alas is quight consumde her fauor sweete doth faynt Nor ruddy sanguine purple deye her cherry checkes doth paynt Wyth greedy gripes of gnawing griefe her pinched limmes doe pyne Her foltring legs doe stagger now the glosse of beauty tyne In body Alabaster bright is shronke away and wast Those Cristall Eyes that wonted were resemblance cleare to cast Of radiant Phoebus gold arayes now nothing gentry shyne Nor beare a sparke of Phoebus bright her fathers beams deuyne The trickling teares tril down her chekes dew dampish dropping still Doth wet her warrye plantes as on the toppe of Taurus hill The warry snowes with lukewarme shoures to moisture turnd do drop But lo the Princes pallace is set open in the top She lying downe vpon her golden bed of high estate Hurles of hir wonted royal robes which wounded hart doth hate Ph. Maydes haue our purple garmentes hence vestures wrought with gold These crimsō robes of scarlet red let not myne eyes behold And damaske weedes wheron the Seres embraudet braunches braue Whose Silken substaunce gatherd of their trees aloofe they haue My bosome shal be swadled in with cuttied gaberdine No golden coller on my necke nor Indian iewels fyne The precious pearles so whyte shal hang no more now at myne eares Nor sweete perfumes of Siria shal poulder more my heares My flaryng ruffled lockes shal dagling hang my necke aboute And shoulder poyntes then then apace it shattring in and out Let wyndes euen blow it where it list in left hand wil I take A quiuer of shaftes and in my right a Boorespere wil I shake To cruell child Hippolitus such one his mother was As fleeting from the frosen Seas those countrey costes did passe And draue her hierdes that bet with trampling feete Th' Athenian soyle Or like the trull of Tanais Or like her wil I toyle Of Meotis that on a knot wounde vp her crispen lockes Thus wil I trot with moone like targe among the wodes and rockes Nu. Leaue of thy bitter languishing vnto the sille sort That walter thus in waues of woe griefe giues not testing port Is any measure to be found in thy tormenting fire Some grace at wyld Dianaes hand with sacrifyce require O Goddesse greate of Woods in hilles that onely setst thy throne And Goddes that of the craggy clyues at worshipped alone Thy wrathful threatninges on vs all now turne to better plight O Goddesse that in forrestes wyld and groues obtaynest might O shyning lampe of heauen and thou the Diamon of the Night O threefold shapen Heccate that on the world his face Dost render light with torch by turnes vouchsafe to graūt thy grace To further this our enterprise and helpe our piteous case O mollify Hippolytus his stubborne hardned hart And let him learne the pangues of loue and tast like bitter smart And yeeld his light allured eares entreate his brutish breast And chaunge his mynd in Venus boundes compel him once to rest So froward and vntoward now so crabbed curst and mad So shalt thou be with blandishing and smyling countnaunce clad Thy shimering clowde cleane fading hence then brightly shalt thou bear And glisteryng hornes then whyle by night vpon the whirling sphere Thy cloudy heeled steedes thou guydes the raging witches charme Of Thessal shal not draw thee from the heauens nor do thy harme No Shepherd purchase shal renoume Thou comst at our request Now fauour dost thou graunt vnto the prayers of our Breast I do espye him worshipping the solemne Sacrifyce Both place and tyme conuenient by Fortune doth arise We must go craftely to worke for feare we quaking stand Ful hard it is the buysy charge of guylt to take in hand But who of Princes standes in awe let him defye all right Cast of the care of honesty from mind exiled quight A man vnfit is for the hest of King a bashful wight Hip. O Nurse how chaūce thy limping limmes do crepe into this place With blubbred Cheekes leaden lookes with sad and mourning face Doth yet my Father Theseus with health enioy his life Doth Phaedra yet enioy her health my stepdam and his wyfe Nu. Forgoe these feares and gently come thy blessed hap to take For care constrayneth me to mourne with sorrow for thy sake That hurtfully thou looudes thy selfe with pangues of plūging payne Let him rubbe on in misery whom destny doth constrayne But if that any yeld himselfe to waues of wilful woe And doth torment himselfe deserues his weale for to forgoe The which he knowes not how to vse tush be not so demure Consideryng how thy yeares do runne take part of sport and play Let mirry Bacchus cause thee cast these clogging cares away And reape the frutte of sweete delyght belonging to thy yeares For lusty youth with speedy foote ful fast away it weares Earst tender loue earst Venus feedes the young mannes appetite Be blyth my Boy why Widow like liest thou alone by night Shake of thy sollem sadnesse man that harty youth doth spill Huff royst it out couragiously take bridle at thy will Let not the flowre of plooming yeares all fruitles fade away God poynteth euery tyme his taske and leades in dus aray Each age by order lust as mirth the sappy youthfull yeares A forehed frayte with grauity becommeth hoary hayres Why dust thou bridle thus thy selfe and dulles thy pregnant wit The corne that did but lately sproute aboue the ground if it Be rancke of roote yet in the luske with enterest at large Vnto the hoping husbandman shall trauel all discharge With braunched bough aboue the Wood the tree shall raise his top Whom rusty hand of canckred hate did neuer spill nor lop The pregnant Wittes are euermore more prone to purchase prayse If noble heartes by freedome franckt be nourisht from decayes Thou churlish countrey Clowne Hodgelike not knowing Courtly life Delight in drousy doting youth without a louing wyfe Dost thou suppose that to this end Dame Nature did vs frame To suffer hardnes in this world and to abyde the same With courses and kerereyes fet the prauncing Steedes to