Hee is escapte and gone and with vnmeasurable might The Chariot horse with rayne at will doe scud out of my sight Now free from perill on my foes attendaunce will I make And offer willingly my head the deadly wounde to take The cruell conqueresse of her spouse is come whose spotted weede With sprinkels signe of slaughter doe beare recorde of her deede Her goary handes new bathde in bloude as yet they bee not dry Her rough and churlishe rigorous lookes the fact doe notify Unto the Temple will I trudge Cassandra suffer mee Opprest with egall griefe take parte of sacrifice with thee THE FIFTE ACTE THE FOVRTH SCENE Clytemnestra Electra AEgisthus Cassandra O Thou thy Mothers Enemy vngracious saucy face After what sorre dost thou a mayde appeare in publyque plate ELEC. I haue wyth my virginity the bowres of Baudes forsooke CLY. What man is het that euer thee to bee a vyrgin tooke E. What your own daughter C. With thy mother more modest should EL. Doe you at length begin to preach such godlines to me thou be CL. A marily stomacke stout thou bast with swelling hawty hart Subdued with sorrow learne thou shall to play a womans part EL. A swerd and buckler very well a woman doth beseeme Except I dote CL. Thy selfe dost thou haylefellowe with vs esteeme EL. What Agamemnoon new is this whom thou hast got of late CL. Hereafter shall I tame and teach thy gyrlish tongue to prate And make thee know how to a Queene thy taunting to forbeare EL. The whilst thou Wyddow aūsware me directly to this geare Thy husband is bereued quight of breath his lyfe is donne CL Enquier where thy brother is so seeke about my sonne EL. Hee is departed out of Greece CL. Goe fetch him out of hande EL. Fetch thou my father vnto mee CL. Giue me to vnderstande Where doth he lurking hyde his head where is he shrunke away EL. All plunge of perills past hee is and at a quiet stay And in another Kyngdome where no harme hee doth mistrust This aunswere were sufficient to please a Parent trust But one whose breast doth boyle in wrath it cannot satisefy CL. To day by death thou shalt receyue thy fatall destiny EL. On this condition am I pleasde the Aulter to forsake If that this hanc shall doe the deede my death when I shall take Or els if in my throate to bath thy blade thou doe delight Most willingly I yeelde my throate and giue thee leaue to smite Or if thou will chop of my heade in brutishe beastly guise My necke a wayting for the wounde out stretched ready lies Thou hast committed sinfully a great and grieuous guilt Goe purge thy hardned hands the which thy husbands bloud haue spilt CL. O thou that of my perills all dost suffer part with mee And in my realme dost also rule with egall dignity Aegisthus art thou glad at this as doth her not behoue With checks and taunts the daughter doth her mothers mallice moue Shee keepes her brothers counsell close conueyde out of the way AEGI. Thou malipert and witlesse wenche thyne cluishe prating stay Refrayne those wordes vnfit thy Mothers glowing cares to vex EL. What shall the breeder of this broyle controll me with his checks Whose fathers gut it hath caused him to haue a doubtfull name Who both is to his sister sonne and Nephew to the same CL. To snap her head of with thy swerd Aegist dost thou refrayne Let her giue vp the ghost or bryng her brother straight agayne Let her be lockt in dungeon darck and let her spend her dayes In Caues Rocks with painefull pangues torment her euery wayes I hope him whom she hidden hath shee will agayne discry Through being clapt in pryson strong and suffring pouerty With yrksome and vnsauory smells on euery syde annoyde Enforst to weare a wyddowes weede er wedding day enioyde Put in exile and banishment when eche man doth her hate So shall she bee by misery compeld to yeelde to late Prohibyted of holsome ayre fruition to haue EL. Graunt me my dome by meanes of death to passe vnto my graue CL. I would haue graunted it to thee if thou should it deny Unskilfull is the tyraunt who by suffring wretches dy Doth ende theyr paynes EL. what after death doth any thing remayne CL. And if thou doe desyre to dye the same see you refrayne Lay hands sirs on this wondrous wretch whom being caryed on Euen to the furthest corner of my iurisdiction Farre out beyond Mycoenas land in bonds let her be bound With darknesse diui in hiddeous holde let her be closed round This captiue Spouse and wicked Queane the Trull of Prynces bed Shall pay her paynes and suffer death by losing of her head Come hale her on that she may followe that way my spouse is gon Whose loue from mee entised was CAS. Doe not thus hale mee on I will before you take the way these tydings first to tell Vnto my countrey men of Troy beneath in lowest hell How ouerquelmed ships ech where are spread the seas vppon And Micœne countrey conquerde is brought in subiection He that of thousand captaynes was graunde captayne generall Come to as great calamity as Troy it selfe did fall Entrapped was by traytrous trayne and whoredome of his Wyfe And by a gyft receaued of her depriued of his Lyfe Let vs not linger on with mee and thankes I doe you giue I ioy that it might be my hap thus after Troy to liue CL. Go to prepare thy selfe to dye thou frantique raging wight CAS. The fransy fits of fury fell on you shall also light EVRIBATES Added to the Tragedy by the Translator ALas yee hatefull hellish Hagges yee furies foule and fell Why cause yee rusty rancours rage in noble heartes to dwell And cancred hate in boyling breastes to grow from age to age Coulde not the graundstres paynefull pangues the childrens wrath asswage Nor famyne faynt of pyning paunche with burning thyrst of hell Amid the blackest streame of Sticks where poysning breathes do dwel Where vapors bile parbraking out from dampishe myry mud Encrease the paynes of Tantalus deserude by guiltles bloud Could not thine owne offence suffice Thyestes in thy Lyfe To file thy brothers spousall Bed and to abuse his Wyfe But after breath from body fled and Lyfe thy Lymmes hath left Can not remembraunce of reuenge out of thy breast be reft What yet hast thou not layde thy lips taiaste of Lethes floude Now afte death why dost thou come to moue thy sonne to bloude Coulde cruell Ditis graunt to thee thy pasporte backe agayne To worke this woe vpon the world and make such rigour raygne That Clytemnestra is become the fifty sister dyre Of Danaus daughters that did once theyr husbands death conspyre Loe here how fickle fortune giues but brytle fading ioy Lot hee who late a Conquerour tryumphed ouer Troy Enduring many sturdy stormes with mighty toyle and payne To sowe the seede of fame hath reapt small fruite thereof agayne
of swerd N. Thy wrath deare foster child Is greater then the crime that hath thy Hercules defilde With egall mallice measure faultes Alas why dost thou bring So great and sore a penalty vpon so swale a thinge Let not thy griefe be greater then the sorrow thou sustaynes DE. Set you it light that with our wedlocke linkt an harlot raygnes ? Nay rather thinke it still to much that doth thy sorrows breede NV. And is the Ioue of Hercules reuolt from thee in deede DE. T' is not reuolt deare foster Dame fast in my bones it stickes But yre boyles hoate in burning breast when loue to anger prickes NV. It is almost a common guise that wedded wyues doe haunte Theyr husbands hearts by magicke Arte and witchcraft to enchaunte In winter coulde I charmed haue the woods to make them sprout And forst the thunder dint recoyle that hath bin boulting out With waltring surges I haue shooke the seas amid the calme I smoothed haue the wrastling waues and layde downe euery walme The dry grouÌ„d gaped hath like gulphs out new springs haue gusht The roring rocks haue quaking sturd none therest hath pusht Hell glounimy gales I haue brast cape where grisly ghosts all husht Haue stood aunswering at my charme the goblins grim haue scoulde The threefolde headed hounde of hell with barking throates hath houlde Thus both the seas the lande the heauens hell bowe at my becke Noone day to midnight to and froe turnes at my charming checke At my enchauntment euery thing declynes from natures lawe Our charme shall make his stomacke stoupe bring him more in awe D. What hearbes doe grow in Pontus sea Or els on Pindus hill To trownce this machelesse champton where shall I finde the ill The magicke vearse â—uchaunts the Moone from Starry skies to grouÌ„d And fruictfull haruest is thereby in barren winter found The whisking flames of lightning leames oft sorcery doth stay And noonetyde topsy turuy â—ost doth dim the dusky day And leaue the welkin to the starres and yet not cause him stxsoupe N. The Gods them selues by charme of loue haue forced bin to droupe DE. Perhap hee shall be woon by one and yeelde to her the spoyle So loue shall be to Hercules the last and latest toyle By all the hoste of heauenly powers and as thou seest mee feare The secrets that I shall attempt in councell see thou beare NV. What may it be that thou woulde haue me keepe so secretly DE. No broyle of blades no priue cote no fiery force perdye NV. I you assure I can conceale if mischiefe none be ment For then the keeping close of it is sure a lewbe entent DE. Then looke about if none be heere our councell to betray Looke rounde about on all sides cast thy countnaunce euery way NV. Beholde the place is safe inough from any listning eare DE. Beside the place of our estate there is a secret nooke A couert corner for our talke that sonneshyne neuer tooke Neyther at morne nor euening tyde when Titans blaze doth quench And hee in ruddy westerne waue his firy wheeles doth drench There secret lyes the priuy proofe of Hercules amorous thought I le tell thee all deare foster dame This witchcraft Nessus taught Whom Ixion engendred of a mysty grouing clowde Where Pindus hauiy hill his top among the starres doth shrowde And other stipe doth heaue his Crest about the ryding rack When Achelous ouer layde with many a thumping thwack Of Hercles club did shift him selfe to euery kinde of shape And triall made of all his sleights none serued to escape At length he turnde him selfe into the lykenesse of Bull And so was fowly vanquished in forme of horny scull While Hercules being Conquerour did me his Wyfe enioy Returning home to Greece agayne it hapned Euen lake To ouerflow the drowned marshe and channell to forsake And strongly streamde to seas hee runns and swells aboue his bankes And Nessus vsde to passe the poole and search the croking crankes As Ferryman demaundes his fare and bare mee on his backe And wading forward brake the Waues and surges of the lake At length yet Nessus waded out vnto the farther shore Yet Hercules had swam but halfe the riuer and no more And plyde it hard to cut the streame but when espied had hee That Hercules was farre behinde Madam quoth hee to mee Be thou my booty and my wyfe and clasping mee about Away he flings and Hercules besturres him mauger Waue Though Ganges gulph and Ister streame quoth he thou traytour slaue Might roon in on yet shiâ— to scape them both well coulde I make And in thy hast a shaft shall soone they running ouer take And ere he spake the word his arrow flew out of his bowe And wrought a wounde in Nessus ribbs hee coulde no farther goe It sped him sure to looke for death Hee cried well away The baggage running from the wounde reserued as hee lay And putting it into his hoofe the which vndoyng hee In cutting yt with his owne hand did geue it vnto me And thus at latter gaspe he sayde the witches haue me toulde That loue may charmed be by this to haue and keepe his hould The conning witch dame Michale did teach Thessalia dames Who onely forst the Mone to stoupe to her from heauenly frames Therfore quoth he at any tyme when hateful whores abuse Thy spousall bed or waueryng man do haunt to any stewes Then with this salue annoynt his shyrtes and let it see no sonne But kepe it close in corners darke the bloud then shall not shonne His strength and thus ful sodenly he left his talke with rest And deadly sleepe with senceles death his feeble lims opprest Thou Dame to whom in hope of trust my secrets all bewray On that the poyson soakt into the vesture bright it may Preace through his limmes vnto his hart sinke through euery bone N. I wil dispatch it all in hast make thou thy earnest mone Vnto the God whose tender hand his stedfast dartes doth weild D. I thee beseech that art of earth and heauen in honour helde And thou that shakest burning boltes thou curst and cruel boy Whose eluish weapons make thy mother feare thy sharpe annoy Now arme thy hand with speedy shaft not of the slender sort But biggest boultes with which as yet thou hast assault no fort We neede no litle shaft that may styrre Hercules to loue Bring cruel handes and force thy how his depest draught to prooue Now now draw forth thy shaft wherewith thou caused cruelly The burning breast of Ioue by fyttes of seruent loue to frye When as the God his thonder bolt and lightning layd assyde Gan boalne with bumpes on forehead big and throught the waue he hid And swam with Europ on his backe in shape of horny Bull Now powre downe loue and therwithall let Hecles hart be full If Ioles beauty kyndle heate and Hercles hart doth moue Quench thou these coales and force him glow with vs
