Chapter V: Appendix: Stanzas Omitted in the Second Edition (1596) 517 (3)

By that same way the direfull dames doe driue xxxii
Their mournefull charet, fild with rusty blood,
And downe to _Plutoes_ house are come biliue:
Which passing through, on euery side them stood
The trembling ghosts with sad amazed mood,
Chattring their yron teeth, and staring wide
With stonie eyes; and all the hellish brood
Of feends infernall flockt on euery side,
To gaze on earthly wight, that with the Night durst ride.

They pas the bitter waues of _Acheron_, xxxiii
Where many soules sit wailing woefully,
And come to fiery flood of _Phlegeton_,
Whereas the damned ghosts in torments fry,
And with sharpe shrilling shriekes doe bootlesse cry,
Cursing high _Ioue_, the which them thither sent.
The house of endlesse paine is built thereby,
In which ten thousand sorts of punishment
The cursed creatures doe eternally torment.

Before the threshold dreadfull _Cerberus_ xxxiv
His three deformed heads did lay along,
Curled with thousand adders venemous,
And lilled forth his bloudie flaming tong:
At them he gan to reare his bristles strong,
And felly gnarre, vntill dayes enemy
Did him appease; then downe his taile he hong
And suffered them to passen quietly:
For she in hell and heauen had power equally.

There was _Ixion_ turned on a wheele, xxxv
For daring tempt the Queene of heauen to sin;
And _Sisyphus_ an huge round stone did reele
Against an hill, ne might from labour lin;
There thirstie _Tantalus_ hong by the chin;
And _Tityus_ fed a vulture on his maw;
_Typhœus_ ioynts were stretched on a gin,
_Theseus_ condemned to endlesse slouth by law,
And fifty sisters water in leake[193] vessels draw.

They all beholding worldly wights in place, xxxvi
Leaue off their worke, vnmindfull of their smart,
To gaze on them; who forth by them doe pace,
Till they be come vnto the furthest part:
Where was a Caue ywrought by wondrous art,
Deepe, darke, vneasie, dolefull, comfortlesse,
In which sad _Æsculapius_ farre a part[194]
Emprisond was in chaines remedilesse,
For that _Hippolytus_ rent corse he did redresse.

_Hippolytus_ a iolly huntsman was, xxxvii
That wont in charet chace the foming Bore;
He all his Peeres in beautie did surpas,
But Ladies loue as losse of time forbore:
His wanton stepdame loued him the more,
But when she saw her offred sweets refused
Her loue she turnd to hate, and him before
His father fierce of treason false accused,
And with her gealous termes his open eares abused.

Who all in rage his Sea-god syre besought, xxxviii
Some cursed vengeance on his sonne to cast:
From surging gulf two monsters straight were brought,
With dread whereof his chasing steedes aghast,
Both charet swift and huntsman ouercast.
His goodly corps on ragged cliffs[195] yrent,
Was quite dismembred, and his members chast
Scattered on euery mountaine, as he went,
That of _Hippolytus_ was left no moniment.

His cruell stepdame seeing what was donne, xxxix
Her wicked dayes with wretched knife did end,
In death auowing th’innocence of her sonne.
Which hearing his rash Syre, began to rend
His haire, and hastie tongue, that did offend:
Tho gathering vp the relicks[196] of his smart
By _Dianes_ meanes, who was _Hippolyts_ frend,
Them brought to _Æsculape_, that by his art
Did heale them all againe, and ioyned euery part.

Such wondrous science in mans wit to raine xl
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[197], that raged euermore.

There auncient Night arriuing, did alight xli
From her nigh[198] wearie waine, and in her armes
To _Æsculapius_ 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, xlii
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 xliii
From hope of heauen hath thee excluded quight,
Why fearest thou, that canst not hope for thing,
And fearest not, that more thee hurten might,
Now in the powre of euerlasting Night?
Goe to then, O thou farre renowmed[199] sonne
Of great _Apollo_, shew thy famous might
In medicine, that else hath to thee wonne
Great paines, and greater praise, both neuer to be donne.

Her words preuaild: And then the learned leach xliv
His cunning hand gan to his wounds[200] 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 _Phœbus_ pure
In westerne waues his wearie wagon did recure.

The false _Duessa_ leauing noyous Night, xlv
Returnd to stately pallace of dame Pride;
Where when she came, she found the Faery knight
Departed thence, albe his woundes[201] 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[202] deepe huge numbers[203] lay
Of caytiue wretched thrals, that wayled night and day.

A ruefull sight, as could be seene with eie; xlvi
Of whom he learned had in secret wise
The hidden cause of their captiuitie,
How mortgaging their liues to _Couetise_,
Through wastfull Pride, and wanton Riotise,
They were by law of that proud Tyrannesse
Prouokt with _Wrath_, and _Enuies_ false surmise,
Condemned to that Dongeon mercilesse,
Where they should liue in woe, and die in wretchednesse.

There was that great proud king of _Babylon_, xlvii
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 _Crœsus_, 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[204] daunst.

And them long time before, great _Nimrod_ was, xlviii
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, xlix
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 _Cæsar_, great _Pompey_, and fierce _Antonius_.

