Chapter XIII: Appendix: Stanzas Omitted in the Second Edition (1596) 517 (11)

His sonne was _Elfinell_, who ouercame lxxiii
The wicked _Gobbelines_ in bloudy field:
But _Elfant_ was of most renowmed fame,
Who all of Christall did _Panthea_ build:
Then _Elfar_, who two brethren gyants kild,
The one of which had two heads, th’other three:
Then _Elfinor_, who was in Magick skild;
He built by art vpon the glassy See
A bridge of bras, whose sound heauens thunder seem’d to bee.

He left three sonnes, the which in order raynd, lxiv
And all their Ofspring, in their dew descents,
Euen seuen hundred Princes, which maintaynd
With mightie deedes their sundry gouernments;
That were too long their infinite contents
Here to record, ne much materiall:
Yet should they be most famous moniments,
And braue ensample, both of martiall,
And ciuill rule to kings and states imperiall.

After all these _Elficleos_ did rayne, lxxv
The wise _Elficleos_ in great Maiestie,
Who mightily that scepter did sustayne,
And with rich spoiles and famous victorie,
Did high aduaunce the crowne of _Faery_:
He left two sonnes, of which faire _Elferon_
The eldest brother did vntimely dy;
Whose emptie place the mightie _Oberon_
Doubly supplide, in spousall, and dominion.

Great was his power and glorie ouer all, lxxvi
Which him before, that sacred seate did fill,
That yet remaines his wide memoriall:
He dying left the fairest _Tanaquill_,
Him to succeede therein, by his last will:
Fairer and nobler liueth none this howre,
Ne like in grace, ne like in learned skill;
Therefore they _Glorian_ call that glorious flowre,
Long mayst thou _Glorian_ liue, in glory and great powre.

Beguild thus with delight of nouelties, lxxvii
And naturall desire of countreys state,
So long they red in those antiquities,
That how the time was fled, they quite forgate,
Till gentle _Alma_ seeing it so late,
Perforce their studies broke, and them besought
To thinke, how supper did them long awaite.
So halfe vnwilling from their bookes them brought,
And fairely feasted, as so noble knights she ought.

FOOTNOTES:

[760] lx 2 lond. _1596_

[761] 3 looke; _1596_, _1609_

[762] iv 3 Whom _1590_, _1596_: _corr. F. E._

[763] 6 and thy great _1590_: _corr. F. E._

[764] old] gold _1590_: _corr. F. E._

[765] v 7 Marchants _1609_

[766] vi 6 safeties sake] safety _1590_

[767] vii 7 liued then] liueden _1590_

[768] ix 7 _Assaraos_ _1596_

[769] xii 2 that] the _1609_

[770] xv 9 munificence _1590_, _1609_

[771] xix 5 in that impatient stoure] vpon the present floure _1590_

[772] xx 2 of sway _1596_, _1609_

[773] xxii 5 apply, _1590_, _1596_

[774] xxiii 6 opened, _1590_, _1596_

[775] xxiv 8 _Scuith guiridh_ _om. 1590_

[776] it] he _1590_

[777] 9 rather _y Scuith gogh_, signe of sad crueltee _om. 1590_. _But Seuith Scuith_ _F. E._

[778] xxvi 6 their] her _1590 &c._: _corr. F. E._

[779] xxviii 1 _Gonerill_ _1590_

[780] xxix 4 _Cordelia_, _1590_, _1596_

[781] xxx 2 weeke] wike _1609_

[782] 5 waxe] wox _1609_

[783] 6 _Rigan_ _1596_, _1609_

[784] xxxiv 1 _Riuall’_ _1590_: _Rivall’_ _1609_

[785] 7 Then] Till _1596_: When _1609_

[786] xxxvi 3 felicitie? _1596_

[787] xxxvii 3 with] vp _1596_

[788] xxxviii 2 of] or _1596_, _1609_

[789] xli 1 _Gurgiunt_ _1590_

[790] 3 Denmarke _1590_

[791] xliii 1 sonnes _1596_, _1609_

[792] Sifillus _1590 &c._

[793] xliv 1 sonne _1596_

[794] xlix 8 did defray _1596_, _1609_

[795] l 8 wrrayd _1596_

[796] li 7 his _om. 1596_: In armes, and eke in crowne _1609_

[797] liii 2 in] with _1609_

[798] lv 5 perseru’d _1596_

[799] lxi 1 deare, _1590_, _1596_

[800] lxv 1 Capitayns _1590_: Captains _1596_

[801] 9 enforst] haue forst _1590_

[802] lxvii 2 _Ambrise_ _1596_, _1609_

[803] lxviii 7 seemed _1590_

_Cant. XI._

_The enimies of Temperaunce
besiege her dwelling place:
Prince Arthur them repelles, and fowle
Maleger doth deface._
]

What warre so cruell, or what siege so sore, i
As that, which strong affections do apply
Against the fort of reason euermore
To bring the soule into captiuitie:
Their force is fiercer through infirmitie
Of the fraile flesh, relenting to their rage,
And exercise most bitter tyranny
Vpon the parts, brought into their bondage:
No wretchednesse is like to sinfull vellenage.

But in a body, which doth freely yeeld ii
His partes to reasons rule obedient,
And letteth her that ought the scepter weeld,
All happy peace and goodly gouernment
Is setled there in sure establishment;
There _Alma_ like a virgin Queene most bright,
Doth florish in all beautie excellent:
And to her guestes doth bounteous banket dight,
Attempred goodly well for health and for delight[804].

Early before the Morne with cremosin ray, iii
The windowes of bright heauen opened had,
Through which into the world the dawning day
Might looke, that maketh euery creature glad,
Vprose Sir _Guyon_, in bright armour clad,
And to his purposd iourney him prepar’d:
With him the Palmer eke in habit sad,
Him selfe addrest to that aduenture hard:
So to the riuers side they both together far’d.

Where them awaited ready at the ford iv
The _Ferriman_, as _Alma_ had behight,
With his well rigged boate: They go abord,
And he[805] eftsoones gan launch his barke forthright.
Ere long they rowed were quite out of sight,
And fast the land behind them fled away.
But let them pas, whiles wind and weather right
Do serue their turnes: here I a while must stay,
To see a cruell fight doen by the Prince this day.

For all so soone, as _Guyon_ thence was gon v
Vpon his voyage with his trustie guide,
That wicked band of villeins fresh begon
That castle to assaile on euery side,
And lay strong siege about it far and wide.
So huge and infinite their numbers were,
That all the land they vnder them did hide;
So fowle and vgly, that exceeding feare
Their visages imprest, when they approched neare.

