The Second Part of Hero and Leander

The SecondPart of Hero and Leander. Conteyningtheir further Fortunes.By Henry Petowe. Satcitò,ſi ſit bene.LONDON, Printed by ThomasPurfoot,for Andrew Harris, and are to be ſould at his ſhop, vnder the Popeshead next to the Royall Exchange. 1598.

To the Rightworſhipfull ſir HenrieGuilfordKnight,H.P.vviſheth all encreaſe of worſhip, and endleße Felicitie.

RIghtWorſhipfull, although preſumption merite pennance in dedicatingſuch rude and vnpolliſhed lynes, to the protection of ſo worthy aperſonage: yet I hope your wonted fauor and clemencie willpriuiledge mee from blame, and accept of the giuer, as one who wouldehazard life to moue your Wor : the leaſt iot of content. Yf it bethought a point of wiſdome in that impoueriſhed ſoule, that bytaking ſanctuarie, doth free himſelfe from many dangers: thenimpute no blame vnto my ſelfe, that ſeeke for ſafegard, beinground beſet with many enemies. No ſoner had report made knowen myharmeles Muſesfirſtprogreſſe, how ſhe intended to make tryall of her vnfledgedplumes; but (my ſelfe being preſent where that babling dame wasprating) I heard iniurious Enuy, reply to this effect,

Dares ſhepreſume to flie, that cannot goe?

We’lecut her plumes ſaid they, it ſhall be ſo.

Then with aſnarle or twoo, theſe euer medling Carpers betooke them to theircabbins. At the next rowſing; I expect no other fauor, then Enuiesextreameſtfurie, which to withſtand, if I may purchaſe your Wor: ſafeprotection, no better guarde will my fearefull ſoule deſire. Tomake the cauſe manifeſt vnto your worthines, why Enuiethus barketh at mee, I intreat your wiſedome to conſider theſequel. This Hiſtorie of Heroand Leander,penned by that admired Poet Marloe:but not finiſhed (being preuented by ſodaine death:) and the ſame(though not abruptly, yet contrary to all menns expectation) reſtinglike a heade ſeperated from the body, with this harſh ſentence, Deſunt nonnulla.I being inriched by a Gentleman a friend of mine, with the trueItalian diſcourſe, of thoſe Louers further Fortunes, haue preſumedto finiſh the Hiſtorie, though not ſo well as diuers riper witsdoubtles would haue done: but as it is rude and not praiſe worthy:ſo neyther doe I expect praiſe nor commendations. This therefore isthe cauſe of their ſodayne enmitie, that I being but a flie darepreſume to ſoare wyth the Aegle.But how-euer they diſlike it, maye your worthines but grace this myfirſt labor with your kind acceptance, my hart ſhal enioy the depthof his deſire: And your Wor: ſhall continually bind me in allſeruiceable dutie to reſt vnto your worſhip alwaies deuoted.

Yourworſhips moſt humbly to commaund.

HenriePetowe.

To thequicke-ſighted Reader.

KIndeGentlemen, what I would I cannot, but what I could with that litleſkill I had, I haue preſumed to preſent to your fauourable viewes:I am not aſhamed to beg your kind fauours, becauſe I finde my ſelfealtogether inſufficient to performe that which my good will hathtaken in hand: Yet with my ſoule I wiſh my labours maye merite yourkynde fauours. Yf not for the toyle herein taken, which I confeſſehaue no way deſerued the leaſt iotte of fauour: yet for theSubiectsſake, for Heroand Leandersſake.Yf neyther of theſe purchaſe fauour, the frowning browes of ſaddiſcontent, will baniſh my poore harmeles Muſe, into the vaſtwide wilderneſſe of eternall obliuion. I am aſſured Gentlemen,you will maruell what follie or rather furie inforced mee tovndertake ſuch a waightie matter, I beeing but a ſlender Atlasto vphoulde or vndergoe ſuch a maßie burthen: yet I hope you willrather aſſiſt, and further mee with the wings of your ſweetefauours, then to hinder my forward indeauours with your diſlikings:eſteeming it as the firſt fruits of an vnripe wit, done at certainevacant howers: In which hope I reſt captiuated till I be freed byyour liberall and kinde Cenſures.

Yours ſtill,if mine euer.

HenriePetowe.

HEROand LEANDERSfurtherFortunes.

WHen youngApolloheauens ſacred beautie,

Gan on hisſiluer harpe with reuerent dutie,

To blazenfoorth the faire of Telluswonder,

Whoſefaire, all other faires brought ſubiect vnder:

Heauen ganto frowne at earthes fragilitie,

Made proudewith ſuch adored Maieſtie.

