Now in this while gan Daedalus a wearinesse to take Of living like a banisht man and prisoner such a timeIn Crete, and longed in his heart to see his native Clime.But Seas enclosed him as if he had in prison be.Then thought he: though both Sea and Land King Minos stop fro me,I am assurde he cannot stop the Aire and open Skie. To make my passage that way then my cunning will I trie.Although that Minos like a Lord held all the world beside:Yet doth the Aire from Minos yoke for all men free abide.This sed: to uncoth Arts he bent the force of all his witsTo alter natures course by craft. And orderly he knits A rowe of fethers one by one, beginning with the short,And overmatching still eche quill with one of longer sort,That on the shoring of a hill a man would thinke them grow.Even so the countrie Organpipes of Oten reedes ir rowEch higher than another rise. Then fastned he with Flax The middle quilles, and joyned in the lowest sort with Wax.And when he thus had finisht them, a little he them bentIn compasse, that the verie Birdes they full might represent.There stoode me by him Icarus, his sonne, a pretie Lad.Who knowing not that he in handes his owne destruction had, With smiling mouth did one while blow the fethers to and froWhich in the Aire on wings of Birds did flask not long ago:And with his thumbes another while he chafes the yelow WaxAnd lets his fathers wondrous worke with childish toyes and knacks.As soon as that the worke was done, the workman by and by Did peyse his bodie on his wings, and in the Aire on hieHung wavering: and did teach his sonne how he should also flie.I warne thee (quoth he), Icarus, a middle race to keepe.For if thou hold too low a gate, the dankenesse of the deepeWill overlade thy wings with wet. And if thou mount too hie, The Sunne will sindge them. Therfore see betweene them both thou flie.I bid thee not behold the Starre Bootes in the Skie.Nor looke upon the bigger Beare to make thy course thereby,Nor yet on Orions naked sword. But ever have an eieTo keepe the race that I doe keepe, and I will guide thee right. In giving counsell to his sonne to order well his flight,He fastned to his shoulders twaine a paire of uncoth wings.And as he was in doing it and warning him of things,His aged cheekes were wet, his hands did quake, in fine he gaveHis sonne a kisse the last that he alive should ever have. And then he mounting up aloft before him tooke his wayRight fearfull for his followers sake: as is the Bird the dayThat first she tolleth from hir nest among the braunches hieHir tender yong ones in the Aire to teach them for to flie.So heartens he his little sonne to follow teaching him A hurtfull Art. His owne two wings he waveth verie trim,And looketh backward still upon his sonnes. The fishermenThen standing angling by the Sea, and shepeherdes leaning thenOn sheepehookes, and the Ploughmen on the handles of their Plough,Beholding them, amazed were: and thought that they that through The Aire could flie were Gods. And now did on their left side standThe Iles of Paros and of Dele and Samos, Junos land:And on their right, Lebinthos and the faire Calydna fraughtWith store of honie: when the Boy a frolicke courage caughtTo flie at randon. Whereupon forsaking quight his guide, Of fond desire to flie to Heaven, above his boundes he stide.And there the nerenesse of the Sunne which burnd more hote aloft,Did make the Wax (with which his wings were glewed) lithe and soft.As soone as that the Wax was molt, his naked armes he shakes,And wanting wherewithall to wave no helpe of Aire he takes. But calling on his father loud he drowned in the wave:And by this chaunce of his those Seas his name for ever have.His wretched Father (but as then no father) cride in feare:O Icarus, O Icarus, where art thou? tell me whereThat I may finde thee, Icarus. He saw the fethers swim Upon the waves, and curst his Art that so had spighted him.At last he tooke his bodie up and laid it in a grave,And to the Ile the name of him then buried in it gave.And as he of his wretched sonne the corse in ground did hide,The cackling Partrich from a thicke and leavie thorne him spide, And clapping with his wings for joy aloud to call began.There was of that same kinde of Birde no mo but he as than.In times forepast had none bene seene. It was but late anewSince he was made a bird: and that thou, Daedalus, mayst rew:For whyle the world doth last thy shame shall thereupon ensew. For why thy sister, ignorant of that which after hapt,Did put him to thee to be taught full twelve yeares old and aptTo take instruction. He did marke the middle bone that goesThrough fishes, and according to the paterne tane of thoseHe filed teeth upon a piece of yron one by one And so devised first the Saw where erst was never none.Moreover he two yron shankes so joynde in one round head,That opening an indifferent space, the one point downe shall tread,And tother draw a circle round. The finding of these things,The spightfull heart of Daedalus with such a m lice stings, That headlong from the holy towre of Pallas downe he thrueHis Nephew, feyning him to fall by chaunce, which was not true.But Pallas (who doth favour wits) did stay him in his fallAnd chaunging him into a Bird did clad him over allWith fethers soft amid the Aire. The quicknesse of his wit (Which erst was swift) did shed it selfe among his wings and feete.And as he Partrich hight before, so hights he Partrich still.Yet mounteth not this Bird aloft ne seemes to have a willTo build hir nest in tops of trees among the boughes on hieBut flecketh nere the ground and layes hir egges in hedges drie. And forbicause hir former fall she ay in minde doth beare,She ever since all lofty things doth warely shun for feare.
