day in shade Euen ouer head and face downe to her feete Her left hand made it at her bosome meete Her right hand leand on her hart-bowing knee Wrapt in vnshapefull foulds twas death to see Her knee stayd that and that her falling face Each limme helpt other to put on disgrace No forme was seene where forme held all her sight But like an Embrion that saw neuer light Or like a scorched statue made a cole With three-wingd lightning or a wretched soule Muffled with endles darknes she did sit The night had neuer such a heauie spirit Yet might an imitating eye well see How fast her cleere teares melted on her knee Through her black vaile and turnd as black as it Mourning to be her teares then wrought her wit With her broke vow her Goddesse wrath her fame All tooles that enginous despayre could frame Which made her strow the floore with her torne haire And spread her mantle peece-meale in the aire Like Ioues sons club strong passion strook her downe And with a piteous shrieke inforst her swoune Her shrieke made with another shrieke ascend The frighted Matron that on her did tend And as with her owne crie her sence was slaine So with the other it was calde againe She rose and to her bed made forced way And layd her downe euen where Leander lay And all this while the red sea of her blood Ebd with Leander but now turnd the flood And all her fleete of sprites came swelling in With childe of saile and did hot fight begin With those seuere conceits she too much markt And here Leanders beauties were imbarkt He came in swimming painted all with ioyes Such as might sweeten hell his thought destroyes All her destroying thoughts she thought she felt His heart in hers with her contentions melt And chid her soule that it could so much erre To check the true ioyes he deseru'd in her Her fresh heat blood cast figures in her eyes And she supposde she saw in Neptunes skyes How her star wandred washt in smarting brine For her loues sake that with immortall wine Should be embath'd and swim in more hearts ease Than there was water in the Sestian seas Then said her Cupid prompted spirit shall I Sing mones to such delightsome harmony Shall slick-tongde fame patcht vp with voyces rude The drunken bastard of the multitude Begot when father Iudgement is away And gossip-like sayes because others say Takes newes as if it were too hot to eate And spits it slauering forth for dog-fees meate Make me for forging a phantastique vow Presume to beare what makes graue matrons bow Good vowes are neuer broken with good deedes For then good deedes were bad vowes are but seedes And good deeds fruits euen those good deedes that grow From other stocks than from th' obserued vow That is a good deede that preuents a bad Had I not yeelded slaine my selfe I had Hero Leander is Leander Hero Such vertue loue hath to make one of two If then Leander did my mayden head git Leander being my selfe I still retaine it We breake chast vowes when we liue loosely euer But bound as we are we liue loosely neuer Two constant louers being ioynd in one Yeelding to one another yeeld to none We know not how to vow till loue vnblinde vs And vowes made ignorantly neuer binde vs. Too true it is that when t'is gone men hate The ioyes as vaine they tooke in loues estate But that's since they haue lost the heauenly light Should shew them way to iudge of all things right When life is gone death must implant his terror As death is foe to life so loue to error Before we loue how range we through this sphere Searching the sundrie fancies hunted here Now with desire of wealth transported quite Beyond our free humanities delight Now with ambition climing falling towrs Whose hope to scale our feare to fall deuours Now rapt with pastimes pomp all ioyes impure In things without vs no delight is sure But loue with all ioyes crownd within doth sit O Goddesse pitie loue and pardon it This spake he weeping but her Goddesse eare Burnd with too sterne a heat and would not heare Aie me hath heauens straight singers no more graces For such as Hero then for homeliest faces Yet she hopte well and in her sweet conceit Waying her arguments she thought them weight And that the logick of Leanders beautie And them together would bring proofes of dutie And if her soule that was a skilfull glance Of Heauens great essence found such imperance In her loues beauties she had confidence Ioue lou'd him too and pardond her offence Bedutie in heauen and earth this grace doth win It supples rigor and it lessens sin Thus her sharpe wit her loue her secrecie And make the rankest miser bountifull It kild the feare of thunder and of death The discords that conceits ingendereth Twixt man and wife it for the time would cease The flames of loue it quencht and would increase Held in a princes hand it would put out The dreadfulst Comet it would ease all doubt Of threatned mischiefes it would bring asleepe Such as were mad it would enforce to weepe Most barbarous eyes and many more effects This picture wrought and sprung Leandrian sects Of which was Hero first For he whose forme Held in her hand cleerd such a fatall storme From hell she thought his person would defend her Which night and Helle spont would quickly send her With this confirmd she vowd to banish quite All thought of any check to her delite And in contempt of sillie bashfulnes She would the faith of her desires professe Where her Religion should be Policie To follow loue with zeale her pietie Her chamber her Cathedrall Church should be And her Leander her chiefe Deitie For in her loue these did the gods forego And though her knowledge did not teach her so Yet did it teach her this that what her hart Did greatest hold in her selfe greatest part That she did make her god and t'was lesse nought To leaue gods in profession and in thought Than in her loue and life for therein lies Most of her duties and their dignities And raile the brain-bald world at what it will Thats the grand Atheisme that raignes in it still Yet singularitie she would vse no more For she was singular too much before But she would please the world with fayre pretext Loue would not leaue her conscience perplext Great men that will haue lesse doe for them still Must beare them out though th'acts be nere so ill Meannes must Pandar be to Excellencie Pleasure attones Falshood and Conscience Dissembling was the worst thought Hero then And that was best how she must liue with men O vertuous loue that taught her to doe best When she did worst and when she thought it lest Thus would she still proceed in works diuine And in her sacred state of priesthood shine Handling the holy rites with hands as bold As if therein she did