Amongst these mighty men were wemen mixt, l
Proud wemen, vaine, forgetfull of their yoke:
The bold _Semiramis_, whose sides transfixt
With sonnes owne blade, her fowle reproches spoke;
Faire _Sthenobœa_, that her selfe did choke
With wilfull cord[205], 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, li
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 that[206] 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, lii
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, liii
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_.

FOOTNOTES:

[171] i 9 he _om. 1596_

[172] ii 1 gate, _1590_, _1596_

[173] 5 hurld] hurls _1590_, _1596_: hurles _1609_: _corr. F. E._

[174] iii 1 common _1609_

[175] vi 3 wrists _1609_

[176] vii 9 hewen helmets _1590_

[177] ix 5 show _1590_, _1596_: showe _1609_

[178] x 6 Doost _1609 passim_

[179] xi 7 battaile _1590 passim_

[180] xii 8 stoope _1609_

[181] xiv 4 terrour _1590_

[182] xv 2 thristy _1590_

[183] 3 bathe _1590_, _1609_

[184] 6 trumpets, _1596_, _1609_

[185] xvii 5 can] gan _1590_

[186] xviii 1 traueiler _1590_

[187] xix 5 swoune _1609_

[188] xxi 8 yet _1590 &c._

[189] xxiii 8 _Nightes_] _Nights_ drad _1609_

[190] xxiv 9 for] and _1596_, _1609_

[191] xxvi 6 ame _1590_

[192] xxvii 7 fashood _1590_

[193] xxxv 9 leake] lete _1590_: leke _F. E._

[194] xxxvi 7 apart _1590_, _1609_

[195] xxxviii 6 clifts _1590 &c._: _corr. F. E._

[196] xxxix 6 reliques _1609_

[197] xl 9 fire] sire _1590_: _corr. F. E._

[198] xli 2 nigh] high _1596_, _1609_

[199] xliii 6 renouned _1590_: _corr. F. E._

[200] xliv 2 woundez _1609_

[201] xlv 4 woundez _1609_

[202] xlv 8 dungeon _1590_, _1609_

[203] nombers _1590_

[204] xlvii 9 altares _1590_

[205] l 6 chord _1590_

[206] li 5 that] the _1590 &c._: _corr. F. E._

_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, i
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 in[207] doubt ne dares
To ioy at his foole-happie ouersight:
So doubly is distrest twixt ioy and cares
The dreadlesse courage[208] of this Elfin knight,
Hauing escapt so sad ensamples in his sight.

Yet sad he was that his too hastie speed ii
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, iii
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 treatie, and by traynes,
Her to perswade, that stubborne fort to yilde:
For greater conquest of hard loue he gaynes,
That workes it to his will, then he that it constraines.

With fawning wordes he courted her a while, iv
And looking louely, and oft sighing sore,
Her constant hart did tempt with diuerse guile:
But wordes,[209] and lookes, and sighes she did abhore,
As rocke of Diamond stedfast euermore.
Yet for to feed his fyrie lustfull eye,
He snatcht the vele, that hong her face before;
Then gan her beautie shine, as brightest skye,
And burnt his beastly hart t’efforce her chastitye.

So when he saw his flatt’ring arts to fayle, v
And subtile engines bet from batteree,
With greedy force he gan the fort assayle,
Whereof he weend possessed soone to bee,
And win[210] rich spoile of ransackt chastetee.
Ah heauens, that do this hideous act behold,
And heauenly virgin thus outraged see,
How can ye vengeance iust so long withhold,
And hurle not flashing flames vpon that Paynim bold?

The pitteous maiden carefull comfortlesse, vi
Does throw out thrilling shriekes, and shrieking cryes,
The last vaine helpe of womens great distresse,
And with loud plaints importuneth the skyes,
That molten starres do drop like weeping eyes;
And _Phœbus_ flying so most shamefull sight,
His blushing face in foggy cloud implyes,
And hides for shame. What wit of mortall wight
Can now deuise to quit a thrall from such a plight?

Eternall prouidence exceeding thought, vii
Where none appeares can make her selfe a way:
A wondrous way it for this Lady wrought,
From Lyons clawes to pluck the griped pray.
Her shrill outcryes and shriekes so loud did bray,
That all the woodes and forestes did resownd;
A troupe of _Faunes_ and _Satyres_ far away
Within the wood were dauncing in a rownd,
Whiles old _Syluanus_ slept in shady arber sownd.

Who when they heard that pitteous strained voice, viii
In hast forsooke their rurall meriment,
And ran towards the far rebownded noyce,
To weet, what wight so loudly did lament.
Vnto the place they come incontinent:
Whom when the raging Sarazin espide,
A rude, misshapen[211], monstrous rablement,
Whose like he neuer saw, he durst not bide,
But got his ready steed, and fast away gan ride.

The wyld woodgods arriued in the place, ix
There find the virgin dolefull[212] desolate,
With ruffled rayments, and faire blubbred face,
As her outrageous foe had left her late,
And trembling yet through feare of former hate;
All stand amazed at so vncouth sight,
And gin to pittie her vnhappie state,
All stand astonied at her beautie bright,
In their rude eyes vnworthie of so wofull plight.

She more amaz’d, in double dread doth dwell; x
And euery tender part for feare does shake:
As when a greedie Wolfe through hunger[213] fell
A seely Lambe farre from the flocke does take,
Of whom he meanes his bloudie feast to make,
A Lyon spyes fast running towards him,
The innocent pray in hast he does forsake,
Which quit from death yet quakes in euery lim
With chaunge of feare, to see the Lyon looke so grim.

