Thus passing th'evening well, till time of rest, But, soone as he began to lay about
Then Britomart unto a bowre was brought; With his rude yron flaile, they gan to flie,
Where groomes awayted her to have undrest: Both armed knights and eke unarmed rout:
But she ne would undressed be for ought,

Yet Talus after them apace did plie,
Ne dotfe her armes, though he her much besought: | Wherever in the darke he could them spie;
Por she had vow'd, she sayd, not to forgo

That here and there like scattred sheepe they lay.
Those warlike weedes, till she revenge had wrought Then, backe returning where his dame did lie,
Of a late wrong uppon a mortall foe;

He to ber told the story of that fray, Which she would sure performe betide her weleor wo. And all that treason there intended did bewray. Which when their host perceiv'd, right discontent Wherewith though wondrous wroth, and inly burning In minde he grew, for feare least by that art

To be avenged for so fowle a deede, He shonld his purpose misse, which close he ment:

Yet being forst t'abide the daies returning, Yet taking leave of her he did depart:

She there remain'd; but with right wary heede, There all that night remained Britomart, Restlesse, recomfortlesse, with heart deepe-grieved, Now mote ye know (that which to Britomart

Least any more such practise should proceede. Not suffering the least twinckling sleepe to start

Unknowen was) whence all this did proceede; Into her eye, which th' heart mote have relieved;

And for what cause so great mischievous smart But if the least appear’d, her eyes she streight re- Was ment to her that never evill ment in hart.

prieved. “Ye guilty eyes," sayd she, “ the which with guyle The goodman of this house was Dolon hight; My heart at first betrayd, will ye betray

A man of subtill wit and wicked minde, My life now too, for which a little whyle

That whilome in his youth had bene a knight, Ye will not watch ? false watches, wellaway!

And armes had borne, but little good could finde, I wote when ye did watch both night and day

And much lesse honour by that warlike kinde Unto your losse ; and now needes will ye sleepe?

Of life: for he was nothing valorous, Now ye have made my heart to wake alway,

But with slie shiftes and wiles did underminde Now will ye sleepe? ah! wake, and rather weepe

All noble knights, which were adventurous, To thinke of your nights want, that should yee And many brought to shame by treason treacherous. waking keepe.”

He had three sonnes, all three like fathers sonnes, Thus did she watch, and weare the weary night Like treacherous, like full of fraud and guile, In waylfull plaints, that none was to appease; Of all that on this earthly compasse wonnes: Now walking soft, now sitting still upright,

The eldest of the which was slaine erewhile As sundry change her seemed best to ease. By Artegall, through his owne guilty wile; Ne lesse did Talus suffer sleepe to seaze

His name was Guizor; whose untimely fate His eye-lids sad, but watcht continually,

For to avenge, full many treasons vile Lying without her dore in great disease;

His father Dolon had deviz'd of late (hate. Like to a spaniell wayting carefully

With these bis wicked sons, and shewd his cankred Least any should betray his lady treacherously.

For sure he weend that this his present guest What time the native belman of the night,

Was Artegall, by many tokens plaine ; The bird that warned Peter of his fall,

But chiefly by that yron page he ghest, First rings his silver bell t' each sleepy wight, Which still was wont with Artegall remaine; That should their mindes up to devotion call,

And therefore ment him surely to have slaine : She heard a wondrous noise below the ball:

But by Gods grace, and her good heedinesse, All sodainely the bed, where she should lie,

She was preserved from their traytrous traine. By a false trap was let adowne to fall,

Thus she all night wore out in watchfulnesse, Into a lower roome, and by and by

Ne suffred slothfull sleepe her eyelids to oppresse. The loft was raysd againe, that no man could it spie. With sight whereof she was dismayd right sore,

The morrow next, so soone as dawning houre

Discovered had the light to living eye,
Perceiving well the treason which was ment:
Yet stirred not at all for doubt of more,

She forth yssew'd out of her loathed bowre,
But kept her place with courage confident,

With full intent t'avenge that villany

On that vilde man and all his family: Wayting what would ensue of that event. It was not long before she heard the sound And, comming down to seeke them where they wond, Of armed men comming with close intent