Them in twelue troupes their Captain did dispart vi
And round about in fittest steades did place,
Where each might best offend his proper part,
And his contrary obiect most deface,
As euery one seem’d meetest in that cace.
Seuen of the same against the Castle gate,
In strong entrenchments he did closely place,
Which with incessaunt force and endlesse hate,
They battred day and night, and entraunce did awate.

The other fiue, fiue sundry wayes he set, vii
Against the fiue great Bulwarkes of that pile,
And vnto each a Bulwarke did arret,
T’assayle with open force or hidden guile,
In hope thereof to win victorious spoile.
They all that charge did feruently apply,
With greedie malice and importune toyle,
And planted there their huge artillery,
With which they dayly made most dreadfull battery.

The first troupe was a monstrous rablement viii
Of fowle misshapen wights, of which some were
Headed like Owles, with beckes[806] vncomely bent,
Others like Dogs, others like Gryphons dreare,
And some had wings, and some had clawes to teare,
And euery one of them had Lynces eyes,
And euery one did bow and arrowes beare:
All those were lawlesse lustes, corrupt enuies,
And couetous aspectes, all cruell enimies.

Those same against the bulwarke of the _Sight_ ix
Did lay strong siege, and battailous assault,
Ne once did yield it respit day nor night,
But soone as _Titan_ gan his head exault,
And soone againe as he his light with hault,
Their wicked engins they against it bent:
That is each thing, by which the eyes may fault,
But two then all more huge and violent,
Beautie, and money, they that Bulwarke sorely rent[807].

The second Bulwarke was the _Hearing_ sence, x
Gainst which the second troupe dessignment[808] makes;
Deformed creatures, in straunge difference,
Some hauing heads like Harts, some like to Snakes,
Some like wild Bores late rouzd out of the brakes;
Slaunderous reproches, and fowle infamies,
Leasings, backbytings, and vaine-glorious crakes,
Bad counsels, prayses, and false flatteries.
All those against that fort did bend their batteries.

Likewise that same third Fort, that is the _Smell_ xi
Of that third troupe was cruelly assayd:
Whose hideous shapes were like to feends of hell,
Some like to hounds, some like to Apes, dismayd[809],
Some like to Puttockes, all in plumes arayd:
All shap’t according their conditions,
For by those vgly formes weren pourtrayd,
Foolish delights and fond abusions,
Which do that sence besiege with light illusions.

And that fourth band, which cruell battry bent, xii
Against the fourth Bulwarke, that is the _Tast_,
Was as the rest, a grysie rablement,
Some mouth’d like greedy Oystriges, some fast[810]
Like loathly Toades, some fashioned in the wast
Like swine; for so deformd is luxury,
Surfeat[811], misdiet, and vnthriftie wast,
Vaine feasts, and idle superfluity:
All those this sences Fort assayle incessantly.

But the fift troupe most horrible of hew, xiii
And fierce of force, was[812] dreadfull to report:
For some like Snailes, some did like spyders shew,
And some like vgly Vrchins thicke and short:
Cruelly they[813] assayled[814] that fift Fort,
Armed with darts of sensuall delight,
With stings of carnall lust, and strong effort
Of feeling pleasures, with which day and night
Against that same fift bulwarke they continued fight.

Thus these twelue troupes with dreadfull puissance xiv
Against that Castle restlesse siege did lay,
And euermore their hideous Ordinance
Vpon the Bulwarkes cruelly did play,
That now it gan to threaten neare decay:
And euermore their wicked Capitaine
Prouoked them the breaches to assay,
Somtimes with threats, somtimes with hope of gaine,
Which by the ransack of that peece they should attaine.

On th’other side, th’assieged Castles ward xv
Their stedfast stonds did mightily maintaine,
And many bold repulse, and many hard
Atchieuement wrought with perill and with paine,
That goodly frame from ruine to sustaine:
And those two brethren Giants did defend
The walles so stoutly with their sturdie maine,
That neuer entrance any durst pretend,
But they to direfull death their groning ghosts did send.

The noble virgin, Ladie of the place[815], xvi
Was much dismayed with that dreadfull sight:
For neuer was she in so euill cace,
Till that the Prince seeing her wofull plight,
Gan her recomfort from so sad affright,
Offring his seruice, and his dearest life
For her defence, against that Carle to fight,
Which was their chiefe and th’author of that strife:
She him remercied as the Patrone of her life.

Eftsoones himselfe in glitterand armes he dight, xvii
And his well proued weapons to him hent;
So taking courteous conge he behight,
Those gates to be vnbar’d, and forth he went.
Faire mote he thee, the prowest and most gent,
That euer brandished bright steele on hye:
Whom soone as that vnruly rablement,
With his gay Squire issuing did espy,
They reard a most outrageous dreadfull yelling cry.

And therewith all attonce at him let fly xviii
Their fluttring arrowes, thicke as flakes of snow,
And round about him flocke impetuously,
Like a great water flood, that tombling low
From the high mountaines, threats to ouerflow
With suddein fury all the fertile plaine,
And the sad husbandmans long hope doth throw
A downe the streame, and all his vowes make vaine,
Nor bounds nor banks his headlong ruine may sustaine.

Vpon his shield their heaped hayle he bore, xix
And with his sword disperst the raskall flockes,
Which fled a sunder, and him fell before,
As withered leaues drop from their dried stockes,
When the wroth Western wind does reaue their locks;
And vnder neath him his courageous steed,
The fierce _Spumador_ trode them downe like docks,
The fierce _Spumador_ borne of heauenly seed:
Such as _Laomedon_ of _Phœbus_ race did breed.

Which suddeine horrour and confused cry, xx
When as their Captaine heard, in haste he yode,
The cause to weet, and fault to remedy;
Vpon a Tygre swift and fierce he rode,
That as the winde ran vnderneath his lode,
Whiles his long legs nigh raught vnto the ground;
Full large he was of limbe, and shoulders brode,
But of such subtile substance and vnsound,
That like a ghost he seem’d, whose graue-clothes were vnbound.

And in his hand a bended bow was seene, xxi
And many arrowes vnder his right side,
All deadly daungerous, all cruell keene,
Headed with flint, and feathers bloudie dide,
Such as the _Indians_ in their quiuers hide;
Those could he well direct and streight as line,
And bid them strike the marke, which he had eyde,
Ne was their salue, ne was their medicine,
That mote recure their wounds: so inly they did tine.

