¶ For longe er I myght slepe me gan oppres
¶ So ponderously I coud make none obstacle
¶ In myne hede was fall suche an heuinesse.
¶ I was fayne to drawe to myne habytacle.
¶ To rowne with a pylow me semyd best tryacle.
¶ So leyde I me downe my dysease to releue.
¶ Anone cam in Morpleus & toke me by the sleue
¶ And as I soo laye halfe in a traunse
¶ Twene slepyng & wakyng he bad me aryse.
¶ For he sayd I must yeue attendaunce.
¶ To the grete Courte of Mynes the Iustyse.
¶ Me nought auayled ayene hym to sylogyse.
¶ For hit is oft sayd by hem that yet lyues.
¶ He must nedes go that the deuell dryues.
¶ Whan I see noo better but I must go.
¶ I sayd I was redy at his commaundement.
¶ Wheder that he wolde me lede to or fro.
¶ Soo vp I arose and forth with hym went.
¶ Tyll he had me brought to the parlament.
¶ Where Pluto sate and kepte is estate.
¶ And with hym Mynos the Iuge desperate.
¶ But as we thyderwarde went by the way.
¶ I hym besought his name me to tell.
¶ Morpleus he sayde thou me call may.
¶ A syr sayde I than where do ye dwell.
¶ In heuen or in erthe eyther elles in hell.
¶ Nay he sayde myn abydyng most commonly
¶ Is in a lytyll corner called fantasy.
¶ And as sone as he thyse wordes had sayd.
¶ Cerberus the porter of hell with his cheyne.
¶ Brought theder Colus in ragges euyll arayd
¶ Agayn whom Neptunus & Dyana dyd compleynt
¶ Saynge thus O Mynos thou Iuge souerayn.
¶ Gyue thy cruel iugement ayen this traytour so
¶ That we may haue cause to preyse thy lord Pluto
¶ Then was there made a proclamacyon.
¶ In Plutoos name commaunded scylence.
¶ Vpon the payn of strayt correccyon.
¶ That Dyana & Neptunus might haue audience.
¶ To declare her grefe of the grete offence.
¶ To hem do by Colus wheron they compleined
¶ And to begyn Dyana was constreyned.
¶ Whyche thus begyn as ye shall here.
¶ Saynge in this wyse. O thou lorde Pluto.
¶ Wyth thy iuge Mynos syttyng with the in fere
¶ Execute your fury vpon Colus soo.
¶ Accordyng to thofence that he to me hath do
¶ That I haue no cause forther to appele.
¶ Whyche yf I do shall not be for youre wele.
¶ Remembre fyrst how I a goddesse pure.
¶ Ouer all desertes / forestes and chaces.
¶ Haue the guydynge and vnder my cure.
¶ This traytour colus hath mani of mi places
¶ Destroyd with his blastes & daily me manaces
¶ Where ony wood is he shall make it playne.
¶ If he to his lyberte may resorte ageyne
¶ The gretest trees that ony man may fynde
¶ In forest to shade the dere for her comforte.
¶ He breketh hem asonder or rendith he rote & rinde
¶ Out of the erthe this is his dysporte.
¶ So that the deere shall haue noo resorte.
¶ Wythin shorte tyme to noo maner shade
¶ Where thorough the game is lykly to fade.
¶ Which to my name a reproche synguler.
¶ Sholde be foreuer whyle the worlde laste.
¶ And to all the goddes an hygh dyspleyser.
¶ To see the game soo destroyed by his blaste.
¶ Wherfore a remedy puruey in haste.
¶ And lete hym be punysshed after his offence.
¶ Cousyder the cryme and yeue your sentence.
¶ And whan Dyana had made her compleynt
¶ To mynos the Iuge in Plutoos presence.
¶ Came forth Neptunus with vysage pale & feynt
¶ Desyrynge of fauour to haue audyence.
¶ Saynge thus Pluto to thy magnyfycence.
¶ I shall reherce what this creature.
¶ Colus hath done me out of mesure.
¶ Thou knowest well that I haue the charge
¶ Ouer all the se and therof god I am.
¶ No shyp may sayl Keruel / bote ne barge.
¶ Grete karyk nor hulke with ony lyuyng man.
¶ But he haue my saue conduyte than.
¶ who me offendith wythin my Iurysdyccyon
¶ Owyth to submyt him to my correccyon.
¶ But in asmoche as it is now soo.
¶ That ye hym here haue as your prysonere
¶ I shall shew my compleynt soo.
