University of Virginia Library

THE FOVRTH, AND MOST RVTHFVL TRAGEDY OF L. ANNAEVS SENECA, ENTITULED HIPPOLYTVS; translated into Englishe, by Ihon Studley.

The Speakers names.

• Hippolytus.
• Phædra.
• Nuntius.
• Chorus,
• Theseus.
• Nutrix.

THE FIRSTE ACTE.

[THE FIRST SCEANE.]

HIPPOLYTVS.
Goe raunge about the shady Woods, beset on euery side
With Nets, with Hounds, & toyles, & rūning out at randon ride
About, about, the craggy crests of high Cecropes hill,
With speedy foote about the Rockes, with coursing wander still.
That vnder Carpanetus Soyle, in Dale below doth lurke,
Whereas the Riuers running swift, their flapping waues doe worke,
And dashe against the beaten Banks of Thrias valley low,
And clamber vp the slimy cliues, besmeard with hory Snow,
(That falleth, when ye Westerne winde frō Riphes Moūts doth blow.)
Heere, heere away, let other wend, whereas with lofty head,
The Elme displayes his braunched armes, the wood to ouerspread.
Whereas the Meadowes greene doe lye, where Zephyrus most milde
Out brayes his baumy breath so sweete, to garnish vp the field
With lusty springtide flowers fresh whereas Elysus slow
Doth fleete vpon the Ysie flakes, and on the Pastures low.
Mæander sheds his stragling streame, and sheares the fruitlesse sand
With wrackfull waue: yee whom the path on Marathons left hand,
Doth lead vnto the leauened launds, whereas the heirde of beast
For Euening forrage goe to graze, and stalke vnto their rest.
The rascall Deare trip after fast, you thither take your way,
Where clottered hard Acarnan forst warme Southerne windes t'obay
Doth slake the chilling colde, vnto Hymetus Ysie cliue
To Alphids litle Uillages, now let some other dilue:
That plot where Sunion surges high doe beate the sandy bankes,
Whereas the marble Sea doth fleete with crooked compast crankes,
Unhaunted lies too long, withoutten race of any wight.
Who set agog with hunting braue, in woods doth take delyght,
Philippis him allures: her hauntes a fomy bristled Bore
That doth annoy with gastly dread the husbandmen full sore:
We know him wel: for he it is foyld with so many woundes,
But ere they do begin to ope, let slip, let slip your Houndes.
But in your leashes Syrs keepe vp your eiger Mastifs yet,
Keepe on their Collers still, that doe their galled neekes yfret:
The Spartayne Dogges eiger of pray and of couragious kynd,
That sone can single out their game, wherto they be assygnd,
Tye shorter vp within your leash: to passe tyme shall it bring,
That with the youlping noyse of houndes the hollow rockes shal ring.
Now let the Houndes goe fynd of it with Nosthrell good of sent,
And trace vnto the vglye den ere dawning day be spent.
Whyle in the dewish slabby ground the pricke of cleaze doth sticke.
One bear the toyle on combred necke, and some with nettes ful thicke
Make speede: some with the arming coatd by pensell paynted red
By sleight, and subtill guyleful feare shall make the Beastes adred:
Loke thou to pitch thy thirling dart, and thou to trye thy might,
Shall cope him with broad Boarespeare: thrust with hand both lefte & right.
Thou standing at receipt shalt chase the roused beastes amayne
With hallowing: thou with limere sharpe vndoe him beyng slayne.
Graunt good successe vnto thy mate, Virago, thou Diuyne,
That secret desartes chosen host for noble Empire thyne:
Whose thirled Dartes with leauel right do gore the Beast with Bloud
That lappes the lukewarme licour of arexis fleeting Floud.
And eke the Beast that sportes it selfe on frosen Isters strand.
The ramping Lyons eake of Geate are chased by thy hand.
And eke the wyndy heeled Hart in Candie thou dost chase.
Now with more gentle launce thou strikst the Doe that trippes apace.
To thee the Tygar fierce his diuers spotted breast doth yeeld,
The rough shaghairy Bugle turnes on thee his backe in field,
Eke saluage Buffes with braunched hornes: all thinges thy quarelles feare,
That to the needy Garamas in Affricke doth appeare.
Or els the wyld Arabian enriched by his wood,
Or what the Brutish roches of Pyrene vnderstood,
Or else what other Beastes do lurcke in wyld Hyrcanus groue,
Or else among Sarmatians in desert fieldes that roue:
If that the Ploughman come to field, that standeth in thy grace,
Into his nettes the roused beast full sure he is to chase.
No feete in sunder breake the coordes and home he bringes the Bore
In totting wayne, when as the houndes with gubs of clottered gore,
Besmeared heue their grymed snoutes: and then the Countrey rout
To Cottages repayre in rankes, with triumph all about.
Lo, Goddesse graunt vs grace: the hounds already opened haue,
I follow must the Chase: this gainer way my paynes to saue,
I take into the woods.

THE SECOND SCEANE

PHÆDRA. NVTRIX.
NV.
O Theseus wyfe, and Chylde
Of Ioue, let vyce be soone out of thine honest breast exilde:
And quench the raging heat: to dire dispayre doe not vp yeeld,
Who at the first repulseth loue, is safe and winnes the field,
Who doth by flattring fancy fonde feede on his vitious vayne,
To late doth grudge agaynst the yoake which earst hee did sustayne:
Nor yet doe I forget how hard, and voyde of reason cleane:
A Princes stately stomacke yeeldes vnto the golden meane:

PH.
That ende I will accept, whereto by Fortune I can leade
The neighbors weale great comfort brings vnto the horie heade.

NV.
The first redresse is to withstand, not willingly to slide,
The second is to haue the fault by meane and measure tride:
O wicked wretch what wilt thou doe? why dost thou burden more
The stayned stocke and dost excell thy mothers fault afore?
More haynous is thy guilt than yet thy mothers Monster was:
For monsters mayst thou thinke are brought by destiny to passe:
But let the cause of sinne, to blame of maners lewde redounde:
And if bicause thy husband doth, not breath aboue the grounde.
Thou thinkst thou mayst defend thy fault, and make thy matter good
And free from feare: thou arte beguilde, yet thinke the Stygian flood
In griesly gaping gulfe for aye hath drenched Theseus deepe,
But yet thy Syre, whose kingdomes large the Seas at will do keepe:
Whose dredfull doome pronounceth panges, and due deserued payne,
Two hundreth wayling soules at once. Will he thinkst thou maintayne
So haynous crime to couche? the care of tender Parents breast
Full wise, and wary is to bring their children to the best.
Yet shall we thinke by subtill meanem, by craft and diuelish guile,
In hugger mugger close to keepe our trechery so vile.
What shall thy mothers father Phœbe, whose beames so blasing bright,
With fiery gleede on euery thing, doth shed his golden light?
Or Ioue the Grandsire great of Gods that all the world doth shake,
And brandisheth with flaming Fist, his fiery lightnings flake:
That Vulcane doth in Fornace hoate, of dusky Ætna make
Thinkst thou thys may be brought to passe, so haynous crime to hide?
Among thy Grandsire all that haue eche priuy thing espide?
But though the fauor of the Gods conceale the second time
Thy lothsome lust (vnworthy name) and to thy baudy crime,
Sure faythfulnesse annexed be, that euer barred was.
Ech great offence, what will this worke? a present plague, alas
Suspicionlest the guilty night bewray thy deede vniust:
And conscience burdned sore with sinne that doth it selfe mistrust.
Some haue commit offence full safe from any bitter blame,
But none without the stinging pricks of conscience did the same:
Asswage the boyling flames of this thy lewde vngratious loue,
Such monstrous mischiefe horrible from modest minde remoue.
Which neuer did Barbarian commit vnto this day,
No not the Gadding Gothes that vp and downe the fyeldes do stray:
Nor craggy crested Taurus mount whose hoary and frosty face
With numming cold abandons all inhabitors the place.
Nor yet the scattered Scithian, thy mother haue in mynd,
And feare this forrayne venery, so straunge agaynst thy kind:
The Fathers wedlocke with the sonnes thou seekst to be defylde,
And to conceiue in wicked womb a Bastard Mungrell Child:
Go too, and turne thy Nature to the flame of burning breast.
Why yet do Monsters cease? why is thy Brothers caue in reast.
That Mynotaurus hideous hole and vgly couching den
Without an other greedy fyend to mounch vp flesh of men?
Mishapen, lothly monsters borne so oft the world shall heare,
So oft rebels agaynst her selfe confused Nature deare,
As loue entangles Nimphes of Crete.