Herothe faire, ſo doe I name this faire,

With whomeimmortall faires might not compare,

Such was herbeautie fram’d in heauens ſcorne,

Her ſpotlesfaire cauſ’d other faires to mourne:

Heauenfrown’d, Earthſham’d, that none ſo faire as ſhe,

Baſe borneof earth in heauen might equall be

Fell moodieVenuspalewith fretting ire,

Aye mee(quoth ſhe) for want of her deſire,

Earthesbaſeſt mould, fram’d of the baſer duſt,

Strumpet tofilth, bawde to loathed luſt:

Worſe thenMædea’scharmes,are thy inticements,

Worſe thenthe Mermaides ſongs, are thy allurements.

Worſe thenthe ſnakie hag Tyſiphone,

To mortallſoules is thy inueagling beautie:

Thus, ſheexclaimes gainſt harmeles Hero’sfaire,

And wouldthe Gods conſent, her dangling haire,

Wherewiththe buſie ayre doth often play,

(As wantonbirdes vpon a Sunne-ſhine day:)

Should betransform’d to ſnakes all vgly blacke,

To be ameanes of her eternall wracke.

But wantonIoueſweete beauties fauorite,

Demaunds ofbeautie beauties worthy merite:

Yf beautiesguerdon merit paine (quoth he,)

Your fairedeſerues no leſſe as faire as ſhe,

Then moodieIunofrowning gan replie,

Ile want mywill, but ſtrumpet ſhe ſhall die.

Iuno(quoth he) we ought not tyrannize,

On ſuch(ſaide ſhe) as you doe wantonnize.

But ſinceour continent the ſcope of Heauen,

Containesher not, vnleſſe from earth beryuen,

Ile make atranſformation of her hue,

And forcethe hautie Mother earth to rue:

That herbaſe wombe dare yeilde ſuch baſtard faires,

That Iouemuſt ſeeke on earth immortall heires.

Ile cauſe aſecond deſperat Phaæton,

To rule thefierie Charriot of the Sunne:

That topſieturuie Heauen and Earth may turne,

That Heauen,Earth,Sea,and Hellmay endleſſe burne.

Stayhead-ſtrong-goddeſſe Ioueto Iunoſayde,

Can you doethis without your huſbands ayde?

With thatſhe gan intreate it might be ſo,

But Iouewould not ſweete beautie ouerthrow:

But this hegraunted Iuno,that Apollo

Should neuermore extoll the faire of Hero.

His cenſurepaſt the irefull Queenedoth hie,

To ſet aperiod to his harmony.

From foorthhis yeilding armes ſhe ſoone bereaues

Apollo’sLute,whom comfortleſſe ſhe leaues,

Making aThouſand parts of two gould-ſtringes,

Intoobliuions Cell the ſame ſhe flinges.

Quickeſighted ſpirits, this ſuppoſ’d Apollo,

Conceit noother, but th’admired Marlo:

Marloadmir’d, whoſe honney flowing vaine,

No Engliſhwriter can as yet attaine.

Whoſe namein Fames immortall treaſurie,

Truth ſhallrecord to endles memorie,

Marlolate mortall, now fram’d all diuine,

What ſoulemore: happy, then that ſoule of thine?

Liue ſtillin heauen thy ſoule, thy fame on earth,

(Thou dead)of Marlo’sHerofindes a dearth.

Weepe agedTellus,all earth on earth complaine,

Thy chiefeborne faire, hath loſt her faire againe:

Her faire inthis is loſt, that Marlo’swant,

InforcethHero’sfairebe wonderous ſcant.

Oh had thatKing of poets breathed longer,

Then hadfaire beauties ſort been much more ſtronger:

His gouldenpen had clos’d her ſo about,

No baſtardÆgletsquillthe world throughout,

Had been offorce to marre what he had made,

For why theywere not expert in that trade:

What mortallſoule with Marlomight contend,

That couldgainſt reaſon force him ſtoope or bend?

Whoſeſiluer charming toung, mou’d ſuch delight,

That menwould ſhun their ſleepe in ſtill darke night.

To meditatevpon his goulden lynes,

His rareconceyts and ſweete according rimes.

But Marloſtill admired Marlo’sgon,

To liue withbeautie in Elyzium,

Immortallbeautie, who deſires to heare,

His ſacredPoeſies ſweete in euery eare:

Marlomuſt frame to Orpheusmelodie,

Himnes alldiuine to make heauen harmonie.

There euerliue the Prince of Poetrie,

Liue withthe liuing in eternitie.

