MEDEA

Oh Gods whose grace does guide their gob less that joy in wedlock pure, Oh Juno thou Lucina height, on whom the chary cure Allotted is of those, that groan in painful childbed andes, Oh Pallas by whose heavenly art Sir Typhis Cunning hands Have learned to bridle with his helm his newly framed boat, Wherewith the force of fighting floods he break rides a float. Oh God whose forked Mace doth storms in rigour rough appeas, And cause the ruffling surges couch amid the ramping Seas: Oh Titan who upon the swift and wherlinge Hemisphaer Worser vides the cheerful day and night by equal turns tappere. Oh threfolde shapen Haec to that sendest forth thy light, Unto thy sylent Sacryfyse that offered is by night, By whom my Jason sware to me oh heavenly powers all, And you on whom Medea aye with safer conscience call, Oh Dungeon dark , most dreadful den of everlasting Night, Oh dampened gohstes: oh kingdom set against the gods aryghte: Oh Lord of sad and lowering Lake's, oh Lady dire of Hell, (Whom though that Pluto stale biforce yet did his roth excel The ficle faith of Jasons love, that he to me doth bear,) With cursed throat I conjure you, oh grys you gohstes appear. Come out, come out, you hellish hags, revenge this deed so dire, Bring in your scratting paws a burr nyng brand of deadly fire. Rise up you hiddiuos devilish fiends, as dreadful as you wear, When unto me in wedlock state you did sometime appear. Work you, work you, the dole full death of this new wedded wife. And martyr you this father in law: deprive of breath and life King Creons ruthful family: in plunge of passing pain Torment you me, that on my spouse do wish this woe to rein: Preserve my Jasons life, but yet let him be baited out A mychyng, rogyng, runagate, in foreign towns about. To pass from door to door, with care to beg his needy bred. Not knowing in what harbouring place to couch his cursed head: A banished wretch, disdained of all, and Still in fear of life, Then let him wish ten thousand times for me again his wife: This famous gest whom every man will entertain and have, Let him be drive ̄ at strangers gates the table crumb ̄ mes to crave. And that my bitter bannings may with mischief most abound, God grant in gulphe of like distress his children may be drowned, To sink in sorrows storms, that do there mother overflow: Now, now, I have, I have the full revenge of all my woe. I have dispatched: my piteous playnte and words in vain I loose: What shall not I with violence get up against my foes? And wring out of their wrested would ̄ des the wedding torch so bright? Shall I not force the firmament to loose his shrynkyng light? What doth my grandsires Phaebus face this heavy hap behold? And standing gazing at this gear yet westward is he rolde, On glistering chariot hoisted high, and keeps his beaten raze, Amid the crystal colourde sky, why turns he not his face, Retiring fast into the East back up the day to twine? Oh father Phaebe to me, to me, thy Charyot reigns resign, That I advanced up, about the marble skies may ride, Bequeathe thy bridle unto me, and give me grace to guide Thy yoked prancing team, with year king lash of burning whip, That with thy fervent fyry beams on purple poale do skyp. Let Corinth country burnt to Dust by force of flame and fire Gyve place, that both the umbled seas may join: whom to retire It doth compel, and dasheth of from bank on either side, Least meet in one their channels might, whose streams he doth divide. No way to work their deadly woe I have but this at hand, That to the wedding I should bear a ruthful brydall brand, Anoyenge Creons careless Court: when finished I have Such solemn S ruyce, as that right of sacrifice do the crave, Then at the Alters of the Gods my chyldr n shall be slain, With crimson coloured bl odd of babes heart, their alters will I stain. Through livers, lounges the lights & through every gut and gall, For vengeaum ̄ ce break away perforce, and spare no blood at all: If any lusty life as yet within thy soul do rest, I fought of ancient courage Still do dwell within my breast, Exile all foolish female fear, and py you from thy mind, And as thuntamed Tigers use to rage and rave kind, that haunt the croaking combrus caves and clumpered frozen clives, And craggy rocks of Caucasus, whose bitter cold depryues The soil of all inhabytours, permit to lodge and rest, Such sa vage brutish tyranny within thy brazen breast. What ever hurly burly wrought doth Phasis understand, What mighty moustrous bloody feat I wrought by sea or land: The like in Corinth shall be seen in most outrageous guise, Most hiddious hateful, horrible, to hear, or see with eyes. Most worser uelysh, desperate dreadful deed, yet never known before, Whose rage shall force heaven, earth & hell to quake and tremble soar. my burning breast that rolls in wrath and doth in rancour boil, Soar thrysteth after blood, & wounds with slaughter, death and spoil, By renting racked lyms from lyms to drive them down to graven: ush, these be but as Fleabytynges, that mentioned I have: As weighty things as these I did in greener girlish age, Now sorrows smart does rub the gall and frets with sharper rage. But sith my womb hath yellded fruit, it does me well behoove, The strength and perilous pu ssaunce of weightier illes to rove. Be ready wrath, with all thy might that fury kindle may, Thy foes to their dystruction be ready to assay: Of thy deuorsement let the Price to match, and counterpayse The proud & precious princely pomp of these new wedding days. How wilt thou from ̄ thy spouse depart? as him thou followed hast In blood to athe thy bloody hands and traitorous lives to wast. Break of in time these long delays, abanden now again, This lewd alliance, God by guilt, with greater guilt refrain, ¶Small