starry Peacocks which doth beare my state,
Scaresly alowd within his pallace gate.
And since herselfe she doth preferd doth see,
Now the proud huswife will contend with mee,
And practiseth her wanton pranckes to play
With this _Ascanio_ and _Eurymine_.
But Loue shall know, in spight of all his skill,
_Iuno_'s a woman and will haue her will.

_Iris_. What is my Goddesse will? may _Iris_ aske?

_Iuno_. _Iris_, on thee I do impose this taske
To crosse proud _Venus_ and her purblind Lad
Vntill the mother and her brat be mad;
And with each other set them so at ods
Till to their teeth they curse and ban the Gods.

_Iris_. Goddes, the graunt consists alone in you.

_Iuno_. Then mark the course which now you must pursue.
Within this ore-growne Forrest there is found
A duskie Caue[106], thrust lowe into the ground,
So vgly darke, so dampie and [so] steepe
As, for his life, the sunne durst neuer peepe
Into the entrance; which doth so afright
The very day that halfe the world is night.
Where fennish fogges and vapours do abound
There _Morpheus_ doth dwell within the ground;
No crowing Cocke or waking bell doth call,
Nor watchful dogge disturbeth sleepe at all;
No sound is heard in compasse of the hill;
But euery thing is quiet, whisht,[107] and still.
Amid the caue vpon the ground doth lie
A hollow plancher,[108] all of Ebonie,
Couer'd with blacke, whereon the drowsie God
Drowned in sleepe continually doth nod.
Go, _Iris_, go and my commandment take
And beate against the doores till sleepe awake:
Bid him from me in vision to appeare
Vnto _Ascanio_, that lieth slumbring heare,
And in that vision to reueale the way,
How he may finde the faire _Eurymine_.

_Iris_. Madam, my service is at your command.

_Iuno_. Dispatch it then, good _Iris_, out of hand,
My Peacocks and my Charriot shall remaine
About the shore till thou returne againe.
[_Exit Iuno_.

_Iris_. About the businesse now that I am sent,
To sleepes black Caue I will incontinent;[109]
And his darke cabine boldly will I shake
Vntill the drowsie lumpish God awake,
And such a bounsing at his Caue Ile keepe
That if pale death seaz'd on the eyes of sleepe
Ile rowse him up; that when he shall me heare
He make his locks stand vp on end with feare.
Be silent, aire, whilst _Iris_ in her pride
Swifter than thought vpon the windes doth ride.
What _Somnus_! what _Somnus, Somnus_!
(_Strikes. Paus