THE seuenth Tragedie of Seneca, Entituled MEDEA: Translated out of Latin into English, by IOHN STVDLEY, Student in Trinitie Colledge in Cambridge.

¶Imprinted at London in Fleetestreate, beneth the Conduit, at the Signe of Sainct Iohn Euan­gelist, by Tho­mas Col­well. Anno Domini M. D. LXVI.

¶To the ryght honorable Frauncis Lord Russell, Earle of Bedford, one of the Queenes Maiesties priuie Counsell: Knight of the moste honorable order of the Garter, Lord Gou [...]rnour of [...]arwicke, and Warden of the East matches. Iohn Studley wissheth healthe, with [...]ncrease of Honor.

AS it was not (right Ho­norable) the great ex­cesse, & abounduance of ANTONIVS glut­tinge fare, but the lytell precious Perle of CLE­OPATRA that wanthe price, when thei contended, whether of thē might deuoure more at one meale: Euen so this my lytell volume wherwith I present your Honour, may argue v [...]to your Lord­ship a more manifest proofe of my good will towards your Honour, then y • rich Iewels and sōmes of gold & siluer, y • wordly minds do vse to gratifie their frends withal. Therfore I knowynge your Honour to be of the lyke mind with hym y • was Iudge betwene CLEOPATRA & ANTONIVS, lightly esteme, & highly contempne al bribyng gol­den [Page] gifts that as much or more glutteth ver­tuous minds, then might Antonius excessiue fare: I haue presumed, to offer vnto your Honour, a smal Pearle of y • pearless [...] Poet and most Christian Ethnicke Seneca, wherin no glutting, but swete delectacion, is offred vnto y • mind that doth hunger after vertue. But I neede not to burnish Gold beinge so bright of it self, neither to cōmend the value of it vnto him whose skilfull & lerned iudge­ment cā beter esteme of it thē mi imbecilitie is able to expresse. Therfore trustyng your Honour (whose [...]ale in fauouring & furtheryng all learnynge & good Studies is most manifest) wil accept my good will signified by this trauel of my simple, rude & vnskilful pen, & beare with my bould attempt, wher­vnto your Honors great curtesie hath high­ly encouraged me to aspire, beseching your Lordship to take vpon you the tuicion of so weake a Fortresse, whom w tout your trustie aide, the parlous force of yll [...]onges might soone ouerthrow: promisyng your Honour hereafter the further fruytes of my ryper Muse, I cease at this instant to trouble you: whom I leaue to [...]he tuicion of our sauiour Iesus Christ: wishing [...]our encr [...]ase of ho­nour, long lyfe and luckie successe in all af­fayres and attempets.

Your Honours to cōmaunde, Iohn Studley.

¶ The Preface to the Reader.

IF I had not gentle Reader a bet­ter truste in thy gentlenesse, then affyance in myne owne weake­nesse, I had not assayed thys se­cond attempte, to bewraye my rudenesse and ignoraunce, vnto thy skilfull iudgemente: but though I mystrusted my selfe, yet I so reposed my hope in thee, that it gaue me corage to trāslate this one Tra­gedie more of SENECA, for the pleasure of the learned, and the profyte of the vn­learned by readynge of it in theyr natyue language. What kynde of Tragedie it is, or what is to be learned therby, I nede not stand at large to dyscusse, beinge so playnly set furthe by SENECA, far better then I am able to showe or translate it, so worthe­lye as he hath wrytten it: yet as God hath gyuen me grace, rudely and symply I haue performed it: And bycause that all thynge myght be to the better vnderstandyng and commodytye of the vnlearned, as in some places I do expoūd at large the darke sence of the Poet: so haue I chaunged the fyrste [Page] Chorus, because in it I sawe nothyng but an heape of prophane storyes, and names of prophane Idoles: therfore I haue altered the whole matter of it, begynnynge thus: Who hath not wist. Diuers reasons could I aledge to mayntayne thys myne altera­cion, but I truste thy gentlenes wyll waye it to the vttermoste, and take all thynges in better parte. Thus I byd thee farewell.

W. F. in the Transla­tours behalfe.
GRudge not though yonger yeares do [...] toyle,
where horye heddes might wade,
Whose sappye wytte more apter seemes
to trauell in thys trade.
For who can more Mineruas face
then lustye youth expresse?
Or where doe Muses more delyght
then in thys youthfulnesse?
Dame Nature sheweth in her workes
how yonger thynges excell,
The yonger flowers commonlye
do gyue the sweter smell [...]
[Page]The yonger bowes wyth grener leaue [...]
a tayrer face doth showe:
More gladsome is the pleasant plot,
where grener grasse doth growe,
We see also the fre [...]sher grape
doth make the sweeter wyne,
Why then should do [...]yng age at youth
for wante of age repyne?
L [...]e Senec crounde wyth Lawr [...]ll leafe,
in England now appeares,
Medea pende wyth hawtye style
now Englysh Meetre weares:
O P [...]squell paynte theyr pynyng shame,
and Parcae do not spare
Wyth spede to shred theyr ly [...]es [...] that do
denye to graunt the share
And prayse vnto the paynfull pen,
that hath deserued so,
In brynging thus abrode hys Mus [...]
to profyt [...]reynde and foe [...]
The Argument to the Tragedie by the Translatour.
C [...]re sore did gripe Medeas hart, to see
H [...]r Iason whom she tendred as her lyfe,
And rescued had from plunge of pe [...]yis fre [...]
Renoun [...]nge her, to take another wife,
Loue sp [...]nt in vayne breedes hate and malice rife,
[...]n [...]yn [...]lyng coales, whose heate & gredie flame
(Saue streames o [...] blood,) nought els can quench the same [...]
Medea mad in troubled minde doth muse,
On veng [...]aunce fell, to quit her gre [...]ous wronge.
Roughe plages at length entend [...]th she to vse:
Yll venemous things she charmes w t charming song
Seekes out a Baane mad [...] of their poyson stronge
In trayt [...]rous giftes a Rob [...], and chayne of Golde
Nicely she doth the hidden poyson folde.
Sent are the Giftes to Creuse [...]nd her Sie [...],
They takyng [...] them that brought their dol [...] to passe
Vnwar [...] are bu [...]nt by meanes of charmed [...]ier,
Due vengeaunce yet for Iason greater was,
Lyfe fir [...] on chyld by mothers hande (alas)
Expired hath, whiche thoughe it hym agryse,
Yet his oth [...]r ch [...]lde shee slayes before his eyes.

The names of the Speakers of this Tragedie.

  • Medea.
  • Cho [...]us.
  • Nutrix.
  • Creon.
  • Iason.
  • Nuntius.

¶The fyrste Acte.

Medea.
O Gods whose grace doth guide their gob­ [...]les
that ioy in wedlocke pure,
O Iuno thou Lucina hyght,
on whom the chary cure
Alotted is of those, that grone
in paynfull chyldbed [...]andes,
O Pallas by whose heauenly arte
Sir Typhis conning handes
Haue learnde to bridle with hys helme
hys newly framed boate,
Wherwith the force of fighting fluddes
he brekynge rydes a flote.
O God whose forked Mace dothe stormes
in rygour rough appeas,
And cause the rufflyng surges couche
amid the rampinge Seas:
O Titan who vpon the swifte
and wherlinge Hemisphaer
D [...]uides the chearefull day and nyght
by egall turnes tappere.
O threfolde shapen Hec [...]te
that sendest furthe thy lyght,
Unto thy sylent Sacryfyse
that offered is by nyght,
[Page]By whom my Iason sware to me
o heauenly powers all,
And ye on whom Medea [...]aye
with safer conscience call,
O Dungeon dark [...], moste dredfull den
of euerlastyng nyghte,
O dampned gohstes: o kyngdome set
agaynste the gods aryghte:
O Lord of sad and lowrynge lakes,
o Ladye dire of Hell,
(Whom though that Pluto stale biforce
yet did his [...]roth excell
The ficle fayth of Iasons loue,
that he to me dothe beare,)
With cursed throte I coniure you,
o grys [...]ye gohstes appeare.
Come out, come out, ye hellish hagges,
reuenge this deede so dire,
Bryng in your scratting pawes a bur­nyng
brande of deadly fyre.
Rise vp ye hiddiuos diuelish feendes,
as dreadfull as ye weare,
When vnto me in wedlocke state
ye dyd sometyme appeare.
Worke ye, worke ye, the dole full death
of thys new wedded wyfe.
And martyr ye this father in lawe:
depryue of breath and lyfe
[Page 2]Kynge Creons ruthfull famylie:
in plunge of passyng payne
Torment ye me, that on my spouse
do wyshe thys woe to reyne:
Preserue my Iasons lyfe, but yet
let hym be bayted oute
A mychyng, rogyng, runagate,
in forren townes aboute.
To passe from dore to dore, wyth care
to begge hys nedy bread.
Not knowing in what harbryng place
to couche hys curssed head:
A banysht wretche, dysdaynd of all,
and styll in feare of lyfe,
Then let him wish ten thousand times
for me agayne hys wyfe:
Thys famous gest whom euery man
wyll entertayne and haue,
Let hym be dryuē at straungers gates
the table crūmes to craue.
And that my bytter bannynges may
wyth myschefe moste abounde,
God graunt in gulphe of lyke dystresse
hys chyldren may be drounde,
To synke in sorowes stormes, that do
there mother ouerflowe:
Now, now, I haue, I haue the full
reuenge of all my woe.
[Page]I haue dispatcht: my pyteous playnte
and wordes in vayne I lose:
What shall not I wyth vyolence
get vp agaynste my foes?
And wryng out of theyr wrested hādes
the weddyng torche so bryght?
Shall I not force the firmament
to lose his shrynkyng lyght?
What dothe my grandsirs Phaebus face
this heuie hap beholde?
And standynge gasyng at thys geare
yet westwarde is he rolde,
On glystrynge chariot hoysted hyghe,
and kepes his beaten race,
Amid the christall colourde skye,
why turnes he not hys face,
Retyringe faste into the East
backe vp the day to twyne?
O father Phaebe to me, to me,
thy Charyot reygnes resygne,
That I aduaunced vp, aboute
the marble skyes may ryde,
Bequeath thy brydle vnto me,
and giue me grace to guide
Thy yoked prauncyng team, with yer­kyng
lasshe of burnyng whyp,
That with thy feruent fyry beames
on purple poale doe skyp.
[Page 3]Let Corinthe cuntrey burnte to duste
by force of flame and fyre
Gyue place, that both the [...]umbled seas
may ioyne: whom to retyre
It dothe compell, and dassheth of
from banke on eyther syde,
Least mete in one their chanels might,
whose streames he dothe deuyde.
No way to worke theyr deadly woe
I haue but thys at hande,
That to the weddyng I should beare
a ruthfull brydall brande,
Anoyenge Creons carelesse Court:
when fynyshed I haue
Such solemne s [...]ruyce, as that ryght [...]
of sacrafyce do the craue,
Then at the Alters of the Gods
my chyldr [...]n shal be slayne,
With crimsen colourd bl [...]od of babes harte,
their alters wil I staine.
Through liuers, lounges the lightes &
through euery gut and gall,
For vengeaūce breake away perforce,
and spare no blood at all:
If anye lustye lyfe as yet
within thy soule do reste,
I fought of auncient corage styll
doe dwell within my breste,
[Page]Exile all folysh female feare,
and py [...]ye from thy mynde,
And as thuntamed Tygers vse
to rage and raue vnkynde,
that haunt the crokyng combrus caues
and clumpred frosen cliues,
And craggy rockes of Caucasus,
whose bytter colde depryues
The soyle of all inhabytours,
permyt to lodge and rest,
Such sa [...]uage brutysh tyranny
within thy brasen breste.
What euer hurly burlye wrought
dothe Phasis vnderstand,
What myghtie moustrous blody feate
I wrought by sea or lande:
The lyke in Corinth shalbe seene
in moste outragyous guyse,
Moste hiddious [...] hatefull, horrible,
to heare, or see wyth eyes.
Most d [...]uelysh, desperate dredful dede,
yet neuer knowen before,
Whose rage shal force heauen, earth & hell
to quake and tremble sore.
my burning brest that rowles in wrath
and dothe in rancour boyle,
Sore thrysteth after blood, & woundes
with slaughter, death and spoyle,
[Page 4]By rentyng racked lyms from lyms
to dryue them downe to graue:
[...]ush, these be but as Fleabytynges,
that mencioned I haue:
As weyghtie thinges as these I dyd
in greener girlysh age,
Now sorowes smarte doth rub the gall
and frets wyth sharper rage.
But sith my wombe hath yellded fruit,
it doth me well behoue,
The strength and parlous pu [...]ssaunce
of weyghtier illes to [...]roue.
Be redye wrath, wyth all thy myghte
that furye kyndle maye,
Thy foes to theyr dystruction
be redy to assaye:
Of thy deuorsement let the Pryce
to matche, and counterpayse
The proude & precious pryncely pomp
of these new weddyng dayes.
How wilt thou frō thy spouse departe?
as hym thou folowed hast
In blood to [...]athe thy blody handes
and traytrous lyues to wast.
Breake of in tyme these long delayes,
abanden now agayne,
Thys lewd alliaunce, got by gylte,
with greater gylt refrayne,

¶Chorus altered by the Translatour.