and makes more to the aduancement of your Name and happines of your proceedings then if like others you displaied Ensignes of state and sowrenes in your forehead made smooth with nothing but sensualitie and presents This poore Dedication in figure of the other vnitie betwixt Sir Thomas and your selfe hath reioynd you with him my honoured best friend whose continuance of ancient kindnes to my still-obscured estate though it cannot encrease my loue to him which hath euer been entirely circulare yet shall it encourage my deserts to their vtmost requitall and make my hartie gratitude speake to which the vnhappines of my life hath hetherto been vncomfortable and painfull dumbnes By your Ladiships vowd in most wished seruice George Chapman THE ARGVMENT OF THE THIRD SESTYAD Leander to the enuious light Resignes his night-sports with the night And swims the Hellespont againe Thesme the Deitie soueraigne Of Customes and religious rites Appeares improuing his delites Since Nuptiall honors he neglected VVhich straight he vowes shall be effected Faire Hero left Deuirginate VVaies and with furie wailes her state But with her loue and womans wit She argues and approueth it NEw light giues new directions Fortunes new To fashion our indeuours that ensue More harsh at lest more hard more graue and hie Our subiect runs and our sterne Muse must flie Loues edge is taken off and that light flame Those thoughts ioyes longings that before became High vnexperienst blood and maids sharpe plights Must now grow staid and censure the delights That being enioyd aske iudgement now we praise As hauing parted Euenings crowne the daies And now ye wanton loues and yong desires Pied vanitie the mint of strange Attires Ye lisping Flatteries and obsequious Glances Relentfull Musicks and attractiue Dances And you detested Charmes constraining loue Shun loues stolne sports by that these Louers proue By this the Soueraigne of Heauens golden fires And yong Leander Lord of his desires Together from their louers armes arose Leander into Hellespontus throwes His Hero-handled bodie whose delight Made him disdaine each other Epethite And as amidst the enamourd waues he swims The God of gold of purpose guilt his lims That this word guilt including double sence The double guilt of his Incontinence Might be exprest that had no stay t'employ The treasure which the Loue god let him ioy In his deare Hero with such sacred thrift As had beseemed so sanctified a gift But like a greedie vulgar Prodigall Would on the stock dispend and rudely fall Before his time to that vnblessed blessing Which for lusts plague doth perish with possessing Ioy grauen in sence like snow in water wasts VVithout preserue of vertue nothing lasts What man is he that with a welthie eie Enioyes a beautie richer than the skie Through whose white skin softer then soundest sleep With dam aske eyes the rubie blood doth peep And runs in branches through her azure vaines Whose mixture and first fire his loue attaines Whose both hands limit both Loues deities And sweeten humane thoughts like Paradise Whose disposition silken is and kinde Directed with an earth-exempted minde Who thinks not heauen with such a loue is giuen And who like earth would spend that dower of heauē With ranke desire to ioy it all at first What simply kils our hunger quencheth thirst Clothes but our nakednes and makes vs liue Praise doth not any of her fauours giue But what doth plentifully minister Beautious apparell and delicious cheere So orderd that it still excites desire And still giues pleasure freenes to aspire The palme of Bountie euer moyst preseruing To loues sweet life this is the courtly caruing Thus Time and all-states-ordering Ceremonie Had banisht all offence Times golden Thie Vpholds the flowrie bodie of the earth In sacred harmonie and euery birth Of men and actions makes legitimate Being vsde aright The vse of time is Fate Yet did the gentle stood transfer once more This prize of Loue home to his fathers shore Where he vnlades himselfe of that false welth That makes few rich treasures composde by stelth And to his sister kinde Hermione Who on the shore kneeld praying to the sea For his returne he all Loues goods did show In Hero seasde for him in him for Hero His most kinde sister all his secrets knew And to her singing like a shower he flew Sprinkling the earth that to their tombs tooke in Streames dead for loue to leaue his iuorie skin Which yet a snowie fome did leaue aboue As soule to the dead water that did loue And from thence did the first white Roses spring For loue is sweet and faire in euery thing And all the sweetned shore as he did goe Was crownd with odrous roses white as snow Loue-blest Leander was with loue so filled That loue to all that toucht him he instilled And as the colours of all things we see To our sights powers communicated bee So to all obiects that in compasse came Of any sence he had his sences flame Flowd from his parts with force so virtuall It fir'd with sence things meere insensuall Now with warme baths and odours comforted When he lay downe he kindly kist his bed As consecrating it to Heros right And vowd thereafter that what euer sight Put him in minde of Hero or her blisse Should be her Altar to prefer a kisse Then laid he forth his late inriched armes In whose white circle Loue writ all his charmes And made his characters sweet Heros lims When on his breasts warme sea she sideling swims And as those armes held vp in circle met He said see sister Heros Carquenet Which she had rather weare about her neck Then all the iewels that doth Iuno deck But as he shooke with passionate desire To put in flame his other secret fire A musick so diuine did pierce his eare As neuer yet his rauisht sence did heare When suddenly a light of twentie hews Brake through the roofe and like the Rainbow views Amazd Leander in whose beames came downe The Goddesse Ceremonie with a Crowne Of all the stars and heauen with her descended Her flaming haire to her bright feete extended By which hung all the bench of Deities And in a chaine compact of eares and eies She led Religion all her bodie was Cleere and transparent as the purest glasse For she was all presented to the sence Deuotion Order State and Reuerence Her shadowes were Societie Memorie All which her sight made liue her absence die A rich disparent Pentackle she weares Drawne full of circles and strange characters Her face was changeable to euerie eie One way lookt ill another graciouslie VVhich while men viewd they cheerfull were holy But looking off vicious and melancholy The snakie paths to each obserued law Did Policie in her broad bosome draw One hand a Mathematique Christall swayes VVhich gathering in one line a thousand rayes From her bright eyes Confusion burnes to death And all estates of men distinguisheth By it Morallitie and Comelinesse Themselues in all
