"Sonne," faid he then, " lett be thy bitter fcorne, "And leave the rudeneffe of that antique age "To them that liv'd therein in state forlorne : "Thou that docft live in later times must wage Thy workes for wealth, and life for gold ena gage:

"If then thee lift my offred grace to ufe, "Take what thou please of all this surplusage; "If thee lift not, leave have thou to refufe: "But thing refufed doe not afterward accuse.”

XIX.

"Me lift not," said the Elfin knight," receave "Thing offred, till I know it well be gott; *Ne wote I but thou didst these goods bereave "From rightful owner by unrighteous lott, "Or that blood-guiltineffe, or guile them blott." Perdy," quoth he, " yet never eie did vew, "Ne tong did tell, ne hand these handled not; But fafe I have them kept in fecret mew, "From Heven's fight, and powre of al which them “ pourfew.”

At length they came into a larger space,
That stretcht itfelfe into an ample playne,
Through which a beaten bread high way did trace,
That freight did lead to Plutoes griefly rayne:
By that wayes fide there fate infernall Payne,
And fast befide him fat tumultuous Strife;
The one in hand an yron whip did strayne,
The other brandifhed a bloody knife,

Before the dore fat felfe-confuming Care,
Day and night keeping wary watch and ward,
For feare leaft Force or Fraud fhould unaware
Breake in, and spoil the treasure there in gard;
Ne would he fuffer Sleepe once thether-ward
Approch, albe his drowfy den were next;
For next to Death is Sleepe to be compard,
Therefore his house is unto his annext;
Here Sleep, ther Richeffe, and hel-gate them both
betwext.

XXVI.

So foon as Mammon there arriv'd, the dore
To him did open, and affoorded way;

Him followed eke Sir Guyon evermore,
Ne darkneffe him ne daunger might difmay.
Soone as he entred was, the dere ftreightway
Did fhutt, and from behind it forth there lept
An ugly feend more fowle then dismail Day,
The which with monstrous ftalke behind him
Rept,

And ever as he went dew watch upon him kept.

XXVII

Well hoped hee, ere long that hardy guest,
If ever covetous hand or luftfull eye,
Or lips he layd on things that like him beft,
Or ever fleepe his eie-ftrings did untye,
Should be his pray; and therefore still on hy
He over him did hold his cruell clawes,

threaten life.

And rend in peeces with his ravenous pawes, If ever he tranfgreft the fatall Stygian lawes.

That houses forme within was rude and strong,
Lyke an huge cave hewne out of rocky clifte,
From whofe rough vaut the ragged breeches hong
Emboft with maffy gold of glorious guifte,

And with rich metall loaded every rifte,
That heavy ruine they did seem to threatt;
And over them Arachne high did lifte
Her cunning web, and fpread her fubtile nett,
Enwrapped in fowle smoke and clouds more black
then iett

XXIX.

XXXIV.

Thereat the feend his gnashing teeth did grate, And griev'd fo long to lacke his greedie pray; For well he weened that fo glorious bayte Would tempt his gueft to take thereof assay: Had he fo doen, he had him snatcht away, More light then culver in the faulcon's fift;

But whenas Mammon faw his purpose mist, Him to entrap unwares another way he wift.