mouing pittie Seeing with her when she sings in woâ—…ull wise The echoing mountaines seeme to sympathize And rockes do weepe and trees do seeme to grone When in lamenting layes she list to mone In that sad time when Boreas winged scouts Locks vp the fruitfull Terras water spouts And with congealing puffes do crystalize The cloud-like waues of Neptunes liquid skies Let Philomel in her pathetike straine For sommers losse in leauelesse woods complaine Lest when her dolefull ditties she doth sing She do disturbe the pleasance of our spring But for Dan Cuckow seeing he neuer sings But when sweet Zephirus on gentle wings Breathing good morrowes to the faire Aurora Begins each day to kisse his wanton Flora We thinke it meete that he be chiefe to sing Where ere he meets the Ladie of the spring And seeing when earth hath lost her flowring May He cannot sing for greefe of her decay Here let him stay where he may euer sing Seeing heere with vs we haue eternall spring This is our doome and thus we do debate The cause betwixt Dan Cuckow and his mate Thus hauing said she ceast and thereupon Such murmur as we heare in woods that grone When winds rouz'd vp through hollow grounds do break Such noise was heard ' mong'st those that heard her speake And all the quier of birds about the place Did droope and hang the head for such disgrace To wronged Philomel and for her sake A mournefull melodie did seeme to make But what alas auailes their discontent Those partiall iudges rose and with them went Dan Cuckow singing his triumphant song While Philomel bewailes her helpelesle wrong Who being vniustly robbed of her right And from the bower of blisse exiled quite Calling to mind how that she once had been The happie daughter of a King and Queene And since that she in shape of bird did liue What honor Phoebes selfe to her did giue Now from all future hope being quite cast downe Orecome with griefe she fell in suddaine swoune And groueling in the dust on her sad brest With deadly sorrowe being sore opprest Poore bird she hung the wing and gasp'd for breath Seeming to yeeld vnto the panges of death To whom her sister Progne standing by With speed to her recouery did flie And houering ouer her made pitious plaint For to reuiue her that began to faint Dead was her heart to see her sister lie In such a traunce and often wish'â—… to die Shee strock't her temples with her pretie beake And raysing vp her limbes that wâ—…re so weake With gentle touch did feele each tender part And stroue to strengthen her now dying heart Vnto her aide the gentle Redbrest came The Wren and fruitfull Titmouse that sterne dame Who did applie their helpe at need so well That now the slitting life of Philomel Halfe conquer'd with cold death did make retreate Vnto the heart the house of natiue heate Which when her sister Progne did espie These words of comfort shee did soone applie Ay me quoth she deare sister thou that art Now made the image of vnpatient smart Why dost thou not in these sad passions show Thy wonted patience in afflicting woe And to our counsell lend thy listening eare The which may teach thee patiently to beare This rufull sorrow which doth stop thy breath And seekes to hasten thy vntimely death Speake o deare sister speake and tell vs why Thy soule with griefe opprest should seeke to die She hauing said the wofull Philomel Whose sad soule all this while in traunce did dwell Did lift vp th'heauie windowes of her eies And spake these rufull words in wofull wise Tempestuous chaunce her vtmost spite hath spent And at me wretch her vtmost dart hath sent Nor any plague is left that she can tell With which t' oppresse the foâ—…lorne Philomel For since the time that I as well you know Was woe alas that now I am not so Pandions daughter in my virgins state I haue endur'd sterne fortunes vtmost hate Can I forget my Thracian slauerie Beneath false Tereus lustfull villanie Or cease to thinke vpon my virgins rape With losse of tongue and Ladies louely shape Yea can I liue and leaue to haue in mind Fortunes last wrong not least but most vnkind Those Nymphes late doome I meane by whose decree A forlorne outcast I shall euer bee For from Dan Cuckowes song my shame doth spring And where alas will not Dan Cuckow sing Sith then to me poore wretch by cruâ—…ll fate Naught else is left of former princely state But shame and â—…oe why do I longer feed On loathed light which wo afresh will breed This said she suncke againe in deadly swound But Progne quickly rais'd her vp from ground Thrice did she sincke as dead and thrice againe Did Progne raise her vp with busie paine At last when life her setled place did take To comfort her the little Wren thus spake Now certes madame Philomel quoth shee You haue great cause of plaint we all do see The which I weene would pierce the stoutest heart And launch the boldest brest with bleeding smart Yet comfort to you take and do not you Let passions rage rob reason of her due Thinke with your selfe as now too true it is That in this