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
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
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
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
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
guile But wordes and lookes and sighes she did abhore As rock of Diamond stedfast euermore Yet for to feed his fyrie lustfull eye He snatcht the vele that hong her face before Then gan her beautie shyne as brightest skye And burnt his beastly hart t'efforce her chastitye So when he saw his flatt'ring artes to fayle And subtile engines bett from batteree With greedy force he gan the fort assayle Whereof he weend possesse soone to bee And win rich spoile of ransackt chastitee Ah heauens that doe this hideous act behold And heauenly virgin thus outraged see How can ye vengeance iust so long withhold And hurle not flashing flames vpō that Paynim bold The pitteous mayden carefull comfortlesse Does throw out thrilling shriekes and shrieking cryes The last vaine helpe of wemens great distresse And with loud plaintes importuneth the skyes That molten starres doe drop like weeping eyes And Phoebus flying so most shamefull sight His blushing face in foggy cloud implyes And hydes for shame What witt of mortall wight Can now deuise to quitt a thrall from such a plight Eternall prouidence exceeding thought Where none appeares can make her selfe a way A wondrous way it for this Lady wrought From Lyons clawes to pluck the gryped pray Her shrill outcryes and shrieks so loud did bray That all the woodes and forestes did resownd A troupe of Faunes and Satyres far a way Within the wood were dauncing in a rownd Whiles old Syluanus slept in shady arber sownd Who when they heard that pitteous strained voice In haste forsooke their rurall meriment And ran towardes the far rebownded noyce To weet what wight so loudly did lament Vnto the place they come incontinent Whom when the raging Sarazin espyde A rude mishappen monstrous rablement Whose like he neuer saw he durst not byde But got his ready steed and fast away gan ryde The wyld woodgods arriued in the place There find the virgin doolfull desolate With ruffled rayments and fayre blubbred face As her outrageous foe had left her late And trembling yet through feare of former hate All stand amazed at so vncouth sight And gin to pittie her vnhappie state All stand astonied at her beautie bright In their rude eyes vnworthy of so wofull plight She more amazd in double dread doth dwell And euery tender part for feare does shake As when a greedy Wolfe through honger fell A seely Lamb far from the flock does take Of whom he meanes his bloody feast to make A Lyon spyes fast running towards him The innocent pray in hast he does forsake Which quitt from death yet quakes in euery lim With chaunge of feare to see the Lyon looke so grim Such fearefull fitt assaid her trembling hart Ne word to speake ne ioynt to moue she had The saluage nation feele her secret smart And read her sorrow in her count'nance sad Their frowning forheades with rough hornes yclad And rustick horror all a syde doe lay And gently grenning shew a semblance glad To comfort her and feare to put away Their backward bent knees teach her humbly to obay The doubtfull Damzell dare not yet committ Her single person to their barbarous truth But still twixt feare and hope amazd does sitt Late learnd what harme to hasty trust ensu'th They in compassion of her 〈◊〉 der youth And wonder of her beautie so uerayne Are wonne with pitty and vnwonted ruth And all prostrate vpon the lowly playne Doe kisse her feete and fawne on her with count'nance fayne Their harts she 〈◊〉 by their humble guise And yieldes her to extremitie of time So from the ground she fearelesse doth arise And walketh forth without suspect of crime They all as glad as birdes ofioyous Pryme Thence lead her 〈◊〉 about her 〈◊〉 round Shouting and 〈◊〉 all a shepheards ryme And with greene braunches strowing all the ground Do worship her as Queene with oliue girlond cround And all the way their merry pipes they sound That all the woods with doubled Eccho ring And with their horned feet doe weare the ground Leaping like wanton kids in pleasant Spring So towards old Syluanus they her bring Who with the noyse awaked commeth out To weet the cause his weake steps gouerning And aged limbs on Cypresse stadle stout And with an yuie twyne his waste is girt about Far off he wonders what them makes so glad 〈◊〉 Bacchus merry 〈◊〉 they did inuent Or Cybeles frantickerites haue made them mad They drawing nigh vnto their God present That flowre of fayth and beautie excellent The God himselfe vewing that mirrhour rare Stood long amazd and burnt in his intent His owne fayre Dryope now he thinkes not faire And Pholoe fowle when her to this he doth compaire The woodborne people 〈◊〉 before her flat And worship her as Goddesse of the wood And old 〈◊〉 selfe 〈◊〉 not what To thinke of 〈◊〉 so fayre but gazing stood In doubt to 〈◊〉 her borne of earthly brood Sometimes Dame Venus selfe he seemes to see But Venas neuer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mood Sometimes 〈◊〉 he her takes to be But misseth bow and 〈◊〉 and buskins to her 〈◊〉 By vew of her he ginneth to 〈◊〉 His ancient loue and dearest Cyparisse And calles to mind his 〈◊〉 aliue How fayre he was and yet not fayre to this And how he slew with glauncing dart amisse A gentle Hynd the which the louely boy Did loue as life aboue all worldly blisse For griefe whereof the lad n'ould after 〈◊〉 But pynd away in anguish and selfewild 〈◊〉 The wooddy Nymphes faire Hamadryades Her to behold do thether runne apace And all the troupe of light foot Naiades Flocke all about to see her louely face But when they vewed haue her heauenly grace They enuy her in their malitious mind And fly away for feare offowle disgrace But all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their woody kind And henceforth nothing faire but her on earth they find Glad of such lucke the luckelesse lucky mayd Did her content to please their feeble eyes And long time with that saluage people stayd To gather breath in many miseryes During which time her gentle wit she plyes To teach them truth which worshipt her in vaine And made her th' Image of Idolatryes But when their bootlesse zeale she did restrayne Frō her own worship they her Asse would worship fayn It fortuned a noble warlike knight By iust occasion to that forrest came To seeke his kindred and the lignage right From whence he tooke his weldeserued name He had in armes abroad wonne muchell fame And fild far landes with glorie of his might Plaine faithfull true and enimy of shame And euer lou'd to fight for Ladies right But in vaine glorious frayes he litle did delight A Satyres sonne yborne in forrest wyld By straunge aduenture as it did betyde And there begotten of a Lady myld Fayre Thyamis the daughter of Labryde That was in sacred bandes of wedlocke tyde To Therion a loose vnruly swayne Who had more ioy to raunge the forrest wyde And chase the saluage
beast with busie payne Then serue his Ladies loue waste in pleasures vayne The forlorne mayd did with 〈◊〉 longing burne And could not lacke her louers company But to the wood shè goes to serue her turne And seeke her spouse that from her still does fly And followes other game and venery A Satyre chaunst her wandring for to finde And kindling coles of lust in brutish eye The loyall linkes of wedlocke did vnbinde And made her person thrall vnto his beastly kind So long in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there be held Her 〈◊〉 to his 〈◊〉 desyre Till that with timely 〈◊〉 her belly sweld And bore a boy vnto that saluage syre Then home he 〈◊〉 her for to retyre For ransome leauing him the late-borne childe Whom till to 〈◊〉 yeares he 〈◊〉 aspyre He nousled vp in life and manners wilde Emongst wild beastes and woods from lawes of men exilde For all he taught the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To 〈◊〉 cowardize and bastard feare His trembling hand he would him force to put Vpon the Lyon and the rugged Beare And from the she Beares teats her whelps to teare And eke wyld roring Buls he would him make To tame and 〈◊〉 their backes not made to beare And the Robuckes in flight to ouertake That euerie beast for feare of him did fly and quake Thereby so fearelesse and so fell he grew That his owne 〈◊〉 and maister of his guise Did often tremble at his horrid vew And oft for dread of hurt would him aduise The angry beastes not rashly to despise Nor too much to prouoke for he would learne The Lyon stoup to him in lowly wife A lesson hard and make the 〈◊〉 sterne Leaue roaring when in rage he for reuenge did earne And for to make his powre approued more Wyld beastes in yron yokes he would compell The spotted Panther and the 〈◊〉 Bore The Pardale swift and the Tigre cruell The Antelope and Wolfe both swift and cruell And them constraine in equall teme to draw Such ioy he had their stubborne harts to quell And sturdie courage tame with dreadfull aw That his beheast they feared as a tyrans law His louing mother came vpon a day Vnto the woodes to see her little sonne And chaunst vnwares to meet him in the way After his sportes and cruell pastime donne When after him a Lyonesse did runne That roaring all with rage did lowd requere Her children deare whom he away had wonne The Lyon whelpes she saw how he did beare And lull in rugged armes withouten childish feare The fearefull Dame all quaked at the sight And turning backe gan fast to fly away Vntill with loue reuokt from vaine affright She hardly yet perswaded was to stay And then to him these womanish words gan say Ah Satyrane my dearling and my ioy For loue of me leaue off this dreadfull play To dally thus with death is no fit toy Go find some other play-fellowes mine own sweet boy In these and like delightes of bloody game He trayned was till ryper yeares he raught And there abode whylst any beast of name Walkt in that forrest whom he had not taught To feare his force and then his courage haught Desyrd of forreine foemen to be knowne And far abroad for straunge aduentures sought In which his might was neuer ouerthrowne But through al Faery lond his famous worth was blown Yet euermore it was his maner faire After long labours and aduentures spent Vnto those natiue woods for to repaire To see his syre and ofspring auncient And now he thether came for like intent Where he vnwares the fairest Vna found Sraunge Lady in so straunge habiliment Teaching the Satyres which her sat around Trew sacred lore which frō her sweet lips did redound He wondred at her wisedome heuenly rare Whose like in womens witt he neuer knew And when her cutteous deeds he did compare Gan her admire and her sad sorrowes rew Blaming of Fortune which such troubles threw And ioyd to make proofe of her cruelty On gentle Dame so hurtlesse and so trew Thenceforth he kept her goodly company And learnd her discipline of faith and verity But she all vowd vnto the Redcrosse knight His wandring perill closely did lament Ne in this new acquaintaunce could delight But her deare heart with anguish did torment And all her witt in secret counsels spent How to escape At last in priuy wise To Satyrane she shewed her intent Who glad to gain such fauour gan deuise How with that pensiue Maid he best might thence arise So on a day when Satyres all were gone To doe their seruice to Syluanus old The gentle virgin left behinde alone He led away with corage stout and bold Too late it was to Satyres to be told Or euer hope recouer her againe In vaine he seekes that hauing cannot hold So fast he carried her with carefull paine That they the wods are past come now to the plaine The better part now of the lingring day They traueild had whenas they far espide A weary wight for wandring by the way And towards him they gan in hast to ride To weete of newes that did abroad betide Or tidings of her knight of the Redcrosse But he them spying gan to turne aside For feare as seemd or for some feigned losse More greedy they of newes fast towards him do crosse A silly man in simple weeds forworne And soild with dust of the long dried way His sandales were with to ilsome trauell torne And face all tand with scorching sunny ray As he had traueild many a sommers day Through boyling sands of Arabie and Ynde And in his hand a Iacobs staffe to stay His weary limbs vpon and eke behind His scrip did hang in which his needments he did bind The knight approching nigh of him inquerd Tidings of warre and of aduentures new But warres nor new aduentures none he herd Then Vna gan to aske if ought he knew Or heard abroad of that her champion trew That in his armour bare a croslet red Ay me Deare dame qd he well may I rew To tell the sad sight which mine eies haue red These eies did see that knight both liuing and eke ded That cruell word her tender hart so thrild That suddein cold did ronne through euery vaine And stony horrour all her sences fild With dying fitt that downe she fell for paine The knight her lightly reared vp againe And comforted with curteous kind reliefe Then wonne from death she bad him tellen plaine The further processe of her hidden griefe The lesser pangs can beare who hath endur'd the chief Then gan the Pilgrim thus I chaunst this day This fatall day that shall I euer rew To see two knights in trauell on my way A sory sight arraung'd in batteill new Both breathing vengeaunce both of wrathfull hew My feareful flesh did tremble at their strife To see their blades so greedily imbrew That dronke with blood yet thristed after life What more the Redcrosse knight was slain with Paynim
