Chapter 52

Cant. III.

Merlin bewrayes to Britomart,the state of Artegall[904].And shewes the famous Progenywhich from them springen shall.

Merlin bewrayes to Britomart,

the state of Artegall[904].

And shewes the famous Progeny

which from them springen shall.

Most[905]sacred fire, that burnest mightilyiIn liuing brests, ykindled first aboue,Emongst th’eternall spheres and lamping sky,And thence pourd into men, which men call Loue;Not that same, which doth base affections moueIn brutish minds, and filthy lust inflame,But that sweet fit, that doth true beautie loue,And choseth vertue for his dearest Dame,Whence spring all noble deeds and neuer dying fame:Well did Antiquitie a God thee deeme,iiThat ouer mortall minds hast so great might,To order them, as best to thee doth seeme,And all their actions to direct aright;The fatall purpose of diuine foresight,Thou doest effect in destined descents,Through deepe impression of thy secret might,And stirredst vp th’Heroes high intents,Which the late world admyres for wondrous moniments.

Most[905]sacred fire, that burnest mightilyi

In liuing brests, ykindled first aboue,

Emongst th’eternall spheres and lamping sky,

And thence pourd into men, which men call Loue;

Not that same, which doth base affections moue

In brutish minds, and filthy lust inflame,

But that sweet fit, that doth true beautie loue,

And choseth vertue for his dearest Dame,

Whence spring all noble deeds and neuer dying fame:

Well did Antiquitie a God thee deeme,iiThat ouer mortall minds hast so great might,To order them, as best to thee doth seeme,And all their actions to direct aright;The fatall purpose of diuine foresight,Thou doest effect in destined descents,Through deepe impression of thy secret might,And stirredst vp th’Heroes high intents,Which the late world admyres for wondrous moniments.

Well did Antiquitie a God thee deeme,ii

That ouer mortall minds hast so great might,

To order them, as best to thee doth seeme,

And all their actions to direct aright;

The fatall purpose of diuine foresight,

Thou doest effect in destined descents,

Through deepe impression of thy secret might,

And stirredst vp th’Heroes high intents,

Which the late world admyres for wondrous moniments.

But thy dread darts in none doe triumph more,iiiNe brauer proofe in any, of thy powreShew’dst thou, then in this royall Maid of yore,Making her seeke an vnknowne Paramoure,From the worlds end, through many a bitter stowre:From whose two loynes thou afterwards did rayseMost famous fruits of matrimoniall bowre,Which through the earth haue spred their liuing prayse,That fame in trompe of gold eternally displayes.Begin then, O my dearest sacred Dame,ivDaughter ofPhœbusand ofMemorie,That[906]doest ennoble with immortall nameThe warlike Worthies, from antiquitie,In thy great volume of Eternitie:Begin, OClio, and recount from henceMy glorious Soueraines goodly auncestrie[907],Till that by dew degrees and long protense[908],Thou haue it lastly brought vnto her Excellence.Full many wayes within her troubled mind,vOldGlaucecast, to cure this Ladies griefe:Full many waies she sought, but none could find,Nor herbes, nor charmes, nor counsell, that is chiefeAnd choisest med’cine for sicke harts reliefe:For thy great care she tooke, and greater feare,Least that it should her turne to foule repriefe,And sore reproch, when so her father deareShould of his dearest daughters hard misfortune heare.At last she her auisd, that he, which madeviThat mirrhour, wherein the sicke DamosellSo straungely vewed her straunge louers shade,To weet, the learnedMerlin, well could tell,Vnder what coast of heauen the man did dwell,And by what meanes his loue might best be wrought:For though beyond theAfrick Ismaell,Or th’IndianPeruhe were, she thoughtHim forth through infinite endeuour to haue sought.

But thy dread darts in none doe triumph more,iii

Ne brauer proofe in any, of thy powre

Shew’dst thou, then in this royall Maid of yore,

Making her seeke an vnknowne Paramoure,

From the worlds end, through many a bitter stowre:

From whose two loynes thou afterwards did rayse

Most famous fruits of matrimoniall bowre,

Which through the earth haue spred their liuing prayse,

That fame in trompe of gold eternally displayes.

Begin then, O my dearest sacred Dame,ivDaughter ofPhœbusand ofMemorie,That[906]doest ennoble with immortall nameThe warlike Worthies, from antiquitie,In thy great volume of Eternitie:Begin, OClio, and recount from henceMy glorious Soueraines goodly auncestrie[907],Till that by dew degrees and long protense[908],Thou haue it lastly brought vnto her Excellence.

Begin then, O my dearest sacred Dame,iv

Daughter ofPhœbusand ofMemorie,

That[906]doest ennoble with immortall name

The warlike Worthies, from antiquitie,

In thy great volume of Eternitie:

Begin, OClio, and recount from hence

My glorious Soueraines goodly auncestrie[907],

Till that by dew degrees and long protense[908],

Thou haue it lastly brought vnto her Excellence.

Full many wayes within her troubled mind,vOldGlaucecast, to cure this Ladies griefe:Full many waies she sought, but none could find,Nor herbes, nor charmes, nor counsell, that is chiefeAnd choisest med’cine for sicke harts reliefe:For thy great care she tooke, and greater feare,Least that it should her turne to foule repriefe,And sore reproch, when so her father deareShould of his dearest daughters hard misfortune heare.

Full many wayes within her troubled mind,v

OldGlaucecast, to cure this Ladies griefe:

Full many waies she sought, but none could find,

Nor herbes, nor charmes, nor counsell, that is chiefe

And choisest med’cine for sicke harts reliefe:

For thy great care she tooke, and greater feare,

Least that it should her turne to foule repriefe,

And sore reproch, when so her father deare

Should of his dearest daughters hard misfortune heare.

At last she her auisd, that he, which madeviThat mirrhour, wherein the sicke DamosellSo straungely vewed her straunge louers shade,To weet, the learnedMerlin, well could tell,Vnder what coast of heauen the man did dwell,And by what meanes his loue might best be wrought:For though beyond theAfrick Ismaell,Or th’IndianPeruhe were, she thoughtHim forth through infinite endeuour to haue sought.

At last she her auisd, that he, which madevi

That mirrhour, wherein the sicke Damosell

So straungely vewed her straunge louers shade,

To weet, the learnedMerlin, well could tell,

Vnder what coast of heauen the man did dwell,

And by what meanes his loue might best be wrought:

For though beyond theAfrick Ismaell,

Or th’IndianPeruhe were, she thought

Him forth through infinite endeuour to haue sought.

