Hypnerotomachia | Page 7

moisture, being thorowlye searched
with the furious north winde, I lifted vp my hart to God, desiring as
_Achemenides_ being afraide of the horrible _Cyclops_ rather to be
slaine by the hands of _Aeneas_ his enemie, rather then to suffer so
odious a death.
And my deuoute prayer, sincerely vnited to a contrite heart, powring
out a fountaine of teares with a stedfast beliefe to be deliuered. I found
my selfe in a short space gotten at libertie, like a new day crept out of a
darke and tempestuous night. My eyes before vsed to such obumbrated
darkenes, could scarse abide to behould the light, thorow watery sadnes.
Neuerthelesse glad I was to see the light: as one set at libertie, that had
beene chayned vp in a deepe dungeon and obscure darkenesse. Verye
thirstie I was, my clothes torne, my face and hands scratched and
netteled, and withall so extreamely set on heate, as the fresh ayre
seemed to doe me more hurt then good, neither did it any waye ease my
body, desirous to keepe his new recouered scope and libertie.

And after that I had a little rowsed vp my mynde, and sommoned
together my sences in some better sort: I sought a meanes to quench my
inordinate thyrst, procured and increased through innumerable sighes,
and extreame labour of body. Thus casting my eyes with a diligent
regarde about the plaine, to finde some Fountaine whereat I might
refresh my selfe: a pleasant spring or head of water, did offer it selfe
vnto me, with a great vayne boyling vp, about the which did growe
diuers sweet hearbes and water flowers, and from the same did flowe a
cleare and chrystalline current streame, which deuided into diuers
branches, ran thorow the desart wood, with a turning and winding body,
receyuing into it other little channels, vnlading themselues.
In whose courses the stones lift vp by nature, and trunkes of trees
denyed any longer by their roots to be vpholden, did cause a stopping
hinderance to their current and whuzing fall, which still augmented by
other vndissonant torrents, from high and fertlesse mountaines in the
plaine, shewed a beautifull brightnes and soft passing course, to the
which short windedly comming, by meanes of my fearefull flight. I did
see a little obscure light, thorow the tops of the high trees, somewhat
deuiding themselues ouer the water, and with the rest of their bodyes
and branches, as it were seperating the heauens from my lifted vp eyes.
A horrible place to be in, vnaccompanyed of any creature.
And suddainly hearing the fall of trees, through the force of a
whyrlewinde, & noise of the broken bowghes, with a redoubled and
hoarse sound a farre of, and yet brought to the eccho of the water
thorow the thick wood, I grew into a new astonishment.
And at this instant thus terrified and afflycted, and yet without any
receiued hurt, being vpon my knees bowed downe, and inclosing the
hollownesse of my hand, therewith determined to make me a necessary
drinking vessel: I had no sooner put the same into the water, offring to
my mouth the long desired moysture, thereby to refrygerate and coole
the extreame heate of my burning heart, which at that time would haue
beene more acceptable vnto me, then eyther _Hypanis_ and _Ganges_
be to the _Indians_, _Tigris_ or _Euphrates_ to the _Armenians_, or
_Xeylus_ to the _Aethiopian_ nation, or to the _Egyptians_ his

innundation, inbybing theyr burnt and rosted mould, or yet the riuer
_Po_ to the _Ligurians_.
Euen then also it fell so out, that I had no sooner taken water into the
palme of my hand, offering the same to my open mouth, ready to
receiue it: I heard a doricall songe, wherewith I was as greatly delighted,
as if I had heard the Thracian _Thamiras_, which thorough my eares
presented it selfe to my vnquiet heart, with so sweete and delectable a
deliuerie, with a voyce not terrestriall, with so great a harmonie and
incredible a fayning shrilnesse, and vnusuall proportion, as is possible
to bee imagined by no tounge sufficiently to be commended. The
sweetnes whereof so greatly delighted me, as thereby I was rauished of
my remembrance, and my vnderstanding so taken from me, as I let fall
my desired water thorough the loosned ioynts of my feeble hands.
And then euen as a birde, which through the sweetnes of the call
forgetteth to remember the Fowlers deceit, so I letting slip that which
nature stood in need of, hastened my selfe back with all speed, towarde
that attractiue melodie, which the more I coasted, the further it seemed
still from me, sometime heere, sometimes there, and still as I shifted
places, so the same also chaunged with a delectable voyce and