For lo these naked walles do well declare My latest leaue of thée I taken haue And vnknowen coastes which I must séeke with care Do well diuine that there shal be my graue There shall my death make many for to mone Skarce knowne to them well knowne to thee alone This bowne of thée as last request I craue When true report shall sounde my death with fame Vouchsafe yet then to go vnto my graue And there first write my byrth and then my name And how my life was shortned many yeares By womens wyles as to the world appeares And in reward of graunt to this request Permit O God my toung these woordes to tell When as his pen shall write vpon my chest With shriking voyce mine owne deare friend farewell No care on earth did séeme so much to me As when my corps was forst to part from thée Si fortunatus infoelix He wrote to the same friend from Excester this Sonet following A Hundreth sonnes in course but not in kind Can witnesse well that I possesse no ioye The feare of death which fretteth in my mind Consumes my hart with dread of darke anoye And for eche sonne a thousand broken sléepes Deuide my dreames with fresh recourse of cares The youngest sister sharpe hir sheare she kéepes To cut my thred and thus my life it weares Yet let such daies such thousand restlesse nights Spit forth their spite let fates eke showe their force Deathes daunting dart where so his buffet lights Shall shape no change within my friendly corse But dead or liue in heauen in earth in hell I wil be thine where so my carkase dwell Si fortunatus infoelix He wrote to the same friend from Founteine belle eaü in Fraunce this Sonnet in commendation of the said house of Fountaine bel'eaü NOt stately Troye though Priam yet did liue Could now compare Founteine bel'eaü to passe Nor Syrian towers whose loftie steppes did striue To climbe the throne where angry Saturne was For outward shew the ports are of such price As skorne the cost which Cesar spilt in Roome Such works within as stayne the rare deuise Which whilome he Apelles wrought on toome Swift Tiber floud which fed the Romayne pooles Puddle to this where Christall melts in streames The pleasaunt place where Muses kept their schooles Not parcht with Phoebe nor banisht from his beames Yeeld to those Dames nor sight nor fruite nor smell Which may be thought these gardens to excell Si fortunatus infoelix He wrote vnto a Skotish Dame whom he chose for his Mistresse in the French Court as followeth LAdy receyue receiue in gracious wise This ragged verse these rude ill skribled lines Too base an obiect for your heauenly eyes For he that writes his fréedome lo resignes Into your handes and fréely yéelds as thrall His sturdy necke earst subiect to no yoke But bending now and headlong prest to fall Before your féete such force hath beauties stroke Since then mine eyes which skornd our English dames In forrayne courtes haue chosen you for fayre Let be this verse true token of my flames And do not drench your owne in déepe dispayre Onely I craue as I nill change for new That you vouchsafe to thinke your seruaunt trew Si fortunatus infoelix A Sonet written in prayse of the browne beautie compiled for the loue of Mistresse E. P. as foloweth THe thristles thred which pampred beauty spinnes In thraldom binds the foolish gazing eyes As cruell Spiders with their crafty ginnes In worthlesse webbes doe snare the simple Flies The garments gay the glittring golden gite The tysing talk which flowes from Pallas pooles The painted pale the too much red made white Are smiling baytes to fishe for louing fooles But lo when eld in toothlesse mouth appeares And hoary heares in stéede of beauties blaze Than had I wist doth teach repenting yeares The tickle track of craftie Cupides maze Twixt faire and foule therfore twixt great and small A louely nuthrowne face is best of all Si fortunatus infoelix Now to begin with another man take these verses written to be sent with a ryng wherein were engraued a Partrich in a Merlines foote THe Partridge in the pretie Mertines foote Who féeles hir force supprest with fearfulnesse And findes that strength nor strife can do hir boote To scape the danger of hir déepe distresse These wofull wordes may séeme for to reherse Which I must write in this waymenting verse What helpeth now sayeth she dame natures skill To die my feathers like the dustie ground Or what preuayles to lend me winges at will Which in the ayre can make my bodie bound Since from the earth the dogges me draue perforce And now aloft the Hauke hath caught my corse If chaunge of colours could not me conuey Yet mought my wings haue scapt the dogges despite And if my wings did fayle to flie away Yet mought my strength resist the Merlines might But nature made the Merline mée to kill And me to yéeld vnto the Merlines will. My lot is like déere Dame beleue me well The quiet life which I full closely kept Was not content in happie state to dwell But forth in hast to gaze on thée it lept Desire thy dogge did spring me vp in hast Thou wert the Hauke whose tallents caught me fast What should I then séeke meanes to flie away Or striue by force to breake out of thy féete No no perdie I may no strength assay To striue with thée ywis it were not méete Thou art that Hauke whom nature made to hent me And I the Byrd that must therewith content me And since Dame nature hath ordayned so Hir happie hest I gladly shall embrace I yéeld my will although it were to wo I stand content to take my griefe for grace And seale it vp within my secrete hart Which seale receiue as token of my smart Spraeta tamen viuunt A louing Lady being wounded in the spring time and now galded eftsones with the remembrance of the spring doth therfore thus bewayle THis tenth of March when Aries receyud Dame Phoebus rayes into his horned head And I my selfe by learned lore perceyu'd That Ver approcht and frostie winter fled I crost the Thames to take the cherefull ayre In open féeldes the weather was so fayre And as I rowed fast by the further shore I heard a voyce which séemed to lament Whereat I stay'd and by a stately dore I left my Boate and vp on land I went Till at the last by lasting paine I found The wofull wight which made this dolefull sound In pleasant garden placed all alone I sawe a Dame who sat in weary wise With scalding sighes she vttred all hir mone The ruefull teares downe rayned from hir eyes Hir lowring head full lowe on hand she layed On knée hir arme and thus this Lady sayed Alas quod she behold eche pleasaunt gréene Will now renew his sommers liuery The fragrant flowers which haue not long bene séene Will florish
