breast most soft and kind I did not find love here I brougâ—t tâ—e flame VVith me and to obtain thy love I came By wandring storms I was not hither drove My ship was guided hither by true love Nor came I hither like a merchant man I have wealth enough the gods it maintain Nor yet the Grecian Cities here to view For richer in my kingdom I can shew 'T is thee I aske 'T is thee I onely crave VVhom Venus promis'd me that I should have I askt thee of her when I did not know the She promisâ—d that she would on me bestow thee For of thy beauty I had heard by fame Before mine eye had e're beheld the same yet 't is no wonder if that Cupâ—â—s Bow VVith feathered arrows makes me cry Amo Since by unchanged fates it 's so ordain'd Then do not thou their hidden will withstand And that you may beleeve it is my fate Receive the truth which I will here relate When that my mother was with child And daily did expect delivery She dream't for in her dream it so did seem That of a fire brand she had deliver'd been She rises and to Pâ—â—am doth unfold Her dream which he unto his Prophets told Who straight foretold that Paris should destâ—oy And like a kindled brand set fire on Troy But I do think they rather might divine That brand did signifie this love of miâ—e And though I like a Shepherds son was bred My shape and spirit soon discovered That I had not been born the son of e'arth But that I claim'd Nobility by birth In the Troy valleys there 's a place Which many trees with a coâ—d shade do grace Wherein no Sheep do feed nor any Oxe Nor Goats that love to climb upon high Rocks Here looking towards Troy and to the Sea I stood and lean'd my selfe against a tree The truth I tell me thought the earth then shook As if oppressed with some heavy foot And presently swift Mercury from the skies Descended down and stood before mine eies And therefore what I saw I may unfold The God had in his hand a rod of Gold And three goddesses Venuâ— Iuno Pallas Did set their tender feet udon the grasse Thâ—n cold amazement stiffned my long hair But winged Mercurie bid me not to fear Thou art says he câ—osen to judge and end The matter 'twixt these goddesses who contend About their beauty say they which shall be Accounted the most beautiful of three This message I from Iupiteâ— do bring VVhich having said he from the earth did spring And through the air did a quick passage make And by his words I did more courrge take So that my mind more fortified grew And dreadlesse I each one of them did view Who unto me so beautifull did appear I could not judge which of them fairest were yet one of them my fancy did approve Her beauty shew'd she was the Queen of Love But they conâ—ending which should faâ—â—est be Did all with most â—ich gifts solicite me Iuno did fairly promise I should be A mighty Monarch Pâ—â—los promis'd me Learning so that a doubt did now arise Whether I would chuse to be gâ—ea or wise But Venus smiling then Paris says she Those gifts of theirs but glorious tâ—oubles be I 'le give thee Helena thou shalt hereafter In thy arms imbrace Leâ—â—â— fair daughter Thus both her gift and beauty conquer'd me So that to her I gave the victory And afterward my fate so kind was grown That now to be the Kings son I was known At my instaâ—ment all the Courts did joy Kept in a yearly festival in Troy And as I lov'd I was belov'd of many But for thy sake I would not match with any Kings and â—ukes daughters did of me approve And fairest Nymphs with me did fall in love yet all of them were but despisâ—d of me After I had this hope of marrying thee Day and nâ—ght in my mind I thee did keep And thinking on thee I should fall aslâ—ep How comely would thy presence sure have been Whose beauty wounded me a though unseen I was enâ—â—amed with a strange desire Burning when I was absent from the fire My hopes I could no longer now contain But to sea put forth my wish to obtain And now the losty Phrygian Pines I fell'd And â—â—ees for building ships most fitting held The 〈◊〉 of Gargaâ—uâ— and Ida did yield Greâ—◠〈◊〉 of trees wherewith I ships did build I buâ—lt â—heir decks and lined the ships side With planks of Oak which might a storm abide And did rig and tackle them beside With ropes and sayles which to the yards were ty'd And I did set on the stern of the ship The Image of those Gods which did it keep And on my own ship I did make them paint Venus and Cupid thaâ— it might not want Her safe protection who had promis'd me By her assistance I should marry thee Soon as my fleet was builded thus and fram'd To sea I presantly resolv'd to stand My father and Mother when I did require Their leave to go would not gran my desire Or licence me and therefore to have staid My intended journey both of them astai'd My Sister Cassanâ—ra with loosned hair When as my Ships even weighing anchor were Said whither goest thou thou shalt bring again By crossing the seas a destroying flame The truth she said for I have found a fire Love hath enflam'd my soft breast with desire A fair wind from the Port my sails did drive And I in Helena Countrey did arrive Where thy Husband did me much kindnesse show And sure the gods decreed it should be so He shew'd me all that worthy was of sight In Lacedemon to breed me delight But there was nothing that my fancy took But onely thee and thy sweet beauteous â—ook For when I saw thee I was even amaz'd My heart was wounded while on thee I gaz'd For I remember Venus was like thee When she would have her beauty judg'd by me And if thou hadst contended with her I Had surely given thee the victory For the report of thee â—abroad was blown Thy beauty was in every Country known For through all Nations where the Sun doth rise Thy beauty onely bear away the prize Beleeve me fame did not report so much As thou deservâ—st thy beauty seemeth such That Tâ—esâ—s did not thy love disdain And to steal thee away did think 't no shame When suâ—ting to the Lacedemonian fashion Thou didst sport with the young men of thy Nation In stealâ—ng thee I like his just desire But â—ow he could restore thee I admire For such a beauteous prey had sure deserv'd To have been kept and constantly preserv'd For before thou shouldst been took from my bed Before I would loose thee I would loose my head â—las could I have ceer so forgone thee O while I livâ—d have let thee been took fâ—om me Yet if I must restore thee needs at last I would have yeâ— presum'd to touch and â—ast The
have kept my clear fame without spot No man hath in my Tables found a blot So that I wonder whence thy encouragement Proceedeth that thou shouldest my love attempt Because once Theseus stole me as a prey Shall I the Second time be stolne away It had been my fault had I given consent But being stolne against my will I went And yet he gathered not my Virgin slower He us'd no violence though I was in his power Some kisses onely he did striving gain But no more kindnesse could from me obtain Such is thy wantonnesse thou wouldst not be Like him content alone with kissing me He brought me back untoucht his modesty Seem'd to excuse his former injury And plainly it appear'd that the young man For stealing me grew penetent again But Paris comes when Theseus is fallen off That Helen may be still the worlds scoffe yet with a Lover who can be offended If thy love prove true as thou hast pretended This I do doubt although I do not feare My beauty can command love any where But because women should not soon believe men For men with flattering words do oft deceive them Though other Wives offend and that a fair one Is seldome chast yet I will be that rare one Because thou think my mother did offend By her example you think me to bend My Mother was deceiv'd Iove to her came In the shape of a milk-white feathered Swan If I offend 't is not my ignorance For no mistake can shaddow my offence And yet her error may be happy thought For to offend with greatness is no fault But I should not be happy if I erre Since I should not offend with Iupiter Of royal kindred thou dost boast to me But Ioâ—e'â— the fountain of Nobility Nay though from Jupiter thy self doth spring And Pâ—lops and Atreus be to thee a kin Jupiter's my Father who himself did cover With a Swans feathers and deceiv'd my Mother Go reckon now thy Pedegree of thy Nation And talk of Priâ—m and Laâ—medâ—â— Whom I do reverence yet thou shalt be Remov'd from Jupiter to the fifth degree And I but one and albeit that Troy Be a great land such is this we enjoy Though it for wealth and store of men excell The land is barbourous where thou do'st dwell yet thy Letter promises such gifts to me That goddesses might therewith â—empted be But if I may with modesty thus speak Thy self and not thy gifts may fancy take For either I 'le keep my integrity Or for thy love not gifts I 'le go with thee Though I despise them nor if e're I take Those gifts it shall be for the givers sake For when thy gifts have no power to moâ—e me I do esteem this more tâ—at thou do'st love me And that thou shoul'dst a painfull voyage take Through the rough Seas and all even for thy sake And I do mark thy carriage at the Table Although I to dissemble it am able Sometimes thou wantonly wilt on me glance And put me almost out of countenance Sometimes thou â—ghâ—st and then the cup do'st take And to drink where I did drink do'st pleasure take And so sometimes with thy fingers or a wink Thou closely wouâ—dâ—st expresse what thou didst think And I confesse I have blush't many times Foâ— fear my husband should discern thy signes And oftentimes unto my self I said If he were shamless he would be dismaid And on the Table thou hast many a time Fashon'd and drawn forth with a little wine Those letters whâ—ch my name did plainly show And underneath them thou hast writ Amo. I look't on it but seem'd not to beleive thee But now this word Amo doth also give me By these allurments thou my heart might'st bend If that I would have yeilded to offend I must confess thou haâ—â— a beauteous face Might win a Maid to yeild to thy embrace Let some one rather honestly enjoy thee Then that a strangers love should so destroy me To resist the power of beauty learn by me Vertue abstains from things which pleasing be By how many young men have I wooed been That beauty Paris sees others have seen Thou art more bold but they as much did see Nor hast more courage but less modesty I would thy ship had then arrived here When a thousand youths for my love Suiters were For before a thousand I had preferr'd thee Nay even my husband must have pardon'd me But thou hast stai'd too long and hast so trifle'd That all my Virgin joyes are gon and rifled Thou wert too flow therefore suppress thy flame What thou defir'st another doth obtaine Though to have been thy Wife I do wish still Meneâ—aâ—â— enjoyes me not 'gainst my will Cease with fair words to mollify my breast If you love me let it be so exprest Let me live as fortune hath allotted me Do not seek to corrupt my chastity But Venus promis'd thee in the Idean wood When three nak'd goddesses before thee stood One promised a Kingdome unto thee T'other that thou in wars should'st prosperous be But Venuâ— who was the third in this strife Did promise Helena should be thy wife I scarce believe the goddesses would be In a case of beauty judg'd so by thee Were the first true the latter part is sain'd That she gave thee me for Judgement obtain'd I do not think my beauty such that she Could think to bribe thy judgement by that fee. I am content that men may beauty prize That beauty Vâ—nâ—s praises she envies Ther 's no assurance in a strangers love As they do wander so their love doth rove And when you hope to find most constancy Their love doth coole and they away do flye Wiâ—nesse Ariadne and Hipsiphile Whoâ—e lawlesse ove procur'd their misery And it is said thou did'st Oenon wrong Forsaking her whom thou hadâ—st lov'd so long This by thy self cannot denyed be For know I took care to enquire of thee Besides if thou had'st a desire to prove Constant in thy affection and true love yet thou wouldâ—st be compellâ—d at â—â—â—st to sail And with thy Trojans thou away would'st saile For if the wished night appointed were Thou would'st be gone if that the wind stood fair And when our pleasures grew unto the height Thou would'st be gone if that the wind stood right So by a fair wind I shouâ—d be bereft Of joyes even in the midst imperfect left Or as thou perswad'st shall I follow thee To Troy and so great Priams Daughter be yet I do not so much contemn swift fame That I would stick disgrace upon thy name What would Priam and his Wife think of me With 's Daughters and thy brothers which may be Wâ—at mâ—ght Sparta and Greece of Helen say Or what might Troy report and Asia And how canst thou hope I should faithfull prove And not to others as to thee gâ—ant love So that if a stâ—angers ship do arrive here It will procure in thee a jealous fear And in thy rage call me adulteresse When
