" NUMBER
87
THE ENGLISH EXPERIENCE
ITS
RECORD
EARLY PRINTED BOOKS PUBLISHED IN FACSIMILE
IN
(FRANCESCO COLONNA)
HYPNEROTOMACHIA
LONDON
1592
DA CAPO PRESS
THEATRVM ORBIS TERRARVM LTD. AMSTERDAM 1969 NEW YORK
The
publishers acknowledge their gratitude
to the Curators of the Bodleian Library, Oxford,
for their permission to reproduce
the Library
s
copy.
S.T.C.No.5577
Collation:
A-Z 4 ,Aa-Cc 4
V-
2
Published in 196 9 by
Theatrum Orbis Terrarum Ltd., O.Z. Voorburgwal 85, Amsterdam
&
Da Capo
221 West 17th
Street,
Press
-
-a division of Plenum Publishing Corporation
New York.
10011
Printed in
The Netherlands
HYPNEROTOMACHU.
THE
Strife
of
Loue
in a
Dreamer.
At London,
Printed for
Simon Waterfbn,and
fhop,
in S. Paules
are
to be fold at his
Church-
jard, at Cbeape-gate.
NOVRABLE AND EVER LYVING VERTVES OF SYR PHILLIP STD NST KNIGHT; AND TO THE
HIS DVE.
TO THE THRJSE
RIGHT HONORABLE AND OTHERS WHATSOEVER, WHO LIVING LOVED HIM, 4ND BEING DEAD GIVE HIM
To the Right
Deuorax, Earle of Eflex
Honourable Robert and Ewe Vifcount
,
:
Hereford, and Bourghchier, Lordc Ferrers ofChartlty, Bourghchicr and Louaine, Maifter of the Queenes Maiefttes
Is wiflicd, the
Harff, and Knight of the moft rroi/e order of the Garter pmcftion of all happincfiTc, and tryumpnant fclicitic in this life, and in the worldc to come.
Hen I had determined
(Right honorable) to dedi
cate this
Booke,
to the euer-
iyuing
Icflc
vertues of that
matchSyd
Knight Syr
Pbillif
ney
;
me thought that I could
not findeouta more Noble
then your felte, and more fit, to perfonage patro nize, fhield, and defende my dutie to the deade,
then your Honour, whofe greatnes
vertues of that
is
fuch,
and
power,
as
whofo commendeth
them, deferueth not to be accounted a flatterer, bur. he that doth not the fame, may be thought an
A
2,
euill
The
euill wilier.
How your Honor will accept here
that curtefie atten
of, I make
no doubt, becaufe
ded* vpon true nobilitie ; but
is,
my
humble requeft
(by the
that your Honor may not thinke of me
tytle
of the Booke,and fome part of the difcour/e)
as if I
were amorous, and did
/peake according
tomyownepafsions, for I beeing reftrained of my liberty, and helde in the graue of obliuion,
where I ftill as yet remaine, opprefled with Melancholie, and wearied with deeper ftudies , I
was glad to beguile the time
withthefe conceits,
life, and anothomifing vncertaintie of the delights therof, in the Dreame
in them,the vanitie of this
ofPolipbilM;
Which ifit (hall plea/e your Honor
,
atconuenientleyfureto looke ouer, pardoning
what you findeamifle
will, I (hall thinke
my And thus I humbly take my leaue,
the fame.
felfe
and weighing my good moft happy.
vntillthat
I
may prefent your Honour, with a matter more
fitting
Tour Honors dcuoted.
.
V.
A
nonymi
elegia
ad
Lee
Andide Poliphilum narrantemfomnia Leflor
aufculteSy
fammofornnia miffa po/o,
b<c
Non oferamferdeSy non
tarn
audifiepigelit,
vwijs mirum reliMalundatotu*. Qf tetricus contemnis erotica^ rerum Sigrauis
nofcc frccor feriem
s ?
tarn
bene
difpofitam.
acfaltemftylus
iS)
qy noua lingua nov
geometrica
fofbia9fc rogat afpiciof. cernc vetufta
^lurima
ac
miUiacls difce referta not is.
Hicfant Pyramides, therm* jngentefy Cohfi,
Olelifcorumforma vetuftayatet.
bafisfulget, varitfque
arcirt y
Hie diuerfa
Et
columns
illarumfy
capita
Zofbora,
cfiflilia,
at^
trabes, et
cum quadrante corona
cultu*
Hie return cernes excultayalatia,
,
femes, egregiafaue
Bine
Ad
Hir.c bicolor chorea ef? latronum, tota expreffiufue
in Laberintkeif Vita
kowinum
tenebris.