pleasant place this bower of blisse Since that Dan Cuckow findeth entertaine For vs no certaine safetie doth remaine For well we see the Nymphes of this same place Haue giuen ouer that same wonted chase Of harmefull beasts which Phoebe did delite Following strange game with greedie appetite Yea 't is reported many Satyrs rude Into their company themselues intrude By whose inticement you they did forsake In their false doome Dan Cuckowes part to take Then do not greeue at this their vniust doome Ne thinke your selfe disgrac'd as ouercome Before such dames for grace it seemes to me To be disgrac'd of those that gracelesse be But swage your griefe in this so ruefull case And go with vs vnto our dwelling place Where though alone in desert place it be Yet there from feare of foes you shall be free For as dame Titmouse and Redbrest can tell Dan Cuckow seldome sings where we do dwell True neighbour Wren the Redbrest did replie We liue in safetie though in penurie And if dame Philomel with vs will go Such kindnesse as poore Robbins bower can show She shall command and though in that same wood None of the courtly birds haue their abode Yet there do many gentle singers dwell That will be louing vnto Philomel Yea quoth the Titmouse neither shall she there Of proud Dan Cuckowes thieatnings stand in feare For all birds there his bastard note abhors And euermore do make him deadly wars Twice sixe stout sonnes at this same very houre I haue now liuing in my little bower All which shall serue the wronged Philomel Against Dan Cuckow if with vs she dwell Thus did these birds with gentle speech assay Sad Philomelaes greefe to driue away But long it was ere
With true consort sweet worke of natures skill Who to the bower of blisse did take their way To hâ—…are the iarre decided that same day Which the approach of spring did late excite Beâ—…wixt Dan Cuckow and his opposite The place in which this matter should be tride Was in a greene pailde round on euery side In which was pight a stately cannopiâ—… For that great 〈◊〉 and her companie Many a 〈◊〉 Nymph of great estate That should that day Dan Cuckowes cause debate Who being pearchâ—… aloft in open sight Vpon a 〈◊〉 braunch had well ydight And deckt his plumes to make a pleasant show When he should pleade his cause against his foe Who on the other side her selfe did place In hope Dan Cuckow foulely to disgrace Not doubting but those Nymphes for Phoebes sake In this so iusta cause her part would take The time being come loe like as when Ioues bride Heauens Iuory fingered queene in pompe doth ride To heauens high court aboue the Planets seauen To sit in counsell with the gods of heauen Euen so forth comes that faire renowmed dame Chiefest of all the bower of blisse that came To iudge the controuersie that befell Betwixt Dan Cuckow and faire Philomel Shee was a Ladiâ—… gaudie in attire And to content th'affect of her desire Th'earthes golden bowels often wounded were And th' Indian slaue with steele did often teare The hard rockes rubie ribs in hope to find Treasure to pleasure her disdainfull mind Proudly she pas'd it with a princely gate As earth had been too meane for her estate Looking to heauen with her disdainâ—…ull eies For humble obiect she did still dispise Yet was her birth but meane and her esteeme Respectiuely compaâ—…'d but base did seeme Loosely she was aray'd in wanton weed Which wanderâ—…s eies did with inticement feed For she was clad in robe of tissue thinne Through which so brim appear'd her snowie skin That it did seeme to those that did it see No whit obscur'd but farre more white to bee Her Iuorie brests did euer open lie To readie spoile of gazers greedie eie And both her lillie paps were bare to winne Her louers melting heart to wanton sinne Her name the which was Meehafasto hight Her double nature did expresse aright With her there hither came a goodly crew Of louely Nymphes of seeming Angels hue Featur'd each where in bodies liâ—…eament As if they late had left the firmament Or as if heauens diuine triplicitie Out of some fift vnknowne simplicitie For 〈◊〉 complexions hue had fram'd some mixture Passing 〈◊〉 homely gift of common nature But piâ—…ie 't was such angell-seeming creatures With vlcerous minds deform'd such heauenly features For they were wanton full of loose desire And in their heart did nourish lustfull fire With glauncing lookes like summers euening lights They could allure the rash beholders sights And Heliotropon-like with sun-like skill Could cause soft hearts to turne vnto their will When they list speake their words like to a lake Breaking through rocks of rubie seem'd to make Celestiall musike with their pleasing sound Amongst the siluer pearles that stood around With which they Syren-like could often moue Modest Hypolitus to wanton loue They all acoutered were in sundrie fashion Seeming t' haue been all of a seuerall nation Some in the antique Roman Lords attire Did shape themselues as seeming to aspire Some captaines place or as if they had