Elpinus Neptune was the second of the three brethren and sons of Saturne which had the whole frame of the world parted among them Ioue had the heauens Neptune the seaes all the rest was Plutoes Historically as some thinke Ioue had the East Pluto the West Neptune the seacosts howsoeuer Neptune is soueraigne of the seas who also many times shaketh with his imperiall mace the very foundations of the earth according to that of Ouid Ipse tridente suo terram percussit at illa Intremuit motuque vias patefecit aquarum For in coast adioyning to the sea earthquakes and inundations of waters are most vsuall Homer for this cause calleth Neptune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Earth-shaker And as Pallas was president of Towres and Iuno a gouernesse of Gates so Neptune had care of the groundworkes and foundations of buildings which are neuer said to be firme vnles they be laide as deepe as the water Therefore as Neptune was hired by Laomedon to builde those stately walls of Troy so in the subuersion of the same himself is as busie afterwards as apeareth by that of Virgil 2. Aeneid Neptunus muros magnoque emota tridente Fundamenta quatit totamque è sedibus vrbem Eruit c. For towres Virgil 2. Aeglo Pallas quas condiditarces Ipsa colat And 2. Aeneid Iam summas arces Tritonia respice Pallas Obsedit nymbo effulgens gorgone saeua For gates Virgil 2. Aeneid hic Iuno Scaeas saeuissima portas Prima tenet sociumque furens à nauibus ignem Ferro accincta vocat Cymothoe is Neptunes seruant signifying the swifâ—nes of the waues and billowes for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a waue and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to run as if a man would say a running waue Triton is his trumpeter Plyny reporteth that the Vlyssiponenseâ— sent ambassadors to Tiberius Caesar giuing him to vnderstand that in then countrey there was one of these Tritons seene and heard singing being a sea-monster resembling a man by his vpper partes and a fish by those belowe this colour was like the sea-sea-water his skinne hard with shels and is called Neptunes trumpeter to sound the retreite when his master would haue the sea to be calme because when he is heard thus singing or seene apearing in the water it is a signe of calme and fayre weather Neptunes mace is also Tridens three-forked for that there is a triple and threefold vertue in waters the first in wells which are sweete the second in seaes and they are salte the third in lakes being vnpleasant and vnsauory or rather because euery one of the three brethren hath somewhat to doe in euery part of the tripertite kingdome which may also be a cause why Iupiters lightning is also Trisulcum and Plutoes Scepter Tridens For albeit Iupiter is especially predominant in heauen Neptune in the seaes and Pluto in the lower regions yet that almighty and all-ouerruling power is indifferently aparant in euery of these three kingdomes and in heauen is called Iupiter in seaes Neptune below Pluto whome therefore Virgil calleth stigium Iouem the stigian Iupiter Neptunes wife is Amphitrite the water it selfe gouerned by Neptune noting the eâ—ficacie of nature ruling in seaes deeps She is called Amphitrite of compassing enuyroning or turning about as the sea embraceth and incloseth the earth Neptune had an infinite number of sons and daughters moysture is fit for generation which was the cause that Thales the Philosopher made water to be the ground and beginning of euery thing and Virgil calleth the sea the father of things Oceanumque patrem rerum Oceanus of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swift for so is the flowing of the sea When Neptune was kept from Saturnes deuouring mouth his mother shewed a colt insteede of him and when Pallas and Neptune contended who as most beneficiall should giue name to Athens he with his mace stroke the earth whence issued a horse either for that a horse is swift and the sea is violent or because Neptune first taught how to ride a horse or by reason that a horse loueth plaines and large places where free scope is to run as is the sea for that cause called aequor Therefore the Romaine sports called Ludi circenses wherein the race of horses was vsual were celebrated in honor of Neptune and Horace maketh Vlysses his sonne speake thus to Menelaus Non est aptus equis Ithacae locus vt neque planis Porrectus spatijs neque multae prodigus herbae Neptune with his Queene Amphitrite standeth in a great shell as in a chariot drawne with two horses whose hinder parts ende in fishes a Tridens in his hand a white and froathy crowne on his head with hayre beard and roabe of color like the sea-sea-water sea-* â—eptunes â—icture His Nymphs are called Nereides of which kinde Theodorus Gaza saith that himself sawe one cast on a shore fashioned like a woman in her vpper parts but ended like a fish Galathea is so called of whitenes and noteth the very froath of the Sea Humor and moysture be the chiefe causes of augmentation Neptune therefore as hee hath many children so hath hee some of them great and monstrous among others Polyphemus who though vast and rude yet loued such is the force of loue but loued like a lowte such is the home-borne education of rurall clownes Polyphemus as the rest of that rout was called Cyclops of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as hauing but one round eye in his forehead in truth meaning a buckler framed round like an eye although Seruius doe otherwise expound it Hee is reported to bee a bloudy and theeuish manqueller robbing and spoyling all along the Sicilian shore from whome Vlisses wiselie escâ—ped and was therefore said to haue bored out his great eye with a firebrand This tyran Polypheme loued a noble Lady named Galathea but could not obteine her at last vsing force for law kept her violently and perceauing that she affected one Acis more then himselfe murdered the youth Acis and threw his bodie into a riuer which thereof bare that name Allegorically as some will haue it Polyphemus is a miserable and worldly keeper of sheepe and kine he loueth Galathea the Lady of milke and knowing that moyst places be best for milke cannot abide that Galathea should come nere Acis a riuer in Sicilia whose naturall proprietie was saide to be such as that it would drie vp and consume milke Glaucus loued Scylla but being reiected of her he intreated Circe to make her affectionate by charming Circe at first sight falleth in loue with Glaucus who in like sort refuseth her whereupon she infecting the waters where Scylla vsually bathed herselfe transformed her into a monster which afterwardes became a rock This Glaucus perceauing the fish which he had caught by tasting a certaine herbe presently to leap againe into the water himselfe for triall did pluck and eate and by vertue thereof transformed threw