Nor sire, nor sonnes, nor any could she spie; Towards her cbamber; at which dreadfull stound

Each rowme she sought, but them all empty fond : She quickly caught her sword, and shield about her They all were fled for feare; but whether, nether

kond. bound. With that there came unto her chamber dore She saw it vaine to make there lenger stay, Two knights all armed ready for to fight;

But tooke her steede; and thereon mounting light And after them full many other more,

Gan her addresse unto her former way. A raskall rout, with weapons rudely dight: She had not rid the mountenance of a flight, Whom soone as Talus spide by glims of night, But that she saw there present in her sight He started up, there where on ground he lay, Those two false brethren on that perillous bridge, And in his hand his thresher ready keight: On which Pollente with Artegall did fight. They, seeing that, let drive at him streightway, Streight was the passage, like a ploughed ridge, And round about him preace in riotous aray. That, iftwo met, the one mote needs fallo'er the lidge. There they did thinke themselves on her to wreake: His wife was Isis; whom they likewise made Who as she nigh unto them drew, the one

A goddesse of great powre and soverainty, These vile reproches gan unto her speake; And in her person cunningly did shade “ Thou recreant false traytor, that with lone That part of justice which is equity, Of armes hast knighthood stolne, yet knight art none, Whereof I have to treat here presently: No more sbail now the darkenesse of the night Unto whose temple whenas Britomart Defend thce from the vengeance of thy fone; Arrived, shee with great humility But with thy bloud thou shalt appease the spright Did enter in, ne would that night depart; Of Guizor by thee slaine and murdred by thy slight." But Talus mote not be admitted to her part. Strange were the words in Britomartis eare; There she received was in goodly wize Yet stayd she not for them, but forward fared, Of many priests, which duely did attend Till to the perillous bridge she came; and there Uppon the rites and daily sacrifice, Talus desir'd that he might have prepared All clad in linnen robes with silver hemd ; The way to her, and those two losels scared : And on their heads with long locks comely kémd But she thereat was wroth, that for despight They wore rich mitres shaped like the Moone, The glauncing sparkles through her bever glared, To shew that Isis doth the Moone portend; And from her eies did fash out fiery light, Like as Osyris signifies the Sunne: Like coles that through a silver censer sparkle bright. For that they both like race in equall instice runne. She stayd not to advise which way to take; The championesse them greeting, as she could, But, putting spurres unto her fiery beast,

Was thence by them into the temple led ; Thorough the midst of them she way did make. Whose goodly building when she did behould The one of them, which most her wrath increast, Borne uppon stately pillours, all dispred Uppon her speare she bore before her breast, With shining gold, and arched over bed, Till to the bridges further end she past;

She wondred at the workmans passing skill, Where falling downe his challenge he releast : Whose like before she never saw nor red; The other over side the bridge she cast

And thereuppon long while stood gazing still, Into the river, where he drunke bis deadly last. But thought that she thereon could never gaze

her fill.
As when the flashing levin haps to light
Uppon two stubborne oakes, which stand so neare Thenceforth unto the idoll they her brought;
That way betwixt them none appeares in sight; The which was framed all of silver fine,
The engin, fiercely flying forth, doth teare So well as could with cunning hand be wrought,
Th’ one from the earth, and through the aire doth And clothed all in garments made of line,
The other it with force doth overthrow [beare ; Hemd all about with fringe of silver twine :
Uppon one side, and from his rootes doth reare : Uppon her head she wore a crowne of gold;
So did the championesse those two there strow, To shew that she had powre in things divine:
And to their sire their carcassess left to bestow. And at her feete a crocodile was rold,

That with her wreathed taile her middle did enfold.
One foote was set uppon the crocodile,

And on the ground the other fast did stand;
CANTO VII.

So meaning to suppresse both forged guile

And open force: and in her other hand Britonart comes to Isis Church,

She stretched forth a long white sclender wand. Where shee strange visions sees :

Such was the goddesse: whom when Britomart She fights with Radigund, her slaies,

Had long beheld, herselfe uppon the land
And Artegall thence frees.

