Virgil’s Gnat Virgil’s Gnat. Long since dedicated To the most noble and excellent Lord, the Earle of Leicester, late deceased. VVRong’d Wrong’d , yet not daring to expresse my paine, To you (great Lord) the causer of my care, In clowdie teares my case I thus complaine Vnto Unto yourselfe, that onely priuie privie are: But if that any Oedipus vnware unware Shall chaunce, through power of some diuining divining spright, To reade the secrete of this riddle rare, And know the purporte of my euill evill plight, Let him rest pleased with his owne insight, Ne further seeke to glose vpon upon the text: For griefe enough it is to grieued grieved wight To feele his fault, and not be further vext. But what so by my selfe may not be showen, May by this Gnatts complaint be easily knowen. Virgils Gnat. Haue Have We now haue have playde (Augustus) wantonly, Tuning our song vnto unto a tender Muse, And like a cobweb weauing weaving slenderly, Haue Have onely playde: let thus much then excuse This Gnats small Poeme, that th’whole history Is but a iest jest , though enuie envie it abuse: But who such sports and sweet delights doth blame, Shall lighter seeme than this Gnats idle name. Hereafter, when as season more secure Shall bring forth fruit, this Muse shall speak to thee In bigger notes, that may thy sense allure, And for thy worth frame some fit Poesie, The golden ofspring of Latona pure, And ornament of great Ioues Joves progenie, Phœbus shall be the author of my song, Playing on yuorie yvorie harp with siluer silver strong. He shall inspire my verse with gentle mood Of Poets Prince, whether he woon beside Faire Xanthus sprincled with Chimæras blood; Or in the woods of Astery abide; Or whereas mount Parnasse, the Muses brood, Doth his broad forhead like two hornes diuide divide , And the sweete waues waves of sounding Castaly With liquid foote doth slide downe easily. Wherefore ye Sisters which the glorie bee Of the Pierian streames, fayre Naiades, Go too, and dauncing all in companie, Adorne that God: and thou holie Pales, To whome the honest care of husbandrie Returneth by continuall successe, Virgils Gnat. Hereafter H2 Haue Have care for to pursue his footing light; Throgh the wide woods, & and groues groves , with green leaues leaves (dight. Professing thee I lifted am aloft Betwixt the forrest wide and starrie sky: And thou most dread ( Octauius Octavius ) which oft To learned wits giuest givest courage worthily, O come (thou sacred childe) come sliding soft, And fauour favour my beginnings graciously: For not these leaues leaves do sing that dreadfull stound, When Giants bloud did staine Phlegræan ground. Nor how th’halfe horsy people, Centaures hight, Fought with the bloudie Lapithaes at bord, Nor how the East with tyranous despight Burnt th’Attick towres, and people slew with sword; Nor how mount Athos through exceeding might Was digged downe, nor yron bands abord The Pontick sea by their huge Nauy Navy cast, My volume shall renowne, so long since past. Nor Hellespont trampled with horses feete, When flocking Persians did the Greeks affray; But my soft Muse, as for her power more meete, Delights (with Phœbus friendly leaue leave ) to play An easie running verse with tender feete. And thou (dread sacred child) to thee alway, Let euerlasting everlasting lightsome glory striue strive , Through the worlds endles ages to suruiue survive . And let an happie roome remaine for thee Mongst heauenly heavenly ranks, where blessed soules do rest; And let long lasting life with ioyous joyous glee, As thy due meede that thou deseruest deservest best, Virgils Gnat. With Hereafter many yeares remembred be Amongst good men, of whom thou oft are blest; Liue Live thou for euer ever in all happinesse: But let vs us turne to our first businesse. The fiery Sun was mounted now on hight Vp Up to the heauenly heavenly towers, and shot each where Out of his golden Charet glistering light; And fayre Aurora with her rosie heare, The hatefull darknes now had put to flight, When as the shepheard seeing day appeare, His little Goats gan driue drive out of their stalls, To feede abroad, where