Forthwith themselues disguising both in straungeviiAnd base attyre, that none might them bewray,ToMaridunum, that is now by chaungeOf nameCayr-Merdincald, they tooke their way:There the wiseMerlinwhylome wont (they say)To make his wonne, low vnderneath the ground,In a deepe delue, farre from the vew of day,That of no liuing wight he mote be found,When so he counseld with his sprights encompast round.And if thou euer happen that same wayviiiTo trauell, goe to see that dreadfull place:It is an hideous hollow caue (they say)Vnder a rocke that lyes a little spaceFrom the swiftBarry, tombling downe apace,Emongst the woodie hilles ofDyneuowre:But dare thou not, I charge, in any cace,To enter into that same balefull Bowre,For fear the cruell Feends should thee vnwares deuowre.But standing high aloft, low lay thine eare,ixAnd there such ghastly noise of yron chaines,And brasen Caudrons thou shalt rombling heare,Which thousand sprights with long enduring painesDoe tosse, that it will stonne thy feeble braines,And oftentimes great grones, and grieuous stounds,When too huge toile and labour them constraines:And oftentimes loud strokes, and ringing soundsFrom vnder that deepe Rocke most horribly rebounds.The cause some say is this: A litle whilexBefore thatMerlindyde, he did intend,A brasen wall in compas to compileAboutCairmardin, and did it commendVnto these Sprights, to bring to perfect end.During which worke the Ladie of the Lake,Whom long he lou’d, for him in hast did send,Who thereby forst his workemen to forsake,Them bound till his returne, their labour not to slake.

Forthwith themselues disguising both in straungevii

And base attyre, that none might them bewray,

ToMaridunum, that is now by chaunge

Of nameCayr-Merdincald, they tooke their way:

There the wiseMerlinwhylome wont (they say)

To make his wonne, low vnderneath the ground,

In a deepe delue, farre from the vew of day,

That of no liuing wight he mote be found,

When so he counseld with his sprights encompast round.

And if thou euer happen that same wayviiiTo trauell, goe to see that dreadfull place:It is an hideous hollow caue (they say)Vnder a rocke that lyes a little spaceFrom the swiftBarry, tombling downe apace,Emongst the woodie hilles ofDyneuowre:But dare thou not, I charge, in any cace,To enter into that same balefull Bowre,For fear the cruell Feends should thee vnwares deuowre.

And if thou euer happen that same wayviii

To trauell, goe to see that dreadfull place:

It is an hideous hollow caue (they say)

Vnder a rocke that lyes a little space

From the swiftBarry, tombling downe apace,

Emongst the woodie hilles ofDyneuowre:

But dare thou not, I charge, in any cace,

To enter into that same balefull Bowre,

For fear the cruell Feends should thee vnwares deuowre.

But standing high aloft, low lay thine eare,ixAnd there such ghastly noise of yron chaines,And brasen Caudrons thou shalt rombling heare,Which thousand sprights with long enduring painesDoe tosse, that it will stonne thy feeble braines,And oftentimes great grones, and grieuous stounds,When too huge toile and labour them constraines:And oftentimes loud strokes, and ringing soundsFrom vnder that deepe Rocke most horribly rebounds.

But standing high aloft, low lay thine eare,ix

And there such ghastly noise of yron chaines,

And brasen Caudrons thou shalt rombling heare,

Which thousand sprights with long enduring paines

Doe tosse, that it will stonne thy feeble braines,

And oftentimes great grones, and grieuous stounds,

When too huge toile and labour them constraines:

And oftentimes loud strokes, and ringing sounds

From vnder that deepe Rocke most horribly rebounds.

The cause some say is this: A litle whilexBefore thatMerlindyde, he did intend,A brasen wall in compas to compileAboutCairmardin, and did it commendVnto these Sprights, to bring to perfect end.During which worke the Ladie of the Lake,Whom long he lou’d, for him in hast did send,Who thereby forst his workemen to forsake,Them bound till his returne, their labour not to slake.

The cause some say is this: A litle whilex

Before thatMerlindyde, he did intend,

A brasen wall in compas to compile

AboutCairmardin, and did it commend

Vnto these Sprights, to bring to perfect end.

During which worke the Ladie of the Lake,

Whom long he lou’d, for him in hast did send,

Who thereby forst his workemen to forsake,

Them bound till his returne, their labour not to slake.

In the meane time through that false Ladies traine,xiHe was surprisd, and buried vnder beare,Ne euer to his worke returnd againe:Nath’lesse those feends may not their worke forbeare,So greatly his commaundement they feare,But there doe toyle and trauell day and night,Vntill that brasen wall they vp doe reare:ForMerlinhad in Magicke more insight,Then euer him before or after liuing wight.For he by words could call out of the skyxiiBoth Sunne and Moone, and make them him obay:The land to sea, and sea to maineland dry,And darkesome night he eke could turne to day:Huge hostes of men he could alone dismay,And hostes of men of meanest things could frame,When so him list his enimies to fray:That to this day for terror of his fame,The feends do quake, when any him to them does name.And sooth, men say that he was not the sonnexiiiOf mortall Syre, or other liuing wight,But wondrously begotten, and begonneBy false illusion of a guilefull Spright,On a faire Ladie Nonne, that whilome hightMatilda, daughter toPubidius,Who was the Lord ofMathrauallby right,And coosen vnto kingAmbrosius:Whence he indued was with skill so maruellous.They here ariuing, staid a while without,xivNe durst aduenture rashly in to wend,But of their first intent gan make new doutFor dread of daunger, which it might portend:Vntill the hardie Mayd (with loue to frend)First entering, the dreadfull Mage there foundDeepe busied bout worke of wondrous end,And writing strange characters in the ground,With which the stubborn feends he to his seruice bound.

In the meane time through that false Ladies traine,xi

He was surprisd, and buried vnder beare,

Ne euer to his worke returnd againe:

Nath’lesse those feends may not their worke forbeare,

So greatly his commaundement they feare,

But there doe toyle and trauell day and night,

Vntill that brasen wall they vp doe reare:

ForMerlinhad in Magicke more insight,

Then euer him before or after liuing wight.

For he by words could call out of the skyxiiBoth Sunne and Moone, and make them him obay:The land to sea, and sea to maineland dry,And darkesome night he eke could turne to day:Huge hostes of men he could alone dismay,And hostes of men of meanest things could frame,When so him list his enimies to fray:That to this day for terror of his fame,The feends do quake, when any him to them does name.

For he by words could call out of the skyxii

Both Sunne and Moone, and make them him obay:

The land to sea, and sea to maineland dry,

And darkesome night he eke could turne to day:

Huge hostes of men he could alone dismay,

And hostes of men of meanest things could frame,

When so him list his enimies to fray:

That to this day for terror of his fame,

The feends do quake, when any him to them does name.

And sooth, men say that he was not the sonnexiiiOf mortall Syre, or other liuing wight,But wondrously begotten, and begonneBy false illusion of a guilefull Spright,On a faire Ladie Nonne, that whilome hightMatilda, daughter toPubidius,Who was the Lord ofMathrauallby right,And coosen vnto kingAmbrosius:Whence he indued was with skill so maruellous.

And sooth, men say that he was not the sonnexiii

Of mortall Syre, or other liuing wight,

But wondrously begotten, and begonne

By false illusion of a guilefull Spright,

On a faire Ladie Nonne, that whilome hight

Matilda, daughter toPubidius,

Who was the Lord ofMathrauallby right,

And coosen vnto kingAmbrosius:

Whence he indued was with skill so maruellous.

They here ariuing, staid a while without,xivNe durst aduenture rashly in to wend,But of their first intent gan make new doutFor dread of daunger, which it might portend:Vntill the hardie Mayd (with loue to frend)First entering, the dreadfull Mage there foundDeepe busied bout worke of wondrous end,And writing strange characters in the ground,With which the stubborn feends he to his seruice bound.