beset on euery syde Amphitryon Hercules Theseus DOo eyther els my great desyres delude and mocke myne eyes Or hath the tamer of the world and Greekes renowme likewyse Forsooke the silent howse besette with cloude full sadde to see Is this my sonne my members loe for ioy amased bee Oh sonne the sure and sauegard late of Thebes in misery See I thy body true indeede or els deceiu'de am I Mockt with thy sprite art thou the same these brawnes of armes I know And shoulders and thy noble handes from body hie that grow Her Whens father happes this vglines and why in mourning clad Is thus my wyfe how happes it that with filth so foule bestad My children are what misery doth thus my house appresse Am. The father in law is slayne the kingdome Licus doth possesse Thy sonnes thy parent and thy wyfe to death pursueth hee Her Vngrateful laud doth no man come that will an ayder bee Of Hercles house and this behelde so great and haynous wronge Hath th' ayded world but why were I the day in playnt so long Let then my dye and this renoume let strength obtayne in haste And of Alcider enmies all let Lycus be the last I driuen am to goe to shedde the bloud of enmye out Watch Theseu that no sodayne strength beset vs here aboute Me warres require embracing yet deferre O father deare And wyfe deferre them Lycus shall to hell this message beare That I am now returnd The Shake of O Queene on t of thyne eyes This weping face and thou synce that thy sonne is safe likewyse Thy drupping teares refrayne yf yet I Hercles euer knew Then Lycus shall for Creon paye the paynes to him ful due T' is lyght he shal he doth and that 's to light he hath it done Am. Now God that can them bring to passe spede wel our wishes soone And come to helpe our weary woes O noble harted mate Of my stout sonne of his renowne declare vs all the rate How long away doth leade to place where sory sprites doth dwell And how the hard and heauy bondes the dog hath borne of hell The. The deedes thou dost constrayne to tell that euen to mynde secure Are dredful yet and horrible scant yet the trust is sure Of vitall ayre sore blunted is the sharpnesse of my sight And dulled eyes do scant sustayne to see th' vnwoonted light AM. Yet Theseus throughly ouercome what euer feare remaynes In bosome deepe nor do thou not of best fruict of thy paynes Beguilde thy selfe What thing hath once to suffre beene a care To haue remembred it is sweete those dredfull haps declare TH. All ryght of worlde and thee lykewyse I praye that bearst the rayns In kingdome wyde and thee for whom all round about in vayne Thy mother throughout Aetna sought that secret things alowe And hid in ground it freely may bee lawfull for to showe The Spartane land a noble toppe of hyll aduaunceth hye Where Taenarus with woods full thick the Sea doth ouerly The house of hatefull Ditis here his mouth doth open set And rocke of hyll aboue doth gape and with a denne full gret A huge and gaping cleft of ground with Iawes full wyde doth lye And way full broade to people all doth spred to passe thereby Not straight with darkenes doth begin the way that blindes the sight A litle lingring brightnes loe behinde of late left light And doubtfull glittring yet of sonne afllicted falles alowe And mocks the sight such light is wont vndoubtedly to showe The dawne of day or twylight els at edge of euening tyde From hence to hollowe places voyde are loaste the spaces wyde To which needes peryshe must all kinde of men that once are throwne Nor it a labour is goe the way it selfe leades downe As oft the ships agaynst theyr willes doth tosse the swelling surge So downward doth that headlong way and greedy Chaos vrge And backe agayne to drawe thy pace thee neuer doe permit The sprits who what they catch hold fast alowe within doth flit In chanell wyde with silent foorde the quiet lake of lethe And cares doth rid and that there may to scape agayne from death No meane be made with many turnes and windings euery way Foldes in his floude in such sorte as with waue vnsure doth play Maeander wandring vp and downe and yeldes himselfe vnto And doubtfull stands if he toward banke or backe to spryng may goe The foule and filthy poole to see of slowe Cocytus lyes On th' one the Grype on th' other side the mournefull Howlet cries And sad lucke of th' unhappy Strix likewise resoundeth there Full vglily in shady bowes blacke Locks of lothsome heare Where Taxus tree doth ouer leane which holdeth slouthfull sleepe And hunger sad with famisht Iawe that lyes his place to keepe And shame to late doth hide his face that knowes what crimes it hath Both feare and quaking funerall and fretting raging wrath And mourning dyre doth follow on and trembling pale disease And boystrous battayles set with sworde and hid beyond all thease Doth slouthfull age his lingring pace help forth with staffe in hand AM. Of corne and wyne in hell alowe is any fertile land TH. No ioyfull Meades do there bring forth with face so greene fayre Nor yet with gentill Zephyrus wagges ripened corne in th' ayre Nor any tree hath there such bowes as doe bryng apples out The barrayne compasse of deepe soyle full filthy lyes about And withred with eternall drought the lothsome land doth waste And bond full sad of thinges and of the worlde the places laste The ayre vnmoued stands and night sits there full darke to see In slouthfull world all thinges by dread full horrible there bee And euen farre worse then death it selfe is place where death doth bide AM. What he that doth those places darke with regall sceptor guide In what seate set doth he dispose and rule those peoples light TH. A place there is in turne obscure of Tartarus from sight Which mist full thick with fearefull shade doth holde and ouergoe From hence a double parted streame from one wellspring doth floe The tone much like a standing poole by this the gods doe sweare The which the sacred Stygian lake with silent floude doth beare The t'other fierce with tumult great is drawen his course to goe And Acheron with raging floud the stones dryues to and froe Vnsaylable with double foorde is rounde about beset Agaynst it Ditis pallace dyre and manston house full gret In shadefull woode is couered from wide den here the posts And thresholds of the tyrant hang this is the walke of ghosts This of his kingdome is the gate a fielde about it goes Where sitting with a countnaunce proude abroade he doth dispose Newe soules a cruell maiesty is in the God to knowe A frowning forehead which yet of his brethren beares the showe And so great stocke there is in him of Ioue the very face But when he lightens and great part of cruell
woes nor yet in haughty top of hilles and mountaynes hye The builded towers The people all let them to battel crye And clere forsake Mycenas towne who so his hateful head Hides and defendes with slaughter dire let bloud of him be shed This princely Pelops palace proude and bowres of high renowne On mee so on my brother to let them be beaten downe Go to do that which neuer shall no after age allow Nor none it whisht some mischefe greate ther must be ventred now Both fierce and bloudy such as woulde my brother rather long To haue bene his Thou neuer dost enough reuenge the wronge Exept thou passe And feercer fact what may be done so dyre That his exceedes doth euer he lay downe his hateful yre Doth euer he the modest meane in tyme of wealth regard Or quiet in aduerslty I know his nature harde Vntractable that broke may be but neuer wil it bend For which are he prepare himselfe or force to fight entend Set fyrst on him least while I rest he should on me aryse He wil destroy or be destroyd in midst the mischiefe lyes Prepard to him that takes it first Ser. Doth fame of people naught Aduerse thee feare Atre. The greatest good of kingdom may be thought That still the people are constraynd their princes deedes as well To prayse as them to suffer all Ser. Whom feare doth so compell To prayse the same his foes to bee doth feare enforce agoyne But who indeede the glory seckes of fauour trew t' obtayne He rather would with hates of each be praysd then tounges of all Atre. The trewer prayse ful oft hath hapt to meaner men to fall The false but vnto myghty man what nill they let them will Ser. Let first the king will honest thinges and none the fame dare nill Atre. Where leeful are to him that rules but honest thinges alone There raynes the kyng by others leaue Ser. And wher the shame is none Nor care of ryght fayth piety nor holines none stayeth That kingdome swarues Atre. Such holines such piety and fayth Are priuate goods let kinges runne one in that that likes their will Ser. The brothers hurt a mischiefe count though he be nere so ill Atre. It is but right to do to hym that wrong to brother were What heynous hurt hath his offence let passe to proue or where Refraynd the gylt thy spouse he stale away for lechery And raygne by stelth the auncient note and sygne of empery By frawde he got my house by fraud to vexe he neuer ceast In Pelops house there fostred is a noble worthy beast The close kept Ramme the goodly guyde of rych and fayrest flockes By whom throughout on euery syde depend a downe the lockes Of glittering gold with fleece of which the new kinges wonted were Of Tantals stocke their sceptors gylt and mace of might to beate Of this the owner raygneth he with him of house so great The fortune fleeth this sacred Ramme aloofe in safety shet In secret mead is wont to grase which stone on euery syde With rocky wall inclosethe rounde the fatall beast to hyde This beast aduentryng mischiefe greate adioyning yet for pray My spoused mate the traytour false hath hence conuayde away From hence the wrongs of mutuall hate and mischiefe all vpsyreng In exile wandred he throughout my kingdomes all along No part of myne remayneth safe to mee from traynes of hys My feere deflourde and loyalty of empyre broken is My house all vext my bloud in doubt and naught that trust is in But brother foe What stayst thou yet at