her heart had wrought And said faire Sir I hope good hap hath brought You to inquere the secrets of my griefe Or that your wisedome will direct my thought Or that your prowesse can me yield reliefe Then heare the story sad which I shall tell you briefe The forlorne Maiden whom your eies haue seene The laughing stocke of fortunes mockeries Am th' onely daughter of a King and Queene Whose parents deare whiles equal destinies Did come about and their felicities The fauourable heauens did not enuy Did spred their rule through all the territories Which Phison and Euphrates floweth by And Gehons golden waues doe wash continually Till that their cruell cursed enemy An huge great Dragon horrible in sight Bred in the loathly lakes of Tartary With murdrous rauine and deuouring might Their kingdome spoild and countrey wasted quight Themselues for feare into his iawes to fall He forst to castle strong to take their flight Where fast embard in mighty brasen wall He has them now fowr years besiegd to make thē thrall Full many knights aduenturous and stout Haue enterprizd that Monster to subdew From euery coast that heauen walks about Haue thither come the noble Martial crew That famous harde atchieuements still pursew Yet neuer any could that girlond win But all still shronke and still he greater grew All they for want of faith or guilt of sin The pitteous pray of his ficrs cruelty haue bin At last yled with far reported praise Which flying fame throughout the world had spred Of doughty knights whom Fary land 〈◊〉 raise That noble order hight of maidenhed Forthwith to court of Gloriane I sped Of Gloriane great Queene of glory bright Whose kingdomes seat Cleopolis is red There to obtaine some such redoubted knight That Parents deare from tyrants powre deliuer might Yt was my chaunce my chaunce was faire and good There for to find a fresh vnproued knight Whose manly hand imbrewd in guilty blood Had neuer beene ne euer by his might Had throwne to gtound the vnregarded right Yet of his prowesse proofe he since hath made I witnes am in many a cruell fight The groning ghosts of many one dismaide Haue felt the bitter dint of his auenging blade And ye the forlorne reliques of his powre His biting sword and his deuouring speare Which haue endured many a dreadfull stowre Can speake his prowesse that did earst you beare And well could rule now he hath left you heare To be the record of his ruefull losse And of my dolefull disauenturous deare O heauie record of the good Redcrosse Where haue yee left your lord that could so well you tosse Well hoped I and faire beginnings had That he my captiue languor should redeeme Till all vnweeting an Enchaunter bad His sence abusd and made him to misdeeme My loyalty not such as it did seeme That rather death desire then such despight Be iudge ye heauens that all things right esteeme How I him lou'd and loue with all my might So thought I eke of him and think I thought aright Thenceforth me desolate he quite forfooke To wander where wilde fortune would me lead And other by waies he himselfe betooke Where neuer foote of liuing wight did tread That brought not backe the balefull body dead In which him chaunced false 〈◊〉 meete Mine onely foe mine onely deadly dread Who with her witchcraft and misseeming sweete Inueigled him to follow her desires vnmeete At last by subtile sleights she him betraid Vnto his foe a Gyaunt huge and tall Who him disarmed dissolute dismaid Vnwares surprised and with mighty mall The monster mercilesse him made to fall Whose fall did neuer foe before behold And now in darkesome dungeon wretched thrall Remedilesse for aie he doth him hold This is my cause of griefe more great then may be told Ere she had ended all she gan to faint But he her comforted and faire bespake Certes Madame ye haue great cause of plaint That stoutest heart I weene could cause to quake But be of cheare and comfort to you take For till I haue acquitt your captiue knight Assure your selfe I will you not forsake His chearefull words reviu'd her chearelesse spright So forth they went the Dwarfe thē guiding euer right Cant. VIII Faire virgin to redeeme her deare Brings Arthure to the fight Who slayes that Gyaunt wounds the beast And strips Duessa quight AY me how many perils doe enfold The righteous man to make him daily fall Were not that heauenly grace doth him vphold And 〈◊〉 truth acquite him out of all Herloue is firme her care continuall So oft as he thorough his own foolish pride Or weaknes is to sinfull bands made thrall Els should this Redcrosse knight in bands haue dyde For whose deliuerāce she this Prince doth thether guyd They sadly traueild thus vntill they came Nigh to a castle builded strong and hye Then cryde the Dwarfe lo yonder is the same In which my Lord my liege doth lucklessely Thrall to that Gyaunts hatefull tyranny Therefore deare Sir your mightie powres assay The noble knight alighted by and by From loftie steed and badd the Ladie stay To see what end of fight should him befall that day So with his Squire th'admirer of his might He marched forth towardes that castle wall Whose gates he fownd fast shutt ne liuing wight To warde the same nor answere commers call Then tooke that Squire an horne of bugle small Which hong adowne his side in twisted gold And tasselles gay Wyde wonders ouer all Of that same hornes great vertues weren told Which had approued bene in vses manifold Was neuer wight that heard that shrilling sownd But trembling feare did feel in euery vaine Three miles it might be easy heard arownd And Ecchoes three aunswerd it selfe againe No false enchauntment nor deceiptfull traine Might once abide the terror of that blast But presently was void and wholly vaine No gate so strong no locke so firme and fast But with that percing noise flew open quite or brast The same before the Geaunts gate he blew That all the castle quaked from the grownd And euery dore of freewill open flew The Gyaunt selfe dismaied with that sownd Where he with his Duessa dalliaunce fownd In hast came rushing forth from inner bowre With staring countenance sterne as one astownd And staggering steps to weet what suddein stowre Had wrought that horror strange and dar'd his dreaded powre And after him the proud Duessa came High mounted on her many headed beast And euery head with fyrie tongue did flame And euery head was crowned on his creast And bloody mouthed with late cruell feast That when the knight beheld his mightie shild Vpon his manly arme he soone addrest And at him fiersly flew with corage fild And eger greedinesse through euery member thrild Therewith the Gyant buckled him to fight Inflamd with scornefull wrath and high disdaine And lifting vp his dreadfull club on hight All armd with ragged snubbes and knottie graine Him thought at first encounter
his wounds in wondrous store But soone as breath out of her brest did pas That huge great body which the Gyaunt bore Was vanisht quite and of that monstrous mas Was nothing left but like an emptie blader was Whose grieuous fall when false Duessa spyde Her golden cup she cast vnto the ground And crowned mitre rudely threw asyde Such percing griefe her stubborne hart did wound That she could not endure that dolefull stound But leauing all behind her fled away The light-foot Squyre her quickly turnd around And by hard meanes enforcing her to stay So brought vnto his Lord as his deserued pray The roiall Virgin which beheld from farre In pensiue plight and sad perplexitie The whole atchieuement of this doubtfull warre Came running fast to greet his victorie With sôber gladnesse and myld modestie And with sweet ioyous cheare him thus bespake Fayre braunch of noblesse flowre of chevalrie That with your worth the world amazed make How shall I quite the paynes ye suffer for my sake And you fresh budd of vertue springing fast Whom these sad eyes saw nigh vnto deaths dore What hath poore Virgin for such perill past Where with you to reward Accept therefore My simple selfe and seruice euermore And he that high does sit and all things see With equall eye their merites to restore Behold what ye this day haue done for mee And what I cannot quite requite with vsuree But sith the heauens and your faire handeling Haue made you master of the field this day Your fortune maister eke with gouerning And well begonne end all so well I pray Ne let that wicked woman scape away For she it is that did my Lord bethrall My dearest Lord and deepe in dongeon lay Where he his better dayes hath wasted all O heare how piteous he to you for ayd does call Forthwith he gaue in charge vnto his Squyre That scarlot whore to keepen carefully Whyles he himselfe with greedie great desyre 〈◊〉 the Castle entred forcibly Where liuing creature none he did espye Then gan he lowdly through the house to call But no man car'd to answere to his crye There raignd a solemne silence ouer all Nor voice was heard nor wight was seene in bowre or hall At last with creeping crooked pace forth came An old old man with beard as white as snow That on a staffe his feeble steps did frame And guyde his wearie gate both too and fro For his eye sight him fayled long ygo And on his arme a bounch of keyes he bore The which vnused rust did ouergrow Those were the keyes of euery inner dore But he could not them vse but kept them still in store But very vncouth sight was to behold How he did fashion his vntoward pace For as he forward mooud his footing old So backward still was turnd his wrincled face Vnlike to men who euer as they trace Both feet and face one way are wont to lead This was the auncient keeper of that place And foster father of the Gyaunt dead His name Ignaro did his nature right aread His reuerend heares and holy grauitee The knight much honord as beseemed well And gently askt where all the people bee Which in that stately building wont to dwell Who answerd him full soft he could not tell Againe he askt where that same knight was layd Whom great 〈◊〉 with his puissaunce fell Had made his 〈◊〉 thrall againe he sayde He could not tell ne euer other answere made Then asked he which way he in might pas He could not tell againe he answered Thereat the courteous knight displeased was And said Old syre it seemes thou hast not red How ill it sits with that same siluer hed In vaine to mocke or mockt in vaine to bee But if thou be as thou art pourtrahed With natures pen in ages graue degree Aread in grauer wise what I demaund of thee His answere likewise was he could not tell Whose sencelesse speach and doted ignorance When as the noble Prince had marked well He ghest his nature by his countenance And calmd his wrath with goodly temperance Then to him stepping from his arme did reach Those keyes and made himselfe free enterance Each dore he opened without any breach There was no barre to stop nor foe him to empeach There all within full rich arayd he found With royall arras and resplendent gold And did with store of euery thing abound That greatest Princes presence might behold But all the floore too filthy to be told With blood of guiltlesse babes and innocents trew Which there were slaine as sheepe out of the fold Defiled was that dreadfull was to vew And sacred ashes ouer it was strowed new And there beside of marble stone was built An Altare caru'd with cunning ymagery On which trew Christians blood was often spilt And holy Martyres often doen to dye With cruell malice and strong tyranny Whose blessed sprites from vnderneath the stone To God for vengeance cryde continually And with great griefe were often heard to grone That hardest heart would bleede to heare their piteous mone Through euery rowme he sought and euerie bowr But no where could he find that wofull thrall At last he came vnto an yron doore That fast was lockt but key found not at all Emongst that bounch to open it withall But in the same a little grate was pight Through which he sent his voyce and lowd did call With all his powre to weet if liuing wight Were housed therewithin whom he enlargen might Therewith an hollow dreary murmuring voyce These pitteous plaintes and dolours did resound O who is that which bringes me happy choyce Of death that here lye dying euery stound Yet liue perforce in balefull darkenesse bound For now three Moones haue chāged thrice their hew And haue beene thrice hid vnderneath the ground Since I the heauens chearefull face did vew O welcome thou that doest of death bring tydings trew Which whē that Champion heard with percing point Of pitty deare his hart was thrilled sore And trembling horrour ran through euery ioynt For ruth of gentle knight so fowle forlore Which shaking off he rent that yron dore With furious force and indignation fell Where entred in his foot could find no flore But all a deepe descent as darke as hell That breathed euer forth a filthie banefull smell But nether darkenesse fowle nor filthy bands Nor noyous smell his purpose could withhold Entire affection hateth nicer hands But that with constant zele and corage bold After long paines and labors manifold He found the meanes that Prisoner vp to reare Whose feeble thighes vnhable to vphold His pined corse him scarse to light could beare A ruefull spectacle of death and ghastly drere His sad dull eies deepe sunck in hollow pits Could not endure th'vnwonted sunne to view His bare thin cheekes for want of better bits And empty sides deceiued of their dew Could make a stony hart his hap to rew His rawbone armes whose mighty brawned bowrs Were wont
