Ovid his invective against Ibis.  
Translated into English Méeter, whereunto is added by the Translator, a short draft of all the stories and tales contained therein, very pleasant to be read.  
Imprinted at London, by Thomas East, & Henry Middleton.  
Anno Domini. 1569.   

¶ TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE and my very good lord, sir Thomas Sackvile knight, lord Buckhurst: Thomas Vnderdown wisheth continual health, with increase of Honour.  
IN addressing of my book (right honourable, & my very good lord) it is necessary, that the giver thereof should consider, whether the gift be a present meet for the patron or not, least in presuming overbouldly to offer the same, he purchase great displeasure in stead of desired favour. Which consideration debated so long of this voorke in my brain, that I determined it a thing overbase to be proffered to your excellent honour: not for the unworthiness of the work which is very witty, but for the simpleness of the translation which ●ill beseemeth the same: yet I was comforted again, when I weighed diligently the courtesy, by the report of all men bruited to be in your Lordship, which is accustomed to accept, not so much the quantity of the gift, as the will of the giver. And this is the property of a gentle nature, which also caused the haughty Persian king to take in gentle part a cup of troubled water at one of his soldiers hands. Receive this therefore (my singular good Lord) if not for the translators sake, which I grant to be unworthy, yet for the author's sake Ovid, whose excellency I dare compare with any save VIRGYL, if not in this wise, yet as the Macedonian king Philip did hear an unlearned Orator. Who blamed by his council for so doing answered, be content my lords, after I have heard him I shall like the better of my learned men. I say that the skilfulness of your honours head, (which I know to be peerless in our days) if at idle hours it will vouchsafe to read the same, shall have better fancy to apply such as be more learned, and of riper judgement afterwards. All which things considered (and otherwise by mine own private duty bound, for the good affection your honour hath had to my dear father, Steven Vnderdowne, which I pray God long to continue) I am bold to adventure to proffer you this book, which by leisure I have translated into Meeter, and because the sense is not easy otherwise to be understanded, I have drawn a brief draft of all the stories and tales contained therein, which are so many, as I dare affirm in the like volume, a man may not read any where: so that I doubt not, the reading thereof will be very pleasant to your honour, and perhaps profitable also. But what need I make many words hereof, seeing it is at hand ready to perform I trust, what I have said? but howsoever it fall out, the good will of the giver is never the less. Who prayeth to the living God, always to increase your honour here, and after this life to send you eternal joy with blessed souls.  
At your honours commandment always. T. V.   

¶ The Preface to the gentle Reader.  
I Have translated (gentle Reader) a little piece of ovid, which he wrote against a feigned friend. It is very hard and therefore deserveth the more pardon, if in any part thereof I have erred. And that the obscurytie of it should not be displeasant unto thee, (which I know must needs have been) I have added thereunto a brief draft of all the stories and tales, that are contained therein, by reason whereof the reading of it, no doubt, will be very pleasant, & perhaps not without profit. For therein shall you see all manner of vices punished, all offences corrected, & all misdeeds revenged. There is neither story, nor tale almost, from the beginning unto his time, wherein any ill luck was noted, to happen to any man, but the Poet wisheth the same to light upon his adversary. The causes that moved him to write thus sharply were two, as in the work may appear. One for that after his banishment he whispered lies and untrue tales into Augustus the Emperor his ears, thereby to keep him the longer in exile. The other for that he solicited his wife to be uncourteous. These two causes if they much incensed Ovid, no man I think can blame him. For what greater uncurtesy, I will not say villainy, can be showed to any man, than so to tread upon him when he is down, that he shall after never be able to rise again. Of troth me thinketh when I consider the gifts that God hath bestowed upon men, I am almost rapt, and beside myself, for the greatness & number of them: but of all friendship is the greatest. Which (if any thing do) cometh most near to the celestial society, & heavenly agreement of angels & blessed creatures. But it is so rare, the since the beginning of the world, there hath been great scarcity thereof, so that if you consider the number of other men, it will amount to nothing. Surely that man is happy (as saith Tully) who hath one to whom he may freely break his mind, and utter all his cogitations, who will rejoice with him in prosperity without envy, and with true heart be partaker of his adversity, that man may well think that he hath gotten the most precious jewel in the world But how a man should attain hereunto, but by virtue, which is the ground of friendship, there is no way, neither is there any other mean whereby it is tried and conserved. That agreement which is among evil men, the society of dissemblers, the fellowship of flatterers. the consent of thieves, is not to be termed by the name of friendship, for as much as in these is neither troth nor plain dealing, and therefore no fréendeshipppe. For except you do detect, and open the very secrets of your heart, without colour to your friend, and he to you again likewise, there can be no constant or steadfast amity. There must be therefore especial care given in the choice of a true friend, least in stead of him we light upon a flatterer, which is of such affinity with him in appearance, that he is very hard to be descried.  
There is not so high an hill, but a man may climb to the top thereof, not so long a journey, but it may be gone at length, not so deep a Sea, but it may be sounded with Lead, nor so strong a Castle, but it may be battered with shot, not so hid a thing, but it may be revealed by time, only the heart of man is unsearchable, so that in twenty years a man shall not find the depth thereof. Wherefore in mine opinion he was a wise man, that willed us to eat many bushels of salt, with him whom we meaned to make our friend, whereby he meant nothing else, but by long continuance, to try whether he whom we love, be meet to be our friend or not. O how many have thought to have had true friends, but have been much deceived, whereof you shall in the book following see many examples. As of Thessalus and Eurialuss, Cocalus and Minos, Myrtilus & Oenomaus, and such like. There is no poison, to the poison of a Serpent, no strength, to the strength of Gunpowder, no sting, to the sting of the Asp, no malice, to the malice of a woman, nor no evil, to the evil of a feigned friend, and a dissembling lover. It is a great deal better, no doubt, to have an open enemy then a counterfeit friend: For of the one we may take heed, but of the other it is not possible to beware. A true friend than must need be so much worth, as nothing may be more. For who is not well pleased, to hear of Orestes and Pylades, Theseus and Pirithous, Achilles and Patroclus, Nisus and Euryalus, Castor and Pollux, Damon and Pythias, Achates and Aeneas, Alexander and Ephestio, Celius and Petronius, C. Lelius and Scipio Affricanus, Darius and Megabisus, and a great number of pairs of friends more, which I could rehearse, but that it needeth not? All which each for other refused no death nor torment. Wherefore even now also their renown is fresh, & they be extolled above the skies, neither shall there be any so ungrateful posterity, which shall forget their passing amity. Contrariwise, if we consider the horrible effects of enmity and hatred in Atreus and Thyestes', Etheocles and Polynices, with such other, which for brevity I leave out, I think there will be no man so rude, which will not detest. But what mean I to entreat of friendship, of which so many excellent men have written before in such sort: that I shall rather hereby bewray the barrenness of my slender wit, then do any thing thereto worthy praise. And the more for that Favorinus in Aul. Gellius saith, it is better to dispraise earnestly, then to praise coldly. I will therefore leave to speak of this any more, and will come to the other cause, which no man can well perceive, but he that is married. For my part, if you will bear with mine unexperienced judgement, I am well pleased, that Ovid took it in very evil part to bear S. Luke's helmet, seeing that many men even now a days, be scant well content to wear that loathsome livery. Of this I am well assured that Propertius could be content that his friend should be partaker of all the goods he had, and what soever else was in his power, but as touching his wife he could spare jupiter no part of her. He writeth thus. 
Te socium lecti, te corporis esse licebit,  
Te dominum admitto rebus amice meis.  
Lecto te solum, lecto te deprecor uno,  
Rivalem possum non ego ferre iovem.  But of these causes enough. I will therefore omit, to blot my paper with any more words concerning these matters, and will tell you what Ovid was, and why he called this work Ibis, and wrote it in so hard a style. He was a gentleman of a good house, borne at Sulmo, who rather to please his father, then for any love he bore thereunto, studied the law. But after his decease, he returned to his old study of Poetry again, wherein he profited so much, that except Virgil, I dare call him peerless. He was fifty years in prosperity, & good credit with Augustus, but was afterward banished into Pontus, where he lived eight years, and then died, & was buried in Dorbite, a City of Hellespont. The cause of his banishment is uncertain, but most men think, & I am of that opinion also, that it was for using too familiarly julia, Augustus his daughter, who of herself too much inclined to lasciviousness, was the more incensed thereto by him, unto whom he wrote many wanton Elegies, under the name of Corinna, as Sidonius plainly affirmeth.  
Et te carmina per libidinosa  
notum, Naso tener, tonosque missum,  
Quondam Cesareae minis puellae  
falso nomine subditum Corinnae.  
In his banishment he wrote divers books, and among other, this against an untrue friend, and calleth it Ibis, thereby to declare, that there is no valour nor handsomeness in him, nor any thing worthy to be accepted. For Ibis is a bird of Egypt, the filthiest that we read of, of it you may find more in Pliny. He is obscure, and his verses of purpose unperfit, for that he imitateth Callimachus, who in like style, wrote against his own scholar Appollonius Rhodius, which wrote the voyage of the Argonants, and calleth him by the same name of Ibis also.  
Thus much I thought good to note in the Preface, because I would not trouble so little a book with an other argument. Take it (courteous Reader) and accept it in good part, and think that it cometh from one, who hath enough if he please thee.  
Far well.   

Ovid his invective against IBYS.  


WHole fifty years be gone & passed  
since I a live have been:  
Yet of my Muse ere now there hath  
no armed verse be seen.  
Among so many thousand works,  
yet extant to be had:  
No bloody letter can be red,  
that ever Naso made.  
Nor yet no man (set me a side)  
my books have caused to smart: 
¶ He meaneth his books of the art of love for the which he was banished.   
Sith I myself am cast away,  
by my invented art.  
One man there is that will not let,  
(this is a grievous pain)  
The title of my courtesy verse,  
for ever to remain.  
What so he be, as yet his name,  
shall not by me bewrayed:  
Who me constrains to take in hand,  
No weapons erst assayed.  
He will not let me scent almost,  
unto the frozen Zone:  
In banishment take restless ease,  
and there to lie unknown.  
That cruel man doth vex my wounds,  
that seek for needful rest:  
And slanderoous words doth utter oft,  
Where great resort is priest.  
He suff'reth not my coupled mate,  
by lasting league of bed:  
To wail her wretched husband's corpse,  
not much unlike the dead.  
And while some part of beaten bark,  
I hard do hold in hand:  
He strives to have the only bowrde,  
Whereon I swim to land.  
And he who should of right put out,  
each sudden kindled flame:  
Too violent doth seek to get,  
his prey amid the same.  
He labours that my wandering age,  
due nourishment should lack:  
Oh how much worthier to bear,  
our mischiefs on his back.  
The Gods do grant me better luck,  
of whom he's great'st to me:  
That will not see my travel want, 
Augustus' the emperor who banished him.   
oppressed with penury.  
To him therefore deserved thanks,  
as long as I shall live:  
For his so kind and curtyse heart,  
I evermore will give.  
Let Pontus hereof record bear,  
and he perhaps will make:  
That I shall of some nearer ceased,  
hereof a witness take.  
But unto thee thou cruel man,  
that treadest on me so:  
Wherein I may (alas therefore)  
I will be still thy foe.  
Yea moisture shall surcease to be,  
contrary to the dry:  
And with the Moon bright Phebus beams,  
shall joined be on high.  
And one part of the heavens shall  
send East and West winds forth:  
And eke the moisting Southern wind  
shall blow out of the North.  
And new agreement shallbe made, 
Etheocles and Polynices Oedipus his son's king of Thebes   
in brother's smoke again:  
Which erst in blazing flames of fire,  
old rancour rend in twain.   
¶ After the death of Oedipus King of Thebes, his two sons Etheocles & Polynices, did strive whether of them should succeed their father in the Kingdom, until their agreement was made of this condition: that they should rule by course, one year the one, the next year the other. Etheocles reigned first. But when his year was expired, he would not give place to his brother. Polynices, therefore by the help of Adrastus, his father in law, king of the Argives gathered an Army, came to Thebes, and fought with his brother, in which infortunate battle, both parties were almost slain: so that yet thereof remaineth a Proverb. 
Adrastia nemesis.  And the two brother's fighting hand to hand were slain, and being put in one Fire to be burned, the flame parted in twain, so that their malice seemed not to be ended by Death.  

The spring with Autumn shallbe one,  
with Winter summers guise:  
And in one Country shall the Sun,  
at once both set and rise.  
Ere I will concord have with thee,  
sith thou didst break the band:  
And set these weapons clean a side,  
that I have ta'en in hand.  
Then that my grief by any space,  
may ever ended be:  
Or time and hour may assuage,  
my hatred toward thee.  
This peace shallbe betwixt us still,  
as long as life shall last:  
Betwixt the Wolse and silly sheep,  
that commonly hath passed.  
My first battles I mind to wage, 
jambus is the railing verse, devised by Archylocus.   
in style as I begun:  
Although like wars in style not like,  
are wont to be done.  
And as the pleased soldiers spear,  
that doth fierce Veles height:  
Doth first stick fast in sandy ground,  
as cunning taught him right.  
So I with sharp and pointed dart,  
yet will not shout at thee:  
Ne shall my spear forthwith confound,  
thy hated head of me.   
¶ Velites were a kind of light harneshed Soldiers, who used great spears, & for practise, they would toss them before the skirmish, & if need were, even then also, use them against the enemy.  

And in this book ne name nor deed,  
of thee I mind to say:  
And what thou art a little while,  
I give the leave to feign.  
But if as now, hereafter thou  
do still, jambus good:  
And fit for me, shall weapons give,  
sprent with Lycambus blood.   
Lycambus promised to give his daughter Niobole, in marriage to the Poet Archilocus, but afterward being beastly ●●ued with her beawry, would not perform his promise. With which injury Archilocus moved so sharply, inveighed against them both, that for shame they hanged themselves. Neither lived he long after for by the friends of Lycambes, he himself was also slain.  

But now as erst Calimachus,  
did enemy Ibis' curse:  
By that same means both thee & thine  
I earnestly do curse.   
¶ The latin word that I have translated to curse, is devouere, which rather signifieth to vow. In the old time among the Enchanters, there were two kinds thereof in greatest honour. By the one whereof, the gods, defenders of any city (as every city had some) were called out by the victorious enemy, lest he should seem to carry the Gods captive.  
The other whereby either cities, countries, or men were vowed to the wrath of the Gods, for others health. As Decii father and son, Codrus Athenian king, Scevola in the tents of Porsena, & a thousand other.  

And as he did, so I my verse,  
will wrap in stories blind:  
Although myself am never wont,  
to imitate this kind.  
His trade obscure I following:  
gainst Ibys will inveigh,  
My customs old and judgement to,  
the while will cast away.  
And for because yet what thou art,  
(to them that ask the same)  
I tell it not, thou also shalt  
till then have Ibys name.  
And as my verses shallbe stuff,  
with some obscurytie:  
So let the course of all thy life,  
be filled with misery.  
Of him that luckiest is to guess,  
the same be done to thee:  
One day wherein thou tookest life,  
and first of Ianuarye.   
¶ Among the old Romans, there were two times wherein it was most diligently observed, that no unlucky word should be uttered. The one private, which was each man's birth day to himself. The other publyck, which was the first of january, for all. On either of these they bad an opinion, that what soever was said, good or bad, it should come to pass.  

The gods that rule both sea and land, 
Here beginneth ovid his curses by invocation of all the whole rabble of the Gods. The Poles are two, North, & South.   
and better kingdoms guide:  
In equal power with jupiter,  
between the Poles so wide.   
¶ The Gods of the sea are Neptunus, Castor, Pollux, and a great sort else, of whom because Textor in his Officine, hath written at large, I will omit to speak.  
The Gods of heaven in greatest honour, who also drink of the sweet wine Nectar, are jupiter, Mars, Liber, Apollo, Mercury, Vulcan, Aeolus. etc. The Goddesses juno, Mynerua, Diana, Vesta, Ceres, Venus. Vide Textorem in capite de Diis. Tomo secundo.  

Oh hitherto I pray you all,  
be priest t'apply your mind:  
And grant that these my hearty hests, 

Tellus the earth, had a Godhead, therefore she was called upon in making truces. Homer Plinius. So had Ether also, the Air.  
The Sun and Stars also, not without sacrifices appointed to them.  
Nox, the night was deified & had her ministers Fumanus & Umber    
desired weight may find.  
And thou thyself (oh Tellus fair)  
thou Sea with all thy waves:  
And air highest of the rest,  
grant what my prayers craves.  
And eke you Stars and Phoebus to,  
with beams compassed bright:  
Thou Moon also who never dost,  
as ere show forth thy light.  
Thou Night who by thy darkness art,  
of many honoured:  
And eke you Dames who with three hands,  
do spin the certain thread.   
¶ There be three Ladies of destiny, daughters of Demogorgon, and according to Tully of Herebus and Nox. Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos. who have all men's lives wound, as it were on a distaff, ready to be spun. Clotho carrieth the distaff, Lachesis draweth out the thread, and Atropos breaketh it of: and then the life of him that is on their Spindels of necessity must end.  

Thou River to that thorough hell,  
with fearful noise dost run:  
By whom who so doth make a vow,  
the same must needs be done.   
¶ Victoria daughter of Acheron and Styx, 
Styx a Flood in Hell.  which did jupiter very good service in the wars that he had against the Giants, obtained of jupiter, that all the Gods should swear by her mother, and if any that had so sworn, had falsified his oath, 
Why the Gods do swear by Styx, the Flood in Hell.  that he might not drink of the sweet wine Nectar by the space of nine days after, which thing jupiter granted her with all his heart: And for this cause the Gods do swear by nothing else save by Styx, she was the daughter of Acheron, and Terra.  

Also ye Furies three that sit,  
before the gares of Hell:  
Whose riveled hairs are fearful snakes  
as ancient Poets tell.   
¶ In Hell be three Furies, 
Furix infernales.  Allecto, Siphone, Megara, daughters of Acheron and Nox, and sisters by the mother's side to the three Parcae, their qualities are in many words described by the Poets every where.  

Ye basest Gods, Fauni, satires,  
and those that Lares hight:  
Ye Floods & Nymphs, and half Gods to  
not yet of perfect might.   
¶ Fauni, Satiri, 
Fauni. Satyri.  be Gods that live in the woods, half men and half beasts, and if you list not believe me, ask S. Benedict who talked with one of them a great while.  
¶ Lar was a beautiful Nymph, 
Lares children of Mercury and Lar.  daughter of Almon, who perceiving the love of jupiter and juturna, sister to Turnus, told juno thereof, wherefore jupiter being angry, commanded Mercury to carry her to Hell, who by the way being somewhat bold with her, got her with child, whereof came two pretty children called Lares, who in times past were supposed to be the household Gods.  
¶ Floods were Gods, 
Floods were gods Nilus. Inachus. Nymph.  as Nilus in egypt, and Inachus, jos Father, some were Nymphs, and some were half Gods, who yet had not deserved Heaven: yet jupiter cared for them, as in his ireful Oration that he makes in the counsel house in Heaven against Lychaon may appear. Read the first book of Ovid Metamorph.  

And last ye Gods both old and new,  
that since great Chaos were:  
Unto our time, all you I pray,  
my humble prayers hear.   
¶ New Gods were lately canonized, 
New gods  as Caesar's, both julius and Augustus. Of the manner of Deifying: Read Herodian in the latter end of his Severus, and Marco in his .1. libro de some. Scipionis.  

That whyl'st I an unfaithful man,  
by verse do cause to smart:  
And raging anger takes in hand,  
with grief to play his part.  
Let every one of you by course,  
give grant to my request:  
And let no part of prayers mine,  
without effect take rest.  
Let all that I have prayed be done,  
and that Neptune may guess:  
These not my words, but his who was  
son to Pasiphae's.   
¶ Theseus son of Neptune & AEthra, 
Neptune. Thescus. Aethra. Hippolitus  giving too light credit to his wife Phedra that falsely accused his son Hippolytus, craved of Neptune (or as some say of his father who was made a God of the Sea) that he would destroy him, which in deed he did: for as once Hippolytus came in his Charyote by the Sea side, Neptune sent out some of his Phocasis, which so frayed the young man's Horses, that they ran out of their way, and at length tore him in pieces. You shall read more of him in Hippolytus.  

