forward footing for an hidden shade Vertue giues her selfe light through darkenesse for to wade Yea but quoth she the perill of this place I better wot then you though nowe too late To wish you backe returne with foule disgrace Yet wisedome warnes whilest foot is in the gate To stay the steppe ere forced to retrate This is the wandring wood this Errours den A monster vile whom God and man does hate Therefore I read beware Fly fly quoth then The fearefull Dwarfe this is no place for liuing men But full of fire and greedy hardiment The youthfull knight could not for ought be staide But forth vnto the darksom hole he went And looked in his glistring armor made A litle glooming light much like a shade By which he saw the vgly monster plaine Halfe like a serpent horribly displaide But th' other halfe did womans shape retaine Mostlothsom filthie foule and full of vile disdaine And as she lay vpon the durtie ground Her huge long taile her den all ouerspred Yet was in knots and many boughtes vpwound Pointed with mortall sting Of her there bred A thousand yong ones which she dayly fed Sucking vpon her poisnous dugs eachone Of sundrie shapes yet all ill fauored Soone as that vncouth light vpon them shone Into her mouth they crept and suddain all were gone Their dam vpstart out of her den effraide And rushed forth hurling her hideous taile About her cursed head whose folds displaid Were stretcht now forth at length without entraile She lookt about and seeing one in mayle Armed to point sought backe to turne againe For light she hated as the deadly bale Ay wont in desert darknes to remaine Where plain none might her see nor she see any plaine Which when the valiant Elfe perceiu'd he lept As Lyon fierce vpon the flying pray And with his trenchand blade her boldly kept From turning backe and forced her to stay Therewith enrag'd she loudly gan to bray And turning fierce her speckled taile aduaunst Threatning her angrie sting him to dismay Who nought aghast his mightie hand enhaunst The stroke down frō her head vnto her shoulder glaunst Much daunted with that dint her sence was dazd Yet kindling rage her selfe she gathered round And all attonce her beastly bodie raizd With doubled forces high aboue the ground Tho wrapping vp her wrethed sterne arownd Lept fierce vpon his shield and her huge traine All suddenly about his body wound That hand or foot to stirr he stroue in vaine God helpe the man so wrapt in Errours endlesse traine His Lady sad to see his sore constraint Cride out Now now Sir knight shew what ye bee Add faith vnto your force and be not faint Strangle her els she sure will strangle thee That when he heard in great perplexitie His gall did grate for griefe and high disdaine And knitting all his force got one hand free Wherewith he grypther gorge with so great paine That soone to loose her wicked bands did her cōstraine Therewith she spewd out of her filthie maw A floud of poyson horrible and blacke Full of great lumps of flesh and gobbets raw Which stunck so 〈◊〉 that it forst him slacke ' His grasping hold and 〈◊〉 her turne him backe Her vomit full of bookes and papers was With loathly frogs and toades which eyes did lacke And creeping sought way in the weedy gras Her filthie parbreake all the place defiled has As when old father Nilus gins to swell With timely pride aboue the Aegyptian vale His fattie waues doe fertile slime outwell And ouerflow each plaine and lowly dale But when his later ebbe gins t'auale Huge heapes of mudd he leaues wherin there breed Ten thousand kindes of creatures partly male And partly femall of his fruitful seed Such vgly monstrous shapes elswher may no man reed The same so sore annoyed has the knight That welnigh choked with the deadly stinke His forces faile ne can no lenger fight Whose corage when the feend pereeiud to shrinke She poured forth out of her hellish sinke Her fruitfull cursed spawne of serpents small Deformed monsters fowle and blacke as inke Which swarming all about his legs did crall And him encombred sore but could not hurt at all As gentle Shepheard in sweete euentide When ruddy Phebus gins to welke in west High on an hill his flocke to vewen wide Markes which doe byte their hasty supper best A cloud of cumbrous gnattes doe him molest All striuing to infixe their feeble stinges That from their noyance he no where can rest But with his clownish hands their tender wings He brusheth oft and oft doth mar their murmurings Thus ill bestedd and fearefull more of shame Then of the certeine perill he stood in Halfe furious vnto his foe he came Resolud in minde all suddenly to win Or soone to lose before he once would lin And stroke at her with more then manly force That from her body full of filthie sin He raft her hatefull heade without remorse A streame of cole black blood forth gushed frō her corse Her scattred brood soone as their Parent deare They saw so rudely falling to the ground Groning full deadly all with troublous feare Gathred themselues about her body round Weening their wonted entrance to haue found At her wide mouth but being there withstood They flocked all about her bleeding wound And sucked vp their dying mothers bloud Making her death their life and eke her hurt their good That detestable sight him much amazde To see th'vnkindly Impes of heauen accurst Deuoure their dam on whom while so he gazd Hauing all satisfide their bloudy thurst Their bellies swolne he saw with fulnesse burst And bowels gushing forth well worthy end Of such as drunke her life the which them nurst Now needeth him no lenger labour spend His foes haue slaine themselues with whom he should contend His Lady seeing all that chaunst from farre Approcht in hast to greet his victorie And saide Faire knight borne vnder happie starre Who see your vanquisht foes before you lye Well worthie be you of that Armory Wherein ye haue great glory wonne this day And proou'd your strength on a strong enimie Your first aduenture many such I pray And henceforth euer wish that like succeed it may Then mounted he vpon his Steede againe And with the Lady backward sought to wend That path he kept which beaten was most plaine Ne euer would to any byway bend But still did follow one vnto the end The which at last out of the wood them brought So forward on his way with God to frend He passed forth and new aduenture sought Long way he traueiled before he heard of ought At length they chaunst to meet vpon the way An aged Sire in long blacke weedes yclad His feete all bare his beard all hoarie gray And by his belt his booke he hanging had Sober he seemde and very sagely sad And to the ground his eyes were lowly bent Simple in shew and voide of malice bad And all the way
his gorge that all did him deteast In greene vine leaues he was right fitly clad For other clothes he could not weare for heat And on his head an yuie girland had From vnder which fast trickled downe the sweat Still as he rode he somewhat still did eat And in his hand did beare a bouzing can Of which he supt so oft that on his seat His dronken course he scarse vpholden can In shape and life more like a monster then a man Vnfit he was for any wordly thing And eke vnhable once to stirre or go Not meet to be of counsell to a king Whose mind in meat and drinke was drowned so That from his frend he seeldome knew his fo Full of diseases was his carcas blew And a dry dropsie through his flesh did flow Which by misdiet daily greater grew Such one was Gluttony the second of that crew And next to him rode lustfull Lechery Vpon a bearded Gote whose rugged heare And whally eies the signe of gelosy Was like the person selfe whom he did beare Who rough and blacke and filthy did appeare Vnseemely man to please faire Ladies eye Yet he of Ladies oft was loued deare When fairer faces were bid standen by O who does know the bent of womens fantasy In a greene gowne he clothed was full faire Which vnderneath did hide his filthinesse And in his hand a burning hart he bare Full of vaine follies and new fanglenesse For he was false and fraught with ficklenesse And learned had to loue with secret lookes And well could daunce and sing with ruefulnesse And fortunes tell and read in louing bookes And thousand other waies to bait his fleshly hookes Inconstant man that loued all he saw And lusted after all that he did loue Ne would his looser life be tide to law But ioyd weake wemens hearts to tempt and proue If from their loyall 〈◊〉 he might them moue Which lewdnes fild him with reprochfull pain Of that foule euill which all men reproue That rotts the marrow and consumes the braine Such one was Lechery the third of all this traine And greedy 〈◊〉 by him did ride Vppon a Camell loaden all with gold Two iron coffets hong on either side With precious metall full as they might hold And in his lap an heap of coine he told For of his wicked pelpe his God he made And vnto hell him selfe for money sold Accursed vsury was all his trade And right and wrong ylike in equall ballaunce waide His life was nigh vnto deaths dore yplaste And thred-bare cote and cobled shoes hee ware Ne scarse good morsell all his life did taste But both from backe and belly still did spare To fill his bags and richesse to compare Yet childe ne kinsman liuing had he none To leaue them to but thorough daily care To get and nightly feare to lose his owne He led a wretched life vnto him selfe vnknowne Most wretched wight whom nothing might suffise Whose greedy lust did lacke in greatest store Whose need had end but no end couetise Whose welth was want whose plēty made him pore Who had enough yett wished euer more A vile disease and eke in foote and hand A grieuous gout tormented him full sore That well he could not touch nor goe nor stand Such one was Auarice the forth of this faire band And next to him malicious Enuy rode Vpon a rauenous wolfe and still did chaw Betweene his cankred teeth a venemous tode That all the poison ran about his chaw But inwardly he chawed his owne maw At neibors welth that made him euer sad For death it was when any good he saw And wept that cause of weeping none he had But when he heard of harme he wexed wondrous glad All in a kirtle of discolourd say He clothed was ypaynted full of eies And in his bosome secretly there lay An hatefull Snake the which his taile vptyes In many folds and mortall sting implyes Still as he rode he gnasht his teeth to see Those heapes of gold with griple Couetyse And grudged at the great felicitee Ofproud Lucifera and his owne companee He hated all good workes and vertuous deeds And him no lesse that any like did vse And who with gratious bread the hungry feeds His almes for want of faith he doth accuse So euery good to bad he doth abuse And eke the verse of famous Poets witt He does backebite and spightfull poison spues From leprous mouth on all that euer writt Such one vile Enuy was that first in row did 〈◊〉 And him beside rides fierce reuenging Wrath Vpon a Lion loth for to be led And in his hand a burning brond he hath The which he brandisheth about his hed His eies did hurle forth sparcles fiery red And stared sterne on all that him beheld As ashes pale of hew and seeming ded And on his dagger still his hand he held Trēbling through hasty rage when choler in him sweld His ruffin raiment all was staind with blood Which he had spilt and all to rags yrent Through vnaduized rashnes woxen wood For of his hands he had no gouernement Ne car'd for blood in his auengement But when the furious fitt was ouerpast His cruell facts he often would repent Yet wilfull 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 would forecast How many mischieues should ensue his heedlesse hast Full many mischiefes follow oruell Wrath Abhorred bloodshed and tumultuous strife Vn manly murder and 〈◊〉 scath Bitter despight with rancours rusty knife And fretting griefe the enemy of life All these and many euils moe haunt ire The swelling Splene and Frenzy raging rife The shaking Palsey and Saint Fraunces fire Such one was Wrath the last of this vngodly tire And after all vpon the wagon beame Rode Sathan with a smarting whip in hand With which he forward lasht the laesy teme So oft as Slowth still in the mire did stand Huge routs of people did about them band Showting for ioy and still before their way A foggy mist had couered all the land And vnderneath their feet all scattered lay Dead sculls bones of men whose life had gone astray So forth they marchen in this goodly sort To take the solace of the open aire And in fresh flowring fields themselues to sport Emongst the rest rode that false Lady faire The foule Duessa next vnto the chaire Ofproud Lucifer ' as one of the traine But that good knight would not so nigh repaire Him selfe estraunging from their ioyaunce vaine Whose fellowship seemd far vnfitt for warlike swaine So hauing solaced themselues a spacē With pleasaunce of the breathing fields yfed They backe retourned to the princely Place Whereas an errant knight in armes ycled And heathnish shield wherein with letters red Was writt Sans ioy they new arriued find Enflam'd with fury and fiers hardy hed He seemd in hart to harbour thoughts vnkind And nourish bloody vengeaunce in his bitter mind Who when the shamed shield of slaine Sans foy He spide with that same Fary champions page Bewraying him that did
speach Could his blood frosen hart emboldened bee But through his boldnes rather feare did reach Yett forst at last he made through silēce suddein breach And am I now in safetie sure quoth he From him that would haue forced me to dye And is the point of death now turnd fro mee That I may tell this haplesse history Feare nought quoth he no daunger now is nye Then shall I you recount a ruefull cace Said he the which with this vnlucky eye I late beheld and had not greater grace Me reft from it had bene partaker of the place I lately chaunst Would I had neuer chaunst With a fayre knight to keepen companee Sir Terwin hight that well himselfe aduaunst In all affayres and was both bold and free But not so happy as mote happy bee He lou'd as was his lot a Lady gent That him againe lou'd in the least degree For she was proud and of too high intent And ioyd to see her louer languish and lament From whom retourning sad and comfortlesse As on the way together we did fare We met that villen God from him me blesse That cursed wight from whom I scapt whyleare A man of hell that calls himselfe Despayre Who first vs greets and after fayre areedes Of tydinges straunge and of aduentures rare So creeping close as Snake in hidden weedes Inquireth of our states and of our knightly deedes Which when he knew and felt our feeble harts Embost with bale and bitter byting griefe Which loue had launched with his deadly darts With wounding words and termes of foule repriefe He pluckt from vs all hope of dew reliefe That earst vs held in loue of lingring life Then hopelesse hartlesse gan the cunning thiefe Perswade vs dye to stint all further strife To me he lent this rope to him a rusty knife With which sad instrument of hasty death That wofull louer loathing lenger light A wyde way made to let forth liuing breath But I more fearefull or more lucky wight Dismayd with that deformed dismall sight Fledd fast away halfe dead with dying feare Ne yet assur'd of life by you Sir knight Whose like infirmity like chaunce may beare But God you neuer let his charmed speaches heare How may a man said he with idle speach Be wonne to spoyle the Castle of his health I wote quoth he whom tryall late did teach That like would not for all this worldes wealth His subtile tong like dropping honny mealt'h Into the heart and searcheth euery vaine That ere one be aware by secret stealth His powre is reft and weaknes doth remaine O neuer Sir desire to try his guilefull traine Certes sayd he hence shall I neuer rest Till I that treachours art haue heard and tryde And you Sir knight whose name mote I request Of grace do me vnto his cabin guyde I that hight Treuisan quoth he will ryde Against my liking backe to doe you grace But nor for gold nor glee will I abyde By you when ye arriue in that same place For 〈◊〉 had I die then see his deadly face Ere long they come where that same wicked wight His dwelling has low in an hollow caue Far vnderneath a craggy clifty plight Darke dolefull dreary like a greedy graue That still for carrion carcases doth craue On top whereof ay dwelt the ghastly Owle Shrieking his balefull note which euer draue Far from that haunt all other chearefull fowle Aud all about it wandring ghostes did wayle howle And all about old stockes and stubs of trees Whereon nor fruite nor leafe was euer seene Did hang vpon the ragged rocky knees On which had many wretches hanged beene Whose carcases were scattred on the greene And throwne about the clifts Arriued there That bare-head knight for dread and dolefull teene Would faine haue fled ne durst approchen neare But th' other forst him staye and comforted in feare That darkesome caue they enter where they find That cursed man low sitting on the ground Musing full sadly in his sullein mind His griesie lockes long growen and vnbound Disordred hong about his shoulders round And hid his face through which his hollow eyne Lookt deadly dull and stared as astound His raw-bone cheekes through penurie and pine Were shronke into his iawes as he did neuer dyne His garment nought but many ragged clouts With thornes together pind and patched was The which his naked sides he wrapt abouts And him beside there lay vpon the gras A dreary corse whose life away did pas All wallowd in his own yet luke-warme blood That from his wound yet welled fresh alas In which a rusty knife fast fixed stood And made an open passage for the gushing flood Which piteous spectacle approuing trew The wofull tale that Trevisan had told When as the gentle Redcrosse knight did vew With firie zeale he burnt in courage bold Him to auenge before his blood were cold And to the villein sayd Thou damned wight The authour of this fact we here behold What iustice can but iudge against thee right With thine owne blood to price his blood here shed in sight What franticke fit quoth he hath thus distraught Thee foolish man so rash a doome to giue What iustice euer other iudgement taught But he should dye who merites not to liue None els to death this man despayring driue But his owne guiltie mind deseruing death Is then vniust to each his dew to giue Or let him dye that loatheth liuing breath Or let him die at ease that liueth here vneath Who trauailes by the wearie wandring way To come vnto his wished home in haste And meetes a flood that doth his passage stay Is not great grace to helpe him ouer past Or free his feet that in the myresticke fast Most enuious man that grieues at neighbours good And fond that ioyest in the woe thou hast Why wilt not let him passe that long hath stood Vpon the bancke yet wilt thy selfe not pas the flood He there does now enioy eternall rest And happy ease which thou doest want and craue And further from it daily wanderest What if some little payne the passage haue That makes frayle flesh to feare the bitter waue Is not short payne well borne that bringes long ease And layes the soule to sleepe in quiet graue Sleepe after toyle port after stormie seas Ease after warre death after life does greatly pleafe The knight much wondred at his suddeine wit And sayd The terme of life limited Ne may a man prolong nor shorten it The souldier may not moue from watchfull sted Nor leaue his stand vntill his Captaine bed Who life did limit by almightie doome Quoth he knowes best the termes established And he that points the Centonell his roome Doth license him depart at sound of morning droome Is not his deed what euer thing is donne In heauen and earth did not he all create To die againe all ends that was begonne Their times in his eternall booke of fate Are written sure and haue their certein date