flie Out of the narrow Thames with windes vnapt Now crosseth here then there then this way rapt And then hath one point reacht then alters all And to another crooked reach doth fall Of halfe a burdbolts shoote keeping more coyle Then if she danst vpon the Oceans toyle So serious is his trifling companie In all his swelling ship of vacantrie And so short of himselfe in his high thought Was our Leander in his fortunes brought And in his fort of loue that he thought won But otherwise he skornes comparison O sweet Leander thy large worth I hide In a short graue ill fauourd stormes must chide Thy sacred fauour I in floods of inck Must drowne thy graces which white papers drink Euen as thy beauties did the foule black Seas I must describe the hell of thy disease That heauen did merit yet I needes must see Our painted fooles and cockhorse Pessantrie Still still vsurp with long liues loues and lust The seates of vertue cutting short as dust Her deare bought issue ill to worse conuerts And tramples in the blood of all deserts Night close and silent now goes fast before The Captaines and their souldiers to the shore On whom attended the appointed Fleete At Sestus Bay that should Leander meete Who fainde he in another ship would passe Which must not be for no one meane there was To get his loue home but the course he tooke Forth did his beautie for his beautie looke And saw her through her Torch as you beholde Sometimes within the Sunne a face of golde Form'd in strong thoughts by that traditions force That saies a God sits there and guides his course His sister was with him to whom he shewd His guide by Sea and sayd oft haue you viewd In one heauen many starres but neuer yet In one starre many heauens till now were met See louely sister see now Hero shines No heauen but her appeares each star repines And all are clad in clowdes as if they mournd To be by influence of Earth out-burnd Yet doth she shine and teacheth vertues traine Still to be constant in Hels blackest raigne Though euen the gods themselues do so entreat them As they did hate and Earth as she would eate them Off went his silken robe and in he leapt Whom the kinde waues so licorously cleapt Thickning for haste one in another so To kisse his skin that he might almost go To Heros Towre had that kind minuit lasted But now the cruell fates with Ate hasted To all the windes and made them battaile fight Vpon the Hellespont for eithers right Pretended to the windie monarchie And forth they brake the Seas mixt with the skie And tost distrest Leander being in hell As high as heauen Blisse not in height doth dwell The Destinies sate dancing on the waues To see the glorious windes with mutuall braues Consume each other O true glasse to see How ruinous ambitious Statists bee To their owne glories Poore Leander cried For help to Sea-borne Venus she denied To Boreas that for his Atthaeas sake He would some pittie on his Hero take And for his owne loues sake on his desires But Glorie neuer blowes cold Pitties fires Then calde he Neptune who through all the noise Knew with affright his wracket Leanders voice And vp he rose for haste his forehead hit Gainst heauēs hard Christall his proud waues he smit With his forkt scepter that could not obay Much greater powers then Neptunes gaue them sway They lou'd Leander so in groanes they brake When they came neere him and such space did take Twixt one another loth to issue on That in their shallow furrowes earth was shone And the poore louer tooke a little breath But the curst Fates sate spinning of his death On euery waue and with the seruile windes Tumbled them on him And now Hero findes By that she felt her deare Leanders state She wept and prayed for him to euery fate And euery winde that whipt her with her haire About the face she kist and spake it faire Kneeld to it gaue it drinke out of her eyes To quench his thirst but still their cruelties Euen her poore Torch enuied and rudely beate The bating flame from that deare foode it eate Deare for it nourisht her Leanders life Which with her robe she rescude from their strife But silke too soft was such hard hearts to breake And she deare soule euen as her silke faint weake Could not preserue it out O out it went Leander still cald Neptune that now rent His brackish curles and tore his wrinckled face Where teares in billowes did each other chace And burst with ruth he hurld his marble Mace At the sterne Fates it wounded Lachesis That drew Leanders thread and could not misse The thread it selfe as it her hand did hit But smote it full and quite did sunder it The more kinde Neptune rag'd the more he raste His loues liues fort and kild as he embraste Anger doth still his owne mishap encrease If any comfort liue it is in peace O theeuish Fates to let Blood Flesh and Sence Build two fayre Temples for their Excellence To rob it with a poysoned influence Though soules gifts starue the bodies are held deare In vgliest things Sence-sport preserues a Beare But here nought serues our turnes O heauen earth How most most wretched is our humane birth And now did all the tyrannous crew depart Knowing there was a storme in Heros hart Greater then they could make skornd their smart She bowd her selfe so low out of her Towre That wonder twas she fell not ere her howre With searching the lamenting waues for him Like a poore Snayle her gentle supple lim Hung on her Turrets top so most downe right As she would diue beneath the darknes quite To finde her Iewell Iewell her Leander A name of all earths Iewels pleasde not her Like his deare name Leander still my choice Come nought but my Leander O my voice Turne to Leander hence-forth be all sounds Accents and phrases that shew all griefes wounds Analisde in Leander O black change Trumpets doe you with thunder of your clange Driue out this changes horror my voyce faints Where all ioy was now shrieke out all complaints Thus cryed she for her mixed soule could tell Her loue was dead And when the morning fell Prostrate vpon the weeping earth for woe Blushes that bled out of her cheekes did show Leander brought by Neptune brusde and torne With Citties ruines he to Rocks had worne To filthie vsering Rocks that would haue blood Though they could get of him no other good She saw him and the sight was much much more Then might haue seru'd to kill her should her store Of giant sorrowes speake Burst dye bleede And leaue poore plaints to vs that shall succeede She fell on her loues bosome hugg'd it fast And with Leanders name she breath'd her last Neptune for pittie in his armes did take them Flung them into the ayre and did awake them Like two sweet birds surnam'd th' Acanthides Which we call Thistle-warps that neere no Seas Dare euer come but still in couples flie And feede on Thistle tops to testifie The hardnes of their first life in their last The first in thornes of loue and sorrowes past And so most beautifull their colours show As none so little like them her sad brow A sable veluet feather couers quite Euen like the forehead cloths that in the night Or when they sorrow Ladies vse to weare Their wings blew red and yellow mixt appeare Colours that as we construe colours paint Their states to life the yellow shewes their saint The deuill Venus left them blew their truth The red and black ensignes of death and ruth And this true honor from their loue-deaths sprung They were the first that euer Poet sung FINIS A periphrasis of night He cals Phoebus the God of Gold since the vertue of his beams creates it Description and creation of Dissimulation
