THE Third part of the Countess of Pembrokes Yuychurch. Entitled, Amintas Dale.  
Wherein are the most conceited tales of the Pagan Gods in English Hexameters together with their ancient descriptions and Philosophical explications.  
By ABRAHAM FRANCE.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
At LUNDON Printed, for Thomas Woodcock, dwelling in Paul's Churchyard, at the sign of the black Bear. 1592.   

Illustrissimae, atque ornatissimae Heroinae, piae, formosae, eruditae: Dominae Mariae, Comitissae Pembrokiensi.  
NYmpha Charis Charitωn, morientis imago Philippi,  
Accipe spirantem post funerarursus Amintam:  
Accipe nobilium dulcissima dogmata vatum,  
Delicias, Musas, mysteria; denique, quicquid  
Graecia docta dedit, vel regia Roma reliquit,  
Quod fructum flori, quod miscuit utile dulci.  
Devotiss: Ab. Fr.   

¶ The Third part of the Countess of Pembroke's Yuychurche. Entitled, Amintas Dale.  
NOw that solemn feast of murdered Amyntas approached:  
And by the late edict by Pembrokiana pronounced,  
Yuychurches nymphs and pastors duly prepared  
With fatal Garlands of new-found flower Amaranthus,  
down in Amyntas dale, on Amyntas' day be asembled.  
Pastimes overpast, and death's celebration ended,  
Matchless Lady regent, for a further grace to Amyntas  
Late transformed to a flower; wills every man to remember  
Some one God transformed, or that transformed an other:  
And enjoins each nymph to recount some tale of a Goddess  
That was changed herself, or wrought some change in an other:  
And that as every tale and history drew to an ending,  
So sage Elpinus with due attention harckning,  
Should his mind disclose, and learned opinion utter.  
Thirsis turn was first: who after his humble obeissance  
Made to the Lady regent, thus framed himself to be singing.  

When no fire, no air, no earth, no water appeared,  
Confused fire, rude air, vast earth, dull water abyded.  
Water, th'earth and air and fire extremely defaced,  
And fire, th'earth and air and water foully deformed.  
For where water or earth, where air or fire was abiding,  
Fire, air, earth, water were also jointly remaining.  
Fire and air and earth with a shapeless water abounded,  
And earth air and fire, that shapeless water aforded,  
everyone was in all, and all was in every one thing,  
So each one made all, made this rude All, to be nothing,  
Nothing else but a heap, but a mass, but a lump, but a cluster;  
Cluster, lump, mass, heap, where seeds of things disagreeing  
Fire, air, earth, water lay all confused in a corner.  
Hot things fled fro the cold, dry could not abide to be moistened,  
Hard contemned soft, and light fro the heavy retired.  
No peace, no concord, no good conformable order,  
Nought but wars and jars, all strife, and all on an uproar.  
No air transparent, no Sun was cause of a daylight,  
No nights-light Phoebe was a cheerful guide to the darkness;  
Earth was not yet firm, fire could not yield any sparkles,  
Water would not flow: till sovereign God Demogorgon  
Ends these broils, brings peace, sets every thing in an order.  
Heaven fro the earth he dyvides, and earth fro the water he parteth,  
And pure Crystal sky from gross thick air he removeth.  
These things thus distinct, in several places he settleth,  
Light fire mounteth aloft, and lifts itself to the heaven,  
Air next in lightness, next him was placed in highness,  
Gross earth drew downward, and stayed herself by the centre,  
Water cleaves to the earth, and there as a border abideth.  
Fire, air, earth, water were every hour in an uproar,  
Whilst they lay on a heap, and all dwelled jointly together;  
Fire, air, earth, water were brought to a peaceable order,  
When they lodged apart, each one in several harbour.  
Thus by a disjoining, Elements were mightily joined,  
And by disunyting united firmly for ever.  
Each part thus placed, round earth was cast in a compass  
Like to a globe or a ball, that no side might be unequal.  
Then were swelling Seas powered forth in places appointed  
Here and there by the earth; whose branches duly divided  
Kingdoms from kingdoms: then first came springs fro the mountains,  
Pools were pitched in moors, and lakes lay down by the valleys,  
Rivers flowed by the fyelds with a thousand slippery windings,  
Some sucked up by the earth, some ran to the sea with a restless  
race, his shore for a bank with billows mightily beating.  
Then fyelds stretched themselves, than meadows 'gan to be flowering,  
Green leaves covered trees, and trees gave shade to the forests,  
Mountains mounted aloft, and dales drew speedily downward.  
Over sea and earth, the relenting air he reposed,  
And there fogs and mists and clustered clouds he appointed.  
Thence come thunderclapps, thence lightnings, there be the blustering  
Winds, whose roaring blasts would tear this world in a thousand  
Pieces, might they rage's at random: but the prefixed  
Coasts are known, for these four brawling brethren appointed.  
Eurus flew to the East, where Memnon's mother ariseth,  
Sweet Zephyrus to the West, where suns revolution endeth,  
Cold Boreas to the North, whence frosts are daily proceeding,  
Moist Auster to the South, where showers are ever abounding.  
Next to the air, bright sky, as a royal throne he reposed,  
And each part thereof with starlight all to beesprinckled.  
Thus was an ugly Chaos transformed at last to a brave world,  
So brave, that 'twas a world so worthy a world to be seeing.  
Every quarter of it with such live things was adorned,  
As were convenient and seemly for every quarter.  
God's dwelled in bright skies, and Christall-mantled Olympus,  
Fowls did fly by the air, and Fishes swum by the waters,  
Mild beasts fed by the fyelds, and wild beasts ranged by the Forests.  
But man was wanting, who might be the absolute owner,  
And have perfect rule and jurisdiction over  
Mild beasts and wild beasts, and Fowls and slippery fishes.  
At length Man was made of mould by the crafty Prometheus,  
Crafty Prometheus, who by degrees contrived a picture,  
And gave life to the same with fire that he stole fro the heavens.  
And, where other beasts lay poring down to the grownd-wards,  
Man with a greater state had a look life up to Olympus,  
Whence his better part was then but lately derived.  
Thiswas an age of gold, then was Saturnus an Emperor,  
Sythe-bearing Saturn ruled justly without any judges,  
No laws, no lawyers were then, yet noebody lawless,  
No thieves and robbers were hanged, yet noebody rob,  
No bloody manqueller was killed, yet noebody murdered.  
Undissembled love and plain symplycyty ruled,  
Uncorrupted faith and pure synceryty reigned.  
heart conceaud no harm; tongue, heart's interpreter only,  
Plainly without any gloze or dissimulation opened  
Hearts harmless conceits: hands, true and trusty to practise,  
Did, what his heart contrived, or tongue had truly delyu'red.  
Pinetrees pitched upon hills, gave wont grace to the hilltopp,  
Not with gaping gulfs of avernus daily bedashed,  
But with trickling showers of Olympus sweetly bedeawed.  
Every man kept home, and where he received a beginning,  
There did he make his grave, and drew his days to an ending.  
Noebodie was so mad by the ragged rocks to be ranging,  
And with clouds, winds, seas, nay heaven and hell to be striving,  
Only to spy and lie, and feed fools ears with a wonder,  
How fro Geneva to Gaunt, from Gaunt he repaired to Vienna,  
How fro the Turk to the Pope, fro the Pope to the soldan of Egypt,  
And at last came back fro the new-found world as an old fool,  
With four Dutch-french words, with a strange-cutt beard, or a Cassock.  
No towns were walled, no walls were loftyly towered,  
No towers were planted with diu'ls invention ordinance.  
Every bush was a bower, and every rustical harbour  
Was sort sufficient, where no force was to be feared.  
Deaths-forerunner Drum did sound no dreadful Alarm;  
No man-murdring man with a teare-flesh pike, or a pole-axe,  
Or bloodsucking sword was known by the name of a Sowldyer.  
Peace made every man secure, securyty careless,  
Carelessness caused mirth, mirth never dreeds any danger.  
fruitful ground untorne, untutcht, was free fro the plough snare,  
And self-sufficient, of her own self yielded abundance.  
No newfound dishes were sought, no costly devices  
Farr-fetcht and dear bought: men simple lived a simple  
Life, used simple food, sloe, nut, plum, strawberry, apple,  
Ackorne fallen fro the oak, and blackbery plucked fro the bramble.  
Tigers were then tame, sharpe-tusked boar was obeissant,  
Stoordy Lions lowted, no wolf was known to be mankind,  
Bears did bow at a beck, no serpent breathed any poison.  
Spring was still-springing, whole year was wholly a spring-tyme,  
Eue-shyning sun with clouds was never eclipsed,  
Euer-flowring flowers with frosts were never annoyed.  
Lyfe-breathing Zephyrus with sweet blast charyly fostered  
Every fruit, which th'earth of her own free bounty aforded.  
Yea good-natured ground at last gave plentiful harvest,  
Never sowed, still mowd▪ not tyld, yet syld with abundance.  
Then floods flowed with milk, each wellspring than was a wyne-spring,  
Every greene-hewde tree bore sweet and sugared honey.  
H●ppy the age, and happy the men, that lived in a happy  
Age: age all of gold, where no bad thing was abiding,  
All of gold indeed, where each good thing was abounding.  
But when good Saturn by force was dryu'n to Avernus,  
And usurping jove did rule and reign in Olympus,  
Golden days were gone, and silver time was approaching,  
New Lords made new laws: th'owld spring time jupiter altered,  
And changed it to a year, and new-made year he divided  
In four parts, each part with a several season appointed,  
Warm Spring, hot Summer, cold winter, changeable Autumn.  
Then swelting doggstarre, than scalding breath of Apollo,  
Then northern Boreas caused better bowers to be builded.  
Then gro●●d 'gan to rebel, from a mother changed to astepdame,  
nought but thorns and weeds of her own accord she aforded,  
But by force constrained and by compulsion urged:  
Now plow's chained to the yoke, and yoke bound fast to the oxen,  
Now are furrows drawn, and seed cast into the furrows.  
jupiter of purpose made fruitful ground to be fruitless,  
And sowld nought for nought, and sweetness mixed with a sourness,  
Lest that too much ease might make men still to be careless,  
Whereas want breeds care, and care coins daily devices.  
Next came brazen time, whose hot and furious offspring  
With bold brazen face was greedily geu'n to revenging,  
Yet not past all grace. Lastage was named of Iron,  
And her cursed brood in like sort framed of Iron,  
Merciless, hard, unjust, unkind, untractable, hateful,  
Ireful, of Ironful, yea too full of ire, full of Iron,  
Faith, and truth, and shame, for shame lay down in a dungeon,  
And in-came whoredom, pride, robbery, treachery, treason.  
Ground with ditch and hedge was now exactly divided,  
Ship with waves, and sails with winds were all to be tossed,  
Sea scowrd with rovers, land scowrged daily by robbers,  
Mine, not thine, came in; Mine and thine, quite was abandoned.  
Corn is now contemned, and fruitful trees but a trifle,  
Their mind's all on mines of brass, lead, copper, or Iron,  
Or gold, gold far worse, than brass, lead, copper, or Iron.  
Earth's very bowels now are torn even down to Avernus,  
All for gold, gold worse than a thousand fiends of Avernus.  
First, was an age of gold, then golden goodness abounded,  
Last, was an age for gold, for then gold only triumphed.  
Weak are thrust to the wall, and strong men strive to be mighty,  
Mighty men hope to be Kings, and Kings still look to be emperors,  
Might rule's right, lust law, rage reason, world's at a world's end,  
World runs all on wheels: guest fear's to be robbed as he sleepeth,  
Host can scarce trust guest; wife longs for death of her husband,  
Husband loaths his w●fe, and brethren scarcely be brethren.  
Infamous stepdames keep cups with poison abounding  
For their sons in law: and sons (o viperus offspring)  
Daily before their days wish father's days to be ending,  
All's turned upside down. At last Astraea departed,  
And from damnable earth, to the spotless sky she removed.  
Then came gryesly Giants, and needs would climb to Olympus  
With mounts on mountains, till thundering jove in a fury  
Broke their scorched bones, and bulwarks all to be battered:  
Whose congealed blood transformed to a most bloody offspring  
By th'earth their mother that caused that desperate uproar,  
Still contemned Gods, and heavens daily maligned.  
Wherewith jove incensed, and moved of late, by Lycaon's  
outrage, over-whelmd whole earth with a mightily flowing  
All overflowing water: so that, not a man now,  
But good Deucalion was living, and not a woman,  
But good Pyrrha remained, which mankind newly repaired,  
And, by casting stones, brought forth so stony an offspring.   

THirsis having made an end of this tale to the content of the hearers generally; Elpinus began thus to work upon it. Poets and Painters (men say) may well go together, sith pen and pencil be both alike free, and do equally challenge the self same prerogative. Cicero reporteth, that Fabius a famous Roman, thought it an especial commendation, to be surnamed Pictor. And, Antiquissimum è doctis fuit poetarum genus, saith the same Cicero. When I talk of Painters, I mean not the ridiculous fraternity of silly Wall-washers: neither do I ever once think of our lofty rhymers, when I make mention of Poets. Yet a wall may be coloured by an elegant Painter, but the conceit and elegancy is more than the colour: and poets (seeking as well to please, as to profit) have well made choice of verse, yet the making of a verse is no part of Poetry: otherwise, the sweet and inimitable poem of Heliodorus, should be no Poem, and every unreasonable rhymer should wear a Laurel garland. Both poetry, a speaking picture, and painting, a dumb poetry, were like in this, that the one and the other did under an amiable figure and delightsome veil, as it were, cover the most sacred mysteries of ancient philosophy. Nay, Pythagoras himself by his symbolical kind of teaching, as also Plato by his conceited parables and allegorical discourses in his books called, Phoedrus, Timoeus, and Symposium, may make any man believe, that as the learned Indians, Aethiopians, and Egyptians kept their doctrine religiously secret for fear of profanation, so the Grecians by their example, have wrapped up in tales, such sweet inventions, as of the learned unfolder may well be deemed vonderfull though to a vulgar conceit, they seem but frivolus imaginations. Yea that song of the most wise Solomon, called for the excellency thereof the song of songs, is altogether mystical and allegorical, lest any man think my speech but a tale, in attributing so much to poetical tales: which, me thinks, may well be compared to sweet grapes covered with leaves and branches, or to the old Sileni, which being but ridiculous in show, did yet inwardly contain the sacred image of some God. He that cannot conceive any sufficient cause which might induce antiquity to deal thus warily in matters of such importance, let him know, that rerum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the picturing, fashioning figuring, or, as it were, personal representing of things in verse after this manner, is most effectual and available, to move men's minds, to stir up delight, to confirm memory, and to allure and entice our cogitations by such familiar and sensible discourses, to matters of more divine and higher contemplation. Poetical songs are galleries set forth with variety of pictures, to hold every man's eyes, Gardens stored with flowers of sundry savours, to delight every man's sense, orchyards furnished with all kinds of fruit, to please every man's mouth. He that is but of a mean conceit, hath a pleasant and plausible narration, concerning the famous exploits of renowned Heroes, set forth in most sweet and delightsome verse, to feed his rural humour. They, whose capacity is such, as that they can reach somewhat further than the external discourse and history, shall find a moral sense included therein, extolling virtue, condemning vice, every way profitable for the institution of a practical and common wealth man. The rest, that are better borne and of a more noble spirit, shall meet with hidden mysteries of natural, astrological, or divine and metaphysical philosophy, to entertain their heavenly speculation. That this is true, let us make trial, and first in Saturnus and Chaos, offered unto us by Thirsis: whereof, before we speak, it shall not be amiss to note this generally, for the better conceiving of ensuing particularities. jupiter, juno, Neptune, Ceres, with the rest, are therefore called Gods and goddesses, for that in the superior and fiery region of the air noted by jupiter, in the inferior, represented by juno, in the bowels of the earth, figured by Ceres, in the depth of the Seas, shadowed by Neptune, and so in others, there is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a certain celestial and divine power, so called by Hypocrates, and by the ancient Poets more particularly expressed by the sundry titles of several Deities proportionable thereunto. And, if the copulation or conjunction of these deified elements observe the natural order of generation, it is called of the Poets a marriage of such a god and goddess: if it serve and degenerate from the wont course of nature, they term it adultery and libidinous love, & the parties, lovers, not man and wife, as in the former kind of copulation: so that, no man hath cause to think it a ridiculous repugnancy & impossibility, when as Poets in their songs make mention of the love, marriage, procreation, affinity, offspring, pedigrees, and descents of their superior & inferior gods.  
Now for the transformation of Thirsis his Chaos, true it is, that Ovid much after this manner discourseth of the creation of the world, of the reducing of the confused Chaos into distinct forms, of Prometheus his framing of man of the very earth itself: which things, no doubt, as also the distinction of times into four several ages, of gold, silver, brass, and iron, were taken, (although in part mistaken) out of the sacred monuments of Moses. Leo Hebraeus, ●●t of some ancient Poet, whom he calleth Pronapides, reporteth another history of the same matter, albeit not after the same manner. Demogorgon, s●ith he, the great and terrible God of heaven and earth, accompanied only with Eternity & Chaos, perceived on a time, an outrageous uproar and tumult stirred up in the belly and bowels of the forenamed Chaos: therefore, to ease her, he stretched forth his o●ne hand and opened her womb, whence presently came forth a filthy and deformed offspring, called Litigium, Strife: which no sooner appeared, but immediately it bred brabbles, made a foul stir, stirred up contentions, and strove to mount up toward heaven, but that by Demogorgon he was overruled, and thrown down to the lower parts & elemental regions. Chaos as yet had not ended her chile-bearing labour & travail, but was troubled with heavy burdens, fainty sweats, languishing groans, & fiery tormenting agonies; so that Demogorgon could not for pity withdraw his helping hand, till by his assistance, she had brought forth Pan, with his three fatal sicters, and also Erebus, Aether, and Dies. Pan found such favour, that Demogorgon committed unto him the whole charge of his family, commanding his three sisters continually to wait and attend upon him, as his handmaids: And thus was Chaos at last delivered, and eased of her childbirth. By Demogorgon, or peradventure, Demiurgon, is here understood that one & only creator of all, to whom Eternity is inseparably conjoined, sith himself is, was, and will be eternal and everlasting. Chaos, in his eternal society obtaineth the third place, because she is that common, confused, and undistinct matter, which the ancient Philosophers made coeternal with the Creator: calling the one, the Father, the other the mother of all things form; yet so, as they always esteemed Demogorgon the chief and efficient, & Chaos only the subsequent and secondary cause in this procreation. The reason why they joined Chaos with the Creator as a companion from all eternity, was this: they thought it proceeded from him by a certain eternal generation: so proceeding, as eternal, because always proceeding; yet so eternal, as proceeding, because not of herself proceeding▪ but from the procreator. And as they made Chaos proc●ede from Demogorgon eternally without limitation of time, so they affirmed, that he afterwards framed all things of this unformed Chaos, not eternally, but in time. The tumult and uproar stirred up in the bowels of Chaos is her natural inclination and desire of bringing forth things variable and disagreeing. The hand of Demogorgon, which opened her belly, is that celestial power, reducing the universal and confused possibilities of Chaos, to distinct forms and actual particularities, and giveth us also to understand, that this first production of things, was not usual and accustomed (as natural generation is, which afterwards succeeded this supernatural creation) but strange and wonderful, & did therefore require the use of Demogorgon's hand, that is, the most mighty and effectual instrument of all others. Strife came first forth: for from prima materia that ●irst and general matter of all that was made, the division and distinction of things, which before were confused and undistinct, proceeded: & this division is called strife; sith it converseth among four striving & contrary elements, the one always maligning & repugning the other. His face was ugly & deformed: for discord and division causeth defect, want, & imperfection, as union & concord, are the authors of blessedness, beauty, and perfection. Strife striving to get up to heaven, was thrown down to the earth for in the celestial bodies there is no discord, no repugnancy, and therefore consequently, no destruction or mortalyty, effects thereof: but only in these earthly and inferior matters, continually subject to infinite decays and dissolutions, caused by oppositions and contrarieties. The burdens, sweatings, groan, and agonies of Chaos, are the ever-strugling and contending natures of the four elements, heavy earth, moist water, breathing air, and consuming fire: for pacification whereof, ●an was borne, which in Greek signifies, All: and betokeneth that general and universal power of nature, ruling and governing whatsoever proceeded from Chaos; and quyeting those disagreeing qualities of the repugnant elements. Whereupon it is here said, that after Strife, came, Pan; sith after discord, comes concord, and succeed in place thereof. Together with Pan, the three fatal Ladies of Destiny, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos were borne, attending on Pan, the God of universal nature. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, so called of turning, noteth the continual motion and revolution of things present, and turneth and spinneth the present thread of life. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the production and drawing forth of that which is to come, preparing and keeping diligently the thread of life which yet remaineth to be turned and spun. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as if a man would say, irremeable, irrevocable, and immutable, representeth what is past, which never returneth: and this last Lady hath dispatched, finished, and cut of the thread committed to her charge to be spun. In Latin they are called Parcae à parcendo, of sparing, by the contrary, as some think, because they spare not, as little john was called so in jest, being a man of a wonderful great stature. Scaliger liketh not this conceit, sith they spare indeed rather the otherwise, one of them only cutting of life, whereas the other two maintain and preserve it. Varro thought they were in Latin called Parcae à pariendo of bringing forth, whereupon their particular names were framed accordingly, of the times of birth, the one being of the ancient romans called Nona, the other Decima, of the ninth and tenth month, in the which usually by course of nature the child is borne: yet, because whosoever is borne, is borne to die, the third was named Morta of the Latin Mors, which signifieth Death, represented by the third fatal Lady. Claudian in his Poem de raptu Proserpinae, maketh them all attend on Pluto, so doth Fulgentius, because their dominion is most over these terrestrial and inferior bodies, figured by Pluto and his infernal kingdom. Again, th●se Ladies draw forth the thread of man's life, and man's life is long or short, according as the body is framed of a strong or weak matter, which earthly matter is subject to Pluto. The first hath care of man's birth, the second of his life, the third of death. The first is young, the second of middle age, the third very old: the young Lady holdeth the distaff and draweth the flax, the middle hath a spindle and windeth up the thread, the owld sister with her shears snappeth the thread in two. Homer in his hymn to Mercury maketh them winged, for time flieth, and death draweth on. They are here said to be borne of Chaos, sith in that first distinction and separation of things out of that confused heap and Mass, every particular matter had his peculiar destiny allotted unto it: others would have them to be borne of Erebus (the most hidden and remote part of the earth) and of Darkness: that, by the obscurity of the father and mother, we may imagine how difficult, nay how impossible a thing it is, to search out the hidden causes of Destiny. There be also some that make them the daughters of jupiter and Themis, the rulers and directors of fatal justice and universal providence. 
* ●he first ●●cture of 〈◊〉 Desti. 〈◊〉.   
Plato in the tenth book of his common wealth, maketh them the daughters of inevitable Necessity, placing between their knees, the great Spindle of adamant, reaching from the arctike to the antarctike Pole: they sit on a throne, equally distant one from an other, covered with white robes, crowned with diadems, singing proportionably to the heavens harmony, things that are past, present and to come: they all jointly together with their mother Necessity, turn this spindle, Clotho with the right hand, Lachesis with the left, Atropos with both, as appeareth there in Plato more plentifully, in imitation whereof, as should seem, Ovid in the last book of his transformations, bringeth in jupiter talking with Venus concerning the immutable decrees of these inexorable Ladies, written in Iron, brass, and Adamant.  
Talibus hanc genitor: sola insuperabile fatum  
Nata movere 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 ullas tuta atque aeter●a ruinas.  
invenies illic incisa adamant perenni  
Fata tui generis.  
Hereupon doth Capella call them Jove's scribes; for that they register his decrees in these everlasting tables. Catullus in his wedding song of Peleus and Thetis (which noteth the generation of things, for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is slime, and Thetis water, where of all things are made, yet by an efficient; and therefore 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 lawn: some others give them garlands of Daffadil. 
* ●he second ●●●ture of 〈…〉.   
The sixth child that Chaos brought forth to Demogorgon, was named Erebus, a certain natural power incident to every inferior thing, and, as it were, cleaving and adhaerent thereunto: and this, in the terrestrial globe, is the very matter itself, whereof 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 natural appetite, and continual desire, which man hath to obtain new matters; whereupon the Poets have also feigned, that this Erebus had many children, as Labour, Envy, Fear, Deceit, Fraud, Obstinacy, Poverty, Misery, Famine, Lamentation, Sickness, Death, and such like, whose mother they made Darkness, or Night, who bore to Erebus her husband this loathsome brood, according to those verses of Claudian in his first invective against Rufinus.  
Glomerantur in unum  
Innumerae pests: Erebo quascunque, sinistro  
Nox genuit foetu; nutrix discordia belli,  
Imperiosa fames, laetho vicina senectus,  
Impatiensque sui morbus, livorque secundis  
Anxius, & scisso moerens velamine luctus,  
Et timor, et caeco praeceps audacia vultu,  
Et luxus populator opum, cui semper adhaerens  
Infaelix humili gressu comitatur egestas,  
Faedaque avaritiae complexae pectora matris  
Insomnes longo veniunt examine curae.  
The two last children of Demogorgon, were Aether and Die, the superirior region of the air, and the brightness of the day: who, of brother and sister, became man and wife, and begat Caelius or Caelus, the heaven: which name was first attributed to Vranius, Father of Saturnus, king of Crete. This Vranius, for his excellency, was deemed rather celestial, (as his name importeth) than any earthly creature: representing that ethereal purity by his divine wisdom, and the celestial light and brightness, by his virtuous conversation: this is the historical sense: now for the Allegorical conceit, it is most manifest: for Caelus, the heaven, including and concluding every thing, is therefore called the son of Aether and Die, for that his nature is ethereal by reason of his most subtle and spirit all perspicuity; and also bright and lightsome by the plentiful and abundant light of those so many radiant stars wherewith it is sweetly garnished. And as Vranius himself for his virtue was called Caelus, heaven, so Vesta his wife, because she was a fruitful and happy mother, was called Terra, the Earth. Of these two, Saturnus was born, wholly addicted to husbandry and tilling of the earth, and of nature slow and heavy, like the earth. Allegorically thus; Saturnus is Son to Caelus, because he is the first Planete, and nearest to the highest heaven. He is also son to the earth, as in most of his natural proprieties resembling the earth. First his colour is pale and leaden, like the earth: Secondly, as the earth of all other Elements is most gross and bevy, so Saturn among other Planets is most slow in finishing his revolution, as requiring full thirty years for the accomplishing of the same; whereas jupiter endeth his in twelve years, Mars in two, Sol, Venus, and Mercury in one, and Luna, the Moon, in one month only. Thirdly Saturn by his influence worketh such a constitution and temperature in men's bodies, as is altogether agreeable with the qualities of the earth, to wet, cold and dry, making them in whom he is predominant, sad, melancholical, grave, heavy, pale, given to husbandry, building, and such like exercises. Whereupon he is figured as an old man, sad, evil-favoured, musing, badly clothed, with a scythe in his hand, a fit instrument for his earthly practice. He afordeth a reaching wit, profound cogitations, perfect knowledge, sage and grave advice, constancy of mind and perseverance: by reason that the earthly nature of his mother is qualified and tempered with that of his celestial Father. Lastly, as of his Father he causeth perfection and excellency of mind, so by his mother he is the author of deformity and destruction of the body,  
His wife was called Ops, his own sister, borne of the same Father and Mother. Allegorically, Opis signifieth help or assistance, noting the aid and furtherance of the earth herself towards the tilling of fills, building of houses, and founding of Cities. So is she worthily both sister to Saturn, as borne of Caelus, whose influence is the best maintainer both of husbandry and earthly habitations: and also wife to Saturn, for that as he is the agent, so herself is the patiented in husbandry and fortification. Saturn bereft his father Caelus of those instruments which are fit for generation: Cronos, that is, Saturn, is time, time is the measurer of the world's motion; therefore, as one world, so one time, one Saturn; and Caelus can get no more like him, sith all is now spen● and consumed upon him. Saturn fearing the prediction of Oracles, that his own son should expel him out of his kingdom, consulting with his brother Titan, resolved to devour all the sons, that his wife Opis should bear unto him; and for that intent commanded her to show him every child immediately af●er the birth thereof. She first brought forth jupiter and juno: juno being a girl, and therefore not to be devoured, was presented to her Father: but jupiter was preserved from his rage and fury by the noise of Cymbals & Taburs, which so possessed Saturn his ears, that he heard not the young infant jupiter, cry. Saturn angrily and earnestly demanding where he was, his wife gave him a Stone wrapped in a cloth, instead of the boy, which stone for haste and rage, he swallowed, and afterwards vomited it up again, even as he did all such of his other sons, whom he had devoured. The like policy she used in preserving of Neptune, making his father believe, that it was no child, but a young colt, whereof she was then delivered, which Saturn thinking to be true, glutted the colt accordingly, Next to these were Pluto and his sister Glauca borne: but Glauca being only showed to Saturn, Pluto escaped alive: all the rest of his sons he first devoured, and presently vomited, as before is mentioned Allegorically, Titan the Sun, and Saturn. Time, conspire together and resolve, that all things in time borne, shall also die in time. For, as the devouring continuance of outwearing time consumeth all things, so the life-giving influence of the quickening son, is the chief cause of procreation: whereupon it is usually said that Sol & homo generant hominem, The sun and man beget man. His daughters he devoured not: for, time consumeth individua, this thing, and that thing, but not the root and ground of things, figured by the female sex. juno the air, with jupiter the fire, and Neptune and Pluto the water and earth, are not devoured: for, the four elements continue still: but the rest are still subject to continual corruption: corruption I mean in part, which is always a generation, of some other particularity, not a total or general destruction: which is the cause, that time cannot digest and utterly consume, but is enforced to vomit and restore even those very bodies which he first devoured, according to that old ground which giveth us to learn, that, as nothing can be made of nothing▪ so nothing can be made to be nothing, Gigni è nihilo nihil, in nihilum nil posse reverti.  
Homer calleth jupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for that be sucked Goats milk, the reason is this, a Goat is ever climbing and getting upward, as jupiter is, noting the fiery and highest part of the air. This ethereal and superior part of the air, was thought of the Pythagoreans (by reason of the wonderful celerity and quick dispatch of his motion and revolution) to cause a most sweet and melodious harmony: whereupon jupiter was reported to be preserved by the tinkeling of Cymbals and sounding of taburs.  
jupiter is placed immediately after Saturn in heaven, as jupiter King of Crete, succeeded his father Saturn in his kingdom. This Cr●etish King jupiter for his bountiful and liberal nature was called by the name of that most good and beneficial planet jupiter; even as his father, for the causes rehearsed, was named Saturnus. He that hath in his nativity Saturn predominant over jupiter, is like to be endued with no excellent qualities, especially those that usually proceed from jupiter's influence, as justice, liberality magnificence, piety, favour, beauty, riches, promotion▪ love, and such like: all which by the maligning nature of this damnifying planet Saturn are altogether corrupted and depraved, as the Creetish jupiter when he was but a tender infant, was feign to be secretly conveyed away from his stern and cruel father Saturn, who sought his destruction. Saturn being imprisoned and chained by the Titanes, was released by his dutiful and merciful son jupiter, who came with a mighty army to the succour of his father. Allegorically when the good and beneficial jupiter in any man's nativity overruleth prejudicial Saturn, beholding the other planets with an amiable and fortunate aspect, which confoundeth the dead looks and frowning face of Saturn, then is that man freed from th●se, saturnian chains of calamity and misery, which otherwise he were subject unto. These Titanes were the sons of heaven and earth, signifying the four elements, which include in themselves a certain terrene and earthly nature, and are therefore continually depressed and beaten down by the power of the superior bodies: for, vapours by the heat of the sun (the sun is called Titan) are drawn up, which when they approach near the celestial region, are repelled and driven down again, or else resolved into pure and subtle air, and this mounting up, and throwing down is perpetual.  
jupiter, when he had thus enlarged his father, usurped his crown and royal dignity banishing Saturn into hell, or the infernal regions. Historically, jupiter having freed his father from thaldome, took upon himself the dignity and regiment of Crete, enforcing Saturnus to fly into Italy; where he was honoured living and dying as a God: for, such was the custom of that age to attribute divine honours and titles unto them as Gods, of whom they received any goodness: as they did indeed of this Saturnus, who taught them how to till and manure the ground, to coin money of mettale, which before was of leather, to leave bushes and caves, and live more civility and orderly, and to observe certain laws and constitutions by him invented, as appeareth by Virgil. S. Aeneid. who therefore calleth that time, the Golden age. Now in truth Italy was then far inferior to Greece in Wealth and Dignity, and might therefore be called the infernal region, or base and low country in respect of saturns flourishing kingdom: as also, for that Italy is lower than Greece, as inclining more to the west; and it is an usual thing, for men to call the East, the superior or higher region, and the West, he lower, downcast, and inferior; or lastly, as Varro will have it, qd latet Italia inter praecipitia Alpium & Apennini: because Italy doth, as it were, lurk and lie hidden between the abrupt and high tops of the Alpes & the Mountain Apenninus. That this is true which I report, of his being in Italy, besides the testimony of Virgil in the place above alleged (where he saith that Italy, was named Latium, a Latendo, because Saturn did lurk and lie there, to hide himself from his son jupiter.) Ovid also will bear me witness, who in the first of his Fasti, concluding this matter, saith, that for an eternal memorial of his arrival and good institutions, the Italian posterity in their money of mettale, figured the ship wherein he came unto them.  
At bona posteritas puppim formavit in aere,  
Hospitis adventum testificata dei.  
Allegorically, as before; when in any man's action or nativity jupiter is predominant, then doth he control Saturn, depriving him of his power and dominion, and driving him out as his inferior. Sabinus thinketh that Saturn was therefore said to be driven into the infernal dungeons, for that he is of all other Planets, the most remote and furthest from the earth, making that infinite and unmeasurable height of Heaven, to be this Tartarus, this infernal or strange and far removed region. But the most conceited allegory for this purpose, is that following: for although that in Satur's time and reign, that is, by the influence and virtue of this Planet Saturn, the seed is preserved in the bowels of the earth, and congcaled or thickened in the bodies of sensible creatures at the first generation and conception; yet when these things are brought forth and receive increase and augmentation, then doth jupiter show himself to be King, and dealeth all in all, driving out old Saturn into corners, and blind and obscure places, where the first seeds of things lie hidden, which only are subject to Saturnus jurisdiction.  
Time is swift and everpassing without stay: which may be the cause why Saturn is changed to a swift courser, when his wife took him dallying with Philyra, of whom he begat Chiron the Centaur as hereafter will appear.  
Thus have we the good old Saturn in his rags, with his four children before him, his consuming sith in his right hand, and a stone covered with cloth put to his mouth, with the left hand.  
Out of Eusebius, he may be thus also figured: himself covered with a long robe: two eyes before, as many behind: of which four, two did ever watch, whilst other two slept: four wings were fastened to his shoulders, two spread forth, as though he were ready to fly, two plucked in, as though he meant to stand still: he had also two wings at his head. The four eyes and wings note, that Time, though it seem to sleep, yet always watcheth, and yet so watcheth, as it seemeth still to sleep: and, as it standeth, it flieth away, and yet in flying, after a manner standeth still. The two wings at his head are said to represent the intellectual faculty and reasonable power of man's mind, the old Philosophers being of opinion, that the soul received from Saturn's sphere, the gift of reason and intelligence. 
* Saturn's two pictures.   
Saturn his wife had diverse names. Rhea, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à fluendo: either because every thing floweth from the earth, as from a fountain, or that the flowing reign is made of vapours and exhalations from the earth. Vesta she is also called, because she is Vestita, that is, covered with corn and grass as with a vesture: or, quia vistat, because she standeth by her own force, quasi vista, according to that of Ovid in his Fasti.  
Stat vi terra sua, vistando vesta vocatur,  
Causaque par graij nominis esse potest. 
Vt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, d●catur.   
The other Vesta, Caelius his wife, differeth not much from this: but that she seemeth to figure the very essence of the earth; and this, the fruitful efficacy, operation, and assistance thereof, whereupon she was called Opis, as I said before, of help or assistance: Cybele, of a Phrygian Mountain so called: or rather, as Festus Pompeius thinketh, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, signifying a Cube; sith in old time they did consecrate a Cube unto here the reason was for that a Cube which way so ever it be thrown, standeth always direct, representing therefore, the not removable stability of the Earth. Lastly she was called Magna matter, the great mother both of Gods and men, sith as well the Paegan Gods as men, being both mortal, must both acknowledge the earth their foundor and benefactor, whereof more in Tassoes Messagiero. She is covered with a Diadem bearing divers turrets; the circuit of her Crown signifying the compass of the Earth, and her turrets, the stately buildings of the same, according to that of Lucretius lib. 1.  
Muralique caput summum cinxére corona,  
Eximijs munita locis quòd sustinet urbes.  
Her garment is allwrought with flowers and bordered with branches, noting, that all such things proceed from the Earth. Her Chariot is drawn by Lions, o● four wheels: the four wheels give us to understand, that although the Earth be immovable, yet all earthly things are in continual motion and alteration, according to the four several constitutions and seasons of the year. The lions note the mighty and Lion-like operation of the celestial bodies upon the earth: or, that husbandmen's bodies must be strong like Lions: or lastly, that the stoutest were tamed, and must live and die on and in the earth. Her sceptre is a sign of earthly pomp and dignity. Round about her be empty and vacant seats; either, for that the earth hath always places of habitation in store for succeeding people; or, for that houses, cities, and countries become many times desolate by pestilence, famine, sword, fire, or otherwise; or, because many regions were then thought to be unhabitable. Isidorus maketh her hold a key in one hand; for that the earth is, as it were, closed and shut up in the winter, fostering then and cherishing in her lap the seed, till spring time come, and then she openeth herself▪ and therefore is April so called of Aperio, quasi Aperilis, the open, or opening month, as Ovid doth expound it, Aprilem memorant ab aperto tempore dictum. Coribantes her priests stand round about her, all in armour: & so should every man, priest, swain, or whatsoever, be ready with life and limb to defend his native soil. The noise of Taburs had (as Ovid also testifieth) his beginning from jupiter's birth, who, as I said before, was by that means concealed from his father Saturn: some refer the roundness of the Taburs, to the roundness of the earth, & others there be who think that the Taburs and Cymbals did note the winds, storms, clouds, & thunders; all which come of the exhalations of the earth, mounting upwards. Pinus is sacred unto Cybele, for that Atis a sweet young youth who she loved, was by her transformed into the same for pity, seeing the poor boy (being rejected of her for violating his vowed virginitte) plague his own body, by cutting off those parts wherewith he had offended. This Atis (saith Eusebius) representeth flowers which are fair in show, but fade and fall away, before they bring forth any fruit, which is the cause, that he is said to be deprived of his fructifying members, the tale is sweetly told by Ovid in his books de Fastis. Another Vesta they made to be Satur's daughter, signifying that vital heat, which, dispersed all over and through the bowels of the Earth, giveth life to all earthly things, On her service attended the Vestal Virgins in Rome, so called of their Mistress Vesta, of whom also Ovid in the same book hath learnedly discoursed; among other things, adding this, Nec tu aliud vestam, quàm vivam intellige flammam. 
* Cy●●●s pictu●●.   
In Satur's time, the harmless simplicity of his subjects gave name to the golden age, as I said before; which by degrees declining to silver, and brass, in the end became all of iron. Then did Astraea leave the polluted earth, and settled herself between the Stars called Leo and Libra, the Lion, and the Balance, covering her face in the clouds for grief to behold such impiety. Allegorically, Astraea, of Astrum, a Star, is celestial and heavenly justice: a judge must be stout and of good courage, as a Lion, lest for fear of menaces he spare the due execution of justice: yet he must also weigh each thing in an upright balance, that affection or corruption do not pervert judgement: Her face is covered with clouds: for, a judge must not behold the parties with affectionate and preiudicat eyes, seduced by wrath or drawn away by Partiality.  
Astraea thus gone, the Giants began to rebel: a bloody broad, borne of Coelus his blood, falling on the earth, when Saturn his son deprived him of his virility. Some other make them to be borne of Neptune and Iphimedea: Neptune's brood is furious and unruly by reason of the superabundant store of unbridled humours: and Ihimedea, is nothing else but an obstinate and self-willed conceit and desire grounded in the mind, and not removable. These allegorically are seditious and rebellious subjects in a common wealth, or schismatical and heretical seducers in the Church. jupiter, the King or supreme governor: the Giants, rebels or heretics: the hills, their aspiring deseignes and accursed stratagems: Jove's lightning, the just plague and confusion of such attempts: their serpentine feet signify their permicious and poisonable policies, and their monstrous and most degenerate deformity in opposing themselves against the commonwealth. The battle was fought in Phlaegra a sulphurus part of Thessalia, for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to burn. There is yet extant a fragment of Claudian, entitled, Gigantomachia, the battle of the Giants wherein many of their names are particularly set down, the historical truth is extant in Theagenes and Eudoxus. Of the Giant's blood came the bloud-thirsting Lycaon; in truth a tyrant of Arcadia, who first did violate the livres of truce and league by killing and sacrificing unto jupiter, a certain hostage sent from the Molossi: whereon came the fable, that he set man's flesh before jupiter, to try, if he were a God or not. This Lycaon for his cruelty, is here transformed into a wolf, which in Greek is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, agreeable to his ancient name. That which followeth of the general deluge or ●●●●dation, is borrowed, by likelihood, out of Moses, by adding thereunto the conceit of Deucalion's and Pyrrhaes' casting of stones behind their backs for the renewing of our stony generation, For, both Lucian reporteth, that Deucalion entered an ark, and beasts and fowls with him: and Plutarch, that he sent forth a Dove, which returning, brought a sign of the decreasing waters, all which agree with the history of Noe. As for Deucalion, he is said to have reigned sometime in Thessalia, which being for the most part drowned by sudden waters, himself and his wife Pyrrha assembled on Mount Parnassus all such as escaped: and by their wisdom (figured by the oracle from Themis) brought them to be sociable again, and multiply as they did in former times.  
But all this while we forget the poor Prometheus, who yet lieth groaning on the mountain Caucasus, for stealing fire from heaven to make his image live: and taketh it very unkindly, that we have, in this creation of the world, made no mention of him, by whose bold enterprise, Man, the best part of the world, was both framed first, and quickened afterwards. Minerva, liking Prometheus' his work, bade him ask what he would that was in heaven, to furnish his begun workmanship: he answering, that, unless he were there to see what was in heaven fit for his purpose, he could desire no certain thing, was brought up thither by Minerva: where; seeing every thing quickened with fire, he dre●e secretly near to the Chariot of the Sun, and thence kindled a stick, and with that fire gave life to his image.  
Historically, Prometheus is said to be the first who made any image of man, of clay, whence this poetical imagination took his beginning, and by continuance of time grew to this (by the accustomed policies of the old deceiving serpent, who is ever ready to further Atheism and idolatry) that Prometheus was honoured as a God, and had Temples dedicated, and Altars erected for his service accordingly. As appeareth by Pausanias, who reporteth, that in the Academy of Athens, there was an altar consecrated unto Prometheus, and that at certain times appointed for that purpose, divers men came thither, and there lighted a number of burning brands, running with them one after an other all in a row to Athens, in such sort, that whosoever carried his fire brand burning quite to the City, was reputed Victor: and if any man's brand were extinguished or put out by the way, he gave place to his fellow following.  
Allegorically, Prometheus is the foreseeing and foreknowing of things before they come to pass (for so the very word importeth,) as Epimetheus is the knowledge which we get by the end and event of things already past & gone, whose daughter is Repentance. Prometheus was the son of japetus & Themis: japetus is nothing else (saith Proclus) but the most quick motion of heaven, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of moving and flying: An Eagle consumeth his heart, a wise man's mind is everfull of meditations: as much as by the day the Eagle devoureth, somuch the night restoreth again; so, learned men's cogitations admit intermissions, but no interruptions: he was bound to a pillar, or column; The mind is bound fast to the body, and there chained for a while: some make him bound to the Mountain Caucasus, for that there he observed the revolution of the heavens: The yielding and giving place to the succeeding fealowe or companion that runneth, means nothing else, but that the whole course of this present life, is full of woe and misery, which when they are once ended, our race is ended also, and they that come after us, take at our hands, as by tradition, the like fire brands of calamities, as we ourselves sustained before. Remy Belleau bringeth in Prometheus lamenting in his Bergerie, Thus, 
Noble race de dieux, semence Titannine,  
Qui retires du ciel ta premiere origìne,   
And so forth, as followeth there in that his complaint: so passionate, as that I am sorry not to repeat it, & yet so copious as that I have no time to rehearse it▪ especially having spent somuch of the day about this outworn Chaos, which, I hope, will therefore seem pardonable, because the understanding of all other poetical tales and transformations by likelihood to be told, must needs receive great light from that which hath been spoken. Here good Elpinus paused awhile: and sith Pan had been by him ef● 'zounds mentioned in this his discourse, it was thought convenient by the Lady Regent, that Menal●as his song should be spent on that subject: who thus began accordingly.   