to the sea that he euermore had abhorred And by the yrksome noyce and neighing of the detested And poysned palfrayes of Pluto laesy Bootes Tooke himselfe to his heeles and lingring wayne did abandon Baleful breath of night-borne coursers darkned Olympus Chereful light and loathed foame distild fro the bleeding Bits infected th' ayre and th' earth all torne by the trampling Shakte and quakte for dread and yeelded a heauy resounding Ladies al ran away Proserpina lastly remayned Whom Stygian coachman both sought caught in a moment Pluto droue on apace Proserpina woefuly wayling Cald and cryed alas to the Nymphs to the maids to the Ladies But Nymphs Mayds Ladies were all affrayd to be present And her mothers chance ill chance was then to be absent Now Stygian raptor those prayers lightly regarding In respect of a pray and prise so worthy the taking Chears and calls his dreadful steedes and shaketh his out-worne Bridle raynes orecast with rust and entreth Auernus All vnlike himselfe and much more milde then a Pluto Ghosts and sprvtes came clustred on heaps to behold the triumphant Tartarean Capten with soe great glorie returned Euâ—ry one was prest some bent their care to the coursers Some to the coach some strawd sweete flowr's some lookt to the bride-bed Elysian Ladies with a spotles company wayted On their new-come Queene and carefuly sought to recomfort Those her virgin feares and teares Ghosts wont to be silent Sâ—ng sweete wedding songs and euery nooke in Auernus With banquets meryments and louelayes freely resounded And whole hell for ioy was speedily turnd to a heauen Aeacus intermits his iudgements stearne Rhadamanthus And ausâ—ere Minos waxe milde all plagues be remitted Tantalus eats and drinks Ixion's loost from his endles And still-turning wheele Tityus set free fro the Aegle Sisyphus extreame toyle by the rolling stone is omitted And Danaus daughters from running tubbes be released Pâ—le Sacâ—te Tisiphone with snake-hayrd ougly Megaera And euer-grudging Alecto fell to carousing And their burning brands embru'd with blood did abandon Birds might easily passe by the poysned mouth of Auernus Men might safely beholde and looke on stonie Medusa No consuming flames were breathd by fyrie Chymera Howling Cocytus with wine mirth-maker abounded Lamenting Acheron hart-chearing honny aforded And boyling Phlegeton with new milke chearefuly streamed Cerberus held his peace Lachesis left off to be spinning And gray-beard feriman forebare his boate to be rowing All tooke all pleasure and all for ioy of a wedding Lady Ceres all this meane time possest with a thousand Careful mothers thoughts thought euery houre to be twenty Till she returnd homeward and home at last she returned At last but too late to her house but not to her houshold Court was a wildernes forelorne walkes no-body walking Gates turnd vpside downe hall desolat euery corner Euery way left waste But alas when lastly she entred Persephone's chamber seeing her curius hand-work And embroydred clothes all ouer-growne by the copwebs But no Persephone such inward anguish amased Her distressed sprites that neither a word fro the speechles Mothers mouth could once come forth nor a teare fro the sightles Eyes eyes mouth sence soule were nothing els but a horror Only she clipt embrac't and kist and only reserued Her sweete daughters work poore soule insteed of a daughter After long wandring by chance shee found in a corner Her deare daughters nurse Electra wofuly wayling With rent roabes scratcht face and beaten brest for her only Harts-ioy Persephone whom shee as charily tendred As dearest mother could euer tender a dearest Daughter shee when griefe and inward horror aforded Time to reueale it selfe this woful storie recounted All at large How Persephone was forc't to be walking Greatly against her mind and mothers wil to the meddowes How foure black coursers conuey'd her away on a sudden No-body knew whither nor what man might be the autor How her companions were all gone only the louing And loued Cyane for grief was lately resolued Into a siluer streame and all those sweetly resounding Syrens made to be birds in part in part to be maydens And she alone was left left all forelorne in a corner Mourning Persephone and her so heauy departure Silly Ceres hearing these dead newes all in a furie Rayled on heau'n and earth and ran to the sulphurus Aetna Lighted two Pine-trees and day and night by the deserts Hils dales woods waters lands seas Proserpina searched Searcht from th' East to the Weast at last al weary with endles Toyling and moyling halfe dead for drink she repayred Vnto a poore thatcht coat and knockt and meekly desired That to a schorched mouth some water might be aforded Th' ould Beldam coat-wife brought forth a domesticalHotchpot Her chiefe food both meat and drink and gaue to the Goddes Faintly Ceres feeding by the coat was spy'd of a sawcie Crackrope boy who mockt and cald her a greedy deuouring Out-come witch in scorne Whereat this Lady agreeued And not forgetting Latonaes worthy reuengement On Lician Lobcocks who sith they rudely denied Water were made frogs alwayes condemn'd to the water Threw in this boyes face all that was left of her Hotchpot Mocking gallowes thus by the Goddes strangely besprinckled Was transformd to a Swyft whose back grew al to be speckled And his spiteful breast with wonted poyson abounded Through what lands and seas this Goddes wofuly wandred T were too long to report each part of th' earth she perused Vainly perused alas and home at last she returned Back to Sicil cursing banning and daylie reuiling Euery soyle but chiefly Sicil Which now the detested More then afore the desir'd brake plowes kild wearied oxen Blasted corne bred weedes and tares sent forth the deuouring Foules and too much drought too much raine from Olympus Fields for corne and graine of late so greatly renowned Are to a barren waste and wilde heath speedily changed Whilst childeles mother thus rageth faire Arethusa Who by the secret caues of th' earth from Pisa to Aetna Fetcheth a restles race vp-lifted her head to the heauens And these first tidings to the forelorne Lady reported How herselfe of late taking her way by thefearfull Imperiured Styx saw her lost childe in Auernus Somwhat sad yet a Prince and supreame Queene in Auernus Queene to the mighty Monarch sou'raigne king of Auernus Mournfull mother amas'd for a while stoode like to a senceles Stocke or stone at length when fury remoued amasement Vp to the heau'ns she flies makes her moane to the thundrer Lord and loue qd shee vouchsafe at last to remember Take some care in time of poore Proserpina think her If not mine yet thine and if thine not to be stollen But let passe what 's past let rape and rage be remitted So that thy daughter from his hellish dens be deliu'red T' were no disparaging qd Ioue if prince of a mighty Empire Ioues brother might haue Proserpina ioyned By both our consents in wedlock darksom Auernus Should haue no cause then