is the gripe of grief that can to reasons lore obey, And snekyng down with steling steps can stylie slip away. But they that thoroughly soused are with showers of greater pain, Can not digest such corsies sharp, but cast it up again: Fain would I gyve them trouncing girds. ¶The valiant heart dame Fortune yet durst never harm with wrong But dreading dastards down she dri ves. ¶The show of sturdy valiant heart at any time does shine. ¶He that would h none affiance lefts, nor any hope at all, Yet let him not mistrust the luck of ought that may befall. ¶ Medea yet is left, (to much.) and here thou mayest espy The Seas to succour us in flight, and lands aloof that lie: Yea iron tools, with burning brands we have to work them woe, And Gods that with the thunder dint shall overquell our foe: ¶My father was a king, yet I betrayed his Fleece of gold: ¶No though such grisly lads they were as whilom did appear, That bred of gargell dragons teeth in hollow gaping ground, When mutually in bloody fight eke other did confound. ¶Would God that I were dead. ¶w worth the time that once I fled. ¶Why shall I fly? ¶You see by wh m, and how, A wretched mother I am made. ¶Nay, fly I will, but vengeance first isle have. ¶Perhaps isle make his coming short. ¶Full well may fortu ̄ es welting wheel to begging bring my state, As for my worthy courage that she never shall abate. Who bowncing at y e gates, does cause the creaking doors to jar? It is the wreatche Creon his self, whom princely power far Hath lift aloft, with lordly look, paft up with powncinge pride, That he may Corinth country with the sway of sceptre guide. ¶My sovereign liege, what greater crime have I or less offence Commit against Thy majesty, to be exiled hence? ¶If thou be judge indifferent, ordained my cause to try, Consider then my doubtful case, and weigh the ground of it: If thou b King, continued ̄ mand a Judge for such a matter fit. ¶The prosperus pride of wronging crowns cannot endeavour long. ¶Full gladly will I get me home, if he that brought me thence Vouchsafe to b are me back again. ¶He that not hearing either part pronounceth his decree, Unrighteous man accounted is, though right his sentence be. ¶That type of regal majesty that erst by Fortune's hand Advanced to I did attain, hath taught me understand, How harden a thing it is of wrath the rigour to assuage, When burning heat oh boiling breast in flames begins to rage. Eke for thaduau ̄ cement of their power more to dysplay in sight Their kingly courage bolstered out with mai sty of might. They worser me it doth import asway, and hath a reater grace, Whom stately sceptre caused to climb aloft to prouder place. To persevere with fancy fond, in that to reasons spite, Whose greedy choice attainted First his mind with vain deal ght. For though in pytyous plight I lie, thrown down to great decay, With heau hap, and ruthful chance, to miserable stay, Thus hunted out from place to place, forsook and left alone, A wyddow while my husband live, with cause to uva le and moan, Perplexed in maze of misery, with cloyenge cares so r see, Yet whysom I in golden Throne have led in happy life. By high and noble parentage my bright renown does shine. From Phebus eak my grandsire great deryued is my ligne. Where silver streamed Phasis flood his washing waves doth shed, Or with contrary croaking ways his bathing channel spread. what ever wandering coast stretched out is left aloof behind, From whence the roaming Scithyan sea his channel forth does find, Where as Meotis fenny plash with pure fresh water Springs Doth season sweet the bryny sea, that tied in thither brings. Eke all the coasts environed and kept within the banks Of Thermodon, where warlike troops, and armed widows ranks, with painted bucklers on their arms hold all the land in fear, with rigour rough of threatening sword with force of denting spear. So far to all these wandering coasts and countries round about, My father's ample regiment at large is stretched out. I being thus of noble raze and in and happy plight, With glorious gloss of princely pomp in honour shining bright, Then peerless pears my spousal bed did sek and sew to have, But those to be their loving feres now other Ladies crave, Rash, ticle, peevish, undiscrete, and waueryug Fortune's wheel, Hath cast me out the crushing cares of banishment to feel. In sceptre proud and haughty crown f r thine affyance aste. Sith vpsydowne with welkyn wheel whole mounts of wealth is cast. This princes do possess, that should their royalty dysplay, Whose fame shall never ra ed be with storm of lowering day, To succour those whom misery in pit of pains do the ouse, To sheylde and harbour supplyantes in roof of loyal house. This only brought I from my realm the precious golden Fleece, That jewel chief, and eke the flower of Chivalry in Greece, The sturdy prop, the rampir strong the bulwark of your wealth, And Hercul S the boisterous Imp of oue I kept in health. It was by means of my good will that Orpheus did escape, Whose harmony the lyu le see rocks with such delight did rape, That forced even the clottered lumps with hobbling pryckt to prance, And eke the jocund nodding woods with fotyng fine to dance. And that those heavenly twyns Castor and Pollux did not die, My Due desert is doubled twice, sith them preserved I. Of Boreas blustering out with puf fed cheeks his blasting breath His winged sons I kept alive both Calais and Zeth. And Linceus that with piercing beams and sharper sight of eye Could Navies on the farther banks of Sicily shore espy. And all the Minians that did come the golden Fleece to win As for the Prince of Princes all I will not bring him in. With silence Jason will I pa see, for whom though him I save, Yet is not Greece in worser bt to me, no recompense