Who then can striue with strong necessitie That holds the world in his still chaunging state Or shunne the death ordaynd by destinie Whē houre of death is come let none aske whence nor why The lenger life I wote the greater sin The greater sin the greater punishment All those great battels which thou boasts to win Through strife and blood-shed and auengement Now praysd hereafter deare thou shalt repent For life must life and blood must blood repay Is not enough thy euill life forespent For he that once hath missed the right way The further he doth goe the further he doth stray Then doe no further goe no further stray But herely downe and to thy rest betake Th' ill to preuent that life ensewen may For what hath life that may it loued make And giues not rather cause it to forsake Feare sicknesse age losse labour sorrow strife Payne hunger cold that makes the hart to quake And euer fickle fortune rageth rife All which and thousands mo do make a loathsome life Thou wretched man of death hast greatest need If in true ballaunce thou wilt weigh thy state For neuer knight that dared warlike deed More luckless dissauentures did amate Witnes the dungeon deepe wherein of late Thy life shutt vp for death so oft did call And though good lucke prolonged hath thy date Yet death then would the like mishaps forestall Into the which heareafter thou maist happen fall Why then doest thou O man of sin desire To draw thy dayes forth to their last degree Is not the measure of thy sinfull hire High heaped vp with huge 〈◊〉 Against the day of wrath to burden thee Is not enough that to this Lady mild Thou falsest hast thy faith with periuree And sold thy selfe to serue Duessa vild With whom in al abuse thou hast thy selfe defild Is not he iust that all this doth behold From highest heuen and beares an equall eie Shall he thy sins vp in his knowledge fold And guilty be of thine impietie Is not his lawe Let euery sinner die Die shall all flesh what then must needs be donne Is it not better to doe willinglie Then linger till the glas be all out ronne Death is the end of woes die soone O faries sonne The knight was much enmoued with his speach That as a swords poynt through his 〈◊〉 did perse And in his conscience made a secrete breach Well knowing 〈◊〉 all that he did reherse And to his fresh remembraunce did reuerse The vgly vew of his deformed crimes That all his manly powres it did disperse As he were charmed with inchaunted rimes That oftentimes he quakt and fainted oftentimes In which amazement when the Miscreaunt Perceiued him to wauer weake and fraile Whiles trembling horror did his conscience daunt And hellish anguish did his soule assaile To driue him to despaire and quite to quaile Hee shewd him painted in a table plaine The damned ghosts that doe in torments waile And thousand feends that doe them endlesse paine With fire and brimstone which for euer shall remaine The sight whereof so throughly him dismaid That nought but death before his eies he saw And euer burning wrath before him laid By righteous sentence of th' Almighties law Then gan the villein him to ouercraw And brought vnto him swords ropes poison fire And all that might him to perdition draw And bad him choose what death he would desire For death was dew to him that had prouokt Gods ire But whenas none of them he saw him take He to him raught a dagger sharpe and keene And gaue it him in hand his hand did quake And tremble like a leafe of Aspin greene And troubled blood through his pale face was seene To come and goe with tidings from the heart As it a ronning messenger had beene At last resolu'd to worke his finall smart He lifted vp his hand that backe againe did start Which whenas Vna heard through euery vaine The crudled cold ran to her well of life As in a swowne but so one reliu'd againe Out of his hand she snatcht the cursed knife And threw it to the ground enraged rife And to him said Fie fie faint hearted knight What meanest thou by this reprochfull strife Is this the battaile which thou vauntst to fight With that fire-mouthed Dragon horrible and bright Come come away fraile feeble fleshly wight Ne let vaine words bewitch thy manly hart Ne diuelish thoughts dismay thy constant spright In heauenly mercies hast thou not a part Why shouldst thou then despeire that chosen art Where iustice growes there grows eke greter grace The which doth quench the brond of hellish smart And that accurst hand-writing doth deface Arise Sir knight arise and leaue this cursed place So vp he rose and thence amounted streight VVhich when the carle beheld and saw his guest VVould safe depart for all his subtile sleight He chose an halter from among the rest And with it hong him selfe vnbid vnblest But death he could not worke himselfe thereby For thousand times he so him selfe had drest Yet nathelesse it could not doe him die Till he should die his last that is eternally Cant. X. Her faithfull knight faire Vna brings To house of Holinesse Where he is taught repentaunce and The way to heuenly blesse What man is he that boasts of fleshly might And vaine assuraunce of mortality Which all so soone as it doth come to fight Against spirituall foes yields by and by Or from the fielde most cowardly doth fly Ne let the man ascribe it to his skill That thorough grace hath gained victory If any strength we haue it is to ill But all the good is Gods both power and eke will By that which lately hapned Vna saw That this her knight was feeble and too faint And all his sinewes woxen weake and raw Through long enprisonment and hard constraint Which he endured in his late restraint That yet he was vnfitt for bloody fight Therefore to cherish him with diets daint She cast to bring him where he chearen might Till he recouered had his late decayed plight There was an auncient house not far away Renowmd throughout the world for sacred lore And pure vnspotted life so well they say It gouernd was and guided euermore Through wisedome of a matrone graue and hore Whose onely ioy was to relieue the needes Of wretched soules and helpe the helpelesse pore All night she spent in bidding of her bedes And all the day in doing good and godly deedes Dame Caelia men did her call as thought From heauen to come or thether to arise The mother of three daughters well vpbrought In goodly thewes and godly exercise The eldest two most sober chast and wise Fidelia and Speranza virgins were Though spousd yet wanting wedlocks solemnize But faire Charissa to a louely fere Was lincked and by him had many pledges dere Arriued there the dore they find fast lockt For it was warely watched night and day For feare of many foes but when they
Saue as thou seest 〈◊〉 hearst But well I wote That of his puissaunce try all made extreeme Yet gold al is not that doth golden seeme Ne all good knights that shake well speare shield The worth of all men by their end esteeme And then dew praise or dew reproch them yield Bad therefore I him deeme that thus lies dead on field Good or bad gan his brother fiers reply What doe I recke sith that he dide entire Or what doth his bad death now satisfy The greedy 〈◊〉 of reuen ging yre Sith 〈◊〉 hand 〈◊〉 not her owne desire Yet since no way is lefte to wreake my spight I will him reaue of armes the victors hire And of that shield more worthy of good knight For 〈◊〉 should a dead dog be 〈◊〉 in arm 〈◊〉 bright Fayr Sir said then the Palmer suppliaunt For knighthoods loue doe not so fowle a deed Ne blame your honor with so shame full vaunt Of vile reuenge To spoile the dead of weed Is sacrilege and doth all sinnes exceed But leaue these relicks of his liuing might To decke his herce and trap his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What herce or steed said he should he haue dight But be entombed in the rauen or the 〈◊〉 With that rude hand vpon his shield he laid And th' other brother gan his 〈◊〉 vnlace Both fiercely 〈◊〉 to haue him 〈◊〉 aid Till that they spyde where towards them did pace An armed knight of bold and bounteous grace Whose squire bore after him an 〈◊〉 launce And couerd shield Well kond him so 〈◊〉 space Th' enchaunter by his armes and 〈◊〉 When vnder him he saw his Lybian steed to praunce And to those brethren sayd Rise rise by liue And vnto 〈◊〉 doe yourselues addresse For 〈◊〉 comes the prowest knight aliue Prince Arthur flowre of grace and nobilesse That hath to Paynim knights wrought gret distresse And thousand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 donne to dye That word so deepe did in their harts impresse That both eftsoones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And gan themselues prepare to batteill greedily But fiers 〈◊〉 lacking his owne sword The want thereof now greatly gan to plaine And Archimage besought him that afford Which he had brought for Braggadochio vaine So would I said th' enchaunter glad and faine Beteeme to you this sword you to defend Or ought that els your honor might maintaine But that this weapons powre I well haue kend To be contrary to the worke which ye intend For that same knights owne sword this is of yore Which Merlin made by his almightie art For that his noursling when he knighthood swore There with to 〈◊〉 his foes eternall smart The metall first he mixt with 〈◊〉 That no enchauntment from his dint might 〈◊〉 Then it in flames of 〈◊〉 wrought apart And seuen times dipped in the bitter waue Of hellish Styx which hidden vertue to it gaue The vertue is that nether steele nor stone The stroke there of from entraunce may defend Ne euer may be 〈◊〉 by his fone Ne forst his rightful owner to offend Ne euer will it breake ne euer bend Wherefore Morddure it rightfully is hight In vaine therefore Pyrhochles should I lend The same to thee against his lord to fight For sure yt would deceiue thy labor and thy might Foolish old man said then the Pagan wroth That weenest words or charms may force withstond Soone shalt thou see and then beleeue for troth That I can 〈◊〉 with this inchaunted brond His Lords owne flesh Therewith out of his hond That vertuous steele he rudely snatcht away And Guyons shield about his wrest he bond So ready dight fierce battaile to assay And match his brother proud in battailous aray By this that straunger knight in presence came And goodly salued them who nought againe Him answered as courtesie became But with sterne lookes and stomachous disdaine Gaue signes of grudge and discontentment vaine Then turning to the Palmer he gan spy Where at his feet with sorrowfull demayne And deadly hew an armed corse did lye In whose dead face he 〈◊〉 great magnanimity Sayd he then to the Palmer Reuerend syre What great misfortune hath be tidd this knight Or did his life her 〈◊〉 date expyre Or did he fall by treason or by fight How euer sure I rew his pitteous plight Not one nor other sayd the Palmer graue Hath him befalne but cloudes of deadly night A while his heauy eylids couer'd haue And all his sences drowned in deep sencelesse waue Which those same foes that stand hereby Making aduauntage to reuenge their spight Would him disarme and treaten shamefully Vnworthie vsage of redoubted knight But you faire Sir whose honourable sight Doth promise hope of helpe and timely grace 〈◊〉 I beseech to succour his sad plight And by your powre protect his feeble 〈◊〉 First prayse of knighthood is fowle outrage to deface Palmer said he no 〈◊〉 so rude I weene As to doen outrage to a sleeping ghost Ne was there euer noble corage seene That in aduauntage would his puissaunce bost Honour is least where oddes appeareth most May bee that better reason will aswage The rash reuengers heat Words well 〈◊〉 Haue secrete powre t' appease inflamed rage If not leaue vnto me thy knights last patronage Tho turning to those brethren thus bespoke Ye warlike payre whose valorous great might It seemes iust wronges to vengeaunce doe prouoke To wreake your wrath on this dead seeming knight Mote ought allay the storme of your despight And settle patience in so furious heat Not to debate the chalenge of your right But for this carkas pardon I entreat Whom fortune hath already laid in lowest seat To whom Cymochles said For what art thou That mak'st thy selfe his dayes-man to prolong The vengeaunce prest Or who shall let me now On this vile body from to wreak my wrong And make his carkas as the outcast dong Why should not that dead carrion satisfye The guilt which if he liued had thus long His life for dew reuenge should deare abye The trespas still doth liue albee the person dye Indeed then said the Prince the euill donne Dyes not when breath the body first doth leaue But from the 〈◊〉 to the Nephewes sonne And all his seede the curse doth often cleaue Till vengeaunce vtterly the guilt bereaue So streightly God doth iudge But gentle knight That doth against the dead his hand vpreare His honour staines with rancour and despight And great disparagment makes to his former might Pyrrhochles gan reply the second tyme And to him said Now felon sure I read How that thou art partaker of his cryme Therefore by Termagaunt thou shalt be dead With that his hand more sad then lomp of lead Vplifting high he weened with Morddure His owne good sword Morddure to cleaue his head The faithfull steele such treason no'uld endure But swaruing from the 〈◊〉 his Lordes life did assure Yet was the force so furious and so fell That horse and man it made to reele asyde Nath'lesse the Prince would not forsake
cups his mates him pledg around Such ioy made Vna when her knight she found And eke th' enchaunter ioyous seemde no lesse Then the glad marchant that does vew from ground His ship far come from watrie wildernesse He hurles out vowes and Neptune oft doth blesse So forth they past and all the way they spent Discoursing of her dreadful late distresse In which he askt her what the Lyon ment Who told her all that fell in iourney as she went They had not ridden far when they might see One pricking towards them with hastie heat Full strongly armd and on a courser free That through his fiersnesse fomed all with sweat And the sharpe yron did for anger eat When his hot ryder spurd his chauffed side His looke was sterne and seemed still to threat Cruell reuenge which he in hart did hyde And on his shield Sans loy in bloody lines was dyde When nigh he drew vnto this gentle payre And saw the Red-crosse which the knight did beare He burnt in fire and gan eftsoones prepare Himselfe to batteill with his couched speare Loth was that other and did faint through feare To taste th'vntryed dint of deadly steele But yet his Lady did so well him cheare That hope of new good hap he gan to feele So bent his speare and spurd his horse with yron heele But that proud Paynim forward came so ferce And full of wrath that with his sharphead speare Through vainly 〈◊〉 shield he quite did perce And had his staggering steed not shronke for feare Through shield and body eke he should him beare Yet so great was the puissance of his push That from his sadle quite he did him beare He tombling rudely downe to ground did rush And from his gored wound a well of bloud did gush Dismounting lightly from his loftie steed He to him lept in minde to reaue his life And proudly said 〈◊〉 there the worthie meed Of him that slew Sansfoy with bloody knife Henceforth his ghost freed from repining strife In peace may passen ouer Let he lake When mourning altars purgd with enimies life The black infernall Furies doen aslake Life from 〈◊〉 thou tookst Sansloy shall frō thee take Therewith in haste his helmet gan vnlace Till Vna cride O hold that heauie hand Deare Sir what euer that thou be in place Enough is that thy foe doth vanquisht stand Now at thy mercy Mercy not withstand For he is one the truest knight aliue Though conquered now he lye on lowly land And whilest him 〈◊〉 fauourd fayre did thriue In bloudy field therefore of life him not 〈◊〉 epriue Her piteous wordes might not abate his rage But rudely rending vp his helmet would Haue slayne him streight but when he sees his age And hoarie head of Archimago old His hasty hand he doth amased hold And halfe ashamed wondred at the sight For the old man well knew he though vntold In charmes and magick to haue wondrous might Ne euer wont in field ne in round lists to fight And said Why Archimago lucklesse syre What doe I see what hard mishap is this That hath thee hether brought to taste mine yre Or thine the fault or mine the error is Instead of foe to wound my friend amis He answered nought but in a traunce still lay And on those guile full 〈◊〉 eyes of his The cloude of death did sit Which doen away He left him lying so ne would no lenger stay But to the virgin comes who all this while Amased stands her selfe so mockt to see By him who has the guerdon of his guile For so misfeigning her true knight to bee Yet is she now in more perplexitie Left in the hand of that same Paynim bold From whom her booteth not at all to flie Who by her cleanly garment catching hold Her from her Palfrey pluckt her visage to behold But her fiers seruant full of kingly aw And high disdaine whenas his soueraine Dame So rudely handled by her foe he saw With gaping iawesfull greedy at him came And ramping on his shield did weene the same Haue reft away with his sharprending clawes But he was stout and lust did now inflame His corage more that frō his griping pawes He hath his shield redeemd and forth his swerd he drawes O then too weake and feeble was the forse Of saluage beast his puissance to withstand For he was strong and of so mightie corse As euer wielded speare in warlike hand And feates of armes did wisely vnderstand Est soones he perced through his chaufed chest With thrilling point of deadly yron brand And launcht his Lordly hart with death opprest He ror'd aloud whiles life forsooke his stubborne brest Who now is left to keepe the forlorne maid From raging spoile of law lesse victors will Her faithfull gard remou'd her hope dismaid Her selfe a yielded pray to saue or spill He now Lord of the field his pride to fill With foule reproches and disdaineful spight Her vildly entertaines and will or nill Beares her away vpon his courser light Her prayers nought preuaile his rage is more of might And all the way with great lamenting paine And piteous plaintes she filleth his dull eares That stony hart could riuen haue in twaine And all the way she wetts with flowing teares But he enrag'd with rancor nothing heares Her seruile beast yet would not leaue her so But followes her far of ne ought he feares To be partaker of her wandring woe More mild in beastly kind then that her beastly foe Can. IIII. To sinfull hous of Pryde Duessa guydes the faithfull knight Where brothers death to wreak Sansioy doth chaleng him to fight YOung knight what euer that dost armes professe And through long labours huntest after fame Beware of fraud beware of ficklenesse In choice and chaunge of thy deare loued Dame Least thou of her belieue too lightly blame And rash misweening doe thy hart remoue For vnto knight there is no greater shame Then lightnesse and inconstancie in loue That doth this Redcrosse knights ensample plainly proue Who after that he had faire Vna lorne Through light misdeeming of her loialtie And fale Duessa in her sted had borne Called Fidess and so supposd to be Long with her traueild till at last they see A goodly building brauely garnished The house of mightie Prince it seemd to be And towards it a broad high way that led All bare through peoples feet which thether traueiled Great troupes of people traueild thetherward Both day and night of each degree and place But few returned hauing scaped hard With balefull beggery or soule disgrace Which euer after in most wretched care Like loathsome lazars by the hedges lay Thether Duessa badd him bend his pace For she is wearie of the toilsom way And also nigh consumed is the lingring day A stately Pallace built of squared bricke Which cunningly was without morter laid Whose wals were high but nothing strong nor thick And golden foile all ouer them displaid That purest skye with