by the wind Even so the flame of love doth fire my mind Though Phaâ—n live near Aetâ—a far from me My flames of love hotter than Eâ—na be So that veâ—seâ— to my harpe I cannot set A quiet mind doth verses best beget The Dryad's do not help me at this time Nor Lesbian nor Pierian Muses nine I hate Amythone and Cydâ—us white And Athis is not pleasant in mâ— sight And many others that were â—ov'd of me But now I have plac'd all my love on thee Thy youthfull years to pleasure do invite Thy tempting beauty haâ—h betraâ—'d my sight Take a quiver and thou wiâ—t Appâ—lâ—â— be Take Horns and Bacchâ—s will be like to thee Pâ—oeâ—us lov'd Daphne Bâ—cchus Ariaâ—nâ— Yet in the Lyrick verse no knowledge had she But the Muses dictate unto me smooth rhymes So that the world knows my name and linâ—s Nor hath Aceus for the harp more praise Though he by higher subjects gets his Bayes If nature beauty unto me deny My wit the want oâ— beâ—uty doth supp'y Though low of stature yet my fame is tall And high for through the world 't is known to all Though for my beauty I have no renown Pâ—rsâ—us lov'd Cepâ—eâ—a that was brown White Doves do often pair with spoted Doves And the gâ—een Parret the black Turtle loves If thou wilt have a love as fair as thee Thou must have none for none â—o fair can be yet once my face did fair to thee appear And that my speecâ— became me thou didst swear And thou would'st kisse me while that I did sing For Lovers do remember every thâ—ng My kisses and each part thou didst approve But specialy when I did write of love Then I did please thee with my wanton strain With witty words and with my amorous vain But now the Maids of Sâ—cily do please thee Would I might Lâ—sbâ—s change for Sicâ—ly But take heed Meâ—â—ensianâ—ow â—ow you do Receive this wanderer least you do it rue Least by his â—â—attering tongue you be bâ—trai'd What he says to you he hath to me said O Venus help me now in my distresse Fair goddesse favour now thy Poetesse Will fortune alwayes be to me unkind And will she never change her froward mind For I knew sorrow soon even when that I Was six years old my father first did dye The love of a whore my brothero're-came On whom he spent his wealth and lost his fame Being grown poor then unto Sea he went To get by piracy what he had spent And because I did blame his courses he My honest counsell scorn'd and hateâ— me And as if these griefes weâ—e to light for me you know that I have faulty been with thee And of thee at last I must make complaint Because that I thy company do want In thy absence I do not dress my hair Nor on my fingers any rings do wear A poor and homely weed I do assume Arabian myrrhe doth not my hair perfume Though I did dresse my self for to please thee yet in thy absence why should I dresse me Nature hath given me a hart so soft Thaâ— love doth with his arrow wound it oft For I am still in love and I do see That I must alwayes thus in love still be The fatall sisters at my birth decreed To spin my life forth with an amorous thred Or else my studies are the cause of it Thalia hath given me a wanton wit Nor can it in love seem so strange a case That I'should love thy young effeminate face Lest Aurora should love thee I was affraid And so she had but Cephâ—â—us her staid If Phoebe should behold thee she e're long Would love thee more then her Eâ—dâ—mâ—on And beauteous Venus long ago had carried Tâ—ee unto heaven in her Ivory Chariot But that the goddesse wiâ—ely did foresee That Maâ—â— himself would fall in love with thee Such was thy beauty and thy comely grace For in thy youth thou hadst a Virgins face Return to me thou sweetest flower of beauty For to love thee I know it is my duty I do not here intreat thee to love me But that thou wouldst permit me to love thee And while I write I weep even for thy sake And all those blots thou see'st my tears did make Though thou resolvest to go yet modesty Might have enforced thee to take leave of me At thy departure thou didst not kisse me I fear'd that I should forsaken be I had no pledges of thy love for I Have nothing of thine but thy injury This only charge I would have gâ—ven to thee That thou wouldst not be unmindfull of me I swear unto thee by â—his love of mine And by my goddesses the muses nine When they did tell me that thou hadst took ship A long time I could neither speak nor weep My heart grew cold my silent grief was dumb Wanting both tears to vent it self and tongue But when my sorrows I more lively felt I tore my hair my tears began to melt So that to weep I presently begun Like Mothers at the burial of a son My brother laught and while that he did walk And strut by me he thus began to taâ—k Alas why does my loving sister grieve Thou hast no cause thy Daâ—gâ—ter is alive Thus love and shame together ill agree For I had put off now alâ— modesty And in such manner I abroad did rove That the people thereby discerned my love O Phâ—â—n I do dream of thee always Dreams makes the night more pleasâ—nt than the days Dreams make thee present though thou absent art But they weak shadows of true joyes impart Sometimes I tâ—ink that thou embracest me And â—ometimes I think â—haâ— I â—mbrace thee That thou dost kisse me then I do believe With such kisses as thou dost use to give And sometimes in my dream to thee I speak As if my tongue and senses were awaâ—e I cannot tell â—he â—est with modesty For methinks I enjoy thy campany But when the sun doth riâ—e and break the day I am sad because my dreams passe away I 'me angry that my fancy is no stronger And that my pleasant dream should last no longer Then to the woods and caves I straight way hie Wherein I enjoy'd thy sweet company As if the woods and caves wouâ—d comfort me Since they witnesses of our pleasure be Like one wâ—re mad or enchanted I â—â—ye Wâ—ile my hair doth o're my shoulders loose lie Methinks the mossie caves do seem as fair As those which built of costly Marble are I love the vvood under whose leavie shade VVe oftentimes have both together laid But the vvood seems upleasant unto me As if it mourned for thy company And I have often gone unto that place Where we have lain together in the grasse And laid me down again and with the showers Of tears have watered the smiling flowers The leavelesse trees to mourn do begin And all the sweet â—irds have left off to sing Only the Nightingale with mournfull song In sadest notes bewailes her
with his childrens wickedness commanded the innocent infant to be cast forth unto Doggesâ— and by one of his guard sent a sword to Canace as a silent remembrance of her desert wherewith she killed her self Yet before her death she declares by this Epistle to Macareus who was fled into the Temple of Apollo her own misfortune entreating him to gather up the childes bones and lay them with hers in the same Urne or funeral Pitcher CANACE to MACAREUS IF blotted Letters may be understood Receive this Letter blotted with my blood My right hand holds a pen my left a sword My pâ—per lyes before me on the boord Thus Canace doth to her brother write This posture yields my father much delight Who I do wish would a spectator be As he is Author of my Tragedy Who fiercer then winds blowing from the East With dry cheeks would behold my wounded breast For since to rule the winds he hath commission He 's of his subjects cruel disposition Over the Northern and South winds he reignes The wings of th' East and West winds he restrains And yet although the winds he doth command His sudden anger he cannot withstand The Kingdom of the winds he can restrain But over his own vices cannot raign For what although my Ancestors have been Unto the gods and Iupiter akin Now in my fearful hand I hold a sword That fatal gift which must my death afford O Macarâ—us would that I had dy'd Before we were in close embraces ty'd More then a sister ought I did affect thee More then a brother ought thou didst respect me For I did feel how Cupid with his dart Of whom I oft had heard did wound my heart My colour straightway did wax green and pale My stomack to my meat began to fail I could not sleep the night did seem a year I often sigh'd when no body did hear Yet why I sighed I no cause could shew I lov'd and yet what love was did not know My old Nurse found out how my pulse did move And she first told me that I was in love But when I blushed with a down-cast look Which silent signes she for confession took But now the burthen of my swelling womb Grew heavy being to full ripeness come What herbs and medicines did not she and I Use to enforce abortive delivery Conceal'd from thee Yet Art could not prevail The quickned child grew strong our Art did fail And now nine Moons were fully gone and past The tenth in her bright Chariot made great hast I know not whence my sudden gripes did grow Nor what pains belong'd to childbirth did know I cry'd out but my Nurse my words did stay And stopt my mouth as I there crying lay What shall I do gripes force me to complain But my Nurse and fear of crying-out restrain So that I did suppress my groans and cryes And drunk the tears that flow'd down from my eyes While thus Lucina did deny her aid Fearing my fault in death should be betray'd Thou by my side most lovingly didst lye Tearing thy hair to see my misery And with kind words thy sister thou didst cherish Praying that two might not at one time perish And thou didst put me still in hope of life Saying dear sister thou shalt be my wife These words reviv'd me when I was half dead So that I presently was brought to bed Thou didst rejoyce but fear did me afright To hide it from my father Aeolus sight The careful Nurse the new born childe did hide In Olive boughs with swadling vine leaves ty'd And so a solemn sacrifice did fain The people and my father believ'd the same Being near the gate the child that straight did cry To his grandfather was betray'd thereby Aeolus tearing forth the child discries Their cunning and pretended sacrifice As the sea trembles when light winds do blow Or as an Aspen leaf shakes to and fro Even so my pale and trembling limbs did make The bed whereon I lay begin to shake He comes to me my fault he doth proclaim And he could scarce from striking me contain I could do nothing else but blush and weep My tongue ty'd up with fear did silent keep He commanded my sâ—n should be straightway Cast forth and made to beasts and birds a prey And then it cry'd so that you would have thought His crying had his Grandfather besought To pity him what grief it was to me Dear brother you may guess when I did see When â— saw my châ—lde caâ—ried to the Wood To feed the mountain Wolves that live by blood When thus my child unto the woods was sent My father out of my bed-chamber went Then I did beat my tender breast at last And tore my cheeks his sentence being past When straightway one of my Fathers Guard came in And with a sad look did this message bring Aeolus sends this sword and doth desire Thee use it as thy merit doth require His will quoth I be done I 'le use his sword My Fathers gift shall my sad death afford O Father shall this sword the portion be And dowry which you mean to give to me O Hymen put out thy deceived light And nimbly now betake thy self to fight Ye Furies bring your smoaky Torches all To light the wood at my sad funeral O sisters may you far more happ'ly marry Than I that by my own fault did miscarry Yet what could be my new-born babes offence Which might his Grandfather so much incense Of death alas he could not worthy be For my offence he 's punished for me O Son thou breed'st thy mother much annoy No sooner bred but beasts do thee destroy O Son the pledge of my unhappy love One day thy day of birth and death doth prove I had not time t'imbalme thee with my tears Nor in thy funeral fire to throw thy hairs To give thee one cold kiss I had no power For the wild greedy beasts did thee devoure But I sweet child will straightway die with thee I will not long a childless Parent be And thou O brother since it is in vain For me to hope to see thee once again Gather the small remainder which the wild And salvage beast have left of thy young child And with his mothers bones let them have room Within one â—â—ne or in one narrow Tomb. Weep at my funeral who can reprove thee For shewing love to her that once did love thee And here at last I do entreat thee still To perform thy unhappy sisters will For I will kill my self without delay And so my fathers hard command obey The Argument of the twelfth Epistle JAson being a lusly comely young man assoon as he arrived at Colchos Medea the Daughter of Aeta King of Colchos and Hecate fancied and entertained him and upon promise of marriage instructed him how he should obtain the beauty he desired Having gotten the golden Fleece he fled away with Medea Her father Aeta pursuing after them she tears in pieces her brother
my hair I tore the flaxen wealth And softly thus did reason with thy selâ—e Hypermaâ—stra thou hast a cruell father Therefore obey his commands the rather Take courage and obey thy fathers will And boldly with the rest thy Husband kill yet since I am a young maid my hands be Unfit to act a bloody Tragedy yet imitate thy sisters now again VVho have by this time a lâ—tâ—eir husbands slain yet iâ— this â— and a murther could commit To stain it with my own blood it were fit Dâ— they dâ—sâ—rve death because they possesse Our faâ—her's kiâ—gdoâ— which yet ne'rethelesse Some strangers might from him away have carried As dowries given them whâ—n we were married Though they deserve death what shall we do lesse If we commit this deed of wickednesse Maids do not love a sword or kilâ—ing tool My fingers fitter are to spin soft wooll Having thus complain'â— my tears began to riâ—e And drâ—pped on thy body from my eyes And while thy arms aboâ—â— me thou didst out Thy hand though with the sword hadst almost put And left my father should surprize and take thee With these words I did suddenly awake thee Rise Lâ—nus who dost now alone survive Of all thy brethren none are left aâ—ive Make hast I say beâ—ake thy selfe to flight Make haste or else thou wilt be slain to night Awak'd fâ—om sleep thou didst amazed stand To see the glittering sword shine in my hand And I did wish thee for to fly away By night and save thy selfe while I did stay In the morning when â—anaus came to view His sons which his most bloudy daughters slew He saw them laid in deaths eternal slumber Yet one was wanting to make up the number And angry that so little blood was spill'd Because I my Husband had not kill'd My father without any love or care Drag'd me along even by my flaxen hair And straight way did command I should be cast Intâ— prison this was my reward at last For Iuno still on us doth bend her brow Since Iuno still on us doth bend her brow Since Iâ— was transform'd into a Cow yet punishment enough by her was born When Iuno did her to a Cow transform When she that was so fair could not in height Of pleasure yield great Iupiter delight On the bank of the River Inachus now She stood cloth'd in the shape of a white Cow While in her fathers stream both clear and cold The shadow of her horns she did behold And low'd aloud when she to speak assai'd Her shape and voice did make her both aâ—raid Why dost thou fly from thy own selfe alas Or admire thy shape in that watry glasse Thus she that was great Iupiters chief Lasfe Is enforcâ—d to feed on dry leaves and grasse Thou drink'st spring-water and art in amaze VVhen on thy shadow thoâ— dost look and gaze And of those spreading horns which thou dost bear Upon thy head thou seem'st to stand in fear And she whose beauty Iupiter did wound Now lyeth every night on the bare ground O're hills and rivers thou abroad dost stray O're seas and countries thou dost find thy way And yet O Io thou canst not escape Or changing places change thy outward shape Thy selfe doth always bear thee company Where Nilus seven streams to the sea run There she unto her former shape did come But why should I such ancient tales relate I have cause to complain of my own fate My Father and my Uncle do wage war And we out of our kingdom banisht are And he our royal Scepter now doth sway VVhile miserable we like pilgrims stray Of fifty brethren thou alone art left For their deaths and my sisters I have wept My sisters and my brothers both slain were For whose sakes I can't chuse but shed a tear And because thou in safety dost survive To be tormented I am kept alive VVhat punishment shall they expect that be Guilty when they for goodness condemn me And I must die because I would not spill My brothers bloud and cruelly him kill If therefore thou respectest me thy wife Or lovest me because I sav'd thy life Help me or if I die I thee desire To lay my body on the funeral fire Eâ—balm my boness with thy moist tears aed then Sâ—e that thou carefully do bury them And let this Epitaph be engraved on My