repugning the other His face was ougly deformed for discord and diuision causeth defect want imperfection as vnion concord are the authors of blessednes beauty and perfection Strife striuing to get vp to heauen was thrown down to the earth for in the celestiall bodies there is noe discord noe repugnancy and therfore consequently noe destruction or mortalyty effects thereof but only in these earthly and inferior matters contynually subiect to infynite decayes and dissolutions caused by oppositions and contrarieties The burdens sweatings groanings and agonies of Chaos are the euer-strugling and contending natures of the fowre elements heauy earth moyst water breathing ayre and consumyng fyre for pacification whereof â—an was borne which in Greeke sâ—gnifieth All and betokeneth that generall and vniuersall power of nature ruling and gouernyng whatsoever proceeded from Chaos and quyeting those disagreeing qualities of the repugnant elements Whereupon it is here sayd that after Stryfe came Pan syth after discord comes concord and succeedeth in place therof Togeather with Pan the three fatall Ladies of Desteny Clotho Lachesis and Atropos were borne attending on Pan the God of vniuersaâ—l nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soe called of turnyng noteth the continuall motion and reuolutioÌ„ of things present and turneth and spinneth the present threede of lyfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the production and drawing foorth of that which is to come preparing and keeping diligently the threede of lyfe which yet remaineth to be turned and spunne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if a man would say irremeable irreuocable and immutable representeth what is past which neuer returneth and this last Lady hath dâ—spatched finished and cut of the threede committed to her charge to be spunne In Latine they are called Parcae à parceÌ„do of sparing by the contrary as some thinke because they spare not as lytle Iohn was called soe in iest being a man of a wonderfull great stature Scaliger lyketh not this coÌ„ceipt sith they spare indeed rather the otherwise one of theÌ„ only cutting of lyfe whereas the other two maynteyn and preserue it Varro thought they were in Latine called Parcae à pariendo of bringing foorth whereupon their particular names were framed accordingly of the tymes of byrth the one being of the auncient Romayns called Nona the other Decima of the nynth and tenth moneth in the which vsually by course of nature the childe is borne yet because whosoeuer is borne is borne to dye the third was named Morta of the Latyne Mors which signifyeth Death represented by the third fatall Lady Claudian in his Poeme de raptu Proserpinae maketh them all attend on Pluto soe doth Fulgentius because their dominion is most ouer these terrestriall and inferior bodies figured by Pluto and his infernall kingdome Agayne thâ—se Ladyes drawe foorth the threede of mans lyfe and mans lyfe is long or short according as the body is framed of a strong or weake matter which earthly matter is subiect to Pluto The first hath care of mans byrth the second of his lyfe the third of death The first is yong the second of myddle age the third very owlde the yong Lady holdeth the distaffe and draweth the flaxe the myddle hath a spyndle and windeth vp the threede the owld sister with her Sheares snappeth the threede in two Homer in his hymne to Mercury maketh them winged for tyme flyeth and death draweth on They are here sayd to be borne of Chaos sith in that first distinction and separation of things out of that confused heape and Masse euery particular matter had his peculier desteny allotted vnto it others would haue them to be borne of Erebus the most hidden and remote part of the earth and of Darcknes that by the obscurity of the father and mother wee may imagine how difficult nay how impossible a thing it is to search out the hidden causes of Desteny There bee also some that make them the daughters of Iupiter and Themis the rulers and directers of fatall iustice and vniuersall prouidence * â—he first â—â—cture of 〈◊〉 Desti 〈◊〉 Plato in the tenth booke of his common wealth maketh them the daughters of ineuitable Necessity placing between their knees the great Spindle of adamant reaching from the arctike to the antarctike Pole they sit on a throne aequally distant one from an other couered with white roabes crowned with diademes singing proportionably to the heauens harmony things that are past present and to come they all ioyntly togeather with their mother Necessity turne this spindle Clotho with the right hand Lachesis with the left Atropos with both as appeareth there in Plato more plentifully in imitation wherof as should seeme Ouid in the last book of his transformations bringeth in Iupiter talking with Venus concerning the immutable decrees of these inexorable Ladies written in Iron brasse and Adamant Talibus hanc genitor sola insuperabile fatum Nata mouere paras intres licet ipsa sororum Tecta trium cernes illic molimine vasto Ex aere solido rerum tabularia ferro Quae neque concussum caeli neque fulminis iram Nec metuunt vllas tuta atque aeterâ—a ruinas Inuenies illic incisa Adamante perenni Fata tui generis Hereupon doth Capella call them Ioues scribes for that they register his decrees in these euerlasting tables Catullus in his wedding song of Peleus and Thetis which noteth the generation of things for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is slyme and Thetis water where of all things are made yet by an efficient and therfore all the gods were at that wedding except Discord the only cause of dissolution maketh their heads to be bound with a white fillet or lawne some others giue theÌ„ garlands of Daffadil * â—he second â—â—â—ture of 〈…〉 The sixt childe that Chaos brought foorth to Demogorgon was named Erebus a certaine naturall power incident to euery inferiour thing and as it were cleauing and adhaerent thereunto and this in the terrestriall globe is the very matter it selfe wherof things are made the only cause of generation corruption all other alterations in these inferior bodies but in Man the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or little world it signifieth that naturall appetite and continuall desire which man hath to obteyne new matters whereupon the Poets haue also fayned that this Erebus had many children as Labour Enuy Feare Deceipt Fraud Obstinacy Pouerty Mysery Famyne Lamentation Sicknes Death and such like whose mother they made Darknes or Night who bare to Erebus her husband this loathsome broode according to those verses of Claudian in his first inuectiue against Rufinus Glomerantur in vnum Innumerae pestes Erebo quascunque sinistro Nox genuit foetu nutrix discordia belli Imperiosa fames laetho vicina senectus Impatiensque sui morbus liuorque secundis Anxius scisso moerens velamine luctus Et timor et caeco praeceps audacia vultu Et luxus populator opum cui semper adhaerens Infaelix humili gressu