Such fearefull fit assaid her trembling hart, xi
Ne word to speake, ne ioynt to moue she had:
The saluage nation feele her secret smart,
And read her sorrow in her count’nance sad;
Their frowning forheads with rough hornes yclad,
And rusticke horror all a side doe lay,
And gently grenning, shew a semblance glad
To comfort her, and feare to put away,
Their backward bent knees teach her humbly to obay.

The doubtfull Damzell dare not yet commit xii
Her single person to their barbarous truth,
But still twixt feare and hope amazd does sit,
Late learnd what harme to hastie trust ensu’th,
They in compassion of her tender youth,
And wonder of her beautie soueraine,
Are wonne with pitty and vnwonted ruth,
And all prostrate vpon the lowly plaine,
Do kisse her feete, and fawne on her with count’nance faine.

Their harts she ghesseth by their humble guise, xiii
And yieldes her to extremitie of time;
So from the ground she fearelesse doth arise,
And walketh forth without suspect of crime:
They all as glad, as birdes of ioyous Prime,
Thence lead her forth, about her dauncing round,
Shouting, and singing all a shepheards ryme,
And with greene braunches strowing all the ground,
Do worship her, as Queene, with oliue girlond cround.

And all the way their merry pipes they sound, xiv
That all the woods with doubled[214] Eccho ring,
And with their horned feet do weare the ground,
Leaping like wanton kids in pleasant Spring.
So towards old _Syluanus_ they her bring;
Who with the noyse awaked, commeth out,
To weet the cause, his weake steps gouerning,
And aged limbs on Cypresse stadle stout,
And with an yuie twyne his wast[215] is girt about.

Far off he wonders, what them makes so glad, xv
Or[216] _Bacchus_ merry fruit they did inuent,
Or _Cybeles_ franticke rites haue made them mad;
They drawing nigh, vnto their God present
That flowre of faith and beautie excellent.
The God himselfe vewing that mirrhour rare,
Stood long amazd, and burnt in his intent;
His owne faire _Dryope_ now he thinkes not faire,
And _Pholoe_ fowle, when her to this he doth compaire.

The woodborne people fall before her flat, xvi
And worship her as Goddesse of the wood;
And old _Syluanus_ selfe bethinkes not, what
To thinke of wight so faire, but gazing stood,
In doubt to deeme her borne of earthly brood;
Sometimes Dame _Venus_ selfe he seemes to see,
But _Venus_ neuer had so sober mood;
Sometimes _Diana_ he her takes to bee,
But misseth bow, and shaftes, and buskins to her knee.

By vew of her he ginneth to reuiue xvii
His ancient loue, and dearest _Cyparisse_,
And calles to mind his pourtraiture aliue,
How faire he was, and yet not faire to this,
And how he slew with glauncing dart amisse
A gentle Hynd, the which the louely boy
Did loue as life, aboue all worldly blisse;
For griefe whereof the lad n’ould after ioy,
But pynd away in anguish and selfe-wild annoy.

The wooddy Nymphes, faire _Hamadryades_ xviii
Her to behold do thither runne apace,
And all the troupe of light-foot _Naiades_,
Flocke all about to see her louely face:
But when they vewed haue her heauenly grace,
They enuie her in their malitious mind,
And fly away for feare of fowle disgrace:
But all the _Satyres_ scorne their woody kind,
And henceforth nothing faire, but her on earth they find.

Glad of such lucke, the luckelesse lucky maid, xix
Did her content to please their feeble eyes,
And long time with that saluage people staid,
To gather breath in many miseries.
During which time her gentle wit she plyes,
To teach them truth, which worshipt her in vaine,
And made her th’Image of Idolatryes;
But when their bootlesse zeale she did restraine
From her own worship, they her Asse would worship fayn.

It fortuned a noble warlike knight xx
By iust occasion to that forrest came,
To seeke his kindred, and the lignage right,
From whence he tooke his well deserued name:
He had in armes abroad wonne muchell fame,
And fild far landes with glorie of his might,
Plaine, faithfull, true, and enimy of shame,
And euer lou’d to fight for Ladies right,
But in vaine glorious frayes he litle did delight.

A Satyres sonne yborne in forrest wyld, xxi
By straunge aduenture as it did betyde,
And there begotten of a Lady myld,
Faire _Thyamis_ the daughter of _Labryde_,
That was in sacred bands of wedlocke tyde
To _Therion_, a loose vnruly swayne;
Who had more ioy to raunge the forrest wyde,
And chase the saluage beast with busie payne,
Then serue his Ladies loue, and wast in pleasures vayne.

The forlorne mayd did with loues longing burne, xxii
And could not lacke her louers company,
But to the wood she goes, to serue her turne,
And seeke her spouse, that from her still does fly,
And followes other game and venery:
A Satyre chaunst her wandring for to find,
And kindling coles of lust in brutish eye,
The loyall links of wedlocke did vnbind,
And made her person thrall vnto his beastly kind.