vnmade Why suffredst thou thy Nephewes deare to fall With Elfin sword most shamefully betrade Lo where the stout Sansioy doth sleepe in deadly shade And him before I saw with bitter eyes The bold Sansfoy shrinck vnderneath his speare And now the pray of fowles in field he lyes Nor wayld of friends nor layd on groning beare That whylome was to me too dearely deare O what of Gods then boots it to be borne If old Aveugles sonnes so cuill heare Or who shall not great Nightes children scorne When two of three her Nephews are so fowle forlorne Vp then vp dreary Dame of darknes Queene Go gather vp the reliques of thy race Or else goe them auenge and let be seene That dreaded Night in brightest day hath place And can the children of fayre light deface Her feeling speaches some 〈◊〉 mou'd In hart and chaunge in that great mothers face Yet pitty in her hart was neuer prou'd Till then for euermore she hated neuer lou'd And said Deare daughter rightly may I rew The fall of famous children borne of mee And good successes which their foes ensew But who can turne the streame of destinee Or breake the chayne of strong necessitee Which fast is tyde to Ioues eternall seat The sonnes of Day he fauoureth I see And by my ruines thinkes to make them great To make one great by others losse is bad excheat Yet shall they not escape so freely all For some shall pay the price of others guilt And he the man that made Sansfoy to fall Shall with his owne blood price that he hath spilt But what art thou that telst of Nephews kilt I that do seeme not I Duessa ame Quoth she how euer now in garments gilt And gorgeous gold arayd I to thee came Duessa I the daughter of Deceipt and Shame Then bowing downe her aged backe she kist The wicked witch saying In that fayre face The false resemblaunce of Deceipt I wist Did closely lurke yet so true-seeming grace It carried that I scarse in darksome place Could it discerne though I the mother bee Of fashood and roote of Duessaes race O welcome child whom I haue longd to see And now haue seene vnwares Lo now I goe with thee Then to her yron wagon she betakes And with her beares the fowle welfauourd witch Through mirkesome aire her ready way she makes Her twyfold Teme of which two blacke as pitch And two were browne yet each to each vnlich Did softly swim away ne euer stamp Vnlesse she chaūst their stubborne mouths to twitch Then foming tarre their bridles they would champ And trampling the fine element would fiercely ramp So well they sped that they be come at length Vnto the place whereas the Paynim lay Deuoid of outward sence and natiue strength Couerd with charmed cloud from vew of day And sight of men since his late luckelesse fray His cruell wounds with cruddy bloud congeald They binden vp so wisely as they may And handle softly till they can be heald So lay him in her charett close in night conceald And all the while she stood vpon the grouud The wakefull dogs did neuer cease to bay As giuing warning of th'vnwonted sound With which her yron wheeles did them affray And her darke griesly looke them much dismay The messenger of death the ghastly owle With drery shriekes did also her bewray And hungry wolues continually did howle At her abhorred face so filthy and so fowle Thence turning backe in silence softe they stole And brought the heauy corse with easy pace To yawning gulfe of deepe Auernus hole By that same hole an entraunce darke and bace With smoake and sulphur hiding all the place Descends to hell there creature neuer past That backe retourned without heauenly grace But dreadfull Furies which their chaines haue brast And damned sprights sent forth to make ill men aghast By that same way the direfull dames doe driue Their mournefull charett fild with rusty blood And downe to Plutoes house are come biliue Which passing through on euery side them stood The trembling ghosts with sad amazed mood Chattring their iron teeth and staring wide With stony eies and all the hellish brood Of feends infernall flockt on euery side To gaze on erthly wight that with the Night durst ride They pas the bitter waues of Acheron Where many soules sit wailing woefully And come to fiery flood of Phlegeton Whereas the damned ghosts in torments fry And with sharp shrilling shriekes doe bootlesse cry Cursing high Ioue the which them thither sent The house of endlesse paine is built thereby In which ten thousand sorts of punishment The cursed creatures doe eternally torment Before the threshold dreadfull Cerberus His three deformed heads did lay along Curled with thousand adders venemous And lilled forth his bloody flaming tong At them he gan to reare his bristles strong And felly gnarre vntill Dayes enemy Did him appease then downe his taile he hong And suffered them to passen quietly For she in hell and heauen had power equally There was Ixion turned on a wheele For daring tempt the Queene of heauen to sin And Sisyphus an huge round stone did reele Against an hill ne might from labour lin There thristy Tantalus hong by the chin And Tityus fed a vultur on his maw Typhoeus ioynts were stretched on a gin Theseus condemned to endlesse slouth by law And fifty sisters water in lete vessels draw They all beholding worldly wights in place Leaue off their worke vnmindfull of their smart To gaze on them who forth by them doe pace Till they become vnto the furthest part Where was a Cauey wrought by wondrous art Deepe darke vneasy dolefull comfortlesse In which sad Aesculapius far apart Emprisond was in chaines remedilesse For that Hippolytus rent corse he did redresse Hippolytus a iolly huntsman was That wont in charett chace the foming bore He all his Peeres in beauty did surpas But Ladies loue as losse of time forbore His wanton stepdame loued him the more But when she saw her offred sweets refusd Her loue she turnd to hate and him before His father fierce of treason false accusd And with her gealous termes his open eares abusd Who all in rage his Sea-god syre besought Some cursed vengeaunce on his sonne to cast Frō surging gulf two Mōsters streight were brought With dread whereof his chacing steedes aghast Both charett swifte and huntsman ouercast His goodly corps on ragged clifts yrent Was quite dismembred and his members chast Scattered on euery mountaine as he went That of Hippolytus was lefte no moniment His cruell stepdame seeing what was donne Her wicked daies with wretched knife did end In death auowing th'innocence of her sonne Which hearing his rash Syre began to rend His heare and hasty tong that did offend Tho gathering vp the relicks of his smart By Dianes meanes who was Hippolyts frend Them brought to Aesculape that by his art Did heale them all againe and ioyned euery part Such wondrous science in mans witt to
astownd Vpstarted lightly from his looser make And his vnready weapons gan in hand to take But ere he could his armour on him dight Or gett his shield his monstrous enimy With sturdie steps came stalking in his sight An hideous Geaunt horrible and hye That with his tallnesse seemd to threat the skye The ground eke groned vnder him for dreed His liuing like saw neuer liuing eye Ne durst behold his stature did exceed The hight of three the tallest sonnes of mortall seed The greatest Earth his vncouth mother was And blustring AEolus his boasted syre Who with his breath which through the world doth pas Her hollow womb did secretly inspyre And fild her hidden caues with stormie yre That she conceiu'd and trebling the dew time In which the wombes of wemen doe expyre Brought forth this monstrous masse of earthly slyme Puft vp with emptie wynd and fild with sinfull cryme So growen great through arrogant delight Of th' high descent whereof he was yborne And through presumption of his matchlesse might All other powres and knighthood he did scorne Such now he marcheth to this man forlorne And left to losse his stalking steps are stayde Vpon a snaggy Oke which he had torne Out of his mothers bowelles and it made His mortall mace wherewith his foemen he dismayde That when the knight he spyde he gan aduaunce With huge force and insupportable mayne And towardes him with dreadfull fury praunce Who haplesse and eke hopelesse all in vaine Did to him pace sad battaile to darrayne Disarmd disgraste and inwardly dismayde And eke so faint in euery ioynt and vayne Through that fraile foūtain which him feeble made That scarsely could he weeld his bootlesse single blade The Geaunt strooke so maynly mercilesse That could haue ouerthrowne a stony towre And were not heuenly grace that him did blesse He had beene pouldred all as thin as flowre But he was wary of that deadly stowre And lightly lept from vnderneath the blow Yetso exceeding was the villeins powre That with the winde it did him ouerthrow And all his sences stoond that still he lay full low As when that diuelish yron Engin wrought In deepest Hell and framd by Furies skill With 〈◊〉 Nitre and quick Sulphur fraught And ramd with bollet rownd ordaind to kill Conceiueth fyre the heauens it doth fill With thundring noyse and all the ayre doth choke That none can breath nor see nor heare at will Through smouldry cloud of duskish stincking smok That th' onely breath him daunts who hath escapt the stroke So daunted when the Geaunt saw the knight His heauie hand he heaued vpon hye And him to dust thought to haue battred quight Vntill Duessa loud to him gan crye O great Orgoglio greatest vnder skye O hold thy mortall hand for Ladies sake Hold for my sake and doe him not to dye But vanquisht 〈◊〉 eternall bondflaue make And me thy worthy meed vnto thy Leman take He hearkned and did stay from further harmes To gayneso goodly guerdon as she spake So willingly she came into his armes Who her as willingly to grace did take And was possessed of his newfound make Then vp he tooke the slombred sencelesse corse And 〈◊〉 he could out of his swowne awake Him to his castle brought with hastie forse And in a Dongeon deep him threw without remorse From that day forth Duessa was his deare And highly honourd in his haughtie eye He gaue her gold and purple pall to weare And triple crowne set on her head full hye And her endowd with royall maiestye Then for to make her 〈◊〉 more of men And peoples hartes with awfull terror tye A monstrous beast ybredd in filthy fen He chose which he had kept long time in darksom den Such one it was as that renowmed Snake Which great Alcides in Stremona slew Long fostred in the filth of Lerna lake Whose many heades out budding euer new Did breed him endlesse labor to subdew But this same Monster much more vgly was For seuen great heads out of his body grew An yron brest and back of scaly bras And all embrewd in blood his eyes did shine as glas His tayle was stretched out in wondrous length That to the hous of heuenly gods it raught And with extorted powre and borrow'd strength The euerburning lamps from thence it braught And prowdly threw to ground as things of naught And vnderneath his filthy feer did tread The sacred thinges and holy heastes foretaught Vpon this dreadfull Beast with seuen fold head He sett the false Duessa for more aw and dread The wofull Dwarfe which saw his maisters fall Whiles he had keeping of his grasing steed And valiant knight become a cay 〈◊〉 thrall When all was past tooke vp his forlorne weed His mightie Armour missing most at need His siluer shield now idle maisterlesse His poynant speare that many made to bleed The ruefull moniments of heauinesse And with them all departes to tell his great distresse He had not trauaild long when on 〈◊〉 way He wofull Lady wofull Vna met Fast flying from that Paynims greedy pray Whilest Satyrane him from pursuit did let Who when her eyes she on the Dwarf had set And saw the signes that deadly tydinges spake She fell to ground for sorrowfull regret And liuely breath her sad brest did forsake Yet might her pittcous hart be seene to pant and quake The messenger of so vnhappie newes Would faine haue dyde dead was his hart within Yet outwardly some little comfort shewes At last recouering hart he does begin To rubb her temples and to chaufe her chin And euerie tender part does tosse and turne So hardly he the flitted life does win Vnto her natiue prison to retourne Then gins her grieued ghost thus to lament mourne Ye dreaty instruments of dolefull sight That doe this deadly spectacle behold Why do ye lenger feed on loathed light Or liking find to gaze on earthly mould Sith cruell fates the carefull threds vnfould The which my life and loue together tyde Now let the stony dart of sencelesse cold Perce to my hart and pas through euerie side And let eternall night so sad fro me hyde O light some day the lampe of highest Ioue First made by him mens wandring wayes to guyde When darknesse he in deepest 〈◊〉 droue Henceforth 〈◊〉 hated face for euer hyde And shut vp heauens windowes shyning wyde For earthly sight can nought but sorow breed And late 〈◊〉 which shall long abyde Mine eyes no more on 〈◊〉 shall feed But seeled vp with death shall haue their deadly meed Then downe againe she fell vnto the ground But he her quickly reared vp againe Thrise did she sinke 〈◊〉 in deadly swownd And thrise he her 〈◊〉 with busie paine At last when life recouer'd had the raine And ouer-wrestled his strong enimy With foltring tong and trembling euerie vaine Tell on quoth she the wofull Tragedy The which these reliques sad present vnto mine eye Tempestuous fortune hath spent all her spight And
owne cote he would cut and it distribute glad The fourth appointed by his office was Poore prisoners to relieue with gratious ayd And captiues to redeeme with price of bras From Turkes and Sarazins which them had stayd And though they faulty were yet well he wayd That God to vs forgiueth euery howre Much more then that why they in bands were layd And he that harrowd hell with heauie stowre The faulty soules from thence brought to his heauenly bowre The fift had charge sick persons to attend And comfort those in point of death which lay For them most needeth comfort in the end When sin and hell and death doe most dismay The feeble soule departing hence away All is but lost that liuing we bestow If not well ended at our dying day O man haue mind of that last bitter throw For as the tree does fall so lyes it euer low The sixt had charge of them now being dead In seemely sort their corses to engraue And deck with dainty flowres their brydall bed That to their heauenly spouse both sweet and braue They might appeare when he their soules shall saue The wondrous workmanship of Gods owne mould Whose face he made all beastes to feare and gaue All in his hand euen dead we honour should Ah dearest God me graunt I dead be not defould The seuenth now after death and buriall done Had charge the tender Orphans of the dead And wydowes ayd least they should be vndone In face of iudgement he their right would plead Ne ought the powre of mighty men did dread In their defence nor would for gold or fee Be wonne their rightfull causes downe to tread And when they stood in most necessitee He did supply their want and gaue them euer free There when the Elfin knight arriued was The first and chiefest of the seuen whose care Was guests to welcome towardes him did pas Where seeing Mercie that his steps vpbare And alwaies led to her with reuerence rare He humbly louted in meeke lowlinesse And seemely welcome for her did prepare For of their order she was Patronesse Albe Charissa were their chiefest founderesse There she awhile him stayes him selfe to rest That to the rest more hable he might bee During which time in euery good behest And godly worke of Almes and charitee Shee him instructed with great 〈◊〉 Shortly therein so perfect he became That from the first vnto the last degree His mortall life he learned had to frame In holy righteousnesse without rebuke or blame Thence forward by that painfull way they pas Forth to an hill that was both steepe and hy On top whereof a sacred chappell was And eke a litle Hermitage thereby Wherein an aged holy man did lie That day and night said his deuotion Ne other worldly busines did apply His name was heuenly Contemplation Of God and goodnes was his meditation Great grace that old man to him giuen had For God he often saw from heauens hight All were his earthly eien both blunt and bad And through great age had lost their kindly sight Yet wondrous quick and persaunt was his spright As Eagles eie that can behold the Sunne That hill they scale with all their powre and might That his 〈◊〉 thighes nigh 〈◊〉 and fordonne Gan faile but by her helpe the top at last he wonne There they doe finde that godly aged Sire With snowy lockes adowne his shoulders shed As hoary frost with spangles doth attire The mossy braunches of an Oke halfe ded Each bone might through his body well be red And euery sinew seene through his long fast For nought he car'd his carcas long vnfed His mind was full of spirituall repast And pyn'd his flesh to keepe his body low and chast Who when these two approching he aspide At their first presence grew agrieued sore That forst him lay his heuenly thoughts aside And had he not that Dame respected more Whom highly he did reuerence and adore He would not once haue moued for the knight They him saluted standing far afore Who well them greeting humbly did requight And asked to what end they clomb that redious hight What end qd she should cause vs take such paine But that same end which euery liuing wight Should make his marke high heauen to attaine Is not from hence the way that leadeth right To that most glorious house that glistreth bright With burning starres and euerliuing fire Where of the keies are to thy hand behight By wise Fidelia shee doth thee require To shew it to this knight according his desire Thrise happy man said then the father graue Whose staggering steps thy steady hand doth lead And shewes the way his sinfull soule to saue Who better can the way to heauen aread Then thou thy selfe that was both borne and bred In heuenly throne where thousand Angels shine Thou do est the praiers of the righteous sead Present before the maiesty diuine And his auenging wrath to clemency incline Yet since thou bidst thy pleasure shal be donne Then come thou man of earth and see the way That neuer yet was seene of Faries sonne That neuer leads the traueiler astray But after labors long and sad delay Bring them to ioyous rest and endlesse blis But first thou must a season fast and pray Till from her bands the spright assoiled is And haue her strength recur'd from fraile infirmitis That done he leads him to the highest Mount Such one as that same mighty man of God That blood-red billowes like a walled front On either side disparted with his rod Till that his army dry-foot through them yod Dwelt forty daies vpon where writt in stone VVith bloody letters by the hand of God The bitter doome of death and balefull mone He did receiue whiles flashing fire about him shone Or like that sacred hill whose head full hie Adornd with fruitfull Oliues all arownd Is as it were for endlesse memory Of that deare Lord who oft thereon was fownd For euer with a flowring girlond crownd Or like that pleasaunt Mount that is foray Through famous 〈◊〉 verse each where renownd On which the thrife three learned Ladies play Their heuenly notes and make full many a louely lay From 〈◊〉 far off he vnto him did shew A litle path that was both steepe and long Which to a goodly Citty led his vew Whose wals and towres were builded high strong Of perle and 〈◊〉 stone that earthly tong Cannot describe nor wit of man can tell Too high a ditty for my simple song The Citty of the greate king hight it well Wherein eternall peace and happinesse doth dwell As he thereon stood gazing he might see The blessed Angels to and fro descend From highest heuen in gladsome companee And with great ioy into that Citty wend As commonly as frend does with his frend Whereat he wondred much and gan enquere What stately building durst so high extend Her lofty towres vnto the starry sphere And what vnknowen nation there empeopled