They here ariuing, staid a while without,xiv

Ne durst aduenture rashly in to wend,

But of their first intent gan make new dout

For dread of daunger, which it might portend:

Vntill the hardie Mayd (with loue to frend)

First entering, the dreadfull Mage there found

Deepe busied bout worke of wondrous end,

And writing strange characters in the ground,

With which the stubborn feends he to his seruice bound.

He nought was moued at their entrance bold:xvFor of their comming well he wist afore,Yet list them bid their businesse to[909]vnfold,As if ought in this world in secret storeWere from him hidden, or vnknowne of yore.ThenGlaucethus, Let[910]not it thee offend,That we thus rashly through thy darkesome dore,Vnwares haue prest: for either fatall end,Or other mightie cause vs two did hither send.He bad tell on; And then she thus began.xviNow haue three Moones with borrow’d brothers light,Thrice shined faire, and thrice seem’d dim and wan,Sith a sore euill, which this virgin brightTormenteth, and doth plonge in dolefull plight,First rooting tooke; but what thing it mote bee,Or whence it sprong, I cannot read aright:But this I read, that but if remedee[911]Thou her afford, full shortly I her dead shall see.Therewith th’Enchaunter softly gan to smylexviiAt her smooth speeches, weeting inly well,That she to him dissembled womanish guyle,And to her said, Beldame, by that ye tell,More need of leach-craft hath your Damozell,Then of my skill: who helpe may haue elsewhere,In vaine seekes wonders out of Magicke spell.Th’old woman wox half blanck, those words to heare;And yet was loth to let her purpose plaine appeare.And to him said, If any leaches skill,xviiiOr other learned meanes could haue redrestThis my deare daughters deepe engraffed ill,Certes I should be loth thee to molest:But this sad euill, which doth her infest,Doth course of naturall cause farre exceed,And housed is within her hollow brest,That either seemes some cursed witches deed,Or euill spright, that in her doth such torment breed.

He nought was moued at their entrance bold:xv

For of their comming well he wist afore,

Yet list them bid their businesse to[909]vnfold,

As if ought in this world in secret store

Were from him hidden, or vnknowne of yore.

ThenGlaucethus, Let[910]not it thee offend,

That we thus rashly through thy darkesome dore,

Vnwares haue prest: for either fatall end,

Or other mightie cause vs two did hither send.

He bad tell on; And then she thus began.xviNow haue three Moones with borrow’d brothers light,Thrice shined faire, and thrice seem’d dim and wan,Sith a sore euill, which this virgin brightTormenteth, and doth plonge in dolefull plight,First rooting tooke; but what thing it mote bee,Or whence it sprong, I cannot read aright:But this I read, that but if remedee[911]Thou her afford, full shortly I her dead shall see.

He bad tell on; And then she thus began.xvi

Now haue three Moones with borrow’d brothers light,

Thrice shined faire, and thrice seem’d dim and wan,

Sith a sore euill, which this virgin bright

Tormenteth, and doth plonge in dolefull plight,

First rooting tooke; but what thing it mote bee,

Or whence it sprong, I cannot read aright:

But this I read, that but if remedee[911]

Thou her afford, full shortly I her dead shall see.

Therewith th’Enchaunter softly gan to smylexviiAt her smooth speeches, weeting inly well,That she to him dissembled womanish guyle,And to her said, Beldame, by that ye tell,More need of leach-craft hath your Damozell,Then of my skill: who helpe may haue elsewhere,In vaine seekes wonders out of Magicke spell.Th’old woman wox half blanck, those words to heare;And yet was loth to let her purpose plaine appeare.

Therewith th’Enchaunter softly gan to smylexvii

At her smooth speeches, weeting inly well,

That she to him dissembled womanish guyle,

And to her said, Beldame, by that ye tell,

More need of leach-craft hath your Damozell,

Then of my skill: who helpe may haue elsewhere,

In vaine seekes wonders out of Magicke spell.

Th’old woman wox half blanck, those words to heare;

And yet was loth to let her purpose plaine appeare.

And to him said, If any leaches skill,xviiiOr other learned meanes could haue redrestThis my deare daughters deepe engraffed ill,Certes I should be loth thee to molest:But this sad euill, which doth her infest,Doth course of naturall cause farre exceed,And housed is within her hollow brest,That either seemes some cursed witches deed,Or euill spright, that in her doth such torment breed.

And to him said, If any leaches skill,xviii

Or other learned meanes could haue redrest

This my deare daughters deepe engraffed ill,

Certes I should be loth thee to molest:

But this sad euill, which doth her infest,

Doth course of naturall cause farre exceed,

And housed is within her hollow brest,

That either seemes some cursed witches deed,

Or euill spright, that in her doth such torment breed.

The wisard could no lenger[912]beare her bord,xixBut brusting forth in laughter, to her sayd;Glauce, what needs this colourable word,To cloke the cause, that hath it selfe bewrayd?Ne ye faireBritomartis, thus arayd,More hidden are, then Sunne in cloudy vele;Whom thy good fortune, hauing fate obayd,Hath hither brought, for succour to appele:The which the powres to thee are pleased to reuele.The doubtfull Mayd, seeing her selfe descryde,xxWas all abasht, and her pure yuoryInto a cleare Carnation suddeine dyde;As faireAurorarising hastily,Doth by her blushing tell, that she did lyeAll night in oldTithonusfrosen bed,Whereof she seemes ashamed inwardly.But her old Nourse was nought dishartened,But vauntage made of that, whichMerlinhad ared.And sayd, Sith then thou knowest all our griefe,xxi(For what doest not thou know?) of grace I pray,Pitty our plaint, and yield vs meet reliefe.With that the Prophet still awhile did stay,And then his spirite thus gan forth display;Most noble Virgin, that by fatall loreHast learn’d to loue, let no whit thee dismayThe hard begin, that meets thee in the dore,And with sharpe fits thy tender hart oppresseth sore.For so must all things excellent begin,xxiiAnd eke enrooted deepe must be that Tree,Whose big embodied braunches shall not lin,Till they to heauens hight forth stretched bee.For from thy wombe a famous ProgenieShall spring, out of the auncientTroianblood,Which shall reuiue the sleeping memorieOf those same antique Peres, the heauens brood,WhichGreeke[913]andAsianriuers stained with their blood.

The wisard could no lenger[912]beare her bord,xix

But brusting forth in laughter, to her sayd;

Glauce, what needs this colourable word,

To cloke the cause, that hath it selfe bewrayd?

Ne ye faireBritomartis, thus arayd,

More hidden are, then Sunne in cloudy vele;

Whom thy good fortune, hauing fate obayd,

Hath hither brought, for succour to appele:

The which the powres to thee are pleased to reuele.

The doubtfull Mayd, seeing her selfe descryde,xxWas all abasht, and her pure yuoryInto a cleare Carnation suddeine dyde;As faireAurorarising hastily,Doth by her blushing tell, that she did lyeAll night in oldTithonusfrosen bed,Whereof she seemes ashamed inwardly.But her old Nourse was nought dishartened,But vauntage made of that, whichMerlinhad ared.

The doubtfull Mayd, seeing her selfe descryde,xx

Was all abasht, and her pure yuory

Into a cleare Carnation suddeine dyde;

As faireAurorarising hastily,

Doth by her blushing tell, that she did lye

All night in oldTithonusfrosen bed,

Whereof she seemes ashamed inwardly.

