But thou good man, sith farre in sea we bee, xxiv

And the great waters gin apace to swell,

That now no more we can the maine-land see,

Haue care, I pray, to guide the cock-bote well,

Least worse on sea then vs on land befell.

Thereat th’old man did nought but fondly grin,

And said, his boat the way could wisely tell:

But his deceiptfull eyes did neuer lin,

To looke on her faire face, and marke her snowy skin.

The sight whereof in his congealed flesh, xxv

Infixt such secret sting of greedy lust,

That the drie withered stocke it gan refresh,

And kindled heat, that soone in flame forth brust:

The driest wood is soonest burnt to dust.

Rudely to her he lept, and his rough hand

Where ill became him, rashly would haue thrust,

But she with angry scorne him did withstond,

And shamefully reproued[1056] for his rudenesse fond.

But he, that neuer good nor maners knew, xxvi

Her sharpe rebuke full litle did esteeme;

Hard is to teach an old horse amble trew.

The inward smoke, that did before but steeme,

Broke into open fire and rage extreme,

And now he strength gan adde vnto his will,

Forcing to doe, that did him fowle misseeme:

Beastly he threw her downe, ne car’d to spill

Her garments gay with scales of fish, that all did fill.

The silly virgin stroue him to withstand, xxvii

All that she might, and him in vaine reuild:

She struggled strongly both with foot and hand,

To saue her honor from that villaine vild,

And cride to heauen, from humane helpe exild.

O ye braue knights, that boast this Ladies loue,

Where be ye now, when she is nigh defild

Of filthy wretch? well may shee you reproue

Of falshood or of slouth, when most it may behoue.

But if that thou, Sir _Satyran_, didst weete, xxviii

Or thou, Sir _Peridure_, her sorie state,

How soone would yee assemble many a fleete,

To fetch from sea, that ye at land lost late;

Towres, Cities, Kingdomes ye would ruinate,

In your auengement and dispiteous rage,

Ne ought your burning fury mote abate;

But if Sir _Calidore_ could it presage,

No liuing creature could his cruelty asswage.

But sith that none of all her knights is nye, xxix

See how the heauens of voluntary grace,

And soueraine fauour towards chastity,

Doe succour send to her distressed cace:

So much high God doth innocence embrace.

It fortuned, whilest thus she stifly stroue,

And the wide sea importuned long space

With shrilling shriekes, _Proteus_ abroad did roue,

Along the fomy waues driuing his finny droue.

_Proteus_ is Shepheard of the seas of yore, xxx

And hath the charge of _Neptunes_ mightie heard;

An aged sire with head all frory[1057] hore,

And sprinckled frost vpon his deawy beard:

Who when those pittifull outcries he heard,

Through all the seas so ruefully resound,

His charet swift in haste he thither steard,

Which with a teeme of scaly _Phocas_ bound

Was drawne vpon the waues, that fomed him around.

And comming to that Fishers wandring bote, xxxi

That went at will, withouten carde or sayle,

He therein saw that yrkesome sight, which smote

Deepe indignation and compassion frayle

Into his hart attonce: streight did he hayle

The greedy villein from his hoped pray,

Of which he now did very litle fayle,

And with his staffe, that driues his Heard astray,

Him bet so sore, that life and sense did much dismay.

The whiles the pitteous Ladie vp did ryse, xxxii

Ruffled and fowly raid with filthy soyle,

And blubbred face with teares of her faire eyes:

Her heart nigh broken was with weary toyle,

To saue her selfe from that outrageous spoyle,

But when she looked vp, to weet, what wight

Had her from so infamous fact assoyld,

For shame, but more for feare of his grim sight,

Downe in her lap she hid her face, and loudly shright.

Her selfe not saued yet from daunger dred xxxiii

She thought, but chaung’d from one to other feare;

Like as a fearefull Partridge, that is fled

From the sharpe Hauke, which her attached neare,

And fals to ground, to seeke for succour theare,

Whereas the hungry Spaniels she does spy,

With greedy iawes her readie for to teare;

In such distresse and sad perplexity

Was _Florimell_, when _Proteus_ she did see thereby[1058].

But he endeuoured with speeches milde xxxiv

Her to recomfort, and accourage bold,

Bidding her feare no more her foeman vilde,

Nor doubt himselfe; and who he was, her told.

Yet all that could not from affright her hold,

Ne to recomfort her at all preuayld;

For her faint heart was with the frozen cold

Benumbd so inly, that her wits nigh fayld,

And all her senses with abashment quite were quayld.

Her vp betwixt his rugged hands he reard, xxxv

And with his frory lips full softly kist,

Whiles the cold ysickles from his rough beard,

Dropped adowne vpon her yuorie brest:

Yet he himselfe so busily addrest,

That her out of astonishment he wrought,

And out of that same fishers filthy nest

Remouing her, into his charet brought,

And there with many gentle termes her faire besought.

But that old leachour, which with bold assault xxxvi

That beautie durst presume to violate,

He cast to punish for his hainous fault;

Then tooke he him yet trembling sith of late,

And tyde behind his charet, to aggrate

The virgin, whom he had abusde so sore:

So drag’d him through the waues in scornefull state,

And after cast him vp, vpon the shore;

But _Florimell_ with him vnto his bowre he bore.

His bowre is in the bottome of the maine, xxxvii

Vnder a mightie rocke, gainst which do raue

The roaring billowes in their proud disdaine,

That with the angry working of the waue,

Therein is eaten out an hollow caue,

That seemes rough Masons hand with engines keene

Had long while laboured it to engraue:

There was his wonne, ne liuing wight was seene,

Saue one old _Nymph_, hight[1059] _Panope_ to keepe it cleane.

Thither he brought the sory _Florimell_, xxxviii

And entertained her the best he might

And _Panope_ her entertaind eke well,

As an immortall mote a mortall wight,

To winne her liking vnto his delight:

With flattering words he sweetly wooed her,

And offered faire gifts t’allure her sight,

But she both offers and the offerer

Despysde, and all the fawning of the flatterer.

Daily he tempted her with this or that, xxxix

And neuer suffred her to be at rest:

But euermore she him refused flat,

And all his fained kindnesse did detest,

So firmely she had sealed vp her brest.

Sometimes he boasted, that a God he hight:

But she a mortall creature loued best:

Then he would make himselfe a mortall wight;

But then she said she lou’d none, but a Faerie knight.

Then like a Faerie knight himselfe he drest; xl

For euery shape on him he could endew:

Then like a king he was to her exprest,

And offred kingdomes vnto her in vew,

To be his Leman and his Ladie trew:

But when all this he nothing saw preuaile,

With harder meanes he cast her to subdew,

And with sharpe threates her often did assaile,

So thinking for to make her stubborne courage quaile.

To dreadfull shapes he did himselfe transforme, xli

Now like a Gyant, now like to a feend,

Then like a Centaure, then like to a storme,

Raging within the waues: thereby he weend

Her will to win vnto his wished end.[1060]

But when with feare, nor fauour, nor with all

He else could doe, he saw himselfe esteemd,

Downe in a Dongeon deepe he let her fall,

And threatned there to make her his eternall thrall.

Eternall thraldome was to her more liefe, xlii

Then losse of chastitie, or chaunge of loue:

Die had she rather in tormenting griefe,

Then any should of falsenesse her reproue,

Or loosenesse, that she lightly did remoue.

Most vertuous virgin, glory be thy meed,

And crowne of heauenly praise with Saints aboue,

Where most sweet hymmes of this thy famous deed

Are still emongst them song, that far my rymes exceed.

Fit song of Angels caroled to bee; xliii

But yet what so my feeble Muse can frame,

Shall be t’aduance thy goodly chastitee,

And to enroll thy memorable name,

In th’heart of euery honourable Dame,

That they thy vertuous deedes may imitate,

And be partakers of thy endlesse fame.

It yrkes me, leaue thee in this wofull state,

To tell of _Satyrane_, where I him left of late.

Who hauing ended with that _Squire of Dames_ xliv

A long discourse of his[1061] aduentures vaine,

The which himselfe, then Ladies more defames,

And finding not th’_Hyena_ to be slaine,

With that same _Squire_, returned backe againe

To his first way. And as they forward went,

They spyde a knight faire pricking on the plaine,

As if he were on some aduenture bent,

And in his port appeared manly hardiment.

Sir _Satyrane_ him towards did addresse, xlv

To weet, what wight he was, and what his quest:

And comming nigh, eftsoones he gan to gesse[1062]

Both by the burning hart, which on his brest

He bare, and by the colours in his crest,

That _Paridell_ it was. Tho to him yode,

And him saluting, as beseemed best,

Gan first inquire of tydings farre abrode;

And afterwardes, on what aduenture now he rode.

Who thereto answering, said; The tydings bad, xlvi

Which now in Faerie court all men do tell,

Which turned hath great mirth, to mourning sad,

Is the late ruine of proud _Marinell_,

And suddein parture of faire _Florimell_,

To find him forth: and after her are gone

All the braue knights, that doen in armes excell,

To sauegard her, ywandred all alone;

Emongst the rest my lot (vnworthy[1063]) is to be one.

Ah gentle knight (said then Sir _Satyrane_) xlvii

Thy labour all is lost, I greatly dread,

That hast a thanklesse seruice on thee ta’ne,

And offrest sacrifice vnto the dead:

For dead, I surely doubt, thou maist aread

Henceforth for euer _Florimell_ to be,

That all the noble knights of _Maydenhead_,

Which her ador’d, may sore repent with me,

And all faire Ladies may for euer sory be.

Which words when _Paridell_ had heard, his hew xlviii

Gan greatly chaunge, and seem’d dismayd to bee;

Then said, Faire Sir, how may I weene it trew,

That ye doe tell in such vncertaintee?

Or speake ye of report, or did ye see

Iust cause of dread, that makes ye doubt so sore?

For perdie else how mote it euer bee,

That euer hand should dare for to engore

Her noble bloud? the heauens such crueltie abhore.

These eyes did see, that they will euer rew xlix

T’haue[1064] seene, (quoth he) when as a monstrous beast

The Palfrey, whereon she did trauell, slew,

And of his bowels made his bloudie[1065] feast:

Which speaking token sheweth at the least

Her certaine losse, if not her sure decay:

Besides, that more suspition encreast,

I found her golden girdle cast astray,

Distaynd with durt and bloud, as relique of the pray.

Aye me, (said _Paridell_) the signes be sad, l

And but God turne the same to good soothsay,

That Ladies safetie is sore to be drad:

Yet will I not forsake my forward way,

Till triall doe more certaine truth bewray.

Faire Sir (quoth he) well may it you succeed,

Ne long shall _Satyrane_ behind you stay,

But to the rest, which in this Quest proceed

My labour adde, and be partaker of their speed.

Ye noble knights (said then the _Squire of Dames_) li

Well may ye speed in so praiseworthy paine:

But sith the Sunne now ginnes to slake his beames,

In deawy vapours of the westerne maine,

And lose the teme out of his weary waine,

Mote not mislike you also to abate

Your zealous hast, till morrow next againe

Both light of heauen, and strength of men relate:

Which if ye please, to yonder castle turne your gate.

That counsell pleased well; so all yfere lii

Forth marched to a Castle them before,

Where soone arriuing, they restrained were

Of readie entrance, which ought euermore

To errant knights be commun[1066]: wondrous sore

Thereat displeasd they were, till that young Squire

Gan them informe the cause, why that same dore

Was shut to all, which lodging did desire:

The which to let you weet, will further time require.

FOOTNOTES:

[1042] ii 7 broken] golden _1590_

[1043] iii 2 relieued _1609_

[1044] iv 5 masters _1609_

[1045] v 1 aduise] deuice _1590_

[1046] vi 7 wax _1609_

[1047] vii 4 a womans] to womens _1590_

[1048] viii 3 lomewhyle _1590_: lomewhile _1596_

[1049] ix 9 whom] who _1590_, _1596_

[1050] x 6 countenaunce] countenant _1596_

[1051] xi 6 he _om. 1596_

[1052] xiv 1 pursute _1609_

[1053] xxii 5 saw, _1590_, _1596_

[1054] xxiii 8 the] this _1590_

[1055] 9 ame. _1590_

[1056] xxv 9 reprou’d _1590_

[1057] xxx 3 frory] frowy _1590_, _1596_

[1058] xxxiii 9 thereby] her by _1590_

[1059] xxxvii 9 hight] high _1590_

[1060] xli 5 end.] eend. _1590_

[1061] xliv 2 his] hir _1609_

[1062] xlv 3 ghesse _1609_

[1063] xlvi 9 vnworthy’ _1590_

[1064] xlix 2 To haue _1590_

[1065] 4 his bloudie] a bloudy _1609_

_Cant. IX._

[Illustration:

_Malbecco will no straunge knights host,

For peeuish gealosie:

Paridell giusts with Britomart:

Both shew their auncestrie._

]

Redoubted knights, and honorable Dames, i

To whom I leuell all my labours end,

Right sore I feare, least with vnworthy blames

This odious argument my rimes should shend,

Or ought your goodly patience offend,

Whiles of a wanton Lady I do write,

Which with her loose incontinence doth blend

The shyning glory of your soueraigne light,

And knighthood fowle defaced by a faithlesse knight.