Hinc lege de
dtcat,
triplici
maieftate tonantif
cp<
(y
in
fort
is
egerit ipfe
tribus.
Polia qua fuerit forma, quam culta, tryumfios
xthereos. inde louis fcetta quatuor
rvarios affeElu* narrat amoris^
atque opera (y quantum feuiat
ille
Dew.
Faultes
efcaped in the printing.
Poliphili hypnerotcmachia, V/herein he shcweth that all humaine and
,
worldlic things are but a dreame,and but as vanitie it felfe. Inthefettingfoorth whereofmany things
arc figured wortruc of remembrance.
Tl e Author beginneth his Hypnerotomachia , to fet downe the hower And time when in hufleepc itfecmed to him that hee wot in a quiet thence afte nvard d.:fcrt&n<]LvninhabitedyUine>tindfcom
folitarte
how hecnterfiditnadttifedly before hs TVas a&are^veithgreat fear e, into A dftr^f obfcurc and vnfrequentedwood.
f
I he difcription of the morning.
j
did (a)Phzbus ifTuing foorth, bewtific withbri2;htneiTc the forhead of Lett- the Sunnc, o out of the Occean b) Leucothea cetbea(f>^,and appearing
the
Hathoureas PAce^w ( 4 )
morning. waues, not full/ fhewinghis turning wheeles, (c)Pyr&Eo, that had beene hungvp,butfpecdily with his the horfes of fwih horfes Pyrou* Scd7W,haftning his courfe, (he Suonc*
andgimng a tinftureto the Spiders webbes, ainon2;rhe grccneleaues and tender prickles of the Vermilion whereof he lTiewedhimfelfemofl:fwift& (d)Horifonjt. Roles" in the purfuite
"littering,
now vpontheneuerreftmgand fhlJ mooning
his irradientlieyres.
waues,
circle deui-
hecryfped vp
vprifing ,euen at that indant, the vnhorned firmament Moone difir.ountedhir icife, lofine from hir Chariot hir two from the oI,orfes,theone white and the other browne, and drewc to the thev halfc from whence which we Hoc different from the Hot
dingthehalfc fpeare of che
Vpponwhofe
rifon(^
Hemifphere
(<r)
flic
came.
not fee.
And when as the mountaines and htlles were beautifull, and is halfe the the northeaft winds had left of to make barraine with the Iharp- compafle of the vifvblc neilc of their blnfb, the tender fprigsto the nioou
(e)Hcmifperc
B
difquiec
uig hcaucn. rccdcs,
Tbt Jbifc of Lou*
reedes,the fenny Bulrufli, and weake Cyprus, to torment the foulding Vines, to trouble the bending Willowc and to breakc downe the brittle Firre bowghes,vnder the homes of the lafciui,
ous DulJ^as they do in winter. At that very houre,as tlie diners coulcrcd flowers and grccnc meades atthecommmgof the funne of Hypptnon(f} fcarenot (f) Hyperion the Sunne. his burning heate5 bcing bcducd and fpnnkled with the Chrifhl,
(g) Halcyons
]
tn c leuell wauesor the ililjCalme^nd cjuict (lowing leas, Jo build byrds which their nefts in fight of the f indie fhore,whcrcas the Ibrro\vfull~r0, building near theihorc vp- with fcal ding fighes did b ehold the dolorous and
i
artccriame
mc t cares of the fwectc morning, when as the ILilcyonsf*
i
i
n
"Wpoii
i
,-
i
n
i
i
J
n
r
onthc waucs ture o f| ur
there will be no ftorme vntill the young be hatched,
T
*
i
vugrate dcparj
v gvpon my bed, an oportune and meet treend to a \ve.iriebody,no creatureaccompaningmeinmy cliambcr,be/]dcs die attcnder vppon my body,and vfuall who after th.it night lights , (h)Leander fa^ nac v fcc dmersfpecches to the end fhee might comfort me, a D nau i]1 gvnderftood before ofme5the original! caufe of my ho How o/Ab os who in fwim- and deepe fighes,flie indeuored hir befl to moderatc,if at leal! flic and pittifull eflate* But when ihe fawc ouer jnight,that my perturbed minp Hclkfpom(a that I \vas deftrous of fleepe,fhc tookeleaueto dcp.ut.
