Lucina leaped vp amazde at that that shée had sed And let her â—ands a sunder slip And I immediatly With loosening of the knot had sauf deliuerance by and by They say that in deceyuing Dame Lucina Galant laught And therfore by the yellow locks the Goddesse wroth hir caught And dragged her And as she would haue risen from the ground Shée kept her downe and into legges her armes shée did confound Her former stoutnesse still remaynes her backe dooth kéepe the hew That â—rst was in her heare her shape is only altered new And for with lying mouth shée helpt a woman laboring shée Dooth kindle also at her mouth And now she haunteth frée Our houâ—es as shée did before a Weasâ—e as wée sée With that shée syghes too think vppon her seruants hap and then Her daughtrinlaw immediatly replied thus agen But mother shee whose altred shape dooth moue your hart so sore Was neyther kithâ—nor kin too you What will you say therefore If of myne owne déere suster I the woondrous fortune show Although my sorrow and the teares that from myne eyes doo flow Doo hinder mee and stop my spéeche Her mother you must know My father by another wyfe had mée bare neuer mo But this same Ladie Dryopee the fayrest Ladye tho In all the land of Oechalye Whom béeing then no mayd For why the God of Delos and of Delphos had her frayd Andraemon taketh too hys wyfe and thinkes him well apayd There is a certaine leaning Lake whose bowing banks doo show A likenesse of the salt sea shore Uppon the brim doo grow All round about it Mirtletrées My suster thither goes Unwares what was her destinie and which you may suppose Was more too bée disdâ—yned at the cause of comming there Was too the fayries of the Lake fresh garlonds for too beare And in her armes a babye her sweete burthen shée did hold Who sucking on her brest was yit not full a tweluemoonth old Not farre from this same pond did grow a Lote trée florisht gay With purple flowres and beries swéete and leaues as gréene as Bay Of theis same flowres too please her boy my suster gathered sum And I had thought too doo so too for I was thither cum I saw how from the sliuered flowres red drops of blood did fall And how that shuddring horribly the braunches quaakt withall You must perceyue that as too late the Countryfolk declare A Nymph cald Lotos flying from fowle Pryaps filthy ware Was turned intoo this same trée reseruing still her name My suster did not know so much who when shée backward came Afrayd at that that shée had séene and hauing sadly prayd The Nymphes of pardon too haue gone her way agen assayd Her féete were fastned downe with rootes Shee stryued all she myght Too plucke them vp but they so sure within the earth were pyght That nothing saue her vpper partes shée could that present moue A tender barke growes from beneath vp leysurly aboue And softly ouerspreddes her loynes which when shée saw shée went About too teare her heare and full of leaues her hand shée hent Her head was ouergrowen with leaues And little Amphise so Had Eurytus his Graundsyre naamd her sonne not long ago Did féele his mothers dugges wex hard And as he still them drew In sucking not a whit of milke nor moysture did â—nsâ—w I standing by thée did behold thy cruell chaunce but nought I could reléeue thée suster myne yit too my powre I wrought Too stay the growing of thy trunk and of thy braunches by Embracing thée Yea I protest I would ryght willingly Haue in the selfe same barke with thee bene closed vp Behold Her husband good Andraemon and her wretched father old Sir Eurytus came thither and enquyrd for Dryopee And as they askt for Dryopee I shewd them Lote the tree They kist the wood which yit was warme and falling downe bylow Did hug the rootes of that their trée My suster now could show No part which was not wood except her face A deawe of teares Did stand vppon the wretched leaues late formed of her heares And whyle she might and whyle her mouth did giue her way too speake With such complaynt as this her mynd shée last of all did breake If credit may bee giuen too such as are in wretchednesse I sweare by God I neuer yit deserued this distresse I suffer peyne without desert My lyfe hath guiltlesse béene And if I lye I would theis boughes of mine which now are gréene Myght withered bée and I heawen downe and burned in the fyre This infant from his mothers wombe remoue you I desyre And put him forth too nurce and cause him vnderneath my trée Oft tymes too sucke and oftentymes too play And when that hée Is able for too speake I pray you let him gréete mée héere And sadly say in this same trunk is hid my mother déere But lerne him for too shun all ponds and pulling flowres from trées And let him in his heart beléeue that all the shrubs he sees Are bodyes of the Goddesses Adew déere husband now Adew déere father and adew déere suster And in yow If any loue of mée remayne defend my boughes I pray From wound of cutting hooke and ax and bit of beast for ay And for I cannot stoope too you rayse you yourselues too mée And come and kisse mée whyle I may yit toucht and kissed bee And lift mée vp my little boy I can no lenger talke For now about my lillye necke as if it were a stalke The tender rynd beginnes too créepe and ouergrowes my top Remoue your fingars from my face â–ª the spreading barke dooth stop My dying eyes without your help Shee had no sooner left Her talking but her lyfe therewith toogither was bereft But yit a good whyle after that her natiue shape did fade Her newmade boughes continewed warme Now whyle that Iöle made Report of this same woondrous tale and whyle Alcmena who Did wéepe was drying vp the teares of Iöle wéeping too By putting too her thomb there hapt a sodeine thing so straunge That vntoo mirth from heauinesse theyr harts it streight did chaunge For at the doore in maner euen a very boy as then With short soft Downe about his chin reuoked backe agen Too youthfull yeares stood Iölay with countnance smooth and trim Dame Hebee Iunos daughter had bestowde this gift on him Entreated at his earnest sute Whom mynding fully there The giuing of like gift ageine too any too forsweare Dame Themis would not suffer For quoth shée this present howre Is cruell warre in Thebee towne and none but Ioue hath powre Too vanquish stately Canapey The brothers shall a like Wound eyther other And alyue a Prophet shall go séeke His owne quicke ghoste among the dead the earth him swallowing in The sonne by taking vengeance for his fathers death shall win The name of kynd and wicked man in one and self same cace And flayght with mischéefes from his wits and from
Swan his wings to splay She added also how by Ioue in shape of Satyr gaye The faire Antiope with a paire of children was besped And how he tooke Amphitrios shape when in Alâ—menas bed He gate the worthie Hercules and how he also came To Danae like a shoure of golde to Aegine like a flame A sheepeherd to Mnemosyne and like a Serpent â—ly To Proserpine She also made Neptuâ—â—s leaping by Upon a Maide of Aeolus race in likenesse of a Bull And in the streame Enipeus shape begetting on a trull The Giants Othe and Ephialt and in the shape of Ram Begetting one Theophane Bisalties ympe with Lam And in a lustie Stalions shape she made him houering there Dame Ceres with the yellow lockes and hir whose golden heare Was turnde to crawling Snakes on whome he gate the winged horse She made him in a Dolphins shape Melantho to enforce Of all these things she missed not their proper shapes nor yit The full and iust resemblance of their places for to â—it In likenesse of a Countrie cloyne was Phebus picturde there And how he now ware Gossehaukes wings and now a Lions heare And how he in a shepeherdes shape was practising a wile The daughter of one Macarie dame Issa to beguile And how the faire Erygone by chaunce did suffer rape By Bacchus who deceyued hir in likenesse of a grape And how that Saturne in the shape of Genet did beget The double Chiron Round about the vtmost Uerdge was set A narrow Traile of pretie floures with leaues of Iuie fret Not Pallas no nor spight it selfe could any quarrell picke To this hir worke and that did touch Minerua to the quicke Who therevpon did rende the cloth in pieces euery whit Bicause the lewdnesse of the Gods was