much vnto my 〈◊〉 while I did liue â—â—th a boy to gâ—yde which nowe Irue My poysoned Make my ghost doth oft pursue And in my face with burning bronds doth flye He stayes a space with earnest talke hard by And threatneth sore and doth impute his death And tombe he should haue had to me beneath And now desyres to haue some factious wight That dare dispoyle my sonne of breathing spright Let be you shall haue one to worke this crime I do require no long delaied time Reuenging sprit Erin a death doth coyne Of life that wicked tyrant to purloyne Sore smarting leaden strypes and shamefull flyght And pyning panges with thurst and hunger dyght That Tantalus spungelyke thurstie mouth befurd And Sisyphus toyle shall passe and Tityus hurd And Ixions painefull wombling whéele about That teareth all his bodies parts throughout Although that tyrant proud and scornefull wyght His court with marble stone do strongly dyght And princelike garnish it with glistring gold Though troupes of souldiours shielded sure vphold Their chieftaines princely porch though yet still The world drawne drye with taskes euen to his will Great heapes of riches yéelde them selues to saue Although his bloudie helpe the Parthians craue And kingdomes bring and goods all that they haue The time and day shall come when as he shall Forlorne and quite vndone and wanting all Vnto his curssed déedes his life and more Vnto his foes his baared throat restore Alas vnto what end is all my paine Or in what case do now my vowes remaine Whereto doth now thy rage and destnies spyte Draw thée O sonne with braine benummed quyte That to such monstrous heaps of ylls thy dame WhoÌ„ thou with curssed mischiefe ouercame Hir wrath should yéeld O that ere to the light A sucking babe I brought thée forth in sight And fed thée fyne with pappe as princely borne The fierce wylde sauage beasts had rent and torne My wombe and bloudie entrells all beforne Without all cryme and wanting reasons pryde Mine owne déere dandling childe y u shouldst haue dyde And fastned sure to me shuldst aye beholde The quiet place where ghostlie soules be rolde And sée thy graund syres great of worthy same And syre Domitius eke of princely name Whome nowe both shame and wayling doth abyde That whyle they dure from them shall neuer slyde For which both thée O curssed barne they may And mée that thée haue borne giue thankes for aye But why ceasse I with Hell to hide my face Wyfe stepdame mother dire in my life space The seconde Sceane of the thirde Act. Octauia Chorus DO not alas thus sore lament But rather yet your mourning stay Sith that the citie whole is bent To celebrate this ioyfull day Least your great loue and fauour both Which I do count to be most sure The more cause Nero me to loth And eke his bitter wrath procure And I fall out to be the ground To you of many mischieues vile This same is not the first déepe wound That I haue felt now this good while Farre worsse than this haue I abode But of these troublous cares this day Shall make an ende I trust in God Although with death he doe me pay No man to sée shall mée constraine His bended browes knit furrowise Nor step within the chamber raigne Of maide drest vp in brydall guyse Augustus sister I will bée And not his wife as wont I was But onely paines remoue from mée And feare of death I will not passe Yet canst thou piteous wretch once trust Thy cruell husbands father law Or these fewe things to haue so iust Whyle mischiefs yet in minde are raw Now long reseru'd vntill this day And these same mariage rytes be past Thou shalt poore wretch without delay A bloudie offring dye at last Why thus with teares disfigured sore Thy wonted home doest thou beholde Make haste to shunne this deadly shore And leaue this straughtrous Princes folde Chorus Loe se that day suspected long And whispered fame in all mens eares With glistring pomp of brydall throng To vs poore wretches now appeares And Claudius broode Octauias grace From Neros wedlock place expeld Departed is whose spousall space Hath Poppie conquerour long tyme held The whyle our pietie couched lyes Kept downe with heauie combrous feare And slow reuenging griefe likewise Where doth the peoples power appeare That brake the force of princes great That conquerous citie lawes hath framde That worthy men to honors seat Preferd that warre and peace proclaimde That sauage people straunge did tame That kyngs and princes caught in fyght Shut surely vp in prison frame To kéepe them close from all mens syght Loe which we can not once abyde To see where Poppies ymage trim