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Whereat the saphir visag'd god grew prowd,
And made his capring Triton sound alowd,
Imagining that Ganimed displeas'd,
Had left the heauens; therefore on him hee seaz'd.
Leander striu'd, the waues about him wound,
And puld him to the bottome, where the ground
Was strewd with pearle, and in low corrall groues
Sweet singing Meremaids, sported with their loues
On heapes of heauie gold, and tooke great pleasure
To spurne in carelesse sort the shipwracke treasure.
For here the stately azure pallace stood,
Where kingly Neptune and his traine abode.
The lustie god imbrast him, cald him loue,
And swore he neuer should returne to Ioue.
But when he knew it was not Ganimed,
For vnder water he was almost dead,
He heau'd him vp, and looking on his face,
Beat downe the bold waues with his triple mace,
Which mounted vp, intending to haue kist him,
And fell in drops like teares, because they mist him.
Leander being vp, began to swim,
And looking backe, saw Neptune follow him,
O let mee visite Hero ere I die.
Whereat agast, the poore soule gan to crie,
The god put Helles bracelet on his arme,
And swore the sea should neuer doe him harme.
He clapt his plumpe cheekes, with his tresses playd,
And smiling wantonly, his loue bewrayd.
He watcht his armes, and as they opend wide,
At euery stroke, betwixt them would he slide,
And steale a kisse, and then run out and daunce,
And as he turnd, cast many a lustfull glaunce,-
And threw him gawdie toies to please his cie,—
And diue into the water, and there pric
Vpon his brest, his thighs, and euerie lim,
And vp againe, and close beside him swim,
And talke of loue: Leander made replie,
You are deceau'd, I am no woman I.
Thereat smilde Neptune, and then told a tale,
How that a sheapheard sitting in a vale
Playd with a boy so faire and kind,
As for his loue both earth and heauen pyn'd;
164 shipwrackt 1629: shipwreck Rob., Dyce etc. 187 throw Dyce etc.
faire] louely faire 1629, 1637, Rob. etc.
That of the cooling riuer durst not drinke,
Least water-nymphs should pull him from the brinke.
And when hee sported in the fragrant lawnes,
Gote-footed Satyrs and vp-staring Fawnes
Would steale him thence. Ere halfe this tale was done,
Aye me, Leander cryde, th'enamoured sunne,
That now should shine on Thetis glassic bower,
Descends vpon my radiant Heroes tower.
O that these tardie armes of mine were wings!
And as he spake, vpon the waues he springs
Neptune was angrie that hee gaue no care,
And in his heart reuenging malice bare:
He flung at him his mace, but as it went,
He cald it in, for louc made him repent.
The mace returning backe his owne hand hit,
As meaning to be veng'd for darting it.
When this fresh bleeding wound Leander viewd,
His colour went and came, as if he rewd
The greefe which Neptune felt. In gentle brests,
Relenting thoughts, remorse and pittie rests.
And who haue hard hearts, and obdurat minds,
But vicious, harebraind, and illit'rat hinds?
The god seeing him with pittic to be moued,
Thereon concluded that he was beloued.
(Loue is too full of faith, too credulous,
With follie and felse hope deluding vs.)
Wherefore Leanders fancie to surprize,
To the rich Ocean for gifts he flies.
'Tis wisedome to giue much, a gift preuailes,
When deepe perswading Oratorie failes.
By this Leander being nere the land,
Cast downe his wearie feet, and felt the sand.
Breathlesse albeit he were, he rested not,
Till to the solitaric tower he got,
And knockt and cald, at which celestiall noise
The longing heart of Hero much more joies
Then nymphs & sheapheards, when the timbrell rings,
Or crooked Dolphin when the sailer sings;
She stayd not for her robes, but straight arose,
And drunke with gladnesse, to the dore she goes,
Where seeing a naked man, she scriecht for feare,
Such sights as this to tender maids are rare,
200 vp-starting 1609-37, Rob.
201 Ere halfe this] ere halfe
And ran into the darke herselfe to hide.
Rich icwels in the darke are soonest spide.
Vnto her was he led, or rather drawne,
C By those white limmes, which sparckled through the lawnc.
The neerer that he came, the more she fled,
And seeking refuge, slipt into her bed.
Whereon Leander sitting, thus began,
Through numming cold all feeble, faint and wan:
If not for loue, yet, loue, for pittie sake,
Me in thy bed and maiden bosome take,
At least vouchsafe these armes some little roome,
Who hoping to imbrace thee, cherely swome.
This head was beat with manie a churlish billow,
And therefore let it rest vpon thy pillow.
Herewith afrighted Hero shrunke away,
And in her luke-warme place Leander lay,
Whose liuely heat like fire from heauen fet,
Would animate grosse clay, and higher set
The drooping thoughts of base declining soules,
Then drerie Mars carowsing Nectar boules.
His hands he cast vpon her like a snare,
She ouercome with shame and sallow feare,
Like chast Diana, when Acteon spyde her,
Being sodainly betraide, dyu'd downe to hide her.