tame Or bicker els with battails fierce and broyls of bloudy warre That soueraygne Syre of heauen and earth when fates do vs detarre With signes and plagues prognosticate prouided hath with heede For to repayre the damage done with new begotten seede Go to let bedding in the world be vsed once no more That stil mankind from age to age vpholdes and doth restore The filthy world deformd would lie in yrksome vgly stay No flotting ships on wambling Seas should hoysted Sayles display No Foule should skoare in azur Skie ne Beast to woods repayre And onely whisking windes should whirle amid the empty ayre What diuers dreery deathes driue one mankind to dumpish graue The Seas the sword and trayterous traynes whole countries wasted have Yet for to limit forth our league there is no destny thincke So downe to blackefast Stigian dampes we of our selues do sincke Let youth that neuer felt the ioyes in
ALEXANDER NEVYLE TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MAISTER DOCTOR WOTTON ONE OF THE Queenes Maiesties priuy Counsayle Alexander Neuyle wisheth Helth vvith encrease of Honor THis sixtenth yeare of myne age righte honorable reneweth a gratefull memory of your great goodnes towardes mee for at Baptisme your honor vouchsafed to aunsweare for mee and causeth mee thus boldly to present these greene and vnmelowed fruicts of my first trauailes vnto you as signes and testimonies of a well disposed minde vnto your honor Albeit when first I vndertoke the translation of this present Tragoedy I minded nothing lesse than that at any tyme thus rudely transformed it shoulde come into the Printers hands For I to none other ende remoued him from his naturall and lofty style to our corrupt and base or as some men but vntruly affyrme it most barbarous Language but onely to satisfy the instant requests of a few my familiar frends who thought to haue put it to the very same vse that SENECA himselfe in his Inuention pretended VVhich was by the tragicall and Pompous showe vpon Stage to admonish all men of their fickle Estates to declare the vnconstant head of wauering Fortune her sodayne interchaunged and soone altered Face and lyuely to expresse the iust reuenge and fearefull punishmēts of horrible Crimes wherewith the wretched worlde in these our myserable dayes pyteously swarmeth This caused me not to be precise in following the Author word for word but sometymes by addition somtimes by subtraction to vse the aptest Phrases in geuing the Sēse that I could inuent VVhereat a great numbre I know will be more offended than Reason or VVysedome woulde they should bee Thus as I framed it to one purpose so haue my frends to whom I can not well deny any thyng that Frendshyps ryght may seeme iustly to requyre wrested it to another effect and by this meanes blowen it abroade by ouerrash and vnaduised printing By whych fond deede I know vndoubtedly I shall receyue the poysoned infamies of a number of venemous tonges VVherefore ryght honorable as I geue these the first Fruicts of my trauayle vnto you declaring therein the great goodwyll and duety that I owe vnto your Honor for the noble disposition of your vertuous mynde so am I driuen humbly to require your strong ayde and assured defence agaynst the sclaunderous assaults of such malicious mouths which obtayned I shal be the better encouraged agaynst an other time to bestow my trauaile in matters of farre greater weighte and importaunce In the meane season desiring your Honour to take these simple Attemptes of myne in good part I leaue you to the tuitiō of the right high and mighty God VVho keepe you long in health graunt you many happy yeares with encrease of Honor All your Honours to commaund Alexander Neuile †THE PREFACE TO the Reader BEHOLD HERE BEFORE THY Face good Reader the most lamentable Tragedy of that most Infortunate Prince O Edipus for thy profit rudely translated Wonder not at the grosenesse of the Style neyther yet accounte the Inuentours Dylygence dysgraced by the Translators Neglygence VVho thoughe that he hath somtimes boldly presumed to erre from his Author rouing at randon vvhere he list adding and subtracting at pleasure yet let not that engender disdaynefull suspition vvith in thy learned breast Marke thou rather vvhat is ment by the vvhole course of the History and frame thy lyfe free from such mischiefes vvherevvith the World at this present is vniuersally ouervvhelmed The vvrathfull vengeaunce of God prouoked the Body plagued the mynde and Conscience in midst of deepe deuouring daūgers most terribly assaulted In such sort that I abhorre to write and euen at the thought thereof I tremble and quake for very inward griefe and feare of minde assuredly perswading my selfe that the right high and immortall God will neuer leaue such horrible and detestable crimes vnpunished As in this present Tragoedy and so forth in the processe of the whole hystory thou maist right well perceyue Wherein thou shalt see a very expresse and liuely Image of the incōstant chaunge of fickle Fortune in the person of a Prince of passing Fame and Renown midst whole fluds of earthly blisse by meare misfortune nay rather by the deepe hidden secret Iudgemēts of God piteously plunged in most extreame miseries The whole Realme for his sake in straungest guise greuously plagued besides the apparaunt destruction of the Nobility the generall death and spoyle of the Cōminalty the miserable transformed Face of the City with an infinite number of mischiefes more which I passe ouer vnrehersed Onely wish I all men by this Tragicall hystory for to that entent was it written to beware of Synne the ende whereof is shamefull and miserable As in the most infortunate fall of this vnhappy Prince right playnely appeareth Who by inward gripe of fearefull cōsuming Cōscience wretchedly tormented beholding the lamētable state of his vile infected Realmes wasted by the burning