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The seruants thus inform'd; the Matron goes
Vp, where the Queene was cast in such repose;
Affected with a feruent ioy to tell
VVhat all this time she did with paine conceale.
Her knees reuokt their first strength; and her feete
Were borne aboue the ground, with wings, to greete
The long-greeu'd Queene, with newes her King was come;
And (neere her) said: Wake, Leaue this withdrawne roome;
That now your eyes may see, at length, though late,
The man return'd, which all the heauy date
Your woes haue rackt out, you haue long'd to see:
Vlysses is come home, and hath set free
His Court of all your wooers; slaughtering all,
For wasting so his goods with Festiuall:
His house so vexing; and for violence done,
So all waies varied to his onely sonne.
She answer'd her; The Gods haue made thee mad;
Of whose pow'r now, thy pow'rs such proof haue had.
The Gods can blinde with follies, wisest eies,
And make men foolish, so to make them wise.
For they haue hurt euen thy graue braine, that bore
An vnderstanding spirit heretofore.
VVhy hast thou wak't me to more teares, when Mone
Hath turn'd my minde, with teares, into her owne?
Thy madnesse much more blamefull, that with lyes
Thy haste is loaden: and both robs mine eyes

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Of most delightsome sleepe; and sleepe of them,
That now had bound me in his sweet extream,
T'embrace my lids, and close my vsuall Spheres.
I haue not slept so much this twenty yeares;
Since first my dearest sleeping-Mate was gone
For that too-ill-to-speake of, Ilion.
Hence, take your mad steps backe; if any Maid
Of all my traine besides, a part had plaid
So bold to wake, and tell mine eares such lies;
I had return'd her to her huswiferies
VVith good proofe of my wrath to such rude Dames;
But go your yeares haue sau'd their yonger blames.

She answer'd her: I nothing wrong your eare,
But tell the truth: your long-mist Lord is heere;
And, with the wooers slaughter, his owne hand
(In chiefe exploit) hath to his owne command
Reduc't his house; and that poore Guest was he,
That all those wooers, wrought such iniurie.
Telemachus had knowledge long ago
That 'twas his Father; but his wisedome so
Obseru'd his counsailes; to giue surer end
To that great worke, to which they did contend.

This call'd her spirits to their conceiuing places;
She sprung for ioy, from blames into embraces
Of her graue Nurse: wip't euery teare away
From her faire cheekes; and then began to say
What Nurse said, ouer thus; O Nurse, can this
Be true thou sayst? How could that hand of his
Alone, destroy so many? They would still
Troope all together. How could he then kill
Such numbers, so vnited? How? (said she)
I haue nor seene, nor heard; but certainly
The deed is done. VVe sate within, in feare;
The doores shut on vs: and from thence might heare
The sighes, and grones of euery man he slew;
But heard, nor saw more: till at length, there flew
Your sonnes voice to mine eare, that call'd to me,
And bad me then come foorth: and then I see
Vlysses standing in the midst of all
Your slaughtred wooers, heap't vp like a wall,
One on another, round about his side;
It would haue done you good to haue descride
Your conqu'ring lord; al smeard with blood & gore
So like a Lyon. Straight then, off they bore
The slaughtred carkasses; that now before
The fore-Court gates lye, one on other pilde.
And now your victor, all the Hall (defilde
VVith stinch of hot death) is perfuming round;

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And with a mighty fire the harth hath crown'd.

Thus, all the death remou'd, and euery roome
Made sweet and sightly; that your selfe should come
His pleasure sent me. Come then, take you now
Your mutuall fils of comfort: Griefe, on you
Hath long, and many sufferings laid; which length,
VVhich many suffrings, nowe your vertuous strength
Of vncorrupted chastnesse, hath conferr'd
A happy end to. He that long hath err'd
Is safe arriu'd at home: his wife, his sonne
Found safe & good; all ill that hath bene done
On all the dooers heads (though long prolong'd)
His right hath wreak't, and in the place they wrong'd.

