kele to beare to hie a sale Vnleeful thinges that should be shund we gredely desyre But matters meeter for our state we seldome do require The pytying of aduersity doth oft enkindle more The feruent fittes of loue and this perhappe doth vrge him sore To see her reaft of natyue soyle it may his fancy touch Her hayre not tuct with tresses trimme nor dect with golden ouche Perhap the man with pitty prickt doth loue her for her care Vnto his noble hart to pitty prisoners t is not rare The sister deare of Priamus fayre Lady Hesyon he Did cause to Thelamon the Greeke in wedlocke knit to bee Account how many wyues before and maydens did he loue And raung'd abroade to coole the rage that Venus brand did moue Fayre Auge mayde of Arcadye ententiue set to leade Dianas drunce by force of him did leese her mayden hed And yet no token could she shew nor pledge of any ioue What shall I speake of any more or doth it mee behoue To prate what prankes he playd with fifty daughters in one night And yet how soone of such a pange he ouer came the might He set much store by Omphale of Lidia land the Queene When like a guest on Timolus the mount he hath bene seene He was so prict with Cupids dart and caught in Venus trap That tucke in womans weede he sat with distaf in his lap And spoon the flaxe with fombling fyst and rudely thumbde the threede Aud flong from him the syons case the price of noble deede With tresses tricke on plaited lockes he wayled as a mayde With myrre his ftiseled poale was smeard and curry bush was brayde Thus euery where as fancy flits the fondling dotes in loue But in such sort as easely he can the same remoue DEI. But they whom fickle fansies fits haue taynt doe learne at last In linke of loue by tract of time to fix affiaunce fast NV. Trow yee that hee this captiue queane and on whom hee doe see The daughter of his deadly foe will more esteeme then thee DE. As gladsome groues at Prime of spring in beauties pride are seene When fresshest warmth the naked twigges doth clad in pleasant greene But when coulde Boreas boysteous blast the pipling puffes doth stop Of south winde sweete rough wynter powles the naked busshes top The bare woode with misshapen stumpes doth shew a withered Face Euen so my beauty marching forth a season on his Race Still fades away and euermore abates his glimsing glosse And what so euer was in mee by care is come to losse And that which earst by fansy fed the greedy gazing eyes Is fallen away by bearing childe so oft it droupes and dyes And since I came to mothers state I faded fast away And wrinckled age with furrowed face steps in with quick decay But yet this bondmaydes â—eauter fresh her sorrow better brookes Her comely countnaunce crazied is with leane and wanny lookes And yet for all her kark and care amid her deepe distress Shee beares a glimse of beauty bryght and fauour nothing lesse Her heauy hap and frowning rate can nothing from her plucke Saue Scepter from her royall hande by all this lowring lucke By meanes of this first faynting feare did lodge within my breast That makes mee wake the weary nightes and leese my kindely rest In all mens eyes at first I seemde to be a blessed Wyfe And Ladies all at our estate repining very ryfe Did wyshe my watch in spite of fate what Stepster shall I hope As match in maiesty to Ioue within the heauenly coape Deare fosterdame whom shall I make my feere in spowsall bed Although Euryst that Hercules to all these toyles hath led Doe linke with mee in bridall bandes my state shal be impayrde T is small worth to deserue to bee to kingly wedlock rayrde NV. But Issue is the thing that doth in marriage kindell loue DE. And Issue is the thing that doth in marriage mallice moue NV. This while the bondmayde to thee for present shal be braught DE. Loe hee â—etreth vp and downe with pryncely pore full haught And buckles fast about his Loynes the liuely Lyons case Who doth inuest the wretched with the right of kingly mace Deposing those from honoures type that late so lofty sat And pestereth his puissaunt pawes with huge dvnweildy bat Of whose exploytes and maarciale actes the Seres sing aloofe And all enclosde in Ocean sea thereof haue perfit proofe Is now became an amorous knight the honour of his name Doth nothing touch his conscience to tender once his fame Hee roueth through the worlde as on that doth no whit esteeme Although that men as soone to Ioue shall him vnworthy deeme Nor like the man whose credit through the townes of Greece is greate Hee seekes to compasse his desier to worke a Louers feate With single Dames is his delight If any him deny Then to attayne his lawlesse lust by rigour doth hee try With men hee fareth frantickly to others smart and blame Hee wins his Wyues his folly frayle is cloackt by vertues name The noble City Oechalie is made a razed towne The Sunne twixt morne and euen did set in one day vp and downe One day did see it stand in state the same did see it fall These bloudy broyles and wasting warres of Loue proceeded all As oft as parents vnto him deny theyr daughters deare So oft I warrant them they neede his wrathfull fury feare So oft a man with Hercules shal be at deadly foode As hee denies his stepfather to bee by ioyning bloude If hee may not be sonne in law then doth hee rage and raue Why doe these guiltlesse handes of myne still keepe him from his graue Till hee dissemble franticke fits to bend his ayming bowe And deaths wounde on my chylde and me with bloudy hands bestowe Thus hawty Hercules was wont his wedlockes to deuorce Yet nought there is that lawe of guilt on him might haue recorse Hee makes the worlde blame Iuno for the ills hee hath commit O rigour of my rage why dost thou quallify my fit Now must thou set thy hands on worke too 't while thy hands bee hot N. Thy husband wilt thou slay D. Him whoÌ„ his Leman lewd hath got NV. But yet he is the sonne of Ioue DE. And so Alemenas sonne N. With stroke of steele D. With stroke of steele if it cannot bee donne Then for to bring his death to passe I le set for him a snare NV. What kinde of madnesse may it be that makes thee thus to fare D. Such as my husband hath mee taught N. Wilt thou thy spouse destroy On whom the stepdames spite yet had no power to work annoy D. The wrathes of heauenly mindes do make theÌ„ blest on whoÌ„ they light So doth not spite of mortall men N. Oh silly wretched wight For beare thy rage and feare the worst mans force may not assayle Him that agaynst the power of hell and death coulde once preuayle DE. I le venter on the dint
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
In spighte of al the drowned day I will remoue from thee The darknesse all in shade wherof do lurke thy miseryes And guest at such a banquet now to long he careles lyes With mery face now eate and drunke enough he hath at last T'ys best him selfe should know his ylls ye seruauntes all in hast Vndoe the temple dores and let the house bee open all Fayne would I see when loke vppon his childrens heads he shal What countenaunce he then would make or in what woordes break out Would first his griefe or how would quake his body round about With spright amased sore of all my worke the fruite were this I would him not a miser see but while so made he is Behold the temple opened now doth shyne with many a light In glitteryng gold and purple seate he sittes hymselfe vpright And staying vp his heauy head with wyne vppon his hand He belcheth out now chiefe of goddes in highest place I stand And king of kinges I haue my wish and more then I could thinke He filled is he now the wyne in siluer bolle doth drinke And spare it not there yet remaynes a worser draught for thee That sprong out of the bodyes late of sacrifyces three Which wine shall hyde let them withall the hoordes be taken vp The father mingled with the wyne his childrens bloud shall sup That would haue dronke of myne Behold he now beginnes to strayne His voyce and synges nor yet for ioy his mynde be may refrayne THE SECONDE SCEANE Thiestes alone O beaten bosomes dullde so longe with woe Laie down your cares at length your greues relēt Let sorowe passe and all your dread let goe And fellow eke of fearefull banishment Sad pouertye and ill in misery The shame of cares more whense thy fall thou haste Then whether skylles great hap to him from hye That falles it is in surety to be plast Beneath and great it is to him agayne That prest with storme or euylls feeles the smart Of kyngedome loste the payses to sustaine VVith necke vnbowde nor yet detect of heart Nor ouercome his heauy haps alwayes To beare vpright but now of carefull carkes Shake of the showres and of thy wretched dayes Away with all the myserable markes To ioyfull state returne thy chearefull face Put fro thy mynde the olde Thyestes hence It is the woont of wight in wofull case In state of ioy to haue no confidence Though better haps to them returned be Th afflicted yet to ioy it yrketh sore VVhy calst thou me abacke and hyndrest me This happy day to celebrate wherefore Bidst thou me sorrow wepe without a cause VVho doth me let with flowers so fresh and gay To decke my hayres it lets and me withdrawes Downe from my head the roses fall away My moysted haire with oyntment ouer all VVith sodayne mase standes vp in wondrous wyse From face that would not weepe the streames do fall And howling cryes amid my wordes aryse My sorrowe yet th accustomd teares doth loue And wretches stil delyght to weepe and crye Vnpleasant playntes it pleaseth them to moue And florisht fayre it likes with Tyrian die Their robes to rent to waile it likes them still For sorrow sendes in signe that woes draw nic The mind that wots before of after yll The sturdy stormes the shipmen ouer lye VVhen voyd of wynd th asswaged seas do rest VVhat tumult yet or countenaunce to see Makste thou mad man at length a trustful breast To brother gene what euer now it be Causeles or els to late thou art a dred I wretch would not so feare but yet me drawes A trembling terrour downe myne eyes do shed Their sodayne teares and yet I know no cause Is it a greefe or feare or els hath teares great ioy it selfe THE THIRDE SCEANE Atreus Thyestes LEtte vs this daye with one consente O brother celebrate This daye my sceptors my confyrme and stablish my estate And faythfull bonde of peace and loue betwene vs ratifye Thy. Enough with meate and eke with wyne now satisfyed am I But yet of all my ioyes it were a great encrease to mee If now about my syde I might my litle children see Atr. Beleeue that here euen in thyne armes thy children present be For here they are and shal be here no part of them fro thee Sal be withheld their loued lookes now geue to thee I wil And with the heape of all his babes the father fully fyll Thou shalt be glutted feare thou not they with my boyes as yet The ioyful sacrifyces make at borde where children sit They shal be cald the frendly cup now take of curtesy With wyne vpfylde Thy. of brothers feast I take ful willingly The fynal gyft shed some to gods of this our fathers lande Then let the rest be dronke what 's this in no wyse wil my hand Obeye the payse increaseth sore and downe myne arme doth sway And from my lippes the wafting wyne it selfe doth flye away And in deceiued mouth about my iawes it rūneth rounde The table to it selfe doth shake and leape from trembling ground Scant burnes the fyre the ayre it selfe with heauy chere to slght Forsooke of sonne amased is betweene the day and night What meaneth this yet more and more of backward beaten skye The compas falles and thicker myst the world doth ouerly Then blackest darkenes and the night in night it selfe doth hyde All starres be fled what so it bee my brother God prouyde And soones to spare the Gods so graunt that all this tempest fall On this vyle head but now restore to me my children all Atr. I wil and neuer day agayne shal them from thee withdraw Thy. What tumult tumbleth so my guttes and doth my bowels gnaw What quakes within with heauy payse I feele my selfe opprest And with an other voyce then myne bewayles my doleful brest Come nere my sonnes for you now doth th unhappy father call Come nere for you once seene this griefe would soone asswage fall Whence murmure they t.w fathers armes embrace them quickly now For here they are loe come to thee dost thou thy children know Th. I know my brother such a gylt yet canst thou suffer well O earth to beare nor yet from hence to Stygian lake of hell Dost thou both drowne thy selle and vs nor yet with broaken ground Dost thou these kingdomes and their king with Chaos rude confounde Nor yet vprenting from the soyle the bowres of wicked land Dost thou Micenas ouerturne with Tantalus to stand And aunciters of ours if there in hel be any one Now ought we both now from the frames on eyther syde anone Of ground all here and there rent vp out of thy bosome depe Thy dens and dungons set abrode and vs enclosed keepe In bottome low of Acheront aboue our heds aloft Let wander all the gylty ghostes with burning frete ful oft Let fyry Phlegethon that driues his sands both to and fro To our confusion ouer roon und vyolently flow O slothful soyle
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
feate of worth or maistry haue I sought In deede they haue me helpt to pull myne eyes out of my head So that ne Sunne ne Moone I see but life in darknesse lead And though that I can nothing see yet is my guilt and cryme Both seene and knowne poyneted at woe worth the cursed tyme Leaue of thy hold let lose thy hand good daughter let mee goe Let foultring foote light where it will let it this once be so I le trudge and runne I le skudde and raunge I le hasten to the hill Of craggy stiepe Cytheron there I hope to worke my will Where earst Actaeon lost his lyfe by straunge and vncouth death Whom vawling Dogges and hunting Hounds bereft of vitall breath Where once Agaue bedlemlike raungd vp and downe the woode With Systers hers enspired all with Bacchus raging moode And pleasing well her selfe in that her fact and mischiefe donne Pitcht on a Poale the grisly head of him that was her Sonne Where Zethus with his ruffling Crew of Gallantes young and stoute Dragd hald and puld the hateful corps of Dirce all aboute Where bushie bloudied brambles show which way the Bull her drew Nere where dame Ino from a Rocke her selfe in Sea downe threw So that poore mother though she ment t' auoyde one fault by flight Yet she therby a worse procur'd while like a seely wight She bother selfe and eke her sonne from Scyron hurled downe Entending both her selfe and him in foaming Sea to drowne Oh happy yea thryse happy they that had so good an bap And whom such mothers pitiful earst daudled in theyr lap Yea yet there is in these same woods an other place to mee That 's due by right and rightly may me challenge as his fee Where I am Infant out was layed al Fortunes to abide I thyther wil direct my course of try what may betyde I le neither stop ne stay til that I be arryued there For guyde I recke not neyther force for Stumbling any where Why stay I thus like dastard drudge to hasten vnto it Sith wel I know it lotted is to be my graue and Pit Let me myne owne Cytheron mount enioy in quiet state It is myne old and auncient bower appoynted me by fate I pray thee be not discontent that I should aged die Euen there where life I should haue lost in pueling infancy I yeild me heere with willing hart vnto those tortures all That earst to me were due and which to others haue befall To thee I speake O bloudy mount fierce cruel styepe and fell As well in that thou sparest some as that thou some dost quell This carion corps this sinful soule this carcasse here of myne Long tyme agone by right good Law and propertye is thine Now yet at length perfourme the hest that earst enioyned was To thee by those my parentes both now bring their doome to passe My hart euen longeth till I may so fully satisfy By this my death that their decree that glad I am to die Ah Daughter Daughter why wouldst thou thus keepe mee gaynst my mynd In this so vile incestuous loue thou art but now to kind Oh stay me not I thee desire behold behold I heare My Fathers ghost to bidde me come apace and not to feare O Father myne I come I come now father ceasse thy rage I know alas how I abus'd my Fathers hoary age Who had to name King Laius how hee doth fret and frye To see such lewd disparagement and none to blame but I Wherby the Crowne vsurped is and he by murther slayne And Bastardly incestuous broode in Kingly throne remayne And loe dost thou not playnly see how he my panting Ghost With raking pawes doth hale and pull which grieues my conscience most Dost thou not see how he my face bescratcheth tyrant wyse Tel mee my Daughter hast thou seene Ghostes in such griefly guyse Antig I see marke each thing ful well Good father leaue this mind And take a better if you can from this your selfe vnwynd Oed. O what a beastly cowardise is in this breast of myne Was I so stout and venturous in pulling out myne Eyen And shall all courage be employd agaynst one onely part Of Body and from other partes shall valour wholly start Let none of all these puling trickes nor any faint excuse Thus daunt thy sprites let no delay to basenes thee enduce Dispatch at once why lingre I as one that 's loth to dye Why liue I i st because I can no longer mischieues trye Yes that I can wretch though I be and therfore tel I thee Deare Daughter that the sooner thou mightst hence depart from mee Depart a mayd and Virgin hence for feare of after claps Since villany to Mother shewde its good to doubt mishaps Anti. No force no power no violence shall make me to withdraw My duty vnto thee my Syre to whom I vow myne awe I will not be disseuered ne pulled from thy syde I will assist thee whyle that breath shal in this Breast abyde My Brothers twayne let them contend and fight for Princelye swaye Of wealthy Thebes where whilom raignd King Labdacke many a day The greatest share and portion that I do loke to haue Out of my Fathers Kingdome is my Fathers lyfe to saue Him neither shall Etheocles my elder brother take Away from mee who now by force the Thebane realme doth rake Ne Polynices who as now is Mustring men apace From Argos Land with ful entent his brother to displace No though the world went all on wheeles though Ioue should frō aboue Hurle flashing flakes vpon the Earth all shall not quayle my loue No though his thumping thunderbolt when wee togeather stand Should light betweene vs where as we are plighted hand in hand Yet wil I neuer thee forsake but held my handfast still Therefore it s boateles father deare to countermaund my will In this my full resolued mynd Forbid me if you please But surely I will be your guide in weale woe dole case And maugre al your sharpe reprofes though much against your mind I wil direct your steppes and gate that you your way may fynd Through thick thinne through rough and smoth I wil be at an ynch In hill and dale in wood groue I le serue at eu'ry pinch If that you goe where daunger lies and seeke your owne annoy You shall wel proue that I to leade the daunce wil not be coy Aduyse your selfe therfore of twayne to which I guyde shall be My count is cast I am ful bent with you to liue and die Without me perish can you not but with me wel you may It booteth not in other sort to moue me ought to saye Here is an huyge Promontory that elboes into Sea Let vs from thence throw downe our selues and worke our last decay If that ye wil Here also is a flinty Rocke besyde Which if you please shal serue our turnes Heere beaten with the tyde Bee craggy Cliffes let 's goe
You and none els may turne away th occassons of this warre These bransicke youthes from further rage you onely may dibarre By this your meanes the countrey shall their quiet peace enioy And Brethren ioyntly reconcild shal worke no more ennoy If you therefore this mortall life thus to your selfe deny You many thousandes shal vndoe whose states on you relye Oed. What canst thou make me to beleue that any sparke of grece Or loue to Syre or honesty in them hath any place Which thirst for one on others bloud which after kingdomes gape Whose whole delight is villany werre wurther guile and rape Such hateful ympes on mischiefe set such wicked Termagosites As to be sonnes of such a Syre with shame may wake their vauntes At one bare woord to tel thee all thy brethren two are bent Vppon all mischiefe wayghing not what loosenes they frequent When flingbrayne rage ensots their heades they care not they a rush Vpon what Deuelish vile attemptes they geue the desprat push And as they are conceau'd and borne in most abhorred sort So still deuoyde of Grace they thincke all villany but sport Theyr Fathers shame and wretched state moues them no whit at all To Countrey they no reckning make what massacre befall Their myndes are rauisht with desyre ambitiously to raygne I know their driftes and what they hope at length by shiftes to gayne And therfore sith the case so standes I leyfer had to die With poasting speede whyle in my house there is none worse then I Ahlas deare Daughter what adoe dost thou about me make Why liest thou prostrate at my knees why dost thou trauaile take To conquere my resolued mynd with this thy spiced phraze Of fayre entreatie these thy wordes my flynty hart amaze Dame Fortune hath none other bayte to bryng me to her lure Then this alone til now I still vnbanquisht did endure No Creatures words but thyne alone could pearce this hart of myne Ne from a purpose resolute my setled mynd butwyne Thou conquere canst thaffections fond that in my breast do boyle Thou teachest grace to fathers house and zeale to natiue soyle Each thing to me delightful is which iumpeth with thy wil Commaund me Daughter I thy hestes am ready to fufill Old Oedipus if thou enioyne wil passe th' Aegaean Sea And flashing flakes of Aetna Mount with mouth he dare assay He boldly dare obiect himselfe to raumping Dragons claw Which rag'd sweld and venime spit apace when as he saw Dan Hercules away to steale his golden Aples all In Gardens of Hesperides At thy commaund he shall His Entrails offer vnto iobbe of greedy Vulturs Byll At thy commaund content he is in life to linger still THE SECONDE ACTE Nuntius OEdipus Antigone Iocasta REnowmed Prynce of royall Race and Noble lygne yspronge The Thebans dreading much the drife of this your childrens thronge And warlicke garboyle now in hand most humbly pray your Grace For Countreys safety downe to set some order in the case They bee not threates and menacies that thus their mindes affright The mischiefe is more neere then so the Enmy is in sight For Polynices he that is your younger sonne of twayne Doth clayme the crowne and in his turne in Thebes requires to raigne According vnto couenaunts made which quarrell to decite Hee purposeth the dene of sword and maritall force t' abide With him he brings a mighty Troupe from eu'ry part of Greece Sir seuen Dukes hesieging Thebes are minded it to fleese Helpe noble King els are wee lyke to perishe man and chylde These bloudy broyles of ciuill warre from vs protect and shyelde O Edi. Am I one like to stop the rage of any wicked act Am I one like to cause these Youthes to leaue their bloudy fact Am I a maister like to teach what lawes of loue do meane Should I not then from former quise digresse in nature eleane They treade their Fathers steps aright they play my lawlesse prankes Like Syre like Sonnes like Tree like fruite I con