face is fittest now for thee Thus speakyng down y e blakish blud by streames doth gushyng flow Into his mouth And clottred lumps of flesh the place doth strow Wherin he stands Beware betymes by hym beware I speake vnto you all Learn Iustice trueth fear of Gods By this vnhappy fall Chorus OUr lyf w t toÌ„blyng fatal cours of Fortunes whele is rold To it giue place for it doth run al swiftly vncontrold And Cares teares ar spent in vayn for it can not be stayed But nedes must run the rated race of Destenies all decreed What maÌ„kynd hydes or does on erth it coÌ„mmeth from aboue Then wayling grones powrd out in griefs do nought at all behoue Our lyf must haue her pointed cours Alas what shall I saye As fates decrees so things do run no man can make them stay For at our byrth to gods is known our latter dying day No Prayer no Arte not God himself may fatall fates resist But fastned all in fixed cours vnchaunged they persist Suche ende them styll ensues as they appoincted were to haue Than flye all fear of Fortunes chauÌ„ge seeke not to lyue a slaue Enthrald in bondage vyle to feare For feare doth often bryng Destnies that dreded ben and mischeyfs feard vpon vs slyng Yea many a man hath com vnto his fatall ende by feare Wherfore set peuysh feare asyde and worthy courage beare And thou that Subiect art to Death Regarde thy latter daye Thinke no man blest before his ende Aduyse the well and staye Be sure his lyfe and death and all be quight exempt from mysery Ere thou do once presume to saye this man is blest and happy But owt alas see where he coms A wretche withouten Guyde Bereft of syght Half spoyld of lyfe Without all pomp and Pryde That vnto kyngs Estate belongs ¶ The fyfth Acte The second Sceane Oedipus Chorus Iocasta Oedipus VUell well Its don More yet No no no more remayns My Fathers rites performed ar What God on Misers payns That rues Within this Clowd hath rold wrapt my wretched pate Ah syr this is a lyfe alone This is a happye state This is a case ene fyt for thee for thee thou wretche for thee From whose accursed syght the Son the Stars and all do flee Yet mischiefs more who gyues to do The dredfull daye I haue Escapte Thou fylthy Paracide Thou vyle mischeiuous Slaâ—â— Unto thy ryght haÌ„d nought thou owst all thyngs performed bee Unhappy man that euer I lyued this wretched daye to see Where am I nowe alas The lyght and all doth vs Abhorre This looke is first for the thâ—u myserable Oedipus Chorus Se se where Iocasta coms with fyerce and furyous moode Quight past her selfe For very rage she frets and waxeth woode Lyke to syr Cadmus Mother mad who late her Son dyd kyll Fayne wold she speake her mynd For feare alas she dares not Styll She stayes And yet all shamefastnes these yls haue quight exild From out her wretched brest Iocasta Fayne wold I speake I am afrayd for what shuld I the call My Son dowt not Thou art my Son My Son thou art for all These mischiefs great Alas alas my Son is ashamd of mee O cruell Son Where dost thou turn thy face Why dost thou flee From me From me thy Mother deare Why dost thou shun my syght And leaue me thus in myserye with Cares consumed quight Oedipus Who troubles me Let me alone I thought not to be fownd Who now restores myne eyes to me my Mother or my Mothers sownd Our labour all is spent in vayne now may we meete no more The Seas deuide those meetings vile that we haue had before The gaping yearâ—h deuyde vs both thone from thother quight Styll let our feete repugnant bee So shall I shun the lyght That most of all me greues Iocasta The Destenies ar in faut Blame theÌ„ Alas alas not wee Oedipus Spare now Leaue of to speak in vain Spare now O Mother me By these Relyques of my dismembred body I thee praye By myne vnhappy Chyldren pledges left What shall I saye By all the Gods I thee beseche By all that in my name Is eyther good or bad Let me alone To trouble me Alas you are to blame Iocasta O woofull Soul O wretched hart Why dost thou faint alas Why doest thou seek and toile in vain these ills to ouerpas What meane these sighs and boiling teares Why dost y u pains refuse Thou mate