pasture best befalls. To an high mountaines top he with them went, Where thickest grasse did cloath the open hills: They now amongst the woods and thickets ment, Now in the valleies wandring at their wills, Spread themselues themselves farre abroad through each descent; Some on the soft greene grasse feeding their fills; Some clambring through the hollow cliffes on hy, Nibble the bushie shrubs, which growe thereby. Others the vtmost utmost boughs of trees doe crop, And brouze the woodbine twigges, that freshly bud; This with full bit doth catch the vtmost utmost top Of some soft Willow, or new growen stud; This with sharpe teeth the bramble leaues leaves doth lop, And chaw the tender prickles in her Cud; The whiles another high doth ouerlooke overlooke Her owne like image in a christall brooke. O the great happines, which shepheards haue have , Who so loathes not too much the poore estate, Virgils Gnat. O H3 With minde that ill vse use doth before depraue deprave , Ne measures all things by the costly rate Of riotise, and semblants outward braue brave ; No such sad cares, as wont to macerate And rend the greedie mindes of couetous covetous men, Do euer ever creepe into the shepheards den. Ne cares he if the fleece, which him arayes, Be not twice steeped in Assyrian dye, Ne glistering of golde, which vnderlayes underlayes The summer beames, doe blinde his gazing eye. Ne pictures beautie, nor the glauncing rayes Of precious stones, whence no good commeth by; Ne yet his cup embost with Imagery Of Bætus or of Alcons vanity. Ne ought the whelky pearles esteemeth hee, Which are from Indian seas brought far away: But with pure brest from carefull sorrow free, On the soft grasse his limbs doth oft display, In sweete spring time, when flowres varietie With sundrie colours paints the sprincled lay; There lying all at ease, from guile or spight, With pype of fennie reedes doth him delight. There he, Lord of himselfe, with palme bedight, His looser locks doth wrap in wreath of vine: There his milk dropping Goats be his delight, And fruitefull Pales, and the forrest greene, And darkesome caues caves in pleasaunt vallies pight, Wheras continuall shade is to be seene, And where fresh springing wells, as christall neate, Do alwayes flow, to quench his thirstie heate. Virgils Gnat. Free O who can lead then a more happie life, Than he, that with cleane minde and hear sincere, No greedy riches knowes nor bloudie strife, No deadly fight of warlick fleete doth feare, Ne runs in perill of foes cruell knife, That in the sacred temples he may reare, A trophee of his glittering spoyles and treasure, Or may abound in riches aboue above measure. Of him his God is worshipt with his sythe, And not with skill of craftsman polished: He ioyes joyes in groues groves , and makes himselfe full blythe, With sundrie flowers in wilde fieldes gathered; Ne frankincens he from Panchæa buyth, Sweete quiet harbours in his harmeles head, And perfect pleasure buildes her ioyous joyous bowre, Free from sad cares, that rich mens hearts deuowre devowre . This all his care, this all his whole indeuour indevour , To this his minde and senses he doth bend, How he may flow in quiets matchles treasour, Content with any food that God doth send; And how his limbs, resolu’d resolv’d through idle leisour, Vnto Unto sweete sleepe he may securely lend, In some coole shadow from the scorching heat, The whiles his flock their chawed cuds do eate, O flocks, O Faunes, and O ye pleasaunt springs Of Tempe, where the countrey Nymphs are rife, Through whose not costly care each shepheard sings As merrie notes vpon upon his rusticke Fife, As that Astræan bard, whose fame now rings Through the wide world, and leads as ioyfull joyfull life. Virgils Gnat. The Free from all troubles and from worldly toyle, In which fond men doe all their dayes turmoyle. In such delights whilst thus his carelesse time This shepheard driues drives , vpleaning upleaning on his batt, And on shrill reedes chaunting his rustick rime, Hyperion throwing foorth his beames full hott, Into the highest top of heauen heaven gan clime, And the world parting