University of Virginia Library

Nutrix. Deianira.
NV.
My Foster gyrle, of rauing mynde, these dreary playnts asswage,
Forbeare this heate, and brydell yet the rigour of thy rage:
Behaue thy selfe for such an one, as men may worthy iudge
The noble Spouse of Hercules.

DEI.
Shall Iole (slauish drudge)
Bring basterd brethren to my Babes? of her that is a slaue
Shall Iupiter the God of heauen forsooth a daughter haue?
The flashing flames, and fighting floodes shall ioyne togeather first.
The northern beare to Marble seas shall stoupe to quench his thyrst.
Yea vengeaunce, vengeance, will I haue, though on thy back thou wyeld
The boysteous heauens, and all the worlde doe peace vnto thee yelde:
There is a thing shall stinge thee worse then Hydra hissing Snake,
The corsey curst of angry Wyfe. Doth any firy Flake
Upthrowne from Etnas boyling Foarge, so sowse the beaten skyes?
More then all things that thou hast daunt, my ghost shall thee aggryse.
Shall thou prefer a seruill Trull before thy wedded Wyfe?
For feare of many monsters more I tendred still thy lyfe,
And now for to encrease my care, I see no monsters lurke,
And now steps in an hateful whoore, (which more my minde doth vrke)
To cumber vs, as ill as fiendes. O Father thou of might,
The shielde of Gods: and Titan thou, that bearst the Lamp of lyght,
I onely vnto Hercules a loyall wyfe abod,
And to an Harlots vse are turnde my prayers made to God:
The fruite of my felicity a Strumpet doth obtayne,
And for an Harlots loue yee Gods haue harde my prayers vayne:
Is Hercules returnde for her? O griefe not yet content.
Deuise some tearing torments, seeke some pangues, and punishment.
Let Iuno learne of mee, what force a womans fury hath.
Shee knowes not how in deepe despight, to vse her harming wrath.
For mee you did these battayles wage: for my sake Acheloe
Did let his streaming bloud amid his wamblinge waues to floe.
When snarling Adders shape hee tooke, and to the boysteous Bull
Hee gieuing vp his sloughy shape did bende his mallice full
And thus thou foylde a thousand foes by conquest of this one:
Yet presently thou plunged art, and that by mee alone:
A prysoner now must be preferde before thy loyall wyfe.
Ile none of that; but euen the day that first begins the strife,
And to our wedlock brings the breach, shalbe thy dismall day,
And knap in twayne the fatall twist where on thy lyfe doth stay:
What meaneth this? my mynde relents. My mallice breakes his rage:
O wretched griefe why dost thou faynte? thy spight wilt thou asswage?
With fealty of a faythfull Wyfe dost thou thy conscience charge?
Why lets thou not my boyling yre for to encrease at large?
Why dost thou slake thy frying fits? this mallady still suruiue.
Euen now I able was with him for maistership to striue.
In deede I haue not craued ayde: yet Stepdame Iuno will,
To weilde my handes to worke his wracke, bee heere assistant still:

NV.
What treachery entendest thou mad bedlem to commit?
Thy husbād wilt thou murder wreatch? whose flickering fame doth flit?
From east to west: whose bryght renowne the earth coulde not contayne
But raysde aloft, from marble Skies it doth rebounde agayne:
The mother Earth shall ryse in armes for to reuenge his graue.
His former Stepsiers stocke heereby the ouerthrow shall haue:
And all Ætolia royall bloud will feele an vtterfall:
In quarrell of thy Hercules the worlde conspier shall.
Then silly wight how many plagues shalt thou alone abyde?
But bee't that from the face of man thou myght thy body hyde.
Yet Ioue the lightning leames of heauen doth holde in armed hand,
Beholde the flying fyry flakes in ranckes all ready stand:
And threatning thunders thumping thicke doe bounce out all the day.
Deathes dungeon (that thou dost defy) full duely scarce thee may.
For there his Uncle vmpyre sies: Myche where thou mayst vnspyde.
And euery where thou shalt perceaue the Gods to him allied.

DE.
I graunt it despert deede, whereto dispayre now doth me driue.

NV.
Die sure thou shall.