of all his mischiefs thou by whose means only rues The law of nature all by whom Ah Ah counfonnded lies Both god and man and beest and all that either liues or dies Die y u. dispatch at once thrust through thy vile incestruous brest Not thou if god him self if he his flaming fiers should throw On thee or mischeifs all by heaps vpon thy body strow Couldst once repay dew payns for thy deserued yls Thou filthy wretche Thou wicked Mother thou Death death now best coÌ„tenteth me than seeke a way to dye So mayst thou yet at length find ende for this thy myserye O Son lend me thy hand yf that thou art a Paracide This labour last of all remayns this labour thee doth byde Dispatche rid me thy Mother deare from all my wretched woe It wyll not be No praiers moue Thy selfe this deed must doe Take vp this sword Go to With this thy husband once was slayn Thy Husband Thou termst him fals Thy father he was O dedly payn Shall I quight through my brest or through my throte it thrust Canst y u not choose thy wound Away dye dye alas thou must This brest This wombe Than wouÌ„d this this with thyne own hand Strike perce and spare it not whiche both a Husband and The same a Son dyd beare Chorus Alas alas she is slayne she is slayne dispatched with a push Who euer sawe the lyke to this Se how the blud doth gush From out her wounded brest O heuy dolfull Case Oedipus Thou God Thou teller out of fates On thee on thee I call My Father onely I dyd owe vnto the Destenies all Now twyse a Paracide and more than I dyd feare mischeuous My Mother I haue slayne Alas I am the cause Its thus O Oedipus accursed wretche lament thyne owne Calamitie Lament thy state thy gryefe lament thou Caytyfe borne to myserye Where wylt thou become alas Thy face where wylt thou hyde O myserable Slaue canst thou suche shamefull torments byde Canst y u which hast thy Parents slain Canst thou prolong thy lyfe Wilt thou not dye deseruyng Death Thou cause of all the gryefe And Plages dredfull mischiefs all that Thâ—bane Cytie preas Why dost thou seeke by longer lyfe thy sorowes to encreas Why dost thou toyle and labour thus in vayne It wyll not bee Both God aâ—d man and beast and all abhorre thy face to see O Eâ—rth why gapst thou not for me Why do you not vnfold Your selfs you gates of Hel me to reâ—eyue Why do you hence w thold The fyerce infernall Feends froÌ„ me from me so wretched wyght Why breake not all the Furyes lose this hatefull hed to smyght With Plages whiche them deserued hath Alas I am left alone Both lyght and syght and comfort all from me O wretche is gone O cursed hed O wicked wyght whom alâ— men deadly hate O Beast what meanst y u styll to lyue in this vnhappy state The Skies do blush and are ashamd at these thy mischiefs great The earth laments the heaueÌ„s weepe the Seas for rage do freat And blustring ryse stormes do styr and all thou wretche for the By whose incestuous lothsom lust all thyngs dysturbed be Quight out of course displaced quight O cursed fatall daye O mischiefs great O dredfull tymes O wretche away awaye Exyle thy selfe from all mens syght thy lyfe halfe spent in myserye Go ende consume it now outright in thriâ—e as great Calamitie O lyeng Phebe I haue done more than my Destnie was to do With treÌ„blyng fearfull paâ—e go forthâ— thou wretcheâ— Monster go Grope out thy waies on knees in darke thou myserable slaue So maist thou yet in tract of tyme due paynes and vengeaunce haue For thy mischeuous lyfe Thus thus the Gods themselues decree Thus thus thi fates thus thus y e skies appoynt it for to bee Than headlong hence with a mischief hence O Caytife vile away Away away thou monstrous Beast Go. Ron. Stand. Stay Lest on thy Mother thou do fall All you that weryed bodyes haue with syckenes ouerprest Loe nowe I flye I flye awaye The cause of your vnrest I flye Lyft vp your heads A better state of Ayer shall straight ensewe Whan I am gone for whom alone these dredfull mischiefs grewe And you that now halfe dead yet liue in wretched mysers case Help those whoÌ„ present tormeÌ„ts pres forth hye you on apace For loe with me I carry hence all mischiefs