by an equall lott, Did shed his whirling flames on either side, As the great Ocean doth himselfe diuide divide . Then gan the shepheard gather into one His stragling Goates, and draue drave them to a foord, Whose cærule streame, rombling in Pible stone, Crept vnder under mosse as greene as any goord. Now had the Sun halfe heauen heaven ouergone overgone , When he his heard back from that water foord, Draue Drave from the force of Phœbus boyling ray, Into thick shadowes, there themselues themselves to lay. Soone as he them plac’d in thy sacred wood (O Delian Goddesse) saw, to which of yore Came the bad daughter of old Cadmus brood, Cruell Agaue Agave , flying vengeance sore Of king Nictileus for the guiltie blood, Which she with cursed hands had shed before; There she halfe frantick hauing having slaine her sonne, Did shrowd her selfe like punishment to shonne. Here also playing on the grassy greene, Woodgods, and Satyres, and swift Dryades, With many Fairies oft were dauncing seene. Not so much did Dan Orpheus represse, Virgils Gnat. Whom The streames of Hebrus with his songs I weene, As that faire troupe of woodie Goddesses Staied thee, (O Peneus) powring foorth to thee, From cheereful lookes great mirth & and gladsome glee. The verie nature of the place, resounding With gentle murmure of the breathing ayre, A pleasant bowre with all delight abounding In the fresh shadowe did for them prepayre, To rest their limbs with wearines redounding. For first the high Palme trees with braunches faire, Out of the lowly vallies did arise, And high shoote vp up their heads into the skyes. And them amongst the wicked Lotos grew, Wicked, for holding guilefully away Vlysses Ulysses men, whom rapt with sweetenes new, Taking to hoste, it quite from him did stay, And eke those trees, in whose transformed hew The Sunnes sad daughters waylde the rash decay Of Phaeton, whose limbs with lightening rent, They gathering vp up , with sweete teares did lament. And that same tree, in which Demophoon, By his disloyalty lamented sore, Eternall hurte left vnto unto many one: Whom als accompanied the Oke, of yore Through fatall charmes transformd to such an one: The Oke, whose Acornes were our foode, before That Ceres seede of mortall men were knowne, Which first Triptoleme taught how to be sowne. Here also grow the rougher rinded Pine, The great Argoan ships braue brave ornament Virgils Gnat. Of I Whom golden Fleece did make an heauenly heavenly signe; Which coueting coveting , with his high tops extent, To make the mountaines touch the starres diuine divine , Decks all the forrest with embellishment, And the blacke Holme that loues loves the watrie vale, And the sweete Cypresse signe of deadly bale. Emongst the rest the clambring Yuie grew, Knitting his wanton armes with grasping hold, Least that the Poplar happely should rew Her brothers strokes, whose boughes she doth enfold With her lythe twigs, till they the top survew, And paint with pallid greene her buds of gold. Next did the Myrtle tree to her approach, Not yet vnmindfull unmindfull of her olde reproach. But the small Birds in their wide boughs embowring, Chaunted their sundrie tunes with sweete consent, And vnder under them a siluer silver Spring forth powring His trickling streames, a gentle murmure sent; Thereto the frogs, bred in the slimie scowring Of the moist moores, their iarring jarring voyces bent; And shrill grashoppers chirped them around: All which the ayrie Echo did resound. In this so pleasant place this Speheards flocke Lay euerie everie where, their wearie limbs to rest, On euerie everie bush, and euerie everie hollow rocke Where breathe on thẽ them the whistling wind mote best; The whiles the Shepheard self tending his stocke, Sate by the fountaine side, in shade to rest, Where gentle slumbring sleep oppressed him, Displaid on ground, and seized euerie everie lim. Virgils Gnat. He Of trecherie or traines nought tooke he keep, But looslie on the grassie greene dispredd, His dearest life did trust to careles sleep; Which weighing down his drouping drowsie hedd, In quiet rest his molten heart did steep, Deuoid Devoid