She answer'd: Do not you now laugh, and bost
As you had done some great act; seeing most
Into his Being: For, you know, he won
(Euen through his poore, and vile condition)
A kind of prompted thought; that there was plac't
Some vertue in him, fit to be embrac't
By all the house; but, most of all, by me
And by my Son, that was the progenie
Of both our loues. And yet it is not he,
For all the likely proofes ye plead to me:
Some God hath slaine the wooers, in disdaine
Of the abhorred pride, he saw so raigne
In those base workes they did: No man aliue;
Or good, or bad, whoeuer did arriue
At their abodes once, euer could obtaine
Regard of them: and therefore their so vaine
And vile deserts, haue found as vile an end.
But (for Vlysses) neuer will extend
His wisht returne to Greece: Nor he yet liues.

How strange a Queen are you? (said she) that giues
No truth your credit? That your husband, set
Close in his house at fire, can purchase yet
No faith of you; But that he still is farre
From any home of his? your wit's at warre
With all credulity euer; and yet now
Ile name a signe, shall force beleefe from you:
I bath'd him lately; and beheld the scar
That still remaines a marke too ocular
To leaue your heart yet blinded; and I then
Had run and told you: but his hand was feine
To close my lips from th' acclamation
My heart was breathing: and his wisedome won
My still retention, till he gaue me leaue,
And charge to tell you this. Now then, receaue
My life for gage of his returne; which take

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In any cruell fashion; if I make
All this not cleere to you. Lou'd Nurse (said she)
Though many things thou knowst, yet these things be
Veil'd in the counsailes th' vncreated Gods
Haue long time maskt in: whose darke periods
Tis hard for thee to see into; But come,
Lets see my son; the slaine; and he by whom
They had their slaughter. This said, down they went;
When on the Queens part, diuers thoghts wer spent;
If (all this giuen no faith) she still should stand
Aloofe, and question more: Or his hugg'd hand,
And loued head, she should at first assay
With free-giuen kisses. VVhen her doubtfull way
Had past the stony pauement, she tooke seate
Against her husband, in the opposite heate
The fire then cast-vpon the other wall:
Himselfe, set by the Columne of the Hall;
His lookes cast downwards, and expected still,
VVhen her incredulous, and curious will
To shun ridiculous error, and the shame
To kisse a Husband, that was not the same,
VVould downe, and win enough faith from his sight.
She silent sate, and her perplexed plight
Amaze encounter'd: Sometimes, she stood cleare
He was her Husband: sometimes, the ill weare
His person had put on, transform'd him so,
That yet his stampe would hardly currant go.

Her son her strangenesse seeing blam'd her thus:
Mother, vngentle Mother! tyrannous!
In this too curious modesty you show;
Why sit you from my Father? Nor bestow
A word on me, t'enquire and cleere such doubt
As may perplexe you? Found man euer out
One other such a wife? That could forbeare
Her lou'd Lords welcome home, when twenty yeare
In infinite sufferance, he had spent apart:
No Flint so hard is, as a womans hart.

Son (she replied) Amaze containes my minde,
Nor can I speake, and vse the commune kind
Of those enquiries; nor sustaine to see
VVith opposite lookes, his countenance. If this be
My true Vlysses now return'd; there are
Tokens betwixt vs of more fitnesse farre
To giue me argument, he is my Lord;
And my assurance of him, may afford
My proofes of ioy for him, from all these eies
VVith more decorum; then obiect their guise
To publique notice. The much-Sufferer brake

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In laughter out; and to his Son said; Take
Your Mother from the prease; that she may make
Her owne proofes of me, which perhaps may giue
More cause to the acknowledgements, that driue
Their shew thus off. But now, because I goe
So poorely clad, she takes disdaine to know
So loath'd a creature, for her loued Lord.
Let vs consult then, how we may accord
The Towne to our late action. Some one; slaine,
Hath made the all-left slaughterer of him, faine
To fly his friends and country. But our swords
Haue slaine a Cities most supportfull Lords;
The chiefe Peeres of the kingdome: therefore see
You vse wise meanes t'vphold your victorie.