She did prostráte, and with right humble hart

Unto herselfe her silent prayers did impart.
Nougus is on Earth more sacred or divine,
That gods and men doe equally adore,

To which the idoll as it were inclining
Then this same vertue that doth right define : Her wand did more with amiable looke,
For thHevens themselves, whence mortal men By outward shew her inward sence desining :
implore

Who well perceiving how her wand she shooke, Right in their wrongs, are rul’d by righteous lore It as a token of good fortune tooke. Of highest love, who doth true justice deale By this the day with dampe was overcast, To his inferiour gods, and evermore

And ioyous light the house of love forsooke : Therewith containes his heavenly common weale: Which when she saw, her helmet she unlaste, The skill whereof to princes hearts he doth reveale. And by the altars side herselfe to slumber plaste. Well therefore did the antique world invent For other beds the priests there used none, That lustice was a god of soveraine grace

But on their mother Earths deare lap did lie, And altars unto him and temples lent,

And bake their sides uppon the cold hard stone, And beavenly honours in the highest place; Tenure themselves to sufferaunce thereby, Calling bim great Osyris, of the race

And proud rebellious flesh to mortify:
Of th’ old Ægyptian kings that whylome were ; For, by the vow of their religion,
With fayned colours shading a true case;

They tied were to stedfast chastity
For that Osyris, whilest he lived here,

And continence of life; that, all forgon,
The justest man alive and truest did appeare. They mote the better tend to their devotion.

Therefore they wote not taste of fleshly food, So therenppon long while she musing lay,
Ne feed on ought the which doth blond containe, With thousand thoughts feeding her fantasie z
Ne drinke of wine ; for wine they say is blood, Untill she spide the lampe of lightsome day
Even the bloud of gyants, which were slaine Up-lifted in the porch of Heaven hje:
By thundring love in the Phlegrean plaine: Then up she rose fraught with melancholy,
For which the Earth (as they the story tell) And forth into the lower parts did pas,
Wroth with the gods, which to perpetuall paine Whereas the priests she found full busily
Had damnd her sonnes which gainst them did rebell, About their holy things for morrow mas;
With inward griefe and malice did against them swell: Whom she saluting faire, faire resaluted was:
And of their vitall bloud, the which was shed But, by the change of her unchearefull looke,
Into her pregnant bosome, forth she brought They might perceive she was not well in plight,
The fruitfull vine;, whose liquor blouddy red, Or that some pensiveness to heart she tooke :
Having the mindes of men with fury fraught, Therefore thus one of them, who seem'd in sight
Mote in them stirre up old rebellious thought To be the greatest and the gravest wight,
To make new warre against the gods againe : To her bespake; “ Sir Koight, it seemes to me
Such is the powre of that same fruit, that nought That, thorough evill rest of this last night,
The fell contagion may thereof restraine,

Or ill apayd or much dismayd ye be;
Ne within reasons rule her madding mood containe. That by your change of cheare is easie for to see."
There did the warlike maide herselfe repose, “ Certes,” sayd she, “ sith ye so well have spide
Under the wings of Isis all that night;

The troublous passion of my pensive mind,
And with sweete rest her heavy eyes did close, I will not seeke the same from you to hide;
After that long daies toile and weary plight: But will my cares unfolde, in hope to find
Where whilest her earthly parts with soft delight Your aide to guide me out of errour blind.”
Of sencelesse sleepe did deeply drowned lie, “Say on," quoth he, “ the secret of your hart:
There did appeare unto her heavenly spright For, by the holy vow which me doth bind,
A wondrous vision, which did close implie

I am adiur'd best counsell to impart
The course of all her fortune and posteritie. To all that shall require my comfort in their smart."
Her seem'd, as she was doing sacrifize

Then gan she to declare the whole discourse
To Isis, deckt with mitre on her hed

Of all that vision which to her appeard, And linnen stole after those priestës guize, As well as to her minde it had recourse. All sodainely she saw transfigured

All which when he unto the end had heard,
Her linnen stole to robe of scarlet red,

