Natures Embassie Or, The Wilde-mans Measvres: Danced naked by twelve Satyres, with sundry others continued in the next Section [by Richard Brathwait] |
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THE EIGHTH SATYRE.
[OF FLATTERIE.]
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 | Natures Embassie |  |
119
THE EIGHTH SATYRE. [OF FLATTERIE.]
Terpnus Musician to a tyrant Prince,
Nero by name, did in the funeralls
Which were solemniz'd on his mothers hearse,
Sing on his Lute these wofull tragicalls:
Where euery straine he strooke vpon his string,
Did vexe the conscience of the tyrant king.
Nero by name, did in the funeralls
Which were solemniz'd on his mothers hearse,
Sing on his Lute these wofull tragicalls:
Where euery straine he strooke vpon his string,
Did vexe the conscience of the tyrant king.
Incestuous Oedipus who flue his father,
Married his mother, and did violate
The law of nature, which aduis'd him rather
Single to liue, then take to such a state,
Becomes a subiect fit, for this sad hearse,
Where inke giues place to bloud to write her verse.
Married his mother, and did violate
The law of nature, which aduis'd him rather
Single to liue, then take to such a state,
Becomes a subiect fit, for this sad hearse,
Where inke giues place to bloud to write her verse.
Cruell Orestes bath'd his ruthlesse sword,
Estrang'd from strangers, in his mothers blood,
So little pittie did the child afford
To Her, that was the parent of the brood;
Yet some excuse for this Orestes had,
Mad men exemption haue, and He was mad.
Estrang'd from strangers, in his mothers blood,
So little pittie did the child afford
To Her, that was the parent of the brood;
Yet some excuse for this Orestes had,
Mad men exemption haue, and He was mad.
Sphinx subtile Giant, who did riddles put
Unto each passenger He met withall,
Which, who could not resolue He peece-meale cut,
Throwing them frō steepe rocks whence they should fall,
Whereby their members broke and crush'd in peeces,
Remain'd as food in Sea to sillie fishes.
Unto each passenger He met withall,
Which, who could not resolue He peece-meale cut,
Throwing them frō steepe rocks whence they should fall,
Whereby their members broke and crush'd in peeces,
Remain'd as food in Sea to sillie fishes.
Yet this he did vpon mature aduice,
For who so'ere He were assoil'd this question,
Was not opprest by him in any wise,
But might with safest conduct trauell on;
Where thou foule Matricide doest infants vex,
Without respect of person, state, or sex.
120
Was not opprest by him in any wise,
But might with safest conduct trauell on;
Where thou foule Matricide doest infants vex,
Without respect of person, state, or sex.
There is no sex which may exempted be,
From thy insatiate hand embrew'd in blood,
But waxing proud in others miserie,
Doest tyrannize vpon poore womanhood:
Blood-thirsty Tyrant there's prepar'd a doome,
To startle thee that rip'd thy mothers wombe.
From thy insatiate hand embrew'd in blood,
But waxing proud in others miserie,
Doest tyrannize vpon poore womanhood:
Blood-thirsty Tyrant there's prepar'd a doome,
To startle thee that rip'd thy mothers wombe.
Rauing Orestes heard a furious crie,
Which did attend his phrensie to his graue,
And did disturbe his restlesse sleepe thereby,
So as saue troubled dreames He nought could haue:
With many broken sleepes. to shew his guilt,
Of his deare mothers bloud, which He had spilt.
Which did attend his phrensie to his graue,
And did disturbe his restlesse sleepe thereby,
So as saue troubled dreames He nought could haue:
With many broken sleepes. to shew his guilt,
Of his deare mothers bloud, which He had spilt.
Which poore Orestes had no sooner heard,
Then to his pillow in a dismall sort,
Streight He retir'd, and being much afeard,
Lest hell and horror should conuent him for't,
With hands lift vp to heauen and hideous crie,
He oft would curse himselfe, and wish to die.
Then to his pillow in a dismall sort,
Streight He retir'd, and being much afeard,
Lest hell and horror should conuent him for't,
With hands lift vp to heauen and hideous crie,
He oft would curse himselfe, and wish to die.
Turne me (ye gods) quoth he, to some wild beast,
Some sauage Lion, or some Tyger fierce,
Since I delight so much in bloud to feast,
For who can with remorse my deeds rehearse?
Which if time should with her obliuion smother,
Bloud cries reuenge, reuenge me cries my mother.
