University of Virginia Library

THE FIRSTE ACTE.

HIPPOLYTVS.
Goe raunge about the shady Woods, beset on euery side
With Nets, with Hounds, & toyles, & rūning out at randon ride
About, about, the craggy crests of high Cecropes hill,
With speedy foote about the Rockes, with coursing wander still.
That vnder Carpanetus Soyle, in Dale below doth lurke,
Whereas the Riuers running swift, their flapping waues doe worke,
And dashe against the beaten Banks of Thrias valley low,
And clamber vp the slimy cliues, besmeard with hory Snow,
(That falleth, when ye Westerne winde frō Riphes Moūts doth blow.)
Heere, heere away, let other wend, whereas with lofty head,
The Elme displayes his braunched armes, the wood to ouerspread.
Whereas the Meadowes greene doe lye, where Zephyrus most milde
Out brayes his baumy breath so sweete, to garnish vp the field
With lusty springtide flowers fresh whereas Elysus slow
Doth fleete vpon the Ysie flakes, and on the Pastures low.
Mæander sheds his stragling streame, and sheares the fruitlesse sand
With wrackfull waue: yee whom the path on Marathons left hand,
Doth lead vnto the leauened launds, whereas the heirde of beast
For Euening forrage goe to graze, and stalke vnto their rest.
The rascall Deare trip after fast, you thither take your way,
Where clottered hard Acarnan forst warme Southerne windes t'obay
Doth slake the chilling colde, vnto Hymetus Ysie cliue
To Alphids litle Uillages, now let some other dilue:
That plot where Sunion surges high doe beate the sandy bankes,
Whereas the marble Sea doth fleete with crooked compast crankes,
Unhaunted lies too long, withoutten race of any wight.
Who set agog with hunting braue, in woods doth take delyght,
Philippis him allures: her hauntes a fomy bristled Bore
That doth annoy with gastly dread the husbandmen full sore:
We know him wel: for he it is foyld with so many woundes,
But ere they do begin to ope, let slip, let slip your Houndes.
But in your leashes Syrs keepe vp your eiger Mastifs yet,
Keepe on their Collers still, that doe their galled neekes yfret:
The Spartayne Dogges eiger of pray and of couragious kynd,
That sone can single out their game, wherto they be assygnd,
Tye shorter vp within your leash: to passe tyme shall it bring,
That with the youlping noyse of houndes the hollow rockes shal ring.
Now let the Houndes goe fynd of it with Nosthrell good of sent,
And trace vnto the vglye den ere dawning day be spent.
Whyle in the dewish slabby ground the pricke of cleaze doth sticke.
One bear the toyle on combred necke, and some with nettes ful thicke
Make speede: some with the arming coatd by pensell paynted red
By sleight, and subtill guyleful feare shall make the Beastes adred:
Loke thou to pitch thy thirling dart, and thou to trye thy might,
Shall cope him with broad Boarespeare: thrust with hand both lefte & right.
Thou standing at receipt shalt chase the roused beastes amayne
With hallowing: thou with limere sharpe vndoe him beyng slayne.
Graunt good successe vnto thy mate, Virago, thou Diuyne,
That secret desartes chosen host for noble Empire thyne:
Whose thirled Dartes with leauel right do gore the Beast with Bloud
That lappes the lukewarme licour of arexis fleeting Floud.
And eke the Beast that sportes it selfe on frosen Isters strand.
The ramping Lyons eake of Geate are chased by thy hand.
And eke the wyndy heeled Hart in Candie thou dost chase.
Now with more gentle launce thou strikst the Doe that trippes apace.
To thee the Tygar fierce his diuers spotted breast doth yeeld,
The rough shaghairy Bugle turnes on thee his backe in field,
Eke saluage Buffes with braunched hornes: all thinges thy quarelles feare,
That to the needy Garamas in Affricke doth appeare.
Or els the wyld Arabian enriched by his wood,
Or what the Brutish roches of Pyrene vnderstood,
Or else what other Beastes do lurcke in wyld Hyrcanus groue,
Or else among Sarmatians in desert fieldes that roue:
If that the Ploughman come to field, that standeth in thy grace,
Into his nettes the roused beast full sure he is to chase.
No feete in sunder breake the coordes and home he bringes the Bore
In totting wayne, when as the houndes with gubs of clottered gore,
Besmeared heue their grymed snoutes: and then the Countrey rout
To Cottages repayre in rankes, with triumph all about.
Lo, Goddesse graunt vs grace: the hounds already opened haue,
I follow must the Chase: this gainer way my paynes to saue,
I take into the woods.

