University of Virginia Library

[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.