightst and from no woman fet Which if I heard of troth for grunting griefe I die And great will be thy guilte if so thy loue thou séeke to strie But more than needes I dreade thou wilt not so offende For churlish tempest is in fault that will not let thée wende O Gods what mounting flouds doe driue against the shore How doth the darkesome cloude inclose and kéepe the light in store Perhaps the virgins Dame is commen to the flood And for hir drenched dearling sheddes hir saltish teares a good Or Ino being woxe a Seanymph but of late Turmoyles the Goulfe that Helle brought to such vntimely fate That floud doth nothing-friend the Mayden sexe I know For there did Helle lose hir life where Heros hurt doth grow But Neptune waying well and calling oft to minde Thy former flames me thinks thou shouldst not hinder loue by winde For Amymon can well and Tyro trie at neade That thou were truely toucht with loue as we in stories reade Alcyonê the fresh and Iphimedia faire Medusa on whose skull as then there hoong no hissing haire Laodice the browne Celaeno fixt in skie Whose names
my haruest to forereape Vnto an others hope who made thy way That bosome friend is mine fowlly from me My kisses thou bereauste wherefore do waye Thy flippant fist from that my pacted corps Vnthrift do way thy hands the thing thou feelst Is me behight hereafter if thou doe The like thou shalt a Leachers name procure On single Nymphes and not dispoused Maydes Make choyse I woulde thou wist this is possest Beleue not mée giue to the bargaine eare And cause hir reade the wryting to this ende Thou déeme hir not vntrue or false to bee Goe from anothers bridall bed I saye What makst thou here go pack this knot is tide Put case thou haue a partie promise eake Yet is thy cause and mine vnegall farre She made me perfect vow hir Sire the Nymph To thee behight but nearer than hir Sire Vnto hir selfe the sielie Mayden standes Hir Father made a promise she by othe Conioynde hir selfe in league of stayde loue He witnesde men She Dian did protest He dreades the name of Liar to sustaine But she the blot of periurde tongue to beare Of both déeme thou which is the greater feare And last of both the perils to compare Respect the euents of both and latter lotte She lies diseasde he liues releast of woe And we with dispar mindes for hir contende Ne hope to both nor egall is the dread Thou forcest not the sute more griefull were Repulse to me than death alreadie I Imbrace the Mayde whome thou in future time And after this mayste haue the hap to loue If iustice or regarde of right did lodge Within thy brest thou to my flames wouldst yéeld Now since this furious wight maintaines a strife In wrongfull cause Oh Cydip to what ende Do I to thée fruitlesse lines endite He bréedes thy doole and makes thée be suspect Of Dian him if thou be wise renounce Barre and forbidde him to approche thy lodge These perrils by his meane thou doste endure That would he might acquite thy corse from we That forger is of these thy pinching paynes Whome if thou flée and lincke with him in loue Whome Dian not condemnes release of fittes Thy selfe shalt finde and I shall be reuiude Virgin exile thy feare doubt not recure Reuerence the temple where thou madste the vow The Gods delight not with a flaughtred Oxe But with a fayth performde without recorde Some women health to gaine and purchase ease Both scarring Launce scalding flame endure Other the bitter drench acquites of paine These néedelesse are to thée flée periurie Thy selfe thy Hest and mée referue at once Pardon of passed crime by ignorance Shall be procurde quite from thy mind was fled And plighted promesse quite thy thought exilde Thée both my wordes and these thy present haps Haue warned which thy carefull corse assault As oft as thou from pawned fayth dost wrie When these are ouerblowne in trauell thou Wilt craue of hir of baron to be well And soone releast and haue thy throwes abridgde Which she will heare and rolling in hir minde Will aske who was the sielie infants Sire Thou wilt auow She knowes thy Hest vntrue Thou wilt protest and binde with sacred othe But she wottes wel thou canst the Gods beguile It nothing toucheth mée yet greater hoe I haue and carefull is my heart of thy Indaungred life that now in perill stands Why lately did thy doubtfull Parents mourne For thy distresse whom thou thy crime cōcealdste And why are they vnwitting of thy guilt Cydip thy déedes deserue no shame at all Display in order thine acquaintance first With me as to Dian thou didst thy rites And how when first if well thou didst attende I saw thy face I stayd and gaue the gaze Vewing with staring eyes thy comely corse And whilst I muzde thereat a sicker signe Of frensie from my backe my vesture flid And after how by hap thou wottste not howe A rolling Apple trillde with lynes ingraude Thereon which were by subtile sleight deuisde Which being read by thée in presence of The sacred Goddesse bound thy faith in bande Which cause Diana heard must not be slipt And to the fine she may the writing know As earst thou didst so reade the same againe Wedde will she say with my good will to him With whom the blissefull Gods haue thée cōioynd Let be