Least his long way his aged limbes should tire And if by lookes one may the mind aread He seemd to be a sage and sober syre And euer with slow pace the knight did lead Who taught his trampling steed with equall steps to tread Such whenas Archimago them did view He weened well to worke some vncouth wyle Eftsoones vntwisting his 〈◊〉 clew He gan to weaue a web of wicked guyle And with faire countenance and flattring style To them approching thus the knight bespake Fayre sonne of Mars that seeke with warlike spoyle And great atchieu'ments great your selfe to make Vouchsafe to stay your steed for humble misers sake He stayd his steed for humble misers sake And badd tell on the tenor of his playnt Who feigning then in euery limb to quake Through inward feare and seeming pale and faynt With piteous mone his percing speach gan paynt Deare Lady how shall I declare thy cace Whom late I left in languorous constraynt Would God thy selfe now present were in place To tell this ruefull tale thy sight could win thee grace Or rather would O would it so had chaunst That you most noble Sir had present beene When that lewd rybauld with vyle lust aduaunst Laid first his filthie hands on virgin cleene To spoyle her dainty corps so faire and sheene As on the earth great mother of vs all With liuing eye more fayre was neuer seene Of chastity and honour virginall Witnes ye heauens whom she in vaine to help did call How may it be sdyd then the knight halfe wroth That knight should knighthood euer so haue shent None but that saw qd he would weene for troth How shamefully that Mayd he did torment Her looser golden lockes he rudely rent And drew her on the ground and his sharpe sword Against her snowy brest he fiercely bent And threatned death with many a bloodie word Tongue hates to tell the rest that eye to see abhord Therewith amoued from his sober mood And liues he yet said he that wrought this act And doen the heauens afford him vitall food He liues quoth he and boasteth of the fact Ne yet hath any knight his courage crackt Where may that treach our then sayd he be found Or by what meanes may I his footing tract That shall I shew sayd he as sure as hound The strickē Deare doth chaleng by the bleeding wound He stayd not lenger talke but with fierce yre And zealous haste away is quickly gone To seeke that knight where him that crafty Squyre Supposd to be They do arriue anone Where sate a gentle Lady all alone With garments rent and heare discheueled Wringing her handes and making piteous mone Her swollen eyes were much disfigured And her faire face with teares was fowly blubbered The knight approching nigh thus to her said Fayre Lady through fowle sorrow ill bedight Great pitty is to see you thus dismayd And marre the blossom of your beauty bright For thy appease your griefe and heauy plight And tell the cause of your conceiued payne For if he liue that hath you doen despight He shall you doe dew recompence agayne Or els his wrong with greater puissance maintaine Which when she heard as in despightfull wise She wilfully her sorrow did augment And offred hope of comfort did despise Her golden lockes most cruelly she rent And scratcht her face with ghastly dreriment Ne would she speake nesee ne yet be seene But hid her visage and her head downe bent Either for grieuous shame or for great 〈◊〉 As if her hart with sorow had transfixed beene Till her that Squyre bespake Madame my life For Gods deare loue be not so wilfull bent But doe vouchsafe now to receiue reliefe The which good fortune doth to you present For what bootes it to weepe and to wayment When ill is chaunst but doth the ill increase And the weake minde with double woe torment When she her Squyre heard speake she gan 〈◊〉 Her voluntarie paine and feele some secret ease 〈◊〉 she said Ah gentle trustie Squyre What comfort can I wofull wretch conceaue Or why should euer I henceforth desyre To see faire heauens face and life not leaue Sith that false Traytour did my honour reaue False traytour certes saide the Faerie knight I read the man that euer would deceaue A gentle Lady or her wrong through might Death were too little paine for such a fowle despight But now fayre Lady comfort to you make And read who hath ye wrought this shamfull plight That short reuenge the man may ouertake Where so he be and soone vpon him light Certes saide she I wote not how he hight But vnder him a gray steede he did wield Whose sides with dapled circles weren dight Vpright he rode and in his siluer shield He bore a bloodie Crosse that quartred all the field Now by my head saide Guyon much I muse How that same knight should do so fowle amis Or euer gentle Damzell so abuse For may I boldly say he surely is A right good knight and trew of word ywis I present was and can it witnesse well When armes he swore and streight did enterpris Th' aduenture of the Errant damozell In which he hath great glory wonne as I heare tell Nathlesse he shortly shall againe be tryde And fairely quit him of th' imputed blame Els be ye sure he dearely shall abyde Or make you good amendment for the same All wrongs haue mendes but no amendes of shame Now therefore Lady rise out of your paine And see the saluing of your blotting name Full loth she seemd thereto but yet did faine For she was inly glad her purpose so to gaine Her purpose was not such as she did faine Ne yet her person such as it was seene But vnder simple shew and semblant plaine Lurkt false Duessa secretly vnseene As a chaste Virgin that had wronged beene So had false Archimago her disguysd To cloke her guile with sorrow and sad teene And eke himselfe had craftily deuisd To be her Squire and do her 〈◊〉 well aguisd Her late forlorne and naked he had found Where she did wander in waste wildernesse Lurking in rockes and caues far vnder ground And with greene mosse cou'ring her nakednesse To hide her shame and loathly filthinesse Sith her Prince Arthur of proud ornaments And borrowd beauty spoyld Her nathelesse Th' enchaunter finding fit for his intents Did thus reuest and deckt with dew habiliments For all he did was to deceiue good knights And draw them from pursuit of praise and fame To slug in slouth and sensuall delights And end their daies with irrenowmed shame And now exceeding griefe him ouercame To see the Redcrosse thus aduaunced hye Therefore this craftie engine he did frame Against his praise to stirre vp enmitye Of such as vertues like mote vnto him allye So now he Guyon guydes an vncouth way Through woods mountaines till they came at last Into a pleasant dale that 〈◊〉 lay Betwixt two hils whose high heads ouerplast The valley did
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
Thrise happy man who fares them both atweene But sith this wretched woman ouercome Of 〈◊〉 rather then of crime hath bene Reserue her cause to her eternall doome And in the meane vouchsafe her honorable toombe Palmer qd he death is an equall doome To good and bad the commen In of rest But after death the tryall is to come When best shall bee to them that liued best But both alike when death hath both supprest Religious reuerence doth buriall teene Which who so wants wants so much of his rest For all so greet shame after death I weene As selfe to dyen bad vnburied bad to beene So both agree their bodies to engraue The great earthes wombe they open to the sky And with sad Cypresse seemely it embraue Then couering with a clod their closed eye They lay therein those corses tenderly And bid them sleepe in euerlasting peace But ere they did their vtmost obsequy Sir Guyon more affection to increace Bynempt a sacred vow which none should ay releace The dead knights sword out of his sheath he drew With which he cutt a lock of all their heare Which medling with their blood earth he threw Into the graue and gan deuoutly sweare Such and such euil God on Gúyon reare And worse and worse young Orphane bethy payne If I or thou dew vengeance doe forbeare Till guiltie blood her guerdon doe obtayne So shedding many teares they closd the earth agayne Cant II. Babes bloody handes may not be clensd the face of golden Meane Her sisters two Extremities striue her to banish cleane THus when Sir Guyon with his faithful guyde Had with dew rites and dolorous lament The end of their sad Tragedie vptyde The litle babe vp in his armes he hent Who with sweet pleasaunce and bold blandishment Gan smyle on them that rather ought to weepe As carelesse of his woe or innocent Of that was doen that ruth emperced deepe In that knightes hart and wordes with bitter teares did steepe Ah lucklesse babe borne vnder cruell starre And in dead parents balefull ashes bred Full little weenest thou what sorrowes are Left thee for porcion of thy liuelyhed Poore Orphane in the wide world scattered As budding braunch rent from the natiue tree And throwen forth till it be withered Such is the state of men Thus enter we Into this life with woe and end with miseree Then soft him selfe inclyning on his knee Downe to that well did in the water weene So loue does loath disdainefull nicitee His guiltie handes from bloody gore to cleene He washt them oft and oft yet nought they beene For all his washing cleaner Still he stroue Yet still the litle hands were bloody seene The which him into great amaz'ment droue And into diuerse doubt his wauering wonder cloue He wist not whether blott of fowle offence Might not be purgd with water nor with bath Or that high God in lieu of innocence Imprinted had that token of his wrath To shew how sore bloodguiltinesse he hat'h Or that the charme and veneme which they dronck Their blood with secret filth infected hath Being diffused through the sencelesse tronck That through the great contagion direful deadly stonck Whom thus at gaze the Palmer gan to bord With goodly reason and thus fayre bespake Ye bene right hart amated gratious Lord And of your ignorance great merueill make Whiles cause not well conceiued ye mistake But know that secret vertues are infusd In euery fountaine and in euerie lake Which who hath skill them rightly to haue chusd To proofe of passing wonders hath full often vsd Of those some were so from their sourse indewd By great Dame Nature from whose fruitfull pap Their welheads spring and are with moisture deawd Which feedes each liuing plant with liquid sap And filles with flowres fayre Floraes painted lap But other some by guifte of later grace Or by good prayers or by other hap Had vertue pourd into their waters bace And thenceforth were renowmd and sought from place place Such is this well wrought by occasion straunge Which to her Nymph befell Vpon a day As she the woodes with bow and shaftes did raunge The hartlesse Hynd and Robucke to dismay Dan Faunus chaunst to meet her by the way And kindling