The pleasant fable of Hermaphroditus and Salmacis. by T. Peend Gent. With a morall in English verse

¶The pleasaunt Fable of Herma∣phroditus and Salmacis, by T. Peend. With a mor••all in Eng∣lysh Uerse.

SAME Venus once by Mercurye compress, a chylde did beare: For beuty farre excellyng all that erff before hym weare. Thys noble chylde by name was calde Hermaphroditus so, Of both hys parents names it is deryued,* 1.1 as ye kn••. Hys shape it dyd so farre excede the graces of all other: That then the countenaūce of the childe myght well dyserye hys mother. Hys portrature beuyne, it was so perfecte in eche poyncte, Hys noble lyms so fayre to syght, so set in euery ioynte, That he might seme Dame Natures w••rke' as farre for to excell: As do the Gods the shape of men, as auncyent storyes tell. As to hys face it was so fayre, and bryght wyth bewtyes shyne: That it exceld the glysteryng beames in Phaebus face deuyne.

A paterne playne to mend her moold Dame Nature there myght see. Therby appeard how merueylous the workes of god they bee. The Phrigian boy,* 1.2 by Thegle caught on Ioue tattend and wayght. Liri••pes▪ sonne Narsisus fayre, Nymphe Eccho her daynty bayte, Not Atis fyne, whych was sumtyme accepted wel wyth loue, Nor yet the boy in incest got which Venus so dyd loue.* 1.3 Al these were not to be comparde with yonge Hermaphrodite. Nor Cupide sure his brother blynde, if Poets truly wryte, Myght not with him in shape compare, but yet to fortune hee Was subiecte more then this, as we by thend may playnly see. For Cupide he doth yet now lyue a stoborne wytlesse boye: But Hermaphrodite death at laste had power for to dystroye. How be it by dolefull dome, he lost hym selfe before he dyed. Such was his lot. Yet seemes it straūge one from hym selfe to s••yed.

Some wolde not thynke that any man, myght chaunge hys nature so, That from hym selfe by desteny, he myght departe or go. How be it the straunger that it seemd, the rather dyd I choose To wryte of hym whose lot it was by ill lucke hym selfe to loose. Amonge a thousand storyes whych are worthy to be scande, In golden verse by skylfull pen, I toke thys same in hande, To shew my redy wyl to you tyll greater power in mee: As corespondent to my mynde lyke wyse it may agree. Wherfore the whylst I shall desyr•• your Maystershyp to take This same, in worthe of worthy warke, and full accompte to make, That want af wyl is not in mee, Though power therto do not agree. ¶But now thys sonne of Mercuryes in Ida mounte was fed, And fostred: thear, full fyftene yeres hys lyfe also hee led. And then desyrous for to know the state of countreys straunge,

All Licia land, by trauayle great to Caria he dyd range. Wheras vppon a tyme, what wyth hys trauayle that was great, And eke the weather being hote he weryed then wyth heate, And redy for to rest hym selfe, by chaunce he dyd espye A well, wyth water fayre and clere as Chrystall to the eye. Whych nether bushe at any tyme nor wede it ouer grew. Much lyke vnto the well it was, wherto Acteon drew, When that Diana, and her Nymphes al naked in the same He saw, by chaunce as he dyd seke hys lately coursed game. Aboute thys sprynge an idle Nymphe, fayre Salmacis dyd vse: Whych euen as soone as wyth her eies, the yonge man fayre she vewes, Strayght set on fyre: The smoldrynge heate doth strike vnto her harte, And thorow persed by the dynte, of cruell Cupydes darte. She strayght desyres with him to ioyne, her luste for to fulfyll.

