triall late did teach That like would not for all this worldes wealth His subtill tongue like dropping honny mealt'h Into the hart and searcheth euery vaine That ere one be aware by secret stealth His powre is rest and weaknesse doth remaine O neuer Sir desire to try his guilefull traine Certes said he hence shall I neuer rest Till I that treachours art haue heard and tride And you Sir knight whose name mote I request Of grace do me vnto his cabin guide I that hight Treuisan quoth he will ride Against my liking backe to doe you grace But nor for gold nor glee will I abide By you when ye arriue in that same place For leuer had I die then see his deadly face Ere long they come where that same wicked wight His dwelling has low in an hollow caue Farre vnderneath a craggie clift ypight Darke dolefull drearie like a greedie graue That still for carrion carcases doth craue On top whereof aye dwelt the ghastly Owle Shrieking his balefull note which euer draue Farre from that haunt all other chearefull fowle And all about it wandring ghostes did waile and howle And all about old stockes and stubs of trees Whereon nor fruit nor leafe was euer seene Did hang vpon the ragged rocky knees On which had many wretches hanged beene Whose carcases were scattered on the greene And throwne about the clifts Arriued there That bare-head knight for dread and dolefull teene Would faine haue fled ne durst approchen neare But th' other forst him stay and comforted in feare That darkesome caue they enter where they find That cursed man low sitting on the ground Musing full sadly in his sulle in mind His griesie lockes long growen and vnbound Disordred hong about his shoulders round And hid his face through which his hollow eyne Look deadly dull and stared as astound His raw-bone cheekes through penurie and pine Where shronke into his iawes as he did neuer dine His garment nought but many ragged clouts With thornes together pind and patched was The which his naked sides he wrapt abouts And him beside there lay vpon the gras A drearie corse whose life away did pas All wallowd in his owne yet luke-warme blood That from his wound yet welled fresh alas In which a rustie knife fast fixed stood And made an open passage for the gushing flood Which piteous spectacle approuing trew The wofull tale that Treuisan had told When as the gentle Redcrosse knight did vew With firie zeale he burnt in courage bold Him to auenge before his bloud were cold And to the villein said Thou damned wight The author of this fact we here behold What iustice can but iudge against thee right With thine owne bloud to price his bloud here shed in sight What franticke fit quoth he hath thus distraught Thee foolish man so rash a doome to giue What iustice euer other iudgement taught But he should die who merites not to liue None else to death this man despayring driue But his owne guiltie mind deseruing death Is then vniust to each his due to giue Or let him die that loatheth liniug breath Or let him die at ease that liueth here vneath Who trauels by the wearie wandring way To come vnto his wished home in haste And meetes a flood that doth his passage stay Is not great grace to helpe him ouer past Or free his feet that in the myre sticke fast Most enuious man that grieues at neighbours good And fond that ioyest in the woe thou hast Why wilt not let him passe that long hath stood Vpon the banke yet wilt thy selfe not passe the flood He there does now enioy eternall rest And happie ease which thou doest want and craue And further from it daily wanderest What if some litle paine the passage haue That makes fraile flesh to feare the bitter waue Is not short paine well borne that brings long ease And layes the soule to sleepe in quiet graue Sleepe after toyle port after stormie seas Ease after warre death after life does greatly please The knight much wondred at his suddeine wit And said The terme of life is limited Ne may a man prolong nor shorten it The souldier may not moue from watchfull sted Nor leaue his stand vntill his Captaine bed Who life did limit by almightie doome Quoth he knowes best the termes established And he that points the Centonell his roome Doth license him depart at sound of morning droome Is not his deed what euer thing is donne In heauen and earth did not he all create To die againe all ends that was begonne Their times in his eternall booke of fate Are written sure and haue their certaine date Who then can striue with strong necessitie That holds the world in his still chaunging state Or shunne the death ordaynd by destinie Whē houre of death is come let none aske whence nor why The lenger life I wote the greater sin The greater sin the greater punishment All those great battels which thou boasts to win Through strife and bloud-shed and auengement Now praysd hereafter deare thou shalt repent For life must life and bloud must bloud repay Is not enough thy euill life forespent For he that once hath missed the right way The further he doth goe the