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
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
vnknowne And let them altogither on vs fall So to diuert the ruine of our owne That we forgetting what doth so incense May turne the hand of malice to defence 113 Calme these tempestuous spirits O mighty Lord This threatning storme that ouer hangs the land Make them consider ere they'vnsheath the sword How vaine is th' earth this point wheron they stand And with what sad calamities is stoor'd The best of that for which th' Ambitious band Labor the end of labor strife of strife Terror in death and horrour after life 114 Thus they in zeale whose humbled thoughts were good Whil'st in this wide spread volume of the skies The booke of prouidence disclosed stood Warnings of wrath foregoing miseries In lines of fire and caracters of blood There fearefull formes in dreadfull flames arise Amazing Comets threatning Monarches might And new-seene starres vnknowne vnto the night 115 Red fiery dragons in the aire doe flie And burning Meteors poynted-streaming lights Bright starres in midst of day appeare in skie Prodigious monsters gastly fearefull sights Straunge Ghosts and apparitions terrific The wofull mother her owne birth affrights Seeing a wrong deformed infant borne Grieues in her paines deceiu'd in shame doth morn 116 The Earth as if afeard of bloud and woundes Trembles in terror of these falling bloes The hollow concaues giue out groning sounds And sighing murmurs to lament our woes The Ocean all at discord with his boundes Reiterates his strange vntimely floes Nature all out of course to checke our course Neglects her worke to worke in vs remorse 117 So great a wracke vnto it selfe doth lo Disordered mortality prepare That this whole frame doth euen labour so Her ruine vnto frailty to declare And trauailes to fore-signifie the wo That weake improuidence could not beware For heauen and earth and aire and seas and all Taught men to see but not to shun their fall 118 Is man so deare vnto the heauens that they Respect the waies of earth the workes of sin Doth this great all this vniuersall weigh The vaine designes that weakenes doth begin Or doe our feare father of zeale make way Vnto this errour ignorance liues in Making our faults the cause that moue these powres That haue their cause from other cause then ours 119 Or doe the conscience of our wicked decdes Apply to sinne the terrour of these sights Hapning at the instant when commotion breedes Amazing only timorous vulgar wights Who euer aggrauating that which feedes Their feares still find out matter that affrights Whilst th' impious fierce neglecting seele no touch And weigh too light what other scare so much 120 Ah no th' eternall powre that guides this frame And serues him with the instruments of heauen To call the earth and summon vp our shame By an edict from euerlasting giuen Forbids mortality to search the same Where sence is blind and wit of wit bereauen Terror must be our knowledge feare our skill T' admire his worke and tremble at his will 121 And these beginnings had this impious warre Th' vngodly bloudshed that did so defile The beauty of thy fields and euen did marre The flowre of thy chiefe pride ô fairest Ile These were the causes that incensd so farre The ciuil wounding hand inragd with spoile That now the liuing with afflicted eie Looke backe with griefe on such calamity THE ARGVMENT OF THE SECOND BOOKE King Richard mones his wrong and wailes his raigne And here betrayd to London he is led Basely attyrd attending Herfords traine Where th' one is skornd the other welcomed His Wife mistaking him doth much complaine And both togither greatly sorrowed In hope to saue his life and ease his thrall He yeelds vp state and Rule and Crowne and all 1 IN dearth of faith and scarsity of friends The late great mighty monarch on the shore In th' vtmost corner of his land attends To call backe false obedience fled before Toyles and in vaine his toile and labour spends More hearts he sought to gaine he lost the more All turn'd their faces to the rising sunne And leaues his setting-fortune night begun 2 O Percy how by thy example lead The household traine for sooke their wretched Lord When with thy staffe of charge dishonoured Thou brak'st thy faith not steward of thy word And tookst his part that after tooke thy head When thine owne hand had strengthned first his For such great merits doe obraid and call For great reward or thinke the great too small 3 And kings loue not to be beholding ought Which makes their chiefest friends oft speed the worst For those by whom their fortunes haue bin wrought Put them in mind of what they were at first Whose doubtfull faith if once in question brought T is thought they will offend because they durst And taken in a fault are neuer spar'd Being casier to reuenge then to reward 4 And thus these mighty actors sonnes of change These partizanes of factions often tride That in the smoake of innouations strange Build huge vncertaine plots of vnsure pride And on the hazard of a bad exchange Haue venterd all the stocke of life beside Whilst Princes raisd disdaine to haue beene raisd By those whose helpes deserue not to be praisd 5 O Maiestie left naked all alone But with th' vnarmed title of thy right Those gallant troupes thy fortune followers gone And all that pompe the complements of might Th' amazing shadowes that are cast vpon The eares of Princes to be guile the sight Are vanisht cleane and only frailty left Thy selfe of all besides thy selfe berest 6 Like when some great Colossus whose strong base Or mighty props are shronke or sunke awaie Fore-shewing ruine threatning all the place That in the danger of his fall doth stay All straight to better safetie flocke apace None rest to helpe the ruine while they maie The perill great and doubtfull there dresse Men are content to leaue right in distresse 7 As stately Thames inricht with many a flood And goodly riuers that haue made their graues And buried both their names and all their good Within his greatnes to augment his waues Glides on with pompe of waters vnwithstood Vnto the Ocean which his tribute craues And Taies vp all his wealth within that powre Which in it selfe all greatnes doth deuour 8 So flocke the mightie with their following traine Vnto the all-receiuing Builing brooke Who wonders at himselfe how he should gaine So manie hearts as now his partie tooke And with what ease and with how slender paine His fortune giues him more then he could looke What he imagind neuer could be wrought Is powrd vpon him farre beyond his thought 9 So often things which seeme at first in shew Without the compasse of accomplishment Once ventred on to that successe do grow That euen the Authors do admire th' euent So manie meanes which they did neuer know Doe second their designes and doe present Straunge vnexpected helpes and chiefly then When th' Actors are reputed worthy men
they want of all And wanting you they nothing theirs can call 30 Here haue you craggy rockes to take your part That neuer will betray their faith to you These trustie mountaines here will neuer start But stand t' obraid their shame that are vntrue Here maie you fence your safetie with small art Against the pride of that confused Crew If men will not these very cliffes will fight And be sufficient to defend your right 31 Then keepe you here and here shall you behold Within short space the sliding faith of those That cannot long their resolution hold Repent the course their idle rashnes chose For that same mercenarie faith they sold With least occasions discontented growes And insolent those voluntarie bands Presuming how by them he chieflie stands 32 And how can he those mightie troupes sustaine Long time where now he is or any where Besides what discipline can he retaine Where as he dares not keepe them vnder feare For feare to haue them to reuolt againe So that it selfe when greatnes cannot beare With her owne waight must needes confusdly fall Without the helpe of other force at all 33 And hither to approach h' will neuer dare Where deserts rockes and hils no succours giue Where desolation and no comforts are Where few can do no good manie not liue Besides we haue the Ocean to prepare Some other place if this should not relieue So shall you tire his force consume his strength And weary all his followers out at length 34 Doe but referre to time and to small time And infinite occasions you shall find To quaile the reble euen in the prime Of all his hopes beyond all thought of mind For manie with the curse what they design'd And bad sucesse obraiding their ill fact Drawes them that others draw from such an act 35 For if the least imagind ouerture But of conceiud reuolt men once espie Straight shrinke the weake the great wil not indure Th' impatient run the discontented flie The friend his friends example doth procure And altogither haste them presently Some to their home some hide others that stay To reconcile themselues the rest betray 36 What hope haue you that euer Bullingbrooke Will liue a subiect that hath tride his fate Or what good reconcilement can you looke Where he must alwaies feare and you must hate And neuer thinke that he this quarrell tooke To reobtaine thereby his priuate state T was greater hopes that hereto did him call And he will thrust for all or else loose all 37 Nor trust this suttle Agent nor his oth You know his faith you tride it before hand His fault is death and now to loose his troth To saue his life he will not greatly stand Nor trust your kinsmans proffer since you both Shew bloud in Princes is no stedfast band What though he hath no title he hath might That makes a title where there is no right 38 Thus he when that good Bishop thus replies Out of a mind that quiet did affect My Lord I must confesse as your case lies You haue great cause your subiects to suspect And counterplot against their subtelties You all good care and honestie neglect And feare the worst what insolence maie doe Or armed fury maie incense them to 39 But yet my Lord feare maie as well transport Your care beyond the truth of what is ment As other wife neglect maie fall too short In not examining of their intent But let vs weigh the thing which they exhort T is Peace submission and a parlament Which how expedient t is for either part T were good we iudged with an vnpartiall hart 40 And first for you my Lord in griefe we see The miserable case wherein you stand Void here of succour helpe or maiestie On this poore promontory of your land And where how long a time your grace may be Expecting what may fall into your hand We know not sinceth ' euent of things do lie Clos'd vp in darknes far from mortall eie 41 And how vnsit it were you should protract Long time in this so dangerous disgrace As though that you good spirit and courage lackt To issue out of this opprobrious place When euen the face of kings do oft exact Feare and remorse in faulty subiects base And longer stay a great presumption drawes That you were guilty or did doubt your cause 42 What subiects euer so inragd would dare To violate a Prince t' offend the bloud Of that renowmed race by which they are Exalted to the glorie of this good What if some things by chance misguided were Which they haue now rebelliously withstood They neuer will proceed with that despight To wracke the state and to confound the right 43 Nor doe I thinke that Bulling brooke can do So blind ambitious to affect the crowne Hauing himselfe no title and doth see Others if you should faile must keepe him downe Besides the Realme though mad will neuer gree To haue a right succession ouerthrowne To raise confusion vpon them and theirs By preiudicing