Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/285

 Not knowing what she might desyre, distrest betweene the feare Of death, and tediousnesse of lyfe, this prayer shee did make: O Goddes, if of repentant folk you any mercye take, Sharpe vengeance I confesse I have deserved, and content I am to take it paciently. How bee it to th'entent That neyther with my lyfe the quick, nor with my death the dead Anoyed bee, from both of them exempt mee this same sted, And altring mee, deny to mee both lyfe and death. We see To such as doo confesse theyr faults sum mercy shewd to bee. The Goddes did graunt her this request, the last that she should make. The ground did overgrow hir feete, and ancles as she spake. And from her bursten toes went rootes, which wrything heere and there Did fasten so the trunk within the ground shee could not steare. Her bones did into timber turne, whereof the marie was The pith, and into watrish sappe the blood of her did passe. Her armes were turnd to greater boughes, her fingars into twig, Her skin was hardned into bark. And now her belly big The eatching tree had overgrowen, and overtane her brest, And hasted for to win her neck, and hyde it with the rest. Shee made no taryence nor delay, but met the comming tree, And shroonk her face within the barke therof. Although that shee Togither with her former shape her senses all did loose, Yit weepeth shee, and from her tree warme droppes doo softly woose. The which her teares are had in pryce and honour. And the Myrrhe That issueth from her gummy bark dooth beare the name of her, And shall doo whyle the world dooth last. The misbegotten chyld Grew still within the tree, and from his mothers womb defyld Sought meanes to bee delyvered. Her burthende womb did swell Amid the tree, and stretcht her out. But woordes wherwith to tell And utter foorth her greef did want. She had no use of speech With which Lucina in her throwes shee might of help beseech. Yit like a woman labring was the tree, and bowwing downe Gave often sighes, and shed foorth teares as though shee there should drowne. Lucina to this wofull tree came gently downe, and layd Her hand theron, and speaking woordes of ease the midwife playd. The tree did cranye, and the barke deviding made away, And yeelded out the chyld alyve, which cryde and wayld streyght way.