further he doth stray Then do no further goe no further stray But here lie downe and to thy rest betake Th' ill to preuent that life ensewen may For what hath life that may it loued make And giues not rather cause it to forsake Feare sicknesse age losse labour sorrow strife Paine hunger cold that makes the hart to quake And euer fickle fortune rageth rife All which and thousands mo do make a loathsome life Thou wretched man of death hast greatest need If in true ballance thou wilt weigh thy state For neuer knight that dared warlike deede More lucklesse disauentures did amate Witnesse the dongeon deepe wherein of late Thy life shut vp for death so oft did call And though good lucke prolonged hath thy date Yet death then would the like mishaps forestall Into the which hereafter thou maiest happen fall Why then doest thou ô man of sin desire To draw thy dayes forth to their last degree Is not the measure of thy sinfull hire High heaped vp with huge iniquitie Against the day of wrath to burden thee Is not enough that to this Ladie milde Thou falsed hast thy faith with periurie And sold thy selfe to serue Duessa vilde With whom in all abuse thou hast thy selfe defilde Is not he iust that all this doth behold From highest heauen and beares an equall eye Shall he thy sins vp in his knowledge fold And guiltie be of thine impietie Is not his law Let euery sinner die Die shall all flesh what then must needs be donne Is it not better to doe willinglie Then linger till the glasse be all out ronne Death is the end of woes die soone O faeries sonne The knight was much enmoued with his speach That as a swords point
Vnworthie of the commune breathed aire Why liuest thou dead dog a lenger day And doest not vnto death thy selfe prepaire Dye or thy selfe my captiue yield for ay Great fauour I thee graunt for aunswere thus to stay Hold ô deare Lord hold your dead-doing hand Then loud he cryde I am your humble thrall Ah wretch quoth he thy destinies withstand My wrathfull will and do for mercy call I giue thee life therefore prostrated fall And kisse my stirrup that thy homage bee The Miser threw him selfe as an Offall Streight at his foot in base humilitee And cleeped him his liege to hold of him in fee. So happy peace they made and faire accord Eftsoones this liege-man gan to wexe more bold And when he felt the folly of his Lord In his owne kind he gan him selfe vnfold For he was wylie witted and growne old In cunning sleights and practick knauery For that day forth he cast for to vphold His idle humour with fine flattery And blow the bellowes to his swelling vanity Trompart fit man for Braggadochio To serue at court in view of vaunting eye Vaine-glorious man when fluttring wind does blow In his light wings is lifted vp to skye The scorne of knighthood and trew cheualrye To thinke without desert of gentle deed And noble worth to be aduaunced hye Such prayse is shame but honour vertues meed Doth beare the fairest flowre in honorable seed So forth they pas a well consorted paire Till that at length with Archimage they meet Who seeing one that shone in armour faire On goodly courser thundring with his feet Eftsoones supposed him a person meet Of his reuenge to make the instrument For since the Redcrosse knight he earst did weet To beene with Guyon knit in one consent The ill which earst to him he now to Guyon ment And comming close to Trompart gan inquere Of him what mighty warriour that mote bee That rode in golden sell with single spere But wanted sword to wreake his enmitee He is a great aduenturer said he That hath his sword through hard assay forgone And now hath vowd till he auenged bee Of that despight neuer to wearen none That speare is him enough to doen a thousand grone Th' enchaunter greatly ioyed in the vaunt And weened well ere long his will to win And both his foen with equall foyle to daunt Tho to him louting lowly did begin To plaine of wrongs which had committed bin By Guyon and by that false Redcrosse knight Which two through treason and deceiptfull gin Had slaine Sir Mordant and his Lady bright That mote him honour win to wreake so foule despight Therewith all suddeinly he seemd enraged And threatned death with dreadfull countenaunce As if their liues had in his hand beene gaged And with stiffe force shaking his mortall launce To let him weet his doughtie valiaunce Thus said Old man great sure shal be thy meed If where those knights for feare of dew vengeaunce Do lurke thou certainly to me areed That I may wreake on them their hainous hatefull deed Certes my Lord said he that shall I soone And giue you eke good helpe to their decay But mote I wisely you aduise to doon Giue no ods to your foes but do puruay Your selfe of sword before that bloudy day For they be two the prowest knights on ground And oft approu'd in many hard assay And eke of surest steele that may be found Do arme your selfe against that day them to confound Dotard said he let be thy deepe aduise Seemes that through many yeares thy wits