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Ritonia unto all these wordes attentive hearing bendes, And both the Muses learned song and rightfull wrath commendes. And thereupon within hir selfe this fancie did arise. It is no matter for to prayse: but let our selfe devise Some thing to be commended for: and let us not permit Our Majestie to be despisde without revenging it. And therewithall she purposed to put the Lydian Maide Arachne to hir neckeverse who (as had to hir bene saide) Presumed to prefer hir selfe before hir noble grace In making cloth. This Damsell was not famous for the place In which she dwelt, nor for hir stocke, but for hir Arte. Hir Sier Was Idmon, one of Colophon, a pelting Purple Dier. Hir mother was deceast: but she was of the baser sort, And egall to hir Make in birth, in living, and in port. But though this Maide were meanly borne, and dwelt but in a shed At little Hypep: yet hir trade hir fame abrode did spred Even all the Lydian Cities through. To see hir wondrous worke The Nymphes that underneath the Vines of shadie Tmolus lurke Their Vineyards oftentimes forsooke. So did the Nymphes also About Pactolus oftentimes their golden streames forgo. And evermore it did them good not only for to see Hir clothes already made, but while they eke a making bee Such grace was in hir workmanship. For were it so that shee The newshorne fleeces from the sheepe in bundels deftly makes, Or afterward doth kemb the same, and drawes it out in flakes Along like cloudes, or on the Rocke doth spinne the handwarpe woofe, Or else embroydreth, certenly ye might perceive by proofe She was of Pallas bringing up, which thing she nathelesse Denyeth, and disdaining such a Mistresse to confesse, Let hir contend with me, she saide: and if she me amend I will refuse no punishment the which she shall extend. Minerva tooke an olde wives shape and made hir haire seeme gray, And with a staffe hir febled limmes pretended for to stay. Which done, she thus began to speake: Not all that age doth bring