And placed vnder stately canapee The warlike feates of both thofe knights to see On th' other side in all mens open vew Duessa placed is and on a tree Sansfoy his shield is hangd with bloody hew Both those the lawrell girlonds to the victor dew A shrilling trompett sownded from on hye And vnto battaill bad them selues addresse Their shining shieldes about their wrestes they tye And burning blades about their heades doe blesse The instruments of wrath and heauinesse With greedy force each other doth assayle And strike so fiercely that they doe impresse Deepe dinted furrowes in the battred mayle The yron walles to ward their blowes are weak fraile The Sarazin was stout and wondrous strong And heaped blowes like 〈◊〉 hammers 〈◊〉 For after blood and vengeance he did long The knight was fiers and full of youthly heat And doubled strokes like dreaded thunders threat For all for praise and honour he did fight Both stricken stryke and beaten both doe beat That from their shields forth flyeth firie light And hewen helmets deepe shew marks of eithers might So th' one for wrong the other striues for right As when a Gryfon seized of his pray A Dragon fiers encountreth in his flight Through widest ayre making his ydle way That would his rightfull rauine rend away With hideous horror both together smight And souce so sorc that they the heauens affray The wise Southsayer seeing so sad sight Th' amazed vulgartelles of warres and mortall fight So th'onc for wrong the other striues for right And each to deadly shame would driue his foe The cruell steele so greedily doth bight In tender flesh that streames of blood down flow With which the armes that earst so bright did show Into a pure vermillion now are dyde Great ruth in all the gazers harts did grow Seeing the gored woundes to gape so wyde That victory they dare not wish to either side At last the Paynim chaunst 〈◊〉 cast his eye His suddein eye flaming with wrathfull fyre Vpon his brothers shield which hong thereby There with redoubled was his raging yre And said Ah wretched sonne of wofull syre Doest thou sit wayling by blacke Stygian lake Whylest here thy shield is hangd for victors hyre And sluggish german doest thy forces slake To after-send his foe that him may ouertake Goe caytiue Elfe him quickly ouertake And soone redeeme from his long wandring woe Goe guiltie ghost to him my message make That I his shield haue quit from dying foe Therewith vpon his crest he stroke him so That twise he reeled readie twise to fall End of the doubtfull battaile deemed tho The lookers on and lowd to him gan call The false Duessa Thine the shield and I and all Soone as the Faerie heard his Ladie speake Out of his swowning dreame he gan awake And quickning faith that earst was woxen weake The creeping deadly cold away did shake Tho mou'd with wrath and shame and Ladies sake Of all attonce he cast auengd to be And with so ' exceeding furie at him strake That forced him to stoupe vpon his knee Had he not stouped so he should haue clouen bee And to him said Goe now proud Miscreant Thy selfe thy message do to german deare Alone he wandring thee too long doth want Goe say his foe thy shield with his doth beare Therewith his heauie 〈◊〉 he high gan reare Him to haue slaine when lo a darkesome clowd Vpon him fell he no where doth appeare But 〈◊〉 is The 〈◊〉 him calls 〈◊〉 But answer none receiues the darknes him does shrowd In haste Duessa from her place arose And to him running sayd O prowest knight That euer Ladie to her loue did chose Let now abate the terrour of your might And quench the flame of furious despight And bloodie vengeance lo th' infernall powres Couering your foe with cloud of deadly night Haue borne him hence to Plutoes balefull bowres The conquest yours I yours the shield and glory yours Not all so satisfide with greedy eye He sought all round about his thristy blade To bathe in blood of faithlesse enimy Who all that while lay hid in secret shade He standes amazed how he thence should fade At last the trumpets Triumph sound on hie And running Heralds humble homage made Greeting him goodly with new victorie And to him brought the shield the cause of enmitie Wherewith he goeth to that soueraine Queene And falling her before on lowly knee To her makes present of his seruice seene Which she accepts with thankes and goodly gree Greatly aduauncing his gay cheualree So marcheth home and by her takes the knight Whom all the people followe with great glee Shouting and clapping all their hands on hight That all the ayre it fils and flyes to heauen bright Home is he brought and layd in sumptuous bed Where many skilfull leaches him abide To salue his hurts that yet still freshly bled In wine and oyle they wash his woundes wide And softly gan embalme on euerie side And all the while most heauenly melody About the bed sweet musicke did diuide Him to beguile of griefe and agony And all the while Duessa wept full bitterly As when a wearie traueiler that strayes By muddy shore of broad seuen-mouthed Nile Vnweeting of the perillous wandring wayes Doth meete a cruell craftie Crocodile Which in false griefe hyding his harmefull guile Doth weepe full sore and sheddeth tender teares The foolish man that pitties all this while His mournefull plight is swallowd vp vnwares Forgetfull of his owne that mindes an others cares So wept Duessa vntill euentyde That shyning lampes in Ioues high house were light Then forth she rose 〈◊〉 lenger would abide But comes vnto the place where th'Hethen knight In slombring swownd nigh voyd of vitall spright Lay couer'd with inchaunted cloud all day Whom when she found as she him left in plight To wayle his wofull case she would not stay But to the Easterne coast of heauen makes speedy way Where griesly Night with visage deadly sad That Phoebus chearefull face durst neuer vew And in a foule blacke pitchy mantle clad She findes forth comming from her darksome mew Where she all day did hide her hated hew Before the dore her yron charet stood Already harnessed for iourney new And coleblacke steedes yborne of hellish brood That on their rusty bits did champ as they were wood Who when she saw Duessa sunny bright Adornd with gold and iewels shining cleare She greatly grew amazed at the sight And th'vnacquainted light began to feare For neuer did such brightnes there appeare And would haue backe retyred to her caue Vntill the witches speach she gan to heare Saying yet O thou dreaded Dame I craue Abyde till I haue told the message which I haue She stayd and foorth Duessa gan proceede O thou most auncient Grandmother of all More old then Ioue whom thou at first didst breede Or that great house of Gods caelestiall Which wast begot in Daemogorgons hall And sawst the secrets of the world
owne cote he would cut and it distribute glad The fourth appointed by his office was Poore prisoners to relieue with gratious ayd And captiues to redeeme with price of bras From Turkes and Sarazins which them had stayd And though they faulty were yet well he wayd That God to vs forgiueth euery howre Much more then that why they in bands were layd And he that harrowd hell with heauie stowre The faulty soules from thence brought to his heauenly bowre The fift had charge sick persons to attend And comfort those in point of death which lay For them most needeth comfort in the end When sin and hell and death doe most dismay The feeble soule departing hence away All is but lost that liuing we bestow If not well ended at our dying day O man haue mind of that last bitter throw For as the tree does fall so lyes it euer low The sixt had charge of them now being dead In seemely sort their corses to engraue And deck with dainty flowres their brydall bed That to their heauenly spouse both sweet and braue They might appeare when he their soules shall saue The wondrous workmanship of Gods owne mould Whose face he made all beastes to feare and gaue All in his hand euen dead we honour should Ah dearest God me graunt I dead be not defould The seuenth now after death and buriall done Had charge the tender Orphans of the dead And wydowes ayd least they should be vndone In face of iudgement he their right would plead Ne ought the powre of mighty men did dread In their defence nor would for gold or fee Be wonne their rightfull causes downe to tread And when they stood in most necessitee He did supply their want and gaue them euer free There when the Elfin knight arriued was The first and chiefest of the seuen whose care Was guests to welcome towardes him did pas Where seeing Mercie that his steps vpbare And alwaies led to her with reuerence rare He humbly louted in meeke lowlinesse And seemely welcome for her did prepare For of their order she was Patronesse Albe Charissa were their chiefest founderesse There she awhile him stayes him selfe to rest That to the rest more hable he might bee During which time in euery good behest And godly worke of Almes and charitee Shee him instructed with great 〈◊〉 Shortly therein so perfect he became That from the first vnto the last degree His mortall life he learned had to frame In holy righteousnesse without rebuke or blame Thence forward by that painfull way they pas Forth to an hill that was both steepe and hy On top whereof a sacred chappell was And eke a litle Hermitage thereby Wherein an aged holy man did lie That day and night said his deuotion Ne other worldly busines did apply His name was heuenly Contemplation Of God and goodnes was his meditation Great grace that old man to him giuen had For God he often saw from heauens hight All were his earthly eien both blunt and bad And through great age had lost their kindly sight Yet wondrous quick and persaunt was his spright As Eagles eie that can behold the Sunne That hill they scale with all their powre and might That his 〈◊〉 thighes nigh 〈◊〉 and fordonne Gan faile but by her helpe the top at last he wonne There they doe finde that godly aged Sire With snowy lockes adowne his shoulders shed As hoary frost with spangles doth attire The mossy braunches of an Oke halfe ded Each bone might through his body well be red And euery sinew seene through his long fast For nought he car'd his carcas long vnfed His mind was full of spirituall repast And pyn'd his flesh to keepe his body low and chast Who when these two approching he aspide At their first presence grew agrieued sore That forst him lay his heuenly thoughts aside And had he not that Dame respected more Whom highly he did reuerence and adore He would not once haue moued for the knight They him saluted standing far afore Who well them greeting humbly did requight And asked to what end they clomb that redious hight What end qd she should cause vs take such paine But that same end which euery liuing wight Should make his marke high heauen to attaine Is not from hence the way that leadeth right To that most glorious house that glistreth bright With burning starres and euerliuing fire Where of the keies are to thy hand behight By wise Fidelia shee doth thee require To shew it to this knight according his desire Thrise happy man said then the father graue Whose staggering steps thy steady hand doth lead And shewes the way his sinfull soule to saue Who better can the way to heauen aread Then thou thy selfe that was both borne and bred In heuenly throne where thousand Angels shine Thou do est the praiers of the righteous sead Present before the maiesty diuine And his auenging wrath to clemency incline Yet since thou bidst thy pleasure shal be donne Then come thou man of earth and see the way That neuer yet was seene of Faries sonne That neuer leads the traueiler astray But after labors long and sad delay Bring them to ioyous rest and endlesse blis But first thou must a season fast and pray Till from her bands the spright assoiled is And haue her strength recur'd from fraile infirmitis That done he leads him to the highest Mount Such one as that same mighty man of God That blood-red billowes like a walled front On either side disparted with his rod Till that his army dry-foot through them yod Dwelt forty daies vpon where writt in stone VVith bloody letters by the hand of God The bitter doome of death and balefull mone He did receiue whiles flashing fire about him shone Or like that sacred hill whose head full hie Adornd with fruitfull Oliues all arownd Is as it were for endlesse memory Of that deare Lord who oft thereon was fownd For euer with a flowring girlond crownd Or like that pleasaunt Mount that is foray Through famous 〈◊〉 verse each where renownd On which the thrife three learned Ladies play Their heuenly notes and make full many a louely lay From 〈◊〉 far off he vnto him did shew A litle path that was both steepe and long Which to a goodly Citty led his vew Whose wals and towres were builded high strong Of perle and 〈◊〉 stone that earthly tong Cannot describe nor wit of man can tell Too high a ditty for my simple song The Citty of the greate king hight it well Wherein eternall peace and happinesse doth dwell As he thereon stood gazing he might see The blessed Angels to and fro descend From highest heuen in gladsome companee And with great ioy into that Citty wend As commonly as frend does with his frend Whereat he wondred much and gan enquere What stately building durst so high extend Her lofty towres vnto the starry sphere And what vnknowen nation there empeopled
