The Works of Christopher Marlowe Volume III Part 3

[32] "In ages and countries where mechanical ingenuity has but few outlets it exhausts itself in the constructions of bits, each more peculiar in form or more torturing in effect than that which has preceded it. I have seen collections of these instruments of torments, and among them some of which Marlowe's curious adjective would have been highly descriptive. It may be, however, that the word is 'ring-led,' in which shape it would mean guided by the ring on each side like a snaffle."--_Cunningham._

[33] Some eds. give "so faire and kind." Cf. _Oth.e.l.lo_, iv. 2--

"O thou wind Who art so _lovely-fair_ and smell'st so sweet."

[34] Ed. 1613 and later eds. "upstarting."

[35] Fetched

[36] Some eds. give "shallow."

[37] In the old eds. this line and the next stood after l. 300. The transposition was made by Singer in the edition of 1821.

[38] Old eds.--"then ... displaid," and in the next line "laid."

[39] Old eds. "heare" and "haire."

[40] Old eds. "glympse."

[41] Pluto was frequently identified by the Greeks with Plutus.

[42] Old eds. "day bright-bearing car."

[43] Dinged, dashed. Some eds. give "hurled."--Here Marlowe's share ends.

THE EPISTLE[44] DEDICATORY

TO MY

BEST ESTEEMED AND WORTHILY HONOURED LADY THE

LADY WALSINGHAM,

ONE OF THE LADIES OF HER MAJESTY'S BED-CHAMBER.

I present your ladyship with the last affections of the first two Lovers that ever Muse shrined in the Temple of Memory; being drawn by strange instigation to employ some of my serious time in so trifling a subject, which yet made the first Author, divine Musaeus, eternal. And were it not that we must subject our accounts of these common received conceits to servile custom, it goes much against my hand to sign that for a trifling subject on which more worthiness of soul hath been shewed, and weight of divine wit, than can vouchsafe residence in the leaden gravity of any money-monger; in whose profession all serious subjects are concluded. But he that shuns trifles must shun the world; out of whose reverend heaps of substance and austerity I can and will ere long single or tumble out as brainless and pa.s.sionate fooleries as ever panted in the bosom of the most ridiculous lover. Accept it, therefore, good Madam, though as a trifle, yet as a serious argument of my affection; for to be thought thankful for all free and honourable favours is a great sum of that riches my whole thrift intendeth.

Such uncourtly and silly dispositions as mine, whose contentment hath other objects than profit or glory, are as glad, simply for the naked merit of virtue, to honour such as advance her, as others that are hard to commend with deepliest politique bounty.

It hath therefore adjoined much contentment to my desire of your true honour to hear men of desert in court add to mine own knowledge of your n.o.ble disposition how gladly you do your best to prefer their desires, and have as absolute respect to their mere good parts as if they came perfumed and charmed with golden incitements. And this most sweet inclination, that flows from the truth and eternity of n.o.bles[se], a.s.sure your Ladyship doth more suit your other ornaments, and makes more to the advancement of your name and happiness of your proceedings, than if like others you displayed ensigns of state and sourness in your forehead, made smooth with nothing but sensuality and presents.

This poor Dedication (in figure of the other unity betwixt Sir Thomas and yourself) hath rejoined you with him, my honoured best friend; whose continuance of ancient kindness to my still-obscured estate, though it cannot increase my love to him which hath been entirely circular; yet shall it encourage my deserts to their utmost requital, and make my hearty grat.i.tude speak; to which the unhappiness of my life hath hitherto been uncomfortable and painful dumbness.

By your Ladyship's vowed in

most wished service,

GEORGE CHAPMAN.

FOOTNOTES:

[44] This Epistle is only found in the Isham copy, 1598.

THE THIRD SESTIAD.

_The Argument of the Third Sestiad._

Leander to the envious light Resigns his night-sports with the night, And swims the h.e.l.lespont again.

Thesme, the deity sovereign Of customs and religious rites, Appears, reproving[45] his delights, Since nuptial honours he neglected; Which straight he vows shall be effected.

Fair Hero, left devirginate, Weighs, and with fury wails her state; 10 But with her love and woman's wit She argues and approveth it.

New light gives new directions, fortunes new, To fashion our endeavours that ensue.

More harsh, at least more hard, more grave and high Our subject runs, and our stern Muse must fly.

