With. xix flames the Syrian Dog the lyttle Dog hath three The sydes of Arcos brauely deckt with three and twenty be One starre doth Chiron more relay the sacrifice in hands He holdes eleuen hath deckt with iiij the goodly Altare stands With six and twenty Hydra shynes three signes that lies in length And mates the Crab the Virgin fayre and Lion great of strength The Rauen shynes wyth seauen starres the Cup hath eyght in sight The Southerne Fish with xij doth cast abrode his starry light The rising and the setting of the Signes let vs display Three sorts of wayes y e starres do ryse three sortes they fall away That rising called Cosmike is the setting termde likewise When early in the Easte the signe wyth Sunne is knowen to ryse But when soeuer any sygne doth ryse or downeward fall And Sunne in setting lets them shine this terme we Cronicall And Heliake is the rising namde when as the Sunne full nere The signe lyes hyd and passing thence forth with doth bright appere The Heliake setting that we cal when as in any signe The Sunne doth walke and w t his light permit it not to shine But now the rising of the Signes and how they downe descend I wyll declare if Muses ayde and Phaebus be my frend When Ram doth rise then mounteth vp left part of Andromaed Unto the halfe and ioynde therewith Sir Perseus flaming head Then backward commes the Bull aloft who while he vpward hyes Al Perseus springs and greatest part of Carter then doth rise And Thurlpoles tayle and fading quite the altare downe doth fall Then hydes himself in flashing floudes the Berward first of all With Twinnes doth all the Whale aryse and former partes of Po And with this same Orion great all armed vp doth go Then he that holdes the Snake with both his feete the water tries The Crab arising vp takes halfe the Crowne away from eyes The tayle of Whale the Southerne Fyshe and head of Kneeler lowe And half his Hanch frō knees to backe of him that Snake doth showe And all his Snake except the neck the Bearward almost quite But now agayne from girdle vp Orion commes to sight Wyth al the course of Nilus great These Signes besyde do ryse Wyth Lion fierce the Egle Hare and Dog of lesser syse The former legges of greater Dog and head of Hydra springs But these agaynst the Bearward hote and he that Serpent wrings With head and necke of Snake in hand and part that did remayne Of glistring Crowne and Kneeler eke excepted yet agayne His left foote and his knee besyde in Westerne waues do fall With Virgin riseth whole the Dog and Serpent vp doth crall Unto the Cups and then appeares the Ship of Thessaly As much as Mast and sayle may showe Contrary hid do lye These starres the Dolphin al the Swan his tayle except the Darte The Scorpions cley and of the floude of Nile the former parte But Pegasus hides head and necke the rest appeareth bright Al Argo with the Scales doth ryse and Bearward clere in sight Saue tippe of tayle al Hydra seene the right knee and the shinne Of Kneeler downe and Centaures tayle to shine doth then beginne Then mayst y t halfe the Crowne perceyue the rest of Horse that flies And partes that hindermost do stand of Swanne then hidden lies And al saue head the Whale doth set hir head in Seas doth hyde Andromaeda then shalt thou see olde Cepheus downe to slyde The Father of Andromeda and downe in flouds to fall With hands his shoulders his head These shapes and fygures all With Scorpion rise the Dragons tayle and Chirons horse appeare And rest of Crowne and Sacrifice that he in hands doth beare Also the Serpents head doth ryse and eke hir holders head Then syts the part that doth remayne of corse of Andromed And Cepheus syts from head to waste and double winding way Of Padus streames and downward then doth fal dame Cassiepey Then first the Dog himselfe doth hyde and downe Orion flings When as the Shooter vp doth ryse the Serpent holder springs With Serpent whole the left hand and the head of Kneeler downe And al the Harp the breast and head of him that ware the Crowne Of Aethyops land King Cepheus cald Then hidden quite doth lye Orion Hare and greater Dog and Carter of the Skye Excepting only Head and Feete then Perseus downe doth fall His right foote and his thigh except the Ship saue sterne syts al. When as the Gote ascendeth vp the Swanne and Shaft thereby The Altare and the Egle fayre begin to appeare in skye But sterne of Argo then