him out his share in ragged shéetes He cannot stoupe to take a gréedy pray Vpon his fellowes groueling in the stréetes He cannot pull the spoyle from such as pill And séeme full angrie at such foule offence Although the gayne content his gréedie will Vnder the cloake of contrarie pretence And now adayes the man that shootes not so May shoote amisse euen as your Woodman dothe But then you maruell why I lette them go And neuer shoote but saye farewell forsooth Alas my Lord while I doe muze hereon And call to minde my youthfull yeares myspente They giue mee suche a boane to gnawe vpon That all my senses are in silence pente My minde is rapte in contemplation Wherein my dazeled eyes onely beholde The blacke houre of my constellation Which framed mée so lucklesse on the molde Yet therewithall I can not but confesse That vayne presumption makes my heart to swell For thus I thinke not all the worlde I guesse Shootes bet than I nay some shootes not so well In Aristotle somewhat did I learne To guyde my manners all by comelynesse And Tullie taught me somewhat to discerne Betwéene swéete spéeche and barbarous rudenesse Olde Parkyns Rastall and Dan Bractens bookes Did lende mée somewhat of the lawlesse Lawe The craftie Courtiers with their guylefull lookes Must néedes put some experience in my mawe Yet can not these with many maystries mo Make me shoote streyght at any gaynfull pricke Where some that neuer handled such a bow Can hit the white or touch it neare the quicke Who can nor speake nor write in pleasant wise Nor leade their life by Aristotles rule Nor argue well on questions that arise Nor pleade a case more than my Lord Mairs mule Yet can they hit the marks that I do misse And winne the meane which may the man mainteyne Now when my minde doth mumble vpon this No wonder then although I pine for payne And whiles mine eyes beholde this mirrour thus The hearde goeth by and farewell gentle does So that your Lordship quickely may discusse What blindes mine eyes so ofte as I suppose But since my Muse can to my Lorde reherse What makes me misse and why I doe not shoote Let me imagine in this woorthlesse verse If right before mée at my standings foote There stoode a Doe and I should strike hir deade And then shée proue a carrian carkas too What figure might I finde within my head To scuse the rage whiche rulde mée so to doo Some myght interprete by playne paraphrase That lacke of skill or fortune ledde the chaunce But I must otherwise expounde the case I say Iehoua did this Doe aduaunce And made hir bolde to stande before mée so Till I had thrust mine arrowe to hir harte That by the sodaine of hir ouerthrowe I myght endeuour to amende my parte And turne myne eyes that they no more beholde Such guylefull markes as séeme more than they be And though they glister outwardely like golde Are inwardly but brasse as men may sée And when I sée the milke hang in hir teate Me thinkes it sayth olde babe now learne to sucke Who in thy youth couldst neuer learne the feate To hitte the whytes whiche liue with all good lucke Thus haue I tolde my Lorde God graunt in season A tedious tale in rime but little reason Haud ictus sapio Gascoignes gardnings whereof were written in one end of a close walke whiche he hath in his Garden this discourse following THe figure of this world I can compare To Garden plots and such like pleasaunt places The world bréedes men of sundry shape and share As hearbes in gardens grow of sundry graces Some good some bad some amiable faces Some foule some gentle some of froward mind Subiect like bloome to blast of euery wind And as you sée the floures most fresh of hew That they proue not alwayes the holesomest So fayrest men are not alwayes found true But euen as withred wéedes fall from the rest So flatterers fall naked from their neast When truth hath tried their painting tising tale They loose their glosse and all their iests séeme stale Yet some do present pleasure most estéeme Till beames of brauerie wither all their welth And some agayne there be can rightly déeme Those herbes for best which may mainteine their helth Considering well that age drawes on by stelth And when the fayrest floure is shronke and gone A well growne roote will stand and shifte for one Then thus the restlesse life which men here leade May be resembled to the tender plant In spring it sprouts as babes in cradle bréede Florish in May like youthes that wisdome want In Autumne ripes and rootes least store waxe skante In winter shrinks and shrowdes from euery blast Like crooked age when lusty youth is past And as the grounde or grace whereon it grewe Was fatte or leane euen so by it appeares ▪ If barreyn soyle why then it chaungeth hewe It fadeth faste it flits to fumbling yeares But if he gathered roote amongst his féeres And light on lande that was well muckte in déede Then standes it still or leaues increase of séede As for the reste fall sundrie wayes God wot Some faynt lyke froathe at euery little puffe Some smarte by swoorde like hearbes that serue the pot And some be wéeded from the finer stuffe Some stande by proppes to maynteyne all their ruffe And thus vnder correction bée it tolde Hath Gascoigne gathered in his Garden molde Haud ictus sapio In that other ende of his sayde close walke were written these toyes in ryme IF any floure that here is growne Or any hearbe may ease your payne Take and accompte it as your owne But recompence the lyke agayne For some and some is honest playe And so my wyfe taughte me to saye If here to walke you take delight Why come and welcome when you will If I bidde you suppe here this night Bidde me an other time and still Thinke some and some is honest playe For so my wife taught me to saye Thus if you suppe or dine with mée If you walke here or fitte at ease If you desire the thing you sée And haue the same your minde to please Thinke some and some is honest playe And so my wife taught me to saye Haud ictus sapio In a chayre in the same Garden was written this followyng IF thou sitte here to viewe this pleasant garden place Think thus at last will come a frost all these floures deface But if thou sitte at ease to rest thy wearie bones Remember death brings finall rest to all oure gréeuous grones So whether for delight or here thou sitte for ease Thinke still vpon the latter day so shalt thou God best please Haud ictus sapio Vpon a stone in the wall of his Garden he had written the yeare wherein he did the coste of these deuises and therewithall this posie in Latine Quoniam etiam humiliatos amoena delectant Gascoignes voyage into Hollande An. 1572.
