And now the Beare's seene run about the Pole
Conducted forward by Boaetes bright,
The other stars about the axe-tree role:
The Southerne images do shine as gold,
Fit monuments for Hunters to behold.

At what time _Myrha_ wickedly proceedes
And takes in hand to act her base desire,
The shamefull lust with cursed hopes she feeds
Which quickly sets her heart vpon a fire,
And thereupon resolueth on her shame,
And not one thought to contradict it came.

At which the Sunne his glorious face did hide,
Each Planet pulleth in his golden head,
The other stars out of the heauens glide
And _Cynthia_ from her siluer Palace fled,
The night is robbed of her wonted light,
Each thing turn'd dark that formerly was bright.

Three times, by stumbling, _Myrha_ was fore-told
Of bad successe, if she did not retire;
Three times the Owles like lessons did vnfold,
Whose dolefull note do foule mishap require;
Yet she crept on, regarding not the same,
The want of light alayed much the shame.

The Nurse doth lead her by her owne left hand,
The right doth grope the dark and desart way,
As silent as the night they now do stand
To heare the night-crows scrik, & goblins play
The lich-foule beats, and at the window cries,
For to come in, to stay the enterprise.

O gentle Nurse, said _Myrha_ tell to me,
What may these scremes & doleful scriks portend,
The nurse reply'd, my child, no hurt to thee,
They are but servants that on night attend,
These goblins, lich-fouls, Owls, & night-crows to
At murthers raile, with loue haue naught to do.

And then the Beldam leads the Lady on
Through many roomes & other turning waies
As in a laborinth they two had gone;
And as they go, she to the Lady saies;
Now cheere you vp, and get a iocund minde
In thinking of the pleasures you shall finde.

At last shee brings her to the chamber dore
Which softly she did ope, and led her in,
The Lady fals to trembling more and more,
Her very heart did to relent begin,
The neerer to the wickednesse she went,
The more to quake and shiuer shee was bent.

Looke how you see a blind man on the way
Led by another through some desart place,
Stagger and grope and at each trifle stay
For feare least he should fall: euen in like case,
The wretched nurse the fearefull Lady leads,
Who shakes and starts at euery step she