Ph.
I know the truth ye teach
O Nurce, but fury forceth mee at worser thinges to reach:
My mynd euen wittingly to vyce falles forward prone and bent
To holesome counsell backe agayne in vayne it doth relente:
As when the Norman tugges and toyles to bring the fraighted Barke
Agaynst the striuing streame, in vayne he loseth al his carke
And downe the shallow streame perforce the Shyp doth hedlong yeeld,
Where reason preaseth forth, there fighting fury winnes the field,
And beares the swinging sway, and cranke Cupidoes puissant might
Tryumpheth ouer all my breast this flighty winged wight
And puissant potestate throughout the world doth heare the stroke,
And with vnquenched flames doth force Ioues kindled breast to smoake,
The Battelbeaten Mars hath felt these bitter burning brandes,
And eke the God hath tasted these whose feruent fierye handes,
The thumping thunder bouncing boltes three forked wyse doth frame,
And he that euer busied is about the furious flame,
In smoltring Fornace raging hoat on dusky top so hie,
Of foggye Aetna mount: and with such slender heat doth frie,
And Phœbe himselfe that weldes his dart vpon his twanging string,
With aymed shaft directlie driuen the wimpled Ladde doth sting.
With powre he scoures along the Earth and Marble Skye amayne.
Lust fauoring folly filthily did falsely forge and fanne
Loue for a God: and that he might hys freedome more attayne.
Ascribes the name of fayned God to shittel bedlame rage.
Erycina about the world doth send her rouing page,
Who glyding through the Azure skies with slender ioynted arme
His perlous weapons weildes at will, and working grieuous harme.
Of bones and stature beyng least great might he doth display
Upon the Gods, compelling them to crouch and him obay.
Some Brainsicke head did attribute these thinges vnto himselfe,
And Venus Godhead with the bow of Cupid litle elfe.
Who cockred is, tryumphing much in fauning fortunes lap.
And flotes in welth, or seekes and sues for thinges that seldome hap,
Lust (mighty fortunes mischeous mate) assaulteth straight his breast,
His tooth contempneth wonted fare and victuals homly drest.
Nor hansome houses pleaseth him, why doth this plague refuse.
The simple sort, and to annoy doth stately bowers chuse?
How haps it matrimony pure to byde in Cottage base?
And honest loue in middle sort of men doth purchase place?
And thinges that be of meane estate themselues restraine ful well,
But they that wallow in their luste whose stately stomackes swell,
Puft vp and bolstred bigge with trust of Kingly scepter proude
Do greater matters enterprise then may be well alowde.
Hee that is able much to do, of powre wil also bee
To do these thinges he cannot doe. Now Lady dost thou see
What thinges do thee beseeme thus stald on stately throne on hie?
Mistrust the scepter of thy spouse returning by and by.

Ph.
In me I beare a violent and mighty payse of loue,
And no mans comming home againe to terrour may we moue.
He neuer stepped backe agayne, the welkin skie to touch,
That swallowed once and sunke in gulfe and glummy caue did couch
Shut vp shimering shade for ay.

Nu.
Yet do not thou suppose,
Though dreadful Ditis lock with barres, and bolt his dongeon close:
And though the hideous hellicke hounde do watch the griesly gates.
Not Theseus alone shal haue his passages stopt by fates,

Ph.
Perhaps he pardon wil the cryme of loues procuring heate

Nu.
Nay churlishly hee would of old his honest wyfe entreate.
Antiope his bobbing buffets felt and heauy cuffe:
Suppose, yet thou can qualifye thy husbandes raging ruffe:
Yet who can moue Hippolytus most stony stubborne mynd?
He wil abhorre the very name detesting woman kind,
And faring frantickly, wil gyue himselfe to single life,
And shunne the hated spousall bedde of euery marride wife,
Then shal ye playnly vnderstand his brutish Scithian blood

Ph.
To follow him euen through the hilles, the Forrest thycke & wood,
That keepes among the clottred cliues besmeard with siluer Snow,
Whose nimble heeles on craggy rockes are frisking to and froe:
I wysh.

Nu.
He wil resist and not be dalyed with nor coyd,
Nor chaunge his chast estate, for lyfe of chastity deuoyd,
And turne perhaps his cankred hate to light on thee alone,
That now he beares to all.

Ph.
wil not he moued be with mone?

Nu.
Stark wilde he is,

Ph.
and I haue learnd wilde thinges by loue to tame

Nu
Hee'le runne away.

Ph.
if by the Seas he flie, I on the same
Will follow him.

Nu.
Remember then thy father may thee take.

Ph.
I may remember myne offence, my mother eake will slake.

Nu.
Detesting womankinde, he driues and courseth them away.

Ph.
No strūpets bashful feare agaynst my breast doth hold at bay:

Nu.
Thy husband wil be here.

Ph.
Iwis he comes I warrant him
Pyrothous companion in hellicke dungeon dimme.

Nu.
Thy Father also he wil come,

Ph.
A gentle hearted Syre
Forgeuing Ariadnes fault, when she did him require.

Nu.
For these my siluer shining lockes of horie drouping age,
And breast beduld with cloying cares restrayne thy furious rage.
I humbly thee beseech euen by these tender tears of myne,
Succor thy selfe, much health it is, if will to health encline.

Ph.
Not euery iote of honesty exiled is my breast,
I yeeld me Nurse, loue that denies thus vnder rule to rest
In quietnes, let him, let him perforce be battered downe.
I wil not let my fleeting fame and glorious bright renoume
With stayne to be dishonoured, this onely is the gap,
To shunne the perlous path that leades to vices trayning trap.
My spouse let mee ensue with death this sinue I shall subuert.

Nu.
Deare daughter slake the ramping rage of thy vnruly heart.
Plucke downe thy stomacke stout, for this I iudge thee worthy breath,
In that thou dost confesse thy selfe to haue deserued death.

Ph.
Candemde I am to die, what kind of death now would I know,
As eyther strangled with a rope shal I my life forgoe?
Or runne vppon a bloudy blade, with gory wound to dye?
Or topsie turuy headlong hurld downe Pallas turret hie,
In quarrel iust of Chastity.

Nu.
Now strengthen we our hand,
Alas shal not my feble age thy despret death withstand,
Forbeare the sway of furye fierce.

Ph.
No reason can restrayne
Him that desireth death, when death he hath determind playne
And ought to die,

Nut.
Sweete Lady myne (thou comfort of my age
And feeble yeares) if in thy breast preuayles such mighty rage
Haue not regard what sounding blast in trompe of fame be blowne
Whereby thy name in stayned stock of blacke reproch be sowne,
Or graft in spotlesse honesty: for fame doth fauour small
The most vpright, to better worse, to worse shee's best of al,
Let vs assay the froward mynd of yonder stubborne Child
It is my part to set vppon the clubbish youngman wilde
And to compell the sturdy lad with stony hart to yeeld.

Chorus.

O goddesse great that art the wondrous seede
Of frothie surge in stormy raging seas
Whō flamy Cupid armd with scorching gleed,
And Shaftes, to call his Mother it doth please:
This wanton Elfe forth putting sappy might
From stedfast Bowe how surely doth he throwe
His venimd shaftes, through all thy marrow right
The foystring fyre doth rankle in and glovve
The secret flame that boyleth in each vayne
The strype layd on shevves not in open marke:
But invvard marrovv he sucketh out amayne,
This boy to sound of peace doth neuer harke.
His scattered shaftes ful nimble euery vvhere
He dartes aboute, the East that doth behold
The davvning sunne himselfe aloft to reare,
From purple bed, and vvhether late he rold.
With ruddy lamp, in Westerne wade doth glyde:
If any coast lye vnder scorching clavves
Of burning Crab, or people do abyde,
Beneath the clyme of lsy frosen pavves,
Of ougly gargle faced bigger Beare,
That vvandring still from place to place doth goe
The feruent Fumes, and stouing heate eche vvhere
That issues out from CVPIDS burning bow,
The flashing flames of Yongmens burning brest,
Hee stirreth vp, enkindling new the heate
Of quenched coales, that vvonted vvas to rest
In drouping age: and virgins hearts doe beate
Wyth straunge vntasted brandes: and doth compell
The Gods descending downe from starry Sky,
Wyth counterfeited Vysages, to dwell
Vpon the Earth to blinde the Louers Eye.
Sir PHOEBVS vvhilome forst in Thessail Land
To Sheepeherds state ADMETVS Heirdes did driue,
His mourning Harp depriude of heauenly Hand
With ordred Pipe his Bullockes did reuiue.
Euen hee that trayles the dusky riding rack,
And wieldes the swaying Poles with swinging swift
How oft did hee faynde fourmes put on his back
And heauenly Face with baser countenaunce shift.
Sometime a Byrde with siluer shining wings,
He fluttering flusht, and languishing the death
With sweete melodious tuned voyce hee sings,
When silly Cygnus gaue vp gasping breath.
Sometime also wyth curled forhead grim
A dallying Bull, he bent his stouping backe
To maydens sport, through deepest Seas to swim
Whyle horny houe made shift like Ore slacke
Through waters wyld his brothers perlous cost
Wyth forward glauncing breast the stream he brake,
And least he should his tender pray haue lost,
Her troublus thought did cause his heart to quake
DIANA bright that swayes in circle murke,
Of darkened Sky, with frying fits did burne,
And leauing of the Euening watch her worke
Her fulgent Chariot bright. eke did shee turne.
To PHOEBVS charge, to weelde it otherwise
Her Euening Wayne APOLLO learnde to guide,
And take his turne in lesser compast sise:
The dāpish nights vvatcht not their vvonted tyde
And late it vvas ere that AVRORA fayre
Set forth the morning Sunne vvith golde aray,
Whyle that the Marble axell tree in th'ayre
The shogging Carte made crake vvith swagging sway,
ALCMENAS boystrous Impe did lay aside
His clattering shafts, and also did refuse
To vveare the ramping Lyons hairy Hyde
And Emraudes for his fingers did hee chuse,
And brayded kept his rufled staring Locks,
Ware Garters vvrought on knee vvith seames of Golde
And on his feete his durty dabled Socks,
And vvith the hand vvhere vvhilome hee did holde
His Clubbish bat, a thred hee nimbly spun:
Both Persia and fertile Lidia knew
(Where golden sanded Pactolus doth run)
ALCYDES bid the Lyons case adew
And thunderpropping brawny shoulderd sier
That heaued and bolstred vp the Welkin throne,
In slender Kirtell vvrought by Web of Tyre
Did iet about to please his Loue alone.
This flame (beleue the heart that feeles the vvound)
Enspirde vvith holines excels in might,
Whereas the Land by Seas embraced round,
Where twinkling Starres doe start in Welkin bright
This peeuish Elfe the Conntreyes all doth keepe,
Whose quarrels sting the Marble faced rout
Of vvater Nimphes, that vvith the Waters deepe
The brand that burnes in breast cannot quench out,
The flying fowle doth feele the foystring flames.
What cruell Skirmish doe the Heyffers make?
Prickt vp by lust that nice Dame UENVS frames
In furious sorte for all the Cattels sake?
If fearefull Hearts their Hindes doe once mistrust,
In loue disloyall then gladly dare they fight,
And bellowings out, they bray to vvitnesse iust
Their angry moode, conceyu'de in irefull spright.
The paynted coast of India then doth hate
The spotty Hyded Tygar, then the Bore
Doth vvhet his Tuskes to combat for his mate,
And fomes at mouth: the ramping Lyons rore
And shake their Manes, when CVPIDS corsies moue
Wyth grunts and grones the howling frythes doe murn
The Dolphin of the raging Sea doth loue:
The Elephants by CVPIDS blaze doe burn:
Dame nature all doth challeng as her owne,
And nothing is that can escape her lawes:
The rage of wrath is quencht and ouerthrowne,
When as it pleaseth Loue to bid them pawes:
Blacke hate that rusting frets in cankred breast,
And all olde grudge is dasht by burning loue.
What shall I make discourse more of the rest
Stout Stepdames doth this gripe to mercy moue.