of care, and feare of all falshedd: Had not inconstant fortune, bent to ill, Bid strange mischance his quietnes to spill. For at his wonted time in that same place An huge great Serpent all with speckles pide, To drench himselfe in moorish slime did trace, There from the boyling heate himselfe to hide: He passing by with rolling wreathed pace, With brandisht tongue the emptie aire did gride, And wrapt his scalie boughts with fell despight, That all things seem’d appalled at his sight. Now more and more hauing having himselfe enrolde, His glittering breast he lifteth vp up on hie, And with proud vaunt his head aloft doth holde; His creste aboue above spotted with purple die, On euerie everie side did shine like scalie golde, And his bright eyes glauncing full dreadfullie, Did seeme to flame out flakes of flashing fyre, And with sterne lookes to threaten kindled yre. Thus wise long time he did himselfe dispace There round about, when as at last he spide Lying along before him in that place, That flocks grand Captaine, and most trustie guide: Eftsoones more fierce in visage, and in pace, Throwing his firie eyes on euerie everie side, Virgils Gnat. What I2 He commeth on, and all things in his way Full stearnly rends, that might his passage stay. Much he disdaines, that anie one should dare To come vnto unto his haunt; for which intent He inly burns, and gins straight to prepare The weapons, which Nature to him hath lent; Fellie he hisseth, and doth fiercely stare, And hath his iawes jawes with angrie spirits rent, That all his tract with bloudie drops is stained, And all his foldes are now in length outstrained. Whom thus at point prepared, to preuent prevent , A litle noursling of the humid ayre, A Gnat vnto unto the sleepie Shepheard went, And marking where his ey-lids twinckling rare, Shewd the two pearles, which sight vnto unto him lent, Through their thin couerings coverings appearing fayre, His little needle there infixing deep, Warnd him awake, from death himselfe to keep. Wherewith enrag’d, he fiercely gan vpstart upstart , And with his hand him rashly bruzing, slewe As in auengement avengement of his heedles smart, That streight the spirite out of his senses flew, And life out of his members did depart: When suddenly casting aside his vew, He spide his foe with felonous intent, And feruent fervent eyes to his destruction bent. All suddenly dismaid, and hartles quight, He fled abacke, and catching hastie holde Of a yong alder hard beside him pight, It rent, and streight about him gan beholde, Virgils Gnat. Whilest What God or Fortune would assist his might. But whether God or Fortune made him bold Its hard to read: yet hardie will he had To ouercome overcome , that made him lesse adrad. The scalie backe of that most hideous snake Enwrapped round, oft faining to retire, And oft him to assaile, he fiercely strake Whereas his temples did his creast front-tyre; And for he was but slowe, did slowth off shake, And gazing ghastly on (for feare and yre Had blent so much his sense, that lesse he feard;) feard); Yet when he saw him slaine, himselfe he cheard. By this the night forth from the darksome bowre Of Herebus her teemed steedes gan call, And laesie Vesper in his timely howre From golden Oeta gan proceede withall; Whenas the Shepheard after this sharpe stowre, Seing the doubled shadowes low to fall, Gathering his straying flocke, does homeward fare, And vnto unto rest his wearie ioynts joynts prepare. Into whose sense so soone as lighter sleepe Was entered, and now loosing euerie everie lim, Sweete slumbring deaw in carelesnesse did steepe, The Image of that Gnat appeard to him, And in sad tearmes gan sorrowfully weepe, With greislie countenaunce and visage grim, Wailing the wrong which he had done of late, In steed of good hastning his cruell fate. Said he, what haue have I wretch deseru’d deserv’d , that thus Into this bitter bale I am outcast, Virgils Gnat. I saw I3 Whilest that thy life more deare and precious Was than mine owne, so long as it did last? I now in lieu of paines so gracious, Am tost in th’ayre with euerie everie windie blast: Thou safe