the bushes Blackbery hipps and hawes and such fine knacks by the forrest Damsons sloes and nutts and if thou wilt be my wedded Wife each tree and twig and bush shall bring thee a present Euery bush twig tree shall serue my wife Galathea All these sheepe be my owne which quickly without any calling Come and run to the pipe of their good Lord Polyphemus And many thousands more which either range by the mountains Or feede in valleys or keepe their places apointed And stalls hard by my bowre and if thou aske me the number Of them I know it not for beggers vse to be telling How-many sheepe they keepe my goodes Galathea be endles My sheepe nomberles yet among these so-many thousand Flocks of sheepe not a sheepe did I euer prooue to be fruitles Thou thy-self maist see my goates and sheepe to be stradling With bagging vdders thou maist see how-many lambkins And yong kyds I doe keepe kyds and lambs both of a yeaning Milke I doe neuer want and part I reserue to be drunken Part in curds and cheese with thrift I prepare to be eaten Neither shall my loue Galathea be only presented With birds neasts kyds doues and such like paltery stale-stuffe And common loue-toyes which easily may be aforded By each carters swaine Polyphemus found on a mountaine Two braue yong Beare-whelps either so like to an other That who marks not well will soone take one for an other These did I finde of late and these doe I keepe for a token For to be playfellowes for my bonilasse Galathea O then scorne not me scorne not my guiftes Galathea This body shal be thy spoyle and this bloud shal be thy bootie These sheepe shal be thy goods and these hills shal be thy dowry Sweete pig scorne not mee for I know myselfe to be comely Often I looke in a lake and set my selfe by a fishpond Making mine owne eyes of mine owne eyes the beholders And when I see my face I delite my face to be seeing Looke how big I doe looke how strong and stordily squared Mark how mighty I am no thundring Ioue in Olympus You fooles tell many tales of a thundring Ioue in Olympus No great thundring Ioue is greater then Polyphemus See what a swinging bush giues cou'ring vnto my countnance And as a thickset groaue makes dreadful shade to my shoulders My Flesh's hard indeede all ouer-grown with a bristled Hyde and rugged skin but that 's but a signe of a mans hart And is no-more shame to the strong and stowt Polyphemus Then broade leaues to a tree then faire long mane to a foming Steede then synnes to a fish then feathers vnto a flying Fowle or woolle to a sheepe One eye stands steedily pitched In my front but an eye yet an eye as broade as a buckler And what I pray you hath this sunne any more but his one eye And yet he sees all things and all things only with one eye Lastly my syre Neptune with threeforckt mace as a sou'raigne Rul's in Sea's and so shall sea-borne dame Galathea By taking Polypheme best ympe of Seaes for a husband Haue also Neptune chiefe Lord of Seaes for a father Earth-shaking Neptune that stroue with mighty Minerua For the renowned Athens as he often towld me his own-selfe And raisd vp Troy walls with threatning towres to the heauens With whose rage both Lands and seaes are fearefuly trembling At whose beck springs wels floods brooks pooles lakes be obeying As soone as they heare his Triton mightily sounding Then Galathea relent and yeeld to thy owne Polyphemus Sith Polyphemus yeelds himselfe to his owne Galathea Sith Polyphemus yeelds who cares not a rush for a thundring Heu'n and heauens King thy frowning's worse then a thousand Lightnings and thunders Yet I could forbeare thee the better If thou didst aswell scorne others as Polyphemus But why should Galathea refuse well growne Polyphemus And yet like and loue and wooe effoeminat Acis Whome if I catch I le make him know that great Polyphemus Arm 's as strong as great I le paunce that paltery princox Trayle his gutts by the fields and teare his flesh in a thousand Gobbets yea I le powre his bloud hart-bloud to the waters Eu'n thine owne waters if I euer take Galathea Dealing with that boy dwarfe Acis dandiprat Acis Elfe Acis for I boyle with most outragius anger And most raging loue me thinkes whole sulphurus Aetna Aetna with all his flames in my brest makes his abiding And yet neither loue nor wrath can moue Galathea Thus when he had this sweete loues lamentation ended Vp-gets th' one eyde feende and rangeth abroade by the forrest Roaring out as a bull driu'n back with force from a heyfar And at length spies out vs two there downe in a valley Mee and Acis alas vnawares and cries in a fury Endles griefe and shame confound forelorne Polyphemus If that I make not now your loue toyes all to be ended This did he roare but he roarde this with so hellish an outcry That mount Aetna with eccho resounds and griesly Typhoeus Groanes for feare and breaths foorth flashing flames to the heauenâ— Vulcan starts fro the forge and Brontes runs fro the Anuile And swelting Steropes with barlegd ougly Pyracmon Leaue their Iron tooles yea Pluto the prince of Auernus Heard this yelling feende and feared least that his owne hound Cerberus had broke loose with three-throate iawes to the heauens Here I alas for feare dopt vnderneath the reflowing Waues and poore Acis fled back and cride Galathea Helpe Galathea help and let thy boy be receaued In thy watery boures Polyphemus murdereth Acis Cyclops runs to a rock in a rage and teares in a fury One greate peece as big as a mount and hurl's it at Acis And but a litle peece thereof tutcht bewtiful Acis Yet that litle peece orewhelmd whole bewtiful Acis Here I alas poore wretch wrought all that desteny suffred For to be wrought and causd his strength to be freshly renued His life eu'n by a death now more and more to be lengthned And his dearest name and fame to be dayly remembred And my selfe and him by a heauy diuorce to be ioyned His blood sprang fro the lumpe his blood first cherefuly purpled Then by degrees it changd and rednes somewhat abated And lookt like to a poole troubled with raine from Olympus Afterwards it clearde then lumpe cloaue and fro the cleauing Flowring reades sprang forth and bubling water abounded Beutiful Acis thus was then transformd to a horned Brooke and yet this brooke tooke name of bewtiful Acis Acis a louing streame runs downe with a louely resounding Downe to the great sou'raigne of seaes with speedy reflowing There his yearely tribute to the three-forckt God to be paying And there his Galathea for euermore to be meeting Here Galathea did ende and coy dame Scylla departed Whom sea-God Glaucus new God late made of a fisher Lou'd but vnhappily lou'd and wept when he saw her a monster THen quoth