But neuer let th’ensample of the bad ii

Offend the good: for good by paragone

Of euill, may more notably be rad,

As white seemes fairer, macht with blacke attone[1067];

Ne all are shamed by the fault of one:

For lo in heauen, whereas all goodnesse is,

Emongst the Angels, a whole legione

Of wicked Sprights did fall from happy blis;

What wonder then, if one of women all did mis?

Then listen Lordings, if ye list to weet iii

The cause, why _Satyrane_ and _Paridell_

Mote not be entertaynd, as seemed meet,

Into that Castle (as that Squire does tell.)

Therein a cancred crabbed Carle does dwell,

That has no skill of Court nor courtesie,

Ne cares, what men say of him ill or well;

For all his dayes he drownes in priuitie,

Yet has full large to liue, and spend at libertie.

But all his mind is set on mucky pelfe, iv

To hoord vp heapes of euill gotten masse,

For which he others wrongs, and wreckes himselfe;

Yet is he lincked to a louely lasse,

Whose beauty doth her[1068] bounty far surpasse,

The which to him both far vnequall yeares,

And also far vnlike conditions has;

For she does ioy to play emongst her peares,

And to be free from hard restraint and gealous feares.

But he is old, and withered like hay, v

Vnfit faire Ladies seruice to supply;

The priuie guilt whereof makes him alway

Suspect her truth, and keepe continuall spy

Vpon her with his other blincked eye;

Ne suffreth he resort of liuing wight

Approch to her, ne keepe her company,

But in close bowre her mewes from all mens sight,

Depriu’d of kindly ioy and naturall delight.

_Malbecco_ he, and _Hellenore_ she hight, vi

Vnfitly yokt together in one teeme,

That is the cause, why neuer any knight

Is[1069] suffred here to enter, but he seeme

Such, as no doubt of him he neede misdeeme.

Thereat Sir _Satyrane_ gan smile, and say;

Extremely mad the man I surely deeme,

That weenes with watch and hard restraint to stay

A womans will, which is disposd to go astray.

In vaine he feares that, which he cannot shonne: vii

For who wotes not, that womans subtiltyes

Can guilen _Argus_, when she list misdonne[1070]?

It is not yron bandes, nor hundred eyes,

Nor brasen walls, nor many wakefull spyes,

That can withhold her wilfull wandring feet;

But fast good will with gentle curtesyes,

And timely seruice to her pleasures meet

May her perhaps containe, that else would algates fleet.

Then is he not more mad (said _Paridell_) viii

That hath himselfe vnto such seruice sold,

In dolefull thraldome all his dayes to dwell?

For sure a foole I do him firmely hold,

That loues his fetters, though they were of gold.

But why do we deuise of others ill,

Whiles thus we suffer this same dotard old,

To keepe vs out, in scorne of his owne will,

And rather do not ransack all, and him selfe kill?

Nay let vs first (said _Satyrane_) entreat ix

The man by gentle meanes, to let vs in,

And afterwardes affray with cruell threat,

Ere that we to efforce it do begin:

Then if all fayle, we will by force it win,

And eke reward the wretch for his mesprise,

As may be worthy of his haynous sin.

That counsell pleasd: then _Paridell_ did rise,

And to the Castle gate approcht in quiet wise.

Whereat soft knocking, entrance he desyrd. x

The good man selfe, which then the Porter playd,

Him answered, that all were now retyrd

Vnto their rest, and all the keyes conuayd

Vnto their maister, who in bed was layd,

That none him durst awake out of his dreme;

And therefore them of patience gently prayd.

Then _Paridell_ began to chaunge his theme,

And threatned him with force and punishment extreme.

But all in vaine; for nought mote him relent, xi

And now so long before the wicket fast

They wayted, that the night was forward spent,

And the faire welkin fowly ouercast,

Gan blowen vp a bitter stormy blast,

With shoure and hayle so horrible and dred,

That this faire many were compeld at last,

To fly for succour to a little shed,

The which beside the gate for swine was ordered.

It fortuned, soone after they were gone, xii

Another knight, whom tempest thither brought,

Came to that Castle, and with earnest mone,

Like as the rest, late entrance deare besought;

But like so as the rest he prayd for nought,

For flatly he of entrance was refusd,

Sorely thereat he was displeasd, and thought

How to auenge himselfe so sore abusd,

And euermore the Carle of curtesie accusd.

But to auoyde th’intollerable stowre, xiii

He was compeld to seeke some refuge neare,

And to that shed, to shrowd him from the showre,

He came, which full of guests he found whyleare,

So as he was not let to enter there:

Whereat he gan to wex exceeding wroth,

And swore, that he would lodge with them yfere,

Or them dislodge, all were they liefe or loth;

And so defide them each[1071], and so defide them both.

Both were full loth to leaue that needfull tent, xiv

And both full loth in darkenesse to debate;

Yet both full liefe him lodging to haue lent,

And both full liefe his boasting to abate;

But chiefly _Paridell_ his hart did grate,

To heare him threaten so despightfully,

As if he did a dogge to[1072] kenell rate,

That durst not barke; and rather had he dy,

Then when he was defide, in coward corner ly.

Tho hastily remounting to his steed, xv

He forth issew’d; like as a boistrous wind,

Which in th’earthes hollow caues hath long bin[1073] hid,

And shut vp fast within her prisons blind,

Makes the huge element against her kind

To moue, and tremble as it were agast,

Vntill that it an issew forth may find;

Then forth it breakes, and with his furious blast

Confounds both land and seas, and skyes doth ouercast.

Their steel-hed speares they strongly coucht, and met xvi

Together with impetuous rage and forse,

That with the terrour of their fierce affret,

They rudely droue to ground both man and horse,

That each awhile lay like a sencelesse corse.

But _Paridell_ sore brused with the blow,

Could not arise, the counterchaunge to scorse,

Till that young Squire him reared from below;

Then drew he his bright sword, and gan about him throw.

But _Satyrane_ forth stepping, did them stay xvii

And with faire treatie pacifide their ire,

Then when they were accorded from the fray,

Against that Castles Lord they gan conspire,

To heape on him dew vengeaunce for his hire.

They bene agreed, and to the gates they goe

To burne the same with vnquenchable fire,

And that vncurteous Carle their commune foe

To do fowle death to dye, or wrap in grieuous woe.

_Malbecco_ seeing them resolu’d in deed xviii

To flame the gates, and hearing them to call

For fire in earnest, ran with fearefull speed,

And to them calling from the castle wall,

Besought them humbly, him to beare with all,

As ignoraunt of seruants bad abuse,

And slacke attendaunce vnto straungers call.

The knights were willing all things to excuse,

Though nought beleu’d, and entraunce late did not refuse.

They bene ybrought into a comely bowre, xix

And seru’d of all things that mote needfull bee;

Yet secretly their hoste did on them lowre,

And welcomde more for feare, then charitee;

But they dissembled, what they did not see,

And welcomed themselues. Each gan vndight

Their garments wet, 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[1074] xx

Was for like need enforst to disaray:

Tho whenas vailed was her loftie crest,

Her golden locks, that were in tramels 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, shew their golden gleames,

And through the persant[1075] aire shoote forth their azure

streames.

She also dofte her heauy haberieon, xxi

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,

She 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 eye did see.

Like as _Minerua_[1076], being late returnd xxii

From slaughter of the Giaunts conquered;

Where proud _Encelade_, whose wide nosethrils burnd

With breathed flames, like to a furnace red,

Transfixed with the[1077] speare, downe tombled ded

From top of _Hemus_, by him heaped hye;

Hath loosd her helmet from her lofty hed,

And her _Gorgonian_ shield gins to vntye

From her left arme, to rest in glorious victorye.

Which whenas they beheld, they smitten were xxiii

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 surprised. At last auizing right,

Her goodly personage and glorious hew,

Which they so much mistooke, they tooke delight

In their first errour, and yet still anew

With wonder of her beauty fed their hungry[1078] vew.

Yet note their hungry vew be satisfide, xxiv

But seeing still the more desir’d to see,

And euer firmely fixed did abide

In contemplation of diuinitie:

But most[1079] they meruaild at her cheualree,

And noble prowesse, which they had approued,

That much they faynd to know, who she mote bee;

Yet none of all them her thereof amoued,

Yet euery one her likte, and euery one her loued.

And _Paridell_ though partly discontent xxv

With his late fall, and fowle indignity,

Yet was soone wonne his malice to relent,

Through gracious 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 curtesy,

That of his Lady they might haue the sight,

And company at meat, to do them more delight.

But he to shift their curious request, xxvi

Gan causen, why she could not come in place;

Her crased health, 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.

She came in presence with right comely grace,

And fairely them saluted, as became,

And shewd her selfe in all a gentle curteous Dame.

They sate to meat, and _Satyrane_ his chaunce xxvii

Was her before, and _Paridell_ besyde;

But he him selfe sate looking still askaunce,

Gainst _Britomart_, and euer closely eyde

Sir _Satyrane_, that[1080] glaunces might not glyde:

But his blind eye, that syded _Paridell_,

All his demeasnure[1081] from his sight did hyde:

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, xxviii

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 lewd lore,

But in his eye his meaning wisely red,

And with the like him answerd euermore:

She sent at him one firie dart, whose hed

Empoisned was with priuy lust, and gealous dred.

He from that deadly throw made no defence, xxix

But to the wound his weake hart opened wyde;

The wicked engine through false influence,

Past through his eyes, and secretly did glyde

Into his hart, which it did sorely gryde.

But nothing new to him was that same paine,

Ne paine at all; for he so oft 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 xxx

His inward griefe, by meanes to him well knowne,

Now _Bacchus_ fruit 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 let his loue be showne;

Which well she red out of the learned line,

A sacrament prophane in mistery of wine.

And when so of his hand the pledge she raught, xxxi

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 eyes watch escape;

Two eyes 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, xxxii

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 pryde

Of gracious speach, and skill his words to frame

Abounded, being glad[1082] of so fit tyde

Him to commend to her, thus spake, of all well eyde.

_Troy_, that art now nought, but an idle name, xxxiii

And in thine ashes buried low dost lie,

Though whilome far much greater then thy fame,

Before that angry Gods, and cruell skye

Vpon thee heapt a direfull destinie,

What boots it boast thy glorious descent,

And fetch from heauen thy great Genealogie,

Sith all thy worthy prayses being blent,

Their of-spring hath embaste, and later glory shent.

Most famous Worthy of the world, by whome xxxiv

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 fame,

Who through great prowesse and bold hardinesse,

From _Lacedæmon_ fetcht the fairest Dame,

That euer _Greece_ did boast, or knight possesse,

Whom _Venus_ to him gaue for meed of worthinesse.

Faire _Helene_, flowre of beautie excellent, xxxv

And girlond of the mighty Conquerours,

That madest many Ladies deare lament

The heauie losse of their braue Paramours,

Which they far off beheld from _Troian_ toures,

And saw the fieldes of faire _Scamander_ strowne

With carcases of noble warrioures,

Whose fruitlesse liues were vnder furrow sowne,

And _Xanthus_ sandy bankes with bloud all ouerflowne.

From him my linage I deriue aright, xxxvi

Who long before the ten yeares siege of _Troy_,

Whiles yet on _Ida_ he a shepheard hight,

On faire _Oenone_ got a louely boy,

Whom for remembraunce of her passed ioy,

She of his Father _Parius_ did name;

Who, after _Greekes_ did _Priams_ realme destroy,

Gathred the _Troian_ reliques sau’d from flame,

And with them sayling thence, to th’Isle of _Paros_ came.

That was by him cald _Paros_, which before xxxvii

Hight _Nausa_, there he many yeares did raine,

And built _Nausicle_ by the _Pontick_ shore,

The which he dying left next in remaine

To _Paridas_ his sonne.

From whom I _Paridell_ by kin descend;

But for faire Ladies loue, and glories gaine,

My natiue soile haue left, my dayes to spend

In sewing[1083] deeds of armes, my liues and labours end.

