University of Virginia Library

The .xvj. Epistle.

Helen to Paris.

Now since thy letters haue
thus rashly wrongde my sight:
I thought it needefull with my penne
thy Pistle to requite.
And didst thou dare a guest,
(the boundes of hostage broke?)
And honest Matron well espousde,
to pleasure to prouoke?
For this by whisking windes
ytost on wauing Seas,
Did Tænaris thee with porte relieue
thy painefull plight to ease?
Nor (though inguestred thou
camste from a Countrie farre)
My Pallace did gainst thee as then
his churlish gates debarre?
That such a wrong should be
rewarde for good desart?
Thou that didst enter so hast playde
no guestes, but enmies part.
Though lawfull be my plaint,
yet doubt I not at all,
But thou (when so thou heare thereof)
a rude complaint wilt call.
A rustick let me bee,
so I not passe the bounde
Of honest shame, and in my lyfe
no cankred crime be founde.
So I in fayned looke
doe cloake no churlish cheare:
Nor in my face no grimme disdaine
nor bended broowe appeare.
Yet honest is my fame,
I liue deuoide of spot:
No lustfull Lecher for his lyfe
is able me to blot.
Which makes me muse the more
what should enbolde thee so,
To take this straunge attemptin hand
a maried wife to wowe?
Cause Theseus wrongde me once,
well worthie am I deemde
To be a Ruffians rape againe,
and so to be esteemde?
The guilt was mine if I
allured were to yll:
But so I rapted were by force,
what coulde I doe but nill?
Ne he by that his fact
his hoped bootie gote:
Set feare and womans dread aside,
I nought abode God wote.
The wretch by wrestling wonne
at Helens hande a kisse:
And laide hir on the lippe sometime
he had no more but this,
Scarce would you bene content
(vnthriftie so you arre)
With that: I thanke the Gods, that he
and thou didst differ farre.
He yeelded me againe
and me did scarcely touch:
And did repent him of his fact,
his modestie was such.
Did Theseus so recant
that Paris should succeede:
For feare least on my blased armes,
the people should not feede?
Yet I am nothing wroth,
(for who can angrie bee
With that shee loues?) if this my loue
be faithfull vnto mee.
For thereof doubt I sore,
not for distrust at all,
Or that my face and featurde forme
into suspect I call.
But for such light beliefe
and credit workes our wo:
And suters tales art freight with fraud,
and fixed faith forgo.
But others doe aguilt,
an honest Matron rare:
Who barres that I among those fewe
should haue a partie share?
For cause my mother errde,
perhaps thou thinkste me light
By hir example to be wonne,
by meane of natures might.
To cloake my mothers crime
an errour is in store:
For why the Lecher lurckt in plume
to worke his will the more.
If I should doe amisse
of force therof I knowe:
There is no errour mine offence
to hide from open showe.
Hir scape is well allowde,
the Author made it lesse:
There is no Ioue at all to cloake
my fault if I transgresse.
Thou braust vpon thy stock,
thy Grandsires Princes are:
This house of worthie Auncesters
and Nobles is not bare.
I will conceale that Ioue
was Atreus Grandsire great:
Of Tantalus, or Pelops I,
nor Tyndaris minde to treat.
But Leda lendes me Ioue
my stately Sire to bee
Whome foule beguilde with swannish forme
and falsed byrde we see.
Now vaunt thy Troian heades
and ginners of thy race:
Let Laomedon be in presse
and Priam eke in place.
Whome I commend: but he
that fift is of your line,
(Thy greatest pryde) I finde the same
the formost man in mine.
Though Troian Scepter I
account to bee of fame,
Yet iudge I not our Empire ought
in feriour to the same.
Suppose our wealth you passe,
and Teucrian troupe excell
Our Greekish soyle: yet barbarous is
the countrie where you dwell.
So great rewardes your lynes
and letters me behight,
As well they might accoy, and cause
to yeelde a heauenly wight.