vnder Skies All cruell fates Diseases all that for my sake dyd ryse With me they go with me both grief Plage Pocks Botch and all The yls that eyther now you pres or euer after shall With me they go With me w t me These Mates ben meetst of all For me FINIS ¶ Perused and allovved accordyng to the Quenes Maiesties Iniunctions ¶ Faults escaped in the Pryntinge In C. the .5 Page the .5 line reade in the margent Creon the same page the 6. line reade in the margent Oedipus E. the .8 Pagâ— the last vers for this rede his E. the last Page the .7 vers for where wilt thou become alas rede where wilt thou now become alas ¶ Imprynted at London in Sainct Brydes Churchyarde oueragaynste the North Doore of the CHURCHE by Thomas Colwell ☞ The Oracle
oâ— y e wysest lytle esteaming the preiudiciall mouthes of suche carping Marchauntes whiche suffre no mennes doynges almoste to scape vndefyled In fyne I beseche all togyther yf so it myght be to beare with my rudenes and consydre the grosenes of oure owne CouÌ„trey language whiche can by no means aspire to the hyghe lofty Latinists Stile Myne onely entent was to exhorte men to embrace Uertue and shun Uice Accordynge to that of the ryght famous and excellent Poet Virgyl Discite iusticiam moniti non temnere diuos This obtayned I holde my selfe throughlye contented In the meane season I ende wyshyng all men to flie Sin the present Path waye to perfect Infelycitie Farewell ¶ The names of the Speakers of this Tragedie Oedipus Chorus Tiresias Senex Iocasta Creon Manto Pâ—orbas Nuntius ¶ The fyrste Acte Oedipus Iocasta Oedipus THe night is gon dredful day begins at length to appeare And Lucifer beset w t Clowds hymself aloft doth reare And gliding forth with heauy hewe A dolful blase doth beare in Skyes Now shal the houses voide be sene with Plagues deuoured quight And slaughter y t the night hath made shall daye brynge forth to lyght Doth any man in Princely throâ—e reioyce O bryttle Ioye How many ills how faire a face and yet how muche annoye In the doth lurke and hidden lies what heapes of endles stryfe They iudge amys y t deame y e Prince to haue the happy lyfe For as the mountayns houge and hie the blustryng windes withstand And craggy Rocks the bâ—lâ—hing fluds do dash and beate fro land Though that the seas in quiâ—t are and nought at all do fome So kingdoms great submytted lye to Fortunes doulfull Dome How well shund I my father deare Pâ—lybus scepters late Exildeâ— bereft of carfull feare in Pilgrims happy state I call the Gods to witnes heare and â—â—ars that glyde in skies A kingdom is befauln to me I feare lest hereof rise A mischiefe mighty Ioue to great I feare alas I feare Lest these my handes haue spoyld the lyfe of the my father deare Appollo byds me this beware and yet a mischiefe more Foretelles Can eny greater be then this I told before Of father slayn by sonnes owne hand My shyuering lyms do shake And all amased quaking stand at this vnhappie Fate I am asshamed my desâ—nies fowle at large to thunder out And openly to blase my feare my dredfull minde doth doubt Yet out it goes Phebuâ— me bids my mothers beds to fly As though that I hyr sonne w t hyr incestuouslie shuld ly This feare and only this my dryues from fathers kingdoms great Not lyke a wanderyng Uacabounde the wayes vnknowen I beate But all mystrustâ—ull of my selfe thy lawes O Nature for to keape I sought the meanes Yet feare I stil and fear into my mynde doth creape Though cause of Dread not one I sâ— yet feare and dread I all And scante in credit with my self I seke my fatal fall By Dome of doulful Destinies For what shuld I suppose the cause A Plage that is so generall And Cadmus countrie wholy spoiles and spreds it self thorough all Shuld vs amongest so houge a heap of plaged Bodyes spare And we alone amongst the rest reserued to myschiefes are O heuy hap And byde we still alone the spoyle to see Of Cites great of men of beasts by plage that wasted be And thou amongst so many yls a happy lyfe to lead Couldste once perâ—wade thy selfe O wretch without al fear or dread Of Phebus secret Iudgements to and that