length lo now beginne Take hart of Tantalus to thee to Pelops cast thyne eye To such examples well beseemes I should my hand applye Tell thou which way were best to bring that cruell head to death Ser. Through perst with sword let him be slayne yelde his hatefull breath Atre. Thou speak'st of th' end but I him would opres with greter payne Let tyrants vexe with torment more should euer in my rayne Be gentle death Ser. Doth piety in thee preuayle no whit Atre. Depart thou hence all piety if in this house as yet Thou euer wert and now let all the flocke of furies dyre And full of strife Erinnis come and double brands of fyre Megaera shaking for not yet enough with fury great And rage doth burne my boyling brest it ought to bee repleate With monster more Ser. What mischiefe new do'ste thou in rage pro-uide Atre. Not such a one as may the meane of woonted griefe abide No guilt will I forbeare nor none may be enough despight Ser. What sword Atr. To litle that Ser. what fire Atr. And yâ— is yet to Ser. What weapon then shall sorrow such finde fit to worke thy will Atr. Thy estes selfe Ser. Then yre it selfe yet that 's a greater ill Atr. I graunt a tombling tumult quakes within my bosomes loe And rounde it rolles I moued am and wote not wherevnto But drawen I am from bottome deepe the roryng soyle doth cry The day so fayre with thunder soundes and house as all from hy Were rent from roofe and rafters crakes and lares turnde abought Haue wryde theyr sight so bee'te so bee'te let mischiefe such be sought As yee O Gods would feare Ser. What thing seek'st thou to bring to pas I note what greater thing my mynde and more then woont it was Atre. Aboue the reache that men are woont to worke begins to swell And stayth with slouthfull handes What thinge it is I cannot tell But great it is Bee'te so my mynde now in this feate proceede For Atreus and Thyestes bothe it were a worthy deede Let eche of vs the crime commit The Thracian house did see Such wicked tables once I graunt the mischiefe great to bee But done ere this some greater guilt and mischiefe more let yre Fynde out The stomacke of thy sonne O father thou enspyre And syster eke like is the cause assist me with your powre And dryue my hand let greedy parents all his babes deuowre And glad to rent his children bee and on their lyms to feede Enough and well it is deuis'de this pleaseth me in deede In meane time where is he so long and innocent wherefore Doth Atreus walke before myne eyes already more and more The shade of such a slaughter walkes the want of children cast In fathers Iawes But why my mynde yet dreadst thou so at last And faint'st before thou enterprise it must bee done let bee That which in all this mischiefe is the greatest guilt to see Let him commit Ser. but what disceit may wee for him prepare Whereby betrapt he may be drawne to fall into the snare He wotes full well we are his foes Atre. He could not taken bee Except himselfe would take but now my kingdomes hopeth hee For hope of this he woulde not feare to meete the mighty Ioue Though him he threatned to deistroy with lightning from aboue For hope of this to passe the threats of waues
to them Here runnes a gulphy streame With force afore it dryuing stones as bigge as mountaine beame What say you shall wee drench our selues within this fomy Flood Goe where you wil take which you list do as you deeme it good Conditionally that I may first receyue the wound of death I recke no whit I ready stand to yeld vp vitall breath I neyther draw you to nor froe but euen as best you thinke So doe so deale Would you so fayne Deathes bitter cup to drinke My lord and Father take you death so greate a boone to bee If that you dye this I assure die first you shall me see If life in shew more pleasaunt seme if so you rather chuse I am to wayte vpon you still and neuer will refuse But chaunge this mynde wherein you rest take hart a grace and show The noble magnanimity that earst in you did flow Resist these panges subdue these dumpes by valour of the mynd Let manly courage qualify these your affections blynd T is great dishonor thus to yeeld your selfe to dolor thrall No storme of aduerse hap thus ought a Princes hart t' appall Oedip. This geare surmounteth far the reach of my capacity I am astonn'd I feele my selfe rapt with an extasie Is this not wonder of so lewd and of so curst a tree Such fruite to grow of graceles Syre so good a child to see Is it not straunge that in a house distaynd in villany Such noble shew of towardnes and vertuous gyftes should lye Let me some speach to thee direct dame Fortune how haps this That here my daughter so vnlike to wretched father is Degenerating from his steps and with such vertue fraught As in her Fathers cursed house she neuer yet was taught Is it I pray thee credible that out of me should spring Such yssue as should geuen be to any honest thinge No truely no it cannot bee my fates ful well I know None such vnlesse to doe me scart and mischiefe would be so T' encrease the heape of myne annoy no straunge effect shall want Dame Nature in her Creatures wil new affectes emplant The Ryuer shall returne his course to Fountayne backe agayne Dan Phoebus Lamp shall bring the Night and Night shal day remain So that my grieuous miseryes with surplusage may grow But be as t is I for a whyle wil play my part also And shew some sparke of piety my fault to counteruayle With murtdroue knife my woeful dayes to end I wil not fayle The onely helpe for Oedipus the onely safety is To ridde himselfe and so redeeme that Hellish fact of his Let mee take vengeance on my selfe for wronges to father donne Whose Death is yet vnexpiate by mee his cursed sonne Why dost thou shake and tremble thus thou hand not good for ought Why flaggrest thou to stabbe him in who Syre to spoyle hath brought That punishment which hether to by pulling out myne eyes Thou hast inflicted on me is but as a sacrifyce Or guerdon due for villany which I committed haue With mother myne Now Daughter sloute leaue of pretences braue Alledge no gâ—oses but with speede let goe thy Fathers hand Thou mak'st me die a lingring death within this loathed land Thou thinkst I am aliue but I am dead long while agoe To this my hateful Corps at length the rytes of Buriall show Thou meanest well I know but yet therin thou dost offend Though colour for thy piety I see thou dost pretend But piety it canot be to dragge thus vp and downe Thy Fathrs Corpes vnburied through City Field and Towne For bee that doth enforce a man agaynst his will to dye And he that stayeth him that would fayne dye most willingly Are both alike in equall fault and stand in egall plight To hinder one that would be dead is morthring him outright Yet not so great as thother is I would be more content To haue my death commaunded me then from me to be set Desist from this thy purpose Mayd my lyfe and death both are To dispose at my liberty with choyse to spill or spare I willingly resigned the Crowne of Thebane soyle yet I Do still retaine vpon my selfe the entyre Soueraygntye If I may make accompt of thee as of a trusty feare And true compagnion at assayes deliuer euen heere Into thy Fathers hand a Sweard but tell me dost thou reach The Sword embrewd in fathers bloud wherewith my sonnes empeach The course of Law possessing it and kingdome all by force Where so it is doubt is there none but cleane without remorse There bee the Floudgates opned wyde to al licencious lust And thriftlesse trades I al my clayme therein do rake in dust And cleane forsake Let both my Sonnes by Legacy enioy The same wherewith they surely shall contriue non smal annoy For mee pyle rather vp a stacke of wood set all on fyre That I therein may thrust my selfe that is my chiefe desyre And make an end at once of all this carrion Tarkasse vyle Where is the surging wauous Sea why stay I all this whyle Bring mee to some stiepe breaknecke fall bring me where Ismene flood With swift and horned course doth runne bring me wheras my blood With goaryng push of sauage beastes may out be let at once To some Gulfe bring me where the fall and tide may crush my Bones If needes thou wilt my guyde remayne as oft thou dost me tell Bring me that am dispos'd to dye where Sphiox that Monster fell With double shape apposed them that passed by the way Propounding Riddles intricate and after did them slay There would I bee that place I seeke thy Father thyther bring Into that Monsters Cabin dire thy Monstrous Father fling That though that Monster be dispatcht the place may bee supplyde With one as badde or worse then bee there wil I farre and wyde In tearmes obscure report and tell my heauy lucklesse lot The misteries whereof the bearers vnderstandeth not Geue eare to that which I shal speake marke thou Assyrian borne Consider this thou Thebane where Duke Cadmus men were torne And slayne in wood by Serpentes rage where Dirce seely trull In humble sort at Aulter lies aduert my tale at full Thou that in Lacedaemon dwelles and honorst Castors grace And Pollux eake two brethren twynnes Fynd out this doubtful case Or thou that dwelst in Elis towne or by Parnassus hill Or thou that till'st Baeotia ground there reaping gayne at wil Hearke listen well and flatly say if euer heretofore That murdrous monster Sphinx of Thebes that men in peeces tore In all his riddles askt the like or of so straunge a sort Or whether so insolubly his termes he cold report The Sonne in Lavv to Graundfather the Riual of his Syre The Brother of his litle Babes to Brethren father dire The Graundmother at euery byrth to Husband graceles Elfe Brought forth a Sonne or Daughter vvhich vvas Nephevv to her selfe How say you Syrs in Ryddle darke who hath so good insight That
able is the sense hereof t' vnfold and tell aryght As for my selfe although the Sphinx I whylome put to foyle Yet myne owne heauy destenie I scarcely can assoyle Why dost thou Daughter labour loose in vsyng further speech To alter this my stony hart why dost thou mee beseech I tel thee playne I fully meane this bloud of mynt to spill That long with Death hath struggling kept and thereupon I will Descend to darke infernall Lake for this same darknes blynd Of both myne eyes is nothing such as fact of myne should fynd It were my Blisse to bee in Hell in deepest dungeon fast Now that which should long since haue bene I wil perfourme at last I cannot be debard from Death wilt thou deny me glaue Or Sword or knife wilt thou no toole for mischiefe let me haue Wilt thou both watch and ward each way where dauÌ„ger lies in wayte Shall such a sinful Caytife wretch as I be kepe so straite Wilt thou not suffer me with Coard to breake my hatefull Necke Canst thou kepe mee from poysonous herbes hast thou them al at beck What shall it thee preuayle to take for mee such earnest care Death ech where is and wayes to death in thousand corners are Herein hath God good order tane that euery felie Foe May take away an others life but Death hee cannot so I seeke not anye toole to haue this desprate mynd of myne Can vse the seruice of my hand my threede of lyfe t' vntwine Now hand thy maister at a pinch assist to worke his feate Helpe him with all thy power and strength t' exployt his purpose great I poynt thee not in this my Corps vnto one place alone Alas each part of me with guilt is plaunch and ouergrowne In which soeuer part thou wilt thy Massacre beginne And seeke to bring me to my death which way thou mayst it winne In pieces crush this body all this hart that harbors sinne Pluck out out all my entrailes pull proceede and neuer linne To gash and cut my wezand pype My vaynes asender scratch And make the Bloud come