Chapter 54

Cant. IIII.

Bold Marinell of Britomart,Is throwne on the Rich strond:Faire Florimell of Arthur isLong followed, but not fond.

Bold Marinell of Britomart,

Is throwne on the Rich strond:

Faire Florimell of Arthur is

Long followed, but not fond.

Where is the Antique glory now become,iThat whilome wont in women to appeare?Where be the braue atchieuements doen by some?Where be the battels, where the shield and speare,And all the conquests, which them high did reare,That matter made for famous Poets verse,And boastfull men so oft abasht to heare?Bene they all dead, and laid in dolefull herse?Or doen they onely sleepe, and shall againe reuerse?If they be dead, then woe is me therefore:iiBut if they sleepe, O let them soone awake:For all too long I burne with enuy sore,To heare the warlike feates, whichHomerespakeOf boldPenthesilee[934], which made a lakeOfGreekishbloud so oft inTroianplaine;But when I read, how stoutDeborastrakeProudSisera, and howCamill’hath slaineThe hugeOrsilochus, I swell with great disdaine.Yet these, and all that else had puissaunce,iiiCannot with nobleBritomartcompare,Aswell for glory of great valiaunce,As for pure chastitie and vertue rare,That all her goodly deeds do well declare.Well worthy stock, from which the branches sprong,That in late yeares so faire a blossome bare,As thee, O Queene, the matter of my song,Whose lignage from this Lady I deriue along.

Where is the Antique glory now become,i

That whilome wont in women to appeare?

Where be the braue atchieuements doen by some?

Where be the battels, where the shield and speare,

And all the conquests, which them high did reare,

That matter made for famous Poets verse,

And boastfull men so oft abasht to heare?

Bene they all dead, and laid in dolefull herse?

Or doen they onely sleepe, and shall againe reuerse?

If they be dead, then woe is me therefore:iiBut if they sleepe, O let them soone awake:For all too long I burne with enuy sore,To heare the warlike feates, whichHomerespakeOf boldPenthesilee[934], which made a lakeOfGreekishbloud so oft inTroianplaine;But when I read, how stoutDeborastrakeProudSisera, and howCamill’hath slaineThe hugeOrsilochus, I swell with great disdaine.

If they be dead, then woe is me therefore:ii

But if they sleepe, O let them soone awake:

For all too long I burne with enuy sore,

To heare the warlike feates, whichHomerespake

Of boldPenthesilee[934], which made a lake

OfGreekishbloud so oft inTroianplaine;

But when I read, how stoutDeborastrake

ProudSisera, and howCamill’hath slaine

The hugeOrsilochus, I swell with great disdaine.

Yet these, and all that else had puissaunce,iiiCannot with nobleBritomartcompare,Aswell for glory of great valiaunce,As for pure chastitie and vertue rare,That all her goodly deeds do well declare.Well worthy stock, from which the branches sprong,That in late yeares so faire a blossome bare,As thee, O Queene, the matter of my song,Whose lignage from this Lady I deriue along.

Yet these, and all that else had puissaunce,iii

Cannot with nobleBritomartcompare,

Aswell for glory of great valiaunce,

As for pure chastitie and vertue rare,

That all her goodly deeds do well declare.

Well worthy stock, from which the branches sprong,

That in late yeares so faire a blossome bare,

As thee, O Queene, the matter of my song,

Whose lignage from this Lady I deriue along.

Who when through speaches with theRedcrosseknight,ivShe learned had th’estate ofArthegall,And in each point her selfe informd aright,A friendly league of loue perpetuallShe with him bound, andCongétooke withall.Then he forth on his iourney did proceede,To seeke aduentures, which mote him befall,And win him worship through his warlike deed,Which alwayes of his paines he made the chiefest meed.ButBritomartkept on her former course,vNe euer dofte her armes, but all the wayGrew pensiue through that amorous discourse,By which theRedcrosseknight did earst displayHer louers shape, and cheualrous aray;A thousand thoughts she fashioned in her mind,And in her feigning fancie did pourtrayHim such, as fittest she[935]for loue could find,Wise, warlike, personable, curteous, and kind.With such selfe-pleasing thoughts her wound she fed,viAnd thought so to beguile her grieuous smart;But so her smart was much more grieuous bred,And the deepe wound more deepe engord her hart,That nought but death her dolour mote depart.So forth she rode without repose or rest,Searching all lands and each remotest part,Following the guidaunce of her blinded guest,Till that to the sea-coast at length she her[936]addrest.There she alighted from her light-foot beast,viiAnd sitting downe vpon the rocky shore,Bad her old Squire vnlace her lofty creast;Tho hauing vewd a while the surges hore,That gainst the craggy clifts did loudly rore,And in their raging surquedry disdaynd,That the fast earth affronted them so sore,And their deuouring[937]couetize restraynd,Thereat she sighed deepe, and after thus complaynd.

Who when through speaches with theRedcrosseknight,iv

She learned had th’estate ofArthegall,

And in each point her selfe informd aright,

A friendly league of loue perpetuall

She with him bound, andCongétooke withall.

Then he forth on his iourney did proceede,

To seeke aduentures, which mote him befall,

And win him worship through his warlike deed,

Which alwayes of his paines he made the chiefest meed.

ButBritomartkept on her former course,vNe euer dofte her armes, but all the wayGrew pensiue through that amorous discourse,By which theRedcrosseknight did earst displayHer louers shape, and cheualrous aray;A thousand thoughts she fashioned in her mind,And in her feigning fancie did pourtrayHim such, as fittest she[935]for loue could find,Wise, warlike, personable, curteous, and kind.

ButBritomartkept on her former course,v

Ne euer dofte her armes, but all the way

Grew pensiue through that amorous discourse,

By which theRedcrosseknight did earst display

Her louers shape, and cheualrous aray;

A thousand thoughts she fashioned in her mind,

And in her feigning fancie did pourtray

Him such, as fittest she[935]for loue could find,

Wise, warlike, personable, curteous, and kind.

With such selfe-pleasing thoughts her wound she fed,viAnd thought so to beguile her grieuous smart;But so her smart was much more grieuous bred,And the deepe wound more deepe engord her hart,That nought but death her dolour mote depart.So forth she rode without repose or rest,Searching all lands and each remotest part,Following the guidaunce of her blinded guest,Till that to the sea-coast at length she her[936]addrest.

With such selfe-pleasing thoughts her wound she fed,vi

And thought so to beguile her grieuous smart;

But so her smart was much more grieuous bred,

And the deepe wound more deepe engord her hart,

That nought but death her dolour mote depart.

So forth she rode without repose or rest,

Searching all lands and each remotest part,

Following the guidaunce of her blinded guest,

Till that to the sea-coast at length she her[936]addrest.

There she alighted from her light-foot beast,viiAnd sitting downe vpon the rocky shore,Bad her old Squire vnlace her lofty creast;Tho hauing vewd a while the surges hore,That gainst the craggy clifts did loudly rore,And in their raging surquedry disdaynd,That the fast earth affronted them so sore,And their deuouring[937]couetize restraynd,Thereat she sighed deepe, and after thus complaynd.