thee faile And that weake eld hath left thee nothing wise Else neuer should thy iudgement be so fraile To measure manhood by the sword or maile Is not enough foure quarters of a man Withouten sword or shield an host to quaile Thou little wotest what this right hand can Speake they which haue beheld the battailes which it wan The man was much abashed at his boast Yet well he wist that who so would contend With either of those knights on euen coast Should need of all his armes him to defend Yet feared least his boldnesse should offend When Braggadocchio said Once I did sweare When with one sword seuen knights I brought to end Thence forth in battell neuer sword to beare But it were that which noblest knight on earth doth weare Perdie Sir knight said then th' enchaunter bliue That shall I shortly purchase to your hond For now the best and noblest knight aliue Prince Arthur is that wonnes in Faerie lond He hath a sword that flames like burning brond The same by my aduise I vndertake Shall by to morrow by thy side be fond At which bold word that boaster gan to quake And wondred in his mind what mote that monster make He stayd not for more bidding but away Was suddein vanished out of his sight The Northerne wind his wings did broad display At his commaund and reared him vp light From off the earth to take his aerie flight They look about but no where could espie Tract of his foot then dead through great affright They both nigh were and each bad other flie Both fled attonce ne euer backe returned eie Till that they come vnto a forrest greene In which they shrowd thēselues from causelesse feare Yet feare them followes still where so they beene Each trembling leafe and whistling wind they heare As ghastly bug their haire on end does reare Yet both doe striue their fearfulnesse to faine At last they heard a horne that shrilled cleare Throughout the wood that ecchoed againe And made the forrest ring as it would riue in twaine Eft through the thicke they heard one rudely rush With noyse whereof he from his loftie steed Downe fell to ground and crept into a bush To hide his coward head from dying dreed But Trompart stoutly stayd to taken heed Of what might hap Eftsoone there stepped forth A goodly Ladie clad in hunters weed That seemd to be a woman of great worth And by her stately portance borne of heauenly birth Her face so faire as flesh it seemed not But heauenly pourtraict of bright Angels hew Cleare as the skie withouten blame or blot Through goodly mixture of complexions dew And in her cheekes the vermeill red did shew Like roses in a bed of lillies shed The which ambrosiall odours from them threw And gazers sense with double pleasure fed Hable to heale the sicke and to reuiue the ded In her faire eyes two liuing lamps did flame Kindled aboue at th'heauenly makers light And darted fyrie beames out of the same So passing persant and so wondrous bright That quite bereau'd the rash beholders sight In them the blinded god his lustfull fire To kindle oft assayd but had no might For with dredd Maiestie and awfull ire She broke his wanton darts and quenched base desire Her iuorie forhead full of bountie braue Like a broad table did it selfe dispred For Loue his loftie triumphes to engraue And write the battels of his great godhed
rash Syre began to rend His haire and hastie tongue that did offend Tho gathering vp the relicks of his smart By Dianes meanes who was Hippolyts frend Them brought to Aesculape that by his art Did heale them all againe and ioyned euery part Such wondrous science in mans wit to raine When Ioue auizd that could the dead reuiue And fates expired could renew againe Of endlesse life he might him not depriue But vnto hell did thrust him downe aliue With flashing thunderbolt ywounded sore Where long remaining he did alwaies striue Himselfe with salues to health for to restore And slake the heauenly fire that raged euermore There auncient Night arriuing did alight From her high wearie waine and in her armes To Aesculapius brought the wounded knight Whom hauing softly disarayd of armes Tho gan to him discouer all his harmes Beseeching him with prayer and with praise If either salues or oyles or herbes or charmes A fordonne wight from dore of death mote raise He would at her request prolong her nephews daies Ah Dame quoth he thou temptest me in vaine To dare the thing which daily yet I rew And the old cause of my continued paine With like attempt to like end to renew Is not enough that thrust from heauen dew Here endlesse penance for one fault I pay But that redoubled crime with vengeance new Thou biddest me to eeke Can Night defray The wrath of thundring Ioue that rules both night and day Not so quoth she but sith that heauens king From hope of heauen hath thee excluded quight Why fearest thou that canst not hope for thing And fearest not that more thee hurten might Now in the powre of euerlasting Night Goe to then ô thou farre renowmed sonne Of great Apollo shew thy famous might In medicine that