A Roadian Syrinx was a Nymph most noble, amongst all  
Naiads and dryads, that, in old times highly renowned  
Arcadian fountains and mountains ever aforded.  
Fleshly Satyrs, Fauni, Siluani daily desired  
Brave bony Syrinx love, yet loveles brave bony Syrinx  
Fleshly Satyrs, Fauni, Siluani daily deceived.  
Syrinx took no joy in joys of Queen Cytheraea,  
But vowed life and love, and heart and hand to Diana.  
Like to Diana she lived, for a virgin's life she professed,  
Like to Diana she went, for in hunting robes she delighted,  
And with bow and shafts still practysd like to Diana;  
Only the difference was, that, in-hunting-mighty Diana's  
Bow, was made of gowld, and Syrinx bow of a cornel:  
Which no great difference was not so greatly regarded,  
But that Nymphs and Gods even so were daily deceived,  
And hunting Syrinx for mighty Diana reputed,  
So near by Syrinx was mighty Diana resembled.  
Pan, with a garland green of pine-tree gaily bedecked  
Saw this Nymph on a time come back from lofty Lycaeus,  
And his rural love in rural sort he bewrayed.  
Scarce had he said, Bony sweet: but away went brave bony Syrinx,  
Went through hills and dales and woods: and lastly arrived,  
Where gentle Ladon with mild streams sweetly resounded,  
Ladon stopped her course, Ladon too deep for a damsel.  
Then, quod Syrinx, Help, dear sisters; let not a virgin,  
Immaculate virgin by a rural Pan be defiled.  
Rather let Syrinx be a mourning read by the river,  
So that Syrinx may be a maiden read by the river.  
By and by Syrinx was turned to a read by the river:  
By and by came Pan, and snatched at a read for a Syrinx,  
And there sight and sobbed, that he found but a seed for a Syrinx.  
Whilst Pan sighs and sobds, new tender reads by the whistling  
Winds, did shake and quake, and yielded a heavy resounding,  
Yielded a doleful note and murmur like to a plaining.  
Which Pan perceiving, and therewith greatly delighted,  
Said, that he would thenceforth of those reads make him a Syrinx.  
Then, when he had with wax, many reeds conjoined in order,  
His breath gave them life: and so Pan framed a Pastor's  
Pipe, which of Syrinx is yet still called a Syrinx,   

SHort & sweet, quod Elpinus; & I mean not myself herein to be overlong. Pan therefore is said to have two horns on his forehead, reaching up even to the heavens; a red & fiery face, a long beard hanging down on his breast, a staff and a Pipe compact of seven reeds in his hand, a spotted and freckled skin on his body, crooked, rough, and deformed limbs, and legs like a Goat. Cupid and Pan contending for superiority, Pan had the worst, and the worst was this, that he extremely loved Syrinx, who extremely hated him. Besides a certain historical discourse of an Arcadian, called Silvanus, who to ease his Love-sittes, was much addicted to Music, and first (as is reported,) found out the Pipe made of seven reeds, there is in this tale a more philosophical conceit. Pan in Greek, as I said, signifieth, All▪ and doth both by name & natural lineaments betoken that universal efficacy of nature, ruling and governing all. The two horns on his forehead reaching up to heaven, represent the Arctike and Antarclike poles. His spotted skin is the eight Sphere, distinguished with those heavenly lights of innumerable stars. his fiery face, containing two ears, two eyes, two nosethrills, and one mouth, proportionably shadow the fiery and bright nature of the seven Planets, His long bristled beard and bush, be the beams of the Sun, and other Planets and Stars, whose influence is the cause of earthly generations. His crooked▪ rough, and deformed limbs, are the four Elements, and the bodies thereof made, which, compared with those above, are altogether rude and homely. His goats feet & legs note out the crooked course of things terrestrial: for even as Goats go never straight, nor continue any settled and direct co●rse▪ but wander and skipp here and there; so, what soever is under the Sphere of the Moon, observeth no constant and immutable proceeding, but confusedly changeth from this, to that, from that, to an other, without any intermission. Pan was in love with a spotless and pure virgin● universal nature affecteth and earnestly desireth a celestial and perpetual constancy in these inferior bodies. Syrinx runs from Pan; so doth immutable constancy forsake these inferior matters, which are daily tossed to and fro, and continually subject to tenthousand alterations. Syrinx in her main flight is stopped and stayed by the River Ladon: in like sort, the heavens and celestial bodies (which by reason of their continual motion are like to a River) do stay and bridle that wandering and inconstant constancy of inferior bodies: and though the heavens themselves, by reason of their perpetual motion seem somewhat variable and inconstant, yet this their instability is indeed most stable, and motion immutable, noted by this spotless virgin transformed into reads, which being moved and breathed upon by the life-inspiring Zephyrus, yield this sweet melody; as those celestial globes are said to do, by the impulsion and direction of their intellectual guides and Spirits. Hereupon is Pan's pipe made of seven reads, figuring that heavenly harmony of the seven Planets, caused by their never-ending circumduction and revolution. Pan lastly, besides his pipe, hath a staff also, Sith by the stayed and settled motion of the seven Planets, this universal efficacy of nature ordereth the proceed of these inferior bodies accordingly. The tale is told by Ovid, and Achilles Statius. 
* Pa●spi●ture.   
Midas the golden ass, and miserlike fool (who was feign to unwish his wish of transforming every thing into gold by his tutching thereof) preferred Pan's rural harmony before the heavenly skill of Apollo, and was therefore worthily rewarded with asses ears for his labour: which deformyty, though for a time he concealed, by covering it with his purple bonnet, yet at last was discovered by his Barber, who neither daring to tell it any body, nor being able to keep it secret, digged a pit in the ground, and therein whispered, That his master Midas had asses ears: which pit being by him then filled up with earth again, brought forth a number of reeds, which blown by the wind, repeated the buried words, uttered by the Barber, to weet, That King Midas had asses ears. A golden fool and a silken ass, may fo● the time be clad with purple, & delude the gazers on, but when the reads grow, that is, when after his death the learned begin to write, and lay him open to the world, then is his nakedness discovered. Pan commonly hath his garland of the leaves of a pine-tree: he was accounted the God of Sheep and Shepherds, and kept in the woods. Such was Silvanus, who therefore had his name of Silva, signifying a wood. Fauni and Satyri may hither also be referred, whom jupiter calleth rustical and halfgods: Ovid 1. Metamorphose●n.  
Sunt mihi semidei, sunt rustica numina Nymphae.  
Faunique, Satyrique, et monticolae Siluani,  
Quos quoniam caeli nondum dignamur honore,  
Quas dedimus certê terras habitare sinamus.  
These Satyrs are said to be little Dandiprats, with two horns, crooked noses hairy and rough bodies, and goats feet. Plutarch writeth in Sulla's life, that there was one of them caught not far from Apollonia a city of Epirus, and brought to Sylla: which being by many interpreters demanded who or what he was, uttered a kind of voice, but such as no man understood, it being a sound that resembled the neighing of a horse together with the bleating of a Goat.  
It is reported, that Antony the Eremite, saw and spoke with such a Satire in the Desert of Egypt: who confessed that himself and his fellows were but mortal creatures, inhabiting the wilderness, although the Gentiles seduced and blinded did honour them as Gods, calling them Fauni and Satyri: adding further, that he came as sent from his companions, desiring Antony to make intercession for them to his and their God, whom they did know and acknowledge, to have come into the world to save the world. Besides these rural Gods, the ancient Poets perceiving that there was a life-giving moisture and efficacy of humour, in trees, hills, seas, floods, lakes, wells, and such like, have appointed them their several Nymphs and Deities, as Ladies of the same, hereof came these names, Dryads, Hamadryades, Ephidryades, Oreades, Napeaes, Naiads, Limniades, and such others. The Satyrs above spoken of, by reason of their wanton and lascivious nature, are made companions of Bacchus, the drunken God: but sith by talking of Pan, I have thought of them here, I mean to leave both him and them to their forests and rural harbours.  
Pan thus dispatched it was thought good, that Saturn his children should be remembered in order: and first, jupiter, by Damaetas, whose tale was much to this effect.   

Jove, as he looked down fro the skies, saw beautiful Io,  
Saw, and said, well met, fair maid, well worthy the thunder:  
Toil not thy sweet self, it's too hot, come fro the scorching  
Sun, to the cooling shade: lo, here, and here is a harbour.  
If thou dar●st not alone pass through these desolate harbours  
Fo●e fear of wild beasts; let a God be thy guide by the forest,  
And no trifling God, but a God that wields the triumphant  
Mace, and hurls lightnings, and thunderbolts from Olympus.  
Io fled for fear, for love jove hastened after;  
And for a quick dispatch, both lands and seas on a sudden  
Overcast with a cloud, and so caught beautiful Io.  
In mean time juno Jove's wife looks down fro the heavens,  
(Seeing lightsome skies at mydday so to be darkened,  
Yet no fogs or mists from pools or moors to be lyf●ed)  
Marvels much, and asks, if her husband were in Olympus,  
Who transformed sometimes to a Bull, sometimes to a golden  
Shower, was wont each where such slippery pranks to be playing,  
jove was not to be found; why then, qd juno, without doubt  
Foully deceived I am this day, or foully abused.  
Down strait way fro the skies in a jealous fury, she flingeth,  
And those cozening clouds, and darkness roundly removeth.  
jove foresaw this gear: and fair white beautiful Io,  
Strait with a trice transformed to a fair white beautiful heifer.  
juno geu's good words (although, God knows, with an ill will,)  
And commends this Cow, and says; o happy the Bullock  
Who might once enjoy this fair white beautiful Heifer.  
Then she gins to demand, who brought that Cow to the pasture,  
Of what kind she came, and what man might be the owner.  
jove, that he might shift off busy juno, towld her a loud lie,  
That nought else but th'earth brought forth that beautiful Heifer.  
juno well acquainted with her husband's wily devices,  
Asked this Cow for a gift: Then jove was brought to a mischif:  
Wha● shall he do? shall he give his loving Io to juno?  
That were too too hard: shall he not give juno the Heifer?  
That would breed mistrust: shame spurs on, Love is a bridle:  
And shame-brydling love, no doubt, had lastly prevailed,  
But that, alas, if a wife, if a sister, a Lady, a juno,  
Even of a jove, of a Lord, nay even of a brother, a husband  
Should be denied a Cow, then might it seem to be no Cow.  
Thus gate juno the Cow: but yet she feared a Bull still:  
And, to be more secure, she delivered Io to Argus  
For to be carefuly kept, whose waking head had an hundred  
Eyes; two slept by course, and but two only; the other  
Still kept watch and ward: Which way soever he looked,  
Ever he looked to the Cow, Argus looked ever on Io.  
In day time she feeds, yet feeds still watched of Argus,  
Feeds on boughs and grass, (food too too sour for a sweet lass)  
drink of pits and pools, drink noething fit for a damsel.  
All night long she's tied by the over-dutiful Argus,  
And on bare could ground her tender side she reposeth.  
When she gins her grief, and woeful case to remember,  
And would life up her hands, to beseech unmerciful Argus,  
No hands are left her, to beseech unmerciful Argus.  
When she recounts her smart, and means her woe to be uttering,  
Io allows as a Cow, instead of an heavy bewailing,  
Io the lowing Cow frights Io the lass, by the lowing.  
When to the silver streams of father's brook she repaireth,  
Father's silver streams show daughter's head to be horned,  
Io the horned Cow, with her horns fears Io the damsel.  
Every water-nymph still looked and gazed on Io,  
Never a water-nymph thought this same Cow to be Io,  
Inachus her father still looked and gazed on Io,  
joes' own father did never think her his Io:  
And yet poor Io went every day to the aged  
Inachus: once himself plucked grass, and gave to the heifer:  
Io the gift for givers sake, very kindly received,  
And with streaming tears her father's hand she besprinkled,  
Lykt and kissed his hand: and would have gladly revealed  
Her mischance; and this new transformation uttered,  
But still, groans and allows, instead of words, she delivered.  
At last, two letters with her hoof she prynts by the river,  
I, and, O, for a sign of late transfigured Io.  
Inachus howld when he read this doleful letter of Io.  
Inachus howld, and cried, and clipped disfigured Io,  
Hanged on her horns and neck: and art thou Io my daughter?  
Io my daughter, alas, o most unfortunate Io.  
Inachus every where hath sought for beautiful Io,  
And now finds her a Cow, instead of a beautiful Io.  
Io better lost then found: for I lost her a brave lass,  
But now have found her, not a lass, not a wench, not a woman,  
Found her a Cow, dumb Cow, whose language is but a lowing:  
Whereas I, suspecting no such thing, sought for a husband  
For my dear Io, and Io hoapte for a young son;  
Io must have calves for sons, and bull for a husband.  
Inachus and Io thus leaning either on others  
Neck, complained and wept: then comes illuminat Argus,  
And drives father away from daughter's sight, to the fountains,  
And drives daughter away from father's sight, to the mountains.  
jupiter impatient to behold disconsolat Io,  
Commands Mercurius, to deceive untractable Argus.  
Mercury puts on his hat, takes staff and wings in a moment,  
Flies to the earth: where hat for a time, and wings he removeth,  
And th'enchanted staff, as a sheephooj, only reteigneth,  
And so plods to the down with an oaten pipe as a pastor,  
And still plays, as he plods, which strange mirth greatly delighted  
Cow-keeping Argus: who could not rest, till he called  
Mercury up to the mount. Now Mercury sits on a mountain  
Hard by Argus' side, and tells him there, of a purpose,  
This tale, and that tale: how worthily Phoebus Apollo  
Plagued proud Niobe, and Pallas scornful Arachne;  
And each tale had a song, and every song had a piping.  
Argus twixt nodding and gaping lastly demanded  
Who found out that pipe. Then Mercury 'gins to remember  
Pan and Syrinx love: but or half was brought to an ending,  
Argus his hundred lights were all obscured with a darkness,  
All bade him good night. Here Mercury quickly repressed  
Both his pipe and voice, and slumbering Argus he blessed  
With th'enchanted staff, that much more sound he sleeped:  
By and by, fro the neck, his nodding head he divided,  
And so by one cloud, one hundred stars he eclipsed.  
juno was all in a chafe; and Argus death she bewailed,  
And with self-same eyes her Peacock's train she bepainted:  
And made poor Io, possessed with an hellish Erinys,  
Run fro the east to the west, and never find any resting:  
Till by Jove's good means, fell Juno's fury relented,  
Forgave poor Io, and gave her leave to be lightened,  
And, for a further bliss, to be called Egyptian Isis.   

DAn●aetas had now done: and Elpinus thus recontinued his intermitted labour. jupiter in latin, is quasi Iuuans pater, that is, a helping father. In greek he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, à vivendo, of living, as being the author and giver of life. He reduced the old world from barbarism to civility, he builded temples for the Gods, made laws for men, and having subdued most part of the earth, divided the same among his brethren and kinsfolk, reserving to himself the mountain Olympus, where he kept his court. Allegorically, these and the like be the effects and operations of this beneficial planet jupiter. Olympus, is of itself most high, passing the clouds, the word is as much to say in Greek, as, all and wholly light and bright, and so taken for heaven. jupiter is commonly pictured sitting, sith the eternal Monarch of heaven, and earth, is always immutable, one, and the same, and never subject to any alteration. His upper parts are bare and naked, the lower, covered and concealed, signifying, that those superior and celestial spirits conceive the hidden mysteries of jupiter, who will not disclose himself to mortal men, dwelling on earth, and clogged with the heavy burden of a corruptible body. In his right hand he holdeth an all-ruling sceptre, in his left, a sin-correcting lightning, and his Aeagle standeth by. 
* Iupite●s picture.   
The sceptre noteth a temperate rule and moderate government, correspondent to the mild nature of that merciful planet: yet he wanteth not a lightning to plague the wicked, which is therefore ascribed unto him, sith he is middle between Saturn and Mars, whose contrary and repugnant qualities concur both together in jupiter, aswell the extremity of cold from the circle of Saturn, as the furious heat from the spheere of Mars, whose conflict and struggling together causeth thunder and lightning: whereof there be three kinds. The first, bright and clear, of a most wonderful piercing and subtle nature, melting gold, silver, and brass in a purse, the purse never touched, destroying the child in the mother's womb, the mother no way hurt, killing and spoiling a man, his garments not somuch as scorched. The second is that which burneth, and is red: the third is somewhat moist, and burneth not, but maketh black and blue: which was the cause that his lightning was called Trisulcum. The Eagle is his bird, as being, by report, never touched with thunder, but looketh directly on the burning beams of the sun, and is King of birds, as jupiter is Monarch among the Gods. Among trees, the oak is sacred unto him: because in old time, the oak by her ackorns, is said to have given l●fe and food, and jupiter himself is the author of life. He married his sister juno, so also called, à Iwando, of helping. Allegorically, jupiter noteth the celestial and fiery region, juno the airy and inferior; and because that celestial is immediately conjoined with this terrestrial, (and either of them is light and yielding, levis & mobilis) they are called brother and sister: and sith the celestial by reason of his heat is the agent, and the inferior because of her moisture the patiented or recipient, they be therefore also Man and Wife, for without heat and moisture no procreation. But of Jove's marriage it were fit time to speak, when juno his Wife comes in place. Now therefore to his Minions and lovetricks, which transformed him into sundry shapes of brute beasts: for this immoderate lust and wantonness, is not only beastlike itself, but maketh them also beasts which give themselves over thereunto.  
For the matter remembered by Damaetas, I have heard, that the Phaenicians did usually sail to Argos in Greece: and being there on a time, when they had made show of their merchandise, and divers women of Argos (among which was also Io daughter to Inachus their King) came thither of purpose to buy; the Phaenicians took them away all to their ships, and brought them to Egypt; where this Io was given in marriage to Osiris the Egyptian King, surnamed jupiter Ammon, as Diodorus Siculus maketh mention: and Io herself was afterwards among them honoured for a goddess, by the name of Isis. And because the Egyptians, in respect of husbandry, did with divine service and ceremonies honour a Cow, thereupon the fable took his ground, that Io being stolen by jupiter, was transformed to a Cow. The impression of a cows hoof, resembleth a greek ω with an 1 in the middle: whereupon it is said, that Io with her foo●e wrote her name on the bank of her father's brook. Natalis Comes maketh this ethical moralization of it. The celestial and heavenly power in Man, called reason or understanding, figured by Mercurius, doth moderate, pacify, and temper all those inordinate motions and affections proceeding from that other faculty of the mind, proucking to wrath and anger. This choleric and angry part of man's mi●de as long as it resteth, may be called Argus, sith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: signifieth heavy and slow: but being once provoked and incensed, it hath an hundred eyes, looking to every corner for revenge, and cannot be quiet, till Mercury dispatch him, that is, till Reason suppress and keep him under: Pontanus expoundeth it physically, making Mercury to be the sun (by whose beams he is ever lightened) the white Cow the Earth, Argus the Heaven, his eyes the Stars, which glister by night, but by the sun's approach, are all dashed and extinguished.  
Quin & Mercurium mutato nomine dicunt  
Argum somnifero victum stravisse caduceo,  
Insomnem, centumque oculos, ac lumina centum  
Pandentem, & niveae seruantem pascua vaccae.  
Argus enim Coelum est, vigilantia lumina flammae  
Aetheriae, & vario labentia sydera mundo.  
Quae passim multa sublustris noctis in umbra  
Collucent, sed mox phoebo exoriente perempta  
Torpent luce nova, & candenti lampade victa  
Emoriuntur, & obscuro conduntur Olympo.  
jupiter conveyed away Europa, Agenor's daughter in a Ship called, The Bull, which was the cause why he is said to ravish her by transforming himself into a Bull. In that he was turned to a golden shower to obtain Danae: we see, that gold overruleth, and that, as Cicero somewhere saith, Asellus auro onustus in castellum ascendere potest, an ass loaden with gold will enter any strong hold. Or else, Danae may represent man's soul, and jupiter's golden shower, the celestial grace and influence derived into our minds from above. Niobe, for her excessive pride and contempt of God, is worthily plagued, yea so extremely plagued in those very things wherein she chiefly vaunted, that for very anguish of heart and untolerable woe, she is said to be turned to a dull and senseless marble stone. The like mischief befell Arachne, who being endued with excellent qualities, thought scorn of the goddess which was her good Mistress, and might have been her patroness; and was therefore transformed to a spider.  
Elpinus having concluded this discourse, it was commanded by the Lady regent, that because juno was by nature and marriage conjoined with jupiter, they should also jointly be remembered, before any other of Satur's brood were meddled withal. Fulvia therefore being appointed for this narration, for that she could not readily call to mind any memorable tale of juno herself, sang as followeth of the Nymph Echo, who was always taken to be juno's daughter.   

TIresias, juno's and Jove's judge, blind, yet aseer,  
Foretold Narcissus this destiny. This pretty young Boy  
shallbe a man many years; if he never look on his own face.  
This seemed strange for a while, but th'end proved all to be too true.  
For, brave Narc●ssus (when he came at length to the sixteenth  
Year of his age, and might seem either a boy, or a bachelor)  
Had so lovely a look, so sweet and cheerful a countenance,  
That Nymphs and Ladies Narcissus daily desired:  
Yet so loveles a look, so proud and scornful a countenance,  
That Nymphs and Ladies, Narcissus daily refused.  
Echo once a day, the resounding Echo, that answers  
Every question asked, and yet no question asketh,  
Saw this gallant youth, as he hunted a dear by the forest.  
Echo the tattling Nymph was a true body then, not an only  
Voice, as now: although even then that voice was abridged  
Like as now: and this was done by juno the Empress,  
Mother, as it was thought, to the prating Dandiprat Echo.  
For when jove with Nymphs himself did mean to recomfort  
Here and there by the woods, and fetch his flings by the forests,  
She with a long discourse her mother juno deteigned,  
Till Nymphs all were gone, and Jove's devotion ended.  
juno perceiving these tricks, cut short the deluding  
Tongue of prattling elf: yet prattling elf thus abridged  
Of too much tattling and babbling in the beginning,  
Useth her old custom, by redoubling words in an ending.  
Therefore when she see's Narcissus go to the forest,  
Step for step thither by a secret path she repaireth,  
Burning still for love: and as she nearer aproacheth  
Unto the loved boy, so she more mightily burneth.  
Howmany thousand times, poor soul, she desired a desiring  
And entreating speech to the wandering boy to be uttering?  
But fatal nature would noeway grant a beginning.  
And yet, what nature permits, she greedily listeneth  
For some sound, which may make her to be quickly resounding.  
At last Narcissus from his hunting company straying  
Wished and said, O God, that I could see, somebody coming.  
Echo repeated again these last words, Somebody coming.  
Somebody coming? Where? qd wandering hunter amazed,  
Come then apace: And, Come then apace, poor Echo replied.  
Narcissus' wonders, looks back, see's noebody coming;  
Why, qd he, callst-thou me, and yet still run'st fro my calling?  
Criest and fliest? And, Criest and fliest? were dolefuly doobled.  
Then, qd Narcissus, let's meet, and both be together:  
Echo, these last words with most affection hearing,  
Answered him five times, Let's meet, and both be together,  
And so runs to the boy, in a fond conceit, fro the bushes,  
Ecclipse him fast by the neck, and offers friendly to kiss him.  
But proud boy, as proud as fair, disdainfuly frowning,  
Flies from her embracements, and says, Let greedy devouring  
Boars and bears be my grave, if I ever yield to thy pleasure.  
Echo said nothing, but, I ever yield to thy pleasure.  
And, for grief and shame to be too too proudly repulsed,  
Hides herself in woods and caves, and dwells by the deserts,  
And yet loves him still, still pines with unhappily loving.  
Careful love, and sleeples cares brought Echo to nothing,  
Nothing but bare bones with an hollow heavy resounding.  
For flesh was clean gone, and quite consumed to a powder,  
And life-giving blood went all to an air from a vapour.  
Yea, very bones at last, were made to be stones: the resounding  
Voice, and only the voice of forlorn Echo remaineth:  
Echo remaineth a voice, in deserts Echo remaineth,  
Echo noc-where seen, heard every where by the deserts.  
juno laughed no less, than when she saw in avernus  
Proud Ixion's wheel turn with revolution endless.  
But th'overweening princox, was justly rewarded;  
Who, for not loving others so loved his owneself,  
That self-will, self-love, as he saw himself in a fountain,  
Made him lose himself, for a fading shade of his owneself.   