were Faire knight qd he 〈◊〉 that is The new Hierusalem that God has built For those to dwell in that are chosen his His chosen people purg'd from sinful guilt With piteous blood which cruelly was spilt On cursed tree of that vnspotted lam That for the sinnes of al the world was kilt Now are they Saints all in that Citty sam More dear vnto their God then yoūglings to their dam. Till now said then the knight I weened well That great Cleopolis where I haue beene In which that fairest Fary Queene doth dwell The fairest Citty was that might be seene And that bright towre all built of christall clene Panthea seemd the brightest thing that was But now by proofe all otherwise I weene For this great Citty that does far surpas And this bright Angels towre quite dims that towre of glas Most trew then said the holy aged man Yet is Gleopolis for earthly fame The fairest peece that eie beholden can And well beseemes all knights of noble name That couett in th' immortall booke of fame To be eternized that same to haunt And doen their seruice to that soueraigne Dame That glory does to them for guerdon graunt For she is heuenly borne and heauen may iustly vaunt And thou faire ymp sprong out from English race How euer now accompted Elfins sonne Well worthy doest thy seruice for her grace To aide a virgin desolate foredonne But when thou famous victory hast wonne And high emongst all knights hast hong thy shield Thenceforth the suitt of earthly conquest shonne And wash thy hands from guilt of bloody field For blood can nought but sin wars but sorrows yield Then seek this path that I to thee presage Which after all to heauen shall thee send Then peaceably thy painefull pilgrimage To yonder same Hierusalem doe bend Where is for thee ordaind a blessed end For thou emongst those Saints whom thou doest see Shalt be a Saint and thine owne nations frend And Patrone thou Saint George shalt called bee Saint George of mery England the signe of victoree Vnworthy wretch qd he of so great grace How dare I thinke such glory to attaine These that haue it attaynd were in like cace As wretched men and liued in like paine But deeds of armes must I at last be faine And Ladies loue to leaue so dearely bought What need of armes where peace doth ay remaine Said he and bitter battailes all ate fought As for loose loues they' are vaine vanish into nought O let me not quoth he then turne againe Backe to the world whose ioyes so fruitlesse are But let me heare for aie in peace remaine Or streight way on that last long voiage fare That nothing may my present hope empare That may not be said he ne maist thou yitt Forgoe that royal maides bequeathed care Who did her cause into thy hand committ Till from her cursed foe thou haue her freely quitt Then shall I soone qd he so God me grace Abett that virgins cause disconsolate And shortly back returne vnto this place To walke this way in Pilgrims poore estate But now aread old father why of late Didst thou behight me borne of English blood Whom all a Faeries sonne doen nominate That word shall I said he auouchen good Sith to thee is vnknowne the cradle of thy brood For well I wote thou springst from ancient race Of Saxon kinges that haue with mightie hand And many bloody battailes fought in 〈◊〉 High reard their royall throne in Britans land And vanquisht them vnable to withstand From thence a Faery thee 〈◊〉 reft There as thou slepst in tender swadling band And her base Elfin brood there for thee left Such men do Chaungelings call so chaungd by Faeries theft Thence she thee brought into this Faery lond And in an heaped furrow did thee hyde Where thee a Ploughman all vnweeting fond As he his toylesome teme that way did guyde And btought thee vp 〈◊〉 ploughmans state to byde Whereof Georgos he thee gaue to name Till prickt with courage and thy forces pryde To Fary court thou cam'st to seeke for fame And proue thy puissaunt armes as seemes thee best became O holy Sire quoth he how shall I quight The many fauours I with thee haue fownd That hast my name and nation redd aright And taught the way that does to heauen bownd This saide adowne he looked to the grownd To haue returnd but dazed were his eyne Through passing brightnes which did quite cōfound His feeble sence and too exceeding shyne So darke are earthly thinges compard to things diuine At last whenas himselfe he gan to fynd To Vna back he cast him to retyre Who him awaited still with pensiue mynd Great thankes and goodly meed to that good syre He thens departing gaue for his paynes hyre So came to Vna who him ioyd to see And after litle rest gan him desyre Of her aduenture myndfull for to bee So leaue they take of Coelia and her daughters three Cant XI The knight with that old Dragon fights two dayes incessantly The third him ouerthrowes and gayns most glorious victory HIgh time now gan it wex for Vna fayre To thinke of those her captiue Parents deare And their for wasted kingdom to repayre Whereto whenas they now approched neare With hartie wordes her knight she gan to cheare And in her modest maner thus bespake Deare knight as deare as euer knight was deare That all these sorrowes suffer for my sake High heuen behold the tedious toyle ye for me take Now are we come vnto my natiue soyle And to the place where all our perilles dwell Here hauntes that feend and does his dayly spoyle Therefore henceforth bee it your keeping well And euer ready for your foeman fell The sparke of noble corage now awake And striue your excellent selfe to excell That shall ye euermore renowmed make Aboue all knights on earth that batteill vndertake With that they heard a roaring hideous sownd That all the ayre with terror filled wyde And seemd vneath to shake the stedfast ground Eftsoones that dreadfull Dragon they espyde Where stretcht he lay vpon the sunny side Of a great hill himselfe like a great hill But all so soone as he from far descryde Those glistring armes that heuen with light did fill He rousd himselfe full blyth and hastned them vntill Then badd the knight this Lady yede aloof And to an hill her selfe withdraw asyde From whence she might behold that battailles proof And ēke be safe from daunger far descryde She him obayd and turnd a litle wyde Now O thou sacred Muse most learned Dame Fayre ympe of Phoebus and his aged bryde The Nourse of time and euerlasting fame That warlike handes ennoblest with immortall name O gently come into my feeble brest Come gently but not with that mightie rage Wherewith the martiall troupes thou doest infest And hartes of great Heroës doest enrage That nought their kindled corage may aswage Soone as thy dreadfull trompe begins to sownd
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
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
he prayed as he went And often knockt his brest as one that did repent He faire the knight saluted louting low Who faire him quited as that courteous was And after asked him if he did know Of straunge aduentures which abroad did pas Ah my deare Sonne quoth he how should alas Silly old man that liues in hidden cell Bidding his beades all day for his trespas Tydings of warre and worldly trouble tell With holy father sits not with such thinges to mell But if of daunger which hereby doth dwell And homebred deuil ye desire to heare Of a straunge man I can you tidings tell That wasteth all this countrie farre and neare Of such saide he I chiefly doe inquere And shall thee well rewarde to shew the place In which that wicked wight his dayes doth weare For to all knighthood it is foule disgrace That such a cursed creature liues so long a space Far hence quoth he in wastfull wildernesse His dwelling is by which no liuing wight May euer passe but thorough great distresse Now saide the Ladie draweth toward night And well I wote that of your later fight Ye all forwearied be for what so strong But wanting rest will also want of might The Sunne that measures heauen all day long At night doth baite his steedes the Ocean waues emong Then with the Sunne take Sir your timely rest And with new day new worke at once begin Vntroubled night they say giues counsell best Right well Sir knight ye haue aduised bin Quoth then that aged man the way to win Is wisely to aduise now day is spent Therefore with me ye may take vp your In For this same night The knight was well content So with that godly father to his home they went A litle lowly Hermitage it was Downe in a dale hard by a forests side Far from resort of people that did pas In traueill to and 〈◊〉 a litle wyde There was an holy chappell edify de Wherein the Hermite dewly wont to say His holy thinges each morne and euentyde Thereby a christall streame did gently play Which from a sacred fountaine welled forth alway Arriued there the litle house they fill Ne looke for entertainement where none was Rest is their feast and all thinges at their will The noblest mind the best contentment has With faire discourse the euening so they pas For that olde man of pleasing wordes had store And well could file his tongue as smooth as glas He told of Saintes and Popes and euermore He strowd an Aue-Mary after and before The drouping Night thus creepeth on them fast And the sad humor loading their eye liddes As messenger of Morpheus on them cast Sweet slōbring deaw the which to sleep them biddes Vnto their lodgings then his guestes he riddes Where when all drownd in deadly sleepe he findes He to his studie goes and there amiddes His magick bookes and artes of sundrie kindes He seekes out mighty charmes to trouble sleepy minds Then choosing out few words most horrible Let none them read thereof did verses frame With which and other spelles like terrible He bad awake blacke Plutoes griesly Dame And cursed heuen and spake reprochful shame Of highest God the Lord of life and light A bold bad man that dar'd to call by name Great Gorgon prince of darknes and dead night At which Cocytus quakes and Styx is put to flight And forth he cald out of deepe darknes dredd Legions of Sprights the which like litle flyes Fluttring about his euerdamned hedd A waite whereto their seruice he applyes To aide his friendes or fray his enimies Of those he chose out two the falsest twoo And fittest for to forge true-seeming lyes The one of them he gaue a message too The other by himselfe staide other worke to doo He making speedy way through spersed ayre And through the world of waters wide and deepe To Morpheus house doth hastily repaire Amid the bowels of the earth full steepe And low where dawning day doth neuer peepe His dwelling is there Tethys his wet bed Doth euer wash and Cynthia still doth steepe In siluer deaw his euer drouping hed Whiles sad Night ouer him her mātle black doth spred Whose double gates he findeth locked fast The one faire fram'd of burnisht Yuory The other all with siluer ouercast And wakeful dogges before them farre doelye Watching to banish Care their enimy Who oft is wont to trouble gentle Sleepe By them the Sprite doth passe in quietly And vnto Morpheus comes whom drowned deepe In drowsie fit he findes of nothing he takes keepe And more to lulle him in his slumber soft A trickling streame from high rock tumbling downe And euery drizling raine vpon the loft Mixt with a murmuring winde much like the sowne Of swarming Bees did cast him in a swowne No other noyse nor peoples troublous cryes As still are wont t'annoy the walled towne Might there be heard but carelesse Quiet lyes Wrapt in eternall silence farre from enimyes The Messenger approching to him spake But his waste wordes retournd to him in vaine So sound he slept that nought mought him awake Then rudely he him thrust and pusht with paine Whereat he gan to stretch but he againe Shooke him so hard that forced him to speake As one then in a dreame whose dryer braine Is tost with troubled sighes and fancies weake He mumbled soft but would not all his silence breake The Sprite then gan more boldly him to wake And threatned vnto him the dreaded name Of Hecate whereat he gan to quake And lifting vp his lompish head with blame Halfe angrie asked him for what he came Hether quoth he me Archimago sent He that the stubborne Sprites can wisely tame He bids thee to him send for his intent A fit false dreame that can delude the sleepers sent The God obayde and calling forth straight way A diuerse dreame out of his prison darke Deliuered it to him and downe did lay His heauie head deuoide of careful carke Whose sences all were straight benumbd and starke He backe returning by the Yuorie dore Remounted vp as light as chearefull Larke And on his litle winges the dreame he bore In hast vnto his Lord where he him left afore Who all this while with charmes and hidden artes Had made a Lady of that other Spright And fram'd of liquid ayre her tender partes So liuely and so like in all mens sight That weaker sence it could haue rauisht quight The maker selfe for all his wondrous witt Was nigh beguiled with so goodly sight Her all in white he clad and ouer it Cast a blackstole most like to seeme for Vna fit Now when that ydle dreame was to him brought Vnto that Elfin knight he bad him fly Where he slept soundly void of euil thought And with false shewes abuse his fantasy In sort as he him schooled priuily And that new creature borne without her dew Full of the makers guyle with vsage sly He taught to imitate that Lady trew Whose semblance she
