University of Virginia Library


172

THE SECOND ACTE

THE FIRST SCENE.

Seneca.
On me with like consent why didst thou smile,
With glosed lookes deluding mee a-whyle,
O fortune much of might and princely powre?
To lift aloft to noble royall bowre?
To the'nde that I to honours court extold,
From stately seate might haue the greater fall,
And round aboute in euery place beholde,
Such dreadful, threating daungers to vs all,
I safer lay aloofe from enuyes knockes,
Remou'd among the craggy corsicke rockes:
Where as my mynd there free at proper sway,
With leysure did repeate my studies aye.
A gladsome ioy alone it was to viewe,
And earnestly to marke the heauens so blew:
And sacred Phœbus double wheeled wayne:
And eake the worldes swift whirling motion mayne.
The Sunne so euen his second course to keepe:
And Phœbes glyding globe so swiftly sweepe:
Whom wondrous starting starres encompasse round.
And to behold that shynes in euery stound,
The glistring beauty bright of welkin wyde:
Than which in al the world nothing besyde.
Of all this huge and endles worke the guyde,
More wondrous nature framde that I espyde,

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For all the bumping bignes it doth beare,
Yet waxing old is like agayne to weare,
And to be chaungde to an vnwyldy lumpe.
Now prest at hand this worldes last day doth iumpe,
With boystrous fall, and tumbling rush of skye.
To squease and make this cursed kynd abye.
That springing once agayne, it may yeeld out
An other straunge renued vertuous route,
As once before it did, new sprong agayne,
What tyme Saturnus held his golden raygne.
That blamelesse, chast, vnspotted Uigin cleere
A goddesse much of might clept Iustice heere,
With sacred sooth sent downe from heauenly space,
At ease on earth did rule the mortal race.
That people playne knew not of warlicke feates.
Nor trembling trompets tunes that rendes and beates
The souldiers eares: nor chashing armour bright,
That warring wightes defend in field and fight.
Nor wonted was with walles to rampyre round,
Their open cityes set in any stound.
To each man passage free lay open than:
Nothing there priuate was to any man.
And then the ground it selfe and fertil soyle,
Hir fruitful bosome baard all voyd of toyle,
Into such bounden barnes a Matrone good,
And peaceable vnto so iust a broode.
But then an other second race arose,
Perceyued not to be so meeke as those.
A third more wyse and witty sort vp startes,
Of nature forged fit, t'inuent new artes:
As yet vnspotted quite with filthy vyce.
Soone after thoe, they raungd with new deuyce,
That boldly venture dare in scudding race,
Unweldy beastes for to pursue apace.

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And mighty weying strugling fishes great,
With watry coats yclad with fishers feat,
With net in window wyse draw forth, and streeke
With craft of quill, the nibling fysshes cheeke.
And silly byrdes begylde with pyning trayne:
And light foote deare for lyfe that flyng amayne
Intangling gins entrapt, that safely hold.
And sturdy scouling visage buls controld,
On fleshye fillet neckes, make weare the yoake:
And earth ere that vngrubbed vp that broake:
Which then turnd vp with Plowmans shyning share,
In sacred bosome deepe, her fruits kept thare.
But now this age much worse then all the rest,
Hath lept into her mothers broken breast:
And rusty lumpish yron and massye Gold,
Hath digged out, that was quite hid with mold.
And fighting fistes haue armd without delay:
And drawing forth their bondes for rule to stay,
Haue certayne seuerall ioly kingdomes made,
And cities new haue raysde now rulde with blade,
And fenseth eyther with their proper force
Straūge stoundes or them assaults the which is worse.
The Starry specked virgin flowre of skies.
Which Iustice hight, that guilty folke discries,
Now lightly esteemd of mortall people here,
Each earthly stound is fled, and comes not neere
The sauage mannerd route, and beastly rude,
With dabbed wristes in goary bloud embrude.
The great desyre of griesly warre is sprong:
And raping thurst of gold, it is not young.
Throughout the worlde a mighty monstruous vice,
Fowle, filthy, monstruous lust hath got the price,
A pleasaunt tickling plague, whom longer space,
And errour deepe haue fostred vp apace.
The heaps of vyce rakte vp in yeares long past,

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Abounding flowe in these our dayes at last.
And this same troublous tyme, and combrous age,
Oppresseth all men sore, both yong and sage.
Wherein those wicked wayes that be do raygne,
And cruell, raumping woodnes boyles agayne.
Lust strong in filthy touch, doth beare a sway.
And Princes, ryot, now doth catch away
With greedy pawes, to bring it to decay.
Th'whole worldes vncredible wealth, without delay.
But loe, which staggring steppes where Nero flinges,
And visage grymme, I feare what newes hee brynges.