THis tale being thus told by Fulvia, Elpinus took occasion thereby to discourse of juno much after this manner. juno, Jove's wife and sister, as I said before, is the Lady of marriage, and governess of childbirth, called therefore Lucina, à Luce, sith she, as a celestial midwife, helpeth to bring forward the children in lucem, into light. These proprieties are assigned unto her, for that she resembleth the virtue and efficacy of the air, and all this inferior composition, as I have already told. Oceanus and Thetis brought her up: the air is made of water rarefied and subtiled. She brought forth Vulcan unto jupiter: the air incensed and made hot, breedeth fire. Homer maketh jupiter bind juno with a golden chain, hanging two great masses of Iron at her heels, and that she thus tied, could be loosed by none, but by himself: juno is the air; the two weights of Iron, be the earth and water, between which two & the superior bodies she hangeth chained: & this golden chain is the cohoerent concatenation and depending of things united so in order, as none but only the almighty jupiter can dissolve the same. The Peacock is juno's bird, and draweth her chariot: juno is the goddess of riches and honour, which are as glorious in show, and as transitory in truth, as the Peacocks' spotted train, and make men as proud and insolent, as a Peacock, which in a vaunting and bragging conceit▪ displayeth to the beholders, her feathers bespprinckled with Argus his eyes. Her Nymphs and handmaids express the variable change & alteration of the air▪ portending either fair or fowl weather, winds, storms, rain, hail and such like: of whom Virgil maketh mention, 1. Aeneid. where juno offereth Aeolus the fairest lass of all her fourteen damsels.  
Sunt mihi bis septem praestanti corpore Nymphae;  
Quarum, quae forma pulcherrima, Deïopeiam,  
Connubio iungam stabili, propriamque dicabo,  
Omnes ut tecum meritis pro talibus annos  
Exigat, & pulchra faciat te prole parentem.  
juno might well command Aeolus, the king of winds, sith wind is nothing else but the air stirred, or an exhalation blustering in the air: therefore in that place Virgil maketh him thus answer juno.  
Tuus ô regina, quid optes,  
Explorare labour; mihi jussa capessere fas est.  
Tu mihi quodcunque est regni, tu sceptra, jovemque  
Concilias, tu das epulis accumbere diuûm  
Nymborumque facis tempestatumque potentem.  
Historically, Aeolus dwelling in a very hilly and windy country, perceived and foretold the mariners, by the flowing and reflowing of the seas, and such other Physical observations, what weather they should expect, noting and declaring unto them before hand the sure and unfallible tokens of the rising winds and tempests, whereupon he was called the king of winds, and his kingdom Aeolia, of his name: where he with his regal mace in his hand, pinneth up those blustering brethren in his dungeons, barred with huge hills and mountains, as there Virgil also beareth witness.  
Talia flammato secum dea cord volutans  
Nymborum in patriam, loca foeta furentibus auftris,  
Aeoliam venit: hic vasto rex Aeolus antro  
Luctantes ventos tempestatesque sonoras  
Imperio premit, ac vinclis & carcere frenat.  
Illi indignantes magno cum murmur, montis  
Circum claustra fremunt: celsa sedet Aeolus arce,  
Sceptra tenens, mollitque animos, ac temperat iras,  
Ni faciat, maria ac terras coelumque profundum  
Quip ferant rapidi secum verrantque per auras.  
The winds are painted winged, with swelling and puffing mouths and cheeks, among the rest, Boreas hath this peculiar, that his feet be serpentine, according to his pinching and biting nature 
* The pictures of the winds.   
As Mercury is jupiter's messenger, so is Iris juno's. Iris hath her name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of speaking, for she speaketh and telleth when rain is towards. Iris is the Raynbow, and juno is the air, wherein those rainy clouds are cluttered together. Iris is the daughter of Thaumas and Electra: Thaumas is the son of Pontus, the sea, or water: and Electra is the daughter of heaven, or the sun. Thaumas signifieth wondering and admiration, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and this bow, in truth, is every way wonderful, by reason of those so many strange colours appearing therein. Electra is perspicuity, or serenity; of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the sun, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, bright and serene: so this bow proceedeth from water and serenity, to weet from the reflection of the suns beams, in a watery cloud. juno herself sitteth on a throne, with a sceptre in her hand, a crown on her head, and her Peacock standing by her. 
* juno's picture.   
jupiter jesting with juno, whether man or woman had more pleasure, the matter was referred to Tiresias, who had been both woman and man: but giving sentence with jupiter, was deprived of his sight by juno. It is not good therefore to judge between our betters. Tiresias was a sage and contemplative man: and such are commonly blind to other matters, for that they scorn these inferior things, as having vowed their whole souls to more heavenly cogitations. Echo is juno's daughter, for she is nothing else, but the reverberation and reduplication of the air. Echo noteth bragging and vaunting▪ which being contemned and despised, turneth to a bare voice, a wind, a blast, a thing of nothing. Narcissus is a lover of himself, and so it falleth out, that vaunting and bragging loves self-love: He is turned to a flower, flourishing to day, and fading to morrow, as such overweeners always do.  
Ixion graced by jove, would needs dishonour juno: jupiter framed a counterfeit juno, in truth nought but a cloud: which Ixion using in stead of juno, begat the Centaurs. This is a note of ambitious and aspiring love, And these Centaurs hereupon were called Nubigenae. Historically they lived in high mountains in Thessalia, which gave occasion to this fiction. They were called halfemen, for that being practised in riding, they grew most expers therein, sitting on horses continually, so that they seemed not men and horses distinct, but a thing made of horse and man together. These rude fellows enraged with wine and lust, set all on an uproar at Pirithous his wedding.  
But to return to Echo, I remember an odd conceited dialogue between her & the affectionate lover, which as I heard it of late of a foreign Pastor, so here for novelties sake, I repeat it: that some of our company may another time either work on the same ground, or lay himself a new foundation.   

VAlli, sassi, montagne, antri, herb, & piaggie,  
Colli, selue, fontane, augelli, & fere,  
Satyri, Fauni, & voi ninfe leggiadre,  
Odite per pietà la pena mia.  
Vdite come amor mi mena a morte  
Legato in duro e indissolubil nodo? odo.  
Voce odo; deh chi sei tu, che rispondi  
A l'amaro & dolente piànger miò? Io.  
Ninfa sei force? di, se ninfa sei  
Tu, che di questa voce formi il suono? Sono.  
Ninfa sei dunque? deh dimmi anco il nome,  
Ch'io sappia chi si move à pianger meco. Echo  
Hora pois ch' Echo sei, porgimi orecchio,  
Odimi, se l'udir non ti dispiace. Piace.  
Tu vedi, com'io piango amarament,  
Deh movati pietà del mio cordoglio? Doglio.  
Se di me duolti, vuoi porger consiglio  
Al profondo pensier in cui m'inuoglio? Voglio.  
Ma che premio fia'l tuo, se'l mio tormento  
In qualche part almen part si annulla? Nulla.  
I'ti ringratio. Hor dunque mi consiglia,  
Poiche piu altro premio non richiedi. Chiedi.  
Tu vedi, Ninfa, com'amor mi strugge  
Chi'ò corro à morte, e à pena me n'aueggio? Veggio.  
Che mi consigli? che faro perch'io  
Trovi pietá là dou' amor mi chiama? Ama.  
Vorrei saper che cosa è quest' amore,  
Questo, che tutto m'arde, e che m'infiamma. Fiamma.  
Che fiamma è questa? come non finisce  
Di consumar, se mai non si rallenta? Lenta.  
In i loco s'annida? oue soggiorna?  
Che part è quella, ou'arde a mio dispetto? Petto.  
Com'entra dimmi? oue trova la via,  
Perch'ella dentro all petto si trabocchi? Occhi.  
Entra per gliocchi? parmi haver inteso,  
Che molti per udir s'namoraro. Raro.  
Dimmi, che cibo è'l suo, dove si pasce,  
Che par che dicontinuo ella m'acore? Core.  
See m'arde ' lcor! debbo durare ancora  
Al giogo, ou i'o mia liberta perdei? Dei.  
Adunque vuoi, chi'o stia nel mio pensiero  
constant anchor, bench sia afflitto e stanco? Anco.  
Tante lagrime spargo, e nulla giova,  
Dimmi, sarebbe force il pianto in vano? Vano.  
Che faro dunque acciò all mio casto ardire,  
Che m'arde, honesto premio si reserui? Serui.  
Credi, i l'amor mio le sera grato,  
Et ch'ella fia del mio servingman contenta? Tenta.  
Ogni via tentaro, se credi, ch'io  
Possa allcun premio riportarne pois. Poi.  
Hor qual esser deuro, se pur talhora  
Il dolour mi fara tremante infermo? Fermo.  
Ma che faro, s'egli cosi mi strugge,  
Ch'in pianto la mia vita si distempra? Tempra.  
Com'io la temprero, s'amor non cessa  
Di saettarmi da la terza Spera? Spera.  
Dunque, ninfa gentle, lo sperar, giova,  
E la mortale passion raffrena? Frena.  
Qual sia la vita mia, se senza speme  
Terrammi preso amor con man ' accorta? Corta.  
Se siano corti i giorni di mia vita,  
Non saran lieti almen, benc'hor m'attristi? Tristi.  
Che sperero? mi louse sperar force  
Che far mi debba un giorno amor felice? Lice.  
Vorrei saper chi mi dara speranza,  
Poich'a sperar la tua ra gion m'inuita? Vita.  
Vita haura dunque? hauro pois altro s●o  
Non mi las'io giamai mancar di Spene? Pene.  
Pene? Sperando adonque che mi giova?  
Ma chi sia causa, che di pene i tema? Tema.  
Tema la causa fia? deh dimmi il vero,  
Dunque tema potra farmi mendico? Dico.  
Ahi lasso, ahi discortese, empio timore,  
Hor questo dunque il mio piacer conturba? Turba.  
Pommi far peggio? dimmi se puo peggio  
Seguir à quest membra afflitte e smorte? Morte.  
Morte? se dunque il timor passa'l segno,  
Talhor si more per souerchio amore? More.  
Come lo scacciero? l'alma si strugge,  
Che non lo vuole, piange, e si dispera. Spera.  
Tu pur dici ch'io spera, speme force  
Credi, che sola sia, ch'altri consola? Sola.  
Levera tutto, ò part del tormento,  
Lasso, che mi consuma, e'l cor mi part? part.  
Adunque la speranza per se sola  
Beato non potra far mi giamai? Mai.  
Ma oltre amore servitute, e speme,  
Che ci vuol? dimmi'l tutto a part a part. Arte.  
Chi mi dara quest' arte forsi, amore  
Altri chi sia, se no è amor istesso? Esso.  
Insegna dunque amor, dunque a gli amanti,  
Amor delver amor l'arte dimostra? Mostra.  
Dimmi di gratia, scopriro la fiamma,  
ò mi consigli, ch'io non la discopri? Scopri.  
A cui debbo scoprirla? ad ogn'un force?  
o bastera, che sol l'intenda alcuno? uno.  
Vuoi che ad un sol amico fia palese,  
Celato à gli altri sia'l colpo mortale? Tale.  
Sapremo soli tre dunque il mio ardore,  
Se vuoi, che con un solo mi consoli. Soli.  
Ma dimmi quale deve esser colui  
à cui l'ardor secreto mio confido? Fido.  
Trouerans'in amor fedeli amici  
C'habbin riguardo poi d'amico algrado? Rado.  
Come dunque faro perch lo trovi  
Che fia fedel, si come si ricerca? Cerca.  
E s'io lo trovo, che potra giovarmi?  
Forsi talhor la passion rileva? Leva.  
Hor questo che mi dettis, dimmi'l modo  
Vero d'amor, dimmi di gratia'l vero? Vero.  
Se questò è il vero modo, i'son felice,  
Homai non temo, che'l dolour m'atterri. Erri.  
Perch' erro? forsi anchor altro ci vuole?  
Perche senz'ale il mio pensier non vuole? Vole.  
Altrro ci vuol anchor? non basta questo?  
Deh dimmi'l ver, non mi lasciar incerto? Certo.  
I ci vuol dunque di per cortesia,  
Perch di gioia sia l'alma consort? Sorte.  
Sorte? hor altro ci vuol accioche in fine  
Voglia, espeme in van nò starò in sort? Sorte.  
In somma di, sopra tutto che giova,  
Hor resta in pace, ninfa, io ti ringratio,  
I co'l tuo ragionar par che mi aviui? Vivi.  
Philoveuia, being next by turn, was willed to remember what she could concerning the watery Nymphs & Ladies of the seas; that thereby Elpinus might show his conceit touching Neptune, the second heir of Saturnus. And this was her song.   

SCilla sat her down, than a maid, now changed to a monster,  
Sat her down on a bank with seaborn Dame Galathea,  
Down on a flowering bank, not far from sulphurus Aetna.  
And there 'gan to recount ten thousand wily devices,  
Wherewith poor young youths in scornful sort she deluded.  
Yea, but alas, said then, with a far-fet sigh Galathea,  
They that seek thy love, yet suffer daily repulses,  
Bear men's face, men's heart, and so are safely repulsed.  
But Galathea the wretch, (o woeful wretch Galathea)  
Can not avoid lewd lust and rage of lout Polyphemus,  
Captain of Aetna'es' fiends, but alas, but alas with a danger,  
Nay with a death, o death: and there grief stopped Galathea.  
At length, inward woe with weeping somewhat abated,  
Thus, for Sulla's sake her darlings death she remembered.  
There was (woe worth was) was a fair boy, beautiful Acis,  
Acis, Faunus boy, and boy of lovely Simethis,  
Acis, Faunus joy, and joy of lovely Simethis,  
Best boy of Faunus, best boy of lovely Simethis,  
Most joy of Faunus, most joy of lovely Simethis:  
And yet better boy, and greater joy by a thousand  
Parts, to the blessed then, but now accursed Galathea,  
Then to the sire Faunus, to the mother lovely Simethis,  
As Galathea thus did love her beautiful Acis,  
So Polyphemus alas did love his lass Galathea,  
And Galathea still did loath that lusk Polyphemus.  
O dear Lady Venus, what a sovereign, mighty, triumphant,  
And most imperious princess art thou in Olympus?  
This rude ass, brute beast, foul monster, sidebely Cyclops,  
This Polyphemus loves: this grim Polyphemus, a mocker  
Of both Gods and men: this blunt Polyphemus, a terror  
Unto the wildest beasts: this vast Polyphemus, a horror  
Even to the horrible hills and dens, where no man abideth,  
This Polyphemus loves, and dotes, and woos Galathea:  
Foregoes his dungeons, forsakes his unhospital harbours,  
Leaves his sheep and Goats, & frames himself to be finish,  
Learns to be brave, forsooth, and seeks thereby to be pleasing,  
Cuts his bristled beard with a sith, and combs with an Iron  
Rake, his staring bush, and views himself in a fishpond;  
And there frameth a face, and there composeth a countenance,  
Face for a devils good grace, & countenance fit for a hellhound.  
His bloodthirsting rage, for a while is somewhat abated,  
His brutish wildness transformed to a contrary mildness:  
Strangers come and go, sail-bearing Ships by the Cyclops  
Pass and safely repass, and never fear any danger;  
This Polyphemus now, is changed from that Polyphemus.  
Telemus in mean time, as he sailed by Sicilian Aetna,  
(Telemus in birds-flight had a passing singular insight)  
Came to the ugly Giant, and said, that he should be deprived  
Of that his one broad eye (which stood there filthily glooming  
In middle forehead) by crafts-contriver Ulysses.  
Blind fool, qd Polypheme, can a blind man lose any eyesight?  
Poor Polypheme of his eye was by Galathea deprived  
Long since, and cares not for crafts-contriver Ulysses.  
Thus contemning that which after proved a true-tale,  
Either in hellish caves his devilish carcase he rouseth,  
Or, by the shaking shore and seaside lazily stalketh,  
Or, very rocks themselves with a lubbers burden he crusheth.  
There was a hill, that stretched with sharpened point to the seaward,  
And had both his sides with Neptune daily bedashed:  
Hither he climbs, and here his cartload limbs he reposeth,  
Here his fellow Goats, and Rams, and Sheep he beholdeth:  
Then lays down his staff (his walking staff was a Pine-tree,  
One whole huge Pine-tree, that might well serve for a main mast  
Unto an Armado) and after, takes up a jarring  
Pipe (fit for piper Polypheme, fit lute for a lowby)  
Compact of five-score and fifteen reeds, with a clumsy  
Fist, and scrapes, and blows, and makes so shameful an outcry.  
That both lands and seas did groan with a deadly resounding,  
Hearing this fowl Swad such rustical harmony making;  
For there under a rock, as I lay, and leaned in Acis  
Lapet, this song I did hear, and bear with a heavy remembrance.  
More white than Lilies, than Primrose flower Galathea,  
More fresh than green grass, more slyke & smooththen a cockle  
Shell, that's washed and worn by the sea, more coy than a wanton  
kid, more brigt than glass, more joy to the heart than a winter's  
Sun, or summers shade, more fair and seemly to look on  
Then strait up-mounting plante-tree, more clear than a Crystal  
Stream all freeze, more worth than a hoard of melloed apples,  
More sweet than ripe grapes, more soft than down of a cignet,  
And, (so that thou couldst accept poor worm Polyphemus)  
More dear than Diamond to the loving worm Polyphemus.  
And yet more stubborn than an vntam'de Ox, Galathea,  
More light than floating billows, more hard than an aged  
Oak, more rude than a rock, more tough than twig of a Willow,  
More violent than stream of a brook, more fierce than a wildfire,  
More sharp and pricking then thorns, more proud than a Peacock,  
More spiteful than a trodden snake, more cursed than a whelping  
Bear, more deaf than seas, and (which most grieves Polyphemus)  
More swift-paced than a Hart, than winged winds, Galathea.  
O, but alas, run not, look back, and know Polyphemus.  
My bower with main rocks and mounts is mightily vaulted,  
That scalding sunbeams in summer never approach it,  
And blustering tempests in winter never annoy it:  
My trees bend with fruit, my vines are ever abounding  
With grapes, some like gold, some others like to the purple:  
And both golden grapes, and purpled grapes be reserved  
For my sweet purpled, my golden wench Galathea.  
Thou with thine own hands mayst easily pluck fro the bushes  
Blackbery, hips, and haws, and such fine knacks by the forest,  
Damsons, sloes, and nuts: and if thou wilt be my wedded  
Wife, each tree and twig, and bush shall bring thee a present,  
Every bush, twig, tree, shall serve my wife Galathea.  
All these sheep be my own, 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 feed in valleys, or keep their places appointed  
And stalls hard by my bower: and if thou ask me the number  
Of them, I know it not, for beggars use to be telling  
Howmany sheep they keep, my goods, Galathea, be endless,  
My sheep nomberles: yet among these so-many thousand  
Flocks of sheep, not a sheep did I ever prove to be fruitless.  
Thou thy-self mayst see my goats and sheep to be straddling  
With bagging udders, thou mayst see howmany lambkins,  
And young kids I do keep, kids and lambs both of a yeaning.  
Milk I do never want, and part I reserve to be drunken,  
Part in curds and cheese, with thrift I prepare to be eaten.  
Neither shall my love Galathea be only presented  
With birds nests, kids, doves, and such like paltry stale-stuffe,  
And common love-toys, which easily may be aforded  
By each carters swain: Polyphemus found on a mountain  
Two brave young Beare-whelps, either so like to an other,  
That who marks not well, will soon take one for an other:  
These did I find of late, and these do I keep for a token,  
For to be playfellows for my bonilasse Galathea.  
O then scorn not me, scorn not my gifts, Galathea;  
This body shallbe thy spoil, and this blood shallbe thy booty,  
These sheep shallbe thy goods, and these hills shallbe thy dowry.  
Sweet pig, scorn not me; for I know myself to be comely,  
Often I look in a lake, and set myself by a fishpond,  
Making mine own eyes of mine own eyes the beholders,  
And when I see my face, I delight my face to be seeing.  
Look how big I do look, how strong and stordily squared,  
Mark how mighty I am: no thundering jove in Olympus,  
(You fools tell many tales of a thundering jove in Olympus)  
No great thundering jove is greater than Polyphemus.  
See what a swinging bush gives covering unto my countenance,  
And, as a thickset groave, makes dreadful shade to my shoulders.  
My Flesh's hard indeed, all overgrown with a bristled  
hide, and rugged skin; but that's but a sign of a man's heart,  
And is nomore shame to the strong and stout Polyphemus,  
Then broad leaves to a tree, then fair long mane to a foaming  
Steed, than sins to a fish, than feathers unto a flying  
Fowl, or wool to a sheep. One eye stands steedily pitched  
In my front: but an eye, yet an eye as broad as a buckler.  
And what, I pray you, hath this sun any more but his one eye?  
And yet he sees all things, and all things only with one eye.  
Lastly, my sire Neptune with threeforckt mace, as a sovereign  
Ruls in Sea's: and so shall seaborn dame Galathea  
By taking Polypheme, best imp of Seas, for a husband,  
Have also Neptune, chief Lord of Seas, for a father,  
Earth-shaking Neptune, that strove with mighty Minerva  
For the renowned Athens (as he often towld me his own-selfe)  
And raised up Troy walls with threatening towers to the heavens:  
With whose rage both Lands and seas are fearefuly trembling,  
At whose beck springs, wells, floods, brooks, pools, lakes be obeying,  
As soon as they hear his Triton mightily sounding.  
Then, Galathea relent, and yield to thy own Polyphemus,  
Sith Polyphemus yields himself to his own Galathea,  
Sith Polyphemus yields: who cares not a rush for a thundering  
heaven, and heavens King: thy frowning's worse than a thousand  
Lightnings and thunders. Yet I could forbear thee the better.  
If thou didst aswell scorn others, as Polyphemus.  
But why should Galathea refuse well grown Polyphemus.  
And yet like and love and woo, effoeminat Acis?  
Whom if I catch, I'll make him know, that great Polyphemus  
Arm's as strong as great. I'll paunce that paltry princox,  
Trail his guts by the fields, and tear his flesh in a thousand  
Gobbets, yea i'll power his blood, hart-bloud to the waters:  
Even thine own waters, if I ever take Galathea  
Dealing with that boy, dwarf Acis, dandiprat Acis,  
Elf Acis: for I boil with most outragius anger  
And most raging love: me thinks whole sulphurus Aetna.  
Aetna with all his flames in my breast makes his abiding,  
And yet neither love nor wrath can move Galathea.  
Thus when he had this sweet loves lamentation ended,  
Vp-gets th'one eyed fiend, and rangeth abroad by the forest,  
Roaring out, as a bull, driven back with force from a heifer:  
And at length spies out us two there down in a valley,  
Me and Acis alas unawares; and cries in a fury,  
Endless grief and shame confound forlorn Polyphemus.  
If that I make not now your love toys all, to be ended.  
This did he roar, but he roared this with so hellish an outcry,  
That mount Aetna with echo resounds, and grisly Typheous  
Groans for fear, and breaths forth flashing flames to the heaven,  
Vulcan starts fro the forge, and Brontes runs fro the anvil,  
And swelting Steropes, with barlegd ugly Pyracmon  
Leave their Iron tools: yea Pluto the prince of Avernus  
Herd this yelling fiend, and feared, lest that his own hound  
Cerberus had broke lose with three-throate jaws to the heavens.  
Here I alas for fear, 'dopt underneath the reflowing  
Waves, and poor Acis fled back, and cried, Galathea,  
Help, Galathea, help; and let thy boy be received  
In thy watery bowers, Polyphemus murdereth Acis.  
Cyclops runs to a rock in a rage, and tears in a fury  
One great piece, as big as a mount, and hurls it at Acis:  
And but a little piece thereof touched beautiful Acis,  
Yet that little piece o'erwhelmed whole beautiful Acis.  
Here I alas, poor wretch, wrought all that destiny suffered  
For to be wrought, and caused his strength to be freshly renewed,  
His life even by a death now more and more to be lengthened,  
And his dearest name and fame to be daily remembered,  
And myself and him, by a heavy divorce, to be joined.  
His blood sprang fro the lump; his blood first cherefuly purpled,  
Then by degrees it changed, and redness somewhat abated,  
And looked like to a pool troubled with rain from Olympus,  
Afterwards, it clearde: then lump cloave, and fro the cleaving,  
Flowering reads sprung forth, and bubbling water abounded.  
Beautiful Acis thus was then transformed to a horned  
Brook; and yet this brook took name of beautiful Acis.  
Acis a loving stream, runs down with a lovely resounding,  
down to the great sovereign of seas with speedy reflowing,  
There, his yearly tribute to the threeforckt God to be paying▪  
And there, his Galathea for evermore to be meeting.  
Here Galathea did end: and coy dame Scylla departed:  
Whom sea-God Glaucus (new God, late made of a fisher)  
Loved, but unhappily loved: and wept, when he saw her a monster.   

THen, quoth Elpinus, Neptune was the second of the three brethren and sons of Saturn, which had the whole frame of the world parted among them; jove had the heavens, Neptune the seas all the rest was Pluto's. Historically, as some think, jove had the East, Pluto the West, Neptune the seacosts: howsoever, Neptune is sovereign of the seas, who also many times shaketh with his imperial mace the very foundations of the earth, according to that of Ovid, 
Ipse tridente suo terram percussit, at illa  
Intremuit, motuque vias patefecit aquarum.  For, in coast adjoining to the sea, earthquakes and inundations of waters are most usual. Homer for this cause calleth Neptune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Earth-shaker. And as Pallas was precedent of Towers, and juno a governess of Gates, so Neptune had care of the groundworkes and foundations of buildings; which are never said to be firm, unless they be laid as deep as the water. Therefore as Neptune was hired by Laomedon to build those stately walls of Troy, so in the subversion of the same, himself is as busy afterwards, as appeareth by that of Virgil 2. Aeneid.  
Neptunus' muros, magnoque emota tridente  
Fundamenta quatit, totamque è sedibus urbem  
Eruit, etc.  
For towers, Virgil 2. Aeglo.  
Pallas quas condiditarces,  
Ipsa colat.  
And 2. Aeneid.  
jam summas arces Tritonia, respice, Pallas  
Obsedit, nymbo effulgens, & gorgone saeva.  
For gates, Virgil 2. Aeneid.  
hic juno Scaeas saevissima portas  
Prima tenet, sociumque furens à navibus ignem  
Ferro accincta, vocat.  
Cymothoe, is Neptune's servant, signifying the swiftness of the waves and billows: for, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is a wave, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is to run, as if a man would say, a running wave. Triton is his trumpeter. Plyny reporteth that the Vlyssiponense● sent ambassadors to Tiberius Caesar, giving him to understand, that in then country, there was one of these Tritons seen and heard singing: being a sea-monster, resembling a man by his upper parts, and a fish by those below this colour was like the sea-water; his skin hard with shells: and is called Neptune's trumpeter, to sound the retreat, when his master would have the sea to be calm; because when he is heard thus singing, or seen apearing in the water, it is a sign of calm and fair weather. Neptune's mace is also Tridens, three-forked, for that there is a triple and threefold virtue in waters, the first in wells, which are sweet: the second in seas, and they are salt: the third in lakes, being unpleasant and unsavoury: or rather, because every one of the three brethren hath somewhat to do in every part of the tripartite kingdom: which may also be a cause why jupiter's lightning is also Trisulcum, and Pluto's Sceptre Tridens. For albeit jupiter is especially predominant in heaven, Neptune in the seas, and Pluto in the lower regions; yet that almighty and all-overruling power is indifferently apparent in every of these three kingdoms, and in heaven is called jupiter, in seas Neptune, below Pluto, whom therefore Virgil calleth stigium iovem, the Stygian jupiter.  
Neptune's wife, is Amphitrite, the water itself, governed by Neptune, noting the efficacy of nature ruling in seas & deeps. She is called Amphitrite of compassing, enuyroning, or turning about, as the sea embraceth and encloseth the earth. Neptune had an infinite number of sons and daughters: moisture is fit for generation; which was the cause that Thales the Philosopher made water to be the ground and beginning of every 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 Saturn's devouring mouth, his mother showed a colt, instead of him: and when Pallas and Neptune contended, who, as most beneficial, should give name to Athens, he with his mace struck 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 loveth plains and large places, where free scope is to run, as is the sea, for that cause called, aequor. Therefore the Roman sports called Ludi circenses, wherein the race of horses was usual, were celebrated in honour of Neptune; and Horace maketh Ulysses his son speak thus to Menelaus, 
Non est aptus equis Ithacae locus, ut neque planis  
Porrectus spatijs, neque multae prodigus herbae,   
Neptune, with his Queen Amphitrite, standeth in a great shell as in a chariot, drawn with two horses, whose hinder parts end in fishes, a Tridens in his hand, a white and frothy crown on his head; with hair, beard, and robe, of colour like the sea-water. 
* neptunes ●icture.   
His Nymphs are called Nereids: of which kind, Theodorus Gaza saith, that himself saw one cast on a shore: fashioned like a woman in her upper parts, but ended like a fish. Galathea is so called of whiteness, and noteth the very froth of the Sea. Humour and moisture be the chief causes of augmentation; Neptune therefore, as he hath many children, so hath he some of them great and monstrous; among others, Polyphemus: who, though vast and rude, yet loved, (such is the force of love) but loved like a lout, such is the home-born education of rural clowns. Polyphemus, as the rest of that rout, was called Cyclops, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as having but one round eye in his forehead; in truth meaning a buckler, framed round like an eye, although Servius do otherwise expound it. He is reported to be a bloody and thievish manqueller, robbing and spoiling all along the Sicilian shore: from whom Ulysses wisely escaped, and was therefore said to have bored out his great eye with a firebrand. This tyrant Polypheme loved a noble Lady named Galathea, but could not obtain her: at last, using force for law, kept her violently: and perceiving that she affected one Acis, more than himself, murdered the youth Acis, and threw his body into a river, which thereof bore that name. Allegorically, as some will have it, Polyphemus is a miserable and worldly keeper of sheep and kine: he loveth Galathea the Lady of milk: and, knowing that moist places be best for milk, cannot abide, that Galathea should come near Acis, a river in Sicilia, whose natural propriety was said to be such, as that it would dry up and consume milk.  
Glaucus' loved Scylla: but being rejected of her, he entreated Circe to make her affectionate by charming. Circe at first sight falleth in love with Glaucus, who in like sort refuseth her, whereupon she infecting the waters where Scylla usually bathed herself, transformed her into a monster, which afterwards became a rock. This Glaucus, perceiving the fish which he had caught, by tasting a certain herb, presently to leap again into the water, himself, for trial, did pluck and eat, and by virtue thereof transformed, threw himself also into the sea: where he was deified. The tale is reported by Ovid in the end of the thir●eenth and beginning of the fourteenth of his transformations, and expounded by Tasso in the second part of his dialogue, entitled Gonzago, overo del piacer honesto: where, by the deified Glaucus, he understandeth the intellectual part and faculty of man: by the sea wherein he fisheth, the body and all bodily matters, being the matter subject of natural philosophy, and subject to continual alteration like the sea: by his fishing, the discoursing and syllogstical reasoning of Intellectus: by his nets: the instruments of natural Logic: by the fish caught, those general maximaes▪ and universal grounds, and true conclusions and consequences: by the herb which he did bite, the heavenly delight of contemplation, whereby he was made a God: by the casting of himself into the sea, his coming and descending from the quiet rest of contemplation, to the variable sea of action and operation, figured also by the double shape and twoforked tail of Glaucus and the other sea-Gods. Thus doth Tasso transform Glaucus to a God: and by a little turning of his exposition, he turneth him thus to a brute beast. Glaucus, by tasting the herb, leapeth into the sea, together with his fishes: that is, by yielding to the enchanting force of pleasure, he so drowneth himself in the Aphrodisian sea of sensuality, that he becomes altogether beastlike.  
Historically, Scylla and Charybdis were two rocks in the Sicilian sea. Scylla had that name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of spoiling; or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of vexing: or else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of whelps or dogs, sith the beating of the waves upon the rock, made a noise like the barking of curs. Charibdis' was so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of gaping, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to sup up, or devour.  
By Typheous, Sabinus understandeth the burning and flaming exhalations, cause of that fire in Aetna: which clustered together, and wanting free passage, shake the earth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is, to smoke▪ see Virgil 3. Aeneid. and ovid. 5. Metam. It seemeth, that the violent fury of the winds, is here also shadoed by Typheous: for, his hands reach from East to West, and his head to heaven, agreeing with the nature of the several winds blowing in every coast of Heaven. His body is covered with feathers, noting the swiftness of the winds: about his legs are crawling adders, so the winds are oftentimes pestilent and hurtful, his eyes are red as fire, and he breathes flames out of his mouth; for, the winds are made of hot and dry vapours. 
* The picture of Typhoem   
Acis made a river, is said to be horned: Horns are attributed unto rivers, either because the crooked turnings and windings thereof resemble horns, or for that the furious noise of roaring and raging waters is like the bellowing of a Bull, or lowing of an Ox or Cow. They are crowned with reads: reads grow plentifully in watery places, they are figured with long hair and beard, like a man, always lying, leaning on one elbow, or on some great vessel, whence water issueth abundantly. I need not make any explication hereof, all is so manifest. 
* The pictures of rivers and floods.   
Among other seaborn monsters the Mermaids must not be forgotten, they had the face and proportion of women to the waste, & thence downwards, the resemblance of fishes: some others give them wings, and scraping feet, like the feet of hens: they were three, Parthenope, that is, Virgin's face: Leucosia, white and fair, and Ligia, which is, sounding. They were borne of Achelous, noting moisture, and the muse Calliope, that is, fair spoken: the one sang, the other sounded a trumpet, the third played on a lute, so sweetly, that such as sailed, were enticed thereby to the dangerous rocks where they frequented. Ulysses' being to pass that way, commanded his companions to stop their own ears with wax, and then fasten him to the mast of the ship, lest that enchanting melody might be their bane: which policy did so confound the sirens with shame and sorrow, that they thereupon threw themselves headlong into the sea. Ovid maketh them Proserpinaes' companions, who losing their Lady and Queen, were thus made birds in part, and yet reteigned their former face and beauty. Suidas saith, that in truth, they were certain blind and dangerous rocks, which by the breaking and beating of the billows, did make such a sweetly resounding murmur, that it alured the passengers thither, to their own destruction. Whatsoever they were, Allegorically they signify the cozening tricks of counterfeit strumpets, the undoubted shipwreck of all affectionate younkers: and therefore is it said by Virgil, that the Mermaids rocks are all over spread with bones of dead men, whose destruction their deceivable allurements had procured. Xenophon is of this mind, that the sirens did learnedly and sweetly extol the famous acts of renowned men: and that therefore Homer maketh them entertain Ulysses with their pleasing voice, who indeed was for politic stratagems the chief ornament of Greece: and no doubt, these sweet and glorious commendations of great men's exploits, are the most effectual charms, to work any impression in an heroical mind, and with this conceit of Xenophon, Cicero doth also agree. Besides these three already named, some add five others, that is, Pisinoe of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to persuade, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the mind: Aglaope sweet of look: Thelxiope, lovely of look; for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is to please and delight. Thelxinoe, delighting the mind: and Aglaophone, with the pleasant voice. They were termed sirens, of drawing, deteigning, and alluring men unto them, as the Greek word importeth. 
* The mermaids pictures.   
Of the marine monsters, Proteus yet remaineth: who being King in Egypt, did so wisely apply himself, and frame his wit to every particular accident, that he was said to turn and transform himself to any kind of shape. Some refer this to the custom observed of the Egyptian kings, who never came abroad, but having some one or other ensign on their head, as a token of their imperial majesty: and this they changed continually; sometimes using the image of a Lion, sometimes of a Bull, sometimes this, and sometimes that, which variety gave ground and occasion to this fable. It is reported, that he reigned in the Isle Carpathus, whereof, the Carpathian sea by Egypt, had his name: which because it had great store of sea-calues and other sea monsters, Proteus himself was called Neptune's herdsman, keeping his seaish flocks. Cornelius Gemma, in his book de divinis naturae characterismis allegorically expoundeth this tale out of the fourth of Virgil's Georgics, making Proteus, a type of nature. Plato compareth him to the wrangling of brabbling sophisters: and some there be that hereby understand, the truth of things obscured by so many deceivable appearances: Lastly, there want not others, which mean hereby the understanding and intellectual part of man's mind, which unless it seriously and attentively bend itself to the contemplation of things, shall never attain to the truth, as Proteus would never reveal his prophetical knowledge, but first did turn and wind himself every way to escape, until with bands he were enforced thereunto, as Homer (the first author of this invention) 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 mighty Monarches of the world.   