DE.
And die I will, (as presently I liue)
The loyall spouse of Hercules. And ere this night doe passe,
Day shall not see that Deianire a liuing Wydow was.
Nor of my spousall bed an whoore shall get the interest.
The dawning day shall sooner make the morning peere in West,
Unto the eastwarde Indians the ysy poale shall melt,
And freezing Scithian first shall fry with flames that hee hath felt
Of Phœbus feruent wheele: ere mee Thessalia Trulls shall see
Diuorst: my brydall blase shall with my bloud iquenched bee:
And eyther let him murdred bee, or take away my Lyfe.
So soothly let him count among the foyled fiendes his Wyfe.
Among Alcides labours let mee reckned bee as on.
His loue in heart I holde, vntill the vtter gaspe bee gon.
Thus vndiuorst (not vnreuengde) I will to Hercles tombe.
It Iole be with chylde by him, ile teare it from her wombe,
And rent it with these pawes of myne Yea in the wedding place,
I dying at her fearce will set my tallantes in her face:
Let him not spare in raumping rage a sacrifyce to make
Of me vppon his wedding day, when he his Trull doth take,
So that I fallyng downe may light on Ioles senceles coarse
He dyes a happy man, that first hath quelde his foes by force.

Nu
O wretched wight why dost thou thus encrease thy fuming heate:
And feede thy fury wittingly least hap should thee defeate.
He loued Lady Iole, but whyle her fathers crowne
Stoode florishyng in royall state and were not battred downe,
And as vnto the daughter of a King hee suter was,
But when from type of hawty pompe she did to thraldome passe
He shooke her of hot loue was coold, and now her bitter bale
Would not allow the wracked kele to beare to hie a sale:
Unleefull thinges that should be shund we gredely desyre.
But matters meeter for our state we seldome do require.
The pytying of aduersity doth oft enkindle more
The feruent fittes of loue, and this perhappe doth vrge him sore,
To see her reaft of natyue soyle, it may his fancy touch,
Her hayre not tuct with tresses trimme, nor dect with golden ouche
Perhap the man with pitty prickt doth loue her for her care.
Unto his noble hart to pitty prisoners tis not rare.
The sister deare of Priamus (fayre Lady Hesyon) he
Did cause to Thelamon the Greeke in wedlocke knit to bee.
Account how many wyues before, and maydens did he loue,
And raung'd abroade to coole the rage that Uenus brand did moue
Fayre Auge mayde of Arcadye ententiue set to leade
Dianas daunce, by force of him did leese her mayden hed.
And yet no token could she shew nor pledge of any loue,
What shall I speake of any more, or doth it mee behoue,
To prate what prankes he playd with fifty daughters in one night,
And yet how soone of such a pange he ouercame the might,
He set much store by Omphale of Lidia land the Queene,
When like a guest on Timolus the mount he hath bene seene.
He was so prict with Cupids dart, and caught in Uenus trap,
That tuckt in womans weede he sat with distaf in his lap
And spoon the flaxe with fombling fyst, and rudely thumbde the threede
And flong from him the lyons case the price of noble deede.
With tresses tricke on plaited lockes he wayled as a mayde
With myrre his friseled poale was smeard, and curled bush was brayde,
Thus euery where as fancy flits, the fondling dotes in loue.
But in such sort as easely he can the same remoue.

DEI.
But they whom fickle fansies fles haue taynt, doe learne at last
In linke of loue by tract of time to fix affiaunce fast.

NV.
Trow yee that hee this captiue queane, and on whom hee doe see
The daughter of his deadly foe, will more esteeme then thee?