sunne-bright shield and grypt it fast withall Much was the man encombred with his hold In feare to lose his weapon in his paw Ne wist yett how his talaunts to vnfold For harder was from Cerberus greedy iaw To plucke a bone then from his cruell claw To reaue by strength the griped gage away Thrise he assayd it from his foote to draw And thrise in vaine to draw it did assay It booted nought to thinke to robbe him of his pray Tho when he saw no power might preuaile His trusty sword he cald to his last aid Wherewith he fiersly did his foe assaile And double blowes about him stoutly laid That glauncing fire out of the yron plaid As sparckles from the Anduile vse to fly When heauy hammers on the wedg are swaid Therewith at last he forst him to vnty One of his grasping feete him to defend threby The other foote fast fixed on his shield Whenas no strength nor stroks 〈◊〉 him constraine To loose ne yet the warlike pledg to yield He smott thereat with all his might and maine 〈◊〉 nought so wōdrous puissaunce might sustaine Vpon the ioint the lucky steele did light And made such way that 〈◊〉 it quite in twaine The paw yett missed not his minisht might But hong still on the shield as it at first was pight For griefe thereof and diuelish despight From his infernall fournace forth he threw Huge flames that dimmed all the heuens light Enrold in duskish smoke and brimstone blew As burning Aetna from his boyling 〈◊〉 Doth belch out flames and rockes in peeces broke And ragged ribs of mountaines molten new 〈◊〉 in coleblacke clowds and filthy smoke That al the land with stēch heuen with horror choke The heate whereof and harmefull pestilence So sore him noyd that forst him to retire A litle backeward for his best defence To saue his body from the scorching fire Which he from hellish entrailes did expire It chaunst eternall God that chaunce did guide As he recoiled backeward in the mire His nigh foreweried feeble feet did slide And downe he fell with dread of shame sore terrifide There grew a goodly tree him faire beside Loaden with fruit and apples rosy redd As they in pure vermilion had beene dide Whereof great vertues ouer all were redd For happy life to all which thereon fedd And life eke euerlasting did befall Great God it planted in that blessed stedd With his Almighty hand and did it call The tree of life the crime of our first fathers fall In all the world like was not to be fownd Saue in that soile where all good things did grow And freely sprong out of the fruitfull grownd As incorrupted Nature did them sow Till that dredd Dragon all did ouerthow Another like faire tree eke grew thereby Whereof who so did eat eftsoones did know Both good and ill O mournfull memory That tree through one mās fault hath doen vs all to dy From that first tree forth flowd as from a well A trickling streame of Balme most soueraine And dainty deare which on the ground still fell And ouerflowed all the fertile plaine As it had deawed bene with timely raine Life and long health that 〈◊〉 ointment gaue And deadly wounds could heale and reare againe The sencelesse corse appointed for the graue Inio that same he fell which did from death him saue For nigh thereto the euer damned Beast Durst not approch for he was deadly made And al that life preserued did detest Yet he it oft aduentur'd to inuade By this the drouping day-light gan to fade And yied his rowme to sad succeeding night Who with her sable mantle gan to shade The face of earth and wayes of liuing wight And high her burning torch set vp in heauen bright When gentle Vna saw the second fall Of her deare knight who weary of long 〈◊〉 And faint through losse of blood moou'd not at all might But lay as in a dreame of deepe delight Besmeard with pretious Balme whose vertuous Did heale his woundes and scorching heat alay Againe she stricken was with sore affright And for his safetie gan deuoutly pray And watch the noyous night and wait for ioyous day The ioyous day gan early to appeare And fayre Aurora from the deawy bed Of aged Tithone gan her selfe to reare With rosy cheekes for shame as 〈◊〉 red Her golden locks for hast were loosely 〈◊〉 About her eares when Vna her did marke Clymbe to her charet all with flowers spred From heuen high to chace the chearelesse darke With mery note her lowd salutes the mounting larke Then freshly vp arose the doughty knight All healed of his hurts and woundes wide And did himselfe to battaile ready dight Whose early foe awaiting him beside To haue deuourd so soone as day he spyde When now he saw himselfe so freshly reare As if late fight had nought him damnifyde He woxe dismaid and gan his fate to feare Nathlesse with wonted rage he him aduaunced nearé And in his first encounter gaping wyde He thought attonce him to haue swallowd quight And rusht vpon him with outragious pryde Who him rencountring fierce as hauke in flight Perforce rebutted backe The weapon bright Taking aduantage of his open 〈◊〉 Ran through his mouth with so importune might That deepe emperst his darksom hollow maw And back retyrd his life blood forth with all did draw So downe he fell and forth his life did breath That vanisht into smoke and cloudes swift So downe he fell that the'arth him vnderneath Did grone as feeble so great load to lift So downe he fell as an huge rocky clift Whose false foundacion waues haue washt away With dreadfull poyse is from the mayneland rift And 〈◊〉 downe great Neptune doth dismay So downe he fell and like an 〈◊〉 mountaine lay The knight him selfe euen trembled at his fall So huge and horrible a masse it seemd And his 〈◊〉 Lady that beheld it all Durst not approch for dread which she misdeemd But yet at last whenas the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She saw not stirre of-shaking 〈◊〉 affright She nigher drew and saw that ioyous end Then God she praysd and thankt her faithfull knight That had atchieude so great a conquest by his might Cant. XII Fayre Una to the Redcrosse knight betrouthed is with ioy Though false Duessa it to barre Her false sleightes doe imploy BEhold I see the hauen nigh at hand To which I meane my wearie course to bend Vere the maine shete and beare vp with the land The which afore is fayrly to be kend And seemeth safe from storms that may offend There this fayre virgin wearie of her way Must landed bee now at her iourneyes end There eke my feeble barke a while may stay Till mery wynd and weather call her thence away Scarsely had Phoebus in the glooming East Yett harnessed his fyrie-footed teeme Ne reard aboue the earth his flaming creast When the last deadly smoke aloft did steeme That signe of last outbreathed life did seeme Vnto the
cheekes yett being ded Seemd to haue beene a goodly personage Now in his freshest flowre of lusty hed Fitt to inflame faire Lady with loues rage But that fiers fate did crop the blossome of his age VVhom when the good Sir Guyou did behold His hart gan wexe as starke as marblestone And his sresh blood did frieze with fearefull cold That all his sences seemd berefte attone At last his mighty ghost gan deepe to grone As Lion grudging in his great disdaine Mournes inwardly and makes to him selfe mone Til ruth and fraile affection did constraine His stout courage to stoupe and shew his inward paine Out of her gored wound the cruell steel He lightly snatcht and did the floodgate stop VVith his faire garment then gansoftly feel Herfeeble pulfe to proue if any drop Of liuing blood yet in her veynes did hop VVhich when he felt to moue he hoped faire To call backe life to her forsaken shop So well he did her deadly wounds repaire That at the last shee gan to breath out liuing aire VVhich he perceiuing greatly gan reioice And goodly counsell that for wounded hart Is meetest med'cine tempred with sweete voice Ay me deare Lady which the ymage art Of ruefull pitty and impatient smart VVhat direfull chaunce armd with auenging fate Or cursed hand hath plaid this cruell part Thus fowle to hasten your vntimely date Speake O dear Lady speake help neuer comes too late Therewith her dim eie-lids she vp gan reare On which the drery death did sitt as sad As lump oflead and made darke clouds appeare But when as him all in bright armour clad Before her standing she espied had As one out of a deadly dreame affright She weakely started yet she nothing drad Streight downe againe her selfe in great despight She groueling threw to groūd as hating life and light The gentle knight her soone with carefull paine Vplifted light and softly did vphold Thrise he her reard and thrise she sunck againe Till he his armes about her sides gan fold And to her said Yet if the stony cold Haue not all seized on your frozen hart Let one word fall that may your griefe vnfold And tell the secrete of your mortall smart He oft finds present helpe who does his griefe impart Then casting vp a deadly looke full low Shee sight from bottome of her wounded brest And after many bitter throbs did throw With lips full pale and foltring tong opprest These words she breathed forth from riuen chest Leaue ah leaue of what euer wight thou bee To lett a weary wretch from her dew rest And trouble dying soules tranquilitee Take not away now got which none would giue to me Ah far be it said he Deare dame fro mee To hinder soule from her desired rest Or hold sad life in long captiuitee For all I seeke is but to haue redrest The bitter pangs that doth your heart infest Tell then O Lady tell what fatall priefe Hath with so huge misfortune you opprest That I may cast to compas your reliefe Or die with you in sorrow and partake your griefe With feeble hands then stretched forth on hye As heuen accusing guilty of her death And with dry drops congealed in her eye In these sad wordes she spent her vtmost breath Heare then O man the sorrowes that vneath My tong can tell so far all sence they pas Loe this dead corpse that lies here vnderneath The gentlest knight that euer on greene gras Gay steed with spurs did pricke the good Sir Mortdant was Was ay the while that he is not so now My Lord my loue my deare Lord my deare loue So long as heuens iust with equall brow Vouchsafed to behold vs from aboue One day when him high corage did emmoue As wont ye knightes to seeke aduentures wilde He pricked forth his puissaunt force to proue Me then he left enwombed of this childe This luckles childe whom thus ye see with blood defild Him fortuned hard fortune ye may ghesse To come where vile Acrasia does wonne Acrasia a false enchaunteresse That many errant knightes hath fowle fordonne Within a wandring Island that doth ronne And stray in perilous gulfe her dwelling is Fayre Sir if euer there ye trauell shonne The cursed land where many wend amis And know it by the name it hight the Bowre of blis Her blis is all in pleasure and delight Wherewith she makes her louers dronken mad And then with words weedes of wondrous might On them she workes her will to vses bad My liefest Lord she thus beguiled had For he was flesh all flesh doth frayltie breed Whom when I heard to beene so ill bestad Weake wretch I wrapt my selfe in Palmers weed And cast to seek him forth through danger great dreed Now had fayre Cynthia by euen tournes Full measured three quarters of her yeare And thrise three tymes had fild her crooked hornes Whenas my wombe her burdein would forbeare And bad me call Lucina to me neare Lucina came a manchild forth I brought The woods the Nymphes my bowres my midwiues weare Hard helpe at need So deare thee babe I bought Yet nought to dear I deemd while so my deare I sought Him so I sought and so at last I fownd Where him that witch had thralled to her will In chaines of lust and lewde desyres vbownd And so transformed from his former skill That me he knew not nether his owne ill Till through wise handling and faire gouernaunce I him recured to a better will Purged from drugs of fowle intemperaunce Then meanes I gan deuise for his deliuerance Which when the vile Enchaunteresse perceiu'd How that my Lord from her I would repriue With cup thus charmd him parting she deceiud Sad verse giue death to him that death does giue And losse of loue to her that loues to liue So soone as Bacchus with the Nymphe does lincke So parted we and on our iourney driue Till comming to this well he stoupt to drincke The charme fulfild dead suddeinly he downe did sincke Which when I wretch Not one word more she sayd But breaking of the end for want of breath And slyding soft as downe to sleepe her layd And ended all her woe in quiet death That seeing good Sir Guyon could vneath From teares abstayne for griefe his hart did grate And from so heauie sight his head did wreath Accusing fortune and too cruell fate Which plonged had faire Lady in so wretched state Then turning to his Palmer said Old syre Behold the ymage of mortalitie And feeble nature cloth'd with fleshly tyre When raging passion with fierce tyranny Robs reason of her dew regalitie And makes it seruaunt to her basest part The strong it weakens with infirmitie And with bold furie armes the weakest hart The strong through pleasure soonest falles the weake through smart But temperaunce said he with golden squire Betwixt them both can measure out a meane Nether to melt in pleasures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor frye in hartlesse griefe and dolefull tene
Sith his good steed is lately from him gone Patience perforce helplesse what may it boot To frett for anger or for griefe to mone His Palmer now shall foot no more alone So fortune wrought as vnder greene woodes syde He lately hard that dying Lady grone He left his steed without and speare besyde And rushed in on foot to ayd her cre she dyde The whyles a losell wandring by the way One that to bountie neuer cast his mynd Ne thought of honour euer did assay His baser brest but in his kestrell kynd A pleasing vaine of glory he did fynd To which his flowing toung and troublous spright Gaue him great ayd and made him more inclynd He that braue steed there finding ready dight Purloynd both steed and speare and ran away full light Now gan his hart all swell in iollity And of him selfe great hope and help conceiu'd That puffed vp with smoke of vanity And with selfe-loued personage deceiu'd He gan to hope of men to be receiu'd For such as he him thought or faine would bee But for in court gay portaunce he perceiu'd And gallant shew to be in greatest gree Eftsoones to court he cast t' aduaunce his first degree And by the way he chaunced to espy One sitting ydle on a sunny banck To whom auaunting in great brauery As Peacocke that his painted plumes doth pranck He smote his courser in the trembling flanck And to him threatned his hart-thrilling speare The seely man seeing him ryde so ranck And ayme at him fell flatt to ground for feare And crying Mercy loud his pitious handes gan reare Thereat the Scarcrow wexed wondrous prowd Through fortune of his first aduenture fayre And with big thundring voice reuyld him lowd Vile Caytiue vassall of dread and despayre Vnworthie of the commune breathed ayre Why liuest thou dead dog a lenger day And doest not vnto death thy selfe prepayre Dy or thy selfe my captiue yield for ay Great fauour I thee graunt for aunswere thus to stay Hold O deare Lord hold your dead-doing hand Then loud he cryde I am your humble thrall Ah wretch qd he thy destinies withstand My wrathfull will and doe for mercy call I giue thee life therefore prostrated fall And kisse my stirrup that thy homage bee The Miser threw him selfe as an Offall Streight at his foot in base humilitee And cleeped him his liege to hold of him in fee So happy peace they made and faire accord Eftsoones this liegeman gan to wexe more bold And when he felt the folly of his Lord In his owne kind he gan him selfe vnfold For he was wylie witted and growne old In cunning sleightes and practick knauery From that day forth he cast for to vphold His ydle humour with fine slattery And blow the bellowes to his swelling vanity Trompart fitt man for Braggadochio To serue at court in view of vaunting eye Vaineglorious man when fluttring wind does blow In his light winges is lifted vp to skye The scorne of knighthood and trew cheualrye To thinke without desert of gentle deed And noble worth to be aduaunced hye Such prayse is shame but honour vertues meed Doth beare the fayrest flowre in honourable seed So forth they pas a well consorted payre Till that at length with Archimage they meet Who seeing one that shone in armour fayre On goodly course thondring with his feet Eftsoones supposed him a person meet Of his 〈◊〉 to make the instrument For since the Redcrosse knight he erst did weet To beene with Guyon knitt in one consent The ill which earst to him he now to Guyon ment And comming