WHo hath not wist that windie wordes be [...]ain [...],
A [...]d that in talke of truste is not the g [...]ounde,
Here in a mirrour may he see it playne,
Medea so by [...]ro [...]fe the same hath founde.
Who beynge blynde by blynded Venus boye,
Her bleared eyes could not beholde her blisse:
Nor spye the present poysen of her ioy [...],
Whyle in the gr [...]sse the Serpent lurked is.
The shafte that flew from Cupids golden bowe,
With fethers so hath dy [...]d her daseld eyes,
That can not see to shun the waye of woe:
The rancklyng head in dent [...]d ha [...]te that lyes,
So dulles the same, that can not vnderstande
The cause that brought false Iason out of Greec [...]
To come vnto her fathers fertill land,
Is not her loue, but loue of golden Fleece.
Yet was hys speache so pleasant and so milde,
Hys tongue so fylde, hys promyses so fayre,
Sweete was the fowlers songe that hath beguylde
The selye byrde, brought to the lymed snare.
Fayth, in hys face, trust shy [...]ed in hys eyes,
The blusshyng brow playne m [...]nynge semed to showe,
In double ha [...]te black treason hydden lyes,
Dissembling thoughtes that weaue the webbe of woe.
The honyed lyppes, the tongue in suger depte
Do [...] sweete the poyson rancke within the brest,
In subtle shew of paynted sheath is kept,
The rustye knyfe of treason demed least,
Lyfe seemes the bayte to syght that lyeth brym,
Death is the hooke that vnderlyes the same,
The candell blase delyghtes wyth burnyng trym,
The Flye, tyll [...]e be burned in the flame,
Who in such shewes least dem [...]d any illes.
The hungrye fysshe feares not the bayte to Brooke,
Tyll vp the lyne doe pluck hym by the gylles,
[Page 5]And fast in throte hee feles the deadly hooke.
Woe Iason, woe to thee most wretched man,
Or rather wretche Medea woe to thee,
Woe to the one that thus dyssem [...]le can,
Woe to the other that trayned so myght be.
Thoughst thou Medea hys eyes to be the glasse
Whe [...]in thou myghte the face of thoughtes beholde,
That in hys brest with wordes so couered was,
As cancred brasse wyth glosse of yelow golde?
Dyd thou suppose that nature (more then kinde)
Had placed hys harte hys ly [...]nge lyppes betweene,
Hys lookes to be the mirrour of hys mynde?
Fayth in fayre face hath [...]ldome yet ben seene.
Who lyst [...]eth to the flateryng Maremaides note,
Must nedes commyt hys tyred eyes to slepe,
Ye [...]lding to her the [...]aking of hys boate,
That meanes vnware to drowne hym in the depe.
What boteth the [...] Medea to betraye
The golden Fleece, to fawnyng Iasons hande,
From Dragons teethe hym safely to conuaye,
And fyrye Bulles the warders of the lande?
Why for hys sake from father hast thou fled,
And thrust thy selfe out from thy natyue soyle?
Thy brothers blood what ay [...]d thee to shed,
Wyth Iason thus to trauell and to [...]oyle?
Beholde the meede of thys thy good de [...]a [...]te,
The recompense that he to thee doth gy [...]e.
For pleasure, payne, for ioye, most eger smarte,
With cloggyng ca [...]es in banyshment to ly [...]e.
Tho [...], and thy babes, are lyke to [...]egge and [...]ar [...]e,
In Nacion stra [...]nge, (o miserable lyfe)
Whyle Iason from hys promyses doe [...]wa [...]u [...],
And takes delyght in hys new wedded wyfe.
O grounde vngrate, that when the husband man
Hath tylled it, to recompence hys toyle
No corne, but weedes, and [...]h [...]stles cendder can,
To [...]ynge dys handes, that truyte sekes of his soyle.
Such venome growes of pleasaut colourd flower:
Lo [...], prynces loe, what deadly poyson sup
Of ba [...]e, erst sweete, now turned into sowe [...],
Mede [...] dranc [...] out of a goulden c [...]p.

¶The seconde Acte.