Whenas the noble _Britomart_ heard tell xxxviii

Of _Troian_ warres, and _Priams_ Citie sackt,

The ruefull story of Sir _Paridell_,

She was empassiond at that piteous act,

With zelous enuy of Greekes cruell fact,

Against that nation, from whose race of old

She heard, that she was lineally extract:

For noble _Britons_ sprong from _Troians_ bold,

And _Troynouant_ was built of old _Troyes_ ashes cold.

Then sighing soft awhile, at last she thus: xxxix

O lamentable fall of famous towne,

Which raignd so many yeares victorious,

And of all _Asie_[1084] bore the soueraigne crowne,

In one sad night consumd, and throwen downe:

What stony hart, that heares thy haplesse fate,

Is not empierst with deepe compassiowne,

And makes ensample of mans wretched state,

That floures so fresh at morne, and fades at euening late?

Behold, Sir, how your pitifull complaint xl

Hath found another partner of your payne:

For nothing may impresse so deare constraint,

As countries cause, and commune foes disdayne.

But if it should not grieue you, backe agayne

To turne your course, I would to heare desyre,

What to _Aeneas_ fell; sith that men sayne

He was not in the Cities wofull fyre

Consum’d, but did him selfe to safetie retyre.

_Anchyses_ sonne begot of _Venus_ faire, xli

(Said he,) out of the flames for safegard fled,

And with a remnant did to sea repaire,

Where he through fatall errour long was led

Full many yeares, and weetlesse wandered

From shore to shore, emongst the Lybicke sands,

Ere rest he found. Much there he suffered,

And many perils past in forreine lands,

To saue his people sad from victours vengefull hands.

At last in _Latium_ he did arriue, xlii

Where he with cruell warre was entertaind

Of th’inland folke, which sought him backe to driue,

Till he with old _Latinus_ was constraind,

To contract wedlock: (so the fates ordaind.)

Wedlock contract in bloud, and eke in blood

Accomplished, that many deare complaind:

The riuall slaine, the victour through the flood

Escaped hardly, hardly praisd his wedlock good.

Yet after all, he victour did suruiue, xliii

And with _Latinus_ did the kingdome part.

But after, when both nations gan to striue,

Into their names the title to conuart,

His sonne _Iülus_ did from thence depart,

With all the warlike youth of _Troians_ bloud,

And in long _Alba_ plast his throne apart,

Where faire it florished, and long time stoud,

Till _Romulus_ renewing it, to _Rome_ remoud.

There there (said _Britomart_) a fresh appeard xliv

The glory of the later world to spring,

And _Troy_ againe out of her dust was reard,

To sit in second seat of soueraigne king,

Of all the world vnder her gouerning.

But a third kingdome yet is to arise,

Out of the _Troians_ scattered of-spring,

That in all glory and great enterprise,

Both first and second _Troy_ shall dare to equalise.

It _Troynouant_ is hight, that with the waues xlv

Of wealthy _Thamis_ washed is along,

Vpon whose stubborne neck[1085], whereat he raues

With roring rage, and sore him selfe does throng,

That all men feare to tempt his billowes strong,

She fastned hath her foot, which standes so hy,

That it a wonder of the world is song

In forreine landes, and all which passen by,

Beholding it from far, do thinke it threates the skye.

The _Troian Brute_ did first that Citie found, xlvi

And Hygate[1086] made the meare thereof by West,

And _Ouert_ gate by North: that is the bound

Toward the land; two riuers bound the rest.

So huge a scope at first him seemed best,

To be the compasse of his kingdomes seat:

So huge a mind could not in lesser rest,

Ne in small meares containe his glory great,

That _Albion_ had conquered first by warlike feat.

Ah fairest Lady knight, (said _Paridell_) xlvii

Pardon I pray my heedlesse ouersight,

Who had forgot, that whilome I heard[1087] tell

From aged _Mnemon_; for my wits bene light.

Indeed he said (if I remember right,)

That of the antique _Troian_ stocke, there grew

Another plant, that raught to wondrous hight,

And far abroad his mighty branches threw,

Into the vtmost Angle of the world he knew.

For that same _Brute_, whom much he did aduaunce xlviii

In all his speach, was _Syluius_ his sonne,

Whom hauing slaine, through luckles arrowes glaunce

He fled for feare of that he had misdonne,

Or else for shame, so fowle reproch to shonne,

And with him led to sea[1088] an youthly trayne,

Where wearie wandring they long time did wonne,

And many fortunes prou’d in th’_Ocean_ mayne,

And great aduentures found, that now were long to sayne.

At last by fatall course they driuen were xlix

Into an Island spatious and brode,

The furthest North, that did to them appeare:

Which[1089] after rest they seeking far abrode,

Found it the fittest soyle for their abode,

Fruitfull of all things fit for liuing foode,

But wholy wast, and void of peoples trode,

Saue an huge nation of the Geaunts broode,

That fed on liuing flesh, and druncke mens vitall blood.

Whom he through wearie wars and labours long, l

Subdewd with losse of many _Britons_ bold:

In which the great _Goemagot_ of strong

_Corineus_, and _Coulin_ of _Debon_ old

Were ouerthrowne, and layd on th’earth full cold,

Which quaked vnder their so hideous masse,

A famous history to be enrold

In euerlasting moniments of brasse,

That all the antique Worthies merits far did passe.

His worke great _Troynouant_, his worke is eke li

Faire _Lincolne_, both renowmed far away,

That who from East to West will endlong seeke,

Cannot two fairer Cities find this day,

Except _Cleopolis_: so heard I say

Old _Mnemon_. Therefore Sir, I greet you well

Your countrey kin, and you entirely pray

Of pardon for the strife, which late befell

Betwixt vs both vnknowne. So ended _Paridell_.

But all the while, that he these speaches spent, lii

Vpon his lips hong faire Dame _Hellenore_,

With vigilant regard, and dew attent,

Fashioning worlds of fancies euermore

In her fraile wit, that now her quite forlore:

The whiles vnwares away her wondring eye,

And greedy eares her weake hart from her bore:

Which he perceiuing, euer priuily

In speaking, many false belgardes at her let fly.

So long these knights discoursed diuersly, liii

Of straunge affaires, and noble hardiment,

Which they had past with mickle ieopardy,

That now the humid night was farforth spent,

And heauenly lampes were halfendeale ybrent:

Which th’old man seeing well, who too long thought

Euery discourse and euery argument,

Which by the houres he measured, besought

Them go to rest. So all vnto their bowres were brought.

FOOTNOTES:

[1066] lii 5 commune _1590_

[1067] ii 4 attonce _1590_

[1068] iv 5 her] his _1609_

[1069] vi 4 Is] It _1596_

[1070] vii 3 disdonne _1590_

[1071] xiii 9 And defide them each _1596_: And them defied each _1609_

[1072] xiv 7 to] in _1590_

[1073] xv 3 bin] ben _1590_

[1074] xx 1 rest; _1590_, _1596_

[1075] 9 persent _1609_

[1076] xxii 1 _Minerua_] _Bellona_ _1590_

[1077] 5 the] her _1590_

[1078] xxiii 9 hongry _1590_

[1079] xxiv 5 most _om. 1596_

[1080] xxvii 5 that] with _1590_

[1081] 7 demeanure _1609_

[1082] xxxii 8 yglad _1590_

[1083] xxxvii 9 seewing _1590_, _1596_

[1084] xxxix 4 _Asia_ _1609_

[1085] xlv 3 necks _1590_

[1086] xlvi 2 Hygate gate _1596_

[1087] xlvii 3 hard _1590_

[1088] xlviii 6 to the sea _1596_

[1089] xlix 4 Which] And _1609_

_Cant. X._

[Illustration:

_Paridell rapeth Hellenore:

Malbecco her pursewes:

Findes emongst Satyres, whence with him

To turne she doth refuse._

]

The morow next, so soone as _Phœbus_ Lamp i

Bewrayed had the world with early light,

And fresh _Aurora_ had the shady damp

Out of the goodly heauen amoued quight,

Faire _Britomart_ and that same _Faerie_ knight

Vprose, forth on their iourney for to wend:

But _Paridell_ complaynd, that his late fight

With _Britomart_, so sore did him offend,

That ryde he could not, till his hurts he did amend.

So forth they far’d, but he behind them stayd, ii

Maulgre his host, who grudged grieuously[1090],

To house a guest, that would be needes obayd,

And of his owne him left not liberty:

Might wanting measure moueth surquedry.

Two things he feared, but the third was death;

That fierce youngmans vnruly maistery;

His money, which he lou’d as liuing breath;

And his faire wife, whom honest long he kept vneath.

But patience perforce he must abie, iii

What fortune and his fate on him will lay,

Fond is the feare, that findes no remedie;

Yet warily he watcheth euery way,

By which he feareth euill happen may:

So th’euill thinkes by watching to preuent;

Ne doth he suffer her, nor night, nor day,

Out of his sight her selfe once to absent.

So doth he punish her and eke himselfe torment.

But _Paridell_ kept better watch, then hee, iv

A fit occasion for his turne to find:

False loue, why do men say, thou canst not see,

And in their foolish fancie feigne thee blind,

That with thy charmes the sharpest sight doest bind,

And to thy will abuse? Thou walkest free,

And seest euery secret of the mind;

Thou seest all, yet none at all sees thee;

All that is by the working of thy Deitee.

So perfect in that art was _Paridell_, v

That he _Malbeccoes_[1091] halfen eye did wyle,

His halfen eye he wiled wondrous well,

And _Hellenors_ both eyes did eke beguyle,

Both eyes and hart attonce, during the whyle

That he there soiourned his wounds to heale;

That _Cupid_ selfe it seeing, close did smyle,

To weet how he her loue away did steale,

And bad, that none their ioyous treason should reueale.

The learned louer lost no time nor tyde, vi

That least auantage mote to him afford,

Yet bore so faire a saile, that none espyde

His secret drift, till he her layd abord.

When so in open place, and commune bord,

He fortun’d her to meet, with commune speach

He courted her, yet bayted euery word,

That his vngentle hoste n’ote him appeach

Of vile vngentlenesse, or hospitages breach.

But when apart (if euer her apart) vii

He found, then his false engins fast he plyde,

And all the sleights vnbosomd in his hart;

He sigh’d, he sobd, he swownd, he perdy dyde,

And cast himselfe on ground her fast besyde:

Tho when againe he him bethought to liue,

He wept, and wayld, and false laments belyde,

Saying, but if she Mercie would him giue

That he mote algates dye, yet did his death forgiue.

And otherwhiles with amorous delights, viii

And pleasing toyes he would her entertaine,

Now singing sweetly, to surprise her sprights,

Now making layes of loue and louers paine,

Bransles, Ballads, virelayes, and verses vaine;

Oft purposes, oft riddles he deuysd,

And thousands like, which flowed in his braine,

With which he fed her fancie, and entysd

To take to[1092] his new loue, and leaue her old despysd.

And euery where he might, and euery while ix

He did her seruice dewtifull, and sewed

At hand with humble pride, and pleasing guile,

So closely yet, that none but she it vewed,

Who well perceiued all, and all indewed.

Thus finely did he his false nets dispred,

With which he many weake harts had subdewed

Of yore, and many had ylike misled:

What wonder then, if she were likewise carried?

No fort so fensible, no wals so strong, x

But that continuall battery will riue,

Or daily siege through dispuruayance long,

And lacke of reskewes will to parley driue;

And Peece[1093], that vnto parley eare will giue,

Will shortly yeeld it selfe, and will be made

The vassall of the victors will byliue:

That stratageme had oftentimes assayd

This crafty Paramoure, and now it plaine displayd.

For through his traines he her intrapped hath, xi

That she her loue and hart hath wholy sold

To him, without regard of gaine, or scath,

Or care of credite, or of husband old,

Whom she hath vow’d to dub a faire Cucquold.

Nought wants but time and place, which shortly shee

Deuized hath, and to her louer told.

It pleased well. So well they both agree;

So readie rype to ill, ill wemens counsels bee.

Darke was the Euening, fit for louers stealth, xii

When chaunst _Malbecco_ busie be elsewhere,

She to his closet went, where all his wealth

Lay hid: thereof she countlesse summes did reare,

The which she meant away with her to beare;

The rest she fyr’d for sport, or for despight;

As _Hellene_, when she saw aloft appeare

The _Troiane_ flames, and reach to heauens hight

Did clap her hands, and ioyed at that dolefull sight.

This second _Hellene_, faire Dame _Hellenore_, xiii

The whiles her husband ranne with sory haste,

To quench the flames, which she had tyn’d before,

Laught at his foolish labour spent in waste;

And ranne into her louers armes right fast;

Where streight embraced, she to him did cry,

And call aloud for helpe, ere helpe were past;

For loe that Guest would[1094] beare her forcibly,

And meant to rauish her, that rather had to dy.

