of my plight Spake as was meet for ease of my regret Whereof befell what now is in your sight Now sure then said Sir Calidore and right Me seemes that him befell by his owne fault Or through support of count'nance proud and hault To wrong the weaker oft falles in his owne assault Then turning backe vnto that gentle boy Which had himselfe so stoutly well acquit Seeing his face so louely sterne and coy And hearing th'answeres of his pregnant wit He praysd it much and much admyred it That sure he weend him borne of noble blood With whom those graces did so goodly fit And when he long had him beholding stood He burst into these words as to him seemed good Faire gentle swayne and yet as stout as fayre That in these woods amōgst the Nymphs dost wonne Which daily may to thy sweete lookes repayre As they are wont vnto Latonaes sonne After his chace on woodie Cynthus donne Well may I certes such an one thee read As by thy worth thou worthily hast wonne Or surely borne of some Heroicke sead That in thy face appeares and gratious goodly head But should it not displease thee it to tell Vnlesse thou in these woods thy selfe conceale For loue amongst the woodie Gods to dwell I would thy selfe require thee to reueale For deare affection and vnfayned zeale Which to thy noble personage I beare And wish thee grow in worship and great weale For since the day that armes I first did reare I neuer saw in any greater hope appeare To whom then thus the noble youth may be Sir knight that by discouering my estate Harme may arise vnweeting vnto me Nathelesse sith ye so courteous seemed late To you I will not feare it to relate Then wote ye that I am a Briton borne Sonne of a King how euer thorough fate Or fortune I my countrie haue forlorne And lost the crowne which should my head by right adorne And Tristram is my name the onely heire Of good king Meliogras which did rayne In Cornewale till that he through liues despeire Vntimely dyde before I did attaine Ripe yeares of reason my right to maintaine After whose death his brother seeing mee An infant weake a kingdome to sustaine Vpon him tooke the roiall high degree And sent me where him list instructed for to bee The widow Queene my mother which then hight Faire Emiline conceiuing then great feare Of my fraile safetie resting in the might Of him that did the kingly Scepter beare Whose gealous dread induring not a peare Is wont to cut off all that doubt may breed Thought best away me to remoue somewhere Into some forrein land where as no need Of dreaded daunger might his doubtfull humor feed So taking counsell of a wise man red She was by him aduiz'd to send me quight Out of the countrie wherein I was bred The which the fertile Lionesse is hight Into the land of Faerie where no wight Should weet of me nor worke me any wrong To whose wise read she hearkning sent me streight Into this land where I haue wond thus long Since I was ten yeares old now growen to stature strong All which my daies I haue not lewdly spent Nor spilt the blossome of my tender yeares In ydlesse but as was conuenient Haue trayned bene with many noble feres In gentle thewes and such like seemely leres Mongst which my most delight hath alwaies been To hunt the saluage chace amongst my peres Of all that raungeth in the forrest greene Of which none is to me vnknowne that eu'r was seene Ne is there hauke which mantleth her on pearch Whether high towring or accoasting low But I the measure of her flight doe search And all her pray and all her diet know Such be our ioyes which in these forrests grow Onely the vse of armes which most I ioy And fitteth most for noble swayne to know I haue not tasted yet yet past a boy And being now high time these strong ioynts to imploy Therefore good Sir sith now occasion fit Doth fall whose like hereafter seldome may Let me this craue vnworthy though of it That ye will make me Squire without delay That from henceforth in batteilous array I may beare armes and learne to vse them right The rather since that fortune hath this day Giuen to me the spoile of this dead knight These goodly gilden armes which I haue won in fight All which when well Sir Calidore had heard Him much more now then earst he gan admire For the rare hope which in his yeares appear'd And thus replide faire chyld the high desire To loue of armes which in you doth aspire I may not certes without blame denie But rather wish that some more noble hire Though none more noble then is cheualrie I had you to reward with greater dignitie There him he causd to kneele and made to sweare Faith to his knight and truth to Ladies all And neuer to be recreant for feare Of perill or of ought that might befall So he him dubbed and his Squire did call Full glad and ioyous then young Tristram grew Like as a flowre whose silken leaues small Long shut vp in the bud from heauens vew At