While round about them pleasantly did sing The young man sleeping by her, seem'd to be
Many fair ladies, and lascivious boys,

Some goodly swain of honourable place,
Thatever mix'd their song with light licentious toys. That certes it great pity was to see

Him his nobility so foul deface; And all the while, right over him she hung,

A sweet regard, and amiable grace, With her false eyes fast fixed in his sight,

Mixed with manly sternness, did appear As seeking medecine, whence she was stung,

Yet sleeping in his well proportion’d face, Or greedily depasturing delight:

And on his tender lips the downy hair (bear. And oft inclining down with kisses light,

Did now but freshly spring, and silken blossoms For fear of waking him, his lips bedew'd, And through his humid eyes did suck his spright, His warlike arms (the idle instruments Quite molten into lust and pleasure lewd ;

Of sleeping praise) were hung upon a tree, Wherewith she sighed soft, as if his case she rued. And his brave shield (full of old moniments)

Was foully ras'd, that none the signs might see; The while, some one did chaunt this lovely lay;

Nor for them, nor for honour cared he, “ Ah see, whose fair thing dost fain to see,

Nor aught that did to his advancement tend ; In springing flower the image of thy day;

But in lewd loves, and wasteful luxury, Ah see the virgin rose, how sweetly she

His days, his goods, his body he did spend : Doth first peep forth with bashful modesty,

O horrible enchantment, that him so did blend! That fairer seems, the less ye see her may; Lo, see soon after, how more bold and free

The noble elf and careful palmer drew Her bared bosom she doth broad display;

So nigh them (minding nought but lustful game) Lo, see soon after, how she fades and falls away. That sudden forth they on them rush'd, and threw

A subtle net, which only for the same “So passeth, in the passing of a day,

The skilful palmer formally did frame. Of mortal life the leaf, the bud, the flower,

So held them under fast, the while the rest Nor more doth flourish after first decay,

Fled all away for fear of fouler shame. That erst was sought to deck both bed and bower The fair Enchantress, so unwares opprest, [wrest. Of many a lady, and many a paramour :

Tried all her arts, and all her sleights, thence out to Gather therefore the rose, hile yet is prime, For soon comes age, that will her pride deflower: And eke her lover strove: but all in vain; Gather the rose of love, while yet is time,

For, that same net so cunningly was wound, While loving thou mayst loved be with equal crime.” That neither guile nor force might it distrain.

They took them both, and both them strongly bound He ceas’d, and then gan all the quire of birds

In captive bands, which there they ready found: Their divers notes t'attune unto his lay,

But her in chains of adamant he tied; As in approvance of his pleasing words.

For nothing else might keep her safe and sound; The constant pair heard all that he did say,

But Verdant (so he hight) he soon untied, Yet swerved not, but kept their forward way, And counsel sage instead thereof to him applied. Through many covert groves, and thickets close, In which they creeping did at last display

But all those pleasant bowers, and palace brave, That wanton lady, with her lover loose,

Guyon broke down, with rigor pitiless; Whose sleepy head she in her lap did soft dispose. Nor aught their goodly workmanskip might save

Them from the tempest of his wrathfulness, Upon a bed of roses she was laid,

But that their bliss he turn'd to balefulness : As faint through heat, or dight to pleasant sin,

Their groves he fell’d, their gardens did deface, And was array'd, or rather disarray'd,

Their arbors spoil'd, their cabinets suppress, All in a veil of silk and silver thin,

Their banquet-houses burn, their buildings rase, That hid no whit her alabaster skin,

And of the fairest late, now made the foulest place. But rather shew'd more white, if more might be: More subtle web Arachne cannot spin, Nor the fine nets, which oft we woven see

THE FACULTIES OF THE MIND. Of scorched dew do not in th' air more lightly flee.

Nor can I tell, nor can I stay to tell

This part's great workmanship, and wondrous power, Her snowy breast was bare to ready spoil

That all this other world's work doth excel, Of hungry eyes which n'ote therewith be fillid; And yet through languor of her late sweet toil, Therein were divers rooms, and divers stages, Few drops, more clear than nectar, forth distillid, But three the chiefest, and of greatest power, That like pure orient pearls adown it trillid: In which there dwelt three honourable sages, And her fair eyes sweet smiling in delight

The wisest men (I ween) that lived in their ages. Moisten'd their fiery beams, with which she thrillid Frail hearts, yet quenched not; like starry light, Not he whom Greece (the nurse of all good arts) Which sparkling on the silent waves, does seem By Phæbus' doom, the wisest thought alive, more bright.