fire at her faire burning eye Inflamed was to follow beauties chace And chaced her that fast from him did fly As Hynd from her so she fled from her enimy At last when fayling breath began to faint And saw no meanes to scape of shame affrayd She set her downe to weepe for sore constraint And to Diana calling lowd for ayde Her deare besought to let her die a mayd The goddesse heard and suddeine where she sate Welling out streames of teares and quite dismayd With stony feare of that rude rustick mate Transformd her to a stone from stedfast virgins state Lo now she is that stone from whose two heads As from two weeping eyes fresh streames do flow Yet colde through feare and old conceiued dreads And yet the stone her semblance seemes to show Shapt like a maide that such ye may her know And yet her vertues in her water byde For it is chaste and pure as purest snow Ne lets her waues with any filth be dyde But euer like her selfe vnstayned hath beene tryde From thence it comes that this babes bloody hand May not be clensd with water of this well Ne certes Sir striue you it to withstand But let them still be bloody as befell That they his mothers innocence may tell As she bequeathd in her last testament That as a sacred Symbole it may dwell In her sonnes flesh to mind reuengement And be for all chaste Dames an endlesse moniment He hearkned to his reason and the childe Vptaking to the Palmer gaue to beare But his sad fathers armes with blood defilde An heauie load himselfe did lightly reare And turning to that place in which whyleare He left his loftie steed with golden sell And goodly gorgeous barbes him found not theare By other accident that earst befell He is conuaide but how or where here fits not tell Which when Sir Guyon saw all were he wroth Yet algates mote he soft himselfe appease And fairely fare on foot how euer loth His double burden did him sore disease So long they traueiled with litle ease Till that at last they to a Castle came Built on a rocke adioyning to the seas It was an auncient worke of antique frame And wondrous strong by nature and by skilfull frame Therein three sisters dwelt of sundry sort The children of one syre by mothers three Who dying whylome did diuide this fort To them by equall shares in equall fee But stryfull mind and diuerse qualitee Drew them in partes and each made others foe Still did they striue and daily disagree The eldest did against the youngest goe And both against the middest meant to worken woe Where when the knight arriu'd he was right well Receiu'd as knight of so much worth became Of second
requyre Or think that ought those puissant hands may marre Death is for wretches borne vnder vnhappy starre Perdye then is it fitt for me said he That am I weene most wretched man aliue Burning in flames yet no flames can I see And dying dayly dayly yet reuiue O Atin helpe to me last death to giue The varlet at his plaint was grieued so sore That his deepe wounded hart in two did riue And his owne health remembring now no more Did follow that ensample which he blam'd afore Into the lake he lept his Lord to ayd So Loue the dread of daunger doth despise And of him catching hold him strongly stayd From drowning But more happy he then wise Of that seas nature did him not auise The waues thereof so slow and sluggish were Engrost with mud which did them fowle agrise That euery weighty thing they did vpbeare Ne ought mote euer sinck downe to the bottom there Whiles thus they strugled in that ydle waue And stroue in vaine the one him selfe to drowne The other both from drowning for to saue Lo to that shore one in an auncient gowne Whose hoary locks great grauitie did crowne Holding in hand a goodly arming sword By fortune came ledd with the troublous sowne Where drenched deepe he fownd in that dull ford The carefull seruaunt stryuing with his raging Lord. Him Atin spying knew right well of yore And lowdly cald Help helpe O Archimage To saue my Lord in wretched plight forlore Helpe with thy hand or with thy counsell sage Weake handes but counsell is most strong in age Him when the old man saw he woundred sore To see Pyrrhochles there so rudely rage Yet sithens helpe he saw he needed more Then pitty he in hast approched to the shore And cald Pyrrhochles what is this I see What hellish fury hath at earst thee hent Furious euer I thee knew to bee Yet neuer in this straunge astonishment These flames these flames he cryde do me torment What flames qd he when I thee present see In daunger rather to be drent then brent Harrow the flames which me consume said hee Ne can be quencht within my secret bowelles bee That cursed man that cruel feend of hell Furor oh Furor hath me thus bedight His deadly woundes within my liuers swell And his whott fyre burnes in mine entralles bright Kindled through his infernall brond of spight Sith late with him I batteill vaine would boste That now I weene Ioues dreaded thunder light Does scorch not halfe so sore nor damned ghoste In flaming Phlegeton does not so felly roste Which when as Archimago heard his griefe He knew right well and him attonce disarmd Then searcht his secret woundes and made a priefe Of euery place that was with bruzing harmd Or with the hidden fier inly warmd Which doen he balmes and herbes thereto applyde And euermore with mightie spels them charmd That in short space he has them qualifyde And him restor'd to helth that would haue algates dyde Cant. VII Guyon findes Mamon in a delue sunning his threasure hore Is by him tempted led downe To see his secrete store AS Pilot well expert in perilous waue That to a stedfast starre his course hath bent When foggy mistes or cloudy tempests haue The faithfull light of that faire lampe yblent And couer'd heauen with hideous dreriment Vpon his card and compas firmes his eye The maysters of his long experiment And to them does the steddy helme apply Bidding his winged vessell fairely forward fly So Guyon hauing lost his trustie guyde Late left beyond that Ydle lake proceedes Yet on his way of none accompanyde And euermore himselfe with comfort feedes Of his owne vertues and praise-worthie deedes So long he yode yet no aduenture found Which fame of her shrill trompet worthy reedes For still he traueild through wide wastfull ground That nought but desert wildernesse shewed all around At last he came vnto a gloomy glade Couer'd with boughes shrubs from heauens light Whereas he sitting found in secret shade An vncouth saluage and vnciuile wight Of griesly hew and fowle ill fauour'd sight His face with smoke was tand eies were bleard His head and beard with sout were ill bedight His cole-blacke hands did seeme to haue ben seard In smythes fire-spitting forge and nayles like clawes appeard His yron cote all ouergrowne with rust Was vnderneath enueloped with gold Whose glistring glosse darkned with filthy dust Well yet appeared to haue beene of old A worke of rich entayle and curious mould Wouen with antickes and wyld ymagery And in his lap a masse of coyne he told And turned vpside downe to feede his eye And couetous desire with his huge threasury And round about him lay on euery side Great heapes of gold that neuer could be spent Of which some were rude owre not purifide Of Malcibers deuouring element Some others were new driuen and distent Into great Ingowes and to wedges square Some in round plates withouten moniment But most were stampt and in their metal bare The antique shapes of kings and 〈◊〉 straung rare Soone as he Guyon saw in great affright And haste he rose for to remoue aside Those pretious hils from straungers enuious sight And downe them poured through an hole full wide Into the hollow earth them there to hide But Guyon lightly to him leaping stayd His hand that trembled as one terrifyde And though him selfe were at the sight dismayd Yet him perforce restraynd and to him doubtfull sayd What art thou man if man at all thou art That here in desert hast thine habitaunce And these rich hils of welth doest hide apart From the worldes eye and from her right vsaunce Thereat with staring eyes fixed askaunce In great disdaine he answerd Hardy Elfe That darest vew my direfull countenaunce I read thee rash and heedlesse of thy selfe To trouble my still seate and heapes of pretious pelfe God of the world and worldlings I me call Great Mammon greatest god below the skye That of my plenty poure out vnto all And vnto none my graces do enuye Riches renowme and principality Honour estate and all this worldes good For which men swinck and sweat incessantly Fro me do flow into an ample flood And in the hollow earth haue their eternall brood Wherefore if me thou deigne to serue and 〈◊〉 At thy commaund lo all these mountaines bee Or if to thy great mind or greedy vew All these may not suffise there shall to thee Ten times so much be nombred francke and free Mammon said he thy godheads vaunt is vaine And idle offers of thy golden fee To them that couet such eye-glutting gaine Proffer thy giftes and fitter seruaunts entertaine Me ill besits that in derdoing armes And honours suit my vowed daies do spend Vnto thy bounteous baytes and pleasing charmes With which weake men thou witchest to attend Regard of worldly mucke doth fowly blend And low abase the high heroicke spright That ioyes for crownes and kingdomes to contend Faire
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
guide you through al Fary land Gramercy Sir said he but mote I wote What straunge aduenture doe ye now pursew Perhaps my succour or 〈◊〉 meete Mote stead you much your purpose to subdew Then gan Sir Guyon all the story shew Of false Acrasia and her wicked wiles Which to auenge the Palmer him forth drew From Faery court So talked they the whiles They wasted had much way and measurd many miles And now faire Phoebus gan decline in haste His weary wagon to the Westerne vale Whenas they spide a goodly castle plaste Foreby a riuer in a pleasaunt dale Which choosing for that euenings hospitale They thether marcht but when they came in sight And from their sweaty Coursers did auale They found the gates fast barred long ere night And euery loup fast lockt as fearing foes despight Which when they saw they weened fowle reproch Was to them doen their entraunce to forstall Till that the Squire gan migher to approch And wind his horne vnder the castle wall That with the noise it shooke as it would fall Eftsoones forth looked from the highest spire The watch and lowd vnto the knights did call To weete what they so rudely did require Who gently answered They entraunce did desire Fly fly good knights said he fly fast away If that your liues yeloue as meete ye should Fly fast and saue your selues from neare decay Here may ye not haue entraunce though we would We would and would againe if that we could But thousand enemies about vs raue And with long siege vs in this castle hould Seuen yeares this wize they vs besieged haue And many good knights slaine that haue vs sought to saue Thus as he spoke loe with outragious cry A thousand villeins rownd about them swarmd Out of the rockes and 〈◊〉 adioyning nye Vile caitiue wretches ragged rude deformd All threaning death all in straunge manner armd Some with vnweldy clubs some with long speares Some rusty knifes some staues in fier warmd Sterne was their looke like wild amazed steares Staring with hollow eies and stiffe vpstanding heares Fiersly at first those knights they did assayle And droue them to recoile but when againe They gaue fresh charge their forces gan to fayle Vnhable their encounter to sustaine For with such puissaunce and impetuous maine Those Champions broke on them that forst thē fly Like scattered Sheepe whenas the Shepherds swaine A Lyon and a Tigre doth espye With greedy pace forth rushing from the forest nye A while they fled but soone retournd againe With greater fury then before was fownd And euermore their cruell Captaine Sought with his raskall routs t' enclose them rownd And ouerrōne to tread them to the grownd But soone the knights with their bright-burning blades Broke their rude troupes and orders did confownd Hewing and slashing at their idle shades For though they bodies seem yet substaunce from them fades As when a swarme of Gnats at euentide Out of the fennes of Allan doe arise Their murmuring small 〈◊〉 sownden wide Whiles in the aire their clustring army flies That as a cloud doth seeme to dim the skies Ne man nor beast may rest or take repast For their sharpe wounds and noyous iniuries Till the fierce Northerne wind with blustring blast Doth blow them quite away and in the Ocean cast 〈◊〉 when they had that troublous rout disperst Vnto the castle