University of Virginia Library

VUhen OEdipus accursed wretch, his fatall fals had spied,
To hell be damnd his wretched soule and on the Gods he cryed
For vengeaunce due. And posting fast with franticke moode & griesly hue,
Unto his dolefull Court hee went, his thoughts for to pursue.
Much like a Lion ramping wylde, his furious head that shakes.
And roares with thundring mouth alowd, and often gnashing makes,
None otherwise this miser farde. A lothsome sight to see.
Besides himselfe for very rage, he still desires to dye.
And rowling round his wretched Eyes with vysage pale and wan:
Ten thousand Cursers out he powres. Himselfe the vnhappiest man
Of all that liue, he doth account: as iustly he may doe.
A wretch, a slaue, a caitife vyle. The cause of all our woe.
And in this case enflamd with spight he cries, he stamps, he raues.
And boyling in his secret thoughts, he still desyres to haue
All torments vnder sun that may his Cares conceiude encrease.
O wretched wyght, what should hee doe? What man may him release?
Thus foming all for rage at mouth, with sighes, and sobs, & grones,
His damned head ten thousand times, as oft his weryed bones
He beats. And often puffing makes, and roares, and swels, & sweats.
And on the Gods for death hee calles, for Death hee still entreats,
Three times he did begin to speake: and thryse his tong did stay.
At length he cried out alowd: O wretch. Away, away.
Away thou monstrous Beast (he sayd:) wilt thou prolong thy lyfe?
Nay rather some man strike this breast with strooke of bloudy knyfe.
Or all you Gods aboue on mee your flaming fiers outcast:
And dints of Thunderbolts down throw. This is my prayer last.
What greedy vile deuouring Gripe, vpon my guts will gnaw?
That Tigre fierce my hatefull limmes will quight a sunder draw?
Loe, here I am you Gods: Loe, heere, wreke now on me your will:
Now, now you fyry Feendes of Hell, of vengeaunce take your fill.
Send out some wilde outragious beast send Dogs mee to deuoure.
Or els all ils you can deuise, at once vpon me powre.
O wofull soule. O sinfull wretch. Why dost thou feare to dye?
Death only rids frō woes thou knowst. Than stoutly Death defie.
With that his bloudy fatall Blade, from out his sheath he drawes.
And lowd he roses, wt thūdring voice, Thou beast why dost thou pawse?
Thy Father cursed caitife thou, thy Father thou hast slayne
And in thy Mothers bed hast left an euerduring stayne.
And Brothers thou hast got: nay Sons thou liest: thy Brothers all
They are. Thus for thy monstrous lust thy Countrey down doth fall.
And thinkst thou than for all these ils enough so short a payne?
Thynkst thou the Gods will be apeasde, if thou forth with be slayne?
So many mischiefes don: and ist enough one stroke to byde?
Account'ste thou it sufficient paynes, that once thy sword should glide
Quight through thy guilty breast for all? why than dispatch and dye.
So maist thou recompence thy Fathers death sufficiently.
Let it be so: what mends vnto thy Mother wilt thou make?
Unto thy children what? these plagues (O wretch) how wilt thou slake?
That thus for thee thy countrey wastes? One push shall ende them all.
A proper fetch. A fine deuise. For thee a worthy fall.
Inuent thou monstrous beast forthwith: a fall euen worthy for
Thy selfe inuent: whom all men hate and loth, and doe abhor.
And as dame Natures lawfull course is broke (O wretch) by thee.
So let to such a mischiefe great, thy Death agreeing bee.
O that I might a thousand times, my wretched lyfe renewe.
O that I might reuyue and dye by course in order dewe.
Ten hundred thousand times & more: than should I vengeance take
Upon this wretched head. Than I perhaps in part should make
A meete amends in deede, for this my fowle and lothsom Sin.
Than should the proofe of payne reproue the life that I liue in.
The choyse is in thy hand thou wretch, than vse thine owne discretion.
And finde a meanes, whereby thou maist come to extreame confusion.
And that, that oft thou maist not doe, let it prolonged bee.
Thus, thus, maist thou procure at length an endlesse death to thee.
Serch out a death whereby thou mayst perpetuall shame obtayne:
And yet not dye. But still to liue in euerlasting payne.
Why stayst thou man? Go to I say: what meane these blubbring teares?
Why weepst thou thus? Alas to late. Leaue of thy foolysh feares.
And ist enough to weepe thinkst thou? shall teares and wayling serue?
No wretch it shall not be. Thou dost ten thousand deaths deserue.
Myne eyes doe dally with mee I see, and teares doe still out powre.
Shall teares suffice? No, no, not so I shall them better scowre,
Out with thine Eyes (he sayd:) and than with fury fierce enflam'de.
Like to a bloudy raging Feend and monstrous beast vntam'de.
With fiery flaming spotted Cheekes his breast he often beats.
And scratch, and teare his Face hee doth and Skin a sunder freats.
That scarse his eyes in head could stand so sore he them besets.
With furious fierce outrageous minde hee stamps and cries alowd:
And roares & rayles, with ramping rage. Thus in this case he stood,
Perplext, and vexed sore in minde, with deadly sighs and teares.
When sodenly all franticklike himselfe from ground hee reares.
And rooteth out his wretched Eyes, and sight a sunder teares.
Than gnasheth bee his bloudy Teeth, and bites, and gnawes, & champs,
His Eyes all bathd and brude in bloud, for fury fierce he stamps.
And raging more than needes (alas,) his Eyes quight rooted out:
The very holes in vayne hee scrapes so sore the wretch doth dout:
Least sight should chaunce for to remayne he rents and mangels quight
His Face, his Nose, his Mouth, and all whereon his hands do light
Hee rygs and ryues. Thus fowly rayd (alas) in piteous plight:
At length his head aloft he lifts, and therewith geues a shright.
And whan he sees that all is gone, both light, and sight, and all.
Than schriching out: he thus begins vpon the Gods to call.
Now spare you Gods, now spare at length my countrey prest to fall.
I haue done that you did cōmaund: Your wraths reuenged bee.
This wretched looke, this mangled face, is fittest now for mee.
Thus speaking, down the blackish bloud by streams doth gushing flow
Into his mouth. And clottred lumps of flesh the place doth strow.

Wherein hee standes.
Beware betimes, by him beware, I speake vnto you all.
Learne Iustice, truth, and feare of God by his vnhappy fall.