Love's edge is taken off, and that light flame, Those thoughts, joys, longings, that before became High unexperienc'd blood, and maids' sharp plights, Must now grow staid, and censure the delights, That, being enjoy'd, ask judgment; now we praise, As having parted: evenings crown the days. 10 And now, ye wanton Loves, and young Desires, Pied Vanity, the mint of strange attires, Ye lisping Flatteries, and obsequious Glances, Relentful Musics, and attractive Dances, And you detested Charms constraining love!

Shun love's stoln sports by that these lovers prove.

By this, the sovereign of heaven's golden fires, And young Leander, lord of his desires, Together from their lovers' arms arose: Leander into h.e.l.lespontus throws 20 His Hero-handled body, whose delight Made him disdain each other epithite.

And as amidst th' enamour'd waves he swims, The G.o.d of gold[46] of purpose gilt his limbs, That, this word _gilt_[47] including double sense, The double guilt of his incontinence Might be express'd, that had no stay t' employ The treasure which the love-G.o.d let him joy In his dear Hero, with such sacred thrift As had beseem'd so sanctified a gift; 30 But, like a greedy vulgar prodigal, Would on the stock dispend, and rudely fall, Before his time, to that unblessed blessing Which, for l.u.s.t's plague, doth perish with possessing: Joy graven in sense, like snow[48] in water, wasts: Without preserve of virtue, nothing lasts.

What man is he, that with a wealthy eye Enjoys a beauty richer than the sky, Through whose white skin, softer than soundest sleep, With damask eyes the ruby blood doth peep, 40 And runs in branches through her azure veins, Whose mixture and first fire his love attains; Whose both hands limit both love's deities, And sweeten human thoughts like Paradise; Whose disposition silken is and kind, Directed with an earth-exempted mind;-- Who thinks not heaven with such a love is given?

And who, like earth, would spend that dower of heaven, With rank desire to joy it all at first?

What simply kills our hunger, quencheth thirst, 50 Clothes but our nakedness, and makes us live, Praise doth not any of her favours give: But what doth plentifully minister Beauteous apparel and delicious cheer, So order'd that it still excites desire, And still gives pleasure freeness to aspire, The palm of Bounty ever moist preserving; To Love's sweet life this is the courtly carving.

Thus Time and all-states-ordering Ceremony Had banish'd all offence: Time's golden thigh 60 Upholds the flowery body of the earth In sacred harmony, and every birth Of men and actions[49] makes legitimate; Being us'd aright, the use of time is fate.

Yet did the gentle flood transfer once more This prize of love home to his father's sh.o.r.e; Where he unlades himself on that false wealth That makes few rich,--treasures compos'd by stealth; And to his sister, kind Hermione (Who on the sh.o.r.e kneel'd, praying to the sea 70 For his return), he all love's goods did show, In Hero seis'd for him, in him for Hero.

His most kind sister all his secrets knew, And to her, singing, like a shower, he flew, Sprinkling the earth, that to their tombs took in Streams dead for love, to leave his ivory shin, Which yet a snowy foam did leave above, As soul to the dead water that did love; And from hence did the first white roses spring (For love is sweet and fair in everything), 80 And all the sweeten'd sh.o.r.e, as he did go, Was crown'd with odorous roses, white as snow.

Love-blest Leander was with love so fill'd, That love to all that touch'd him he instill'd; And as the colours of all things we see, To our sight's powers communicated be, So to all objects that in compa.s.s came Of any sense he had, his senses' flame Flow'd from his parts with force so virtual, It fir'd with sense things mere[50] insensual. 90 Now, with warm baths and odours comforted, When he lay down, he kindly kiss'd his bed, As consecrating it to Hero's right, And vow'd thereafter, that whatever sight Put him in mind of Hero or her bliss, Should be her altar to prefer a kiss.

Then laid he forth his late-enriched arms, In whose white circle Love writ all his charms, And made his characters sweet Hero's limbs, When on his breast's warm sea she sideling swims; 100 And as those arms, held up in circle, met, He said, "See, sister, Hero's carquenet!

Which she had rather wear about her neck, Than all the jewels that do Juno deck."

But, as he shook with pa.s.sionate desire To put in flame his other secret fire, A music so divine did pierce his ear, As never yet his ravish'd sense did hear; When suddenly a light of twenty hues Brake through the roof, and, like the rainbow, views, 110 Amaz'd Leander: in whose beams came down The G.o.ddess Ceremony, with a crown Of all the stars; and Heaven with her descended: Her flaming hair to her bright feet extended, By which hung all the bench of deities; And in a chain, compact of ears and eyes, She led Religion: all her body was Clear and transparent as the purest gla.s.s, For she was all[51] presented to the sense: Devotion, Order, State, and Reverence, 120 Her shadows were; Society, Memory; All which her sight made live, her absence die.