Might be compar'd to these by many parts:

*

*

*

Nor that sage Pylian sire, which did survive His goodly reason, and grave personage,
Three ages, such as mortal men contrive,

That his disciples both desir'd to be ; (three. By whose advice old Priam's city fell,

But Alma thence them led to th' hindmost room of With these in praise of policies might strive. These three in these three rooms did sundry dwell,

That chamber seemed ruinous and old, And counselled fair Alma, how to govern well.

And therefore was removed far behind;

Yet were the walls, that did the same uphold, The first of them could things to come foresee: Right firm and strong, though somewhat they The next, could of things present best advise;

declin'd; The third, things past could keep in memory: And therein sate an old old man, half blind, So that no time, nor reason could arise,

And all decrepid in his feeble corse, But that the same could one of these comprise. Yet lively vigor rested in his mind, For thy, the first did in the fore part sit,

And recompenced him with a better scorce: That nought might hinder his quick prejudice: Weak body well is chang'd for mind's redoubled He had a sharp foresight, and working wit,

[force. That never idle was, nor once could rest a whit.

This man of infinite remembrance was,

And things foregone through many ages held, His chamber was dispainted all within,

Which he recorded still as they did pass, With sundry colours, in the which were writ Nor suffered them to perish through long eld, Infinite shapes of things dispersed thin;

As all things else, the which this world doth weld, Some such as in the world were never yet,

But laid them up in his immortal scrine, Nor can devised be of mortal wit;

Where they for ever uncorrupted dwellid;
Some daily seen, and knowen by their names, The wars he well remembered of king Nine,
Such as in idle fantasies do flit:

Of old Assaracus, and Inachus divine.
Infernal hags,centaurs, fiends, hippodames, (dames.
Apes, lions, eagles, owls, fools, lovers, children,

The years of Nestor nothing were to his,

Nor yet Methusalem, though longest liv'd; And all the chamber filled was with flies,

For, he remembered both their infancies: Which buzzed all about, and made such sound, Nor wonder then, if that he were depriv'd That they encumbered all men's ears and eyes, Of native strength now, that he them surviv'd. Like many swarms of bees assembled round, His chamber all was hung about with rolls, After their hives with honey do abound:

And old records from ancient times deriv’d, All those were idle thoughts and phantasies, Some made in books, some in long parchment scrolls Devices, dreams, opinions unsound,

That were all worm-eater, and full of canker holes. Shows, visions, soothsays, and prophecies; And all that feigned is, as leasings, tales, and lies.

THE DEFEAT OF MARINELL. Amongst them all sate he which wonned there, Eftsoons her goodly shield addressing fair, That hight Phantastes by his nature true;

That mortal spear she in her hand did take, A man of years yet fresh, as might appear,

And unto battle did herself prepare. Of swarth complexion, and of crabbed hue, The knight, approaching, sternly her bespake; That him full of melancholy did shew;

“Sir knight, that dost thy voyage rashly make Bent hollow beetle brow, sharp staring eyes, By this forbidden way in my despite, That mad or foolish seem'd: one by his view Nor dost by others' death example take, Might deem him born with ill disposed skies, I read thee soon retire, while thou hast might, When oblique Saturn sate in th' house of agonies. Least afterwards it be too late to take thy flight.” Whom Alma having shewed to her guests, (walls Ythrill d with deep disdain of his proud threat, Thence brought them to the second room, whose She shortly thus; “fly they, that need to fly; Were painted fair with memorable gestes

Words fearen babes. I mean not thee intreat Of famous wisards, and with picturals

To pass; but maugre thee will pass or die." Of magistrates, of courts, of tribunals,

Nor longer staid for th' other to reply, Of commonwealths, of states, of policy,

But with sharp spear the rest made dearly known. Of laws, of judgements, and of decretals;

Strongly the strange knight ran, and sturdily All arts, all science, all philosophy,

Struck her full on the breast, that made her down And all that in the world was aye thought wittily.

Decline her head.
Of those that room was full: and them among But she against him in the shield did smite
There sate a man of ripe and perfect age,

With so fierce fury and great puissance, [quite, Who did them meditate all his life long,

That through his three square scutcheon piercing That through continual practise and usage, And through his mailed hauberk, by mischance He now was grown right wise, and wondrous sage. The wicked steel through his left side did glance; Great pleasure had those stranger knights to see

Him so transfixed she before her bore

Shortly upon that shore. there heaped was
Exceeding riches and all precious things,
The spoil of all the world, that it did pass
The wealth of th' East, and pomp of Persian Kings;
Gold, amber, ivory, pearls, owches, rings,
And all that else was precious and dear,
The sea unto him voluntary brings ;
That shortly he a great lord did appear,
As was in all the land of fairy, or elsewhere.