But so I minded were
to breake the boundes of shame:
Thy selfe shouldst sooner make me yeelde
than all thy giftes of fame.
Or I for aye will liue
and leade vnspotted life,
Or thee more rather would ensue
than all thine offers rife:
As I not scorne the same,
in price so are they thought
The greatest giftes to whome the gi-
uer hath their beautie brought.
But most of all I weigh
thy loue, that for my sake
Such paines abodste, whose hope to passe
the seas did vndertake.
And eke at tables set
(though with dissembling browe
I seeke to hide thine amorous tricks)
I note them well ynowe.
Sometime thou (wanton wight)
dost cast a glauncing blinck
With wrested looke, whereat well neare
my daunted eyes doe shrinck.
Againe you sigh as fast,
another time you take
The Cup, and where I dranck euen there
your falsed thirst doth slake
With fingers (Lord) how oft,
and with a talking browe,
Hast thou me giuen secret signes
I wote well where, and howe?
And oft I stoode in feare
my husbande sawe the same:
And often dreading to be spide
I blusht with bashefull shame.
Oft times with whispring wordes
vnto my selfe I sed:
(This is a shamelesse guest) my wordes
did hit the nayle on hed.
And often wrought in wine,
I rad vpon the boorde,
Euen vnder Helens name (I loue)
I well recorde the woorde.
But that I had distrust
thereof, my lookes did showe:
But now (alas) to write the like
doth haplesse Helen knowe.
These fansies might haue forst
my ruthfull breast to bende,
And turnde my heart, if to aguilt
I would at all intende.
Thy feature I confesse
is rare, and such to see,
As might allure a womans hart
to linck hir selfe with thee.
I wish that hap to fall
vpon some single dame:
Ere I with forraine loue should seeke
my bridely bed to shame.
Well liked things to lack
by my example leare:
It is a vertue to abstaine
from what thou hast so deare.
How many youthes haue wisht
for that which thou dost craue?
What? Paris dost thou deeme, that thou
alone good iudgement haue?
Thou seest no more than they,
but madder is thy minde:
Thy courage is no bett than theirs,
lesse shame in thee I finde.
Would then thou hadst repayrde,
and hither come by floode:
When me in prime and flowring yeares
a thousand suters woode.
Of thousand thou the first
if I thee tho had seene,
(My doome to beare withall I craue
my husband) thou hadst beene.
To things possest thou comste,
and gotten goodes to late:
To slow thou were, another hath
in that thou crauste, estate.
As then thy Troian wife,
I would haue wisht to bee:
So now Atrides not agaynst
my will enioyeth mee.
Cease thou with wordes therefore
to ransacke Helens heart,
To hir (thou sayst thou loouste so well)
procure no grutching smart.
But let me keepe the sort
that fortune hath allowde:
Seeke not my fame and good report
to darke with shadie clowde.
But Venus so behight,
and in the vales of Ide
Three heauenly wightes starke naked came
to clayme their beauties pride.
Of whome one gaue thee raigne,
th' other Bellonas skill:
The thyrde pronounste that Helen shoulde
be plyant to thy will.
In faith I scarcely thinke
such Ladies would vouchsaue,
For chiefest beauties peerelesse price
thy doubtfull doome to haue.
Suppose it were a trouth,
the reast was all vntrue:
That for such iudgement I should be
a recompence to you.
I stande not so much on
my beauties pride, to deeme
That me the greatest gift of all
the Goddesse did esteeme.
My feature is content
of men to purchase fame:
I like it not that Venus should
so much commend the same.
But nothing I denie
the prayse full well I leeke:
For to what ende should I gainesay
the thing I chiefely seeke?
Ne let it wrath thee that
I hardly thee beleeue:
To matters of importance great
we scarcely credit geeue.
Wherefore I ioy it most
that Venus likt me so;
And next for such a stately gift
that thou did take me tho.
And that thou didst preferre
my blased beauties good
Fore Pallas gift, and Iunos raigne
that there in iudgement stood.