¶ wherfore I pray you that ye wyll here.
¶ And let hym not escape out of your daungere.
¶ Tyl he haue made full sethe & recompence
¶ For hurt of my name thrugh his grete offence
¶ Fyrst to begyn this Colus hath ofte.
¶ Made me to retorne mi course agein nature.
¶ wyth his grete blastes whan he hath be alofte
¶ And charged me to labour fer out of mesure
¶ that it was grete merueyl how I might endure
¶ The com of my swete wyll testyfy.
¶ That on the se bankes lye beten full hye.
¶ Secundly where 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
¶ And what payn or greef ye for me prouyde
¶ wythout ony grutchyng I shall it abyde.
¶ Lo good dame sayd god Appollo.
¶ what may he do more but sew to your grace.
¶ Beholde how the teres from his eyen goo.
¶ It is satysfaction half for his trespace.
¶ Now gloryous goddes shew your petious face
¶ To this pore prysoner at my request.
¶ All we for youre honour thynke thus is best.
¶ And yf it lyke you to do in thys wyse.
¶ And so to foryeue hym clerely his offence.
¶ One thynge surely I wyll you promyse.
¶ If he ought rebell and make resystence
¶ Or dysobey vnto your sentence.
¶ For euery tree that he maketh fall.
¶ Out of the erthe an /C/ ryse shall.
¶ Soo that youre game shall not dyscrease
¶ For lacke of shade i dare vndertake
¶ well syr Appolo sayd she than wyll I cease
¶ Off all my rancour and mercy with you make
¶ And than god Neptunus of his maner spak
¶ Saying thus appolo though dyana him relese
¶ yet shall he sue to me to haue his pease.
¶ A sayd Appolo ye wende I had forgete.
¶ You for my lady Dyana the goddesse.
¶ Nay thynke not so for I wyll you entrete.
¶ As well as her wythoute longe processe.
¶ wyll ye agre that Phebus your maystresse.
¶ May haue the guydyng of your varyaunce.
¶ I shall abyde quod he / her ordynaunce.
¶ Wel than quod appolo I pray you goddis all
¶ And goddesses that ben here presente.
¶ That ye companable wyll aborde falle.
¶ Nay than sayd Othea it is not conuenyente.
¶ A dew ordre in euery place is expedyente.
¶ To be hadde wherfore ye may not lette.
¶ To be your own marshal at your own banket
¶ And whan appolo se it wolde none other be
¶ He called to hym Aurora the goddesse.
¶ And sayd though ye wepe ye shall before me.
¶ Ay kepe your course and put yourself in presse
¶ Soo he her set fyrste at his owne messe.
¶ wyth her moyst clothes with teres all be spreynt
¶ The medewes in may shew therof her compleint
¶ Next her sat Mars myghty god and strong
¶ wyth a flamme of fyre enuyroned all about
¶ A crown of yron on his hede a spere in his hond
¶ It semed by his chere as he wold haue fought.
¶ And next vnto hym as I perceyue mought.
¶ Sat the goddesse Dyana in a mantell fyne.
¶ Of black sylke purfyled with poudred ermine
¶ Lyke as he had take the mantell & the rynge
¶ And next vnto her arayed roally.
¶ Sat the god Iupyter in his demenynge.
¶ Full sad and wyse he semed sykerly.
¶ A crowne of tynne stood on his hede.
¶ And that I recorde of all phylosophers.
¶ that lytyll store of Coyne kepe in her cofres.
¶ Ioyned to hym in syttyng next there was
¶ The goddesse Iuno full rychely besene.
¶ In a sercote that shone as bryght as glas
Of goldsmyth werk with spangles wrought bedene
¶ Of royall ryches wanted she none I wene.
¶ And next to her sat the god saturne.
¶ That oft syth causeth many one to morne.
¶ But he was clad me thought straungely
¶ For of froste & snowe was all his aray.
¶ In his honde he helde a fawchon all blody
¶ It semed by his chere as he wold make a frai
¶ A baudryck of Isykles about his necke gaye
¶ He had and aboue on hygh on his hede.
¶ Couchid with hayl stones he wered a croun of lede
¶ And nexte in ordre was set by his syde.
¶ Ceres the goddesse in a garmente.
¶ Of sacke cloth made with sleues large & wyde
¶ Embrowdered wyth sheues and sycles bent
¶ Of all maner greynes she sealed the patente.
¶ In token that she was goddes of corne.