She tryms her selfe, & goes foorth with for to declare her will. To whom when that she came: strayght waie With comely grace she gan to saye. O worthy child, whose shape doth shew, (as it doth seeme to mee.) That surely thou some god, and not a earthly wyght shulde bee. Ryght happy are thy parentes sure, and eke the Nurce in lap Which hath the layd oft tymes, & geuen thy louely lyps the pap. But happyest of them bothe I saye, a blessed one is shee, Whych as thy wyfe within one bead myght ioyne her selfe with thee. My dere, vouch••efe to here my ••ute, graunt my request I pray, That if you be not maryed yet then, then graunt thys I saye, That I may rest my happy lyms in blessed bed with thee, So I with Iuno for to chaunge my state wolde not agree, If thou be maryed, let me steale one turne. My harte, my ioye, She sayd, and therwyth held her peace. But lo the shame fast boye

Was dasht, and out of countenaunce cleane. he blusht as red as blood, He wyst not then what loue dyd meane. it wolde haue done one good, To see how wel the blusshyng shame, The amased boy as it became. ¶Such was his lyuely countenaunce, such was hys comely hew. Whom when the Nymphe had long be∣held, not able to subdewe Her heat affection and desyre. not able to susteyne, The force of those so feruent flames, she doth attempte agayne By other meanes to try the boy, eche practyce doth she proue. But nought at al could moue hys harte being rude, as yet to loue. She seketh to imbrace his necke, and asketh for a kysse. But then the boy resystyng her was moued much wyth thys, And sayd leue of these wanton tryckes, no lenger troble mee, Els wyll I soone be gone, and leue the place and all with thee. Then Salmacis afrayde, dyd make as thence she wolde be gone.

But in a bushe harde by the same, she hyd her selfe anon. The boy thought now that al was safe from shame as yet now free Does of hys clothes, and thynketh sure that none the same doth see. And lyke a wanton Kyd he skyppes and in the mead doth run. Then in the well, to bathe hys feete, he so at fyrst begon But thus at last the water cleare it doth delyght hym so. He geues hys body to the streames and wadeth to and fro, And further foorth with softely foote he doth begyn to go. ¶At last wyth armes out stretched hee hys body clene doth dyp. By swīming, through the siluer stremes hys yuery corps doth slyp. The Nimph this while, beholdyng him, no longer then could staye, But of her mantel being throwne she wold leape in strayght way. The boy amyd the waues doth swym as whyte as any snow. No swan could seme more whyte thē he that euer any sawe.

The Nimphe her hart doth pant w^t ••oy, shee scant abydes to staye, Untyll her garmentes all were of. shee plyeth so her praye. Euen as the eger mastyue Dogge, whom scant hys keper stayes, But at the bayted Beare he stryues for to be gone alwayes. Euen as the Hauke doth ba••e, when that shee sees the Partryge spronge: So Salmacis, to her it seemes Eche tyme it is to longe, That lets her from the pray. But loe, as mery as a Pye, The boy doth friske and play, he thyncks that none may hym espye. But as the ••are within her fourme, when shee doth feare no ill: The hounde is on her sodeynlye, then prest the foole to kyll. So Salmacis vnto her praye, into the water goes: As though that then for al the worlde her luste she wolde not lose. Not to perswade hym how she meanes, as shee dyd erst before: But now sheys prest her lust to serue, or els to dye therfore.

She it to folly so full inclynde: That nothing then might chaunge her mind. ¶But lo the boy, as soone as he dyd theare the Nymphe espy, Euen as the lytle Roche wyth synnes out reched fast both fiye, The rau••nyng Pyke, which after hym in greater hast doth hye: So vp and downe the springe they flete, the one hym selfe to saue. The Nymph, her ioy by spoyle doth seke of ••hother for to haue. The flyghtfull boy, lyke as the Hare, for lyfe the Hounde doth flie, The Nymphe alwaies euen as the hoūd, when he doth come so nye, That euē his nose may touche her heles: he gyrdeth foorth amayne, With gaping mouth, being alwaies like hys pray for to obteyne. The Nimphe dyd dryue him vp so neare, that euen of force at laste He is compeld for to resyste, and stryue for hym as faste, Her rage by strength for to suppresse. she forseth on hym so,

That weryed nyghe the tender boye, he wotes not what to do. To stryue he is compeld, or els to yelde agaynst hys wyll Unto hys foe, whych forceth so, her lust for to fulfyll. And yet some women say, that they be innocentes, god wot. Thys nycy Nymphe doth now dysplay whether it be true or not. In goodnes symple sure they be, Els subtle ynoughe I warrant ye ¶So nyce and fyne, before the tyme thys weakyng Nymph dyd seme, That force and myght to breake an egge in her ye wolde scantly deme. And yet by force, she kepeth now the yonge man at a baye: As in a corner doth a dogge kepe vp the stryuyng graye. And then at last espyenge well aduantage fyt therto, She catcheth hym about the necke as lothe to let hym go. Euen as the Iuye wyndes aboute the tree, so doth she claspe The body of the stryuing boye: which trembled lyke the Aspe.