theÌ„ harty thanks By this I know them for my Sonnes and praise their towardnesse I would they should by peeuish partes whose Sonnes they be expresse Shew forth you noble Gallante ympes what metled minds you beare Shew forth by deedes your valor great let lofty sprights appeare Surmount and dimme my prayses all Eclypse my glory quight Attempt some enterprise in which your Syre may haue delight To haue till now remaynd in life hereof I haue no doubt For well I know your practise is straunge feates to bring about Your byrth and ligne from whence you spronge assures me of no lesse Such noble Bloudes must needes atchiue some doughty worthinesse Your Weapons and Artillery for warre bring out with speede Consume with flame your natiue Soyle and desolation breede In eu'ry house within the Land a hurly burly make Confusedly of eu'ry thinge Make all the Realme to quake And in exile theyr dayes let end make leuell with the ground Eche fenced Fort and walled Towne The Gods and all confound And throw their Temples on their heads Their Images deface And melt them all turne vpstdowne eche house in eu'ry place Burne spoyle make hauocke leaue no iote of City free from fyre And let the flame begin his rage within my Chamber dyre AN. Syr banish these vnpatient panges let plagues of CoÌ„mon wealth Entreate your Grace sith vpon you stayth all their hope and health Procure your sonnes to reconcile themselues as brothers ought Establishe peace betwene them both let meanes of loue be sought OEd. Oh daughter see and well beholde howe I to peace am bent And how to end these garboyles all I seeme full well content My minde I tell thee swelles with yre within my entralles boyles Abundaunt stoare of Choller fell such restlesse rage turmoyles My inward Soule that I must yet some greater matter brew Which may the Realme enwrap in bale and cause them all to rue That which my rashe and heady sonnes haue hitherto begon Is nothing in respect of that wich must by me be don This ciuill warre is nothing like to that which I deuise These trifling broyles for such a Sea of harmes cannot suffice Let brother cut the brothers throate with murthrous knife in hand Yet is not this ynough to purge the mischieues of this lend Some haynous Fact vnheard of yet some detestable deede Must practisde bee as is to mee and myne by Fates decreed Such custome haunts our cursed race such guise our house hath caught My vise incestuous Bed requires such pageaunts to be wraught To me your Father Weapons reach my selfe heere let me shrowde In couert of these queachy wooddes and let me be allowde To lurke behinde this Craggy Rocke or els my selfe to hyde On backside of some thickset hedge where lying vnespide I hearken may what marketfolkes in passing to and froe Do talke and what the countrey Clownes speake as by way they goe There syth with eyes I cannot see with earâ—s yet may I beare How
feble age thy despret death withstand Forbeare the sway of furye fierce Ph. No reason can restrayne Him that desireth death when death he hath determind playne And ought to die Nut. Sweete Lady myne thou comfort of my age And feeble yeares if in thy breast preuayles such mighty rage Haue not regard what sounding blast in trompe of fame be blowne Whereby thy name in stayned stock of blacke reproch be sowne Or graft in spotlesse honesty for fame doth fauour small The most vpright to better worse to worse shee 's best of al Let vs assay the froward mynd of yonder stubborne Child It is my part to set vppon the clubbish youngman wilde And to compell the sturdy lad with stony hart to yeeld Chorus O Goddesse great that art the wondrous seede Of frothie surge in stormy raging seas WhoÌ„ flamy Cupid armd with scorching gleed And Shaftes to call his Mother it doth please This wanton Elfe forth putting sappy might From stedfast Bowe how surely doth he throwe His venimd shaftes through all thy marrow right The foystring fyre doth rankle in and glovve The secret flame that boyleth in each vayne The strype layd on shevves not in open marke But invvard marrovv he sucketh out amayne This boy to sound of peace doth neuer harke His scattered shaftes ful nimble euery vvhere He dartes aboute the East that doth behold The davvning sunne himselfe aloft to reare From purple bed and vvhether late he rold With ruddy lamp in Westerne wade doth glyde If any coast lye vnder scorching clavves Of burning Crab or people do abyde Beneath the clyme of Isy frosen pavves Of ougly gargle faced bigger Beare That vvandring still from place to place doth goe The feruent Fumes and stouing heate eche vvhere That issues out from CVPIDS burning bow The flashing flames of Yongmens burning brest Hee stirreth vp enkindling new the heate Of quenched coales that vvonted vvas to rest In drouping age and virgins hearts doe beate Wyth straunge vntasted brandes and doth compell The Gods descending downe from starry Sky Wyth counterfeited Vysages to dwell Vpon the Earth to blinde the Louers Eye Sir PHOEBVS vvhilome forst in Thessail Land To Sheepeherds state ADMETVS Heirdes did driue His mourning Harp depriude of heauenly Hand With ordred Pipe his Bullockes did reuiue Euen hee that trayles the dusky riding rack And wieldes the swaying Poles with swinging swift How oft did hee faynde fourmes put on his back And heauenly Face with baser countenaunce shift Sometime a Byrde with siluer shining wings He fluttering flusht and languishing the death With sweete melodious tuned voyce hee sings When silly Cygnus gaue vp gasping breath Sometime also wyth curled for head grim A dallying Bull he bent his stouping backe To maydens sport through deepest Seas to swim Whyle horny houe made shift like Ore slacke Through waters wyld his brothers perlous cost Wyth forward glauncing breast the stream he brake And least he should his tender pray haue lost Her troublus thought did cause his heart to quake DIANA bright that swayes in circle murke Of darkened Sky with frying fits did burne And leauing of the Euening watch her worke Her fulgent Chariot bright eke did shee turne To PHOEBVS charge to weelde it otherwise Her Euening Wayne APOLLO learnde to guide And take his turne in lesser compast sise The dÄpish nights vvatcht not their vvonted tyde And late it vvas ere that AVRORA fayre Set forth the morning Sunne vvith golde aray Whyle that the Marble axell tree in th' ayre The shogging Carte made crake vvith swagging sway ALCMENAS boystrous Impe did lay aside His clattering shafts and also did refuse To vveare the ramping Lyons hairy Hyde And Emraudes for his fingers did hee chuse And brayded kept his rufled staring Locks Ware Garters vvrought on knee vvith seames of Golde And on his feete his durty dabled Socks And vvith the hand vvhere vvhilome hee did holde His Clubbish bat a thred hee nimbly spun Both Persia and fertile Lidia knew Where golden sanded Pactolus doth run ALCYDES bid the Lyons case adew And thunder propping brawny shoulderd sier That heaued and bolstred vp the Welkin throne In slender Kirtell vvrought by Web of Tyre Did iet about to please his Loue alone This flame beleue the heart that feeles the vvound Enspirde vvith holines excels in might Whereas the Land by Seas embraced round Where twinkling Starres doe start in Welkin bright This peeuish Elfe the Conntreyes all doth keepe Whose quarrels sting the Marble faced rout Of vvater Nimphes that vvith the Waters deepe The brand that burnes in breast cannot quench out The flying fowle doth feele the foystring flames What cruell Skirmish doe the Heyffers make rickt vp by lust that nice Dame VENVS frames In furious sorte for all the Cattels sake If fearefull Hearts their Hindes doe once mistrust In loue disloyall then gladly dare they fight And bellowings out they bray to vvitnesse iust Their angry moode conceyu'de in irefull spright The paynted coast of India then doth hate The spotty Hyded Tygar then the Bore Doth vvhet his Tuskes to combat for his mate And fomes at mouth the ramping Lyons rore And shake their Manes when CVPIDS corsies moue Wyth grunts and grones the howling frythes doe murn The Dolphin of the raging Sea doth loue The Elephants by CVPIDS blaze doe burn Dame nature all doth challeng as her owne And nothing is that can escape her lawes The rage of wrath is quencht and ouerthrowne When as it pleaseth Loue to bid them pawes Blacke hate that rusting frets in cankred breast And all olde grudge is dasht by burning loue What shall I make discourse more of the rest Stout Stepdames doth this gripe to mercy moue THE SECOND ACTE PHAEDRA NVTRIX HIPPOLYTVS DEclare what tidings bringst thou Nurce where is Hippolitus NV. To cure this puissant breach of illes no hope there is in vs Nor yet to quench his flashing flame his furies fretting ire Doth fry in secret boyling breast and though the smothering fire Be couerte close yet bursting forth in welked face it fryes The sparkling flakes doe glowing flash from bloudred rowling eyes She hanging downe her pouched groyne abhors the lothsome light Her skittish wits and wayward minde can fancy nothing right Her faltring legs doe fayle her now downe squatting on the ground With sprauling lims her shittell griefe doth cast her in a swound Now scant shee on her lithy necke holdes vp her giddy hed Nor can commit her selfe to couche in rest vpon her bed Nor harbring quietnes in heart wyth drery dewle and plaint She languisheth through out the night and now her body faynt She biddes them vp to lift and now her downe agayne to lay And now hir crispen locks vndone abroade shee biddes display And strayt to wrap them vp agayne Thus fickle fanse still Doth fleete nor is contented with his wayward wandring will No care she casteth on her health nor eates one crum of breade With feeble fumbling foote vpon the floore eke doth she treade Her strength
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
what cost ye came to Troy ye shal repayre to Greece With bloud ye came with bloud ye must from hence returne againe And where Achilles ashes lieth the virgin shal be slaine In seemely sort of habite such as maydens wont ye see Of Thessalie or Mycenas els what time they wedded be With Pyrrhus hand she shal be slaine of right it shal be so And meete it is that he the sonne his fathers right should do But not this onely stayeth our shippes our sayles may not be spred Before a worthier bloud then thine Polixena be shed Which thirst thirst the fates for Priames nephew Hectors litle boy The Erekes shal tumble hedlonge down from highest towre in Troy Let him there die this onely way ye shal the gods appeas Then spread your thousand sayles with ioy ye neede not feare the seas Chorus MAy this be true or doth the Fable fayne When corps is deade the Sprite to liue as yet When Death our eies with heauy hand doth strain And fatall day our leames of light hath shet And in the Tombe our ashes once be set Hath not the soule likewyse his funerall But stil alas do wretches liue in thrall Or els doth all at once togeather die And may no part his fatal howre delay But with the breath the soule from hence doth flie And eke the Cloudes to vanish quite awaye As danky shade fleeth from the poale by day And may no iote escape from desteny When once the brand hath burned the body What euer then the ryse of Sunne may see And what the West that sets the Sunne doth know In all Neptunus raygne what euer bee That restles Seas do wash and ouerflow With purple waues stil tombling to and fro Age shal consume each thing that liuth shal die With swifter race then Pegasus doth flie And with what whirle the twyse sixe signes do flie With course as svvift as rector of the Spheares Doth guide those glistering Globes eternally And Hecate her chaunged hornes repeares So drauth on death and