hearts of those that neere her stood Euen as when gawdie Nimphs pursue the chace Wretched Ixions shaggie footed race Incenst with sauage heat gallop amaine From steepe Pine-bearing mountains to the plaine So ran the people foorth to gaze vpon her And all that view'd her were enamour'd on her And as in furle of a dreadfull fight Their fellowes being slaine or put to flight Poore soldiers stand with feare of death dead strookē So at her presence all surprisde and tooken Await the sentence of her scornefull eies He whom she fauours liues the other dies There might you see one sigh another rage And some their violent passions to asswage Compile sharpe satyrs but alas too late For faithfull loue will neuer turne to hate And many seeing great princes were denied Pin'd as they went and thinking on her died On this feast day O cursed day and hower Went Hero thorow Sestos from her tower To Venus temple where vnhappilie As after chanc'd they did each other spie So faire a Church as this had Venus none The wals were of discoloured Iasper stone Wherein was Proteus caru'd and ouer head A liuely vine of greene sea agget spread Where by one hand light headed Bacchus hung And with the other wine from grapes out wrung Of Christall shining faire the pauement was The towne of Sestos calde it Venus glasse There might you see the gods in sundrie shapes Committing headdie ryots incest rapes For know that vnderneath this radiant flowre Was Danaes statue in a brazen towre Ioue slylie stealing from his sisters bed To dallie with Idalian Ganimed And for his loue Europa bellowing lowd And tumbling with the Rainbow in a clowd Blood-quaffing Mars heauing the yron net Which limping Vulcan and his Cyclops set Loue kindling fire to burne such townes as Troy Syluanus weeping for the louely boy That now is turnde into a Cypres tree Ander whose shade the Wood-gods loue to bee And in the midst a siluer altar stood There Hero sacrificing turtles blood Taild to the ground vailing her eie-lids close And modestly they opened as she rose Thence flew Loues arrow with the golden head And thus Leander was enamoured Stone still he stood and euermore he gazed Till with the fire that from his countnance blazed Relenting Hero's gentle heart was strooke Such force and vertue hath an amorous looke It lies not in our power to loue or hate For will in vs is ouer-rulde by fate When two are stript long ere the course begin We wish that one should lose the other win And one especiallie doo we affect Of two gold Ingots like in each respect The reason no man knowes let it suffise What we behold is censur'd by our eies Where both deliberat the loue is slight Who euer lou'd that lou'd not at first sight He kneel'd but vnto her deuoutly praid Chast Hero to her selfe thus softly said Were I the saint hee worships I would heare him And as she spake those words came somewhat neere him He started vp she blusht as one asham'd Wherewith Leander much more was inftam'd He toucht her hand in touching it she trembled Loue deepely grounded hardly is dissembled These louers parled by the touch of hands True loue is mute and oft amazed stands Thus while dumb signs their yeelding harts entangled The aire with sparkes of liuing fire was spangled And night deepe drencht in mystie Acheron Heau'd vp her head and halfe the world vpon Breath'd darkenesse forth darke night is Cupids day And now begins Leander to display Loues holy fire with words with sighs and teares Which like sweet musicke entred Heroes eares And yet at euerie word shee turn'd aside And alwaies cut him off as he replide At last like to a bold sharpe Sophister With chearfull hope thus he accosted her Faire creature let me speake without offence I would my rude words had the influence To leade thy thoughts as thy faire lookes do mine Then shouldst thou bee his prisoner who is thine Be not vnkind and faire mishapen stuffe Are of behauiour boisterous and ruffe O shun me not but heare me ere you goe God knowes I cannot force loue as you doe My words shall be as spotlesse as my youth Full of simplicitie and naked truth This sacrifice whose sweet perfume descending From Venus altar to your footsteps bending Doth testifie that you exceed her farre To whom you offer and whose Nunne you are Why should you worship her her you surpasse As much as sparkling Diamonds flaring glasse A Diamond set in lead his worth retaines A heauenly Nimph belou'd of humane swaines Receiues no blemish but oft-times more grace Which makes me hope although I am but base Base in respect of thee diuine and pure Dutifull seruice may thy loue procure And I in dutie will excell all other As thou in beautie doest exceed loues mother Nor heauen nor thou were made to gaze vpon As heauen preserues all things so saue thou one A stately builded ship well rig'd and tall The Ocean maketh more maiestic all Why vowest thou then to liue in Sestos heere Who on Loues seas more glorious wouldst appeere Like vntun'd golden strings all women are Which long time lie vntoucht will harshly iarre Vessels of brasse oft handled brightly shine What difference betwixt the richest mine And basest mold but vse for both not vsde Are of like worth Then treasure is abusde When misers keep it being put to lone In time it will returne vs two for one Rich robes themselues and others doe adorne Neither themselues nor others if not worne Who builds a pallace and rams vp the gate Shall see it ruinous and desolate An simple Hero learne thy selfe to cherish Loue women like to emptie houses perish Lesse since the poore rich man that starues himselfe In heaping vp a masse of drossie pelfe Than such as you his golden earth remains Which after his disceasse some other gains But this faire iem sweet in the losse alone When you fleet hence can be bequeath'd to none Or if it could downe from th'enameld skie All heauen would come to claime this legacie And with intestine broyles the world destroy And quite confound natures sweet harmony Well therefore by the gods decreed it is We humane creatures should enioy that blis One is no number mayds are nothing then Without the sweet societie of men Wilt thou liue single still one shalt thou bee Though neuer-singling Hymen couple thee Wilde sauages that drinke of running springs Thinke water farre excels all earthly things But they that daily taste neat wine despise it Virginitie albeit some highly prise it Compar'd with mariage had you tride them both Differs as much as wine and water doth Base boullion for the stamps sake we allow Euen so for mens impression doe we you By which alone our reuerend fathers say Women receiue perfection euery way This idoll which you terme Virginitie Is neither essence subiect to the eie No nor to any one exterior sence Nor hath it any place of
