The Third part of the Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch Entituled, Amintas Dale. Wherein are the most conceited tales of the Pagan Gods in English Hexameters together with their auncient descriptions and Philosophicall explications. By Abraham Fravnce |
 |
[Now that solempne feast of murdred Amyntas aproached] |
 | The Third part of the Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch |  |
[Now that solempne feast of murdred Amyntas aproached]
Now that solempne feast of murdred Amyntas aproached:
And by the late edict by Pembrokiana pronounced,
Yuychurches nymphs and pastors duely prepared
With fatall Garlands of newfound flowre Amaranthus,
Downe in Amyntas dale, on Amyntas day be asembled.
And by the late edict by Pembrokiana pronounced,
Yuychurches nymphs and pastors duely prepared
With fatall Garlands of newfound flowre Amaranthus,
Downe in Amyntas dale, on Amyntas day be asembled.
Pastymes ouerpast, and death's celebration ended,
Matchles Lady regent, for a further grace to Amyntas
Late transformd to a flowre; wills euery man to remember
Some one God transformd, or that transformed an other:
And enioynes each nymph to recount some tale of a Goddesse
That was changd herself, or wrought some change in an other:
And that as euery tale and history drew to an ending,
Soe sage Elpinus with due attention harckning,
Shuld his mynd disclose, and learned opinion vtter.
Matchles Lady regent, for a further grace to Amyntas
Late transformd to a flowre; wills euery man to remember
Some one God transformd, or that transformed an other:
And enioynes each nymph to recount some tale of a Goddesse
That was changd herself, or wrought some change in an other:
And that as euery tale and history drew to an ending,
Soe sage Elpinus with due attention harckning,
Shuld his mynd disclose, and learned opinion vtter.
Thirsis turne was first: whoe after his humble obeissance
Made to the Lady regent, thus fram'de himself to be singing.
Made to the Lady regent, thus fram'de himself to be singing.
When noe fyre, noe ayre, noe earth, noe water apeared,
Confusd fyre, rude ayre, vast earth, dull water abyded.
Water, th' earth and ayre and fyre extreamely defaced,
And fyre, th' earth and ayre and water fowly deformed.
For where water or earth, where ayre or fyre was abyding,
Fyre, ayre, earth, water were also ioyntly remaynyng.
Fyre and ayre and earth with a shapeles water abounded,
And earth ayre and fyre, that shapeles water aforded,
Eueryone was in all, and all was in euery one thing,
Soe each one made all, made this rude All, to be nothing,
Nothing els but a heape, but a masse, but a lump, but a cluster;
Cluster, lump, masse, heape, where seedes of things disagreeing
Fyre, ayre, earth, water lay all confusd in a corner.
Hoate things fled fro the colde, dry could not abide to be moystned,
Hard contemned soft, and light fro the heauy retyred.
Noe peace, noe concord, noe good conformable order,
Nought but warrs and iarrs, all strife, and all on an vproare.
Noe aire transparent, noe Sunne was cause of a daylight,
Noe nights-light Phœbe was a chearfull guide to the darcknes;
Earth was not yet firme, fire could not yeeld any sparkles,
Water would not flow: til sou'raigne God Demogorgon
Ends these broyles, brings peace, setts euery thing in an order.
Heau'n fro the earth he dyuides, and earth fro the water he parteth,
And pure Christall skye from grosse thick ayre he remoueth.
Confusd fyre, rude ayre, vast earth, dull water abyded.
Water, th' earth and ayre and fyre extreamely defaced,
And fyre, th' earth and ayre and water fowly deformed.
For where water or earth, where ayre or fyre was abyding,
Fyre, ayre, earth, water were also ioyntly remaynyng.
Fyre and ayre and earth with a shapeles water abounded,
And earth ayre and fyre, that shapeles water aforded,
Eueryone was in all, and all was in euery one thing,
1
Nothing els but a heape, but a masse, but a lump, but a cluster;
Cluster, lump, masse, heape, where seedes of things disagreeing
Fyre, ayre, earth, water lay all confusd in a corner.