life of each thing vveares And neuer may the man returne to sight That once hath felt the stroke of Parcas might For as the fume that from the fyre doth passe With tourne of hand doth vanish out of sight And swifter then the Northren Boreas With whirling blaste and storme of raging might Driuth farre away and puttes the cloudes to flight So fleeth the sprighte that rules our life away And nothing taryeth after dying day Swift is the race we ronne at hand the marke Lay downe your hope that wayte here ought to win And who dreads ought cast of thy carefull carke Wilt thou it wot what state thou shalt be in When dead thou art as thou hadst neuer bin For greedy tyme it doth deuoure vs all The world it swayes to Chaos heape to fall Death hurtes the Corpes and spareth not the spright And as for all the dennes of Taenare deeepe With Cerberus kingdome darke that knowes no light And streightest gates that he there sittes to keepe They Fancies are that follow folke by sleepe Such rumors vayne but fayned lies they are And fables like the dreames in heauy care These three staues following are added by the translatour O dreadful day alas the sory time Is come of al the mothers ruthful woe Astianax alas thy fatal line Of life is worne to death strayght shalt thou goe The sisters haue decreed it should be so There may no force alas escape there hand There mighty loue their will may not withstand To se the mother her tender child forsake What gentle hart that may from teares refrayne Or whoso fierce that would no pity take To see alas this guiltles infant slayne For sory hart the teares myne eyes do stayne To thinke what sorrow shall her hart oppresse Her litle child to leese remedilesse The double cares of Hectors wife to wayle Good Ladies haue your teares in readines And you with whom should pity most preuayle Rue on her griefe bewayle her heauines With sobbing hart lament her deepe distresse When she with teares shall take leaue of her son And now good Ladies heare what shall be done THE THIRD ACTE Andromacha Senex Vlisses ALas ye careful company why hale ye thus your hayres Why beate you so your boyling breasts and stayne your eyes with teare The fall of Troy is new to you but vnto me not so I haue foreseene this careful case ere this tyme long agoe When fierce Achilles Hector slew and drew the Corpes aboute Then then me thought I wist it well that Troy should come to naught In sorrowes sonke I senceles am and wrapt alas in woe But sone except this babe me held to Hector would I goe This seely foole my stomacke tames amid my misery And in the howre of heauiest happes permittes me not to die This onely cause constraynes me yet the gods for him to pray With tract of tyme prolonges my payne delayes my dying day He takes from me the lacke of feare the onely fruit of ill For while he liues yet haue I left wherof to feare me still No place is left for better chaunce with worst wee are opprest To feare alas and see no hope is worst of all the rest Sen. What sodayne feare thus moues your mynd vexeth you so sore And. Stil stil alas of one mishap there ryseth more and more Nor yet the doleful destenies of Troy be come to end Sen. And what more grieuous chaunces yet prepare the Gods to send Andr. The caues and dennes of hel be rent for Troyans greater feare And from the bottoms of their tombes the hidden sprightes appeare May none but Greekes alone from hel returne to life agayne Would God the fates would finish soone the sorrowes I sustayne Death thankful were a common care the Troyans all oppresse But me alas amaseth most the feareful heauines That all astonied am for dreade and horrour of the sight That in my sleepe appeard to mee by dreame this latter night Sen. Declare what sightes your dream hath shewd tell what doth you feare And. Two parts of al the silent night almost then passed were And then the cleare seuen clustered beams of starres were falle to rest And first the sleepe so long vnknowne my wearyed eyes opprest If this be sleepe the astonied mase of mynd in heauy moode When sodaynly before myne eyes the spright of Hector stoode Not like as he the Greekes was wont to battail to require Or when amid the Grecians shippes he threw the brandes of fyre Nor such as raging on the Grees with slaughtring stroake had slayne And bare indeede the spoyles of him that did Achilles fayne His countenaunce not now so bright nor of so liuely cheere But sad and heauy like to owres and clad with vgly hayre It did me good to see him though when shaking then his head Shake of thy sleepe in hast he sayd and quickly leaue thy bed Conuay into some secrete place our sonne O faythful wife This onely hope there is
thou wert yet in thy mothers hand And that I knew what destentes thee held or in what land For neuer should the mothers fayth her tender child forsake Though through my breast the enmies al their cruell weapons strake Nor though the Greekes with pinching bandes of yron my handes had bound Or els in feruent flame of fyre beset my body rounde But now my litle Child pore wretch alas where might he bee Alas what cruel desteny what chaunce hath hapt to thee Art thou yet ranging in the fieldes and wandrest ther abroad Or smothred else in dusty smoake of Troy or ouertroad Or haue the Greekes thee slayne alas and laught to see thy bloud Or torne art thou with iawes of beastes or cast to foules for foode VI. Dissemble not hard is for thee Vlisses to deceaue I can ful wel the mothers craftes and subtilty perceaue The pollecy of Goddesses Vlisses hath vndone Set al these fayned wordes assyde tel mee where is thy sonne An. Wher is Hector where al the rest that had with Troy their fall Where Priamus you aske for one but I require of all Vl. Thou shalt constrayned be to tell the thing thou dost deny And. A happy chaunce were Death to her that doth desyre to dye Vli. Who most destres to die would faynest liue when death drawth on These noble wordes with present feare of death woulde soone be gone And. Vlisses if ye wil constrayne Andromacha with feare Threaten my life for now to dye my cheefe desyre it were Vl. With stripes with fyre tormenting death we wil the truth out wrest And dolour shal thee force to tel the secrets of thy brest And what thy hart hath depest hid for payne thou shalt expresse Oft tymes th extremity preuayles much more then gentlenesse And. Set me in midst of burning flame with woundes my body rent Vse al the meanes of cruelty that ye may al inuent Proue me with thirst and hunger both and euery torment trye Pearce through my sides with burning yrons in prison let me lie Spare not the worst ye can deuyse if ought be worse then this Yet neuer get ye more of me I wot not where he is Vli. It is but vayne to hyde the thinge that strayght ye wil deteckt No feares may moue the mothers hart she doth them al neglect This tender loue ye beare your child wherin ye stand so stoute So much more circumspectly warnth the Greekes to looke about Least after ten yeares tract of tyme and battell borne so farre Some one should liue that on our children might renew the warre As for my selfe what Calchas sayth I would not feare at all But on Telemachus I dread the smart of warres would fall And. Now will I make Vlisses glad and all the Greekes also Needes must thou woeful wretch confesse declare thy hidden woe Reioyce ye sonnes of Atreus there is no cause of dread Be glad Vlisses tell the Greekes that Hectors sonne is dead Vl. By what assurance proues thou that how shal we credite thee And What euer thing the enmies hand may threaten hap to me Let speedy fates me slay forthwith and earth me hyde at ones And after death from tombe agayne remoue ye Hectors bones Except my sonne already now do rest among the dead And that except Astianax into his tomb be led Vliss. Then fully are the fates fulfild with Hectors childes disceace Now shal I beare the Grecians word of sure and certayne peace Vlisses why what dost thou nowe the Greekes wil euery chone Beleeue thy wordes whom creditst thou the mothers tale alone Thinkst thou for sauegard of her child the mother wil not lye And dread the more the worse mischaunce to geue her sonne to die Her fayth she byndes with bond of oth the truth to verify What thing is more of weight to feare then so to sweare and lye Now call thy craftes togeather al bestirre thy wittes and mynd And shew thy selfe Vlisses now the truth herein to find Search wel thy mothers mynd behold shee weepes and wayleth out And here and ther with doubtful pace she raungeth al aboute Her careful ears she doth apply to harken what I say More frayd shee seemes then sorrowful Now worke some wily way For now most neede of wit there is and crafty pollecy Yet once agayne by other meanes I wil the mother trye Thou wretched woman maist reioyce that dead he is alas More doleful death by destenie for him decreed ther was From Turrets top to haue bene cast and cruelly bene slayne Which onely towre of all the rest doth yet in Troy remayne And. My spright failth me my limmes do quake fear doth my wits cōfounde And as the Ise congeals with frost my bloud with could is bound Vl. She trēbleth loe this way this way I wil the truth out wreaste The mothers fear detecteth all the secrets of her breast I wil renew her feare goe sirs bestir ye spedely To seeke this enmye of the Greekes where euer that he lie Wel done he wil be found at length goe to stil seke him out Now shal he dye what dost thou feare why dost thou looke about And Would God that any cause there were yet left that might me fray My hart at last now all is lost hath layd all feare away Vliss. Sins that your child now hath ye say already suffred death And with his bloud we may not purge the hostes as Caschas sayth Our fleete passe not as wel inspired doth Calchas prophecy Till Hectors ashes cast abroad the waues may pacify And tombe be rent now sins the boy hath skapt his desteny Needes must we breake this holy tombe wher Hectors ashes lie An. What shal I doe my mynd distracted is with double feare On th one my sonne on thother syde my husbandes ashes deare Alas which part should moue me most the cruel Goddes I call To witnes with me in the truth and Ghostes that guide thee all Hector that nothing in my sonne is else that pleaseth me But thou alone God graunt him life he might resemble thee Shal Hectors ashes drowned bee hide I such cruelty To see his bones cast in the Seas yet let Astyanax die And canst thou wretched mother bide thyne owne childes death to see And suffer from the hie towres top that headlong throwne he be I can and wil take in goad part his death and cruel payne So that my Hector after death be not remou'd agayne The boy that life and sences hath may feele his payne and dye But Hector lo his death hath plast at rest in tombe to lie What dost thou stay determine which thou wilt preserue of twayne Art thou in doubt saue this loe here thy Hector doth remayne Both Hectors be th one quicke of spright drawing toward his strēgth And one that may perhaps reuenge his fathers death at length Alas I cannot saue them both I thinke that best it were That of the twayne I saued him that doth the Grecians feare Vl. It shal be done
