University of Virginia Library

Hillus, Deianira, Nutrix.
Dei.
A mischiefe great I know not what within my breast doth boyle:

Hil.
Unto the royall temples of dame Iunoes tryumph hie
These will allow the sanctuary though other it denye

Dei.
What heauy hap is it that may annoy my guiltlesse ghost

Hyl.
Oh mother, O that diamond of the world that piller post
Whom fate as Ioues lieuetenaunt heare haue placed for the nones
Is dead: and Nessus burning bane deuouers Hercles boanes
The daunter of the brutish beastes he conquering knight before
Is conquerd now: he mournes, he wailes, what aske ye any more

Dei.
We wretches loue the order of our wretchednes to heare,
Tell me the state now of our stocke what countnance doth it beare:
O stock, O sylly wretched stocke now shal I be esteemd,
A widdow now, a cast of now, and now a beggar deemd.

Hil.
Thou dost not languish all alone for Hercules yis dead:
For whom the eyes of all the world haue cause their teares to shed.
Count not thy fate allotted thee alone: now all our kind
Do howle and mourne for him whom thou bewaylest in thy minde,
Thou suffrest greefe, the smart whereof belonges to euery land
Although the lower cast therof first happen to thy hande
Thou careful caytiffe dost not wayle for Hercules alone.

D.
Speake, speake, how nigh so Deathward was my deare Alcides gon?

Hi.
Death whom in his owne empyre hee had conquered before,
Did shrinke from him and fate durst not allow a deede so sore,
And Clotho she perhap put out her rocke with trembling arme
As one that hastning Hercles death, did feare to do such harme,
O day, O dismall day, and shall euen Hercules the greate
Passe thus to death, and silent shades and to a worser seate

De.
(Is he thinke you already dead or may I dye before)
Speake on, if yet he be not deade

