Shaft the Rauisher he slue And though the arrow galled him euen at the very heart Yeat for a while he did indure the not induring smart And hauing brought his trembling Rape into a vallie said See Deianira how thy Loue an end of me hath made Yeat is my death lesse griefe to me then that thou shouldst bestow Thy selfe on such a changing Churle as Hercules I know Sweete Wench I know he dooth preferre contrarie Loues to thee Wherefore my graue the lesse my griefe in this thy good shall be Take this he gaue a folded cloth and to the baene therein He mixed somewhat of his bloud this same quoth he shall win To thee again thy Husbands loue when he shall it estrange For out of doubt I know it I he takes delight in change When thou suspectest such a wrong doe boyle a shirt with this No sooner shall he weare the same herein such vertue is But that his nouell Loue will change and fall whence it did flie Meane while doe not the vnction touch least so the vertue die In all this time betwixt his armes he did the Ladie claspe And hild her so as Hawke a Pray vntill his latest gaspe Then leauing him a liuelesse Coarse mistrusting nought his drift She meaning simply tooke with her the traitours poysned gift And Hercules by this had past the Riuer deepe and wide Who Deianira first imbrast drew from the Centaures side The fatall Shaft that should the death of braue Achilles proue In Phoebus Church by Paris hand for Polixenas loue THe Centaure left vntoombed there Hee Shee and all their traine are come to Lerna whom the King did noblie entertaine Theare had he from their common teares the cruell hauock made By Lernan Hydra whom in Fenne not armies durst inuade His vpper parts had humane forme his nether Serpentine The whole was monstrous yeat his wit more monstrous but most fine For wit is moustrous when the same from vertue doth decline Such were his subtill arguments and still supplies therein That he by often losse of heads was fained heads to winne And wittie thus to others wrong confounded all hee found Propounding questions and a word vnanswered was a wound The Scourge of Tyrants hearing this did promise death or ayde Whilst fearefull Deianira did the contrarie perswade But womans speech from weapons vse might not withdraw him then Til entring Palus he had rousd the Monster from his Denne Disdainfully did Hydra take the presence of his Foe And after subtill arguments to sturdie fight they goe Two blowes at once with Glaue and Taile made Hercules to reele Who since he first had vsed armes the like did neuer feele Not long he borrowed had the Loan but Hydra had the like So either twaine repaye their debt and neither faintly strike But who might stand with Hercules By him the monster fell Who burning vp his vgly shape did passe his soule to hell Which happie fate of Hydras fall left Lerna glad and well From whence to Athens and from thence to Lycia did he saile Then to Hesperia Gerions Realme his outrages to quaile HE by his triple tyrannie for Gerion he was said three headed in respect that him three other Giants aid So spoild and plag'd y e neighbour Realmes with daily wrongs war That all the force of Africa his furie could not barre In Gadira when Hercules his Pillers reared had The which our westerne world not knowne men farther land forbad Then with victorious ships he sets on Gerions chased Fleet And secondly at Megida did either armie meete Theare Gerion with his brothers twaine the Citie did beset And scornefullie aduance themselues as men not to be met Prouiding therefore murall workes they threaten hot assault Whilest Hercules contrarie warres vnto his souldiers taught The Gates wide opned out he comes vnto the Giants three Your men he said are well at worke well met are also wee This lesse then monster more than man a Fiende in humane shape The Spanyard said is he from whom I made so hard escape Yet hardlier shalt thou now escape said Hercules and than Betweene them foure three to one A cruell fight began And euery of the Giants thought himselfe an ouer-match To Hercules who almost gaue to one a quick dispatch The second he dispatcht in deed who fell his latest fall Then thousands came to rescue them yeat one he fights gainst all Till Theseus with the other knights did march their Armie out And ioyne to him their Foes with them and all make battaile stout Then Gerions brother fights againe and both did bathe in bloud It was no fighting where they fought or standing where they stood King Meleus Theseus Hispan and Philoctes did no lesse But soueraignlie the sonne of Ioue bestird him in the presse The Giant Gerions brother then by him did breath his last And Gerion did retire his men into their Gallies fast But where they land theare Hercules wonne landing though he past The Pikes withstanding thousand Swords warding thousand slings Himselfe alone ere that his men to fight on Shore he brings Then Gerion cursing heauen earth bestirre ye friends he cride Now is the time to