gate they come againe And entraunce crau'd which was denied erst Now when report of that their perlous paine And combrous conflict which they did sustaine Came to the Ladies eare which there did dwell Shee forth issewed with a goodly traine Of Squires and Ladies equipaged well And entertained them right fairely as befell Alma she called was a virgin bright That had not yet felt Cupides wanton rage Yet was shee wooed of many a gentle knight And many a Lord of noble parentage That sought with her to lincke in marriage For shee was faire as faire mote euer bee And in the flowre now of her freshest age Yet full of grace and goodly modestee That euen heuen reioyced her sweete face to see In robe of lilly white she was arayd That from her shoulder to her heele downe raught The traine where of loose far behind her strayd Braunched with gold perle most richly wrought And borne of two faire Damsels which were taught That seruice well Her yellow golden heare Was trimly wouen and in tresses wrought Ne other tire she on her head did weare But crownd with a garland of sweete Rosiere Goodly shee entertaind those noble knights And brought them vp into her castle hall Where gentle court and gracious delight Shee to them made with mildnesse virginall Shewing her selfe both wise and liberall Then when they rested had a season dew They her besought of fauour speciall Of that faire Castle to affoord them vew Shee graunted them leading forth the same did shew First she him led vp to the Castle wall That was so high as foe might not it clime And all so faire and sensible withall Not built of bricke ne yet of stone and lime But of thing like to that AEgyptian slime Where of king Nine whilome built Babell towre But O great pitty that no lenger a time So goodly workemanship should not endure Soone it must turne to earth no earthly thing is sure The frame thereof seemd partly circulare And part triangulare O worke diuine Those two the first and last proportions are The one imperfect mortall foeminine Th' other immortall perfect masculine And twixt them both a quadrate was the base Proportioned equally by seuen and nine Nine was the circle sett in heauens place All which compacted made a goodly Dyapase Therein two gates were placed seemly well The one before by which all in did pas Did th' other far in workmanship excell For not of wood nor of enduring bras But of more worthy substance fram'd it was Doubly disparted it did locke and close That when it locked none might thorough pas And when it opened no man might it close Still open to their friendes and closed to their foes Of hewen stone the porch was fayrely wrought Stone more of valew and more smooth and fine Then Iett or Marble far from Ireland brought Ouer the which was cast a wandring vine Enchaced with a wanton yuie twine And ouer it a fayre Portcullis hong Which to the gate directly did incline With comely compasse and compacture strong Nether vnseemly short nor yet exceeding long Within the Barbican a Porter sate Day and night duely keeping watch and ward Nor wight nor word mote passe out of the gate But in good order and with dew regard Vtterers of secrets he from thence debard Bablers of folly and blazers of cryme His larumbell might lowd and wyde be hard When cause requyrd but neuer out of time Early and late it rong at euening and at prime And rownd about the porch on euery syde Twise sixteene warders satt all armed bright In glistring steele and
Yet such as were through former flight preseru'd Gathering againe her Host she did renew And with fresh corage on the victor seru'd But being all defeated saue a few Rather then fly or becaptiu'd her selfe she slew O famous moniment of womens prayse Matchable either to Semiramis Whom antique history so high doth rayse Or to Hypsiphil ' or to Thomiris Her Host two hundred thousand numbred is Who whiles good fortune fauoured her might Triumphed oft against her enemis And yet though ouercome in haplesse fight Shee triumphed on death in enemies despight Her reliques Fulgent hauing gathered Fought with Seuerus and him ouerthrew Yet in the chace was slaine of them that fled So made them victors whome he did subdew Then gan Carausius tirannize anew And gainst the Romanes bent their proper powre But him Allectus treacherously slew And tooke on him the robe of Emperoure Nath'lesse the same enioyed but short happy howre For Asclepiodate him ouercame And left inglorious on the vanquisht playne Without or robe or rag to hide his shame 〈◊〉 afterwards he in his stead did raigne But shortly was by Coyll in batteill slaine Who after long debate since Lucies tyme Was of the Britons first crownd Soueraine Then gan this Realme renew her passed prime He of his name Coylchester built of stone and lime Which when the Romanes heard they hether sent Constantius a man of mickle might With whome king Coyll made an agreement And to him gaue for wife his daughter bright Fayre Helena the fairest liuing wight Who in all godly thewes and goodly praise Did far excell but was most famous hight For skil in Musicke of all in her daies Aswell in curious instruments as cunning laies Of whom he did great Constantine begett Who afterward was Emperour of Rome To which whiles absent he his mind did sett Octauius here lept into his roome And it vsurped by vnrighteous doome But he his title iustifide by might Slaying Traherne and hauing ouercome The Romane legion in dreadfull fight So settled he his kingdome and confirmd his right But wanting yssew male his daughter deare He gaue in wedlocke to Maximian And him with her made of his kingdome heyre Who soone by meanes thereof the Empire wan Till murdred by the freends of Gratian Then gan the Hunnes and Picts inuade this land During the raigne of Maximinian Who dying left none heire them to withstand But that they ouerran all parts with easy hand The weary Britons whose war-hable youth Was by Maximian lately ledd away With wretched miseryes and woefull ruth Were to those Pagans made an open pray And daily spectacle of sad decay Whome Romane warres which now fowr hundred yeares And more had wasted could no whit dismay Til by consent of Commons and of Peares They crownd the secōd Constantine with ioyous teares Who hauing oft in batteill vanquished Those spoylefull Picts and swarming Easterlings Long time in peace his realme established Yet oft annoyd with sondry bordragings Of neighbour Scots and forrein Scatterlings With which the world did in those dayes abound Which to outbarre with painefull pyonings From sea to sea he heapt a mighty mound Which from Alcluid to Panwelt did that border bownd Three sonnes he dying left all vnder age By meanes whereof their vncle Vortigere Vsurpt the crowne during their pupillage Which th' Infants tutors gathering to feare Them closely into Armorick did beare For dread of whom and for those Picts annoyes He sent to Germany straunge aid to reare From whence eftsoones arriued here three hoyes Of Saxons whom he for his safety imployes Two brethren were their Capitayns which hight Hengist and Horsus well approu'd in warre And both of them men of renowmed might Who making vantage of their ciuile iarre And of those forreyners which came from farre Grew great and got large portions of land That in the Realme ere long they stronger arre Then they which sought at first their helping hand And Vortiger haue forst the kingdome to aband But by the helpe of Vortimere his sonne He is againe vnto his rule restord And Hengist seeming sad for that was donne Receiued is to grace and new accord Through his faire daughters face flattring word Soone after which three hundred Lords he slew Of British blood all sitting at his bord Whose dolefull moniments who list to rew Th' eternall marks of treason may at Stonheng vew By this the sonnes of Constantine which fled Ambrose and Vther did ripe yeares attayne And here arriuing strongly challenged The crowne which Vortiger did long detayne Who flying from his guilt by them was slayne And Hengist eke soone brought to shamefull death Thenceforth Aurelius peaceably did rayne Till that through poyson stopped was his breath So now entombed lies at Stoneheng by the heath After him Vther which Pendragon hight Succeeding There abruptly it did end Without full point or other Cesure right As if the rest some wicked hand did rend Or th' Author selfe could not at least attend To finish it that so vntimely breach The Prince him selfe halfe seemed to offend Yet secret pleasure did offence empeach And wonder of antiquity long stopt his speach At last quite rauisht with delight to heare The royall Ofspring of his natiue land Cryde out Deare countrey O how dearely deare Ought thy remembraunce and perpetual band Be to thy foster Childe thà t from thy hand Did commun breath and nouriture receaue How brutish is it not to vnderstand How much to her we owe that all vs gaue That gaue vnto vs all what euer good we haue But Guyon all this while his booke did read Ne yet has ended for it was a great And ample volume that doth far excead My leasure so long leaues here to repeat It told how first Prometheus did create A man of many parts from beasts deryu'd And then stole fire from heuen to animate His worke for which he was by Ioue depryu'd Of life him self and hart-strings of an Aegle ryu'd That man so made he called Elfe to weet Quick the first author of all Elfin kynd Who wandring through the world with wearie feet Did in the gardins of Adonis fynd A goodly creature whom he deemd in mynd To be no earthly wight but either Spright Or-Angell th' authour of all woman kynd Therefore a Fay he her according hight Of whom all Faryes spring fetch their lignage right Of these a mighty people shortly grew And puissant kinges which all the world warrayd And to them selues all Nations did subdew The first and eldest which that scepter swayd Was Elfin him all India obayd And all that now America men call Next him was noble Elfinan who laid Cleopolis foundation first of all But Elfiline enclosd it with a golden wall His sonne was Elfinell who ouercame The wicked Gobbelines in bloody field But Elfant was of most renowmed fame Who all of Christall did Panthea build Then Elfar who two brethren gyauntes kild The one of which had two heades th' other three Then Elfinor
Of Chastity IT falls me here to write of Chastity The fayrest vertue far aboue the rest For which what needes me fetch from Faery Forreine ensamples it to haue exprest Sith it is shrined in my Soueraines brest And formd so liuely in each perfect part That to all Ladies which haue it profest Neede but behold the pourtraict of her hart If pourtrayd it might bee by any liuing 〈◊〉 But liuing art may not least part expresse Nor life-resembling pencill it can paynt All were it Zeuxis or Praxitcles His daedale hand would faile and greatly faynt And her perfections with his error taynt Ne Poets witt that passeth Painter farre In picturing the parts of beauty daynt So hard a workemanship aduenture darre For fear through wāt of words her excellence to marre How then shall I Apprentice of the skill That whilome in diuinest wits did rayne Presume so high to stretch mine humble quill Yet now my luckelesse lott doth me constrayne Hereto perforce But O dredd Souerayne Thus far forth pardon sith that choicest witt Cannot your glorious pourtraict figure playne That I in colourd showes may shadow itt And antique praises vnto present persons fitt But if in liuing colours and right hew Thy selfe thou couet to see pictured Who can it doe more liuely or more trew Then that sweete verse with Nectar sprinckeled In which a gracious seruaunt pictured His Cynthia his heauens fayrest light That with his melting sweetnes rauished And with the wonder of her beames bright My sences lulled are in slomber of delight But let that same delitious Poet lend A little leaue vnto a rusticke Muse To sing his mistresse prayse and let him mend If ought amis her liking may abuse Ne let his fayrest Cynthia refuse In mirrours more then one her selfe to see But either Glorian a let her chuse Or in Belphoebe fashioned to bee In th' one her rule in th' other her rare chastitee Cant. I. Guyon encountreth Britomart Fayre Florimell is chaced Duessaes traines and Materastaes champions are defaced THe famous Briton Prince and Faery knight After long wayes and perilous paines endur'd Hauing their weary limbes to perfect plight Restord and sory wounds right well recur'd Of the faire Alma greatly were procur'd To make there lenger soiourne and abode But when thereto they might not be allur'd From seeking praise and deeds of armes abrode They courteous conge tooke