in kynges estate Thou thou infected hast the ayre in suche a fylthye rate Thou art the onely cause of woe by the these euils ryse By the to graue on suche a sorte this wretched people plies The fyry flaming frieng heate afflicted harts that wastes Is not relyued as wont it was by cold and pleasaunt blastes The gentle westerne windes haue left with helthful puffes to blow And now the fyery Dog with blase of boylynge heate doth glow The Sonne in Leo burns so hote and so the earth doth broyle That fluds and herbes are dried vp and nought remaynes but soyle So throughly schorcht and stued with heate that moisture all is gon And now amongst so may fluds remaynes alas not one The places drye are only sene the streames are dronken vp And water that doth yet abyde the sokyng Earth doth sup The Moone with clowds quight ouer cast all sadly forth she glides And dolfull darksom shades of night the whole worlde ouerhides No Star on hygh at all doth shyne but all the Skies are couered With blacke and hellyke hewe mistie stenche quight ouershadowed The corne that wonted was to growe and frutefully to spring Nowe to the voided Barnes nought els but emptie stalkes doth bring No part of all our kingdome is fre from Destruction But all together ronne and rush to vtter confusion The olde men with the yong alas the father with the childe The plage consumes both man wife all beastes both â—ame and wylde Are spoyled by the Pestylence No pompe at all remaynes That wonted was in Funeralles to ease the mourners paynes Alas this spoile of people made by Plage hath dryed myn eyes And secretly within my brest the griâ—fit boyling fryes And that that wonted is to hap in most exâ—remâ—st ylls My teares are dry and glutting grief my wretched brest it fills The crased father bears the sonns vnto theyr dampish graues And after him with burden lyke the mother comes and raues And euen lamentyng as they stand starcke ded downe both they fall And mourners new in like estate for them and theirs they call Who likwyse in the mydst of all their toyle and paynfull payne Do drop into the graue they digd and so the place do gayn That was prepared for others erst A tombe is made for Noble men fast on the people hyes And in their burdeÌ„s â—ling Nobility all vnregarded lyes For lacke of graues theyr bodyes all to ashes they do wast And so half burnt they leue theÌ„ ther. and home away for hast They runâ— more they fetcheâ— theÌ„ fier wood graue and all Doth want And down for very griefe the wretched misâ—rs fall No prayers auailâ— No Arte can help this raging Plâ—ge tappease For none almost is left alyue eche others grief to ease Before thine aulters here O God my feble hands I hould Requiring all my destinies at once with corage bold And that by death I may preuent my Country prest to fall For this and only this O God Upon thy name I call Let me not be the last that dies The last that goes to Graue GrauÌ„t this then O mighty loue My full request I â—aue O cruell Gods vnkynd O more than thrise vnhappy â—ates That only me denied is that lightes on all estates I meane a spedy death alas these euyls to preuent Leaue of thy blubberyng teares flye these kingdoms foyld O foole With rotten plages and botches vyle and graues eche where
dyspoilde All whiche diseases thou vnhappie geâ—te didste bringe with the. Dispatche away Go hence at least vnto thy parents stie Iocasta What boots it Sir these mischiefes greate with piteous plaints to aggreuate Stowtlie to beare aduersitie is fitste for kynges estate The more thy Reygne is douted of and when that cares do crush Thy princelie brest theÌ„ ought y e most to beare and bide the push It is no point of courage stout to fortune for to yeld Oedipus Nay from this brest reprocheful feare hath euer been exilde Our manhode is not subiecte now to vaine and peuish feares But euermore in eche assaulte it princelie courage beares No not a thousand glistering swordes nor all the force of war Can once appale my countenaunce nor yet my mynde detarre The verie giauntes fyerâ—â— and houge in fight withstand I dare Not Sphinx his crafty