liue or die let good or bad betide Doe liue as men or die as men see tenne we are for one What lets vs then from victorie that victors haue beene knowne Reuenge your selues reuenge your friends reuenge our cōmō mone Nor did he shrinke from what he said or said not as he wrought His onely deeds were manies death Till Hercules he sought Whome singling after combat long of him his end he cought So to subiection Hespera by Hercules was brought NO better Spanish Cacus sped for all his wondrous strength Whom Hercules from out his Realme debelled at the length A richer King or Tyrant worse liu'd not in any Land Nor any one gainst Hercules in hardier fight did stand Yeat chased by his Conqueror he was inforc'd to flie Vpto a Mountain in those parts where as at poynt to die Through famine by his Magicke Arte he made the Mountaine flame And by that shift escapt his Foe long wondring at the same Then fled the Giant night and day for feare did lend him wings And as about from place to place the wandring Tyrant flings He on a Mount in Italie cal'd Auentine did light Where laboured Cacus did repose his wearied limmes all night In this same Hill he found a Caue which fitting place espide He did resolue in secrecie thenceforth himselfe to hide In that same Mount from sight of men and being theare alone That words at least might vent his woes he maketh thus his mone Ah wretch quoth he no longer King that title now must change Thou late were fearfull vnto all now fearing all must range This ragged Caue must now suffice in stead of Royall seat And though alas the place should please yet want I what to eat Where be my solemne banquets now where is my stately traine My Tributes nay my
I might be ouer-seene He was victorious making one amongst the Worthies neene But with his pardon if I vouch his world of Kingdomes wonne I am no Poet and for lacke of pardon were vndonne His Scottish Irish Almaine French and Saxone Battelles got Yeeld fame sufficient these seeme true the rest I credite not But Bruton is my taske and to my taske I will retire Twelue times the Saxon Princes here against him did conspire And Arthur in twelue Battles great went vanquishor away Howbeit Saxon forces still amongst the Brutons stay This King to entertaine discourse and so to vnderstand What Accidents in after-times should happen in this Land He with the Brutish Prophet then of Sequelles fell in hand Of sixe long after-Kings the man not borne of humane seede Did Prophesie and many things that came to passe in deede Now Arthur chiefe of Chiualrie had set his Crowne at stay And to his Nephew Mordred did commit thereof the sway When with his Knights the wonders of the world for Martiall deeds Beyond the Scas in forren fights he luckely proceedes Till faithlesse Mordred cal'd him backe that forward went with fame For at his Vncles Diadem he traiterously did aime Twise Arthur wonne of him the field and thirdly slewe his Foe When deadly wounded he himselfe victorious died so INterred then with publique plaints and issules ensewes A drouping of the Brittish state the Saxon still subdewes Howbeit worthy Kings succeed but destiny withstood The auncient Scepter to iniure in Brutes succeeding blood Vnlou'd Careticus was he that lost the Goale at length Whenceforth in vaine to win their losse the Brutons vse their streÌ„gth Yea God that as it pleaseth him doth place or dispossesse When foes nor foiles nor any force their courage might suppresse Seem'd partiall in the Saxon Cause and with a Plague did crosse The Brutons that had els at least rebated from their losse For Cadwane and Cadwallyn and Cadwallader the last But not the least for valorous of Brittish Princes past Brought out of VVales such knightly wars as made their foes agast The Plague worse spoyler then the Wars left Cambre almost waste Which to auoid the remnant Brutes into their Ships did haste Cadwallader in leauing thus his natiue Shore he fixt His eyes from whence his bodie should and with his sighes he mixt His royall teares which giuing place he speaketh thus betwixt Sweet Brutaine for I yet must vse that sweet and ceasing name Adew thy King bids thee adew whose flight no weapons frame But God coÌ„maunds his wrath commandes al counter-maund is vaine Els for thy loue to die in thee were life to thy Remaine Thus tymes haue turnes thus Fortune still is flying to and fro What was not is what is shall cease some come and others goe So Brutaine thou of Nation and of name endurest change Now balking vs whome thou hast bread and brooking people strange Yeat if I shoot not past mine aime a world of time from me Part of our blood in highest pompe shall Englands glorie be And chieflie when vnto a first succeeds a second She. But leauing speeches ominous Cadwallader is woe That seeing death determines griefe he dies not on his foe Ah Fortune fayleth mightie ones and meaner doth aduance The mightiest Empier Rome hath change then Brutaine brooke thy chance Let it suffice