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Of a fearefull Iudgement that happened in the City of Angers in France upon three men; La Fontaine, and two other; how they lay with the Devill, and how they dyed.

When low-born Morpheus with his swarthy face
Had chac't the day into another place:
With blind conceit, declaring to the sight
To match himselfe to that sad Queen of night:
The fixed stars deny'd to give consent,
But hid themselves, being fill'd with discontent.
Though silent night had hush't the earth asleep,
Yet hags did walke, Owles fly, and serpents creep.
Sleep that was kin to death, laid some to rest,
Lust that was kin to hell, had some possest.

Among the rest, three gentlemen (whose worth
Was not worth naming) newly comming forth
Into the street, straight one of them began
To speak, (but judge was't like a gentleman?)
You know my boys, how freely I did eate
Of that made dish: it was provoking meat;
It warmes my blood, and summons up my lust,
To seek some Curtizan; ye faith I must;
I boyle, and burne within; who can endure it?
'Tis a disease, a youthfull sin would cure it.

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Boone cavaleres, lets seek about for ease,
I know you're both so sick of my disease,
As I am now; there are Stews in this Town;
We'l have the wenches, or we'l pull'em down;
Im confident, should I a Devill meet
Shap'd like a woman, walking in the street,
He shall not scape my hands; but I would try
If he had flesh, whe're he would with me lie.
(Alas! poore Sodoms Imp! thou'lt quickly know
Him from a woman when you meet below!)
Come Noble blades, walk but along with mee,
I'le find a present remedy for all us three.
Be you but bold; and then we need not feare,
(My tide's too strong for flesh and blood to beare)
If we should misse t'attaine a wench with words,
Then let's be valiant, and draw out our swords.
We'l neither beg nor steale, we will but borrow
A curtesy; we'l laugh, and pay to morrow.

Thus said, a woman did appeare in's sight,
(A page before her bearing of a light)
Compleat in show, so beautifi'd and faire,
Her eyes did light and pierce the clouded aire.
To whom this fore-man, thus begins to prate:
'Save you faire Lady! walk you here so late?
I'm mov'd with pitty, who can chuse but moane
Your sad condition, walking here alone?
Accept me as your servant; none shall wrong
You by the way, if I but walke along.
I am a Gentleman, and 'tis my use
Thus to preserve faire Ladies from abuse.
Grant me this favour, cast a smile on me;
Had I your love, how happy should I be!

Thou she repli'd, sir, this your sweet behaviour,

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Your love, your care, your undeserved favour
You shew to me, deserves more love than I
Shall e're requite, untill the time I dye.
But whil'st I live, I'le ne're forget to prize
Your kindnesse: to requite you I'le devise.
I was by friends invited to a feast;
(Although, I say't, I was the chiefest guest)
They were so overjoyed with my sight,
We could not part till twelve a clock at night.
My husband's gone from home; if he should know
That I was out so late, he'ld snuffe and throw.
Much like a Mad-man; if you did him see,
As you'are a Gentleman, you'd pity me!
Home I must go, if he's at home before,
He'l brawl, and fight, and kick me out of dore.
'Pon small occasions, he will raise up strife,
He's still unkind. I live a weary life!

They hearing this, did think it was the lasse
That they did seek for, many words did passe
Amongst them all; her words did give them strength,
And drew them on: with one consent at length,
They ventur'd out this blast:

Sweet mistris, never feare, for you shall find
True friends of us; so loving, and so kind,
As ever Lady did; our lives, and all
Shall lie at stake: to free you from this thrall.
The churle shall know that we will take your part,
And rub his gils: and when he feeles the smart,
He'l grow more tame: pish, hang this froward foole,
We'l find a trick to make his fury coole.
A jealous coxcombe! we may hit the veine,
And let him blood; then that will help his braine.

Then by and by a key her page drew out,
Let them into a roome, all hang'd about

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With Taffata: the colour perfect yellow,
A fire in't, where they did think to swallow
Their pleasures in by grosse; soon she was drawn
To prostitute her selfe; when they did fawn,
And praise her beauty; she did quench their fire;
Each one of them fulfill'd his vile desire.
When they had found such full and sweet content,
How faire she was, how soon she did consent;
They judge her as a prize of wonderous worth;
She scorns their coyne; they set her beauty forth
The more at large. Much kindnesse they would do her,
If she'l but grant they may come often to her.
Their pleasure was but short: yet in that space
They prais'd her limbs, her hands, her eyes, her face.