true and lawfull beires 44 And now it may be fearing the successe Of his attempts or with remorse of mind Or else distrusting secret practises He would be glad his quarrell were resignd So that there were some orderly redresse In those disorders which the Realme did find And this I thinke he now fees were his best Since farther actions farther but vnrest 45 And for the impossibility of peace And reconcilement which my Lords obiects I thinke when doying iniury shall cease The cause pretended then surcease th' effects Time and some other Actions may increase As may diuert the thought of these respects Others law of forgetting iniuries Maie serue our turne in like calamities 46 And for his oath my Lord I thinke in conscience True honour would not so be found vntrue Nor spot his bloud with such a fowle offence Against his soule against his God and you Our Lord for bid that euer with th' expence Of heauen and heauenly ioies that shall insue Mortality should buy this litle breath T' indure the horror of eternall death 47 And therefore as I thinke you safely maie Accept this proffer that determine shall All doubtfull courses by a quiet waie Needfull for you fit for them good for all And here my sou'raigne to make longer stay T' attend for what you are vnsure will fall May slippe th' occasion and incense their will For feare that 's wiser then the truth doth ill 48 Thus he perswades euen of a zealous mind Supposing men had spoken as they ment And vnto this the king likewise inclinde As wholy vnto peace and quiet bent And yeelds himselfe to th' earle goes leaues behind Safety Scepter honor gouernment For gone all 's gone he is no more his owne And they rid quite offeare he of the crowne 49 A place there is where proudly raisd there stands A huge aspiring rocke neighbou'ring the skies Whose surly brow imperiously commands The sea his bounds that
they of so fatall a degree That they cannot discend from that and liue Vnlesse they still be kings can they not bee Nor maie they their authority surviue Will not my yeelded crowne redeeme my breath Still am I fear'd is there no way but death 72 Scarce this word death had sorrow vttered But in rusht one and tels him how a knight Is come from court his name deliuered What newes with him said he that traiterous wight What more remoues must we be farther lead Are we not sent inough yet out of sight Or hath this place not strength sufficient To guard vs in or haue they worse intent 73 By this the bloudy troope were at the dore When as a sodaine and a strange dismay Inforst them straine who should go in before One offers and in offring makes a stay Another forward sets and doth no more A third the like and none durst make the way So much the horror of so vile a deed In vilest mindes hinders them to proceed 74 At length as to some great assault the knight Cheeres vp his fainting men all that he can And valiantly their courage doth incite And all against one weake vnarmed man A great exployt worthy a man of might Much honour wretch therein thy valor wan Ah poore weake prince yet men that presence feare Which once they knew autoritie did beare 75 Then on thrustes one and he would formost be To shead anothers bloud but lost his owne For entring in as soone as he did see The face of maiestie to him well knowne Like Marius soldier at Minternum hee Stood still amazd his courage ouerthrowne The king seeing this startes vp from where he fate Out from his trembling hand his weapon gate 76 Thus euen his foes that came to bring him death Bring him a weapon that before had none That yet he might not idly loose his breath But diereuengd in action not alone And this good chaunce that this much fauoureth He slackes not for he presently speedes one And Lion-like vpon the rest he flies And here falles one and there another lies 77 And vp and downe he trauerses his ground Now wardes a felling blow now strikes againe Then nimbly shiftes a thrust then lendes a wound Now backe he giues then rushes on amaine His quicke and readie hand doth so confound These shamefull beastes that foure of them dies slain And all had perisht happily and well But for one act that ô I greiue to tell 78 This coward knight seeing with shame and feare His men thus slaine and doubting his owne end Leapes vp into a chaire that lo was there The whiles the king did all his courage bend Against those foure that now before him were Doubting not who behind him doth attend And plies his handes vndaunted vnaffeard And with good hart and life for life he stird 79 And whiles he this and that and each mans blow Doth eye desend and shift being laid to sore Backward he beates for more aduantage now Thinking the wall would safegard him the more When lo with impious hand o wicked thou That shamefull durst not come to strike before Behind him gau'st that wofull deadly wound That laid that most sweet Prince flat on the ground 08 Monster of men ô what hast thou here done Vnto an ouerpressed innocent Lab'ring against so many he but one And one poore soule with care with sorrow spent O could thy eies indure to looke vpon Thy hands disgrace or didst thou then relent But what thou didst I will not here deuine Nor straine my thoughts to enter into thine 81 But leue thee wretch vnto blacke infamie To darke eternall horror and disgrace The hatefull skorne to all posterity The out-cast of the world last of thy race Of whose curst seed nature did then deny To bring forth more her faire workes to deface And as asham'd to haue produc'd that past She staies her hand and makes this worst her last 82 There lies that comely body all imbrude With that pure bloud mixt with that fowle he shed O that those sacred streames with such vile rude Vnhallowed matter should be mingled O why was grossenes with such grace indude To be with that sweet mixture honoured Or seru'd it but as some vile graue ordaind Where an imbalmed corpes should be containd 83 Those faire distended limmes all trembling lay Whom yet nor life nor death their owne could call For life remou'd had not rid all away And death though entring seas'd not yet on all That short-tim'd motion that soone finish shall The mouer ceasing yet a while doth stay As th' organ sound a time suruiues the stop Before it doth the dying note giue vp 84 So holdes those organs of that goodly frame The weake remaines of life a little space But ah full soone cold death poffest the same Set are those sun-like eles bloudlesse that face And all that comely whole a lump became All that fair forme which death could scarce disgrace Lies perisht thus and thus vntimely fate Hath finisht his most miserable state 85 And thus one king most nere in bloud allide is made th' oblation for the others peace Now onely one both name and all beside Intirely hath plurality doth cease He that remaines remaines vnterrifide With others right this day doth all release And henceforth he is absolutely king No crownes but one this deed confirmes the thing 86 And yet new Hydraes lo new heades appeare T' afflict that peace reputed then so sure And gaue him much to do and much to feare And long and daungerous tumults did procure And those euen of his chiefest followers were Of whom he might presume him most secure Who whether not so grac'd or so preferd As they expected these new factions stird 87 The Percyes were the men men of great might Strong in alliance and in courage strong That thus conspire vnder pretence to right The crooked courses they had suffered long Whether their conscience vrgd them or despight Or that they saw the part they tooke was wrong Or that ambition hereto did them call Or others enuide grace or rather all 88 What cause soeuer were strong was their plot Their parties great meanes good th' occasion fit Their practise close their faith suspected not Their states far off and they of wary wit Who with large promises draw in the Scot To ayde their cause he likes and yeeldes to it Not for the Ioue of them or for their good But glad hereby of meanes to shed our bloud 89 Then ioyne they with the Welsh who fitly traind And all in armes vnder a mightie head Great Glendowr who long warr'd and much attaind Sharp conflicts made and many vanquished With whom was Edmond Earle of March retaind Being first his prisoner now confedered A man the king much fear'd and well he might Least he should looke whether his Crown stood right 90 For Richard for the quiet of the state Before he tooke those Irish warres in hand About succession
commaund of vice whereto the rest Of many mighty foueraignes subiectés be And numbred might haue beene among the best Of other men if not of that degree A right good man but yet an euill king Vnfit for what he had in managing 55 Mild meeke of spirit by nature patient No thought t' increase or scarse to keepe his owne Apter for pardoning then for punishment Seeking his bounty not his powre t' haue knowne Far from reuenge soone won soone made content As fitter for a cloyster then a crowne Whose holy minde so much addicted is On th' world to come that he neglecteth this 56 With such a weake good feeble godly king Hath Richard Duke of Yorke his cause to trie Who by th' experience of long managing The warres of Fraunce with supreame dignitie And by his owne great worth with furthering The common good against the enemie Had wrought that zeale and loue attend his might And made his spirit equall vnto his right 57 For now the Duke of Bedford beeing dead He is ordaind the Regent to succeed In Fraunce for fiue yeares where he trauailed Whith ready hand and with as carefull heed To seeke to turne backe fortune that now fled And hold vp falling power in time of need And gote and lost and reattaines againe That which againe was lost for all his paine 58 His time expird he should for fiue yeares more Haue had his charge prolong'd but Sommerset That still had enuide his commaund before That place and honor for himselfe did get Which ans that matter to th' alreadie store Of kindled hate which such a fire doth set Vnto the touch of that confounding flame As both their blouds could neuer quench the same 59 And now the weaknes of that feeble head That doth neglect all care but his soules care So easie meanes of practise ministred Vnto th' ambitious members to prepare Their owne desires to what their humors lead That all good Actions coldly followed are And seurall-tending hopes do wholy bend To other now then to the publique end 60 And to draw on more speedy misery The king vnto a fatall match is led With Rayners daughter king of Sicilie Whom with vnlucky starres he married For by the meanes of this affinitie Was lost all that his Father conquered Euen as if Fraunce had some Erynnis sent T' auenge their wrongs done by the insolent 61 This marriage was the Duke of Suffolks deed With great rewardes won to effect the same Which made him that he tooke so little heed Vnto his countries good or his owne shame Being a match could stand vs in no steed For strength for wealth for reputation fame But cunningly contriued for their gaine To cost vs more then Aniou Mauns and Maine 62 And yet as if he had accomplished Some mighty benefit vnto the land He gote his trauailes to be registred In Parliment for euermore to stand A witnes to approue all what he did To th' end that if hereafter it were scand Autoritie might yet be on his side As doing nought but what was ratifide 63 Imagining th' allowance of that place Would make that good the which he knew was naught And so would his negotiation grace As none would thinke it was his priuat faut Wherein though wit dealt wary in this case Yet in the end it selfe it ouer raught Striuing to hide he opened it the more His after care shewd craft had gone before 64 