No folace could her paramour intreat
Her once to fhew, ne court, nor dalliaunce,
But with bent lowring brows, as she would threat,
She fcould, and frownd with froward countenaunce
Unworthy of faire ladies comely governaunce.
But young Periffa was of other mynd,
Full of difport, ftill laughing, loosely light,
And quite contrary to her fifter's kynd;
No measure in her mood, no rule of right,
But poured out in pleasure and delight;
In wine and meats she flow'd above the back,
And in exceffe exceeded her own might;
In fumptuous tire fhe ioyd herself to pranck;
But of her love too lavish, little have the thanck.
XXXVII.
Fast by her fide did fitt the bold Sanfloy,
Fitt mate for such a mincing mineon,
Who in her looseneffe tooke exceeding ioy;
Might not be found a francker franion,
Of her leawd parts to make companion.
But Huddibras, more like a male content,
Did fee and grieve at his bold fashion;
Hardly could he endure his hardiment;
Yett ftill he fatt, and inly did himselfe torment.
"Ne never shall I rest in house nor hold,
"Till I that falfe Acrafia have wonne,
"Of whose fowle deedes, too hideous to be told,
"That men beholding fo great excellence,
"And rare perfection in mortalitye,
"Do her adore with facred reverence,
"As th' idele of her Maker's great magnificence." I witneffe am, and this their wretched fonne,
"To her I homage and my service owe,
"In number of the nobleft knightes on ground;
Mongft whom on me fhe deigned to bestowe "Order of Maydenhead, the most renownd
"Whose woefull parents she hath wickedly fore"donne."
"Tell on, fayre Sir!" said she, "that doleful "tale,
"That may this day in all the world be found.
An yearely folemne feast she wontes to make,
"The day that firft doth lead the yeare around,
"To which all knightes of worth and courage" Ill, by enfample, good doth often gayne."
"bold
Then forward he his purpofe gan purfew,
And told the ftory of the mortall payne
Which Mordant and Amavia did rew,
As with lamenting eyes himselfe did lately vew.
"From which fadruth does feeme you to restraine,
"That we may pitty fuch unhappy bale,
"And learne from pleasures poyson to abstaine:
"Refort, to heare of straunge adventures to be
"There this old palmer fhewd himselfe that day,
"And to that mighty princeffe did complaine
"Of grievous mifchiefes, which a wicked Fay
“ Had wrought, and many whelmd in deadly
"Whereof he crav'd redreffe. My soveraine, "Whole glory is in gracious deeds, and ioyes Throughout the world her mercy to maintaine, "Eftfoones devifd redreffe for such annoyes; "Me all unfitt for fo great purpose she employes.
"New hath faire Phabe with her filver face
"Thrife feene the shadowes of the neather world,
"Sith laft I left that honorable place,
"In which her roiall presence is enrold;
Night was far spent, and now in ocean deep
Orion, flying faft from hiffing snake,
His flaming head did haften for to steep,
When of his pitteous tale he end did make;
Whilft with delight of that he wifely spake
Those guestes beguyled did beguyle their eyes
Of kindly fleepe, that did them overtake :
At laft, when they had markt the chaunged
skyes,
They wift their houre was spent, then each to reft
him hyes.
Then taking congé of that virgin pure,
The bloody-handed babe unto her truth
Did carneftly committ, and her coniure
In vertuous lore to trayne his tender youth,
And all that gentle noriture enfu'th;
And that fo fcone as ryper yeares he raught,
He might for memory of that dayes ruth
Be called Ruddymane, and thereby taught
The whyles a loffell wandring by the way,
One that to bountie never caft his mynd,
Ne thought of honour ever did affay
His bafer breft, but in his kestrell kynd
A pleasing vaine of glory he did fynd,
To which his flowing toung and troublous fpright
Gave him great ayd, and made him more inclynd,
He that brave fteed there finding ready dight,
his Purloynd both steed and speare, and ran away
light.
Now gan his hart all swell in iollity,
And of himselfe great hope and help conceiv'd,
That puffed up with smoke of vanity,
And with felfe-loved perfonage deceiv'd,
He gan to hope of men to be receiv'd
For fuch as he him thought, or faine would bee;
But for in court gay portaunce he perceiv'd,
And gallaunt fhow to be in greatcft grec,
T'avenge his parents death on them that had it Eftfoones to court he caft t'advaunce his fir
So forth he far'd, as now befell, on foot,
Sith his good steed is lately from him gone;
Patience perforce: helpleffe what may it boot
To frett for anger, or for griefe to mone?
His palmer now fhail foot no more alone.
So Fortune wrought, as under greene woodes fyde
He lately heard that dying lady grone,
He left his fteed without, and fpeare befyde,
And rushed in on foot to ayd her ere the dyde.
"Certes, my lord," faid he," that fhall I foone, "And give you eke good helpe to their decay; "But mote I wifely you advise to doon, "Give no ods to your foes, but doe purvay se Yourselfe of sword before that bloody day; "For they be two the proweft knights on grownd, "And oft approv'd in many hard assay; "And eke of fureft fteele, that may be fownd, "Doe arme yourfelfe against that day, them to "confownd."
"Dotard!” faid he, " let be thy deepe advike; "Seemes that through many yeares thy wits thee "faile,
"And that weake eld hath left thee nothing wife, "Els never fhould thy fudgement be fo frayle, "To measure manhood by the fword or mayle. "Is not enough fowre quarters of a man, "Withouten fword or fhield, an hofte to quayle? "Thou litle woteft that this right-hand can : Speake they, which have beheld the batailes "which it wan.”
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