And all the pains that I do bear,  
let them to him betide:  
And that he may more wretchedness,  
than erst I did abide.  
And that my verses which do ban,  
his counterfeited name:  
Do no less harm, or less may move,  
the Gods about the same.  
I him do curse, who knoweth well,  
what meaneth Ibis' name:  
Whose conscience knoweth well that he  
deserved hath the same.  
Without delay I ready priest,  
my causes will pursue:  
Who so art at my sacrifice,  
do it with silence view. 
Signs of evillucke   
Who so art at this sacrifice,  
do dolefully lament:  
And go to Ibis, all thy cheeks,  
with moisty tears besprent.  
With all ill luck that may befall,  
with left feet meet him soon:  
Let vestures black your bodies hide,  
as is of mourners done.  
And thou why dost thou doubt to take  
thy deathlike bands of force?  
Now stands the Altar (as thou seest)  
prepared for thy corpse.  
Let no delays my banning stay, 
He curseth him from all that is either pleasant, or profitable or needful   
pomp is prepared for thee:  
A cursed sacrifice thy throat,  
unto my knives apply.  
Let th'earth deny thee fruit, and stream  
his waters hold from thee:  
Let every wind deny fit blasts,  
for thy commodity.  
Let not the Sun shine bright on thee,  
nor glistering Moon by night:  
And of thy eyes let glimpsing stars,  
forsake the wished sight.  
Let not the fire grant thee his heat,  
nor Air humidity:  
Let neither earth nor yet the Sea,  
free passage grant to thee.  
That banished and poor thou mayst,  
strange houses seek in vain:  
That craving to, with trembling voice  
small alms mayst obtain.  
That neither sound of body, nor  
thy mind in perfect plight:  
This night be worse than passed day,  
and next day than this night.  
That thou mayst still be pitiful,  
but pitied of none:  
And that no man nor woman may,  
for thy mischances moon.  
And that thy tears may hatred move,  
thou judged worthy to:  
On whom (though many mischiefs light)  
yet worthy many more.  
And that, that seldom comes to pass.  
I wish thy whole estate:  
All wont favour for to want,  
and be replete with hate.  
And that thou want no cause of death,  
but mayst be void of power:  
And that thy life be forced to fly,  
of death the wished hour.  
And that thy soul with troubles tossed,  
constrained still to stay:  
May leave thy weary limbs at length,  
tormented with delay.  
It shallbe so, and Phoebus to,  
that this in force should stand:  
Did give a sign, a doleful bird,  
did fly on my left hand.   
¶ Birds that were thought to import any evil luck, were an Owl, a night crow, a Raven, with divers other.  

And sure I think that what I wish,  
the Gods on high shall move: 
Birds that were thought unlucky.   
I will (oh wretch) be fed with Hope,  
till death thee hence remove.  
Hereof shall that day make an end,  
that shall thee take from me:  
Hereof shall that day make an end,  
that comes to late to me.  
But first this soul so many times,  
sore spited at of thee:  
That day shall carry quite away,  
that comes to late to me.  
Then this grief may by any space,  
of time be wiped away:  
Or that either day or hour shall,  
my rooted hate allay.  
While Thracians shall with arrows war, 
Thrace's. jaziges. Ganges. Ister.   
jaziges with bow:  
While Ganges shallbe lukewarm felt,  
And Ister cold as snow.   
Thrace's and Scithi, were counted in times past as one, and they used one tongue. In their wars more than any other people they used Bows and Arrows, because they were invented among them by Scythus jupiter his son, of whom Scythia, was called.  
jaziges bordered hard on them, and practised the bow also.  
Ganges a river that runneth from among the Hills of Scythia, (for of the head thereof I read no certainty) it is of such breadth that where it is narrowest it is eight miles broad, and commonly an hundred. Where it is shallowest it is twenty yards deep, it is lewke warm, because it runneth out of the East.  
Ister, a great River runneth out of the Hill Arnoba in Germany, it is also called Danubius, it runneth by many countries. When it cometh into Illyria, it receiveth into it lx other Rivers, and falleth into the North seas in seven parts, and therefore is very cold.  

While mountains high great trees shall bear  
in fields while grass shall grow:  
While Tibris shall through Tuscan land  
With any water flow.   
¶ Tibris a flood in Italy, so called of Tiberius drowned therein, called in times past Albula, it runneth thorough Hethruria.  

I will make wars with thee, not death  
shall bring my wrath to end:  
But will give weapons to my ghosts  
against thy spirits to send.  
And then also when into air, 
Read the sixth book of Virgyl, his aeneidos, of the state of men's souls, after death   
myself shall turned be:  
My lifeless shadow shall with hate,  
pursue the ghosts of thee.  
Then also mindful of thy deeds,  
I will thy shadows chase:  
And I a bony form will be,  
with thee in every place.  
Whether I by years consumed long,  
(which I would not) shall die:  
Or else shallbe by force of hand,  
resolved by and by.  
Or whether tossed amid the Seas,  
shall suffer wrack with grief:  
And fishes strange upon my corpse,  
shall seek to find relief.  
Or whether that the Ravens shall,  
make of my flesh their food:  
Or greedy Wolves shall have their lips  
imbrued with my blood.  
Or whether some may well vouchsafe,  
me under ground to lay:  
Or cast me ints flaming Fire,  
When life is gone away.  
What so I be, I mind to come  
from Hell, that ugly place:  
And then with cold (revenging) hands,  
will scratch thee by the lace.  
Thou waking shalt me see, with ghosts,  
myself I'll secret keep:  
Then will I seem t'appear to thee,  
to wake thee from thy sleep.  
And last what so thou dost, before  
thy face and eyes, I'll flee:  
And will complain, so that no where,  
in quiet thou shalt be.  
The cruel strokes wherewith I will  
thee smite, shall sound again:  
And hellish brands before thee still,  
shall smoke unto thy pain.  
alive th● furies shall the vex,  
and after Death also:  
So that thy life shall shorter be,  
than either pain or wo.  
To thee shall neither Death rites hap,  
nor friendly tears befall:  
Thy body shallbe cast abroad,  
bewailed nought at all.   
¶ It was in old time counted a great mishap to die in a strange Country where none of their kin might close the eyes of the dead, or bewail their corpse. As may appear in the first Epistle of Ovid, and also in many other places.  

Thou shalt with cruel hang man's hand  
be drawn to all men's joy:  
The hook hard fastened to thy bones,  
unto thy more annoy.  
Also the fire that all consumes,  
from thee alone shall fly:  
The just earth shall not grant thy corpse,  
a place wherein to lie.  
The Ravens shall with crooked beak,  
and talans draw a part  
Thy entrails, and the greedy Dogs,  
devour thy faithless heart.  
And though this praise do make thee proud,  
that Wolves insatiate:  
About thy caryan corpse shall have,  
continual debate.  
In places too, thou shalt be cast,  
far from the fields of joy:  
There shalt thou be where th'urtful sort  
abideth in annoy.   
¶ In Hell be three diverse places, 
Three places in hell.  the first containeth Infants, those that were put to Death by false accusation, those that killed themselves, such as died for love, valiant Warryours and other, & this place is in the entrance as it were of Hell, as soon as a man hath passed the river STYX. When a man hath passed this place, there be two ways, the one leadeth to the happy fields, called Campi Elysii. The other to the great and terrible tower wherein the wicked men be tormented, some of whose punishments ovid prosecuteth as followeth.  
If you list to read more at large hereof, see the sixth book of Virgyl his Aeneidos and Homer in the eleventh of his Odisse.  

There Sisyphus doth roll the stone,  
and Phlegias is there 
Phlegias.   
Fast tied unto a turning Wheel:  
that doth his members tear.   
¶ Sisyphus son of Aeolus for troubling those that inhabited Istuus, 
Sisyphus.  was thrust into Hell, where he is punished with rolling a stone to the top of a hill, which as soon as he hath laid there, tumbleth down back, and he runneth after it to fetch it again, and this doth he continually.  
¶ Phlegias for despising the Gods, was tied to a Wheel in Hell. See the sixth of Virgyl his Aeneidos.  
Some will understand this to be spoof Ixion, 
Ixion.  who desired to lie with juno, or as Homer saith, with Latona. Which thing jupiter perceiving, turned a cloud into the likeness of her, with which Ixion accompanying, engendered thereof the Giant like Centaurs, for which sin, jupiter thrust him into Hell. His punishment was as saith Virgyl, in the sixth of Aenedos, in this sort.  
¶ Lapithe, 
Lapithe. Ixion and Pirithous  Ixion and Pirithous are set at a gorgeous table, furnished with all kind of delicate meats, but over their heads hangs a great stone, ready to fall upon them, and before them, sits one of the furies that will not permit them to eat any bit of the good meat, so that they be in double danger as well of the fall of the great stone, as also of famishment, for lack of food.  

There Belides on shoulders bear, 
Belus.   
still waters gushing out:  
Who banished Aegiptus daughter's were  
a passing bloody rout.   
¶ Danaus the son of Belus, 
Danaus. Aegiptus  king of the up per Egypt, had fifty daughters, and Aegiptus his brother thirty sons. 
Belus. Danaus' Aegiptus.   
Aegiptus instantly desired that his sons might marry his brother's daughters, but Danaus by no means would consent to that, because he hard of the Oracle that his son in law should kill him. Upon which occasion, war arose between the two brothers, and Danaus constrained by flight to seek safety, sailed into Grece, where having expelled Gelamor, or as some say, Stelenus, he reigned thirty years. 
Gelamor. Stelenus.   
Aegiptus not content that his Brother was thus departed, gathered a great Army, made his sons Captains thereof, and gave them charge, that they should never return, except they either had killed Danaus, or married his daughters. The young men had so good success, that Danaus of force, was constrained to yield unto them. And in fine, concluded the marriage, 
Belides killed their husbands.  and straightly commanding each one of his daughters the first night to kill their husbands, which thing saving Hipermnestra, they all accomplished. 
Hipermnestra. Linus.   
She saved Linus of whom after her father was slain. She alone among fifty was found rather to have preferred the rights of Matrimony and love to her husband, than the cruel commandment of her unreasonable Father. But the rest of her sisters, for the accomplishing of this enterprise, are feigned of Poets to carry water in bottomless tub, until they have filled a Tun without a bottom also.  

There Pelops father, Tantalus,  
doth Apples want hard by:  
And still amid the watery flood,  
for thirst is like to die.   
¶ Tantalus, jupiter his Son, 
Tantalus.  by the Nymph Plote, king of Paphlagonia, he had wars with Tros for the taking away of  and being vouchsafed at the table of Gods, 
 taken away.  hearing their counsel, and detecting the same, was therefore set in a river in Hell up to the chin, over whose head to his upper lip hanged fair ripe Apples, but when he catcheth at them, (as Homer saith) a wind comes and bloweth them away: and if he stoop to drink, the water of itself declineth, so that in great plenty both of fruit and water, he is ready to die for hunger and thirst.  

And he whose head is from his feet,  
nine acre's breadth away:  
Who gives his bowels still unto  
the Vulture for her pray. 
Titius.    
¶ Titius the son of jupiter and Helara, he was counted the son of Terra, the Earth, because he was brought up by his mother in a cave for fear of juno for ravishing Latoan, was tied in Hell to a Rock, where two Ravens come and feed upon his entrails. Homer .11. Odiss. Virgil 6. lib. AEneid.  

Here shall one of the Furies cut  
with cruel whips thy sides:  
And shall constrain thee to confess,  
the sum of thy misdeeds.  
The second shall thy toern limbs  
commit to serpent's ire:  
The third thy face bemoyst with tears  
shall cast into the fire.  
Thy sinful ghost a thousand ways,  
shall there be put to pain:  
And AEacus to punish thee,  
shall search his skilful brain.   
¶ Minos, AEacus, 
judices infernales  and Rhadamanthus the sons of jupiter & Europa, for their upright and just dealing on earth, after their death, were feigned by Poets to be judges in Hell.  

The pinching pains of ancient men,  
he shall transfer to thee:  
To those that long have lived in pain,  
thou cause of ease shalt be.  
Thou Sisiphe hast one 
He alludeth to the stories afore of Sisyphus, Tantalus, Phlegias. Titius.  to whom  
thy stone commit thou mayst,  
New members shall turn round on wheels  
that run about so fast.  
In vain at fruit and water to  
this man shall seek relief:  
This man shall feed the greedy birds,  
with everlasting grief.  
No other death shall end the pains,  
that this death brings to thee:  
Unto the griefs that thou shalt have,  
no hour last shall be.  
Of them I'll tell a few, 
Ida.  as if  
the leaves of Ida wood,  
A man would seek to count, or tell  
the drops of afric flood.   
¶ Ida was a wood of Crete, whereof the Trojans who had their original in Crete called a wood of Phrigia hard beside Troy, Ida, In it be Pine trees that never decay nor wax rotten. Theophrastus.  

I cannot tell how many flowers, 
Hybla.   
on Hybla hill there be:  
Nor yet what store of Saffron grows, 
Crocus.   
in land of Sicily.   
¶ Hybla a city of Cicilia so named of a king called Hyblo, who betraying the same to the Megarenses, brought to pass that they builded it again, and called it Megara. Strabo writeth that the Dorienses a people of Grece, builded it, & that the old name thereof remained still, for the goodness of the Honey that was made there, and thereof called Mel Hybleum. Not far from that town there is an hill also called Hybla, whereupon groweth much Time, and many other flowers, whereof the Bees feeding, do make very good honey.  
¶ Crocus a young man loved Smilax well, 
Crocus & Smilax.  he was turned into a flower of his own name, we call it Saffron, and she into Ivy, this flower for the sweet odour thereof, is much praised of Homer, with Lotus and Hiacynthus: there groweth great store thereof upon the hill Coricium in Sicily.  

Nor when the Winter waxeth cold,  
with boisterous Northern blast:  
What store of Hail on Athos falls, 
Athos.   
till it be white at last.   
Athos is a marvelous high hill, belonging both to Thracia and Macedonia, it was made plain by Xerxes' king of the Persians, when he brought his army into Grece, the space of a thousand, five hundred pace, of our measure a mile and a half, on the top thereof standeth a city called Acron. 
Acron.   

Nor by my voice all the mishaps,  
most like to fall on thee:  
Can counted be though thou wouldst give  
a thousand tongues to me.  
So many and so great mishaps,  
shall (wretch) to thee be sent:  
As I myself I think may be,  
constrained to lament.  
Those tears should make me evermore,  
a happy man to be:  
That weeping should more pleasant be,  
than laughter unto me.  
Thou wert unhappy at thy birth,  
(the Gods would have it so:)  
No star did seem to favour thee,  
that might abate thy wo.  
Then Venus did not shine on thee, 
Venus. jupiter. juna. Sol. Mercury.   
nor jove so full of grace:  
And neither Moon, nor Sun for thee,  
had favourable place.  
Nor he whom Maia bright brought forth  
to jupiter the great:  
For thee in Skies his star did place,  
in any prosperous seat.  
The cruel stars of frowning Mars, 
Mars.   
have all the rule of thee:  
And Saturn old that nothing have, 
Saturn.   
to promise luckily.   
¶ The Poet here proveth that at his birth, by celestial influence, he was unhappy: but because that the Astrologians do in many words declare the properties of the Planets, according to their ou-ses, conjunctions, aspects. etc. I will talk thereof nothing at all, saving of that which in this place of necessity must be touched. There be seven. Planets, they be placed in order from the lowest to the highest, thus. Luna, Mercury, Venns, Sol, Mars, jupiter, Saturn, whereof two, jupiter and Venus be always very good, and Saturn and Mars always very evil, the other iii. Sol, Mercury, Luna, indifferent, that is, if either by conjunction, or aspect they behold any good or bad Planet, they increase his power and property.  

Thy birth day to, that thou mightst see  
nothing but heaviness:  
Was very black for to behold,  
covered with cloudiness.  
Which thing was counted a very unlucky  
sign.  
This day in in the Calendar,  
that men do Allia call: 
Allia.   
In which also was Ibis borne,  
a common ill to all.   
¶ Lucius Aquinius a Soothsayer told the Senate or counsel of Rome, that Quint. Sulpibius ready to fight with the Frenchmen did sacrifice to the Gods at Allia a flood in Italy, about xu miles from the city of Rome, in which battle the estate of the Romans were brought to so low an ebb, that it was thought they should never have recovered it again. This battle was fought the xvi day of july, and for that cause the Senate decreed, that no supplications on that day should be made to the Gods, 
Dies alliensis.  and called it Aliensis dies, or Postriduanus: on which day Ovid feigneth Ibis to be borne.  

Whom as soon as his mother vile,  
out of her womb had cast:  
Himself found in Ciniphia,  
with stinking body placed.   
¶ There may be two reasons alleged, why the Poet saith that Ibis was borne in Ciniphia which is a country in Libya. 
Ciniphia.  The one because there be good store of Goats, whose savour is very grievous to the nose, that he might tax him of unsavouriness, which exposition his verse seemeth to approve. The other for that the scantness of water in Africa is such, that divers kind of beasts do come to drink of the flood Cinips, or as some call it Ciniphus, where they of sundry natures engendering togethers, procreate strange monsters, that he might make him a monster also.  

The Owls that flieth but by night,  
against him right took place:  
And uttered with her fatal mouth.  
unlucky cries apace. 
Eumenides, the Furies of whom we spoke before.   
Him forthwith washed Th'eumenides,  
with water full of mud:  
Whereas it came right black, from out  
the fords of Styx his flood.  
Those hellish Furies did anoint.  
his heart with bitter gall:  
Which done, their hands embrued with blood  
three times they clapped all.  
These done, they powered bitches milk,  
Into his childsh throat:  
This was the meat that first of all,  
In Infancy he got.  
Whereof, he whelp of such a dame  
doth all his fierceness gain:  
And barketh forth in every place,  
his dogged words amain.  
With clothes in colour Iron like,  
his members have they clad:  
That from some fire of cursed corpse,  
they lately taken had.   
¶ The colours of Hell be like the rust of Iron, 
Color insernalis.  so is Charon his Boat, that is the Ferry man over Styx into Hell.  
¶ The cloth that was taken from an evil man's corpse, was counted unfortunate.  

And lest that on the ground too bare,  
his head should lie alone  
Not born up, there under they  
do lay a hard Flint stone.  
And then they ready to departed,  
do make amid the place:  
A fire of green wood, which they put  
unto his nose and face.   
¶ A fire of green wood is noyful, because it maketh much smoke.  

As soon as he did feel the smoke,  
he 'gan aloud to cry:  
To whom then forthwith thus did speak,  
one of the sisters three.  
We move to thee these weeping weals  
for ever to endure:  
Which always shall for cause enough  
fall from thee, be thou sure.  
Thus did she say, and Clotho bad,  
her promise firm to stand:  
And forthwith span a coal black thread,  
with her unlucky hand.  
And for because she list not tell  
long destinies before:  
Of all thy facts (quoth she) there shall,  
a Prophet tell thee more.  
That Prophet sure am I, of me  
thou shalt thy mischiefs know:  
So that the Gods some of their skill  
would on my words bestow.  
God grant the things I wish to thee,  
may to my verse agree:  
Which thou amid thy dolour mayst,  
approve right true to be.  
And that without examples old,  
thou have not thine annoy:  
God grant thy mischiefs be no less,  
than those that happed to Troy. 
Troy.    
¶ How cruelly Troy after. r. years war was destroyed, each man doth know. And that the occasion of the war was for Helena, wife of Menelaus king of Sparta, daughter of jupiter and Leda, sister to Castor and Pollux, and Clytaemnestra wife of Agamemnon, general of the Greeks army at Troy, & king of Micene, whom jupiter in the likeness of a Swan, begot.  

And in thy thigh as great a wound,  
with poisoned shatte mayst have:  
As Peas son, t'whom Hercules  
his bow and arrows gave.   
¶ Philoctetes Peas son, 
Philoctetes.  companion of Hercules, enjoyed his bow and arrows after his death, which were given him, partly for that he made the fire wherein Hercules was burned, partly that he should never disclose the place where he was buried: but being afterward constrained to manifest the same, 
Herculis sagittae.  as he was coming to Troy in the company of Ulysses with Hercules arrows (without which Troy might not be taken) was therefore wounded in the thigh with one of the arrows empoisoned with the blood of Hydra, of which kind were two in Hercules' quiver, the grief whereof, drove him into such a madness, that the Greeks of force were constrained to leave him in Beumos, yet some say that he came to Troy, and was wounded in his return, but Homer and our Ovid, in the 13. of Met. are of contrary opinion.  

And grieved no less than he that sucked,  
a heart in time tofore:  
Who armed, with unarmed hand  
was wounded very sore.   
¶ Telephus son of Hercules & Auge daughter of Aleus, 
Telephus.  being found among the bushes, was nourished by a Heart. He was afterward given by a certain shepherd to Corithus king of Thessalia, 
Corithus.  but when he had learned that his mother was banished the country by her father for committing adultery with Hercules, he came into Misia, where finding his mother married to Theutras' king of that country, and the king without heir, 
Theutras.  himself was appointed successor in the kingdom after the decease of Theutras, where he reigned when the Greeks landed in Misia, being by tempest driven out of their way to Troy, with whom also for molesting his country, he fought a valiant battle, wherein he was wounded by Achilles, who had but his spear, 
Achilles.  yet he constrained them to retire into Grece, but afterward being certified by the oracle, that he might not be healed, except he were wounded in the same place again by Achilles, he sailed into Grece, & promised the Greeks that if Achilles would heal him, that he would conduct them to Troy, and let them have provision also for their army out of Mysia, which thing was done.  

