Seven Minor Epics of the English Renaissance (1596-1624) Part 8

Nowe is hee gone, who after little travell attain'd his house (not pleasing thought desired) At whose late absence each one much did maruell, but (come) at his sad lookes they more admired, Great _Cupids_ power, such sadnes in him bred, VVho (erst) all louing harts in tryumph led.

One month (consum'd in pensiuenes) expir'd; to recreate and reuiue his tyred spright, Hee now on hunting goes, which hee desir'd, not for the (once well-pleasing) sports delight; But for he might some fit occasion finde, To see his Loue, on whom was all his minde.

Where being come (suppose his sports prou'd bad) _Gyneura_ gaue him welcome from her hart, The Sea-tost Lord of _Ithica_ ne're had, after his twentie yeares turmoile and smart, More ioyfull welcome by his constant wife Then had _Diego_ from his loue, his lyfe.

Two dayes he stay'd, whence he would ne're depart but custome wil'd that he should now returne, Yet though he went he left with her his hart, which for their parting heauily gan mourne, But for worse newes had it poore hart to greeue, In that _Gyneura_ would so soone beleeue.

For sooner was hee not departed thence but straight there comes a Riuall of his Loue, VVho vnder true fidellities pretence wrought wondrous hard _Diego_ to remoue, Nor could at first his oaths or vowes preuaile, To make _Gyneuraes_ loue one whit to faile.

For yet they lyu'd fast bound in Fancies chaines, stryuing to pa.s.se each other in pure loue, But (as there's nothing that for aye remaines without some change.) so do these Louers proue, That hottest loue hath soon'st the cold'st disdaine, And greatest pleasures, haue their greatest paine.

For now no longer could shee so perseuer, shee turnes to deadly hate her former kindnes, Which still had lasted; but that Nature euer strikes into womens eyes such dim-sight blindnes, And such obdurate hardnes in their harts, They see, nor knowe, not truest loues desarts.

_Gyneura_ this confirmes against her Louer, whom now (all guiltlesse) she condemnes to die, That in his deede or thought did nere offend her, vnlesse by louing her so wondrous deerelie.

Such Loue, such hate, such lyking, such disdains, Was neuer knowne in one hart to remaine.

Thus twas; _Diego_ had an enemie, (immortall vertue euer lincked is, With that pale leane-fac'd meager-hewed enuie) who secretly (so falsely) tells his Mis.

How shee was mockt; _Diego_ lou'd another, And storm'd & rag'd what madnes so should moue her.

To dote on him that else where sets his Loue, hee makes you thinke (quoth he) what ere he list, That this is true, you easily may proue for still he weares her fauour on his fist, A Hawke it is; which shee (so stands the Mart) Giues him, he you faire words, but her his hart.

VVith this incenst, (that s.e.x will soone beleeue) soonest when enuies broode to them display it, I'st true (quoth shee) for true loue doth he giue, such smooth-fac'd flattry, doth he thus repay it?

Shee neuer scan'd, the truth of this her griefe, Loue in such cases, is of quicke beliefe.

Her loue to him was neuer halfe so great, (though once shee lou'd him) as is now her hate, This _Momus_ breath (like bellowes) to her heate, did kindle firie coales of hote debate.

Hee plyes her; and exasperates his spight, And sweares, and vowes, hee tells her but the right.

Shee (like a franticke Froe of _Thessaly_ madded with _Bacchus_ brayne-distempring liquor) Runs here, and there, exclayming furiously with hideous, vncouth mind-affrighting terror.

Swearing reuenge on false _Diegoes_ head, VVhose lying lookes in her such madnes bred.

VVherewith shee inuocates great _Nemesis_, and begs the power of her deitie, Shee tells her case, to Iustice-doing _Themis_, and shewes how shee is wronged mightily.

Shee leaues no power vnsought for, or vnpraide, That vse to helpe distressed with their aide.

VVronged _Diego_ (little this suspecting) now thought it time to see his deerest faire, And (other matters of import neglecting, hee presently to her makes his repaire.

VVhere being come, such welcome he did finde, As at the first did much disturbe his minde.

For faire _Gyneura_ would not now be seene, she sent him word she scorn'd his fauning flattrie, And much did greeue that shee so fond had beene, to yield her hart to such deceitfull battrie: Bid him (quoth shee) goe flatter where he list, I like not I, that fauour on his fist.

Such hap it was, _Diego_ then had brought his Hawke; (the author of this fell debate) Which well confirm'd her euer doubtfull thought, that nowe shee was resolu'd on deadly hate, Bid him (quoth she) depart hence from my sight, His loath-some presence brings me irksome spight.

Twas hard; that he whose loue was neuer tainted whose sincere faith was kept inuiolate, Nay, in whose face all truest loue was painted, should for his spotlesse truth be paid with hate, Hee stone-astonied, like a Deare at gaze, Admir'd these speeches in a wondrous maze.

At last hee crau'd this fauour he might haue, that shee her selfe would heare what he could say, So _Neptunes_ Towne (quoth shee) such lycense gaue to smooth-fac'd _Synon_ (_Ilions_ lost decay) So _Syrens_ sing vntill they haue their will, Some poore mistrustlesse Pa.s.senger to kill.

Shee would not heare him speake (oh cruell shee) that causelesse this would kill him with disdaine, Hee sweares he's guiltlesse, vowes innocencie, & in such vowes, tears down his cheeks did raine, Those cheeks which staine the blus.h.i.+ng of ye morne _Gyneura_ now most hatefully doth scorne.

Tis strange that Maides should ere be so abused, to credit each malicious-tongued slaue, And to condemne a man (if once accused) before or proofe, or tryall, hee may haue.