attentiuely bend it selfe to the contemplation of things shall neuer attaine to the truth as Proteus would neuer reueale his propheticall knowledge but first did turne and winde himselfe euery way to escape vntil with bands he were enforced thereunto as Homer the first author of this inuention in the fourth of his Odyssea discourseth at large Lady Proserpina with her mother Ceres fell to Amaryllis who by talking of them discoursed also of Pluto and so made an end of the three mightie Monarchs of the world PLuto the Duke of diu'ls enrag'd with an hellish Erynnis Gan to repyne and grudge and moue a rebellius vprore For that he wanted a wife and now eu'n all the detested Infernal rablement and loathsome broode of Auernus Clustred on heapes and troupes and threatned wars to Olympus But Lachesis fearing lest laws layd down by the thundrer By the reuenging rout of feends might chance to be broken Fate-spinning Lachesis cry'd out to the prince of Auernus Sou'raigne Lord of damned Ghosts and mightie Monarcha Of Stygian darknes which giu'st each thing a beginning And by thy dreadful doome doest draw each thing to an ending Ruling life and death with iurisdiction endles O let those decrees and fatal lawes be obeyed Which wee three sisters for you three brethren apoynted Let that sacred league and peace last freely for euer Stay these more then ciuil warres vnnatural vprores And intestine broyls aske Ioue and stay for an aunswere Ioue shall giue thee a wife His rage was somwhat abated Though not well calmed yet he yeelds at last to the fatall Sisters intreating and teares although with an ill will And a repyning heart and Mercury sends to Olympus With this round message Tell Ioue that stately triumpher Pluto cannot abide to be thus controll'd by a brother Imperius brother who though that he maketh a rumbling With scar-crow thunders and hurls his flames in a fury On poore mortall men yet he must not think that Auernus Vndaunted Capten with buggs can so be deluded Is' t not enough that I liue in darksome dens of Auernus Where fire smokes fogs grief plagues horror aboundeth Whil'st vsurping Ioue keepes court in lightsom Olympus But that he must also forbid me the name of a husband And restraine those ioyes which nature freely afordeth Seas-sou'raigne Neptune embraceth his Amphitrite And clowd-rolling Ioue enioyes Saturnia Iuno His wife and sister for I let slip slipperie by-blowes But scorned Pluto must stil forsooth be a batchler Stil be a wiueles boy and childeles But by the dreadful Streames of sacred Styx I protest if he yeeld not an answere Vnto my full content I le loose forth all the reuengful Broode of damnable haggs and hel-hounds vp to the heauens I le confound heau'n hell light night I le cast on a cluster Blisful Olympus bowres with baleful dens of Auernus Plutoes tale scarce tolde light-footed Mercury mounting Vp to the highest heau'ns disclos'd each word to the thundrer Who consulting long at last thus fully resolued That Stygian brother should take Proserpina daughter Vnto the Lady Ceres pereles Proserpina matchles And yet fit for a match Bloody Mars and archer Apollo Sought her a long while since Mars big fram'd for a buckler Phoebus fit for a bowe Mars actiue learned Apollo Mars offred Rhodope Phoebus would giue her Amyclas And Clarian temples and Delos fayre for a dowrie Lady Ceres cast off bloody Mars and archer Apollo Contemning Rhodope despising proffred Amyclas And fearing violence and rape commendeth her onely Dearling and deare childe to the dearest soyle of a thousand Louely Cicil from whence with watery cheekes she returned Vnto the towre-bearing Cybele and lowd Coribantes On Phrygian mountains Where shee no sooner aryued But Ioue spightful Ioue tooke opportunity offred And by the secret sleights and wyles of false Cytheroea In mothers absence her daughter alas he betrayed Goe qd he my wanton goe now whilst mother is absent Bring her daughter abroad to the flowring fields of a purpose Atropos hath decreed that supreame Duke of Auernus My brother Pluto must haue Proserpina fatall Orders must be obeyd thy iurisdiction hereby Shal be the more enlarg'd and fame fly daily the further If very hell feele hell taste hellish pangs of a Louer Shee for a word was enough conueyd her away in a momeÌ„t And for so Ioue would Pallas with stately Diana Ioynd as companions all which three lastly aryued There where Lady Ceres her daughters bowre had apoynted Wyly Venus drawes on simple Proserpina foorthwith Vnto the greene medows herself went first as a leader Next came fayre Phoebe and Ioue-borne Pallas Athene And shee between them both who both theÌ„ rightly resembled Sweete yet sweetly seuere Proserpina eu'n very Phoebe If that a bow were giu'n if a target Pallas Athene And sweete water-Nymphs by the careful mother apoynted Their mayden Princesse with a princelike company guarded Chiefly of all others Cyane there made her aparance Whom for her excelling conceipt and seemly behauiour Chiefely of all other well-Nymphs Proserpina loued There was a Christal brook by the fields that ioyned on Aetna Called Pergusa transparent down to the bottome Trembling leaues as a veyle gaue cooling shade to the water Trembling leaues of trees that crownd this lake as a garland Euery tree displayd his flowring boughs to the heauen Euery bow had a bird which therein made her abyding Euery bird on bow tooke ioy to be cherefuly chirping Euery chirp was a song perswading all to be louing Fresh-colored medowes were ouer-spread with a mantle Figured and Diapred with such and so many thousand Natures surpassing conceipts that maruelus Iris Was no maruel at al and spotted traine but a trifle Prowd-hart Peacocks spotted traine compar'd to the matchles Art which nature shewd in shewing so-many strange shewes Hither these Ladyes are come and euery Lady Plucketh at euery flowre seeing each flowre to be more fayre More fresh more radiant more louely then euery Lady In meane time Pluto wounded by wyly Cupido Intends his iourney to Sicilia Griesly Megoera And fell Alecto his foaming steedes be preparing Steedes that drank on Lethes Lake and fed by the ioyles Bancks of Cocytus Nycteus and sulphurus Aethon Swift as a shaft fierce Orphnaeus with fearful Alastor Ioynd to the cole-black coach drew neare to Sicilian Aetna And seeking passage with strange and horrible earthquakes Ouer-turnd whole townes and turrets stately defaced Euery Nymph heard felt and fear'd this deadly resounding And dreadful quaking but of all this deadly resounding And dreadful quaking not a nymph there knew the beginning Sauing onely Venus whose heart with terror amazed Yet with ioy possest was party to all the procâ—eding Duke of Ghosts missing of a way through so-many by-waies And all impatient with loues rage brake with his Iron Mace the â—ebelling rocks and piearst through th' earth to the heauens Heauens all dismai'd to behold so hellish an obiect Starres sled back for feare OrÃons hart was apaled Charles-Wayne ran