rage of priuy spoyling Pestilence finds himselfe in tract of time to be th' onely plague misery of the almost quight destroied City Wherevpon calling together his Priests and Prophets asking coūsaile of the Gods by them for present remedy in those euils wherewith the Realme was than vniuersally ouerflowen aūswere was made that the Plague should neuer ceasse till king LAIVS death were throughly reuenged and the bloudy Murtherer driuen into perpetuall exile Which aunswere receiued OEDIPVS farre more curious in bowlting out the truth than carefull of his own Estate sodainly slides into an innumerable company of dredfull miseries For as soone as he had once the perfect vewe of his own detestable deedes and wicked misdemeanour cast before his eyes together with the vnnaturall killing of his Father LAIVS the incestuous Mariage of his Mother IOCASTA the preposterous order of his ill misguyded lyfe vvith a hundred moe like mischiefes vvhich chaste vndefiled eares abhorre to heare fretting Fury cōmon enemy tormētor to corrupted cōsciēces pricking him forvvard all inflamed vvith Phrensie and boyling in invvard heate of vile infected minde hee rooteth out his wretched eyes vnnaturally bereaueth his Mother her life though earnestly requested thereto beastly in the ende in most basest kind of slauery banisht dieth miserably Leauing behind him vnto all posterities a dredfull Example of Gods horrible vengeaunce for sinne Such like terrors as these requireth this our present Age wherein Vice hath chiefest place Vertue put to flight lies as an abiect languishing in great extremity For the vvhich cause so much the rather haue I suffred this my base trāslated Tragoedy to be published frō his Author in word verse somewhat trāsformed though in Sense litle altered and yet oftentimes rudely encreased vvith mine owne simple inuention more rashly I cōfesse than wisely vvishing to please all to offend none But vvhereas no man liues so vprightly vvhom slaundring tonges leaue vndiffamed I referre my selfe to the Iudgement of the vvisest litle esteeming the preiudiciall mouthes of such carping
thou wert yet in thy mothers hand And that I knew what destentes thee held or in what land For neuer should the mothers fayth her tender child forsake Though through my breast the enmies al their cruell weapons strake Nor though the Greekes with pinching bandes of yron my handes had bound Or els in feruent flame of fyre beset my body rounde But now my litle Child pore wretch alas where might he bee Alas what cruel desteny what chaunce hath hapt to thee Art thou yet ranging in the fieldes and wandrest ther abroad Or smothred else in dusty smoake of Troy or ouertroad Or haue the Greekes thee slayne alas and laught to see thy bloud Or torne art thou with iawes of beastes or cast to foules for foode VI. Dissemble not hard is for thee Vlisses to deceaue I can ful wel the mothers craftes and subtilty perceaue The pollecy of Goddesses Vlisses hath vndone Set al these fayned wordes assyde tel mee where is thy sonne An. Wher is Hector where al the rest that had with Troy their fall Where Priamus you aske for one but I require of all Vl. Thou shalt constrayned be to tell the thing thou dost deny And. A happy chaunce were Death to her that doth desyre to dye Vli. Who most destres to die would faynest liue when death drawth on These noble wordes with present feare of death woulde soone be gone And. Vlisses if ye wil constrayne Andromacha with feare Threaten my life for now to dye my cheefe desyre it were Vl. With stripes with fyre tormenting death we wil the truth out wrest And dolour shal thee force to tel the secrets of thy brest And what thy hart hath depest hid for payne thou shalt expresse Oft tymes th extremity preuayles much more then gentlenesse And. Set me in midst of burning flame with woundes my body rent Vse al the meanes of cruelty that ye may al inuent Proue me with thirst and hunger both and euery torment trye Pearce through my sides with burning yrons in prison let me lie Spare not the worst ye can deuyse if ought be worse then this Yet neuer get ye more of me I wot not where he is Vli. It is but vayne to hyde the thinge that strayght ye wil deteckt No feares may moue the mothers hart she doth them al neglect This tender loue ye beare your child wherin ye stand so stoute So much more circumspectly warnth the Greekes to looke about Least after ten yeares tract of tyme and battell borne so farre Some one should liue that on our children might renew the warre As for my selfe what Calchas sayth I would not feare at all But on Telemachus I dread the smart of warres would fall And. Now will I make Vlisses glad and all the Greekes also Needes must thou woeful wretch confesse declare thy hidden woe Reioyce ye sonnes of Atreus there is no cause of dread Be glad Vlisses tell the Greekes that Hectors sonne is dead Vl. By what assurance proues thou that how shal we credite thee And What euer thing the enmies hand may threaten hap to me Let speedy fates me slay forthwith and earth me hyde at ones And after death from tombe agayne remoue ye Hectors bones Except my sonne already now do rest among the dead And that except Astianax into his tomb be led Vliss. Then fully are the fates fulfild with Hectors childes disceace Now shal I beare the Grecians word of sure and certayne peace Vlisses why what dost thou nowe the Greekes wil euery chone Beleeue thy wordes whom creditst thou the mothers tale alone Thinkst thou for sauegard of her child the mother wil not lye And dread the more the worse mischaunce to geue her sonne to die Her fayth she byndes with bond of oth the truth to verify What thing is more of weight to feare then so to sweare and lye Now call thy craftes togeather al bestirre thy wittes and mynd And shew thy selfe Vlisses now the truth herein to find Search wel thy mothers mynd behold shee weepes and wayleth