Apollo’sLutebereau’d of ſiluer ſtring,

Fond Mercurydoth harſhly gin to ſing.

Acounterfeit vnto his honney note,

But I doefeare heile chatter it by rote:

Yet if hisill according voice be ſuch,

That(hearing part) you thinke you heare too much.

Beare withhis raſhnes and he will amende,

His follieblame, but his good will commend.

Yet ratherdiſcommend what I intreate,

For if youlike it, ſome wil ſtorme and fret.

And theninſulting Æglesſoaringhie,

Will prayvpon the ſillie harmeles flie:

(Nilrefert)for Ile pawne my better part,

Ere ſweetefac’t beautie looſe her due deſart.

Auaunt baſeSteele where ſhrill tong’d ſiluer rings,

Thechatt’ring Pie may range when black-birdes ſings:

Birdesblacke as Iet with ſweete according voices,

Like toElyziumsSainctswith heauenly noiſes.

Why ſhouldharſh Mercuryrecount againe,

What ſweetApollo(liuing) did maintaine?

Which was ofHeroher, all pleaſing faire,

Her prettiebrowes, her lip, her amber haire,

Her roſeatcheeke, her lillie fingers white,

Herſparkling eyes that lend the day his light:

What ſhouldI ſay, her all in all he prayſed,

Wherewiththe ſpacious world was much amazed.

Leandersloue,and louers ſweeteſt pleaſure,

He wrought afull diſcourſe of beauties treaſure:

And left menothing pleaſing to recite,

But ofvnconſtant chance, and fortunes ſpight.

Then in thisglaſſe view beauties frayltie,

Faire Hero,and Leandersmiſerie.

THE virginPrinceſſe of the weſterne Ile,

FaireCambarinaof the goulden ſoile,

And yet notfaire, but of a ſwartie hew,

For by hergould, her beautie did renew:

Renew asthus, that hauing gould to ſpare,

Men helde itdutie to proteſt and ſweare,

Her fairewas ſuch, as all the world admir’d it,

Her bluſhingbeautie ſuch, all men deſir’d it.

Theſcornefull Queenemade proude with fained praiſes,

Herblack-fram’d ſoule, to a hier rate ſhe raiſes:

That menbewitched with her gould, not beautie,

A ThouſandKnights as homage proffer dutie,

Yf ſuch abaſe deformed lumpe of clay,

In whome noſweete content had any ſtay,

No pleaſurereſidence, no ſweet delight,

Shelter fromheate of day, or cold of night:

Yf ſuch aſhe ſo many ſutors had,

Herowhoſe angrie frownes made heauen ſad:

Herowhoſe gaze gracing darke Plutoscell,

Plutowould deeme Phaebuscamethere to dwell.

Herowhoſe eyes heauens fierie tapors ſtaine,

Herowhoſe beautie makes night day againe,

How muchmore loue merits ſo ſweet a Queene,

Whoſe likeno out-worne world hath euer ſeene.

Of ſweeteLeandersloue,to Hero’sbeautie,

Heauen,Earth,and Hell,and all the world is guiltie,

Of Hero’skindnes,to her truſtie Phere,

By loſtApollo’staleit doth appere,

Recorded inthe Regiſter of Fame,

The workesof Marlodoe expreſſe the ſame.

But ere hegan of fickle chance to tell,

How badchance gainſt the Better did rebell:

When loue inloues ſweet garden newly planted,

RemorcefullHeroto Leandergraunted,

Freelibertie, to yeild the world increaſe,

VnconſtantFortunefoe to harmeles peace:

Playde ſuchvnruly prancks in loues deſpight,

That louewas forced from his true-loues ſight.

DVkeArchilauscruell,voyd of pitie,

Where Herodwelt was regent of that Citie:

Woe worththat towne where bloody homicides,

And Tyrantsare elected cities guides.

Woe woorththat countrey where vnlawfull luſt,

Sitts in aRegall throne, of force it muſt

Downe to thelow layde bowells of the earth,

Like to aſtill borne Childes vntimely byrth:

DukeArchilauslou’d;but whome lou’d he?

He courtedHero,but it would not be.

Why ſhouldhe plant where other Knights haue ſowen,

The land ishis, therefore the fruit his owne,

Luſt it bethus, alas it is not ſo,

Luſt maynot force true-louers ouerthrow.

Luſt hathno limits, luſt will haue his will,

Like to arauening wolfe that’s bent to kill,

The Dukeaffecting her that was belou’d,

(Herowhoſe firme fixt loue Leanderprou’d,)

Gaue on-ſetto the ſtill reſiſting fort,

Butfearefull hate ſet period to his ſport.

