The historie of heauen containing the poeticall fictions of all the starres in the firmament: gathered from amongst all the poets and astronomers. By Chrystopher Middleton.

The Historie of Heauen . WHen from a chaos of confused things Was fram'd the compasse of this christall skie , The subiect which my home-borne muse now sings , Though farre vnfit to reach a note so hie , As is the musicke making course of it , Whose lowest streame orereaches euery wit . Then when perfection in her course did bring The hidden knowledge of those god-like arts , That worlds faire frame , which heauen-borne Poets sing , Was made to memorize great mens desarts : Where , by succeeding ages should be seene The wonders that in oreworne worlds haue beene . This true vnstainde record not spangled then With euerlasting characters of gold , Where now is writ the workes of gods and men : The stories that time long agoe hath told , Was then vnfurnisht of those glorious lights , That now makes day time of the darkest nights . This is the circuit which some please to call , The glorious starrie spangled firmament : Others imagine it that golden wall , That compasses the heauens continent : And of those nine fayre Orbs great iudgements write : This is the highest obiect to our sight . Whose motion formes these elementall frames , Quickens the naked shapes that nature makes : Sorts euery subiect to the seuerall names , And workes what Gods intended for our sakes , Turnes backe perforce the motion of the sunne , Makes morning , euening , night , and cheerefull noone . The first that in this monument of fame 〈…〉 Next to the Articke pole supplies a place , Is faire Calisto , famous by that name : Descended from th' Arcadian kingly race , Whom for her beautie Cynthia did intertaine , That she might waite vpon her maiden traine . This Nymph once bathing on her in a brooke , To coole her bodie in the chrystal glide : Where to that end her fellowes she forsooke , By Iupiter was lucklesly espied : Who with her sight set suddenly on fire , Gins studie how to compasse his desire . Long time his wauering thoughts did run about , Orelabouring of themselues to finde the way , That from this labyrinth might leade him out , And yet himselfe thus loath for to bewray , Transformes his substance to Dianaes shape , By that meanes thinking to obtaine her rape . Where , with the damsell vnderneath a shade , He spends that pleasant day in sweet delight : Offring to shew himselfe : yet halfe afraide , Least with his sudden change he might afright His fearfull Loue , not yet come to his call , And by that meanes lose labour , Loue , and all . Gins like a nibling fish that halfe mistrusts The golden shew of an intising baite , Makes many offers for the thing she lusts , Daring to deale with that she deemes deceit : So playes this amorous God , with his faire prize , Whom loue and lust bids boord , but shame denies . At last as swelling tides breakes downe their bounds , That all this while hath kept them in perforce , Orelying forcibly their neighbour grounds , And loath to come into their former course : So driuen to the deede with strong desire , He gins to make a flame out of his fire . Which when the shamefast naked Nymph gins see , How subtilly she poore soule was oretaine , With modest words defends her chastitie : Alleaging what an euerlasting staine Would cleane vnto her soule for this offence , With which nor Gods nor mortall men dispence . When like a subtill Syren he begins To tell her it was credit to offend With mightie men , their credit cloakes their sins , What they misdoe , their might doth straight amend : And therefore was Achilles weapon saide , To heale the wound that it before had made . At last with his perswasiue tongue he wonne The castle of this maidens constancie : They melt with words as waxe against the sunne : So weake is many womens modestie , That what sometimes they most would seeme to shield , Another time vnaskt poore soules they yeeld . On her this wanton God begot a sonne , Whom she calde Archas , at whose luckles birth Diana ( for this trespasse she had done ) From her sweet seruice doth expell her forth , Plaguing Calisto with this rigorous ●●w , That her mishap might hold the rest in aw . And ielous Iuno , that had seene all this That her escaping husband had done here , Inflicts a heauier doome on her amis , Changing her bodie to an vgly beare : And makes her now perforce poore soule to