foote nor backward drew But boldely turnes to meete the stroke with sloute vnchanged hew Her corage moues eche one and loe a strange thing monstrous like That Pyrhus euen himselfe stood still or dread and durst not strike But as he had his glittring sword in her to hills vp doon The purple bloud at mortall wound then gushing out it spoon Ne yet her corage her forsooke when dieng in that stounde She fell as th e'rth should her reuenge with lieful rage to groūd Each people wept the Troyans first with priuy fearful crye The Grecians eake each one bewayld her death apparantly This order had the sacrifyce her bloud the tombe vp dronke No drop remaynth aboue the ground but downe forthwith it sonke Hec. Now go now goe ye Greekes and now repayre ye safely home With careles shippes and hoised sailes now cut the salt sea fome The Child and Virgin both be slaine your battels finisht are Alas where shal I end my age or whether beare my care Shal I my daughter or my nephew or my husband mone My countrey els or all at once or else my selfe alone My wish is death that children both and virgins fiercely takes Where euer cruel death doth hast to strike it me forsakes Amid the enmies weapons all amid both sword and fyre All night sought for thou fleest from me that do thee most desyre Not flame of fyre not fall of towre not cruel enmies hand Hath rid my life how neere alas could death to Priam stand Nun. Now captiues all with swift recourse repayre ye to the saies Now spread the ships their sayls abroad forth they seeke theyr waies FINIS THE SEVENTH TRAGEDYE OF L. ANNAEVS SENECA Entituled MEDEA Translated out of Latin into Engiishe by IOHN STVDLEY The Argument To the Tragedy by the Translator CAre sore did grype Medeas heart to see Her Iason whom shee tendred as her lyfe And rescued had from plunge of perills free Renouncing her to take another wyfe Loue spent in vayne breedes hate malice rife Enkindling coales whose heate and greedy flame Saue streames of bloud nought els can quench the same Medea mad in troubled mynde doth muse On vengeaunce fell to quit her grieuous wrong Rough plagues at length entendeth shee to vse Yll venemous thinges shee charmes with charming song Seekes out a Bane made of their poyson strong In Trayterous gifts a Robe and chayne of Golde Nycely shee doth the hidden poyson folde Sent are the Gyfts to Creuse and her Syre They taking them that brought their dole to passe Vnware are burnt by meanes of charmed fyre Due vengeaunce yet for Iason greater was Lyfe first on chylde by Mothers hande alas Expired hath which though it him aggryse Yet his other chylde shee slayes before his eyes The Speakers names MEDEA CHORVS NVTRIX CREON IASON NVNTIVS THE FIRST ACTE Medea O Gods whose grace doth guide their ghostes that ioy in wedlocke pure O Iuno thou Lucina hight on whom the chary cure Alotted is of those that grone in paynfull chyldhed bandes O Pallas by whose heauenly arte Sir Typhis cunning handes Haue learnde to bridle with his helme his newly framed boate Wherewith the force of fighting fluds hee breaking rides a floate O God whose forked Mace doth stormes in rigour rough appeas And cause the ruffling surges couch amid the rampinge Seas O Titan who vpon the swift and werling Hemisphaer Deuides the chearefull day and night by egall turnes t' appere O threefolde shapen Hecate that sendest forth thy light Vnto thy silent Sacrifice that offered is by night By whom my Iason sware to mee O heauenly powers all And yee on whom Medea may with safer conscience call O Dungeon darke most dreadfull den of euerlasting night O dampned Ghosts O kingdome set against the Gods aright O Lord of sad and lowring lakes O Lady dyre of Hell Whom though that Pluto stale by force yet did his troth excell The ficle fayth of Iasons loue that hee to mee doth beave With cursed throate I coniure you O grisly Ghostes appeare Come out come out yee hellish hagges reuenge this deede so dyre Bring in your scrauing pawes a burning brand of deadly fyre Rise vp yee hiddeous diuelish Feendes as dreadfull as yee weare When vnto me in wedlocke state yee did sometime appeare Worke yee worke yee the dolefull death of this new wedded Wyfe And martir yee this Father in lawe depryue of breath and lyfe King Creons ruthfull family in plunge of passing payne Torment yee mee that on my spouse doe wishe this woe to raygne Preserue my Iasons life but yet let him be bayted out A myching roging rūnagate in forren townes about To passe from dore to dore with care to begge his needy bread Not knowing in what harbring place to couch his curssed head A banisht wretch disdaynde of all and still in feare of lyfe Then let him wish ten thousand times for me agayne his Wyfe This famous gest whom euery man will entertayne and haue Let him be driuē at straungers gates the table crūmes to craue And that my bytter bannings may with mischiefe most abounde God graunt in gulph of like distresse his chyldren may be drounde To synke in sorrowes stormes that doe their mother ouerflowe Now now I haue I haue the full reueng of all my woe I haue dispatcht my pyteous playnt and wordes in vayne I lose What shall not I with vyolence get vp agaynst my foes And wring out of theyr wrested hands the wedding torch so bryght Shall I not force the firmament to lose his shrinking lyght What doth my Graundsirs Phoebus face this heauy hap beholde And standyng gasyng at this geare yet westwarde is he rolde On glystring chariot hoysted hyghe and keepes his beaten Race Amid the christall colourde skye why turnes hee not his Face Retyring fast into the East backe vp the day to twyne O Father Phoebe to me to me thy Chariot reynes resigne That I aduaunced vp about the marble skyes may ryde Bequeath thy brydle vnto mee and giue me grace to guide Thy yoked prauncing teame with yerking lasshe of burning whip That with thy feruent fyry beames on purple poale doe skip Let Corynth countrey burnt to dust by force of flame and fyre Gyue place that both the iumbled seas may ioyne whom to retyre It doth compell and dassheth of from banke on eyther syde Least meete in one their chanels might whose streames hee doth deuide No way to worke theyr deadly woe I haue but this at hande That to the wedding I should beare a ruthfull brydall brande Anoying Creons carelesse Court when finished I haue Such solemne seruice as that ryght of sacrafice doth craue Then at the Aulters of the Gods my chyldren shal be slayne With crimsen colourde bloud of Babes their Aulters will I stayne Through Lyners Lungs the Lights Heart through euery gut gal For vengeaunce breake away perforce and spare no bloude at all If any lusty lyfe as yet within thy soule doe rest It ought
of auncient corage still doe dwell within my brest Exite all foolysh Female feare and pity from thy mynde And as th' untamed Tygers vse to rage and raue vnkynde That haunt the croking combrous Caues and clumpred frosen cliues And craggy Rockes of Caucasus whose bitter colde depryues The soyle of all Inhabitours permit to lodge and rest Such saluage brutish tyranny within thy brasen brest What euer hurly burly wrought doth Phasis vnderstand What mighty monstrous bloudy feate I wrought by Sea or Land The like in Corynth shal be seene in most outragious guise Most hyddious hatefull horrible to heare or see wyth eyes Most diuelish desperate dreadfull deede yet neuer knowne before Whose rage shall force heauen earth and hell to quake and tremble sore My burning breast that rowles in wrath and doth in rancour boyle Sore thrysteth after bloud and wounds with slaughter death spoyle By renting racked lyms from lyms to driue them downe to graue Tush these be but as Fleabytings that mentioned I haue As weyghty things as these I did in greener girlishe age Now sorrowes smart doth rub the gall and frets with sharper rage But sith my wombe hath yeelded fruict it doth mee well behoue The strength and parlous puissaunce of weightier illes to proue Be ready wrath with all thy might that fury kindle may Thy foes to their destruction bee ready to assay Of thy deuorsement let the Pryce to match and counterpayse The proude precious pryncely pomp of these new wedding dayes How wilt thou from thy spouse depart as him thou followed hast In bloud to bath thy bloudy handes and traytrous lyues to wast Breake of in time these long delayes abanden now agayne This lewd alliaunce got by guilt with greater guilt refrayne †Chorus altered by the Translatour WHo hath not wist that windy words be vayne And that in talke of trust is not the grounde Heere in a mirrour may hee see it playne Medea so by proofe the same hath founde Who being blind by blinded Venus Boy Her bleared Eyes could not beholde her blisse Nor spy the present poyson of her Ioy While in the grasse the Serpent lurked is The shaft that flew from Cupids golden bowe With feathers so hath dimd her daseld Eyes That cannot see to shun the way of woe The ranckling head in dented heart that lyes So dulles the same that can not vnderstand The cause that brought false Iason out of Greece To come vnto her fathers fertile Land Is not her loue but loue of golden Fleece Yet was his speache so pleasaunt and so milde His tongue so filde his promises so fayre Sweete was the fowlers Song that hath beguilde The seely byrd brought to the limed snare Faith in his Face trust shined in his Eyes The blushing brow playne meaning seemde to showe In double hearte blacke treason hydden lies Dissembling thoughts that weaue the webbe of woe The honyed Lyppes the tongue in suger dept Doe sweete the poyson rancke within the breast In subtle shew of paynted sheath is kept The rusty knife of treason deemed least Lyfe seemes the bayte to sight that lyeth brim Death is the hooke that vnderlies the same The Candell blase delights with burning trim The Fly till shee bee burned in the flame Who in such showes least deemed any ills The hungry fyshe feares not the bayte to Brooke Till vp the lyne doe pluck him by the gylls And fast in throate hee feeles the deadly hooke Woe Iason woe to thee most wretched man Or rather wretch Medea woe to thee Woe to the one that thus dissemble can Woe to the other that trayned so might bee Thoughtst thou Medea his eyes to bee the glasse Wherein thou might the Face of thoughts beholde That in his breast with wordes so couered was As cancred brasse with glosse of yealow golde Did thou suppose that nature more then kinde Had placde his heart his lying lyppes betweene His lookes to be the mirrour of his minde Fayth in fayre Face hath sildome yet ben seene Who listneth to the flatering Maremaides note Must needes commit his tyred eyes to sleepe Yeelding to her the taking of his boate That meanes vnware to drowne him in the deepe What booteth thee Medea to betray The golden Fleece to fawning Isasons hande From Dragons teeth him safely to conuay And fyry Bulles the warders of the lande Why for his sake from father hast thou fled And thrust thy selfe out from thy natiue soyle Thy brothers bloud what ayled thee to shed With Iason thus to trauell and to toyle Beholde the meede of this thy good desarte The recompence that hee to thee doth gyue For pleasure payne for ioy most eger smarte With clogging cares in banishment to liue Thou and thy Babes are like to begge and starue In Nation straunge O myserable lyfe Whyle Iason from his promyses doe swarue And takes delight in his new wedded Wyfe O Ground vngrate that when the husband man Hath tilled it to recompence his toyle No Corne but Weedes and Thystles render can To stinge his handes that Fruict seekes of his Soyle Such venome growes of pleasaunt coloured flower Loe Prynces loe what deadly poyson sup Of Bane erst sweete now turned into sower Medea dranke out of a goulden Cup THE SECOND ACTE Medea Nutrix AYe mee alas I am vndone For at the Brydall cheare The warble note of wedding songe resounded in mine eare Yet for all this scant I my selfe yet scant beleue I can That Iason would play such a prancke as most vnthāckfull man Both of my Countrey and my Syre and kingdome me to spoyle And yet forsake mee wretch forlorne to stray in forrein soyle O hath he such a stony heart that doth no more esteeme The great good turnes and benefits that I imployde on him Who knowes that I haue lewdly vsed enchauntments for his sake The rigour rough and stormy rage of swelling Seas to slake The grunting firy foming Bulles whose smoking guts were stuft With smoltring fumes that frō theyr Iawes nosthrils out they puft I stopt their gnashīg moūching mouths I quēcht their burning breath And vapors hot of stewing paunch that els had wrought his death Or feedes hee thus his fansy fond to thinke my skill of charme Abated is and that I haue no power to doe him harme Brstract of wits with wauering minde perplext on euery part I tossed and turmoyled am wyth wayward crasy hart Now this now that and neyther now but now another way By diuers meanes I toyle that so my wrong reueng I may I would the wretch a brother had but what he hath a Wyfe Goe cut her throate with gastly wounds bereue her of her lyfe On her I le worke my deadly spight her her alone I craue To quit such bitter sowsing stormes as I sustayned haue If any graund notorious guilt in all Pelasga Land Be put in practise yet vnknowne vnto thy harming hand Thereof to get experience the time doth now begin Thy former feates doe byd thee take good