requested Where with the king of Gods and men is feasted He readie to accomplish what she wild Stole some from Hebe Hebe Ioues cup fild And gaue it to his simple rustike loue Which being knowne as what is hid from loue He inly storm'd and waxt more furious Than for the fire filcht by Prometheus And thrusts him down frō heauen he wandring heere In mournfull tearmes with sad and heauie cheere Complaind to Cupid Cupid for his sake To be reueng'd on Ioue did vndertake And those on whom heauen earth and hell relies I meane the Adamantine Destinies He wounds with loue and forst them equallie To dote vpon deceitfull Mercurie They offred him the deadly fatall knife That sheares the slender threads of humane life At his faire feathered feet the engins layd Which th'earth from ougly Chaos den vp-wayd These he regarded not but did intreat That Ioue vsurper of his fathers seat Might presently be banisht into hell And aged Saturne in Olympus dwell They granted what he crau'd and once againe Saturne and Ops began their golden raigne Murder rape warre lust and trecherie Were with Ioue clos'd in Stigian Emperie But long this blessed time continued not As soone as he his wished purpose got He recklesse of his promise did despise The loue of th'euerlasting Destinies They seeing it both Loue and him abhor'd And Iupiter vnto his place restor'd And but that Learning in despight of Fate Will mount aloft and enter heauen gate And to the seat of Ioue it selfe aduance Hermes had slept in hell with ignorance Yet as a punishment they added this That he and Pouertie should alwaies kis And to this day is euerie scholler poore Grosse gold from them runs headlong to the boore Likewise the angrie sisters thus deluded To venge themselues on Hermes haue concluded That Midas brood shall sit in Honors chaire To which the Muses sonnes are only heire And fruitfull wits that in aspiring are Shall discontent run into regions farre And few great Lords in vertuous deeds shal ioy But be surpris'd with euery garish toy And still inrich the loftie seruile clowne Who with incroching guile keepes learning downe Then muse not Cupids sute no better sped Seeing in their loues the Fates were iniured The end of the first Sestyad THE ARGVMENT OF THE SECOND SESTYAD Hero of loue takes deeper sence And doth her loue more recompence Their first nights meeting where sweet kisses Are th'only crownes of both their blisses He swimst ' Abydus and returnes Cold Neptune with his beautie burnes VVhose suite he shuns and doth aspire Heros faire towre and his desire BY this sad Hero with loue vnacquainted Viewing Leanders face fell downe and fainted He kist her and breath'd life into her lips Wherewith as one displeasde away-she trips Yet as she went full often lookt behinde And many poore excuses did she finde To linger by the way and once she staid And would haue turnde againe but was afraid In offring parlie to be counted light So on she goes and in her idle flight Her painted fanne of curled plumes let fall Thinking to traine Leander there with all He being a nouice knew not what she meant But stayd and after her a letter sent Which ioyfull Heor answerd in such sort As he had hope to scale the beauteous fort Wherein the liberall graces lock'd their wealth And therefore to her tower he got by stealth Wide open stood the doore he need not clime And she her selfe before the pointed time Had spread the boord with roses strowed the roome And oft look'd out and mus'd he did not come At last he came O who can tell the greeting These greedie louers had at their first meeting He askt she gaue and nothing was denied Both to each other quickly were affied Looke how their hands so were their hearts vnited And what he did she willingly requited Sweet are the kisses the imbracements sweet When like desires and affections meet For from the earth to heauen is Cupid rais'd Where fancie is in equall ballance pais'd Yet she this rashnesse sodainly repented And tur'd aside and to her selfe lamented As if her name and honor had been wrong'd By being possest of him for whom she long'd I and shee wisht albe it not from her hart That he would leaue her turret and depart The mirthfull God of amorous pleasure smil'd To see how he this captiue Nymph beguil'd For hitherto hee did but fan the fier And kept it downe that it might mount the hier Now waxt she iealous least his loue abated Fearing her owne thoughts made her to be hated Therefore vnto him hastily she goes And like light Salmacis her body throes Vpon his bosome where with yeelding eyes She offers vp her selfe a sacrifice To slake his anger if he were displeas'd O what god would not therewith be appeas'd Like Aesops cocke this iewell he enioyed And as a brother with his sister toyed Supposing nothing else was to be done Now he her fauour and good will had wone But know you not that creatures wanting sence By nature haue a mutuall appetence And wanting organs to aduaunce a step Mou'd by Loues force vnto ech other lep Much more in subiects hauing intellect Some hidden influence breeds like effect Albeit Leander rude in loue and raw Long dallying with Hero nothing saw That might delight him more yet he suspected Some amorous rites or other were neglected Therefore vnto his bodie hirs he clung She fearing on the rushes to be flung Striu'd with redoubled strength the more she striued The more a gentle pleasing heat reuiued Which taught him all that elder louers know And now the same gan so to scorch and glow As in plaine termes yet cunningly he crau'd it Loue alwaies makes those eloquent that haue it Shee with a kind of graunting put him by it And euer as he thought himselfe most nigh it Like to the tree of Tantalus she fled And seeming lauish sau'de her maydenhead Ne're king more sought to keepe his diademe Than Hero this inestimable gemme Aboue our life we loue a stedfast frend Yet when a token of great worth we send We often kisse it often looke thereon And stay the messenger that would be gon No maruell then though Hero would not yeeld So soone to part from that she deerely held Iewels being lost are found againe this neuer Tis lost but once and once lost lost for euer Now had the morne espy'de her louers steeds Whereat she starts puts on her purple weeds And red for anger that he stayd so long All headlong throwes her selfe the clouds among And now Leander fearing to be mist Imbrast her sodainly tooke leaue and kist Long was he taking leaue and loath to go And kist againe as louers vse to do Sad Hero wroong him by the hand and wept Saying let your vowes and promises be kept Then standing at the doore she turnd about As loath to see Leander going out And now the sunne that through th'orizon peepes As pittying these louers