But her old Nourse was nought dishartened,

But vauntage made of that, whichMerlinhad ared.

And sayd, Sith then thou knowest all our griefe,xxi(For what doest not thou know?) of grace I pray,Pitty our plaint, and yield vs meet reliefe.With that the Prophet still awhile did stay,And then his spirite thus gan forth display;Most noble Virgin, that by fatall loreHast learn’d to loue, let no whit thee dismayThe hard begin, that meets thee in the dore,And with sharpe fits thy tender hart oppresseth sore.

And sayd, Sith then thou knowest all our griefe,xxi

(For what doest not thou know?) of grace I pray,

Pitty our plaint, and yield vs meet reliefe.

With that the Prophet still awhile did stay,

And then his spirite thus gan forth display;

Most noble Virgin, that by fatall lore

Hast learn’d to loue, let no whit thee dismay

The hard begin, that meets thee in the dore,

And with sharpe fits thy tender hart oppresseth sore.

For so must all things excellent begin,xxiiAnd eke enrooted deepe must be that Tree,Whose big embodied braunches shall not lin,Till they to heauens hight forth stretched bee.For from thy wombe a famous ProgenieShall spring, out of the auncientTroianblood,Which shall reuiue the sleeping memorieOf those same antique Peres, the heauens brood,WhichGreeke[913]andAsianriuers stained with their blood.

For so must all things excellent begin,xxii

And eke enrooted deepe must be that Tree,

Whose big embodied braunches shall not lin,

Till they to heauens hight forth stretched bee.

For from thy wombe a famous Progenie

Shall spring, out of the auncientTroianblood,

Which shall reuiue the sleeping memorie

Of those same antique Peres, the heauens brood,

WhichGreeke[913]andAsianriuers stained with their blood.

Renowmed kings, and sacred Emperours,xxiiiThy fruitfull Ofspring, shall from thee descend;Braue Captaines, and most mighty warriours,That shall their conquests through all lands extend,And their decayed kingdomes shall amend:The feeble Britons, broken with long warre,They shall vpreare, and mightily defendAgainst their forrein foe, that comes from farre,Till vniuersall peace compound all ciuill iarre.It was not,Britomart, thy wandring eye,xxivGlauncing vnwares in charmed looking glas,But the streight course of heauenly destiny,Led with eternall prouidence, that hasGuided thy glaunce, to bring his will to pas:Ne is thy fate, ne is thy fortune ill,To loue the prowest knight, that euer was.Therefore submit thy wayes vnto his will,And do by all dew meanes thy destiny fulfill.But read (saidGlauce) thou MagitianxxvWhat meanes shall she out seeke, or what wayes take?How shall she know, how shall she find the man?Or what needs her to toyle, sith fates can makeWay for themselues, their purpose to partake?[914]ThenMerlinthus; Indeed the fates are firme,And may not shrinck, though all the world do shake:Yet ought mens good endeuours them confirme,And guide the heauenly causes to their constant terme.The man whom heauens haue ordaynd to beexxviThe spouse ofBritomart, isArthegall:He wonneth in the land ofFayeree,Yet is noFaryborne, ne sib at allTo Elfes, but sprang of seed terrestriall,And whilome by falseFariesstolne away,Whiles yet in infant cradle he did crall;Ne other to himselfe is knowne this day,But that he by an Elfe was gotten of aFay.

Renowmed kings, and sacred Emperours,xxiii

Thy fruitfull Ofspring, shall from thee descend;

Braue Captaines, and most mighty warriours,

That shall their conquests through all lands extend,

And their decayed kingdomes shall amend:

The feeble Britons, broken with long warre,

They shall vpreare, and mightily defend

Against their forrein foe, that comes from farre,

Till vniuersall peace compound all ciuill iarre.

It was not,Britomart, thy wandring eye,xxivGlauncing vnwares in charmed looking glas,But the streight course of heauenly destiny,Led with eternall prouidence, that hasGuided thy glaunce, to bring his will to pas:Ne is thy fate, ne is thy fortune ill,To loue the prowest knight, that euer was.Therefore submit thy wayes vnto his will,And do by all dew meanes thy destiny fulfill.

It was not,Britomart, thy wandring eye,xxiv

Glauncing vnwares in charmed looking glas,

But the streight course of heauenly destiny,

Led with eternall prouidence, that has

Guided thy glaunce, to bring his will to pas:

Ne is thy fate, ne is thy fortune ill,

To loue the prowest knight, that euer was.

Therefore submit thy wayes vnto his will,

And do by all dew meanes thy destiny fulfill.

But read (saidGlauce) thou MagitianxxvWhat meanes shall she out seeke, or what wayes take?How shall she know, how shall she find the man?Or what needs her to toyle, sith fates can makeWay for themselues, their purpose to partake?[914]ThenMerlinthus; Indeed the fates are firme,And may not shrinck, though all the world do shake:Yet ought mens good endeuours them confirme,And guide the heauenly causes to their constant terme.

But read (saidGlauce) thou Magitianxxv

What meanes shall she out seeke, or what wayes take?

How shall she know, how shall she find the man?

Or what needs her to toyle, sith fates can make

Way for themselues, their purpose to partake?[914]

ThenMerlinthus; Indeed the fates are firme,

And may not shrinck, though all the world do shake:

Yet ought mens good endeuours them confirme,

And guide the heauenly causes to their constant terme.

The man whom heauens haue ordaynd to beexxviThe spouse ofBritomart, isArthegall:He wonneth in the land ofFayeree,Yet is noFaryborne, ne sib at allTo Elfes, but sprang of seed terrestriall,And whilome by falseFariesstolne away,Whiles yet in infant cradle he did crall;Ne other to himselfe is knowne this day,But that he by an Elfe was gotten of aFay.

The man whom heauens haue ordaynd to beexxvi

The spouse ofBritomart, isArthegall:

He wonneth in the land ofFayeree,

Yet is noFaryborne, ne sib at all

To Elfes, but sprang of seed terrestriall,

And whilome by falseFariesstolne away,

Whiles yet in infant cradle he did crall;

Ne other to himselfe is knowne this day,

But that he by an Elfe was gotten of aFay.

But sooth he is the sonne ofGorlois,xxviiAnd brother vntoCadorCornish king,And for his warlike feates renowmed is,From where the day out of the sea doth spring,Vntill the closure of the Euening.From thence, him firmely bound with faithfull band,To this his natiue soyle thou backe shalt bring,Strongly to aide his countrey, to withstandThe powre of forrein Paynims, which inuade thy land.Great aid thereto his mighty puissaunce,xxviiiAnd dreaded name shall giue in that sad day:Where also proofe of thy prow valiaunceThou then shalt make, t’increase thy louers pray.Long time ye both in armes shall beare great sway,Till thy wombes burden thee from them do call,And his last fate him from thee take away,Too rathe cut off by practise criminallOf secret foes, that him shall make in mischiefe fall.With[915]thee yet shall he leaue for memoryxxixOf his late puissaunce, his Image dead,That liuing him in all actiuityTo thee shall represent. He from the headOf his coosinConstantiuswithout dreadShall take the crowne, that was his fathers right,And therewith crowne himselfe in th’others stead:Then shall he issew forth with dreadfull might,Against his Saxon foes in bloudy field to fight.Like as a Lyon, that in drowsie cauexxxHath long time slept, himselfe so shall he shake,And comming forth, shall spred his banner braueOuer the troubled South, that it shall makeThe warlikeMertiansfor feare to quake:Thrise shall he fight with them, and twise shall win,But the third time shall faire accordaunce make:And if he then with victorie can lin,He shall his dayes with peace bring to his earthly In.