PLuto the Duke of devils, enraged with an hellish Erynnis,  
'Gan to repine and grudge, and move a rebellius uproar,  
For that he wanted a wife: and now even all the detested  
Infernal rabblement, and loathsome brood of Avernus  
Clustered on heaps and troops and threatened wars to Olympus.  
But Lachesis, fearing lest laws laid down by the thunder,  
By the revenging rout of fiends might chance to be broken,  
Fate-spinning Lachesis cried out to the prince of Avernus.  
Sovereign Lord of damned Ghosts, and mighty Monarcha  
Of Stygian darkness, which giv'st each thing a beginning,  
And by thy dreadful doom, dost draw each thing to an ending,  
Ruling life and death with jurisdiction endless;  
O let those decrees and fatal laws be obeyed,  
Which we three sisters for you three brethren appointed:  
Let that sacred league and peace last freely for ever;  
Stay these more than civil wars, unnatural uproars,  
And intestine broils: ask jove, and stay for an answer,  
jove shall give thee a wife. His rage was somewhat abated,  
Though not well calmed, yet he yields at last to the fatal  
Sisters entreating and tears; although with an ill will  
And a repining heart, and Mercury sends to Olympus  
With this round message: Tell jove that stately triumpher,  
Pluto cannot abide to be thus controlled by a brother,  
Imperius brother: who though that he maketh a rumbling  
With scarecrow thunders, and hurls his flames in a fury  
On poor mortal men; yet he must not think that avernus  
Undaunted Captain, with bugs can so be deluded.  
Is't not enough that I live in darksome dens of Avernus,  
Where fire, smokes, & fogs, grief, plagues, & horror aboundeth,  
Whilst usurping jove keeps court in lightsome Olympus,  
But that he must also forbid me the name of a husband,  
And restrain those joys which nature freely afordeth?  
Seas-sou'raigne Neptune embraceth his Amphitrite,  
And clowd-rolling jove enjoys Saturnia juno,  
His wife and sister, (for I let slip slippery by-blows)  
But scorned Pluto must still forsooth be a bachelor,  
Still be a wifelsss boy and childeles: But, by the dreadful  
Streams of sacred Styx I protest, if he yield not an answer  
Unto my full content, I'll lose forth all the revengful  
Brood of damnable hags and helhounds up to the heavens:  
I'll confound heaven, hell, light, night, I'll cast on a cluster  
Blissful Olympus' bowers, with baleful dens of Avernus.  
Pluto's tale scarce told, lightfooted Mercury mounting  
up to the highest heavens, disclosed each word to the thunder:  
Who consulting long, at last thus fully resolved,  
That Stygian brother, should take Proserpina, daughter  
Unto the Lady Ceres, peerless Proserpina: matchless,  
And yet fit for a match. Bloody Mars, and archer Apollo  
Sought her a long while since; Mars big & framed for a buckler,  
Phoebus' fit for a bow, Mars active, learned Apollo:  
Mars offered Rhodope, Phoebus would give her Amyclas,  
And Clarian temples, and Delos fair for a dowry.  
Lady Ceres cast off bloody Mars, and archer Apollo,  
Contemning Rhodope, despising proffered Amyclas:  
And fearing violence and rape, commendeth her only  
Darling and dear child to the dearest soil of a thousand  
Lovely Sicily▪ from whence with watery cheeks she returned  
Unto the towre-bearing Cybele, and loud Coribantes,  
On Phrygian mountains: Where she no sooner arrived,  
But jove, spiteful jove took opportunity offered,  
And by the secret sleights and wiles of false Cytheroea,  
In mother's absence her daughter alas he betrayed.  
Go, qd he, my wanton, go now whilst mother is absent,  
Bring her daughter abroad to the flowering fields of a purpose;  
Atropos hath decreed, that supreme Duke of Avernus  
My brother Pluto, must have Proserpina, fatal  
Orders must be obeyed: thy jurisdiction hereby  
shallbe the more enlarged, and fame fly daily the further,  
If very hell feel hell, taste hellish pangs of a Lover.  
She (for a word was enough) conveyed her away in a moment,  
And (for so jove would) Pallas with stately Diana  
joined as companions: all which three last arrived  
There, where Lady Ceres her daughter's bower had appointed.  
Wyly Venus draws on simple Proserpina forthwith,  
Unto the green meadows: herself went first as a leader,  
Next came fair Phoebe, and jove-borne Pallas Athene,  
And she between them both, who both them rightly resembled,  
Sweet yet sweetly severe Proserpina: even very Phoebe,  
If that a bow were given, if a target, Pallas Athene.  
And sweet water-Nymphs by the careful mother appointed,  
Their maiden Princess with a princelike company guarded:  
Chief of all others, Cyane there made her appearance,  
Whom for her excelling conceit, and seemly behaviour,  
Chiefly of all other well-Nymphs Proserpina loved.  
There was a Crystal brook by the fields, that joined on Aetna.  
Called Pergusa, transparent down to the bottom;  
Trembling leaves as a veil, gave cooling shade to the water,  
Trembling leaves of trees, that crowned this lake as a garland;  
Every tree displayed his flowering boughs to the heaven,  
Every bow had a bird which therein made her abiding,  
Every bird on bow took joy to be cherefuly chirping,  
Every chirp was a song, persuading all to be loving.  
Fresh-colored meadows were overspread with a mantle  
Figured, and Diapered with such and so many thousand  
Natures surpassing conceits, that maruelus Iris  
Was no marvel at all, and spotted train, but a trifle,  
Prowd-hart Peacock's spotted train, compared to the matchless  
Art, which nature showed, in showing so-many strange shows.  
Hither these Ladies are come, and every Lady  
Plucketh at every flower; seeing each flower to be more fair,  
More fresh, more radiant, more lovely, than every Lady.  
In mean time Pluto wounded by wily Cupid,  
Intends his journey to Sicilia; Grisly Megoera,  
And fell Allecto his foaming steeds be preparing,  
Steeds, that drank on Lethe's Lake, and fed by the joyless  
Banks of Cocytus. Nycteus and sulphurus Aethon  
Swift, as a shaft; fierce Orphnaeus with fearful Alastor,  
joined to the coal-black coach, drew near to Sicilian: Aetna;  
And seeking passage, with strange and horrible earthquakes  
Overturned whole towns, and turrets stately defaced.  
Every Nymph heard, felt, and feared this deadly resounding,  
And dreadful quaking, but of all this deadly resounding  
And dreadful quaking, not a nymph there knew the beginning,  
Saving only Venus; whose heart with terror amazed,  
Yet with joy possessed, was party to all the proc●eding.  
Duke of Ghosts, missing of a way, through so-many by-ways,  
And all impatient with loves rage, broke with his Iron  
Mace, the rebelling rocks, and piearst through th'earth to the heavens,  
Heavens all dismayed to behold so hellish an object.  
Stars fled back for fear, Oríons' heart was appalled,  
Charles-Wayne ran to the sea, that he evermore had abhorred,  
And by the irksome noise, and neighing of the detested  
And poisoned palfreys of Pluto, laesy Boötes  
took himself to his heels, and lingering wain did abandon.  
Baleful breath of night-borne coursers darkened Olympus  
Cheerful light, and loathed foam distilled fro the bleeding  
Bits, infected th'air: and th'earth all torn by the trampling,  
Shaked and quakte for dread, and yielded a heavy resounding.  
Ladies all ran away; Proserpina lastly remained,  
Whom Stygian coachman both sought & caught in a moment.  
Pluto drove on apace, Proserpina woefuly wailing,  
Called and cried, alas, to the Nymphs, to the maids, to the Ladies;  
But Nymphs, Maids, Ladies were all afraid to be present,  
And her mother's chance, ill chance, was then to be absent.  
Now Stygian raptor those prayers lightly regarding  
In respect of a pray and prize so worthy the taking,  
Cheers and calls his dreadful steeds, and shaketh his outworn  
Bridle reins, o'ercast with rust; and entereth Avernus,  
All unlike himself, and much more mild than a Pluto.  
Ghosts and sprutes came clustered on heaps, to behold the triumphant  
Tartarean Captain, with so great glory returned:  
Eu●ry one was priest, some bent their care to the coursers,  
Some to the coach, some strew sweet flowers, some looked to the bridebed.  
Elysian Ladies with a spotless company waited  
On their newcome Queen, and carefuly sought to recomfort  
Those her virgin fears and tears. Ghosts wont to be silent,  
S●ng sweet wedding songs, and every nook in Avernus  
With banquets, meryments, and lovelayes freely resounded,  
And whole hell▪ for joy was speedily turned to a heaven.  
Aeacus intermits his judgements; stern Rhadamanthus,  
And austere Minos wax mild: all plagues be remitted:  
Tantalus eats and drinks; Ixion's loost from his endless  
And still-turning wheel, Tityus set free fro the Eagle,  
Sisyphus extreme toil by the rolling stone is omitted,  
And Danaus' daughters from running tub be released.  
P●le Sac●te Tisiphone, with snake-hayrd ugly Megaera,  
And ever-grudging Allecto, fell to carousing,  
And their burning brands embrued with blood, did abandon.  
Birds might easily pass by the poisoned mouth of Avernus,  
Men might safely behold, and look on stony Medusa;  
No consuming flames were breathed by fiery chimera.  
Howling Cocytus with wine mirth-maker abounded,  
Lamenting Acheron hart-chearing honey aforded,  
And boiling Phlegeton with new milk chearefuly streamed:  
Cerberus held his peace, Lachesis left off to be spinning,  
And graybeard ferryman forebare his boat to be rowing,  
All took all pleasure, and all for joy of a wedding.  
Lady Ceres all this mean time possessed with a thousand  
Careful mother's thoughts, thought every hour to be twenty,  
Till she returned homeward: and home at last she returned,  
At last, but too late, to her house, but not to her household:  
Court was a wilderness, forlorn walks, nobody walking,  
Gates turned upside down, hall desolate, every corner,  
Every way left waste. But alas when lastly she entered  
Persephone's chamber, seeing her curius handwork,  
And embroidered clothes, all overgrown by the cobwebs,  
But no Persephone; such inward anguish amazed  
Her distressed spirits, that neither a word fro the speechless  
Mother's mouth could once come forth, nor a tear fro the sightles  
Eyes; eyes, mouth, sense, soul, were nothing else but a horror:  
Only she clipped, embraced, and kissed, and only reserved  
Her sweet daughter's work, poor soul, instead of a daughter,  
After long wandering, by chance she found in a corner  
Her dear daughter's nurse, Electra, wofuly wailing,  
With rend robes, scratched face, and beaten breast, for her only  
Harts-ioy Persephone: whom she as charily tendered,  
As dearest mother could ever tender a dearest  
Daughter: she, when grief and inward horror aforded  
Time to reveal itself, this woeful story recounted  
All at large: How Persephone was forced to be walking  
Greatly against her mind, and mothers will, to the meadows,  
How four black coursers conveyed her away on a sudden,  
Nobody knew whither, nor what man might be the author:  
How her companions were all gone: only the loving  
And loved Cyane, for grief was lately resolved  
Into a silver stream; and all those sweetly resounding  
Sirens, made to be birds in part, in part to be maidens,  
And she alone was left, left all forlorn in a corner,  
Mourning Persephone and her so heavy departure.  
Silly Ceres hearing these dead news, all in a fury  
Railed on heaven and earth, and ran to the sulphurus Aetna,  
Lighted two Pine-trees, and day and night by the deserts,  
Hills, dales, woods, waters, lands, seas, Proserpina searched,  
Searched from th'East to the West: at last, all weary with endless  
Toiling and moiling, half dead for drink, she repaired  
Unto a poor thatched coat, and knocked, and meekly desired,  
That to a scorched mouth some water might be aforded.  
Th'old Beldame coat-wife brought forth a domesticalHotchpot,  
Her chief food, both meat and drink, and gave to the Gods.  
Faintly Ceres feeding by the coat, was spied of a saucy  
Crackrope boy, who mocked, and called her a greedy devouring  
Out-come witch in scorn: Whereat this Lady aggrieved,  
And not forgetting Latona's worthy revengement  
On Lician Lobcocks, (who sith they rudely denied  
Water, were made frogs always condemned to the water)  
Threw in this boy's face all that was left of her Hodgepodge.  
Mocking gallows thus by the Gods strangely besprinkled,  
Was transformed to a Swift; whose back grew all to be speckled,  
And his spiteful breast with wont poison abounded.  
Through what lands and seas this Gods wofuly wandered,  
'tTwere 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 daily reviling  
Every soil, but chief Sicil: Which now the detested  
More, then afore the desired: broke ploughs, killed wearied oxen,  
Blasted corn, bred weeds and tars, sent forth the devouring  
Fowls, and too much drought, & too much rain from Olympus.  
Fields for corn and grain of late so greatly renowned,  
Are to a barren waste, and wild heath speedily changed.  
Whilst childeles mother thus rageth, fair Arethusa  
(Who by the secret caves of th'earth from Pisa to Aetna  
Fetches a restless race) up-lifted her head to the heavens,  
And these first tidings to the forlorn Lady reported,  
How herself of late taking her way by thefearfull,  
Imperiured Styx, saw her lost child in Avernus,  
Somewhat sad, yet a Prince and supreme Queen in Avernus;  
Queen to the mighty Monarch & sovereign king of Avernus.  
Mournful mother amazed, for a while stood like to a senseless  
Stock or stone: at length, when fury removed amazement,  
up to the heavens she flies, & makes her moan to the thunder.  
Lord and love, qd she, vouchsafe at last to remember,  
Take some care in time of poor Proserpina, think her  
If not mine, yet thine, and if thine, not to be stolen:  
But let pass what's past, let rape and rage be remitted,  
So that thy daughter from his hellish dens be delivered.  
'Twere no disparaging, qd jove, if prince of a mighty  
Empire, Jove's brother might have Proserpina, joined  
By both our consents in wedlock: darksome Avernus  
Should have no cause then to repine at lightsome Olympus.  
Yet notwithstanding, if thou stand fully resolved,  
And that my brother Pluto must needs be refused;  
Then let Persephone both mine and thine be reduced,  
If she be fasting yet: for so hath Atropos ordered,  
And fatal orders are nevermore to be altered.  
Mother was full bend, to reduce her child from avernus  
Destiny did forbid: for that Proserpina walking  
In Pluto's Orchard, by chance (worst chance of a thousand)  
Sucked seven Pomegranate kernels: and nobody knew it,  
Saving Ascalaphus, who made it known to Avernus,  
And stayed Persephone: who then for a worthy requital,  
Foule-tungd Ascalaphus, forthwith transformed to a Scricheowle,  
Fowl and loathsome foul, whose never-luckily-sounding  
Voice, brings baleful news, and certain signs of a vengeance.  
jove took pains, made peace: first justly the year he divided,  
Then, to the husband half, and half to the mother appointed,  
and by these good means caused every part to be pleased.  
Persephone six moonths with her husband dwells in Avernus,  
And six other months doth show herself to Olympus.  
Lady Ceres all grief and all contention ended,  
Sent forth Triptolemus with coach and corn to the people  
Scattered in every coast, whose food was kernel of ackorne.  
Triptolemus traveling through strange lands, lastly arrived  
On Scythian borders: where Lyncus, falsely pretending  
Life, intended death, and making show of a friendly  
Host, his sleeping guest unawares had shamefuly murdered,  
Had not Lady Ceres, his barbarus envy preventing,  
Lyncus turned to a Lynx, and his vaynglory repressed,  
Who of an others fact first author would be reputed.   

WEll, said Elpinus, sith Amarillis is safely returned from hell, I hope Elpinus may have the like success: otherwise, so many fearful monsters and hellish apparitions might well have daunted a stouter heart than mine:  
Pluto then, you see, the third brother, ravished Proserpina: the natural efficacy and virtue of the earth (saith Cicero, 2. de natura deorum) draweth unto it the roots of corn, growing & increasing in the bowels of the earth. Ceres' her mother seeketh Proserpina, and mourneth for her absence: the corn pursueth and followeth the se●de: or, The earth seemeth to grieve, when the corn springeth not up in due time. Proserpina was ravished in Sicily, the dearest soil to Ceres: that was a most fruitful and fertile Island. Arethusa (signifying the natural power and virtue of the seed and root) is the first that told Ceres' tidings of Proserpina: In continuance and conveniency of time, by that natural efficacy and operation of the root and seed, the grain and corn itself appeareth & springeth up. Six months so lies with her husbandial the winter time, whilst the sun doth sojourn in the southern signs: six above with her mother, when the sun returneth to the northern signs, bringing corn to ripeness and maturity. She had this name Proserpina, of the latin word, Proserpo, which is to creep forwards, because the roots creep along in the body of the earth. She was gathering flowers when Pluto took her away, and kept her below; for than is that natural virtue of the seed working, to produce afterwards the fruit and flower accordingly. Pluto was accounted the Lord of riches and treasure: Pluto is the earth, whence all metals are digged. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek, signifieth riches: and in latin they called him Ditem, to note, Divitias, that is, Rich, alluding to riches. Some make him blind, because he dealeth partially in distributing riches, not according to desert. And they give him a key in his hand, sith his hellish gates are so surely locked, that the Ghosts once entering, can never possibly return. He is called the God of Ghosts, as some think, because he first instituted the funeral obsequies and solemnities used at men's burials. He sitteth as a prince on a throne, with a crown on his head, a sceptre in his hand, and Cerberus, his dog, at his feet. Cupressus is sacred unto him, for it is used in funerals, and being once cut, never buddeth or brancheth afterward. 
* ●lutoes ●icture.   
Proserpina being in hell, did eat: and, as some others report the tale, did eat poppy seeds; whose nature is to cause drowsiness, sleep, staying and resting. So Proserpina must stay below, till she have gotten root and be well and sufficiently grounded. Her mother Ceres refused Mars and Apollo: for, wars, and over much heat of the sun, are both bad for corn and plenty. Ceres, by report, first found and taught the use of corn and grain, and thereby brought men from that wild and savage wandering in woods and eating of Acorns, to a civil conversing, and more orderly diet, and caused them to inhabit towns, to live sociably, to observe certain la●es and institutions: and for these causes was herself made a goddess, figured like a matron, with a garland all of the ears of corn, having in one hand a little bundle of Poppy, as signs of fertility: and in the other hand a fire brand, wherewith she sought her daughter. For in summer, when the beams of the sun are hot and burning. the countrymen seek and gather the corn, then full ripe and ready for the sickle. Her chariot was drawn by two serpents or flying dragons: serpents are so called a serpendo, of creeping and crawling in and out, as the roots of corn do: or, for that the turning and winding bodies of dragons, resemble the crooked furrows of the earth. Ceres, the earth, great by jove, the temperate heat of the air, brought forth Proserpina, corn and grain: A sow was sacrificed to Ceres, for she rooteth & spoileth the corn: so was the goat to Bacchus, for gnawing the vines: or, the sow is fruitful, so is the earth; the sow ever walloweth in the mire and earth, and Ceres herself noteth the earth. 
* The picture of Ceres.   
Besides Ceres, there were other goddesses, that had care of the fruit of the earth, as, Pales, that looked to the Pastures, and was the Pastor's gods; Pomona, the Lady of Apples, having her name of the latin Pomum, which signifieth an apple. Flora, the gods of flowers, and wife to Zephyrus: Bona dea, the good gods, (otherwise called Fauna, à favendo, of cherishing and favouring) noting that quickening efficacy of the earth, which nourisheth and fostreth the seed cast into the same. Flora, they say, in truth was a Roman strumpet, called Laurentia; who dying, left her wealth, which was excessive, to the people of Rome, who for her honour, made her a gods of flowers, and called her Flora, of the word Flos signifying, a flower.  
jupiter, by report of Plato, perceiving that the ancient edict, commanding every man to be rewarded according to his desert, was not observed because men being alive were judged by living judges: did enact, that none from thenceforth should receive trial, but after death: when all external shows of birth, beauty, strength, riches, nobility and such like, were altogether removed. And that only his three sons, Aeacus, Minos, and Rhadamanthus (whereof the two last were borne in Asia, the first in Europe) should after their death, repair to a meadow, called The field of truth (where were two ways, the one leading to the Elysian fields, the other to the place of torment) and there sit in judgement of the spirits and ghosts of all, that had left their earthly mansion and habitation. Rhadamanthus was appointed to give sentence of such as came from Asia; Aeacus judged those of Europe: and Minos, if any doubt or ambiguity arose, was the discusser and determiner thereof. This was Jove's decree, and thereupon, Rha●amanthus and Aeacus, with their rods in their hands, sit in judgement, and Minos apart with his golden sceptre, seriously enquiring into every man's matter. Historically, Minos and Rhadamanthus were of Asia, Aeacus of Europa, all three just and severe; hereof came this tale. The damned ghosts are committed to the Furies to be plagued in Tartarus, so called, because therein be many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. avernus, is the entry to hell: historically, it was a place, whence proceeded so noisome an exhalation, as that birds could not fly over it, whereof it had that name in greek so saith Virgil. 6. Aeneid.  
Spelunca alta fuit, vastoque immanis hiatu,  
Scrupea, tuta lacu nigro, nemorumque tenebris:  
Quam super, haud ullae poterant impunê volantes  
Tendere iter pennis, talis sese halitus atris  
Faucibus effundens, supera ad convexa ferebat:  
unde locum Graij dixêrunt nomine Auernum.  
Cerberus is Pluto's dog, with three heads, watching that none go out, but ready to let all in; fawning on these, devouring those, according to his name. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and, by a more easy contraction of the word, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is a devowrer of flesh, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: wherefore some understand by him, the all-devowring earth, eating and consuming all earthly bodies. Others, by Cerberus, intent man's body, priest and appliable to all sensual lust, but repugning and abhorring virtue and contemplation. His three heads be taken of some to represent those three necessary evils, which withdraw men from contemplation, I mean, hunger, thirst, and sleep: to all which, we must offer a morsel, as Sibylla taught Aeneas in Virgil, we must yield, but not too much; so much only, as thereby nature may be sustained. Natalis Comes expoundeth it thus: Cerberus is Covetousness: and a covetous man laughs when he sees gold come in; but it grieves his heart to lay out one penny. His three heads note the manifold guiles and deceits of covetous men, Qui omnes pecuniae vias norunt, know all the ways in the world how to scrape coin. Cerberus lies in an hellish dungeon: a miser lurketh in corners, turnìng his rusty groats, without either profit to others, or pleasure to himself. Hercules drew him out of Hell, for, who can be a Hercules, and accomplish great matters, without money? Or thus, Hercules bound and brought out Cerberus, that is to say, he bridled and kept under concupiscence, and therefore returned safe from Hell: but Pirithous going thither of purpose to ravish Pluto's Queen, and so to satisfy sensuality, was devoured of Cerberus: or, lastly, Hercules is a learned and absolute Philosopher: he draweth the three-throated Cerberus out of Hell, by bringing to light the tripartite mysteries of Philosophy, natural, moral, and dialectical. Cerberus, for spite and rage, struggling with Hercules, did let his poisoned foam fall on the earth, whence proceeded the deadly Aconitum, for, what but rancour, can come from a rancorous heart? Historically, as Pausanias reporteth, there was in a dark dungeon in Taenarus, leading to Hell, as the fame went, for the deepness thereof, an hideous and terrible serpent, which for his deadly poison, and fearful aspect, was called the devils dog, and was by Hercules drawn forth, and brought to King Euriftheus.  
Acheron had his name, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because there flow the waves of misery. 〈◊〉 is the first river, that the Ghosts (having once tasted of Lethe's lake,) are to pass over: for, death approaching, a certaine terror of conscience tormenteth us, and this is Acheron. Styx, (as it were, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, odious and abhorred) is that hate and detestation, which every man now dying, hath against such faults, as in his life time he committed. Styx ariseth out of Acheron; for, this detestation proceedeth from that grief. Styx doth nine times compass Hell: for, there is nothing but hateful grief, and woeful detestation.  
jupiter and the other Gods were wont to swear by the river Styx; which was accounted the most religious oath; sith, as I said, it noteth hate and detestation, a thing repugnant to the nature of the Gods. Some say, they used to swear by water; because as water is the most ancient ground and beginning of things, so an oath should be most strictly observed and religiously honoured, as a thing no less reverenced, than water, the foundation of all: whatsoever was the cause, the matter is apparent by Homer and Virgil every where, that they swear by Styx▪ which therefore was called the imperiured river. Ovid in Ibin.  
Quique per infernas horrendo murmur valles  
Imperiuratae laberis amnis aquae.  
Achilles Statius lib. 8. hath a discourse of a well called Styx, much like this.  
The Platonists call the body a Hell, in respect of the mind, which being thither thrust down, first, forgetteth all celestial conceits, drinketh of Lethe, and then passeth over Acheron: for, being bereft of celestial ornaments, it sorroweth and grieveth, and therefore compassed with Stygian waves, displeaseth itself, hateth and abhorreth his own acts, howls, and makes pitiful lamentation; and that is Cocytus, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to howl and cry out, as Plato expoundeth it.  
Lethe above mentioned, signifieth Oblivion; she was sister to Somnus, sleep: whereof there were two gates, the one of horn, the other of ivory: from that, came true dreams, false from this: for, as a candle enclosed in a lantern made of horn, shineth and giveth light, because the matter is subtle and transparent, but contrarily in one of ivory, because the matter is thick and condensate: so, if the body be temperate, the mind in dreams foreseeth the truth, but if it be troubled with surfeiting, or otherwise, the dreams be false and confused. Phlegeton noteth, the fiery and fretting darts of grief and vexation, and is also called Pyryphlegeton, of fire and burning.  
Charon hath his name of joy and gladness: this gladness carrieth us over Acheron, after we have lamented our own faults. Charon is old; so grave and sage advice is that, which worketh this repenting lamentation in us. Boccace, by Charon, understandeth time, and maketh him the son of Night and Erebus. The furies, so named of the latin word Furor, noting madness, be the Ministers of Pluto, ready to execute his revenging wrath: the Athenians called them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the severe goddesses, the Sicyonians termed them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, mild and wellwilling, by the contrary, meaning spiteful and cruel: or, simply mild, because Orestes by Minerva's advice, pacified them at last, and was released of his rage and madness. Their hair was all of crawling snakes, their garment, a long black gown, down to the ankles, girt with a snaky 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, revenge, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, slaughter or murder Megoera, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to envy: Allecto, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, never ceasing, or never at rest. They are sometimes called Erynnae, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to be moved with great grudge and indignation: or, of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifieth cursing and banning, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is, to hear, for that they are ever ready to give ●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 toss and turmoil men's minds, to weet, Wrath, Covetise, and Lechery, to these three furies. 
* ●●e pictures of the ●●ries.   
Much like in nature to these furies, were the Harpies, faced like Virgins▪ winged like birds, with pale and hungry visages, and crooked scraping claws, deciphring flatterers, or rather, covetous and snatching worldlings. Harpyae, (saith Natalis Comes, expounding it physically) have this name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: noting the furious violence, and rage of the winds: the first was called Ocypete, swiftly flying: the second, Aello, that is a storm or tempest: the third Celaeno, the darkness of the clouds driven with winds. They were the daughters of Thaumas and Electra, by reason of the strange and wonderful nature and might of the winds, which are elevated and lifted up by the beams of the sun from the purer & upper-flowing water of the sea. Virgil describeth them, 3. aeneid. as the most detestable monsters, that ever issued out of the Stygian lak. Hither may be added those Hags▪ called Lamiaes, who with their sweet and maidenlike face, breast, and body, allure men unto them, but with their serpentine claws destroy them afterwards. 
* ●●e pictures of the ●●●pyes & ●●ggs.   
Chimera's upper part was like a Lion, the middle like a Goat, the lowest like a Serpent, slain by Bellerophon. Historically, it was a mountain in Lycia, breathing out fire, whose top Lions did haunt, in the middle were pastures, where Goats fed, and the foot was frequented by Snakes and Serpents. Bellerophon made it habitable, and was therefore said to have killed Chimaera. Chimaera, the type of inordinate lust, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first invadeth men fiercely like a Lion, then want only and lasciviously like a Goat, afterwards brings poisoned sorrow and repentance figured by snakes and serpents. Bellerophon solicited to folly by Antia, wife to Praetus King of the Arigivi, constantly refused whereupon she falsely accused him to her husband, of violence offered. Bellerophon by these means banished, passing through divers dangers and perils, riding on the winged horse Pegasus, and bearing his terrible Gorgon, at last slew Chimaera. He was called Bellerophon, either of one Bellerus, a Corinthian Prince, whom he vanquished; or, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for that he rooted out evils and mischiefs: or else, you may so term him, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a wise and prudent counsellor, 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 understand immortality and everlasting fame. For, virtue overcoming all terrible things, figured by Gorgon, breedeth fame: and fame is eternised by the sounding voice of Poets: which was the cause that the learned well, was said to be opened by the hoof of Pegasus, striking the Parnassian mount. Medusa's hair (either for that Neptune in Minerva's temple used her irreligiously, as Ou●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 herself noteth lustful beauty and voluptuousness, turning men into stones; as making the greedy gazers thereon senseless and amazed. None but Perseus, Jove's son, by Minerva's help, overcame her: celestial grace and wisdom are the only means, to repress this inordinate affection. Some, by the three Gorgon's, note the three faculties of the soul in man: Medusa, of the three sisters, was only mortal, figuring the sensible and living power, common to beasts, beheaded by Perseus, that is, kept under by the good Genius or celestial grace. The second was Stheno, the reasonable faculty of the soul, the third Euryale, the light infused and intellectual part. They turn the beholders into stones; for we must kill Medusa, all perturbations, and be in that respect, as dead as stones, else we cannot enjoy this intellectual light. The borrowed and common eye, which all they use by course, is this infused light, derived from one of them unto another. Perseus beareth Gorgon; he maketh men wonder at his excellent prowess: Historically, Athenaeus reporteth, that in Lybia there was a kind of beast like a calf, killing with the very sight: one of them was brought dead to Marius, to Rome, his skin being so diversly coloured that none there, could guess 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 captain whereof, Medusa, was slain by Perseus. Others understand the earth and earthly affections by Gorgon, dashed and daunted by Perseus borne of jove, that is▪ assisted by his heavenly help and influence. But I see, that Chimaera, hath brought me too far 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 aspiring arrogancy. The tale is notably well told by Kemy Belleau, 2. iòurnee, de la bergeric, beginning thus.  
je chante d'Ixion I'emprise audacieuse,  
L'impudence, I'órgueil, & I'idole venteuse  
De la feint junon, gross de vent & d'aer,  
Ouurage industrieux des mains de jupiter etc.  
Bartholomaeus Annulus in his picta poesi, hereby noteth a polluted conscience, which is ever his own persecutor and tormentor, still flying, and yet still following himself, as Ixion's wheel, that always turns about, but never turns away. Sisyphus, being of Jove's counsel, revealed his secrets, and is therefore thus punished. Lucretius expoundeth it otherwise, of him that ambitiously gapeth after promotion, and is ever repulsed, toiling and moiling himself, with an endless rolling of a never-standing stone.  
Sisyphus in vita quoque nobis ante oculos est,  
Qui petere à populo fasces, saevasque secures  
Imbibit, & semper victus tristisque recedit.  
Name, petere imperium, quod inane est, nec datur unquam,  
Atque in eo semper durum sufferre laborem:  
Hoc est, adverso nixantem trudere monte  
Saxum, quod tamen à summo iam vertice rursum  
Voluitur, & plani raptim petit ae quora campi.  
Others expound it so, as meaning by the stone, the studies and endeavours of mortal men: by the hill, the whole course of man's life: by the hill top, the joy and tranquillity of the mind: by Hell, the earth, and men on earth: by Sisyphus, the soul and mind of man, which included in this prison of the body; striveth and contendeth by all means possible, to attain to eternal rest, and perfect felicity: which some repose in wealth, some in honour, some in pleasure: all which, having once gotten what they sought, begin again as fast, to covet new matters, and never make an end of desiring: so that, he who first was wholly given to catch and snatch, being now grown to wealth, seeketh honour, and is as infinitely addicted to that vain humour, as ever he was to the other miserable affection: this is the world, omnium rerum est vicissitudo: neither is it possible for any man (whilst he is a man) to enjoy any settled felicity in this life.  
Tityus had his liver, or, as some say, his heart, all day long devoured by an Eagle; or, as others report it, by a vulture: and, as much as was consumed in the day, somuch was restored in the night; so that his torment was perpetual. The liver is the seat of lust and concupiscence, which in the night time suborneth unchaste and wanton cogitations. Or physically thus, Tityus is the stalk or blade of corn, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, one letter being taken away: he was horn of jupiter and Elara, the daughter of Orchomenus, a river of Thessalia. This Elara, noteth the natural humour and milk-white moisture in the seed of corn: and without jupiter, that is heat, and Elara, moisture, the corn can never prosper. jupiter therefore accompanying with Elara, when she had conceived, and was great, hide her in the ground, for fear of juno: she in the ground was delivered of Tityus, who being borne by his mother's death, was brought up and nursed of the earth. The sense hereof i● this, the seed is cast into the ground, for fear of the injury of the air, noted by juno: the mother dieth, for the seed putrefieth: Tityus springs forth, being nursed by the earth, and aspireth up towards heaven, as though he were about to offer violence to Latona, and is therefore thrown down and slain by the darts of Diana and Apollo: that is to say, he is ripened, and brought to maturity, by the heat of the sun, and moisture of the moon, that at length he may be cut down by reapers. vultures consume his liver: for, the chaff and husk is left to birds, as being not convenient for bread to be made thereof. He is stretched forth in length, so as with his body he covereth nine acres of land: meaning that the corn thus sowed and springing up, possesseth and overspreadeth a great quantity of ground.  
Tantalus, so named, as if a man would say, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, most unfortunate and unhappy, is the pattern of a miserable and covetous wretch, who aswell wanteth that which he hath, as that which he hath not: so Horace expoundeth it: But Ovid saith, he was thus tormented in Hell; to have apples and waters always before him, yet always running from him, when he was about to reach them, because of his blabbing tongue, 
Quaerit aquas in aquis, & poma fugacia captat  
Tantalus: hoc illi garrula lingua dedit.   
Tantalus was jupiter's son, a man fully instructed with natural and celestial Philosophy, and is therefore said to have eaten with the Gods, and to have feasted and enterteigned them with a banquet; sith his whole delight was meditation and heavenly contemplation. In this banquet (to try whether the Gods knew all secrets) he killed and cut in pieces his son Pelops, and set him before them among other dishes: Ceres then present among the rest, did taste and eat the showlder of Pelops. Philosophers and learned men, whilst they wholly addict themselves to contemplation, neglecting their worldly and domestical affairs, lose sometimes their goods, sometimes their children, or wife, or otherwise. Ovid telleth the tale in 6. Meta. adding further, that the Gods then pitying Pelops, united his torn members, and instead of the shoulder devoured by Ceres, made one up of ivory plaguing his father in Hell, for his offence. Some others make a stone hang over his head, still like to fall and break him to powder; to note out the continual labour and vexation of spirit, incident to every man, that is seriously bend to earnest meditation. He is said to have imparted unto men, Nectar and Ambrosia, the drink and meat of the gods: because he did communicate among them, those hidden treasures of heavenly philosophy: for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is immortal, and Nectar hath in effect the same signification, noting, that the gods are immortal, and cannot die, according to the verse, jupiter Ambrosia satur est, & nectare vivit.  
Belides, or Danaides, were the fifty daughters of Danaus, who killed their husbands all in one night, saving only one; and are therefore enjoined to fill broken tubs with water still running out. Lucretius hereby understandeth our unthankful minds and unsatiable desires, who still having, desire still to have: so that nature poureth her infinite blessings into us, as into broken vessels, which are ever empty and ready for more. It may signify the whole estate of man's life, never settled, never satisfied, ever doing and undoing, and doing almost all, to no purpose at al. It may also note the exchequer or treasury of a prince, which like the sea, still receiveth, and is never full: or lastly, the nature of a blab, that is like a broken tub, plenus rimarum, full of slifies, flowing out here and there, keeping nothing secret, that is imparted unto him. With these and such like monsters, and monstrous torments, the poets have furnished their hell. Virgil 6. aeneid, setteth down all most plentifully, placing at the very entrance and gate of hell, a rabble of hellish hags, as woe, revenge, wrath, sickness, old age, fear, famine, penury, death, labour, sleep, war, discord, and such others. The torments above rehearsed, are appointed for the wicked and damned ghosts: the good and blessed spirits enjoy everlasting happiness in the Elysian fields, a place severed from the comfortless lodge of the damned.  
The sirens (which I had almost forgotten) sought for, and followed after Proserpina: strumpets and wanton housewives follow riches & abundance, figured by Proserpina, the Lady of fruit and corn, according to that old saying, Sine Cerere & Baccho friget Venus.  
The mocking boy made a Swift, Ascalaphus (borne of Orphne and Acheron) turned to an Owl, the louts of Lycia transformed to Frogs, and Lyncus, changed to a Lynx, are all tokens of just plagues inflicted on such offenders.  
Triptolemus, historically, in a ship bearing the name of the Dragon, brought store of corn to Athens, being in his time miserably plagued with famine.  
These discourses thus ended, the Nymphs were suffered to rest for a time, and the Pastors enjoined freshly to pursue their interrupted narrations. Among whom Alphesibaeus told this tale of his master Phoebus.   

