to leaue calamitie As did those others smooth state-pleasers all Who followed but my fortune and not me T is thou must do a seruice for thy Queene Wherein thy faith and skill must do their best Thy honest care and duty shall be seene Performing this more then in all the rest For al what thou hast don may die with thee Although t is pitty that such faith should die But this shall euermore remembred be A rare example to posterity And looke how long as Cleopatra shall In after ages liue in memory So long shall thy cleere fame endure withall And therefore thou must not my sute denie Nor contradict my will For what I will I am resolu'd and this t is thou must do me Go find mee out with all thy art and skill Two Aspicqs and conuay them close vnto me I haue a worke to do with them in hand Enquire not what for thou shalt soone see what If the heauens do not my disseignes withstand But do thy charge and let me shift with that Being thus coniur'd by her t' whom I 'had vow'd My true perpetuall seruice forth I went Deuising how my close attempt to shrowde So that there might no art my art preuent And so disguis'd in habite as you see Hauing found out the thing for which I went I soone return'd againe and brought with me The Aspicqs in a basket closely pent Which I had fill'd with figges and leaues vpon And comming to the guard that kept the dore What hast thou there said they and looke thereon Seeing the figgs they deem'd of nothing more But said they were the fairest they had seene Taste some said I for they are good and pleasant No no said they go beare them to thy Queene Thinking me some poore māy brought a present Well in I went where brighter then the Sunne Glittering in all her pompous rich aray Great Cleopatra sate as if sh 'had wonne Caesar and all the world beside this day Euen as she was when on thy cristall streames O Cydnos she did shew what earth could shew When Asia all amaz'd in wonder deemes Venus from heauen was come on earth below Euen as she went at first to meete her Loue So goes she now at last againe to find him But that first did her greatnes onely proue This last her loue that could not liue behind him Yet as she fate the doubt of my good speed Detracts much from the sweetnes of her looke Cheer-marrer Care did then such passions breed That made her eye bewray the care she tooke But she no sooner sees me in the place But straight her sorow-clowded brow she cleeres Lightning a smile from out a stormie face Which all her tempest-beaten sences cheeres Looke how a stray'd perplexed trauailer When chas'd by theeues euē at point of taking Descrying suddainly some towne not far Or some vnlookt-for aid to him-ward making Cheers vp his tired sp'rits thrusts forth his strēgth To meet that good that comes in so good houre Such was her ioy perceiuing now at length Her honour was t' escape so proude a powre Forth from her seat she hastes to meet the present And as one ouer-ioy'd she caught it straight And with a smiling cheere in action pleasant Looking among the figs findes the deceite And seeing there the vgly venemous beast Nothing dismaid she stayes and viewes it well At length th' extreamest of her passion ceast When she began with words her ioy to tell O rarest beast saith she that Affrick breedes How deerly welcome art thou vnto me The fairest creature that faire Nylus feedes Me thinks I see in now beholding thee What though the euer-erring worlde doth deeme That angred Nature fram'd thee but in spight Little they know what they so light esteeme That neuer learn'd the wonder of thy might Better then Death Deaths office thou dischargest That with one gentle touch can free our breath And in a pleasing sleepe our soule inlargest Making our selues not priuie to our death If Nature err'd ô then how happy error Thinking to make thee worst she made thee best Sith thou best freest vs from our liues worst terror In sweetly bringing soules to quiet rest When that inexorable Monster Death That followes Fortune flies the poore destressed Tortures our bodies ere he takes our breath And loads with paines th' already weak oppressed How oft haue I begg'd prayd intreated him To take my life and yet could neuer get him And when he comes he comes so vgly grim That who is he if he could chuse would let him Therefore come thou of wonders wonder chiefe That open canst with such an easie key The doore of life come gentle cunning thiefe That from our selues so steal'st our selues away Well did our Priests discerne something diuine Shadow'd in thee and therefore first they did Offrings and worships due to thee assigne In whom they found such mysteries were hid Comparing thy swift motion to the Sunne That mou'st without the instruments that moue And neuer waxing olde but alwayes one Doost sure thy strange diuinitie approue And therefore to the rather vnto thee In zeale I make the offring of my blood Calamitie confirming now in me A sure beliefe that pietie makes good Which happy men neglect or hold ambiguous And onely the afflicted are religious And heere I sacrifice these armes to Death That Lust late dedicated to Delights Offring vp for my last this last of breath The complement of my loues dearest rites With that she bares her arme and offer makes To touch her death yet at the touch with-drawes And seeming more to speake occasion takes Willing to die and willing to to pause Looke how a mother at her sonnes departing For some far voyage bent to get him fame Doth intertaine him with anidle parling And stil doth speake and still speakes but the same Now bids farewell and now recalls him backe Tels what was told and bids againe fare-well And yet againe recalls for still doth lacke Something that loue would faine and cannot tell Pleas'd he should go yet cannot let him go So she although she knew there was no way But this yet this she could not handle so But she must shew that life desir'd delay Faine would she entertaine the time as now And now would faine that Death would seaze vpō her Whilst I might see presented in her brow The doubtful combattry'd twixt Life and Honor. Life bringing Legions of fresh hopes with her Arm'd with the proofe of time which yeelds we say Comfort and helpe to such as do refer All vnto him and can admit delay But Honour scorning Life loe forth leades he Bright immortalitie in shining armour Thorow the rayes of whose cleere glorie shee Might see Lifes basenes how much it might harm her Besides she saw whole armies of Reproches And base Disgraces Furies fearfull sad Marching with Life and Shame that stil incroches Vpon her face in bloodie colours clad Which representments seeing worse then death She deem'd to yeeld to Life
did her full reuenge refer Oh poore weake conquest both for him and her Then straight my conscience summons vp my sin T' appeare before me in a hideous face Now doth the terror of my soule begin When eu'ry corner of that hatefull place Dictates mine etror and reueales disgrace Whilst I remaine opprest in euery part Death in my bodie horror at my hart Downe on my bed my loathsome selfe I cast The bed that likewise giues in euidence Against my soule and tels I was vnchast Tels I was wanton tels I followed sence And therefore cast by guilt of mine offence Must heere the right of heauen needes satisfie And where I wanton lay must wretched die Heere I began to waile my hard mishap My suddaine strange vnlookt for miserie Accusing them that did my youth intrap To giue me such a fall of infamie And poore distressed ROSAMOND said I Is this thy glory got to die forlorne In Dezarts where no eare can heare thee morne Nor any eye of pittie to behold The wofull end of thy sad tragedie But that thy wrongs vnseene thy tale vntold Must here in secret silence buried lie And with thee thine excuse togither die Thy sin reueal'd but thy repentance hid Thy shame aliue but dead what thy death did Yet breathe out to these walls the breath of mone Tell th' ayre thy plaints since men thou canst not tell And though thou perish desolate alone Tell yet thy selfe what thy selfe knowes too well Vtter thy griefe where with thy soule doth swell And let thy hart pittie thy harts remorse And be thy selfe the mourner and the Corse Condole thee here clad all in blacke dispaire With silence onely and a dying bed Thou that of late so flourishing so faire Did glorious liue admir'd and honoured And now from friends from succor hither led Art made a spoyle to lust to wrath to death And in disgrace forc'd hecre to yeeld thy breath Did Nature O for this deliberate To shew in thee the glory of her best Framing thine eye the star of thy ill fate And made thy face the foe to spoile the rest O beautie thou an enemy profest To chastitie and vs that loue thee most Without thee how w' are loath'd and with thee loft O you that proude with libertie and beautie And ô may well be proude that you be so Glitter in Court lou'd and obseru'd of durie O that I might to you but ere I goe Speake what I feele to warne you by my woe To keep your feet in pure clean paths of shame That no inticing may diuert the same See'ng how against your tender weaknes still The strength of wit of gold and all is bent And all th' assaults that euer might or skill Can giue against a chaste and clean intent Ah let not greames worke you to ' consent The spot is forde though by a Monarch made Kings cannot priuiledge a sinne forbade Lock vp therefore the treasure of your loue Vnder the surest keyes of feare and shame and let no powers haue powre chast thoughts to moue To make a lawlesse entry on your fame Open to those the comfort of your flame Whose equall loue shall march with equall pace In those pure waies that lead to no disgrace For see how many discontented beds Our owne aspiring or our Parents pride Haue caus'd whilst that ambition vainely weds Wealth and not loue honor and nought beside Whilst married but to titles we abide As wedded widowes wanting what we haue When shadowes cannot giue vs what we craue Or whilst we spend the freshest of our time The sweet of youth in plotting in the aire Alas how oft we fall hoping to clime Or wither as vnprofitably faire Whilst those decaies which are without repaire Make vs neglected scorned and reprou'd And ô what are we if we be not lou'd Fasten therefore vpon occasions fit Least this or that or like disgrace as mine Do ouer-take your youth to ruine it And clowde with infamie your beauties shine Seeing how many seeke to vndermine The treasurie that 's vnpossest of any And hard t is kept that is desir'd of many And flie ô flie these Bed-brokers vncleane The monsters of our sexe that make a pray Of their owne kind by an vnkindly meane And euen like Vipers eating out a way Th'row th'wombe of their owne shame accursed they Liue by the death of Fame the gaine of sin The filth of lust vncleannes wallowes in O is it not enough that we poore wee Haue weaknes beautie gold and men our foes But we must haue some of our selues to bee Traitors vnto our selues to ioyne with those Such as our feeble forces doe disclose And stil betray our cause our shame our youth To lust to follie and to mens vntruth Hatefull confounders both of blood and lawes Vilde Orators of shame that pleade delight Vngracious Agents in a wicked cause Factors for darknes messengers of night Serpents of guile diuels that do inuite The wanton taste of that forbidden tree Whose fruit once pluckt will shew how foule we be You in the habite of a graue aspect In credite by the trust of yeeres can shoe The cunning wayes of lust and can direct The faire and wilie wantons how to goe Hauing your lothsome selues your youth spent so And in vncleannes euer haue beene fed By the reuenue of a wanton bed By you haue beene the innocent betraid The blushing fearefull boldned vnto sin The wife made subtile subtile made the maid The husband scorn'd dishonoured the kin Parents disgrac'd children infamous been Confus'd our race and falsi-fied our blood Whilst fathers sonnes possesse wrong Fathers good This and much more I would haue vttred then A testament to be recorded still Signd with my bloud subscrib'd with Conscience pen To warne the faire and beautifull from ill And ô I wish by th' example of my will I had not left this sin vnto the faire But dyde intestate to haue had no heire But now the poison spread through all my vaines Gan dispossesse my liuing sences quite And nought respecting death the last of paines Plac'd his pale colours th'ensigne of his might Vpon his new-got spoile before his right Thence chac'd my soule setting my day ere noone When I least thought my ioies could end so soone And as conuaid t'vntimely funerals My scarce cold corse not suffred longer stay Behold the King by chaunce returning fals T'inconnter with the same vpon the way As he repaird to see his deerest ioy Not thinking such a meeting could haue been To see his Loue and seeing beene vnseene Iudge those whō chance depriues of sweetest treasure What t is to lose a thing we hold so deere The best delight wherein our soule takes pleasure The sweet of life that penetrates so neere What passions feeles that hart inforc'd to beare The deepe impression of so strange a sight That ouer whemls vs or confounds vs quite Amaz'd he stands nor voice nor body stcares Words had no passage teares no