Hoate things fled fro the colde, dry could not abide to be moystned,
Hard contemned soft, and light fro the heauy retyred.
Noe peace, noe concord, noe good conformable order,
Nought but warrs and iarrs, all strife, and all on an vproare.
Noe aire transparent, noe Sunne was cause of a daylight,
Noe nights-light Phœbe was a chearfull guide to the darcknes;
Earth was not yet firme, fire could not yeeld any sparkles,
Water would not flow: til sou'raigne God Demogorgon
Ends these broyles, brings peace, setts euery thing in an order.
Heau'n fro the earth he dyuides, and earth fro the water he parteth,
And pure Christall skye from grosse thick ayre he remoueth.
These things thus distinct, in seu'rall places he setleth,
Light fyre mounteth aloft, and lyfts it-self to the heauen,
Ayre next in lightnes, next him was placed in highnes,
Grosse earth drew downeward, and stayd herselfe by the centre,
Water cleaues to the earth, and there as a border abydeth.
Light fyre mounteth aloft, and lyfts it-self to the heauen,
Ayre next in lightnes, next him was placed in highnes,
Grosse earth drew downeward, and stayd herselfe by the centre,
Water cleaues to the earth, and there as a border abydeth.
Fyre, ayre, earth, water were euery howre in an vproare,
Whilst they lay on a heape, and all dwelt ioyntly togeather;
Fyre, ayre, earth, water were brought to a peacable order,
When they lodged apart, each one in seueral harbor.
Thus by a disioyning, Elements were mightily ioyned,
And by disunyting vnyted fyrmely for euer.
Whilst they lay on a heape, and all dwelt ioyntly togeather;
Fyre, ayre, earth, water were brought to a peacable order,
When they lodged apart, each one in seueral harbor.
Thus by a disioyning, Elements were mightily ioyned,
And by disunyting vnyted fyrmely for euer.
Each part thus placed, round earth was cast in a compas
Lyke to a globe or a ball, that noe syde might be vnequall.
Then were swelling Seas powrd foorth in places apoynted
Here and there by the earth; whose braunches duly dyuyded
Kyngdomes from kyngdomes: then first came springs fro the mountayns,
Pooles were pitcht in moores, and lakes lay downe by the valleys,
Ryuers flowd by the fyelds with a thowsand slippery wyndings,
Some suckt vp by the earth, some ran to the sea with a restles
race, his shoare for a banck with billowes mightyly beating.
Then fyelds stretcht themselues, then meddowes gan to be flowring,
Greene leaues cou'red trees, and trees gaue shade to the forrests,
Mountayns mounted aloft, and dales drew speedyly downewarde.
Lyke to a globe or a ball, that noe syde might be vnequall.
Then were swelling Seas powrd foorth in places apoynted
Here and there by the earth; whose braunches duly dyuyded
Kyngdomes from kyngdomes: then first came springs fro the mountayns,
Pooles were pitcht in moores, and lakes lay downe by the valleys,
Ryuers flowd by the fyelds with a thowsand slippery wyndings,
Some suckt vp by the earth, some ran to the sea with a restles
race, his shoare for a banck with billowes mightyly beating.
Then fyelds stretcht themselues, then meddowes gan to be flowring,
Greene leaues cou'red trees, and trees gaue shade to the forrests,
Mountayns mounted aloft, and dales drew speedyly downewarde.
Ouersea and earth, the relenting ayre he reposed,
And there foggs and mystes and clustred clowds he apoynted.
Thence come thunder-clapps, thence lightnings, there be the blustring
Wyndes, whose roaring blasts would teare this world in a thousand
Peeces, might they rage at randon: but the prefixed
Coastes are known, for these fowre brawling brethren apoynted.
Eurus flew to the East, where Memnons mother ariseth,
Sweete Zephyrus to the Weast, where Sunnes reuolution endeth,
Cold Boreas to the North, whence frosts are dayly proceeding,
Moyst Auster to the South, where showres are euer abounding.
And there foggs and mystes and clustred clowds he apoynted.
