¶The pleasaunt Fable of Hermaphroditus and Salmacis, by T. Peend. With a mor [...]all in Englysh Uerse.
SAME Venus once by Mercurye
compress, a chylde did beare:
For beuty farre excellyng all
that erff before hym weare.
Thys noble chylde by name was calde
Hermaphroditus so,
Of both hys parents names it is
deryued,
Herm [...]s and Aphrodite, Andrognus.
as ye kn
[...].
Hys shape it dyd so farre excede
the graces of all other:
That then the countenaūce of the childe
myght well dyserye hys mother.
Hys portrature beuyne, it was
so perfecte in eche poyncte,
Hys noble lyms so fayre to syght,
so set in euery ioynte,
That he might seme Dame Natures w [...]rke'
as farre for to excell:
As do the Gods the shape of men,
as auncyent storyes tell.
As to hys face it was so fayre,
and bryght wyth bewtyes shyne:
That it exceld the glysteryng beames
in Phaebus face deuyne.
[Page]A paterne playne to mend her moold
Dame Nature there myght see.
Therby appeard how merueylous
the workes of god they bee.
The
Phrigian boy,
[...]amini [...]es sonne [...]f Trois [...] ynge of [...]roye.
by Thegle caught
on Ioue tattend and wayght.
Liri [...]pes▪ sonne Narsisus fayre,
Nymphe Eccho her daynty bayte,
Not Atis fyne, whych was sumtyme
accepted wel wyth loue,
Nor yet the boy in incest got
which
Venus so dyd loue.
Adonis [...]nne of Mirr [...]a [...] her [...] [...]in [...]ra [...].
Al these were not to be comparde
with yonge Hermaphrodite.
Nor Cupide sure his brother blynde,
if Poets truly wryte,
Myght not with him in shape compare,
but yet to fortune hee
Was subiecte more then this, as we
by thend may playnly see.
For Cupide he doth yet now lyue
a stoborne wytlesse boye:
But Hermaphrodite death at laste
had power for to dystroye.
How be it by dolefull dome, he lost
hym selfe before he dyed.
Such was his lot. Yet seemes it straūge
one from hym selfe to s [...]yed.
[Page]Some wolde not thynke that any man,
myght chaunge hys nature so,
That from hym selfe by desteny,
he myght departe or go.
How be it the straunger that it seemd,
the rather dyd I choose
To wryte of hym whose lot it was
by ill lucke hym selfe to loose.
Amonge a thousand storyes whych
are worthy to be scande,
In golden verse by skylfull pen,
I toke thys same in hande,
To shew my redy wyl to you
tyll greater power in mee:
As corespondent to my mynde
lyke wyse it may agree.
Wherfore the whylst I shall desyr [...]
your Maystershyp to take
This same, in worthe of worthy warke,
and full accompte to make,
That want af wyl is not in mee,
Though power therto do not agree.
¶But now thys sonne of Mercuryes
in Ida mounte was fed,
And fostred: thear, full fyftene yeres
hys lyfe also hee led.
And then desyrous for to know
the state of countreys straunge,
[Page]All
Licia land, by trauayle great
to Caria he dyd range.
Wheras vppon a tyme, what wyth
hys trauayle that was great,
And eke the weather being hote
he weryed then wyth heate,
And redy for to rest hym selfe,
by chaunce he dyd espye
A well, wyth water fayre and clere
as Chrystall to the eye.
Whych nether bushe at any tyme
nor wede it ouer grew.
Much lyke vnto the well it was,
wherto Acteon drew,
When that Diana, and her Nymphes
al naked in the same
He saw, by chaunce as he dyd seke
hys lately coursed game.
Aboute thys sprynge an idle Nymphe,
fayre Salmacis dyd vse:
Whych euen as soone as wyth her eies,
the yonge man fayre she vewes,
Strayght set on fyre: The smoldrynge heate
doth strike vnto her harte,
And thorow persed by the dynte,
of cruell Cupydes darte.
She strayght desyres with him to ioyne,
her luste for to fulfyll.
[Page]She tryms her selfe, & goes foorth with
for to declare her will.
To whom when that she came: strayght waie
With comely grace she gan to saye.
O worthy child, whose shape doth shew,
(as it doth seeme to mee.)
That surely thou some god, and not
a earthly wyght shulde bee.
Ryght happy are thy parentes sure,
and eke the Nurce in lap
Which hath the layd oft tymes, & geuen
thy louely lyps the pap.
But happyest of them bothe I saye,
a blessed one is shee,
Whych as thy wyfe within one bead
myght ioyne her selfe with thee.
My dere, vouch [...]efe to here my [...]ute,
graunt my request I pray,
That if you be not maryed yet
then, then graunt thys I saye,
That I may rest my happy lyms
in blessed bed with thee,
So I with Iuno for to chaunge
my state wolde not agree,
If thou be maryed, let me steale
one turne. My harte, my ioye,
She sayd, and therwyth held her peace.