deliuered delivered from sad decay, Thy careles limbs in loose sleep dost display. So liuest livest thou, but my poore wretched ghost Is forst to ferrie ouer over Lethes Riuer River , And spoyld of Charon too and fro am tost. Seest thou, how all places quake and quiuer quiver Lightned with deadly lamps on euerie everie post? Tisiphone each where doth shake and shiuer shiver Her flaming fire brond, encountring me, Whose lockes vncombed uncombed cruell adders be. And Cerberus, whose many mouthes doo bay, And barke out flames, as if on fire he fed; Adowne whose necke in terrible array, Ten thousand snakes cralling about his hed Doo hang in heapes, that horribly affray, And bloodie eyes doo glister firie red; He oftentimes me dreadfullie doth threaten, With painfull torments to be sorely beaten. Ay me, that thankes so much should faile of meed, For that I thee restor’d to life againe, Euen Even from the doore of death and deadlie dreed. Where then is now the guerdon of my paine? Where the reward of my so piteous deed? The praise of pitie vanisht is in vaine, And th’antique faith of Iustice Justice long agone Out of the land is fled away and gone. Virgils Gnat. Against I saw anothers fate approaching fast, And left mine owne his safetie to tender; Into the same mishap I now am cast, And shun’d destruction doth destruction render: Not vnto unto him that neuer never hath trespast, But punishment is due to the offender. Yet let destruction be the punishment, So long as thankfull will may it relent, I carried am into waste wildernesse, Waste wildernes, amongst Cymerian shades, Where endles paines and hideous heauinesse heavinesse Is round about me heapt in darksome glades. For there huge Othos sits in sad distresse, Fast bound with serpents that him oft inuades invades ; Far of beholding Ephialtes tide, Which once assai’d to burne this world so wide. And there is mournfull Tityus mindefull yet Of thy displeasure, O Latona faire; Displeasure too implacable was it, That made him meat for wild foules of the ayre: Much do I feare among such fiends to sit; Much do I feare back to them to repayre, To the black shadowes of the Stygian shore, Where wretched ghosts sit wailing euermore evermore . There next the vtmost utmost brinck doth he abide, That did the bankets of the Gods bewray, Whose threat through thirst to nought nigh being (dride His sense to seeke for ease turnes euery every way: And he that in auengement avengement of his pride, For scorning to the sacred Gods to pray, Virgils Gnat. And Against a mountaine rolls a mightie stone, Calling in vaine for rest, and can haue have none. Go ye with them, go cursed damosells, Whose bridale torches foule Erynnis tynde, And Hymen at your Spousalls sad, foretells Tydings of death and massacre vnkinde unkinde : With them that cruell Colchid mother dwells, The which conceiu’d conceiv’d in her reuengefull revengefull minde, With bitter woundes her owne deere babes to slay, And murdred troupes vpon upon great heapes to lay. There also those two Pandionian maides, Calling on Itis, Itis euermore evermore , Whom wretched boy they slew with guiltie blades; For whome the Thracian king lamenting sore, Turn’d to a Lapwing, fowlie them vpbraydes upbraydes , And flattering round about them still does sore: There now they all eternally complaine Of others wrong, and suffer endles paine. But the two brethren borne of Cadmus blood, Whilst each does for the Soueraignty Soveraignty contend, Blinde through ambition, and with vengeance wood Each doth against the others bodie bend His cursed steele, of neither well withstood, And with wide wounds their carcases doth rend; That yet they both doe mortall foes remaine, Sith each with brothers bloudie hand was slaine. Ah (waladay) there is no end of paine, Nor chaunge of labour may intreated bee: Yet I beyond all these am carried faine, Where other powers farre different I see, Virgils Gnat. And And must passe ouer over to th’Elisian plaine: There grim Persephone encountring mee, Doth vrge urge her fellow Furies earnestlie, With their bright firebronds me to terrifie. There chast Alceste liues lives