Like to a weake faint-hearted man he fared
And moone-like mitre to a crowne of gold; Through great astonishment of that strange sight;
That even she herselfe much wondered

And, with long locks up-standing stifly, stared
At such a chaunge, and ioyed to behold

Like one adawed with some dreadfull spright: Herselfe adorn'd with gems and iewels manifold. So fild with heavenly fury thus he her behight; And, in the midst of her felicity,

“ Magnificke virgin, that in queint disguise An hideous tempest seemed from below

Of British armes doest maske thy royall blood, To rise through all the temple sodainely,

So to pursue a perillous emprize; (hood, That from the altar all about did blow

How couldst thon weene, through that disguized The holy fire, and all the embers strow

To hide thy state from being understood ? Uppon the ground; which, kindled privily, Can from th' immortall gods ought hidden bee? Into outragious fames unwares did grow,

They doe thy linage, and thy lordly brood,
That all the temple put in jeopardy

They doe thy sire lamenting sore for thee,
Of flaming, and herselfe in great perplexity. They doe thy love forlorne in womens thraldome see,
With that the crocodile, which sleeping lay “ The end whereof, and all the long event,
Under the idols feete in fearelesse bowre,

They do to thee in this same dreame discover:
Seem'd to awake in borrible dismay,

For that same crocodile doth represent
As being troubled with that stormy stowre; The righteous knight that is thy faithfull lover,
And gaping greedy wide did streight devoure Like to Osyris in all iust endever :
Both flames and tempest; with which growen great, For that same crocodile Osyris is,
And swolne with pride of his owne peerelesse powre, That under Isis feete doth sleepe for ever ;
He gan to threaten her likewise to eat ; (beat. To shew that clemence oft, in things amis, (his.
But that the goddesse with ber rod him backe did Restraines those sterne behests and cruell doomes of
Tho, turning all his pride to humblesse meeke, “That knight shall all the troublous stormes asswage
Aimselfe before her feete he lowly threw,

And raging flames, that inany foes shall reare
And gan for grace and love of her to seeke: To hinder thee from the iust heritage
Which she accepting, be so neare her drew, Of thy sires crowne, and from thy countrey deare:
That of his game she soone enwombed grew, Then shalt thou take him to thy loved fere,
And forth did bring a lion of great might,

And ioyne in equall portion of thy realme:
That shortly did all other beasts subdew :

And afterwards a sonne to him shalt beare,
With that she waked full of fearefull fright, That lion-like shall shew his powre extreame.
And doubtfully dismayd through that so uncouth So blesse thee God, and give thee ioyance of the
sight.

dreame!

All which when she unto the end had heard, Full fiercely layde the Amazon about,
She much was eased in her troublous thought, And dealt her blowes unmercifully sore ;
And on those priests bestowed rich reward ; Which Britomart withstood with courage stout,
And royall gifts of gold and silver wrought And them repaide againe with double more.
She for a present to their goddesse brought. So long they fought, that all the grassie fiore
Then taking leave of them she forward went Was fild with bloud which from their s des did flow,
To seeke ber love, where he was to be sought; And gushed through their armes, that all in gore
Ne rested till she came without relent

They trode, and on the ground their lives did strow, Unto the land of Amazons, as sbe was bent. Like fruitles seede, of which untjmely death should

grow. Whereof when newes to Radigund was brought, Not with amaze, as women wonted bee,

At last proud Radigund with fell despight, She was confused in her troublous thought;

Having by chaunce espide advantage neare, But fild with courage and with joyous glee,

Let drive at her with all her dreadfull might, As glad to heare of armes, the which now she

And thus upbrayding said; “ This token beare Had long surceast, she bad to open bold,

Unto the man whom thou doest love so deare; That she the face of her new foe might see:

And tell him for his sake thy life thou gavest.” But when they of that yron man bad told,

Which spitefull words she sore engriev'd to heare Which late her folke had slaine, she bad them forth Thus answer'd; “Lewdly thou my love depravest, to hold.