blased so in it And with an Arras weauers combe of Box she fiercely smit Arachne on the forehead full a dosen times and more The Maide impacient in hir heart did stomacke this so sore That by and by she hung hirselfe Howbeit as she hing Dame Pallas pitying hir estate did stay hir in the string From death and said lewde Callet liue but hang thou still for mée And least hereafter from this curse that time may set thée frée I will that this same punishment enacted firmely bée As well on thy posteritie for euer as on thée And after when she should depart with iuice of Hecats flowre She sprinkled hir and by and by the poyson had such powre That with the touch thereof hir haâ—re hir eares and nose did fade And verie small it both hir heade and all hir bodie made In steade of legs to both hir sides sticke fingars long and fine The rest is bellie From the which she nerethelesse doth twine A slender thréede and practiseth in shape of Spider still The Spinners and the Websters crafts of which she erst had sâ—â—ll All Lydia did repine hereat and of this déede the fanie Through Phrygie ran through the world was talking of the â—ame Before hir mariage Niobe had knowen hir verie well When yet a Maide in Meonie and Sipyle she did dwell And yet Arachnes punishment at home before hir eyes To vse discreter kinde of talke it could hir not aduise Nor as behoueth to the Gods to yéelde in humble wise For many things did make hir proud But neyther did the towne The which hir husband builded had nor houses of renowne Of which they both descended were nor yet the puissance Of that great Realme wherein they reignde so much hir minde enhauÌ„ce Although the liking of them all did greatly hir delight As did the offspring of hir selfe And certenly she might Haue bene of mothers counted well most happie had she not So thought hir selfe For she whome sage Tyresias had begot The Prophet Manto through instinct of heauenly powre did say These kinde of wordes in open strete Ye Thebanes go your way Apace and vnto Latoâ— and to Latons children pray And offer godly Frankinsence and wreath your haire with Bay Latona by the mouth of me commaundes you so to do The Thebaâ—e women by and by obeying therevnto Deckt all their heades with Laurell leaues as Maâ—to did require And praying with deuout intent threw incense in the fire Beholde out commeth Niobe enuironde with a garde Of seruaunts and a solemne traine that followed afterward She was hirselfe in raiment made of costly cloth of golde Of Phrygia facion verie braue and gorgeous to beholde And of hir selfe she was right faire and beautifull of face But that hir wrathfull stomake then did somewhat staine hir grace She mouing with hir portly heade hir haire the which as then Did hang on both hir shoulders loose did pawse a while and when Wyth loftie looke hir stately eyes she rolled had about What madnesse is it quoth she to prefer the heauenly rout Of whome ye doe but heare to such as daily are in sight Or why should Laton honored be with Altars Neuer wight To my most sacred Maiestie did offer incense Yit My Father was that Tantalus whome only as most fit The Gods among them at their boordes admitted for to sit A sister of the Pleyades is my mother Finally My Graundsire on the mothers side is that same Atlas hiâ— That on his shoulders beareth vp the heauenly Axeltrée Againe my other Graundfather is Ioue and as you sée He also is my Fathrinlawe wherin I glorie may The Realme of Phrygia here at hand doth vnto me obay In Cadmus pallace I thereof the Ladie doe remaine And ioyntly with my husbande I as péerlesse Princesse reigne Both ouer this same towne whose walles my husbands harpe did frame And also ouer all the folke and people in the same In what soeuer corner of my house I cast mine eye A worlde of riches and of goods I eurywhere espie Moreouer for the beautie shape and fauor growen in me Right well I know I doe deserue a Goddesse for to be Besides all this seuen sonnes I haue and daughters seuen likewise By whome shall shortly sonneinlawes and daughtrinlawes arise Iudge you now if that I haue cause of statelynesse or no. How dareye then prefer to me Latona that same fro The Titan Ceus ympe to whome then readie downe to lie The howgie Earth a little plot to childe on did denie From Heauen from Earth from the Sea your Goddesse banisht was And as an outcast through the world from place to place did passe Untill that Delos pitying hir sayde thou dosâ—e fléete on land And I on Sea and therevpon did lende hir out of hand A place vnstable Of two twinnes there brought a bed was she And this is but the seuenth part of the issue borne by me Right happie am I. who can this denie and shall so still Continuâ— who doth doubt of that abundance hath and will Preserue me I am greater thau that frowarde fortune may Empeache me For although she shoulde pull many things away Yet should she lâ—aue me many more My state is out of
brest who no such matter dréedes With wicked weapon he did pierce As Toxey doubting stood What way to take desiring both t'aduenge his brothers blood And fearing to be murthered as his brother was before Meleager to dispatch all doubts of musing any more Did heate his sword for companie in bloud of him againe Before Plexippus blud was cold that did thereon remaine Althaea going toward Church with presents for to yild Due thankes and worship to the Gods that for hir sonne had kild The Boare beheld hir brothers brought home dead and by and by She beate hir brest and filde the towne with shrieking piteously And shifting all hir rich aray did put on mourning wéede But when she vnderstoode what man was doer of the déede She left all mourning and from teares to vengeance did procéede There was a certaine firebrand which when Oenies wife did lie In childebed of Meleager she chaunced to espie The Destnies putting in the fire and in the putting in She heard them speake these words as they his fatall thréede did spin O lately borne like time we giue to thée and to this brand And when they so had spoken they deparâ—ed out of hand Immediatly the mother caught the blazing bough away And quenched it This bough she kept full charely many a day And in the kéeping of the same she kept hir sonne aliue But now intending of his life him clearly to depriue She brought it forth and causing all the coales and shiuers to Be layëd by she like a foe did kindle fire thereto Fowre times she was about to cast the firebrand in the flame Fowre times she pulled backe hir hand from doing of the same As mother and as sister both she stroue what way to go The diuers names drew diuersly hir stomacke to and fro Hir face waxt often pale for feare of mischiefe to ensue And often red about the eies through heate of ire she grew One while hir looke resembled one that threatned cruelnesse Another while ye would haue thought she minded pitiousnesse And though the cruell burning of hir heart did drie hir teares Yet burst out some And as a Boate which tide contrarie beares Against the winde féeles double force and is compeld to yéelde To both So Thesties daughter now vnable for to wéelde Hir doubtfull passions diuersly is caried of and on And chaungeably she waxes calme and stormes againe anon But better sister ginneth she than mother for to be And to thintent hir brothers ghostes with bloud to honor she In meaning to be one way kinde doth worke another way Against kinde When the plagie fire waxt strong she thus did say Let this same fire my bowels burne And as in cursed hands The fatall wood she holding at the Hellish Altar stands She said ye triple Goddesses of wreake ye Hâ—lhounds thrée Beholde ye all this furious fact and sacrifice of mee I wreake and do against all right with death must death be payde On mischiefe mischiefe must be heapt on corse must corse be laide Confounded let this wicked house with heaped sorrowes bée Shall Oenie ioy his happy sonne in honor for to sée And Thestie mourne bereft of his Nay better yet it were That eche with other companie in mourning you should beare Ye brothers Ghostes and soules new dead I wish no more but you To féele the solemne obsequies which I prepare as now And that mine offring you accept which dearly I haue bought The yssue of my wretched wombe