Thence come thunder-clapps, thence lightnings, there be the blustring
Wyndes, whose roaring blasts would teare this world in a thousand
2
Coastes are known, for these fowre brawling brethren apoynted.
Eurus flew to the East, where Memnons mother ariseth,
Sweete Zephyrus to the Weast, where Sunnes reuolution endeth,
Cold Boreas to the North, whence frosts are dayly proceeding,
Moyst Auster to the South, where showres are euer abounding.
Next to the ayre, bright sky, as a royall throane he reposed,
And eache parte thereof with starrelight all to beesprinckled.
Thus was an ougly Chaos transformd at last to a braue worlde,
Soe braue, that t'was a world soe woorthy a world to be seeing.
Euery quarter of it with such lyue things was adorned,
As were conuenyent and seemely for euery quarter.
Gods dwelt in bright skyes, and Christall-mantled Olympus,
Fowles did fly by the ayre, and Fishes swam by the waters,
Mylde beastes fed by the fyelds, and wylde beasts rangde by the Forrests.
And eache parte thereof with starrelight all to beesprinckled.
Thus was an ougly Chaos transformd at last to a braue worlde,
Soe braue, that t'was a world soe woorthy a world to be seeing.
Euery quarter of it with such lyue things was adorned,
As were conuenyent and seemely for euery quarter.
Gods dwelt in bright skyes, and Christall-mantled Olympus,
Fowles did fly by the ayre, and Fishes swam by the waters,
Mylde beastes fed by the fyelds, and wylde beasts rangde by the Forrests.
But man was wanting, who might be the absolut owner,
And haue perfect rule and iurisdiction ouer
Mylde beasts and wylde beasts, and Foules and slippery fishes.
At length Man was made of mould by the crafty Prometheus,
Crafty Prometheus, whoe by degrees contriued a picture,
And gaue life to the same with fyre that he stole fro the heauens.
And, where other beasts lay poaring downe to the grownd-wards,
Man with a greater state had a looke lyft vp to Olympus,
Whence his better part was then but lately deryued.
This was an age of gold, then was Saturnus an Emprour,
Sythe-bearing Saturne rul'de iustly without any iudges,
Noe lawes, noe lawyers were then, yet noebody lawlesse,
Noe the eues and robbers were hangd, yet noebody robbed,
Noe bloody manqueller was kyld, yet noebody murdred.
Vndissembled loue and playne symplycyty ruled,
Vncorrupted fayth and pure synceryty raigned.
Hart conceaud noe harme; tong, harts interpreter only,
Playnly without any glose or dissimulation op'ned
Harts harmeles conceipts: hands, true and trusty to practyse,
Did, what his hart contryu'd, or tong had truly delyu'red.
And haue perfect rule and iurisdiction ouer
Mylde beasts and wylde beasts, and Foules and slippery fishes.
At length Man was made of mould by the crafty Prometheus,
Crafty Prometheus, whoe by degrees contriued a picture,
And gaue life to the same with fyre that he stole fro the heauens.
And, where other beasts lay poaring downe to the grownd-wards,
Man with a greater state had a looke lyft vp to Olympus,
Whence his better part was then but lately deryued.
This was an age of gold, then was Saturnus an Emprour,
Sythe-bearing Saturne rul'de iustly without any iudges,
Noe lawes, noe lawyers were then, yet noebody lawlesse,
Noe the eues and robbers were hangd, yet noebody robbed,
Noe bloody manqueller was kyld, yet noebody murdred.
Vndissembled loue and playne symplycyty ruled,
Vncorrupted fayth and pure synceryty raigned.
Hart conceaud noe harme; tong, harts interpreter only,
Playnly without any glose or dissimulation op'ned
Harts harmeles conceipts: hands, true and trusty to practyse,
Did, what his hart contryu'd, or tong had truly delyu'red.
Pinetrees pitcht vpon hills, gaue wonted grace to the hill-topp,
Not with gaping gulfs of Auernus dayly bedashed,
But with trickling showres of Olympus sweetly bedeawed.