Sepulcher or on my Marble-stone Hypeâ—â—uestra here underneath doth lye That was iâ—l rewarded for her piety For she most like unto a faithful wife Did lose her own to save her husbands life My trembling hand is tired with the weight Of Chaines or else I would more largely write The Argument of the fifteenth Epistle PAris otherwise called Alexander sayling to Lacedemon to fetch Helena which Venus had promised him was honourably received by Menelaus but Menelaus and Menos kindred going to Greece to divide Acreus his wealth left Paris at home charging his wife to use him with as much respect as himself But Paris improving the opportunity began to wooe and court Holena to gain her love In this Epistle he artificially discovers his affection and with amourous boasting iudeavours to insinuate into her affection And because he knew that women love to hear their birth and beauty praised Paris endeavours by flattery to gain her favour urging her praises and striving to disgrace her husband And at last perswades her to go with him to Troy where he would keep her by force PARIS to HELENA PAris sweet Helen wisheth health to thee That health which you can onely give to me Shall I speak or need no I my flame reveale you know I love you nor can I conceal My love which I could wish might hidden be Till time did give the opportunity VVithout all fear most freely to discover My selfe to be your faithful constant Lover But yet who can the fire of love conceal Which by its own light doth it selfe reveal yet if thou look'st that I my grief should name Then know I love thee these lines shew my flame And I intreat you to have pity on me Because my present sufferings proceed from thee VVith a frowning countenance read not the rest But such as may become thy beauty best Thy receipt of thy Letters joyeth me And cherish hope that I at last shall be Receiv'd into thy favour which I wish That Venus may her promise keep in this For Loves fair Mother first perswaded me To take this journey in hope to gain thee And lest thou shouldst through ignorance offend By divine appointment I came to this end Venus perswaded me to undertake This journey which she would propitious make For since that Venus promis'd me that you Should be my wife I challenge it as due For her perswasions made me to take ship From Troy and unto Lacedemon ship And she did make the wind most fair to stand She that 's sprung from the seâ— might it command And as she smooth'd the sea and ca'm'd the wind So may she make thy
goldâ—n apples of thy Virgin tree And nâ—t send thee back with Virginity Or if that I had spar'd thy Virgin treasures I would have â—iâ—ed some other pleasures Then gâ—ant thy love to Paris who will be While I live most constant unto thee I will be constant to your own desire My love and life shall both at once expire Before great kingdoms I preserved thee Which royall Iuno promis'd unto me And learning Pallas gift I did refuse And to enjoy thy sweet selfe I did chuse When Lunâ— Venus and fair Paâ—laâ— too Their naked bodies unto me did shew And in the Idean valleys did not grudge In case of beauty to make me their Judge yet I do not repent of my election My mind is constant to my first affection I beseech thee let not my hope prove vain Who spar'd no labour in hope thee to gain Beneath your selfe you need not to decline your biâ—th is noble so is also mine So that if we do match you cannot fail Beneath your birth or be diâ—grac'd at all For if you search into my pedigree Iove and Alâ—ctra are of kin to me And my father Priam doth the Scepter sway Of the great'st kingdom in all Asia Many Cities and sait Houses thou shal see And Temples suiting â—he gods Majestie Thou shalt â—ee Troy with Towers encompass'd round Whose walls Apâ—llo Harpe at first did found Besides there are such store of people there The Land the peopâ—e cannot hardly bear Great troops of Trojans Matrons thou shalt meet And store of Troiâ—n wives in every street The poverty of Gâ—eece thou wilt then pity When thou seest one house as rich as a City yet Spâ—â—ta I cannot contemn with scorn Because thou in that happy Land wert born But Sâ—aâ—ta is poor and cannot afford thee Dressings which with thy beauty may agree That face of thine ought not to be content With some common but a curious ornament And it is fit thou shouldst the old lay by And every day wear some fresh rarity When the habit of the Trojans you do see You may think womens habits richer be Then Hele-grant me love not disdain A Trojan who thy favour would obtain He was a Troian from our blood descended Who with this Heavenly office was befriended To fill Iâ—ve Cup and with water allay The strength of his Nectar and Ambrosia A Troian in Aurora took delight Who doth begin the day conclude the night Ancâ—iâ—es was descended to from Troy Whom the Queen of Love desired to enjoy And did descend in the Idâ—an Vally In amorous ways to sport with him and dally I am a â—roian too and if in truth You should compare my beauty and my youth With Menelaus I suppose that he Sâ—ould not in your choice be preser'd to me By maâ—ching with me thou shalt not be kin To such as bloudy Atâ—â—us hath bin Who with the flesh of men his Horses fed From which sight the Suns frighted Horses fled My Grandfather did not his Brother kill As Mâ—nelaus Grandfather who did spill Myrtiâ—â—s blood who being murder'd so He into the Myrtoan-sea did throw Nor yet our great Grandfather catcheth aâ—ter Like unto Tantalus in the Stygian water Apples and water which are both so nigh His â—ips and yet from his touch'd lips do flie yet if from them thou hast descâ—nded been Iove would me wish to be to thee a kin yet unworthy Menelaus takes delight In thee and doth enjoy thee every night I scarcely can behold thee at the Table And there to look on thee I am not aâ—le For at that very time I observe and find Many things that do much offend my mind For when the banquet is brought in then I Do wish my room unto my enemy For it doth grieve me when I do behold How with his armes he doth thy neck infold And I could blush when he before my face Doth thy small wast so clownishly embrace And it did break my hearâ— when I did see How he would cast his furred gown over thee And when that he would give thee kisses soft I put the cup before my eyes full oft His close imbrâ—ces I did never brooke For I beheld them with a dwon cast looke My meat as if within thy mouth it grew I most uâ—willingly did seem to chew And I sigh'd often which when thou did'st see Thou oftentimes would'st smile and laugh at me Then I would strive to quench my flame with wine But love through drunkennesse most cleare doth shine When I look'd away lest I more should see Thy beauty made me look again on thee It greived me to look on my disgrace But greivâ—d me more not to look on thy face And I dâ—â— strive my passion for to hide But oh dessembled love is soonest spy'd I do not flatter thee thou doâ—st perceive That I did love thee nor could I deceive Thou discern'st my love which I wish may be Known to thy selfe alone and none but thee When tears did spring I turn'd away my head Lest Menâ—laus should aske why I them shed How oâ—t have I told fained tales of love Hoping I might thereby your favour move Under a fained name hoping to move you But it was I indeed did truly love you And that I might my mind more freely speak A wanton drunkennesse I would counterfeit I remember once thy bosom open lay And to my view thy white breasts did betray Thy fair breasts which were far more white in show Than purest milk or the new fallen Snow Or whiter than that Swans fair downy feather When Iupiter and Leda lay together When I beheld them I was so amaz'd My Ring fell from my finger as I gaz'd When thou kissed'st thy Daughter I Would not miss To take thy kisse off With another kisse And sometimes I some ancient song Would sing Of those that heretofore had Lovers been Sometimes by secret signs my love was shown And by a nod or wink I made it known Then to Clynihino and Ethâ—a I did shew My grief and both of them began to wooe Thy waitiâ—g maids who when I had begun They both did leave me before I had done And I do wish the gods had been so bent To have made thee prize of a Turnament That he that got the victory might bear thee Out of the field and he that won thee wear thee As Hippomâ—nes fair Atalanta won Who all her former suiters had out-run Thou in the Phâ—ygian Cities shalt be seen Like Hippodamia brought in like a Queen By Pelops and as stout Aâ—cides brake Achelous horns for Deianira's sake So by some valient adventure I Would win thee by some act of â—ivalry But now I can but beg of thy sweet beauty And at thy feet prostrate my self in duty O thou that art thy brothers onely glory To whom even Jâ—ve himself could not be sorry To be a husband if so be yon were Not by birth descended from Jupiter Either I will return to Troy with thee Or here in thy Laconia buried be
home Since for my fathers death I a mourner am Whose death includes more grief then I can name My brother Hyppolliâ—us deserves a tear Whom his own horses did in pieces tear These fatall causes might excuse my stay yet after a while I will come away I will but lay my Fâ—tâ—er in the grave For 't is fit he â—hould worthy burial have Grant me but â—ime and I will constant be Thy Country â—eilds most safety unto me To those that since the fall of Troy did wander By land and sea and padst through much danger Tâ—â—â—ce hatâ— been kind and I unto this Land By tempest drove was kindly entertain'd If that thy love to me remain the same VVho in my royal Palace now do raign And art not Angry with my parents fate Or with Dâ—mophoon most unfortunate Suppose that unto me thou hadst been married VVhen at the siege of Troy ten years I tarried Penelâ—pe through all the world is fam'd Because that she her chastity maintain'd For she with witty Arâ— did alwayes wâ—ave An unthriving web suiâ—ers to deceive For she by night did it in pieces pull Resolving the unâ—wisted threds to woll Do'st 〈◊〉 the Thraciaâ—s will not marry thee Or wilt thou marry any one but me Hast thou a heart with any one to join Thy hand unlesse thy hand do join with mine HOw wilt thou blush then and how wilt thou grieve When a far off thou shalt my failes perceive Thou wilt condemn thy self and â—ay alas I see Demophoon most faitful was Dâ—mopâ—oâ—n is return'd and for my sake A dangerous voyage he by sea did make I that for breach of faith him rashly blamed Have broke my faith while I of him complained But Philliâ— I had rather thou should'st marry Then that thou shouldst some other way miscarry Why dost thou threaten thou wilt make away Thy self the gods may hear when thou dost pray Though thou do'st blame me for inconstancy Add not affliction to my misery Though Tâ—eseus Ariadnâ— did forsaâ—e Where he wild beasts a prey of her might maâ—e Yet my desert hath not been such that I Should be accused of inconstancy This Letter may the winds wiâ—â— out all fail Bring safe to tâ—ee which us'd to drive my fail Perswade thy self I fain would come away But that I have just cause a while to stay The Argument of Sabines third Epistle THis responsive Epistle written by Paris is not difficult for the Argument is taken out of Oenones Epistle Paris having violated the rites of marriage by repudiating his wife and marrying Helena first confesses to Oenone the injury he had done her After ward excusing himself he transfereth the blame on Cupid whose power Lovers cannoâ— râ—sist and on the fate who had destinated Helena to him unknown But t is reported that Oenone did love Paris so dearly that he being brought to her wounded by Phyloctetes with one of Hercules arrowes she imbraced his body and embalâ—â—eing it with tears dyed over him and so they were both buried in Cebriâ— a Trojan City PARIS to OENONE Nymph I confesse that I fit words do want To write an answer to thy just complaint I sâ—ek for words but yet I cannot find VVords that my aptly suite unto my mind I confesâ—e against thee I haâ—e offended yet Hâ—lens love maâ—es me I cannot mend it I 'le condemn my self but what doth it avail The power of love makes a bad cause prevail For though thou should'st condemn me and my cause yet Cupâ—d means to â—ry me by his lawes And if by his lawes we will judged be It seems another hath more right to me Thou weâ—t my first love I conâ—esse in truth And I marri'd thee in my flowre of youth Of my father Pâ—iam I was not proud As thou do'st write but unto thee I bow'd I did not think Hâ—ctor should prove my brother VVhen thee and I did keep our flocks together I knew not my mother Queen Hâ—cuâ—e VVhose Daughter thou most worthy art to be But love I see is not guided by reason Consider with thy self at this same season For thou complain'st that I have wroâ—ged thee And yet thou writest that thou lovest me And though the Sâ—yres and the Fawnâ—s do move thee yet thou â—emainest constant still unto me Bendes this love is fatal unto me My Sister Cassandra did it foresee Before that I had heard of Helâ—ens name Whose beauty through all Greece was known by â—ame I have told all unlesse it be that wound Of love which I have by â—er beauty found Nay those wounds I will open and from you To gain some help I will both beg and sue My life and death are both within thy hand you have conquer'd me I 'm at your command yet I remember that when you heard me â—elate to you her diâ—mal prophesie While I did tell thee thou didst weep upon me VViâ—hing the go is would turn that sad fate upon me That thou 〈◊〉 gâ—t'st have no cause to accuse When that O 〈◊〉 doâ—h 〈◊〉 lose Love blinded me that I could not believe thee And loving thee doth make me now deceive thee Love powerful is and when he list can turn Ioâ—â— to a bull or to a Bird tranforme Such beauty all the world should not contain As Hâ—lâ—n who is born to be my flame Since Iupiter to disguise his loose scape Did transforme himself unto a â—wans shape And Ioâ—â— also descended from his Tower To court fair Daâ—â—e in a golden showre Sometimes himself he to an Eagle turn'd And sometimes to a white Bull hath transform'd And who would think that Hâ—râ—ules would spin yet love of Dâ—ianâ—ra compell'd him And he wore her lâ—ght Peâ—ticoate 't is said While his love with his Lions skin was clad So I remember love compelled thee The more 's my fault that thou preâ—erredst me Before Apollos love and from him fled Because thou would'st possesse my marriage bed Yet I excel'd not Plâ—oebus but the dart Of Love did so inforce thy gentle heart yet this may unto thee some comfort prove That she is no base Harloâ— whom I love For she whom I before thee do prefer By birth is â—escended from Iupiâ—â—r yet her birth doth not inamour'd make me But 't is her matchlâ—sse beauty that doth take me O my Oenonâ— I do wish it still I had not been on the Idaean Hill A judge of beauty Pallas now doth grudge And Iune because