Hi.
Eubœa that doth rise,
With hauty crest ringes euery where, and Caphar rocke likewyse
Deuydeth Hellespontus sea and turnes that side to south,
Wheras it bides the boysteous blastes of Boreas wyndy mouth:
Euripus bendes his wandring streame and windes in creakes about
His croked course seuentymes and doth as often breake it out:
While Phœbus drencht his werye teame amid the Westerne waue
(Here on a rocke aboue the reach of cloudes a temple braue)
Of Cænæi Ioue shew bright whyle all the beastes for sacrifice
At th'alter stoode, and through the woode the noyse began to rise,
Of al the herd: then of he put he matterd Lyons case,
And likewyse did discharge him of his houge and heauy mace
And easde his shoulder from the burthen of his quiuer light.
Then tuckt in your attyre he shone among the people bright
With ougly lockes, and on the alter made the fier flame
Receyue (quoth hee) these fruits (O syre) though fyer send the same
And not the haruest Sithe: but let with frankinsence good store
The fyer burne that far the riche Arabyan therfore
Doth gather out of Saba trees for Phœbus sacrifyce
The earth (quoth he) is now at peace, so be both sea and skies
All beastes be conquered, and I am victor come agayne.
Lay downe thy lightning leames (O Ioue) in feare thou nede not raign
In middest of his prayers thus wherat I was agast,
Hee fell to sighes and grieuous groanes, and al the skyes at last
With dreadful cryinge lowde he filles Euen as the braynsick bull.
When with the axe in wounde he scapes doth fil the temples full
Of roaring noyse.
Or as the thunder throwne from heauen doth rumble in the skyes,
Euen so the seas and starres of heauen doth Hercles shake with cryes
Both Calpe clyue, and Oyclas yle wel hard his yellyng haue,
Here Caphar rockes there al the woods therof an Echo gaue.
Wee saw him weepe, the people thought his former franticke fyttes
Had now agayne as earst they did bereaue him of his wittes
His seruaunts scatter then for feare, while he with flaming eyes,
Al staryng standes with steaming lookes among them all he pryes
For Lycas: him alone he doth pursew, who in his arme
With trembling hand the alter held and scaped al the harme,
By dying first for faynting feare, and while Alcydes helde
The quaking Carkas in his hand thou shalt (quoth he) be queld
And beaten with this fist of myne, O Gods eternall raygne,
Wretch Licas killeth Hercules, and hath his conqueroure slayne,
But lo another slaughter yet: for Hercules agayne
Killes Lycas: thus the sacrifyce of Gods with bloud they slayne,
With Lycas thus his labours end throwne vp to heauen they say,
That with his dropping bloud the cloudes he stayned all the way.
Euen as the pitched dart of Gete with pith doth score the skyes,
Or as the whirling sling of Creete doth make the peller ryse:
So swift he mounted vp to heauen, but downe his body dropte,
And as his Carkas fel, among the rockes his necke it chopt.
The graue prepared for their corps (quoth Hercules) be still,
I am no brainsicke franticke man, but loe this despret ill
More noysome is then rage or wrath, it caleth much my will
To wrecke my rage vppon my selfe, his mallady he scant
Bewryes: but fareth frantickly: and he himselfe doth rent
His limmes, and ryflyng them, with mighty hand a sunder teares,
And striues to strip him selfe of all th'apparell that he weares,
And onely this was it, of all the thinges that I do know,
That past the power of Hercules yet standes he pulling so
And plucketh of his limmes withall the vesture doth not linne
To bring of lumpes of filthy flesh the shyrt stickes to the skyne
But what should ayle the poysonranke none knoweth what, nor whye
And yet there is good cause therof: now grouelyng doth he lye
And beates his face agaynst the ground to water now he hyes,
But water cannot coole his heate, and now to shore he plyes.
And for his sucoure seekes in seas, at length his men him catch
We holding him (alas the whil'st were able him to match
Now in a keele amid the seas we launched were aloofe,
And Hercles payse was hosted with a litle southerne puffe
My Ghost then left my careful coarse and darknesse dimd my sight
Why stay I wreche? why doth this dreary deede make mee afright.
Her coapefellow dame Iuno doth reclayme, and Ioue his sonne,
The world must render him: then doe as much as may he donne,
And boare my body with a sworde such sower sauce is dew
To her, whose cursed caytiffe hand her loue so lightly slew.
O Ioue with fier and lightning flash destroy thy wretched Neece.
Let not thy mighty hand be armed with a slender peece.
Let brast the boult from skies wherewith thou wouldest Hydra burne.
If Hercles had not bin thy sonne thereof to serue the turne
Strike mee with vncouth pestilence, and with such weapon smite,
As may be farre more yrkesome plague then all my stepdames spite.
Driue forth those deadly dartes that earst young Phaëthon ouerthrew
When he full crancke in firy carte, about the heauens flew:
For thus by slaying Hercules, eake Nations slaine I haue
What neede thou Deianire of Gods a toole of death to craue.
Now trouble not thy stepsier Ioue, thinke scorne may Hercles wyfe
To wishe for death, for to her heart her hand shall set the knyfe
Dispatch then quickly with the blade, yet let thy blade alone,
For who with weapon endes their lyfe tis long ere they be gon
I wilbe headlong hurled from a rocke as hie as skies.
The Oeta hill this shalbe it, where first the sonne doth ryse,
Thence will I throwe my body downe, the edge of brasten rocke
Shal cleaue my corps, and euery crag shall geue a broosing knock.
My hand shall hang torne by the way the rugged mountayne side
Shall with the gushing bubbles of my dropping bloud be dyde
On death were vengeaunce small, though small yet may it be delayde.
What despret death I should attempt it makes my heart dismayde:
Alas, alas, that Hercles swerd within my chamber stucke
Then well were I if for to dye on that it were my lucke.
It is inough if one right hand doe bring vs both to graue.
Come neare, come neare yee Nations, now let all people haue
In redinesse, both stone and fier the same to throw at mee,
Now holde your hands, and take yee to your tooles for I am shee
That of your succour spoyled you now cruell Kaysars may
All vncontrolled tyrantlike, in kingdomes weilde the sway,
Now euery mischiefe may start vp, and not rebuked bee,
The alters now shall vp agayne that wonted were to see
A bloudy offring like him selfe in kinde that offer should.
Thus haue I made the guilty gap to let in bloudshed boulde
I render you to tyrants kings, bugges, beasts, and grysely diuells.
By taking him away that should reuenge you of these euilles.
O spouse thou of the thunderer and can you yet forbeare
Wilt thou not fling thy flames from heauen as did thy brother deare?
Dispatch me hence sent vp to Ioue, wilt thou not me destroye
The greatest prayse that thou might winne then shalt thou not enioy
Nor lusty tryumphe: I am she that beare the name to be
The daughter of the man that would in prowes caape with thee.

N.
Why wilt thou stayne thy stocke which hath vntaynted bene before,
This il procedes of ygnorance although it be ful sore:
Hee is not gylty that committes the gylte not with his will.

