University of Virginia Library

THE SECOND ACTE.

PHÆDRA.
NVTRIX, HIPPOLYTVS.
Declare what tidings bringst thou Nurce, where is Hippolitus?

NV.
To cure this puissant breach of illes no hope there is in vs:
Nor yet to quench his flashing flame: his furies fretting ire,
Doth fry in secret boyling breast, and though the smothrering fire
Be couerte close, yet bursting forth in welked face it fryes:
The sparkling flakes doe glowing flash from bloudred rowling eyes
She hanging downe her pouched groyne, abhors the lothsome light,
Her skittish wits and wayward minde can fancy nothing right:
Her faltring legs doe fayle her now, downe squatting on the ground
With sprauling lims her shittell griefe doth cast her in a swound:
Now scant shee on her lithy necke holdes vp her giddy hed,
Nor can commit her selfe to couche in rest vpon her bed.
Nor harbring quietnes in heart wyth drery dewle and plaint
She languisheth through out the night, and now her body faynt
She biddes them vp to lift: and now her downe agayne to lay,
And now hir crispen locks vndone abroade shee biddes display:
And strayt to wrap them vp agayne. Thus fickle fansie still
Doth fleete, nor is contented with his wayward wandring will.
No care she casteth on her health nor eates one crum of breade,
With feeble fumbling foote vpon the floore eke doth she treade,
Her strength alas is quight consumde, her fauor sweere doth faynt?
Nor ruddy sanguine purple deye her cherry checkes doth paynt:
Wyth greedy gripes of gnawing griefe her pinched limmes doe pyne:
Her foltring legs doe stagger now: the glosse of beauty fyne
In body Alabaster bright is shronke away and wast
Those Cristall Eyes that wonted were resemblance cleare to cast
Of radiant Phœbus gold arayes, now nothing gentry shyne:
Nor beare a sparke of Phœbus bright her fathers beams deuyne:
The trickling teares fril down her chekes, dew dampish dropping still,
Doth wet her watrye plantes, as on the toppe of Taurus hill
The watry snowes with lukewarme shoures to moisture turnd do drop
But lo the Princes pallace is set open in the top:
She lying downe vpon her golden bed of high estate
Hurles of hir wonted royal robes which wounded hart doth hate:

Ph.
Maydes, haue our purple garmentes hence, & vestures wrought wt gold,
These crimsō robes of scarlet red let not myne eyes behold.
And damaske weedes, wheron the Seres embrauder braunches braue,
Whose Silken substaunce gatherd of their trees aloofe they haue,
My bosome shalbe swadled in with cuttied gaberdine,
No golden coller on my necke nor Indian iewels fyne,
The precious pearles so whyte shal hang no more now at myne eares,
Nor sweete perfumes of Siria shal poulder more my heares.
My flaryng ruffled lockes shal dagling hang my necke aboute
And shoulder poyntes: then then apace it shattring in and out.
Let wyndes euen blow it where it list, in left hand wil I take
A quiuer of shaftes, and in my right a Boorespere wil I shake,
To cruell child Hippolitus such one his mother was,
As fleeting from the frosen Seas those countrey costes did passe,
And braue her hierdes that bet with trampling feete Th'Athenian soyle
Or like the trull of Tauais, Or like her wil I toyle,
Of Meotis that on a knot wounde vp her crispen lockes:
Thus wil I trot with moonelike targe among the wodes and rockes.