See you to that good Father (saide the Son)
Whose counsailes haue the soueraigne glory won
From all men liuing. None will striue with you;
But with vnquestion'd Girlands grace your brow:
To whom, our whol alacrities we vow
In free attendance. Nor shall our hands leaue
Your onsets needy of supplies, to giue
All the effects that in our pow'rs can fall.
Then this (said he) to me seemes capitall
Of all choise courses: Bathe we first, and then
Attire we freshly: all our Maides and men
Enioyning likewise, to their best attire.
The sacred Singer then, let touch his Lire;
And go before vs all in gracefull dance,
That all without, to whose eares shal aduance
Our cheerefull accents, (or of Trauailers by,
Or firme inhabitants) solemnity
Of frolicke Nuptials may imagine heere.
And this, performe we; lest the massakere
Of all our wooers be divulg'd about
The ample City, ere our selues get out,
And greet my Father, in his Groue of Trees;
Where, after, we will proue what policies
Olympus shall suggest, to ouercome
Our latest toiles, and crowne our welcome home.

This all obey'd: Bath'd, put on fresh attire,
Both men and women did; Then tooke his Lire
The holy singer, and set thirst on fire
VVith songs, and faultlesse dances: all the Court
Rung with the footings, that the numerous sport
From iocund men drew, and faire-girdl'd Dames;
VVhich, (heard abroad) thus flew the cōmune fames:

This sure the day is, when the much woo'd Queen
Is richly wed; O wretch! That hath not beene

354

So constant, as to keepe her ample house
Til th' vtmost houre, had brought her formost spouse.

Thus some conceiu'd, but little knew the thing.
And now, Eurynome had bath'd the King;
Smooth'd him with Oyles; and he, himselfe attir'd
In vestures royall. Her part then inspir'd
The Goddesse Pallas; deck't his head and face
With infinite beauties: gaue a goodly grace
Of stature to him: a much plumper plight
Through all his body breath'd; Curles soft, & bright
Adorn'd his head withall, and made it show,
As if the flowry Hyacinth did grow
In all his pride there: In the generall trim
Of euery locke, and euery curious lim.
Looke how a skilfull Artizan, well seene
In all Arts Metalline; as hauing beene
Taught by Minerua, and the God of fire,
Doth Gold, with Siluer mix so; that entire
They keepe their selfe distinction; and yet so,
That to the Siluer, from the Gold, doth flow
A much more artificiall luster then his owne;
And thereby to the Gold it selfe, is growne
A greater glory, then if wrought alone;
Both being stuck off, by eithers mixtion:
So did Minerua, hers and his combine;
He more in Her, She more in Him did shine.
Like an Immortall from the Bath, he rose:
And to his wife did all his grace dispose,
Encountring this her strangenesse: Cruell Dame
Of all that breathe; the Gods, past steele and flame
Haue made thee ruthlesse: Life retaines not one
Of all Dames else, that beares so ouer-growne
A minde with abstinence; as twenty yeares
To misse her husband, drown'd in woes, and teares;
And at his comming, keepe aloofe; and fare
As of his so long absence, and his care,
No sense had seisd her. Go Nurse, make a bed,
That I alone may sleepe; her heart is dead
To all reflection. To him, thus replied
The wise Penelope: Man, halfe deified;
'Tis not my fashion to be taken streight
With brauest men: Nor poorest, vse to sleight.
Your meane apparance made not me retire;
Nor this your rich shew, makes me now admire,
Nor moues at all: For what is all to me,
If not my husband? All his certainty
I knew at parting; but (so long apart)
The outward likenesse, holds no full desart

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For me to trust to. Go Nurse, see addrest
A soft bed for him; and the single rest
Himselfe affects so. Let it be the bed,
That stands within our Bridal Chamber-sted,
VVhich he himself made: Bring it forth from thence,
And see it furnisht with magnificence.

