Vnder the hanging of an hideous clieffe, v He heard the lamentable voice of one, That piteously complaind her carefull grieffe, Which neuer she before disclosd to none,[228] But to her selfe her sorrow did bemone.[229] So feelingly her case she did complaine, That ruth it moued in the rocky stone, And made it seeme to feele her grieuous paine, And oft to grone with billowes beating from the maine. Though vaine I see my sorrowes to vnfold, vi And count my cares, when none is nigh to heare, Yet hoping griefe may lessen being told, I will them tell though vnto no man neare: For heauen that vnto all lends equall eare, Is farre from hearing of my heauy plight; And lowest hell, to which I lie most neare, Cares not what euils hap to wretched wight; And greedy seas doe in the spoile of life delight. Yet loe the seas I see by often beating, vii Doe pearce the rockes, and hardest marble weares; But his hard rocky hart for no entreating Will yeeld, but when my piteous plaints he heares, Is hardned more with my aboundant teares. Yet though he neuer list to me relent, But let me waste in woe my wretched yeares, Yet will I neuer of my loue repent, But ioy that for his sake I suffer prisonment. And when my weary ghost with griefe outworne, viii By timely death shall winne her wished rest, Let then this plaint vnto his eares be borne, That blame it is to him, that armes profest, To let her die, whom he might haue redrest. There did she pause, inforced to giue place, Vnto the passion, that her heart opprest, And after she had wept and wail’d a space, She gan afresh thus to renew her wretched case. Ye Gods of seas, if any Gods at all ix Haue care of right, or ruth of wretches wrong, By one or other way me woefull thrall, Deliuer hence out of this dungeon strong, In which I daily dying am too long. And if ye deeme me death for louing one, That loues not me, then doe it not prolong, But let me die and end my daies attone, And let him liue vnlou’d, or loue him selfe alone. But if that life ye vnto me decree, x Then let mee liue, as louers ought to do, And of my lifes deare loue beloued be: And if he shall[230] through pride your doome vndo, Do you by duresse him compell thereto, And in this prison put him here with me: One prison fittest is to hold vs two: So had I rather to be thrall, then free; Such thraldome or such freedome let it surely be.