THE SECOND SCEANE

PHÆDRA.
NVTRIX.
O countrey Crete that beares the sway, vpon the Seas so vast.
Whose Ships so thicke in euery Shore, the Seas doe ouercast,
What euer coast as farre as is Assyria lande doth lye,
Where Nereus doth the piked Stemme to cut his course deny,
Why force ye mee that yeelded am, a pledge to those I hate?
And gieuen in Bridall bed to bee my enmies Spousall mate,
To languish out my time in teares, in woe to leade my lyfe?
My husband lo, a runnagate is gon from mee his Wyfe,
Yet Theseus still performes his Othe alike vnto his Spouse.
As earst to Ariadne, when hee falsifide his Uowes:
Hee champion stoute dare enterprise the darkenesse deepe to passe
Of lothsome Lake, whence yet found out, no way returning was.
A souldier of the Wooer bolde Proserpin home to bring,
Out pullde perforce from grisly throne of Dire infernall King.
Accompanide with fury fierce hee marcheth forward still,
Whō neither dread nor shame could force forbeare his wicked will.
With lawlesse wedlocks rauishments Hippolytus his Sire
Doth in the boyling bottom deepe of Acheron require,
But yet another greater griefe swayes on my pensiue brest,
No silent night, nor slumber deepe can set my heart at rest.
My sorrow still is nourished, and still encreaseth it,
And ranklesse in my boyling breast, as out of Ætnaes pit.
The stifling vapour vpward sties and Pallas Web, it standes
At rest, my dropping distaffe downe doth drop betweene my handes.
My luskish minde it hath no lust my vowed gifts to pay
Unto the Temples of the Gods that liue my Theseus may:
Nor rigging with Th'athenian Dames among the aulters proude
To tosse the fiery brands, vnto the sacrifice aloude,
Nor yet deuoutly praying at the Aares with godly guise
To Pallas president in earth to offer sacrifice:
It doth delight me to parsue the chased beasts in flight,
And tosse my flashing Faucon fierce with nimble hand full light.
What ayles thou minde this mad to take conceypte in freight and fell?
My wretched mothers fatall vice a breeding now I smell:
To cloake our crime, our lust doth knowe, woods are the fittest place,
Alas good Mother, I lament the heauy lucklesse case:
Thou rashe attaint with lothsome lust enamored is thy breast.
Euen with the cruell head of al the herd of saluage beast,
That churlish angry roaring Bull no yoake can hee sustayne,
And hee among the wilde, and eke vntamed Neat doth raygne.
Yet was enclinde to loue: what God can graunt mee my desire?
Or Dedalus with curious craft can ease my flaming fire?
Not if hee might returne, whom Ariadne hath instruct
From crooked compast Laberinth by thred that out hee pluckt
Among the lurcking corners close, and wily winding way,
To grope his footing backe agayne, and did depriue of day
Our monstrous Minotaur enclosde in Maze and Dungeon blinde:
Although hee promise to our sore, no salue yet can hee finde:
Through mee Apollos Progeny doth Venus quite agayne,
The filthy shame that shee and Mars together did sustayne.
Whom Phœbus taking at their taske all naked in the Skie,
Hung vp in Nets, a laughing stocke to euery gasing Eye:
For this all Phœbus stocke, with vile and foule reproche she staynes,
In some of Minos family still lothsome lusting raygnes:
One mischiefe brings another in.

