The epigrams of P. Virgilius Maro, and others. With the praises of him and his workes. Also his epitaphs composed by diuers illustrious persons. And lastly, the arguments of his workes. Englished by I.P. louer of learning.

THE EPIGRAMS of VIRGIL, and others.

The praise of the Garden.

FRom greatest Ioue, ye Muses that doe spring, The Gardens praise, come helpe me all to sing, With wholsome food the hungry flesh it fils, And diuers fruits affords to him that tils: Sweet Pot-herbs, and of many kinds more deare, Delicious Grapes, and what the Trees doe beare: Nor does the Garden speciall pleasures want; But those it hath, with profits nothing scant; The murmuring glassie Brooke the same besets, Whose Seeds the furrow-guided water wets:

With diuers-colour'd buds gay flowers abound, With gemmy glories garnishing the ground; The gainefull Bees with gentle noise doe hum, Flowers tops or new dews gathering where they come; The fertile Vine, th'Elme her Yoke-fellow lades, And with her Branches th'others wouen shades, Faire-shady-sheltring Bowers the Trees doe yeeld vs, And their thicke boughs from Phoebus parching shield vs, Sweet sounds, the pratling Birds abroad doe send, Their Songs, our Eares, alluring to attend; The Garden doth excite, deteine, feed, please, And our sad minds of heauy sorrowes ease, Brings vigour to our bodies, cheeres our sight, With fuller fauours doth our paines requite, And giues the trimmer manifold delight.

2. Of Wine and Women.

LEt not the loue of wine or women seize thee, For wine and women both alike disease thee: As Venus mars the strength, so Bacchus flowing, Workes weaknesse in our feet, and trips our Going. Many, their secrets through blinde Loue detect, And Drunkennesse doth worke the like effect, Fierce loue is often cause of deadly war, So copious Cups not seldome make vs iar. With fearefull fight, vile Venus wasted Troy, So Bacchus, thou the Lapithes didst destroy: In short, when either doth mans minde possesse, He's void of goodnesse, feare, and shamefastnesse. In bonds Lyaeus, fettring Venus, binde, Least thou, i'th gifts of either damage finde:

Wine slakes our thirst, Lust for creation serues, Beyond these bounds he suffers harme that swerues.

3. Of Enuie.

ENuy, a poison of corrupting power, In wicked men (whose bosomes it conteine) The bones vntouch't, the marrow doth deuoure, And drinkes vp all their bloud through euery veine; For he that doth anothers Fortune spight, Becomes his owne Tormenter, as by right.

His heauy griefes, with Groanes he doth vnfold: He sighs, he frets, his Teeth together hits; Beholding what he hates, he sweats with cold, And from his euill mouth, blacke venim spits, His eie-lids a pale fearefull colour takes, And bare his Bones vnhappy leannesse makes.

To him, nor light, nor diet seemeth sweet, No drinke delights him, nor the taste of Wine, Though Ioue himselfe should deigne his lips to greet, With propination from his cup diuine. Or Hebe reach and serue the same vnto him, Or Ganimede with profer'd Nectar wooe him.

He neuer sleepe enioyes, or bosome-peace, That bloudy Torturer his bowels vexeth, And mouing secret furies doth increase, Flames of Erynnis that his heart perplexeth, And Titius-like, within him he doth finde, A vulture that doth rend and eat his minde.

Close in his pining breast doth liue a wound, Which not the hand of Chiron can make sound: Nor Phoebus, or his Ofspring most renownd.

4 Of the Syrens charmes.

VArietie of Songs and Heauy notes Were wont to issue from the Syrens throtes: Their voyces and their warbling Muse did moue, All tunes that pleasant Thymele did loue: That which the Trumpet and hoarse Horne laments, That which the Pipe sounds with a thousand vents: What the light Reeds, or what sweet Aedon can, What the Harpe yeeldeth, or the dying Swan: Shipmen with measures musicall prouokde, In flouds Ionian they haue often chokde. Vlysses great from Sisiphus descended Safely, by this Art onely, his defended: Subtly with wax his fellowes eares he shut, And his owne hands in manicles he put; The Rocks and dangerous shores his nauy past, And in the Sea themselues the Syrens cast. Thus flattring Notes and Songs he ouer went, And rauishing Monsters into ruine sent.

5 Of the birth day of Asmenus.

TItan come forth with vnoffended light, And cheerfull Morne greet all with heauen bright. You young men also, kinde in heart and voice, With happy vowes this Holy day reioyce.