inuiolate inviolate , Free from all care, for that her husbands daies She did prolong by changing fate for fate, Lo there liues lives also the immortall praise Of womankinde, most faithfull to her mate, Penelope: and from her farre awayes A rulesse rout of yongmen, which her woo’d All slaine with darts, lie wallowed in their blood. And sad Eurydice thence now no more Must turne to life, but there detained bee, For looking back, being forbid before: Yet was the guilt thereof, Orpheus, in thee. Bold sure he was, and worthie spirite bore, That durst those lowest shadowes goe to see, And could beleeue beleeve that anie thing could please Fell Cerberus, or Stygian powres appease. Ne feard the burning waues waves of Phlegeton, Nor those same mournfull kingdomes, compassed With rustie horrour and fowle fashion, And deep digd vawtes, and Tartar couered covered With bloodie night, and darke confusion, And iudgement judgement seates, whose Iudge Judge is deadlie dred, A iudge judge , that after death doth punish sore The faults, which life hath trespassed before. But valiant fortune made Dan Orpheus bolde: For the swift running riuers rivers still did stand, Virgils Gnat. There K And the wilde beasts their furie did withhold, To follow Orpheus musicke through the land: And th’Okes deep grounded in the earthly molde Did moue move , as if they could him vnderstand understand ; And the shrill woods, which were of sense bereau’d bereav’d , Through their hard barke his siluer silver sound receau’d receav’d . And eke the Moone her hastie steedes did stay, Drawing in teemes along the starrie skie, And didst (ô monthly Virgin) thou delay Thy nightly course, to heare his melodie? The same was able with like louely lovely lay The Queene of hell to moue move as easily, To yeeld Eurydice vnto unto her fere, Backe to be borne, though it vnlawfull unlawfull were. She (Ladie) hauing having well before approoued approoved , The feends to be too cruell and seuere severe , Obseru’d Observ’d th’appointed way, as her behooued behooved , Ne euer ever did her ey-sight turne arere, Ne euer ever spake, ne cause of speaking mooued mooved : But cruell Orpheus, thou much crueller, Seeking to kisse her, brok’st the Gods decree, And thereby mad’st her euer ever damn’d to be. Ah but sweete loue love of pardon worthie is, And doth deserue deserve to haue have small faults remitted; If Hell at least things lightly done amis Knew how to pardon, when ought is omitted: Yet are ye both receiued received into blis, And to the seates of happie soules admitted. And you, beside the honourable band Of great Heroës doo in order stand. Virgils Gnat. And There be the two stout sonnes of Aeacus, Fierce Peleus, and the hardie Telamon, Both seeming now full glad and ioyeous joyeous Through their Syres dreadfull iurisdiction jurisdiction , Being the Iudge Judge of all that horrid hous: And both of them by strange occasion, Renown’d in choyce of happie marriage Through Venus grace, and vertues cariage. For th’one was rauisht ravisht of his owne bondmaide, The faire Ixione captiu’d captiv’d from Troy: But th’other was with Thetis loue love assaid, Great Nereus his daughter, and his ioy joy . On this side them there is a yongman layd, Their match in glorie, mightie, fierce and coy; That from th’Argolick ships, with furious yre, Bett back the furie of the Troian Trojan fyre. O who would not recount the strong diuorces divorces Of that great warre, which Troianes Trojanes oft behelde, And oft beheld the warlike Greekish forces, When Teucrian soyle with bloodie riuers rivers swelde, And wide Sigæan shores were spred with corses, And Simois and Xanthus blood outwelde, Whilst Hector raged with outragious minde, Flames, weapõs weapons , woũds wounds in Greeks fleete to haue have tynde. For Ida selfe, in ayde of that fierce fight, Out of her mountaines ministred supplies, And like a kindly nourse, did yeeld (for spight) Store of firebronds out of her nourseries, Vnto Unto her foster children, that they might Inflame the Nauie Navie of their enemies, Virgils Gnat. Then K2 And all the Rhetæan shore to ashes turne, Where lay