descendes and lesser Dog doth hyde His starres in Sea and vnder grounde therewyth doth Perseus slyde When as of Ganimedes fayre the goodly starres do ryse Then first the limmes of Pegasus do clime into the Skies Contrarywyse the neck and head of Dragon downe doth slyde And Chiron doth his hinder parte beneath the waters hyde When as the Fyshes twayne are brought to rise aloft in Skye The right syde of Andromeda appeareth to the eye And he that Southerne Fish is calde then both the bodies quite Of Dragon and of Centaure great are taken from our sight Thus much of rising of the Signes and setting shal suffise Now let vs touch the rest that doth remaine in speedy wise But fyrst we must Vrania call my verses here vnto That she may ayde and succour sende such secrets to vndo Vrania thou that knowest the things aloft that hydden lye That walkest oft by seates of Gods and starry temples hye Vrania beautiful draw nere and open vnto me The secrete seates of Gods aboue and things that hidden be And helpe thy Poet that in song thy Scepters seekes to shewe And graunt the whirling Skies aboue in minde that I may knowe And first good Lady shewe to me if that the Skies aboue Consist of matter hard and thicke or soft and apt to moue None otherwise than is the ayre which well we may deuide This tolde thou shalt declare to me straunge matters more beside Two springs of nature chiefe there be Materia and Forma namde Of these same twaine al kinde of things that here we see are framde Of these the earth the Seas the ayre and flaming fyre springs Wherefore they lye that matter none admit in Heauenly things For contraries should then in them be found thus they do say And by this meanes corrupted quite they should in time decay But as me seemes this reason here doth from the truth decline For neyther matter is in fault if that in tract of tyme The bodies fade nor contraries themselues wil thus vndo If that their forces equall be and stronger none of two For when the strength power is lyke then equall is the fyght And victory on neither part and neither syde doth lyght Therfore God seking in hys minde the heauens hye to make The chiefe and purest fyned partes of matters fyrst dyd take And
to bee Such one I say no man nor God can euer well despise But he that vertue doth enuie at least that is not wise For who but such wyll not hym loue and worthily commende That feareth God and righteousnes obserueth to hys ende Whom golde can neuer ouercome who willeth no mans wrong Who helpes the poores afflicted case who flyeth the naughty throng He feedes the humble and the meke yll tongues hee doth reiect No man to hurt he doth reioice but rather to protect And that which is the worthyest praise at euery time he can In euery thing a modestye vse happy is that man More happy yet I doe him iudge that doth in both excell Who that is good and learned to a crowne deserueth well For other men he farre exceedes as golde doth copper passe And as the flaming Piropus excelles the duskey glasse And seldome synne thou shalt discerne a man of learned fame At least not much vnto the rude there is no heede of shame But headlong rushe they into vice which they forbidden bee And holy lawes be laught to scorne by foolishe fonde decree Lyke as the blinde cannot beware but fal in ditches deepe As men amid the darke be hurt when Proserpine doth sleepe So minde of man which is but blinde take learning once away In euery vice it doth not doubt to fall and runne astray Except it be comprest by feare of paine that may ensue No things but those that pleasaunt bee it iudgeth right or true Yet many times it may be sene that nature doth supply The maisters roume and giueth grace in youth abundantly Whereby that schoole did neuer teache by grace they may obtaine What letteth such to leade a life as vertue teacheth plaine The greater thankes be due to him for euermore to giue Whose booke doth shew a Methode true declaring how to liue O famous Gods of hie renoume which rule the forked hyll To whom my yeares I alwayes gaue and dedicate them styll If that such waighty things a wretche may safely you desire In this my worke I take in hande your aide I now require Let not dishonour me deface nor in his blasing rage Let limping Uulcan me destroye at any time or age And thus an ende the ramme that kepes the entraunce of our doore Doth leaue his place vnto the bull that hasteth