else hath to thee wonne Great paines greater praise both neuer to be donne Her words preuaild And then the learned leach His cunning hand gan to his wounds to lay And all things else the which his art did teach Which hauing seene from thence arose away The mother of dread darknesse and let stay Aueugles sonne there in the leaches cure And backe returning tooke her wonted way To runne her timely race whilst Phoebus pure In westerne waues his wearie wagon did recure The false Duessa leauing noyous Night Returnd to stately pallace of dame Pride Where when she came she found the Faery knight Departed thence albe his woundes wide Not throughly heald vnreadie were to ride Good cause he had to hasten thence away For on a day his wary Dwarfe had spide Where in a dongeon deepe huge numbers lay Of caytiue wretched thrals that wayled night and day A ruefull sight as could be seene with eie Of whom he learned had in secret wise The hidden cause of their captiuitie How mortgaging their liues to Couetise Through wastfull Pride and wanton Riotise They were by law of that proud Tyrannesse Prouokt with VVrath and Enuies false surmise Condemned to that Dongeon mercilesse Where they should liue in woe die in wretchednesse There was that great proud king of Babylon That would compell all nations to adore And him as onely God to call vpon Till through celestiall doome throwne out of dore Into an Oxe he was transform'd of yore There also was king Craesus that enhaunst His heart too high through his great riches store And proud Antiochus the which aduaunst His cursed hand gainst God and on his altars daunst And them long time before great Nimrod was That first the world with sword and fire warrayd And after him old Ninus farre did pas In princely pompe of all the world obayd There also was that mightie Monarch layd Low vnder all yet aboue all in pride That name of natiue syre did fowle vpbrayd And would as Ammons sonne be magnifide Till scornd of God and man a shamefull death he dide All these together in one heape were throwne Like carkases of beasts in butchers stall And in another corner wide were strowne The antique ruines of the Romaines fall Great Romulus the Grandsyre of them all Proud Tarquin and too lordly Lentulus Stout Scipio and stubborne Hanniball Ambitious Sylla and sterne Marius High Caesar great Pompey and fierce Antonius Amongst these mighty men were wemen mixt Proud wemen vaine forgetfull of their yoke The bold Semiramis whose sides transfixt With sonnes owne blade her fowle reproches spoke Faire Sthenoboea that her selfe did choke With wilfull cord for wanting of her will High minded Cleopatra that with stroke Of Aspes sting her selfe did stoutly kill And thousands moe the like that did that dongeon fill Besides the endlesse routs of wretched thralles Which thither were assembled day by day From all the world after their wofull falles Through wicked pride and wasted wealthes decay But most of all which in the Dongeon lay Fell from high Princes courts or Ladies bowres Where they in idle pompe or wanton play Consumed had their goods and thriftlesse howres And lastly throwne themselues into these heauy stowres Whose case when as the carefull Dwarfe had tould And made ensample of their mournefull sight Vnto his maister he no lenger would There dwell in perill of like painefull plight But early rose and ere that dawning light Discouered had the world to heauen wyde He by a priuie Posterne tooke his flight That of no enuious eyes he mote be spyde For doubtlesse death ensewd if any him descryde Scarse could he footing find in that fowle way For many corses like a great Lay-stall Of murdred men which therein strowed lay Without remorse or decent funerall Which all through that great Princesse pride did fall And came to shamefull end And them beside Forth ryding vnderneath the castell wall A donghill of dead carkases he spide The dreadfull spectacle of that sad house of Pride Cant. VI. From lawlesse lust by wondrous grace fayre Vna is releast Whom saluage nation does adore and learnes her wise beheast AS when a ship that flyes faire vnder saile An hidden rocke escaped hath vnwares That lay in waite her wrack for to bewaile The Marriner yet halfe amazed stares At perill past and yet it doubt ne dares To ioy at his foole-happie ouersight So doubly is distrest twixt ioy and cares The dreadlesse courage of this Elfin knight Hauing escapt so sad ensamples in his sight Yet sad he was that his too hastie speed The faire Duess ' had forst him leaue behind And yet more sad that Vna his deare dreed Her truth had staind with treason so vnkind Yet crime in her could neuer creature find But for his loue and for her owne selfe sake She wandred had from one to other Ynd Him for to seeke ne euer would forsake Till her vnwares the fierce Sansloy did ouertake Who after Archimagoes fowle defeat Led her away into a forrest wilde And turning wrathfull fire to lustfull heat With beastly sin thought her to haue defilde And made the vassall of his pleasures vilde Yet first he cast by