out And here and ther with doubtful pace she raungeth al aboute Her careful ears she doth apply to harken what I say More frayd shee seemes then sorrowful Now worke some wily way For now most neede of wit there is and crafty pollecy Yet once agayne by other meanes I wil the mother trye Thou wretched woman maist reioyce that dead he is alas More doleful death by destenie for him decreed ther was From Turrets top to haue bene cast and cruelly bene slayne Which onely towre of all the rest doth yet in Troy remayne And. My spright failth me my limmes do quake fear doth my wits cōfounde And as the Ise congeals with frost my bloud with could is bound Vl. She trēbleth loe this way this way I wil the truth out wreaste The mothers fear detecteth all the secrets of her breast I wil renew her feare goe sirs bestir ye spedely To seeke this enmye of the Greekes where euer that he lie Wel done he wil be found at length goe to stil seke him out Now shal he dye what dost thou feare why dost thou looke about And Would God that any cause there were yet left that might me fray My hart at last now all is lost hath layd all feare away Vliss. Sins that your child now hath ye say already suffred death And with his bloud we may not purge the hostes as Caschas sayth Our fleete passe not as wel inspired doth Calchas prophecy Till Hectors ashes cast abroad the waues may pacify And tombe be rent now sins the boy hath skapt his desteny Needes must we breake this holy tombe wher Hectors ashes lie An. What shal I doe my mynd distracted is with double feare On th one my sonne on thother syde my husbandes ashes deare Alas which part should moue me most the cruel Goddes I call To witnes with me in the truth and Ghostes that guide thee all Hector that nothing in my sonne is else that pleaseth me But thou alone God graunt him life he might resemble thee Shal Hectors ashes drowned bee hide I such cruelty To see his bones cast in the Seas yet let Astyanax die And canst thou wretched mother bide thyne owne childes death to see And suffer from the hie towres top that headlong throwne he be I can and wil take in goad part his death and cruel payne So that my Hector after death be not remou'd agayne The boy that life and sences hath may feele his payne and dye But Hector lo his death hath plast at rest in tombe to lie What dost thou stay determine which thou wilt preserue of twayne Art thou in doubt saue this loe here thy Hector doth remayne Both Hectors be th one quicke of spright drawing toward his strēgth And one that may perhaps reuenge his fathers death at length Alas I cannot saue them both I thinke that best it were That of the twayne I saued him that doth the Grecians feare Vl. It shal be done
of auncient corage still doe dwell within my brest Exite all foolysh Female feare and pity from thy mynde And as th' untamed Tygers vse to rage and raue vnkynde That haunt the croking combrous Caues and clumpred frosen cliues And craggy Rockes of Caucasus whose bitter colde depryues The soyle of all Inhabitours permit to lodge and rest Such saluage brutish tyranny within thy brasen brest What euer hurly burly wrought doth Phasis vnderstand What mighty monstrous bloudy feate I wrought by Sea or Land The like in Corynth shal be seene in most outragious guise Most hyddious hatefull horrible to heare or see wyth eyes Most diuelish desperate dreadfull deede yet neuer knowne before Whose rage shall force heauen earth and hell to quake and tremble sore My burning breast that rowles in wrath and doth in rancour boyle Sore thrysteth after bloud and wounds with slaughter death spoyle By renting racked lyms from lyms to driue them downe to graue Tush these be but as Fleabytings that mentioned I haue As weyghty things as these I did in greener girlishe age Now sorrowes smart doth rub the gall and frets with sharper rage But sith my wombe hath yeelded fruict it doth mee well behoue The strength and parlous puissaunce of weightier illes to proue Be ready wrath with all thy might that fury kindle may Thy foes to their destruction bee ready to assay Of thy deuorsement let the Pryce to match and counterpayse The proude precious pryncely pomp of these new wedding dayes How wilt thou from thy spouse depart as him thou followed hast In bloud to bath thy bloudy handes and traytrous lyues to wast Breake of in time these long delayes abanden now agayne This lewd alliaunce got by guilt with greater guilt refrayne †Chorus altered by the Translatour WHo hath not wist that windy words be vayne And that in talke of trust is not the grounde Heere in a mirrour may hee see it playne Medea so by proofe the same hath founde Who being blind by blinded Venus Boy Her bleared Eyes could not beholde her blisse Nor spy the present poyson of her Ioy While in the grasse the Serpent lurked is The shaft that flew from Cupids golden bowe With feathers so hath dimd her daseld Eyes That cannot see to shun the way of woe The ranckling head in dented heart that lyes So dulles the same that can not vnderstand The cause that brought false Iason out of Greece To come vnto her fathers fertile Land Is not her loue but loue of golden Fleece Yet was his speache so pleasaunt and so milde His tongue so filde his promises so fayre Sweete was the fowlers Song that hath beguilde The seely byrd brought to the limed snare Faith in his Face trust shined in his Eyes The blushing brow playne meaning seemde to showe In double hearte blacke treason hydden lies Dissembling thoughts that weaue the webbe of woe The honyed Lyppes the tongue in suger dept Doe sweete the poyson rancke within the breast In subtle shew of paynted sheath is kept The rusty knife of treason deemed least Lyfe seemes the bayte to sight that lyeth brim Death is the hooke that vnderlies the same The Candell blase delights with burning trim The Fly till shee bee burned in the flame Who in such showes least