close to Trompart gan inquere Of him what mightie warriour that mote bee That rode in golden sell with single spere But wanted sword to wreake his enmitee He is a great aduenturer said he That hath his sword through hard assay forgone And now hath vowd till he auenged bee Of that despight neuer to wearen none That speare is him enough to doen a thousand grone Th' enchaunter greatly ioyed in the vaunt And weened well ere long his will to win And both his foen with equall foyle to daunt Tho to him louting lowly did begin To plaine of wronges which had committed bin By Guyon and by that false Redcrosse knight Which two through treason and deceiptfull gin Had slayne Sir Mordant and his Lady bright That more him honour win to wreak so foule despight Therewith all suddeinly he seemd enragd And threatned death with dreadfull countenaunce As if their liues had in his hand beene gagd And with stiffe force shaking his mortall launce To let him weet his doughtie valiaunce Thus said Old man great sure shal be thy meed If where those knights for feare of dew vengeaunce Doe lurke thou certeinly to mee areed That I may wreake on them their hainous hateful deed Certes my Lord said he that shall I soone And giue you eke good helpe to their decay But mote I wisely you aduise to doon Giue no ods to your foes but doe puruay Your selfe of sword before that bloody day For they be two the prowest knights on grownd And oft approu'd in many hard assay And eke of surest steele that may be fownd Doe arme yourself against that day them to confownd Dotard saide he let be thy deepe aduise Seemes that through many yeares thy wits thee faile And that weake eld hath left thee nothing wise Els neuer should thy iudgement be so frayle To measure manhood by the sword or mayle Is not enough fowre quarters of a man Withouten sword or shield an hoste to quayle Thou litle wotest what this right-hand can Speake they which haue beheld the battailes which it wan The man was much abashed at his boast Yet well he wist that who so would contend With either of those knightes on euen coast Should neede of all his armes him to defend Yet feared least his boldnesse should offend When Braggadocchio saide Once I did sweare When with one sword seuen knightes I brought to end Thence forth in battaile neuer sword to beare But it were that which noblest knight on earth doth weare Perdy Sir knight saide then th'enchaunterbliue That shall I shortly purchase to your hond For now the best and noblest knight aliue Prince Arthur is that wonnes in Faerie lond He hath a sword that flames like burning brond The same by my deuice I vndertake Shall by to morrow by thy side be fond At which bold word that boaster gan to quake And wondred in his minde what mote that Monster make He stayd not for more bidding but away Was suddein vanished out of his sight The Northerne winde his wings did broad display At his commaund and reared him vp light From of the earth to take his aerie flight They lookt about but no where could espye Tract of his foot then dead through great affright They both nigh were and each bad other flye Both fled attonce ne euer backe retourned eye Till that they come vnto a forrest greene In which they
Did all she might more pleasing to appeare One day to worke her to his will more neare He woo'd her thus Pryene so she hight What great despight doth fortune to thee beare Thus lowly to abase thy beautie bright That it should not deface all others lesser light But if she had her least helpe to thee lent T' adorne thy forme according thy desart Their blazing pride thou wouldest soone haue blent And staynd their prayses with thy least good part Ne should faire Claribell with all her art Though she thy Lady be approch thee neare For proofe thereof this euening as thou art Aray thy selfe in her most gorgeous geare That I may more delight in thy embracement deare The Maydē proud through praise mad through loue Him hearkned to and soone her selfe arayd The whiles to me the treachour did remoue His craftie engin and as he had sayd Me leading in a secret corner layd The sad spectatour of my Tragedie Where left he went and his owne false part playd Disguised like that groome of base degree Whom he had feignd th' abuser of my loue to bee Eftsoones he came vnto th' appointed place And with him brought Pryene rich arayd In Claribellaes clothes Her proper face I not descerned in that darkesome shade But weend it was my loue with whom he playd All God what horrour and tormenting griefe My hart my handes mine eyes and all assayd Me liefer were ten thousand deathes priefe Then wounde of gealous worme and shame of such repriefe I home retourning fraught with fowle despight And chawing vengeaunce all the way I went Soone as my loathed loue appeard in sight With wrathfull hand I slew her innocent That after soone I dearely did lament For when the cause of that outrageous deede Demaunded I made plaine and euident Her faultie Handmayd which that bale did breede Confest how Philemon her wrought to chaunge her weede Which when I heard with horrible affright And hellish fury all enragd I sought Vpon my selfe that vengeable despight To punish yet it better first I thought To wreake my wrath on him that first it wrought To Philemon false faytour Philemon I cast to pay that I so dearely bought Of deadly drugs I gaue him drinke anon And washt away his guilt with guilty potion Thus heaping crime on crime and griefe on griefe To losse of loue adioyning losse of frend I meant to purge both with a third mischiefe And in my woes beginner it to end That was Pryene she did first offend She last should smart with which cruell intent When I at her my murdrous blade did bend She fled away with ghastly dreriment And I poursewing my fell purpose after went Feare gaue her winges and rage enforst my flight Through woods and plaines so long I did her chace Till this mad man whom your victorious might Hath now fast bound me met in middle space As I her so he me poursewd apace And shortly ouertooke I breathing yre Sore chauffed at my stay in such a cace And with my heat kindled his cruell fyre Which kindled once his mother did more rage inspyre Betwixt them both they haue me doen to dye Through wounds strokes stubborne handeling That death were better then such agony As griefe and fury vnto me did bring Of which in me yet stickes the mortall sting That during life will neuer be appeasd When he thus ended had his sorrowing Said Guyon Squyre sore haue ye beene diseasd But all your hurts may soone through tēperance be easd Then gan the Palmer thus most wretched man That to affections does the bridle lend In their beginning they are weake and wan But soone through suff'rance growe to fearefull end Whiles they are weake betimes with them contend For when they once to perfect strength do grow Strong warres they make and cruell battry bend Gainst fort of Reason it to ouerthrow Wrath gelosy griefe loue this Squyre haue laide thus low Wrath gealosie griefe loue do thus expell Wrath is a fire and gealosie a weede Griefe is a flood and loue a monster fell The fire of sparkes the weede of little seede The flood of drops the Monster filth did breede But sparks feed drops and filth do thus delay The sparks soone quench the springing seed outweed The drops dry vp and filth wipe cleane away So shall wrath gealosy griefe loue die and decay Vnlucky Squire saide Guyon sith thou hast Falne into mischiefe through intemperaunce Henceforth take heede of that thou now hast past And guyde thy waies with warie gouernaunce Least worse betide thee by some later chaunce But read how art thou nam'd and of what kin Phaon I hight quoth he and do aduaunce Mine auncestry from famous Coradin Who first to rayse our house to honour did begin Thus as he spake lo far away they spyde A varlet ronning towardes hastily Whose flying feet so fast their way applyde That round about a cloud of dust did fly Which mingled all with sweate did dim his eye He soone approched panting breathlesse whot And all so soyld that none could him descry His countenaunce was bold and bashed not For Guyons lookes but scornefull eyglaunce at him shot Behind his backe he bore a brasen shield On which was drawen faire in colours fit A flaming fire in midst of bloody field And round about the wreath this word was writ Burnt I doe burne Right well beseemed it To be the shield of some redoubted knight And in his hand two dartes exceeding flit And deadly sharp he held whose heads were dight In poyson and in blood of malice and despight When he in presence came to Guyon first He boldly spake Sir knight if knight thou bee Abandon this forestalled place at erst For feare of further harme I counsell thee Or bide the chaunce at thine owne ieopardee The knight at his great boldnesse wondered And though he scornd his ydle vanitee Yet mildly him to purpose answered For not to grow of nought he it coniectured Varlet this place most dew to me I deeme Yielded by him that held it forcibly But whence shold come that harme which thou dost seeme To threat to him that mindes his chaunce t'abye Perdy sayd he here comes and is hard by A knight of wondrous powre and great assay That neuer yet encountred enemy But did him deadly daunt or fowle dismay Ne thou for better hope if thou his presence stay How hight he then sayd Guyon and from whence Pyrrhochles is his name renowmed farre For his bold feates and hardy confidence Full oft approud in many a cruell warre The brother of Cymochles both which arre The sonnes of old Acrates and Despight Acrates sonne of Phlegeton and Iarre But Phlegeton is sonne of Herebus and Night But Herebus sonne of Aeternitie is hight So from immortall race he does proceede That mortall hands may not withstand his might Drad for his derring doe and bloody deed For all in blood aud spoile is his delight His am I Atin his in wrong
paine He there beheld too long here to be told Ne Mammon would there let him long remayne For terrour of the tortures manifold In which the damned soules he did behold But roughly him bespake Thou fearefull foole Why takest not of that same fruite of gold Ne sittest downe on that same siluer stoole To rest thy weary person in the shadow coole All which he did to do him deadly fall In frayle intemperaunce through sinfull bayt To which if he inclyned had at all That dreadfull feend which did behinde him wayt Would him haue rent in thousand peecesstrayt But he was wary wise in all his way And well perceiued his deceiptfull 〈◊〉 Ne 〈◊〉 lust his safety to betray So goodly did beguile the Guyler of his pray And now he has so long remained theare That vitall powres gan wexe both weake and wan For want of food and sleepe which two vpbeare Like mightie pillours this frayle life of man That none without the same enduren can For now three dayes of men were full outwrought Since he this hardy enterprize began For thy great Mammon fayrely he besought Into the world to guyde him backe as he him brought The God though loth yet was constraynd t' obay For lenger time then that no liuing wight Below the earth might suffred be to stay So backe againe him brought to liuing light But all so soone as his enfeebled spright Gan sucke this vitall ayre into his brest As ouercome with too exceeding might The life did flit away out of her nest And all his sences were with deadly fit opprest Cant. VIII Sir Guyon layd in swowne is by Acrates sonnes despoyld Whom Arthure soone hath reske wed And Paynim brethren foyld ANd is there care in heauen and is their loue In heauenly spirits to these creatures bace That may compassion of their euilles moue There is else much more wretched were the cace Of men then beasts But O th'exceeding grace Of highest God that loues his creatures so And all his workes with mercy doth embrace That blessed Angels he sends to and fro To serue to wicked man to serue his wicked foe How oft do they their siluer bowers leaue To come to succour vs that succour want How oft do they with golden pineons cleaue The flitting skyes like flying Pursuiuant Against fowle feendes to ayd vs militant They for vs fight they watch and dewly ward And their bright Squadrons round about vs plant And all for loue and nothing for reward O why should heuenly God to men haue such regard During the while that Guyon did abide In Mamons house the Palmer whom whyleare That wanton Mayd of passage had denide By further search had passage found elsewhere And being on his way approched neare Where Guyon lay in traunce when suddeinly He heard a voyce that called lowd and cleare Come hether come hether O come hastily That all the fields resounded with the ruefull cry The Palmer lent his 〈◊〉 vnto the noyce To weet who called so importunely Againe he heard a more efforced voyce That bad him come in haste He by and by His feeble feet directed to the cry Which to that shady delue him brought at last Where Mammon earst did sunne his threasury There the good Guyon he found slumbring fast In senceles dreame which sight at first him sore aghast Beside his head there satt a faire young man Of wondtous beauty and of freshest yeares Whose tender bud to blossome new began And florish faire aboue his equall peares His snowv front curled with golden heares Like Phoebus face adornd with sunny rayes Diuinely shone and two sharpe winged sheares Decked with diuerse plumes like painted Iayes Were fixed at his backe to cut his ayery wayes Like as Cupido on Idaean hill When hauing laid his cruell bow away And mortall arrowes wherewith he doth fill The world with murdrous spoiles and bloody pray With his faire mother he him dights to play And with his goodly sisters Graces three The Goddesse pleased with his wanton play Suffers her selfe through sleepe beguild to bee The whiles the other Ladies mind theyr mery 〈◊〉 Whom when the Palmer saw abasht he was Through fear and wonder that he nought could say Till him the childe bespoke Long lackt alas Hath bene thy faithfull aide in hard assay Whiles deadly fitt thy pupill doth dismay Behold this heauy sight thou reuerend Sire But dread of death and dolordoe away For life ere long shall to her home retire And he that breathlesse seems shal corage bold respire The charge which God doth vnto me arrett Of his deare safety I to thee commend Yet will I not forgoe ne yet forgett The care thereof my selfe vnto the end But euermore him succour and defend Against his foe and mine watch thou I pray For euill is at hand him to offend So hauing said eftsoones he gan display His painted nimble wings and 〈◊〉 quite away The Palmer seeing his lefte empty place And his slow eies beguiled of their sight Woxe sore affraid and standing still a space Gaz'd after him as fowle escapt by flight At last him turning to his charge behight With trembling hand his troubled pulse gan try Where finding life not yet dislodged quight He much reioyst and courd it tenderly As chicken newly hatcht from dreaded destiny At last he spide where towards him did pace Two Paynim knights al armd as bright as skie And them beside an aged Sire did trace And far before a light-foote Page did flie That breathed strife and troublous enmitie Those were the two sonnes of Acrates old Who meeting 〈◊〉 with Archimago slie Foreby that idle strond of him were told That he which earst them combatted was Guyon bold Which to auenge on him they 〈◊〉 vowd Where euer that on ground they 〈◊〉 him find False Archimage prouokte their corage prowd And stryful Atin in their stubborne mind Coles of contention and whot 〈◊〉 tind Now benethey come whereas the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keeping that slombred corse to him assind Well knew they both his person sith of late With him in bloody armes they rashly did debate Whom when Pyrochles saw inflam'd with rage That sire he fowl bespake Thou dotard vile That with thy brutenesse 〈◊〉 thy comely age Abandon soone I read the caytiue spoile Of that same outcast carcas that ere 〈◊〉 Made it felfe famous through false trechery And crownd his coward crest with knightly stile Loe where he now inglorious doth lye To prooue he liued il that did thus fowly dye To whom the Palmer fearlesse answered Certes Sir knight ye bene too much to blame Thus for to blott the honor of the dead And with fowle cowar dize his carcas shame Whose liuing handes immortalizd his name Vile is the vengeaunce on the ashes cold And enuy base to barke at sleeping fame Was neuer wight that treason of him told Your self his prowesse proud found him fiers bold Then sayd Cymochles Palmer thou doest dote Ne canst of prowesse ne of knighthood deeme