Luſt egg’dhim on to further his deſire,

But felldiſdaine inforc’t him to retire.

WhenArchilausſawethat thundering threates

Could notpreuaile, he mildly then intreates.

But all invaine, the Doo had chooſe her make,

And whomeſhe tooke, ſhe neuer would forſake,

The Doo’sſweet Deere, this hunter ſeekes to chace,

HarmelesLeanderwhoſe all ſmiling face

Grac’twith vnſpotted faire to all mens ſight,

Would forcethe houndes retire, and not to bite:

Which whenthe Duke perceau’d, an other curre,

Was forcedfrom his den, that made much ſturre,

And treaſonhe was nam’d, which helde ſo faſt,

That fearesſwift winges did lend ſome ayde at laſt.

For forceperforce Leandermuſt depart

From Seſtos,yet behind he left his hart.

His hart inHero’sbreſt,Leanderleft,

Leandersabſence,Heroesioyesbereft:

Leanderswant,the cruell Duke thought ſure

Some eaſeto diſcontent would ſoone procure.

Leanderhauing heard his wofull doome,

Towards hisweeping Lady he doth come,

Dewing hercheekes with his diſtilling teares,

Which Herodryeth with her dangling haires:

They weepinggreete each other with ſweete kiſſes,

(Kindlyimbracing) thus they gan their wiſhes.

Oh thattheſe foulding armes might nere vndoe;

As ſhedeſir’d: ſo wiſht Leandertoo:

Then withher hand, ſhe toucht his ſacred breſt,

Where in hisboſome ſhe deſires to reſt.

Like to aſnake ſhe clung vnto him faſt,

And woundabout him, which ſnatcht-vp in haſt,

By thePrince of birdes, borne lightly vp aloft,

Doth wrytheher ſelfe about his necke, and oft

About hiswinges diſplayed in the winde,

Or like asIuie on trees cling bout the rinde:

Or as theCrab-fiſh hauing caught in ſeas

His enemies,doth claſpe him with his cleas.

So ioynd inone, theſe two together ſtood,

Euen asHermophroditusinthe flood:

Vntill theDuke did banniſh him away,

Then ganLeanderto his Heroſay.

{(Let me goewhere the Sunne doth parch the greene,

{Intemperate heate, where he is felt and ſeene:

{Or wherehis beames doe not diſſolue the ice,

{In preſencepreſt, of people mad or wiſe.

Set mee inhigh, or elſe in low degree,

In cleareſtſkie, or where clowdes thickeſt bee,

In longeſtnight, or in the ſhorteſt day,

In luſtieyouth, or when my haires be gray:

Goe I toheauen, to earth, or elſe to hell,

Thrall or atlarge, aliue where ſo I dwell,

On hill ordale, or on the foaming flood,

{Sicke or inhealth, in euill fame or good:

{Thine willI be, and onely with this thought,

{Content thyſelfe: although my chance be naught.)

Thus partedtheſe two louers full of woes,

She ſtaiesbehinde, on pilgrimage he goes.

Leaue we awhile, Leanderwandring Knight,

To Delphostakinghis all ſpeedie flight,

That by theOracle of Apollo,

His furtherFortunes he may truely knowe.

TRue-louequite banniſht, luſt began to pleade,

To Herolike a ſcholler deepely reade:

The flamingſighes, that boyle within my breſt,

Faire loue(quoth he) are cauſe of my vnreſt.

Vnreſt Ientertaine for thy ſweet ſake,

And in mytent chooſe ſorrow for my make.

Why doſtthou frowne (quoth he) and then ſhe turn’d

Oh coole thefainting ſoule, that flaming burn’d:

Forc’t bydeſire, to touch thy matchles beautie,

To whome thyſeruant vowes all reuerent dutie.

With thather irefull browes clowded with frownes,

His ſoulealready drencht, in woes ſea drownes.

But floatingon the waues thus he gan ſay,

Flint hartedLady canſt thou be ſo coy?

Can pittietake no place, is kinde remorce

Quitebanniſht, quite fled? then gan he to be horce,

Vnable toexclaime, againſt her longer,

Whoſe woelament made Hero’shartmore ſtronger.

Herothat gaue no eare to her commaunder,

But euerweepes for her exil’d Leander:

And weepingſore among’ſt her liquid teares,

Theſe wordsſhe ſpake, wherewith her ſorrow weares.

(The pillerperiſht is, whereto I lent,

To my vnhap,for luſt away hath ſent,

Of all myIoy, the verie barke and rinde,

Theſtrongeſt ſtay of my vnquiet minde:

And I alasam forc’t without conſent,

Dayly tomourne, till death doe it relent.)