There she alighted from her light-foot beast,vii

And sitting downe vpon the rocky shore,

Bad her old Squire vnlace her lofty creast;

Tho hauing vewd a while the surges hore,

That gainst the craggy clifts did loudly rore,

And in their raging surquedry disdaynd,

That the fast earth affronted them so sore,

And their deuouring[937]couetize restraynd,

Thereat she sighed deepe, and after thus complaynd.

Huge sea of sorrow, and tempestuous griefe,viiiWherein my feeble barke is tossed long,Far from the hoped hauen of reliefe,Why[938]do thy cruell billowes beat so strong,And thy moyst mountaines each on others throng,Threatning to swallow vp my fearefull life?O do thy cruell wrath and spightfull wrongAt length allay, and stint thy stormy strife,Which in these[939]troubled bowels raignes, and rageth rife.For else my feeble vessell crazd, and cracktixThrough thy strong buffets and outrageous blowes,Cannot endure, but needs it must be wracktOn the rough rocks, or on the sandy shallowes,The whiles that loue it steres, and fortune rowes;Loue my lewd Pilot hath a restlesse mindAnd fortune Boteswaine no assuraunce knowes,But saile withouten starres gainst tide and wind:How can they other do, sith both are bold and blind?Thou God of winds, that raignest in the seas,xThat raignest also in the Continent,At last blow vp some gentle gale of ease,The which may bring my ship, ere it be rent,Vnto the gladsome port of her intent:Then when I shall my selfe in safety see,A table for eternall monimentOf thy great grace, and my great ieopardee,GreatNeptune, I auow to hallow vnto thee.Then sighing softly sore, and inly deepe,xiShe shut vp all her plaint in priuy griefe;For her great courage would not let her weepe,Till that oldGlaucegan with sharpe repriefe,Her to restraine, and giue her good reliefe,Through hope of those, whichMerlinhad her toldShould of her name and nation be chiefe,And fetch their being from the sacred mouldOf her immortall wombe, to be in heauen enrold.

Huge sea of sorrow, and tempestuous griefe,viii

Wherein my feeble barke is tossed long,

Far from the hoped hauen of reliefe,

Why[938]do thy cruell billowes beat so strong,

And thy moyst mountaines each on others throng,

Threatning to swallow vp my fearefull life?

O do thy cruell wrath and spightfull wrong

At length allay, and stint thy stormy strife,

Which in these[939]troubled bowels raignes, and rageth rife.

For else my feeble vessell crazd, and cracktixThrough thy strong buffets and outrageous blowes,Cannot endure, but needs it must be wracktOn the rough rocks, or on the sandy shallowes,The whiles that loue it steres, and fortune rowes;Loue my lewd Pilot hath a restlesse mindAnd fortune Boteswaine no assuraunce knowes,But saile withouten starres gainst tide and wind:How can they other do, sith both are bold and blind?

For else my feeble vessell crazd, and cracktix

Through thy strong buffets and outrageous blowes,

Cannot endure, but needs it must be wrackt

On the rough rocks, or on the sandy shallowes,

The whiles that loue it steres, and fortune rowes;

Loue my lewd Pilot hath a restlesse mind

And fortune Boteswaine no assuraunce knowes,

But saile withouten starres gainst tide and wind:

How can they other do, sith both are bold and blind?

Thou God of winds, that raignest in the seas,xThat raignest also in the Continent,At last blow vp some gentle gale of ease,The which may bring my ship, ere it be rent,Vnto the gladsome port of her intent:Then when I shall my selfe in safety see,A table for eternall monimentOf thy great grace, and my great ieopardee,GreatNeptune, I auow to hallow vnto thee.

Thou God of winds, that raignest in the seas,x

That raignest also in the Continent,

At last blow vp some gentle gale of ease,

The which may bring my ship, ere it be rent,

Vnto the gladsome port of her intent:

Then when I shall my selfe in safety see,

A table for eternall moniment

Of thy great grace, and my great ieopardee,

GreatNeptune, I auow to hallow vnto thee.

Then sighing softly sore, and inly deepe,xiShe shut vp all her plaint in priuy griefe;For her great courage would not let her weepe,Till that oldGlaucegan with sharpe repriefe,Her to restraine, and giue her good reliefe,Through hope of those, whichMerlinhad her toldShould of her name and nation be chiefe,And fetch their being from the sacred mouldOf her immortall wombe, to be in heauen enrold.

Then sighing softly sore, and inly deepe,xi

She shut vp all her plaint in priuy griefe;

For her great courage would not let her weepe,

Till that oldGlaucegan with sharpe repriefe,

Her to restraine, and giue her good reliefe,

Through hope of those, whichMerlinhad her told

Should of her name and nation be chiefe,

And fetch their being from the sacred mould

Of her immortall wombe, to be in heauen enrold.

Thus as she her recomforted, she spyde,xiiWhere farre away one all in armour bright,With hastie gallop towards her did ryde;Her dolour soone she ceast, and on her dightHer Helmet, to her Courser mounting light:Her former sorrow into suddein wrath,Both coosen passions of distroubled spright,Conuerting, forth she beates the dustie path;Loue and despight attonce her courage kindled hath.As when a foggy mist hath ouercastxiiiThe face of heauen, and the cleare aire engrost,The world in darkenesse dwels, till that at lastThe watry Southwinde from the seabord costVpblowing, doth disperse the vapour lo’st,And poures it selfe forth in a stormy showre;So the faireBritomarthauing disclo’stHer clowdy care into a wrathfull stowre,The mist of griefe dissolu’d, did[940]into vengeance powre.[941]Eftsoones her goodly shield addressing faire,xivThat mortall speare she in her hand did take,And vnto battell did her selfe prepaire.The knight approching, sternely her bespake;Sir knight, that doest thy voyage rashly makeBy this forbidden way in my despight,Ne doest by others death ensample take,I read thee soone retyre, whiles thou hast might,Least afterwards it be too late to take thy flight.Ythrild with deepe disdaine of his proud threat,xvShe shortly thus; Fly they, that need to fly;Words fearen babes. I meane not thee entreatTo passe; but maugre thee will passe or dy.Ne lenger stayd for th’other to reply,But with sharpe speare[942]the rest made dearly knowne.Strongly the straunge knight ran, and sturdilyStrooke her full on the brest, that made her downeDecline her head, and touch her crouper with her crowne.

Thus as she her recomforted, she spyde,xii

Where farre away one all in armour bright,

With hastie gallop towards her did ryde;

Her dolour soone she ceast, and on her dight

Her Helmet, to her Courser mounting light:

Her former sorrow into suddein wrath,

Both coosen passions of distroubled spright,

Conuerting, forth she beates the dustie path;

Loue and despight attonce her courage kindled hath.

As when a foggy mist hath ouercastxiiiThe face of heauen, and the cleare aire engrost,The world in darkenesse dwels, till that at lastThe watry Southwinde from the seabord costVpblowing, doth disperse the vapour lo’st,And poures it selfe forth in a stormy showre;So the faireBritomarthauing disclo’stHer clowdy care into a wrathfull stowre,The mist of griefe dissolu’d, did[940]into vengeance powre.[941]

As when a foggy mist hath ouercastxiii

The face of heauen, and the cleare aire engrost,

The world in darkenesse dwels, till that at last

The watry Southwinde from the seabord cost

Vpblowing, doth disperse the vapour lo’st,

And poures it selfe forth in a stormy showre;

So the faireBritomarthauing disclo’st

Her clowdy care into a wrathfull stowre,

The mist of griefe dissolu’d, did[940]into vengeance powre.[941]

Eftsoones her goodly shield addressing faire,xivThat mortall speare she in her hand did take,And vnto battell did her selfe prepaire.The knight approching, sternely her bespake;Sir knight, that doest thy voyage rashly makeBy this forbidden way in my despight,Ne doest by others death ensample take,I read thee soone retyre, whiles thou hast might,Least afterwards it be too late to take thy flight.