Euery man kept home, and where he receau'd a beginning,
There did he make his graue, and drew his dayes to an ending.
Noebodie was soe mad by the ragged rocks to be ranging,
And with clowds, windes, seaes, nay heau'n and hell to be stryuyng,
Only to spy and ly, and feede fooles eares with a wonder,
How fro Geneua to Gaunt, from Gaunt he repair'd to Vienna,
How fro the Turk to the Pope, fro the Pope to the Souldan of Ægipt,
And at last came back fro the new found world as an old foole,
With fowre Dutch-french woords, with a strange-cutt beard, or a Cassock.
Noe townes were walled, noe walls were loftyly towred,
Noe towres were planted with diu'ls inuention ord'nance.
Euery bush was a bowre, and euery rustical harbor
Was sort sufficient, where noe force was to be feared.
Deaths-forerunner Drum did sownd no dreadful Alarum;
Noe man-murdring man with a teare-flesh pyke, or a pollax,
Or blood-sacking sweard was known by the name of a Sowldyer.
Peace made euery man secure, securyty careles,
Carelesnes causd myrth, myrth neuer dreeds any danger.
Fruytefull ground vntorne, vntutcht, was free fro the plough snare,
And self-sufficient, of her owne selfe yeelded aboundance.
Noe new-found dishes were sought, noe costly deuises
Farr-fetcht and deare bought: men simple lyued a simple
Lyfe, vsd symple foode, sloe, nutt, plum, strawbery, apple,
Ackorne falln fro the oake, and blackbery pluckt fro the bramble
Tygers were then tame, sharpe-tusked boare was obeissant,
Stoordy Lyons lowted, noe woolf was knowne to be mankinde,
Beares did bow at a beck, no serpent breathd any poyson.
Spring was still-springing, whole yeare was wholly a spring-tyme,
Euer-shyning sunne with clowds was neuer eclipsed,
Euer-flowring flowrs with frosts were neuer anoyed.
Lyfe-breathing Zephyrus with sweete blast charyly fostred
Euery fruite, which th' earth of her owne free bounty aforded.
Yea good-natur'd ground at last gaue plentiful haruest,
Neuer sowd, still mowd, not tyld, yet fyld with aboundance.
Then floods slowde with mylke, each wel-spring then was a wyne-spring,
Euery greene-hewde tree bare sweete and sugered honny.
Happy the age, and happy the men, that lyu'd in a happy
Age: age all of gold, where noe bad thing was abyding,
All of gold indeede, where each good thing was abounding.
Not with gaping gulfs of Auernus dayly bedashed,
But with trickling showres of Olympus sweetly bedeawed.
Euery man kept home, and where he receau'd a beginning,
There did he make his graue, and drew his dayes to an ending.
Noebodie was soe mad by the ragged rocks to be ranging,
And with clowds, windes, seaes, nay heau'n and hell to be stryuyng,
2
How fro Geneua to Gaunt, from Gaunt he repair'd to Vienna,
How fro the Turk to the Pope, fro the Pope to the Souldan of Ægipt,
And at last came back fro the new found world as an old foole,
With fowre Dutch-french woords, with a strange-cutt beard, or a Cassock.
Noe townes were walled, noe walls were loftyly towred,
Noe towres were planted with diu'ls inuention ord'nance.
Euery bush was a bowre, and euery rustical harbor
Was sort sufficient, where noe force was to be feared.
Deaths-forerunner Drum did sownd no dreadful Alarum;
Noe man-murdring man with a teare-flesh pyke, or a pollax,
Or blood-sacking sweard was known by the name of a Sowldyer.
Peace made euery man secure, securyty careles,
Carelesnes causd myrth, myrth neuer dreeds any danger.
Fruytefull ground vntorne, vntutcht, was free fro the plough snare,
And self-sufficient, of her owne selfe yeelded aboundance.