thou wert before and after Rome in fame And to indure what God intends were sinne to count a shame Nor vaunt ye Saxons of our flight but if ye needs will vaunt Then vaunt of this that God displac'd whom you could neuer daunt This said the teares coÌ„trould his tong sailes wrought land froÌ„ sight When saue a Remnant small the Isle was rid of Brutons quight THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF ALBIONS ENGLAND CHAP. XX. THe Brutons thus departed hence Seauen Kingdomes here begonne Where diuerslie in diuers broyles the Saxons lost and wonne King Edel and King Adelbright in Diria iointly raigne In loyall concorde during life these Kingly friends remaine When A delbright should leaue his life to Edel thus he sayes By those same bondes of happie loue that held vs friends alwaies By our by-parted Crowne of which the Moyetie is mine By God to whome my soule must passe and so in time may thine I pray thee nay I coniure thee to nourish as thine owne Thy Neece my Daughter Argentile till she to age be growne And then as thou receiuest it resigne to her my Throne A promise had for this Bequest the Testator he dies But all that Edel vndertooke he afterward denies Yeat well he fosters for a time the Damsiell that was growne The fairest Lady vnder Heauen whose beautie being knowne A many Princes seeke her loue but none might her obtaine For grippell â—del to himselfe her Kingdome sought to gaine And for that cause from sight of such he did his Ward restraine By chance one Curan Sonne vnto a Prince in Danske did see The Maid with whom he fell in loue as much as one might bee Vnhappie Youth what should he doe his Saint was kept in Mewe Nor he nor any Noble-man admitted to her vewe One while in Melancholy fits he pines himselfe away Anon he thought by force of Armes to win her if he may And still against the Kings restraint did secretly inuay At length the high Controller Loue whom none may disobay Imbased him from Lordlines vnto a Kitchin Drudge That so at least of life or death she might become his Iudge Accesse so had to see and speake he did his loue bewray And tells his bearth her answer was she husbandles would stay Meane while the King did beat his braines his booty to atchieue Nor caring what became of her so he by her might thriue At last his resolution was some Pessant should her wiue And which was working to his wish he did obserue with ioye How Curan whom he thought a drudge scapt many an amorous toy The King perceiuing such his vaine promotes his Vassall still Least that the baseuesse of the man should let perhaps his will Assured therefore of his loue but not suspecting who The Louer was the King himselfe in his behalfe did wowe The Lady resolute from Loue vnkindly takes that he Should barre the Noble and vnto so base a Match agree And therefore shifting out of doores departed thence by stealth Preferring pouertie before a dangerous life in wealth When Curan heard of her escape the anguish in his hart Was more then much and after her from Court he did depart Forgetfull of himselfe his bearth his Country friends and all And onely minding whom he mist the Foundresse of his thrall Nor meanes he after to frequent or Court or stately Townes But solitarily to liue amongst the Country grownes A brace of yeeres he liued thus well pleased so to liue And Shepherd-like to feede a flocke himselfe did wholly giue So wasting loue by worke and want grewe almost to the Waene But then began a second Loue the worser of the twaene A
the Rownd amids Not Satires or the Naiades were halfe so nimble as This countrey Consort for each Lad was sorted with a Lasse There was a tricksie Girle I wot albeit clad in gray As peatt as bird as straite as boult as fresh as flower in May As faire as Cupids Mother or through him it is I erre Ifso I erre for why his shaft had fixed me to her Shee daunsing dyed her lilly Cheekes whil'st I for loue did diâ— And as vnuisible I stoode what bootes it me to lye And drew with breath her sweet-stole breath so acting spiritually The feast was done and all vndone that I did wish to doe My Deity adiornde therefore in humaine forme I wowe And first because that first they should approach vs Gods I faine My selfe a Priest for well I wot they sildome wooe in vain I made me smug and with a Tex did intermix a toye And tould how fine and faire a life our Clergie-Femes inioy And how our leisure fitted Loue. And let it fit quoth she To such as lust for loue Sir Clarke you clergefie not me Then came I curious in my silkes But who would thinke that Pan Could play the Courtier and did faine my selfe a iolly man I talkt of Castles Mannors Parkes and all things more than mine Too course quoth she am I for you and you for me too fine Then Souldier-like I sued and did boast of Battels many And standing on my Manhood would not be coriu'd of any And sometimes proffered kindnesse such as came not to the push But checked for my boystrousnes was balked with a blush