Thvle Or Vertues Historie. To the Honorable and vertuous Mistris Amy Avdely. By F. R. [i.e. Francis Rous] |
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Cant. 1.
Aged Sobrinus and his wife
Are tane a sleepe, their daughter flyes:
The Captaine riddes his mates of life,
Because they quarrels doe deuise.
At last the stately fort they burnd;
And with Erona thence he turnd.
Are tane a sleepe, their daughter flyes:
The Captaine riddes his mates of life,
Because they quarrels doe deuise.
At last the stately fort they burnd;
And with Erona thence he turnd.
Downe in a valley lies a bushy woode,
Of mighty trees in order faire composde,
Within whose center stately buildings stoode,
In this aire-climing Siluan wall enclosde,
And seemde their equall tops each other woo'd,
That Arte to Nature all her strength opposde:
And Nature scorning at her seruants pride,
With a dimme shadow did her beautie hide.
Of mighty trees in order faire composde,
Within whose center stately buildings stoode,
In this aire-climing Siluan wall enclosde,
And seemde their equall tops each other woo'd,
That Arte to Nature all her strength opposde:
And Nature scorning at her seruants pride,
With a dimme shadow did her beautie hide.
Within this Castle dwelt an aged Sire,
Who with his yeares had learnd experience,
And though he wanted youths now-quenched fire,
Yet had a holy flame, sweet residence,
And kindled in his heart a pure desire,
To doe good workes and farre from all offence:
Sobrinus was his name, his nature such,
He thought his almes too few, his wealth too much.
Who with his yeares had learnd experience,
And though he wanted youths now-quenched fire,
Yet had a holy flame, sweet residence,
And kindled in his heart a pure desire,
To doe good workes and farre from all offence:
Sobrinus was his name, his nature such,
He thought his almes too few, his wealth too much.
And yet he gaue to poore continuall plenty,
Filling the bellies which were long vnfed;
And quickly made his treasure coffers empty,
Sparing himselfe to giue the needy bread;
Such was his goodnes, such his liberall bounty,
As still he payd though still he borrowed;
Their port was small he and his wife alone,
A daughter and a maide but seruants none.
Filling the bellies which were long vnfed;
And quickly made his treasure coffers empty,
Sparing himselfe to giue the needy bread;
Such was his goodnes, such his liberall bounty,
As still he payd though still he borrowed;
Their port was small he and his wife alone,
A daughter and a maide but seruants none.
Thus had they spent the tenor of their dayes
In mirth, with reason, and in ioy with meane;
He neuer felt sad sicknes sharpe disease,
And she from any griefe was euer cleane,
Both post the troubles of lifes wearie wayes,
And scap't those dangers which doe others paine,
Sleeping securely each in others brest,
No feare their careles mindes had ere opprest.
In mirth, with reason, and in ioy with meane;
He neuer felt sad sicknes sharpe disease,
And she from any griefe was euer cleane,
Both post the troubles of lifes wearie wayes,
And scap't those dangers which doe others paine,
Sleeping securely each in others brest,
No feare their careles mindes had ere opprest.
Vntill when Night the counseller of ill,
Had lift her clowdy head from pitchy deepes,
And did with darkness all th' Horizon fill,
Mischiefe the hellish witch that neuer sleepes,
VVhen euery thing besides is calme and still,
From out her snaky cabin vgly creepes;
And tooke with her a box of diuelish drugs,
VVhich issue from her venome-nourisht dugs.
Had lift her clowdy head from pitchy deepes,
And did with darkness all th' Horizon fill,
Mischiefe the hellish witch that neuer sleepes,
VVhen euery thing besides is calme and still,
From out her snaky cabin vgly creepes;
And tooke with her a box of diuelish drugs,
VVhich issue from her venome-nourisht dugs.
Sister she is of hell begotten Night,
Her eyes by day are dimme, and still she lyes
VVithin her cell, remoued from the light:
But when the tyred Sunne to bedward hyes,
Then doth she bristle vp her wings for flight,
As soone as she her sister once espyes:
And going thence she flyes with double haste,
And comes back mourning that her ioy doth waste.