downeward creepes So that in silence of the cloudie night Though it was morning did he take his flight But what the secret trustie night conceal'd Leanders amorous habit soone reueal'd With Cupids myrtle was his bonet crownd About his armes the purple riband wound Wherewith she wreth'd her largely spreading heare Nor could the youth abstaine but he must weare The sacred ring wherewith she was endow'd When first religious chastitie she vow'd Which made his loue through Sestos to be knowne And thence vnto Abydus sooner blowne Than he could saile for incorporall Fame Whose waight consists in nothing but her name Is swifter than the wind whose tardie plumes Are reeking water and dull earthlie fumes Home when he came he seem'd not to be there But like exiled aire thrust from his sphere Set in a forren place and straight from thence Alcides like by mightie violence He would haue chac'd away the swelling maine That him from her vniustly did deataine Like as the sunne in a Dyameter Fires and inflames obiects remooued farre And heateth kindly shining lat'rally So beautie sweetly quickens when t'is ny But being separated and remooued Burnes where it cherisht murdrs where it loued Therefore euen as an Index to a booke So to his mind was yoong Leanders looke O none but gods haue power their loue to hide Affection by the count'nance is descride The light of hidden fire it selfe discouers And loue that is conceal'd betraies poore louers His secret name apparantly was seene Leanders Father knew where he had beene And for the same mildly rebuk't his sonne Thinking to quench the sparckles new begonne But loue resisted once growes passionate And nothing more than counseile louers hate For as a hote prowd horse highly disdaines To haue his head control'd but breakes the raines Spits foorth the ringled bit and with his houes Checkes the submissiue ground so hee that loues The more he is restrain'd the woorse he fares What is it now but mad Leander dares O Hero Hero thus he cry'de full oft And then he got him to a rocke aloft Where hauing spy'de her tower long star'd he on't And pray'd the narrow toyling Hellespont To part in twaine that hee might come and go But still the rising billowes answered no. With that hee stript him to the yu'rie skin And crying Loue I come leapt liuely in Whereat the saphir visag'd god grew prowd And made his capring Triton sound alowd Imagining that Ganimed displeas'd Had left the heauens therefore on him he seaz'd Leander striu'd the waues about him wound And puld him to the bottome where the ground Was strewd with pearle and in low corrall groues Sweet singing Meremaids sported with their loues On heapes of heauie gold and tooke great pleasure To spurne in carelesse sort the shipwracke treasure For here the stately azure pallace stood Where kingly Neptune and his traine abode The lustie god imbra'st him cald him loue And swore he neuer should returne to Ioue But when he knew it was not Ganimed For vnder water he was almost dead He heau'd him vp and looking on his face Beat downe the bold waues with his triple mace Which mounted vp intending to haue kist him And fell in drops like teares because they mist him Leander being vp began to swim And looking backe saw Neptune follow him Whereat agast the poore soule ganto crie O let mee visit Hero ere I die The god put Helles bracelet on his arme And swore the sea should neuer doe him harme He clapt his plumpe cheekes with his tresses playd And smiling wantonly his loue bewrayd He watcht his armes and as they opend wide At euery stroke betwixt them would he slide And steale a kisse and then run out and daunce And as he turnde cast many a lustfull glance And threw him gawdie toies to please his eie And diue into the water and there prie Vpon his brest his thighes and euerie lim And vp againe and close beside him swim And talke of loue Leander made replie You are decau'd I am no woman I There at smilde Neptune and then told a tale How that a sheapheard sitting in a vale Playd with a boy so faire and kind As for his loue both earth and heauen pyn'd That of the cooling riuer durst not drinke Least water-nymphs should pull him from the brinke And when hee sported in the fragrant lawnes Gote-footed Satyrs and vp-staring Fawnes Would steale him thence Ere halfe this tale was done Aye me Leander oryde th'enamoured sunne That now should shine on Thetis glassie bower Descends vpon my raiant Heroes tower O that these tardie armes of mine were wings And as he spake vpon the waues he springs Neptune was angrie that hee gaue no eare And in his heart reuenging malice bare He flung at him his mace but as it went He cald it in for loue made him repent The mace returning backe his owne hand hit As meaning to be veng'd for darting it When this fresh bleeding wound Leander viewd His colour went and came as if he rewd The greefe which Neptune felt In gentle brests Relenting thoughts remorse and pittie rests Trouping together made her wonder why She should not leaue her bed and to the Temple Her health sayd she must liue her sex dissemble She viewd Leanders place and wisht he were Turnd to his place so his place were Leander Aye me sayd she that loues sweet life and sence Should doe it harme my loue had not gone hence Had he been like his place O blessed place Image of Constancie Thus my loues grace Parts no where but it leaues some thing behinde Worth obseruation he renowmes his kinde His motion is like heauens Orbiculer For where he once is he is euer there This place was mine Leander now t'is thine Thou being my selfe then it is double mine Mine and Leanders mine Leanders mine O see what wealth it yeelds me nay yeelds him For I am in it he for me doth swim Rich fruitfull loue that doubling selfe estates Elixer-like contracts though separates Deare place I kisse thee and doe welcome thee As from Leander euer sent to mee The end of the third Sestyad THE ARGVMENT OF THE FOVRTH SESTYAD Hero in sacred habit deckt Doth priuate sacrifice effect Her Skarfs description wrought by fate Ostents that threaten her estate The strange yet Phisicall euents Leanders counter feit presents In thunder Ciprides descends Presaging both the louers ends Ecte the Goddesse of remorce VVith vocall and articulate force Inspires Leucote Venus swan T'excuse the beautious Sestian Venus to wreake her rites abuses Creates the monster Eronusis Enflaming Heros Sacrifice VVith lightning darted from her eyes And thereof springs the painted beast That euer since taints euery breast NOw from Leanders place she rose and found Her haire and rent robe scattred on the ground Which taking vp she euery peece did lay Vpon an Altar where in youth of day She vsde t'exhibite priuate Sacrifice Those would she offer to the Deities Of her faire Goddesse and her