against them I did judge And because I did lovely Venus praise And for her beauty gave to her the Bayes She that can raise loves flame up in another She that rules Cupid and is his own Mother yet she could not avoid her own Sons shaft And Bow where with he wounded others oft For Vâ—lcan took fair Venus close in bed VVith Mâ—rs which by the gods was witnessed And Mars again she afterward forâ—ook And for her Paramour Anchises took For with Anchises she in love would be And did revenge his sloath in venery If Venus thus did in afâ—ection rove Why may not she make Paris change his love Menelaus with her fair face was took I lov'd her before on her I did loâ—k Though wars ensue if I do her enjoy And a thousand ships fetch her back from Troy I do not fear the war is just and right If all the world should for her beauty fight Although the armed Grecians ready be To fetch her back I 'le keep her here with me If thou hast any hope to change my mind To use thy charmes why art tâ—ou not enclin'd Since in Apollo's Arts thou art well seen And to Hecates skill hast used been Thou canst cloud the day and stars shinning clear And make the Moon forsake her silver sphere And by thy charmes while I did Oxen keep Fierce Lyons gentâ—y waâ—k't among the sheep Thou didst make Xanthus and Simâ—eâ—s flow Unto their springs and back again to go And charm'dst other Rivers when thou did'st see They thirsted aâ—ter thy Virgininiâ—y Oenone let thy charmes effectual prove To change my affection or quench thy love Bookes Printed for William Gilbertson the sign of the Bible in Gilt-spur-stree without Nâ—wgate THe Faithfull Analist or an Epitome of the English History giving a true account of the Affairs of this Nation from the building of the Tower of London in the dayes of William the Conqueror to the Restoring of our Gracious King Charles the Second where in all things remarkable both by Sea and Land from the year 1069. to the year 1660 are truly and exactly represented The Rich Cabinet with variety of Inventions unlocked and opened for the recreation of Ingenious spirits at their vacant hours also variety of Recreative fire-works both for Land Air and Water whereunto is added Divers Experiments in Drawing Painting Arethmetick c. The History of Parismus and Parismenos The History of Ornatus and Artesia The History of Dr. Iohn Faustus the first and second part The History of the Gentle Craft the second part shewing what famous men have bâ—en Shoo-makers Iustin in Lattin Also Iustin in English Translated out of the four and forty books of Trogus Pompelus containing the Affairs of all ages and Countreys both in peace and war from the beginning of the world till the time of the Roman Emperors togather with an Epitome of the lives and Manners Fitting to be used in Schools for the benefit of youth The Government of Cattle by Leonard Mascall Chief Farier to King Iames. The Surveyors Perambulator A new book of Surveying of Land PLAYS Ignoramus Dr. Faustus The Valiant Welchman Fair EM the Millers Daughter of Manchester GUY of Warmick Lady Alymony The Merry Devil of Edmonton The Shoe-makers Holiday or the Gentle-Craft FINIS
OVIDS HEROICALL Epistles Englished by W. S. Veniam pro laude peto nunâ—â—itibus Mutaraè quaero Tristiâ— The â—th Edytion London printed for W Gilbertson at the Bible in Gilt-spurstrâ—â— 6 6â— OVID'S HEROICAL Epistles Englished by W.S. Veniam pro laude peto nunc mitibus Mutare Quaero Tristia LONDON Printed for William Gilbertson at the sign of the Bible without Newgate in Gilt-spur-street 1663. TO THE VERTUOUS LADIES AND GENTLEWOMEN OF ENGLAND YOur beauties Ladies and Gentlewomen are but types and shadows of the beauty of your vertuous minde which is discerned by Noble and Courteous actions I may therefore presume that Ovid's Heroical Epistles chiefly translated for your sakes shall find a gentle acceptance sutable to your Heroical dispositions for Courtesie and Ingenuity are the companions of Gentility But those who claim this Title and are degraded of it by their own vitious qualities Ovid disclaims them Vertue is an invisible gift which is not discerned by the outward habit but by speech and action and a certain delectation in vertue as Modesty Temperance and especially curtesie to which Ovid doth appeal For when Rome knew him famous he was esteemed of Love and Ladies so that he was fain to shadow the ambitious love of the Emperours daughter towards him under the vail of Corynna but the Emperour saw through it and banished him Besides these Epistles in regard of their subject have just relation to you Ladies and Gentlewomen being the complaint of Ladies and Gentlewomen for the absence of their Lovers And that their sorrow may be more sensible there is a Table prefixed adjoyning to the book presenting the several Pictures of the Arguments of the Epistles So much concerning the work and the Author Ovid now you expect a complement for the Dedication Ladies and Gentlewomen since this book of Ovid's which most Gentlemen could read before in Latin is for your sakes come forth in English it doth at first address it self a Suiter to wooe your acceptance that it may kiss your hands and afterward have the lines thereof in reading sweetned by the odour of your breath while the dead letters form'd into words by your divided lips may receive new life by your passionate expression and the words married in that Ruby-coloured Temple may thus happily united multiply your contentment And in a word let this be A Servant with you to the Lady Vertue Wye Saltonstall TO THE VERTUOUS LADIES AND GENTLEWOMEN OF GREAT BRITAIN OF all the Poets that in verse did raign As Monarchs none could equal Ovid's strain Especially in the affairs of Love Ovid the Master of that Art did prove His fancies were so pleasing and so sweet That Love did wish no other winding sheet If he had mortal been for he would die To live again in his sweet Poesie When he intended to inflame the mind Or shew how Lovers proved too unkind As in these Epistles where Ladies bemoan Themselves when their unkind lovers were gone He doth so mournfully express their passion In such a loving and a lively fashion That reading them grief will not let you speak Untill imprison'd tears from your eyes break Such passions in his Letters do appear That every word will make you drop a tear But you fair Gentlewomen of this Isle He would have you to glance one gentle smile On his Epistles stil'd Heroical Because by Lords and Ladies written all You know that Love is the Hearts pleasant tamer Whose motto is this Omnia vincit Amor For he can with his lighted Torch enflame Assoon the Lord and Lady as the Swain If then you hope to be happy in Love If other sorrows may your pity move If you the complaints of fair Ladies tender Which English doth for your contentment render Unto your view let these Epistles here Enjoy your beauteous favour shining clear On Ovid belov'd by th' Emperours daughter For which by Caesar he was banisht after Yet this his comfort was in Banishment His Love and Lines did yield your sex content Let English Gentlewomen as kind appear To Ovid as the Roman Ladies were So wisheth Wye Saltonstall THE INDEX A ABydos a City in Asia Ep. 17. Achelouâ— a river of Etolia 9. Achilles son of Peleus and Thetis Ep. 3. Acontius signifies an Arrow Ep. 19 20. Acteon beheld Diana bathing her self and was transformed into a Stag Ep. 20. Aetna a burning Mountain Ep. 21. Adonis the son of Cinyras Ep 4. Aegyptâ—s brother to Belus Ep. 14. Aeneas son to Anchises and Venus Ep. 7. Aeolus King of the winds E. 10 Aethâ—a Ep. 16. Agamemnon Prince of the Grecians Ep. 3. Ajax Ep. 3. Alcions Sea Birds Ep. 17. Alecto one of the Furies Ep. 3. Androgeus Minos son Ep. 10. Andromache Hectors wife E. 5. Antilochus Ep. 1. Apollo god of Poetry Physiâ—k and Musick Ep. 5 6. Ariadâ—e Ep. 10. Ariadnes Crown a Constellation Ep. 17. Ascanius son to Aeneas Ep. 7. Athens a famous University Ep. 2. Atias a Mountain Ep. 10. Atreus son to Pelops Ep 10. Aurora or the morning Ep. 4. B BRiseis a captive Virgin taken by Achilles Ep. 3. C CAcus a Gyant Ep. 9. Canace Sister to Macareus Ep. 11. Carthage a City of Lybia E. 7. Cassandra a Prophetess who foretold the destruction of Troy Ep. 15. Cephalus signifies the head E. 4. Cerberus Porter of hell Ep. 9 10. Ceres Goddess of corn and Plenty Ep. 2. Caryâ—dis a rocky gulf Ep. 12. Colchos where the Golden Fleece was kept Ep. 6. Corinth a City Ep. 12. Clymene waiting maid to Helena Ep. 16. Crete an Island Ep. 16. Cynthia or the Moon Ep. 17. D DEdalus who made himself and his son Icarus wings to fly withall Ep. 17. Daphne turned into a Lawrell-tree Epist. 21. Deianira Daughter to Oenus King of Caledon Ep. 9. Deiphobus or fearing the gods Epist. 5. Delos an Island it signifies manifest or clear from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deucalion who with his Wife Pyrrha survived after the general Deluge Ep. 2. Demophoon signifies a light to the people by his exemplary Vertues Ep. 2. Diana called Lucina Ep. 19. Dido signifies to fear Ep. 7. Dolon Ep. 1. E ELisa or Dido Epist. 7. Elysian Elysium was a fain'd place of joy for the dead E. 3. Endymion was beloved of the Moon Ep. 17. Eurystheus King of the Mycemans Ep. 9. Erynnis a Fury Europa signifies fair faced from whom the chiefest part of the world is called Europa Ep. 4. H HEmeus a Mountain of Thrace Ep. 2. Hector the valiantest of all the Trojans Ep. 1. Helena wife to Menelaus Ep. 5. Helespont or the Sea wherein Helle was drowned Ep. 8 7. Hercules begot by Iupiter in three nights on Alcmena in the shape of Amphytrio Ep. 9. Hermione Epist. 8. Hydra a monster whose fruitfull heads would grow as they were lopped off Ep. 9. Hero or a Noble Heroical Lady Ep. 17. Hymen the god of marriage Ep. 2. Hypermnestra Wife to Linus Ep. 14. Hyppolitus was torn in pieces by his
VVhat have I done Alas I rashly lov'd thee And yet this fault to pity might have mov'd thee I entertain'd thee this was all my fault Yet this offence might have been kindness thought VVhere is thy faith thy hand which thou didst give me And oaths thou sworest to make me believe thee Swearing by Hymen that thou wouldst not tarry But come again and thy poor Phyllis marry And by the rugged Sea hast often swore VVhich thou both hast and wilt sail often o're And by Neptune thy great Uncle who with ease Can calm the raging of the angry seas By Iuno who in marriages delights And by torch-bearing Ceres mystick rites Should all these Gods revenge thy perjuries VVhich are high treasons to their Majesties And should all punish thee with one consent Thou couldst not sure indure their punishment To rig and mend thy Ships I care did take And in requital thou didst me forsake I gave thee opportunity to run Away 't is I that have my self undone I did believe thy fair and gentle words Of which the falsest heart most store affords And because thou didst come of a good descent I did believe thou hadst a good intent I did believe thy tears and hadst thou taught Thy tears to be as false as was thy thought O yes thy tears would slow with cunning Art VVhen thou didst bid them to disguise thy heart Thy vows and promises I did believe And any of those shows might me deceive Nor am I griev'd because I entertain'd thee Such kindness shew'd to thee could not have sham'd me But I repent because to add more height Unto thy entertainment I one night Did suffer thee to come into my Bed Where thou didst rob me of my Maiden-head Would I had dy'd before that fatal night Wherein I yeilded thee so much delight For if I had not thus my self betray'd Then Phyllis might have liv'd and dy'd a Maid But I did hope that thou more constant wert That hope is just which springeth from desert For I did know I had deserv'd thy love Which made me hope that thou would'st faithful prove It is no glory to deceive a Maid Since she deserveth pity that 's betray'd By her kind heart and hath too soon believ'd For thus poor Phyllis was by thee deceiv'd And instead of other praises may they say That this was he that did a Maid betray When thy statue shall be in the City plac'd With thy fathers which is with high titles grac'd VVhen they shall read how valiant Theseus slew Those cruel thieves and also did subdue The Minotaure and did the Thebâ—nâ—â— tame And Centaures that by him were also slain And lastly when th' Inscription shall relate How he went to Hell and knockt at Plâ—to's gate This title shall ye on thy statue read This man deceiv'd his love and from her sled In this thy Father thou dost imitate That he fair Ariadne did forsake VVhat he alone excused as a sin That act thou only do'st admire in him Shewing thy self in this to be his son That thou like him hast a young maid undon But she is happily to Baâ—chus married And in his Charriot drawn with Tigers carried The Thracians do my marriage bed contemn Because I lov'd a stranger more then them And some perhaps will say in my disgrace Let her go to Athens that most learned place Since she so kind hath to a stranger been The warlike Thracians will have a new Queen The end doth prove the action but yet may â—e want success that thinketh so I say That measures actions not from the intent But counts them good that have a good event For if Demophoon would again return Then they would honour me whom now they scorn Unfortunate actions do our credit stain I am faulty because thou do'st not come again Methinks I see how when thou leftst our Court Thy ship being ready to forsake our Port Thy loving arms about my neck were spred Making my lips with tedious kisses red I wept and when thou saw'st those tears of mine Thou also wept'st and mingled'st them with thine And then thou seem'dst with a treacherous mind Sorry because thou hadst so fair a wind And at the last when thou must needs depart Then said'st farewell fair Phyllis my Sweet-heart For when one moneth is come unto an end Look for Demophoon thy faithful friend â—hy should I look for thy return in vain Who hadst no purpose to return again Yet I le look for thy coming back how ever For it is better to come late than never But I do fear thou hast a new Sweet-heart One that doth alienate from me thy heart That thou forgotten Phyllâ—s do'st not know Wo's me if Phyllis be forgotten so Who did Demophoon kindly entertain When forc'd by storms he to our Harbour came Whose necessities with treasure I supply'd And gave him many royal gifts beside My Kingdom unto thee I did submit Thinking a woman could not govern it Even all those goodly Lands I offered thee 'Twixt Haemeus and the shady Rhodope Besides thou didst my Virgin Zone untie And violate my chaste Virginity And at our marriage the fatal Owle Did sing while mad Tisiphone did howle Alecto with her snaky hair was there The Candles did like funeral-lights appear Ost sadly to some rock I go whose height May make me to see far at sea out-right If it be day or if the Stars do shine I look still how the wind stands at that time If a far off a ship I chance to see I straight do hope that it thy ship may be And then in hast upon the sands I run So far that I unto the Sea-waves come But when I have at length my error found Amongst my maids I fall down in a swound There is a hollow Bay bent like a bow Whose rocky sides into the sea far go To cast my self from hence is my intent Since to deceive me thou art falsly bent For when thou seest my body like a wrack Cast on thy shore I know thou wilt look back On the sad sight and though thy heart could be More hard than Adamant thou wilt pity me Sometimes I could drink poyson or afford To stab my tender brest with a sharp sword Or put a halter 'bout my neck which oft Thou hast embraced with thy arms more soft For I le revenge my loss of Chastity Though I am doubtful yet what death to die And to declare my death from thee did come These lines shall be engrav'd upon my tomb Phyllis that did Demophoon entertain Was by his unkindness and her own hand slain The Argument of the third Epistle THe Grecians being arrived at Phâ—ygia began to take the Cities near Troy especially those opposite to the I le Lesbos â—chilles the Son of Peleus and Thetis invaded both the Cilicians with Thebans and Lyrnessa besieged and took the Town Chyrnessâ—â—s and brought away two fair Virgins Astinoe the Daughter of Chryses called afterward by their Fathers names Chryses he
