Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/262

 The dooings of the myghtye Goddes. Not dread of worldly shame Nor yit our fathers roughnesse, no nor fearfulnesse should let Our purpose. Only let all feare asyde be wholy set. ~Wee underneath the name of kin our pleasant scapes may hyde. Thou knowest I have libertie to talke with thee asyde, And openly wee kysse and cull. And what is all the rest That wants? Have mercy on mee now, who playnly have exprest My case: which thing I had not done, but that the utter rage Of love constreynes mee thereunto the which I cannot swage. Deserve not on my tumb thy name subscribed for to have, That thou art he whose cruelnesse did bring mee to my grave. Thus much shee wrate in vayne, and wax did want her to indyght, And in the margent she was fayne the latter verse to wryght. Immediatly to seale her shame shee takes a precious stone, The which shee moystes with teares: from tung the moysture quight was gone. She calld a servant shamefastly, and after certaine fayre And gentle woords: My trusty man, I pray thee beare this payre Of tables (quoth shee) to my (and a great whyle afterward Shee added) brother. Now through chaunce or want of good regard The table slipped downe to ground in reaching to him ward. The handsell troubled sore her mynd. But yit shee sent them. And Her servant spying tyme did put them into Caunyes hand. Maeanders nephew sodeinly in anger floong away The tables ere he half had red, (scarce able for to stay His fistocke from the servants face who quaakt) and thus did say: Avaunt, thou baudye ribawd, whyle thou mayst. For were it not For shame I should have killed thee. Away afrayd he got, And told his mistresse of the feerce and cruell answer made By Caunye. By and by the hew of Byblis gan to fade, And all her body was benumd with Icie colde for feare To heere of this repulse. Assoone as that her senses were Returnd ageine, her furious flames returned with her witts. And thus shee sayd so soft that scarce hir toong the ayer hitts: And woorthely. For why was I so rash as to discover By hasty wryghting this my wound which most I ought to cover? I should with dowtfull glauncing woords have felt his humor furst, And made a trayne to trye him if pursue or no he durst.