,.
m
[
j
i
r
[
,
}
down with vnfhble and new thoughts into the Tea, In this fort brought to fo miferable aneltate, and tor along and died with while bitter forrowcs , at length my plunged in a deepe poole of
,
Then I being leftalone to tlie high cogitations ofloue,hauing 5 and tedious night without flcepe , through my which parpafledouer a long teth Europ barren fortune,and aduerfc conftellationjaltogcther vr.comforfrom Afu ) to ted and forrowfull,by means of my vntimely and not profperous S ft s wa m a vneL r f f louc,\veeping,I recounted from point topoinr,wliat thing C loue is : and how fitly one may loue that dooth not loue and his Icme^Ero quail of Seftus what defence there may bee made againft the vnaccuftomed.yec loue : for a naked fonle altogether vnarmed, the browned, dayly allaults of which flic fcdltlous {tnfc} efpcciallybeingintcftine:afi-c(hflillfettingvpon f . threw feeing, n L u
^zTc^m^
:
.
hir fdf
h:rr *
wandnngfences being wearie to
f
feedeftill
vponvnfauoncand
nyned pfeafure,
:
dmine obiecl in me, and liucth ingrauen in the fecretofmy heart
this fo great
1
but diredly and without deceit , vppon therarc whofc reuerende Idea is deeply imprinted with
,
from which
andvnccflantaftnfe,continuallyrenuproceedeth cruel torments without intermifllon . I begin ofthecon-
jn^my
duions ot thofe miferable loucis who for
,
their miftreiTes plea-
luret
in
.
"Dreamt.
2
f urcs defire their oxvne deaths, and in their
bed delights do think
themlclues molt vnhappic, feeding their framed paflionsnototherwife then withfi.thfull imaginations. And then as a weary boafter a fore labour,fo I,fomcwhat in outward (hew qualified,
dye
payneofmyforrpwfull thoughts, andhauingincloyftered and iliut vp the courfe of my di [tilling tear cs whofe drops had watered my palccheekes thorow amorous gricfe,defircdfome
:
in the
,
ncedfull reft*
At length mymoyft eyes being clofed within their bloudfhotten and reddifhliddcs,prcfently betwixt a bitter life anda iwcet death,! was iiTtheminuadedandouercome,witha heauic were nopertallecpe,\vho with my minde and watchfull fpirits,
kers offo high an operation. thought that I was in a large, plaine,and champion place, and dmerflyfpotted with many forced flo werrs,wherall
Me
grecnc
and gentle ayre, there was a ftill cjuyet whiilit: Info much that did any framed myattentiue cares did heare no noyfe, neither but with the gratious beames of the ipeechpeirce into them, funne,the Hiding rime padcd. In which place with a fearefull admiration^looking about me, I f.iydthus to my fclfe.Heereappcarethno humaine creature to
by it feemed pnflmgly adorned. In which by rcafon of the mildc
my dght,nor fylua beaft,flying bird,corurey houfe, field tent,or ihephcards cote: neyther vpon the gras could I perceiue feeding pyther flock of fheep a orhcardofcattcll,orru(tjkehcrdman with Oten pipe making paftorall melodic but onely taking the bene fit of thcplace,and quietnefle of die plaine,which aiTured mee to be svithout fear ejdircctedmy courfe dill foi-vvard,regai dingoti
;
cyther tide the tender leaues and thick graiFe, which rcftcdvn*
flirredjvvithout the
beholding ofany motion.
At length my ignorant fl eepes,brought me into a thick wood, whercinto beins, a pruty way entrcd, 1 could not tell how to get
out of ir Whercvpon.afodcLiine fcarcinuadedmy hart,and diffufcditfelfeinto eueryioynt,fothat mycouler began to waxe and the rather by reafon that I was alone,and vnarmed,and
pale,
lead
could not h ndc any track or path,cythcr to direft me forward,or me back againc. But a durke wood of tlucke bullies, lharpc thornes,tallaOies haled of the Viper ,towghhlmesbeloucdof
the fruitfull vines, harde Ebony , ftrong Okes, fofc Beechc, and
B
2
brownc
Theftrife of Lette
browneHafils, whointertniningone anothers branches with a natural! goodwill oppoledihenjfcJues, to refift the entrance of the gratiousfunnefhme, with the grccne couerture of their in numerable leaues. And in this fort i found my felte in a frelh lha,
do we,a coole ayre,and a
folytarie thicket*
Wherevponmyreafon perfwadedmeto
bc!ecuc,thntthis
1