issue found For sorrow shut vp words wrath kept in teares Confus'd affects each other do confound Oppress'd with griefe his passions had no bound Striuing to tell his woes words would not come For light cares speak wheÌ„ mighty griefs are dombe At length extremity breakes out a way Through which th' imprisoned voice with teares attended Wailes out a sound that sorrowes do bewray With armes a-crosse and eies to heauen bended Vaporing out sighes that to the skies ascended Sighes the poore ease calamity affoords Which serue for speech wheÌ„ sorrow wanteth words O heauens quoth he why do mine eies behold The hatefull raies of this vnhappy funne Why haue I light to see my sinnes controld With blood of mine own shame thus vildly done How can my sight endure to looke thereon Why doth nor blacke eternall darknes hide That from mine eies my hart cannot abide What saw my life wherein my soule might ioy What had my daies whom troubles stil afflicted But only this to counter poize annoy This ioy this hope which Death hath interdicted This sweet whose losse hath all distresse inflicted This that did season all my sowre of life Vext still at home with broiles abroad in strife Vext still at home with broiles abroad in strife Diffention in my blood iarres in my bed Distrust at boord suspecting still my life Spending the night in horror daies in dread Such life hath Tyrants and this life I led These miseries go mask'd in glittering showes Which wise men see the vulgar little knowes Thus as these passions do him ouer-whelme He drawes him neere my body to behold it And as the Vine married vnto the Elme With strict imbraces so doth he infold it And as he in his carefull armes doth hold it Viewing the face that euen death commends On sencelesse lips millions of kisses spends Pittifull moutla saith he that liuing gauest The sweetest comfort that my soule could wish O be it lawfull now that dead thou hauest This sorrowing fare-well of a dying kisse And you faire eyes containers of my blisse Motiues of loue borne to be marched neuer Entomb'd in your sweet circles sleepe for euer Ah how me thinks I see Death dallying seekes To entertaine it selfe in Loues sweet place Decaied Roses of discoloured cheekes Do yet retaine deere notes of former grace And vglie Death sits faire within her face Sweet remnants resting of vermillion red That Death it selfe doubts whether she be dead Wonder of beautie oh receiue these plaints These obsequies the last that I shall make thee For loe my soule that now alreadie faints That lou'd thee liuing dead will not forsake thee Hastens her speedie course to ouer-take thee I le meete my death and free my selfe thereby For ah what can he doe that cannot die Yet ere I die thus much my soule doth vow Reuenge shall sweeten death with ease of minde And I will cause poste ritie shall know How faire thou were aboue all women kinde And after-ages monuments shall finde Shewing thy beauties title not thy name Rose of the world that fwoetned so the fame This said though more desirous yet to say For sorrow is vnwilling to giue ouer He doth represse what griefe would else bewray Least he too much his passions should disouer And yet respect scarce bridles such a Louer So faire transported that he know not whither For Loue and Maiestied dwell ill togither Then were my funerals not long deferred But done with all the rites pompe could deuise At Godstow where my bodie was interred And richly tomb'd in honourable wise Where yet as now scarce any note descries Vnto these times the memorie of mee Marble and Brasse so little lasting bee For those walls which the credulous deuour And apt-beleeuing ignorant did found With willing zeale that neuer call'd in doubt That time their works should euer so confound Lie like confused heapes as vnder-ground And what their ignorance esteem'd so holy The wiser ages do account as follie And were it not thy fauourable lynes Re-edified the wracke of my decayes And that thy accents willingly assignes Some farther date and giue me longer dayes Few in this age had knowne my beauties praise But thus renew'd my fame redeemes some time Till other ages shall neglect thy rime Then when confusion in her course shall bring Sad desolation on the times to come When mirth-lesse Thames shal haue no Swan to sing All Musique silent and the Muses dombe And yet euen then it must be knowne to some That once they flourisht though not cherisht so And Thames had Swannes as well as euer Po. But here an end I may no longer stay thee I must returne t' attend at Stigian flood Yet ere I go this one word more I pray thee Tell DELIA now her sigh may doe me good And will her note the frailtie of our blood And if I passe vnto those happie banks TheÌ„ she must haue her praise thy pen her thanks So vanquisht she and left me to returne To prosecute the tenor of my woes Eternall matter for my Muse to mourne But ah the world hath heard too much of those My youth such errors must no more disclose I le hide the rest and grieue for what hath beene Who made me known must make me liue vnseene FINIS William the Conquerour William Rufus Henry 1. King Stephen Henry 2. Rich. t. K. Iolm Henry 3. Edwa. 1 Edward 1 Edward 3 Edward the black prince who died before his father Rich 2. 1 Froisart Pol. Virg. Hall der huer it in this sort The Duke of Anibarle sonne to the Duke of Yorke This Percy was Earle of Woster and brother to the Earle of Northumberland The Bishop of Carlile Montague Earle of Salisbury Ienico d' Artois a Gascoyn The Bishop of Castile Lex Amnestiâ—s Arundell Bishop of Canterbury The Sir Thomas Bluns This knight was Sir Pierce of Exton Dioclesian the Emperor Omen Glenden Rich. 2. The son to the Earle of NorthuÌ„berland The Prince of Wales Which was Sir Walter Blunt Another Blunt which was the kings Standard bearer Sir Hugh Shorly Hen. 5. Hen. 5. At Southhaton Richard Duke of Yorke The Duke of Somersit a great enemy to the Duke of Yorke had euer enuied his prefermeÌ„t This Rainer was Duke of Aniou only inioid the title of the K. of Sicilia Which were deliuered vp to her father vpon the match His frer Duke of Gloster Articles obiected against de la Poole Duke of Suffolke Iack Cade The Dukes of Britany and Burgundio The Loâ—â—… Lisie Virtue A Sea Horse
people that begun Reuenge of wrong and iustice to expect He causd be put to execution One that to doe this murther was elect A base meane man whom few or none would misse Who first did serue their turne and now serues his 15 And to abase the too high state of those That were accusd and lessen their degrees Aumarle Surry Exceter must lose The names of Dukes their titles dignities And what soeuer honour with it goes The Earles their titles and their Signories And all they gote in th' end of Richards raigne Since Glosters death they mustrestore againe 16 By this as if by Ostracisme t' abate That great presumptiue wealth whereon they stand For first hereby impou'rishing their state He kils the meanes they might haue to withstand Then equals them with other whom they hate Who by their spoiles are raisd to hie command That weake and enuied if they should conspire They wracke themselues and he hath his desire 17 And by this grace which yet must be a grace As both they and the world are made belieue He doth himselfe secure and them defuce Thinking not rigor that which life doth giue But what an error was it in this case To wrong so many and to let them liue But errors are no errors but by fate For oft th' euent make soule faults fortunate 18 The parlament which now is held decreed What euer pleasd the king but to propound Confirm'd the crowne to him and to his feed And by their oth their due obedience bound And ô b' it sinne t' examine how this deed How iust t is done and on how fure a ground Whether that Court maie change due course or no Or ought the realme against the realme can do 19 Here was agreed to make all more secure That Richard should remaine for euermore Close-prisoner least the realme might chāce indure Some new reuolt or any fresh vprone And that if any should such broile procure By him or for him he should die therefore So that a talke of tumult and a breath Would serue him as his passing-bell to death 20 Yet reuerent Carlile thou didst there oppose Thy holy voice to saue thy Princes bloud And freely check'st this iudgement and his foes When all were bad yet thou dar'st to be good Be it inrold that time may neuer lose The memory how firme thy vertues stood When powre disgrace nor death could ought diuart Thy glorious tongue thus to reueale thy hart 21 Graue reuerent Lords since that this sacred place Our Auentine Retire our holy hill This place soule of our state the Realmes best grace Doth priuiledge me speake what reason will O let me speake my conscience in this case Least sin of silence shew my hart was ill And let these walles witnes if you will not I do discharge my soule of this soule blot 22 Neuer shall this poore breath of mine consent That he that two and twenty yeeres hath raignd As lawfull Lord and king by iust discent Should here be iudged vnheard and vnaraignd By subiects two Iudges incompetent To iudge their king vnlawfully detaind And vn-brought forth to plead his guiltles cause Barring th' annointed libertie of lawes 23 Haue you not done inough blush to thinke Lay on your harts those hands those hands too rash Know that this staine that 's made doth farther sinke Into your soules then all your blouds can wash Leaue with the mischiefe done and doe not linke Sin vnto sin for heauen and earth will dash This ill accomplisht worke ere it be long For weake he builds that sences wrong with wrong 24 Stopt there was his too vehemēt speech with speed And he sent close to warde from where he stood His zeale vntimely deem'd too much t' exceed The measure of his wit and did no good They resolute for all this doe proceed Vnto that iudgement could not be withstood The king had all he crau'd or could compell And all was done we will not say how well 25 Now Muserelate a wofull accident And tell the bloudshed of these mighty Peeres Who lately reconcild rest discontent Grieu'd with disgrace remaining in their feares How euerseeming outwardly content Yet th' inward touch that wounded honor beares Rosts closely rankling and can find no ease Till death of one side cure this great disease 26 Meanes how to feele and learne each others hart By th' Abbot now of Westminster is found Who secretly disliking Henries part Inuites these Lords and those he ment to sound Feasts them with cost and drawes them on with art And darke and doubtful questions doth propound Then plainer speakes and yet vncertaine speakes Then wishes wel then off abruptly breakes 27 My Lord faith he I feare we shall not finde This long-desired king such as was thought But yet he may doe well God turne his minde T is yet new daies but ill bodes new and nought Some yet speed well though all men of my kind Haue cause to doubt his speech is not forgot That Princes had too little we too much God giue him grace but t is ill trusting such 28 This open-close apparent-darke discourse Drew on much speech and euery man replies And euery man ads heat and wordes inforce And vrge out words for when one man espies Anothers minde like his then ill breedes worse And out breakes all in th' end what closest lies For when men well haue fed th' bloud being warme Then are they most improuident of harme 29 Bewray they did their in ward boyling spight Each stirring other to reuenge their cause One saies he neuer should indure the sight Of that forsworne that wrongs both land and lawes Another vowes the same of his minde right A third t' a point more nere the matter drawes Sweares if they would he would attempt the thing To chaste th' vsurper and replace their king 30 Thus one by one kindling each others fire Till all inflam'd they all in one agree All resolute to prosecute their ire Seeking their owne and Countries cause to free And haue his first that their bloud did conspire For no way else they said but this could be Their wrong-detained honor to redeeme Which true-bred bloud shoulde more then life esteeme 31 And let not this our new-made faithles Lord Saith Surry thinke that we are lest so bare Though bare inough but we will find a sword To kill him with when hee shall not beware For he that is with life and will but stoor'd Hath for reuenge inough and needs not care For time will fit and furnish all the rest Let him but euen attend and doe his best 32 Then of the manner how t' effect the thing Consulted was and in the end agreed That at a maske and common reuelling Which should b' ordaind they should performe the deed For that would be least doubted of the king And fittest for their safety to proceed The night their number and the suddaine act Would dash all order and protect their fact 33 Besides they might vnder the