That it returning prosperous euery yeare, His children, gifts to him with ioy may beare.

6 Of Orpheus.

THe Thracian Poet with sweet Harpe is thought In sauage Beasts, milde motions to haue wrought, And stayd the waters, as they past along, The senslesse Rockes alluring with a song, And Trees attending such sweet-sounding Layes, Him, as they say, one shadow'd in his wayes: Yea more, he made, by pleasing speeches, milde, And ciuill, by lips learned, people wilde: To one Societie this Orpheus brought them, Polisht their Manners rude, and Iustice taught them.

7 Of Gaming.

HAte Lucre, mad Desire doth deeply grieue: Old men flie Fraud; vnskill'd, the skill'd beleeue. Gamesters, their mindes must with their money lay: Shun spightfull Strife, when thou art queld in play: Play ye secure that still haue coyne in store: Who comes in monyed, so departs no more. Couetous Gamesters goe by weeping Crosse: Good men loue peace; leaue Anger, hauing losse, No man in Game can euer luckie bee; Wrath make the Furies, Foure, at first but Three. Chastise thy raging spirits, true to play: Timely fly fighting, and put Ire away.

8 Of the Letter y.

THis Two-horn'd letter of Pythagoras Seemes to do denote, how Men their liues doe passe: Steepe on the Right hand, Vertues way is bent, Which at first sight hard entrance doth present, Yet giues the wearied Rest, when they attaine The highest Top: the left way broad and plaine Shewes a soft iourney, but the bounds at last Captiu'd, by steepe Rockes, headlong all doe cast: For whosoere for Vertues loues endures, Both praise and honour to himselfe procures: But he that artlesse Luxury pursues, Or Sloth, and labour offerd doth refuse With inconsiderate minde, his time shall spend In shame and want, and reape a wretched end.

9 Of the 12. Labours of Hercules.

CLeone saw him first the Lion fell, Next Lerna's serpent, Shaft and fire did quell. After with life th'Erymanthian Bore did part, Which done, of golden hornes he reft the Hart. Those won, the Birds of Stymphalus he foild, Then th'Amazonian of her Belt he spoild. By seuenth toyle he purg'd a Stable full, By eighth, he triumpht in th'expulsed Bull. By ninth, both Horse and Master he confounded, For Geryons end, Spaine his tenth glory sounded. Apples of Gold were his eleuenth gaines, And Pluto's Porter period of his paines. 〈1 page missing〉〈1 page missing〉

12 A good Man.

A Wise good man, (where wisdomes God in many, Yea many thousands hath found hardly any) Himselfe doth censure and search euery where, And what Repute with all sorts he doth beare: Round, like the World, abiding, and secure, Lest his plague Out-side blemish doe endure: He weighes in Cancer, when the day-light ends How farre the night in Capricorne extends. And with iust Ballance himselfe poyseth well, Lest either Cleft appeare or Angle swell; That all his parts may equally befit, And that the Plumbe line may not swerue a whit, He must be sollid all; no emptinesse, Let erring fingers force in him expresse. Let not his Eye lids be to sleepe inclinde, Ere he his daies whole actions call to minde; What he hath slipt, what done, in, out of season; Why this fact wanted comelinesse, that reason: What I haue past: why this opinion stood, Which for me to haue chang'd, it had beene good: Why pittying him that feels wants bittersmart, I suffered Griefe with an effeminate heart. Why would what I should not, and why gaine, Rather then goodnesse did I entertaine. Whether in Speech or Lookes harsh any knew me; Why Nature more then Learnings vertue drew me: Thus passing through, what he hath sayd and done; And, not long after Setting of the Sun, All things reuoluing, with the Bad offended, He giues the Palme to th'Good by him commended.

13 Of the ages of diuers liuing

creatures. THe life of Man most commonly outweares, Being complete, fourescore and sixteene yeares: And these, nine times exceeds the pratling Crow; Yet doth the Hart that age foure times o're goe: And thrice his yeeres expirde, the Rauen dies: But those, the Phoenix nine times multiplies: Yet th'Hamadriades Nymphs, past compare, Breathe nine times longer then that Bird so rare. Those creatures vitall fates these bounds restraining, The rest God knowes, the secret Age ordaining.

Some men set before them these two others.

AHedge three yeeres, a Dog, three hedges courses: A Horse, three Dogs; a Man out-liues three Horses.