But lo the shame fast boye
[Page]Was dasht, and out of countenaunce cleane.
he blusht as red as blood,
He wyst not then what loue dyd meane.
it wolde haue done one good,
To see how wel the blusshyng shame,
The amased boy as it became.
¶Such was his lyuely countenaunce,
such was hys comely hew.
Whom when the Nymphe had long beheld,
not able to subdewe
Her heat affection and desyre.
not able to susteyne,
The force of those so feruent flames,
she doth attempte agayne
By other meanes to try the boy,
eche practyce doth she proue.
But nought at al could moue hys harte
being rude, as yet to loue.
She seketh to imbrace his necke,
and asketh for a kysse.
But then the boy resystyng her
was moued much wyth thys,
And sayd leue of these wanton tryckes,
no lenger troble mee,
Els wyll I soone be gone, and leue
the place and all with thee.
Then Salmacis afrayde, dyd make
as thence she wolde be gone.
[Page]But in a bushe harde by the same,
she hyd her selfe anon.
The boy thought now that al was safe
from shame as yet now free
Does of hys clothes, and thynketh sure
that none the same doth see.
And lyke a wanton Kyd he skyppes
and in the mead doth run.
Then in the well, to bathe hys feete,
he so at fyrst begon
But thus at last the water cleare
it doth delyght hym so.
He geues hys body to the streames
and wadeth to and fro,
And further foorth with softely foote
he doth begyn to go.
¶At last wyth armes out stretched hee
hys body clene doth dyp.
By swīming, through the siluer stremes
hys yuery corps doth slyp.
The Nimph this while, beholdyng him,
no longer then could staye,
But of her mantel being throwne
she wold leape in strayght way.
The boy amyd the waues doth swym
as whyte as any snow.
No swan could seme more whyte thē he
that euer any sawe.
[Page]The Nimphe her hart doth pant w
t [...]oy,
shee scant abydes to staye,
Untyll her garmentes all were of.
shee plyeth so her praye.
Euen as the eger mastyue Dogge,
whom scant hys keper stayes,
But at the bayted Beare he stryues
for to be gone alwayes.
Euen as the Hauke doth ba [...]e, when that
shee sees the Partryge spronge:
So Salmacis, to her it seemes
Eche tyme it is to longe,
That lets her from the pray. But loe,
as mery as a Pye,
The boy doth friske and play, he thyncks
that none may hym espye.
But as the [...]are within her fourme,
when shee doth feare no ill:
The hounde is on her sodeynlye,
then prest the foole to kyll.
So Salmacis vnto her praye,
into the water goes:
As though that then for al the worlde
her luste she wolde not lose.
Not to perswade hym how she meanes,
as shee dyd erst before:
But now sheys prest her lust to serue,
or els to dye therfore.
[Page]She it to folly so full inclynde:
That nothing then might chaunge her mind.
¶But lo the boy, as soone as he
dyd theare the Nymphe espy,
Euen as the lytle Roche wyth synnes
out reched fast both fiye,
The rau [...]nyng Pyke, which after hym
in greater hast doth hye:
So vp and downe the springe they flete,
the one hym selfe to saue.
The Nymph, her ioy by spoyle doth seke
of [...]hother for to haue.
The flyghtfull boy, lyke as the Hare,
for lyfe the Hounde doth flie,
The Nymphe alwaies euen as the hoūd,
when he doth come so nye,
That euē his nose may touche her heles:
he gyrdeth foorth amayne,
With gaping mouth, being alwaies like
hys pray for to obteyne.
The Nimphe dyd dryue him vp so neare,
that euen of force at laste
He is compeld for to resyste,
and stryue for hym as faste,
Her rage by strength for to suppresse.
she forseth on hym so,
[Page]That weryed nyghe the tender boye,
he wotes not what to do.
To stryue he is compeld, or els
to yelde agaynst hys wyll
Unto hys foe, whych forceth so,
her lust for to fulfyll.
And yet some women say, that they
be innocentes, god wot.
Thys nycy Nymphe doth now dysplay
whether it be true or not.
In goodnes symple sure they be,
Els subtle ynoughe I warrant ye
¶So nyce and fyne, before the tyme
thys weakyng Nymph dyd seme,
That force and myght to breake an egge
in her ye wolde scantly deme.
And yet by force, she kepeth now
the yonge man at a baye:
As in a corner doth a dogge
kepe vp the stryuyng graye.
And then at last espyenge well
aduantage fyt therto,
She catcheth hym about the necke
as lothe to let hym go.
Euen as the Iuye wyndes aboute
the tree, so doth she claspe
The body of the stryuing boye:
which trembled lyke the Aspe.