erected by the hand Of PALLAS first doth not complayne that shee Conueyde hath back the kynges vnto theyr land Eche whirry boate now scuddes aboute the deepe All stynts and warres are taken cleane away The Cities frame new walles themselues to keepe The open worlde lettes nought rest where it lay The Hoyes of Ind Arexis lukewarme leake The Perseans stout in Rhene and Albis streame Doth bath their Barkes time shall in fine out breake When Ocean waue shall open euery Realme The wandring World at will shall open lye And TYPHIS vvill some nevve founde Land suruay Some trauelers shall the Countreys farre escrye Beyonde small Thule knovven furthest at this day THE THIRD ACTE Nutrix Medea WHy trotst thou fisking in and out so rash from place to place Stand styll and of thyne eger wrath suppresse the ruthfull race The rigour rough of ramping rage from burning breast out cast As Bacchus bedlem priestes that of his spryte haue felt the blast Run franticke hoyting vp and downe with scitish wayward wits Not knowing any place of rest so prickt with frowarde fits On cloudy top of Pindus Mounte all hyd with Snow so chyll Or els vpon the lofty riddge of braunched Nisa hyll Thus starting still with frounced mynde she walters to and froe The signes pronouncing proofe of pangues her frensy Face doth show With glowing cheekes and bloud red Face with short gasping breath Shee fetcheth deepe ascending sighes from sobbing heart beneath Now blyth she smiles ech rūbled thought in pondring braine she beats Now standes she in a mammering now myschiefe sore she threats With chafing fume she burnes in wrath and nowe she doth cōplayne With blubbering teares a fresh byliue shee weepes wayles agayne Where will this lumpish loade of cares with headlong sway allight On whom entendeth shee to worke the threates of her despight Where will this huge tempestious surge slake downe it selfe agayne Enkindled fury new in breast begins to boyle a mayne Shee secretly entendes no mischiefe small nor meane of sise To passe her selfe in wickednes her busy braynes deuise The token olde of pinching ire full well ere this know I Some haynous huge outragious great and dredfull storme is nye Her firy scowling steaming Eyes her hanging Groyne I see Her powling puffed frowning Face that signes of freatting bee O myghty Ioue be guile my feare ME. O wretch if thou desire What measure ought to payse thy wrath then learne by Cupids fire To hate as sore as thou didst loue shall I not them anoy That doe vnite in spousall bed theyr wanton lust t' enioy Shall Phoebus fiery footed horse goe lodge in western waue The drowping day that late I did with humble crowching craue And with such ernest busie suite so hardly graunted was Shall it depart ere I can bring my deuylish dryft to passe Whyle houering heauen doth counterpaysed hang with egall space Amid the marble Hemispheares whyle rounde with stinted race The gorgeous Sky aboue the Earth doth spinning roll about Whyles that the number of the sandes lyes hid vnserched out While dawning day doth keepe his course with Phoebus blase so bright While twinkling starres in golden traynes doe garde the slūbry nyght While Isle vnder propping poale with whyrling swyng so swift The shyning Beares vnbathde about the frosen Sky doe lift While flushing floudes the frothy streames to rustling Seas doe send To gird them gript with plonging pangues my rage shall neuer end With greater heate it shall reboyle lyke as the brutishe beast Whose tyranny most horrible exceedeth all the rest What greedy gaping whyrle poole wide what parlous gulph vnmilde What Sylla coucht in roring Rockes or what Charybdes wylde That Sicill and Ionium Sea by frothy waues doth sup What Aetna bolking stifling flames and dusky vapours vp Whose heauy payse with stewing heate doth smoldring crush beneath Encelades that fiery flakes from choked throte doth breath Can with such dreadfull menaces in sweeting fury fry No ryuer swift no troubled surge of stormy Sea so hye Nor sturdy seas whom ruffling winds with raging force to rore Nor puissaunt flash of fyre whose might by boystrous blast is more May byde my angers violence my fury shall it foyle His court I le ouer hourle and lay it leauell with the soyle My Iasons heart did quake for feare of Creon cruell king And least the king of Thessaly would warre vpon him bring But loyall loue that hardens hearts makes no man be afright But beete that he conuict hath yeelde himselfe to Creons might Yet once hee might haue visited and come to me his wyfe To talke and take his last farewell if daunger of his life In doing this hard harted wretch most cruell he should feare He being Creons sonne in law for him it lefull were To haue proroged somwhat yet my heauy banishment To take my leaue of chyldren twayne one onely day is lent Yet doe I not complayne as though the time to short I thought As proofe shall playne pronounce to day to day it shall bee wrought The memory whereof no tract of time shall wype away With malice bent agaynst the Gods my wrath shall them assay And rifling euery thing both good and bad I will turmoyle NV. Madame thy minde that troubled is and tost with such a broyle Of swarming ills thy vexed breast now set at rest agayne The peuish fond affections all of troubled mynde refrayne ME. Then onely can I be at rest when euery thing I see Throwne headlong topsie turuey downe to ruthfull ende with mee With mee let all things cleane decay thy selfe if thou doe spill Thou must driue to destruction what els with thee thou will NV. It in this folly stiffe thou stand beholde what after clappes Are to bee fearde none dare contriue for Prynces trayning trappes Iason Medea O Lucklesse lot of frowarde Fates O cruell Fortunes hap Both whē she list to smite or spare in woe she doth vs wrap A like the salue that God hath geuen so oft to cure our griefe More noyeth then the sore it selfe and sendeth lesse reliefe If for her good deserts o me amendment I should make I hazard should my ventrous lyfe to leese it for her sake If I will shun my dismall day and will not for her dy Then want the loue of loyalty O wretched man must I No dastards dread my stomacke stout can cause to droupe shrynke But meere remorse appaulleth me when on my babes I thynke For why when carefull parents are once reft of lyfe and breath Some after them their wretched seede are drawne to dolefull death O Sacred righteousnesse if thou enioye thy worthy place In perfect blisse of happy heauen I call vpon thy grace And thee for witnesse here alledge how for my childrens part With pity prickt I haue commit these things agaynst my hart And so I thinke Medea her selfe the Mother rather had Though frantickly as now she fares with rage of heart so mad And doth abhor with paynfull yoke of combrous cares
in whose cancred heartes olde priuy grudges springes That countrey clowne Aegisthus he this stocke shall overthrowe What doth this foolish despret dame her naked weapons showe Whose crowne entendeth shee to cracke in weede of Lacon lande With Hatchet by the Amazons inuented first in hand What face of mighty maiesty be witched hath myne eyes The conquerour of saluage beastes Marmarick Lyon lyes Whose noble necke is wurried with currish fange and tooth The curlish snaps of eger Lyonesse abyde hee dooth Alacke yee ghostes of all my friendes why should yee say that I Among the rest am onely safe from perils farre to ly Fayne father follow thee I would Troy being layde in dust O brother terrour of the Greekes O Troyans ayde and trust Our auncient pomp I doe not see nor yet thy warmed handes That fearce on Greekish flaming fleete did fling the fyry brandes But mangled members schorched corps and sake thy valiaunt armes Hard pimond and bounde in bands sustayning greeuous harmes O Troyolus a match vnfit encountering with Achill That myghty man of armes to soone come vnto thee I will I doe delight to sayle with them on stinking Siygian flood To vew the churlishe mastife cur of hell it doth mee good And gaping mouthed Kingdome darke of greedy Ditis raygne The Barge of filthy Phlegethon this day shall entertayne Mee conquering and conquered and Prynces soules with all You flitering shades I you beseeche and cake on thee I call O Stygian poole whereon the Gods theyr solemne othes doe take Vnbolt a whyle the Brasne bars of darksome Lymoo lake Whereby the Phrygian folke in hell may Mycean state beholde Looke vp yee silly wretched soules the fates are backward roulde The sqally sisters doe approch and deale their bloudy strokes Their smultring faggots in their handes halfe brunte to ashes smokes Their vysages so pale doe burne with fyry flaming eyes A garment blacke theyr gnawed guts doth gyrde in mourning guyse Dire dread of night begins to howle the bones of body bast With lying long doe rot corrupt in miry pudle cast Beholde the wery aged man his burning thyrst forgot The waters dalying at his lippes to catch endeuors not But mourneth for the funerall that shall ensue anen The Troyan Prynce his royall robes tryumphant putteth on CHO. The furious rage cleane ouerpast begins it selfe to slake And slyps away euen as a Bull that deadly wounde doth take On gasshed neck afront the aares come let vs ease at last Her lymbes that of the spryte of God hath felt the mighty blast Returning home agayne at length and crounde with Lawrell bow A signe of worthy victory is Agamemnon now The Wyfe to meete her Husband doth her speedy passage ply Returning hand in hand and foote by foote most louingly THE FOVRTH ACTE AGAMEMNON CASSANDRA AT length I doe arryue agayne vppon my natiue soyle God saue thee O deare loued Lande to thee so huge a spoyle So many barbarous people yeelde the flowre of Asia Troy To beare thy yoake submits her selfe that longe did liue in ioy Why doth this Prophet on the grounde her sprawling body layde Thus reele and stagger on her necke all trembling and dismayde Sirs take her vp with Lycour warme let her bee chearished Now peepes she vp agayne with drouping eyes sonke in her head Plucke vp thy spryte heere is the porte wisht for in misery This day is festiuall CAS. At Troy so was it wont to bee AG. Let vs to Th' alters worship gyue C. At Th' alters died my sire A Pray wee to Ioue C. To loue whose grace diuine doth me inspire AG. Dost thou suppose that Troy thou seest C. And Priam eke I see AG. Troy is not heere C. where Helen is there take I Troy to bee AG. Feare not as maide to serue thy dame C. Nay fredome draweth ny AG. Take thou no thought how thou shalt liue C. All cares for to defy Death giues a courage vnto mee AG. Yet say I once agayne There is no daunger left whereby thou mightest hurt sustayne CA. But yet