Euen as the Crab in cruell clawes when he hath caught hys foe: With grype doth gyrd him so as though he shulde not scape hym fro. Euen so the Nimph (though Venus sonne do as he may resyste. In wordes protestyng playne how that she shal not haue her lyste.) Yet hopyng wel, with pre••••yng wayght she cleueth to hym so: That thoughe he stryue and wrythe, she sweares he shal not from her go. Wher••ore (thou froward hoy) the saies, now strogle on t••y fyll. But now by force I wyl obtayne, that shal content my wyll. Thou shalt not scape me sure. Go to with stoberne stryuyng styll. With pressed lyps perforce to hym an hundred kysses she Doth geue, wherby it may appere, she lyked hys companie. This sayd. Unto the heauens on hyghe she lifteth vp her eyes, And sayth, o Gods that see all thynges and syt aboue the skyes, ••raunt that thys wylfull boye may neuer parte fro mee.

But let vs styll in one remayne. the Gods they dyd agree To her request. And Venus then being moued wyth theyr mone, She dyd vouchsafe to ioyne theyr bodyes both in one. One countenaunce dyd set foorth a thynge full straunge to see, A man and woman both wyth one corps to agree: And yet the same no parfecte man, nor woman for to bee. ¶But now, when that Hermaphrodite dyd see in water playne, He entred lyke a man therin, and shulde come foorth agayne But halfe a man. Hym selfe he loste. Hys fortune it was so. Wherfore he lyfted vp hys handes, and prayde hys parentes to, That who so euer entreth here, hys lot lykewyse may bee: That he to man and woman both, in shape may so agree. Theyr parents hard the plaint, y^• which theyr doble shaped sonne Had made, And so wyth vertue straūge, the sprynge was spred anone.

Thus both in wysh they did agree: And now contentyd well they bee.

NOw, Ouid here myght seeme to some, a tryflyng tale to tell. But yet it shewes a worthy s••nce, if it be marked we••l. The Poets vse in pleasaunt toyes great wysdome for to s••ew. A subtle sence thys tale doth beare, al be it perceyude of few. By Venus, sonne here vnderstand, such Youthes as yet be greene, And from the spot of fylthy luste the sprynglynges that be clene, which yet haue not enthrald thē selfes vnto affection vyle. Nor know the poyson strong, y^• subtle baite, which louers doth begile. Euen such as newly haue cast of a boy, and entred in A yonge mans age. Such one as dothe to know hym selfe begin. Of age well able for to rule hym selfe without agu••de. Such one as first into worlde begynneth for to slyde,

To lerne and see the trades of men, to chose the good from ill. By yonge Hermaphrodite, such one here vnderstande we will. By C••••ia, sygny••ye the worlde where all temptations be. Wheras the good and i••, alwayes together we may see. By Salmacis, intende eche vyce that mou••th one to ill. And by the spring the pleasant sporte, that doth content the wyll. So that when any yonge man fyrste without a guyde or staye, Doth enter in the world so wyde, vnskylfull of the waye, Not knowyng yet the wylye bayte, nor the temptations vyle, Wherby the subtle sorte oft tymes the ••ely do beguyle: He blyndly runneth on ech wheare, and doubtryng of none ill: Because hym selfe he meaneth none, he thynckes that no man wyll (do otherwyse.) And so, by pleasaunt shape of vyce deceyued all vnware, He drownes hym selfe in fylthy sinne, •• taken in the snare.

