The Assemble of Goddes. Unknown

      ¶ 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.