Alas alas what thought I for to doe O brothers I besech you beare with me I am his mother so to doe my hands vnable be His trespasse I confesse deserues the stopping of his breath But yet I doe not like that I be Author of his death And shall he then with life and limme and honor to scape frée And vaunting in his good successe the King of Calidon bée And you deare soules 〈◊〉 raked vp but in a little dust I will not surely suffer it But let the villaine trust That he shall die and draw with him to ruine and decay His Kingdome Countrie and his Sire that doth vpon him stay Why where is now the mothers heart and pitie that should raigne In Parents and the ten Monthes paines that once I did sustaine O would to God thou burned had a babie in this brand And that I had not tane it out and quencht it with my hand That all this while thou liued hast my goodnesse is the cause And now most iustly vnto death thine owne desert thée drawes Receiue the guerâ—on of thy déede and render thou agen Thy twice giuen life by bearing first and secondarly when I caught this firebrand from the flame or else come deale with me As with my brothers and with them let me entumbed be I would and cannot What then shall I stand to in this case One while my brothers corses seeme to prease before my face With liuely Image of their deaths Another while my minde Doth yéelde to pitie and the name of mother doth me blinde Noâ— wo is me To let you haue the vpper hand is sinne But neâ—ethelesse the vpper hand O brothers doe you win â–ª Condâ—cioâ—ly that when that I to comfort you withall Haue wrought this feate my selfe to you resort in person shall This sed she turnde away hir face and with a trembling hand Did cast the deathfull brand amid the burning fire The brand Did eyther sigh or séeme to sigh in burning in the flame Which sorie and vnwilling was to fasten on the same Meleager being absent and not knowing ought at all Was burned with this flame and felt his bowels to appall With secret fire He bare out long the paine with courage stout But yet it grieued him to die so cowardly without The shedding of his bloud He thought Anceus for to be A happie man that dide of wound With sighing called he Upon his aged father and his sisters and his brother And lastly on his wife to and by chaunce vpon his mother His paine encreased with the fire and fell therewith againe And at the selfe same instant quight extinguisht were both twaine And as the ashes soft and hore by leysure ouergrew The glowing coales so leysurely his spirit from him drew The drouped stately Calydon Both yong and olde did mourne The Lords and Commons did lament and maried wiues with torne And tattred haire did crie alas His father did beray His horie head and face with dust and on the earth flat lay Lamenting that he liued had to sée that wofull day For now his mothers giltie hand had for that cursed crime Done execution on hir selfe by sword before hir time If God to me a hundred mouthes with sounding tongues should send And reason able to conceyue and therevnto should lend Me all the grace of eloquence that ere the Muses had I could not shew the wo wherewith his sisters were bestad Unmindfull of their high estate their naked brests they smit Untill they made
and the land that bred a chyld so voyd of grace I would the land Panchaya should of Amomie be rich And Cinnamom and Costus swéete and Incence also which Dooth issue largely out of trees and other flowers straunge As long as that it beareth Myrrhe not woorth it was the chaunge Newe trées to haue of such a pryce The God of loue denyes His weapons too haue hurted thée O Myrrha and he tryes Himselfe vngiltie by thy fault One of the Furies three With poysonde Snakes and hellish brands hath rather blasted thée To hate ones father is a cryme as heynous as may bee But yit more wicked is this loue of thine than any hate The youthfull Lordes of all the East and Péeres of chéef estate Desyre to haue thée too their wyfe and earnest sute doo make Of all excepting onely one thy choyce O Myrrha take Shee féeles her filthye loue and stryues ageinst it and within Herself sayd whither roonnes my mynd what thinke I to begin Yée Gods I pray and godlynesse yée holy rites and awe Of parents from this heynous cryme my vicious mynd withdrawe And disappoynt my wickednesse At leastwyse if it bée A wickednesse that I intend As farre as I can sée This loue infrindgeth not the bondes of godlynesse a whit For euery other liuing wyght dame nature dooth permit Too match without offence of sin The Hecfer thinkes no shame Too beare her father on her backe The Horse béestrydes the same Of whom he is the syre The Gote dooth bucke the Kid that hée Himself begate and birdes doo tread the self same birdes wée sée Of whom they hatched were before In happye cace they are That may doo so without offence But mans malicious care Hath made a brydle for it self and spyghtfull lawes restreyne The things that nature setteth free yit are their Realmes men sayne In which the moother with the sonne and daughter with the father Doo match where through of godlynesse the bond augments the rather With doubled loue Now wo is mée it had not béene my lot In that same countrie too bée borne And that this lucklesse plot Should hinder mée Why thinke I thus Auaunt vnlawfull loue I ought too loue him I confesse but so as dooth behoue His daughter were not Cinyras my father then Iwis I myght obtaine too lye with him But now bycause he is Myne owne he cannot bée myne owne The néerenesse of our kin Dooth hurt me Were I further of perchauâ—ce I more myght win And if I wist that I therby this wickednesse myght shunne I would forsake my natiue soyle and farre from Cyprus runne This euill heaâ—e dooth hold mée backe that béeing present still I may but talke with Cinyras and looke on him my fill And touch and kisse him if no more may further graunted bée Why wicked wench and canst thou hope for further doost not sée How by thy fault thou doost confound the ryghts of name and kin And wilt thou make thy mother bee a Cucqueane by thy sin Wilt thou thy fathers leman bee wilt thou bée both the moother And suster of thy chyld shall he bée both thy sonne and brother And standst thou not in feare at all of those same susters thrée Whose heads with crawling snakes in stead of heare bematted bée Which pushing with theyr cruell bronds folks eyes and mouthes doo sée Theyr sinfull harts but thou now whyle thy body yit is frée Let neuer such a wickednesse once enter in thy mynd Defyle not myghtye natures hest by lust ageinst thy kynd What though thy will were fully bent yit euen the very thing Is such as will not suffer thée the same too end too bring For why he béeing well disposde and godly myndeth ay So much his dewtye that from ryght and truth he will not stray Would God lyke furie were in him as is in mee this day This sayd her father Cinyras who dowted what too doo By reason of the worthy store of suters which did woo His daughter bringing all theyr names did will her for too show On which of them shée had herself most fancie too bestow At first shée hild her peace a whyle and looking wistly on Her fathers face did boyle within and scalding teares anon Ran downe her visage Cyniras who thought them too procéede Of tender harted shamefastnesse did say there was no néede Of teares and dryed her chéekes and kist her Myrrha tooke of it Excéeding pleasure in her selfe and when that he did wit What husband shée did wish too haue shée sayd one like too yow He vnderstanding not hir thought did well her woordes allow And sayd in this thy godly mynd continew At the name Of godlynesse shée cast mée downe her looke for very shame For why her giltie hart did knowe shée well deserued blame Hygh mydnight came and sléepe bothe care and carkesses opprest But Myrrha lying brode awake could neyther sléepe nor rest Shée fryes in Cupids flames and woorkes continewally vppon Her furious loue One while shée sinkes in déepe despayre Anon Shée fully myndes to giue attempt but shame doth hold her in Shée wishes and shée wotes not what too doo nor how too gin And like as when a mightye trée with axes heawed rownd Now reedye with a strype or twaine to lye vppon the grownd Uncerteine is which way