here afore The booke approching next at hande doth will mee to haue done In hast and biddes me finishe now that I of late begonne ¶ The Seconde booke entituled Taurus LOng time y t hast thee rested well my boate in pleasant baye Now time vs biddes to hoyse vp sailes and ancour vp to way The washing wynter now is fledde the hoary snowes be gon From downe the hylles they fast distill that once they fell vpon The earth againe doth florishe greene the trees repaire their spring With pleasaunt notes the Nitingale beginneth new to sing With flowers fresh their heads be deckt the Fairies daunce in fielde And wanton songes in mossye dennes the Drids and Satirs yelde The wynged Cupide fast doth cast his dartes of golde yframed And lusty youth with pleasaunt heate hath feruently inflamed Now may we safely wander out amid the waters plaine The floudes be calme y e westerne wynde is present here againe O foole why art thou now afraide the ayre is fayre and bright And Atlas daughters risyng vp perswade thy course of right For ydlenesse what kynde of praise can happen vnto thee To stouthfulnesse no good rewarde may well ascribed bee Lyft vp thy heart and corage eke be bolde and of good chere For fortune most doth fauour those that all things least doe feare To fearefull folkes at any time shee 〈…〉 umphe hath denaide But as I gesse the monsters teeth doth make thee sore afraide Great shame it is that vertue shoulde for monsters hyde their face Go to therefore leaue of thy lettes and walke the depth apace The kyng and Lord and mighty power that rules the worlde so fast Who wyth a beck the golden starres shall gouerne whilste they last Who made the earth inhabited wyth beastes of sundry sight And diuers fishe within the sea to draw their vitall sprite Least destitute of dwellers be those elements they shoulde And onely man among the rest discerne he reason woulde And vnto him he graunted speache where beastes be dumme of sounde Declining downe their bodies great doe lycke the massey grounde With reason he hath vnder brought the strongest beastes of might The Lion fierce the Tygre swift alone hath put to flight The serpents though their bodies foule wyth poyson doe abounde Doe stande in awe and feare him to when that they heare hys sounde The mōstruous mole y e thurlpole great of mighty forme and strength In Occean sea doth giue him place when he doth walke at length Take him away what were the earth a place wyth bryers growne And would bring forth no kinde of corne vntilde or els vnsowne Hee cities built and ordned lawes wherby they ruled bee Wyth temples trymmed for their state the Gods adourned hee Full many artes he searched forth and instruments he founde Which like the lightning flashe flame and lyke the thunders sounde Wherein the fier fast inclosde inforceth all hee may Out of hys mouth to rumble oute the pellet farre away Whereby the Towers hye be bette and walles of euery towne Hys strength not able to abide come topsy turuey downe And he that heareth farre away the bouncing of these blowes With dreadfull noyse y e thūder thumpes as present there he trowes Unhappy had you bene O Gods if in Phlegreus grounde Wheras with giantes huge you fought such weapons had bene founde He founde out shippes whereby a man to passe the seas may knowe And wander farre whereas he list if wynde at wyll doe blowe In places farre abrode and nie to Tytan in the East And where the Sūne doth slip sometime and fall vnder the west And in the North whereas the Beare her colour cleare doth giue And in the other part againe where men there be that liue Whose feete contrary quite to ours doe alwayes vse to treade And lyke to fall their heeles aloft doe downewarde hang theire head And though he doe excell in witte and vigour of the minde So much that well he may be thought to come of God hys kinde Yet knowethhe not nor seekes to know a thyng to badde to tell How for to liue what wayes to flye or what to follow well O mortall brestes where darknes blinde doth euermore abounde And eke O mindes where foolishnesse may alwayes well be founde By wicked wayes they runne astray and fewe alas doe knowe Which way their iourney well to take or where in safe to rowe Whereby the chiefe and happiest lyfe in time they may obtaine The knotty science of tho lawes will neuer shewe it plaine Nor he that can in medicine skyll in eloquence or grammer But onely wysedome must the waye detect the chiefe defender