Thy nimble strength I did approve and like Or if thou took'st thy Javelin in thy hand Me thought thou didst in comely posture stand For all thy actions yeilded me delight And did appear most graceful in my sight Of the woods wildness do not then partake Nor suffer me to perish for thy sake For why shouldst thou in hunting spend thy leasure And no delight on Venus sweeter pleasure There 's nothing can endure without due rest By which our wearied bodies are refresht And thou might'st imitate thy Diana's bow Which if too ofâ—en bended weak will grow Cephalus was a Woodman man of great fame And many wild beasts by his hand were slain Yet with Aurora he did fall in love Her blushing beauty did his fancy move While from her aged husbands bed she rose And wisely to young Cephalus straight goes Venus and young Adoâ—â—s oft would lie Together on the grass most wantonly And underneath some tree in the hot weather They would â—e kissing in the shade together Atalâ—nta did Oâ—â—ides fancy move And gave her wilde beasts skins to shew his love And therefore why may'st thou not fancy me â—ah without love the woods unpleasant be For I will follow thee o're the rocky cliff And never fear the boars sharp fanged teeth Two seas the narrow Illhmus do oppose The raging waves on both sides of it flows Together thee and I will goveâ—n here The Kingdom than my Country far more dear My husband Theseus hath long absent been He 's with his friend Perithous it doth seem Theseus unless we will the truth deny Doth love Perithous more then thee or I. 'T is his unkindness that he stayes so long But he hath done us both far greater wrong With his great Club he did my brother shy And left my sister to wild beasts a prey Thy mother was a warlike Amazon Deserving favour for thy sake her son Yet cruel Theseus kill'd her with his sword Who did to him so brave a son afford Nor would he marry her for he did aim That as a bastard thou shouldst never raign And many children he on me begot Whose untimely death not I but he did plot Would I had died in labour ere that I Had wrong'd thee by a second Progeny Why shouldst thou reverence thy fathers bed Which he doth shun and now away is fled If a mother be to love her son enclin'd Why should vain names fright thy couragious mind Such strict preciseness former times became When good old Saturn on the earth did raign But Saturn's dead his laws are cancell'd now Iove rules then follow what Iove doth allow For Iove all sort of pleasure doth permit Sister may marry if they think it fit With their own brothers Venus bonds doth tye The knot more close of consanguinity Besides who can our stoln joyes discover With a fair outside we our fault may colour If our embraces were discern'd by some They would say that mother surely loves her son Thou need'st not come by night no doors are bar'd And shut on me thy passage is not hard One house as it did once may us contain Thou oft hast kist me and shalt kiss again Thou shalt be safe with me nay wert thou seen Within my bed such faults have smother'd been Then come with speed to ease my troubled mind And may love alwayes prove to thee more kind Thus I most humbly do entreat and sue Pride and great words become not those that wooâ— Thus I most humbly beg of thee alone Alas my pride and my great words are gone To my desiâ—es long time I would not yeild But yet at last affection won the field And as a Captive at thy royal feet Thy mother begs Love knows not what is meet Shame hath forsook his Colours in my cheek It is confest yet grant that love I seek Though Minos be my father who keeps under His power the seas and that darteth thunder Be my Grand-father and he be a kin To me that hath his forehead circled in With many a clear beam a sharp pointed ray And drives the purple Chariot of the day Love makes a servant of Nobility Then for my Ancestors even pity me Nay Creeâ— Ioves Island shall my Dowry be And all my Court Hippolytus shall serve thee My mother softned a Buls stern breast And wilt thou be more cruel then a beast For love-sake love me who have thus complain'd So may'st thou love and never be disdain'd So may the Queen of Forests help thee still So may the Woods yeild game for thee to kill May Fawns and Satyres help thee every where So may'st thou wound the Boar with thy sharp spear So may the Nymphs give thee water to slake Thy burning thirst though thou do Maidens hate Tears with my prayers I mingle read my prayers And imagine that you do behold my tears The Argument of the first Epistle HEcuba Daughter to Cisseus and wise to Priam being with child dreamt that she was delivered of a flaming Fire-brand that let all Tâ—oy on fire Priam troubled in mind consults With the Oracle receives answer that his son should be the destruction of his Country and therefore as soon as he was born commands his death But his Mother Hecuba sends her son Paris secretly to the Kings shepherds They-keep him till being grown a Young man he fancied the Nymph Oenone and marryed her But when Juâ—o Pallas and Venus contended about the golden Apple which had this inscription DETUR PULCHRIORI Let it be given to the fairest Jupiter made Paris their Judge To whom Juno promised a Kingdom Pallas Wisdom Venus Pleasure and the fairest of Women but he gave sentence for Venus Afterward being known by his Father and received into favour he failed to Sparta whence he took â—elen wife to Menelaus and brought her to Troy Oenone hearing thereof complains in this Epistle of his unfaithfulness perswading him to feud back Helen to Greece and receive her again OENONE to PARIS UNto my Paris for though thou art not mine Thou art my Paris because I am thine A Nymph doth send from the Idaean Hill These following words which do this paper â—ill Read it if that thy new wife will permit My letter is not in a strange hand writ Oenone through the Phrygian woods well known Complains of wrong that thou to her hast done What god hath us'd his power to cross our love What fault of mine hath made thee faithless prove With deserv'd sufferings I could be content But not with undeserved punishment What I deserve most patient I could bear But undeserv'd punishments heavy are Thou wert not then of such great dignity When a young Nymph did first marry thee Though now forsooth thou Priam's son art prov'd Thou wert a servant first when first we lov'd And while our sheep did graze we both have laid Under some tree together in the shade Whose boughs like a green Canopie were spred While the soft grass did yeild us a green bed And when
the dew did fall we often lay In a poor Cottage upon straw or hay I shew'd thee both what Lawns and Forrests were Likely to yeild much store of game and where The wilde beasts did in secret caves abide And their young ones in the hollow Rocks did hide To set thy Toyles with thee I oft have gone After the Hounds I o're the hills have run My name on every Beech-tree I do finde Thou hadst engrav'd Oenone on their rinde And as the body of the tree doth so The letters of my name do greater grow Close by a River I remember it These lines are on an Alder fairly writ And may the Alder flourish still and spread Because these lines may on the bark be read When Paris doth to Oenone false become Xanthus unto his spring doth backward run Xanthus run back thy course now backward take For Paris doth his Oenone forsake That day did unto me most fatal prove That day began the winter of thy love When Venus Iuno and fair Pallas came Naked before thee and did not disdain To chuse thee for their Judge when thou had'st told The story to me my faint heart grew cold Of the experienc'd I did counsel take They did resolve me thou wouldst me forsake For thou didst build new ships without delay And didst send forth a Fleet to sea straightway Yet thou didst weep at thy departure hence Do not deny it it was no offence For by my love thy credit is not stain'd But of loving Helen thou mayst be asham'd Thou wept'st and also at that very time Thou saw'st me weep my tears dropping with thine And as the Vine about the Elme doth winde So thy arms were about my neck entwinde When thou complaind'st because the winds cross were The Sailers laught because the wind stood fair Thou didst kiss me oft when thou didst depart And thou wert loth to say Farewel Sweet-heart At last a gentle gale of wind did blow So that thy ship from land did slowly go I looking after thee long time did stand Weeping and shedding tears on the dry sand And to the green Nereides I did pray Thy voyage might be speedy without stay For me it was too speedy since that I Sustain the loss of thy false love thereby To Thessaly my Prayers have brought thee safe And for a Whore my prayer prevailed hath There is a Mountain that to sea doth look Which beating of the foaming waves can brook From hence when I beheld thy ship was coming Into the sea I presently was running But standing still at length I might discern A purple flag which waved on the stern Then whether it were thy ship I did doubt Because such colours thou didst not put out But when thy ship to shoar did neerer stand And a fair gale did bring it close to land A womans face I straightway did behold Which made my heart to tremble and wax cold And while I stood doating there I might espie Thy sweet heart that did on thy bosome lie O then I wept my breast I strook and beat And tore my cheeks that with my tears were wet Filling the Mountain Ida with my cries And there I did bewail my miseries May â—elena at last so weep so grieve When thou dost falsly her forsake and leave And may she that this wrong to me doth offer Be wrong'd in the like kind and like wrong suffer When thou wert poor and led'st a Shepheards life None but Oenone was thy loving wife T is not thy wealth nor state that I admire Nor to be Priams daughter do I desire Yet Priam nor his Hecuba need disdain Me for their daughter since I worthy am I am fit to be a Princess to command A royal Scepter would become my hand Despise me not because that I with thee Have lain under some shady Beechen-tree For I am fitter for thy Royal bed When it with purple Quilts is covered Lastly my love is safest since for me No wars shall follow nor no Fleet shall be Sent forth but if thou Helena do take She shall by force of arms be fetched back Blood is the portion which thou shalt obtain If thou dost marry with this stately Dame Ask Hector and Deiphobus if she Should not unto the Greeks restored be Ask Priam and Antenor wise and grave Who by their age much deep experience have For to performe a beauteous rape before Thy Country must be bad and base all o're Since to defend a bad cause is a shame Her Husband shall just wars 'gainst thee maintain Nor think that Helena faithful will become Who was so quickly woo'd so quickly won As Menelaus grieves because that she Hath with a stranger by adultery Wrong'd the chaste rites of the Nuptial bed And let a stranger so adhorn his head So thou wilt then confess no art or cost Can purchase honesty that once is lost She that is bad once will in bad persever And being bad once will be bad for ever As she loves thee so she before did love Mâ—nelaus unto whom she false did prove Thou might'st have been more faithful unto me As thy brother was to fair Andromache But thou art lighter than dry leaves which be By every wanton wind blown off the tree Or like the waving corn which every whiff Of wind doth bend untill it grow more stiff Thy Cousen once for I remember 't well With dishevell'd hair did thus my fate foretell What dost thou Oenone why do'st thou sow The barren sands Or why do'st thou thus go About to plough the shoar it is in vain Such fruitless tillage can yeild thee no gain A Greâ—ian Maid is coming that shall be Fatal unto thy Country and to thee And may the ship be drown'd in the salt stood Whose sad arrival shall cost so much blood When she had said thus straight my flaxen hair Began to heave and stand upright for fear Alas thou wert too true a Prophetess For she is come and doth my place possess Yet she is but a fair adulteress Who with a strangers love was so soon took And for his sake her Country hath forsook Besides one Theseus though I know not whom Brought her out of the Country long agon And canst thou think an amarous young-man Would send her a pure Virgin back again If thou wouldst know how I these truths discry It is my love love doth in all things pry If thou call'st her fault a rape yet that name May seem to hide her fault but not her shame Since she so often from her Country went 'T was not by violence but by her consent Though by deceit thou me instructed hast Yet Oenoâ—e still remaineth chast I hid me in the woods while the wanton rout Of nimble Satyres sought to find me out And horned Fawnes with wreaths of sharp Pine crown'd Over the Mountain Ida sought me round For great Apollo that protecteth Troy The spoyles of my virginity did enjoy By force against my will for which disgrace I tore my guiltless