Medea. Nutrix.
AYe me alas I am vndone,
for at the brydall cheare
The warble note of weddinge songe
resoūded in myne eare.
Yet for all thys scant I my selfe,
yet scant beleue I can,
That Iason wolde play such a prancke,
amoste vnthanckfull man,
Both of my countrey, and my syre,
and kyngdome me to spoyle,
And yet forsake me wretche forlorne,
to straye in forreyn soyle.
O hath he su [...]h such a stonye harte,
that dothe no more esteme,
The great good turnes, and benefits
that I imployde on hym?
Who knowes, that I haue lewdly vsed
enchauntmentes for his sake,
The rigour roughe, and stormy rage,
of swellyng seas to slake.
The gruntyng fyryefomyng Bulles
whose smokyng guttes were stufte
[Page 6]With smoltering fumes, y • from theyr iawes,
& nostrels out they puft
I stopt their gnasshing moūching mou­thes
I quēcht their burning breth,
And vapors hott of stewyng paunche,
that els had wrought hys death.
Or fedes he thus hys fansye fonde,
to thynke my skyll of charme
Abated is, and that I haue
no power to doe hym harme?
Bestract of wittes, w t wauering mind
perplext on euery parte,
I tossed, and turmoyled am,
wyth way warde crasy harte.
Now this, now that, and neither now,
but now another waye,
By dyuers meanes I toyle, that so
my wronge reuenge I maye.
I wolde the wreatche a brother had:
but what? he hath a wyfe.
Go cut her throte, with gastly woūdes
bereue her of her lyfe.
On her ile worke my deadly spyte,
her, her alone I craue,
To quit such bitter sowsyng stormes,
as I susteyned haue.
If any graund notoryus gylt
in all Pelasga lande
[Page]Be put in practyse yet vnknowen
vnto thy harmyng hande,
Therof to get experience
the tyme doth now begyn:
Thy former feates doe byd thee tak [...]
good hope [...] to thryue herein:
Let al thy gyltes with thronging thic [...]
assemble thee to ayde,
The golden Fleece (the cheefe nouel)
of Colchis Ile betrayde.
My tender brother eke, that wyth
my sier dyd me pursue,
Whom wyth hys secrete partes cut of
I wycked virgin slewe,
Whose shreaded & dismembred corps,
wyth swerd in gobbits hewd,
(A wofull coarse toth fathers harte)
on Pontus ground I strewd.
How horye he added P [...]lias
hys wythred age to shyfte
To grener yeares, for longer lyfe,
hys doughters by my dryfte
Hys members all and mangled flesh
wyth lycour scaldyng hot
Ysodden, and perboyled haue,
in sethynge brasen pot.
How ofte in haynous blood haue these
my cruell handes ben dyed?
[Page 7]And neuer any gylte as yet
by wrath inflamde I tryed.
But now the parlous poysnyng woūd
of Cupids percing darte
Doth boyle and rage wythin my brest,
it rancles at my harte.
But how could Ias [...]n it redresse,
whom fortunes froward wyll
Hath ye [...]ld vnto anothers hand,
at luste to saue or spyll?
O rage of rusty cancred mynde
thys sclaundrous talke amende,
If fortunes grace wyl graunt it thus,
let hym vnto hys ende
Lyue styll my Iason as he was,
but if not Iason myne,
Yet caytife suffer Iason lyue,
though Iason none of thyne:
Who beinge myndfull styll of vs
some fauour let hym showe,
For these good turnes y t our good will
could earst on hym bestowe:
Kynge Creon is in all the fault,
and onely worthy blame,
Who puffed vp wyth scepter proude,
vnable for to frame
Hys tyckle mynde to modestye,
made breache tw [...]xt vs agayne,
[Page]Whom Hymens bands, and link of loue
had made but one of twayne,
By whom eke from her [...]ender brats
the mother (wreatche) is drawne,
He breakes the vowe, that gaged is
wyth such a precyous pawne.
Seke after such a vyllaynes blood,
in daun [...]ynge panges of smarte
Let hym alone be surely dowst,
such is hys due desarte,
A dungell heapt of Cinders burnt
hys Pallayce make I shall,
that Malea where in winding strightes,
the lyngryng shyppes doe crall,
Shal gase on smolthryng turrets tops
turmoylde in cracklyng flame.
Nu.
¶For godsake madame I you praye
your tongue to sylence frame.
Eke hyde your pryuye languyshyng
and greefe in secret vayne:
Who wyth a modest mynde abydes
the spurres of pryckyng payne,
And suffereth sorowes paciently,
may it repaye agayne.
Who beares a pryuie grudge in brest,
and kepes hys malyce close,
When least suspection is therof
may most anoye hys foes.
[Page 8]He leseth oportunytie
who vengeance doth requyre,
That shewes by open sparks the flame
the heate of kyndled fyer.
Me.
¶Smal is the grype of greefe that can
to reasons lore obaye,
And snekyng downe with steling steps
can stylie slyppe awaye.
But they that throughly sowsed are
wyth showers of greater payne,
Can not digest such corsyes sharpe,
but cast it vp agayne:
Fayne wolde I gyue them trouncyng girds.
Nu.
¶Good doughter dere asswage
Thunbrydled swaye, and boyling heat
of thys thy gyddie rage:
Scant maist thou purchase quyetnesse
although thou holde thy tongue.
Me.
¶The valiant harte dame Fortune yet
durst neuer harme wyth wronge
But dreadyng dastards downe she dri­ues.
Nu.
¶If any corage dure,
And harbred be in noble brest,
now put the same in vre.
Me.
¶The showe of sturdye valiant harte
at any tyme doth shyne.
Ne.
¶No hope doth in aduersytye
the way to scape assygne.
Me.
[Page]
¶He that ha [...]h none affiance lefts,
nor any hope at all,
Yet let hym not mystrust the luck
of ought that may befall.
Nu.
¶Thy Cuntrey clene hath cast thee of
to let thee synke or swym,
As for thy husband Iason he,
there is no trust in hym:
Of all the wealth, and worldly muck
wherwyth thou dyd abounde:
No porcion remaynes at all,
wherby some helpe is founde.
Me.
Medea yet is lefte, (to much.)
and here thou mayst espye
The Seas to succour vs in flyght,
and landes aloofe that lye:
Yea iron tooles, wyth burning brands
we haue to worke them woe,
And Gods that wyth the thunder dynt
shall ouerquell our foe:
Nu.
¶who weares y • goldēcrested crowne
hym dread wyth awe ye should.
Me.
¶My father was a kyng, yet I
betrayed hys Fleece of gould:
Nu.
¶Can not the deadly vyolence
of weapons make the feare?
Me.
¶No though suche grislye laddes they were
as whilom dyd appeare,
[Page 9]That bred of gargell dragons teethe
in holow gapyng ground,
When mutually in blody fyght
eche other dyd confounde.
Nu.
¶Then wylt thou cast thy selfe to death,
Me.
¶Wolde God that I were dead.
Nu.
¶Fly, fly to saue thy life.
Me.
¶w [...] worth the time that once I fled.
Nu.
¶What o Medea.
Me.
¶Why shal I flye?
Nu.
¶A mother dere art thou,
Fly therfore for thy chyldrens sake.
Me.
¶Ye see by wh [...]m, and how,
A wretched mother I am made.
Nu.
¶Thy lyfe by flyght to saue
dost thou mistruste?
Me.
¶Nay, fly I wil,
but vengeance first ile haue.
Nu.
¶Then some shall thee at heeles pursue,
to wrecke the same agayne
Me.
¶Perhap ile make his commyng short.
Nu.
¶Be still, and now refrayne.
O despret dame thy thondring threates,
and slake your raging ire.
Apply, and frame thy froward will
as time and tides require.
Me.
¶Full wel may fortūes weltyng whele
to beggynge brynge my state,
As for my worthy corage that
she neuer shall abate.
[Page]Who bowncing at y e gates, doth cause
the creakinge dores to iar?
It is the wreatche Creon his selfe,
whome princelie power far
Hath lyft aloft, with lordlye looke,
paft vp with powncinge pryde,
That he maye Corinth contry with
the swaye of scepter guyde.
Creon. Medea.
MEdea that vngracious imp
kyng Aetas wicked chyld
Yet hath not from our carfull realme
her lingrynge foote exild.
Som noughtie dryft she goes about,
her knackes of olde we knowe,
Her iugling artes, her harming hands
ar knowne well longe agoe.
From whō will she w t holde her harme?
whom will this cruell beast
Permit to liue from perrill fre
in quietnesse and rest?
Clean to cut of this parlous plauge
it was our purpose bent,
But Iason by [...]ntreting hard
did cause vs to relent.
[Page 10]At his request we graunted haue
her lyfe she shall enioye,
Let her acquit our contrye fre
from feare of all annoye:
Yea safely let her pack her hence,
in eger gyddye fitt
With lompish lowring looke she coms
in talke with me to knitt:
Sirs kepe her of, and set her hence,
lest vs she touche per hap,
And driue her backe from cōming nigh
commaund her kepe her clapp.
And let her learne at length, how that
her selfe submit she maye,
The puissaunt payse and maiestie
of princes to obaye.
Run, hie the quickelye, trudge apace,
haue hence out of my syght
This horible, most odious quean,
this monstrous wycked wight.
Me.
¶My soueraygne liege, what greater crime
haue I or lesse offence
Commit agaynst thye maiestie,
to be exiled hence?
Cre.
¶Alas the gyltles woman doth
demaunde a reason whye:
Me.
¶If thou be iudge indifferent,
ordaynd my cause to trye,
[Page]Consyder then my doubtfull case,
and wey the ground of it:
If thou b [...] kynge, cōmaunde a Iudge
for [...]uch a matter fyt.
Cre.
¶The prynces powre thou shalt obey,
bit eyther ryght or wronge.
Me.
¶The prosperus pryde of wrongynge crownes
cannot endeuer longe.
Cre.
¶Auaunt, & yell out thy complayntes
at Colchis, get thee hence.
Me.
¶Full gladly wyll I get me home,
if he that brought me thence
Uouchsafe to b [...]are me back agayne.
Cre.
¶Alas to la [...]e aryse
Entreatyng wordes, when as decree
is taken otherwyse.
Me.
¶He that not heryng either parte
pronounceth hys decree,
Unryghteous man accompted is,
though ryght hys sentence bee.
Cre.
¶Whyle Pelias trusted to thy talke,
from lyfe to death be fell.
Go to, begyn, we gyue you leaue
your goodly tale to tell.
Me.
¶That type of regall maiesty [...]
that erst by Fortunes hand [...]
Aduaunced to I dyd attayne,
hath taught me vnderstande,
[Page 11]How harde a thynge it is of wrath
the rygour to asswage,
When burnyng heat o [...] boylyng brest
in flames begyns to rage.
Eke for thaduaūcement of their power
more to dysplay in syght
Theyr kyngly corage bolstred out
with mai [...]stie of myght.
They d [...]me it dothe importe aswaye,
and hath a [...]reater grace,
Whom stately scepter causd to climbe
alofte to prouder place.
To perseuere with fansye fonde,
in that to reasons spyght,
Whose gredy choyse attaynted fyrst
hys mynde wyth vayne del [...]ght.
For though in pytyous plyght I lye,
throwne downe to great decaye,
With heau [...] hap, and ruthful chaunce,
to myserable staye,
Thus hunted out from place to place,
forsoke and left alone,
A wyddow whyle my husband lyue,
wyth cause to wa [...]le and mone,
Perplext in maze of myserye,
wyth cloyenge cares so r [...]se,
Yet whysom I in golden trone
haue led in happy lyfe.
[Page]By hygh and noble parentage
my bryght renoune doth shine.
From Phebus eak my graundsire great
deryued is my ligne.
Whear syluer streamed Phasis flood
hys wasshyng waues dothe shed,
Or wyth contrary crokyng wayes
hys bathyng channell spred.
what euer wandring coast stretcht out
is left aloofe behynde,
From whence the roaming Scithyan sea
hys channell furthe doth fynde,
Where as Meotis fenny plasshe
wyth pure fresh water sprynges
Dothe season sweete the bryny sea,
that tyde in thyther brynges.
Eke all the coastes enuyroned
and kept wythin the bankes
Of Thermodon, where warlyke troupes,
and armed wyddowes ranckes,
with paynted bucklers on theyr armes
holde all the lande in feare,
with rigour rough of threatning swerd
with force of dentyng speare.
So far to al these wandryng coastes
and cuntreyes round aboute,
My fathers ample regiment
at large is stretched out.
[Page 12]I beinge thus of noble race
and in an happy plyght,
With glorious glosse of princely pomp
in honour shynyng bryght,
Then pearlesse peares my spousal bedd
dyd sek [...] and sewe to haue,
But those to be theyr louyng feres
now other Ladyes craue,
Rash, ticle, peuysh, vndyscrete,
and waueryug fortunes wheele,
Hath cast me out the crusshyng cares
of banyshment to feele.
In scepter proude and hautye crowne
f [...]r thyne affyance [...]aste.
Syth vpsydowne wyth welkyn wheele
whole mountes of wealth is caste.
Thys prynces do possesse, that should
theyr royaltye dysplay,
Whose fame shall neuer ra [...]ed be
wyth storme of lowryng daye,
To succour those whom myserye
in pyt of paynes do the [...]ouse,
To sheylde and harber supplyantes
in roofe of loyall house.
This onely brought I from my realme
the precyous golden Fleece,
That iewell cheefe, and eke the flower
of Chyualry in Greece,
[Page]The sturdy prop, the rampir stronge
the bulwarke of your wealth,
And Hercul [...]s the boystrus Imp
of [...]oue I kept in health.
It was by meanes of my good wyll
that Orpheus dyd escape,
Whose harmony the lyu [...]le [...]se rocks
wyth such delyght dyd rape,
That forced euen the clottred lumpes
with hoblyng pryckt to praunce,
And eke the ioconde nodding wooddes
wyth fotyng fyne to daunce.
And that those heauenly twyns Castor
and Pollux dyd not dye,
My dew desarte is doubled twyse,
syth them preserued I.
Of Boreas blustryng out wyth puf­fed
cheekes hys blastyng breath
Hys wynged sonnes I kept alyue
bothe Calais and Zeth.
And Linceus that with pearcing beames
and sharper syght of eye
Could Nauyes on the farther banckes
of Sicill shore espye.
And all the Minians that did come
the golden Fleece to wyn [...]
As for the Prynce of Prynces all
I wyll not brynge hym in.
[Page 13]Wyth sylence Iason wyll I pa [...]se,
for whom though hym I saue,
Yet is not Greece in d [...]bt to me,
no recompence I craue
To no man hym I do impute,
the rest I brough [...] agayne
For your auayle, that you therby
some profyt myght attayne.
But onelye on my Iason deare,
hym for my owne loues sake
I kept in store, that he of me
hys wedded wife should make.
None other fault (God wot) ye haue
to charge me wyth but thys,
That Argo Shyp by meanes of me
returned safelye is.
If I a shame fast mayde had not
wyth Cupids bayte ben caught [...]
If more my fathers healthe to haue
then Iasons I had sought,
Pelasga land had bene vndone,
and falne to great decaye,
The lustye valyant Capytaynes
had cleane bene cast awaye:
And iolye Iason fyrste of all
this now thy sonne in lawe,
The Buls had rent his swalowed lims
in fyery chompyng iawe.
[Page]Let Fortune fyght agaynst my case
as lyst her eluysh wyll,
Yet neuer shall it greue my harte,
repent my dede I nyll,
That I should for so manye kynges
theyr relynge honour saue,
The guerden due that I for thys
my cryme cōmyt must haue,
It lyeth Creon in thy hande,
if thus it lyketh thee,
Condemne my gyltye gohste to death,
but render fyrste to mee,
My fault that forced me offende,
then Creon graunt I thys,
Receauyng Ias [...]n (cause of cryme)
I gyltye dyd amysse.
Thou knowest that I was such an one
when courynge low I laye,
Before thy fete in humble wyse
and dyd intreatynge praye,
Thy gracyous goodnes me to graunt
some succour at thy hande.
For me a wreache and wreached babes
I aske wythin thys lande
Some cotage base, in outcast hole,
some couchyng corner vyle,
If from the towne thou dryue vs out
to wander in exile,
[Page 14]Then some bye place aloofe wythin
this realme let vs obtayne.
Cre.
¶How I am none that tyrant lyke
wyth churlysh septer raygne,
Nor proudly or dysdaynfullye,
with hawtie corage hye,
with vaūting foote do stamp thē downe
that vndertroden lye,
And daunted are in carefull bale,
thys playnlye dothe dysclose,
In that to me of late I suche
a sonne in lawe haue chose,
Who was a wandryng pylgrim poore,
wyth sore afflyctyons fraight,
Dysmayde wyth terrour of hys foe,
that laye for hym in wayght.
Because Acastus hauynge got
the crowne of Thessail lande,
Requyreth in thy gylty blood
to bathe hys wreackfull hande.
He dothe bewayle that good olde man
hys fyble father slayne,
Whom wayght of yeres wyth bowing back
to stoope alow constraine [...]
The godlye mynded systers, all
yblynde wyth mystye vale
And clokyng colour o [...] thy crafte
durste ventrusly a [...]sayle.
[Page]That mount of myfcheife merueylus,
to mangle [...] [...]eaw, and cut,
Theyr fathers dere vnioynted lym [...]
In boylyng cald [...]on put.
But for thy open gyl [...]ynes
if thou can purge the same,
Strayght [...]ason can dyscharge hym selfe
from blot of gyltye blame.
His gentle handes were neuer staind [...]
wyth gore of any blood.
Aloofe from your con [...]pyracie
refraynyng far he stood.
Hys harmelesse handes put not in [...]r [...]
wyth gorye tooles to mell.
But thou that se [...]st on fyer fyrste
th [...]se myghty myscheifs fell,
Whō shamelesse womans wil [...]e brain [...]
and manly stomack stoute
Doe [...]et a gog, for to a tempt
to brynge all ils aboute.
And no regarde at all thou hast,
how scundyng trumpe of fame
Wyth ryngyng blast of good or ill
do blowe abrode thy name:
Get out and clense my [...]yled realme [...]
awaye tog [...]ther b [...]are
Thyne herbes vnmylde of sorcery,
my Lyeges ryd fro feare.
[Page 15]Transporte thee to some other lande,
wheras thou may at ease
With odious noys [...] of diu [...]lish charme,
the troubled Gods dysease.
Me.
¶If nedes thou wylt haue me auoyde,
my shyp to me restore,
Or els my mate wyth whom I fyrste
aryued on thys shore:
Why dost thou byd that by my selfe
I onely should be gone?
I came not hether at fyrste wythout
my companye alone.
If thys do thee aggryese, that brunt
of warres thou shalt sustayne,
Comaunde vs bot [...] the cause therof
to shu [...] thy realme agayne:
Syth both are gyltye of one acte,
w [...]y dost thou partte vs twayne?
For Iasons sake, not for myne owne,
poore P [...]lias was slayne.
Annex vnto my traytrous flyght
the conquerd bootye braue,
My horye headded naturall si [...]r,
whow I forsaken haue,
Wyth brothers blody flesh that mang­led
was wyth caruynge knyfe,
Or ought of Iasons forged lyes
he gabbes vnto hys wyfe.
[Page]These dreary dedes are none of myne,
so ofte as I offende,
Not for myne owne cōmodytie,
to come therby in thende.
Cre.
¶time is expierd, by which thou ought
to haue bene gone awaye,
Wyth kepyng such a cha [...] why dost
thou make so longe delaye?
Me.
¶Yet of thy bountye ere I goe.
thys one boone wyll I craue.
Although the mother banyshed
so sore offended haue,
Let not the vengeaunce of my faulte
through wrathfull deadly hate,
Myne innocent and gyltlesse babes
torment in wreached state.
Cre.
¶Away: wyth louing fryndely grype
thy chyldren I imbrace,
And as a father naturall
take pytie on theyr case.
Me.
¶Euen for the prosperus good encrece
of fertill spousall bed,
Of Glauce bryght thy doughter deare,
whom Iason late hath wed.
And by the hope of fruytfull seede,
whose flowre in tyme shall bloome.
By thonour of thy glystryng crowne [...]
ythralde to fo [...]tu [...]es doome,
[Page 16]Whych she so full of chop and chaunge
with tycle turnyng wheele
Whirls vp & downe, in staggring state
makes to and fro to reele.
I thee beseche, (syth to exyle
I am departing now)
O Creon but a lytle pawse
for mercye me alow,
Whyle of my mournyng brats w t kysse
my last farewell I take.
Whyle gaspe of faylyng breath perhap
my shyueryng lyms forsake.
Cre.
¶Wyth craft entendyng some deceite
thou crauest thys delaye.
Me.
¶What falshed for so lytle tyme
be cause of terrour maye?
Cre.
¶No iote of tyme is shorte ynough
dysplesure to preuent.
Me.
¶Can not one iote to wepyng eyes
and tryllyng teares be lent?
Cre.
¶Although agaynst thy ernest sute
vnluckye dread do stryue,
One day to settle thee awaye
content I am to gyue.
Me.
¶Thys is to much, and of the same
sumwhat abrydge ye maye.
Cre.
¶Make spede apace if from our land
thou get thee not awaye,
[Page]Ere Phaebus horse wyth golden glede
theyr streamyng beames do shed,
Of dawnyng lampe, thou art condemd
to lese thy wretched hed.
The holye day and brydall both
doe call me hence awaye:
And wyls me at the sacred aare
of Hym [...]neus to praye.

¶Chorus.