spowting out or vse that other match Which heretofore thou vsed haste digge where myne eyes earst stood And let these woundes gush out apace much mattry filth and blood Hale out of mee this loathed soule that is so hard and stout And thou deare father Laius stand vp and looke about Behold where euer that thou standst I Vmpyre doe the make And eyed Iudge of all my plagues that iustly heere I take My Fact so lewde so horrible so loathsome to bee tolde I neuer thought with any pryce or tormentes manifolde Could haue full expiation ne thought I it inough To die this death or in one part to be beslasshed through By piecemeale I am well content to suffer tormentes all And euen by piecemeale for to die for plagues to plague mee call Exact the punishment that 's due I heere most ready stand To satisfie with any death that law and righte hath scand My former smartes when as mine eyes I raked out with pawes Were but as tastes of sacrifice somewhat to helpe my cause Come therefore Father neare to mee and thrust this hand of myne More nearer into euery wound It sweru'de and did decline For feare when first it tooke th' assay mine eyes to ransacke out I beare it still in memory my eyes then star'de about And seemed to disswade the hand from doing of the charge Whereto it was enioyned tho and had Commission large Thou shalt well thinke that OEdipus dissembleth not a whitâ— But what his word hath warranted his deede hath firmely quit Thy stoutnes then was not so great when eyes thou pulledst out As was thy man aâ—oden when thou threwst them from thee round about Now by those Gyeholes thrust thy hand into the very braine That part where death attempted was let death be sought againe AN. Vndaunted Prynce must noble Syre with humble mynde I sue That I your Daughter may be bolde to vse some speech to you And that you would with patience digest my poore aduise My suite is not to draw your minde to thinges that earst in price You highly held me to the view of glittring Pallace olde Ne brauery of your noble Realme scarce able to bee tolde But that you would these yrefull fittes by trace of time now quaild With patient minde sustayne and beare this vertue neuer faylde In any Prynce of such a spright as in your noble Grace Appeareth bryght it fitteth not that such should once abase Themselues as thralles to Sorrowes checke 〈◊〉 the conquest yeelde To aduerse hap lyke 〈…〉 It is no prayse syr though perhappes you so your reckening cast To make of lyfe so small accoumpt and thus to bee agast At euery wagging of a leafe and combersome myschaunce No no t is vertue in such case high courage to aduaunce And when thinges are at worst to shew true magnanimitie Not lyke a Meycocke cowardly at eche alarme to flee Hee that hath tride all fortunes spight and worldly wealth despisde And constantly hath borne all bruntes that are to be deuisde Mee thinks no cause hath why he needes to ende his breathing dayes Or wish himselfe in graue for why starcke crauens vse such wayes But as for him that 's drencht in dole and wrapt in carking care Whose pensius plight can be no worse nor tast of sowrer fare That man hath cause well pleasâ—â— to be sith hee in safety standes And pykes hath past and now is free from feare of further bandes Put case the Gods would weave the webbe of further woe to thee What more can any of them doe thy grieues to amplifie Nay thou thy selfe although thou wouldst canst adde thereto no more Vnlesse thou thinke thy selfe to haue deserued death therefore And yet thou arte not worthy death my reason is because Through ignoraunce thou didst a fact contrary to the lawes And therefore Father thinke your selfe most guiltlesse in the case And maugre Gods stand on your guarde my counsell sound embrace For doubtlesse you an innocent are deem'de and thought to bee And are in deede what makes you thus in dumpes and dolefull glee What cause so great should so enchaunt your conscience and your wits To seeke your owne decay and spoyle what meane faint hearted fits That thus in hast you would so faine abandon this your lyfe And goe to hell where torment dwelles and grisly ghostes be ryfe You would not see Sun Moone ne Starre no more you can your eyes Are blynd you faine would leaue your Court and Countries miseries Why so you may and so you doe These all are put to sacke That now alyue aswell as dead you feele of these the lacke You flee from Mother Wyfe and Chylde you see no man alyue What more can death dispatch away but life doth now depriue your lords your knights your courtly traine your kingly state crowne Your graund Affaires your waighty charge is gone brought abowne From whom froÌ„ what do
thou wert yet in thy mothers hand And that I knew what destentes thee held or in what land For neuer should the mothers fayth her tender child forsake Though through my breast the enmies al their cruell weapons strake Nor though the Greekes with pinching bandes of yron my handes had bound Or els in feruent flame of fyre beset my body rounde But now my litle Child pore wretch alas where might he bee Alas what cruel desteny what chaunce hath hapt to thee Art thou yet ranging in the fieldes and wandrest ther abroad Or smothred else in dusty smoake of Troy or ouertroad Or haue the Greekes thee slayne alas and laught to see thy bloud Or torne art thou with iawes of beastes or cast to foules for foode VI. Dissemble not hard is for thee Vlisses to deceaue I can ful wel the mothers craftes and subtilty perceaue The pollecy of Goddesses Vlisses hath vndone Set al these fayned wordes assyde tel mee where is thy sonne An. Wher is Hector where al the rest that had with Troy their fall Where Priamus you aske for one but I require of all Vl. Thou shalt constrayned be to tell the thing thou dost deny And. A happy chaunce were Death to her that doth desyre to dye Vli. Who most destres to die would faynest liue when death drawth on These noble wordes with present feare of death woulde soone be gone And. Vlisses if ye wil constrayne Andromacha with feare Threaten my life for now to dye my cheefe desyre it were Vl. With stripes with fyre tormenting death we wil the truth out wrest And dolour shal thee force to tel the secrets of thy brest And what thy hart hath depest hid for payne thou shalt expresse Oft tymes th extremity preuayles much more then gentlenesse And. Set me in midst of burning flame with woundes my body rent Vse al the meanes of cruelty that ye may al inuent Proue me with thirst and hunger both and euery torment trye Pearce through my sides with burning yrons in prison let me lie Spare not the worst ye can deuyse if ought be worse then this Yet neuer get ye more of me I wot not where he is Vli. It is but vayne to hyde the thinge that strayght ye wil deteckt No feares may moue the mothers hart she doth them al neglect This tender loue ye beare your child wherin ye stand so stoute So much more circumspectly warnth the Greekes to looke about Least after ten yeares tract of tyme and battell borne so farre Some one should liue that on our children might renew the warre As for my selfe what Calchas sayth I would not feare at all But on Telemachus I dread the smart of warres would fall And. Now will I make Vlisses glad and all the Greekes also Needes must thou woeful wretch confesse declare thy hidden woe Reioyce ye sonnes of Atreus there is no cause of dread Be glad Vlisses tell the Greekes that Hectors sonne is dead Vl. By what assurance proues thou that how shal we credite thee And What euer thing the enmies hand may threaten hap to me Let speedy fates me slay forthwith and earth me hyde at ones And after death from tombe agayne remoue ye Hectors bones Except my sonne already now do rest among the dead And that except Astianax into his tomb be led Vliss. Then fully are the fates fulfild with Hectors childes disceace Now shal I beare the Grecians word of sure and certayne peace Vlisses why what dost thou nowe the Greekes wil euery chone Beleeue thy wordes whom creditst thou the mothers tale alone Thinkst thou for sauegard of her child the mother wil not lye And dread the more the worse mischaunce to geue her sonne to die Her fayth she byndes with bond of oth the truth to verify What thing is more of weight to feare then so to sweare and lye Now call thy craftes togeather al bestirre thy wittes and mynd And shew thy selfe Vlisses now the truth herein to find Search wel thy mothers mynd behold shee weepes and wayleth out And here and ther with doubtful pace she raungeth al aboute Her careful ears she doth apply to harken what I say More frayd shee seemes then sorrowful Now worke some wily way For now most neede of wit there is and crafty pollecy Yet once agayne by other meanes I wil the mother trye Thou wretched woman maist reioyce that dead he is alas More doleful death by destenie for him decreed ther was From Turrets top to haue bene cast and cruelly bene slayne Which onely towre of all the rest doth yet in Troy remayne And. My spright failth me my limmes do quake fear doth my wits cōfounde And as the Ise congeals with frost my bloud with could is bound Vl. She trēbleth loe this way this way I wil the truth out wreaste The mothers fear detecteth all the secrets of her breast I wil renew her feare goe sirs bestir ye spedely To seeke this enmye of the Greekes where euer that he lie Wel done he wil be found at length goe to stil seke him out Now shal he dye what dost thou feare why dost thou looke about And Would God that any cause there were yet left that might me fray My hart at last now all is lost hath layd all feare away Vliss. Sins that your child now hath ye say already suffred death And with his bloud we may not purge the hostes as Caschas sayth Our fleete passe not as wel inspired doth Calchas prophecy Till Hectors ashes cast abroad the waues may pacify And tombe be rent now sins the boy hath skapt his desteny Needes must we breake this holy tombe wher Hectors ashes lie An. What shal I doe my mynd distracted is with double feare On th one my sonne on thother syde my husbandes ashes deare Alas which part should moue me most the cruel Goddes I call To witnes with me in the truth and Ghostes that guide thee all Hector that nothing in my sonne is else that pleaseth me But thou alone God graunt him life he might resemble thee Shal Hectors ashes drowned bee hide I such cruelty To see his bones cast in the Seas yet let Astyanax die And canst thou wretched mother bide thyne owne childes death to see And suffer from the hie towres top that headlong throwne he be I can and wil take in goad part his death and cruel payne So that my Hector after death be not remou'd agayne The boy that life and sences hath may feele his payne and dye But Hector lo his death hath plast at rest in tombe to lie What dost thou stay determine which thou wilt preserue of twayne Art thou in doubt saue this loe here thy Hector doth remayne Both Hectors be th one quicke of spright drawing toward his strēgth And one that may perhaps reuenge his fathers death at length Alas I cannot saue them both I thinke that best it were That of the twayne I saued him that doth the Grecians feare Vl. It shal be done