THE SECOND SCENE.

Nero,
Prefectus, Seneca.
Dispatch with speede that we commaunded haue:
Go, send forthwith some one or other slaue,
That Plautius cropped scalpe and Sillas eke,
May bring befor our face: goe some man seeke.

Pre.
I nill protract your noble graces hest:
But to their campes to goe am ready prest.

Se.
Gaynst lynage naught should rashly poynted bee.

Ne.
A light thing tis for to be iust, I see
For him, whose heart is voyd of shrinking feare.

Se.
A soueraigne salue for feare is for to beare
Your selfe debonair to your subiectes all.

Ne.
Our foes to slea, a cheftaynes vertue call.


174

Se.
A worthier vertue tis in countries syre,
His people to defend with sword and fyre.

Ne.
It wel beseemes such aged wightes, to teach,
Unbridled springolles yong, and not to preache,
Both to a man and prince of ryper yeares.

Se.
Nay, rather frolicke youthful bloud appeares,
To haue more neede of counsell wyse and graue

Ne.
This age sufficient reason ought to haue.

Se.
That heauenly powers your doinges may allow.

Ne
A madnes t'were to Gods for me to bow,
When I my selfe can make such Gods to be:
As Claudius now ycounted is we see.

Se.
So much the more because so much you may.

Ne.
Our power permittes vs all without denay.

Se.
Geue slender trust to Fortunes flattring face:
She topsie turuy turnes her wheele apace.

Ne.
A patch he is that knoweth not what he may.

Se.
A Princes prayse I compted haue alway,
To do that same which with his honor stoode,
Not that which franticke fancy counteth good.

Ne.
If that I were a meacocke or a slouch,
Each stubborne, clubbish daw would make mee couch.

Se.
And whom they hate, with force they ouerquell.

Ne.
Then dynt of sword the prince defendeth well.

Se.
But fayth more sure defence doth seeme to mee.

Ne.
Ful meete it is that Cæsar dreaded be.

Se.
More meete of subiectes for to be belou'd

Ne.
From subiects myndes, feare must not be remou'd

Se.
What so by force of armes you do wringe out,
A grieuous worke it is to bring aboute.

Ne.
Well hardly then our will let them obay.

Se.
Will nothing then, but that which wel you may.

Ne.
We wil decree what we shall best suppose.

Se.
What peoples voyce doth ioyntly bynd or lose.
Let that confirmed stand.

Ne.
Swordes bloudy dynt,

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Shal cause them else at me to take their hint.

Se.
God sheeld, and far that facte from you remoue.

Ne.
What then, why Senec do you that approue,
That we contemnde, despysde and set at nought,
With finger put in hole (ful wysely wrought)
Our bodies bloud to seeke should them abyde,
That they might vs sometyme destroy vnspyde?
Their natiue countrey boundes to banisht bee,
Nor Plautius brest nor Scillas eake we see
Hath broke or tamd: whose cankred churlish yre,
Shapes bloudy freakes to quench our bodyes fyre.
And chiefly when these trayterous absent clounes,
Such wondrous fauour fynd in cityes bownes,
Which those same exiles lingring hope doth feede:
Suspected foes with sword we wil out weede.
And so Octauia shall that ioly dame,
Continue after them their bloudy game.
And wend that way her nowne whyte brother went,
Such hye mistrusted thinges must needes be bent.

Se.
It is (O Prince) a worthy famous thing,
Amids redoubted Lordes alone to ring:
And wysely worke your countries prayse to saue:
And wel your selfe to captiue folke behaue:
From cruell brutish slaughter to abstayne,
And voyde of moode to wreake your angry payne:
And to the world a quiet calme to geue,
That al your age in peace their liues may liue.
This is a Princes prayse without al cryme:
This is the path to heauen wherby we clyme.
So is Augustus prince and father cald
Of countrie first in starbright throne ystald.
Whom as a God in minsters we adorne,
Yet troublous fortune tossed him beforne,
A great while long on lands and ruffling seas,
Until his fathers foes he could appease,

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And through wars diuerse course could quel them quite.
To you did fortune yeelde her power, and might,
And raynes of rule without all bloud, and fight.
And to your beck both land, and seas hath bent.
Grim deadly enuye daunted doth relent.
The Senate Lordes gaue place with free consent:
The battaylous route of knights with willing hartes
(That same decree from sager sires departes)
Unto the lay mens choyse do well agree.
Your grace the spring of peace they count to bee.
And chosen Iudge, and guyde of mortal stocke.
Your grace, your countreys sacred syre, doth rocke
And rule with princely gorgeous tytle bright,
The cyrcled world in rundel wyse ydight.
Which mighty mounting name to keepe so great,
This noble citty Rome doth you entreat:
And doth commend vnto your royall grace
Her liuely limmes in charge for your liues space.