length breakes forth and brode displayes his smyling hew Thus when they long had treated to and fro And Calidore betooke him to depart Chyld Tristram prayd that he with him might goe On his aduenture vowing not to start But wayt on him in euery place and part Whereat Sir Calidore did much delight And greatly ioy'd at his so noble hart In hope he sure would proue a doughtie knight Yet for the time this answere he to him behight Glad would I surely be thou courteous Squire To haue thy presence in my present quest That mote thy kindled courage set on fire And flame forth honour in thy noble brest But I am bound by vow which I profest To my dread Soueraine when I it assayd That in atchieuement of her high behest I should no creature ioyne vnto mine ayde For thy I may not graunt that ye so greatly prayde But since this Ladie is all desolate And needeth safegard now vpon her way Ye may doe well in this her needfull state To succour her from daunger of dismay That thankfull guerdon may to you repay The noble ympe of such new seruice fayne It gladly did accept as he did say So taking courteous leaue they parted twayne And Calidore forth passed to his former payne But Tristram then despoyling that dead knight Of all those goodly implements of prayse Long fed his greedie eyes with the faire sight Of the bright mettall shyning like Sunne rayes Handling and turning them a thousand wayes And after hauing them vpon him dight He tooke that Ladie and her vp did rayse Vpon the steed of her owne late dead knight So with her marched forth as she did him behight There to their fortune leaue we them awhile And turne we backe to good Sir Calidore Who ere he thence had traueild many a
approched to the shore And cald Pyrrhochles what is this I see What hellish furie hath at earst thee hent Furious euer I thee knew to bee Yet neuer in this straunge astonishment These flames these flames he cryde do metorment What flames quoth he when I thee present see In daunger rather to be drent then brent Harrow the flames which me consume said hee Ne can be quencht within my secret bowels bee That cursed man that cruell feend of hell Furor oh Furor hath me thus bedight His deadly wounds within my liuers swell And his whot fire burnes in mine entrails bright Kindled through his infernall brond of spight Sith late with him I batteil vaine would boste That now I weene Ioues dreaded thunder light Does scorch not halfe so sore nor damned ghoste In flaming Phlegeton does not so felly roste Which when as Archimago heard his griefe He knew right well and him attonce disarmd Then searcht his secret wounds and made a priefe Of euery place that was with brusing harmd Or with the hidden fire too inly warmd Which done he balmes and herbes thereto applyde And euemore with mighty spels them charmd That in short space he has them qualifyde And him restor'd to health that would haue algates dyde Cant. VII Guyon findes Mamon in a delue Sunning his threasure hore Is by him tempted led downe To see his secret store AS Pilot well expert in perilous waue That to a stedfast starre his course hath bent When foggy mistes or cloudy tempests haue The faithfull light of that faire lampe yblent And couer'd heauen with hideous dreriment Vpon his card and compas firmes his eye The maisters of his long experiment And to them does the steddy helme apply Bidding his winged vessell fairely forward fly So Guyon hauing lost his trusty guide Late left beyond that Ydle lake proceedes Yet on his way of none accompanide And euermore himselfe with comfort feedes Of his owne vertues and prayse-worthy deedes So long he yode yet no aduenture found Which fame of her shrill trompet worthy reedes For still he traueild through wide wastfull ground That nought but desert wildernesse shew'd all around At last he came vnto a gloomy glade Couer'd with boughes shrubs from heauens light Whereas he sitting found in secret shade An vncouth saluage and vnciulle wight Of griesly hew and fowle ill fauour'd sight His face with smoke was tand and eyes were bleard His head and beard with sout were ill bedight His cole-blacke hands did seeme to haue beene seard In smithes fire-spitting forge and nayles like clawes appeard His yron coate all ouergrowne with rust Was vnderneath enueloped with gold Whose glistring glosse darkned with filthy dust Well it appeared to haue beene of old A worke of rich entayle and curious mould Wouen with antickes and wild Imagery And in his lap a masse of coyne he told And turned vpsidowne to feede his eye A couetous desire with his huge threasury And round about him lay on euery side Great heapes of gold that neuer could be spent Of which some were rude owre not purifide Of Mulcibers deuouring element Some others were new driuen and distent Into great Ingoes and to wedges square Some in round plates withouten moniment