THE SECOND ACTE.

PHÆDRA. NVTRIX, HIPPOLYTVS.
NV.
To cure this puissant breach of illes no hope there is in vs:
Nor yet to quench his flashing flame: his furies fretting ire,
Doth fry in secret boyling breast, and though the smothrering fire
Be couerte close, yet bursting forth in welked face it fryes:
The sparkling flakes doe glowing flash from bloudred rowling eyes
She hanging downe her pouched groyne, abhors the lothsome light,
Her skittish wits and wayward minde can fancy nothing right:
Her faltring legs doe fayle her now, downe squatting on the ground
With sprauling lims her shittell griefe doth cast her in a swound:
Now scant shee on her lithy necke holdes vp her giddy hed,
Nor can commit her selfe to couche in rest vpon her bed.
Nor harbring quietnes in heart wyth drery dewle and plaint
She languisheth through out the night, and now her body faynt
She biddes them vp to lift: and now her downe agayne to lay,
And now hir crispen locks vndone abroade shee biddes display:
And strayt to wrap them vp agayne. Thus fickle fansie still
Doth fleete, nor is contented with his wayward wandring will.
No care she casteth on her health nor eates one crum of breade,
With feeble fumbling foote vpon the floore eke doth she treade,
Her strength alas is quight consumde, her fauor sweere doth faynt?
Nor ruddy sanguine purple deye her cherry checkes doth paynt:
Wyth greedy gripes of gnawing griefe her pinched limmes doe pyne:
Her foltring legs doe stagger now: the glosse of beauty fyne
In body Alabaster bright is shronke away and wast
Those Cristall Eyes that wonted were resemblance cleare to cast
Of radiant Phœbus gold arayes, now nothing gentry shyne:
Nor beare a sparke of Phœbus bright her fathers beams deuyne:
The trickling teares fril down her chekes, dew dampish dropping still,
Doth wet her watrye plantes, as on the toppe of Taurus hill
The watry snowes with lukewarme shoures to moisture turnd do drop
But lo the Princes pallace is set open in the top:
She lying downe vpon her golden bed of high estate
Hurles of hir wonted royal robes which wounded hart doth hate:

Ph.
Maydes, haue our purple garmentes hence, & vestures wrought wt gold,
These crimsō robes of scarlet red let not myne eyes behold.
And damaske weedes, wheron the Seres embrauder braunches braue,
Whose Silken substaunce gatherd of their trees aloofe they haue,
My bosome shalbe swadled in with cuttied gaberdine,
No golden coller on my necke nor Indian iewels fyne,
The precious pearles so whyte shal hang no more now at myne eares,
Nor sweete perfumes of Siria shal poulder more my heares.
My flaryng ruffled lockes shal dagling hang my necke aboute
And shoulder poyntes: then then apace it shattring in and out.
Let wyndes euen blow it where it list, in left hand wil I take
A quiuer of shaftes, and in my right a Boorespere wil I shake,
To cruell child Hippolitus such one his mother was,
As fleeting from the frosen Seas those countrey costes did passe,
And braue her hierdes that bet with trampling feete Th'Athenian soyle
Or like the trull of Tauais, Or like her wil I toyle,
Of Meotis that on a knot wounde vp her crispen lockes:
Thus wil I trot with moonelike targe among the wodes and rockes.

Nu.
Leaue of thy bitter languishing vnto the silie sort
(That walter thus in waues of woe) griefe giues not resting port
Is any measure to be found in thy tormenting fire:
Some grace at wyld Dianaes hand with sacrifyce require.
O Goddesse greate of Woods, in hilles that onely setst thy throne,
And Goddes that of the craggy clyūes at worshipped alone,
Thy wrathful threatninges on vs all now turne to better plight
O Goddesse that in forrestes wyld and groues obtaynest might,
O shyning lampe of heauen, and thou the Diamon of the Night,
O threefold shapen Heccate that on the world his face
Dost render light with torch by turnes, vouchsafe to graūt thy grace
To further this our enterprise and helpe our piteous case,
O mollify Hippolytus his stubborne hardned hart,
And let him learne the pangues of loue and tast like bitter smart:
And yeeld his light allured eares: entreate his brutish breast,
And chaunge his mynd, in Venus boundes compel him once to rest.
So froward and vntoward now so crabbed curst and mad:
So shalt thou be with blandishing and smyling countnaunce clad.
Thy shimering clowde cleane fading hence then brightly shalt thou bear
And glisteryng hornes, then whyle by night vpon the whirling sphere,
Thy cloudy heeled steedes thou guydes, the raging witches charme
Of Thessal, shal not draw thee from the heauens nor do thy harme
No Shepherd purchase shal renoume. Thou comst at our request:
Now fauour dost thou graunt vnto the prayers of our Breast:
I do espye him worshipping the solemne Sacrifyce,
Both place and tyme conuenient by Fortune both arise:
We must go craftely to worke for feare we quaking stand,
Ful hard it is the buysy charge of guylt to take in hand:
But who of Princes standes in awe, let him defye all right,
Cast of the care of honesty from mind exiled quight,
A man vnfit is for the hest of King a bashful wight.

Hip.
O Nurse, how chaūce thy limping limmes do crepe into this place?
With blubbred Cheekes, & leaden lookes with sad and mourning face?
Doth yet my Father Theseus with health enioy his life?
Doth Phædra yet enioy her health my stepdam and his wyfe.

Nu.
Forgoe these feares, and gently come thy blessed hap to take,
For care constrayneth me to mourne with sorrow for thy sake,
That hurtfully thou looudes thy selfe with pangues of plūging payne:
Let him rubbe on in misery whom destny doth constrayne:
But if that any yeld himselfe to waues of wilful woe,
And doth torment himselfe, deserues his weale for to forgoe
The which he knowes not how to vse: tush, be not so demure,
Consideryng how thy yeares do runne, take part of sport and play,
Let mirry Bacchus cause thee cast these clogging cares away,
And reape the fruite of sweete delyght belonging to thy yeares,
For lusty youth with speedy foote ful fast away it weares.
Earst tender loue, earst Venus feedes the young monnes appetite,
Be blyth my Boy, why Widow like liest thou alone by night?
Shake of thy sollem sadnesse man that harty youth doth spill:
Huff, royst it out couragiously, take bridle at thy will.
Let not the flowre of blooming yeares all fruitles fade away.
God poynteth euery tyme his taske, and feades in due aray
Each age by order iust, as mirth the sappy youthfull yeares,
A forehed frayte with grauity becommeth hoary hayres.
Why dost thou bridle thus thy selfe, and dulles thy pregnant wit?
The corne that did but lately sproute aboue the ground, if it
Be rancke of roote, yet in the huske, with enterest at large
Unto the hoping husbandman shall trauel all discharge.
With braunched bough aboue the Wood the tree shall raise his top,
Whom rusty hand of canckred hate, did neuer spill nor lop.
The pregnant Wittes are euermore more prone to purchase prayse,
If noble heartes by freedome franckt be nourisht from decayes.
Thou churlish countrey Clowne Hodgelike not knowing Courtly life,
Delight in drousy doting youth without a louing wyfe.
Dost thou suppose that to this end Dame Nature did vs frame,
To suffer hardnes in this world and to abyde the same?
With courses and kerereyes fet the prauncing Steedes to tame?
Or bicker els with battails fierce, and broyls of bloudy warre?
That soueraygne Syre of heauen and earth, when fates do vs detarre,
With signes and plagues prognosticate prouided hath with heede,
For to repayre the damage done with new begotten seede.
Go to, let bedding in the world be vsed once no more
(That stil mankind from age to age vpholdes and doth restore)
The filthy world deformd would lie in yrksome vgly stay,
No floting ships on wambling Seas should hoysted Sayles display.
No Foule should skoare in azur Skie, ne Beast to woods repayre,
And onely whisking windes should whirle amid the empty ayre.
What diuers dreery deathes driue one mankind to dumpish graue?
The Seas, the sword and trayterous traynes whole countries wasted haue:
Yet for to limit forth our league there is no destny thincke,
So downe to blackefast Stigian dampes we of our selues do sincke.
Let youth that neuer felt the ioyes, in Venus lap which lie,
Alow the solitary life, what euer thou espye,
An hurliburly shall become for tearme of one mans life.
And worke it one destruction by mutuall hate and strife.
Now therfore follow natures course, of life the soueraygne guyde,
Resort vnto the towne: with men delight thee to abyde.