So long in secret cabin there he held xxiii
Her captiue to his sensuall desire,
Till that with timely fruit her belly sweld,
And bore a boy vnto that saluage sire:
Then home he suffred her for to retire,
For ransome leauing him the late borne childe;
Whom till to ryper yeares he gan aspire,
He noursled[217] vp in life and manners wilde,
Emongst wild beasts and woods, from lawes of men exilde.

For all he taught the tender ymp, was but xxiv
To banish cowardize and bastard feare;
His trembling hand he would him force to put
Vpon the Lyon and the rugged Beare,
And from the she Beares teats her whelps to teare;
And eke wyld roring Buls he would him make
To tame, and ryde their backes not made to beare;
And the Robuckes in flight to ouertake,
That euery beast for feare of him did fly and quake.

Thereby so fearelesse, and so fell he grew, xxv
That his owne sire and maister of his guise
Did often tremble at his horrid vew,
And oft for dread of hurt would him aduise,
The angry beasts not rashly to despise,
Nor too much to prouoke; for he would learne
The Lyon stoup to him in lowly wise,
(A lesson hard) and make the Libbard sterne
Leaue roaring, when in rage he for reuenge did earne.

And for to make his powre approued more, xxvi
Wyld beasts in yron yokes he would compell;
The spotted Panther, and the tusked Bore,
The Pardale swift, and the Tigre cruell;
The Antelope, and Wolfe both fierce and fell[218];
And them constraine in equall teme to draw.
Such ioy he had, their stubborne harts to quell,
And sturdie courage tame with dreadfull aw,
That his beheast they feared, as a[219] tyrans law.

His louing mother came vpon a day xxvii
Vnto the woods, to see her little sonne;
And chaunst vnwares to meet him in the way,
After his sportes, and cruell pastime donne,
When after him a Lyonesse did runne,
That roaring all with rage, did lowd requere
Her children deare, whom he away had wonne:
The Lyon whelpes she saw how he did beare,
And lull in rugged armes, withouten childish feare.

The fearefull Dame all quaked at the sight, xxviii
And turning backe, gan fast to fly away,
Vntill with loue reuokt from vaine affright,
She hardly yet perswaded was to stay,
And then to him these womanish words gan say;
Ah _Satyrane_, my dearling, and my ioy,
For loue of me leaue off this dreadfull play;
To dally thus with death, is no fit toy,
Go find some other play-fellowes, mine own sweet boy.

In these and like delights of bloudy game xxix
He trayned was, till ryper yeares he raught,
And there abode, whilst any beast of name
Walkt in that forest, whom he had not taught
To feare his force: and then his courage haught
Desird of forreine foemen to be knowne,
And far abroad for straunge aduentures sought:
In which his might was neuer ouerthrowne,
But through all Faery lond his famous worth was blown.

Yet euermore it was his manner faire, xxx
After long labours and aduentures spent,
Vnto those natiue woods for to repaire,
To see his sire and ofspring auncient.
And now he thither came for like intent;
Where he vnwares the fairest _Vna_ found,
Straunge Lady, in so straunge habiliment,
Teaching the Satyres, which her sat around,
Trew sacred lore, which from her sweet lips did redound.

He wondred at her wisedome heauenly rare, xxxi
Whose like in womens wit he neuer knew;
And when her curteous deeds he did compare,
Gan her admire, and her sad sorrowes rew,
Blaming of Fortune, which such troubles threw,
And ioyd to make proofe of her crueltie
On gentle Dame, so hurtlesse, and so trew:
Thenceforth he kept her goodly company,
And learnd her discipline of faith and veritie.

But she all vowd vnto the _Redcrosse_ knight, xxxii
His wandring perill closely did lament,
Ne in this new acquaintaunce could delight,
But her deare heart with anguish did torment,
And all her wit in secret counsels spent,
How to escape. At last in priuie wise
To _Satyrane_ she shewed her intent;
Who glad to gain such fauour, gan deuise,
How with that pensiue Maid he best might thence arise.

So on a day when Satyres all were gone, xxxiii
To do their seruice to _Syluanus_ old,
The gentle virgin left behind alone
He led away with courage stout and bold.
Too late it was, to Satyres to be told,
Or euer hope recouer her againe:
In vaine he seekes that hauing cannot hold.
So fast he carried her with carefull paine,
That they the woods[220] are past, and come now to the plaine.

The better part now of the lingring day, xxxiv
They traueild had, when as they farre espide
A wearie wight forwandring by the way,
And towards him they gan in hast to ride,
To weet of newes, that did abroad betide,
Or tydings of her knight of the _Redcrosse_.
But he them spying, gan to turne aside,
For feare as seemd, or for some feigned losse;
More greedy they of newes, fast towards him do crosse.

A silly man, in simple weedes forworne, xxxv
And soild with dust of the long dried way;
His sandales were with toilesome trauell torne,
And face all tand with scorching sunny ray,
As he had traueild many a sommers day,
Through boyling sands of _Arabie_ and _Ynde_;
And in his hand a _Iacobs_ staffe, to stay
His wearie limbes vpon: and eke behind,
His scrip did hang, in which his needments he did bind.

The knight approching nigh, of him inquerd xxxvi
Tydings of warre, and of aduentures new;
But warres, nor new aduentures none he herd.
Then _Vna_ gan to aske, if ought he knew,
Or heard abroad of that her champion trew,
That in his armour bare a croslet red.
Aye me, Deare dame (quoth he) well may I rew
To tell the sad sight, which mine eies haue red:
These eyes did see that knight both liuing and eke ded.

