Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/159

 We ought to shonne. Experience doth of long continuance spring. Despise not mine admonishment. Seeke fame and chiefe report For making cloth, and Arras worke, among the mortall sort. But humbly give the Goddesse place: and pardon of hir crave For these thine unadvised wordes. I warrant thou shalt have Forgivenesse, if thou aske it hir. Arachne bent hir brewes And lowring on hir, left hir worke: and hardly she eschewes From flying in the Ladies face. Hir countnance did bewray Hir moodie minde: which bursting forth in words she thus did say: Thou commest like a doting foole: thy wit is spent with yeares: Thy life hath lasted over long as by thy talke appeares. And if thou any daughter have, or any daughtrinlawe, I would she heard these wordes of mine: I am not such a Daw, But that without thy teaching I can well ynough advise My selfe. And lest thou shouldest thinke thy words in any wise Availe, the selfesame minde I keepe with which I first begonne. Why commes she not hirselfe I say? this matche why doth she shonne? Then said the Goddesse: Here she is. And therewithall she cast Hir oldewives riveled shape away, and shewde hir selfe at last Minerva like. The Nymphes did streight adore hir Majestie. So did the yong newmaried wives that were of Migdonie. The Maiden only unabasht woulde nought at all relent. But yet she blusht and sodenly a ruddynesse besprent Hir cheekes which wanzd away againe, even like as doth the Skie Looke sanguine at the breake of day, and turneth by and by To white at rising of the Sunne. As hote as any fire She sticketh to hir tackling still. And through a fond desire Of glorie, to hir owne decay all headlong forth she runnes. For Pallas now no lenger warnes, ne now no lenger shunnes Ne seekes the chalenge to delay. Immediatly they came And tooke their places severally, and in a severall frame Eche streynde a web, the warpe whereof was fine. The web was tide Upon a Beame. Betweene the warpe a stay of reede did slide. The woofe on sharpened pinnes was put betwixt the warp, and wrought With fingars. And as oft as they had through the warpe it brought, They strake it with a Boxen combe. Both twayne of them made hast: And girding close for handsomnesse their garments to their wast