Nu.
Leaue of thy bitter languishing vnto the silie sort
(That walter thus in waues of woe) griefe giues not resting port
Is any measure to be found in thy tormenting fire:
Some grace at wyld Dianaes hand with sacrifyce require.
O Goddesse greate of Woods, in hilles that onely setst thy throne,
And Goddes that of the craggy clyūes at worshipped alone,
Thy wrathful threatninges on vs all now turne to better plight
O Goddesse that in forrestes wyld and groues obtaynest might,
O shyning lampe of heauen, and thou the Diamon of the Night,
O threefold shapen Heccate that on the world his face
Dost render light with torch by turnes, vouchsafe to graūt thy grace
To further this our enterprise and helpe our piteous case,
O mollify Hippolytus his stubborne hardned hart,
And let him learne the pangues of loue and tast like bitter smart:
And yeeld his light allured eares: entreate his brutish breast,
And chaunge his mynd, in Venus boundes compel him once to rest.
So froward and vntoward now so crabbed curst and mad:
So shalt thou be with blandishing and smyling countnaunce clad.
Thy shimering clowde cleane fading hence then brightly shalt thou bear
And glisteryng hornes, then whyle by night vpon the whirling sphere,
Thy cloudy heeled steedes thou guydes, the raging witches charme
Of Thessal, shal not draw thee from the heauens nor do thy harme
No Shepherd purchase shal renoume. Thou comst at our request:
Now fauour dost thou graunt vnto the prayers of our Breast:
I do espye him worshipping the solemne Sacrifyce,
Both place and tyme conuenient by Fortune both arise:
We must go craftely to worke for feare we quaking stand,
Ful hard it is the buysy charge of guylt to take in hand:
But who of Princes standes in awe, let him defye all right,
Cast of the care of honesty from mind exiled quight,
A man vnfit is for the hest of King a bashful wight.

Hip.
O Nurse, how chaūce thy limping limmes do crepe into this place?
With blubbred Cheekes, & leaden lookes with sad and mourning face?
Doth yet my Father Theseus with health enioy his life?
Doth Phædra yet enioy her health my stepdam and his wyfe.

Nu.
Forgoe these feares, and gently come thy blessed hap to take,
For care constrayneth me to mourne with sorrow for thy sake,
That hurtfully thou looudes thy selfe with pangues of plūging payne:
Let him rubbe on in misery whom destny doth constrayne:
But if that any yeld himselfe to waues of wilful woe,
And doth torment himselfe, deserues his weale for to forgoe
The which he knowes not how to vse: tush, be not so demure,
Consideryng how thy yeares do runne, take part of sport and play,
Let mirry Bacchus cause thee cast these clogging cares away,
And reape the fruite of sweete delyght belonging to thy yeares,
For lusty youth with speedy foote ful fast away it weares.
Earst tender loue, earst Venus feedes the young monnes appetite,
Be blyth my Boy, why Widow like liest thou alone by night?
Shake of thy sollem sadnesse man that harty youth doth spill:
Huff, royst it out couragiously, take bridle at thy will.
Let not the flowre of blooming yeares all fruitles fade away.
God poynteth euery tyme his taske, and feades in due aray
Each age by order iust, as mirth the sappy youthfull yeares,
A forehed frayte with grauity becommeth hoary hayres.
Why dost thou bridle thus thy selfe, and dulles thy pregnant wit?
The corne that did but lately sproute aboue the ground, if it
Be rancke of roote, yet in the huske, with enterest at large
Unto the hoping husbandman shall trauel all discharge.
With braunched bough aboue the Wood the tree shall raise his top,
Whom rusty hand of canckred hate, did neuer spill nor lop.
The pregnant Wittes are euermore more prone to purchase prayse,
If noble heartes by freedome franckt be nourisht from decayes.
Thou churlish countrey Clowne Hodgelike not knowing Courtly life,
Delight in drousy doting youth without a louing wyfe.
Dost thou suppose that to this end Dame Nature did vs frame,
To suffer hardnes in this world and to abyde the same?
With courses and kerereyes fet the prauncing Steedes to tame?
Or bicker els with battails fierce, and broyls of bloudy warre?
That soueraygne Syre of heauen and earth, when fates do vs detarre,
With signes and plagues prognosticate prouided hath with heede,
For to repayre the damage done with new begotten seede.
Go to, let bedding in the world be vsed once no more
(That stil mankind from age to age vpholdes and doth restore)
The filthy world deformd would lie in yrksome vgly stay,
No floting ships on wambling Seas should hoysted Sayles display.
No Foule should skoare in azur Skie, ne Beast to woods repayre,
And onely whisking windes should whirle amid the empty ayre.
What diuers dreery deathes driue one mankind to dumpish graue?
The Seas, the sword and trayterous traynes whole countries wasted haue:
Yet for to limit forth our league there is no destny thincke,
So downe to blackefast Stigian dampes we of our selues do sincke.
Let youth that neuer felt the ioyes, in Venus lap which lie,
Alow the solitary life, what euer thou espye,
An hurliburly shall become for tearme of one mans life.
And worke it one destruction by mutuall hate and strife.
Now therfore follow natures course, of life the soueraygne guyde,
Resort vnto the towne: with men delight thee to abyde.