The more he striues, entangled once the faster he is in. Such is the nature of the ••ayte, and sleyght of that same gyn. But after that he is deceyued: by practy•••• to hys payne, More wyse, alwayes he wil beware to come in lyke agayne. Then wil be ioye to see his wyshe, on others in like sorte, Which plunged be in pensyue payne, whylst that they seke for sporte. A man is sayde to lose hym selfe, when reason quyte exilde, Enthrald in slauysh wee, he is constrayned for to ye••••de To lust, and wyl. dame reasons rules (whych styll shuld rule our race.) Reiected quyte, to affec••yons: we geue the grounde and place. And lyke to beastes, esteming more to serue our sensuall ••ust, And to adorne the body braue, whych shal consume to dust, More lefe then for to decke the mynd which is imortall sure. Such is our beastly nature blynd: so is our lust vnpure.

So we our cheefe and greatest Good, the treasure of our minde, Do lose, and so to slauysh luste, our nature free we bynd. And seruauntes bond vnto our wyll, we warke our wretched woe. So one may lose hym selfe, and be vnto hym selfe a foe. So do we chaunge the happy hope of euerlastyng ioye, Euen for the present pastyme, whych our selues doth moste anoye. We chaunge our nature cleane, being made effemynat. When we do yeeld to serue our lust, we lose our former state. It is the nature of that well, that fylthy lothsome lake, Of lust, the strengthe from lusty men by hydden force to take: And so it may now playne appere, the Poet thus dyd tell. As many as hereafter shall once enter in thys well Of vyce. He shalbe weakned so. Hys nature sure he shall forgo. ¶Thus muche here of, as my rude Muse doth vnderstand the mind

Of Ouid, by thys pleasaunt tale, no further sence I fynde.

BUt nowe the fletynge fancyes fonde, and eke the shuttle wyttes: The mad desyres of women now, theyr rage in folysh fyts I wyl dysplay. Thys Nymphe, y^• boy, dyd for hys bew••y loue, For euen the sodeyne syght of hym, dyd her affectyon moue. And Eccho shee Narcissus yonge euen for his bewtyes sake, Did choose amonge all other youthes to be her faythful make. Medea and Hypsiph••le, dyd loue ••ason so, Euen for hys louely face, that they wolde from theyr countreyes go, And leue their parentes & their frēdes to go, and be wyth hym, Which to them both, not longe a go had erst a straunger bene. Demophon by hys semely shape, dyd lyke fayre Phyllys eyes. And Dido she Eneas braue therfore dyd loue lykewyse.

And in lyke sorte dyd ende her lyfe, when that she myght no more Enioye her ioyfull luste as shee was wonte some tyme before. It semed death, what so dyd them deuorse their louers fro. Fayre Helen, Menelaus wy••e. To Paris fine also Dyd ye••ld, with him to Phrigian towne a straunger for to go. To Paris armes her selfe she toke: And Menelaus olde forsoke. ¶The lusty gerle began to lothe, such sage pastyme as hee Could make. She rather chose with Paris y••nge to bee. The learned Sapho did some time to comely Phaon sue For grace. And Biblis, she her brother dyd pursue (For bew••ye that in him did shine. She folowed him therfore So longe: till that her faynting lims could cary her no more. King Nisus d••ughter dere also, fayre Sylla was beguilde, By Minos yellow shinyng heare, whiche as her foe in feilde:

Againste the walles of Megaris, dyd be are hys seemely sheilde. And yet kynge Minos wyfe, was of another mynde. In Taurus blacke ill faced ••yre, more pleasure she dyd fynde, The captains rousy skuffe, black pol, to her so fayre did seme▪ That she her husbandes go••den heare dyd not so much esteme. The Emperour Othons doughter dere A delasie dyd so Regarde the lyuely Al••ran, that she wyth hym did go To countreyes straunge▪ content by hazarde of her lyfe, Agaynst the wyll of all her freindes, for to become hys wyfe. With pryncelyke lyfe, for hym alone an Empyre she wolde lose. With hym to leade a symple lyfe much rather she dyd chose. All pleasures in the worlde, in hym alone she then dyd take. Al freindes, for hym alone also she gladly dyd forsake. With hym for nede right wel she was contented coles to make.