I crave To no man him I do impute, the rest I borough again For your avail, that you thereby some profit might attain. But only on my Jason deer, him for my own loves sake I kept in store, that he of me his wedded wife should make. None other fault (God wot) you have to charge me with but this, That Argo Ship by means of me returned safely is. If I a shame fast maid had not with Cupid's bait been caught If more my father's health to have then Jasons I had sought, Pelasga land had be undone, and fallen to great decay, The lusty valyant Captains had clean be cast away: And jolly Jason First of all this now thy son in law, The Bulls had rend his swallowed limbs in fiery chompyng jaw. Let Fortune fight against my case as list her elvish will, Yet never shall it grieve my heart, repent my deed I nyll, That I should for so many kings their relynge honour save, The guerden endue that I for this my crime continued ̄ myt must have, It lies Creon in thy hand, if thus it liketh thee, Condemn my guilty gohste to death, but render First to me, My fault that forced me offend, then Creon grant I this, Receiving Jas n (cause of crime) I guilty did amiss. Thou knowest that I was such and one when courynge low I say, Before thy feet in humble wise and did entreating pray, Thy gracious goodness me to grant some succour at thy hand. For me a wreache and wreached babes I ask within this land Some cottage base, in outcast hold, some couching corner vile, If from the town thou drive us out to wander in exile, Then some buy place aloof within this realm let us obtain. ¶If needs thou Wilt have me avoid, my ship to me restore, Or else my mate with whom I First arrived on this shore: Why dost thou bid that by my self I only should be gone? I came not hither at First without my company alone. If this do thee aggryese, that brunt of wars thou shalt sustain, Command us bot the cause thereof to shu thy realm again: Sith both are guilty of one act, w y dost thou Part us twain? For Jasons sake, not for mine own, poor P lias was slain. Annex unto my traitorous flight the conquered booty brave, My horye headed natural si r, whow I forsaken have, With brother's bloody flesh that mang led was with carving knife, Or ought of Jasons forged lies he gabbes unto his wife. These dreary deeds are none of mine, so oft as I offend, Not for mine own continued ̄ modytie, to come thereby in th'end. ¶Yet of thy bounty ere I go. this one boon will I crave. Although the mother banished so soar offended have, Let not the vengeance of my fault through wrathful deadly hate, Mine innocent and gyltlesse babes torment in wreached state. ¶Even for the prosperus good encrece of fertile spousal bed, Of Glauce bright thy daughter deer, whom Jason late hath wed. And by the hope of fruytfull seed, whose flower in time shall bloom. By thonour of thy glistering crown ythralde to foe tu es doom, Which she so full of chop and change with tycle turning wheel Whirls up & down, in staggering state makes to and from to reel. I thee beseech, (sith to exile I am departing now) Oh Creon but a little pause for mercy me allow, While of my mourning brats w to kiss my last farewell I take. While gasp of failing breath perhaps my shyueryng lyms forsake. ¶What falsehood for so little time be cause of terror may? ¶Can not one jot to weeping eyes and tryllyng tears be lent? ¶This is to much, and of the same somewhat abrydge you may. ¶Oh wretch if thou desire, What measure ought to paise thy wra the then learn by Cupid's fire, To hate as soar as thou didst love, shall I not them annoy That do unite in spousal bed, their want on lust enjoy? Shall Phaebus fiery footed horse go lodge in western wave The drdwping day, that la I did with humble crouching crave, And with such earnest busy suit so hardly granted was, Shall it depart er I can bring my deuylishe dryfte to pass? While hovering heaven doth counter pai said hang with equal space, Amid the marble hemispheres, while round with stinted raze, The gorgeous sky above the earth does spinning roll about, While that the number of the sands, lies hid unsearched out. While dawning day doth keep his course with Phaebus blaze so bright, While twinkling stars in golden trai nes do guard the S ombrie night, While I sie under propping poale with whyrlyng swing so swift The shining bears unbathed about The frozen sky do lift, While flushing loodes y frothy strea mes to rustling seas do send, To gird them gripped w to plunging pangs my rage shall never end. With greater heat it shall reboil, like as the brutish beast, Whose tyranny most horrible, exceedeth all the rest, What greedy gaping whyrle pool wide what perilous gulphe unmild, What Sulla couched in roaring rocks or what Charybdes wild, (That Sicil and Ioinum sea by frothy waves does sup) What Aetna bolking stifling flames, and dusky vapours up, (Whose heavy payse w to stewing heat does smouldering crush beneath Encelades, that fiery flakes from choked throat does breath) Can with such dreadful menaces In sweating fury fry? No river swift no troubled surge Of stormy sea so hie, Nor sturdy seas (whom ruffling winds with raging force to roar) Nor puissant flash of fire, whose might By boysteous blast is more, May bide my anger's violence: my fury shall it foil: His court I le over hourl, and lay it level with the soil. My Jasons heart did quake for fear of Creon cruel king And lest the king of Thessaly would war upon him bring. But loyal love that hardens hearts makes no man be afrighte. But beet, that he conui to hath yield him self to Creons might. Yet once he might have visited and come to me his w fe, To talk, and take his last farewell. if danger oh his life In doing this (harden hearted wretch most cruel) he should fear, He being Creons Son in law, for him