much troublous daūger both hang ouer thy head I wot AG. What mischiefe may a victor dread CA. Euen y◠hee dreadeth not AG. Yee trusty meny of my men come cary her away Till of the spryte shee ryd her selfe least fury force her say That may be preiudiciall her tongue she cannot frame To thee O Father flinging forth the lightnings flasshing flame That dost disperse the cloudes and rule the course of euery starre And guyde the Globe of Earth to whom the boottes woon by warre With triumphe victors dedicate to thee O Iuno hight The syster deare of doughty Ioue thy husband full of might Both I and Greece with flesh and bloude and eke our vowed beast And gorgious gyftes of Arabie giue worship to thy hest Chorus O GREECE by noble Gentlemen in honour shyning cleare O GREECE to wrathfull IVNO thou that art the darling deare Some iolly worthy lusty bloude thou fosters euermore Thou hast made euen the Gods that were a number odde before That puissaunt mighty Hercules a noble Impe of thyne Deserued by his trauels twelue rapt vp in heauen to shyne For whom the heauens did alter course and Iupiter with all Did iterate the howres of nyght when dampishe dewe doth fall And charged Phoebus chariot swyfte to trot with slower pace And leasurely bright lady Moone thy homwarde Wayne to trace Bryght Lucifer that yeare by yeare his name a newe doth chaunge Came backe agayne to whom the name of Hesper seemed straunge Aurora to her common course her reared head addrest And couching backward downe agayne the same shee did arest Vpon the shoulder of her spouse whose yeares with age are worne The east did feele so felt the west that Hercules was borne Dame nature coulde not cleane dispatch to vtter in one night That boystous lad the whyrling worlde did wayght for such a wight O babe whose shoulders vnderprop the ample spactous sky In clasped armes thy prewesse did the crusshed Lyon try Who from his fyry yawning throate spewes out his broyling brande The nimble hynde in Menall mount hath knowne thy heauy hande The Bore hath felt thy fyst which did Arcadia destroy The monstrous conquerde Bull hath rorde that Creta did anoy The Dragon dyre that breeding beast in Lerna poole he slewe And chopping of one head forbad thereof to ryse anewe With clubbed brusing battring batte he crankly did subdew The brethren twins the tewde vn Teate whereof three monsters grew Of tryple formed Gerion the spoyle into the east A droue of ECttell Hercules did fetch out of the weast Away from tyraunt Diomede the Thracian horse he led Which neyther with the grasse that grew by Styrmon floud he fed Nor yet on Heber bankes but them the villayne did refresh His greedy mounching cramming tades with aliaunts bloud and flesh Their rawfed Iawes imbrewde were with the carmans bloud at last The spoyles and shaftes Hipolyte saw from her bosome wrast As sone as he with clattring
case for Britans sake Ne can her ruthful piteous sorrow slake Though Neros wrath do sore constrayne her grace She nil esteemes the secrete closet place But boyling stil with equal peysd disdayne With mutuall hate gaynst him doth burne agayne My true and trusty loue that I do beare In vayne I see doth striue to comfort her Reuenging greedy griefe doth streight repriue T' appease her smarte the counsel that I giue Nor flame of worthy breast doth once relent But heaps of greefe her courage do augment Alas what griesely deedes for to ensue My feare foreseeth God graunt it be not true THE THIRD SCENE Octauia Nutrix O Staggering state O peerelesse yll With ease Electra I repeate And call to mynd thy mourning will With watred eies like smartiÌ„g sweat Thou mightst lament thy father slain Stil hoping that thy brother myght That deadly deede reuenge agayne Whom thou O tender louing wight Didst safely shield from bloudy foe And naturall loue did closely kepe But Neroes dreaded visage loe Doth feare me that I dare not weepe Nor wayle my parentes ruthful case By cruell lot this slaughter cought Ne suffers mee this geniall face To dash with teares to dearely bought With brothers bloud who onely was Myne onely hope in all my griefe And of so many mischieues as My comfort greate and sole reliefe Now loe reserud for greater care And to abyde more lingring payne Of noble famous lineage bare A drouping shade I do remayne Nutrix My Ladyes heauye voyce mee thought Within my listning eares can sounde And snaylish age in going soft Vnto her thews in not ybounde Octauia O Nurse our dolours witnes sure By curroll cheekes distilling rayne And heauy heartes complaynt endure Nutrix Alas what day shall ridde of payne With care your welnye wasted heart Octauia That sends this guiltles ghost to graue Nutrix This talke good madame set apart Octauia In rule my state theire destenies haue And not thy prayers O matrone iust Nutrix The doune soft easy God shall geue Your troubled mynd a tyme I trust More sweete then euer you did liue With feuell fayre as one content And glosed face but onely please Your man and make he will relent Octauia The Lyon fierce I shall appeale And sooner tame the Tygre stoute Then mankynd Tyrantes brutish breast He spytes the noble raced â—out Contemmes hygh powers disdaynes the least Ne can wel vse that princely weede Which venemous parent wrapt him in By huge vnspeakeable griesly deede Although that wight vnthankful grynne In Kingly throne that hee doth raygne Throughe cruel cursed mothers ayde Although hee pay with Death agayne So greate a gift it shal be sayde And after fates in long spent age That woman wight shal haue alwaye This eloge yet and saying sage That he by her doth beare the sway Nutrix Let not your ragious mynde so walke But doe compresse your moody talke THE FOVRTH SCENE Octauia Nutrix THough much I beare that boyling brest do beate And tollerably take diuorcements threate Deathes only deadly darte I see an end Of al my broyle and pinching payne can send What pleasant light to me O wretch is left My natural Mother slayne and Syre be reft Of breathing life by treason and by gilt Of Brother eake depriude with miseryes spilt And wayling ouercome kept downe with care Enuyed of Make which I dare not declare To mayden subiect now and now defied What pleasant light can me O wretch abyde With feareful hart suspecting always ought Because I would no wicked deede were wroughte Not that I feare Deathes griesly gyrning face God graunt I do not so reuenge my case A better deede to dye for to behold The Tyrantes visage grimme with browes vprolde And with soft tender lippes my foe to kisse And stand in awe of beckes and noddes of his Whose will to please my griefe with cares yfirde Since brothers death by wicked wyle conspirde Could neuer once vouchsafe for to sustayne Lesse griefe to die then thus to liue in payne His Empyre Nero rules and ioyes in blood The cause and ground of death that Tirant wood How oft alas doth Fansie fondly fayne WheÌ„ slumber swete in pensiue parts doth raigne And sleepe in eyes all tyrd with teares doth rest I apprehend deare Brittans liuely brest Ere whyle me thinkes his feble shiuering hands He fenseth sure with deadly blasing brandes And fiercely on his brother Neros face With sturdy stinging stroakes he flies apace Ere whyle thilke wretch recoyleth backe agayne And to my thewes for aide retyres amayne Him foming foe pursues with hast to haue And whyle my brother I desire to saue And in my clasped armes to shield him free His goary bloudied falchion keene I see The boysterous raumping fiend to tugge hale Through out my shiuering limmes as ashes pale Forthwith a mighty trembling chattering quake From weary lims all souple sleepe doth shake And makes me woeful wretch for to recount My wayling sobbing sorrowes that surmount Hereto put to that gorgeous stately ouse All glistring bright with spoyles of Claudius house His parent deare in bubling boate did douse That wicked sonne this fisking dame to please Whom yet escaping daungers great of Seas He fiercer freake than waues that scantly rest VVith bloudy blade hir bowels did vnbrest VVhat hope of health can me O wretch abyde That after them thilke way I should not ryde My speciall foe triumphant wise doth weight VVith naked nates to presse by louers sleight Our spousall pure and cleane unspotted bed Gainst whom she burns with deadly foode bloud red And for a meede of filthy strumpets sport She causeth Make from spouse for to diuort O auncient Syre step forth from Limbo lake Thy daughters heauy troublous cares to slake Or your twygated hellysh porche vnfolde That downe through gaping ground I may bee rolde Nu. O piteous wretch in vaine alas in vaine Thou calst vpon thy fathers senselesse sprite In whome God wot there doth no care remaine Of mortall broode that here doth take delight Shall he thinke you asswage your sory cheere Or shape you forth some sleight to appall your paine That could preferre before his Brittan deere Th' imperiall throne a straunge begotten swaine And with incestiall loue benummed quyte His brother Germanicks daughter that could plyght And ioyne to him in solemne mariage rites VVith woefull and vnlucky louers lightes Here sprang the roale of hurly burly great Here beastly venomous slaughter gan to sweate Here wylie treasons traines appeared first Here rules desire and brutish bloudy thirst Syllanus first Prince Claudius sonne in lawe A bloudy mangled offring fall we sawe That in our graces Hymaeneal bed Ymatcht with you he might not couche his hed O monstrous slaughter worthy endlesse blame In steade of gift vnto that wanton dame A Carkasse colde pore soule and curelesse corse Sillane was giuen against his will perforce And falsly then attacht of traitors crime As one conspyring death in Claudius time VVith lothsome streakes spewde out vpon the wall
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
In Marcke Antonius graue with him ylayed Augustus at the last of conquest greate His dulled swords that wounded soules did beate In peaceable sheathes reposd hath layd at rest And feare doth rule and guyde his kingdome best By ready force of armes at all assayes And Captaynes fayth he shieldes him selfe alwaies Whō now his sōnes most worthy vertuous praise To heauen a consecrated God doth rayse And causeth all in Churches for to place The sacred Picture of Prince Claudius grace And vs the starry raigne of Gods shall bide If first with dreadful sword about vs wyde We wype away what so our person stayne And found our court with worthy stem agayne Se. Your noble spouse sprong forth of saincted peer Of Claudius stocke the starbright diamond cleere That Goddesse Iuno wise her brothers bed Partaking pressed downe with buttockes red Your graces princely court shal garnish gay With wondrous heauenly fayre descended stay Ne. Incestuous maryed dames from stocke stem Detract all hope that we should haue of them Nor vs could she once loue that we could see Nor with our person once at all agree Se. In tender budding yeares when loue supprest With blusshing hydes the flames of burning breast Scant playne appeares the loue they bare indeed Ne. Thus wee our selues with hope in vaine did feede Although vndoubted signes as bodye wryed And frowning lookes which we haue oft espyed Her spyteful hating stomacke did bewray Which shee doth beare whom duty byndes t' obaye Which yet at last big boyling grieuous payne With death determind hath t auenge agayne Wee haue found out for byrth and beauties grace A worthy make for such an Empresse place To whom that louely goddesse Venus bright And mighty Ioue his spouse that Iuno hight and goddesse fierce in boysterous warlike artes Geues place for bodyes seemly portrayd partes Se. Fayth meeknes manners mild bashfull shame Of spouse those ought an husband to reclayme The