compast words coulde make me once to yeld I saw him belching gubbes of blud I vewde full well the fielde That all to spatterd laye With blud and bones quight ouerhelde And when y t he on mouÌ„taynes top with mouth full houge to se. Stode gapinge all with gredie â—awes to feede and praye on me Ofte fluttering w t his fearful wynges and shakyng oft his tayle Began full like a Lion fierce with threates me to assaile Of whom straight way the Riddell I. it rusht into myne eares With roring sownde his wynges he claps the Rock for hast he teares Desiring with my bowelles still to glutte his gredy Iawes But this myne old practised hed his subtile question drawes In peces at the length dissolued And it asundre sawes Iocasta What maks you wish for deth to late you myght haue died than As for rewarde of Sphinx destroyed this kingdom to you came â—ou nede no more therof to talk The ashes of that Monster vile Oedipus agaynst vs doth rebell That vyle mishapen lothsom Beast that ragyng Feend of Hell Is cause of all the plage that now on Thebane Citie lights Nâ—w only this remaynes alone if Phebùs heauenly might Can eny meanes inuent for vs or way of mercye make Wherby these burnyng Plagues at length may haply chauÌ„ce to slake that thus our people wasts Chorus O More then thrise renowmed stock of auncieÌ„t Cadmus race O mighty Thebes Citie great O heuy ruthfull Case Loe now you lye all desolate with Plagues deuoured quight Both you and all your Husbandmen Oh miserable syght O fowle and fearfull fates alas what causeth all this wo O God whence springs this Pestylence that vs tormenteth so No age no shape no forme is spardeâ— but all confounded lye Thus happiest now y t man I cownte whose chaunce was first to dyeâ— For he hath shund a thousand yls whiche wretched eyes haue seen And mischiefes great that vs do prese from him are taken clean O God withhold thy furye great thy Plages from vs remoue Ceas of afflicted Soules to scourge who the both serue and loue Powre downe on theÌ„ diseases fowle that them deserued haue A Guerdon iust for synne Oh god thys this of the we craue And only this we aske no more the cause and all is thyne A thing not vsed of gods it is from pitie to declyne My hart doth pant and trembling cold through all my lims doth run As oft as I remembring cownt the noble stockes vndun By death and dolfull destenies that ouerwhelmed lye And yet alas the people still to graue do faster hye In longe Araye all in a rancke by thousandes on a Rowe On euerye side in euery streate to buriall fast they goe An hundred brode wide open gates are not enoughe for waye But throngd the people pestred stand stil in a fearfull staye And in the mydst of al their toyle with corses on their backes The number that before doth poâ—st the hinder number slackes The corses in the streates do lye and graue on graue is made But all in vayne for nought it boots the plage cannot be stayed The sacrefices donne to Godes haue to to yll succes And suche strainge sights signes do rise that nought els I can gesâ— But that at hande w t gastlye pawes is vtter destruction With thowsande ylls accompayned and extreme confusion The shepe of rot by heaps as thicke as dogges do fall and dye And belching owt their wasted lungs on grounde do sprawlyng lye And I my selfe of late did see a sight vnseen before As our highe preste stode sacreficinge at the Temple dore And strake w t greuous bludy wound the golden horned Bull When down w t liueles lump he drops and members made full dull And all y e wounde wide bleding gapes and blacke goord blud out spuâ—s And yet the blade vnsprinckled was The bloud it boylinge stues And bubbles on the ground Alas Whaâ— do these thyngs portend Oh mghty Ioâ—e at length I pray some good and happy ende At length withhold thy hand O God and health vnto vs sende Nothyng alas remaynes at all in wonted old estate But all are turned topsey downe quight voide aud desolate The tyred Horse with labour longâ— from back his burthen tats And after on his Maysters brest his lyueles lyms he squats And all his partes in peces crush The Beasts in field