and forth together yode But the captiu'd Acrasia he sent Because of traueill long a nigher way With a strong gard all reskew to preuent And her to Faery court safe to conuay That her for witnes of his hard assay Vnto his Faery Queene he might present But he him selfe betooke another way To make more triall of his hardiment And seeke aduentures as he with Prince Arthure went Long so they traueiled through wastefull wayes Where daungers dwelt and perils most did wonne To hunt for glory and renowmed prayse Full many Countreyes they did ouerronne From the vprising to the setting Sunne And many hard aduentures did atchieue Of all the which they honour euer wonne Seeking the weake oppressed to relieue And to recouer right for such as wrong did 〈◊〉 At last as through an open plaine they 〈◊〉 They spide a knight that towards pricked fayre And him beside an aged Squire there rode That seemd to couch vnder his shield three-square As if that age badd him that burden spare And yield it those that stouter could it wield He them espying gan him selfe prepare And on his arme addresse his goodly shield That bore a Lion passant in a golden field Which seeing good Sir Guyon deare besought The Prince of grace to let him ronne that turne He graunted then the Faery quickly raught His poynant speare and sharply gan to spurne His fomy steed whose fiery feete did burne The verdant gras as he thereon did tread Ne did the other backe his foote returne But fiercely forward came withouten dread And bent his dreadful speare against the others head They beene ymett and both theyr points arriu'd But Guyon droue so furious and fell That seemd both shield and plate it would haue riu'd Nathelesse it bore his foe not from his sell Rut made him stagger as he were not well But Guyon selfe ere well he was aware Nigh a 〈◊〉 length behind his crouper fell Yet in his fall so well him selfe he bare That mischieuous mischaūce his 〈◊〉 limbs did spare Great shame and sorrow of that fall he tooke For neuer yet sith warlike armes he bore And shiuering speare in bloody field first shooke He fownd him selfe dishonored so sore Ah gentlest knight that euer armor bore Let not the grieue dismounted to haue beene And brought to grownd that neuer wast before For not thy fault but secret powre vnseene That speare enchaunted was which layd thee on the greene But weenedst thou what wight thee ouerthrew Much greater griefe and shamefuller regrett For thy hard fortune then thou wouldst renew That of a single damzell thou wert mett On equall plaine and there so hard besett Euen the famous Britomart it was Whom straunge aduentnre did from Britayne fett To seeke her louer loue far sought alas Whose image shee had seene in Venus looking glas Full of disdainefull wrath he fierce vprose For to reuenge that fowle reprochefull shame And snatching his bright sword began to close With her on foot and stoutly forward came Dye rather would he then endure that same Which when his Palmer saw he gan to feare His toward perill and vntoward blame Which by that new rencounter he should reare For death sate on the point of that enchaunted speare And hasting towards him gan fayre perswade Not to prouoke misfortune nor to weene His speares default to mend with cruell blade For by his mightie Science he had seene The secrete vertue of that weapon keene That mortall puissaunce mote not withstond Nothing on earth mote alwaies happy beene Great hazard were it and aduenture fond To loose long gotten honour with one euill hond By such good meanes he him discounselled From prosecuting his reuenging rage And eke the Prince like treaty handeled His wrathfull will with reason to aswage And laid the blame not to his carriage But to his starting steed that swaru'd asyde And to the ill purueyaunce of his page That had his furnitures not firmely tyde So is his angry corage fayrly pacifyde Thus reconcilement was betweene them knitt Through goodly temperaunce and affection chaste And either vowd with all their power and witt To let not others honour be defaste Offriend or foe who euer it embaste Ne armes to beare against the others syde In which accord the Prince was also plaste And with that golden chaine of concord tyde So goodly all agreed they forth yfere did ryde O goodly vsage of those antique tymes In which the sword was seruaunt vnto right When not for malice and contentious crymes But all for prayse and proofe of manly might The martiall brood accustomed to fight
so nye That almost in the backe he oft her strake But still when him at hand she did espy She turnd and semblaunce of faire fight did make But when he stayd to flight againe she did her take By this the good Sir Satyrane gan wake Out of his dreame that did him long entraunce And seeing none in place he gan to make Exceeding mone and curst that cruell chaunce Which reft from him so faire a cheuisaunce At length he spyde whereas that wofull Squyre Whom he had reskewed from captiuaunce Of his strong foe lay tombled in the myre Vnable to arise or foot or hand to styre To whom approching well he more perceiue In that fowle plight a comely personage And louely face made fit for to deceiue Fraile Ladies hart with loves consuming rage Now in the blossome of his freshest age He reard him vp and loosd his yron bands And after gan inquire his parentage And how he fell into the Gyaunts hands And who that was which chaced her along the lands Then trembling yet through feare the Squire bespake That Geauntesse Argante is behight A daughter of the Titans which did make Warre against heuen and heaped hils on hight To scale the skyes and put Ioue from his right Her syre Typhoeus was who mad through merth And dronke with blood of men slaine by his might Through incest her of his owne mother Earth Whylome begot being but halfe twin of that berth For at that berth another Babe she bore To weet the mightie Ollyphant that wrought Great wreake to many errant knights of yore Till him Chylde Thopas to confusion brought These twinnes men say a thing far passing thought Whiles in their mothers wombe enclosd they were Ere they into the lightsom world were brought In fleshly lust were mingled both yfere And in that monstrous wise did to the world appere So liu'd they euer after in like sin Gainst natures law and good behaueoure But greatest shame was to that maiden twin Who not content so fowly to deuoure Her natiue flesh and staine her brothers bowre Did wallow in all other fleshly myre And suffred beastes her body to deflowre So whot she burned in that lustfull fyre Yet all that might not slake her sensuall desyre But ouer all the countrie she did raunge To seeke young men to 〈◊〉 her 〈◊〉 thrust And feed her fancy with delightfull chaunge Whom so she fittest findes to serue her lust Through her maine strēgth in which she most doth trust She with her bringes into a secret I le Where in eternall bondage dye he must Orbe the vassall of her pleasures vile And in all shamefull sort him selfe with her defile Me seely wretch she so at vauntage caught After she long in waite for me did lye And meant vnto her prison to haue brought Her lothsom pleasure there to satisfye That thousand deathes me leuer were to dye Then breake the vow that to faire Columbell I plighted haue and yet keepe stedfastly As for my name it mistreth not to tell Call me the Squyre of Dames that me beseemeth well But that bold knight whom ye pursuing saw That Geauntesse is not such as she seemd But a faire virgin that in martiall law And deedes of armes aboue all 〈◊〉 it deemd And aboue many knightes is eke esteemd For her great worth She Palladine is hight She you from death you me from dread redeemd Ne any may that Monster match in fight But she or 〈◊〉 as she that is so chaste a wight Her well beseemes that Quest quoth Satyrane But read thou Squyre of Dames what vow is this Which thou vpon thy selfe hast lately ta'ne That shall I you recount quoth he ywis So be ye pleasd to pardon all amis That gentle Lady whom I loue and serue After long suit and wearie seruicis Did aske me how I could her loue deserue And how she might be sure that I would neuer swerue I glad by any meanes her grace to gaine Badd her commaund my life to saue or spill Eftsoones she badd me with incessaunt paine To wander through the world abroad at will And euery where where with my power or skill I might doe seruice vnto gentle Dames That I the same should faithfully fulfill And at the twelue monethes end should bring their names And pledges as the spoiles of my victorious games So well I to faire Ladies seruice did And found such fauour in their louing hartes That ere the yeare his course had compassid Thre hundred pledges for my good desartes And thrise three hundred thanks for my good partes I with me brought and did to her present Which when she saw more bent to eke my 〈◊〉 Then to reward my trusty true intent She gan for me deuise a grieuous punishment To weet that I my traueill should resume And with like labour walke the world arownd Ne euer to her presence should presume Till I so many other Dames had fownd The which for all the suit I could propownd Would me refuse their pledges to afford But did abide for euer chaste and sownd Ah gentle Squyre quoth he tell at one word How many 〈◊〉 thou such to put in thy record In deed Sir knight said he one word may tell All that I euer fownd so wisely stayd For onely three they were disposd so well And yet three yeares I now abrode haue strayd To fynd them out Mote I then laughing sayd The knight inquire of thee what were those three The which thy proffred curtesie denayd Or ill they seemed sure auizd to bee Or brutishly brought vp that neu'r did fashions see The first which then refused me said hee Certes was but a common Courtisane Yet 〈◊〉 refusd to haue adoe with mee Because I could not giue her many a Iane. Thereat full hartely laughed Satyrane The second was an holy Nunne to chose Which would not let me be her Chappellane Because she knew she sayd I would disclose Her counsell if she should her trust in me repose The third a Damzell was of low degree Whom I in countrey cottage fownd by chaunce Full litle weened I that chastitee Had lodging in so meane a maintenaunce Yet was she fayre and in her countenaunce Dwelt simple truth in seemely fashion Long thus I woo'd her with dew obseruaunce In hope vnto my pleasure to haue won But was as far at last as when I first begon Safe her I neuer any woman found That chastity did for it selfe embrace But were for other causes firme and sound Either for want of handsome time and place Or else for feare of shame and fowle disgrace Thus am I hopelesse euer to attaine My Ladies loue in such a desperate case But all my dayes am like to waste in vaine Seeking to match the chaste with th'vnchaste Ladies traine Perdy sayd Satyrane thou Squyre of Dames Great labour fondly hast thou hent in hand To get small thankes and there with many blames That may emongst Alcides labours stand Thence bace returning to the former land