did she sinke adowne in deadly swownd And thrise he her reviu'd with busie paine At last when life recouer'd had the raine And ouer-wrestled his strong enemie With foltring tong and trembling euery vaine Tell on quoth she the wofull Tragedie The which these reliques sad present vnto mine eie Tempestuous fortune hath spent all her spight And thrilling sorrow throwne his vtmost dart Thy sad tongue cannot tell more heauy plight Then that I feele and harbour in mine hart Who hath endur'd the whole can beare each part If death it be it is not the first wound That launched hath my brest with bleeding smart Begin and end the bitter balefull stound If lesse then that I feare more fauour I haue found Then gan the Dwarfe the whole discourse declare The subtill traines of Archimago old The wanton loues of false Fidessa faire Bought with the bloud of vanquisht Paynim bold The wretched payre transform'd to treen mould The house of Pride and perils round about The combat which he with Sansioy did hould The lucklesse conflict with the Gyant stout Wherein captiu'd of life or death he stood in doubt She heard with patience all vnto the end And stroue to maister sorrowfull assay Which greater grew the more she did contend And almost rent her tender hart in tway And loue fresh coles vnto her fire did lay For greater loue the greater is the losse Was neuer Ladie loued dearer day Then she did loue the knight of the Redcrosse For whose deare sake so many troubles her did tosse At last when feruent sorrow slaked was She vp arose resoluing him to find A liue or dead and forward forth doth pas All as the Dwarfe the way to her assynd And euermore in constant care full mind She fed her wound with fresh renewed bale Long tost with stormes and bet with bitter wind High ouer hils and low adowne the dale She wandred many a wood and measurd many a vale At last she chaunced by good hap to meet A goodly knight faire marching by the way Together with his Squire arayed meet His glitterand armour shined farre away Like glauncing light of Phoebus brightest ray From top to toe no place appeared bare That deadly dint of steele endanger may Athwart his brest a bauldrick braue he ware That shynd like twinkling stars with stons most pretious rare And in the midst thereof one pretious stone Of wondrous worth and eke of wondrous mights Shapt like a Ladies head exceeding shone Like Hesperus emongst the lesser lights And stroue for to amaze the weaker sights Thereby his mortall blade full comely hong In yuory sheath ycaru'd with curious slights Whose hilts were burnisht gold and handle strong Of mother pearle and buckled with a golden tong His haughtie helmet horrid all with gold Both glorious brightnesse and great terrour bred For all the crest a Dragon did enfold With greedie pawes and ouer all did spred His golden wings his dreadfull hideous hed Close couched on the beuer seem'd to throw From flaming mouth bright sparkles fierie red That suddeine horror to faint harts did show And scaly tayle was stretcht adowne his backe full low Vpon the top of all his loftie crest A bunch of haires discolourd diuersly With sprincled pearle and gold full richly drest Did shake and seem'd to daunce for iollity Like to an Almond tree ymounted hye On top of greene Selinis all alone With blossomes braue bedecked daintily Whos 's tender locks do tremble euery one At euery little breath that vnder heauen is blowne His warlike shield all closely couer'd was Ne might of mortall eye be euer seene Not made of steele nor of enduring bras Such earthlymettals soone consumed bene But all of Diamond perfect pure and cleene It framed was one massie entire mould Hewen out of Adamant rocke with engines keene That point of speare it neuer percen could Ne dint of direfull sword diuide the substance would The same to wight he neuer wont disclose But when as monsters huge he would dismay Or daunt vnequall armies of his foes Or when the flying heauens he would affray For so exceeding shone his glistring ray That Phoebus golden face it did attaint As when a cloud his beames doth ouer-lay And siluer Cynthia wexed pale and faint As when her face is staynd with magicke arts constraint No magicke arts hereof had any might Nor bloudie wordes of bold Enchaunters call But all that was not such as seemd in sight Before that shield did fade and suddeine fall And when him list the raskall routes appall Men into stones therewith he could transmew And stones to dust and dust to nought at all And when him list the prouder lookes subdew He would them gazing blind or turne to other hew Ne let it seeme that credence this exceedes For he that made the same was knowne right well To haue done much more admirable deedes It Merlin was which whylome did excell All liuing wightes in might of magicke spell Both shield and sword and armour all he wrought For this young Prince when first to armes he fell But when he dyde the Faerie Queene it brought To Faerie