That cruell word her tender hart so thrild, xxxvii
That suddein cold did runne[221] through euery vaine,
And stony horrour all her sences fild
With dying fit, that downe she fell for paine.
The knight her lightly reared vp againe,
And comforted with curteous kind reliefe:
Then wonne from death, she bad him tellen plaine
The further processe of her hidden griefe;
The lesser pangs can beare, who hath endur’d the chiefe.

Then gan the Pilgrim thus, I chaunst this day, xxxviii
This fatall day, that shall I euer rew,
To see two knights in trauell on my way
(A sory sight) arraung’d in battell new,
Both breathing vengeaunce, both of wrathfull hew:
My fearefull flesh did tremble at their strife,
To see their blades so greedily imbrew,
That drunke[222] with bloud, yet thristed[223] after life:
What more? the _Redcrosse_ knight was slaine with Paynim knife.

Ah dearest Lord (quoth she) how might that bee, xxxix
And he the stoutest knight, that euer wonne?
Ah dearest dame (quoth he) how might I see
The thing, that might not be, and yet was donne?
Where is (said _Satyrane_) that Paynims sonne,
That him of life, and vs of ioy hath reft?
Not far away (quoth he[224]) he hence doth wonne
Foreby a fountaine, where I late him left
Washing his bloudy wounds, that through the steele were cleft.

Therewith the knight thence marched forth in hast, xl
Whiles _Vna_ with huge heauinesse opprest,
Could not for sorrow follow him so fast;
And soone he came, as he the place had ghest,
Whereas that _Pagan_ proud him selfe did rest,
In secret shadow by a fountaine side:
Euen he it was, that earst would haue supprest
Faire _Vna_: whom when _Satyrane_ espide,
With fowle reprochfull words he boldly him defide.

And said, Arise thou cursed Miscreaunt, xli
That hast with knightlesse guile and trecherous train
Faire knighthood fowly shamed, and doest vaunt
That good knight of the _Redcrosse_ to haue slain:
Arise, and with like treason now maintain
Thy guilty wrong, or else thee guilty yield.
The Sarazin this hearing, rose amain,
And catching vp in hast his three square shield,
And shining helmet, soone him buckled to the field.

And drawing nigh him said, Ah misborne Elfe, xlii
In euill houre thy foes thee hither sent,
Anothers wrongs to wreake vpon thy selfe:
Yet ill thou blamest me, for hauing blent
My name with guile and traiterous intent;
That _Redcrosse_ knight, perdie, I neuer slew,
But had he beene, where earst his armes were lent,
Th’enchaunter vaine his errour should not rew:
But thou his errour shalt, I hope now prouen trew.

Therewith they gan, both furious and fell, xliii
To thunder blowes, and fiersly to assaile
Each other bent his enimy to quell,
That with their force they perst both plate and maile,
And made wide furrowes in their fleshes fraile,
That it would pitty any liuing eie.
Large floods of bloud adowne their sides did raile;
But floods of bloud could not them satisfie:
Both hungred[225] after death: both chose to win, or die.

So long they fight, and fell[226] reuenge pursue, xliv
That fainting each, themselues to breathen let,
And oft refreshed, battell oft renue:
As when two Bores with rancling malice met,
Their gory sides fresh bleeding fiercely fret,
Til breathlesse both them selues aside retire,
Where foming wrath, their cruell tuskes they whet,
And trample th’earth, the whiles they may respire;
Then backe to fight againe, new breathed and entire.

So fiersly, when these knights had breathed once, xlv
They gan to fight returne, increasing more
Their puissant force, and cruell rage attonce,
With heaped strokes more hugely, then before,
That with their drerie wounds and bloudy gore
They both deformed, scarsely could be known.
By this sad _Vna_ fraught with anguish sore,
Led with their noise, which through the aire was thrown,[227]
Arriu’d, where they in erth their fruitles bloud had sown.

Whom all so soone as that proud Sarazin xlvi
Espide, he gan reuiue the memory
Of his lewd lusts, and late attempted sin,
And left the doubtfull battell hastily,
To catch her, newly offred to his eie:
But _Satyrane_ with strokes him turning, staid,
And sternely bad him other businesse plie,
Then hunt the steps of pure vnspotted Maid:
Wherewith he all enrag’d, these bitter speaches said.

O foolish faeries sonne, what furie mad xlvii
Hath thee incenst, to hast thy dolefull fate[228]?
Were it not better, I that Lady had,
Then that thou hadst repented it too late?
Most sencelesse man he, that himselfe doth hate,
To loue another. Lo then for thine ayd
Here take thy louers token on thy pate.
So they to[229] fight; the whiles the royall Mayd
Fled farre away, of that proud Paynim sore afrayd.

But that false _Pilgrim_, which that leasing told, xlviii
Being in deed old _Archimage_, did stay
In secret shadow, all this to behold,
And much reioyced in their bloudy fray:
But when he saw the Damsell passe away
He left his stond, and her pursewd apace,
In hope to bring her to her last decay.
But for to tell her lamentable cace,
And eke this battels end, will need another place.