LAui [...]n of life and dreadlesse was the wyght,
Attemp [...]yng fyrste in slender tot [...]ryng Barge
Wyth slyuyng Ore the slyced waue to smyte,
A [...]d durst commyt the dayntie tender charge
Of hazered lyfe to inconstant cours of winde,
That turnes wyth chaunge of chaunces euermore,
To vew the land for [...]oke aloofe behynd [...],
And shouyng furthe the s [...]yp from s [...]fer shore,
And glauncyng through the fomy channell deepe
On sund [...]r c [...]t wych slender stem the waue,
Twy [...] hope o [...] lyfe, and dread of death to sweepe,
In narrow gut hym selfe to [...]pyll or saue:
Expery [...]nc [...] yet of Planets no man had,
Th [...]y n [...]ded not the wandryng cours [...] to knowe
Of Sta [...]s, (wherwyth [...]he paynted skye is clad,)
Not [...]l [...]a [...]s, (whych returne of saylyng [...]w)
Nor Hyads [...]that wyth showrs th [...] Seas do b [...]a [...]e)
No nor the st [...]rne Amaltheas h [...]rned [...]ead
(Who gaue the [...]yppes of luckyng Ioue the t [...]ate)
Were wonte to put the blunde [...]yug shyps in dread.
They feared not the northerne ysye wayne,
whych lazy olde boot [...]s w [...]lds behynde,
[Page 17]A [...]d twynes aboute, no name yet could they fayne
For Boreas rough, nor smother western wynde.
Yet Typhys bould on open seas durst sh [...]we
Hys hoysted sayl [...]s, and for the wynds decree
New lawes: as now full gale aloofe to blow,
Now tackle turnde to take syde wynde alee,
Now vp to fa [...]le the crossayle on the mast,
Theare safe to hange, the topsayle now to spred,
Now missel sayl [...], and drabler out to cast,
When daglyng hanges hys sha [...]tryng tackle red
whyle st [...]a [...]sman stur, and busy [...] ne [...]r blyn,
Wyth pyth to pull all sayles eke to dysplay,
wyth tooth and nayle all forc [...] of wynde to wyn,
To sheare the seas, and quyck to scud awaye.
Th [...] golden worlde our fathers haue possest,
where [...]anysht fra [...]de durst n [...]u [...]r come in place,
All were content to lyue at home in r [...]st,
wyth horye head, gray [...] [...]eard, and surrowed face.
whych tract of tyme wythin hys con [...]rey brought,
Ryche hauyng lytle, f [...]r more they dyd not toy [...],
No vente for wares, nor Traficque far they sought,
No wealth that sprange beyonde th [...]yr naty [...]e soyle,
The Thessail shyp together now hath set,
Th [...] worlde that w [...]ll wyth seas dysseuered laye,
It bydd [...]s the floods wyth oats to be bet,
And stream [...]s vnknowen wyth shypwrack vs to fray
That wyck [...]d R [...]le was loste [...]y ruthfull wrack
Ytossed through such perylles passyng great,
where Cyanes rocks gan rore as thunde [...] crack,
whos [...] bouncyng boult th [...] shaken soyle doth bea [...],
The sowsyng surges dasshed eue [...]y star,
The pe [...]t [...]rd seas the cloudes alo [...]te be [...]ayd,
Thys scufflyng dyd boule Typhis mynd detar,
Hys h [...]lme dyd slyp f [...]om tr [...]mblynge hande dismaid.
Then Orpheus wyth his drowp [...]ng Ha [...]p was mum
Dead in h [...]r dumpes the [...]launtyng Argos glee,
All hus [...]t in rest wyth sylence, w [...]xed dum,
what hardye harte astound here wolde no [...] bee [...]
To see at once eche yawnyng mouth to gape,
Of Syllas gulph compact in wa [...]loyng paunche,
Of dogges, who dothe not loth [...] her mong [...]ell shape,
[Page]H [...]e visage, br [...]st, and hyddyous vgly [...]aunche [...]
whom erketh not the scoulde wyth barkyng styll?
To her [...] the Mermaydes di [...]e who do [...]h not quayle,
T [...]at lure the eares wyth pleasant syngyng [...]ryll
Of such as on [...]nsonius sea doe sayle?
when Orpheus on his twancklyng Harpe did playe,
That carst the Muse Calliop gaue to hym
Almost those Nimphes that wonted was to staye
The shypp [...]s, he causd fast folowyng hym to swym.
How [...]earely was that wyck [...]d iourney bought?
Medea accurst, and eke the golden Flecce,
That greater harme thē storme of s [...]as hath wrought
Rewarded well that vo [...]age [...]rst of Gre [...]ce.
Now seas controulde doe suffer passage free,
The [...]rgo proude erected by the hand
Of Pallas fyrste, doth not com [...]layne that she,
Conue [...]d hath back [...] t [...]e kynges vnto theyr land,
Eche whirty [...]o [...]t now scuddes aboute the deepe,
All stynts and waares are taken cleane awaye,
The Cytyes frame new walles them selues to keepe,
The open worlde lettes nought res [...] where it laye:
The [...]oyes of Ind Arexes luckwarme leake,
The Pers [...]ans stoute in Rhene and Albis streame
Do bathe [...]heyr barkes, [...]yme [...]all in fyne out breake
when Ocean waue shall open euery realme.
The wandrynge worlde at w [...]ll shall open lye.
And Typhis will some new found land suruaye.
Some trauelers shall the Co [...]tre [...]es far escry [...],
Beyonde small Thule, knowen furthest at this day [...].

¶ The third Acte.