and was released of his rage and madnes Their haire was all of crawling snakes their garment a long black gowne downe to the anckles girt with a snakie girdle with serpents in the one hand and a firebrand in the other their eyes face and teeth portending malice and vengeance they were three Tisiphone of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reuenge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slaughter or murder Megoera of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to enuie Alecto of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neuer ceasing or neuer at rest They are sometimes called Erynnae of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be moued with great grudge and indignation or of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth cursing and banning and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to heare for that they are euer ready to giue â—are to such as curse and call for vengeance or else of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the earth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dwell because they dwell in the darksome dens of the earth Lactantius compareth those three perturbations which tosse and turmoyle mens mindes to weet Wrath Couetise and Leachery to these three furies * â—â—e picâ—â—â—es of the â—â—ries Much like in nature to these furies were the Harpyes faced like Virgins winged like birdes with pale and hungry visages and crooked scraping clawes deciphring flatterers or rather couetous and snatching worldlings Harpyae saith Natalis Comes expounding it physically haue this name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noting the furious violence and rage of the windes the first was called Ocypete swiftly flying the second Aello that is a storme or tempest the third Celaeno the darkenes of the clowds driuen with windes They were the daughters of Thaumas and Electra by reason of the strange and wonderfull nature and might of the windes which are eleuated and lifted vp by the beames of the sunne from the purer vpper-flowing water of the sea Virgil describeth them 3. aeneid as the most detestable monsters that euer issued out of the Stygian lak Hither may be added those Haggs called Lamiae who with their sweete and maidenlike face brest and body allure men vnto them but with their serpentine clawes destroy them afterwards * â—â—e picâ—â—â—es of the â—â—â—pyes â—â—ggs Chimera's vpper part was like a Lyon the middle like a Goate the lowest like a Serpent slaine by Bellerophon Historically it was a mountaine in Lycia breathing out fire whose top Lyons did haunt in the middle were pastures where Goates fed and the foote was frequented by Snakes and Serpents Bellerophon made it habitable and was therefore saide to haue killed Chimera Chimera the type of inordinate luste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first inuadeth men fiercely like a Lyon then want only and lasciuiously like a Goate afterwards brings poysoned sorrow and repentance figured by snakes and serpents Bellerophon sollicited to folly by Antia wife to Praetus King of the Arigiui constantly refused whereupon she falsly accused him to her husband of violence offered Bellerophon by these meanes banished passing through diuers dangers and perills riding on the winged horse Pegasus and bearing his terrible Gorgon at last slew Chimera He was called Bellerophon either of one Bellerus a Corinthian Prince whom he vanquisht or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that hee rooted out euills and mischiefes or else you may so tearme him as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wise and prudent counsailer or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Homer speaketh Palaephatus reporteth that Pegasus was the ship that brought Bellerophon Allegorically by Pegasus borne of the blood of Medusa we may vnderstand immortalitie and euerlasting fame For vertue ouer-comming all terrible things figured by Gorgon breedeth fame and fame is eternised by the sounding voyce of Poets which was the cause that the learned well was said to be opened by the hoofe of Pegasus striking the Parnassian mount Medusaes hayre either for that Neptune in Mineruaes temple vsed her irreligiously as Ouâ—d reporteth the tale 4. Metam or for that she gloried so much in her golden locks as that she durst compare with goddesses were turned into snakes and the beholders thereof into stones Medusa herselfe noteth lustfull beawty and voluptuousnes turning men into stones as making the greedy gazers thereon senceles and amased None but Perseus Ioues sonne by Mineruaes help ouercame her celestiall grace and wisdome are the onely meanes to represse this inordinate affection Some by the three Gorgons note the three faculties of the soule in man Medusa of the three sisters was only mortall figuring the sensible and liuing power common to beasts beheaded by Perseus that is kept vnder by the good Genius or celestial grace The second was Stheno the reasonable facultie of the soule the third Euryale the light infused and intellectuall part They turne the beholders into stones for we must kill Medusa all perturbations and be in that respect as dead as stones else wee cannot enioy this intellectuall light The borowed and common eye which all they vse by course is this infused light deriued from one of them vnto another Perseus beareth Gorgon hee maketh men wonder at his excellent prowesse Historically Athenaeus reporteth that in Lybia there was a kinde of beast like a calfe killing with the very sight one of them was brought dead to Marius to Rome his skinne being so diuersly colored that none there could gesse what beast it was and that Perseus by likelihood killed some of these figured here by Medusa Diodorus saith that Gorgones were stout and warring women the captaine whereof Medusa was slaine by Perseus Others vnderstand the earth and earthly affections by Gorgon dashed and daunted by Perseus borne of Ioue that is assisted by his heauenly helpe and influence But I see that Chimera hath brought me too farre out of my way Ixion therefore to come back where I was before is as I said already plagued in hell for his ambitious and aspyring arrogancie The tale is notably well told by Kemy Belleau 2. iòurnee de la bergeric beginning thus Ie chante d'Ixion I'emprise audacieuse L'impudence I'órgueil I'idole venteuse De la feinte Iunon grosse de vent d'aer Ouurage industrieux des mains de Iupiter c. Bartholomaeus Annulus in his picta poesi hereby noteth a polluted conscience which is euer his owne persecutor and tormentor still flying and yet still folowing himselfe as Ixions wheele that alwaies turns about but neuer turns away Sisiphus being of Ioues counsaile reuealed his secrets and is therefore thus punished Lucretius expoundeth it otherwise of him that ambitiously gapeth after promotion and is euer repulsed toyling and moyling himselfe with an endles rolling of a neuer-standing stone Sisiphus in vita quoque nobis ante oculos est Qui petere à populo fasces saeuasque secures Imbibit semper victus tristisque recedit Nam petere imperium quod inane est nec datur vnquam Atque in eo semper durum sufferre