lond where yet it may be seene if sought A gentle youth his dearely loued Squire His speare of heben wood behind him bare Whose harmefull head thrice heated in the fire Had riuen many a brest with pikehead square A goodly person and could menage faire His stubborne steed with curbed canon bit Who vnder him did trample as the aire And chauft that any on his backe should sit The yron rowels into frothy some he bit When as this knight nigh to the Ladie drew With louely court he gan her entertaine But when he heard her answeres loth he knew Some secret sorrow did her heart distraine Which to allay and calme her storming paine Faire feeling words he wisely gan display And for her humour fitting purpose faine To tempt the cause it selfe for to bewray Wherewith emmou'd these bleeding words she gan to say What worlds delight or ioy of lining speach Can heart so plung'd in sea of sorrowes deepe And heaped with so huge misfortunes reach The carefull cold beginneth for to creepe And in my heart his yron arrow steepe Soone as I thinke vpon my bitter bale Such helplesse harmes yts better hidden keepe Then rip vp griefe where it may not auaile My last left comfort is my woes to weepe and waile Ah Ladie deare quoth then the gentle knight Well may I weene your griefe is wondrous great For wondrous great griefe groneth in my spright Whiles thus I heare you of your sorrowes treat But wofull Ladie let me you intrete For to vnfold the anguish of your hart Mishaps are maistred by aduice discrete And counsell mittigates the greatest smart Found neuer helpe who neuer would his hurts impart O but quoth she great griefe will not be tould And can more easily be thought then said Right so quoth he but he that neuer would Could neuer will to might giues greatest
ground as hating life and light The gentle knight her soone with carefull paine Vplifted light and softly did vphold Thrise he her reard and thrise she sunke againe Till he his armes about her sides gan fold And to her said Yet if the stony cold Haue not all seized on your frozen hart Let one word fall that may your griefe vnfold And tell the secret of your mortall smart He oft finds present helpe who does his griefe impart Then casting vp a deadly looke full low Shee sight from bottome of her wounded brest And after many bitter throbs did throw With lips full pale and foltring tongue opprest These words she breathed forth from riuen chest Leaue ah leaue off what euer wight thou bee To let a wearie wretch from her dew rest And trouble dying soules tranquilitee Take not away now got which none would giue to me Ah farre be it said he Deare dame fro mee To hinder soule from her desired rest Or hold sad life in long captiuitee For all I seeke is but to haue redrest The bitter pangs that doth your heart infest Tell then ô Lady tell what fatall priefe Hath with so huge misfortune you opprest That I may cast to compasse your reliefe Or die with you in sorrow and partake your griefe With feeble hands then stretched forth on hye As heauen accusing guiltie of her death And with dry drops congealed in her eye In these sad words she spent her vtmost breath Heare then ô man the sorrowes that vneath My tongue can tell so farre all sense they pas Loe this dead corpse that lies here vnderneath The gentlest knight that euer on greene gras Gay steed with spurs did pricke the good Sir Mortdant was Was ay the while that he is not so now My Lord my loue my deare Lord my deare loue So long as heauens iust with equall brow Vouchsafed to behold vs from aboue One day when him high courage did emmoue As wont ye knights to seeke aduentures wilde He pricked forth his puissant force to proue Me then he left enwombed of this child This lucklesse child whom thus ye see with bloud defild Him fortuned hard fortune ye may ghesse To come where vile Acrasia does wonne Acrasia a false enchaunteresse That many errant knights hath foule fordonne Within a wandring Island that doth ronne And stray in perilous gulfe her dwelling is Faire Sir if euer there ye trauell shonne The cursed land where many wend amis And know it by the name it hight the Bowre of blis Her blisse is all in pleasure and delight Wherewith she makes her louers drunken mad And then with words weedes of wondrous might On them she workes her will to vses bad My lifest Lord she thus beguiled had For he was flesh all flesh doth frailtie breed Whom when I heard to beene so ill bestad Weake wretch I wrapt my selfe in Palmers weed And cast to seeke him forth through daunger and great dreed Now had faire Cynthia by euen tournes Full measured three quarters of her yeare And thrise three times had fild her crooked hornes When as my wombe her burdein would forbeare And bad me call Lucina to me neare Lucina came a manchild forth I brought The woods the Nymphes my bowres my midwiues weare Hard helpe at need So deare thee babe I bought Yet nought too deare I deemd while so my dear I sought Him so I sought and so at last I found Where him that witch had