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 distaffe 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 fit 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 what soere 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 The last Section SO soone as Psyche got all things together That might be usefull for her going thither And her returne to Tanarus she went And the Infernall passage did attempt VVhere all those strange and fatall prophesies Accomplisht were in their occurrences For first she passes by with carelesse speed The old man and his Asse and gave no heed Either unto his person or desire And next she payes the Ferry-man his hire And though Oblivion and the Fates did woe her VVith many strong temptations to undoe her Vlisses like she did their prayers decline And came now to the house of Proserpine Before the Palace was a stately Court Where forty Marble-pillars did support The roofe and frontis-piece that bore on high Pluto's owne statue grav'd in Ebony His face though full of majesty was dim'd With a sad cloud and his rude throne untrim'd His golden Scepter was eate in with rust And that againe quite overlays with dust Ceres was wrought him by with weeping eyne Lamenting for the losse of Preserpine Her daughters rape was there set downe at full Who while that she too studiously did pull The purple Violet and sanguine Rose Lillies and low growne Pansies to compose Wreathes for the Nymphes regardles of her health 'T was soone surpriz'd and snacht away by stealth Forc'd by the King of the infernall powers And seem'd to cry and looke after her flowers Enceladus was strecht upon his backe While Plutoes Horse hoofes and coach did wracke His bruised body Pallas did extend The Gorgons head Delia her bow did bend And Virgins both their Vncle did defy Like Champions to defend virginity The Sun and Stars were wrapt in sable weedes Dampt with the breath of his Tanarian Steedes All these and more were portray'd round about VVhich filth defac'd or time had eaten out Three headed Cerberus the gate did keepe VVhom Psyche with a sop first layd to sleepe And then went safely by where first she saw Hells Iudges sit and urging of the law The place was parted in two severall wayes The right hand to Elysium convayes But on the left were male factors sent The seate of tortures and strange punishment There Tantalus stands thirsty to the chin In water but can take no liquor in Ixion too and Sifiphus the one A wheele the other turnes a restlesse stone A Vulture there on Titius does wreake The Gods just wrath and pounding with his beake On his immortall liver still does feed For what the day does wast the night does breed And other soules are forced to reveale VVhat unjust pleasures they on Earth did steale Whom fiery Phlegeton does round inclose And Stix his waves does nine times interpose The noyse of whipps and Furies did so fright Poore Psyches eares she hasted to the right That path way straight for on each side there grew A Grove of moumefull Cypresse and of Yew It is the place of such as happy dye There as she walked on did Infants cry Whom cruell death snacht from their teats away And rob'd of sweet life in an evill day There Lovers live who living here were wise And had their Ladies to close up their eyes There Mighty Heroes walke that spent their bloud In a just cause and for their Countries good All these beholding through the glimering ayre A mortall and so exquisitely faire Thicke as the motes in the Sun beames came runing To gaze and know the cause too of her comming Which she dissembled onely askt to know Where Pluto dwelt for thither she must goe A guide was straight assign'd who did attend And Psyche brought safe to her journies end Who being entred prostrate on her knee She humbly tenders Venus Embassy Great Plutoes Queene presented to her guest A Princely Throne to fit on and a feast Wishing her tast and her tyr'd limbes refresse After her journey and her wearinesse Psyche excus'd it that she could not stay And if she had her arrant would away But Proserpine reply'd you doe not know Faire Mayd the joyes and pleasures are below Stay and possesse what ever I call mine For other Lights and other Starres doe shine VVithin our territories the day 's not lost As you imagine in Elysian coast The Golden Age and Progeny is heere And that Fam'd Tree that does in Autumne beare Clusters of Gold whose Apples thou shalt hoard Or each meale if thou please set on the board The Matrons of Elysium at thy becke Shall come and goe and buried Queenes shall deck Thy body in more stately ornaments Then all Earths fayned Majesty presents The pale and squalid region shall rejoyce Silence shall breake forth a pleasant voice Sterne Pluto shall himselfe to mirth betake And crowned Ghosts shall banquet for thy sake New Lampes shall burne if thou wilt here abide And nights thicke darkenesse shall be rarifi'd What ere the winds upon the Earth doe sweepe Rivers or Fennes embrace or the vast deepe Shall be thy tribute and I will deliver Vp for thy Servant the Lethean River Besides the Parca shall thy Hand-maides be And what thou speak'st stand for a destiny Psyche gave thankes but did her plainely tell She would not be a Courtier unto hell When wondring that such honours did not
