As guardian and fteward of the reft:
His office was to give entertainement
And lodging unto all that came and went;
Not unto fuch as could him feast againe,
And double quite for that he on them spent,
But fuch as want of harbour did constraine;
Those for God's fake his dewty was to entertaine.

XXXVIII.

The fecond was as almner of the place:
His office was the hungry for to feed,
And thrifty give to drinke, a worke of grace:
He feard not once himfelfe to be in need,

Ne car'd to hoord for thofe whom he did breede:
The grace of God he layd up still in store,
Which as a stocke he left unto his feede;

He had enough, what need him care for more? And had he leffe, yet fome he would give to the pore.

XXXIX.

The third had of their wardrobe cuftody,
In which were not rich tyres nor garments gay,
(The plumes of Pride and winges of Vanity)
But clothes meet to keep keene cold away,
A d naked nature feemely to aray,

With which bare wretched wights he dayly clad,
The images of God in earthly clay;

And it that no fpare clothes to give he had,
His owne cote he would cut, and it diftribute glad.

XL.

The fourth appointed by his office was
Poore prisoners to relieve with gratious ayd,
And captives to redeeme with price of bras
From Turkes and Sarazins, which them had stayd;
And though they faulty were, yet well he wayd,
That God to us forgiveth every howre

Much more then that why they in bands were layd;

And he that harrowd hell with heavie ftowre, The faulty foules from thence brought to his hevenly bowre.

XLI.

The fift had charge fick perfons to attend,
And comfort those in point of death which lay;
For them most needeth comfort in the end,
When fin, and hell, and death, doe most dismay
The feeble foule departing hence away.
All is but loft that living we bestow,

If not well ended at our dying day.
O Man have mind of that last bitter throw;
For as the tree docs fall, fo lyes it ever low.

XLII.

The fixt had charge of them now being dead,
In feemely fort their corfes to engrave,
And deck with dainty flowres their brydall bed,
That to their hevenly spouse botn fweet and brave
They might appeare, when he their foules fall

fave.

The wondrous workmanship of God's owne mould,
Whofe face he made all beaftes to feare, and gave
All in his hand, even dead we honour fhould.
Ah, deareft God! me graunt I dead be not defould!

XLIII.

The feventh, now after death and buriall done, Had charge the tender orphans of the dead,

"Unworthy wretch," quoth he, "of so great 66 grace,

"How dare I thinke such glory to attaine?" "These that have it attaynd were in like cace," Quoth he, "as wretched, and liv'd in like paine." "But deeds of armes muft I at last be faine, "And ladies love, to leave, fo dearely bought?" "What need of armes where peace doth ay re"maine,"

Said he," and battailes none are to be fought? "As for leofe loves they are vaine, and vanish into nought."

LXIII.

"O let me not," quoth he, " then turne againe "Backe to the world, whofe ioyes so fruitlesse are, "But let me here for aie in peace remain, "Or ftreightway on that last long voiage fare, "That nothing may my prefent hope empare." "That may not be," faid he, "ne maift thou yitt "Forgoe that royal maides bequeathed care, "Who did her cause into thy hand committ, "Till from her curíed foe thou have her freely "quitt."

LXIV.

"Then fhall I foone," quoth he, "fo God me 66 grace,

"Abett that virgin's caufe difconfolate, "And shortly back returne unto this place, “To walke this way in pilgrim's poore estate. "But now aread, old Father, why of late "Didft thou behight me borne of English blood, "Whom all a Faeries fonne doen nominate ?" "That word fhall 1," faid he, "avouchen good, "Sith to thee is unknowne the cradle of thy 66 brood.

LXV.

"For well I wote thou fpringft from ancient race "Of Saxon kinges, that have with mightie hand, "And many bloody battles fought in place, "High reard their royall throne in Britane land, "And vanquifht them, unable to withfland: "From thence a Faery thee unweeting reft, "There as thou flepft in tender fwadling band, "And her bafe Elfin brood there for thee left: "Such men do chaungelings call, fo chaungi by "Faeries theft.

LXVI.

"Thence the thee brought into this Faery Lond, "And in an heaped furrow did thee hyde, "Where thee a ploughman all unweeting fond, "As he his toylesome teme that way did guyde,

And pointing forth, "Lo yonder is," said fhe, "The brafen towre, in which my parents deare "For dread of that huge feend emprisond be, "Whom I from far fee on the walles appeare, "Whofe fight my feeble foule doth greatly cheare, "And on the top of all I do efpye "The watchman wayting tydings glad to heare; "That, O my Parents! might I happily

Unto you bring, to cafe you of your misery!”

IV.

With that they heard a roaring hideous fownd,
That all the ayre with terror filled wyde,
And seemd uneath to fhake the ftedfast ground.
Eftfoones that dreadful dragon they espyde,
Where ftrecht he lay upon the funny fide
Of a great hill, himfelfe like a great hill;
But all so foone as he from far descryde
Thofe gliftring armes, that heaven with light did
He rousd himselfe full blyth, and hastned them
untill.

[fill,

Then badd the knight his lady yede aloof,
And to an hill herfelfe withdraw afyde,
From whence the might behold that battailles
proof,

And eke be fafe from daunger far descryde :
She him obayd, and turnd a little wyde.
Now, O thou facred Mufe! most learned dame,
Fayre ympe of Phoebus and his aged bryde,
The nourfe of Time and everlasting Fame,
That warlike handes ennobleft with immortall
name;

VI.

O gently come into my feeble breft,
Come gently, but not with that mightie rage
Wherewith the martiall troupes thou doeft infeft,
And hartes of great heroës docft enrage,
That nought their kindled corage may afwage:
Soone as thy dreadfull trompe begins to fownd,
The God of Warre, with his fiers equipage
Thou doeft awake, fleepe never he fo fownd,
And scared nations doeft with horror fterne a-
ftownd.