Thereto he was a doughty dreaded knight,
Tried often to the scathe of many dear,
That none in equal arms him matchen might:
The which his mother seeing, gan to fear
Least his too haughty hardiness might rear
Some hard mishap, in bazard of his life :
For this she oft him counsel'd to forbear
The bloody battle, and to stir up
But after all his war, to rest his weary knife.

strife,

And for his more assurance, she enquir'd
One day of Proteus by his mighty spell
(For Proteus was with prophecy inspir’d)
Her dear son's destiny to her to tell,
And the sad end of her sweet Marinell.
Who, through foresight of his eternal skill,
Bade her from womankind to keep him well:
For of a woman he should have much ilt;
A virgin strange and stout him should dismay or kill.

Beyond his croup the length of all her lance,
Till sadly sousing on the sandy shore,
He tumbled on an heap, and wallow'd in his gore.
Like as the sacred Ox that careless stands,
With gilded horns, and flow'ry garlands crown'd,
Proud of his dying honor and dear bands,
While th' altars fume with frankincense around,
All suddenly with mortal stroke astound
Doth grovelling fall, and with his streaming gore
Distains the pillars, and the holy ground,
And the fair flowers, that decked him before;
So fell proud Marinell upon the precious shore.
The martial maid staid not him to lament,
But forward rode, and kept her ready way
Along the strond: which as she overwent,
She saw bestrewed all with rich array
Of pearls and precious stones of great assay,
And all the gravel mix'd with golden ore ;
Whereat she wondered much, but would not stay
For gold, or pearls, or precious stones an hour,
But them despised all; for all was in her power.
While thus he lay in deadly 'stonishment,
Tidings hereof came to his mother's ear;
His mother was the black-brow'd Cymoent,
The daughter of great Nereus, which did bear
This warlike son unto an earthly peer,
The famous Dumarin: who on a day
Finding the nymph asleep in secret where
As he by chance did wander that same way,
Was taken with her love, and by her closely lay.
There he this knight of her begot; whom born.
She of his father Marinell did name,
And in a rocky cave as wight forlorn,
Long time she fostered up, till he became
A mighty man at arms, and mickle fame.
Did get through great adventures by him done:
For never man he suffered by that same
Rich strond to travel, whereas he did wonne,
But that he must do battle with the sea nymph'sson.
An hundred knights of honorable name
He had subdued, and them his vassals made,
That through all fairy land his noble fame
Now blazed was, and fear did all invade,
That none durst passen through that perilous glade:
And to advance his name and glory more,
Her sea-god sire she dearly did persuade
Tendow her son with treasure and rich store,
'Bove all the sons that were of earthly wombs y bore.
The god did grant his daughter's dear demand,
To doen his nephew in all riches flow;
Eftsoons his heaped waves he did command,
Out of their hollow bosom forth to throw
All the huge treasure, which the sea below
Had in his greedy gulf devoured deep,
And him enriched through the overthrow
And wrecks of many wretches, which did weep
And often wail their wealth, which he from them

did keep

For this she gave him warning every day,
The love of women not to entertain;
A lesson too too hard for living clay,
From love in course of nature to refrain:
Yet he his mother's love did well retain,
And ever from fair ladies' love did fly;
Yet many ladies fair did oft complain,
That they for love of him would algates die;
Die, whoso list for him, he was love's enemy.

But ah, who can deceive his destiny,
Or ween by warning to avoid his fate;
That when he sleeps in most security,
And safest seems, him soonest doth ainate,
And findeth due effect or soon or late !
So feeble is the power of fleshly arm.
His mother bade him women's love to hate,
For she of women's force did fear no harm;
So weening to have arm'd lim, she did quite disarm.

This was that woman, this that deadly wound,
That Proteus prophecied should him dismay,
The which his mother vainly did expound,
To be heart-wounding love, which should essay
To bring her son unto his last decay.
So tickle be the terms of mortal state,
And full of subtle sophisms, which do play
With double senses, and with false debate,
To approve the unknown purpose of eternal fate.