But most were stampt and in their metall bare The antique shapes of kings and kesars straunge rare Soone as he Guyon saw in great affright And hast he rose for to remoue aside Those pretious hils from straungers enuious sight And downe them poured through an hole full wide Into the hollow earth them there to hide But Guyon lightly to him leaping stayd His hand that trembled as one terrifyde And though him selfe were at the sight dismayd Yet him perforce restraynd and to him doubtfull sayd What art thou man if man at all thou art That here in desert hast thine habitaunce And these rich heapes of wealth doest hide apart From the worldes eye and from her right vsaunce Thereat with staring eyes fixed askaunce In great disdaine he answerd Hardy Elfe That darest vew my direfull countenaunce I read thee rash and heedlesse of thy selfe To trouble my still seate and heapes of pretious pelfe God of the world and worldlings I me call Great Mammon greatest god below the skye That of my plenty poure out vnto all And vnto none my graces do enuye Riches renowme and principality Honour estate and all this worldes good For which men swinck and sweat incessantly Fro me do flow into an ample flood And in the hollow earth haue their eternall brood Wherefore if me thou deigne to serue and sew At thy commaund lo all these mountaines bee Or if to thy great mind or greedy vew All these may not suffise there shall to thee Ten times so much be numbred francke and free Mammon said he thy godheades vaunt is vaine And idle offers of thy golden fee To them that couet such eye-glutting gaine Proffer thy giftes and fitter seruaunts entertaine Me ill besits that in der-doing armes And honours suit my vowed dayes do spend Vnto thy bounteous baytes and pleasing charmes With which weake men thou witchest to attend Regard of worldly mucke doth fowly blend And low abase the high heroicke spright That ioyes for crownes and kingdomes to contend Faire shields gay steedes bright armes be my delight Those be the riches fit for an aduent'rous knight Vaine glorious Elfe said he doest not thou weet That money can thy wantes at will supply Sheilds steeds and armes all things for thee meet It can puruay in twinckling of an eye And crownes and kingdomes to thee multiply Do not I kings create throw the crowne Sometimes to him that low in dust doth ly And him that raignd into his rowme thrust downe And whom I lust do heape with glory and renowne All otherwise said he I riches read And deeme them roote of all disquietnesse First got with guile and then preseru'd with dread And after spent with pride and lauishnesse Leauing behind them griefe and heauinesse Infinite mischiefes of them do arize Strife and debate bloudshed and bitternesse Outrageous wrong and hellish couetize That noble heart as great dishonour doth despize Ne thine be kingdomes ne the scepters thine But realmes and rulers thou doest both confound And loyall truth to treason doest incline Witnesse the guiltlesse bloud pourd oft on ground The crowned often slaine the slayer cround The sacred Diademe in peeces rent And purple robe gored with many a wound Castles surprizd great cities sackt and brent So mak'st thou kings gaynest wrongfull gouernement Long were to tell the troublous stormes that tosse The priuate state and make the life vnsweet Who swelling sayles in Caspian sea doth crosse And in frayle wood on Adrian gulfe doth fleet Doth not I weene so many euils meet Then Mammon wexing wroth And why then said Are mortall men so fond and vndiscreet So euill thing to seeke vnto their ayd And hauing not complaine and hauing it vpbraid Indeede quoth he through fowle intemperaunce
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 sundrie spoiles she hath beene 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 bloud of Henalois which therein fell How oft that day did sad Brunchildis see The greene shield dyde in dolorous vermell That not Scuith guiridh it mote seeme to bee But rather y Scuith 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 warres to cease Whose footsteps Bladud following in arts Exceld at Athens all the learned preace From whence 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 entrails full of quicke Brimston Nourish the flames which they are warm'd vpon That to her people wealth they forth do well And health to euery forreine nation Yet he at last contending to excell The reach of men through flight into fond mischief fell Next him king Leyr in happie peace long raind But had no issue male him to succeed But three faire daughters which were well vptraind In all that seemed sit 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 Inquyrd 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 faire To paint it forth him to displeasance moou'd That in his crowne he counted her no haire But twixt the other