loade with Iron chaines or send away Farre from his Kingdome into banishment Or tortures use cause I would not consent To murder thee however take thy flight Post for thy life whilst Venus and the night Doe fauour thee and onely this vouchsafe VVhen I am dead to write my Epitaph The meere remembrance of this vertuous deed Did a remorce and kind of pitty breed In Psyches brest for passions are infus'd According to the stories we are us'd To reade and many men doe amorous prove By viewing acts and monuments of loue But yet her sisters malice that still stood In opposition against all that 's good Ceases not to precipitate her on Till they had gain'd this confirmation To put in act what ere they did desire Thus fury like they did her soule inspire Night and her husband came and now the sport Of Venus ended he began to snort Psyche though weake of mind and body both Yet urg'd by cruell fate and her rash oath Rose up to make provision for her sinne Lye still faire maide thou mayst more honour win And make thy murder glory not a crime If thou wouldst kill those thoughts that doe beslime And knaw upon thy breast and never cease With hishing clamours to disturbe thy peace When thine owne heart with Serpents doth abound Seeke not without that may within be found Yet was she not so cruell in her hast But ere she kild him she his lips would tast Wishing she neede not rise out from her bed But that she had the power to kisse him dead Now with her lips she labours all she may To sucke his soule out whilst he sleeping lay Till she at last through a transfused kisse Left her owne soule and was inspir'd with his And had her soule within his body stay'd Till he therein his vertues had convay'd And all pollution would from thence remove Then after all her thoughts had beene of love But since she could not both of them retaine She restor'd his and tooke her owne againe Sorry that she was forc'd it to transferr And wisht though dead that he might live in her Then in one hand she held the emuâ—our light And in the other tooke the sword so bright As 't would her beauty and the fire out-shine And she thus arm'd became more masculine But when by friendship of the Lampe her eye Had made a perfect true discovery Of all was in the roome what did she see Object of Love wonder of Deity The god of love himselfe Cupid the faire Lye sweetly sleeping in his golden haire At this so heavenly sight the lampy spire Encreas'd his flames and burnt more pure and higher The very sencelesse sacrilegious steele Did a strong vertue from his presence feele Which turn'd the edge poore Psyche all amaz'd With joy and wonder on his beauty gaz'd His necke so white his colour so exact His limbes that were so curiously compact His body sleeke and smooth that it might not Venus repent t' have such a sonne begot A bright reflexion and perfumed sent Fill'd all the roome with a mixt blandishment Shot from his wings and at his feete did lye His bow and arrows and his armory And in this extasie she thought to hide The cursed steele but in her owne deare fide And had perform'd it sure had not the sword Flew from her hand out of its owne accord Glansing on all with eyes unsatisfied At last she his artillery espyed The Quiver was of needle-worke wrought round With trophies of his owne where Cupid crown'd Sate in the midst with a Bay-wreath which he Had proudly pluckt from the Peneian tree Next Venus and Adonis sad with paine The one of love the other of disdaine There love in all his borrowed shapes was drest His thefts and his adulteries exprest As Emblemes of Loves tryumph and these were Drawne with such lively colours men would sweare That Laeda lay within a perfect bower And Danaes golden streames were a true shower Saturns two other sonnes did seeme to throw Their Tridents at his feete and him allow For their Supreme and there were kneeling by Gods Nymphs and all their Geneology Since the first