OCCANON

In seeking hope, hap flies still away, my weary corpses is ready for to faint, Then death, that debt which I at length must pay, by yielding life receive, and end my plaint. Now is the time most for to pleasure me, when I in grief, do crave it thus of thee. Who hath not heretofore beheld on stage. the hard conflict which breach of duty breeds, With nature's might in way to vanquish rage, let him behold me and my daughters deeds: Betwixt whom, as strange contempt hath caused flame, so nature seeks again to quench the same. She set her love where she her self liked best, I much mislikt because her choice did light, Beneath her birth, though I might Like the rest: to stay this stream I did all that I might. First with persuasions sweet I did begin, to try if so my daughter I could win. The more I charged, the sorer she repelled, wherefore my labour lost, I change my way, And from my Court her Lover I expelled, thereby in hope to work my daughters stay. But while I sought to wring her from her love, love wrought her clean from me, as then de did prove. No sooner did she find her self alone, bereft of him whom she a love did choose. But secretly her self must needs be gone: her state, her train, her wealth, she did refuse: And held that happen to be her only bliss, him to enjoy whom she in Court did miss. Her parting first, because it did proceed, from vild contempt of duty to her Sire, Did stir my choler much, for that her deed, till nature did arrest, and wrought desire To have my child restored to me again, whose absence then had wrought my woe and pain. Then I began such parents to accuse, as be too sour to those they have begotten, And found of all, them farthest from excuse, whose noble state does make them more of note, On them and theirs Love hath the greatest power, therefore on Love they ought the least to lower, A quiet life where need no labour wills, A seemly face whereon all eyes be cast, A diet where desire the heart fulfils, A world of sport while day, while night does last, How can these things but make Love open a way, and fancy force with her delights to play? Here did I fail in seeking to withstand, where I confess the power of love is most, Hence did proceed the leaving of my land to find her out which I so lewdly lost. This is the cause why in such simple case, I wander seeking her from place to place. So as I feel my weary bones to shrink, not able long my fainting corpses to bear, Sleep does oppress my limbs which gin to sink, while slumbering ease relieves my toilsome cheer. I pray you Sir, depart not hence from me. your faithful help maintains my hope I see. I never did repine where virtues love did link, but where there seemed Disparagement to rise, As in her match I did and do still think, his birth to hers in no point did suffice, A Princes child inheritor to state, too good I thought so far to undermate. Oh noble Dame, whose skill is such, as nought is hid from you, Nothing so dark but you do know the same, I know you know where both they be, and how I may obtain the thing I have so sought, whose want I wrought and dearly have it bought. You see how soar my headstrong daughter's bent, she will not yield for ought that can be said, Were it not good that to the knight we went, to see if his desire might be delaide: I see by him the mean must first begin, to quench the flame my daughter frieth in. The nearer hope to have that I desire, to see my child whom I so far have sought, The more I burn, the greater is my fire, for fear to fail of that to win I thought, The wished end requites the toil that's passed, and joy for grief is recompense at last. What is the force of father's care I see, though I my self am father to my care, To this effect the same hath wrought in me, that though it be among examples rare: My self I have disrobed of my state, to find my child which I did loose of late. Alas Madam, and must it needs be so? must grief burst out? and must my careful thought, Make you by speech partaker of my woe? wherein the wrong that I have justly wrought unto my self, shall led me on along, till her I find whose wandering is my wrong. My native Country is, where Indies stream, does enter Sea, nigh to the Cambaian cost, From whence I room into this famous realm, to seek my child which by mischance I lost, There Duke I am, a Lord of fruitful soil, though Fortune's force now tax me with this toil. She would needs love where I misliked much, a man of mean estate of base degree, She is my only care and his case such, as, though well born, a subject yet to me. Whom I in heat removed from her: but she in greater heat removed her self from me. Madam I must confess the force of love, to be a thing in vain against to bend, Which blind reason first did after prove, to set us so as we can not defend, And so triumphing when we cannot see, we must confess, who is the God but he? You force me soar, yet this yowl not deny, that though Loves pour be not to be withstood, And that the match of minds be beyond cry. and they best linked where liking thinks it good, Yet should my child of me make so small store, as match her self and not move me before? But was not