The wretched man hearing her call for ayd, xiv

And readie seeing him with her to fly,

In his disquiet mind was much dismayd:

But when againe he backward cast his eye,

And saw the wicked fire so furiously

Consume his hart, and scorch his Idoles face,

He was therewith distressed diuersly,

Ne wist he how to turne, nor to what place;

Was neuer wretched man in such a wofull cace.

Ay when to him she cryde, to her he turnd, xv

And left the fire; loue money ouercame:

But when he marked, how his money burnd,

He left his wife; money did loue disclame:

Both was he loth to loose his loued Dame,

And loth to leaue his liefest pelfe behind,

Yet sith he n’ote saue both, he sau’d that same,

Which was the dearest to his donghill mind,

The God of his desire, the ioy of misers blind.

Thus whilest all things in troublous vprore were, xvi

And all men busie to suppresse the flame,

The louing couple need no reskew feare,

But leasure had, and libertie to frame

Their purpost flight, free from all mens reclame;

And Night, the patronesse of loue-stealth faire,

Gaue them safe conduct, till to end they came:

So bene they gone yfeare, a wanton paire

Of louers loosely knit, where list them to repaire.

Soone as the cruell flames yslaked were, xvii

_Malbecco_ seeing, how his losse did lye,

Out of the flames, which he had quencht whylere

Into huge waues of griefe and gealosye

Full deepe emplonged was, and drowned nye,

Twixt inward doole and felonous despight;

He rau’d, he wept, he stampt, he lowd did cry,

And all the passions, that in man may light,

Did him attonce oppresse, and vex his caytiue spright.

Long thus he chawd the cud of inward griefe, xviii

And did consume his gall with anguish sore,

Still when he mused on his late mischiefe,

Then[1095] still the smart thereof increased more,

And seem’d more grieuous, then it was before:

At last when sorrow he saw booted nought,

Ne griefe might not his loue to him restore,

He gan deuise, how her he reskew mought,

Ten thousand wayes he cast in his confused thought.

At last resoluing, like a pilgrim pore, xix

To search[1096] her forth, where so she might be fond,

And bearing with him treasure in close store,

The rest he leaues in ground: So takes in hond

To seeke her endlong, both by sea and lond.

Long he her sought, he sought her farre and nere,

And euery where that he mote vnderstond,

Of knights and ladies any meetings were,

And of eachone he met, he tydings did inquere.

But all in vaine, his woman was too wise, xx

Euer to come into his clouch againe,

And he too simple euer to surprise

The iolly _Paridell_, for all his paine.

One day, as he forpassed by the plaine

With weary pace, he farre away espide

A couple, seeming well to be his twaine,

Which houed close vnder a forrest side,

As if they lay in wait, or else themselues did hide.

Well weened he, that those the same mote bee, xxi

And as he better did their shape auize,

Him seemed more their manner did agree;

For th’one was armed all in warlike wize,

Whom, to be _Paridell_ he did deuize;

And th’other all yclad in garments light,

Discolour’d like to womanish disguise,

He did resemble to his Ladie bright;

And euer his faint hart much earned[1097] at the sight.

And euer faine he towards them would goe, xxii

But yet durst not for dread approchen nie,

But stood aloofe, vnweeting what to doe;

Till that prickt forth with loues extremitie,

That is the father of foule gealosy,

He closely nearer crept, the truth to weet:

But, as he nigher drew, he easily

Might scerne, that it was not his sweetest sweet,

Ne yet her Belamour, the partner of his sheet.

But it was scornefull _Braggadocchio_, xxiii

That with his seruant _Trompart_ houerd there,

Sith late he fled from his too earnest foe:

Whom such when as _Malbecco_ spyed clere,

He turned backe, and would haue fled arere;

Till _Trompart_ ronning hastily, him did stay,

And bad before his soueraine Lord appere:

That was him loth, yet durst he not gainesay,

And comming him before, low louted on the lay.

The Boaster at him sternely bent his browe, xxiv

As if he could haue kild him with his looke,

That to the ground him meekely made to bowe,

And awfull terror deepe into him strooke,

That euery member of his bodie quooke.

Said he, Thou[1098] man of nought, what doest thou here,

Vnfitly furnisht with thy bag and booke,

Where I expected one with shield and spere,

To proue some deedes of armes vpon an equall pere.

The wretched man at his imperious speach, xxv

Was all abasht, and low prostrating, said;

Good Sir, let not my rudenesse be no breach

Vnto your patience, ne be ill ypaid;

For I vnwares this way by fortune straid,

A silly Pilgrim driuen to distresse,

That seeke a Lady, There he suddein staid,

And did the rest with grieuous sighes suppresse,

While teares stood in his eies, few drops of bitternesse.

What Ladie, man? (said _Trompart_) take good hart, xxvi

And tell thy griefe, if any hidden lye;

Was neuer better time to shew thy smart,

Then now, that noble succour is thee by,

That is the whole worlds commune remedy.

That cheareful word his weake hart much did cheare,

And with vaine hope his spirits faint supply,

That bold he said; O most redoubted Pere,

Vouchsafe with mild regard a wretches cace to heare.

Then sighing sore, It is not long (said hee) xxvii

Sith[1099] I enioyd the gentlest Dame aliue;

Of whom a knight, no knight at all perdee,

But shame of all, that doe for honor striue,

By treacherous deceipt did me depriue;

Through open outrage he her bore away,

And with fowle force vnto his will did driue,

Which all good knights, that armes do beare this day,

Are bound for to reuenge, and punish if they may.

And you most noble Lord, that can and dare xxviii

Redresse the wrong of miserable wight,

Cannot employ your most victorious speare

In better quarrell, then defence of right,

And for a Ladie gainst a faithlesse knight;

So shall your glory be aduaunced much,

And all faire Ladies magnifie your might,

And eke my selfe, albe I simple such,

Your worthy paine shall well reward with guerdon rich.

With that out of his bouget forth he drew xxix

Great store of treasure[1100], therewith him to tempt;

But he on it lookt scornefully askew,

As much disdeigning to be so misdempt,

Or a war-monger to be basely nempt;

And said; Thy[1101] offers base I greatly loth,

And eke thy words vncourteous and vnkempt;

I tread in dust thee and thy money both,

That, were it not for shame, So turned from him wroth.

But _Trompart_, that his maisters humor knew, xxx

In lofty lookes to hide an humble mind,

Was inly tickled with that golden vew,

And in his eare him rounded[1102] close behind:

Yet stoupt he not, but lay still in the wind,

Waiting aduauntage on the pray to sease;

Till _Trompart_ lowly to the ground inclind,

Besought him his great courage to appease,

And pardon simple man, that rash did him displease.

Bigge looking like a doughtie Doucepere, xxxi

At last he thus; Thou clod of vilest clay,

I pardon yield, and with thy[1103] rudenesse beare;

But weete henceforth, that all that golden pray,

And all that else the vaine world vaunten may,

I loath as doung, ne deeme my dew reward:

Fame is my meed, and glory vertues[1104] pray[1105].

But minds of mortall men are muchell mard,

And mou’d amisse with massie mucks vnmeet regard.

And more[1106], I graunt to thy great miserie xxxii

Gratious respect, thy wife shall backe be sent,

And that vile knight, who euer that he bee,

Which hath thy Lady reft, and knighthood shent,

By _Sanglamort_ my sword, whose deadly dent

The bloud hath of so many thousands shed,

I sweare, ere long shall dearely it repent;

Ne he twixt heauen and earth shall hide his hed,

But soone he shall be found, and shortly doen be ded.

The foolish man thereat woxe wondrous blith, xxxiii

As if the word so spoken, were halfe donne,

And humbly thanked him a thousand sith,

That had from death to life him newly wonne.

Tho forth the Boaster marching, braue begonne

His stolen steed to thunder furiously,

As if he heauen and hell would ouerronne,

And all the world confound with cruelty,

That much _Malbecco_ ioyed in his iollity.

Thus long they three together traueiled, xxxiv

Through many a wood, and many an vncouth way,

To seeke his wife, that was farre wandered:

But those two sought nought, but the present pray,

To weete the treasure, which he did bewray,

On which their eies and harts were wholly set,

With purpose, how they might it best betray;

For sith the houre, that first he did them let

The same behold, therewith their keene desires were whet.

It fortuned as they together far’d, xxxv

They spide, where _Paridell_ came pricking fast

Vpon the plaine, the which himselfe prepar’d

To giust with that braue straunger knight a cast,

As on aduenture by the way he past:

Alone he rode without his Paragone;

For hauing filcht her bels, her vp he cast

To the wide world, and let her fly alone,

He nould be clogd. So had he serued many one.

The gentle Lady, loose at randon left, xxxvi

The greene-wood long did walke, and wander wide

At wilde aduenture, like a forlorne weft,

Till on a day the _Satyres_ her espide

Straying alone withouten groome or guide;

Her vp they tooke, and with them home her led,

With them as housewife euer to abide,

To milk their gotes, and make them cheese and bred,

And euery one as commune good her handeled.

That shortly she _Malbecco_ has forgot, xxxvii

And eke Sir _Paridell_, all were he deare;

Who from her went to seeke another lot,

And now by fortune was arriued here,

Where those two guilers with _Malbecco_ were:

Soone as the oldman saw Sir _Paridell_,

He fainted, and was almost dead with feare,

Ne word he had to speake, his griefe to tell,

But to him louted low, and greeted goodly well.

And after asked him for _Hellenore_, xxxviii

I take no keepe of her (said _Paridell_)

She wonneth in the forrest there before.

So forth he rode, as his aduenture fell;

The whiles the Boaster from his loftie sell

Faynd to alight, something amisse to mend;

But the fresh Swayne would not his leasure dwell,

But went his way; whom when he passed kend,

He vp remounted light, and after faind to wend.

Perdy nay (said _Malbecco_) shall ye not: xxxix

But let him passe as lightly, as he came:

For litle good of him is to be got,

And mickle perill to be put to shame.

But let vs go to seeke my dearest Dame,

Whom he hath left in yonder forrest wyld:

For of her safety in great doubt I am[1107],

Least saluage beastes her person haue despoyld:

Then all the world is lost, and we in vaine haue toyld.

They[1108] all agree, and forward them addrest: xl

Ah but (said craftie _Trompart_) weete ye well,

That yonder in that wastefull[1109] wildernesse

Huge monsters haunt, and many dangers dwell;

Dragons, and Minotaures, and feendes of hell,

And many wilde woodmen, which robbe and rend

All trauellers; therefore aduise[1110] ye well,

Before ye enterprise that way to wend:

One may his iourney bring too soone to euill end.

_Malbecco_ stopt in great astonishment, xli

And with pale eyes fast fixed on the rest,

Their counsell crau’d, in daunger imminent.

Said _Trompart_, You[1111] that are the most opprest

With burden of great treasure, I thinke best

Here for to stay in safetie behind;

My Lord and I will search the wide forrest.

That counsell pleased not _Malbeccoes_ mind;

For he was much affraid, himselfe alone to find.

Then is it best (said he) that ye doe leaue xlii

Your treasure here in some securitie,

Either fast closed in some hollow greaue,

Or buried in the ground from ieopardie,

Till we returne againe in safetie:

As for vs two, least doubt of vs ye haue,

Hence farre away we will blindfolded lie,

Ne priuie be vnto your treasures graue.

It pleased: so he did.[1112] Then they march forward braue.

Now when amid the thickest woods they were, xliii

They heard a noyse of many bagpipes shrill,

And shrieking Hububs them approching nere,

Which all the forrest did with horror fill:

That dreadfull sound the boasters hart did thrill,

With such amazement, that in haste he fled,

Ne euer looked backe for good or ill,

And after him eke fearefull _Trompart_ sped;

The old man could not fly, but fell to ground halfe ded.

Yet afterwards close creeping, as he might, xliv

He in a bush did hide his fearefull hed,

The iolly _Satyres_ full of fresh delight,

Came dauncing forth, and with them nimbly led

Faire _Hellenore_, with girlonds all bespred,

Whom their May-lady they had newly made:

She proud of that new honour, which they red,

And of their louely fellowship full glade,

Daunst liuely, and her face did with a Lawrell shade.

The silly man that in the thicket lay xlv

Saw all this goodly sport, and grieued sore,

Yet durst he not against it doe or say,

But did his hart with bitter thoughts engore,

To see th’vnkindnesse of his _Hellenore_.

All day they daunced with great lustihed,

And with their horned feet the greene grasse wore,

The whiles their Gotes vpon the brouzes fed,[1113]

Till drouping _Phœbus_ gan to hide his golden hed.

Tho vp they gan their merry pypes to trusse, xlvi

And all their goodly heards did gather round,

But euery _Satyre_ first did giue a busse

To _Hellenore_: so busses did abound.