As pale and wan as ashes was his looke, xxii
His bodie leane and meagre as a rake,
And skin all withered like a dryed rooke,
Thereto as cold and drery as a Snake,
That seem’d to tremble euermore, and quake:
All in a canuas thin he was bedight,
And girded with a belt of twisted brake,
Vpon his head he wore an Helmet light,
Made of a dead mans skull, that seem’d a ghastly sight.

_Maleger_ was his name, and after him, xxiii
There follow’d fast at hand two wicked Hags,
With hoarie lockes all loose, and visage grim;
Their feet vnshod, their bodies wrapt in rags,
And both as swift on foot, as chased Stags;
And yet the one her other legge had lame,
Which with a staffe, all full of litle snags
She did support[816], and _Impotence_ her name:
But th’other was _Impatience_, arm’d with raging flame.

Soone as the Carle from farre the Prince espyde, xxiv
Glistring in armes and warlike ornament,
His Beast he felly prickt on either syde,
And his mischieuous bow full readie bent,
With which at him a cruell shaft he sent:
But he was warie, and it warded well
Vpon his shield, that it no further went,
But to the ground the idle quarrell fell:
Then he another and another did expell.

Which to preuent, the Prince his mortall speare xxv
Soone to him raught, and fierce at him did ride,
To be auenged of that shot whyleare:
But he was not so hardie to abide
That bitter stownd, but turning quicke aside
His light-foot beast, fled fast away for feare:
Whom to pursue, the Infant after hide,
So fast as his good Courser could him beare,
But labour lost it was, to weene approch him neare.

For as the winged wind his Tigre fled, xxvi
That vew of eye could scarse him ouertake,
Ne scarse his feet on ground were seene to tred;
Through hils and dales he speedie way did make,
Ne hedge ne ditch his readie passage brake,
And in his flight the villein turn’d his face,
(As wonts the _Tartar_ by the _Caspian_ lake,
When as the _Russian_ him in fight does chace)
Vnto his Tygres taile, and shot at him apace.

Apace he shot, and yet he fled apace, xxvii
Still as the greedy knight nigh to him drew,
And oftentimes he would relent his pace,
That him his foe more fiercely should pursew:
Who[817] when his vncouth manner he did vew,
He gan auize to follow him no more,
But keepe his standing, and his shaftes eschew,
Vntill he quite had spent his perlous store,
And then assayle him fresh, ere he could shift for more.

But that lame Hag, still as abroad he strew xxviii
His wicked arrowes, gathered them againe,
And to him brought, fresh battell to renew:
Which he espying, cast her to restraine
From yielding succour to that cursed Swaine,
And her attaching, thought her hands to tye;
But soone as him dismounted on the plaine,
That other Hag did farre away espy
Binding her sister, she to him ran hastily.

And catching hold of him, as downe he lent, xxix
Him backward ouerthrew, and downe him stayd
With their rude hands and griesly graplement,
Till that the villein comming to their ayd,
Vpon him fell, and lode vpon him layd;
Full litle wanted, but he had him slaine,
And of the battell balefull end had made,
Had not his gentle Squire beheld his paine,
And commen to his reskew, ere his bitter bane.

So greatest and most glorious thing on ground xxx
May often need the helpe of weaker hand;
So feeble is mans state, and life vnsound,
That in assurance it may neuer stand,
Till it dissolued be from earthly band.
Proofe be thou Prince, the prowest man aliue,
And noblest borne of all in _Britayne_[818] land;
Yet thee fierce Fortune did so nearely driue,
That had not grace thee blest, thou shouldest not suruiue[819].

The Squire arriuing, fiercely in his armes xxxi
Snatcht first the one, and then the other Iade,
His chiefest lets and authors of his harmes,
And them perforce withheld with threatned blade,
Least that his Lord they should behind inuade;
The whiles the Prince prickt with reprochfull shame,
As one awakt out of long slombring shade,
Reuiuing thought of glorie and of fame,
Vnited all his powres to purge himselfe from blame.

Like as a fire, the which in hollow caue xxxii
Hath long bene vnderkept, and downe supprest,
With murmurous disdaine doth inly raue,
And grudge, in so streight prison to be prest,
At last breakes forth with furious vnrest[820],
And striues to mount vnto his natiue seat;
All that did earst it hinder and molest,
It now deuoures with flames and scorching heat,
And carries into smoake with rage and horror great.

So mightily the _Briton_ Prince him rouzd xxxiii
Out of his hold, and broke his caitiue bands,
And as a Beare whom angry curres haue touzd,
Hauing off-shakt them, and escapt their hands,
Becomes more fell, and all that him withstands
Treads downe and ouerthrowes. Now had the Carle
Alighted from his Tigre, and his hands
Discharged of his bow and deadly quar’le,
To seize vpon his foe flat lying on the marle.

Which now him turnd to disauantage deare; xxxiv
For neither can he fly, nor other harme,
But trust vnto his strength and manhood meare,
Sith now he is farre from his monstrous swarme,
And of his weapons did himselfe disarme.
The knight yet wrothfull for his late disgrace,
Fiercely aduaunst his valorous right arme,
And him so sore smote with his yron mace,
That groueling to the ground he fell, and fild his place.

Well weened he, that field was then his owne, xxxv
And all his labour brought to happie end,
When suddein vp the villein ouerthrowne,
Out of his swowne arose, fresh to contend,
And gan himselfe to second battell bend,
As hurt he had not bene. Thereby there lay
An huge great stone, which stood vpon one end,
And had not bene remoued many a day;
Some land-marke seem’d to be, or signe of sundry way.

The same he snatcht, and with exceeding sway xxxvi
Threw at his foe, who was right well aware
To shunne the engin of his meant decay;
It booted not to thinke that throw to beare,
But ground he gaue, and lightly leapt areare:
Eft fierce returning, as a Faulcon faire
That once hath failed of her souse full neare,
Remounts againe into the open aire,
And vnto better fortune doth her selfe prepaire.

So braue returning, with his brandisht blade, xxxvii
He to the Carle himselfe againe addrest,
And strooke at him so sternely, that he made
An open passage through his riuen brest,
That halfe the steele behind his back did rest;
Which drawing backe, he looked euermore
When the hart bloud should gush out of his chest,
Or his dead corse should fall vpon the flore;
But his dead corse vpon the flore fell nathemore.

Ne drop of bloud appeared shed to bee, xxxviii
All were the wounde so wide and wonderous,
That through his carkasse one might plainely see:
Halfe in a maze with horror hideous,
And halfe in rage, to be deluded thus,
Againe through both the sides he strooke him quight,
That made his spright to grone full piteous:
Yet nathemore forth fled his groning spright,
But freshly as at first, prepard himselfe to fight.