D.
Wel may hee erre of ignorance that fauoreth his ill
And spares himselfe: my selfe of death most worthy I do deeme.

N.
He doth condemne himselfe to dye that needes wil guylty seeme.

D.
Death can deceiue no one but such as innocentes may bee.

N.
Wilt thou forsake the gloryous sonne?

D.
The sonne forsaketh mee.

N.
Wretch wil thou cast away thy life.

D.
Yea though it be to death,
I follow wil my Hercules.

N.
He hath both life and breath

D.
When he perceaued him ouermatcht he hastned his decay.

N.
Wilt thou forgoe thy sonne, and eake preuent thy dying day?

D.
Her selfe hath liued long ynough who buryed hath her childe.

N.
And wilt thou follow on to death thy spouse.

D.
yea Ladies mild
Before their husbandes vse to dye.

N.
Thy selfe thou dost accuse
Of guylt if thou cōdemne thy selfe.

D.
No gylty one doth vse
To take reuengemente of themselues.

N.
But those are pardoned still
That do offend of ygnoraunce and not of peuish wil
Who wil condemne the deede hee doth?

D.
Ech man doth seeke to shun
His lot when spite of frowning fate against him seemes to runne.

N.
And he for whom thou languishest, with arrow slow his wyfe
Hight Megara, and did destroy his tender childrens life.
When as a braynsicke beast in hand he tost his knarrye mace,
That squeasde the snake in Lerna lake before his fathers face.
He played thryse the murtherer, himselfe yet he forgaue
And for the haynous gylt hee did when frenzy made him raue
He purgde himselfe in Cynips spring toward the Southerne poale
And in the water bath'd his hand againe to make him hoale.
Now whether wilt thou caytiffe wretch, why dost thou dam thy handes

D.
In condemnation of these the ghost of Hercles standes,
I meane to plague the treachery.

N.
Your Hercules wel I know,
Perhap he wil be heare agayne and mayster al his woe:
Then shall your slaked greefe vnto your Hercules geue place.

DE.
They say the serpents poyson doth deuower him apace
The poyson of his wicked Wyfe his lusty lims destroyes.

NV.
And think yee it to bee the serpents bane that him annoyes,
That hee cannot escape who bare the brunt of it aliue,
And how to pare of Hydraes heads he coulde full well contryue
When as the victour stoode with grinning teath amid the moode,
And all his body slauerde fowle with venomous spit and bloude,
And shall the Centaur Nessus goare agaynst the man preuayle
That made the pithy strength it selfe of Nessus for to quayle.

DE.
In vayne yee rescue her that is of purpose set to dye
Therefore I haue determinde with my selfe this lyfe to flye
And long inough hee lyued hath that may with Hercles dye.

NV.
I doe beseech thee humbly for this gray and hoary head,
And for these pappes that as thy Mother haue thee nourished,
Remoue the feruent fits that rage within thy boyling breast,
And suffer not these despret thoughtes of death in thee to rest.

DE.
Who woulde perswade a wretch to liue. He hath a cruell heart?
And though that death be vnto me a great and grieuous smart:
Yet vnto other some it is an easing of their payne.

NV.
O wreatch excuse thy handy worke, and say at last agayne,
T'is ignoraunce that did the deede and not the willfull Wyfe.

