University of Virginia Library

Pyndaras aunswere to the Letter which Tymetes sent hir at the time of his departure.

When first thy Letters came
(O louing Friend) to mee,
I leapt for ioy, in hope to haue
receyude good newes of thee,
I neuer stayde vpon
those lines that were without:
But rashly ript the Seale, to rid
my minde from dreadfull dout,
Which done (Oh cruell griefe)
I saw a mournefull sight:
This Uerse (of Pennes I had good store)
with Purple bloud ywright.
With flouds of flowing teares
straight drowned were mine eies,
On eyther Cheeke they trickled fast
and ranne in riuer wies.
My minde did yll abode,
it yrkt to read the rest:
For when I saw the Inck was such,
I thought I saw the best.
Long stoode I in a dumpe,
my hart began to ake:
My Liuer leapt within my bulck,
my trembling hands did shake.
My Senses were bereft,
my bowing knees did bende:
Out from my Nose the bloud it brake,
much like the Letter pende.
Up start my staring Locks,
I lay for dead a space:
And what with bloud and brine I all
bedewde the dreerie place.
From out my feeble fist
fell Needle, cloth and all,
I knewe no Wight, I saw no Sunne,
as deafe as stone in wall.
At last when standers by
had brought my Sense againe,
And force of life had conquerd griefe
and banisht deadly paine:
I thought the worst was past,
I deemde I could abide
No greater torment than I had,
vnlesse I should haue dide.
To vewing then againe
of bloudie lynes I go:
And euer as I read the words,
mee thought I saw the blo.
Which pointed Pensell gaue,
from whence that dolefull Inck
As from a clouen Conduit flue:
remembrance make me shrinck.
Oh Friend Tymetes why
so cruell were thou than?
What didst thou meane to hurt thy flesh
thou rash and retchlesse man?
What? didst thou deeme that I
could vew that gorie scrole
Withouten anguish of the minde?
or think vpon the hole
Of that thy friendly fist
and finger that did bleede?
No, no, I haue a Womans hart,
I am no Tygers seede,
As great a griefe it was
for me to think in hart
Of thy mishap, as if my selfe
had felt the present smart.
O cruell cursed want
of fitter Inck to write:
Good fayth that lycour was vnmeete
such louing lines tindite.
But yet in some respect
it fitted with the case:
For (out alas) I read therein
that thou hast fled the place,
Where friendly we were woont
like faithfull friends to bee:
Where thou moughtst chat with me thy fill
and I conferre with thee.
Oh spitefull cruell Chaunce,
oh cursed canckred Fate:
Art thou a Goddesse (Monster vile)
deseruing stoole of State?
O blinde and muffled Dame,
couldst thou not see to spare
Two faithfull harts, but reauing thone
must breede the others care?
No woonder tis that thou
dost stande on whirling wheele:
For by thy deedes thou dost declare
thou canst doe nought but reele.
Art thou of Womans kinde
and ruthfull Goddesse race,
And hast no more respect vnto
a sielie womans case?
Auaunt thou froward Fiend,
thou so my Friend dost driue
From shore well knowne to forraine coast
our sugred ioyes to riue.
If so thy minde be bent
that my Tymetes shall
Depart the presence of his Friend:
Yet so doe guide the ball
As he at lande may liue
not trying surge of seas:
Nor ship him from the Hauens mouth
to breede him more vnease.
(Good Friend) aduenture not
so rashly on the floud,
As earst thou didst in writing of
this Letter with thy bloud.
Seeke not tincrease my cares
or dubble griefe begoon:
Think of Leanders bolde attempt
the lyke distresse to shoon.
What suretie is in ship?
what trust in Oken plancks?
What credit doe the windes deserue
at lande that play such prancks?
If houses strongly built,
and Towers battled hie,
By force of blast be ouerthrowne
when Æols Impes doe flie:
In puffing windes the Pine
and aged Oke doe teare,
And from the bodies rent the boughes
and loftie lugges they beare:
Then why shouldst thou affie
in Keale or Cable so,
Or hazard thus thy selfe vpon
the tossing Seas to go?
Hast thou not heard of yore
how good Vlysses was
With stormie tempest chased sore
when he to Greece did passe?
A wearie trauaile hee
for ten yeares space abid.