NV.
O Theseus wyfe, and Chylde
Of Ioue, let vyce be soone out of thine honest breast exilde:
And quench the raging heat: to dire dispayre doe not vp yeeld,
Who at the first repulseth loue, is safe and winnes the field,
Who doth by flattring fancy fonde feede on his vitious vayne,
To late doth grudge agaynst the yoake which earst hee did sustayne:
Nor yet doe I forget how hard, and voyde of reason cleane:
A Princes stately stomacke yeeldes vnto the golden meane:

PH.
That ende I will accept, whereto by Fortune I can leade
The neighbors weale great comfort brings vnto the horie heade.

NV.
The first redresse is to withstand, not willingly to slide,
The second is to haue the fault by meane and measure tride:
O wicked wretch what wilt thou doe? why dost thou burden more
The stayned stocke and dost excell thy mothers fault afore?
More haynous is thy guilt than yet thy mothers Monster was:
For monsters mayst thou thinke are brought by destiny to passe:
But let the cause of sinne, to blame of maners lewde redounde:
And if bicause thy husband doth, not breath aboue the grounde.
Thou thinkst thou mayst defend thy fault, and make thy matter good
And free from feare: thou arte beguilde, yet thinke the Stygian flood
In griesly gaping gulfe for aye hath drenched Theseus deepe,
But yet thy Syre, whose kingdomes large the Seas at will do keepe:
Whose dredfull doome pronounceth panges, and due deserued payne,
Two hundreth wayling soules at once. Will he thinkst thou maintayne
So haynous crime to couche? the care of tender Parents breast
Full wise, and wary is to bring their children to the best.
Yet shall we thinke by subtill meanem, by craft and diuelish guile,
In hugger mugger close to keepe our trechery so vile.
What shall thy mothers father Phœbe, whose beames so blasing bright,
With fiery gleede on euery thing, doth shed his golden light?
Or Ioue the Grandsire great of Gods that all the world doth shake,
And brandisheth with flaming Fist, his fiery lightnings flake:
That Vulcane doth in Fornace hoate, of dusky Ætna make
Thinkst thou thys may be brought to passe, so haynous crime to hide?
Among thy Grandsire all that haue eche priuy thing espide?
But though the fauor of the Gods conceale the second time
Thy lothsome lust (vnworthy name) and to thy baudy crime,
Sure faythfulnesse annexed be, that euer barred was.
Ech great offence, what will this worke? a present plague, alas
Suspicionlest the guilty night bewray thy deede vniust:
And conscience burdned sore with sinne that doth it selfe mistrust.
Some haue commit offence full safe from any bitter blame,
But none without the stinging pricks of conscience did the same:
Asswage the boyling flames of this thy lewde vngratious loue,
Such monstrous mischiefe horrible from modest minde remoue.
Which neuer did Barbarian commit vnto this day,
No not the Gadding Gothes that vp and downe the fyeldes do stray:
Nor craggy crested Taurus mount whose hoary and frosty face
With numming cold abandons all inhabitors the place.
Nor yet the scattered Scithian, thy mother haue in mynd,
And feare this forrayne venery, so straunge agaynst thy kind:
The Fathers wedlocke with the sonnes thou seekst to be defylde,
And to conceiue in wicked womb a Bastard Mungrell Child:
Go too, and turne thy Nature to the flame of burning breast.
Why yet do Monsters cease? why is thy Brothers caue in reast.
That Mynotaurus hideous hole and vgly couching den
Without an other greedy fyend to mounch vp flesh of men?
Mishapen, lothly monsters borne so oft the world shall heare,
So oft rebels agaynst her selfe confused Nature deare,
As loue entangles Nimphes of Crete.