Eftsoones her goodly shield addressing faire,xiv

That mortall speare she in her hand did take,

And vnto battell did her selfe prepaire.

The knight approching, sternely her bespake;

Sir knight, that doest thy voyage rashly make

By this forbidden way in my despight,

Ne doest by others death ensample take,

I read thee soone retyre, whiles thou hast might,

Least afterwards it be too late to take thy flight.

Ythrild with deepe disdaine of his proud threat,xvShe shortly thus; Fly they, that need to fly;Words fearen babes. I meane not thee entreatTo passe; but maugre thee will passe or dy.Ne lenger stayd for th’other to reply,But with sharpe speare[942]the rest made dearly knowne.Strongly the straunge knight ran, and sturdilyStrooke her full on the brest, that made her downeDecline her head, and touch her crouper with her crowne.

Ythrild with deepe disdaine of his proud threat,xv

She shortly thus; Fly they, that need to fly;

Words fearen babes. I meane not thee entreat

To passe; but maugre thee will passe or dy.

Ne lenger stayd for th’other to reply,

But with sharpe speare[942]the rest made dearly knowne.

Strongly the straunge knight ran, and sturdily

Strooke her full on the brest, that made her downe

Decline her head, and touch her crouper with her crowne.

But she againe him in the shield did smitexviWith so fierce furie and great puissaunce,That through his threesquare scuchin percing quite,And through his mayled hauberque, by mischaunceThe wicked steele through his left side did glaunce;Him so transfixed she before her boreBeyond his croupe, the length of all her launce,Till sadly soucing on the sandie shore,He tombled on an heape, and wallowd in his gore.Like as the sacred Oxe, that carelesse stands,xviiWith gilden hornes, and flowry girlonds crownd,Proud of his dying honor and deare bands,Whiles th’altars fume with frankincense arownd,All suddenly with mortall stroke astownd,Doth groueling fall, and with his streaming goreDistaines the pillours, and the holy grownd,And the faire flowres, that decked him afore;So fell proudMarinellvpon the pretious shore.The martiall Mayd stayd not him to lament,xviiiBut forward rode, and kept her readie wayAlong the strond, which as she ouer-went,She saw bestrowed all with rich arayOf pearles and pretious stones of great assay,And all the grauell mixt with golden owre;Whereat she wondred much, but would not stayFor gold, or perles, or pretious stones an howre,But them despised all; for all was in her powre.Whiles thus he lay in deadly stonishment,xixTydings hereof came to his mothers eare;His mother was the blacke-browdCymoent[943],The daughter of greatNereus, which did beareThis warlike sonne vnto an earthly peare,The famousDumarin; who on a dayFinding the Nymph a sleepe in secret wheare,As he by chaunce did wander that same way,Was taken with her loue, and by her closely lay.

But she againe him in the shield did smitexvi

With so fierce furie and great puissaunce,

That through his threesquare scuchin percing quite,

And through his mayled hauberque, by mischaunce

The wicked steele through his left side did glaunce;

Him so transfixed she before her bore

Beyond his croupe, the length of all her launce,

Till sadly soucing on the sandie shore,

He tombled on an heape, and wallowd in his gore.

Like as the sacred Oxe, that carelesse stands,xviiWith gilden hornes, and flowry girlonds crownd,Proud of his dying honor and deare bands,Whiles th’altars fume with frankincense arownd,All suddenly with mortall stroke astownd,Doth groueling fall, and with his streaming goreDistaines the pillours, and the holy grownd,And the faire flowres, that decked him afore;So fell proudMarinellvpon the pretious shore.

Like as the sacred Oxe, that carelesse stands,xvii

With gilden hornes, and flowry girlonds crownd,

Proud of his dying honor and deare bands,

Whiles th’altars fume with frankincense arownd,

All suddenly with mortall stroke astownd,

Doth groueling fall, and with his streaming gore

Distaines the pillours, and the holy grownd,

And the faire flowres, that decked him afore;

So fell proudMarinellvpon the pretious shore.

The martiall Mayd stayd not him to lament,xviiiBut forward rode, and kept her readie wayAlong the strond, which as she ouer-went,She saw bestrowed all with rich arayOf pearles and pretious stones of great assay,And all the grauell mixt with golden owre;Whereat she wondred much, but would not stayFor gold, or perles, or pretious stones an howre,But them despised all; for all was in her powre.

The martiall Mayd stayd not him to lament,xviii

But forward rode, and kept her readie way

Along the strond, which as she ouer-went,

She saw bestrowed all with rich aray

Of pearles and pretious stones of great assay,

And all the grauell mixt with golden owre;

Whereat she wondred much, but would not stay

For gold, or perles, or pretious stones an howre,

But them despised all; for all was in her powre.

Whiles thus he lay in deadly stonishment,xixTydings hereof came to his mothers eare;His mother was the blacke-browdCymoent[943],The daughter of greatNereus, which did beareThis warlike sonne vnto an earthly peare,The famousDumarin; who on a dayFinding the Nymph a sleepe in secret wheare,As he by chaunce did wander that same way,Was taken with her loue, and by her closely lay.

Whiles thus he lay in deadly stonishment,xix

Tydings hereof came to his mothers eare;

His mother was the blacke-browdCymoent[943],

The daughter of greatNereus, which did beare

This warlike sonne vnto an earthly peare,

The famousDumarin; who on a day

Finding the Nymph a sleepe in secret wheare,

As he by chaunce did wander that same way,

Was taken with her loue, and by her closely lay.

There he this knight of her begot, whom bornexxShe of his fatherMarinelldid name,And in a rocky caue as wight forlorne,Long time she fostred vp, till he becameA mightie man at armes, and mickle fameDid get through great aduentures by him donne:For neuer man he suffred by that sameRich strondto trauell, whereas he did wonne,But that he must do battell with the Sea-nymphes sonne.An hundred knights of honorable namexxiHe had subdew’d, and them his vassals made,That through all Farie lond his noble fameNow blazed was, and feare did all inuade,That none durst passen through that perilous glade.And to aduance his name and glorie more,Her Sea-god syre she dearely did perswade,T’endow her sonne with threasure and rich store,Boue all the sonnes, that were of earthly wombes ybore.The God did graunt his daughters deare demaund,xxiiTo doen his Nephew in all riches flow;Eftsoones his heaped waues he did commaund,Out of their hollow bosome forth to throwAll the huge threasure, which the sea belowHad in his greedie gulfe deuoured deepe,And him enriched through the ouerthrowAnd wreckes of many wretches, which did weepe,And often waile their wealth, which he from them did keepe.Shortly vpon that shore there heaped was,xxiiiExceeding riches and all pretious things,The spoyle of all the world, that it did pasThe wealth of th’East, and pompe ofPersiankings;Gold, amber, yuorie, perles, owches, rings,And all that else was pretious and deare,The sea vnto him voluntary brings,That shortly he a great Lord did appeare,As was in all the lond of Faery, or elsewheare.