that Calchas words to vs doth prophecye And now shal all the sumptuous worke be throwne downe vtterly An That once ye sold Vl. I wil it all from toppe to bottome rend An. The fayth of Goddes I call vppon Achilles vs defend And Pyrrhus ayd thy fathers right Vl. This tombe abroad shall lye An. O mischiefe neuer durst the Greekes show yet such cruelty Ye straine the temples and the Gods that most haue fauourd you The dead ye spare not on their tombes your fury rageth now I wil their weapons all resist my selfe with naked hand The yre of hart shal geue me strength their armour to withstand As fierce as did the Amazones beate down the Greekes in fight And Menas once enspierd with God in sacrifyce doth smyght With speare in hand and while with furyous pace she treads the groūd And wood as one in rage she strykes and feeleth not the wound So wil I runne on midst of them and on theyr weapons dye And in defence of Hectors tombe among his ashes lie Vl. Cease ye doth rage and fury vayne of women moue ye ought Dispatch with speede what I commaund plucke downe al to naught An. O slay me rather here with sword rid me out the way Breake vp the deepe Auern and rid my destenies delay Rise Hector and beset thy foes breake thou Vlisses yre A spright art good enough for him behold he casteth fire And weapon shakes with mighty hand do ye not Greekes him see Or els doth Hectors spright appear but onely vnto me Vl. Downe quight withal An. What wilt thou suffer both thy sonnes be slayne And after death thy husbandes bones to be remou'd agayne Perhaps thou mayst with prayer yet aprease the Grecians all Els downe to ground the holy tombe of Hector streight shall fal Let rather die the childe pore wretch and let the Greekes him kil Then father and the sonne should cause the tone the others yll Vllisses at thy knees I fal and humbly aske mercie These handes that no mans feete els knew first at thy feete they lye Take pitty on the mothers case and sorrowes of my breast Vochsafe my prayers to receiue and graunt me my request And by how much the more the Goddes haue thee aduaunced hie More easely stryke the pore estate of wretched misery God graunt the chast bed of thy godly wyfe Penelope May thee receiue and so agayne Laerta may thee see And that thy sonne Telemachus may meete thee ioyfully His graundsires yeares and fathers witte to passe ful happely Take pity on the mothers teares her litle child to saue He is my onely comfort left and th' onely toy I haue Vl. ¶ Bryng forth thy sonne and aske THE SECOND SCENE Andromacha COme hither child out of the dennes to mee Thy wretched mothers lamentable store This Babe Vlisses loe this Babe is hee That stayeth your ships and feareth you so sore Submit thy selfe my sonne with humble hand And worship flat on ground thy maysters feete Thinke it no shame as now the case doth stand The thing that Fortune wilth a wretche is meete Forget thy worthy stocke of Kingly kynd Thinke not on Priams great nobility And put thy father Hector from thy mynde Such as thy Fortune let thy stomacke bee Behaue thy selfe as captiue bend thy Knee And though thy griefe pearce not thy tender yeares Yet learne to wayle thy wretched state by mee And take ensample at thy mothers teares Once Troy hath seene the weeping of a child When litle Priam turnde Alcides threats And he to whom all beastes in strength did yelde That made his way from hel and brake their gates His litle enmies teares yet ouercame Priam he sayd receiue thy liberty In seat of honor kepe thy Kingly name But yet thy Sceptors rule more faythfully Lo such the conquest was of Hercules Of him yet learne your hartes to mollify Do onely Hercles cruel weapons please And may no end be of your cruelty No lesse then Pryam kneeles to thee this boy That lieth and asketh onely life of thee As for the rule and gouernaunce of Troy Where euer fortune wil ther let it bee Take mercy on the mothers ruthful teares That with their streames my cheekes do ouerflow And spare this guiltles infantes tender yeares That humbly falleth at thy feete so lowe THE THIRD SCENE Vlisses Andromacha Astianax OF truth the mothers greate sorow doth moue my hart full sore But yet the mothers of the Greekes of neede must moue me more To whom this boy may cause in time a great calamtie Andr. May euer he the burnt ruines of Troy reedifie And shall these handes in time to come ereckt the towne againe If this be th onely helpe we haue there doth no hope remain For Troy we stand not now in case to cause your feare of mynde Doth ought auayle his fathers force or stocke of noble kinde His fathers heart abated was he drawen the walles abought Thus euil haps the haughttest heart at length they bring to nought If ye wil needes oppresse a wretch what thing more grieuous were Then on his noble neck he should the yoke of bondage bere To serue in life doth any man this to a King denye Vl. Not Vlisses with his death but Calchas prophecy An. O false inuentor of deceipt and hainous cruelty By manhode of whose hand in warre no man did euer dye But by disceipt and crafty trayne of mynd that mischiefe seekes Before this tyme ful many one dead is yea of the Greekes The Prophets wordes and guilties Gods saist thou my sonne require Nay mischiefe of thy breast it is thou dost his death desyre Thou night souldier and stout of hart a litle child to stay This enterprise thou takste alone and that by open day Vl. Vlisses manhood wel to Greekes to much to you is knowne I may not spend the tyme in wordes our Nauy wil be gone And. A little stay while I my last farewel geue to my child And haue with oft embracing him my greedy sorrowes fild Vli. Thy grieuous sorrowes to redresse would God it lay in mee But at thy wil to take delay of tyme I graunt it thee Now take thy last leaue of thy Sonne and fil thy selfe with teares Oft tymes the weeping of the eyes the inward griefe out weakes An. O deere O sweete thy mothers pledge farewel my onely ioy Farewel the flowre of honor left of beaten howse of Troy O Troyans last calamity and feare to Grecians part Farewel thy mothers onely hope and vayne comfort of hart Oft wish I thee thy fathers strength and halfe thy graundsires yeares But all for naught the Gods haue all dispoynted our desires Thou neuer shalt in regal court thy sceptors take in hand Nor to thy people geue decrees nor leade with law thy land Nor yet thine enmies ouercome by might of handy stroke Nor sende the conquerde nations all vnder thy seruile yoke Thou neuer shalt beat downe in fight and Greekes with sword pursew Nor at
obey b' it eyther right or wrong M. The prosperous pryde of wronging crownes cannot endeuer long CR. Auaunt yell out thy complaynts at Colchis get thee hence ME. Full gladly will I get mee home if he that brought me thence Vouchsafe to beare me back agayne CR. Alas to late aryse Entreating wordes when as decree is taken otherwise ME. He that not hearing eyther part pronounceth his decree Vnrighteous man accoumpted is though ryght his sentence bee CR. Whyle Pelias trusted to thy talke from lyfe to death hee fell Go to begyn we gyue you leaue your goodly tale to tell ME. That type of Regall maiesty that erst by Fortunes hand Aduaunced to I dyd attayne hath taught mee vnderstand How hard a thing it is of wrath the rygour to asswage When burning heate of boyling breast in flames begins to rage Eke for th' aduan̄cement of their power more to display in sight Theyr kingly corage bolstred out with maiesty of might They deeme it doth import asway and hath a greater grace Whome stately scepter causde to climbs aloft to prouder place To perseuer with fansye fonde in that to reasons spyght Whose greedy choyce attaynted fyrst his minde with vayne delight For though in piteous plyght I lye throwne downe to great decay With heauy hap and ruthfull chaunce to myserable stay Thus hunted out from place to place forsoke and left alone A wyddow while my husband liue with cause to wayle and mone Perplext in maze of misery wyth cloying cares so ryfe Yet whylom I in golden trone haue led in happy lyfe By high and noble parentage my bryght renowne doth shyne From Phoebus take my Graundsire great deryued is my ligue Whear syluer streamed Phasis flood his wasshing waues doth shed Or with contrary croking wayes his bathing channell spred What euer wandring coast stretcht out is left aloofe behynde From whence the roaming Scithyan Sea his channell forth doth fynde Where as Maeotis fenny plashe with pure fresh water sprynges Doth season sweete the briny Sea that tyde in thyther brynges Eke all the coastes enuyroued and kept within the bankes Of Thermodon where warlike troupes armed wyddowes ranckes With paynted bucklers on their armes holde all the land in feare With rigour rough of threatning sword with force of denting speare So farre to all these wandring coastes and countreyes round about My Fathers ample regiment at large is stretched out I being thus of noble Race and in an happy plight With glorious glosse of pryncely pomp in honour shining bright Then pearelesse Peares my Spousall bed did seeke and sue to haue But those to be theyr louing Feeres now other Ladyes craue Rashe ticle peuish vndiscreete and wauering Fortunes wheele Hath cast me out the crusshing cares of banishment to feele In Scepter proude and hauty Crowne fix thine affyaunce fast Sith vpsidowne with welkin wheele whole mounts of wealth is cast This Prynces doe possesse that should theyr royalty display Whose fame shall neuer razed be with storme of lowring day To succour those whom misery in pit of paynes doth souse To shield and harber suppliaunts in roof of loyall house This onely brought I from my Realme the precious golden Fleece That Iewell chiefe and eke the flower of Chyualry in Greece The sturdy prop the Rampter strong the bulwarke of your wealth And Hercules the boystrous Imp of Ioue I kept in health It was by meanes of my good will that Orpheus did escape Whose harmony the liuelesse Rocks with such delight did rape That forced euen the clottred lumpes with hobling prickt to praunce And eke the iocond nodding woods with footing fine to daunce And that these heauenly twins Castor and Pollux did not by My dew desart is doubled twise sith them preserued I Of Boreas blustring out with puffed Cheekes his blasting Breath His wynged Sons I kept aliue both Calais and Zeath And Linceus that with pearcing beames and sharper sight of Eye Could Nauies on the farther banke of Sicill shore espy And all the Mynians that did come the golden Fleece to win As for the Prince of Princes all I will not bring him in With silence Iason will I passe for whom though him I saue Yet is not Greece in debt to mee no recompence I craue To no man him I doe impute the rest I brought agayne For your auayle that you thereby some profit might attayne But onely on my Iason deare him for my owne loues sake I kept in store that hee of mee his wedded Wyfe should make None other fault God wot yee haue to charge mee with but this That Argo Ship by meanes of mee returned saufely is If I a shamefast mayde had not with Cupids bayte bene caught If more my Fathers health to haue then Iasons I had sought Pelasga land had bene vndone and faine to great decay The lusty valiaunt Capitaynes had cleane bene cast away And ioly Iason fyrst of all this now thy sonne in lawe The Buls had rent his swalowed lims in fiery chomping iawe Let Fortune fight agaynst my case as list her eluish will Yet neuer shall it grieue my heart repent my deede I nill That I should for so many kings their reling honour saue The guerden due that I for this my crime commit must haue It lyeth Creon in thy hande if thus it lyketh thee Condemne my guilty ghost lo death but render fyrst to mee My fault that forced me offend then Creon graunt I this Receauing Iason cause of cryme I guilty did amisse Thou knowst that I was such an one when couring low I lay Before thy feete in humble wise and did entreating pray Thy gracious goodnes mee to graunt some succour at thy hande For me a wreatch and wreatched Babes I aske within this lande Some cotage base in outcast hole some couching corner vile If from the towne thou driue vs out to wander in exile The some by place aloofe within this realme let vs obtayne CR. How I am none that tyrant like with churlish Scepter raygne Nor proudly or disdaynfully with hawty corage hie With vaūting foote doe stamp them downe that vndertroden lye And daunted are in carefull bale thys playnly doth disclose In that to mee of late I such a sonne in lawe haue chose Who was a wandring pilgrim poore with sore afflictions fraight Dismayde with terrour of his foe that lay for him in wayght Because Acastus hauing got the crowne of Thessail lande Requyreth in thy guilty bloude to bath his wreackfull hande He doth bewayle that good olde man his feeble father slayne Whom waight of yeres with bowing back to stoupe alow constrayne The godly mynded systers all yblinde with misty vale And cloking colour of thy craft durst ventrusly assayle That mount of myschiefe marueylous to mangle heaw and cut Theyr Fathers dere vnioynted limmes in boyling Caldron put But for thy open guiltinesse if thou can purge the same Strayght Iason can discharge him selfe from blot of guilty blame His gentle handes were neuer staynde with goare of any