and gentle are than thy false mind To untimely death I would not have thee come Although deserv'd while thou from meÌ„ dost run Is thy life so cheap or hatred such at most That thou wilt leave me though thy life it cost The winds and waves their fury will appease When Triâ—on drives his blew steeds o're the seas Would thy affections would change with the wind They will if thou bear'st not a cruel mind Had'st thou not known the Seas what wouldst thou do Since having try'd it thou wilt trust it too Though to weigh Anchor the smooth sea perswade thee Yet in the Ocean dangers may invade thee The sea doth favour no unfaithful men But for unfaithfulness doth punish them Specially such as do their sweet-hearts wrong Since naked Venus from the green sea sprung I take care for him that would me forsake And am afraid the sea should thee ship-wrack Live for bad fame is worse then death can be When the world shall say that thou hast kill'd me Suppose a storm at sea should thee assail Would not thy courage then begin to quail Thy false oaths then would come into my mind And Dido whom thou killd'st by being unkind My bloody shape would hideously appear Before thy eyes with loose long-spreading hair Then thou wouldst say this thundring storm is sent Justly for my deserved punishment Untill thou maist go safely do but stay It would comfort me if thou wouldst delay Thy voyage spare Ascanius thy son Though I by thee to untimely death do come What have Ascanius or those gods deserv'd Drowning which were by thee from fire preserv'd But though thou bragd'st to me yet I do fear Thy gods and father thou didst never bear Upon thy shoulders through the flaming fire But I am jealous that thou wert a lyer For I am not the first whom thou didst wrong Or first deceive with thy alluring tongue Ascanius mother too by thee was left And thy unkindness her of life bereft Thou told'st me so much which I now believe And the sad story made my heart to grieve And that the gods do hate thee it appears VVho hadst wander'd by Sea and Land seven years Droven by storms I did thee entertain And gave thee all ere I scarce knew thy name And would that I had only been content To have entertain'd thee and no further went For I should happy be if Fame would die And never tell how I with thee did lie That day was fatal when a showre us drave To meet together in a silent Cave Me thought I heard the Nymphs begin to howle The Furies at that present time did scowle Now thou dost punish me for Sichaeus sake To whom my faith I then did violate And sure my ghost will even blush for shame VVhen after death we two do meet again Sichaeus Statue in a sacred place Stands cover'd with leaves and a woollen case From whence me thought a hollow voice did say And sometimes call Elisa Come away I come and yet the fault that I have done Is the cause that I am so slow to come Pardon me since that no base fellow wrought My ruine and this may excuse my fault Since he from Venus and Anchises came I hopâ—d that he faithful would remain And though I err'd I had a good intent Of his falshood not my error I repent But as at first so now at last I find That fortune still doth prove to me unkind My brother at the sacred Altar kill'd My husband and his blood for wealth he spill'd And after like a banisht creature I From my own Country was enforc'd to fly Scaping my brother strangers here receiv'd me And bought this land which I would have giv'n thee And built this City compassing it withall Even round about with a defensive wall Then sudden wars did me straightway invade Before that I the City gates had made And many suiters did of me approve Who all did come to wooe and win my love Now to Iarbas I yeild me up at leasure Since thou hast obtain'd of me thy own pleasure My brother in my blood desires to stain His hand by whom my husband first was slain Aeneas do not thou presume to touch The Altars of those gods who would too much By thy presumptuous prayers be profan'd Lift not unto the gods an impure hand For if to worship them thou shouldst aspire They would be sorry that they scap'd the fire And that I am with Child too it may be And that the fruits of love now grow in me And as thou hast the mother first undone So to untimâ—ly death my babe shall come So that Ascanius his unborn brother Shall die like an unripe fruit in his mother But Mercury for staying here hath chid thee I would he had for coming too forbid thee And I do with the Trojans had ne're found Nor landed on the Carthaginian ground Tost with contrary winds thou hast long time Sougâ—t that land which Apollo did assign To return to Troy thou wouldst not take such pain If Hector liv'd and Troy did stand again Thou seek not Simoeis but swift Tybris River And shalt be a stranger when thou comest thither Which thou shalt not discover nor behold Untill perhaps thou art in years grown old But rather take this Kingdom and the wealth Of Pigmalion as a dowry to my self Let ancient Troy in Carthage now remain Take thou the Royal Scepter and here raign If thou or else thy young son Iulus are Desiroâ—s to get honour by the war Here thou shalt find a foe to overcome For sometimes the red colours and the drum Do banish peace therefore I intreate of thee As thou lov'st thy Countries gods and company Spare me I beg it by thy brothers darts Young Cupid that doth wound all mortal hearts So may thy Trojans still victorious be And Troys destruction end thy misery So may Ascanius in his youth be blest So may Anchises bones still softly rest Though I offer thee my self do not reject me What is my fault but that I do affect thee I am not come of the Mycenian blood By friends or father thou art not withstood Or if to call me wife thou do'st disdain Call me thy Hostess I will take that name Or with any other name thou shalt assign I am content so Dido may be thine I know the seas that beat the Affrick shoar At certain seasons may be passed o're When the wind stands fair thou wilt sail away Now thy ships in the weedy heaven stay The time of thy departure let me know I le not stay thee if thou desir'st to go But yet thy company desire some rest To rig and trim thy torn ships were best O! if I have deserved any way Of thee I beg of thee a while to stay Untill the sea grow calme and till my love By use of time more temperate do prove That I may learn by length of time to be Valiant in suffering of adversity If not to kill my self
thy mistress thou wert so afraid That if she chid thee thou wouldst trembling stand For fear of swadling with a Holly wand And to win favour thou wouldst often tell Of thy labours which thou ought'st to conceal Discoursing unto her how thou hadst won Much honour by those deeds which thou hadst done How in thy childhood thou didst boldly tear The Hydra's speckled jawes which hideous were How thou didst kill the Erimambean Boar Which on the ground lay weltring in his goar And then of Diomedes didst relate Who nail'd the heads of men upon his gate Fatting his pamper'd Horses with their flesh Untill thou didst his cruelty suppress And how thou hadst the monster Cacus stain That kept his flocks upon the hills of Spain And of three-headed Cerberus thou didst tell Who by his snaky hair thou drag'dst from hell And how the Hydra by thy hand was slain Whose heads being lopt off would grow forth again And of Anteus whom thou crusht to death Between thy arms and didst squeeze out his breath And how the Centaures thou subdu'st by force That were half men and half like to a Horse When thou wert in soft silken robes arrai'd To tell these stories wert not thou dismai'd Didst thou think whil'st thou didst thy labours tell That a womans habit did become thee well While Omphale hath took thy Lyons skin Away from thee and drest her self therein To boast now of thy valour it is vain For Omphale in thy stead playes the man For she in valour doth exceed thee far Since she hath conquered the conquerour And by subjecting thee she now hath won The glory which did unto thee belong O shame to think the skin which thou didst reaâ— Off the Lyons ribs thy Omphale doth wear Thou art deceiv'd 't is not the Lyons spoil Thou foil'dst the Lyon she thy self doth foil And she that only knoweth how to spin To wear thy weapons also doth begin She takes the conquering Club into her hand And afterwards before her glass will stand Viewing her self to see what she hath done If that her husbands weapons her become I could not believe when I heard it said The sad report unto my heart convei'd Much grief but now my wretched eyes beheld The Harlot Iole that thy courage quell'd Such are my wrongs that I must need reveal My grief and sorrow I cannot conceal Thou broughtst her through the City in despight Because I should behold the hated sight Not like a Captive with her hair unbound And a dejected look fixt on the ground But of rich cloth of gold her garments were Such as thy self in Phâ—ygia did wear She in her passage graciously did look On the people as if she had Hercules took As if her father liv'd and did command Oechalia which was raised by thy hand Deianira it may be thou wilt forsake And of thy former whore a wife wilt make So that Hymen shall both joyn the heart and hands Of Hercules and Iole in his bands When in my mind these passages I behold My hands and limbs with fear grow stiff and cold In me thou formerly didst take delight And for my sake two several times didst fight Plucking off Achelous horn who after Did hide his head in his own muddy water And Nessus was slain by the poison'd head Of thy arrow whose blood dy'd the River red But O alas I heard abroad by same Thou art tormented with much grief and pain By the shirt dipt in his blood which I sent thee But yet indeed no harm at all I meant thee If it be so then what am I become What is it that my furious love hath done O Deianira straight resolve to die So end at once thy grief and misery Shall this same poisonâ—d shirt tear off his skin And wilt thou live that hath the causer bin Of all his torment No though not my life My death shall shew that I was Hercules wife And Meleager I will shew thereby My self thy sister I 'm resolv'd to die O unhappy fate Oeâ—â—us royal throne My Father who is very aged grown Agriâ—is hath Tydeus in forraign land Doth wander still and in the fatal brand Meleagâ—r perish'd and my mother kill'd Her self and with her hand her own blood spill'd Then why doth Dâ—ianira doubt to die And so conclude this wicked Tragedy Yet this one suit to thee I only move And beg this of thee for our former love That thou wouldst not believe or think I meant To procure thy death by that gift I sent For when the cruel Centaure bleeding lay With thy arrow in his brest he then did say This blood if thou the vertue of it prove Will cause affection and procure true love But now his treachery I have understood For I dipt a shirt into his poison'd blood And sent it which hath caus'd thy misery O Deianira straight resolve to die Farewell my Father George too farewell Farewell my brother and Country where I dwell And I do bid farewell to the day-light Of which my eyes shall never more have sight Farewell to Hyllus my young little son Farewell my husband Death I come I come The Argument of the tenth Epistle MInos the son of Jupiter and Europa because the Athenians haâ— treacherously slain his son Androgâ—us enforced them by a sharp warr to send him every year as a tribute seven young Men and as many young Virgins to be devoured by the Minataure which by Dadalus Art Pasiphas had by a Bull while her husband Minos was at the Athenian wars The lot falling on Thesâ—us he was sent amongst the rest but Ariadne instructed him how to kill the Minataure and return again out of the Labyrinth as Catullus saith Errabunda râ—gens tenui vestigia filo Guiding his steps which she led By a Clew of slender thred Afterward Theseus departing from Creete with Ariadne and Phadra he arriv'd at the Isle Nanos where Bacchus admonished him to leave Ariadne and he accordingly lefâ— her when she was fast asleep Assoon as she awaked she writ this Letter complaining of Theseus cruelty and ingratitude and in a pitiful manner intreats him to come back again and take her into his ship ARIADNE to THESEUS I Have found all kindes of beasts much more milde And gentle than thy self who hast beguil'd My trust for it had been more safe for me To have believ'd a salvage beast than thee This letter Theseus from thence doth come Where thou didst leave me and away didst run When I was fast asleep then thou didst leave me Watching that opportunity to deceive me It was at that time when the heavens strew Upon the earth their sweet and pearly dew And the first waking birds did now begin In the cool boughs to tune their notes and sing I being half asleep and half awake Yet so much knowledge had that for thy sake With my hand I felt about thy warm place Thinking indeed my Theseus to embrace I felt about the bed but he was gone I felt about
Loves arrow hath so wounded my soft breast That it unto the very bone hath peire'd My sister truly propheciâ—d of me That with loves arâ—ow I should wounded be Then since sweet Hâ—lâ—â— 't is ordainâ—d by fate That I should love thee pity my estate Do not contemn my love but my â—uâ—t heare So may the gods attend unto thy prayer If thou wilt let me lye with thee to night More I could say that should breed thy delight To wrong thy husband so art thou asham'd Or that thy marriage bed should be so stain'd O Helen thou a country conâ—cience hast Dost thou imagine to be fair and chast Either change thy bâ—auty oâ— more loving be For beauty is a foe to Chastity Venus doth love Loves â—â—ol en fruit to gather And Jupiter scapes did make him tâ—y father Then how can'st thou be chast if thou take after Jupiter and Leda Thou art thei daughter May'st thou be châ—st when thou to Troy art brought And for thy rape may I be held in fault Let 's not offend and after mend our life When as Venus promised thou art my wife Besideâ— thy husbands actions do commend The same to thee who that he might be-friend His guest absents himself to give us leasure And opportunity to enjoy pleasure To go to Creâ—te he thought it time most fit O he 's a Man of a honourable wit Which at his departure was well exprest When he bid thee use well his Trojan guest Thy absent husbands will thou dost neglect Thou tak'st no care of me nor me affect Being so senselesse thinkest thou that he Can prize thy beauty or else value thee He cannot for if he had known the danger He had not bid thee be kind to a stranger Although my words nor love cannot move thee Let us improve this opportunity Then thy husband our selves shall shew more folly If we loose time through bashfull melancholly To be thy paramour he offer'd me Make use then of his weak simplicity For thou dost lye alone and so do I ' â—were better if we did together lye Let us injoy our selves for I do say Midnights sport yeilds more pleasure than the day Then thou shalt have fair promises of me And I will bind my selfe to marry thee For I do vow if that thou canst beleive me For one nights lodging iâ—le a Kingdome give thee And if thou canâ—st but so beleiâ—ing be Unto my Kingdome thou shalt go with me That thou followed'st me it shall not be thought For I alone will bear the blame and fault As Thesâ—us did my actions shall be such And his example may thee neerely touch For Theseus did carry thee away Castor and Pollux so did also