perles of iudging mynd alone remayne Not subiect once to any rulers raygne The passing pryde of beautyes numming grace Each day appals and bleamisheth apace Ne. What prayses woman wights haue in them closd All those in her alone hath God reposde And such a peerlesse peere the guydes of lyfe The destnies would haue borne to be our wyfe Se. O noble prince such blynd vnlawful loue Do rashly credite naught from you remoue Ne. Whom Ioue can not repell that rules the cloudes And pearcing raging floods therein him shroudes And raungeth through the raigne of Plutoes pit And pulleth downe in welkin hie that sit The mighty powers of heauen the God of loue And can I then his force from me remoue Se. Swift winged loue mens fancy fond in vayne A mercy wanting God to bee doth fayne And armes his handes with woundinge weapons keen And bowes with burning brondes for louers greene Of Venus to be sprong they al accorde and blyndly forgde of thunders limping Lorde Bland loue the myndes great torment sore appeares And buddeth first in frolicke youthful yeares Who while we drinke of Fortunes pleasaunt cuppe With laysie pampring ryot is nestled vp Whom if to to ster vp you leaue at length It fleeting falles away with broken strength This is in all our life as I suppose The greattest cause how pleasure first arose Which sith mankind by broodyng bydeth aye Through gladsom loue the fierce wild beastes doth sway It neuer can from manly breast depart Ne. This selfe same God I wish with all my hart The wedlocke lightes to beare before our grace And fasten Poppie sure in our bed place Se. The peoples griefe might neuer yeeld to it Nor vertue can the same at all permit Ne. Shall I alone to do forbidden be That euery patch may do that grieueth mee Se. No tryfling toyes the people lookes to haue Of him that ought to rule with wisdome graue Ne. It pleaseth vs with daunted power to trye If peoples rash conceiued rage will flie Se. Seeke rather for to please and calme their moode Ne. Ill ruled is that raygne where people wood Their subiect Prince doth weld as they thinke good Se. When nought that they require they can obtayne They iustly then agrieued are agayne Ne. That gentle prayers cannot win with ease By force to wring it out it doth vs please Se. An hard thing t is the people not to haue That of theyr Prince which they do iustly craue Ne. And horrible 't is a Prince to be constraynd Se. Let not your subiectes then so sore be raynd Ne. Why then the common brute abroade wil be How that the people haue subdued mee Se. That no man trustes that is of credite light Ne. Be it so yet many it markes with deadly spyghte Se. With countrie peeres to medle it is afrayd Ne. To quip and frump 't is nothing lesse dismayd Se. Your grace may easly couch that budding bruite Let Sayncted sires desertes with pliant sute Your graces mynd remoue let spouses age And curteous bashfull shame disrumpe your rage Ne. Leaue off I say that we entend to grutch For now your talke our pacience moueth much I pray you let it lawful be to do That Senec geueth not aduyse vnto And we our peoples wishes do defer While Poppie feele in wombling wombe to sterre The pledge of faythful loue to me and her Why do we not appoynt the morrow next When as our mariage pompe may be context THE THIRD ACTE THE FIRST SCENE Agrippyna THrough paunch of riuened earth from Plutoes raigne With ghostly steps I am returnd agayne In writhled wristes that bloud do most desyre For guyding wedlocke vyle with Stygian fire Let Poppie which these cressets coupled sure Vnto my sonne be ioynd in mariage pure Whom mothers griefe and hand reuenging wrackes Shal send with heaue and hoe to funeral stackes I always do remember wel beneath Where piteous ghostly crauling soules do breath Th' unkindly slaughterous deede which to our spright Yet vnreuengd is grieuous and of right And for the good I did a cruell prise That deadly framed ship in crafty wyse And due reward that he gaue me agayne For helping him to rule of Empyres raygne And eake that night when as I did bewayle Both losse of shippe wherin we then did sayle And mates vnhappye death and whyle I thoughte For this accursed deede to haue besought The Gods to trickling teares he gaue scant tyme But twice encreased hath his deuillish cryme Quite slayne with sword thrust through my bodyes boundes And filthy layed through goary mattring woundes Deliuered safe from seas deuouring sup In antique court my ghost I yeelded vp Nor yet his cancred and vnsatiate hate For all this bloud doth Nero once abate That Tyrant dyre doth rage at mothers name And seeketh wayes my deedes for to defame Who threating death to them that doe withstand My shapes he dingeth downe in euery land My princely tytles large hee scrapeth out In euery place the whole wyde world aboute Which my vnlucky parentes loue did geue To much vnto
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
in lawfull loue Ful oft the thunder thumping Ioue hath stouped to thy yoke And him that weildes the moary mace of blacke Auerne to smoake Thy flames enforce and eake the Lord of glummy Stigian lake But onely match thou Hercules and of him triumphe take O Ioue whose wrath more wrackful is then yreful Iunoes might The charme is made in perfecte force is al our medcine right Wherein the shirt shal steeped bee that wearyed many wighte Whose handes on Pallas distaffe spoone the weary Web with payne And it for Hercules auayle shall brincke vp all the bane And with my charme I le strengthen it But loe yee in the nick Defte Lycas commeth heere at hand who will dispatche it quick But tell him not what force it hath least hee the guilt betray DEI. Alas that fayth to kinges dwells not in howses of estate Haue Lycas heere this shirt the which my handes haue spun of late Whyle Hercules at randon roues and ouershot with wyne Doth rudely dandle on his lap the Lidiane Lady fyne Now doates hee after Iole but this his boyling rage That burneth in his breast I will with curtesy asswage For curtesy conquers canckred churles See thou my spouse desire Hee spare the Shirt vntill hee set the Franckinfence on fire And offer vp his sacrifice and weare his Garlond gray Of Popler boughes on wreathed lockes And I will goe my way To 'th royall Gods and will beseeke the cruell Cupids dame Yee ladies and companions that with mee heather came Now force the fountaynes of your teares from watred eyes to roon To wayle our Countrey Calydon on euery side vndoon Chorus O DEIANIRE deare daughter of our King OENEVS late to see thy frowning fates Woe after woe thus downe on thee to fling It irks our heartes that were thy foster mates O woefull wight it pitieth vs to see Thy wedlock in this tickle state to bee Wee Lady wee that with thee wonted were With flapping Oare on Acheloe to rowe When hauing past the spryng tyme of the yere With Channell smoth hee newely wexeth lowe And makes agayne his swelling surges calme And boobling runnes at Ebbe withouten walme Through weale and woe wee still with thee remayne And now what griefe so euer thou feare in mynde Account thou vs as partners of thy payne For commonly when Fortune turnes the wynde And makes thee beare thy beaten Sayle but low Then friendship ebbes where it before did flow And who so guydes the sway of golden mace Though people thicke doe haunte his stately courte And in at hundred gates doe preace a pace Yea though that thou mayntaine so great a porte To garde thee with this garrison yet shall Thou scarcely finde one faithfull hearte of all In paynted porche and gates of guilded bowers The lurcking hagge Eryn her tuskes doth whet And sturring sâ—rife with quarreling face shee lowers The portly doar es no sâ—â—ner oape are set But treason black pale enuy deepe deceight With priuy knyfe of murther step in streight And when the Prynce appeares in open place To shew him selfe before his subiects sight Swelling despight attendeth on his grace As oft as dawning day remoues the nyght And euery time the sunne at West goes downe They looke another man should clayme the Crowne Fewe heartes loue kinges not few their kingly might The glorious shew of courtly countenaunce Bewitcheth many where one sets his delight How next the king hee may him selfe aduaunce That through high streetes hee may as lorde of rule With lofty lookes ryde mounted on his Mule Ambitious heate enflames his hawty breast Another would his greedy hunger staunch With gubbes of goulde and though hee it possest Rich Arabie serues not his pyning paunch Nor western India a worlde for to behoulde Where Tagus flowes with streames of glittring goulde The couetous charle the greedy gnoffe in deede In whom from cradell nature so it plantes No hourded heapes his endlesse hunger feede In plenty pines the wreatch in wealth hee wantes Some other fondlings fansy thus doth guyde To fawne on kings and still in courte to byde As one disdayning lyke a Country mome And crooked clowne the plowe to follow still Although the dingthryfte dayly keepe at home A thousand drudges that his lande doe Tyll Yet wantes his will and wissheth wealth therefore Onely to waste on other men the more Another claweth and flattreth fast the King By clymbing vp to treade downe euery wyght And some at least to blookam Feaste to bryng And thus hee striues to arme himselfe with myght In bloude but of their ship doth Fortune fayle When safe they thinke to floate with highest sayle Whom Moone at morne on top of Fortunes wheele High swayed hath seene at fulnesse of renowne The glading sunne hath seene his Scepter reele And him from high fall topsey turuey downe At morne full merry blith in happy plight But whelmde in woes and brought to bale ere nyght These sildome meete hoare hayres and happy dayes The Lord that lyes on stately crimsen bed Sleepes more in feare then snoring drudge that layes Vpon the countrey clod his drowsy head In goulden roofes and hauty courtes they keepe Whose dreadfull dreames doe make them starte in sleepe The purple roabes lyeth waking many a night And slombers not when homely ragges doe rest O if as at a Grate espy wee might The sorrowes shrined in a Prynces breast What pangues what stormes what terrour O what hell In sighing heartes or prowde estates doth dwell The Iryshe Seas doe nener roare so ruffe When wrastling waues and swelling surges ryfe That hoysted are with sturdy northern puffe As fearefull Fansyes doe theyr myndes aggryse But hee sighes not nor combred is with care Whom Fortune hath bequeath'de a slender share In woodden dishe and blacke beche Bole hee swills And heaues it not to mouth with quaking hand With homely fare his hungry Mawe hee fills And leares not backe for feare of those that stand With naked swerdes but Kings in goulden cup Wyne blent with bloude most dreadfull draughts do sup In dainty dishe the poyson bayte is layde And treason lurkes amid the sugred wyne At euery bit they quake and are a frayde The swerde will fall that hanges but by a twyne And euer as hee liftes his head and drynkes The rebelles Knyfe is at his throate hee thinkes Such flattring ioyes these happy worldlinges haue Their outwarde pomp pretendeth lusty liues When inwardely they drowpe as doth the slaue That pines in pangues fast clogde in goulden guies Striue not in hast to climbe the whirling wheele For hasty climers oft in haste doe reele Meane dames defy both peareles and glittring spanges And goulden chaynes with rubies ryche beset Nor at theyr eares doe massy Iewelles hange With turky stones nor pranked prowde they iet Iu murrey gownes nor doth the wooll they weare Of Crymsen dye the costly colour beare Neyther in Tissew nor silken garments wrought With needle nor embroadred Roabes they goe And yet this state is free from Iealous thought