And now forwearied Daedalus alighted in the landWithin the which the burning hilles of firie Aetna stand.To save whose life King Cocalus did weapon take in hand, For which men thought him merciful. And now with high renowneHad Theseus ceast the wofull pay of tribute in the towneOf Athens. Temples decked were with garlands every where,And supplications made to Jove and warlicke Pallas were,And all the other Gods, to whome more honor for to show, Gifts, blud of beasts, and frankincense the people did bestowAs in performance of their vowes. The right redoubted nameOf Theseus through the lande of Greece was spred by flying fame.And now the folke that in the land of rich Achaia dwelt,Praid him of succor in the harmes and perils that they felt. Although the land of Calydon had then Meleager:Yet was it faine in humble wise to Theseus to preferA supplication for the aide of him. The cause wherforeThey made such humble suit to him was this. There was a BoreThe which Diana for to wreake hir wrath conceyvde before Had thither as hir servant sent the countrie for to waast.For men report that Oenie when he had in storehouse plaastThe full encrease of former yeare, to Ceres did assigneThe firstlings of his corne and fruits: to Bacchus, of the Wine:And unto Pallas Olife oyle. This honoring of the Gods Of graine and fruits who put their help to toyling in the clods,Ambitiously to all, even those that dwell in heaven did clime.Dianas Altars (as it hapt) alonly at that timeWithout reward of Frankincense were overskipt (they say).Even Gods are subject unto wrath. He shall not scape away Unpunisht, though unworshipped he passed me wyth spight:He shall not make his vaunt he scapt me unrevenged quight,Quoth Phoebe. And anon she sent a Bore to Oenies groundOf such a hugenesse as no Bull could ever yet be found,In Epyre: but in Sicilie are Bulles much lesse than hee. His eies did glister blud and fire: right dreadfull was to seeHis brawned necke, right dredfull was his haire which grew as thickeWith pricking points as one of them could well by other sticke.And like a front of armed Pikes set close in battell rayThe sturdie bristles on his back stoode staring up alway. The scalding fome with gnashing hoarse which he did cast aside,Upon his large and brawned shield did white as Curdes abide.Among the greatest Oliphants in all the land of Inde,A greater tush than had this Boare, ye shall not lightly finde.Such lightning flashed from his chappes, as seared up the grasse. Now trampled he the spindling come to ground where he did passe,Now ramping up their riped hope he made the Plowmen weepe.And chankt the kernell in the eare. In vaine their floores they sweepe:In vaine their Barnes for Harvest long, the likely store they keepe.The spreaded Vines with clustred Grapes to ground he rudely sent, And full of Berries loden boughes from Olife trees he rent.On cattell also did he rage. The shepeherd nor his dog,Nor yet the Bulles could save the herdes from outrage of this Hog.The folke themselves were faine to flie. And yet they thought them notIn safetie when they had themselves within the Citie got. Untill their Prince Meleager, and with their Prince a knotOf Lords and lustie gentlemen of hand and courage stout,With chosen fellowes for the nonce of all the Lands about,Inflamed were to win renowne. The chiefe that thither cameWere both the twinnes of Tyndarus of great renowne and fame, The one in all activitie of manhode, strength and force,The other for his cunning skill in handling of a horse.And Jason he that first of all the Gallie did invent:And Theseus with Pirithous betwene which two there wentA happie leage of amitie: And two of Thesties race:And Lynce, the sonne of Apharie and Idas, swift of pace.And fierce Leucyppus and the brave Acastus with his DartIn handling of the which he had the perfect skill and Art.And Caeny who by birth a wench, the shape of man had wonneAnd Drias and Hippothous: and Phoenix eke the sonne Of olde Amyntor: and a paire of Actors ympes: and PhyleWho came from Elis. Telamon was also there that while:And so was also Peleus, the great Achilles Sire:And Pherets sonne: and Iolay, the Thebane who with fireHelpt Hercules the monstruous heades of Hydra off to seare. The lively Lad Eurytion and Echion who did beareThe pricke and prise for footemanship, were present also there.And Lelex of Narytium too. And Panopie beside:And Hyle: and cruell Hippasus: and Naestor who that tideWas in the Prime of lustie youth: moreover thither went Three children of Hippocoon from old Amicle sent.And he that of Penelope the fathrinlaw became.And eke the sonne of Parrhasus, Ancaeus cald by name.There was the sonne of Ampycus of great forecasting wit:And Oeclies sonne who of his wife was unbetrayed yit. And from the Citie Tegea there came the ParagoneOf Lycey forrest, Atalant, a goodly Ladie, oneOf Schoenyes daughters, then a Maide. The garment she did weareA brayded button fastned at hir gorget. All hir heareUntrimmed in one only knot was trussed. From hir left Side hanging on hir shoulder was an Ivorie quiver deft:Which being full of arrowes, made a clattring as she went.And in hir right hand she did beare a Bow already bent.Hir furniture was such as this. Hir countnance and hir graceWas such as in a Boy might well be cald a Wenches face, And in a Wench be cald a Boyes. The Prince of CalydonNo sooner cast his eie on hir, but being caught anonIn love, he wisht hir to his wife. But unto this desireGod Cupid gave not his consent. The secret flames of fireHe haling inward still did say: O happy man is he Whom this same Ladie shall vouchsave hir Husband for to be.The shortnesse of the time and shame would give him leave to sayNo more: a worke of greater weight did draw him then away.A wood thick growen with trees which stoode unfelled to that dayBeginning from a plaine, had thence a large prospect throughout The falling grounds that every way did muster round about.As soone as that the men came there, some pitched up the toyles,Some tooke the couples from the Dogs, and some pursude the foylesIn places where the Swine had tract: desiring for to spieTheir owne destruction. Now there was a hollow bottom by, To which the watershots of raine from all the high grounds drew.Within the compasse of this pond great store of Osiers grew:And Sallowes lithe, and flackring Flags, and moorish Rushes eke,And lazie Reedes on little shankes, and other baggage like.From hence the Bore was rowzed out, and fiersly forth he flies Among the thickest of his foes like thunder from the Skies,When Clouds in meeting force the fire to burst by violence out.He beares the trees before him downe, and all the wood aboutDoth sound of crashing. All the youth with hideous noyse and shoutAgainst him bend their Boarspeare points with hand and courage stout. He rushes forth among the Dogs that held him at a bay,And now on this side now on that, as any come in way,He rippes their skinnes and splitteth them, and chaseth them away,Echion first of all the rout a Dart at him did throw,Which mist and in a Maple tree did give a little blow. The next (if he that threw the same had used lesser might),The backe at which he aimed it was likely for to smight.It overflew him. Jason was the man that cast the Dart.With that the sonne of Ampycus sayd: Phoebus (if with hartI have and still doe worship thee) now graunt me for to hit The thing that I doe levell at. Apollo graunts him itAs much as lay in him to graunt. He hit the Swine in deede.But neyther entred he his hide nor caused him to bleede.For why Diana (as the Dart was flying) tooke awayThe head of it: and so the Dart could headlesse beare no sway. But yet the moodie beast thereby was set the more on fireAnd chafing like the lightning swift he uttreth forth his ire.The fire did sparkle from his eyes: and from his boyling brestHe breathed flaming flakes of fire conceyved in his chest.And looke with what a violent brunt a mightie Bullet goes From engines bent against a wall, or bulwarks full of foes:With even such violence rusht the Swine among the Hunts amayne,And overthrew Eupalamon and Pelagon both twaineThat in the right wing placed were. Their fellowes stepping toAnd drawing them away, did save their lives with much ado. But as for poore Enesimus, Hippocoons sonne had notThe lucke to scape the deadly dint. He would away have got,And trembling turnde his backe for feare. The Swine him overtooke,And cut his hamstrings, so that streight his going him forsooke.
