But now for fear her Beads fhe did forget.
Whofe needlefs dread for to remove away,
Fair Una fram'd Words and Count'nance fit:
Which hardly done, at length fhe 'gan them
pray,
That in their Cottage fmall that Night fhe reft her
The day is ipent, and cometh drowfy Night,"
When every Creature fhrowded is in fleep;
Sad Una down her lays in weary plight,
And at her feet the Lion Watch doth keep:
Inftead of Reft, fhe does lament, and weep
For the late Lofs of her dear loved Knight,
And fighs and groans, and evermore does steep
Her tender Breaft in bitter Tears all Night;
All Night she thinks too long, and often looks for
Light.
Now when Aldeboran was mounted high
Above the fhiny Caffiopeia's Chair,
And all in deadly fleep did drowned lie,
One knocked at the Door, and in would fare;
He knocked faft, and often curs'd, and fware,
That ready Entrance was not at his call:
For on his Back a heavy Load he bare
Of nightly Stealths, and Pillage several,
Which he had got abroad by Purchase criminal,
He was to weet a ftout and sturdy Thief,
Wont to rob Churches of their Ornaments,
And poor Mens Boxes of their due Relief,
Which given was to them for good Intents:
The holy Saints of their rich Vestiments
He did difrobe, when all Men carelels flept,
And spoil'd the Priests of their Habiliments,
Whites none the holy things in fafety kept;
Then he by cunning fleights in at the Window
And all that he by Right or Wrong could find,
Unto this House he brought, and did bestow
Upon the Daughter of this Woman blind,
A beffa, Daughter of Corceca flow,
With whom he Whoredom us'd, that few did
know,
And fed her fat with Feaft of Offerings,
And Plenty, which in all the Land did grow:
Ne fpared he to give her Gold an Rings,
And now he to her brought part of his ftolen
things:
Thus long the Door with Rage and Threats he
bet,
Yet of thofe fearful Women none durft rife.
The Lion frayed them, him in to let:
He would no longer ftay him to advise,
But open breaks the Door in furious wife,
And entring is; when that disdainful Beaft
Encountring fierce, him fuddain doth furprize,
And feizing cruel Claws on trembling Breast,
Under his Lordly Foot him proudly hath fuppreft.
Him booteth not refift, nor Succour call,
His bleeding Heart is in the Venger's Hand,
Who ftraight him rent in thousand pieces fmall,
And quite difmembred hath: The thirsty Land
Drunk up his Life; his Corfe left on the strand,
His fearful Friends wear out the woful Night,
Ne dare to weep, nor feem to understand
The heavy Hap, which on them is alight,
Afraid, left to themselves the like mishappen might.
Now when broad Day the World discovered has,
Up Una rofe, up rofe the Lion eke,
And on their former Journey forward pafs,
In ways unknown, her wandring Knight to feek,
With Pains far paffing that long wandring Greek,
That for his Love refufed Deity;
Such were the Labours of this Lady meek,
Still feeking him, that from her ftill did fly,
Then furtheft from her hope, when moft fhe wee-
ned nigh.
Soon as fhe parted thence, the fearful Twain,
That blind old Woman and her Daughter dear,
Came forth,and finding Kirkrapine there flain,
For Anguish great they 'gan to rend their Hair,
And beat their Breafts, and naked Flesh to tear.
And when they both had wept and wail'd their
fill,
Then forth they ran like two amazed Deer,
Half mad through Malice, and revenging Will,
To follow her, that was the caufer of their Ill,
Whom overtaking, they 'gan loudly bray,
With hollow Howling, and lamenting Cry,
Shamefully at her railing all the way,
And her accufing of Dishonesty,
That was the Flower of Faith and Chastity;
And still amidst her railing, fhe did pray,
That Plagues, and Mischiefs, and long Mifery
Spenser. Might fall on her, and follow all the way, And that in endless Error fhe might ever stray.
But when she saw her Prayers nought prevail,
She back returned with fome Labour loft;
And in the way, as the did weep and wail,
A Knight her met in mighty Arms embofs'd,
Yet Knight was not for all his bragging boast.
But fubtile Archimago, that Una fought
By Trains into new Troubles to have tofs'd:
Of that old Woman Tydings he befought,
If that of fuch a Lady fhe could tellen ought.
There with fhe 'gan her Paffion' to renew,
And cry, and curfe, and rail, and rend her Hair,
Saying, that Harlot fhe too lately knew,
That caus'd her fhed fo many a bitter Tear,
And fo forth told the Story of her Fear;
Much feemed he to moan her hapless Chaunce,
And after for that Lady did inquere :
Which being taught, he forward 'gan advaunce
His fair enchaunted Steed, and eke his charmed
Launce.
Ere long he came where Una travel'd flow,
And that wild Champion waiting her befide:
Whom feeing fuch, for dread he durft not show
Himself too nigh at hand, but turned wide
Unto an Hill; from whence when fhe him fpy'd,
By his like feeming Shield, her Knight by name
She ween'd it was, and towards him 'gan ride;
Approching nigh, fhe wift it was the fame,
And with fair fearful humbleffe towards him fhe
And weeping faid, Ah my long lacked Lord,
Where have you been thus long out of my
fight?
Much feared I, to have been, quite abhor'd,
Or ought have done, that ye dilpleasen might,
That fhould as death unto my dear Heart light:
For fince mine Eye your joyous fight did mifs,
My cheerful Day is turn'd to cheerlefs Night,
And eke my Night of Death the Shadow is;
But welcome now my Light, and fhining Lamp of
Blifs.
He thereto meeting, faid, my dearest Dame,
Far be it from your Thought, and from my
Will,
To think that Knighthood I so much should
fhame,
As you to leave, that have me loved ftill,
And chofe in Fairy Court of mere good-will,
Where nobleft Knights were to be found on
Earth.
The Earth fhall fooner leave her kindly Skill,
To bring forth Fruit, and make eternal Dearth,
Than I leave you, mi Liefe, yborn of heavenly
Birth.
And footh to fay, why I left you fo long,
Was for to feek Adventure in ftrange Place.
Where Archimago faid a Felon strong
To many Knights did daily work difgrace;
But Knight he now fhall never more deface:
Good caule of mine excufe;
that more ye
Weil to accept, and evermore embrace
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