Deare didst thou buy ô king so faire a wife So rare a spirit so high a minde the while Whose portion was destruction dowry strife Whose bed was sorrow whose imbracing spoile Whose maintenance cost thee and thine their life And whose best comfort neuer was but toyle What Paris brought this booty of desire To set our mighty Ilium here on fire 65 I grieue that I am forst to say thus much To blame her that I yet must wonder at Whos 's so sweet beauty wit and worth were such As euerlasting admiration gat Yet doth my countries zeale so nerely touch That I am drawne to say I know not what And yet ô that my pen should euer giue Staine to that sex by whom her fame doth liue 66 For sure those vertues well deserud a crowne And had it not beene ours no doubt she might Haue matcht the worthiest that the world hath known And now sate faire with fame with glorie bright But comming in the way where sin was grown So foule and thicke it was her chance to light Amidst that grosse infection of those times And so came staind with blacke disgracefull crimes 67 And some the world must haue on whom to lay The heauie burthen of reproach and blame Against whose deedes th' afflicted may inuay As th' only Authors whence destruction came When yet perhaps t was not in them to stay The current of that streame nor helpe the same But liuing in the eie of Action so Not hindring it are thought to draw on wo. 68 So much vnhappie doth the mightie stand That stand on other then their owne defence When as distruction is so neare at hand That if by weakenes folly negligence They do not comming miserie withstand They shall be thought th'authors of the offence And to call in that which they kept not out And curst as those that brought those plagues about 69 And so remaine for euer registred In that eternall booke of infamie When ô how many other causes lead As well to that as their iniquitie The worst complots oftly close smothered And well ment deedes fall out vnluckily Whilst the aggrieued stand not t'waigh th' intent But euer iudge according to th' euent 70 I say not this t' excuse thy Sinne ô Queene Nor cleare their faults that mightie Actors are I cannot but affirme thy pride hath beene A speciall meanes this commonwealth to marre And that thy way ward will was plainly seene In vaine ambition to presume too farre And that by thee the onely way was wrought The Duke of Gloster to his death was brought 71 A man though seeming in thy thought to sit Betweene the light of thy desires and thee Yet did his taking thence plainly permit Others to looke to that they could not see During his life nor would aduenture it When his remoue quite made that passage free So by his fall thinking to stand alone Hardly could stand at all when he was gone 72 For this Duke as Protector many yeares Had rul'd the land during the kings young age And now the selfe same charge and title beares As if he still were in his pupillage With such disgrace vnto the Queene appeares That all incensd with an ambitious rage She doth conspire to haue him made awaie As who the course of her maine will doth staie 73 Thrust thereinto not onely with her pride But by her fathers counsell and consent That grieu'd likewise that any else beside Should haue the honor of the gouernment And therfore he such deepe aduise applide As forraine
craft and cunning could inuent To circumuent an vnsuspecting wight Before he should discerne of their despight 74 And manie ready hands shee straight doth find To aide her deede of such as could not brooke The length of one mans office in that kind That to himselfe th' affaires all wholly tooke And ruling all had neuer any minde T' impart a part with others that would looke To haue likewise some honor in their hands And grieu'd at such ingrossing of commaunds 75 And had he not had such a greedy loue Of still continuing of his charge too long Enuie had beene vnable to reproue His acted life without shee did him wrong But hauing liu'd so manie yeeres aboue He grieues now to descend to be lesse strong And kils that fame that vertue did beget Chose to be held lesse good then seene lesse great 76 O could the mighty but giue bounds to pride And weigh backe fortune ere shee pull them downe Contented with inough with honors satisfide Not striuing how to make so much their owne As to leaue nothing for the rest beside Who seeme by their high spreading ouergrowne Whilst they themselues remaine in all mens sight The odious marke of hatred and dispight 77 Then should not ô so many tragedies Burthen our knowledge with their bloudy end Nor their disgrac'd confounded families From so hye pride to so low shame descend But planted on that ground where safety lies Their branches should to eternity extend But euer those that ouerlooke so much Must ouersee themselues their state is such 78 Seuere he was and strictly did obserue Due forme of Iustice towardes euery wight Vnmoueable and neuer won to swerue For any cause in what he thought was right Wherein although he did so well deserue In the licentious yet it bread despight So that euen vertue seemes an Actor too To ruine those fortune prepares to vndoo 79 Those thus prouided whom the Queene wel knew Hated his might and glad to inoouate Vnto so great and strong a party grew As easie t' was to ouerthrow his state And onely hope of alteration drew Manie to yeeld that had no cause to hate For euen with goodnes men grow discontent Where states are ripe to fall and vertue spent 80 And taking all the rule into her hand Vnder the shadowe of that feeble king The Duke sh' excludes from office and command And in the reach of enmity doth bring From that respected height where he did stand Whilst malice scarce durst mutter anything When straight the worst of him comes all reueald Which former feare or rigor kept conceald 81 Now is he taxed that he rather sought His priuate profit then the publique good And many things presumptuously had wrought Other then with our lawes and customes stood As one that would into the land haue brought The ciuile forme in cases touching bloud And such poore crimes that shewd their spight was sound But yet bewraide their matter wanted ground 82 Yet seru'd they well the turne and did effect That which is easie wrought in such a case Where what suborned Iustice shall obiect Is to the purpose and must passe with grace And what the wretched bring of no effect Whose hainous faults his matter must deface For where powre hath decreed to find th' oftence The cause is better still then the defence 83 A Parlament at Berry summoned Dispatcht the deed more speedily then well For thither came the Duke without all dread Or ought imagining of what befell Where as the matter is so followed That he conuented is ere he could tell He was in danger or had done offence And presently to prison sent from thence 84 Which quicke and sodaine action gaue no time For men to weigh the iustice of the deed Whilst looking only on the vrged crime Vnto the farther drift they take no heed For these occasions taken in the prime Of courses new that old dislikes succeed Leaue not behind that feeling touch of wrong Sacietie makes passions still lesse strong 85 And yet they seem'd some mutiny to doubt For thus proceeding with a man of might Seeing he was most popular and stout And resolute would stand vpon his right And therefore did they cast this way about To haue him closely murdred out of sight That so his trouble and his death hereby Might come togither and togither dye 86 Reekning it better since his end is ment And must be wrought at once to rid it cleere And put it to the fortune of th' euent Then by long doing to be long in feare When in such courses of high punishment The deed and the attempt like daunger beare And oft things done perhaps doe lesse anoy Then may the doing handled with delay 87 And so they had it straight accomplished For that day after his committing he Is dead brought foorth being found so in his bed Which was by sodaine sicknes said to bee That had vpon his sorrowes gathered As by apparant to kens men might see And thus ô Sicknes thou art oft belide When death hath many waies to come beside 88 Are these the deedes hye forraine wits inuent Is this that wisedome whereof they so boast O then I would it neuer had beene spent Here amongst vs nor brought from out their coast O let their cunning in their limits pent Remaine amongst themselues that like it most And let the North they count of colder bloud Beheld more grosse so it remaine more good 89 Let them haue fairer citties goodlier soiles And sweeter fields for beautie to theeie So long as they haue these vngodly wiles Such detestable vile impietie And let vs want their vines their fruites the whiles So that we want not faith and honestie We care not for those pleasures so we may Haue better harts and stronger hands then they 90 Neptune keepe out from thy imbraced Ile This foule contagion of iniquitie Drowne all corruptions comming to defile Our faire proceedings ordred formally Keepe vs mere English let not craft beguile Honor and Iustice with strang subtiltie Let vs not thinke that that our good can frame Which ruinde hath the Authors of the same 91 But by this impious meanes that worthy man Is brought vnto this lamentable end And now that current with maine fury ran The stop remou'd that did the course defend Vnto the full of mischiefe that began T' a vniuersall ruine to extend That Isthmus failing which the land did keepe From the intire possession of the deepe 92 And now the king alone all open lay No vnderprop of bloud to stay him by None but himselfe standes weakely in the way Twixt Yorke and the affected sou'raignty Gone is that barre that would haue beene the stay T' haue kept him backe from mounting vp so hie But ô in what a state stand these men in That cannot liue without nor with their kin 93 The Queene hath yet by this her full desire And now she with her minion Suffolke raignes Now shee hath all authority intire And all affaires