Hip.
No life is more deuoyd of sinne, and free from grieuous thralles,
And keeping fashions old, then that which leauing Townish walles,
Doth take delight in pleasant Woods, he is not set on fyre,
Enraged sore with burning Byle of couetous desyre.
Who hath addict himselfe among the mountaynes wilde to liue,
Not prickt with pratling peoples bruite, no credit doth he geue.
Toth Uulgar sort disloyall still, vnto the better part
Nor cankred rancour pale doth gnaw his blacke and fretting hart.
Nor fickle fauour forceth he, he bound doth not obay
The payse of Scepter proude: but weildes the massy scepter sway.
At ebbing honours gapes he not, nor moyles for fleeting mucke,
Remoued farre from houering hope and dread of backward lucke,
Not bitter gnawing Enuy rancke teares him with tooth vnkind,
Not quaynted with the mischiefe that in Cittyes and in mynd
Of people presseth thicke: nor quakes at euery blast that flies
With guilty conscience to himselfe, nor frames himselfe to lies.
Nor couets rich with thousand pillers close his head to shroude,
Nor guildes his beams with glisteryng gold for fancy fond and proude
Nor gushing streames of bloud vpon his innocent Alters flow.
Nor Bullockes bright their hundred heads as whyte as flakie Snow.
Do yeeld to Axe, whyle scattered is on thaulter sacred grayne,
But al the quiet countrey round at wil he doth obtayne.
And harmles walketh too and froe amid the open ayre,
And onely for the brutish Beast contriues a trapping snare.
Another whyle vppon the swift Alpheus banckes he walkes
Now vp and downe the breary Brakes of bushy woods he stalkes
Where lukewarme Lemas christall floud with water cleare doth shine,
And chaunging course his Channell out another way doth twyne:
And heare the piteous plaining Birds with chirping charmes do chide,
And Braunches trembling shake whereon soft windye puffes do glyde.
And spreading Beches old do stand, to fast and shake my shankes:
To stampe and daunce it doth me good on running Riuers bankes:
Or els vpon a withred clod to steale a nap of sleeepe,
Whereas the fountayne flowes amayne with gushing waters deepe.
Or els among the baulmy flowres out braying sauours sweete,
Wheras with pleasant humming noise the bubbling brooke doth fleete.
The Apples beaten of the tree do rauening hunger staunch,
And Strawberyes gathered of the bush soone fill with hungry paunch.
He shoons assaultes, that doth himselfe from regall royall hold.
Estates do quaffe theyr dreadful drinke in Bolles of massye Golde:
How trimme it is water to lap in palme of naked hand:
The sooner drowsye Morpheus byndes thy Browes with sleepy bande:
The carelesse corpes doth rest at ease vpon the hardest Couch:
The Cabin base hauntes not by Nookes, to prig and filch a pouch:
In house of many corners blynd his head he doth not hyde,
He loues to come abroade and in the light to be espyde:
The Heauens beare witnesse of his life, they liued in this wise.
I thinke, that scattred did of Gods in alder time arise.
No doting couetous blinde desire of Golde in them was found:
No stones nor slakes set vp in field did stint the parted ground:
The sayling Ship with brazen Stem cut not the waltring waue,
But euery man doth know his coast and how much he should haue.
No hugy Rampires raysed were, nor Ditches delued deepe,
Nor countermured Castle strong the walled Townes to keepe.
The Souldier was not busied his blunted Tooles to whet,
Nor rapping Pellets, Cannon shot the barred Gates downe bet,
Nor soyle with yoaked Oxe was strainde to beare the cutting share,
The field euen fertill of it selfe did feede the World with fare,
The plentifull aboundant Woods great wealth by nature gaue:
A house of nature take they had a dimme and darksome Caue:
The couetous minde to scrape vp wealth, and despret furious ire,
And greedy Lust (that eggeth on the minde all set on fire.)
First brake the bands, and eger thirst of bearing sway slept in,
To be the strongers rauening pray the weaker did begin,
And might went for oppressed right: the naked Fist found out
To scratch and cuffe, to box and bum, with dealing blowes about.
The knarrie Logs, and snaggie shine were framed weapons strong,
The gatten Tree vngrayned was with Pikes of Yron long.
No nor the rusty Fawchon then did hang along the side,
Nor Helmet crest vpon the head stood peirking vp for pride,
Pale spightfull griefe inuented Tooles, and warlick Mars his braine
Contriu'de new sleights, a thousand kinde of deathes he did ordaine:
By meanes hereof eche Land is fild with clottred gore yshed,
With streames of bloud the Seas are dyde to hue of sanguine red,
Then Mischiefe wanting measure gan through euery house to passe,
No kinde of vitious villany that practise wanted was.
By Brother, Brother reft of Breath, and eake the Fathers Life
By hand of Childe, eake murthred was the husband of his Wyfe.
And Mother lewde on mischiefe set destroyde their bodies seede,
I ouerpasse the Stepdame with her guilt and haynous deede,
And no where pitty planted is, as in the brutish beast:
But womankinde in mischiefe is ringleader of the reast,
The instrument of wickednesse enkindling first desire,
Whose vyle vncesteous whoredome set so many Townes on fire.
So many Nations fall to warre, eake Kingdomes ouerthrowne,
And raysed from the ground, to crushe so many people downe.
Let other passe: by Iasons Wyfe Medea may wee finde
By her alone, that Women are a plaguy crabbed kinde.