FOOTNOTES:

[207] i 5 in] it _1590 &c._: _corr. F. E._

[208] 8 corage _1590_

[209] iv 4 wordes _1596_

[210] v 5 win] with _1596_, _1609_

[211] viii 7 mishappen _1590_: mishapen _1596_

[212] ix 2 doolfull _1590_

[213] x 3 honger _1590_

[214] xiv 2 double _1609_

[215] 9 waste _1590_, _1609_

[216] xv 2 Or] Of _1596_, _1609_: If _conj. Hughes_

[217] xxiii 8 nousled _1590_

[218] xxvi 5 fierce and fell] swifte and cruell _1590_: _corr. F. E._

[219] 9 a _om. 1596_: proud _1609_

[220] xxxiii 9 woods] wods _1590_

[221] xxxvii 2 ronne _1590_

[222] xxxviii 8 dronke _1590_

[223] thirsted _1609_

[224] xxxix 7 quoth he] qd. she _1590_

[225] xliii 9 hongred _1590_

[226] xliv 1 fell] full _1590_

[227] xlv 8 thrown: _1590_, _1596_

[228] xlvii 2 fete _1596_

[229] 8 to] two _1596_, _1609_

_Cant. VII._

_The Redcrosse knight is captiue made
By Gyaunt proud opprest,
Prince Arthur meets with Vna greatly
with those newes distrest._
]

What man so wise, what earthly wit so ware, i
As to descry the crafty cunning traine,
By which deceipt doth maske in visour faire,
And cast her colours dyed deepe in graine,
To seeme like Truth, whose shape she well can faine,
And fitting gestures to her purpose frame,[230]
The guiltlesse man with guile to entertaine?
Great maistresse of her art was that false Dame,
The false _Duessa_, cloked with _Fidessaes_ name.

Who when returning from the drery _Night_, ii
She fownd not in that perilous house of _Pryde_,
Where she had left, the noble _Redcrosse_ knight,
Her hoped pray,[231] she would no lenger bide,
But forth she went, to seeke him far and wide.
Ere long she fownd, whereas he wearie sate,
To rest him selfe, foreby a fountaine side,
Disarmed all of yron-coted Plate,
And by his side his steed the grassy forage ate.

He feedes vpon the cooling shade, and bayes iii
His sweatie forehead in the breathing wind,
Which through the trembling leaues full gently playes
Wherein the cherefull birds of sundry kind
Do chaunt sweet musick, to delight his mind:
The Witch approching gan him fairely greet,
And with reproch of carelesnesse vnkind
Vpbrayd, for leauing her in place vnmeet,
With fowle words tempring faire, soure gall with hony sweet.

Vnkindnesse past, they gan of solace treat, iv
And bathe in pleasaunce of the ioyous shade,
Which shielded them against the boyling heat,
And with greene boughes decking a gloomy glade,
About the fountaine like a girlond made;
Whose bubbling waue did euer freshly well,
Ne euer would through feruent sommer fade:
The sacred Nymph, which therein wont to dwell,
Was out of _Dianes_ fauour, as it then befell.

The cause was this: one day when _Phœbe_ fayre v
With all her band was following the chace,
This Nymph, quite tyr’d with heat of scorching ayre
Sat downe to rest in middest of the race:
The goddesse wroth gan fowly her[232] disgrace,
And bad the waters, which from her did flow,
Be such as she her selfe was then in place.
Thenceforth her waters waxed[233] dull and slow,
And all that drunke thereof, did[234] faint and feeble grow.

Hereof this gentle knight vnweeting was, vi
And lying downe vpon the sandie graile,
Drunke of the streame, as cleare as cristall glas;[235]
Eftsoones his manly forces gan to faile,
And mightie strong was turnd to feeble fraile.
His chaunged powres at first them selues not felt,
Till crudled cold his corage gan assaile,
And chearefull bloud in faintnesse chill did melt,
Which like a feuer fit through all his body swelt.

Yet goodly court he made still to his Dame, vii
Pourd out in loosnesse on the grassy grownd,
Both carelesse of his health, and of his fame:
Till at the last he heard a dreadfull sownd,
Which through the wood loud bellowing, did rebownd,
That all the earth for terrour seemd to shake,
And trees did tremble. Th’Elfe therewith astownd,
Vpstarted lightly from his looser make,
And his vnready weapons gan in hand to take.

But ere he could his armour on him dight, viii
Or get his shield, his monstrous enimy
With sturdie steps came stalking in his sight,
An hideous Geant horrible and hye,
That with his talnesse seemd to threat the skye,
The ground eke groned vnder him for dreed;
His liuing like saw neuer liuing eye,
Ne durst behold: his stature did exceed
The hight of three the tallest sonnes of mortall seed.

The greatest Earth his vncouth mother was, ix
And blustring _Æolus_ his boasted sire,
Who with his breath, which through the world doth pas,
Her hollow womb did secretly inspire,
And fild her hidden caues with stormie yre,
That she conceiu’d; and trebling the dew time,
In which the wombes of women[236] do expire,
Brought forth this monstrous masse of earthly slime,
Puft vp with emptie wind, and fild with sinfull crime.

So growen great through arrogant delight x
Of th’high descent, whereof he was yborne,
And through presumption of his matchlesse might,
All other powres and knighthood he did scorne.
Such now he marcheth to this man forlorne,
And left to losse: his stalking steps are stayde
Vpon a snaggy Oke, which he had torne
Out of his mothers bowelles, and it made
His mortall mace, wherewith his foemen he dismayde.