There he this knight of her begot, whom bornexx

She of his fatherMarinelldid name,

And in a rocky caue as wight forlorne,

Long time she fostred vp, till he became

A mightie man at armes, and mickle fame

Did get through great aduentures by him donne:

For neuer man he suffred by that same

Rich strondto trauell, whereas he did wonne,

But that he must do battell with the Sea-nymphes sonne.

An hundred knights of honorable namexxiHe had subdew’d, and them his vassals made,That through all Farie lond his noble fameNow blazed was, and feare did all inuade,That none durst passen through that perilous glade.And to aduance his name and glorie more,Her Sea-god syre she dearely did perswade,T’endow her sonne with threasure and rich store,Boue all the sonnes, that were of earthly wombes ybore.

An hundred knights of honorable namexxi

He had subdew’d, and them his vassals made,

That through all Farie lond his noble fame

Now blazed was, and feare did all inuade,

That none durst passen through that perilous glade.

And to aduance his name and glorie more,

Her Sea-god syre she dearely did perswade,

T’endow her sonne with threasure and rich store,

Boue all the sonnes, that were of earthly wombes ybore.

The God did graunt his daughters deare demaund,xxiiTo doen his Nephew in all riches flow;Eftsoones his heaped waues he did commaund,Out of their hollow bosome forth to throwAll the huge threasure, which the sea belowHad in his greedie gulfe deuoured deepe,And him enriched through the ouerthrowAnd wreckes of many wretches, which did weepe,And often waile their wealth, which he from them did keepe.

The God did graunt his daughters deare demaund,xxii

To doen his Nephew in all riches flow;

Eftsoones his heaped waues he did commaund,

Out of their hollow bosome forth to throw

All the huge threasure, which the sea below

Had in his greedie gulfe deuoured deepe,

And him enriched through the ouerthrow

And wreckes of many wretches, which did weepe,

And often waile their wealth, which he from them did keepe.

Shortly vpon that shore there heaped was,xxiiiExceeding riches and all pretious things,The spoyle of all the world, that it did pasThe wealth of th’East, and pompe ofPersiankings;Gold, amber, yuorie, perles, owches, rings,And all that else was pretious and deare,The sea vnto him voluntary brings,That shortly he a great Lord did appeare,As was in all the lond of Faery, or elsewheare.

Shortly vpon that shore there heaped was,xxiii

Exceeding riches and all pretious things,

The spoyle of all the world, that it did pas

The wealth of th’East, and pompe ofPersiankings;

Gold, amber, yuorie, perles, owches, rings,

And all that else was pretious and deare,

The sea vnto him voluntary brings,

That shortly he a great Lord did appeare,

As was in all the lond of Faery, or elsewheare.

Thereto he was a doughtie dreaded knight,xxivTryde often to the scath[944]of many deare,That none in equall armes him matchen might,The which his mother seeing, gan to feareLeast his too haughtie hardines might reareSome hard mishap, in hazard of his life:For thy she oft him counseld to forbeareThe bloudie battell, and to stirre vp strife,But after all his warre, to rest his wearie knife.And for his more assurance, she inquir’dxxvOne day ofProteusby his mightie spell,(ForProteuswas with prophecie inspir’d)Her deare sonnes destinie to her to tell,And the sad end of her sweetMarinell.Who through foresight of his eternall skill,Bad her from womankind to keepe him well:For of a woman he should haue much ill,A virgin strange and stout him should dismay, or kill.For thy she gaue him warning euery day,xxviThe loue of women not to entertaine;A lesson too too hard for liuing clay,From loue in course of nature to refraine:Yet he his mothers lore did well retaine,And euer from faire Ladies loue did fly;Yet many Ladies faire did oft complaine,That they for loue of him would algates dy:Dy, who so list for him, he was loues enimy.But ah, who can deceiue his destiny,xxviiOr weene by warning to auoyd his fate?That when he sleepes in most security,And safest seemes, him soonest doth amate,And findeth dew effect or soone or late.So feeble is the powre of fleshly[945]arme.His mother bad him womens loue to hate,For she of womans force did feare no harme;So weening to haue arm’d him, she did quite disarme.

Thereto he was a doughtie dreaded knight,xxiv

Tryde often to the scath[944]of many deare,

That none in equall armes him matchen might,

The which his mother seeing, gan to feare

Least his too haughtie hardines might reare

Some hard mishap, in hazard of his life:

For thy she oft him counseld to forbeare

The bloudie battell, and to stirre vp strife,

But after all his warre, to rest his wearie knife.

And for his more assurance, she inquir’dxxvOne day ofProteusby his mightie spell,(ForProteuswas with prophecie inspir’d)Her deare sonnes destinie to her to tell,And the sad end of her sweetMarinell.Who through foresight of his eternall skill,Bad her from womankind to keepe him well:For of a woman he should haue much ill,A virgin strange and stout him should dismay, or kill.

And for his more assurance, she inquir’dxxv

One day ofProteusby his mightie spell,

(ForProteuswas with prophecie inspir’d)

Her deare sonnes destinie to her to tell,

And the sad end of her sweetMarinell.

Who through foresight of his eternall skill,

Bad her from womankind to keepe him well:

For of a woman he should haue much ill,

A virgin strange and stout him should dismay, or kill.

For thy she gaue him warning euery day,xxviThe loue of women not to entertaine;A lesson too too hard for liuing clay,From loue in course of nature to refraine:Yet he his mothers lore did well retaine,And euer from faire Ladies loue did fly;Yet many Ladies faire did oft complaine,That they for loue of him would algates dy:Dy, who so list for him, he was loues enimy.

For thy she gaue him warning euery day,xxvi

The loue of women not to entertaine;

A lesson too too hard for liuing clay,

From loue in course of nature to refraine:

Yet he his mothers lore did well retaine,

And euer from faire Ladies loue did fly;

Yet many Ladies faire did oft complaine,

That they for loue of him would algates dy:

Dy, who so list for him, he was loues enimy.

But ah, who can deceiue his destiny,xxviiOr weene by warning to auoyd his fate?That when he sleepes in most security,And safest seemes, him soonest doth amate,And findeth dew effect or soone or late.So feeble is the powre of fleshly[945]arme.His mother bad him womens loue to hate,For she of womans force did feare no harme;So weening to haue arm’d him, she did quite disarme.

But ah, who can deceiue his destiny,xxvii

Or weene by warning to auoyd his fate?

That when he sleepes in most security,

And safest seemes, him soonest doth amate,

And findeth dew effect or soone or late.

So feeble is the powre of fleshly[945]arme.

His mother bad him womens loue to hate,

For she of womans force did feare no harme;

So weening to haue arm’d him, she did quite disarme.