Or he that headlong fell from horse,  
in countries strange to ground:  
Whom comely parsonage almost,  
did utterly confound.   
¶ Pretus, 
Pretus. Stenobea. Bellerophon  Abas. his son, king of the Argives, married Stenobia, or as some say Antia, daughter of jobas king of Licia, had in his court a very beautiful young man named Bellerophon, whom the queen loved more than reason would permit, and many ways attempted to have him lie with her, but when by no means she could bring that to pass, she turned her hot love into extreme hate, and complained to her husband that he would have ravished her. Pretus herewith was much moved, yet would he not kill him in his house, but sent him with letters to jobas his father in law, 
johas.  wherein he desired that the bearer by one means or other should be slain. When he came thither he was well entertained, & had colourable good cheer store. But in the end under a cloak of an honourable enterprise the king sent him to destroy a Chimer, that molested the Licians, 
Chimaera.  to the intent that he might there be slain, but he conquered the beast, and returned victorious. After this he was sent to subdue a cruel kind of people called Solimi, 
Solimi.  which he did. To be short, after many valiant exploits, the kings malice being turned into perfect love, for the virtue he saw in him, and deeming that to be false which his Son had told him, 
Achimene.  married his other daughter Achimene unto him. Stenobea hearing hereof hanged herself. Bellerophon after this, having a mind to see what was in heaven, because he had Pegasus the winged horse (that was Perseus his before, engendered of the blood of Medusa, killed by the said Perseus) he flew a great height, from whence looking down he was so afraid that he fell down and broke his neck, but his Horse flew into Heaven, and was placed among the Stars, this the Poets feign. Read his true history in Strabo.  

And mayst see as Amintor's son,  
who trembling gropt his way:  
With nothing else save with his staff  
without the light of day.   
¶ Phoenix, 
Phoenix  Amintor's. son, his grandfather was called Ceraphus, & his great grandfather Ormecius, lay with his father's Concubine, and being thereof accused by his stepmother, he fled to Peleus Achilles' father, whose companion he was always after. He was Achilles' master, and went with him to Troy, but in the end desirous to go into his country Phocis, could not see his people because he was blind. That some say he was made blind by his sons, seeing they allege no cause why, seemeth not very like to be true.  

Nor mayst behold no more than he,  
whose daughter did him guide:  
Whose wickedness his father, and  
his mother both hath tried.   
¶ He meaneth Oedipus, 
Oedipus his pedigree.  whose unhappy stock because it playeth a great part in this Pageant, it shall not be much amiss, if we fetch his pedigree somewhat far, we will therefore first begin with jupiter, who begot Helen, Helen Belus, Belus Abas, Abas Agenor, Agenor Europa Cilix, Bassus, & Cadmus, Cadmus Polidorus, Polidorus Labdacus, Labdacus Laius, Laius Oedipus of jocasta. Lains desirous to know what children he should haveen, quired of the Oracle of Apollo, by whom he was certified, the he should have a son which should put him to death. He commanded therefore, that all his men children should be slain. Oedipus was borne, and having put through his feet two withies was hanged on a tree, 
Polybia.  where he was found by Polybia, a woman, who brought him up to man's state. But being grieved that he knew not his parents, determined to go to Delphos, to inquire of them, whether at that time went Laius also to know what was become of his son. They met together in Phocis, 
Laius' slain.  and striving for the way, Laius was slain by Oedipus. After this, he overcame the monster Sphinx, and attempted the kingdom of Thebes, & married the queen, by whom he had two sons and two daughters, Etheocles Polynices, Antigone and Ismena, thus Diodo. Seneca saith, that Phorbas a shepherd found him hanging by the feet, and gave him to Merope king Polybus' wife king of Corinth, of whom because they wanted heirs, he was brought up as their own child, but knowing after by the Oracle that he should kill his father, supposing them to be his true parents, fled from them, thinking by that means to avoid his destiny, and coming to Thebes, killed his own father hunting in a forest, and married his mother unwittingly: but when he knew hereof (which thing he did by the means of the plague that happened to the City of Thebes) he would have slain himself, but his men would not suffer him, than would he have cast himself headlong from a rock, but his daughter Antigone who always waited upon him, would not permit him so to do. When therefore by no means he could end his wretched life, he scratched out his ewn eyes. Sen. Diodorns siculus, writeth hereof far otherwise.  

And that thou mayst be such as he  
who judged the jocund strife:  
Who after in Apollo's art,  
was famous during life.   
¶ Tiresias a Theban, 
Tiresias.  son of Chiron and Othoriclo, was elected a judge between jupiter & juno, to determine whether the man or woman was more inclined to lasciviousness, or most prone to accomplish the lusts of the flesh. He gave sentence of jupiters' side, and concluded that women were the wantoner. Wherefore juno moved to anger put out his eyes, but jupiter comforted his calamity, and made him a Soothsayer. He foreshowed the taking of Thebes, and when the City was overthrown, he was led captive among the rest, and drinking of the water of the fountain Tilphusa, in his journey died. 
Daphnae, alias Sibilla.  His daughter Daphne, after called Sibilla was wise in that art, and wrote many answers. It is called Apollo's art, for that he is the God of those that foreshow things to come.  

And that thou mayst be such as he  
who did command a Dove:  
To conduct safe the goodly ship,   
Phenix had three sons Cilix, 
Phineus  Phyneus,. and Doriclus, Phyneus had two sons by Cleopatra, Orithus and Crambes. He put out their eyes, for that they were accused of certain misdeeds by their stepmother, in revengement whereof, jupiter made him blind, & sent the Birds called Harpiae to molest him. 
Harpiae.  But when he had received hostede & aided the Argonants. They were driven from him by two young men, Zethus and Calais, the sons of Boreas (the Northwind) and Orithia, which could fly, and were also of the fellowship of the Argonants. They were chased to the Islands then called Plote, 
Strophades insulae  after Strophades, because the young men returned from the chase, being admonished by Iris, that they should chase jupiters' dogs no further.  
For which benefit, Phyneus gave council to the Argonants, that they should follow the Dove that Pallas would send them, lest they run on the rocks called Saxa cyanea, otherwise Simplegadeses. But that Phyneus gave them the Dove beside Apollonius Rhodius, none writeth.  

Or he who lacked his eyes with which  
he naughtly gold hath kende:  
Whom to her son a sacrifice,  
the Mother grieved did send.   
Polymnestor, 
Polymnestor.  king of Tracia married Ilione daughter of Priamus and Hecuba To him when the wars of the Greeks and Troyans' began, 
Polidorus  was sent Polidorus Priam's youngest son, and with him a great sum of Gold, there to be kept, till the end of the wars, whom while Troy remained in good estate, Polymnestor kept honourably. But so soon as the fortune of Priam and the Trojans decayed, he killed his Client, for to enjoy his money, and cast him into the Sea, whose body after the destruction of Troy, was found on the shore by Hecuba, 
Hecuba.  who dissembling the death of her son, sent for Polymnestor, persuading him that she would deliver him an other great sum for the nourishment of her child. He believing her, came into her chamber, where of her and her maidens, his eyes were pulled out.  

Or as Th'etnean shepherd was,  
to whom was prophesied:  
By Telemus Eurimous son,  
what after should betide.   
¶ Polyphemus was son of Neptune by Thoosa, 
Poliphemus  he kept sheep about the hill Aetna in Cicilia, after he had eaten six of Ulysses men returning from Troy, being drunken with wine, had his eye put out by Ulysses, The whole manner hereof is described at large in the ninth book of Homer his Odisses.  

Or Phyneus his two sons, from whom  
who gave to them the same:  
He took their eyes, or Thamyras,  
or Demodoce of fame.   
¶ Orithus and Crambes for hurting Ide daughter of Dardanus, 
Orithus. Cramhes.  their stepmother, by their father Phineus were made blind See the story of Phineus.  
¶ Thamyras, 
Thamiras  son of Philamon and Argiope, as he came from Euritus king of Aethulia a City of Peloponesus, met with the Muses at Dorion, for boasting that he could play better than they, had his eyes put out of them, and his harp taken from him, his master's name was Linus. 
Linus. Demodocus.   
Demodocus a harper, he had of the Muses both good and harm, he wanted his eyes but was a singular Musician: he is much praised of Homer in the viii book of his Odisses. He sang at Alcinous table two songs, one of the adultery of Mars and Venus, the other of the bringing of the wooden horse into Troy. Some think that by him, Homer meaneth himself, and not without cause.  
Here must you note that of whatsoever good qualities were in any of these men, he wisheth nothing to Ibis but their blindness.  

Or that some may thy members cut  
as did Saturnus old:  
Who those parts whereby he was formed  
to cut away was bold.   
Saturnus son of Coelum and Terra, 
Saturnus.  cut of his father's members, but the drops that fell from that g●sh, Terra received, whereof were engendered the furious Giants, and the Nymphs that Hesiodus in his Theogonia calleth Meliae. Of those members cast into the sea, after they had swam a while & gathered a little foam, was created Venus.  

That Neptune in the swelling seas,  
no better be to thee:  
Then unto him who saw his wife  
and brother birds to be.   
¶ Ceyx, 
Ceix  Lucifer's. son, married Alcione, Aeolus his daughter, who going to Delphos was drowned. His wife sacrificed daily to juno for his safe return. juno having pity of her, for that she lost so much pain, set Iris to Somnus with commandment that he should tell her of the death of her husband. Somnus, he sent Morpheus (one of his three messengers) who in likeness of her husband, appeared to her by night, and certified her of all his state. In the morning she riseth and goeth to the Sea side, & finding the body of her dead husband, would have drowned herself, but she was in the fall turned into a Bird of her own name.  
¶ Daedalian, 
Daedalian.  brother to Ceyx, had a very fair daughter, loved of Apollo and Mercury, her name was Chione, she bore to Apollo Phalamon, (father of Thamiras, of whom we spoke before) the excellent Musician. To Mercury, the infamous thief Antolicus, for comparing with Diana in beauty, she was slain with her Arrows, for grief whereof, her father was turned into a Hawk.  

Or else unto the skilful man,  
whom holding in his hand:  
The pieces of his broken bark,  
did Ino help to land.   
¶ Cadmus builder of Thebes, begat of Harmonia, the daughter of Mars and Venus, Agave, Autonoe, Ino, Semele and Polydorus.  
Ino, was married to Athanias, 
Ino. Athanias  who in his fury thinking that his wife and children had been wild beasts, called for his hunting nets to hunt them. She had by him two sons, Clearchus and Melicerta, the elder whereof his father catching, swinged about his head till he had bearen out his brains again the trees, Ino taking her other child in her arms went to the Sea minding to cast herself headlong thereinto. But in the midst of their fall they were made he a god, and she a gods of the Sea. Ino is called Lencothea, or Matuta, she helped Ulysses, 
Ulysses.  when Neptunus his heavy friend had broken his ship, and would have drowned him also if he might. All this displeasure grew, for putting out the eye of Polyphemus, his dearly beloved son.  

And that not one alone may know,  
this kind of punishment:  
God grant thy members may with horse  
in pieces all be rend.   
¶ Metius Suffetius, 
Metius Suffetius  a traitor to Tullus Hostilius, making war against the Fidenates, after the victory gotten, was tied to two chariots, and pluete in pieces. Livius. li. i. Neither before nor after was any punished after such sort in Rome.  

And that thy pains may be as great  
as of Amylcares hand  
He felt, the which would have redemde  
none of the Roman band.   
¶ Marcus Attilius Regulus, 
Artilius Regulus.  in the first Carthagynian war, general of the Roman armies, took Clypea a great eytie, and .300. other walled towns. The Carthagynians thinking their success to be so ill for lack of a good and expert captain, sent to Lacedaemon for one, from whence came Xanthius, and overcame him. His army being so faint for lack of water, and with continual labour that of thirty thousand not four thousand would take their weapons & fight for their lives, in which battle himself was taken prisoner, and after sent to the senate of Rome to entreat for the redeeming of the prisoners, would by no means condyscend that one of them should be ransomed. Himself also returned to cruel punishment voluntarily, for he had rather suffer any torments, then break his promise made to his enemy. He was killed, 
Eubero.  but after what sort it is not well known. Some say that he was constrained to look upon the Sun with his eyes open & so to die. And other saith that he was constrained to watch, 
Tuditaous.  & so for lack of sleep to die. Other that he was put into a barrel full of nails & so died, which is most like to be true, 
silius.  because his children having the Carthagynian prisoners delivered to them, put them to death after like sort.  

And that no power that heaven holds,  
may be to the more aid:  
Then jupiter Herceus altar was,  
to Priam's sore afraid.   
¶ Priamus, Trojan king, 
Priamus.  past all hope of safety, fled to the altar of jupiter Hirceus which was in the midst of his palace for succour, where by the cruel hand of pytilesse Pyrrhus he was slain. Virgil.  

Or as king Thessalus from top  
of Osla hill was cast:  
So thou mayst from some stony cleft,  
be headlong flung as fast.   
¶ Hemon by Chalciope, 
Thessalus  had alsonne called Thessalus, he was king of Thessalia. He received Euryalus, one of Coricira, a stranger, and entertained him courteously. But he, notwithstanding this gentleness, as on a time they walked upon the Hill Ossa in Thessalia, was by the said Euryalus cast down headlong, after this be killed his son Neson, and was himself king of Thessalia. But in the end, when he could not be purged of this murder, he is reported to have his head eaten still with the furies of hell. Which thing Ovid in the next verse affirmeth.  

Or that thy limbs may feed the snakes,  
as did Euryalus, 
Euryalus   
Who did the regal sceptre hold,  
after king Thessalus.  
That water hot powered on thy head,  
may be to thee the cause  
Of Shortening of thy fatal life,  
as it to Minos was.   
¶ Minos, 
Minos Dedalus. Cochalus.  having received an injury of Dedalus, for making of the Labyrinth, pursued him with his navy to Cochalus king of Sicilia, to whom Dedalus fled for succour, whose favour with his ercellent workmanship he had thoroughly gotten. As soon as Minos was arrived in Sicilia, and began to destroy the country. Cochalus required him to common of the matter, showing him good hope that he would deliver Dedalus. Whereto Minos agreeing, came to him. Cochalus had provided for him a bath, in which he kept him so long, that with the vapours of the hot waters, he was murdered. Whose dead body he delivered to his men, affirming that by chance he fell into the warm water & there died. thus Diodo. Eusebius de temp. saith, that he was slain of Cochalus daughters by craft. He was son of jupiter & Europa, king of Crete, and is one of the three Judges in hell. But how soever he died the Cretenses so hate the Sicilians, that which of them soever arriveth at either country, he is sure to be slain.  

Or else as wicked Prometheus,  
thou mayst be tied fast:  
Unto some hill, upon whose flesh,  
the birds may have repast.   
¶ japetus begat of Asia Prometheus and Epimethus, 
Prometheus.  some say, Atlas also, and Argos with the hundred eyes. Prometheus' made the form or picture of a man, and desired much to have life in it. But how he might bring the to pass, he knew no way, till Mynerua carried him into heaven, to show him the commodities thereof, where he espied the chariot of the son, to which he put his rule, & so brought fire in to earth, wherewith also, he put life in to his Image. For which deed jupiter being very angry, commanded Mercury, some say Vulcan, to tie him to the hill Caucasus, in Assiria, where an Eagle continually eateth out his heart.  

Or else that being slain thou mayst  
in to the sea be sent:  
As Etracydes from Hercules,  
the fifteenth by dissent.   
¶ Etracides, 
Etracides Cleba.  setting much store by Dorus son, Cleba, & giving him what soever he would have, was for all that slain by him, because the child was desirous to be a warrior, after his death the lusty younker gathered an army, and having achieved many valiant exploits, he builded Cuma Phrytionia.  

Or that as Philip was, thou mayst  
with cruel sword be slain:  
Of himwhome thou in beastly sort,  
to love dost not disdain.   
¶ Attalus shamefully abused a young man called Pansanias, 
Attalus  who complained there of to Phillippe king of Macedonia, son of Amyntas, 
philippus.  who did but little regard his complaint, because Attalus was his sisters son. Pansanias therefore much moved with the king's unjustice, turned the vengeance toward him, & slew him. But because this was not king philip's lover, it seemeth the poet meaneth some other. I would therefore take it to be spoken of Archelaus son of Amyntas also, and brother to Philip, by an other woman, who assuredly was slain by one whom be beastly loved, and brutishly abused, then may you read it thus. thus. Or the as Archelaus, thou mayst &c. 
Archelaus.   

Or that as faithless cups to thee  
thy servitures may proffer:  
As unto him who was the son,  
of horned jupiter.   
¶ jolla, 
jolla. Alexander magnus.  son of Antipater, cup bearer to Alexander, son of philip and Olimpias, surnamed the great for his valiance, poisoned his master.  
This Alexander, would needs be the son of jupiter Hammon, whose image was like a Ram & that for this cause. At what time Bacchus son of jupiter and Semele passed thorough the deserts of Libya, 
Bacchus.  almost lost for water, jupiter appeared to him in the likeness of a Ram, & beating the ground with his foot, caused the water to come forth abundantly, wherefore Bacchus erected a temple to him, and set his Image therein in likeness of a Ram, 
Corniger jupiter.  thereof was he called corniger jupiter.  

That hanging as Acheus did,  
thy life thou mayst not hold,  
Who wretched man by cord was tied  
in flood that flows with gold.   
¶ Acheus, 
Acbeus.  king of Lydia, compelled his subjects to pay new trybuts, with which things they moved, made an insurrection against him, Their captain was Attalus. 
Attalus.  They took their king, and to put him to more shame for his covetousness, they hanged him with his head downward in the river Pactolus, which floweth with Gold. 
why Pactolus floweth with gold.  And here it shall nolt be much amiss, to tell how that river became golden. Bacchus' greatly offended with the whole country of Thracia, because the women had killed Orpheus his minstrel, came into Lydia, where he lost Silenus being drunken, but he was found by the Lydians, and brought to Midas their king, who especially honoured Bacchus, of whom he was very courteously entertained a while, and after restored to Bacchus. For which benefit Bacchus willed him to ask what he would, and he should have it. Midas' desired that whatsoever he touched with his body might be gold. God Bacchus (for he was son to jupiter and Semele) granted him that gladly, and was sorrowful that he had asked no better thing. He therefore glad of this golden grant, thought to try whether it were so or not, and taking divers things in his hand, saw that all was Gold. Amid this joy, his servants prepared his dinner, he sat down and thought of nothing but of Gold. He turned trenchers, knives, spoons, and all into gold. At length he fell to meat, which also as soon as he touched was gold. He then in danger of famishment, perceived that he had played the fool, and desired his god to release him of that grant, and he would ask wiselier next time. Bacchus was content, and commanded him to go wash himself in Pactolus, and he should come into his old form again. Which he did, and for that cause the river ever after flowed with Gold. But after that he could never abide the city, nor any riches, but lived in the fields, and was God Pan his companion.  

Or that a Tile upon thy head,  
from enemies hand may fall:  
As to Achilles' nephew, whom  
men famous Pyrrhus call.   
¶ Pyrrhus begotten of Pithia, 
Pyrrhus' king of Epirus.  daughter of Memnon, and one Alacides, of Achilles' blood, befieging Argos, where Antigonus king of Macedonia was, was killed with a Tile that a woman threw. His head was brought to Antigonus, by Alcinous his son, but his body was honourably buried by the said Antigonus. Plutarch, Trogus, and Cornelius say, that he was delivered to his own son Belenus, and brought into Epirus, and there buried. He was surnamed Clacus, for his valiant deeds.  

And that thy bones may restless lie,  
as Pyrrhus were, be tossed  
Who long did lie unburied,  
about Ambracia cost.   
¶ Pyrrhus the son of Achilles, 
Pyrrhus' son of Achilles.  slain by Orestes, Agamemnon's son and Clytaemnestra's, had his bones strewed about Ambracia a coast of Epirus. Some will understand it of the other Pyrrhus, of whom I spoke before, and may well to, before he was buried.  

Or as king Hieros' daughter was,  
with darts thou mayst be slain:  
No doubt this deed to Ceres would  
he acceptable plain.   
¶ Heraclia, daughter of Hiero, 
Heraclia.  king of Siracuse, in an uproar of the people was slain with her father and her two daughters, although she fled to the altar of Ceres, for which deed, Ceres sent a great pestilence among them. 
Nereis. Laodamia Gelon.  Other will understand this, of Nereis and Laodamia, only lest of Pyrrhus' blood: the elder of which was married to Gelon the kings son of Sicilia, & had by him a son named Magnates, whom she poisoned, because he would not lie with her, of which Ovid in the next verse maketh mention. The younger in a tumult of the people (though he fled to the altar of Ceres) was slain by one Milo, 
Milo.  which deed the Goddess took so displeasantly, that she plagued the country almost to destruction. And he that killed her, the twelve day after died, having cut his flesh before with sword & knife, and bruised it with stones, and tore it with his teeth, and quite ravished of his wits. His meaning therefore is, that although Ceres was greatly grieved for this fact of Milo, yet if Ibis should be slain at her altar, she would be well pleased.  

Or as the nephew of the king,  
of whom before we spoke:  
Thou poison of Cantharides,  
of parent's hand mayst take.   
¶ Magntees, Nereis son, 
Magnetes  daughter of Pyrrhus by Gelon, poisoned by his mother: as before.  
¶ Cantharides, be green worms, 
Cantharides.  very venomous, commonly used for any kind of poison.  