That when the knight he spide, he gan aduance xi
With huge force and insupportable mayne,
And towardes him with dreadfull fury praunce;
Who haplesse, and eke hopelesse,[237] all in vaine
Did to him pace, sad battaile to darrayne,
Disarmd, disgrast, and inwardly dismayde,
And eke so faint in euery ioynt and vaine,
Through that fraile fountaine, which him feeble made,
That scarsely could he weeld his bootlesse single blade.

The Geaunt strooke so maynly mercilesse, xii
That could haue ouerthrowne a stony towre,
And were not heauenly grace, that him did blesse,
He had beene pouldred all, as thin as flowre:
But he was wary of that deadly stowre,
And lightly lept from vnderneath the blow:
Yet so exceeding was the villeins powre,
That with the wind it did him ouerthrow,
And all his sences stound[238], that still he lay full low.

As when that diuelish yron Engin wrought xiii
In deepest Hell, and framd by _Furies_ skill,
With windy Nitre and quick Sulphur fraught,
And ramd with bullet[239] round, ordaind to kill,
Conceiueth fire, the heauens it doth fill
With thundring noyse, and all the ayre doth choke,
That none can breath, nor see, nor heare at will,
Through smouldry cloud of duskish stincking smoke[240],
That th’onely breath him daunts, who hath escapt the stroke.

So daunted when the Geaunt saw the knight,[241] xiv
His heauie hand he heaued vp on hye,
And him to dust thought to haue battred quight,
Vntill _Duessa_ loud to him gan crye;
O great _Orgoglio_, greatest vnder skye,
O hold thy mortall hand for Ladies sake,
Hold for my sake, and do him not to dye,
But vanquisht thine eternall bondslaue make,
And me thy worthy meed vnto thy Leman take.

He hearkned, and did stay from further harmes, xv
To gayne so goodly guerdon, as she spake:
So willingly she came into his armes,
Who her as willingly to grace did take,
And was possessed of his new found make.
Then vp he tooke the slombred sencelesse corse,
And ere he could out of his swowne awake,
Him to his castle brought with hastie forse,
And in a Dongeon deepe him threw without remorse.

From that day forth _Duessa_ was his deare, xvi
And highly honourd in his haughtie eye,
He gaue her gold and purple pall to weare,
And triple crowne set on her head full hye,
And her endowd with royall maiestye:
Then for to make her dreaded more of men,
And peoples harts with awfull terrour tye,
A monstrous beast ybred in filthy fen
He chose, which he had kept long time in darksome den.

Such one it was, as that renowmed Snake xvii
Which great _Alcides_ in _Stremona_ slew,
Long fostred in the filth of _Lerna_ lake,
Whose many heads out budding euer new,
Did breed him endlesse labour to subdew:
But this same Monster much more vgly was;
For seuen great heads out of his body grew,
An yron brest, and backe of scaly bras,
And all embrewd in bloud, his eyes did shine as glas.

His tayle was stretched out in wondrous length, xviii
That to the house of heauenly gods it raught,
And with extorted powre, and borrow’d strength,
The euer-burning lamps from thence it brought[242],
And prowdly threw to ground, as things of nought[243];
And vnderneath his filthy feet did tread
The sacred things, and holy heasts foretaught.
Vpon this dreadfull Beast with seuenfold head
He set the false _Duessa_, for more aw and dread.

The wofull Dwarfe, which saw his maisters fall, xix
Whiles he had keeping of his grasing steed,
And valiant knight become a caytiue thrall,
When all was past, tooke vp his forlorne weed,
His mightie armour, missing most at need;
His siluer shield, now idle maisterlesse;
His poynant speare, that many made to bleed,
The ruefull moniments of heauinesse,
And with them all departes, to tell his great distresse.

He had not trauaild long, when on the way xx
He wofull Ladie, wofull _Vna_ met,
Fast flying from the[244] Paynims greedy pray,
Whilest _Satyrane_ him from pursuit did let:
Who when her eyes she on the Dwarfe had set,
And saw the signes, that deadly tydings spake,
She fell to ground for sorrowfull regret,
And liuely breath her sad brest did forsake,
Yet might her pitteous hart be seene to pant and quake.

The messenger of so vnhappie newes[245] xxi
Would faine haue dyde: dead was his hart within,
Yet outwardly some little comfort shewes:
At last recouering hart, he does begin
To rub her temples, and to chaufe her chin,
And euery tender part does tosse and turne:
So hardly he the flitted life does win,
Vnto her natiue prison to retourne:
Then gins her grieued ghost thus to lament and mourne.

Ye dreary instruments of dolefull sight, xxii
That doe this deadly spectacle behold,
Why do ye lenger feed on loathed light,
Or liking find to gaze on earthly mould,
Sith cruell fates the carefull threeds vnfould,
The which my life and loue together tyde?
Now let the stony dart of senselesse cold
Perce to my hart, and pas through euery side,
And let eternall night so sad sight[246] fro me hide.

