No. IV. SPECIMENS OF PETOWE'S CONTINUATION OF MARLOWE'S HERO AND LEANDER. [CONCERNING this piece and its author see Account of Marlowe and his Writings. old ed. is, The title-page of the The Second Part of Hero and Leander conteyning their further Fortunes by Henry Petove. Sat cito, si sit bene. London. Printed by Thomas Purfoot, for Andrew Harris, and are to be sould at his shop under the Popes head next to the Royall Exchange. 1598, 4to.] MARLOWE'S fragment ends where Leander becomes "lord of his desires." Petowe's continuation (after some mythological matter, and the encomium on Marlowe already cited) informs us that "Dvke Archilaus, cruell, voyd of pitie, Where Hero dwelt was regent of that citie." He conceives a violent passion for her: but she, true to Leander, is moved neither by his "thundering threates" nor his soothing words. Upon this, Archilaus, expecting to have better success with the lady if Leander were away, accuses him of treason, and banishes him from Sestos. The lovers take a very tender farewell of each other; and Leander sets out with all speed for Delphi, to consult the oracle of Apollo concerning his future fortunes. "True loue quite bannisht, lust began to pleade The flaming sighes that boyle within my brest, she turn'd; 'Oh, coole the fainting soule that flaming burn'd, His soule, already drencht, in woe's sea drownes: *See note 1, p. 289. † make] i. e. mate. "The angry Duke lay listning to her words, Sullen serpents enuiron'd with despight, As braunch or slip bitter from whence it growes, She is, however, altogether mistaken; for Euristippus, the brother and successor to Archilaus, in great fury accuses her of having poisoned the last-mentioned personage, and is resolved to make her feel his vengeance. 'Oft haue I read that stone relents at raine, And I impleat their barren wombe with store; Teares streaming downe, they wet and wet againe; Yet pittilesse they harden more and more; And when my longing soule lookes they should sonder, "Her doome was thus: ere three moneths' date I touch the flintie stone, and they seeme stronger; tooke end, If she found none that would her cause defend, And when the breathlesse horses of the Sunne Clad in blacke sable weedes, for want of light, HERO'S LAMENTATION IN PRISON. My liueles life, when life was almost done. 'My loue exil'd, and I in prison fast, Out-streaming teares breake into weeping raine : He too soone banisht, I in dungeon cast, He for me mourneth, I for him complaine. He's banished, yet liues at libertie, And I exil'd, yet liue in miserie; He weepes for me far off, I for him here: 'Bvt this imprisoning caue, this woefull cell, This house of sorrow and increasing woe, Griefe's tearie chamber where sad care doth dwell, Where liquid teares, like top-fil'd seas, doe flow, Beating their waues 'gainst still relentles stone, Still still they smile on me, and I still mone; I weepe to stone, and stone of stone I finde, Colde stone colde comfort yeilds,-oh, most vnkinde ! They stronge, I weake,-alas, what hope haue I! Hero wants comfort, Hero needs must die.' When the melodious shrill-toung'd nightingale There leaue I Hero in a heauie plight. LEANDER'S COMPLAINT OF HIS RESTLES ESTATE. 'BRIGHT heauen's immortall mouing sphcares, And Phoebus all diuine, Rue on lowe earth's vnfained teares Eyes were these no-eyes whilst eies' eye-sight lasted, But these darke eyes' cleere sight sad sorrow wasted. 'What creature liuing liues in griefe That breathes on Tellus' soile, But heauens pitie with reliefe, Saue me, a slaue to spoyle? Spoyle doe his worst; spoyle cannot spoile me more; Spoyle neuer spoyl'd so true a loue before. The stricken deere stands not in awe Of blacke grym irefull death, For he findes hearbes* that can withdrawe The chased deere hath soile † to coole his heate; *For he findes hearbes, &c.] See note *, p. 212. † soile] See note †, p. 264. The sillie owles lurke in the leaues, Shine sunne or night's queene whether; The sparrowe shrowdes her in the eaues From stormes of huffing weather; Fowles comfort finde; Leander findes no friend: Then, comfortlesse, Leander's life must end.'" By this time, "the smiling browes of Heauen" being pleased "to set a period to Leander's toyle," he reaches Delphi in safety: "He craues long-lookt-for rest, or else to die: To whome the Oracle gan thus reply. THE ORACLE. He loueth thine, that loues not thee: Such a response could not fail to "renewe Leander's woes againe." He, however, thinks it best to return to Sestos, that he may prevent, if possible, the threatened danger; and presently he arrives there. "This backe-retired pilgrime liu'd secure, And in vnknowen disguise he did indure Yet, since her lord Leander was not nie, Was foorthwith made the heire of Sestos' right; Hero, having no idea who he is, concludes an answer to his addresses by saying, "But rest content and satisfied with this, Full two moneths' space, vntill the time drew nie 'Praysing thy all-admired chastitie: On that day there is a great assembly of knights and ladies. Hero, at the Duke's command, is brought forth from her dungeon; and her beauty excites much admiration among the crowd. Though by the sterne Duke she was dishonored, Yet of the people she was honored; Mongst whome exil'd Leander, all vnscene And all vnknowne, attended on his queene. When to the neere-adioyning pallaice-gate, The place appointed for the princely combate, They did approch, there might all eies behold The Duke in armour of pure beaten gold, Mounted vpon a steed as white as snow, The proud Duke Euristippus, Hero's foe. Hero being seated in rich maiestie, A seruile hand-mayd to captiuitie, From whence she might behold that gentle knight, That for her sake durst hazard life in fight; For this was all the comfort Hero had, So many eyes shed teares to see her sad; Her hand-maide Hope perswaded her, some one Vndaunted knight would be her champion ; Though thus disguis'd, I am that banisht knight As true to thee as life to me is deere.' fed.' 'Feed, sacred sainct, on nectar all diuine, While these my eyes,' quoth he, 'gaze on thy eyne; And ever after may these eyes beware They frame no toyes, my fancies new to feede; . phere] See note ¶, p. 297. Deafe be my eares to heare another voice, And when thy faire,* sweet faire, I gin disgrace, faire] i. e. beauty. Full many yeares those louers liu'd in fame, A map for all succeeding times to come, DD |