twaine his kingdome whole did shaire So wedded th' one to Maglan king of Scots And th' other to the king of Cambria And twixt them shayrd his realme by equall lots But without dowre the wise Cordelia Was sent to Aganip of Celtica Their aged Syre thus cased of his crowne A priuate life led in Albania With Gonorill long had in great renowne That nought him grieu'd to bene 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 waxe of his continuall stay Tho to his daughter Rigan 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 too late That loue is not where most it is profest Too truely tryde in his extreamest state At last resolu'd likewise to proue the rest He to Cordelia him selfe addrest Who with entire affection him receau'd As for her Syre and king her seemed best And after all an army strong she leau'd To war on those which him had of his realme bereau'd So to his crowne she him restor'd 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 wearie of that wretched life her selfe she hong Then gan the bloudie brethren both to raine But fierce Cundah gan shortly to enuie His brother Morgan prickt with proud disdaine To haue a pere in part of soueraintie And kindling coles of cruell enmitie Raisd warre and him in battell ouerthrew Whence as he to those woodie hils did flie Which hight of him Glamorgan there him slew Then did he raigne alone when he none equall knew His sonne Riuallo his dead roome did supply In whose sad time bloud did from heauen raine Next great Gurgustus then faire Caecily In constant peace their kingdomes did containe After whom Lago and Kinmarke did raine And Gorbogud till farre in yeares he grew Till his ambitious sonnes vnto them twaine Arraught the rule and from their father drew Stout Ferrex and sterne Porrex him in prison threw But ô 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 forreine might Made warre on him and fell him selfe in fight Whose death t' auenge his mother mercilesse Most mercilesse of women VVyden hight Her other sonne fast sleeping did oppresse And with most cruell hand him murdred pittilesse Here ended Brutus sacred progenie Which had seuen hundred yeares this scepter borne With high renowme and great felicitie The noble braunch from th'antique stocke was torne Through discord and the royall throne forlorne Thenceforth this Realme was into factions rent Whilest each of Brutus boasted to be borne That in the end was left no moniment Of Brutus nor of Britons glory auncient Then vp arose a man of matchlesse might And wondrous wit to menage high affaires Who stird vp pitty of the stressed plight Of this sad Realme cut into sundry shaires By such as claymd themselues Brutes rightfull haires Gathered the Princes of the people loose To taken counsell of their common cares Who with his wisedom won him streight did choose Their king and swore him fealty to win or loose Then made he head against his enimies And Ymner slew or Logris miscreate Then Ruddoc and proud Stater both allyes This of Albanie newly nominate And that of Cambry king confirmed late He ouerthrew through his owne valiaunce Whos 's countreis he redus'd to quiet state And shortly brought to ciuill gouernaunce Now one which earst were many made through variaunce Then made he sacred lawes which some men say Were vnto him reueald in vision By which he freed the Traueilers high way The Churches part and Ploughmans portion Restraining stealth and strong extortion The gracious Numa of great Britanie For till his dayes the chiefe dominion By strength was wielded without pollicie Therefore he first wore crowne of gold for dignitie Donwallo dyde for what may liue for ay And left two sonnes of pearelesse prowesse both That sacked Rome too dearely did assay The recompence of their periured oth And ransackt Greece well tryde whē they were wroth Besides subiected Fraunce and Germany Which yet their prayses speake all be they loth And inly tremble at the memory Of Brennus and Bellinus kings of Britany Next them did Gurgunt great Bellinus sonne In rule succeede and eke in fathers prayse He Easterland subdewd and Danmarke
plaine Together with the king of Louthiane Hight Adin and the king of Orkeny Both ioynt partakers of the fatall paine But Penda fearefull of like desteny Shall yield him selfe his liegeman and sweare fealty Him shall he make his fatall Instrument T' afflict the other Saxons vnsubdewd He marching forth with fury insolent Against the good king Oswald who indewd With heauenly powre and by Angels reskewd All holding crosses in their hands on hye Shall him defeate withouten bloud imbrewd Of which that field for endlesse memory Shall Heuenfield be cald to all posterity Whereat Cadwallin wroth shall forth issew And an huge hoste into Northumber lead With which he godly Oswald shall subdew And crowne with martyrdome his sacred head Whose