thralled to her will In chaines of lust and lewd desires ybound And so transformed from his former skill That me he knew not neither his owne ill Till through wise handling and faire gouernance I him recured to a better will Purged from drugs of foule intemperance Then meanes I gan deuise for his deliuerance Which when the vile Enchaunteresse perceiu'd How that my Lord from her I would repriue With cup thus charmd him parting she deceiu'd Sad verse giue death to him that death does giue And losse of loue to her that loues to liue So soone as Bacchus with the Nymphe does lincke So parted we and on our iourney driue Till comming to this well he stoupt to drincke The charme fulfild dead suddenly he downe did sincke Which when I wretch Not one word more she sayd But breaking off the end for want of breath And slyding soft as downe to sleepe her layd And ended all her woe in quiet death That seeing good Sir Guyon could vneath From teares abstaine for griefe his hart did grate And from so heauie sight his head did wreath Accusing fortune and too cruell fate Which plunged had faire Ladie in so wretched state Then turning to his Palmer said Old syre Behold the image of mortalitie And feeble nature cloth'd with fleshly tyre When raging passion with fierce tyrannie Robs reason of her due regalitie And makes it seruant to her basest part The strong it weakens with infirmitie And with bold furie armes the weakest hart The strong through pleasure soonest falles the weake through smart But temperance said he with golden squire Betwixt them both can measure out a meane Neither to melt in pleasures whot desire Nor fry in hartlesse griefe and dolefull teene Thrise happie man who fares them both atweene But sith this wretched woman ouercome Of anguish rather then of crime hath beene Reserue her cause to her eternall doome And in the meane vouchsafe her honorable toombe Palmer quoth he death is an euill doome To good and bad the common Inne of rest But after death the tryall is to come When best shall be to them that liued best But both alike when death hath both supprest Religious reuerence doth buriall teene Which who so wants wants so much of his rest For all so great shame after death I weene As selfe to dyen bad vnburied bad to beene So both agree their bodies to engraue The great earthes wombe they open to the sky And with sad Cypresse seemely it embraue Then couering with a clod their closed eye They lay therein those corses tenderly And bid them sleepe in euerlasting peace But ere they did their vtmost obsequy Sir Guyon more affection to increace Bynempt a sacred vow which none should aye releace The dead knights sword out of his sheath he drew With which he cut a locke of all their heare Which medling with their bloud and earth he threw Into the graue and gan deuoutly sweare Such and such euill Godon Guyon reare And worse and worse young Orphane be thy paine If I or thou dew vengeance doe forbeare Till guiltie bloud her guerdon doe obtaine So shedding many teares they closd the earth againe Cant. II. Babes bloudie hands may not be clensd the face of golden Meane Her sisters two Extremities striue her to banish cleane THus when Sir Guyon with his faithfull guide Had with due rites and dolorous lament The end of their sad Tragedie vptyde The litle babe vp in his armes he hent Who with sweet pleasance and bold blandishment
sith they warlike armes haue layd away They haue exceld in artes and pollicy That now we foolish men that prayse gin eker'enuy Of warlike puissaunce in ages spent Be thou faire Britomart whose prayse I write But of all wisedome be thou precedent Endite I would as dewtie doth excite But ah my rimes too rude and rugged arre When in so high an obiect they do lite And striuing fit to make I feare do marre Thy selfe thy prayses tell and make them knowen farre She trauelling with Guyon by the way Of sundry things faire purpose gan to find T'abridg their iourney long and lingring day Mongst which it fell into that Faeries mind To aske this Briton Mayd what vncouth wind Made her dissemble her disguised kind Faire Lady she him seemd like Lady drest But fairest knight aliue when armed washer brest Thereat she sighing softly had no powre To speake a while ne ready answere make But with hart-thrilling throbs and bitter stowre As if she had a feuer fit did quake And euery daintie limbe with horrour shake And euer and anone the rosy red Flasht through her face as it had beene a flake Oflightning through bright heauen fulmined At last the passion past she thus him answered Faire Sir I let you weete that from the howre I taken was from nourses tender pap I haue beene trained vp in warlike stowre To tossen speare and shield and to affrap The warlike ryder to his most mishap Sithence I loathed haue my life to lead As Ladies wont in pleasures wanton lap To finger the fine needle and nyce thread Me leuer were with point of foemans speare be dead All my delights deedes of armes is set To hunt out perils and aduentures