[Page]Euen as the Crab in cruell clawes
when he hath caught hys foe:
With grype doth gyrd him so as though
he shulde not scape hym fro.
Euen so the Nimph (though Venus sonne
do as he may resyste.
In wordes protestyng playne how that
she shal not haue her lyste.)
Yet hopyng wel, with pre [...]yng wayght
she cleueth to hym so:
That thoughe he stryue and wrythe, she sweares
he shal not from her go.
Wher [...]ore (thou froward hoy) the saies,
now strogle on t [...]y fyll.
But now by force I wyl obtayne,
that shal content my wyll.
Thou shalt not scape me sure. Go to
with stoberne stryuyng styll.
With pressed lyps perforce to hym
an hundred kysses she
Doth geue, wherby it may appere,
she lyked hys companie.
This sayd. Unto the heauens on hyghe
she lifteth vp her eyes,
And sayth, o Gods that see all thynges
and syt aboue the skyes,
[...]raunt that thys wylfull boye
may neuer parte fro mee.
[Page]But let vs styll in one remayne.
the Gods they dyd agree
To her request. And Venus then
being moued wyth theyr mone,
She dyd vouchsafe to ioyne
theyr bodyes both in one.
One countenaunce dyd set foorth
a thynge full straunge to see,
A man and woman both
wyth one corps to agree:
And yet the same no parfecte man,
nor woman for to bee.
¶But now, when that Hermaphrodite
dyd see in water playne,
He entred lyke a man therin,
and shulde come foorth agayne
But halfe a man. Hym selfe he loste.
Hys fortune it was so.
Wherfore he lyfted vp hys handes,
and prayde hys parentes to,
That who so euer entreth here,
hys lot lykewyse may bee:
That he to man and woman both,
in shape may so agree.
Theyr parents hard the plaint, y• which
theyr doble shaped sonne
Had made, And so wyth vertue straūge,
the sprynge was spred anone.
[Page]Thus both in wysh they did agree:
And now contentyd well they bee.
NOw, Ouid here myght seeme to some,
a tryflyng tale to tell.
But yet it shewes a worthy s [...]nce,
if it be marked we [...]l.
The Poets vse in pleasaunt toyes
great wysdome for to s [...]ew.
A subtle sence thys tale doth beare,
al be it perceyude of few.
By Venus, sonne here vnderstand,
such Youthes as yet be greene,
And from the spot of fylthy luste
the sprynglynges that be clene,
which yet haue not enthrald thē selfes
vnto affection vyle.
Nor know the poyson strong, y• subtle baite,
which louers doth begile.
Euen such as newly haue cast of
a boy, and entred in
A yonge mans age. Such one as dothe
to know hym selfe begin.
Of age well able for to rule
hym selfe without agu [...]de.
Such one as first into worlde
begynneth for to slyde,
[Page]To lerne and see the trades of men,
to chose the good from ill.
By yonge Hermaphrodite, such one
here vnderstande we will.
By C [...]ia, sygny [...]ye the worlde
where all temptations be.
Wheras the good and i [...], alwayes
together we may see.
By Salmacis, intende eche vyce
that mou [...]th one to ill.
And by the spring the pleasant sporte,
that doth content the wyll.
So that when any yonge man fyrste
without a guyde or staye,
Doth enter in the world so wyde,
vnskylfull of the waye,
Not knowyng yet the wylye bayte,
nor the temptations vyle,
Wherby the subtle sorte oft tymes
the [...]ely do beguyle:
He blyndly runneth on ech wheare,
and doubtryng of none ill:
Because hym selfe he meaneth none,
he thynckes that no man wyll
(do otherwyse.)
And so, by pleasaunt shape of vyce
deceyued all vnware,
He drownes hym selfe in fylthy sinne,
[...] taken in the snare.
[Page]The more he striues, entangled once
the faster he is in.
Such is the nature of the [...]ayte,
and sleyght of that same gyn.
But after that he is deceyued:
by practy [...] to hys payne,
More wyse, alwayes he wil beware
to come in lyke agayne.
Then wil be ioye to see his wyshe,
on others in like sorte,
Which plunged be in pensyue payne,
whylst that they seke for sporte.
A man is sayde to lose hym selfe,
when reason quyte exilde,
Enthrald in slauysh wee, he is
constrayned for to ye [...]de
To lust, and wyl. dame reasons rules
(whych styll shuld rule our race.)
Reiected quyte, to affec [...]yons:
we geue the grounde and place.
And lyke to beastes, esteming more
to serue our sensuall [...]ust,
And to adorne the body braue,
whych shal consume to dust,
More lefe then for to decke the mynd
which is imortall sure.
Such is our beastly nature blynd:
so is our lust vnpure.
[Page]So we our cheefe and greatest Good,
the treasure of our minde,
Do lose, and so to slauysh luste,
our nature free we bynd.