Or that some vile Adulteress may  
the name of godly gain:  
By killing thaes, as she who hath,  
the traitor Lewcon slain.   
¶ Oxilochus king of Pontus, 
Oxilochus Lewcnus.  had a wife with whom his brother Lewcon committed adultery, who hoping by the means of her adulteries to get the king doom, killed his brother, but she not therewith content, to revenge her husband, slew him, for which deed she was called godly. Part of this story read in Strabo.  

And that into some burning fire,  
with thee thyself mayst cast  
Thy dearest things, which end of life,  
Sardanapalus past.   
¶ Sardanapalus, 
Sardanapalus.  the last king of the Assyrians, the thirtieth after Ninus, senne of Anacindaraxis, (by means of Arbactus. who desired to see him, and found him in woman's apparel, spinning among his harlots) was put to great trouble, and at length driven to such an extremity, that he was constrained to hide himself, and finding no safety that way, caused a great fire to be made, into the which he cast himself & all his precious jewels. Read justine.  

Or as those were that Ammon's church,  
to spoil did take in hand:  
By violence of Southern blasts,  
mayst covered be with sand.   
¶ Cambyses son of Cirus Emperor of the Medes, 
Cambyses.  desirous to conquer strange countries, went into Egipte, and sent● part of his army to spoil jupiter Ammon's Church, all which were destroyed with a vehement tempest of Hail. justine. & Herodotus.  

And that a heap of ashes may,  
thy cursed bones possess:  
As it did theirs whom Ochus slew,  
by guileful craftiness.   
Ochus who put down the seven wise men, 
Ochus.  that at one time held the kingdom of the Persians, promised to those that were partakers of his faction, that he would kill none of them, neither by famine nor poison. Circumventing them by this means, he caused a strong tower to be made, filled it with ashes, over which was a trap. Into that place he did receive them with a sumptuous feast, in which they drunken with too muchs' wine, fell a sleep, and then the trap pulled away, they all fell into the ashes, and were smethered therein. Valerius de crude. This Ochus was after called Dareus secundus.  

As him that reigned in Sicion,  
with Dlives fruitful soil:  
God grant that cold and hunger to,  
Thee of thy life may spoil.   
Neocles, king of Sicion, 
Neocles.  a City in Achaia of Laconia, (so called of a king that reigned there, whose name was Sicion) for his cruelty was dispessessed of his kingdom, and by hunger and cold constrained to end his life.  

And that as one Acarnus son,  
enclosed for despite:  
In boliocks' skin, thou mayst be borne into thine enemies sight.   
Hermias, 
Hermias.  son of Acarnus tetrarch, (the is to say, the ruler of the fourth part of the East) had war with Memnon, 
Memnon.  by whom being overcome, was sowed into a bullocks skin now slain, and laid under his table. And that his miserable life might last the longer, he had meat given him, so that he lived until the filthy vermin that brodde in the skin newly slain from beasts back, did cause him to end his unhappy life.  

And that as Alexander did  
in bed mayst lose thy life:  
His wife to him the deadly stroke  
did give by bloody knife. 
Alexander Phereus.    
¶ Alexander Phereus loved his wife Thebes very well, yet he feared death so, the whensoever he went in to her, he would send some of his guard to search, whether in any corner of her chamber, was any weapon laid whereby he might be slain. But for all his circumspection, at length he was murdered, because his wife suspected that he kept other women. Surely as Tully saith he was in a wretched case, that did rather trust a company of barbarous soldiers (for of such were his guard) than his natural wife. Offic. 2.  

That those whom thou dost faithful think,  
(as erst Alebas found  
Larissian king) thou mayst them try,  
scant faithful by thy wound.   
¶ Alebas son of Thiodimas, 
Alebas.  father of Argus, was king of Larissa, in Thessalia. He ruled with great cruelty, & thinking that by no means he could live well and in safety without a guard, chose a number of valiant men, which he placed about him, and at length was (for all his heed) by those men slain, whom he had chosen to defend him from other.  

As Milo to, which tyrant fell,  
did Pisa much torment:  
Alive into the waters deep,  
all headlong mayst be sent.   
Milo (to omit other three of that name) was king of Pisa, 
Milo.  a country in Grece, he ruled with such tyranny that the people rebelled against him, and having him in their hands, tied a great stone about his neck and cast him into the sea. Beside him, Oenomaus and Salmoneus were kings of Pisa, they all had evil ends, as after shallbe said.  

Or that as Adimantus proud  
Philetian king was slain:  
So jupiter with thenderboltes,  
may work to thee like pain.   
Adimantus king of Philetia, 
Adimantus.  which bordereth upon Pontus, (or as some say Thessalia) would not vouchfafe to bestow any sacrifice upon jupiter, but despised him utterly, and said that himself was more mighty than he. Wherewith lupiter being disposed, killed him with a thunderbolt.  

Or else as Dionysius.  
who from Amastrix fled:  
So thou though in Achilles' course,  
forsaken master be dead.   
¶ Amastrix was a city builded by Amastrix, daughter of Oxiatres, 
Amastrix.  and wife of Dionysius tirante of Heraclia, in Lemnos. Out of that city her husband was banished by Methridates, and fled into a place called Achilles' course, where forsaken of his people, he was slain by his enemy.  

Or that about Thrasillus tomb,  
as did Euridamas,  
Fast tied about Larissian wheel,  
thou there mayst three times pass.   
¶ Thrasillus king of Larissa, 
Thrasillus  in an uproar of the people, was slain by one Euridamas a Soothsayer: but within a while after the same Euridamas was by Simo brother of Thrasillus slain, and drawn three times about the place where Thrasillus (as the manner was) was burned.  

Or else like Hector valiant, 
Hector.   
whose body viewed the wall:  
That he had long in safety kept,  
which after soon die fall.   
¶ Hector son of Priamus and Hecuba the glory of the Trojans, and terror of the Greeks, was slain by Achilles, and drawn at a horse tail three times about the walls of Troy, such cruelty showed he to his enemies dead body, upon which alive, he durst scant look for fear. But as he cowardly killed him, so he as shamefully misused him, a token no doubt of a dogged nature, not to be approved in any gentleman.  

As daughter of Hippomenes,  
new torments did abide:  
And as th'adulterer was drawn  
over Athens land so wide.  
So when thy hated life of all,  
thy loathed limbs shall leave:  
God grant that hungry horses may  
thy corpse in pieces reave.   
¶ Hippomenes king of Athens, 
Hippomenes. Limone.  had a daughter called Limone, she was taken in adultery, and by the commandment of her father, shut up with a horse that had no meat given him, to the intent that hunger pryckinge him, he should devour her, which came in deed to pass. The adulterer was drawn about Athens at a horse tail, and pulled in pieces. But he himself for this unspeakable cruelty showed to his daughter, not long after was banished his kingdom. ovid.  

That some man may thy body thrust  
on rocks, much tossed before:  
As were the bodies of the Greeks,  
on Caphareus shore.   
¶ Amimone, 
Amimone. Satirus. Neptunus. Nanplius Ulysses. Palamedes.  one of the daughters of Danaus, was loved of one of the Gods called Satiri. To her on a time being on hunting by the Sea side, came her lover, and was somewhat busy with her, where with she not content, shot an arrow at him and wounded him sore: but for all that, Satyrus was somewhat sawey with her, so that she had no power to defend herself against him. She therefore desired Neptunus to help her, who came and chased Satirus away, and for his courtesy she was content to let him have to do with her, who at that time begot Nanplius father of Palamedes the worthy Greek, slain of the Greeks by the guileful hate of crafty Ulysses, who always was his extreme enemy: the matter was handled thus.  
¶ At what time the Greeks prepared themselves to go to Troy, to fetch again Helena the wife of Menelaus king of Sparta, stolen away by the adulterous Paris, son of Priamus. Ulysses detracting the war, either for the love of his new married wife Penelope, or else for cowardly fear, feigned himself mad, and got dogs and foxes and other beasts, and yoked them together, and went to blow in the sand, and sowed corn therein. The Greeks desiring to have him with them, and mistrusting the thing, sent Palamades to espy his guise, and to see whether he could bring him or not. Palamedes came to the place where Ulysses was at plough, and laid his son Telemachus in his way, thinking that if he were mad, he could not know his own son, and by that means to try the truth: but if he were sober, he would pass by without hurting the child, which in deed he did, for as soon as he saw his child lie before him, he drove on the one side, and suspended his plough, and so passed without harm to the child. Which thing when Palamedes saw, he took him, and by force brought him to the rest, who after in the war did very good service. But Ulysses took the matter in very evil part, and thought in time to be revenged on him: and this was one cause of his grief. An other was, that Ulysses was sent to provide corn and other things, as were necessare for the camp, and returned with out accomplishing any thing at all. But Palamedes being sent to those same places, sped so well, that he furnished the camp with all things necessary, as well as was possible. These causes moved Ulysses to great hate, and to devise all ways possible to destroy Palamedes, (who in wit was not inferior to any of the Greeks, and in courage surmounted them all, even himself Achilles) which thing at length he did in this sort. By the consent consent of Palamedes servants, whom he had before corrupted with money. He hide a pot of Gold in his tent, and put certain letters into his cosers, that he himself had made. This done, he accused him of treason, that he would have betrayed the Greeks to Priamus, and had therefore received a sum of money, which he had hid in the ground in his tent. This Palamedes denied, the places were searched, the Gold was found, Palamedes condemned, was stoned to death. His father Nanplius hearing of this, at the return of the Greeks from Troy, made great lights upon the Promontory Caphareus of Euboea. The Greeks supposing that there had been a Haven, sailed thither, and as many as came near perished on the rocks, whereof is great store there, and as many as came to land, by his soldiers were slain.  
Euboea bordereth upon Boetia, in it be two promontories that make it famous, 
Cerestus. Caphare.  Cerestus which reacheth toward Athens, and Caphareus which reacheth Hellespont.  

And that with Thunderbolts & seas,  
as Ajax fierce did die,  
God grant that so the fire may aid,  
the waters drowning thee.   
¶ Ajax Oileus, 
Ajax Oileus.  for forcing Cassandra Priam's daughter in the temple of Pallas, in his return to Grece, hae his ship broken on Caphareus Rocks, and himself was stricken with a Thunderboult by Pallas, and so with fire and water destroyed,  

And that also with furies tossed,  
thy mind may be as mad  
As his, whose body over all,  
one only wound hath had.   
¶ Marsias, son of Hiaguis, 
Marsias.  the famous physician, pleased the rural gods and Nympes of smalskyll, with pipe very well. Wherewith he became so proud, that he challenged Apollo The nine Muses and Minerva were appointed judges of the controversy, they gave sentence of Apollo's side. But he thinking scorn to yield and take Apollo for his better, was hanged on a tree, and had his skin pulled from his back. The Nympes and satires, and the rest of that crew, did so lament the loss of his music, that of their tears came the great River of Phrigia called Marsias. ovid. vi. Meta.  
But I think it better to understand this place of Ajax Telemons son, 
Ajax. Telemoni  whose body was invuluerable, because, that when he was borne he was wrapped in the lions skin that hercules ware, saving a little place that was left uncevered. and therein when he lost Achilles' harness, he slew himself.  

And as Lycurgus Dryas son  
that Thracyan kingdoms held:  
Who cut his legs while he assayed  
the vine trees to have field.   
¶ Lycurgus, 
jycurgus.  son of Dryas king of Thracia, could not abide Bacchus & his mates but expelled him out of his country, & constrained him to lurk in the marshy places or fens bordering thereon, at which time he was received into Thetis bosom. Wherefore Lycurgus was after killed by jupiter. Other said that in despite of Bacchus, he would have cut down all the wines in Thracia, but the god turned his axe against himself, whereby he cut of both his own legs. Which thing his son revenged, for presently after he slew all the priests of Bacchus, with out mercy.  

Like Hercules, and Dragon's son,  
that such may be thy fate.  
Like Tyssamenes father to,  
and Callyrhoes mate.   
¶ Hercules about to do sacrifice upon the hill Oeta, 
Hercules.  sent Licas to fetch his garment which he was wont to use for that purpose, Deianira his wife sent it him, washed in the blood of the Centaur Nessus, which was a rank poison, because she suspected that Hercules was in love with jolle, daughter of Euritus king of Oechalia. For the Centaur had could her that if her husband loved any other woman, that that would withdraw his love, and bring it to her again. But so soon as Hercules had it on, he was so tormented, the he was fain to cast himself in to a fire, and so to end his life.  
Athamas, married Ino, 
Athamas  daughter of Cadmus, and Hermone or Harmonia, after he in his rage or madness had slain his son Learchus, killed himself. ovid. iiii. Me. Orestes, 
Orestes.  father of Tissamenes, and son of Agamemnon and Clitennestra, after he had killed his mother, was mad, which madness, ovid wisheth to Ibys.  
¶ Callirhoe daughter of river Achelous, 
Callirhoe.  wife of Alcmeon, son of Amphiaraus, who went in to Acarnavia to be cleansed, because he had killed his mother. He had children by two women, by the daughter of Phegeus, 
Alph●soboe. Phepeus  Alpheseboea,. and Callyrhoe aforesaid. But after he had refused Alpheseboe, and came to have again the jewels that he had given her, while she was his wife, he was slain by Phegeus his father in law. Callyrhoe for revengement hereof, craved of jupiter, that her children than infants might be made men. Which he granted, and they presently revenged their Father's death.  

And that thy hap may gain a wife,  
no chaster than was she:  
Of whom the old Tydeus might  
right sore ashamed be.   

Adrastus. Deiphila.  ¶ Adrastus, had three daughters, Deiphila married to Tideus, she was mother to Diomedes, 
Argia  Argia wife to Polynices, Egiale that was married to Diomedes. 
Aegiale.  This Diomedes went to the siege of Troy which the other Greeks, & in a battle happened to hurt Venus, who defended the body of her son Aeneas. She therefore angry, 
Aeneas.  caused his wife to make her body common to the most part of the youth of her city, and beside married herself to Cylleborus, Steneleus' son, 
Cilleborus son of Stenelus. Palamedes.  by the persuasion of Namplius, who was enemy to all the Greeks, for the death of his worthy son Palamedes. But when Diomedes came home and was kept from his country by the advoulterer that had married his wife, he much wrath fought a battle and overcame him, and chased him so far that if he had not fled into the church of Pallas, he had slain him.  
Yet for all that moved with shame, he left his own country, and came into italy to Dawnus, and was courteously entertained of him. After that he sailed into Apulia, from thence to the Islands called (Diomedes Insule) where his companions were turned into birds called Heroide aves. In which place also is a white horse sacrificed upon his tomb, to him.  

Or she of Locris, who did with  
her husband's brother lie,  
Who for to colour this her fact,  
did cause her maid to die.   
Hypermnestra of Locris, 
Hypermnestra.  lay with the brother of her husband, and being almost taken, yet escaped by the benefit of the night, and killed her maid, as though she had done the fact, by that means thinking to colour her own mysdeade.  

The Gods do grant to thee a wife,  
of equal faith also:  
As had Talaus son in law,  
and Tyndarus, his to.   
Amphiaraus, 
Amphyaraus. Iriphile  son of Apollo. And Hipermnestra, daughter of Thestius, married Eriphile, daughter of Thalaus, (though some say of Thelesther,) one of the seven kings that besieged Thebes. Who because that he for fear that he should perish there, detract the war and hid himself, & none, saving his wife knew thereof. The other princes desirous to have him with them, promised her, if she would tell where her husband was, that she should have the jewels that sometime were Egiales, wife of Polynices: other say they were jewels that appertained to Venus, which she received and bewrayed her husband. In the Theban war, he was swallowed up with the earth. But before he went thither he gave commandment to his son Alemeon, the when he was dead, his wife Eriphile, should be sacrificed upon his tomb. Which commandment immediately after his death, Alcmeon, fulfilled.  
Cebalus, son of Amiclas, 
Cebalus.  king of Lacedaemon, had two sons, Icarus who begat Penelope of Policasta, daughter of Lygeus, & Tyndarus the married Leda, daguhter of Thestius, sister of Hypermnestra. By whom he had Clytaemnestra, Helena, Castor & Pollux. The poets feign, the jupiter lay with Leda in likeness of a swan, she brought forth to him an egg, wherein was Pollux & Helena, who werimmortal, & to Tindarus, also she brought forth an other egg in which was Castor & Clytennestra, which were mortal. This Clytennestra, by means of Aegistus, son to her uncle Thyestes, & her adultrer, the same night the her husband Agamennon came home from Troy, killed him as he was bathing, by giving him a shirt to put on without sleeves. Who having his hands as it were fettered therein, was slain by Aegistus Of the revenge hereof, read in Orestes.  

And like king nieces Neces, who  
their uncles sons durst kill:  
Whose shoulders are tormented sore  
with water carriage still.  
That sister thine may burn as did  
Byblis and Canace:  
And that but only in doing ill,  
she faithful be to thee.   
¶ Myletus, 
Miletus  son of Apollo, fled out of Crete into Asia, where he builded a city called after his own name Miletum: to him Ciane, daughter of Meander, bore a son called Caunus, 
Caunus. Canace.  and a daughter Byblis. This Byblis, loved her brother with out respect either of her honour, kindred or honesty. Which thing when she had declared to him by her letter, he detesting the fact, left his country, whom she followed over many strange lands, and last of all she came into Caria, where by the favour of the Nymphs, her tears were turned into a well of her mame. Ovid ix Metamor.  
Sinas of Menalippe, 
Sinas. Menalipp●. etc.  begat Aeolous, who was king of one part of Thessalia, which after his name he called Aeolia. Aeolus had a daughter named Arne, by whom Neptune got two sons, Boetus and Aeolus, two twins. Boetus succeeded his mother in her kingdom. But Aeolus came into certain islands of the Tuscan sea, which after he called of his own name Aeoliae insulae, whereof at that time Liparus the son of Anson was king, whose daughter he married, & was king after his father in law. But after this by Cleopatra, who was of the affinity or stock of the cruel people called Lestrigones, he had seven sons. Astiochus, Xuthus, Androcleus, Pherenon, Locastes, Agathirsus, and Machareus. And seven daughters. Iphe, Eola, Periboea, Dia, Astoicatia, Hephestia, and Canace, all were for their virtues much honoured saving Canace, 
Macareus Canace.  who lay with her brother Machareus, and had by him a child, which as she commanded her Nurse to carry forth, unhappily cried out, so that her father heard it, and when he knew the matter, he commanded the child to be cast naked to the dogs, and sent his daughter a sword, wherewith she slew herself. But his son Macareus fled to Delphos and was one of the Priests of Apollo's church there, where he conspired with Orestes, to kill Pyrrhus the son of Achilles.  

That thy child be to thee, as to  
Thyestes', Pelope:  
Or Myrrha was unto her Sire,  
or else Nictimene.   
Pelope had four sons, 
Thyestes'. Atreus. Pelope.  but it is enough in this place to speak only of Atreus and Thyestes'. Thyestes' got of Europa his brother Atreus wife ii sons, which Atreus killed and dressed for meat, and bad his brother to the banquet, who came and eat of his own children. But when he know thereof, he asked counsel of Thoracle how he might be revenged, who gave answer, that if he lay with his own daughter Pelope, he should engender of her a son, which should sufficiently revenge his wrong. Which he did, and got of her Aegistus, who killed Atreus, and in the siege of Troy, used Clytaemnestra wife of Agamemnon, Atreus' son, & after his return, killed him also.  
Myrrha, 
Myrha.  daughter of Cinara king of Cyprus & Cenchreis, (through the wrath of Venus, because her mother was preferred before her) loved her father with wicked and incestuous love, and at length, by means of her Nurse, on a solemn feast of Ceres, when her mother was away lay with her father. For the nurse told him that a very beautiful maid was in love with him, but after he had accompanied with her twice or thrice, desirous to know what his new lover was, called for a candle, & perceiving that she was his daughter, drew his sword, & meant to kill her, who fled nine months from him, & he continually chased her, till at length in the sweet country of Saba she was turned into a tree of her own name. Of this shameful incest was borne the fair Adonis, whom Venus loved no less, 
Adonis  than Myrrha did her father, and that by the benefit of Cupid. Ovid ten Meta.  
¶ Nictimene daughter of Nicteus king of Aetheopia, sister to Antiope, 
Nictimene.  after she had committed incest with her father, for shame, would not come in places where men resorted, but haunted the woods, and other places desolate and void of company, till by the mercy of Pallas, she was turned into an Owl, and for that cause the Owl flieth not but by night. Ovid four Metamorph.  