deemed any ills The hungry fyshe feares not the bayte to Brooke Till vp the lyne doe pluck him by the gylls And fast in throate hee feeles the deadly hooke Woe Iason woe to thee most wretched man Or rather wretch Medea woe to thee Woe to the one that thus dissemble can Woe to the other that trayned so might bee Thoughtst thou Medea his eyes to bee the glasse Wherein thou might the Face of thoughts beholde That in his breast with wordes so couered was As cancred brasse with glosse of yealow golde Did thou suppose that nature more then kinde Had placde his heart his lying lyppes betweene His lookes to be the mirrour of his minde Fayth in fayre Face hath sildome yet ben seene Who listneth to the flatering Maremaides note Must needes commit his tyred eyes to sleepe Yeelding to her the taking of his boate That meanes vnware to drowne him in the deepe What booteth thee Medea to betray The golden Fleece to fawning Isasons hande From Dragons teeth him safely to conuay And fyry Bulles the warders of the lande Why for his sake from father hast thou fled And thrust thy selfe out from thy natiue soyle Thy brothers bloud what ayled thee to shed With Iason thus to trauell and to toyle Beholde the meede of this thy good desarte The recompence that hee to thee doth gyue For pleasure payne for ioy most eger smarte With clogging cares in banishment to liue Thou and thy Babes are like to begge and starue In Nation straunge O myserable lyfe Whyle Iason from his promyses doe swarue And takes delight in his new wedded Wyfe O Ground vngrate that when the husband man Hath tilled it to recompence his toyle No Corne but Weedes and Thystles render can To stinge his handes that Fruict seekes of his Soyle Such venome growes of pleasaunt coloured flower Loe Prynces loe what deadly poyson sup Of Bane erst sweete now turned into sower Medea dranke out of a goulden Cup THE SECOND ACTE Medea Nutrix AYe mee alas I am vndone For at the Brydall cheare The warble note of wedding songe resounded in mine eare Yet for all this scant I my selfe yet scant beleue I can That Iason would play such a prancke as most vnthāckfull man Both of my Countrey and my Syre and kingdome me to spoyle And yet forsake mee wretch forlorne to stray in forrein soyle O hath he such a stony heart that doth no more esteeme The great good turnes and benefits that I imployde on him Who knowes that I haue lewdly vsed enchauntments for his sake The rigour rough and stormy rage of swelling Seas to slake The grunting firy foming Bulles whose smoking guts were stuft With smoltring fumes that frō theyr Iawes nosthrils out they puft I stopt their gnashīg moūching mouths I quēcht their burning breath And vapors hot of stewing paunch that els had wrought his death Or feedes hee thus his fansy fond to thinke my skill of charme Abated is and that I haue no power to doe him harme Brstract of wits with wauering minde perplext on euery part I tossed and turmoyled am wyth wayward crasy hart Now this now that and neyther now but now another way By diuers meanes I toyle that so my wrong reueng I may I would the wretch a brother had but what he hath a Wyfe Goe cut her throate with gastly wounds bereue her of her lyfe On her I le worke my deadly spight her her alone I craue To quit such bitter sowsing stormes as I sustayned haue If any graund notorious guilt in all Pelasga Land Be put in practise yet vnknowne vnto thy harming hand Thereof to get experience the time doth now begin Thy former feates doe byd thee take good
obey b' it eyther right or wrong M. The prosperous pryde of wronging crownes cannot endeuer long CR. Auaunt yell out thy complaynts at Colchis get thee hence ME. Full gladly will I get mee home if he that brought me thence Vouchsafe to beare me back agayne CR. Alas to late aryse Entreating wordes when as decree is taken otherwise ME. He that not hearing eyther part pronounceth his decree Vnrighteous man accoumpted is though ryght his sentence bee CR. Whyle Pelias trusted to thy talke from lyfe to death hee fell Go to begyn we gyue you leaue your goodly tale to tell ME. That type of Regall maiesty that erst by Fortunes hand Aduaunced to I dyd attayne hath taught mee vnderstand How hard a thing it is of wrath the rygour to asswage When burning heate of boyling breast in flames begins to rage Eke for th' aduan̄cement of their power more to display in sight Theyr kingly corage bolstred out with maiesty of might They deeme it doth import asway and hath a greater grace Whome stately scepter causde to climbs aloft to prouder place To perseuer with fansye fonde in that to reasons spyght Whose greedy choyce attaynted fyrst his minde with vayne delight For though in piteous plyght I lye throwne downe to great decay With heauy hap and ruthfull chaunce to myserable stay Thus hunted out from place to place forsoke and left alone A wyddow while my husband liue with cause to wayle and mone Perplext in maze of misery wyth cloying cares so ryfe Yet whylom I in golden trone haue led in happy lyfe By high and noble parentage my bryght renowne doth shyne From Phoebus take my Graundsire great deryued is my ligue Whear syluer streamed Phasis flood his wasshing waues doth shed Or with contrary croking wayes his bathing channell spred What euer wandring coast stretcht out is left aloofe behynde From whence the roaming Scithyan Sea his channell forth doth fynde Where as Maeotis fenny plashe with pure fresh water sprynges Doth season sweete the briny Sea that tyde in thyther brynges Eke all the coastes enuyroued and kept within the bankes Of Thermodon where warlike troupes armed wyddowes ranckes With paynted bucklers on their armes holde all the land in feare With rigour rough of threatning sword with force of denting speare So farre to all these wandring coastes and countreyes round about My Fathers ample regiment at large is stretched out I being thus of noble Race