Nutrix. Medea.
WHy tro [...]st thou fysking in & out
so rash from place to place?
Stand styll, and of [...]hyne eger wrath
suppresse the ruth [...]ull race,
[Page 18]The rigour rough of rampyng rage
from burnyng brest out cast,
As Bacchus bedlem preystes that of
his spryte haue felt the blast,
Run frantyck hoytyng vp and downe
wyth scytysh wayward wyttes,
Not knowyng any place of rest,
so prycte wyth frowarde fyttes,
On cloudye top of Pindus mounte
all hyd wyth snow so chyll:
Or els vpon the loftye ridge
of braunched Nisa hyll:
Thus startyng still with froūced mind
she walters to and froe,
the sygnes pronoūcyng profe of pangs
her frensie face doth showe.
with glowing cheekes, & blood red face
wyth shorte and gaspyng breath,
She fetcheth depe ascendyng syghes
from sobbynge harte beneath.
Now blithe she smiles, ech [...]ōbled thou­ght
in pondring braine she beats,
Now standes she in a mammeryng [...]
now myscheyfe sore she threats.
w • chaufing fume she burnes in wrath,
and now she doth complayne,
With blubbering teares a fresh biliue
she weepes and wayles agayne.
[Page]Wher will this lumpish loade of cares
with hedlong swaye allighte?
On whome entendethe she to worke
the threates of her dispite?
Wher will this huge tēpestious surge
slake downe it selfe agayne?
Enkindled furye newe in brest
beginnes to boyle a mayne.
She secretly entendes no miss­chife
small nor meane of syse
To passe her selfe in wickednes
her busye braynes deuise.
The token old of pinchyng ire
full well er this know I:
Sum hainous houge, outragious great
and dredfull storme is nie:
Her firie, scowling, steaming eyes,
her hangynge groyne I se,
Her powting, puffed, frownyng face,
that sygnes of freating be.
O myghtie Ione begyle my feare:
Me.
¶O wretche if thou desire,
What measure ought to paise thy wrathe
then learne by Cupides fire,
To hate as sore as thou didst loue,
shall I not them anoye
That do vnite in spousall bed,
theyr want on lust enioye?
[Page 19]Shall Phaebus fierie footed horse
go lodge in westerne waue
The drdwping day, that la [...] I did
with humble crowchinge craue,
And with suche ernest busie sute
so hardlie graunted was,
Shall it departe er I can bringe
my deuylishe dryfte to passe?
While houeryng heuen dothe counter pai­sed
hange with egall space,
Amid the marble hemispheares,
whyle rounde with stinted race,
The gorgeous skye aboue the earthe
doth spinning roll about,
Whiles that the number of the sands,
lyes hid vnserched out.
While dawninge daye dothe kepe hys cours
with Phaebus blase so bright,
While twinkling stars in golden trai­nes
do gard the s [...]ombrie night,
While I sie vnder propping poale
with whyrlyng swyng so swyft
The shyning beares vnbathed aboute
The frosen skye do lifte,
Whyle flushing [...]loodes y • frothy strea­mes
to rustling seas do send,
To gird them gript w t plonging pangs
my rage shall neuer end.
[Page]With greater heat it shall reboyle,
lyke as the brutyshe beast,
Whose tyranye most horryble,
excedeth al the rest,
What gredye gapynge whyrle poole wide
what parlous gulphe vnmild,
What Sylla coucht in roryng rockes
or what Charybdes wylde,
(That Sicil and Ioinum sea
by frothy waues doth sup)
What Aetna bolking stifling flames,
and duskye vapours vp,
(Whose heauye payse w t stewyng heat
doth smoldryng crushe beneath
Encelades, that fierie flakes
from choked throte doth breath)
Can wyth suche dreadfull menaces
In swetyng furye frye?
No ryuer swift no trowbled surge
Of stormye sea so hye,
Nor sturdy seas (whom rufling winds
wyth ragyng force to rore)
Nor puissant flash of fyre, whose might
By boysteous blast is more,
May byde my angers violence:
my furye shall it foyle:
His court I le ouer hourl, and lay
it leuel with the soyle.
[Page 20]My Iasons harte did quake for feare
of Creon cruell kyng [...]
And lest the kyng of Thessalye
would warr vppon hym bryng.
But loyall loue that hardens hartes
makes no man be afrighte.
But beet, that he conui [...]t hath yeilde
hym selfe to Creons myght.
Yet once he myght haue vysyted [...]
and come to me hys w [...]fe,
To talke, and take hys last farewell.
if daunger o [...] hys lyfe
In doing thys (harde harted wretche
most cruell) he should feare,
He beyng Creons sonn [...] in law,
for him it le [...]u [...]l were,
To haue proroged somwhat yet
my heuye banishment,
To take my leue of ch [...]ldren twayne
one onlye day is lent:
Yet do I not complayne, as though
the tyme to short I thought [...]
As profe shall plaine pronoūce, to day,
to day, it shall be wroughte,
The memorye wherof no tract
of tyme shall wype awaye.
With malyce bent agaynst the godes
my wrath shall them assay:
[Page]And rifling euerye thyng, both good,
and bad, I wyll turmoyle.
Nu.
¶Madame thy mynde that troubled is,
and [...]ost with such abroyle
Of swarming ills, thy vexed brest
now set at rest agayne,
The peuyshe fonde affeccions all
of troubled minde refrayne.
Me.
¶Then onlye can I be at rest,
when euerye thyng I see
Thrown hedlong topsie turuey downe
to ruthfull end wyth me.
Wyth me let al thynges cleane decay:
thy self if thou do spyll,
Thou mayst dryue to distruction
what els with the thou will:
Nu.
¶Yf in this follye styff thou stand
beholde what after clappes
Ar to be feard, none dare contryue
for princes traynyng trappes.
Ia [...]on. Medea.
O Luckles lot of froward fates
o cruel fortunes happe,
Both when she lyst to smyte, or spare,
in woe she doth vs wrapp
[Page 21]A lyke, the salue that God hath geuen
so oft, to cure our grefe,
More noyeth then the sore it selfe,
and sendeth lesse reliefe:
Yf for her good desar [...]es to me
amendement I shuld make,
I hazard shuld my ventrous life
to lese it for her sake.
If I wyll shun my dismall daye
and wyll not for her die,
Then want the loue of loialtie
O wretched man must I.
No dastardes dread my stomak [...] stoute
can cause to droupe and shrynke,
But mere remorse appaulleth me,
when on my babes I thynke.
For why? when carfull parentes are
ons reft of lyfe and breath,
Sone after them ther wretched seede
ar drawne to dolfull death.
O Sacred ryghteousnes (if thou
enioye thy worthye place
In perfect blysse of happie heauen)
I call vppon thy grace,
And the for witnes here alledge,
how for my chyldrens part
With pitte pryckte I haue committ
these thynges agaynst my harte.
[Page]And so I thinke Medea her selfe
the mother rather had,
(Though francticklye as now she fares
with rage of hart so madd
And dothe abhor with paynfull yoke
of combrous cares to toyle)
Her spousall bed, then that her seede
should take the plonging foile.
I dyd determin in my minde,
to go her to entreate
With gentle wordes, & pray her cease,
in feruent wrath to freate.
And lo [...]on me when ons she kaste
the beames of glauncinge eie,
Full blythe she leapes, she iumpes for ioye,
in fittes she ginnes to frye.
Depe deadlie blackish hate she seemes
in out warde brow to beare,
And whollye in her frownynge face
doth glutting grefe appeare.
Me.
¶I packing, packyng, Iason am:
this still to chopp, and chaunge
The fletynge soyle of my abode,
to me it is not straunge.
The cause of my departure yet
(to me is straunge) and new.
I wonted was in folowyng the
all places to eschewe:
[Page 22]I wyll depart, and get me hence,
to whom for helpyng hande
Entendest thou to sende vs furthe,
whom hence so flie the land
Thou dost compell wyth thyne alies?
shall I repaire agayne
To Phasis flood, to Colchis Isle,
or to my fathers raygne?
Or gorye swetyng feldes, that wyth
my brothers blood do reeke?
What harbring lands aloufe dost tho [...]
commaund vs out to seeke?
What seas appoynt ye me to pa [...]se?
shall I my i [...]urney dryue,
Uppon the parlous hatefull iawes
of Pontus to aryue,
By which I dyd saufe conduct home
kynges valaunt armies great,
Wher roring rockes with thundrynge noise
the flapping waues do beate,
Or on the naro [...] wrackfull shore,
of Simplegades twayne?
Or els to small Hiolcos town
can I retourne agayne?
Or toyle, y • gladsome pleasant laūds
Of Tempe to attayne?
All places that I opened haue
Unto thy passage free,
[Page]I shut them vp agaynst my selfe,
now whether sendest thou me?
A banysht wretche to banyshment
thou woldest haue enclyne,
Yet to the place of her exyle
thou canst not her assygne.
Yet for all that wythout delaye
I must departe and go:
And why? for sothe the kynge his sonne
in lawe cōmaundeth so.
Well: nothyng wyll I stand agaynste,
wyth grypes of passynge payne
Let me be scourgde, of my desartes
suche is the gotten gayne.
Let Creon in hys pryncely ruffe
lay to hys heauye handes,
To whyp an whore, in torments sharp,
wyth iron gyues, and bandes
Let her be chaynd, in hydiouse hole
of nyght for aye her locke:
Let her be cloyed wyth pestryng payse
of restlesse rowlyng rocke.
Yet less [...] than I deserued haue,
in all thys shall I fynde:
O thou vncurteous Gentleman,
consyder in thy mynde
The flamye puffes, and fyrye gaspes
of gastly gapyng bull,
[Page 23]And Aetas catell ryche wyth Fleece
of gorgious golden wooll,
That went to graze amyd so great
and myghtye feares in feylde,
Of vncontrouled nacyon,
whose soyle dothe armyes yeilde.
Reuoke to mynde the deadly dartes
of suddayne startynge foe,
when gastly warriours ( Tellus broode)
to grounde agayne dyd goe
through slaughter red of mutual laūce,
to thys yet further passe,
The lurched Fleece of Phrixes Ramme,
that all thyne errand was.
And vgsome Argos slumberlesse,
whom fast I causde to kepe
Hys werye watchyng wynkyng eyes
wyth vnaquaynted slepe.
My brother eke, whose fatall twyst
of feble lyfe I shred,
And gylt that wrought so many gyltes
when as wyth thee I fled.
The doughters whom I set on worke
entrapte in wylye trayne,
To slaye theyr syre, that shall not ryse
to quyckned lyfe agayne.
And how to trauell other realmes,
I set myne owne at nought.
[Page]By that good hope whych of thy seede
conceaued is in thought,
Eake by thy stable mancion place,
and myghtie monsters, that
Downe beaten for thy health, I causde
before thy feete to squat,
And by these drudgyng handes of mine
vnspared for thy sake,
For dread of daungers ouerpas [...]
that caused thee to quake,
By heauens aboue, and seas belowe,
that wytnesse bearers be,
To knyttyng of our maryage vppe,
thy mercye vayle to me.
Of all the heapes of treasure great
so far of being fet,
Whych A [...]tas sauage Scythians
dyd trauell for to get,
From Ind [...] where Phaebus scorching blase
dothe dye the people blacke.
Of all this golde whych in our bowers
we could not well compack,
But tryck and trym we garnyshed
our groues with golde so gaye,
I banysht wretche of all thys stuffe
gat nought wyth me awaye,
Excepte my brothers flaughtred flesh,
yet I employed the same
[Page 24]On thee: the cares of cuntreys healthe
my honestye and shame.
My father, and my brother both
hath yeilded place to [...]hee,
Thys is the dowrye that thou had
my wedded spouse [...]o bee.
To her whom thou d [...]est abrogate
restore her gooddes agayne.
Ia.
¶When Cr [...]on in malycyous moode
had thought thee to haue slayne,
Entreated wyth my tear [...]s exyle,
and lyfe he gaue to thee.
Me.
¶I toke it for a ponyshment,
but surely as I see
Thys banyshment is now become
a freyndly good rewarde.
Ia.
¶Whyle thou hast time to go be gone,
for moste seueare, and harde
The kynges dyspleasure euer is.
Me.
¶Thus woldste thou dodge me out?
Thy hated trull cast of thou doest
that please Creuse thou mought.
Ia.
¶Doest thou Medea vpbrayde me wyth
the breache vnkynd of loue?
Me.
¶And slaughter vyle wyth trecherie
wherto thou dyd me moue.
Ia.
¶When al is done what canst thou say
my gyltynes to stayne?
Me.
[Page]
¶Euen whatsoeuer I haue done.
Ia.
¶Yet more thys doth remayne:
That thy vngra [...]yous wyckednes
of harme should [...]e accuse.
Me.
¶Thine, thine, they ar, they ar al thine
what euer I dyd vse.
Who y t of lewdnes reapes the fruite,
is grafter of the same.
Let euery one wyth infamie
thy wretched spouse defame,
Yet doe thou onely take her parte,
her onely doe thou call
A iuste and vndefyled wyght,
wythout offence at all.
If anye man shall for thy sake
polute hys hand wyth ill,
To thee let hym an innocent
yet be accompted styll.
Ia.
¶The life is lothsome that doth worke
hys shame who hath it chose.
Me.
¶the life whose choyse doth werke thy shame
thou ought againe to lose.
Ia.
¶Let reason rule thy eger mynde
so vext wyth crabbed ire
And for thy tender chyldrens ease
to be at rest req [...]yre
Me.
¶I do defye it, wholie I
detest it, I forsweare,
[Page 25]That bretheren bred vnto my barnes
Creusas wombe shall beare.
Ia.
¶It wyll be trym, when as a Queene
of maiestie and myght
Hath issue, kinn vnto the seede
of the a banisht wyght.
Me.
¶So cursed day shall neu [...]r on
my wretched children shyne
To myngle base borne basterdes wyth
the blood of noble lygne.
Shal Ph [...]bus stocke (that beares y • lamp
of heauen in starrye throne)
Be macht with drudginge Sisi [...]hus
that roules in hell the stone?
Ia.
¶What meanest y u wretch both the & m [...]
in banishement to yoke?
I pray thē hence:
Me.
¶ When humbly I
my mynd to Creon broke,
He gaue an eare vnto my sute,
Ia.
¶What lyeth in my myght
To do for the?
Me.
¶ If no good turne
then do thy worst dispyght.
Ia.
¶On this side with his swerd in hande
Kyng Creon doth me scar:
On other part wyth armed hoast
Acast doth me detarr.
Me.
Medea eke to coape wyth these,
that more apaull vs maye:
[Page]Go to, to skyrmyshe let vs fall
Let Ias [...]n be the praye:
Ia.
¶I yeld whom sore aduersyties
haue tyerd wyth heauye swaye.
Learne thou to dred thy luclesse lost
that oft dothe thee assaye.
Me.
¶ I euermore haue rulde the swinge
of fortunes waueryng wyll.
Ia.
Achastus is at hand and nygh
is Creon the to spyll:
Me.
¶Take y • thy heles to scape them both,
I do not the aduise,
That thou agaynst thy father in law
In traytrous armes should ryse.
Nor in Achas [...] thy c [...]sens blood
thy woundyng handes to gore,
The vol [...]es vnto Medea made,
do trowble the so [...]ore.
Whyle yet y • hast not spylt there blood
yet, fly, with me a way.
Ia.
¶when armies twain their banners o [...]
Defiance shall dysplaye,
And marchyng [...]urthe in fylde to fyght
s [...]ke battayle at my hande,
Who then for vs encounter shall
theyr puyssa [...]ce to wythstand?
Me.
¶If Cr [...]on and Acastus kynge
encampe to gether shall [...]
[Page 26]Admit that these in one wyth them
should ioyne there powers all
My Contreymen of Cholchis Ile,
and A [...]tas lustye kynge,
Suppose the Scythians ioyne w t Grekes,
to ground I wyll them brynge,
Cleane put to foile.
Ia,
¶The puissant power
of hawty mace I feare
Me.
¶Take hede, lest more thou do affec [...]e
the same, then for to cleare,
Thy selfe of Creons seruile yoke,
Ia.
¶Least some suspicion grow.
Of thys our tatlynge long here let
vs make an end and go.
Me.
¶Now Ioue hurle out thy flames and
thy thundring [...]olts to fly,
With fierie drakes bryght brandishing force
disparst in burnyng skye:
Strayne furth thy dreadfull thretning arme,
dispose in due araye
The tossyng dynt of lyghtnyng flashe,
that wrecke our quarrell maye.
With rumblynge cracke of rentynge clowd
cause all y e world to quake,
And leuell not thy houeryng hande
to stryke wyth fyrye flake
Uppon my pasht and crushed corpes,
or Iasons carcas slayne:
[Page]For whether of vs thou smyte to death
hys dew rewarde shall gayne,
thy thumps of thwacking boltes on vs
amisse they cannot lyghte.
Ia.
¶Fie, let thy mynde on matters ronne
that seme a modest wyghte.
And vse to haue more cherfull talke,
if any thynge thou craue,
Wythin my fathers house to ease
thy flyght, thou shalt it haue.
Me.
¶thou knowst my mind both can, & eke
is wonte, to do no lesse,
Then to contemne the bryttell wealth
that Prynces do possesse.
This, this shalbe the onelye boone
that at thy hande I craue,
As mates wyth me in banyshmente,
my chyldren let me haue,
That restyng on theyr syghing brestes
my carefull mournyng hed,
I may my chrystall [...]arye streames
into theyr bosomes shed.
But as for thee, new gotten sonnes
of wyfe new wed do staye.
Ia.
¶ I graunt that vnto thy requeste
I wysh I myght obeye:
But nature me wyth pytye pryckes,
that nedes I must denye.
[Page 27]For though both Creon and Achast,
in tormentes force me lye,
I could not yeild vnto theyr wylles:
on thys my lyfe doth reste:
In times of teares, thys is the ioye
of dull afflycted breste
For better far I can abyde
the wante of vitall breath,
And succour of my lymmes, or loose,
the lyght of worlde by death.
Me.
¶What loue vnto hys selye babes
is depely grafte in hym?
This worketh well I haue him trypt [...]
lo nowe there lyeth brymme.
An open place whearbie receaue
a vennye soone he maye.
Let me or I departe, vnto
my selye chyldren saye.
These lessons of my last adewe,
and graunt to me the space,
With tender grype of collyng laste
theyr louyng lymmes [...]embrace:
This wilbe comforte to my harte:
yet at the latter wo [...]rde
I aske nomore but onlye that
you shuld me thys afoorde.
If eger anguysh cause my tongue
to cast out woordes vnkynde,
[Page]Let al thyng flye, let nothyng be
Engraued in your mynde
But let rem [...]mbrau [...]ce otherwhyle
of me to touche your thought,
Let other thynges be wypte awaye
that byle of wrath hath wrought.
Ia,
¶I haue forgotten euery whit
god graunt thou may of shake
These surging qualmes of frownced mynde
& mylder mayest it make:
For quyetnes doth worke theyr ease
that dented are wyth woe:
Me.
¶What is he slyl [...]e slypt and gon?
falles out the matter so?
O Iason doest thou sneake awaye,
not hauyng mynde of me,
Nor of those former great good turns
that I haue done for the?
Wyth the now am I cleane forgott:
but I wyll bryng about
That from thy carefull sighing minde
shall not be banysht out:
Apply to bryng thys to effect,
call home thy wyttes agayne,
And all thy wylie fetches farre,
eache artifycyall trayne.
Thys is the perfect fruyt that maye
to the of myschefe sprynge,
[Page 28]To presuppose that myschefe is
not graft in anye thynge.
Scante haue I oportunyt [...]e
for my pretensed guyle,
Because we are mystrusted sore,
But trye I wyll the whyle
To set vppon them in such sort,
as none can deme my sleyghte:
Marche furth, now venture on, fall to,
bothe what lyeth in thy myght,
And also what doth passe thy power.
O fayth full nourse and mate.
Of all my heauye hart breakyng,
and dyuers cursed fate,
Come helpe our symple meane deuice.
remaynyng yet I haue
A robe of Pall the present that
our heauenlye graundsyre gaue,
Chefe monument of Cholchis Ile,
whiche Phaebus did bestowe
On Etas for a pledge, that hym
hys father h [...] myght knowe.
A precyous fulgent gorget eake,
that brauelye glytters bryght,
And wyth a seamlye shynyng seame
of golden thrydes is dyght,
Through wrought betwene the row of pirles
do stand in borders round
[Page]Wherwyth my golden crispen lockes
is wonted to be crounde.
My lytle chyldren they shall beare
these presentes to the Bryde,
That fyrste wyth slybber [...]abbar sosse
of chauntmentes shalbe tryed.
Request the ayde of Hecate
in redynes prepare
The lamentable sacryfyce,
vpon the bla [...]dye Aare.
Enforce the fyers catchyng houlde
vpon the rafters hye
With crackling nois of flamie sparkes
rebounde in azur skye.

¶Chorus.