Hip.
No life is more deuoyd of sinne, and free from grieuous thralles,
And keeping fashions old, then that which leauing Townish walles,
Doth take delight in pleasant Woods, he is not set on fyre,
Enraged sore with burning Byle of couetous desyre.
Who hath addict himselfe among the mountaynes wilde to liue,
Not prickt with pratling peoples bruite, no credit doth he geue.
Toth Uulgar sort disloyall still, vnto the better part
Nor cankred rancour pale doth gnaw his blacke and fretting hart.
Nor fickle fauour forceth he, he bound doth not obay
The payse of Scepter proude: but weildes the massy scepter sway.
At ebbing honours gapes he not, nor moyles for fleeting mucke,
Remoued farre from houering hope and dread of backward lucke,
Not bitter gnawing Enuy rancke teares him with tooth vnkind,
Not quaynted with the mischiefe that in Cittyes and in mynd
Of people presseth thicke: nor quakes at euery blast that flies
With guilty conscience to himselfe, nor frames himselfe to lies.
Nor couets rich with thousand pillers close his head to shroude,
Nor guildes his beams with glisteryng gold for fancy fond and proude
Nor gushing streames of bloud vpon his innocent Alters flow.
Nor Bullockes bright their hundred heads as whyte as flakie Snow.
Do yeeld to Axe, whyle scattered is on thaulter sacred grayne,
But al the quiet countrey round at wil he doth obtayne.
And harmles walketh too and froe amid the open ayre,
And onely for the brutish Beast contriues a trapping snare.
Another whyle vppon the swift Alpheus banckes he walkes
Now vp and downe the breary Brakes of bushy woods he stalkes
Where lukewarme Lemas christall floud with water cleare doth shine,
And chaunging course his Channell out another way doth twyne:
And heare the piteous plaining Birds with chirping charmes do chide,
And Braunches trembling shake whereon soft windye puffes do glyde.
And spreading Beches old do stand, to fast and shake my shankes:
To stampe and daunce it doth me good on running Riuers bankes:
Or els vpon a withred clod to steale a nap of sleeepe,
Whereas the fountayne flowes amayne with gushing waters deepe.
Or els among the baulmy flowres out braying sauours sweete,
Wheras with pleasant humming noise the bubbling brooke doth fleete.
The Apples beaten of the tree do rauening hunger staunch,
And Strawberyes gathered of the bush soone fill with hungry paunch.
He shoons assaultes, that doth himselfe from regall royall hold.
Estates do quaffe theyr dreadful drinke in Bolles of massye Golde:
How trimme it is water to lap in palme of naked hand:
The sooner drowsye Morpheus byndes thy Browes with sleepy bande:
The carelesse corpes doth rest at ease vpon the hardest Couch:
The Cabin base hauntes not by Nookes, to prig and filch a pouch:
In house of many corners blynd his head he doth not hyde,
He loues to come abroade and in the light to be espyde:
The Heauens beare witnesse of his life, they liued in this wise.
I thinke, that scattred did of Gods in alder time arise.
No doting couetous blinde desire of Golde in them was found:
No stones nor slakes set vp in field did stint the parted ground:
The sayling Ship with brazen Stem cut not the waltring waue,
But euery man doth know his coast and how much he should haue.
No hugy Rampires raysed were, nor Ditches delued deepe,
Nor countermured Castle strong the walled Townes to keepe.
The Souldier was not busied his blunted Tooles to whet,
Nor rapping Pellets, Cannon shot the barred Gates downe bet,
Nor soyle with yoaked Oxe was strainde to beare the cutting share,
The field euen fertill of it selfe did feede the World with fare,
The plentifull aboundant Woods great wealth by nature gaue:
A house of nature take they had a dimme and darksome Caue:
The couetous minde to scrape vp wealth, and despret furious ire,
And greedy Lust (that eggeth on the minde all set on fire.)
First brake the bands, and eger thirst of bearing sway slept in,
To be the strongers rauening pray the weaker did begin,
And might went for oppressed right: the naked Fist found out
To scratch and cuffe, to box and bum, with dealing blowes about.
The knarrie Logs, and snaggie shine were framed weapons strong,
The gatten Tree vngrayned was with Pikes of Yron long.
No nor the rusty Fawchon then did hang along the side,
Nor Helmet crest vpon the head stood peirking vp for pride,
Pale spightfull griefe inuented Tooles, and warlick Mars his braine
Contriu'de new sleights, a thousand kinde of deathes he did ordaine:
By meanes hereof eche Land is fild with clottred gore yshed,
With streames of bloud the Seas are dyde to hue of sanguine red,
Then Mischiefe wanting measure gan through euery house to passe,
No kinde of vitious villany that practise wanted was.
By Brother, Brother reft of Breath, and eake the Fathers Life
By hand of Childe, eake murthred was the husband of his Wyfe.
And Mother lewde on mischiefe set destroyde their bodies seede,
I ouerpasse the Stepdame with her guilt and haynous deede,
And no where pitty planted is, as in the brutish beast:
But womankinde in mischiefe is ringleader of the reast,
The instrument of wickednesse enkindling first desire,
Whose vyle vncesteous whoredome set so many Townes on fire.
So many Nations fall to warre, eake Kingdomes ouerthrowne,
And raysed from the ground, to crushe so many people downe.
Let other passe: by Iasons Wyfe Medea may wee finde
By her alone, that Women are a plaguy crabbed kinde.

NV.
Why, for one womans fault of blame shall euery one haue part?

HIP.
I hate, detest, abhore, I loth, I curse them from my heart.
Bee't reason, right, or Natures law, or vengeance fury fell,
It likes me to abhorre them still: the burning fire shall dwell,
And bide with quenching water first, the daungerous quick Sand
Shall promisse Ships with safetinesse vpon the shold to land,
And Western Thetis soonke aloofe and drencht in deepest nooke,
Shall force the ruddy Morning Sunne from scarlet Skies to looke,
The Woolfe shall yeelde his fleering Chaps to suck the Tet of Do
Ere woon by womans loue, to her I crouch and stoupe alow.

NV.
Loue bridles oft with snaffling bits the stubborne wayward heart,
Beholde thy Mothers natiue land in Scythia euery part,
The saluage women feele the force of Venus yoaking band.
Thou onely Childe thy Mother had dost this well vnderstand.

HIP.
This onely comfort of my Mother must I keepe behinde,
That leefull vnto me it is to hate all Womankinde.

NV.
Euen as the stiffe and sturdy Rocks haue waltring waues wythstoode,
And dasheth backe from shore aloofe the fomy flapping floode:
So lightly he contemnes my talke: but Phædra runneth mad
Because of this my long delay with crushing cares yclad:
What will she doe? Aye me alas how shall she now be spead?
Her breathlesse body to the ground drops sodenly downe dead.
A fallow hue like gastly death ouerstrikes her frenzy Face,
Looke vp and speake beholde thy deare sweete heart doth thee embrace.

PHÆDRA. NVTRIX. HIPPOLYTVS.
HIP.
Behold this secret place is voyde from any witnesse bye.

PH.
My faltring tong doth in my mouth my tale begun denye.
Great force constrayneth mee to speake, but greater holde my peace,
O heauenly Ghostes I you protest, tis this that doth me please.

HIP.
Cannot the minde that couers talke in wordes at will out brast?

PH.
Light cares haue words at will, but great doe make vs sore agast.

HIP.
Mother the griefe yt galles your heart come whisper in mine eare.

PH.
The name of Mother is to proude a name for me to beare,
Importing puissant power too much: the fancy of my minde
It doth behoue, a baser name of lesse renowne to finde.
Mee (if thou please) Hippolytus thy Louing Sister call.
Or wayting Maide, and rather so: no drudgry spare I shall,
If thou through thicke and thin in snowes to trauaile me desire,
Or else commaunde mee for to runne through Coales of flaming fire,
Or set my foote on Pindus frosen Rocks, it yrkes mee not.
Or if thou will me rashly runne thorow scorching fire hot,
Or rauening routes of saluage beastes I will not slowly rest,
With gory Launce of naked blade my bowels to vnbrest.
These Kingdomes left to mee in charge weild thou of them the sway,
And take mee as thy humble Mate, it fits mee to obay,
And thee to giue commaundement, it is no womans feate,
To claime her Title to the Crowne, to raigne in Parents seate.
Thou flourishing amid the pryde of lusty youthfull race
Supply a valiant Prynces roome with Fathers golden Mace,
Protect thy humble suppliant, defend thy lowly Maide
Embrast in mercies bosome, at thy Feete so meekely layde.
Take pitty on a siely Widdowes wo, and wretched plight.