¶ Olde Poetes saye she beryth the heruest horn
¶ Then was there set the god cupydo·
¶ All fresshe & galaunte and costly in aray.
¶ Wyth ouches and rynges he was beset so.
¶ the paleys therof shon as though it had be day
¶ A kerchyff of plesauns stood ouer his helm ay
¶ The goddesse Ceres he loked in the face.
¶ And wyth one arme he her dyde enbrace.
¶ Next to Cupido in order by and by
¶ Of wordly wysdum sat the forteresse.
¶ Called Othea chyef grounde of polycy.
¶ Reuler of knyghthode of prudence the goddes
¶ Clad all in purpure was she more & lesse.
¶ Saaf on her hede a crowne there stode.
¶ Couched wyth perles oryent fyne & good.
¶ And nexte to her was god Pluto set
¶ Wyth a derke myste enuyrond al about.
¶ His clothy was made of a smoky net.
¶ His colour was bothe wythin & wythoute.
¶ Foule / derke & dymme his eyen grete & stoute.
¶ Of fyre & sulfure all his odoure wase.
¶ That wo was me whyle I beheld his face
¶ Fortune the goddesse with her perty face.
¶ Was vnto Pluto next in order sette.
¶ Varyant she was ay in shorte space.
¶ Her whele was redy to turne wythout let.
¶ Her gowne was of gawdy grene clamelet.
¶ Chaungeable of sondry dyuerse colours.
¶ To the condycyons accordyng to her shoures
¶ And by her sat thoughe he vnworthy were.
¶ The rewde god Pan of shepherdes that gyde
¶ Clad in russet frese & breched lyke a bere.
¶ Wyth a grete terbox hangyng by his syde.
¶ A shepcrok in his hond he spared for no pryde.
¶ And by his fete lay a prekered curre.
¶ He rateled in the throte as he had the murre.
¶ Isys the goddes bare hym company.
¶ For at the table next she sat by his syde.
¶ In a close kyrtell embrowdered curyously
¶ with braunches and leues brood large & wyde.
¶ Grene as any grasse in the somer tyde.
¶ Of all maner frute she had the gouernaunce
¶ Of fauours odyferous was her sustynauns
¶ Next to her than was god Neptunus set.
¶ He sauoured lyke a fyssher of hym i spak before
¶ It semed by his clothes as they had be wet.
About hym in his gyrdelsted hing fysshes mani a xx
¶ Of his straunge aray merueyled I sore.
¶ A shyp wyth a top and sayle was hys creste.
¶ Me thought he was gayly dysgysed at the fest.
¶ Than toke mynerue the goddes her sete.
¶ Ioyntly to Neptunus all in curas cladde.
¶ Gauntelettis on hondes & sabatouns on her fete
¶ She loked about as though she had be mad.
¶ An hamer and a sythe on her hede she hadde
¶ She wered two bokelers one by her syde.
¶ that other ye wote were this was al her prid
¶ Than cam the god bachus & by her set hym doun
¶ Holdynge in his honde a cuppe full of wyne.
¶ Of grene vyne leues he wered a Ioly croun
¶ He was clad in clustres of grapes gode & fine
¶ A garlonde of yuy he chose for his sygne.
¶ On his hede he had a thredbare kendall hode.
¶ A gymlot and a fauset therupon stode.
¶ Next hym sat phebus wyth her colour pale.
¶ Fat she was of face but of complexon feynte.
She sayd she rewled Neptunus & made hym bayl
¶ And ones in the monthe with phebus was she meint
¶ Also ne were she Ceres were ateynte
¶ Thus she sat & tolde the myght of her nature
¶ & on her hede she wered a croun of siluer pure
¶ Ioyntly to her Marcuryus toke his see.
¶ As came to his cours wytnesse the zodyake.