DE.
As gladsome groues at Prime of spring in beauties pride are seene
When fresshest warmth the naked twigges doth clad in pleasant greene,
But when coulde Boreas boysteous blast the pipling puffes doth stop
Of southwinde sweete, rough wynter powles the naked busshes top:
The barewoode with misshapen stumpes doth shew a withered Face,
Euen so my beauty marching forth a season on his Race
Still fades away, and euermore abates his glimsing glosse,
And what so euer was in mee, by care is come to losse.
And that which earst by fansy fed the greedy gazing eyes,
Is fallen away by bearing childe: so oft it droupes, and dyes.
And since I came to mothers state, I faded fast away.
And wrinckled age with furrowed face steps in with quick decay.
But yet this bondmaydes feauter fresh her sorrow better brookes.
Her comely countnaunce crazied is with leane and wanny lookes,
And yet for all her kark and care amid her deepe distresse,
Shee beares a glimse of beauty bryght, and fauour nothing lesse.
Her heauy hap, and frowning fate can nothing from her plucke,
Saue Scepter from her royall hande by all this lowring lucke.
By meanes of this first faynting feare did lodge within my breast,
That makes mee wake the weary nightes, and leese my kindely rest.
In all mens eyes at first I seemde to be a blessed Wyfe.
And Ladies all at our estate repining very ryfe
Did wyshe my match in spite of fate what Stepsier shall I hope
As match in maiesty to Ioue within the heauenly coape?
Deare foster dame whom shall I make my feere in spowsall bed?
Although Euryst that Hercules to all these toyles hath led,
Doe linke with mee in bridall bandes, my state shalbe impayrde.
Tis small worth to deserue to bee to kingly wedlock rayrde.

NV.
But Issue is the thing that doth in marriage kindell loue.

DE.
And Issue is the thing that doth in marriage mallice moue.

NV.
This while the bondmayde to thee for present shalbe braught

DE.
Loe hee ietteth vp and downe with pryncely port full haught,
And buckles fast about his Loynes the liuely Lyons case,
Who doth inuest the wretched with the right of kingly mace,
Deposing those from honoures type that late so lofty sat.
And pestereth his puissaunt pawes with huge vnweildy bat,
Of whose exploytes, and maarciall actes the Seres sing aloofe,
And all enclosde in Ocean sea thereof haue perfit proofe
Is now became an amorous knight: the honour of his name
Doth nothing touch his conscience, to tender once his fame.
Hee roueth through the worlde, as on that doth no whit esteeme,
Although that men as soone to Ioue shall him vnworthy deeme.
Nor like the man whose credit through the townes of Greece is greate.
Hee seekes to compasse his desier, to worke a Louers feate.
With single Dames is his delight: If any him deny,
Then to attayne his lawlesse lust by rigour doth hee try.
With men hee fareth frantickly, to others smart and blame
Hee wins his Wyues, his folly frayle is cloackt by vertues name.
The noble City Oechalie is made a razed towne.
The Sunne twixt morne and euen did set, in one day vp, and downe,
One day did see it stand in state, the same did see it fall.
These bloudy broyles, and wasting warres of Loue proceeded all,
As oft as parents vnto him deny theyr daughters deare,
So oft I warrant them they neede his wrathfull fury feare.
So oft a man with Hercules shalbe at deadly foode:
As hee denies his stepfather to bee by ioyning bloude.
If hee may not be sonne in law, then doth hee rage, and raue:
Why doe these guiltlesse handes of myne still keepe him from his graue,
Till hee dissemble franticke fits, to bend his ayming bowe,
And deaths wounde on my chylde, and me with bloudy hands bestowe?
Thus hawty Hercules was wont his wedlockes to deuorce.
Yet nought there is, that lawe of guilt on him might haue recorse.
Hee makes the worlde blame Iuno, for the ills hee hath commit.
O rigour, of my rage why dost thou quallify my fit?
Now must thou set thy hands on worke, too't while thy hands bee hot.

N.
Thy husband wilt thou slay?

D.
Him whō his Leman lewd hath got.

NV.
But yet, he is the sonne of Ioue.

DE.
And so Alcmenas sonne.

N.
With stroke of steele?

D.
With stroke of steele if it cannot bee donne,
Then for to bring his death to passe, ile set for him a snare.

NV.
What kinde of madnesse may it be that makes thee thus to fare?

D.
Such as my husband hath mee taught.

N.
Wilt thou thy spouse destroy,
On whom ye stepdames spite yet had no power to work annoy?

D.
The wrathes of heauenly mindes do make thē blest on whō they light
So doth not spite of mortall men.

N.
Oh silly wretched wight
For beare thy rage, and feare the worst, mans force may not assayle
Him, that agaynst the power of hell, and death coulde once preuayle.

DE.
Ile venter on the dint of swerd.