To vnknowne costes some to the shores do flie Some to the woodes or whether feare aduisd But running from all to destruction hye The breach once made vpon a battered state Downe goes distresse no shelter shroudes their fate 53 O now what horror in their soules doth grow What sorrowes with their frendes and nere allyes What mourning in their ruin'd houses now How many childrens plaints and mothers cryes How many wofull widowes left to bow To sad disgrace what perisht families What heires of hie rich hopes their thought smust frame To bace-downe-looking pouerty and shame 54 This slaughter and calamitie forgoes Thy eminent destruction wofull king This is the bloudie comet of thy woes That doth fortell thy present ruyning Here was thy end decreed when these men rose And euen with their this act thy death did bring Or hastened at the least vpon this ground Yet if not this another had beenbe found 55 Kinges Lordes of times and of occasions May take th' aduantage when and how they lift For now the Realme with these rebellions Vext and turmyld was thought would not resist Nor feele the wound when like confusions Should by this meanes be stayd as all men wist The cause be'ing once cut off that did molest The land should haue her peace and he his rest 56 He knew this time and yet he would not seeme Too quicke to wrath as if affecting bloud But yet complaines so far that men might deeme He would t were done and that he thought it good And wisht that some would so his life esteeme As rid him of these feares wherein he stood And therewith eies a knight that then was by Who soone could learne his lesson by his eie 57 The man he knew was one that willingly For one good looke would hazard soule and all An instrument for any villanie That needed no commission more at all A great ease to the king that should hereby Not need in this a course of iustice call Nor seeme to wil the act for though what 's wrought Were his own deed he grieues should so be thought 58 So soule a thing ô thou iniustice art That tortrest both the doer and distrest For when a man hath done a wicked part O how he striues t' excuse to make the best To shift the fault t'vnburthen his charg'd hart And glad to finde the least furmise of rest And if he could make his seeme others sin O what repose what easelie findes therein 59 This knight but ô why should I call him knight To giue impiety this reuerent stile Title of honour worth and vertues right Should not be giuen to a wretch so vile O pardon me if I doe not aright It is because I will not here defile My vnstaind verse with his opprobrious name And grace him so to place him in the same 60 This eaitise goes and with him takes eight more As desperat as himselfe impiously bold Such villaines as he knew would not abhorre To execute what wicked act he would And hastes him downe to Pomfret wherebefore The restles king conuaid was laide in hold There would he do the deed he thought should bring To him great grace and fauour with his king 61 Whether the soule receiue intelligence By her nere Genius of the bodies end And so impartes a sadnesse to the sense Forgoing ruine whereto it doth end Or whether nature else hath conference With profound sleope and so doth warning send By prophetizing dreames what hurt is neere And giues the heauie carefull hart to feare 62 How euer so it is the now sad king Tost here and there his quiet to confound Feeles a straunge waight of sorrowes gathering Vpon his trembling hart and sees no ground Feeles so dayne terror bring cold shiuering Lists not to eat still muses sleepes vnfound His sences droope his steedy eye vnquicke And much he ayles and yet hee is not sicke 63 The morning of that day which was his last After a weary rest rysing to paine Out at a little grate his eyes he cast Vppon those bordering hils and open plaine And viewes the towne and sees how people past Where others libertie makes him complaine The more his owne and grieues his soule the more Conferring captiue-Crownes with freedome pore 64 O happie man faith hee that lo I see Grazing his cattel in those pleasant fieldes O if he knew his good how blessed hee That feeles not what affliction greatnes yeeldes Other then what he is he would not bee Nor chaung his state with him that Scepters weildes O thine is that true life that is to liue To rest secure and not rise vp to gricue 65 Thou sit'st at home safe by thy quiet fire And hear'st of others harmes but feelest none And there thou telst of kinges and who aspire Who fall who rise who triumphs who doe mone Perhappes thou talkst of mee and dost inquire Of my restraint why here I liue alone O know tis others sin not my desart And I could wish I were but as thou art 66 Thrice-happie you that looke as from the shore And haue no venter in the wracke you see No sorrow no occasion to deplore Other mens trauayles while your selues sit free How much doth your sweet rest make vs the more To see our misery and what we bee O blinded greatnes thou with thy turmoyle Still seeking happie life mak'st life a toyle 67 But looke on mee and note my troubled raigne Examine all the course of my vext life Compare my little ioyes with my long paine And note my pleasures rare my sorrowes rife My childhood difrent in others pride and gaine My youth in daunger farther yeares in strise My courses crost my deedes wrest to the worst My honour spoild my life in daunger forst 68 This is my state and this is all the good That wretched I haue gotten by a crowne This is the life that costes men so much bloud And more then bloud to make the same their owne O had not I then better beene t' haue stood On lower ground and safely liu'd vnknowne And beene a heards man rather then a king Which inexperience thinkes so sweet a thing 69 O thou great Monarch and more great therefore For skorning that whereto vaine pride aspires Reckning thy gardens in Illiria more Then all the Empire took'st those sweet retires Thou well didst teach that ô he is not poore That little hath but he that much desires Finding more true delight in that small ground Then in possessing all the earth was found 70 But what do I repeating others good To vexe mine owne perplexed soule the more Alas how should I now free this poore bloud And care-worne body from this state restore How should I looke for life or liuely-hood Kept here distrest to die condemnd before A sacrifice prepared for his peace That can but by my death haue his release 71 Are kings that freedom giue themselues not free As meaner men to take what they maie giue O are
againe Till staid with new-made hils of bodies slaine 110 There lo that new-appearing glorious starre Wonder of Armes the terror of the field Young Henrie laboring where the stoutest are And euen the stoutest forces backe to yeild There is that hand boldned to bloud and warre That must the sword in woundrous actions weild But better hadst thou learnd with others bloud A lesse expence to vs to thee more good 111 Hadst thou not there lent present speedy ayd To thy indaungerde father nerely tyrde Whom fierce incountring Dowglas ouerlaid That day had there his troublous life expirde Heroycall Couragious Blunt araid In habite like as was the king attirde And deemd for him excusd that fate with his For he had what his Lord did hardly misse 112 For thought a king he would not now disgrace The person then supposd but prince like shewes Glorious effects of worth that fit his place And fighting dyes and dying ouerthrowes Another of that forward name and race In that hotte worke his valiant life bestowes Who bare the standard of the king that day Whose colours ouerthrowne did much dismaie 113 And deare it cost and ô much bloud is shed To purchase thee this loosing victory O trauayld king yet hast thou conquered A doubtfull day a mightie enemy But ô what woundes what famous worthlyes dead That makes the winner looke with sorrowing eye Magnanimous Stafford lost that much had wrought And valiant Shorly who great glory gote 114 Such wracke of others bloud thou didst behold O furious Hotspur ere thou lost thine owne Which now once lost that heate in thine waxt cold And soone became thy Armie ouerthrowne And ô that this great spirit this courage bold Had in some good cause bene rightly showne So had not we thus violently then Haue termd that rage which valor should haue ben 115 But now the king retires him to his peace A peace much like a feeble sickemans sleepe Wherein his waking paines do neuer cease Though seeming rest his closed eyes doth keepe For ô no peace could euer so release His intricate turmoiles and sorrowes deepe But that his cares kept waking all his life Continue on till death conclude the strife 116 Whos 's harald sicknes being sent before With full commission to denounce his end And paine and griefe enforcing more and more Besiegd the hold that could not long defend And so consum'd all that imboldning store Of hote gaine-striuing bloud that did contend Wearing the wall so thin that now the mind Might well looke thorow and his frailty find 117 When lo as if the vapours vanisht were Which heate of boyling bloud health did breed To cloude the sence that nothing might appeare Vnto the thought that which it was indeed The lightned soule began to see more cleere How much it was abusd notes with heed The plaine discouered falsehood open laid Of ill perswading flesh that so betraid 118 And lying on his last afflicted bed Where death conscience both before him stand Th' one holding out a booke wherein he red In bloudie lines the deedes of his owne hand The other shewes a glasse which figured An ougly forme of fowle corrupted sand Both bringing horror in the hyest degree With what he was and what he straight should bee 119 Which seeing all confusd trembling with feare He lay a while as ouerthrowne in sprite At last commaunds some that attending were To fetch the crowne and set it in his sight On which with fixed eye and heauy cheere Casting a looke O God saith he what right I had to thee my soule doth now conceiue Thee which with bloud I gote with horror leaue 120 Wert thou the cause my climing care was such To passe those boundes nature and law ordaind Is this that good which promised so much And seemd so glorious ere it was attaind Wherein was neuer ioye but gaue a touch To checke my soule to thinke how thou wert gaind And now how do I leaue thee vnto mine Which it is dread to keepe death to resigne 121 With this the soule rapt wholy with the thought Of such distresse did so attentiue weigh Her present horror whilst as if forgote The dull consumed body senceles lay And now as breathles quite quite dead is thought When lo his sonne comes in and takes awaie The fatall crowne from thence and out he goes As if vnwilling longer time to lose 122 And whilst that sad confused soule doth cast Those great accounts of terror and distresse Vppon this counsell it doth light at last How she might make the charge of horror lesse And finding no way to acquit that 's past But onely this to vse some quicke redresse Of