Hypnerotomachia. = The strife of loue in a dreame

[illustration]

Poliphilus being thus distempered in this daungerous and obscure wood, at length getteth foorth, and being come to a faire Riuer, indeuo∣ring to rest himselfe and coole his heate, he heard a most delightful harmonie, which made him forget to drinke, and followe after the voice, which brought him to a woorse perplexitie.

FEare and desire of freedome thus occupy∣ing my sences, my vnderstanding was blin∣ded, neyther did I knowe whether it were better for mee eyther to wishe for hated death, or in so dreadfull a place to hope for desired life. Thus euery way discontent, I did indeuour, with all force and diligence to get foorth, wherin the more I did striue the more I found my selfe intangled, and

so infeebled with wearinesse, that on euery side I feared, when some cruell beast should come and deuoure me, or els vnawares to tumble downe into some deepe pit or hollow place.

Wherefore more trembling then in mustulent Autume be the yealow coulored leaue, hauing left their moisture, being thorow∣lye searched with the furious north winde, I lifted vp my hart to God, desiring as Achemenides being afraide of the horrible Cyclops rather to be slaine by the hands of Aeneas his enemie, rather then to suffer so odious a death.

And my deuoute prayer, sincerely vnited to a contrite heart, powring out a fountaine of teares with a stedfast beliefe to be de∣liuered. I found my selfe in a short space gotten at libertie, like a new day crept out of a darke and tempestuous night. My eyes before vsed to such obumbrated darkenes, could scarse abide to behould the light, thorow watery sadnes. Neuerthelesse glad I was to see the light: as one set at libertie, that had beene chayned vp in a deepe dungeon and obscure darkenesse. Verye thirstie I was, my clothes torne, my face and hands scratched and netteled, and withall so extreamely set on heate, as the fresh ayre seemed to doe me more hurt then good, neither did it any waye ease my body, desirous to keepe his new recouered scope and libertie.

And after that I had a little rowsed vp my mynde, and som∣moned together my sences in some better sort: I sought a meanes to quench my inordinate thyrst, procured and increased through innumerable sighes, and extreame labour of body. Thus casting my eyes with a diligent regarde about the plaine, to finde some Fountaine whereat I might refresh my selfe: a pleasant spring or head of water, did offer it selfe vnto me, with a great vayne boy∣ling vp, about the which did growe diuers sweet hearbes and wa∣ter flowers, and from the same did flowe a cleare and chrystalline current streame, which deuided into diuers branches, ran thorow the desart wood, with a turning and winding body, receyuing in∣to it other little channels, vnlading themselues.

In whose courses the stones lift vp by nature, and trunkes of trees denyed any longer by their roots to be vpholden, did cause a stopping hinderance to their current and whuzing fall, which still augmented by other vndissonant torrents, from high and fertlesse mountaines in the plaine, shewed a beautifull brightnes and soft passing course, to the which short windedly comming, by

meanes of my fearefull flight. I did see a little obscure light, tho∣row the tops of the high trees, somewhat deuiding themselues ouer the water, and with the rest of their bodyes and branches, as it were seperating the heauens from my lifted vp eyes. A horrible place to be in, vnaccompanyed of any creature.

And suddainly hearing the fall of trees, through the force of a whyrle winde, & noise of the broken bowghes, with a redoubled and hoarse sound a farre of, and yet brought to the eccho of the water thorow the thick wood, I grew into a new astonishment.

And at this instant thus terrified and afflycted, and yet with∣out any receiued hurt, being vpon my knees bowed downe, and inclosing the hollownesse of my hand, therewith determined to make me a necessary drinking vessel: I had no sooner put the same into the water, offring to my mouth the long desired moysture, thereby to refrygerate and coole the extreame heate of my burn∣ing heart, which at that time would haue beene more acceptable vnto me, then eyther Hypanis and Ganges be to the Indians, Tigris or Euphrates to the Armenians, or Xeylus to the Aethiopian nation, or to the Egyptians his innundation, in bybing theyr burnt and rosted mould, or yet the riuer Po to the Ligurians.

