Natures Embassie Or, The Wilde-mans Measvres: Danced naked by twelve Satyres, with sundry others continued in the next Section [by Richard Brathwait] |
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THE SATYRE. [OF TYRANNIE.]
Hoe
Euristheus, I am hither sent,
From Iunoes Princely pallace to thy Court,
To tell thee, thou must be her instrument,
(And to that purpose she hath chus'd thee for't)
To chastise Hercules, growne eminent
By his renowned conquests: do not show
Thy selfe remisse, Iuno will haue it so.
From Iunoes Princely pallace to thy Court,
To tell thee, thou must be her instrument,
(And to that purpose she hath chus'd thee for't)
To chastise Hercules, growne eminent
By his renowned conquests: do not show
Thy selfe remisse, Iuno will haue it so.
And Iuno shall; I will such taskes impose,
That earth shall wonder how they were inuented,
So as his life he shall be sure to lose,
What do I care, so Iuno be contented,
Darknesse shall not my secresies disclose?
Her will is my command, nor must I aske
Whence's her distast; come yong man heare your taske
That earth shall wonder how they were inuented,
So as his life he shall be sure to lose,
What do I care, so Iuno be contented,
Darknesse shall not my secresies disclose?
Her will is my command, nor must I aske
Whence's her distast; come yong man heare your taske
A fruitfull garden, full of choyce delights,
Enricht with sprayes of gold and apples too,
Which by three sisters watch'd both dayes and nights,
Yeeld no accesse vnto th' inuading foe,
Is thy first progresse; where with doubtfull sight,
Thou must performe thy taske: this is the first,
Which if it proue too easie, next is worst.
Enricht with sprayes of gold and apples too,
Which by three sisters watch'd both dayes and nights,
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Is thy first progresse; where with doubtfull sight,
Thou must performe thy taske: this is the first,
Which if it proue too easie, next is worst.
For in this first thou art to deale with women,
And reape a glorious prize when thou hast done;
And such an enterprize (I know) is common,
Crowning vs great by th' triumph we haue wonne:
Gold is so strange a baite, as there is no man,
But he will hazard life to gaine that prize,
Which makes men fooles that are supposed wise.
And reape a glorious prize when thou hast done;
And such an enterprize (I know) is common,
Crowning vs great by th' triumph we haue wonne:
Gold is so strange a baite, as there is no man,
But he will hazard life to gaine that prize,
Which makes men fooles that are supposed wise.
But next taske shall be of another kind,
No golden apples pluckt from Hesperie:
For in this worke thou nought but dong shalt find,
Augean stables must thy labour be,
Which if thou cleare not, as I haue assign'd,
Death shall attend thee: tis in vaine to come,
By prayers or teares to change my fatall doome.
No golden apples pluckt from Hesperie:
For in this worke thou nought but dong shalt find,
Augean stables must thy labour be,
Which if thou cleare not, as I haue assign'd,
Death shall attend thee: tis in vaine to come,
By prayers or teares to change my fatall doome.
The third, that hideous Hydra, which doth breed
Increase of heads, for one being cut away,
Another springs vp streight way in her stead:
Hence then away, and make me no delay,
Delay breeds danger, do what I haue said,
Which done thou liues, which vnperform'd thou dies,
This said; Alcydes to his labour hies.
Increase of heads, for one being cut away,
Another springs vp streight way in her stead:
Hence then away, and make me no delay,
Delay breeds danger, do what I haue said,
Which done thou liues, which vnperform'd thou dies,
This said; Alcydes to his labour hies.
Alas (poore man) how well it may be said,
So many are the perils he must passe,
That he with dangers is inuironed?
So hopelesse and so haplesse is his case,
As he by death is so encompassed,
That howsoere his power he meanes to trie,
Poore is his power, he must be forc'd to die.
So many are the perils he must passe,
That he with dangers is inuironed?
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As he by death is so encompassed,
That howsoere his power he meanes to trie,
Poore is his power, he must be forc'd to die.
Imperious tyrant, couldst thou wreake thy rage
On none but such whose valour hath bene showne,
As a victorious Mirror to this age,
And hath bene blaz'd where thou wer't neuer knowne!
Must thou his person to such taskes engage,
As flesh and bloud did neuer yet sustaine?
Well, he must trie, although he trie in vaine.
On none but such whose valour hath bene showne,
As a victorious Mirror to this age,
And hath bene blaz'd where thou wer't neuer knowne!
Must thou his person to such taskes engage,
As flesh and bloud did neuer yet sustaine?
Well, he must trie, although he trie in vaine.
Yes, he will trie, and act what he doth try,
He'le tug and tew, and striue and stoope to ought,
Yea die, if so with honour he may die,
Yet know, that those who haue his life thus sought,
Are but insulting types of tyrannie,
Whose boundlesse splene, when He hath past these shelues,
Will be disgorg'd, and fall vpon themselues.
He'le tug and tew, and striue and stoope to ought,
Yea die, if so with honour he may die,
Yet know, that those who haue his life thus sought,
Are but insulting types of tyrannie,
Whose boundlesse splene, when He hath past these shelues,
Will be disgorg'd, and fall vpon themselues.
For see, thou cruell sauage, whose desire
Extends to bloud, how this aduentr'ous Knight,
Gaines him renowne, and scorneth to retire,
Till he hath got a conquest by his fight:
So high heroick thoughts vse to aspire,
As when extremest dangers do enclose them,
They sleight those foes that labour to oppose them.