to liue as better death endure To heare those hellishe fiendes in raging blasphemie Defye our onely Sauiour were this no miserie To sée the fowle abuse of boyes in tender yéeres The which I knowe must néedes abhorre all honest Christians eares To sée maides rauished Wiues Women forst by feare And much more mischiefe than this time can let me vtter here Alas quod he I tell not all my tongue is tyde But all the slaueries on the earth we should with them abide How much were better than to dye in worthy wise And so to make our carkasses a wylling Sacrifice So shall we paye the debt which vnto God is due So shall you die in his defence who deind to die for you And who with hardy hand most Turkish tikes can quell Let him accompt in conscience to please his maker well You sée quod he my sonne wherewith hée lookt on mée Whome but a babe yet haue I brought my partner here to bée For him I must confesse my heart is pensiue nowe To leaue him lyuing thus in youth to die I know not how But since it pleaseth God I may not murmure I If God had pleased we both should liue and as God wyll we dye Thus with a braying sigh his noble tongue he stayde Commaunding all the ordinaunce in order to be laide And placing all his men in order for to fight Fell groueling styll vpon his face before them all in sight And when in secréete so he whispered had a while He raisde his head with chéerefull looke his sorrowes to beguile And with the rest he prayde to God in heauen on hie Which ended thus Thou onely Lord canst helpe in miserie This sayd behold the Turkes enclosde vs round about And séemde to wonder that we durst resist so great a rout Wherat they doubt not long for though our power was slender We sent them signes by Canon shot that we ment not to render Then might we sée them chafe then might we heare them rage And all at once they bent their force about our silly cage Our ordinaunce bestowed our men them selues defend On euery side so thicke beset they might not long contend But as their captaine wilde eche man his force did strayne To send a Turke some two or thrée vnto the hellishe trayne And he himselfe which sawe he might no more abide Did thrust a mide the thickest throng and so with honour died With him there dyed like wise his best aproued men The rest did yéeld as men amazd they had no courage then Amongest the which my selfe was tane by Turkes alas And with the Turkes a turkish life in Turkie must I passe I was not done to death for so I often craude But like a slaue before the Gattes of Famagosta saude That péece once put to sacke I thither was conueyed And vnder sauegard euermore I silly boye was stayed There dyd I sée such sightes as yet my heart do pricke I sawe the noble Bragadine when he was fleyd quicke First like a slaue enforst to beare to euery breach Two baskets laden full with earth Mustaffa dyd him teach By whome he might not passe before he kyst the grounde These cruell tormentes yet with mo that worthy souldior found His eares cut from his head they set him in a chayre And from a maine yard hoisted him aloft into the ayre That so he might be shewed with crueltie and spight Vnto vs all whose wéeping eyes dyd much abhorre the sight Alas why do I thus with woefull wordes rehearse These werye newes which all our heartes with pittie néedes must pearce Well then to tell you forth I styll a slaue remaind To one which Prelybassa hight who held me styll enchaind With him I went to Seas into the gulfe of Pant With many christians captiues mo which dyd their fréedom wāt There with the Turkishe traine we were enforst to staye With waltring styll vpon the waues dyd waite for furder praye For why they had aduise that the Venetian fléete Dyd floote in Argostelly then with whome they hopte to méete And as they waltered thus with tides and billowes tost Their hope had hap for at the last they met them to their cost As in October last vppon the seuenth daye They found the force of christian knightes addrest in good aray And shall I trie my tong to tell the whole discourse And howe they did encounter first and howe they ioynd in force Then harken nowe my lords for sure my memorye Doth yet recorde the very plot of all this victorye The christian crew came on in forme of battayle pight And like a cressent cast them selues preparing for to fight On other side the Turkes which trusted power to much Disorderly did spread their force the will of God was such Well at the last they met and first with cannones thunder Eache other sought with furious force to slit their ships in sunder The barkes are battered sore the gallies gald with shot The hulks are hit and euery man must stand vnto his lot The powder sendes his smoke into the cruddy skies The smoulder stops our nose with stench the fume offends our eies The pots of lime vnsteakt from highest top are cast The parched pease are not for got to make them slip as fast The wilde fire works are wrought and cast in foemens face The grappling hooks are streched foorth the pikes are pusht a pace The halbert hewe on hed the browne billes bruse the bones The harquebush doth spit his spight with prety persing stones The drummes crie dub a dub the braying trumpets blow The whistling fifes are seldom herd these sounds do drowne thē so The voyce of warlike wights to comfort them that faynt The pitious plaints of golden harts which were with feares attaint The groning of such ghosts as gasped nowe for breath The praiers of the better sort prepared vnto death And to be short eache griefe which on the earth maye growe Was eath and easie to be found vpon these floudes to flowe If any sight on earth maye vnto hell resemble Then sure this was a hellishe sighte it makes me yet to tremble And in this bloudie fight when halfe the daye was spent It pleazed God to helpe his flocke which thus in poūd was pent The generall of Spayne gan gald that galley sore Where in my Prely Bassa was and grieude it more and more Vpon that other side with force of sworde and flame The good Venetian Generall dyd charge vpon the same At leength they came aboorde and in his raging pride Stroke of this Turkish captains head which blasphemd as it dide Oh howe I féele the bloud now trickle in my brest To thinke what ioye then pierst my heart and how I thought me blest To sée that cruell Turke which held me as his slaue By happie hand of Christians his paiment thus to haue His head from shoulders cut vpon a Pike dyd stand The which Don Iohn of Austrye helde in his triumphant hand
crowne Whose haughty harts to hent all honour haunte Till high mishaps their doughtiest deedes do daunte 43 All these with mo my penne shall ouerpasse Since Haughty harte hath fixt his fansie thus Let chaunce sayeth he be fickell as it was Sit bonus in re mala Animus Nam omne solum viro forti Ius And fie sayeth he for goods or filthie gaine I gape for glorie all the rest is vayne 44 Vayne is the rest and that most vayne of all A smouldring smoke which flieth with euery winde A tickell treasure like a trendlyng ball A passing pleasure mocking but the minde A fickle fée as fansie well can finde A sommers fruite whiche long can neuer last But ripeneth soone and rottes againe as fast 45 And tell me Haughty harte confesse a truth What man was aye so safe in Glories porte But traynes of treason oh the more the ruth Could vndermine the Bulwarkes of this forte And raze his ramparts downe in sundrie sorte Searche all thy bookes and thou shalt finde therein That honour is more harde to holde than winne 46 Aske Iulius Caesar if this tale be true The man that conquered all the world so wide Whose onely worde commaunded all the crue Of Romayne Knights at many a time and tide Whose pompe was thought so great it