Too many such there be; wo's mee therefore, Such light credulitie, I must deplore.

When sighes, salt tears, & vowes could do no good, nor sighes, nor teares, nor vowes could pierce her hart, In which, disdaine triumphant victor stood holding in eyther hand a sable dart, VVherewith he strikes true loue, & stainlesse truth, Condemning them vnto eternall ruth.

Home goes _Diego_ with a cheereless face, whose steps were led by leaden-footed griefe, VVho neuer goes but with a dead-slowe pace, vntill hee finde some ease, or some reliefe; Twould melt a marble hart to see that man, (Earst, fresh as a new-blowne Rose) so as.h.i.+e wan.

VVhere being come, he straight for four daies s.p.a.ce, locks him in his chamber, and there did poure Huge shewers of christall rayne adowne his face, (for sure he lou'd her deerely at this howre) All ouerwhelm'd in waues of sea-salt teares, Some fatall s.h.i.+pwrack of his life he feares.

Wherewith he calls for paper, pen, and ynck, and for his Hawke, which presently he kild, Die thou (quoth he) so shall my loue nere thinke, that for thy sake to any else I yield.

And plucking of her head, straight way hee writes, VVho (sending it as token) thus indites.

Loe heere (thou cruell faire) that gracious fauour, the Ensigne (as thou saist) of my vntruth, Behold in what high-priz'd esteeme I haue her that gaue me it, the cause of all my ruth: Looke as this Hawke, faire Loue, so is my hart, Mangled and torne; cause thou so cruell art.

I sweare to thee by all the rites of loue, by heauens faire head, by earth, & black-fac'd hel, I nere meant other loue but thine to proue, nor in my hart that any else should dwell; Let this suffize, my ioy, my deere, my chiefe, My griefes are too too long, though letter briefe.

Twas time to ende, for floods gusht out amaine, out came the springtide of his brinish teares, VVhich whatsoere hee writ blot out againe all blubred so to send it scarce hee dares: And yet hee did; goe thou (quoth hee) vnto her, And for thy maister, treate, sollicite, woo her.

And pray thee (if thy Fortune be so good as to be viewd by suns.h.i.+ne of her eyes) Bid her take heede in spilling guiltlesse blood, tell her there's danger in such cruelties: VVith this, hee gaue it to the messenger, Who (making speed) in short time brought it her.

Shee, when shee heard from whom the Letter came, returnes it backe againe, and straight replied, My friend (quoth she) hadst thou not told his name perhaps thy Letter, had not beene denied: VVhereat shee paus'd; but yet ile see (quoth shee) With what perswading termes, he flatters mee.

Twas quickly read; (G.o.d knowes it was but short) griefe would not let the wryter tedious be, Nor would it suffer him fit words to sort, but pens it (chaos-like) confusedly.

Yet had it pa.s.sion to haue turn'd hard stones To liquid moisture, if they heard his moanes.

But cruell shee, more hard then any flint, worse then a Tygresse of Hyrcania, Would not be mou'd, nor could his lines take print in her hard hart, so cruell was _Gyneura_.

Shee which once lou'd him deerly, (too too well) Now hates him more then any tongue can tell.

Oh Nature, chiefest Mother of vs all, why did you giue such apt-beleeuing harts To women-kind, that thus poore men inthrall, and will not dulie waie true loues desarts?

O had their harts been like vnto their face, They sure had been of some celestiall race.

Shee pittiles, sends backe to _Dom Diego_, and sayes, his words cannot inchant her hart, _Vlisses_-like, shee will not heare _Calypso_, nor lend her eares to such intising arte.

Bid him (quoth she) fr[=o] henceforth cease to write, Tell him his Letters agrauate my spight.

Full heauie newes it was to stainelesse loue, to him that had enshrin'd her in his thought, And in his hart had honor'd her aboue the world; to wh[=o] all else saue her seem'd nought.

Nay, vnto him, whose person, wit, and faire, Might surely with the best make iust compare.

But (blinded as shee was) shee steemes him not, hate and disdaine doe neuer brooke respect, Shee did not knowe that beauties foulest blot consisted in true-louing harts neglect.

No, she (more stubborne th[=e] the North-east wind) VVould not admit such knowledge in her mind.

Let those who guiltleslie haue felt disdaine, whose faithfull loue hath beene repaid with hate, Giue rightfull iudgement of _Diegoes_ paine who bought his fauours at the highest rate.

This newes such pleasure in his soule had bred, As hath the thiefe that heares his iudgement read.

After some time, hee writes againe vnto her, hee could not thinke shee would perseuer so, But when hee sawe her aunswere like the other hee then surceas'd to send her any moe.

But did resolue to seeke some vncouth place, VVhere he might (vnfound out) bewaile his case.

Thinking indeede shee by his absence might at length intenerate her flintfull hart, And metamorphize her conceaued spight into true loue regardaunt of his smart; Hee seekes all meanes (poore Louer) how to gaine His rigorous Lady from such fell disdaine.

At last, hee calls to mind the Pyren Mountaines, those far-fam'd, woody hills of wealthy Spaine, Which for wild Beasts, & siluer visag'd Fountaines, hath got the praise of all that there remaine; Hether postes _Dom Diego_ fraught with griefe, Hoping those woods would yield him some reliefe.

VVhere, being come, all Pilgrim-like attir'd, hee pryes about to see if hee could finde, Some house-like Caue, for rest hee much desir'd, his body now was wearie, as his minde.

O G.o.ds (quoth hee) if youth finde such distresse, VVhat hope haue I, of future happines.