Her eyes by day are dimme, and still she lyes
VVithin her cell, remoued from the light:
But when the tyred Sunne to bedward hyes,
Then doth she bristle vp her wings for flight,
As soone as she her sister once espyes:
And going thence she flyes with double haste,
And comes back mourning that her ioy doth waste.
And now this hag of Hell, soule loathsome spright,
Crawling from out her gore-bedewed nest;
And hauing set her skalie pineons right,
Trauailes when other things from labour ceast,
And to a groue adioyning takes her flight,
VVhere after boles of wine and riotous feast,
Buried in sleepe the theeues and robbers lay,
Forgetting that the night had brought their day.
Crawling from out her gore-bedewed nest;
And hauing set her skalie pineons right,
Trauailes when other things from labour ceast,
And to a groue adioyning takes her flight,
VVhere after boles of wine and riotous feast,
Buried in sleepe the theeues and robbers lay,
Forgetting that the night had brought their day.
She hauing entred to this cell of sinne,
Her self more sinfull then sins loathsome cell,
To sprinkle all their bodies doth beginne,
And charme them with this soule-peruerting spell:
Which done she lifts her on her double sinne,
And slowly flyes vnto her vices Hell:
Which done she weepes vpon her pitchie dore,
That she should in ere she had mischief'd more.
Her self more sinfull then sins loathsome cell,
To sprinkle all their bodies doth beginne,
And charme them with this soule-peruerting spell:
Which done she lifts her on her double sinne,
And slowly flyes vnto her vices Hell:
Which done she weepes vpon her pitchie dore,
That she should in ere she had mischief'd more.
The while that rout of mischief-tainted theeues,
Rouzing each other from their cabinets,
One puls the other by their venom'd sleeues,
And with more poyson all his hand be wets,
Which with more stings his egged conscience greeues,
That this their stay should interpose more lets:
At last all wak't, all into counsell fall,
And which hurteth most, that pleaseth all.
Rouzing each other from their cabinets,
One puls the other by their venom'd sleeues,
And with more poyson all his hand be wets,
Which with more stings his egged conscience greeues,
That this their stay should interpose more lets:
At last all wak't, all into counsell fall,
And which hurteth most, that pleaseth all.
At length their Captaine Bonauallant hight,
Riseth from out their hellish counsell-house,
And takes a golden cup with pearles bedight,
And drinking to his mates a full carrouse,
Tels them, let neuer danger you affright,
Nor let your harts great hils bring foorth a mouse;
But follow me that still haue happie beene,
(The worser hap for some such hap was seene.)
Riseth from out their hellish counsell-house,
And takes a golden cup with pearles bedight,
And drinking to his mates a full carrouse,
Tels them, let neuer danger you affright,
Nor let your harts great hils bring foorth a mouse;
But follow me that still haue happie beene,
(The worser hap for some such hap was seene.)
Then all arising like the studious Bees,
That for the golden hony follow fast:
Each hopes to gaine his serious labours fees,
And euery one doth scorne to follow last,
Least he his hoped fruits perhaps might leese,
Therefore each striues to make more speedie hast:
At length they come vnto this stately fort,
And each to mischief doth his friend exhort.
That for the golden hony follow fast:
Each hopes to gaine his serious labours fees,
And euery one doth scorne to follow last,
Least he his hoped fruits perhaps might leese,
Therefore each striues to make more speedie hast:
At length they come vnto this stately fort,
And each to mischief doth his friend exhort.
Eu'n as when good Æneas crost the seas,
And Æolus sent his whirling seruants out;
Neptune awaked from his nightly ease,
Calde all his Tritons and his guard about,
And counseld all the tumults to appease,
And be reueng'd on that vnruly rout:
So doe these rau'n-tongd birds of Plutoes quier,
Complot to spoyle that holy sleeping sier.