acted wrong with giuing vp againe The crowne to whom it seem'd to appertaine 123 Which found lightned with some small ioy shee hyes Rouses her seruaunts that dead sleeping lay The members of hir house to exercise One feeble dutie more during her stay And opening those darke windowes he espies The crowne for which he lookt was borne awaie And all-agrieu'd with the vnkind offence He causd him bring it backe that tooke it thence 124 To whom excusing his presumteous deed By the supposing him departed quite He said ô Sonne what needes thee make such speed Vnto that care where feare exceeds thy right And where his sinne whom thou shalt now succeed Shall still vpbraid thy ' inheritance of might And if thou canst liue and liue great from wo Without this carefull trauaile let it go 125 Nay father since your fortune did attaine So hye a stand I meane not to descend Replyes the Prince as if what you did gaine I were of spirit vnable to defend Time will appease them well that now complaine And ratefie our interest in the end What wrong hath not continuance quite outworne Yeares makes that right which neuer was so borne 126 If so God worke his pleasure said the king And ô do thou contend with all thy might Such euidence of vertuous deeds to bring That well may proue our wrong to be our right And let the goodnes of the managing Race out the blot of foule attayning quite That discontent may all aduauntage misse To wish it otherwise then now it is 127 And since my death my purpose doth preuent Touching this sacred warre I tooke in hand An action wherewithall my soule had ment T' appease my God and reconcile my land To thee is left to finish my intent Who to be safe must neuer idly stand But some great actions entertaine thou still To hold their mindes who else will practise ill 128 Thou hast not that aduantage by my raigne To riot it as they whom long descent Hath purchasd loue by custome but with payne Thou must contend to buy the worlds content What their birth gaue them thou hast yet to gaine By thine owne vertues and good gouernment And that vnles thy worth confirme the thing Thou canst not be the father to a king 129 Nor art thou
vnto her selfe retaines And only Suffolke is aduanced hyre He is the man rewarded for his paines He that did her insteed most chiefly stand And more aduanc'd her then he did the land 94 Which when they saw who better did expect Then they beganne their error to descry And well perceiue that only the defect Was in their iudgements passion-drawne awry Found formall rigour fitter to direct Then pride and insolent inconstancie Better seuerity that 's right and iust Then impotent affections led with lust 95 And there upon in sorrow thus complaine O what great inconuenience do they feele Where as such imbecility doth raigne As so neglectes the care of common weale Where euer one or other doth obtaine So high a grace thus absolute to deale The whilst th'aggreieued subiect suffers still The pride of some predominating will 96 And euer one remou'd a worse succeedes So that the best that we can hope is warre Tumults and stirres that this disliking breedes The sword must mend what insolence doth marre For what rebellions and what bloudy deedes Haue euer followed where such courses are What oft remoues what death of counsailers What murder what exile of officers 97 Witnes the Spencers Gaueston and Vere The mighty minions of our feeblest kings Who euer subiects to their subiects were And only the procurers of these things When worthy Monarches that hold honor deare Maister themselues and theirs which euer brings That vniuersall reuerence and respect For who waighes him that doth himselfe neglect 98 And yet our case is like to be farre worse Hauing a king though not so bent to ill Yet so neglecting good that giuing force By giuing leaue doth all good order kill Suffring a violent woman take her course To manage all according to her will Which how she doth begin her deeds expresse And what will be the end our selues may gesse 99 Thus well they deem'd what after followed When now the shamefull losse of Fraunce much Which vnto Suffolke is attributed As who in all mens sight most hatefull liues grieues He with the enemy consedered Betraies the state and secret knowledge giues Of all our strength that all which we did hold By his corruption is or lost or sold. 100 And as he deales abroad so likewise here He robs at home the treasurie no lesse Here where he all authorities doth beare And makes a Monopoly of offices He is inricht h 'is raisd and placed neere And only he giues counsaile to oppresse Thus men obiect whilst many vp in armes Offer to be reuenged of these harmes 101 The Queene perceiuing in what case shee stood To loose her minion or ingage her state After with long contention in her bloud Loue and ambition did the cause debate Shee yeeldes to pride and rather thought it good To sacrifice her loue vnto their hate Then to aduenture else the losse of all Which by maintaining him was like to fall 102 Yet seeking at the first to temporize She tries if that some short imprisonment would calme their heat when that would not suffize Then to exile him shee must needes consent Hoping that time would salue it in such wise As yet at length they might become content And shee againe might haue him home at last When the first fury of this rage was past 103 But as he to his iudged exile went Hard on the shore he comes incountered By some that so far off his honor sent As put his backe-returne quite out of dread For there he had his rightfull punishment Though wrongly done and there he lost his head Part of his bloud hath Neptune part the sand As who had mischiefe wrought by sea and land 104 Whos 's death when swift-wingd fame at full conuaid Vnto the trauaild Queen misdoubting nought Despight and sorrow such affliction laid Vpon her soule as wondrous passions wrought O God saith she and art thou thus betraid And haue my fauours thy destruction brought Is this their gaine whom highnes fauoureth Who chiefe preferd stand as preferd to death 105 O fatall grace without which men complaine And with it perish what preuailes that we Thus beare the title of a soueraigne And suffred not to be that which we be O must our subiects limit and constraine Our sauors where as they themselues decree Must we our loue at their appointment place Do we commaund and they direct our grace 106 O will they then our powre and will deuide And haue we might but must not vse our might Poore maiestie that other men must guide Whose discontent can neuer looke aright For euermore we see those that abide Gracious in ours are odious in their sight Who would all-maistring maiesty defeat Of her best grace that is to make men great 107 Decre Suffolke ô I saw thy wofull cheere When thou perceiu'dst no helpe but to depart I saw that looke wherein did plaine appeare The lamentable message of thy heart That seemd to say O Queene and canst thou beare My ruine so the cause whereof thou art Canst thou indure to see them worke their will And not defend me from the hand of ill 108 Haue I for thee aduentured so much Made ship wracke of my honor faith and fame And doth my seruice giue no deeper touch To thy hard heart better to feele the same Or dost thou feare or is thy weakenes such As not of force to keepe me from this shame Or else now hauing seru'd thy turne of me Art well-content my ouerthrow to see 109 As if my sight did read vnto thy minde The lecture of that shame thou wouldst forget And therefore peraduenture glad to finde So fit occasion dost it forward set Or else thy selfe from dangerous toile t'vnwinde Downe on my necke dost all the burthen let Since kings must haue some hated worse then they On whom they may the waight of enuy lay 114 No Suffolke none of this my soule is cleere Without the thought of such impiety Yet must I needes confesse that too much feare Made me defend thee lesse couragiously Seeing more Princes euer ruind were By their immoderate fauoring priuately Then by seueritie in generall For best h 'is lik't that is alike to all 111 Thus in her passion lo shee vttered When as far greater tumults now burst out Which close and cunningly were practised By such as sought great hopes to bring about For vp in armes in Kent were gathered A mighty insolent rebellious rout Vnder a daungerous head who to deter The state the more himselfe nam'd Mortimer 112 The Duke of Yorke that did not idle stand But seekes to worke on all aduantages Had likewise in this course a secret hand And hartned on their chiefe accomplices To try how that the people of the land Would if occasion seru'd b' in readines To aide that line if one should come indeed To moue his right and in due course proceed 113 Knowing himselfe to be the onely one That must attempt the thing if any should And therefore lets the
her away to Rome Whereof Dolabella a fauourite of Caesars and one that was growne into some good liking of her hauing certified her shee makes her humble petition to Caesar that hee would suffer her to sacrifice to the ghost of Antonius which beeing graunted her shee was brought vnto his Sepulcher where after her rytes perfourmed she returned to the Monument and there dined with great magnificence And in dinner time came there one in the habite of a Countrey-man with a Basket of Figges vnto her who vnsuspected was suffered to carrie them in And in that Basket among the Figges were conueyed the Aspicks wherewith she did herselfe to death Dinner beeing ended shee dispatched Letters to Caesar contayning great lamentations with an earnest supplication that she might bee intomb'd with Antonius Whereupon Caesar knowing what shee intended sent presentlie with all speede Messengers to haue preuented her death which not withstanding before they came was dispatched Caesario her sonne which she had by Iulius Caesar conuaied before vnto India out of the daunger of the warres was about the same time of her death murthered at Rhodes trayned thither by the falshoode of his Tutor corrupted by Caesar. And so hereby came the race of the Ptolomies to bee wholie extinct and the flourishing rich kingdome of Egypt vtterlie ouer-throwne and subdued The Scaene supposed Alexandria THE ACTORS Cleopatra Octauius Caesar. Proculeius Dolabella Titius seruant to Dolebella Arius Philosopher Philostratus Philosopher Seleucus secretarie to Cleopatra Rodon Tutor to Caesario Nuntius The Chorus all Egyptians THE TRAGEDIE OF CLEOPATRA ACTVS PRIMVS CLEOPATRA YET do I liue and yet doth breath extend My life beyond my life nor can my graue Shut vp my griefes to make my end my end Will yet confusion haue more then I haue Is th' honor wonder glory pompe and all Of Cleopatra dead and she not dead Haue I out-liu'd my selfe and seene the fall Of all vpon me and not ruined Can yet these eyes endure the gastly looke Of desolations darke and ougly face Wont but on fortunes fairest side to looke Where nought was but applause but smiles and grace Whiles on his shoulders all my rest relide On whom the burthen of m'ambition lay My Atlas and supporter of my pride That did the world of all my glory sway Who now thrown down disgrac'd confoūded lies Crusht with the weight of shame and infamie Following th' vnlucky party of my eies The traines of lust and imbecilitie Whereby my dissolution is become The graue of AEgypt and the wracke of all My vnforeseeing weakenesse must intoome My Countries fame and glory with my fall Now who would think that I were she who late With all the ornaments on earth inrich'd Enuiron'd with delights compast with state Glittering in pomp that harts and eies bewitch'd Should chus distrest cast down from of that heigth Leuell'd with low disgrac'd calamitie Vnder the waight of such affliction sigh Reduc'd vnto th' extreamest miserie Am I the woman whose inuentiue pride Adorn'd like Isis skornd mortalitie Is 't I would haue my frailty so belide That flattery could perswade I was notd Well now I see they but delude that praise vs Greatnesse is mockt prosperitie betraies vs. And we are but our selues although this clowd Of interposed smokes make vs seeme more These spreading parts of pompe wherof w' are prou'd Are not our parts but parts of others store Witnesse these gallant fortune-following traines These Summer Swallowes of felicitie Gone with the heate of all see what remaines This monument two maides and wretched