it le u l were, To have prorogued somewhat yet my heavy banishment, To take my leave of changed ldren twain one only day is lent: Yet do I not complain, as though the time to short I thought As proof shall plain pronou ̄ ce, to day, to day, it shall be wrought, The memory whereof no tract of time shall wipe away. With malice bent against the gods my wrath shall them assay: And rifling every thing, both good, and bade, I will turmoil. ¶Then only can I be at rest, when every thing I see Thrown headlong topsy turvey down to ruthful end with me. With me let all things clean decay: thy self if thou do spill, Thou mayest drive to destruction what else with the thou will: ¶I packing, packing, Jason am: this still to chop, and change The fleeting soil of my abided, to me it is not strange. The cause of my departure yet (to me is strange) and new. I wonted was in following the all places to eschew: I will depart, and get me hence, to whom for helping hand Entendest thou to send us forth, whom hence so fly the land Thou dost compel with thine allies? shall I repair again To Phasis flood, to Colchis Isle, or to my father's reign? Or gory sweating fields, that with my brother's blood do reek? What harbouring lands aloufe dost though command us out to seek? What seas appoint you me to pa see? shall I my I urney drive, Upon the perilous hateful jaws of Pontus to aryue, By which I did sauf conduct home kings valaunt armies great, Where roaring rocks with thundering noise the flapping waves do beat, Or on the naro wrackful shore, of Simplegades twain? Or else to small Hiolcos town can I return again? Or toil, y gladsome pleasant lau ̄ ds Of Tempe to attain? All places that I opened have Unto thy passage free, I shut them up against my self, now whither sendest thou me? A banished wretch to banishment thou wouldst have incline, Yet to the place of her exile thou canst not her assign. Yet for all that without delay I must depart and go: And why? for sooth the King his son in law continued ̄ mandeth so. Well: nothing will I stand against, with gripes of passing pain Let me be scourgde, of my deserts such is the got gain. Let Creon in his princely ruff lay to his heavy hands, To whip and whore, in torments sharp, with iron gives, and bands Let her be chained, in hydiouse hold of night for aye her lock: Let her be cloyed with pestering payse of restless rolling rock. Yet less than I deserved have, in all this shall I find: Oh thou uncourteous Gentleman, consider in thy mind The flamy puffs, and fyrye gasps of ghastly gaping bull, And Aetas cattle rich with Fleece of gorgeous golden wool, That went to graze amid so great and mighty fears in feylde, Of uncontrolled Nation, whose soil doth armies yield. Revoke to mind the deadly darts of sudden starting foe, when ghastly warriors ( Tellus brood) to ground again did go through slaughter read of mutual lau ̄ ce, to this yet further pass, The lurched Fleece of Phrixes Ram, that all thine errand was. And ugsome Argos slumberless, whom fast I caused to keep His weary watching winking eyes with unacquainted sleep. My brother eke, whose fatal twyst of Feeble life I shred, And guilt that wrought so many gyltes when as with thee I fled. The Daughters whom I set on work entrapte in wily train, To slay their sire, that shall not rise to quickened life again. And how to travel other realms, I set mine own at nought. By that good hope which of thy seed conceived is in thought, Eake by thy stable mansion place, and mighty monsters, that Down beaten for thy health, I caused before thy feet to squat, And by these drudging hands of mine unspared for thy sake, For dread of dangers overpass that caused thee to quake, By heavens above, and seas below, that witness bearer be, To knitting of our marriage up, thy mercy vail to me. Of all the heaps of treasure great so far of being fetched, Which A tas savage Scythians did travel for to get, From Ind where Phaebus scorching blaze doth die the people black. Of all this gold which in our bowers we could not well compack, But tryck and trim we garnished our groves with gold so gay, I banished wretch of all this stuff got nought with me away, Except my brother's slaughtered flesh, yet I employed the same On thee: the cares of countries health my honesty and shame. My father, and my brother both hath yielded place to he, This is the dowry that thou had my wedded spouse oh be. To her whom thou worser est abrogate restore her gods again. ¶I took it for a ponyshment, but surely as I see This banishment is now become a friendly good reward. ¶Thus woldste thou dodge me out? Thy hated trull cast of thou dost that please Creuse thou might. ¶And slaughter vile with treachery whereto thou did me move. ¶Even whatsoever I have done. ¶Thine, thine, they ar, they ar all thine what ever I did use. Who y to of lewdness reaps the fruit, is grafter of the same. Let every one with infamy thy wretched spouse defame, Yet do thou only take her part, her only do thou call A just and undefiled wight, without offence at all. If any man shall for thy sake pollute his hand with ill, To thee let him and innocent yet be accounted Still. ¶the life whose choice does work thy shame thou ought again to loose. ¶I do defy it, wholly I detest it, I forswear, That brethren bred unto my barns Creusas womb shall bear. ¶So cursed day shall neu r on my wretched children shine To mingle base born basterdes with the blood of noble lygne. Shall Ph bus stock (that bears y lamp of heaven in starry throne) Be matched with drudging Sisi hus that rolls in hell the stone? ¶ When humbly I my mind to Creon broke, He gave and ear unto my suit, ¶ If no good turn then do thy worst dispyght. ¶ Medea eke to cope with these, that more apaull us may: Go to, to skyrmyshe let us fallen