HIP.
The God that raignes aloft, forbid such lucklesse lot to light.
My Father Theseus safe in health will straight returne againe.

PH.
The lowring Lord that deepe in strōg infernall Gaile doe raigne,
And damned vp alwayes to passe from Stygian Puddle glum,
Whereby to breathing bodies left alone the ground to cum,
Shall he let scape the Cloyner of his ioyes from spousall bed,
Unlesse that Plutos fancy fond by doting loue be led:

HIP.
The righteous Gods will make for him a right retourning way,
But while through feare our wauering wils in houering Ballāce sway,
Upon my brethren will I cast a due and earnest care,
And thee defend: beleue not that in Widdowes plight yee are:
And I my selfe will vnto the supply my Fathers place,

PH.
O Loue (alas) of credit light, O Loue of flickring Face,
Is this inought that hee hath sayd? entreatance will I try,
Deare chylde rue on my wretched woe, doe not my suite deny,
That lurcking close doth couch in secret mourning breast of mee,
Faine would I speake: yet loth I am.

HIP
What mischiefe may this bee?

P.
Such mischief as ye would not think, could light in Mothers minde.

H.
With mūbling voyce perplext yee waste your words against ye winde.

PH.
A vapor hoate, and Loue doe glow within my bedlem brest:
It raging ranke no inwarde iuyce vndried leaues in rest:
The fier sonk in skalded guts through euery vayne doth frie,
And smothering close in seething bloud as flashing flame doth flie,
With egar sweeping sway along vp burning beames on hie.

HIP.
Enamorde thus with Loue entiere of Theseus dost thou rage?

PH.
Euen so it is: the louely lookes of Theseus former age
Which hee a sweete welfauorde Boy did beare with comly grace,
When prety dapper cutted Beard on cleare complexionde Face
Gan sproute, on naked Chin, when hee the kennels clottred bloode
Beheld of mongrell Minotaur, and crooking Maze withstoode
By groping long vntwined thredes the beames of beawty bright
That shone then in his Face, his crispen lockes with labels dight,
Smooth stroked lay, his scarlet Cheekes by nature paincted bright
Pouldred with spots of golden glosse, and sharpe assaults of Loue
Preuayled in his fleshly armes: what grace doth shine aboue
In the Dianaes Face, or fiery crested Phœbus myne,
Or else in comely count'naunce of this louely face of thine,
Such Theseus had when Ariadnaes Eye he did delight:
Thus portly pacing did he beare his noble head vpright.
It is no counterfeyted glosse that shineth in thy Face,
In thee appeares thy manly Fathers sterne and lowring Grace.
Thy Mothers crabbed count'naunce eake resembled in some part
Puts in full well a seemelynesse, to please the Lookers hart.
The Scythian awfull Maiesty with Greekish fauour sweete
Appeares: if thou had with thy Syre attempt the Seas of Creete,
(One of those seauen from Athens sent elect by lucklesse lot
To pay such bloudy tribute, which King Minos of them got.
The rauening and bloudthirsty Minotaurus fowle to feede)
My Sister Ariadne would, for thee haue spunne the threede.
Therewith in crafty compast Maze to leade thee to and fro,
In vgly Laberynthus long returning from thy Fo.
Thee, thee O Sister deare whereso in all the Heauen thou are,
And shinest bright with blasing beames transform'de into a Starre,
I thee beseech come succour mee with like distresse now cloyde:
Alas vs siely Sisters twaine one kinred hath destroyde.
The Sire thy smart, the sonne hath brewd the bane that me doth lees.
Beholde an Impe of royall race layde humbly at thy Knees,
Yet neuer staynde, and vndefilde, an harmelesse innocent,
To thee alone of all the Worlde my crowching Knees are bent,
And for the nones my hawty heart, and Princely courage stout
I did abate, that humbly thee with teares entreate I mought.

HIP.
O soueraygne Sire of Gods, dost thou abide so long to heare
This vile abhomination? so long dost thou forbeare
To see this haynous villany? if now the Skies be cleare,
Wilt thou henceforth at any time with furious raging hand
Dart out thy cracking thunder dint, and dreadfull lightnings brand?
Now battred downe wt bouncing bolts the rumbling Skies let fall
That foggy Cloudes with dusky drouping day may couer all,
And force the backward starting starres to slide a slope wythall
Thou starry crested crowne and Titan prankt with beamy blase
Come out, with staring bush vpon thy kindreds guilt to gase.
Dash out and drowne thy leaming lampe eclisde in glummy Skyes,
To shrink in shimmering shape: why doth thy right hand not aryse
O guide of Gods and men? how haps the worlde yet doth not burne,
Enkindled with three forked brand? on me thy thunder turne,
Dash out on mee thy bobbing bolt, and let thy fiery flake
Whirlde out with force, burnt Cinders of my wasted Carcasse make:
For guilty (Ioue) I guilty am, deserued death I haue,
My Stepdames Fancy I haue fed: shall I most sinfull slaue,
Be worthy thought to blot my Fathers honorable Bed?
Canst thou for mischiefe such through mee alone be lightly sped?
O Caitiue thou of womankinde for guilt that beares the bell,
Whose enterprised hainous euill doth passingly excell,
Thy Monster breeding Mothers fault with whoredome shee alone
Defilde her selfe, when storming sighes with sorrow gan shee grone,
Through beastly lust of Bull: till it the Minotaurus sier
In act of generation, had quencht her foule desier:
And yet the time concealed long, the grim twishaped seede
At length bewrayd with Bullike browes, thy Mothers naughty deede,
The doubted Infant did disclose: that wicked wombe shee bare.
With thrise, yea, foure times blessed Fate of lyfe depriu'de yee are,
Whom swolne of waltring Seas haue sonck, me cankred hate of breath
Dispoyled hath, and traytrous traynes haue quelde by daunting death.
With Stepdames banes and sorcery O Father, Father myne,
I rue thy lot, not to be slayne of milder Stepdame thyne.
This mischiefe greater, greater farre the wickednesse doth passe
That by Medea despret Dame of Colchis practisde was.

PH.
And I doe know, what vncouth luck vpon our stock hath light,
The thing that we should shun, we seeke, it is not in my might
To rule my selfe: through burning fire runne after thee I shall,
Through raging Seas, & craggy Rocks, through fleeting Ryuers all,
Which boyling waters ruffling rayse, what way so goe thou will,
I bedlem Wight with frantick fits will follow, follow still.
O stately Lorde before thy feete yet fall I once agayne.

HIP.
Doe not with shamelesse fawning Pawes my spotlesse body staine.
What meaneth this? with hawsing mee t'imbrace she doth begin:
Draw, draw my sword, with stripes deseru'de Ile pay her on the skin:
Her hayre about my left hand wound, her head I bacward wride,
No bloud Diana better spent thine Aulter yet hath dyde.

PH.
Hippolytus, now dost thou graunt to mee mine owne desire,
Thou cooles my ramping rage, this is much more than I require,
That sauing thus mine honesty I may be geuen to death,
By bloudy stroake receiued of thy hand to loose my breath.

HIP.
Auaunt, auaunt, preserue thy lyfe, at my hand nothing craue,
This filed Sword that thou hast toucht no longer will I haue.
What bathing lukewarme Tanais may I defilde obtaine,
Whose clensing watry Channell pure may washe mee cleane againe?
Or what Meotis muddy meare, with rough Barbarian waue
That boardes on Pontus roring Sea? not Neptune graundsire graue
With all his Ocean foulding floud can purge and wash away
This dunghill foule of sinne: O woode, O saluage beast I say:

NVT.
Thy crime detected is: O soule, why droupes thou all agast?
Let vs appeach Hippolytus with fault vpon him cast:
And let vs lay vnto his charge, how he by might vniust
Deflowre would his Fathers Wyfe with mischiefe, mischiefe must
Concealed bee: the best it is, thy foe first to inuade,
Sith that the crime is yet vnknowne who can be witnesse made,
That either first wee enterprisde, or suffred of him then?
Come, come, in hast Athenians, O troupes of trusty men
Help, help, Hippolytus doth come, hee comes, that Uillaine vile,
That Rauisher, and Lecher foule, perforce woulde vs defile.
Hee threatens vs denouncing death, and glittering Blade doth shake,
At her who chastly doth withstand, and doth for terrour quake:
Lo headlong hence for life and death hee tooke him to his flight,
And leaues his Sword in running rash, with gastly feare afright:
A token of his enterprise detestable wee keepe,
Sirs chearish her, that storming sighes with pensiue breast doth weepe.
Her ruffled hayre, and shattred Locks still let them daggle downe,
This witnesse of his villany so beare into the Towne.
(O Lady mine be of good cheare. Plucke vp your sprights againe,)
Why dost thou tearing thus thy selfe abhorre all peoples sight?
Not blinde Mischaunce but fancy wont to make a shamelesse Wight.