my sonne whom thou to spouse hast tane Who so it be shall like me for he earst Hath stoode in Dians grace Thy Mother thus Will say if so that she thy Mother bée If who and what I am she make demaunde Let hir beholde and she shall well perceiue That well for thee Diana hath puruayde The famous Ile where the Coritian Nymphes Did lodge of yore inuironde with the Sea Aegaeum Caea cleaped is the soyle Where I was bred and if thou doe accoumpt Of Gentils bloud my Grandsires were of fame And we are wealthie eke our maners are Not fraught with shameful crimes suppose ther wer Nought else yet loue hath shackled vs yfeare Vnsworne thou mightst selected such a spouse And neuer forst with such a husbande wed This is my dreame Phoebe the Archeresse And Loue awakt did will me write to thee Of whom th'ones darts haue thirled erst my hart Beware least th'ochers shafts doe thée annoy Our healthes are ioynde in one Rue on thy selfe And me why dost thou stagger both to ease Which if befal when blasted Trumpe shal soūd And Delos be with yolded bloude imbrude The golden Image of the blissefull fruite Shall stande aloft with cause in myter graude Acontius by the Apples forme recordes Th'insculped lynes to haue bene brought to passe But least thy weakened limmes and féeble corps My ouer long Epistle should molest To fine I may in wonted maner ende Aconce thy friend biddes the Cydip adue The Argument of the xxj Epistle entituled Cydippe to Acontius WHen Cydip saw hir furious fits increase And fretting Feuer grow to worse disease Then thought she verily that no release Was to be had vnlesse she mought appease Dianas wrath wherefore she thought it best To stand vnto hir former plighted hest Then tooke she pen in hand then gan she write These following lines to Aconce making showe That she would yeelde and banish rigour quite And pay the det to him that she did owe Crauing his helpe in peasing Goddesse yre That she to health the sooner might aspyre The .xxj. Epistle Cydippe to Acontius A Fright in silence I thy lines suruayde Least that vnwares my tong to witnes should Haue callde the Gods and for records appealde I déeme thou wouldst haue bourded me againe With craft hadst thou not thought in iudging mind One Hest as thou confest to haue suffisde He had I vewde thy lines and Letters sent But that I thought the yrefull Goddesse wrath By duresse would to furder rage increast For all that I can doe though incense I To Dian offer yet she friendes thée more Than reason willes she should as thou crauste
vndertaken hath as following Mate to mée To safe conduct mée to the lodge where I doe long to bee I neuer saw hir from the tyme of Troies latter wrack Till now the wronged Goddesse hath from anger bene alack What so Oenides did it lightes vpon vs all aleeke Vpon the Gréekes from man to boys reuengement shée did séeke Not thee good Diomed she sparde whose armour knowen was She hath enforst thée Miser eke through many broyles to passe Nor him that Telamon begat vpon a captiue Lasse Nor him that with a thousande ships to wreake his wrong did passe Plisthenides thou were yblest what fortune so befell For aye thy wedlock went with thée whome thou didst loue so well And whether windes did bréede thy staye or surging Seas annoide Thou didst by meane of mutuall loue incroching cares auoide Nor blustring blastes nor troublous tide from kissing thée dismayde With clinching armes thou hir imbraste and neuer wert afrayde Oh that I might not wander so swéete wench thou wouldst procure The surge séeme calme with thée I should no deadly smart endure No sooner I had tydings that Telemach was aliue But that the newes forepassed griefes from gladsome minde did driue Whose going againe by tossing flouds in weake and rotten Barck To Pylos and to Sparta did reduce my former carck That loue deserues no thancke in déede wherein such perill is And when you let him go to Sea you did not well ywis But all the broyle will be at last the Prophet sayd I shoulde At length imbrace thy friendly corse as I had done of olde Whom thou alone shalt know but then take héede and well beware That other by your gesture learne not why so glad you are I must not deale with force of hande or as an open foe The Prophet sayd that to foretell Apollo bidde him soe I shall perhaps deuise the tyme to be awroken fitte With bow in hande to rushe me in when they at tables sitte And then perchaunce they maruell will mée hatefull man to sée Oh Gods when will that day come on and pleasant houre bée Wherein I may renue againe the swéete delights ypast And thou begin to repossesse thy louing spouse at last The Argument of the replie to the seconde Epistle entituled Demophoon to Phyllis HErein his treason and delay Demophoon minded to deface That had ybēne so long away from friendly Phyllis noble grace Somtime vpon his Countriē men the lingring Louer layes the blame On perillous passage now and then and lacke of winde he cast the same But last in spite of waue and winde he made hir promisse to reuart And so he did in hope to finde the Queene as when he did depart But oh impacient of hir panges that she had for hir guest sustainde In Almon tree good Phyllis hanges and this was all the