14 Of the Muses inuentions.

CLio things done doth afterwards reherse, Melpomene shewes all in Tragicke verse. To wanton words her minde Thalia bends, Sweet sounds from hollow reeds Euterpe sends. Terpsichore, loue with Harpe moues, rules, augments. With songs, lookes, dances, Erato contents.

Calliope indites heroicke lines. Vrania notes heauens motions, starres and signes. Speaking with gesture Polymneia stands, And figures all things with her learned hands. These on all parts Apollo's vertue guides, And he ith'midst, embracing all, abides.

Of the same in prose.

• Clio inuented Histories.
• Melpomene inuented Tragedies
• Thalia inuented Comedies.
• Euterpe inuented Flutes and such like.
• Terpsichore inuented The Harpe.
• Erato inuented Geometrie.
• Calliope inuented Letters.
• Vrania inuented Astrologie.
• Polymneia. inuented Rhetoricke.

15 Of our Image in the water.

Distichs varied 12. seuerall wayes.

1

THe looker sees his lookes in water cleare, As in an obiect-myrror they appeare.

2

Pure formes from water to the sight doe passe, As from the splendour of a looking glasse.

3

The fountaine represents our likenesse right, Such as the steele-glasse, which is plaine and bright.

4

Still Waters, figures opposite, no lesse Then myrrours through their brightnesse, doe expresse.

5

Springs voyde of mud dissemble our Aspects, As each bright myrrors orbe the same reflects.

6

Cleare Water is the chrystall mirrors ape, For either to Spectators tels their shape.

7

Fountaines most cleare shew faces seeming true, Like Glasse, that women, for their dressing, view.

8

As the Beholders forme, Steele-glasses take, So Formes their Image in the water make.

9

Feign'd Shapes in Conduit-heads, the Right ingender, As to each face, the Glasse a face doth render.

10

The Spring vntroubled Shape for Shape doth yeeld, As Substance, Shadowes in a Glassie field.

11

Bodies in quiet Springs are seene againe: As Images appeare in Mirrors plaine.

12

The Viewer viewes himselfe in glassie Brookes, As in that brittle stuffe, whereon he lookes.

16 Of a Riuer Frozen.

Distichs varied 12. seuerall wayes.

1

WHere Ships did vse to plow, yok'd Oxen drew, When once hard Winter did the Waters glew.

2

The Floud beares Wheels, where Shipmen sails did strike So soone as Frost congeales it Marble-like.

3

Hardned with Winters cold, the Waters bore Waines drawne with Oxen, that Ships cut before.

4

To solid Ice the Riuer being chang'd, Indures the Wheele, where fleeting vessels rang'd.

5

The Carres, where Ships were wont, haue past the flood, Since, turn'd to Ice, like Marble it hath stood.

6

A road for Carres, where Ships did run, is made, With Frost the Waters being firmly laid.

7

In place of Ships the Trackt of Wheeles is found, Since Icy Winter the loose Waters bound.

8

Yok'd Oxen draw the Waine where Ships did reele, Winds hauing hardned Waues to beare the Wheele.

9

The Beast now drags where Mariners did sound, The Riuer being turn'd to massie ground.

10

The Streame with cold extreme now firme abiding, Beares vp the the Waine where Ships were lately riding.

11

No sooner be the Waues by Boreas quaild, But we driue Oxen, where before we saild.

By the Translatour to make vp a dozen.

Now Carters play their parts where Saylers acted, To a firme Stage, Frost hauing Waues contracted.

17 Of Iris or the Rainbow.

Distichs varied 12. seuerall wayes.

1

IRis in diuers hues her selfe arrayes, And flies with painted Bow through cloudy wayes, When Sol thereon hath cast his burning rayes.

2

When Phoebus fills the olouds with radiant light, With diuers colours Iris comes in sight, Adorning heauen with her compasse bright.

3

In clouds Thaumantias brightly shining raignes, From whence a picturde vaile Heauens visage gaines, When once the Sunne a rainy showre attaines.

4

The hot Suns light wet clouds no sooner weare, But many-figur'd Iris doth appeare, And therewith beautifies the welkin cleare.

5

While Sunne and showrie clouds nought keeps asunder, The Raine doth sundry figures forme thereunder, Which we the Raine-bow call, and view with wonder.

6

If to darke clouds the Sun his Beames obiect, And to the showre opposd their light reflect, Those clouds with colours are by Iris deckt.

