The tragicall and lamentable historie of two faythfull mates Ceyx kynge of Thrachine, and Alcione his wife: dravven into English meeter. By W. Hubbard. 1569

The Tragicall and lamentable Historie of Ceyx and Alcione . WHen frowning Fortune gan assaulte her Foes : whose deth she doth desire She will reuenge , though for no faulte , When Enuie hath her set on fire : Shee seekes to bring men to decaie whom erst alofte : She had set vp at pleasant staye , though reeling ofte . And then at last they tumbling downe from highest staie , to lowest step : To lamentacion from Renowne , with tumbling cast they downwarde lep , Amonge all other , one I finde vnfortunate : For at his state , Fortune repinde with cruell hate . He was somtime of Thracine King , And CEYX I reade he had to name : Dame Fortune his mischaunce seeking she tolde him streight by flickering Fame How Peleus his brother was by ruinous chaunce , With Death distroyed , as cam to passe , by Fortunes Launce . Whereat he musing stoode dismayde , and vexed sore then in his thought : How easely might the signes he saide , the which before his death were wrought Of all men well perceiued be , as came to passe , Betokening this his destinie , which fearefull was . When CEYX the matter did perceiue , misdoubting what was best to doo : He did deuise where he might haue , a remedie to slake his woo : For counsell he to séeke with spéede at Sacred SPELS , Deuiseth thus , as I do reade , where this God dwels . The God of CLAROS I do meane , where as an Oracle woulde tell , Eache thing to fill fonde fansies streame , but no good counsell their did dwell : Kinge CEYX disposed thus to goe , to this fonde God : Dame Fortune hath prouided loe , this scorging Rod. He had a wife who had to name , ALCIONE then Thrachine Quéene : She was a wife of passyng fame , few such at this time can be seene : To whom he minded to disclose , all his intente , Vnto his louing Mate he goes , vntimely sent . He then began with faultring voice , to shewe the matter to his wife , At whose presence she did reioyce , for sure shee loued him as her life , But when she heard he would departe , with feare there strake : A chilnes straighte vnto hir hart that teares out brake . Thre times she then about to speake , thre times she washt hir face with teares Thre times she of from teares did breake , and thus complained in his eares , What fault of myne ( O Husbande deare ) doth thee compell ? That thou wilt dwell no longer heere , but go to SPELL . Do Iorneies long delight thee nowe ? or doth mine absence better please Then my presence ? then I vowe to NEPTVNE , Guider of the Seas Whose Stormes vncertein thou must bide in wofull plight : To offer Giftes if he will guide thy Ship aright . Vntill thou comst at wisshed Port : For sure my care is great for thee , Thou art my Ioye and sure comfort , my faithfull Spouse geue eare to mée : Shall I haue cause onely to mourne ? And shall my care Of thy vncerteine home returne be voide of feare ? The Sea doth make mee sore afraide to thinke on it , my Corps doth quake , My minde with musing is dismaide , for verie woe my Ioinctes do shake : For broken late vpon the shoare the Ribbes of Ships I sawe , whose Masters long before the waues in whips . But yet my Spouse , if that thy will I can by no entreatance moue : But that thou wilt perseuer styll , Consider then my tender loue , And mée deare Husbande ) with thée take that I maye bee Partaker of thy griefe , and make some mirth for thee . O louing Wife ALCIONE , my Loue , my deare and onely ioye ( Quoth he ) and wept full tenderlye : Let not mine absence thée annoye : Content thy selfe full quietlie , And will no more On houering waues to go with mée from Thrachine shoare . For my Returne shal be againe if that the Goddes permit me life , Within two Monthes I tell thee plaine , as thou art my espoused wife ; With that she gan for ioy to weepe , that CEYX had , Appointed daies and sighed deepe , and wexed glad . She there doth bring him to the Shoore , Where he his last farewell did take , ALCIONES , hart misgaue before , she did with trembling ioyntes oft quake , And straining CEYX in her armes , with pittious looke , Her last farewell mistrusting harmes , she sadly tooke . And when she sawe the watermen , the Ship beginne to driue from shore , And that she must hir spouse leaue then , she muche more heauy then before , My only ioy is gon she sayd , why do I liue ? Let death of thine , with mine be paide , I would it giue . And casting vp hir waterie eies , she did beholde her husband stand , On Hatches gon now far on Seas , she sawe him becking with his hand : And she like wise her hands did shake , as loue did moue , Where as she did her last sight take , of hir deere loue . And when the Ship was out of sight , she straight vnto hir Chamber went , She screeked out with maine and might , and pitiously she did lament , She cast her body on her bed , with sory hart , With dumped sprites as heauy as Led , renewes hir smart . And whilst she lieth musing here , a pleasant gale of winde doth blowe , The wether waxeth very cleare , these shipmen now in Seas do rowe , And CEYX doth make his men vp hale , the highest mast , And set them vp with the top saile , that no wind wast . At last