And seruauntes bond vnto our wyll,
we warke our wretched woe.
So one may lose hym selfe, and be
vnto hym selfe a foe.
So do we chaunge the happy hope
of euerlastyng ioye,
Euen for the present pastyme, whych
our selues doth moste anoye.
We chaunge our nature cleane,
being made effemynat.
When we do yeeld to serue our lust,
we lose our former state.
It is the nature of that well,
that fylthy lothsome lake,
Of lust, the strengthe from lusty men
by hydden force to take:
And so it may now playne appere,
the Poet thus dyd tell.
As many as hereafter shall
once enter in thys well
Of vyce. He shalbe weakned so.
Hys nature sure he shall forgo.
¶Thus muche here of, as my rude Muse
doth vnderstand the mind
[Page]Of
Ouid, by thys pleasaunt tale,
no further sence I fynde.
BUt nowe the fletynge fancyes fonde,
and eke the shuttle wyttes:
The mad desyres of women now,
theyr rage in folysh fyts
I wyl dysplay. Thys Nymphe, y• boy,
dyd for hys bew [...]y loue,
For euen the sodeyne syght of hym,
dyd her affectyon moue.
And Eccho shee Narcissus yonge
euen for his bewtyes sake,
Did choose amonge all other youthes
to be her faythful make.
Medea and Hypsiph [...]le,
dyd loue [...]ason so,
Euen for hys louely face, that they
wolde from theyr countreyes go,
And leue their parentes & their frēdes
to go, and be wyth hym,
Which to them both, not longe a go
had erst a straunger bene.
Demophon by hys semely shape,
dyd lyke fayre Phyllys eyes.
And Dido she Eneas braue
therfore dyd loue lykewyse.
[Page]And in lyke sorte dyd ende her lyfe,
when that she myght no more
Enioye her ioyfull luste as shee
was wonte some tyme before.
It semed death, what so dyd them
deuorse their louers fro.
Fayre Helen, Menelaus wy [...]e.
To Paris fine also
Dyd ye [...]ld, with him to Phrigian towne
a straunger for to go.
To Paris armes her selfe she toke:
And Menelaus olde forsoke.
¶The lusty gerle began to lothe,
such sage pastyme as hee
Could make. She rather chose
with Paris y [...]nge to bee.
The learned Sapho did some time
to comely Phaon sue
For grace. And Biblis, she
her brother dyd pursue
(For bew [...]ye that in him did shine.
She folowed him therfore
So longe: till that her faynting lims
could cary her no more.
King Nisus d [...]ughter dere also,
fayre Sylla was beguilde,
By Minos yellow shinyng heare,
whiche as her foe in feilde:
[Page]Againste the walles of
Megaris, dyd be are hys seemely sheilde.
And yet kynge Minos wyfe,
was of another mynde.
In Taurus blacke ill faced [...]yre,
more pleasure she dyd fynde,
The captains rousy skuffe, black pol,
to her so fayre did seme▪
That she her husbandes go [...]den heare
dyd not so much esteme.
The Emperour Othons doughter dere
A delasie dyd so
Regarde the lyuely Al [...]ran,
that she wyth hym did go
To countreyes straunge▪ content
by hazarde of her lyfe,
Agaynst the wyll of all her freindes,
for to become hys wyfe.
With pryncelyke lyfe, for hym alone
an Empyre she wolde lose.
With hym to leade a symple lyfe
much rather she dyd chose.
All pleasures in the worlde, in hym
alone she then dyd take.
Al freindes, for hym alone also
she gladly dyd forsake.
With hym for nede right wel she was
contented coles to make.
[Page]To couche in cotage lowe,
on symple foode to fare.
For all the world, excepted hym,
she toke no kynde of care.
He was her blysse. Her ioye was hee.
And nothing els estemed shee.
¶And Hero fayre vnto her feare,
Leander fyne dyd take.
And Thishe she dyd kyll her selfe
for comely Pirames sake.
Orestes lyuely lookes, dyd much
Hermione delyghte.
Kyng Tancreds, doughter Gysmond, dyd
loue Guistardes bewty bryght.
The Nymphes dyd Hiacinthus, for
hys seemely shape desire.
Hys louely chere ful, soone did set
theyr youthly hartes on fyre.
And Iuliet, Romeus yonge,
for bewty dyd imbrace,
Yet dyd hy [...] manhode well agree,
vnto hys worthy grace.
So seemely shape dyd loue procu [...]e:
And Venu [...] byrdes came to the lure.
¶ [...] Aphrodite dame so coye
[...] loue Adonis so,
[...] she wyth hym, alwayes
[...]tented was to go▪
[Page]In slender hand, the craggy bowe
she did vouchsafe to beare,
And run a huntyng after hym,
to kyll the flyghtfull Deare.
The stoberne boy, blynd Cupide here,
with shaft, did strike his mother dere.