Chaos saving the abuse And Cupids pride none could the worke traduce Pallas in envy of Aracknes skill Or else to curry favour and fulfill Cupids behest which she durst not withstand Had fram'd the emulous peece with her owne hand And there were portray'd more a thousand loves Besides himselfe the skinnes of Turtle-doves Lin'd it within and at the upper end A silver plate the Quiver did extend Full of small holes where his bright shafts did lye Whose plumes were stiffe with gummes of Araby His Bow was of the best and finest Yew That in all Ida or faire Tempe grew Smooth as his cheeke and checkerd as his wing And at each end tipt with a Pearle the string Drawne from the Optick of a Ladies eye That whensoere he shoots strikes harmony Psyche with timorous heed did softly touch His weapons least her prophane hand might smutch The glosse of them then drew a shaft whose head Was wrought of Gold for some are done with Lead And laid her fingers end upon the Dart Tempting the edge untill it caus'd a smart For being pointed sharpe it raz'd the skin 'Till drops of blood did trickle from within She wounded with the poison which it bore Grew more in love than ere she was before Then as she would her selfe incorporate She did her numerous kisses equall make Vnto his haires that with her breath did play Steept with rich Nectar and Ambrosia Thus being ravisht with excesse of joy With kissing and embracing the sweet Boy Loe in the height of all her jollity Whether from envy or from treachery Or that it had a burning appetite To touch that silken skin that lookt so white The wicked Lampe in an unlucky houre A drop of scalding oyle did let downe powre On his right shoulder whence in horrid wise A blister like a bubble did arise And boyl'd up in his flesh with a worse fume Then blood of Vipers or the Lernean spume Neere did the Dog-starre rage with so great heate In dry Apulia no Alcides sweat Vnder his shirt so Cruell oyle that thou Who of all others hast the smoothest brow Shouldst play the traytor who had any thing Worse than thy selfe as fire or venom'd sting Or Sulphur blasted him shouldst first have came And with thy powerfull breath suckt out the flame For though he be Loves god it were but vaine To thinke he should be privilidg'd from paine For we in Homer have like wounded read Of Mars and Venus both by Diomed. But for this haynous and audacious fact Cupid among his statutes did enact Henceforth all lights be banisht and exempt From bearing office in Loves government And in the day each should his passage marke Or learne to finde his Mistresse in the darke Sure all the crew of lovers shall thee hate Nor blest Minerva hold thee consecrate When Cupid
saw his counsells open laid Psyches deare faith and his owne plots betrayd He buckled on his wings away to fly And had she not caught hold upon his thigh And hung as an appendix of his flight He questionlesse had vanisht from her sight But as when men are in deepe rivers drown'd And tane up dead have their close fingers found Clasping the weeds so though her armes were rackt With her more bodies weight and sinews crackt To follow him through the forc'd Element Yet held she fast untill he did relent And his ambitious wings gan downward steere And stoope to earth with a mild Cancileere The fourth Section THus lighted on the earth he tooke her wrist And wrung it hard and did her hands untwist And having freed himselfe he flew on high Vnto a Cypresse tree that grew thereby And on the utmost branches being sate He did the matter thus capitulate Was it for this indeed for this reward Thou silly girle that I should disregard My mothers vowes her teares her flatteries When she with all the power she might devise Provok't me to thy hurt and thee assign'd In Marriage to a groome of some base kind And lowest ranke had not my too much hast Redeem'd thy shame and my owne worth disgrac'd Was it for this I did thy plagues remove To paine my selfe strike mine owne heart in love With mine owne shaft that after all this geare I should no better then a beast appeare For this wouldst thou cut off my head which bore Those eyes that did thy beauty so adore And yet thou knowst ungratefull wretch how I Did with my feares thy mischeifes still imply And every day my cautions did renew The breach of which thou must for ever rue And each of these thy sisters that were guide To thy ill act shall dearely it abide Yet will I punish thee no other way But onely this I will for ever stray Farre from thy fight and having said so fled Whilst she to heare this newes lay almost dead Yet prostrate on the ground her