52
A HYMNE TO HERMES.
For then she bore a sonne, that all tried waies
Could turne, and winde, to wisht euents, assaies.
A faire tongu'd, but false-hearted Counsellor.
Rector of Ox-stealers; and for all stealths, bore
A varied singer. Speeder of Nights spies
And guide of all her dreames obscurities.
Guard of dore-Guardians: and was borne to be
Amongst th'Immortalls, that wing'd Deitie,
That in an instant, should doe acts would aske
The Powres of others, and Eternall Taske.
Borne, in the Morne; He form'd his Lute at Noone;
At Night stole all the Oxen of the Sunne;
And all this in his Births first day was done;
Which was the fourth of the encreasing Moone.
Because Celestiall lims, sustain'd his straines;
His sacred swath-hands, must not be his chaines.
So (starting up) to Phœbus Herde he stept;
Found strait, the high-roof't Caue where they were kept,
And (th'entrie passing) he th'inuention found,
Of making Lutes; and did in wealth abound
By that Inuention; Since He first of all,
Was author of that Engine Musicall.
By this meane, mou'd to the ingenious worke:
Nere the Caues inmost ouerture, did lurke
A Tortois, tasting th'odoriferous grasse;
Leisurely mouing; and this Obiect was
The motiue to Ioues Sonne (who could conuert
To profitablest uses, all desert
Could turne, and winde, to wisht euents, assaies.
A faire tongu'd, but false-hearted Counsellor.
Rector of Ox-stealers; and for all stealths, bore
A varied singer. Speeder of Nights spies
And guide of all her dreames obscurities.
Guard of dore-Guardians: and was borne to be
Amongst th'Immortalls, that wing'd Deitie,
That in an instant, should doe acts would aske
The Powres of others, and Eternall Taske.
Borne, in the Morne; He form'd his Lute at Noone;
At Night stole all the Oxen of the Sunne;
And all this in his Births first day was done;
Which was the fourth of the encreasing Moone.
Because Celestiall lims, sustain'd his straines;
His sacred swath-hands, must not be his chaines.
So (starting up) to Phœbus Herde he stept;
Found strait, the high-roof't Caue where they were kept,
And (th'entrie passing) he th'inuention found,
Of making Lutes; and did in wealth abound
By that Inuention; Since He first of all,
Was author of that Engine Musicall.
By this meane, mou'd to the ingenious worke:
Nere the Caues inmost ouerture, did lurke
A Tortois, tasting th'odoriferous grasse;
Leisurely mouing; and this Obiect was
The motiue to Ioues Sonne (who could conuert
To profitablest uses, all desert
