University of Virginia Library

Demophoons Replie to Phyllis Epistle.

Euen from his Countrie soyle
Demophoon wrytes to thee:
His Countrie (Phyllis) that he mindes
thy gratefull gift to bee.
Demophoon is not linckt
with any nouell Lasse:
But not so happie as with thee
acquainted well he was.
Duke Theseus, of whome
thou euer stoodste in awe,
(Which made perhaps thy flame the more)
to be thy Fatherlawe:
(A shamefull thing for mee
to suffer such a deede)
By cruell foe was reft his reigne:
this was olde ages meede.
Euen he that whileome had
Amazons courage quaylde,
A mate for Hercules that so
in armour had preuaylde,
Euen he that Mynos made
a father of a foe,
Amazde to see his monstrous Beast
by valiance conquerde so.
I am accusde to beene
the cause of his exile,
My brother layes it to my charge,
I must not pleade the while.
Whilst thou (quoth he) didst fonde
on Phyllis, and didst craue
By earnest sute vnto thy wyfe
a forraine wench to haue:
The slipper time did passe
with hastie foote away,
Thy loytring was the cause that thou
doste see this doolefull day.
Thou moughtst perhaps at first
this wicked stirre haue stayde:
At least, though matters had bene past,
thou moughtst haue bene an ayde.
But Rhodopeian Reigne
I better did esteeme:
And of a Nymph, whome better than
hir Scepter I did deeme.
Then Athamas gins to chaufe,
and thundring words bestowes:
And Æthra harpes vpon the same,
a crooked peece God knowes.
She sayth my lingring was
th' occasion that hir sonne
Could not shut vp his mothers eyes
as duetie was to donne.
I can not it denie
they both excladme a good,
And cryde on mee when that my ship
rode on the Thracian flood.
Demophoon (quoth they)
why stayste thou lingring so?
The winde doth serue: home to thy Gods,
and natiue Countrie go.
Let Phyllis myrror be
whome thou dost loue so well:
She fancies thee, but loth she is
for thee hir Realme to sell.
She craues thee to retire,
thy iourney Mate to bee
She scorns: more than thy Raigne she waies
hir barbarous soyle we see.
But I in silence would
amid their brawles (I minde)
A thousand thankes bestow atonce
vpon the blustring winde.
And when I should depart,
imbracing Phyllis harde,
I ioyde with all my heart to see
how dashing waters warrde.
Ne would I feare the same
before my Sire to vaunt:
For by thy meritts I attainde
my libertie I graunt.
Thou must of force confesse
that with no steely heart
I went my way, nor in post haste
thy Countrie did depart.
I sobbde and weeping thee
to solace made a stay,
When to forgo thy friendly shore
was come the fixed day.
I clambe the Thracian Barke,
and tooke my shippe in deede:
When Phyllis bid it should not o-
uer hastely proceede.
Forgiue since I confesse,
your selfe remember well
King Mynos daughter in your brest,
that auncient loue doth dwell.
As often as my Sire
to Skieward lookes: he sayes,
She whilome was my louing wench
that hath those glistring rayes.
God Bacchus bidde him leaue
and yeelde him vp the Mayde:
But he (goodman) sustaines the blame,
they say he hir betrayde.
By his example I
a periurde man am thought:
Ne doste thou (cruell Phyllis) aske
the cause mine absence wrought.
Ne thinckst thou it ynough,
or able to requight
My former fault, that I am not
in loue with any wight.
Why (Phyllis) hast thou not
heard of the cruell fate
Of Theseus Pallace? of his house?
and lamentable state?
Hast thou not tydings that
my fathers death I wayle?
A farther griefe than fathers fall
Demophoon doth assayle
Not of Hippolyts happe?
he miserable man
Fell headlong from the fearefull steedes
that downe the Mountaine ran.
I seeke not to excuse
my lingring, though there bee
A thousand cares that heape my hoe,
I aske a space of thee.
Let mee or ere I come
lay Theseus in his graue,
And see that he who was my Syre
his buriall rites may haue.
Giue space and leaue I pray,
not like a Traytour I
Absent me: than thy soyle I knowe
not safer where to lie.
Since Troie went to wrack,
and battayles broyle did stay,
What ease so ere I felt at Sea
or otherwhere: I say
I had it all in Thrace,
(yet there I found some griefe)
That onely soyle vnto my woes
was succour and reliefe.
And is, if thou be one,
and be not mooude awhight,
That now I haue a stately house
so Castlelyke in sight:
Nor that my Fathers happes
or Mothers shamefull fate,
Or these my yll successes cause
thy fancie to rebate.
What if I went to Troie
in mariage linckt with thee?
And thou thy husband waging warre
full ten yeares space shouldst see?
Thou hearste Vlysses wife
what honour she hath got:
A myrrour she became, for that
she liude withouten blot.
Who (by report) deuisde
a charitable wile
In spinning: wherewithall hir in-
stant Suters to beguile.
For whatsoeuer she
by day in sight had wrought:
At night the selfe same twisted twine
from threed to wooll she brought.
But Phyllis you doe feare
your Suters will be gone
That profferde wedlock earst in Thrace:
canste thou with any one,
Or haste thou heart to matche
thy selfe in bridely band?
What? will not feare of broken Hest
thy shamefull act withstand?
O Lord how thou wilt blush,
O Lord how thou wilt shame,
When thou shalt vew my sailes aloofe
and know they be the same?
Thou then wilt blame thy rashe
complaint (but all too late)
And say: Demophoon was to mee
a true and faithfull Mate.
Demophoon is retirde
that Southren blast abidde,
And cruell tempest, whilst vpon
the sowsing seas he slidde.
Ah, why in such post haste
did I this blame deuise?
I broken haue my plighted Hest,
which makes my heart agrise.
But (oh) go forward so
more rather than to mee
(Sweete Phyllis) greater griefe and care
should chaunce againe by thee.
What Gibbet (oh) is that
that thou dost manace so
Unto thy selfe, and froward fate
to worke thy waylfull wo?
The Gods that in this soyle doe dwell
are ouerbolde I trow.
I pray thee spare, and cause
no more defame to spring
From out our race: whose traitrous crime
too loude a Bell doth ring.
Ariadne may excuse
my Father since hir lotte
Was party cause shee was forlorne.
who me may iustly blotte?
Now selfe same windes my words
that did my sayles conuay:
I would returne with all my heart
but haue good cause to stay.