eyes up cast Ty'd to his winged speed untill at last She could no more discerne as Dido then Or Ariadne by some Poets pen Are fayn'd to grieve whose artfull passions flow In such sweet numbers as they make their woe Appeare delightfull telling how unkind Their lovers stole away and the same wind That blew abroad their faith and oathes before Then fill'd their sayles and how the troubled shore Answer'd the Ladies groanes so Psyche faints And beates her breast with pittifull complaints There ran a River neere whose purling streames Hyperion oft did with his golden beames Delight to gild and as it fled along The pleasant murmurs mixt with the sweet song Of aged Swannes detayn'd the frequent eare Of many a Nymph which did inhabit there Poore Psyche thither went and from the brim In sad despaire threw her selfe headlong in The Rivers God whither 't were out of feare Duty or love or honour he did beare Her husband or least her spilt blood should staine His christall current threw her up againe But it is thought he would not let her sinke Cause Cupid oft times would descend to drinke Or wash him in the Brooke and when he came To coole his owne heat would the floud inflame Pan at that time sate playing on a reed Whilst his rough Goates did on the meddowes feed And with intentive eyes observed all That to the fayrest Psyche did befall Who seeing her thus pittiously distrest He ran to take her up and did the best He could to comfort her faire maid sayes he Though I a rustick and a shepheard be Scorne not for that my counsell and advice Nor let my trade become my prejudice For by the benefit of time well spent I am indued with long experiment And if I doe conjecture it aright The cause of all this Phrensie and dispight Which your sad lookes and palenesse doe imply With other signes in Physiognomy By which wise men the truth of Art doe prove And know the state of minds you are in love Now list to me and doe not with fond hast The sacred oyle of your lifes taper wast Vse no sinister meanes to hasten on But labour to adjourne destruction Cast not away your selfe by too much griefe But courage take for care is beauties thiefe Cupid I know whose humour is to strive Then yeeld then stay then play the fugitive Be not dismayd for that but shew your duty And above all things doe not spoyle your beauty Hee 's delicate and wanton prayers may win And faire demeanure may demerit him These are the medicines I would have you chuse To cure your minds health and redresse abuse She gave him thankes then rose from where she lay And having done obeysance went her way Thence did she wander on with weary feet And neither track nor passenger could meet Vntill at length she found a Kingly roade Which led unto a Palace where aboade Her eldest sister Psyche enter'd in Then sent up newes how one of her neere kin Was come to visite her returne being made Psyche was brought before her each invade The other with embraces and fulfill A tedious scene of countefeit good will But when they had discours'd a while together She askt Psyche the cause that brought her thither Who did recount the passages and tell In order all the story that befell Which by degrees had ruind her and laid The blame on their lewd counsell that betray'd Her innocent soule and her firme faith misled To murder her deare husband in his bed She told how she his certaine death decreed And how she rose to execute the deed She told how like a Lyonesse she far'd And like an armed fury how she star'd Or like a blazing comet in the ayre With fire and sword and with disshevell'd haire She told the trouble and Epitasis When she beheld his Metamorphosis A spectacle that ravisht her with joy A Serpent turn'd into a lovely boy Whose young smoth face might speake him boy or maid Cupid himselfe in a soft slumber lay'd She told too of the drop of scalding oyle That burnt his shoulder and the heavy coyle He kept when he awakt caus'd by the smart And how he chid and how at last did part And for revenge had threatned in her stead To make her sisters partners of his bed And twixt each word she let a teare downe fall Which stopt her voyce and made it musicall Thus Psyche at the last finisht her story Season'd with sharpe griefe and sweet oratory Which was as long by her relation made As might have serv'd to stuffe an Iliade Such as Aeneas unto Dido told Full of adventures strange and manifold Her sister by her lookes great joy did show Resolv'd in that she did her husband know And therefore heard her out with much applause And gave great heed but chiefly to that clause VVhere 't was declar'd that he her pompe and state To one of her owne sisters would translate
