University of Virginia Library

Egloga quinta.

Mopsus. Egon.
Egon.
As pytedous thinge to be bewaylde
a desperate Acte of Loue,
(O Destenies) suche cruell broyles,
Howe haue you power to moue?
Here lyued a Ladye fayre of late,
that Claudia men dyd call:
Of goodly forme, yea suche a one,
as farre surmounted all.
The stately Dames, yt in this Courte,
to showe them selues do lye,
There was not one in all the Crewe:
that coulde come Claudia nye.
A worthy Knyght dyd loue her longe,
and for her sake dyd feale,
The panges of Loue. that happen styl
by frownyng Fortunes wheale,
He had a Page, Valerius named,
whom so muche he dyd truste,
That all the secrets of his Hart,
to hym declare he muste.
And made hym all the onely meanes,
to sue for his redresse,
And so entreate for grace to her,
that caused his distresse.
She whan as fyrst she saw his page
was strayght with hym in Loue,
That no thynge coulde Valerius face,
from Claudias mynde remoue
By hym was Faustus often harde,
by hym his sutes toke place,
By hym he often dyd aspyre,
to se his Ladyes face.
This passed well, tyll at the length,
Valerius sore dyd sewe;
With many teres besechynge her,
his Maysters gryefe to rewe,
And tolde her that yf she wolde not
release, his Maysters payne,
He neuer wolde attempte her more,
nor se her ones agayne.
She then with mased countnaunce there
and teares yt gushing fell,
Astonyed answerde thus, loe nowe,
alas I se to well,
Howe longe I haue deceyued ben,
by the Valerius heare,
I neuer yet beleued before,
nor tyll this tyme dyd feare,
That thou dydste for thy Mayster sue
but onely for my sake.
And for my syght, I euer thought,
thou dydste thy trauayle take.
But nowe I se the contrarye,
thou nothynge carste for me,
Synce fyrst thou knewste, the fyerye flames
that I haue felte by the.
O Lorde howe yll, thou doste requyte
that I for the haue done,
I curse the time, that frendshyp fyrst,
to showe, I haue begon.
O lorde I the beseche let me,
in tyme reuenged be:
And let hym knowe that he hath synd,
in this misusynge me.
I can not thynke, but Fortune once,
shall the rewarde for all,
And vengeaunce due for thy deserts,
in tyme shall on the fall.
And tell thy maister Faustus nowe,
yf he wolde haue me lyue:
That neuer more he sewe to me,
this aunswere laste I gyue:
And thou o Traytour vyle,
and enmye to my lyfe,
Absent thy selfe from out my syght,
procure no greater stryfe,
Synce yt these teares, had neuer force
to moue thy stoneye harte,
Let neuer these my werysdeyes,
se the no more. Departe.
This sayde, in haste she hieth in,
and there doth vengeaunce call,
And strake her self, with cruel knyfe,
and bluddye downe doth fall.
This dolfull chaūce, whā Faustus heard
lamentynge lowde he cryes,
And teares his heare and doth accuse,
the vniust and cruell Skies.
And in this ragynge moode awaye,
he stealeth oute alone,
And gone he is: no mā knowes where
eche man doth for hym mone.
Valerius whan he doth perceyue,
his Mayster to be gone:
He weepes & wailes, in piteous plight
and forth he ronnes anone.
No Man knowes where, he is becom,
some saye the wooddes he tooke,
Intendynge there to ende his lyfe,
on no Man more to looke:
The Courte lamentes, the Princesse eke
her selfe doth weepe for woe,
Loe, Faustus fled, and Claudia deade.
Valerius vanysshed soe.