Who shortly must repent that now so vainely

bravest.” So there without the gate, as seemed best,

Nath'lesse that stroke so cruell passage found, She caused her pavilion be pight; In which stout Britomart herselfe did rest,

That glauncing on her shoulder-plate it bit

Unto the bone, and made a griesly wound, Whiles Talus watched at the dore all night.

That she her shield through raging smart of it All night likewise they of the towne in fright Uppon their wall good watch and ward did keepe. Por, having force increast through furious paine,

Could scarse uphold; yet soone she it requit: The morrow next, so soone as dawning light Bad doe away the dampe of drouzie sleepe,

She her so rudely on the helmet smit The warlike Amazon out of her bowre did peepe ;

That it empierced to the very braine,

And her proud person low prostrated on the plaines And caused streight a trumpet loud to shrill, Where being layd, the wrothfull Britonesse To warne her foe to battell soone be prest : Stayd not till she came to herselfe againe; Who, long before awoke, (for she full ill

But in revenge both of her loves distresse Could sleepe all night, that in unquiet brest And her late vile reproch though vaunted vaine, Did closely harbour such a jealous guest) And also of her wound which sore did paine, Was to the battell whilome ready dight.

She with one stroke both head and helmet cleft: Eftsoones that warriouresse with haughty crest Which dreadfull sight when all her warlike traine Did forth issue all ready for the fight;

There present saw, each one of sence bereft On th’ other side her foe appeared soone in sight. Fled fast into the towne, and her sole victor left. But, ere they reared hand, the Amazone

But yet so fast they could not home retrate, Began the streight conditions to propound, But that swift Talus did the formost win; With which she used still to tye her fone,

And, pressing through the preace unto the gate, To serve her so, as she the rest had bound : Pelmell with them attonce did enter in: Which when the other heard, she sternly frownd There then a piteous slaughter did beyin ; For high disdaine of such indignity,

For all that ever came within bis reach And would no lenger treat, but had them sound : He with his yron flale did thresh so thin, For her no other termes should ever tie

That he no worke at all left for the leach; (peach. Then what prescribed were by lawes of chevalrie. Like to an hidevus storme, which nothing may emThe trumpets sound, and they together run And now by this the noble conqueresse With greedy rage, and with their faulchins smot; Herselfe came in, her glory to partake; Ne either sought the others strokes to shun, Where though revengefull vow she did professe, But through great fury both their skill forgot, Yet, when she saw the heapes which he did male And practicke use in armes; ne spared not Of slaughtred carkasses, her heart did quake Their dainty parts, which Nature had created For very ruth, which did it almost rive, So faire and tender withunt staine or spot

That she his fury willed him to slake: for other uses then they them translated; Chated. For else he sure had left not one alive; Which they now hackt and bewd as if such use they But all, in his revenge, of spirite would deprive. As when a tygre and a lionesse

Tho, when she had his execution stayd, Are met at spoyling of some hungry pray, She for that yron prison did enquire, Both challenge it with equall greedinesse:

In which her wretched love was captive layd : But first the tygre clawes thereon did lay; Which breaking open with indignant ire, And therefore loth to loose her right away She entred into all the partes entire: Doth in defence thereof full stoutly stond: Where when she saw that lothly uncouth sight To which the lion strongly doth gainesay,

Of men disguiz'd in womanisbe attire, That she to hunt the beast first tooke in hond; Her heart gan grudge for very deepe despight And therefore ought it have wherever she it fond. Of so unmanly maske in misery misdight.

At last whenas to her owne love she came,

There she continu'd for a certaine space,
Whom like disguize no lesse deformed bad, Till through his want her woe did more increase:
At sight thereof abasht with secrete shame

Then, hoping that the change of aire and place
She turnd her head aside, as nothing glad

Would change her paine and sorrow somewhat ease, To have beheld a spectacle so bad;

She parted thence, her anguish to appease.
And then too well believ'd that which tofore Meane while her noble lord sir Artegall
Iealous suspect as true untruely drad:

Went on his way; ne ever hoxre did cease,
Which vaine conceipt now nourishing no more, Till he redeemed bad that lady thrall :
She sought with ruth to salve his sad misfortunes sore. That for another canto will more fitly fall.
Not so great wonder and astonishment
Did the most chast Penelope possesse,
To see her lord, that was reported drent
And dead long since in dolorous distresse,
Come home to her in piteous wretchednesse,

