Book 15
Unmovably give heering to the lowing of the dam
450
Or sticke the kid that wayleth lyke the little babe, or eate
The fowle that he himself before had often fed with meate.
What wants of utter wickednesse in woorking such a feate?
What may he after passe to doo? well eyther let your steeres
Weare out themselves with woork, or else impute theyr death to yeeres.
Ageinst the wynd and weather cold let Wethers yeeld yee cotes,
And udders full of batling milk receyve yee of the Goates.
Away with sprindges, snares, and grinnes, away with Risp and net.
Away with guylefull feates: for fowles no lymetwiggs see yee set.
No feared fethers pitche yee up to keepe the Red deere in,
Ne with deceytfull bayted hooke seeke fishes for to win.
If awght doo harme, destroy it, but destroy't and doo no more.
Forbeare the flesh: and feede your mouthes with fitter foode therfore.
Men say that Numa furnisshed with such philosophye
479
As this and like, returned to his native soyle, and by
Entreatance was content of Rome to take the sovereintye.
Ryght happy in his wyfe which was a nymph, ryght happy in
His guydes which were the Muses nyne, this Numa did begin
To teach Religion, by the meanes whereof hee shortly drew
That people unto peace whoo erst of nought but battell knew.
And when through age he ended had his reigne and eeke his lyfe,
Through Latium he was moorned for of man and chyld and wyfe
As well of hygh as low degree. His wyfe forsaking quyght
The Citie, in vale Aricine did hyde her out of syght,
Among the thickest groves, and there with syghes and playnts did let
The sacrifyse of Diane whom Orestes erst had fet
From Taurica in Chersonese, and in that place had set.
How oft ah did the woodnymphes and the waternymphes perswade
Egeria for to cease her mone. What meanes of comfort made
They. Ah how often Theseus sonne her weeping thus bespake.
O Nymph, thy moorning moderate: thy sorrow sumwhat slake: '
Not only thou hast cause to heart thy fortune for to take.
Behold like happes of other folkes, and this mischaunce of thyne
Shall greeve thee lesse. Would God examples (so they were not myne)
Myght comfort thee. But myne perchaunce may comfort thee. If thou
In talk by hap hast heard of one Hippolytus ere now,
That through his fathers lyght beleefe, and stepdames craft was slayne,
It will a woonder seeme to thee, and I shall have much payne
To make thee to beleeve the thing. But I am very hee.