and in an happy plight With glorious glosse of pryncely pomp in honour shining bright Then pearelesse Peares my Spousall bed did seeke and sue to haue But those to be theyr louing Feeres now other Ladyes craue Rashe ticle peuish vndiscreete and wauering Fortunes wheele Hath cast me out the crusshing cares of banishment to feele In Scepter proude and hauty Crowne fix thine affyaunce fast Sith vpsidowne with welkin wheele whole mounts of wealth is cast This Prynces doe possesse that should theyr royalty display Whose fame shall neuer razed be with storme of lowring day To succour those whom misery in pit of paynes doth souse To shield and harber suppliaunts in roof of loyall house This onely brought I from my Realme the precious golden Fleece That Iewell chiefe and eke the flower of Chyualry in Greece The sturdy prop the Rampter strong the bulwarke of your wealth And Hercules the boystrous Imp of Ioue I kept in health It was by meanes of my good will that Orpheus did escape Whose harmony the liuelesse Rocks with such delight did rape That forced euen the clottred lumpes with hobling prickt to praunce And eke the iocond nodding woods with footing fine to daunce And that these heauenly twins Castor and Pollux did not by My dew desart is doubled twise sith them preserued I Of Boreas blustring out with puffed Cheekes his blasting Breath His wynged Sons I kept aliue both Calais and Zeath And Linceus that with pearcing beames and sharper sight of Eye Could Nauies on the farther banke of Sicill shore espy And all the Mynians that did come the golden Fleece to win As for the Prince of Princes all I will not bring him in With silence Iason will I passe for whom though him I saue Yet is not Greece in debt to mee no recompence I craue To no man him I doe impute the rest I brought agayne For your auayle that you thereby some profit might attayne But onely on my Iason deare him for my owne loues sake I kept in store that hee of mee his wedded Wyfe should make None other fault God wot yee haue to charge mee with but this That Argo Ship by meanes of mee returned saufely is If I a shamefast mayde had not with Cupids bayte bene caught If more my Fathers health to haue then Iasons I had sought Pelasga land had bene vndone and faine to great decay The lusty valiaunt Capitaynes had cleane bene cast away And ioly Iason fyrst of all this now thy sonne in lawe The Buls had rent his swalowed lims in fiery chomping iawe Let Fortune fight agaynst my case as list her eluish will Yet neuer shall it grieue my heart repent my deede I nill That I should for so many kings their reling honour saue The guerden due that I for this my crime commit must haue It lyeth Creon in thy hande if thus it lyketh thee Condemne my guilty ghost lo death but render fyrst to mee My fault that forced me offend then Creon graunt I this Receauing Iason cause of cryme I guilty did amisse Thou knowst that I was such an one when couring low I lay Before thy feete in humble wise and did entreating pray Thy gracious goodnes mee to graunt some succour at thy hande For me a wreatch and wreatched Babes I aske within this lande Some cotage base in outcast hole some couching corner vile If from the towne thou driue vs out to wander in exile The some by place aloofe within this realme let vs obtayne CR. How I am none that tyrant like with churlish Scepter raygne Nor proudly or disdaynfully with hawty corage hie With vaūting foote doe stamp them downe that vndertroden lye And daunted are in carefull bale thys playnly doth disclose In that to mee of late I such a sonne in lawe haue chose Who was a wandring pilgrim poore with sore afflictions fraight Dismayde with terrour of his foe that lay for him in wayght Because Acastus hauing got the crowne of Thessail lande Requyreth in thy guilty bloude to bath his wreackfull hande He doth bewayle that good olde man his feeble father slayne Whom waight of yeres with bowing back to stoupe alow constrayne The godly mynded systers all yblinde with misty vale And cloking colour of thy craft durst ventrusly assayle That mount of myschiefe marueylous to mangle heaw and cut Theyr Fathers dere vnioynted limmes in boyling Caldron put But for thy open guiltinesse if thou can purge the same Strayght Iason can discharge him selfe from blot of guilty blame His gentle handes were neuer staynde with goare of any
you thus flee OEdi. Frō none but frō my selfe Who haue a breast full fraught with guilte who wretched caitiffe Elte Haue all embrude my hands with bloud From these apace I flee And from the heauens and Gods therein and from that villanie Which I most wicked wretch haue wrought Shall I treade on thys ground Or am I worthy so to doe in whom such trickes abound Am I to haue the benefite of any Element Of Ayre for breath of water moyst or Earth for nourishment O Slaue forlorne O beastly wretch O Incestmonger vyle O Varlet most detestable O Peysaunte full of guile Why doe I with polluted Fyst and bloudy pawes presume To touch thy chast and comely hand I foame I fret I fume In hearing any speake to mee Ought I heare any tell Or once of Sonne or Father speake syth I did Father quell Would God it were within my power my Senses all to stop Would God I could these Eares of myne euen by the stumps to crop If that might bee then daughter I should not haue heard thy voyce I I thy Syre that thee be got by most incestuous choise Beegetting of thee makes my crymes moe then they were before Remorse thereof both gnaw and grype my conscience more and more Ofttymes that which myne Eyes not see with Eares that doe I heare And of my Facts afore time done the inward wound I beare Why is there stay made of my doome Why am I spard so long Why is not this blind head of myne throwne damned ghosts among Why rest I on the Earth and not among infernall Sprightes Why pester I the company of any mortall Wightes What myschiefe is there