Then play I maister Merchant and did plye her by the booke I spake of great Accompts Receites nor little care I tooke For rigging and returne of Ships her lippes meane while my Pex Ply Sir quoth she your busie trade you are besides the Tex I seeme a countrie Yeoman Then a Craftsman both in vayne The former was too lumpish and the latter worse of twayne Doe what I could I could not doe whereby her loue to gayne Then thought I out of doubt as I a God fayne Manhood so This is transform'd Diana for some practise meant beloe A yeare was past and I past hope through coyish chast denyall And yeat I could not but persist in quest of further tryall I met God Pryapus for he not Venus sonne it is Abuseth vs This darteth Loue That driues to lust amis Seest yonder Clowne quoth Priapus not far-off was a Loute With neare a handsome rag himselfe lesse handsome soole to snout Lesse wel-form'd or more il-fac'st like Clenchpoope looke lim Lesse mannerd and worse gated than this Saturns-Eeue-made Slim God neuer made since God made Man if euer God made him That Lob quoth he and yonder Lasse that this way driues her Gotes Do marke them Pan you may obserue from them vnthought-of notes I knew her for my Minion wench of whom I earst did tell First blend they heards and forthwith lips and after billing fell To other sport such sport ywis as would haue likt me well Must I thought I giue ayme to such a skrub and such a Saint That Skowndrell and this Counterfeit confounded so I faint How cheere you Pan quoth Priapus the shameles God of lust Thus can I fit such friends as you with such a Trull of trust We were indeede ere then at odds So Priapus he left me When he had brought me to this sight that neere of sense bereft me But thus I loathed where I lou'd and learned not too late That coyest are not chastest that the gayest Females mate With Loutes as soone as Lords that Loue is luck not shiftles fate That cowled celled he or she whoso or wheresoeuer Or Votarie or Secular scarse one pryaped neuer To Pans report did Mercurie replie and thus recite Of Cupide and of Priapus doth Pan distinguish right But let be Lust a word or two of Loue and of his might I Entring Guest-wise on a time the frolicke Thabane Court Mine eye presented to mine heart a Nymph of louely Port Her knew I not nor knew she me vnknowne therefore vnkist I loyter on the Earth meane while in Heauen not vnmist My Senses held a Synode and vnacted Acts dispute And nothing els I did affect but to effect my sute For whencesoeuer Loue proceedes or whatsoere it be Or whosoeuer loueth Loue tormenteth in degree Mine Eye conuaid it to mine Heart mine Heart controwld mine Eye Yeat Loue retriu'd it selfe I lou'd not knowing whome or why Then did I seeke and find who am no Milksop as ye wot Acquaintance in the Court the which the nicest balked not Nor smally did my shape my tongue and tunes no common geere Preferre their Master to a place about their Mistresse neere When she did sigh then I did sob I laught if she did smile And by officious Forgeries pretended to begile But her not coy I found so chast as saue a kisse or twaine I nothing got although in all I vained to her vaine From ill therefore I grew to worse from worse to worse for why Through ouer-louing at the length I loued ielously My Stomacke lest me euery sense had imperfection then My colour ceast and sicke I forge contrary cause to men So many Quames came ore my heart as newes to eare or eie Of others commoning in sport or courting seriouslie No Corsiue to Coriuals and no death vnto despaire I did not hope yeat held I on with cost to nourish care Sometime attyred by the booke I faind a merrie cheere Sometime I drouped and did weare disorderly my geere But how-soere I came to her I found her still the same Gamesome enough to intertaine and yet for me no game And though enuiously I aym'd at others better speede Yeat too precisely did I sift such doubts were more than neede Then rowsing vp my selfe I with my selfe did reason thus No folly were in Loue if so no folly were in vs Wheare Mercurie is layd asleepe may others lay a straw The Louer and Beloued are not tyed to one Law Because I am the same I am should shee not therefore bee The same she is mine is too loue but hers to disagree Then Mercurie be to thy selfe thy selfe these thoughts begile With meeter thoughts thou lingerest in losse too long a while Thinke not thy greatnesse or thy gifts or gracious eyes may get her A Foole more foule may seem more faire Loue may think bad the better If she determine Chastititie then falls thy sute to ground Or if some other be preferd then better lost than found Likte or misliked to thy Loue should reason be the bound Or Women loue to be belou'd of chaunge of Clyents or Vncertaine wheare to find them with the Eagle or the Dorr Albeit Beautie mooues to loue and Loue doth make thee sue Better at first be Non-sute than at length not to subdue Such Reasons seeming plausible I fleeting whence I loued By absence and new Exercise old Passions were