NV.
Why, for one womans fault of blame shall euery one haue part?

HIP.
I hate, detest, abhore, I loth, I curse them from my heart.
Bee't reason, right, or Natures law, or vengeance fury fell,
It likes me to abhorre them still: the burning fire shall dwell,
And bide with quenching water first, the daungerous quick Sand
Shall promisse Ships with safetinesse vpon the shold to land,
And Western Thetis soonke aloofe and drencht in deepest nooke,
Shall force the ruddy Morning Sunne from scarlet Skies to looke,
The Woolfe shall yeelde his fleering Chaps to suck the Tet of Do
Ere woon by womans loue, to her I crouch and stoupe alow.

NV.
Loue bridles oft with snaffling bits the stubborne wayward heart,
Beholde thy Mothers natiue land in Scythia euery part,
The saluage women feele the force of Venus yoaking band.
Thou onely Childe thy Mother had dost this well vnderstand.

HIP.
This onely comfort of my Mother must I keepe behinde,
That leefull vnto me it is to hate all Womankinde.

NV.
Euen as the stiffe and sturdy Rocks haue waltring waues wythstoode,
And dasheth backe from shore aloofe the fomy flapping floode:
So lightly he contemnes my talke: but Phædra runneth mad
Because of this my long delay with crushing cares yclad:
What will she doe? Aye me alas how shall she now be spead?
Her breathlesse body to the ground drops sodenly downe dead.
A fallow hue like gastly death ouerstrikes her frenzy Face,
Looke vp and speake beholde thy deare sweete heart doth thee embrace.

PHÆDRA.
NVTRIX. HIPPOLYTVS.
Alas to flote in Waues of woe who mee reuiues agayne?
To pinch my minde with pining pangues and bitter brunts of payne.
What ease to mee it was, when as I lay in traunce at rest?
Why dost thou thus the pleasure of renued lyfe detest:
O heart be bolde, assay and seeke thy purpose to attayne,
Be not abasht, nor faced out with churlish wordes agayne.
Who faintly craueth any boone, giues courage to deny:
The greatest portion of my crime dispacht ere now haue I:
Shame seekes to late to purchase place within our bashfull brow,
Sith that in foule and lothsome loue wee haue delight ere now,
If I obtayne my will, then shall our wedlocke cloake the crime:
Successe corrupteth honesty with wickednesse sometime:

HIP.
Behold this secret place is voyde from any witnesse bye.