Oh myLeanderhe is baniſhed,

From hisſweete Hero’sſighthe is exiled.

Oh yee iuſtheauens, if that heauen be iuſt,

Raine thevnbridled head, of hautie luſt,

Make him toſtoope, that forceth others bend,

Bereaue hisioyes, that reft me of my friend.

I want myſelfe, for Herowants her loue,

And whereLeanderis, my ſelfe doth moue.

What can Imore, but haue a woefull hart,

My minde inwoe, my body full of ſmart,

And I myſelfe, my ſelfe alwayes to hate,

Tilldreadfull death doe eaſe my dolefull ſtate.

The angryDuke lay liſtning to her words,

And till ſheends no ſpeech at all affords,

Vntill atlength; exclaiming gainſt her kinde,

Thus hebreath’d foorth the venome of his minde.

{ (Ohtimerous taunters that delights in toyes,

{Ianglingieſters, depriuers of ſweete ioyes,

{Tumblingcock-boats tottering too and fro,

Grown’d ofthe graft, whence all my griefe doth grow:

SullenSerpents enuiron’d with deſpight,

That ill forgood at all times doth requite.

As Cypreſſetree that rent is by the roote,

As wellſowen ſeede, for drought that cannot ſprout.

As braunchor ſlip bitter from whence it growes,

As gapingground that raineles cannot cloſe:

As fiſh onlande to whome no water flowes,

{As flowersdoe fade when Phæbusrareſtſhowes,

{AsSalamandrarepulſed from the fier,

{Wanting mywiſh, I die for my deſire.)

Speakingthoſe words death ſeiz’d him for his owne,

Wherewithſhe thought her woes were ouerthrowne:

Heroſo thought, but yet ſhe thought amiſſe,

Before ſhewas belou’d: now findes no bliſſe.

DukeArchilausbeingſodaine dead,

YoungEuriſtippusruledin his ſtead:

The nextſucceeding heire to what was his,

Then Hero’swoesincreaſt, and fled all blis.

Looke howthe ſillie harmeles bleating lambe,

Bereft fromhis kinde make the gentle dam,

Left as apray to Butchers crueltie,

In whome ſhefindes not any drop of mercie.

Or like awarriour whom his Souldiors flies,

At hisſhrill eccho of his foes dread cries.

He allvnable to withſtand ſo many,

Not hauingwherewith to combat, nor any

Aſſuredfriend that dares to comfort him,

Not any wayfor feare dares ſuccour him.

But as apray he yeildes to him he would not,

Yf he hadhelpe, but (helpleſſe) ſtriue he could not.

So far’dit with the meeke diſtreſſed Hero,

That ſweetLeander,banniſhed her fro.

She had noHercules,to defend her cauſe,

She had noBrandamore diſdaining lawes,

To combatfor her ſafetie; this ſweet Io,

Had no kindeIoueto keepe her from her foe.

This Pſicheshadno Cupid,loue was banniſht,

And louefrom loue exild, loue needs muſt famiſh.

WoodEuriſtippusforhis brothers death,

Like as atoyled huntſman wanting breath,

Stormeththat bad chance in the games purſute,

Should cauſehim panting, reſt as dead and mute.

Or like ſadOrpheyfor Euridice,

WhomCerberusbereftſo haſtilie,

Like to thethundering threates of Hercules,

The worldesadmired Prince the great Alcides,

When Neſſusgotthe height of his deſire;

By rauiſhinghis faireſt Deianire.

Such was hisire, and more if more may be,

Which hegainſt Herobreathed ſpightfully:

Thou damnedhag: thus gan he to exclaime,

Thou baſeborne Strumpet one of Circestraine.

Durſt thoupreſume, poore ſillie ſimple flie,

With Venum’sforce,to force an Ægle die?

What thoughmy brother Leanderbanniſhed,

Muſt he bythee therefore be poyſoned?

Die curſedwretch, with that he caſt her from him,

And wouldnot ſuffer her to looke vpon him.

The ſtillamazed Lady muſing ſtood,

Admiring whythe Duke ſhould be ſo wood.

Humbly ſheproſtrates her at Angers feete,

And withdowne dropping teares, like liquid ſleete,

She watereththe Summer thirſtie ground,

Weeping ſolong, ſhe fell into a ſound.

Againereuiued by the ſtanders by,

She dothintreate them to reſolue her why,

DukeEuriſtippuswrongethher ſo much,

As todiſhonour her with ſuch a touch.