Noe new-found dishes were sought, noe costly deuises
Farr-fetcht and deare bought: men simple lyued a simple
Lyfe, vsd symple foode, sloe, nutt, plum, strawbery, apple,
Ackorne falln fro the oake, and blackbery pluckt fro the bramble
Tygers were then tame, sharpe-tusked boare was obeissant,
Stoordy Lyons lowted, noe woolf was knowne to be mankinde,
Beares did bow at a beck, no serpent breathd any poyson.
Spring was still-springing, whole yeare was wholly a spring-tyme,
Euer-shyning sunne with clowds was neuer eclipsed,
Euer-flowring flowrs with frosts were neuer anoyed.
Lyfe-breathing Zephyrus with sweete blast charyly fostred
Euery fruite, which th' earth of her owne free bounty aforded.
Yea good-natur'd ground at last gaue plentiful haruest,
Neuer sowd, still mowd, not tyld, yet fyld with aboundance.
Then floods slowde with mylke, each wel-spring then was a wyne-spring,
Euery greene-hewde tree bare sweete and sugered honny.
Happy the age, and happy the men, that lyu'd in a happy
Age: age all of gold, where noe bad thing was abyding,
All of gold indeede, where each good thing was abounding.
But when good Saturne by force was dryu'n to Auernus,
And vsurping Ioue did rule and raigne in Olympus,
Golden dayes were gone, and siluer time was aproaching,
New Lords made new lawes: th' owld spring tyme Iupiter altred,
And chang'd it to a yeare, and new-made yeare he dyuyded
In fowre parts, each part with a seu'rall season apoynted,
Warme Spring, hoate Sommer, cold wynter, changeable Autumne.
Then swelting doggstarre, then scalding breath of Apollo,
Then northern Boreas causd better bowres to be builded.
Then ground gan to rebell from a mother changd to a stepdame,
Naught but thorns and weeds of her owne accord she aforded,
But by force constraind and by compulsion vrged:
Now plow's chaynd to the yoake; and yoake bound fast to the oxen,
Now are furrowes drawn, and seede cast into the furrowes.
Iupiter of purpose made fruitefull ground to be fruyteles,
And sowld nought for naught, and sweetenes mixt with a sowrenes,
Least that too much ease might make men stil to be careles,
Whereas want breedes care, and care coynes dayly deuises.
And vsurping Ioue did rule and raigne in Olympus,
Golden dayes were gone, and siluer time was aproaching,
New Lords made new lawes: th' owld spring tyme Iupiter altred,
And chang'd it to a yeare, and new-made yeare he dyuyded
In fowre parts, each part with a seu'rall season apoynted,
Warme Spring, hoate Sommer, cold wynter, changeable Autumne.
3
Then northern Boreas causd better bowres to be builded.
Then ground gan to rebell from a mother changd to a stepdame,
Naught but thorns and weeds of her owne accord she aforded,
But by force constraind and by compulsion vrged:
Now plow's chaynd to the yoake; and yoake bound fast to the oxen,
Now are furrowes drawn, and seede cast into the furrowes.
Iupiter of purpose made fruitefull ground to be fruyteles,
And sowld nought for naught, and sweetenes mixt with a sowrenes,
Least that too much ease might make men stil to be careles,
Whereas want breedes care, and care coynes dayly deuises.
Next came brazen tyme, whose hoate and furius of-spring
With bould brazen face was greedily geu'n to reuenging,
Yet not past all grace. Last age was named of Iron,
And her cursed brood in like sort framed of Iron,
Merciles, hard, vniust vnkinde, vntractable, hatefull,
Ireful, of Iron ful, yea too ful of ire, ful of Iron,
Faith, and truth, and shame, for shame lay downe in a dungeon,
And in-came whooredome, pride, robbery, treacherie, treason.
Grownd with ditch and hedg was now exactly dyuyded,
Shippe with waues, and sayles with wyndes were all to be tossed,
Sea scowrd with rouers, land scowrged dayly by robbers,
Myne, not thyne, came in; Myne and thyne, quite was abandond.
With bould brazen face was greedily geu'n to reuenging,
Yet not past all grace. Last age was named of Iron,
And her cursed brood in like sort framed of Iron,
Merciles, hard, vniust vnkinde, vntractable, hatefull,
Ireful, of Iron ful, yea too ful of ire, ful of Iron,
Faith, and truth, and shame, for shame lay downe in a dungeon,
And in-came whooredome, pride, robbery, treacherie, treason.