And Æolus sent his whirling seruants out;
Neptune awaked from his nightly ease,
Calde all his Tritons and his guard about,
And counseld all the tumults to appease,
And be reueng'd on that vnruly rout:
So doe these rau'n-tongd birds of Plutoes quier,
Complot to spoyle that holy sleeping sier.
At last with violence and open force,
They brake the posternes of the Castle gate,
And entred spoyling all without remorce,
Nor could old Sobrin now resist his fate,
But stiffe with feare eu'n like a senceles corse,
Whom grisly terror doth so much amate,
He lyes supine vpon his fatall bed,
Expecting eu'ry minute to be dead.
They brake the posternes of the Castle gate,
And entred spoyling all without remorce,
Nor could old Sobrin now resist his fate,
But stiffe with feare eu'n like a senceles corse,
Whom grisly terror doth so much amate,
He lyes supine vpon his fatall bed,
Expecting eu'ry minute to be dead.
While as Deuota his religious wife,
Sent prayers the sweet ambassadors to God,
The heralds to prepare a better life:
For now approacheth deaths deuasting rod,
Sharper then sharpest edge of keenest knife,
That with his stroke denyes lifes long aboad:
Which now is setled in these butchers hands,
That bound in chaines of sinne passe conscience bands.
Sent prayers the sweet ambassadors to God,
The heralds to prepare a better life:
For now approacheth deaths deuasting rod,
Sharper then sharpest edge of keenest knife,
That with his stroke denyes lifes long aboad:
Which now is setled in these butchers hands,
That bound in chaines of sinne passe conscience bands.
Vp rushing now vnto the lodge they runne,
Striuing who first should worke this cruell deed:
Nor could their prayers stay what was begunne,
But still they prosecute with greater speed,
And long it seem'd before their fact was done,
So much did blood their hellish hunger feed,
That to inuent some kind of cruell death,
They added loathed respite to their breath.
Striuing who first should worke this cruell deed:
Nor could their prayers stay what was begunne,
But still they prosecute with greater speed,
And long it seem'd before their fact was done,
So much did blood their hellish hunger feed,
That to inuent some kind of cruell death,
They added loathed respite to their breath.
At last one bellowed from his woluish throat,
This bloody doome the brat of sauage minde,
Quoth he, Then let this old gray-haired goat
Be set in graue aliue, and there be pinde,
And to this varlet, which for age doth dote,
To be beheaded only is assignde:
So is he buried ere his corps be dead,
And she with cruell blow parts from her head.
This bloody doome the brat of sauage minde,
Quoth he, Then let this old gray-haired goat
Be set in graue aliue, and there be pinde,
And to this varlet, which for age doth dote,
To be beheaded only is assignde:
So is he buried ere his corps be dead,
And she with cruell blow parts from her head.
So haue I seene the chaste and purest doue,
Striken by cruell fowlers shiuering shot,
Disseuerd from her nere-forsaken loue,
Fall on the ground ere she her selfe had wot,
And with one spraule for sweetest liuing stroue,
But all her piteous strugling helpt her not:
So haue I seene that purest bird to dye,
As here doth this sweet carkasse mangled lye.
Striken by cruell fowlers shiuering shot,
Disseuerd from her nere-forsaken loue,
Fall on the ground ere she her selfe had wot,
And with one spraule for sweetest liuing stroue,
But all her piteous strugling helpt her not:
So haue I seene that purest bird to dye,
As here doth this sweet carkasse mangled lye.
Now whiles this wicked pageant thus is playd,
Viceina daughter to this reuerend man,
Viewing these facts and of the like afrayd,
As fast as tender thighes transport her can,
Flyes comfortles, and poore forsaken mayd,
Her looke with former terror pale and wan:
But her mis-haps when these black deeds are told,
In sequent lines more fit I will vnfold.