dwell In desart dungeon , groues thrice worse then hell . Where after many yeares she had oreworne , Grieuing at that , hard hap had brought to passe , Changde from the shape wherein she first was borne , And saue her mind , naught left of what she was : The fates yet more to crosse her wearie will , Inflicts vpon her now a greater ill . For whil'st her stripling sonne ranging abroad , To seeke amongst the shadie trees some game , Whereas his wofull mother made abode : Thither by chance her careles ofspring came , Who seeking to pursue some beast or other , Was first of all incountred by his mother . She willing to interpret her intent , For that her tongue denies to take his turne , With fawning friendship tels him what she ment , And would say how ( poore soule ) her heart did burne With the incessiue ioy , a mothers eye Surfets vpon her childrens safetie . Thus standing at a bay , the foolish boy Misconstering her motherly good will , Cheeres vp his heart with ouer cloying ioy , He had found a beast he was in hope to kill . And casting from his hand a harmfull dart , Pierces his mother through her tender hart . Which murder that it should not here remaine A wondring president for times to come , How in despite of God , his Loue was slaine By her owne ofspring , and his base got sonne : To heale this harme and make all iniuries euen , He takes them vp and places them in heauen . Where in the Isie frozen Artick clime , Turnde into starres in likenes of two Beares : This mother and her sonne since spends their time , Keeping continuall motion with the spheres : Seuen of which starres that in their shapes remaine , Are by our common people called Charles waine . But Iuno for to crosse them he had blest , Compounds with Neptune God of watrie seas , That where all other starres doe take their rest , These two should neuer taste that quiet ease : Gainst whom this God opposes such great lets , That in all Europe these starres neuer sets . Next them compounded of thirteene fayre starres , 〈…〉 A hidious Dragon circles most of these , He that kept safely with his watchfull warres , The golden garden of the Hesperides : Whom the right rendring Gods haue placed there , For to requite the toyle that he tooke here . Then stands Cephaeus , sometimes Egypts king , 4. Cephaeus Husband to Cassiopeia the faire : From whom Andromeda Perseus Loue did spring : Vpon whose stock the Gods had such a care , That at his beautious daughters happie birth , They swore none of that kinde should waste in earth . Bootes next , on whom the Gods haue plast , 〈…〉 To keepe the Beares that Ioue here dignifies : Least Iuno in her egar wrath should cast Her husbands darling from the azured skies , And quit the fault before he had misdone , Vpon this wretched mother and her sonne . Then of nine siluer starres is made a Crowne , 〈…〉 A garland beauties Goddesse once did twine , And gaue to Ariadne for a boune : When as she matcht with Bacchus God of wine : After vngratefull Theseus fled away , And left his Loue to perish and decay . Which Bacchus in remembrance of his Loue , Plaste in the heauens as too good to dwell Beneath with men , but with the Gods aboue , Where it should neuer wither , but liue well , And be the trophees of their nuptiall pride , Which Venus gaue him for to grace his bride . Hercules Next them , the labouring conqueror of kings Alcides is , whose lookes yet menace wrath To the succeeding issue of those things : Monsters and men that here he put to death , Arm'd at all poynts there this worlds captaine stands , With his victorious weapon in his hands , He from his wife , whom long he had not seene , Receiued for an intermissiue good A poysoned shirt , that by her meanes had beene Stain'd in the venome of a Centaures blood : Whom once himselfe bereaued of his life , For offring wanton daliance with his wife . Which he suspectles puts vpon his backe , And proude of his wiues fauour he was in , Wore it , till it began to worke his wracke , And forcibly did pierce his skarles skin , Eating his strong made limmes and ioynts asunder , Whose might was to the world a matchles wonder . Which treason when too late he now perceiues , How thus vntimely he was made away : Vrg'd with the poysoning paine , he madly raues , Disdaining that the world of him should say , How he which ransackt hell , and conquerd earth , Should by a womans meanes be brought to death . So on a mountaine making vp his nest , Where