Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/237

 Was rubd with yellow wax. And when they pawsed had a tyde, Hot meate came pyping from the fyre. And shortly thereupon A cup of greene hedg wyne was brought. This tane away, anon Came in the latter course, which was of Nuts, Dates, dryed figges, Sweete smelling Apples in a Mawnd made flat of Osier twigges, And Prunes and Plums and Purple grapes cut newly from the tree, And in the middes a honnycomb new taken from the Bee. Besydes all this there did ensew good countnance overmore, With will not poore nor nigardly. Now all the whyle before, As ofen as Philemon and Dame Baucis did perceyve The emptie Cup to fill alone, and wyne to still receyve, Amazed at the straungenesse of the thing, they gan streyght way With fearfull harts and hands hilld up to frame themselves to pray. Desyring for theyr slender cheere and fare to pardoned bee. They had but one poore Goose which kept theyr little Tennantree, And this to offer to the Gods theyr guestes they did intend. The Gander wyght of wing did make the slow old folke to spend Theyr paynes in vayne, and mokt them long. At length he seemd to flye For succor to the Gods themselves, who bade he should not dye. For wee bee Gods (quoth they) and all this wicked towneship shall Abye their gylt. On you alone this mischeef shall not fall. No more but give you up your house, and follow up this hill Togither, and upon the top therof abyde our will. They bothe obeyd. And as the Gods did lead the way before, They lagged slowly after with theyr staves, and labored sore Ageinst the rysing of the hill. They were not mickle more Than full a flyghtshot from the top, when looking backe they saw How all the towne was drowned save their lyttle shed of straw. And as they wondred at the thing and did bewayle the case Of those that had theyr neyghbours beene, the old poore Cote so base Whereof they had beene owners erst, became a Church. The proppes Were turned into pillars huge. The straw uppon the toppes Was yellow, so that all the roof did seeme of burnisht gold: The floore with Marble paved was. The doores on eyther fold Were graven. At the sight hereof Philemon and his make Began to pray in feare. Then Jove thus gently them bespake: Declare thou ryghtuowse man, and thou woman meete to have