PH.
My faltring tong doth in my mouth my tale begun denye.
Great force constrayneth mee to speake, but greater holde my peace,
O heauenly Ghostes I you protest, tis this that doth me please.

HIP.
Cannot the minde that couers talke in wordes at will out brast?

PH.
Light cares haue words at will, but great doe make vs sore agast.

HIP.
Mother the griefe yt galles your heart come whisper in mine eare.

PH.
The name of Mother is to proude a name for me to beare,
Importing puissant power too much: the fancy of my minde
It doth behoue, a baser name of lesse renowne to finde.
Mee (if thou please) Hippolytus thy Louing Sister call.
Or wayting Maide, and rather so: no drudgry spare I shall,
If thou through thicke and thin in snowes to trauaile me desire,
Or else commaunde mee for to runne through Coales of flaming fire,
Or set my foote on Pindus frosen Rocks, it yrkes mee not.
Or if thou will me rashly runne thorow scorching fire hot,
Or rauening routes of saluage beastes I will not slowly rest,
With gory Launce of naked blade my bowels to vnbrest.
These Kingdomes left to mee in charge weild thou of them the sway,
And take mee as thy humble Mate, it fits mee to obay,
And thee to giue commaundement, it is no womans feate,
To claime her Title to the Crowne, to raigne in Parents seate.
Thou flourishing amid the pryde of lusty youthfull race
Supply a valiant Prynces roome with Fathers golden Mace,
Protect thy humble suppliant, defend thy lowly Maide
Embrast in mercies bosome, at thy Feete so meekely layde.
Take pitty on a siely Widdowes wo, and wretched plight.

HIP.
The God that raignes aloft, forbid such lucklesse lot to light.
My Father Theseus safe in health will straight returne againe.

PH.
The lowring Lord that deepe in strōg infernall Gaile doe raigne,
And damned vp alwayes to passe from Stygian Puddle glum,
Whereby to breathing bodies left alone the ground to cum,
Shall he let scape the Cloyner of his ioyes from spousall bed,
Unlesse that Plutos fancy fond by doting loue be led:

HIP.
The righteous Gods will make for him a right retourning way,
But while through feare our wauering wils in houering Ballāce sway,
Upon my brethren will I cast a due and earnest care,
And thee defend: beleue not that in Widdowes plight yee are:
And I my selfe will vnto the supply my Fathers place,

PH.
O Loue (alas) of credit light, O Loue of flickring Face,
Is this inought that hee hath sayd? entreatance will I try,
Deare chylde rue on my wretched woe, doe not my suite deny,
That lurcking close doth couch in secret mourning breast of mee,
Faine would I speake: yet loth I am.

HIP
What mischiefe may this bee?

P.
Such mischief as ye would not think, could light in Mothers minde.

H.
With mūbling voyce perplext yee waste your words against ye winde.

PH.
A vapor hoate, and Loue doe glow within my bedlem brest:
It raging ranke no inwarde iuyce vndried leaues in rest:
The fier sonk in skalded guts through euery vayne doth frie,
And smothering close in seething bloud as flashing flame doth flie,
With egar sweeping sway along vp burning beames on hie.

HIP.
Enamorde thus with Loue entiere of Theseus dost thou rage?