brother Oswin daunted with like dread With price of siluer shall his kingdome buy And Penda seeking him adowne to tread Shall tread adowne and do him fowly dye But shall with gifts his Lord Cadwallin pacify Then shall Cadwallin dye and then the raine Of Britons eke with him attonce shall dye Ne shall the good Cadwallader with paine Or powre behable it to remedy When the full time prefixt by destiny Shal be expird of Britons regiment For heauen it selfe shall their successe enuy And them with plagues and murrins pestilent Consume till all their warlike puissaunce be spent Yet after all these sorrowes and huge hills Of dying people during eight yeares space Cadwallader not yielding to his ills From Armoricke where long in wretched cace He liu'd returning to his natiue place Shal be by vision staid from his intent For th' heauens haue decreed to displace The Britons for their sinnes dew punishment And to the Saxons ouer-giue their gouernment Then woe and woe and euerlasting woe Be to the Briton babe that shal be borne To liue in thraldome of his fathers foe Late King now captiue late Lord now forlorne The worlds reproch the cruell victours scorne Banisht from Princely bowre to wastfull wood O who shall helpe me to lament and mourne The royall seed the antique Troian blood Whose Empire lenger here then euer any stood The Damzell was full deepe empassioned Both for his griefe and for her peoples sake Whose future woes so plaine he fashioned And sighing sore at length him thus bespake Ah but will heauens fury neuer slake Nor vengeaunce huge relent it selfe at last Will not long misery late mercy make But shall their name for euer be defast And quite from th' earth their memory be rast Nay but the terme said he is limited That in this thraldome Britons shall abide And the iust reuolution measured That they as Straungers shal be notifide For twise foure hundreth shal be supplide Ere they to former rule restor'd shal bee And their importune fates all satisfide Yet during this their most obscuritee Their beames shall oft breake forth that men them faire may see For Rhodoricke whose surname shal be Great Shall of him selfe a braue ensample shew That Saxon kings his friendship shall intreat And Howell Dha shall goodly well indew The saluage minds with skill of iust and trew Then Griffyth Conan also shall vp reare His dreaded head and the old sparkes renew Of natiue courage that his foes shall feare Least backe againe the kingdome he from them should beare Ne shall the Saxons selues all peaceably Enioy the crowne which they from Britons wonne First ill and after ruled wickedly For ere two hundred yeares be full ouerronne There shall a Rauen far from rising Sunne With his wide wings vpon them fiercely fly And bid his faithlesse chickens ouerronne The fruitfull plaines and with fell cruelty In their auenge tread downe the victours surquedry Yet shall a third both these and thine subdew There shall a Lyon from the sea-bord wood Of Neustria come roring with a crew Of hungry whelpes his battailous bold brood Whose clawes were newly dipt in cruddy blood That from the Daniske Tyrants head shall rend Th' vsurped crowne as if that he were wood And the spoile of the countrey conquered Emongst his young ones shall diuide with bountyhed Tho when the terme is full accomplishid There shall a sparke of fire which hath long-while Bene in his ashes raked vp and hid Be freshly kindled in the fruitfull I le Of Mona where it lurked in exile Which shall breake forth into bright burning flame And reach into the house that beares the stile Of royall maiesty and soueraigne name So shall the Briton bloud their crowne againe reclame Thenceforth eternall vnion shall be made Betweene the nations different afore And sacred Peace shall louingly perswade The warlike minds to learne her goodly lore And ciuile armes to exercise no more Then shall a royall virgin raine which shall Stretch her white rod ouer the Belgicke shore And the great Castle smite so sore with all That it shall make him shake and shortly learne to fall But yet the end is not There Merlin stayd As ouercomen of the spirites powre Or other ghastly spectacle dismayd That secretly he saw yet note discoure Which suddein fit and halfe extatick stoure When the two fearefull women saw they grew Greatly confused in behauioure At last the fury past to former hew She turnd againe and chearefull looks did shew Then when them selues they well instructed had Of all that needed them to be inquird They both conceiuing hope of comfort glad With lighter hearts vnto their home retird Where they in secret counsell close conspird How to effect so hard an enterprize And to possesse the purpose they desird Now this now that twixt them they did deuise And diuerse plots did frame to maske in strange deuise At last the Nourse in her foolhardy wit