Loues leprosie. The preface to the title ...

Loues Leprosie . TROY lost hir Souldier , Priam lost a Sonne : Troyes hopes were past , and Priams triumphes donne . The Phrygian Dames , those sad Illyades , Earth spherifying lyghtes , heauens Pleiades , Do fret the pauement of his brasen Tombe With teares , whose currants from their eylids runne : With teares in stead of flowers they strew the way , Such sollemne rites beseeme so blacke a day . With teares they wash his woundes , and then againe Lament with teares , their brother Hector slaine . Euen at these exequies amongst the rest , Was Peleus issue an vnwelcome guest . He noates their sorrow , and each seuerall passion , Affrighting Nemesis with inuocation . Polyxena sendes foorth from trembling brest , Yee Gods in whom Troy holdes her interest . Be iust vpon Achilles for this deede , Who first begirt me with a mourning weede : At this incenst , to heare such imprecation , As to his owne soule had so neare relation . His blood growes proud , and makes his brow the land Which he try fallowes like caractered sand . Thus he replyes in language mixt with gall , That but for honor of the capitall : And of that truce whereto they were coniured , By Hectors blood , which had the earth manured . And all the soules which by vntimely fate , His Sword had sent to hell before their date . That tongue from whom such ranckor had his course , Should begge for life , and yet finde no remorce : But sacrificious at her brothers shrine , Besprinkling it with blood , her soule refine . These wordes he vsed , and vsing them came neare , So nigh that faire Polyxene did appeare : Our Mermaidonian Captaine all amazed , Stone still he standes , and standing still he gazed : His eyes were dimde , the obiect was so bright ; Such is the force of Beautie , such her might . His hart an anuill to a tragicke theame , Where death began to forge a stratageme Will not endure while furie strikes a heate : But at the first allarums sounds retreate . His handes intended like that furious Knight , Who thought the Graecian fleet might proue his right . Or as him selfe , when as his second selfe Breathed foorth his soule , diuorst from life and death . Euen now as then for his Patroclus sake : Now did I say , euen now I mistake , O now they plead as Oracles of grace , They menace none , for Loue hath changed the case . A change to see his knee to offer duetie , The foote whereof spurnes at all changing beautie . Achilles loues Polyxene : What is shee ? The lyuing daughter of his enemie . How shall he woe her , that hath wed another ? How shall he winne her , that hath slaine her brother ? His Trophees and his triumphes she doth hate . In Hectors death his vallor liued too late . Liue blest in this , that thou art Orpheus brother : Hee none of thine , nor Thetis is his mother . Hee in Castalian , therein didst thou bath , And thou in Stygian , so he neuer hath : Minion to Mars , and Champion to the nine : O that our age could elbow that of thine . But widow shee hath lost Achilles mate , SYDNEY whose breathing fame admits no date . O but for him I neuer should abyde , But tell the Achademicks lowde he lyde , Who mids those holsome hearbes which he did cherish , Suffered Metemsucosin so to florish . In him Achilles wandring soule did rest , Who like an Eagle could not buyld her nest , Till she had found him out ; but full of paine , Seekes her Echytes els-where all in vaine . With finding him , my Muse hath lost her selfe : Come backe , for Natures banquer out of her wealth . The Phaenix burnes , would teares might quench the flame : Andromache calls on dead Hectors name . Though he be dead , his honors euer liue : My infant Penne shall him his tribute giue . And when this Cygnet hath a whiter hew , Shee vowes to swimme , or sinke , in open view . Achilles wooes her Loue , is full of woe , Polyxen yeeldes , but Hecuba sayes noe . Alas that Loue the sonne , and Loue the mother , By opposition should aduerse each other : Shee doth accuse him as degenerate , Whose birth a Goddesse did contaminate : Hee sweares shee is vnkinde of woman kinde : Predominance stuffes her ambitious minde . Both striue to soueraignize , both emulate , Such ciuill warre the weale doth dissipate . O I should deeme them , but for their descents , Two of the foure substantiall Elements . Those two I meane , whose contrarietie , Seekes to expell by their aduersitie . Hence i st Polyxen loues and loathes together , Much like the Vaine that s guyded by the weather : This is the influence of Loue the mother , And Loue the sonne , efficient of the other . Once more , and reprehende not for digression : A womans minde is fit for each impression : Hippocrates electuarie wyse Attributes it to weaknesse in their eyes : Induce mee to subscribe he neuer can , For euery female will outface a man , And sinke him in the center of her eye , Drentcht with the sourses of immodestye . Olde Hecuba , well learned in their sex , Instructes her daughter in this diuelish text : Hate occupie the center of thy hart , Varnish with Loue the superficiall part , That when Achilles hopes to croppe a flower , The hidden Snake may haue him in her power . The dryft is this , Achilles being slayne , The Graecian Trophees will decline and wayne : Loue him as Rangers vse to loue their Deare , That being fatt , they fall at time of yeere . The Lecturis was diligent to reed , The Pupill as attentiue giues good heed : The Graecian at the first encounter faylde , Albeit , his second orasons preuaylde . Albeit , his second orasons preuaylde . Maydes at the first , feare to be counted light , And therefore vse their Noe but as a slight : Yet yf she loue , preuenting Nay at thrice , For feare shee loose her pray , cryes Yea at twice . Egiptus Sonne whom Danaa takes to wyse , Feeles ere he sees his throate to kisse the knyfe : Euen so our Louer , fearing no infection , Tastes by the tongue , but tryes not by digestion . And now he strikes a higher noate in Loue , Than earst when baser stringes did onely moue . Am I Loues thrall ( quoth he ) and must I yeelde To her , the honours which I wonne in feelde ? Loe Cytherea at thy sacred shryne , My conquestes I do willingly resigne . Where Loue 's the goale , and Beautie giueth ayme , I le proue an Archer , though I loose the gayme . Some of my shaftes are spent , not will I spare , But other shaftes shell proforate the ayre : When all are gone , Heauens archar shall supplie , By him I le calculate Loues destenie . Ioynd with the most propitiate of the seauen , Dart foorth caelestiall influence from heauen . For this dayes deede , O chide mee not to morrow , T is not of Maurus that I begge or borrow : If I do so , let Euseus loose his right : And yet t is farre to reach vnto the whight . His heauie quiuer and my hart of lead , Will make the crasie sicke , the sick-man dead . The Destenies were neuer yet my Saintes . At Fortunes shrine I breath not foorth my plaintes . How much I scorne to borrow Maurus Bow , Heauens constellations may confirme and show : I will commaund them all ; yf they refuse , The pledge of Wisedome shall be my excuse , ens inebi-Astris . If Sagitarius throw me from a farre , Foure spheres remote to Phaebus thirling carre , And he suppose it be disparagment , To giue a heauen wrackt soule some intertainment , Like to a fire I le sit vpon the maynes Of his vnmanaged Iades , and burne their raynes Then will I take my Goddesse by the hand , Whose awfull Scepter guydeth Paphos land . How I am wronged shee shall informe her Sonne , And he shall helpe when all my hopes are done . If Cupid fauour not , then will I prooue , Apostata vnto the God of Loue . Nay more , a Cynick like Diogenes , Misanthropos and a Misogones : This resolution did proceede from Loue , In whose thought flying Orbe his soule did mooue : The day he spendes in studie how to gaine her , His studie nothing els but to obtaine her : Obseruing this a motiue in their kinde , High prayses humor best a womans minde . And this mooues him to proue practitioner , Solicite loue pleas Cupids barrister . Polyxenes Poet in his Mistres prayse , Thus gins to volley foorth his amorous layes ▪ Thou wretchles Father of a wretched Sonne , Sire to that dismounted Phaeton : Giue raynes vnto those fierie Steedes of thine , That tread the path of the signiferous lyne . Faire Sunne that seest each mothers Sonne on earth , Cynthius by loue , Latoides by thy birth : Proude for the one , promoted for the other . Vowde to thy Loue , deuoted to thy Mother . Eye of all seeing-heauens , earthes lyfe , worldes light ; Whose presence makes the day , and absence night : Performe the reuolution of swift time , according to these faire demaundes of mine . Poynt at that time , that wished time , and say ; Loe this of many , a selected day : Wherein thy Loue yeeldes her consenting voyce , Of thee ( would God of mee ) to make her choyce . Knowst thou Earth , animating lyght , my saint ? The fountaine of my griefe , and hartes complaint ? If not , attende the whilst I shall thee show , How thou my Loue from others loues mayst know O shee is fayrer then the louely Boy , Who by his death bereft Hyperions ioy . Had this Diana naked in the Sring , By any Forrester bin euer seene , He could not haue the power to runne away : But there inchaunted , at the gaze to stay . Nor neede she call the Nimphes to reach her boe , The fight had rauisht and bewitcht him soe . Her voyce the ground of winged Hermes sweete , Wherewith Lucinaes Watchman fell a sleepe : Her handes , yf Ioue perceiue they seeme to craue , She need not speake , Ioue graunts