PH.
Euen so it is: the louely lookes of Theseus former age
Which hee a sweete welfauorde Boy did beare with comly grace,
When prety dapper cutted Beard on cleare complexionde Face
Gan sproute, on naked Chin, when hee the kennels clottred bloode
Beheld of mongrell Minotaur, and crooking Maze withstoode
By groping long vntwined thredes the beames of beawty bright
That shone then in his Face, his crispen lockes with labels dight,
Smooth stroked lay, his scarlet Cheekes by nature paincted bright
Pouldred with spots of golden glosse, and sharpe assaults of Loue
Preuayled in his fleshly armes: what grace doth shine aboue
In the Dianaes Face, or fiery crested Phœbus myne,
Or else in comely count'naunce of this louely face of thine,
Such Theseus had when Ariadnaes Eye he did delight:
Thus portly pacing did he beare his noble head vpright.
It is no counterfeyted glosse that shineth in thy Face,
In thee appeares thy manly Fathers sterne and lowring Grace.
Thy Mothers crabbed count'naunce eake resembled in some part
Puts in full well a seemelynesse, to please the Lookers hart.
The Scythian awfull Maiesty with Greekish fauour sweete
Appeares: if thou had with thy Syre attempt the Seas of Creete,
(One of those seauen from Athens sent elect by lucklesse lot
To pay such bloudy tribute, which King Minos of them got.
The rauening and bloudthirsty Minotaurus fowle to feede)
My Sister Ariadne would, for thee haue spunne the threede.
Therewith in crafty compast Maze to leade thee to and fro,
In vgly Laberynthus long returning from thy Fo.
Thee, thee O Sister deare whereso in all the Heauen thou are,
And shinest bright with blasing beames transform'de into a Starre,
I thee beseech come succour mee with like distresse now cloyde:
Alas vs siely Sisters twaine one kinred hath destroyde.
The Sire thy smart, the sonne hath brewd the bane that me doth lees.
Beholde an Impe of royall race layde humbly at thy Knees,
Yet neuer staynde, and vndefilde, an harmelesse innocent,
To thee alone of all the Worlde my crowching Knees are bent,
And for the nones my hawty heart, and Princely courage stout
I did abate, that humbly thee with teares entreate I mought.

HIP.
O soueraygne Sire of Gods, dost thou abide so long to heare
This vile abhomination? so long dost thou forbeare
To see this haynous villany? if now the Skies be cleare,
Wilt thou henceforth at any time with furious raging hand
Dart out thy cracking thunder dint, and dreadfull lightnings brand?
Now battred downe wt bouncing bolts the rumbling Skies let fall
That foggy Cloudes with dusky drouping day may couer all,
And force the backward starting starres to slide a slope wythall
Thou starry crested crowne and Titan prankt with beamy blase
Come out, with staring bush vpon thy kindreds guilt to gase.
Dash out and drowne thy leaming lampe eclisde in glummy Skyes,
To shrink in shimmering shape: why doth thy right hand not aryse
O guide of Gods and men? how haps the worlde yet doth not burne,
Enkindled with three forked brand? on me thy thunder turne,
Dash out on mee thy bobbing bolt, and let thy fiery flake
Whirlde out with force, burnt Cinders of my wasted Carcasse make:
For guilty (Ioue) I guilty am, deserued death I haue,
My Stepdames Fancy I haue fed: shall I most sinfull slaue,
Be worthy thought to blot my Fathers honorable Bed?
Canst thou for mischiefe such through mee alone be lightly sped?
O Caitiue thou of womankinde for guilt that beares the bell,
Whose enterprised hainous euill doth passingly excell,
Thy Monster breeding Mothers fault with whoredome shee alone
Defilde her selfe, when storming sighes with sorrow gan shee grone,
Through beastly lust of Bull: till it the Minotaurus sier
In act of generation, had quencht her foule desier:
And yet the time concealed long, the grim twishaped seede
At length bewrayd with Bullike browes, thy Mothers naughty deede,
The doubted Infant did disclose: that wicked wombe shee bare.
With thrise, yea, foure times blessed Fate of lyfe depriu'de yee are,
Whom swolne of waltring Seas haue sonck, me cankred hate of breath
Dispoyled hath, and traytrous traynes haue quelde by daunting death.
With Stepdames banes and sorcery O Father, Father myne,
I rue thy lot, not to be slayne of milder Stepdame thyne.
This mischiefe greater, greater farre the wickednesse doth passe
That by Medea despret Dame of Colchis practisde was.

PH.
And I doe know, what vncouth luck vpon our stock hath light,
The thing that we should shun, we seeke, it is not in my might
To rule my selfe: through burning fire runne after thee I shall,
Through raging Seas, & craggy Rocks, through fleeting Ryuers all,
Which boyling waters ruffling rayse, what way so goe thou will,
I bedlem Wight with frantick fits will follow, follow still.
O stately Lorde before thy feete yet fall I once agayne.

HIP.
Doe not with shamelesse fawning Pawes my spotlesse body staine.
What meaneth this? with hawsing mee t'imbrace she doth begin:
Draw, draw my sword, with stripes deseru'de Ile pay her on the skin:
Her hayre about my left hand wound, her head I bacward wride,
No bloud Diana better spent thine Aulter yet hath dyde.