to fall and tottreth euery way Euen so her mynd with dowtfull wound efféebled then did stray Now héere now there vncerteinely and tooke of bothe encreace No measure of her loue was found no rest nor yit releace Saue onely death death likes her best Shée ryseth full in mynd To hang herself About a post her girdle she doth bynd And sayd farewell déere Cinyras and vnderstand the cause Of this my death And with that woord about her necke shée drawes The nooze Her trustye nurce that in another Chamber lay By fortune heard the whispring sound of theis her woordes folk say The aged woman rysing vp vnboltes the doore And whan Shée saw her in that plyght of death shée shréeking out began Too smyght her self and scratcht her brest and quickly too her ran And rent the girdle from her necke Then wéeping bitterly And holding her betwéene her armes shée askt the question why Shée went about too hang her self so vnaduisedly The Lady hilld her peace as dumb and looking on the ground Unmouably was sorye in her hart for béeing found Before shée had dispatcht herself Hernurce still at her lay And shewing her her emptie dugges and naked head all gray Besought her for the paynes shee tooke with her both night and day In rocking and in féeding her shée would vouchsafe to say What ere it were that gréeued her The Ladye turnd away Displeasde and fetcht a sygh The nurce was fully bent in mynd Too bowlt the matter out for which not onely shée did bynd Her fayth in secret things to kéepe but also sayd put mée In trust too fynd a remedye I am not thou shalt sée Yit altoogither dulld by age If
aside The violence of their boystrous blasts things scarsly can abide They so turmoyle as though they would the world in pieces rende So cruell is those brothers wrath when that they doe contende And therefore to the morning graye the Realme of Nabathie To Persis and to other lands and countries that doe lie Farre vnderneath the Morning starre did Eurus take his flight Likewise the setting of the Sunne and shutting in of night Belong to Zephyr And the blasts of blustring Boreas raigne In Scythia and in other landes set vnder Charles his waine And vnto Auster doth belong the coast of all the South Who beareth shoures and rotten mistes continuall in his month Aboue all these he set aloft the cleare and lightsome skie Without all dregs of earthly filth or grossenesse vtterlie The boundes of things were scarsly yet by him thus pointed out But that appeared in the heauen starres glistring all about Which in the said confused heape had hidden bene before And to thintent with liuely things eche Region for to store The heauenly soyle to Gods and Starres and Planets first he gaue The waters next both fresh and salt he let the fishes haue The suttle ayre to flickring fowles and birdes he hath assignde The earth to beasts both wilde and tame of sundrie sort and kinde Howbeit yet of all this while the creature wanting was Farre more deuine of nobler minde which should the residue pasâ—e In depth of knowledge reason wit and high capacitie And which of all the residue should the Lord and ruler bée Then eyther he that made the worlde and things in order set Of heauenly séede engendred Man or else the earth as yet Yong lustie fresh and in hir floures and parted from the kie But late before the séede thereof as yet held inwardlie The which Prometheus tempring straight with waâ—er of the spring Did make in likenesse to the Gods that gouerne euerie thing And where all other beasts behold the ground with groueling eie He gaue to Man a stately looke replâ—â—e with maiestie And willde him to behold the Heâ—â—en wyth countnance cast on hie â–ª To marke and vnderstand what things were in the starrie skie And thus the earth which late before had neyther shape nor hew Did take the noble shape of man and was transformed new Then sprang vp first the golden age which of it selfe maintainde The truth and right of euery thing vnforst and vnconstrainde There was no feare of punishment there was no thrâ—â—ining lawe In brazen tables nayled vp to â—éepe the folke inlawe There was no man would cronch or créepe to Iudge with cap in hand They liued safe without a Iudge in euerie Realme and lande The loftie Pynetrée was not hewen from mountaines where it stood In séeking straunge and forren landes to roue vpon the flood Men knew none other countries yet than where themselues did kéepe There was no towne enclosed yet with walles and diches déepe No horne nor trumpet was in vse no sword nor helmet worne The worlde was suche that souldiers helpe might easly be forborne The fertile earth as yet was frée vntoucht of spade or plough And yet it yéelded of it selfe of euery things inough And men themselues contented well with plaine and simple foode That on the earth of natures gift without their trauell stoode Did liue by Raspis heppes hawes by cornelles plummes and cherries By sloes and apples nuttes and peares and lothsome bramble berries And by the acornes dropt on ground from Ioues brode trée in fielde The Springtime lasted all the yeare and Zephyr with his milde And gentle blast did cherish things that grew of owne accorde The ground vntilde all kinde of fruits did plenteously auorde No mucke nor tillage was bestowde on leane and barren land To make the corne of better head and ranker for to stand TheÌ„ streames ran milke then streames ran wine yellow honny flowde From ech gréene trée whereon the rayes of firie Phebus glowde But when that into Lymbo once Saturnus being thrust The rule and charge of all the worlde was vnder Ioue vniust And that the siluer age came in more somewhat base than golde More precious yet than freckled brasse immediatly the olde And auncient Spring did Ioue abridge and made therof anon Foure seasons Winter Sommer Spring and Autumne of and on Then first of all began the ayre with feruent heate to swelt Then Isyeles hung roping downe then for the colde was felt Men gan to shroud themselues in house their houses were the thickes And bushie queaches hollow caues or hardels made of stickes Then first of all were furrowes drawne and corne was cast in ground The simple Oxe with sorie sighes to heauie yoke was bound Next after this succeded streight the third and brazen age More hard of nature somewhat bent to cruell warres and rage But yet not wholy past all grace Of yron is the last In no part good and traetable as former ages past For when that of this wicked Age once opened was the veyne Therein all mischief rushed forth then Fayth and Truth were faine And honest shame to hide their heades for whom stept stoutly in Craft Treason Uiolence Enuie Pride and wicked Lust to win The shipman hoyst his sailes to wind whose names he did not knowe And shippes that erst in toppes of hilles and mountaines had ygrowe Did leape and daunce on vncouth waues and men began to bound With dowles and diches drawen in length the frée and fertile ground Which was as common as the Ayre and light of Sunne before Not onely corne and other fruites for sustnance and for store Were now exacted of the Earth but eft thy gan to digge And in the bowels of the ground vnsaciably to rigge For Riches coucht and hidden déepe in places nere to Hell The spurres and stirrers vnto vice and foes to doing well Then hurtfull yron came abrode then came forth yellow golde More hurtfull than the yron farre then came forth battle bolde That feightes with bothe and shakes his sword in cruell bloudy hand Men liue by rauine and by stelth the wandring guest doth stand In daunger of his host the host in daunger of his guest And fathers of their sonne in lawes yea seldome time doth rest Betwéene borne brothers such accord and loue as ought to bée The goodman séekes the goodwiues death and his againe séekes shée The stepdames fell their husbandes sonnes with poyson do assayle To sée their fathers liue so long the children doe bewayle All godlynesse lies vnder foote And Ladie Astrey last Of heauenly vertues from this earth in slaughter drowned past And to thintent the earth alone thus should not be opprest And heauen aboue in slouthfull ease and carelesse quiet rest ¶ Men say that Giantes went about the Realme of Heauen to win To place themselues to raigne as Gods and lawlesse Lordes therein And hill on hill they heaped vp aloft vnto the skie Till God almighty from the Heauen did let his