When as his honour budding forth with flowre began to bloome Alas the stocke was hewed downe and sent to deadly doome And they that of his victory and comming home were glad To sodayne mourning chaunge their myrth with heauinesse bestad The lusty pompe of royall courte is deade O dolefull day The people mone theyr prynces death with woe and weale away With howling crying wringing hands with sobs with sighes teares And with their fists they beate their breasts they pull hale their heares And as the sheepe amased run and rampe aboute the fielde When as theyr shepherd to the Wolfe his goary throate doth yeelde Euen so as mad they rage and raue throughout Micoenas land Depriued of theyr Prynce they feare the bloudy Tyrauntes hand While thus were woefull waylings hard in euery place about The good Cassandra come from Troy to death is haled out Like as the Swan who when the time of death approcheth nye By nature warned is thereof and pleased well to dye Doth celebrate her funerall with dirge and solemne songe Euen so the noble vyrgin who in woe hath liued longe Most ioyfull goes she to her death with milde and pleasaunt face Stout bouistring out her burly breast with pryncely porte and grace Nothing dismayde with courage bolde and chearefull countenaunce On stage ordeyned for her death shee gan her selfe aduaunce As though she had not thyther come to leaue her lothsome lyfe As though she had not come to taste the stroke of fatall knyfe But euen as it in brydale bed her iourney were to meete Corebus deare not hauing mynde of death nor winding sheete When looking rounde on euery side she tooke her leaue of all From vapourde eyes of younge and olde the trickling teares doe fall The Greekes them selues to griefe are moude to see this heauy sight So pity pearst the headmans heart that thrise aboute to smite He stayde the smot with shiuering hand yet once agayne he tryed And from her shoulders stroke her heade And thus the vyrgin dyed But now the Greekes another cause of mourning haue in hand Orestes Agamemnons some is forst to fly the land Amonge olde rotten ragged Rockes there lies an vgly place A Dungeon deepe as darke as hell vnknowne to Phoebus face An holow huge wyde gaping hole with way still bending downe Whose mouth with venonous wythred weedes is hid and ouergrowne Where stinking smels come belching out from filthy durty dyke Where Verment vyle doe creepe and craule in hell is not the lyke Ilfauourde foule misshapen bugges doe lucke about this caue With dreadfull sounds and roaring noyse withing the pit they raue Euen heather is Electra sent in darckenesse deepe to lye In pouerty and comfortlesse without the lyght of skye Fast clogde with Yron boults and Chaynes thus by her mother layde In torments till by her to death Orestes be betrayde Who as Cassandra telleth shall reuenge his fathers death Depryue with swerd th' adulterour and Mother both of breath So after all these bloudy broyle Greece neuer shall bee free But bloud for bloud and death by turnes the after age shall see FINIS THE NINTHE Tragedy of Lucius Annaeus Seneca called Octauia Translated out of Latine into Englishe by T.N. The Argument OCtauia daughter to prince Claudius grace To Nero espousd whom Claudius did adopt Although Syllanus first in husbandes place Shee had receiu'd whom she for Nero chopt Her parente both her Make that should haue bene Her husbandes present Tiranny much more Her owne estate her case that she was in Her brothers death pore wretch lamenteth sore Him Seneca doth persuade his latter loue Dame Poppie Crispynes wife that some time was And eake Octauias maide for to remoue For Senecks counsel he doth lightly passe But Poppie ioynes to him in marriage rites The people wood into his pallace runne Hir golden fourmed shapes which them sore spytes They pul to ground this vprore now begunne To quench he some to griesly death doth send But her close cased vp in dreadful barge With her vnto Campania coast to wend A band of armed men he gane in charge THE FIRST SCENE The Speakers names Octauia Nutrix Chorus Romanorum Seneca Nuntius Agrippina Poppea Nero Praefectus Octauia NOw that Aurore with glitteryng streames The glading starres from skye doth chase Syr Phoebus pert with spouting beames From dewy neast doth mount apace And with his cheerefull lookes doth yeeld Vnto the world a gladsome day Go to O wretch with ample Fielde Of heauy cares oppressed aye Thy grieuous wonted playntes recount Do not alone with sighes and howles The Seaysh Aloyones surmounte But also passe the Pandyon foules More yrksome is thy state then theirs O Mother deare whose death by fits I nyll lament but still shed teares My ground of griefe in thee it sits If that in shade of darksome denne Perceiuing sence at al remayne Heare out at large O mother then My great complayntes and grieuous payne O that immortall Clothos wrist Had torne in twayne my vitall thred Ere I vnto my griefe had wist Thy woundes and face of sanguine red O day which aye doth me annoy Since that tyme did I more desyre The feareful darknes to enioy Than Phoebus fresh with fayre attyre I haue abode the bitter hest Of stepdame dire in mothers place I haue abode her cruell breast Hir stomake stout and fighting face She Shee for spyte vnto my case A doleful and a graue Eryn To Bridegromes chamber spousall space The Stygian flashing flames brought in And thee alas most piteous Syre With traytrous traynes hath shee bereft Of breathing soule with poysoned myre To whom ere whyle the world all left Vnvanquisht from the Ocean Seas By martiall feats did freely yeeld And didst subdue with wondrous ease The Brittayne brutes that fledde the fielde Whom liuing at their propre swaye No Romayne power did earst inuade Now lo ful wel lament I may Thy Spouse deceypte thy prowes hath lade : And now thy court and child of yore With homage serue a Tyrantes lore THE SECOND SCENE Nutrix WHom so the glistering pompe of royal place With soden sight ynumd doth quite disgrace Who so at courtly fleeting ebbing blase Astonied sore himselfe doth much amase Lo see of late the great and mighty stocke By lurking Fortunes sodayne forced knocke Of Claudius quite subuert and cleane extinct Tofore who held the world in his precinct The Brittayne Ocean coast that long was free He ruld at wil and made it to agree Their Romaine Gallies great for to embrace Lo he that Tanais people first did chase And Seas vnknowen to any Romayne wight With lusty sheering shippes did ouerdight And safe amid the sauage freakes did fight And ruffling surging seas hath nothing dread By cruel spouses gilt doth lye all dead Her sonne likewyse more fiend then Tigre fierce Of naturall mother makes a funerall herse Whose brother drenched deepe with poysoned cup Pore Britannick his senseles soule gaue vp Octauia sister and vnhappy make Doth sore lament her
feare then taught to swim Approaching death and fates withstandes At length on troubled Seas displayde Shee geuing ouer working vayne And tyrd with streames is weary layd Not able toyling strength to strayne In close and secrete silent breastes Of mates with her to sea that yode In whom no feare of death there restes True fayth vnto theyr Queene abode Theyr Ladyes weather beaten limmes To helpe some freely venter dare Some in the combrous waters swymmes And desperate daunger do not spare VVith cheereful voyce they comfort her Though drawling dragling limmes shee drew To lift her vp with helpe they stirre And nummed corpes to strength renew VVhat bootes it thee the death to shonne Of roaring raging rauening waues From deadly sword of wicked sonne Alas pore wretch thee nothing saues VVhose huge and heinous cursed rage Agaynst all course of natures lore Our after slow beleeuing age VVil scarce beleeue it done before The deuillish man repynde with griefe VVhen he is mother saued sawe From swallowing seas haue safe releefe And that she vitall breath did draw He grudgde with griefe and in his heate He huger mischiefe heapes to this He doth not once delay his feate But headlong rashly caryed is Vpon her death A souldiour sent Dispatcheth that he had in charge His Ladies breast his blade doth rent Shee yeelding vp her soulde at large From wretched corpes for to entombe Her slaughter man she then besought That bloudy blade within her wombe That fyrst this woe to her had brought This this accursed breast quoth shee VVhich this vnkindly monster bare From pinching payne may not be free Digge slash the same no mischiefe spare VVhen this with foltring tounge was sayde At last her sad and trembling ghost VVith latter sobbing sighes vnstayd Through goryd woundes leaues vitall coast THE SECOND ACTE THE FIRST SCENE Seneca ON me with like consent why didst thou smile With glosed lookes deluding mee a whyle O fortune much of might and princely powre To lift aloft to noble royall bowre To th e'nde that I to honours court extold From stately seate might haue the greater fall And round aboute in euery place beholde Such dreadful threating daungers to vs all I safer lay aloofe from enuyes knockes Remou'd among the craggy corsicke rockes Where as my mynd there free at proper sway With leysure did repeate my studies aye A gladsome ioy alone it was to viewe And earnestly to marke the heauens so blew And sacred Phoebus double wheeled wayne And eake the worldes swift whirling motion mayne The Sunne so euen his second course to keepe And Phoebes glyding globe so swiftly sweepe Whom wondrous starting starres encompasse round And to behold that shynes in euery stound The glistring beauty bright of welkin wyde Than which in al the world nothing besyde Of all this huge and endles worke the guyde More wondrous nature fram'de that I espyde For all the bumping bignes it doth beare Yet waxing old is like agayne to weare And to be chaungde to an vnwyldy lumpe Now prest at hand this worldes last day doth iumpe With boystrous fall and tumbling rush of skye To squease and make this cursed kynd abye That springing once agayne it may yeeld out An other straunge renued vertuous route As once before it did new sprong agayne What tyme Saturnus held his golden raygne That blamelesse chast vnspotted Virgin cleere A goddesse much of might clept Iustice heere With sacred sooth sent downe from heauenly space At ease on earth did rule the mortal race That people playne knew not of warlicke feates Nor trembling trompets tunes that rendes and beates The souldiers eares nor clashing armour bright That warring wightes defend in