Euen then also it fell so out, that I had no sooner taken water into the palme of my hand, offering the same to my open mouth, ready to receiue it: I heard a doricall songe, wherewith I was as greatly delighted, as if I had heard the Thracian Thamiras, which thorough my eares presented it selfe to my vnquiet heart, with so sweete and delectable a deliuerie, with a voyce not terrestriall, with so great a harmonie and incredible a fayning shrilnesse, and vnusuall proportion, as is possible to bee imagined by no tounge sufficiently to be commended. The sweetnes whereof so greatly delighted me, as thereby I was rauished of my remembrance, and my vnderstanding so taken from me, as I let fall my desired water thorough the loosned ioynts of my feeble hands.

And then euen as a birde, which through the sweetnes of the call forgetteth to remember the Fowlers deceit, so I letting slip that which nature stood in need of, hastened my selfe back with all speed, towarde that attractiue melodie, which the more I coa∣sted, the further it seemed still from me, sometime heere, some∣times there, and still as I shifted places, so the same also chaunged with a delectable voyce and heauenly consent. Thus vainly run∣ning

vp and downe, I knew not after what, I grew more wearie, faint, and drye, and so feeble, that my legges could but with great paine, vphould my distempered body. And my grieued spirits vnabled long to support the same, what with the feare that I had bin in, what with extreame thirst, what with long and wilesome trauell, and what with doubting the worst that might insue. Thus hote, faint, and drye: I knew not what to do but euen to procure rest for my weary member. I marueled first at this straunge acce∣dent, and was amazed at this inhumane harmonye, but most of all in that I was in a straunge contry, and vninhabited, being one∣lye fertill and beawtyfull to behould, besydes that I greatly sor∣rowed for the losse of the fayer ryuer which I had so greatly labo∣red to finde out, and now so lightly and carelesly to haue lost the benifit thereof. In this sort I was houlden in an intrycate minde of doubts, at length ouercome with all kinde of greefes, my whole bodye trembling and languishinge vnder a broade and mightye Oke full of Acornes, standing in the middest of aspatious and large green meade, extending forth his thicke and leauie armes to make a coole shadowe, vnder whose bodye breathing I rested my selfe vppon the deawye hearbes, and lying vppon my left syde I drewe my breath in the freshe ayre more shortly betwixt my drye and wrinckled lips, then the weary running heart, pin∣ched in the haunche and struck in the brest, not able any longer to beare vp his weighty head, or sustaine his body vpon his bow∣ing knees, but dying prostrates himselfe. And lying thus in such an agonie, I thought vpon the strifes of weake fortune, and the inchauntments of the malicious Cyrces, as if I had by hir charmes and quadranguled plaints, been bereaued of my sences. In these such so great & exceeding doubts: O hi me where might I there among so many dyuerse and sundry sorts of hearbes, finde the Mercurial Moli with his blacke roote, for my helpe and remedie. Againe me thought that it was not so with me. What then? euen a hard appoyntment to delay my desi••ed death. And thus remay∣ning in these pernitious thoughts, my strength debylitated: I looked for no other helpe, but to drawe and receiue fresh ayre into that brest, which panted with a small remainder of vytall warmnesse, taking into my hands halfe aliue, as my last refuge, the moyst and bedewed leaues, preserued in the coole shadow of the greene Oke: putting the same to my pale and drye lippes, with a

greedy desire in licking of them to satisfie my distempred mouth with theyr moisture, wishing for such a wel as Hypsipyle(a) shewed the Grecians: Fearing least that vnawares as I had ruffled in the wood I were bitten with the serpent Dipsa(b) my thirst was so vn∣supportable. Then renuing my oulde cogitations: as I lay vnder this mightie Oke: I was oppressed with emynent sleepe ouer all my members: where againe I dreamed in this sorte.

Notes

• Moly an herb greatly com∣mended of Homer, and thought to be souereigne a∣gainst in∣chauntments of moderne authors alto∣gether vn∣knowne.
• (a)

  Hypsipile was daughter to Thaos king of Lemnos, who alone when all wo∣men of that Iland had slaine their husbands & kinsmen, sa∣ued hir fa∣ther: she also shewed the Grecians the fountaine Langia in the wood of Ne∣mea in Achaia where Hercu∣les slue a lion.
• (b)

  Dipsa a kind of snakes that Lucan mentioneth, whose byting procureth extreame dry¦nes or thirste.