Rebel now runne on With that false name t' effect the best he could To make a way for him to worke vpon That but on certaine ground aduenture would For if the traitor sped the gaine were his If not yet he standes safe and blamelesis 114 T' attempt with others dangers not his owne He countes it wisedome if it could be wrought And t' haue the honor of the people knowne Was now that which was chiefly to be sought For with the best he knew himselfe was growne In that account as made him take no thought Hauing obseru'd in those he ment to proue Their wit their wealth their cariage and their loue 115 With whom and with his owne alliances He first begins to open in some wise The right he had yet with such doubtfulnes As rather sorrow then his drift descries Complaining of his countries wretchednes In what a miserable case it lies And how much it importes them to prouide For their defence against this womans pride 116 Then with the discontented he doth deale In sounding theirs not vttering his intent As being sure not so much to reueale Where by they might be made againe content But when they grieued for the common weale He doth perswade them to be patient And to indure there was no other course Yet so perswades as makes their malice worse 117 And then with such as with the time did run He doth in most vpright opinion stand As one that neuer crost what they begun But seem'd to like what stil they tooke in hand Seeking all causes of offence to shun Praises the rule and blames th' vnrulie land Workes so with giftes and kindlie offices That euen of them he serues his turne no lesse 118 Then as for those that were his followers Being all choice men for vertues or desarts He so with grace and benefits prefers That he becomes the monarch of their harts He drawes the learned for his Counsailers And cherishes all men of rarest partes To whom good done doth an impression strike Of ioic and loue in all that are alike 119 And now by meanes of th'intermitted warre Manie most valiant men impou'rished Onely by him fed and relieued are Onely respected grac'd and honoured Which let him in vnto their hearts so farre As they by him were wholy to be led He onely treades the sure and perfect path To greatnes who loue and opinion hath 120 And to haue one some certaine prouince his As the maine body that must worke the feate Yorkeshire he chose the place wherein he is By title liuings and possessions great No country he preferres so much as this Here hath his bountie her abiding seat Here is his Iustice and relieuing hand Ready to all that in destresse do stand 121 What with his tenants seruants followers friends And their alliances and amities All that Shire vniuersally attendes His hand held vp to any enterprize And thus farre vertue with her power extendes The rest touching th' euent in fortune lies With which accomplement so mighty growne Forward he tendes with hope t' attaine a crowne The end of the fourth booke The fift Booke of the Ciuill warres betweene the two Houses of Lancaster and Yorke THE ARGVMENT The bad successe of Cades rebellion Yorks open practise and conspiracie His comming in and his submission Th' effect of Printing and Artillerie Burdeux reuolts craues our protection Talbot defending ours dyes gloriously The French Wars end York begins againe And at S. Albones Sommerset is slaine 1 THE furious trayne of that tumultuous rout Whom close subayding powre good successe Had made vnwisely proud and fondly stout Thrust headlong on oppresion to oppresse And now to fulnes growne boldly giue out That they the publique wrongs meant to redresse Formlesse themselues reforming doe pretend As if confusion could disorder mend 2 And on they march with theyr false-named head Of base and vulgar birth though noble fayn'd Who puft with vaine desires to London led His rash abused troupes with shadowes trayn'd When as the King thereof assertained Supposing some small power would haue restrain'd Disordred rage sends with a simple crew Syr Humfry Stafford whom they ouerthrew 3 Which so increasd th' opinion of theyr might That much it gaue to doe and much it wrought Confirm'd their rage drew on the vulgar wight Calld forth the timerous fresh pertakers brought For many though most glad theyr wrongs to right Yet durst not venture theyr estates for nought But see'ing the cause had such aduantage got Occasion makes them styr that els would not 4 So much he errs that scornes or els neglects The small beginnings of arysing broyles And censures others not his owne defects And with a selfe conceite himselfe beguiles Thinking small force will compasse great effects And spares at first to buy more costly toyles When true obseruing prouidence in war Still makes her foes far stronger then they are 5 Yet thys good fortune all theyr fortune mard Which fooles by helping euer doth suppresse For warelesse insolence whilst vndebard Ofbounding awe runnes on to such excesse That following lust and spoyle and blood so hard Sees not how they procure theyr owne distresse The better lothing courses so impure Rather will like theyr wounds then such a cure 6 For whilst thys wilde vnrained multitude Led with an vnfore-seeing greedy minde Of an imagin'd good that did delude Their ignorance in theyr desires made blind Ransack the Citty and with hands imbrude Run to all out-rage in th' extreamest kind Heaping vp wrath and horror more and more Adding fresh guilt to mischiefes done before 7 And seeing yet all thys draw to no end But to theyr owne no promisd ayde t' appeare No such pertakers as they dyd attend Nor such successes as imagin'd were Good men resolu'd the present to defend Iustice against them with a brow seuere Themselues feard of themselues tyr'd with excesse Found mischiefe was no sit way to redresse 8 Like when a greedy Pyrat hard in chace Pursuing of a rich supposed prize Works for the winds plyes sayles beares vp a pace Out-runnes the clowdes scoures after her that flyes Pryde in his hart and wealth before his face Keepes his hands wrought fixed keepes his eyes So long till that ingag'd within some straight He falls amid his foes layd close in wayt 9 Where all too late discouering round about Danger and death the purchase of his hast And no back flying no way to get out But there to perrish or to yeeld disgrast Cursing his error yet in th' error stout Hee toyles for life now charges now is chast Then quailes and then fresh courage takes againe Striuing t'vnwind himselfe but all in vaine 10 So stands thys rout in desperat comberment Enuirond round with horror blood and shame Crost of theyr course dispayring of th' euent When pardon that smooth bayt of basenes came Pardon the snare to catch the impotent Beeing once pronounc'd they straight embrace the same And as huge snowy Mountaines melt with
heat So they dissolu'd with hope and home they get 11 Leauing their Captaine to discharge alone The shott of blood consumed in theyr heat Too small a sacrifice for mischiefes done Was one mans breath which thousands dyd defeat Vnrighteous Death why art thou but all one Vnto the small offender and the great Why art thou not more then thou art to those That thousands spoyle and thousands liues doe lose 12 Thys fury passing with so quick an end Disclosd not those that on th' aduantage lay Who seeing the course to such disorder tend With-drew theyr foote asham'd to take that way Or els preuented whilst they dyd attend Some mightier force or for occasion stay But what they meant ill fortune must not tell Mischiefe be'ing oft made good by speeding well 13 Put by from thys the Duke of Yorke dissignes Another course to bring his hopes about And with those frends affinity combines In surest bonds his thoughts he poureth out And closely feeles and closely vndermines The fayth of whom he had both hope and doubt Meaning in more apparant open course To try his right his fortune and his force 14 Loue and aliance had most firmly ioynd Vnto his part that mighty family The fayre discended stock of Neuiles kind Great by theyr many issued progeny But greater by theyr worth that cleerely shind And gaue faire light to theyr nobilitie A mightie partie for a mighty cause By theyr vnited amitie hee drawes 15 For as the spreading members of proud Po That thousand-branched Po whose limmes embrace Thy fertile and delicious body so Sweet Lombardie and beautifies thy face Such seemd this powreful stock frō whence did grow So many great discents spreading theyr race That euery corner of the Land became Enricht with some great Heroes of that name 16 But greatest in renowne doth VVarwick sit That great King-maker VVarwick so far growne In grace with Fortune that he gouerns it And Monarchs makes and made againe puts downe What reuolutions his first mouing wit Heere brought about are more then too well known That fatall kindle-fire of those hote dayes Whose worth I may whose worke I cannot prayse 17 With him with Richard Earle of Salisbury Courtny and Brooke his most assured frends Hee intimates his minde and openly The present bad proceedings discommends Laments the state the peoples misery And that which such a pittyer seldom mends Oppression that sharpe two edged sword That others wounds and wounds likewise his Lord. 18 My Lord sayth he how things are carryed heere In thys corrupted state you plainly see What burden our abused shoulders beare Charg'd with the weight of imbecillitie And in what base account all we appeare That stand without their grace that all must be And who they be and how their course succeeds Our shame reports and time bewrayes theyr deeds 19 Aniou and Maine O maine that foule appeares Eternall scarre of our dismembred Land And Guien's lost that did three hundred yeeres Remaine subiected vnder our commaund From whence me thinks there sounds vnto our eares The voyce of those deere ghosts whose liuing hand Got it with sweat and kept it with theyr blood To doe vs thankles vs theyr of-spring good 20 And seeme to cry O how can you behold Their hatefull feet vpon our graues should tread Your Fathers graues who gloriously dyd hold That which your shame hath left recouered Redeeme our Tombes O spirits too too cold Pull backe these Towres our Armes haue honored These Towres are yours these Forts we built for you These walls doe beare our names and are your due 21 Thus well they may obrayd our rechlesnes Whilst we as if at league with infamie Ryot away for nought whole Prouinces Giue vp as nothing worth all Normandy Traffique strong holds sell Fortresses So long that nought is left but misery Poore Callice and these water-walls about That basely pownds vs in from breaking out 22 And which is worse I feare we shall in th' end Throwne from the glory of inuading war Be forst our propper limmits to defend Where euer men are not the same they are Where hope of conquest doth theyr spyrits extend Beyond the vsuall powres of valor far For more is he that ventureth for more Then who fights but for what he had before 22 Put to your hands therefore to reskew nowe Th'indangered state dere Lords from thys disgrace And let vs in our honor labour how To brings thys scorned Land in better case No doubt but God our action will allow That knowes my right and how they rule the place Whose weakenes calls vp our vnwillingnesse As opening euen the doore to our redresse 24 Though I protest it is not for a Crowne My soule is moou'd yet if it be my right I haue no reason to refuse myne owne But onely these indignities to right And what if God whose iudgements are vnknowne Hath me ordaynd the man that by my might My Country shall be blest if so it be By helping me you rayse your selues with me 25 In those whom zeale and amitie had bred A fore-impression of the right he had These styrring words so much encouraged That with desire of innouation mad They seem'd to runne before not to be led And to his fire doe quicker fuell ad For where such humors are prepard before The opening them makes them abound the more 26 Then counsell take they fitting theyr desire For nought that fits not theyr desire is wayghd The Duke is straight aduised to retyre Into the bounds of Wales to leauy ayde Which vnder smooth pretence he doth require T' amoue such persons as the state betrayd And to redresse th' oppression of the land The charme which weakenes seldom doth withstand 27 Ten thousand straight caught with this bait of breth Are towards greater lookt-for forces led Whose power the King by all meanes trauaileth In theyr arising to haue ruined But theyr preuenting head so compasseth That all ambushments warilie are fled Refusing ought to hazard by the way Keeping his greatnes for a greater day 28 And to the Citty straight directs his course The Citty seate of Kings and Kings cheefe grace Where finding of his entertainment worse By far then he expected in that place Much disappoynted drawes from thence his force And towards better trust marches a pace And downe in Kent fatall for discontents Nere to thy banks fayre Thames doth pitch his Tents 29 And there intrencht plants his Artillery Artillery th' infernall instrument New brought from hell to scourge mortality With hideous roring and astonishment Engin of horror fram'd to terrific And teare the earth and strongest Towers to rent Torment of Thunder made to mock the skyes As more of power in our calamities 30 O if the fire subtile Promethius brought Stolne out of heauen did so afflict mankind That euer since plagu'd wyth a curious thought Of styrring search could neuer quiet find What hath he done who now by stealth hath got Lightning and Thunder both in wondrous kind