Well knowthe Gods my guiltleſſe ſoule (quoth ſhe,)

WasArchilauspoyſonedby me,

Yf ſo? Iuſtheauens and immortall powers,

Rainevengeance downe in all conſuming ſhowers:

And cauſethat Hero,that was counted faire,

Like a madhelliſh furie to diſpaire.

The more ſheweepes, the more the heauens ſmile,

Scorningthat beautie ſhould take any ſoile,

Iunocommaunded Argostodefend her,

But Iupiterwould not ſo much befriend her.

Argosſtarkedead; ſweet Heromight not liue,

For of herlife the Duke will her depriue.

Her doomewas thus, ere three moneths date tooke end,

If ſhefound none, that would her cauſe defend:

Vntimelydeath ſhould ſeize her as a pray,

Andvnreſiſting life, ſhould death obay.

Meane timewithin a rocke-fram’d caſtle ſtrong,

She wasimpriſoned traytors vile among:

Where(diſcontented) when ſhe ſhould haue reſted,

Her foodebad fare, with ſighes and teares ſhe feaſted.

And when thebreathleſſe horſes of the Sunne,

Had madetheir ſtay, and Lunahad begun,

Withcheerefull ſmyling browes to grace darke night,

Clad inblacke ſable weedes, for want of light.

This allalone ſad Lady gan to play,

Framingſweet muſick to her welladay:

The’ffectwhereof this Sonnet plainely ſhowes,

Thefountaine whence ſprings Hero’sheauiewoes.

Hero’slamentationin Priſon.

NIghtsmourning blacke and miſtie vailing hew,

Shadowes thebleſſed comfort of the Sunne:

At whoſebright gaze I wonted to renew

My liueleslife, when life was almoſt done.

Done is mylife, and all my pleaſure done,

For he isgone, in whome my life begun:

Vnhappie Ipoore I, and none as I,

But pilgrimhe, poore he, that ſhould be by.

MY loueexil’d, and I in priſon faſt,

Outſtreaming teares breake into weeping raine,

He too ſoonebaniſht, I in dungeon-caſt,

He for memourneth, I for him complaine.

He’sbaniſhed, yet liues at libertie,

And Iexil’d, yet liue in miſerie:

He weepesfor me far off, I for him here,

I would Iwere with him, and he more nere.

BVt thisimpriſoning caue, this woefull cell,

This houſeof ſorrow and increaſing woe,

Griefestearie chamber where ſad care doth dwell,

Where liquidteares, like top fil’d Seas doe flow:

Beatingtheir waues gainſt ſtill relentles ſtone,

Still ſtillthey ſmile on me, and I ſtill mone;

I weepe toſtone, and ſtone of ſtone I finde,

Colde ſtone,colde comfort yeilds (oh moſt vnkinde.)

OFt haue Iread that ſtone relents at raine,

And Iimpleat their barren wombe with ſtore,

Tearesſtreaming downe, they wet and wet againe,

Yetpittileſſe they harden more and more.

And when mylonging ſoule lookes they ſhould ſonder,

I touch theflintie ſtone, and they ſeeme ſtronger,

Theyſtronge, I weake: alas what hope haue I?

Herowants comfort, Heroneeds muſt die.

WHen themelodious ſhrill toung’d Nightingale,

With heauiecheere had warbled this ſad tale:

Nightsdrowſie God an iuorie Cannopie,

Curtainesbefore the windowes of faire beautie.

Drown’dthus in ſleepe, ſhe ſpent the wearie night,

There leaueI Heroin a heauie plight.

Now to thewoefull Pilgrime I returne,

Whoſepaſſions force the gentle birdes to mourne.

The ſeeLeanderweepe, with heauie note

They faintlyſinge, as when they ſinge by rote:

While he gandeſcant on his miſerie,

The pretiefowles doe make him melodie.

Leanderscomplaintof his restles estate.

BRightHeauens immortall mouing Spheares,

and Phæbusalldiuine,

Rue on loweEarthsvnfainedteares:

that iſſuefrom Earthseyne.

Eyes, weretheſe no eyes, whilſt eies eye-ſight laſted,

but theſedarke eyes cleere ſight, ſad ſorrow waſted.

WHatcreature liuing liues in griefe,

thatbreathes on Tellusſoile?

But Heauenspitiewith reliefe,

ſaue me, aſlaue to ſpoyle.

Spoyle doehis worſt, ſpoyle cannot ſpoile me more,

Spoyle neuerſpoyl’d, ſo true a Loue before.

THe ſtrickenDeere ſtands not in awe

of blackegrym irefull Death,

For hefindes hearbes that can withdrawe

the ſhaft,to ſaue his breath.