But sooth he is the sonne ofGorlois,xxvii

And brother vntoCadorCornish king,

And for his warlike feates renowmed is,

From where the day out of the sea doth spring,

Vntill the closure of the Euening.

From thence, him firmely bound with faithfull band,

To this his natiue soyle thou backe shalt bring,

Strongly to aide his countrey, to withstand

The powre of forrein Paynims, which inuade thy land.

Great aid thereto his mighty puissaunce,xxviiiAnd dreaded name shall giue in that sad day:Where also proofe of thy prow valiaunceThou then shalt make, t’increase thy louers pray.Long time ye both in armes shall beare great sway,Till thy wombes burden thee from them do call,And his last fate him from thee take away,Too rathe cut off by practise criminallOf secret foes, that him shall make in mischiefe fall.

Great aid thereto his mighty puissaunce,xxviii

And dreaded name shall giue in that sad day:

Where also proofe of thy prow valiaunce

Thou then shalt make, t’increase thy louers pray.

Long time ye both in armes shall beare great sway,

Till thy wombes burden thee from them do call,

And his last fate him from thee take away,

Too rathe cut off by practise criminall

Of secret foes, that him shall make in mischiefe fall.

With[915]thee yet shall he leaue for memoryxxixOf his late puissaunce, his Image dead,That liuing him in all actiuityTo thee shall represent. He from the headOf his coosinConstantiuswithout dreadShall take the crowne, that was his fathers right,And therewith crowne himselfe in th’others stead:Then shall he issew forth with dreadfull might,Against his Saxon foes in bloudy field to fight.

With[915]thee yet shall he leaue for memoryxxix

Of his late puissaunce, his Image dead,

That liuing him in all actiuity

To thee shall represent. He from the head

Of his coosinConstantiuswithout dread

Shall take the crowne, that was his fathers right,

And therewith crowne himselfe in th’others stead:

Then shall he issew forth with dreadfull might,

Against his Saxon foes in bloudy field to fight.

Like as a Lyon, that in drowsie cauexxxHath long time slept, himselfe so shall he shake,And comming forth, shall spred his banner braueOuer the troubled South, that it shall makeThe warlikeMertiansfor feare to quake:Thrise shall he fight with them, and twise shall win,But the third time shall faire accordaunce make:And if he then with victorie can lin,He shall his dayes with peace bring to his earthly In.

Like as a Lyon, that in drowsie cauexxx

Hath long time slept, himselfe so shall he shake,

And comming forth, shall spred his banner braue

Ouer the troubled South, that it shall make

The warlikeMertiansfor feare to quake:

Thrise shall he fight with them, and twise shall win,

But the third time shall faire accordaunce make:

And if he then with victorie can lin,

He shall his dayes with peace bring to his earthly In.

His sonne, hightVortipore, shall him succeedexxxiIn kingdome, but not in felicity;Yet shall he long time warre with happy speed,And with great honour many battels try:But at the last to th’importunityOf froward fortune shall be forst to yield.But his sonneMalgoshall full mightilyAuenge his fathers losse, with speare and shield,And his proud foes discomfit in victorious field.Behold the man, and tell meBritomart,xxxiiIf ay more goodly creature thou didst see;How like a Gyaunt in each manly partBeares he himselfe with portly maiestee,That one of th’oldHeroesseemes to bee:He the six Islands, comprouinciallIn auncient times vnto great Britainee,Shall to the same reduce, and to him callTheir sundry kings to do their homage seuerall.All which his sonneCareticusawhilexxxiiiShall well defend, andSaxonspowre suppresse,Vntill a straunger king from vnknowne soyleArriuing, him with multitude oppresse;GreatGormond, hauing with huge mightinesseIreland subdewd, and therein fixt his throne,Like a swift Otter, fell through emptinesse,Shall ouerswim the sea with many oneOf his Norueyses, to assist the Britons fone.He in his furie all shall ouerrunne,xxxivAnd holy Church with faithlesse hands deface,That thy sad people vtterly fordonne,Shall to the vtmost mountaines fly apace:Was neuer so great wast in any place,Nor so fowle outrage[916]doen by liuing men:For all thy Cities they shall sacke and race,And the greene grasse, that groweth, they shall bren,That euen the wild beast shall dy in starued den.

His sonne, hightVortipore, shall him succeedexxxi

In kingdome, but not in felicity;

Yet shall he long time warre with happy speed,

And with great honour many battels try:

But at the last to th’importunity

Of froward fortune shall be forst to yield.

But his sonneMalgoshall full mightily

Auenge his fathers losse, with speare and shield,

And his proud foes discomfit in victorious field.

Behold the man, and tell meBritomart,xxxiiIf ay more goodly creature thou didst see;How like a Gyaunt in each manly partBeares he himselfe with portly maiestee,That one of th’oldHeroesseemes to bee:He the six Islands, comprouinciallIn auncient times vnto great Britainee,Shall to the same reduce, and to him callTheir sundry kings to do their homage seuerall.

Behold the man, and tell meBritomart,xxxii

If ay more goodly creature thou didst see;

How like a Gyaunt in each manly part

Beares he himselfe with portly maiestee,

That one of th’oldHeroesseemes to bee:

He the six Islands, comprouinciall

In auncient times vnto great Britainee,

Shall to the same reduce, and to him call

Their sundry kings to do their homage seuerall.

All which his sonneCareticusawhilexxxiiiShall well defend, andSaxonspowre suppresse,Vntill a straunger king from vnknowne soyleArriuing, him with multitude oppresse;GreatGormond, hauing with huge mightinesseIreland subdewd, and therein fixt his throne,Like a swift Otter, fell through emptinesse,Shall ouerswim the sea with many oneOf his Norueyses, to assist the Britons fone.

All which his sonneCareticusawhilexxxiii

Shall well defend, andSaxonspowre suppresse,

Vntill a straunger king from vnknowne soyle

Arriuing, him with multitude oppresse;

GreatGormond, hauing with huge mightinesse

Ireland subdewd, and therein fixt his throne,

Like a swift Otter, fell through emptinesse,

Shall ouerswim the sea with many one

Of his Norueyses, to assist the Britons fone.

He in his furie all shall ouerrunne,xxxivAnd holy Church with faithlesse hands deface,That thy sad people vtterly fordonne,Shall to the vtmost mountaines fly apace:Was neuer so great wast in any place,Nor so fowle outrage[916]doen by liuing men:For all thy Cities they shall sacke and race,And the greene grasse, that groweth, they shall bren,That euen the wild beast shall dy in starued den.

He in his furie all shall ouerrunne,xxxiv

And holy Church with faithlesse hands deface,

That thy sad people vtterly fordonne,

Shall to the vtmost mountaines fly apace:

Was neuer so great wast in any place,

Nor so fowle outrage[916]doen by liuing men:

For all thy Cities they shall sacke and race,

And the greene grasse, that groweth, they shall bren,

That euen the wild beast shall dy in starued den.