This said she, to assay him; and did stir
Euen his establisht patience; and to hir.
Whom thus he answerd: Woman! your words proue
My patience strangely: VVho is it can moue
My Bed out of his place? It shall oppresse
Earths greatest vnder-stander; and vnlesse,
Euen God himselfe come, that can easely grace
Men in their most skils, it shall hold his place.
For Man: he liues not, that (as not most skill'd,
So not most yong) shall easely make it yield.
If (building on the strength in which he flowes)
He addes both Leuers to, and Iron Crowes.
For, in the fixure of the Bed, is showne
A Maister-peece; a wonder: and 'twas done
By me, and none but me: and thus was wrought;
There was an Oliue tree, that had his grought
Amidst a hedge; and was of shadow, proud;
Fresh, and the prime age of his verdure show'd.
His leaues and armes so thicke, that to the eye
It shew'd a columne for solidity.
To this, had I a comprehension
To build my Bridall Bowre; which all of stone,
Thicke as the Tree of leaues, I raisde, and cast
A Roofe about it, nothing meanly grac'st;
Put glew'd doores to it, that op't Art enough.
Then, from the Oliue, euery broad-leau'd bough
I lopt away: then fell'd the Tree, and then
VVent ouer it, both with my Axe, and Plaine:
Both gouern'd by my Line. And then, I hew'd
My curious Bed-sted out; in which, I shew'd
Worke of no commune hand. All this, begon,
I could not leaue, till to perfection
My paines had brought it. Tooke my Wimble; bor'd
The holes, as fitted: and did last, afford
The varied Ornament; which shew'd no want
Of Siluer, Gold, and polisht Elephant.
An Oxe-hide Dide in purple, then I threw
Aboue the cords. And thus, to curious view
I hope I haue obiected honest signe,
To proue, I author nought that is not mine:
But, if my bed stand vnremou'd, or no,
O woman, passeth humane wit to know.
This sunk her knees & heart, to heare so true

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The signes she vrg'd; and first, did teares ensue
Her rapt assurance: Then she ran, and spread
Her armes about his necke; kist oft his head;
And thus the curious stay she made, excusde:

Vlysses! Be not angry, that I vsde
Such strange delayes to this; since heretofore
Your suffering wisedome, hath the Gyrland wore
From all that breath: and 'tis the Gods that thus
With mutuall misse, so long afflicting vs,
Haue causd my coynesse: To our youths, enuied
That wisht society, that should haue tied
Our youths and yeares together: and since now
Iudgement and Duty, should our age allow
As full ioyes therein, as in youth and blood:
See all yong anger, and reproofe withstood,
For not at first sight giuing vp my armes:
My heart still trembling, lest the false alarmes
That words oft strike vp, should ridiculize me.
Had Argiue Hellen knowne credulity
VVould bring such plagues with it; and her, againe
(As aucthresse of them all) with that foule staine
To her, and to her countrey; she had staid
Her loue and mixture from a strangers bed.
But God impell'd her to a shamelesse deede,
Because she had not in her selfe decreed
Before th' attempt; That, such acts still were shent,
As simply in themselues, as in th' euent.
By which, not onely she her selfe sustaines,
But we, for her fault, haue paid mutuall paines.
Yet now; since these signes of our certaine bed
You haue discouer'd, and distinguished
From all earths others: No one man but you,
Yet euer getting of it th' onely show;
Nor one, of all Dames, but myselfe, and she
My Father gaue; old Actors progenie:
(Who euer guarded to our selues, the dore
Of that thick-shaded chamber) I, no more
Will crosse your cleere perswasion: though, till now,
I stood too doubtfull, and austere to you.

