JSOPS FABLES. Fab. XXV. Of the Husband-man and Snake. 1~~"^Here dwelt a learned Serpent neer a Grove,, W^hom Fortune did not love. She gave him want, whom Nature had made And Induftry had taught all Sciences. (wife, He knew each walk in Heaven's great board of Chefs VKhere Games not end in many thousand years : Could golden Hieroglyphicks all expre/s Which fill the Volume of nine mighty Spheres : He could the Mufters of Heaven's Army tell, And when Stars ruling Seafbns rofe, and fell. There was a Shepherd,who by his advice Grew wealthy in a trice. His thousands wandring on Sicilian Hils. Twice every day a milky River ills His fnowy Pails j his numbers not decreafe: When from the Sky fome dire Contagion falls, fmefs When Herds & Flocks fcarce make up Death one Thijifon raging in full Coats and Stalls. This Swain invites the Snake his Houie to grace, And live with him, the w Genius of the place. U) Snakes were generally the En-gn of a place confecrared to the ods, as may be coa jeftur'd from this Verfe of Perjins Satyr i. Tinge Ams atigues; fueri, facer efl h- He that the wi/efr. Charmer would not hear Gave to this R uftick ear, Refolv'd to leave fad Hunger, Cold, and Care, For roofs, where Joy,and Warrrith,and plenty were. Nor long he fb/ourn'd, when th'illnatur'd Swain, Vex'd that he could not fell a ftubborn Oke, With the fame hatchet would his Gheft haveflain, And raging charg'd him with a mighty Stroke; y p Tombs of Heroes.- of which Plutarch in the life of ^.r gives this i i ii fol! duct Serpents: phich the Mutants ei-fcrvitig, of til animals Jid efpecUllj appropriate them to the Heroes. The fame Author reports, that a .Serpent was taken about the dead body of Cleomcxesflnd Paaltts lALmilias writes that one was found in the Tomb of Charles Marttl, where there was nothing but the Corps to produce it.-and Pliny affirms that he hath heard of Hardly *-