wights our wearie daies we waste But how long time said then the 〈◊〉 knight Are you in this misformed hous to dwell We may not chaunge quoth he this euill plight Till we be bathed in a liuing well That is the terme prescribed by the spell O how sayd'he mote I that well out find That may restore you to your wonted well Time and suffised fates to former kynd Shall vs restore none else from hence may vs vnbynd The false Duessa now Fidessa hight Heard how in vaine Fradubio did lament And knew well all was true But the good knight Full of sad feare and ghastly dreriment When all this speech the liuing tree had spent The bleeding bough did thrust into the ground That from the blood he might be innocent And with fresh clay did close the wooden wound Then turning to his Lady dead with feare her fownd Her seeming dead he fownd with feigned feare As all vnweeting of that well she knew And paynd himselfe with busie care to reare Her out of carelesse swowne Her eylids blew And dimmed fight with pale and deadly hew At last she vp gan lift with trembling cheare Her vp he tooke too simple and too trew And oft her kist At length all passed feare He set her on her steede and forward forth did beare Cant. III. Forsaken Truth long seekes her loue And makes the Lyon mylde Marres blind Deuotions mart fals In hand of leachour vylde NOught is there vnder heau'ns wide hollownesse That moues more deare compassion of mind Then beautie brought t'vnworthie wretchednesse Through enuies snares or fortunes freakes vnkind I whether lately through her brightne blynd Or through alleageance and fast fealty Which I do owe vnto all womankynd Feele my hart perst with so great agony When such I see that all for pitty I could dy And now it is empassioned so deepe For fairest Vnaes sake of whom I sing That my frayle eies these lines with teares do steepe To thinke how she through guylefull handeling Though true as touch though daughter of a king Though faire as euer liuing wight was fayre Though nor in word nor deede ill meriting Is from her knight diuorced in despayre And her dew loues deryu'd to that vile witches shayre Yet she most faithfull Ladie all this while Forsaken wofull solitarie mayd Far from all peoples preace as in exile In wildernesse and wastfull deserts strayd To seeke her knight who subtily betrayd Through that late vision which th' Enchaunter wrought Had her abandond She of nought affrayd Through woods and wastnes wide him daily sought Yet wished tydinges none of him vnto her brought One day nigh wearie of the yrkesome way From her vnhastie beast she did alight And on the grasse her dainty limbs did lay In secrete shadow far from all mens sight From her fayre head her fillet she vndight And layd her stole aside Her angels face As the great eye of heauen shyned bright And made a sunshine in the shady place Did neuer mortall eye behold such heauenly grace It fortuned out of the thickest wood A ramping Lyon rushed suddeinly Hunting full greedy after saluage blood Soone as the royall virgin he did spy With gaping mouth at her ran greedily To haue attonce deuourd her tender corse But to the pray when as he drew more ny His bloody rage aswaged with remorse And with the sight amazd forgat his furious forse In stead thereof he kist her wearie feet And lickt her lilly hands with fawning tong As he her wronged innocence did weet O how can beautie maister the most strong And simple truth subdue auenging wrong Whose yielded pryde and proud submission Still dreading death when she had marked long Her hart gan melt in great compassion And drizling teares did shed for pure affection The Lyon Lord of euerie beast in field Quoth she his princely puissance doth abate And mightie proud to humble weake does yield Forgetfull of the hungry rage which late Him prickt in pit tie of my sad estate But he my Lyon and my noble Lord How does he find in cruell hart to hate Her that him lou'd and euer most adord As the God of my life why hath he me abhord Redounding teares did choke th' end of her plaint Which softly ecchoed from the neighbour wood And sad to see her sorrowfull constraint The kingly beast vpon her gazing stood With pittie calmd downe fell his angry mood At last in close hart shutting vp her payne Arose the virgin borne of heauenly brood And to her snowy Palfrey got agayne To seeke her strayed Champion if she might attayne The Lyon would not leaue her desolate But with her went along as a strong gard Of her chast person and a faythfull mate Of her sad troubles and misfortunes hard Still when she slept he kept both watch and ward And when she wakt he wayted diligent With humble seruice to her will prepard From her fayre eyes he tooke commandement And euer by her lookes conceiued herintent Long 〈◊〉 thus 〈◊〉 through 〈◊〉 wyde By which she thought her wandring knight shold pas Yet neuer shew of liuing wight 〈◊〉 Till that at length she found the troden 〈◊〉 In which the tract of peoples footing was Vnder the steepe foot of a mountaine hore The same she followes till at last she has A damzell spyde slow footing her before That on her shoulders sad a 〈◊〉 of water bore To whom approching she to her gan call To weet if dwelling place were nigh at hand But the rude wench her answerd nought at all She could not heare nor speake nor vnderstand Till seeing by her side the Lyon 〈◊〉 With suddeine feare her pitcher downe she threw And fled away for neuer in that land Face of fayre Lady she before did vew And that dredd Lyons looke her cast in deadly hew Full fast she fled ne euer lookt behynd As if her life vpon the wager lay And home she came whereas her mother blynd Sate in eternall night nought could she say But 〈◊〉 catching hold did her dismay With quaking hands and other signes of feare Who full of ghastly fright and cold affray Gan shut the dore By this 〈◊〉 there Dame Vna weary Dame and entrance did requere Which when none yielded her vnruly Page With his rude clawes the wicket open rent And let her in where of his cruell rage Nigh dead with feare and faint astonishment Shee found them both in darkefome corner pent Where that old woman day and night did pray Vpon her beads deuoutly penitent Nine hundred Pater nosters euery day And thrise nine hundred Aues she was wont to say And to augment her painefull penaunce more Thrise euery weeke in 〈◊〉 shee did sitt And next her wrinkled 〈◊〉 rough sackecloth wore And thrise three times did fast from any bitt But now for feare her beads she did forgett Whose needelesse dread for to remoue away Faire Vna framed words and count'naunce fitt Which hardly 〈◊〉 at length she 〈◊〉 them pray That in
brightnesse they dismaid High lifted vp were many loftie towres And goodly galleries far ouer laid Full of faire windowes and delightful bowres And on the top a Diall told the timely howres It was a goodly heape for to behould And spake the praises of the workmans witt But full great pittie that so faire a mould Did on so weake foundation euer sitt For on a sandie hill that still did flitt And fall away it mounted was full hie That euery breath of heauen shaked itt And all the hinder partes that few could spie Were ruinous and old but painted cunningly Arriued there they passed in forth right For still to all the gates stood open wide Yet charge of them was to a Porter hight Cald Maluenù who entrance none denide Thence to the hall which was on euery side With rich array and costly arras dight Infinite sortes of people did abide There waiting long to win the wished sight Of her that was the Lady of that Pallace bright By them they passe all gazing on them round And to the Presence mount whose glorious vew Their frayle amazed senses did confound In liuing Princes court none euer knew Such endlesse richesse and so sumpteous shew Ne Persia selfe the nourse of pompous pride Like euer saw And there a noble crew Of Lords and Ladies stood on euery side Which with their presence fayre the place much beautifide High aboue all a cloth of State was spred And a rich throne as bright as sunny day On which there sate most braue embellished With royall robes and gorgeous array A mayden Queene that shone as Titans ray In glistring gold and perelesse pretious stone Yet her bright blazing beautie did assay To dim the brightnesse of her glorious throne As enuying her selfe that too exceeding shone Exceeding shone like Phoebus fayrest childe That did presume his fathers fyrie wayne And flaming mouthes of steedes vnwonted wilde Through highest heauen with weaker hand to rayne Proud of such glory and aduancement vayne While flashing beames do daze his feeble eyen He leaues the welkin way most beaten playne And rapt with whirling wheeles inflames the skyen With fire not made to burne but fayrely for to shyne So proud she shyned in her princely state Looking to heauen for earth she did disdayne And sitting high for lowly she did hate Lo vnder neath her scornefull feete was layne A dreadfull Dragon with an hideous trayne And in her hand she held a mirrhour bright Wherein her face she often vewed fayne And in her selfe-lou'd semblance tooke delight For she was wondrous faire as any liuing wight Of griesly Pluto she the daughter was And sad Proserpina the Queene of hell Yet did she thinke her pearelesse worth to pas That parentage with pride so did she swell And thundring Iove that high in heauen doth dwell And wield the world she claymed for her syre Or if that any else did Ioue excell For to the highest she did still aspyre Or if ought higher were then that did it desyre And proud Lucifera men did her call That made her selfe a Queene and crownd to be Yet rightfull kingdome she had none at all Ne heritage of natiue soueraintie But did vsurpe with wrong and tyrannie Vpon the scepter which she now did hold Ne ruld her Realme with lawes but pollicie And strong aduizement of six wisards old That with their counsels bad her kingdome did vphold Soone as the Elfin knight in presence came And false Duessa seeming Lady fayre A gentle Husher Vanitie by name Made rowme and passage for them did prepaire So goodly brought them to the lowest stayre Of her high throne where they on humble knee Making obeysaunce did the cause declare Why they were come her roiall state to see To proue the wide report of her great Maiestee With loftie eyes halfe loth to looke so lowe She thancked them in her disdainefull wise Ne other grace vouchsafed them to showe Of Princesse worthy scarse them bad arise Her Lordes and Ladies all this while deuise Themselues to setten forth to straungers sight Some frounce their curled heare in courtly guise Some prancke their ruffes and others trimly dight Their gay attyre each others greater pride does spight Goodly they all that knight doe entertayne Right glad with him to haue increast their crew But to Duess each one himselfe did payne All kindnesse and faire courtesie to shew For in that court whylome her well they knew Yet the stout Faery mongst the middest crowd Thought all their glorie vaine in knightly vew And that great Princesse too exceeding prowd That to strange knight no better countenance allowd Suddein vpriseth from her stately place The roiall Dame and for her coche doth call All hurtlen forth and she with princely pace As faire Aurora in her purple pall Out of the East the dawning day doth call So forth she comes her brightnes brode doth 〈◊〉 The heapes of people thronging in the hall Doe ride each other vpon her to gaze Her glorious glitter and light doth all mens eies amaze So forth she comes and to her coche does clyme Adorned all with gold and girlonds gay That seemd as fresh as Flora in her prime And stroue to match in roiall rich array Great 〈◊〉 golden chayre the which they say The Gods stand gazing on when she does ride To Ioues high hous through heauens bras paued way Drawne of fayre Pecocks that excell in pride And full of 〈◊〉 eyes their tayles dispredden wide But this was drawne of six vnequall beasts On which her six sage Counsellours did ryde Taught to obay their bestiall be heasts With like conditions to their kindes applyde Of which the first that all the rest did guyde Was sluggish Idlenesse the nourse of sin Vpon a slouthfull Asse he chose to ryde Arayd in habit blacke and amis thin Like to an holy Monck the seruice to begin And in his hand his Portesse still he bare That much was worne but therein little redd For of deuotion he had little care Still drownd in sleepe and most of his daies dedd Scarse could he once vphold his heauie hedd To looken whether it were night or day May seeme the wayne was very euill ledd When such an one had guiding of the way That knew not whether right he went or else astray From worldly cares himselfe he did 〈◊〉 And greatly shunned manly exercise From 〈◊〉 worke he chalenged essoyne For contemplation sake yet otherwise His life he led in lawlesse riotise By which he grew to grieuous malady For in his lustlesse limbs through euill guise A shaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 continually 〈◊〉 one was Idlenesse first of this company And by his side rode loathsome Gluttony Deformed creature on a filthie swyne His belly was vpblowne with luxury And eke with fatnesse swollen were his eyne And like a Crane his necke was long and fyne With which he swallowd vp excessiue feast For want whereof poore people oft did pyne And all the way most like a brutish beast He spued vp
of late destroy His eldest brother burning all with rage He to him lept and that same enuious gage Of victors glory from him snacht away But th'Elfin knight which ought that warlike wage Disdaind to loose the meed he wonne in fray And him rencountring fierce reskewd the noble pray Therewith they gan to hurtlen greedily Redoubted battaile ready to darrayne And clash their shields and shake their swerds on hy That with their sturre they troubled all the traine Till that great Queene vpon eternall paine Of high displeasure that ensewen might Commaunded them their fury to refraine And if that either to that shield had right In equall lists they should the morrow next it fight Ah dearest Dame qd then the Paynim bold Pardon the error of enraged wight Whome great griefe made forgett the raines to hold Of reasons rule to see this recreaunt knight No knight but treachour full of false despight And shameful treason who through guile hath slayn The prowest knight that euer field did fight Euen stout Sans foy O who can then refrayn Whose shield he beares renuerst the more to heap disdayn And to augment the glorie of his guile His dearest loue the faire Fidessa loe Is there possessed of the traytour vile Who reapes the haruest sowen by his foe Sowen in bloodie field and bought with woe That brothers hand shall dearely well requight So be O Queene you equall fauour showe Him litle answerd th' angry Elfin knight He neuer meant with words but swords to plead his right But threw his gauntlet as a sacred pledg His cause in combat the next day to try So been they parted both with harts on edg To be aueng'd each on his enimy That night they pas in ioy and iollity Feasting and courting both in bowre and hall For Steward was 〈◊〉 Gluttony That of his plenty poured forth to all Which doen the Chamberlain Slowth did to rest them call Now whenas darkesome night had all displayd Her coleblacke curtein ouer brightest skye The warlike youthes on dayntie couches layd Did chace away sweet sleepe from sluggish eye To muse on meanes of hoped victory But whenas Morpheus had with leaden mace Arrested all that courtly company Vprose Duessa from her resting place And to the Paynims lodging comes with silent pace Whom broad awake she findes in troublous fitt Forecasting how his foe he might annoy And him amoues with speaches seeming fitt Ah deare Sansioy next dearest to Sansfoy Cause of my new griefe cause of new ioy Ioyous to see his ymage in mine eye And greeud to thinke how foe did him destroy That was the flowre of grace and cheualrye Lo his 〈◊〉 to thy secret faith I flye With gentle wordes he can her fayrely greet And bad say on the secrete of her hart Then sighing soft I learne that litle sweet Oft tempred is quoth she with muchell smart For since my brest was launcht with 〈◊〉 dart Of deare Sanfoy I neuer ioyed howre But in eternall woes my weaker hatt Haue