Now when high Iove, in whose almightie hand 1225 The care of kings and power of empires stand, Sitting one day within his turret hye, From whence he vewes with his black-lidded eye Whatso the heaven in his wide vawte containes, And all that in the deepest earth remaines, 1230 And troubled kingdome of wilde beasts behelde, Whom not their kindly sovereigne did welde, [_Welde_, govern.] But an usurping Ape, with guile suborn’d, Had all subverst, he sdeignfully it scorn’d In his great heart, and hardly did refraine 1235 But that with thunder bolts he had him slaine, And driven downe to hell, his dewest meed. But him avizing, he that dreadfull deed Forbore, and rather chose with scornfull shame Him to avenge, and blot his brutish name 1240 Unto the world, that never after anie Should of his race be voyd of infamie; And his false counsellor, the cause of all, To damne to death, or dole perpetuall, From whence he never should be quit nor stal’d. [_Stal’d_, forestalled (?).] Forthwith he Mercurie unto him cal’d, 1246 And bad him flie with never-resting speed Unto the forrest, where wilde beasts doo breed, And, there enquiring privily, to learne What did of late chaunce to the Lyon stearne, 1250 That he rul’d not the empire, as he ought; And whence were all those plaints unto him brought Of wrongs and spoyles by salvage beasts committed: Which done, he bad the Lyon be remitted Into his seate, and those same treachours vile 1255 [_Treachours_, traitors.] Be punished for their presumptuous guile. The sonne of Maia, soone as he receiv’d That word, streight with his azure wings he cleav’d The liquid clowdes and lucid firmament, Ne staid till that he came with steep descent 1260 Unto the place where his prescript did showe. There stouping, like an arrowe from a bowe, He soft arrived on the grassie plaine, And fairly paced forth with easie paine, Till that unto the pallace nigh he came. 1265 Then gan he to himselfe new shape to frame, And that faire face, and that ambrosiall hew, Which wonts to decke the gods immortall crew, And beautefie the shinie firmament, He doft, unfit for that rude rabblement. 1270 So, standing by the gates in strange disguize, He gan enquire of some in secret wize, Both of the King, and of his government, And of the Foxe, and his false blandishment: And evermore he heard each one complaine 1275 Of foule abuses both in realme and raine: Which yet to prove more true, he meant to see, And an ey-witnes of each thing to bee. Tho on his head his dreadfull hat he dight, Which maketh him invisible in sight, 1280 And mocketh th’eyes of all the lookers on, Making them thinke it but a vision. Through power of that he runnes through enemies swerds; Through power of that he passeth through the herds