Whiles thus thy[917]Britons do in languour pine,xxxvProudEtheldredshall from the North arise,Seruing th’ambitious will ofAugustine,And passingDeewith hardy enterprise,Shall backe repulse the valiauntBrockwelltwise,AndBangorwith massacred Martyrs fill;But the third time shall rew his foolhardise:ForCadwanpittying his peoples ill,Shall stoutly him defeat, and thousandSaxonskill.But after him,CadwallinmightilyxxxviOn his sonneEdwinall those wrongs shall wreake;Ne shall auaile the wicked sorceryOf falsePellite, his purposes to breake,But him shall slay, and on a gallowes bleakeShall giue th’enchaunter his vnhappy hire;[918]Then shall the Britons, late dismayd and weake,From their long vassalage gin to respire,And on their Paynim foes auenge their ranckled ire.Ne shall he yet his wrath so mitigate,xxxviiTill both the sonnes ofEdwinhe haue slaine,OffrickeandOsricke, twinnes vnfortunate,Both slaine in battell vpon Layburne plaine,Together with the king ofLouthiane,HightAdin, and the king ofOrkeny,Both ioynt partakers of their[919]fatall paine:ButPenda, fearefull of like desteny,Shall yield him selfe his liegeman, and sweare fealty.Him shall he make his fatall Instrument,xxxviiiT’afflict the otherSaxonsvnsubdewd;He marching forth with fury insolentAgainst the good kingOswald, who indewdWith heauenly powre, and by Angels reskewd,All holding crosses in their hands on hye,Shall him defeate withouten bloud imbrewd:Of which, that field for endlesse memory,ShallHeuenfieldbe cald to all posterity.

Whiles thus thy[917]Britons do in languour pine,xxxv

ProudEtheldredshall from the North arise,

Seruing th’ambitious will ofAugustine,

And passingDeewith hardy enterprise,

Shall backe repulse the valiauntBrockwelltwise,

AndBangorwith massacred Martyrs fill;

But the third time shall rew his foolhardise:

ForCadwanpittying his peoples ill,

Shall stoutly him defeat, and thousandSaxonskill.

But after him,CadwallinmightilyxxxviOn his sonneEdwinall those wrongs shall wreake;Ne shall auaile the wicked sorceryOf falsePellite, his purposes to breake,But him shall slay, and on a gallowes bleakeShall giue th’enchaunter his vnhappy hire;[918]Then shall the Britons, late dismayd and weake,From their long vassalage gin to respire,And on their Paynim foes auenge their ranckled ire.

But after him,Cadwallinmightilyxxxvi

On his sonneEdwinall those wrongs shall wreake;

Ne shall auaile the wicked sorcery

Of falsePellite, his purposes to breake,

But him shall slay, and on a gallowes bleake

Shall giue th’enchaunter his vnhappy hire;[918]

Then shall the Britons, late dismayd and weake,

From their long vassalage gin to respire,

And on their Paynim foes auenge their ranckled ire.

Ne shall he yet his wrath so mitigate,xxxviiTill both the sonnes ofEdwinhe haue slaine,OffrickeandOsricke, twinnes vnfortunate,Both slaine in battell vpon Layburne plaine,Together with the king ofLouthiane,HightAdin, and the king ofOrkeny,Both ioynt partakers of their[919]fatall paine:ButPenda, fearefull of like desteny,Shall yield him selfe his liegeman, and sweare fealty.

Ne shall he yet his wrath so mitigate,xxxvii

Till both the sonnes ofEdwinhe haue slaine,

OffrickeandOsricke, twinnes vnfortunate,

Both slaine in battell vpon Layburne plaine,

Together with the king ofLouthiane,

HightAdin, and the king ofOrkeny,

Both ioynt partakers of their[919]fatall paine:

ButPenda, fearefull of like desteny,

Shall yield him selfe his liegeman, and sweare fealty.

Him shall he make his fatall Instrument,xxxviiiT’afflict the otherSaxonsvnsubdewd;He marching forth with fury insolentAgainst the good kingOswald, who indewdWith heauenly powre, and by Angels reskewd,All holding crosses in their hands on hye,Shall him defeate withouten bloud imbrewd:Of which, that field for endlesse memory,ShallHeuenfieldbe cald to all posterity.

Him shall he make his fatall Instrument,xxxviii

T’afflict the otherSaxonsvnsubdewd;

He marching forth with fury insolent

Against the good kingOswald, who indewd

With heauenly powre, and by Angels reskewd,

All holding crosses in their hands on hye,

Shall him defeate withouten bloud imbrewd:

Of which, that field for endlesse memory,

ShallHeuenfieldbe cald to all posterity.

Where atCadwallinwroth, shall forth issew,xxxixAnd an huge hoste into Northumber lead,With which he godlyOswaldshall subdew,And crowne with martyrdome his sacred head.Whose brotherOswin, daunted with like dread,With price of siluer shall his kingdome buy,AndPenda, seeking him adowne to tread,Shall tread adowne, and do him fowly dye,But shall with gifts his LordCadwallinpacify.Then shallCadwallindye, and then the rainexlOfBritonseke with him attonce shall dye;Ne shall the goodCadwalladerwith paine,Or powre, be hable it to remedy,When the full time prefixt by destiny,Shalbe expird ofBritonsregiment.For heauen it selfe shall their successe enuy,And them with plagues and murrins pestilentConsume, till all their warlike puissaunce be spent.Yet after all these sorrowes, and huge hillsxliOf dying people, during eight yeares space,Cadwalladernot yielding to his ills,FromArmoricke, where long in wretched caceHe liu’d, returning to his natiue place,Shalbe by vision staid from his intent:For th’heauens haue decreed, to displaceTheBritons, for their sinnes dew punishment,And to theSaxonsouer-giue their gouernment.Then woe, and woe, and euerlasting woe,xliiBe to the Briton babe, that shalbe borne,To liue in thraldome of his fathers foe;Late King, now captiue, late Lord, now forlorne,The worlds reproch, the cruell victors scorne,Banisht from Princely bowre to wastfull wood:O who shall helpe me to lament, and mourneThe royall seed, the antiqueTroianblood,Whose Empire lenger here, then euer any stood.

Where atCadwallinwroth, shall forth issew,xxxix

And an huge hoste into Northumber lead,

With which he godlyOswaldshall subdew,

And crowne with martyrdome his sacred head.

Whose brotherOswin, daunted with like dread,

With price of siluer shall his kingdome buy,

AndPenda, seeking him adowne to tread,

Shall tread adowne, and do him fowly dye,

But shall with gifts his LordCadwallinpacify.

Then shallCadwallindye, and then the rainexlOfBritonseke with him attonce shall dye;Ne shall the goodCadwalladerwith paine,Or powre, be hable it to remedy,When the full time prefixt by destiny,Shalbe expird ofBritonsregiment.For heauen it selfe shall their successe enuy,And them with plagues and murrins pestilentConsume, till all their warlike puissaunce be spent.

Then shallCadwallindye, and then the rainexl

OfBritonseke with him attonce shall dye;

Ne shall the goodCadwalladerwith paine,

Or powre, be hable it to remedy,

When the full time prefixt by destiny,

Shalbe expird ofBritonsregiment.