Now gan the humid vapour shed the ground

With perly deaw, and th’Earthes[1114] gloomy shade

Did dim the brightnesse of the welkin round,

That euery bird and beast awarned made,

To shrowd themselues, whiles sleepe their senses did inuade.

Which when _Malbecco_ saw, out of his[1115] bush xlvii

Vpon his hands[1116] and feete he crept full light,

And like a Gote emongst the Gotes did rush,

That through the helpe of his faire hornes on hight,

And misty dampe of misconceiuing night,

And eke through likenesse of his gotish beard,

He did the better counterfeite aright:

So home he marcht emongst the horned heard,

That none of all the _Satyres_ him espyde or heard.

At night, when all they went to sleepe, he vewd, xlviii

Whereas his louely wife emongst them lay,

Embraced of a _Satyre_ rough and rude,

Who all the night did minde his ioyous play:

Nine times he heard him come aloft ere day,

That all his hart with gealosie did swell;

But yet that nights ensample did bewray,

That not for nought his wife them loued so well,

When one so oft[1117] a night did ring his matins bell.

So closely as he could, he to them crept, xlix

When wearie of their sport to sleepe they fell,

And to his wife, that now full soundly slept,

He whispered in her eare, and did her tell,

That it was he, which by her side did dwell,

And therefore prayd her wake, to heare him plaine.

As one out of a dreame not waked well,

She turned her, and returned backe againe:

Yet her for to awake he did the more constraine.

At last with irkesome trouble she abrayd; l

And then perceiuing, that it was indeed

Her old _Malbecco_, which did her vpbrayd,

With loosenesse of her loue, and loathly deed,

She was astonisht with exceeding dreed,

And would haue wakt the _Satyre_ by her syde;

But he her prayd, for mercy, or for meed,

To saue his life, ne let him be descryde,

But hearken to his lore, and all his counsell hyde.

Tho gan he her perswade, to leaue that lewd li

And loathsome life, of God and man abhord,

And home returne, where all should be renewd

With perfect peace, and bandes of fresh accord,

And she receiu’d againe to bed and bord,

As if no trespasse euer had bene donne:

But she it all refused at one word,

And by no meanes would to his will be wonne,

But chose emongst the iolly _Satyres_ still to wonne.

He wooed her, till day spring[1118] he espyde; lii

But all in vaine: and then turnd to the heard,

Who butted him with hornes on euery syde,

And trode downe in the durt, where his hore beard

Was fowly dight, and he of death afeard.

Early before the heauens fairest light

Out of the ruddy East was fully reard,

The heardes out of their foldes were loosed quight,

And he emongst the rest crept forth in sory plight.

So soone as he the Prison dore did pas, liii

He ran as fast, as both his feete could beare,

And neuer looked, who behind him was,

Ne scarsely who before: like as a Beare

That creeping close, amongst[1119] the hiues to reare

An hony combe, the wakefull dogs espy,

And him assayling, sore his carkasse teare,

That hardly he with life away does fly,

Ne stayes, till safe himselfe he see from ieopardy.

Ne stayd he, till he came vnto the place, liv

Where late his treasure he entombed had,

Where when he found it not (for _Trompart_ bace

Had it purloyned for his maister bad:)

With extreme fury he became quite mad,

And ran away, ran with himselfe away:

That who so straungely had him seene bestad,

With vpstart haire, and staring eyes dismay,

From Limbo lake him late escaped sure would say.

High ouer hilles and ouer dales he fled, lv

As if the wind him on his winges had borne,

Ne banck nor bush could stay him, when he sped

His nimble feet, as treading still on thorne:

Griefe, and despight, and gealosie, and scorne

Did all the way him follow hard behind,

And he himselfe himselfe loath’d so forlorne,

So shamefully forlorne of womankind;

That as a Snake, still lurked in his wounded mind.

Still fled he forward, looking backward still, lvi

Ne stayd his flight, nor fearefull agony,

Till that he came vnto a rockie hill,

Ouer the sea, suspended dreadfully,

That liuing creature it would terrify,

To looke adowne, or vpward to the hight:

From thence he threw himselfe dispiteously,

All desperate of his fore-damned spright,

That seem’d no helpe for him was left in liuing sight.

But through long anguish, and selfe-murdring thought lvii

He was so wasted and forpined quight,

That all his substance was consum’d to nought,

And nothing left, but like an aery Spright,

That on the rockes he fell so flit and light,

That he thereby receiu’d no hurt at all,

But chaunced on a craggy cliff to light;

Whence he with crooked clawes so long did crall,

That at the last he found a caue with entrance small.

Into the same he creepes, and thenceforth there lviii

Resolu’d to build his balefull mansion,

In drery darkenesse, and continuall feare

Of that rockes fall, which euer and anon

Threates with huge ruine him to fall vpon,

That he dare neuer sleepe, but that one eye

Still ope he keepes for that occasion;

Ne euer rests he in tranquillity,

The roring billowes beat his bowre so boystrously.

Ne euer is he wont on ought to feed, lix

But toades and frogs, his pasture poysonous,

Which in his cold complexion do breed

A filthy bloud, or humour rancorous,

Matter of doubt and dread suspitious,

That doth with curelesse care consume the hart,

Corrupts the stomacke with gall vitious,

Croscuts the liuer with internall smart,

And doth transfixe the soule with deathes eternall dart.

Yet can he neuer dye, but dying liues, lx

And doth himselfe with sorrow new sustaine,

That death and life attonce vnto him giues.

And painefull pleasure turnes to pleasing paine.

There dwels he euer, miserable swaine,

Hatefull both to him selfe, and euery wight;

Where he through priuy griefe, and horrour vaine,

Is woxen so deform’d, that he has quight

Forgot he was a man, and _Gealosie_ is hight.

FOOTNOTES:

[1090] ii 2 griuously _1590_

[1091] v 2 _Melbeccoes_ _1596_

[1092] viii 9 to] with _1590_

[1093] x 5 Peace _1596_

[1094] xiii 8 would] did _1590_

[1095] xviii 4 Then] So _1590_

[1096] xix 2 seach _1596_

[1097] xxi 9 yearned _1609_

[1098] xxiv 6 thou _1590 &c._

[1099] xxvii 2 Since _1609_

[1100] xxix 2 threasure _1609_

[1101] 6 thy _1590_, _1596_

[1102] xxx 4 grounded _1596_

[1103] xxxi 3 with thy] that with _1590_

[1104] 7 vertues] vertuous _1590_

[1105] pray] pay _1609_

[1106] xxxii 1 more] mote _1590_

[1107] xxxix 7 ame _1590_

[1108] xl 1 They] The _1596_

[1109] 3 wastefull] faithfull _1590_

[1110] 7 avise _1609_

[1111] xli 4 you _1590_, _1596_

[1112] xlii 9 did, _1596_

[1113] xlv 8 fed. _1596_

[1114] xlvi 6 the Earthes _1609_

[1115] xlvii 1 his] the _1609_

[1116] 2 hand _1596_

[1117] xlviii 9 oft] ought _1609_

[1118] lii 1 day springs _1596_

[1119] liii 5 emongst _1609_

_Cant. XI._

[Illustration:

_Britomart chaceth Ollyphant,

findes Scudamour distrest:

Assayes the house of Busyrane,

where Loues spoyles are exprest._

]

O Hatefull hellish Snake, what furie furst i

Brought thee from balefull house of _Proserpine_,

Where in her bosome she thee long had nurst,

And fostred vp with bitter milke of tine,

Fowle Gealosie, that turnest loue diuine

To ioylesse dread, and mak’st the louing hart

With hatefull thoughts to languish and to pine,

And feed it selfe with selfe-consuming smart?

Of all the passions in the mind thou vilest art.

O let him far be banished away, ii

And in his stead let Loue for euer dwell,

Sweet Loue, that doth his golden[1120] wings embay

In blessed Nectar, and pure Pleasures well,

Vntroubled of vile feare, or bitter fell.

And ye faire Ladies, that your kingdomes make

In th’harts of men, them gouerne wisely well,

And of faire _Britomart_ ensample take,

That was as trew in loue, as Turtle to her make.

Who with Sir _Satyrane_, as earst ye red, iii

Forth ryding from _Malbeccoes_ hostlesse hous,

Far off aspyde[1121] a young man, the which fled

From an huge Geaunt, that with hideous

And hatefull outrage long him chaced thus;

It was that _Ollyphant_, the brother deare

Of that _Argante_ vile and vitious,

From whom the _Squire of Dames_ was reft whylere;

This all as bad as she, and worse, if worse ought were.

For as the sister did in feminine iv

And filthy lust exceede all woman kind,

So he surpassed his sex masculine,

In beastly vse that I did euer[1122] find;

Whom when as _Britomart_ beheld behind

The fearefull boy so greedily pursew,

She was emmoued in her noble mind,

T’employ her puissaunce to his reskew,

And pricked fiercely forward, where she him did[1123] vew.

Ne was Sir _Satyrane_ her far behinde, v

But with like fiercenesse did ensew the chace:

Whom when the Gyaunt saw, he soone resinde

His former suit, and from them fled apace;

They after both, and boldly bad him bace,

And each did striue the other to out-goe,

But he them both outran a wondrous space,

For he was long, and swift as any Roe,

And now made better speed, t’escape his feared foe.

It was not _Satyrane_, whom he did feare, vi

But _Britomart_ the flowre of chastity;

For he the powre of chast hands might not beare,

But alwayes did their dread encounter fly:

And now so fast his feet he did apply,

That he has gotten to a forrest neare,

Where he is shrowded in security.

The wood they enter, and search euery where,

They searched diuersely, so both diuided were.

Faire _Britomart_ so long him followed, vii

That she at last came to a fountaine sheare,

By which there lay a knight all wallowed

Vpon the grassy ground, and by him neare

His haberieon, his helmet, and his speare;

A little off,[1124] his shield was rudely throwne,

On which the winged boy in colours cleare

Depeincted was, full easie to be knowne,

And he thereby, where euer it in field was showne.

His face vpon the ground did groueling ly, viii

As if he had bene slombring in the shade,

That the braue Mayd would not for courtesy,

Out of his quiet slomber him abrade,

Nor seeme too suddeinly him to inuade:

Still as she stood, she heard with grieuous throb

Him grone, as if his hart were peeces made,

And with most painefull pangs to sigh and sob,

That pitty did the Virgins hart of patience rob.

At last forth breaking into bitter plaintes ix

He said; O soueraigne Lord that sit’st on hye,

And raignst in blis emongst thy blessed Saintes,

How suffrest thou such shamefull cruelty,

So long vnwreaked of thine enimy?

Or hast thou, Lord,[1125] of good mens cause no heed?

Or doth thy iustice sleepe, and silent ly?

What booteth then the good and righteous deed,

If goodnesse find no grace, nor righteousnesse no meed?

If good find grace, and righteousnesse reward, x

Why then is _Amoret_ in caytiue band,

Sith that more bounteous creature neuer far’d

On foot, vpon the face of liuing land?

Or if that heauenly iustice may withstand

The wrongfull outrage of vnrighteous men,

Why then is _Busirane_ with wicked hand

Suffred, these seuen monethes day in secret den

My Lady and my loue so cruelly to pen?

My Lady and my loue is cruelly[1126] pend xi

In dolefull darkenesse from the vew of day,

Whilest deadly torments do her chast brest rend,

And the sharpe steele doth riue her hart in tway,

All for she _Scudamore_ will not denay.

Yet thou vile man, vile _Scudamore_ art sound,

Ne canst her ayde, ne canst her foe dismay;

Vnworthy wretch to tread vpon the ground,

For whom so faire a Lady feeles so sore a wound.

There an huge heape of singultes[1127] did oppresse xii

His strugling soule, and swelling throbs empeach

His foltring toung with pangs of drerinesse,

Choking the remnant of his plaintife speach,

As if his dayes were come to their last reach.

Which when she heard, and saw the ghastly fit,

Threatning into his life to make a breach,

Both with great ruth and terrour she was smit,

Fearing least from her cage the wearie soule would flit.

Tho stooping downe she him amoued light; xiii

Who therewith somewhat starting, vp gan looke,

And seeing him behind a straunger knight,

Whereas no liuing creature he mistooke,

With great indignaunce he that sight forsooke,

And downe againe himselfe disdainefully

Abiecting, th’earth with his faire forhead strooke:

Which the bold Virgin seeing, gan apply

Fit medcine to his griefe, and spake thus courtesly.

Ah gentle knight, whose deepe conceiued[1128] griefe xiv

Well seemes t’exceede the powre of patience,

Yet if that heauenly grace some good reliefe

You send, submit you to high prouidence,

And euer in your noble hart prepense,

That all the sorrow in the world is lesse,

Then vertues might, and values confidence,

For who nill bide the burden of distresse,

Must not here thinke to liue: for life is wretchednesse.