Phoenix-like he now intends to die , And bring his haples soule to hopefull rest , By this vndoing of his miserie : Casts his decaying limmes into the fire , Where death had quickly finisht his desire . But for of seuerall substances combinde , Begot vpon Alcumena by great Ioue , His mothers earth to earth he there resignde . His godhead that the Gods doe hold aboue , As loath their substance thought it here discend , Should with mortalitie make here an end . Next that , the golden Harpe whose well toucht strings 8. Lyre Could moue the massie stones with melodie : Raise rooted trees , and stirre all liueles things To follow on her heauenly harmonie : Make riuers turne their streames another way , And come vnkindly for to heare her play . Some say the riuer Nylus ouerrun , To water the black burnt Egyptian plaine : When time calde backe her streames whence they begun , To keepe their course into the sea againe , There with innumerable fishes more , It left a Tortoyse sprauling on the shore . Which dried with the moysture drawing sunne , Young Mercurie , as once he passed by , Stroke it with his staffe : whereat the shell begun To make a musicking murmuring melodie . Which the young God takes vp with an intent , To make of it a formall Instrument . And to that sweete tungde Poet that did sing Such pleasant Poems in the iawes of Hell : The Gods decree to giue this heauenly thing , For that his arte could exercise it well : After whose death their deede they did reclaime , And fetcht this Harpe to heauen backe againe . 〈…〉 Then sits a siluer Swanne , vnder whose shape The wanton God obscur'd his deitie , When as he purchasde louely Ledaes rape , And reuelde in a ritcher treasurie Then was combined vp in Paris ioy , Whose sun-bright beauty burnt faire blowming Troy . Whilome inamoured Ioue with her faire eyes , Consorts with wanton Venus for his will : She like an Eagle , he in the disguise Of a white seeming Swanne , seekes to fulfill His hungrie hope that sets his soule on fire , With neuer dying flames of hot desire . And as the Ladie sitting by a brooke , Vnder a broad bloom'd Rose sweet smelling shade , Apollo for to glut him with her looke , Stops the strong passage his proude coursers made : Wishing tenne thousand times in Thetis sted , This beautie were conueyed to his bed . When these beguiling birds , as though by hap The Swanne had fled his furious foe for feare : He for his refuge takes this Ladies lap , And courteous she content to keepe him there , Sits her downe further vnderneath the shade , For to preuent the meanes the Eagle made . And looking louely on this beautious bird , Smoothing his siluer plumes with her soft hand , His silke-like feathers here and there she stird , He with his wings the sweete fumed aire fand , For to alay the ouer smoothering heate , That valed her angels face with pearlie sweate . Thus lyes this God in beauties proudest bed , Couered with curtaines of her iuorie armes : Her snow white breasts are pillowes for his head , Her sugred words intising heauenly charmes , Whose siluer sound were able to asswage Warres furious God in hottest of his rage . At last , intising sleepe perswades her eyes To feede her idle sences with content : Which this loue armed God , straightwaies espies , And takes that time to practise his intent : When in her slumber softly there he wrought The full content of his inueagled thought . For which good turne , to gratifie his friend , Vnder whose couert he contriu'd his lust , And brought his hopeles thoughts to happie end , In quenching of his drie desirous thirst , Plac'd her within this compasse mongst the rest , Where for that deede for euer she is blest . Then comes faire Cassiopeia Egypts pride , That with her beautie brau'd those peerles dames , Nereides the sea Nymphs that abide Vpon the watrie worlds still mouing frames , Tripping like summers Deere from place to place , Vpon the dancing waues faire gilded face . For which contempt , the censuring Gods decree , She should be changed to her deepe disgrace Into some starres : where for her miserie Here they appoynted her abiding place : And in the motion of the heauens still , She 's backward drawne as though against her will . Next is her husband Perseus , Daneas sonne , Whom Iupiter beguil'd with golden shoes : Dazeling her eyes ( vntill the deede were done ) With present pleasures which breede after woes , Raining into her lap so sweete a showre , As would haue wonne a thousand women more . From that deceitfull daliance Perseus sprong , Who after prou'd Heauens champion in their warres , Against Medusa that durst offer wrong To Gods and men with her disturbing dares : Whose monstrous face orehung with snakie haire , Made Heauen tremble and kept earth in feare . This souldier armed with Mineruaes shield , Plum'd with swift Mercuries aire-beating wings , And his bright sword now readie for the field : Proud that the Gods would vse him in these things , Cuts through the emptie aire and vnseene way , That brought him downe where fierce Medusa lay . Where in that single combat she orecom'd , Humbles her selfe vnto his conquering hand : He takes her head , and leaues her bodie numbd With deaths cold comfort sprauling on the sand : Then with that purchase backe againe he flies , To be eternizde for his deare bought prize . When as he towring in the emptie aire , Sees in the sea a maiden weake and pale , Whose semblance seemed that she had been faire : Though feare had now oreshadowed in a vaile The faire vermillion tincture of her face , And left her there the conquest of disgrace . This was Andromeda , the Gods had bound Vpon a ruthles rocke to be the pray Of a fierce fish , by whom she must be found , And for her mothers pride should there decay , Proude Cassiopeia that durst hold plea With the faire ofspring of the foming sea . Whom Perseus from her painfull prison frees , And then at libertie he pleades his loue : For whose requitall she straightwaies agrees , Vowing her fancie neuer should remoue , Vntill diuorcing death to both their paine , Should separate their vnited soules againe . Thus as these new met louers homewards hies , Proud Perseus to his sole commander tels The hidden vertue of his hidious prize , How with her lookes all humane power she quels , And metamorphizes her gazers on , To an vnpenitrable senceles stone . At length vnto Sariphus I le they come , Where Perseus grandsire old Acrisus meetes him : Glad that his nephew had so happily wonne This hopeles conquest , kindly comes and greetes him . But looking wishly on the monsters face , Turn'd to a stone he stands still in that place . When Perseus grieuing at his grandsires death , Brought by his meanes to this vnhappie end : Casts downe his conquest to the cursed earth , And vowes in sorrow his sad dayes to spend : Whose hap to helpe the powerfull Gods agree , To take him vp amongst this companie . Then comes Auriga or the Wagoner , 〈…〉 Whom Poets say is young Hypolitus , Who fled his mothers lust : and for the care The Gods requites his continencie thus : That sensuall sinners by this meanes may see , How heauens remunerats his chastitie . By him stands Capra Iupiters kind nurse , Who by his mother Ops conueide away From th' execution of his fathers curse : To whom the Delphion Oracle did say , That by his owne sonne , Saturne should be driuen From his great kingdome of all-keeping heauen . When Iupiter conueyed from his rage , Was by this she-gote fostred in a downe , Vntill he came to strength and able age , And had depriu'd his father of his crowne : Then he rewards his nurse to her content , By placing of her in the firmament . 〈…〉 Next vnto him a mans faire picture stands , Composed of xxiiii . glorious starres , Holding a wreathed Serpent in his hands , Striuing as though they two were still at iarres . This Esculapius is Apollos sonne , That could bring life againe when life was done . He when Hippolytus was all to torne By the foule flesh fed iades that drew his carre : Setting his limmes againe as they were borne , Reuiues them all as erst before they were . For such his cunning was in Phisicks skill , He could expell deaths danger at his will . Whereat the Destinies incenst with wrath , Complaines to Iupiter how they were wrong'd By mortall men , whose might could conquer death , A thing which solely to themselues belong'd . Telling him he must curb these forward men , Or their aspiring minds would orereach them . At which the angrie God shaking his head , Throwes downe a thunderbolt , that with his weight Hits Esculapius , and so strikes him dead . But Phoebus hardly brooking of that sight , Takes vp his sonne , and spite what Ioue can doe , Sets him in heauen for to ease his woe . Mynos the Cretane King had one sole heire Nam'd Glaucus , louely like the Gnidian Doue , 〈…〉 Straight as the new sprong pine tree , and as faire As faire Adonis