Thereat he smitten was with great affright, xxxix
And trembling terror did his hart apall,
Ne wist he, what to thinke of that same sight,
Ne what to say, ne what to doe at all;
He doubted, least it were some magicall
Illusion, that did beguile his sense,
Or wandring ghost, that wanted funerall,
Or aerie spirit vnder false pretence,
Or hellish feend raysd vp through diuelish science.

His wonder farre exceeded reasons reach, xl
That he began to doubt his dazeled sight,
And oft of error did himselfe appeach:
Flesh without bloud, a person without spright,
Wounds without hurt, a bodie without might,
That could doe harme, yet could not harmed bee,
That could not die, yet seem’d a mortall wight,
That was most strong in most infirmitee;
Like did he neuer heare, like did he neuer see.

A while he stood in this astonishment, xli
Yet would he not for all his great dismay
Giue ouer to effect his first intent,
And th’vtmost meanes of victorie assay,
Or th’vtmost issew of his owne decay.
His owne good sword _Morddure_[821], that neuer fayld
At need, till now, he lightly threw away,
And his bright shield, that nought him now auayld,
And with his naked hands him forcibly assayld.

Twixt his two mightie armes him vp he snatcht, xlii
And crusht his carkasse so against his brest,
That the disdainfull soule he thence dispatcht,
And th’idle breath all vtterly exprest:
Tho when he felt him dead, a downe he kest
The lumpish corse vnto the senselesse grownd;
Adowne he kest it with so puissant wrest,
That backe againe it did aloft rebownd,
And gaue against his mother earth a gronefull sownd.

As when _Ioues_ harnesse-bearing Bird from hie xliii
Stoupes at a flying heron with proud disdaine,
The stone-dead quarrey fals so forciblie,
That it rebounds against the lowly plaine,
A second fall redoubling backe againe.
Then thought the Prince all perill sure was past,
And that he victor onely did remaine;
No sooner thought, then that the Carle as fast
Gan heap huge strokes on him, as ere he downe was cast.

Nigh his wits end then woxe th’amazed knight, xliv
And thought his labour lost and trauell vaine,
Against this[822] lifelesse shadow so to fight:
Yet life he saw, and felt his mightie maine,
That whiles he marueild still, did still him paine:
For thy he gan some other wayes aduize,
How to take life from that dead-liuing swaine,
Whom still he marked freshly to arize
From th’earth, and from her wombe new spirits to reprize.

He then remembred well, that had bene sayd, xlv
How th’Earth his mother was, and first him bore;
She eke so often, as his life decayd,
Did life with vsury to him restore,
And raysd him vp much stronger then before,
So soone as he vnto her wombe did fall;
Therefore to ground he would him cast no more,
Ne him commit to graue terrestriall,
But beare him farre from hope of succour vsuall.

Tho vp he caught him twixt his puissant hands, xlvi
And hauing scruzd out of his carrion corse
The lothfull life, now loosd from sinfull bands,
Vpon his shoulders carried him perforse
Aboue three furlongs, taking his full course,
Vntill he came vnto a standing lake;
Him thereinto he threw without remorse,
Ne stird, till hope of life did him forsake;
So end of that Carles dayes, and his owne paines did make.

Which when those wicked Hags from farre did spy, xlvii
Like two mad dogs they ran about the lands,
And th’one of them with dreadfull yelling cry,
Throwing away her broken chaines and bands,
And hauing quencht her burning fier brands,
Hedlong her selfe did cast into that lake;
But _Impotence_ with her owne wilfull hands,
One of _Malegers_ cursed darts did take,
So riu’d her trembling hart, and wicked end did make.

Thus now alone he conquerour remaines; xlviii
Tho comming to his Squire, that kept his steed,
Thought to haue mounted, but his feeble vaines
Him faild thereto, and serued not his need,
Through losse of bloud, which from his wounds did bleed,
That he began to faint, and life decay:
But his good Squire him helping vp with speed,
With stedfast hand vpon his horse did stay,
And led him to the Castle by the beaten way.

Where many Groomes and Squiers readie were, xlix
To take him from his steed full tenderly,
And eke the fairest _Alma_ met him there
With balme and wine and costly spicery,
To comfort him in his infirmity;
Eftsoones she causd him vp to be conuayd,
And of his armes despoyled easily,
In sumptuous bed she made him to be layd,
And all the while his wounds were dressing, by him stayd.

FOOTNOTES:

[804] ii 9 and delight _1596_

[805] iv 4 he _om. 1596_

[806] viii 3 beakes _1609_

[807] ix 9 they against that Bulwarke lent _1590_

[808] x 2 assignment _1590_

[809] xi 4 mismayd _conj. Jortin_

[810] xii 4 fac’t _1609_

[811] 7 Surfait _1609_

[812] xiii 2 was] is _1590_

[813] 5 They cruelly _1609_

[814] assayed _1590_

[815] xvi 1 that place _1609_

[816] xxiii 8 disport _1596_, _1609_

[817] xxvii 5 Who] But _1590_

[818] xxx 7 _Britom_ _1590_: _corr. F. E._: _Briton_ _1596_, _1609_

[819] 9 reuiue _1590 &c._: _corr. F. E._

[820] xxxii 5 vnrest] infest _1590_

[821] xli 6 _Mordure_ _1590_, _1596_

[822] xliv 3 this] his _1590_: _corr. F. E._

_Cant. XII._

_Guyon, by[823] Palmers gouernance,
passing through[824] perils great,
Doth ouerthrow the Bowre of blisse,
and Acrasie defeat._
]

Now gins this goodly frame of Temperance i
Fairely to rise, and her adorned hed
To pricke of highest praise forth to aduance,
Formerly[825] grounded, and fast setteled
On firme foundation of true bountihed;
And this braue knight, that for that[826] vertue fights,
Now comes to point of that same perilous sted,
Where Pleasure dwelles in sensuall delights,
Mongst thousand dangers, and ten thousand magick mights.

Two dayes now in that sea he sayled has, ii
Ne euer land beheld, ne liuing wight,
Ne ought saue perill, still as he did pas:
Tho when appeared the third _Morrow_ bright,
Vpon the waues to spred her trembling light,
An hideous roaring farre away they heard,
That all their senses filled with affright,
And streight they saw the raging surges reard
Vp to the skyes, that them of drowning made affeard.

Said then the Boteman, Palmer stere aright, iii
And keepe an euen course; for yonder way
We needes must passe (God do vs well acquight,)
That is the _Gulfe of Greedinesse_, they say,
That deepe engorgeth all this worldes pray:
Which hauing swallowd vp excessiuely,
He soone in vomit vp againe doth lay,
And belcheth forth his superfluity,
That all the seas for feare do[827] seeme away to fly.