to take I pray thée let vs shroude our selues in shadowe here togither Of this or that he poynted both it makes no matter whither Untill the whotest of the day and Noone be ouerpast And if for feare of â—auage beastes perchaunce thou be agast To wander in the Woods alone thou shalt not néede to feare A God shall bée thy guide to saue thée harmelesse euery where And not a God of meaner sort but euen the same that hath The heauenly scepter in his hande who in my dreadfull wrath Do dart downe thunder wandringly and therefore make no hast To runne away She ranne apace and had alreadie past The Fen of Lerna and the field of Lincey set with trées When Ioue intending now in vaine no lenger tyme to léese Upon the Countrie all about did bring a foggie mist And caught the Mayden whome poore foole he vsed as he list Quéene Iuno looking downe that while vpon the open field When in so fayre a day such mistes and darkenesse she behelde Dyd maruell much for well she knewe those mistes ascended not From any Ryuer moorishe ground or other dankishe plot She lookt about hir for hir Ioue as one that was acquainted With such escapes and with the déede had often him attainted Whome when she founde not in the heauen onlesse I gesse amisse Some wrong agaynst me quoth she now my husbande working is And with that worde she left the Heauen and downe to earth shée came Commaunding all the mistes away But Ioue foresées the same And to a Cow as white as milke his Leman he conuayes She was a goodly Hecfar sure and Iuno did hir prayse Although God wot she thought it not and curiously she sought Where she was bred whose Cow she was who had hir thither brought As though she had not knowne the truth Hir husband by and by Bycause she should not search to neare deuisde a cleanly lie And tolde hir that the Cow was bred euen nowe out of the grounde Then Iuno who hir husbands shift at fingers endes had founde Desirde to haue the Cow of gift What should he doe as tho Great cruelnesse it were to yéelde his Louer to hir fo And not to giue would bréede mistrust As fast as shame prouoked So fast agayne a tother side his Loue his minde reuoked So much that Loue was at the poynt to put all shame to flight But that he feared if he should denie a gift so light As was a Cowe to hir that was his sister and his wyfe Might make hir thinke it was no Cow bréede perchaunce some strife Now when that Iuno had by gift hir husbands Leman got Yet altogether out of feare and carelesse was she not She had him in a ielousie and thoughtfull was she still For doubt he should inuent some meanes to steale hir from hir till To Argus olde Aristors sonne she put hir for to kéepe This Argus had an hundreth eyes of which by turne did sléepe Alwayes a couple and the rest did duely watch and warde And of the charge they tooke in hande had euer good regarde What way so euer Argus stood with face with backe or side To Iö warde before his eyes did Iö still abide All day he let hir graze abroade the Sunne once vnder ground He shut hir vp and by the necke with wrythen With hir bound With croppes of trées and bitter wéedes now was she dayly fed And in the stead of costly couch and good soft featherbed She sate a nightes vpon the ground and on such ground whereas Was not sometime so much as grasse and oftentymes she was Compeld to drinke of muddie pittes and when she did deuise To Argus for to lift hir handes in méeke and humble wise She sawe she had no handes at all and when she did assay To make complaint she lowed out which did hir so affray That oft she started at the noyse would haue runne away Unto hir father Inachs banckes she also did resorte Where many a tyme and oft before she had béene wont to sporte Now when she looked in the streame and sawe hir horned hed She was agast and from hir selfe would all in hast haue fled The Nymphes hir sisters knewe hir not nor yet hir owne deare father Yet followed she both him â—nd them and suffred them the rather To touch and stroke hir where they list as one that preaced still To set hir selfe to wonder at and gaze vpon their fill The good olde Inach pulze vp grasse and to hir straight it beares She as she kyst and lickt his handes did shed forth dréerie teares And had she had hir speach at will to vtter forth hir thought She would haue tolde hir name and chaunce and him of helpe besought But for bicause she could not speake she printed in the sande Two letters with hir foote whereby was giuen to vnderstande The sorrowfull chaunging of hir shape Which séene straight cryed out Hir father Inach wo is me and clasping hir about Hir white and séemely Hecfars necke and christal hornes both twaine He shricked out full piteously Now wo is me again Alas art thou my daughter deare whome through the worlde I sought And could not finde and now by chaunce art to my presence brought My sorrow certesse lesser farre a thousande folde had béene If neuer had I séene thée more than thus to haue thée séene Thou standst as dombe and to my wordes no answere can thou giue But from the bottom of thy heart full sorie sighes dost driue As tokens of thine inwarde griefe and doolefully dost mooe Unto my talke the onely thing least in thy powre to dooe But I mistrusting nothing lesse than this so great mischaunce By some great mariage earnestly did séeke thée to aduaunce In hope somè yssue to haue séene betwéene my sonne and thée But now thou must a husband haue among the Hâ—â—rds I sée And eke thine issue must be such as other cattles bée Oh that I were a mortall wight as other creatures are For then might death in length of time quite rid mée of this care But now bycause I am a God and fate doth death denie There is no helpe but that my griefe must last eternallie As Inach made this piteous mone quicke sighted Argus draue His daughter into further fieldes to which he could not haue Accesse and he himselfe a loof did get him to a hill From whence he sitting at his ease viewd euerie way at will Now could no lenger Ioue abide his Louer so forlorne And therevpon he cald his sonne that Maia had him borne Commaunding Argus should be kild He made no long abod But tyde his feathers to his féete and tooke his charmed rod. With which he bringeth things a sléepe and fetcheth soules from Hell And put his Hat vpon his head and when that all was well He leaped from his fathers towres and downe to earth he flue And there both Hat and winges also he lightly from him thrue Retayning nothing but his staffe
the which thou doest desire of great importance béene More than thy weakenesse well can wielde a charge as well appeares Of greater weight than may agree with these thy tender yeares Thy state is mortall weake and frayle the thing thou doest desire Is such whereto no mortall man is able to aspire Yea foolish boy thou doest desire and all for want of wit A greater charge than any God coulde euer haue as yet For were there any of them all so ouerséene and blinde To take vpon him this my charge full quickly should he finde That none but I could sit vpon the fierie Axeltrée No not euen he that rules this wast and endlesse space we sée Not he that darts with dreadfull hande the thunder from the Skie Shall driue this chare And yet what thing in all the world perdie Is able to compare with Ioue Now first the morning way Lyes stéepe vpright so that the stéedes in coolest of the day And béeing fresh haue much a doe to climbe against the Hyll Amiddes the heauen the gastly heigth augmenteth terror still My heart doth waxe as colde yse full many a tyme and oft For feare to sée the Sea and land from that same place aloft The Euening way doth fall plump downe requiring strength to guide That Tethis who doth harbrowgh mée within hir sourges wide Doth stand in feare least from the heaueÌ„ I headlong down should slide Besides all this the Heauen aye swimmes and whéeles about full swift And with his rolling dryues the starres their proper course to shift Yet doe I kéepe my natiue course against this brunt so stout Not giuing place as others doe but boldely bearing out The force and swiftnesse of that heauen that whyrleth so about Admit thou had my winged