 | Octavia (1581) |  |
THE FOVRTH SCENE.
Octauia, Nutrix.Though much I beare that boyling brest do beate
And tollerably take diuorcements threate,
Deathes only deadly darte, I see an end,
Of al my broyle and pinching payne can send,
What pleasant light to me (O wretch) is left,
My natural Mother slayne, and Syre bereft,
Of breathing life, by treason, and by gilt:
Of Brother eake depriude: with miseryes spilt:
And wayling ouercome: kept downe with care,
Enuyed of Make, which I dare not declare.
To mayden subiect now, and now defied:
What pleasant light can me (O wretch) abyde,
With feareful hart suspecting always ought:
Because I would no wicked deede were wroughte:
Not that I feare Deathes griesly gyrning face,
God graunt I do not so reuenge my case,
[164]
The Tyrantes visage grimme, with browes vprolde
And with soft tender lippes my foe to kisse,
And stand in awe of beckes and noddes of his,
Whose will to please my griefe with cares yfirde
Since brothers death by wicked wyle conspirde,
Could neuer once vouchsafe for to sustayne,
Lesse griefe to die, then thus to liue in payne.
His Empyre Nero rules and ioyes in blood:
The cause and ground of death that Tirant wood.
How oft (alas) doth Fansie fondly fayne.
Whē slumber swete in pensiue parts doth raigne,
And sleepe in eyes, all tyrd with teares doth rest,
I apprehend deare Brittans liuely brest:
Ere whyle me thinkes his feble shiuering hands
He fenseth sure with deadly blasing brandes,
And fiercely on his brother Neros face,
With sturdy stinging stroakes he flies apace.
Ere whyle thilke wretch recoyleth backe agayne,
And to my thewes for aide retyres amayne:
Him foming foe pursues with hast to haue:
And whyle my brother I desire to saue,
And in my clasped armes to shield him free,
His goary bloudied falchion keene I see.
The boysterous raumping fiend to tugge, & hale
Through out my shiuering limmes, as ashes pale.
Forthwith a mighty trembling chattering quake
From weary lims all souple sleepe doth shake,
And makes me woeful wretch for to recount,
My wayling sobbing sorrowes that surmount.
Hereto, put to that gorgeous stately [illeg.]ouse,
All glistring bright, with spoyles of Claudius house
His parent deare in bubling boate did douse,
That wicked sonne, this fisking dame to please.
Whom yet escaping daungers great of Seas.
165
VVith bloudy blade hir bowels did vnbrest.
VVhat hope of health, can me, O wretch, abyde,
That after them thilke way I should not ryde?
My speciall foe, triumphant wise doth weight,
VVith naked nates to presse by louers sleight,
Our spousall, pure, and cleane vnspotied bed:
Gainst whom, she burns, with deadly foode bloud red.
And, for a meede of filthy strumpets sport,
She causeth Make from spouse for to diuort.
O auncient Syre, step forth from Limbo lake,
Thy daughters heauy troublous cares to slake:
Or your twygated hellysh porche vnfolde,
That downe through gaping ground I may bee rolde.
Nu.
O piteous wretch, in vaine, (alas) in vaine
Thou calst vpon thy fathers senselesse sprite:
In whome, God wot, there doth no care remaine
Of mortall broode, that here doth take delight.
Shall he, thinke you, asswage your sory cheere,
Or shape you forth some sleight, t'appall your paine,
That could preferre, before his Brittan deere,
Th'imperiall throne, a straunge begotten swaine:
And with incestiall loue benummed quyte
His brother Germanicks daughter that could plyght,
And ioyne to him in solemne mariage rites,
VVith woefull, and vnlucky louers lightes?
Here sprang the roale of hurly burly great,
Here beastly venomous slaughter gan to sweate,
Here wylie treasons traines appeared first,
Here rules desire, and brutish bloudy thirst.
Syllanus first Prince Claudius sonne in lawe,
A bloudy mangled offring fall we sawe,
That in our graces Hymæneal bed,
Ymatcht with you, he might not couche his hed.
Thou calst vpon thy fathers senselesse sprite:
In whome, God wot, there doth no care remaine
Of mortall broode, that here doth take delight.
Shall he, thinke you, asswage your sory cheere,
Or shape you forth some sleight, t'appall your paine,
That could preferre, before his Brittan deere,
Th'imperiall throne, a straunge begotten swaine:
And with incestiall loue benummed quyte
His brother Germanicks daughter that could plyght,
And ioyne to him in solemne mariage rites,
VVith woefull, and vnlucky louers lightes?