they all ariued are , when night was com and day was spent , Where eche of them must ende their care : and eke must there , their liues relent , For BOREAS with his bitter blasts doth fierslie blow : And waues do rise vp all in haste to ouerthrowe Their ship and they with fearefull speede do cut down Sailes , & Clothes down rend Eche man is busie nowe at neede , Yet all in vaine thei do contend : For now the Tempest hath by force the vpper hande : King CEYX doth oftimes wish his Corse to be on lande . With his deare Loue ALCIONE who now he saith , did warning geue Of foming Tempests of the Sea , yet he as then would not beleue : But willinglie would forwarde goe to seeke Counsell , To passe the Sea would forwarde rowe to go to SPELL . King CEYX did of his Loue still speake , he alwaies cried ( ALCIONE , ) Nothing would make his tonge of breake but wicked waues of watrie Sea When thus with Death he conquered was and diynge in Sea : He seemde to speake halfe dead ( alas ) ALCIONE . Whilste CEYX doth lye thus in the Sea : quite drownde with ouer gulfing waues On rufull Bed ALCIONE with weeping eies , she restles craues For safe and speedie comming home of CEYX her Mate : Who lieth tost on salt Sea fome , vnfortunate . Now dead and drowned in the Sea , yet she the dayes doth compt and tell , She thinkes poore wretch ALCIONE , her husbandes home returne from SPELL To be but slowe : and she doth thinke , eche hower a day , No ioyes into her hart can sink , for his delay . She hopeth yet to see him againe aliue at his appointed hower : Her expectacion was in vaine , for Fortune was disposed to lower , On him poore wretch as late befell , yet she doth make , Acompt of his returne from SPELL her louing make . The Lady being thus mindfull still , of her owne spouse and husband deare The day is past the night doth fill , eche thing with darkenes bright & cleare , And she to restles Bed is gon , to take hir sleepe And straight a slumber stealing on , her eyes yet weepe : This wofull wight ALCIONE , doth dreame she seeth stand by her Bed , Her only ioy late drownd in Sea , pale , wan , starke nakt , and cold as lead , She thought he leaned on her brest , and to her said , My louing wife me thou knowest , be not dismaid . Thy CEYX is dead , therfore in vaine of my retourne no reckening make , The boisterous windes with might & main our ship on Seas did tosse and shake , Vntill it was turnd vpsidowne , and drownd in Sea , O worthie wight of high renowne , ALCIONE , Thou hearest not by false reporte , but I my selfe my shipwreke show , Arise therfore come and comfort thy husband , and som teares bestowe Vpon thy spouse , and decke the now with moorning wéede , For I can mirth no more allowe , now I am dead . With that she stretched forth her handes , her husbands Ghost for to imbrace , He steps a side and backward stands , with that the teares ran downe hir face she screeketh out , why doest thou flie ? and leaue me alone , Then take me with thee , for I must die , if thou art gon . All this she did yet being a sleape , and by and by she did awake , And rewfully began to wéepe , and heauely the matter take : Shee rent her Clothes , and fare her heere , with extreme woe : Her Nurce then rose with rewfull feare and ranne her to . She did demaunde what was the cause of her great griefe and piteous mone Wherat this Ladie yet did pause at last she saide , I am vndone , ALCIONE is cast awaye with CEYX his death : For he hath yelded vp I saye his vitall breath . This , this , it is that I did feare before thy Iorney in my minde : I warned thee , thou didst not care , That thou shouldst not trust to the winde And whilst she talked , the night was gone , and Daye was bright : Vnto the shoare with speede she ronne and footesteppes light . She standing mourning on the shoare , and casting vp her weeping eies And listening how the Sea did roare a great waie of , on Sea she spies A thing come tumbling on the Sea muche like a Corce , She meruailed what it should bee that waters force Brought houering so toward the shoare , at last shee sawe , it was a man : She knewe not who it was therfore , To speake she then with woe began , Alas poore wretch ( she said ) thy wife if any there bee , Maye wish her selfe deuoyde of life for Death of thee . And as the Winde , the waues did tosse , the Bodie floated nearer lande Yet she not ware of her great losse Vntill it came vnto her hande , Anone it did arryue on shoare : ALCIONE Sawe CEYX who grieued her full sore late drownde in Sea . And therwithall she scratched her face , her Heere and Garments she did teare She reached out in wofull case to CEYX her tremblyng handes with feare She sayde now comst thou home my loue , in such a case : He beyng dead , she did remoue to touche his face . And also yet not being content , this wretched wight ALCIONE , She ●ieth D' ●tropos consent , and cast her selfe into the Sea ▪ And on her husbands corce doth 〈◊〉 , as Poets faine : And both were turned to 〈…〉 and still remaine . Their loue right well we may 〈◊〉 for few such Mates are at this day : Who loue so stedfast to the ende , Therfore e●●●●le take we may , By CEYX and ALCIONE . which both liue still , As I do read and haunt the Sea , as Poets will , Faelix quem fa● 〈…〉 Cantum . FINIS