wasted louing him with all my powre And for his sake haue felt full many an heauie 〈◊〉 At last when perils all I weened past And hop'd to reape the crop of all my care Into new woes vnweeting I was cast By this false faytor who vnworthie ware His worthie shield whom he with guilefull 〈◊〉 Entrapped slew and brought to shamefull graue Me silly maid away with him he bare And euer since hath kept in darksom caue For that I would not yeeld that to Sansfoy I gaue 〈◊〉 since faire Sunne hath sperst that lowring clowd And to my loathed life now shewes some light Vnder your beames I will me safely shrowd From dreaded storme of his disdainfull spight To you th' inheritance belonges by right Of brothers prayse to you eke longes his loue Let not his loue let not his restlesse spright Be vnreueng'd that calles to you aboue From wandring Stygian shores where it doth endlesse moue Thereto said he faire Dame be nought dismaid For sorrowes past their griefe is with them gone Ne yet of present perill be affraid For needlesse feare did neuer vantage none And helplesse hap it booteth not to mone Dead is Sansfoy his vitall paines are past Though greeued ghost for vengeance deep do grone He liues that shall him pay his dewties last And guiltie Elfin blood shall sacrifice in hast O But I feare the fickle freakes quoth shee Of fortune false and oddes of armes in field Why dame quoth he what oddes can euer bee Where both doe fight alike to win or yield Yea but quoth she he beares a charmed shield And eke enchaunted armes that none can perce Ne none can wound the man that does them wield Charmd or enchaunted answerd he then ferce I no whitt reck ne you the like need to reherce But faire Fidessa sithens fortunes guile Or enimies powre hath now captiued you Returne from whence ye came and rest a while Till morrow next that I the Elfe subdew And with Sansfoyes dead dowry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ay me that is a double death she said With proud foes sight my sorrow to renew Where euer yet I be my secrete aide Shall follow you So passing forth she him obaid Cant V. The faithfull knight in equall field subdewes his faithlesse foe Whom false Duessa saues and for his cure to hell does goe THe noble hart that harbours vertuous thought And is with childe of glorious great intent Can neuer rest vntill it forth haue brought Th' eternall brood of glorie excellent Such restlesse passion did all night torment The flaming corage of that Faery knight Deuizing how that doughtie turnament With greatest honour he atchieuen might Still did he wake and still did watch for dawning light At last the golden Orientall gate Of greatest heauen gan to open fayre And Phoebus fresh as brydegrome to his mate Came dauncing forth shaking his deawie hayre And hurls his glistring beams through gloomy ayre Which whē the wakeful Elfe perceiud streight way He started vp and did him selfe prepayre In sunbright armes and battailous array For with that Pagan proud he combatt will that day And forth he comes into the commune hall Where earely waite him many a gazing eye To weet what end to straunger knights may fall There many Minstrales maken melody To driue away the dull melancholy And many Bardes that to the trembling chord Can tune their timely voices cunningly And many Chroniclers that can record Old loues and warres for Ladies doen by many a Lord. Soone after comes the cruell Sarazin In wouen maile all armed warily And sternly lookes at him who not a pin Does care for looke of liuing creatures eye They bring them wines of Greece and Araby And daintie spices fetcht from furthest Ynd To kindle heat of corage priuily And in the wine a solemne oth they bynd T' obserue the facred lawes of armes that are assynd At last forth comes that far renowmed Queene With royall pomp and princely maiestie She is ybrought vnto a paled greene
rain When Ioue auizd that could the dead reviue And fates expired could renew again Of endlesse life he might him not depriue But vnto hell did thrust him downe aliue With flashing thunderbolty wounded sore Where long remaining he did alwaies striue Him selfe with salues to health for to restore And slake the heauenly sire that raged euermore There auncient Night arriuing did alight From her nigh weary wayne and in her armes To AEsculapius brought the wounded knight Whome hauing softly disaraid of armes Tho gan to him discouer all his harmes Beseeching him with prayer and with praise If either salues or oyles or herbes or charmes A for donne wight from dore of death mote raise He would at her request prolong her nephews daies Ah Dame qd he thou temptest me in vaine To dare the thing which daily yet I rew And the old cause of my continued paine With like attempt to like end to renew Is not enough that thrust from heauen dew Here endlesse penaunce for one fault I pay But that redoubled crime with vengeaunce new Thou biddest me to eeke Can Night defray The wrath of thundring Ioue that rules both night and day Not so qd she but sith that heauens king From hope of heauen hath thee excluded quight Why fearest thou that canst not hope for thing And fearest not that more thee hurten might Now in the powre of euerlasting Night Goe to then O thou far renouned sonne Of great Apollo shew thy famous might In medicine that els hath to thee wonne Great pains and greater praise both neuer to be donne Her words preuaild And then the learned leach His cunning hand gan to his wounds to lay And all things els the which his art did teach Which hauing seene from thence arose away The mother of dredd darkenesse and let stay Aueugles sonne there in the leaches cure And backe retourning tooke her wonted way To ronne her timely race whilst Phoebus pure In westerne waues his weary wagon did recure The false Duessa leauing noyous Night Returnd to stately pallace of Dame Pryde Where when she came she found the Faery knight Departed thence albee his woundes wyde Not throughly heald vnready were to ryde Good cause he had to hasten thence away For on a day his wary Dwarfe had spyde Where in a dungeon deepe huge nombers lay Of caytiue wretched thralls that wayled night and day A ruefull sight as could be seene with eie Of whom he learned had in secret wise The hidden cause of their captiuitie How mortgaging their liues to Couetise Through wastfull Pride and wanton Riotise They were by law of that proud Tyrannesse Prouokt with Wrath and Enuyes false surmise Condemned to that Dongeon mercilesse Where they should liue in wo dye in wretchednesse There was that great proud king of Babylon That would 〈◊〉 all nations to adore And him as onely God to call vpon Till through celestiall doome thrown out of dore Into an Oxe he was transformd of yore There also was king Croesus that enhaunst His hart too high through his great richesse store And proud Antiochus the which aduaunst His cursed hand gainst God and on his altares daunst And them long time before great Nimrod was That first the world with sword and fire warrayd And after him old Ninus far did pas In princely pomp of all the world obayd There also was that mightie Monarch layd Low vnder all yet aboue all in pride That name of natiue syre did fowle vpbrayd And would as Ammons sonne be magnifide Till scornd of God and man a shamefull death he dide All these together in one heape were throwne Like carkases of beastes in butchers stall And in another corner wide were strowne The Antique ruins of the Romanes fall Great Romulus the Grandsyre of them all Proud Tarquin and too lordly Lentulus Stout Scipio and stubborne Hanniball Ambitious Sylla and sterne Marius High Caesar great Pompey and fiers Antonius Amongst these mightie men were wemen mixt Proud wemen vaine forgetfull of their yoke The bold Semiramis whose sides transfixt With sonnes own blade her fowle reproches spoke Fayre Sthenoboea that herselfe did choke With wilfull chord for wanting of her will High minded Cleopatra that with stroke Of Aspes sting herselfe did stoutly kill And thousands moe the like that did that dongeon fill Besides the endlesse routes of wretched thralles Which thether were assembled day by day From all the world after their wofull falles Through wicked 〈◊〉 and wasted welthes decay But most of all which in the Dongeon lay Fell from high Princes courtes or Ladies bowres Where they in ydle pomp or wanton play Consumed had their goods and thriftlesse howres And lastly thrown themselues into these heauy stowres Whose case whenas the carefull Dwarfe had tould And made ensample of their mournfull sight Vnto his maister he no lenger would There dwell in perill of like painefull plight But earely rose and ere that dawning light Discouered had the world to heauen wyde He by a priuy Posterne tooke his flight That of no enuious eyes he mote be spyde For doubtlesse death ensewed if any him descryde Scarse could he footing find in that fowle way For many corses like a great Lay-stall Of murdred men which therein strowed lay Without remorse or decent funerall Which al through that great Princesse pride did fall And came to shamefull end And them besyde Forth ryding vnderneath the castell wall A Donghill of dead carcases he spyde The dreadfull spectacle of that sad house of Pryde Can. VI. From lawlesse lust by wondrous grace fayre Una is releast Whom saluage nation does adore and learnes her wise beheast AS when a ship that flyes fayre vnder sayle An hidden rocke escaped hath vnwares That lay in waite her 〈◊〉 for to 〈◊〉 waile The Marriner yet halfe amazed stares At perill past and yet it doubt ne dares To ioy at his foolhappie ouersight So doubly is distrest twixt ioy and cares The dreadlesse corage of this Elfin knight Hauing escapt so sad ensamples in his sight Yet sad he was that his too hastie speed The fayre Duess ' had forst him leaue behind And yet more sad that Vna his deare dreed Her truth had staynd with treason so vnkind Yet cryme in her could neuer creature find But for his loue and for her own selfe sake She wandred had from one to other Ynd Him for to seeke ne euer would forsake Till her vnwares the fiers Sansloy did ouertake Who after Archimagoes fowle defeat Led her away into a forest wilde And turning wrathfull fyre to lustfull 〈◊〉 With beastly sin thought her to haue defilde And made the vassall of his pleasures vilde Yet first he cast by treatie and by traynes Her to persuade that stubborne fort to yilde For greater conquest of hard loue he gaynes That workes it to his will then he that it constraines With fawning wordes he courted her a while And looking louely and oft sighing sore Her constant hart did tempt with diuerse
The God of warre with his fiers equipage Thou doest awake sleepe neuer he so sownd And feared nations doest with horror sterne astownd Fayre Goddesse lay that furious fitt asyde Till I of warres and bloody Mars doe sing And Bryton fieldes with Sarazin blood bedyde Twixt that great faery Queene and Paynim king That with their horror heuen and earth did ring A worke of labour long and endlesse prayse But now a while lett downe that haughtie string And to my tunes thy second tenor rayse That I this man of God his godly armes may blaze By this the dreadfull Beast drew nigh to hand Halfe flying and halfe footing in his haste That with his largenesse measured much land And made wide shadow vnder his huge waste As mountaine doth the valley ouercaste Approching nigh he reared high afore His body monstrous horrible and vaste Which to increase his wondrous greatnes more Was swoln with wrath poyson with bloody gore And ouer all with brasen scales was armd Like plated cote of steele so couched neare That nought mote perce ne might his corse bee harmd With dint of swerd nor push of pointed speare Which as an Eagle seeing pray appeare His aery plumes doth rouze full rudely dight So shaked he that horror was to heare For as the clashing of an Armor bright Such noyse his rouzed scales did send vnto the knight His flaggy winges when forth he did display Were like two sayles in which the hollow wynd Is gathered full and worketh speedy way And eke the pennes that did his pineons bynd Were like mayne-yardes with flying canuas kynd With which whenas him list the ayre to beat And there by force vnwonted passage fynd The clowdes before him fledd for terror great And all the heuens stood still amazed with his threat His huge long tayle wownd vp in hundred foldes Does ouerspred his long bras-scaly back Whose wreathed boughtes when euer he vnfoldes And thick entangled knots adown does slack Bespotted all with shieldes of red and blacke It sweepeth all the land behind him farre And of three furlongs does but litle lacke And at the point two stinges in fixed arre Both deadly sharp that sharpest steele exceeden farr But stinges and sharpest steele did far exceed The sharpnesse of his cruel rending clawes Dead was it sure as sure as death in deed What euer thing does touch his rauenous pawes Or what within his reach he euer drawes But his most hideous head my tongue to tell Does tremble for his deepe deuouring iawes Wyde gaped like the griesly mouth of hell Through which into his darke abysse all rauin fell And that more wondrous was in either iaw Three ranckes 〈◊〉 teeth enraunged were In which yett trickling blood and gobbets raw Of late deuoured bodies did appeare That sight thereof bredd cold congealed feare Which to increase and all atonce to kill A cloud of smoothering smoke and sulphure seare Out of his stinking gorge forth steemed still That all the ayre about with smoke and stench did fill His blazing eyes like two bright shining shieldes Did burne with wrath and sparkled liuing fyre As two broad Beacons sett in open fieldes Send forth their flames far of to euery shyre And warning giue that enimies conspyre With fire and sword the region to inuade So flam'd his eyne with rage and rancorous yre But far within as in a hollow glade Those glaring lampes were sett that made a dreadfull shade So dreadfully he towardes him did pas Forelifting vp a loft his speckled brest And often bounding on the brused gras As for great ioyaunce of his new come guest Eftsoones he gan aduaunce his haughty crest As chauffed Bore his bristles doth vpreare And shoke his scales to battaile ready drest That made the Redcrosse knight nigh quake for feare As bidding bold defyaunce to his foeman