and to the gates they goe To burne the same with vnquenchable fire And that vncurteous Carle their commune foe To doe fowle death to die or wrap in grieuous woe Malbecco seeing them resolud in deed To flame the gates and hearing them to call For fire in earnest ran with fearfull speed And to them calling from the castle wall Besought them humbly him to beare with all As ignorant of seruants bad abuse And slacke attendaunce vnto straungers call The knights were willing all things to excuse Though nought beleu'd entraūce late did not refuse They beene ybrought into a comely bowre And serud of all things that mote needfull bee Yet secretly their 〈◊〉 did on them lowre And welcomde more for feare then charitee But they dissembled what they did notsee And welcomed themselues Each gan vndight Their garments wett and weary armour free To dry them selues by Vulcanes flaming light And eke their lately bruzed parts to bring in plight And eke that straunger knight emongst the rest Was for like need enforst to disaray Tho whenas vailed was her lofty crest Her golden locks that were in tramells gay Vpbounden did them selues adowne display And raught vnto her heeles like sunny beames That in a cloud their light did long time stay Their vapour vaded shewe their golden gleames And through the 〈◊〉 aire shoote forth their azure 〈◊〉 Shee also 〈◊〉 her heauy haberieon Which the faire feature of her limbs did hyde And her well plighted frock which she did won To tucke about her short when she did ryde Shee low let fall that flowd from her lanck syde Downe to her foot with carelesse modestee Then of them all she plainly was espyde To be a woman wight vnwist to bee The fairest woman wight that euer eie did see Like as Bellona being late returnd From slaughter of the Giaunts conquered Where proud Encelade whose wide nosethrils burnd With breathed flames like to a furnace redd Transfixed with her speare downe tombled dedd From top of Hemus by him heaped hye Hath loosd her helmet from her lofty hedd And her Gorgonian shield gins to vntye From her lefte arme to rest in glorious victorye Which whenas they beheld they smitten were With great amazement of so wondrous sight And each on other and they all on her Stood gazing as if suddein great affright Had them surprizd At last auizing right Her goodly personage and glorious hew Which they so much mistooke they tooke delight In their first error and yett still anew With wonder of her beauty 〈◊〉 their hongry vew Yet note their hongry vew be satisfide But seeing still the more desir'd to see And euer firmely fixed did abide In contemplation of diuinitee But most they meruaild at her cheualree And noble prowesse which they had approu'd That much they faynd to know who she mote bee Yet none of all them her thereof amou'd Yet euery one her likte and euery one her lou'd And Paridell though partly discontent With his late fall and fowle indignity Yet was soone wonne his malice to relent Through gratious regard of her faire eye And knightly worth which he too late did try Yet tried did adore Supper was dight Then they Malbecco prayd of courtesy That of his lady they might haue the sight And company at meat to doe them more delight But he to shifte their curious request Gan causen why she could not come in place Her crased helth her late recourse to rest And humid euening ill for sicke folkes cace But none of those excuses could take place Ne would they eate till she in presence came Shee came in presence with right comely grace And fairely them saluted as became And shewd her selfe in all a gentle courteous Dame They sate to meat and Satyrane his chaunce Was her before and Paridell beside But he him selfe sate looking still askaunce Gainst Britomart and euer closely eide Sir Satyrane with glaunces might not glide But his blinde eie that sided Paridell All his demeasnure from his sight did hide On her faire face so did he feede his fill And sent close messages of loue to her at will And euer and anone when none was ware With speaking lookes that close embassage bore He rou'd at her and told his secret care For all that art he learned had of yore Ne was she ignoraunt of that leud lore But in his eye his meaning wisely redd And with the like him aunswerd euermore Shee sent at him one fyrie dart whose hedd Empoisned was with priuy lust and gealous dredd He from that deadly throw made no defence But to the wound his weake heart opened wyde The wicked engine through false influence Past through his eies and secretly did glyde Into his heart which it did sorely gryde But nothing new to him was that same paine Ne paine at all for he so ofte had tryde The powre thereof and lou'd so oft in vaine That thing of course he counted loue to entertaine Thenceforth to her he sought to intimate His inward griefe by meanes to him well knowne Now Bacchus sruit out of the siluer plate He on the table dasht as ouerthrowne Or of the fruitfull liquor ouerflowne And by the dauncing bubbles did diuine Or therein write to lett his loue be showne Which well she redd out of the learned line A sacrament prophane in mistery of wine And when so of his hand the pledge she raught The guilty cup she fained to mistake And in her lap did shed her idle draught Shewing desire her inward flame to slake By such close signes they secret way did make Vnto their wils and one eies watch escape Two eies him needeth for to watch and wake Who louers will deceiue Thus was the ape By their faire handling put into Malbeccoes cape Now when of meats and drinks they had their fill Purpose was moued by that gentle Dame Vnto those knights aduenturous to tell Of deeds of armes which vnto them became And euery one his kindred and his name Then Paridell in whom a kindly pride Of gratious speach and skill his words to frame Abounded being yglad osso fitte tide Him to commend to her thus spake of al well eide Troy that art now nought but an idle name And in thine ashes buried low dost lie Though whilome far much greater then thy fame Before that angry Gods and cruell skie Vpon thee heapt a direfull destinie What boots it boast thy glorious descent And fetch from heuen thy great genealogie Sith all thy worthie prayses being blent Their ofspring hath embaste and later glory shent Most famous Worthy of the world by whome That warre was kindled which did Troy inflame And stately towres of Ilion whilome Brought vnto balefull ruine was by name Sir Paris far renowmd through noble 〈◊〉 Who through great prowesle and bold hardinesse From Lacedaemon fetcht the fayrest Dame That euer Greece did boast or knight possesse Whom Venus to him gaue for meed of worthinesse Fayre Helene flowre of beautie excellent And
sob That pitty did the Virgins hart of patience rob At last forth breaking into bitter plaintes He sayd O souerayne Lord that sit'st on hye And raignst in blis emongst thy blessed Saintes How suffrest thou such shamefull cruelty So long vnwreaked of thine enimy Or hast thou Lord of good mens cause no heed Or doth thy iustice sleepe and silently What booteth then the good and righteous deed If goodnesse find no grace nor righteousnes no 〈◊〉 If good find grace and righteousnes reward Why then is Amoret in caytiue band Sith that more bounteous creature neuer far'd On foot vpon the face of liuing land Or if that heuenly iustice may withstand The wrongfull outrage of vnrighteous men Why then is Busirane with wicked hand Suffred these seuen monethes day in secret den My Lady and my loue so cruelly to pen My Lady and my loue is cruelly pend In dolefull darkenes from the vew of day Whilest deadly torments doe her chast brest rend And the sharpe steele doth riue her hart in tway All for she Scudamore will not denay Yet thou vile man vile Scudamore art sound Ne canst her ay de ne canst her foe dismay Vnworthy wretch to tread vpon the ground For whom so faire a Lady feeles so sore a wound There an huge heape of singulfes did oppresse His strugling soule and swelling throbs empeach His foltring toung with pangs of drerinesse Choking the remnant of his plaintife speach As if his dayes were come to their last reach Which when she heard and saw the ghastly fit Threatning into his life to make a breach Both with great ruth and terrour she was smit Fearing least from her cage the wearie soule would flit Tho stouping downe she him amoued light Who therewith somewhat starting vp gan looke And seeing him behind a stranger knight Whereas no liuing creature he mistooke With great indignaunce he that sight forsooke And downe againe himselfe disdainefully Abiecting th' earth with his faire forhead strooke Which the bold Virgin seeing gan apply Fit medcine to his griefe and spake thus courtesly Ah gentle knight whose deepe conceiued griefe Well seemest'exceede the powre of patience Yet if that heuenly gracesome good reliefe You send submit you to high prouidence And euer in your noble hart prepense That all the sorrow in the world is lesse Then vertues might and values confidence For who nill bide the burden of distresse Must not here thinke to liue for life is wretchednesse Therefore faire Sir doe comfort to you take And freely read what wicked felon so Hath outrag'd you and thrald your gentle make Perhaps this hand may helpe to ease your woe And wreake your sorrow on your cruell foe At least it faire endeuour will apply Those feeling words so neare the quicke did goe That vp his head he reared easily And leaning on his elbowe these few words 〈◊〉 fly What boots it plaine that cannot be redrest And fow vaine sorrow in a fruitlesse eare Sith powre of hand nor skill of learned brest Ne worldly price cannot redeeme my deare Out of her thraldome and continuall feare For he the tyrant which her hath in ward By strong enchauntments and blacke Magicke leare Hath in a dungeon deepe her close embard And many dreadfull feends hath pointed to her gard There he tormenteth her most terribly And day and night afflicts with mortall paine Because to yield him loue she doth deny Once to me yold not to be yolde againe But yet by torture he would her constraine Loue to conceiue in her disdainfull brest Till so she doe she must in doole remaine Ne may by liuing meanes be thence relest What boots it then to plaine that cannot be redrest With this sad hersall of his heauy stresse The warlike Damzell was empassiond sore And sayd Sir knight your cause is nothing lesse Then is your sorrow certes if not more For nothing so much pitty doth implore As gentle Ladyes helplesse misery But yet if please ye listen to my lore I will with proofe of last extremity Deliuer her fro thence or with her for you dy Ah gentlest knight aliue sayd Scudamore What huge heroicke magnanimity Dwells in thy bounteous brest what couldst thou more If shee were thine and 〈◊〉 as now am I O spare thy happy daies and them apply To better boot but let me die that ought More is more losse one is enough to dy Life is not lost said she for which is bought Endlesse renowm that more then death is to be sought Thus shee at length persuaded him to rise And with 〈◊〉 wend to see what new successe Mote him befall vpon new enterprise His armes which he had vowed to disprofesse She gathered vp and did about him dresse And his forwandred steed vnto him gott So forth they both yfere make their progresse And march not past the mountenaunce of a 〈◊〉 Till they arriu'd whereas their purpose they did plott There they dismounting drew their weapons bold And stoutly came vnto the Castle gate Whereas no gate they found them to withhold Nor ward to wait at morne and euening late But in the Porch 〈◊〉 did them sore amate A flaming fire ymixt with smouldry smoke And stinking Sulphure that with griesly hate And dreadfull horror did all entraunce choke Enforced them their forward footing to reuoke Greatly thereat was Britomart dismayd Ne in that stownd wist how her selfe to beare For daunger vaine it were to haue assayd That cruell 〈◊〉 which all things feare Ne none can 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 neare And turning backe to Scudamour thus sayd What monstrous enmity prouoke we 〈◊〉 Foolhardy as the Earthes children which made Batteill against the Gods so we a God inuade Daunger without discretion to attempt Inglorious and beastlike is therefore Sir knight Aread what course of you is safest dempt And how we with our foe may come to fight This is quoth he the dolorous despight Which earst to you I playnd for neither may This fire be quencht by any witt or might Ne yet by any meanes remou'd away So mighty be th'enchaūtments which the same do stay What is there ells but cease these fruitlesse paines And leaue me to my former languishing Faire Amorett must dwell in wicked chaines And Scudamore here die with sorrowing Perdy not so saide shee for shameful thing Yt were t' abandon noble cheuisaunce For shewe of perill without venturing Rather 〈◊〉 try extremities of chaunce Then enterprised praise for dread to disauaunce Therewith resolu'd to proue her vtmost might Her ample shield she 〈◊〉 before 〈◊〉 face And her swords point directing forward right Assayld the flame the which eftesoones gaue place And did it selfe diuide with equall space That through she passed as a thonder bolt Perceth the yielding ayre and doth displace The soring clouds into sad showres ymolt So to her yold the flames and did their force reuolt Whome whenas Scudam our saw past the fire Safe and vntoucht he likewise gan assay With greedy will and enuious desire And bad
