PERSEDA

Enough Erastus thy Perseda knows, She whom thou wouldst have thine, Erastus knows, I watch you vantages, thine be it then, I have forgotten the rest, but thats the effect: Which to effect, accept this carkanet, My Grandame on her death bed gave it me, And there, even there I vowed unto my self, To keep the same until my wandering eye, Should find a harbour for my heart to dwell. Even in thy breast do I elect my rest, Let in my heart to keep thine company. Young slips are never grafted in windy days, Young scholars never entered with the rod, Ah my Erastus there are Europes Knights, That carryhonour graven in their helms, And they must win it deer that win it thence. Let not my beauty prick thee to thy bane, Better fit still then rise and overtaken. So be thy fortune as thy features serves. And then Erastus lives without compare. Here comes a Messenger to haste me hence, I know your message, hath the Princess sent for me? Such fortune as the good Andromache, Wished valiant Hector wounded with the Greeks, I wish Erastus in his maiden wars. Overcome with valour these high minded Knights, As with thy virtue thou hast conquered me, Heavens hear my hearty prayer and it effect. Thou foolish coward flies. Erastus lives, The fairest shape, but foulest minded man, That ere sun saw within our hemyspheare, My tongue to tell my woes is all to weak, I must unclasp me, or my heart will break: But inward cares are most penned in with grief, Unclasping therefore yields me no relief. Ah that my moist and cloud compacted brain, Could spend my cares in showers of weeping rain. But scalding sighs Like blasts of boisterous winds, Hinder my tears from falling on the ground, And I must die by closure of my wound. Ah false Erastus, how had I misdoone, That thou shouldst quit my love with such a scorn. Here comes the Synon to my simple heart, I'll frame my self to his dissembling art. What love means my Erastus, pray thee tell? And here my swollen hearts grief does stay my tongue. Strike, strike, thy words pierce deeper then thy blows. Our present joys will be so much the greater, When as we call to mind before passed griefs, So sings the Mariner upon the shore, When he hath passed the dangerous time of storms: But if my Love will have old griefs forgotten, They shall lie buried in Persedas breast. Come Lucina lets in, my heart is full. What means made you to steal back to Rhodes And Soliman? At whose intreaty is this parley sounded? Why what art thou that boldly bids us yield? Thou art not Lord of all, Rhodes is not thine. I that say no will never see it thine. A Gentleman and thy mortal enemy, And one that dares thee to the single combat: She lives to see the wrack of Soliman, And in Erastus name isle combat thee, And here I promise thee on my Christian faith, Then will I yield Perseda to thy hands. That if thy strength shall over match my right, To use, as to thy liking shall seem best, But ere I come to enter single fight, First let my tongue utter my hearts despite, And thus my tale begins: thou wicked tyrant, Thou murderer, accursed homicide, For whom hell gapes, and all the ugly fiends Do wait for to receive thee in their jaws: Ah perjured and in human Soliman, How could thy heart harbour a wicked thought? Against the spotless life of poor Erastus? Was he not true? would thou hadst been as joust, Was he not valiant? would thou hadst been as virtuous, Was he not loyal? would thou hadst been as loving: Ah wicked tyrant in that one men death, Thou hast betrayed the flower of Christian dome, Died he because his worth obscured thine, In slaughtering him thy virtues are defamed, Didst thou misdoe him, in hope to win Perseda, Ah foolish man, therein thou art deceived, For though she live, yet will she near live thine, Which to approve, isle come to combat thee. I now I lay Perseda at thy feet, But with thy hand first wounded to the death, Now shall the world report that Soliman, Slew Erastus in hope to win Perseda, And murdered her for loving of his husband. Herein Lucina let me buckler him. Love makes him blind, And blind can judge no colours. Still friends, still foes, she wears my Carcanet, Ah false Erastus, how am I betrayed. A sudden qualm, I therefore take my leave. No, I shall soon get home. No, no, her beauty far surpasses mine, And from my neck, her neck hath won the praise. Ah false Erastus full of treachrie. Now must I find the means to rid him hence, Go thou forthwith arm thee from top to toe, And come and hour hence unto my lodging, Then will I tell thee this offence at large, And thou in my behalf shalt work revenge. Well, now Erastus my hearts only joy Is come to join both hearts in union. Aye me, how graceless are these wicked men? I can no longer hold my patience. Ah how thine eyes can forge alluring looks, And feign deep oaths to wound poor silly maids, Are there no honest drops in all thy cheeks, To check thy fraudful countenance with a blush: Callest thou me love, and love another better, If heavens were joust, thy teeth would tear thy tongue, For this thy periurde false disloyalty. If heavens were joust, men should have open breasts, That we