Conceiu'd a bold deuise and thus bespake Daughter I deeme that counsell aye most fit That of the time doth dew aduauntage take Ye see that good king Vther now doth make Strong warre vpon the Paynim brethren hight Octa and Oza whom he lately brake Beside Cayr Verolame in victorious fight That now all Britanie doth burne in armes bright That therefore nought our passage may empeach Let vs in feigned armes our selues disguize And our weake hands whom need new strength shall teach The dreadfull speare and shield to exercize Ne certes daughter that same warlike wize I weene would you misseeme for ye bene tall And large of limbe t' atchieue an hard emprize Ne ought ye want but skill which practize small Will bring and shortly make you a mayd Martiall And sooth it ought your courage much inflame To heare so often in that royall hous From whence to none inferiour ye came Bards tell of many women valorous Which haue full many feats aduenturous Performd in paragone of proudest men The bold Bunduca whose victorious Exploits made Rome to quake stout Guendolen Renowmed Martia and redoubted Emmilen And that which more then all the rest may sway Late dayes ensample which these eyes beheld In the last field before Meneuia Which Vther with those forrein Pagans held I
beget True loue and faithfull friendship she by her did set Backe to that desert forrest they retyred Where sorie Britomart had lost her late There they her sought and euery where inquired Where they might tydings get of her estate Yet found they none But by what haplesse fate Or hard misfortune she was thence conuayd And stolne away from her beloued mate Were long to tell therefore I here will stay Vntill another tyde that I it finish may Cant. VII Amoret rapt by greedie lust Belphebe saues from dread The Squire her loues and being blam'd his dayes in dole doth lead GReat God of loue that with thy cruell dart Doest conquer greatest conquerors on ground And setst thy kingdome in the captiue harts Of Kings and Keasars to thy seruice bound What glorie or what guerdon hast thou found In feeble Ladies tyranning so sore And adding anguish to the bitter wound With which their liues thou lanchedst long afore By heaping stormes of trouble on them daily more So whylome didst thou to faire Florimell And so and so to noble Britomart So doest thou now to her of whom I tell The louely Amoret whose gentle hart Thou martyrest with sorow and with smart In saluage forrests and in deserts wide With Beares and Tygers taking heauie part Withouten comfort and withouten guide That pittie is to heare the perils which she tride So soone as she with that braue Britonesse Had left that Turneyment for beauties prise They trauel'd long that now for wearinesse Both of the way and warlike exercise Both through a forest ryding did deuise T' alight and rest their wearie limbs awhile There heauie sleepe the eye-lids did surprise Of Britomart after long tedious toyle That did her passed paines in quiet rest assoyle The whiles faire Amoret of nought affeard Walkt through the wood for pleasure or for need When suddenly behind her backe she heard One rushing forth out of the thickest weed That ere she backe could turne to taken heed Had vnawares her snatched vp from ground Feebly she shriekt but so feebly indeed That Britomart heard not the shrilling sound There where through weary trauel she lay sleeping soūd It was to weet a wilde and saluage man Yet was no man but onely like in shape And eke in stature higher by a span All ouer growne with haire that could awhape An hardy hart and his wide mouth did gape With huge great teeth like to a Bore For he liu'd all on rauin and on rape Of men and beasts and fed on fleshly gore The signe whereof yet stain'd his bloudy lips afore His neather lip was not like man nor beast But like a wide deepe poke downe hanging low In which he wont the relickes of his feast And cruell spoyle which he had spard to stow And ouer it his huge great nose did grow Full dreadfully empurpled all with bloud And downe both sides two wide long eares did glow And raught downe to his waste when vp he stood More great then th' eares of Elephants by Indus flood His wast was with a wreath of yuie greene Engirt about ne other garment wore For all his haire was like a garment seene And in his hand a tall young oake he bore Whose knottie snags were sharpned all afore And beath'd in fire for steele to be in sted But whence he was or of what wombe ybore Of beasts or of the earth I haue not red But certes was with milke of Wolues and Tygres fed This vgly creature in his armes her snatcht And through the forrest bore her quite away With briers and bushes all to rent and scratcht Ne care he had ne pittie of the pray Which many a knight had sought so many a day He stayed not but in his armes her bearing Ran till he came to th' end of all