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:

THE THIRDE ACTE.

Theseus, Nutrix,
Nu.
A stubburne heart and obstinate in Phȩdras breast doth dwell,
With despret mind to stay her selfe our teares she doth despyse,
And giuing vp the gasping Ghoast, alas my Lady dyes.

Th.
Why should she kill herselfe? why die, hir spouse being come againe?

Nu.
For this (my Lord) with hasty death she would her selfe haue slaine.

Th.
These troblous wordes some perlous thing I wot not what to tell
Speake plain: what lumpe of glutting griefe her laded heart doth quel?
She doth complayne her case to none, but pensiuely and sad
She keepes it secrete to hir selfe, determind thus shee had,
To beare aboute with her the bane, wherewith she meanes to die.
Hie, hie thee fast, I pray thee now, now haue wee neede to hye.
Our Pallace lockt with stately stoulpes set open by and by.

Theseus, Phædra.
Ph.
Alas my valiant Theseus euen for thy royall mace,
Wherwith thy Kingdome thou dost weild, and by the noble raygne
Of thy belo'ud posterity, and comming home agayne,
And for the worship that is due vnto my fatall graue,
O let me die and suffer me, deserued death to haue.

Th
What cause compelleth thee to die?

Ph.
If I the cause of death
Disclose, then shall I not obtayne the loosyng of my breath:

Th.
No worldly wight (saue I my selfe alone) the same shall heare,
Art thou affrayd to tel it in thy husbandes bashful eare?
Speake out, thy secretes shrowd I shall within my faythful brest.

Ph.
What thou would other to conceale, kepe thou it first in rest,

Th.
Thou shalt not suffred be to die:

Ph.
From him that wisheth Death,
Death neuer can be seperate.

Th.
The crime that losse of breath
Ought to reuenge, shew it to me.

Ph.
Forsooth because I liue.

Th.
Alas do not my trilling teares thy stony stomacke grieue?

Ph.
It is the sweetest death, when one doth lothsome life forsake,
Bereft of such as should for him most woful weeping make.

Th.
Stil standes she mum? ye croked, old, ilfauord, hoblinge Trotte,
Hir Nurse for stripes and clogging bandes shall vtter euery iotte,
That shee forbid her hath to tell: in yron chaynes her bynd,
Let tawing whips wring out perforce the secrets of her mynd:

PH.
Now I my selfe wil speak: stay yet.

TH.
Why dost thou turne aside
From me thy weeping Countenance? thy teares why dost thou hide
That gushing sodaine frō thine eyes streame downe thy cheekes apace?
Why hidest thou thy flowing floudes with Coate before thy Face?

PH.
Thee, thee, Creator of the Heauens to witnesse I doe call,
And thee O glittering fiery glede of Christall Sky with all,
And Phœbus thou from whom at first our royall Race hath roon.
With fawning face & flattring words in suite I was not woon.
For naked sword, & thundring threts, appauled was I not:
My brused bones abode the blowe, and stripes when sore he smote:
This blemish black of foule defame my bloud shall purge agayne.

TH.
Declare what villaine is he yt our honour so doth stayne?

PH.
Whom least yee would mistrust.

TH.
To know who tis, ful sore I long.

PH.
This Sword wil tel, which sore afright when people thick in thrōg
Resorted fast, the Leacher vile for hast did leaue behinde,
Because the people preasing fast he dreeded in his minde:

TH.
Ah out alas, O woe is mee, what villany see I?
Alas what vncouth Monster fowle of mischiefe I espy?
Beholde the royall Iuory engrau'de and purtred fine,
Emboast with golden studdes, vpon th'enameld Haft doth shine,
(The Iewell of Actea lande) but whyther fled is bee?

PH.
With light Heele running sore dismaide these seruants did him see?

TH.
O sacred holinesse, O Ioue betweene whose mighty hands
The Marble Poale with weltring sway in course directed stands,
And thou that second Scepter weilds in fomy fighting waue,
Why doth this cursed broode with such this wicked vengeance raue?
Hath he bene fostred vp in Greece? or craggy Taurus wilde
Among hard rugged Rocks, and Caues, some sauage Scythian Childe?
Or else in brutish Colchis Ile by Desart Phasis flood?
Cat after kinde hee is, and will th'unkindly Bastard blood
Returne vnto his kinreds course, whence first his ligne hee clames.
This frantick fury vp and downe comes of the warlicke Dames,
To hate the loyall leagues of loue, and shunning long the vse
Of Cupids campe, with tag, and rag, her body to abuse,
Become as good as euer twangd: O detestable kinde,
No better Soyle by any meanes can chaunge thy filthy minde.
The brutish beasts themselues doe loath th'abuse which Venus drawes,
And simple shame fastnesse it selfe obserueth Natures lawes:
Where is the brag of Maiesty, and fayned portly grace
Of manly minde, that hateth new, and olde things doth embrace?
O double dealing life, thou clokes deceiptful thoughtes in brest,
And settest out a forhead fayre where frounced mynd doth rest:
The saucie Iacke with bashful brow doth malipiertnes hide:
The rashnes of the despret Dicke by stilnesse is vnspide.
With show of right religion knaues villany mayntayne,
And guileful mealemouthd Gentlemen do hold with speaking playne:
The daynty wanton Carpet Knights of hardnes boast and prate,
That Woodraunger, that brainsicke beast who liu'd in chast estate
An vndefyled Bachiler thou rude and homely clowne,
Thus dost thou watch thy tyme, to breede this blot in my renowne?
To make me Cuckold first of all did it delyght thy mynd,
First falling to thy spousall sport with mischiefe most vnkind,
Now, now, to thee supernal Ioue most hearty thankes I yeeld,
That with my first Antiope to dreary death I quelde,
That gone to dampish Stygian Dennes I left thee not behynd
Thy Mother: go, go Uagabond rawnge, rawnge, about to finde
Straunge forraine soyles, and outcast landes aloofe at world his end,
And Iles enclosd with th'Ocean floud to hell thy soule shall send:
Beneath among th'Antipodes thy selfe of harbring sped,
Though in the vtmost lurking nooke, thou shroude thy miching heade,
Aboue the grisly Pallaces thou climbe of lofty Poale,
Or maist aboue the clottring Snow aduaunce thy cursed Soule,
Beyond the brunt of Winter flawes and threatning rigour passe
And stormy wrath with rumbling rough of ysie Boreas,
With vengeance, vengeance violent fast hurling after thee,
With daunting plagues and pestilence thy sinnes shal scourged bee.
For life and death, about the world in euery lurking hoale.
O fugitiue I shal not cease stil to pursue thy soule.
But seeke and search for thee I shall in landes that lye a farre,
Al corners blynd and caues shut vp, Dennes lockt with bolt and barre,
A thousand wayes vnpassable no place shal me withstand.
My cursinges blacke shal light on thee there where reuenging hande
With weapon cā not worke ye harme: thou knowest that Neptune great
My Syre who flotes on floudes, & waues, with forked Mace doth beat
Geue licence freely vnto me three boones to chuse and craue,
Which willingly the God hath graunt, and sworne I shal it haue
Protesting vgsome Stygian Lake, and hallowed hath his vow:
O breaker of the wrastling waues, auouch thy promise now
Let neuer more Hippolitus behold th'eclipsed light,
And for the Fathers wrathful rage the cursed child downe smight,
To waile among the gastly sprites o Father bend thy might,
To giue (alas) this lothsome ayde vnto thy needy Sonne,
I of thy Maiesty deuyne exact not to be donne.
This chiefest bone, til puissant payse of ylles do vs oppresse:
In bottom deepe of boylyng Tartar pit and sore distresse,
In grisly Lymbo Iawes nigh garglefaced Ditis dimme,
Amid the crumpled threatning browes of Hellick Pluto grim,
To claime thy promise made to mee, as then I didde refrayne,
Now Syre thy fayth by promise due perfourme to me agayne.
Yet dost thou stay? why rumble not the waltring waues yet husht,
Through foggy cloude in dusky skies with stormy blastes outrusht.
Unfold the mantel blacke of Night, and roll away the Skies,
Enforce the fighting floods brast out with mounting waues to ryse
And coniure vp the water hagges that in the Rockes do keepe,
The Ocean surges swellyng hie cast vp from bottom deepe.

Chorus.

O nature Grandame greate of Heauenly Sprites,
Eake Ioue that guides Olimpus mighty sway,
That rakes the race of twinckling heauēly lightes
On spinning Spheare and order dost for aye
The stragling course of roaming planets hie,
And weildes about the whirling Axeltree
The weltring Poales, th'eternal course of Skie
To keepe in frame, what workes such care in thee
That earst the cold which hoary winter makes
Vnclothes the naked wood, and now agayne
The shades returne vnto the breary brakes
Now doth the starre of Sommer Lion raygne,
VVhose scalded necke with boyling heate doth frie,
Perbraking flames from fiery foming iawes:
VVith scorching heate the parched corne do drie:
Ech season so his kindly course in drawes.
But thou that weildes these thinges of massy might,
By whom the hugy world with egal payse
Euen Ballanced doth keepe in compasse right,
Each Spheare by measurd weight that iustly swaise,
Alas why dost thou beare a retchles breast
Toward mankind? not casting any care
That wicked men with mischiefe be opprest,
And eake to see that goodmen wel do fare
Dame Fortune topsieturuy turnes at wil
The world, and deales her dole with blinded hand,
And fosters vice mayntayning mischiefe ill.
Fowle lust triumphes on good men brought in band
Deceipt in stately Court the sway doth weild,
In Lordinges levvde the vulgar sort delight,
With glee to such the Mace of might they yeeld.
Some magistrates they do both loue and spight,
And pensiue vertue brought to bitter bale,
Receyues revvard that doth of right aryse,
The continent to Prison neede doth hale,
The Leacher raygnes enhaunced by his vice.
O fruitles shame, O counterfayted port.
But vvhat nevves may this messenger novv bring,
Who vvith maine pace comes poasting in this sort,
And stayes vvith mourning countnance at the Kinge.