could not glide At last with bodkins dubd and doust to death And all his glorie banisht with his breath 47 Of malice more what should I make discource Than thy foule fall proude Pompey by thy name Whose swelling harte enuying Caesars force Did boyle and burne in will and wicked flame By his downe fall thy fonder clyme to frame Till thine owne head bebathed with enmies teares Did ende thy glorie with thy youthfull yeares 48 Alas alas how many may we reade Whome sicknesse sithe hath cut as gréene as grasse Whome colde in Campes hath chaungd as pale as leade Whose greace hath molt all caffed as it was With charges giuen with skarmouching in chasse Some lamed with goute soone gotten in the field Some forst by fluxe all glorie vp to yéeld 49 Of sodayne sores or clappes caught vnaware By sworde by shotte by mischief or by mine What néede I more examples to declare Then Montacute which died by doome deuine For when he had all France defayct in fine From lofty towre discouering of his foes A Cannons clappe did all his glorie lose 50 I had forgot wherein I was to blame Of bolde braue Bourbon somewhat for to say That Haughty hart whome neuer Prince could tame Whome neyther towne could stoppe nor wall let way Nor king nor Keyser could his iorney stay His Epitaph downe set vpon his Tombe Declares no lesse I leaue it to your doome Deuicto Gallo Aucto Imperio Pontifice obsesso Italia superata Roma capta Borbonij boc marmor bahet cineres 51 Oh glorious title ringing out renowne Oh Epitaph of honor and high happe Who reades the same as it is there set downe Would thinke that Borbon sate in fortunes lappe And could not fall by chaunce of after clappe Yet he that wrote this thundring flattering verse Left out one thing which I must néedes rehearse 52 For when he had his king by warre foredone Enlargde the Empyre and besiegde the Pope Tane Rome and Italy had ouerronne Yet was he forst alwayes from lawes to lope And trudge from triall so to scape the rope Yea more than that a banisht man he serued Least loued of them whose thanks he most deserued 53 Lo lordings here a lesson for the nones Behold this glasse and sée yourselues therein This Epitaph was writte for worthy ones For Haughty harts which honor hunt to winne Beware beware what broyles you do begin For smiling lucke hath oft times Finem duram And therefore thinke possic victoria Curam 54 And yet if glory do your harts inflame Or hote desire a haughty name to haue Or if you thirst for high renowne or fame To blase such brute as time might not depraue You léese the labour that you might well saue For many a prayse in that meane while you past Which bet than warre might make your name to last 55 As first percase you skipt Phylosophie That noble skill which doth surmount the rest Wherto if you had 〈◊〉 your memorie Then bruntes of warre had neuer bruzde your brest Yet had our name bene blazde and you bene blest Aske Aristotle if I speake amis Fewe Souldiers fame can greater be than his 56 Next Rethorike that hoonnie harmelesse arte Which conquers moe than warre can well subdue You past it by and therfore loose your parte Of glories great which therevnto are due And might by right your names for aye renue Such glory loe did Cicero attaine Which longer lasts than other glories vaine 57 Of Physike speake for me king Auicen Who more estéemde the meane to saue himselfe Than lessons leude of proude ambitious men Which make debate for mucke and worldly pelfe Yet was his glory neuer set on shelfe Nor neuer shal whyles any worlde may stande Where men haue minde to take good bookes in hande 58 What shoulde I stretch into Astronomie Or maruels make of Musikes sugred sounde Or beate my braynes about Geometrie Or in Arithmetike of artes the grounde Since euermore it is and hath bene founde That who excels in any of the same Is sure to winne an euerlasting fame 59 My meaning is no more but to declare That Haughtie hartes do spende their time in vaine Which followe warres and bring themselues in snare Of sundrie ylls and many a pinching paine Whiles if they list to occupie their braine In other feates with lesser toil◠ygot They might haue fame when as they haue it not 60 Well Greedie minde is of another moode That man was framde out of some other molde He followes warres for wealth and worldlie good To fill his purse with grotes and glistring golde He hopes to buie that Haughtie harte hath solde He is as hote as any man at spoile But at a breach he kéepeth no such coyle 61 Alas good Gréedie minde and canst thou finde No better trade to fill thy boystrous baggs Is witte nowe wente so wandring from thy minde Are all thy points so voide of Reasons taggs Well so mayst thou come roysting home in raggs And lose thy time as Haughtie harte doth eke Whiles like a dolt thou wealth in warre dost seke 62 O bleareyde foole are both thine eyes beblast Canst thou not sée looke vp what man God mend thée Looke at these Lawyers howe they purchase fast Marke wel these Marchants better minde God send thee Sée howe the sutes of silke that they woulde lende thée And many mo so fine in fashion stande Till at the last they pay for vnthriftes lande 63 The Grasier gets by féeding fatte his neate The Clothier coynes by carding locks of wooll The Butcher buildes by cutting out of meate The Tanners hydes do fill his budget
leuie threatning armes Whereof to talke my heart it rendes in twaine Yet once againe I must to thee recompte The wailefull thing that is already spred Bicause I know that pitie will compell Thy tender hart more than my naturall childe With ruthfull teares to mone my mourning case Ser. My gracious Quéene as no man might surmount The constant faith I beare my souraine Lorde So doe I thinke for loue and trustie zeale No Sonne you haue doth owe you more than I For hereunto I am by dutie bounde With seruice méete no lesse to honor you Than that renoumed Prince your déere father And as my duties be most infinite So infinite must also be my loue Then if my life or spending of my bloude May be employde to doe your highnesse good Commaunde O Quéene commaund this carcasse here In spite of death to satisfie thy will So though I die yet shall my willing ghost Contentedly forsake this withered corps For ioy to thinke I neuer shewde my selfe Ingratefull once to such a worthy Quéene Ioca. Thou knowst what care my carefull father tooke In wedlockes sacred state to settle me With Laius king of this vnhappie Thebs That most vnhappie now our Citie is Thou knowst how he desirous still to searche The hidden secrets of supernall powers Vnto Diuines did make his ofte recourse Of them to learne when he should haue a sonne That in his Realme might after him succéede Of whom receiuing answere sharpe and sowre That his owne sonne should worke his wailfull ende The wretched king though all in vayne did séeke For to eschew that could not be eschewed And so forgetting lawes of natures loue No sooner had this paynfull wombe brought foorth His eldest sonne to this desired light But straight he chargde a trustie man of his To beare the childe into a desert wood And leaue it there for Tigers to deuoure Ser. O lucklesse babe begot in wofull houre Ioc. His seruant thus obedient to his hest Vp by the héeles did hang this faultlesse Impe And percing with a knife his tender féete Through both the wounds did drawe the slender twigs Which being bound about his féeble limmes Were strong inough to holde the little soule Thus did he leaue this infant scarcely borne That in short time must néedes haue lost his life If destenie that for our greater gréefes Decréede before to kéepe it still aliue Had not vnto this childe sent present helpe For so it chaunst a shepheard passing by With pitie