NURSE

My Foster gyile, of raving mind, these dreary plaints assuage, Forbear this heat, and bridle yet the rigour of thy rage: Behave thy self for such and one, as men may worthy judge The noble Spouse of Hercules. What treachery entendest thou mad bedlam to commit? Thy husba ̄ worser wilt thou murder wretch? whose flickering fame does flit: From east to west: whose bright renown the earth could not contain But raised aloft, from marble Skies it does rebound again: The mother Earth shall rife in arms for to revenge his graven. His former Stepsiers stock hereby the overthrow shall have: And all Aetolia royal blood will feel and vtterfall: In quarrel of thy Hercules the world conspier shall. Then silly wight how many plagues shalt thou alone abide? But be't that from the face of man thou might thy body hide. Yet Jove the lightning leams of heaven does hold in armed hand, Behold the flying fyry flakes in ranks all ready stand: And threatening thunders thumping thick do bounce out all the day. Deaths dungeon (that thou dost defy) full duly scaare thee may. For there his Uncle vmpyre sits: Much where thou mayest unspied. And every where thou shalt perceive the Gods to him . Die sure thou shall. Trow ye that he this captive quean, and on whom he do see The daughter of his deadly foe, will more esteem then thee? But Issue is the thing that does in marriage kindle love. This while the bondmaid to thee for present shall be braught But yet, he is the son of Jove. What kind of madness may it be that makes thee thus to fare? And is the Jove of Hercules revolt from thee in deed? It is almost a common guise, that wedded wives do haunt, Their husbands hearts by magic Art, and witchcraft to enchant. In winter could I charmed have the woods, to make them sprout. And forced the thunder dint recoil, that hath been bolting out. With waltering surges I have shook the seas amid the calm. I smoothed have the wrestling waves, and la de down every walm. The dry grou ̄ worser gaped hath Like gulfs, & out new springs have gushed. The roaring rocks have quaking sturd, & none therest hath pushed. Hell glounimy gales I have braced cape, where grisly ghosts all hushed Have stood & answering at my charm the goblins grim have scold. The threefold headed hound of hell w to barking throats hath hold. Thus both the seas, the land, the heavens, & hell bow at my beck. Noon day to midnight, to and fro turns at my charming check. At my enchantment every thing declines from nature's law. Our charm shall make his stomach stoop, & bring him more in awe. What may it be, that thou would have me keep so secretly? I you assure I can conceal, if mischief none be meant. For then the keeping close of it is sure a lewbe intent. And think ye it to be the serpents bane that him annoys, That he cannot escape who bore the brunt of it alive, And how to pare of Hydra's heads he could full well contryue When as the victor stood with grinning teath amid the mood, And all his body slauerde fowl with venomous spit and blood, And shall the Centaur Nessus gore against the man prevail That made thy pithy strength it self of Nessus for to quail. I do beseech thee humbly for this grey and hoary head, And for these paps that as thy Mother have thee nourished, Remove the fervent sits that cage within thy boiling breast, And suffer not these despret thoughts of death in thee to rest. Oh wretch excuse thy handy work, and say at last again, T'is ignorance that did the deed, and not the wilful Wife. And could he with so sweet and merry look, The scorching pangs and torments of his ending fire brook? Where did the noble knight, Among the wrestling waves of sea display his matchless might: Declare us how the flaming force of fire could he win. Oh wretched might why dost thou thus increase thy fuming heat: And feed thy fury wittingly least hap should thee defeat. He loved Lady Jole, but while her father's crown Stood flourishing in royal state and were not bartered down, And as unto the daughter of a King be suitor was, But when from type of haughty pomp she did to thraldom pass He shook her of hight love was cold, and now her bitter bale Would not allow the wrack kele to bear to High a sale: Vnleeful things that should be shunned we greedily desire. But matters meeter for our state we seldom do require. The pitying of adversity does oft enkindle more The fervent fits of love, and this perhaps does urge him soar, To see her reaft of native soil, it may his fancy touch, Her hair not tuct with tresses trim, nor dect with golden ouche Perhaps the man with pity pricked does love her for her carc. Unto his noble heart to pity prisoners 'tis not rare. The sister deer of Priamus (fair Lady Hesyon ) he Did cause to Telamon the Greek in wedlock knit to be: Account how many wives before, and maidens did he love, And ranged abroad to cool the rage that Venus brand did move. Fair Auge maid of Arcady ententive set to lead Diana's drunce, by force of him did lose her maiden head. And yet no token could she show nor pledge of any Jove, What shall I speak of any more, or does it me behoove, To pra e what pranks he played with fifty daughters in one night. And yet how soon of such a pang he over came the might, He set much store by Omphale of Lidia land the Queen, When Like a guest on Timolus the mount he hath be seen. He was so prict with Cupid's dart, and caught in Venus trap, That tuck in woman's weed he sat with distaff in his lap And spoon the flax with sombling fist, and rudely thumbde the thread And flung from him the zions case the price of noble deed. With tresses trick on plaited locks he wailed as a maid With myrrh his ftiseled poale was smeard, and curied bush was braid, Thus every where as fancy flits, the fondling dotes in love. But in such sort as easily he can the same remove. Thy husband wilt thou slay? With stroke of steel? Wilt thou thy spouse de stroy, On whom y stepdame's spite yet had no power to work annoy? O silly wretched wight For bear thy rage, and fear the worst, men force may not assail Him, that against the power of hell, and death could once prevail. Thy wrath (deer foster child) Is greater then the crime, that hath thy Hercules defiled. With equal malice measure saults. Alas why dost thou bring So great and soar, a penalty upon so swale a thing? Let not thy grief be greater, then the sorrow thou sustains. The Gods them selves by charm of love have forced been to droop. I will dispatch it all in hast, make thou thy earnest moan Unto the God, whose tender hand his steadfast darts does wield, Why wilt thou stain thy stock which hath untainted be before, This ill proceeds of ygnorance although it be full soar: He is not guilty that committes the guilt not with his will. He does condemn himself to die that needs will guilty seem. Wilt thou forsake the glorious son? Wretch will thou cast away thy life. He hath both life and breath Wilt thou forgo thy son, and eake prevent thy dying day? And wilt thou follow on to death thy spouse Thy self thou dost accuse Of guilt if thou continued ̄ demne thy self. But those are pardoned That do oftend of ygnoraunce and not of peevish will Who will condemn the deed he does? And he for whom thou languishest, with arrow slow his wife Hight Megara, and did destroy his tender children's life. When as a brainsick beast in hand he tossed his knarry mace, That squeasde the snake in Lerna lake before his father's face. He played thrice the murderer, himself yet he forgave And for the heinous guilt he did when frenzy made him rave He purged himself in Cynips spring towards the Southern poale And in the water bathed his hand again to make him hoale. Now whither wilt thou caitiff wretch, why dost thou dam thy hands Your Hercules well I know, Perhaps he will be hear again and master all his woe: Then shall your slaked grief unto yobr Hercules give place. But at his burning did he not call on the heavenly host, Remembering Jove to hear his suit. Behold the place is safe enough from any listening ear.)