NO fyers force, nor rumb [...]yng cage
of boysteous blustryng wynde,
No darte shot why [...]ling in the skyes [...]
such terrour to the mynde
Can dryue, as when the [...]re [...]ull wyfe
dothe boyle in burnynge hate,
Depryued of her spo [...]sall bed,
and comforte of her mate,
Nor where the stormye southerne winde
wyth dankysh dabbye face,
Of horye wynter sendeth out
the gusshyng shooores apace.
where veighment Isters waumbling stream
comes walterynge downe amayn,
Forbyddyng both the bankes to me [...]e,
and canno [...] ofte contayne
[Page 29]Hym selfe w [...]thin hys channels scou [...]e,
but further breakes hys waye,
Nor Rodanus who [...]e russhyng streame
dothe launche into the sea,
Or when amydde the floured sprynge
wyth hotter burnynge sonne,
The wynters snowes disolued with heate
downe to the ryuers ronne:
The clottred toppe of Haemus hill
to water thynne dothe turne,
Such desperate gogyn flame is wrathe
that inwardly doth burne,
And modest rule regardeth not,
nor brydels can abyde,
Nor dreading death, doth wysh on di [...]te
of naked blade to slyde.
O Gods be gracyous vnto vs,
for pardon we do craue,
That hym who tamde the scuffling waues,
vouchsafe ye wolde to saue.
But Neptune yet the Lorde of S [...]as
wyth frownyng face wyll lower,
That ouer hys second scepter men
to tryumphe haue the power.
The boy that rashlye durste att [...]mpt
that great v [...]weldye charge
Of Phaebus euerlastynge carte,
and [...]ouyng out at large,
Not bearyng in hys recklesse breste
hys fathers warnynges wyse
Was burned wyth the flames whych he
dyd scatter in the skyes.
None knew the costlye glymsyng glades,
where stragglynge Phaeton rode,
Passe not the path, where people safe
In formar [...]yme haue trode.
O fond [...]ynge, wylfull, wanton boye,
do not dyssolue the frame
Of heauen, syth Ioue with sacred hande
hath halowed the [...]rame.
[Page]Who rowde wyth valyante oa [...]es tough [...],
that were for Argo made,
Hath powled na [...]ed Pel [...]on mounte
of thycke compacted shade.
Who entered hathe the flerynge rockes
and s [...]rched o [...]t the t [...]yle
And tyrynge trauels of the s [...]as [...]
and hath on saluage soyle
[...]nyt fast hys stretched cable rope,
and goinge fourthe to lande.
To cloyn awaye th [...] foren golde
with gredye snatchyng ha [...]de.
Vnto the seas (because that he
transgres [...] theyr l [...]wes deuyne)
By thys vnluckye ende of hys
he payes hys forfeyte fyne.
The troubled seas of t [...]eyr vnrest [...]
for vengeaunce howle and w [...]epe.
Syr Typhis who dyd conquer fyrst [...]
the daung [...]r of the deep [...],
Hath yeilded vp the con [...]ynge rule
of hys vnw [...]ldye st [...]rne,
To such a guyde, as for that vse
hath nede as yet to lerne.
who gyuyng vp hys gohste aloofe
[...]om at hys natyue lande,
In forreyn [...]ore lyes buryed vyl [...]
wyth durtye soddes in sande.
He syts amonge the flyttrynge soules
that straungers to hym weare.
And Aulis Isle that in her mynde
her masters losse dothe beare,
Helde in the sh [...]ppes, to stand and w [...]yl [...]
in crokyng narrow nooke:
That Orpheus Cal [...]iops sonne
who st [...]yd [...] the runnynge b [...]ook [...],
whyle he recordes on hea [...]nly Harp [...]
wyth twancklynge fynger [...]yne,
The wyn [...]e [...]ay [...] downe his pipling [...]
his harmonye diuin [...]
[Page 30]Procurde the woods to styr th [...]m selues,
and trees in eraynes alonge
Cam furth, with byrds that held their laies
and lystned to hys songe.
wyth lyms on sunder rent in fe [...]lde
of Thrace he lyeth ded.
Vp to the top of Heber flood
eke hal [...]d was hys hed.
Gone downe he is to Stygian dam [...]es.
whych seene he had before,
And Tartar boylyng pyttes, from whenc [...]
ret [...]rne he shall no more.
Alcydes bangyng bat dyd brynge
the Northerne laddes to grounde.
To Achelo of sundry shapes
he gaue hys mortall wounde.
Yet after he could purchase peece
both vnto sea and lande`
And after Ditis dungeon black
rent open by hys hand,
He lyuyng spred hym selfe along [...]
on burnynge O [...]tas hyll:
Hys members in hys prop [...]r flame
the wretche dyd thr [...]ste to spyll:
Hys blood he brewd wyth Nestors blood,
and lost hys lothsome lyfe
By traytrus gyfte that poysoned shyrte
receaued of hys wy [...]e.
wyth tuske of brystl [...]d groy [...]yng bore
Anceus lyms were torne.
O Mel [...]ager (wycked wyght)
to graue by thee [...]ere borne
Thy mothers brethren twayne, and she,
for it wyth ruthfull hande
H [...]th wrought thy dolefull destenye
to burne thy fatall brande.
The rash attemptyng Argonantes
deserued all the death
That Hylas whom Alcides loste
be [...]eft of fadyng br [...]a [...]h.
[Page]That springall whych in sowsyng [...]
of wat [...]rs drowned was:
Go now ye lustye bloods, the seas:
with doubtfull lot to passe.
Though Idmon had the calking skyll
of destenyes before,
The Se [...]pent made hym l [...]ue hys lyf [...]
in tombe of Liby shoore.
And Mopsus that to other men
could well theyr fates [...]scrye,
Yet onely dyd deceyue hym selfe
vncertayne wheare to dye,
And he that could the secret hap
of thynges to come vnfoulde,
Yet dyed not in hys cuntrey Thebes.
Dame Thetis husband oulde
Dyd wander lyke an outlawde man.
Our Palimedes syre
Dyd hedlonge wholme hym selfe in seas,
who at the Grek [...]s retyre
From Troy, to rushe on rocks did them
alure wy [...]h wylye l [...]ght.
Stoute Aiax O [...]lens dyd sustayn [...]
the dynt of thunder bryghte,
And cruell storme of surgyng seas,
to quite the haynus gylte,
That by hys cuntrey was commit,
in seas he lyeth spylte.
A leeste to redeme her hus­bandes
Phereus lyfe from death [...]
The godlye wyfe vppon her spouse
bestowed her pantyng breath.
Proude Pelias that wretche hym s [...]lf [...]
who bad them fyrste assaye
The golden Fleece that botye braue
by shyp to fe [...]che awaye,
Perboylde in glowyng cauldro [...] [...]
wyth feruent heatche fryes,
And fletynge pec [...]meale vp and dou [...]
in [...]at [...]r thyn he lyes.
[Page 31]Ynoughe, ynoughe, reuenged are
o Goddes the wronges of seas,
Be good to Iason, doing that
he dyd, hys came to please.

¶The fourth Acte.