Let Jas n be the pray: ¶ I evermore have ruled the swinge of Fortune's wavering will. ¶Take y thy heles to escape them both, I do not the advise, That thou against thy father in law In traitorous arms should rise. Nor in Achas thy c since blood thy wounding hands to gore, The vol es unto Medea made, do trouble the so over. While yet y hast not spylt there blood yet, fly, with me a way. ¶If Cr on and Acastus King encamp to gether shall Admit that these in one with them should join there powers all My Contreymen of Cholchis I'll, and A tas lusty King, Suppose the Scythians join w to Greeks, to ground I will them bring, Clean put to foil. ¶Take heed, lest more thou do affec e the same, then for to clear, Thy self of Creons servile yoke, ¶Now Jove hurl out thy flames and thy thundering olts to fly, With fiery drakes bright brandishing force disparst in burning sky: Strain forth thy dreadful threatening arm, dispose in endue array The tossing dint of lightning flash, that wreck our quarrel may. With rumbling crack of renting cloud cause all y e world to quake, And level not thy hovering hand to strike with fyrye flake Upon my pashed and crushed corpses, or Jasons carcase slain: For whither of us thou smite to death his Due reward shall gain, thy thumps of thwacking bolts on us amiss they cannot Light. ¶thou knowest my mind both can, & eke is wont, to do no less, Then to contemn the bryttell wealth that Princes do possess. This, this shall be the only boon that at thy hand I crave, As mates with me in banishment, my children let me have, That resting on their sighing breasts my careful mourning head, I may my crystal arye streams into their bosoms shed. But as for thee, new got sons of wife new wed do stay. ¶What love unto his selye babes is deeply graft in him? This works well I have him trypt lo now there lies brymme. And open place whereby receive a vennye soon he may. Let me or I depart, unto my selye children say. These lessons of my last adewe, and grant to me the space, With tender gripe of colling last their loving limbs embrace: This will be comfort to my heart: yet at the latter woe rde I ask nomore but only that you should me this afoorde. If eager anguish cause my tongue to cast out words kind, Let all thing fly, let nothing be Engraved in your mind But let remembering mbrau ce otherwhile of me to touch your thought, Let other things be wypte away that boil of wrath hath wrought. ¶What is he slyl e slypt and gone? falls out the matter so? Oh Jason dost thou Sneak away, not having mind of me, Nor of those former great good turns that I have done for the? With the now am I clean forgot: but I will bring about That from thy careful sighing mind shall not be banished out: Apply to bring this to effect, call home thy wits again, And all thy wily fetches far, each artificial train. This is the perfect fruit that may to the of mischief Spring, To presuppose that mischief is not grafted in any thing. Scant have I oportunyt e for my pretenced guile, Because we are mistrusted soar, But try I will the while To set upon them in such sort, as none can deem my sleight: March forth, now venture on, fallen to, both what lies in thy might, And also what does pass thy power. Oh faith full nurse and mate. Of all my heavy heart breaking, and dyuers cursed fate, Come help our simple mean device. remaining yet I have A robe of Pall the present that our heavenly graundsyre gave, Chief monument of Cholchis I'll, which Phaebus did bestow On Etas for a pledge, that him his father h might know. A precious fulgent gorget eake, that bravely glytters bright, And with a seamlye shining seam of golden thrydes is dyght, Through wrought between the row of pirles do stand in borders round Wherewith my golden crispen locks is wonted to be crounde. My little children they shall bear these presents to the Bride, That First with slybber abbar sosse of chauntmentes shall be tried. Request the aid of Hecate in readiness prepare The lamentable sacrifice, upon the blame die Aare. Enforce the fires catching hold upon the rafters hie With crackling nois of flamy sparks rebound in Azure sky. ¶can I find in my heart To shun this land? if hence I had First fallen away by flight, I would have traveled back again, to gaze at such a sight. To stand and see this wedding new why stayest thou doting mind? Apply, apply, thy soar attempt, that good success does find. What great exploit is this, that thou of vengeance dost enjoy? Still art thou blinded witless wench with vale of Venus boy? Is this suffisance for thy grief? is root of rancour dead, If Jason led a single life in solitary bed? Some netling, thorny, stinging plagues unpractised devise: Prepare thy self in readiness and fall to on this wise: Let all be Fish that comes to net, have no respect of right, From mind on mischief fixed fast let shame be banished quit: The vengeance they received at my little children's hand, Is nothing worth: in earnest ire ententyue must thou stand. When heat of wrath begins to cool cheer up thy self again: Raise up those touches old that wone ted were in the to reign, That buried deep in breast do lie: and as for all the same That yet is wrought. of godlyn sse let it usurp the name Do this & I shall teach them learn, what trifling cast it was, And common practised flymflam tryck that erst I brought to pass. By this my raging malady a preamble hath made, To show what howgier heaps of har mes shall shortly them invade What durst my rude unskillful hand assay that was of weight? What could the mallyce of a girl invent her foes to bait? Still conversant with wicked feats Medea am I made. My blunt and dulled brains hath so been Beatrice about this trade: Oh so I joy, I joy, that I smote of my brother's head, And slashed his members of