Some sauage Lion, or some Tyger fierce,
Since I delight so much in bloud to feast,
For who can with remorse my deeds rehearse?
Which if time should with her obliuion smother,
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Worse then the beasts thou art, they cherish them,
And bring their parents food when they grow old:
Who then can daigne to looke on thee for shame,
That hast defac'd that forme that gaue thee mold?
The tender Storke that sees her parents lack,
Will bring them food, and beare them on her back.
And bring their parents food when they grow old:
Who then can daigne to looke on thee for shame,
That hast defac'd that forme that gaue thee mold?
The tender Storke that sees her parents lack,
Will bring them food, and beare them on her back.
But thou a mirrour of impietie,
Depriues thy parent of her vitall breath,
And makes her subiect to thy cruelty,
Thus she that gaue thee life, thou giues her death:
A sweete reward; O then ashamed be,
Thou staine of Greece, that Greece should harbor thee.
Depriues thy parent of her vitall breath,
And makes her subiect to thy cruelty,
Thus she that gaue thee life, thou giues her death:
A sweete reward; O then ashamed be,
Thou staine of Greece, that Greece should harbor thee.
Thus would Orestes frame his sad discourse,
With words as vile as were his actions foule,
To moue his phrenticke passions to remorse,
Which long (too long) had triumpht ore his soule;
Nor could he find vnto his woes reliefe,
Till death did end his life, and cure his griefe.
With words as vile as were his actions foule,
To moue his phrenticke passions to remorse,
Which long (too long) had triumpht ore his soule;
Nor could he find vnto his woes reliefe,
Till death did end his life, and cure his griefe.
If all his teares and ruthfull miseries,
Could neuer expiate his mothers death,
To what extent shall thy calamities
Grow to in time, that stops thy mothers breath,
Euen Agrippinaes breath, whose cursed birth,
Maks her to curse the wombe that brought thee forth?
Could neuer expiate his mothers death,
To what extent shall thy calamities
Grow to in time, that stops thy mothers breath,
Euen Agrippinaes breath, whose cursed birth,
Maks her to curse the wombe that brought thee forth?
This Nero notes, and noting shewes his ire,
By outward passions, yet concealeth it,
Resolu'd ere long to pay the minstrels hire,
When time and opportunitie should fit;
For tyrants haue this propertie 'boue other,
They meane reuenge, yet their reuenge cā smother
By outward passions, yet concealeth it,
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When time and opportunitie should fit;
For tyrants haue this propertie 'boue other,
They meane reuenge, yet their reuenge cā smother
And so did Nero, whose perplexed mind,
Guilty of what was ill, seem'd to admire
His Art in Musicke, rather then to find
Any distast, lest He should shew the fire,
Which lay rak'd vp in ashes, and display
What time might sleight, but could not take away.
Guilty of what was ill, seem'd to admire
His Art in Musicke, rather then to find
Any distast, lest He should shew the fire,
Which lay rak'd vp in ashes, and display
What time might sleight, but could not take away.
Yet he began to scoule and shake the head,
With eyes as fierie-red as Ætnaes hill,
Willing him streight to other acts proceed,
And silence them that parents bloud did spill:
Sing to thy Lute (quoth he) straines of delight,
To cheare th' attendants of this wofull sight.
With eyes as fierie-red as Ætnaes hill,
Willing him streight to other acts proceed,
And silence them that parents bloud did spill:
Sing to thy Lute (quoth he) straines of delight,
To cheare th' attendants of this wofull sight.
Terpnus did passe vnto another theame,
Yet still relates He in the end of all,
The facts of Oedipus, Orestes shame,
How and by what effects succeed'd their fall;
Whereby (as well it was by all perceiued)
Nero the tyrant inwardly was grieued.
Yet still relates He in the end of all,
The facts of Oedipus, Orestes shame,
How and by what effects succeed'd their fall;
Whereby (as well it was by all perceiued)
Nero the tyrant inwardly was grieued.
Terpnus continu'd in his Lyricke ode,
So long as Nero in his throne remained,
But now impatient longer of abode,
Wearied with audience (for so he feined)
Terpnus left off from prosecuting further,
The sad relation of this cruell murther.
So long as Nero in his throne remained,
But now impatient longer of abode,
Wearied with audience (for so he feined)
Terpnus left off from prosecuting further,
The sad relation of this cruell murther.
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But see the Tyrant, who before delighted
More with the musicke of good Terpnus lyre,
Then any thing which ere his soule affected,
Neuer more straines of Terpnus did require;
For being grieu'd, each day his grieues increased,
Till Terpnus exile made his grieues appeased.
More with the musicke of good Terpnus lyre,
Then any thing which ere his soule affected,
Neuer more straines of Terpnus did require;
For being grieu'd, each day his grieues increased,
Till Terpnus exile made his grieues appeased.
Yet not
appeased, for each day each night,
He heard the hideous cries of Furies shriking:
Oft would He turne himselfe before day-light,
But got no rest, his bodie out of liking,
Yet tyranniz'd in spilling bloud apace,
Act vpon act as one bereft of grace.
He heard the hideous cries of Furies shriking:
Oft would He turne himselfe before day-light,
But got no rest, his bodie out of liking,
Yet tyranniz'd in spilling bloud apace,
Act vpon act as one bereft of grace.
Sometimes He saw his mother haling him,
With wombe new-rip'd; there Sporus who He sought,
To make of man a woman drag him in;
Here sundrie Matrons whom he forc'd to nought,
And slue defil'd, which fix'd on Him their eye,
Which seene, He fled, but flying could not flie,
With wombe new-rip'd; there Sporus who He sought,
To make of man a woman drag him in;
Here sundrie Matrons whom he forc'd to nought,
And slue defil'd, which fix'd on Him their eye,
Which seene, He fled, but flying could not flie,
O conscience, what a witnesses thou brings,
'Gainst Him that iniures thee, where no content
Can giue houres respite to the state of kings,
Thou of thy selfe art sole-sufficient,
To hale or heale, to hale from life to death,
Or heale the wound of which he languisheth?
'Gainst Him that iniures thee, where no content
Can giue houres respite to the state of kings,
Thou of thy selfe art sole-sufficient,
To hale or heale, to hale from life to death,
Or heale the wound of which he languisheth?
Behold here Terpnus courage, to correct
The great abuses of his Princes mind,
Whose pompe, port, power, He lightly doth respect,
To taxe those crimes to which He is inclin'd:
He's no Court-Adder that will winde him in,
To Princes grace by praising of his sinne.
The great abuses of his Princes mind,
Whose pompe, port, power, He lightly doth respect,
To taxe those crimes to which He is inclin'd:
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To Princes grace by praising of his sinne.
O I could wish we had such Terpni many,
Who would not sooth nor flatter, but auouch,
Blacke to be blacke: but there's I feare not any,
Too few at least, I doubt me rightly such;
And yet me thinks such Phœnix's might build here,
Within this Ile, as well as other where.
Who would not sooth nor flatter, but auouch,
Blacke to be blacke: but there's I feare not any,
Too few at least, I doubt me rightly such;
And yet me thinks such Phœnix's might build here,
Within this Ile, as well as other where.
Seianus, let him bloome in other coasts,
And purchase honour with his flatterie,
Let his aspiring thoughts make priuate boasts,
To raise his Fortunes to a monarchie,
He cannot prosper here, for why, we know,
State-ruine from Court-parasites may grow.
And purchase honour with his flatterie,
Let his aspiring thoughts make priuate boasts,
To raise his Fortunes to a monarchie,
He cannot prosper here, for why, we know,
State-ruine from Court-parasites may grow.
So Seian thought (what haue not Traitors thought)
To currie fauour with the Senators,
The better to atchieue what He had wrought,
By secret plots with his conspirators;
Faire-tong'd false-heart, whose deepe-cōtriuing braine
Gaue way to ruine, where He thought to raigne.
To currie fauour with the Senators,
The better to atchieue what He had wrought,
By secret plots with his conspirators;
Faire-tong'd false-heart, whose deepe-cōtriuing braine
Gaue way to ruine, where He thought to raigne.
But He's well gone, Rome is dispatch'd of one
That would haue made combustion in the state,
Whose death made Hers reioyce, but His to mone,
Who on his fall built their vnhappie fate;
For Treason like a linked chaine doth show,
Which broke in one, doth breake in others too.
That would haue made combustion in the state,
Whose death made Hers reioyce, but His to mone,
Who on his fall built their vnhappie fate;
For Treason like a linked chaine doth show,
Which broke in one, doth breake in others too.
Next whom Perennius, whose affected grace,
Italian-like, seem'd as compos'd by art,
May for his smoothing humour take the place,
Who sole-possessor of a Princes heart,
The youthfull Commodus, did so allure him,
As his aduice seemes onely to secure him.
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May for his smoothing humour take the place,
Who sole-possessor of a Princes heart,
The youthfull Commodus, did so allure him,
As his aduice seemes onely to secure him.
Faire Prince (quoth he) if any worldly wight,
May solace those faire corps fram'd curiously,
Expresse Her onely when she comes in sight,
And I your pleasure soone will satisfie;
Your Unckle he's too strict, he's too seuere,
To coupe you vp in silence alwaies here.
May solace those faire corps fram'd curiously,
Expresse Her onely when she comes in sight,
And I your pleasure soone will satisfie;
Your Unckle he's too strict, he's too seuere,
To coupe you vp in silence alwaies here.
What priuiledge haue Princes more then we,
If they depriued be of open aire?
What comfort reape they in their Empirie,
If Nestor-like, they still sit in their chaire?
No, no, deare Prince, you know a Prince is borne
To be his subiects terror, not their scorne.
If they depriued be of open aire?
What comfort reape they in their Empirie,
If Nestor-like, they still sit in their chaire?
No, no, deare Prince, you know a Prince is borne
To be his subiects terror, not their scorne.
No Theater rear'd in your royall Court,
Turney, lust, Barrier, should solemniz'd be,
To which a Romane Prince should not resort,
Amazing Ladies with his maiestie;
O then it is a shame for your estate,
To seeme in ought for to degenerate!
Turney, lust, Barrier, should solemniz'd be,
To which a Romane Prince should not resort,
Amazing Ladies with his maiestie;
O then it is a shame for your estate,
To seeme in ought for to degenerate!
How gorgeously did Rome demeane her then,
When young Vitellius did banket it,
Seruing at table miriads of men,
With lustie Ladies which did reuell it?
Yet you more high in state, more ripe in wit,
Must Hermit-like in cell retired sit.
When young Vitellius did banket it,
Seruing at table miriads of men,
With lustie Ladies which did reuell it?
Yet you more high in state, more ripe in wit,
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Shake off these Sages which do now attend you,
For they like fetters do restraine your pace;
Giue lustfull youth in euery part his due,
Let sprightly gallants take the Sages place,
By which enthron'd secure, you may command,
As Ioue erst did, with Io in his hand.
For they like fetters do restraine your pace;
Giue lustfull youth in euery part his due,
Let sprightly gallants take the Sages place,
By which enthron'd secure, you may command,
As Ioue erst did, with Io in his hand.
This did Perennius moue, and tooke effect,
Greene thoughts receiue too aptly wanton seede,
Remaining with the Prince in chiefe respect,
As they are wont, who Princes humours feed;
Till He conspiring to vsurpe the crowne,
Amidst his honours was cast headlong downe.
Greene thoughts receiue too aptly wanton seede,
Remaining with the Prince in chiefe respect,
As they are wont, who Princes humours feed;
Till He conspiring to vsurpe the crowne,
Amidst his honours was cast headlong downe.
Where he receiu'd a doome that seru'd for all,
(Like doome still breath on such infectious breath)
For soring thoughts must haue as low a fall,
Whose fauning liues play prologue to their death:
For well I know no bane on earth can be
Worse to the State then rust of flatterie.
(Like doome still breath on such infectious breath)
For soring thoughts must haue as low a fall,
Whose fauning liues play prologue to their death:
For well I know no bane on earth can be
Worse to the State then rust of flatterie.
Then should these last-ensuing times beware,
Lest they commit offences of like kind,
Which in the common wealth procure that iarre,
As by their proiects we subuersion find:
For they depraue the vertues of the best,
And in the highest Cedars build their nest.
Lest they commit offences of like kind,
Which in the common wealth procure that iarre,
As by their proiects we subuersion find:
For they depraue the vertues of the best,
And in the highest Cedars build their nest.
Sycites, he whose sycophants pretence,
Made wofull hauocke of his Common weale,
Abusing much his Princes innocence,
At last by time (as time will all reueale)
Became displeasde, who as He was a fo
Vnto the state, the state adiudg'd him so.
Made wofull hauocke of his Common weale,
127
At last by time (as time will all reueale)
Became displeasde, who as He was a fo
Vnto the state, the state adiudg'd him so.
AN ADMONITION.
Be thou a Terpnus to restraine abuse,Sin-training pleasures fraught with vanitie;
Be thou no Seian, no Perennius,
To humour vice to gaine a Monarchie;
Be not Sycites, let examples moue thee,
And thou wilt cause the Commonweale to loue thee.
| Natures Embassie | |