The chaſedDeere hath ſoile to coole his heate,

The toyledSteed is vp in ſtable ſet.

THe ſillieOwles lurke in the leaues,

ſhine Sunneor nights Queene whether:

The Sparroweſhrowdes her in the eaues,

from ſtormesof huffing weather.

Fowlescomfort finde, Leanderfindes no friend,

Then(comfortleſſe) Leanderslifemuſt end.

BY this itpleaſ’d the ſmiling browes of Heauen,

Whoſedeadly frownes, him erſt of ioy beryuen:

To ſet aperiod to Leanderstoyle,

Hauingenioy’d that long deſired ſoyle.

When he hadviewd the ſtately territories,

And Delphosſacredhie erected towers,

VntoApollo’sOraclehe goes,

In hope tofinde reliefe for many woes;

He craueslong lookt-for reſt, or elſe to die,

To whome theOracle gan thus reply.

The Oracle.

He loueththine that loues not thee,

His loueto thine ſhall fatall bee.

Vponſuſpect ſhe ſhalbe ſlaine,

Vnlesthou doe returne againe.

THeſe harſhaccording rimes to mickle paine,

Did butrenewe Leanderswoesagaine:

Yet as hemight, with Fortunes ſweet conſent,

He ginsreturne all dangers to preuent.

Within ſhorttime at Seſtosheariueth,

On Loueslightwinges, deſire Leanderdriueth,

Deſire thatlongs to view a bleſſed end,

Of Loueand Fortunethat ſo long contend.

This backeretired Pilgrime liu’d ſecure,

And invnknowen diſguiſe, he did indure,

Full twomoneths ſpace vntill the time drew nie,

To freefaire Hero,or inforce her die:

The dateoutworne of the prefixed day,

Whencombatants their valour ſhould diſplay.

(All thingesprepar’d) as blazing fame reported,

T’werewonder to behould how men reſorted.

Knightsneighboring by, and Ladies all diuine,

Dartingdaies ſplendour from their Sunne-like eyne:

Spectatumveniunt, veniunt ſpectantur vt ipſae,

But wantingfaire, they come to gaze on beautie,

Beautiefaire Heauens beautie, worlds wonder,

Herowhoſe beautie keepes all beautie vnder.

This fairefac’t beautie, from a fowle fac’t cell,

A loath-ſomedungeon like to nights darke hell,

At the fellDukes commaund in open view,

Was ſentfor, on whoſe neuer ſpotted hew,

Earthsmortall ſoules doe feed and gaze vpon her,

So long theygaze, that they doe ſurfet on her.

For whenthis Earthes admir’d immortall Sunne,

To peepefrom vnder ſable hould begun.

Like as thepearcing eye of cloudie Heauen,

Whoſe ſightthe blacke thicke cloudes haue quite beriuen.

But by thehuffing windes being ouerblowen,

And alltheir blacke expeld and ouerthrowen.

The day dothgin, be iocond ſecure playing,

The faire ofHeauen, his beautie ſo diſplaying:

So when thefaireſt Herodid begin,

(Whilomeyclad in darknes blacke tan’d skin.

To paſſethe noyſome portall of the priſon,

Like to thegorgeous Phæbusnewlyriſen,

She dothilluminate the morning day,

Clad in aſable Mantle of blacke Say.

Which Hero’seyestranſformed to faire white,

Making thelowring-morne darke, pure light.

As manymortall eyes beheld her eies,

As there arefierie Tapors in the ſkies:

As many eyesgaz’d on faire Hero’sbeautie,

As there beeyes that offer Heauen dutie:

As manyſeruitors attended on her,

As Venus,ſeruants had to waite vpon her.

Though bythe ſterne Duke ſhe was diſhonored,

Yet of thepeople ſhe was honored:

Mong’ſtwhome exil’d Leanderall vnſeene,

And allvnknowne attended on his Queene.

When to theneere-adioyning pallaice gate,

The placeappointed for the Princely combate,

They didapproch; there might all eies behold,

The Duke inarmour of pure beaten gold,

Mounted vpona Steed as white as ſnow,

The proudDuke EuriſtippusHero’s foe.

Herobeing ſeated in rich Maieſtie,

A ſeruilehand-mayd to Captiuitie.

From whenceſhe might behold that gentle Knight,

That for herſake durſt hazard life in fight.

For this wasall the comfort Herohad,

So many eyesſhed teares to ſee her ſad.

Herhand-maide hope, perſwaded her ſome one,

VndauntedKnight would be her Champion.