DE.
It will be quit whereas th'infernall fiendes shall flint the stryfe
And quit my guilty ghost: my conscience doth my hands condem.
But Pluto Prince of glummy goulph shall purge from slaughter them:
Before thy bankes I will appeare forgetfull Lethes Lake,
And being then a dolefull ghost my husband will I take.
But thou that wields the scepter blacke of darke infernall skies
Apply thy toyle: the haynous guilt that none durst enterpryse,
This ignoraunce hath ouercom, Dame Iuno neuer dare
To take away our Hercules, Thy plunging plagues prepare,
Let Sisiphs stone on my neck force my stouping shoulders shrynke,
And let the fleeting licour from my gaping gums to synke.
Yea let it mock my thyrsty throate when as I meane to drynke,
And thou that rackes Ixion King of Thessayle O thou Wheele,
My haynous handes deserued haue thy swinging sway to feele,
And let the greedy gripe scratch out these guts on eyther side,
If Danaus pitchers cease: by mee the rome shalbe supplide.
Set open hell, take mee Medea as partner of thy guilt.
This hand of myne, then both of thyne more cruell bloud hath spilt
More then thou did as in respect of mother to thy chylde.
Or loking to thy brothers ghost whose gore hath thee defylde,
Haue with the Lady thou of Thrace for such a cruel wyfe,
And the Althe that burnt the brand of Meleagers life.
Receyue thy daughter now, denye me not thy babe to bee:
Why such a one should quayle by you, some reason let vs see:
Ye honest matrons that enioy the groues of holy wood
Agaynst me shut the heauens, or such whose handes wt husbandes blood
Haue bene imbrewde, if any of the fifty sisters dyre
Defying honest duty all that wedlocke did require:
But desprat dames with goary blades stood armde: in me let them
See and allow theyr bloudy handes that other will condem.
I wil go get my selfe among the troupe of cruel wyues
But they wil shunne such gylty handes as shred their husbandes liues.
O valiant spouse, a guiltlesse ghost, but gylty handes I haue
Ah silly woman, woe is me, that giuen light credite haue
O traytor Nessus while I ment by Centaures subtil charme
To draw from Iole Hercles loue my selfe sustayne the harme.
Hence Phœbus, hence, and thou O flickring life of her that lackes
Her Hercules and giuest day to wretches in their wrackes.
This is a dismal day: to thee Small penaunce yeld I will
And life with all: my woeful fate shal I continue stil
Deferryng death, O spouse that of thy hand I may be slayne,
And doth their any sparke of life yet in thy breast remayne?
Or can thy hand yet draw the bow Sarmacian shaft to cast,
Do weapons cease, and haue thy feble handes giuen vp at last
Thy bow? but if thy hardy wyfe to thee a toole may reache
I long to perysh of thy hand, myne hower yet wil I stretche
Like gyltlesse Licas mangle me disperse in other townes
My corpes, and hurle me to a worlde beyond the trauayles bownes.
Trounce mee like monster Arcadie or ought that did rebell,
And yet thou shalt do nought but that becommes an husband wel.

Hi.
I pray you mother spare your selfe, forgeue your fatal lot,
If ye offend of ygnoraunce, then blame deserue yee not

De.
If thou regard true honesty, thy wretched mother slay.
Why trembleth thus thy feareful hand, why lokest thow away?
Such sinne shalbe a sacrifyce why dastard dost thou feare?
I spoylde thy father Hercules, this hand, this hand aleare
Hath murdred him whereby I haue done thee a more despyte,
Then ioy I did, in that my wombe did bring thee first to light.
If yet thou know not how to kill, then practise fyrst on mee.
If as thou like within my throate thy blade shal sheathed bee
Or if to paunch thy mother soone thou meane to take in hand
To yeeld her dreadlesse ghost to thee thy mother still shall stande,
It shall not wholly be thy deede, by thee it shall be done,
And caused by my wil to be. Art thou Alcides soon
And all affrayd? so shal thou neuer great exployts atchieue
Nor passe the worlde such feats of armes and sleightes for to contriue.
If any monster should be bred thy fathers courage shew,
And to it with vnefeareful arme, loe ouerchargde with woe
My breast lies bare vnto thy hand. Stryke, I thy gylt forgeue
The fiendes infernall for their sinne thy soule shal neuer greeue.
What yerking noyse is this we heare what hagge here haue we fownde
That beares aboute her writhen lockes these vgly adders wound,
And one her yrksome temples twayne her blackysh finnes do wagge.
Why chase ye mee with burning brandes Megera filthy hagge
Alcides can but vengeance aske, and that I wil him get
But haue the iudges dyre of hell for yt in counsell set
But of the dreadful dongeon dores I see thunfoulding leaues
What auncient sier is he that on his tatred shoulder heaues
Th'unweildy stone that borne toth top agayne doth downward reele
Or what is he that spraules his lims vppon the whirling wheele
Lo heare stood ougly Tisiphon with sterne and ghastly face,
And did demaunde with steaming eies the manner of the case.
O spare thy strypes Megera spare, and with thy brandes away,
Th'offence I did was ment in loue, but whether do I sway
The groūd doth sinke, the roofe doth cracke, whether went this raging route,
Now al the world with gasing eyes stand staring me about
On euery side the people grudge and call for their defence.
Be good to me O nations whither, shall I get mee hence?
Death onely is my loade of rest there may my sorrowes byde
I do protest the fiery wheeles that Phœbus charyot guide.
That heare I dye and leave the worlde, thers Hercles yet behynde.

Hi.
Away she runnes agast: aye me, shee hath fulfylde her mynd,
For purposed she was to dye and now remaynes my wil
For to preuent her that by force her selfe she shall not kill
O miserable piety, if I my mother saue.
I sin agaynst my father then, but it vnto the graue
I let her goe, then toward her a trespas soule there lyes.
And thus (alas) on eyther syde great mischiefe doth aries,
And needes her purpose must be stayde Ile hie and take in hand
To stop her despret enterpryse and mischiefy to withstand.