Hostesse gainde Demophoons Replie to Phyllis Epistle EVen from his Countrie soyle Demophoon wrytes to thée His Countrie Phyllis that he mindes thy gratefull gift to bée Demophoon is not linckt with any nouell Lasse But not so happie as with thée acquainted well he was Duke Theseus of whome thou euer stoodste in awe Which made perhaps thy flame the more to be thy Fatherlawe A shamefull thing for mée to suffer such a déede By cruell foe was reft his reigne this was olde ages méede Euen he that whileome had Amazons courage quaylde A mate for Hercules that so in armour had preuaylde Euen he that Mynos made a father of a foe Amazde to sée his monstrous Beast by valiance conquerde so I am accusde to béene the cause of his exile My brother layes it to my charge I must not pleade the while Whilst thou quoth he didst fonde on Phyllis and didst craue By earnest sute vnto thy wyfe a forraine wench to haue The slipper time did passe with hastie foote away Thy loytring was the cause that thou doste sée this doolefull day Thou moughtst perhaps at first this wicked stirre haue stayde At least though matters had bene past thou moughtst haue bene an ayde But Rhodopeian Reigne I better did esteeme And of a Nymph whome better than hir Scepter I did déeme Then Athamas gins to chaufe and thundring words bestowes And Aethra harpes vpon the same a crooked péece God knowes She sayth my lingring was th' occasion that hir sonne Could not shut vp his mothers eyes as duetie was to donne I can not it denie they both excladme a good And cryde on mée when that my ship rode on the Thracian flood Demophoon quoth they why stayste thou lingring so The winde doth serue home to thy Gods and natiue Countrie go Let Phyllis myrror be whome thou dost loue so well She fancies thée but loth she is for thée hir Realme to sell She craues thée to retire thy iourney Mate to bée She scorns more than thy Raigne she waies hir barbarous soyle we sée But I in silence would amid their brawles I minde A thousand thankes bestow atonce vpon the blustring winde And when I should depart imbracing Phyllis harde I ioyde with all my heart to sée how dashing waters warrde Ne would I feare the same before my Sire to vaunt For by thy meritts I attainde my libertie I graunt Thou must of force confesse that with no stéely heart I went my way nor in post haste thy Countrie did depart I sobbde and wéeping thée to solace made a stay When to forgo thy friendly shore was come the fired day I clambe the Thracian Barke and tooke my shippe in deede When Phyllis bid it should not ouer hastely proceede Forgiue since I confesse your selfe remember well King Mynos daughter in your brest that auncient loue doth dwell As often as my Sire to Skieward lookes he sayes She whilome was my louing wench that hath those glistring rayes God Bacchus bidde him leaue and yéelde him vp the Mayde But he goodman sustaines the blame they say he hir betrayde By his example I a periurde man am thought Ne doste thou cruell Phyllis aske the cause mine absence wrought Ne thinckst thou it ynough or able to requight My former fault that I am not in loue with any wight Why Phillis hast thou not heard of the cruell fate Of Theseus Pallace of his house and lamentable state Hast thou not tydings that my fathers death I wayle A farther griefe than fathers fall Demophoon doth assayle Not of Hippolyts happe he miserable man Fell headlong from the fearefull stéedes that downe the Mountaine ran I séeke not to excuse my lingring though there bée A thousand cares that heape my hoe I aske a space of thée Let mée or ere I come lay Theseus in his graue And sée that he who was my Syre his buriall rites may haue Giue space and leaue I pray not like a Traytour I Absent me than thy soyle I knowe not safer where to lie Since Troie went to wrack and battayles broyle did stay What ease so ere I felt at Sea or otherwhere I say I had it all in Thrace
yet there I found some griefe that onely soyle vnto my woes was succour and reliefe And is if thou be one and be not mooude awhight That now I haue a stately house so Castleyke in sight Nor that my Fathers happes or Mothers shamefull fate Or these my yll successes cause thy fancie to rebate What if I went to Troie in mariage linckt with thée And thou thy husband waging warre full ten yeares space shouldst sée Thou hearste Vlysses wife what honour she hath got A myrrour she became for that she liude withouten blot Who by report deuisde a charitable wile In sprinning wherewithall hir instant Suters to beguile For whatsoeuer she by day in sight had wrought At night the selfe same twisted twine from thréed to wool she brought But Phyllis you doe feare your Suters will be gone That profferde wedlock earst in Thrace canste thou with any one Or haste thou heart to matche thy selfe in bridely band What will not feare of broken Hest thy shamefull act withstand O Lord how thou wilt blush O Lord how thou wilt shame When thou shalt vew my sailes aloofe and know they be the same Thou then wilt blame thy rashe complaint but all too late And say Demophoon was to mée a true and faithfull Mate Demophoon is retirde that Southren blast abidde And cruell tempest whilst vpon the sowsing seas