And Naestor to have lost his life was like by fortune ere The siege of Troie, but that he tooke his rist upon his speare:And leaping quickly up upon a tree that stoode hard by,Did safely from the place behold his foe whome he did flie.The Boare then whetting sharpe his tuskes against the Oken woodTo mischiefe did prepare himselfe with fierce and cruell mood. And trusting to his weapons which he sharpened had anew,In great Orithyas thigh a wound with hooked groyne he drew.The valiant brothers, those same twinnes of Tyndarus (not yetCelestiall signes), did both of them on goodly coursers sitAs white as snow: and ech of them had shaking in his fist A lightsome Dart with head of steele to throw it where he lyst.And for to wound the bristled Bore they surely had not mistBut that he still recovered so the coverts of the wood,That neyther horse could follow him, nor Dart doe any good.Still after followed Telamon, whom taking to his feete No heede at all for egernesse, a Maple roote did meete,Which tripped up his heeles, and flat against the ground him laid.And while his brother Peleus relieved him, the MaidOf Tegea tooke an arrow swift, and shot it from hir bow.The arrow lighting underneath the havers eare bylow, And somewhat rasing of the skin, did make the bloud to show.The Maid hirselfe not gladder was to see that luckie blow,Than was the Prince Meleager. He was the first that saw,And first that shewed to his Mates the blud that she did draw:And said: For this thy valiant act due honor shalt thou have. The men did blush, and chearing up ech other courage gaveWith shouting, and disorderly their Darts by heaps they threw.The number of them hindred them, not suffring to ensewThat any lighted on the marke at which they all did ame.Behold, enragde against his ende the hardie Knight that came From Arcadie, rusht rashly with a Pollax in his fistAnd said: You yonglings learne of me what difference is betwistA wenches weapons and a mans: and all of you give placeTo my redoubted force. For though Diana in this chaseShould with hir owne shield him defend, yet should this hand of mine Even maugre Dame Dianas heart confound this orped Swine.Such boasting words as these through pride presumptuously he crakes:And streyning out himselfe upon his tiptoes streight he takesHis Pollax up with both his hands. But as this bragger mentTo fetch his blow, the cruell beast his malice did prevent: And in his coddes (the speeding place of death) his tusshes puts,And rippeth up his paunche. Downe falles Ancaeus and his gutsCome tumbling out besmearde with bloud, and foyled all the plot.Pirithous, Ixions sonne, at that abashed not:But shaking in his valiant hand his hunting staffe did goe Still stoutly forward face to face t'encounter with his foeTo whome Duke Theseus cride afarre: O dearer unto meeThan is my selfe, my soule I say, stay: lawfull we it seeFor valiant men to keepe aloofe. The over hardie hartIn rash adventring of him selfe hath made Ancaeus smart. This sed, he threw a weightie Dart of Cornell with a headOf brasse: which being leveld well was likely to have sped,But that a bough of Chestnut tree thick leaved by the wayDid latch it, and by meanes therof the dint of it did stay.Another Dart that Jason threw, by fortune mist the Bore, And light betwene a Mastifes chaps, and through his guts did gore,And naild him to the earth. The hand of Prince MeleagerPlaid hittymissie. Of two Darts his first did flie too far,And lighted in the ground: the next amid his backe stickt fast.And while the Bore did play the fiend and turned round agast, And grunting flang his fome about togither mixt with blood,The giver of the wound (the more to stirre his enmies mood,)Stept in, and underneath the shield did thrust his Boarspeare through.Then all the Hunters shouting out demeaned joy inough.And glad was he that first might come to take him by the hand. About the ugly beast they all with gladnesse gazing standAnd wondring what a field of ground his carcasse did possesse,There durst not any be so bolde to touch him. Nerethelesse,They every of them with his bloud their hunting staves made red.Then stepped forth Meleager, and treading on his hed Said thus: O Ladie Atalant, receive thou here my fee,And of my glorie vouch thou safe partaker for to bee.Immediatly the ugly head with both the tusshes braveAnd eke the skin with bristles stur right griesly, he hir gave.The Ladie for the givers sake, was in hir heart as glad As for the gift. The rest repinde that she such honor had.Through all the rout was murmuring. Of whom with roring reareAnd armes displayd that all the field might easly see and heare,The Thesties cried: Dame, come off and lay us downe this geare.And thou a woman offer not us men so great a shame, As we to toyle and thou to take the honor of our game.Ne let that faire smooth face of thine beguile thee, lest that heeThat being doted in thy love did give thee this our fee,Be over farre to rescow thee. And with that word they tookeThe gift from hir, and right of gift from him. He could not brooke This wrong: but gnashing with his teeth for anger that did boyleWithin, said fiersly: learne ye you that other folkes dispoyleOf honor given, what diffrence is betweene your threats, and deedes.And therewithall Plexippus brest (who no such matter dreedes)With wicked weapon he did pierce. As Toxey doubting stood What way to take, desiring both t'advenge his brothers blood,And fearing to be murthered as his brother was before,Meleager (to dispatch all doubts of musing any more)Did heate his sword for companie in bloud of him againe,Before Plexippus bloud was cold that did thereon remaine. Althaea going toward Church with presents for to yildDue thankes and worship to the Gods that for hir sonne had kildThe Boare, beheld hir brothers brought home dead: and by and byShe beate hir brest, and filde the towne with shrieking piteously,And shifting all hir rich aray, did put on mourning weede But when she understoode what man was doer of the deede,She left all mourning, and from teares to vengeance did proceede.
There was a certaine firebrand which when Oenies wife did lieIn childebed of Meleager, she chaunced to espieThe Destnies putting in the fire: and in the putting in, She heard them speake these words, as they his fatall threede did spin:O lately borne, like time we give to thee and to this brand.And when they so had spoken, they departed out of hand.Immediatly the mother caught the blazing bough away,And quenched it. This bough she kept full charely many a day: And in the keeping of the same she kept hir sonne alive.But now intending of his life him clearly to deprive,She brought it forth, and causing all the coales and shivers toBe layed by, she like a foe did kindle fire thereto.Fowre times she was about to cast the firebrand in the flame: Fowre times she pulled backe hir hand from doing of the same.As mother and as sister both she strove what way to go:The divers names drew diversly hir stomacke to and fro.Hir face waxt often pale for feare of mischiefe to ensue:And often red about the eies through heate of ire she grew. One while hir looke resembled one that threatned cruelnesse:Another while ye would have thought she minded pitiousnesse.And though the cruell burning of hir heart did drie hir teares,Yet burst out some. And as a Boate which tide contrarie bearesAgainst the winde, feeles double force, and is compeld to yeelde To both, so Thesties daughter now unable for to weeldeHir doubtful passions, diversly is caried off and on,And chaungeably she waxes calme, and stormes againe anon.But better sister ginneth she than mother for to be.And to th'intent hir brothers ghostes with bloud to honor, she In meaning to be one way kinde, doth worke another wayAgainst kinde. When the plagie fire waxt strong she thus did say:Let this same fire my bowels burne. And as in cursed handsThe fatall wood she holding at the Hellish Altar stands:She said: Ye triple Goddesses of wreake, ye Helhounds three Beholde ye all this furious fact and sacrifice of mee.I wreake, and do against all right: with death must death be payde:In mischiefe mischiefe must be heapt: on corse must corse be laide.Confounded let this wicked house with heaped sorrowes bee.Shall Oenie joy his happy sonne in honor for to see And Thestie mourne bereft of his? Nay: better yet it were,That eche with other companie in mourning you should beare.Ye brothers Ghostes and soules new dead I wish no more, but youTo feele the solemne obsequies which I prepare as now:And that mine offring you accept, which dearly I have bought The yssue of my wretched wombe. Alas, alas what thoughtI for to doe? O brothers, I besech you beare with me.I am his mother: so to doe my hands unable be.His trespasse I confesse deserves the stopping of his breath:But yet I doe not like that I be Author of his death. And shall he then with life and limme, and honor too, scape free?And vaunting in his good successe the King of Calidon bee?And you deare soules lie raked up but in a little dust?I will not surely suffer it. But let the villaine trustThat he shall die, and draw with him to ruine and decay His Kingdome, Countrie and his Sire that doth upon him stay.Why where is now the mothers heart and pitie that should raigneIn Parents? and the ten Monthes paines that once I did sustaine?O would to God thou burned had a babie in this brand,And that I had not tane it out and quencht it with my hand. That all this while thou lived hast, my goodnesse is the cause.And now most justly unto death thine owne desert thee drawes.Receive the guerdon of thy deede: and render thou agenThy twice given life, by bearing first, and secondarly whenI caught this firebrand from the flame: or else come deale with me As with my brothers, and with them let me entumbed be.I would, and cannot. What then shall I stand to in this case?One while my brothers corses seeme to prease before my faceWith lively Image of their deaths. Another while my mindeDoth yeelde to pitie, and the name of mother doth me blinde. Now wo is me. To let you have the upper hand is sinne:But nerethelesse the upper hand O brothers doe you win.Condicionly that when that I to comfort you withallHave wrought this feate, my selfe to you resort in person shall.This sed, she turnde away hir face, and with a trembling hand Did cast the deathfull brand amid the burning fire. The brandDid eyther sigh, or seeme to sigh in burning in the flame,Which sorie and unwilling was to fasten on the same.Meleager being absent and not knowing ought at allWas burned with this flame: and felt his bowels to appall With secret fire. He bare out long the paine with courage stout.But yet it grieved him to die so cowardly withoutThe shedding of his bloud. He thought Anceus for to beA happie man that dide of wound. With sighing called heUpon his aged father, and his sisters, and his brother, And lastly on his wife too, and by chaunce upon his mother.His paine encreased with the fire, and fell therewith againe:And at the selfe same instant quight extinguisht were both twaine.And as the ashes soft and hore by leysure overgrewThe glowing coales: so leysurly his spirit from him drew. Then drouped stately Calydon. Both yong and olde did mourne,The Lords and Commons did lament, and maried wives with tomeAnd tattred haire did crie alas. His father did berayHis horie head and face with dust, and on the earth flat lay,Lamenting that he lived had to see that wofull dayFor now his mothers giltie hand had for that cursed crimeDone execution on hir selfe by sword before hir time.If God to me a hundred mouthes with sounding tongues should send,And reason able to conceyve, and thereunto should lendMe all the grace of eloquence that ere the Muses had, I could not shew the wo wherewith his sisters were bestad.Unmindfull of their high estate, their naked brests they smit,Untill they made them blacke and blew. And while his bodie yitRemained, they did cherish it, and cherish it againe.They kist his bodie: yea they kist the chist that did containe His corse. And after that the corse was burnt to ashes, theyDid presse his ashes with their brests: and downe along they layUpon his tumb, and there embraste his name upon the stone,And filde the letters of the same with teares that from them gone.At length Diana satisfide with slaughter brought upon The house of Oenie, lifts them up with fethers everichone,(Save Gorgee and the daughtrinlaw of noble Alcmene) andMakes wings to stretch along their sides, and horned nebs to standUpon their mouthes. And finally she altring quight their faireAnd native shape, in shape of Birds dooth sent them through the Aire.