N.
Thy wrath (deare foster child)
Is greater then the crime, that hath thy Hercules defilde.
With egall mallice measure faultes. Alas why dost thou bring
So great and sore, a penalty vpon so smale a thinge?
Let not thy griefe be greater, then the sorrow thou sustaynes.

DE.
Set you it light that with our wedlocke linkt an harlot raygnes?
Nay rather thinke it still to much, that doth thy sorrows breede.

NV.
And is the loue of Hercules reuolt from thee in deede?

DE.
T'is not reuolt, deare foster Dame, fast in my bones it stickes:
But yre boyles hoate in burning breaste, when loue to anger prickes.

NV.
It is almost a common guise, that wedded wyues doe haunte,
Theyr husbands hearts by magicke Arte, and witchcraft to enchaunte,
In winter coulde I charmed haue the woods, to make them sprout.
And forst the thunder dint recoyle, that hath bin boulting out.
With waltring surges I haue shooke the seas amid the calme.
I smoothed haue the wrastling waues, and layde downe euery walme.
The dry groūd gaped hath like gulphs, & out new springs haue gusht
The roring rocks haue quaking sturd, & none thereat hath pusht.
Hell gloummy gales I haue brast oope, where grisly ghosts all husht
Haue stood & aunswering at my charme the goblins grim haue scoulde.
The threefolde headded hounde of hell wt barking throates hath houlde.
Thus both the seas, the lande, the heauens, & hell bowe at my becke.
Noone day to midnight, to and froe turnes at my charming checke.
At my enchauntment euery thing declynes from natures lawe.
Our charme shall make his stomacke stoupe, & bring him more in awe.

D.
What hearbes doe grow in Pontus sea? Or els on Pindus hill?
To trownce this machelesse champion, where shall I finde the ill?
The magicke vearse enchaunts the Moone from Starry skies to groūd,
And fruictfull haruest is thereby in barren winter found.
The whisking flames of lightning leames oft sorcery doth slay.
And noonetyde topsy turuy tost doth dim the dusky day.
And leaue the welkin to the starres, and yet not cause him stoupe.

N.
The Gods them selues by charme of loue haue forced bin to droupe.

DE.
Perhap hee shall be woon by one, and yeelde to her the spoyle.
So loue shall be to Hercules the last and latest toyle.
By all the hoste of heauenly powers, and as thou seest mee feare,
The secrets that I shall attempt, in councell see thou beare:

NV.
What may it be, that thou woulde haue me keepe so secretly?

DE.
No broyle of blades, no priuy cote, no fiery force perdye:

NV.
I you assure I can conceale, if mischiefe none be ment.
For then the keeping close of it is sure a lewde entent.

DE.
Then looke about, if none be heere, our councell to betray:
Looke rounde about, on all sides cast thy countnaunce euery way.

NV.
(Beholde the place is safe inough from any listning eare.)