powerfull son As relicks of her late-felt passion And in that holy sort she vowd to end them In hope her violent fancies that did rend them Would as quite fade in her loues holy fire As they should in the flames she ment t'inspire Then put she on all her religious weedes That deckt her in her secret sacred deedes A crowne of Isickles that sunne nor fire Could euer melt and figur'd chast desire A golden star shinde in her naked breast In honour of the Queene-light of the East In her right hand she held a siluer wand On whose bright top Peristera did stand Who was a Nymph but now transformd a Doue And in her life was deare in Venus loue And for her sake she euer since that time Chusde Doues to draw her Coach through heauens blew clime Her plentious haire in curled billowes swims On her bright shoulder her harmonious lims Sustainde no more but a most subtile vaile That hung on them as it durst not affaire Their different concord for the weakest ayre Could raise it swelling from her bewties fayre Nor did it couer but adumbrate onelie Her most heart-piercing parts that a blest eie Might see as it did shadow fearfullie All that all-loue-deseruing Paradise It was as blew as the most freezing skies Neere the Sea shew for thence her Goddesse came On it a skarfe she wore of wondrous frame In midst whereof she wrought a virgins face From whose each cheeke a firie blush did chace Two crimson flames that did two waies extend Spreading the ample skarfe to either end Which figur'd the diuision of her minde Whiles yet she rested bashfully inclinde And stood not resolute to wed Leander This seru'd her white neck for a purple sphere And cast it selfe at full breadth downe her back There since the first breath that begun the wrack Of her free quiet from Leanders lips She wrought a Sea in one flame full of ships But that one ship where all her wealth did passe Like simple marchants goods Leander was For in that Sea she naked figured him Her diuing needle taught him how to swim And to each thred did such resemblance giue For ioy to be so like him it did liue Things senceles liue by art and rationall die By rude contempt of art and industrie Scarce could she work but in her strength of thought She feard she prickt Leander as she wrought And oft would shrieke so that her Guardian frighted Would staring haste as with some mischiefe cited They double life that dead things griefs sustdyne They kill that feele not their friends liuing payne Sometimes she feard he sought her infamie And then as she was working of his eie She thought to pricke it out to quench her ill But as she prickt it grew more perfect still Trifling attempts no serious acts aduance The fire of loue is blowne by dalliance In working his fayre neck she did so grace it She still was working her owne armes t'imbrace it That and his shoulders and his hands wereseene Aboue the streame and with a pure Sea greene She did so queintly shadow euery lim All might be seene beneath the waues to swim In this conceited skarfe she wrought beside A Moone in change and shooting stars did glide In number after her with bloodie beames Which figur'd her affects in their extreames Pursuing Nature in her Cynthian bodie And did her thoughts running on change implie For maids take more delights when they prepare And thinke of wiues states than when wiues they are Beneath all these she wrought a Fisherman Drawing his nets from forth that Ocean Who drew so hard ye might discouer well The toughned sinewes in his neck did swell His inward straines draue out his blood-shot eyes And springs of sweat did in his forehead rise Yet was of nought but of a Serpent sped That in his bosome flew and stung him dead And this by fate into her minde was sent Not wrought by meere instinct of her intent At the skarfs other end her hand did frame Neere the forkt point of the deuided flame A countrie virgin keeping of a Vine Who did of hollow bulrushes combine Snares for the stubble-louing Grashopper And by her lay her skrip that nourisht her Within a myrtle shade she sate and sung And turts of wauing reedes about her sprung Where lurkt two Foxes that while she applide Her trifling snares their the eueries did deuide One to the vine another to her skrip That she did negligently ouerslip By which her fruitfull vine and holesome fare She suffred spoyld to make a childish share These omenous fancies did her soule expresse And euery finger made a Prophetesse To shew what death was hid in loues disguise And make her iudgement conquer destinies O what sweet formes fayre Ladies soules doe shrowd Were they made seene forced through their blood If through their beauties like rich work through lawn They would set forth their minds with vertues drawn In letting graces from their fingers flie To still their yas thoughts with industrie That their plied wits in numbred silks might sing Passions huge conquest and their needels leading Affection prisoner through their own-built citties Pinniond with stories and Arachnean ditties Proceed we now with Heros sacrifice She odours burnd and from their smoke did rise Vnsauorie fumes that ayre with plagues inspired And then the consecrated sticks she fired On whose pale flame an angrie spirit flew And beate it downe still as it vpward grew The virgin Tapers that on th'altar stood When she inflam'd them burnd as red as blood All sad ostents of that too neere successe That made such mouing beauties motionlesse Then Hero wept but her affrighted eyes She quickly wrested from the sacrifice Shut them and inwards for Leander lookt Searcht her soft bosome and from thence she pluckt His louely picture which when she had viewd Her beauties were with all loues ioyes renewd The odors sweetned and the fires burnd cleere Leanders forme left no ill obiect there Such was his beautie that the force of light Whose knowledge teacheth wonders infinite The strength of number and proportion Nature had plaste in it to make it knowne Art was her daughter and what humane wits For studie lost intombd in drossie spirits After this accident which for her glorie Hero could not but make a historie Th'inhabitants of Sestus and Abydus Did euery yeare with feasts propitious To fayre Leanders picture sacrifice And they were persons of especiall prize That were allowd it as an ornament T'inrich their houses for the continent Of the strange vertues all approu'd it held For euen the very looke of it repeld All blastings witchcrafts and the strifes of nature In those diseases that no hearbs could cure The woolfie sting of Auarice it would pull And who haue hard hearts and obdurat minds But vicious harebraind and illit ' rat hinds The god seeing him with pittie to be moued Thereon concluded that he was beloued Loue is too full of faith too credulous