more behind to aggrauate my care My Kingdome Parents Children Wit and Vertue quayled are By sturdy stormes of froward Fate nothing remaynde but teares And they bee dryde and Eyes be gon my hardned heart forbeares Such signes of grace leaue of therefore and make no more adde A minde so mated with dispayre no suytes will slowpe vnto I practize some straunge punishments agreeing to my deede But what proportion can bee found of plagues vnto my meede Whose Fortune euer was so bad I was in sooner borne But seely Infant Iudgde I was in peeces to be torne My mother in whose wombe I lay forth had not mee yet brought And yet euen then I feared was and straight my death was sought Some Babes soone after they bee borne by stroke of death depart But I poore soule before my byrth adiudged was to dart Of death some yet in Mothers wombe ere any light they see Doe taste the dint of hasty Fate while Innocents they bee Apollo by his Oracle pronounced sentence dyre Vpon mee being yet vnborne that I vnto my Syre Should breastly parricide commit and therevpon was I Condemned straight by Fathers doome My Feete were by and by Launcde through through with yrō Pins hangde was I by the Heeles Vpon a Tree my swelling plants the printe thereof yet feeles As pray to Beastes cast out also to cramme theyr greedy Iawes In Mount Cythaeron and to fill the griping Vulturs Mawes Such Sauce to tast full lyke was I was others heeretofore Descended of the royall Sangue with smart perforce haue bore But see the chaunce I thus condemn'de by Dan Apollos hest And cast to beasts by Fathers doome and euery way distrest Could finde no death no death on mee durst seyze his lordly Pawe But fled from mee as though I had not beene within his Lawe I verified the Oracle with wicked hand I kilde Myne owne deere Father and vnwares his guiltlesse bloud I spilde Shall any satisfaction redeeme so vile an Acte May any kinde of Piety purge such a shamefull fact I rested not contented thus For Father beeing slayne I fell in linkes of lawlesse Loue with Mother Oh what payne And grudge of minde sustaynde I there in thinking on the same To tell our wicked wedlocke Yoake I loath I blush I shame I may not well this geare conceale I le tell it out it shall Though to my shame it much redound it may augment my thrall I will display straunge villanies and them in number many Most beastlike parts most lewde attempts to bee abhorr'de of any So filthy and so monstruous that sure I thinke no Age Will them belieue to haue bene done so cruell was my rage That euen ech cutthroate Partrcide thereat may be ashamde To heare it nam'de and with disdaine straight wayes will be enflamde My handes in Fathers blud embrude to Fathers Bed I brought And haue with Mother myne his Wife incestuous practyse sought To myschiefe adding mischiefe more I wis my fault to Sire Is slender in comparison my gracelesse fond desire Could not bee staide till solemnely the mariage Knot was knit Twixt mee and Mother myne alas for want of grace and wit How plungde am I in myschiefe still how is the measure full Of horrours vile which doe my minde and heart asunder pull And least the heape of these my woes might seeme to bee too skant My Mother she my Wyfe that is yong issue doth not want Can any crime in all the World more haynous be surmisde If any may by wicked Impes the same I haue deuisde My Realme and Crowne I haue resignde which I receiued as hyre For murdring most vunaturally the king my Lord and Syre Which Crowne now since twixt both my sonnes hath kindled mortall war And all the countrey by the ears remains at deadly iarre I know ful wel what destenies to this same Crowne belonges None without Bloud the same shall weare and most accursed wrongs This mynd of myne who Father am presageth many ills And gloomy dayes of slaughter dyre the plot that murther willes Already is contriu'd and cast all truth of word and deede Is quight exild al promise broke of pactes afore decreed Etheocles th one of my sonnes who now in princely throne Beates all the sway meanes stil to keepe the Diademe alone Poore Polynices th'o other sonne thus beyng dispessest And kept by force from Kingly rule his humble sute addrest Vnto the Gods this wrong to wreake this breach of league and oth T' auenge and plague he Argos soyle end Greekish Cttyes both Perswades t' assist him in this warie this quarel to mayntayne That he in Thebes as promise was might haue his turne to raygne The ruyne that to wearied Thebes shall greeuously befall And bring the pompous state therof adowne shal not be small Fire sword glaue woūds thwackīg thūps shal light vnto their share And that ere long and mischieues worse it any worse there are And this shall hap that all the worlde may know it is the race And yssue of a curied Syre that darraygnes such a case Though other causes none there were to moue you sic to liue Yet is this one sufficient that you by awe may dryue Your sonnes my Brethren tarring thus to vnity and peace For you their Father only may theyr furies cause to tease
