The Golden Fleece Whereto bee annexed two Elegies, Entitled Narcissvs Change. And Aesons Dotage. By Richard Brathvvayte |
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Another Elegie called Æsons affecting youth.
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 | The Golden Fleece |  |
Another Elegie called Æsons affecting youth.
There was one Æson who long time had liude,
And waxing old, was clad with hoarie haire,
So that each day he lookt to be depriude
Of his scarce liuing life consumde with care.
And euery day he rose, farewell quoth he,
For ere to morrow death will summon me.
And waxing old, was clad with hoarie haire,
So that each day he lookt to be depriude
Of his scarce liuing life consumde with care.
And euery day he rose, farewell quoth he,
For ere to morrow death will summon me.
A lookt for summons, yet not much desirde,
For what man liuing will desire his fall?
If that my fortunes haue to wealth aspirde,
And that the Gods haue blest me therewithall,
Why should I die? yet these gray haires portend,
Yet ere long time my state must haue an end.
For what man liuing will desire his fall?
If that my fortunes haue to wealth aspirde,
And that the Gods haue blest me therewithall,
Why should I die? yet these gray haires portend,
Yet ere long time my state must haue an end.
With that he wept, and sighing did despaire,
Watring his pale-facde cheeks with aged drops,
And weeping, wipte his eyes with snow-white haire.
His beard was long, bedeckt with aged locks.
So that to see this oldman homwards creepe,
Would moue Ægæon if aliue, to weepe.
Watring his pale-facde cheeks with aged drops,
And weeping, wipte his eyes with snow-white haire.
His beard was long, bedeckt with aged locks.
So that to see this oldman homwards creepe,
Would moue Ægæon if aliue, to weepe.
Now whil'st he wept, and did lament his woe,
Jason came to him, Jason was his sonne,
And with a quicke pace mixt with teares did goe,
Hearing his father say, he was vndone.
Vndone quoth Iason, why deere Sir (quoth he)
Is it in that I haue offended thee?
Jason came to him, Jason was his sonne,
And with a quicke pace mixt with teares did goe,
Hearing his father say, he was vndone.
Vndone quoth Iason, why deere Sir (quoth he)
Is it in that I haue offended thee?
No quoth old Aeson, its because mine age,
Growes out of frame, decrepit and decaid,
Once was I nimble be'ng Cretheus page,
But now I flie vnto my staffe for aide.
This (my kinde sonne) is cause of my distresse,
Of all my sorrow and my heauinesse.
Growes out of frame, decrepit and decaid,
Once was I nimble be'ng Cretheus page,
But now I flie vnto my staffe for aide.
This (my kinde sonne) is cause of my distresse,
Of all my sorrow and my heauinesse.
Iason did smile, yet he concealde his smile,
Least he should seeme to scorne his fathers yeares
Or pure compassion of his griefes exile,
But wash'd his tearelesse face with fained teares.
And Æson hauing all his woes descride,
VVith framed speech young Iason thus replide.
Least he should seeme to scorne his fathers yeares
Or pure compassion of his griefes exile,
But wash'd his tearelesse face with fained teares.
And Æson hauing all his woes descride,
VVith framed speech young Iason thus replide.
Deare father, if distresse consist in this,
That is in sorrowing for your aged yeares,
I thinke it were not very farre amisse,
To shew Medæa these your wofull teares.
VVherewith (quoth Aeson) can she comfort me,
That will be dead, ere she can visit me?
That is in sorrowing for your aged yeares,
I thinke it were not very farre amisse,
To shew Medæa these your wofull teares.
VVherewith (quoth Aeson) can she comfort me,
That will be dead, ere she can visit me?
Iason to comfort him, poore doting man,
Said, she had vsde the like experiment
Of diuers others: and that Helicon
Yeelds powerfull hearbs, by Æsculapius sent.
Adding, he would make hast, and bid her trie,
What she could doe in this extremitie.
Said, she had vsde the like experiment
Of diuers others: and that Helicon
Yeelds powerfull hearbs, by Æsculapius sent.
Adding, he would make hast, and bid her trie,
What she could doe in this extremitie.
Æson did thanke him, with a fathers blissing,
Praying the Gods to prosper him for euer,
And like a dotard cloyed him with kissing,
Hoping to liue for aye: Die should he neuer.
Iason made hast to his inchanting wife,
Bidding her trie her skill for Æsons life.