Too true the famous Marinell it found,
Who through late trial on that wealthy strand
Inglorious now lies in senseless swound,

Through heavy stroke of Britomartis' hand, That the hard rocks could scarce from tears refrain,
Which when his mother dear did understand, And all her sister nymphs with one consent
And heavy tidings heard, whereas she play'd Supplied her sobbing breaches with sad compliment.
Amongst her watry sisters by a pond,
Gathering sweet daffadillies to have made (shade ; “ Dear image of myself” she said, " that is
Gay garlands, from the sun their foreheads fair to

The wretched son of wretched mother born,

Is this thine high advancement? O, is this Eftsoons both flowers and garlands far away Th' immortal name, with which thee yet unborn She flung, and her fair dewy locks yrent,

Thy grandsire Nereus promised to adorn? To sorrow huge she turn'd her former play,

Now liest thou of life and honour reft;
And gamesome mirth to grievous dreriment: Now liest thou a lump of earth forlorn,
She threw herself down on the continent,

Nor of thy late life memory is left,
Nor word did speak, but lay as in a swoune, Nor can thy irrevocable destiny be weft.
While all her sisters did for her lament,
With yelling outcries, and with shrieking sowne;

“ Fond Proteus, father of false prophecies, And every one did tear her garland from her crown.

And they more fond that credit to thee give,

Not this the work of woman's hand I wis, (drive. Soon as she up out of her deadly fit

That so deep wound through these dear members Arose, she bade her chariot to be brought,

I feared love: but they that love do live ; And all her sisters, that with her did sit,

But they that die, do neither love nor hate. Bade eke at once their chariots to be sought; Nath'less, to thee thy folly I forgive, Then, full of bitter grief and pensive thought, And to myself, and to accursed fate She to her waggon clombe ; clombe all the rest, The guilt I do ascribe : dear wisdom bought too late. And forth together went, with sorrow fraught. The waves, obedient to their behest, [ceas'd.

« 0, what avails it of immortal seed Them yielded ready passage, and their rage sur

To been ybred and never born to die?

Far better I it deem to die with speed, Great Neptune stood amazed at their sight,

Than waste in woe and wailful misery. While on his broad round back they softly slid, Who dies, the utmost dolour doth abie; And eke himself mourn’d at their mournful plight; But who that lives, is left to wail his loss : Yet wist not what their wailing meant, yet did

So life is loss, and death felicity. For great compassion of their sorrow bid

Sad life worse than glad death : and greater cross His mighty waters to them buxom be:

To see friend's grave, than dead the grave self to Eftsoons the roaring billows still abid,

[engross. And all the grizly monsters of the sea (see.

“ But if the heavens did his days envy, Stood gaping at their gate, and wondered them to

And my short bliss malign, yet might they wely

Thus much afford me, ere that he did die A team of dolphins ranged in array,

That the dim eyes of my dear Marinell Drew the smooth chariot of Cymoent;

I might have closed, and him bid farewel, They were all taught by Triton, to obey

Since other offices for mother meet To the long trains, at her commandement:

They would not grant. As swift as swallows on the waves they went, Yet maugre them, farewel my sweetest sweet; That their broad faggy fins no foam did rear, Farewel my sweetest son, since we no more shall Nor bubbling roundell they behind them sent;

[meet.” The rest, of other fishes drawen were, (shear. Which with their finny oars the swelling sea did

THE BIRTH OF BELPHEBE. Soon as they been arriv'd upon the brim

It fortuned, fair Venus having lost Of the rich strond, their chariots they forlore,

Her little

son,

the winged god of love, And let their teamed fishes softly swim

Who for some light displeasure which him crost, Along the margin of the foamy shore,

Was from her fed as flit as airy dove, Least they their fins should bruise, and surbate sore And left her blissful bower of joy above, Their tender feet upon the stony ground;

(So from her often he had fled away, And coming to the place, where all in gore

When she for ought him sharply did reprove, And cruddy blood enwallowed they found

And wandered in the world in strange array, The luckless Marinell lying in deadly swound;

Disguis’d in thousand shapes that none might him

(betray.) His mother swooned thrice, and the third time Him for to seek, she left her heavenly house Could scarce recovered be out of her pain ;

(The house of goodly forms and fair aspects, Had she not been devoid of mortal slime,

Whence all the world derives the glorious She should not then have been reliev'd again: Features of beauties, and all shapes select, But soon as life recovered had the reign,

With which high God his workmanship hath deck'd) She made so piteous moan, and dear wayment, And searched every way, through which his wings