This was that woman, this that deadly wound,xxviiiThatProteusprophecide should him dismay,The which his mother vainely did expound,To be hart-wounding loue, which should assayTo bring her sonne vnto his last decay.So tickle be the termes of mortall state,And full of subtile sophismes, which do playWith double senses, and with false debate,T’approue the vnknowen purpose of eternall fate.Too true the famousMarinellit fownd,xxixWho through late triall, on that wealthy StrondInglorious now lies in senselesse swownd,Through heauy stroke ofBritomartishond.Which when his mother deare did vnderstond,And heauy tydings heard, whereas she playdAmongst her watry sisters by a pond,Gathering sweet daffadillyes, to haue madeGay girlonds, from the Sun their forheads faire to shade;[946]Eftsoones both flowres and girlonds farre awayxxxShe flong, and her faire deawy lockes yrent,To sorrow huge she turnd her former play,And gamesom[947]merth to grieuous dreriment:She threw her selfe downe on the Continent,Ne word did speake, but lay as in a swowne[948],Whiles all her sisters did for her lament,With yelling outcries, and with shrieking sowne;And euery one did teare her girlond from her crowne.Soone as she vp out of her deadly fitxxxiArose, she bad her charet to be brought,And all her sisters, that with her did sit,Bad eke attonce their charets to be sought;Tho full of bitter griefe and pensiue[949]thought,She to her wagon clombe; clombe all the rest,And forth together went, with sorrow fraught.The waues obedient to their beheast,Them yielded readie passage, and their rage surceast.

This was that woman, this that deadly wound,xxviii

ThatProteusprophecide should him dismay,

The which his mother vainely did expound,

To be hart-wounding loue, which should assay

To bring her sonne vnto his last decay.

So tickle be the termes of mortall state,

And full of subtile sophismes, which do play

With double senses, and with false debate,

T’approue the vnknowen purpose of eternall fate.

Too true the famousMarinellit fownd,xxixWho through late triall, on that wealthy StrondInglorious now lies in senselesse swownd,Through heauy stroke ofBritomartishond.Which when his mother deare did vnderstond,And heauy tydings heard, whereas she playdAmongst her watry sisters by a pond,Gathering sweet daffadillyes, to haue madeGay girlonds, from the Sun their forheads faire to shade;[946]

Too true the famousMarinellit fownd,xxix

Who through late triall, on that wealthy Strond

Inglorious now lies in senselesse swownd,

Through heauy stroke ofBritomartishond.

Which when his mother deare did vnderstond,

And heauy tydings heard, whereas she playd

Amongst her watry sisters by a pond,

Gathering sweet daffadillyes, to haue made

Gay girlonds, from the Sun their forheads faire to shade;[946]

Eftsoones both flowres and girlonds farre awayxxxShe flong, and her faire deawy lockes yrent,To sorrow huge she turnd her former play,And gamesom[947]merth to grieuous dreriment:She threw her selfe downe on the Continent,Ne word did speake, but lay as in a swowne[948],Whiles all her sisters did for her lament,With yelling outcries, and with shrieking sowne;And euery one did teare her girlond from her crowne.

Eftsoones both flowres and girlonds farre awayxxx

She flong, and her faire deawy lockes yrent,

To sorrow huge she turnd her former play,

And gamesom[947]merth to grieuous dreriment:

She threw her selfe downe on the Continent,

Ne word did speake, but lay as in a swowne[948],

Whiles all her sisters did for her lament,

With yelling outcries, and with shrieking sowne;

And euery one did teare her girlond from her crowne.

Soone as she vp out of her deadly fitxxxiArose, she bad her charet to be brought,And all her sisters, that with her did sit,Bad eke attonce their charets to be sought;Tho full of bitter griefe and pensiue[949]thought,She to her wagon clombe; clombe all the rest,And forth together went, with sorrow fraught.The waues obedient to their beheast,Them yielded readie passage, and their rage surceast.

Soone as she vp out of her deadly fitxxxi

Arose, she bad her charet to be brought,

And all her sisters, that with her did sit,

Bad eke attonce their charets to be sought;

Tho full of bitter griefe and pensiue[949]thought,

She to her wagon clombe; clombe all the rest,

And forth together went, with sorrow fraught.

The waues obedient to their beheast,

Them yielded readie passage, and their rage surceast.

GreatNeptunestood amazed at their sight,xxxiiWhiles on his broad round backe they softly slidAnd eke himselfe mournd at their mournfull plight,Yet wist not what their wailing ment, yet didFor great compassion of their sorrow, bidHis mightie waters to them buxome bee:Eftsoones the roaring billowes still abid,And all the griesly Monsters of the SeeStood gaping at their gate, and wondred them to see.A teme of Dolphins raunged in aray,xxxiiiDrew the smooth charet of sadCymoent;They were all taught byTriton, to obayTo the long raynes[950], at her commaundement:As swift as swallowes, on the waues they went,That their broad flaggie finnes no fome did reare,Ne bubbling roundell they behind them sent;The rest of other fishes drawen weare,Which with their finny oars the swelling sea did sheare.Soone as they bene arriu’d vpon the brimxxxivOf theRich strond, their charets they forlore,And let their temed fishes softly swimAlong the margent of the fomy shore,Least they their finnes should bruze, and surbate soreTheir tender feet vpon the stony ground:And comming to the place, where all in goreAnd cruddy bloud enwallowed they foundThe lucklesseMarinell, lying in deadly swound;His mother swowned thrise, and the third timexxxvCould scarce recouered be out of her paine;Had she not bene deuoyd of mortall slime,She should not then haue bene reliu’d againe,But soone as life recouered had the raine,She made so piteous mone and deare wayment,That the hard rocks could scarse from teares refraine,And all her sister Nymphes with one consentSupplide her sobbing breaches with sad complement.

GreatNeptunestood amazed at their sight,xxxii

Whiles on his broad round backe they softly slid

And eke himselfe mournd at their mournfull plight,

Yet wist not what their wailing ment, yet did

For great compassion of their sorrow, bid

His mightie waters to them buxome bee:

Eftsoones the roaring billowes still abid,

And all the griesly Monsters of the See

Stood gaping at their gate, and wondred them to see.

A teme of Dolphins raunged in aray,xxxiiiDrew the smooth charet of sadCymoent;They were all taught byTriton, to obayTo the long raynes[950], at her commaundement:As swift as swallowes, on the waues they went,That their broad flaggie finnes no fome did reare,Ne bubbling roundell they behind them sent;The rest of other fishes drawen weare,Which with their finny oars the swelling sea did sheare.

A teme of Dolphins raunged in aray,xxxiii

Drew the smooth charet of sadCymoent;

They were all taught byTriton, to obay

To the long raynes[950], at her commaundement:

As swift as swallowes, on the waues they went,

That their broad flaggie finnes no fome did reare,

Ne bubbling roundell they behind them sent;

The rest of other fishes drawen weare,

Which with their finny oars the swelling sea did sheare.

Soone as they bene arriu’d vpon the brimxxxivOf theRich strond, their charets they forlore,And let their temed fishes softly swimAlong the margent of the fomy shore,Least they their finnes should bruze, and surbate soreTheir tender feet vpon the stony ground:And comming to the place, where all in goreAnd cruddy bloud enwallowed they foundThe lucklesseMarinell, lying in deadly swound;

Soone as they bene arriu’d vpon the brimxxxiv

Of theRich strond, their charets they forlore,

And let their temed fishes softly swim

Along the margent of the fomy shore,

Least they their finnes should bruze, and surbate sore

Their tender feet vpon the stony ground:

And comming to the place, where all in gore

And cruddy bloud enwallowed they found

The lucklesseMarinell, lying in deadly swound;

His mother swowned thrise, and the third timexxxvCould scarce recouered be out of her paine;Had she not bene deuoyd of mortall slime,She should not then haue bene reliu’d againe,But soone as life recouered had the raine,She made so piteous mone and deare wayment,That the hard rocks could scarse from teares refraine,And all her sister Nymphes with one consentSupplide her sobbing breaches with sad complement.