Ne.
The gyft of Gods it is, as we discus,
That Rome with Senate sorte doth honor vs,
And that the feare of our displeasure great,
From cankred enuyous stomackes maketh sweat
Both humble talke and supplications meeke.
And were not feare all these would be to seeke.
Unweldy, combrous cityes, members ill,
That Prince and countrey both do seeke to spill,
To leaue alyue (which swell, and puffed bee,
Bycause of lynage great. and high degre)
What madnes meere is it when as we may,
Euen with a word, such streakes dispatch away?
Sir Brutus sterne, his brawnes and armes did dight,
His soueraygne liege to slayne by force and might,
That erst had holpen him, and geuen him health,
And had endued him with princely wealth.
In brunt of raging warre vndaunted out,

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That vanquisht many people strong and stoute,
Prince Cæsar matcht by great degrees of power
To loue, in stately chayre of starry bower,
By diu'lish citizens wicked wyle was slayne.
What store of bloudy stiffling streames on molde.
Did tatred Rome, of her owne lims, beholde?
He by his noble vertues worthy prayse,
Whō peoples, common bruite to heauē doth raise.
August among the Gods ysayncted well,
How many noble breastes did he compel,
How many springoldes young, and hoary heads,
Each where disperst to lig in molded heds?
How many men did he bereaue of breath
Tofore proscript that were condemnd to death?
When for the griesly feare of deadly dart
From propre home they were constraind to part
And flye Octauius force, and Lepidus might,
And not abyde sterne Marke Antonius sight,
Which then the ample world at once did guyde,
That into kingdomes three they did deuyde,
To dumpish sadded syres, with heauy cheere,
Their childrens griesly cropped pates appeere,
Hong out beforne the Senates iudgement seate,
For each man to behold in open streate:
Ne durst they once lament their piteous case,
Nor inward seeme to mourne to Claudius face.
The market stead with bloud from bodies spued,
And lothsome mattrie streames, is all imbrued:
And quite throughout their faces foule arayed,
The piteous gubbes of bloud drop downe vnstayd.
Nor here did this same slaughterous bloudshed stay.
Phillyps Pharsalia gastly fieldes each day,
The cromming rauening foules, and cruell beastes
Long fed, with gobbets bigge of manlye breastes,
Besyde all this, the cost he scoured quite

176

Of Sicill sea and ships to ware ydyght
With force of armes did win, and hauocke made
Of propper subiectes slayne with his owne blade.
The rundle round of landes with mighty mayne
Of noble Chieftaynes stroake reboyles agayne.
Antonius ouercome in Nauale fight,
To Egipt poastes in shippes preparde to flight:
Not looking long to liue nor hoping life.
Incesteous Egipt (through Antonius wyfe)
That worthy Romayne princes bloud did sucke:
And couerd lye their ghostes with durty mucke.
Long wicked, waged ciuil warre there stayed,
In Marcke Antonius graue with him ylayed.
Augustus at the last of conquest greate
His dulled swords that wounded soules did beate,
In peaceable sheathes reposd hath layd at rest:
And feare doth rule, and guyde his kingdome best
By ready force of armes at all assayes,
And Captaynes fayth he shieldes him selfe alwaies
Whō now his sōnes most worthy vertuous praise,
To heauen a consecrated God doth rayse,
And causeth all, in Churches for to place
The sacred Picture of Prince Claudius grace.
And vs the starry raigne of Gods shall bide
If first with dreadful sword about vs wyde
We wype away what so our person stayne:
And found our court with worthy stem agayne.

Se.
Your noble spouse, sprong forth of saincted peer
Of Claudius stocke, the starbright diamond cleere,
That Goddesse Iuno wise her brothers bed
Partaking, pressed downe with buttockes red,
Your graces princely court shal garnish gay,
With wondrous heauenly fayre descended stay.

Ne.
Incestuous maryed dames, from stocke & stem,
Detract all hope, that we should haue of them.