neare The knight gan fayrely couch his steady speare And fiersely ran at him with rigorous might The pointed steele arriuing rudely theare His harder hyde would nether perce nor bight But glauncing by foorth passed forward right Yet sore amoued with so puissaunt push The wrathfull beast about him turned light And him so rudely passing by did brush With his long tayle that horse and man to ground did rush Both horse and man vp lightly rose againe And fresh encounter towardes him addrest But th'ydle stroke yet backe recoyld in vaine And found no place his deadly point to rest Exceeding rage enflam'd the furious beast To be auenged of so great despight For neuer felt his imperceable brest So wondrous force from hand of liuing wight Yet had he prou'd the powre of many a puissant knight Then with his wauing wings displayed wyde Himselfe vp high he lifted from the ground And with strong flight did forcibly diuyde The yielding ayre which nigh too feeble found Her flitting parts and element vnsound To beare so great a weight he cutting way With his broad sayles about him soared round At last low stouping with vnweldy sway Snatcht vp both horse man to beare thē quite away Long he them bore aboue the subiect plaine So far as Ewghen bow a shaft may send Till struggling strong did him at last constraine To let them downe before his flightes end As hagard hauke presuming to contend With hardy fowle aboue his hable might His wearie pounces all in vaine doth spend To trusse the pray too heauy for his flight Which comming down to ground does free it selfe by fight He so disseized of his gryping grosse The knight his thrillant speare againe assayd In his bras-plated body to embosse And three mens strength vnto the stroake he Iayd Wherewith the stiffe 〈◊〉 quaked as affrayd And glauncing from his scaly necke did glyde Close vnder his left wing then broad displayd The percing steele there wrought a wound full wyde That with the vncouth smart the Monster lowdly cryde He cryde as raging seas are wont to rore When wintry storme his wrathful wreck does threat The rolling billowes beat the ragged shore As they the earth would shoulder from her seat And greedy gulfe does gape as he would eat His neighbour element in his reuenge Then gin the blustring brethren boldly threat To moue the world from off his stedfast henge And boystrous battaile make each other to auenge The steely head stuck fast still in his flesh Till with his cruell clawes he snatcht the wood And quite a sunder broke Forth flowed fresh A gushing riuer of blacke gory blood That drowned all the land whereon he stood The streame thereof would driue a water-mill Trebly angmented was his furious mood With bitter sence of his deepe rooted ill That flames of fire he threw forth frō his large nosethril His hideous tayle then hurled he about And therewith all enwrapt the nimble thyes Of his froth-fomy steed whose courage stout Striuing to loose the knott that fast him tyes Himselfe in streighter bandes too rash implyes That to the ground he is perforce constraynd To throw his ryder
her owne natiue hew But wrought by art and counterfetted shew Thereby more louers vnto her to call Nath'lesse most heuenly faire in deed and vew She by creation was till she did fall Thēceforth she sought for helps to 〈◊〉 crimewithall There as in glistring glory she did sitt She held a great gold chaine ylincked well Whose vpper end to highest heuen was knitt And lower part did reach to lowest Hell And all that preace did rownd about her swell To catchen hold of that long chaine thereby To climbe aloft and others to excell That was Ambition rash desire to sty And euery linck thereof a step of dignity Some thought to raise themselues to high degree By riches and vnrighteous reward Some by close shouldring some by flatteree Others through friendes others for base regard And all by wrong waies for themselues prepard Those that were vp themselues kept others low Those that were low themselues held others hard Ne suffred them to ryse or greater grow But euery one did 〈◊〉 his fellow downe to throw Which whenas Guyon saw he gan inquire What meant that preace about that Ladies 〈◊〉 And what she was that did so high aspyre Him Mammon answered That goodly one Whom all that folke with such contention Doeflock about my deare my daughter is Honour and dignitie from her alone Deriued are and all this worldes blis For which ye men doe striue few gett but many mis. And fayre Philotime she rightly hight The fairest wight that wonneth vnder skye But that this darksom neather world her light Doth dim with horror and deformity Worthie of heuen and hye felicitie From whence the gods haue her for enuy thrust But sith thou hast found fauour in mine eye Thy spouse I will her make if that thou lust That she may thee aduance for works and merits iust Gramercy Mammom said the gentle knight For so great grace and offred high estate But I that am fraile flesh and earthly wight Vnworthy match for such immortall mate My selfe well wote and mine vnequall fate And were I not yet is my trouth yplight And loue 〈◊〉 to other Lady late That to remoue the same I haue no might To 〈◊〉 loue causelesse is reproch to warlike knight 〈◊〉 emmoued was with inward wrath Yet forcing it to fayne him forth thence ledd Through griesly shadowes by a beaten path Into a gardin goodly garnished With hearbs fruits whose kinds mote not be redd Not such as earth out of her fruitfull woomb Throwes forth to men sweet and well savored But direfull deadly black both leafe and bloom Fitt to adorne the dead and deck the drery toombe There mournfull Cypresse grew in greatest store And trees of bitter Gall and Heben sad Dead sleeping Poppy and black Hellebore Cold Coloquintida and Tetra mad Mortall Samnitis and Cicuta bad Which with th'vniust Atheniens made to dy Wise Socrates who thereof quaffing glad Pourd out his life and last Philosophy To the fayre Critias his dearest Belamy The Gardin of Proserpina this hight And in the midst thereof a siluer seat With a thick Arber goodly ouerdight In which she often vsd from open heat Her selfe to shroud and pleasures to entreat Next thereunto did grow a goodly tree With braunches broad dispredd and body great Clothed with leaues that none the wood mote see And loaden all with fruit as thick as it might bee Their fruit were golden apples glistring bright That goodly was their glory to behold On earth like neuer grew ne liuing wight Like euer saw but they from hence were sold For those which Hercules with conquest bold Got from great Atlas daughters hence began And planted there did bring forth fruit of gold And those with which the Eubaean young man wan Swift Atalanta when through craft he her out ran Here also sprong that goodly golden fruit With which Acontius got his louer trew Whom he had long time sought with fruitlesse suit Here eke that famous golden Apple grew The which emongest the Gods false Ate threw For which th' Idaean Ladies disagreed Till partiall Paris dempt it Venus dew And had of her fayre Helen for his meed That many noble Greekes and Troians made to bleed The warlike Elfe much wondred at this tree So fayre and great that shadowed all the ground And his broad braunches laden with rich fee Did stretch themselues without the vtmost bound Of this great gardin compast with a mound Which ouer-hanging they themselues did steepe In a blacke flood which flow'd about it round That is the riuer of Cocytus deepe In which full many soules do endlesse wayle and weepe Which to behold he clomb vp to the bancke And looking downe saw many damned wightes In those sad waues which direfull deadly stancke Plonged continually of cruell Sprightes That with their piteous cryes and yelling shrightes They made the further shore resounden wide Emongst the rest of those same ruefull sightes One cursed creature he by chaunce espide That drenched lay full deepe vnder the Garden side Deepe was he drenched to the vpmost chin Yet gaped still as coueting to drinke Of the cold liquour which he waded in And stretching forth his hand did often thinke To reach the fruit which grew vpon the brincke But both the fruit from hand and flood from mouth Did fly abacke and made him vainely swincke The whiles he steru'd with hunger and with drouth He daily dyde yet neuer throughly dyen couth The knight him seeing labour so in vaine Askt who he was and what he ment thereby Who groning deepe thus answerd him againe Most cursed of all creatures vnder skye Lo Tantalus I here tormented lye Of whom high Ioue wont whylome feasted bee Lo here I now for want of food doe dye But if that thou be such as I thee see Of grace I pray thee giue to eat and drinke to mee Nay nay thou greedy Tantalus quoth he Abide the fortune of thy present fate And vnto all that liue in high degree Ensample be of mind more temperate To teach them how to vse their present state Then gan the cursed wretch alowd to cry Accusing highest Ioue and gods ingrate And eke blaspheming heauen bitterly As authour of vniustice there to let him dye He lookt a litle further and espyde Another wretch whose carcas deepe was drent Within the riuer which the same did hyde But both his handes most filthy feculent Aboue the water were on high extent And faynd to wash themselues incessantly Yet nothing cleaner were for such intent But rather fowler seemed to the eye So lost his labour vaine and ydle industry The knight him calling asked who he was Who lifting vp his head him answerd thus I Pilate am the falsest Iudge alas And most vniust that by vnrighteous And wicked doome to Iewes despiteous Deliuered vp the Lord of life to dye And did acquite a murdrer felonous The whiles my handes I washt in purity The whiles my soule was soyld with fowle iniquity Infinite moe tormented in like
bespake why wonder yee Faire Sir at that which ye so much embrace She is the fountaine of your modestee You shamefast are but Shamefastnes it selfe is shee Thereat the Elfe did blush in priuitee And turnd his face away but she the same Dissembled faire and faynd to ouersee Thus they awhile with court and goodly game Themselues did solace each one with his Dame Till that great Lady thence away them sought To vew her Castles other wondrous frame Vp to a stately Turret she them brought Ascending by ten steps of Alablaster wrought That Turrets frame most admirable was Like highest heauen compassed around And lifted high aboue this earthly masse Which it suruewd as hils doen lower ground But not on ground 〈◊〉 like to this be found Not that which antique Cadmus whylome built In Thebes which Alexander did confound Nor that proud towre of Troy though richly guilt From which young Hector's blood by cruell Greekes was spilt The roofe hereof was arched ouer head And deckt with flowers and herbars daintily Two goodly Beacons set in watches stead Therein gaue light and flamd continually For they of liuing fire most subtilly Were made and set in siluer sockets bright Couer'd with lids deuiz'd of substancesly That readily they shut and open might O who can tell the prayses of that makers might Ne can I tell ne can I stay to tell This parts great workemanship wondrous powre That all this other worldes worke doth excell And likest is vnto that heauenly towre That God hath built for his owne blessed bowre Therein were diuers rowmes and diuers stages But three the chiefest and of greatest powre In which there dwelt three honorable sages The wisest men I weene that liued in their ages Not he whom Greece the Nourse of all good arts By Phaebus doome the wisest thought aliue Might be compar'd to this by many parts Nor that sage Pylian syre which did suruiue Three ages such as mortall men contriue By whose aduise old Priams cittie fell With these in praise of pollicies mote striue These three in these three rowmes did sondry dwell And counselled faire Alma how to gouerne well The first of them could things to come foresee The next could of thinges present best aduize The third things past could keepe in memoree So that no time nor reason could arize But that the same could one 〈◊〉 these comprize For thy the first did in the forepart sit That nought mote hinder his quicke 〈◊〉 He had a sharpe foresight and working wit That neuer idle was ne once would rest a whit His chamber was dispainted all with in With sondry colours in the which were writ Infinite shapes of thinges dispersed thin Some such as in the world were neuer yit Ne can deuized be of mortall wit Some daily seene and knowen by their names Such as in idle fantasies doe flit Infernall Hags 〈◊〉 feendes Hippodames Apes Lyons Aegles Owles fooles louers children Dames And all the chamber filled was with flyes Which buzzed all about and made such sound That they encombred all mens eares and eyes Like many swarmes of Bees assembled round After their hiues with honny do 〈◊〉 All those were idle thoughtes and fantasies Deuices dreames opinions vnsound Shewes visions sooth-sayes and prophesies And all that fained is as leasings tales and lies Emongst them all sate he which wonned there That hight Phantastes by his nature trew A man of yeares yet fresh as 〈◊〉 appere Of swarth-complexion and of crabbed hew That him full of melancholy did shew Bent hollow beetle browes sharpe staring eyes That mad or foolish seemd one by his vew Mote deeme him borne with ill disposed skyes When oblique Saturne sate in the house of agonyes Whom Alma hauing shewed to her guestes Thence brought thē to the second rowme whose wals Were painted faire with memorable gestes Of famous Wisards and with picturals Of Magistrates of courts of tribunals Of commen wealthes of states of pollicy Of lawes of iudgementes and of decretals All artes all science all Philosophy And all that in the world was ay thought wittily Of those that rowme was full and them among There sate a man of ripe and perfect age Who did them meditate all his life long That through continuall practise and vsage He now was growne right wise and wondrous sage Great plesure had those straunger knightes to see His goodly reason and graue personage That his disciples both desyrd to bee But Alma thence thē led to th'hindmost rowme of three That chamber seemed ruinous and old And therefore was remoued far behind Yet were the wals that did the same vphold Right firme strong though somwhat they declind And