My Dionyza, shall we rest us here

1.5.2392And, by relating tales of others' griefs,

1.5.3393See if 'twill teach us to forget our own?

That were to blow at fire in hope to quench it,

1.5.5395For who digs hills because they do aspire

1.5.6396Throws down one mountain to cast up a higher.

1.5.7397O my distressèd lord, even such our griefs are.

1.5.8398Here they're but felt, and seen with mischief's eyes,

1.5.9399But like to groves, being topped, they higher rise.

>Oh, Dionyza,

1.5.11401Who wanteth food, and will not say he wants it,

1.5.12402Or can conceal his hunger till he famish?

1.5.13403Our tongues our sorrows utter to sound deep

1.5.14404Our woes into the air; our eyes do weep

1.5.15405Till tongues fetch breath that may proclaim 406them louder,

1.5.16That if heaven slumber while 407their creatures want,

1.5.17They may awake 408their helps to comfort them.

1.5.18409I'll then discourse our woes felt several years,

1.5.19410And, wanting breath to speak, help me with tears.

I'll do my best, sir.

This Tharsus, o'er which I have the government,

1.5.22413A city o'er whom Plenty held full hand,

1.5.23414For Riches strewed herself even in her streets,

1.5.24415Whose towers bore heads so high they kissed the clouds,

1.5.25416And strangers ne'er beheld, but wondered at;

1.5.26417Whose men and dames so jetted and adorned,

1.5.27418Like one another's glass to trim them by;

1.5.28419Their tables were stored full to glad the sight,

1.5.29420And not so much to feed on as delight.

1.5.30421All poverty was scorned, and pride so great

1.5.31422The name of help grew odious to repeat.

Oh, 'tis too true!

But see what heaven can do by this our change.

1.5.34425These mouths who but of late, earth, sea, and air

1.5.35426Were all too little to content and please,

1.5.36427Although they gave their creatures in abundance,

1.5.37428As houses are defiled for want of use

1.5.38429They are now starved for want of exercise;

1.5.39430Those palates who, not yet two summers younger,

1.5.40431Must have inventions to delight the taste,

1.5.41432Would now be glad of bread and beg for it;

1.5.42433Those mothers who to nuzzle up their babes

1.5.43434Thought nought too curious, are ready now

1.5.44435To eat those little darlings whom they loved;

1.5.45436So sharp are hunger's teeth that man and wife

1.5.46437Draw lots who first shall die to lengthen life.

1.5.47438Here stands a lord and there a lady weeping;

1.5.48439Here many sink, yet those which see them fall

1.5.49440Have scarce strength left to give them burial.

1.5.50441Is not this true?

Our cheeks and hollow eyes do witness it.

Oh, let those cities that of plenty's cup

1.5.53444And her prosperities so largely taste

1.5.54445With their superfluous riots, hear these tears:

1.5.55446The misery of Tharsus may be theirs.

Where's the Lord Governor?

Here.

1.5.58Speak out thy sorrows, which thou bring'st 450in haste,

1.5.59For comfort is too far for us to expect.

We have descried, upon our neighboring 452shore,

1.5.61A portly sail of ships make hitherward.

I thought as much.

1.5.63454One sorrow never comes but brings an heir,

1.5.64455That may succeed as his inheritor.

1.5.65456And so in ours: some neighboring nation,

1.5.66457Taking advantage of our misery,

1.5.67458Hath stuffed the hollow vessels with their power

1.5.68459To beat us down, the which are down already,

1.5.69460And make a conquest of unhappy me,

1.5.70461Whereas no glory's got to overcome.

That's the least fear; 463for by the semblance

1.5.72Of their white flags displayed, they 464bring us peace,

1.5.73And come to us as favorers, not as foes.

Thou speak'st like him's untutored to repeat:

1.5.75466Who makes the fairest show means most deceit.

1.5.76467But bring they what they will and what they can,

1.5.77468What need we fear?

1.5.78Our ground's the lowest, 469and we are half way there.

1.5.79Go, tell their general we 470attend him here

1.5.80To know for what he comes and whence 471he comes,

1.5.81And what he craves?

I go, my lord.

Welcome is peace, if he on peace consist;

1.5.84474If wars, we are unable to resist.

Lord Governor, for so we hear you are,

1.5.86477Let not our ships and number of our men

1.5.87478Be like a beacon fired t'amaze your eyes.

1.5.88479We have heard your miseries as far as Tyre,

1.5.89480And seen the desolation of your streets.

1.5.90481Nor come we to add sorrow to your tears,

1.5.91482But to relieve them of their heavy load;

1.5.92483And these our ships, you happily may think

1.5.93484Are like the Trojan horse was stuffed within

1.5.94485With bloody veins expecting overthrow,

1.5.95486Are stored with corn to make your needy bread,

1.5.96487And give them life whom hunger starved half dead.

[Kneeling] The gods of Greece protect you,

1.5.98489And we'll pray for you!

And we'll pray for you! Arise, I pray you, rise.

1.5.99 We do not look for reverence 491but for love,

1.5.100And harborage for our self, our ships, and men.

The which when any shall not gratify,

1.5.102493Or pay you with unthankfulness in thought,

1.5.103494Be it our wives, our children, or ourselves,

1.5.104495The curse of heaven and men succeed their evils.

1.5.105496Till when -- the which I hope shall ne'er be seen --

1.5.106497Your Grace is welcome to our town and us.

Which welcome we'll accept, feast here awhile,

1.5.108499Until our stars that frown lend us a smile.