his way Vnto his caue farre from all peoples hearing And there he threw her in nought feeling ne nought fearing For she deare Ladie all the way was dead Whilest he in armes her bore but when she felt Her selfe downe soust she waked out of dread Streight into griefe that her deare hart nigh swelt And eft gan into tender teares to melt Then when she lookt about and nothing found But darknesse and dread horrour where she dwelt She almost fell againe into a swound Ne wist whether aboue she were or vnder ground With that she heard some one close by her side Sighing and sobbing sore as if the paine Her tender hart in peeces would diuide Which she long listning softly askt againe What mister wight it was that so did plaine To whom thus aunswer'd was Ah wretched wight That seekes to know anothers griefe in vaine Vnweeting of thine owne like haplesse plight Selfe to forget to mind another is ouersight Aye me said she where am I or with whom Emong the liuing or emong the dead What shall of me vnhappy maid become Shall death be th' end or ought else worse aread Vnhappy mayd then answerd she whose dread Vntride is lesse then when thou shalt it try Death is to him that wretched life doth lead Both grace and gaine but he in hell doth lie That liues a loathed life and wishing cannot die This dismall day hath thee a caytiue made And vassall to the vilest wretch aliue Whose cursed vsage and vngodly trade The heauens abhorre and into darkenesse driue For on the spoile of women he doth liue Whose bodies chast when euer in his powre He may them catch vnable to gainestriue He with his shamefull lust doth first deflowre And afterwards themselues doth cruelly deuoure Now twenty daies by which the sonnes of men Diuide their works haue past through heuen sheene Since I was brought into this dolefull den During which space these sory eies haue seen Seauen women by him slaine and eaten clene And now no more for him but I alone And this old woman here remaining beene Till thou cam'st hither to augment our mone And of vs three to morrow he will sure eate one Ah dreadfull tidings which thou doest declare Quoth she of all that euer hath bene knowen Full many great calamities and rare This feeble brest endured hath but none Equall to this where euer I haue gone But what are you whom like vnlucky lot Hath linckt with me in the same chaine attone To tell quoth she that which ye see needs not A wofull wretched maid of God and man forgot But what I was it irkes me to reherse Daughter vnto a Lord of high degree That ioyd in happy peace till fates peruerse With guilefull loue did secretly agree To ouerthrow my state and dignitie It was my lot to loue a gentle swaine Yet was he but a Squire of low degree Yet was he meet vnlesse mine eye did faine By any Ladies side for Leman to haue laine But for his meannesse and disparagement My Sire who me too dearely well did loue Vnto my choise by no meanes would assent But often did my folly fowle reproue Yet nothing could my fixed mind
course contained And all the world in state vnmoued stands As their Almightie maker first ordained And bound them with inuiolable bands Else would the waters ouerflow the lands And fire deuoure the ayre and hell them quight But that she holds them with her blessed hands She is the nourse of pleasure and delight And vnto Venus grace the gate doth open right By her I entring halfe dismayed was But she in gentle wise me entertayned And twixt her selfe and loue did let me pas But Hatred would my entrance haue restrayned And with his club me threatned to haue brayned Had not the Ladie with her powrefull speach Him from his wicked will vneath refrayned And th' other eke his malice did empeach Till I was throughly past the perill of his reach Into the inmost Temple thus I came Which fuming all with frankensence I found And odours rising from the altars flame Vpon an hundred marble pillors round The roose vp high was reared from the ground All deckt with crownes chaynes and girlands gay And thousand pretious gifts worth many a pound The which sad louers for their vowes did pay And all the ground was strow'd with flowres as fresh as may An hundred Altars round about were set All flaming with their sacrifices fire That with the steme thereof die Temple swet Which rould in clouds to heauen did aspire And in them bore true louers vowes entire And eke an hundred brasen caudrons bright To bath in ioy and amorous desire Euery of which was to a damzell hight For all the Priests were damzels in soft linnen dight Right in the midst the Goddesse selfe did stand Vpon an altar of some costly masse Whose substance was vneath to vnderstand For neither pretious stone nor durefull brasse Nor shining gold nor mouldring clay it was But much more rare and pretious to esteeme Pure in aspect and like to christall glasse Yet glasse was not if one