Besides, some vertues and some worth he had, That might excuse my pitie to an end So cruell and unripe.

Doe not deceive your thoughts: My Lord, we bring no comfort,would we could, But the last duty to performe and best We ever shall, a free death to persuade, To cut off hopes of fearcer cruelty And scorne, more cruell to a worthy soule.

Who were most cruell, those that did obay Or he who gaue commandment for the fact? Eu.

420 To whom shall I my evill case complaine, Or tell the anguish of my inward smart, Sith none is left to remedie my paine, Or deignes to pitie a perplexed hart; But rather seekes my sorrow to augment 425 With fowle reproach, and cruell banishment?

O! who can lead then a more happie life Than he, that with cleane minde and heart sincere, No greedy riches knowes nor bloudie strife, No deadly fight of warlick fleete doth feare, Ne runs in perill of foes cruell knife, 125 That in the sacred temples he may reare A trophee of his glittering spoyles and treasure, Or may abound in riches above measure.

Soone as he them plac'd in thy sacred wood, O Delian goddesse, saw, to which of yore 170 Came the bad daughter of old Cadmus brood, Cruell Agavè, flying vengeance sore Of King Nictileus for the guiltie blood Which she with cursed hands had shed before; There she halfe frantick, having slaine her sonne, 175 Did shrowd her selfe like punishment to shonne.

Seest thou not how all places quake and quiver, 340 Lightned with deadly lamps on everie post? Tisiphone each where doth shake and shiver Her flaming fire-brond, encountring me, Whose lockes uncombed cruell adders be.

"She, ladie, having well before approoved 465 The feends to be too cruell and severe, Observ'd th'appointed way, as her behooved, Ne ever did her eysight turne arere, Ne ever spake, ne cause of speaking mooved; But, cruell Orpheus, thou much crueller, 470 Seeking to kisse her, brok'st the gods decree, And thereby mad'st her ever damn'd to be.

"She, ladie, having well before approoved 465 The feends to be too cruell and severe, Observ'd th'appointed way, as her behooved, Ne ever did her eysight turne arere, Ne ever spake, ne cause of speaking mooved; But, cruell Orpheus, thou much crueller, 470 Seeking to kisse her, brok'st the gods decree, And thereby mad'st her ever damn'd to be.

"Me therefore thus the cruell fiends of hell, 625 Girt with long snakes and thousand yron chaynes, Through doome of that their cruell iudge compell, With bitter torture and impatient paines, Cause of my death and iust complaint to tell.

"Me therefore thus the cruell fiends of hell, 625 Girt with long snakes and thousand yron chaynes, Through doome of that their cruell iudge compell, With bitter torture and impatient paines, Cause of my death and iust complaint to tell.

That for disdaine of sinfull worlds upbraide Fled back to heaven, whence she was first conceived, Into her silver bowre the Sunne received; And the hot Syrian Dog on him awayting, 5 After the chafed Lyons cruell bayting, Corrupted had th'ayre with his noysome breath.

The luckles Clarion, whether cruell Fate Or wicked Fortune faultles him misled, Or some ungracious blast out of the gate Of Aeoles raine* perforce him drove on hed**, 420 Was (O sad

X. A mighty Lyon, lord of all the wood, Having his hunger throughly satisfide With pray of beasts and spoyle of living blood, Safe in his dreadles den him thought to hide: His sternesse was his prayse, his strength his pride, And all his glory in his cruell clawes.

With deadly force so in their cruell race They pincht the haunches of that gentle beast, That at the last, and in short time, I spide, Under a rocke, where she, alas!

But hideous monsters full of uglinesse; 340 For she it is that hath me done this wrong; No nurse, but stepdame cruell, mercilesse.

But heavens refuse to heare a wretches cry; 355 And cruell Death doth scorn to come at call, Or graunt his boone that most desires to dye.

XI. Dayly when I do seeke and sew for peace, And hostages doe offer for ray truth, She, cruell warriour, doth her selfe addresse To battell, and the weary war renew'th; Ne wilbe moov'd, with reason or with rewth*, To graunt small respit to my restlesse toile; But greedily her fell intent poursewth, Of my poore life to make unpittied spoile.

Too feeble I t'abide the brunt so strong, Was forst to yield my selfe into their hands; Who, me captiving streight with rigorous wrong, Have ever since kept me in cruell bands.

But she, more cruell and more salvage wylde Than either lyon or the lyonesse, Shames not to be with guiltlesse bloud defylde, But taketh glory in her cruelnesse.

I must be cruell, onely to be kinde; Thus bad begins, and worse remaines behinde.

The cruell markes of many a bloody fielde; Yet armes till that time did he never wield:

The poem begins thus: "A gentle Knight was pricking on the plaine, Ycladd in mightie armes and silver shielde, Wherein old dints of deepe woundes did remaine, The cruell markes of many' a bloody fielde; Yet armes till that time did he never wield.

Be not so cruell to bereave her life 'Twill draw upon thee a perpetuall scar, Thy fathers curse, and a continuall warre.

Ile carve it on the trees, and in the turfe, On every greene sworth, and in every path, Just to the Margin of the cruell Trent; There will I knock the story in the ground, In smooth great peble, and mosse fill it round, Till the whole Countrey read how she was drown'd;