¶Sythe bewtyes grace, as pleasaunt baite,
these ladies did deceiue.
What did Adonis mother, in
her father olde perceyue:
Why she shuld seke by incest vyle,
Her mothers bed for to defyle.
¶What flynging fyt dyd force her so?
what mad desyre doth moue
Her thus? why shulde she seke an olde
and cancred lad to loue?
And why dyd Phaedra sue vnto
her boystous sonne in lawe,
Hypolite blunt (being rude to loue)
vnto her lust to drawe.
Why did hys ferce & frownyng face,
hys harde complexion seeme
To her a fayre and manlyke hewe.
what made her so to deme?
Syth beutyes goodly grace, somtyme
so well it lyked her,
That the aboue her countrey, dyd
yonge Theseus prefer.
hys shape estemed so:
That she her brother did betray,
and fled her parentes fro.
Such be the fond and frantike fits
which in the blinded brayne
Of wanton women often times,
with swinging swey doth reigne.
And Venus eke, which liked so
Ad [...]nis louely grace,
Tha [...] she from hym wolde not
abide in anye place.
In warlike Mars that blody knight:
Sometime also she did delyght.
¶Sith she for comely bewty then,
these lustie youthes dyd loue.
To marry with dame Iunoes sonne
what od conceyt did moue
Her so: to serue that grislie sire,
the Coper [...]mith deformde.
Whom Nature neither with good grace,
nor learning had adornd.
But euen a rude & boystous carle.
whose colour in his face:
A Croyden sangwine right did seme.
This is a doubtfull case.
That she which erst did seke so muche
for bewtyes goodly grace,
[Page]To loue
Adonis faire alone,
shulde seke sometime to imbrace
Syr Vulcane, wi [...]h his drousie poll,
A smyth whych did on stythy, towl,
¶I dare not sure disolue thys doubt.
I feare to iudge on thys.
To haue to do wyth gods aboue,
how do unge [...]ous it is:
Tiresias olde, which was sometyme
a Iudge of Iunoes game.
In iestyng stryfe, for tellyng trueth
the Iudge dyd beare the blame.
He loste hys syght, for iudgyng right.
O Iudg vnwise, thou knowest y• price
Of telling trueth, more was y• [...]uoth.
Tiresias, thou Prophet olde,
whych hadst the grace, for to vnfolde,
the secrets hyd of thynges to come:
Though Iuno shee, did make the blind,
Yet loue to thee, was not vnkynd.
He dyd restore, as good therfore.
Thy lacke of sight, thy knowledg doth
Right wel aquight. That is the troth.
For by the same, vnto the skyes,
Thy worthy name, it dyd aryse.
How be it I, am not so bolde
With iudgement thys for to vnfolde.
The Goddesse gra [...]e I more regarde:
[Page]Then hope, to haue of
loues reward.
For doubt of blame, I dare not say
Or shew the same, whych erst alway
I thought. For sure, if I may chose,
Dame Venus loue I wyll not lose.
Sith mē bear blame, for telling troth:
To shew the same I wolde be loth.
Wherfore now I, wil cease to writ.
And you hardly, by iudgement ryght,
As one exempt from Venus might:
May be more bolde, thys to vnfolde.
And so to you, I leue it now,
that this moste weyghty doubt:
At further leasure (when you lyste)
your selfe may fynde it out.
T. D. Peend.
¶That the vnlearned myght the better vnderstande these, I haue compendeouslye noted the histories, & names not familier to oure englysh phrase.
VEnus, Venus. wyfe to Vulcane, fayned of the Poets to be the Godesse of loue. And by another name is called Aphrodite.
MErcurye, Mercurie the sonne of Iupiter and Maia, one of the daughters of Atlas. Whom the Poets called god of eloquence, and is called Hermes, otherwise the messenger of Iupiter.
PHaebus, Apollo. Phaebus. And is taken for the Sonne.
NArcissus, Narcissus sonne of [...]iriope, a chylde of passyng bewtye, whych did so much delyght in hys owne shape, as the Poets fayned, that he died for loue of his owne shadowe, and was turned into a flowre.
[Page] PHrigian. Phrigian. One of the Lande of Phrigia.
CVpide, Cupide. sonne of Bacchus and Venus, and is fayned of the Poets, to be the God of loue. And is called blynde: because luste blindeth iudgementes of men.
ECcho. Eccho. A Nymphe, whiche loued Narcissus. And the sounde that commeth from the valleys and hollowe places, & doth sounde againe syx or seuen words, in some places, by reason of the reuerberatiō of the aire. (as some saye.)
IOue, Ioue. sonne of Saturne and Ops. King of Creta, and was fayned cheefe of the Gods.
IVno. Iuno. Sys [...]er & wyfe of Ioue or Iupiter.