Cythereos Loue . But hungrie death that all things doth deuoure , Cuts vp this bud of beautie fore his flower . Whom Esculapius for his former cure , Was by constraint inioyned to regaine : And to that end the King did there immure This Artist where he now must needes remaine , And either bring him back againe his sonne , Or let death glorie in the deedes he had done . When the poore scholler copte vp with the course , Brooking but badly his imprisonment : Beguiles the tedious time with a discourse Of wisedomes rule and wils fond gouernment , How wisedome this worlds soule should be combinde , With a fond wilfull ouerruling mind . At last he finds will stronger of the two , But wisedome the director of his might : For proofe whereof , he sees how great beasts bow And humbly casts themselues at wisemens feete . Then thinkes he to himselfe , it cannot be Will should haue now such conquest ouer me . But then he found it how it came to passe , Authoritie that will was sometimes in : Ietting like Aesopes moralized Asse , Vnder the couert of a Lyons skin : This is the wofull thing ( quoth he ) that still Must keepe Gods wisedome subiect to mans will . When to breake off his solitarie muse , A Serpent comes to him whereas he sits : Which with a staffe he commonly did vse , He strikes at , and his stroke so surely hits , As piercing of the poysoned Serpents head , His foe fals downe and at his feete lyes dead . Then suddenly from forth another place , A second Serpent brings in a faire greene leafe : With which , touching his fellow , straight doth chase Triumphant death , and brings lost life reliefe . Which done , the wormes makes haste to get away , And leaues the leafe where the dead Serpent lay . At which strange sight the man now halfe amazed , Takes vp the leafe and layes it on his skin : At whose soft touch the child againe was raised , By working of the like effect in him . Which Serpent , Phoebus for this deed she had done , Places in heauen with his happie sonne . There is the strong steel'd arrow that did kill 〈…〉 The Griph that fed vpon Promethaeus hart , Chain'd to the top of Caucasus cold hill , Whom Hercules released from that smart The Gods had cast vpon him in their wrath , For fetching fire from heauen downe to earth . The Eagle's next that Iupiter did send 〈…〉 To steale away the wanton smiling boy , Whose neuer matched beautie still did lend More meanes of pride to peacock plumed Troy , That in the summer of her fayre sprong flower , Thought she had robd the Gods of all their power . He with abundance surfetting his minde Of womans fading pleasure quickly spent : Turnes his affections to another kinde Of lasting loue that was more permanent . For such is the effect of too much store , It makes them lothe that which they lou'd before . This Eagle in the searching flight he made , Sees this earths wonder by a bubling well : Wooing Narcissus like his owne faire shade , That in his owne conceit did farre excell The mixture , which to womens foule disgrace The Gods had shadowed in this wantons face . Nature , when as this god-like boy was borne , Taunted by Venus that he was too rare : Sayd she had fram'd his face in heauens scorne , Whose Angels sparkling eye-bals were so fayre , As they should draw men from their chiefe resort , And make proud womenlose their best priz'd sport . Thus at himselfe as wondring all alone , The carefull foole did softly take him vp : And to her master quickly gets her gone , Who takes him for to waite vpon his cup : Where he for euer , as old writers say , Seru'd Ioue with Nectar and Ambrosia . Orion that did first of all inuent The siluer Lutes sweet trembling harmonie , Stor'd with abundant riches , as he ment To saile towards Lesbos from sweet Italie , The Saylers , for the wealth he there had stor'd , Determin'd for to drowne him ouer boord . Whom he intreates to let him touch his strings , Before they worke their pitiles intent : The which they graunt , and then the Poet sings The tragick tale of his disparagement , Sighing ( poore soule ) it was his owne mishap Now in his age to dye in dangers lap . A floating Dolphin that had hard all this , Houers about the ship to heare some more , Orion straight leapes out vpon the fish , And the poore creature proud of that he bore , Passes with pleasure through the surging maine , And sets him safe in Italy againe . Which curteous deede the Gods doe thus repay , Placing this fish within