Therefore, faire Sir, do comfort to you take, xv

And freely read, what wicked felon so

Hath outrag’d you, and thrald your gentle make.

Perhaps this hand may helpe to ease your woe,

And wreake your sorrow on your cruell foe,

At[1129] least it faire endeuour will apply.

Those feeling wordes so neare the quicke did goe,

That vp his head he reared easily,

And leaning on his elbow, these few wordes let fly.

What boots it plaine, that cannot be redrest, xvi

And sow vaine sorrow in a fruitlesse eare,

Sith powre of hand, nor skill of learned brest,

Ne worldly price cannot redeeme my deare,

Out of her thraldome and continuall feare?

For he the tyraunt, which her hath in ward

By strong enchauntments and blacke Magicke leare,

Hath in a dungeon deepe her close embard,

And many dreadfull feends hath pointed to her gard.

There he tormenteth her most terribly, xvii

And day and night afflicts with mortall paine,

Because to yield him loue she doth deny,

Once to me yold, not to be yold againe:

But yet by torture he would her constraine

Loue to conceiue in her disdainfull brest;

Till so she do, she must in doole remaine,

Ne may by liuing meanes be thence relest:

What boots it then to plaine, that cannot be redrest?

With this sad hersall of his heauy stresse, xviii

The warlike Damzell was empassiond sore,

And said; Sir knight, your cause is nothing lesse,

Then is your sorrow, certes if not more;

For nothing so much pitty doth implore,

As gentle Ladies helplesse misery.

But yet, if please ye listen to my lore,

I will with proofe of last extremity,

Deliuer her fro thence, or with her for you dy.

Ah gentlest knight aliue, (said _Scudamore_) xix

What huge heroicke magnanimity

Dwels in thy bounteous brest? what couldst thou more,

If she were thine, and thou as now am I?

O spare thy happy dayes, and them apply

To better boot, but let me dye, that ought;

More is more losse: one is enough to dy.

Life is not lost, (said she) for which is bought

Endlesse renowm, that more then death[1130] is to be sought.

Thus she at length perswaded him to rise, xx

And with her wend, to see what new successe

Mote him befall vpon new enterprise;

His armes, which he had vowed to disprofesse,

She gathered vp and did about him dresse,

And his forwandred[1131] steed vnto him got:

So forth they both yfere make their progresse,

And march not past the mountenaunce of a shot,

Till they arriu’d, whereas their purpose they did plot.

There they dismounting, drew their weapons bold xxi

And stoutly came vnto the Castle gate;

Whereas no gate they found, them to withhold,

Nor ward to wait at morne and euening late,

But in the Porch, that did them sore amate,

A flaming fire, ymixt with smouldry smoke,

And stinking Sulphure, that with griesly hate

And dreadfull horrour did all entraunce choke,

Enforced them their forward footing to reuoke.

Greatly thereat was _Britomart_ dismayd, xxii

Ne in that stownd wist, how her selfe to beare;

For daunger vaine it were, to haue assayd

That cruell element, which all things feare,

Ne none can suffer to approchen neare:

And turning backe to _Scudamour_, thus sayd;

What monstrous enmity prouoke we heare,

Foolhardy as th’Earthes[1132] children, the which[1133] made

Battell against the Gods? so we a God inuade.

Daunger without discretion to attempt, xxiii

Inglorious and beastlike is: therefore Sir knight,

Aread what course of you is safest dempt,[1134]

And how we with our foe may come to fight.

This is[1135] (quoth he) the dolorous despight,

Which earst to you I playnd: for neither may

This fire be quencht by any wit or might,

Ne yet by any meanes remou’d away,

So mighty be th’enchauntments, which the same do stay.

What is there else, but cease these fruitlesse paines, xxiv

And leaue me to my former languishing?[1136]

Faire _Amoret_ must dwell in wicked chaines,

And _Scudamore_ here dye with sorrowing.

Perdy not so; (said she) for shamefull thing

It were t’abandon noble cheuisaunce,

For shew of perill, without venturing:

Rather let try extremities of chaunce,

Then enterprised prayse for dread to disauaunce.

Therewith resolu’d to proue her vtmost might, xxv

Her ample shield she threw before her face,

And her swords point directing forward right,

Assayld the flame, the which eftsoones gaue place,

And did it selfe diuide with equall space,

That through she passed; as a thunder bolt

Perceth[1137] the yielding ayre, and doth displace

The soring clouds into sad showres ymolt;

So to her yold the flames, and did their force reuolt.

Whom whenas _Scudamour_ saw past the fire, xxvi

Safe and vntoucht, he likewise gan assay,

With greedy will, and enuious desire,

And bad the stubborne flames to yield him way:

But cruell _Mulciber_ would not obay

His threatfull pride, but did the more augment

His mighty rage, and with[1138] imperious sway

Him forst (maulgre) his fiercenesse to relent,

And backe retire, all scorcht and pitifully brent.

With huge impatience he inly swelt, xxvii

More for great sorrow, that he could not pas,

Then for the burning torment, which he felt,

That with fell woodnesse he effierced was,

And wilfully him throwing on the gras,

Did beat and bounse his head and brest full sore;

The whiles the Championesse now entred[1139] has

The vtmost rowme, and past the formest[1140] dore,

The vtmost rowme, abounding with all precious store.

For round about, the wals yclothed were xxviii

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 hid from enuious eye;

Yet here, and there, and euery where vnwares

It shewd it selfe, and shone vnwillingly;

Like[1141] a discolourd Snake, whose hidden snares

Through[1142] the greene gras his long bright burnisht backe

declares.

And in those Tapets weren fashioned xxix

Many faire pourtraicts, and many a faire feate,

And all of loue, and all of lusty-hed,

As seemed by their semblaunt did entreat;

And eke all _Cupids_ warres they did repeate,

And cruell battels, 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 writ, how often thundring _Ioue_ xxx

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 xxxi

Him selfe he chaung’d faire _Danaë_ to vew,

And through the roofe of her strong brasen towre

Did raine into her lap an hony dew,

The whiles her foolish garde, that little 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 snowy Swan, xxxii

To win faire _Leda_ to his louely trade:

O wondrous skill, and sweet wit of the man,

That her in daffadillies 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;

She slept, yet twixt her eyelids closely spyde,

How towards her he rusht, and smiled at his pryde.

Then shewd it, how the _Thebane Semelee_ xxxiii

Deceiu’d of gealous _Iuno_, did require

To see him in his soueraigne maiestee,

Armd with his thunderbolts and lightning fire,

Whence dearely she with death bought her desire.

But faire _Alcmena_ better match did make,

Ioying his loue in likenesse more entire;

Three nights in one, they say, that for her sake

He then did put, her[1143] pleasures lenger to partake.

Twise was he seene in soaring Eagles shape, xxxiv

And with wide wings to beat the buxome ayre,

Once, when he with _Asterie_ did scape,

Againe, when as the _Troiane_ boy so faire

He snatcht from _Ida_ hill, and with him bare:

Wondrous delight it was, there to behould,

How the rude Shepheards after him did stare,

Trembling through feare, least down he fallen should,[1144]

And often to him calling, to take surer hould.

In _Satyres_ shape _Antiopa_ he snatcht: xxxv

And like a fire, when he _Aegin’_ assayd:

A shepheard, when _Mnemosyne_ he catcht:

And like a Serpent to the _Thracian_ mayd.

Whiles 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 heauens obey to me alone,

And take me for their _Ioue_, whiles _Ioue_ to earth is gone.

And thou, faire _Phœbus_, in thy colours bright xxxvi

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 thee loued lesse:

Lesse she thee lou’d, then was thy iust desart,

Yet was thy loue her death, and her death was thy smart.

So louedst thou the lusty _Hyacinct_, xxxvii

So louedst thou the faire _Coronis_ deare:

Yet both are of thy haplesse hand extinct,

Yet both in flowres do liue, and loue thee beare[1145],

The one a Paunce, the other a sweet breare[1146]:

For griefe whereof, ye mote haue liuely seene

The God himselfe rending his golden heare,

And breaking quite his gyrlond[1147] euer greene,

With other signes of sorrow and impatient teene.

Both for those two, and for his owne deare sonne, xxxviii

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 fier brent;

So like, that all the walles did seeme to flame.

Yet cruell _Cupid_, not herewith content,

Forst him eftsoones to follow other game,

And loue a Shepheards daughter for his dearest Dame.

He loued _Isse_ for his dearest Dame, xxxix

And for her sake her cattell fed 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 each[1148] other louely fit,

Now like a Lyon, hunting after spoile,

Now like a Stag[1149], now like a faulcon flit:

All which in that faire arras was most liuely writ.

Next vnto him was _Neptune_ pictured, xl

In his diuine resemblance wondrous lyke:

His face was rugged, and his hoarie hed

Dropped with brackish deaw; his three-forkt Pyke

He stearnly shooke, and therewith 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 sea-horses did seeme to snort amayne, xli

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, xlii

And _Aeolus_ faire daughter _Arne_ hight,

For whom he turnd him selfe into a Steare,

And fed on fodder, to beguile her sight.

Also to win _Deucalions_ daughter bright,

He[1150] turnd him selfe into a Dolphin fayre;

And like a winged horse he tooke his flight,

To snaky[1151]-locke _Medusa_ to repayre,

On whom he got faire _Pegasus_, that flitteth in the ayre.

Next _Saturne_ was, (but who would euer weene, xliii

That sullein _Saturne_ euer weend to loue?

Yet loue is sullein, and _Saturnlike_ seene,

As he did for _Erigone_ it proue,[1152])

That to a _Centaure_ did him selfe transmoue.

So proou’d it eke that gracious 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, xliv

And gentle pangues, with which he maked meeke

The mighty _Mars_, to learne his wanton playes:

How oft for _Venus_, and how often eek

For many other Nymphes he sore did shreek,

With womanish teares, and with vnwarlike smarts,

Priuily moystening his horrid cheek.

There was he painted full of burning darts,

And many wide woundes launched through his inner[1153] parts.[1154]

Ne did he spare (so cruell was the Elfe) xlv

His owne deare mother, (ah why should he so?[1155])

Ne did he spare sometime to pricke himselfe,

That he might tast 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 heauen beholds sad louers nightly theeueryes.

Kings Queenes, Lords Ladies, Knights and Damzels gent xlvi

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 bloudy riuer through them rayld,

So liuely and so like, that liuing sence it fayld.

And at the vpper end of that faire rowme, xlvii

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 wings it had with sundry colours dight,

More sundry colours, then the proud _Pauone_

Beares in his boasted fan, or _Iris_ bright,

When her discolourd bow she spreds through heauen bright[1156].

Blindfold he was, and in his cruell fist xlviii

A mortall bow and arrowes keene did hold,

With which he shot at randon, when him list,

Some headed with sad lead, some with pure gold;

(Ah man beware, how thou those darts behold)

A wounded Dragon vnder him did ly,

Whose hideous tayle his left foot did enfold[1157],

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, xlix

_Vnto the Victor of the Gods this bee_:

And all the people in that ample hous

Did to that image bow their humble knee,

And oft committed fowle Idolatree.

That wondrous sight faire _Britomart_ amazed,

Ne seeing could her wonder satisfie,

But euermore[1158] and more vpon it gazed,

The whiles the passing brightnes her fraile sences dazed.

Tho as she backward cast her busie eye, l

To search each secret of that goodly sted,[1159]

Ouer the dore thus written she did spye

_Be 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 fairer, then the former, was that roome, li

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,[1160]

For loue in thousand monstrous formes doth oft appeare.

And all about, the glistring walles were hong lii

With warlike spoiles, and with victorious prayes,

Of mighty Conquerours and Captaines strong,

Which were whilome captiued in their dayes

To cruell loue, and wrought their owne decayes:

Their swerds[1161] and speres were broke, and 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 Mayde beholding earnestly liii

The goodly ordinance of this rich place,

Did greatly wonder,[1162] ne could satisfie

Her greedy eyes with gazing a long space,

But more she meruaild that no footings trace,

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 purueyance, ne them keepe with carefulnesse.

And as she lookt about, she did behold, liv

How ouer that same dore was likewise writ,

_Be bold, be bold_, 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 roomes vpper end,

Another yron dore, on which was writ,

_Be not too bold_; whereto though she did bend

Her earnest mind, yet wist not what it might intend.

Thus she there[1163] waited vntill euentyde, lv

Yet liuing creature none she saw appeare:

And now sad shadowes gan the world to hyde,

From mortall vew, and wrap in darkenesse 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 her selfe aside in sickernesse,

And her welpointed weapons did about her dresse.

