Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/178

 The wicked deede of Tereus. And having done, she praide A certaine woman by hir signes to beare them to hir mistresse. She bare them and deliverde them not knowing nerethelesse What was in them. The Tyrants wife unfolded all the clout, And of hir wretched fortune red the processe whole throughout. She held hir peace (a wondrous thing it is she should so doe) But sorrow tide hir tongue, and wordes agreeable unto Hir great displeasure were not at commaundment at that stound. And weepe she could not. Ryght and wrong she reckeneth to confound, And on revengement of the deede hir heart doth wholy ground. It was the time that wives of Thrace were wont to celebrate The three yeare rites of Bacchus which were done a nighttimes late. A nighttimes soundeth Rhodope of tincling pannes and pots: A nighttimes giving up hir house abrode Queene Progne trots Disguisde like Bacchus other froes and armed to the proofe With all the frenticke furniture that serves for that behoofe. Hir head was covered with a vine. About hir loose was tuckt A Reddeeres skin, a lightsome Launce upon hir shoulder ruckt. In post gaddes terrible Progne through the woods, and at hir heeles A flocke of froes. And where the sting of sorrow which she feeles Enforceth hir to furiousnesse, she feynes it to proceede Of Bacchus motion. At the length she finding out in deede The outset Graunge howlde out, and cride, Now well, and open brake The gates, and streight hir sister thence by force of hand did take, And veyling hir in like attire of Bacchus, hid hir head With Ivie leaves, and home to Court hir sore amazed led. As soone as Philomela wist she set hir foote within That cursed house, the wretched soule to shudther did begin, And all hir face waxt pale. Anon hir sister getting place Did pull off Bacchus mad attire, and making bare hir face Embraced hir betweene hir armes. But she considering that Queene Progne was a Cucqueane made by meanes of hir, durst nat Once raise hir eyes: but on the ground fast fixed helde the same. And where she woulde have taken God to witnesse that the shame And villanie was wrought to hir by violence, she was fayne To use hir hand in stead of speache. Then Progne chaaft amaine, And was not able in hir selfe hir choler to restraine.