University of Virginia Library

Chorus.

O GREECE by noble Gentlemen in honour shyning cleare,
O GREECE to wrathfull IVNO thou that art the darling deare,
Some iolly worthy lusty bloude thou fosters euermore,
Thou hast made euen the Gods, that were a number odde before.
That puissaunt mighty Hercules a noble Impe of thyne
Deserued by his trauels twelue, rapt vp in heauen to shyne.
For whom the heauens did alter course, and Iupiter with all
Did iterate the howles of nyght, when dampishe dewe doth fall.
And charged Phœbus chariot swyfte to trot with slower pace,
And leasurely bright lady Moone thy homwarde Wayne to trace,
Bryght Lucifer that yeare by yeare his name a newe doth chaunge,
Came backe agayne, to whom the name of Hesper seemed straunge.
Aurora to her common course her reared head addrest,
And couching backward downe agayne the same shee did arest,
Upon the shoulder of her spouse, whose yeares with age are worne
The east did feele, so felt the west, that Hercules was borne.
Dame nature coulde not cleane dispatch, to vtter in one night,
That boystous lad: the whyrling worlde did wayght for such a wight.
O babe whose shoulders vnderprop, the ample spacious sky,
In clasped armes thy prowesse did the crusshed Lyon try.
Who from his fyry yawning throate spewes out his broyling brande,
The nimble hynde in Menall mount hath knowne thy heauy hande.
The Bore hath felt thy fyst, which did Arcadia destroy.
The monstrous conquerde Bull hath rorde that Creta did anoy.
The Dragon dyre that breeding beast in Lerna poole he slewe,
And chopping of one head forbad thereof to ryse anewe.
With clubbed brusing battring batte he crankly did subdew.
(The brethren twins yt lewde on Teate) whereof three monsters grew.
Of tryple formed Gerion the spoyle into the east,
A droue of Cattell Hercules did fetch out of the weast.
Away from tyraunt Diomede the Thracian horse he led,
Which neyther with the grasse that grew by Styrmon floud he fed,
Nor yet on Heber bankes, but them the villayne did refresh
His greedy mounching cramming iades with avaunts bloud and flesh.
Their rawfed Iawes imbrewde were with the carmans bloud at last,
The spoyles and shaftes Hipolyte saw from her bosome wrast
As sone as he with clattring shaft the dusky cloude did smite,
The Stymphall byrde that shadowed the sunne, did take her flight.
The fertill tree that apples beares of golde, did feare him sore,
Which neuer yet acquayntaunce had with Tasters tooth before.
But whipping vp with liuely twigges into the ayre she flyes,
And whyle the chinking plate doth sound then Argos full of eyes,
The watchman shrinking close for colde that sleepe yet neuer knew,
Doth heare the noyse whyle Hercules with mettall all of yellow hew
Well loden packs away, and left the groue befliched cleane.
The hound of hell did holde his tongue drawne vp in tryple cheane,
Nor barkt with any boughinge throate nor coulde abyde the hewe,
Or colour of the heauenly lyght, whose beames hee neuer knewe.
When thou wert captayne Generall, and didst conduct our Hoste,
(They that) of Dardans Lygne, to come theyr Stocke doe falsly boste,
Were vanquished by force of armes and since they felt agayne
Thy Gray goose winge, whose bitternesse to feare might thē constrayne.