that byde Unkept Unknowen wayes paths do raunge and ouerstridâ— The Bull for lacke of foode and meat in field all faintyng lyes And all his flock dispersed quight the sely Shephard dyes And there amongst the Heifers fierce his fatall breath expyers The Harts w tout all feare of Wolues do lyue in wretched peace The very wrathfull roryng sownds of rampyng Lyons cease The vengeaunce wylde outrageous Beares are now as tame as shepe The vgly Serpent that was wont the Rocky Dennes to kepe Oft quassyng poisoned Uenom soups in inwarde heate she boyles And all inflamd and schorcht in vaine for lenger lyfe she toyles The woods are not adourned nowe with fresh and lyuely hue The wonted shades are gon Al things are quight out of theyr Que. No grasse on grounde doth growe The earth no moisture soupes The Uine withouâ—en eny sap his drowsy head down drowpes Whaâ— shal I say all things alas are writhen out of course And as they seme to me are lyke to fare styll worse and worse O mighty God aboue when ende these euerduryng yls When ceasthesâ— Plages that gyltles blud thus fierce and raging spyls I thynke but we almost alyue there do no men remayne Whom dolfull Darts of Destenies on earth haue lâ—ft vnslayne I thinke the darcksom shades of hell where filthy fluds do flowe Where plages and vile diseases to where dreadfull horrors growe And all the furies brasten loose do mischiefes on vs throwe With botche blane of sundry kindes whiche sothern blasts do blowe And wrekfull vexed hagges of hell do breathe and on vs bringe The angrie fendes of hell I thinke their vengeauÌ„ce on vs slinge And out their mortall poyson spue which they againste vs beare Lo see how gredy death on vs
with scowling eyes doth leare See see Oh Ioue how fast he throwes his Darts Not one he spares But al coÌ„fownds His thretning force with stand no Creature dares No doubt the lothesom Feryman the synful soules that traines Through stincking fluds his labour loths that he for vs sustaynes Such presse by plumps to him is made which still renews his paynes But harke yet moÌ„sters more theÌ„ these the fame abroade dothe flie That hellishe dogges w t Bawling sound were herd to howle cry And y t the ground w t treÌ„bling shooke and vnder fete dyd moue And dredfull blasing Comets bright were seen in Skies aboue And gastly shapes of men besydes to wander on the grounde And wood and trees on euery syde Dyd fearfully resounde Besids all this strauÌ„ge ghosts were seen in places wher they stode And ryuers more then one or two that ran all blacke goord blud O cruell plage O vile disease far worse then spedy death O we vnhappye thrise and more who do prolonge our breath In thease accursed dayes and tymes But harke to me a while When first this lothsom plage begins these mysers to defyle It takes them thus A fearfull Cold through al their bones doth run And Cold and Heate together mixt their sences all benome Than litel lothesom markes appeare and all their bodies spotte And al the members flaming glows and burning fast do rot The Lights the Lungs the hart the Gutts and all that in ward liâ—s And all the secret partes Iscorcht with dedly fier fries The bloud al clotterd in their cheks in cluster lies by lumps And it and heat together makes great straunge and ruddy bumps And blud and flesh congeled stands in face as stiffe as stake And â—yes in hed fast fixed set and often tricklyng make And down apace whole fluds they steame and clots drops do tril And al the skin from of their face by flakes and scales doth pill A thousand fearful sounds at once into their eares do rush And lothsom blud out of their nose by stilling streames doth gush The very anguish of their hart doth cause them for to shake And what w t Payn Heat Feare their weried lyms do quake Then som the roÌ„ning Riuers haunt and some on ground do wallow And some agayn their thirst to sâ—ake cold water gulping swallow Thus all our country tost w t Plage in Grief it waltering lies And stil desiring for to dy A thousand deathes iâ— dyes But God them then to hear is prest And death to none denies Besides all this the churche