On th’other side an hideous Rocke is pight, iv
Of mightie _Magnes_ stone, whose craggie clift
Depending from on high, dreadfull to sight,
Ouer the waues his rugged armes doth lift,
And threatneth downe to throw his ragged rift
On who so commeth nigh; yet nigh it drawes
All passengers, that none from it can shift:
For whiles they fly that Gulfes deuouring iawes,
They on this rock are rent, and sunck in helplesse wawes.

Forward they passe, and strongly he them rowes, v
Vntill they nigh vnto that Gulfe arriue,
Where streame more violent and greedy growes:
Then he with all his puissance doth striue
To strike his oares, and mightily doth driue
The hollow vessell through the threatfull waue,
Which gaping wide, to swallow them aliue,
In th’huge abysse of his engulfing graue,
Doth rore at them in vaine, and with great terror raue.

They passing by, that griesly mouth did see, vi
Sucking the seas into his entralles deepe,
That seem’d more horrible then hell to bee,
Or that darke dreadfull hole of _Tartare_ steepe,
Through which the damned ghosts doen often creepe
Backe to the world, bad liuers to torment:
But nought that falles into this direfull deepe,
Ne that approcheth nigh the wide descent,
May backe returne, but is condemned to be drent.

On th’other side, they saw that perilous Rocke, vii
Threatning it selfe on them to ruinate,
On whose sharpe clifts the ribs of vessels broke,
And shiuered ships, which had bene wrecked late,
Yet stuck, with carkasses exanimate
Of such, as hauing all their substance spent
In wanton ioyes, and lustes intemperate,
Did afterwards make shipwracke violent,
Both of their life, and fame for euer fowly blent.

For thy, this hight _The Rocke of_ vile _Reproch_, viii
A daungerous and detestable place,
To which nor fish nor fowle did once approch,
But yelling Meawes, with Seagulles hoarse and bace,
And Cormoyrants, with birds of rauenous race,
Which still sate waiting[828] on that wastfull clift,
For spoyle of wretches, whose vnhappie cace,
After lost credite and consumed thrift,
At last them driuen hath to this despairefull drift.

The Palmer seeing them in safetie past, ix
Thus said; Behold[829] th’ensamples in our sights,
Of lustfull luxurie and thriftlesse wast:
What now is left of miserable wights,
Which spent their looser daies in lewd delights,
But shame and sad reproch, here to be red,
By these rent reliques, speaking their ill plights?
Let all that liue, hereby be counselled,
To shunne _Rocke of Reproch_, and it as death to dred.

So forth they rowed, and that _Ferryman_ x
With his stiffe oares did brush the sea so strong,
That the hoare waters from his frigot ran,
And the light bubbles daunced all along,
Whiles the salt brine out of the billowes sprong.
At last farre off they many Islands spy,
On euery side floting the floods emong:
Then said the knight, Loe I the land descry,
Therefore old Syre thy course do thereunto apply.

That may not be, said then the _Ferryman_ xi
Least we vnweeting hap to be fordonne:
For those same Islands, seeming now and than,
Are not firme lande, nor any certein wonne,
But straggling plots, which to and fro do ronne
In the wide waters: therefore are they hight
The _wandring Islands_. Therefore doe them shonne;
For they haue oft drawne many a wandring wight
Into most deadly daunger and distressed plight.

Yet well they seeme to him, that farre doth vew, xii
Both faire and fruitfull, and the ground dispred[830]
With grassie greene of delectable hew,
And the tall trees with leaues apparelled,
Are deckt with blossomes dyde in white and red,
That mote the passengers thereto allure;
But whosoeuer once hath fastened
His foot thereon, may neuer it recure,
But wandreth euer more vncertein and vnsure.

As th’Isle of _Delos_ whylome men report xiii
Amid th’_Aegæan_ sea long time did stray,
Ne made for shipping any certaine port,
Till that _Latona_ traueiling that way,
Flying from _Iunoes_ wrath and hard assay,
Of her faire twins was there deliuered,
Which afterwards did rule the night and day;
Thenceforth it firmely was established,
And for _Apolloes_ honor[831] highly herried.

They to him hearken, as beseemeth meete, xiv
And passe on forward: so their way does ly,
That one of those same Islands, which doe fleet
In the wide sea, they needes must passen by,
Which seemd so sweet and pleasant to the eye,
That it would tempt a man to touchen there:
Vpon the banck they sitting did espy
A daintie damzell, dressing of her heare,
By whom a litle skippet floting did appeare.

She them espying, loud to them can[832] call, xv
Bidding them nigher draw vnto the shore;
For she had cause to busie them withall;
And therewith loudly laught: But nathemore
Would they once turne, but kept on as afore:
Which when she saw, she left her lockes vndight,
And running to her boat withouten ore
From the departing land it launched light,
And after them did driue with all her power and might.

Whom ouertaking, she in merry sort xvi
Them gan to bord, and purpose diuersly,
Now faining dalliance and wanton sport,
Now throwing forth lewd words immodestly;
Till that the Palmer gan full bitterly
Her to rebuke, for being loose and light:
Which not abiding, but more scornefully
Scoffing at him, that did her iustly wite,
She turnd her bote about, and from them rowed quite.

That was the wanton _Phœdria_, which late xvii
Did ferry him ouer the _Idle lake_:
Whom nought regarding, they kept on their gate,
And all her vaine allurements did forsake,
When them the wary Boateman thus bespake;
Here now behoueth vs well to auyse,
And of our safetie good heede to take;
For here before a perlous passage lyes,
Where many Mermayds haunt, making false melodies.

But by the way, there is a great Quicksand, xviii
And a whirlepoole of hidden ieopardy,
Therefore, Sir Palmer, keepe an euen hand;
For twixt them both the narrow way doth ly.
Scarse had he said, when hard at hand they spy
That quicksand nigh with water couered;
But by the checked waue they did descry
It plaine, and by the sea discoloured:
It called was the quicksand of _Vnthriftyhed_.

They passing by, a goodly Ship did see, xix
Laden from far with precious merchandize,
And brauely furnished, as ship might bee,
Which through great disauenture, or mesprize[833],
Her selfe had runne into that hazardize;
Whose mariners and merchants with much toyle,
Labour’d in vaine, to haue recur’d their prize,
And the rich wares to saue from pitteous spoyle,
But neither toyle nor trauell might her backe recoyle.