therein might read their guileful thoughts. If heavens were joust, that power that forceth love, Would never couple Wolves and Lambs together. Yes, heavens are joust, but thou art so corrupt, That in thee, all their influence doth change. As in the Spider good things turn to poison. Ah false Erastus, how had I misdone? That thou shouldst pawn my true affections pledge, To her whose worth will never equal mine. What, is Lucina's wealth exceeding mine? Yet mine sufficient to encounter thine. Is she more fair then I? thats not my fault, Nor her desert: whats beauty but a blast? Soon cropped with age, or with infirmities. Is she more wise? her years are more then mine, What ere she be? my love was more then hers, And for her chastity let others judge. But what talk I of her? the fault is thine, If I were so disgracious in thine eye, That she must needs enjoy my interest, Why didst thou deck her with my ornament? Could nothing serve her but the Carcanet? Which as my life I gave to thee in charge, Couldst thou abuse my true simplicity? Whose greatest fault was over loving thee, I'll keep no tokens of thy perjury. Here give her this, Perseda now is free, And all my former love is turned to hate. What are thy words? but Sire's guileful songs: That please the ear, but seek to spoil the heart. What are thy tears? but Circe's magic seas, Where none escape wracked, but blindfould Mariners. What are thy looks? but Like the Cockatrice, That seeks to wound poor silly passengers. And they are all as false as thou thy self. This makes me think that I have been to cruel, How God he this from of Lucina's arm? I rather think it cost him very deer. How so? And whither fled my poor Erastus then? Ah stay, no more, for I can here no more. My heart had armed my tongue with injury, To wrong my friend, whose thoughts were ever true, And poor Erastus how thy stars maling: Thou great commander of the swift winged winds, And dreadful Neptune bring him back again, But Eolus and Neptune let him go, For here is nothing but revenge and death, Then let him go, isle shortly follow him, Not with slow sails, but with loves golden wings, My ship shall be born with tears, and blown with sighs So will I soar about the Turkish land, Until I meet Erastus my sweet friend. And then and there, fallen down amid his arms, And in his bosom there power forth my soul, For satisfaction of my trespass passed. I seek him, find him, bring him to my sighed, For till we meet, my heart shall want delight. Accursed Chain, unfortunate Perseda. My friend is gone, and I am desolate, Return him back fair stars or let me die. For what was he but comfort of my life? But why was I so careful of the Chain. Had I not asked it, my friend had not departed, His parting is my death. Ah, for Erastus flying, My heart is full, I cannot laugh at folly. The most dishonour that could ere befall. What can my tongue utter, but grief and death. How can mine eyes dart forth a pleasant look, When they are stopped with floods of flowing tears. My thoughts are Like pillars of Adamant, Too hard to take and new impression. Why thats the perjod that my heart desires. Nay then Perseda grows resolute, Solimans thoughts and mine resemble, Lives paralise that never can be joined. Oh Christ receive my soul. Now Soliman wrongs his imperial state, But if thou love me, and have hope to win, Grant me one boon that I shall crave of thee, Then let me live a Christian Virgin still, Unless my state shall altar by my will, My sweet and best beloved. For thee my deer Erastus have I lived. And pardon me my Lord, for this is he, For whom I thwarted Solimans intreats, And for whose exile I lamented thus. Nor will Perseda slack even in her prayers And still solicit God for Soliman, Whose mind hath proved so good and gracious. And thanks to gracious heavens, that so Brought Soliman from worse to better, For though I never told it thee till now, His heart was purposed once to do thee wrong. And Lucina to. Though loath, yet Solimans command prevails, Now signior Basilisco, which Like you, The Turkish or our nation best. Ah ho, my nightly dreams foretold me this, Which foolish woman fondly I neglected, But say what death died my poor Erastus? But strangled, ah double death to me, But say, wherefore was he condemned to die? What treason, or by whom was he condemned? Was Brusor by? Accursed Soliman, profane Alcaron, Lucina, came thy husband to this end? To led a Lamb unto the slaughterhouse, Hast thou for this, in Solimans behalf? With cunning words tempted my chastity, Thou shalt aby for both your treacheries, It must be so, Basilisco dost thou love me, speak, No, but Lucina if thou love me, kill her, No let her lie, a pray to ravening birds: Nor shall her death alone suffice for his, Rhodes now shall be no longer Solimans, Weel fortify our walls, and keep the town, In spite of proud insulting Soliman, I know the lecher Hope's to have my love, And first Perseda, shall with this hand die, Then yield to him and live in infamy. A kiss I grant thee, though I hate thee deadly, What darest thou not, give me the dagger then, Theres a reward for all thy treasons passed,