Ph.
I know the truth ye teach
O Nurce, but fury forceth mee at worser thinges to reach:
My mynd euen wittingly to vyce falles forward prone and bent
To holesome counsell backe agayne in vayne it doth relente:
As when the Norman tugges and toyles to bring the fraighted Barke
Agaynst the striuing streame, in vayne he loseth al his carke
And downe the shallow streame perforce the Shyp doth hedlong yeeld,
Where reason preaseth forth, there fighting fury winnes the field,
And beares the swinging sway, and cranke Cupidoes puissant might
Tryumpheth ouer all my breast this flighty winged wight
And puissant potestate throughout the world doth heare the stroke,
And with vnquenched flames doth force Ioues kindled breast to smoake,
The Battelbeaten Mars hath felt these bitter burning brandes,
And eke the God hath tasted these whose feruent fierye handes,
The thumping thunder bouncing boltes three forked wyse doth frame,
And he that euer busied is about the furious flame,
In smoltring Fornace raging hoat on dusky top so hie,
Of foggye Aetna mount: and with such slender heat doth frie,
And Phœbe himselfe that weldes his dart vpon his twanging string,
With aymed shaft directlie driuen the wimpled Ladde doth sting.
With powre he scoures along the Earth and Marble Skye amayne.
Lust fauoring folly filthily did falsely forge and fanne
Loue for a God: and that he might hys freedome more attayne.
Ascribes the name of fayned God to shittel bedlame rage.
Erycina about the world doth send her rouing page,
Who glyding through the Azure skies with slender ioynted arme
His perlous weapons weildes at will, and working grieuous harme.
Of bones and stature beyng least great might he doth display
Upon the Gods, compelling them to crouch and him obay.
Some Brainsicke head did attribute these thinges vnto himselfe,
And Venus Godhead with the bow of Cupid litle elfe.
Who cockred is, tryumphing much in fauning fortunes lap.
And flotes in welth, or seekes and sues for thinges that seldome hap,
Lust (mighty fortunes mischeous mate) assaulteth straight his breast,
His tooth contempneth wonted fare and victuals homly drest.
Nor hansome houses pleaseth him, why doth this plague refuse.
The simple sort, and to annoy doth stately bowers chuse?
How haps it matrimony pure to byde in Cottage base?
And honest loue in middle sort of men doth purchase place?
And thinges that be of meane estate themselues restraine ful well,
But they that wallow in their luste whose stately stomackes swell,
Puft vp and bolstred bigge with trust of Kingly scepter proude
Do greater matters enterprise then may be well alowde.
Hee that is able much to do, of powre wil also bee
To do these thinges he cannot doe. Now Lady dost thou see
What thinges do thee beseeme thus stald on stately throne on hie?
Mistrust the scepter of thy spouse returning by and by.

Ph.
In me I beare a violent and mighty payse of loue,
And no mans comming home againe to terrour may we moue.
He neuer stepped backe agayne, the welkin skie to touch,
That swallowed once and sunke in gulfe and glummy caue did couch
Shut vp shimering shade for ay.

Nu.
Yet do not thou suppose,
Though dreadful Ditis lock with barres, and bolt his dongeon close:
And though the hideous hellicke hounde do watch the griesly gates.
Not Theseus alone shal haue his passages stopt by fates,

Ph.
Perhaps he pardon wil the cryme of loues procuring heate

Nu.
Nay churlishly hee would of old his honest wyfe entreate.
Antiope his bobbing buffets felt and heauy cuffe:
Suppose, yet thou can qualifye thy husbandes raging ruffe:
Yet who can moue Hippolytus most stony stubborne mynd?
He wil abhorre the very name detesting woman kind,
And faring frantickly, wil gyue himselfe to single life,
And shunne the hated spousall bedde of euery marride wife,
Then shal ye playnly vnderstand his brutish Scithian blood

Ph.
To follow him euen through the hilles, the Forrest thycke & wood,
That keepes among the clottred cliues besmeard with siluer Snow,
Whose nimble heeles on craggy rockes are frisking to and froe:
I wysh.

Nu.
He wil resist and not be dalyed with nor coyd,
Nor chaunge his chast estate, for lyfe of chastity deuoyd,
And turne perhaps his cankred hate to light on thee alone,
That now he beares to all.

Ph.
wil not he moued be with mone?