PHoebus too too proud for killing Pytho the serpent,  
Saw young Lord of love, with a bended bow in Olympus:  
A●d must boys bear bows, qd Apollo? must a Cupido  
Leave his mother's paps, and handle dangerous arrows?  
Leave sharp tools, poor child, and take up a lamp or a firestick,  
Kindle a foolish fire in a harebrain boy, or a frantic  
Girl; or shoot at crows, if boys will needs be a shooting,  
Such warlike weapons are far more meet for Apollo,  
Who with a thousand shafts of late, confounded an ugly  
Snake, whose poisoned paunch all overwhelmed a country.  
Well, qd winged boy, content: let mighty Apollo  
Shoot at snakes: and Lord of Love at mighty Apollo:  
And as much as a snake is less than mighty Apollo,  
So much, Lord of Love is more than mighty Apollo.  
This said, yielding air with fluttring wings he divideth,  
And Parnassus mount in a moment nymbly recou'reth:  
There two feathered shafts from painted quiver he plucketh,  
Of strong, yet divers operation: one with a golden  
Sharp head, breeding love: and th'other framed with a leaden  
Blunt head, feeding hate: Love-breeder woundeth Apollo,  
Hate-feeder Daphne: and even as much as Apollo  
Loves Daphne, so much this Daphne hateth Apollo.  
Daphne goes to the woods and vows herself to Diana;  
Phoebus grows stark wood, for love and fancy to Daphne.  
When that he looks on her hair, fair hair and sweetly beseeming,  
Though undressed, untrest, blown here and there by the shoulders:  
Then doth he think: o if these lose, yet sweetly beseeming  
Locks, were dressed, and trest, and not left lose by the shoulders,  
How-much more would they seem fair and sweetly beseeming?  
When that he looks on her eyes, like sparkling stars in a frosty  
Night: and lips, (yet lips to be kissed, not to be looked on)  
And arms all naked, fro the milk-white wrist to the elbow:  
Then doth he think: If I joy these outward parts to be viewing,  
O, what a heaven were it, those secret parts to be tutching?  
O, what avails it now, with scornful words to be bragging,  
And with winged boy, nay wicked boy, to be striving?  
O, what avails it now to be Titan, Phoebus, Apollo,  
Bright, burning, radiant, with sight, light, beauty abounding?  
Thou, whose beams did burn heaven, earth, and watery Empire,  
Art now scorched, nay burnt, yea burnt to the bones with a wildfire:  
Thou, who shouldst by right, be the due and daily beholder  
Of both land and sea, dost now look only on one thing,  
Only upon Daphne: fixing those eyes on a Virgin,  
Which thou ow'st to the world: and gerst up rath in a morning,  
For to behold her face: and goest down late in an evening,  
Sorry to leave her sight: sometimes thy beams be eclipsed,  
Thy face discolored, thy countenance cheerful, appalled,  
And mak'st mortal men with a sudden terror amazed,  
And all this for love: for, love makes strong to be weakened,  
Love all-seeing sun, on a sudden makes to be darkened:  
Simple Daphne fears, and flies, for fear, from Apollo:  
Lover Apollo runs, and thus complains as he runneth.  
O, stay dear Daphne, thy best friend hasteneth after,  
Fly not away, sweet soul; for so sheep run fro the Woolu's-iawes,  
heart fro the greedy Lions, and fearful Dove fro the Eagle,  
Every one from a foe: but Daphne flies from a faithful  
Friend, from a wounded soul, from a constant lover Apollo.  
Look to thyself, Daphne, take heed, for fear of a falling,  
O, stay, haste makes waste, these thorns may chance to be pricking  
Those thy tender legs, and all through fault of Apollo:  
O, these ways are rough, and overgrown with a thousand  
briars, if Daphne needs will go, let her easily go on,  
Easily go on afore, and I'll haste easily after.  
And yet let Daphne not scorn to regard, to remember,  
And mark well, what he is, that bears such fancy to Daphne.  
No brute mountain bird, no swain, no rustical Hoblob,  
No threadbare pastor, with an hired flock by the forest,  
Proud of a bawling cur, of a jarring pipe, or a sheephook,  
But burning Titan, bright Phoebus, cheerful Apollo.  
Delos mine Honour, my fame and glory denounceth,  
And Clarian temples do yield me dutiful offerings.  
Simple wench, God knows, thou know'st not Phoebus Apollo,  
And therefore thou run'st as a simple wench, from Apollo,  
World's sight, and world's light, world's comfort, Phoebus Apollo,  
Soothsayer, singer, Jove's offspring, Phoebus Apollo,  
Yea, and most steadfast, most cunning archer, Apollo,  
Had not that vile boy more steadfast hand then Apollo.  
Healing herbs, strange roots, sweet balms, odoriferus ointments  
Were found out, set forth, first taught by Phoebus Apollo,  
And yet alas, not an herb, not a root, not a balm, not an ointment  
Is to be found that can cure cureless wound of Apollo.  
Phoebus' spoke; and more by Phoebus was to be spoken,  
Daphne breaks his speech, and runs for life fro the speaker.  
Sweet winds encountering Daphne (as loath to be leaving  
So brave lass, and glad such tender limbs to be tutching)  
With mild blasts did blow her garments easily backward,  
That bare skin, more white than snow untroaden, appeared,  
And waving lose locks flew here and there by the shoulders.  
Flight augments her form, and barest parts be the bravest:  
Flight augments his love, and nearest joys be the dearest:  
And as a nimble youth, as a youthful God, to the damsel  
Straight with might and main, and all enraged he flieth,  
And leaves entreating and frames himself to a forcing.  
Like as a lightfoot hound, and trembling hare, in an open  
Field, when as either runs, and either fears to be outrun,  
Either runs for life, and either runs for a hare's life,  
Hare to prolong her life, and murdering hound to abridge it:  
Hound thrusts forth his snout, girds out, and greedily snatcheth:  
priest to devour poor hare; poor hare scarce fully resolved  
Whether she's yet caught or not caught, shrinks fro the murderers  
Teeth all on water: so Daphne, so was Apollo.  
Fear drives on Daphne, and love still lifts up Apollo:  
Love so lifts lover, that near and nearer he urgeth  
Poor fainting Daphne, now hard at her heels he approacheth▪  
Even so hard at her heels, that Daphne's hair by Apollo,  
Daphne's scattered hair was blown by the breath of Apollo.  
Then weak and all spent, turning her face to the waters,  
Poenaeus waters, there this last boon she desireth.  
Father Poenaeus, lend helping hand to thy daughter,  
If you brooks are Gods, and have such grace from Olympus,  
Let this gaping earth convey me down to Avernus,  
Or, let this my face, too pleasing face, be defaced,  
Let this form, which caused my former woe, be deformed,  
And to an other shape by transformation altered.  
Her words scarce uttered, limbs all were stark in a moment,  
And her tender breast, all ouer-grow'n with a tender  
Bark, and locks were leaves, & bare arms grew to be branches:  
Swift foot was slow root, and crown transformed to a tree-top;  
In stead of Daphne by the river sprang up a Laurel,  
Laurel fresh and fair, as fair and fresh as a Daphne.  
Phoebus comes sweeting and blowing unto the new tree,  
And, for his old loves sake, bears endless love to the new tree:  
Yet when he touched new tree, new tree was afraid of a tutching;  
Under a bark of a tree, Daphne was felt to be panting;  
Yea, when he offered a kiss to the tree, in stead of a Daphne,  
Tree bend back fro the kiss, and started aside as a Daphne.  
Well, qd he, though Daphne shall nevermore be Apollo's  
Wife, yet Daphne's tree shall evermore be Apollo's  
Tree, and deck both head, and hair, and bow of Apollo.  
Yea, those noble Dukes, great Lords, and martial Emprors.  
Daphne's Laurel leaves at feasts and stately triumphings,  
In sign of conquest, shall evermore be adorning:  
And as Apollo's face is fresh and lively for ever,  
So shall Daphne's leaves grow green and lovely for ever,  
Thus did Apollo speak, and Laurel tree for a Daphne,  
Bowes her top for a head, and condescends to Apollo.  
Daphne thus transformed: Clymene was loved of Apollo,  
Loved, and bore him a son; Phaeton; too youthful a younker,  
Whose overweening was his overthrow, by presuming  
Rashly beyond his reach, his father's coach to be guiding:  
Like to the foolish boy, who mounting up to Olympus,  
Burnt his wings and wax, and so fell down to Avernus.   

YOu are a good scholar of the best master, said Elpinus to Alphesibaeus: And your master's mother, as I have heard say, was Thia, that is, Divine: & his father, Hyperion, going over us, or above us, as the sun doth. Some others make his mother to be Euriphaessa, late Splendens, glistering far and near: but the usual, and most received opinion is, that jupiter begat both Sun and Moon of Latona: who being great, could find no resting place, by reason of juno's wrath: until at last she came to the wandering Delos, where she was delivered of them both. The reason alleged by some, is this; after that confused & undistinct Chaos whereof always made, called Latona, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, (as Plato would have it) à Latendo, of lurking, and lying hid, and unknown: Light (which chief proceeds from Sun and Moon) was first framed by that all-framing creator. They are said to be borne in Delos (an eminent and high Island) because presently after the creation of light, things began to come to light, to be seen, to be known, which first lay confused and not perceived, in the darksome bottom of that all-including Chaos. Hereof came the name Delos, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to show, or make plain and many fest.  
Apollo hath long yellow hair: noting his rays and beams, which heat and hit, like darts, a far off; and therefore is he called of Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. He is young, fresh, and without any beard: for, his force never fadeth, and his heat is always quickening. Therefore, the Tyrant Dionysius did cut off Aesculapius his golden beard, saying, It was no reason, that the son should have such a long beard, when as his father Phoebus had none at all. This perpetual youth, and never decaying nor declining validity of Phoebus and other the Gods, is figured by Hebe: signifying the very flower of youth, whom Homer for the same cause maketh Jove's cupbearer. This Hebe was juno's daughter: for, of the temperature of the air proceed all herbs and flowers: jupiter is her father: for, without the quickening heat of the ethereal region, no temperature can be in the lower air: yet some there be that would have her borne of juno without any father: Hebe on a time, as she bore the cup to jupiter, slipped, and in falling, discovered those secrets, which maidens are not willing to reveal; Whereupon she was by jove deprived of her place, and Ganymedes preferred thereunto. The sense whereof is this: when the flowers and leaves fall from trees, then doth the youth and honour of the hearb● and trees grow to deca●; and Ganymedes, that is, winter, cometh in place. Hebe, they say, mar●●d Hercules; the fame of valiant and heroical personages, is ever flourishing.  
Others, by the ravishing of Ganymede by jupiter, understand the lifting up of man's mind from these earthly toys, to heavenly conceits: that Ganymedes may be derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to joy and rejoice, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, signifying advice & counsel, as though man's soul thus ravished by jove, might welbe said to enjoy his heavenly comfort and counsel, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Hebe was framed like a sweet lass: her robes figured and flowered, & her head also adorned with a garland of sundry flowers. The Corinthians erected her a temple, in a certain grove full of Cypress trees: wherein such as escaped captivity & thraldom, hanged up their gives and fetters in honour of Hebe. 
* Hebe's ●●ctu●e▪   
Phoebus (so called, of the greek words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, light and life) is not only young and fresh, but he is also the author of Physic, the founder of music, the governor of the Muses, and father of Oracles, all which excellencies proceed from the operation of the Sun. His beams be pestiferous, if too hot, and therefore doth Homer make him plague the Grecian army: but healthful, if moderate and temperate. Of this moderate heat of the Sun, comes the temperature of the air: of a temperate air grow wholesome herbs and flowers, the simples and ingredients of every physical composition, and therefore Phoebus the author of physic.  
Phlegias is the heat of the Sun; for, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is to burn: his daughter was Coronis, the air moderately moistened and heated, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: of this Coronis and Phoebus, Aesculapius, the temperature of the air, is borne: whose daughters were two: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, soundness of body of good health; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the efficacy of physic in healing and curing men's bodies, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is, to cure. Aesculapius was slain by angry Jove's thunder: Phoebus sorry, and grieved for his son's death, slew in like sort the Cyclopes, which made Jove's thunder: that is, the beams of the Sun, by degrees, do consume that pestilent outrage of these contagious vapours and exhalations, causers of mortality. Aesculapius, being borne, was committed to Chiron, a most excellent Chirurgeon, to be brought up: Chiron was the son of Saturn, and the Nymph Philyra: for, knowledge and excellency in physic, as in all other arts, is gotten by continuance of time and long experience: whereof Saturn representeth the one, and Philyra the other; so called of the greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover: and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, experience, as a lover of experience (the mother without 〈…〉 Chirurgy) by taking away the first letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as if 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and, for the moreeasie and smother pronunciation, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 is said to be half a man, and half a horse: sith surgery (and in old times there was in effect no other part of Physic known but surgery) is available aswell for horses and other beasts, as it is for man: and thus much to show, that Phoebus is physical. Now, he is also Musical; and therefore Mercury gave him a Lute; whereon he playeth; alluding to the harmony of the celestial Globes, and the constancy and uniformity, which the Sun observeth most strictly in his course, as ever keeping the Eclipticall line: for which cause he is the master of the nine Muses, ruling the consent and melody of the nine Spheres. The Muses are the daughters of jove (for all goodness comes of jove) and of Mnemosyne, Memory. Their nurse was Eupheme, Honour and Fame: for, Honos alit arts, honour and commendation is a spur to a student. They were nine, proportionably to the number of the Spheres, whose governing spirits the Platonists and Pythagoreans would have them to be. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, celestial, was the first, referred to the immovable Sphere, called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Polymnia, to Saturn, a great singer, or singing much and of many matters. Cleio, to Mars, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is glory and renown. Melpomene, to the Sun, singing, celebrating, extolling. Erato, to Venus, loving and amiable. Euterpe, to Mercury, pleasant and delight some. Thalia to the Moon, flourishing. These be the eight Muses, as it were, the tunes of those eight Spheres, whereof is made the perfect consent and melodious harmony, figured by the ninth, called Calliope, a sweet consent, the chief and guide of all the Muses, as Ovid witnesseth, 5. Metam: Dedimus summam certaminis uni, meaning Calliope. and, Finierat doctos è nobis maxima cantus: to weet, Calliope. They are called Musae, of the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is, to teach and instruct a man in those things, that are sacred and holy, divine and mystical, whereof came the word mystery. They are also called Camenae, à canendo, of singing: and, Pierides, of the mount Pierius, where they were borne: They all, hand in hand, dance in a round, and Phoebus in the middle: all liberal sciences are united and chained together, the one depending on the other; noting that absolute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and coherent concatenation and continuation of all ingenuous erudition. Lastly, Phoebus is the father of Oracles and prophecies, the eye of the world, seeing and hearing all things first▪ as Homer was wont to say, and Ovid in imitation of Homer, Videt hic deus omnia primus. Therefore Laurel is his tree, both for that it is always green, and never touched with lightning (noting that the fame of virtue and learning is ever flourishing, and never dieth) as also hot and odoriferous, and (as it is reported) causeth true dreams being applied to a man's head and temples: and being cast into the fire, portendeth good luck, if it make a great noise or crackling: bad, if either none, or but a little. Coruus, the Crow is his bird: whose different chirps and prognostications of rain, were observed of soothsayers and diviners, whose master is Apollo. Cicnus, the Swan, is also his bird: the Swan is white and bright as the sun; a singer as Phoebus, a foreteller of his own death, and so a diviner as Apollo. Cicnus was king of Liguria; he loved Music, and is therefore of Ovid turned to a Swan. Lastly, the cock is Apollo's bird, who dutifully saluteth him, and bids him good morrow every morning. He is figured, a young fresh youth, having long hair, no beard, a lute in the one hand, a bow in the other, in a chariot drawn with four coursers, Pyroeis, Eous, Aethon, Phlegon, Ignitus, Matutinus, Arden's, Comburens, being all Epithets incident to the nature of the sun: whose Palace and Chariot are described by Ovid: 2. Metam: In Latin he is called Sol, quasi solus, alone and incomparable. 
* The first picture of the Sun.   
Hercules' killed Geryon, and brought away his oxen: where, by Hercules, both Pierius and Hesiodus his interpreter, understand the Sun, sith he is the glory and ornament of juno, that is, the air: for, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is juno, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is glory. And Geryon, they make to be winter, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifieth to cry or roar, thereby noting the roaring and blustering tempests of winter, which are calmed, and repressed by Hercules, that is to say, by the heat of the Sun. The Oxen be the crashes of thunder, whose fearful sound resembleth the lowing of Oxen: and these thunderings are never lightly heard, but when Hercules hath slain Geryon; when winter is overpast by the heat of the Sun.  
Apollo being banished from heaven for killing the Cyclopes, fed Admetus his Sheep, Kine, and Oxen, by the river Amphrysus. Oxen set forward husbandry, and the vital heat and influence of the Sun, is the chief cause of increase: so then, Apollo may well be called a pastor, because, as Pontanus saith, he feedeth and maintaineth all that liveth, Quòd pascat quicquid sub coeli nascitur oris.  
The Assyrians (by report of Macrobius) especially honoured one God above others, whom they named Adad: which signifieth one: to whom they joined a Gods, for a companion, called Atargatis: attributing all to these two: by whom they understand the Sun and the earth. The picture of Adad had his beams and rays inclining downwards toward Atargatis, showing that the heavens work on and in the earth, by influence from the sun. Atargatis was so framed, as that her beams ascended upwards towards Adad: noting, that whatsoever the earth brought forth, it came by operation of the celestial virtue. Under Atargatis was a Lion, signifying, that she was the great mother of all things, Earth: who, a● I showed before when I spoke of Cibele, had her chariot drawn by Lions. 
* The picture of Adad, & Atargatis.   
Aesculapius was borne by the death of his mother, as Ovid telleth the tale in the second of his transformations: where, after that he had showed, how Apollo in his fury slew Coronis, great with Aesculapius, he addeth thus, 
Non tulit in cineres labi sua Phoebus eosdem  
Semina: sed natum flammis, uteroque parentis  
Eripuit, geminique tulit Chironis in antrum. etc.   
The virtue medicinable is hereby figured, drawn from the roots of herbs, when the earth is pierced with the arrows, that is, parched by the hot beams of the Sun. This is delivered to Chiron, the learned and experienced Physician, who thereof frameth wonderful compositions.  
Aesculapius is made sitting on a high seat, with a crown of Laurel on his head, a long beard, a knotted staff in his right hand (it is a difficult and hard matter to restore decayed health) and a Snake in his left hand: a serpent is quick of sight, and watchful; so must a Physician be. A Snake may well be taken for a sign of health; sith, as she by casting her old skin, reneweth herself, so the sick and crazed body restored to his former health, seemeth to be young again. 
* Aesculapius' his picture.   
The morning is the forerunner to the sun, yet caused of the sun. She is called the daughter of Thia and Hyperion, she is ruddy like roses, she hath yellow hair golden robes, and sitteth on a golden throne. Aurora loved Tithonus, Laomedon's son; because he fett his wife from the East; he being extremely old, was turned to a Grasshopper: old men never cease tattling and chirping. The distinctions of times called hours, Horae, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifieth to keep; do guide, conserve and keep in order all proceed whatsoever, and are the daughters of jove and Themis, to weet, Eunomie, Dice, Eirene: for, no way better shall a man perceive the good or bad dealing of men, and the merciful or revenging power of the Gods, then by the change of times & hours: therefore they keep heaven gates, and attend on the Sun, causing fair or fowl weather, when they lust, for the profit or plague of mortal men. 
* The picture ●f Aurora.   
Now to Alphesiboeus his tale. Phoebus' killed Pytho: the heat of the Sun consumed those pestilent vapours left after the deluge causing putrefaction, signified by this word, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, whereupon some think, he was called Apollo, of the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to kill. Pontanus, 
Tum tellus gravis imbre & adhuc stagnantibus undis  
Humida, anhela, vagos tollebat ad aethera tortus,  
Inuoluens caelum nube, & caligine opaca:  
Hinc ille immanis Python, etc.   
This made Phoebus' vaunt: yet was he daunted by Cupid, and forced affectionately to love Daphne, daughter to the river Penaeus: whereby is understood, that natural and radical humour of the earth, proceeding from the waters and rivers, that moisten her and make her fruitful. The sun coveteth this moisture, sends down his attractive beams to draw it up, resolves it into vapours, and makes it fit for himself. On the other side, this moisture flieth and withdraweth herself from the heat of the sun, as from her deadly foe. Again, the violent and piercing beams of the sun, compel this moisture to forsake the uppermost and superficial parts of the earth, retiring backward into the deepest and remotest parts thereof. Which, being thither come, and yet even thither and there, persecuted by the scalding and searching rays of Phoebus, is at last, by the means of the celestial powers, and help of the watery floods and rivers, defended from the violence of Apollo, and converted into fruitful trees and plants. Daphne is transformed into a laurel tree, rather than any other, for that, by reason of her excellency, continuance flourishing greenness, odoriferous sent, and natural heat, she above all other doth show her constitution to be tempered with due and proportionable commixtion of terrene moisture and celestial heat●. Daphne is Penaeus his daughter: for, by the banks and meadows adjoining thereunto, an infinite number of laurel trees were growing. Apollo garnished his Lute and Quiver with Laurel leaves: so should only famous poets, worthy of Apollo's Lute: and renowned conquerors figured by his Quiver, be crowned with Laurel, in token of their never-dying glory. Laurel is long kept; so is the fame of learned and valiant men: Laurel is always green: so is their praise eternal and ever-florishing: Laurel is hot and odoriferous: so doth the heavenly-inspired spirit of poets, and all-contemning courage of Heroical minds, breath forth the sweet savour of virtues excellency: Lastly, Laurel is never touched with lightning, and their names are never defaced by Oblivion.  
The other tale of youthful Phaeton, and his father Phoebus, may first give us warning, neither to wish unadvisedly, nor suddenly to yield to rash demands: nor unconsiderately to perform a promise foolishly made. Phaeton, Semele, Theseus, and others, by their own wishes procured their own confusion. Phaeton was the son of Phoebus and Clymene: toweet the heat and inflammation procee●ing from the sun. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is, to burn: and Clymene, is the water, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to overflow: and when these overflowing vapours elevated by the sun, are once inflamed, then doth this outrageous heat break out. Phaeton fell down into the river Eridanus, after extraordinary drought, follow commonly, inundations of waters.  
Phaeton is beaten down with thunder: for, these vapours raised up by the sun, and by the environing coldness of the middle region of the air, thrust into a narrow strait; by struggling for passage, cause thunder and lightning, till the outrage of that heat be so consumed. Phaeton's sisters, Phaetusa and Lampetie (noting heat and brightness) did so sorrowfully lament their brother's death, that, for pity, they were turned into poplar trees: that is, of this humour, and exceeding heat of the sun, many kinds of trees and plants do plentifully proceed. Lucian expoundeth it historically thus: Phaeton began seriously to observe the course and revolution of the sun, but, prevented by death, could not finish his attempted enterprise. The ethical moralization, (which Ovid himself toucheth in his books de Tristibus) may be this: Phaeton, a youth, and therefore unable to govern, will needs be a magistrate: but alas, it is too great a burden for his weak shoulders.  
Magna petis, Phaeton, & quae non viribus istis  
Munera conveniunt, nec tam iwenilibus annis.  
The government and administration of a common wealth or kingdom, is a heavenly charge.  Sors tua mortalis: non est mortale quod optas. 
It is also as heavy as heavenly. The beginning and climbing up, is hard and difficult: the top thereof subject to a thousand perils and dangers, which make even the most experienced, much to fear: and the descent or coming down is headlong.  
Ardua prima via est, & quà vix manè recentes  
Enituntur equi: medio est altissima caelo;  
unde mare & terras ipsi mihi saepe videre  
Sit timor, & pavida trepidet formidine pectus.  
Vltima prona via est, & eget moderamine certo.  
Besides this, in a common wealth, there be Bulls, Centaurs, Lions, Scorpions, and such like; that is, savage and rude people, ungentle, cruel, crafty, and envious; to whose open violence and secret supplanting the governor is ever subject.  
Forsitan & lucos illic urbesque deorum  
Concipias animo, delubraque diti a donis  
Esse: per insidias iter est, formasque ferarum,  
Vtque viam teneas, nulloque errore traharis,  
Per tainen adversi gradieris cornua tauri,  
Haemoniosque arcus, violentique ora Leonis  
Saevaque circuitu curuantem brachia longo  
Scorpion, atque aliter curuantem brachia cancrum.  
Again, the rude rabblement of the vulgar sort, will hardly be mastered, or brought to any conformity.  
Nec tibi quadrupedes animosos ignibusillis  
Quos in pectore habent, quos ore & naribus efflant,  
In promptu regere est: vix me patiuntur, ubi acres  
Incaluêre animi, ceruixque repugnat habenis.  
These and such other imminent mischiefs laid open by Apollo, he falleth at last to entreating and persuasions▪ and fearful cares of a loving father.  
Pignora certa petis: do pignora certa timendo,  
Et patrio pater esse metu probor, aspice vultus  
Ecce meos: utinamque oculos in pectora posses  
Inserere, & patrias intus deprendere curas.  
But ambition can hear no reason, and Phaeton will needs sit in his father's chariot.  
dictis tamen ille repugnant▪  
Propositumque petit, flagratque cupidine currus.  
This chariot is the glorious type of earthly honour and dignity: the axle tree all of gold, golden buck, golden follies of the wheels, and silver spokes: the collars, traces, and hownces glistered with Chrysolites, and other precious stones, which ravish the mind of the younker Phaeton.  
Aureus axis erat, temo aureus, aurea summae  
Curuatura rotae, radiorum argenteus ordo:  
Per iuga Chrysolithi, positaeque ex ordine gemmae  
Clara repercusso reddebant lumina Phoebo.  
And again, Dumque ea magnanimus Phaeton miratur, & optat. etc.  
Phoebus' his horses note the vulgar people, as I said before, altogether fierce and outrageous: the bridles are the stay of government. Phaeton thus being obstinate, & resolved to be a ruler, is now instructed how to rule. Spare the whip, rain them hard.  Parce puer stimulis, & fortius utere loris. 
The whip noteth a rigorous and tyrannical kind of commanding and overruling: the reins, a moderate and temperate kind of discipline. Mount not too high, fall not too low, keep between both.  
Altius egressus, caelestia tecta cremabis,  
Inferius terras, medio tutissimus ibis.  
These precepts ended, the young headed officer, by the favour and countenance of great men, is set aloft in his bravery.  
Occupat ille levem iwenili corpore currum,  
Statque super, manibusque datas contingere habenas  
Gaudet, etc.  
But when any tumult or sedition is stirred up among the people, then is he nobody, and esteemed of nobody.  
Sed leave pondus erat, nec quod cognoscere possent  
Solis equi, solitaque jugum gravitate carebat.  
Vtque labant curuae justo sine pondere naves,  
Perque mare instabiles nimia levitate feruntur,  
Sic onere insueto vacuos dat in acre saltus,  
Succutiturque altè, similisque est currus inani.  
This happeneth to all such magistrates as will not rule according to Apollo's rule. The sun indeed hath a contrary motion to that of the heaven: but he traverseth the heaven gently, not crosseth it overthwartly: and so must a ruler overrule the stubborn vulgar. Phaeton, poor youth, when all is on fire, all on an uproar, is at his wit's end.  
Tum verò Phaeton cunctis è partibus orbem  
Aspicit accensum; nec tantos sustinet aestus.  
Then jupiter, at the pitiful complaint of the earth, that is, the commonwealth, comes to help.  
Intonat, & dextra libratum fulmen ab aure  
Mittit in aurigam. etc.  
Where followeth the miserable end of these lusty commanders, brought to utter confusion.  
Illîc fraena jacent, illîc temone rewlsus  
Axis etc.  
When all is come to all, Phaeton's ambitious conceit, gains nought but this to comfort his destruction, that when by his aspiring, he hath procured his own overthrow, men may say after his death, This fellow carried a brave mind, and shot at mighty matters.  
Hic situs est Phaeton, currus auriga paterni,  
Quem si non tenuit, magnis tamen excidit ausis.  
The like folly and fall was that of Icarus, who soared so high with his waxed wings, that he gave name to the Icarian sea, wherein he was drowned. Ovid 8. Metam. sweetly telleth this tale, and in 3. de tristibus, as sweetly doth expound it.  
Sith Mercury and Apollo were reconciled and made good friends, it was appointed, that Damon should join Mercury to his companion Phoebus: who did it briefly, thus.   

Lovely Coronis killed by the baleful darts of a lover,  
And tale-telling Crow made black, for a worthy requital:  
Young Aesculapius, by repenting hands of Apollo  
Cut fro the mother's womb, was carefuly sent to the schoolhouse  
Of Centaur Chiron to be taught: who made him a cunning  
Surgeon; so cunning, that he dead men strangely revived.  
Whereat jove incensed, with thunder framed by the Cyclops,  
Stroke him dead himself, who cured somany deaths-wounds.  
Titan, sad to behold his son so spitefuly murdered,  
On slaughtered Cyclops, his slaughter kindly revenged.  
Thundering jove much wroth, that such as framed him a thunder  
Sold suffer violence, and not from death be protected,  
Expelled Phoebus, for a certain time, from Olympus.  
Phoebus' in exile now, contents himself with a pastors  
Poor estate, and feeds Admetus' flock, by the river  
Amphrisus: so sweet and so secure is a pastors  
Harmless life: life next to the matchless life in Olympus.  
Once in an eu'ning-tide, whilst Phoebus lay in a valley,  
And with rural pipe bestowed himself on a loves-lay,  
His sheep (sheep indeed, that leaned no ear to a loves-lay)  
Through Pylian pastures chanced here and there to be straying.  
Mercury, Jove's pretty Page, fine-filcher Mercury, saw them,  
Caught and brought them away, and kept them close in a thicker.  
Phoebus' knew nothing▪ for nobody saw, but an old churl,  
One old cankered churl, which there kept Mares by the mountains,  
Called bald Battus: whom Mercury friendly saluted,  
took him apart by the hand, and best persuasion used,  
Gave him a lamb for a bribe, and prayed him so to be silent,  
Fear not, alas, fair sir, qd Battus: it is but a trifle,  
'tis but a trick of youth, some straggling sheep to be taking:  
Kings may spare, and lend to the poor: And this very senseless  
Stone (and points to a stone) of this fact shallbe reporter  
As soon, as Battus: Jove's Nuntio gladly retired,  
Yet, for a further proof, both face and fashion altered,  
And, as a country clown, to a country lout he returned.  
Gaffer, I miss vive sgore vatt wedders: zawst any vilching  
Harlot, rogue this way of late? canst tell any tidings?  
I●hill give the an ewe, with a vayre vatt lamb for a guerdon.  
Battus perceiving his former bribe to be doobled,  
Turned his tale with a trice, and theaft to the thief he revealed.  
Under yonsame hill they were, year while, by the thicket,  
And'cham zure theyare there. Iste true, qd Mercury smiling,  
be't tr'ue, thou false knave, and wilt thou needs be betraying  
Me to myself? and then false Battus turned to a Touch stone,  
Touch stone, yet true stone; which each thing truly bewrayeth,  
And noman thenceforth for no bribe falsely betrayeth.  
At last, all brabbling and altercation ended,  
Mercury and Phoebus made friends, gave one to another  
Mutual embracements, and tokens: Pastor Apollo  
Gave his charmed staff to the Nuntio Mercury: and the  
Nuntio Mercury gave his Lute to the Pastor Apollo.  
Thus they parted friends: to the flock went Pastor Apollo;  
Mercury sored aloft, till he seized on beautiful Hearse,  
Sister of Aglauros possessed with damnable envy  
And cursed Covetise, and worthily turned to a black-stone,  
Black-stone, sign of a mind all black and foully defiled.  
Not long after this, Phoebus with Mercury; joined  
In faire-prowd Chione: Chione bore either a darling:  
Mercury, Autolicus did father, Apollo, Philammon;  
Th'one well known for a these, and th'other fit for a fiddle;  
But faire-prowde Chione was killed at last by Diana.   