On th’other side they see that perilous Poole, xx
That called was the _Whirlepoole of decay_,
In which full many had with haplesse doole
Beene suncke, of whom no memorie did stay:
Whose circled waters rapt with whirling sway,
Like to a restlesse wheele, still running round,
Did couet, as they passed by that way,
To draw their[834] boate within the vtmost bound
Of his wide _Labyrinth_, and then to haue them dround.

But th’heedfull[835] Boateman strongly forth did stretch xxi
His brawnie armes, and all his body straine,
That th’vtmost sandy breach they shortly fetch,
Whiles the dred daunger does behind remaine.
Suddeine they see from midst of all the Maine,
The surging waters like a mountaine rise,
And the great sea puft vp with proud disdaine,
To swell aboue the measure of his guise,
As threatning to deuoure all, that his powre despise.

The waues come rolling, and the billowes rore xxii
Outragiously, as they enraged were,
Or wrathfull _Neptune_ did them driue before
His whirling charet, for exceeding feare:
For not one puffe of wind there did appeare,
That all the three thereat woxe much afrayd,
Vnweeting, what such horrour straunge did reare.
Eftsoones they saw an hideous hoast arrayd,
Of huge Sea monsters, such as liuing sence dismayd.

Most vgly shapes, and horrible aspects, xxiii
Such as Dame Nature selfe mote feare to see,
Or shame, that euer should so fowle defects
From her most cunning hand escaped bee;
All dreadfull pourtraicts of deformitee:
Spring-headed _Hydraes_, and sea-shouldring Whales,
Great whirlpooles, which all fishes make to flee,
Bright Scolopendraes, arm’d with siluer scales,
Mighty _Monoceroses_[836], with immeasured tayles.

The dreadfull Fish, that hath deseru’d the name xxiv
Of Death, and like him lookes in dreadfull hew,
The griesly Wasserman, that makes his game
The flying ships with swiftnesse to pursew,
The horrible Sea-satyre, that doth shew
His fearefull face in time of greatest storme,
Huge _Ziffius_, whom Mariners eschew
No lesse, then rockes, (as trauellers informe,)
And greedy _Rosmarines_ with visages deforme.

All these, and thousand thousands many more, xxv
And more deformed Monsters thousand fold,
With dreadfull noise, and hollow rombling rore,
Came rushing in the fomy waues enrold,
Which seem’d to fly for feare, them to behold:
Ne wonder, if these did the knight appall;
For all that here on earth we dreadfull hold,
Be but as bugs to fearen babes withall,
Compared to the creatures in the seas entrall.

Feare nought, (then said the Palmer well auiz’d;) xxvi
For these same Monsters are not these in deed,
But are into these fearefull shapes disguiz’d
By that same wicked witch, to worke vs dreed,
And draw from on this iourney to proceede.
Tho lifting vp his vertuous staffe on hye,
He smote the sea, which calmed was with speed,
And all that dreadfull Armie fast gan flye
Into great _Tethys_ bosome, where they hidden lye.

Quit from that daunger, forth their course they kept, xxvii
And as they went, they heard a ruefull cry
Of one, that wayld and pittifully[837] wept,
That through the sea the resounding[838] plaints did fly:
At last they in an Island did espy
A seemely Maiden, sitting by the shore,
That with great sorrow and sad agony,
Seemed some great misfortune to deplore,
And lowd to them for succour called euermore.

Which _Guyon_ hearing, streight his Palmer bad, xxviii
To stere the boate towards that dolefull Mayd,
That he might know, and ease her sorrow sad:
Who him auizing better, to him sayd;
Faire Sir, be not displeasd, if disobayd:
For ill it were to hearken to her cry;
For she is inly nothing ill apayd,
But onely womanish fine forgery,
Your stubborne hart t’affect with fraile infirmity.

To which when she your courage hath inclind xxix
Through foolish pitty, then her guilefull bayt
She will embosome deeper in your mind,
And for your ruine at the last awayt.
The knight was ruled, and the Boateman strayt
Held on his course with stayed stedfastnesse,
Ne euer shruncke, ne euer sought to bayt
His tyred armes for toylesome wearinesse,
But with his oares did sweepe the watry wildernesse.

And now they nigh approched to the sted, xxx
Where as those Mermayds dwelt: it was a still
And calmy bay, on th’one side sheltered
With the brode shadow of an hoarie hill,
On th’other side an high rocke toured still,
That twixt them both a pleasaunt[839] port they made,
And did like an halfe Theatre fulfill:
There those fine sisters had continuall trade,
And vsd to bath[840] themselues in that deceiptfull[841] shade.

They were faire Ladies, till they fondly striu’d xxxi
With th’_Heliconian_ maides for maistery;
Of whom they ouer-comen, were depriu’d
Of their proud beautie, and th’one moyity
Transform’d to fish, for their bold surquedry,
But th’vpper halfe their hew retained still,
And their sweet skill in wonted melody;
Which euer after they abusd to ill,
T’allure weake trauellers, whom gotten they did kill.

So now to _Guyon_, as he passed by, xxxii
Their pleasaunt tunes they sweetly thus applide;
O thou faire sonne of gentle Faery,
That[842] art in mighty armes most magnifide
Aboue all knights, that euer battell tride,
O turne thy rudder hither-ward a while:
Here may thy storme-bet vessell safely ride;
This is the Port of rest from troublous toyle,
The worlds sweet In, from paine and wearisome turmoyle.

With that the rolling sea resounding soft, xxxiii
In his big base them fitly answered,
And on the rocke the waues breaking aloft,
A solemne Meane vnto them measured,
The whiles sweet _Zephirus_ lowd whisteled
His treble, a straunge kinde of harmony;
Which _Guyons_ senses softly tickeled,
That he the boateman bad row easily,
And let him heare some part of their rare melody.

But him the[843] Palmer from that vanity, xxxiv
With temperate aduice discounselled,
That they it past, and shortly gan descry
The land, to which their course they leueled;
When suddeinly a grosse fog ouer spred
With his dull vapour all that desert has,
And heauens chearefull face enueloped,
That all things one, and one as nothing was,
And this great Vniuerse seemd one confused mas.

Thereat they greatly were dismayd, ne wist xxxv
How to direct their way in darkenesse wide,
But feard to wander in that wastfull mist,
For tombling into mischiefe vnespide.
Worse is the daunger hidden, then descride.
Suddeinly an innumerable flight
Of harmefull fowles about them fluttering, cride,
And with their wicked wings them oft did smight,
And sore annoyed, groping in that griesly night.