Ioues thunder hold And need not feare those menaces of error Which she at others threw with greatest terror O louely Hero nothing is thy sin Wayd with those foule faults other Priests are in That hauing neither faiths nor works nor bewties T'engender any scuse for slubberd duties With as much countnance fill their holie chayres And sweat denouncements gainst prophane affayres As if their liues were cut out by their places And they the only fathers of the Graces Now as with setled minde she did repaire Her thoughts to sacrifice her rauisht haire And her torne robe which on the altar lay And only for Religions fire did stay She heard a thunder by the Cyclops beaten In such a volley as the world did threaten Giuen Venus as she parted th'ayrie Sphere Discending now to chide with Hero here When suddenly the Goddesse waggoners The Swans and Turtles that in coupled pheres Through all worlds bosoms draw her influence Lighted in Heros window and from thence To her fayre shoulders flew the gentle Doues Gracefull Aedone that sweet pleasure loues And ruffoot Chreste with the tufted crowne Both which did kisse her though their Goddes frownd The Swans did in the solid flood her glasse Proyne their fayre plumes of which the fairest was Ioue-lou'd Leucote that pure brightnes is The other bountie-louing Dapsilis All were in heauen now they with Hero were But Venus lookes brought wrath and vrged feare Her robe was skarlet black her heads attire And through her naked breast shinde streames of fire As when the rarefied ayre is driuen In flashing streames and opes the darkned heauen In her white hand a wreath of yew she bore And breaking th'icie wreath sweet Hero wore She forst about her browes her wreath of yew And sayd now minion to thy fate be trew Though not to me indure what this portends Begin where lightnes will in shame it ends Loue makes thee cunning thou art currant now By being counterfeit thy broken vow Deceit with her pide garters must reioyne And with her stampe thou countnances must coyne Coynes and pure deceits for purities And still a mayd wilt seeme in cosoned eies And haue an antike face to laugh within While thy smooth lookes make men digest thy sin But since thy lips lest thought forsworne forswore Be neuer virgins vow worth trusting more When Beauties dearest did her Goddesse heare Breathe such rebukes gainst that she could not cleare Dumbe sorrow spake alowd in teares and blood That from her griefe-burst vaines in piteous flood From the sweet conduits of her sauor fell The gentle Turtles did with moanes make swell Their shining gorges the white black-eyde Swans Did sing as wofull Epicedians As they would straight waies dye when pities Queene The Goddesse Ecte that had euer beene Hid in a watrie clowde neere Heros cries Since the first instant of her broken eies Gaue bright Leucote voyce and made her speake To ease her anguish whose swolne breast did breake With anger at her Goddesse that did touch Hero so neere for that she vsde so much And thrusting her white neck at Venus sayd Why may not amorous Hero seeme a mayd Though she be none as well as you suppresse In modest cheekes your inward wantonnesse How often haue wee drawne you from aboue T'exchange with mortals rites for rites in loue Why in your preist then call you that offence That shines in you and is your influence With this the furies stopt Leucotes lips Enioynd by Venus who with Rosie whips Beate the kind Bird. Fierce lightning from her eyes Did set on fire faire Heros sacrifice Which was her torne robe and inforced hayre And the bright flame became a mayd most faire For her aspect her tresses were of wire Knit like a net where harts all set on fire Strugled in pants and could not get releast Her armes were all with golden pincers drest And twentie fashiond knots pullies and brakes And all her bodie girdled with painted Snakes Her doune parts in a Scorpions taile combinde Freckled with twentie colours pyed wings shinde Out of her shoulders Cloth had neuer die Nor sweeter colours neuer viewed eie In scorching Turkie Cares Tartarie Than shinde about this spirit notorious Nor was Arachnes web so glorious Of lightning and of shreds she was begot More hold in base dissemblers is there not Her name was Eronusis Venus flew From Heros sight and at her Chariot drew This wondrous creature to so steepe a height That all the world she might command with sleight Of her gay wings and then she bad her hast Since Hero had dissembled and disgrast Her rites so much and euery breast infect With her deceits she made her Architect Of all dissimulation and since then Neuer was any trust in maides nor men O it spighted Fayre Venus hart to see her most delighted And one she chusde for temper of her minde To be the only ruler of her kinde So soone to let her virgin race be ended Not simply for the fault a whit offended But that in strife for chastnes with the Moone Spitefull Diana bad her shew but one That was her seruant vowd and liu'd a mayd And now she thought to answer that vpbrayd Hero had lost her answer who knowes not Venus would seeme as farre from any spot Of light demeanour as the very skin Twixt Cynthias browes Sin is asham'd of Sin Vp Venus flew and scarce durst vp for feare Of Phoebes laughter when she past her Sphere And so most vgly clowded was the light That day was hid in day night came ere night And Venus could not through the thick ayre pierce Till the daies king god of vndanted verse Because she was so plentifull a theame To such as wore his Lawrell Anademe Like to a firie bullet made descent And from her passage those fat vapours rent That being not throughly rarefide to raine Melted like pitch as blew as any vaine And scalding tempest made the earth to shrinke Vnder their feruor and the world did thinke In euery drop a torturing Spirit flew It pierst so deeply and it burnd so blew Betwixt all this and Hero Hero held Leanders picture as a Persian shield And she was free from feare of worst successe The more ill threats vs we suspect the lesse As we grow haples violence subtle growes Dumb deafe blind comes when no man knowes The end of the fourth Sestyad THE ARGVMENT OF THE FIFT SESTYAD Day doubles her accustomd date As loth the night incenst by fate Should wrack our louers Heros plight Longs for Leander and the night VVhich ere her thirstie wish recouers She sends for two betrothed louers And marries them that with their crew Their sports and ceremonies due She couertly might celebrate VVith secret ioy her owne estate She makes a feast at which appeares The wilde Nymph Teras that still beares An Iuory Lute tels Omenous tales And sings at solemne festiuales NOw was bright Hero weary of the day Thought an Olympiad in Leanders stay