These words of hers, so iustifying her stay,
Did more desire of ioyfull mone conuay
To his glad minde; then if at instant sight,
She had allow'd him, all his wishes right.
He wept for ioy, t'enioy a wife so fit
For his graue minde, that knew his depth of wit;
And held chaste vertue at a price so high.
And as sad men at Sea, when shore is nigh,
VVhich long their hearts haue wisht (their ship quite lost

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By Neptunes rigor; and they vext, and tost
Twixt winds & black waues, swimming for their liues;
A few escap't; and that few that suruiues
(All drencht in fome, and brine) craule vp to Land,
VVith ioy as much as they did worlds command;
So deare, to this wife, was her husbands sight;
Who still embrac't his necke; and had; (til light
Displaid her siluer Ensigne) if the Dame
That beares the blew sky, entermixt with flame
In her faire eyes, had not infixt her thought
On other ioyes, for loues so hardly brought
To long'd-for meeting: who th' extended night
VVith-held in long date; nor would let the light
Her wing-hoou'd horse ioyne; (Lempus, Phaeton)
Those euer Colts, that bring the morning on
To worldly men; But, in her golden chaire,
Downe to the Ocean, by her siluer haire
Bound her aspirings. Then Vlysses said;
O wife: Nor yet are my contentions staid;
A most vnmeasur'd labour, long and hard
Askes more performance; to it, being prepar'd
By graue Tiresias, when downe to hell
I made darke passage; that his skill might tell
My mens returne, and mine; But come, and now
Enioy the sweet rest that our Fates allow.

The place of rest is ready, (she replyed)
Your will at full serue, since the deified
Haue brought you, where your right is to command.
But since you know (God making vnderstand
Your searching mind) informe me, what must be
Your last set labour; Since 'twill fall to me
(I hope) to heare it after; tell me now:
The greatest pleasure is before to know.
Vnhappy? (said Vlysses) To what end
Importune you this labour? It will lend
Nor you, nor me, delight; but you shall know,
I was commanded, yet more to bestow
My yeares in trauaile; many Cities more
By Sea to visit: and when first, for shore
I left my shipping, I was will'd to take
A nauall Oare in hand; and with it make
My passage forth, till such strange men I met,
As knew no Sea, nor euer salt did eat
VVith any victles: who the purple beakes
Of Ships did neuer see: nor that which breakes
The waues in curles, which is a Fan-like Oare,
And serues as wings, with which a ship doth soare.
To let me know then, when I was arriu'd

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On that strange earth, where such a people liu'd.
He gaue me this for an vnfailing signe:
When any one, that tooke that Oare of mine
Borne on my shoulder, for a Corne-clense Fan,
I met ashore; and shew'd to be a man
Of that Lands labour: There had I command
To fixe mine Oare; and offer on that strand
T'imperiall Neptune (whom I must implore)
A Lambe, a Bull, and Sow-ascending Bore:
And then turne home; where all the other Gods
That in the broad heauen made secure abods,
I must solicite (all my curious heed
Giuen to the seuerall rites they haue decreed)
VVith holy Hecatombes: And then, at home
A gentle death should seize me, that would come
From out the Sea, and take me to his rest
In full ripe age; about me, liuing blest,
My louing people: To which (he presag'd)
The sequell of my fortunes were engag'd.

If then (saide she) the Gods will please t'impose
A happier Being to your fortunes close
Then went before; your hope giues comfort strength,
That life shall lend you better dayes at length.

VVhile this discourse spent mutual speech, the bed
Eurynome and Nurse had made; and spred
With richest Furniture; while Torches spent
Their parcell gilt thereon. To bed then went
The aged Nurse; and where their Soueraignes were,
Eurynome (the Chamber-maid) did beare
A Torch, and went before them to their rest:
To which she left them; and for hers addrest.
The King and Queene then, now (as newly wed)
Resum'd the old Lawes of th' embracing bed.