let goe for dead Thus off and on they dialogue best part of all that daye He could not win her to consent nor would he take a naye For long a goe the Calendar of Women-Saints was filde Fewe not to Opportunitie importunated yeild Thinks this our Northerne wilie Ladde hartie and hardie too Who neuer would giue-out nor more than thus yeelds she to doe That is to bead he swearing but to kisse and her imbrace Then merrily for Huntington they mend their former pace Alighted theare for Supper he bespeakes the dantiest Cheere And either in one Gallerie had Chambers somewhat neere Betwixt their Chambers placed was a Southerne Gentleman That by officious Signes twix't them to sound their Match began Her extraordinary Forme on worke the rather sets His heart and Senses such an hand of vs such Bewtie gets Resolu'd at last of what was meant and how therein to deale This Smel-feast from the bidden Guest did thus the Banquer steale He gaue it out that all might heare he earely would away His Man fayn'd feare to ouer-sleepe and would not downe him laye But when that all besides betooke themselues to sleepe and rest One while he walkes the Gallerie another while he drest His rustie Sword which badly did the Northern-man disgest In vaine he chaâ—te in vaine he wisht the Seruing-man were gon Nor durst he out to boord his Loue for much it stood vpon Their Credits to be cautilous The Southern-man this while Got to the Gentle-womans bed and did no force beguile Her Expectation Swore you not quoth she and he did smile But had he bin the Man forsworne if God forgaue the Sin She pardon'd him the quo advi that he had trespast in And for that Nights work swore to sweare no Man froÌ„ like I win This Chaer thus chaer'd as closely as he went returnes he backe Vnto his proper Bed nor long he sleepes ere thence he packe No sooner cleered was the Coast but that the bidden Guest Steales to her Chamber doore then lock't for now she means to rest A male-Content retireth he not dreaming what had bin But better Opportunitie hopes at their next-nights Inn. Next Morne they meete when blushingly but angrie not a whit Ha Sir quoth she I 'le trust againe your Oth so kept you it Well bite and whine quoth he who trusts a Woman so is saru'd First museth she then iests it out soone finding how was swaru'd But thus the Northern-man did faile that did no cost omit And thus the Southern-man preuail'd at charge no more then Wit The best is yet behind but ere be told the Storie out Amongst our Louers now at Rome heare how was brought about AT Rome is Mandeuil ariu'd Stafford and he are met To say their Greeting for the much were here too long a Let. Of Elenor her health and more suppose not Questions few For yet full little Mandeuil of her Ariuall knew Nor shall till of his Loyaltie and life be further View At Staffords Lodging had he seene as is th' Italian Guies Two portly Ladies Head and Face all vailed saue their Eies Twixt one of these and Stafford much of Kindnes to haue past Had he obseru'd and thereupon thus breakes with him at last I haue not seene the couer'd Dish that so your Diet fits But much I feare it surfet may quoth he your queasie wits Needes must I enter now the Lists to combate Dorcas Foe Euen Staffords reason that from Heauen to Hell is posting so I will not aske nor doe I care what bewtie wealth or wit Your here-found Mistres hath why you should home-left Loue forgit But this I know not Rome affords whome more you might affect Than her whome wronged here I see and more than seene suspect And wherein differs Man from Beast but in Affections checkt What is she married Then doe yee superlatiuely sinne Or Mayde I like not Maidens that so forwardly beginne Or Curtizen What doth she with a Vaile that is so vile As not to blush at shame but baer'd is wonted to beguile But Married Mayde or Curtizen or what you please her name I like not him makes loue to one and wrongs the very same I tell thee Stafford be she good or bad thou here doest courte Thee I pronounce too bad y t with fore-plighted Loue do'est spourte Let it suffice my Friendship hates Absurdities in thee Farre be it Trauelers should play the Spyder not the Bee I would thy courted Lady here and her Consorte heard this A needles wish next Roome weare both and ouer heard he is Then should they heare thee false to one a Choyser is not heere And fearing like suspect thy Loue of Precontracts not cleere Or falsed Matches finished in wrong of Others might By stil improsprous Presidents detetre from wronging Right To honest Eares might this suffice to interrupt herein Or spoke I vnto Harlots this at least from Lust should win Al Touch-sweet Tast-sweet Eye-sweet Eat-sweet Sent-sweet Soule-sweet is A vertuous Match but vitious Loue in al contraries this Suppose this firme and naked Loue and Friendship much to please His Auditorie seene and not and Sâ—afford to appease His Discontent pretends a soone