Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/268

 And yit thou canst not her enjoy. No, though that God and man Should labor to their uttermost and doo the best they can In thy behalfe, they could not make a happy wyght of thee. I cannot wish the thing but that I have it. Frank and free The Goddes have given mee what they could. As I will, so will bee That must become my fathrinlaw. So willes my father, too. But nature stronger than them all consenteth not thereto. This hindreth mee, and nothing else. Behold the blisfull tyme, The day of Mariage is at hand. Ianthee shalbee myne, And yit I shall not her enjoy. Amid the water wee Shall thirst. O Juno, president of mariage, why with thee Comes Hymen to this wedding where no brydegroome you shall see, But bothe are Brydes that must that day togither coupled bee? This spoken, shee did hold hir peace. And now the tother mayd Did burne as hote in love as shee. And earnestly shee prayd The brydale day myght come with speede. The thing for which shee longd Dame Telethusa fearing sore, from day to day prolongd The tyme, oft feyning siknesse, oft pretending shee had seene Ill tokens of successe. At length all shifts consumed beene. The wedding day so oft delayd was now at hand. The day Before it, taking from her head the kercheef quyght away, And from her daughters head likewyse, with scattred heare she layd Her handes upon the Altar, and with humble voyce thus prayd: O Isis, who doost haunt the towne of Paretonie, and The feeldes by Maraeotis lake, and Pharos which dooth stand By Alexandria, and the Nyle divided into seven Great channels, comfort thou my feare, and send mee help from heaven, Thyself, O Goddesse, even thyself, and theis thy relikes I Did once behold and knew them all: as well thy company As eke thy sounding rattles, and thy cressets burning by, And myndfully I marked what commaundement thou didst give. That I escape unpunished, that this same wench dooth live, Thy counsell and thy hest it is. Have mercy now on twayne, And help us. With that word the teares ran downe her cheekes amayne. The Goddesse seemed for to move her Altar: and in deede She moved it. The temple doores did tremble like a reede. And homes in likenesse to the Moone about the Church did shyne.