Nutrix.
MY shyuerynge minde amazed is,
agaste, and sore dysmayde:
My chyllysh lyms with quakyng colde
doe tremble all afrayde.
Such plagues & vengeance is at hande
in what excedyng wyse
Do sharpe assaultes of gredye greife
styll more and more aryse,
And of it selfe in smotheryng brest
enkyndles greater heate?
Ofte haue I seene how rampyng rage
hath forced her to freate.
Wyth frantickfyts, mad, bedlem wise
agaynst the Gods to rayle,
And eke bewytched gohstes of heauen
in plungyng plagues to trayle:
But now Medea beates her bu­sie
braine to brynge to passe
A myscheyfe greater, greater far,
then euer any was.
[Page]Ere whyle when hence she trypt away
astonyshed so sore,
And of her poyson closset close
she entred had the dore:
She powreth out her iewels all,
abrode to lyght she brynges
That which she dreadyng lothed long,
moste irksome vglye thynges:
She mumblyng coniures vp by names
of illes the rable rowte,
In hugger mugger cowched longe,
kept close, vnserched oute:
All pestlent plagues she calles vppon,
what euer Libie lande,
In frothy boylyng stream doth worke,
or muddye belchynge sande:
What teryng torments Taurus bredes,
wyth snowes vnthawed styll
Where winter flawes, and hory froste
knyt harde the craggy hyll,
She layes her crossynge handes vpon
eache monstrus coniurd thynge,
And ouer it her magicke verse
wyth charmyng dothe she synge:
A mowsye, rowsye, rustye route
wyth cancred scales y [...]lad
From mustye, fustie, dustye dens
where lurked longe they had,
[Page 32]Do [...]raull: a walowing [...]arpent houge
hys combrous corps out draggs,
In fierye fomyng blaryng mouthe
his forked tongue he wagges.
He stares about wyth sparklyng eyes,
if som he myght espye,
Whom snapping at with stinging spit
he myght constrayne to dye:
But hearyng once the magycke uerse
he husht as all a gast,
Hys bodie boalne byg, wrapt in lumps
[...]n twynyng knotes he cast.
And wamblynge to and fro his tayle
in lynkes he row [...]es it round.
Not sharp enough (quoth she) y • plages
and tooles that holow grownd
Engenders for my purpose ar,
to heauen vpp wyll I call,
To reache me stronger poyson down,
to frame my fea [...] wyth all.
Now is it at the verye poynt,
Medea thou assaye.
To brynge about sum farther fetche,
then common wyches maye.
Let down, Let down, that sprawlyng snake
that doth his bodye spred,
As doth a runnyng broke abrode
his myghtye chanell shed.
[Page]Whose swellyng knobes of wondrous sise
& boysteus bobbing bumpes
Doth thumpe the great & lesser bear
that fele his heauye lumpes.
The bygger bear with golden glede
the greekishe fleete doth guyde:
But by the lesse the Sidon shypps
their passage haue espied.
He that wyth pinche of gripyng fyste
doth bruse the adders twayne,
His strenyng harde & claspyng hande,
let him vnknitt agayne.
And crushe thair squeased venom out,
com further thou our charme
O flymie serpent Python, whom
dame Iuno sent to harme
Diana and Apollo both,
(those heauenly spyrytes twayne)
With whom Latona trauelynge
did grone wyth pynchyng payne.
O Hydra whom in Lerna poole
Alcides gaue the foyle,
And all the noysom vermen vyle
that Hercules did spoyle.
Which when on sunder they were cutt
wyth slysyng deadlye knyfe,
Can knyt agayne ther sodred partes,
and so recouer lyfe.
[Page 33]Helpe wakefull Dragon Argos [...] whom
firste magicke words of myne
Made Morpheus locke thy sleppe liddes
and shut thy slurgynge eyen.
Then hauyng brought aboue the groūd
of serpentes all the row [...]e,
Of fylthy wedes the ranckest bane
she pyckes. and gathers out,
That spryng on kno [...]tye Eryx hyll
wher passage none is founde,
Among the ragged rockes, or what
on Caucasus his ground
Doth growe that styll is clad in cote
of horye morye froste.
That euermore vnmelt abydes,
whose spattred fylde is soste
With g [...]bbs of blood, y t spowteth from
Prometheus gapyng maw,
Whose gutts with twitching talēt out
the gastlye grype doth drawe.
Or anye other venomous herbe
amonge the Medes that growes,
that with their sheafe of arrowes sharp
in fylde do scar theyr foes.
Or what the lyght held Parthian
to serue her turne can sende,
Or els the ryche Arabians,
that dyp theyr arrowes end
[Page]In poyson [...]tronge: the ioyce of all
Medea o [...]t doth wrynge,
That vnderneth the frosen poale
In swe [...]ia land doth sprynge.
Whose noble state Hircinus wood
do the highe enhaunce and reare.
Or what the plea [...]aūte soyle doth yeild
in pryme of smiling vere,
When nature byddes the byrd begin
her shrowdyng nest to buylde,
Or when the chursyshe Boreas blast
sharpe winter hath exild,
The trym aray of branche and bough
to cloth the naked tree,
And euerye thynge wyth bytter could
of snowe con [...]ealed be.
In any pestylent flower on stalke
of anye herbe doth grow,
Or noysome ioyce doth ly in rot­ten
writhen rotes alowe,
Hath anye force in breadyng bane,
those takes she in her hande.
Sum plagye herbes dyd Athos yeald
that mount of Thessayle land.
And other Pindus roches hye
and sum vppon the top
Of Pingeus, but tender twyggs
the cruell sythe dyd l [...]pp:
[Page 34]Thes Tigris ryuer noryshte vp,
that chokes his whyrlpoale depe
With stronger streame. Danubius those
in fostryng waue dyd kepe.
Those dyd Hidaspus mynister,
who by the parchyng zone
With luke warme siluer chanel runes,
so ryche wyth precyous stone.
And Bethis sonne, who gaue the name
vnto his contrey great,
And with his shallowe fourd agaynst
the Spanyshe seas doth beat
This herbe abode the edge af knyfe
in danwnynge of the daye
Or Phebus face gan pepe, bedecte
wyth glyttryng goulden spraye
His slender stalke was snepped of
in depe of sylent nyght,
Hys corne was cropt, whyle she wyth charm
her po [...]sned nailes did dight.
She chops the dedlie herbes, & wrings
the squesed clottered blood
Of serpentes out: & fylthye byrds
of irksom mirye mud:
She tempers wyth the same and eake:
She brayes the harte of owle
Foreshewing death with glaring eyes
and moapyng visage foule
[Page]Of shr [...]ke oule hoarce alyue she takes
the durtye stynkyng guttes,
Al thes the framer of this feate
in dyuers percels puttes.
This hath in it deuouryng force
of gredye spoylynge flame,
The frosen eysye dullyng coulde
engenders by the same.
She chantes on those y e magicke vers,
that workes no lesser harme,
With bustling frātickelie she stampes,
and ceaseth not to charme.
MEDEA.
O Flittring flocks of grislie gostes
that syt in sylent seat
O ougsum buggs o gobblyns grym
of hell I you intreat:
O lowryng Chaos dungeon blynd,
and dredfull darkned pytt,
Whear Ditis muffled vp in clowdes
of blackest shades doth sytt,
O wretched wofull wawlyng soules
your ayed I do implore,
That linked lie with ginglyng chaines
on waylyng Limbo shore,
[Page 35]O mo [...]sye den where deth doth couche
his gastly carrayn face:
Releas your panges o spryghtes, & to
this weddyng hye apace.
Cause ye the snaggye whele to pawse
that rentes the carkas bound,
Permitt Ixions racked lymmes
to rest vpon the ground:
Let hungry bytten Tantalus
wyth gawnt and pyned panch [...]
Soupe vp Pirenes gulped streame
his swellyng thyrst to stawnche.
Let burnyng Creon byde the brunt
and gyrdes of greater payne,
Let payse of slypperye slydyng stone
type ouer backe agayne
His moylynge father Sisyphus,
amonges the craggye rockes.
Ye doughters dyre of Danaus
Whom perced pychers morkes
So oft wyth labour lost in vayne
this day doth long for you
That in your lyfe wyth bloodye blade
at once your husband slewe.
And thou whose aares I honored haue
o torche and lampe of nyght,
Approche o ladye myne wyth most
deformed vysage dyght:
[Page]O thre folde shapen dame that knitst
more threatnyng browes then on,
Acco [...]dyng to the contrey guyse
wyth daglyng lockes vndon
And naked fote, the secrete groue
about I halowed haue,
From duskye drye vnmoystye cloudes
the showers of rayne I craue.
Through me y e chinked gaping ground
the soked seas hath drunk,
And mayner streame of thocian flood
beneth the erthe is sunke,
that swelteth out through holow gulph
with stronger gushyng rage.
Thē were his suddy wamblyng waues
whose power it doth asswage
the heauens w t wrong disturbed course
and out of order quyte,
The darkned sonne, & glīmering stars
at once hath shewed theyr lyght,
and drēched Charles his stragling waine
hath ducte in dasshyng waue,
The framed cours of roamyng time
racte out of frame I haue.
So my enchaūtments haue it wrough [...]
that when the flamyng sonne
In sōmer bakes the parched soyle
then hath the twygges begonne,
[Page 36]with sprowting blossom fresh to blome'
and hastye wynter corne
Hath out of haruest sene the fruyte
to barnes on suddeyn borne.
Into a shallowe foorde hys sture
dystreame hath Phasis wast
And Isters channell beynge in
so manye braunches cast,
Abated hath hys wrackfull waues,
on euerye sylent shore
He lyeth calme: The iumbled flooddes
wyth th [...]ndryng noyse dyd rore,
When couched close the wyndes were
not mouing pipp [...]ing softe,
With workyng waue the prauncynge seas
haue swolne & leapt aloft,
Wheras the wood in alder tyme
wyth thyck and braunched bowe
dyd spred hys shade on gladsome soyle
no shade remayneth nowe.
I rollynge vp the magicke verse
at noone tyme Phaebu [...] staye,
Amyd the darkened skye, when fled
was lyght of drowsye daye
Eke at my charme the watry flockes
of H [...]yads went to glade.
Tyme is it Phaeba to respecte
the seruyce to thee made:
[Page]To thee with cruell blooddye handes
thes garlandes grene were twind
Whych with hys foldyng circles nine
the serpent rowgh dyd bynd.
Haue here Tipho [...]as fleshe, that dothe
In Etnas furnace grone,
That shake with batterye vyolent
kynge Ioues assalted trone.
This is the Centaures poysened blood
whiche Nessus vylia [...]ne vyle
Who made a rape of Dianire
entendynge her to fyle,
Bequethed her when newlye woūde
he gaspynge lay for breth,
While Hercles shaft stack in his ribbs,
whose lawnce did worke his death:
B [...]holde the funerall cinders hear
whyche vp the poyson dryed
Of Hercul [...]s who in hys fyre
on Oeta mountayne dyed:
Lo here the fatall brande, which late
the fatall systers three
Conspyred at Mel [...]agers byrthe,
such shulde hys destnye be,
To saue alyue hys brethyng corpes,
whyle tha [...] myght hole remayne,
Wh [...]che safe hys mother Alte kept,
tyll he his vncles twayne,
[Page 37](That from Atlanta wolde haue had
the head of Conquered Bore,)
Had reft of lyfe whose spytefull death
Althea toke so sore,
That both she shewed her feruentnes
in systers godlye lous,
When to reuenge her brothers death
mere nature dyd her moue,
But yet as mother most vnkynde
of nature moste vnmylde,
To hasten the vntymely graue
of her beloued chylde,
Whyle Mel [...]ages [...]atall brande
she wasted in the flame,
Whose swelting guts & bowels moult
consumed as the same,
These plumes the Harpyes raueninge fowles
for hast did leue behind,
In hidden hole whose cloase accesse
no mortall wight can fynd.
When fast from Zethes chasyng them
wyth spedye flyght they fled.
Put vnto these the fethers whyche
the Stymphall byrde dyd shed,
Whom duskyng Phaebus dymned lyght
syr Hercules dyd stynge,
And galled wyth the shafte, that he
in Hydraes hyde dyd flynge.
[Page]You Aares haue yeld a clattryng noyse
I knowe, I knowe of olde,
How vnto me my Oracles
are wonted to be coulde,
That when the tremblyng flowre doth shake
then hath my Goddesse greate,
Uouchfafe to graunt me my requeste
as I dyd her intreate.
I see Dianas waggyn swyfe,
not that wheron she glydes
When all the nyght in darkened skye
wyth face full ope she rydes:
with coūtenaūce bryght & blandishyng
but when with heauie cheare,
With duskie shīmering wannie globe,
her lampe doth pale appeare.
Or when she trots aboute the heauens [...]
wyth horsehead rayned straite,
When Thessayle wytches w t the threates
of c [...]armynge her doe bayte.
So wyth thy dumpysh dulled blase,
thy clowdye faynting lyghte,
Sende out, amyd the lowryng skye,
the harte of people smyte
Wyth agonyes of suddeine dread,
in straunge and fearefull wyse,
Compell the precyous brasen pannes
with iarryng noyse to ryse
[Page 38]Through Corinth contrye euerye wher,
to shylde the from this harme,
lest hedlong drawne thou be frō h [...]auen
to earth by force of charme.
An holye solempne sacryfyce
to worship the we make,
Imbrewed with a blooddye turphe
the kindled torche doth take
Thy sacred burning night fyre at
the dampishe morie graue.
Sore charged with thy trowbled ghost
my hed I shaken haue,
And du [...]kyng downe my necke alowe
with shrykyng lowde haue shright,
And groueling flat on floore in traūce
haue lyen in dead mans plight.
My tuffled lockes about myne eares
downe daglyng haue ben bownde
Tuckt vp about my temples twayne
wyth gladsome garland [...]rownd:
A drerye branche is offred the
from fylthye stigis flood.
As is the guise of Bacchus prestes
the Coribanthes wood,
With naked brest and dugges layd out
Ile prycke with sacred blade
Myne arme, that for the bubling blood
an issue maye be made,
[Page]with trilling streams my purple blood
let droppe on Thalter stones:
My tender chyldrens crusshed flesh
and broken broosed bones
Lerne how to brooke w t hardned harte [...]
in practyse put the [...]rade
To florysh fearce, and kepe a coyle,
wyth naked glyttrynge blade:
I spryncl [...]d holye water haue,
the launce once being made,
If tyred thou complaynest that
my cryes thee ouerlade,
Gyue pardon to my ernest sute,
o Perceus syster deare,
Styll Iason is the onelye cause
that vrgeth me to reare
w t squeking voice thy noisome beames,
that stynge lyke shot of bowe.
So season thou those sawced robes
to worke Creusas woe,
Wherw t when she shal pranke her self [...]
the poyson by and by
To rotte her in warde marye oute,
wythin her bones may fry,
The secret fyer bleares their eyes
wyth glosse of yealow golde,
The whych Prometheus gaue to me
that fyer fylcher bolde.
[Page]On whom for robbery that he dyd
in heauens aboue commyt,
Wyth massy payse great Caucasus
thunweldye hyll doth syt,
Where vnder wyth vnwasted wombe
he lyes, and payes his paine,
To feede the crāmyng foule w t gubbes
of guttes that growes agayne.
He taught me wyth a pretye sleyght
of connyng, how to hyde
The strengthe of fyer close kept in,
that may not be espyed,
Thys lyuely tinder Mulciber
hath forged for my sake,
That tempred is wyth brymston quick
at fyrste touche and take.
Eke of my cosen Phacton
a wyld fyer flake I haue
Hys flames the monstrous stagharde rough [...]
Chimera to me gaue,
In head and breste a Lyon grymme,
and from the rump behynde
He swepes the flower w t laggyng taile
of Serpent force by kynde.
In rybbes & loynes along his paunche
yshaped lyke a Gote.
these fumes that out the bull perbrakt [...]
from fyrye spewing throte,
[Page]I gotten haue and brayd it wyth
Medusas bytter gall
Cōmaundyng it in secret sorte
to duske and couer all:
Breath on these venoms Hecate
wyth deadly myght inspyre,
Preserue the touchyng poulder of
my secret couert fyre,
O graunt that these my cloked craftes
so may bewytch theyr eyes,
That lykelyhood of treason none
that may herein surmyse:
So worke that they in handlyng it
may fele no kynde of heate:
Her stewing brest, her sethyng vaines,
let feruent fyer freate
And force her rosted pynyg lymmes,
to droppe and melte awaye,
Let smoke her rotten broylyng bones:
enflame thys bryde to daye
To caste a lyght wyth greater glede
on fryseled blasynge heare
Then is the shynyng flame that dothe
the weddyng torches beare.
My sute is harde, thryse Hecate
a dreadfull barkyng gaue
From dolefull clowde a sacred flash
of flamye sparkes she draue.
[Page]Eache poysons pryde fulfylled is:
Call furthe my chyldren deare,
By whom vnto the cursed Bryde
these presentes you may beare:
Goe furthe, goe furthe my lytle babes,
your mothers cursed fruite,
Goe, goe, employ your paines w t brybe
and earnest humble sute
To purchase grace, and eke to earne
you fauour in her syght.
That both a mother is to you,
and rules wyth Ladyes myght.
Go on, applye your charge apace
and hye you home agayne,
That wyth embracyng you I maye
my last farewell attayne.

¶Chorus.

WHat [...]arpe assaultes of cru [...]ll Cupydes flam [...]
Wyth gyddie hede thus tosseth to and froe,
Thys bedlem wyght, and dyuelysh des [...]ret dame
what rouyng rage b [...]e pryckes to worke thys woe?
Rough rancours byle con [...]eales h [...]r trosen face,
Her hawtie brest [...] bumbasted is wyth pryde,
She shakes her head, she stalkes wyth statelye pace,
She threates our kyng more then doth hee betyde.
who wolde her deme to be a banysht wyght,
whose ska [...]let cheekes do glowe wyth rosye red?
In fayntyng face wyth pale and wannye whyght
The sa [...]guy [...] hew exyled thence is f [...]ed.
[Page]H [...]r chaungyng lok [...]s no colour lo [...]g [...] can holde,
Her s [...]iftyng [...] fete styll trauasse to [...]nd [...]oe.
Euen as the f [...]arce and t [...]nyng T [...]ge [...] old [...]
That dot [...] vnware hys suckyng whe [...]es fo [...]goe,
Doth rampe, and rage, most eger f [...]ce and [...]ood,
Amonge the shrubb [...]s and bu [...]shes t [...]at do [...] [...]owe
On Ganges st [...]onde that goldensanded [...]lood,
whose syluer str [...]ame through India doth flow [...].
Eu [...]n s [...] M [...]dea somtyme wantes her wytt [...]s
To rule the rage of her vnbrydeled [...]e,
Now Venus sonne wyt [...] [...]usye frowa [...]d fyts,
Now wrath and l [...]u [...], enkyndle both the fyre.
what sha [...]l she do? when wyll thys heynous wyght
wyth fo [...]worde fo [...]e be packyng hence awaye,
From Gre [...]c [...]? to ea [...]e our realme of ter [...]our quyght,
And prynces twai [...] whom she so sore doth fraye:
Now [...]haebus lodge thy Charyot in the w [...]ste,
Let nether raines nor brydle staye thy race,
L [...]t groue [...]ing lyg [...]t wyth dul [...]e at nyght oppreste
In clokyng cloud [...]s wrapt vp hys muffled fac [...],
Let H [...]sperus the la [...]desman of the nyght,
In westerne flood drenche depe the daye so bryght.

¶The .v. Acte.