MEdea, Medea. doughter of Oeta, Kynge of Cholcus, which loued Iason. Who, when he had sworne neuer to forsake her. She did help him to kill the Serpente, and wyn the golden fleece. And so when she did pryuely go away with Iason, she kyled her yonge brother [Page] Absirtus, and did plucke him in peces, to stay her father which pursued after her: & when she had lyued many yeres in Grece, with Iason, and had children by hym. At last Iason forsoke her, and maryed Glauca, doughter of kynge Creon. Medea so refused, slew the sones which she had by Iason, & settynge hys Palace on fyre: she burned Glauca, and her father therin.
HIpsiphile, Hipsiphil doughter of Thoas, Kyng of Lemnus, whyche lo [...]ed Iason excedinglye, & bare hym two chyldren at a burden.
IAson, Iason. sonne of Aeson, whom Pelias hys Unkell being kyng of Thessalye, dyd sende wyth manye other valyente Gentlemen, to fetche the Golden Fleece. Whych (the aduenters ther of achyeued,) by the helpe of Medea, he wan, and brought it away.
DEmophon, Demophō sōne of Theseus & Phaedra. Which returninge from the batayle of Troy, was by tempeste broughte into Thracia, wheare Phillis [Page] doughter of Licurgus, then Queene, receyued hym, and after maryed hym, whyche from thence wente to Athens, promysynge her to returne shortlye. Which when he performed not, Phillis not able to susteine the ragyng fyttes of so feruent loue. Honge her selfe on an Almonde tree.
And so the Poets fained that she was turned into an Almonde tree.
DIdo, Dido. doughter of Belus, kynge of Tirus. And wyfe of Sicheus: whom when Pigmalion the kinge, & brother to Dido had s [...]a [...]ne for his richesse. Dido sayled into Africa with hys treasure, and theare buylded the famous Cytie of Carthage. And afterwarde in loue with Aeneas, when he had departed from her, to seke the lande of Italye: (according to Cassandra her prophesie.) she brake her necke for sorow, falling into the fire. &c. Or according to Virgill flew her selfe with Aeneas his swerde.
AEneas. Aeneas A noble man of Troy, sonn [...] of Anchises and Venus. Which escapynge with his father, wyfe, and other hys countrey men. After [Page] great trauaile, and many chaunces: aryued in Italy, wheare after great batayle he slewe kyng Turnus, and maryed Lauinia, daughter to kyng Latinus. And so became king of Italy.
HElena. Helena. Begotten of Iupiter, in the lykenes of a Swanne, on Laeda wyfe of Tindar [...]s, kynge of Laconia. And was for her passyng bewtie [...]wyse stollen Fyrst by Th [...]s [...] us, being but a gerle: & the seconde time being wife to Menelaus, by Paris. For whom the Grecians warred ten yeares space with the Troyans. And so Troy beyng burned, receyued her agayne.
PAris. Paris. Sonne of Priam kynge of Troy, by hys wyfe Hecuba, with whom when shee was greate with chylde, shee dreamed that shee had broughte foorthe a fyrebrande, whych shulde burne Troye: whearfore the kynge afrayde, cōmaunded that the chylde shulde be kylled as soone as hee was borne. Hys mother Hecuba, moued wyth motherly [Page] pytie, did pryuelye sende hym to a Shepard to be brought vp. And whē he waxed a yonge man, Iuno, Pallas, and Venus, Goddesses, stryuynge in beutye for a golden Apple, wheron was written: be it geuen to the fayrest They were sente by Iupiter, to the iudgemente of Paris. To whom when Iuno had promysed rule and kyngdome, Pallas wysedome, and Venus pleasure, and the fayrest woman in the worlde. He gaue the apple to Venus. And so after came in fauour with his father, and sayling to Sparta, he brought fayre Helen away wyth hym. And so the batayle of Troy began.
SApho. Sapho. A womā of the Ile Lesbos, lerned in Poetrye, beinge forsaken of a yonge man, called Phaon, whom she loued: she caste her selfe from the hyll Leucates, into the Sea, & so peryshed by loue of hym.
PHaon. Phaon. When he had caryed Veenus ouer a Fery: she gaue hym to be the fairest, and best shaped man alyue.
[Page] BIblis. Biblis. daughter of Miletus, which inflamed with detestable loue of her brother Caunus, when he forsoke hys coūtrey to auoyde that myscheyfe: she folowed hym tyl she dyed for fayn [...]nes.
SCylla. Scylla. Daughter of Nisus, kynge of Megaris. Whyche for the loue of Minos then besegyng the Cytie of Megaris, she brought to hym a purple heare, which she cut of from her fathers heade. And that heare being on hys heade, he could not be ouercome, and by lyke destenye: wt the heare, he loste hys kyngdome. And Minos dyspysed her for her mischeuous dede. And tyenge her with a corde to the ende of hys shyp: he hanged her in the water.