Conioyned vnto Neros syde All glistring bright shines very brim Let force of armes pull downe that frame And match with ground that ladies face Too likely carued to his name And snatch hir downe from bedding place And let it forthwith flye with brandes With Darts and Iauelins fiercely flong From pythie brawnes and sturdy handes Unto the princes courtly throng The fourth Act. The fyrst Sceane Nutrix Poppea FRom out of spousall bower dismaied w t feare Whither go you what secrets daughter deare Unknowen maks you to looke so drouselye Why spungelike lokes your face w t teares froÌ„ eye That fell of truth the tyme desired long And wisshed for by prayers and vowes among Hath shined bright Caesars wedlock are you Your golden grace whereof he toke the view Him prisoner caught and did him surely binde So much the more how much Seneck his minde Did seeke to chaunge and wild from loue to wéeld And Venus chiefe in loue hath made him yéeld O in beautie passing all what beds than downe More soft haue borne thy weght when y u with crowne Didst sit in middes of court the Senate all At thy great beautie agast thou didst appall Whylst thou the Goddes with perfume sensedst fyne And sacred altars drencht with thankfull wyne Thy hed attyrde with veyle of yellowe hiewe By Cesars syde thou wentst as princesse newe When he aloft extolde aboue the reast With hautie courage meryly went to feast Like as King Peleus went some tymes to take Quéene Tethis whom salt seas some bredde his make Whose briding chambers banquetwise ydrest The Gods vouchsaaft to hallow with their hest Both they that rule in skies and eke in seas But tell O Ladie tell if it you please What sodaine chaunce doth shade your beauties light What meanes your colour chaunge from red to white What moues those trickling teares how standes your plighte Poppea With dreames and griesly sights this last night nurse My minde was troubled sore but frayd much worse For when sir Phoeb his werie course had rid Whyle quiet resting night eche thing shadid My senses wearie fell in slumber déepe Whyle Nero me within his armes did cléepe Resoluing lims at length gan sléepe discharge And long I rest not vnder quiets targe For loe I
seruile Pallace stroke To filthie vices lore one easlye broke Of Diuelishe wicked witte this Princocks proude By stepdames wyle prince Claudius Sonne auoude Whome deadely damme did bloudie match ylight And thée against thy will for feare did plyght Through which successe this Dame of corage fine Durst venture mighty Ioue to vndermine Who can so many cursed kindes report Of wicked hopes and actes in any sort Or such a womans glosed guyles can name That raumpes at rule by all degrées of shame Then holy sacred zeale put out of grace Hir stagring steppes directed forth apace And stern Erinnis in with deadly steps To Claudius Court all desert left yleps And with hir dririe drakes of Stygian fort Hath quite distainde the sacred princely port And raging riuen in twaine both natures lore And right to wrongs misseshapen fourme hath tore That hautie minded dame first gaue hir make A deadely poysoned cup his thyrst to slake Straight wayes againe through vyle vnkindly touch Hir Nero causde with him in hell to couch And thée vnhappy Britt in all that broyle Till that of breath and lyfe he did dispoyle Thilk gréedie bloudie tyraunt neuer stent Whose dolefull death for aye we may lament Ere whyle vnto the worlde the starre that shone And was the staye of princely court alone Now loe light ashes easly pufte aforne And griesly goast to graue with Torche yborne Whome blessed Babe thy stepdame did lament Nor from hir gusshing teares did scarce relent When as shee gaue eche trimme appointed parte And goodly portraide limmes with natures arte Of flaming stacke to be deuoured quite And sawe the scortching feruent fyre in sight Thy naked ioynts to rauyne vp a pace And like the flittering God thy comely face Oct. Dispatch he me least with this hande he fall Nut. That power you nature graunted not at all Oct. But wondrous dolor great and wrathfull yre And miseries will it graunt without desyre Nut. Nay rather cause your angry moody make With souple chéere his fury for to slake Oct. What that he will by guylte once slaine before Aliue againe my brother mée restore Nut. Nay safe that you may liue and issue beare Your fathers auncient court for to repaire Oct. That court doth wayte another broode they say And poore Britts death tugges me another way Nut. Yet let the cities loue vnto your grace Your troubled minde confirme but for a space Oct. Their