field and fight Nor wonted was with walles to rampyre round Their open cityes set in any stound To each man passage free lay open than Nothing there priuate was to any man And then the ground it selfe and fertil soyle Hir fruitful bosome baard all voyd of toyle Into such bounden barnes a Matrone good And peaceable vnto so iust a broode But then an other second race arose Perceyued not to be so meeke as those A third more wyse and witty sort vp startes Of nature forged fit t' inuent new artes As yet vnspotted quite with filthy vyce Soone after thoe they raungd with new deuyce That boldly venture dare in scudding race Vnweldy beastes for to pursue apace And mighty weying strugling fishes great With watry coats yclad with fishers feat With net in window wyse draw forth and streeke With craft of quill the nibling fysshes cheeke And silly byrdes begylde with pyning trayne And light foote deare for lyfe that flyng amayne Intangling gins entrapt that safely hold And sturdy scouling visage buls controld On fleshye fillet neckes make weare the yoake And earth ere that vngrubbed vp that broake Which then turnd vp with Plowmans shyning share In sacred bosome deepe her fruits kept thare But now this age much worse then all the rest Hath lept into her mothers broken breast And rusty lumpish yron and massye Gold Hath digged out that was quite hid with mold And fighting fistes haue armd without delay And drawing forth their bondes for rule to stay Haue certayne seuerall ioly kingdomes made And cities new haue raysde now rulde with blade And fenseth eyther with their proper force Straūge stoundes or them assaults the which is worse The Starry specked virgin flowre of skies Which Iustice hight that guilty folke discries Now lightly esteemd of mortall people here Each earthly stound is fled and comes not neere The sauage mannerd route and beastly rude With dabbed wristes in goary bloud embrude The great desyre of griesly warre is sprong And raping thurst of gold it is not young Throughout the worlde a mighty monstruous vice Fowle filthy monstruous lust hath got the price A pleasaunt tickling plague whom longer space And errour deepe haue fostred vp apace The heaps of vyce rakte vp in yeares long past Abounding flowe in these our dayes at last And this same troublous tyme and combrous age Oppresseth all men sore both yong and sage Wherein those wicked wayes that be do raygne And cruell raumping woodnes boyles agayne Lust strong in filthy touch doth beare a sway And Princes ryot now doth catch away With greedy pawes to bring it to decay Th whole worldes vncredible wealth without delay But loe which staggring steppes where Nero flinges And visage grymme I feare what newes hee brynges THE SECOND SCENE THE SECOND ACTE Nero Prefectus Seneca DIspatch with speede that we commaunded haue Go send forthwith some one or other slaue That Plautius cropped scalpe and Sillas eke May bring befor our face goe some man seeke Pre. I nill protract your noble graces hest But to their campes to goe am ready prest Se. Gaynst lynage naught should rashly poynted bee Ne. A light thing t is for to be iust I see For him whose heart is voyd of shrinking feare Se. A soueraigne salue for feare is for to beare Your selfe debonair to
disheueled hayre The Matrons sage of Latin land did mourne And sounded shryking sighes as though forlorne They were the dolefulst wightes that liue on ground And oft among the warlike trumpets sound I sawe my husbands mother teribly stand With threatning looke berayed with bloud in hand A light fyre brand she bare which oft she shooke And made mee goe with her through feareful loke When downe we came through op'ned earth shee led The way I after went with bowing hed And musing much therat marke what I say My bed me thought I saw wherin I laye When first espousde I was to Rufe Chrispyne And hee me thought with first sonne of his lyne With many following them agaynst me fast Did come and me to cleepe did swift his hast And as he wonted was he kist me oft Then rusht into my house with pace not soft Amased Nero sore in Chryspines breast That hidde his faulchion kene feare shakte of rest From mee I trembling stode with quiuering feare And brest dismayd to speake made me forbeare Til now O Nurse I met with thee whose trust And fayth into these wordes haue made me brust Alas what threatneth mee eche griesly spright What meanes of husbands bloud that doleful sight Nu. The hidden sacred vayne that moueth swift Which fantasie we call by secret drift When we do take our rest doth shew agayne The thinges both good and bad that broyle in brayne You maruel that you saw your make and bower His ghostly funerall stackes at that same hower Round clasped close in armes of husband new Hereto the beaten breastes with handes mou'd you And maydens hayre on mariage day displayd Octauias friendes with heauy hartes bewrayed Amids hir brothers both and fathers hall Their heauy cheere for her vnluckye fall That dreadful blasing flame of fyre forborne In Agryppynas hand your grace beforne Which you did follow streigth declares renowne To you though enuye stryue to keepe it downe The seat you saw beneath doth promise you Your state to stand ful sure not chaunging new That Nero prince in Crispins throat did hyde His sword it telles that he in peace shall byde Vnknowen to bloudy ruthful warre for aye Therfore Madam plucke vp your hart I pray Receiue both mirth and glee cast feare asyde With ioy and ease you may in bowre abide Pop. To temples hie where mighty Gods do dwell I wil repayre and offringes to them fell In humble wyse their heauy wrath t' ppease And me of mighty sight and dreams to ease My second wish shal be that this feare all Vppon my foes as sodayne chaunce may fall O Nurse pray thou for mee some vowes do make Toth ' Gods that ghostly feare his flight my take THE SECOND SCENE Chorus IF stealth discloasde by blabbing fame And lusty pleasaunt thankfull loue Of IOVE be true who fourme did frame Of swan to come from skies aboue And did enioy the sweete consent Of Ladye LEDAS loues delight VVho like a Bull his labour spent Through flowing floods to cary quite EVROPA slylie stolne awaye Hee will no doubt leaue raygne of Skye And POPPIES loue disguisd assaye If hee her soueraygne beauty spye VVhich hee might wel preferre before Fayre LAEDAS sugred sweete delight And DANAE whom hee wonne of yore Amasde with golden shoure so bright Let SPARTE now for HELENS sake Of beauty bragging fame vprayse Admit the TROIAN heardman make Of gayned spoyle tryumphant prayse Fayre HELEN here is stayned quight VVhose beauty bredde such boyling yre That earth was matched euen in sight VVith TROIAN towres consumde with fyre But who is this that runnes with feare opprest Or els what newes bringes he in panting breast THE THIRD SCENE Nuntius Chorus WHat sturdy champion stoute doth ioy with glee Our chieftaynes royal bower safe to see Then to his court I counsel him to wend Gainst which the populus rout their force doth bend The rulers runne amasde to fetch the gard And armed troupes of men theyr towne to ward Nor woodnes rashly cought through feare doth ceasse But more and more their power doth encrease Ch. What sodain rage doth beat their brawling braine Nun. The garisons great with fury astonde againe And sturred vp for Queene Octauias sake With monstrous mischiefe vile their rage to slake They rumbling rush into the Pallace farre Cho. What dare they do their counsailers who are Nun. Aduaunce their Empresse old subuert the new And graunt hir brothers beds as is hir due Cho. Which Poppie now with hole consent doth hold Nun. Yea that vnbrideled rage in brest vprold Sets them agog and makes them wondrous wood What euer ymage grauen in marble stood If Poppies badge it bare or if in sight It tended for to shew hir beauty bryght Though it on heauenly altares braue did stand They break or pull it down with sword or hand Some parts with ropes sure tide they trayle thē forth Which spurnd with durty feete as though naught worth With filthy stinking myre they it all beray And with their deedes their talke doth iumpe agree Which mine amased minde thinks true to bee For fierie flames they threat for to prepare Wherewith to waste the princes Pallace faire Vnlesse vnto their furious moode he giue His second wife and with Octauia liue But he by me shall know in what hard stay The City stands the rulers I le obay Cho. A lack what made you cruell warres in vaine To moue sith prisoner loue you can not gaine You can not him ouercome your fiery flame He recketh not his syre ouercomes the same He darkened hath those thundring thumps that shake Heauen Earth Hel sea al things that makes to quake Yea mighty Ioue in heauen that weares chief crowne His flames from welkin hie hath brought adowne And you not victors now but vanquished Shall raunsome pay the price of hearts bloud red Loue pacient can not be but hote in rage No easie thing it is his wrath t' asswage Achilles worthy sight that was so stout To twang the Harpe he made in Ladies rout Prince Agamemnon sterne that boy benumd And rable rude of Greekes with loue bronds bumd King Priams raigne he topsie turuie tost Aud goodly Cities great he chiefly lost And now my minde sore frighted stands agast What Cupides furious force brings vs at last THE FOVRTH SCEANE Nero AH ah our captaines sloe dispatching coyle And our long suffring yre in such a broyle That streames of bloud yet do not quēch their rage Which thei against our propre person wage And that all Rome with corses strewd about Those cruell villaines bloud doth not sweat out But deedes already done with death to pay A small thing t' is a greater slaughtrous day The peoples cursed crime and eke that dame Whom I did aye suspect deserues the same whome to yelde those peasaunts would me make At last she shall with life our sorow slake And with hir bodies bloud shall quench our yre Then shall their houses fall by force of fyre What burning both and buildings fayre