From all disturbs to be so long kept free And with such glory to discharge that place And therefore if by such a power thou be Stopt of thy course reckon it no disgrace Sith shee alone being priuiledg'd from hie Hath thys large Patent of eternite 52 This charge the Goddesse gaue when ready straight The subtill messenger accompayned With all her crew of crafts that on her wayt Hastes to effect what shee was counsailed And out shee pours of her mimens conceit Vpon such searching spirits as trauailed In penetrating hidden secrecies Who soone these meanes of misery deuise 53 And boldly breaking with rebellious minde Into theyr mothers close-lockt Treasury They mineralls combustible doe finde Which in stopt concaues placed cunningly They fire and fire imprisoned against kind Teares out away thrusts out his enemy Barking with such a horror as if wroth With man that wrongs himselfe and nature both 54 And this beginning had this cursed frame Which Yorke hath now planted against his King Presuming by his power and by the same His purpose vnto good effect to bring When diuers of the grauest Counsell came Sent from the King to vnderstand what thing Had thrust him into these proceedings bad And what he sought and what intent he had 55 Who with words mildly-sharp gently-seuere Wrought on those wounds that must bee toucht with heed Applying rather salues of hope then feare Least corasiues should desperat mischiefes breed And what my Lord sayd they should moue you here In thys vnseemely manner to proceed Whose worth being such as all the Land admires Hath sayrer wayes then these to your desires 56 Will you whose meanes whose many friends whose grace Can work the world in peace vnto your wil Take such a course as shall your blood deface And make by handling bad a good cause ill How many harts hazard you in thys case That in all quiet plots would ayde you still Hauing in Court a Partie far more strong Then you conceiue prest to redresse your wrong 57 Fy fy forsake thys hatefull course my Lord Downe with these Armes that will but wound your cause What peace may do hazard not with the sword Fly from the force that from your force with-drawes And yeeld and we will mediat such accord As shall dispence with rigor and the lawes And interpose thys solemne fayth of our Betwixt your fault and the offended power 58 Which ingins of protests and proffers kinde Vrg'd out of seeming greese and shewes of loue So shooke the whole foundation of his minde As it dyd all his resolution moue And present seem'd vnto theyr course inclind So that the King would Sommerset remoue The man whose most intollerable pride Trode downe his worth and all good mens beside 59 Which they there vow'd should presently be done For what will not pence-louers willing grant Where dangerous euents depend thereon And men vnfurnisht and the state in want And if with words the conquest will be won The cost is small and who holds breath so scant As then to spare tho' against his dignity Better discend then end in maiestie 60 And here-vpon the Duke dissolues his force Submits him to the King on publique vow The rather to presuming on thys course For that his sonne the Earle of March was now With mightier powers abroad which would enforce His peace which els the King would not allow For seeing not all of him in him he hath His death would but gyue life to greater wrath 61 Yet comming to the King in former place Hys foe the Duke of Sommerset he finds Whom openly reproching to hys face Hee charg'd with treason in the highest kinds The Duke returnes lyke speeches of dysgrace And fiery words bewrayd theyr flaming minds But yet the tryall was for them deferd Till fitter tyme allow'd it to be heard 62 At Westminster a Counsell gathered Deliberats what course the cause should end Of th' apprehended Duke of Yorke whose head Doth now on others doubtfull breath depend Law fiercely vrgd his deed and found him dead Frends fayld to speake where they could not defend Onely the King himselfe for mercy stood As prodigall of lyse nyggard of blood 63 And as if angry with the Lawes of death And why should you sayd he vrge things so far You that invr'd with mercinary breath And hyred tongue so peremptory are Brauing on him whom sorrow prostrateth As if you dyd with poore affliction war And pray on frailty folly hath betrayd Bringing the lawes to wound neuer to ayd 64 Dispence sometyme with sterne seueritie Make not the lawes still traps to apprehend Win grace vpon the bad with clemencie Mercy may mend whom malice made offend Death giues no thanks but checks authority And lyfe doth onely maiestie commend Reuenge dyes not rigor begets new wrath And blood hath neuer glory mercy hath 65 And for my part and my part should be chiefe I am most willing to restore his state And rather had I win him with reliefe Then loose him with despight and get more hate Pitty drawes loue bloodshed as natures griefe Compassion followes the vnfortunate And loosing him in him I loose my power We rule who liue the dead are none of our 66 And should our rigor lessen then the same Which we with greater glory should retaine No let hym lyue his lyfe must giue vs fame The chyld of mercy newly borne againe As often burials is Phisitions shame So many deaths argues a Kings hard raigne Why should we say the law must haue her vigor The law kills him but quits not vs of rigor 67 You to get more preferment by your wit Others to gaine the spoyles of misery Labour with all your power to follow it Shewing vs feares to draw on cruelty You vrge th' offence not tell vs what is fit Abusing wrong-informed maiestic As if our power were onely but to slay And that to sane were a most dangerous way 68 Thus out of pitty spake that holy King Whom mylde affections led to hope the best When Sommerset began to vrge the thing With words of hotter temper thys exprest Deare soueraigne Lord the cause in managing Is more then yours t' imports the publique rest We all haue part it touches all our good And lyfe's ill spard that 's spar'd to cost more blood 69 Compassion here is cruolty my Lord Pitty will cut our throats for sauing so What benefit shall we haue by the sword If mischiefe shall escape to draw on mo Why should we gyue what Law cannot afford To ' be ' accessaries to our proper wo Wisdom must iudge twixt men apt to amend And minds incurable borne to offend 70 It is no priuat cause I doe protest That moues me thus to prosecute his deede Would God his blood and myne had well releast The dangers that his pryde is lyke to breed Although at me he seemes to haue addrest His spight t is not his end he hath decreed I am not he alone hee doth pursue But thorow me
he meanes to shoote at you 71 For this course euer they deliberate Which doe aspyre to reach the gouernment To take aduantage of the peoples hate Which euer hate those that are eminent For who can manage great affayres of state And all a wayward multitude content And then these people-minions they must fall To worke out vs to worke themselues int'all 72 But note my Lord first who is in your hand Then how he hath offended what 's his end It is the man whose race would seeme to stand Before your right and doth a right pretend Who Traytor-like hath raysd a mighty band With coullor your proceedings to amend Which if it should haue hapned to succeed You had not now fate to adiudge hys deed 73 If oftentimes the person not th' offence Haue beene sufficient cause of death to some Where publique safety puts in euidence Of mischiefe likely by theyr lyfe to come Shall he whose fortune and his insolence Haue both deseru ' d to dye escape that doome When you shall saue your Land your Crowne therby And since you cannot lyue vnlesse he dye 74 Thys spake th' agreeued Duke that grauely saw Th' incompatible powers of Princes minds And what affliction his escape might draw Vnto the state and people of all kinds And yet the humble yeelding and the aw Which Yorke there shew'd so good opinion finds That with the rumor of his sonnes great strength And French affayres he there came quit at length 75 For euen the feare t' exasperat the heat Of th' Earle of March whose forward youth might Well followd seem'd a proude reuenge to threat If any shame should on his Father light And then desire in Gascoyne to reget The glory lost which home-broyles hinder might Aduauntaged the Duke and sau'd his head Which question lesse had els been hazarded 76 For now had Burdeux offered vpon ayd Present reuolt if we would send with speed Which fayre aduantage to haue then delayd Vpon such hopes had been a shamefull deed And therfore this all other courses stayd And outwardly these inward hates agreed Giuing an interpause to pride and spight Which breath'd but to break out with greater might 77 Whilst dreadfull Talbot terror late of Fraunce Against the Genius of our fortune stroue The down-throwne glory of our state t' aduaunce Where Fraunce far more then Fraunce hee now doth proue For frends opinion succeeding chaunce Which wrought the weak to yeld the strong to loue Were not the same as he had found before In happyer tymes when lesse would haue done more 78 For both the Britayne and Burgonian now Came altred with our luck won with theirs Those bridges and the gates that dyd allow So easie passage vnto our affayres Iudging it safer to endeuour how To linke with strength then leane vnto dispayres And who wants frends to back what he begins In Lands far of gets not although he wins 79 Which too well prou'd thys fatall enterprize The last that lost vs all we had to lose Where though aduantag'd by some mutenies And petty Lords that in our cause arose Yet those great fayld whose ready quick supplyes Euer at hand cheerd vs and quaild our foes Succours from far come seldom to our mind For who holds league with Neptune or the wind 80 Yet worthy Talbot thou didst so imploy The broken remnants of discattered power That they might see it was our destiny Not want of spirit that lost vs what was our Thy dying hand sold them the victory With so deere wounds as made the conquest sowre So much it cost to spoyle who were vndon And such a doe to win when they had won 81 For as a fierce couragious mastiue fares That hauing once sure fastned on his foe Lyes tugging on that hold neuer forbeares What force soeuer force hym to forgoe The more he feeles his wounds the more he dares As if his death were sweet in dying so So held his hold thys Lord whilst he held breath And scarce but with much blood le ts goe in death 82 For though he saw prepard against his side Both vnlike fortune and vnequall force Borne with the swelling current of theyr pryde Downe the mayne streame of a most happy course Yet stands he stiffe vndasht vnterrified His minde the same although his fortune worse Vertue in greatest dangers being best showne And though opprest yet neuer ouerthrowne 83 For reskuing of besieg'd Chatillion Where hauing first constraind the French to flye And following hard on theyr confusion Comes loe incountred with a strong supply Of fresh-ariuing powers that back thrust on Those flying troupes another chaunce to try Who double Arm'd with shame and fury straine To wreake their foyle and win theyr fame againe 84 Which seeing th' vndaūted Talbot with more might Of spirit to will then hands of power to doe Preparing t' entertaine a glorious fight Cheeres vp his wearied souldiers thereunto Courage sayth he those brauing troupes in sight Are but the same that now you dyd vndoe And what if there be come some more then they They come to bring more glory to the day 85 Which day must eyther thrust vs out of all Or all with greater glory back restore Thys day your valiant worth aduenture shall For what our Land shall neuer fight for more If now we faile with vs is like to fall All that renowne which we haue got before Thys is the last if we discharge the same The same shall last to our eternall fame 86 Neuer had worthy men for any fact A more fayre glorious Theater then we VVhereon true magnanimity might act Braue deeds which better witnessed could be For loe from yonder Turrets yet vnsackt Your valiant fellowes stand your worth to see T' auouch your valour if you liue to gaine And if we die that we dyde not in vaine 87 And euen our foes whose proud powrefull might VVould seeme to swallow vp our dignitie Shall not keepe backe the glory of our right Which theyr confounded blood shall testifie For in theyr wounds our gored swords shall write The monuments of our eternitie For vile is honor and a tytle vayne The which true worth and danger doe not gayne 88 For they shall see when we in carelesse sort Shall throw our selues on theyr despised speares T is not dispaire that doth vs so transport But euen true fortitude that nothing feares Sith we may well retire vs in some sort But shame on him that such a foule thought beares For be they more let Fortune take theyr part We'ill tugge her to and scratch her ere we part 89 Thys sayd a fresh infusd desire of fame Enters theyr warmed blood with such a will That they deem'd long they were not at the same And thogh they march'd they thought they yet stood still And that their lingring foes too slowly came To ioyne with them spending much time so ill Such force had words fierce humors vp to call Sent from the mouth of such