PH.
Hippolytus, now dost thou graunt to mee mine owne desire,
Thou cooles my ramping rage, this is much more than I require,
That sauing thus mine honesty I may be geuen to death,
By bloudy stroake receiued of thy hand to loose my breath.

HIP.
Auaunt, auaunt, preserue thy lyfe, at my hand nothing craue,
This filed Sword that thou hast toucht no longer will I haue.
What bathing lukewarme Tanais may I defilde obtaine,
Whose clensing watry Channell pure may washe mee cleane againe?
Or what Meotis muddy meare, with rough Barbarian waue
That boardes on Pontus roring Sea? not Neptune graundsire graue
With all his Ocean foulding floud can purge and wash away
This dunghill foule of sinne: O woode, O saluage beast I say:

NVT.
Thy crime detected is: O soule, why droupes thou all agast?
Let vs appeach Hippolytus with fault vpon him cast:
And let vs lay vnto his charge, how he by might vniust
Deflowre would his Fathers Wyfe with mischiefe, mischiefe must
Concealed bee: the best it is, thy foe first to inuade,
Sith that the crime is yet vnknowne who can be witnesse made,
That either first wee enterprisde, or suffred of him then?
Come, come, in hast Athenians, O troupes of trusty men
Help, help, Hippolytus doth come, hee comes, that Uillaine vile,
That Rauisher, and Lecher foule, perforce woulde vs defile.
Hee threatens vs denouncing death, and glittering Blade doth shake,
At her who chastly doth withstand, and doth for terrour quake:
Lo headlong hence for life and death hee tooke him to his flight,
And leaues his Sword in running rash, with gastly feare afright:
A token of his enterprise detestable wee keepe,
Sirs chearish her, that storming sighes with pensiue breast doth weepe.
Her ruffled hayre, and shattred Locks still let them daggle downe,
This witnesse of his villany so beare into the Towne.
(O Lady mine be of good cheare. Plucke vp your sprights againe,)
Why dost thou tearing thus thy selfe abhorre all peoples sight?
Not blinde Mischaunce but fancy wont to make a shamelesse Wight.