Here sprang the roale of hurly burly great,
Here beastly venomous slaughter gan to sweate,
Here wylie treasons traines appeared first,
Here rules desire, and brutish bloudy thirst.
Syllanus first Prince Claudius sonne in lawe,
A bloudy mangled offring fall we sawe,
That in our graces Hymæneal bed,
Ymatcht with you, he might not couche his hed.
[165]
O monstrous slaughter, worthy endlesse blamer:
In steade of gift vnto that wanton dame,
A Carkasse colde pore soule, and curelesse corse,
Sillane was giuen against his will perforce.
And falsly then attacht of traitors crime,
As one conspyring death in Claudius time,
VVith lothsome streakes spewde out vpon the wall,
He all bedasht your fathers princely hall.
Eft stepped into seruile Pallace stroke,
To filthy vices lore, one easly broke.
Of Diuelish wicked wit this Princocks proude:
By stepdames wyle prince Claudius Sonne auoude.
VVhome deadly damme did bloudy match ylight:
And thee, against thy will, for feare did plight.
Through which successe this Dame of corage fine,
Durst venture, mighty Ioue to vndermine.
VVho can so many cursed kindes report
Of wicked hopes, and actes in any sort,
Or such a womans glosed guyles can name,
That raumpes at rule, by all degrees of shame?
Then holy sacred zeale put out of grace,
Her stagring steppes, directed forth apace,
And sterne Erinnis in with deadly steps,
To Claudius Court, all desert left yleps.
And with hir dririe drakes of Stygian fort,
Hath quite distainde the sacred princely port.
And raging riuen in twaine both natures lore,
And right to wrongs mishapen fourme hath tore.
That haughty minded dame first gaue her make,
A deadly poysoned cup, his thyrst to slake.
Straight wayes againe through vile vnkindly touch,
Her Nero causde with him in hell to couch.
And thee, vnhappy Britt, in all that broyle,
Till that of breth, and life he did dispoyle,
Thilk greedie bloudy tyraunt neuer stent:
VVhose dolefull death for aye we may lament.
Ere whyle, vnto the world the starre that shone,
And was the stay of princely court alone,
Now loe, light ashes easly puft aforne,
And griesly goast to graue with torche yborne.
VVhom blessed Babe, thy stepdame did lament:
Nor from hir gushing teares, did scarce relent,
VVhen as shee gaue eche trimme appointed parte,
And goodly portraide limmes with natures arte,
Of flaming stacke to be deuoured quite,
And sawe the scortching feruent fire in sight
Thy naked ioynts to rauin vp a pace
And like the flittring God thy comely face.
In steade of gift vnto that wanton dame,
A Carkasse colde pore soule, and curelesse corse,
Sillane was giuen against his will perforce.
And falsly then attacht of traitors crime,
As one conspyring death in Claudius time,
VVith lothsome streakes spewde out vpon the wall,
He all bedasht your fathers princely hall.
Eft stepped into seruile Pallace stroke,
To filthy vices lore, one easly broke.
Of Diuelish wicked wit this Princocks proude:
By stepdames wyle prince Claudius Sonne auoude.
VVhome deadly damme did bloudy match ylight:
And thee, against thy will, for feare did plight.
Through which successe this Dame of corage fine,
Durst venture, mighty Ioue to vndermine.
VVho can so many cursed kindes report
Of wicked hopes, and actes in any sort,
Or such a womans glosed guyles can name,
That raumpes at rule, by all degrees of shame?
Then holy sacred zeale put out of grace,
Her stagring steppes, directed forth apace,
And sterne Erinnis in with deadly steps,
To Claudius Court, all desert left yleps.
And with hir dririe drakes of Stygian fort,
Hath quite distainde the sacred princely port.
And raging riuen in twaine both natures lore,
And right to wrongs mishapen fourme hath tore.
That haughty minded dame first gaue her make,
A deadly poysoned cup, his thyrst to slake.
Straight wayes againe through vile vnkindly touch,
Her Nero causde with him in hell to couch.
And thee, vnhappy Britt, in all that broyle,
Till that of breth, and life he did dispoyle,
166
VVhose dolefull death for aye we may lament.
Ere whyle, vnto the world the starre that shone,
And was the stay of princely court alone,
Now loe, light ashes easly puft aforne,
And griesly goast to graue with torche yborne.
VVhom blessed Babe, thy stepdame did lament:
Nor from hir gushing teares, did scarce relent,
VVhen as shee gaue eche trimme appointed parte,
And goodly portraide limmes with natures arte,
Of flaming stacke to be deuoured quite,
And sawe the scortching feruent fire in sight
Thy naked ioynts to rauin vp a pace
And like the flittring God thy comely face.