therein sat an old oldman halfe blind And all decrepit in his feeble corse Yet liuely vigour rested in his mind And recompenst him with a better scorse Weake body welis chang'd for minds redoubled forse This man of infinite remembraunce was And things foregone through many ages held Which he recorded still as they did pas Ne suffred them to perish through long eld As all things els the which this world doth weld But laid them vp in his immortall scrine Where they for euer incorrupted dweld The warres he well remembred of king Nine Of old Assaracus and Inachus diuine The yeares of Nestor nothing were so his Ne yet Mathusalem though longest liu'd For he remembred both their infancis Ne wonder then if that he were depriu'd Of natiue strength now that he them suruiu'd His chamber all was hangd about with rolls And old records from auncient times deriud Some made in books some in lōg parchment scrolls That were all worm-eaten and full of canker holes Amidst them all he in a chaire was sett Tossing and turning them withouten end But for he was vnhable them to fett A litle boy did on him still attend To reach when euer he for ought did send And oft when thinges were lost or laid amis That boy them sought and vnto him did lend Therefore he Anamnestes cleped is And that old man Eumnestes by their propertis The knightes there entring did him reuerence dew And wondred at his endlesse exercise Then as they gan his Library to vew And antique Regesters for to auise There chaunced to the Princes hand to rize An auncient booke hight Briton moniments That of this lands first conquest did deuize And old diuision into Regiments Till it reduced was to one mans gouernements Sir Guyon chaunst eke on another booke That hight Antiquitee of Faery lond In which when as he greedily did looke Th'ofspring of Elues and Faryes there he fond As it deliuered was from hond to hond Whereat they burning both with feruent fire Their countreys auncestry to vnderstond Crau'd leaue of Alma and that aged sire To read those bookes who gladly graunted their desire Cant. X. A chronicle of Briton kings From Brute to Uthers rayne And rolls of Elfin Emperours Till time of Gloriane WHo now shall giue vnto me words and sound Equall vnto this
feare She there attached far from all succoure The one she 〈◊〉 vpon the present floure But the sad virgin innocent of all Adowne the rolling riuer she did poure Which of her name now Seuerne men do call Such was the end that to disloyall loue did fall Then for her sonne which she to Locrin bore Madan was young vnmeet the rule to sway In her owne hand the crowne she kept in store Till ryper yeares he raught and stronger stay During which time her powre she did display Through all this realme the glory of her sex And first taught men a woman to obay But when her sonne to mans estate did wex She it surrendred ne her selfe would lenger vex Tho Madan raignd vnworthie of his race For with all shame that sacred throne he fild Next Memprise as vnworthy of that place In which being consorted with Manild For thirst of single kingdom him he kild But Ebranck salued both their infamies With noble deedes and warreyd on Brunchild In 〈◊〉 where yet of his victories Braue moniments remaine which yet that land enuies An happy man in his first dayes he was And happy father of faire progeny For all so many weekes as the yeare has So many children he did multiply Of which were twentie sonnes which did apply Their mindes to prayse and cheualrous desyre Those germans did subdew all Germany Of whom it hight but in the end their Syre With foule repulse from Fraunce was forced to retyre Which blott his sonne succeeding in his seat The second Brute the second both in name And eke in semblaunce of his puissaunce great Right well recur'd and did away that blame With recompence of euerlasting fame He with his victour sword first opened The bowels of wide Fraunce a forlorne Dame And taught her first how to be conquered Since which with sondrie spoiles she hath bene ransacked Let Scaldis tell and let tell Hania And let the marsh of Estham bruges tell What colour were their waters that same day And all the moore twixt Eluersham and Dell With blood of Henalois which therein fell How oft that day did sad Brunchildis see The greene shield dyde in dolorous vermell That not Seuith guiridh he mote seeme to bee But rather y Seuith gogh signe of sad crueltee His sonne king Leill by fathers labour long Enioyd an heritage of lasting peace And built Cairleill and built Cairleon strong Next Huddibras his realme did not encrease But taught the land from wearie wars to cease Whose footsteps Bladud following in artes Exceld at Athens all the learned preace From whēce he brought them to these saluage parts And with sweet science mollifide their stubborne harts Ensample of his wondrous faculty Behold the boyling Bathes at Cairbadon Which seeth with secret fire eternally And in their entrailles full of quick Brimston Nourish the flames which they are warmd vpon That to her people wealth they forth do well And health to euery forreyne nation Yet he at last contending to excell The reach of men through flight into fond mischieffell Next him king Leyr in happie peace long raynd But had no issue male him to succeed But three faire daughters which were well vptraind In all that seemed fitt for kingly seed Mongst whom his realme he equally decreed To haue diuided Tho when feeble age Nigh to his vtmost date he saw proceed He cald his daughters and with speeches sage 〈◊〉 which of them most did loue her parentage The eldest Gonorill gan to protest That she much more then her owne life him lou'd And Regan greater loue to him profest Then all the world when euer it were proou'd But Cordeill said she lou'd him as behoou'd Whose simple answere wanting colours fayre To paint it forth him to displeasaunce moou'd That in his crown he counted her no hayre But twixt the other twain his kingdom whole did shayre So wedded th' one to Maglan king of Scottes And thother to the king of Cambria And twixt them shayrd his realme by equall lottes But without dowre the wise Cordelia Was sent to Aggannip of Celtica Their aged Syre thus eased of his crowne A priuate life ledd in Albania With Gonorill long had in great renowne That nought him grieu'd to beene from rule deposed downe But true it is that when the oyle is spent The light goes out and weeke is throwne away So when he had resignd his regiment His daughter gan despise his drouping day And wearie wax of his continuall stay Tho to his daughter Regan he repayrd Who him at first well vsed euery way But when of his departure she despayrd Her bountie she abated and his cheare empayrd The wretched man gan then auise to late That loue is not where most it is profest Too truely tryde in his extremest state At last resolu'd likewise to proue the 〈◊〉 He to Cordelia him selfe addrest Who with entyre affection him receau'd As for her Syre and king her seemed best And after all au army strong she leau'd To war on those which him had of his realme bereau'd So to his crowne she him restord againe In which he dyde made ripe for death by eld And after wild it should to her remaine Who peaceably the same long time did weld And all mens harts in dew obedience held Till that her sisters children woxen strong Through proud ambition against her rebeld And ouercommen kept in prison long Till weary of that wretched life her selfe she hong Then gan the bloody brethren both to raine But fierce Cundah gan shortly to enuy His brother Morgan prickt with proud disdaine To haue a pere in part of souerainty And kindling coles of cruell enmity Raisd warre and him in batteill ouerthrew Whence as he to those woody hilles did fly Which hight of him Glamorgan there him slew Then did he raigne alone when he none equall knew His sonne Riuall ' his dead rowme did supply In whose sad time blood did from heauen rayne Next great Gurgustus then faire Coecily In constant peace their kingdomes did contayne After whom Lago and Kinmarke did rayne And Gorbogud till far in yeares he grew Then his Ambitious sonnes vnto them twayne Arraught the rule and from their father drew Stout Ferrex and sterne Porrex him in prison threw But O the greedy thirst of royall crowne That knowes no kinred nor regardes no right Stird Porrex vp to put his brother downe Who vnto him assembling forreigne might Made warre on him and fell him selfe in fight Whose death t' auenge his mother 〈◊〉 Most mercilesse of women Wyden hight Her other sonne fast sleeping did oppresse And with most cruell hand him murdred pittilesse Here ended Brutus sacred progeny Which had seuen hundred yeares this scepter borne With high renowme and great felicity The noble braunch from th'antique stocke was torne Through discord and the roiall throne forlorne Thenceforth this Realme was into factions rent Whilest each of Brutus boasted to be borne That in the end was left no moniment Of Brutus nor
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
who was in magick skild He built by art vpon the glassy See A bridge of bras whose sound heuēs thunder seem'd to bee He left three sonnes the which in order raynd And all their Ofspring in their dew descents Euen seuen hundred Princes which maintaynd With mightie deedes their sondry gouernments That were too long their infinite contents Here to record ne much materiall Yet should they be most famous moniments And braue ensample both of martiall And ciuil rule to kinges and states imperiall After all these Elficleos did rayne The wise Elficleos in great Maiestie Who mightily that scepter did sustayne And with rich spoyles and famous victorie Did high aduaunce the crowne of Faery He left two sonnes of which faire Elferon The eldest brother did vntimely dy Whose emptie place the mightie Oberon Doubly supplide in spousall and dominion Great was his power and glorie ouer all Which him before that sacred seate did fill That yet remaines his wide memoriall He dying left the fairest Tanaquill Him to succeede therein by his last will Fairer and nobler liueth none this howre Ne like in grace ne like in learned skill Therefore they Glorian call that glorious flowre Long mayst thou Glorian liue in glory great powre Beguyld thus with delight of nouelties And naturall desire of countryes state So long they redd in those antiquities That how the time was fled they quite forgate Till gentle Alma seeing it so late Perforce their studies broke and them besought To thinke how supper did them long awaite So halfe vnwilling from their bookes them brought And fayrely feasted as so noble knightes she ought Cant XI The enimies of T emperaunce besiege her dwelling place Prince Arthure them repelles and fowle Maleger doth deface WHat warre so cruel or what siege so sore As that which strong affections doe apply Against the forte of reason euermore To bring the sowle into captiuity Their force is fiercer through infirmity Of the fraile flesh relenting to their rage And exercise most bitter tyranny Vpon the partes brought into their bondage No wretchednesse is like to sinfull vellenage But in a body which doth freely yeeld His partes to reasons rule obedient And letteth her that ought the scepter weeld All happy peace and goodly gouernment Is setled there in sure establishment There Alma like a virgin Queene most bright Doth florish in all beautie excellent And to her guestes doth bounteous banket dight Attempred goodly well for health and for delight Early before the Morne with cremosin ray The windowes of bright heauen opened had Through which into the world the dawning day Might looke that maketh euery creature glad Vprose Sir Guyon in bright armour clad And to his purposd iourney him prepar'd With him the Palmer eke in habit sad Him selfe addrest to that aduenture hard So to the riuers syde they both together far'd Where them awaited ready at the ford The Ferriman as Alma had behight With his well rigged bore They goe abord And he eftsoones gan launch his barke forthright Ere long they rowed were quite out of sight And fast the land behynd them fled away But let them pas whiles winde and wether 〈◊〉 Doe serue their turnes here I a while must stay To see a cruell fight doen by the prince this day For all so soone as 〈◊〉 thence was gon Vpon his voyage with his trustie guyde That wicked band of villeins fresh begon That castle to assaile on euery side And lay strong siege about it far and wyde So huge and infinite their numbers were That all the land they vnder them did hyde So fowle and vgly that exceeding feare Their visages imprest when they approched neare Them in twelue troupes their Captein did dispart And round about in fittest steades did place Where each might best offend his proper part And his contrary obiect most deface As euery one seem'd meetest in that cace Seuen of the same against the Castle gate In strong entrenchments he did closely place Which with incessaunt force and endlesse hate They battred day and night and entraunce did awate The other fine fiue sondry wayes he sett Against the fiue great Bulwarkes of that pyle And vnto each a Bulwarke did arrett T' assayle with open force or hidden guyle In hope thereof to win victorious spoile They all that charge did feruently apply With greedie malice and importune toyle And planted there their huge artillery With which they dayly made most dreadfull battery The first troupe was a monstrous rablement Of fowle misshapen wightes of which some were Headed like Owles with beckes vncomely bent Others like Dogs others like Gryphons dreare And some had wings and some had clawes to teare And euery one of them had Lynces eyes And euery one did bow and arrowes beare All those were lawlesse lustes corrupt enuyes And couetous aspects all cruel enimyes Those same against the bulwarke of the Sight Did lay strong siege and battailous assault Ne once did yield it respitt day nor night But soone as Titan gan his head exault And soone againe as he his light withhault Their wicked engins they against it bent That is each thing by which the eyes may fault But two then all more huge and violent Beautie and money they against that Bulwarke lent The second Bulwarke was the Hearing sence Gainst which the second troupe assignment makes Deformed creatures in straunge difference Some hauing heads like Harts some like to Snakes Some like wilde Bores late rouzd out of the brakes Slaunderous reproches and fowle infamies Leasinges backbytinges and vaineglorious crakes Bad counsels prayses and false flatteries All those against that fort did bend their batteries Likewise that same third Fort that is the Smell Of that third troupe was cruelly assayd Whose hideous shapes were like to feendes of hell Some like to houndes some like to Apes dismayd Some like to Puttockes all in plumes arayd All shap't according their conditions For by those vgly formes weren pourtrayd Foolish delights and fond abusions Which doe that sence besiege with light illusions And that fourth band which cruell battry bent Against the fourth Bulwarke that is the Taste Was as the rest a grysie rablement Some mouth'd like greedy Oystriges some faste Like loathly Toades some fashioned in the waste Like swine for so deformd is luxury Surfeat misdiet and vnthriftie waste Vaine feastes and ydle superfluity All those this sences Fort assayle incessantly But the fift troupe most horrible of hew And ferce of force is dreadfull to report For some like Snailes some did like spyders shew And some like vgly Vrchins thick and short Cruelly they assayed that fift Fort Armed with dartes of sensuall delight With stinges of carnall lust and strong effort Of feeling pleasures with which day and night Against that same fift bulwarke they continued fight Thus these twelue troupes with dreadfull puissaunce Against that Castle restlesse siege did lay And euermore their hideous Ordinaunce Vpon the Bulwarkes cruelly did play That now it
