The Assemble of Goddes. Unknown

my nature is.

      ¶ Both to eb & flowe a[n]d so thy course to kepe.

      ¶ Ofte of myne entent hath he made me mys

      ¶ where as I shulde haue fylled dykes depe.

      ¶ At a full water I myght not theder crepe.

      ¶ Before my season came to returne ageyn.

      ¶ And than went I faster than i wold certayn

      ¶ Thus he hath me dryuen ayen myn entente

      ¶ And contrary to my course naturall.

      ¶ where I shuld haue be he made me absente

      ¶ To my grete dyshonour & in especyall.

      ¶ Do thynge he vsed that worst was of all.

      ¶ For where I my sauegard graunted

      ¶ Ay in that coste he comonly haunted

      ¶ Of very pure malyce and sylfwyll.

      ¶ Theym to destroy in dyspyte of me.

      ¶ To whome I promised both in gode & yll.

      ¶ For to be her protectour in all aduersyte.

      ¶ That to theym shulde fall vpon the se.

      ¶ And euen sodenly or they coud beware

      ¶ wyth a sodeyn pyry he lapped theym in care.

      ¶ And full oft syth wyth hys boystous blaste.

      ¶ Or they myght be ware he drof hem on the sond

      ¶ And other whyle he brake top sayl & maste.

      ¶ which caused theim to peryssh or thei cam to lond

      ¶ Then cursed they the tyme that euer thei me fand

      ¶ Thus amonge the people lost is my name.

      ¶ And so by his labour put I am to blame.

      ¶ Consyder this mater and ponder my case.

      ¶ Tender my compleynt as rygure requyreth

      ¶ Shew forth youre sentence with a breef clause

      ¶ I may not longe tary the tyme fast expyreth

      ¶ The offence is grete wherfore it desyreth.

      ¶ The more greuous payn and hasty iugement

      ¶ For offence don wylfully wyl non auysement

      And whan the god pluto a whyl had him bethought

      ¶ He rowned with mynos what was to do.

      ¶ Then he sayde openly loke thou fayl nought

      ¶ Thy sentence to yeue wythoute fauoore soo.

      ¶ Lyke as thou hast herde the causes the too.

      ¶ And so euenly dele twene thise partyey twein

      ¶ That none of hem haue case on the other compleint

      ¶ Thenne sayd mynos full indyfferently.

      ¶ To Dyana & Neptunus is there ony more.

      ¶ That ye wyll declare ageyn hym openly.

      ¶ Nay in dede they sayd we kepe none in store /

      ¶ we haue sayd Inough to punysshe hym fore

      ¶ If ye in this mater be not parcyall·

      ¶ Remembre your name was wont to be egall.

      ¶ Well than sayd Mynos now let vs see.

      ¶ what this boystous Colus for hymself cay say

      ¶ For here Prima facie to vs doth appere.

      ¶ That he hath offended no man can say naye

      ¶ wherfore thou Colus wythoute more delaye

      ¶ Shape vs an answere to thyne accusemente

      ¶ And elles I must procede vpon thy iugement

      ¶ And euen as colus was onward to haue said

      ¶ For his excuse / came in a messengere.

      ¶ Fro god Appolo to Pluto and hym prayde.

      ¶ On his behalfe that he wythoute daungere

      ¶ wolde to hym come & brynge wyth hym in fere

      ¶ Dyana and Neptunus vnto his banket

      ¶ And yf they dysdeyned hymself he wold hem fet.

      ¶ Moreouer he sayde to god Appolo

      ¶ Desyred to haue respyte of the iugemente

      ¶ Of Colus bothe of Mynos and Pluto

      ¶ So Dyana & Neptunus were therwith content

      ¶ And yf they were dysposed to assente

      ¶ That he myght come vnto his presente

      ¶ He it desyred to knowe his offence

      ¶ What say ye herto sayd Pluto to hem tweyn

      ¶ wyll ye both assente that it shal be thus

      ¶ ye sayd the goddesse for my parte certeyne

      ¶ And I also sayd this Neptunus

      ¶ I am well plesid quod this Colus

      ¶ And whan they had a whyle thus togyder spoke

      ¶ Pluto commaunded the court to be broke

      ¶ And than togeder went they in fere.

      ¶ Pluto and Neptunus ledynge the goddesse

      ¶ whome folowed Cerberus with his prysonere.

      ¶ And alderlast wyth grete heuynesse.

      ¶ Came I and Morpleus to the forteresse.

      ¶ Of the god appolo vnto his banket.

      ¶ where many goddes and goddesses met.

      ¶ Whan Appolo se that they were come.

      ¶ He was ryght glad & prayed theym to syt.

      ¶ Nay sayd Dyana this is all and some.

      ¶ ye shall me pardone I shall not syt yet.

      ¶ I shall fyrste know why Colus abyde.

      ¶ And what execucyon shall on hym be doo

      ¶ For his offence / well sayd Appollo.

      ¶ Madame ye shall haue all your plesere.

      ¶ Syth that it wyll none otherwyse be.

      ¶ But fyste I pray you let me the mater here

      ¶ why he is brought in this perplexyte.

      ¶ well sayd Pluto that shall ye sone se.

      ¶ And gan to declare euen by and by.

      ¶ Bothe theyr complayntes ordynatly.

      ¶ And whan Appolo had herd the reporte

      ¶ Of Pluto in a maner smylynge he sayd.

      ¶ I se well Colus thou hast small comforte.

      ¶ Thy selfe to excuse thou mayst be dysmayde·

      ¶ For to here so grete compleyntes ayen the layd

      ¶ And notwythstondyng if thou can say ought

      ¶ For thyne own wele say and tary nought

      ¶ Nota

      ¶ Forsoth sayd Colus yf I had respyte.

      ¶ Hereto an answere cowd I counterfete.

      ¶ But to haue her grace more is my delyte.

      ¶ wherfore I pray you all for me entrete.

      That I may by your request her gode grace gete

      ¶