eak that from parents and I fled: And filched have the privy fleece lo Mars that sacred was. It glads my heart that I to bring old Pelias death to pass. Have set his douggters all on work, Oh grief pick out away Not any gilded thou shalt with un acqueinted hand assay Against whom wrath entendest thou to bend thine Ireful might? Or with what weapon dost thou mean thy traitorous foes to smite? I know not what my wrathful mind consulted hath within And to bewray it to him self, I dare not yet begin. Oh rash and unadvised fool, I make to hasty speed: Oh that my foe had got of his harlots body seed: But what so ever thou by him enjoyest, suppose the same To be Creusas babes of them let her euioy the name. This vengeaum ̄ ce this does like me well good reason is their why The last attempt of yls, thou must with stomach stout apply. Alas you little silly fools that erst my children were, The plaguing price of father's fault submit your selves to bear Oh, horror huge with sudden stroke my heart does overcome with ysy dulling cold conieald my members all benum. My shivering limbs appalled soar for ghastly fear do quake, A worser banished rage of malice hight begins it self to flake: The hateful heart of wife against her Spouse hath yielded place, And pityous mother's mercy mild restoreth nature's face. Oh shall I shed their guiltless blood? shall I the frame unfold Of that, which loving nature's hand hath wrought in me her mould? Oh doty g fury change thy mind, conceive a better thought, Let not this heinous savage deed by means of me be wrought. What crime have they (poor fools) continued ̄ mit for which they should aby? Upon their father Jason right all blot of blame should lie. Medea yet their mother I am worse far then he Tush let them frankly go to wrack, no kith nor kin to me They a : dispatch them out of hand hold, hold my babes they be God wot most harmless lambs they ar, no crime nor fault have they Alas they be mere innocentes I do not this denay: So was my brother whom I slew: oh falce revolting mind Why dost thou staggering to and from such change of fancies find? Why is my face be sprented with tears what makes me falter so, That wrath & love with striving thoug htes do led me to and from? Such fighting fancies bickering stor mes my swerving mind detar, As when between y e wrestling winds is raised wrangling war, Eke where the tumbling walloinge waves, ar hoist and reared hie Amid the justling swolues of seas that hot in urye fry: Even so my heart w to struggling thoughts now synkes, now swells ama n, Wrath sometime chases virtue out and virtue wrath again. Oh yield the yield, a grysyng grief, to virtue yield that place: Thou only comfort of our stock in this afflicted case, Come hither comdere loved imp with colling me embrace, While that by me your mother dear sweet Boys you are enjoyed So long God grant your father may you keep from harm uncloyed Exile and flight approach on me, And they shall by and by Be pulled perforce out of mine arms, with vapourd weeping eye Soar languishing with Morning heart yet let them go to graven Before heir father's face as they before their mother's have: Now rancorous grief with firy fits begins to boil again, The quenched coals of deadly hate do fresher force attain. The rusty rancour harboured long within my cankered breast Starts up, and stirs my hand anew in myscheife to be pressed. Oh that the rabblement of brattes which swarmde about the side Of Niobe that scornful dame who perished by her pride Had taken life out of his limbs. oh that the fates of heaven A fruytefull mother had me made of children seven and seven. My barreyne womb or my revenge hath yielded little store Yet for my sire and brother, twain I have, their needs no more: who ̄ seek this ruffling rout of fiends with gargell visage dyght; Where will they deal their stripes, or whom with whips of fire smite? Or whom with cruel scorching brand and Stygian faggot fell, with mischief great to cloy, intends this army black of hell? A chopping Adder gan to hiss with wrethynges wrapped round, As soon as did the lashing whip erte out with yerkyng found. whom bumping with thy rapping post Megeta wilt thou crush? whose ghost does here mishapped from ̄ hell with scattered members rush? My slautred brother's ghost it is that vengeance coms to crave: According to his dire request endue vengeance shall he have. But flap thou fierce the fierbrandes full dashed in mine eyes, Dig, rend, scrape, burn, & squea the ̄ out lo open my breast it lies, To fighting furies bobbing strokes Oh brother, brother bid These roils, y press to worrey me, them selves away to rid. Down to the silent souls allow Not taking any care: Let me be left hear by my self alone, and do not spare. To baste, and capperclaw these arms that drew the bloody blade: To quench the furies of thy sprite, that thus do me invade, With this rig to hand the sacrifice on thalter shall be made. What means this sudden trampling noise? a band of men in Arms Come bustling toward us, that m will cloy with eadly harms. To end this slaughter set ppon I will my self convey Up to the garrets of our house, come Nurse with me away, Bestow thy body hence with me from danger of our foes. Now thus my mind on myscheife set thou must thy self dispose, Let not the flyckeryng fame & praise in darkness be exiled Of stomach stout that you did use in murdering of thy child. Proclaim in peoples ears the praise of cruel bloody hand. ¶Now, now my sceptre gilded I have recovered once again: My father's wrongs revenged are, and eke my brother slain: The goldens cattles Fleece returned is to my native land, Possession of my realm I have reclaimed to my hand: Come home is my vi gynitie, that whilom went a stray. Oh Gods as good as I could wish, oh joyful