FOOTNOTES:

[1120] ii 3 golding _1590_, _1596_

[1121] iii 3 espide _1609_

[1122] iv 4 that I did euer] all, that I euer _1590_

[1123] 9 him did] did him _1590_

[1124] vii 6 off,] of _1590_

[1125] ix 6 hast, thou Lord, _1590_, _1596_

[1126] xi 1 cruell’ _1609_

[1127] xii 1 singulfes _1590_, _1596_

[1128] xiv 1 cenceiued _1596_

[1129] xv 6 At] And _1596_

[1130] xix 9 death] life _conj. Jortin_

[1131] xx 6 for wandred _1596_

[1132] xxii 8 th’Earthes] the Earthes _1590_

[1133] the which] which _1590_

[1134] xxiii 3 dempt. _1590_

[1135] 5 is _om. 1596_

[1136] xxiv 2 languishing; _1596_

[1137] xxv 7 Pearceth _1609_

[1138] xxvi 7 with _om. 1596_: and his _1609_

[1139] xxvii 7 entred] decked _1590_

[1140] 8 formost _1609_

[1141] xxviii 8 Like] Like to _1590_

[1142] 9 Throgh _1609_

[1143] xxxiii 9 her] his _1609_

[1144] xxxiv 8 should _1590_, _1596_

[1145] xxxvii 4 beare] breare _1590_

[1146] 5 breare] beare _1590_

[1147] 8 garlond _1590_

[1148] xxxix 6 each] his _1590_

[1149] 8 Stag _conj. Jortin_: Hag _1590 &c._

[1150] xlii 6 Her _1609_

[1151] 8 snaly _1596_

[1152] xliii 4 proue.] _1596_

[1153] xliv 9 inner] inward _1609_

[1154] parts, _1596_

[1155] xlv 2 so! _1596_

[1156] xlvii 9 heauens hight _conj. Church_

[1157] xlviii 7 ensold _1596_

[1158] xlix 8 euer more _1609_

[1159] l 2 sted _1590_, _1596_

[1160] li 8 weare? _1596_

[1161] lii 6 swords _1609_

[1162] liii 3 wonder _1596_

_Cant. XII._

[Illustration:

_The maske of Cupid, and th’enchaunted

Chamber are displayd.

Whence Britomart redeemes faire

Amoret, through charmes decayd._

]

Tho when as chearelesse Night ycouered had i

Faire heauen with an vniuersall cloud,

That euery wight dismayd with darknesse sad,

In silence and in sleepe themselues did shroud,

She heard a shrilling Trompet sound aloud,

Signe of nigh battell, or got victory;

Nought therewith daunted was her courage proud,

But rather stird to cruell enmity,

Expecting euer, when some foe she might descry.

With that, an hideous storme of winde arose, ii

With dreadfull thunder and lightning atwixt,

And an earth-quake, as if it streight would lose

The worlds foundations from his centre fixt;

A direfull stench of smoke and sulphure mixt

Ensewd, whose noyance fild the fearefull sted,

From the fourth houre of night vntill the sixt;

Yet the bold _Britonesse_ was nought ydred,

Though much emmou’d, but stedfast still perseuered.

All suddenly a stormy whirlwind blew iii

Throughout the house, that clapped euery dore,

With which that yron wicket open flew,

As it with mightie leuers had bene tore:

And forth issewd, as on the ready flore

Of some Theatre, a graue personage,

That in his hand a branch of laurell bore,

With comely haueour and count’nance sage,

Yclad in costly garments, fit for tragicke Stage.

Proceeding to the midst, he still did stand, iv

As if in mind he somewhat had to say,

And to the vulgar 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 discouered,

Ease, on his robe in golden letters cyphered.

The noble Mayd, still standing all this vewd, v

And merueild at his strange intendiment;

With that a ioyous fellowship issewd

Of Minstrals, making goodly meriment,

With wanton Bardes, and Rymers impudent,

All which together sung full chearefully

A lay of loues delight, with sweet concent[1164]:

After whom marcht a iolly company,

In manner of a maske, enranged orderly.

The whiles a most delitious harmony, vi

In full straunge notes was sweetly heard to sound,

That the rare sweetnesse of the melody

The feeble senses wholly did confound,

And the fraile soule in deepe delight nigh dround:

And when it ceast, shrill trompets loud did bray,

That their report did farre away rebound,

And when they ceast, it gan againe to play,

The whiles the maskers marched forth in trim aray.

The first was _Fancy_, like a louely boy, vii

Of rare aspect, and beautie without peare;

Matchable either[1165] to that ympe of _Troy_,

Whom _Ioue_ did loue, and chose his cup to beare,

Or that same daintie lad, which was so deare

To great _Alcides_, that when as he dyde,

He wailed womanlike with many a teare,

And euery wood,[1166] and euery valley wyde

He fild with _Hylas_ name; the Nymphes eke _Hylas_ cryde.

His garment neither[1167] was of silke nor say, viii

But painted plumes, in goodly order dight,

Like as the sunburnt _Indians_ do aray

Their tawney bodies, in their proudest plight:

As those same plumes, so seemd he vaine and light,

That by his gate might easily appeare;

For still he far’d as dauncing in delight,

And in his hand a windy fan did beare,

That in the idle aire he mou’d still here and there.

And him beside marcht amorous _Desyre_, ix

Who seemd of riper yeares, then th’other Swaine,

Yet was that other[1168] swayne this elders syre,

And gaue him being, commune to them twaine:

His garment was disguised very vaine,

And his embrodered Bonet sat awry;

Twixt both his hands few sparkes he close did straine,

Which still he blew, and kindled busily,

That soone they life conceiu’d, and forth in flames did fly.

Next after him went _Doubt_, who was yclad x

In a discolour’d cote, of straunge disguyse,

That at his backe a brode Capuccio had,

And sleeues dependant _Albanese_-wyse:

He lookt askew with his mistrustfull eyes,

And nicely trode, as thornes lay in his way,

Or that the flore to shrinke he did auyse,

And on a broken reed he still did stay

His feeble steps, which shrunke, when hard theron he lay.

With him went _Daunger_, cloth’d[1169] in ragged weed, xi

Made of Beares skin, that him more dreadfull made,

Yet his owne face was dreadfull, ne did need

Straunge horrour, to deforme his griesly shade;

A net in th’one hand, and a rustie blade

In th’other was, this Mischiefe, that Mishap;

With th’one his foes he threatned to inuade,

With th’other he his friends ment to enwrap:

For whom he could not kill, he practizd to entrap.

Next him was _Feare_, all arm’d from top to toe, xii

Yet thought himselfe not safe enough thereby,

But feard each shadow mouing to and[1170] fro,

And his owne armes when glittering he did spy,

Or clashing heard, he fast away did fly,

As ashes pale of hew, and wingyheeld[1171];

And euermore on daunger fixt his eye,

Gainst whom he alwaies bent a brasen shield,

Which his right hand vnarmed fearefully did wield.

With him went _Hope_ in rancke, a handsome Mayd, xiii

Of chearefull looke and louely to behold;

In silken samite she was light arayd,

And her faire lockes were wouen vp in gold;

She alway smyld, and in her hand did hold

An holy water Sprinckle, dipt in deowe,

With which she sprinckled fauours manifold,

On whom she list, and did great liking sheowe,

Great liking vnto many, but true loue to feowe.

And after them _Dissemblance_, and _Suspect_ xiv

Marcht in one rancke, yet an vnequall paire:

For she was gentle, and of milde aspect,

Courteous to all, and seeming debonaire,

Goodly adorned, and exceeding faire:

Yet was that all but painted, and purloynd,

And her bright browes were deckt with borrowed haire:

Her deedes were forged, and her words false coynd,

And alwaies in her hand two clewes of silke she twynd.

But he was foule, ill fauoured, and grim, xv

Vnder his eyebrowes looking still askaunce;

And euer as _Dissemblance_ laught on him,

He lowrd on her with daungerous eyeglaunce;

Shewing his nature in his countenance;

His rolling eyes did neuer rest in place,

But walkt each where, for feare of hid mischaunce,

Holding a lattice still before his face,

Through which he still did peepe, as forward he did pace.

Next him went _Griefe_, and _Fury_ matcht yfere; xvi

_Griefe_ all in sable sorrowfully clad,

Downe hanging his dull head, with heauy chere,

Yet inly being more, then seeming sad:

A paire of Pincers in his hand he had,

With which he pinched people to the hart,

That from thenceforth a wretched life they lad,

In wilfull languor and consuming smart,

Dying each day with inward wounds of dolours dart.

But _Fury_ was full ill appareiled xvii

In rags, that naked nigh she did appeare,

With ghastly lookes and dreadfull drerihed;

For from her backe her garments she did teare,

And from her head oft rent her snarled heare:

In her right hand a firebrand she did tosse[1172]

About her head, still roming here and there;

As a dismayed Deare in chace embost,

Forgetfull of his safety, hath his right way lost.

After them went _Displeasure_ and _Pleasance_, xviii

He looking lompish and full sullein sad,

And hanging downe his heauy countenance;

She chearefull fresh and full of ioyance glad,

As if no sorrow she ne felt ne drad[1173];

That euill matched paire they seemd to bee:

An angry Waspe th’one in a viall had

Th’other in hers an hony-lady[1174] Bee;

Thus marched these sixe couples forth in faire degree.

After all these there marcht a most faire Dame, xix

Led of two grysie villeins, th’one _Despight_,

The other cleped _Cruelty_ by name:

She dolefull Lady, like a dreary Spright,

Cald by strong charmes out of eternall night,

Had deathes owne image figurd in her face,

Full of sad signes, fearefull to liuing sight;

Yet in that horror shewd a seemely grace,

And with her feeble feet did moue a comely pace.

Her brest all naked, as net iuory, xx

Without adorne of gold or siluer bright,

Wherewith the Craftesman wonts it beautify,

Of her dew honour was despoyled quight,

And a wide wound therein (O ruefull sight)

Entrenched deepe with knife accursed keene,

Yet freshly bleeding forth her fainting spright,

(The worke of cruell hand) was to be seene,

That dyde in sanguine red her skin all snowy cleene.

At that wide orifice her trembling hart xxi

Was drawne forth, and in siluer basin layd,

Quite through transfixed with a deadly dart,

And in her bloud yet steeming fresh embayd:

And those two villeins, which her steps vpstayd,

When her weake feete could scarcely her sustaine,

And fading[1175] vitall powers gan to fade,

Her forward still[1176] with torture did constraine,

And euermore encreased her consuming paine.

Next after her the winged God himselfe xxii

Came riding on a Lion rauenous,

Taught to obay the menage of that Elfe,

That man and beast with powre imperious

Subdeweth to his kingdome[1177] tyrannous:

His blindfold eyes he bad a while vnbind,

That his proud spoyle of that same dolorous

Faire Dame he might behold in perfect kind;

Which seene, he much reioyced in his cruell mind.

Of which full proud, himselfe vp rearing hye, xxiii

He looked round about with sterne disdaine;

And did suruay his goodly company:

And marshalling the euill ordered traine,

With that the darts which his right hand did[1178] straine,

Full dreadfully he shooke that all did quake,

And clapt on hie his coulourd winges twaine,

That all his many it affraide did make:

Tho blinding him againe, his way he forth did take.

Behinde him was _Reproch_, _Repentance_, _Shame_; xxiv

_Reproch_ the first, _Shame_ next, _Repent_ behind:

_Repentance_ feeble, sorrowfull, and lame:

_Reproch_ despightfull, carelesse, and vnkind;

_Shame_ most ill fauourd, bestiall, and blind:

_Shame_ lowrd, _Repentance_ sigh’d, _Reproch_ did scould;

_Reproch_ sharpe stings, _Repentance_ whips entwind,

_Shame_ burning brond-yrons in her hand did hold:

All three to each vnlike, yet all made in one mould.

And after them a rude confused rout xxv

Of persons flockt, whose names is hard to read:

Emongst them was sterne _Strife_, and _Anger_ stout,

Vnquiet _Care_, and fond _Vnthriftihead_,

Lewd _Losse of Time_, and _Sorrow_ seeming dead,

Inconstant _Chaunge_, and false _Disloyaltie_,

Consuming _Riotise_, and guilty _Dread_

Of heauenly vengeance, faint _Infirmitie_,

Vile _Pouertie_, and lastly _Death_ with infamie.

There were full many moe like maladies, xxvi

Whose names and natures I note readen well;

So many moe, as there be phantasies

In wauering wemens wit, that none can tell,

Or paines in loue, or punishments in hell;

All[1179] which disguized marcht in masking wise,

About the chamber with that[1180] Damozell,

And then returned, hauing marched thrise,

Into the inner roome, from whence they first did rise.