mindes so prest to pleasure me I knowe Great comfort bring but do not slake my woe Nut. Of mightie power the people haue bene aye Oct. But princes force doth beare the greater sway Nut. He will respect his lawfull wedded wyfe Oct. Hys minion braue can not so leade hir lyfe Nut. Of no man she estéemde Oct. But deare to make Nut. She can not truely yet of wyfehoode crake Oct. Ere long shée shall a mother eke be made So farre therein I dare most boldly wade Nut. His youthfull heate at first in filthy loue With lusty crusty pangs doth boyle aboue Thylke corage quickly coolde in lust apace As vapour sone extinct in flame giues place But holy louing chaste vnspotâ—â—â— spouse Hir loue endureth aye with sâ—â—â—d vowes That wanton first that there durst couch hir hed And tumbling stayned quite your spousall bed And being but your mayde hath ruled long Hir soueraigne Lorde with beauties grace bestong That pranked Paramour pert shal croutch with pain When she your grace shall sée preferd againe For Poppie subiect is and méeke of spright And now begins hir goastly tombs to dight Whereby she closely graunting doth bewray Hir secret hidden feare eche other day That swift vnconstant double wynged lad With cloute before his blinded eyes yclad That fickle brayned God th'vnhappy boy Shall leaue hir in the midst of all hir ioy Although for beautie bright the bell shée beare And goodly glistring garments new shée weare And now do vaunt hir selfe in gorgeous géere Shée shall not long enioy this gladsome chéere Be not dismayde Madame for such like paine The quéene of Gods was forced to sustaine When to eche pleasaunt shape the heauenly guyde And syre of Gods yturnde from skyes dyd glyde The swannes white wings to se how they could fadge He did on him and cuckoldes bullysh badge That God shone bryght in golden raynie showre To Danaes brest through top of fortred towre The twinckling starres the twins of Laeda bright Whome Pollux some and Castor call aright In large and ample space of starry scope With cristall glimmering faces shyne wide ope An Semeles sonne whome Bacchus we do call In heauenly byrthright doth himselfe ystall And Hercules that puissant champion stoute His sturdy brawnes his Hebe wyndes aboute Nor once regardes how goddesse Iuno fare Whose lowring stepdame nowe she is yframde That whyle on earth his prowes he did declare Against that mariage aye was sore inflamde Yet loe hir wise and closely couched gréefe Debonaire face obeysaunce to hir léefe Causde him at length his minde for to remoue Through mortall féeres estraungde from Iunos loue And nowe that mighty heauenly goddesse great No more adred of mortall strumpets feat Aloft alone in clowdy bowre contents The thundering Lorde which now to hir relents Nor now with earthly ladyes beawtie bright Y fired leaues his starry specked right Now Madame sith on earth your powre is pight And haue on earth quéene Iunos princely place And sister are and wife to Neros grace Your wondrous restlesse dolours great appease Oct. Nay sooner shall the roaring frothy seas And mounting flashing flawes ymatch the skie And smoking stiffling parching fyer drye With danckish pooles agrée and watrie fenne And griefly Plutos filthie feltred denne With starbright heauen shall sooner coupled bée And shining light with glomie shades agrée And with the cleare drye daye the dewy night Than vnto seruile lore of husband wyght That brutishwise in bloud takes his delight My heauy wofull mynd can I addresse Whyle brothers death my heart doth still possesse O that of heauenly powers the prince and syre That shogges shakes the earth with thundering fyre And with his wondrous fearefull curssed crackes And straunge misseshapen monsters which he makes Our fearefull musing mindes doth sore amase Would coyne some curelesse burning wyldefyre blase To pelt and pashe with thumpping fyer bright That diuelish pate that cruel curssed wyght We saw froÌ„ heauen with beames forthshooting farre Doubtlesse a dreadfull hearie blasing starre That spouted forth a mortall fyerie flake Whose force a princes bloude can onely slake Euen where that hayting carman sloe Boote With chilling colde all starck of frosen pole Doth guide aright Charles whirling running rote In steade of nyght that neuer away doth role Loe now the open ayre in euery streate With doggish tyrantes breath is poysoned quite And dreadfull starres soone sodayne death doth threate To people rulde by wicked Neros sprite So sterne a freake or mankinde tyrant stout Not Tellus with the Gods displeasde brought out When mightie Ioue neglected she vp