I. And I t' adorne their triumphs am reseru'd A captiue kept to honor others spoiles Whom Caesar labors so to haue preseru'd And seekes to entertaine my life with wiles But Caesar it is more then thou canst do Promise flatter threaten extremitie Imploy thy wits and all thy force thereto I haue both hands and will and I can die Though thou of both my country and my crown Of powre of means al doost quite bereaue me Though thou hast wholy Egypt made thine own Yet hast thou left me that which will deceiue thee That courage with my bloud and birth innated Admir'd of all the earth as thou art now Can neuer be so abiectly abated To be thy Slaue that rull'd as good as thou Thinke Caesar I that liu'd and raign'd a Queene Doe skorne to buy my life at such a rate That I should vnder neath my selfe be seene Basely induring to suruiue my state That Rome should see my scepter-bearing hands Behind me bound and glory in my teares That I should passe whereas Octauia stands To view my misery that purchas'd hers No I disdaine that head which wore a crowne Should stoope to take vp that which others giue I must not be vnlesse I be mine owne T is sweet to die when we are forc'd to liue Nor had I staide behind my selfe this space Nor paid such intrest for this borrow'd breath But that hereby I seeke to purchase grace For my distressed seed after my death It 's that which doth my deerest bloud controule That 's it alas detaines me from my tombe VVhiles nature brings to contradict my soule The argument of mine vnhappy wombe You luckles issue of an wofull mother The wretched pledges of a wanton bed You Kings design'd must subiects liue to other Or else I feare scarse liue when I am dead It is for you I temporize with Caesar And staie this while to mediate your saftie For you I faine content and sooth his pleasure Calamity herein hath made me craftie But this is but to trie what may be done For come what will this stands I must die free And die my selfe vncaptiu'd and vnwon Bloud Children Nature all must pardon me My soule yeelds honor vp the victory And I must be a Queene forget a mother Though mother would I be were I not I And Queene would not be now could I be other But what know I if th' heauens haue de cred And that the sinnes of AEgypt haue deseru'd The Ptolomies should faile and none succeed And that my weakenes was thereto reseru'd That I should bring confusion to my state And fill the measure of iniquitie Luxuriousnesse in me should raise the rate Of loose and ill-dispensed libertie If it be so then what neede these delaies Since I was made the meanes of miserie Why shuld I striue but to make death my praise That had my life but for my infamie And let me write in letters of my bloud A fit memoriall for the times to come To be example to such Princes good As please themselues and care not what becom And Antony because the world takes note That my defects haue only ruin'd thee And my ambitious practises are thought The motiue and the cause of all to be Though God thou know'st how iust this staine is laid Vpon my soule whom ill successe makes ill Yet since condemn'd misfortune hath no ayd Against proud luck that argues what it will I haue no
meanes to vndeceiue their mindes But to bring in the witnesse of my bloud To testifie the faith and loue that bindes My equall shame to fall with whom I stood Defects I grant I had but this was worst That being the first to fall I dy'd not first Though I perhaps could lighten mine own side With some excuse of my constrained case Drawn down with powre but that were to deuide My shame to stand alone in my disgrace To cleere me so would shew m'affections naught And make th' excuse more hainous then the fault Since if I should our errours disunite I should confound afflictions onely rest That from stearn death euen steales a sad delight To die with friends or with the like distrest And since we tooke of either such firme hold In th'ouerwhelming seas of fortune cast What powre should be of powre to reunfold The armes of our affections lockt so fast For grapling in the ocean of our pride We sunke each others greatnesse both together And both made shipwracke of our fame beside Both wrought a like destruction vnto either And therefore I am bound to sacrifice To death and thee the life that doth reproue me Our like distresse I feele doth simpathize And euen affliction makes me truly loue thee Which Antony I must confesse my fault I neuer did sincerely vntill now Now I protest I do now am I taught In death to loue in life that knew not how For whilst my glory in her greatnesse stood And that I saw my state and knew my beautie Saw how the world admir'd me how they woo'd I then thought all men must loue me of dutie And I loue none for my lasciuious Court Fertile in euer fresh and new-choise pleasure Affoorded me of so bountifull disport That I to stay on loue had neuer leasure My vagabond desires no limits found For lust is endlesse pleasure hath no bound Thou comming from the strictnes of thy City And neuer this loose pomp of monarchs learnest Inu'rd to wars in womens wiles vnwitty Whilst others faynd thou fell'st to loue in earnest Not knowing how we like them best that houer And make least reckning of a doting louer And yet thou cam'st but in my beauties waine When new appearing wrinkles of declining Wrought with the hand of yeers seem'd to detain My graces light as now but dimly shining Euen in the confines of mine age when I Failing of what I was and was but thus When such as we do deeme in iealousie That men loue for themselues and not for vs Then and but thus thou didst loue most sincerely O Antony that best deseru'st it better This Autumne of my beauty bought so dearely For which in more then death I stand thy debter Which I will pay thee with so true a mind Casting vp all these deepe accoumpts of mine That both our soules and all the world shall find All recknings cleer'd betwixt my loue and thine But to the end I may preuent proud Caesar Who doth so eagerly my life importune I must preuaile me of this little leasure Seeming to sute my mind vnto my fortune Thereby with more conuenience to prouide For what my death and honor best shall fit An yeelding base content must wary hide My last dissigne till I accomplish it That hereby yet the world shall see that I Although vnwise to liue had wit to die Exit CHORVS Behold what furies still Torment their tortur'd brest Who by their doing ill Haue wrought the worlds vnrest Which when being most distrest Yet more to vex their sp'rite The hidious face of sinne In formes they must detest Stands euer in their sight Their conscience still within Th' eternall larum is That euer-barking dog that calles vpon their misse No meanes at all to hide Man from himselfe can finde No way to start aside Out from the hell of minde But in himselfe confin'd He still sees sinne before And winged-footed paine That swiftly comes behind The which is euer-more The sure and certaine gaine Impietie doth get And wanton loose respect that dooth it selfe forget And Cleopatra now Well sees the dangerous way She tooke and car'd not how Which led her to decay And likewise makes vs pay For her disordred lust The int'rest of our blood Or liue a seruile pray Vnder a hand vniust As others shall thinke good This hath her riot wunne And thus she hath her state herselfe and vs vndunne Now euery mouth can tell What close was muttered How that she did not well To take the course she did For now is nothing hid Of what feare did restraine No secrete closelie done But now is vttered The text is made most plaine That flattry glos'd vpon The bed of sinne reueal'd And all the luxurie that shame would haue conceal'd The scene is broken downe And all vncou'red lyes The purple actors knowne Scarce man whom men despise The complots of the wise Proue imperfections smoake And all what wonder gaue To pleasure-gazing eyes Lyes scattred dasht all broke Thus much beguiled haue Poore vnconsiderate wights These moment arie pleasures fugitiue delights ACTVS SECVNDVS CAESAR PROCVLEIVS KIngdoms I see we winne we conquere Climates Yet cannot vanquish hearts nor force obedience Affections kept in close-concealed limits Stand farre without the reach of sworde or violence Who forc'd do pay vs dutie pay not loue Free is the heart the temple of the minde The Sanctuarie sacred from aboue Where nature keeps the keies that loose bind No mortall hand force open can that doore So close shut vp and lockt to all mankind I see mens bodies onely ours no more The rest anothers right that rules the minde Behold my forces vanquisht haue this Land Subdu'd that strong Competitor of mine All Egypt yeelds to my all-conqu'ring hand And all their treasure and themselues resigne Onely this Queene that hath lost all this all To whom is nothing left except a minde Cannot into a thought of yeelding fall To be dispos'd as chance hath her assign'd But Proculei what hope doth she now giue Will shee be brought to condiscend to liue Proc. My Lord what time being sent frō you to try To win her forth aliue if that I might From out the Monument where wofully She liues inclos'd in most aficted plight No way I found no means how to surprize her But through a grate at th' entry of the place Standing to treat llabour'd to aduise her To come to Caesar and to sue for grace She said she crau'd not life but leaue to die Yet for her children pray'd they might inherite That Caesar would vouchsafe in clemencie To pittie them though she deseru'd no merite So leauing her for then and since of late With Gallus sent to trie another time The whilst he entertaines her at the grate I found the meanes vp to the Tombe to clime Where in descending in the closest wise And silent manner as I could contriue Her woman me descri'd and out she cries Poore Cleopatra thou art tane aliue With that
conclusion all is brought This is that rest this vaine world lends To end in death that all things ends ACTVS TERTIVS PHILOSTRATVS ARIVS HOW deepely Arius am I bound to thee That sau'dst from death this wretched life of mine Obtaining Caesars gentle grace for mee When I of all helps else dispaird but thine Although I see in such a wofull state Life is not that which should be much desir'd Sith all our glories come to end their date Our Countries honour and our own expir'd Now that the hand of wrath hath ouer-gone vs Liuing as 't were in th' armes of our dead mother With bloud vnder our feet ruine vpon vs And in a Land most wretched of all other When yet we reck on life our deerest good And so we liue we care not how we liue So deepe we feele impressed in our blood That touch which Nature with our breath did giue And yet what blasts of words hath learning found To blow against the feare of death and dying What comforts vnsicke eloquence can sound And yet all failes vs in the point of trying For whilst we reason with the breath of safety Without the compasse of destruction liuing What precepts shew we then what courage lofty In taxing others feares in counsell giuing When all this ayre of sweet-contriued words Proues but weake armour to defend the hart For when this life pale feare and terror boords Where are our precepts then where is our arte O who is he that from himselfe can turne That beares about the body of a man Who doth not toile and labour to adiorne The day of death by any meanes he can All this I speake to th' end my selfe t' excuse For my base begging of a seruile breath Wherein I grant my selfe much to abuse So shamefully to seek t' auoide my death Arius Philostratus that selfe same care to liue Possesseth all alike and grieue not then Nature doth vs no more then others giue Though we speak more then mē we are but mē And yet in truth these miseries to see Wherein we stand in most extreame distresse Might to our selues sufficient motiues be To loath this life and weigh our death the lesse For neuer any age hath better taught What feeble footing pride and greatnesse hath How ' improuident prosperitie is caught And cleane confounded in the day of wrath ' See how dismaid Confusion keepes those streetes That nought but mirth and musique late resounded How nothing with our eie but horror meeres Our state our wealth our pride and all confounded Yet what weake sight did not discerne from far This black-arisingtempest all confounding Who did not see we should be what we are When pride and ryot grew to