last fall of murdered Iphis. Dore once wide open seruants ran forth with an outcry Ran but ran too late tooke vp disfigured Iphis Cold Iphis palefact Iphis nay now not an Iphis And his poore mother with a sight so deadly presented Old mother childles mother nay now not a mother Woeful woman alas clipt kist embraced her Iphis Wept cride out hould roard performd al parts of a mother And to the graue at last with sollemne funeral honnors Brought through th' open streetes her sons dead corps in a coffin Hard by the way through which this sad solemnity passed Lady Anaxaretes braue bowre stoode loftily mounted And that dolefull sounde with mourning eccho redoobled Came to her eares at last for now at last the reuenging Goddes gan to requite and forced her eyes to the windowe For to behold and see poore Iphis laid in a coffin Scarce she beheld and saw poore Iphis laid in a coffin â—ut that sightles sight was starck and stiffe on a sudden And her purpled blood to a palenes speedily changed Back she remou's her feete her feete will not be remoued Back she reflected her head but her head would not be reflected Feete and head stock fast and that same merciles hardnes That same stone which earst in her hard hart made his abiding Dwelled in euery ioynt and each where tooke vp a lodging And least noble dames might deeme my tale but a fable In towne of Salamis where famous Teucer abided Whence this scorneful dame her noble gentrie deriued Stony Anaxarete for a lasting signe of a stony Hart stands fram'de of stone in church of dame Cytheraea Then let noble dames let Ladies learne to be louely And make more account of a gentle minde then a gentry Loue makes lowest high and highest harts to be lowly And by these meanes makes both highe and lowe to bee louely THis reuenging goddes qd Elpinus was called Nemesis she punished the insolencie of such as in prosperitie bare themselues ouer arrogantly especially those who for their bewtie were scornefull and disdainefull She was also called Rhamnusia of a place in Attica where shee had a most sumptuous temple and Adrastia of one Adrastus who was the first that euer did consecrate any temple vnto her She was figured winged for punishment commeth quickly She stoode on a wheele and stearne of a ship for she rolleth and ruleth all vpside downe She held a bridle and a rule or measure for we must temper our tongs and deale iustly as the Greke Epigramme expoundeth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By Iphis wee may learne not to looke too high and by Anaxarete wee are taught not to disdaigne the lowly The picture of Nemesis DAphne seeing euery body silent knew it was time for her to speake Madame qd she I can neither sing nor say very well but sith I must needes tell somwhat it is good to begin betimes that I may the â—ooner make an ende The best is I meane not to be so full of parables as that Elpinus shall haue need to make any explication I haue heard my mother many times in good sobrietie make a long discourse of certayne schollers of Cambridge who would needes finde out some way to mount vp to heauen and vnderstand those mysteries which bee aboue the Moone For this purpose they met together at Dawes crosâ—e where after long debating of the matter it was resolued by the full consent of the learned assembly that they should seeke and search passe and repasse from East to Weast some by lande some by sea till they had found the way to heauen O it was a sweete sight to beholde so many sageheads and gentle spirites thus vnited and assembled together All being ready they all made haste some embarqued themselues some traueled by land others stayed in villages adioyning expecting some heauenly apparition or reuelation from aboue They that were in the ship began to consult of their attempt when loe on the sodayn such grace the heauens afforde to them that be heauenly affected there came a straunger yet an Acaâ—emique vnto them who perceauing that their resolution was not to intermit their labour till they had found the way how to goe to heauen aliue toulde them that peraduenture himselfe could giue them best directions for that purpose and that if they would giue him the hearing hee would discourse at large both what himselfe was and how diuers of his companions had attempted the like voyage and what had befallen them in the same They all thanked him for his vnexpected courtesie willed him to enter into the ship and with this discourse helpe them to forget the daunger and yrksomenes of their trauel which done he thus began I was borne and bred fiue miles beyond S. Michaels mount foure summers before the greene winter Saturne was predominant at my natiuity my father a man of prouidence perceauing my terrestriall disposition would needes haue me admitted a scholler in the Vniuersitie called the Garden whereof we all were named Gardiners Our Conuocation house was a Harbor sytuate directly vnder the Arctike pole where euery new Moone my selfe and my fellow Gardiners assembled together and sang such compositions as we had seuerally framed of the vertue of hearbs the pleasaunt liquor of the vine the â—weetnes of fruits the profite of husbandry and dressing of Gardens and Orchyards in such sort that our Vniuersity became famous by reason of diuers learned monuments daylie there deuised and thence proceeding to the publike profit of the common wealth as The vulgar Dioscorides The Garden of Ladies The moralization of the Georgikes with many such wonderous workes And as our selues were delighted in dressing and keeping of Gardens so did we choose vs distinct names additions of seueral hearbs accordingly so that one was called a Violet an other a Thistle this Lettuce that Succorie the rest either Borage Hmlock Pasnip Cowslip Rosemary or some like But so it fell out on a day as we were thus busied in our Harbour we heard of a reporte scattered abroad that a general deluge and inundation of waters should happen that yeare as was foretolde by some idle Prognosticators This straunge newes troubled the whole countrey and among others vs poore Gardiners who hauing read this lewd Almanack and considering the florishing discourses of these Astrologicall doctors which threatned the Vines Gardens and Orchyards with blasts frosts caterpillers and a thousand such phantastical dangers layd our heads together and dealt as I am about to tell you First we offered sacrifice to Bacchus and Priapus and then concluded to send some of our Vniuersity as ambassadours to heauen who by this one iourney might doe a double seruice the one in seeing whether these tale-tell Astrologers had any ground for their predictions the other in obtaining grace mercie of the Gods by graunting plenâ—y abundaÌ„ce Among others Succhory a pleasant mery coÌ„panion had this conceipt in his head to get vp to heauen It