Returne for England thence And so this Parlie ended and on either part Offence Stafford had said to Mandeuil that Elenor to trie Whether his Loue did not with time new Loues and Trauell die Required backe the Ring she gaue which if he could her send She would beleeue him loyall and requite it in the end That Ring in this Regarde did he commend to Stafford now And saue to her he giue the same to none exacts a Vowe The next third following day was fayn'd the time he wold froÌ„ thence Whome to accompanie on his way had Mandeuil pretence Wherfore they feast their Friends theÌ„ their Friends amoÌ„g'st the rest Vnknowne of him was Elenor with Mandekil a Guest Such Arte she vs'd and such Attier she wore and who would looke For her at Rome that present her not for herselfe he tooke Vpon her Finger he espide his Ring deliuer'd earst Yeat silently deuoures the Greefe that to his Soule had pear'st He and the rest inuited weare to sup abroad that Night Night Guests and Suppers ende are come when greeued though in Spright He to recouer backe his Ring did vse this clenly sleight In one had he a Mommerie deuised and a Maske And euery masking Mommer tooke a Lady to his taske He her with whome he had espyde his Ring and Dauncing donnâ— To looke as if for somewhat lost to ground-wards he begonne Was ask't what myste he whispers her that he had lost a Ring Which wanting in each Mommers Mouth was made a penall thing Faire Lady lend me this quoth he that on your finger is And giuing her a Tablet rich for Gage accept of this Her Courtesie his colour'd Want and Gage effected so That she the Pawne accepted did her loned Ring forgoe Now on the Boord weare cast the Dice her turne was
tickles too no blab she thinks the Bush. Thus whilst she thinkes her Sister Nunne to be a merrie Lasse The Wanton did disclose himselfe and told her who he was Away the Virgin would haue fled whom he withhild by force Thy loue sweet Nymph hath vrg'd this shift wel worthy thy remorse He said nor scorne with me a King to ioyne thy selfe a Queene Or doe but loue and I will liue in Phoebes Celles vnseene And theare in beds in bushes heere My fainings fit so well We may enioy what loue enioynes and none our scapes shall tell She would not loue he could not leaue she wrangleth and he wooeth She did resist he did persist and sport denied dooeth That done which could not be vndone what booteth discontent As good bee pleas'd as not be eas'd away Calisto went To Cloyster Iupiter to Court nor much she did repent Vntill her growing wombe disclosed an ante-cedent fault Then in the Chapter house she told of Iupiters assault Diana and her virgins all admyring that escape Did gird at her maligning Ioue for such his subtill Rape And who more ready to controule then Athalanta was Whome shortly Meleager brought vnto the selfe same pas The Lady Abbesse did discharge Calisto from her Cell And silly Nymph she great with child some other wheare must dwell Pelasgis it was Iupiters and he her cause of blame The King her father in exile her selfe in this defame What then remain'd euen secrecie to hyde her selfe from shame Keepe close quoth she frō world ye woods mine error Ioue his crime And setling theare in simple Caue did waite her childing tyme. At length was hairy Arcas borne no sooner could he go But that his wildnes eiked to his wretched Mothers wo. No beast so strong that he would shunne and man he neuer sawe Nor yeat his vexed mother could from fearcenes him withdrawe Long time the daughter of a King she liued thus in Caue Not wanting griefe but wanting all that poorest wretches haue And worst of all her sauage sonne whose manners did agree Vnto his birth-place howerly threats his mothers death to bee And angrie once pursued her so long from place to place That euen into the Citie gates he followed her in chase The people when they did behold so fayre a nimph in flight A Beare-like Arcas in pursute for being naked quite His skinne was swart and hairie they did wonder at the sight And some that would his passage stop he rudely casteth downe And spares no spoyle vntill the sight was noysed through the towne Then out came Iupiter in armes whom when Calisto knewe Helpe Ioue she cryde for loe thy sonne his mother doth pursue He knewe his Leiman at the first and ioyed of her sight Then kisse they when the Sauage boy by force did leaue to fight Calisto liued Ladie like yea Iunos Riuall now And Arcas nobly mannaged such vertues him indow That Ioue consenting him for King Pelasgis did allow A Sonne well worthy such a Syer and for his prowes and fame Pelasgis then of Arcas tooke Arcadia to name BVt neither might these Ladies faire by any pleasant tale Or dazeling toye of masking loue sweet Consorts to preuaile Disswade outragious Cacus from vnpatientnes of mind Who in his greatest tyrannies did chiefest pleasures finde He sleas the harmles Passengers from eldest soule to childe He burnes and spoyles the neighbour parts and women he