MInos. M [...]nos. begotten by Iupit [...]r in the likenes of a white Bull, on the fayre Europa, daughter to Agenor kyng of Phaenicia. And for his iustyce is fayned of the Poets to be a Iudge in Hell.
[Page] ADonis. Adonis. A yonge man of passing bewtye, whom Cinaras kynge of Phaenicia, made dronke by polycy of hys doughter, & a Nurce, [...]egat on his owne doughter M [...]rrha. whom Venus loued.
Hippolitus. Hippolitus. Sōne of Theseus, duke of Athens, by Hippolite. Whom when hys stepmother Phaedra could not winne to her lust, she accused him to Theseus, as thoughe hee woulde haue oppressed her by force. Thes [...]us then trustynge hys wyfe to much, desyred hys father Aegeus, a God of the Sea, that he wolde kyll hys sonne. Wherfore when Hippolitus dyd ryde in a Charyot by the Sea syde, Aegeus sente out certaine monsters of the Sea, called Phoces, wherwith his horses afraide, brake the Charyot, and rente hym in peces. But at the requeste of Diana, Goddesse of Chastytie (louyng her chast knight Hippolitus,) Aesculapius, the fyrste that inuented Physyke: restored hym to lyfe agayne.
[Page] MEnelaus. Menelaus. Sonne of A [...]reus, brother to Agamemn [...]n, and kyng of the Cytie of Sparta.
VVlcane. Vulcane. Sonne of Iupiter & Iuno, whyche being borne ill fauored, and liked not Iuno: he was cast into the Ile Lemnus, who are being noryshed wyth Apes, he became lame of one foote therby. And he is fayned to be the god of fyre, and the Smyth to make thunder boltes for Iupit [...]r. Whych askyng to marrye Minerua, Iupiters doughter, and Goddesse of wysdome: he was denyed. Wherfore Virgill [...]
* The Gods wolde not vouchsafe,
Ne [...] deus hunc men sa, Dea nec dignata cubili est.
that hee
shulde at theyr table fyt.
And to her bed, the Goddesse shee
wolde neuer hym admyt:
But afterwarde, thys gay Squyer maried to Venus, when he had taken her a bed wyth lustye Ma [...]s, the god of batayle. He had framed such fine chaynes to bynde them, that they could not get a sunder: tyll he had brought all the Gods to laugh at the game.
[Page] PAsiphae. Pasiphae Wy [...]e of Minos kynge of Creta, whych loued a stowte Captayne called Taurus, and conceyued by him the cruel and deformed Minotaurus, whō for his fiercenes, and ill shape, the Poets fayned to haue bene halfe a man, and halfe a bull: & therfore was enclosed in a Laberinthe, (made by the co [...]ynge Dedalus,) and theare fed wych fleshe of men.
HEro. Hero. A mayden of synguler bewtye, of the Cytye Sestos, in [...]ellespont.
LEander. Leander. A yonge gentleman of the Cyty Abidos, whych a great Ryuer dyd deuyde from Sestos, who are he was wonte to swym by nyghte, to hys louer Hero, and so at laste was drowned.
PIramus. Piramus. A yonge gentleman of Babylon whyche loued Thisbe.
THisbe. Thisbe. A mayde of synguler bewtye, whyche when shee [Page] loued P [...]riamus excedyngly: And they were kept a sunder by their parēts, yet o [...]e night they escaped out, and had agreed before, to haue met vnder a tree without the towne: Thisbe commynge thyther fyrste, seinge a Lyon? dyd flye into the wood, her rayle beynge fallen of, the Lyon [...] it in peces. Piramus commynge after, fyndynge the cloth ren [...]e, thoughte that Thisbe had bene denoured of some beast, and so [...] hym selfe. Whyche when Thisbe returnynge agayne dyd see: shee kylled her selfe wyth the same swe [...]de.
OReste [...]. Orestes. Sonne of kynge Agame [...]ion. Whyche [...]lew hys mother Clitemnestia, because that shee for loue of Aegisthus, had slayne hys father. And he maryed H [...]rmione. And after being [...], (hys most faythful frend Pylades kepyng him) he came into the country of Tauric [...]: Where, accordyng to the custome, he shulde haue bene slayne, and sacryfysed. [Page] But being knowen of hys syster Iphigenia, hee slewe the kynge Thoas, and escaped with hys syster. And after had hys wyttes perfecte agayne.
HErmione. Hermione. Daughter of Menelaus, and that Helen: so renowmed for her bewtye, Whych being a gerle was marryed to Orestes. And when kyng Pirrhus, sonne of the valyante. Achilles, had marryed her afterward. Hermione by letters requyred him humbly, to claime his right and delyuer her. And so Orestes slew Pirrhus, & receyued Hermione agayne.
HIacinthus. Hiacinthus. A yong man, of passynge bewtye.