Sir knight these ydle termes forbeare And sith it is vneath to finde his haunt Tell me some markes by which he may appeare If chaunce I him encounter parauaunt For perdy one shall other slay or daunt What shape what 〈◊〉 what armes what steed what stedd And what so else his person most may vaunt All which the Redcrosse knight to point aredd And him in euerie part before her fashioned Yet him in euerie part before she knew How euer list her now her knowledge fayne Sith him whylome in Brytayne she did vew To her reuealed in a mirrhour playne Whereof did grow her first engraffed payne Whose root and stalke so bitter yet did taste That but the fruit more sweetnes did contayne Her wretched dayes in dolour she mote waste And yield the pray of loue to lothsome death at last By straunge occasion she did him behold And much more straungely gan to loue his sight As it in bookes hath written beene of old In Deheubarth that now South-wales is hight What time king Ryence raign'd and dealed right The great Magitien Merlin had deuiz'd By his deepe science and hell-dreaded might A looking glasse right wondrously aguiz'd Whose vertues through the wyde worlde soone were solemniz'd It vertue had to shew in perfect sight What euer thing was in the world contaynd Betwixt the lowest earth and heuens hight So that it to the looker appertaynd What euer foe had wrought or frend had faynd Therein discouered was ne ought mote pas Ne ought in secret from the same remaynd For thy it round and hollow shaped was Like to the world it selfe and seemd a world of glas Who wonders not that reades so wonderous worke 〈◊〉 who does wonder that has red the Towre Wherein th' Aegyptian Phao long did lurke From all mens vew that none might her discoure Yet she might all men vew out of her bowre Great Ptolomaee it for his lemans sake Ybuilded all of glasse by Magicke powre And also it impregnable did make Yet when his loue was false he with a peaze it brake Such was the glassy globe that Merlin made And gaue vnto king Ryence for his gard That neuer foes his kingdome might inuade But he it knew at home before he hard Tydings thereof and so them still debar'd It was a famous Present for a Prince And worthy worke of infinite reward That treasons could bewray and foes conuince Happy this Realme had it remayned euer since One day it fortuned fayre Britomart Into her fathers closet to repayre For nothing he from her reseru'd apart Being his onely daughter and his hayre Where when she had espyde that mirrhour fayre Her selfe awhile therein she vewd in vaine Tho her auizing of the vertues rare Which thereof spoken were she gan againe Her to bethinke of that 〈◊〉 to her selfe pertaine But as it falleth in the gentlest harts Imperious Loue hath highest set his throne And tyrannizeth in the bitter smarts Of them that to him buxome are and prone So thought this Mayd as maydens vse to done Whom fortune for her husband would allot Not that she lusted after any one For she was pure from blame of sinfull blot Yet wist her life at last must lincke in that same knot Eftsoones there was presented to her eye A comely knight all arm'd in complete wize Through whose bright ventayle lifted vp on hye His manly face that did his foes agrize And frends to termes of gentle truce entize Lookt foorth as Phoebus face out of the 〈◊〉 Betwixt two shady mountaynes doth arize Portly his person was and much increast Through his Heroicke grace and honorable gest His crest was couered with a couchant Hownd And all his armour seemd of antique mould But wondrous massy and assured sownd And round about yfretted all with gold In which there written was with cyphres old Achilles armes which Arthogall did win And on his shield enueloped seuenfold He bore a crowned litle Ermilin That deckt the azure field with her fayre pouldred skin The Damzell well did vew his Personage And liked well ne further fastned not But went her way ne her 〈◊〉 age Did weene vnwares that her vnlucky lot Lay hidden in the 〈◊〉 of the pot Of hurt vnwist most daunger doth redound But the false Archer which that arrow shot So slyly that she did not feele the wound Did smyle full smoothly at her weetlesse wofull stound Thenceforth the fether in her lofty crest Ruffed of loue gan lowly to auaile And her prowd portaunce and her princely gest With which she earst tryumphed now did quaile Sad solemne sowre and full of fancies fraile She woxe yet wist she nether how nor why She wist not silly Mayd what she did aile Yet wist she was not well at ease perdy Yet thought it was not loue but some melancholy So soone as Night had with her pallid hew Defaste the beautie of the shyning skye And reft from men the worldes desired vew She with her Nourse adowne to sleepe did lye But sleepe full far away from her did fly In stead thereof sad sighes and sorrowes deepe Kept watch and ward about her warily That nought she did but wayle and often steepe Her dainty couch with teares which closely she did 〈◊〉 And if that any drop of slombring rest Did chaunce to still into her weary spright When feeble nature felt her selfe opprest Streight way with dreames and with fantastick sight Of dreadfull things the same was put to flight That oft out of her bed she did astart As one with vew of ghastly feends affright Tho gan she to renew her former smart And thinke of that fayre visage written in her hart One night when she was tost with such vnrest Her aged Nourse whose name was Glauce hight Feeling her leape out of her loathed nest Betwixt her feeble armes her quickly keight And downe againe her in her warme bed dight Ah my deare daughter ah my dearest dread What vncouth fit sayd she what euill plight Hath thee opprest and with sad dreary head Chaunged thy liuely cheare liuing made thee dead For not of nought these suddein ghastly feares All night afflict thy naturall repose And all the day when as thine equall peares Their fit disports with faire delight doe chose Thou in dull corners doest thy selfe inclose Ne tastest Princes pleasures ne doest spred Abroad thy fresh youths fayrest flowre but lose Both leafe and fruite both too vntimely shed As one in wilfull bale for euer buried The time that mortall men their weary cares Do lay away and all wilde beastes do rest And euery riuer eke his course forbeares Then doth this wicked euill thee infest And riue with thousand throbs thy thrilled brest Like an huge Aetn ' of deepe engulfed gryefe Sorrow is heaped in thy hollow chest Whence foorth it breakes in sighes and anguish ryfe As smoke and sulphure mingled with confufed stryfe Ay me how much I feare least loue it bee But if that loue it be as sure I read By knowen
his entrayles wast That neither blood in face nor life in hart It left but both did quite drye vp and blast As percing leuin which the inner part Of euery thing consumes and calcineth by art Which seeing fayre 〈◊〉 gan to feare Least that his wound were inly well not heald Or that the wicked steele empoysned were Litle shee weend that loue he close conceald Yet still he wasted as the snow congeald When the bright sunne his beams theron doth beat Yet neuer he his hart to her reueald But rather chose to dye for sorow great Then with dishonorable termes her to entreat She gracious Lady yet no paines did spare To doe him ease or doe him remedy Many Restoratiues of vertues rare And costly Cordialles she did apply To mitigate his stubborne malady But that sweet Cordiall which can restore A loue-sick hart she did to him enuy To him and to all th'vnworthy world forlore She did enuy that soueraine salue in secret store That 〈◊〉 Rose the daughter of her Morne More deare then life she tendered whose flowre The girlond of her honour did adorne Ne suffred she the Middayes scorching powre Ne the sharp Northerne wind thereon to showre But lapped vp her silken leaues most chayre When so the froward skye began to lowre But soone as calmed was the christall ayre She did it fayre dispred and let to florish fayre Eternall God in his almightie powre To make ensample of his heauenly grace In Paradize whylome did plant this flowre Whence he it 〈◊〉 out of her natiue place And did in stocke of earthly flesh enrace That mortall men her glory should admyre In gentle Ladies breste and bounteous race Of woman kind it fayrest flowre doth spyre And beareth fruit of honour and all chast desyre Fayre ympes of beautie whose bright shining beames Adorne the world with like to heauenly light And to your willes both royalties and Reames Subdew through cōquest of your wondrous might With this fayre flowre your goodly girlonds dight Of chastity and vertue virginall That shall embellish more your beautie bright And crowne your heades with heauenly coronall Such as the Angels were before Gods tribunall To youre faire selues a faire ensample frame Of this faire virgin this Belphebe fayre To whom in perfect loue and spotlesse fame Of chastitie none liuing may compayre Ne poysnous Enuy iustly can empayre The prayse of her fresh flowring May denhead For thy she standeth on the highest stayre Of th'honorable stage of womanhead That Ladies all may follow her ensample dead In so great prayse of stedfast chastity Nathlesse she was so courteous and kynde Tempred with grace and goodly modesty That seemed those two vertues stroue to fynd The higher place in her Heroick mynd So striuing each did other more augment And both encreast the prayse of woman kynde And both encreast her beautie excellent So all did make in her a perfect complement Cant. VI. The birth of fayre Belphoebe and Of Amorett is told The Gardins of Adonis fraught With pleasures manifold WEll may I weene faire Ladies all this while Ye wonder how this noble Damozell So great perfections did in her compile Sith that in saluage forests she did dwell So farre from court and royall Citadell The great schoolmaistresse of all courtesy Seemeth that such wilde woodes should far expell All ciuile vsage and gentility And gentle sprite deforme with rude rusticity But to this faire Belphoebe in her berth The heuens so fauorable were and free Looking with myld aspect vpon the earth In th' Horoscope of her natiuitee That all the gifts of grace and chastitee On her they poured forth of plenteous horne Ioue laught on Venus from his souerayne see And Phoebus with faire beames did her adorne And all the Graces rockt her cradle being borne Her berth was of the wombe of Morning dew And her conception of the ioyous Prime And all her whole creation did her shew Pure and 〈◊〉 from all loathly crime That is ingenerate in fleshly slime So was this virgin borne so was she bred So was she trayned vp from time to time In all chaste vertue and true bounti-hed Till to her dew perfection she were ripened Her mother was the faire Chrysogonee The daughter of Amphisa who by race A Faerie was yborne of high degree She bore Belphaebe she bore in like cace Fayre Amoretta in the second place These two were twinnes twixt them two did share The heritage of all celestiall grace That all the rest it seemd they robbed bare Of bounty and of beautie and all vertues rare It were a goodly storie to declare By what straunge accident faire Chrysogone Conceiu'd these infants and how them she bore In this wilde forrest wandring all alone After she had nine moneths fulfild and gone For not as other wemens commune brood They were enwombed in the sacred throne Of her chaste bodie nor with commune food As other wemens babes they sucked vitall blood But wondrously they were begot and bred Through influence of th'heuens fruitfull ray As it in antique bookes is mentioned It was vpon a Sommers 〈◊〉 day When Titan faire his beames did display In a fresh fountaine 〈◊〉 from all mens vew She bath'd her brest the boyling heat t' allay She bath'd with roses red and violets blew And all the sweetest flowres that in the forrest grew Till faint through yrkesome wearines adowne Vpon the grassy ground her selfe she layd To sleepe the whiles a gentle slombring swowne Vpon her fell all naked bare displayd The sunbeames bright vpon her body playd Being through former bathing mollifide And pierst into her wombe where they embayd With so sweet sence and secret power vnspide That in her pregnant flesh they shortly fructifide Miraculous may seeme to him that reades So straunge ensample of conception But reason teacheth that the fruitfull seades Of all things liuing through impression Of the sunbeames in moyst complexion Doe life conceiue and quickned are by kynd So after Nilus invndation Infinite shapes of creatures men doe fynd Informed in the mud on which the Sunne hath shynd Great father he of generation Is rightly cald th' authour of life and light And his faire sister for creation Ministreth matter fit which tempred right With heate and humour breedes the liuing wight So sprong these twinnes in womb of Chrysogone Yet wist she nought thereof but sore affright Wondred to see her belly so vpblone Which still increast till she her terme had full outgone Whereof conceiuing shame and foule disgrace Albe her guiltlesse conscience her cleard She fled into the wildernesse a space Till that vnweeldy burden she had reard And shund dishonor which as death she feard Where wearie of long traueill downe to rest Her selfe she set and comfortably cheard There a sad cloud of sleepe her ouerkest And seized euery sence with sorrow sore opprest It fortuned faire Venus hauing lost Her little sonne the winged god of loue Who for some light displeasure which him crost Was from