the ships, which they did seeke to burne. Gainst which the noble sonne of Telamon Opposd’ himselfe, and thwarting his huge shield, Them battell bad, gainst whom appeard anon Hector, the glorie of the Troian Trojan field: Both fierce and furious in contention Encountred, that their mightie strokes so shrild, As the great clap of thunder, which doth ryue ryve The ratling heauens heavens , and cloudes asunder dryue dryve . So th’one with fire and weapons did contend To cut the ships, from turning home againe To Argos, th’other stroue strove for to defend The force of Vulcane with his might and maine. Thus th’one Aeacide did his fame extend: But th’other ioy’d joy’d , that on the Phrygian playne Hauing Having the blood of vanquisht Hector shedd, He compast Troy thrice with his bodie dedd. Againe great dole on either partie grewe, That him to death vnfaithfull unfaithfull Paris sent: And also him that false Vlysses Ulysses slewe, Drawne into danger through close ambushment: Therefore from him Laërtes sonne his vewe Doth turne aside, and boasts his good euent event In working of Strymonian Rhæsus fall, And efte in Dolons slye surprysall. Againe the dreadfull Cycones him dismay, And blacke Læstrigones, a people stout: Then greedie Scilla, vnder under whom there bay Manie great bandogs, which her gird about: Virgils Gnat. The Then doo the Aetnean Cyclops him affray, And deep Charybdis gulphing in and out: Lastly the squalid lakes of Tartarie, And griesly Feends of hell him terrifie. There also goodly Agamemnon bosts, The glorie of the stock of Tantalus, And famous light of all the Greekish hosts, Vnder Under whose conduct most victorious, The Dorick flames consum’d the Iliack posts. Ah but the Greekes themselues themselves more dolorous, To thee, ô Troy, paid penaunce for thy fall, In th’Hellespont being nigh drowned all. Well may appeare by proofe of their mischaunce, The chaungfull turning of mens slipperie state, That none, whom fortune freely doth aduaunce advaunce , Himselfe therefore to heauen heaven should eleuate elevate : For loftie type of honour through the glaunce Of enuies envies dart, is downe in dust prostrate; And all that vaunts in worldly vanitie, Shall fall through fortunes mutabilitie. Th’Argolicke power returning home againe, Enricht with spoyles of th’Ericthonian towre, Did happie winde and weather entertaine, And with good speed the fomie billowes scowre: No signe of storme, no feare of future paine, Which soone ensued them with heauie heavie stowre. Nereïs to the Seas a token gaue gave , The whiles their crooked keeles the surges claue clave . Suddenly, whether through the Gods decree, Or haplesse rising of some froward starre, Virgils Gnat. And K3 The heauens heavens on euerie everie side enclowded bee: Black stormes and fogs are blowen vp up from farre, That now the Pylote can no loadstarre see, But skies and seas doo make most dreadfull warre; The billowe striuing striving to the heauens heavens to reach, And th’heauens th’heavens striuing striving them for to impeach. And in auengement avengement of their bold attempt, Both Sun and starres and all the heauenly heavenly powres Conspire in one to wreake their rash contempt, And downe on them to fall from highest towres: The skie in pieces seeming to be rent, Throwes lightning forth, & and haile, & and harmful showres That death on euerie everie side to them appeares In thousand formes, to worke more ghastly feares. Some in the greedie flouds are sunke and drent, Some on the rocks of Caphareus are throwne; Some on th’Euboick Cliffs in pieces rent; Some scattred on the Hercæan shores vnknowne unknowne ; And manie lost, of whom no moniment Remaines, nor memorie is to be showne: Whilst all the purchase of the Phrigian pray Tost on salt billowes, round about doth stray. Here manie other like Heroës bee, Equall in honour to the former crue, Whom ye in goodly seates may placed see, Descended all from Rome by linage due, From Rome, that holds the world in souereigntie sovereigntie , And doth all Nations vnto unto her subdue: Here Fabij and Decij doo dwell, Horatij that in vertue did excell. Virgils