a Generall 90 Who weighing yet his force and theyr desire Turnes him about in priuate to his sonne A worthy sonne and worthy such a Sire Tells him the doubtfull ground they stood vpon Aduising him in secrete to retyre Seeing his youth but euen now begun Would make it vnto him at all no staine His death small fame his flight no shame could gaine 91 To whom th' agreeued sonne as if dysgrac'd Ah Father haue you then selected mee To be the man which you would haue displac'd Out of the role of immortalitie What haue I done thys day that hath defac'd My worth that my hands worke dispisd should bee God shield I should beare home a Cowards name I haue liu'd enough if I can dye with fame 92 At which the Father toucht with sorrowing-ioy Turnes him about shaking his head and sayes O my deere sonne worthy a better day To enter thy first youth in hard assayes And now had wrath impatient of delay Begun the fight and farther speeches stayes Fury thrusts on striuing whose sword should be First warmed in the wounds of th' enemie 93 Hotely these small but mighty minded Bands As if ambitious now of death doe straine Against innumerable armed hands And gloriously a wondrous fight maintaine Rushing on all what euer strength with-stands Whetting theyr wrath on blood and on disdaine And so far thrust that hard 't were to discry Whether they more desire to kill or dye 94 Franke of theyr owne greedy of others blood No stroke they giue but wounds no wound but kills Neere to theyr hate close to theyr worke they stood Hit where they would theyr hand obeyes their wills Scorning the blow from far that doth no good Loathing the crack vnlesse some blood it spills No wounds could let out life that wrath held in Till others wounds reueng'd dyd first begin 95 So much true resolution wrought in those That had made couenant with death before That theyr small number scorning so great foes Made Fraunce most happy that there were no more Sith these made doubtfull how Fate would dispose That weary day or vnto whom restore The glory of a conquest deerely bought Which scarce the Conqueror can think worth ought 96 For as with equall rdge and equa'll might Two aduers winds combat with billowes proude And neyther yeeld Seas skyes maintayne like fight Waue against waue opposd and clowd to clowd So war both sides with obstinate despight With like reuenge and neyther party bowd Fronting each other vvith confounding blowes No wound one sword vnto the other owes 97 Whilst Talbot whose fresh spirit hauing got A meruailous aduantage of his yeeres Carries his vnfelt age as if forgot Whirling about where any neede appeares His hand his eye his wits all present wrought The function of the glorious part he beares Now vrging here now cheering there he flyes Vnlocks the thickest troupes where most force lyes 98 In midst of wrath of wounds of blood and death There is he most whereas he may doe best And there the closest ranks he seueroth Driues back the stoutest powres that forward prest There makes his sword his way there laboureth Th'infatigable hands that neuer rest Scorning vnto his mortall wounds to yeeld Till Death became best muister of the field 99 Then lyke a sturdy Oake that hauing long Against the warrs of fiercest winds made head When with some forst tempestious rage more strong His downe-borne top comes ouer-maistered All the neere bordering Trees hee stood among Crusht with his waighty fall lye ruined So lay his spoyles all round about him slayne T' adorne his death that could not dye in vaine 100 On th' other part his most all-daring sonne Although the inexperience of his yeeres Made him lesse skyld in what was to be done Yet dyd it thrust him on beyond all feares Flying into the mayne Batallion Neere to the King amidst the chiefest Peeres With thousand wounds became at length opprest As if he scornd to dye but with the best 101 Who thus both hauing gaynd a glorious end Soone ended that great day that set so red As all the purple playnes that wide extend A sad tempestious season with essed So much a doe had toyling Fraunce to rend From vs the right so long inherited And so hard went we from what we possest As with it went the blood we loued best 102 Which blood not lost but fast layd vp with heed In euerlasting same is there held deere To seale the memory of thys dayes deed Th' eternall euidence of what we were To which our Fathers we and who succeed Doe owe a sigh for that it touch vs neere Who must not sinne so much as to neglect The holy thought of such a deere respect 103 Yet happy haples day blest-ill-lost breath Both for our better fortune and your owne For what soule wounds what spoyle what shamefull death Had by this forward resolution growne If at S. Albons Wakefield Barnet-heath It should vnto your in famie be showne Blest you that dyd not teach how great a faute Euen vertue is in actions that are naught 104 Yet would thys sad dayes losse had now been all That thys day lost then should we not much playne If hereby wee had come but there to fall And that day ended ended had our payne Then small the loste of Fraunce of Giuen small Nothing the shame to be turnd home againe Compard with other shames But now Fraunce lost Sheds vs more blood then all her winning cost 105 For loosing war abroad at home lost peace Be'ing with our vnsupporting selues close pent And no dissignes for pryde that did increase But our owne throats our owne punishment The working spyrit ceast not tho worke dyd cease Hauing fit time to practise dyscontent And styrre vp such as could not long lye still Who not imployd to good must needs doe ill 106 And now the greefe of our receiued shame Gaue fit occasion for ambitious care They draw the chiefe reproch of all the fame On such as naturally hated are Seeing them apt to beare the greatest blame That offices of greatest enuie beare And that in vulgar eares delight it breedes To haue the hated Authors of misdeodes 107 And therefore easily great Sommerset VVhom enuie long had singled out before VVith all the vollie of disgraces met As the maine marke Fortune had plac'd therefore On whose hard-wrought opinion spight dyd whet The edge of wrath to make it pierce the more Griefe being glad t' haue gotten now on whom To lay the fault of what must light on some 108 Whereon th'againe out-breaking Yorke beginnes To builde new models of his olde desire Se'ing the fayre bootie Fortune for him winnes Vpon the ground of thys enkindled ire Taking th' aduantages of others sinnes To ayde his owne and helpe him to aspire And doubting peace should better scanne deeds past Hee thinks not safe to haue his sword our last 109 Especially sith euery man now prest To innouation doe with rancor swell
the doing to performe her part And I haue known proud words and poore effects Of such indeed as do condemne this Arte But let them rest it euer hath beene knowne They others vertues skorn that doubt their owne And for the diuers disagreeing cordes Of interiangling ignorance that fill The dainty eares leaue no roome for words The worthier mindes neglect or pardon will Knowing the best he hath he frankly foords And skornes to be a niggard of his skill And that the rather since this short-liu'd race Being fatallie the sonnes but of one day That now with all their powre ply it apace To hold out with the greatest might they may Against confusion that hath all in chace To make of all a vniuersall pray For now great Nature hath laid down at last That mighty birth where with so long she went And ouerwent the times of ages past Here to lie in vpon our soft content Where fruitfull she hath multiplied so fast That all she hath on these times seem'd t' haue spent All that which might haue many ages grac'd Is borne in one to make one cloid with all Where plenty hath imprest a deepe distast Of best and worst and all ingenerall That goodness seems goodnes to haue defac't And virtue hath to virtue giuen the fall For emulation that proud nurse of wit Skorning to stay below or come behind Labors vpon that narrow top to sit Offole perfection in the highest kind Enuie and wonder looking after it Thrust likewise on the selfe same blisse to find And so long striuing till they can no more Do stuffe the place or others hopes shut out Who doubting to ouertake those gone before Giue vp their care and cast no more about And so in skorne leaue all as fore possest And will be none where they may not be best Euen like some empty Greek that long hath lain Left or neglected of the Riuer by Whose searching sides pleas'd with a wandring vaine Finding some little way that close did lie Steale in at first then other streames againe Second the first then more then all supplie Till all the mighty maine hath borne at last The glory of his chiefest powre that way Plying this new-found pleasant roome so fast Till all be full and all be at a staie And then about and backe againe doth cast Leauing that full to fall another way So feares this humorous world that euermore Rapt with the Current of a present course Runs into that which laie contemnd before Then glutted leaues the same and falst'a worse Now zeale holds all no life but to adore Then cold in spirit and faith is of no force Straight all that holie was vnhallowed lies The scattered carcasses of ruind vowes Then truth is false and now hath blindnes eies Then zeale trusts al now scarcely what it knows That euermore to foolish or to wise It fatall is to be seduc'd with showes Sacred Religion mother offorme and feare How gorgeously somtimes dost thou sit deckt What pompous vestures do we make thee weare What stately piles we prodigall erect How sweet perfum'd thou art how shining cleare How solemnly obseru'd with what respect Another time all plaine and quite threed bare Thou must haue all within and nought without Sit poorely without light disrob'd no care Of outward grace to amuze the poore deuout Powrelesse vnfollowed scarcely men can spare Thee necessary rites to set thee out Either truth goodnes vertue are not still The