please She offerd gifts farre richer then all these For as a Dowry at her feet she laid The mighty engines which the world upwaigh'd And vow'd to give her immortality And all the pleasures and the royalty Of the Elysian Fields which wisely she Refus'd for Hell with all their power and skill Though they allure they cannot force the will This vext faire Proserpine any should know Their horrid secrets and have power to show Vnto the upper world what she had seene Of Hell and Styx of Pluto and his Queene Yet since she might not her owne lawes withstand She gave the boxe of beauty in her hand And Psyche with those precepts us'd before The Sunnes bright beames did once againe adore Then as she thought being out of all controule A curious rashnesse did possesse her soule That slighting of her charge and pormis'd duty She greatly itcht to adde to her owne beauty Saying ah foole to bear so rich a prize And yet through feare dost envy thine owne eyes The happy object whose reflexion might Gaine thee some favour in young Cupids sight The voyce forbad me but I now am free From Venus vision and Hells custody And so without all scruple she unlocks And le ts forth the whole treasure of the boxe VVhich was not any thing to make one faire But a meere Stygian and infernall ayre Whose subtle breathings through her pores did creepe And stuft her body with a cloud of sleepe But Cupid now not able to endure Her longer absence having gain'd his cure And prun'd his ruffled wings flew through the gate Of his close prison to seeke out his Mate Where finding her in this dull Lethargy He drew the foggy vapour from her eye And that her stupid spirits might awake Did all the drow sie exhalation shake From off her sence she shut it up and seal'd The Boxe so fast it ne're might be reveal'd Next with his harmelesse Dart small as a pin He prick't the superficies of her skin Saying what wondrous frailty does possesse This female kind or rather wilfulnesse For loe thy foolish curiosity Has tempted thee againe to perjury VVhat proud exploit was this what horrid fact Be sure my mother Venus will exact A strict accompt of all that has beene done Both of thy selfe and thy commission But yet for all this trespasse be of cheere And in a humble duty persevere Detaine from Venus nought that is her owne And for what else remaines let me alone Thus Psyche by her Lover being sent And waxing strong through his encouragement The Boxe of beauty unto Venus brings Whilst Cupid did betake him wings For when he saw his Mother so austere Forc'd by the violence of love and feare He pierced the Marble concave of the sky To Heaven appeal'd and did for Justice cry Pleading his cause and in the sacred presence Of Iove himselfe did his Love-suit commence Iove at his sight threw by his rayes so pure That no eyes but his owne might them endure Whom Cupid thus bespake Great Iove if I Am borne your true and lawfull progeny If I have playd bet weene your armes and sate Next to your selfe but since growne to a state Of riper yeeres have beene thought fit to beare An equall sway and move in the same speare Of honour with you by whose meanes both men And gods have trembled at my Bow as when Your selfe have darted thunder-bolts and slaine The earth bred Gyants in the Phlegrian Plaine And when in severall scales my shafts were layd With your owne Trident neither has out-waigh'd I come not now that you should either give Confirme or adde to my prerogative But setting all command and power aside Desire by law and justice to be try'd For whither else should I appeale or bring My cause but to your selfe that are a King And father to us all and can dispence What right you please in Court and Conscience I have beene wrong'd and must with griefe indite My Mother of much cruelty and spight To me and my poore Psyche there 's but one In the whole world that my affection And fancy likes where others doe eujoy So many the diversity does cloy Their very appetite yet who but owes All his delight to me and Venus knows By her owne thoughts the uncontrouled fire That reignes in youth when love does him inspire Yet she without all pitty or remorse Me and my Mistresse labours to divorce I covet no ones spouse nor have I taken Anothers Love there 's not a man forsaken Or god for my sake that bewayles his deare Or bathes his spoyled bosome with a teare Then why should any me and my Love sever That joyne all other hearts and loves together Iove heard him out and did applaud his speach And both his hand and Scepter to him reach Then