vaftwood,wasonely a receptacle for fauage and hurtful beafb, as the tufked Bore the furi ous and bloudt hirflic Beare, the hit3 fine Voolfe, a^unft which i was vnproferpenr,andmuading uided to make refiftance , but r t her as a praye lent ay amongft them , miferablie tohaucmy flcih. and bones rent and gnawne
V
inpeeces. And thus fbrecaflin^thewoorft that miirht follow, I was re^ v^ fo-lued not to abide there .but to fceke to t our, that I might * ^j ^j the better efchewfuch fufpected occurrents, and taking my felfe
4+
.Minotaurus tomyfeete,lwandrednowthis\vay,nowtliat way, lometimcto amonfterin therighthand,fometimetotheleft :noweforwarde.thenbackc r cc orn S^ ^ asaine, notknowino;howtofioeamon^the thickcbowcrhesand ofPa/iphae ^ c j i which beine tearing tnornes,bean:igvpon my race trending my clotncs, and hall in inclofedin houlding me fometimes hanging in them, whereby
my
kin<
In this vn.iccuftomcd lagettingfoorth was much hyudersxl 5 O ur- and without any helpe but oncly the keeping o the funne ci ,w orne ^\\ Vf pon one/ide ,to directmee ftrei2;ht forwarder I ;rewe exA ncJci s Jlcw ut onciy and got out of treaniely hoate and faynrc,not knowing what to doe,b thelaborimh a weary c bo dyjto conteineaminde diitraught through troubleome thoughts, breathingout hollow and deepc fighes , definng by a clew cf f en gl who for the deftroying helpe of the pitrifull Cretenfian Ari?.dne y K^T* j ofhirmonftroas brotiier the Mynataw. gaue vnto the deceitfull
thclaborinth fed on mans
.
lit
i
1
1
M^noes
daughter,
ter wife to
af-
Tkfsw a clew of rhred^to conduct him toorth of the intricate la borinth,that I alfo by fomefuch meancs might be deliucred out
Thcfcus,who ofthigobfcurewood.
did ioilake hir, and left
hirina djllnhabircd Uc,
dincthat
life.
llic
T>
i
1-1
Pol.pIl.lB5
in
ft
-
V
,A~ * ;(!
mm
v
-
^
j^i
Pohphiltu being thtudiftempsred in thu
at
length g^t tethfeortk
,
dauvgerstu
tnd
obfcurc we
and being come to a fare Riutr, in
,
rtxg to refl himfelfe andcoole his beate,he heard* mott delightful harmonic jxbteh made him for get to drives and follows after the voice jtvhick
brought him toawoorfe pervlcxitie*
Earcanddelireoffrccdome thus occupym2;myfences 9 iTivvnclerftandinirvvasblin% J C? O ded, neither did I knowe whether it were better for mee cyther to \viilie for hated
*
death,orinfo drcadfiill apiece to hope for defiredlife. Thuseueryway difcontent,! did indcuour, uith all force and diligence
the
rogetfoorth,uherinthemoreIdidfTriue more I found my felfe intangled, and
B
3
fo
The
flrife
,
of Loue
fo infecbled with wearincflc
that
on cuery fide
I feared
,
when
fomecrucllbeaillhouldcomeanddeuoureme, or els ynawares to tumble downe into fome deepepit or hollow place. Wherefore more trembling then in muftulent -</##;* be the
ycalow coulored leaue.haumg lefc their moifture^being thorowlye fearchedwith the furious northwinde, I lifted vp my hirt to Godjdefinngas ^^w?/^jbeingatraide ofthe horribleC^/tyr
rather to bellatnc by the hands to fufTer fo odtousa death.
of:
Acncu his cnemie^rithcr then
And my
deuouteprayer,finccre!y vnitedtoa contrite heart,
pownng out afountameof teares with a ftedfaftbehefe to be deliucred. I found my felfeinafhortfpace gotten at hbertie, like a . new crept out of a darke and
day tempeftuous night eyes before vfed to fuch obumbratcddarkenes could fcarfe abide to behould the light, thorow watery fadnes Neuertheledcgladl was to fee the light as one fet at Ubertie.that had beenc chayned vp in a deepe dungeon and obfcure darkene(Te Verye thirltie I -was,my clothes tor ne,my face and hands fcratched andnetteled,
, :
.
My
and withall fo extreamely fet on heate, as the frelli ay re fecmcd to doe me more hurt then good, neither did it anywayeeafemy new recouered fcope and hbertie. body,defirous to keepehis And after that I had a little rojvfedvp mymynde,andfomnioned together my fences in fome better fort: I fought a in canes toquench my inordinate thyrlt, procured and increafed through innumerable fighes,and extreame labour ofbody Thus calling my eyes with a diligent regarde aboutthe plaine,tofindefome
.
