Hillarius. They had that opinion that they should continue in great torment, if they could not pass.
For they could not be purged of their sins, nor enter into the fields Eliseas with the blessed, but that they must first pass the river: As men have made us to believe of the souls who have not ended their penance. They do also believe that if their bodies be not honestly buried according to their estate and degree, they cannot pass in an hundred years, but must be wandering here and there, until such time as their bodies be buried, or until the term of an hundred years, which was assigned unto them for their pain and punishment, be expired: the which things the Poet hath comprised altogether in one self place by his verses of which I will recite unto you one part of those that agree best to our matter.
He speaketh in that place of the things that Aeneas hath seen, being descended into Hell with Sibilla, the which afterwards he expoundeth and showeth plainly wh•t they signify. He first describeth that which they have seen there practised, saying.
⟨p. 46⟩Here now the way doth lead to Limbo lake and filthy stood,1
Whose channel choked is, with troublous grounds of miry mud.
And belching boils a sand, which to the bakes it throws from deeps,
A dreadful ferryman that stream, with visage loathsome keeps.
In tattered wretched weed, and Charon he by name doth height
His hoary bush and beard, both overgrown & foul undight.,
With scowling stemming eyes, & from his shoulders down his loins,
His filthy mantel hangs, whom sluttish knot uncomely joins.
Himself with piked pole his boat doth guide, & bears a charge,
Transporting still the souls, in rusty dusty cankered barge.
Well aged now, but sappy strength he keeps of greener years,
To this place all the rout doth draw themselves with louring cheers,
By numbers great, both men and women dead, nor long delayed,
With Princes pressed boys and girls, that wedlock never said.
And slouring youth, that in their parents time were laid in ground,
And all that life had borne, about that bank they clustered round,
As thick as leaves of trees among the woods in winter wind.
When first to ground they fall, or like as fowls of water kind.
Assembling flock themselves, when year of frost hath first begun,
And over S••s they seek in warmer lands to take the Sun.
Hillarius. They had that opinion that they should continue in great torment, if they coulde not passe.
For they could not be purged of their sinnes, nor enter into the fields Eliseas with the blessed, but that they must firste passe the riuer: As men haue made vs to beleeue of the soules who haue not ended their penaunce. They doe also beleeue that if their bodyes be not honestly buryed according to their estate and degrée, they cannot passe in an hundreth yeares, but must be wandring héere and there, vntill such time as their bodyes be buryed, or vntill the terme of an hundreth yeares, which was assigned vnto them for their payne and punishment, be expired: the which things the Poet hath comprised altogether in one selfe place by his verses of which I wil recite vnto you one parte of those that agree best to our matter.
He speaketh in that place of the things that A•neas hath séene, béeing descended into Hell with Sibilla, the which afterwardes hée expoundeth and sheweth playnely wh•t they signifie. He first describeth that which they haue séene there practised, saying.
⟨p. 46⟩HEere now the way doth lead to Lymbo lake and filthy stoud,1
Whose chānell choked is, with troublous groūds of miry mud.
And belching boyles a sand, vvhich to the bakes it throws frō deeps,
A dredfull ferriman that streme, vvith visage lothsom keepes.
In tartred vvretched weede, and Charon he by name doth hight
His hoary bush and bearde, both ouergrovvue & foule vndight.,
With skowling steming eyes, & from his shoulders down his loyns,
His filthy mantell hangs, whom sluttish knot vncomly ioyns.
Himselfe vvith pyked poale his boat doth guyde, & bears a charge,
Transporting still the soules, in rusty dusty canckred barge.
Well aged novv, but sappy strength he keepes of greener yeares,
To this place al the rout doth dravv thēselues with louring cheeres,
By nombers great, both men and vvomen dead, nor long delayde,
With Princes preased boyes and girles, that wedlocke neuer sayde.
And slouring youth, that in their parents time were laid in ground,
And all that lyfe had borne, about that banke they clustered round,
As thicke as leaues of trees among the vvoods in vvynter vvinde.
When first to ground they fal, or lyke as foules of vvater kinde.
Assembling flock themselues, when yere of frost hath first begunne,
And ouer S••s they seeke in vvarmer lands to take the Sunne.
- 1Ver. A•ne. 6.