7

The Raine-bow girts the clouds with wondrous Art, Which Phoebus reaching on the aduerse part, Rare colours through the same doth subtly dart.

8

Where Phoebus with his Beames moyst clouds out-faceth, Iris, whom many a glorious colour graceth, With comely Orbe the cloudy skie embraceth.

9

On watry clouds if Sol his lustre throw, Then does the liquid humour shine below, And we behold a varie-figur'd Bow.

10

The gathering showre dissolu'd by Phoebus beames, Iris, so called in Greeke, thereunder streames, Decking heauens Cope with many-colour'd leames.

11

Colour'd is Jris through light vnder laid, Which of a showry cloud the Sun hath made, When with his Heate the Wet is ouer-swayd.

12

With light when Sol hath fill'd a rainy Cloud, Straight Iris like a semi-circle, bow'd, Shines forth with many-figur'd parts endow'd.

18 Of the rising of the Sun.

Tetrastichs varied 12. seuerall wayes.

1

MOrne came from Sea, as vaild with Saffron bright, And on her two-wheeld Chariot blushing sat; The candent Orbe the pole bespred with light, And shining with cleare beames vp Phoebus gat.

2

Forth walks Aurora in a Rosie robe, Dying with orient light the Starry round: And Sol from Tethis lap, this Earthly globe, Comes to illumine with beames glory crown'd.

3

The golden Sun from th'Ocean raisd his head, And then through heauen the stars appeard no more: With reuerence to his brightnesse, darknesse fled, And light to all things did their hue restore.

4

The Earth by Tithon's ruddy-colourd spouse, With rosie light is dide, and starry skie, When Phoebus, from the deepe his horse doth rowze, With firie wheeles, and makes the starres to flie.

5

Night, whom a veile of starres doth faire adorne, Returnes amaine perceiuing day to rise, And Phoebus in his golden chariot borne, Makes all things here seeme glorious in our eyes.

6

With rosie haire the golden Morne appeard, And Earth was moistned with an early dew, When Sol himselfe from Tethis bosome reard, With flaming visage, and eye-dazling hew.

7

Titan dispersing ore Seas, Earth, and Aire, His glistring light, now forth againe is ridden: The Starres forbeare to shine with golden haire, And sable Nox her twinkling fires hath hidden.

8

Sol with his lustre from the Ocean-streames, Rearing his chariot, hath restor'd the day, And, by reducing his flammigerous beames, To heauen and earth, hath driuen the star resaway.

9

The Skie faire Memnons mother hauing dide, And with her rosie hands the Starres exilde, Now from the Sea Latona's sonne is hy'd, Whose Orbe the day and aire hath reconcilde.

10

Blushing Aurora vsher'd Phoebus Carre, And he his Coursers from the Ocean brought, Whose rayes de pelling each night-wandring Starre, Dayes restitution to all mankinde wrought.

11

Dayes charriot scarce had made the Welkin red, And new dewes topt the flowers, herbs, and weeds, When Phoebus left his louers watry bed, And Starres gaue place to his flame-bearing steeds.

12

Titans faire daughter with Ambrosian weed, Her white feet shadowes, from the Sea ascended; Then with bright beames her Father doth proceed, Thence driuing darknesse, and Nights rule is ended.

19 Of the twelue celestiall Signes.

Hexastichs varied 12. seuerall wayes.

1

THe Ram, the Bull with golden-horned head, The Brethren, and the Crabfish backwards tending. The Lion fierce, the Maid that did not wed, The Scales, the Scorpion with her taile offending, The Shooter, and the Goat with horny sute, The Water-powrer, and the Fishes mute.

2

Who Helle, who Europa carried soly, The Twins, the Shelfish, that Alcides quasht, The horrid king of Beasts, the Virgin holy, The Ballance iust, with Taile what deadly lasht, Old Chiron, Capricorne, the Lad, like raine, Ministring Water, and the Fishes twaine.

3

The first is Aries; next is Taurus plac't; Then Gemini; Cancer followes retrograde; The fifth is Leo; the sixth Virgo chast; And after Libra, Scorpius doth inuade; Yet Sagittarius, and Caper past, Aquarius comes, and Pisces at the last.

4

The chiefe all Ram-kinde, the Cowes mate succeeds, Two of one birth be third, the fourth Crabs feature: Lord of the Desart, she that neuer breeds, The poizer of all weights, the stinging creature, The Bow-arm'd Centaure, the Venerious beast. Ioues water-bearer, and the Friday-feast.