that unkindly done of her, unknown to me to stray from Countries soil? Thereby her Father's blood so soar to stir, which for her sake do take this irksome toil? In kind a child, unkind to such a Sire, deserving joust revenge of father's ire. But nature should have born with parents heat, sith what was meant was meant but for her good, The Love of kind, such fancy love should Beatrice, and though she found me for a time in mood. Time would have turned and caused me to relent, in that for which from me she slily went. This compound case does cause a fight in mind: to gain my child my grief would soon relent, Though in her flight she followed not her kind, but with her match I cannot be content. But who are you Madam if I may crave, to know your name which seeks them thus to save. I thank you noble Dame for pitying me, and tendering this my silly daughters state, Whom if it be my hap again to see, no such Like heat shall set us at debate, And yet I hope by reason so to deal, as that her match shall stand to Countries weal. Small pardon needs where grace is ready found, upon some better hope you have discharge, Affection heals where folly made the wound, but these things are to be discoursed at large. But now the mean to mend your present case, is that you yield and gain your father's grace. This Lady here the Fairy Queen hath laid, for your defence in so forsaking me, As much as may in your behalf be said, to whom we both are bound exceedingly: One point remains, wherein if you relent, to take you home to grace I am content. Gaudina this long time you have given rain, to serve your choice and feed your fancy still, Wherein as you have suffered partly of pain, so I became partaker of your ill, Now is the time to come to reasons school, which can alone these hight affections cool. For love to leave the land where you were born, to tread your Father's tears quite under feet. To stray you wot not where as one forlorn, to wander stranger Like in such a heat: Does ill beseem a person of your port, which being done, to reason now resort. You are mine only child, heir to my state, the wealth whereof does rest upon your choice, Which will be well if you in taking mate, do use advise of Father's careful voice, Mark well, hereon does hang your Father's love, beside the good by you my state may prove. I will (considering both birth and your degree, whereto at first I cast my chief respect) To Countries good you chiefly have and eye, which calls you home, and wills you to neglect, The Love of him which led you so astray, and for her sake to take a better way. If you stand free save only that it pleased the mighty Cupid this to cause you room, Therein I find my heart well eased, and trust to match you well when I come home: With love more fit for you then this can be, where both estate and wealth shall well agree. As t'is a chance to be a Princes child, so if you think that virtue is restrained, To one alone, therein you are beguiled, she does refuse of none to be obtained: And where that royal blood with virtues meet, does not such one best seem a Princely seat. Such one I know in place where you were born, more fit for you then this to whom you cleave, Whefore give your consent, and think no scorn, at Father's suit your former love to leave: For duty so despised for all my pain, to find you out, I crave this only gain. See how this heat does burst to extreme flame, see what devise extreme desire hath found, She loves and cannot leave yet to void blame, she hath found out another helpless ground, By death to disappoint both our desires: see reasons check when senseless love aspires. Yet this I may not leave that is begun, Madam of you I must crave farther aid, By whom I trust this fort shall yet be won: you have perceived by both what hath been said, You see the ground whereon my reasons lean, to work my daughters weal be you the mean. You know of old what led me so to let the great desire wherewith you both so brent, Against your worth my will was never set, to further Countries good was mine intent: Which sith in me so constantly does dwell, to yield thereto me thinks you might do well. Well Conta. I must needs esteem, you of such worth as your estate does bear, And if it might so to all others seem, you best deserve the garland for to wear. But sith the fates against your virtues bend, your virtue wills you this to condescend. Whereto this far I yield if that you please with me again to Country to resort, You shall in noble state there live at ease, and spend your days in most delightful sport. And as for love I banished you my land, even so for love in grace still shall you stand. Now have I that which though I bought with pain, I think it light, the gain thereof so great, Now I receive you to my grace again, whereof before Love sought you to defeat. The second mends the former fault does heal, since you give place to care of Countries weal. Your goodness hath so bound both her and me, as while we live we be yours to command, By you is wrought this wished work I see, by power divine, and by no mortal hand. Pass on Madam let us be of your train, the causer of our joy the healer of our pain.