as the worthiest tree is first depriued of his grayne And as the grape is first destroyde that sweetest is of wast With flyes and bees and other wormes that always them do wast So he whome nature most hath lent is alwayes most intrapt And euermore in daungers great is readiest to be clapt Note well the crafty wit and head of Dionise the King Behold good man and art thou blessed what else thou lackit nothing Thou lackst no meat y u lackst no drinke thou lackst no pleasaunt boyes Thou lackst no scepter nor no crowne thou wantest no wished boyes With glistering gold precious stones beholde thou doest abounde A sword but loe hangs ouer thy head that will the wretch confound With enuy richesse eft be vext all things of good estate Doth malice harme and happye things it euermore doth hate So deare O misers do you seeke of golde the wicked mine Wherby your harts may alwaies prick the sisters Palesâ—ine And soner downe descend the pit of ghastly Plutoes raigne Was not the giftes that Bacchus gaue of golde to Mydas gaine Of all men laught to scorne by right to whom thou Phebus much An angred gauest an Asses â—ares all things quoth Myde I tutch Be golde I wyshe and by and by he asked his fatall ende For downe his gredy gâ—â—ping guttes no meate coulde then discende Such fortune haâ—â— thou sparing wreâ—ch the more thou haâ—t of goodes The more thou lackste as Tantalus doth thirst among the â—â—oudes If thou mighâ—t all things free o 〈…〉 e thou wouldst thy selfe require Wouldst thou but take y t should suffyce excesse or else desire This one doth hurte the other meane all men may soone obtaine For nature with a little thing contented doth remaine Except that headlong â—aine to vice iâ— doth repugne againe The chiefest fruites of seas and woode to riche mens boardes be brought There lacks no Hare no goat nor Hart no â—id no Bore nor ought Amongst the flocke of flittering foules the Throstell fatte and rounde The Partrige Colmouse nor y e birdes that bredes in Colchis grounde With Capons great mighty Doues and Turbots in be brought The Lopster Lamprey the Shrimpe and Mugil fat is caught The fishe that toke his name of golde the chopping Dyâ—â—er newe Which Cizicus doth foster vp amid his seas so blewe Wyth many moe that semeth harde in verse for to declare And wines y t may wyth falerne fiâ—loes and Nâ—â—â—are sweete compare But now I aske and will this wretche all this himselfe deuoure I thinke not so for if he woulde it semes not in his power And if he might his belly sure would burst a sonder thoe And swolne to tombe with roring route him following should he goe For he that doth his stomacke charge with more than will suffise Is hurt and then phisicions helpe with groning voice he cryes Then vp he throwes and all his house doth filthy stincke possesse Whereby him feruent feuers vexe and humours sharpe oppresse What sicknes great excesse doth brede no man there is but knowes What hurts by to much drink let down within the body growes Wherfore he must be modest nedes of much and little take Who that before thapointed tyme sweete lyfe will not forsake Nor more than doth y t pore he must his hungred body sâ—ake With purple faire and clothe of golde the riche man is arayed His gorgeous shirt doth cast a shew with sylke and â—uerlayde About his head he weareth aye the fleece of Sâ—ithian â—ow And Jewels fayre about his neck of price he weares but now Are these of greater force for â—o expell the bitter colde Than if in garments made of wolle thy body were infolde Or doth the wouen webbe of â—â—axe not so repulse the heate WheÌ„ as y e Sunne doth ferueÌ„t flame amid the Lion great Or when the raging dog the fieldes of greene doth quite defeate As if the fine and tender sylke enclosde thee rounde about But thou wilt say he is estemde whom gorgeous geare settes out Unto hym passing by the way the people ducke and ryse And onely he is counted then both noble good and wyse And worthy worship to receiue and frendship for to haue No â—eede at all they take of hym whose garments be not braue The common people laugh to see his cote then worne to nought Though thou shouldst Tully represent whose eloquence was thought For to excell all Italye or else Demosthenes Whose famous voice the Athens men dyd wonder at in plees Or if thou hadst as great a gift as Maro had in verse Or couldst