selfe same which they are and alwaies one But alter to the proiect of our will Or we our actions make them waite vpon Putting them in the liuery of our skill And cast them off againe when we haue done You mighty Lords that with respected grace Do at the sterne of faire example stand And all the body of this populace Guide with the onely turning of your hand Keepe a right course bear vp from al disgrace Obserue the point of glory to our land Hold vp disgraced knowledge from the ground Keepe vertue in request giue worth her due Let not neglect with barbarous means cōfound So faire a good to bring in night anew Be not ô be not accessary found Vnto her death that must giue life to you Where wil you haue your vertuous names safe laid In gorgeous tombes in sacred Cels secure Do you not see those prostrate heapes betraid Your fathers bones and could not keepe them sure And will you trust deceitfull stones faire laid And thinke they will be to your honor truer No no vnsparing time will proudly send A warrant vnto wrath that with one frown Wil al these mock'ries of vaine glory rend And make them as before vngrac'd vnknown Poore idle honors that can ill defend Your memories that cannot keepe their own And whereto serue that wondrous trophei now That on the godly plaine neare Wilton stands That huge domb heap that cannot tel vs how Nor what nor whence it is nor with whose hands Nor for whose glory it was set to shew How much our pride mockes that of other lands Where on when as the gazing passenger Hath greedy lookt with admiration And faine would know his birth and what he were How there erected and how long agone Enquires and askes his fellow trauailer What he hath heard and his opinion And he knowes nothing Then he turnes againe And looks and sighs and then admires afr esh And in himselfe with sorrow doth complaine The misery of darke for getfuln esse Angrie with time that nothing should remain Our greatest wonders wonder to expresse Then ignorance with fabulous discourse Robbing faire arte and cunning of their right Tels how those stones were by the diuels force From Affricke brought to Ireland in a night And thence to Britannie by Magicke course From giants hand redeem'd by Merlins sleight And then neare Ambri plac'd in memorie Of all those noble Britons murthred there By Hengist and his Saxon trecherie Comming to parle in peace at vnaware With this old Legend then credulitie Holdes her content and closes vp her care But is antiquitie so great a liar Or do her yonger sonnes her age abuse Seeing after commers still so apt t' admire The graue authoritie that she doth vse That reuerence and respect dares not require Proofe of her deeds or once her words refuse Yet wrong they did vs to presume so far Vpon our easie credit and delight For once found false they straight became to mar Our faith and their owne reputation quite That now her truths hardly beleeued are And though sh'auouch ȳ right she scarce hath right And as for thee thou huge and mightie frame That stands corrupted so with times despight And giu'st false euidence against their fame That set thee there to testifie their right And art become a traitor to their name That trusted thee with all the best they might Thou shalt stand still belide and slandered The onely gazing stocke of ignorance And by the guile the wife admonished Shal neuer more desire
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
consent that thou So neere in bloud shalt be so great in might Then take him Rodon go my sonne fare-well But stay ther 's something else that I would say Yet nothing now but ô God speed thee well Least saying more that more may make thee stay Yet let me speake It may be t is the last That euer I shall speake to thee my Sonne Doe Mothers vse to part in such post-haste What must I end when I haue scarce begun Ah no deere hart t is no such slender twine Where-with the knot is tide twixt thee and me That bloud within thy vaines came out of mine Parting from thee I part from part of me And therefore I must speake Yet what O sonne Here more she would when more she could not say Sorrow rebounding backe whence it begun Fild vp the passage and quite stopt the way When sweet Caesario with a princely spirite Though comfortles himself did comfort giue With mildest words perswading her to beare it And as for him she should not need to grieue And I with protestations of my part Swore by that faith which sworn I did deceiue That I would vse all care all wit and arte To see him safe And so we tooke our leaue Scarce had we trauail'd to our iourneies end When Caesar hauing knowledge of our way His Agents after vs with speed doth send To labour me Caesario to betray Who with rewards and promises so large Assail'd me then that I grew soone content And backe to Rhodes did reconuay my charge Pretending that Octauius for him sent To make him King of Egypt presently And thither come seeing himselfe betray'd And in the hands of death through trechery Wailing his state thus to himselfe he said Lo here brought back by subtile train to death Betraide by Tutors faith or traytors rather My fault my bloud and mine offence my birth For being sonne of such a mighty Father From India whither sent by mothers care To be reseru'd from Egypts common wracke To Rhodes so long the armes of tyrants are I am by Caesars subtile reach brought backe Here to be made th' oblation for his feares Who doubts the poore reuenge these hands may doe him Respecting neither blood nor youth nor yeeres Or how small safety can my death be to him And is this all the good of beeing borne great Then wretched greatnesse proud rich misery Pompous distresse glittering calamity Is it for this th' ambitious Fathers swear To purchase bloud death for thē and theirs Is this the issue that their glories get To leaue a sure destruction to their heyros O how much better had it beene for me From low descent deriu'd of humble birth T' haue eat the sweet-sowre bread of pouertie And drunke of Nilus streams in Nilus earth Vnder the cou'ring of some quiet Cottage Free from the wrath of heauen secure in mind Vntoucht when sad euents of princes dotage Confounds what euer mighty it doth find And not t' haue stood in their way whose condition Is to haue all made cleere and all thing plaine Betweene them and the marke of their ambition That nothing let the ful sight of their raigne Where nothing stands that stands not in submission Where greatnesse must all in it selfe containe Kings will be alone Competitors must downe Neere death he stands that stands too neere a Crowne Such is my case for Caesar will haue all My bloud must seale th' assurance of his state Yet ah weake state that blood assure him shall Whose wrongfull shedding Gods men do hate Iniustice neuer scapes vnpunisht still Though men reuenge not yet the heauens wil. And thou Augustus that with bloodie hand Cutt'st off succession from anothers race Maist find the heauens thy vowes so to withstand That others may depriue thine in like case When thou maist see thy proud contentious bed Yeelding thee none of thine that may inherite Subuert thy blood place others in their sted To pay this thy iniustice her due merite If it be true as who can that denie Which sacred Priests of Memphis doe fore-say Some of the of-spring yet of Antonis Shall all the rule of this whole Empire sway And then Augustus what is it thou gainest By poore Antillus blood or this of mine Nothing but this thy victorie thou slainest And pull'st the wrath of heauen on thee and thine In vaine doth man contend against the starr's For that he seekes to make his wisdom marr's Yet in the mean-time we whom Fates reserue The bloodie sacrifices of ambition We feele the smart what euer they deserue And woindure the present times condition The iustice of the heauens reuenging thus Doth onely satisfie it selfe not vs. Yet t is a pleasing comfort that doth ease Affliction in so great extremitie To thinke their like destruction shall appease Our ghosts who did procure our miserie But dead we are vncertaine what shall bee And liuing we are sure to feele the wrong Our certaine ruine we our selues do see They ioy the while and we know not how long But yet Caesario thou must die content For men will mone and God reuenge th' innocent Thus he cōplain'd thus thou hear'st my shame Sel. But how hath Caesar now rewarded thee Rod. As he hath thee And I expect the same As fell to Theodor to fall to mee For he one of my coate hauing betraid The young Antillus sonne of Anthonie And at his death from off his necke conuaid A iewell which being askt he did denie Caesar occasion tooke to hang him straight Such instruments with Princes liue not long Although they need such actors of deceit Yet still our sight seemes to vpbraid their wrong And therefore we must needes this daunger runne And in the net of our owne guile be caught We must not liue to brag what we haue done For what is done must not appeare their fault But here comes Cleopatra wofull Queene And our shame will not that we should be seene Exeunt Cleopatra WHat hath my face yet powre to win a Louer Can this torne remnant serue to grace me so That it can Caesars secrete plots discouer What he intends with me and mine to do Why then poore Beautie thou hast done thy last And best good seruice thou could'st do vnto mee For now the time of death reueal'd thou hast Which in my life didst serue but to vndoe mee Heere Dolabella far forsooth in loue Writes how that Caesar meanes forthwith to send Both me and mine th' ayre of Rome to proue There his Triumphant Chariot to attend I thanke the man both for his loue and letter The one comes fit to warne me thus before But for th' other I must die his debter For Cleopatra now can loue no more But hauing leaue I must go take my leaue And last farewell of my dead Anthonie Whose deerly honour'd tombe must here receiue This sacrifice the last before I die O sacred euer-memorable stone That hast without my teares within my flame Receiue th' oblation of
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
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
