ALCIPPUS

Phaebus write thou this glorious victory And graven it on thy shining axeltree That all may see a fisher hath done more Then any age hereafter or before. Perindus most happy have I found thee here Were you away To the Echo I had told it, as grief, so joy Pressed down is burdensome, for now I see Joy is no joy I barred from company Olinda by the Priests enchained-fast Unto the fatal rock down to the wast Was naked left, which thus was better drea to Beauty when most unclothed is clothed best: And now the Priest all rites had finished And those last words and hidden verses said Then thus he loud proclaims, who dare adventure Against this monstrous beast, now let him enter And if he conquer by his bold ndeauour This goodly maid shall be his prize forever Straight was the monster loosed, whose ugly sighed Struck every trembling heart with cold affright Some sweat, some freeze, some shreike, some silent wear The eye durst neither wink nor see for fear: Heaven hid his light, the fearful sun did shrow His glorious eye under a jet y cloud. Yes, and my panting heart To think I saw it in my breast does start. Never tongue can tell What to it self no thought can portray well. More big then monstrous Python, whom men feign By Phaebus first was bred, by Phaebus slain. His teeth thick ranked in many a double band Like to and armed battle ready stand His eyes sunk in's head, more fearful stood Like bloody flame or Like to flaming blood Not any ear upon his head appears, No plaint nor prayer, no threat nor charm he fears In sea and land he lives and takes from both Each monsters partly which most we fear and loath, Soon as he felt him lose, he shakes his crest And hungry posteth to his ready feast And as through seas his oars a passage tear The thronging waves fly fast, and roar for fear. In all their shreiks he smiles Stretching his arms, to fight himself composes And nothing feared his body enterposes Shaking a dart the monster he defies Who scorning such a foe to's banquet flies But he with certain aim his Javelin drives Which as the sender bade at's eye arrives. And fixed in's hollow sighed, deep drenched stood Quenching the bloody fire with fiery blood The wounded monster loudly begins to yell If Hell do speak such is the voice of Hell, And to revenge his hurt he flies apace The other dart met him i'th middle raze And as along he blindly fast does post His way and there eye together lost Thus blind he quickly die, and being dead Leaves to his foe his spoils, his paws his head. Perindus then mightest thou have seen how love Is not more bold then fearful, he that strove And conquered such a monster with a dart To her fair eyes yields up his heart Ah hadst thou seen how fearful modesty Joined with chased love did chide the hungry eye Which having long abstained and long time fasted Some of those dainties now would feign have asted Ah hast thou seen which such fit time he God How love to much remembering love forgotten How the eye which such a monster did outface Durst not look up upon her eye to gaze How the hand which such a bold fight undertook When her it touched as with a palsy shook. As all that saw it thou wouldst soon have said That never lived so fortunate a maid. Most happy such a danger to recover More happy far by having such a lover. And hark the Fishers home the victor bringing Chant loud his conquest, his endue praises singing. The light you bear, shows you there is no light. Yet soon will shine again. Sir, if your to me, or mine to you, might give me pri uiledge, I feign would tell you, that this too fixed love seems ra her do king. I think sir never. Yet this I know, love still is of the fairest, Found then the love, that loves the withered, But madness seems to dote upon the dead. If you will leave your grief. I will retire, not leave him: well, I fear, When two such flood-streams meet, love and despair. How is this! have you learned, have you learned your mother Circe's art to raise the dead? wonder? think she lives. I see her in your hand. If you would surely know, try if she breathe, You happy pair, since Cosma's spight's defeated, And Magoe's charms and death by love is cheated, Why stand you here? 'tis time from hence to move: This was the bed of death, and not of love. Death hath his partly of night, love challengeth The rest, love claims the night as well as death. This half persuades me to become a lover. Exe nt. Where better could her love then here have nested? Or he his thoughts more daintily have feasted? I know them both sir. They live and now most happy. Exit Alcippus. You honoured pair of fishers, see where your love, So full of constant trial now hath brought you, See , blessed souls, through so many tears, Turnings, despairs, impossibilities, Your love is now most safe arrived: Thalander, Is this the Nymph, whom heaven and angry hell, Her cold desires, and colder death it self Would have devoured from thy deserving love? Thalander, these hands are thine, that heavenly face, Those starry eyes, those roses and that grace, Those coral lips, and that unknown breast, And all the hidden riches of the rest: They all are thine, thine is the fair Olinda. Yet thou, as thou wast wont, all sad and heavy