Then I thy vertue am,
then I to thee a raigne:
I were too stonie if I woulde
not loue the like againe.
Good fayth, I am no steele,
but him to loue I shonne
Who scarce (I thinke) may be my spouse
when all my worke is donne.
Why should I fondely seeke
to plough the barraine sande?
Or hope on that which place it selfe
doth verie much withstande?
I skillesse am in scapes,
the Gods recorde I call
I neuer by deceitfull sleight
beguilde my Feere at all.
In that to couert scrole
my wordes I now commit,
My letters doe attempt a thing
they neuer practisde yet.
Thrise blest that are inurde,
I wote not how to play
That part as yet, to guilt full harde
I doe surmise the way.
This dreade doth much annoy
and sore I am agast,
Suspecting all the peoples eyes
on vs are fixed fast.
Nor this I feare in vaine,
the bussing brute I knowe:
And Æthra, what report had gone,
to mee but late did showe.
Unlesse thou minde to cease,
dissemble thou therefore:
But why shouldst thou now stint thy sute?
thou canst dissemble sore.
In secret vse thy toyes,
and spare thou not to play:
Now scope we haue, though not the most,
my husband is away.
He now is farre from home
affayres compellde him so:
A iust and good occasion he
had out of towne to go.
When in a doubt he stoode
his iourney forth to take,
Dispatch (quoth I) good sir, and see
a quick returne you make.
Th' abodement likte him so:
as he to kissing fell:
And gaue me charge of house and goods,
and bad me vse thee well.
I scarce my laughter helde,
which whilst I striue to stay:
Saue that it should be so in deede,
I had no worde to say.
To Crete he went in hast
by helpe of winde and Ore:
But thou, that all things leefull are,
must not surmise therefore.
So is my spouse alacke,
as in his absence well
He doth me garde: that Princes haue
long reach canst thou not tell?
Fame doth impayre our ioyes
for how much more you leeke
And prayse mee: so much more you cause
to stand in feare the Greeke.
The laude I loue so well
(as now consistes the case)
Annoyes: more better were that fame
had neuer blazde my face.
That I am left with thee
now he is farre a way
Muse not: he trustes my manners well
and thinks in me some stay.
My face did make him dread,
he trustes my life full well:
The suretie which my maners breede,
my beautie doth expell.
Thou willste me to be wyse
and vse the present tide:
And not to let so fit a time
deuoyde of game to slide.
I would, and am afrayde
as yet my heart doth quake:
And fearefull breast in doubt doth stande,
and knowes not which to take.
My spouse doth now dislodge,
and thou alone dost lye:
Thy beautie likes me well, and He-
lens shape contents thine eye.
The nights are passing long,
and we to chat begin:
And thou art euen a pleasant guest
and both one house within
Good sooth eche thing doth seeme
this fact to further aye:
And yet I know not how the same
my quiuering feare doth stay.
As thou perswadste but yll,
would well thou mightst constraine
Mee to thy will, this rudenesse then
should be expelde amaine.
Sometime receyued wrong
auailes the pacient much:
How blist were I, such force to bide
if Helens hap were such?
More better were while loue
is rawe and greene, to stay:
For flame that scarcely kindled is
will soone consume away:
Fewe drops of sprinckled water will
the sparckling fyre delay.
As straungers starters are
vncertaine be their loues:
And when thou thinkst them surste of all
their wauering faith remoues.
Let Hypsiphy I recorde
and Mynos daughter trye:
For they themselues: with wandring wights
in bridely bande did tie.
And thou of whome Oenon
was many yeares imbrast,
Art sayd without a iust desert
to shonne the Nymph at last.
Which thou dost not denie;
and verie troth to tell,
My chiefest care was to enquire
where thou didst vse thee well.
And though thou wouldst full faine
be stable now in loue,
Thou canst not, for thy Teucrian ships
will out of hande remoue.