nothing may withstand his stormy stowre The clowdes as thinges affrayd before him flye But all so soone as his outrageous powre Is layd they fiercely then begin to showre And as in scorne of his spent stormy spight Now all attonce their malice forth do poure So did Sir Guyon beare himselfe in fight And suffred rash Pyrrhochles waste his ydle might At last when as the Sarazin perceiu'd How that straunge sword refusd to serue his neede But when he stroke most strong the dint deceiu'd He flong it from him and deuoyd of dreed Vpon him lightly leaping without heed Twixt his two mighty armes engrasped fast Thinking to ouerthrowe and downe him tred But him in strength and skill the Prince surpast And through his nimble sleight did vnder him down cast Nought booted it the Paynim then to striue For as a Bittur in the Eagles clawe That may not hope by flight to scape aliue Still waytes for death with dread and trembling aw So he now fubiect to the victours law Did not once moue nor vpward cast his eye For vile disdaine and rancour which did gnaw His hart in twaine with sad melancholy As one that loathed life and yet despysd to dye But full of princely bounty and great mind The Conquerour nought cared him to slay But casting wronges and all reuenge behind More glory thought to giue life then decay And sayd Paynim this is thy dismall day Yet if thou wilt renounce thy miscreaunce And my trew liegeman yield thy selfe for ay Life will I graunt thee for thy valiaunce And all thy wronges will wipe out of my souenaunce Foole sayd the Pagan I thy gift defye But vse thy fortune as it doth befall And say that I not ouercome doe dye But in despight of life for death doe call Wroth was the Prince and sory yet withall That he so wilfully refused grace Yet sith his fate so cruelly did fall His shining Helmet he gan soone vnlace And left his headlesse body bleeding all the place By this Sir Guyon from his traunce awakt Life hauing maystered her sencelesse foe And looking vp when as his shield he lakt And sword saw not he wexed wondrous woe But when the Palmer whom he long ygoe Had lost he by him spyde right glad he grew And saide Deare sir whom wandring to and fro I long haue lackt I ioy thy face to vew Firme is thy faith whom daunger neuer fro me drew But read what wicked hand hath robbed mee Of my good sword and shield The Palmer glad With so fresh hew vprysing him to see Him answered fayre sonne be no whit sad For want of weapons they shall soone be had So gan he to discourse the whole debate Which that straunge knight for him sustained had And those two Sarazins confounded late Whose carcases on ground were horribly prostrate Which when he heard and saw the tokens trew His hart with great affection was embayd And to the Prince bowing reuerence dew As to the Patrone of his life thus sayd My Lord my liege by whose most gratious ayd I liue this day and see my foes subdewd What may 〈◊〉 to be for meede repayd Of so great graces as ye haue me shewd But to be euer bound To whom the Infant thus Fayre Sir what need Good turnes be counted as a seruile bond To bind their dooers to receiue their meed Are not all knightes by oath bound to withstond Oppreslours powre by armes and puissant hond Suffise that I haue done my dew in place So goodly purpose they together fond Of kindnesse and of courteous aggrace The whiles false Archimage and Atin fled apace Cant. IX The house of Temperance in which doth sober Alma dwell Besiegd of many foes whom straunger knightes to flight compell OF all Gods workes which doe this world adorne There is no one more faire and excellent Then is mans body both for powre and forme Whiles it is kept in sober gouernment But none then it more fowle and incedent Distempred through misrule and passions bace It growes a Monster and incontinent Doth loose his dignity and natiue grace Behold who list both one and other in this place After the Paynim brethren conquer'd were The Briton Prince recou'ring his stolne sword And Guyon his lost shield they both yfere Forth 〈◊〉 on their way in fayre accord Till him the Prince with gentle court did bord Sir knight mote I of you this court'sy read To weet why on your shield so goodly scord Beare ye the picture of that Ladies head Full liuely is the semblaunt though the substance dead Fayre Sir sayd he if in that picture dead Such life ye read and vertue in vaine shew What mote ye weene if the trew liuely-head Of that most glorious visage ye did vew But yf the beauty of her mind ye knew That is her bounty and imperiall powre Thousand times fairer then her mortal hew O how great wonder would your thoughts deuoure And infinite desire into your spirite ponre Shee is the mighty Queene of Faery Whose faire retraitt I in my shield doe beare Shee is the flowre of grace and ehastity Throughout the world renowmed far and neare My liefe my liege my Soueraine my deare Whose glory shineth as the morning starre And with her light the earth enlumines cleare Far reach her mercies and her praises farre As well in state of peace as puissaunce in warre Thrise happy man said then the Briton knight Whom gracious lott and thy great valiaunce Haue made thee soldier of that Princesse bright Which with her bounty and glad countenaunce Doth blesse her seruaunts and them high 〈◊〉 How may straunge knight hope euer to aspire By faithfull seruice and meete amenaunce Vnto such blisse sufficient were that hire For losse of thousand liues to die at her desire Said Guyon Noble Lord what meed so great Or grace of earthly Prince so soueraine But by your wondrous worth add 〈◊〉 feat Ye well may hope and easely attaine But were your will her sold to entertaine And numbred be mongst knights of Maydenhcd Great guerdon well I wore should you remaine And in her fauor high bee reckoned As Arthogall and Sophy now beene honored Certes then said the Prince I God auow That sith I armes and knighthood first did plight My whole desire hath beene and yet is now To serue that Queene with al my powre and might Seuen times the Sunne with his lamp-burning light Hath walkte about the world and I no lesse Sith of that Goddesse I haue sought the sight Yet no where can her find such happinesse Heuen doth to me enuy and fortune fauourlesse Fortune the foe of famous cheuisaunce Seldome said Guyon yields to vertue aide But in her way throwes mischiefe and mischaunce Whereby her course is stopt and passage staid But you faire Sir be not herewith dismaid But constant keepe the way in which ye stand Which were it not that I am els delaid With hard adventure which I haue in hand I labour would to
feare She there attached far from all succoure The one she 〈◊〉 vpon the present floure But the sad virgin innocent of all Adowne the rolling riuer she did poure Which of her name now Seuerne men do call Such was the end that to disloyall loue did fall Then for her sonne which she to Locrin bore Madan was young vnmeet the rule to sway In her owne hand the crowne she kept in store Till ryper yeares he raught and stronger stay During which time her powre she did display Through all this realme the glory of her sex And first taught men a woman to obay But when her sonne to mans estate did wex She it surrendred ne her selfe would lenger vex Tho Madan raignd vnworthie of his race For with all shame that sacred throne he fild Next Memprise as vnworthy of that place In which being consorted with Manild For thirst of single kingdom him he kild But Ebranck salued both their infamies With noble deedes and warreyd on Brunchild In 〈◊〉 where yet of his victories Braue moniments remaine which yet that land enuies An happy man in his first dayes he was And happy father of faire progeny For all so many weekes as the yeare has So many children he did multiply Of which were twentie sonnes which did apply Their mindes to prayse and cheualrous desyre Those germans did subdew all Germany Of whom it hight but in the end their Syre With foule repulse from Fraunce was forced to retyre Which blott his sonne succeeding in his seat The second Brute the second both in name And eke in semblaunce of his puissaunce great Right well recur'd and did away that blame With recompence of euerlasting fame He with his victour sword first opened The bowels of wide Fraunce a forlorne Dame And taught her first how to be conquered Since which with sondrie spoiles she hath bene ransacked Let Scaldis tell and let tell Hania And let the marsh of Estham bruges tell What colour were their waters that same day And all the moore twixt Eluersham and Dell With blood of Henalois which therein fell How oft that day did sad Brunchildis see The greene shield dyde in dolorous vermell That not Seuith guiridh he mote seeme to bee But rather y Seuith gogh signe of sad crueltee His sonne king Leill by fathers labour long Enioyd an heritage of lasting peace And built Cairleill and built Cairleon strong Next Huddibras his realme did not encrease But taught the land from wearie wars to cease Whose footsteps Bladud following in artes Exceld at Athens all the learned preace From whēce he brought them to these saluage parts And with sweet science mollifide their stubborne harts Ensample of his wondrous faculty Behold the boyling Bathes at Cairbadon Which seeth with secret fire eternally And in their entrailles full of quick Brimston Nourish the flames which they are warmd vpon That to her people wealth they forth do well And health to euery forreyne nation Yet he at last contending to excell The reach of men through flight into fond mischieffell Next him king Leyr in happie peace long raynd But had no issue male him to succeed But three faire daughters which were well vptraind In all that seemed fitt for kingly seed Mongst whom his realme he equally decreed To haue diuided Tho when feeble age Nigh to his vtmost date he saw proceed He cald his daughters and with speeches sage 〈◊〉 which of them most did loue her parentage The eldest Gonorill gan to protest That she much more then her owne life him lou'd And Regan greater loue to him profest Then all the world when euer it were proou'd But Cordeill said she lou'd him as behoou'd Whose simple answere wanting colours fayre To paint it forth him to displeasaunce moou'd That in his crown he counted her no hayre But twixt the other twain his kingdom whole did shayre So wedded th' one to Maglan king of Scottes And thother to the king of Cambria And twixt them shayrd his realme by equall lottes But without dowre the wise Cordelia Was sent to Aggannip of Celtica Their aged Syre thus eased of his crowne A priuate life ledd in Albania With Gonorill long had in great renowne That nought him grieu'd to beene from rule deposed downe But true it is that when the oyle is spent The light goes out and weeke is throwne away So when he had resignd his regiment His daughter gan despise his drouping day And wearie wax of his continuall stay Tho to his daughter Regan he repayrd Who him at first well vsed euery way But when of his departure she despayrd Her bountie she abated and his cheare empayrd The wretched man gan then auise to late That loue is not where most it is profest Too truely tryde in his extremest state At last resolu'd likewise to proue the 〈◊〉 He to Cordelia him selfe addrest Who with entyre affection him receau'd As for her Syre and king her seemed best And after all au army strong she leau'd To war on those which him had of his realme bereau'd So to his crowne she him restord againe In which he dyde made ripe for death by eld And after wild it should to her remaine Who peaceably the same long time did weld And all mens harts in dew obedience held Till that her sisters children woxen strong Through proud ambition against her rebeld And ouercommen kept in prison long Till weary of that wretched life her selfe she hong Then gan the bloody brethren both to raine But fierce Cundah gan shortly to enuy His brother Morgan prickt with proud disdaine To haue a pere in part of souerainty And kindling coles of cruell enmity Raisd warre and him in batteill ouerthrew Whence as he to those woody hilles did fly Which hight of him Glamorgan there him slew Then did he raigne alone when he none equall knew His sonne Riuall ' his dead rowme did supply In whose sad time blood did from heauen rayne Next great Gurgustus then faire Coecily In constant peace their kingdomes did contayne After whom Lago and Kinmarke did rayne And Gorbogud till far in yeares he grew Then his Ambitious sonnes vnto them twayne Arraught the rule and from their father drew Stout Ferrex and sterne Porrex him in prison threw But O the greedy thirst of royall crowne That knowes no kinred nor regardes no right Stird Porrex vp to put his brother downe Who vnto him assembling forreigne might Made warre on him and fell him selfe in fight Whose death t' auenge his mother 〈◊〉 Most mercilesse of women Wyden hight Her other sonne fast sleeping did oppresse And with most cruell hand him murdred pittilesse Here ended Brutus sacred progeny Which had seuen hundred yeares this scepter borne With high renowme and great felicity The noble braunch from th'antique stocke was torne Through discord and the roiall throne forlorne Thenceforth this Realme was into factions rent Whilest each of Brutus boasted to be borne That in the end was left no moniment Of Brutus nor
of Britons glorie auncient Then vp arose a man of matchlesse might And wondrous wit to menage high affayres Who stird with pitty of the stressed plight Of this sad realme cut into sondry shayres By such as claymd thēselues Brutes rightfull hayres Gathered the Princes of the people loose To taken counsell of their common cares Who with his wisedom won him streight did choose Their king and swore him fealty to win or loose Then made he head against his enimies And Ymner slew of Logris miscreate Then Ruddoc and proud Stater both allyes This of Albany newly nominate And that of Cambry king confirmed late He ouerthrew through his owne valiaunce Whose countries he redus'd to quiet state And shortly brought to ciuile gouernaunce Now one which earst were many made through variaunce Then made he sacred lawes which some men say Were vnto him reueald in vision By which he freed the Traueilers high way The Churches part and Ploughmans portion Restraining stealth and strong extortion The gratious Numa of great Britany For till his dayes the chiefe dominion By strength was wielded without pollicy Therefore he first wore crowne of gold for dignity Donwallo dyde for what may liue for ay And left two sonnes of pearelesse prowesse both That sacked Rome too dearely did assay The recompence of their periured oth And ransackt Greece wel tryde whē they were wroth Besides subiected France and Germany Which yet their praises speake all be they 〈◊〉 And inly tremble at the memory Of Brennus and Belinus kinges of Britany Next them did Gurgiunt great Belinus sonne In rule succeede and eke in fathers praise He Easterland subdewd and Denmarke wonne And of them both did 〈◊〉 and tribute raise The which was dew in his dead fathers daies He also gaue to fugitiues of Spayne Whom he at sea found wandring from their waies A seate in Ireland safely to remayne Which they should hold of him as subiect to Britayne After him raigned Guitheline his hayre The iustest man and trewest in his daies Who had to wife Dame Mertia the fayre A woman worthy of immortall praise Which for this Realme found many goodly layes And wholesome Statutes to her husband brought Her many deemd to haue beene of the Fayes As was Aegerie that Numa tought Those yet of her be Mertiā lawes both nam'd thought Her sonne Sifillus after her did rayne And then Kimarus and then Danius Next whom Morindus did the crowne sustayne Who had he not with wrath outrageous And cruell rancour dim'd his valorous And mightie deedes should matched haue the best As well in that same field victorious Against the forreine Morands he exprest Yet liues his memorie though carcas sleepe in rest Fiue sonnes he 〈◊〉 begotten of one wife All which successiuely by turnes did rayne First Gorboman a man of vertuous life Next Archigald who for his proud disdayne Deposed was from princedome souerayne And pitteous Elidure put in his sted Who shortly it to him restord agayne Till by his death he it recouered But Peridure and Vigent him disthronized In wretched prison long he did remaine Till they outraigned had their vtmost date And then therein reseized was againe And ruled long with honorable state Till he surrendred Realme and life to fate Then all the sonnes of these fiue brethren raynd By dew successe and all their Nephewes late Euen thrise eleuen descents the crowne retaynd Till aged Hely by dew heritage it gaynd He had two sonnes whose eldest called Lud Left of his life most famous memory And endlesse moniments of his great good The ruin'd wals he did reaedifye Of Troynouant gainst force of enimy And built that gate which of his name is hight By which he lyes entombed solemnly He left two sonnes too young to rule aright Androgeus and Tenantius pictures of his might Whilst they were young Cassibalane their Eme Was by the people chosen in their sted Who on him tooke the roiall Diademe And goodly well long time it gouerned Till the prowde Romanes him disquieted And warlike Caesar tempted with the name Of this sweet Island neuer conquered And enuying the Britons blazed fame O hideous hunger of dominion hether came Yet twise they were repulsed backe againe And twise renforst backe to their ships to fly The whiles with blood they all the shore did staine And the gray Ocean into purple dy Ne had they footing found at last perdie Had not Androgeus false to natiue soyle And enuious of Vncles soueraintie Betrayd his countrey vnto forreine spoyle Nought els buttreason from the first this land did foyle So by him Caesar got the victory Through great bloodshed and many a sad assay In which himselfe was charged heauily Of hardy Nennius whom he yet did slay But lost his sword yet to be seene this day Thenceforth this land was tributarie made T'ambitious Rome and did their rule obay Till Arthur all that reckoning defrayd Yet oft the Briton kings against them strongly swayd Next him Tenantius raignd then Kimbeline What time th' eternall Lord in fleshly slime Enwombed was from wretched Adams line To purge away the guilt of sinfull crime O ioyous memorie of happy time That heauenly grace so plenteously displayd O too high ditty for my simple rime Soone after this the Romanes him warrayd For that their tribute he refusd to let be payd Good Claudius that next was Emperour An army brought and with him batteile fought In which the king was by a Treachetour Disguised slaine ere any thereof thought Yet ceased not the bloody fight for ought For Aruirage his brothers place supplyde Both in his armes and crowne and by that draught Did driue the Romanes to the weaker syde That they to peace agreed So all was pacifyde Was neuer king more highly magnifide Nor dredd of Romanes then was Aruirage For which the Emperour to him allide His daughter Genuiss ' in marriage Yet shortly he renounst the vassallage Of Rome againe who hether hastly sent Vespasian that with great spoile and rage Forwasted all till Gen̄uissa gent Persuaded him to ceasse and her lord to relent He dide and him succeeded Marius Who ioyd his dayes in great tranquillity Then Coyll and after him good Lucius That first receiued Christianity The sacred pledge of Christes Euangely Yet true it is that long before that day Hither came Ioseph of Arimathy Who brought with him the holy grayle they say And preacht the truth but since it 〈◊〉 did decay This good king shortly without issew dide Whereof great trouble in the kingdome grew That did herselfe in sondry parts diuide And with her powre her owne selfe ouerthrew Whilest Romanes daily did the weake subdew Which seeing stout Bunduca vp arose And taking armes the Britons to her drew With whom she marched streight against her foes And them vnwares besides the Seuerne did enclose There she with them a cruell batteill tryde Not with so good successe as shee deseru'd By reason that the Captaines on her syde Corrupted by Paulinus from her sweru'd