wedding day, Go shroud thy self in darkness dim dyspacht I have this feat: Yet vengeance is not done enough, to cool our thrystye heat. Oh soul why dost thou make delay? why dost thou doubting stand? Go forward with it yet thou mayest, while doing is thy hand: The wrath that might should minister does qualefye his flame: The pricks of sorrow twitch my heart attaint with blushing shame: Through rigour of thy heinous gore oh wreatche what hast thou done? Though I repent a caytyfe vile I am, to slay my son: Alas I have committed it, importunate delight, Still egged on my froward mind that did against it fight: And lo the vain coniecte of this delight increases Still, This only is the thing, that wants unto my wicked will, That Jasons eyes should see this sight as yet I do suppose Nothing it is that I have done, my travel all I loose, That I employde in dyry deeds, unless he see the same. ¶Go Jason, go the oh rights the winding sheet and graven Make ready for thy sons, as last behooves him to have, Thy spouse and eke thy father in law that are entomde by me Received have the duties that to dead men's ghosts agree. This child hath felt the deadly stroke and lance of fatal knife, And this with wall some murder Like shall loose her tender life. ¶Nay sith thou Wilt not have it so as grieves thy pinched mind, Here way to wreck my vengeaum ̄ ce ell my burning blade shall find. Anaunt, now hence thou peasant proud employ thy busy pain, To reap the fruits of virgins bed, and cast them of again when ̄ mother's they ar made. ¶Yet lynger eager anguish yet to slay this child of thine. Run not to rash with hasty speed this doleful day is mine: The yme that we obtained have of Creon, we enjoy. ¶In craving this thou speakest, that I should show thee some relief, Well goodynough, all this is done: oh ruthful gyddye grief, This is the only sacrifice that I can thee provide, Unthankful Jason hither cast thy coyesh looks aside. Lo hear dost thou behold thy wife? thus ever wonted I, When murder I had made, to escape, my way does open lie That I may Spring into the skies the flying serpents twain Submitted have their S aly necks to y ke of ratlyng wain, Thou father have thy sons again I in the wandering sky, In nimble wheeled waggyn swift will ride advanced hie. Oh Flittering flocks of grisly ghosts that fit in sylent seat Oh ougsum bugs oh gobblyns grim of hell I you entreat: Oh lowering Chaos dungeon blind, and dreadful darkened pytt, Where Ditis muffled up in clouds of blackest shades does fit, Oh wretched woeful wawlyng souls your ayed I do implore, That linked lie with gingling chains on wailing Limbo shore, Oh more sye den where death does couch his ghastly carrayn face: Releas your pangs oh spryghtes, & to this wedding hie apace. Cause you the snaggy wheel to pause that rents the carcase bound, Permit Ixion's racked limbs to rest upon the ground: Let hungry bitten Tantalus with gawnt and pined paunch Soup up Pirenes gulped stream his swelling thirst to stawnche. Let burning Creon bide the brunt and girds of greater pain, Let payse of slypperye sliding stone type over back again His moiling father Sisyphus, among the craggy rocks. You Daughters dire of Danaus Whom pierced pychers morkes So oft with labour lost in vain this day does long for you That in your life with bloody blade at once your husband slew. And thou whose aares I honoured have oh torch and lamp of night, Approach oh lady mine with most deformed visage dyght: Oh three fold shapen dame that knitst more threatening brows then on, Acco ding to the country guise with daglyng locks undone And naked foot, the secret grove about I hallowed have, From dusky dry unmoisty clouds the showers of rain I crave. Through me y e chinked gaping ground the soaked seas hath drunk, And mayner stream of thocian flood beneath the earth is sunk, that swelteth out through hollow gulf with stronger gushing rage. The ̄ were his suddy wambling waves whose power it does assuage the heavens w to wrong disturbed course and out of order quite, The darkened son, & gli ̄ mering stars at once hath showed their light, and dre ̄ ched Charles his straggling wain hath ducte in dashing wave, The framed course of roaming time racte out of frame I have. So my enchau ̄ tments have it wrough that when the flaming son In so ̄ mere bakes the parched soil then hath the twygges begun, with sprouting blossom fresh to blome' and hasty Winter corn Hath out of harvest seen the fruit to barns on sudden born. Into a shallow Ford his stur dystreame hath Phasis wast And Isters channel being in so many branches cast, Abated hath his wrackful waves, on every sylent shore He lies calm: The jumbled flooddes with that ndryng noise did roar, When couched close the winds were not moving pipp king soft, With working wave the prancing seas have swollen & leapt aloft, Whereas the wood in alder time with thick and branched bow did spread his shade on gladsome soil no shade remaineth now. I rolling up the magic verse at noon time Phaebu stay, Amid the darkened sky, when fled was light of drowsy day Eke at my charm the watery flocks of H yads went to glade. Time is it Phaeba to respect the service to thee made: To thee with cruel bloody hands these garlands green were twinned Which with his folding circles nine the serpent rough did bind. Have here Tipho as flesh, that doth In Etna's furnace groan, That shake with battery violent King Jove's assaulted Throne. This is the Centaur's poisoned blood which Nessus vylia ne vile Who made a rape of Dianire intending her to file, Bequeathed her when newly wou ̄ de he gasping lay for breath, While Hercles shaft stack in his ribs, whose lance did work his death: B hold the funeral cinders hear which up the poison dried Of Hercul S who in his fire on Oetam