The noble Theseus in this while with others having donneHis part in killing of the Boare, to Athens ward begonneTo take his way. But Acheloy then being swolne with raineDid stay him of his journey, and from passage him restraine.Of Athens valiant knight (quoth he) come underneath my roofe, And for to passe my raging streame as yet attempt no proofe.This brooke is wont whole trees to beare and evelong stones to carryWith hideous roring down his streame. I oft have seene him harryWhole Shepcotes standing nere his banks, with flocks of sheepe therin.Nought booted buls their strength: nought steedes by swiftnes there could win. Yea many lustie men this brooke hath swallowed, when the snowFrom mountaines molten, caused him his banks to overflow.i The best is for you for to rest untill the River fallWithin his boundes: and runne ageine within his chanell small.Content (quoth Theseus): Acheloy, I will not sure refuseThy counsell nor thy house. And so he both of them did use.Of Pommy hollowed diversly and ragged Pebble stoneThe walles were made. The floore with Mosse was soft to tread upon.The roofe thereof was checkerwise with shelles of Purple wroughtAnd Perle. The Sunne then full two parts of day to end had brought,And Theseus downe to table sate with such as late beforeHad friendly borne him companie at killing of the Bore.At one side sate Ixions sonne, and on the other sateThe Prince of Troyzen, Lelex, with a thin hearde horie pate.And then such other as the brooke of Acarnania did Vouchsafe the honor to his boord and table for to bid,Who was right glad of such a guest. Immediatly there cameBarefooted Nymphes who brought in meate. And when that of the sameThe Lords had taken their repast, the meate away they tooke,And set downe wine in precious stones. Then Theseus who did looke Upon the Sea that underneath did lie within their sight,Said: tell us what is yon same place, (and with his fingar rightHee poynted thereunto) I pray, and what that Iland hight,Although it seemeth mo than one. The River answerd thus,It is not one mayne land alone that kenned is of us. There are uppon a fyve of them. The distaunce of the place,Dooth hinder to discerne betweene eche Ile the perfect space.And that the lesse yee woonder may at Phoebees act alate,To such as had neglected her uppon contempt or hate,Theis Iles were sumtyme Waternimphes: who having killed Neate, Twyce fyve, and called to theyr feast the Country Gods to eate,Forgetting mee kept frolicke cheere. At that gan I to swell,And ran more large than ever erst, and being over fellIn stomacke and in streame, I rent the wood from wood, and feeldFrom feeld, and with the ground the Nymphes as then with stomacks meeld Remembring mee, I tumbled to the Sea. The waves of meeAnd of the sea the ground that erst all whole was woont to beeDid rend asunder into all the Iles you yonder see,And made a way for waters now to passe betweene them free.They now of Urchins have theyr name. But of theis Ilands, one A great way off (behold yee) stands a great way off alone,As you may see. The Mariners doo call it Perimell.With her (shee was as then a Nymph) so farre in love I fell,That of her maydenhod I her spoyld: which thing displeasd so soreHer father Sir Hippodamas, that from the craggy shore He threw her headlong downe to drowne her in the sea. But IDid latch her streight, and bearing her aflote did lowd thus crie:O Neptune with thy threetynde Mace who hast by lot the chargeOf all the waters wylde that bound uppon the earth at large,To whom wee holy streames doo runne, in whome wee take our end, Draw neere, and gently to my boone effectually attend.This Ladie whome I beare aflote myselfe hath hurt. Bee meekeAnd upright. If Hippodamas perchaunce were fatherleeke,Or if that he extremitie through outrage did not secke,He oughted to have pitied her and for to beare with mee. Now help us Neptune, I thee pray, and condescend that sheeWhom from the land her fathers wrath and cruelnesse dooth chaceWho through her fathers cruelnesse is drownd: may find the graceTo have a place: or rather let hirselfe become a place.And I will still embrace the same. The King of Seas did move His head, and as a token that he did my sute approve,He made his surges all to shake. The Nymph was sore afrayd.Howbee't shee swam, and as she swam, my hand I softly laydUpon her brest which quivered still. And whyle I toucht the same,I sensibly did feele how all her body hard became: And how the earth did overgrow her bulk. And as I spake,New earth enclosde hir swimming limbes, which by and by did takeAnother shape, and grew into a mighty Ile.