And that thy daughter unto thee,  
as faithless found may be:  
As thine was to thee Pterela,  
or Nisus thine to thee.   
¶ Lisidice daughter of Pelope, married to Mestor, had by him one daughter named Hippothoe, upon whom Neptunus got two sons, Teleba and Taphus, who after their own names called the people, Teleboe and Taphii. Taphus had a son named Pterela king of Thebes, 
Pterela.  of whom Ovid speaketh here. He had on his head a golden hair, which so long as he kept, he had a promise by his grand father Neptunus, he should never be overcome. He had five sons, Cromius the tyrant, Ampulus, Chersidamas, Mestor, and Eueres, with one daughter Cituetho.  
Electrio at that time king of Micene, had by his wife Alexo five sons likewise. Stratobates, Gorgophonus, Philomorus, Steneleus, & Licimius, with one daughter to Alcmene. Pterela desirous to have Electrio his kingdom, 
Electrio.  previded an army and made his sons captains thereof. Electrio did likewise, the armies joined, in which all Pterela his Sons were slain save Eueres, and all Electrios, but Steneleus and Licimius. But the Taphii prevailed, and got a great pray of cattle and other goods. Which thing when Electrio knew, he made proclamation that whosoever could revenge that injury should marry his daughter Alemena. Amphitryo taketh the war in hand, and in the first voyage he made, he fetched their pray again from Polixenus king of Elis, with whom Pterelas men had left them. And in his return one of the kine strayed from her fellows out of the way, after which Amphitryo went, and thinking with a dart to have hit her, smote the king Electrio, and killed him. Wherefore Steneleus who succeeded his father, pursued him unto Creon's kingdom, where he was purged of the death of his father in law. Which done he proceeded in his former enterprise, and came against the Taphii with a good army, against whom Pterela made no less resistance. But by means of Cituetho his daughter, all his labour was lost, for she suddenly enamoured of amphitrio's beauty, cut of her father's fatal hair, and brought it to Amphitryo, craving his love, but he having gotten that hair, killed Pterela, and cast of Cituetho and married Alcmene. Aristarchus upon Hesiodus.  
Some say that Pterela was slain by Creon, & that his daughter's name was Polidice, and not taken with the love of Amphitryo, but of on Shafalus who was amphitrio's companion in the war.   

¶ Nisus king of Megara, 
Nisus. Scylla.  had a daughter named Scylla, who taken with the love of Minos, betrayed her father unto him in this sort. Minos' determining to revenge the death of his son Androgeus, slain by the Athenians, in his way besieged Megara, which is about a twenty miles from Athens, thinking that if he might overcome such as would aid them, he should the easilier subdue them. Nisus king of that city had a daughter named Scylla, who would oft go upon the walls to sport herself, because there were certain very pleasant stones. For when Apollo the God of music, builded the walls, he laid his Harp upon certain stones of the same, which by reason thereof, obtained the sound of a Harp, so that if any had smitten them with a counter, or with any stick, they would have sounded like a Harp. And oft she looked from the walls, and at length seeing Minos wholly armed, being taken with his beauty, and not knowing how to compass his love, determined to cut of the hair of her Father's head, whereupon the destinies o● her country did depend, and proffer it to Minos, which she did, and opened the gates unto him. But he detesting her vile and unnatural fact, when he had taken the City, would not suffer her to enter into his ship. Wherefore she was turned into a Lark, and was continually pursued of her Father, who also was turned not long before into a hawk called by his own name Nisus. Ovid in the eight book of his Metamorphosis sayeth that he was turned into an Osprey.  

Or she who by her cruel deed,  
reproachful made the place:  
Where over her father's body slain,  
she drove her cart apace.   
¶ Tullia, 
Tullia.  daughter of Servius Tullus, seemed to bear but little good will to her father, for when he was slain by her husband Tarquinus Superbus, she made such haste to enter into his possessions, the she drove her waggon over his body, not yet buried, whereof the place was called Sceleratus. It is hard by the side of Cyprus.  

Or that thou mayst be slain, as were  
the lusty youths too bowlde.  
Whose heads were set on Pisa gates,  
that all might them behold.   
¶ Oenomaus son of Mars and Aegina, 
Oenomaus  daughter of Asopus, some call his mother Harpina, 
Hippodamia.  he had but one daughter called Hippodamia. This king on a time enquyringe of the Oracle what time he should die, received answer that he should live, until he affyanced his daughter to any man. For which cause he determined to keep his daughter in perpetual virginity. But for all that he proclaimed that who soever could over run him with horses, should have his daughter and kingdom. But he that was overcomed should die. Thyrtene wooers were slain. 
Pelops.  At length came Pelops son of Tantalus, to Pisa, with whose beauty the maiden Hippodamia taken, promised to Myrtolus the son of Mercury and Phaetusa, 
Mirtolus  who drove her Father's chariot, that if Pelops might be victor, he should lie with her the first night. Myrtolus, glad of her promise, made his masters arultrée of wax, which in the way with heat of the wheels did melt, and break, by means whereof Pelops won the price, and Oenomaus thinking that the end of his life was come, killed himself. Myrtolus craving of Hippodamia the performance of his promise, was by Pelops cast into the sea, that after his name was called Mare Myrtolum. The race that the wooers ran, was from Pisa to the altar of Neptune in Isthmus of corinth. Before the course, 
Oenomaus race.  Oenomaus sacrificed a Ram to jupiter, & the wooers chariot drawn with fewer horses went before, whom Oenomaus having finished his sacrifice, followed: and if he overtook him, he would with a spear run him through. The heads of those that were slain, were whereby they should be afraid to take on them the like enterprises. To this story do belong the two staves that follow.  

Or he (which juster was) who with  
his blood bedewed the ground:  
Besprinkled erst, with blood that came  
from wretched wooers wound.  
Or as the carter that betrayed,  
the Tyrant bloody wight:  
Who gave new names unto the sea,  
that now Mirtonum hight.  
Or those that sought in vain to have,  
the maiden swift as wind:  
Till she by gathering Apples three,  
was somewhat left behind.   
¶ Atalanta daughter of Sceneus, 
Atalanta  ask the Oracle what success she should have in marriage, received answer, that alive she should lose herself: wherefore she hallowed herself to Diana, and lived in the solitary woods. But because her beauty was surpassing, lest she should seem to despise the good will of her suitors, ordained that she would be his wife that could out run her, but he that attempted the course, and was left behind, should lose his life. Many were slain, and while they were putting to death, 
Hyppomenes.  Hippomenes son of Megareus, there present, blamed much their rashness, in buying a wife so dear, till at length espying her beauty, after her face was uncovered, he was as much entangled in her love, as the rest. Wherefore determining either desperately to die, or else joyfully to win, undertook to run with her, saving first made his humble prayers unto Venus, who gave him three Golden Apples that grew in Damascus in Cyprus, which he throwing aside, came first to the race end, and thus by the benefit of Venus, he gained his love. But after through his great joy, forgetting to give her thanks for her courtesy, moved her heavy displeasure toward him, so that on a time as he passed through a grove, which Echion had dedicated to Sibela mother of the Gods, he was by motion of Venus, so sharp set, that even there he must needs have to do with his wife. With which Sibela offended, turned him into a Lion, and her into a Lioness, and for that cause Lions be sacred unto the mother of the Gods.  

Or as the men that went into  
the cumbrous house with pain:  
Wherein the monster strange was kept  
whence none could come again.   
¶ Androgeus, 
Androgeus.  son of Minos and Pasiphae, surmounting all men in the games at Athens, fell into familior acquaintance with the sons of Pallas. Egeus fearing lest by the help of Minos the said fens of Pallas, should dyspossesse him of his kingdom, laid an ambushment about Inoe in the land of Athens, where he slew Androgeus with them, as he went to sport himself of Thebes. In revengement whereof, Minds made war to them and cursed them with famine and mortality, both which things happened unto them. The Greeks desirous to be rid of these plagues, asked counsel of the Oracle, what was best to be done, who commanded them to go to Aeacus, that he might do sacrifice on their behalf, which they did, by means whereof, all the cities of Grece, saving Athens alone were delivered. The Athenians therefore again constrained to consult the Oracle, were commanded to let Minos take what vengeance he would for the death of his son. He therefore charged them to send him every year, seven men children and seven maids, to be devoured of the monster Minotaurus, which thing they did, until the time that Theseus by means of Ariadne, slew him: this monster was included in the comberouse labyrinth which Dedalus made in Crete. The first that devised this kind of building was Peresucus king of Egipte. In it were so many doors and ways, that whosoever entered thereinto, could never come out again. That which Dedal made in Crete whereof we spoke before, had scant the hundredth part of the difficulties of that Peresucus devised.  

Or as the bodies twelve were cast  
into the flaming fire:  
Which was Achilles angry work,  
enraged almost forire.   
¶ After Hector had killed Patroclus Achilles his friend. 
Patroclus.  Achilles' made a vow that he would never eat nor drink (thus Homer saith) till he had killed him, who slew his friend, and twelve more of the valiantest Troyans, which he 〈◊〉, and cast them into the fire wherein the cerps of Patroclus, was burned. He razed in moreover, four horses & two dogs. etc. Read more hereof in Homer's Iliads.  

Or those of whem we read by Sphynx  
a cruel death have found,  
If they bis doubtful curstions were  
not able to expound.   
¶ Sphynx, 
Sphynx.  daughter of Cerberus & Echydua, had the head & face like a woman, bedy of a dog, wings of a bird, human voice, and claws of lion. She came to Thebes, and tarried about a rock thereby: and to the men that passed by the place where she lay, she propounded this Rydeil. What is that that hath two legs, three legs, four legs. To those that could expound the same, she premised the marriage of jocasta, Queen of Thebes, and the kingdom for reward. To those that could not, she assured death. None could expound she same but Oedipus that said it was man, 
Oedipus.  who in infanfancy went on hands and feet, as if he had four legs, in ripe years upright on two legs, in crooked age he took himself to a n1 as to a third leg. Wherefore he had the reward aforesaid. This appertaineth to the story afore written of Oedipus. 
Diodorus.   

Or as the men which in the church  
of Bystone Pallas died,  
For which offence the Goddess yet  
her face doth also hide.   
¶ Bystones, a people of Thracya, 
Bystones.  from whence the Image of Pallas was brought to Lacedaemon, the inhabytants whereof made a law, that all strangers should be sacrificed to the Gods. Many men of Lymnos were there, & according to the Edict though they fled into the Temple of Pallas to her Image, were slain. With which cruelty the Goddess moved, turned her face away, and so looketh still.  

Or as the men that lenge ago,  
the stately crybbe● be bled:  
Of Thacian king, upon whose flesh,  
his hungry horses fed.   
¶ Diomedes, king of Thracia, 
Diomedes.  in Tyrida. a City thereof, kept horses, which in man of brass, tied with Iron chains) he fed with meus flesh. Hercules cast him into their Crib, when he fetched those horses away by the commandment of Euristeus, and Euristeus sacrificed them to juno. Their brood centinued unto the time of Alexander the great Macedonian king, if we believe Diodorus  

Or as the men that lion felt,  
of fierce Therodamas:  
Or sacrifice of Taurica,  
to the Gods of Thoas.   
¶ Therodamas had stables of Lions in Scythia, 
Therodamas.  of which country he was king, which he fed with man's flesh, to the intent they might be the more fierce, if need should be, for he greatly feared that his people would rebel against him, which if they attempted, he accounted that a remedy to suppress their enterprise.  
Thoas borne in Lemnos, 
Thoas.  son of Bacchus, and father to Hipsiphile, came into Taurica, at what time the women of Lemnos (as shallbe said anon) killed all the men of their country, to perform his vow which he made, that he would be one of the priests of Diana Taurice, to whom Hecate Thebus daughter, had erected a Church, and ordained that all such as came thither by any adventure, should be sacrificed to her. She first innented the poison Aconitum, very famous for her cruelty, which was her only practice.  

Or those that Scylla fierce did catch,  
or else Charybdis' grypt:  
Among the fearful trembling mates  
out of Ulysses ship.   
¶ Glaucus son of Anthedon a fisher, 
Glaucus. Seilla. Charybdis.  having caught certain goodly fishes, desiring to carry them very fresh into the City, laid them under a green herb while he rested himself and dried his Nets, but the fishes recovering their former strength, by virtue of the herb, leapt all into the Sea again. Which thing when he saw, supposing that there was some great virtue in the herb, tasted thereof, whereby he became mad, and leapt into the Sea also, and was made a god of the same. And as he walked about in these costs, he espied in Sicilia, Scylla daughter of Phorcus, and the nymph Cratheis a very fair maid, with whose love he was much esprised, but she regarded him not. Wherefore he went to Circe an other Gods of the sea, a very good Enchauntres, and desired her aid and counsel to obtain her love, but she entrapped with his love, sought all means to turn his love to Scylla, which when she could not, she came to the sountayne wherein Scylla accustomed to bathe herself, and poisoned the same, so that as soon as Scylla entered into it, she was from the Navel downward, turned in to the form of a Dog, that by such means she might be loathed of her lovers. She haunted the Sicilian seas, and devoured six of Ulysses mates, and used much cruelty towards him, because he was beloved of Circe, to revenge herself on the said Circe. As at length in the xii book of Homer's Odisses may appear.  
She was turned into a Rock, that she might not annoy Aeneas and his mates coming into Italy by the Sicillian Sea. Ovid xiiii Metamorph.  
Charybdis is an other rock very nigh to the former Scylla, not so big as it, by the report of Homer in the xii book of his Odisses. Who was a very gluttonous woman, which stole some of Hercules Oren away, and was therefore by him cast into the Sicilian sea.  

Or those whom Poliphemus sent,  
into his paunch right wide:  
Or those that of Lestrigones  
the cruel hands did bide.   
¶ Poliphemus devoured sire of Ulysses companions, as is said before. 
Polyphemus. Ulysses. Acclus'.   
After Ulysses had lost the winds which Acolus had given him, by the undiscreetenes of his fellows, he came to Lamus a city in Lestrigonia, whereof Antiphates was king. The inhabitants thereof were Grants, he sent three of his men to crave some courteous entertainment, but Antiphates eat one of them, and the other two fled to the ships, and were so sore handled, that Ulysses lost eleven of his ships, and had much ado to escape with his own alone. Homer ten of Odissus.  

Or those whom Carthage captain bold.  
in ditches deep did thrust,  
And there he made the water white,  
by casting in of dust.   
Amilcar captain of the Carthaginenses, 
Amilcar.  in the time of truce, took the counsellors of the people called Acerrani, and drowned them in ditches, and after cast stones upon them. Some think he meaneth of Hannibal Hamilcar's onne, 
Annibal.  which made a bridge of dead bodies over the flood Gella, thereby to convey over his army.  

Or as the maids, and wooers to  
of chaste Penelope:  
And he who wooers weapons gave,  
his master for to slay.   
¶ In the .22. book of Homer's Odisses, 
Ulysses. Penelope's, proci  Ulysses. killed all the wooers of Penelope his wife, by the help of Telemachus his son, and of such her maids as had behaved themselves not chastely among the said wooers, 
Melantius.  he kanged. Melanthius, who brought weapons to the wooers that they might kill his lord, was very cruelly mangled by Ulysses and Telemachus, and after slain. first he had his nose and ears cut of, than his privy members plucked away, lastly his hands & feet cut away. He kept Ulysses goats.  

Or as the lusty wrestler,  
whom Hercules did kill:  
Who when he fell (a wondrous thing)  
then was he victor still.   
¶ Antheus son of the Earth, 
Antheus  king of Lixa in Libya, where the Orchards of Thesperides were feigned to be, was a noble wrestler. He killed many, for when his feet touched the ground, he was made stronger of his mother. Which thing when Hercules perceived, that wrestled with him, he took him in his arms from ground, and held him so hard that he died therewith. He had a wife named Vigenna, and a daughter called Tingenna, which was forced by Hercules, of whom was begotten Syphax, who in the honour of his mother builded a City, and called it by her name Tingenna, where his grandfather was buried. Whose Sepulchre when Sertorius commanded to be broken up, in it was found a body, 70. cubits long. Plutarch.  

Or those who by the boisterous hands  
of Antheus lost their breath: 
Of Anthe us is said   
Or those whom Lemnos women did,  
put unto cruel death.   
¶ The women of Lemnos for despising the sacrifices of Venus, 
Lemniace. mulicres.  by her wrath became very loathsome, so that they and a rank and dotish odour, wherefore they were loathed of their husbands, who for that purpose went into Thracia, to get them new wives. But in their return their old wives conspired against them, and killed them with all their Concubines, save Hipsiphile who saved her Father Thoas, as is said before. And that their sons might not revenge the death of their Fathers, they killed them also. So that they left none of the male kind alive in their country.  

As he that after long drought did,  
ill sacred rights devise:  
Who to get rain, was made himself,  
a bloody sacrifice.   
¶ Thrasillus (but Ovid in his first book of the Art of love, 
Thrasil. ꝰ.  calleth him Thrasius) when Egypt had wanted rain ix years, came to Busiris, and told him, that if he would have rain, he must do sacrifice to the Gods with men. Busiri therefore began with him, and continued that cuscome until Hercules time, who sacrificed the tyrant himself, and thereby obtained rain.  

Or as Antheus brother hath,  
with proper blood be bled  
the altars (as was right) sith he,  
likewise had others shed.   
¶ Pygmalion used to sacrifice men, 
Pigmaliö.  and was himself so served, he was brother to Antheus. But it shallbe better as I think to read for Antheus, Anceus, and understand this place of Busiris, 
Busiris & Anceus. Astipalea  whom Hercules slew, as is said, for Anceus and Busiris were Neptune's sons by Astipalea.  

As he that fed his terrible horse,  
with flesh of many killed:  
In stead of grass or hay that grows  
abroad amid the field.   
Diomedes fed his horse with man's flesh, 
Diomedes.  and was at length himself cast to them by Hercules. As is afore rehearsed.  

Or those two who at divers times,  
by one to death were done:  
I mean the Centaur Nessus, and  
Dissimanus his son.   
¶ Nessus, promised to carry Deianira Hercules wife over the flood, Euenus on his shoulders, & also Hercules after. But having carried her first he would not fetch him afterward, but meant to have ravished her, and was therefore slain by Hercules, with an arrow. The tale is well known of all men.  
To leave the tale of Dissimanus Iphiclus his son, 
Dissimanus.  that pleaseth Domitius Calderinus, whose neck Hercules broke from the top of a tower at Terynthus: because he came to fetch again the horses of his brother Euritus that Hercules had driven awoy. Or Ormenus, that denied his daughter Astidamia, to Hercules, & was therefore slain by him. We will read for Dissimanus, 
Diximanus  Dixmianus.. This Dixmianus had three daughters, Theronice, Teriphone, & Deianira. Theronice, was married to Ctatus, and Teriphone to Euritus, which both were Actors sons, whem Hercules killed about Cleonae, as they went to Isthmus to sport themselves. Cteatus, of his wife gate Amphimacus, Euritus of his Thalpis. Deianira his youngest daughter was deflowered by Hercules, who promised at a day to return and marry her, in the mean time came Eurition, son of Ixion, and a Cloud, & asked to have her in marriage. Her father for fear granted his good will, and ordained the marriage to be against the time that Hercules appointed to return. At the day prefixed, Hercules came, and killed Eurition, and married his wife, and of this man meaneth ovid, who was brother to Nessus.  

Or as thy nephew Neptune, whom  
surrendering up his ghost:  
Did Nymph Coronis son behold,  
from out his proper cost.   
¶ If we read Neptune, 
Hippolyta  we must understand this of Hippolytus, whom Theseus (son of Neptune and Ethra,) begat of Hippolyta the Amazon. Of whom we spoke tofore.  
But if we read Saturn, as in mine opinion it is better, then must we understand it of Periphaltes', 
Periphaltes'  Vulcanus. son and nephew of Saturn. This Saturn, begat juno, juno, bare Vulcan, Vulcan, begat Periphaltes'. He was a famous thief, called by an other name Corinetus, 
Corinetus. Epidaurus.  & slain by Theseus, not far from Epidaurus, where  

As Sinis, Sciron and with them,  
Poliphemons, son to:  
And he whose body was half man,  
and half a Bull also.   
¶ Sinis a famous thief, 
Synis.  who tied such men as he overcame to the tops of trees bended together downward, and after let them up again, and so killed them. He was slain by Theseus, upon whose daughter Perigone, the same Theseus begot Menalippus.  
Sciron a famous thief, 
Scyron.  kept the Greekish seys, and to such as he overcame, as he sat on the top of a high rock, he proffered meat with his foot, whom (when they took it) he spurned down the rock. Some think that this was the father of Peleus & Thelamon. He was slain by Theseus, & cast headlong down the same rock, from whence he had cast many other. He haunted the places near unto Megara.  
¶ Poliphemon and his son Procustes were also slain by Theseus. 
Poliphemon procustes.  This Procustes used such as he caught thus. He had a bed, in the which he would lay all strangers, and if they were to short, he would with a rack draw them out unto the just length thereof: and if they were too long, then would he cut of the overplus. He haunted not far from Athens, at a place called Cordulus.  
¶ The disformed Minotaurus was slain likewise by Theseus as is said afore. 
Minotaurus.  But here it shall not be much amiss, to tell how it chanced that Pasiphae Minos wife bore such a child. Minos was accustomed to sacrifice every year a bull to Neptune, The fairest of all pleased Pasiphae so well that she craved of her husband so much, 
why Pasiphae loved a bull.  the he saved him. Wherefore Neptune displeased, made Pasiphae to cast her love on him, & by the means of Dedalus enjoyed him, & brought forth a son that from the shoulders downward was like a bull, but upward like a man. Ovid viii Meta.  