Then thus she spake; why do you now rejoyce
In this your sudden and unwary choyce?
What have you gain'd now, but a horrid prize
A shew of goodnesse, which will prove but lies?

Then one of them reply'd; I think you are
So faire, so handsome, and beyond compare
For qualities; of such a sweet condition,
France cannot shew the like; had I commission
To search the fairest out, I'ld come to you;
And what I speake, is nothing but your due.
With that she answer'd; turne your eyes and see
What purchase you have got; you lay with mee,
And had delight: now bid adieu to pleasure,
For your reward is worse than empty measure.

Then pulling up her garments from below,
The stormes did rise, the furious wind did blow.
And presently they heard such claps of thunder,
As if the earth were forc'd to rend in sunder.
The lightning flasht, or els they'd had no light:
And there they did behold the fearful'st sight

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That ever eyes beheld; the sight of hell,
The horrid shapes, the blacknesse of the cell,
The burning in't, the dreadfull cloven feet,
The gasping ghosts, how Devils did them greet.

Then presently they were struck down together:
The house was vanish't, and the stormy weather
Was put to silence; but they three were found
Groveling in mire; all the City ground
Could never match that odious stinking place;
This Divelish whore, there leaves them in disgrace.

One comming by when Titans flags were spread,
And spide them all, but one of them was dead:
The other two lay wallowing in the dirt;
(Besides the filth, none could perceive 'em hurt)
But they found death was making way within;
Their soules were wounded with the curse of sin.
They for a Priest with one consent did cry,
They'd faine confesse their crimes before they dye.
In this distresse time did affoord them hope,
That they should have their pardon from the Pope,
He that did first vent out lascivious breath,
Now fals to be the second man for death:
For on the morrow, death being mov'd with lust,
Did ravish him; then left him in the dust.
The other, two dayes after did resigne
Himselfe to death. Now if this quill of mine
Were dipt in blood, 'twould make the reader feare
A whore for ever; and to drop a teare
For these unhapy men; Oh! never more
Let lust prevaile! the Devil's turn'd a whore.
Oh! horrid state! what case were these men in,
To poison time, and dye in such a sin!
Did ever Monsters match with fowler evill?
Did any villaines seek to court the Devill?

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Till Fountaine did begin? did hell intend
A plot to bring them to a cursed end?
Or is't in travell with a stranger birth?
Or has it leave to keepe exchange on earth?
Here's quick returne; 'twil send a whore agen,
If it has hope to catch more such vile men.

Did Proserpine, the feigned Queene of hell,
Send out this Nymph? does Pluto like it well,
To be a Carpenter? (the house seem'd faire)
Builds he by Patent castles in the aire?
Who's his Vpholster, that did make the bed?
Or was't a grave, made to enclose the dead?
Whence came the hangings? was't from hell? I know
There's hanging still; but 'tis not there for show.
What fire was it, that gave such light to those?
'Twas but the flashes from that hel hounds nose.
It seem'd to be from hell (for 'twas a spark
Too full of heat:) but that it was not dark.
Did Uulcan make the key to let them in?
And paint old Venus o're? did he then begin,
To call her first from hell? he's old and lame;
And he's asham'd to answer to his name.
Did Dipsas let that roome (a little time)
While they committed this accursed crime?
Or did the Broker do't, cause they were three,
In hopes they'ld pay him with a treble fee?
The Devil's growne a Broker; and I will,
In seeing one, think on the other still.
Give one a prize, pay treble, he will fawne,
If Devils lend, they'd have their soules to pawne.
How fell the house so suddenly away?
The works of darknesse cannot brooke the day.
How soone are shadows gone! though they appeare!
Sin ends in discontent; 'tis blasted here.

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Men wanting reason, are depriv'd of sense,
The Devill seemes a whore, for recompence.
Their reason and their sense renews againe;
But 'tis in Iustice, as they're seales to paine.
Whores are not Devils yet, time is not past;
Beware, or they'l prove Devils at the last.
The grave hath shut his jawes upon those men,
I'll write their Epitaph, and weepe agen.

The Epitaph.

These haplesse Imps were partners in an evill,
Thao shamelesse time did blush to heare and see;
They acted fornication with a Devill;
Have spirits flesh? 'tis strange! how can this bee?
They were the beasts, that us'd a Devils bed:
(A plague they got) but had no maiden-head.