With thatThe River ceast and all men there did woonder much thereat.Pirithous being over hault of mynde and such a one As did despyse bothe God and man, did laugh them everychoneTo scorne for giving credit, and sayd thus: The woords thou spaakstAre feyned fancies, Acheloy: and overstrong thou maakstThe Gods: to say that they can give and take way shapes. This scoffeDid make the heerers all amazde, for none did like thereof. And Lelex of them all the man most rype in yeeres and wit,Sayd thus: Unmeasurable is the powre of heaven, and itCan have none end. And looke what God dooth mynd to bring about,Must take effect. And in this case to put yee out of dout,Upon the hilles of Phrygie neere a Teyle there stands a tree Of Oke enclosed with a wall. Myself the place did see.For Pithey untoo Pelops feelds did send mee where his fatherDid sumtyme reigne. Not farre fro thence there is a poole which ratherHad bene dry ground inhabited. But now it is a meareAnd Moorecocks, Cootes, and Cormorants doo breede and nestle there. The mightie Jove and Mercurie his sonne in shape of menResorted thither on a tyme. A thousand houses whenFor roome to lodge in they had sought, a thousand houses bardTheyr doores against them. Nerethelesse one Cotage afterwardReceyved them, and that was but a pelting one in deede. The roofe therof was thatched all with straw and fennish reede.Howbee't two honest auncient folke, (of whom she Baucis hightAnd he Philemon) in that Cote theyr fayth in youth had plight:And in that Cote had spent theyr age. And for they pacientlyDid beare theyr simple povertie, they made it light thereby, And shewed it no thing to bee repyned at at all.It skilles not whether there for Hyndes or Maister you doo call,For all the houshold were but two: and both of them obeyde,And both commaunded. When the Gods at this same Cotage staid,And ducking downe their heads, within the low made Wicket came, Philemon bringing ech a stoole, bade rest upon the sameTheir limmes: and busie Baucis brought them cuishons homely geere.ihich done, the embers on the harth she gan abrode to steere,And laid the coales togither that were raakt up over night,And with the brands and dried leaves did make them gather might, And with the blowing of hir mouth did make them kindle bright.Then from an inner house she fetcht seare sticks and clifted brands,And put them broken underneath a Skillet with hir hands.Hir Husband from their Gardenplot fetcht Coleworts. Of the whichShe shreaded small the leaves, and with a Forke tooke downe a flitch Of restie Bacon from the Balke made blacke with smoke, and cutA peece thereof, and in the pan to boyling did it put.And while this meate a seething was, the time in talke they spent,By meanes whereof away without much tedousnesse it went.There hung a Boawle of Beeche upon a spirget by a ring. The same with warmed water filld the two old folke did bringTo bathe their guests foule feete therein. Amid the house there stoodA Couch whose bottom sides and feete were all of Sallow wood,And on the same a Mat of Sedge. They cast upon this bedA covering which was never wont upon it to be spred Except it were at solemne feastes: and yet the same was oldeAnd of the coursest, with a bed of sallow meete to holde.The Gods sate downe. The aged wife right chare and busie asA Bee, set out a table, of the which the thirde foote wasA little shorter than the rest. A tylesherd made it even And tooke away the shoringnesse: and when they had it drivenTo stand up levell, with greene Mintes they by and by it wipte.Then set they on it Pallas fruite with double colour stripte.And Cornels kept in pickle moyst, and Endive, and a rooteOf Radish, and a jolly lump of Butter fresh and soote,And Egges reare rosted. All these Cates in earthen dishes came.Then set they downe a graven cup made also of the sameSelfe kinde of Plate, and Mazers made of Beech whose inner sydeWas rubd with yellow wax. And when they pawsed had a tyde,Hot meate came pyping from the fyre. And shortly thereupon A cup of greene hedg wyne was brought. This tane away, anonCame in the latter course, which was of Nuts, Dates, dryed figges,Sweete smelling Apples in a Mawnd made flat of Osier twigges,And Prunes and Plums and Purple grapes cut newly from the tree,And in the middes a honnycomb new taken from the Bee. Besydes all this there did ensew good countnance overmore,With will not poore nor nigardly. Now all the whyle before,As ofen as Philemon and Dame Baucis did perceyveThe emptie Cup to fill alone, and wyne to still receyve,Amazed at the straungenesse of the thing, they gan streyght way With fearfull harts and hands hilld up to frame themselves to pray.Desyring for theyr slender cheere and fare to pardoned bee.They had but one poore Goose which kept theyr little Tennantree,And this to offer to the Gods theyr guestes they did intend.The Gander wyght of wing did make the slow old folke to spend Theyr paynes in vayne, and mokt them long. At length he seemd to flyeFor succor to the Gods themselves, who bade he should not dye.For wee bee Gods (quoth they) and all this wicked towneship shallAbye their gylt. On you alone this mischeef shall not fall.No more but give you up your house, and follow up this hill Togither, and upon the top therof abyde our will.They bothe obeyd. And as the Gods did lead the way before,They lagged slowly after with theyr staves, and labored soreAgeinst the rysing of the hill. They were not mickle moreThan full a flyghtshot from the top, when looking backe they saw How all the towne was drowned save their lyttle shed of straw.And as they wondred at the thing and did bewayle the caseOf those that had theyr neyghbours beene, the old poore Cote so baseWhereof they had beene owners erst, became a Church. The proppesWere turned into pillars huge. The straw uppon the toppes Was yellow, so that all the roof did seeme of burnisht gold:The floore with Marble paved was. The doores on eyther foldWere graven. At the sight hereof Philemon and his makeBegan to pray in feare. Then Jove thus gently them bespake:Declare thou ryghtuowse man, and thou woman meete to haveA ryghtuowse howsband, what yee would most cheefly wish or crave.Philemon taking conference a little with his wyfe,Declared bothe theyr meenings thus: We covet during lyfe,Your Chapleynes for to bee to keepe your Temple. And bycauseOur yeeres in concord wee have spent, I pray when death neere drawes, Let bothe of us togither leave our lives: that neyther IBehold my wyves deceace, nor shee see myne when I doo dye.Theyr wish had sequele to theyr will. As long as lyfe did last,They kept the Church. And beeing spent with age of yeares forepast,By chaunce as standing on a tyme without the Temple doore They told the fortune of the place, Philemon old and pooreSaw Baucis floorish greene with leaves, and Baucis saw likewysePhilemon braunching out in boughes and twigs before hir eyes.And as the Bark did overgrow the heades of both, eche spakeTo other whyle they myght. At last they eche of them did take Theyr leave of other bothe at once, and therewithall the barkDid hyde theyr faces both at once. The Phrygians in that parkDoo at this present day still shew the trees that shaped wereOf theyr two bodies, growing yit togither joyntly there.Theis things did auncient men report of credit verie good. For why there was no cause why they should lye. As I there stoodI saw the garlands hanging on the boughes, and adding newI sayd: Let them whom God dooth love be Gods, and honor dewBee given to such as honor him with feare and reverence trew.