Oct.
Dispatch he me least with this hand he fall.
Nut.
That power you, nature graunted not at all.
Oct.
But wondrous dolor, great and wrathfull yre,
And miseries will it graunt without desyre.
Nu.
Nay rather cause your angry moody make,
With souple cheere his fury for to slake.
Oct.
What, that he will by guilt once slaine before,
Aliue againe my brother mee restore?
Nut.
Nay, safe that you may liue and issue beare:
Your fathers auncient court for to repayre.
Oct.
That court doth wayte another broode they say.
And poore Britts death tugges me another way.
Nut.
Yet let the cities loue vnto your grace,
Your troubled minde confirme but for a space.
Oct.
Their mindes so prest to pleasure me, I know
Great comfort brings: but do not slake my wo.
Nut.
Of mighty power the people haue bene aye.
Oct.
But princes force doth beare the greater sway.
Nut.
He will respect his lawfull wedded wife,
Oct.
His mynion braue can not so leade her life.
[166]
Of no man shee esteemde.
Oct.
But dear to make.
NV.
She can not truely yet of wifehood crake.
Oct.
Ere longe she shall a mother eke be made.
So farre therein I dare most boldly wade.
Nut.
His youthfull heate at first in filthy loue,
With lusty, crusty pangs doth boyle aboue:
Thylke corage quickly colde in lust apace
As vapour sone extinct in flame giues place.
But holy, louing, chaste vnspotted spouse,
Her loue endureth aye with sacred vowes.
With lusty, crusty pangs doth boyle aboue:
Thylke corage quickly colde in lust apace
As vapour sone extinct in flame giues place.
But holy, louing, chaste vnspotted spouse,
Her loue endureth aye with sacred vowes.
That wanton first that there durst couch hir hed,
And tumbling stayned quite your spousall bed,
And being but your mayde hath ruled longe,
Hir soueraine Lord, with beauties grace bestong,
That pranked Paramour pert shal croutch with pain,
VVhen she your grace shall see preferd againe.
For Poppie subiect is, and meeke of spright,
And now begins her goastly tombs to dight:
VVhereby she closely graunting doth bewray,
Hir secret hidden feare eche other day.
That swift, vnconstant, double winged lad
With cloute, before his blinded eyes, yclad,
That fickle brayned God, thunhappy boy,
Shall leaue hir in the midst of all hir ioy:
Although for beauty bright the bell she beare,
And goodly glistring garments new she weare,
And now do vaunt her selfe in gorgeous geere,
Shee shall not long enioy this gladsome cheere.
Be not dismayde, Madame, for such like paine,
The queene of gods was forced to sustaine,
VVhen to ech pleasaunt shape the heauenly guide,
And syre of Gods yturnde, from skyes did glyde.
The swannes white wings, to se how they could fadge
He did on him, and cuckoldes bullysh badge,
That God shone bright in Golden raynie showre
To Danaes brest through top of fortred towre.
The twinckling starres the twinnes of Læda bright,
Whom Pollux, some, and Castor, call aryght,
In large and ample space of starry scope,
With cristal glimering faces shyne wyde ope.
And Semeles sonne, whom Bacchus we do call,
In heauenly byrthright doth himselfe ystall.
And Hercules that puissant Champion stoute,
His sturdy brawnes, his Hebe wyndes aboute.
Nor once regardes how Goddesse Iuno fare:
Whose lowring stepdame now she is yframde,
That whyle on earth his prowes he did declare,
Agaynst that maryage, aye, was sore inflamd.
Yet loe her wise, and closly couched greefe,
Debonaire face, obeisaunce to her leefe,
Causde him at length his mynd for to remoue,
Through mortall feeres estraundge from Iunos loue.
And now that mighty heauenly Goddesse great,
No more adred of mortall strumpets feat,
Aloft alone in cloudy bowre contentes
The thundring Lord, which now to her relentes.
Nor now with earthly Ladyes beauty bright
Yfyred, leaues his starry specked right.
Now madam sith on earth your powre is pight
And haue on earth Queene Iunos princely place,
And sister are, and wyfe to Neroes grace,
Your wondrous restles dolours great appease.
And tumbling stayned quite your spousall bed,
And being but your mayde hath ruled longe,
Hir soueraine Lord, with beauties grace bestong,
That pranked Paramour pert shal croutch with pain,
VVhen she your grace shall see preferd againe.
For Poppie subiect is, and meeke of spright,
And now begins her goastly tombs to dight:
VVhereby she closely graunting doth bewray,
Hir secret hidden feare eche other day.