he slidde Ah why in such post haste did I this blame deuise I broken haue my plighted Hest which makes my heart agrise But oh go forward so more rather than to mée Swéete Phyllis greater griefe and care should chaunce againe by thée What Gibbet oh is that that thou dost manace so Vnto thy selfe and froward sate to worke thy waylfull wo The Gods that in this soyle doe dwell are ouerbolde I trow I pray thée spare and cause no more defame to spring From out our race whose traitrous crime too loude a Bell doth ring Ariadne may excuse my Father since hir lotte Was party cause shée was forlorne who me may iustly blotte Now selfe same windes my words that did my sayles conuay I would returne with all my heart but haue good cause to stay The Argument of the replie to the fift Epistle entituled Paris to Oenone THe lynes that Oenon sent When Paris had perusde And saw thereby she ment That she was quite refusde Of him that had conuayde from Greece Faire Helena that passing peece He wrote in this effect And flat at first gan tell That when he did reiect The Nymph he did not well But therewithall he laide the blame On Cupid that procurde the same He makes hir open showe How stately was the stroke Of blinded Cupids bow And how he brought to yoke Both man and God and did not let To say that Destnies so had set Paris Replie to Oenons Epistle SO lawefull is thy plaint O Nymph as I confesse My hand doth hunt for currant termes my meaning to expresse It hunts and can not finde I féele my guilt so great I would recant but oh the same my nouell loue doth let My conscience me condempnes if thou not angrie bée Therewith but what in cause I know thou mayst not match with mée For mée whome thou dost blame Cupido to his raigne Hath forst to yéelde anothers pray euen so I now remaine Thou were my wedlock first I graunt it true to bée That I in gréenish yeares my loue and fayth behight to thée Ne was I then so proude as in your Letters you Obiected me ne I my selfe king Priams noorie knew Deiphobus not I nor Hector thought to bée My brothers when I fedde my flock in Ida Mount with thée Not Hecuba I knewe but by a Mothers name And thou didst well deserue to had hir aye to béene thy Dame But Loue from Reason swarues thy selfe shalt iudge the case For thou art wrongde and hauing wrong dost loue me naythelasse And whereas Panes thée and Satyrs did desire Thou shoonste their loue and aye in minde dost kéepe thy former fire Beside this latter loue was furthred by the fate My sister eke Cassandra sawe of future things the state Not I as then had heard the brute of Helens name Ne to mine eares by hir report the Gréekish tumult came You sée that all is true my guilte doth sole remaine And to request your pardon I in humble wise am faine Within thy powre doth reast the doome of life and death Now binde me thine for euermore by sauing of my breath Thou weptst I minde it well and yet thou sangst withall And sayd God shilde that no such euill at any time befall No though his déedes deserue and euerie thing beside Yet Oenon I to worke his bane wil neuer be discride Oh pardon selfesame loue that forgde this fraude to thée Made me to thinke herein not halfe so many feares to bée That God doth strike the stroke Sometime into a Bull He Ioue conuerts into a Foule sometime to coy his trull Not Helen now in earth so passing goodly Dame Had béen at wench by nature made to set my breast in flame Had not the mightie Ioue become a Swanne in sight That earst a golden shattering showre on Danaes lappe did light A fayned Fowle sometyme in Ida Mount did sore Sometime amids Agenors neate in forme of Bull did rore Alcydes who woulde thinke the valiant man to haue Ysat at distaffe Loue did make him twisten lyke a slaue Againe the man was séene in Ioles garment clad And she the hairie Lions case vpon hir shoulders had And Oenon thou I minde I touch my selfe too nie The God Apollo scorndste and didst to Paris mind aplie Not for I him excellde but Cupid wilde it tho That in such sort his subtill shafts in Oenons breast should go But comfort thou thy wrong in that thy ryuall shée A passing wench and daughter braue to Ioue is knowne to bée But that she came of Ioue it moues me not a mite But oh hir face is passing faire t' is it that workes the spite And O I wish that I a skillesse Iudge had bin When to 〈…〉 beauties pride the Ladies did begin For then not Iunos ire nor Pallas wrathfull brest Should hurt me ought for liking of the Ladie Venus best She Cupids flames deuids and franckly fire on those By euen and odde by quick and slow on whome she list bestowes Yet neyther she hir selfe those weapons coulde auoyde The Bow she bare for other hath hir proper breast annoyde For halting Vulcan grutcht when he by fortune founde The warlike God and hir in bedde and caused to resounde His wofull plaint before the Gods and Ioue that saw them bounde And mightie Mauors now laments and lowres as fast For she hath fled this soyle and of Anchises is imbrast Nowe wholy she delights Anchises eye to leake To him alone she closely clings and giues the reast the gleake What wonder was that she should haue the powre to ayde Those egall flames of loue whose fire poore Paris hath