swim Approching death and fates withstandes At length on troubled seas displayde Shée giuing ouer working vaine And tyrde with streames is weary layde Not able toyling strength to straine In close and secret silent brestes Of mates with hirto sea that yode In whome no feare of death there restes True faith vnto their quéene abode Their ladies weather heaten lyms To helpe some fréely venter dare Some in the coombrous waters swyms And desperate daunger do not spare With cheerfull voyce they comfort hir Though drawlyng draggling lims she drewe To lyft hir vp with helpe they stirre And nummed corps to strength renewe What bootes it thée the death to shonne Of roaring raging rauening waues From deadly sworde of wycked sonne Alas poore wretch thée nothing saues Whose huge and heinous curssed rage Against all course of natures lore Our after slow beléeuing age Will scarce beléeue it done before The diuelish man repynde with griefe When he his mother saued sawe From swallowing seas haue safe reléefe And that she vitall breath did drawe He grudgde with griefe and in his heate He huger mischiefe heapes to thys He doth not once delay his feate But hedlong rashly caried is Upon her death A souldiour sent Dispatchesh that he had in charge His ladies brest his blade doth rent Shée yéelding vp hir soule at large From wretched corps for to entomb Hir slaughter man she then besought That bloudy blade within her womb That first this woe to hir had brought This this accurssed breast ê™ shée Which this vnkindly monster bare From pinching paine may not be frée Digge slash the same no mischief spare When this with foultring tong was saide At last hir sad and trembling goast With latter sobbing sighes vnstayde Through goryd woundes leaues vitall coast The second Act. The fyrst Sceane Seneca IN me with like coÌ„sent why didst thou smyle With glosed lookes deluding mee a whyle O fortune much of might princely powre To lift alofte to noble royall bowre To th'ende that I to honours court extolde From stately seate might haue the greater fall And rownde about in euery place beholde Such dreadfull threating daungers to vs all I safer lay aloofe from enuies knockes Remou'd among the craggy corsick rockes Where as my minde there frée at propre swaye With leysure did repeate my studies aye A gladsome ioy alone it was to viewe And earnestly to marke the heuens so blewe And sacred Phoebus double whéeled wayne And eke the worldes swift whyrling motion mayne The Sunne so euen his second course to kéepe And Phebes glyding globe so swiftly swéepe Whom wondrous starting starres encompasse round And to beholde that shines in euery stound The glystring beawtie bright of welkin wyde Than which in all the worlde nothing besyde Of all this huge and endlesse worke the guyde More wondrous nature framde that I espyde For all the bumping bygnesse it doth beare Yet waxing olde is like againe to weare And to be chaungde to an vnwyldie lumpe Now prest at hand this worldes last day doth iumpe With boystrous fall and tumbling rush of skie To squease and make this curssed kinde abie That springing once againe it may yéelde out An other straunge renued vertuous route As once before it did new sprong againe What time Saturnus held his golden raigne That blamelesse chaste vnspotted virgin cléere A goddesse much of might clept Iustice heere With sacred sooth sent downe from heauenly space At ease on earth did rule the mortall race That people plaine knew not of warlick feates Nor trembling trumpets tune that rends beates The souldiours eares nor chasshing armour bright That warring wyghts defend in field and fight Nor wonted was with walles to raumpire rounde Their open Cities set in any stounde To eche man passage free lay opened than Nothing there priuate was to any man And then the ground it selfe and fertile soyle Hir fruitfull bosome baarde all voyde of toyle Into such bounden barus a Matron good And peaceable vnto so iuste a broode But then an other second race arose Perceyued not to be so méeke as those A third more wise and witty sort vp starts Of nature forged fit t'inuent new arts As yet vnspotted quite with filthy vice Soone after tho they raundge with new deuice That boldly venture dare in scudding race Vnweldie beasts for to pursue apace And mighty weying struggling fisshes great With watrie coates yclad with fisshers feat With net in window wise draw forth and stréeke With craft of quill the nibbling fysshes chéeke And silly byrdee begylde with pyning traine And light foote déere for lyfe that