¶ He had a gylden tonge as fyll for his degree
¶ In eloquence of langage he passed al the pake
¶ For in his talkyng no man coud fynde lake
¶ A box wyth quycksyluer he had in his honde /
¶ Multyplyers know it wel in euery londe
¶ By hym sat dame Venus with colour crystalline
¶ Whos long here shone as wyre of gold bryght
¶ Cryspe was her skyn her eyen columbyne
¶ Rauysshed myne herte her chere was so lyght
¶ Patrones of plesaunce be named wel she myght
¶ A smocke was her wede garnysshed curyusli
¶ But all other she had a wanton eye
¶ On her hede she wered a red coper crowne
¶ A nosegay she had made ful plesauntly
¶ Bytwene her & aurora Apollo set hym doune
¶ Wyth his beames bryght he shone so feruently
¶ That he therwyth gladyd al the company
¶ A crown of pure gold was on his hede set
¶ In syne that he was mayster & lorde of that banket
¶ Nota
¶ Thus was the table set round aboute
¶ Wyth goddes & goddesses as i haue you told
¶ Awaytyng on the bord was a grete route
¶ Of sage phylosophers & poetes many fold
¶ There was sad Sychero & Arystotle olde
¶ Tholome Dorothe wyth Dyogenes
¶ Plato Myssehala and wyse Socrates
¶ Sortes & Saph[y]rus with hermes stode behynd
¶ Auycen & Aueroys wyth hem were in fere
¶ Galyen & ypocras that physyk haue in mynd
¶ wyth help of Esculapyon toward hem drow ner
¶ Vyrgyle Orace Ouyd and Omere
¶ Euclyde and albert yaue her attendaunce
¶ To do the godds & goddesses plesaunce
¶ Horeberded Orpheus was there with his harpe.
¶ And as a poyt musycal made he melody
Other minstral had ther non saf Pan gan to carpe
¶ Of his leud bagpyp which caused the compani
¶ To law yet many mo ther were yf i shuld not ly
¶ Som yong som old both better and werse
¶ But mo of theyr names can I not reherce
¶ Of al maner deyntes there was habundaunce
¶ Of metes & drynkes foyson plenteuous
¶ In cam Dyscord to haue varyaunce
¶ But there was no roum to set her in that hous
¶ The goddis remembred the scysme odious
¶ Among the thre goddesses that she had wrought
¶ At the fest of Peleus wherfore they thought
¶ They wold not with her dele in a venture
¶ Lest she hem brought to som inconuenyente
¶ She seyng this was wroth out of mesure
¶ And in that grete wrath out of the paleyse went
¶ Sayng to herself that chere shuld thei repent
¶ And anone with Attropes happed she to mete.
¶ As he had ben a gost came in a wyndyng shete
¶ She toke hym by the hond & rowned in his ere
¶ And told hym of the banket that was so delycate.
How she was receyued & what chere she had there
¶ And how euery god sat in his astate
¶ Is it thus quod attropos what in the deuyls date
¶ Well he sayd I se well how the game goth
¶ Ones yet for your sake shal I make hem wroth
¶ And whan she had hym al togyder told
¶ From her he departed & of her toke his leue /
¶ Sayng that for her sake his way take he wolde
¶ In to the paleys his maters to meue
¶ And or he thens went he trowed hem to greue.
¶ Wyth such tydynges as he wold hem tel
¶ So forth he went & spake wordes fell
¶ Whan he came in the presence of the goddis [a]lle
¶ As he had ben mad he loked hym a bout
¶ His shete from his body downe he let fall
¶ And on a reud maner he saluted al the route
¶ Wyth a bold voys spekyng wordes stoute
¶ But he spake all holow as it had ben one
¶ Had spoke in a nother world that had wo begon
¶ He stode forth boldly with grym countenaunce
¶ Sayng on this wyse as ye shal here
¶ All ye goddes yeue attendaunce
¶ Vnto my wordes without all daungere
¶ Remembre how ye made me your offycere
¶ Al tho wyth my darte fynally to chastyse
¶ That thou dysobeyed or wolde your law dyspise
¶ And for the more surete seiled my patent
¶ Gyuyng me full power so to ocupy
¶ Wherto I haue enployed myn entent
¶ And that can dame Nature testefy
¶ If she be examyned she wyll not it denye
¶ For whan she forsakyth ony creature
¶ I am al redy to take hym to my cure
¶ Thus haue I deuly wyth al mi dylygence.
¶ Executed the offyce of olde antyquyte
¶ To me by you graunted by your comyn sentece
¶ For I spared none hygh nor low degre
¶ So that on my parte no faute hath be
¶ For as sone as ony to me commytted was
¶ I smote hym to the hert he had none other grace
¶ Ector of Troy for al his cheualry
¶ Alexander the grete & myghty conqueroure
¶ Iulyus Cezar with al his companye
¶ Dauyd nor Iosue nor worthy Artur
¶ Charlis the noble that was so gret of honour
¶ Nor Iudas Machabee for al his trew herte
¶ Nor Godfrey of Boleyn coud me not asterte
¶ Nabugodonozor for al his grete pryde
¶ Nor the kyng of Egypt cruel Pharao
¶ Iason ne Hercules went they neuer so wyde.