Extends to bloud, how this aduentr'ous Knight,
Gaines him renowne, and scorneth to retire,
Till he hath got a conquest by his fight:
So high heroick thoughts vse to aspire,
As when extremest dangers do enclose them,
They sleight those foes that labour to oppose them.
Here see those taskes which thy imperious power,
Impos'd this Noble champion, finished;
The Serpent, Hydra, which of heads had store,
Now headlesse lies by valour conquered,
The stables purg'd from th' filth they had before,
The golden Apples Trophies of his glorie,
Dilate their ends vnto an endlesse storie.
Impos'd this Noble champion, finished;
The Serpent, Hydra, which of heads had store,
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The stables purg'd from th' filth they had before,
The golden Apples Trophies of his glorie,
Dilate their ends vnto an endlesse storie.
Here see th' euent where vertue is the aime,
Here see the issue of a glorious mind,
Here see how martiall honour makes her claime,
Here see the crowne to diligence assign'd,
Here see what all may see, a souldiers fame,
Not tipt with fruitlesse titles, but made great,
More by true worth, then by a glorious seate.
Here see the issue of a glorious mind,
Here see how martiall honour makes her claime,
Here see the crowne to diligence assign'd,
Here see what all may see, a souldiers fame,
Not tipt with fruitlesse titles, but made great,
More by true worth, then by a glorious seate.
For such, whose natiue merit hath attain'd
Renowne 'mongst men, should aduerse gusts assaile thē
In such an Orbe rest their resolues contain'd,
As well they may inuade but not appall them,
For from esteeme of earth they'r wholly wain'd,
Planting their mounting thoughts vpon that sphere,
Which frees such minds as are infranchis'd there.
Renowne 'mongst men, should aduerse gusts assaile thē
In such an Orbe rest their resolues contain'd,
As well they may inuade but not appall them,
For from esteeme of earth they'r wholly wain'd,
Planting their mounting thoughts vpon that sphere,
Which frees such minds as are infranchis'd there.
Hence learne ye Great-ones, who esteeme it good
Sufficient to be great, and thinke't well done,
Be't right or wrong, what's done in heate of blood,
Hence learne your state, lest ye decline too soone,
For few ere firmely stood, that proudly stood.
But specially ye men that are in place,
Iudge others as your selues were in same case.
Sufficient to be great, and thinke't well done,
Be't right or wrong, what's done in heate of blood,
Hence learne your state, lest ye decline too soone,
For few ere firmely stood, that proudly stood.
But specially ye men that are in place,
Iudge others as your selues were in same case.
Here haue you had a mirror to direct
Your wayes, and forme your actions all the better,
Which president if carelesse, ye neglect,
And walke not by this line, liue by this letter,
Hows'ere the world may tender you respect,
Ye are but gorgeous paintings daubed ouer,
Clothing your vice with some more precious couer.
Your wayes, and forme your actions all the better,
Which president if carelesse, ye neglect,
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Hows'ere the world may tender you respect,
Ye are but gorgeous paintings daubed ouer,
Clothing your vice with some more precious couer.
Hence likewise learne ye whom the frowne of fate,
Hath so deprest, as not one beame doth shine
Vpon the forlorne mansion of your state,
To beare with patience and giue way to time,
So shall ye vie with Fortune in her hate;
And prize all earths contents as bitter-sweete,
Which armes you 'gainst all fortunes ye can meete.
Hath so deprest, as not one beame doth shine
Vpon the forlorne mansion of your state,
To beare with patience and giue way to time,
So shall ye vie with Fortune in her hate;
And prize all earths contents as bitter-sweete,
Which armes you 'gainst all fortunes ye can meete.
This great Alcydes did, who did with ease
(For what's vneasie to a mind prepard)
Discomfit th' Hydra and th' Stymphalides,
With whom he cop'd, encountred long and warr'd,
And gain'd him glory by such acts as these.
Obserue this Morall (for right sure I am)
The imitation shewes a perfect man.
(For what's vneasie to a mind prepard)
Discomfit th' Hydra and th' Stymphalides,
With whom he cop'd, encountred long and warr'd,
And gain'd him glory by such acts as these.
Obserue this Morall (for right sure I am)
The imitation shewes a perfect man.
The last not least, which may obserued be,
Is to suppresse splene or conceiued hate,
Which in perfidious Nessus you may see,
Fully portraid, who meerely through deceit,
Practis'd Alcydes wofull Tragedy:
For of all passions, there's noone that hath
More soueraignty ore man, then boundlesse wrath.
Is to suppresse splene or conceiued hate,
Which in perfidious Nessus you may see,
Fully portraid, who meerely through deceit,
Practis'd Alcydes wofull Tragedy:
For of all passions, there's noone that hath
More soueraignty ore man, then boundlesse wrath.
Which to restraine, (for wherein may man show
Himselfe more manly, then in this restraint)
That there is nought more generous, you should know,
Then true compassion to the indigent,
Which euen humanitie faith, that we owe
One to another, while we vse to tender
Loue to our Maker, in him to each member.
Himselfe more manly, then in this restraint)
That there is nought more generous, you should know,
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Which euen humanitie faith, that we owe
One to another, while we vse to tender
Loue to our Maker, in him to each member.
Thus if ye do, how low soere ye be,
Your actions make you noble, and shall liue
After your summons of Mortalitie,
And from your ashes such a perfume giue,
As shall eternize your blest memorie:
If otherwise ye liue, ye are at best
But guilded gulls, and by opinion blest.
Your actions make you noble, and shall liue
After your summons of Mortalitie,
And from your ashes such a perfume giue,
As shall eternize your blest memorie:
If otherwise ye liue, ye are at best
But guilded gulls, and by opinion blest.
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