the stubborne flames to yield him way But cruell Mulciber would not obay His threatfull pride but did the more augment His mighty rage and with imperious sway Him forst maulgre his fercenes to relent And backe retire all scorcht and pitifully brent With huge impatience he inly swelt More for great sorrow that he could not pas Then for the burning torment which he felt That with fell woodnes he effierced was And wilfully him throwing on the gras Did beat and bounse his head and brestful sore The whiles the Championesse now decked has The vtmost rowme and past the formest dore The vtmost rowme abounding with all precious store For round about the walls yclothed were With goodly arras of great maiesty Wouen with gold and silke so close and nere That the rich metall lurked priuily As faining to be hidd from enuious eye Yet here and there and euery where vnwares It shewd it selfe and shone vnwillingly Like to a discolourd Snake whose hidden snares Through the greene gras his long bright 〈◊〉 back declares And in those Tapets weren fashioned Many faire pourtraicts and many a faire feate And all of loue and al of lusty-hed As seemed by their semblaunt did entreat And eke all Cupids warres they did repeate And cruell battailes which he whilome fought Gainst all the Gods to make his empire great Besides the huge massacres which he wrought On mighty kings and kesars into thraldome brought Therein was writt how often thondring Ioue Had felt the point of his hart percing dart And leauing heauens kingdome here did roue In straunge disguize to slake his scalding smart Now like a Ram faire Helle to peruart Now like a Bull Europa to withdraw Ah how the fearefull Ladies tender hart Did liuely seeme to tremble when she saw The huge seas vnder her t' obay her seruaunts law Soone after that into a golden showre Him selfe he chaung'd faire Danaë to vew Ant through the roofe of her strong brasen towre Did raine into her lap an hony dew The whiles her foolish garde that litle knew Of such deceipt kept th'yron dore fast bard And watcht that none should enter nor issew Vaine was the watch and bootlesse all the ward Whenas the God to golden hew him selfe transfard Then was he turnd into a fnowy Swan To win faire Leda to his louely trade O wondrous skill and sweet wit of the man That her in 〈◊〉 sleeping made From scorching heat her daintie limbes to shade Whiles the proud Bird ruffing his fethers wyde And brushing his faire brest did her inuade Shee slept yet twixt her eielids closely spyde How towards her he rusht and smiled at his pryde Then shewd it how the Thebane Semelee Deceiud of gealous Iuno did require To see him in his souerayne maiestee Armd with his thunderbolts and lightning fire Whens dearely she with death bought her desire But faire 〈◊〉 better match did make Ioying his loue in likenes more entire Three nights in one they say that for her sake He then did put her pleasures lenger to partake Twise was he seene in soaring Eagles shape And with wide winges to beat the buxōme ayre Once when he with Asterie did scape Againe when as the Troiane boy so fayre He snatcht from Ida hill and with him bare Wondrous delight it was there to behould How the rude Shepheards 〈◊〉 him did stare Trembling through feare least down he fallen should And often to him calling to take surer hould In Satyres shape Antiopa he snatcht And like a fire when he Aegin ' assayd A shepeheard when 〈◊〉 he catcht And like a Serpent to the Thracian mayd Whyles thus on earth great Ioue these pageaunts playd The winged boy did thrust into his throne And scoffing thus vnto his mother sayd Lo now the heuens obey to me alone And take me for their Ioue whiles Ioue to earth is gone And thou faire Phoebus in thy colours bright Wast there enwouen and the sad distresse In which that boy thee plonged for despight That thou bewray'dst his mothers wantonnesse When she with Mars was meynt in ioyfulnesse For thy he thrild thee with a leaden dart To loue faire Daphne which the loued lesse Lesse she thee lou'd then was thy iust desart Yet was thy loue her death her death was thy smart So louedst thou the lusty Hyacinct So louedst thou the faire Coronis deare Yet both are of thy haplesse hand extinct Yet both in flowres doe liue and loue thee breare The one a Paunce the other a sweetbeare For griefe whereof ye mote haue liuely seene The God himselfe rending his golden heare And breaking quite his garlond euer greene With other signes of sorrow and impatient teene Both for those two and for his owne deare sonne The sonne of Climene he did repent Who bold to guide the charet of the Sunne Himselfe in thousand peeces fondly rent And all the world with flashing fire brent So like that all the walles did seeme to flame Yet cruell Cupid not herewith content Forst him estsoones to follow other game And loue a Shephards daughter for his dearest Dame He loued Isse for his dearest Dame And for her sake her cattell fedd a while And for her sake a cowheard vile became The seruant of Admetus cowheard vile Whiles that from heauen he suffered exile Long were to tell his other louely fitt Now like a Lyon hunting after spoile Now like a Hag now like a faulcon flit All which in that faire arras was most liuely writ Next vnto him was Neptune pictured In his diuine resemblance wondrous lyke His face was rugged and his hoarie hed Dropped with brackish deaw his threeforkt Pyke He stearnly shooke and there with fierce did stryke The raging billowes that on euery syde They trembling stood and made a long broad dyke That his swift charet might haue passage wyde Which foure great Hippodames did draw in temewise tyde His seahorses did see ne to snort amayne And from their nosethrilles blow the brynie streame That made the sparckling waues to smoke agayne And flame with gold but the white fomy creame Did shine with siluer and shoot forth his beame The God himselfe did pensiue seeme and sad And hong adowne his head as he did dreame For priuy loue his brest empierced had Ne ought but deare Bisaltis ay could make him glad He loued eke Iphimedia deare And Aeolus faire daughter Arne hight For whom he turnd him selfe into a Steare And fedd on fodder to beguile her sight Also to win Deucalions daughter bright He turnd him selfe into a Dolphin fayre And like a winged horse he tooke his flight To snaky-locke Medusa to repayre On whom he got faire Pegasus that flitteth in the ayre Next Saturne was but who would euer weene That sullein Saturne euer weend to loue Yet loue is sullein and Saturnlike seene As he did for Erigone it proue That to a Centaure did him selfe transmoue So proou'd it eke that gratious God of wine When for to compasse Philliras hard loue He turnd
did him beseme In slouthfull sleepe his molten hart to steme And quench the brond of his conceiued yre Tho vp he started stird with shame extreme Ne staied for his Damsell to inquire But marched to the Strond their passage to require And in the way he with Sir Guyon mett Accompanyde with Phaedria the faire Eftsoones he gan to rage and inly frett Crying Let be that Lady debonaire Thou recreaunt knight and soone thy selfe prepaire To batteile if thou meane her loue to gayn Loe loe already how the fowles in aire Doe flocke awaiting shortly to obtayn Thy carcas for their pray the guerdon of thy payn And therewith all he fiersly at him flew And with importune outrage him assayld Who soone prepard to field his sword forth drew And him with equall valew counteruayld Their mightie strokes their haberieons dismayld And naked made each others manly spalles The mortall steele despiteously entayld Deepe in their flesh quite through the yron walles That a large purple stream adown their giambeux falles Cymocles that had neuer mett before So puissant foe with enuious despight His prowd presumed force increased more Disdeigning to bee held so long in fight Sir Guyon grudging not so much his might As those vnknightly ray linges which he spoke With wrathfull fire his corage kindled bright Thereof deuising shortly to be wroke And doubling all his powres redoubled euery stroke Both of them high attonce their hands enhaunst And both attonce their huge blowes down did sway Cymochles sword on Guyons shield yglaunst And there of nigh one quarter sheard away But Guyons angry blade so fiers did play On th 'others helmett which as Titan shone That quite it cloue his plumed crest in tway And bared all his head vnto the bone Wherewith astonisht still he stood as sencelesse stone Still as he stood fayre Phaedria that beheld That deadly daunger soone atweene them ran And at their feet her selfe most humbly feld Crying with pitteous voyce and count'nance wan Ah well away most noble Lords how can Your cruell eyes endure so pitteous sight To shed your liues on ground wo worth the man That first did teach the cursed steele to bight In his owne flesh and make way to the liuing spright If euer loue of Lady did empierce Your yron brestes or pittie could find place Withhold your bloody handes from battaill fierce And sith for me ye fight to me this grace Both yield to stay your deadly stryfe a space They stayd a while and forth she gan proceed Most wretched woman and of wicked race That am the authour of this hainous deed And cause of death betweene two doughtie knights do breed But if for me ye fight or me will serue Not this rude kynd of battaill nor these armes Are meet the which doe men in bale to sterue And doolefull sorrow heape with deadly harmes Such cruell game my scarmoges disarmes Another warre and other weapons I Doe loue where loue does giue his sweet Alarmes Without bloodshed and where the enimy Does yield vnto his foe a pleasaunt victory Debatefull strife and cruell enmity The famous name of knighthood fowly shend But louely peace and gentle amity And in Amours the passing howres to spend The mightie martiall handes doe most commend Of loue they euer greater glory bore Then of their armes Mars is Cupidoes frend And is for Venus loues renowmed more Then all his wars and spoiles the which he did of yore Therewith she sweetly smyld They though full bent To proue extremities of bloody fight Yet at her speach their rages gan relent And calme the sea of their tempestuous spight Such powre haue pleasing wordes such is the might Of courteous clemency in gentle hart Now after all was ceast the Faery knight Besòught that Damzell suffer him depart And yield him ready passage to that other part She no lesse glad then he desirous was Of his departure thence for of her ioy And vaine delight she saw he light did pas A foe of folly and immodest toy Still solemne sad or still disdainfull coy Delighting all in armes and cruell warre That her sweet peace and pleasures did annoy Troubled with terrour and vnquiet iarre That she well pleased was thence 〈◊〉 amoue him farre Tho him she brought abord and her swift bote Forthwith directed to that further strand The which on the dull waues did lightly flote And soone arriued on the shallow sand Where gladsome Guyon salied forth to land And to that Damsell thankes gaue for reward Vpon that shore he spyed Atin stand Thereby his maister left when late he far'd In Phaedrias flitt barck ouer that perlous shard Well could he him remember sith of late He with 〈◊〉 sharp debatement made Streight gan he him reuyle and bitter rate As Shepheards curre that in darke eueninges shade Hath tracted forth some saluage beastes trade Vile Miscreaunt said he whether dost thou flye The shame and death which will thee soone inuade What coward hand shall doe thee next to dye That art thus fowly fledd from famous enimy With that he stifly shooke his steelhead dart But sober Guyon hearing him so rayle Though somewhat moued in his mightie hart Yet with strong reason maistred passion fraile And passed fayrely forth He turning taile Backe to the strond retyrd and there still stayd Awaiting passage which him late did faile The whiles Cymochles with that wanton mayd The hasty heat of his auowd reuenge delayd Whylest there the varlet stood he saw from farre An armed knight that towardes him fast ran He ran on foot as if in lucklesse warre His forlorne steed from him the victour wan He seemed breathlesse hartlesse faint and wan And all his armour sprinckled was with blood And soyld with durtie gore that no man can Discerne the hew thereof He neuer stood But bent his hastie course towardes the ydle flood The varlett saw when to the flood he came How without stop or stay he fiersly lept And deepe him selfe beducked in the same That in the lake his loftie crest was stept Ne of his safetie seemed care he kept But with his raging armes he rudely flasht The waues about and all his armour swept That all the blood and filth away was washt Yet still he bet the water and the billowes dasht Atin drew nigh to weet what it mote bee For much he wondred at that vncouth sight Whom should he but his own deare Lord 〈◊〉 His owne deare Lord Pyrrhochles in sad plight Ready to drowne him selfe for fell despight Harrow now out and well away he cryde What dismall day hath lent but this his cursed light To see my Lord so deadly damnifyde Pyrrhochles O Pyrrhochles what is thee betyde I burne I burne I burne then lowd he cryde O how I burne with implacable fyre Yet nought can quench mine inly flaming syde Nor sea of licour cold nor lake of myre Nothing but death can doe me to respyre Ah be it said he from Pyrrhochles farre After pursewing death once to