A rich disparent pentacle[52] she wears, Drawn full of circles and strange characters.

Her face was changeable to every eye; One way look'd ill, another graciously; Which while men view'd, they cheerful were and holy, But looking off, vicious and melancholy.

The snaky paths to each observed law Did Policy in her broad bosom draw. 130 One hand a mathematic crystal sways, Which, gathering in one line a thousand rays From her bright eyes, Confusion burns to death, And all estates of men distinguisheth: By it Morality and Comeliness Themselves in all their sightly figures dress.

Her other hand a laurel rod applies, To beat back Barbarism and Avarice, That follow'd, eating earth and excrement And human limbs; and would make proud ascent 140 To seats of G.o.ds, were Ceremony slain.

The Hours and Graces bore her glorious train; And all the sweets of our society Were spher'd and treasur'd in her bounteous eye.

Thus she appear'd, and sharply did reprove Leander's bluntness in his violent love; Told him how poor was substance without rites, Like bills unsign'd; desires without delights; Like meats unseason'd; like rank corn that grows On cottages, that none or reaps or sows; 150 Not being with civil forms confirm'd and bounded, For human dignities and comforts founded; But loose and secret all their glories hide; Fear fills the chamber, Darkness decks the bride.

She vanish'd, leaving pierc'd Leander's heart With sense of his unceremonious part, In which, with plain neglect of nuptial rites, He close and flatly fell to his delights: And instantly he vow'd to celebrate All rites pertaining to his married state. 160 So up he gets, and to his father goes, To whose glad ears he doth his vows disclose.

The nuptials are resolv'd with utmost power; And he at night would swim to Hero's tower, From whence he meant to Sestos' forked bay To bring her covertly, where ships must stay, Sent by his[53] father, throughly rigg'd and mann'd, To waft her safely to Abydos' strand.

There leave we him; and with fresh wing pursue Astonish'd Hero, whose most wished view 170 I thus long have foreborne, because I left her So out of countenance, and her spirits bereft her: To look on one abash'd is impudence, When of slight faults he hath too deep a sense.

Her blushing het[54] her chamber; she look'd out, And all the air she purpled round about; And after it a foul black day befell, Which ever since a red morn doth foretell, And still renews our woes for Hero's woe; And foul it prov'd because it figur'd so 180 The next night's horror; which prepare to hear; I fail, if it profane your daintiest ear.

Then, ho,[55] most strangely-intellectual fire, That, proper to my soul, hast power t' inspire Her burning faculties, and with the wings Of thy unsphered flame visit'st the springs Of spirits immortal! Now (as swift as Time Doth follow Motion) find th' eternal clime Of his free soul, whose living subject[56] stood Up to the chin in the Pierian flood, 190 And drunk to me half this Musaean story, Inscribing it to deathless memory: Confer with it, and make my pledge as deep, That neither's draught be consecrate to sleep; Tell it how much his late desires I tender (If yet it know not), and to light surrender My soul's dark offspring, willing it should die To loves, to pa.s.sions, and society.

Sweet Hero, left upon her bed alone, Her maidenhead, her vows, Leander gone, 200 And nothing with her but a violent crew Of new-come thoughts, that yet she never knew, Even to herself a stranger, was much like Th' Iberian city[57] that War's hand did strike By English force in princely Ess.e.x' guide, When Peace a.s.sur'd her towers had fortified, And golden-finger'd India had bestow'd Such wealth on her, that strength and empire flow'd Into her turrets, and her virgin waist The wealthy girdle of the sea embraced; 210 Till our Leander, that made Mars his Cupid, For soft love-suits, with iron thunders chid; Swum to her towers,[58] dissolv'd her virgin zone; Led in his power, and made Confusion Run through her streets amaz'd, that she suppos'd She had not been in her own walls enclos'd, But rapt by wonder to some foreign state, Seeing all her issue so disconsolate, And all her peaceful mansions possess'd With war's just spoil, and many a foreign guest 220 From every corner driving an enjoyer, Supplying it with power of a destroyer.

So far'd fair Hero in th' expugned fort Of her chaste bosom; and of every sort Strange thoughts possess'd her, ransacking her breast For that that was not there, her wonted rest.