Praying the Gods to prosper him for euer,
And like a dotard cloyed him with kissing,
Hoping to liue for aye: Die should he neuer.
Iason made hast to his inchanting wife,
Bidding her trie her skill for Æsons life.
Medæa wept to heare her Iason aske,
In such lamenting manner for her father:
Protesting oft, this was an extreme tast,
Nothing on earth, but she could doe it rather.
Iason commaunds which she will not withstand,
But gins to trie hearbs vertues with her hand.
In such lamenting manner for her father:
Protesting oft, this was an extreme tast,
Nothing on earth, but she could doe it rather.
Iason commaunds which she will not withstand,
But gins to trie hearbs vertues with her hand.
And going farre and neere, she gatherd flowers,
Which she distild into a vessell pure,
From whence proceeded such all working powers,
That she by them could make men ere endure.
And more to die, which did content her sire.
For to be euer young was his desire.
Which she distild into a vessell pure,
From whence proceeded such all working powers,
That she by them could make men ere endure.
And more to die, which did content her sire.
For to be euer young was his desire.
When she had this confession made and tride,
The same by skill, made on a fruitlesse tree,
Whereof the withred branches downe did slide,
To which applying Art: sprung fruitfully
Faire Oliue branches, by whose vernant show
The vertue of her herbs she soone did know.
The same by skill, made on a fruitlesse tree,
Whereof the withred branches downe did slide,
To which applying Art: sprung fruitfully
Faire Oliue branches, by whose vernant show
The vertue of her herbs she soone did know.
Wherefore she came to Æson spedily,
Taking him by th' hand: young man (quoth shee)
Whereat she laught, I haue found remedie,
For your old age, if youl'e be rulde by me.
And drawing out a boxe of pleasant oyle,
This will (quoth she) asswage your forepast toyle.
Taking him by th' hand: young man (quoth shee)
Whereat she laught, I haue found remedie,
For your old age, if youl'e be rulde by me.
And drawing out a boxe of pleasant oyle,
This will (quoth she) asswage your forepast toyle.
Hauing annoynted him good gods (quoth he)
How agile, and how nimble be my bones?
By lasting fame eternized be she,
That healde mine akes, yet saying this he grones.
For he beheld the excrements of time,
Gray haires dispoile him of his flowry prime.
How agile, and how nimble be my bones?
By lasting fame eternized be she,
That healde mine akes, yet saying this he grones.
For he beheld the excrements of time,
Gray haires dispoile him of his flowry prime.
And sighing thus, you haue done good to me,
Daughter Medæa, in that you haue curde
My chill-cold ioynts spent with debilitie
For which approued kindnesse, rest assurde.
That Iason shall enioy old Pelias ground.
Since thee more kinde then Pelias I haue found.
Daughter Medæa, in that you haue curde
My chill-cold ioynts spent with debilitie
For which approued kindnesse, rest assurde.
That Iason shall enioy old Pelias ground.
Since thee more kinde then Pelias I haue found.
One thing is yet awanting, which if thou
By thy diuinest skill shalt ere performe,
Or if by thy endeuours thou canst doe,
With a perpetuall wreath Ile thee adorne.
And character the honour of thy name,
With the dispersing of thy sacred fame.
By thy diuinest skill shalt ere performe,
Or if by thy endeuours thou canst doe,
With a perpetuall wreath Ile thee adorne.
And character the honour of thy name,
With the dispersing of thy sacred fame.
She without further question made, applied
Vnto his aged haires such fragrant smell,
And by her concoct hearbs so liquefied,
That in all hast, his hoary haires downe fell,
And being fallen, there sprung vp in that place,
A coale-blacke bush of haire vpon his face.
Vnto his aged haires such fragrant smell,
And by her concoct hearbs so liquefied,
That in all hast, his hoary haires downe fell,
And being fallen, there sprung vp in that place,
A coale-blacke bush of haire vpon his face.
Seeke not with Æson to be young againe,
But haue desire to end thy pilgrimage,
Since it is fraughted with a sea of paine,
Who would with youth change his declining age?
Youth is licentious, age experienced,
Tels vs, That lust is to be banished.
But haue desire to end thy pilgrimage,
Since it is fraughted with a sea of paine,
Who would with youth change his declining age?
Youth is licentious, age experienced,
Tels vs, That lust is to be banished.
FINIS.
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