gan to threaten neare decay And euermore their wicked Capitayn Prouoked them the breaches to assay Somtimes with threats somtimes with hope of gayn Which by the ransack of that peece they should attayn On th' other syde th'assieged Castles ward Their stedfast stonds did mightily maintaine And many bold repulse and many hard Atchieuement wrought with perill and with payne That goodly frame from ruine to sustaine And those two brethren Gyauntes did defend The walles so stoutly with their sturdie mayne That neuer entraunce any durst pretend But they to direfull death their groning ghosts did send The noble Virgin Ladie of the Place Was much dismayed with that dreadful sight For neuer was she in so euill cace Till that the Prince seeing her wofull plight Gan her recomfort from so sad affright Offring his seruice and his dearest life For her defence against that Carle to fight Which was their chiefe and th' authour of that strife She him remercied as the Patrone of her life Estsoones himselfe in glitterand armes he dight And his well proued weapons to him hent So taking courteous conge he behight Those gates to be vnbar'd and forth he went Fayre mote he thee the prowest and most gent That euer brandished bright steele on hye Whom soone as that vnruly rablement With his gay Squyre issewing did espye They reard a most outrageous dreadfull yelling cry And therewithall attonce at him let fly Their fluttring arrowes thicke as flakes of snow And round about him Hocke impetuously Like a great water flood that tombling low From the high mountaines threates to ouerflow With suddein fury all the fertile playne And the sad husbandmans long hope doth throw A downe the streame and all his vowes make vayne Nor bounds nor banks his headlong ruine may sustayne Vpon his shield their heaped hayle he bore And with his sword disperst the raskall flockes Which fled a sonder and him fell before As withered leaues drop from their dryed stockes Whē the wroth Western wind does reaue their locks And vnder neath him his courageous steed The fierce Spumador trode them downe like docks The fierce Spumador borne of heauenly seed Such as Laomedon of Phaebus race did breed Which suddeine horrour and confused cry When as their Capteine heard in haste he yode The cause to weet and fault to remedy Vpon a Tygre swift and fierce he rode That as the winde ran vnderneath his lode Whiles his long legs nigh raught vnto the ground Full large he was of limbe and shoulders brode But of such subtile substance and vnsound That like a ghost he seem'd whose graue-clothes were vnbound And in his hand a bended bow was seene And many arrowes vnder his right side All deadly daungerous all cruell keene Headed with flint and fethers bloody dide Such as the Indians in their quiuers hide Those could he well direct and streight as line And bid them strike the marke which he had eyde Ne was their salue ne was their medicine That mote recure their wounds so inly they did tine As pale and wan as ashes was his looke His body leane and meagre as a rake And skin all withered like a dryed rooke Thereto as cold and drery as a Snake That seemd to tremble euermore and quake All in a canuas thin he was bedight And girded with a belt of twisted brake Vpon his head he wore an Helmet light Made of a dead mans skull that seemd a ghastly sight Maleger was his name and after him There follow'd fast at hand two wicked Hags With hoary lockes all loose and visage grim Their feet vnshod their bodies wrapt in rags And both as swift on foot as chased Stags And yet the one her other legge had lame Which with a staffe all full of litle snags She did support and Impotence her name But th' other was Impatience arm'd with raging flame Soone as the Carle from far the Prince espyde Glistring in armes and warlike ornament His Beast he felly prickt on either syde And his mischieuous bow full readie bent With which at him a cruell shaft he sent But he was warie and it warded well Vpon his shield that it no further went But to the ground the idle quarrell fell Then he another and another did expell Which to preuent the Prince his mortall speare Soone to him raught and fierce at him did ride To be auenged of that shot whyleare But he was not so hardy to abide That bitter stownd but turning quicke aside His light-foot beast fled fast away for feare Whom to poursue the Infant after hide So fast as his good Courser could him beare But labour lost it was to weene approch him neare For as the winged wind his Tigre fled That vew of eye could scarse him ouertake Ne scarse his feet on ground were seene to tred Through hils and dales he speedy way did make Ne hedge ne ditch his readie passage brake And in his flight the villein turn'd his face As wonts the Tartar by the Caspian lake When as the Russian him in fight does chace Vnto his Tygres taile and shot at him apace Apace he shot and yet he fled apace Still as the greedy knight nigh to him drew And oftentimes he would relent his pace That him his foe more fiercely should poursew But when his vncouth manner he did vew He gan auize to follow him no more But keepe his standing and his shaftes eschew Vntill he quite had spent his perlous store And then assayle him fresh ere he could shift for more But that lame Hag still as abroad he strew His wicked arrowes gathered them againe And to him brought fresh batteill to renew Which he espying cast her to restraine From yielding succour to that cursed Swaine And her attaching thought her hands to tye But soone as him dismounted on the plaine That other Hag did far away espye Binding her sister she to him ran hastily And catching hold of him as downe he lent Him backeward ouerthrew and downe him stayd With their rude handes and gryesly graplement Till that the villein comming to their ayd Vpon him fell and lode vpon him layd Full litle wanted but he had him slaine And of the battell balefull end had made Had not his gentle Squire beheld his paine And commen to his reskew ere his bitter bane So greatest and most glorious thing on ground May often need the helpe of weaker hand So feeble is mans state and life vnsound That in assuraunce it may neuer stand Till it dissolued be from earthly band Proofe be thou Prince the prowest man alyue And noblest borne of all in Britom land Yet thee fierce Fortune did so nearely driue That had not grace thee blest thou shouldest not reuiue The Squyre arriuing fiercely in his armes Snatcht first the one and then the other Iade His chiefest letts and authors of his harmes And them perforce withheld with threatned blade Least that his Lord they should behinde inuade The whiles the Prince prickt with reprochful shame As
and deare The sea vnto him voluntary brings That shortly he a great Lord did appeare As was in all the lond of Faery or else wheare Thereto he was a doughty dreaded knight Tryde often to the scath of many Deare That none in equall armes him matchen might The which his mother seeing gan to feare Least his too haughtie hardines might reare Some hard mishap in hazard of his life For thy she oft him counseld to forbeare The bloody batteill and to stirre vp strife But after all his warre to rest his wearie knife And for his more assuraunce she inquir'd One day of Proteus by his mighty spell For Proteus was with prophecy inspir'd Her deare sonnes destiny to her to tell And the sad end of her sweet Marinell Who through foresight of his eternall skill Bad her from womankind to keepe him well For of a woman he should haue much ill A virgin straunge and stout him should dismay or kill For thy she gaue him warning euery day The loue of women not to entertaine A lesson too too hard for liuing clay From loue in course of nature to refraine Yet he his mothers lore did well retaine And euer from fayre Ladies loue did fly Yet many Ladies fayre did oft complaine That they for loue of him would algates dy Dy who so list for him he was loues enimy But ah who can deceiue his destiny Or weene by warning to auoyd his fate That when he sleepes in most security And safest seemes him soonest doth amate And findeth dew effect or soone or late So feeble is the powre of fleshy arme His mother bad him wemens loue to hate For she of womans force did feare no harme So weening to haue arm'd him she did quite disarme This was that woman this 〈◊〉 deadly wownd That Proteus prophecide should him dismay The wich his mother vainely did expownd To be hart-wown ding loue which should assay To bring her sonne vnto his last decay So ticle be the tetmes of mortall state And full of subtile so phismes which doe play With double sences and with false debate T approue the vnknowen purpose of eternall fate Too trew the famous Marinell it fownd Who through late triall on that wealthy Strond Inglorious now lies in sencelesse swownd Through heauy stroke of Britomartis hond Which when his mother deare did vnderstond And heauy tidings heard whereas she playd Amongst her watry sisters by a pond Gathering sweete daffadillyes to haue made Gay girlonds from the Sun their forheads fayr to shade Eftesoones both flowres and girlonds far away Shee flong and her faire deawy locks yrent To sorrow huge she turnd her former play And gameson merth to grieuous dreriment Shee threw her selfe downe on the Continent Ne word did speake but lay as in aswownd Whiles al her sisters did for her lament With yelling outcries and with 〈◊〉 sowne And euery one did teare her gitlond from her crowne Soone as shee vp out of her deadly fitt Arose shee bad her charett to be brought And all her sisters that with her did sitt Bad eke attonce their charetts to be sought Tho full of bitter griefe and pensife thought She to her wagon clombe clombe all the rest And forth together went with sorow fraught The waues obedient to theyr beheast Them yielded ready passage and their rage surceast Great Neptune stoode amazed at their sight Whiles on his broad rownd backe they softly slid And eke him selfe mournd at their mournfull plight Yet wist not what their wailing ment yet did For great compassion of their sorow bid His mighty waters to them buxome bee Estesoones the roaring billowes still abid And all the griesly Monstes of the See Stood gaping at their gate and wondred them to see A teme of Dolphins raunged in aray Drew the smooth charett of sad Cymoent They were all taught by Triton to obay To the long raynes at her commaundement As swifte as swallowes on the waues they went That their brode flaggy finnes no fome did reare Ne bubling rowndell they behinde them sent The rest of other fishes drawen weare Which with 〈◊〉 finny oars the swelling sea did sheare Soone as they bene arriu'd vpon the brim Of the Rich strond their charets they forlore And let their temed fishes softly swim Along the margent of the fomy shore Least they their finnes should bruze and surbate sore Their tender feete vpon the stony grownd And comming to the place where all in gore And cruddy blood enwallowed they fownd The lucklesse Marinell lying in deadly swownd His mother swowned thrise and the third time Could scarce recouered bee out of her paine Had she not beene 〈◊〉 of mortall slime Shee should not then haue bene relyu'd againe But soone as life recouered had the raine Shee made so piteous mone and deare wayment That the hard rocks could scarse from tears refraine And all her sister Nymphes with one consent Supplide her sobbing breaches with sad complement Deare image of my selfe she sayd that is The wretched 〈◊〉 of wretched mother borne Is this thine high aduauncement O is this Th' immortall name with which thee yet vnborne Thy Gransire Nereus promist to adorne Now lyest thou of life and honor refte Now lyest thou a lumpe of earth forlorne Ne of thy late life memory is lefte Ne can thy irreuocable desteny bee wefte Fond Proteus father of false prophecis And they more fond that credit to thee giue Not this the worke of womans hand ywis That so deepe wound through these deare members driue I feared loue but they that loue doe liue But they that dye doe nether loue nor hate Nath'lesse to thee thy folly I forgiue And to myselfe and to accursed fate The guilt I doe ascribe deare wisedom bought too late O what auailes it of immortall seed To beene ybredd and neuer borne to dye Farre better I it deeme to die with speed Then waste in woe and waylfull miserye Who dyes the vtmost dolor doth abye But who that liues is lefte to waile his losse So life is losse and death felicity Sad life worse then glad death and greater crosse To see frends graue thē dead the graue self to engrosse But if the heauens did his dayes enuie And my short blis maligne yet mote they well Thus much afford me ere that he did die That the dim eies of my deare Marinell I mote haue closed and him bed farewell Sith other offices for mother meet They would not graunt Yett maulgre them farewell my sweetest sweet Farewell my sweetest sonne till we againe may meet Thus when they all had sorowed their fill They softly gan to search his griesly wownd And that they might him handle more at will They him disarmd and spredding on the grownd Their watcher mantles frindgd with siluer rownd They softly wipt away the gelly blood From th'orifice which hauing well vpbownd They pourd in soueraine balme and Nectar good Good both for erthly med'cine and for heuenly food Tho when the lilly handed Liagore
frosen members did remaine And feeling by his pulses beating rife That the weake sowle her seat did yett retaine She cast to comfort him with busy paine His double folded necke she reard vpright And rubd his temples and each trembling vaine His mayled haberieon she did vndight And from his head his heauy burganet did light Into the woods thence forth in haste shee went To seeke for hearbes that mote him remedy For shee of herbes had great in tendiment Taught of the Nymphe which from her infancy Her nourced had in trew Nobility There whether yt diuine Tobacco were Or Panachaea or Polygony Shee fownd and brought it to her patient deare Who al this while lay bleding out his hart-blood neare The soueraine weede betwixt two marbles plaine Shee pownded small and did in peeees bruze And then atweene her lilly handes twaine Into his wound the iuice thereof did scruze And round about as she could well it vze The flesh therewith shee suppled and did steepe T' abate all spasme and soke the swelling bruze And after hauing searcht the intuse deepe She with her scarf did bind the woūd frō cold to keepe By this he had sweet life recur'd agayne And groning inly deepe at last his eies His watry eies drizling like 〈◊〉 rayne He vp gan lifte toward the azure skies From whence descend all hopelesse remedies Therewith he sigh'd and turning him aside The goodly Maide ful of diuinities And gifts of heauenly grace he by him spide Her bow and gilden quiuer lying him beside Mercy deare Lord said he what grace is this That thou hast shewed to me sinfull wight To send thine Angell from her bowre of blis To comfort me in my distressed plight Angell or Goddesse doe I call thee right What seruice may I doe vnto thee meete That hast from darkenes me returnd to light And with thy heuenly salues and med'cines sweete Hast drest my sinfull wounds I kisse thy blessed feete Thereat she blushing said Ah gentle Squire Nor Goddesse I nor Angell but the Mayd And daughter of a woody Nymphe desire No seruice but thy safety and ayd Which if thou gaine I shal be well apayd Wee mortall wights whose liues and fortunes 〈◊〉 To commun accidents stil open layd Are bownd with commun bond of frailtee To succor wretched wights whom we captiued see By this her Damzells which the former chace Had vndertaken after her arryu'd As did Belphoebe in the bloody place And thereby deemd the beast had bene depriu'd Of life whom late their ladies arrow ryu'd For thy the bloody tract they followd fast And euery one to ronne the swiftest stryu'd But two of them the rest far ouerpast And where their Lady was arriued at the last Where when they saw that goodly boy wlth blood Defowled and their Lady dresse his wownd They wondred much and shortly vnderstood How him in deadly case theyr Lady fownd And reskewed out of the heauy stownd Estsoones his warlike courser which was strayd Farre in the woodes whiles that he lay in swownd She made those Damzels search which being stayd They did him set theron and forth with them conuayd Into that forest farre they thence him led Where was their dwelling in a pleasant glade With mountaines rownd about enuironed And mightie woodes which did the valley shade And like a stately Theatre it made Spreading it selfe into a spatious plaine And in the midst a little riuer plaide Emongst the pumy stones which seemd to plaine With gētle mnrmure that their cours they did 〈◊〉 Beside the same a dainty place there lay Planted with mirtle trees and laurells greene In which the birds song many a louely lay Of gods high praise and of their sweet loues teene As it an earthly Paradize had beene In whose enclosed shadow there was pight A faire Pauilion scarcely to be seene The which was al within most richly dight That greatest Princes liking it mote well delight Thether they brought that wounded Squyre and 〈◊〉 In easie couch his feeble limbes to rest He rested him a while and then the Mayd His readie wound with better 〈◊〉 new drest Daily she dressed him and did the best His grieuous hurt to guarish that she might That shortly she his dolour hath redrest And his foule sore reduced to faire plight It she reduced but himselfe destroyed quight O foolish physick and vnfruitfull paine That heales vp one and makes another wound She his hurt thigh to him recurd againe But hurt his hart the which before was sound Through an vnwary dart which did rebownd From her faire eyes and gratious countenaunce What bootes it him from death to be vnbownd To be captiued in endlesse duraunce Of sorrow and despeyre without aleggeaunce Still as his wound did gather and grow hole So still his hart woxe sore and health decayd Madnesse to saue a part and lose the whole Still whenas he beheld the heauenly Mayd Whiles dayly playsters to his wownd she layd So still his Malady the more increast The whiles her matchlesse beautie him dismayd Ah God what other could he doe at least But loue so fayre a Lady that his life releast Long while he stroue in his corageous brest With reason dew the passion to subdew And loue for to dislodge out of his nest Still when her excellencies he did vew Her soueraine bountie and celestiall hew The same to loue he strongly was constraynd But when his meane estate he did renew He from such hardy boldnesse was restraynd And of his lucklesse lott and cruell loue thus playnd Vnthankfull wretch said he is this the meed With which her souerain mercy thou do est quight Thy life she saued by her gratious deed But thou do est weene with villeinous despight To blott her honour and her heauenly light Dye rather dye then so disloyally Deeme of her high desert or seeme so light Fayre death it is to shonne more shame to dy Dye rather dy then euer loue disloyally But if to loue disloyalty it bee Shall I then hate her that from deathes dore Me brought ah farre be such reproch fro mee What can I lesse doe then her loue therefore Sith I her dew reward cannot restore Dye rather dye and dying doe her serue Dying her serue and liuing her adore Thy life she gaue thy life she doth deserue Dye rather dye then euer from her seruice swerue But foolish boy what bootes thy seruice bace To her to whom the heuens doe serue and sew Thou a meane Squyre of meeke and lowly place She heuenly borne and of celestiall hew How then of all loue taketh equall vew And doth not highest God vouchsafe to take The loue and seruice of the basest crew If she will not dye meekly for her sake Dye rather dye then euer so faire loue forsake Thus warreid he long time against his will Till that through weaknesse he was forst at last To yield himselfe vnto the mightie ill Which as a victour proud gan ransack fast His inward partes and all