such abounding VVhen dissolute impietie possest Th' vnrespectiue mindes of prince and people VVhen infolent Security found rest In wanton thoughts with lust ease made feeble Then when vnwary peace with fat-fed pleasure New-fresh inuented ryots still detected Purchac'd with all the Ptolomies ritch treasure Our lawes our gods our mysteries neglected VVho saw not how this confluence of vice This inundation of disorders must At length of force pay backe the bloody price Of sad destruction a reward for lust O thou and I haue heard and read and knowne Of like proude states as wofully incombred And fram'd by them examples for our own VVhich now among examples must be numbred For this decree a law from high is giuen An auncient Cannon of eternall date In Consistorie of the starres of heauen Entred the booke of vnauoided Fate That no state can in height of happinesse In th' exaltation of their glory stand But thither once ariu'd declining lesse Ruine themselues or fall by others hand Thus doth the euer-changing course of things Runne a perpetuall circle euer turning And that same day that hiest glory brings Brings vs vnto the point of back-returning For sencelesse sensualitie doth euer Accompany selicitie and greatnesse A fatal witch whose charmes do leaue vs neuer Till we leaue all in sorrow for our sweetnesse When yet our selues must be the cause we fall Although the same befirst decreed on hie Our errors still must beare the blame of all This must it be earth aske notheauen why Yet mighty men with wary iealous hand Striue to cut off all obstacles of feare All whatsoeuer seemes but to withstand Their least conceit of quiet held so deere And so intrench themselues with blood with crimes With all iniustice as their feares dispose Yet for all this we see how oftentimes The meanes they worke to keepe are meanes to lose And sure I cannot see howe this can stand With great Augustus safety and his honor To cut off all succession from our land For her offence that puld the wars vpon her Phi. Why must her issue pay the price of that Ari. The price is life that they are rated at Phi. Casario to issued of Caesars blood Ari. Pluralitie of Caesars are not good Phi. Alas what hurt procures his feeble arme Ari. Not for it doth but that it may do harme Phi. Then when it offers hurt represse the same Ari. T is best to quench a sparke before it flame Phi. T is inhumane an innocent to kill Ari. Such innocents sildome remaine so still And sure his death may best procure our peace Competitors the subiect deerely buies And so that our affliction may surcease Let great men be the peoples sacrifice But see where Caesar comes himselfe to try And worke the mind of our distressed Queene To apprehend some falsed hope whereby She might be drawn to haue her fortune seene But yet I thinke Rome will not see that face That queld her champiōs blush in base disgrace SCENA SECVNDA CAESAR CLEOPATRA SELEVCVS DOLABELLA Caes. WHat Cleopatra doost thou doubt so much Of Caesars mercy that thou hid'st thy face Or dost thou thinke thy ' offences can be such That they surmount the measure of our grace Cleo. O Caesar not for that I flie thy sight My soule this sad retyre of sorrow chose But that my'oppressed thoghts abhorring light Like best in darknes my disgrace t' inclose And here to these close limits of despaire This solitarie horror where I bide Caesar I thought no Roman should repaire More after him who here oppressed dyde Yet now here at thy conquering feete I lie Poore captiue soul that neuer thought to bow Whose happie foote of rule and Maiestie Stood late on̄y same ground thou standest now Caes. Rise Queene none but thy selfis cause of all And yet would all were but thine owne alone That others ruine had not with thy fall Brought Rome her sorowes to my triumphs mone For breaking off the league of loue and blood Thou mak'st my winning ioy a gain vnpleasing Sith th' eye of griefe must looke into our good Thorow the horror of our own blood shedding And all we must attribute vnto thee Cleo. To me Caesar what should a woman doe Opprest with greatnes what was it for me To contradict my
destruction thus pursude O why should th' heauens vs include Within the compasse of their fall Who of themselues procured all Or do the Gods in close decree Occasion take how to extrude Man from the earth with crueltie Ah no the Gods are euer iust Our faults excuse their rigor must This is the period Fate set downe To Egypts fat prosperitie Which now vnto her greatest growne Must perish thus by course must die And some must be the causers why This reuolution must be wrought As borne to bring their state to nought To change the people and the crowne And purge the worlds iniquitie Which vice so farre bath ouer-growne As we so they that treate vs thus Must one day perish like to vs. ACTVS QVARTVS SELEVCVS RODON Sel. NEuer friend Rodon in a better howre Could I haue met thee thē eu'n now I do Hauing affliction in the greatest powre Vpon my soule and none to tell it to For t is some ease our sorrowes to reueale If they to whom we shall impart our woes Seeme but to feele a part of what we feele And meete vs with a sigh but at a cloze Rod. And neuer friend Seleucus found'st thou one That better could beare such a part with thee Who by his own knows others cares to mone And can in like accord of griefe agree And therefore tell th' oppression of thy hart Tell to an eare prepar'd and tun'd to care And I will likewise vnto thee impart As sad a tale as what thou shalt declare So shall we both our mournefull plaints combine I le waile thy state and thou shalt pitty mine Sel. Well then thou know'st how I haue liu'din grace With Cleopatra and esteem'din Court As one of Counsell and of chiefest place And euer held my credite in that sort Till now in this confusion of our state When thinking to haue vs'd a meane to climbe And fled the wretched flowne vnto the great Following the fortune of the present time Am come to be cast down and ruin'd cleene And in the course of mine own plot vndonne For hauing all the secrets of the Queene Reueald to Caesar to haue fauor wonne My trechery is quited with disgrace My falshood loath'd and not without great reason Though good for him yet Princes in this case Do hate the Traitor though they loue the treason For how could hee imagine I would be Faithfull to him being false vnto mine owne And false to such a bountious Queene as shee That had me rais'd and made mine honor knowne He saw t was not for zeale to him I bare But for base feare or mine owne state to settle Weakenesse is false and faith in Cowards rare Feare findes out shifts timiditie is subtle And therefore scorn'd of him scorn'd of mine own Hatefull to all that looke into my state Despis'd Seleucus now is onely grown The marke of infamy that 's pointed at Rod. T is much thou faist and ôo too much to feele And I do grieue and do lament thy fall But yet all this which thou doost heere reueale Compar'd with mine wil make thine seem but smal Although my fault be in the selfe-same kind Yet in degree far greater far more hatefull Mine sprong of mischiefe thine from feeble mind I staind with bloud thou onely but vngratefull For vnto me did Cleopatra giue The best and deerest treasure of her blood Louely Caesario whom she would should liue Free from the dangers wherein Egypt stood And vnto me with him this charge she gaue Here Rodon take conuay from out this Coast This precious Gem the chiefest that I haue The iewell of my soule I value most Guide him to INDIA lead him far from hence Safeguard him where secure he may remaine Till better fortune call him backe from thence And Egypts peace be reconcil'd againe For this is he that may our hopes bring backe The rising Sunne of our declining state These be the hands that may restore our wrack And raise the broken ruines made of late He may giue limits to the boundles pride Of fierce Octauius and abate his might Great Julius of-spring he may come to-guide The Empire of the world as his by right O how he seemes the modell of his Syre O how I gaze my Caesar in his face Such was his gate so did his lookes a spire Such was his threatning brow such was his grace High shouldred and his forehead euen as hie And ô if he had not beene borne so late He might haue rul'd the worlds great Monarchy And now haue beene the Champion of our state Then vnto him ô my deere Sonne she saies Soone of my youth flie hence ô flie be gone Reserue thy selfe ordain'd for better daies For much thou hast to ground thy hopes vpon Leaue me thy wofull Mother to endure The sury of this tempest heere alone Who cares not for her selfe so thou be sure Thou mayst reuenge when others can but mone Rodon will see thee safe Rodon will guide Thee and thy waies thou shalt not need to feare Rodon my faithfull seruant will prouide What shall be best for thee take thou no care And ô good Rodon looke well to his youth The waies are long and dangers eu'ry where I vrge it not that I do doubt thy truth Mothers will cast the worst and alwaies feare The absent danger greater still appeares Lesse fears he who is neere the thing he feares And ô I know not what presaging thought My sp'rit suggests of luckles bad euent But yet it may be t is but loue doth dote Or idle shadowes with my feares present But yet the memory of mine own fate Makes me feare his And yet why should I feare His fortune may recouer better state And he may come in pompe to gouerne heere But yet I doubt the Genius of our race By some malignant spirit comes ouer-throwne Our bloud must be extinct in my disgrace Egypt must haue no more Kings of their owne Then let him stay and let vs fall together Sith it is fore-decreed that we must fall Yet who knowes what may come let him go thither What Merchaunt in one Vessell venters all Let vs deuide our stars Go go my sonne Let not the fate of Egypt find thee heere Try if so be thy destinie can shunne The common wracke of vs by being there But who is he found euer yet defence Against the heauens or hid him any where Then what need I to send thee so far hence To seeke thy death that maystas well die here And here die with thy mother die in rest Not trauailing to what will come to thee Why should we leaue our bloud vnto the East When Egypt may a Tombe sufficient be O my deuided soule what shall I do Where on shall now my resolution rest What were I best resolue to yeeld vnto When both are bad how shall I know the best Stay I may hap so worke with Caesar now That he may yeeld him to restore thy right Go Caesar neuer will