mountain died: Lo here the fatal brand, which late the fatal sisters three Conspired at Mell agers birth, such should his destiny be, To save alive his breathing corpses, while than might hold remain, Wh I safe his mother Alte kept, till he his uncle's twain, (That from Atlanta would have had the head of Conquered Boar,) Had reft of life whose spiteful death Althea took so soar, That both she showed her feruentnes in sisters godly lous, When to revenge her brother's death mere nature did her move, But yet as mother most kind of nature most unmild, To hasten the untimely graven of her beloved child, While Mell ages atall brand she wasted in the flame, Whose swelting guts & bowels moult consumed as the same, These plumes the Harpies ravening fowls for hast did leave behind, In hidden hold whose Close access no mortal wight can find. When fast from Zethes chasing them with speedy flight they fled. Put unto these the feathers which the Stymphall bird did shed, Whom dusking Phaebus dymned light sir Hercules did sting, And galled with the shaft, that he in Hydra's hide did fling. You Aares have yield a clattryng noise I know, I know of old, How unto me my Oracles are wonted to be could, That when the trembling flower does shake then hath my Goddess great, Uouchfafe to grant me my request as I did her entreat. I see Diana's waggyn swyfe, not that whereon she glides When all the night in darkened sky with face full open she rides: with cou ̄ tenau ̄ ce bright & blandishing but when with heavy cheer, With dusky shi ̄ mering wanny globe, her lamp does pale appear. Or when she trots about the heavens with horsehead rained strait, When Thessayle witches w to the threats of c arming her do bait. So with thy dumpish dulled blaze, thy cloudy fainting Light, Send out, amid the lowering sky, the heart of people smite With agonies of sudden dread, in strange and fearful wise, Compel the precious brazen pans with jarring noise to rise Through Corinth country every where, to shylde the from this harm, lest headlong drawn thou be from ̄ h aven to earth by force of charm. And holy solemn sacrifice to worship the we make, Imbrued with a bloody turphe the kindled torch does take Thy sacred burning night fire at the dampish mory graven. Soar charged with thy troubled ghost my head I shaken have, And du king down my neck allow with shrykyng loud have shright, And groveling flat on floor in trau ̄ ce have lyen in dead men plighted. My tuffled locks about mine ears down daglyng have been bound Tucked up about my temples twain with gladsome garland round: A dreary branch is offered the from filthy stigis flood. As is the guise of Bacchus priests the Coribanthes wood, With naked breast and dugs laid out I'll prick with sacred blade Mine arm, that for the bubbling blood and issue may be made, with trilling streams my purple blood let drop on Thalter stones: My tender children's crushed flesh and broken Bruised bones Learn how to brook w to hardened heart in practise put the rode To flourish fierce, and keep a coil, with naked glyttrynge blade: I spryncl worser holy water have, the lance once being made, If tired thou complainest that my cries thee overlade, Gyve pardon to my earnest suit, oh Perceus sister deer, Still Jason is the only cause that urges me to rear w to squeking voice thy noisome beams, that sting like shot of bow. So season thou those sauced robes to work Creusas woe, Wherw to when she shall prank her self the poison by and by To rot her in ward mary out, within her bones may fry, The secret fire blears their eyes with gloss of yellow gold, The which Prometheus gave to me that fire fylcher bold. On whom for robbery that he did in heavens above commit, With massy payse great Caucasus thunweldye hill does fit, Where under with unwasted womb he lies, and pays his pain, To feed the cra ̄ ming foul w to gubbes of guts that grows again. He taught me with a Pretty sleight of conning, how to hide The strength of fire close kept in, that may not be espied, This lively tinder Mulciber hath forged for my sake, That tempered is with brymston quick at First touch and take. Eke of my cousin Phacton a wild fire flake I have His flames the monstrous stagharde rough Chimera to me gave, In head and breast a Lion Grim, and from the rump behind He sweeps the flower w to lagging tail of Serpent force by kind. In ribs & loins along his paunch yshaped like a Goat. these fumes that out the bull perbrakt from fyrye spewing throat, I got have and brayed it with Medusa's bitter gall Counterfeit ̄ maundyng it in secret sort to dusk and cover all: Breath on these venoms Hecate with deadly might inspire, Preserve the touching poulder of my secret covert fire, Oh grant that these my cloaked crafts so may bewytch their eyes, That likelihood of treason none that may herein surmise: So work that they in handling it may feel no kind of heat: Her stewing breast, her seething veins, let fervent fire freate And force her roasted pynyg limbs, to drop and melt away, Let smoke her rotten broiling bones: inflame this bride to day To cast a light with greater glede on fryseled blazing hear Then is the shining flame that doth the wedding torches bear. My suit is harden, thrice Hecate a dreadful barking gave From doleful cloud a sacred flash of flamy sparks she drove. Each poisons pride fulfilled is: Call forth my children deer, By whom unto the cursed Bride these presents you may bear: Go forth, go forth my little babes, your mother's cursed fruit, Go, go, employ your pains w to bribe and earnest humble suit To purchase grace, and eke to earn you favour in her sight. That both a mother is to you, and rules with Ladies might. Go on, apply your charge apace and hie you home again, That with embracing you I may my last farewell attain.