what she would haue . The margent is so fayre to gaze vpon , That he shall surfet yf he gaze too long . Her armes heauens continent , the way so bright , Reflecting Cynthius rayes seemes lacteall whight . Once more the more for to decipher her , Shee s like thy selfe , O none so like faire starre . The beautie thy dissheuered lockes contayne , Doth in the tramels of her hayre remayne . As wee eye thee ( all obiectes set apart ) So shee hath power to draw both eyes and hart . If any penne distinguish twixt the Gods And fayre Polyxen , I allow him ods : Mainteine , there is no difference but this ; That they in Heauen , shee on the Center is . By him her prayses haue eternitie , And shee layes naked his mortallitie . True Loue 's a sainct , so shall you true loue know : False Loue a Schythian , yet a sainct in show . When many elegies of Loue were done , Polyxens hand , but not hart he wonne : On this condition , that his Sword and Shield Should neuer be aduanst in Teucrian field : And euery Mermaidon whom he controlde , The same with him inuiolate to holde . By this the dayes of truce did take an ende : And heere begins the practize they intende ▪ A second leader to the forebred fight , Was instigated Troilus behight : He knowes Achilles sleepes within his tent , His loynes vngirded , and his Bowe vnbent . He there the Troian gallant playes his prankes , Passes confronted Pykes , and breakes their rankes . The Graecians flye , their Captaynes being slayne , Our younger Sonne to Mars pursues amayne : Makes pauement of their Trunkes , and where he rides , The hollow hoofe check quered in blood abides , Leauing the print behinde , as who should say , Be witnesse that the Troian rode this way : Achilles doth beholde by Loue restraynde . He feares to be orebolde , but restes contaynde , With execration that he did consent , By solempne oath vnto this darke intent , Their instrumentes of Warre keepe tims accord , The Spartan King , before Antenors Sword : Flyes in such danger of recouerie , He wisht nightes mantell were his sanctuarie . His Foe growes insolent , made proude with pray , And conquest must her vtmust duetie pay . Achilles is not tyde vnto the Mast , The Acheloydes singe , and he in hast Leapes from his Cabbin : O t were treble wrong That he impatient should abstayne so long . Well mounted & well met , they ioyne togeather Like Clowdes , whose rushing cause tempestuous weather : And now their clattering Shildes resemble thunder . The fire a lightning when the cloudes do sunder , Long did it thunder ere the heauens were bright , So long that when it cleered , the day was night : A night perpetuall vnto Priams sonne ; His Horse was slaine , the day was lost & won , And heere each one might heare windes whispering sound , When earst the Drums their senses did confound Troilus dethes , chiefe conquest from the fielde , Wrapt in their Colours , couered with his Shielde , They carry him to make the number more , Whose bleeding sydes Achilles Speare did gore . O had he not bin ouer insolent , Achilles Speare had rested in his Tent : But his prouoking pride did seeme to braue The brauest Souldier in the ayre concaue . This is the onely price that Vallour yeeldes , Thy soule shall finde his rest in Martiall fieldes . The second league for dayes they doe proclaime , And now Achilles visites his faire dame . Ill fare that outward faire that 's inward foule , An Angels face wed to Proserpines soule : If Diuels in Dietie thus masked bin , The man that s so bewitcht doth no whit sin . Thus pleades the subiect of my weeping Muse , Eor his fond Loues , alleadging this excuse . If hee complayne on Loue , shee heares his plaintes With delinition , and because he faintes , Shee doth reuiue him , brooking no delay , With as signation of a wedding day . Foorthwith a marriage twixt them was concluded : Alas that true Loue should be so deluded . The Sunne is rose , sees Thetis Sonne to fall , Vnder this false pretended nuptiall . The Delphick Oracle is now fulfilde , Eare Troy be wonne , Achilles must be kilde . This is the day wherein they surfet all , With blood of his , who made the Troians thrall . And this the day wherein he did appease Vnquiet soules , which earst could finde no ease , This day was nyght to him , and day to those By whom vntimely death did heere repose His liues familliar Starre doth shoote and fall , The fairest Starre the heauens weare gracte withall . Euen when his steppes salute the Temple porch With Hymmes , and Hymenaeus burning torch , A shaft from Paris hand did soone disclose Where Styx had kist him , and how high it rose . Where the Stygian flood did neuer reach , Deathes winged messenger did make a breach : Whence from each veine , the sacred breath descending , Polyxens ioyes began , and his had ending . FINIS .