THE FOVRTH ACTE.

Nuntius, Theseus,
Th.
Be not abasht the ruthful wracke with courage to declare:
My breast agaynst the brunt of broyles stil armed I prepare,

Nun.
My foltring tongue doth speach vnto my glutting griefe denye.

Th.
Our stocke with sorrow shuken sore what cares do crush escrie.

Nun.
Hippolytus (ay woe is me) is slayne by doleful death.

Tn.
Now Father do I know my Sonne bereaued of his breath,
For why the Leacher life is lost: shew in what sort he dide.

Nun.
In all poast hast as fugitiue to shunne the Towne he hyde
Once hauing caught his cutting course apace he scuddes away,
His prauncing Palfrayes straite he doth with Collers close araye:
With curbed bittes their snaffled heads at wil he brydles in,
Then talking much vnto himselfe to curse he doth beginne
His natiue soyle: alas deare Father, Father stil he cryes:
And angry lasheth with his whip, whyle loose his Bridle lies:
Then sodenly a hugy swolue gan swel amid the deepe,
And starteth vp into the starres no pipling wind doth sweepe
Along the Seas in Heauen so lith no noyse at all there was:
The Seas ful calme euen as their kindly Tyde doth driue them, passe.
Nor yet no boysterous Southerne wynd the Sycill sand turmoyles.
Nor yet with fomie ramping surge the raging gulph vp boyles,
Heaude vp by Westerne puffes: when as the rockes with flappyng flash
Do shake and drownd Lucates cliue the hoary fome doth dash.
The tombling waues togeather tost on hils are heaped hie,
The swelling swolue with Monster much to land alofe doth flye,
Nor only shaken ships in Seas do suffer wracke hereby:
The land in hazard lyes of stormes a waltring waue is rold
In tottring wise a wallowing gulph with winding compas fold,
Driues downe I know not what withall: a flat vprisyng new
An head aboue the water brim doth rayse the Starres to vew.
In foggie cloud eclipsed is Apollos dusky gleede,
And Scyros Rocks whom Trumpe of Fame aduaunst by dreary deede
Corynthus eake whom double Sea on eyther side assayle:
While greatly we agriesd, these thinges do languishing bewayle,
The belking Seas yell out the grunting Rockes with all do rore:
The slabby Cliue doth reke, fro whence the water ebde before,
It frothes, and keping course by course it spewes the waters out,
As doth Physeter fish (that flittes the Ocean Coast about)
And gulping doth from yawning throat his flouds of water spoute.
The shaken surge did tottre strayte and brake it selfe in twayne:
With wracke (more violent then wee did feare) it rusht amayne
Agaynst the shore, beyond the bankes it breakes into the land:
And hideous Monster followes: these for feare did quaking stand

Th.
What shape that vncouth Monster had and body vast declare.

Nu
A boasting Bull, his marble necke aduaunced hye that bare,
Upraysd his lofty bristled Mayn on curled forhead greene
With shaggy eares prickt vp his diuers speckled hornes were seene.
(Whom Bacchus earst possessed had, who tames the Cattell wyld,
And eake the God that borne in flouds was bred a water Chyld)
Now puffing he perbraketh flames, and now as leaming light
With sparckling beams his goggle eyes do glare and glister bright.
His greasy larded necke (a marke for to be noted well)
With rough and knobby curnels hie out bumping big do swell.
His snorting Nostrilles wyde do grunt and yawning gulphes they sosse,
His breast and throtebag greenishly are dawbd with clammy mosse
His side along begrymed is with Lactuse red of hue,
On snarling knots his wrinkled rumpe toward his face he drue,
His scaly haunch, and lagging tayle most vgly dragges hee vp,
As Pristis in the deepe of Seas the swallowed Keele doth sup,
Or else perbraketh out agayne the vndigested pup.
The earth did quake, the Cattel feard about the field do rampe,
The hunter starke with chilling feare beginnes to stare and stampe,
The heirdman had no mynd his scattrynge Heyfers to pursue,
The Deere amazed brake the pale and bad the Laundes adue.
But onely yet Hippolytus. deuoyde of faynting feare
His neyng horses with the raynes of Bridles hard doth beare,
With wonted woordes he cheareth vp his nymble Nagges afraide:
A steepe hie way at Argos lies with stony cliues decaide,
That nodding ouerhangs the Sea, which vnderfleetes that wayes:
That vgly Royle heere beates him selfe, and raging wrath doth rayse,
And kindling courage hoate, him force with burning breast assayes,
And chaufing eft himselfe before gan fret with angry hart.
Lo then into a scouring course on sodayne doth hee start,
With whirling pace he girding forth doth scarcely touch the ground,
Lighting a front the trimbling Cart with glaring Eyes hee glowmd.
Then also doth thy threatning Son with lowring browes vpstart,
Nor chaungeth Countenaunce, but speakes with stout couragious hart.
This foolish feare doth not appaule my bold and hardned brest,
It comes to mee by kinde, that Bulls by mee should bee opprest.
His Steedes defying strait the Raynes plonge forward with the Cart,
As rage did prick them, sore afright beside the way they start.
This bias way among the Rocks they raunge, and wander wyde,
But as the Pylot (least the Barke should totter to one syde)
Doth beare it euen in wrastling waues: so while his horses skip,
He ruleth them, now raines them hard, and now with winding whip
Free lashes on their buttocks layes: his Foe doth him pursue,
Now step by step, now meeting full agaynst his face hee flue.
Prouoking terror euery where. No further fly they might:
The horned beast with butting Browes gan run vpon them right.
The trampling Gennets straught of wits doe straight way breake their ray,
The struggle striuing hard to slip the Collar if they may.
And prauncing on their hinder Feete, the burden hurle on ground:
Thy Son flat falling on his Face, his body fast was bound,
Entangled in the winding ropes, the more he striues to loose
The slipping knots, he faster sticks within the sliding noose.
The Horses doe perceyue the broyle: and with the Waggon light
While none there is to rule the Raynes, with skittish feare afright
At randon out they ramping runne, (euen as the Welkin hye
The Cart that mist his woonted waight, disdayning in the Skye
The dreery day that falsely was commit vnto the Sun,
From off the fiery Marble Poale that downe askew doth run,
Flang Phaeton topsie toruey tost) his bloud begores the ground:
And dingd agaynst the rugged Rocks his head doth oft rebound:
The brambles rent his haled hayre the edged flinty stones,
The beauty batter of his Face, and breake his crashing bones:
At Mouth his blaring tongue hangs out with squeased eyne out dasht,
His Iawes & Skull doe crack, abrode his spurting Braynes are pasht,
His cursed beauty thus defoylde with many wounds is spent:
The iotting Wheeles do grinde his guts, and drenched lims they rent.
At length a Stake wt Trūchion burnt his ripped Paūch hath caught,
From riued Grine to th' Nauell stead within his wombe it raught:
The Cart vpon his Maister pawsde agaynst the ground ycrusht,
The Fellies stuck within the wounds, and out at length they rusht:
So both delay and Maisters limbs are broke by stresse of Wheeles:
His dragling guts then trayle about the wincing horses heeles.
They thumping with their horny Hooues agaynst his Belly kick,
From bursten Paunch on heapes his blouddy bowells tumble thick:
The scratting Bryers on the Brakes with needle poynted pricks
His gory Carkas all to race with spelles of thorny sticks
And of his flesh ech ragged shrub a gub doth snatch and rent,
His men (a mourning troupe God knowes) with brackish teares besprēt
Doe stray about the fielde, whereas Hippolytus was tore:
A piteous signe is to bee seene by tracing long of gore:
His howling Dogges their Maisters limmes with licking follow still:
The earnest toyle of woful Wights can not the coars vp fill,
By gathering vp the gobbets sparst and broken lumps of flesh.
Is this the flaunting brauery that comes of beauty fresh?
Who in his Fathers Empyre earst, did raigne vs pryncely Peare
The Heyre apparant to the Crowne, and shone in honour cleare,
Lyke to the glorious Stars of Heauen, his Limmes in pieces small
Are gathred to his fatall Graue, and swept to funerall.

TH.
O Nature that preuaylste too much, (alas) how dost thou binde
Whyth bonds of bloud the Parents breast? how loue we thee by kinde?
Maugre our Teeth whom guilty eeke we would haue rest of breath?
And yet lamenting with my teares I doe bewayle thy death.

NVN.
None can lament with honesty that which he wisht destroyde.

TH.
The hugiest heape of woes by this I thinke to be enioyde,
When flickering Fortunes cursed wheele doe cause vs cry alas,
To rue the wrack of things which earst wee wished brought to passe.