himselfe also into the sea where he was deified The tale is reported by Ouid in the end of the thirâ—eenth and beginning of the fourteenth of his transformations and expounded by Tasso in the second part of his dialogue entituled Gonzago ouero del piacer honesto where by the deified Glaucus he vnderstandeth the intellectual part and facultie of man by the sea wherein he fisheth the body and all bodily matters being the matter subiect of naturall philosophie and subiect to continuall alteration like the sea by his fishing the discoursing and sylogisticall reasoning of Intellectus by his netts the instruments of naturall Logick by the fishe caught those generall maximaes and vniuersal grounds and true conclusions and consequences by the herbe which he did bite the heauenly delite of contemplation whereby he was made a God by the casting of himselfe into the sea his comming and descending from the quiet rest of contemplation to the variable sea of action and operation figured also by the double shape and twoforked tayle of Glaucus and the other sea-Gods Thus doth Tasso transforme Glaucus to a God and by a little turning of his exposition he turneth him thus to a brute beast Glaucus by tasting the herbe leapeth into the sea together with his fishes that is by yeelding to the inchaunting force of pleasure he so drowneth himselfe in the Aphrodisian sea of sensuality that he becomes altogether beastlike Historically Scylla and Charibdis were two rocks in the Sicilian sea Scylla had that name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of spoyling or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of vexing or else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whelps or dogs sith the beating of the waues vpon the rocke made a noyse like the barking of curs Charibdis was so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of gaping and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sup vp or deuoure By Typhoeus Sabinus vnderstandeth the burning and flaming exhalations cause of that fire in Aetna which clustred together and wanting free pâ—ssage shake the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to smoke see Virgil 3. Aeneid and Ouid. 5. Metam It seemeth that the violent fury of the windes is here also shadoed by Typhoeus for his hands reach from East to West and his head to heauen agreeing with the nature of the seuerall windes blowing in euery coast of Heauen His body is couered with feathers noting the swiftnes of the windes about his legs are crawling adders so the windes are oftentimes pestilent and hurtfull his eyes are red as fire and he breathes flames out of his mouth for the windes are made of hoate and dry vapors * The picture of Typhoem Acis made a riuer is said to be horned Hornes are attributed vnto riuers either because the crooked turnings and windings thereof resemble hornes or for that the furious noyse of roaring and raging waters is like the belowing of a Bull or lowing of an Oxe or Cowe They are crowned with reades reades grow plentifully in watery places they are figured with long hayre and beard like a man alwaies lying leaning on one elbow or on some great vessell whence water issueth aboundantly I neede not make any explication hereof all is so manifest * The piâ—tures of riuers and floods Among other sea-borne monsters the Mermaides must not be forgotten they had the face and proportion of women to the waste thence downewards the resemblance of fishes some others giue them wings and scraping feete like the feete of hens they were three Parthenope that is Virgins face Leucosia white and faire and Ligia which is sounding They were borne of Achelous noting moysture and the muse Calliope that is faire spoken the one sang the other sounded a trumpet the third played on a lute so sweetely that such as sayled were enticed thereby to the dangerous rocks where they frequented Vlysses being to passe that way commaunded his companions to stop their owne eares with wax and then fasten him to the mast of the ship least that inchaunting melodie might be their bane which policie did so confound the Sirenes with shame and sorrow that they thereupon threw themselues headlong into the sea Ouid maketh them Proserpinaes companions who losing their Lady and Queene were thus made birds in part and yet reteigned their former face and beautie Suidas saith that in truth they were certaine blinde and dangerus rocks which by the breaking and beating of the billowes did make such a sweetely resounding murmur that it allured the passengers thither to their owne destruction Whatsoever they were Allegorically they signifie the cosning tricks of counterfeit strumpets the vndoubted shipwrack of all affectionat yonkers and therefore is it said by Virgil that the Mermaydes rocks are all ouer spread with bones of dead men whose destruction their deceaueable allurements had procured Xenophon is of this minde that the Sirenes did learnedly and sweetely extoll the famous acts of renowned men and that therefore Homer maketh them entertain Vlysses with their pleasing voyce who indeede was for politick stratagems the chiefe ornament of Greece and no doubt these sweete and glorious commendations of great mens exploites are the most effectuall charmes to worke any impression in an heroicall minde and with this conceite of Xenophon Cicero doth also agree Besides these three already named some adde fiue others that is Pisinoe of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to perswade and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the minde Aglaope sweete of looke Thelxiope louely of looke for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to please and delite Thelxinoe delighting the minde and Aglaophone with the pleasant voyce They were tearmed Sirenes of drawing deteigning and alluring men vnto them as the Greeke word importeth * The Mermaides pictures Of the marine monsters Proteus yet remayneth who being King in Aegypt did so wisely apply himselfe and frame his wit to euery particular accident that he was said to turne and transforme himselfe to any kinde of shape Some referre this to the custome obserued of the Aegyptian kings who neuer came abroade but hauing some one or other ensigne on their head as a token of their imperiall maiestie and this they changed continually sometimes vsing the image of a Lyon sometimes of a Bull sometimes this and sometimes that which variety gaue ground and occasion to this fable It is reported that hee raigned in the Isle Carpathus whereof the Carpathian sea by Aegypt had his name which because it had great store of sea-calues and other sea monsters Proteus himselfe was called Neptunes heardsman keeping his seaish flocks Cornelius Gemma in his booke de diuinis naturae characterismis allegorically expoundeth this tale out of the fourth of Virgils Georgicks making Proteus a type of nature Plato compareth him to the wrangling of brabling sophisters and some there be that hereby vnderstand the truth of things obscured by so many deceauable apparances Lastly there want not others which meane hereby the vnderstanding and intellectual parte of mans minde which vnles it seriously and