Chorus.
Hippolytvs euen as the rageing storme away doth fly,
More swift than whirling Western wynde vptumbling cloudes in Sky,
More swift then flashing flames, that catch their course with sweeping sway,
When Stars ytost with whisking windes long fiery Drakes display.
Fame (wondring at of aldertime our Auncestours renowne)
Fare well with thee, and beare away olde worship from our Towne.
So much thy beauty brighter shines, as much more cleare and fayre,
The golden Moone with glorious Globe full furnisht in the Ayre
Doth shine, when as her fiery tips of wayning hornes doe close,
When lifting vp her fulgent face in ambling Waine she goes,
Upon her nightwatch to attend, the Starres of lesser light
Their darckned Faces hide, as hee the Messenger of night
That watchword geues of th'euening tide and Hesperus hee hight,
That glading earst was bath'de in Seas, and hee the same agayne
When shades be shrunck, doth then the name of Lucifer obtayne.
Thou Bacchus blessed barne of Ioue in warlicke India borne,
Thou Lad that euermore dost weare thy hayry bush vnshorne,
Whose Iaueling tuft with Iuy bunch, the Tygres makes adred,
And dost with labelde Myter vse to pranck thy horny hed,
Hippolytus his staring Locks thou Bacchus shalt not slayne,
To woonder at thy louing lookes too much doe thou refrayne,
Whom (as the people doe report) the Ariadne bright,
For beauties name preferde before Bacchus that Bromius hight.
A brittle Iewell beauty is on mortall men employde,
Thou gift that for a season short of Mankinde arte enioyde,
How soone alas with feathered foote hence dost thou fading slide?
The partching Sommers vapour hoate in Uers most pleasaūte pride
So withers not the Meadowes greene, (when as the scorching Sūne)
In Tropick ligue of burning Crab full hoate at Noone doth runne,
And on her shorter clowdy Wheeles vnhorseth soone the night.
With wanny Leaues downe hang the heads of withred Lillies whight
The balmy bloomes and sprouting floure do leaue the naked hed
As beauty bright whose radiant beams in corauld Cheekes is spred,
Is dashed in the twincke of Eye: no day as yet did passe,
In which not of his beauty reft some pearles person was.
For Fauour is a fleetyng thing: what wight of any wit
Wil vnto frayle and fickle ioy his confidence commit?
Take pleasure of it whyle thou mayst, for Tyme with stealing steps
Wil vndermint, on howre past strayght in a worser leps:
Why flyest thou to the wildernes, to seeke thy succour there?
Thy beauty bydes not safer in the waylesse woods then here.
If Tytan hoyst his totteryng Cart on poynt of ful midday,
Thee shrowded close among the brakes the Naids wil assay,
A gadding troupe that beautyes Bayes do locke in fountaynes fayre.
To frame their seate then vnto thee in senseles sleepe repayre,
Shal wanton Fayries, Nymphes of Frithes, yt on the Hilles do walke,
Which Dryads mountayne Goblins haunt, that vse on hilles to stalke:
Or when from high Starbearing poale Diana downe did looke
On thee that next old Arcades in heauen thy seate hast tooke,
Shee could not weilde her weltring wayne, and yet no foggy cloude.
Eclipst her gleaming Globe, but we with rincking Pans aloude,
Gan make a noyse, agrised at her dead and glowing light
We deemd hir charmd with Magicke verse of Thessant witches spright
But thou didst cause hir busines, and madest her in a maze,
Whyle at thy pleasant louely lookes the Goddesse stoode in gaze,
That rules the rayne of cloudy night she stopt her running race,
God graunt that seldome byting frost may pinch this comely face.
Let seldome scorching Sunny beams thy Cheekes with freckles die:
The Marble blue in quarry pittes of Parius that doth lie,
Beares not so braue a glimsyng glosse as pleasant seemes thy face
Whose browes with manly maiesty support an awful grace
And forehead fraught with grauity of Fathers countnaunce old:
His Iuory colourd necke although compare to Phœbe ye would,
His lockes (that neuer lacking knew) it selfe displaying wyde
On shoulder poyntes doth set them out, and also doth them hyde,
Thy curled forhead seemes thee well, and eake thy notted hayre,
That crumpled lies vndight in thee a manly grace doth beare.
Thou Gods (though fierce and valiant) perforce dost chase, and farre
Dost ouermatch in length of limmes, though yet but young thou arre,
Thou beares as big & boystrous brawnes as Hercules: thy breast,
Then Champion Mars more bourly bolstred out with broader chest:
On back of horniehoofed Steedes if vawting thou do ryde,
With Bridle in thyne actiue hand more handsome canst thou guyde.
The trampling Cyllar horse of Spart, then Princely Castor could,
Thy Letherne loope amid thy dart with former fingers hould,
And driue thy launce with all thy pith, the actiue men of Creete,
That with their pitched dartes afarre do learne the marke to hit.
They shall not hurle a slender Reede, but after Parthian guyse
To shoote an arrow if they list into the open Skies.
Unsped without some Bird attaynt it shal not light on ground,
Unbath'd with lukewarme bloud of guttes in gory smoking wound,
And from amid the lofty Cloudes downe shalt thou fetch thy pray:
Few men (marke wel the tyme) haue borne beauty vnplagude away.
God send thee better lucke, and graunt thy noble personage
May passe vnto the happy steps and stretch to dumpish age.
What mischiefe vnattempt escapes a Womans witlesse rage?
Most haynous crymes shee meanes to lay to guiltles youngmās charge
And thinkes to make her matter good with hayre thus rent at large,
She towseth eake the pranking of her head with watred plantes,
Her slye deuyse no crafty kind of womans fetches wantes.
But who is this that in his face such princely port doth beare?
Whose lofty lookes with stately pace hie vauntst his head doth reare?
Lyke lusty young Pyrithous, he looketh in the face,
But that a faynting fallow pale his bleakish Cheekes disgrace,
And filthy baggage hangeth on his hash hayre raysde vpright,
Lo Theseus, it is agayne restoard to earthly light: