Hellens Rape. OR A light Lanthorne for light Ladies. Written in English Hexameters.

LOuely a Lasse, so loue da Lasse, and (alas) such a louing (Lasse
Lasse, for a while (but a while) was none such a sweet bonny Loue-
As Helen, Maenelaus louing, lou'd, louelie, a loue-lasse,
Till spight full Fortune from a loue-lasse made her a loue-lesse
Wife. From a wise woman to a witles vvant on abandond,
When her mate (vnawares) made warr es in Peloponessus,
Adultrous Paris (then a Boy) kept sheepe as a shepheard
On Ida Mountaine, vnknowne to the King for a Keeper
Of sheep, on Ida Mountaine, as a Boy, as a shepheard:
Yet such sheep he kept, and was so seemelie a shepheard,
Seemelie a Boy, so seemelie a youth, so seemelie a Younker,
That on Ide was not such a Boy, such a youth, such a Younker.
Sonne now reconcil'd to the Father, fained a letter
Sent him by Iupiter (the greatest God in Olympus)
For to repaire with speede to the brauest Graecian Hauen,
And to redeeme againe Hesyone latelie reuolted
From Troy by Ayax, whom she had newly betrothed.
Well, so well he told his tale to his Aunt Amaryllis
That A maryllis, (his Aunt,) obtained of his aged
Syre, that he sent him a ship, and made him Capten of Argus.
Great store went to Greece with lust-bewitched Alexis,
Telamour, and Tydias: with these he sliceth the salt seas,
The salt seas slicing, at length be comes to the firme land,
Firme land, an auntient Iland cald old Lacedaemon.
Argus (eye full Earle) when first the ken of a Castle
He had spide, bespake: (to the Mate, to the men, to the Mates-man)
Lo behold of Greece (quoth he) the great Cytadella,
(Ycleaped Menela) so tearmd of Deliaes Husband:
Happie Helen, Womens most woonder, beautifull Helen.
Oh would God (quoth he) with a flattring Tongue he repeated:
Oh would God (quoth he) that I might deserue to be husband
To such a happie huswife, to such a beautifull Helen.
This he spake to intice the minde of a lecherous young-man:
But what spurres neednow, for an vntam'd Titt to be trotting:
Or to add old Oile to the flame, new flaxe to the fier.
Paris heard him hard, and gaue good eare to his harkening.
And then his loue to a lust, his lust was turnd to a fier,
Fire was turnd to a flame, and flame was turnd to a burning
Brand: and mothers Dreame was then most truelie resolued.
Well so far th'are come, that now th'are come to the Castle,
Castle all of stone, yet euery stone vvas a Castle:
Euerie foote had a Fort, and euerie Fort had a fountaine,
Euerie fountaine a spring, and euerie spring had a spurting
Streame: so strong vvithout, vvithin, so stately a building,
Neuer afore vvas seene: If neuer afore Polyphoebe
Was seene: vvas to be seene, if nere to be seene vvas Olympus.
Flovvers vvere framd of flints, Walls Rubies, Rafters of Argent:
Pauements of Chrisolite, Windovvs contriu'd of a Christall:
Vessels vvere of gold, vvith gold vvas each thing adorned:
Golden Webs more vvorth than a vvealthy Souldan of Egypt,
And her selfe more worth than a wealthy Souldan of Egypt:
And her selfe more worth than all the wealth shee possessed;
Selfe? indeede such a selfe, as thundring Ioue in Olympus,
Though he were father could finde in his hart to be husband.
Embassage ended, to the Queene of faire Lacedaemon;
(Happie King of a Queene so faire, of a Country so famous)
Embassage ended, a Banquet braue was appointed:
Sweet Repast for a Prince, fine Iunkets fit for a Kings sonne.
Biskets and Carawayes, Comfets, Tart, Plate, Ielly, Ginge-bread,
Lymons and Medlars: and Dishes moe by a thousand.
First they fell to the feast, and after fall to a Dauncing,
And from a Dance to a Trance, from a Trance they fell to a falling
Either in others armes, and either in armes of another.
Pastime ouer-past, and Banquet duely prepared,
Deuoutly pared: Each one hies home to his owne home,
Saue Lord and Ladie: Young Lad, but yet such an old Lad,
In such a Ladies lappe, at such a slipperie by-blow,
That in a vvorld so vvide, could not be found such a vvilie
Lad: in an Age so old, could not be found such an old lad:
Old lad, and bold lad, such a Boy, such a lustie Iuuentus.
Well to their vvorke they goe, and both they iumble in one Bed:
Worke so well they like, that they still like to be vvorking:
For Aurora mounts before he leaues to be mounting:
And Astraea fades before she faints to be falling:
(Helen a light Huswife, now a light some starre in Olympus.)

 

FINIS.