the auncient Homers tunes celestiall well rehearse For all this same yet shouldst not thou the price of praise obtaine But as reâ—â—ct of euery man thou shalt receiue disdaine In vaine thou shalt beholde the hewe of Ganymedes face In vaine and oft thou shalt desyre thy damosell to embrace If that with vile apparell thou doest runne the poore mans race I not denie that clothing faire estemed ought to be But if the minde doth vertues lacke with vices eke agree Thy beauty all biddes then adewe and glory leaues thee quite And euery man that knowes thee well will haue thee in dyspite They will thee floute behinde thy back and greuous mocks thee giue Thy seruant to that of thy foode hath alwayes vsed to liue If that he know thee for to be a gredy Churle or such As cruell is of hauty minde or vseth wine to much Or one that lacketh wit he will regarde thee then but lyght And grudging efte these wordes will he vnto himselfe resight O such a maister fortune false why diddest thou me giue Me vnder such a maister long shall fates enforce to liue Can other men commende him then whose seruants so despise But if thou valiant be and iust both sober sadde and wise If so be that that learning great doth cause thee to excell Then to thy worship doth agree all kynde of garments well And no man will thee then despise except that he be mad And first whatsoeuer that thou art desirous to be had In honour to be praised much and much to be beloued Imbracing thou vertue flye thou vice and that of right reproued May bring the aucthour to a shame beware thou not commit For oft the common people â—ude doe vse as voide of wyt The noble vertue to despise if so be that they see With little spot of any vice defyled hir to bee But what is hee vpon the earth that liueth voide of crime And from the true and beaten way departeth not sometime Or doth not swarue or runne astraye from out the ruled lyne But he that least and seldome synnes hym best we may defyne But greatest grace hath such a one that learnedly and wyse All things he speakes with order iuste can well himselfe deuise To wyse and filed speache may be great force and strength assynde Tt diuers passions doth prouoke and gouernes well thy minde Much more will this than costly clothe set forth
had the game possest in pawes Anenst a Corke he taught hir tricks of wanton louers lawes She cald and shrikt and I as wood would strayght her ayde haue borne But sore afrayd I was to meete the shagheard horsons horne Nor once I durst my enimy try his pactence for to proue How oft she beckes and byds me come wyth eyes that rowling moue And of her self she calles me thus and fast begins to twine Her armes so white about my necke like Juy or the Uine That wonted are their neighbor trees wyth winding course to brace And fast the wanton bytes my necke and softly on the face Wyth hand in sport she smites me oft and by her trouth she sweares That none on earth but me shee loues nor none good wyll she beares But yet am I not such a foole that I holde this for trewe For women all in lies excell and when wyth fawnings newe The naughty queanes begin to fliere the more thou oughtest afrayd To be these words in song he spake and more ve would haue sayd But seuen wolues by chaunce therwith came creping close the way From rockes adowne amyd the trees desirous of their pray And on the flocke they runne now these now those they slea and byte And mouthes in bloud they stain againe the masty curres they fyte Wyth barking boughing noyse to beat their enimies from the ground A noyse full greate made in the dale wyth roaring cry doth sound Then both the shepheardes rise in haste the wager quite vndone Wyth sling and staues of Oke in hand togither both they runne And I behinde alone remaynd and forth another way With doutfull minde and diuers thought I went as farre as may The brasen canon cast his stone at thrice and there a spring That spouted vp wyth bubling sandes where thicke the Plantrees cling I found and round about the grasse full grene it doth embrace Wyth seates of sandy Tophus stone I gesse it was the place Where Fayries set in Sommers rage when Dogdayes heat doth glowe Not farre from hence I saw me thought a Seruice tree to growe Whose fruite did make y e brāches bend and therto fast I went For ripe I them perceaude and some with hast in hand I hent And eate them vp desyring then with water for to slake