Part 4 (1/2)

_Diom._ I will obey your will.

_Cl._ So the desert The G.o.ds repay of thy true faithfull heart.

_Diomed._

And is't not pittie, G.o.ds, ah G.o.ds of heau'n!

To see from loue such hatefull frutes to spring?

And is't not pittie that this firebrand so Laies waste the trophes of _Philippi_ fieldes?

Where are those swete allurements, those swete lookes, Which G.o.ds themselues right hart-sicke would haue made?

What doth that beautie, rarest guift of heau'n, Wonder of earth? Alas! what doe those eies?

And that swete voice all _Asia_ vnderstoode, And sunburnt _Afrike_ wide in deserts spred?

Is their force dead? haue they no further power?

Can not by them _Octauius_ be supriz'd?

Alas! if _Ioue_ in middst of all his ire, With thunderbolt in hand some land to plague, Had cast his eies on my Queene, out of hande His plaguing bolte had falne out of his hande: Fire of his wrathe into vaine smoke should turne, And other fire within his brest should burne.

Nought liues so faire. Nature by such a worke Her selfe, should seme, in workmans.h.i.+p hath past.

She is all heau'nlie: neuer any man But seing hir was rauish'd with her sight.

The Allablaster couering of hir face, The corall coullor hir two lipps engraines, Her beamie eies, two Sunnes of this our world, Of hir faire haire the fine and flaming golde, Her braue streight stature, and hir winning partes Are nothing else but fiers, fetters, dartes.

Yet this is nothing th'e'nchaunting skilles Of her celestiall Sp'rite, hir training speache, Her grace, hir Maiestie, and forcing voice, Whither she it with fingers speach consorte, Or hearing sceptred kings emba.s.sadors Answer to eache in his owne language make.

Yet now at nede she aides hir not at all With all these beauties, so hir sorowe stings.

Darkned with woe hir only studie is To wepe, to sigh, to seke for lonelines.

Careles of all, hir haire disordred hangs: Hir charming eies whence murthring looks did flie, Now riuers grown', whose wellspring anguish is, Do trickling wash the marble of hir face.

Hir faire discouer'd brest with sobbing swolne Selfe cruell she still martireth with blowes, Alas! It's our ill happ, for if hir teares She would conuert into hir louing charmes, To make a conquest of the conqueror, (As well shee might, would she hir force imploie) She should vs saftie from these ills procure, Hir crowne to hir, and to hir race a.s.sure.

_Vnhappy he, in whome selfe-succour lies,_ _Yet self-forsaken wanting succour dies._

Chorus.

O swete fertile land, wherin _Phaebus_ did with breath inspire Man who men did first begin, Formed first of _Nilus_ mire.

Whence of _Artes_ the eldest kindes, Earthes most heauenly ornament, Were as from their fountaine sent, To enlight our mistie mindes.

Whose grosse sprite from endles time, As in darkned prison pente, Neuer did to knowledg clime.

Wher the _Nile_, our father good, Father-like doth neuer misse Yearely vs to bring such food, As to life required is: Visiting each yeare this plaine, And with fatt slime cou'ring it, Which his seauen mouthes do spitt, As the season comes againe.

Making therby greatest growe Busie reapers ioyfull paine, When his flouds do highest flowe.

Wandring Prince of riuers thou, Honor of the _aethiops_ lande, Of a Lord and master now Thou a slaue in awe must stand.

Now of _Tiber_ which is spred Lesse in force, and lesse in fame Reuerence thou must the name, Whome all other riuers dread, For his children swolne in pride, Who by conquest seeke to treade Round this earth on euery side.

Now thou must begin to sende Tribute of thy watrie store, As Sea pathes thy stepps shall bende, Yearely presents more and more.

Thy fatt sk.u.mme, our frutefull corne, Pill'd from hence with theeuish hands All vncloth'd shall leaue our lands Into foraine Countrie borne.

Which puft vp with such a pray Shall therby the praise adorne Of that scepter _Rome_ doth sway.

Nought thee helps thy hornes to hide Farre from hence in vnknowne grounds, That thy waters wander wide, Yearely breaking bankes, and bounds.

And that thy Skie-coullor'd brookes Through a hundred peoples pa.s.se, Drawing plots for trees and gra.s.se With a thousand turn's and crookes.

Whome all weary of their way Thy throats which in widenesse pa.s.se Powre into their Mother Sea.

Nought so happie haplesse life ”In this worlde as freedome findes: ”Nought wherin more sparkes are rife ”To inflame couragious mindes.

”But if force must vs enforce ”Nedes a yoke to vndergoe, ”Vnder foraine yoke to goe ”Still it proues a bondage worse.

”And doubled subiection ”See we shall, and feele, and knowe ”Subiect to a stranger growne.