MArs. Mars. God of warre, and sōne of Iupiter and Iuno.
THeseus. Theseus. Sonne of Aegeus kyng of Athens, & of Aethra, doughter to Pytheus, kyng of the Cytye Troezen. A puyssante knyghte, whych dyd many greate feates a [...]d [Page] aduentures: As Hercules dyd. Being but a yonge man, he foughte wyth Hercules against the Amazones, warfull women. He slew Creon kynge of Thebes, which suffered not mē slaine in warre to be buryed. He slew Minotaurus, and deliuered hys coūtrey, from the trybute of fourtene noble chyldren, euery nyne yeres, sent to Creta to be slayne, for that the Cytyzens of Athens had slaine Androgeus, sonne of Minos kynge of Creta. Hee slewe a monstrous Bull whych had spoyled the coūtrey Attica. He slew [...]eyron, and Procustes, robbers. And afterwarde wyth his faythfull freind Pirithous he wente to Hell to fetche Proserpina, whom Pluto had stollen, from her mother C [...]res, Goddesse of corne, and Queene of Sicilye.
But Pirith [...]uis beynge slayne by the three headed Hounde Cerberus, Porter of Hell: Theseus was kept in prison theare, tyll he was delyuered by myghty Hercules.
ARiadne. Ariadne Doughter to Minos, king of Creta, whyche by a botom of [Page] thred, taught Theseus to come out of the Laberinthe, after he had kylled her brother Minotaurus. She forsoke her countrey and folowed hym, whom he lefte in the Ile of Naxus▪ So Bacchus the God of wyne, tooke her to wyfe. And Venus gaue her a crowne, wheron Bacchus se [...] nyne starres, & fyred it in the skye. And so the starre is called the Gnossian crowne.
PHaed [...]a. Phaedia. Doughter of kynge Minos, and Pasiphae, wyth her syster Ariadne dyd flye her countrey, with Theseus: and became hys wyfe, after he had forsaken Ariadne.
ADelasie Adelasie. Doughter and onelye chylde of the Emperour Otho the thyrde, so excedynglye she was enamoured of the most valiant Aleran, sonne of a Duke of Saxony that she procured hym pryuelye to conuey her awaye, whych by the helpe of an old lady her nurce, he brought to pass [...]. And afterwarde beinge [Page] robed of suche money as they had prouyded, they lyued long in a woode, and made coles for theyr lyuynge, and bare hym seucn sonnes theare, and afterwarde by the valyante feates of her eldest sonne, they were knowen to the Emperoure▪ and so had hys fauoure agayne, and enioyed the Empyre after hym.
IVliet. Iuliet. A noble mayden of the Cytye Ve [...]ona in Italye, whyche loued Romeus, eldest sonne of the Lorde Montesche, and beinge pryuely maryed togyther: he at last poysoned hym selfe for loue of her. she for sorowe of hys deathe, slewe her selfe in the same Tombe, wyth hys dagger▪
TIresias. Tiresias. An olde Prophet of the Cytie Thebes, in Boetia, a countrey in Attica. And is nowe called Vanda [...]ia.
[Page] DIana. Diana. Daughter of Iupiter and Latona, and sy [...]er of Apollo, & is called goddesse of hunting, and Chastytie. & is the Moone also.
NYmphes, Nymphes were maydens which folowed Diana, and worshyppyng her, did lyue solytarye, in woodes, by ryuers sides, and other pleasant places: to auoyde companye. And cheifly vsed huntyng: to subdue the tedyousnes of tyme.
ACteon. Acteon. Sonne of Aristaeus, by A [...]tonoe daughter of Camus, buylder of the Cytye Thebes, whych after he had bene a hunting, came by chaunce to a secret wel or spryng, where he saw Diana naked, wasshyng of her selfe. Wherat shee takyng displeasure, turned him into a Harte, and so, as he wold haue returned home,Inscius Acteon vidit sine veste Dianā, At (que) suis canibus▪ &c. he was rente in peces of his owne hoūds.
Ouid Epist. Acteon once [...]vnwyttyng, did
Dian [...] naked▪ see:
Wherfo [...]e vnto his Houndes, shee made
Him then a praye to bee.
[Page] ¶All whych was [...]ained, for that he had spente hys substaunce, and vndone him selfe by hun [...]ynge, and kepyng of houndes.
GYsmonde. Gysmond Onelye daughter of Tanc [...]ede, kyng of Sa [...]e [...]ne: which loued a seruaunte of her fathers: & beinge taken in adultery together, in a Caue in the grounde the kinge caused her louer Guistarde to be hanged therfore, and sent his harte vnto her▪ whych imbracynge it, layd it on her breste, agaynste her owne hart, and dranke a cuppe of poyson immedyatly, wherof dyenge: shee desyred that they myghte be buryed together.
FINIS.