My burning thirst and to the well my iourney forth I take And downe I bowe my self and there my lippes in water fyne I dipt and whilst I drinke the stones in Cristall waters shine Whilst these are done a yong mā down from heauens to me sent That Goddesse good Arete fayre of me not negligent Wyth falling flight he cuttes the ayre more swifter much he flies Than haukes that striue by force to take the pray before their eyes And straight to me he cōmes that then wyth weary limmes did rest Amid the grasse he bids god den then vp my selfe I drest And worship there to him I make He passing man in fame I am did say Aretes sonne Timalphes is my name My mother hath me hither sent that al that doth remayne Behinde vnfolde I may disclose to thee in order playne Then both togither downe we syt and thus he gan to say The woman and hir boy that stode on left syde yonder way Thou knowst my mother told y e plaine now restes there for to tell What hight the woman and the boy that on the right hand dwell Hir Venus men do cal and say that of the salt sea sud She then created was when that olde Saturne in the flud Unkinde his fathers stones did cast so sayd the Greekish sorte A people fansies fyt to fayne and lies for to reporte Vranius hir of troth begat of Lopades by rape Vranius syre of euery thing than whome of larger shape Was Atlas not nor yet the fierce Enceladus so strong Nor gorbellied Typheus huge nor all the Giants long That euer earth did yet bring vp Nine heads him nature toke Whereof the highest is voyd of eyes and Westward styll doth loke Gaynward the East the other stand aboue a thousand eyes The second hath and on a peece doth al the rest suffise His right hand Northward out he casts the left to South he sendes With both his hands y e world he metes his feete the flock of fendes Doth touch his head the skies doth rech a shepheard rich in deede Aboue al men of euery flocke through al the earth to feede He puttes them out the number would of them excede if not That monster Pamphagus his sonne with greedy rauening throte Should them deuoure continually wyth Attropos his wife This Venus now Vranius got and ioynde in wedlock life To one Pedogenes a God and bad they should encrease This is that Venus wythout whome the vse of earth would cease And al the world wyth bryers thick vnseemely should be thought Hir God hath ordeynd that she myght the losse which nature brought Ful recompence which God appoynts that hurtful can not be What then of them shall I reporte content with chastitie That fayre encrease do not esteme but voyd of issue die And leaue no signes of them behinde 〈◊〉 they sinne assuredly And if the truth may here be sayd vnworthy byrth him giues Nature of whome not one is borne vnworthy eke he liues By whome another hath no life Yet they whome sicknesse let Or other meanes do them constrayne no children for to get Opprest with cursed pouerty do feare that they shall see Their children begge intend saincts life of whome but fewe there be Let them refraine good leaue they haue but many wyl no wyfe That they may others efte defile and lead a lechours life And for bycause that more they might the common sort beguile Under pretence they giue them selues to sacred things a while And churches haunt and priests of God they counted are to be They diuers lawes garments strange do vse and thinke to see The heauens hie with scraped crowne cleane things the beastes do flye And after things vncleane they runne while as the panche they plye And giue themselues to drowsy reast which both do foster vice Stale Uirgins are they thought to be while close they cast the dise The darke night al in vice to spend their mindes they whole apply None truely vse a Uirgins life but such as come thereby When croked olde vnlusty age or sicknesse lore them fret Or restlesse payne of carking minde or gift of God then let Al ouerplus from out the corps doth nature cleane expel Hereof it cōmes that in night dreames sometimes doth Venus dwel In dreames that shew the ioyful arte and pleasaunt sporte in deede Let them more chaste than Sibels be or Nunnes of Uestal weede Of two which worthier is I aske estemed for to be The barraine bowes that frutelesse fade or else the fertile tree The ground that giueth good encrease or sand where nothing growes O thoughts of men of none effect O fond and foolish vowes Apply your selues not to despise