fling amaine In tangling gins entrapt that safely holde And sturdy scouling visagde buls controlde On flesshie fillet necks make weare the yoake And erth ere that vngrubbed vp that broake Which theÌ„ turnde vp with plowmans shining share In sacred bosome déepe hir fruits kept thare But now this age much worse than all the rest Hath lept into hir mothers broken brest And rustye lumpishe yron and massie golde Hath digged out that was quite hidde with molde And fighting fists haue armde without delaye And drawing forth their bonds for rule to staye Haue certayne seuerall ioyly kingdoms made And cities new haue raside now rulde with blade And fenseth eyther with their propre force Straunge stounds or them assaults the which is worse The starrie specked virgine floure of skyes Which Iustice hight that guiltie folke disâ—â—ies Now lightlie estée 〈…〉 e of mortall people here Ech erthly stound is fled and comes not néere The sauage manuerd rout and beastly rude With dabbed wrists in goarie bloud embrued The great desyre of grieflie war is sprong And raping thurst of gold it is not yong Throughout the world a mightie monstrous vice Fowle filthie monstrous iust hath got the price A pleasaunt tickling plague whome longer space And errour déepe haue fostred vp a pace The heaps of vice â—…akte vp in yeares long past Abounding flowe in these out dayes at last And this same troublous tyme and combrous age Oppresseth all mâ—â— sore both yong and sage Wherein those wicked waies that be do raigne And cruell raumping woodnesse boyles againe Lust strong in filthie touch doth beare a swaye And princes ryot now doth catch awaye With gréedie pawes to bring it to decaye Th'whole worlds vncredible welth without delay But loe which staggring steps where Nero flings And visage grim I feare what newes he brings The second Sceane of the second Act. Nero. Prefectus Seneca DIspatch with spéede that we coÌ„mauÌ„ded haue Go send forthwith some one or other slaue That Plautius cropped scalp Sillas eke May bring before our face go some man seke Prefectus I nill protract your noble graces hest But to their camps to goe am ready prest Seneca Gainst lynage nought should rashly pointed be Nero. A light thing 'tis for to be iust I sée For him whose hart is voyd of shrinking feare Se. A soueraigne salue for feare is for to beare Your selfe debonair to
your subiects all Ne. Our foes to slea a chefetaines vertue call Se. A worthier vertue 'tis in countries syre His people to defend with sword and fyre Ne. It well beséems such aged wights to teach Unbrideled springolls yong and not to preach Both to a man and prince of ryper yeares Se. Nay rather frolick youthfull bloud appeares To haue more néede of counsell wise and graue Ne. This age sufficient reason ought to haue Se. That heauenly powers your doings may alow Ne. A madnesse't were to Goddes for me to bow When I my selfe can make such Goddes to be As Claudius nowe ycounted is we se. Se. So much the more bycause so much you may Nc. Our power permits vs all without denay Se. Giue slender trust to fortunes flattering face She topste turuie turnes hir whéele a pace Ne. A patch he is that knoweth not what he may Se. A princes prayse I counted haue alway To do that same which with his honor stood Not that which frantike fansie counteth good Ne. If that I were a mecock or a slouch Eche stubborne clubbish daw woulde make mée couch Se. And whome they hate with force they ouerquell Ne. Then dynt of sworde the prince defendeth well Se. But faith more sure defence doth seeme to me Ne. Full méete it is that Caesar dreaded be Se. More méete of subiects for to be belou'd Ne. From subiects mindes feare must not be remou'd Se. What so by force of armes you do wring out A grieuous worke it is to bring about Ne. Well hardly then our will let them obay Se. Will nothing then but that which well you may Ne. We will decrée what we shall best suppose Se. What peoples voyce doth ioyntly bynde or lose Let that confirmed stand Ne. Swordes bloudy dynt Shall cause them else at me to take their hynt Se. God shéeld and far that fact from you remoue Ne. What then why Seneck do you that approue That we contemnde despysde and set at nought With fynger put in hole full wysely wrought Our bodyes bloude to seke should them abide That they might vs sometime destroy vnspide Their natiue country boundes to bannisht bée Nor Plautius brest nor Syllas eke we sée Hath broke or tamde whose cankred churlish yre Shapes bloudy freakes to quench our bodies fyre And chiefly when these trayterous absent clownes