And all the while this noble Greeke
on waltring wallow slid.
Hast thou not read in Bookes
of fell Charybdis Goulfe,
And Scyllas Dogs, whome ships doe dread
as Lambes doe feare the Woulfe?
Nor of the raggie Rocks
that vnderlurck the waue?
And rent the Barcks that Æols blasts
into their bosome draue?
Not of the Monsters huge
that belch out frothie fleame,
And singing Sirens that doe drowne
both man and ship in streame?
Alas the thought of Seas,
and of thy passage paines
(If once thou gage thy selfe to surge)
my hart and members straines,
The present fits of feare
of afterclaps to cum.
Amaze my louing tender breast
and Senses doe benum.
But needes thou must away,
(oh Friend) what hap is this
That ere thou flie this friendly coast
thy lips I can not kisse?
Nor with my folded armes
imbrace that neck of thine:
Nor clap vnto thy manly breast
these louing Dugs of mine?
Not shed my trilling teares
vpon thy moisted face?
Nor say to thee (Tymet adue)
when thou departst the place?
O that I had thy forme
in waxen table now,
To represent thy liuely lookes
and friendly louing brow.
That mought perhaps abridge
some part of pinching paine:
And comfort me till better chaunce
did sende thee home againe.
Both winde and waue atonce
conspire to worke my wo,
Or else thou shouldst not so be forst
from me (thine owne) to go.
O wayward Westerne blast
what didst thou meane so full
Against Tymetes back to blow,
and him from hence to pull?
Hast thou bene counted earst
a gentle gale of winde,
And dost thou now at length bewray
thy fierce and frowarde kinde?
I thought the Northren blast
from frostie Pole that came
Had bene the worst of all the windes
and most deserued blame.
But now I plainely see
that Poets did but faine:
When they of Borias spake so yll
and of his cruell raigne.
For thou of Æols brats
thy selfe the worst dost showe:
And hauing no iust cause to rage
to soone beginst to blowe.
If needes thou wouldst haue vsde
thy force and fretting moode,
Thou shouldst haue broyld among the trees
that in the Mountaines stoode:
And let vs friends alone
that liude in perfite blisse.
But to request the windes of ruth
but labor lost it is.
Well (Friend) though cruell hap
and windes did both agree,
That thou on sodaine shouldst forgo
both countrie coast and mee:
Yet haue I founde the pawne
which thou didst leaue behinde:
I meane thy louing faithfull hart,
that neuer was vnkinde.
And for that firme behest
and plighted truth of youre,
Wherein you vow that loue begoon
shall to the death endure:
To yeelde thee thy demaunde
my written lines protest,
Inclose my hart within thy bulck
as I will thine in brest.
Shrine vp that little lumpe
of friendly flesh (my Friend)
And I will lodge in louing wise
the guest that thou didst send.
I ioy at this exchaunge:
for I assured stande,
Thy tender hart that I doe keepe
shall safelie lie at lande.
Nor doe I doubt at all
but thou wilt haue regarde
Of that thy charge, and womans hart
committed to thy warde.
Why dost thou write of death?
I trust thou shalt not die,
As long as in thy manly breast
a womans hart doth lie.
To cruell were the case,
the Sisters eake were shroes:
If they woulde seeke the death of vs.
that are such friendly foes.
But if the worst shoulde fall,
and that the cruell death
Doe stop the spindles of our life,
and reaue vs both of breath:
Yet this doth make me ioy,
that thou shalt be the graue
Unto my hart, and in my brest
thy hart is Hierce shall haue.
For sure a sunder shall
these members neuer go.
As long as life in lims doth lodge
and breath in lungs bylow.
I mindefull liue of thee
and of my promise past:
I will not seeke to chaunge my choise,
my loue is fixed fast.
To my Tymetes I
as faithfull will be found:
As to Vlysses was his wife
whilst Troie was laide on ground.
As for new choise of Friends,
presume vpon thy P.
Thou knowst I haue thy hart in breast
and it will none but thee.
Abandon all distrust
and dread of mistie minde:
For to the hart (that is mine owne)
I will not be vnkinde.
Adue my chosen Friend,
Adue to thee agen:
Remaine my loue, but pray the write
no more with bloudie Pen.