His mother swowned thrise, and the third timexxxv

Could scarce recouered be out of her paine;

Had she not bene deuoyd of mortall slime,

She should not then haue bene reliu’d againe,

But soone as life recouered had the raine,

She made so piteous mone and deare wayment,

That the hard rocks could scarse from teares refraine,

And all her sister Nymphes with one consent

Supplide her sobbing breaches with sad complement.

Deare image of my selfe (she said) that is,xxxviThe wretched sonne of wretched mother borne,Is this thine high aduauncement, O is thisTh’immortall name, with which thee yet vnborneThy GransireNereuspromist to adorne?Now lyest thou of life and honor reft;Now lyest thou a lumpe of earth forlorne,Ne of thy late life memory is left,Ne can thy irreuocable destiny be weft?FondProteus, father of false prophecis,xxxviiAnd they more fond, that credit to thee giue,Not this the worke of womans hand ywis,That so deepe wound through these deare members driue.I feared loue: but they that loue do liue,But they that die, doe neither loue nor hate.Nath’lesse to thee thy folly I forgiue,And to my selfe, and to accursed fateThe guilt I doe ascribe: deare wisedome bought too late.O what auailes it of immortall seedxxxviiiTo beene ybred and neuer borne to die?Farre better I it deeme to die with speed,Then waste in woe and wailefull miserie.Who dyes the vtmost dolour doth abye,But who that liues, is left to waile his losse:So life is losse, and death felicitie.Sad life worse then glad death: and greater crosseTo see friends graue, then dead the graue selfe to engrosse.But if the heauens did his dayes enuie,xxxixAnd my short blisse maligne, yet mote they wellThus much afford me, ere that he did dieThat the dim eyes of my deareMarinellI mote haue closed, and him bed[951]farewell,Sith other offices for mother meetThey would not graunt.Yet maulgre them farewell, my sweetest sweet;Farewell my sweetest sonne, sith we no more shall meet[952].

Deare image of my selfe (she said) that is,xxxvi

The wretched sonne of wretched mother borne,

Is this thine high aduauncement, O is this

Th’immortall name, with which thee yet vnborne

Thy GransireNereuspromist to adorne?

Now lyest thou of life and honor reft;

Now lyest thou a lumpe of earth forlorne,

Ne of thy late life memory is left,

Ne can thy irreuocable destiny be weft?

FondProteus, father of false prophecis,xxxviiAnd they more fond, that credit to thee giue,Not this the worke of womans hand ywis,That so deepe wound through these deare members driue.I feared loue: but they that loue do liue,But they that die, doe neither loue nor hate.Nath’lesse to thee thy folly I forgiue,And to my selfe, and to accursed fateThe guilt I doe ascribe: deare wisedome bought too late.

FondProteus, father of false prophecis,xxxvii

And they more fond, that credit to thee giue,

Not this the worke of womans hand ywis,

That so deepe wound through these deare members driue.

I feared loue: but they that loue do liue,

But they that die, doe neither loue nor hate.

Nath’lesse to thee thy folly I forgiue,

And to my selfe, and to accursed fate

The guilt I doe ascribe: deare wisedome bought too late.

O what auailes it of immortall seedxxxviiiTo beene ybred and neuer borne to die?Farre better I it deeme to die with speed,Then waste in woe and wailefull miserie.Who dyes the vtmost dolour doth abye,But who that liues, is left to waile his losse:So life is losse, and death felicitie.Sad life worse then glad death: and greater crosseTo see friends graue, then dead the graue selfe to engrosse.

O what auailes it of immortall seedxxxviii

To beene ybred and neuer borne to die?

Farre better I it deeme to die with speed,

Then waste in woe and wailefull miserie.

Who dyes the vtmost dolour doth abye,

But who that liues, is left to waile his losse:

So life is losse, and death felicitie.

Sad life worse then glad death: and greater crosse

To see friends graue, then dead the graue selfe to engrosse.

But if the heauens did his dayes enuie,xxxixAnd my short blisse maligne, yet mote they wellThus much afford me, ere that he did dieThat the dim eyes of my deareMarinellI mote haue closed, and him bed[951]farewell,Sith other offices for mother meetThey would not graunt.Yet maulgre them farewell, my sweetest sweet;Farewell my sweetest sonne, sith we no more shall meet[952].

But if the heauens did his dayes enuie,xxxix

And my short blisse maligne, yet mote they well

Thus much afford me, ere that he did die

That the dim eyes of my deareMarinell

I mote haue closed, and him bed[951]farewell,

Sith other offices for mother meet

They would not graunt.

Yet maulgre them farewell, my sweetest sweet;

Farewell my sweetest sonne, sith we no more shall meet[952].

Thus when they all had sorrowed their fill,xlThey softly gan to search his griesly wound:And that they might him handle more at will,They him disarm’d, and spredding on the groundTheir watchet mantles frindgd with siluer round,They softly wipt away the gelly bloodFrom th’orifice; which hauing well vpbound,They pourd in soueraine balme, and Nectar good,Good both for earthly med’cine, and for heauenly food.Tho when the lilly handedLiagore,xli(ThisLiagorewhylome had learned skillIn leaches craft, by greatAppolloeslore,Sith her whylome vpon highPindushill,He loued, and at last her wombe did fillWith heauenly seed, whereof wisePæonsprong)Did feele his pulse, she knew their staied stillSome litle life his feeble sprites emong;Which to his mother told, despeire she from her flong.Tho vp him[953]taking in their tender hands,xliiThey easily vnto her charet beare:Her teme at her commaundement quiet stands,Whiles they the corse into her wagon reare,And strow with flowres the lamentable beare:Then all the rest into their coches clim,And through the brackish waues their passage sheare;Vpon greatNeptunesnecke they softly swim,And to her watry chamber swiftly carry him.Deepe in the bottome of the sea, her bowrexliiiIs built of hollow billowes heaped hye,Like to thicke cloudes, that threat a stormy showre,And vauted[954]all within, like to the sky,In which the Gods do dwell eternally:There they him laid in easie couch well dight;And sent in haste forTryphon, to applySalues to his wounds, and medicines of might:ForTryphonof sea gods the soueraine leach is hight.

Thus when they all had sorrowed their fill,xl

They softly gan to search his griesly wound:

And that they might him handle more at will,

They him disarm’d, and spredding on the ground

Their watchet mantles frindgd with siluer round,

They softly wipt away the gelly blood

From th’orifice; which hauing well vpbound,

They pourd in soueraine balme, and Nectar good,

Good both for earthly med’cine, and for heauenly food.

Tho when the lilly handedLiagore,xli(ThisLiagorewhylome had learned skillIn leaches craft, by greatAppolloeslore,Sith her whylome vpon highPindushill,He loued, and at last her wombe did fillWith heauenly seed, whereof wisePæonsprong)Did feele his pulse, she knew their staied stillSome litle life his feeble sprites emong;Which to his mother told, despeire she from her flong.