the wofull'st mone That euer yet from sad affliction came And you deare reliques of my Lord and Loue The sweetest parcels of the faithfull'st liuer O let no impious hand dare to remoue You out from hence but rest you here for euer Let Egypt now giue peace vnto you dead That liuing gaue you trouble and turmoile Sleepe quiet in this euer-lasting bed In forraine land preferr'd before your soile And ô if that the sp'rits of men remaine After their bodies and do neuer die Then heare thy ghost thy captiue spouse cōplaine And be attentiue to her miserie But if that labour some mortalitie Found this sweete error onely to confine The curious search of idle vanitie That would the deapth of darknes vndermine Or rather to giue rest vnto the thought Of wretched man with th' after-comming ioy Of those conceiued fields whereon we dote To pacifie the present worlds anoy If it be so why speake I then to th' ayre But t is not so my Anthonie doth heare His euer-liuing ghost attends my prayer And I do know his houering sp'rit is neere And I will speake and pray and mourne to thee O pure immortall loue that daign'st to heare I feele thou answer'st my credulitie With touch of comfort finding none elswhere Thou know'st these hands cotomb'd thee here of late Free and vnsorc'd which now must seruile be Reseru'd for bands to grace proud Caesars state Who seekes in me to triumph ouer thee O if in life we could not seuerd be Shall death deuide our bodies now asunder Must thine in Egypt mine in Italie Be kept the Monuments of Fortunes wonder If any powres be there where as thou art Sith our owne Country Gods betray our case O worke they may their gracious helpe impart To saue thy wofull wife from such disgrace Do not permit she should in triumph shew The blush of her reproch ioyn'd with thy shame But rather let that hatefull Tyrant know That thou and I had powre t' auoyde the same But what doe I spend breath and idle winde In vaine inuoking a conceiued ayde Why do I not my selfe occasion find To breake the bounds where in my'selfe am staid Words are for them that can complaine and liue Whose melting hearts compos'd of baser frame Can to their sorrowes time and leisure giue But Cleopatra may not do the same No Anthonie thy loue requireth more A lingring death with thee deserues no merit I must my selfe force open wide a dore To let out life and so vnhouse my spirit These hands must breake the prison of my soule To come to thee thereto enioy like state As doth the long-pent solitaric Foule That hath escapt her cage and found her mate This Sacrifice to sacrifize my life Is that true incense that dooth best beseeme These rites may serue a life-desiring wife Who doing them t' haue done inough doth deeme My hart blood should the purple flowers haue been Which heere vpon thy Tombe to thee are offred No smoake but dying breath should heere been seen And this it had beene to had I beene fufired But what haue I saue these bare hands to do it And these weake fingers are not iron-poynted They cannot pierce the flesh be'ing put vnto it And I of all meanes else am disappointed But yet I must away and meanes seeke how To come vnto thee what so ere I doo O Death art thou so hard to come by now That we must pray intreate and seeke thee too But I will find thee where so ere thou lie For who can stay a minde resolu'd to die And now I go to works th' effect indeed He neuer send more words or sighes to thee He bring my soule my selfe and that with speede My selfe will bring my soule to Antbonie Come go my Maides my fortunes sole attenders That minister to miserie and sorrow Your Mistris you vnto your freedom renders And will discharge your charge yet ere to morrow And now by this I thinke the man I sent Is neere return'd that brings me my dispatch God grant his cunning sort to good euent And that his skill may well beguile my watch So shall I shun disgrace leaue to be sorie Flie to my loue scape my foe free my soule So shall I act the last of life with glorie Die like a Queene and rest without controule Exit CHORVS Mysterious Egypt wonder breeder strict religions strange obseruer State-ordrer zeale the best rule-keeper Fostring still in temp'rate feruor O how cam'st thou to lose so wholy All religion law and order And thus become the most vnholy of all Lands that Nylus border How could confus'd Disorder enter Where sterne Law sute so sewerely How durst weake lust and riot venter th' eye of Iustice looking neerely Could not those means that made thee great Be still the means to keepe thy state Ah no the course of things requireth change and alteration euer That same continuance man desireth th'vnconstant world yeeldeth neuer We in our counsels must be blinded And not see what doth import vs And often-times the thing least minded is the thing that most must hurt vs. Yet they that haue the sterne in guiding t is their fault that should preuent it For oft they seeing their Country sliding take their ease as though contented We imitate the greater powres The Princes manners fashion ours Th' example of their light regarding Vulgar loosenes much incences Vice vncontrould growes wide inlarging Kings small faults be great offences And this hath set the window open vnto licence lust and riot This way confusion first found broken whereby entred our disquiet Those lawes that olde Sesostris founded and the Ptolomies obserued Hereby first came to be confounded which our state so long preserued The wanton luxurie of Court Did forme the people of like sort For all respecting priuate pleasure vniuersally consenting To abuse their time their treasure in their owne delights contenting And future dangers nought respecting whereby ô how easie matter Made this so generall neglecting confus'd weakenesse to discatter Caesar found th' effect true tried in his easie entrance making Who at the sight of armes descryed all our people all forsaking For ryot worse then warre so sore Had wasted all our strength before And thus is Egypt seruile rendred to the insolent destroyer And all their sumptuous treasure tendred All her wealth that did betray her Which poison O if heauen be right full may so far infect their sences That Egypts pleasures so delightfull may breed them the like offences And Romans learne our way of weakenes be instructed in our vices That our spoiles may spoile your greatnes ouercome with our deuises Fill full your hands and carry home Inough from vs to ruine Rome ACTVS QVINTVS DOLABELLA TITIVS Dol. Come tell me Titius eu'ry circumstance How Cleopatra did receiue my newes Tell eu'ry looke each gesture countenance That she did in my Letters reading vse Tit. I shal my Lord so far as I could note Or my conceite obserue in any wise
It was the time when as she hauing got Leaue to her Deerest dead to sacrifize And now was issuing out the Monument With Odors Incense Garlands in her hand When I approcht as one from Caesar sent And did her close thy message t' vnderstand She turnes her backe and with her takes me in Reades in thy lines thy strange vnlooke for tale And reades and smiles and staies and doth begin Againe to reade then blusht and then was pale And hauing ended with a sigh resoldes Thy Letter vp and with a fixed eye Which stedfast her imagination holds She mus'd a while standing confusedly At length Ah friend saith shee tell thy good Lord How deere I hold his pittying of my case That out of his sweet nature can afford A miserable woman so much grace Tel him how much my heauy soule doth grieue Mercilesse Caesar should so deale with me Pray him that he would all the counsell giue That might diuert him from such orueltie As for my loue say Antony hath all Say that my hart is gone into the graue VVith him in whom it rests and euer shall I haue it not my selfe nor cannot haue Yet tell him he shall more command of me Then any whosoeuer hiuing can Hee that so friendly shewes himselfe to be A right kind Roman and a Gentleman Although his Nation fatall vnto me Haue had mine age a spoile my youth a pray Yet his affection must accepted be That fauours one distrest in such decay Ah he was worthy then to haue beene lou'd Of Cleopatra whiles her glory lasted Before she had declining fortune prou'd Or seen her honor wrackt her flowre blasted Now there is nothing left her but disgrace Nothing but her affliction that can moue Tell Dolabella one that 's in her case Poore soule needs rather pity now thē loue But shortly shall thy Lord heare more of me And ending so her speech no longer stai'd But hasted to the tombe of Antony And this was all she did and all she said Dol. Ah sweet distressed Lady What hard hart Could chuse but pity thee and loue thee too Thy worthines the state wherein thou art Requireth both and both I vow to doo Although ambition lets not Caesar see The wrong he doth thy maiesty and sweetnes Which makes him now exact so much of thee To adde vnto his pride to grace his greatnes He knowes thou canst no hurt procure vs now Sith all thy strength is seaz'd into our hands Nor feares he that but rather labours how He might shew Rome so great a Queene in bands That our great Ladies enuying thee so much That stain'd them al and held them in such wonder Mightioy to see thee and thy fortune such Thereby exrolling him that brought thee vnder But I will seeke to stay it what I may I am but one yet one that Caesar loues And ô if now I could doe more then pray Then should'st thou know how far affection moues But what my powre and praier may preuaile I le ioine them both to hinder thy disgrace And euen this present day I will not faile To do my best with Caesar in this case Tit. And sir euen now her selfe hath letters sent I met her messenger as I came hither With a dispatch as he to Caesar went But know not what imports her sending thither Yet this he told how Cleopatra late Was come from sacrifice How richly clad Was seru'd to dinner in most sumptuous state With all the brauest ornaments she had How hauing dyn'd she writes and sends away Him straight to Caesar and commanded than All should depart the Tombe and none to stay But her two maides one poore Countryman Dol. Why then I know she sends t' haue audience now And means t' experience what her state can do To see if Maiesty will make him bow To what affliction could not moue him to And ô if now she could but bring a view Of that fresh beauty she in youth possest The argument where with she ouerthrew The wit of Julius Caesar and the rest Then happily Augustus might relent VVhilst powreful Loue far stronger then ambition Might worke in him a mind to be content To grant her asking in the best condition But being as she is yet doth she merite To be respected for what she hath beene The wonder of her kind of rarest spirit A glorious lady and a mighty Queene And now but by a little weakenesse falling To do that which perhaps sh'was forst to do Alas an error past is past recalling Take away weakenes and take women too But now I go to be thy aduocate Sweet Cleopatra now I le vse mine arte Thy presence will me greatly animate Thy face will teach my tongue thy loue my hart SCENA SECVNDA Nvntivs AM I ordain'd the carefull Messenger And sad newes-bringer of the strangest death VVhich selfe hand did vpon it selfe infer To free a captiue soule from seruile breath Must I the lamentable wonder shew Which all the world must grieue and meruaile at The rarest forme of death in earth below That euer pitty glory wonder gat Chor. What newes bring'st thou can Egypt yet yeelde more Of sorrow then it hath what can it adde To the already ouerflowing store Of sad affliction matter yet more sad Haue we not seene the worst of our calamity Is there behind yet something of distresse Vnseene vnknown Tel if that greater misery There be that we waile not that which is lesse Tell vs what so it be and tell at first For sorrow euer longs to heare her worst Nun. Well then the strangest thing relate I will That euer eye of mortall man hath seene I as you know euen frō my youth haue still Attended on the person of the Queene And euer in all fortunes good or ill With her as one of chiefest trust haue beene And now in these so great extreamities That euer could to maiestie befall I did my best in what I could deuise And left her not till now she left vs all Chor. What is she gone Hath Caesar forst her so Nun. Yea she is gone and hath deceiu'd him to Chor. What fled to INDIA to go find her sonne Nun. No not to INDIA but to find her sonne Chor. why then ther 's hope she may her state recouer Nun. Her state nay rather honor and her Louer Chor. Her Louer him she cannot haue againe Nun. Well him she hath with him she doth remaine Cho. Why then she 's dead I st so why speak'st not thou Nun. You gesse aright and I will tell you how When she perceiu'd al hope was cleane berest her That Caesar meant to send her straight away And saw no meanes of reconcilement left her Worke what she could she could not worke to stay She cals me to her and she thus began O thou whose trust hath euer been the same And one in all my fortunes faithfull man Alone content t' attend disgrace and shame Thou whom the fearefull ruine of my fall Neuer deterr'd