losse did lye Out of the flames which he had quencht whylere Into huge waues of griefe and gealosye Full deepe emplonged was and drowned nye Twixt inward doole and felonous despight He rau'd he wept he stampt he lowd did cry And all the passions that in man may light Did him attonce oppresse and vex his caytiue spright Long thus he chawd the cud of inward griefe And did consume his gall with anguish sore Still when he mused on his late mischiefe So still the smart thereof increased more And seemd more grieuous then it was before At last when sorrow he saw booted nought Ne griefe might not his loue to him restore He gan deuise how her he reskew mought Ten thousand wayes he cast in his confused thought At last resoluing like a Pilgrim pore To search her forth where so she might be fond And bearing with him treasure in close store The rest he leaues in ground So takes in hond To seeke her endlong both by sea and lond Long he her sought he sought her far and nere And euery where that he mote vnderstond Of knights and ladies any meetings were And of eachone he mett he tidings did inquere But all in vaine his woman was too wise Euer to come into his clouch againe And hee too simple euer to surprise The iolly Paridell for all his paine One day as hee forpassed by the plaine With weary pace he far away espide A couple seeming well to be his twaine Which houed close vnder a forest side As if they lay in wait or els them selues did hide Well weened hee that those the same more bee And as he better did their shape auize Him seemed more their maner did agree For th' one was armed all in warlike wize Whom to be Paridell he did deuize And th' other alyclad in garments light Discolourd like to womanish disguise He did resemble to his lady bright And euer his faint hart much earned at the sight And euer faine he towards them would goe But yet durst not for dread approchen nie But stood aloofe vnweeting what to doe Till that prickt forth with loues extremity That is the father of fowle gealosy 〈◊〉 closely nearer crept the truth to weet But as he nigher drew he easily Might scerne that it was not his sweetest sweet Ne yet her 〈◊〉 the partner of his sheet But it was scornefull Braggadochio That with his seruant Trompart houerd there Sith late he fled from his too earnest foe Whom such whenas Malbecco spyed clere He turned backe and would haue fled arere Till Trompart ronning hastely him did stay And bad before his soueraine Lord appere That was him loth yet durst he not gainesay And comming him before low louted on the lay The Boaster at him sternely bent his browe As if he could haue kild him with his looke That to the ground him meekely made to bowe And awfull terror deepe into him strooke That euery member of his body quooke Said he thou man of nought what doest thou here 〈◊〉 furnisht with thy bag and booke Where I expected one with shield and spere To proue some deeds of armes vpon an equall pere The wretched man at his imperious speach Was all abasht and low prostrating said Good Sir let not my rudenes be no breach Vnto your patience ne be ill ypaid For I vnwares this way by fortune straid A silly Pilgrim driuen to distresse That seeke a Lady There he suddein staid And did the rest with grieuous sighes suppresse While teares stood in his eies few drops of bitternesse What Lady man said Trompart take good hart And tell thy griefe if any hidden lye Was neuer better time to shew thy smart Then now that noble succor is thee by That is the whole worlds commune remedy That chearful word his weak heart much did cheare And with vaine hope his spirits 〈◊〉 supply That bold he sayd O most redoubted Pere Vouchsafe with mild regard a wretches cace to heare Then sighing sore It is not long saide hee Sith I enioyd the gentlest Dame aliue Of whom a knight no knight at all perdee But shame of all that doe for honor striue By treacherous deceipt did me 〈◊〉 Through open outrage he her bore away And with fowle force vnto his will did driue Which al good knights that armes do bear this day Are bownd for to reuenge and punish if they may And you most noble Lord that can and dare Redresse the wrong of miserable wight Cannot employ your most victorious speare In better quarell then defence of right And for a Lady gainst a faithlesse knight So shall your glory bee aduaunced much And all faire Ladies magnify your might And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selfe albee I simple such Your worthy paine shall wel reward with guerdon rich With that out of his bouget forth he drew Great store of treasure therewith him to tempt But he on it lookt 〈◊〉 askew As much 〈◊〉 to be so misdempt Or a war-monger to be basely nempt And sayd thy offers base I greatly loth And eke thy words vncourteous and vnkempt I tread in dust thee and thy money both That were it not for shame So turned from him wroth But 〈◊〉 that his 〈◊〉 humor knew In lofty looks to hide an humble minde Was inly tickled with that golden vew And in his eare him rownded close behinde Yet stoupt he not but lay still in the winde Waiting aduauntage on the pray to sease Till Trompart lowly to the grownd inclinde Besought him his great corage to appease And pardon simple man that rash did him displease Big looking like a doughty Doucepere At last he thus Thou clod of vilest clay I pardon yield and that with rudenes beare But weete henceforth that all that golden pray And all that els the vaine world vaunten may I loath as doung ne deeme my dew reward Fame is my meed and glory vertuous pray But minds of mortal men are muchell mard And mou'd amisle with massy mucks vnmeet regard And 〈◊〉 I graunt to thy great misery Gratious respect thy wife shall backe be sent And that vile knight who euer that he bee Which hath thy lady rest and knighthood shent By Sanglamort my sword whose deadly dent The blood hath of so many thousands shedd I sweare ere long shall dearly it repent Ne he twixt heuen and earth shall hide his hedd But soone he shal be fownd and shortly doen be dedd The foolish man thereat woxe wondrous blith As if the word so spoken were halfe donne And humbly thanked him a thousand sith That had from death to life him newly wonne Tho forth the Boaster marching braue begonne His stolen steed to thunder furiously As if he heauen and hell would oueronne And all the world confound with cruelty That much Malbecco ioyed in his iollity Thus long they three together traueiled Through many a wood and many an vncouth way To seeke his wife that was far wandered But those two sought nought but the present pray To weete
if no trespas euer had beene donne But she it all refused at one word And by no meanes would to his will be wonne But chose emongst the iolly Satyres still to wonne He wooed her till day spring he espyde But all in vaine and then turnd to the heard Who butted him with hornes on euery syde And trode downe in the durt where his hore beard Was fowly dight and he of death afeard Early before the heauens fairest light Out of the ruddy East was fully reard The heardes out of their foldes were loosed quight And he emongst the rest crept forth in sory plight So soone as he the Prison dore did pas He ran as fast as both his feer could beare And neuer looked who behind him was Ne scarsely who before like as a Beare That creeping close amongst the hiues to reare An hony combe the wakefull dogs espy And him assayling sore his carkas teare That hardly he with life away does fly Ne stayes till safe him selfe he see from ieopardy Ne stayd he till he came vnto the place Where late his treasure he entombed had Where when he found it not for Trompart bace Had it purloyned for his maister bad With extreme fury he became quite mad And ran away ran with him selfe away That who so straungely had him seene bestadd With vpstart haire and staring eyes dismay From Limbo lake him late escaped sure would say High ouer hilles and ouer dales he fledd As if the wind him on his winges had borne Ne banck nor bush could stay him when he spedd His nimble feet as 〈◊〉 still on thorne Griefe and despight and gealofy and scorne Did all the way him follow hard behynd And he himselfe himselfe loath'd so forlorne So shamefully forlorne of womankynd That as a Snake still lurked in his wounded mynd Still fled he forward looking backward still Ne stayd his flight nor fearefull agony Till that he came vnto a rocky hill Ouer the sea suspended dreadfully That liuing creature it would terrify To looke adowne or vpward to the hight From thence he threw him selfe dispiteously All desperate of his fore-damned spright That seemd no help for him was left in liuing sight But through long anguish and selfe-murdring thought He was so wasted and forpined quight That all his substance was consum'd to nought And nothing left but like an aery Spright That on the rockes he fell so flit and light That he thereby receiu'd no hurt at all But chaunced on a craggy cliff to light Whence he with crooked clawes so long did crall That à t the last he found a caue with entrance small Into the same he creepes and thenceforth there Resolu'd to build his balefull mansion In 〈◊〉 darkenes and continuall feare Of that rocks fall which euer and anon Threates with huge ruine him to fall vpon That he dare neuer sleepe but that one eye Still ope he keepes for that occasion Ne euer rests he in tranquillity The roring billowes beat his bowre so boystrously Ne euer is he wont on ought to feed But todes and frogs his pasture poysonous Which in his cold complexion doe breed A filthy blood or humour rancorous Matter of doubt and dread suspitious That doth with curelesse care consume the hart Corrupts the stomacke with gall vitious Croscuts the liuer with internall smart And doth transfixe the soule with deathes eternall dart Yet can he neuer dye but dying liues And doth himselfe with sorrow new sustaine That death and life attonce vnto him giues And painefull pleasure turnes to pleasing paine There dwels he euer miserable swaine Hatefull both to him selfe and euery wight Where he through priuy griefe and horrour vaine Is woxen so deform'd that he has quight Forgot he was a man and Gelosy is hight Cant. XI Britomart chaceth Ollyphant findes Scudamour distrest Assayes the house of Busyrane where loues spoyles are exprest O Hatefull hellish Snake what furie furst Brought thee from balefull house of Proserpine Where in her bosome she thee long had nurst And fostred vp with bitter milke of tine Fowle Gealosy that turnest loue diuine To ioylesse dread and mak'st the louing hart With hatefull thoughts to languish and to pine And feed it selfe with selfe-consuming smart Of all the passions in the mind thou vilest art O let him far be banished away And in his stead let Loue for euer dwell Sweete Loue that doth his golding wings embay In blessed Nectar and pure Pleasures well Vntroubled of vile feare or 〈◊〉 fell And ye faire Ladies that your kingdomes make In th'harts of men them gouerne wisely well And of faire Britomart ensample take That was as trew in loue as Turtle to her make Who with Sir Satyrane as earst ye red Forth ryding from Malbeccoes hostlesse hous Far off aspyde a young man the which fled From an huge Geaunt that with hideous And hatefull outrage long him chaced thus It was that Ollyphant the brother deare Of that Argante vile and vitious From whom the Squyre of Dames was reft whylere This all as bad as she and worse if worse ought were For as the sister did in feminine And filthy lust exceede all woman kinde So he surpassed his sex masculine In beastly vse all that I euer finde Whom when as Britomart beheld behinde The fearefull boy so greedily poursew She was emmoued in her noble minde T' employ her puissaunce to his reskew And pricked fiercely forward where she did him vew Ne was Sir Satyrane her far behinde But with like fiercenesse did ensew the chace Whom when the Gyaunt saw he soone resinde His former suit and from them fled apace They after both and boldly bad him bace And each did striue the other to outgoe But he them both outran a wondrous space For he was long and swift as any Roe And now made better speed t' escape his feared foe It was not Satyrane whom he did feare But Britomart the flowre of chastity For he the powre of chaste hands might not beare But alwayes did their dread encounter fly And now so fast his feet he did apply That he has gotten to a forrest neare Where he is shrowded in security The wood they enter and search euerie where They searched diuersely so both diuided were Fayre Britomart so long him followed That she at last came to a fountaine sheare By which there lay a knight all wallowed Vpon the grassy ground and by him neare His haberieon his helmet and his speare A little of his shield was rudely throwne On which the winged boy in colours cleare Depeincted was full easie to be knowne And he thereby where euer it in field was showne His face vpon the grownd did groueling ly As if he had beene slombring in the shade That the braue Mayd would not for courtesy Out of his quiet slomber him abrade Nor seeme too suddeinly him to inuade Still as she stood she heard with grieuous throb Him grone as if his hart were peeces made And with most painefull pangs to sigh and
make Tho blinding him againe his way he forth did take Behinde him was Reproch Repentaunce Shame Reproch the first Shame next Repent behinde 〈◊〉 feeble sorowfull and lame 〈◊〉 despightful carelesse and vnkinde Shame most illfauourd bestiall and blinde Shame lowrd Repentaunce sigh'd Reproch did scould Reproch sharpe stings Repentaunce whips entwinde Shame burning brond-yrons in her hand did hold All three to each vnlike yet all made in one mould And after them a rude confused rout Of persons flockt whose names is hard to read Emongst them was sterne Strife and Anger stout Vnquiet Care and fond Vnthriftyhead Lewd Losse of Time and Sorrow seeming dead Inconstant Chaunge and false Dislòyalty Consuming Riotise and guilty Dread Of heauenly vengeaunce faint Infirmity Vile Pouerty and lastly Death with infamy There were full many moe like maladies Whose names and natures I note readen well So many moe as there be phantasies In wauering wemens witt that none can tell Or paines in loue or punishments in hell All which disguized marcht in masking wise About the chamber by the Damozell And then returned hauing marched thrise Into the inner rowme from whence they first did rise So soone as they were in the dore streight way Fast locked driuen with that stormy blast Which first it opened nothing did remayne Then the braue Maid which al this while was plast In secret shade and saw both first and last Issewed forth and went vnto the dore To enter in but fownd it locked fast It vaine she thought with rigorous vprore For to efforce when charmes had closed it afore Where force might not auaile their sleights and art She cast to vse both fitt for hard 〈◊〉 For thy from that same row me not to depart Till morrow next shee did her selfe auize When that same Maske againe should forth arize The morrowe next appeard 〈◊〉 ioyous cheare Calling men to their daily ezercize Then she as morrow fresh her selfe did reare Out of her secret stand that day for to outweare All that day she outwore in wandering And gazing on that Chambers ornament Till that againe the second euening Her couered with her sable vestiment Wherewith the worlds faire beautie she hath blent Then when the second watch was almost past That brasen dore flew open and in went Bold Britomart as she had late forecast Nether of ydle showes nor of false charmes aghast So soone as she was entred rownd about Shee cast 〈◊〉 to see what was become Of all those persons which she saw without But lo they streight were vanisht all and some Ne liuing wight she saw in all that roome Saue that same woefull Lady both whose hands Were bounden fast that did her ill become And her small waste girt rownd with yron bands Vnto a brasen pillour by the which she stands And her before the vile Enchaunter sate Figuring straunge characters of his art With liuing blood he those characters wrate Dreadfully dropping from her dying hart Seeming transfixed with a cruell dart And all perforce to make her him to loue Ah who can loue the worker of her smart A thousand charmes he formerly did proue Yet thousand charmes could not her stedfast hart remoue Soone as that virgin knight he saw in place His wicked bookes in hast he ouerthrew Not 〈◊〉 his long labours to deface And fiercely running to that Lady trew A murdrous knife out of his pocket drew The which he thought for villeinous despight In her tormented bodie to embrew But the stout Damzell to him leaping light His cursed hand withheld and maistered his might From her to whom his fury first he ment The wicked weapon rashly he did wrest And turning to the next his fell intent Vnwares it strooke into her snowie chest That litle drops empurpled her faire brest Exceeding wroth therewith the virgin grew Albe the wound were nothing deepe imprest And fiercely forth her mortall blade she drew To giue him the reward for such vile outrage dew So mightily she smote him that to ground He fell halfe dead next stroke him should haue slaine Had not the Lady which by him stood bound 〈◊〉 vnto him called to abstaine From doing him to dy For else her paine Should be remedilesse sith none but hee Which wrought it could the same recure againe Therewith she stayd her hand loth stayd to bee For life she him enuyde and long'd reuenge to see And to him said Thou wicked man whose meed For so huge mischiefe and vile villany Is death or if that ought doe death exceed Be sure that nought may saue thee from to dy But if that thou this Dame doe presently Restore vnto her health and former state This doe and liue els dye vndoubtedly He glad of life that lookt for death but late Did yield him selfe right willing to prolong his date And rising vp gan streight to ouerlooke Those cursed leaues his charmes back to reuerse Full dreadfull thinges out of that balefull booke He red and measur'd many a sad verse That horrour gan the virgins hart to perse And her faire locks vp stared stiffe on end Hearing him those same bloody lynes reherse And all the while he red she did extend Her sword high ouer him if ought he did offend Anon she gan perceiue the house to quake And all the dores to rattle round about Yet all that did not her dismaied make Nor slack her threatfull hand for daungers dout But still with stedfast eye and courage stout Abode to weet what end would come of all At last that mightie chaine which round about Her tender waste was wound adowne 〈◊〉 fall And that great brasen pillour broke in 〈◊〉 small The cruell steele which thrild her dying hart Fell softly forth as of his owne accord And the wyde wound which lately did dispart Her bleeding brest and riuen bowels gor'd Was closed vp as it had not beene sor'd And euery part to safety full sownd As she were neuer hurt was soone restor'd Tho when she felt her selfe to be vnbownd And perfect hole prostrate she fell vnto the grownd Before faire Britomart she fell prostrate Saying Ah noble knight what worthy meede Can wretched Lady quitt from wofull state Yield you in lieu of this your gracious deed Your vertue selfe her owne reward shall breed Euen immortall prayse and glory wyde Which I your vassall by your prowesse freed Shall through the world make to be notifyde And goodly well aduaunce that goodly well was tryde But Britomart vprearing her from grownd Said Gentle Dame reward enough I weene For many labours more then I haue found This that in safetie now I haue you seene And meane of your deliuerance haue beene Henceforth faire Lad comfort to you take And put away remembraunce of late teene Insted thereof know that your louing Make Hath no lesse griefe endured for your gentle sake She much was cheard to heare him mentiond Whom of all liuing wightes she loued best Then laid the noble Championesse strong hond Vpon th' enchaunter which