Whyle we doe tale yfeare,
and fixed night shall bee,
The winde will serue thy sayles so well
as thou wilt part from mee.
Amid his pleasant course,
that vnacquainted play
Wil stint, and with the whisking winds
our friendship passe away.
Shall I (as thou perswadste)
go vewe the Troian towne?
Or vnto great Laomedon
a Daughterlaw be fowne?
Perdie I more accoumpt
of swift and flickring fame,
Than that in euery land it should
haue powre to spred my name:
What Sparta might of me
and all Achaia speake?
What auncient Asias famous townes,
and Priams mansion eake?
What Priamus of me,
and Priams wife might say?
Thy brothers, with the Troian dames
what might they blast I pray?
And last, how mightst thou hope
me faythfull spouse to finde?
Thine owne example would procure
distrust within thy minde.
What guest soeuer shall
to Ilion repeare,
Will breede suspect within thy breast,
and make thee stande in feare.
How oft wilt thou inragde
tearme me by harlots name,
Forgetfull that thy owne offence
was causer of the fame?
Thy selfe wilt both procure
and blame the fact at last:
Ere that I wish in hollow vaute
my carkasse to be plast
But I shall haue the wealth
of Troie, and braue aray:
And mo rewards than promise was,
thus did thy Pistle say.
Of precious Purple I
and Arrasse store shall haue:
And be enricht with hugie heapes
of massie golde so braue.
Forgiue that I confesse,
I way not all the golde:
I wote not how this soyle doth seeme
thy Helen to withholde.
For if I wronged were,
in Troie no succour is:
My brothers ayde I stande assurde,
and fathers helpe to misse.
False Iason euery thing
to Medea behight
And yet in fine from Æsons lodge
she was expelled quight.
And being so refusde,
she coulde not make retourne
To Ætes, Ipsea, nor with Chalcio-
pe for shame soiourne.
I nothing dread the like,
no more did Medea tho:
But sundrie times abodements doe
good hope delude, we know.
The ships that now in surge
and yrefull seas doe ride:
When first they wayd their Ankcors, had
a calme and pleasant tide.
The brande doth breede my dreade,
wherewith thy Dame was sed
Before hir wonted time of birth,
to haue bene brought a bed.
The Soothsayers sawes I feare,
which spake the time would bee,
When men of Troie within their walles
the Greekish flame should see.
As Venus freendes thee, for
shee wanne the glittring fruite,
And foylde the other two that were
hir riuals in the sute:
So dreade I their disdaines
which (by thine owne reporte)
In iudgement were so put a back
in such reprochfull sorte.
And if I follow thee,
I doubt it not (alas)
But that through swordes and wreakefull blades
our haplesse loue shall passe.
With Centaurs to discorde,
and bloodie warres to wage
Did Hippodamia cause the men
of Thrace in yrefull rage:
And dost thou deeme my Feere
will vnreuenged go
In quarrell iust? my brothers both
and Tindaris also?
For that in brauerie you
your Martiall deedes recite:
The truth is thus, that from your words
your feature differs quite.
For Venus fitter thou
than Mars dost seeme to bee:
Loue Paris, and let men of force
go fight in fielde for thee.
Let Hector, whome thou so
dost vaunt in armour broyle:
Another kinde of warrefare is
farre better for thy toyle.
If I were in my wittes,
or somewhat bolder were
I would vse these: the woman that
are wise will vse this geare.
And laying shame aside
perhaps hereafter I
Will condiscend, and conquerde with
continuance will applie.
For that in secret thou
dost long the rest to tell,
The couert talke that thou wouldst vse,
I know it passing well.
Too hastie sure thou art,
thy haruest is in grasse:
Perhaps this tariance will the bet-
ter bring thy will to passe.
This ye my letters leaue
my guiltie minde to showe:
Thou Quill, that wearied hast my hand,
in this no farther go.
The reast by Clymen I
and Æthra will disclose:
Which two are of my counsell chiefe,
in whome I trust repose.