Tho when the lilly handedLiagore,xli

(ThisLiagorewhylome had learned skill

In leaches craft, by greatAppolloeslore,

Sith her whylome vpon highPindushill,

He loued, and at last her wombe did fill

With heauenly seed, whereof wisePæonsprong)

Did feele his pulse, she knew their staied still

Some litle life his feeble sprites emong;

Which to his mother told, despeire she from her flong.

Tho vp him[953]taking in their tender hands,xliiThey easily vnto her charet beare:Her teme at her commaundement quiet stands,Whiles they the corse into her wagon reare,And strow with flowres the lamentable beare:Then all the rest into their coches clim,And through the brackish waues their passage sheare;Vpon greatNeptunesnecke they softly swim,And to her watry chamber swiftly carry him.

Tho vp him[953]taking in their tender hands,xlii

They easily vnto her charet beare:

Her teme at her commaundement quiet stands,

Whiles they the corse into her wagon reare,

And strow with flowres the lamentable beare:

Then all the rest into their coches clim,

And through the brackish waues their passage sheare;

Vpon greatNeptunesnecke they softly swim,

And to her watry chamber swiftly carry him.

Deepe in the bottome of the sea, her bowrexliiiIs built of hollow billowes heaped hye,Like to thicke cloudes, that threat a stormy showre,And vauted[954]all within, like to the sky,In which the Gods do dwell eternally:There they him laid in easie couch well dight;And sent in haste forTryphon, to applySalues to his wounds, and medicines of might:ForTryphonof sea gods the soueraine leach is hight.

Deepe in the bottome of the sea, her bowrexliii

Is built of hollow billowes heaped hye,

Like to thicke cloudes, that threat a stormy showre,

And vauted[954]all within, like to the sky,

In which the Gods do dwell eternally:

There they him laid in easie couch well dight;

And sent in haste forTryphon, to apply

Salues to his wounds, and medicines of might:

ForTryphonof sea gods the soueraine leach is hight.

The whiles theNymphessit all about him round,xlivLamenting his mishap and heauy plight;And oft his mother vewing his wide wound,Cursed the hand, that did so deadly smightHer dearest sonne, her dearest harts delight.But none of all those curses ouertookeThe warlike Maid, th’ensample of that might,But fairely well she thriu’d, and well did brookeHer noble deeds, ne her right course for ought forsooke.Yet did falseArchimageher still pursew,xlvTo bring to passe his mischieuous intent,Now that he had her singled from the crewOf courteous knights, the Prince, and Faery gent,Whom late in chace of beautie excellentShe left, pursewing that same foster strong;Of whose foule outrage they impatient,And full of fiery zeale, him followed long,To reskew her from shame, and to reuenge her wrong.Through thick and thin, through mountaines and through plains, xlviThose two great champions did attonce pursewThe fearefull damzell, with incessant paines:Who from them fled, as light-foot hare from vewOf hunter[955]swift, and sent of houndes trew.At last they came vnto a double way,Where, doubtfull which to take, her to reskew,Themselues they did dispart, each to assay,Whether more happie were, to win so goodly pray.ButTimias, the Princes gentle Squire,xlviiThat Ladies loue vnto his Lord forlent,And with proud enuy, and indignant ire,After that wicked foster fiercely went.So beene they three three sundry wayes ybent.But fairest fortune to the Prince befell,Whose chaunce it was, that soone he did repent,[956]To take that way, in which that DamozellWas fled afore, affraid of him, as feend of hell.

The whiles theNymphessit all about him round,xliv

Lamenting his mishap and heauy plight;

And oft his mother vewing his wide wound,

Cursed the hand, that did so deadly smight

Her dearest sonne, her dearest harts delight.

But none of all those curses ouertooke

The warlike Maid, th’ensample of that might,

But fairely well she thriu’d, and well did brooke

Her noble deeds, ne her right course for ought forsooke.

Yet did falseArchimageher still pursew,xlvTo bring to passe his mischieuous intent,Now that he had her singled from the crewOf courteous knights, the Prince, and Faery gent,Whom late in chace of beautie excellentShe left, pursewing that same foster strong;Of whose foule outrage they impatient,And full of fiery zeale, him followed long,To reskew her from shame, and to reuenge her wrong.

Yet did falseArchimageher still pursew,xlv

To bring to passe his mischieuous intent,

Now that he had her singled from the crew

Of courteous knights, the Prince, and Faery gent,

Whom late in chace of beautie excellent

She left, pursewing that same foster strong;

Of whose foule outrage they impatient,

And full of fiery zeale, him followed long,

To reskew her from shame, and to reuenge her wrong.

Through thick and thin, through mountaines and through plains, xlviThose two great champions did attonce pursewThe fearefull damzell, with incessant paines:Who from them fled, as light-foot hare from vewOf hunter[955]swift, and sent of houndes trew.At last they came vnto a double way,Where, doubtfull which to take, her to reskew,Themselues they did dispart, each to assay,Whether more happie were, to win so goodly pray.

Through thick and thin, through mountaines and through plains, xlvi

Those two great champions did attonce pursew

The fearefull damzell, with incessant paines:

Who from them fled, as light-foot hare from vew

Of hunter[955]swift, and sent of houndes trew.

At last they came vnto a double way,

Where, doubtfull which to take, her to reskew,

Themselues they did dispart, each to assay,

Whether more happie were, to win so goodly pray.

ButTimias, the Princes gentle Squire,xlviiThat Ladies loue vnto his Lord forlent,And with proud enuy, and indignant ire,After that wicked foster fiercely went.So beene they three three sundry wayes ybent.But fairest fortune to the Prince befell,Whose chaunce it was, that soone he did repent,[956]To take that way, in which that DamozellWas fled afore, affraid of him, as feend of hell.

ButTimias, the Princes gentle Squire,xlvii

That Ladies loue vnto his Lord forlent,

And with proud enuy, and indignant ire,

After that wicked foster fiercely went.

So beene they three three sundry wayes ybent.

But fairest fortune to the Prince befell,

Whose chaunce it was, that soone he did repent,[956]

To take that way, in which that Damozell

Was fled afore, affraid of him, as feend of hell.

At last of her farre off he gained vew:xlviiiThen gan he freshly pricke his fomy steed,And euer as he nigher to her drew,So euermore he did increase his speed,And of each turning still kept warie heed:Aloud to her he oftentimes did call,To doe away vaine doubt, and needlesse dreed:Full myld to her he spake, and oft let fallMany meeke wordes, to stay and comfort her withall.But nothing might relent her hastie flight;xlixSo deepe the deadly feare of that foule swaineWas earst impressed in her gentle spright:Like as a fearefull Doue, which through the raine,Of the wide aire her way does cut amaine,Hauing farre off espyde a Tassell gent,Which after her his nimble wings doth straine,Doubleth her haste for feare to be for-hent[957],And with her pineons cleaues the liquid firmament.With no lesse haste, and eke with no lesse dreed,lThat fearefull Ladie fled from him, that mentTo her no euill thought, nor euill deed;Yet former feare of being fowly shent,Carried her forward with her first intent:And though oft looking backward, well she vewd,Her selfe freed from that foster insolent,And that it was a knight, which now her sewd,Yet she no lesse the knight feard, then that villein rude.His vncouth shield and straunge armes her dismayd,liWhose like in Faery lond were seldome[958]seene,That fast she from him fled, no lesse affrayd,Then of wilde beastes if she had chased beene:Yet he her followd still with courage keene,So long that now the goldenHesperusWas mounted high in top of heauen sheene,And warnd his other brethren ioyeous,To light their blessed lamps inIoueseternall hous.