That swift, vnconstant, double winged lad
With cloute, before his blinded eyes, yclad,
That fickle brayned God, thunhappy boy,
Shall leaue hir in the midst of all hir ioy:
Although for beauty bright the bell she beare,
And goodly glistring garments new she weare,
And now do vaunt her selfe in gorgeous geere,
Shee shall not long enioy this gladsome cheere.
Be not dismayde, Madame, for such like paine,
The queene of gods was forced to sustaine,
VVhen to ech pleasaunt shape the heauenly guide,
And syre of Gods yturnde, from skyes did glyde.
The swannes white wings, to se how they could fadge
He did on him, and cuckoldes bullysh badge,
167
To Danaes brest through top of fortred towre.
The twinckling starres the twinnes of Læda bright,
Whom Pollux, some, and Castor, call aryght,
In large and ample space of starry scope,
With cristal glimering faces shyne wyde ope.
And Semeles sonne, whom Bacchus we do call,
In heauenly byrthright doth himselfe ystall.
And Hercules that puissant Champion stoute,
His sturdy brawnes, his Hebe wyndes aboute.
Nor once regardes how Goddesse Iuno fare:
Whose lowring stepdame now she is yframde,
That whyle on earth his prowes he did declare,
Agaynst that maryage, aye, was sore inflamd.
Yet loe her wise, and closly couched greefe,
Debonaire face, obeisaunce to her leefe,
Causde him at length his mynd for to remoue,
Through mortall feeres estraundge from Iunos loue.
And now that mighty heauenly Goddesse great,
No more adred of mortall strumpets feat,
Aloft alone in cloudy bowre contentes
The thundring Lord, which now to her relentes.
Nor now with earthly Ladyes beauty bright
Yfyred, leaues his starry specked right.
Now madam sith on earth your powre is pight
And haue on earth Queene Iunos princely place,
And sister are, and wyfe to Neroes grace,
Your wondrous restles dolours great appease.
Oct.
Nay, sooner shall the roaring froathy seas,
And mounting flashing flawes ymatch the skye,
And smoaking, stifling parching fyer drye
With dankish pooles agree and watrye fenne:
And griesly Plutoes filthy feltred denne,
With starbright heauen shal sooner coupled be,
And shyning light with glomy shades agree,
And with the cleere drye day the dewy night,
Than vnto seruile lore of husbande wight,
That brutish wyse in bloud takes his delight,
My heauy woeful mynd can I addresse,
Whyle brothers death my heart doth stil possesse.
And mounting flashing flawes ymatch the skye,
And smoaking, stifling parching fyer drye
With dankish pooles agree and watrye fenne:
And griesly Plutoes filthy feltred denne,
With starbright heauen shal sooner coupled be,
And shyning light with glomy shades agree,
[167]
Than vnto seruile lore of husbande wight,
That brutish wyse in bloud takes his delight,
My heauy woeful mynd can I addresse,
Whyle brothers death my heart doth stil possesse.
O that of heauenly powers the prince and syre,
That shogges and shakes the earth with thūdring fyre,
And with his wondrous, feareful, cursed crackes,
And straunge mishapen monsters which he makes,
Our feareful musing myndes doth sore amase,
Would coyne some cureles burning wildfyre blase,
To pelt and pash with thumping fyer bright,
That diuelish pate, that cruell cursed wight.
We saw from heauen, with beames forthshoting farre
Doubtles a dreadful heary, blasing starre:
That spouted out a mortall fiery flake,
Whose force a princes bloud can only slake:
Euen where that hayting carman sloe Boote
With chilling cold al starcke of frosen pole,
Doth guyde aright Charles whirling running rote,
In steade of night that neuer away doth role.
Loe now the open ayre in euery streate,
With doggish tyrantes breath, is poysoned, quite,
And dreadful starres some sodayne death do threate.
To people rulde, by wicked Neroes spright.
So sterne a freake, or mankynd tyrant stoute,
Not Tellus with the Gods displeasd brought out,
When mighty Ioue neglected she vphorlde
Huge, vgly, monstrous Typhon to the worlde.
A sorer plague, a cleaner scouryng scourge,
With bloudy pawes that cityes boundes doth purge,
Is Nero drye, this cruell cursed wyght.
That doth himselfe gaynst God and man ydyght:
And thrustes from sacred shrynes their quiet porte,
And goodly temples gay the sancted sort:
That cittyes dwellers puts from countries fort:
That hath bereft his brother of his lyfe,
And launcht his mothers sides with goary knyfe:
Yet doth this present lightsome day enioye
And leades his lyfe, that doth vs sore annoy.