day of death to mee Thus earst to mee did say A charmed Oake and all the wood that range with yetling noyse Of Parnass hill the Temples shooke and thundred out this voyce The dead mans hand whom thou before hast slayne O Hercules shall murther thee agayne Thou hauing mot the space of gulph and grounde And deapth of hell heare shall thou bee confounde I therefore doe bewayle no more such should our ending bee That Hercles conquerde after him no man aliue may see Now let mee dye a manly death a stout and excellent And meete for mee this noble day shall valiauntly bee spent Fell all the Timber on the grounde hew down all OEta wood Let coales deuower Hercules let fyer fry his blould But ere I dye thou noble Impe of Peans royall race This dolefull duety doe for mee See that an whole day space My funerall fier flaming burne And now my tender Hill The last peticion of my mouth make vnto thee I will Among the captiue Ladies one there is a noble Dame Of royall bloud Euritus Chylde Iole is her name Accept her to thy spousall Bed whom victour I vnkindâ— Haue trayned from her natiue home and but my heart and mynde Poore silly mayde I gaue her nought and now shee shall mee lose Loe thus the wretched woman walles her still encreasing woes But let her foster that she hath conceaued as Ioues ally And childe to mee bee 't thyne by her that earst begot haue I And as for thee deare mother myne your dreary dole forgoe Your Hercules shall liue doe not vayne teares on him bestowe My manhoode made a strumpet thought a Stepdame vnto thee But if that eyther Hercles byrth shewe her vnsure to bee Or be a man my ster or els be falsified my kin Now let Ioues 〈◊〉 cease and let my mothers slaunder â—in I haue deserued a father well that haue aduaunst so hye The glory of the rolling heauens of nature tramde was I To worke the wondrous prayse of Ioue and Ioue him selfe doth Ioy To haue the name of Hercules begetting such a boy But pardon now my strayned teares but you as Ioue his niece Shall as a stately matrone bee among the Dames of Greece Though Iuno with the thunderer in spousall chamber lyes And in her heauenly hand doth weilde the scepter of the skies When euer bare shee such a Babe and yet though heauen she hould In heart agaynst a mortall man she fosters mallice oulde For spighte that borne of womans womb be counted thus I should Goe Tican goe run out thy Race thee onely I forsake I that went with thee foote by foote nowe to th' infernall lake And Ghostes I go yet with this prayse to 'th pit down will I passe That Hercules of open foe yet neuer foyled was But hee in open combats brought his conquests all to passe Chorus O Titan crownd with blasâ—ing bush whose morning moystures make The Moone her foamy bridell from her tyred teame to take Declare to 'th Easterlinges whereas the ruddy morne doth ryse Declare vnto the Irishmen aloofe at western Skies Make knowne vnto the Moores annoyed by flaming axentree Those that with the ysy Wayne of Archas pestred bee Display to these that Hercules to th' eternall ghostes is gone And to the bauling mastriffes den from whence returneth none With dusky dampe of filthy fog O Titan choake thy blaze With lowring light of wanny Globe on wofull wordlings gaze And let thy head bee muffled vp with cloudes and darknesse dim For Hercles sake when shall thou finde or where the like to him O wretched worlde to whom wilt thou henceforth thy woes coÌ„plaine If any scattring pestilence on earâ—h shall be renewde By uenom ranck from poyson mouth of scaly Dragon spewde If any Bore of Arcadie shall comber all a wood And teare the trauelers flesh with tuske embrewed in goary blood If any champion rough of Thrace with heart more hard in breast Then are the ysy rockes where as the frozen Beare doth rest Shall trample thicke his stables fowle with bloud of slaughterd men When people quake for feare of warre who shall assist them then If wrathfull Gods for vengeaunce will foâ—he monsters to be bread Loe nowe enfebled all of force his Karkasse lyeth dead Whom Natures moulde had made a match to thuÌ„dring Ioue in streÌ„gth Hale out alas and let your playnt be hearde to townes at length Let women beat their naked armes and wring their trembling handes Untrusse their hayre and from theyr locks pluck of their binding bands Boult vp and lock the Temple gates of Gods and â—ape bee none But despret Iunoes Chapple doares O Hercles thou art gone To Lethes lake and streame of Stix from whence no Keele agayne Shall bring thee backe O silly soule thou goest to remayne Among the grisely goblins grymme from whence thou whilom came With triumph sooner daunted death and conquest of the same With gastly face and karrayne armes and neck that yeeldes to waight Thy ghost returnes but Carons boate then shall not haue her fraight As balased with thy onely payse and yet shalt thou not byde Among the rascall sprites but sit on bench by Eacus side And with the Iudges twayne of Creete as Umpier there to bee Appoynting paynes to soules that maye to their desartes agree FroÌ„ slaughter hold your guiltlesse hands bath not your blades in bloud Yee states that beare high sayle on earth and floaâ—e in worldly good It merits prayse a mayden sword vndipt in goare to beare And while thou rayne to keepe thy realme from cruell doings cleare But vertue hath a pryuiledge to passe vnto the skies To 'th top of frosen Apell tree O Hercules wilt thou ryse Or where the sunne with scorching blaze his burning beames doth rest Or wilt thou bee a shyning starre amid the lukewarme west Where Calpe Rocke is heard with roaring noyse of wrastling waue What place amid the azur skye entendest thou to haue What place shall be in all the heauens from hurley burley free When Hercules amid the starres shall entertayned bee Let Ioue appoynt thy byding from the ougly Lion farre And burning Crab least thou with grysely countnaunce do theÌ„ skarre And make the trembling starres in heauen for feare to breake aray And Titan quake while spring doth prank with flowers the tender spray Then hasty winter strip the trees of all their braunches greene Or sudden Summer deckt with leaues in busshy woods be seene And from the trees the Apples fall the haruest being doone No age on earth shall wipe away the fame that thou hast woone As farre as Sun or Stars can shyne thy glorious name shall goe Amid the botome of the Sea first Corne shall sprout and grow And brackish Seas his waters salt to water fresh shall chaunge And fixed starre of ysy beare from Clime to Clyme shall raunge And sink into the frozen poole agaynst his kindly sway Ere people cease the honour of thy triumphes to display O soueraygne Ioue wee wretched wightes this
with a night engendred hath to thee If East and West if Scithia and euery burning plot That parched is with glowing glede of Phoebus fier hot Doth sing my prayse and if the earth ful satisfyde with peace If languishing and wayling woords in euery towne doe cease If none their alters do imbrew with any guiltles gore Then Ioue let my vncaged spirite haue heauen for euermore As for th infernall dennes of death they do not me detarre Nor scouling Plutoes dungeon darck but Ioue I do abhorre Vnto those gastly Goblins as a stlly shade to goe Sith I am he whose conquering hand gaue them their ouerthrowe Withdraw these foggy clowdes of night display the glimsyng light That Hercles broyld with flying flames the Gods may haue in sight And if thou do denye O fyre the starres and heauen to mee To geue me them agaynst thy will thou shalt constrayned bee If glutting griefe do stop thy speach the Stygian goulphes set oape Aud let mee dye but first declare within the heauenly coape That thou accepst me as thy soone this day it shal be wrought That to bee raysd aloft to starres I may be worthy thought Thou hast doone litle for me yet it may be doubted well Whether Ioue did first beget his sonne or damnd him first to hell And quoth he let my stepdame see how wel I can abyde The scorching heate of burning brandes for fyer then he cride And sayth to me O Philoctet in hast vppon me throw The burning logges why quakest thou dost dastard thow forslow For feare to this wicked deede O coward peasant slaue Thou art to weake to bende my bow vnmeete my shaftes to haue What aylest thou to loke so pale and as thou seest mee lye With cherefull looke couragiously do thou the fier plye Behold me wretch that broyle and burne my father opes the Skyes And vnto me sonne Hercules come come away he cryes O father Ioue quoth he I come with that I waxed pale And toward him a burning beame with might and mayne I hale But backe from him the billets flye and tumbling out they leape And from the limmes of Hercules downe falleth all the heape But he encrocheth on the fyre as it from him doth shrinke That many mountaynes whole were set on fyer a man would thinke No noyse was hard and all was husht but that the fyer did hisse In Hercles glowing paunch when as his liuer burning is It boysteous gyant Typhus had amid this fire bene throwne These torments would haue straind his teares forst him sigh grone Or tough Euceladus that tost a mountayne on his backe But Hercles lifted vp himselfe amid his fyres all blacke With smoake besmeard his corps halfe burnt in shiuers gube flawes And downe the throate his gasping breath flames at once he drawes Then to Alemen he turnd himselfe O mother myne quoth hee Should ye so stand at Hercles death should you thus wayle for me And thus betwene the fire and smoke vpright and stiffe he standes And neyther stoupes nor leanes awrye but moues and stirs his hands With al his liuely gestures still and thus he doth perswade His mother leaue the langusshing and mourning that she made And did encourage all his men t' encrease the fyre than As though he were not burning but would burne some other man The people stoode astonished and scant they would beleeue That fire had any force on him or that it did him greeue Because his chereful looke had such a maiesty and grace And neuer wilde vs meue the fyre that he might burne apace And now when as he thought he had endured pangues ynough And stoutly bode the brunt of death the blocks hee doth remoue That smothering lay to make theÌ„ burne then downward doth he shoue And where the stewing heate did chiefely scorch and burne most hot That way he thrusts his frying lims and thether hath hee got With steaming countnaunce vnapaulde his mouth now doth he fill With burning coales his comely Bearde theÌ„ blazde about his cheekes And now when as the sparkling fier vnto his visage seekes The flame lickt vp his sâ—â—ged hayre and yet he did not winke But open kept his staring eyes But what is this my thinke Alomene cometh yonder as a woefull wight forlorne With sighes and sobs and all her hayre befrounced rent and torne And beares the remnaunt in her Lap of Hercules the great Alcmena Philoctetes LEarne Lordings learne to feare and dread th' unwelldy fatall force This little dust is all that 's lefâ— of Hercles hugy coarse That boysteous Giaunt is consumde vnto these ashes small O Titan what a mighty masse is come to nought at all Aye me an aged womans lappe all Hercules doth shrowde her lap doth serue him for a graue and yet the champion prowde With all his lumpe stils not the roome Aye mee a burthen small I feele of him to whom whole heauen no burthen was at all O Hercules beare chylde O sonne the season whilom was That thou to Tartar pits and sluggish deus aloofe didst passe For to repasse from deepe of hell when wilt thou come agayne For to put loyne the spoyles thereof or bring from captiue chayne To life thy friendly Theseus But when wilt thou returne Alone can flaming Phelegethon thy ghost in torments burne Or can the mastiâ—â—e Dogge of hell keepe downe thy woefull sprite Where then might I come see thy soule and leaue this loathed light When shall I rap at Tartar gate what Iawes shall mee deuower What death shall dâ—wnt mee goest thou to hell and hast no power To come agayne alas why do I wast the day in teares and 〈◊〉 O wretched lyfe why dost thou last thou shouldest droupe and saynt And loath this dreary daye how can I beare to Ioue agayâ—e Another noble Hercules what sonne may I obtayne So valiunt to call mee thus Alcmena mother myne O happy spouse Ampliterio twyse happy hast thou bene In entring at the dennes of death and through the noble sonne The Deutis arthy presentes quake to see thee thether come Though thou but forged father were to Hercules of late Whether shall old beldam goe whom many kinges do hate If any prince remayne with blody breast and murdring mynde Then woe to mee if groning babes be any left behynd That sorrow for theyr parentes deathes now now for Hercles sake Theyr mallice let them wrecke on mee on mee dyre vengeance take If any young Bustris be I feare the Persians sore Wil come and take me captiue hence in chaynes for euermore If any tyrant feede his horce with gubbes of straungers flesh Now let his pampred iades vnto my Carksse fall a fresh Perhap dame Iuno coueteth on me to wrecke her yrâ— And eâ—vs of her burning breast wil turne the flaming fire Her wreckful hand doth loyter now sith Hercules is slayne And now to feele her spurning spyte as harlot I remayne My valyant sonne is cause of this my wombe shall barrayne be Least I should beare another