defild And to his Caue Troponius Caue did bring the spoiles he gaines In which except to doe more harme he secretly remaynes Whilst none did passe that did repasse vnspoyled or vnkild None knowing how all Italie with feare thereof was fild But lo an helpe when Hercules had slaughtered out-right Tenne Giants of Cremona Kings and put the leauenth ' to flight From thence the worthie did ariue with his victorious band At King Euanders Cittie that by Auentin did stand Amongst a many richer Spoyles though none to him so rare He brought a sort of Spanish kine Euander taking care Because the like misfortunes oft had hapned theare before Least Hercules should loose his kyne of which he made such store Gaue counsell that within the walles they might be kept all night And better to approue his words with teares he did recite The murthers thefts and cruelties without compassion made Vpon his subiects and their goods by whom could not be said But that the Gods for so they gesse for sinne them so inuade I am resolu'd quoth Hercules wheare Gods do vengeance craue It is not strong or fensiue walles that any thing can saue My Kyne shall therefore grase abroad if mortall man it be Then know a tyrant is my taske his blood the Taskers fee. The Cattell grasing then abroad as was his vse alwaies The Gyant left his cruell Denne to seeke his cursed praies The Moone not wanting of her light the Kine he did espye And knowing them he also knewe his feared Foe was nye And far much better feare had bin then malice at that tyde But hardly shunneth policie what destinies prouide He might haue lurkte a while in Denne but of a peeuish spight Eight of the Kine with fastned cords by pollicie and might He dragged backward by their tailes into his diuelish nest Then stopping vp the subtill hole did laye him downe to rest Now Hercules the rather prickt by King Euanders talke Into the fieldes to see his Kine by prime of day did walke Where missing eight he could not gesse which waie they shuld be gō A many therefore had in charge to search them out anon The Searchers following euery signe great store of footings found Descending from Mount Auentine into the lower ground But for the footings did descend and not ascend they thought Of no such cunning as in deed in Auentine was wrought Alcaeus Grand-sonne searching long the Thefts he could not finde Was much disquieted in himselfe and angrie in his minde And chafing when he should depart he twise or thrise did shake A Tree that grew on Auentine which rooted vp did make So large a vent that one might view they hollow caue belowe And Cacus with his Leash of wiues they were disclosed so Whome when the Greeke espied theare O gracelesse King he said Whose Tyrannies haue made the Realmes of Hespera afraid Whose cruelties haue been the cause of al the losse thou hast What moueth thee in Italie to prosecute such waste Thinkste thou whom neither mightie Realmes nor royal Gards of mē Could late defend now to escape inclosed thus in den The iust reuengment of the Godds no no the Heauens we see Haue brought to light a wretch so lewd euen by a senceles Tree And since that neither wealth nor want to goodnes may thee win A greeuous death condignly shall cut off thy grounded sinne To it did Cacus answere thus doest thou pursue me stil Who onely art the chiefest cause of these my doings ill Not suffering me to liue the rest of mine vnhappie daies Among the fruitlesse Rocks a
espies Doth seeme to haue a soule at least doth thriue by such surmies For what is it but reason that humaine from brutish tries But man or beast neither hath troth that this for true denies He hath enough that hath wherewith pure Nature to suffies In ouerplus an ouercharge for soule and body lies For Souldiors Lawyers Carrions Theeues or Casualties a Prize His comber-minde that liues with it and leaues it when he dies From whome to catch it scarce his heire staies closing of his eyes O wretched wealth which whoso wants no Fortune him enuies Here maiest thou feast thee with a Mad here no Pickethanke pries Into thy life nor words well spoke to ill vnmeant applies No Flatterer to vndermind no tongue no eare for lies No gleaning from the Orphant no oppressed widowes cries No bribes to giue no hands to take no quarrelling for flies No wronges to right no lawes to breake because no law that ties But what wee lust we doe nor doe nor lust badd enterprize And finde lesse want in Nature than wits-want in Arts disguize Nor any heere in force in friends fraud wealth or wit affies O doe thou not so rich so safe and iust life despies Theare lacketh not of noble Births to star the courtly skies Theare be enowe Politians thou maiest for thy Soule be wise Then leaue thou matters of estate to States I thee aduise And rather sit thou safely still than for a fall to rise Not for shee was my Elder or mine Eame but for the place I hild my peace that would haue sayd her Moolships minde was bace But she perceiues me to dissent