been Symiramis that manlike monster queene In Persian loose aray some did delight Or rather disaray so loosely dight In the french doublet some againe did iâ—…t wanting but slops to make a man compleat Some on their heads did beare the fatall signe Which of fooles future fortune did diuine Others againe Morisko caps did weare Maid-marrian-like with brooches in each eare And Indian-like did paint inch thicke in view Though natures red and white were Angels hew Thus with their fashions strange varietie They did bewray their minds inormitie For things externall sought with strong affect Internall thoughts both good and bad detect Which when the little Casta did behold Poore bird her fearefull heart did wax stone cold But now too late shee did repent that shee Had made them iudges of her cause to bee For thither now they were alreadie come According to their minds to giue their doome Where heapes of people thronging in the way Did earlie waite for them by breake of day To know what bird should beare away the bell The bastard Cuckow or faire Philomel The iudges being set vp straight did stand The crier of the court who did command High with shrill voice and great authoritie A generall silence through the companie Which done forth stept the little Casta hight Who being pearcht aloft in open sight After obeysance to those damsels made That were as iudges set thus boldly said Fairest of faire who from the ioyous prime Of your great birth vntill this very time Haue trained been in this celestiall place This bower of blisse in vertue and in grace For vertues sake vouchsafe with silent pause To heare poore Philomela plead her cause What once I haue been now I need not tell Nor what I am I know yee know it well Yee know that once when in great Athens towne My Sire good king Pandion wore the crowne A Ladie then I was as now yee bee And daughter to a king till wo is mee The Thracian king whose lust-burnt thoughts did flame And burne in foule desire did worke my shame In Thracian woods O euer be forgot The place in which mine honor he did blot In Thracian woods I say the tyrant fell Vnto his will did force poore Philomel And lest his wicked acte I should desâ—…rie The cruell edged steele he did applie Vnto my tongue and with most bitter smart Did rob me of the Echo of my heart All this and more then this yee all do know So common is poore Philomelaes woe Yee know likewise how in auengement fell My furious sister Progne did compell The lustfull Tereus in a fatall feast To swallow downe into his lust-burnt brest His owne deare sonne his Itis that sweet youth Whose death breeds in my heart eternall ruth For which when as the tyrant did decree With wrathfull sword to wreake reuenge on me Heauen pittie tooke and gaue to me this shape By which his fell intent I did escape And as an exile from all mens abode I since haue liued in the desert wood Where sitting once on humble thorne alone And in my wofull diâ—…ties making mone For my old Sire Pandion that good King Whose timelesse death my sad mischance did bring Loâ—… That great Huntresse of renowmed fame The Ladie Phoebe following the game In the wild wood hath silent stood in pittie To heare the sad tunes of my dolefull 〈◊〉 And being moâ—…'d with deepe remorse of mind That fates had been so 〈◊〉 and vnkâ—…d 'Gainst me poore wretch she did vouâ—…hsafe to show Compassion towards me in my bitter woe While in these woods
and 〈◊〉 she did vse Mong'st all the quier for chiefe she 〈◊〉 me câ—…use To be her bird and while shee was my dame Not Philomel but Casta was my name And for I was the daughter of a King Shee made me cheefe of all the quier to sing And in her woods ordained me the shade To shroude my selfe from Tereus bloodie blade But loe alas what time hath brought to passe Loe heere a tyrant worse then Terâ—…us was Loe heere Dan Cuckow my sterne enemie Claiming my right with proud authoritie Who this same blissefull place as death did shun When as my dame in these same woods did wonne O how it 〈◊〉 me that a bird so base Pandions princely daughter should disgrace Who by condition of his qualitie Vnto the world discries his bastaâ—…die Is 't not inough that once I being a dame Y borne oâ—… auncient Kings of worthie fame Now liue a bird loathing mans companie In desert woods for loue to chastitie And in the echoing mountaines loudly sing Phoebes chaste song when as the lustie spring Stirres vp young bloods that with my chaster layes I may recall them from their wanton waies But must a bird the basest of the crue In all the woodstand vp to wrest my due Vnto his lot which Phoebe did ordaine Should vnto me for euermore remaine Nor is it yet enough alas that I From stately palaces of kings do flie Still dreading Tereus lothsome luxurie To liue in woods farre from all companie But must another Tereus seeke t' expell From woods likewise the forlorne Philoâ—…el Alas if so where shall I hide my head Where shall I shun th' ineuitable dread Of bloodie Tereus hot lust-sparkling face If nor in