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Nor vs, could she once loue that we could see,
Nor with our person once at all agree

Se.
In tender budding yeares, when loue supprest
With blushing hydes the flames of burning breast,
Scant playne appeares the loue they bare indeed.

Ne.
Thus wee our selues with hope in vaine did feede:
Although vndoubted signes, as bodye wryed,
And frowning lookes, which we haue oft espyed,
Her spyteful hating stomacke did bewray
Which shee doth beare, whom duty byndes t'obaye.
Which yet at last, big, boyling, grieuous payne,
With death determind hath t'auenge agayne,
Wee haue found out, for byrth and beauties grace.
A worthy make for such an Empresse place:
To whom that louely Goddesse Venus bright,
And mighty Ioue his spouse that Iuno hight,
And goddesse fierce in boysterous warlike artes,
Geues place for bodyes seemly portrayd partes.

Se.
Fayth, meeknes, manners mild, & bashfull shame
Of spouse, those ought an husband to reclayme.
The perles of iudging mynd, alone remayne,
Not subiect once to any rulers raygne.
The passing pryde of beautyes numming grace
Each day appals, and bleamisheth apace.

Ne.
What prayses woman wights haue in them closd?
All those in her alone hath God reposde,
And such a peerlesse peere, the guydes of lyfe,
The destnies would haue borne to be our wyfe,

Se.
O noble prince such blynd vnlawful loue,
(Do rashly credite naught) from you remoue.

Ne.
Whom Ioue can not repell that rules the cloudes,
And pearcing raging floods, therein him shroudes,
And raungeth through the raigne of Plutoes pit,
And pulleth downe in welkin hie that sit
The mighty powers of heauen, the God of loue?

177

And can I then his force from me remoue?

Se.
Swift winged loue, mens fancy fond, in vayne
A mercy wanting God to bee, doth fayne:
And armes his handes with woundinge weapons keen
And bowes with burning brondes, for louers greene:
Of Venus to be sprong they al accorde,
And blyndly forgde of thunders limping Lorde.
Bland loue the myndes great torment sore appeares,
And buddeth first in frolicke youthful yeares.
Who while we drinke of Fortunes pleasaunt cuppe,
With laysie pampring ryot, is nestled vp:
Whom if to toster vp you leaue at length
It fleeting, falles away with broken strength.
This is in all our life (as I suppose)
The greattest cause how pleasure first arose.
Which sith mankind by broodyng bydeth aye,
Through gladsom loue ye fierce wild beastes doth sway
It neuer can from manly breast depart.

Ne.
This selfe same God I wish withall my hart
The wedlocke lightes to beare before our grace,
And fasten Poppie sure in our bed place.

Se.
The peoples griefe might neuer yeeld to it:
Nor vertue can the same at all permit.

Ne.
Shall I alone to do, forbidden be
That euery patch may do? that grieueth mee

Se.
No tryfling toyes the people lookes to haue
Of him, that ought to rule with wisdome graue.

Ne.
It pleaseth vs with daunted power to trye,
If peoples rash conceiued rage will flie.

Se.
Seeke rather for to please and calme their moode.

Ne.
Ill ruled is that raygne where people wood,
Their subiect Prince doth weld, as they thinke good

Se.
When nought that they require they can obtayne,
They iustly then agrieued are agayne.


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Ne.
That gentle prayers cannot win with ease,
By force to wring it out, it doth vs please.

Se.
An hard thing tis the people not to haue
That of theyr Prince, which they do iustly craue.

Ne.
And horrible 'tis a Prince to be constraynd.

Se.
Let not your subiectes then so sore be raynd.

Ne.
Why then the common brute abroade wil be.
How that the people haue subdued mee.

Se.
That no man trustes that is of credite light.

Ne.
Be it so, yet many it markes with deadly spyghte.

Se.
With countrie peeres to medle it is afrayd,

Ne.
To quip and frump, 'tis nothing lesse dismayd.

Se.
Your grace may easly couch that budding bruite
Let Sayncted sires desertes with pliant sute,
Your graces mynd remoue: let spouses age,
And curteous bashfull shame disrumpe your rage.

Ne.
Leaue off (I say) that we entend to grutch.
For now your talke our pacience moueth much:
I pray you let it lawful be to do,
That Senec geueth not aduyse vnto.
And we our peoples wishes do defer,
While Poppie feele in wombling wombe to sterre,
The pledge of faythful loue to me and her.
Why do we not appoynt the morrow next,
When as our mariage pompe may be context?