and saieth Cosen Mouse Doe as you like you shall not finde a prison of my house Stay while you will goe when you will come returne at pleasure And euer welcome Vertue is an vncompelled Treasure This past thence passe we through deepe darke waies saue here theare The vaines of gould and pretious stones made light in darke appeare Vaste Vaults as large as Iles we passe great Riuers theare did flow Huge wormes Mōsters there I saw which none on earth do know On goe we till I saw a glimps and she heard noise of flame Then said shee praiers bidding me to blesse me from the same I musing frain'd her meaning She her meaning thus did tell That flaming Region euer such quoth she is Plutos Hell All gould all mettals wealth and pompe that nourish Mortals pride Are hence and his and hether they doe theare Mis-guiders gide He them inchaunteth and the same inchaunt the folke on Earth Vntill their dying dotage theare finds heere a liuing death Still nertheles I wisht to see the hellish Monarch Dis When he more ready to be found then for our profite is Ore-heard vs and vnhid himselfe and shinde in rich array And seem'd a glorious Angell and full gently thus did say That slandrous blind bace-minded Moole friend Mouse deceiues thee much And prates of me of Hell and Earth more than is so or such Beleeue him not but rather do beleeue thine eyes and see If any earthly pleasure is vntripl'd heere with mee Then shewde he sights which since I found illusions to betray Of greater worth than Earth affords or I haue Art to say Nay more he bids me aske what so I would and I should haue it Then did I pause bethinking what was rarest I might craue it My Holes were stor'd with corne croomes on Earth I walkt at will And in her Bowels now had seene indifferently my fill Vpon it nor within it not sufficing to my pride I asked winges scarce asked when they grew on either side Short leaue I tooke mounting left the Hell God and the Moole And soared to the open Aire through many a sory hoole It was at Twilight and the Birds were gone to roust but I Inchaunted with the noueltie of flight vnweared flye And had the Sunne been vp I ween such pride bewitcht my wit To Egel-fie my selfe I had assayd to soare to it Not seeing that my limber wings were Leather-like vnplum'de But at the Dawning also I of wing-worke still presum'de The Swallow and I weene it was this Sallowes father he Was earliest vp with him I met and he admired me I hild him wing and wistly he suruaies me round about And lastly knowing who I was did giue me many a flout And fled to tell the other birds what vncouth Fowle was bred Who flockt to see me till with gibes and girds I wisht mee ded Then shifting out of sight I hung till Twilight in a hoole Transformde derided hunger-spent and minding still the Moole In vaine I wisht reducement of my shape and which was worste My hap was harder than to owne in that distresse a Cruft Then fled I to my wonted Holes of hoorded food to get Too narrow by mine added wings that did mine entry let Now Mise fled me not to the Moole I would returne for shame To Dis I durst not mong'st the Birds I was a laughing game Then curst I mine aspiring minde then knew I Dis a Diuell The Diuell the Prince of Pride and Pride the roote of euery euill Hell Earth Aire Heauen and what not then conspiring mine vnrest What might remaine but death for me that liued so vnblest But as I fainting flew that night your Ladiship Dame Owle Did call me to your Todd and glad to see a new night-fowle Did take me to your seruice thence your Chamberlaine to be Ha Iupiter reward it you that so releeued mee It is a sweete continuall feast to liue content I see No daunger but in high estate none enuy meane degree Then all this processe quoth the Owle doth tend belike to this That I should eate no Mouse-flesh Nay Sir Bat so sweete it is That thou so neere of Kinne to them shalt also serue my lust And there withall in ruthles clawes the haplesse Bat she trust HEere meant the Courtior to haue left whom Perkens Lady prayes To tell what end such wowing had And thus hereof he sayes The Swallow saw that cruell pranke and flies aloofe and sayde Vngratefull Glutton what offence hath that thy Seruant made Choke mayst thou with the murther So he left her and vnto The Cuckooe telleth what the Owle vnto the Bat'did doe Varlet he waxed cholericke and what of that quoth he Was not the Bat her bond-Slaue such as thou art now to me What tel'st me then of other newes then what her answere is Vnto mine amorous Message sayes my Lady nay or yis The Swallow told him that through such occurrant of the Bas. He interrupted came away vnaunswered in that A mischiefe quoth he both on that and thee ill sauoured Elfe And in a stammering chafe he fled to wowe the Owle himselfe The Swallow Man 's him thether whom the deu'lish Owle did hate And all because he had reprou'd her tyrannie of late The Cuckooe offering to haue bilde she coyely turnde her face T is more quoth she