and therefore chose To render all to Honour hart and breath And that with speede least that her in ward foes False flesh and blood ioyning with life and hope Should mutinie against her resolution And to the end she would not giue them scope She presently proceedes to th' execution And sharply blaming of her rebell powres False flesh saith she what dost thou conspire With Caesar to as thou wert none of ours To worke my shame and hinder my desire Wilt thou retaine in closure of thy vaines That enemie Base life to let my good No know there is a greater powre constraines Then can be countercheckt with fearfull blood For to the mind that 's great nothing seems great And seeing death to be the last of woes And life lasting disgrace which I shall get What do I lose that haue but life to lose This hauing said strengthned in her owne hart And vnion of herselfe sences in one Charging togither she performes that part That hath so great a part of glorie wonne And so receiues the deadly poysoning touch That touch that try'd the gold of her loue pure And hath confirm'd her honour to be such As must a wonder to all worlds endure Now not an yeelding shrinke or touch offeare Consented to bewray least sence of paine But still in one same sweete vnaltred cheere Her honor did her dying thoughts retaine Wel now this work is done saith she here ends This act of life that part the Fates assign'd What glory or disgrace heere this world lends Both haue I had and both I leaue behind And now ô Earth the Theater where I Haue acted this witnes I die vnforst Wirnes my soule parts free to Anthonie And now proude Tyrant Caesar do thy worst This said she staies and makes a suddaine pause As t were to feele wheher the poyson wrought Or rather else the working might be cause That made her stay and intertain'd her thought For in that instant I might well perceiue The drowsie humor in her falling brow And how each powre each part opprest did leaue Their former office and did sencelesse grow Looke how a new pluckt branch against the Sun Declines his fading leaues in feeble sort So her disioyned ioyntures as vndonne Let fall her weake dissolued limmes support Yet loe that face the wonder of her life Retaines in death a grace that graceth death Colour so liuely cheere so louelie rife That none would think such beauty could want breath And in that cheere th' impression of a smile Did seeme to shew she scorned Death and Caesar As glorying that she could them both beguile And telling death how much her death did please her Woonder it was to see how soone she went She went with such a will and did so haste it That sure I thinke she did her paine preuent Fore-going paine or staying not to taste it And sencelesse in her sinking downe she wryes The Diademe which on her head she wore Which Charmion poore weake feeble mayd espies And hastes to right it as it was before For Eras now was dead and Charmion too Euen at the poynt for both would imitate Their Mistresse glorie striuing like to doo But Charmion would in this exceed her mate For she would haue this honour to be last That should adorne that head that must be seene To weare a Crowne in death that life held fast That all the world might know she dyde a Queene And as she stood setting it fitly on Lo in rush Caesars Messengers in haste Thinking to haue preuented what was done But yet they came too late for all was past For there they found stretch'd on a bed of gold Dead Cleopatra and that proudly dead In all the rich attyre procure she could And dying Charmion trimming of her head And Eras at her feet dead in like case Charmion is this well done said one of them Yea well said she and her that from the race Of so great Kings descends doth best become And with that word yeelds to her faithful breath To passe th'affurance of her loue with death Chor. But how knew Caesar of her close intent Nun. By Letters which before to him she sent For when she had procur'd this meanes to die She writes and earnestly intreates she might Be buried in one Tombe with Antony Where by then Caesar gess'd all went not right And forth-with sends yet ere the message came She was dispatcht he crost in his intent Her prouidence had ordred so the same That she was sure none should her plot preuent CHORVS THen thus we haue bepeld Th' accomplishment of woes The full of ruine and The worst of worst of ills And seene all hope expeld That euer sweet repose Shall re-possesse the Land That Desolation fils And where Ambition spils With vncontrouled hand All th' issue of all those That so long rule haue held To make vs no more vs But cleane confound vs thus And canst ô Nylus thou Father of floods indure That yellow Tyber should With sandy streames rule thee Wilt thou be pleas'd to bow To him those feet so pure Whose vnknown head we hold A powre diuine to be Thou that didst euer see Thy free banks vncontrould Liue vnder thine own care Ah wilt thou beare it now And now wilt yeeld thy streams A pray to other Reames Draw backe thy waters flo To thy concealed head Rockes strangle vp thy waues Stop Cataractes thy fall And turne thy courses so That sandy Desarts dead The world of dust that craues To swallow thee vp all May drinke so much as shall Reuiue from vastie graues Aliuing green which spred Far florishing may gro On that wide face of Death Where nothing now drawes breath Fatten some people there Euen as thou vs hast done With plenties wanton store And feeble luxurie And them as vs prepare Fit for the day of mone Respected not before Leaue leuell'd Egypt drie A barren pray to lie Wasted for euer-more Of plenties yeelding none To recompence the care Of Victors greedy lust And bring forth nought but dust And so O leaue to be Sith thou art what thou art Let not our race possesse Th' inheritance of shame The fee of sin that we Haue left them for their part The yoke of whose distresse Must still vpbraidour blame Telling from whom it came Our weight of want onnesse Lies heauie on their hart Who neuer-more shall see The glory of that worth They left who brought vs forth O thou all-seeing light High President of heauen You magistrates the starres Of that eternall Court Of Prouidence and Right Are these the bounds y'haue giuen Th'vntran spassable barres That limit pride so short Is greatnesse of this sort That greatnesse greatnesse marres And wracks it selfe selfe driuen On Rocks of her own might Doth Order order so Disorders ouer-thro FINIS THE COMPLAINT OF ROSAMOND OVT from the horror of Infernall deepes My poore afflicted ghost comes heere to plain it Attended with my shame that neuer sleepes The spot
where-with my kinde and youth did staine it My body found a graue where to containe it A sheete could hide my face but not my sin For Fame findes neuer tombe t' inclose it in And which is worse my soule is now denied Her transport to the sweet Elisian rest The ioifull blisse for ghosts repurified The euer-springing Gardens of the blest Caron denies me waftage with the rest And saies my soule can neuer passe the Riuer Till Louers sighes on earth shall it deliuer So shall I neuer passe for how should I Procure this sacrifice amongst the liuing Time hath long since worne out the memorie Both of my life and liues vniust depriuing Sorrow for me is dead for aye reuiuing ROSAMOND hath little left her but her name And that disgrac'd for time hath wrong'd the same No muse suggests the pitty of my case Each pen doth ouerpasse my iust complaint Whilst others are preferd though far more base Shores wife is grac'd and passes for a Saint Her Legend iustifies her foule attaint Her wel-told tale did such compassion find That she is pass'd and I am left behind Which seene with griefe my miserable ghost Whilome inuested in so faire a vaile Which whilst it liu'd was honored of the most And being dead giues matter to bewaile Comes to sollicite thee since others faile To take this taske and in thy woful song To forme my case and register my wrong Although I know thy iust lamenting Muse Toild in th' affliction of thine owne distresse In others cares hath little time to vse And therefore maist esteeme of mine the lesse Yet as thy hopes attend happie redresse Thy ioies depending on a womans grace So moue thy mind a wofull womans case DELIA may hap to deigne to read our storie And offer vp her sigh among the rest Whose merit would suffice for both our glorie Whereby thou might'st be grac'd and I be blest That indulgence would profit me the best Such power she hath by whom thy youth is led To ioy the liuing and to blesse the dead So I through beautie made the wofull'st wight By beautie might haue comfort after death That dying fairest by the fairest might Find life aboue on earth and rest beneath She that can blesse vs with one happie breath Giue comfort to thy Muse to do her best That thereby thou maistioy and I might rest Thus said forth-with mou'd with a tender care And pittie which my selfe could neuer find What she desir'd my Muse deign'd to declare And therefore will'd her boldly tel her mind And I more willing tooke this charge assignd Because her griefes were worthy to be known And telling hers might hap forget mine own Then write quoth she the ruine of my youth Report the down-fall of my slippry state Of all my life reueale the simple truth To teach to others what I learnt too late Exemplifie my frailty tell how Fate Keepes in eternall darke our fortunes hidden And ere they come to know theÌ„ t is forbidden For whilst the sun-shine of my fortune lasted Iioy'd the happiest warmth the sweetest heate That euer yet imperious beauty tasted I had what glory euer flesh could get But this faire morning had a shamefull set Disgrace darkt honor sin did clowd my brow As note the sequel and I le tell thee how The bloud I staind was good and of the best My birth had honour and my beauty fame Nature and Fortune ioin'd to make me blest Had I had grace t' haue knowne to vse the same My education shew'd from whence I came And all concurd to make me happie first That so great hap might make me more accurst Happie liu'd I whilst parents eie did guide The indiscretion of my feeble waies And Country home kept me from being eide Wher best vnknown I spent my sweetestdaics Til that my friends mine honor sought to raise To higher place which greater credit yeelds Deeming such beauty was vnfit for feelds From Country then to Court I was preferr'd From calme to stormes from shore into the deepes There where I perish'd where my youth first err'd There where I lost the flowre which honor keepes There where the worser thriues the better weepes Ah me poore wench on this vnhappy shelfe I grounded me and â—â—st awaie my selfe For thither com'd when yeeres had arm'd my youth With rarest proofe of beautie euer seene When my reuiuing eie had 〈◊〉 the truth That it had power to make the winter greene And flowre affections whereas none had beene Soone could I teach my brow to tyrannize And make the world do homage to mine eies For age I saw though yeeres with cold conceit Congeald their thoughts against a warme desire Yet sigh their want and looke at such a baite I saw how youth was waxe before the fire I saw by stealth I fram'd my looke a lyre Yet wel perceiu'd how Fortune made me then The enuie of my sexe and wonder vnto men Looke how a Comet at the first appearing Drawes all mens eies with wonder to behold it Or as the faddest tale at suddaine hearing Makes silent listning vnto him that told it So did my speech when Rubies did vnfold it So did the blazing of my blush appeare T' amaze the world that holds such sights so deere Ah beauty Syren faire enchaunting good Sweet silent rhetorique of perswading'eies Dombe eloqueÌ„ce whose power doth moue the bloud More then the words or wisdome of the wife Still harmony whose diapason lies Within a brow the key which passions moue To rauish sence and play a world in loue What might I then not do whose power was such What cannot women do that know their power What women knowes it not I feare too much How blisse or bale lies in their laugh or lowre Whilst they enioy their happy blooming flowre Whilst nature decks them in their best attires Of youth and beautie which the world admires Such one was I my beautie was mine owne No borrowed blush which bank-rot beauties seeke That new-found shame a sinne to vs vnknowne Th' adulterate beauty of a falsed cheeke Vilde staine to honour and to women eeke Seeing that time our fading must detect Thus with defect to couer our defect Impietie of times chastities abator Falshood wherein thy selfe thy selfe deniest Treason to counterfeit the seale of nature The stampe of heauen impressed by the hiest Disgrace vnto the world to whom thou liest Idoll vnto thy selfe shame to the wise And all that honour thee idolatrise Far was that finne from vs whose age was pure When simple beauty was accounted best The time when women had no other lure But modestie pure cheeks a vertuous brest This was the pompe where with my youth was blest These were the weapons which mine honor wun In all the conflicts which my eies begun Which were not small I wrought on no meane obiect A Crowne was at my feet Scepters obeide me WhoÌ„ Fortune made my King Loue made my subiect Who did command the Land most humbly praid me
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