University of Virginia Library

So soone as Venus saw her, she like one,
That looks 'twixt scorne, and indignation,
Rais'd a loud laughter, such as does proceed
From one, that is vext furiously indeed.
Then shaking of her head, biting her thumb,
She sayd, what my good daughter are you come
Your Mother to salute? But I beleeve,
You would your husband visite, who does grieve
For the late burne, with which you did inure
His tender shoulder, but yet rest secure;
I shall provide for you, nor will I swerve
From any needfull office you deserve.
Thus winking Venus did on Psyche leere,
And with such cruell kindnesse did her jeere.
Then for her entertainment, cryes, where are
My two rough hand-maids, Solitude, and Care?
They enter'd; she commands her hands to tye,
And take the poore mayd to their custody.
Which done accordingly, with whips they beate,
And her with torments miserably intreate.
Thus us'd, and in this shamefull manner dight,
They her, with scorne, reduce to Venus sight:
Who smiling said, 'tis more then time, that I
Should set my Nymphs all to worke sempstery,
And make your Baby-clouts: why this is brave,
And you shall Iuno for your Mid-wife have.
VVhere will you lye in? how farre are you gone?
That's a great motive to compassion.
And I my stile must rather boast, than smother,
That in my youth shall be call'd Grandmother.
But by your leave, I doubt these Marriages,
That are solemniz'd without witnesses:
Without consent of friends, the parties state
Vnequall to, are scarse legitimate,
And so this child, they shall a bastard call:
If yet thou bringst forth any child at all.
Then to begin with some revenge, she rose;
And all her ornaments did discompose,
And her discolour'd Gowne in peices pull,
And what soever made her beautifull.
But least her sufferings should all passive be,
She turnes her punishment to industry,
And takes of severall Seedes, a certaine measure;
Wheat, Barley, Oates, and a confused treasure
Of Pease, and Lentiles, then all mixt, did poure
Into one heape; with a prefixed houre,
That ere her selfe should on our Hemispheare,
That might, as the bright evening Starre appeare.
Psyche each Graine should rightly segregate,
A tasque for twenty to elaborate.
This worke assign'd, Venus from thence did passe,
To a Marriage Feast, where she invited was.
Poore Psyche all alone amaz'd did stand,
Nor to this labour would once set her hand:
In her owne thoughts judging her selfe unable,
To vanquish that, was so inextricable;
When loe, a numerous multitude of Ants,
Her neighbours, the next feilds inhabitants,
Came thronging in, sent thether by some power,
That pitty tooke on Cupids Paramour.
Nor would that wrong should be without defence,
And hated Venus for her insolence.
All these by an instinct together met,
Themselves in a tumultuous method set
On worke, and each graine Arithmetically
Substract, devide, and after multiply.
And when that this was done, away they fled:
Each graine being by its kind distinguished.

Venus now from the Nuptiall feast was come,
Her breath perfum'd with wine, and Balsamum,
Her body was with twines of Mirtles bound,
Her head with Garlands of sweet Roses crown'd.
And seeing this accomplisht taske, she said
Huswife, twas not your handy worke convay'd
These seedes in order thus; but his, that still
Persists in love; to thine, and his owne ill.
Then on the ground she threw a crust of bread,
For Psyches supper, and so went to bed.
Cupid the while, in a backe roome was put
Vnder the same roofe, and in prison shut:
A punishment for his old luxury,
Least he with Psyche should accompany:
And so by too much strayning of his side,
Might hurt his wound, before twas scarrify'd:
But when the Rosie morning drew away,
The sable curtaine, which let in the day,
Venus to Psyche calls, and bids awake,
Who standing up, she shewes to her a Lake;
Environ'd with a rock, beyond whose steepe
And craggy bottome, graz'd a flock of sheepe:
They had no shepheard, them to feede, or fold,
And yet their well growne fleeces were of gold.
Pallas sometimes, the pretious lockes would cull,
To make great Iuno vestures of the wooll:
Fetch me, sayes Venus, some of that rich haire,
But how you'll doe it, I nor know, nor care.
Psyche obayes, not out of hope to win,
So great a prize, but meaning to leape in,
That in the marish she might end her life,
And so be free'd from Venus, and her strife:
When drawing neere, the wind inspired reed,
Spake with a tunefull voice. Psyche take heed,
Let not despaire, thee of thy soule beguile,
Nor these my waters with thy death defile:
But rest thee heere, under this Willow tree,
That growing drinkes of the same streame with me;
Keepe from those sheepe, that heated with the sun,
Rage like the Lyon, or the Scorpion;
None can their stony browes, nor hornes abide,
Till the dayes fire be somewhat qualifi'd.
But when the vapour, and their thirst is quencht,
And Phebus horses in the Ocean drencht,
Then you may fetch, what Venus does desire,
And find their fleecy gold on every bryer:
Th' oraculous Reed full of humanity,
Thus from her hollow wombe did Prophesie:
And she observing strictly what was taught,
Her apron full of the soft mettle brought,
And gave to Venus; yet her gift, and labour,
Gayn'd no acceptance, nor found any favour.
I know the author of this fact, sayes she,
How 'twas the price of his adultery.
But now I will a serious tryall make,
Whether you doe these dangers undertake
With courage, and that wisedome you pretend.
For see that lofty Mountaine, whence descend
Black-colour'd waters, from earths horrid dennes,
And with their boylings wash the Stygian fennes.
From thence augment Cocytus foaming rage,
And swell his channell with their surplussage.
Goe now, and some of that dead liquor skim,
And fill this Christall Pitcher to the brim:
Bring it me straight, and so her browes did knit,
Threatning great matters, if she fail'd of it.
With this injunction Psyche went her wayes,
Hoping even there to end her wretched dayes.
But comming neere to the prefixed place,
Whose height did court the clouds, & lowest base,
Gave those black streames their first originall,
That wearing the hard rocks, did headlong fall
Into the Stygian vallies, underneath
She saw a fatall thing, and full of death.
Two watchfull Dragons the straight passage kept,
Whose eyes were never seal'd, nor ever slept.
The waters too said something, Psyche, flye;
What doe you here? depart, or you shall dye.
Psyche with terrour of the voyce dejected,
And thought of that might never be effected,
Like Niobe, was chang'd into a stone,
In body present, but her minde was gone.
And in the midst of her great griefe, and feares,
Could not enjoy the comfort of her teares.
When Iove, whose still protecting providence
Is ever ready to helpe innocence:
Sent the Saturnian Eagle, who once led
By Loves impulsion, snatcht up Ganimed
To be Ioves Cup-bearer, from Ida hill,
And ever since bore Cupid a good-will:
And what he could not to his person show,
Resolv'd upon his Mistresse to bestow.
Then with Angelick speed, when he had left
The Ayres high tracts, and the three Regions cleft,
Before her face he on the meadow sate,
And said, alasse, thou inconsiderate,
And foolish Maid, returne back, goe not nigh
Those sacred streames, so full of majesty.
What hope hast thou those waters to procure,
VVhich Iove himselfe does tremble to abjure?
No mortall hand may be allowd to touch,
Much lesse to steale a drop, their power is such.
Give me the Pitcher, she it gave; he went
To Styx, and fain'd that Venus had him sent.
Psyche the Vrne did to his tallons tye,
Then with his plumed oares poiz'd equally,
He lets it sinke betwixt the very jawes
Of those fierce Dragons, and then up it drawes,
And gives it Psyche; she the same convay'd
To Venus, yet her paines were ill apayd.
Nothing her rage might expiate, but still
The end of one, begins another ill.
For ought, sayes Venus, that I gather can,
You are a VVitch, or some Magitian.
What else can be concluded out of these
Experienc'd impossibilities?
If your commerce be such then, you may venter
Boldly to Hell, and when you there shall enter,
Me to my cousen Proserpine commend,
And in my name intreat her, she would send
Some of her Boxe of beauty to me; say,
So much as may suffice me for a day:
Excuse me to her, that my owne is spent,
I know not how, by an ill accident.
I am asham'd to speake it, but 'tis gone,
And wasted all in curing of my sonne.
But be not slack in your returne; for I
Must with the gods feast of necessity.
Nor can I thither goe, without disgrace,
Till I have us'd some art unto my face.
Psyche conceiv'd now, that her life, and fate,
And fortunes all were at their utmost date,
Being by Venus cruelty thrust on,
Towards a manifest destruction:
Which she collects by argument, that thus
With her owne feete, must march to Tænarus.

In this delusive agony she rose,
And by degrees, up to a Turret goes,
Whose top orelook't the hills, it was so high,
Resolv'd to tumble headlong from the skie:
Conceiting as her fancy did her feed,
That was the way to goe to Hell indeed.
But then a suddaine voice to her did call,
Which brake out of the cavernes of the wall,
That said, ah coward wretch, why dost thou yeeld
To this last labour, and forsake the field?
Whilst Victory her Banner does display,
And with a profer'd Crowne, tempts thee to stay.
The way to Hell is easie, and the gate
Stands ope; but if the soule be separate
Once from the body, true, she goes to Hell:
Not to returne, but there for ever dwell.
Vertue knows no such stop, nor they, whom Iove
Either begot, or equally does love.
Now list to me, there is a fatall ground
In Greece, beyond Achaia's farthest bound,
Neare Lacedemon, famous for the rape
Paris on Hellen made, and their escape.
Tis quickly found; for with its steemy breath
It blasts the fields, and is the port of death.
The path, like Ariadnes clue does guide
To the darke Court, where Pluto does abide:
And if you must those dismall regions see,
Then carry in your hand a double fee.
For Charon will doe nothing without money;
And you must have sops made of meale, and honey.
It is a doubtfull passage, for there are
Many Decrees, and Lawes peculiar
Must strictly be observ'd, and if once broke,
No ransome, nor entreaty can revoke.
Nor is there prosecution of more strife,
But all are penall statutes on your life.
The first that you shall meete with, as you passe,
Is an old man come driving of an asse,
Decrepid as himselfe, they both shall sweat
VVith their hard labour, and he shall intreat,
That you would helpe his burthen to unty;
But give no eare, nor stay when you goe by.
And next you shall arrive without delay
To slow Avernus Lake, where you must pay
Charon his wastage, as before I said,
For avarice does live among the dead:
And a poore man, though tyde serve, and the wind,
If he no stipend bring, must stay behind.
Here as you sayle along, you shall see one
Of squalid hue, they call Oblivion,
Heave up his hands, and on the waters floate,
Praying, you would receive him in your Boate:
But know, all those that will in safety be,
Must learne to disaffect such piety.
When you are landed, and a little past
The Stygian Ferry, you your eyes shall cast,
And spy some busie at their wheele, and these
Are three old women, call'd the Destinies;
They will desire you, to sit downe, and spin,
And shew your owne lifes thread upon the pin.
Yet are they all but snares, and doe proceed
From Venus malice, to corrupt your creed.
For should you lend your helpe to spin, or card,
Or meddle with their dislaffe, your reward
Might perhaps slip out of your hand, and then
You must hope never to come back againe.
Next, a huge Mastiffe shall you see, before
The Palace-gate, and Adamantine dore
That leads to Dis, who when he opens wide
His triple throate, the ghosts are terrifi'd
With his loud barkins, which so farre rebound,
They make all Hell to Eccho with their sound:
Him with a morsell you must first asswage,
And then deliver Venus Embassage.
For Proserpine shall kindly you intreat,
And will provide a banquet, and a seat.
But if you sit, sit on the ground, and taste
None of her dainties, but declare in haste
VVhat you desire, which she will straight deliver:
Then with those former rules, passe backe the river.
Give the three-headed dogge his other share,
And to the greedy Marriner his fare.
Keepe fast these precepts whatsoere they be,
And thinke on Orpheus, and Euridice.
But above all things, this observe to doe,
Take heed, you open not, nor pry into
The beauties Boxe, else shall you there remaine;
Nor see this Heaven, nor these Starres againe.
The stone inclosed voyce, did friendly thus
Psyche forewarne, with signes propitious.