NVN.
If stil thou keepe thy grudge, why is thy Face wt teares besprēt?

TH.
Because I slue him, not because I lost him, I repent.

Chorus.

THE FIFTE ACTE.

THESEVS. PHÆDRA. CHORVS.
PH.
O tamer of the wrastling waues mee, mee, doe thou inuade.
The Monstrous hags of Marble Seas to rampe on mee send out,
What euer Thetis low doth keepe with folding armes about,
Or what the Ocean Seas aloefe embrace with winding waue:
O Theseus that to thine alies dost still thy selfe behaue
So Currishly, O thou that for thy louing Friends auayle
Dost neuer yet returne: thy Sonne and Father doe bewayle
Thy pasport brought by death, and blood, thy stooke thou dost destroy,
By loue or hatred of thy wife thou workest still annoy:
O sweete Hippolytus thus I behold thy battred face,
And I it is, I wretch (alas) that brought thee to this case,
What Scinis forst thy lims so torne his snatching boughes to feele?
Or what Procrustes rackt and rent thee streacht on bed of Steele?
Or else what Minotaur of Crete that grim twishaped Bull
With horny head (that Dedalls dennes with louing filleth full)
Hath thee in fitters torne? (aie me) where is thy beauty fled?
Where are our twinckling stars thine eyes? alas and art thou ded?
Appeare a while, receiue my words, for speake I shall none yll:
This hand shal strike the stroake, wherwith thy vengeance quite I wil.
And sith that I, I Cavife, I, abridged haue thy life,
Lo here I am content, to yeelde thee mine with bloudy knife.
If ghost may here be giuen for ghost, and breath may serue for breath,
Hippolytus take thou my soule, and come againe from death.
Behold my bowels yet are safe my lims in lusty plight,
Would God that as they serue for me, thy body serue they might,
Mine eies to render kindly light vnto thy Carkasse ded,
Lo for thy vse this hand of mine shall pluck them from my hed,
And set them in these empty cells and vacant holes of thine.
Thy weale of me a wicked Wight to win, do not repine.
And if a womans wofull heart in place of thine may rest,
My bosom straight breake vp I shall, and teare it from my brest.
But courage stout of thine doth loth faint womans heart to haue
Thy Noble minde would rather go with manly heart to graue.
Alas be not so manly now, this manlinesse forbeare,
And rather choose to liue a man with womans sprite and feare,
Then as no man with manly heart in darcknesse deepe to sit:
Haue thou thy life, giue me thy death that more deserueth it.
Can not my profer purchase place: yet vengeance shal thou haue,
Hell shall not hold me from thy syde nor death of dompish graue.
Sith fates wil not permit thee life, though I behest thee mine,
My selfe I shall in spite of fate my fatall twist vntwine.
This blade shall riue my bloudy breast, my selfe, I will dispoile
Of soule, and sinne at once: through floods and Tartar gulphes yt boyle,
Through Styx and through the burning Lakes I wil come after thee:
Thus may we please the lowring shades, receiue thou heere of mee
The parings of my Poll and Locks cut off from forehead torne,
Our hearts we could not ioyne in one, yet wretches now forlorne
We shal togeather in one day our fatall hower close:
If thou be loyall to thy spouse, for him thy life then lose:
But if thou be vncestuous, dye for thy louers sake.
Shall I vnto my husbandes bed agayne my corps betake,
Polluted with so haynous crime? O death the chiefest ioy
Of wounding shame: Death onely ease of stinging Loues annoy:
We runne to thee: embrace our a sowles within thy gladsome breast:
Harke Athens, harke vnto my talke, and thou aboue the reste,
Thou Father worse vnto thy Child than bloudy stepdame I.
False forged tales I told with shame, I fayning that did lye,
Which I of spite imagined, when raging breast did swarue:
Thou father falsly punisht hast him that did not deserue.
The youngman chast is cast away for myne vncestuous vice,
Both bashful he and guiltles was, now play thy wonted guyse.
My guilty breast with bloudy Launce of Sword deseru'd is riuen,
The Dirge to th' dead to purge my spouse shal with my bloud be geuen.
Thou father of the stepdame learne, what things thy Sōne should haue
Of life depriued, as to lay his carkasse in a graue.

Th.
O wanny Iawes of blacke Auerne, take Tartar dungeon grim,
O Lethes Lake of woful Soules the ioy that therein swimme,
And eake ye glummy Gulphes destroy, destroy me wicked wight
And stil in pit of pangues let me be plunged day and night.
Now, now, come vp ye Goblins grim from water creekes alow,
What euer Proteus hugie swolue aloofe doth ouerflow,
Come dowse me drownd in swallowes depe, that triumphe in my sinne:
And father thou that euermore ful ready prest hath binne
To wreake myne yre, aduentring I a deede deseruing death
With new found slaughter haue bereft myne onely Sonne of breath.
His tattred lims I scatred haue the bloudy field about,
Whyle th'innocent I punish doe, by chaunce I haue found out:
The truth of al this wickednes: heauen, starres, and sprites of hell
I pester with my treachery that me doth ouerquell.
No mischiefes hap remayneth more: iii. kingdomes know mee well:
We are returned to this World. For this did Hell vnfold
His gates that burials twayne I might and double death beholde?
Wherby I both a wyueles Wight and eake a Sonles Sire,
May with one brand to wyfe and Sonne enflame the funeral fire.
O dancer of blackefaced light Alcides, now restore
Thy booty brought from Hel, redeeme to mee, to mee therfore
These Ghostes that now be gone, ah sinful wretch to death in vayne
I sue, most vndiscrete by whom these wretched Wightes were slayne.
Imagining destruction sore aboute it wil I goe,
Now with thyne owne handes on thy selfe due vengeance do bestow:
A Pine tree bough downe straind perforce vnto the ground alow,
Let slip into the open ayre shal cut my corpes in twayne.
From top of Scyrons Rockes I wil be tumbled downe amayne.
More grieuous vengeance yet I haue in Phlegethon Riuer found,
Tormenting guilty Ghostes enclosd with fiery Channel round.
What pit and pangues shal plunge my soule already haue I known,
That tyring toyle of Sisyphus that retchles rolling stone,
Let yeeld vnto my guilty Ghost, and beyng layed on
These shoulders, these, these lifting handes of myne downe let it sway:
And let the fleeting floud aboute my lips deluded play.
Yea let the rauening grype come heare and Tytius paunch forsake,
For glutting foode with grasping Cleaze my liuer let him take,
Encreasyng stil to feede the Foule, and for my tormentes sake.
And pause thou my Pyrothous Syre, and eke the snackle Wheele
That whirleth stil enforce my limmes thy swinging swift to feele.
Gape, gape, thou ground and swallow me thou cruell Chaos blynd,
This passage to thinfernall Sprightes is fit for me to find:
My Sonne I wil ensue, thou Prince of gastly ghostes in hell,
Dread not for chast wee come to thee: geue thou me leaue to dwell
Among thy dreadful dennes for aye, and not to passe agayne.
Alas, my prayer at the Gods no fauour can obtayne,
But if that mischiefe craue I should how ready would they bee?

Ch.
O Theseus to thy plaint eternall tyme is graunted thee:
Prouyde thy Sonne his Obit rytes, and shroude in dompish graue
His broken lims, which Monsters foule disperst and scattered haue.

Th.
The shreadings of this deare beloued carkasse bring to mee,
His mangled members hether bring on heapes that tombled be:
This is Hyppolytus, I do acknowledge myne offence,
For I it is, that haue depriued thee of life and sense.
Least that but once, or onely I should be a guilty Wight,
I Sire attempting mischiefe haue besought my Fathers might.
Lo I enioy my fathers gift, O solitarinesse,
A grieuous plague when feeble yeares haue brought vs to distresse,
Embrace these lims, and that which yet doth of thy sonne remayne,
O woeful wight in baleful breast preserue and entertayne.
These scattred scraps of body torne O Syre in order fet,
The straying gobbetts bring agayne, here was his right hand set:
His left hand here instructed well to rule the raynes must be.
His left syde rybbs (ful wel I know to be bewayld of mee
With bitter teares) as yet alas are lost and wanting still,
O trembling handes behold this woful busines to fulfil,
And withered Cheekes forbid your streams of flowing tears to runne
Whyle that the father do accompt the members of his Sonne.
And eke patch vp his body rent, that hath his fashion lost,
Disfigured foule with gorye woundes, and all about betost:
I doubt, if this of thee be peece, and peece it is of thee:
Here, lay it here, in th'empty place, here let it layed be,
Although perhap it lye not right: (aye me) is this thy face?
Whose beauty twinckled as a starre, and eake did purchase grace,
In sight of Foe procurd to ruth. Is this thy beauty lost?
O cruell will of Gods, O rage in sinne preuayling most.
Doth thus the Syre that great good turne perfourme vnto his sonne?
Lo let thy fathers last farewel within thyne eares to runne,
My child whom oft I bid farewell: the whilst the fire shall burne
These bones, set ope his buriall bower, and let vs fall to mourne
With loude lamenting Mopsus wise for both the coarses sake:
With Princely Pompe his funerall fire see that ye ready make.
And seeke ye vp the broken parts in field dispersed round,
Stop hir vp hurlde into a Pit, let heauy clodds of ground
lie hard vpon hir cursed hed.