5

The crooked Ram-hornes, the Bulls threatning hookes, Leda's male issue, the Fish hotnesse bringing, Great Hercules first prize, the beauteous lookes, The Weighing measure, and the Serpent stinging, The skilfull Archer, and the Winter signe, The Troian boy, the Fishes lastly shine.

6

Phryxus transporter, Ioue with hornes disguisde, His Twin-borne sonnes, the Crawler tropica! I, The Nemean terrour, Maid immortalizde: Sol's Weigh-house, and whose Pricke inuenoms all, The Man halfe-Horse, the Starre with taile of fish, The Water-titled, and the Anglers dish.

7

The lecherous Weather, and th' vngelded Oxe, Castor and Pollux, and the Starre adust, Nemea's plague, Maids face, of Lux with Nox, Th' Autumnian equallizer, poysning Thrust, Phillyra's monstrous birth, cause of Sea-stormes, The Riuer-giuer, and the Fishy formes.

8

The flocks wooll-bearing Head, the Heifer stout, Tyndaridae, Alcides crawling foe, Chiefe of wild Creatures, Virgin most deuout, The pendent paire, the Venomous piercing blow, Saturnes base issue, the Goate Neptune-growne, Faire Ganymed, two fishy Signes in one.

9

The Rams proportion, and the Bull vnbaited, The double Ofspring, the Sea-fostred Crab, The Lions lookes, Erygone translated, The poyzing Yoke, the Taile with poysning stab, Biformed Chiron, the Seas Horned creature, The chiefe Gods minion, and the Fishes feature.

10

The flocks horn'd Guide, another arm'd with horne, The Swan got sonnes, the Crabs hot-burning armes, The club-feld Horrour, the Maid bringing corne, Meanes of true Measure, cause of Poysnous harmes, The wood-bred Archer, Iupiters milker-giuer, Deucalions waters, and two bred ith' Riuer.

11

Sire of the Sheepe, Europa's worst well-willer, Zetus and sweet Amphion, Summer-bringer, That seasons second signe, the Maid selfe-killer, The Haruest-entring starre, the Mortall stinger, The Shaft sore-wounded Huntsman, the Sea-goate, Ioues fauourite, and such as liue ith' Mote.

By the Translatour, to make them euen.

The Signe ith' head, what alteration puts Ith' necke, Armes-guider, keeper of the Brest, Our hearts Free-holder, Lady of the Guts, Reines-ruler, where the Secrets are possest,

The Gouernour of Thighes, Knees' Constellation. Lord of the Legs, cause of the feets mutation.

20 The 4. seasons of the yeere.

Tetrastichs varied 13. seuerall wayes.

1

EArth opes her wombe ith' Spring, and giues vs Flowers The fat field beares rich Eares in Sunny howers. The Grapes abounding Autumne brings to tunning, And Winter binds in Ice the Waters running.

2

The Spring, the cleare skie tempring, Frost confounds, But with Sols fires hot Summer chaps the grounds: Weake Heat with Haruest neighbouring Winter mixeth, And she the whitened Riuers hardly fixeth.

3

Ver paints the Meads with sundry colours gay, Aestas the soile with Corne-eares doth array: Autumnus from the Vines their burden takes, And Hyems great with Snow the Welkin makes.

4

Venus in Spring-time flowry garlands weares, Ceres in Summer chiefly domineeres: Bacchus in Haruest beares a speciall sway, Boreas in Winter doth the Ruffin play.

5

Spring lasting, Herbes and Flowers Tellus yeelds, Summer brings fruitfull Crops to harrowed fields: Hatuest from tender Vines affords vs fruite, Winter in White the Earth doth coldly sute.

6

New Spring the field with sweet flowres doth adorne, And plough-lands are made rough with Summer Corne, Must foaming Vessels doth in Autumne heate, And Winter-blasts from Trees the Leaues doe beate.

7

Wreathes knit of many a flowre the Spring allowes, With sheaues of Corne the Summer decks her browes: Bacchus in Autumne from the Vine is crown'd, Sad Winter sutes with Snow the mountaine-ground.

8

The Spring with splendent flowres the fields makes faire, Substance for Bread the Summer doth prepare: Sweet smels the Vineyard with Autumn all birth, But Winter freezes Flouds, robs Woods and Earth.