Such wondrous fauour finde in cities bownes Which those same exiles lingring hope doth féede Suspected foes with sworde we will out wéede And so Octauia shall that ioyly dame Continue after them their bloudy game And wend that way her nowne white brother went Such hye mistrusted things must néedes be bent Se. It is O prince a worthy famous thing Amyds redoubted Lordes alone to ring And wisely worke your countries praise to saue And well your selfe to captiue folke behaue From cruell brutish slaughter to abstaine And voyde of moode to wreake your angry paine And to the worlde a quiet calme to giue That all your age in peace their liues may liue This is a Princes praise without all cryme This is the path to heauen whereby we clyme So is Augustus prince and father cald Of country first in starbright throne ystald Whome as a God in minsters we adorne Yet troublous fortune tossed him beforne A great while long on lands and ruffling seas Vntyll his fathers foes he could appease And through wars diuers course could quel thē quite To you did fortune yelde hir power and might And raynes of rule without all bloud and fyght And to your beck both land and seas hath bent Grim deadly enuy daunted doth relent The Senate Lordes gaue place with frée consent The battaylous route of knightes with willing hearts That same decre from sager syres departes Vnto the lay mens choyse doe well agrée Your grace the spring of peace they count to be And chosen Iudge and guyde of mortall stock Your grace your countries sacred syre doth rock And rule with princely gorgeous tytle bryght The cyrcled worlde in rundell wysely ydight Which myghty mounting name to kéepe so great This noble city Rome doth you entreate And doth commend vnto your royall grace Hir liuely lyms in charge for your lyues space Ne. The gyft of Goddes it is as we discus That Rome with Senate sort doth honour vs. And that the feare of our displeasure great From cankred enuious stomaks maketh sweat Both humble talke and supplications méeke And were not feare all these would be to seeke Vnweldy combrous cities members ill That prince and cuntrie both doe seeke to spill To leaue alyue which swell and puffed bée Bycause of lynage greate and hye degree What madnesse meere is it when as we may Euen with a word such freakes dispatch away Sir Brutus stern his brawns and armes did dight His soueraigne liege to slayne by force and might That erst had holpen him and giuen him health And had endued him with princely wealth In brunt of raging war vndaunted out That vanquisht many people strong and stout Prince Cesar mateht by great degrées of power To Ioue in stately chayre of starrie bower By diu'lish citizens wicked wyle was slayne What store of bloudie stiffling streames on molde Did tattred Rome of hir owne lims behold He by his noble vertues worthy praise Whome peoples common brute to heauen doth raise August among the Gods ysaincted well How many noble brests did he compell How many springolds yong and hoarie heds Eche where disperst to ligge in moulded beds How many men did he bereaue of breth Tofore proscript that were condemnd to death When for the griesly feare of deadly dart From propre home they were constraind to part And flye Octauius force and Lepidus might And not abyde sterne Marke Antonius sight Which then the ample worlde at once did guyde That into kingdomes thrée they did deuide To dumpish sadded syres with heauy chéere Their childerns griesly cropped pates appéere Hong out beforne the Senates iudgement seat For eche man to beholde in open streat Ne durst they once lament their piteous case Nor inward séeme to morne to Claudius face The market stead with bloud from bodies spued And lothsome mattrie streames is all embrued And quite throughout their faces foule arayde The pitcous gubs of bloud drop downe vnstayde Nor here did this same slaughterous bloudshed stay Phyllips Pharsalia gastly fields eche day The cromming rauening foules and cruell beasts Long fed with gobbets bigge of manly breasts Beside all this the coast he scoured quyte Of Sicill sea and ships to warre yoyght With force of armes did win and hauock made Of propre subiects slaine with his owne blade The rundle round of lands with mightie maine Of noble chieftaines stroake reboyles againe Antonius ouercome in nauale fight To Egipt poasts in ships preparde to flight Not looking long to liue nor hoping life Incestuous Egipt through Antonius wife That worthy Romaine princes bloud did sucke And couerd lye their goasts with durtie mucke Long wicked waged ciuile warre there