Stéedes and Chariot in thine hande What couldste thou doe dost thinke thy selfe well able to withstande The swiftnesse of the whyrled Pooles but that their brunt and sway Yea doe the best and worst thou can shall beare thée quite away Perchaâ—nce thou dost imaginee there some townes of Gods to â—inde With groues and Temples richt with giftes as is among mankinde Thou art deceyude vtterly thou shalt not finde it so By blinde bywayes and vgly shapes of monsters must thou go And though thou knewe the way so well as that thou could not stray Betwéene the dreadful bulles sharp hornes yet must thou make thy way Agaynst the cruell Bowe the which the Aemonian archer drawes Against the ramping Lyon armde with gréedie téeth and pawes Against the Scorpion stretching farre his fell and venymd clawes And eke the Crab that casteth forth his crooked clées awrie Not in such sort as th' other doth and yet as dreadfully Againe thou neyther hast the powre nor yet the skill I knowe My lustie coursers for to guide that from their nosetrilles throwe And from their mouthes the fierie breath that bréedeth in their brest For scarcely will they suffer mée who knowes their nature best When that their cruell courages begin to catch a heate That hardely should I deale with them but that I know the â—eate But least my gift should to thy griefe and vtter perill tend My Sonne beware and whyle thou mayst thy fonde request amend Bycause thou woulde be knowne to bée my childe thou séemst to craue A certaine signe what surer signe I pray thée canst thou haue Than this my feare so fatherly the which I haue of thée Which proueth me most certainly thy father for to bée Beholde and marke my countenaunce O would to God thy sight Coulde pierce within my wofull brest to sée the heauie plight And heapes of cares within my heart Looke through the worlde so round Of all the wealth and goodes therein if ought there may be found In Heauen or Earth or in the Sea aske what thou lykest best And sure it shall not be denide This onely one request That thou hast made I heartely beséech thée to relent Which for to tearme the thing aright is euen a punishment And not an honour as thou thinkest my Phaëton thou dost craue In stead of honour euen a scourge and punishment for to haue Thou fondling thou what dost thou meane with fawning armes about My necke thus flattringly to hang Thou néedest not to dout I haue alreadie sworne by Styx aske what thou wilt of mée And thou shalt haue Yet let thy next wish somewhat wiser bée Thus ended his aduertisment and yet the wilfull Lad Withstood his counsell vrging still the promisse that he had Desiring for to haue the chare as if he had béene mad â–ª His father hauing made delay as long as he could shift Did lead him where his Chariot stood which was of Vulcans gift The Axeltrée was massie golde the Bucke was massie golde The vtmost fellies of the whéeles and where the trée was rolde The spokes were all of syluer bright the Chrysolites and Gemmes That stood vppon the Collars Trace and hounces in their hemmes Did cast a shéere and glimmering light as Phoebus shone thereon Now while the lustie Phaëton stood gazing here vpon And wondered at the workemanship of euerie thing béeholde The earely morning in the East béegan mée to vnfolde Hir purple Gates and shewde hir house bedeckt with Roses red The twinckling starres withdrew which by the morning star are led Who as the Captaine of that Host that hath no péere nor match Dooth leaue his standing last of all within that heauenly watch Now when his Father sawe the worlde thus glister red and trim And that his waning sisters hornes began to waxen dim He had the fetherfooted howres go harnesse in his horse The Goddesses with might and mayne themselues thereto enforce His fierifoming Stéedes full fed with iuice of Ambrosie They take from Maunger trimly dight and to their heades doe tie Strong reyned â—its and to the Charyot doe them well appoint Then Phoebus did with heauenly salue his Phaëtons heade annoint That scorching fire coulde nothing hurt which done vpon his haire He put the fresh and golden rayes himselfe was wont to weare And then as one whose heart misgaue the sorrowes drawing fast With sorie sighes he thus bespake his retchlesse sonne at last And if thou canst at least yet this thy fathers lore obay Sonne spare the whip reyne them hard they run so swift away As that thou shalt haue much a doe their fléeing course to stay Directly through the Zones all â—iue beware thou doe not ride A brode byway cut out a skew that bendeth on the side Contaynde within the bondes of thrée the midmost Zones doth lie Which from the grisely Northren beare Southren Pole doth flie Kéepe on this way my Charyot rakes thou plainely shalt espie And to thintent that heauen and earth may well the heate endure Driue neyther ouer high nor yet too lowe For be thou sure And if thou mount aboue thy boundes the starres thou burnest cleane Againe beneath thou burnst the Earth most safetie is the meane And least perchaunce
hande to breake Ioues mighty hest And though it had yet in thy state as then thou did not rest In Elis did thou then abide and in Messene lande It was the time when vnder shape of shepehierde with a wande Of Olyue and a pipe of réedes thou kept Admetus shéepe Now in this time that saue of Loue thou tooke none other keepe And madste thee merrie with thy pipe the glistring Maias sonne By chaunce abrode the fields of Pyle spide certaine cattle runne Without a hierde the which he stole and closely did them hide Among the woods This pretie slight no earthly creature spide Saue one old churle that Battus hight This Battus had the charge Of welthie Neleus féeding groundes and all his pastures large And kept a race of goodly Mares Of him he was afraide And least by him his priuie theft should chaunce to be bewraide He tooke a bribe to stop his mouth and thus vnto him saide My friend I pray thée if perchaunce that any man enquire This cattell say thou saw them not And take thou for thy hire This faire yong Bullocke Tother tooke the Bullocke at his hand And shewing him a certaine stone that lay vpon the lande Sayd go thy way Assoone this stone thy doings shall bewray As I shall doe So Mercurie did séeme to go his way Annon he commes me backe againe and altred both in speche And outward shape saide Countrieman Ich heartely bezeche And if thou zawest any Kie come royling through this grounde Or driuen away tell what he was and where they may be vownde And I chill gethée vor thy paine an Hecfar an hir match The Carle perceyuing double gaine and gréedy for to catch Sayde vnder yonsame hill they were and vnder yonsame hill C ham zure they are and with his hand he poynted therevntill At that Mercurius laughing saide false knaue and doste bewray Me to my selfe doste thou bewray me to my selfe I say And with that word strayt to a stone he turnde his double heart In which the slaunder yet remaines without the stones desart The Bearer of the charmed Rod the suttle Mercurie This done arose with wauing wings and from that place did flie And as he houered in the Ayre he viewde the fieldes bylow Of Atticke and the towne it selfe with all the trées that grow In Lycey where the learned Clarkes did wholsome preceptes show By chaunce the verie selfe same day the virgins of the towne Of olde and auncient custome bare in baskets on their crowne Beset with garlands fresh and gay and strowde with flowres swéete To Pallas towre such sacrifice as was of custome meete The winged God beholding them returning in a troupe Continued not directly forth but gan me downe to stoupe And fetch a wyndlasse round about And as the hungry Kite Beholding vnto sacrifice a Bullocke redie dight Doth sore about his wished pray desirous for to snatche But that he dareth not for such as stand about and watch So Mercurie with nimble wings doth kéepe a lower gate About Mineruas loftie towres in round and whéeling rate As far as doth the Morning starre in cleare and streaming light Excell all other starres in heauen as far also as bright Dame Phebe dimmes the Morning starre so far did Herses face Staine all the Ladies of hir troupe she was the verie grace And beautie of that solemne pompe and all that traine so