stray And I will be the fourth my love 's as ample To thee and I will follow their example My Trojan Fleet for thee doth ready stay And when you please we soon may sail away Thou in Troy City shalt live as a Queen Ador'd as if thou had'st some goddesse been And wheresoever thou dost please to be The people shall offer sacrifice to thee Thy kindred and the Trojans shall present Gifts unto thee with humble complement I cannot here describe thy happinesse Far above that my Letter doth express Let not the fear of Wars thy thoughts amaze Or that all Greece will straight great forces raise To fetch thee back who have they fetcht again Beleive me those fears are but fond and vaine The Thracians Orythia took away Yet no wars after troub'ed Thracia Iâ—son from Colchos brought away Medea And yet no wars did wast Thessalia Phaedra and Ariadne stollen were By Theseus yet Minos made no warre Dangers may seem far greater than they are And fear may be without all ground of fear Suppose too if you please wars should ensue yet I by force their forces could subdue My Country can to yours yeild equal forces For it hath store of men and store of horses Nor can your husband Menelaâ— shew More valiant courage than Paris can do For when I was but a young stripling I Did rescue our flocks from the Enemy VVho did intend to drive away them alâ— VVhereon they did me Alexander call And of Ilioâ—eus and Deiphobus I VVhen I was young did get the victory And as in single combate I plaid my part So with my bow I could hit any mark And I know Mâ—nâ—lau was not suâ—h A forward youth nor could he do so much Besides Hectâ—r's my Brother who may stand In account of Souldiers for a whole band My strength and forces are unknown to thee Nor knowest thou what a husband I shall be And therefore either no wars shall ensue Or Trojan forces shall the Greekâ— subdue Yet I could be â—ontent â—or such a wife To fight there 's credit in a noble strife Besides if al the world should fight for thee Thou shalt be famous to posterity Sweet Heleâ— then consent to go with me what I have promis'd shall performed be The Argument of the sixteenth Epistle HElena having read Paris his Epistle in her answer seems at first offended and chides him and for modesties sake objects against his perswasions proving them idle but so that she rather gives then takes away encouragement from him to proceed in his suit thereby shewing a womans crafty wit according to that of Ovid in his Art of Love 〈…〉 triâ—tis Quaeque rogat ne se sollicitare velis Quod rogat illatimet quod non rogat optat ut iâ—stes In sequere c. At first pehaps her Letter will be sowre And on thy hopâ—s her paper seem to lowre In which she will conjure thee to be mute And charge thee to forbear thy hated suit Tush what she most forwarnes she most desires In frosty woods are hid the hottest fires At last she seems to consent to Paris desire advising him as a more safe and honest course not to write his desire but impart his mind to her waiting-maids Clymene and Athra he dealing with them so farre prevailed that he brought both Helena and them to Troy HELENA'S Answer to PARIS SInce thy wanton â—etter did my eyes infect When I did read it why should I neglect To answer it Since to answer it can be No breach of chastity at all in me What bâ—ldnesse was it in thee thus to break All Lawes of hospitatlity and to speak Thus by your Letter therby for to move My affection and solicite me for love Didst thou on purpose saile into our Port That thou might'st wooe me and with fair words court And had not we power to avoid this danger And shut our Palace gaâ—e against a straâ—ger Who dost requite our love with injury Didst thou come as a gueâ—â— or enemy I know my just complaint will seem to thee To proceed from rudenesse and rusticâ—ty Let me seem rude so I preserve my â—ame And keep my honour free from spot or slain Although my countenance be not sad or sowre Though with bent brows I do not sit and lowre yet I
thou art guilty of my wickednesse Thou that didst cause my fault wilt me upbraid O may I fiâ—st into my gâ—ave be laid But I shall have Troys wealth go rich and brave And more then thou canst promise I shall have Tissue and Cloth of gold they shall present me And store of gold shall for a gift be sent me yet pardon me those gifts cannot inflame me I know not how thy Land would entertain me If in the Trojan Land I should wrong'd be How could my brother or father help me False Jason with fair promiâ—es beguild Medâ—a Who afterward exil'd Her Father Eetes was not there to whom When she was scorn'd by Jaâ—on she might come Nor her Mother Ipsea to whom she Might return nor her sister Chalâ—ioâ—e I fear not this was not Meâ—ea afraid For those who mean best soonest are beâ—rai'd Ships in the harbour do in safety ride But are tost at Sea and do storms abiâ—e And that same fire-brand too affrighteth me Of which thy mother dremt and thought that she Had been deliverâ—d and besides too I Do fear Cassâ—ndra's dismall prophesie Who did foretell as truth did her inspire The Greekes should wast the City Tâ—oy with fire And besides as faire Venus favours thee Because thy judgment gave her the victory I fear the other goddesses do grudge At thee because thou did'st against them judge And I do know that wars may follow after Our fatall love shall be reveng'd with slaughter Yet to allow her praise I am content Why should I question that which she hath meant yet for my â—ow belief be not thou griev'd For such good matters hardly are beleiv'd First I am glad that Venâ—s did regard me Secondly that with me she did reward thee And that Helen when you of her beauty heard Was before Pallas and Iuno's gifts preferr'd Am I both Wisdom and Kingdom to thee Sâ—nce thou â—ov'st me should I no kindnesse shew thee Iâ—me not so cruell yet cannot incline To love him who I fear cannot be mine For suppose I to Sea would go with thee To steal hence I have no opportunity In love's thefâ—s I am ignorant and rude Heavens knows my husband I did ne're delude And in a Letter thus my mind to shew Is a task I before did never do They are happy that do use it every day To offend it is hard to fâ—nd the way A kind of painfull fear restraineth me And how they look on us me-thinks I see Of the grumbling people I am much affraid For Aethra told me long since what they said But take no notice nor dost thou desist I know you can diâ—emble if you list Then sport and spare not but let us be wary And if not chast let us at least be câ—ary For though that Menelaus absent be I must diâ—creetly use my liberty For though he is on earnest businesse gone And for this journey had occasion I took occasion thus my love to show Make hast to return Sweet heart if you go And he straightway to recompence my wish Of his return gave me a joyful kisse Charging me that my care should be exprest In looking to his house and Trojâ—n guest I smil'd and to him could say naught at all I striv'd to refrain laughing with I shall So with a prosperious wind he sail'd to Câ—eet Yet to do what thou dost list is not meet I 'me kept in his absence with guard most strong Do'st thou not know the hands of Kings are long Besides thou wrong'st us both in praising me For when he hears it he will jealous be The fame of beauty maketh me suspected I would I had the same of it negleâ—â—ed Though to leave us together he thought fit To my own keeping he did me commit He knew there could no better guardian be To keep me chast than my own honesty He fear'd my beauty but my chastity Did take away that idle jealousie To make use of time thou advisest me Since his absence gives opportunity I must confess I have a good mind to it But am yet unresolv'd and fear to do it Beâ—ides you know my husband is from home And you without a wife do lie alone The nights are long and while we sit together In one house we may talk unto each other And woe is me when we are both alone I know thou hast a fair alluring tongue Thus every circumstance seemes to invite me And nothing but a bashfull fear doth fright me Since perswasions do no good leave that course And make me leave this bashfullnesse by force Such force would seem a welcome injury And I would fain be thus compell'd by thee yet let me rather my new love restrain A liâ—tle watâ—r quencâ—es a young flame Did not â—he stout inhabitants of Thessalia Fâ—ght with the Centaures for Hippodâ—mia And dost thou not think Menelaus hath And Tyndarus as violent a wrath A though of valour thou do'st boast to me Thy words and amorous face doth not agree Thou art not fit for Mâ—rs nor for the field But for Vâ—nus combats which do pleasures yeild Let valient hardy men of wars approve But Paris follow thou the wars of love Let Hector fight for thee whom thou dost praâ—se The gentle wars of love shall give thee bayes And in these wars 't is wisdom for to fight And any Maid that 's wise will take delight Not upon idle points of modesty â—â—and I may perhaps in time give thee my hand But it is your desire that you and I Should meet I know what you do mean thereby Thus far this guilty Letter hath reveal'd A piece of my mind the rest is conceal'd By Clymena and Aethra we may further Make known our minds more fully to each other For these two Maidens in such matters be Companions and Counsellers to me The Aâ—gument of the sevâ—nteâ—nth Epistle THe Sea of Hellespont being seven furlongs over and as Pliâ—y witnesseth dividing Europe from Asia had on the one side Sectos in Europe where Hero lived and Abydoâ— in Asia where Lâ—andâ—r dwelled being two opposite Cities Leander of Abâ—doâ— being deeply in love with Hero of Seâ—tos did use to swim by night unto her over the Hellespont but being hindred by the tempestuous roughnesse of the Sea after seven dayes were past he sent this Letter to his sweet heart Hero by an adventerous ship mastâ—r that put â—ortâ— to Sea in the storm Wherein he sheweth first that his love is firm and constant Afterward he complaineth that the roughnesse of the Sea should hinder him from swiming to her Lastly he promiseth her that he will â—â—â—tâ—re to come and expose himself to the dangers of the Sea rather than to want the sight of her or hâ—â— sweet company Whence Mâ—rtial thus of him signifieth Câ—m 〈…〉 aâ—daâ— Leander amoreâ— Et fissus tumidujam premeretur aquiâ— Sie miser Instantes affatus dicitar â—ndas Parcite dum propero mâ—rgâ—â—e dum recto While boâ—â— Leander to his Sweet heart 〈◊〉 And swelling waves did beat his weary
hereafter Not only to despise but fear the water Strong ships unto the sea are made a scorn Think st thou thy armes can more than Oars perform The Mariners Lâ—ander fear to swim Till they are forc'd when they have ship-wrackt bin VVo's me I peâ—swade 'gainst that I require Let not my words discourage thee I desire VVith thy arms wim through the seas which being done Embrace me with those â—rms when thou art come But as oft as I to the blew seas look My heart is with a sudden cold fear strook And I am troubled with my last nights dream Though I sacrificâ—d 'gainst that it did mean About morning when the Candle sleepy grew And winâ—'d when dreams most usually are true Out of my crowsie fingers sell my thread And on my pillow I did rest my head When in my dream I thought that I had seen A Dolphin that on the rough waves did swim VVhich the waves cast up on the shore and left Upon the boiling sands of life beâ—est I know not what this might presage or mean Stay till the Sea be calm slight not my dream If thou wilt not spare thy self spare tâ—ou me My life and happiness consists in thee I hope the rough seas will grow calm then stay And through the calm seas cut thy gentle way And till then since thou can'st not swim nor come Let this Letter make the time not seem long The Argument of the nineteenth Epistle AContius going to Diana's sacrifice which were celebrated by Virgins in Delos the chiefest I stand of all the Cycledes in the Aegean sea fell in love with Cydâ—â—pe a noble Maid but he in regard of the inequality of his birth not daâ—ing to solicite her love did cunningly write on a fair Apple these two verses Iuro tiâ—i sane per mystica sacra Diana Me tibi venâ—uâ—am comitem sponâ—amqueâ—uturam By Diana's sacred rites I swâ—ar to thee Thy loving Confort and Wife I will be And so he cast the Apple at the Maids feet who ignorant of his cunning reading it at unawars she promiâ—ed that she would be wife to 〈◊〉 For it waâ— a law that was spoken before the gods in the â—empâ—e of Diana should be â—atified So that Acontius endeavoâ—rs in this Eâ—stle to perswade her that Diana had inslâ—cted sicknesse on her because she had violated her promise made in the goddesses presencâ— And to allure her to his dâ—stres his Exordium endeavours to make her câ—nâ—ident to read without any suspition of deceit like the former Afterward he strives to make her husband contemptible in her sight perswading her that he was the cause of all her sicknesse ACONTIUS to CYDIPPE BE not afâ—raid since that thou shalt not swear â—s thou didst before to thy Lover here For thou didst swear enough at that same time VVhen thou didst pâ—omise that thou wouldst be mine Râ—ad it and so may the sicâ—ness leave thee And pâ—ins whâ—ch also are a pain to me For why shou'd tâ—y ingenuous cheeks be spred As in 〈◊〉 â—emple with blushing red Since to perform thy promâ—se I do move thee And not loosely but as a husband love thee For i◠〈◊〉 words ' thou wouldâ— but call to mind VVhicâ— I did write upon the Apples rinde And cast before thee being read by thee In â—eading it â—hâ—u didst promise to me Even â—hat which I do now of thee desiâ—e My words and faith do not at oncâ— expire When Diana depriv'd thee first of health I fear'd it Virgin think upon thy self And now I fear the same for now at length The flame oâ— love in me haâ—h gotten strength My strong affection doth â—neâ—ease and grow Encourag'd by that hope which you did shew Thou gav'st me hope from thee it did proceed Diana is a witness to thy deed For thou didst swear by Diana's majesty Acomâ—â—â— I do mean to marry thee And to these words which from thy mouth then went Diana bow'd in token of consent If thou dost urge thou weâ—t deâ—eiv'd by me The deceit came from love my love fâ—om thee Seeking thereby to thee to be united That should win favour wherewith thou art frighted I 'me not so crafty by nature or use Thy beauty doth this craftinesse infuse Ingenious love and not my art first joyn'd Those words which thee to me did firmly bind For love this cunning trick to me disclos'd And words of marriage into lines compos'd yet let this Act of mine deceitfull prove If it be deceit to get what we love And now I write for favour I intrear Complain of this if this be a ceceiâ— If loving thee an injury I do thee Though thou forbid me I will love and woe thee Some have by force their Sweet-hearts away brought To write a Letter shall it be a fault Since that a Letter a new knot doth tye Of that promis'd love between thee and I. Though thou art coy to me yet I shall make thee More kind and I do know that I shall tâ—ke thee For albeit thou scape out of this net Thou shalt not scape all those which love can set And if that gentle means and art do fail Then force against thy coinesle shall prevail I do not hold that Paris was in fault or those who their desires by force have sought And so will I although that death should be His sad reward that ventures to steal thee Wert thou lesse fair my suit would be more cold But now thy beauteous face doth make me bold My flame of love proceeds from thy fair eyes Which do out shine the bright stars in the skies And from thy white neck which thy brown hair graces And from thy armes fit onely for imbraces Thy modest countenance also taketh me Where silent beauties sweetly placed be Thy feet like ivory are so pure and white That Thetis I suppose hath not the like I were happy if I might praise the rest Thy parts summ'd up together would be best It is no wonder since thou art so fair If by thy own words I did thee insnare For if thou should'st confess thy self to be Taken by my deceit and treachery Let me beaâ— the envy of it and blame So that I may the fruits of love obtain Achilles did by force fair Brisâ—â—s take yet she lov'd him and would not him forsake Fâ—nd fault with what thou wilt and angry be So that in danger I may enjoy thee I that have mov'd your anger will appease you And if you give me leave I 'le strive to please you For I will stand before you and there weep VVhile my tears with my words due time shall keep And like some servant that correction fears I hold my hands up and beg with my tears Assume your right I 'me a â—â—ave to your bâ—auty Be you my Mistriss and teach me my duty Although that you should striâ—e me and should tear In an imperious manner my long hair I 'le suffer all and onely affraid be Left you should hurt your â—and with striking me Thou