And as her siluer body downeward went,
With both her hands she made the bed a tent,
And in her owne mind thought her selfe secure,
O'recast with dim and darksome couerture.
And now she lets him whisper in her eare,
Flatter, intreat, promise, protest and sweare,
Yet euer as he greedily assayd
And euery lim did as a soldier stout,
To touch those dainties, she the Harpey playd,
Defend the fort, and keep the foe-man out.
For though the rising yu'rie mount he scal'd,
Which is with azure circling lines empal'd,
Much like a globe, (a globe may I tearme this,
By which loue sailes to regions full of blis,)
Yet there with Sysiphus he toyld in vaine,
Till gentle parlie did the truce obtaine.
257 dropping 1629, 1637 267 now om. 1637 270 daintie 1613 272 foc-men
246 Through] Though 1598, 1600
260 sallow] shallow 1629, 1637
euer] euer after 1613
1609-37
Wherein Leander on her quiuering brest,
Breathlesse spoke some thing, and sigh'd out the rest; 250
Which so preuail'd, as he with small ado
Inclos'd her in his armes and kist her to.
And cueric kisse to her was as a charme,
And to Leander as a fresh alarme,
So that the truce was broke, and she alas,
(Poore sillie maiden) at his mercie was.
Loue is not ful of pittie (as men say)
But deaffe and cruell, where he meanes to pray.
Euen as a bird, which in our hands we wring,
Foorth plungeth, and oft flutters with her wing.
She trembling stroue, this strife of hers (like that
Which made the world) another world begat
Of vnknowne ioy. Treason was in her thought,
And cunningly to yeeld her selfe she sought.
Seeming not woon, yet woon she was at length,
In such warres women vse but halfe their strength.
Leander now like Theban Hercules,
Entred the orchard of Th'esperides,
Whose fruit none rightly can describe but hee
That puls or shakes it from the golden tree:
And now she wisht this night were neuer done,
And sigh'd to thinke vpon th'approching sunne,
For much it greeu'd her that the bright day-light
Should know the pleasure of this blessed night,
And them like Mars and Ericine display,
Both in each others armes chaind as they lay.
Againe she knew not how to frame her looke,
Or speake to him who in a moment tooke
That which so long so charily she kept,
And faine by stealth away she would haue crept,
And to some corner secretly haue gone,
Leauing Leander in the bed alone.
But as her naked feet were whipping out,
He on the suddaine cling'd her so about,
279-300 Owing probably to the displacement of a leaf in Marlowe's
lost MS. these lines are given in wrong sequence in all previous
editions. The early quartos all insert ll. 279-90 between 300 and zot,
which cannot be right. Singer in his edition of 1821 shifted Ul. 289, 290
to a position between 278 and 291, and this order (278, 289–300, 279–58,
301) has been retained by all subsequent editors. 280 some things
15982, 1600
281 he om. 1637 287 pittie] mercy,
this] the 1600 305 them conj. Broughton, Dyce etc.: then g
displayd Qq 306 others] other 1600 lay
TO MY BEST ESTEEMED
AND WORTHELY HONORED
LADY, THE LADY WALSINGHAM,
one of the Ladies of her Maiesties
Bed-chamber.
I present your Ladiship with the last affections of the first two Louers that euer Muse shrinde in the Temple of Memorie; being drawne by strange instigation to employ some of my serious time in so trifeling a subiect, which yet made the first Author, diuine Musæus, eternall. And were it not that wee must subiect our accounts of these common receiued conceits to seruile custome; it goes much against my hand to signe that for a trifling subiect, on which more worthines of soule hath been shewed, and weight of diuine wit, than can vouchsafe residence in the leaden grauitie of any Mony-Monger; in whose profession all serious subiects are concluded. But he that shuns trifles must shun the world; out of whose reuerend heapes of substance and austeritie, I can, and will, ere long, single, or tumble out as brainles and passionate fooleries, as euer panted in the bosome of the most ridiculous Louer. Accept it therfore (good Madam) though as a trifle, yet 's a serious argument of my affection: for to bee thought thankeull for all free and honourable fauours, is a great summe of hat riches my whole thrift intendeth.
Such vncourtly and sillie dispositions as mine, whose contentment hath other obiects than profit or glorie; are as glad, simply for the naked merit of vertue, to honour such as aduance her, as others that are hired to commend with deepeliest politique bountie.
It hath therefore adioynde much contentment to my desire of your true honour to heare men of desert in Court adde to mine owne knowledge of your noble disposition, how gladly you doe your best to preferre their desires; and haue as absolute respect to their meere good parts, as if they came perfumed and charmed with golden incitements. And this most sweet inclination, that flowes from the truth and eternitie of Nobles, assure your Ladiship doth more suite your other Ornaments, and makes more to the aduancement of your Name, and happines of your proceedings, then if (like others) you displaied Ensignes of state and sowrenes in your forehead, made smooth with nothing but sensualitie and presents.
This poore Dedication (in figure of the other vnitie betwixt
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