fayre Ioues sonne was rauisht with the sight and hanging in the ayre Began to swelt within himselfe in case as when the poulder Hath driuen the Pellet from the Gunne the Pellet ginnes to smoulder And in his flying waxe more hote In smoking brest he shrowdes His flames not brought frō heauen aboue but caught beneath the clouds He leaues his iorney toward heauen and takes another race Not minding any lenger time to hide his present case So great a trust and confidence his beautie to him gaue Which though it séemed of it selfe sufficient force to haue Yet was he curious for to make himselfe more fine and braue He kembd his head and strokt his beard and pried on euery side To sée that in his furniture no wrinkle might be spide And forbicause his Cloke was fringde and garded brode with golde He cast it on his shoulder vp most séemely to beholde He takes in hand his charmed rod that bringeth things asléepe And wakes them when he list againe And lastly taketh kéepe That on his faire welformed feete his golden shooes sit cléene And that all other things thereto well correspondent béene In Cecrops Court were Chambers three set far from all resort With yuorie beddes all furnished in far most royall sort Of which Aglauros had the left and Pandrose had the right And Herse had the middlemost She that Aglauros hight First markt the comming of the God and asking him his name Demaunded him for what entent and cause he thither came Pleiones Nephew Maias sonne did make hir aunswer thus I am my fathers messenger his pleasure to discusse To mortall folke and hellish fiendes as list him to commaund My father is the mightie Ioue To that thou doste demaund I will not feyne a false excuse I aske no more but graunt To keepe thy sisters counsell close and for to be the Aunt Of such the issue as on hir my chaunce shal be to get Thy sister Herse is the cause that hath me hither fet I pray thée beare thou with my loue that is so firmely set Aglauros cast on Mercurie hir scornfull eyes aside With which against Mineruas will hir secretes late she spide Demaunding him in recompence a mighty masse of Golde And would not let him enter in vntil the same were tolde The warlike Goddesse cast on hir a sterne and cruell looke And fetched such a cutting sigh that forcibly it shooke Both brest and brestplate wherewithall it came vnto hir thought How that Aglauros late ago against hir will had wrought In looking on the Lemman childe contrarie to hir othe The whiche she tooke hir in the chest for which she waxed wrothe Againe she saw hir cancred heart maliciously repine Against hir sister and the God And furthermore in fine How that the golde which Mercurie had giuen hir for hir méede Would make hir both in welth and pride all others to excéede She goes me straight to Enuies house a foule and irksome caue Replete with blacke and lothly filth and stinking like a graue It standeth in a hollow dale where neyther light of Sunne Nor blast of any winde or Ayre may for the déepenesse come A dreyrie sad and dolefull den ay full of slouthfull colde As which ay dimd with smoldring smoke doth neuer fire beholde When Pallas that same manly Maide approched nere this plot She staide without for to the house in enter might she not And with hir Iauelin point did giue a push against the doore The doore flue open by and by and fell me in the floore There saw she Enuie sit within fast gnawing on the flesh
should slenderly regarde Hir dutie to hir mistresseward And rather than to fayle The Ladie euen hirselfe with gifts he minded to assayle And all his kingdome for to spend or else by force of hand To take hir and in maintenance thereof by sword to stand There was not vnder heauen the thing but that he durst it proue So far vnable was he now to stay his lawlesse loue Delay was deadly Backe againe with gréedie minde he came Of Prognes â—rrands for to talke and vnderneath the same He workes his owne vngraciousnesse Loue gaue him power to frame His talke at will As oft as he demaunded out of square Upon his wiues importunate desire himselfe he bare He also wept as though his wife had willed that likewise O God what blindnesse doth the heartes of mortall men disguise By working mischiefe Tereus gets him credit for to séeme A louing man and winneth praise by wickednesse extréeme Yea and the foolish Philomele the selfe same thing desires Who hanging on hir fathers necke with flattring armes requires Against hir life and for hir life his licence for to go To see hir sister Tereus beholdes hir wistly tho And in beholding handles hir with heart For when he saw Hir kisse hir father and about his necke hir armes to draw They all were spurres to pricke him forth and wood to féede his fire And foode of forcing nourishment to further his desire As oft as she hir father did betwéene hir armes embrace So often wished he himselfe hir father in that case For nought at all should that in him haue wrought the greater grace Hir father could not say them nay they lay at him so sore Right glad thereof was Philomele and thanked him therefore And wretched wench she thinkes she had obtained such a thing As both to Progne and hir selfe should ioy and comfort bring When both of them in verie déede should afterward it rew To endward of his daily race and trauell Phebus drew And on the shoring side of Heauen his horses downeward flew A princely supper was prepaarde and wine in golde was set And after meate to take their rest the Princes did them get But though the King of Thrace that while were absent from hir sight Yet swelted he and in his minde reuoluing all the night Hir face hir gesture and hir hands imaginde all the rest The which as yet he had not séene as likte his fancie best He féedes his flames himselfe No winke could come within his eyes For thinking ay on hir Assoone as day was in the skies Pandion holding in his hand the hand of Tereus prest To go his way and sheading teares betooke him thus his guest Deare sonneinlaw I giue thee here sith godly cause constraines This Damsell Bythe faith that in thy Princely heart remaines â–ª And for our late aliance sake and by the Gods aboue I humbly thée beseche that as a Father thou doe loue And maintaine hir and that as soone as may be all delay Will vnto me séeme ouer long thou let hir come away The comfort of my carefull age on whome my life doth stay And thou my daughter Philomele it is inough ywis That from hir father set so farre thy sister Progne is If any sparke of nature doe within thy heart remayne With all the haast and spéede thou canst returne to me againe In giuing charge he kissed hir and downe his chéekes did raine The tender teares and as a pledge of faith he tooke the right Handes of them both and ioyning them did eche to other plight Desiring them to beare in minde his commendations to His daughter and hir little sonne And then with much a doe For sobbing at the last he bad adew as one dismaid The foremisgiuing of his minde did make him sore afraid Assoone as Tereus and the Maide togither were a boord And that their ship from land with Ores was haled on the foord The fielde is ours he cride aloude I haue the thing I sought And vp he skipt so barbrous and so beastly was his thought That scarce euen there he could forbeare his pleasure to haue wrought His eye went neuer off of hir as when the scarefull Erne With hooked talants trussing vp a Hare among the Ferne Hath laid hir in his nest from whence the prisoner can not scape The rauening fowle with gréedie eyes vpon his pray doth gape Now was their iourney come to ende now were they gone a land In Thracia when that Tereus tooke the Ladie by the hand And led hir to a pelting graunge that peakishly did stand In woods forgrowen There waxing pale and trembling sore for feare And dreading all things and with teares demaunding sadly where Hir sister was he shet hir vp and therewithall bewraide His wicked lust and so by force bicause she was a Maide And all alone he vanquisht hir It booted nought at all That she on sister or on Sire or on the Gods did call She quaketh like the wounded Lambe which froÌ„ the Wolues hore tâ—th New shaken thinkes hir selfe not safe or as the Doue that feéth Hir fethers with hir owne bloud staynde who shuddring still doth