At last of her farre off he gained vew:xlviii

Then gan he freshly pricke his fomy steed,

And euer as he nigher to her drew,

So euermore he did increase his speed,

And of each turning still kept warie heed:

Aloud to her he oftentimes did call,

To doe away vaine doubt, and needlesse dreed:

Full myld to her he spake, and oft let fall

Many meeke wordes, to stay and comfort her withall.

But nothing might relent her hastie flight;xlixSo deepe the deadly feare of that foule swaineWas earst impressed in her gentle spright:Like as a fearefull Doue, which through the raine,Of the wide aire her way does cut amaine,Hauing farre off espyde a Tassell gent,Which after her his nimble wings doth straine,Doubleth her haste for feare to be for-hent[957],And with her pineons cleaues the liquid firmament.

But nothing might relent her hastie flight;xlix

So deepe the deadly feare of that foule swaine

Was earst impressed in her gentle spright:

Like as a fearefull Doue, which through the raine,

Of the wide aire her way does cut amaine,

Hauing farre off espyde a Tassell gent,

Which after her his nimble wings doth straine,

Doubleth her haste for feare to be for-hent[957],

And with her pineons cleaues the liquid firmament.

With no lesse haste, and eke with no lesse dreed,lThat fearefull Ladie fled from him, that mentTo her no euill thought, nor euill deed;Yet former feare of being fowly shent,Carried her forward with her first intent:And though oft looking backward, well she vewd,Her selfe freed from that foster insolent,And that it was a knight, which now her sewd,Yet she no lesse the knight feard, then that villein rude.

With no lesse haste, and eke with no lesse dreed,l

That fearefull Ladie fled from him, that ment

To her no euill thought, nor euill deed;

Yet former feare of being fowly shent,

Carried her forward with her first intent:

And though oft looking backward, well she vewd,

Her selfe freed from that foster insolent,

And that it was a knight, which now her sewd,

Yet she no lesse the knight feard, then that villein rude.

His vncouth shield and straunge armes her dismayd,liWhose like in Faery lond were seldome[958]seene,That fast she from him fled, no lesse affrayd,Then of wilde beastes if she had chased beene:Yet he her followd still with courage keene,So long that now the goldenHesperusWas mounted high in top of heauen sheene,And warnd his other brethren ioyeous,To light their blessed lamps inIoueseternall hous.

His vncouth shield and straunge armes her dismayd,li

Whose like in Faery lond were seldome[958]seene,

That fast she from him fled, no lesse affrayd,

Then of wilde beastes if she had chased beene:

Yet he her followd still with courage keene,

So long that now the goldenHesperus

Was mounted high in top of heauen sheene,

And warnd his other brethren ioyeous,

To light their blessed lamps inIoueseternall hous.

All suddenly dim woxe the dampish ayre,liiAnd griesly shadowes couered heauen bright,That now with thousand starres was decked fayre;Which when the Prince beheld, a lothfull sight,And that perforce, for want of lenger light,He mote surcease his suit, and lose the hopeOf his long labour, he gan fowly wyteHis wicked fortune, that had turnd aslope,And cursed night, that reft from him so goodly scope.Tho when her wayes he could no more descry,liiiBut to and fro at disauenture strayd;Like as a ship, whose Lodestarre suddenlyCouered with cloudes, her Pilot hath dismayd;His wearisome pursuit perforce he stayd,And from his loftie steed dismounting low,Did let him forage. Downe himselfe he laydVpon the grassie ground, to sleepe a throw;The cold earth was his couch, the hard steele his pillow.But gentle Sleepe enuyde him any rest;livIn stead thereof sad sorrow, and disdaineOf his hard hap did vexe his noble brest,And thousand fancies bet his idle braineWith their light wings, the sights of semblants vaine:Oft did he wish, that Lady faire mote beeHis Faery Queene, for whom he did complaine:Or that his Faery Queene were such, as shee:And euer hastie Night he blamed bitterlie.Night thou foule Mother of annoyance sad,lvSister of heauie death, and nourse of woe,Which wast begot in heauen, but for thy badAnd brutish shape thrust downe to hell below,Where by the grim floud ofCocytusslowThy dwelling is, inHerebusblacke hous,(BlackeHerebusthy husband is the foeOf all the Gods) where thou vngratious,Halfe of thy dayes doest lead in horrour hideous.

All suddenly dim woxe the dampish ayre,lii

And griesly shadowes couered heauen bright,

That now with thousand starres was decked fayre;

Which when the Prince beheld, a lothfull sight,

And that perforce, for want of lenger light,

He mote surcease his suit, and lose the hope

Of his long labour, he gan fowly wyte

His wicked fortune, that had turnd aslope,

And cursed night, that reft from him so goodly scope.

Tho when her wayes he could no more descry,liiiBut to and fro at disauenture strayd;Like as a ship, whose Lodestarre suddenlyCouered with cloudes, her Pilot hath dismayd;His wearisome pursuit perforce he stayd,And from his loftie steed dismounting low,Did let him forage. Downe himselfe he laydVpon the grassie ground, to sleepe a throw;The cold earth was his couch, the hard steele his pillow.

Tho when her wayes he could no more descry,liii

But to and fro at disauenture strayd;

Like as a ship, whose Lodestarre suddenly

Couered with cloudes, her Pilot hath dismayd;

His wearisome pursuit perforce he stayd,

And from his loftie steed dismounting low,

Did let him forage. Downe himselfe he layd

Vpon the grassie ground, to sleepe a throw;

The cold earth was his couch, the hard steele his pillow.

But gentle Sleepe enuyde him any rest;livIn stead thereof sad sorrow, and disdaineOf his hard hap did vexe his noble brest,And thousand fancies bet his idle braineWith their light wings, the sights of semblants vaine:Oft did he wish, that Lady faire mote beeHis Faery Queene, for whom he did complaine:Or that his Faery Queene were such, as shee:And euer hastie Night he blamed bitterlie.

But gentle Sleepe enuyde him any rest;liv

In stead thereof sad sorrow, and disdaine

Of his hard hap did vexe his noble brest,

And thousand fancies bet his idle braine

With their light wings, the sights of semblants vaine:

Oft did he wish, that Lady faire mote bee

His Faery Queene, for whom he did complaine:

Or that his Faery Queene were such, as shee:

And euer hastie Night he blamed bitterlie.

Night thou foule Mother of annoyance sad,lvSister of heauie death, and nourse of woe,Which wast begot in heauen, but for thy badAnd brutish shape thrust downe to hell below,Where by the grim floud ofCocytusslowThy dwelling is, inHerebusblacke hous,(BlackeHerebusthy husband is the foeOf all the Gods) where thou vngratious,Halfe of thy dayes doest lead in horrour hideous.

Night thou foule Mother of annoyance sad,lv

Sister of heauie death, and nourse of woe,

Which wast begot in heauen, but for thy bad

And brutish shape thrust downe to hell below,

Where by the grim floud ofCocytusslow

Thy dwelling is, inHerebusblacke hous,

(BlackeHerebusthy husband is the foe

Of all the Gods) where thou vngratious,

Halfe of thy dayes doest lead in horrour hideous.

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