calling Cupid his smooth fingers layd On his Ambrosiack cheeke and kissing sayd My little youngster and my sonne 't is true That I have never yet receiv'd from you Any due reverence or respective meed Which all the other gods to me decreed For this my heart whose high preheminence Gives Edicts to the Starres and does dispence The like to Nature your fine hand the while With earthly lusts still labours to defile And contrary to publick discipline And ' gainst all lawes both Morall and Divine Chiefly the Iulian thou dost fill mine eyes With many foule and close adulteries For how ofttimes have I through vaine desire Beene chang'd to beasts birds serpents and to fire Which has procur'd ill censures and much blame And hurt my estimation and my fame Yet being pleas'd with this thy foolish sport I 'me loath to leave it though I 'me sorry for 't And on condition thou wilt use thy wit In my behalfe and minde the benefit I will performe all thy demands if when Thou seest faire Damfells on the earth agen Remembring thou wast brought up on my knee That every such Mayd thou wilt bring to mee Cupid assents then Iove bids Maya's sonne Publish a royall Proclamation Through the Precincts of Heaven and call at once A generall councell and a Sessions That the whole bench and race of Deities Should in their severall rankes and pedegrees Repaire straight to his Court this to be done In paine of Ioves displeasure and a summe Of money to be laid upon his head And from his lands and goods belevied If any god should dare himselfe absent For any cause from this great Parliament And that whoever had his name i' th' booke His fyne but his excuse should not be tooke This being nois'd abroad from every where The lesser gods came thronging out of feare And the Celestiall Theater did thwack That Atlas seem'd to groane under his pack The Iove out of his Ivory throne did rise And thus bespake them Conscript Deities For so the Muses with their whitest stone Have writ your Names and Titles every one You know my Nephew Cupid for the most Of us I 'me sure have felt him to our cost Whose youthfull heat I have still sought in vaine And his licentious ryot to restraine But that his lewd life be no farther spread His lusts nor his corruptions published I hold it fit that we the cause remove And bind him in the fetters of chast love And since that he has made so good a choice Of his owne wife let each god give his voice That he enjoy her and for ever tye Vnto himselfe in bands of Matrimony Then unto Venus turning his bright face Daughter he sayes conceive it no disgrace That Psyche marries with your sonne for I That where I please give immortality Will alter her condition and her state And make all equall and legitimate With that command to Mercury was given That he should fetch faire Psyche unto Heaven And when that she into their presence came Her wondrous beauty did each god inflame Then Jove reacht forth a cup with Nectar fraught And bad her be immortall with the draught So joyn'd them hand in hand and vow'd beside That she with her deare Cupid should abide Ne're to be separate and more t' enlarge His bounty made a Feast at his owne charge Where he plac'd Cupid at the upper end And amorous Psyche on his bosome lean'd Next sate himselfe and Iuno then each guest And this great Dinner was by Vulcan drest The Graces strewd the roome and made it smile With blushing Roses and sweet flowers the while The spheares danc'd harmony Apollo ran Division on his Harpe Satyr and Pan Play'd on their Pipes the Quire of Muses sang And the vast concave of Olimpus rang VVith pious acclamations to the Bride An joy'd that Psyche was thus deify'd Hermes and Venus mov'd their gracefull Feet And did in artificiall measures sures meet The Phrygian boy fill'd wine at this great feast Only to Iove and Bacchus to the rest Thus Cupid had his love and not long after Her wombe by Iuno's helpe brought forth a daughter A child by nature different from all That laught when she was borne and men did call Her Pleasure one that does exhilarate Both Gods and men and does her selfe dilate Through all societies chiefly the best VVhere there is any tryumph or a feast Shee was the Authour that did first invent All kinds of sport conceits and meriment And since to all mens humours does incline Whether that they be sensuall or Divine Is of a modest and a loose behaviour And of a setled and a wanton favour Most dangerous when she appeares most kind For then shee 'll part and leave a sting behind But happy they that can her still detaine For where she is most fixt she is least vaine FINIS