Grownd with ditch and hedg was now exactly dyuyded,
Shippe with waues, and sayles with wyndes were all to be tossed,
Sea scowrd with rouers, land scowrged dayly by robbers,
Myne, not thyne, came in; Myne and thyne, quite was abandond.
Corne is now contemnd, and fruitefull tree's but á tryfle,
Their minde's all on mynes of brasse, lead, copper, or Iron,
Or gold, gold farre worse, then brasse, lead, copper, or Iron.
Earth's very bowells now are torne eu'n downe to Auernus,
All for gold, gold worse then a thousand feends of Auernus.
First, was an age of gold, then golden goodnes abounded,
Last, was an age for gold, for then gold only triumphed.
Weake are thrust to the wall, and strong men striue to be mighty,
Mighty men hope to be Kings, and Kings still looke to be emprours,
Might rule's right, lust law, rage reason, worlde's at a world's ende,
World runs all on wheeles: guest fear's to be robd as he sleepeth,
Hoast can skarce trust guest; wife longs for death of her husband,
Husband loath's his wife, and brethren skarcely be brethren.
Infamous stepdames keepe cups with poyson abounding
For theyr sons in law: and sons (ô viperus of-spring)
Dayly before theyre dayes wish fathers dayes to be ending,
All's turnd vpside downe. At last Astræa departed,
And from damnable earth, to the spotles skie she remoued.
Then came gryesly Gyants, and needes would clymbe to Olympus
With mounts on mountaines, till thundring Ioue in a fury
Brake their scorched bones, and bullwarkes all to be battred:
Whose congealed bloud transformd to a most bloody ofspring
By th' earth theire mother that causd that desperat vproare,
Stil contemned Gods, and heauens dayly maligned.
Wherewith Ioue incenst, and moou'd of late, by Lycaons
Owtrage, ouer-whelmd whole earth with a mightyly flowing
All ouer-flowing water: soe that, not a man now,
But good Deucalion was lyuing, and not a woeman,
But good Pyrrha remaynd, which mankynde newly repayred,
And, by casting stones, brought foorth foe stoany an ofspring.
Their minde's all on mynes of brasse, lead, copper, or Iron,
Or gold, gold farre worse, then brasse, lead, copper, or Iron.
Earth's very bowells now are torne eu'n downe to Auernus,
All for gold, gold worse then a thousand feends of Auernus.
First, was an age of gold, then golden goodnes abounded,
Last, was an age for gold, for then gold only triumphed.
Weake are thrust to the wall, and strong men striue to be mighty,
Mighty men hope to be Kings, and Kings still looke to be emprours,
Might rule's right, lust law, rage reason, worlde's at a world's ende,
World runs all on wheeles: guest fear's to be robd as he sleepeth,
Hoast can skarce trust guest; wife longs for death of her husband,
Husband loath's his wife, and brethren skarcely be brethren.
Infamous stepdames keepe cups with poyson abounding
For theyr sons in law: and sons (ô viperus of-spring)
Dayly before theyre dayes wish fathers dayes to be ending,
All's turnd vpside downe. At last Astræa departed,
And from damnable earth, to the spotles skie she remoued.
Then came gryesly Gyants, and needes would clymbe to Olympus
3
Brake their scorched bones, and bullwarkes all to be battred:
Whose congealed bloud transformd to a most bloody ofspring
By th' earth theire mother that causd that desperat vproare,
Stil contemned Gods, and heauens dayly maligned.
Wherewith Ioue incenst, and moou'd of late, by Lycaons
Owtrage, ouer-whelmd whole earth with a mightyly flowing
All ouer-flowing water: soe that, not a man now,
But good Deucalion was lyuing, and not a woeman,
But good Pyrrha remaynd, which mankynde newly repayred,
And, by casting stones, brought foorth foe stoany an ofspring.
| The Third part of the Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch | |