Philomythie or Philomythologie wherein Outlandish Birds, Beasts, and Fishes, are taught to speake true English plainely. By Tho: Scot ... The second edition much inlarged |
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 | Philomythie or Philomythologie |  |
The Knight (in spirit rauisht with delight
To heare their speech, to see their goodly sight)
Mounts his fierce Coursers backe, with which at hand
His Squires attend vpon his strict command.
Wils euery one of them to take a dame,
Such as the Ladies of the house did name,
Who there attended that they might direct
This high attempt, with order and respect.
The Squires with willing minds the knight obaide,
And each behind them tooke a louely maide.
Prudence directs her Squires to lead the way,
(Who followes her direction cannot stray,)
At length they come vnto a fruitfull wood,
Wherein a world of vpright timber stood;
Tall Cedars, Cypres, Pine and royall Okes,
With country Elmes, and Ash for plow and yokes.
The learned Laurell, and the weeping Mirrh,
The smarting Birch, and the sweet smelling Firr
Grew there in order, and all trees beside,
Wherein the thrifty Woodreeue taketh pride,
The knight suruaies all this, yet finds not one
Fit to be feld; till Prudence lights upon
A proud straight Aspe, whose wauing top did leane
On a slight Poplar, with some shrubs betweene.
The cursed Eldar, and the fatall Yewe,
With Witch and Nightshade in their shadowes grew;
Whose saples tops, with mildewes often stood,
And grew self-feare, and ouertopt the wood.
The Rauen & Shreikeowle there did build their neasts,
And at their roots did harbour harmefull beasts,
Which Prudence saw, but mercy would not see,
Till she perceiu'd how euery other tree
Droop'd vnderneath the height of these alone,
And could not thriue, or grow till these were gone.
She therefore (ioynd with Constancie and Zeale)
Besought sharpe Iustice, who doth euenly deale
Her warie blowes, to fell all these with speed;
Who soone consents, and soone, performes the deed.
At euery stroke she fetcht, the trees did grone,
The rest did eccho laughter to their mone.
And now they lye along, their branches topt,
Their barke pild off, their trunks asunder chopt.
Then Art with rule and line, these vselesse payer
Frames (engine-like) a straight clowd climing stayer
To mount Fames house; this euery Squire doth reare
And brauely on their backs do thither beare.
But Mercy seeing all the other ment
To burne the Chips, to saue them she is bent.
And, with her Squire, the knight praies, let them lye,
For he shall gaine, and glory get thereby.
Since chips which cut from Aspe and Poplar bee,
Do soone take roote, each growes a goodly tree.
The knight consents, and fenceth round the spring.
Whose forward growth doth hope of profit bring.
And now, together to the house of Fame
With speede they passe, where first the falsest Dame
Salutes them with a lye, and saith she heares
Her Sisters are together by the eares,
And haue destroyde each other; this she had
From her Twin sister, who tells rumors bad.
To heare their speech, to see their goodly sight)
Mounts his fierce Coursers backe, with which at hand
His Squires attend vpon his strict command.
Wils euery one of them to take a dame,
Such as the Ladies of the house did name,
Who there attended that they might direct
This high attempt, with order and respect.
The Squires with willing minds the knight obaide,
And each behind them tooke a louely maide.
Prudence directs her Squires to lead the way,
(Who followes her direction cannot stray,)
At length they come vnto a fruitfull wood,
Wherein a world of vpright timber stood;
Tall Cedars, Cypres, Pine and royall Okes,
With country Elmes, and Ash for plow and yokes.
The learned Laurell, and the weeping Mirrh,
The smarting Birch, and the sweet smelling Firr
Grew there in order, and all trees beside,
Wherein the thrifty Woodreeue taketh pride,
The knight suruaies all this, yet finds not one
Fit to be feld; till Prudence lights upon
On a slight Poplar, with some shrubs betweene.
The cursed Eldar, and the fatall Yewe,
With Witch and Nightshade in their shadowes grew;
Whose saples tops, with mildewes often stood,
And grew self-feare, and ouertopt the wood.
The Rauen & Shreikeowle there did build their neasts,
And at their roots did harbour harmefull beasts,
Which Prudence saw, but mercy would not see,
Till she perceiu'd how euery other tree
Droop'd vnderneath the height of these alone,
And could not thriue, or grow till these were gone.
She therefore (ioynd with Constancie and Zeale)
Besought sharpe Iustice, who doth euenly deale
Her warie blowes, to fell all these with speed;
Who soone consents, and soone, performes the deed.
At euery stroke she fetcht, the trees did grone,
The rest did eccho laughter to their mone.
And now they lye along, their branches topt,
Their barke pild off, their trunks asunder chopt.
Then Art with rule and line, these vselesse payer
Frames (engine-like) a straight clowd climing stayer
To mount Fames house; this euery Squire doth reare
And brauely on their backs do thither beare.
But Mercy seeing all the other ment
To burne the Chips, to saue them she is bent.
And, with her Squire, the knight praies, let them lye,
For he shall gaine, and glory get thereby.
Since chips which cut from Aspe and Poplar bee,
Do soone take roote, each growes a goodly tree.
The knight consents, and fenceth round the spring.
Whose forward growth doth hope of profit bring.
With speede they passe, where first the falsest Dame
Salutes them with a lye, and saith she heares
Her Sisters are together by the eares,
And haue destroyde each other; this she had
From her Twin sister, who tells rumors bad.
| Philomythie or Philomythologie | |