9

From Earth spring purple flowres ith' leauy Spring, The fields in Summer gifts of Ceres bring, In Haruest howres our Cups with Bacchus flow, Cold Winter Clothes our Mother Earth in snow.

10

Th' aire waxeth warm ith' Spring when Southwinds blow Through heat Estiuall, Riuers lesser grow, Autumne, thy temper flowes with Nectar sweet, And showres of Snow in Winter Earth doe greet.

11

Flowres grace the Spring, nought drooping while it lasts, The fields with Corne abound through Summer blasts, The Vine to Elmes in Autumne loading cleaues, Hyemall rage Woods of their glory reaues.

12

Sweet Spring with flowers paints the grassie way, The sith-arm'd Goddesse corne in Summer stayes: Autumne for Must plumpe-swelling Grapes doth beare, Sythonian Snow makes Winter old appeare.

••3

The Spring stood fresh, girt with a flowry wreathe, And Summer naked, a corne-crowne beneathe, But Autumne stood with Grapes in baskets prest, And Icy Winter rough with hoary crest.

21 In honour of Augustus.

By Virgil.

ALL night it raines, ith'morne the Shewes appeare; Caesar with Ioue diuided rule doth beare.

J these Ʋerses did compose, But the praise another chose.

So you, not for you, Birds knit slender peeces, So you, not for you, Cattell weare your fleeces, So you, not for you, Bees your Sweet prepare, So you, not for you, Oxen draw the Share.

22 Vpon the same Augustus.

IOue in Heauen gouernes all: Caesar on this Earthly Ball.

23 Ʋpon Balista.

THis Hill of Stones doth dead Balista hold: Both day and night now, Traueller, goe bold.

24 Vpon a beauteous Boy.

NAture, what sex to giue thee, being in doubt, Of both well neere hath fram'd thee (faire) throughout

25 Vpon the Crow on Tarpeius.

By an vncertaine Authour.

LOng since vpon Mount Tarpey sat the Crow, She could not say, 'tis well, but shall be so.

26 Of Letters.

By an vncertaine Authour.

LEtters the matter done explaine; That, the words marrow doth containe, The sight whereof quicke mindes doe gaine.

27 Vpon the death of three.

Ʋaried three wayes: by an vncertaine Authour.

1

A Bore, Snake, yong man, did one chance abide, By stroke, foot, sting, the Bore, Snake, yong man dide.

2

A Youth, Hog, Serpent, doth lament, fret, hisse, Stung, striken, bruizd, and life at once doe misse.

3

Death at one time, a Snake, Youth, Bore doe meet, The Bore, by wound; Youth, sting; and Snake, by feet.

By the Transtatour to make it more plaeine.

A Huntsman trod an Adder that him wounded, As he the Bore, so were all Three confounded.

28 Of Fortune.

By Caelius Firminianus Simphosius.

O Powerfull Chance, how changeable thou art, That stearnly claimst of Rule so great a part! Bad men thou raisest, and the Good o'rethrowest, Keeping no credit in what thou bestowest. Men vndeseruing Fortune makes renownd, And guiltesse persons Fortune doth confound; The righteous Man with Pouertie she grieues, And who vnworthy be, with wealth relieues; Old she doth hugge, and yong men from her thrust, The times diuiding with a will vniust. To th' Bad she giues, what from the Good she takes, And neuer iudgeth true, nor difference makes, Fraile, faithlesse, and vnconstant as the winde, Slippery, light, foolish, and like Cupid, blinde, Not euer fauouring where she giues a Blessing, Nor whom she doth forsake, for aye oppressing.

29 Of loue to Theotimus.

By Qu. Catullus.

MY heart is fled to Theotime, I feare, As it was wont; 'tis so, 't has refuge there:

What if, to shew the fugitiue respect, I had not him forbid, but to reiect? Ile goe in quest: yet he may me deteine: What should I doe? thy counsell, Ʋenus, deigne.

30 Of Roscius his beautie.

By the same Authour.

TO greet Aurora rising while I chanced, Straight Roscius at my left hand was aduanced: May I, ye Gods, by speech, not lose your loue, The sight beneath was fairer then aboue.

31 To Phileros of loues power.

By Valerius Edituus.

WHy bear'st thou Phileros a needlesse light? Lets goe; my brest with fire is fully bright; And that may vanish through winds raging power, Or from the Clouds a downe right shining shower But for this fire of Venus, there's no force, Except her selfe can quench or stop its course.

32 To Pamphila of an amorous extasie.

By the same Authour.