O lightsome day, the lampe of highest _Ioue_, xxiii
First made by him, mens wandring wayes to guyde,
When darknesse he in deepest dongeon droue,
Henceforth thy hated face for euer hyde,
And shut vp heauens windowes shyning wyde:
For earthly sight can nought but sorrow breed,
And late repentance, which shall long abyde.
Mine eyes no more on vanitie shall feed,
But seeled vp with death, shall haue their deadly meed.

Then downe againe she fell vnto the ground; xxiv
But he her quickly reared vp againe:
Thrise 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, xxv
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,[247] more fauour I haue found.

Then gan the Dwarfe the whole discourse declare, xxvi
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, xxvii
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, xxviii
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 carefull mind
he 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 xxix
A goodly knight, faire marching by the way
Together with his Squire, arayed meet:
His glitterand armour shined farre away,
Like glauncing light of _Phœbus_ 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 xxx
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, xxxi
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, xxxii
A bunch[248] 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_[249] all alone,
With blossomes braue bedecked daintily;
Whose[250] tender locks do tremble euery one
At euery little breath, that vnder heauen is blowne.

His warlike shield all closely couer’d was, xxxiii
Ne might of mortall eye be euer seene;
Not made of steele[251], nor of enduring bras,
Such earthly mettals 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, xxxiv
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 _Phœbus_ 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, xxxv
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[252], that credence this exceedes, xxxvi
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 xxxvii
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[253]
His stubborne steed with curbed canon bit,
Who vnder him did trample[254] as the aire,
And chauft[255], that any on his backe should sit;
The yron rowels into frothy fome he bit.

When as this knight nigh to the Ladie drew, xxxviii
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[256], these bleeding words she gan to say.

What worlds delight, or ioy of liuing speach xxxix
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, xl
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, xli
And can more easily be thought, then said.
Right so; (quoth he) but he, that neuer would,
Could neuer: will to might giues greatest aid.
But griefe (quoth she) does greater grow displaid,
If then it find not helpe, and breedes despaire.
Despaire breedes not (quoth he) where faith is staid.
No faith so fast (quoth she) but flesh does paire.
Flesh may empaire (quoth he) but reason can repaire.

His goodly reason, and well guided speach xlii
So deepe did settle in her gratious thought,
That her perswaded to disclose the breach,
Which loue and fortune in her heart had wrought,
And said; Faire[257] Sir, I hope good hap hath brought
You to inquire[258] the secrets of my griefe,
Or that your wisedome will direct my thought,
Or that your prowesse can me yield reliefe:
Then heare the storie sad, which I shall tell you briefe.

The forlorne Maiden, whom your eyes haue seene xliii
The laughing stocke of fortunes mockeries,
Am th’only daughter of a King and Queene,
Whose parents deare, whilest[259] equall destinies
Did runne[260] about, and their felicities
The fauourable heauens did not enuy,
Did spread their rule through all the territories,
Which _Phison_ and _Euphrates_ floweth by,
And _Gehons_[261] golden waues doe wash continually.

Till that their cruell cursed enemy, xliv
An huge great Dragon horrible in sight,
Bred in the loathly lakes of _Tartary_,
With murdrous rauine, and deuouring might
Their kingdome spoild, and countrey wasted quight:
Themselues, for feare into his iawes to fall,
He forst to castle strong to take their flight,
Where fast embard in mightie brasen wall,
He has them now foure yeres besiegd to make them thrall.

Full many knights aduenturous and stout xlv
Haue enterprizd that Monster to subdew;
From euery coast that heauen walks about,
Haue thither come the noble Martiall crew,
That famous hard atchieuements still pursew,
Yet neuer any could that girlond win,
But all still shronke, and still he greater grew:
All they for want of faith, or guilt of sin,
The pitteous pray of his fierce crueltie haue bin.

At last yledd with farre reported praise, xlvi
Which flying fame throughout the world had spred,
Of doughtie knights, whom Faery land did raise,
That noble order hight of Maidenhed,
Forthwith to court of _Gloriane_ I sped,
Of _Gloriane_ great Queene of glory bright,
Whose kingdomes seat _Cleopolis_ is red,
There to obtaine some such redoubted knight,
That Parents deare from tyrants powre deliuer might.

It was my chance (my chance was faire and good) xlvii
There for to find a fresh vnproued knight,
Whose manly hands[262] imbrew’d in guiltie blood
Had neuer bene, ne euer by his might
Had throwne to ground the vnregarded right:
Yet of his prowesse proofe he since hath made
(I witnesse am) in many a cruell fight;
The groning ghosts of many one dismaide
Haue felt the bitter dint of his auenging blade.

And ye the forlorne reliques of his powre, xlviii
His byting sword, and his deuouring speare,
Which haue endured many a dreadfull stowre,
Can speake his prowesse, that did earst you beare,
And well could rule: now he hath left you heare,
To be the record of his ruefull losse,
And of my dolefull disauenturous deare:
O heauie record of the good _Redcrosse_,
Where haue you[263] left your Lord, that could so well you tosse?

Well hoped I, and faire beginnings had, xlix
That he my captiue langour[264] should redeeme,
Till all vnweeting, an Enchaunter bad
His sence abusd, and made him to misdeeme
My loyalty, not such as it did seeme;
That rather death desire, then such despight.
Be iudge ye heauens, that all things right esteeme,
How I him lou’d, and loue with all my might,
So thought I eke of him, and thinke I thought aright.