feare The greedie Hauke that did hir late with griping talants teare Anon when that this mazednesse was somewhat ouerpast She rent hir haire and beate hir brest and vp to heauenward cast Hir hands in mourningwise and said â–ª O cankerd Carle O fell And cruell Tyrant neyther could the godly teares that fell A downe my fathers chéekes when he did giue thée charge of meé Ne of my sister that regarde that ought to be in theé Nor yet my chaast virginitie nor conscience of the lawe Of wedlocke from this villanie thy barbrous heart withdraw Behold thou hast confounded all My sister thorough mée Is made a Cucqueane and thy selfe through this offence of thée Art made a husband to vs both and vnto me a foe A iust deserued punishment for lewdly doing so But to thintent O periurde wretch no mischiefe may remaine Unwrought by theé why doest thou from murdring me refraine Would God thou had it done before this wicked rape From hence Then should my soule most blessedly haue gone without offence But if the Gods doe sée this déede and if the Gods I say Be ought and in this wicked worlde beare any kinde of sway And if with me all other things decay not sure the day Will come that for this wickednesse full dearly thou shalt pay Yea I my selfe reiecting shame thy doings will bewray And if I may haue power to come abrode them blase I will In open face of all the world or if thou kéepe me still As prisoner in these woods my voyâ—e the verie woods shall fill And make the stones to vnderstand Let Heauen to this giue eare And all the Gods and powers therein if any God be there The cruell tyrant being chaaft and also put in feare With these and other such hir wordes both causes so him stung That drawing out his naked sworde that
you straunger whome I neuer saw before Should perish what should be the cause of this my feare so great Unhappie wench and if thou canst suppresse this vncouth heat That burneth in thy tender brest and if so be I coulde A happie turne it were and more at case then be I shoulde But now an vncouth maladie perforce against my will Doth hale me Loue persuades me one another thing my skill The best I sée and like the worst I follow headlong still Why being of the royall bloud so fondly doste thou raue Upon a straunger thus to dote desiring for to haue An husband of another world at home thou mightest finde A louer méete for thine estate on whome to set thy minde And yet it is but euen a chaunce if he shall liue or no God graunt him for to liue I may without offence pray so Although I loude him not for what hath Iason trespast me Who woulde not pitie Iasons youth onlesse they cruell be What creature is there but his birth and prowesse might him moue And setting all the rest asyde who woulde not be in loue With Iasons goodlie personage my heart assuredly Is toucht therewith But if that I prouide not remedie With burning breath of blasting Bulles néedes sindged must he bée Of séedes that he himselfe must sow a haruest shall he sée Of armed men in battell ray vpon the ground vp grow Against the which it houeth him his manhode for to show And as a pray he must be set against the Dragon fell If I these things let come to passe I may confesse right well That of a Tyger I was bred and that within my brest A heart more harde than any stéele or stonie rocke doth rest Why rather doe I not his death with wrathfull eyes beholde And ioy with others séeing him to vtter perill solde Why doe I not enforce the Bulles against him why I say Exhort I not the cruell men which shall in battell ray Arise against him from the ground and that same Dragon too Within whose eyes came neuer sléepe God shield I so should doo But prayer smally bootes except I put to helping hand And shall I like a Caytife then betray my fathers land Shall I a straunger saue whome we nor none of ours doth know That he by me preserued may without me homeward row And take another to his wife and leaue me wretched wight To torments If I wist that he coulde worke me such a spight Or could in any others loue than only mine delight The Churle should die for me But sure he beareth not the face Like one that wold doe so His birth his courage and his grace Doe put me clearly out of doubt he will not me deceyue No nor forget the great good turnes he shall by me receyue Yet shall he to me first his faith for more assurance plight And solemly he shall be sworne to kéepe the couenant right Why fearste thou now without a cause step to it out of hand And doe not any lenger time thus lingring fondly stand For ay shall Iason thinke himselfe beholding vnto thée And shall thée marrie solemly yea honored shalt thou bée Of all the Mothers greate and small throughout the townes of Gréece For sauing of their sonnes that come to fetch the golden fléece And shall I then leaue brother sister father kith and kin And household Gods and natiue soyle and all that is therein And saile I know not whither with a straunger yea why not My father surely cruell is my Countrie rude God wot My brother yet a verie babe my sister I dare say Contented is with all hir heart that I should go away The greatest God is in my selfe the things I doe forsake Are trifles in comparison of those that I shall take For sauing of the Gréekish ship renoumed shall I bée A better place I shall enioy with Cities riche and frée Whose fame doth florish fresh euen here and people that excell In ciuill life and all good Artes and whome I would not sell For all the goods within the worlde Duke Aesons noble sonne Whome had I to my lawfull Féere assuredly once wonne Most happie yea and blest of God I might my selfe account And with my head aboue the starres to heauen I should surmount But men report that certaine rockes I know not what doe méete Amid the waues and monstruously againe a sunder fléete And how Charybdis vtter foe to ships that passe thereby Now sowpeth in now speweth out the Sea incessantly And rauening Scylla being hemde with cruell dogs about Amids the gulfe of Sicilie doth make a barking out What skilleth that As long as I enioy the thing I loue And hang about my Iasons necke it shall no whit me moue To saile the daungerous Seas as long as him I may embrace I cannot surely be afraide in any kinde of case Or if I chaunce to be afraide my feare shall only tende But for my husband Callste thou him thy husband doste pretende Gay titles to thy foule offence Medea nay not so But rather looke about how great a lewdnesse thou doste go And shun the mischiefe while thou mayst She had no sooner said These wordes but right and godlinesse and shamefastnesse were staid Before hir eyes and frantick loue did flie away dismaid She went me to an Altar that was dedicate of olde To Perseys daughter Hecate of whome the witches holde As of their Goddesse standing in a thicke and secrete wood So close it coulde not well be spide and now the raging mood Of furious loue was well alaide and clearely put to flight When spying Aesons sonne the flame that séemed quenched quight Did kindle out of hand againe Hir chéekes began to glowe And flushing ouer all hir face the scarlet bloud did flowe And euen as when a little sparke that was in ashes hid Uncouered with the whisking windes is from the ashes rid Efâ—soones it taketh nourishment and kindleth in such wise That to his former strength againe and flaming it doth rise Euen so hir quailed loue which late ye would haue thought had quight Bene vanisht out of minde as soone as Iason came in sight Did kindle to his former force in vewing of the grace With which he did auaunce himselfe then comming there in place And as it chaunced farre more faire and beautifull of face She thought him then than euer erst but sure it doth behoue Hir iudgement should be borne withall bicause she was in loue She gapte and gased in his face with fixed staring eyen As though she neuer had him séene before that instant time So farre she was beside hir selfe â—he thought it should not bée The face of any worldly wight the which she then did sée She was not able for hir life to turne hir eyes away But when he tooke hir by the hand and speaking gan to pray Hir softly for to succor him and promisde faithfully To take hir to his wedded wife she falling by and by A wéeping said Sir