The Assemble of Goddes Part 1

The a.s.semble of G.o.ddes.

by Anonymous.

The work here reprinted formed part of the famous volume of black-letter tracts (formerly marked AB. 4. 58), which came to the University Library in 1715 by the gift of King George the First with the rest of the library of John Moore, Bishop of Ely. No other copy of this edition is recorded to be in existence.

The types used are Caxton's type 3 (for the t.i.tle) and Wynkyn de Worde's type 3, with final m and n etc. from type 1 (in the rest of the book).

This type 3 is not known to have been used before 1499.

Mr Sayle remarks that the woodcut ill.u.s.tration is taken from Caxton's second edition (ab. 1483-4) of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

FRANCIS JENKINSON

1906 March 5.

I certify that I have printed 250 copies only of this facsimile, that the impressions have been rubbed off the plates and the negatives destroyed.

P. DUJARDIN

Here foloweth the Interpretacoin of the names of G.o.ddes and G.o.ddesses as is reherced in this tretyse folowynge as Poetes wryte

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Phebus is as moche to saye as the Sonne.

Apollo is the same or elles G.o.d of syght.

Morpleus Shewer of dremis Pluto G.o.d of h.e.l.l.

Mynos Iuge of h.e.l.l.

Cerberus Porter of h.e.l.l.

Colus the wynde or G.o.d of the Eyre.

Dyana G.o.ddesse of wode and chase.

Phebe the Mone or G.o.ddesse of waters.

Aurora G.o.ddes of {the} morow or spry{n}g of {the} daye Mars G.o.d of batyll Iupiter G.o.d of wysdom.

Iuno G.o.ddesse of rychesse Saturne G.o.d of colde.

Ceres G.o.ddesse of corne.

Cupydo G.o.d of loue.

Othea G.o.ddesse of wysdome.

Fortune The varyant G.o.ddesse Pan G.o.d shepherdes.

Isys G.o.ddesse of frute.

Neptunus G.o.d of the se.

Mynerue G.o.ddes of {the} batail or of heruest Bachus G.o.d of wyne.

Mercuryus G.o.d of langage.

Venus G.o.ddesse of loue.

Dyscorde G.o.ddes of debate & stryffe Attropos Dethe Here endeth {the} interpretacyon of the names of G.o.ddes & G.o.ddesses as is reherced in the treatyse folowynge as poetes wryte.

Whan Phebus the crabbe had nere his cours ronne And toward {the} Leon his Iourney gan take To loke on Pyctagoras spere / I had begonne Syttyng all solytary allone besyde a lake.

Musyng on a maner how {that} I myght make.

Reason and sensualyte in one to accorde.

But I coude not bryng about {the} manacorde.

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 co{m}maundement.

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 h.e.l.l.

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 h.e.l.l {with} his cheyne.

Brought theder Colus i{n} ragges euyll arayd Agay{n} whom Neptun{us} & Dyana dyd co{m}pley{n}t Original has Saynge thus O Mynos {thou} Iuge souerayn. co{m}pey{n}t Gyue thy cruel iugeme{n}t aye{n} this traytour so instead of {That} we may haue cause to preyse thy lord Pluto co{m}pley{n}t

Then was there made a proclamacyon.

In Plutoos name co{m}maunded scylence.

Vpon the payn of strayt correccyon.

{That} Dyana & Neptun{us} might haue audience.

To declare her grefe of the grete offence.

To hem do by Colus wheron they co{m}pleined 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.