Euen all the nation of vnfortunate xxxvi
And fatall birds about them flocked were,
Such as by nature men abhorre and hate,
The ill-faste Owle, deaths dreadfull messengere,
The hoars Night-rauen, trump of dolefull drere,
The lether-winged Bat, dayes enimy,
The ruefull Strich, still waiting on the bere,
The Whistler shrill, that who so heares, doth dy,
The hellish Harpies, prophets of sad destiny.

All those, and all that else does horrour breed, xxxvii
About them flew, and fild their sayles with feare:
Yet stayd they not, but forward did proceed,
Whiles th’one did row, and th’other stifly steare;
Till that at last the weather gan to cleare,
And the faire land it selfe did plainly show.
Said then the Palmer, Lo where does appeare
The sacred soile, where all our perils grow;
Therefore, Sir knight, your ready armes about you throw.

He hearkned, and his armes about him tooke, xxxviii
The whiles the nimble boate so well her sped,
That with her crooked keele the land she strooke,
Then forth the noble _Guyon_ sallied,
And his sage Palmer, that him gouerned;
But th’other by his boate behind did stay.
They marched fairly forth, of nought ydred,
Both firmely armd for euery hard assay,
With constancy and care, gainst daunger and dismay.

Ere long they heard an hideous bellowing xxxix
Of many beasts, that roard outrageously,
As if that hungers point, or _Venus_ sting
Had them enraged with fell surquedry;
Yet nought they feard, but past on hardily,
Vntill they came in vew of those wild beasts:
Who all attonce, gaping full greedily,
And rearing fiercely their vpstarting[844] crests,
Ran towards, to deuoure those vnexpected guests.

But soone as they approcht[845] with deadly threat,[846] xl
The Palmer ouer them his staffe vpheld,
His mighty staffe, that could all charmes defeat:
Eftsoones their stubborne courages were queld,
And high aduaunced crests downe meekely feld,
In stead of fraying, they them selues did feare,
And trembled, as them passing they beheld:
Such wondrous powre did in that staffe appeare,
All monsters to subdew to him, that did it beare.

Of that same wood it fram’d was cunningly, xli
Of which _Caduceus_ whilome was made,
_Caduceus_ the rod of _Mercury_,
With which he wonts the _Stygian_ realmes inuade,
Through ghastly horrour, and eternall shade;
Th’ infernall feends with it he can asswage,
And _Orcus_ tame, whom nothing can perswade,
And rule the _Furyes_, when they most do rage:
Such vertue in his staffe had eke this Palmer sage.

Thence passing forth, they shortly do arriue, xlii
Whereas the Bowre of _Blisse_ was situate;
A place pickt out by choice of best aliue,
That natures worke by art can imitate:
In which what euer in this worldly state
Is sweet, and pleasing vnto liuing sense,
Or that may dayntiest[847] fantasie aggrate,
Was poured forth with plentifull dispence,
And made there to abound with lauish affluence.

Goodly it was enclosed round about, xliii
Aswell their entred guestes to keepe within,
As those vnruly beasts to hold without;
Yet was the fence thereof but weake and thin;
Nought feard their[848] force, that fortilage to win,
But wisedomes powre, and temperaunces might,
By which the mightiest[849] things efforced bin:
And eke the gate was wrought of substaunce light,
Rather for pleasure, then for battery or fight.

Yt framed was of precious yuory, xliv
That seemd a worke of admirable wit;
And therein all the famous history
Of _Iason_ and _Medæa_ was ywrit;
Her mighty charmes, her furious louing fit,
His goodly conquest of the golden fleece,
His falsed faith, and loue too lightly flit,
The wondred _Argo_, which in venturous peece
First through the _Euxine_ seas bore all the flowr of _Greece_.

Ye might haue seene the frothy billowes fry xlv
Vnder the ship, as thorough them she went,
That seemd the waues were into yuory,
Or yuory into the waues were sent;
And other where the snowy substaunce sprent
With vermell, like the boyes bloud therein shed,
A piteous spectacle did represent,
And otherwhiles with gold besprinkeled;
Yt seemd th’enchaunted flame, which did _Creüsa_ wed.

All this, and more might in that goodly gate xlvi
Be red; that euer open stood to all,
Which thither came: but in the Porch there sate
A comely personage of stature tall,
And semblaunce pleasing, more then naturall,
That trauellers to him seemd to entize;
His looser garment to the ground did fall,
And flew about his heeles in wanton wize,
Not fit for speedy pace, or manly exercize.

They in that place him _Genius_ did call: xlvii
Not that celestiall powre, to whom the care
Of life, and generation of all
That liues, pertaines in charge particulare,
Who wondrous things concerning our welfare,
And straunge phantomes doth let vs oft forsee,
And oft of secret ill bids vs beware:
That is our Selfe, whom though we do not see,
Yet each doth in him selfe it well perceiue to bee.

Therefore a God him sage Antiquity xlviii
Did wisely make, and good _Agdistes_ call:
But this same was to that quite contrary,
The foe of life, that good enuyes to all,
That secretly doth vs procure to fall,
Through guilefull semblaunts, which he makes vs see.
He of this Gardin had the gouernall,
And Pleasures porter was deuizd to bee,
Holding a staffe in hand for more formalitee.

With diuerse flowres he daintily was deckt, xlix
And strowed round about, and by his side
A mighty Mazer bowle of wine was set,
As if it had to him bene sacrifide;
Wherewith all new-come guests he gratifide:
So did he eke Sir _Guyon_ passing by:
But he his idle curtesie defide,
And ouerthrew his bowle disdainfully;
And broke his staffe, with which he charmed semblants sly.

Thus being entred, they behold around l
A large and spacious plaine, on euery side
Strowed with pleasauns, whose faire grassy ground
Mantled with greene, and goodly beautifide
With all the ornaments of _Floraes_ pride,
Wherewith her mother Art, as halfe in scorne
Of niggard Nature, like a pompous bride
Did decke her, and too lauishly adorne,
When forth from virgin bowre she comes in th’early morne.

Thereto[850] the Heauens alwayes Iouiall, li
Lookt on them louely, still in stedfast state,
Ne suffred storme nor frost on them to fall,
Their tender buds or leaues to violate,
Nor scorching heat, nor cold intemperate
T’afflict the creatures, which therein did dwell,
But the milde aire with season moderate
Gently attempred, and disposd so well,
That still it breathed forth sweet spirit and holesome smell.