So soone as they were in, the dore streight way xxvii

Fast locked, driuen with that stormy blast,

Which first it opened; and bore all away[1181].

Then the braue Maid, which all this while was plast[1182]

In secret shade, and saw both first and last,

Issewed forth, and went vnto the dore,

To enter in, but found it locked fast:

It vaine she thought with rigorous vprore

For to efforce, when charmes had closed it afore.

Where force might not auaile, there[1183] sleights and art xxviii

She cast to vse, both fit for hard emprize;

For thy from that same roome not to depart

Till morrow next, she did her selfe auize,

When that same Maske againe should forth arize.

The morrow next appeard with ioyous cheare,

Calling men to their daily exercize,

Then she, as morrow fresh, her selfe did reare

Out of her secret stand, that day for to out weare.

All that day she outwore in wandering, xxix

And gazing on that Chambers ornament,

Till that againe the second euening

Her couered with her sable vestiment,

Wherewith the worlds faire beautie she hath blent:

Then when the second watch was almost past,

That brasen dore flew open, and in went

Bold _Britomart_, as she had late forecast,

Neither of idle shewes[1184], nor of false charmes aghast.

So soone as she was entred, round about xxx

She cast her eies, to see what was become

Of all those persons, which she saw without:

But lo, they streight were vanisht all and some,

Ne liuing wight she saw in all that roome,

Saue that same woefull Ladie, both whose hands

Were bounden fast, that did her ill become,

And her small wast girt round with yron bands,

Vnto a brasen pillour, by the which she stands.

And her before the vile Enchaunter sate, xxxi

Figuring straunge characters of his art,

With liuing bloud he those characters wrate[1185],

Dreadfully dropping from her dying hart,

Seeming transfixed with a cruell dart,

And all perforce to make her him to loue.

Ah who can loue the worker of her smart?

A thousand charmes he formerly did proue;

Yet thousand charmes could not her stedfast heart remoue.

Soone as that virgin knight he saw in place, xxxii

His wicked bookes in hast he ouerthrew,

Not caring his long labours to deface,

And fiercely ronning to that Lady trew,

A murdrous knife out of his pocket drew,

The which he thought, for villeinous despight,

In her tormented bodie to embrew:

But the stout Damzell to him leaping light,

His cursed hand withheld, and maistered his might.

From her, to whom his fury first he ment, xxxiii

The wicked weapon rashly he did wrest,

And turning to her selfe[1186] his fell intent,

Vnwares it strooke into her snowie chest,

That little drops empurpled her faire brest.

Exceeding wroth therewith the virgin grew,

Albe the wound were nothing deepe imprest,

And fiercely forth her mortall blade she drew,

To giue him the reward for such vile outrage dew.

So mightily she smote him, that to ground xxxiv

He fell halfe dead; next stroke him should haue slaine,

Had not the Lady, which by him stood bound,

Dernely vnto her[1187] called to abstaine,

From doing him to dy. For else her paine

Should be remedilesse, sith none but hee,

Which wrought it, could the same recure againe.

Therewith she stayd her hand, loth stayd to bee;

For life she him enuyde, and long’d reuenge to see.

And to him said, Thou wicked man, whose meed xxxv

For so huge mischiefe, and vile villany

Is death, or if that ought do death exceed,

Be sure, that nought may saue thee from to dy,

But if that thou this Dame doe presently

Restore vnto her health, and former state;

This doe and liue, else die vndoubtedly.

He glad of life, that lookt for death but late,

Did yield himselfe right willing to prolong his date.

And rising vp, gan streight to ouerlooke xxxvi

Those cursed leaues, his charmes backe to reuerse;

Full dreadfull things out of that balefull booke

He red, and measur’d many a sad verse,

That horror gan the virgins hart to perse,

And her faire locks vp stared stiffe on end,

Hearing him those same bloudy lines reherse;

And all the while he red, she did extend

Her sword high ouer him, if ought he did offend.

Anon she gan perceiue the house to quake, xxxvii

And all the dores to rattle round about;

Yet all that did not her dismaied make,

Nor slacke her threatfull hand for daungers dout,

But still with stedfast eye and courage stout

Abode, to weet what end would come of all.

At last that mightie chaine, which round about

Her tender waste was wound, adowne gan fall,

And that great brasen pillour broke in peeces small.

The cruell steele, which thrild her dying hart, xxxviii

Fell softly forth, as of his owne accord,

And the wyde wound, which lately did dispart

Her bleeding brest, and riuen bowels gor’d,

Was closed vp, as it had not bene bor’d[1188],

And euery part to safety full sound,

As she were neuer hurt, was soone restor’d:

Tho when she felt her selfe to be vnbound,

And perfect hole, prostrate she fell vnto the ground.

Before faire _Britomart_, she fell prostrate, xxxix

Saying, Ah noble knight, what worthy meed

Can wretched Lady, quit from wofull state,

Yield you in liew of this your gratious deed?

Your vertue selfe her owne reward shall breed,

Euen immortall praise, and glory wyde,

Which I your vassall, by your prowesse freed,

Shall through the world make to be notifyde,

And goodly well aduance, that goodly well was tryde.

But _Britomart_ vprearing her from ground, xl

Said, Gentle Dame, reward enough I weene

For many labours more, then I haue found,

This, that in safety now I haue you seene,

And meane of your deliuerance haue beene:

Henceforth faire Lady comfort to you take,

And put away remembrance of late teene;

In stead thereof know, that your louing Make,

Hath no lesse griefe endured for your gentle sake.

She much was cheard to heare him mentiond, xli

Whom of all liuing wights she loued best.

Then laid the noble Championesse strong hond

Vpon th’enchaunter, which had her distrest

So sore, and with foule outrages opprest:

With that great chaine, wherewith not long ygo

He bound that pitteous Lady prisoner, now relest,

Himselfe she bound, more worthy to be so,

And captiue with her led to wretchednesse and wo.

Returning backe, those goodly roomes, which erst xlii

She[1189] saw so rich and royally arayd,

Now vanisht vtterly, and cleane subuerst

She[1190] found, and all their glory quite decayd,

That sight of such a chaunge her[1191] much dismayd.

Thence forth descending to that perlous Porch,

Those dreadfull flames she also found delayd,

And quenched quite, like a consumed torch,

That erst all entrers wont so cruelly to scorch.

More easie issew now, then entrance late xliii

She found: for now that fained dreadfull flame,

Which chokt the porch of that enchaunted gate,

And passage bard to all, that thither came,

Was vanisht quite, as it were not the same,

And gaue her leaue at pleasure forth to passe.

Th’Enchaunter selfe, which all that fraud did frame,

To haue efforst the loue of that faire lasse,

Seeing his worke now wasted deepe engrieued was.

But when the victoresse arriued there, xliv

Where late she left the pensife[1192] _Scudamore_,

With her owne trusty Squire, both full of feare,

Neither of them she found where she them lore:

Thereat her noble hart was stonisht sore;

But most faire _Amoret_, whose gentle spright

Now gan to feede on hope, which she before

Conceiued had, to see her owne deare knight,

Being thereof beguyld was fild with new affright.

But he sad man, when he had long in drede xlv

Awayted there for _Britomarts_ returne,

Yet saw her not nor signe of her good speed,

His expectation to despaire did turne,

Misdeeming sure that her those flames did burne;

And therefore gan aduize with her old Squire,

Who her[1193] deare nourslings losse no lesse did mourne,

Thence to depart for further aide t’enquire:

Where let them wend at will, whilest here I doe respire.

_Stanzas xliii-xlv were first inserted in the 1596 quarto, displacing

the following stanzas which concluded Book III in the first edition._

At last she came vnto the place, where late

She left Sir _Scudamour_ in great distresse,

Twixt dolour and despight halfe desperate,

Of his loues succour, of his owne redresse,

And of the hardie _Britomarts_ successe:

There on the cold earth him now thrown she found,

In wilfull anguish, and dead heauinesse,

And to him cald; whose voices knowen sound

Soone as he heard, himself he reared light from ground.

There did he see, that most on earth him ioyd,

His dearest loue, the comfort of his dayes,

Whose too long absence him had sore annoyd,

And wearied his life with dull delayes:

Straight he vpstarted from the loathed layes,

And to her ran with hasty egernesse,

Like as a Deare, that greedily embayes

In the coole soile, after long thirstinesse,

Which he in chace endured hath, now nigh breathlesse.

Lightly he clipt her twixt his armes twaine,

And streightly did embrace her body bright,

Her body, late the prison of sad paine,

Now the sweet lodge of loue and deare delight:

But she faire Lady ouercommen quight

Of huge affection, did in pleasure melt,

And in sweete rauishment pourd out her spright:

No word they spake, nor earthly thing they felt,

But like two senceles stocks in long embracement dwelt.

Had ye them seene, ye would haue surely thought,

That they had beene that faire _Hermaphrodite_,

Which that rich _Romane_ of white marble wrought,

And in his costly Bath causd to bee site:

So seemd those two, as growne together quite,

That _Britomart_ halfe enuying their blesse,

Was much empassiond in her gentle sprite,

And to her selfe oft wisht like happinesse,

In vaine she wisht, that fate n’ould let her yet possesse.

Thus doe those louers with sweet counteruayle,

Each other of loues bitter fruit despoile.

But now my teme begins to faint and fayle,

All woxen weary of their iournall toyle:

Therefore I will their sweatie yokes assoyle

At this same furrowes end, till a new day:

And ye faire Swayns, after your long turmoyle,

Now cease your worke, and at your pleasure play;

Now cease your worke; to morrow is an holy day.

FOOTNOTES:

[1163] lv 1 she there] there she _1609_

[1164] v 7 consent _1596_

[1165] vii 3 ether _1590_

[1166] 8 wood,] word, _1590_

[1167] viii 1 nether _1590_

[1168] ix 3 other] others _1590_, _1596_

[1169] xi 1 cloth’ _1596_

[1170] xii 3 and] or _1590_

[1171] 6 winged heeld _1590_

[1172] xvii 6 a fierbrand she tost _conj. Church_

[1173] xviii 5 dread _1590_

[1174] 8 hony-laden _Morris_

[1175] xxi 7 fading] failing _conj. Church_

[1176] 8 still] skill _1590_

[1177] xxii 5 knigdome _1596_

[1178] xxiii 5 right did _1590_, _1596_: _corr. F. E._

[1179] xxvi 6 All] And _1596_, _1609_

[1180] 7 with that] by the _1590_

[1181] xxvii 3 and bore all away] nothing did remayne _1590_

[1182] 4 plast, _1590_, _1596_

[1183] xxviii 1 there] their _1590_, _1596_

[1184] xxix 9 showes _1590_

[1185] xxxi 3 wrote _1609_

[1186] xxxiii 3 her selfe] the next _1590_

[1187] xxxiv 4 her] him _1590_, _1596_

[1188] xxxviii 5 bor’d] sor’d _1590_

[1189] xlii 2 She] He _1590_

[1190] 4 She] He _1590_: _corr. F. E._

[1191] 5 her] him _1590_: _corr. F. E._

[1192] xliv 2 pensiue _1609_

[1193] xlv 7 Who with her _1596_

PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN

AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, OXFORD

BY VIVIAN RIDLER

PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY

* * * * *

Transcriber’s note

Minor punctuation and formatting errors have been changed without

notice. The following Printer errors have been changed.

CHANGED FROM TO

Page 96 “dar’d hisdreaded powre” “dar’d his dreaded powre”

Page 105 “A uefull spectacle” “A ruefull spectacle”

Page 123 “Dame _Cælia_ men did her” “Dame _Cœlia_ men did her”

Page 129 “by wise Patience” “by wise _Patience_”

Page 163 “Vnto his Farie Queene” “Vnto his Faerie Queene”

Page 191 “too litle,th’other” “too litle, th’other”

Page 206 “honorable deed, 1” “honorable deed, i”

Page 214 “Wrath, gelosie, griefe” “Wrath, gealosie, griefe”

Footnote “[612] Arg. 1 _Merih_,” “[612] Arg. 1 _Merth_,”

Footnote “[688] liv 8 th’| the” “[688] liv 8 th’] the”

Page 284 “dispainted all within,” “dispainted all within, l”

Page 287 “words and sound, 1” “words and sound, i”

Page 369 “and then thus fearefuily” “and then thus fearefully”

Page 426 “Faire _Crysogone_ in” “Faire _Chrysogone_ in”

Page 445 “she did raunge, 1” “she did raunge, l”

Page 452 “faire a wight, xli” “faire a wight, xii”

Page 459 “glory be thy mee’,” “glory be thy meed”

Footnote “[1081] 7 demeanure _160_” “[1081] 7 demeanure _1609_”

All other inconsistencies are as in the original.