her fled as flit as ayery Doue And left her blisfull bowre of ioy aboue So from her often he had fled away When she for ought him sharpely did reproue And wandred in the world in straunge aray Disguiz'd in thousand shapes that none might him bewray Him for to seeke she left her heauenly hous The house of goodly formes and faire aspects Whence all the world deriues the glorious Features of beautie and all shapes select With which high God his workmanship hath deckt And searched euerie way through which his wings Had borne him or his tract she mote detect She promist kisses sweet and sweeter things Vnto the man that of him tydings to her brings First she him sought in Court where most he vs'd Whylome to haunt but there she found him not But many there she found which sore accus'd His falshood and with fowle infamous blot His cruell deedes and wicked wyles did spot Ladies and Lordes she euery where mote heare Complayning how with his empoysned shot Their wofull harts he wounded had whyleare And so had left them languishing twixt hope and feare She then the Cities sought from gate to gate And euerie one did aske did he him see And euerie one her answerd that too late He had him seene and felt the crueltee Of his sharpe dartes and whot artilleree And euery one threw forth reproches rife Of his mischieuous deedes and sayd That hee Was the disturber of all ciuill life The enimy of peace and authour of all strife Then in the countrey she abroad him sought And in the rurall cottages inquir'd Where also many plaintes to her were brought How he their hee 〈◊〉 harts with loue had fir'd And his false venim through their veines inspir'd And eke the gentle Shepheard swaynes which sat Keeping their fleecy flockes as they were hyr'd She sweetly heard complaine both how and what Her sonne had to them doen yet she did smile thereat But when in none of all these she him got She gan auize where els he mote him hyde At last she her bethought that she had not Yet sought the saluage woods and forests wyde In which full many louely Nymphes abyde Mongst whom might be that he did closely lye Or that the loue of some of them him tyde For thy she thether cast her course t' apply To search the secret haunts of Dianes company Shortly vnto the wastefull woods she came Whereas she found the Goddesse with her crew After late chace of their embrewed game Sitting beside a fountaine in a rew Some of them washing with the liquid dew From of their dainty limbs the dusty sweat And soyle which did deforme their liuely hew Others lay shaded from the scorching heat The rest vpon her person gaue attendance great She hauing hong vpon a bough on high Her bow and painted quiuer had vnlaste Her siluer buskins from her nimble thigh And her lanck loynes vngirt and brests vnbraste After her heat the breathing cold to taste Her golden lockes that late in tresses bright Embreaded were for hindring of her haste Now loose about her shoulders hong vndight And were with sweet Ambrosia all besprinckled light Soone as she Venus saw behinde her backe She was asham'd to be so loose surpriz'd And woxe halfe wroth against her damzels slacke That had not her there of before auiz'd But suffred her so carelesly disguiz'd Be ouertaken Soone her garments loose Vpgath'ring in her bosome she compriz'd Well as she might and to the Goddesse rose Whiles all her Nymphes did like a girlond her enclose Goodly she gan faire Cytherea greet And shortly asked her what cause her brought Into that wildernesse for her vnmeet From her sweete bowres and beds with pleasures fraught That suddein chaung she straung aduenture thought To whom halfe weeping she thus answered That she her dearest sonne Cupido sought Who in his frowardnes from her was fled That she repented sore to haue him angered Thereat Diana gan to smile in scorne Of her vaine playnt and to her scoffing sayd Great pitty sure that ye be so forlorne Of your gay sonne that giues ye so good ayd To your disports ill mote ye bene apayd But she was more engrieued and replide Faire sister ill beseemes itto vpbrayd A dolefull heart with so disdainfull pride The like that mine may be your paine another tide As you in woods and wanton wildernesse Your glory sett to chace the saluage beasts So my delight is all in ioyfulnesse In beds in bowres in banckets and in feasts And ill becomes you with your lofty creasts To scorne the ioy that Ioue is glad to seeke We both are bownd to follow heauens beheasts And tend our charges with obeisaunce meeke Spare gentle sister with reproch my paine to eeke And tell me if that ye my sonne haue heard To lurke emongst your Nimphes in secret wize Or keepe their cabins much I am affeard Least he like one of them him selfe disguize And turne his arrowes to their exercize So may he long him selfe full easie hide For he is faire and fresh in face and guize As any Nimphe let not it be enuide So saying euery Nimph full narrowly shee eide But Phoebe therewith sore was angered And sharply saide Goe Dame goe seeke your boy Where you him lately lefte in Mars his bed He comes not here we scorne his foolish ioy Ne lend we leisure to his idle toy But if I catch him in this company By Stygian lake I vow whose sad annoy The Gods doe dread he dearly shall abye I le clip his wanton wings that he no more shall flye Whom whenas Venus saw so sore displeasd Shee inly sory was and gan relent What shee had said so her she soone appeasd With sugred words and gentle blandishment From which a fountaine from her sweete lips went And welled goodly forth that in short space She was well pleasd and forth her damzells sent Thtough all the woods to search frō place to place If any tract of him or tidings they mote trace To search the God of loue her Nimphes she sent Throughout the wandring forest euery where And after them her selfe eke with her went To seeke the fugitiue So long they sought till they arriued were In that same shady couert whereas lay Faire Crysogone in slombry traunce whilere Who in her sleepe a wondrous thing to say Vnwares had borne two babes as faire as springing day Vnwares she them conceiud vnwares she bore She bore withouten paine that she conceiu'd Withouten pleasure ne her need implore Lucinaes aide which when they both perceiu'd They were through wonder nigh of sence bereu'd And gazing each on other nought bespake At last they both agreed her seeming grieu'd Out of her heauie swowne not to awake But from her louing side the tender babes to take Vp they them tooke eachone a babe vptooke And with them carried to be fostered Dame Phaebe to a Nymphe her babe betooke To be vpbrought in perfect Maydenhed And of herselfe her name Belphoebe red
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
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
himselfe into a fruitfull vine And into her faire bosome made his grapes decline Long were to tell the amorous assayes And gentle pangues with which he maked meeke The mightie Mars to learne his wanton playes How oft for Venus and how often eek For many other Nymphes hesore did shreek With womanish teares and with vnwarlike smarts Priuily moystening his horrid cheeke There was he painted full of burning dartes And many wide woundes launched through his inner partes Ne did he spare so cruell was the Elfe His owne deare mother ah why should he so Ne did he spare sometime to pricke himselfe That he might taste the sweet consuming woe Which he had wrought to many others moe But to declare the mournfull Tragedyes And spoiles wherewith he all the ground did strow More eath to number with how many eyes High heuen beholdes sad louers nightly theeueryes Kings Queenes Lords Ladies knights Damsels gent Were heap'd together with the vulgar sort And mingled with the raskall rablement Without respect of person or of port To shew Dan Cupids powre and great effort And round about a border was entrayld Of broken bowes and-arrowes shiuered short And a long bloody riuer through them rayld So liuely and so like that liuing sence it fayld And at the vpper end of that faire rowme There was an Altar built of pretious stone Of passing valew and of great renowme On which there stood an Image all alone Of massy gold which with his owne light shone And winges it had with sondry colours dight More sondry colours then the proud Pauone Beares in his boasted fan or Iris bright When her discolourd bow she spreds through heuen bright Blyndfold he was and in his cruell fist A mortall bow and arrowes keene did hold With which he shot at randon when him list Some headed with sadlead some with pure gold Ah man beware how thou those dartes behold A wounded Dragon vnder him didly Whose hideous tayle his lefte foot did enfold And with a shaft was shot through either eye That no man forth might draw ne no man remedye And vnderneath his feet was written thus Vnto the Victor of the Gods this bee And all the people in that ample hous Did to that image bowe their humble knee And oft committed fowle Idolatree That wondrous sight faire Britomart amazd Ne seeing could her wonder satisfie But euermore and more vpon it gazd The whiles the passing brightnes her fraile sences dazd Tho as she backward cast her busie eye To search each secrete of that goodly sted Ouer the dore thus written she did spye Bee bold she oft and oft it ouer-red Yet could not find what sence it figured But what so were therein or writ or ment She was no whit thereby discouraged From prosecuting of her first intent But forward with bold steps into the next roome went Much fayrer then the former was that roome And richlier by many partes arayd For not with arras made in painefull loome But with pure gold it all was ouerlayd Wrought with wilde Antickes which their follies playd In the rich metall as they liuing were A thousand monstrous formes therein were made Such as false loue doth oft vpon him weare For loue in thousand mōstrous formes doth oft appeare And all about the glistring walles were hong With warlike spoiles and with victorious prayes Of mightie Conquerours and Captaines strong Which were whilome captiued in their dayes To cruell loue and wrought their owne decayes Their swerds speres were broke hauberques rent And their proud girlonds of tryumphant bayes Troden in dust with fury insolent To shew the victors might and mercilesse intent The warlike Mayd beholding earnestly The goodly ordinaunce of this rich Place Did greatly wonder ne could satisfy Her greedy eyes with gazing a long space But more she meruaild that no footings 〈◊〉 Nor wight appear'd but wastefull emptinesse And solemne silence ouer all that place Straunge thing it seem'd that none was to possesse So rich purueyaunce ne them keepe with carefulnesse And as she lookt about she did behold How ouer that same dore was likewise writ Be bolde be bolde and euery where Be bold That much she muz'd yet could not construe it By any ridling skill or commune wit At last she spyde at that rowmes vpper end Another yron dore on which was writ Be not too bold whereto though she did bend Her earnest minde yet wist not what it might intend Thus she there wayted vntill euentyde Yet liuing creature none she saw appeare And now sad shadowes gan the world to hyde From mortall vew and wrap in darkenes dreare Yet nould she d'off her weary armes for feare Of secret daunger ne let sleepe oppresse Her heauy eyes with natures burdein deare But drew herselfe aside in sickernesse And her welpointed wepons did about her dresse Cant. XII The maske of Cupid and th' enchanted Chamber are displayd Whence Britomart redeemes faire Amoret through charmes decayd THo when as chearelesse Nighty coucred had Fayre heauen with an vniuersall clowd That euery wight dismayd with darkenes sad In silence and in sleepe themselues did shrowd She heard a shrilling Trompet sound alowd Signe of nigh battaill or got victory Nought therewith daunted was her courage prowd But rather stird to cruell enmity Expecting euer when some foe she might descry With that an hideous storme of winde arose With dreadfull thunder and lightning atwixt And an earthquake as if it streight would lose The worlds foundations from his centre fixt A direfull stench of smoke and sulphure mixt Ensewd whose noyaunce fild the fearefull sted From the fourth howre of night vntill the sixt Yet the bold Britonesse was nought ydred Though much emmou'd but stedfast still perseuered All suddeinly a stromy whirlwind blew Throughout the house that clapped euery dore With which that yron wicket open flew As it with mighty leuers had bene 〈◊〉 And forth yssewd as on the readie flore Of some Theatre a graue personage That in his hand a braunch of laurell bore With comely haueour and count'nance 〈◊〉 Yclad in costly garments fit for 〈◊〉 Stage Proceeding to the midst he stil did stand As if in minde he somewhat had to say And to the vulgare beckning with his hand In signe of silence as to heare a play By liuely actions he gan bewray Some argument of matter passioned Which doen he backe retyred soft away And passing by his name 〈◊〉 Ease on his robe in golden letters cyphered The noble Mayd still standing all this vewd And merueild at his straunge intendiment With that a ioyous fellowship issewd Of Minstrales making goodly meriment With wanton Bardes and Rymers impudent All which together song full chearefully A lay of loues delight with sweet concent After whom marcht a iolly company In manner of a maske enranged orderly The whiles a most delitious harmony In full straunge notes was sweetly heard to sound That the rare sweetnesse of the melody The feeble sences wholy did confound