He hilld his peace, and bothe the thing and he that did it tell Did move them all, but Theseus most. Whom being mynded wellTo heere of woondrous things, the brooke of Calydon thus bespake:There are, O valiant knyght, sum folke that had the powre to takeStraunge shape for once, and all their lyves continewed in the same.And other sum to sundrie shapes have power themselves to frame, As thou, O Protew, dwelling in the sea that cleepes the land.For now a yoonker, now a boare, anon a Lyon, andStreyght way thou didst become a Snake, and by and by a BullThat people were afrayd of thee to see thy horned skull.And oftentymes thou seemde a stone, and now and then a tree, And counterfetting water sheere thou seemedst oft to beeA River: and another whyle contrarie thereuntoThou wart a fyre. No lesser power than also thus to dooHad Erisicthons daughter whom Awtolychus tooke to wyfe.Her father was a person that despysed all his lyfe The powre of Gods, and never did vouchsauf them sacrifyse.He also is reported to have heawen in wicked wyseThe grove of Ceres, and to fell her holy woods which ayHad undiminisht and unhackt continewed to that day.There stood in it a warrie Oke which was a wood alone. Uppon it round hung fillets, crownes, and tables, many one,The vowes of such as had obteynd theyr hearts desyre. Full oftThe Woodnymphes underneath this tree did fetch theyr frisks aloftAnd oftentymes with hand in hand they daunced in a roundAbout the Trunk, whose bignesse was of timber good and sound Full fifteene fadom. All the trees within the wood besyde,Were unto this, as weedes to them: so farre it did them hyde.Yit could not this move Triops sonne his axe therefro to hold,But bade his servants cut it downe. And when he did beholdThem stunting at his hest, he snatcht an axe with furious moodFrom one of them, and wickedly sayd thus: Although thys woodNot only were the derling of the Goddesse, but alsoThe Goddesse even herself: yet would I make it ere I goTo kisse the clowers with her top that pranks with braunches so.This spoken, as he sweakt his axe asyde to fetch his blow,The manast Oke did quake and sygh, the Acornes that did growThereon togither with the leaves to wex full pale began,And shrinking in for feare the boughes and braunches looked wan.As soone as that his cursed hand had wounded once the tree,The blood came spinning from the carf, as freshly as yee see It issue from a Bullocks necke whose throte is newly cutBefore the Altar, when his flesh to sacrifyse is put.They were amazed everychone. And one among them allTo let the wicked act, durst from the tree his hatchet call.The lewd Thessalian facing him sayd: Take thou heere to thee The guerdon of thy godlynesse, and turning from the tree,He chopped off the fellowes head. Which done, he went agenAnd heawed on the Oke. Streight from amid the tree as thenThere issued such a sound as this: Within this tree dwell IA Nymph to Ceres very deere, who now before I dye In comfort of my death doo give thee warning thou shalt byeThy dooing deere within a whyle. He goeth wilfullyStill thorrough with his wickednesse, untill at length the OkePulld partly by the force of ropes, and cut with axis stroke,Did fall, and with his weyght bare downe of under wood great store. The Wood nymphes with the losses of the woods and theyrs ryght soreAmazed, gathered on a knot, and all in mourning weedeWent sad to Ceres, praying her to wreake that wicked deedeOf Erisicthons. Ceres was content it should bee so.And with the moving of her head in nodding to and fro, Shee shooke the feeldes which laden were with frutefull Harvest tho,And therewithall a punishment most piteous shee proceedesTo put in practyse: were it not that his most heynous deedesNo pitie did deserve to have at any bodies hand.With helpelesse hungar him to pyne, in purpose shee did stand. And forasmuch as shee herself and Famin myght not meete(For fate forbiddeth Famin to abyde within the leeteWhere plentie is) shee thus bespake a fayrie of the hill:There lyeth in the utmost bounds of Tartarie the chillA Dreerie place, a wretched soyle, a barreine plot: no grayne,No frute, no tree, is growing there: but there dooth ay remayneUnweeldsome cold, with trembling feare, and palenesse white as clowt,And foodlesse Famin. Will thou her immediatly withowtDelay to shed herself into the stomacke of the wretch,And let no plentie staunch her force but let her working stretch Above the powre of mee. And lest the longnesse of the wayMay make thee wearie, take thou heere my charyot: take I sayMy draggons for to beare thee through the aire.