hard By sea by land where so they may be met Onely for honour and for high regard Without respect of richesse or reward For such intent into these parts I came Withouten compasse or withouten card Far fro my natiue soyle that is by name The greater Britaine here to seeke for prayse and fame Fame blazed hath that here in Faery lond Do many famous Knightes and Ladies wonne And many straunge aduentures to be fond Of which great worth and worship may be wonne Which I to proue this voyage haue begonne But mote I weet of you right curteous knight Tydings of one that hath vnto me donne Late foule dishonour and reprochfull spight The which I seeke to wreake and Arthegall he hight The word gone out she backe againe would call As her repenting so to haue missayd But that he it vp-taking ere the fall Her shortly answered Faire martiall Mayd Certes ye misa uised beene t'vpbrayd A gentle knight with so vnknightly blame For weet ye well of all that euer playd At tilt or tourney or like warlike game The noble Arthegall hath euer borne the name For thy great wonder were it if such shame Should euer enter in his bounteous thought Or euer do that mote deseruen blame The noble courage neuer weeneth ought That may vnworthy of it selfe be thought Therefore faire Damzell be ye well aware Least that too farre ye haue your sorrow sought You and your countrey both I wish welfare And honour both for each of other worthy are The royall Mayd woxe inly wondrous glad To heare her Loue so highly magnifide And ioyd that euer she affixed had Her hart on knight so goodly glorifide How euer finely she it faind to hide The louing mother that nine monethes did beare In the deare closet of her paine full side Her tender babe it seeing safe appeare Doth not so much reioyce as she reioyced theare But to occasion him to further talke To feed her humour with his pleasing stile Her list in strifull termes with him to balke Aud thus replide How euer Sir ye file Your curteous tongue his prayses to compile It ill beseemes a knight of gentle sort Such as ye haue him boasted to beguile A simple mayd and worke so haynous tort In shame of knighthood as I largely can report Let be therefore my vengeaunce to disswade And read where I that faytour false may find Ah but if reason faire might you perswade To slake your wrath and mollifie your mind Said he perhaps ye should it better find For hardy thing it is to weene by might That man to hard conditions to bind Or euer hope to match in equall fight Whose prowesse paragon saw neuer liuing wight Ne soothlich is it easie for to read Where now on earth or how he may be found For he ne wonneth in one certaine stead But restlesse walketh all the world around Ay doing things that to his same redound Defending Ladies cause and Orphans right Where so he heares that any doth confound Them comfortlesse through tyranny or might So is his soueraine honour raisde to heavens hight His feeling words her feeble sence much pleased And softly sunck into her molten hart Hart that is inly hurt is greatly eased With hope of thing that may allegge his smart For pleasing words are like to Magick art That doth the charmed Snake in slomber lay Such secret ease felt gentle Britomart Yet list the same efforce with faind gainesay So dischord oft in Musick makes the sweeter lay And said Sir knight these idle termes forbeare And sith it is vneath to find his haunt Tell me some markes by which he may appeare If chaunce I him encounter parauant For perdie one shall other slay or daunt What shape what shield what armes what steed what sted And what so else his person most may vaunt All which the Redcrosse knight to point ared And him in euery part before her fashioned Yet him in euery part before she knew How euer list her now her knowledge faine Sith him whilome in Britaine she did vew To her reuealed in a mirrhour plaine Whereof did grow her first engraffed paine Whose root and stalke so bitter yet did tast That but the fruit more sweetnesse did containe Her wretched dayes in dolour she mote wast And yield the pray of loue to lothsome death at last By strange occasion she did him behold And much more strangely gan to loue his sight As it in bookes hath written bene of old In Deheubarth that now South-wales is hight What time king Ryence raign'd and dealed right The great Magitian Merlin had deuiz'd By his deepe science and hell-dreaded might A looking glasse right wondrously aguiz'd Whose vertues through the wyde world soone were solemniz'd It vertue had to shew in perfect sight What euer thing was in the world contaynd Betwixt the lowest earth and heauens hight So that it to the looker appertaynd What euer foe had wrought or frend had faynd Therein discouered was ne ought mote pas Ne ought in secret from the same remaynd For thy it round and hollow shaped was Like to the world it selfe and seem'd a world of glas Who wonders not that reades so wonderous worke But who does wonder that has red the Towre Wherein th' Aegyptian Phaeo long