Daphnaïda.
Alcides flew, and fixt in firmament;
Her now I ſeek throughout this earthlie ſoyle,
And ſeeking miſſe, and miſsing doe lament.
Therewith he gan afreſh to waile and weepe,
That I for pittie of his heauie plight,
Could not abſtaine mine eyes with teares to ſteepe:
But when I ſaw the anguiſh of his ſpright
Some deale alaid, I him beſpake againe.
Certes Alcyon, painfull is thy plight,
That it in me breeds almoſt equall paine.
Yet doth not my dull wit well vnderſtand
The riddle of thy loued Lioneſſe;
For rare it ſeemes in reaſon to be ſkand
That man, who doth the whole worlds rule poſſeſſe
Should to beaſt his noble hart embaſe,
And be the vaſſall of his vaſſaleſſe:
Therefore more plaine aread this doubtfull caſe.
Then ſighing ſore, Daphne thou kneweſt (quoth he)
She now is dead; ne more endured to ſay:
But fell to ground for great extreamitie,
That I beholding it, with deepe diſmay
Was much appald, and lightlie him vpearing,
Reuoked life that would haue fled away,
All were my ſelf through griefe in deadly drearing.
Then gan I him to comfort all me beſt,
And with milde counſaile ſtroue to mitigate
The ſtormie paſsion of his troubled breſt,
But he thereby was more empaſsionate:
As ſtubborne ſteed, that is with burb reſtrained,