Viceina daughter to this reuerend man,
Viewing these facts and of the like afrayd,
As fast as tender thighes transport her can,
Flyes comfortles, and poore forsaken mayd,
Her looke with former terror pale and wan:
But her mis-haps when these black deeds are told,
In sequent lines more fit I will vnfold.
The house all ransackt, and the coffers torne,
They found Sobrinus mayd Erona calde,
Whom Bonauallant thence would streight haue borne,
For she was fayre and then with feare appalde,
She added doule grace to that beforne,
Which with sharpe stings his burning stomack galde,
That with this ouerscorching passion fir'd,
To carry her closely thence he streight conspir'd.
They found Sobrinus mayd Erona calde,
Whom Bonauallant thence would streight haue borne,
For she was fayre and then with feare appalde,
She added doule grace to that beforne,
Which with sharpe stings his burning stomack galde,
That with this ouerscorching passion fir'd,
To carry her closely thence he streight conspir'd.
But they whose eyes foule lawles lust had taught,
Moued with enuie at so faire a pray,
Told him that he false treacherie had wrought,
In seeking thus to steale the prize away,
Since it was common, and in common caught,
He should vnto the common lawes obay,
Which is, that what so ere by force was gaind,
Should to their common vse still be retaind.
Moued with enuie at so faire a pray,
Told him that he false treacherie had wrought,
In seeking thus to steale the prize away,
Since it was common, and in common caught,
He should vnto the common lawes obay,
Which is, that what so ere by force was gaind,
Should to their common vse still be retaind.
But he whom beautie, and these words commou'd,
Drew out his often-blood-embrewed sword,
And cryes; here take the sport so much ye lou'd;
This lasse shall kisses to your lips afford,
And with that speech his mightie valour prou'd;
And cloue ones skull like to a riuen bord:
The second laying downe the ware he found,
Left ware, and crased head vpon the-ground.
Drew out his often-blood-embrewed sword,
And cryes; here take the sport so much ye lou'd;
This lasse shall kisses to your lips afford,
And with that speech his mightie valour prou'd;
And cloue ones skull like to a riuen bord:
The second laying downe the ware he found,
Left ware, and crased head vpon the-ground.
Their fellowes seeing this their mates mis-hap,
Left all their treasure, and their gaines behinde,
And fearing some ensuing thunderclap,
In coward swiftnes do their safetie finde,
While he triumphing in this lucky hap,
Taught by the maid two coursers doth vnbind,
Which in a roome with mightie cords were tied,
And long had there laine still vnoccupied.
Left all their treasure, and their gaines behinde,
And fearing some ensuing thunderclap,
In coward swiftnes do their safetie finde,
While he triumphing in this lucky hap,
Taught by the maid two coursers doth vnbind,
Which in a roome with mightie cords were tied,
And long had there laine still vnoccupied.
Then doth he set much fewell all about,
Encompassing the walls of all the towers:
And that no flame might quench the fier out,
He lightens all the wood-ingraued bowers,
Which ioyned to the wall full faire and stout,
And perisht quickly built in many howers;
While he and she in dawning of the day,
Mounted aloft and parted thence away.
Encompassing the walls of all the towers:
And that no flame might quench the fier out,
He lightens all the wood-ingraued bowers,
Which ioyned to the wall full faire and stout,
And perisht quickly built in many howers;
While he and she in dawning of the day,
Mounted aloft and parted thence away.
The fuming vapors mount vnto the skie,
Where turned into teare-distilling raine,
They mourne their masters helples miserie,
Returning to the former seat againe:
But viewing there the spoyles of iniurie,
In trickling streames they mourne his torturing paine,
While raging Phœbus wrapt in duskie clowdes,
Angrie with fates his mantled visage shrowdes.
Where turned into teare-distilling raine,
They mourne their masters helples miserie,
Returning to the former seat againe:
But viewing there the spoyles of iniurie,
In trickling streames they mourne his torturing paine,
While raging Phœbus wrapt in duskie clowdes,
Angrie with fates his mantled visage shrowdes.
| Thvle | |