Telemachus, and both his Herdsmen, then
Dissolu'd the dances, both to Maids and men;
VVho in their shady roofes tooke timely sleepe.
The Bride, and Bridegroome, hauing ceast to keepe
Obserued Loue-ioyes; from their fit delight,
They turn'd to talke. The Queene then did recite
VVhat she had suffer'd by the hatefull rout
Of harmfull wooers, who had eate her out
So many Oxen, and so many Sheepe;
How many Tun of wine their drinking deepe
Had quite exhausted. Great Vlysses then,
VVhat euer slaughters he had made of men;
VVhat euer sorrowes he himselfe sustain'd,
Repeated amply; and her eares remain'd
VVith all delight, attentiue to their end.

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Nor would one winke sleepe, till he told her all;
Beginning where he gaue the Cacons fall.
From thence, his passe to the Lotophagie;
The Cyclops acts; the putting out his eye,
And wreake of all the Souldiers he had eate,
No least ruth shewne, to all they could entreate.
His way to Æolus; his prompt receit,
And kinde dismission: his inforc't retreate
By sodaine Tempest, to the fishy maine;
And quite distraction from his course againe.
His landing at the Læstrigonian Port,
VVhere ships and men, in miserable sort,
Met all their spoiles; his ship, and he, alone
Got off from the abhorr'd confusion.
His passe to Circe; her deceits, and Arts:
His thence descension to th' infernall parts:
His lifes course of the Thebane Prophet learn'd;
VVhere, all the slaughter'd Grecians he descern'd,
And loued Mother. His astonisht eare
VVith what the Syrens voices made him heare.
His scape from th' erring Rockes, which Scylla was,
And rough Charybdis; with the dangerous passe
Of all that toucht there: His Sicilian
Offence giuen to the Sun: His euery man
Destroy'd by thunder, vollied out of heauen,
That split his Ship; his owne endeuours driuen
To shift sor succours on th' Ogygian shore,
VVhere Nimph Calypso, such affection bore
To him in his arriuall: That with feast
She kept him in her Caues, and would haue blest
His welcome life, with an immortall state;
VVould he haue staid, and liu'd her Nuptiall mate:
All which, she neuer could perswade him to.
His passe to the Phæacians, spent in wo:
Their hearty welcome of him, as he were,
A God descended from the starry Sphere:
Their kinde dismission of him home, with Gold,
Brasse, Garments; all things his occasions would.

This last word vsde; sleepe seiz'd his weary eye,
That salues all care, to all mortality.
In meane space, Pallas, entertain'd intent,
That when Vlysses, thought enough time spent
In loue-ioyes with his wife; to raise the Day,
And make his graue occasions, call, away.
The Morning rose, and he; when thus he saide;
O Queene: Now satiate with afflictions, laide
On both our bosomes; (you oppressed heere
VVith cares for my returne; I, euery where

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By Ioue, and all the other Deities, tost
Euen till all hope of my returne was lost)
And both arriu'd at this sweet Hauen, our Bed;
Be your care vsde, to see administred
My house-possessions left. Those Sheepe that were
Consum'd in surfets by your wooers heere;
Ile forrage, to supply with some; and more,
The suffering Grecians shall be made restore,
Euen till our stalles receiue their wonted fill.

And now, to comfort my good Fathers ill
Long suffer'd for me: To the many-tree'd
And ample Vineyard grounds, it is decreed
In my next care, that I must haste, and see
His long'd-for presence. In the meane time, be
Your wisedome vsde; that since (the Sun ascended)
The fame will soone be through the Town extended,
Of those I heere haue slaine; your selfe (got close
Vp to your chamber) see you there repose,
Cheer'd with your women; and, nor looke afford
Without your Court; nor anie man, a word.

This said, he arm'd: To arms, both Son and Swain
His powre commanding; who did entertaine
His charge with spirit: Op't the gates, and out;
He leading all. And now was hurl'd about
Auroraes ruddie fire: through all whose light
Minerua led them, through the Towne, from sight.