moude did stay his giltlesse death He tooke him home and gaue him to his wife With homelie fare to féede and foster vp Now harken how the heauens haue wrought the way To Laius death and to mine owne decay Ser. Experience proues and daily is it séene In vaine too vaine man striues against the heauens Ioca. Not farre fro thence the mightie Polibus Of Corinth King did kéepe his princely court Vnto whose wofull wife lamenting muche Shée had no ofspring by hir noble phéere The curteous shepherd gaue my little sonne Which gratefull gift the Quéene did so accept As nothing séemde more precious in hir sight Partly for that his faitures were so fine Partly for that he was so beautifull And partly for bicause his comely grace Gaue great suspicion of his royall bloude The infant grewe and many yeares was demde Polibus sonne till time that Oedipus For so he named was did vnderstande That Polibus was not his sire in déede Whereby forsaking frendes and countrie there He did returne to seeke his natiue stocke And being come into Phocides lande Toke notice of the cursed oracle How first he shoulde his father doe to death And then become his mothers wedded mate Ser. O fierce aspect of cruell planets all That can decrée such seas of heynous faultes Ioca. Then Oedipus fraight full of chilling feare By all meanes sought t' auoyde this furious fate But whiles he wéende to shunne the shameful déede Vnluckly guided by his owne mishappe He fell into the snare that most he feared For loe in Phocides did Laius lye To ende the broyles that ciuill discorde then Had raysed vp in that vnquiet lande By meanes whereof my wofull Oedipus Affording ayde vnto the other side With murdring blade vnwares his father slewe Thus heauenly doome thus fate thus powers diuine Thus wicked reade of Prophets tooke effect Now onely restes to ende the bitter happe Of me of me his miserable mother Alas how colde I féele the quaking bloud Passe too and fro within my trembling brest Oedipus when this bloudy déede was doone Forst foorth by fatall doome to Thebes came Where as full soone with glory he atchieude The crowne and scepter of this noble lande By conquering Sphinx that cruell monster loe That earst destroyde this goodly flouring soyle And thus did I O hatefull thing to heare To my owne sonne become a wretched wife Ser. No meruayle though the golden Sunne withdrew His glittering beames from suche a sinfull facte Ioca. And so by him that from this belly sprang I brought to light O cursed that I am Aswell two sonnes as daughters also twaine But when this monstrous mariage was disclosde So sore began the rage of boyling wrath To swell within the furious brest of him As he him selfe by stresse of his owne nayles Out of his head did teare his griefull eyne Vnworthy more to sée the shining light Ser. How could it be that knowing he had done So foule a blot he would remayne aliue Ioca. So déepely faulteth none the which vnwares Doth fall into the crime he can not shunne And he alas vnto his greater gréefe Prolongs the date of his accursed dayes Knowing that life doth more and more increase The cruell plages of his detested gilte Where stroke of griefly death dothe set an ende Vnto the pangs of mans increasing payne Ser. Of others all moste cause haue we to mone Thy wofull smarte O miserable Quéene Such and so many are thy gréeuous harmes Ioca. Now to the ende this blinde outrageous sire Should reape no ioye of his vnnaturall fruite His wretched sons prickt foorth by furious spight Adiudge their father to perpetuall prison There buried in the depthe of dungeon darke Alas he leades his discontented life Accursing still his stony harted sonnes And wishing all th' infernall sprites of hell To breathe suche poysned hate into their brestes As eche with other fall to bloudy warres And so with pricking poynt of piercing blade To rippe their bowels out that eche of them With others bloud might strayne his giltie hands And bothe at once by stroke of spéedie death Be foorthwith throwne into the Stigian lake Ser. The mightie Gods preuent so fowle a déede Ioca. They to auoyde the wicked blasphemies And sinfull prayer of their angrie sire Agréed thus that of this noble realme Vntill the course of one ful yere was runne Eteocles should sway the kingly mace And Polynice as exul should departe Till time expyrde and then to Polynice Eteocles should yéelde the scepter
And flée the fielde when combate should be callde Ete. This truce assureth thée Polynices And makes thée bolde to giue such bosting wordes So be thou sure that had this truce not bene Then long erethis these handes had bene embrude And eke this soyle besprinkled with thy bloude Po. Not one small drop of my bloude shalt thou spill But buy it deare against thy cankred will. Ioc. O sonnes my sonnes for pittie yet refrayne Ch. Good Gods who euer sawe so strange a sight True loue and frindship both be put to flight Po. Yelde villein yelde my right which thou witholdst Ete. Cut of thy hope to reigne in Thebane walles Nought hast thou here nor nought shal euer haue Away Po. O aultars of my countrie soyle Ete. Whome thou art come to spoyle and to deface Po. O Gods giue eare vnto my honest cause Ete. With forreine power his countrie to inuade Po. O holy temples of the heauenly Gods. Ete. That for thy wicked déedes do hate thy name Po. Out of my kingdome am I driuen by force Ete. Out of the which thou camst me for to driue Po. Punish O Gods this wicked tyrant here Ete. Pray to the Gods in Greece and not in Thebes Po. No sauage beast so cruell nor vniust Ete. Not cruel to my countrie like to thée Po. Since from my right I am with wrong depriued Ete. Eke from thy life if long thou tarie here Po. O father heare what iniuries I take Ete. As though thy diuelishe déedes were hid from him Po. And you mother Eteo. Haue done thou not deseruest With that false tong thy mother once to name Po. O deare Citie Eteo. When thou ariuest in Greece Chuse out thy dwelling in some mustie Moores Po. I must departe and parting must I prayse Oh deare mother the depth of your good will. Ioc. O sonne Eteo. Away I say out of these walls Po. I can not chuse but must thy will obey Yet graunt me once my father for to sée Ete. I heare no prayers of my enemie Po. Where be my swéete sisters Eteo. And canst thou yet With shamelesse tong once name thy noble race That art become a common foe to Thebes Be sure thou shall them neuer sée againe Nor other friend that in these walls remaine Po. Rest you in peace O worthy mother myne Ioc. Howe can that be and thou my ioye in warre Po. Hence forth n'am I your ioyne yet your sonne Ioc. Alas the heauens me whelme with all mishap Po. Lo here the cause that stirreth me by wrong Ete. Much more is that he profereth vnto me Po. Well speake darest thou come armed to the fielde Ete. So dare I come wherfore dost thou demaunde Po. For néeds or thou must ende this life of mine Or quenche my thirst with pouring out thy bloud Eteo. Ah wretch my thirst is all as drie as thine Ioc. Alas and welaway what heare I sonnes How can it be deare children can it be That brethrens heartes such rancour should enrage Eteo. And that right soone the proofe shall playnely shew Io. Oh say not so yet say not so deare sonnes Po. O royall race of Thebes now take thine ende Cho. God shield Eteo. O slow sluggish heart of mine Why do I stay t'embrew these slothfull hands But for his greater griefe I will departe And at returne if here I finde my foe This hastie hande shall ende our hote debate Eteocles here goeth out by the gates Electrae Po. Deare Citizens and you eternall Gods Beare witnesse with me here before the worlde How this my fierce and cruell enimie Whom causelesse now my brother I do