WHen Pamphila, my griefe I seeke to breake, What I would craue of thee, I cannot speake: Straight sweats my wretched heart, then double I My prayre and power; if mute, loue-rackd I die.

33 To Shepheards of Loues fire.

By Porcius Licinius.

Keepers of Sheepe and of their tender Frie, Fire seeke ye? hither come, a Fire am I: The whole wood, if I touch it, fir'd will be, And fir'd your Cattell all, all that I see.

34 Vpon a Thracian Boy.

By C. Iulius Caesar or Germanicus Augustus.

A Thratian Boy on Hebrus frozen playing, Broke with his weight the flood, like marble, staying; And as in sinking downe full ill he sped, The slippery Test (alas) tooke off his head: Which when his mother found and vrn'd, quoth she, For sire, this bare I; the rest, drown'd to be.

35 The Tombe of Lucrece.

By Ouid.

IN her chaste brest when Lucrece sheathd her blade, A bloody Torrent issuing, thus she said; My Spirit, before the Gods, my Blood, my Lord, Witnesse I did not to my Shame accord: In death, for me produc'd, theyle pleade right well, Th'one soard to Heauen, th' other sunke to hell.

36 Vpon Narcissus.

By an vncertaine Authour.

THis is Narcissus whom the Well did moue, To ouer-much beliefe, yet worthy Loue:

The Banke thou seest with moist grasse him doth nourish, That by the Spring (his Ruine) he may flourish.

37 Vpon three Shepheards.

By Cytherius Sydonius.

A Sabine, Spartan, Laurentine, each of a diffrent roote, Did Thirsis, Theon, Almo get at high Pelorus foote, The Sabine, Spartan, Laurentine, Vines, Plows, Swine did en∣ioy And Thirsis, Theon, Almo, was a stripling, yongster, boy, Which Thirsis, Theon, Almo then Sheepe, Kids, Goates vp did breed: And Thirsis, Theon, Almo vsd for musicke, voice, straw, reed: To Thirsis, Theon, Almo loue these Naīs, Nisa, Glauce show'd, And Naīs, Nisa, Glauce there Lillies, Rose, Violets bestowd.

38 Of three Amazons fight.

By the same Authour.

Alce, Hyppolite, Lyce (signall sounded) Oehalus, Teuthras, Donis sole confounded, Th' Arcadian, Greciau, Marsian, boy, youth, peere, To Ida, Epus, Doricles full deere, With sword, shaft, datt, ith'side, ith' guts, ith'face. On horse, foote, charriot, and thus ends the case.

39 Of an Hermaphrodite.

By Pulex an ancient Poet.

WHile I my mothers pregnant wombe possest, To know my sex the Gods she did request: A boy, quoth Sol; a girle, Mars; Iuno, neither: And being borne I was by nature either:

Then my death question'd; Iuno said, By sword: Mars, hang'd; Sol, drown'd: all, Fortune did afford. A tree the floud o're-shadowing I ascend; My sword and I thereon, did downwards tend: My foot stucke fast, my head being ouer-waterd: Male, female, neither, I was drownd, hang'd, slaughter'd.

40 Of Acis.

THe bones of Acis in this Hill repose, Where a smooth Fountaine from the bottome flowes; Signes of the Cyclops furie these endure, Where staies thy loue, (bright Nymph) and sorrow sure, But sith he perisht, he's well couer'd here, While dancing streames his endlesse name doe beare: Thus he abides whom Fame dead shall not ring, Whose cerule life glides through the liquid spring.

41 The Tombe of Hector.

HEctor his countries shield, stout'st youth of all, That was to Troy distrest another wall, Dyed by Achilles violent hand subdude, Which Phrygian hope and safetie did conclude; Him 'bout those walls his cruell Victor halde, Those which in his youth himselfe kept vnassailde. O what a sea of griefe did that day bring, To his wife, mother, and the good old king? But his vnhappy Father bought for gold, And wailing laid him in this earthly mold.

42 The Tombe of Achilles.

A Chilles, Thetis sonne am I well knowne, Through valiant Acts and prowesse famous growne, I that so oft ore threw my foes in fight, And singly many thousands put to flight: Great Hectors fall my glory highest raisd, That many a time the Grecian powers craz'd; For which, by slaying him, reuenge I reap'd, And then my sword on Troye confusion heap'd: At length by trechery queld on hostile ground, Aboue the starres a conquerour I was cround.