compell not perswade My love by promises on thy part made What doth my former oath now profit thee Though I call'd Diana it to testifie It is the mind that swears but my tongue went And swore this oath without my minds consent An oath should be took with a knowing mind Therefore a rash oath hath no power to bind If willingly I promis'd unto thee Marriage thou might'st then seek it now of me But if those words I unâ—wars did speak Thou stand'st on words that are but vain and weak I did not swear therefore thou canst not be By reading those words a husband unto me If such false oaâ—hs to bind effectual were To grow rich in short time thou need'st not fear For all the Kings in the world may resigne Their right unto thee by reading a line Thou art greater then Diana believe me If in thy words so great a power there be yet though my oath and thy love here I flight And have strongly pleaded my case is right yet I confesse I fear Diana's wrath Who now I doubt thus me afflicted hath For as often as I do intend to marry I do fall sick and so am sorc'd to tarry Thrice Hymen now unto my bed-side came And finding me sick he went back again And with his tired hand he scarce could light His Torch or make it to burn clear and bright Sometimes with powders he perfumes his hair While he his yellow saffron robe doth weare But when unto my chamber he doth come And beholds rears and weeping he is gone He pluck's the Garland from his shineing hair And tears the flowers in it placed were Such mourning doth with him so ill agree That his blushing cheeks red as his robe be VVhile a hot feaver now tormenteth me So that I think the bed-cloaths heavy be I see my parents for me weep and rage Who am now nearer death then marriage O Dâ—anâ— that dost wear thy painted quivâ—r Help me now by Apolle's skill thy brotâ—er Since he can cure the sick then why should I To thy disgrace without thy heâ—p nere dye VVhâ—n thou dâ—dst bathe thy self I ne're mistaked Like rash Actâ—on who beheld thee naked On thy altars I have often sacrific'd Tâ—y mother was not by my mother despis'd This only was my fault that I had read A perjur'd verse and â—as â—â—â—reby deceiv'd Tâ—erefore Acâ—â—t us for my sake now bring To Diana's alter thy own offering If that the goddesse be offended with me Then to be thine why doth the hinder me For if that she do take away my life Thou canst not hope that I should be thy wiâ—e He that should be my Husband doth not stand By my bed and lift me up with his hand He sits indeed on my beds side but he Attempts no action of immodesty And knows not what to think of me at all When wâ—thout cause teers from my eyes do fall He seldome doth a kisse to me impart And with a fearfull voyce cals me Sweet-heart I wonder my disdain he hath not spy'd For when he comes I turn on my left fide I will not speak but sleep I counterfeit And puâ—l my hand back when he would take it Then does he fetch a deep sigh because I Am offended with him he knows not why VVhen as in truth if I should speak my mind Cause in â—y sufferings thou dost pleasure find Thou dost deserve our angeâ— who didst set Thy cunning toylâ—â— to catch me in thy net Why dost thou write thou would'st â—ain visit me Since in thy absence thou hast wounded me Why thou art call'd Acontius I have found Cause like an arrow thou far off dost wound That wound is not yet healed which no darâ— But these words I read gave unto my heart Why should'st thou come and here behold me lie The wretched Trophy of thy victory For now my bloudlesse colour doth quite fail And I am like tâ—y Apple wan and pale My white cheeks are not lightly stain'd with red Like spored marble newly polished But like the colour of a silver Cup When with cold water it is filled up â—f thou sawest me I should not seem the same As when by Art thou sought'st my love to gain My promise thou wouldst willingly remit And aske the goddesse to be freed from it And thou wilt send me then another line That I may sweâ—r that I shall ne're be thâ—â—e Yet pretheâ— come since thou desir'st the same And see if thou canst know me now again Though Acontiuâ— thy breast like Iron be Thou would'st pray the goddesse to pardon me yet I would have thee know we askt Appollo To regain health what course I ought to follow And as fame doth repoâ—â— he answered I Was punish'd for my infidelity And thus the gods in Oracle answer'd me Who to thy desires favourable be Whence comes it but because these cunning Letters In the Apple writ make the gods thy debtors Since thou dost rule the gods thou must rule me And therefore willingly I yield to thee I told my mother how I had betray'd My self to thee at which she was dismay'd you must contrive the rest for I have done Already I fear more then doth become A Virgin since in this Letter you see I freely do unfold my mind to thee Now my weak joynt◠〈◊〉 weary of enditing And my sick hand is tired wiâ—h long writing So hoping that we shall together meet My Letter with a farewell doth thee greet The Argument of the one and twentieth Epistle PHaon being sometimes a â—oatmanâ— Venus came unto him and desired to be carried over the water gratis which he did not knowing her to be a goddesse whereupon she gave him a box of oyntment wherewith anoynting himself he became so beautiful that all the women in the Isle Lesbes were in love with him and especially Sappho did impatiently affect him But when Phaon went to Sicily Sappho out of the heat of her love and feare of his disdain desperately resolved to throw her self into the Sea from Lucas a Promâ—utorie of Spire Bâ—t yet unconstant to her first resolve â—he endeavours by this Epistle to recal him back and gain his love of which she formerly despaired and to win him to a dislike of his present estate and manner of life Lastly she useth all Arguments that might move him to pity And in this Epistle Ovid hath most lively exprest the soft and amorous affections of love SAPHO to PHAON SOon as thou do'st behold my studious hand â—hence the Letter comes do'st thou understand Or unlesse in it thou Sâ—phâ—es name read Do'st thou not know from whence it doth proceed Thou may'st wonder why I in this verse vvrite Since I in Lyrick numbers do delight The weeping Elegy will fitting prove To sute unto our sad and mournfull loâ—e But in light Lyrick verses there appears No doleful harmony that mry suâ—e tears For as a feild of corn on fire whose flame The Eastern wind doâ—h blow up and maintain Doth burn apace being fanned
former wrong She laments those sad wrongs she did sustain Of thy forsaking me I do complain If she sung not nor I complain'd of thee The wood more silent than the night would be There is a Fountain thatâ—s as clear as glasse So that some thought a deity in it was O're which a great tree doth extend his boughs And soft green grasse even round about it growes I being weary by chance I lay down here And a Nayad which did to me appear Standing before me thus to speak began Because thou lov'st and are not lov'd again To Leucas go if that thou wilt have case A proâ—ontory that o're-looks the Seas Hence Deucalign for Pyrrhâ— love Did throw himself down and as it did prove He had no hurt but being dâ—enched in These seas his love to cool did straight begin The vertue in this place remains make hast And from this rock thy self down quicly cast Thus having said she vanisht and my fears Increast my eyes did over-flow with tears Fair Nâ—mph I promise thee that I will go Enrag'd with love unto that rock you show Perhaps the light air in her armes will bear me I can't be worse than why should daâ—ger fear me O love with thy wings let me be sustain'd Lest for my death Leucâ—dian seas be blam'd Then unto Phoebus I 'le my Harpe resign And underneath it write this double line Sappho O Phoebus offers unto thee Her Harp which thou lovest and was lov'd by me If Phaon to return to me would please What need I go to the Actaean Seas Thou canst â—â— me more good thee I will follow Thy beauty is such thou art my Apollo Or canst thou harder then a hard Rock be And to die in my misery suffer me It were far better sure that I should join In close embraces my fair brest with thine That breast O Phaon which thou didst oft praise And which did seem so witty many wayes Now I would fain be eloquent but while I strive to write in a more elegant stile My art doth fail for grief my wit hath spent So that my letter is not eloquent My former vein of writing verse is done My jocund Harp is now grown mute and dumb ye Lâ—sbian Nymphs tâ—at marriage do desire ye Nymphs so called from the Lesbyan Lyre ye Lâ—sbian Nymphs whose love advanc'd by same Come not to hear my Harp or Lyrick straiâ— For that sweet vein I had in former time My Pâ—aon took away who is not mine If you send him back I should regain it He is my Genious that doth give me wit But why with prayers seek I to perswade Can his heard hart with prayers be soft made No it doth grow more stiffe and I do find That all my words are but like empty wind But I do wish the winds would bring thee back Why to return again art thou so slack I have long lookt for thee then come away VVhy dost thou thus torment me with delay VVeigh but thy Anchor Venâ—s will befrieâ—d thee VVith a good voyage and a fair wind lend thee Cupid to steer thy ship too will not fail And he will put out and take in each sail But if thou forsake Lesbian Sappho I Have not deserv'd of thee such cruelty And by this Letter I would have thee know That I my self into the Sea will throw Three responsive Epistles of the Poet Aulus Sabinus in answer to The Argument of Sabines first Epistle VLysses having read Peâ—â—lopes Epistle answereth to all objections and relates his many troubles which he had valiently endured Tyrosias and Pallas having instructed him in future events he prophesieth unto her that he will come home to Ithaca in the babit of a begger He comes home so disguised that Penelopes wooeâ—s supposing him a begger offer hâ—m many affronts Bâ—t his son Telemachus and two servants helping him he fell upon them and slew them all At lâ—st his â—on Tâ—begonus whom he had by Circe flew him with a poâ—soned Arrow ULISSES to PENELOPE VNfortunate â—lisses hath from thee Receiv'd thy Letter dear Pen lope The sight of thy hand and seal were to me A kind of comfort in my misery Thou dost accuse me that I am to slack In returning and coming to thee back I had rather thou shouldst estem me slow Then that I should let thee my troubles know Greece knew my love unto thee when I had For thy love counterfeited my self mad For such was then the sorce of my affâ—ction That I did counterfeit a fain'd distraction Thou wouldst not have me write but come away I make hast but crosse winds do make me stay Troy with the Grecian Maids hate is defac'd I am not there for Troy is burnt and raz'd Deiphobus â—sius Hector all slain are And all the rest of whom thou standst in fear I scapt the â—braciaâ— bands when I had slain â—besus and to my Tents return'd again And besides out of Pallas Temple I Did take the fatall palme of victory I was in the 〈◊〉 when 〈◊〉 Trojâ—â—â— burn the Horse yet not 〈◊〉 Burn it for in this wooden horse quoth she The cunning Grecians here inclosed be Therefore if you do not this horse destroy It shall be the destruction of Troy Achillâ—s rites of sepultâ—re did lack Till I brought him to Thetis on my back The Grecians did my labour so regard I had Achilleâ— armour for reward yet I have lost all for the seâ— hath swallow'd My ships and all the company me â—follow'd Onely that constant love I owe to thee Continues with me in adversity Scylla and Charybdis could not cast away My love to thee which still doth with me stay Spight of Antiphâ—tes my love endur'd And though the cunning Syrens me allur'd And Circe nor Calypso could not charm me Thy love against their Sorceries did arm me Both promiâ—'d that they could immortal make Me that I should not fear the Stygian Lake For thy sake I their offer did withstand And have suffer'd so much by Sea and Land Perhaps when thou these womens names dost find In my Letter it will trouble thy mind And of Câ—râ—e and â—alypso to hear Perhaps thou wilt be struck into a fear When I in thy letter Ancâ—nuâ— red Polybu and Medon they my fear bred Since thou so many youthful Suitors hast How could I think that thou remainost chaft Could thy delight in they tear blubber'd face Do nâ—t thy tears thy beauty yet debas And it seems thou hast given consent to marry But thy unthriving web doth make them tarry For that which thou hast in the day time spun thou unweav'st at night so 't is never done Thy Art is good which doth successfull prove To delude their purpose delay their love O Polyphemus I do wish that I Had dy'd in thy Cave free from misery Would I had been by the Tâ—raâ—ians slain When my ships unto Imarus first came Wou d cruel Plâ—to then had satisfied His wrath on me I would that I had dy'd When I de