did rightly deeme But being faire and brickle likest glasse did seeme But it in shape and beautie did excell All other Idoles which the heathen adore Farre passing that which by surpassing skill Phidias did make in Paphos Isle of yore With which that wretched Greeke that life forlore Did fall in loue yet this much fairer shined But couered with a slender veile afore And both her feete and legs together twyned Were with a snake whose head tail were fast cōbyned The cause why she was couered with a vele Was hard to know for that her Priests the same From peoples knowledge labour'd to concele But sooth it was not sure for womanish shame Nor any blemish which the worke mote blame But for they say she hath both kinds in one Both male and female both vnder one name She syre and mother is her selfe alone Begets and eke conceiues ne needeth other none And all about her necke and shoulders flew A flocke of litle loues and sports and ioyes With nimble wings of gold and purple hew Whose shapes seem'd not like to terrestriall boyes But like to Angels playing heauenly toyes The whilest their eldest brother was away Cupid their eldest brother he enioyes The wide kingdome of loue with Lordly sway And to his law compels all creatures to obay And all about her altar scattered lay Great sorts of louers piteously complayning Some of their losse some of their loues delay Some of their pride some paragons disdayning Some fearing fraud some fraudulently fayning As euery one had cause of good or ill Amongst the rest some one through loues constrayning Tormented sore could not containe it still But thus brake forth that all the temple it did fill Great Venus Queene of beautie and of grace The ioy of Gods and men that vnder skie Doest fayrest shine and most adorne thy place That with thy smyling looke doest pacifie The raging seas and makst the stormes to flie Thee goddesse thee the winds the clouds doe feare And when thou spredst thy mantle forth on hie The waters play and pleasant lands appeare And heauens laugh al the world shews ioyous cheare Then doth the daedale earth throw forth to thee Out of her fruitfull lap aboundant flowres And then all liuing wights soone as they see The spring breake forth out of his lusty bowres They all doe learne to play the Paramours First doe the merry birds thy prety pages Priuily pricked with thy lustfull powres Chirpe loud to thee out of their leauy cages And thee their mother call to coole their kindly rages Then doe the saluage beasts begin to play Their pleasant friskes and loath their wanted food The Lyons rore the Tygres loudly bray The raging Buls rebellow through the wood And breaking forth dare tempt the deepest flood To come where thou doest draw them with desire So all things else that nourish vitall blood Soone as with fury thou doest them inspire In generation seeke to quench their inward fire So all the world by thee at first was made And dayly yet thou doest the same repayre Ne ought on earth that merry is and glad Ne ought on earth that louely is and fayre But thou the same for pleasure didst prepayre Thou art the root of all that ioyous is Great God of men and women queene of th' ayre Mother of laughter and welspring of blisse O graunt that of my loue at last I may not misse So did he say but I with murmure soft That none might heare the sorrow of my hart Yet inly groning deepe and sighing oft Besought her to graunt ease vnto my smart And to my wound her gratious help impart Whilest thus I spake behold with happy eye I spyde where at the Idoles feet apart A beuie of fayre damzels close did lye Wayting when as the Antheme should be sung on hye The first of them did seeme of ryper yeares And grauer countenance then all the rest Yet all the rest were eke her equall peares Yet vnto her obayed all the best Her name was VVomanhood that she exprest By her sad semblant and demeanure wyse For stedfast still her eyes did fixed rest Ne rov'd at randon after gazers guyse Whose luring baytes oftimes doe heedlesse harts entyse And next to her sate goodly Shamefastnesse Ne euer durst her eyes from ground vpreare Ne euer once did looke vp from her desse As if some blame of euill she did feare That in her cheekes made roses oft appeare And her against sweet Cherefulnesse was placed Whose eyes like twinkling stars in euening cleare Were deckt with smyles that all sad humors chaced And darted forth delights the which her goodly graced And next to her sate sober Modestie Holding her hand vpon her gentle hart And her against sate comely Curtesie That vnto euery person knew her part And her before was seated ouerthwart Soft Silence and submisse Obedience Both linckt together neuer to dispart Both gifts of God not gotten but from thence Both girlonds of his Saints against their foes offence Thus sate they all a round in seemely rate And in