ELpinus glad of so short a discourse, made as short work in explication of the same. Mercury was Jove's messenger indeed, yet not used only by jove, but sometimes by other Gods also. His feet were winged, his hat winged, his face beardless, his body bore but that he had a cloak cast over his shoulders, he held in his hand a staff called Caduceus, which Phoebus gave him in exchange for his Lute: the serpents, winding it about, are a sign of concord; and the rod itself was borne of those who entreated of peace, called thereo● Caduceatores. His winged hat and feet show, that speech and words (whereof Mercury is the best deliverer) once being uttered, fly without return, according to that of Horace, Nescit vox missa reverti.  
And else where, Et semel emissum volatirrcuocabile verbum.  
And Homer calleth words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, winged words. 
* Mercury's picture.   
Mercury, according to his divers aspects, worketh divers influences in men's minds: if he be predominant, he afordeth eloquence, elegancy, learning, and especially mathematical knowledge. If he look on jove luckily, he giveth skill in Philosophical & Theological speculations: if on Mars happily, he maketh good Physicians, if unhappily, he maketh them either bad Physicians, or stark thieves: whence came the fable, that Mercury begat on Chione a notable thief, called Autolicus, as musical Phoebus by the same mother had fiddling Philammon. Mercury therefore is a plain turnecoate good with good, bad with bad. Such as be Mercurial, are commonly not very rich: yet they find out now and then conceits and devices to draw money out of the chests of princes & mighty men; sith their crafty and cunning master Mercury, hath made them fit for the managing of princes affairs. And this was the meaning of the tale, that maketh Mercury steal Apollo's cattle: for, Apollo noteth Kings & potentates, and his flocks, are their wealth and riches, and the Mercurial is the fitcher. If, by chance, his Legierdumaine be perceived, he can so sinely smooth up all by facility of discourse, that he never is utterly disgraced by the mighty men. This their friendship and exchange noteth that incomparable union of jovial intelligence with Mercurial eloquence, the only flower of King's courts, and felicity of common wealths. The perjured Battus is as worthily plagued for his double tongue, as the blabbing clawback, and Brewbate Crow▪ for his long tongue. Coronis killed by Apollo, noteth the withered herbs, by the withdrawing of the moisture to the roots; whereof already in Apollo. Only this we may remember, that Phoebus killing Coronis, is a type of wrathful jealousy, cause of present repentance. This tale (as also that of Hearse & Aglauros) is in the second of Ovid's transformations: and the other of Chione, (signifying, that pride will have a fall) in the eleventh.  
Mercury's reconciliation with Phoebus being thus briefly expounded, it was thought good time, to talk of Mars, who, (as seemed by the late discourse) is also diversly affected by or to the same Mercury. Coridon therefore, whose courage was most martial, being hereunto appointed, and remembering no famous transformation by him effected, did what he could, and sang thus of Mars, and his Mistress Venus.   

Whilst limping Vulcan did lay on load on his anvil,  
With sweeting Steropes, and framed Gradiws a breast-peece:  
Gradiws took pains; and sweet Cytheraea belabr'ing,  
With like endeavour made horned Vulcan a headpiece.  
Phoebus' saw them first (Phoebus' see's every thing first)  
Saw, and gree'ud very much, so shameful a sight to be seeing,  
Ran to the forge straightway, and there told all to the blacksmith,  
juno's fayrefaced child, Cytheraea'es beautiful husband.  
Mulciber astonished, stood stark horne-dead for a long while:  
down falls heart, down falleth his head, down falleth his hammer,  
And no life, no soul, in senseless carcase appeareth.  
At last, fine small nets, and chain, of wire he devised,  
So small and so fine, that sight must needs be deceived;  
Much more fine and small, than finest thread of a copweb:  
And so craftily framed, and with such my sterie forged,  
That, with a pluck they clasped, with a touch they speedily closed,  
And held each thing fast, and each thing greedily grasped.  
These with sleight and art on adulterous couch he reposeth;  
And, in a secret place expects polluted adulteress,  
And hot raging Mars: who there lay lovely together,  
Either on others breast, and either in arms of another.  
When sweet tickling joys of tutching came to the highest  
Point, when two were one, when moisture fully resolved  
Sought for a freer scope, when pleasure came to a fullness,  
When their dazzling eyes were overcast with a sweet cloud,  
And their fainting souls, in a sleep, in a swoon, in a love-trance:  
Then was Mars fast tied, fast tied was dame Cytheraea,  
Then was Mars cooled, cooled was dame Cytheraea.  
Mars the adulter lay entangled with Cytheraea,  
And Cytheraea lay entangled with the adulter:  
Vulcan's wires hold fast, they lie unseemly together,  
Either on others breast, and either in arms of another.  
Mulciber in mean time caused chamber door to be open,  
And called Gods, to behold so strange and lovely a wonder:  
Some laughed, some smiled, some wished so to be shamed,  
Nobody but Neptune could possibly pacify Vulcan.  
Lady Venus let lose, was spitefuly wroth with Apollo,  
And his brood with lust and rage she daily bewitched:  
Sometimes Leucothoe with an endless love he desireth,  
And sometimes Clytie, and sometimes lovely Coronis.  
Every day new love, new lust, new flames be prepared  
By Cytheraeaes' means, for this tale-teller Apollo.   

Poor Vulcan, qd Elpinus, was ouermatcht; and did therefore well to return to his forge, and not sight with Mars, the God of sighting. jove, they say▪ had Minerva without a mother, and therefore juno would needs have Mars without a father. Mars is that hot and furious disposition, fit for wars. He was borne in Thrace, a warlike and bloody country: his nurse was called, Thero, signifying fierceness and cruelty: he is figured g●im, ●ierce, and stern▪ alarmed: his chariot is drawn by two horses, which Homer calleth, Terror and Fear: his companions be, Fear, Fury, and Violence, and Fame, with a trumpet, goeth before, all eyed, winged, and clad with a thin and fine robes she is learnedly set forth by Virgil, 4. Aeneid: and sweetly by Ovid, 12. Metam. 
* Mars his picture.   
Bellona. so called of Bellum, which is War, was a gods, that intermeddled which Martial affairs also. She is painted like a furious woman, with a whip in the one hand, and a firebrand in the other. 
* Bellona's picture.   
Victoria, Victory; was painted with a sweet Virgin's face, winged, flying, having a branch of Palm in the one hand, and of Laurel in the other; both signs of Victory. 
* The picture of V●ct●●●a▪   
Now to the fable of Mars & Venus. Venus, that is to say, Wantonness, joined with Mars, which noteth hot and furious rage, giving themselves over to excessive and inordinate pleasure; are by Phoebus, figuring the light of reason, accused to Vulcan, who representeth natural heat; which is weakened by this inordinate lust. Vulcan, by Phoebus his counsel, linketh them together to their shame: for, when natural heat is quailed, than the rage of lust is abated, irksome repentance and languishing debility ensuing thereupon. Vulcan showeth them both to be mocked of the Gods: the natural heat complaineth, as it were, and showeth to all the other faculties (called Gods by reason of their heavenly frame and function) his decay and impotency: whence followeth of necessity the impairing of all the other faculties: especially he calleth forth Neptune, Mercury, and Apollo; sith Neptune by reason of moisture, noteth the nourishing power derived from the liver: Mercury, the sensible part proceeding from the brain: and Apollo the vital and quickening virtue coming from the heart; which three are extremely prejudiced by immoderate lust. No man could pacify Vulcan, saving only Neptune: nothing can restore the decay of nature, but supply of moisture and nourishment. Venus' incensed, persecutes with deadly hate, the whole family of Phoebus, for this discovery: for lust is a continual adversary to reason, ever maligning and opposing itself against all her proceed: the tale is briefly told by Ovid: 4. Metam: and more largely by Homer, 8. Odyss: and otherwise expounded by Plutarch, in his discourse of Homer. Ovid in the fourth of his transformations largely discourseth, how Leucothoe was turned to a sprig of franckencense, and Clytie to an herb called Heliotropium: that noting the sweet and odoriferous influence of the Sun, this expressing the nature and name of that herb, ever turning towards the Sun.  
The Nymphs were all this while behind hand in their songs: therefore the pastors were now suffered to pause for a season: Pallas, Diana, and Venus, being referred to Licoris, Aresia, and Cassiopaea. Licoris the merry lass, said as followeth.   

WHen the rebelling brood of th'earth laid siege to the heavens,  
And jove all in vain had wasted his ordinary thunder,  
Fire-forging Vulcan contrived new darts of a wondrous  
Mixture, more violent than Jove's first ordinary thunder.  
When Gods thus victors were all secure in Olympus,  
And newfound lightning had plagued the rebellius ofspring●  
jove bade fire-cunning black smith, for a friendly requital,  
Ask and have, what he would, and most sincerely protested  
By Stygian waters, that nothing should be denied.  
Old limping Dotterel would needs ask Lady Minerva,  
Of peace and of wars chief guide and Lady, Minerva,  
Jove's joy, borne of jove, jove only without any juno.  
Well, qd jove, then speak and speed: if Lady Minerva  
Yield herself to a smith, let a smith take Lady Minerva.  
Vulcan limps on apace, proud of so lovely a Lady  
And peerless Paragon: When he came at last to the Palace,  
And there found Pallas, th'old buzzard 'gan to be bussing  
Th'inviolate Virgin: th'oulde fumbler 'gan to be fingering  
Th'immaculate maiden: who by and by with a stately  
Frown, and austere look, his rashness boldly rebuked.  
Black smith entreateth, proud Pallas stoutly denieth,  
Graybeard contendeth, but manly Minerva repelleth.  
At last, with striving and struggling sti●ly, the sharp-set▪  
Old fornicator was now so thoroughly resolved,  
Fully resolved now, and now so foully resolved,  
That the resolved blood contending long for a passage,  
Poured itself at length on th'earth, in steed of a Pallas.  
Vulcan somewhat cooled, and seeing stately Minerva  
Obstinate and peevish, conveyed himself to his hammers.  
But the resolved blood which Pallas proudly refu●ed,  
Was sucked up by the earth strait way, and gladly received;  
Whereof Erichthonius was borne, fair boy to the middle,  
But fowl snake downward. Which monster, Lady Minerva  
Gave to the three sisters to be kept, enclosed in a casket,  
With straight commandment, that none look into the casket,  
None peep in to the child, or see so fearful a monster.  
Pandrosos and hearse kept touch with Lady Minerva,  
Curius Aglauros would see what might be the matter,  
And chest unclosed, disclosed a boy, with a serpent.  
There was a chattering Chough, which spying down from an elmetree,  
Saw all their dealings, and showed all unto Minerva:  
Who in stead of thanks, this brewbate crow did abandon,  
And took Nyctimene transformed to an Owl, for her handmaid.  
Thenceforth every Chough, for a mock, was called a jackdaw;  
And each prating jack, bears yet this name of a jackdaw.   

PAllas, qd Elpinus, was Jove's daughter, borne of his head, without any mother: for, sapience and celestial wisdom is the gift of jupiter: & her seat is in the head: and women, though they have many times too much wit, yet have they commonly as little wisdom. She was borne armed: wisdom is never weaponless; or, wisdom is the sinew of war. Vulcan, with an axe of Adamant, did cut jupiter's head, whence Pallas proceeded, a pure and spotless Virgin. A Virgin; for, wantonness and wisdom can never agree: Pure and spotless; for, that superior part of the air, represented by jupiter's head, is pure and incorruptible. Mercury and Minerva were figured both together in Universities; he noting eloquence, she sapience: that without this, is commonly hurtful, this without that, is seldom available, both together are most excellent. This was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Mercury, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Minerva. She had a manly countenance and fierce: and glittering and flaming eyes. Her Helmet was of gold: wisdom shineth and is a glorius protection. Her head is therewith covered: wise men conceal their devices and cogitations; which was the cause also, why commonly there was on her helmet, the image of a Sphinx, betokening silence and secrecy, having the head, face, and breast of a maiden, the wings of a bird, and the rest of the body like a Lion: propounding obscure riddles, and devouring those that could not unfold them. Her spear is long: Valour and wisdom are mighty, and reach far. Her Shield is of Crystal: wisdom is bright and clear. In her breastplate was Gorgon's head: wisdom is wonderful to the wise, and maketh fools amazed. The picture of Pallas, called Palladium, came down from heaven into Troy; and, till it was gone, Troy could not be taken: wisdom is celestial, and the only safeguard of Cities, and common wealths.  
Pallas was so called because she slew Pallas a Giant: or, of shaking her spear, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Minerva, à memoria, of memory, the treasury of wisdom: or, a minuendo, of diminishing: for, strength is diminished and weakened by earnest and continual meditations: or, à minando, of menacing: for she is warlike as well as wise, and of Bellum, War, called also Bellona: though some distinguish them, making Pallas to note policy in wars; and Bellona, blood slaughter, murder, and destruction. Pallas bare away the name of the city of Athens, by bringing forth the olive, noting fertility, more beneficial to Cities, than Neptune's horse, fit forwarres: or, because students spend much oil in their Lamps, as Demosthenes did, who was reported in all his life time not to have consumed so much wine, as oil: or, for that she first invented the use of oil. 
* The picture ●f Pa●las with Mer●●rie.   
Minerva was also the Gods of spinning, weaving, and curious working of cloth: and therefore was she figured sometimes with a distaff in her hand. She rejected the Crow for his tattling: blabs be no companions for wise men, who use to think before they speak, and yet not utter all they think. In his place, she admitted the Owl, who seethe in darkness, and is solitary and silent: all which properties are agreeable to the conditions of a Philosopher & wise man. Athens was her chief delight: Athens was the most famous and learned University in all Greece; and she is the Lady of learning. 
* ●he picture 〈◊〉 Minerva ●ith a distaffs.   
Now for the explication of this wooing of Minerva, Vulcan must first be described: for, as by Minerva, the learned and witty contriving of any work is intended; so Vulcan, that is ●ire, is the instrument to effect these inventions: and, because all things cannot be effectually wrought, which are cunningly devised, therefore wooing Vulcan can neu●r get Minerva's good will. His hat was of a skiecolor, bright and clear, for, so is that celestial ●ire of itself, but his feet are lame, and so is our earthly fire, impure, and not able to ascend upwards directly, but shaketh and limpeth, this way, and that way, by reason of the terrene corruption: Or, if you take Vulcan for the natural heat of man's body, than he may be therefore said to be lame, because this vital heat doth increase, decrease, and alter, according to the difference of men's ages, and diversity of the constitutions and complexions of their bodies, and is never one and the same, or long like itself. jupiter offended, to see this fowl babe Vulcan take his mother's part, threw him out of heaven: and he falling in the Isle Lemnos, broke his leg.  
Historically, he reigned in Egypt, was a stout warrior, halted by a wound received in battle, & first found out the way to make armour of Iron; which gave cause to these poetical conceits, calling him the black smith, forger of armour for all the Gods. Vulcan was married to Venus: for, without natural heat, no procreation. Vulcan struggleth with Minerva, but to no purpose; for, of that aethereal fire, and subtle part of the sky▪ figured by Minerva, nothing is produced: But Vulcan, that is, the gross and more earthly heat, pouring himself on the earth, is the author of divers and sundry procreations, noted by the divers shape of Ericthonius, signifying strife, and the earth. Ericthonius, to cover his serpenti●e feet, invented chariots to ride in. Historically, lame he was, and first author of chariots, by Virgil's report: 3. Georgic: 
Primus Ericthonius currus, & quatuor ausus  
jungere equos, rapidisque rotis insistere victor.   
Vulcan was also called Mulciber, quasi Mulcifer, quià mulcet ferrum: because the fire doth mollify the hardness of Iron, and maketh it malleable. He is painted with a hat, as I said before, lame, black, swarthy, filthy, for all the world like a smith at his forge. 
* Vul●ans picture▪   
Next to Licoris followed Aresia, with a more pitiful song, and fit for her severe and maydenlike disposition, wholly vowed to Diana, of whom she sang:   

LOng, and far wandering Cadmus, by the help of an earthborne  
Serpent's brood, and good advise of Lady Minerva,  
Founded Thebes at last: but alas, no sooner he founded  
Thebes, but unhappy nephew, made grandsire Cadmus' unhappy.  
Luckless', unhappy nephew Actaeon, joyed in hunting,  
Overmuch hunting, till his own hounds hunted his ownself.  
And yet no mischief did he work, but suffered a mischance,  
No fault, but Fortune, caused his poor head to be horned.  
Actaeon on a time from his house untimely departed,  
And to the green wood went with his hounds and huntsmen about him.  
Morning all was spent, and Phoebus loftily mounted  
Just twixt East and West, drew every shade to be shortest.  
Mates, said Actaeon, it's now full time to be resting;  
We have had good sport: now burning Phoebus on each side  
Scalds us, take up toils, and cease any more to be toiling;  
Next day, even by the break of day, we'll back to the forest.  
Actaeon's counsel was liked, his company rested,  
took up tools and toils, and ceased for a while to be toiling.  
There was a Dale, with Pine and Cypress daintily shaded,  
Called Gargaphia, sacred to the Lady Diana.  
In whose furthest end was a plain and natural harbour,  
And yet so pleasant, so sweet, so cheerful a harbour,  
That no art could stain this plain and natural harbour:  
Harbour vaunted above with bending bows of a thousand  
Tall trees: walled about wi●h stones wrought only by nature,  
And (which gave most grace, and was to be chief regarded)  
Watered sweetly within, with a bubbling spring that abounded  
with clear crystal streams: whose brim was cherefuly mantled  
With grass, herbs, and flowers: And here was lately arrived  
Sovereign Lady regent o●●orrests, mighty Diana,  
And her maiden troops; wi●h purpose there to be bathing  
Their unspotted limbs, all weak and weary with hunting.  
And no sooner was that Virgin Lady arrived,  
But qviver, sharp darts, and unbent bow she delivered  
Unto her handmaid squire, who them with duty received.  
Some pluck off buskins, some tuckt-up robes be removing:  
Nyphe brings water: Crocale stands still by Diana,  
Fine-fingered Crocale, her lose hair daintily tressing.  
But whilst Lady regent with a naked company guarded,  
Washed herself in spring, and no-man's company feared,  
In comes Actaeon, from sleeping company seu'red,  
In comes Actaeon, by chance, to the company naked.  
Naked Nymphs seeing, that a man saw them to be naked,  
Smote their naked breasts, and made so woeful an outcry,  
That woods, wells, and caves in like sort yielded an outcry:  
And with naked breasts gave cour'ing unto the naked  
Gods their mistress, joined all in a round, in a compass.  
But their matchless Queen, and Sovereign Lady Diana  
Was too tall to be hid by that same company naked,  
Overlooked them quite, and so was seen to be naked:  
And like scarlet clouds, where Titan's beams be reflected,  
Was their Mistress face, when she was seen to be naked:  
Red for shame, and red for grief: for shame to be naked,  
And for grief much more, for grief to be taken unarmed.  
Yet, though weaponless, she reached both hands to the wellspring▪  
And Acteons ●ace with water deadly besprinkling;  
Now, said she, go tell, that thou sawst Lady Diana  
Naked, spare not a whit. This short narration ended,  
Poor Actaeon's head with an old Heart's horns she adorned,  
Made ears sharp, nose flat, neck long, made arms to be spindle  
Shancks, and fingers feet, and covered all with a specled  
hide: and lest any part of a Hart should seem to be wanting,  
Fearful thoughts, and fleeting legs are given to the heartless  
New heart Actaeon, who fears, and flies by the forest,  
And, as he flies, wonders, that he flies so fast by the forest.  
But when he came to a brook, & saw his head to be horned,  
And mouth enlarged, poor heart, with terror amazed  
Whould have cried, Alas: but, alas, poor soul he delivered  
Not so much as, Alas: sighs and brays only remained  
For to bewray his grief, and tears poured forth with abundance,  
Trickling down his checks, not his own cheeks now, but a Heart's cheeks.  
Of th'old Actaeon, th'old mind now only remaineth;  
And this same old mind is tossed and turned with a thousand  
Conceits, cares, and fears. For, what shall he do? shall he go home  
Unto the King and Queen, or wander alone by the desert?  
Shame driu's Actaeon fro the one; and fear fro the other:  
Shame, on a King and Queen with a horned face, to be staring,  
Fear, for a man forlorn by the desert still to be wandering.  
As thus he stood doubting, his dogs espied his horned  
Head, light Loelaps first, with nimble-footed Aello  
Called aloud to the rest; and then whole kennel approached:  
Nebrophonos, Dorceus, Harpya, Lycisca, Melampus,  
Pamphagus, Agriodos, Pterelas, Hylaeus, Hylactor:  
These and as many more, through thick and thin, by the wails  
Ways, by the rocks and cliffs, by the hedge and ditch, by the desert  
Run for a pray, and poor Actaeon runs from his own hounds,  
And is chac'te himself, who was so lately a chacer,  
Hunted of hounds himself, who that same day was a hunter:  
Actaeon makes sport and play with his hounds in a morning,  
And that self same day is a pray to his hounds by the evening.  
Oftentimes did he strain himself, and sought to be speaking  
Unto his hounds, O leave, leave your unnatural outrage,  
Let your master alone: But no words could be aforded:  
And the redoubled cry in mean time rang by the forest.  
Greedy Melanchaetes did pinch him first by the haunches,  
Next came Theridamas: Oresitrophos hanged by the shoulder.  
These last, though latest, by crossing over a hill top,  
Gayne-coapte Actaeon, and held him fast, till his other  
Hounds came trolling in: Who all so greedily fastened  
On poor Actaeon, that he scarce had so many morsels,  
So many seu'ral bits, for so many hounds to be biting.  
Actaeon still plucked, still poured forth plaints to the forest,  
Groaned at every gripe, and brayed at every biting,  
Groaned as a man, brayed out as a Hart, and playnd as a Hart-man▪  
And on bended knees, with doleful looks he beholds his  
Hounds, and would, if he could, entreat and humbly beseech them.  
But merry huntsmen cheer their hounds, and never imagine▪  
This to be Actaeon: but look each way by the forest  
For their Actaeon; and hollow all by the forest  
For their Actaeon, (Actaeon shaked his horned  
Head, when he heard his name) and all complain, for his absence  
From so goodly a sight, from so unlooked for a pastime;  
Where poor Actaeon, God knows, did wish to be absent,  
But was forced, alas, to be too unluckily present,  
And saw more than he sought, & felt much more than he looked for.  
Cursed curs, Hellhounds, their guts too greedily glutting,  
Their Lord Actaeon, instead of a stag, be devouring.  
So nothing but death, yea death by so many deaths-wounds  
Pleased the revenging mind of too too stately Diana,  
Yet not so austere, yet not so stately Diana,  
But that her owld Minion with a look more lovely regarding,  
Beautiful Endymion she could find time to be kissing.   

AResia had no sooner ended; but Elpinus, seeing the day well spent, began as followeth, without expectation of any further command. Diana was sister to Phoebus, and daughter to Latona as I said before; Lady of hunting, regent of woods. Diana is so called, as if a man would say Deviana, a straggler or wanderer: for, the Moon strayeth from the Eclipticall line, as huntsmen wander in woods and forests, or else she may be called Diana, quià diem praecedit, because she is, as it were, a forerunner to the day. She is also called Luna, à luce, of her light: figured with a sweet and amiable look, and maydenlike face, her garments tucked up, her quiver on her back, a fire brand in her hand: noting either the pinching torments of childbirth, whereof she also (by reason of her moisture) in a Gods, or the light which she afordeth for direction of men in the night season, whereof she is the governess. Her chariot is drawn by white Hearts; Hearts be swift, an● the Moon doth soon dispatch her revolution. She is sister to Phoebus, and therefore called Phoebe, for, she borroweth light from him; and they two equally divide the time between them, he ruling the d●y she the night. Her garment is changeable: the Moon hath divers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a●d apparitions. Her daughter was Hearse, that is Dew, whom she conceived of jupiter. Her shafles note her influence. 
* ●anae, ●●ctu●e.   
She is also called Heca●e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, signifieth an hundred: which simple & determinate number, is put for an infinite or great number: meaning, that the Moon hath many and infinite operations in and over these inferior bodies. She had three faces, called for that, Trivia, Triformis, and Tergemina. For, in heaven she is called Luna, in the woods Diana, under the earth Hecate, or Proserpina. That of these three faces, which was on the right side, was the face and head of a horse, figuring the swiftness of the Moon in ending her revolution. The left was of a dog, noting that when she hideth herself from us, she is then Proserpina with her hellish hound: the middle was of a boar, signifying her jurisdiction in fields and forests. When the Gods fled into Egypt, for fear of Typheous, and every one transformed himself to some uncouth shape, Luna turned herself into a cat; who seethe in the night, aswell as in the day: and her sight doth increase and decrease, accordingly and proportionably to the Moon. 
* The second picture of Diana trivia.   
It is historically reported, that Cadmus' vanquishing one Draco, King of Beotia, established himself in his throne: and that afterwards, being beset with the friends of the dead King, who all combined themselves together to revenge his death, he politicly, with seditious rumours, set them together by the ears among themselves, and so distracting and severing their forces, easily overcame them: and this he did, by the advise of Pallas: it being a part of wisdom, by these means to weaken the adversaries power, which otherwise united would be more strong. Others, by the dragon's teeth sowed by Cadmus in Beotia, understand letters, which he first brought out of Egypt into Greece: and, by the seditious and murdering brethren, they mean the men learned and lettered, the one still confuting and oppugning the other. Nazianzenus hereby noteth them that abruptly climb up to honour and dignity, from base and low degree, without either virtue or erudition.  
Actaeon fed and maintained a number of idle and unthankful persons, noted by his dogs. Others expound it thus: we ought not to be over curious and inquisitive in spying and prying into those matters, which be above our reach, lest we be rewarded as Actaeon was. ovid. 2. de tristib.  
Inscius Actaeon vidit sine vest dianam:  
Praeda fuit canibus non minus ille suis.  
Scilicet in superis, etiam fortuna luenda est,  
Nec veniam laeso numine casus habet.  
Or lastly, thus, a wiseman ought to refrain his eyes, from beholding sensible and corporal beauty, figured by Diana: lest, as Actaeon was devoured of his own dogs, so he be distracted and torn in pieces with his own affections, and perturbations. The names of his hounds are all fet from the natural qualities and proprieties of dogs: Laelaps, Aello, Nebrophonos, Dorceus, Harpya, Lycisca, Melampus, Pamphagus, Agriodos, Pterelas, Hylaeus, Hylactor, Melanchaetes, Theridamas, Oresitrophos: signifying, Swift, Tempest, Killbuck, Spy, Snatch, Wolf, Blackefoote, Eateal, Savage, Lightfoot, Woodman, Ringwood, Black▪ Kildeare, Hillebread.  
Endymion watching in the night, to observe the course of the Moon in the Hill Latmos, was said to be kissed of the Moon. Which may also be the cause why they of Thessalia were said to force the Moon down from Heaven, with their charms and incantations, for that they were very curious in noting her nature and revolution. Endymion, by some others, is a figure of the soul of man, kissed of Diana in the hill, that is, ravished by celestial contemplation.  
Pan enticed the Moon into the woods, by giving her a fair fleece of white wool: that is to say, nature doth induce and persuade the soul, by the gift of sensible beauty, to come down into this world of generation, and propagation signified by the wood; Virgil hath some such thing. 3. George●on.  
Munere sic niveo lanae (si credere dignum est)  
Pan deus Arcadiae captam, te, Luna, fefellit,  
In nemora alta vocans; nec tu aspernata vocantem.  
Fair Venus was now left for fair Cassiopaea: who thus discovered the love between her and Adonis.   

MYrrha, the father's whore, and brother's mother, a myrrhor  
Of most monstrous lust, was late transformed to a Myrrh-tree:  
O how could sweet Myrrh come from so sinful a Myrrah?  
Myrrah made Myrrh-tree, brought forth incestuus offspring,  
And yet most delicate, most sweet, most beautiful offspring,  
Damn nature's darling, heu'ns' joy, world's wonder, Adonis.  
Either take wings, bow, and shafts from lovely Cupido,  
Or give bow and shafts, and wings to the loved Adonis;  
And let lovely Cupid stand hard by loved Adonis  
Either on others side, and ask, who list, the beholders,  
Which is lovely Cupid, which is this loved Adonis;  
Every man will swear, that both are lovely Cupid's,  
Both are Lords of love, and neither loved Adonis,  
So like every way were love and loved Adonis.  
Yea such grace, such face, such eyes had loved Adonis,  
That very envies eyes must needs praise loved Adonis.  
Lord, how swift is time, and slideth away on a sudden  
Vnperceaud, unspide? That wretched, lewdly begotten,  
Sisters, grandsires son, closed yesterday in a Myrrhe-tree,  
Borne but yesterday, is now so lovely an infant,  
Sweet child, tall springal, brave youth; that Queen Cytheraea  
loves nature's darling, heu'ns' joy, world's wonder Adonis.  
Lord of love, by a chance, as he played with Queen Aphrodite  
His loving mother, did raze her breast with an arrow.  
Hence, qd Lady Venus, with this same paltry arrow;  
And puts back her son: but that same paltry arrow  
Gave her a deeper wound indeed, than first she believed.  
Now Cytheraean bowers and towers Cytheraea renounceth,  
Fishy Cnidos, with watery Paphos Cytheraea refuseth,  
Yea leaves heaven itself for love, for love of Adonis.  
Now she delights to be gay, and frames her looks to be lovely,  
Trims and tricks herself, and all for love of Adonis.  
Sometimes down by a well with Adonis sweetly she sitteth,  
And on Adonis' face in wellspring lovely she looketh,  
And then Adonis' lips with her own lips kindly she kisseth,  
Rolling tongue, moist mouth with her own mouth all to be sucking,  
Mouth and tongue and lips, with Jove's drink Nectar abounding.  
Sometimes, lovely records for Adonis' sake, she reciteth;  
How Laeander died, as he swam to the beautiful Hero▪  
How great Alcides was brought from a club to a distaff,  
How Medea the witch caused golden fleece to be conquered,  
What lost Eurydice; who first came safely to Circe.  
Sometimes unto the shade of a branched beech she repaireth,  
Where sweet bubbling brook with streams of silver aboundeth,  
And faire-feathred bird on tree-top cherefuly chirpeth;  
There her voice, which makes even jove himself to be joying,  
Unto the waters fall, and birds chirp ioyfuly tuning.  
Sometimes unto the woods, and pleasant parks she resorteth▪  
With tuckt-up garments, and Quiver, like to Diana.  
And there harmless game pursu's with loved Adonis,  
Trembling hare, swift hart, and Roebuck loftyly horned:  
As for Bears, and Woolu's, and such wild beasts, she detested,  
Lest any harm might chance, by the chase thereof, to Adonis.  
Whilst that Lady Venus did thus converse with Adonis,  
Making more account of a heavens-ioy, than a heaven,  
jove sent forth summons through purple-veiled Olympus,  
Forthwith commanding all Gods and every gods,  
There at a stately triumph, on a certain time to be present.  
Then was Lady Venus compelled to return to Olympus  
Greatly against her mind, and leave her loved Adonis:  
And yet afore she returned, she turned herself to Adonis,  
And thus took her leave, last leave of loved Adonis.  
Sweet boy, sith that I must of force now go to Olympus,  
(Never afore did I so unwilling go to Olympus)  
Make much of thyself, and i'll make haste from Olympus.  
Sweet boy, look to thyself, go not too oft to the forest,  
Where sharpe-tusked boars, and ravenous woolus be resorting,  
And strong stoordy Lions are each where fearefuly roaring.  
Parks and lands are walks more meet for younker Adonis,  
Harts and Hinds are game more fit for gentle Adonis.  
'tis no wit, sweet boy, with a greater foe to be striving,  
'tis no wit, to be stout with strong, to be haughty with hardy:  
Forbear for my sake, for my fear learn to be fearful,  
Meddle not with beasts, whose every limb is a weapon,  
Every stroke is death: lest too stowtharted Adonis  
Buy his praise too dear: thy face, years, beauty, behaviour  
Which possess my soul, will never move the devouring  
Wolves, and bristled swine, will never find any favour  
In blood-thirsting eyes of a rugged bare, or a raging  
Ugly Lion, most ugly Lion; whose merciless offspring  
Chief of all other wild beasts Cytheraea detesteth.  
Then she gins to recount, how fair and swift Atalanta  
Chanced at length in race to be overcome, by the golden  
Apples, which herself of her own grace, gave to the thanklessankles  
Hippomenes, whose love was therefore turned to a lewd lust,  
So lewd; that Cybeles' temple was foully defiled,  
And themselves to Lions, for a just plague, speedily changed,  
Drawing her chariot, whose church they lately profaned.  
Then, qd she, fly these; and not these only, but all those  
Beasts, that will not fly. Such counsel gave she Adonis,  
But no such counsel would serve too youthful Adonis.  
For, no sooner was sweet seaborn Nymph Aphrodite  
Conveyed in chariot by silver swans to Olympus,  
But to the wild wood went too wild and wilful Adonis:  
Where, when his hounds on a time, by chance, had roused a wilde-boare,  
Himself sets on first, and boar in a bravery woundeth.  
Boar enraged, runs forth, with foaming tusk, to Adonis,  
And tears those very parts, those tenderest parts of Adonis,  
Which were still most dear to Adonis' dear Aphrodite,  
Tears, and wounds, and kills Aphrodites loved Adonis.  
And now, even just now, when wild Boar murdered Adonis,  
Jove's great guests were gone, and all solemnities ended,  
And sweet lovely Venus from Olympus newly departed;  
Thinking every hour to be two, and two to be twenty,  
Till she beheld her boy: but alas too soon, she beheld him:  
down fro the skies she beheld her long-looked loved Adonis  
Dismembered, wounded, with his own blood all to besprinkled.  
Then to the doleful dale, where murdered Adonis abideth,  
Her milk-white coursers, with might and main she directeth,  
Leaps down, rends her robes, and poor breast all to bebeateth,  
Tears hair, scratcheth face, and deathswound deadly bewaileth.  
Hellish Fates, qd she, though world be deprived of Adonis'  
Corpse, and loved limbs, by you; yet world, to the world's end,  
In despite of you, shall yearly remember Adonis,  
Yearly remember me, by remembering yearly Adonis.  
Yea, this purpled blood will I speedily turn to a purple  
Flower; which shallbe a grace to the ground instead of Adonis.  
If that Apollo could transform his boy Hyacinthus  
Into a flower for a fame, to the mourning flower Hyacinthus,  
Which still bears, ay, ay, in leaves, in sign of a wailing:  
If that Apollo could his doleful boy Cyparissus,  
Turn to a doleful tree, to the joyless deadly Cupressus,  
Shall not Lady Venus do the like for loved Adonis?  
Then with life-giving Nectar, sweet blood she besprinkleth,  
And the besprinkled blood, with a round top swells, as a bubble:  
Purpled round by degrees, is speedily changed to a purpled  
Flower, that bears fair leaves, and frail leaves; every winde-puffe  
Blows them away. So good things go, so died Adonis:  
Flower fades, eye dazzleth, face wrinkleth, beauty decayeth.   

