Hypnerotomachia | Page 7

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 heauenly consent. Thus vainly running vp and downe, I knew not after what, I grew more wearie, faint, and drye, and so feeble, that my legges could but with great paine, vphould my distempered body. And my grieued spirits vnabled long to support the same, what with the feare that I had bin in, what with extreame thirst, what with long and wilesome trauell, and what with doubting the worst that might insue. Thus hote, faint, and drye: I knew not what to do but euen to procure rest for my weary members. I marueled first at this straunge accedent, and was amazed at this inhumane harmonye, but most of all in that I was in a straunge contry, and vninhabited, being onelye fertill and beawtyfull to behould, besydes that I greatly sorrowed for the losse of the fayer ryuer which I had so greatly labored to finde out, and now so lightly and carelesly to haue lost the benefit thereof. In this sort I was houlden