DE.
Beside the place of our estate there is a secret nooke,
A couert corner for our talke, that sonneshyne neuer tooke.
Neyther at morne, nor euening tyde, when Titans blaze doth quench.
And hee in ruddy westerne waue his firy wheeles doth drench.
There secret lyes the priuy proofe of Hercules amorous thought,
Ile tell thee all deare foster dame: This witchcraft Nessus taught,
Whom Ixion engendred of a mysty groning clowde,
Where Pindus hauty hill his top among the starres doth shrowde,
And other slips doth heaue his Crest aboue the ryding rack
When Achelous ouer layde, with many a thumping thwack
Of Hercles club, did shift him selfe to euery kinde of shape,
And triall made of all his sleights none serued to escape,
At length he turnde him selfe into the lykenesse of a Bull.
And so was fowly vanquished in forme of horny scull.
(While Hercules being Conquerour did me his Wyfe enioy.
Returning home to Greece agayne, it hapned Euen lake
To ouerflow the drowned marshe and channell to forsake,
And strongly streamde to seas hee runns, and swells aboue his bankes.
And Nessus vsde to passe the poole, and search the croking crankes
As Ferryman demaundes his fare, and bare mee on his backe,
And wading forward brake the Waues, and surges of the lake.
At length yet Nessus waded out vnto the farther shore,
Yet Hercules had swam but halfe the riuer and no more:
And plyde it hard to cut the streame: but when espied had hee,
That Hercules was farre behinde, Madam (quoth hee) to mee.
(Be thou my booty, and my wyfe, and clasping mee about)
Away he flings, and Hercules besturres him mauger Waue:
Though Ganges gulph and Ister streame (quoth he) thou traytour slaue
Might roon in on, yet shift to scape them both, well coulde I make,
And in thy hast a shaft shall soone thy running ouer take:
And ere he spake the word, his arrow flew out of his bowe,
And wrought a wounde in Nessus ribbs, hee coulde no farther goe.
It sped him sure, to looke for death. Hee cried, well away.
The baggage running from the wounde reserued as hee lay,
And putting it into his hoofe the which vndoyng, hee
In cutting yt with his owne hand, did geue it vnto me.
And thus at latter gaspe he sayde, the witches haue me toulde,
That loue may charmed be by this, to haue and keepe his hould.
The conning witch dame Michale did teach Thessalia dames,
Who onely forst the Mone to stoupe to her from heauenly frames.
Therfore (quoth he) at any tyme when hateful whores abuse
Thy spousall bed, or waueryng man do haunt to any slewes
Then with this salue annoynt his shyrtes, and let it see no sonne,
But kepe it close in corners darke, the bloud then shall not shonne
His strength: and thus ful sodenly he left his talke with rest:
And deadly sleepe with senceles death his feeble lims opprest.
Thou Dame to whom in hope of trust my secrets all bewray,
On, that the poyson soakt into the vesture bright, it may
Preace through his limmes, vnto his hart, & sinke through euery bone,

N.
I wil dispatch it all in hast, make thou thy earnest mone
Unto the God, whose tender hand his stedfast dartes doth weild.

D.
I thee beseech that art of earth and heauen in honour helde.
And thou that shakest burning boltes, thou curst and cruel boy,
Whose eluish weapons make thy mother feare thy sharpe annoy.
Now arme thy hand with speedy shaft not of the slender sort,
But biggest boultes, with which as yet thou hast assault no fort,
We neede no litle shaft that may styrre Hercules to loue
Bring cruel handes and force thy bow his depest draught to prooue
Now, now draw forth thy shaft wherwith thou caused cruelly
The burning breast of Ioue by fyttes of feruent loue to frye.
When as the God his thonderbolt and lightning layd assyde,
Gan boalne with bumpes on forehead big: and through the waue he hid,
And swam with Europ on his backe in shape of horny Bull,
Now powre downe loue, and therwithall let Hecles hart be full.
If Ioles beauty kyndle heate and Hercles hart doth moue,
Quench thou these coales, and force him glow with vs in lawfull loue.
Ful oft the thunder thumping Ioue hath stouped to thy yoke:
And him that weildes the moary mace of blacke Auerne to smoake.
Thy flames enforce, and eake the Lord of glummy Stigian lake:
But onely match thou Hercules, and of him triumphe take
O Ioue, whose wrath more wrackful is then yreful Iunoes might.
The charme is made in perfecte force is al our medcine right,
Wherein the shirt shal steeped bee that wearyed many wighte.
Whose handes on Pallas distaffe spoone the weary Web with payne.
And it for Hercules auayle shall drincke vp all the bane.
And with my charme Ile strengthen it. But loe yee in the nick
Defie Lycas commeth heere at hand who will dispatche it quick:
But tell him not what force it hath least hee the guilt betray.

DEI.
Alas that fayth to kinges dwells not in howses of estate:
Haue Lycas heere this shirt, the which my handes haue spun of late,
Whyle Hercules at randon roues, and ouershot with wyne
Doth rudely dandle on his lap the Lidiane Lady fyne.
Now doates hee after Iole: but this his boyling rage
That burneth in his breast I will with curtesy asswage,
For curtesy conquers canckred churles. See thou my spouse desire,
Hee spare the Shirt, vntill hee set the Franckinsence on fire,
And offer vp his sacrifice, and weare his Garlond gray
Of Popler boughes on wreathed lackes. And I will goe my way
To'th royall Gods, and will beseeke the cruell Cupids dame.
Yee ladies and companions that with mee heather came,
Now force the fountaynes of your teares from watred eyes to roon,
To wayle our Countrey Calydon on euery side vndoon.