Fortunes Tennis-Ball or, The Most Excellent History of Dorastus and Fawnia. Rendred in delightful English Verse, and worthy the perusal of all sorts of People. By S. S. [i.e. Samuel Sheppard] |
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CANT. I. |
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 | Fortunes Tennis-Ball |  |
CANT. I.
Bohemiah's King is visited
By Sicil's Prince (who had been bred
In King Pandosto's Royal Court:)
Who doubts his Queen, and he do sport
Between the sheets, and (though in vain)
Contrives a way to have him slain:
Egistus sees the snare, and flyes
By Sea, to scape these treacheries.
Inspire me gentle Love, and Jealousie
By Sicil's Prince (who had been bred
In King Pandosto's Royal Court:)
Who doubts his Queen, and he do sport
Between the sheets, and (though in vain)
Contrives a way to have him slain:
Egistus sees the snare, and flyes
By Sea, to scape these treacheries.
Give me thy Passion and thy Extasie;
While to a pleasant Air I strike the strings,
Singing the fates of Lovers and of Kings.
Fertile Bohemia (fam'd in German Stories,
For happy Goverment, and of her glories,)
Had once a King Pandosto nam'd, by birth
Exceeding Royal, and for innate worth
Every way excellent; His Royal Mate,
Bellaria call'd a Woman blest by Fate
For vertue famous, earth's divinest creature:
This happy pair had not been married long,
(Scarce had they reacht the key of Hymens song)
When generous Lucina gave a boy,
To their hearts comfort, and the general joy;
The King to manifest his high content,
Proclaim'd a solemn Just, or Turnament;
Fame bears the Embassie on Eagles wings,
His Court is now a Parliment of Kings:
Great feastings; masques, mirth, & deeds of arms
While honour sits inthron'd with all her charms;
But when this great assembly takes her leave,
(And royal Presents from the King receive)
The Infant Prince (Garinter) doth consort
With careful Nurses in his Fathers Court:
What can the powers Etheriall add to this?
Can great Pandosto wish for better blisse?
Or sweet Bellaria covet more than Fate
Already hath confer'd? But what estate
Can Boast a firm fixt basi's, if the blind,
False, fickle Goddesse hath its fall design'd;
Sicilia's King (Egistus) who had found
His Education on Bohemian ground
From's Infancy, until the Gods had given
Him power on earth like to the powers in heaven:
To manifest no tract of Time could race
His Friendship out, nor distancy of place
Estrange his love, in ships (well rig'd and man'd,
If cause requir'd, the Pyrats to withstand)
Of Peers attending on their Soveraign:
The winds were still, no noxious blast has power
To sally sorth from Æols brazen tower:
The Seas are calm, the crooked Dolphins play,
Doris fair Daughter dancing all the way,
Till great Egistus treads that happy Earth,
Had been his Foster-mother from his birth.
Bellaria (in whose breast the Graces rested,
With all the glories of her sex invested)
Imagining her husbands Kingly heart
Would be the more her own, did she impart,
All special favours to his friend, admitted,
(Perhaps more intimacy then befitted)
Egistus to her private walks; her eye
Revealing her minds (just) captivity;
His Chamber oftentimes she would frequent,
Which caus'd suspition, though no ill was meant;
For these two Constellations still did move
Within the Orb of true Platonick love.
Pandosto marks their meetings, and doth fry
In the blue flames of baneful Jealousie:
He calls to mind the beauty of his Dear,
And then Egistus merits do appear
Full bloom'd; he next begins to scrutinize
Their private union, and their Colloquies,
He straightways fancies, and concludes at last,
Egist a villain, and his Wife unchast:
These erring fires still lead him up and down,
Till he grows weary of his Life and Crown.
A ruine, which may (falsly) crush his foes:
He knows Egistus is a mighty King,
And cannot sink without his ruining:
He knows his Wife has every Subjects heart,
Paying just homage to her high desert:
Since then there is no hope of publick force,
He now resolves to take a private course:
Egistus shall not fall by Steel, but die
By Poyson; this must Franions industrie
Accomplish; he that bears this Cup must kill
His gentle friend, and hee'l reward thee ill
With numerous dignities: but Franions Soul
Dreadly abhors to act a Deed so foul:
He therefore sets before the King what guilt
He would accrew, what blood must need be spilt,
What miseries must follow? But in vain
Does Franion charm his Serpent Soveraign,
He must perform't, or die: O killing words!
But Franion who by millions of Swords
Had rather perish, then (to give consent
Unto his Prince) to kill the Innocent:
Resolves (what ever hap) to break the thing
Though't break his neck) unto Sicilian's King
To lüm he opens all; Egistus scarce
Can credit Franion's tale; though his discourse
Have secret truth for warrant; Can it be,
Pandosto should be treacherous (quoth he)
First I'le believe earth moves, and Heaven stands still;
I never propt his foes, or sought his ill:
If that Egistus will forsake these Snares,
And Sail into Sicilia, if when there
(Safe in his fulgent throne, and free from fear)
The truth of this Narration were not shown,
To seize his life by tortures yet unknown.
Egistus now believes, and craves Advice
Of Franion (whom he finds maturely wise)
He counsels him, if now the winds sat right,
To weigh his Anchor, and set Sail that night.
Fortune (though blind) favours this rightous cause
With busie care: nor doth Egistus pause,
But (by the help of Franion) secretly
With winged haste (by help of Luna's lunacy)
He passes through the City Postern Gate,
With all his train, and is so blest by Fate,
To find the Skies serene, the Surges tame,
The surly Winds asleep, untill he came
Within the sight of Syracuse: the Shoar,
Is throng'd with Loyal Subjects, to adore
Their lawful Prince; their chearful ecchoes ring,
Heaven bless our Soveraign, God preserve the King.
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