University of Virginia Library

God graunt the talke wee hearde of late,
To rashly trusted euery where,
And blowne abroad through each estate,
No badge of truth that it may beare.
And that no fresh espoused dame,
Our Princes thewes do enter in,
But that OCTAVIA keepe the same,
And that the seede of GLADIVS kin,
May once bring forth some pledge of peace:
That to the world rest may redowne,
And wrangling stryfe may easly cease,
And Rome retayne her great renowne.
The peerlesse Princesse Iuno hight,
Her brothers wedlocke yoke retaynes:
VVhy is AVGVSTVS sister bright,
VVhere like betroathed league remaynes,
From stately pompe of court reiect,
VVhat doth deuoutnes her auayle?
To sayncted syre who hath respectt?
VVhat doth her Virgins life preuayle?
And CLAVDIVS now in ground ylayed,
Euen wee to much vnmyndefull be:
VVhose worthy steme we haue betrayed
Through feare that made vs to agree.
In breast our elders did embrace,
The perfect Romayne puissaunce,
The true vnstayned worthy race,
And bloud of Mars they did aduaunce.
The proude and lofty stomackt trayne
Of lusty hauty mynded Kinges,
They could not suffer to remayne
VVithin this noble Cities winges.
And iustly they reuengd thy death,
O Virgin chast, VIRGINIA pure,
Depriude by syre of vitall breath,
That bondage thou mightst not endure:
And that his shameles brutish lust,
So good a meede might not enioy:
Although by filthy force vniust
Thy chastity he would annoy.
Thee likewyse whom thyne owne right hande,
VVith sword did pearce, LVCRETIA true,
VVho tyrantes rape could not withstand,
Did bloudy broyles and warres ensue
And with her proude disdaynfull Make
Lord TARQVIN ympe of cursed seede,
Correction due doth TVLLIA take
For her vnkindly shameles deede,
VVho on her Fathers mangled corse,
To mischiefe bent, and wicked bane,
The Carman shee to driue did force,
His cruell brusing wombling wane.
And quite agaynst all natures law,
Euen from her owne dismembred syre,
The sacred rytes she did withdraw,
Denaying wonted burial fire
This griefe our woeful age doth feele,
Through monstruous act agaynst all kinde,
VVhen as in deadely crafty keele,
To TYRRHEN seas, and wrastling wynd,
The proude presuming Prince did put,
His mother trapt in subtil sort.
The Mariners appoynted cut,
The swelling Seas from pleasaunt port.
The clash resoundes with stroake of Ores,
The Ship out launcht apace doth spinne,
In surging froath aloofe from shores,
And ample course of seas doth winne.
VVhich glydyng forth with leusned plankes,
In pressed streames with peysed weight,
The riftes do open closed crankes,
That hidden were with secrete sleight:
And gulpeth vp the leaking waue
The woeful roaring noyse and crye,
VVith womans shrikes themselues to saue,
Do reach and beate the starry skye.
Then griesly present death doth daunce
Before their eyes with pyning Cheekes:
VVhose deadly stroake and heauy chaunce
For to auoyde, then each man seekes:
On ryuened ribs some naked lie,
And cutte the beating waues in twayne:
And some theyr skilful swimming trye,
To get vnto the shore agayne.
The greatest part that sayled there,
By destnies dire to men prefixt,
In whirling swallowes drowned were,
The brinkes of Seas and ground betwixt.
Queene AGRIPPYNE her garments rendes,
Shee teares her ruffled lockes of hayre
Abundant blubbring teares she spendes,
Through deepe distresse of faynting feare.
VVho when no hope of health shee spies,
Enflamde with wrath, which woes appeasde,

O sonne, for so greate giftes, shee cryes,
Hast thou with such reward me pleasd?
This keele I haue deserued sure,
That bare and brought thee first to light:
VVho empyre witles did procure,
And CAESARS title for thy ryght.
Shew forth thy feareful spritish face,
O CLADIVS now from Limbo lake,
And of thy wyfe in wretched case,
Reuenge and due correction take.
Thy deth I causeles did conspyre,
VVhich now I rue with woeful harte:
I dressed eake a funerall fyre
Vnto thy sonne by deadly smart.
Lo now as I deserued haue,
Vntombde go to thy guiltles Ghost,
Encloasd in seas instead of graue.
And wrestling waues of Romayne coast.
The flasshing flawes do flappe her face,
And on her speaking mouth do beate,
Anone shee sinkes a certayne space,
Depressed downe with surges great:
Anone shee fleetes on weltring brim,
And pattes them of with tender handes
Through faynting feare then taught to swim
Approaching death, and fates withstandes
At length on troubled Seas displayde
Shee geuing ouer working vayne
And tyrd with streames is weary layd,
Not able toyling strength to strayne
Inclose and secrete silent breastes,
Of mates with her to sea that yode,
In whom no feare of death there restes
True fayth vnto theyr Queene abode.
Theyr Ladyes weather beaten limmes
To helpe, some freely venter dare,
Some in the combrous waters swymmes
And desperate daunger do not spare.
VVith cheereful voyce they comfort her,
Though drawling dragling limmes shee drew,
To lift her vp with helpe they stirre,
And nummed corpes to strength renew.

VVhat bootes it thee the death to shonne
Of roaring raging rauening waues.
From deadly sword of wicked sonne,
Alas pore wretch thee nothing saues?
VVhose huge and heinous cursed rage,
Agaynst all course of natures lore,
Our after slow beleeuing age,
VVil scarce beleeue it done before,

The deuillish man repynde with griefe
VVhen he is mother saued sawe,
From swallowing seas haue safe releefe,
And that she vitall breath did draw,
He grudgde with griefe and in his heate,
He huger mischiefe heapes to this:
He doth not once delay his feate,
But headlong rashly caryed is
Vpon her death. A souldiour sent,
Dispatcheth that he had in charge,
His Ladies breast his blade doth rent:
Shee yeelding vp her soule at large,
From wretched corpes for to entombe
Her slaughter man she then be sought,
That bloudy blade within her wombe,
That fyrst this woe to her had brought,
This, this accursed breast (quoth shee)
VVhich this vnkindly monster bare,
From pinching payne may not be free:
Digge, slash the same, no mischiefe spare.
VVhen this with foltring tounge was sayde,
At last her sad and trembling ghost,
VVith latter sobbing sighes vnstayd,
Through goryd woundes leaues vitall coast.