som do frequent but not to pray But only for to glut the Gods with that that they do saye But who is this y t comes from Court in hast with posting pace What is it Creon that Noble bloud comended for his grace Of all that lyue Or doth my crased minde opprest thinges false for true conceyue Tis Creon long desired for His sight doth me releyue ¶ The second Acte The first Sceane Oedipus Creon Oedipus FOr feare my body chilles alas and tremblinge all I stande Inquaking dred I seke toile these mischiefes to with stande But all in vayn I labour I it wil not bee I see As longe as meare repugnaunts thus together mâ—xed bee My mynd desirous still Oh god the truth for so vnfold With doutfull Dred is daunted so that it can scante vp hold It self O brother deare if eny meanes or waye of health thou knowe Declare it out and sticke not nowe the truth to me to showe Creon Syr if it pleas your noble grace the aunswers hidden lies Oedipus Who doutful helth to sick meÌ„ brings all health to them denies Creon Appolloes vse it is the trueth with darksom shades to duske Oedipus And Oedipus of gods it hath things doutfull to discus Creon Speke out and spare not man The mightie God comaundes To purge the Princes seat forthâ—ith and that strayght out of hande That villayn vile requited be with plages and vengeance due Who firce with blody handes of late my brother LaÃus slue Before that this performed be no hope of mylder ayer Wherfore do this O king or els of hope and healthe dispaier Oedipus Durst eny man on yearth attempt that noble prince to slaye Shewe me y e slaue that I may him dispatche out of the way Creon God graunte the sight be good Alasâ— the heringe is to terrible My sences all amased stand it is a thinge so horrible That I abhore to speke my mynde Oh god for feare I quake And euen at the very thought my lyms begin to shake Assoone as I Appollos Churche had entred in afrayde Upon my face flat down I faul And thus to him I prayd Oh God if euer thou didest rue on wretched misers state Yf euer men opprest thou easd or didst theyr cares abate If euer thou in present Nede didst present Helpe declare If euer thou afflicted Harts with Cares consumd didst spare Now shew thy dredful force O God shew now thy mighty pore Scant had I sayd Resownding all the mountayns thundring rore And filthy Feends spoute out their flames out of their darksom caues And woods do quake Hils do moue and vp the surging waues Do mount vnto the skies aloft And I amased stand Stil lokyng for an awnswere at Appollos sacred hand When out with ruffled hear disguisd the Prophet coms at last And when that she had felt the heat of mighty Phebus blast All puffyng out she swels in rage and pattring still she raues And scante she entred had into Appollos shinyng caues WheÌ„ out a thuÌ„dâ—ing voice doth brust Thats far aboue mans reache So dredful semed then to me the mighty Phâ—buâ— speach Than thus he spake thus at length into myne ears he rusht While sprawling still y e Prophet lay before the doores in dust The Thebane Citiâ— neuer shall be free from Plagues quoth he Except from thence the Kyng queller forthwith expulsed be Vnto Apollo knowen he was or euer he was borne Do this or els no hope of hâ—alth to this the Gâ—ds haue sworne Aud as for hym he shall not long in quiâ—t â—â—atâ— endure But with hymselfe wage Warre he shall and Warre he shall procure Vnto his Children deare And creâ—pe agayne he shall into his Mothers wombâ— Oâ—dâ—pus Loke what y e gods comauÌ„ded hauâ— accomplished shalbe Nor neuer shal these eyes of mine abide the daye to see A kinge of kingdom spoild by force by guile and craft supprest A kinge to kinges the prop ought be and chiefest cause of rest No man regardes his death at all whom lyuinge he doth feare Creon Gret cause maks me my princes death concele and closely beare Oâ—pipus In mynde Creon Ought enye cause of feare or griefe thy dutie for to let The thretening of the Prophesies do still my brest beset Oedâ—pus As gods haue wild vs for this mischiefe mends now let vs make If eny waye or meanes there be their suries for to slake Thou God