T-ountaine whereat I might refrefh my felfe: apleafant fpring or head of water, did offer it felfe vnto me with a great vayne boy,
and wa lin^vpjabout the which didgrowediuers fwcethearbes ter flowcrs,and from the fame did flowe a cleare and chryfrallinc current ftreame 3 which deuided into diuers branches,ran thorow the defart wood,with a turning and winding body, rcceyiung in to it other little channcls,vnladingthemfelues* In whofecourfestheftones lift vp by nature, andtrunkesof
trees
dcnyed any longer by their roots tobe vpholden, did caufc a flopping hinderance to their current and whuzing fall, which frill augmented by other vndiflbnant torrents, from high and
fcrtlefTemountaincs intheplaine, ihewed a beautifnli brightnes and foft paffingcourfe,to the which ihort windedJy commmgjby
meanes
in A
Dreame.
.
4
meanes of my fearefull flight I did fee a little obfcurcJight.thorow the tops of the high trees , fomew.lm deluding thcmfelucs oner the \vater,and with the reft of their bodyes and branches ,as it were feperatingthe heauens from iny lifted vp eyes. A horrible to be in, vnaccompanyedofany creature. place And fuddainly hearing the fall of trees , through the force of n noife of the broken bowghcs,with a redoubled vvhyrlc\vindc,& .indho.ufefoiindafarreof,and yetbrought totheccchoofthc water thorow the thick wood,! grew into a new afronifhmcnt. And at this inftant thus terrified and arTlyfted , and yet with out any recciuedhurtjbeingvpon my knees bowed downe, and
indolingthchollowneiTeof my hand, therewith determined to
make me a neceiTary drinking veiTe!:! had no fooner put the fame into the water, offnng to my mouth the long defired moyfture,
thereby to rcrrygerate and coole the extreame heate of my burnheui t, which at that time would hauebecne more acceptable vnto nie,then ey ther Hypanis and Gaxgesbe to the Indians^Tigris to the Armenians , or Xeyltu to the Aethiopan nation, or
iii<>
Euphrates
his innundation, inbybing theyr burnt and iothe;pr/<*/ rofted mould,or yet the riuer Po to the Ligtirians* Euen thenalfo itfellfo out, that I had no {boner taken water
or
into the palme ofmy hand^ ofteringthe fame to my open mouth, it I heard a doricall fonge, wherewith I was as ready to receiue I had heard the Thracian Thamiras, which reaily delightedjas if fo it thorough my eares prefcnted felfe to my vnquiet heart ,with fweete and delectable a deliuerk , with a voyce-not terreftriall,
:
with fo great a harmonic and incredible a fayning fhrilnelTe , and vnufuall proportion,as is poffible to bee imaginedby no toungc commended. The fweetnes whereoffo greatly fufficiently to be me ,as thereby I was rauifhed ofmyremembrancc,and delighted my vnderftanding fo taken from me,as I let fallmy defired water ofmy feeble hands. thorough the loomed ioynts And then euen as a birde, which thro ugh the fweetnes of the
call forgetteth to remember the Fowlers deceit, fo I letting flip felfe back with that which nature flood in need of, haft ened that attraftiue melodic, which the more I coaall
my
fpeed.towardc Itcd, the further it feemed flillfromme,fometimehcere fometimcs therc,and ftill as I (niftcd places, fo the fame alfo chaunged with a delectable voycc andhcauenly confent. Thus vainly run
3
ning
The firife of Lone
ning vp and downe, I knew not after what I grew more wearle faint,and drye,and fo feeblc,that myleggcs could but with great
, ,
paincjvphouldmydiftemperedbody. And my grieued (pints vnabled long to fupp ort the fame, what with the rearc that I had binin,what with extreamethirft, what with long and wilefornc trauell.and what with doub ting the worft that mightinfae.Thus hotc ,faint, and drye: I knew not what to do but cuen to procure re ft for my weary member* Imarueledfirftatthis ftraunge acccdent, and was amazed at this inhumane harmonyc, butmoftof all in that I was in a ftraunge contry,and vnmhabited,being onelye fertill and beawtyfull to bchould, befydes that I greatly forrowed for the lofteofthefaycrryuer which I hadlo greatly labo red to finde out,and now fo lightly and carcledy to haue loft the benifit thereof. In this fort 1 was houlden in an intrycate miudc of doubts,at length ouercome withall kmdc of greefes.my whole bodye trembling and languifhingevnder a broade and mightye Okefull of Acorncs,ftandmg in thcmiddeft of afpatious and large green meadc,extendmg forth his thicke and leauiearmes tomakeacoole fhadowe/vnderwhofe bodycbrcathm^Irefted my ..."
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