E

Had borne him, or his tract she might detect: Soon as she Venus saw behind her back,
She promis'd kisses sweet and sweeter things She was ashamed to be so loose surprised;
Unto the man, that of him tidings to her brings. And wax half wroth against her damsels slack,

That had not her thereof before advised,
First she him sought in courts, where most he used But suffered her so carelessly disguised
Whylome to haunt, but there she found him not;

Be overtaken. Soon her garments loose But many there she found, which sore accused

Upgath'ring, in her bosom she compris'd, His falsehood, and with foul infamous blot

Well as she might, and to the goddess rose, His cruel deeds and wicked wiles did spot:

While all her nymphs did like a garland her enclose. Ladies and lords she every where might hear Complaining, how with his empoisoned shot Goodly she gan fair Cytherea greet; Their woful hearts he wounded had whyleare, And shortly asked her what cause her brought And so had leftthem languishing twixt hope and fear. Into that wilderness (for her unmeet) (fraught:

From her sweet bowers and beds with pleasures She then the cities sought, from gate to gate, That sudden change she strange adventure thought. And every one did ask, “ Did he him see?”

To whom (half weeping) she thus answered And every one her answered, “ that too late

That she her dearest son Cupido sought, He had him seen, and felt the cruelty

Who in his frowardness from her was fled; Of his sharp darts, and hot artillery."

That she repented sore, to have him angered. And every one threw forth reproaches rife Of his mischievous deeds, and said, “ that he Thereat Diana gan to smile, in scorn Was the disturber of all civil life,

Of her vain plaint, and to her, scoffing, said, The enemy of peace, and author of all strife.” “Great pity sure, that ye be so forlorn

Of your gay son, that gives ye so good aid Then iu the country she abroad him sought,

To your disports: ill might ye be apaid.” And in the rural cottages enquired;

But she was more engrieved, and replied ; Where also, many plaints to her were brought, • Fair sister, ill beseems it to upbraid How he their heedless hearts with love had fired, A doleful heart with so disdainful pride; And his false venom through their veins inspired; The like that mine, may be your pain another tide. And eke the gentle shepherd swains, which sat Keeping their fleecy flocks, as they were hired, “ As you in woods and wanton wilderness She sweetly heard complain, both how and what Your glory set, to chace the savage beasts; Her son had to them done; yet she did smile thereat. So my delight is all in joyfulness,

In beds, in bowers, in banquets, and in feasts: But when in none of all these she him got,

And ill becomes you with your lofty crests, She gan avise where else he might him hide: To scorn the joy that Jove is glad to seek; At last, she her bethought, that she had not

We both are bound to follow heaven's behests, Yet sought the savage woods and forests wide, And tend our charges with obedience meek: In which full many lovely nymphs abide,

Spare (gentle sister) with reproach my pains to eke; Mongst whom might be, that he did closely lie, Or that the love of some of them him tied;

“And tell me, if that ye my son have heard, Therefore she thither cast her course t apply, To lurk amongst your nymphs in secret wise; To search the secret haunts of Dian's company. Or keep their cabins; much I am affeard,

Least he like one of them himself disguise, Shortly, unto the wasteful woods she came,

And turn his arrows to their exercise : Whereas she found the goddess with her crew,

So may he long himself full easy hide: After late chace of their embrewed game,

For, he is fair and fresh in face and guise, Sitting beside a fountain in a rew,

As any nymph (let not it be envied).” Some of them washing with the liquid dew

So saying, every nymph full narrowly she ey'd. From off their dainty limbs the dusty sweat And soil, which did deform their lively hue; But Phebe therewith sore was angered, Others lay shaded from the scorching heat; And sharply said; " Go, dame, go seek your boy, The rest, upon her person, gave attendance great. Where you him lately left, in Mars's bed;

He comes not here, we scorn his foolish joy, She, having hung upon a bough on high

Nor lend we leisure to his idle toy: Her bow and painted quiver, had unlac'd

But if I catch him in this company, Her silver buskins from her nimble thigh,

By Stygian lake I vow,

whose sad annoy And her lank loins ungirt, and breasts unbrac'd, The Gods do dread, he dearly shall abie: After her heat the breathing cold to taste;

I'll clip his wanton wings, that he no more shall Ay." Her golden locks, that late in tresses bright Embraided were for hindering of her haste, Whom when as Venus saw so sore displeased, Now loose about her shoulders hung undight, She inly sorry was,

and

relent And were with sweet ambrosia all besprinkled light. What she had said; so her she soon appeased,

gan