the firmament : Where his remembrance neuer shall decay , As long as they keepe in this Continent . For with the Gods good deedes are so regarded , As that they neuer perish vnrewarded . Young merrie Bacchus when his idle head , Combred amongst his cups , was out of frame : Gets him a little casie paced steede , That sofdy might conuey him whence he came : After whose death the pleasant God obtained , His horse in heauen might be intertained . After Medusaes conquest , of her blood The ingendring sunne another monster breedes : A flying horse that longtime stoutly stood , Refusing to be curbd like other steedes : Vntill Bellerephon deuisde a way To bring this stubborne courser to his bay . But he intending for to shape a course With his winged Palfray vp vnto the skies , Amidst his iourney tumbles from his horse , And in the seas like Icarus he dies . But vp to heauen the horse still kept his way , Where euer since he holds a certaine stay . Next that , Andromeda young Perseus wife , To whom the heauens promisde at her birth , They would extend her euerlasting life , After she ' had run her mortall race on earth : And carefull for to keepe their promise sure , They plaste her there where she doth still indure . Ceres in loue with fruitfull Cicilie , 〈…〉 Whose soyle did euery yeare affoord more corne , Then from her neighbour countries treasurie Could in a long deuouring time be worne : Craues of the Gods , that with them still might stand , The three squar'd forme of this thrice luckie land . All these abides within these Artick climes , And keepes continuall motions with the spheres : Now followes these diuiders of our times , The Signes , through whom the sunne makes vp our yeres , And in twelue months drawes out his motion euen , Going through euery seuerall signe in heauen . The first is Aries , the golden Ramme , 〈…〉 That carried Phixius and his sister ouer The surging Hellespont , from their curst damme , Ino old Athmas wife their second mother . Whose dangerous iourney Iupiter requites , Turning this Rammes rug'd shape to heauenly lights . This was the Bull the God transform'd him to , 〈…〉 When as he stole Eutropa by a wile , Carrying her ouer where she would or no , To dallie with his Loue in Candies Ile . Whose losse old Agenor long time bewayl'd , Till when he saw his wayling naught preuayl'd . Within his forme seuen starres which Poets call Old Atlas seuen fayre daughters , whom we reade The immortall Gods did companie withall : And to requite their Lemmans for this deede , They liberally thus rewards their Loue , By placing of them with themselues aboue . But fayre Electra eldest of those seauen , That night when wofull Troy was ouerturned , Pluckt back her head , and would not see from heauen The flames wherein that ancient citie burned : Since which time this seauenth sister hath not beene Amongst her other sisters euer seene . Gemini Next him the Twins which Iupiter begets On louely Leda in his Swans disguise , Castor and Pollux , whom their father sets In heauen as obiects for our mortall eyes : For the requitall of his former scape He made in compassing their mothers rape . Cancer Then comes the backward creeping Crab that went On Iunos message to that masse of men Alcides , whom before her selfe had sent To warre with Hydra in foule Lernaes fen : Where when she came as strongly as she might , She bites his heele , thinking to crosse his fight . But Hercules when Hydras heads were done , Looking about him who should doe this deede : Oretakes the sloe paste shell-fish as she run , And beates her selfe borne-house about her head . When Iuno pitying of her seruants paines , Takes her to heauen where she now remaines . The furious Lyon in Numeas groue , 〈…〉 Iuno inioyn'd her husbands sonne to kill : With whom great Hercules a long time stroue , For he could bring the beast vnto his will ▪ This Ioue when as their wearie warres were done , Placed in heauen for to grace his sonne . Then Iustice comes the last of all the Gods , 〈…〉 That left her residence here on this earth : For lacke of whom the world grew all at ods , And man to man curses each others birth : For then vsurping wrong succeeded straight , That no man knew how long to hold his right . Then cals the world for Iustice backe againe , Complaining how they now were ouerrun : And they would suffer any scourging paine , In penance for those sinnes themselues had done : For that their wickednes did force