Gnat. To And here the antique fame of stout Camill Doth euer ever liue live , and constant Curtius, Who stifly bent his vowed life to spill For Countreyes health, a gulph most hideous Amidst the Towne with his owne corps did fill, T’appease the powers; and prudent Mutius, Who in his flesh endur’d the scorching flame, To daunt his foe by ensample of the same. And here wise Curius, companion Of noble vertues, liues lives in endles rest; And stout Flaminius, whose deuotion devotion Taught him the fires scorn’d furie to detest; And here the praise of either Seipion Abides in highest place aboue above the best, To whom the ruin’d walls of Carthage vow’d, Trembling their forces, sound their praises lowd. Liue Live they for euer ever through their lasting praise: But I poore wretch am forced to retourne To the sad lakes, that Phœbus sunnie rayes Doo neuer never see, where soules doo alwaies mourne, And by the wayling shores to waste my dayes, Where Phlegeton with quenchles flames doth burne; By which iust just Minos righteous soules doth seuer sever From wicked ones, to liue live in blisse for euer ever . Me therefore thus the cruell fiends of hell Girt with long snakes, and thousand yron chaynes, Through doome of that their cruell Iudge Judge , compell With bitter torture and impatient paines, Cause of my death, and iust just complaint to tell. For thou art he, whom my poore ghost complaines Virgils Gnat. And To be the author of her ill vnwares unwares , That careles hear’st my intollerable cares. Them therefore as bequeathing to the winde, I now depart, returning to thee neuer never , And leaue leave this lamentable plaint behinde. But doo thou haunt the soft downe rolling riuer river , And wilde greene woods, and fruitful pastures minde, And let the flitting aire my vaine words seuer sever . Thus hauing having said, he heauily heavily departed With piteous crie, that anie would haue have smarted. Now, when the sloathfull fit of lifes sweete rest Had left the heauie heavie Shepheard, wondrous cares His inly grieued grieved minde full sore opprest; That balefull sorrow he no longer beares, For that Gnats death, which deeply was imprest: But bends what euer ever power his aged yeares Him lent, yet being such, as through their might He lately slue his dreadfull foe in fight. By that same Riuer River lurking vnder under greene, Eftsoones he gins to fashion forth a place, And squaring it in compasse well beseene, There plotteth out a tombe by measured space: His yron headed spade tho making cleene, To dig vp up sods out of the flowrie grasse, His worke he shortly to good purpose brought, Like as he had conceiu’d conceiv’d it in his thought. An heape of earth he hoorded vp up on hie, Enclosing it with banks on euerie everie side, And thereupon did raise full busily A little mount, of greene turffs edifide; Virgils Gnat. And on the top of all, that passers by Might it behold, the toomb he did prouide provide Of smoothest marble stone in order set, That neuer never might his luckie scape forget. And round about he taught sweete flowres to growe, The Rose engrained in pure scarlet die, The Lilly fresh, and Violet belowe, The Marigolde, and cherefull Rosemarie, The Spartan Mirtle, whence sweet gumb does flowe, The purple Hyacinthe, and fresh Costmarie, And Saffron sought for in Cilician soyle, And Lawrell th’ornament of Phœbus toyle. Fresh Rhododaphne, and the Sabine flowre Matching the wealth of th’auncient Frankincence. And pallid Yuie Yvie building his owne bowre, And Box yet mindfull of his olde offence, Red Amaranthus, lucklesse Paramour, Oxeye still greene, and bitter Patience; Ne wants there pale Narcisse, that in a well Seeing his beautie, in loue love with it fell, And whatsoeuer whatsoever other flowre of worth, And whatso other hearb of louely lovely hew The ioyous joyous Spring out of the ground brings forth, To cloath her selfe in colours fresh and new; He planted there, and reard a mount of earth, In whose high front was writ as doth ensue. To thee, small Gnat, in lieu of his life saued saved , The Shepheard hath thy deaths record engraued engraved . FINIS.