CANTO VIII.
After long travell of full twenty yeares;
That she knew not his favours likelynesse,

Prince Arthure and sir Artegall
For many scarres and many hoary heares; [feares. Free Samient from feare:
But stood long staring on him mongst uncertaine They slay the Soudan; drive his wife

Adicia to despaire.
“Ah! my deare lord, what sight is this," quoth she,
“ What May-game hath misfortune made of you? Nought under Heaven so strongly doth allure
Where is that dreadfull manly looke? where be

The sence of man, and all his ininde possesse, Those mighty palmes, the which ye wont t'embrew

As beauties lovely baite, that doth procure In bloud of kings, and great hoastes to şubdew?

Great warriours oft their rigour to represse, Could ought on Earth so wondrous change have wrought,

And mighty hands forget their manlinesse;

Drawne with the powre of an heart-robbing eye,
As to have robde you of that manly hew?
Could so great courage stouped have to ought?

And wrapt in fetters of a golden tresse,
Then farewell, fleshly force; I see thy pride is Their hardned hearts enurod to bloud and cruelty.

That can with melting pleasaunce mollifye
nought!”
Thenceforth she streight into a bowre him brought,

So whylome learnd that mighty lewish swaine, And causd bin those uncomely weedes undight;

Each of whose lockes did match a man in might, And in their ste de for other rayment sought,

To lay his spoiles before his lemans traine: Whereof there was great store, and armors bright,

So also did that great Oetean knight Which had bene reft from many a noble knight;

For his love sake his lions skin undight; Whom that proud Amazon subdewed had,

And so did warlike Antony neglect
Whilest fortune favourd her successe in fight:

The worlds whole rule for Cleopatras sight.
In which whenas she him anew had clari, [glad. Such wondrous pou re hath wemens faire aspect
She was reviv'd, and ioyd much in his semblance To captive men, and make them allthe world reiect.
So there awhile they afterwards remained,

Yet could it not sterne Artegall retaine,
Him to refresh, and her late wounds to heale: Nor hold from suite of his avowed quest,
During which space she there as princess rained; Which he had undertane to Gloriane;
And changing all that forine of common-weale But left his love (albe her strong request)
The liberty of women did repeale,

Faire Britomart in languor and unrest,
Which they had long usurpt; and, them restoring And rode himselfe nppon his first intent:
To mens subiection, did true iustice deale: Ne day nor pight did ever idly rest;
That all they, as a goddesse her adoring, [loring. Ne wight but onely Talus with him went,
Her wisedome did admire, and hearkned to her The true guide of his way and vertuous government.
For all those knights, which long in captive shade So travelling, he chaunst far off to heed
Had shrowded bene, she did from thraldome free; A damzell flying on a palfrey fast
And magistrates of all that city made,

Before two knights that after her did speed
And gave to them great living and large fec: With all their powre, and her full fiercely chast
And, that they should for ever faithfull bce, In hope to have her overhent at last:
Made them sweare fëalty to Artegall:

Yet fled she fast, and both them farre outwent,
Who when himselfe now well recur'd did see, Carried with wings of feare, like fowle aghast,
He purposd to proceed, whatso befall,

With locks all loose, and rayment all to rent ; Uppon his first adventure which him forth did call. And ever as she rode her eye was backeward bent. Full sad and sorrowfull was Britomart

Soone after these he saw another knight, For his departure, her new cause of griefe; That after those two former rode apace Yet wisely moderated her owne smart,

With speare in rest, and prickt with all his might : Seeing his honor, which she tendred chiefe, So ran they all, as they had bene at bace, Consisted much in that adventures priefe:

They being chased that did others chace.
The care whereof, and hope of his successe, At length he saw the hindmost overtake
Gave unto her great comfort and reliefe;

One of those two, and force him turne his face;
That womanish complaints she did represse, However loth he were his way to slake,
And tempred for the time her present heavinesse. Yet mote he algates now abide, and answere make.