Yet ſinceher Lord Leanderwas not nie,

She wasreſolu’d eyther to liue or die;

But herLeandercarefull of his loue,

Intendingloues firme conſtancie to proue:

(Yf to hislot the honour did befall,)

Withdrewhimſelfe into the Pallaice hall,

Where he wasarmed to his ſoules content,

And priuilyconducted to a tent,

From whencehe iſſu’d foorth at trumpets ſound,

Who at thefirſt encounter, on the ground,

Forced themazed Duke ſore panting lie,

Drown’d inthe ryuer of ſad extacie.

At lengthreuiuing, he doth mount againe,

Whome youngLeanderin ſhort time had ſlaine.

The Dukequite dead, this all vnknowne young Knight,

Wasfoorthwith made the heire of Seſtosright.

ThePrinceſſe Heroſet at libertie,

Kept by thelate dead Duke in miſerie:

Whoſeconſtancie Leandergan to proue,

And now anewbegins to court his loue.

To walke onground where danger is vnſeene,

Doth makemen doubt, where they haue neuer been.

As blind menfeare what footing they ſhall finde:

So doth thewiſe miſtruſt the ſtraungers minde.

I ſtrangeto you, and you vnknowen to me,

Yet may notloue twixt vs two grafted bee?

What I hauedone, for Hero’slouewas done,

Say then youloue, and end as I begun.

I hazardlife, to free thy beauties faire,

From Tyrantsforce and helliſh ſoule diſpaire:

Then ſacredFaireballance my good deſart,

Inrich myſoule with thy affecting hart.

Herorepli’d: (to rue on all falſe teares,

And forgedtales, wherein craft oft appeares,

To truſteach fained face, and forcing charme,

Betrayes theſimple ſoule that thinks no harme.)

(Not eueryteare doth argue inward paine,

Not eueryſigh warrants, men doe not faine,

Not eueryſmoke doth proue a preſent fier,

Not all thatgliſters, goulden ſoules deſire,

Not eueryword is drawen out of the deepe,

For oft menſmile, when they doe ſeeme to weepe:

Oft malicemakes the minde to powre forth brine,

And enuieleakes the conduits of the eyne.

Craft oftdoth cauſe men make a ſeeming ſhowe,

Of heauiewoes where griefe did neuer growe.

Then blamenot thoſe that wiſelie can beware,

To ſhundiſſimulations dreadfull ſnare.

Blame notthe ſtopped eares gainſt Syrensſonge,

Blame notthe minde not mou’d with falſhood tonge.)

But reſtcontent and ſatiſfied with this,

Whilſt trueLeanderliues, true Hero’shis.

And thyLeanderliues ſweete ſoule ſayde he,

Prayſingthy all admired chaſtitie.

Though thusdiſguiſ’d, I am that baniſht Knight,

That foraffecting thee was put to flight.

Hero,I am Leanderthy true phere,

As true tothee, as life to me is deere.

When Heroall amazed gan reuiue,

And ſhethat then ſeem’d dead, was now aliue:

With kindeimbracements kiſſing at each ſtraine,

She welcomshim, and kiſſes him againe.

By thee, myioyes haue ſhaken of diſpaire,

All ſtormesbe paſt, and weather waxeth faire,

By thyreturne Heroreceaues more Ioye,

Then Parisdidwhen Hellenwas in Troy.

By thee myheauy doubts and thoughts are fled,

And now mywits with pleaſant thoughts are fed.

Feed ſacredSainct on Nectarall diuine,

While theſemy eyes (quoth he) gaze on thy eyne.

And euerafter may theſe eyes beware,

That they onſtrangers beautie neuer ſtare:

(My wits Icharme henceforth they take ſuch heede,

They frameno toyes, my fancies new to feede.

Deafe be myeares to heare another voice,

To force meſmile, or make my ſoule reioyce,

Lame be myfeete when they preſume to moue,

To forceLeanderſeeke another loue.)

And when thyfaire (ſweet faire) I gin diſgrace,

Heauen to myſoule afford no reſting place.

What he toher, ſhe vow’d the like to him,

(Allſorrowes fled) their ioyes anew begin.

Full manyyeares thoſe louers liu’d in fame,

That all theworld did much admire the ſame.

Their liuesſpent date, and vnreſiſted death,

At hand toſet a period to their breath,

They weretranſform’d by all diuine decrees,

Into theforme, and ſhape of two Pine trees.

WhoſeNaturesſuch,the Fæmalepine will die,

Vnles theMalebe euer planted by:

A map forall ſucceeding times to come,

To viewtrue-loue, which in their loues begun.

FINIS.

Qualis vita, finis ita.