¶ Cosdras Hanyball nor gentyll Sypyo·
¶ Cyrus Achylles nor many another mo
¶ For fayr nor foule gat of me no grace
¶ But al be at the last I seased hem with my mace.
¶ Thus haue I brought euery creature
¶ To an ende both man fysshe foule and best
And euery other thyng in whome dame nature
¶ Hath ony Iurysdyccion eyther most or lest
¶ Except oonly one in whome your be hest
¶ Is to me broke for ye me promysed
That my myght of none shold haue be dyspysed
¶ Wherof the contrary daoe I well a uow
¶ Is trew for one there is that wyl not apply
¶ Vnto my correction nor in no wyse bow
¶ To the dynt of my darte for dole nor desteny·
¶ What comfort he hath nor the cause why
¶ That he so rebellyth I can not thynk of ryght
But yf ye hym graunted your alders saf condyght.
¶ And yf he so haue than do ye not as goddis.
¶ For a goddys wrytyng may not reuersed be.
¶ Yf it shold I wold not gyue you ii pesecoddis
¶ For graunt of your patent of offyce nere of fee.
¶ Wherefore in this mater do me equyte
¶ Accerding to my patent for tyl this be do
¶ Ye haue no more my seruyse nor my gode wyl
¶ And whan al the goddis had attropos hered
¶ As they had ben wode brayd vp attones
¶ & sayd they wold not rest tyll he were conquered
¶ Taken and dystroyed body blode and bones
¶ And that they swere grete othes for the nonis
¶ Her lav to dyspyce that was so malapert
¶ They sayd he shuld be taught for to be so pert
¶ Wel sayd Appollo yf he on erth be
¶ wyth my brennyng chare I shall hym confound
¶ In feyth quod neptunus & he kepe these
¶ He may be well sure he shall be drownd
¶ A syr sayd Mars this haue we wel found
¶ That ony dysubeyed oure goodly precept
¶ We may well thynk we haue to long slept
¶ But neuertheles where I may hym fynd
¶ wyth thunder & lyghtning about I shall hym chase
¶ And I quod Saturnus before and behynd.
¶ with my bytte cold shall shew hym harde grace
¶ well sayd Mercuryus yf I may se his face.
¶ For euer of his spech I shall hym depryue
¶ So that hym were better dede than alyue
¶ Ye quod Othea yet may he well be
¶ In the eyr where he wyll & ax you no leue
¶ wherfore my counseyl is that all we
¶ May entrete Neptunus his rancour foryeue.
¶ And than I dout not Colus wyl hym myscheue
¶ So may ye be sure he soal you not escape
¶ & ellis of you anger he wyll make but a iape.
¶ But for to tel you how Colus was brought.
¶ In daungere of Pluto yet had I forget
¶ wherfore on this mater forther wyl I nought.
¶ Procede tyll I therof haue knowlege you let
¶ It befell on a day the weder was wete
¶ And Colus thought he wold on his dysport.
¶ Goo t[u] reioyse his spyrytis and comforte
¶ He thought he wold se what was in the ground
¶ And in a krauers forth he gan hym dresse
¶ A drough had the erthe late before found.
¶ That caused it to chyne & krauy more & lesse /
¶ Sodenly by wete constreyned by duresse
¶ Was the ground to close his superfycyall face.
¶ So streyt that to scape colus had noo space
¶ This seyng Colus be styll wythin abode.
¶ Sekyng where he myght haue gene fer or nere.
¶ A[n]one he was espyed and one to Pluto rode
¶ And told hym how Colus was in his daungere.
¶ Than sayd he to Cerberus fet me that prysonere /
¶ Tyl I haue hym sene let hym not go at large /
¶ As the wylt answere of hem I yeue the charge
¶ Thus was this Colus take prysonere
¶ Than happed it so that the sa[m]e day
¶ Pluto had prefyxed for a grete mater
¶ Mynos to syt in his robe of Ray
¶ Wherfore Cerberus toke the next way
¶ And led hym to the place where the court shalbe
¶ where I told you Morpleus brought me
¶ So thyder c[a]me Dya[n]a caryed in carre
¶ To make her compleynt as I told you all
¶ And so dyd Neptunus that doth make and mar
¶ Walewyng with his wawys & tomblyng as a ball
¶ Her matters they meued fal what may befall
¶ There was the fyrst syght that euer I them saw
¶ And yf I neuer do eft I care not a straw