Nu.
Stark wilde he is,

Ph.
and I haue learnd wilde thinges by loue to tame

Nu
Hee'le runne away.

Ph.
if by the Seas he flie, I on the same
Will follow him.

Nu.
Remember then thy father may thee take.

Ph.
I may remember myne offence, my mother eake will slake.

Nu.
Detesting womankinde, he driues and courseth them away.

Ph.
No strūpets bashful feare agaynst my breast doth hold at bay:

Nu.
Thy husband wil be here.

Ph.
Iwis he comes I warrant him
Pyrothous companion in hellicke dungeon dimme.

Nu.
Thy Father also he wil come,

Ph.
A gentle hearted Syre
Forgeuing Ariadnes fault, when she did him require.

Nu.
For these my siluer shining lockes of horie drouping age,
And breast beduld with cloying cares restrayne thy furious rage.
I humbly thee beseech euen by these tender tears of myne,
Succor thy selfe, much health it is, if will to health encline.

Ph.
Not euery iote of honesty exiled is my breast,
I yeeld me Nurse, loue that denies thus vnder rule to rest
In quietnes, let him, let him perforce be battered downe.
I wil not let my fleeting fame and glorious bright renoume
With stayne to be dishonoured, this onely is the gap,
To shunne the perlous path that leades to vices trayning trap.
My spouse let mee ensue with death this sinue I shall subuert.

Nu.
Deare daughter slake the ramping rage of thy vnruly heart.
Plucke downe thy stomacke stout, for this I iudge thee worthy breath,
In that thou dost confesse thy selfe to haue deserued death.

Ph.
Candemde I am to die, what kind of death now would I know,
As eyther strangled with a rope shal I my life forgoe?
Or runne vppon a bloudy blade, with gory wound to dye?
Or topsie turuy headlong hurld downe Pallas turret hie,
In quarrel iust of Chastity.

Nu.
Now strengthen we our hand,
Alas shal not my feble age thy despret death withstand,
Forbeare the sway of furye fierce.

Ph.
No reason can restrayne
Him that desireth death, when death he hath determind playne
And ought to die,

Nut.
Sweete Lady myne (thou comfort of my age
And feeble yeares) if in thy breast preuayles such mighty rage
Haue not regard what sounding blast in trompe of fame be blowne
Whereby thy name in stayned stock of blacke reproch be sowne,
Or graft in spotlesse honesty: for fame doth fauour small
The most vpright, to better worse, to worse shee's best of al,
Let vs assay the froward mynd of yonder stubborne Child
It is my part to set vppon the clubbish youngman wilde
And to compell the sturdy lad with stony hart to yeeld.