For heauen it selfe shall their successe enuy,

And them with plagues and murrins pestilent

Consume, till all their warlike puissaunce be spent.

Yet after all these sorrowes, and huge hillsxliOf dying people, during eight yeares space,Cadwalladernot yielding to his ills,FromArmoricke, where long in wretched caceHe liu’d, returning to his natiue place,Shalbe by vision staid from his intent:For th’heauens haue decreed, to displaceTheBritons, for their sinnes dew punishment,And to theSaxonsouer-giue their gouernment.

Yet after all these sorrowes, and huge hillsxli

Of dying people, during eight yeares space,

Cadwalladernot yielding to his ills,

FromArmoricke, where long in wretched cace

He liu’d, returning to his natiue place,

Shalbe by vision staid from his intent:

For th’heauens haue decreed, to displace

TheBritons, for their sinnes dew punishment,

And to theSaxonsouer-giue their gouernment.

Then woe, and woe, and euerlasting woe,xliiBe to the Briton babe, that shalbe borne,To liue in thraldome of his fathers foe;Late King, now captiue, late Lord, now forlorne,The worlds reproch, the cruell victors scorne,Banisht from Princely bowre to wastfull wood:O who shall helpe me to lament, and mourneThe royall seed, the antiqueTroianblood,Whose Empire lenger here, then euer any stood.

Then woe, and woe, and euerlasting woe,xlii

Be to the Briton babe, that shalbe borne,

To liue in thraldome of his fathers foe;

Late King, now captiue, late Lord, now forlorne,

The worlds reproch, the cruell victors scorne,

Banisht from Princely bowre to wastfull wood:

O who shall helpe me to lament, and mourne

The royall seed, the antiqueTroianblood,

Whose Empire lenger here, then euer any stood.

The Damzell was full deepe empassioned,xliiiBoth for his griefe, and for her peoples sake,Whose future woes so plaine he fashioned,And sighing sore, at length him thus bespake;Ah but will heauens fury neuer slake,Nor vengeaunce huge relent it selfe at last?Will not long misery late mercy make,But shall their name for euer be defast,And quite from of the earth[920]their memory be rast?Nay but the terme (said he) is limited,xlivThat in this thraldomeBritonsshall abide,And the iust reuolution measured,That they as Straungers shalbe notifide.For twise foure hundreth yeares shalbe supplide[921],Ere they to[922]former rule restor’d shalbee,And their importune fates all satisfide:Yet during this their most obscuritee,Their beames shall oft breake forth, that men them faire may see.ForRhodoricke, whose surname shalbe Great,xlvShall of him selfe a braue ensample shew,That Saxon kings his friendship shall intreat;AndHowell Dhashall goodly well indewThe saluage minds with skill of iust and trew;ThenGriffyth Conanalso shall vp reareHis dreaded head, and the old[923]sparkes renewOf natiue courage, that his foes shall feare,Least backe againe the kingdome he from them should beare.Ne shall the Saxons selues all peaceablyxlviEnioy the crowne, which they from Britons wonneFirst ill, and after ruled wickedly:For ere two hundred yeares be full outronne[924],There shall a Rauen far from rising Sunne,With his wide wings vpon them fiercely fly,And bid his faithlesse chickens ouerronneThe fruitfull plaines, and with fell cruelty,In their auenge, tread downe the victours surquedry.

The Damzell was full deepe empassioned,xliii

Both for his griefe, and for her peoples sake,

Whose future woes so plaine he fashioned,

And sighing sore, at length him thus bespake;

Ah but will heauens fury neuer slake,

Nor vengeaunce huge relent it selfe at last?

Will not long misery late mercy make,

But shall their name for euer be defast,

And quite from of the earth[920]their memory be rast?

Nay but the terme (said he) is limited,xlivThat in this thraldomeBritonsshall abide,And the iust reuolution measured,That they as Straungers shalbe notifide.For twise foure hundreth yeares shalbe supplide[921],Ere they to[922]former rule restor’d shalbee,And their importune fates all satisfide:Yet during this their most obscuritee,Their beames shall oft breake forth, that men them faire may see.

Nay but the terme (said he) is limited,xliv

That in this thraldomeBritonsshall abide,

And the iust reuolution measured,

That they as Straungers shalbe notifide.

For twise foure hundreth yeares shalbe supplide[921],

Ere they to[922]former rule restor’d shalbee,

And their importune fates all satisfide:

Yet during this their most obscuritee,

Their beames shall oft breake forth, that men them faire may see.

ForRhodoricke, whose surname shalbe Great,xlvShall of him selfe a braue ensample shew,That Saxon kings his friendship shall intreat;AndHowell Dhashall goodly well indewThe saluage minds with skill of iust and trew;ThenGriffyth Conanalso shall vp reareHis dreaded head, and the old[923]sparkes renewOf natiue courage, that his foes shall feare,Least backe againe the kingdome he from them should beare.

ForRhodoricke, whose surname shalbe Great,xlv

Shall of him selfe a braue ensample shew,

That Saxon kings his friendship shall intreat;

AndHowell Dhashall goodly well indew

The saluage minds with skill of iust and trew;

ThenGriffyth Conanalso shall vp reare

His dreaded head, and the old[923]sparkes renew

Of natiue courage, that his foes shall feare,

Least backe againe the kingdome he from them should beare.

Ne shall the Saxons selues all peaceablyxlviEnioy the crowne, which they from Britons wonneFirst ill, and after ruled wickedly:For ere two hundred yeares be full outronne[924],There shall a Rauen far from rising Sunne,With his wide wings vpon them fiercely fly,And bid his faithlesse chickens ouerronneThe fruitfull plaines, and with fell cruelty,In their auenge, tread downe the victours surquedry.

Ne shall the Saxons selues all peaceablyxlvi

Enioy the crowne, which they from Britons wonne

First ill, and after ruled wickedly:

For ere two hundred yeares be full outronne[924],

There shall a Rauen far from rising Sunne,

With his wide wings vpon them fiercely fly,

And bid his faithlesse chickens ouerronne

The fruitfull plaines, and with fell cruelty,

In their auenge, tread downe the victours surquedry.

Yet shall a third both these, and thine subdew;xlviiThere shall a Lyon from the sea-bord woodOfNeustriacome roring, with a crewOf hungry whelpes, his battailous bold brood,Whose clawes were newly dipt in cruddy blood,That from the Daniske Tyrants head shall rendTh’vsurped crowne, as if that he were wood,And the spoile of the countrey conqueredEmongst his young ones shall diuide with bountyhed.Tho when the terme is full accomplishid,xlviiiThere shall a sparke of fire, which hath long-whileBene in his ashes raked vp, and hid,Be freshly kindled in the fruitfull IleOfMona, where it lurked in exile;Which shall breake forth into bright burning flame,And reach into the house, that beares the stileOf royall maiesty and soueraigne name;So shall the Briton bloud their crowne againe reclame.Thenceforth eternall vnion shall be madexlixBetweene the nations different afore,And sacred Peace shall louingly perswadeThe warlike minds, to learne her goodly lore,And ciuile armes to exercise no more:Then shall a royall virgin raine, which shallStretch her white rod ouer theBelgickeshore,And the great Castle smite so sore with all,That it shall make him shake, and shortly learne to fall.But yet the end is not. ThereMerlinstayd,lAs ouercomen of the spirites powre,Or other ghastly spectacle dismayd,That secretly he saw, yet note discoure:Which suddein fit, and halfe extatick stoureWhen the two fearefull women saw, they grewGreatly confused in behauioure;At last the fury past, to former hewHee[925]turnd againe, and chearefull looks [926]did shew.