In saving soShe gave hir them. The Nymph mounts up, and flying thence as thoAlyghts in Scythy land, and up the cragged top of hye Mount Caucasus did cause hir Snakes with much adoo to stye.Where seeking long for Famin, shee the gaptoothd elfe did spyeAmid a barreine stony feeld a ramping up the grasseWith ougly nayles and chanking it. Her face pale colourd was.Hir heare was harsh and shirle, her eyes were sunken in her head. Her lyppes were hore with filth, her teeth were furd and rusty red.Her skinne was starched, and so sheere a man myght well espyeThe verie bowels in her bulk how every one did lye.And eke above her courbed loynes her withered hippes were seene.In stead of belly was a space where belly should have beene.Her brest did hang so sagging downe as that a man would weeneThat scarcely to her ridgebone had hir ribbes beene fastened well.Her leannesse made her joynts bolne big, and kneepannes for to swell.And with exceeding mighty knubs her heeles behynd boynd out.Now when the Nymph behild this elfe afarre, (she was in dout To come too neere her:) shee declarde her Ladies message. AndIn that same little whyle although the Nymph aloof did stand,And though shee were but newly come, yit seemed shee to feeleThe force of Famin. Wheruppon shee turning backe her wheeleDid reyne her dragons up aloft: who streyght with courage free Conveyd her into Thessaly. Although that Famin beeAy contrarye to Ceres woork, yit did shee then agreeTo do her will and glyding through the Ayre supported byThe wynd, she found th'appoynted house: and entring by and byThe caytifs chamber where he slept (it was in tyme of nyght)Shee hugged him betweene her armes there snorting bolt upryght,And breathing her into him, blew uppon his face and brest,That hungar in his emptie veynes myght woorke as hee did rest.And when she had accomplished her charge, shee then forsookeThe frutefull Clymates of the world, and home ageine betooke Herself untoo her frutelesse feeldes and former dwelling place.The gentle sleepe did all this whyle with fethers soft embraceThe wretched Erisicthons corse. Who dreaming streight of meateDid stirre his hungry jawes in vayne as though he had to eateAnd chanking tooth on tooth apace he gryndes them in his head, And occupies his emptie throte with swallowing, and in steadOf food devoures the lither ayre. But when that sleepe with nyghtWas shaken off, immediatly a furious appetiteOf feeding gan to rage in him, which in his greedy gummesAnd in his meatlesse maw dooth reigne unstauncht. Anon there cummes Before him whatsoever lives on sea, in aire or land:And yit he crieth still for more. And though the platters standBefore his face full furnished, yit dooth he still complayneOf hungar, craving meate at meale. The food that would susteineWhole householdes, Towneships, Shyres and Realmes suffyce not him alone. The more his pampred paunch consumes, the more it maketh moneAnd as the sea receyves the brookes of all the worldly Realmes,And yit is never satisfyde for all the forreine streames,And as the fell and ravening fyre refuseth never wood,But burneth faggots numberlesse, and with a furious mood The more it hath, the more it still desyreth evermore,Encreacing in devouring through encreasement of the store:So wicked Erisicthons mouth in swallowing of his meateWas ever hungry more and more, and longed ay to eate.Meate tolld in meate: and as he ate the place was empty still. The hungar of his brinklesse Maw, the gulf that nowght might fill,Had brought his fathers goods to nowght. But yit continewed ayHis cursed hungar unappeasd: and nothing could alay IThe flaming of his starved throte. At length when all was spent, And into his unfilled Maw bothe goods and lands were sent, An only daughter did remayne unworthy to have hadSo lewd a father. Hir he sold, so hard he was bestad.But shee of gentle courage could no bondage well abyde.And therfore stretching out her hands to seaward there besyde,Now save mee, quoth shee, from the yoke of bondage I thee pray, O thou that my virginitie enjoyest as a pray.Neptunus had it. Who to this her prayer did consent.And though her maister looking backe (for after him shee went)Had newly seene her: yit he turnd hir shape and made hir man,And gave her looke of fisherman. Her mayster looking than Upon her, sayd: Good fellow, thou that on the shore doost standWith angling rod and bayted hooke and hanging lyne in hand,I pray thee as thou doost desyre the Sea ay calme to thee,And fishes for to byght thy bayt, and striken still to bee,Tell where the frizzletopped wench in course and sluttish geere That stoode right now uppon this shore (for well I wote that heereI saw her standing) is become. For further than this placeNo footestep is appeering. Shee perceyving by the caceThat Neptunes gift made well with her, and beeing glad to seeHerself enquyrd for of herself, sayd thus: Who ere you bee I pray you for to pardon mee. I turned not myne eyeA t'one syde ne a toother from this place, but did applyMy labor hard. And that you may the lesser stand in dowt,So Neptune further still the Art and craft I go abowt,As now a whyle no living Wyght uppon this levell sand (Myself excepted) neyther man nor woman heere did stand.Her maister did beleeve her words: and turning backward wentHis way beguyld: and streight to her her native shape was sent.But when her father did perceyve his daughter for to haveA bodye so transformable, he oftentymes her gaveFor monny. But the damzell still escaped, now a MareAnd now a Cow, and now a Bird, a Hart, a Hynd, or Hare,And ever fed her hungry Syre with undeserved fare.But after that the maladie had wasted all the meatesAs well of store as that which shee had purchast by her feates: Most cursed keytife as he was, with bighting hee did rendHis flesh, and by diminishing his bodye did intendTo feede his bodye, till that death did speede his fatall end.But what meene I to busye mee in forreine matters thus?To alter shapes within precinct is lawfull even to us, My Lords. For sumtime I am such as you do now mee see,Sumtyme I wynd mee in a Snake: and oft I seeme to beeA Capteine of the herd with homes. For taking homes on meeI lost a tyne which heeretofore did arme mee as the printDooth playnly shew. With that same word he syghed and did stint.