More sweet and holesome, then the pleasaunt hill lii
Of _Rhodope_, on which the Nimphe, that bore
A gyaunt babe, her selfe for griefe did kill;
Or the Thessalian _Tempe_, where of yore
Faire _Daphne Phœbus_ hart with loue did gore;
Or _Ida_, where the Gods lou’d to repaire,
When euer they their heauenly bowres forlore;
Or sweet _Parnasse_, the haunt of Muses faire;
Or _Eden_ selfe, if ought[851] with _Eden_ mote compaire.

Much wondred _Guyon_ at the faire aspect liii
Of that sweet place, yet suffred no delight
To sincke into his sence, nor mind affect,
But passed forth, and lookt still forward right,
Bridling his will, and maistering his might:
Till that he came vnto another gate;
No gate, but like one, being goodly dight
With boughes and braunches, which did broad dilate
Their clasping armes, in wanton wreathings intricate.

So fashioned a Porch with rare deuice, liv
Archt ouer head with an embracing vine,
Whose bounches hanging downe, seemed to entice
All passers by, to tast their lushious wine,
And did themselues into their hands incline,
As freely offering to be gathered:
Some deepe empurpled as the _Hyacint_,
Some as the Rubine, laughing sweetly red,
Some like faire Emeraudes, not yet well ripened.

And them amongst, some were of burnisht gold, lv
So made by art, to beautifie the rest,
Which did themselues emongst the leaues enfold,
As lurking from the vew of couetous guest,
That the weake bowes, with so rich load opprest,
Did bow adowne, as ouer-burdened.
Vnder that Porch a comely dame did rest,
Clad in faire weedes, but fowle disordered,
And garments loose, that seemd vnmeet for womanhed.

In her left hand a Cup of gold she held, lvi
And with her right the riper fruit did reach,
Whose sappy liquor, that with fulnesse sweld,
Into her cup she scruzd, with daintie breach
Of her fine fingers, without fowle empeach,
That so faire wine-presse made the wine more sweet:
Thereof she vsd to giue to drinke to each,
Whom passing by she happened to meet:
It was her guise, all Straungers goodly so to greet.

So she to _Guyon_ offred it to tast; lvii
Who taking it out of her tender hond,
The cup to ground did violently cast,
That all in peeces it was broken fond,
And with the liquor stained all the lond:
Whereat _Excesse_ exceedingly was wroth,
Yet no’te the same amend, ne yet withstand,
But suffered him to passe, all were she loth;
Who nought[852] regarding her displeasure forward goth.

There the most daintie Paradise on ground, lviii
It selfe doth offer to his sober eye,
In which all pleasures plenteously abound,
And none does others happinesse enuye:
The painted flowres, the trees vpshooting hye,
The dales for shade, the hilles for breathing space,
The trembling groues, the Christall running by;
And that, which all faire workes doth most aggrace,
The art, which all that wrought, appeared in no place.

One would haue thought, (so cunningly, the rude, lix
And scorned parts were mingled with the fine,)
That nature had for wantonesse ensude
Art, and that Art at nature did repine;
So striuing each th’other to vndermine,
Each did the others worke more beautifie;
So diff’ring both in willes, agreed in fine:
So all agreed through sweete diuersitie,
This Gardin to adorne with all varietie.

And in the midst of all, a fountaine stood, lx
Of richest substaunce, that on earth might bee,
So pure and shiny, that the siluer flood
Through euery channell running one might see;
Most goodly it with curious[853] imageree
Was ouer-wrought, and shapes of naked boyes,
Of which some seemd with liuely iollitee,
To fly about, playing their wanton toyes,
Whilest others did them selues embay in liquid ioyes.

And ouer all, of purest gold was spred, lxi
A trayle of yuie in his natiue hew:
For the rich mettall was so coloured,
That wight, who did not well auis’d it vew,
Would surely deeme it to be yuie trew:
Low his lasciuious armes adown did creepe,
That themselues dipping in the siluer dew,
Their fleecy flowres they tenderly[854] did steepe,
Which drops of Christall seemd for wantones to weepe.

Infinit streames continually did well lxii
Out of this fountaine, sweet and faire to see,
The which into an ample lauer fell,
And shortly grew to so great quantitie,
That like a little lake it seemd to bee;
Whose depth exceeded not three cubits hight,
That through the waues one might the bottom see,
All pau’d beneath with Iaspar shining bright,
That seemd the fountaine in that sea did sayle vpright.

And all the margent round about was set, lxiii
With shady Laurell trees, thence to defend
The sunny beames, which on the billowes bet,
And those which therein bathed, mote offend.
As _Guyon_ hapned by the same to wend,
Two naked Damzelles he therein espyde,
Which therein bathing, seemed to contend,
And wrestle wantonly, ne car’d to hyde,
Their dainty parts from vew of any, which them eyde.

Sometimes the one would lift the other quight lxiv
Aboue the waters, and then downe againe
Her plong, as ouer maistered by might,
Where both awhile would couered remaine,
And each the other from to rise restraine;
The whiles their snowy limbes, as through a vele,
So through the Christall waues appeared plaine:
Then suddeinly both would themselues vnhele,
And th’amarous sweet spoiles to greedy eyes reuele.

As that faire Starre, the messenger of morne, lxv
His deawy face out of the sea doth reare:
Or as the _Cyprian_ goddesse, newly borne
Of th’Oceans fruitfull froth, did first appeare:
Such seemed they, and so their yellow heare
Christalline humour dropped downe apace.
Whom such when _Guyon_ saw, he drew him neare,
And somewhat gan relent his earnest pace,
His stubborne brest gan secret pleasaunce to embrace.

The wanton Maidens him espying, stood lxvi
Gazing a while at his vnwonted guise;
Then th’one her selfe low ducked in the flood,
Abasht, that her a straunger did a vise:
But th’other rather higher did arise,
And her two lilly paps aloft displayd,
And all, that might his melting hart entise
To her delights, she vnto him bewrayd:
The rest hid vnderneath, him more desirous made.

With that, the other likewise vp arose, lxvii
And her faire lockes, which formerly were bownd
Vp in one knot, she low adowne did lose:
Which flowing long and thick, her cloth’d arownd,
And th’yuorie in golden mantle gownd:
So that faire spectacle from him was reft,
Yet that, which reft it, no lesse faire was fownd:
So hid in lockes and waues from lookers theft,
Nought but her louely face she for his looking left.

Withall she laughed, and she blusht withall, lxviii
That blushing to her laughter gaue more grace,
And laughter to her blushing, as did fall:
Now when they spide the knight to slacke his pace,
Them to behold, and in his sparkling face
The secret signes of kindled lust appeare,
Their wanton meriments they did encreace,
And to him beckned, to approch more neare,
And shewd him many sights, that courage cold could reare.