Yet shall a third both these, and thine subdew;xlvii

There shall a Lyon from the sea-bord wood

OfNeustriacome roring, with a crew

Of hungry whelpes, his battailous bold brood,

Whose clawes were newly dipt in cruddy blood,

That from the Daniske Tyrants head shall rend

Th’vsurped crowne, as if that he were wood,

And the spoile of the countrey conquered

Emongst his young ones shall diuide with bountyhed.

Tho when the terme is full accomplishid,xlviiiThere shall a sparke of fire, which hath long-whileBene in his ashes raked vp, and hid,Be freshly kindled in the fruitfull IleOfMona, where it lurked in exile;Which shall breake forth into bright burning flame,And reach into the house, that beares the stileOf royall maiesty and soueraigne name;So shall the Briton bloud their crowne againe reclame.

Tho when the terme is full accomplishid,xlviii

There shall a sparke of fire, which hath long-while

Bene in his ashes raked vp, and hid,

Be freshly kindled in the fruitfull Ile

OfMona, where it lurked in exile;

Which shall breake forth into bright burning flame,

And reach into the house, that beares the stile

Of royall maiesty and soueraigne name;

So shall the Briton bloud their crowne againe reclame.

Thenceforth eternall vnion shall be madexlixBetweene the nations different afore,And sacred Peace shall louingly perswadeThe warlike minds, to learne her goodly lore,And ciuile armes to exercise no more:Then shall a royall virgin raine, which shallStretch her white rod ouer theBelgickeshore,And the great Castle smite so sore with all,That it shall make him shake, and shortly learne to fall.

Thenceforth eternall vnion shall be madexlix

Betweene the nations different afore,

And sacred Peace shall louingly perswade

The warlike minds, to learne her goodly lore,

And ciuile armes to exercise no more:

Then shall a royall virgin raine, which shall

Stretch her white rod ouer theBelgickeshore,

And the great Castle smite so sore with all,

That it shall make him shake, and shortly learne to fall.

But yet the end is not. ThereMerlinstayd,lAs ouercomen of the spirites powre,Or other ghastly spectacle dismayd,That secretly he saw, yet note discoure:Which suddein fit, and halfe extatick stoureWhen the two fearefull women saw, they grewGreatly confused in behauioure;At last the fury past, to former hewHee[925]turnd againe, and chearefull looks [926]did shew.

But yet the end is not. ThereMerlinstayd,l

As ouercomen of the spirites powre,

Or other ghastly spectacle dismayd,

That secretly he saw, yet note discoure:

Which suddein fit, and halfe extatick stoure

When the two fearefull women saw, they grew

Greatly confused in behauioure;

At last the fury past, to former hew

Hee[925]turnd againe, and chearefull looks [926]did shew.

Then, when them selues they well instructed hadliOf all, that needed them to be inquird,They both conceiuing hope of comfort glad,With lighter hearts vnto their home retird;Where they in secret counsell close conspird,How to effect so hard an enterprize,And to possesse the purpose they desird:Now this, now that twixt them they did deuise,And diuerse plots did frame, to maske in strange disguise[927].At last the Nourse in her foolhardy witliiConceiu’d a bold deuise, and thus bespake;Daughter, I deeme that counsell aye most fit,That of the time doth dew aduauntage take;Ye see that good kingVthernow doth makeStrong warre vpon the Paynim brethren, hightOctaandOza, whom he lately brakeBesideCayr Verolame, in victorious fight,That now allBritaniedoth burne in armes bright.That therefore nought our passage may empeach,liiiLet vs in feigned armes our selues disguize,And our weake hands (whom need new strength shall teach)[928]The dreadfull speare and shield to exercize:Ne certes daughter that same warlike wizeI weene, would you misseeme; for ye bene tall,And large of limbe, t’atchieue an hard emprize,Ne ought ye want, but skill, which practize smallWill bring, and shortly make you a mayd Martiall.And sooth, it ought your courage much inflame,livTo heare so often, in that royall hous,From whence to none inferiour ye came,[929]Bards tell of many women valorousWhich haue full many feats aduenturousPerformd, in paragone of proudest men:The boldBunduca, whose victoriousExploits madeRometo quake, stoutGuendolen,RenowmedMartia, and redoubtedEmmilen.

Then, when them selues they well instructed hadli

Of all, that needed them to be inquird,

They both conceiuing hope of comfort glad,

With lighter hearts vnto their home retird;

Where they in secret counsell close conspird,

How to effect so hard an enterprize,

And to possesse the purpose they desird:

Now this, now that twixt them they did deuise,

And diuerse plots did frame, to maske in strange disguise[927].

At last the Nourse in her foolhardy witliiConceiu’d a bold deuise, and thus bespake;Daughter, I deeme that counsell aye most fit,That of the time doth dew aduauntage take;Ye see that good kingVthernow doth makeStrong warre vpon the Paynim brethren, hightOctaandOza, whom he lately brakeBesideCayr Verolame, in victorious fight,That now allBritaniedoth burne in armes bright.

At last the Nourse in her foolhardy witlii

Conceiu’d a bold deuise, and thus bespake;

Daughter, I deeme that counsell aye most fit,

That of the time doth dew aduauntage take;

Ye see that good kingVthernow doth make

Strong warre vpon the Paynim brethren, hight

OctaandOza, whom he lately brake

BesideCayr Verolame, in victorious fight,

That now allBritaniedoth burne in armes bright.

That therefore nought our passage may empeach,liiiLet vs in feigned armes our selues disguize,And our weake hands (whom need new strength shall teach)[928]The dreadfull speare and shield to exercize:Ne certes daughter that same warlike wizeI weene, would you misseeme; for ye bene tall,And large of limbe, t’atchieue an hard emprize,Ne ought ye want, but skill, which practize smallWill bring, and shortly make you a mayd Martiall.

That therefore nought our passage may empeach,liii

Let vs in feigned armes our selues disguize,

And our weake hands (whom need new strength shall teach)[928]

The dreadfull speare and shield to exercize:

Ne certes daughter that same warlike wize

I weene, would you misseeme; for ye bene tall,

And large of limbe, t’atchieue an hard emprize,

Ne ought ye want, but skill, which practize small

Will bring, and shortly make you a mayd Martiall.

And sooth, it ought your courage much inflame,livTo heare so often, in that royall hous,From whence to none inferiour ye came,[929]Bards tell of many women valorousWhich haue full many feats aduenturousPerformd, in paragone of proudest men:The boldBunduca, whose victoriousExploits madeRometo quake, stoutGuendolen,RenowmedMartia, and redoubtedEmmilen.

And sooth, it ought your courage much inflame,liv

To heare so often, in that royall hous,

From whence to none inferiour ye came,[929]

Bards tell of many women valorous

Which haue full many feats aduenturous

Performd, in paragone of proudest men:

The boldBunduca, whose victorious

Exploits madeRometo quake, stoutGuendolen,

RenowmedMartia, and redoubtedEmmilen.

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