CAssiopaea, said Elpinus, hath so passionately discoursed of Venus and Adonis, that I fear me, under these names, she mourneth her own love, and uttreth her own affection. Howsoever it be; Saturnus, that is, Time, with his scythe, as I said elsewhere, cut off his father's manlike parts: of which, cast into the sea, Venus was borne. So Saturn destroyeth, Venus bringeth forth; and both are necessary for the continual propagation of these inferior bodies, sith the corruption of one, is the generation of another. Venus is fair, beauty enticeth to lust. She is naked, love cannot be concealed. She is borne of the sea, lovers are inconstant, like the troubled waves of the sea: Hereof was she also called Aphrodite, of the froth of the sea, being like to Sperma. She is called Venus, qd ad omnia veniat, or else, à venustate: Swans and Doves draw her chariot; Doves are wanton, and Swans are white and musical, both being means to procure love and lust. Myrrah is sacred unto her, so is the rose also: that, because it is thought to cause love; this, because it is fair and frail, pleasant and pricking, having a thorn aswell as a flower, as love hath. In Saxony, she was figured naked, in a chariot drawn with two Swans and two doves, her head bound with myrtle leaves, a burning star on her breast, a globe representing the earth, in her right hand, and three golden apples in her left: Behind her were the three graces, back to back, hand in hand, and apples in their hand.  
The first picture of Venus.  
Now, for Venus her love to Adonis, and lamentation for his death: by Adonis, is meant the sun, by Venus, the upper hemisphere of the earth (as by Proserpina the lower) by the boar, winter: by the death of Adonis, the absence of the sun for the six wintry months; all which time, the earth lamenteth: Adonis is wounded in those parts, which are the instruments of propagation: for, in winter the son seemeth impotent, and the earth barren: neither that being able to get, nor this to bear either fruit or flowers: and therefore Venus sits, lamentably hanging down her head, leaning on her left hand, her garments all over her face. 
* ●he second ●icture of ●enus.   
Pontanus expresseth it thus, 
Terra etenim solem queritur deserta cadentem,  
Inuidit quem tristis hyems, cui saevior apri  
Horret cana gelu facies, cui plurimus imber  
Crine madet, geminos & cùm malè contudit armos.  
Ac veluti virgo absenti cum sola marito  
Suspirat sterilem lecto traducere vitam,  
Illius expectans amplexus anxia charos:  
Cum gravidos aperitque sinus, & terra relaxat  
Spiramenta, novas veniat quà succus in herbas,  
Diglomeratque nives, & grandine verberat auras.  
Nam cùm sol rebus praesit pater ipse creandis,  
Vt sese ad manes brumae sub frigore transfert,  
Tum tellus vidua sulcos oblimat in alno,  
Et tandem complexa suum laetatur Adonim.   
Adonis was turned to a fading flower; beauty decayeth, and lust leaveth the Just full, if they leave not it. Equicola, expoundeth it thus: Adonis was borne of Myrrah; Myrrh provoketh lust: Adonis was killed by a boar, that is, he was spent and weakened by old age: Venus lamenteth, lust decayeth.  
The companions of Venus were the three Graces; virgins▪ free, merry, amiable, all joining together. So good turns must be willingly aforded without grudging. Some make Mercury their leader, because good turns ill bestowed, be bad turns; benefacta malè collocata malèfacta arbitror, therefore wisdom and discretion figured by Mercury, is here requisite. The first of them is Euphrosyne, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to make merry, to cheer and comfort: the second Aglaia of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to beautify. The third Pithus, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to persuade; or, Thalia▪ flourishing, as others name her. Some make them winged, because a good turn is little worth, unless it come quickly.  
Gratia, quae tarda est, ingrata est gratia: namque  
Cùm properat fieri gratia, grata magis.  
Two of them look towards us, and one fromwards us: we must yield double thanks, and double requital for good turns. They be in greek called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of mirth and joy. Natalis Comes referreth it to the tilling and fertility of the earth. 
* The pictures of th● Graces.   
The one hath in her hand a rose, the second a Dye the third a branch of myrtle. The rose noteth joy: the die is a token, that they ought to come in course. The myrtle, that they should never be forgotten but always flourish and continue fresh and green.  
Before we leave Venus, we must remember her son Cupid, who, (to omit the philosophical discourses of the Platonists concerning divers loves) was pictured, a boy; lovers are childish: blind; they see no reason: naked; they cannot conceal their passions: winged; love soon flieth into our eyes and souls, and lovers are light, as feathers. His bow and arrows note, that he hitteth a far off: his burning lamp, the quickening light, and yet consuming heat of love, Dulcis amaror amor.  
Venus' having brought forth Cupid, and seeing that he did not thrive, and grow; was told by Themis, that if Eros had Anteros, if Cupid had another Cupid for his brother, who might contend in love with him, he would do well. Venus hereupon, brought forth Anteros, and presently Eros revived, love was lusty: and, as the one increased or decreased, so did the other, never delighting, but either in others love and liking. Eros was figured with a branch of palm in his hand: Anteros contended to wrest it from him, but could not. He that will be loved, must love: ut amêris, amabilis esto. We must contend to overcome and get the palm and victory, by loving more, than we be loved so shall we still be loved more, Foams amoris amor. 
* The picture of E and Antros.   
Many young wag's wait on great Cupid: they are borne of Nymphs; young, naked, and have curled hair, and changeable coloured wings: sometimes with a lamp or a bow, sometimes without either bow or Lamp.  
Moschus in his wandering and fugitive Cupid, maketh him not blind, but having bright and clear eyes. Tasso hath the like in Italian, to that of Moschus in greek.  
The particular histories briefly touched in this tale, as by the way, may as briefly be thus expounded. Leander and Heroes love is in every man's mouth: the light of the lantern or lamp extinct (that is, natural heat failing) lust decayeth, and Leander tossed with the cold storm of old age, is at last drowned. Ovid in his epistles passionately setteth it down, and Boscan hath made a whole volume of it in spanish, entitled Historia de Leandro y Hero, beginning thus, 
Canta con voz suave y dolorosa,  
O musa, los amores lastimeros,  
Que en suave dolorfueron criados.  
Canta tambien la tris●e mar in medio,  
Y à Sesto de una part, y d'otra Abido, etc.   
Hercules was also called Alcides, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉▪ force and might: he was the sun of jupiter and Alemena: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is strength and prows. So then, Hercules is the type of a valiant, constant, and resolute Heros, borne of jupiter, that is, endued with all heavenly qualities effected by Jove's influence, and so borne, as to purchase himself eternal fame and glorious renown through the world by his admirable adventures: which for that they were attempted and atcheeved by the malicious instigation and provocation of juno; himself was thereof in Greek named accordingly: for, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is juno; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, glory, or renown, as I have already mentioned: others had rather derive the name, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉▪ which noteth virtue & valour. In his infancy he strangled two snakes; the meaning is, that he began even then to repress wantonness. Afterwards he slew a Lion; noting wrath, pride, and cruelty; & overcame Hydra, the almost invincible, & still breeding beast, Enuy. Hydra lurked in moors & fens; Envy creepeth on the ground, in base and abject breasts. Troy could not be taken without his arrows: his arrows are a figure of heroical fortitude. He wrestled with Antaeus, who ever thrown down to the earth, received new strength from the earth, till at last, he lifted him up, and strangled him in the air: so the spirit still striveth with the body, but never can overcome it, till he lift it up so high from the ground, that with his feet, to weet his affections, he receive no new assistance from his mother the earth. Diomedes, who fed his mares with man's flesh, was by Hercules enforced to feed them with his own body. By Diomedes mares, some understand his whorish daughters, who rob and consumed all that came unto them. He killed the mighty heart, he freed men's hearts from fear. He was ever covered with the lions spoil: a valiant man useth open and Lionlike prowess, and not treacherous and foxelike wiles. He broke one of the horns of the huge river Achelous: he reduced one part of the said river into his wonted course, which was the cause of great fertility to all the country: and therefore it is said, that the horn was decked with flowers, and called Cornucopia, the Horn of abundance. He fetched away the golden apples of the Hesperides, kept by the watching Dragon: Hesperides, the daughters of Hesperus, are the stars: their garden is in the west, wherein grow golden apples: for such is the nature of the stars, to glister like gold, and seem round in show like apples. They grow in the west, because the stars never appear, but when the sun setteth, and that is in the west: for, all the day long they are obscured, by the surpassing light of the sun. The never-sleeping Dragon, that watcheth these apples & keepeth the garden, is the circle, called Signifer. Hercules brought these into Grece, that is, he brought Astrology into his country. So was he, for the same cause, feigned to bear the heavens on his shoulders, whilst Atlas rested himself: because he learned Astrology of Atlas: who is therefore said to hold up the heavens, because he continually observed the motions of the heavens, and was thereof called Atlas, of ● which here is a note of augmentation, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to bear and sustain. The Pleïades and Hyadeses be called his daughters, because he first noted their course, and observed their operation. Ovid in the fourth of his transformations maketh this Atlas to be a king of Mauritania, turned to a mountain of his own name, when Perseus had showed him Gorgon's head, for denying him entertainment. In truth, Atlas is a most huge and high hill in Mauritania, so threatening the heavens, that it gave beginning to this fiction. Sometimes Hercules is painted old and bald, with his club, bow, and shafts, & small chains or wires drawn from his tongue, to othermen's ears: signifying, that his sweet tongue wrought more, than his strong body: and that the aged eloquence is most piercing and available, as Homer maketh manifest under the person of old Duke Nestor. 
* The pictu●● of Hercule● Gallicus.   
Thus did Hercules his searching and heroical heart leave nothing unattempted: but by his reaching capacity, and inquisitive speculation, pierced through heaven and hell: yet alas he that overcame all, was at last overcome himself: He that mastered men, was whipped by a woman, and enforced by her to spin and handle a distuffe in stead of an Iron club: so doth wantonness effeminate the most warlike hearts, and so much harder it is▪ to resist pleasure, than not to be overcome by pain. At length having passed through so many perils, and being infected with a shirt sent him from Deïanira, and polluted with the venomous blood of the Centaur Nessus, he burned himself on the mount Oeta: that is to say, his terrestrial body being purged and purified, himself was afterwards deified and crowned with immortality.  
Medea signifieth counsel and advice; the daughter of Aeta, and Idya▪ for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is knowledge or understanding, and knowledge is the mother of counsel. Medea therefore (that is, such as are wise and advised) leaveth her father, & teareth in pieces her brother and children: to weet, all such affections as might be a let unto her, and flieth away with jason, the physician and curer of her infirmities, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to heal or cure. But when jason gives himself over to filthiness, then doth Medea▪ good counsel, fly away in her chariot drawn with winged Dragons, noting wisdom and policy. jason was many ways endangered, before he could achieve the golden fleece: there is no man that can attain to any excellency, without extraordinary labour. The golden fleece noteth either great riches and treasure, or fame and immortality.  
Eurydice, the wife of Orpheus, figureth Appetitum, the coveting and desiring faculty in man. The serpent biting her heel, is affection & concupiscence: for, veins come from the heels to those parts which are the instruments of lust. Therefore when Thetis washed her son Achilles in the Stygian waters, he was inviolate and unwoundable in every part of his body, saving only his heel, by the which she held him when she washed him, and in the same heel was he wounded by Paris in the temple of Apollo, when he came to marry Polixena, that is to say, affection and lust to Polixena drew on his confusion. In imitation whereof, the good Thomalin in the new shepherds Calendar, singeth thus of the winged boy.  
Therewith afraid I ran away:  
But he that erst seemed but to play,  
a shaft in earnest snatched:  
And hit me running in the heel;  
For then, I little smart did feel,  
but soon the sore increased:  
And now it rankleth more and more,  
And inwardly it festreth sore,  
ne wots I how to cease it.  
Orpheus the husband of Eurydice, an eloquent and wise man, so wrought the rude people, that he made them sociable and conformable: when he obtained the bringing back of his wife from Hell, he was enjoined not once to look back towards her: A wise man ought not to be withdrawn from his contemplation, by any passion or affection whatsoever.  
Circe may be either physically or ethically expounded: physically thus, She was called Circe, à miscendo, of mingling and tempering: for in the generation of bodies, these four elements, as we call them, must needs be tempered: which commixtion and composition is done by the influence and operation of the Sun: and therefore Circe was borne of the Sun and Perseiss, the daughter of Occanus. Perseiss or pierce is the humour and moisture of the Ocean, supplying the place of the matter or the woman, as the sun is the efficient or the man. Circe had four maidens, the four elements: they gathered herbs and flowers for her witchery; these elements are authors of all motions and alterations. Circe herself is immortal; the generation of things is perpetual. She transformed men into divers shapes: for, as I said before, the corruption of one is the generation of another, not the same, but altered and transformed. She dwelled in the Isle Aeaea, so called of the groaning and wailing of mortal bodies, which by reason of the decay and dissolution of this bodily composition, are subject to diseases and griefs: for, ae, ae, ai, ai, signifieth, alas, alas. She could not transform Ulysses: the soul cannot be destroyed, though his companions, noting the elements coherent to the body, were changed. She wrought many wonders by enchanting, she darkened the Moon, stayed the waters, dried the fountains, burnt grass and herbs, and so forth; unorderly mixtion or composition, with abundance of vapours lifted up, darken the moon, and work twenty such like inconveniences. Ethically thus, lust is caused of heat and moisture, the Sun, and Perseiss: If she over rule us, she transformeth us into the shapes of several beasts, according to the sundry beastly pleasures wherein we delight: unless some heavenly help be aforded us, as was to Ulysses. so Homer feigneth some of Ulysses' companions to be devoured by Polypheme the Cyclops, some by the Lestrigones, and some swallowed up of Scylla, and such as were not dismayed with perils and dangers, did yet yield and give over themselves to pleasure and sensuality, whereof divers became effeminate with the delicacy of the wanton Phaeaces: and others in the region of the Lothophagis, by tasting foreign fruit, did forget their own country. The third sort, that resisted both pleasure & pain, was overcome with covetise; and, whilst Ulysses slept, opened the bag stuffed with wind (which Aeolus shut up, and gave to Ulysses) hoping it had been stored with treasure. Lastly, a number of them drawn away with ambition and vaynglorie, would have yielded to the deceitful sweetness of the sirens, had not their Captain stopped their ears with wax, as I said elsewhere, and caused himself to be bound to the mast of the ship: only Ulysses escaped▪ by heavenly help only, and lived with Circe familiarly. Horace, 
Rursus quid virtus, & quid sapientia possit,  
utile proposuit nobis exemplar Vlyssem,  
Qui domitor Troiae, multorum providus urbes,  
Et mores hominum inspexit, latumque per aequor  
Dum sibi, dum socijs reditum parat, aspera multa  
Pertulit, adversis rerum immersabilis undis.  
Sirenum voces, & Circe's pocula nosti,  
Quae, si cum socijs stultus cupidusque bibisset,  
Sub domina meretrice fuisset turpis & excors,  
Vixisset canis immundus, vel amica luto sus.  
Nos numerus sumus, & fruges consumere nati,  
Sponsi Penelope's, nebulones, Alcinoique  
In cute curanda plus aequo operata inventus,  
Cui pulchrum fuit in medios dormire dies, &  
Ad strepitum cytharae cessatum ducere curam.   
Atalantaes swiftness is stayed, and herself outrun by golden apples for, what cannot gold effect? She & Hippomenes are turned to Lions: lust is furius. They being made Lions, are afterwards tamed, bridled, and enforced to draw Cybeles' chariot: by old age lust and love are calmed. Hyacinthus his death teacheth us not to toy; and Cyparissus, not to mourn too much for a thing of nought.  
The Pastors being now overtaken by the Nymphs, began to bestir themselves: among others, Ergastus, whose course was then come, joined Hermaphroditus to his mother Venus, much after this manner.   

Loving Lady Venus, bare Mercury, Hermaphroditus,  
Hermaphroditus, a youth so brave and like to the father,  
Hermaphroditus, a boy so sweet and like to the mother,  
That, whosoever knew Hermes and Aphrodite,  
And looked on brave youth, on sweet boy Hermaphroditus,  
Would say, Lady Venus bare Mercury Hermaphroditus.  
Water-nymphs for a time brought up this younker in Ida;  
But when sixteen years were spent by the younker in Ida,  
Younker could not abide, to abide any longer in Ida.  
All his joy was now his fortune for to be trying,  
And foreign countries with curius eye to be seeing,  
And outlandish wells, and unknown springs to be knowing.  
After much traveling, many strange sights, and many wonders;  
At last, from Lycian borders his course he directed  
Unto the neighbour coasts of Caria: where he arrived  
Hard by a crystal pool, pool cristal-cleare to the bottom,  
And so transparent, that a man might easily number  
Every smallest stone, from th'utmost brim to the bottom.  
There no barren reek, no pricking reed was abounding,  
There no sedge, no rush, no moorish weed had abiding:  
But with fair green turf pools brinck was chearfuly bordered,  
Green turf with fresh flowers & sweet herbs daintily painted.  
There no boys plucked flowers their gay nose gays to be making,  
Nor no nymphs: but a nymph: one nymph, and only but one nymph,  
One and only but one; but no such one in a thousand.  
For, neither cared she farre-wounding bow to be bearing,  
Nor with quick-sent hounds by the green-hewd woods to be hunting,  
Nor with water-nymphs by the smiling meads to be walking,  
Nor to Diana's court with tuckt-up coat to be trudging.  
Her feallow Fairies, still prayed, and daily desired;  
Salmacis, either take thee a dart, or a feathered arrow,  
And intermingle these idle toys, with a fruitful  
And commendable act, and sport of mighty Diana.  
Yet she neither took her a dart, nor a feathered arrow,  
Nor would intermingle her idle toys, with a fruitful  
And commendable act, and sport of mighty Diana:  
But contents herself with daily domestical Harbour:  
Baths her loved limbs, fit for so lowly a water,  
Sits on flowering bank, and combs her sweetly beseeming  
Hair, & looks to the lake, and guides her comb by the water.  
Now her fairest self, with finest lawn she adorneth,  
And fair self, fine lawn on tender grass she reposeth:  
Now fro the pance to the rose, fro the rose to the lily she wandereth,  
And herself with pance, with rose, with lily she painteth.  
Whilst she bepaynts herself with a pance, with a rose, with a lily,  
Hard by the pearl-bright brook, she beheld fair Hermaphroditus,  
Hermaphroditus a far; so like to a God, to a gods;  
That she wished him a God, yet feared that he might be a Gods.  
But when manlike robes declared that he was not a woman,  
Salmacis all on fire his divine beauty desired,  
Salmacis all on thorns, for so sweet company longed,  
Yet stayed, though on thorns, till her head, face, coat she had ordered,  
And made all things fine, and then to the boy she repaired.  
O sweet boy, whose more then mortal beauty deserveth  
For to be deemed a God, what God shall I call the my sweet boy?  
If that thou be a God, thou seemest to be goodly Cupid:  
If but a man, most happy the man, who might be thy father,  
Happy the woman, whom thy sweet self mad'st to be mother,  
Happy the Nymph, whom so brave brother caused to be sister,  
Happy the nurse, whose milk did feed so cheerful a suckling:  
But much more blessed, but much more happy than all these,  
Were that lass indeed, who might be thy wife, be thy bed-make:  
If thou have any wife, let me be thy love for a short time,  
If thou have no wife, let me be thy friend for a long time:  
Whether a husband bound, or whether free as a bachelor,  
Give me a lawful joy, or privily do me a pleasure.  
Thus she bespoke sweet boy; but alas, sweet boy was abashed,  
Knew not what love was, but blushed, yet sweetly he blushed,  
And well, too too well that blushing beauty beseemed.  
Salmacis asked but a kiss, when nought else might be procured,  
And fair ivory neck with her ivory hands she beclasped:  
Either let me alone, or I go, said Hermaphroditus.  
Nay, sweet friend, qd she, stay here and play to thy pleasure,  
Stay and play by the pool, I'll go: and so she retireth,  
And draws back for a while, (yet looks back as she retireth)  
Draws back unto a bush; and there all closely she lurketh,  
And through every creak, to the boy she craftily peepeth.  
Boy, unspied, as he thought, as boys are wont, was a wandering  
Here and there by the mead; and comes at last to the water;  
Puts of his hose and shoes, and dips his feet to the ankles  
In the bedabling waves, that seemed his toes to be tickling.  
By and by, drawn on, by the cool and temperate humour  
Ofth'alluring lake, himself stark naked he stripped.  
But when Salmacis once had seen fair Hermaphroditu●  
Stripped stark naked, alas her love was turned to a lusting,  
Lust to a rage, and rage to a fire, and fire to a flaming.  
Hardly she holdeth her hands, she desires him now to be handling,  
And all impatient his snow-white skin to be tutching.  
Stripped boy leaps to the lake, lake serves as a veil to the stripped boy,  
Bright transparent veil, as a glass to a rose, or a lily.  
Hid Nymph runs fro the bush, despoils herself in a moment,  
Casteth away her Lawns, and flings herself to the water,  
taketh hold, embraces, clips, colls, clasps Hermaphroditus,  
(Striving and struggling and wrestling Hermaphroditus)  
Feels his naked limbs, and sweet lips all to be sucketh,  
Sticks fast, sprawls, and turns, and winds him about, as an Ivy  
Creepeth along on a tree, or a snake cleaves fast to an Eagle,  
Snake snatched up fro the ground, by the griping claws of an Egle.  
Fond boy still still strives, and still still Salmacis urgeth,  
And bows her whole-selfe, bends her whole-selfe to the fond boy,  
Weighs him down at last, and there lies all to be wrapped,  
All entangled lies, all intermingled about him.  
Peevish boy, qd she, now writhe and wrest the a thousand  
Ways, no way shall serve, for thus will I hold the for ever.  
O, would God, would God, that I might so hold the for ever.  
Her boon was granted: they lived so jointly for ever;  
They were one, not two: two coopled, yet not a couple,  
Neither boy nor wench, but a wench-boy now, or a boy-wench,  
Both, yet none of both; either, yet neither of either.  
When poor youth perceived this transformation, and saw  
Whereas he entered a man, that he turned back but a halfe-man:  
Eyes, and heart, and hand, and voice, (but now not a man's voice)  
Up to the heavens did he lift, effeminate Hermaphroditus:  
Father, Mother, grant this fountain so to be charmed,  
That who goes in a man, may thence come forth but a half-man.  
Hermaphroditus chance, moved Hermes and Aphrodite:  
And for a worthy revenge, that well they speedily charmed,  
That who goes in a man, comes always forth but a halfe-man.   

ELpinus was as brief, as Ergastus had been tedious in his tale of his two wantoness. If, qd he, at any man's birth, there be a conjunction of Venus and Mercury, it maketh him neither man nor woman, both woman and man, given to inordinate and unnatural lust, noted by Salmacis. For these two planets are so repugnant, that they can never be well conjoined; sith Venus is all for the body, and Mercury only for the mind.  
LA secreta intelligentia di questa favola, secondo alcuni, è, che nelle matrici delle donne sono set le stanza che rioglieno il seem dell' huomo: tre dalla part destra, che producono i maschi, e tre dalla sinistra, che producono le femine, & una nel mezzo, laquale ricogliendo il seem, ha forza di produrre l'uno e l'altro sesso insieme. e per questa cagione, vogliono dire, che Hermaphrodito nascesse di Mercurio, havendo Venere raccolto il seem in quella stanze del mezzo: e pero sono chiamati & sono Hermaphroditi tutti quelli che sono concetti nella medesima stanze.  
Meliboeus now lastly remained of all the Pastors: who thus sent lusting Bacchus after wanton Venus.   

CAdmeian Semele was great with child by the thunder,  
Great with child and quick. Whereat Saturnian Empress  
juno, frets and fumes; and brawls and scolds with her husband,  
At last, what boots it, qd she, my wind to be wasting,  
As though in foretimes jove gave any ear to my scolding?  
Nay nay, works, not words must plague that drab, that adultery  
What? shall juno the Queen by a shameless quean be abused?  
juno the Sovereign Queen? shall I reign in skies with a golden  
Mace and sceptre in hand, and yet part stakes with a strumpet?  
If that an outcome whore be my mistress, why am I called  
Jove's wife and sister? Nay sister alone: for I bear this  
Name of a wife for a show, Jove's secret 'scapes to be covering.  
Secret? nay she vaunts, and takes a delight in her open  
Shame; she's bagd forsooth, and great with child with a vengeance;  
And looks every day and hour to be called a mother  
Of some brat, by a God, by a greatest God, by a thundering  
jove; which scarce hath chanced in so many years to a juno,  
But let my mistress no more take me for a juno,  
If that I make her not with her own mouth ask for her own death,  
If that I make not jove, yea jove himself, to be author  
Of this death. This said, enclosed in a cloud, she removed:  
And to the housewives house, in a jealous fury repaired.  
Faltering tongue, hoar hair, sunk eyes, legs lazily limping,  
Face plowde with wrinkles, did make her like to the old nurse,  
Old Beldame Beroe, Semele's nurse. And, of a purpose,  
After long tattling, at length she came to the name of  
jupiter, and then sight and said: Dear daughter, I pray God,  
That this prove to be jove; but I doubt: for, alas, many harlots  
Under a feigned name of Gods have foully deceived  
Good-naturd damsels, and them with folly defiled.  
But suppose he be jove: yet that's not enough for a maidens  
Mind, unless that he show himself to be truly the thundering  
jove: for, a disguised jove is no jove: ask him a token,  
Ask him a sign thereof, dear child: and surely, believe me,  
No sign's sufficient, unless that he company with thee,  
In that self-same sort as he doth with juno the Gods,  
In that Princelike guise, in that majestical order,  
With Sovereign sceptre, with fire and thunder about him.  
Simple soul Semele, instructed thus by the Beldame,  
Asked a boon of jove, as soon as he came to the entry,  
But told not what boon: jove grants, & swears by the sacred  
Horror of hellish Styx, that he would perform what he granted.  
Why then, qd Semele, let me kiss jove as a thundering  
And bright lightning jove, no less than juno the Gods.  
jove would fain have stopped her foolish mouth: but a fools bolt  
Was soon, too soon shot, which jove extremely molested:  
For, neither Semele could unwish what she had once wished,  
Nor lamenting jove unswear that which he had once sworn.  
Therefore sore displeased, he gets himself to Olympus,  
And with a stern countenance and grim look, heaps on a cluster  
Thick clouds, blustering winds, black storms, fires fearfuly flashing,  
And th'undaunted dint of thunders mightily roaring:  
And yet he makes himself as mild as he possibly may be,  
And alleys his Sovereign force, and leaves the devouring  
Fearful thunderbolt, that struck down griefly Typheous.  
There is an other kind of thunder: there is a lightning  
Framed much more light, and of less might, by the Cyclops,  
Called the second sceptre: this he takes, and comes to the chamber  
Of longing Semele: who proud and vain as a woman,  
With fond self conceit drew self-destruction onwards.  
For, mortal Semele was quite consumed in a moment  
By th'immortal strength, and matchless might of a thunder.  
Yet, th'imperfect fruit fro the mother's womb he removed,  
And (so ran the report) in his own thigh strangely received it,  
Till by continuance of time it grew to a ripeness,  
And the appointed time by degrres was come to a fullness.  
Then by his aunt Ino, for a while was he charily fostered,  
And soon after that, to the Nymphs of Nysa, delivered:  
And good-natured Nymphs from juno warily kept him  
In bowers and harbours, and gave him milk for a season.  
This same twice-borne babe at length was called jacchus,  
Sweet boy, pleasant imp, fair lad, brave younker jacchus,  
Never sad, free-tongd, free-hart, free-handed jacchus,  
And, when he wanteth his horns, as mild as a maiden, jacchus,  
But, when he hath on his horns, as fierce as a Tiger, jacchus.   

whether Meliboeus be beholding to Bacchus, or Bacchus to Meliboeus, I mean not to determine, said Elpinus: but this I have heard, that Bacchus, a mighty warrior, overcame Lycurgus, Pentheus, and divers others, and subdued India, riding thence in triumphant manner, on an Elephant. Yet his greatest fame was procured by his invention of wine, which hath made him painted and described accordingly, a young merry youth, naked, crowned with an ivy garland, having a branch of a vine in his hand, riding in a chariot drawn by Tigers and Panthers: First, Bacchus is merry, Wine moderately taken▪ maketh men joyful; he is also naked; for, in vino veritas: drunkards tell all, and sometimes more than all. tigers draw his chariot; drunken men are fierce and outrageous. Of Venus and Bacchus, Priapus was borne: lust comes from wine and delicacy. 
* The pictu●● of Ba●ch●●   
He is Semele's son: that is, he is borne of the vine: for, Semele is so c●lled, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of the shaking of boughs, her boughs being ever tossed and still wavering with the wind. jove was his father; for, wine hath a kind of heat naturally incident unto it: neither will vines grow in cold places. He was sowed into Jove's thigh, and so borne again: for, wine is eftsoons pressed and trodden with feet. He is a companion of the Muses: wine quickeneth the wit. Women be his priests: women are sooner overcome with wine, than men. He was, of the Egyptians called Osiris; and was torn in pieces by the Titanes, and interred, and yet revived, and had his severed limbs laid together again: For, of every twig or branch or grift of the vinetree, cut off, and burieed in the earth, whole vinetrees spring forth again. He hath sometimes horns, then is he intolerable, and fierce, like a Bull, being drunk immoderately. satires, and such wantoness be his followers; and among the rest, Silenus is his Tutor, a fat, gross, stammering drunkard, bald, and flatnosde, with great cares, short neck▪ and swelling belly, riding on an ass, as not able, for swelling, to stand on his feet; all effects of beastly carousing. The water-nymphs took him from the burnt ashes of his mother, and brought him up: the vinetree is moist of nature: or rather, the burning fire of Bacchus, must be quenched, wine must be allayed. He is called Bacchus, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of raging. Bromius, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, à fremendo, of roaring and hurlyburly. Lyaeus, of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of freeing● and thereof, liber in latin, for wine freeth men from care and thought. jacchus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of crying and shouting.  
A strepitu Bromius, qd vociferetur, jacchus,  
qd curis soluat corda, Lyaeus erit.  
Horace thus describeth his operation.  
Quid non ebrietas designat? operta recludit,  
Spes jubet esse ratas, in praelia trudit inermem,  
Sollicitis animis onus eximit, anddocet arts;  
Faecundi calices quem non fecère disertum?  
Contracta quem non in paupertate solutum?  
Yu● is sacred unto him: that being ever green; and he always young and fresh.  
The Pastors having all made an end; Syluia, Dieromena, and Daphne, had yet said nothing. Syluia therefore remembered Pomona: and Dieromena in mean time, made herself ready for Rhamnusia: as for good old Daphne, she was odd in number, and as odd in conceit, and therefore very like, either to say nothing, or nothing like to that which had been said before. Syluia spoke, as here ensueth.   

IN King Procae's time, Pomona, the Lady of apples  
Flourished: ●aire Pomona, the bravest nymph of a thousand  
Wood-nimphs: no wood-nimph was found so good for a garden,  
None so circumspect, so cunning was, for an orchyarde.  
No wells, no waters, no hills, no dales she frequented,  
Fishing, and fouling, and hunting life she refused,  
Fruit, and fruit-bearing branches Pomona desired,  
Gardens were her joy, and all her care was her orchard.  
Instead of keen darts, she arm's herself with a shredding  
Hook, and therewith cuts and pares the super●luus offsprings,  
And rank spreading boughs, which waste that natural humour,  
Which well spared, makes stock to be strong, and fruit to be lovely.  
Sometimes tender grifts from better tree she deriveth,  
And to a base stock commits them for to be noorrisht.  
B●ser stock, full glad, so noble an imp to be fostering,  
Giu●s it ●ap for suck, and it most charily tendereth,  
And from nipping frosts, with her own bark daily defends it.  
Sometimes crumpled strings of thirsting root she bewatreth,  
When raging dog-star burned fruite-yard all to be scorcheth;  
And this is all her joy, and herein still she delighteth.  
As for Lady Venus, no such pastime she desireth,  
But walls her gardens, and orchyards warily wardeth,  
And men's sight shuneth, mens company daily detesteth,  
Lest by the rural folk, violence might chance to be offered  
Unto her own sweeteself, or force and spoil to her orchard.  
What did not the Satyrs, that frisking lusty juventus,  
And Pan with pine-boughes on his horns, and fleshly Priapus▪  
And old Silenus, well stuffed with youthful jacchus,  
Old staggering Tosspot Silenus, with many other  
Rural Gods, t'obtain so sweet and lovely a goddess?  
Yet more than the Satyrs, than Pan, then fleshly Priapus,  
Than th'old Silenus; Vertumnus faithfuly served her,  
And more heartily loved, though no more luckily lou'dher.  
Howmany thousand times did he turn himself to a reaper,  
And in a reapers weeds, bare sheaves of corn in a bundle,  
And when he so was dressed, each man would deem him a reaper?  
How many thousand times did he change himself to a mower,  
And with long-toothd rake, with crooked scythe went to the meadow,  
And when he thus made hay, each man took him for a mower?  
How many times did he then transform himself to a ploughman,  
All in a leather pilch, with a goad in his hand, or a plowestaffe,  
And so shaped, each man would swear that he were but a ploweman●  
Yea how oft did he frame and shape himself as a gardener,  
priest with a shredding hook his vines and trees to be pruning,  
And so dight, noman did doubt, but he was but a gardener?  
If that he met with a sword, or a soldiers coat, or a cassock,  
Cassock, coat, and sword did make him march as a soldier.  
And, when baits and hooks, and angling rods he received,  
Fishers and anglers so well, so right he resembled,  
That both Nymph and fish might well therewith be deceived.  
So, and so did this Vertumnus, slippery turnecoate  
Turn, and wind, transform, and change himself to a thousand  
Shapes; and all, to behold Pomona the Lady of apples.  
At last, with grey hears his wrinkled brows he bespreadeth,  
puts on a red thrummed hat, with a staff goes lazily hobbling,  
Like to an old Beldame: and thus she gins to be tattling.  
O brave sweet apples, and o most beautiful orchard,  
O paradise-garden, fit for so lovely a gardener:  
And so gives her a kiss; (too wanton a kiss for a Beldame.)  
Then sits down on a bank, and casteth her eyes to the garden  
Stoarde with trees, and trees with fruitful burden abounding.  
Over against this bank, where these two fate, was a goodly  
Elm, that leaned herself, as a loving prop to a vinetree,  
Vine-tree inclining, with clustered grapes, on her elme-tree.  
See, said th'old Beldame, to the sweet fac'te Lady of apples,  
See th● loved sight, and mark there, how many thousand  
Mutual embracements, that vinetree gives to the elme-tree:  
Vine gives grace to the elm, and elm gives strength to the vinetree,  
Either an others help, and either a joy to an other.  
But yet alas, if th'elm stood single alone fro the vinetree,  
Or vinetree be divorct from her husband's company elmetree,  
Elm should have nothing, but fruitless leaves for a burden,  
Vine should lie on ground, which now mounts up to the heavens,  
Then let Pomona example take by the vinetree,  
Let Pomona love, and join herself to an elme-tree,  
join herself to a mate, or show herself to be willing  
For to be joined to a mate. O howmany, howmany lovers  
Should she have, if she once showed herself to be loving?  
Yea even now (though now thou live here sole in an orchard,  
Sole in an orchard here, and all enclosed as an anckresse)  
Sileni, Fauni, Siluani, all the delightful  
Crew of rural Gods, still run to the Lady of apples.  
But thou (if thou wilt have this thy match to be well made)  
Take heed, learn in time, and leaned thine ear to a Beldame,  
Who, as a woman, must of right, wish well to a woman,  
And as an old woman, must needs know more than a damsel,  
Disdain these demi-gods, that room and range by the deserts,  
Wood-gods, wooden gods, pied Pan, and filthy Priapus,  
And take Vertumnus to thy mate, who, more than a thousand  
Sileni▪ Fauni, Siluani, daily desires thee,  
And therefore (sith love craves love) more duly deserves thee,  
And take me for a pledge: for, I know, that nobody better  
Knows him then myself: his secrets all he revealeth  
Unto me, and in me his surest trust he reposeth.  
And take this for a truth, Vertumnus goes not a gadding,  
Is not an out-come guest, but dwells hereby as a neighbour.  
Neither take's he delight, his fancies daily to alter,  
Or seek for new loves, or choice once made to be changing:  
Faithful Vertumnus loves with devotion endless  
First love and last love, Pomona the Lady of apples:  
And can so conform, and frame himself to be pleasing,  
That, what form, or face, or shape Pomona desireth,  
Into the same himself Vertumnus speedily changeth.  
And, if like conceits are always cause of a liking,  
You two love and like with like affection, one thing.  
For, Pomona desires and loves fair plentiful orchyards,  
And Vertumnus takes first fruits of plentiful orchyards.  
And, though Vertumnus do receive these dutiful offerings,  
And take in good part Pomonae's beautiful apples,  
Plums, and grapes, and herbs, and flowers: yet he chief desireth  
Not those fair apples, but this fair Lady of apples,  
Not Pomonae's goods, but sweet Pomona the gods,  
Not thine, but the alone. Therefore with mercy remember  
Vertumnus torments, and think, that he mercy desireth  
With my mouth: think, that with these mine eyes he afordeth  
Tears: fear lovely Venus, who wills each Nymph to be lovely,  
Fear Nemesis, that plague's such girls, as love to be loveles.  
Then she gins to recount many old wives tales to the Lady,  
How that Anaxarete, for scorning beautiful Iphis,  
Was transformed to a stone: with a thousand more: of a purpose  
For to procure her love: and bade her look to the fatal  
Fall of Anaxarete, and learn thereby to be lovely;  
So might budding fruit from nipping frosts be defended,  
And halfe-ripe apples from blustering winds be protected.  
But sith th'old trott's shifts, and tales were lightly regarded,  
Turnecoate Vertumnus to a youth was speedily turned,  
Brave youth, gallant youth, as bright and sheen, as Apollo  
Seems, when burning beams, which clouds had lately eclipsed,  
Have their streaming light, and blazing beauty recovered.  
Youthful Vertumnus to the cheerful Lady approached,  
And now offered force: but no force needs to be offered:  
Sweet face, and fair looks, caused castles keys to be yielded.   