To couche in cotage lowe, on symple foode to fare. For all the world, excepted hym, she toke no kynde of care. He was her blysse. Her ioye was hee. And nothing els estemed shee. ¶And Hero fayre vnto her feare, Leander fyne dyd take. And Thishe she dyd kyll her selfe for comely Pirames sake. Orestes lyuely lookes, dyd much Hermione delyghte. Kyng Tancreds, doughter Gysmond, dyd loue Guistardes bewty bryght. The Nymphes dyd Hiacinthus, for hys seemely shape desire. Hys louely chere ful, soone did set theyr youthly hartes on fyre. And Iuliet, Romeus yonge, for bewty dyd imbrace, Yet dyd hy•• manhode well agree, vnto hys worthy grace. So seemely shape dyd loue procu••e: And Venu•• byrdes came to the lure. ¶〈◊〉〈◊〉 Aphrodite dame so coye 〈◊〉〈◊〉 loue Adonis so, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 she wyth hym, alwayes ••••••tented was to go▪

In slender hand, the craggy bowe she did vouchsafe to beare, And run a huntyng after hym, to kyll the flyghtfull Deare. The stoberne boy, blynd Cupide here, with shaft, did strike his mother dere. ¶Sythe bewtyes grace, as pleasaunt baite, these ladies did deceiue. What did Adonis mother, in her father olde perceyue: Why she shuld seke by incest vyle, Her mothers bed for to defyle. ¶What flynging fyt dyd force her so? what mad desyre doth moue Her thus? why shulde she seke an olde and cancred lad to loue? And why dyd Phaedra sue vnto her boystous sonne in lawe, Hypolite blunt (being rude to loue) vnto her lust to drawe. Why did hys ferce & frownyng face, hys harde complexion seeme To her a fayre and manlyke hewe. what made her so to deme? Syth beutyes goodly grace, somtyme so well it lyked her, That the aboue her countrey, dyd yonge Theseus prefer.

Her sister Ariadne aye, hys shape estemed so: That she her brother did betray, and fled her parentes fro. Such be the fond and frantike fits which in the blinded brayne Of wanton women often times, with swinging swey doth reigne. And Venus eke, which liked so Ad••nis louely grace, Tha•• she from hym wolde not abide in anye place. In warlike Mars that blody knight: Sometime also she did delyght. ¶Sith she for comely bewty then, these lustie youthes dyd loue. To marry with dame Iunoes sonne what od conceyt did moue Her so: to serue that grislie sire, the Coper••mith deformde. Whom Nature neither with good grace, nor learning had adornd. But euen a rude & boystous carle. whose colour in his face: A Croyden sangwine right did seme. This is a doubtfull case. That she which erst did seke so muche for bewtyes goodly grace,

To loue Adonis faire alone, shulde seke sometime to imbrace Syr Vulcane, wi••h his drousie poll, A smyth whych did on stythy, towl, ¶I dare not sure disolue thys doubt. I feare to iudge on thys. To haue to do wyth gods aboue, how do unge••ous it is: Tiresias olde, which was sometyme a Iudge of Iunoes game. In iestyng stryfe, for tellyng trueth the Iudge dyd beare the blame. He loste hys syght, for iudgyng right. O Iudg vnwise, thou knowest y^• price Of telling trueth, more was y^• ••uoth. Tiresias, thou Prophet olde, whych hadst the grace, for to vnfolde, the secrets hyd of thynges to come: Though Iuno shee, did make the blind, Yet loue to thee, was not vnkynd. He dyd restore, as good therfore. Thy lacke of sight, thy knowledg doth Right wel aquight. That is the troth. For by the same, vnto the skyes, Thy worthy name, it dyd aryse. How be it I, am not so bolde With iudgement thys for to vnfolde. The Goddesse gra••e I more regarde:

Then hope, to haue of loues reward. For doubt of blame, I dare not say Or shew the same, whych erst alway I thought. For sure, if I may chose, Dame Venus loue I wyll not lose. Sith mē bear blame, for telling troth: To shew the same I wolde be loth. Wherfore now I, wil cease to writ. And you hardly, by iudgement ryght, As one exempt from Venus might: May be more bolde, thys to vnfolde. And so to you, I leue it now, that this moste weyghty doubt: At further leasure (when you lyste) your selfe may fynde it out.

T. D. Peend.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Herm••s and A¦phrodite, Androg¦nus.
• * 1.2

  ••amini∣••es sonne ••f Trois 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ynge of ••roye.
• * 1.3

  Adonis ••••nne of Mirr••a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 her 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••in••ra••.