woods nor house I shall haue place To you therefore faire Nymphes to your iust doome That as the vmpiers of my cause are come I do appeale not doubting but the loue You beare to Phoebes name your hearts will moue In this so iust a cause to pittie mee That was as deare to her as deare might bee Which if yee do your fame shall neuer die And Castas â—…elfe shall sing your praise on hie This said shee breathed from her brest so cleare The sweetest layes that eare did euer heare To which all other birds about the place Did tune their diuers notes to do her grace As in approuance of her worth to sing As chiefe in woods to welcome in the spring Which did so daunt Dan Cuckowes daring pride That of the thought his shamefull head to hide But knowing well that he had friends in place That of those partiall Nymphes had got him grace Feare set aside and his obeysance made Vnto those Nymphes these words he boldly said Yee glorious ofspring of great honors bed Vertues fairâ—… impes mirrors of womanhed Bright Angel-like sweet Nymphes whose beauties blaze Adornes the world like Tytans golded rayes Vouchsafe with gentle patience for a space Your gratious silence while I pleade my case The iarre begun bâ—…twixt my foe and me The subiect of my purps'd speech should be But fiâ—…st both words and wit I must applie To make an answere to mine enemie Though of my birth no boaster I will be Seeing in this cause it nought auaileth me Yet that I may that scandalisme refute Which my â—…alâ—…e foe doth vnto me impute Know that Ioues bird the Eagle prince of ayre Did foster me being young with tender care In whose proud neasty built in Iouiall tree My dame by secret stelth conueied me In that same clime where AEstas sits in pride Beneath the tropick of hot sommers guide The crabbed Cancer where in earthes coole cels The hot sun painted people euer dwels Not far from whence great Nilus euermore With fruitfull waues doth wash th' Egyptian shore There was I bred and there my fame first grew Which thence long since about the wide world flew For South from thence the land of Cyprus lies Whereas the people vse to sacrifice To loâ—…es faire Queene of whom I wonne great grace When she was wroth with people oâ—… that place For once being sore offended with them all And musing with heâ—…selfe what plague should fall Vpon their heads she chaunc'd to cast heâ—… eie Vpon an home which she did soone applie Vnto their browes whereby they straight forsooke Their former shape and Oxe-like was their looke But they blind buzzards could not see the same Whereby the lesser was their griefe and shame Till ore their goodly heads I wau'd my wing And cuckow in their eares aloud did sing Which when they heard like raging Buls they bore Their loâ—…tie heads and with loud bellowing rore Did show their iealous thoughts for which men say They called are Cerastes to this day And for this fact of mine the Cyprian dame The Queene of loue did giue to me for name The song which I did sing and did decree That I thence forth her only bird should be She bore me to that garden of great fame Which yet of her Adonis beares the name Where she her selfe did teach me how to sing Her sweet delights vnto the youthfull spring And did appoint that the yeares youthly prime Should be the season of my singing time For well she knew that season did belong Vnto the nature of my pleasant song As for my foe although her layes be sweet Yet be they sad patheticall vnmeet To be recorded when the lustie spring Tidings of pleasure to the world doth bring More fit with little Redbrest on a thorne To beare a part and helpe her for to mourne For losse of sommer when cold winters breath To all our pleasures threatens hatefull death Then gentle dames great Ladies of delight Who in this bower of blisse both day and night haue your abode where winter neuer lowres Nâ—… on your heads powres downe his stormie shewers Let it be seene that ye haue need of none The sommer past in winter to bemone So sâ—…all Dan Cuckow sing your lasting praise Before loues Queene in his delightfull laies This said he chaunted out his Cuckows song Which laughter bred among'st the thickest throng Nor any prettie bird about the place Would in their song vouchsafe to do him grace But see the chaunce the Nymphes being in a pause And in consult how to decide this cause And each one being husht with greedie eare To heare that sentence which they least did feare Of all the Nymphes vp stood the chiefest dame And thus this vniust sentence did proclaime O all yee singers of the woods sweet quier Heare now the doome which ye did long desire And ye twixt whom the iarre begun but late As yet hangs in suspence without debate Know that each others cause doth now abide In equall ballance which we thus decide Seeing to the nature of each others song Two parts of all the yeare seeme to belong That part in equall doome we will ordaine Which is most meet for either of you twaine First touching Philomel seeing that her dittie Is alwaies passionate and