Chorus.
O goddesse great that art the wondrous seede
Of frothie surge in stormy raging seas
Whō flamy Cupid armd with scorching gleed,
And Shaftes, to call his Mother it doth please:
This wanton Elfe forth putting sappy might
From stedfast Bowe how surely doth he throwe
His venimd shaftes, through all thy marrow right
The foystring fyre doth rankle in and glovve
The secret flame that boyleth in each vayne
The strype layd on shevves not in open marke:
But invvard marrovv he sucketh out amayne,
This boy to sound of peace doth neuer harke.
His scattered shaftes ful nimble euery vvhere
He dartes aboute, the East that doth behold
The davvning sunne himselfe aloft to reare,
From purple bed, and vvhether late he rold.
With ruddy lamp, in Westerne wade doth glyde:
If any coast lye vnder scorching clavves
Of burning Crab, or people do abyde,
Beneath the clyme of lsy frosen pavves,
Of ougly gargle faced bigger Beare,
That vvandring still from place to place doth goe
The feruent Fumes, and stouing heate eche vvhere
That issues out from CVPIDS burning bow,
The flashing flames of Yongmens burning brest,
Hee stirreth vp, enkindling new the heate
Of quenched coales, that vvonted vvas to rest
In drouping age: and virgins hearts doe beate
Wyth straunge vntasted brandes: and doth compell
The Gods descending downe from starry Sky,
Wyth counterfeited Vysages, to dwell
Vpon the Earth to blinde the Louers Eye.
Sir PHOEBVS vvhilome forst in Thessail Land
To Sheepeherds state ADMETVS Heirdes did driue,
His mourning Harp depriude of heauenly Hand
With ordred Pipe his Bullockes did reuiue.
Euen hee that trayles the dusky riding rack,
And wieldes the swaying Poles with swinging swift
How oft did hee faynde fourmes put on his back
And heauenly Face with baser countenaunce shift.
Sometime a Byrde with siluer shining wings,
He fluttering flusht, and languishing the death
With sweete melodious tuned voyce hee sings,
When silly Cygnus gaue vp gasping breath.
Sometime also wyth curled forhead grim
A dallying Bull, he bent his stouping backe
To maydens sport, through deepest Seas to swim
Whyle horny houe made shift like Ore slacke
Through waters wyld his brothers perlous cost
Wyth forward glauncing breast the stream he brake,
And least he should his tender pray haue lost,
Her troublus thought did cause his heart to quake
DIANA bright that swayes in circle murke,
Of darkened Sky, with frying fits did burne,
And leauing of the Euening watch her worke
Her fulgent Chariot bright. eke did shee turne.
To PHOEBVS charge, to weelde it otherwise
Her Euening Wayne APOLLO learnde to guide,
And take his turne in lesser compast sise:
The dāpish nights vvatcht not their vvonted tyde
And late it vvas ere that AVRORA fayre
Set forth the morning Sunne vvith golde aray,
Whyle that the Marble axell tree in th'ayre
The shogging Carte made crake vvith swagging sway,
ALCMENAS boystrous Impe did lay aside
His clattering shafts, and also did refuse
To vveare the ramping Lyons hairy Hyde
And Emraudes for his fingers did hee chuse,
And brayded kept his rufled staring Locks,
Ware Garters vvrought on knee vvith seames of Golde
And on his feete his durty dabled Socks,
And vvith the hand vvhere vvhilome hee did holde
His Clubbish bat, a thred hee nimbly spun:
Both Persia and fertile Lidia knew
(Where golden sanded Pactolus doth run)
ALCYDES bid the Lyons case adew
And thunderpropping brawny shoulderd sier
That heaued and bolstred vp the Welkin throne,
In slender Kirtell vvrought by Web of Tyre
Did iet about to please his Loue alone.
This flame (beleue the heart that feeles the vvound)
Enspirde vvith holines excels in might,
Whereas the Land by Seas embraced round,
Where twinkling Starres doe start in Welkin bright
This peeuish Elfe the Conntreyes all doth keepe,
Whose quarrels sting the Marble faced rout
Of vvater Nimphes, that vvith the Waters deepe
The brand that burnes in breast cannot quench out,
The flying fowle doth feele the foystring flames.
What cruell Skirmish doe the Heyffers make?
Prickt vp by lust that nice Dame UENVS frames
In furious sorte for all the Cattels sake?
If fearefull Hearts their Hindes doe once mistrust,
In loue disloyall then gladly dare they fight,
And bellowings out, they bray to vvitnesse iust
Their angry moode, conceyu'de in irefull spright.
The paynted coast of India then doth hate
The spotty Hyded Tygar, then the Bore
Doth vvhet his Tuskes to combat for his mate,
And fomes at mouth: the ramping Lyons rore
And shake their Manes, when CVPIDS corsies moue
Wyth grunts and grones the howling frythes doe murn
The Dolphin of the raging Sea doth loue:
The Elephants by CVPIDS blaze doe burn:
Dame nature all doth challeng as her owne,
And nothing is that can escape her lawes:
The rage of wrath is quencht and ouerthrowne,
When as it pleaseth Loue to bid them pawes:
Blacke hate that rusting frets in cankred breast,
And all olde grudge is dasht by burning loue.
What shall I make discourse more of the rest
Stout Stepdames doth this gripe to mercy moue.