Her face right wondrous faire did seeme to bee, That her broad beauties beam great brightnes threw
Here alfo fprong that goodly golden fruit
With which Acontius got his lover trew,
Whom he had long time fought with fruitleffe
fuit;
Here eke that famous golden apple grew,
The which emongst the gods falle A:e threw,
For which th' Idaan ladies disagreed,
Till partiall Paris dempt it Venus' dew,
And had of her fayre Helen for his meed,
He lookt a little further, and espyde
Another wretch, whofe carcas deepe was drent
Within the river, which the fame did hyde;
But both his handes, moft filthy feculent,
Above the water were on high extent,
And faynd to wash themselves inceffantly,
That many noble Greekes and Troians made to Yet nothing cleaner were for fuch intent,
The warlike elfe much wondred at this tree
So fayre and great, that fhadowed all the ground,
And his broad braurches, laden with rich fee,
Did firetch themselves without the utmoft bound
Of this great gardin, compaft with a mound,
Which over-hanging, they themselves did steepe
In a blacke flood, which flow'd about it round,
But rather fowler feemed to the eye;
So loft his labour vaine and ydle industry.
The knight him calling, asked who he was? Who lifting up his head, him anfwerd thus ; "I Pilate am, the falfeft iudge, alas! "And moft uniuft, that by unrighteous "And wicked doome, to lewes defpiteous, "Delivered up the Lord of life to dye,
Sir Guyon, layd in swowne, is by
Acrates fonnes defpoyld;
Whom Arthure foone hath refkewed
And paynim brethren foyld.
AND is there care in heaven? and is there love
In heavenly spirits to these creatures bace,
That may compaffion of their evils move?
There is; elfe much more wretched were the cace,
Of men then beafts: but O th' exceeding grace
Of highest God! that loves his creatures fo,
And all his workes with mercy doth embrace,
That bleffed angels he fends to and fro
To ferve to wicked man, to serve his wicked foc.
How oft do they their filver bowers leave
To come to fuccour us that fuccour want?
How oft do they with golden pineons cleave
The flitting fkyes, like flying purfuivant,
Against fowle feendes to ayd us militant?
They for us fight, they watch and dewly ward,
And their bright fquadrons round about us plant,
And all for love and nothing for reward:
O why fhould hevenly God to men have fuch
regard?
During the while that Guyon did abide
In Mammon's house, the palmer, whom whyleare,
That wanton mayd of paffage had denide,
By further fearch had paffage found elsewhere,
And being on his way, approached neare
Where Guyon lay in traunce; when fuddeinly
He heard a voyce that called lowd and cleare,
"Come hether, hether, O come hastily!"
The palmer lent his ear unto the noyce,
To weet who called fo importunely;
Againe he heard a more efforced voyce,
That bad him come in hafte: he by and by
His feeble feet directed to the cry;
Which to that fhady delve him brought at laff,
Where Mammon earst did funne his threasury;
There the good Guyon he found flumbring faft
In fenceles dreame, which fight at first him fost
aghaft.
Befide his head there fatt a faire young man,
Of wondrous beauty and of freshest yeares,
Whose tender bud to bloffome new began,
And flourish faire above his equall peares;
His fnowy front curled with golden heares,
Like Phabus' face adornd with funny rayes,
Divinely fhone, and two sharpe winged fheares,
Decked with diverfe plumes, like painted jayes,
Were fixed at his backe to cut his ayery wayes.
Like as Cupido on Idaean hill,
When having laid his cruell bow away
And mortall arrowes, wherewith he doth fill
The world with murdrous spoiles and bloody pray
With his faire mother he him dights to play,
And with his goodly fifters, Graces three;
The goddeffe, pleafed with his wanton play,
Suffers herfelfe through fleepe beguild to bee,
That all the fields refounded with the ruefull cry. The whiles the other ladies mind theyr mery glee
Whom when the palmer faw, abafht he was Through fear and wonder, that he nought could fay,
Till him the childe bespoke, " Long lackt, alas! "Hath bene thy faithfull aide in hard affay "Whiles deadly fitt thy pupill doth dismay. *Behold this heavy fight, thou reverend fire, "But dread of death and dolor doe away, * For life ere long shall to her home retire, And he that breathleffe feems shall corage bold "respire.
"The charge which God doth unto me arett, "Of his deare safety, I to thee commend ; "Yet will I not forgoe, ne yet forgett "The care thereof myfelfe unto the end, "But evermore him fuccour and defend "Against his foe and mine; watch thou, I pray; "For evill is at hand him to offend." So having faid, eftfoones he gan display
His painted nimble winges, and vanisht quite away.
The palmer seeing his lefte empty place,
And his flow eies beguiled of their fight,
Woxe fore afraid, and ftanding still a space,
Gaz'd after him, as fowle efcapt by flight:
At laft, him turning to his charge behight,
With trembling hand his troubled pulfe gan try,
Where finding life not yet diflodged quight,
He much reioyft, and courd it tenderly,
As chicken newly hatcht, from dreaded destiny.
At laft he fpide where towards him did pace
Two paynim knights all armd as bright as skic,
And them befide an aged fire did trace,
And far before a light-foote page did flie,
That breathed ftrife and troublous enmitie.
Thofe were the two fonnes of Acrates old,
Who meeting earft with Archimage flie
Foreby that idle ftrond, of him were told
That he, which earft them combated was Guyon
bold.
Which to avenge on him they dearly vowd,
Where-ever that on ground they mote him find;
Falle Archimage provokt their corage prowd,
And ftryfe-ful Atin in their stubborne mind
Coles of contention and whot vengeaunce tind.
Now bene they come whereas the palmer fate,
Keeping that flombring corfe to him affind,
Well knew they both his perfon, fith of late
With him in bloody armes they rafhly did debate.
Whom when Pyrochles faw, inflam'd with rage That fire he fowl befpake; "Thou dotard vile, "That with thy bruteneffe fhendft thy comely
" age, *Abandon foone, I read, the caytive spoile "Of that fame outcast carcas, that erewhile "Made itselfe famous through falfe trechery, "And crownd his coward creft with knightly Mile;
Then faid Cymochles, "Palmer, thou doeft dote, "Ne canft of proweffe, ne of knighthood deeme, "Save as thou seeft or hearst; but well I wote, "That of his puiffaunce tryall made extreeme : "Yet gold all is not that doth golden feeme; "Ne al good knights that shake well speare and "fhield:
"The worth of all men by their end esteeme, "And then dew praife or dew reproch them yield; "Bad therefore I him deeme that thus lies dead 66 on field."
"Good or bad," gan his brother fiers reply, "What do I rekke, fith that he dide entire? "Or what doth his bad death now fatisfy "The greedy hunger of revenging yre, "Sith wrathfull hand wrought not her owne "defire?
"Yet fince no way is lefte to wreake my spight, "I will him reave of armes, the victor's hire, "And of that shield, more worthy of good knight; "For why should a dead dog be deckt in armour "bright?"
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