call With threates of death my lingring steps doth driue Both from my right and from my countrey soyle Not as beséemes the sonne of Oedipus But as a slaue an abiect or a wretche And since you be both pitifull and iuste Vouchsafe O Gods that as I part with griefe So may I yet returne with ioyfull spoyle Of this accursed tyraunt and he slayne I may recouer quietly mine owne Polynice goeth out by the gates Homoloides Io. O wretched wretch Iocasta wher is founde The miserie that may compare to thine O would I had nor gasing eyes to sée Nor listning eares to heare that now I dread But what remaines saue onely to entreate That cruell dole wold yet so curteous be To reaue the breath out of this wofull brest Before I harken to some wofull newes Rest you here dames and pray vnto the Gods For our redresse and I in that meane while Will shut my selfe from sight of lothsome light Iocasta goeth into hir Pallace Cho. O mightie God the gouernour of Thebes Pitie with spéede the payne Iocasta bydes And eke our néedes O mightie Bacchus helpe Bende willing eare vnto our iust complaint Leaue them not comfortlesse that trust in thee We haue no golde nor siluer thée to giue Ne sacrifice to those thine aultars due In stéede wherof we consecrate our harts To serue thy will and hestes for to obey VVhyles the Chorus is thus praying to Bacchus Eteocles returneth by the gates called Electrae Actus 2. Scena 2. ETEOCLES CREON. SInce I haue ridde mine enmie out of sight The best shall be for Creon now to sende My mothers brother that with him I may Reason consulte conferre and counsell bothe What shall be best to vse in our defence Before we venter forth into the fielde But of this trauayle loe he me acquites That comes in haste towards these royall towres Here Creon attended by foure gentlemen commeth in by the gates Homoloydes Cre. O mightie king not causelesse nowe I come To finde that long haue sought your maistie So to discharge the duetie that I owe To you by comforte and by counsell bothe Ete. No lesse desire this harte of mine did presse To send for thée Creon since that in vaine My mother hath hir words and trauayle spent To reconcile Polynices and me For he so dull was his caparitie Did thinke he could by dread of daunger winne My princely heart to yéeld to him his realme Cre. I vnderstande the armie that he brings Agaynst these walles is such that I me doubte Our cities force may scarce the same resist Yet true it is that right and reason both Are on our side which bring the victorie Oftetimes for we our countrey to defend They to subdue the same in armes are come But what I would vnto your highnesse shewe Is of more weight and more behoues to know Ete. And what is that oh quickly tell it me Cre. A Gréeke prisner is come vnto my hands Ete. And what sayth he that doth so much importe Cre. That euen alredy by their ranks in raye And streight will giue assault to these our walles Ete. Then must I streight prepare our Citizens In glittring arms to march into the fielde Cre. O Prince and pardon me thy youthfull yers Nor sée them selfe ne let thée once discerne What best behoueth in this doubtfull case For Prudence she that
is the mightie quéene Of all good workes growes by experience Which is not founde with fewe dayes séeking for Ete. And were not this both sounde and wise aduise Boldly to looke our foemen in the face Before they spred our fields with hugie hoste And all the towne beset by siege at once Cre. We be but few and they in number great Ete. Our men haue yet more courage farre than they Cre. That know I not nor am I sure to say Ete. Those eyes of thine in little space shall sée How many I my selfe can bring to grounde Cre. That would I like but harde it is to doe Eto I nill penne vp our men within the walles Cre. In counsell yet the victorie consistes Ete. And wilt thou then I vse some other reade Cre. What else be still a while for hast makes wast Ete. By night I will the Cammassado giue Cre. So may you do and take the ouerthrowe Ete. The vauntage is to him that doth assaulte Cre. Yet skirmishe giuen by night is perillous Ete. Let set vpon them as they sit at meat Cre. Sodayne assaults affray the minde no doubt But we had néede to ouercome Ete. So shall we do Cre. No sure vnlesse some other counsell helpe Ete. Amid their trenches shall we them inuade Cre. As who should say were none to make defence Ete. Should I then yéeld the Citie to my foes Cre. No but aduise you well if you be wise Ete. That were thy parte that knowest more than I. Cre. Then shall I say that best doth séeme to me Ete. Yea Creon yea thy counsell holde I deare Cre. Seuen men of courage haue they chosen out Ete. A slender number for so great emprise Cre. But they them chose for guides and capitaynes Ete. To such an hoste why they may not suffise Cre. Nay to assault the seuen gates of the citie Ete. What then behoueth so bestad to done Cre. With equall number sée you do them match Ete. And then commit our men in charge to them Cre. Chusing the best and boldest blouds in Thebes Ete. And how shall I the Citie then defende Cre. Well-with the rest for one man sées not all Ete. And shall I chuse the boldest or the wisest Cre. Nay both for one without that other fayles Ete. Force without wisedome then is little worth Cre. That one must be fast to that other ioynde Ete. Creon I will thy counsell follow still For why I hold it wise and trusty both And out of hand for now I will departe That I in time the better may prouide Before occasion slip out of my hands And that I may this Polynices quell For well may I with bloudy knife him slea That comes in armes my countrie for to spoyle But if so please to fortune and to fate That other ende than I do thinke may fall To thée my frend it resteth to procure The mariage twixt my sister Antygone And thy deare sonne Haemone to whom for dowre At parting thus I promise to performe As much as late I did beheste to thée My mothers bloude and brother deare thou arte Ne néede I craue of thée to gard hir well As for my father care I not for if So chaunce I dye it may full well be sayd His bitter curses brought me to my bane Cre. The Lord defend for that vnworthy were Ete. Of Thebes towne the rule and scepter loe I néede nor ought it otherwise dispose Than vnto thée if I dye without heyre Yet longs my lingring mynde to vnderstand The doubtfull ende of this vnhappie warre Wherfore I will thou send thy sonne to seke Tyresias the deuine and learne of him For at my call I knowe he will not come That often haue his artes and him reprovde Cre. As you commaund so ought I to performe Ete. And last I thée and citie both commaund If fortune frendly fauour our attemptes And make our men triumphant victors all That none there be so hardie ne so bolde For Polynices bones to giue a graue And who presumes to breake my beste herein Shall dye the death in penaunce of his paine For though I were by bloud to him conioynde I paâ—t it now and iustice goeth with me To guide my steppes victoriously before Pray you to Ioue he deigne for to defende Our Citie safe both now and euermore Cre. Gramercie worthie prince for all thy loue And faithfull trust thou doest in me repose And if should hap that I hope neuer shall I promise yet to doe what best behoues But chieflie this I sweare and make a vowe For Polynices nowe our cruell foe To holde the hest that thou doest me commaunde Creon attendeth Eteocles to the gates Electrae he returneth and goeth out by the gates called Homoloydes CHORVS O Fierce and furious Mars whose harmefull harte Reioyceth most to shed the giltlesse blood Whose headie wil doth all the world subuert And doth enuie the pleasant mery moode Of our estate that erst in quiet stoode