this power , To leaue the seate whereas she sate before . Whereas the Gods did in their court decree Iustice should be transformed to these starres , Where foolish men might euery minute see Her , that should helpe these miseries of theirs . But stand like Tantalus within those brinks , Where he sees water , but yet neuer drinks . Next her the Ballance stands , wherein she had The vnequall deedes of mens vnruly liues , Which Iupiter there saw to be so bad , As for their sakes for euer he depriues The world of Iustice , which they had before , That spar'd no rich men , nor opprest no poore . Orion proudly boasting of his strength , There was no monster that he could not kill : The earth brought forth a Scorpion at the length , To trie what this proud bragger could fulfill , Whom this impoysoned Serpent with her sting Killed , before their combat could begin . For recompence whereof , the Gods did take This Serpent vp againe from of the earth , And of his substance there a signe they make , To let men know they should not deeme their worth More then the power of heauen : for they can Quickly controll the strongest stomackt man . Faire Epheme that nursde those sacred dames 〈…〉 The learned Muses authorises of Arts , Whose wits all kinds of heauenly cunning frames , And liues eterniz'd for their great desarts In many a golden line , that will preuaile When all deuouring time it selfe shall faile , Had to her sonne faire Crocus , that did sup The milke those learned sisters left behind : Whom Iupiter at their requests takes vp To dwell amongst this metamorphiz'd kind : And for his knowledge did exceede compare , The Gods haue thus determin'd of him there : Like to a Horse they frame his hinder parts , To shew his knowledge in braue martiall deedes : His vpper limmes tels vs the skill in Arts , Wherein all other men he farre exceedes : Fram'd like an Archer , that the world might know His sharpe wit by his arrow and his bow . The giant Tiphon , heauens greatest foe , 〈…〉 When as he menac'd all the Gods with warres , They for to plague him for disturbing so Their quiet kingdome with his churlish dares , Sets themselues readie all in battaile ranks , Vpon the bordering plaines to Nylus banks . When subtillie by their foe intrapped there , And no meanes left them for to scape away : Disguisde themselues in other shapes for feare , Where Pan the shepheards God , as writers say , Was glad by turning of his former coate , To shew like halfe a fish and halfe a goate . Whereas the God setting himselfe to swim , For feare his foe should circumuent his shape , Ioue by great chance in this sort seeing him , Gins wonder at the strangenes of his shape : And when the Gods were all come from these warres , They place this shape of Pans amongst the starres . This is young Ganimed the Troian boy , Whom Iupiter fetcht for to be his page , And rauisht all his beating vaines with ioy , Sucking the sweet taste of his tender age : Whom afterwards the God did here set vp , Powring in Nectar to a golden cup. Venus and louely Cupid on a day , Seating themselues by Euphrates faire glide , Spending the time in dallying wanton play , Was by the giant Typhon there espide , Compassed them about where they were set , As once black Vulcan tooke her in his net . For feare whereof the Goddesse was constrain'd , Clasping her young sonne in her siluer armes , To take the water , where they were sustain'd By fishes that conueyd them from those harmes : Whom afterwards the Goddesse thus requites , By turning of these fishes to fayre lights . Thus haue we run this Circle round about , Wherein the daily Sunne still keepes his course : From whence his fierie teame neuer broke out , But wholly rul'd young Phaeton by force . Now to the Southerne climates are we led , To tell what stories there are chronicled . Next to the Signes is plaste a mightie Whall , 〈…〉 By which Andromeda should haue been slaine : Whom Perseus vndertooke to fight withall , To free his Loue Andromeda from paine . For the remembrance of which victorie , She is recorded in this Registrie . Iupiter , Neptune , and young Mercurie , 〈…〉 Trauailing in humane likenes vp and downe , Were by Hyreus welcom'd curteously : Which to requite , the bid him aske a boune : Of whom the man desir'd he might haue A sonne before death brought him to his graue . Then doe the Gods command him bring the skin Of a young oxe that was but newly slaine : Wherein they pist , and