did force me say Ah ROSAMOND what doth thy flesh prepare Destruction to thy daies death to thy fame Wilt thou betraie that honor held with care T' entombe with blacke reproch a spotted name Leauing thy blush the colours of thy shame Opening thy feet to sinne thy soule to lust Gracelesse to lay thy glorie in the dust Nay first let th' earth gape wide to swallow thee And shut thee vp in bosome with her dead Ere Serpent tempt thee taste forbidden Tree Or feele the warmth of an vnlawfuli bed Suffring thy selfe by lust to be misled So to disgrace thy selfe and grieue thine heires That Cliffords race should scorne thee one of theirs Neuer wish longer to inioy the aire Then that thou breath'st the breath of chastitio Longer then thou preseru'st thy soule as faire As is thy face free from impuritie Thy face that makes th'admir'd in euerie eie Where Natures care such rarities inroule Which vs'd amisse may serue to damne thy soule But what he is my king and may constraine me Whether I yeeld or not I liue defamed The world will thinke authoritie did gaine me I shall be iudg'd his Loue and so be shamed We see the faire condemn'd that neuer gamed And if I yeeld t is honourable shame If not I liue disgrac'd yet thought the same What waie is left thee then vnhappie maid Whereby thy spotlesse foote maie wander out This dreadfull danger which thouseest is laid Wherein thy shame doth compasse thee about Thy simple yeeres cannot resolue this doubt Thy youth can neuer guide thy foote so euen But in despight some scandale wil be giuen Thus stood I ballanc'd equallie precize Til my fraile flesh did weigh me downe to sin Till world and pleasure made me partialize And glittering pompe my vanitie did win When to excuse my fault my lusts begin And impious thoughts alledg'd this wanton clause That though I sinn'd my sinne had honest cause So well the golden balls cast downe before me Could entertaine my course hinder my way Whereat my retchlesse youth stooping to store me Lost me the gole the glorie and the day Pleasure had set my well school'd thoughts to play And bade me vse the vertue of mine eies For sweetly it fits the faire to wantonise Thus wrought to sin soone was I traind from Court T' a solitarie Grange there to attend The time the King should thither make resort Where he Loues long-desired worke should end Thither he dayly messages doth send With costlie Iewels Orators of Loue Which ah too well men know do women moue The day before the night of my defeature He greets me with a Casket richly wrought So rare that arte did seeme to striue with nature T' expresse the cunning work-mans curious thought The mysterie whereof I prying sought And found engrauen on the lidde aboue Amymone how she with Neptune stroue Amymone old Danaus fairest Daughter As she was fetching water all alone At Lerna whereas Neptune came and caught her From whom she striu'd and strugled to be gone Beating the aire with cries and piteous mone But all in vaine with him she 's forc'd to go T is shame that men should vse poore maidens so There might I see described how she lay At those proude feet not satis-fied with prayer Wayling her heauie hap cursing the day In act so pitious to expresse despaire And by how much more grieu'd so much more faire Her teares vpon her cheekes poore carefull gerle Did seeme against the Sunne christall and pearle Whose pure cleer streams which so fair appears Wrought hotter flames O miracle of loue That kindles fire in water heat in teares And makes neglected beautie mightier proue Teaching afflicted eies affects to moue To shew that nothing ill becomes the faire But crueltie which yeelds vnto no prayer This hauing viewd and there with something moued Figured I find within the other squares Transformed Io Ioues decrelie loued In her affliction how she strangely fares Strangely distress'd O beautie borne to cares Turn'd to a Heiffer kept with iealous eies Alwayes in danger of her hatefull spies These presidents presented to my view Wherein the presage of my fall was showne Might haue fore-warn'd me well what would ensue And others harmes haue made me shun mine owne But fate is not preuented though fore knowne For that must hap decreed by heauenly powers Who worke our fall yet make the fault still ours Witnes the world wherein is nothing rifer Then miseries vnkend before they come Who can the characters of chaunce decipher Written in cloudes of our concealed dome Which though perhaps haue been reueald to some Yet that so doubtfull as successe did proue them That men must know they haue the heauens aboue thē I saw the sinne wherein my foot was entring I saw how that dishonour did attend it I saw the shame whereon my flesh was ventring Yet had I not the powre for to defend it So weake is sence when error hath condemn'd it We see what 's good and thereto we consent But yet wee choose the worst and soone repent And now I come to tell the worst of ilnes Now drawes the date of mine affliction neere Now when the darke had wrapt vp all in stilnes And dreadfull black had dispossess'd the cleere Com'd was the night mother of sleepe and feare Who with her Sable-mantle friendly couers The sweet-stolne sports of ioifull meeting Louers When loe Iioy'd my Louer not my Loue And felt the hand of lust most vndesired Enforc'd th'vnprooued bitter sweet to proue Which yeelds no mutuall pleasure when t is hired Loue 's not constrain'd nor yet of due required Iudge they who are vnfortunately wed What t is to come vnto a loathed bed But soone his age receiu'd his short contenting And sleepe seald vp his languishing desires When he turnes to his rest I to repenting Into my selfe my waking thought retires My nakednes had prou'd my sences liers Now opned were mine eies to looke therein For first we taste the fruit then see our sin Now did I find my selfe vnparadis'd From those pure fields of my so cleane beginning Now I perceiu'd how ill I was aduis'd My flesh gan loathe the new-felt touch of sinning Shame leaues vs by degrees not at first winning For nature checks a new offence with loathing But vse of sinne doth make it seeme as nothing And vse of sinne did worke in me a boldnes And loue in him incorporates such zeale That iealousie increas'd with ages coldnes Fearing to loose the ioie of all his weale Or doubting time his stealth might else reueale H 'is driuen to deuise some subtill waie How he might safeliest keepe so rich a praie A statelie Pallace he foorth-with did build Whose intricate innumerable waies With such confused errours so beguild Th'vnguided entrers with vncertaine straies And doubtfull turnings kept them in delaies With bootlesse labour leading them about Able to find no waie nor in nor out Within the closed bosome of which frame That seru'd a Center
to that goodlie round Were lodgings with a Garden to the same With sweetest flowers that eu'r adorn'd the groūd And all the pleasures that delight hath found T'intertaine the sence of wanton eies Fuel of loue from whence lusts flames arise Heere I enclos'd from all the world asunder The Minotaure of shame kept for disgrace The Monster of Fortune and the worlds wonder Liu'd cloistred in so desolate case None but the King might come into the place With certaine Maides that did attend my need And he himselfe came guided by a threed O Iealousie daughter of Enuy ' and Loue Most wayward issue of a gentle sire Fostred with feares thy fathers ioyes t' improue Mirth-marring Monster borne a subtile lier Hatefull vnto thy selfe flying thine owne desire Feeding vpon suspect that doth renue thee Happie were Louers if they neuer knew thee Thou hast a thousand gates thou enterest by Condemning trembling passions to our hart Hundred eyed Argus euer-waking Spie Pale Hagge infernall Furie pleasures smart Enuious Obseruer prying in euery part Suspicious fearefull gazing still about thee O would to God the loue could be withuot thee Thou didst depriue through false suggesting feare Him of content and me of libertie The onely good that women hold so deere And turnst my freedome to captiuitie First made a prisoner ere an enemie Enioynd the ransome of my bodies shame Which though I paid could not redeeme the same What greater torment euer could haue beene Then to inforce the faire to liue retir'd For what is beauty if it be not seene Or what is 't to be seene vnlesse admir'd And though admir'd vnlesse in loue desir'd Neuer were cheeks of Roses locks of Amber Ordain'd to liue imprison'd in a Chamber Nature created beauty for the view Like as the fire for heat the Sun for light The faire do hold this priuiledge as due By ancient Charter to liue most in sight And she that is debarr'd it hath not right In vaine our friends from this do vs dehort For beauty will be where is most resort Witnes the fairest streets that Thames doth visite The wondrous concourse of the glittering Faire For what rare women deckt with beauty is it That thither couets not to make repaire The solitary Country may not stay her Heere is the center of all beauties best Excepting DELIA left t' adorne the West Heere doth the curious with iudiciall eies Contemplate beautie gloriouslie attired And herein all our chiefest glorie lies To liue where we are prais'd and most desired O how we ioie to see our selues admired Whilst niggardlie our fauours we discouer We loue to be belou'd yet scorne the Louer Yet would to God my foot had neuer mou'd From Countrie safetie from the fields of rest To know the danger to be highlie lou'd And liue in pompe to braue among the best Happie for me better had I beene blest If I vnluckilie had neuer straide But liu'd at home a happie Country Maide Whose vnaffected innocencie thinks No guilefull fraude as doth the Courtlie liuer She 's deckt with truth the Riuer where she drinks Doth serue her for her glasse her counsell giuer She loues sincerely and is loued euer Her daies are peace and so she ends her breath True life that knowes not what 's to die til death So should I neuer haue beene registred In the blacke booke of the vnfortunate Nor had my name enrold with Maides misled Which bought their pleasures at so hie a rate Nor had I taught through my vnhappie fate This lesson which my self learnt with expence How most it hurts that most delights the sense Shame followes sinne disgrace is duly giuen Impietie will out neuer so closely done No walls can hide vs from the eie of heauen For shame must end what wickednes begun Forth breaks reproch when we least think theron And this is euer proper vnto Courts That nothing can be done but Fame reports Fame doth explore what lies most secret hidden Entring the closet of the Pallace dweller Abroad reuealing what is most forbidden Of truth and falshood both an equall teller T is not a guard can serue for to expell her The sword of iustice cannot cut her wings Nor stop her mouth from vtt'ring secret things And this our stealth she could not long conceale From her whom such a forfeit most concerned The wronged Queen who could so closely deale That she the whole of all our practise learned And watcht a time when least it was discerned In absence of the King to wreake her wrong With such reuenge as she desired long The Laberinth she entred by that threed That seru'd a conduct to my absent Lord Left there by chance reseru'd for such a deed Where she surpriz'd me whom she so abhord Enrag'd with madnes scarce she speakes a word But flies with eager furie to my face Offring me most vnwomanly disgrace Looke how a Tygresse that hath lost her whelpe Runs fiercely raging through the woods astray And seeing her selfe depriu'd of hope or helpe Furiously assaults what 's in her way To satisfie her wrath not for a pray So fell she on me in outragious wife As could disdaine and iealousie deuise And after all her vile reproches vs'd She forc'd me take the poison she had brought To end the life that had her so abus'd And free her feares and ease her iealous thought No crueltie her wrath would leaue vnwrought No spightfull act that to reuenge is common No beast being fiercer than a iealous woman Here take saith she thou impudent vncleane Base gracelesse strumpet take this next your hart Your loue-sick hart that ouer-charg'd hath beene With pleasures surfeite must be purg'd with arte This potion hath a power that will conuart To nought those humors that oppresse you so And Gerle I le see you take it ere I go What stand you now amaz'd retire you backe Tremble you minion come dispatch with speed There is no helpe your Champion now you lack And all these teares you shed will nothing steed Those daintie fingers needs must do the deed Take it or I will drench you els by force And trifle not least that I vse you worse Hauing this bloodie doome from hellish breath My wofull eyes on euery side I cast Rigor about me in my hand my death Presenting me the horror of my last All hope of pitie and of comfort past No means no power no forces to contend My trembling hands must giue my self my end Those hands that beauties ministers had been They must giue death that me adorn'd of late That mouth that newly gaue consent to sin Must now receiue destruction in thereat That bodie which my lust did violate Must sacrifice it selfe t' appease the wrong So short is pleasure glory lasts not long And she no sooner saw I had it taken But foorth she rushes proud with victorie And leaues m' alone of all the world forsaken Except of Death which she had left with me Death and my selfe alone togither be To whom she