Leanders love to loyall Hero
To the tune of Shackley hay.
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T wo famous Lovers once there was,
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whom Fam[e] ha[t]h [q]uite fo[r]got[t]:
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Who loved long mos[t] co[n]stantly,
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without all envious blott;
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Shee was most faire, and hee as true:
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which caused that which did ensue; fa la,
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Whose storie I doe meane to write,
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and tytle it, True Loves delight, fa la.
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Leander was this young-mans name,
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right Noble by dessent:
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And Hero, she whose beautie rare,
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might give great Jove content.
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He at Abidos kept his Court,
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and she at Sestos lived in sport, fa la,
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A River great did part these twaine,
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which caus'd them oft poore soules complaine, fa la.
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Even Hellespont, whose Current streames,
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like lightninges swift did glide,
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Accursed River that two hearts,
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so faythfull must devide.
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And more, which did augment their woe,
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their parents weare each others foe, fa la,
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So that no Ship durst him convey,
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unto the place whereas his Hero lay, fa la.
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Long time these Lovers did complaine,
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the misse of their desire.
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Not knowing how they might obtaine,
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the thing they did require.
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Though they were parted with rough seas,
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no waters could Loves flames appease, fa la,
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Leander ventured to Swim
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to Hero, who well welcomed him, fa la.
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Even in t[he] midst of darkesome night,
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when a[ll] thinges silent were,
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Would young Leander take his flight,
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through Hellospont so cleare;
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Where at the shore, Hero would bee,
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to welcome him most lovingly, fa la,
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And so Leander would convey,
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unto the chamber where she lay, fa la.
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Thus many dayes they did enjoy,
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the fruits of their delight,
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For he oft to his Hero came,
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and backe aganie same night.
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And she for to encourage him,
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through Hellospont more bold to swim, fa la,
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In her Tower top a Lampe did place,
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whereby he might behold her face, fa la.
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And by this Lampe would Hero sit,
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still praying for her love,
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That the rough waters to Leander,
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would not offensive prove.
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Be mild quoth she, till he doth swim,
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and that I have well welcomed him, fa la;
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And then ever rage and rore amaine,
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that he may never goe hence againe, fa la.
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Now Boistrous Winter hasted on,
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when windes and Waters rage:
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Yet could it not the lustfull heate,
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of this young Youth asswage:
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Though windes and waters raged so,
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no Ship durst venture for to goe, fa la;
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Leander would goe see his Love,
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his manly Armes in Floodes to prove, fa la.
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The second part of Leanders love to Loyall Hero:
To the same tune.
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Then lept he into Hellospont
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desirous for to goe,
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Unto the place of his delight,
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which he affected so.
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But windes and waves did him withstand,
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so that he could attaine no land, fa la;
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For his loves Lampe looking about,
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faire Hero slept, and it gone out, fa la.
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Then all in vaine Leander strove;
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till Armes could doe no more,
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For naked he depriv'd of life,
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was cast upon the shore:
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Oh had the Lampe still stayed in,
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Leander livelesse had not been, fa la.
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Which being gone, he knew no ground,
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because thicke darknesse did abound, fa la;
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When Hero faire awakt from sleepe,
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and saw her Lampe was gone,
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Her senses all be nummed weare
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and she like to a stone.
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Oh from her Eyes then Pearles more cleare,
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procceded many a dolefull teare, fa la,
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Presaging that the angry Flood,
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had drunk Leanders Lovely blood, fa la.
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Then to the top of highest Tower.
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faire Hero, did ascend:
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To see how windes did with the waves,
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for maistership contend:
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And on the Sandes she did espie
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a naked body Livelesse lye, fa la;
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And looking more upont, she knew,
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it was Leanders bloodlesse hue, fa la.
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Then did she teare her golden haire,
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and in her griefe thus sayd,
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Accursed River that art still
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a foe to every Mayde,
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Since Hellen faire, in thee was dround,
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nam'd Hellospont tha'rt ever found, fa la;
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And now to see what though canst doe,
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thou hast made me a mourner too.
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But though thou didst attach my Love,
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and tooke him for thine owne:
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That he was only Heroes deare,
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hencefoorth it shalbe knowne.
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Then from the Tower faire Hero fell,
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whose woefull death I sigh to tell, fa la:
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And on his body there did die,
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that loved her most tenderly fa la;
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Thus ended they both life and love,
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in prime of their young yeares:
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Since whose untimelie funeralls
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no such true love appeares:
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Untill more Constant love arise,
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their names I will immortalize, fa la.
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And heavens send such as have true friends,
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as faithfull hearts, but better ends, fa la.
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