Or he who men fast tied to boughs,  
from ground did cast on high:  
Of this sea or of that thou mayst,  
the surging waves espy.   
Pitocamptes dwelt in the straights of Isthmus, between the two Seas, 
Pitiocamptes.  jonium and Aegium. He was a thief, and such as he took, he tied to the boughs of Pine trees, and so tore them in pieces. He was killed also by Theseus, in like sort as he had killed others.  

Or that which on Certions' corpse,  
dame Ceres did behold  
to light, when as she saw him slain,  
by Theseus the bold.  
On thee for thy deserts, my wrath  
and anger just doth crave:  
And sure I trust, than those thou shall,  
no smaller mischiefs have.   
¶ Ceres hated Certion for two causes, 
Certion.  one was for that he killed her daughter Alope, because Neptune had a child named Hippothoon by her, in whose City she was well received when she sought her daughter Proserpina. An other for that he troubled the whole country about her City Eleusis, with his notable robberies and murders. She was therefore very glad when she saw him slain by Theseus.  

That such as Achimenides,  
forsakte on Sicill shore  
Thou mayst be: when he did espy  
The Trojan fleet tofore.   
Achimenides son of Adamastus, 
Achimenides  Ulysses. companion at Troy, was left by him in Poliphemus den in Scicilia, until he was delivered by Aeneas, about three months after, as Virgil in the third book of his Aeneidos declareth at large.  

Like Irus else with double name,  
that such thy state may be:  
Or those that hold the bridge, the which  
shall greater be by thee.   
¶ Irus, called first Armeus, after Irus, 
Irus.  because of his singular craft in begging, was stain by Ulysses in likeness of a beggar at his own house in Ithaca. Homer in the of his Odisses.  
The latter two verses seem to allude to the condition of beggars, who commonly sit to beg their alms on bridges, because most resort passeth that way. The more be of them, the less shall each man's part come to. He wisheth Ibis to be a beggar in company with a great sort, that his part of the alms may be very small.  

And that dame Ceres' son may be  
beloved of thee in vain:  
So that he oft required may,  
thy prayers still disdain.   
¶ Some understand this of Tryptolemus, 
Triptolemus.  a young man, both beautiful and honest, oft alured with many promises to do ill, but he would not, & they read for prayers, riches. But I think he meaneth it of Flutus, 
Plutus  Ceres' son, wheme lasius beget in Trypolis a City of Crete, that made all rich which came to him. And this is the reason why I think t●●s. He wished beggary unto him before, alway to continue, and if he happened to come to Plutus, who made all men rich, yet he wisheth the to him only he would change his nature, and grant him nothing.  

And as the sand by ebbs and floods  
of waters command gene: 
Comparatum.   
Is washed away from under foot  
that hard is set thereon.  
So grant the Gods that all thy goods  
(I knew not what they are)  
May fall away even through thy hands,  
and thou be left but bare.  
And like her sire that could herself,  
to sundry shapes transpose:  
(Though belly full) with hunger pined,  
that thou thy life mayst lose.   
¶ Erysychthon son of Triopa, 
Erysychthon.  king of Thessalia, despised the gods, & the more to anger than, he cut down an Oak which was fifteen yards about, whereinto a Nymph was transformed. This Oak was sacred to Ceres. Under the same all the Nymphs of the woods were accustomed to dysport themselves. For which injury Ceres sent one of the Nymphs to Hunger, to request her, that she would revenge that despite on Erysychthon, which she did, & set him on such a hunger, that all the meat in his kingdom was to little for him, he sold all that he had, and last of all, his daughter Metra, wife of Autolicus, who had bestowed her maidenhead on Neptune. She petying her Father's case desired Neptune's help in recompense of her curtysy in times passed showed unto him, & he gave her power to change herself into all manner of likenesses. She would therefore be sold for any kind of thing, and therewith said her Father till all her wiles were spent, and every man knew her well, and no man would buy her. Her father therefore void of all succour, eat his own flesh, and so at length miserably tormented, died. Ovid in the eight book of his Metamor.  

That of man's flesh thou think no scorn,  
to feed amid thy rage:  
In which point only thou shalt be  
the Tideus of our age.   
Tideus king Oeneus son, 
Tideus.  some say of Mars and Althaea, other else of Mars and Eribea, in the Theban war was deadly wounded by one Menalippus, whose head he desired greatly to have. Which when Canapeus, or as some affirm Amphiaraus, had brought it him, he ready to yield his life eat the brains thereof. Which thing Pallas espying, who came to make him immortal, feared with the cruel deed, would not perform her promise. But for all that he fulfilled his cruel mind, and desired of Pallas, that immortality for his son Diomedes, which he could not get himself.  

That thou mayst do some fact wherewith,  
the horses of the Sun:  
Abashed with contrary course  
from West to East may run.   
Pelops, Tantalus son, 
Pelops had four s●nes  had by Hippodamia. three sons Plisthenes, Atreus, Thyestes', and Chrysippus by an other woman, whom he loved above the rest, & therefore when he died he made him his heir, whom Atreus & Thyestes' slay. Plisthenes' died & left ii sons, Agamemnon & Menelaus whom Atreus brought up, and they were called therefore Atrides. So that there were but they two left, & they continual enemies. Mercury enemy to all Pelops stock for the death of his son Myrtilus, as is said before, put a Ram with a golden fleece into Atreus' flock, 
A Ram with a golden flows.  therewith to set them together by the ears, thinking that by one means or other Thyestes' would have the same, and it came so to pass in deed. For Aerope Atreus wife conveyed the same into Thyestes' flock, for she loved him better than her husband, and had by him divers children. Atreus missing his Ram, was much offended, & by violence thought to have him again, but by means of friends a feigned agreement was made between them, & Atreus had his brother to supper. Against his coming he killed all the children that he had by his wife, and made him great cheer, with some parts of them sodden, some baked, and some roasted. Which offence sodetestable, Phoebus espying, turned his horses, and never after would look upon him.  

And that thou mayst attempt to make  
Licaon's filthy feast:  
And seek again for to beguile  
great jupiter thy guest.   
¶ Lycaon Arcadian king, 
Lycaon.  receiving jupiter into his Palace courteously under pretence of good cheer, killed one of the Ambassadors of Molossus, and made meat of the same, meaning also that if jupiter perceived it not (for there was a talk that he was a god) to kill him in like sort. But jupiter much offended with his cruelty, thinking that simple death was to small a punishment for this so great an offence, turned him into a Wolf. Ovid i. Metamor.  

And that some man may prove the gods  
by making meat of thee:  
So that thou Tantalus his son,  
or Terus his master be.   
¶ Tantalus' bidding jupiter and the other Gods to a banquet, killed his son Pelops, 
Tantalus.  to see whether they knew it or not. All the Gods abstained, only Ceres eat up a whole shoulder, which the Gods after the end of the feast (casting their heads together) restored, but not of flesh, for in the place thereof, they made him a shoulder of ivory, 
Pelops eburneus.  whereof he was called Eburneus Pelops.  
¶ Terus king of Thracia, 
Terus.  son of Mars and Caucasea, helping afflicted princes about him, among other he aided Pandion king of Athens, greatly overcharged with his neighbours, and in recompense of his travel, took to wife Progne his daughter, & carried her into his kingdom. After she had been there about a five years, she desired to see her sister Philomela greatly, and requested of her husband that he would go to Athens & fetch her. Which he did, and in the way homeward forced her, and left her among his shepecotes, that he might the oftener and safelier resort unto her. And to the intent she should not bewray him, he plucked out her tongue, but she not content with his dealing, wrote with her blood the whole mind of her usage, & sent it to her sister Progne, unto whom Terens had told before, that she was dead. Which thing moved her greatly, so that she feigned a sacrifice to Bacchus, & went to the place where her sister was, and brought her home to her palace, killed her son Itis, made meat of him, & caused her husband to eat of it, and after cast the head into his bosom. Wherewith he half enraged took his sword in hand, & would have slain them both, but the mercy of the Gods prou did a remedy, for Terens was turned into a Lapwynge. Progne into a Swallow. Phelomela into a nightingale. And Itis into a Pheasant. ovid. vi. of Metamor.  

And that one may so straw thy limbs,  
about the sieldes right plain:  
As those were of the child, which did  
his father's course retain.   
¶ Medea flying from her father Oeta, 
Medea Absirtus  carried her brother Absyrtus with her, following jason into Grece, whom she helped in taking the golden Fleece from her father, for which jason was sent by his uncle Peleas. Wherewith Oeta moved, prepared a navy, and followed the Argonants, whereof jason was Captain, and pursued them so near, that Medea to stay his course, killed her brother Absyrtus, and strawed his members abroad, & that his grief might the more increase, she did stick his head upon a pole. Which Oeta espied, he bestowed so much time in gathering the pieces of his slain son together, that jason and his mates had convenient time to escape. Ovid in that third book de Tristi. declareth this story at large.  

That in Perillus brazen work,  
thou Bulls mayst imitate:  
With bullyke sound in every point  
agreeing unto that.   
¶ Perillus, 
Perillus.  thinking to please the cruel tyrant of Agrygentum Phaleres', made a Bull of brass, wherein whosoever were cast, & a small fire made under the same would make a noise like a bull, & bringing the same unto him craved a reward for his pains. As Ovid in the fourth of his Trist. saith. Phaleris intending indeed to try that workmanship, commanded him forthwith to be tormented in the same.  

And as the cruel Phalrise,  
thy tongue cut out before:  
Included in the Paphian work,  
right like a bull mayst roar.   
¶ Phaleris, 
Phaleris.  after he had tormented many in Perillus' Bull, and exercised much cruelty, by the space of syxten years over the Agrygentines, was taken by his subjects, and having his tongue cut out, was cast into the same. The Poet calleth it Paphian work, because the brass whereof it was made came from Paphos a city in Cyprus, from whence the best brass accustomably came.  

And while thou wouldst return from age,  
and years more youthful see:  
As was Admetus' father in law,  
thou mayst deceived be.   
¶ Medea having made Aeson, 
Aeson  jason his father young again, and Bacchus nurses also, 
Peleas.  was entreated by the daughters of Peleas, who was brother to Aeson, and great enemy to to his nephew jason, that she would make their father young again also. She doubted much at the first, and made the matter very dainty (notwithstanding glad that so good occasion was proffered to be revenged of her husbands enemy) at length with much ado granted in assurance their request. And the better to persuade them that she could do it, she killed an old Ram, and with her medicines made him a lamb again. Herewith they were fully persuaded that she was able to do this, so that they promised her many gifts if she would make their father young again. They agreed of her reward, and she bade them kill him, and cast his members cut in small pieces into a cauldron of hot water, whereto save Alceste they all agreed, & did the same.  
But when Medea had done that, she came for, she went to the top of a tower feigning that she had a sacrifice to do, and with her dragons was carried in the air, and gave jason a token of his uncles death, who to establish his kingdom the better, gave his daughter Euadne to Eueus son of Shafalus, Amphimone to Andremon Leontheus brother, and Alcesta to Admetus: thus thus was Pelias Admetus' father in law. ovid. seven. Meta.  

And as the gentleman that thou  
in filthy pit mayst fall:  
Yet so that of thy deed there may  
remain no name at all.   
¶ In the midst of the city of Rome happened to be a great cleft in the earth, 
Curtius.  and the soothsayers made answer that Stulio Manius (a God) craved a valiant man to be given him, & if he had not one, that the city should shortly be destroyed. Curtius to deliver the city from so great danger, all armed upon a goodly courser, with his sword drawn in his hand with a full gallop road into the same, which immediately closed up, and the place ever after was called Curtius' Lake.  

And God grant that thou mayst be slain  
as those of serpents grown:  
Whose teeth in acceptable fields,  
by Cadmus' hands were sown.   
After jupiter had stolen Europa, 
Agenor. Cadmus.  her father Agenor king of Phenicia, sent Cadmus to seek his sister on this condition, that either he should bring her again, or else never return again himself. Cadmus after long seeking and small finding, for fear of his father, durst not come in to his own country, but went to ask counsel of Apollo, what was best for him to do: of whom he was commanded to follow a young ox that never was yoked, that had the sign of half a Moon on one of his sides, and to build a city where he first lay down, which he did, and called the country Boetia, and his city Thebes. But on a time sending his men for water, and marveling that they returned not again, going to seek them himself, and finding them all slain by a great Dragon that belonged to Mars, so that there was no more left alive but himself alone, he was greatly grieved. But for all that, he set on the serpent and killed him, to whom after came Pallas, (his good masters,) and bade him sow the teeth of it in the ground, whereof arose suddenly armed men, that suddenly flew one an other, so that if Pallas had not commanded Echion, Ideus, Cromius, 
The inhabitants of Thebes.  Pelorus and Hiperenor to cease, because Thebes should be inhabited, they had all been destroyed by mutual wounds.  

Or that thy luck may be as ill  
as nephew to Pentheus:  
Or as Medusa's brother else,  
I mean Archilochus.   
¶ Pentheus begat Odasus, 
Pentheus. Menetius  Odasus Menetius, Menetius Creon and jocasta, which was married to Laius, of whom in Oedipus you may read more before. Creon begat Hemon and Menetius, of whom in this place Ovid speaketh. He killed himself for to deliver his country from a pestilence that Mars sent, for the kill of his Dragon by Cadmus. Read Seneca his tragedy. This stock of Oedipus his, and Achilles, with Tantalus, were very infortunate. Who was Medusa's brother (if Ovid mean one of the three sisters called Gorgones) for my part I never read, 
Archilochus.  except Archilochus had any sister of that name. How he was slain, read in Licambes in the beginning.  

Or though wherewith (though it were  
one did a bird remain:  
Which doth with casting water wash short  
her body toward rain.   
¶ Coronis daughter of Coroneus, 
Coronis.  when Minerva had given Erichthonius shut in a basket to be kept to herself. Pandrasos Persa, and Aglanros, daughters of Cecrops, with charge that they should not look into the same, and they contrary to her commandment had looked there in and found a dragon. Coronis bewrayed the same, and told it abroad, wherefore Minerva banished her from her company. Who after walking by the sea side was espied by Neptune, who would have ravished her, but she by no means would be persuaded to leave her virginity. Wherefore when she was at point to be forced, she was by Minerna turned into a Crow. ovid. two. Metamor.  

That thou mayst have as many wounds  
as by report had he:  
To whom when sacrifice is done  
no knife may present be.   
¶ Osiris, 
Osiris.  whom the Egyptians do worship for a God, was slain by his brother Typhoon, and cut into pieces, and for that cause in his sacrifice it is not lawful to have a knife.  

Or that with fury rapt thou mayst,  
thy privy members lance:  
As those whom mother Sibele makes  
to foot the Phrygian dance.   
All cibele's priests were gelded, 
cibele's priests coribantes Atis.  & moved with a divine fury in their sacrifices danced. They were gelded, because at the first she loving Atis very well, being a beautiful young man, & he not willing to do her pleasure, cut of his Demisaris. He would feign have been gone into his country again, from whence she had carried him against his will, but she meaning to stay him still with her, sent one of her Lions to fear him, wherewith in deed he abashed, ran into the wood, and ever after was one of her priests, till he was turned into a Pine tree. Hitherto doth belong the next n1 that particularly speaketh of Atis.  

That thou of man (as Atis did)  
ne man nor maid mayst stand:  
And that thou mayest learn to play  
on tyrants with thy hand.   
Cibels priests beside that they danced, they played also on instruments.  

And that thou mayst be turned into  
the beasts of mother great:  
As she that lost, and he that did  
the price with running get.   
How Cibel the mother of the Gods turned Hippomenes & Atalanta into Lions you heard before. 
Hippomenes and Atalanta   

And that Limone not alone,  
such punishment may bear:  
Let horses with their raging teeth,  
thy flesh in pieces tear.   
How Hippomenes used his daughter Limone taken in adultery, I told you afore.  

And as the king of Cassandrea,  
(which art as fierce as he)  
God grant that wounded in the ground  
thou buried mayst be.   
Cassandrus that reigned in Cassandrea, 
Cassandrus  a part of Macedonia, for his cruelty, of his subjects, was overcovered with ashes, and so died. Another of that name who succeeded him, was also for his tyranny buried quick.  

Or else that slain into the seas,  
some may thee headlong throw,  
As were the noble Perseus,  
and Telephus also.   
Erectheus begat Cecrops, Cecrops Metion Metion Canace a daughter, Canace bare Abas, Abas got Colchodon, Colchodon Elpenor, 
Acrisius. Danae. Perseus.  Elpenor Acrisius, who begat Danae. This Acrisius hearing of the oracle that his daughter's son should dispossess him of his kingdom, would grant her in marriage to none, but included her in a tower of brass, so the no man might come to her, but jupiter turned himself into a shower of Gold, and came in by the lover of the castle, and got of her Perseus. Which thing when Acrisius knew, he took him with his mother and put them into a tun, and cast them into the Sea. But they shortly after were brought by water to Polidectes king of the Isle Seriphon, who married Danae, & brought up Perseus well, but after sent him to many dangers. But I need not in this place tell how he had of Mercury his slippers, Pegasus and a helmet, a crooked sword of Adamant of Saturn, and a shield of Pallas, nor how he overcame the three sisters, daughters of Porcus, Euriale, Stheno, & Medusa, which had all but one eye, they were called Gorgones. The story is at large described in the fourth & fift books of Cuids Metamor.  
The story of Telephus in the beginning is set forth at large. 
Telephus.   

And that by Phoebus' altars thou  
a sacrifice mayst be:  
As was himself king Theodotus  
by cruel enemy.   
¶ Theodotus, king of the Bactrians, 
Theodotus.  was sacrificed by Arsace king of Persia, to Apollo, after he was overcomed in battle.  

And that Abdera may one year,  
thee vow withouten fail,  
And that thus vowed thou mayst be hit  
with stones more thick than hail.   
¶ The people of Abdera, 
Abdera.  (which is a city of Thracia) did vow a man for the common wealth of all, at the beginning of every year, and the man that was thus vowed was stoned to death.  

That jove with his three edged boult,  
may it thee in his ire:  
As he did Hyppomenes son,  
and Dosythoes' sire.   
¶ Hippomenes, father of Limone, for the cruelty he showed to her, was dispossessed of his kingdom as I said before. Which thing his son Prester took very heavily, 
Prester.  & railed upon the gods shamefully, & was therefore slain by a thunderboult of jupiter.  
So was Atrax, because he bewrayed of jupiter with his daughter Dosithoe. 
Dosithoe.   

As Autonoes' sister, and he  
whose aunt dame Maia is:  
And he that rashly wished the horse,  
and guided them amiss.   
Semele sister of Autonoe, 
Semele.  as in the pedigree of Cadmus may appear, was well beloved of jupiter, which thing when juno espied, she came to her in the likeness of an old woman, & bade her ask of jupiter, that he would come to her as he did to juno. Which thing obtained, came to her in his majesty, armed with thunder and lightning. But she (poor wench) for fear untimely brought forth her son Bacchus, 
Bacchus.  & died. But jupiter took the child and sowed him in his thigh until the full time of birth came. By this means Bacchus was twice borne.  
Ops sister of Maia, had by Sisyphus a son named Porphirio, 
Porphirio  who following his father's impiety, was slain of jupiter with a thunderbolt.  
Phaeton son of Phoebus & Climene, 
Phaeton.  rod in his father's chariot, & gave light to the earth a piece of a day, but being not able to guide the horses right, burned almost both Heaven & earth, and had done much more mischief, if jupiter of his pity had not with a thunderbolt stricken him out of the chariot, and so out of heaven he fell into the river Eridamus. Ovid ii Meta.  

As Aeolus his wicked son,  
and he that did proceed  
of that same blood, that Arctos came,  
which waters wants in deed.   
Salmoneus, Aeolus his son, 
Salmone.  counterfeiting jupiters' thunder in earth, was by a thunderbolt slain of him.  
Menius, licaon's son, brother of Calisto, 
Menius  which was after a stir in heaven, called Arctos, seeing his father's house on fire & his father himself turned into a wolf, reviled jupiter, and was therefore by him slain with a thunderbolt.  

And as Macedon with her mate, 
Macedon.   
was burnt in flaming fire:  
So pray I that thou mayst be slain  
by joves' revenging ire.   
Macedon a queen of Macedonia, with her husband for impiety, were burned with jupiters' lightning.  

That thou mayst be a pray to them,  
for whom it is a crime  
To come to Delos, sith they killed  
Thrasus before his time.   
Thrasus a young man, 
Thrasus.  well-beloved of Diana, on a day as he came to do sacrifice to her early, was by the dogs that guarded her temple torn in pieces. Wherefore she requested her brother Apollo to send a plague among them, which ceased not until all the dogs of the Island were killed.  

Or those that killed him, which hath chaste  
Diana naked seen:  
Or those by whom young Linus hath  
in pieces torn been.   
Actaeon son of Aristeus & Autonoe, 
Actaeon.  weary with long chase of wild beasts, came into a valley of Gargaphia, there at a fair fountain to cool himself, but as ill fortune was, Diana with her mates were come thither before to bathe themselves, who so soon as she saw Acteon come thither, lest he should bewray what he had seen, turned him into a Heart, and so he became a prey to his own dogs.  
Psamate daughter of Crotopus, 
Linus  had a son by Apollo called Linus. 
Linus  Whom as he came from playing out of the fields, the dogs of his grandfather Crotopus far in pieces. Wherewith Apollo was so sore displeased, 
Pena●a monster.  that he sent amonster called Pena, to plague the people of the country. Which monster would pull the infants from their mother's breasts and devour them before their faces. This monster was after slain by Corebus. 
Corebus.   

That serpents may thee hit as ill,  
as erst Eurydice:  
The daughter of Oeagrus old,  
and fair Calliope.   
Orpheus' son of Oeagrus & Calliope, the Muse, married Eurydice, 
Eurydice.  who walkig with the maidens about the fields, happened to tread on a serpent, which by misadventure did so sting her, that she died thereof. Ovid ten Metamor.  

Or as they did Hipsiphiles boy,  
or him that durst with prick  
of piercing spear the hollow horse  
of wood suspected strike.   
Hipsiphile for sparing her father Thoas, 
Hipsiphile  was sore persecuted of the women of Lemnos, wherefore she fled to Lycurgus king of Grece, and was nurse to his child named Opheltes, 
Opheltes alias Ar●hemorus.  or otherwise called Archemorus, about the time that Thebes was besieged. For when the Greeks by means of a great drought could have no water, for that all the fountains saving Langia, 
Langia.  were dried up, & they could not find that. They craved of her that she would show them to the same, which thing she promised, and the better to do it, she set her child out of her arms, which before she returned, was slain by a serpent.  
Laocoon, 
Laocoon  Neptune's. priest, suspecting the horse, that the Greeks set before Troy to be full of craft, persuaded the Trojans to set the same on fire. But false Sinon with his feigned oration, had so bewitched their wits, that they would not be ruled by him. He therefore with a spear ran against the same with such force, that the harness of the Greekish captains (as saith Aeneas in Virgil) resounded again, & therefore was with his ii sons slain by serpents in the wrath of Pallas.  

And that thou mayst no wiselier climb,  
the sleppes of ladders hie  
Than Elpenor, 
Elpenor.  and strength of wine  
mayst bear as erst did he.   
¶ Elpenor, one of Ulysses companions, full of good wine at Circe's house, was disposed to climb, but he fell from the ladder, & broke his neck. Homer ten Odiss.  

That thou mayst die as did they all,  
that any help did bring  
Unto Thiodamas in fight  
who was their cruel king.   
Hercules with Deianira his wife, left his fathers in laws Oeneus house, because Condillus, 
Condillus  or as some call him Ciathus his butler powered foul water into his hands, and he therefore gave him a blow on the ear. After his departure with his son Hilus, he came to the flood Euenus, where he flew Nessus, as is said before. 
Nessus. Euenus. Driopes. Thiodamas.  After this he came to the Driopes, whose king at that time was Thiodamas, unto whom he sent his son Hilus to crave some meat, for the child was very hungry, but the king would give him none. Hercules therefore much disposed, by force took some of the kings oxen, and made thereof meat for himself and his company. Wherefore Thiodamas willing to revenge this injury, came with a band of his people, & assaulted Hercules & his companions so sore, that Hercules was feign to arm his wife & desire her aid, & was himself sore wounded in the breast, but at the last he got the victory, & slew the king. After the victory he brought the Driopes into Thracinia, 
Hyla.  & carried with him Hyla the daughter of Thiodamas being entangled with her beauty.  

And that in proper den of thine  
thy life may pass away:  
As Cacus rude, whom Ox's voice  
included did bewray.   
¶ After Hercules had slain Geryon, and by the commandment of Euristheus, brought away his oxen, be came into Italy, then called Hesperia, and put them to pasture about the hill Aventinus, now one of the seven famous hills in Rome, in which hill, 
Cacus.  Cacus Vulcan his son had a den, and practised spoiling of the travelers which passed that way, & hearing of Hercules Oxen, he came and took divers of them, and that they might not be found, he pulled them into his den by their tails. Hercules missing them, seeketh all the country for them, but findeth them not, he therefore determined to depart thence without them. But as he was going away, he heard some of them loow. With which he called back again, sought so long that at length he found the cave, before the mouth whereof, Cacus had laid a stone so great, that ten couple of Oxen could not move the same, thinking by that means to be safe enough. But Hercules laid his shoulders to the same, and at length with much pain removed it away. And after long and terrible fight, he killed Cacus, and so recovered again his cattle. This tale is written by Ovid, in the first book of his Fasti in many words.  

Or else as he who with his blood,  
Th'enboicke seas made red:  
Who brought a shirt in poison dippeth,  
that Nessus erst hath bled.   
¶ Licas servant of Hercules, 
Licas.  brought him the poisoned garment whereof I spoke before, for which deed, by Hercules he was cast into the Enboicke sea. But because he was not guilty of the crime, Tethis turned him into a rock.  

That headlong thou mayst come to hell  
from top of rock right high:  
As he that Plato's book hath read,  
of immortality.   
¶ Theombrotus reading Plato's book of the immortality of the soul, 
Theombrotus.  was so moved with joys of the same, that presently he cast himself from the top of a Rock, thereby the sooner to attain to them.  

Or he that saw the guylfull sails,  
of Theseus' ships at last:  
Or as the child who from the top  
of Trojan Towers was cast.   
¶ Egeus commanded his son Theseus going into Crete to the Labyrinth, 
Aegeus.  (as the custom was) to feed Minotaurus, that if by any good fortune he returned again safe, that he should in the stead of the black mourning sails wherewith his ships out ward were decked, put on white. But he returning safe by means of Ariadne, as is said before (and also in my book of Theseus and Ariadne) for joy remembered not his father's commandment. 
Theseus. Ariadne  When therefore the father saw his ship's return with the black sails, thinking that his son had been dead, (for he sat at the top of a tower still waiting for the same) he cast himself headlong into the sea, whereof hitherto the sea is called Mare Aegeum. Astyanax, 
Astyanax  son of the noble Trojan Hector, was by Ulysses and the Greeks, cast from the top of one of the highest towers in Troy: for fear lest if he lived, he should revenge the death of his father and the destruction of his country upon them. Seneca.  

Or she who aunt and nurse was both  
to Bacchus' youthful boy,  
Or he to whom thinvented saw,  
was loss of lively joy..   
¶ Ino sister of Semele mother to Bacchus, 
Ino.  by that means was his aunt, and she also nursed him. She was wife of Athamas, and flying the rage of her husband, cast herself from the top of a rock into the sea, as is said before.  
Perdyx, nephew unto Dedalus, 
Perdyx. Dedalus.  was by his uncle for spite because he invented the saw and compass, cast from the top of a high tower, but by the mercy of Mynerua before he came to the ground, he was turned into a Partych, called in latin Perdyx. And this is the cause that a Partych never will either breed, or sit in tree, lest she should again break her neck with the fall. notwithstanding pliny in his seventh book saith, that Dedalus invented the saw. But ovid in the eight book of Metamor. is author of that I said before.  

As Lydian maid who from the rock,  
herself in sea did cast:  
Out of whose mouth ill cursing words  
against a God have past.   
¶ Ilice daughter of Ibicus a Lydian, 
Ilice.  was beloved of Mars, but by Diana's aid she was safe from his violence. But she not content therewith would rail on him & revile him shamefully, where with he much moved, killed her father, and she therewith becoming mad for grief, cast herself headlong into the sea from the top of a rock.  

And that a Lion with her young,  
may meet thee in the field:  
And cause thee so to lose thy life,  
as Paphages was killed.   
¶ Paphages king of Ambracia, 
Paphages.  happening to meet a Lioness great with young in his garden, was by her torn in pieces.  

That a boar may thee tear as him,  
who had by tree his hold:  
And was the son of Lycurgus,  
or Idmon else the bold.   
¶ Lycurgus had a son that was called Brutes, 
Idmon.  on a day hunting the wild Boar, was oppressed so sore that he had no way to scape but by taking of a tree, yet for all that ere he was up, the bore caught him and pulled him down again, & slew him.  
¶ Idmon one of the Argonants, he came last (for he knew being a soothsayer, that he should die therein) in Bithynia, was slain by a Boar.  

And that a Boar though slain first, thee  
with deadly wound may gall:  
As him upon whose face the head  
of cruel beast did fall.   
Thoas a famous hunter in Andriegathia which is inhabited by the people Possidoniatae, 
Thoas.  vowed the heads & feet of all the beasts he could take to Diana. But on a time getting a wonderful great Boar, he hanged up to her only the head on her tree, wherewith she offended, as he slept under the same tree, made the same head fall upon him, and so he was slain.  

Or that thou mayst the hunter be  
that hunted hard by Troy:  
Or Nauclus else, whom with like death  
Pine apples did destroy.   
Atis & Nauclus slepig under a Pine tree were both slain, 
Atis. Nauclus.  with the fall of apples that fell from the same.  

And if that at king Minos' ports  
thy ship arrived be:  
I wish his people may thee take  
for one of Sicily.   
Of the great debate between the men of 
Crete.  and Sicilia, 
Sicilia.  in the story of the death of Minos, siayne by Cocalus, in the pursuit of Dedalus, I have said before.  

That with a falling house thou mayst  
as Alcidice be slain:  
To whom with Licoris her mate  
one fortune did remayhe.   
¶ Alcidice daughter of Alebas a Larisseia, 
Alcidice. Licoris.  was with her husband Licoris by the fall of their house slain.  

Or else that thou in running stream  
drowned as Euenus:  
Mayst leave thy name unto some flood,  
as did Tiberinus.   
Euenus' son of Mars, 
Evenus. Marpissa.  & king of Etolia, had a very fair daughter named Marpissa, who compelled such as would marry his daughter to run a course with horse, with him. Such as he overcame, he nailed their heads to his gates, thereby to fear other from like enterprise. 
Ida's.  Ida's supposed the same of Aphareus. But in deed Neptunus receiving of his father very swift horses, overcame Euenus, & carried away his daughter. But Euenus followed him to have put him to death, but his horses were so good that he might not overtake him, wherefore for spite he cast himself into the flood of Etolia, called them Licorba, but afterward of him Euenus. While Idas fled, Apollo met him, and would needs have taken his wife from him, but he would not suffer him, by reason whereof they had come to blows, had not jupiter sent Mercury to determine their controversy on this condition, that the woman should be set betwixt them both, and chose whether she list. But she took Idas & forsook Apollo, fearing lest he when she should be old & full of wrinkles, would forsake her & set her at nought.  
¶ Tiberinus was drowned, and left his name to the river that runneth through Rome.  

And that thy body worthy be,  
on spear to have a seat:  
As was Euryalus, and that  
thy head may be man's meat.   
¶ Euryalus and Nisus two very faithful freades, 
Euryalus. Nisus.  sent ambasadours to Eeneas from Ascanius, besieged by Turnus. As they passed thorough the tents of the Rutili, killed Ramnetes and many more. Euryalus put on him Ramnetes armour, and in the morning was spied by the horsemen of Volscentes, and slain. Nisus who had esowne caped the danger and miss his friend, returned again, and seeing him among his enemies fight, desired with his own life to redeem his, but Volscentes for all that killed him. Nisus than not minding to live after the loss of so faithful a friend, came in among his enemies, where after he had slain Volscentes, & well revenged his death, was slain upon his dead corpse. Virgil ix Aenei. Their heads on the tops of two spears, were set in the tents of the Rutili, which seen of the Trojans, moved them to great mourning and sorrow.  

And as men say that Brotheus died  
(who death did much desire:)  
Thou mayest headlong cast thyself,  
into some flaming fire.   
¶ Brotheus son of Vulcan & Minerva was for his deformity so despised, 
Brotheus.  that jupiter would not make him immortal, for which cause he ashamed of himself, willingly leapt into a fire.  

Or that included in some cave,  
such death thou mayst obtain:  
As had the man who did devise  
a story to his pain.   
Cherillus a Poet, 
Cherillus.  wrote the acts of Alex ander the great, & for his pains it was agreed, that for every good verse he should have a crown of gold, and for every ill one, a stripe with a whip. In all his work were but seven allowed verses, but the number of the ill was so great, the he was slain with his stripes. Of him Alexander was wont to say, that he had rather be in honour the deformed Thirsites, then in Cherillus the valiant Achilles. Some say that this Cherillus was famished for his pains.  

As to him who of jambus verse,  
the first deviser was:  
So unto thee a froward tongue,  
of hurt may be the cause.   
Archilochus for his railing book that he made against Licambes & Niobole, 
Archilohus.  was banished from Lacedaemon, and his book was condemned. But some say that he was by Licambes friends slain, as I in the beginning said.  

Or as he who with simple verse  
on Athens sore did rail:  
Mayst hated render up thy life,  
when victuals shall thee fail.   
Aristophanes' inveighing against the praise of Athens, 
Arifiophanes.  the the Orators in their books had set forth, was by public authority pined to death. So were also Anaxandrides & Menius, & Anaximenes as Pausa saith. In. vi. histo.  

And as the Poet that against  
a strong man did inveigh:  
The same may be a cause to thee,  
to take thy life away.   
another Aristophanes inveighing against the strength of one Menechius a wrestler in that Tragedy of his own name called Menechius, 
Aristophanes.  was by public consent banished Athens, and after slain.  

And as Orestes had a wound, 
Orefies.   
by cruel serpent's mouth:  
So grant the Gods that thou mayst die  
by bite of serpent's tooth.   
¶ Orestes quit of the madness that he had for the kill of his mother, having surrendered the kingdom of Micene to his son Tisamenes, was slain by a Serpent.  

That thy first wedding day may be  
to thee the last of life:  
Thus Eupolis hath died before,  
and his new wedded wife.   
¶ Eupolis, 
Eupolis. Medilla.  son of Nicaea and Glicerium, some call her Medilla his wife, the first night they lay together were found dead. It is likely, that either they were very heavy, or else the bed very weak, that it must fall upon them the first night they lay thereon.  

And that a shaft stoke in thy heart,  
may take thy life away:  
As from the lusty Licophron,  
as ancient stories say.   
¶ Licophron an ancient Poet, 
Licophron  wrote the sayings of Cassandra, and comprised in one short volume, a brief sum of all the tales that the Greekish Poets had invented. On a time as he contended about the principality of the old Poets, was by his adversary slain with an arrow. Some think there were two Licophrones that wrote either of them one of the aforesaid works. But I see no reason why one might not do them both.  

Or rend with hands of thine thou mayst  
be strewed about the wood:  
As he was cast at Thebes, which  
was sprung of serpent's blood.   
¶ Pentheus king of Thebes, 
Pentheus.  son of Echion & Agave, daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia, (who were turned into serpents) despising the sacrifice of Bacchus, was therefore by him turned into a boar, and hunted and killed by his mother Again, and his aunts Ino and Autonoe. Ovid in the third of his Metamor.  

Or that thou mayst with wild bulls,  
he halde about some hill:  
As was the wife of Licus king,  
That needs would have her will.   
¶ Antiope daughter of Nicteus and wife of Licus king of Thebes, 
Antiope.  refused for suspicion of adultery, was forced by jupiter, and conceived ii sons, Zetus & Amphion. Her husband Licus in her room took an other wife named Dirce, who persuaded her husband to put Antiope into prison. But she prevented that mischief, & sled to Epopeus, with whom she brought forth her ii sons, which she left with certain shéepeherds of that country. But Nicteus moved with the impudence of his daughter, desired Licus to fetch her again, which he did, & killed Epopeus, and gave her to be kept to Dirce, as if she had been his sister's child. But she not liking her keeping, fled again, & came to her sornes, to whom the shepherds detecting the whole matter, caused them to seek revenge of their mother's harm. They therefore came to Thebes. & took Dirce, and tied her to wild bulls, & so tore her in pieces, & had also by policy slain Licus, if Mercury had not given him warning thereof, so that he provided safety with his heels.  

As hers that harlot was to him,  
whose sister was his wife:  
Thy longue may fall before thy feet,  
cut out with cruel knife.   
¶ How Philomela was ravished by her sister Progne's husband Tireas, 
Philomela  I have said before.  

As he that Blesus was surnamed,  
to late spied Myrrha's wound:  
Thou in a thousand places mayst  
be void of children found.   
¶ This tale also is noted before.  

And that the husy be in th'eyes,  
her hurtful sting may stick:  
As with the same in times ago,  
they did Acheus prick.   
¶ As Acheus devising his poem walked about his orchard, 
Achens.  a swarm of bees settled on his head, & he busied to drive them away, lost his eyes with their stings.  

That tied unto some hill, a bird  
upon thy heart may feed:  
Like as upon his brother's child,  
dame Pirrha was we read.   
¶ Prometheus uncle to Pirrha, 
Promethe '  Epimethius daughter, was tied to Caucasus, and a bird eateth his heart. You may read more of him in the beginning.  

As Harpagus his child thou mayst  
present Thyestes' feast:  
And to thee slain and dressed for meat,  
thy sire may be a guest.   
¶ Astyages son of Ciaxaris, 
Astyages.  last king of the Medes, saw in a dream, a vine grow out of the womb of his daughter Mandane, 
Manddne.  that over shadowed all Asia, & consulting with the wise men thereon, had answer that she should bear a son, that should be king of all Asia, and dispossess him of his crown also. Wherewith Astyages troubled, would not give his daughter in marriage to any neble man, least nobility of his father's side, annexed to the nobleness of his mother, might make his nephew of more courage. He therefore willing to abate his haughty stomach with base parentage, married his daughter to one Cambyses a Persian, of low degree, yet not therewith delivered from the fear of his dream, sent for her when she was with child, that the Infant borne, might before his face be slain. The child was borne, and by Astyages delivered to his trusty counsellor Harpagus to be destroyed. 
Harpagus  But he fearing that if the kingdom after should come to Mandane, (because there was no heir male) that she would revenge her child's death on him, which she could not on her father, 
Mithridates.  gave the same to Mithridates the kings shepherd, who cast the child in a wood, to be a pray to wild beasts, and as soon as he came home, told his wife of the child's fortune, who at that time bade brought forth a dead child. She therefore desired her husband, to lay hers in the stead of the other, whereto at length he agreed, and when he came to the child, he found a Bitch giving it suck, & beating away the fowls and beasts, from the same. In process of time, the child was by loft made a king in pastime among children, and had to name Cirus, 
Cirus.  and such as would not be ruled he caused to be beaten with whips. Wherefore one of them named Artembares, 
Artembares.  told his father, and he thinking scorn that gentlemen's children should be beaten of a sheep herds boy, told the king thereof, who sent for the child, and asked him how he durst beat them in such sort, who answered that he did like a king. Astiges moved with his constancy, called to mind his dream, and seeing him so like his daughter, inquired narrowly the matter, and found that it was his nephew. Wherefore he took him home, and banished him under an honourable colour into Persia. But he bore a grudge to Harpagus, and in revengement thereof he killed his son, & caused him to eat the same, and hereof speaketh Ovid here. What came afterward of all these parties, you may read in justine, which Master Golding hath well translated.  

And that thou mayst thy body have  
bemangled very sore  
with cruel sword, which thing unto  
Mamerthes happed before.   
¶ Mamerthes brother of Sisaphon king of Corinth, 
Mamerthes.  for great desire that he had to be king, killed his brother's son that was heir to the crown. Wherefore be was of Sisaphon torn limmeally, that is to say, each piece from other.  

As Poet old of Siracuse,  
with halter strangled was:  
God grant that so that way be stopped,  
whereby thy life doth pass.   
¶ Theocritus the worthiest Poet that ever wrote, 
Theocrit'.  of shepherds affairs preferred before Virgil, wrote against Hyero his son, of whom he was brought to the gallows in sport, to cause him to leave his railing. Where being asked whether he would leave his evil saying of the King or not, began to rail the more. Wherefore by the king's commandment, though he were brought thither in jest, yet was he hanged in earnest.  

And that thy skin being plucked of,  
thy flesh may naked show:  
As Marsias who on a flood  
his name did once bestow.   
Of Marsias strife with Apollo you may read before. 
Marsias.   

And that thou cursed man mayst see,  
Medusa's stonny head,  
The sight whereof to Cepheni,  
was cause that they were dead.   
¶ After Perseus had slain Medusa (from whose neck came Chrisaor, 
Perseus. Chrysaor. Pegasus.  and Pegasus. the winged Horse out of her womb) as he road upon that said flying horse, in Ethiopia, 
Andromeda.  he spied Andromeda, daughter of Cepheus and Cassiope, for her mother's fault tied by commandment of Hammon to a rock, to be devoured of a monster of the sea. Whom he on condition to have her to wife, delivered. And at the marriage day came one Phineus brother of Cepheus, to whom she was before her mischance affianced, and would have her by force from Perseus, but he shewing Medusa's head to him and his mates, turned them all into stones. Ovid four v. of Metamor.  

And that of Potinum mares, the bits  
as Glaucus mayst abide,  
Or as an other Glaucus, thou  
into the sea mayst glide.   
¶ Glaucus of Potinum despised Venus sacrifices: 
Glaucus.  wherefore she sent such a madness to his mares, that as he road, he was torn by them in pieces.  
How Glaucus Sulla's lover was drowned by virtue of an herb, 
Glaucus alter●.  is said before.  

That Gnosos honey to thy breath,  
may passage grant no more,  
As unto him who had one name,  
with two rehcarst before.   
¶ Glaucus, 
Glancas tertius.  son of Minos and Pasiphae as he played with a tenyse bale, fell into a barrel of huny and was strangled. He was buried by his father, and with him Polyidus a soothsayer and a Physician, 
Polyidus.  to the intent that either he should make him alive again, or else die with him: be therefore being in the tomb with him (for kings were accustomed to be buried in faults) he esppyed two serpents fighting so long together that the one had killed the other. Then he that was alive did fetch an herb, & put it into the mouth of him that was dead, by virtue whereof, he recovered life again. Polyidus meaning to try whether this would do any good to his master, fetched a part thereof, and put it into his mouth, and he therewith presently recovered life also. Higinus capite de polyido.  

Or else that thou a guilty man,  
mayst drink with heavy cheer,  
That which the famous clerk did drink  
to fore with out all fear.   
¶ Socrates accused by Polideutus Miletus, 
Socrates.  Polycrates, Anytus, that he corrupted the youth of Athens, as well with evil & false religion, as also with undecent manners, was therefore cast in prison and after condemned. Where he having disputed of the immortality of the soul, with merry cheer and smiling countenance, drank poison and died. Plato.  

That thou no better luck mayst have,  
than Hemon had in love:  
As Machareus his sister did,  
so thou thine to mayst prove.   
¶ Hemon Creon's son, 
Hemon.  loved Antigone daughter of Oedipus in such sort, that when she was buried quick for breaking Creon's wicked commandment, in burying her brother Polynices (for he had commanded the contrary upon pain aforesaid) he slew himself upon her grave.  
another Hemon using his daughter Rhodope for his wife, 
Hemon. Rhodope.  was by the anger of the Gods, turned into a hill, and she also.  
Of Machareus & Canace Aeolus children, I have written before.  

And that which Hector's son did see  
when all things were on flame,  
From top of native tower, god grant  
that thou mayst see the same.   
How Ulysses cast Astyanax Hector's son, 
Astianan  from the top of Trojan tower, is also said before.  

And that with proper blood, as he  
thou mayst repay thy shame:  
Whose grandfather was made his sire  
and sister to his dame.   
¶ Adonis son of Cineras by his own daughter Myrrha, beloved of Venus, 
Adonis.  in hunting the Boar, was by him slain. Ovid ten Metamor.  

And that such kind of weapon may  
within thy bones remain:  
As wherewith Icarus son in law,  
is said for to be slain.   
¶ Ulysses that married Penelope, 
Ulysses  Icarus. daughter, knowing that he should be slain by his son, banished Telemachus into the country or fields called Cephalenia. But Telogonus his other son that he had by Circe, coming to seek his father in Ithaca, and not at the first admitmitted to speak to him, killed the porter, and divers other of Ulysses servants, wherewith he himself came down unarmed, and was by misadventure slain with a Dart that Telogonus caste. But after knowing what he was, he he forgave him the offence, notwithstanding he died of the blow.  

And that with proper thumb thy throat  
thou mayst so stop as did  
Agenor full of talk, whose life  
by fall from horse was rid.   
¶ One Agenor a prattling fellow, 
Agenor.  not sparing jupiter in his talk, fell from his horse, and with his own finger choked himself.  

That thou as Anaxarchus was,  
in mortar mayst be slain:  
And that thy bones may have like sound,  
as they were perfect grain.   
¶ Anaxarchus the Philosopher (between whom and Nicocreon tyrant of Cyprus was a great quarrel) supped on a time with the great Alexander, 
Anaxarchus.  of whom being asked how the cheer liked him, answered that it might not be amended, & that there wanted nothing but the head of Nicocreon. Which injury after Nicrocreon revenged. For when by mishap he arrived in Cyprus, he was taken by the Tyrant, and beaten in a Mortar, his tongue first pulled out, that he might not after his accustomed manner rail upon him.  

That Phoebus with Lencotheas' sire,  
to Hell may thrust thee to:  
Which thing unto his daughter first,  
he did attempt to do.   
¶ Lencothea daughter of Orchamus, 
Lecothea. Orchamus  was loved of Phoebus, and therefore burned of her father, wherewith Phoebus offended, with his beams burned Orchamus to death also.  

And that, that monster may annoy  
thy friends that erst was slain  
by Corebus his prows, who rid  
the sorry Greeks from pain.   
¶ How Corebus killed the monster that infested Peloponesus, 
Corebus.  which Apollo sent for the death of his son Linus, is said before.  

And Ethras nephew for the wrath  
that stepdame did him bear:  
God grant that those thy scared horse  
in pieces may thee tear.   
¶ Of this also is said before. 
Hippolitus  But because jupiter and Apollo fell out by his means, it shall not be much amiss to prosecute the story a little farther. After he was torn in pieces, Diana having pity on him because he was so chaste, desired Esculapius Apollo's son, to make him alive again, 
Esculapius. Ciclopes.  which he did. But jupiter not content, that any mortal man had such skill to make dead men alive again, with a thunderbolt killed him. Wherewith Apollo angered, killed all the Ciclopes that made his thunderbolts. Wherefore he was himself banished out of heaven nine years, and driven to so narrow a pinch, that he was fain to keep Admetus' sheep till, he was again restored to his old place.  

And as the host for too much wealth,  
'tis client did destroy:  
So let thine host for thy small goods,  
thee reave of lively joy.   
How Priam's son Polidorus, 
Polimnestor. Polidorus.  was slain by Polimnestor king, of Thracia, each man knoweth, and I have told already.  

And as so many brothers were  
with Damasi●hon stain:  
God grant that so of all thy stock,  
there may not one remain.   
¶ Amphion son of jupiter & Antiopa, had by Niobe daughter of Tantalus and Taigetes, seven sons and seven daughters. With which number, Niobe very proud (when Manto daughter of Tiretias, commanded the Thebans to do sacrifice to Latona and her children) she said plainly that herself was the better woman. Wherefore Latona angry, complained to her children, so that they came from heaven in clouds, & Apollo killed all her sons, whose names were Ismenus, Sipilus, Phedimus, Tantalus, Alphenor, Dama sithon, & Ilioneus, with his arrows, and Diana all her daughters. She herself with sorrow consumed, was turned into a marble stone, and her husband killed himself, as in the ii next staves Ovid reporteth.  

And as the harper did his death  
unto his children add:  
So let there be (to loath thy life)  
a just cause still be had.   
¶ Amphion was a cunning physician. 
Niobe.   

That thou as Pelops sister mayst  
be turned into a stone:  
Or Battus else to whom his tongue  
did give him cause to moon.   
¶ Apollo banished out of heaven for killing the Ciclopes, kept Admetus' cattle, which was son of Pheres, but while he wandered piping about the wilderness, his cattle strayed into Pilis, which Mercury turned out of the way, and hid in a wood, which Battus son of Neleus espied, 
Battus.  who kept a herd of mares thereby, to whom Mercury gave one of the fairest kine to to keep his counsel. He took the Cow, and said that a stene should sooner bewray him, than he would tell aught. But Mercury meaning to try him, came again in an other likeness, & asked whither he saw any kine, and made as though he had lost them, and promised to give him a cow with a bull, if he would tell where they were. Battus was somewhat covetous, & showed him the place where they pastured. Wherewith Mercury was so sore offended, that he turned him into a Tuch stone. Ovid ii Metamor.  

And if that thou with dish do play  
cast up into the air:  
That with the same thou mayst be slain  
like Hiacinthus fair.   
¶ Hiacinthus son of Amiclas, well beloved of Apollo, 
Hyacynthus.  as on a time he played with a dish, (which was a great pastime in times past) that was cast by Apollo very high, & he somewhat greedy to catch it, with rebound thereof from ground, his brains were knocked out, & he by Apollo turned into a flower of purple colour.  

And if that any water may  
with thy hands moved be:  
I wish that every flood be worse  
than Abidon to thee.   
¶ Leander of Abidon a city in Asia, 
Leander.  loved Hero that dwelled in Sestos a city in Europe not far from the other, but divided with a narrow sea called (of the fall of Helle, sister to Phrixus thereinto) Hellespontus. He was accustomed to swim over the same every day commonly to his lover, but at length not able to bear above seven days the want of his lady, attempted in a great tempest to swim unto her, and was drowned by the way. And she as soon as she hard thereof, cast herself headlong into the same also.  

And as the poet while he swam,  
in water small was lost:  
Let hellish water strangle thee,  
and make the yield thy ghost. 
Menander    
¶ Menander the famous Greek comical poet swimming in a very shallow water was strangely drowned.  
Terence also as he returned out of Grece, 
Terentius  suffered shipwreck, and was drowned, and with him a hundred and eight comedies that he had translated out of Greek Menander into Latin.  

Or else when thou hast suffered wrack,  
Andsurging seas shalt pass:  
Mayst when thou comest to land be slain  
as Palinurus was.   
¶ Palinurus Aeneas Pilot, 
Palinurus  deceived by Somnus, was cast into the Sea by him. Who having swimmed three days, on the fourth landed and was slain by the Velienses, Virgil .v. & vi Aeneid.  

Or as the wrathful dogs that kept  
Diana's things in peace:  
In pieces may thee tear, as once  
they did Euripides.   
¶ Euripides the excellent philosopher and Poet, 
Euripides  returning one night from Archelaus palace, king of Macedoma, with whom he supped, was by his enemy Lysimachus servant of Archelaus, & one of the beadles of Diana's church slain. For he set such dogs on him, as served to guard Diana's temple, and they tore him in pieces. But he enjoyed not this ill deed long, for he was so checked by Arideus a Macedonian, and Cratinas a Thessalian, that for shame he killed himself. Euripides in moral Philosophy was Socrates' scholar, 
Euripides masters.  in natural Anaxagoras, in Rhetoric Prodicus. He was borne in Salamine, and had but poor parents, for Muesarchus was his father and kept an alehouse, and his mother Clito sold herbs for her living. He was so famous that the Grecians sent ambassadors for his bones, but the Macedonians would not deliver them. For they counted themselves happy, that so notable a man was buried among them. He began to write at the age of .18. years.  

Or that thou mayst upon the face  
of Sicill giant dance:  
Where Aetna doth abundantly  
his fiery flames advance.   
¶ Empedocles son of Methon, 
Empedocles.  & brother to Calicrates, to get an immortal name, leapt into Aetna a hill in Sicil, so named of a woman called Aetna buried there, whom jupiter loved. 
Tiphocus.  Under it is a part of Tiphoens the terrible giant buried. This giant attempted to pluck the Gods out of heaven, & fight with them, put them all to slight, & chased them into Egypt, where for fear jupiter was turned into a Ram, juno into a cow, Apollo to a crow, Diana into a cat, Venus into a fish, and Mercury into the bird Ibis. But at length, being beguiled by them he was buried in Cicilia. Under Aetna lieth his head, out of whose mouth come all those flames that arise out of Aetna. Under Pelorus, lieth his right hand, under Pachynus his left, and under Lilebaeus lie his legs. By this burial, you may easily guess that he was like enough to make a coward afraid, while he was alive.  

Or that by the wives of Thracia,  
Orpheus meaning thee,  
Thy body with their raging nails,  
in pieces pulled be.   
¶ Orpheus' having lost his wife Eurydice, 
Orpheus.  & his labour that he took in going to Hell for her also, lest he should try like sorrow in an other wife, if he married any more, determined never after to marry, but ordained the unnatural and devilish manner of knowing young men. And haunted solitary places, equally despising all women. Wherefore the women of Thracia, disposed (for many of them would have had him to their husbands because he was so cunning on the Harp) set on him and slew him. Ovid xi of Metamor.  

As Althaea's son in flaming fire,  
was burned long ago.  
I wish that with thy fatal brand,  
a fire be kindled so.   
¶ Oeneus king of Calidonia, and son of Parthaon, instituted sacrifices to all the Gods save Diana, whom either of forgetfulness, or of contempt he pretermitted. She therewith not a little offended, sent a huge Boar that wasted all Calidonia. For the kill of which a general hunt was decreed, by the commandment of Oeneus, 
Meleager.  and Meleager his son was captain of the same. Thither (beside the princes of Calidonia, among whom were Plexippus & Toxeus, Meliagers' uncles) came Atalanta a very beautiful maid, 
Atalanta  and daughter of jasius king of Arcadia, who in hunting gave the Boar the first wound: Wherefore when the Boar was killed, Meleager gave her for her virtue the head and umbles thereof. With which gift his uncles much offended, took the same from her again. Wherewith Meleager was so sore displeased, that he slew them both. Which deed when his mother Althaea knew, she cast into the fire the brand whereupon his life did depend. For on a time when the Ladies of Destiny sat in her house by the fire, they agreed that Meleager should live till that block (pointing to one) were burned out. Which as soon as they were gone, Althaea took away, and kept safely till this time, and now to revenge the death of her brothers, she cast it into the fire, and as soon as it was burned up, Meleager died. For whose death his sisters so mourned, the amidst their tears, they were turned into birds, called of their brother Meliagrides.  

As by Medea's crown was burnt,  
the new betrothed spouse,  
And as her father was with her,  
and eke with him the house.   
¶ How Medea killed Pelias, 
Medea.  is said before. But after that deed she fled the country, and was carried in the air, in a chariot drawn with Dragons. All her journey is described in the vii of Metamor. But when she was weary of traveling, she returned home again, where finding that jason set more by Creusa daughter of Creon king of Corinth, 
Creusa.  than by her, she dissembled the matter a while, but after she had made all things for her purpose, she sent a chaplet made of herbs, enchanted in such sort, that as soon as it came nigh any light, it would take fire thereof, and not be quenched again. Creusa having this on her head, when candles were lighted, it took fire, and burned her with her father & the whole house, and whatsoever else was in the same. This done, she slew the two children Medo and Mermero, that she had by jason, and fled to Athens, and was there married to Egeus, Theseus father.  

As poisoned blood crept in the limbs  
of Hercules the great: 
Hercules.   
I wish that so a body vile  
may all thy members eat.   
¶ Of this also is mention made once or twice before.  

That also thou mayst feel the like  
new kind of punishment:  
As to revenge his father did  
Lycurgus son invent.   
¶ How Butes revenged his father Lycurgus on Bacchus' Priests, 
Butes.  with cruel death, is also said before. He was the fourth from Pentheus, for Pentheus begat Drias, Drias Lycurgus, Lycurgus Butes.  

Or that to cleave an Oak thou mayst  
(as Nilo did) assay:  
And have no power at all to pluck,  
thy taken hands away.   
Milo Crotoniates, 
Milo crotoniatess  (for there were many of that name) was a man of very great strength. He killed a bull at one blow with his fist, and eat him up every morsel when he had done. He came through a wood where he espied a great tree half elefte, and the wedges sticking fast therein. He meaning to rid the labourers (by likelihood) of pain, would needs take upon him to cleave it with his hands. He pulled it so hard that the wedges fell out, but for all that the tree came again into his first state, and had his hands so fast in the rifts, that he could not get them out, by means whereof, he became a prey to the ravenous beasts that haunted that wood.  

Or for thy gifts as Icarus,  
like hurts thou mayst receive:  
To whom with armed hands his death,  
the drunken men did give.   
¶ Icarus learning the use of wine of Bacchus, 
Icarus.  as he walked about the costs of Athens, gave the rude husbandmen some thereof to drink. But they not content with a mean, drank thereof till they were drunk, and thinking then that they had been poisoned, 
Mera.  forth with slew Icarus, and cast him into a ditch. Mera his bitch a continual companion of his in all his journeys, 
Erigons.  ran home after her master was slain, to Erigone his daughter, who seeing the bitch come, and not her father, suspecting that which had happened in deed, went to know the the truth, and the Bitch brought her to the place where her slain father lay. Which thing when she saw (not able to bear the grief that she conceived of the sight) hanged herself. As Ovid in the next slafe following affirmeth.  

And that the godly daughter did,  
for grief of father's death:  
So let a tied cord about  
thy throat, stop up thy breath.  
Or else that closed in a house,  
mayst famine bide as he:  
For whom that kind of punishment,  
his mother did decree.   
¶ Noble valour and high prows in war, with the Lacedæmonians, was so esteemed that the mother's would reach their shields to their sons going out to battle, and straightly charged them, either to be conquerus, or else to die therefore. For it was counted a great shame and villainy to fly. Wherefore Euristhenes, 
Euristhenes.  after an overthrow returning home, was so hated among his people, that his own mother shut him up in a strong chamber, and with hunger pined him to death, that thereby at least she might wipe away the continual shame from her house.  

Or that Diana's sacred church  
thou mayst (as he) annoy:  
Who turned quite his journey wrong,  
as he returned from Troy.   
He meaneth of Ajax Cilius, 
Ajax Cileus.  who deflowered Cassandra in Pallas church, and was therefore slain with a thunderbolt, as is declared before.  

And that as Nanplius thou mayst  
for feigned fault be slain,  
And that it may thee help no whit  
that thou deservest no pain.   
Of the worthy Palamedes guiltless death, 
Palamedes.  by false Ulysses conveyance, is mention made before.  

Or else as Isis' faithless priest,  
slew Ethalus his guest  
Whereof dame Io mindful yet,  
his service doth detest.   
¶ Io daughter of Inachus turned out of a cow into her former shape in Egypt was there married to Osiris, 
Io. Ethalus.  and made a goddess called Isis. One of her priests received Ethalus & promised him good harborough, but in the night for all that he killed him. Isis therewith greatly offended gave certain signs the she would revenge his death upon all the Egyptians, Who to avoid the plague approaching, banished all his family out of the country, that had slain Ethalus, and decreed further by common authority, that none of that stock should ever after, bear any office about the mynisteryes of Isis, with which deed Isis was well contented and pleased.  

Or as Melanthus son by dark  
for murder hidden lay,  
Whom erst his mother by the light  
of candle did bewray  
So wish I all thy body priest  
with weapons cast at thee:  
So wish I that of craved aid,  
thou destitute mayst be.   
¶ Codrus son of Melanthius, 
Codrus.  killed his father, & hide himself, so that none knew where but his mother. Who as soon as the Athenians sought for him to put him to death, declared where he was.  

That thou such night mayst pass as did,  
the Trojan full of fear:  
Who promised to get the horse  
that did Achilles bear.   
¶ Dolon a Trojan, 
Dolon.  for a certain sum of money, promised to fetch away Achilles' horses, Balion & Xanthus. But as he went about to perform his promise, he was taken by Ulysses and Diomedes, of whom all the night had in examination of the Trojan affairs, was slain in the morning.  

Or that thou mayst no better rest,  
(than Rhesus had) obtain,  
Or else his company the day  
before that they were slain.   
¶ Rhesus king of Thracia, 
Rhesus.  son of Strimon had horses, which if they once tasted of the pasture of Troy, it was destynied that Troy might not be taken. But when he came almost thither by night, he was bewrayed by his white horses, himself and all his company was slain by the Greeks, and his fatal horses turned another way.  

Or those which with Ramnetes bold,  
by quick Hirtacus son:  
And his companion alone,  
to cruel death were done.   
¶ What slaughter of men with Ramnetes in Turnus' tents, 
Ramnetes.  Nisus Hirtacus his son, and his fellow Euryalus made. Virgil declareth, and I have told before.  

Or that thy house enclosed with fire,  
as Clicias son mayst have:  
So that thou mayst half burned bear  
thy members to thy grave.   
¶ To Alcibiades son of Clicias, 
Alciades  banished into Phrigia, was Pharnabasus sent from Athens. with public authority to kill him, whom (finding in his chamber) he compassed round with men, set fire on the house, and burned him therein enclosed.  

Or else I wish that weapons rude,  
upon thy head may fall:  
As erst on Remus over bold  
to climb th'unfinished wall.   
¶ When Rome was building, 
Remus.  Romulus the founder and namer thereof made an edict, that no man upon pain of death should climb the walls, until they were finished. But Remus his brother not esteeming that commandment ascended, 
Fabius celer.  & was for his labour slain by Fabius Celer, a Soldier of Romulus army. For he called all his soldiers Celeres.  

And last I pray that thou mayst live  
and die in these same parts:  
Among the cruel Sarmates,  
and cruel Getes darts.   
¶ Sarmatae, 
Sarmatae. Getae.  are called of the Greeks Sauromatae, they dwell in a country of the North, very poor, and disgarnished of all good provision save of trees. They fetch their original from the Amazons. They are so barbarous, that they know not what peace meaneth. They use arrows in battle, as also the Getae do, whom the Romans call Daci, they inhabit a part of Thracia. Their cruelty Ovid in his books De ponto many times describeth.  

These things in sudden mode thus penned  
to thee directed be:  
That thou need not complain that I  
unmindful am of thee.   
¶ In deed he were much to blame, that would think Ovid had forgotten Ibis, if he have read but this over.  

They are but few, I grant, but God  
can give my prayers more,  
And with his favour my requests  
can multiply with store.  
Hereafter thou much more shalt read  
wherein shallbe thy name:  
And in such verse as men are wont  
such cruel wars to frame.    
FINIS.   

Imprinted at London by Thomas east, and Henry Middleton.  
Anno Domini. 1569.