VErtumnus, qd Elpinus, to end all in one word, noteth the divers seasons o● the year: and is thus called of the Latin word, verto, which is, to turn, and Annus, signifying the year, as if a man would say, vertannus, the turning of the year. He is largely described and discoursed upon by Propertius in the second Elegy of his fourth book. Vertumnus at last, by turning himself to a youth, obtaineth Pomona; that is, the spring coming on, the earth afordeth variety of fruits and flowers. The like is that marriage of Zephyrus and Flora, celebrated by Ovid in the fifth book of his Fasti. Vertumnus transformed to an old woman, goeth about to deceive Pomona: it is good to abandon old bawds, which corrupt the minds of tender girls.  
The picture of Vertumnus.  
Dieromena, hearing Syluia make mention of Iphis and Anaxarete, took occasion offered: and, by discovering her pride and plague, did thereby insinuate the revenging might of the severe Lady Rhamnusia.   

IPhis, a gentle youth (if a gentle mind be a gentry)  
Poor, yet rich, but rich in pure affection only,  
Loved a lass of state, but alas unluckily loved,  
Loved a noble dame (if a noble birth be a noblesse)  
Loved Anaxarete, whom pride still caused to be loveles.  
Oftentimes he retir'de; yet love still forced him onward,  
Oft did he strive with love, and yet love still was a victor,  
And a triumpher stil. Then poor disconsolat Iphis  
Yields perforce, and seeks his wounded soul to recomfort.  
Sometimes unto the nurse his secret smart he revealeth,  
And by the milk, by the pap, by the blessed breast, he beseecheth.  
Sometimes unto the friends of noble Dame he repaireth,  
And their helping hand with streaming tears he desireth.  
Sometimes wooing words in loving letter he writeth,  
And ten thousand times his lordlike Lady saluteth.  
Sometimes green garlands with dew of tears he bemoystneth▪  
And on posts and gates, his garlands watery fixeth.  
Sometimes tender side on threshold hard he reposeth,  
And there, locks and bars with curses vainly revileth.  
Scornful Anaxarete, with a frowning face, with a hard heart,  
heart of flint, of steel, contemns him daily, for all this:  
And to a disdainful disgrace, to a surly behaviour,  
Adds a reproachful speech, and mocks him, lest any smallest  
Hearts ease, smallest hope might stay contemptible Iphis.  
Iphis, unable now t' endure these plagues any longer,  
Comes all impatient, and all enraged, to the damned  
Door of proud Mistress, there this last passion uttering.  
Lady Anaxarete, o now, sing, io triumph,  
Sing a triumphing song: thou shalt no more be molested  
With vile worm Iphis, poor pasthope, desperate Iphis.  
Vaunt thyself, and laugh, and let thy head be adorned  
With fresh laurel leaves in joyful sign of a conquest;  
Iphis yields, yields breath, last breath; sing, io triumph,  
Feed that murdering sight with sight of murdered Iphis:  
So shall Anaxarete, even in despite of her hard heart,  
Hardest heart, confess, that I once yet wrought her a pleasure,  
Blood-thirsting pleasure, whe● as Iphis murdered Iphis.  
Yet let no man think, that I therefore leave to be loving  
Fayre-prowd, lovely-cruell, till I also leave to be living.  
With double darkness mine eyes shall at once be eclipsed,  
Of suns burning beams and light untimely bereaved,  
And of Anaxarete's sweet sight unkindly deprived.  
Neither needs any man these tidings for to be telling;  
Iphis willbe the news, and Iphis will be the bringer  
Of that self-same news: Iphis will surely be present,  
And in presence die: so Iphis shallbe reporter,  
So this Anaxarete in like sort shallbe beholder,  
And feed murdering sight with sight of murdered Iphis.  
Yet you gods (if men's affairs of gods be regarded,)  
Vouchsafe forlorn wretch with some small grace to remember;  
Let poor Iphis death, and cause of death be recorded:  
And by how much now his living days be abridged,  
Let, by somuch more his name and fame be prolonged.  
This said, brawne-falln arms, and eyes all watered, he lifted  
up to the posts, which erst with flowers he had often adorned,  
And there fastened a cord. These, these be the crowns, be the garlands,  
These be the flowers, which yield such pleasant sent to the scornful  
Lady Anaxarete: so thrust in his head: yet he turned  
Head, and face, and eyes, even at last gasp, to the scornful  
Lady Anaxarete: and there hanged woefuly tottering,  
With corde-strangled throat; his sprawling feet by the downfall  
Knocked her door by chance; knocked door did yield a resounding,  
Yielded a mournful sound, and made herself to be open,  
Wide open, to behold so strange and woeful an object.  
Dead door, senseless door, ten thousand times to be praised  
More than Anaxarete, who by no pains of a lover,  
By no entreating, by no persuasion, opn'ed  
Those dead ears, to receive last words of desperate Iphis,  
Those cursed eyes, to behold last tears of desolate Iphis,  
That proud heart, to bewail last fall of murdered Iphis.  
Dore once wide open, servants ran forth with an outcry,  
Run, but ran too late; took up disfigured Iphis,  
Cold Iphis, palefact Iphis, nay, now not an Iphis,  
And his poor mother with a sight so deadly presented,  
Old mother, childless mother, nay, now not a mother.  
Woeful woman, alas, clipped, kissed, embraced her Iphis,  
Wept, cried out, hold, roared, performed all parts of a mother:  
And to the grave at last with solemn funeral honnors,  
Brought through th'open streets her sons dead corpse in a coffin.  
Hard by the way, through which, this sad solemnity passed,  
Lady Anaxaretes' brave bower stood loftily mounted:  
And, that doleful sound with mourning echo redoobled  
Came to her ears at last (for now at last, the revenging  
Gods 'gan to requite) and forced her eyes to the window,  
For to behold and see poor Iphis laid in a coffin:  
Scarce she beheld and saw poor Iphis laid in a coffin,  
●ut that sightles sight was stark and stiff on a sudden,  
And her purpled blood to a paleness speedily changed.  
Back she remou's her feet, her feet will not be removed,  
Back she reflected her head, but her head would not be reflected;  
Feet and head stock fast: and that same merciless hardness,  
That same stone, which erst in her hard heart made his abiding,  
Dwelled in every joint, and each where took up a lodging  
And least noble dames might deem my tale, but a fable,  
In town of Salamis, where famous Teucer abided,  
(Whence this scornful dame her noble gentry derived)  
Stony Anaxarete, for a lasting sign of a stony  
heart, stands framed of stone, in church of dame Cytheraea.  
Then let noble dames, let Ladies learn to be lovely,  
And make more account of a gentle mind, than a gentry.  
Love makes lowest high, and highest hearts to be lowly,  
And by these means makes both high and low to be lovely.   

THis revenging gods, qd Elpinus, was called Nemesis: she punished the insolency of such, as in prosperity bore themselves over arrogantly: especially those, who for their beauty, were scornful and disdainful. She was also called Rhamnusia, of a place in Attica, where she had a most sumptuous temple: and Adrastia, of one Adrastus, who was the first that ever did consecrate any temple unto her. She was figured winged: for, punishment cometh quickly. She stood on a wheel, and stern of a ship: for she rolleth and ruleth all upside down. She held a bridle, and a rule or measure: for, we must temper our tongues, and deal justly, as the Greek Epigram expoundeth it.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
By Iphis we may learn, not to look too high: and by Anaxarete we are taught, not to disdaigne the lowly.  
The picture of Nemesis.  
DAphne seeing every body silent; knew it was time for her to speak. Madame, qd she, I can neither sing nor say very well: but sith I must needs tell somewhat, it is good to begin betimes, that I may the ●ooner make an end. The best is, I mean not to be so full of parables, as that Elpinus shall have need to make any explication. I have heard my mother many times in good sobriety, make a long discourse of certain scholars of Cambridge, who would needs find out some way to mount up to heaven, and understand those mysteries which be above the Moon. For this purpose they met together at Daws cros●e: where, after long debating of the matter, it was resolved by the full consent of the learned assembly, that they should seek and search, pass and repass, from East to West, some by land, some by sea, till they had found the way to heaven. O, it was a sweet sight, to behold so many sageheads and gentle spirits thus united and assembled together. All being ready, they all made haste: some embarked themselves, some traveled by land: others stayed in villages adjoining, expecting some heavenly apparition or revelation from above. They that were in the ship, began to consult of their attempt; when, lo, on the sudden, (such grace the heavens afford to them that be heavenly affected) there came a stranger, yet an Academic, unto them: who perceiving that their resolution was, not to intermit their labour, till they had found the way how to go to heaven alive; told them, that peradventure, himself could give them best directions for that purpose: and that, if they would give him the hearing, he would discourse at large, both what himself was, and how divers of his companions had attempted the like voyage, and what had befallen them in the same. They all thanked him, for his unexpected courtesy; willed him to enter into the ship, and with this discourse help them to forget the danger and yrksomenes of their travel: which done, he thus began.  
I was borne and bred five miles beyond S. Michael's mount, four summers before the green winter: Saturn was predominant at my nativity; my father, a man of providence, perceiving my terrestrial disposition, would needs have me admitted a scholar in the University, called the Garden, whereof we all were named gardiner's: Our Convocation house was a Harbour sytuate directly under the Arctike pole, where, every new Moon, myself and my fellow gardiner's assembled together, and sang such compositions as we had severally framed of the virtue of herbs, the pleasant liquor of the vine, the sweetness of fruits, the profit of husbandry, and dressing of Gardens and Orchyards: in such sort that our University became famous, by reason of divers learned monuments, daily there devised, and thence proceeding, to the public profit of the common wealth, as, The vulgar Dioscorides, The Garden of Ladies, The moralization of the Georgikes, with many such wondrous works. And as ourselves were delighted in dressing and keeping of Gardens, so did we choose us distinct names & additions of several herbs accordingly: so that one was called a Violet, an other a Thistle, this Lettuce, that Succory; 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 report scattered abroad, that a general deluge and inundation of waters should happen that year, as was foretold by some idle Prognosticators. This strange news troubled the whole country; and, among others, us poor gardiner's: who, having read this lewd Almanac, and considering the flourishing discourses of these Astrological doctors (which threatened the Vines, Gardens, and Orchyards, with blasts, frosts, caterpillars, and a thousand such fantastical dangers) laid 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 University as ambassadors to heaven: who by this one journey, might do a double service: the one, in seeing whether these tale-tell Astrologers had any ground for their predictions; the other in obtaining grace & mercy of the Gods, by granting plenty & abundance. Among others, Succhory, a pleasant & merry companion, had this conceit in his head, to get up to heaven. It were good, me thinks, qd he, to find out a great & mighty Eagle, so strong, that some two of us might mount on his back, & he bear us up to the skies: Marry, we had need to look, that these 2 be not too heavy, or overfat & corpulent, lest the Eagle be overcharged. Therefore the Fennel, and the Violet, in my fancy, be the fittest for this purpose, as being deft and nimble fellows, and as light as may be. Nay, said Cowslip, there is no reason at all to use the help of an Eagle in this matter, because you know that jupiter himself was once transformed into an Eagle, and carried up to heaven an other kind of burden, than Fennell or Violet. Then out stepped Hemlock, with his fryse bonnet, and said, that he had sound a better and more compendious way to heaven, than that. It were not amiss, qd he, if we had a cart; because the journey is long: and, the ambassadors may by this means travel with greater ease and facility. Besides this, they may therein convey to Olympus, some of the best fruits of our Gardens, to present the Gods withal when they come thither. The grave advice of this forecasting Academike, was generally well liked of: saving that they could not conceive, who should draw the Cart: and therefore this invention, the more pity, came also to nothing. All the Academike gardiner's devised and mused much, how it might be brought to pass. Some remembering Lucian's ship, thought it best to go by water: Others, rather by land, through some great forest, as Dante did: at last, they all agreed, that the surest way was, to make ladders of the poles that bore up their hops, and by the means thereof, to build and raise up a tower that should overlook the whole world: and so might they in short time pierce the clouds: and by certain engines still draw up new stuff to increase the height of their fortification, if occasion were. The tower begun, and half ended (●or many hands make light work) we made choice of three, the most expert men in all our University, in Astrology, Mathematics, and Philosophy; to weet, Hemlock, Pasnip, and the Thistle, to be ambassadors. These three gathered divers fruits, Raisins, and herbs, to present the Lords and Ladies of heaven withal, and to request divers bones in the behalf of our University. So we brought and accompanied them with great joy, even unto the Ladders, & saw them mount up chearefuly. Hemlock was one Damoetas, of the Deareles park, Factotum indeclinabile to the Lady of the Lake. Pasnip was a brave piece of a man, about four and thirty years old, fair, straight, and upright, so nimble and light, that he might well have walked on the edge of a sword, or point of a spear. The Thistle was more ancient, as having passed full forty years, and was wholly addicted to contemplation.  
After much mounting, when the learned Thistle was almost at the first heaven, he began to observe and mark, whether Strabo, Ptolomaeus, and other measurers of the world, had made a good survey thereof. He viewed the top of the mount Parnassus, where Lactantius and Plutarch appointed the limits of the deluge; and perceiving that from thence, it was a thousand thousand miles up to heaven, he laughed at their folly, and made a mock of Berosus, who would needs find out the centre of the earth, by the Ark of Noah. Thus jesting at their ignorance, and having his head full of Cosmographical Proclamations, he began to discourse to his companions, of the situation and distance of kingdoms, mountains, seas, rivers, & woods, of the elevation of the Poles, the rising of the stars, & the names of every province, with their laws, statutes, customs, and different kinds of discipline. He showed newfound worlds, never known to Africa, Europe, or Asia. He made Aristotle an ass, who never thought that all the Zone under the Zodiac was habitable. With these & the like speculations and sweet sights, they passed the time, and continued further on their journey. And further let them continue a while, said the ruler of the company that came from Daws cross, in the mean time, whilst your Gardiner's are mounting up to heaven, let us learn of you, what became of the fearful prediction of those Astrological masters. Content, qd the stranger, & thus it fell out. When these famous Astrologers with their numbers, points, measures, Astrolabes, signs, & instruments had concluded for certain, that this inundation should ensue, which would overflow & drown the whole world, so that not one person should escape alive, publishing this their conceit abroad, by printing of their Almanacs and Prognostications, showing from day to day, in the houses of great men and palaces of princes, the signs, the eclipses of the moon, the conjunction of the planets, and other such fantasies, portending, as they said, this future inundation; they made every man fear, and many run up to hills, that, if they must needs die, they might die last, and see others drowned before. Among the rest, the Prior of Saint Bartholomews', removed from London to Harrow hill, and there bestowed an hundred marks, in fortifying and furnishing himself against the flood. And now the time was at hand, when all should come to nought: When (I know not by what revolution or influence) the air on the sudden began to be black, clouds to lower, and rain to power down so fast, that every man verily believed, the astrological predictions would prove true in the end, sith they seemed so likely in the beginning. This made men, women, and children, tag and rag, to climb up to trees, to the tops of houses, castles, and steeples, to save their lives. All the world being thus on an uproar, there came an odd Astronomer, peradventure having less learning, but surely more wit than the others, who seeing, what a pitiful howling and lamentation was made on every side, began with bitter words and vehemency of speech to inveigh against the former Astrologers, saying, they were seditious fellows, worthy to be clapped by the heels, and that all was stark false which they had put down to the terror of the poor people, who of all other deaths were most unwilling to be choked with water. This new doctor was for his labour, accounted a fool of wise and fool: for, still as he thus preached, it rained still. At last, about two or three hours after, as God would, the air began to clear up, the rain ceased, the storm was past, and all was well again. Then came forth the amazed people, from trees, rocks, and Castles, distracted between hope and fear, scarce resolved whether themselves were dead or alive, as if they had come from the newfound world, or out of Trophonius den: and by degrees coming to their former sense and wit, made great feasts and bonfires, for joy that they had escaped a danger which never hanged over their heads. The Astronomer that gave out this comfortable contradiction, seeing that all fell out according to his speech (although peradventure himself thought as the rest did) bore himself loftily, was made a doctor, and dubbed a knight for learning, which was never in his head: and the rest were scorned for fools, which had published the contrary Prognostications. Shortly after this, the first Astrologers, seeing themselves foully overseen, and that this other doctor, by some Seraphical instinct, had foretold the truth, came unto him, reverenced him as a demi-god, & desired him to impart unto them, the ground of this his knowledge, and conceit: which done, they would acknowledge him for their only master and Captain in all their Astrological speculations. What ground, qd he? Mary▪ the surest ground, I assure you. For, are you such sots, to imagine, that in this my prediction, I had regard to any astrological divination, and not rather to a most sure and unfallible consequence of reason, better than a thousand observations of signs and constellations? If this your universal deluge had happened, my grand masters and doctors, who would then have been left alive, to prove me a liar, all the world being drowned? If it happened not, (as in truth it so falleth out) I was sure of the general applause of the people, for this my plausible Prognostication. All the Congregatio sapientum laughed hereat: And now, (qd the chief of their company) it is like that your fellow Gardeners, are almost at heaven by this; therefore, continue your discourse, as they, I hope, have continued their journey. With a good will, qd the stranger, and thus it came to pass. My fellows at last came to a fair and plain cloud, which tutched the very top of their tabernacle, thinking they had been at their journeys end, and that it had been an easy matter, to have dispatched the rest on foot: but they miss their ma●ke, and came short of their account, which troubled them not a little. And as they stood thus consulting with themselves, how they might safely pass further, behold, there came on a sudden, a man and a woman, riding on a little cloud, as though it had been a courser: who saluted them courteously, and bade them welcome; demanding what they sought for, in so high a place, where it was very difficult to mount up further, and more dangerous to go down again. We are Academikes, qd Pasnip, and being of late troubled and perplexed with the repugnant conceits of Astrologers, and menaced and threatened with their unhappy predictions, have traveled hither of purpose to understand whether their divinations be true or not: and if, as they say, the Gods have determined to plague us, and our gardens with sterility and inundations, then have we divers petitions to be preferred to the immortal Gods, on the behalf of ourselves and our Orchyards: which being once perused, and accordingly considered by their divine Majesties, we have brought with us such simple fruits, as our poor ability could afford, to present their celestial Deities withal. It is a strange thing, said the man on the cloud, to see you here so high: but what contradiction find you among your Astrologers? Me thinks you presume very much, in daring to reprehend great clerks, and mount up to the skies, yourselves being but gardiner's and ignorant men. Though we be gardiner's, qd the Thistle, yet let not that be prejudicial unto us: for myself am a doctor of Astrology, & can yield you an account of the opinions of the Chaldees, Egyptians, Indians, Moors, Arabians, jews, Grecians, Romans, moderns & ancients whatsoever: all whose conceits I find as variable as the moon, & themselves altogether Lunatic▪ Before I make answer hereunto, qd the man that road on the cloud, I will tell you my name: I am called Intellectus, understanding, and this my sister is named Fantasy, or Opinion. Our duty and function is, to guide and conduct to heaven, all such persons as here arrive, but not as you have arrived: though indeed, by reason of the small number of them that mount up hither, we are not so pestered with business, but that we have leisure enough to confer with you. Well then, my friends, you must know, that there be divers ways here, all which will bring you to one and the same end. True it is, that there is one way, through which very few pass; because they see so many strange and most miraculous apparitions, that when they return again to their companions below on the earth, they can meet with nothing there, to the which they may fully compare or resemble those heavenly miracles, when they seek to make report thereof to their friends, or other company, desirous of their celestial news. And in truth, for any one that cometh hither with a commendable desire, to reform the disorders of man's life, there be five thousand, that ambitiously are driven forward by a foolish curiosity.  
When we brought hither Plato, Aristotle, Proclus, Auerrois, and others that have discoursed of the heavens, we conducted them by such a way, that they saw but eight Spheres: Albertus magnus, I sake, and many others were guided through an other passage, and found out nine Spheres; and thus have they ever from time to time, repugned their fellows conceits. Without doubt, qd Hemlock, I believe it is, as you say: for, so among us below, if a man ask how many miles it is from Tugford to Tasley; seven saith one, eight saith another; nay, so many men, so many different numbers of miles: insomuch, that he which would indeed know the truth, had need to bring a line with him, and measure the miles himself.  
These aspiring wits, quoth Intellectus, when they are thus elevated, roam and wander about the incomprehensible quantity of the heavens, without my company, and frame of their own invention, five hundred fooleries and monstrous imaginations in the heavens. Here they paint a Bull, there a Dog, here a Goat, there a Lion, and such like, as bears, horses, and fishes: whereupon well might the Philosopher Bi●n reprehend their preposterus curiosity, who could not perceive a fish swimming in a brook, before their eyes, and yet would find out fishes above the clouds: and Thales was as worthily mocked by his maid, for that, whilst he was tooting on the stars, he fell into a ditch, not knowing what was before his feet, yet inquisitive in searching out the secrets of heaven without my assistance. Such fantastical and frantic fellows, were for just cause banished the court, by the good and learned Alphonsus, king of Arragon: for, it is truly said, that, The stars rule fools, and wise men rule the stars. All these things, said the Thistle, are to me very familiarly known, and I make no more account of these guessing Astrologe●s, then of very Asses. Therefore, to let pass these Galaxiaes, Epici●les, Centres, Motions, Retrogradations, Accesses, Recesses, and a thousand such trumperies; if it please you to direct us in the plain way, we shall follow you as our guides, and honour you as our master's. You seem, qd Fantasy, to be men of ingenuous and great conceit, desiring Honour, and aspiring to high matters: come therefore, we will afford you all the help we possibly may: mount on this cloud with us, which shall protect you f●om all annoyance of heat or cold. Incontinently, the cloud was elevated up to Olympus: and no sooner had they arrived in heaven, but Venus and Ganymedes (as women and children use to do) ran to them to see their flowers and fruits. Pasnip seeing Venus hold out her apron to receive some of their provision, gave her leave to take her choice. Then came Lady Luna, who also took what she would, and presently departed, as being enjoined every day twice, to cause a flowing and reflowing in the Indian and Persian sea: besides a thousand other matters, wherewith she is ever occupied. Ganymedes was as busy about Hemlock, who there so liberally bestowed the remnant of their fruits, that in the end nothing remayne●.  
jupiter seeing these strangers arrived in heaven, in habit of ambassadors, bade them draw near, himself then sitting in counsel. Where, the jolly prolocutor Hemlock, in the name of the rest, began a brave oration▪ & when he came to the point to use these words: Lo here, the present which Priapus, the God of our earthly Gardens, hath sent to your celestial Majesties: he found nothing at all left in his pannyers. jupiter moved hereat, whould hear him no further; but catching him and Pasnip by the hair of the head, threw them down from heaven, to their Gardens on earth again: With this transformation, that they should both thenceforth have the form and nature of that root, and weed, whereof they bore the names. The Thistle being all this while in heaven, and perceiving how rigorously his fellows were handled; scratched off all his tender hair from his head, for very grief and anguish; so that it never after grew up so firmly again, but that every year once (for a memorial of this admirable accident) every little blast of wind blewe it all about the fields and Gardens.  
Thus perplexed, heeintreates Intellectus, and humbly beseecheth him, that he would not forsake him in this extremity. Intellectus pitying his woeful plight, excused him to the Gods, giving them to understand, that he had neither in word nor deed offended their divine Majesty. Wherefore jupiter, Phoebus, and Mercury gave him this prerogative and pre-eminence, that he might assign new names to his nephews and succeeding posterity, as Artichauks, and such like; which should ever after be had in great estimation among other fruits of the Garden, and served at mighty men's tables as a dish of great dayntines and delicacy: and afterward gave Intellectus leave to lead him all about heaven; and to peruse his petitions, that his Patent might be sealed accordingly. As the Thistle was about to view the heavens; Stay, qd Intellectus, thou must first obtain the good will of Time; who must also have a sight of these thy demands: therefore read them, and let me hear what they are.   

The petition of the Gardiner's.  
INprimis, that Hemlock never grow in Gardens; but only in ditches and such like obscure and unpleasant places, fit for so unsavoury and loathsome a weed.  
Item, That none under the degree of an Esquire, have his bed stuffed with the down of a thistle.  
Item, That whosoever eateth buttered Parsnips without pepper, may die without Auricular confession.  
Item, That no man, unless he may dispend four nobles by the year in good freehold, shall break his fast with an Artychauck pie.  
Item, That none above the age of seven years, if he nettle his hand, shall be rid of his pain by rubbing the place with a Dock, and saying, In Dock, out Nettle.  
Item, That if any married man use any nosegay, wherein the flowers be odd in number, he may stand in danger of Actaeon's penalty.  
Item, That whosoever drinketh Claret wine without Borage, or Sack without a sprig of Rosemary, may never be rid of his Rheum by drinking Muscadel before he go to bed.  
Item, That if a man be like to have a Fever quartan, for want of a fig, the master of the Garden, by the advise of two Physicians, may give him leave to pluck and eat.  
Item, That: Nay, qd Intellectus, no more That's; for, this is too much already. These fooleries must not be any part of thy petition: thou shalt only demand a good stomach and taste, to the end, that every thing may be to thy good content and liking.  
So they passed on, towards the ancient palace of Time. Time was a great man out of all measure, showing a kind of majesty in his forehead. His face had three several semblances: his brow and eyes resembling middle age; his mouth and cheeks, youth: his beard, old age. He had before him three great glasses, looking now in one, now in an other: and, according to that which he saw in them, he framed his countenance: sometimes ioyeus and merry, sometimes grave and moderate, sometimes sad and heavy. On his left side, was Weeping; on his right side, Laughing. His garment was of such a colour, as the Thistle could not possibly discern it, although, as he told me, he marked it seriously, neither knew he how to term it. He saw about him an infinite number of servitors; the Day & the Night, with their daughter Aurora, between them both, and Hours and Minutes, their servants: he saw Peace, War●e, Plenty, Dearth, Life, Death, Riches, Poverty, Love, Hate, & other mighty potentates, ever looking on the face of Time, and conforming themselves to his countenance, were it merry, or sad. When he made any sign unto them, they were all ready and priest to obey him; and at his command, wrought this or that impression in the ●arth. At the feet of Time, stood Destiny, with a book before her which Fortune and Chance did toss & turn incessantly, sometimes overskipping five leaves, sometimes ten, sometimes an hundred, sometimes a thousand, as they thought good. Time caused Destiny to write and lay down all his decrees; commanding four other personages to put the same in execution, toweet, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter: which four, command in like sort, the Day and the Night: the Day and Night command the Hours; the Hours command the Minutes: the Minute bringeth this or that to pass in the world: and so do they govern the heavens, the earth, and all. Oftentimes there come messengers to the Day and Night, saying, such an one hath builded such a fortress against the Majesty and dominion of Time: another hath erected an image: a third hath composed a book, all intending to be masters & triumphers over Time. Time, perceiving this, looketh in his glasses, held by Verity, and doth but smile at their attempts, willing Destiny to write his pleasure, and giving authority unto Fortune. Fortune, taking delight in such toys for a time, committeth them afterwards to the power of fire or war, or else returneth them again before the feet of Time, where, as soon as they are once set down, they vanish away presently, and never appear again.  
These last words were scarce uttered die the stranger Academike, but suddenly there arose an outragius tempest of snow, hail, rain, wind, thunder, and lightning all together: that, unless by the good advice of the forecasting master, the double Canons, & all the great artillery of the ship, had been presently discharged into the air, to counterbeate and dismay, the roaring and thundering clouds; no doubt, the poor ship had been beaten to powder, and dashed to the bottom of the sea, with such like rage and violence, as if a man would break with his fist, the shell of a nut, floating on the top of the water. The Lady Regent smiling▪ willed Daphne to referthe pitiful description of so woeful a shipwreck, to some other time, when they might there meet again, for the like celebration of Amyntas death. In mean time, for a conclusion of this days exercise (sith it, seemed convenient to end with him, with whom they began) Amarillis and Cassiopaea sang these verses, which Amyntas living had made of the death of Phillis: which ended, they all departed.    

Amintas Phillidi consecravit, mortuae moriturus.  
HEu status instabilis, via devia, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  
Heu non parcentes parcae, redit orbis in orbem,  
Et resoluta ruit perituri machina mundi.  
Omnia, quae tellus, pontus, & aether habent,  
Nil, nisi perpetuus terror & error, habet;  
una dies struxit, destruet una dies.  
Effugit umbra levis: quid non fugit, ut levis umbra?  
Efflu●t unda gravis: quid non fluit, ut gravis unda?  
Euolat hora brevis: quid non volat, ut brevis hora?  
Sic matura brevi, sunt moritura brevi:  
Sic velut umbra fugit, sic velut unda fluit,  
Plena labore dies, plena dolore dies.  
Pallida mors aequo pulsat pede, magna, minora;  
Pallida mors aequo pulsat pede? pulsat iniquo,  
Semper inaequales quià sic pede proterit aequo.  
Proterit illustrem, magnanimumque d●cem,  
Praeterit exhaustum, decrepitumque senem,  
Proterit illa bonum, praeterit illa malum.  
Nullo delectu saevit, discrimine nullo,  
Sed pariter parvi passim properamus & ampli,  
Omnibus una domus, laethi lex omnibus una.  
Flos▪ foenum, fumus, somnus, & umbra sumus;  
Quae viguêre, cadunt, quae valuêre, ruunt;  
Et redit in cineres, quod suit ante cinis;  
Qd si delectu, qd si discrimine saevit,  
Ipso delectu, dilectos saevit in ipsos,  
Alba ligustra cadunt, & deteriora supersunt.  
Si peragant plures pessima quaeque dies,  
Si meliora ruant, alba ligustra cadant;  
Delectus valeat, gratior error erat.  
Delectus valeat? fluitent mortalia casu?  
Gratior error erat? Quid dixi? gratior error?  
Ah valeat vox haec; hic ingratissimus error.  
Ille deus certa lege peregit opus,  
Perfectum certa lege movetur opus,  
Et motum certa lege peribit opus.  
Rector adest rebus, nec adest sine numine rector,  
Numen inest summis, complectitur infima numen,  
Numen inest medijs, penetratque per omnia numen.  
Et nihil est, casu quod perijsse putem;  
Non est, cur casum rebus inesse putem;  
Hoc est, cur casus nomen inane putem.  
Crine quid est levius? nec abest sine numine crinis:  
Passere quid levius? nec adest sine numine passer:  
Vita quid gra●ius? periet sine numine vita?  
Non est cur credam: numine vita venit:  
Non est cur credam: numine vita fugit:  
Numine natus homo, numine stratus homo.  
Nascimur, & morimur, quià nascimur, ut moriamur▪  
Sed neque sort sati, neque casu morte perempti:  
jupiter hoc jussit, mors tantùm jussa capessit.  
jupiter hoc jussit, sunt rata jussa iovis:  
Fatur, & est fatum: sufficit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉:  
Dixit, & edictum tempus in omne manet.  
Ergò vale Phillis: longùm, formosa, valeto:  
Digna iovis solio, tauro jove digna, velauro,  
Digna minus misero, meliori digna marito.  
Tindaridis facies, Penelopaea fides,  
Faedere juncta mihi, funere juncta iovi,  
Semper amans salue, semper amanda vale.   

Errata.  
Fol. 1. b. for, in several harbour, read, in a several harbour. Fol. 8. b. for, the stoutest were tamed, Read, the stoutest are tamed. Fol. 11. b. for, fore fear, read, for fear. Fol. 15. E 2. a. for, sons beams, read, sons bright beams. Fol. 21. b. for, sylogistical, read, syllogistical. Fol. 25. b. faintly Ceres, read fainty Ceres. Fol. 26. b. for, natrea deorum, read, natura deorum. 28. a. for, swear, read, swore. Pyryphlegeton, read, Pyriphlegeton, 1.2 b. for, late, read, latè. 1. 3 ●. for, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, read, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 36 a. lastword, for, these, read, the. 37. b last word, jove, jove. 42. a. first line, homed, read, homed. 43. b. georgic●on, read, georgic●n. 44. b. bare, read, bear. 51 a. 4. ●in. time, read, day. last line, swelling, read, swilling. 54. b. rolleth and ruleth, read, ruleth and rolleth.