Nuntius. Chorus. Nutrix. Medea [...] Iason.
Nun.
ALl thynges are [...]opsy turuy turnd,
and wasted cleane to nought
To passynge great calamy [...]ye
our kyngdome state is brought
The syer and doughter burnte to duste
in blendred cynders lye.
Cho.
what train ha [...]h thē entrapt?
Nū
¶such as
are made for kyngs to dye,
[Page 41]False tra [...]trusse gifts.
Cho.
¶what priuy guile
could wrapped be in those?
Nun.
¶And I do meruayle at thys thynge
and skante I can suppose
that such a mischeife might be wrought
by any such deuyce
C [...]o,
¶Reporte how thys dystruction
and ruine should aryse
Nun.
¶The fyzzinge [...]lame most egerlye
dath scoure wyth swepynge swaye
Eache corner of the prynces courte,
as though it should obaye
Commaunded therunto so f [...]at
on flowre the pallayce falles:
We are in dread least further it
wyll take the townysh walles.
Cho.
¶Cast quenchyng water on it then
to slake the gredye [...]lame.
Nun.
¶And thys that semeth very straunge
doe happen in the same,
The water fedes the fyer faste,
the more that we do toyle
It to suppresse, wyth hotter rage
the heate begyngs to boyle:
Those thinges that we haue gotten for
our helpe it dothe enioye.
Nut.
Medea thou that doest so sore
kyng Pelops lande anoye,
[Page]Twine hence in hast thy forward foot,
at all assayes depart
To anye other kynde of coast.
Me.
¶can I fynd in my hart
To shun this land? if hence I had
fyrst falne awaye by flyght,
I would haue traueled back agayne,
to gase at suche a syght.
To stand and se this weddynge new
why stayest thou dotyng mynd?
Apply, applye, thy sore attempt,
that good sucesse doth fynd.
What great exployt is this, that thou
of vengeance dost enioy?
Styll art thou blynded witlesse wench
with vale of Venus boy?
Is this suffisaunce for thy grefe?
is roote of rancour ded,
If Iason lead a syngle life
in solytary bed?
Som netling, thornie, stinging plages
vnpractysed deuyse:
Prepare thy selfe in redynes
and fal to on this wyse:
Let all be fyshe that commes to net,
haue no respect of ryght,
From mynde on myschefe fixed fast
let shame be banysht quyt:
[Page 42]The vengeaunce they receaued at
my lytle chyldrens hande,
Is nothyng worth: in ernest ire
ententyue must thou stand.
When heat of wrath beginnes to coole
cheare vp thy selfe agayn:
Rayse vp those touches old that won­ted
were in the to raygne,
That buryed depe in brest do lye:
and as for all the same
That yet is wrought. of godlyn [...]sse
let it vsurpe the name [...]
Do this & I shall teache them learne,
what tryflyng cast it was,
And common practised flymflam tryck
that erst I brought to passe.
By thys my ragyng maladye
a preamble hath made,
To shew what howgier heapes of har­mes
shall shortlye them inuade
What durst my rude vnskillfull hand
assaye that was of wayght?
What could the mallyce of a gyrle
inuent her foes to bayte?
Styll conuersant with wicked feates
Medea am I made.
My blunt and dulled braynes hath so
ben beat about this trade:
[Page]O so I ioy, I ioy, that I smot of
my brothers hed,
And slasht his members of [...]eak that
from parents [...]and I fled:
And filched haue the priuy fleece
lo Mars that sacred was.
It glads my hart that I to bring
ould Pelias death to passe.
Haue set his douggters all on worke,
O griefe picke out awaye
Not any guilt thou shalt with vn­acqueinted
hand assaie
Against whom wrath entendest thou
to bend thyne Irefull might?
Or with what weapon dost thou mean
thy traiterous foes to smite?
I know not what my wrathfull minde
consulted hath within
And to bewraie it to him selfe,
I dare not yet begin.
O rash and vnaduised foole,
I make to hastie spede:
O that my foe had gotten of
his harlots bodie seede:
But what so euer thou by him
enioyest, suppose the same
To be Creusas babes of them
let her euioy the name.
[Page 43]This vengeaūce this doth lyke me wel
good reason is their why
The last attempt of yls, thou must
with stomacke stout applie.
Alas ye lytell selie fooles
that erst my children were,
The plaging price of fathers fault
submyt your selues to beare
O, horrour huge with sodayne stroke
my hart doth ouercom
with ysie dullynge colde conieald
my members all benum.
My shiueryng lims appauled sore
for gastly feare do quake,
A [...]d banisht rage of malice hot
begins it selfe to flake:
The hatefull hart of wife against
her Spouse hath yelded place,
And pityous mothers mercy mild
restoreth natures face.
O shall I shed their giltlesse blood?
shall I the frame vnfould
Of that, whiche louyng natures hande
hath wrought in me her mould?
O doty [...]g fury chaunge thy minde,
conceiue a better thought,
Let not this haynous sauage dede
by meanes of me be wrought.
[Page]What cryme haue they (poore fooles) cōmit
for which they shuld abye?
Upon theyr father Iason ryght
all blott of blame shuld lye.
Medea yet theyr mother I
am worser far then he
Tush let them frankly go to wracke,
no kith nor kyn to me
They a [...]: dispache them out of hand
hould, hould [...] my babes they be
God wot most harmelesse lambes they ar,
no cryme nor fault haue they
Alas they be mere innocentes
I do not this denaye:
So was my brother whom I slew:
o falce reuoltyng mynd
Why doest thou staggryng to and fro
suche chaunge of fancyes fynde?
Why is my face be sprent with teares
what makes me falter so,
That wrath & loue with striuing thoughtes
do lead me to and fro?
Such fyghting fancyes bickeryng stormes
my swaruyng mind detar,
As when betwene y e wrestling windes
is raysed wranglyng war,
Eche where the tumblynge walloinge waues,
ar hoist and reared hye
[Page 44]Amyd the iustlyng swolues of seas
that whot in [...]urye frye:
Euen so my hart w t strugling thoughts
now synkes, now swells ama [...]n,
Wrath somtyme chaseth vertue out
and vertue wrath agayne.
O yeld the yeld, a grysyng grefe,
to vertue yeld th [...] place:
Thou onely comfort of our stocke
in this afflicted case,
Come hether comdere loued impe
with collyng me imbrace,
While that by me your mother dere
swete Boyes ye are enioyed
So longe god graunt your father may
you kepe from harme vncloyd
Exile and flight approche on me,
And they shall by and by
Be puld perforce out of myne armes,
with vapourd weping eye
Sore languishing with moorning hart
yet let them go to graue
Before [...]heir fathers face as they
before their mothers haue:
Now rancorus grefe with firy fits
begins to boyle agayne,
The quenched coles of dedly hate
do fressher force attayne.
[Page]The rustye rancour harbred longe
within my cancred brest
Startes vp, and stirres my hand anew
in myscheife to be prest.
O that the rablement of brattes
whych swarmde aboute the syde
Of Niobe that scornefull dame
who perysht by her pryde
Had taken lyfe out of hys lymmes.
o that the fates of heauen
A fruytefull mother had me made
of chyldren seuen and seuen.
My barreyne wombe [...]or my reuenge
hath yeilded lytle store
Yet for my sire and brother, twayne
I haue, theyr nedes no more:
whō seke this rufflyng rowt of feendes
wyth gargell vysage dyght;
Where wil they deale their stripes, or whom
wyth whyps of fyer smite?
Or whom wyth cruell scorching brand
and Stygian faggot fell,
wyth mischeife great to cloy, entendes
this armye black of hell?
A choppyng Adder gan to hisse
wyth wrethynges wrapped round,
As soone as dyd the lasshyng whyp
[...]erte out wyth yerkyng sound.
[Page 45]whom bumping with thy rapping post
Megeta wilt thou crush?
whose ghost doth here mishapt frō hell
with scattered members rush?
My slautred brothers ghost it is
that vengeaunce coms to craue:
Accordyng to his dire request
due vengeaunce shall he haue.
But flap thou fearce the fierbrandes
full dasshed in myne eyes,
Dig, rent, scrape, burne, & squea [...] thē out
loe ope my brest it lies,
To fightyng furyes bobbyng strokes
O brother, brother bid
These royles, y • prease to worrey mee,
them selues away to rid.
Down to the silent soules alowe
Not takynge any care:
Let me be left heare by my selfe
alone, and do not spare.
To bast, and capperclaw these armes
that drewe the blody blade:
To quenche the furyes of thy sprite,
that thus do me inuade,
With this rig [...]t hand the sacrifyce
on thalter shalbe made.
What meanes this sudden tramplyng noyse?
a bande of men in Armes
[Page]Come bustlyng towarde vs, that m [...]
wyll cloy wyth [...]eadly harmes.
To ende thys slaughter set [...]ppon
I wyll my selfe conuaye
Up to the garrets of our house,
come Nurce wyth me awaye,
Bestowe thy bodye hence wyth me
from daunger of our foes.
Now thus my mynde on myscheife set
thou must thy selfe dyspose,
Let not the flyckeryng fame & prayse
in darkenesse be exilde
Of stomack stoute [...] that you dyd vse
in murtherynge of thy chyld.
Proclayme in peoples eares the prayse
of cruell blodye hande.
Ia.
¶If any faythfull man here be,
whom ruyne of hys lande,
And slaughter of hys prynce do cause
in pensyue harte to bleede,
step furth that ye may take the wretch
that wrought thys deadly dede.
Heare, heare, ye iolye champyons
lay lode wyth weapons heare,
Haue now, hoyst vp this house, frō low
foundacyon vp it reare.
Me.
¶Now, now my scepter guilt I haue
recouered once agayne:
[Page 46]My fathers wronges reuenged are,
and eke my brother slayne:
The gouldens cattels Fleece returnd
is to my natyue lande,
Possessyon of my realme I haue
reclaymed to my hande:
Come home is my vi [...]gynitie,
that whilom went a straye.
O Gods as good as I could wysshe,
o ioyfull weddyng daye,
Go shrowde thy selfe in darkenesse dim
dyspacht I haue thys feate:
Yet vengeance is not done inough,
to coole our thrystye heate.
O soule why dost thou make delaye?
why dost thou doubtyng stande?
Go foreward with it yet thou mayst,
whyle doinge is thy hande:
The wrath that might should mynister
doth qualefye hys flame:
The pryckes of sorow twitch my harte
attaynt wyth blusshyng shame:
Through rygour of thy haynous gore
o wreatche what hast thou done?
Though I repent a caytyfe vyle
I am, to slea my sonne:
Alas I haue commytted it,
importunate delyght,
[Page]Styll egged on my froward mynde
that dyd agaynst it fyght:
And loe the vayne coniecte of thys
delyght increaseth styll,
Thys onely is the thyng, that wantes
vnto my wycked wyll,
That Iasons eyes should see this syght
as yet I do suppose
Nothyng it is that I haue done,
my trauell all I lose,
That I employde in dyry deedes,
vnlesse he see the same.
Ia,
¶Loe heare she loketh out, and leanes
vpon the houses frame,
That pitchlong hanges w t falling sway:
heare heape your fyers fast,
Wherby the flames that she her selfe
enkyndled, may her wast.
Me.
¶Go Iason, go the o [...] ryghtes
the wyndynge sheete and graue
Make redye for thy sonns, as last
behoueth hym to haue,
Thy spouse and eke thy father in lawe
that are entomde by me
Receyued haue the dutyes that
to ded mens ghostes agree.
Thys chylde hath felte the dedly stroke
and launce of fatall knyfe,
[Page 47]And thys wyth wal [...]some murther like
shall lose her tender lyfe.
Ia.
¶By all the sacred ghostes of heauen,
and by thy ofte exile,
And spousall bed, w t breache of loue
in me dyd not defyle,
Now spare, and sa [...]e the lyfe of hym
my chylde and also thyne:
What euer cryme commytted is,
I graunt it to be myne [...]
Make me a blodie sacri [...]ice
to dew deserued death,
Take from my synful giltie hed
the vse of vitall breath.
Me.
¶Naye sith thou wylt not haue it so
as greeues thy pynched minde,
Here way to wreck my vengeaūce [...]ell
my burninge blade shall finde.
Anaunt, now hence thou pesant prowd
employ thy busye payne,
To reape the fruites of virgins bed,
and cast them of agayne
whē mothers they ar made.
Ia.
¶let one
for dew reuenge suffyce.
If gredye thryste of hungry handes
that still for vengeaunce cryes,
Myght quenched be with blood of one
then aske I none at all,
[Page]And yet to staunche my hongry greefe
the number is to small,
If onely twayne I slea, if pleadge
of loue lye secret made,
My bowels Ile vnbreste and searche
my wombe wyth pokynge blade.
Ia.
¶Now fynysh out thy deadly deede,
that enterprysed is,
No more entrea [...]aunce will I vse,
yet onely graunt me thys,
Delaye a whyle hys dolefull death,
that I may take my flyght.
Least that myne [...]yes w t bledyng harte
should vew that heauye syght.
Me.
¶Yet lynger eger anguyshe yet
to slea thys chyld of thyne.
Ronne not to rash wyth hastye speede
thys dolefull day is myne:
The [...]yme that we obteyned haue
of Creon, we enioye.
Ia.
¶O vyle malycyous mynded wreache
my lothsome lyfe dystroye.
Me.
¶In crauing this thou speakest, that I
should shew thee some releefe,
Well goodynough, all thys is done:
o ruthfull gyddye greefe,
Thys is the onely sacryfyce
that I can thee prouyde,
[Page]Unthankfull Iason hether caste
thy coyesh lookes asyde.
Lo heare dost thou beholde thy wyfe?
thus euer wonted I,
When murther I had made, to scape,
my way doth open lye
That I may sprynge into the skyes [...]
the flyeng serpentes twayne
Submytted haue theyr s [...]aly neckes
to y [...]ke of ratlyng wayne,
Thou father haue thy sonnes agayne
I in the wandryng skye,
In nymble wheled waggyn swyfte
will ryde aduaunced hye.
Ia.
¶Go through the ample spaces wyde,
infecte the poysoned ayr [...],
Beare wytnesse grace of God is none
in place of thy repayre.
FINIS

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