The Dragon is that Abaddon and Apollion, the enemy to mankinde.
shaking her trisulked and three parted tongue against mee, grating her teeth, and making a skritching or critching noyse, her squamy and scaly hide trailing vpon the flowerd pauement, clapping her winges vpon her wrimpled backe, with a long taile folding and crinckling like an Eele and neuer resting. Ohi me, the sight was sufficient to haue affrighted Mars himselfe in the assurednes of warlike Armour, or to haue made tremble the strong and mightie Hercules, for all his molorchied and clubbed but. And to call Theseus backe from his begunne imprese and bold attempt, and to terrifie the Gyant Typhon, and to make the proudest and stoutest heart whatsoeuer to quaile and stoope. I wished my selfe the swiftnes of Atalanta, beeing but young and vnarmed, no way able to encounter with such a poisonable force, and perceiuing his blacke infectious breath smoaking out at his mouth. Beeing past all hope to slip by him, I deuoutly cried for diuine helpe. And sodeinly turning my backe, as fast as I could runne, I conueighed my fearefull bodie by the helpe of my swift pacing feete, into the inward part of the darke places, penetrating through diuers crooked torments, ambagious passages and vnknowne waies.
The darke places is ignorance, and the wisedome of this word which is nothing els but meere folly. So that I thought to bee in the inextricable frame of the prudent Dedalus, or of Porsena, so full of wayes and winding turnings, one entring into another, to deceiue the intent of the goer out, or in the romthie denne of the horrible Cyclops, or the hollow Caue of the theeuish Carus. In such sort, that although my eyes were somewhat wel acquainted with the darkenes, yet I
could see iust nothing. But was glad to stretche out my armes forme before my face, groping about mee (lyke one that played blynde Sym) least I should runne my face against some pyllers, and feeling with my feete softlye before I did rest vpon them for feare I should tumble downe into some vaulte vnder thys mighty Pyramides.
And looking backe, whether this fearefull Dragon did still followe mee or no, the light was cleane gone. And I remayning in a darke place, full of sundrie turnings and crossing passages, in a greater terror and more deadly heauinesse of minde then Mercurie. Making himselfe Ibis and Apollo, Threicia, Diana, into the lyttle byrd Cholomene. And Pan into two shapes. I and more afraide then euer was Oedipus, Cyrus, Crasus, andPerseus. And more trembling then the theefe Thracilius in his beares skinne.
Cosby for killing the L. Browgh.
In sorrowe more abounding then poore Pscyphes. And in more laboursome daungers then Lucius Apuleus, when hee heard the theeues consulting to knocke him on the head and kyll him.
Oppressed and laden with all these aforenamed frightes and terrors, I began to imagine that the Dragon was flying about my head, and with the noyse of hir scritching teeth and tearing clawes to take hould vpon me with hir deuouring iawes: my heart giuing mee to vnderstand, that the carniuorus Woolfe which I drempt of, was a presage of this my last doubted end. And thus running vppe and downe like a little poore Pismeere or Aunte, when the Partrich is scratching vpon their hillocks and picking of them vp. With my watchfull and attentiue eares, listning if the horrible monster with hir slimie and filthie poyson and stinking sauour were drawing towards mee. And fearing whatsoever came first into my thought.
Finding my selfe vnarmed, voyde of all helpe, in this mortall daunger, and miserable perplexitie, although that death is naturally bytter and hated, yet notwithstanding at that time, I did gratiouslie esteeme of it, which mee thought I could suffer willinglye, but that will was insufficient: hope still looking, and perswading mee of an vncertaine, fearefull, and vnquyet lyfe.
Alas howe my soule and bodye were lothe to leaue one an another, the sorrowe whereof made me vnwilling to intertaine so