That shogges and shakes the earth with thūdring fyre,
And with his wondrous, feareful, cursed crackes,
And straunge mishapen monsters which he makes,
Our feareful musing myndes doth sore amase,
Would coyne some cureles burning wildfyre blase,
To pelt and pash with thumping fyer bright,
That diuelish pate, that cruell cursed wight.
We saw from heauen, with beames forthshoting farre
Doubtles a dreadful heary, blasing starre:
That spouted out a mortall fiery flake,
Whose force a princes bloud can only slake:
Euen where that hayting carman sloe Boote
With chilling cold al starcke of frosen pole,
Doth guyde aright Charles whirling running rote,
In steade of night that neuer away doth role.
Loe now the open ayre in euery streate,
With doggish tyrantes breath, is poysoned, quite,
And dreadful starres some sodayne death do threate.
To people rulde, by wicked Neroes spright.
So sterne a freake, or mankynd tyrant stoute,
Not Tellus with the Gods displeasd brought out,
When mighty Ioue neglected she vphorlde
Huge, vgly, monstrous Typhon to the worlde.
A sorer plague, a cleaner scouryng scourge,
With bloudy pawes that cityes boundes doth purge,
Is Nero drye, this cruell cursed wyght.
That doth himselfe gaynst God and man ydyght:
And thrustes from sacred shrynes their quiet porte,
And goodly temples gay the sancted sort:
168
That hath bereft his brother of his lyfe,
And launcht his mothers sides with goary knyfe:
Yet doth this present lightsome day enioye
And leades his lyfe, that doth vs sore annoy.
O Father of heauen, in vayne why dost thou throwe
Thy great vnuanquisht ratling thundring blowe
Uppon the whistling woods and ample seas,
With force of princely power thy wrath t'appease?
On such an hurtful and pernicious freake,
Thy due and iust conceyued yre to wreake.
Why stay thy mighty puissaunt braunds so long,
Ere thou fling downe thy ratling cracking throng?
Thy great vnuanquisht ratling thundring blowe
Uppon the whistling woods and ample seas,
With force of princely power thy wrath t'appease?
On such an hurtful and pernicious freake,
Thy due and iust conceyued yre to wreake.
Why stay thy mighty puissaunt braunds so long,
Ere thou fling downe thy ratling cracking throng?
O Lord, that Nero once might pay the price,
Of all his deuilish deedes, and euery vyce,
Th'whole wyde worlds tyrant sterne wher he a stroke
Doth beare: which he ouerlades with burdnous yoke
Of princely syre yborne, but doth defame,
With beastly manners vyle his princely name:
Of all his deuilish deedes, and euery vyce,
Th'whole wyde worlds tyrant sterne wher he a stroke
Doth beare: which he ouerlades with burdnous yoke
Of princely syre yborne, but doth defame,
With beastly manners vyle his princely name:
Nun.
Unworth he is your spousall chamber place:
But yet your destnies force, you must imbrace,
And wel, abyde your fortunes crooked race:
Nor moue vnkyndly Neroes gauly yre.
One day perchaunce, there wil as I desyre,
Some God reuenge your lamentable case:
And once I trust a gladsome day shal be,
When you shal ioy a fresh in wonted place.
Oct.
Ah. no, now, long this court (alas) we see
With heauy wrath of Gods displeased yre
Hath ouercharged bene: which Venus dyre
With Messalinas monstrous ramping lust,
Shee first hath brought adowne into the dust.
Who madly maryed to prince Claudius grace,
But little myndful then of that same case,
[168]
With cursed cressets maried once againe.
To which vnlucky incestuall brydall bed,
That drosell dyre that furious slut Erin,
With hanging hayre aboute her hellish hed,
And gyrt with snakes with deadly step went in.
And flaming brandes from spousall chamber cought,
In both their blouds ybathd, hath quenched cleane:
And hath incenst prince Claudius burning thought
In bloudy thratling stroake to passe all meane.
My mother first of wretches all the most,
With stripe of deadly sword gaue vp her ghost.
And now extinguisht quite, left me forlorne,
With dolours pyning panges and mourning worne.
And after her in hellish teame doth hayle,
Unto the senseles soules of Plutoes iaile
Her make, and Brittannick her sonne that way:
And first this ruinous court did she betray.
Nut.
Let be, Madame, with teares your face to dight:
Ne so renew your bitter wayling iust:
Ceasse troubling now your parents piteous spright,
That payed hath the price of raging lust.
| Octavia (1581) | |