Why doest thou thus our harmelesse towne annoye Which mightie Bacchus gouerned in ioye Father of warre and death that dost remoue With wrathfull wrecke from wofull mothers breast The trustie pledges of their tender loue So graunt the Gods that for our finall rest Dame Venus pleasant lookes may please thée best Wherby when thou shalt all amazed stand The sword may fall out of thy trembling hand And thou maist proue some other way full well The bloudie prowesse of thy mightie speare Wherwith thou raisest from the depth of hell The wrathfull sprites of all the furies there Who when the weake doe wander euery where And neuer rest to range about the coastes Tenriche that pit with spoile of damned ghostes And when thou hast our fieldes forsaken thus Let cruell discorde beare thée companie Engirt with snakes and serpents venemous Euen she that can with red virmilion dye The gladsome gréene that florisht pleasantly And make the gréedie ground a drinking cup To sup the bloud of murdered bodyes vp Yet thou returne O ioye and pleasant peace From whence thou didst against our wil depart Ne let thy worthie minde from trauell cease To chase disdaine out of the poysned harte That raised warre to all our paynes and smarte Euen from the brest of Oedipus his sonne Whose swelling pride hath all this iarre begonne And thou great God that doest all things decrée And sitst on highe aboue the starrie skies Thou chiefest cause of causes all that bée Regard not his offence but heare our cries And spedily redresse our miseries For what cause we poore wofull wretches doe But craue thy aide and onely cleaue therto Finis Actus secundi Done by G. Gascoygne The order of the thirde dumbe shevve BEfore the beginning of this .iij. Act did sound a very dolefull noise of cornettes during the which there opened and appeared in the stage a great Gulfe Immediatly came in .vj. gentlemeÌ„ in their dublets hose bringing vpon their shulders baskets full of earth and threwe them
the more How much the wished conquest at the first Fell happily vnto the towne of Thebes But wise men ought with patience to sustaine The sundrie haps that slipperie fortune frames Nuncius commeth in by the gates Electrae Nun. Alas who can direct my hastie steppes Vnto the brother of our wofull Quéene But loe where carefully he standeth here Cre. If so the minde may dread his owne mishap Then dread I much this man that séekes me thus Hath brought the death of my beloued sonne Nun. My Lorde the thing you feare is very true Your sonne Meneceus no longer liues Cre. Alas who can withstand the heauenly powers Well it beséemes not me ne yet my yeares In bootelesse plaint to wast my wailefull teares Do thou recount to me his lucklesse deathe The order forme and manner of the same Nun. Your sonne my Lorde came to Eteocles And tolde him this in presence of the rest Renoumed King neither your victorie Ne yet the safetie of this princely Realme In armour doth consist but in the death Of me of me O most victorious King So heauenly dome of mightie Ioue commaunds I knowing what auayle my death should yéeld Vnto your grace and vnto natiue land Might well be déemde a most vngratefull sonne Vnto this worthy towne if I would shunne The sharpest death to do my countrie good In mourning wéede now let the vestall Nimphes With fainyng tunes commend my faultlesse ghost To highest heauens while I despoyle my selfe That afterwarde sith Ioue will haue it so To saue your liues I may receyue my death Of you I craue O curteous Citizens To shrine my corps in tombe of marble stone Whereon graue this Meneceus here doth lie For countries cause that was content to die This saide alas he made no more a doe But drewe his sword and sheathde it in his brest Cre. No more I haue inough returne ye nowe From whence ye came Nuncius returneth by the gates Electrae Well since the bloud of my beloued sonne Must serue to slake the wrath of angrie Ioue And since his onely death must bring to Thebes A quiet ende of hir vnquiet state Me thinkes good reason would that I henceforth Of Thebane soyle should beare the kingly swaye Yea sure and so I will ere it belong Either by right or else by force of armes Of al mishap loe here the wicked broode My sister first espoused hath hir sonne That slewe his fire of whose accursed séede Two brethren sprang whose raging hatefull hearts By force of boyling yre are bolne so sore As each do thyrst to sucke the others bloude But why do I sustaine the smart hereof Why should my bloud be spilt for others gilte Oh welcome were that messenger to me That brought me word of both my nephewes deathes Then should it soone be sene in euery eye Twixt prince and prince what difference would appeare Then should experience shewe what griefe it is To serue the humours of vnbridled youth Now will I goe for to prepare with spéede The funerals of my yong giltlesse sonne The which perhaps may be accompanyed With th' obsequies of proude Eteocles Creon goeth out by the gates Homoloydes Finis Actus 4. Actus 4. CHORVS O Blisful concord bredde in sacred brest Of him that guides the restlesse rolling sky That to the earth for mans assured rest From heigth of heauens vouchsafest downe to flie In thée alone the mightie power doth lie With swete accorde to kepe the frouning starres And euery planet else from hurtfull warres In thée in thée such noble vertue bydes As may commaund the mightiest Gods to bend From thée alone such sugred frendship slydes As mortall wightes can scarcely comprehend To greatest strife thou setst delightfull ende O holy peace by thée are onely founde The passing ioyes that euery where abound Thou onely thou through thy celestiall might Didst first of al the heauenly pole deuide From th' olde confused heape that Chaos hight Thou madste the Sunne the Moone and starres to glide With ordred course about this world so wide Thou hast ordainde Dan Tytans shining light By dawne of day to chase the darkesome night When tract of time returnes the lustie Ver. By thée alone the buddes and blossomes spring The fieldes with floures be garnisht euery where The blooming trées aboundant fruite do bring The cherefull birds melodiously do sing Thou dost appoint the crop of sommers séede For mans reliefe to serue the winters néede Thou doest inspire the heartes of princely péeres By prouidence procéeding from aboue In flowring youth to choose their worthie féeres With whome they liue in league of lasting loue Till fearefull death doth flitting life remoue And loke how fast to death man payes his due So fast againe doste thou his stocke renue By thée the basest thing aduaunced is Thou euerie where dost graffe such golden peace As filleth man with more than earthly blisse The earth by thée doth yelde hir swete increase At becke of thée all bloudy discords cease And mightiest Realmes in quiet do remaine Wheras thy hand doth holde the royall raine But if thou faile then al things gone to wracke The mother then doth dread hir naturall childe Then euery towne is subiect to the sacke Then spotlesse maids the virgins be defilde Then rigor rules then reason is exilde And this thou wofull Thebes to our great paine With present spoile art likely to sustaine Me thinke I heare the wailfull wéeping cries Of wretched dames in euerie coast resound Me thinkes I sée how vp to heauenly skies From battred walls the thundring clappes rebound Me thinke I heare how all things go to ground Me thinke I sée how souldiers wounded lye With gasping breath and yet they can not dye By meanes wherof oh swete Meneceus he That giues for countries cause his guiltlesse life Of others all most happy shall he be His ghost shall flit from broiles of bloudy strife To heauenly blisse where pleasing ioyes be rife And would to God that this his fatall ende From further plagues our citie might defend O sacred God giue eare vnto thy thrall That humbly here vpon thy name doth call O let not now our faultlesse bloud be spilt For hote reuenge of any others gilt Finis Actus quarti Done by F. Kinwelmarshe The order of the laste dumbe shevve FIrst the Stillpipes sounded a very mournful melody in which time came vpon the Stage a womā clothed in a white garment on hir head a piller double faced the formost face fair smiling the other behinde blacke louring muffled with a white laune about hir eyes hir lap ful of Iewelles sitting in a charyot hir legges naked hir fete set vpō a great roūd bal beyng drawē in by .iiij. noble personages she led in a string on hir right hand .ij. kings crowned and in hir lefte hand .ij. poore slaues very meanly attyred After she was drawen about the stage she stayed a little changing the kings vnto the left hande the slaues