You and none els may turne away th occassons of this warre These bransicke youthes from further rage you onely may dibarre By this your meanes the countrey shall their quiet peace enioy And Brethren ioyntly reconcild shal worke no more ennoy If you therefore this mortall life thus to your selfe deny You many thousandes shal vndoe whose states on you relye Oed. What canst thou make me to beleue that any sparke of grece Or loue to Syre or honesty in them hath any place Which thirst for one on others bloud which after kingdomes gape Whose whole delight is villany werre wurther guile and rape Such hateful ympes on mischiefe set such wicked Termagosites As to be sonnes of such a Syre with shame may wake their vauntes At one bare woord to tel thee all thy brethren two are bent Vppon all mischiefe wayghing not what loosenes they frequent When flingbrayne rage ensots their heades they care not they a rush Vpon what Deuelish vile attemptes they geue the desprat push And as they are conceau'd and borne in most abhorred sort So still deuoyde of Grace they thincke all villany but sport Theyr Fathers shame and wretched state moues them no whit at all To Countrey they no reckning make what massacre befall Their myndes are rauisht with desyre ambitiously to raygne I know their driftes and what they hope at length by shiftes to gayne And therfore sith the case so standes I leyfer had to die With poasting speede whyle in my house there is none worse then I Ahlas deare Daughter what adoe dost thou about me make Why liest thou prostrate at my knees why dost thou trauaile take To conquere my resolued mynd with this thy spiced phraze Of fayre entreatie these thy wordes my flynty hart amaze Dame Fortune hath none other bayte to bryng me to her lure Then this alone til now I still vnbanquisht did endure No Creatures words but thyne alone could pearce this hart of myne Ne from a purpose resolute my setled mynd butwyne Thou conquere canst thaffections fond that in my breast do boyle Thou teachest grace to fathers house and zeale to natiue soyle Each thing to me delightful is which iumpeth with thy wil Commaund me Daughter I thy hestes am ready to fufill Old Oedipus if thou enioyne wil passe th' Aegaean Sea And flashing flakes of Aetna Mount with mouth he dare assay He boldly dare obiect himselfe to raumping Dragons claw Which rag'd sweld and venime spit apace when as he saw Dan Hercules away to steale his golden Aples all In Gardens of Hesperides At thy commaund he shall His Entrails offer vnto iobbe of greedy Vulturs Byll At thy commaund content he is in life to linger still THE SECONDE ACTE Nuntius OEdipus Antigone Iocasta REnowmed Prynce of royall Race and Noble lygne yspronge The Thebans dreading much the drife of this your childrens thronge And warlicke garboyle now in hand most humbly pray your Grace For Countreys safety downe to set some order in the case They bee not threates and menacies that thus their mindes affright The mischiefe is more neere then so the Enmy is in sight For Polynices he that is your younger sonne of twayne Doth clayme the crowne and in his turne in Thebes requires to raigne According vnto couenaunts made which quarrell to decite Hee purposeth the dene of sword and maritall force t' abide With him he brings a mighty Troupe from eu'ry part of Greece Sir seuen Dukes hesieging Thebes are minded it to fleese Helpe noble King els are wee lyke to perishe man and chylde These bloudy broyles of ciuill warre from vs protect and shyelde O Edi. Am I one like to stop the rage of any wicked act Am I one like to cause these Youthes to leaue their bloudy fact Am I a maister like to teach what lawes of loue do meane Should I not then from former quise digresse in nature eleane They treade their Fathers steps aright they play my lawlesse prankes Like Syre like Sonnes like Tree like fruite I con theÌ„ harty thanks By this I know them for my Sonnes and praise their towardnesse I would they should by peeuish partes whose Sonnes they be expresse Shew forth you noble Gallante ympes what metled minds you beare Shew forth by deedes your valor great let lofty sprights appeare Surmount and dimme my prayses all Eclypse my glory quight Attempt some enterprise in which your Syre may haue delight To haue till now remaynd in life hereof I haue no doubt For well I know your practise is straunge feates to bring about Your byrth and ligne from whence you spronge assures me of no lesse Such noble Bloudes must needes atchiue some doughty worthinesse Your Weapons and Artillery for warre bring out with speede Consume with flame your natiue Soyle and desolation breede In eu'ry house within the Land a hurly burly make Confusedly of eu'ry thinge Make all the Realme to quake And in exile theyr dayes let end make leuell with the ground Eche fenced Fort and walled Towne The Gods and all confound And throw their Temples on their heads Their Images deface And melt them all turne vpstdowne eche house in eu'ry place Burne spoyle make hauocke leaue no iote of City free from fyre And let the flame begin his rage within my Chamber dyre AN. Syr banish these vnpatient panges let plagues of CoÌ„mon wealth Entreate your Grace sith vpon you stayth all their hope and health Procure your sonnes to reconcile themselues as brothers ought Establishe peace betwene them both let meanes of loue be sought OEd. Oh daughter see and well beholde howe I to peace am bent And how to end these garboyles all I seeme full well content My minde I tell thee swelles with yre within my entralles boyles Abundaunt stoare of Choller fell such restlesse rage turmoyles My inward Soule that I must yet some greater matter brew Which may the Realme enwrap in bale and cause them all to rue That which my rashe and heady sonnes haue hitherto begon Is nothing in respect of that wich must by me be don This ciuill warre is nothing like to that which I deuise These trifling broyles for such a Sea of harmes cannot suffice Let brother cut the brothers throate with murthrous knife in hand Yet is not this ynough to purge the mischieues of this lend Some haynous Fact vnheard of yet some detestable deede Must practisde bee as is to mee and myne by Fates decreed Such custome haunts our cursed race such guise our house hath caught My vise incestuous Bed requires such pageaunts to be wraught To me your Father Weapons reach my selfe heere let me shrowde In couert of these queachy wooddes and let me be allowde To lurke behinde this Craggy Rocke or els my selfe to hyde On backside of some thickset hedge where lying vnespide I hearken may what marketfolkes in passing to and froe Do talke and what the countrey Clownes speake as by way they goe There syth with eyes I cannot see with earâ—s yet may I beare How