puts it straightwaies in The earths cold wombe , bidding him raise 't gaine When as the tearme of ten full months were done , And of that vrine he should haue a sonne . Which charge he kept : and when the time was past He takes it vp , within whose folds he found Orion , from the vrine they there plast Growne in the bellie of the hard cold ground : After whose death in memorie of this thing , Him and the hide to heauen they did bring . Eridanus or Padus is the next , Within whose streames young Phaeton was drencht : At whose offence great Iupiter being vext , Strikes him straight downe , whereat the fire was quencht . And in remembrance of this Riuers name , It stands in heauen for quenching of that flame . And at his feete they plaste a fearfull Hare , For that he most delighted for to view it , Whil'st on this earth he was conuersing here With mortall creatures , and there would still pursue it With two fierce dogs , that there doe also stand Readie attendants at their masters hands . The ship in which proud Iason came from Greece , 〈…〉 Stoutly attended with a luckie traine To Colchos , for to winne the golden fleece , Which by Medeas loue he did obtaine : For her successe the Gods doe dignifie , Next to Orion and his companie . Apollo on a time would needes inuite 〈…〉 Iupiter for to be his welcome guest , And sends the Crow wherein he did delight , To fetch him some faire water for his feast , Sending him with a golden cup away , 〈…〉 And charg'd him straitly for to make no stay . The Crow as he was flying to the spring , Spies a faire fig tree standing by the way , And then forgetting what he was to bring , Determins there a while to make his stay : Wherefore he goe this seruant meanes to see The yet greene figs full ripened on their tree . After long time when he had eate his fill , He then too late remembers what was past : And taking a dead Serpent in his bill , Backe to his angrie master flies he fast : 〈…〉 To whom the sillie foule begins to tell How that foule Serpent kept him from the well . At which the angrie God chafing to see Himselfe abused by a simple fowle , Meanes with an euerlasting miserie , His too bold misdemeanour to controule , And into heauen to his shame takes vp Himselfe , the Serpent , and the golden cup. 〈…〉 Next them the man that was so famous , Chiron the Centaure for his famous arts , Chiefe schoolemaster to Esculapius , Achilles , and Alcides , whose desarts Wonne with the Gods such an exceeding fauour , As that they plaste him here to liue for euer . 〈…〉 Next him a woolfe , which heauens to this end Plaste there besides him , for he was deuout : The fame of his deuotion should extend Vnto all times , and nere be blotted out : Holding a sacrifice within his hands , To offer on an Altar that there stands . 〈…〉 Next that , the Wheele that wrought Ixions paine , For offring daliance to the heauens Queene , Whereon in hell long time he did remaine , Till pitie mou'd the Gods for to redeeme This cursed creature from his punishment , And place his rack within the firmament . The last that 's in this monument of fame , 〈…〉 Is a fayre fish whom they tearme Venus daughter , Transformed in the sea , and for her name These starres continued there euer after : Where she and all the rest are fixed fast , As long as heauen moues and earth shall last . Thus did the Gods with fauours still regard The dutifull demeanes of earth-bred kinds , And gaue to euery deede his due reward . Such is their equall iustice rendring minds , That no affections drawes away their fauour , But euery thing 's rewarded for his labour . The weake they doe not ouerpresse with weight , Nor feare they what the mightie man can do : The rich man with his close fist golden sleight Cannot corrupt their rightfull iudgements so . Thus without hope of gaine , or feare of might , They rendred vnto euery man his right . But when the world , orecloyed with this good , Began to surfet in intising ill , Then turn'd they downe the wheele where Fortune stood , And lets them reape the fruits of their owne will : So that these after times as Poets tell , Are for their follies registred in hell . Where now they show not in faire fixed starres , But shadowed in foule mists and frying fire , With fiends and furies keepes continuall warres , From which their wearie soules shall nere retire . So was the first world blest with heauenly fauours , And the last curst with painfull hellish labours . FINIS .