pleased not you I cannot my selfe therwith be pleased as one that seeketh not to please many and more desirous to please you than any The cause of myne affection I suppose you behold dayly For self loue auoyded euery wight may iudge of themselues as much as reason perswadeth the which if it be in your good nature suppressed with bashfulnesse then mighty loue graunt you may once behold my wan cheekes washed in woe that therein my salt teares may be a myrrour to represent your owne shadow and that like vnto Nacissus you may be constrayned to kisse the cold waues wherein your counterfait is so liuely purtrayed For if aboundance of other matters fayled to drawe my gazing eyes in contemplation of so rare excellency yet might these your letters both frame in me an admiration of such diuine esprite and a confusion too my dull vnderstanding whiche so rashly presumed too wander in this endles Laberinth Such I esteeme you and thereby am become such and euen HE. F.I. THis letter finished and fayre written ouer his chaunce was to méete hir alone in a Gallery of the same house where his manhood in this kinde of combat was firste tried and therein I can compare him to a valiant Prince who distressed with power of enemies had committed the safegard of his person to treaty of Ambassade and sodenly surprised with a Camassado in his owne trenches was enforced to yéeld as prisoner Euen so Ferdinando Ieronimi lately ouercome by the beautifull beames of this Dame Elynor and hauing now committed his moste secrete intent to these late rehearsed letters was at vnwares encountred with his friendly foe and constrayned either to prepare some new defence or else like a recreant to yéeld himselfe as already vanquished Wherefore as in a traunce he lifted vp his dazled eies and so continued in a certen kind of admiration not vnlike the Astronomer who hauing after a whole nights trauaile in the grey morning found his desired starre hath fired his hungry eies to behold the Comete long looked for wherat this gracious Dame as one that could discerne the sunne before hir chamber windowes were wide opeÌ„ did deign to embolden the fainting Knight with these or like woordes I perceiue nowe quod she howe mishap doth follow me that hauing chosen this walke for a simple solace I am here disquieted by the man that meaneth my destruction and therwithall as half angry began to turne hir backe when Ferdinando now awaked gan thus salute hir Mistresse quod he and I perceiue now that good hap hauÌ„ts me for being by lacke of oportuniâ—ie constreined to commit my welfare vnto these blabbing leaues of bewraying paper shewing that in his haÌ„d I am here recomforted with happy view of my desired ioy and therewithall reuerently kissing his hand did softly distreyne hir slender arme and so slayed hir departure The firste blow thus profered and defended they walked and talked trauersing diuerse wayes wherein I doubte not but that the Venetian coulde quite himselfe resonably well For after long talke shee was contented to accept his proffered seruice but yet still disabling hir selfe and séeming to maruell what cause had moued him to subiect his libertie so wilfully or at least in a prison as shée termed it so vnworthy Wherevnto I néede not rehearse his answere but suppose now that thus they departed sauing I had forgotten this shée required of him the last rehearsed letter saying that his firste was loste and nowe shée lacked a new bottome for hir silke the whiche I warrant you he graunted and so preffering to take an humble congé by Bezolas manos she graciously gaue him the Zuccado dez labros and so for then departed And there vppon recompting hir woordes he compiled these following whiche he termed Terza sequenza too sweete Mistresse SHE OF thee deare Dame three lessons would I learne What reason first persuades the foolish Fly As soone as shee a candle can discerne To play with flame till shee bee burnt thereby Or what may moue the Mouse to byte the bayte Which strikes the trappe that stops hir hungry breth What calles the bird where snares of deepe deceit Are closely coucht to draw hir to hir death Consider well what is the cause of this And though percase thou wilt not so confesse Yet deepe desire to gayne a heauenly blisse May drowne the minde in dole and darke distresse Oft is it seene whereat my hart may bleede Fooles play so long till they be caught in deede And then It is a heauen to see them hop and skip And seeke all shiftes to shake their shackles off It is a world to see them hang the lip Who earst at loue were wont to skorne and skoff But as the Mouse once caught in crafty trap May bounce and beate against the boorden wall Till shee haue brought hir head in such mishap That downe to death hir fainting lymbes must fall And as the Flie once singed in the flame Cannot commaund hir wings to waue away But by the heele shee hangeth in the same Till cruell death hir hasty iourney stay So they that seeke to breake the linkes of loue Striue with the streame and this by paine I proue For when I first beheld that heauenly hewe of thine Thy stately stature and thy comly grace I must confesse these dazled eies of mine Did wincke for feare when I first viewd thy face But bold desire did open them againe And had mee looke till I had lookt to long I pitied them that did procure my paine And lou'd the lookes that wrought me all the wrong And as the byrd once caught but woorks hir woe That striues to leaue the limed twigges behind Euen so the more I straue to parte thee fro The greater grief did growe within my minde Remedilesse then must I yeeld to thee And craue no more thy seruaunt but to bee Till then and euer HE. F.I. WHen he had well sorted this sequence he sought oportunitie to leaue it where shée might finde it before it were lost And nowe the coles began to kindle whereof but ere while shée feigned hir selfe altogither ignorant The flames began to breake out on euery side and she to quench them shut vp hir selfe in hir chamber solitarily But as the smithie gathers greater heate by casting on of water euen so the more she absented hir self from company the fresher was the griefe whiche galded hir remembrance so that at laste the report was spredde thorough the house that Mistresse Elinor was sicke At which newes Ferdinando tooke small comfort neuerthelesse Dame Venus with good aspect did yet thus much furder his enterprise The Dame whether it were by sodaine chaunge or of wonted custome fell one day into a greate bléeding at the nose For whiche accident the sayde Venetian amongst other pretie conceits had a present remedie Whereby he tooke occasion when they of the house had all in vayne sought many waies to stoppe hir bléeding to worke his feate in this wise