University of Virginia Library

Chorus.

Hippolytvs euen as the rageing storme away doth fly,
More swift than whirling Western wynde vptumbling cloudes in Sky,
More swift then flashing flames, that catch their course with sweeping sway,
When Stars ytost with whisking windes long fiery Drakes display.
Fame (wondring at of aldertime our Auncestours renowne)
Fare well with thee, and beare away olde worship from our Towne.
So much thy beauty brighter shines, as much more cleare and fayre,
The golden Moone with glorious Globe full furnisht in the Ayre
Doth shine, when as her fiery tips of wayning hornes doe close,
When lifting vp her fulgent face in ambling Waine she goes,
Upon her nightwatch to attend, the Starres of lesser light
Their darckned Faces hide, as hee the Messenger of night
That watchword geues of th'euening tide and Hesperus hee hight,
That glading earst was bath'de in Seas, and hee the same agayne
When shades be shrunck, doth then the name of Lucifer obtayne.
Thou Bacchus blessed barne of Ioue in warlicke India borne,
Thou Lad that euermore dost weare thy hayry bush vnshorne,
Whose Iaueling tuft with Iuy bunch, the Tygres makes adred,
And dost with labelde Myter vse to pranck thy horny hed,
Hippolytus his staring Locks thou Bacchus shalt not slayne,
To woonder at thy louing lookes too much doe thou refrayne,
Whom (as the people doe report) the Ariadne bright,
For beauties name preferde before Bacchus that Bromius hight.
A brittle Iewell beauty is on mortall men employde,
Thou gift that for a season short of Mankinde arte enioyde,
How soone alas with feathered foote hence dost thou fading slide?
The partching Sommers vapour hoate in Uers most pleasaūte pride
So withers not the Meadowes greene, (when as the scorching Sūne)
In Tropick ligue of burning Crab full hoate at Noone doth runne,
And on her shorter clowdy Wheeles vnhorseth soone the night.
With wanny Leaues downe hang the heads of withred Lillies whight
The balmy bloomes and sprouting floure do leaue the naked hed
As beauty bright whose radiant beams in corauld Cheekes is spred,
Is dashed in the twincke of Eye: no day as yet did passe,
In which not of his beauty reft some pearles person was.
For Fauour is a fleetyng thing: what wight of any wit
Wil vnto frayle and fickle ioy his confidence commit?
Take pleasure of it whyle thou mayst, for Tyme with stealing steps
Wil vndermint, on howre past strayght in a worser leps:
Why flyest thou to the wildernes, to seeke thy succour there?
Thy beauty bydes not safer in the waylesse woods then here.
If Tytan hoyst his totteryng Cart on poynt of ful midday,
Thee shrowded close among the brakes the Naids wil assay,
A gadding troupe that beautyes Bayes do locke in fountaynes fayre.
To frame their seate then vnto thee in senseles sleepe repayre,
Shal wanton Fayries, Nymphes of Frithes, yt on the Hilles do walke,
Which Dryads mountayne Goblins haunt, that vse on hilles to stalke:
Or when from high Starbearing poale Diana downe did looke
On thee that next old Arcades in heauen thy seate hast tooke,
Shee could not weilde her weltring wayne, and yet no foggy cloude.
Eclipst her gleaming Globe, but we with rincking Pans aloude,
Gan make a noyse, agrised at her dead and glowing light
We deemd hir charmd with Magicke verse of Thessant witches spright
But thou didst cause hir busines, and madest her in a maze,
Whyle at thy pleasant louely lookes the Goddesse stoode in gaze,
That rules the rayne of cloudy night she stopt her running race,
God graunt that seldome byting frost may pinch this comely face.
Let seldome scorching Sunny beams thy Cheekes with freckles die:
The Marble blue in quarry pittes of Parius that doth lie,
Beares not so braue a glimsyng glosse as pleasant seemes thy face
Whose browes with manly maiesty support an awful grace
And forehead fraught with grauity of Fathers countnaunce old:
His Iuory colourd necke although compare to Phœbe ye would,
His lockes (that neuer lacking knew) it selfe displaying wyde
On shoulder poyntes doth set them out, and also doth them hyde,
Thy curled forhead seemes thee well, and eake thy notted hayre,
That crumpled lies vndight in thee a manly grace doth beare.
Thou Gods (though fierce and valiant) perforce dost chase, and farre
Dost ouermatch in length of limmes, though yet but young thou arre,
Thou beares as big & boystrous brawnes as Hercules: thy breast,
Then Champion Mars more bourly bolstred out with broader chest:
On back of horniehoofed Steedes if vawting thou do ryde,
With Bridle in thyne actiue hand more handsome canst thou guyde.
The trampling Cyllar horse of Spart, then Princely Castor could,
Thy Letherne loope amid thy dart with former fingers hould,
And driue thy launce with all thy pith, the actiue men of Creete,
That with their pitched dartes afarre do learne the marke to hit.
They shall not hurle a slender Reede, but after Parthian guyse
To shoote an arrow if they list into the open Skies.
Unsped without some Bird attaynt it shal not light on ground,
Unbath'd with lukewarme bloud of guttes in gory smoking wound,
And from amid the lofty Cloudes downe shalt thou fetch thy pray:
Few men (marke wel the tyme) haue borne beauty vnplagude away.
God send thee better lucke, and graunt thy noble personage
May passe vnto the happy steps and stretch to dumpish age.
What mischiefe vnattempt escapes a Womans witlesse rage?
Most haynous crymes shee meanes to lay to guiltles youngmās charge
And thinkes to make her matter good with hayre thus rent at large,
She towseth eake the pranking of her head with watred plantes,
Her slye deuyse no crafty kind of womans fetches wantes.
But who is this that in his face such princely port doth beare?
Whose lofty lookes with stately pace hie vauntst his head doth reare?
Lyke lusty young Pyrithous, he looketh in the face,
But that a faynting fallow pale his bleakish Cheekes disgrace,
And filthy baggage hangeth on his hash hayre raysde vpright,
Lo Theseus, it is agayne restoard to earthly light: