Then brought he forth, with griefly grim Aspect,
Abhorred Murder, who with bloody Knife
Yet dropping fresh in hand did her detect,
And there with guilty Blood-fhed charged rife:
Then brought he forth Sedition, breeding Strife
In troublous Wits, and mutinous Uproar :
Then brought he forth Incontinence of Life,
Even foul Adultery her Face before,
And leud Impiety, that her accufed fore.
All which when-as the Prince had heard and feen, His former Fancy's Ruth he 'gan repent,
And from her Party eftfoons was drawn clean: But Arthegal with conftant firm Intent, For Zeal of Juftice was against her bent. So was the guilty deemed of them all. Then Zeal began to urge her Punishment, And to their Queen for Judgment loudly call, Unto Mercilla mild for Juftice 'gainst the Thrall.
But fhe, whofe Princely Breast was touched near With piteous Ruth of her fo wretched Plight, Though plain the faw by all that she did hear, That the of Death was guilty found by Right, Yet would not let juft Vengeance on her light; But rather let in ftead thereof to fall
Few perling Drops from her fair Lamps of Light; The which the covering with her purple Pall, Would have the Paffion hid, and up arofe withal.
CANTO X.
Prince Arthur takes the Enterprize,
For Belge for to fight:
Gerioneo's Senefchal
He flays in Belge's Right,
OME Clarks do doubt in their deviceful Art,
Whether this heavenly Thing whereof I treat,
To weten Mercy, be of Juftice part,
Or drawn forth from her by divine Extreat.
This well I wote, that fure she is as Great,
And meriteth to have as high a Place,
Sith in th' Almighty's everlafting Seat
She firft was bred, and born of heavenly Race;
From thence pour'd down on Men, by Influence of Grace.
II.
For, if that Vertue be of fo great Might,
Which from juft Verdict will for nothing ftart,
But to preferve inviolated Right,
Oft fpills the Principal to fave the Part;
So much more then is that of Power and Art,
That feeks to fave the Subject of her Skill,
Yet never doth from Doom of Right depart :
As it is greater Praise to fave, than fpill,
And better to reform, than to cut off the Ill.
III.
Who then can thee, Mercilla, throughly praife,
That herein doft all earthly Princes pafs?
What heavenly Mufe fhall thy great Honour raise
Up to the Skies, whence firft deriv'd it was,
And now on Earth it felf enlarged has,
From the utmoft brink of the Armerick Shore,
Unto the Margent of the Molucas?
Those Nations far thy Juftice do adore :
But thine own People do thy Mercy praise much
Much more it praised was of thofe two Knights;
The noble Prince, and righteous Arthegal,
When they had seen and heard her Doom arights
Against Dueffa, damned by them all;
But by her tempred without Grief or Gall,
Till ftrong Conftraint did her thereto enforce.
And yet even then ruing her wilful Fall,
With more than needful natural Remorse,
And yielding the last Honour to her wretched Corfe.
V.
During all which, thofe Knights continu'd there,
Both doing and receiving Courtefies
Of that great Lady, who with goodly Chear,
Them entertain'd, fit for their Dignities,
Approving daily to their noble Eyes
Royal Examples of her Mercies rare,
And worthy Patterns of her Clemencies;
Which till this day 'mongst many living are,
Who them to their Pofterities doft ill declare.
VI.
Amongst the reft, which in that space befel,
There came two Springals of full tender Years,
Far thence from foreign Land, where they did dwell,
To feek for Succour of her and her Peers,
With humble Prayers and intreatful Tears;
Sent by their Mother, who a Widow was,
Wrapt in great Dolours, and in deadly Fears,
By a ftrong Tyrant, who invaded has
Her Land, and flain her Children ruefully, alas!
Her Name was Belge, who in former Age
A Lady of great Worth and Wealth had been,
And Mother of a fruitful Heritage,
Ev'n feventeen goodly Sons; which who had seen
In their first Flower, before this fatal Teen
Them overtook, and their fair Bloffoms blafted,
More happy Mother would her furely ween'
Than famous Niobe, before fhe tafted
Latona's Childrens Wrath, that all her Iffue wafted,
But this fell Tyrant, through his tortious Power,
Had left her now but five of all that Brood:
For, twelve of them he did by times devour,
And to his Idols facrifice their Blood,
Whilft he of none was stopped, nor withstood.
For, foothly he was one of matchlefs Might,
Of horrible Afpect, and dreadful Mood,
And had three Bodies in one Waste empight,
And th' Arms and Legs of three, to fuccour him in Fight.
IX.
And footh they say, that he was born and bred
Of Gyants Race, the Son of Geryon,
He that whylome in Spain fo fore was dred
For his huge Power and great Oppreffion,
Which brought that Land to his Subjection,
Through his three Bodies power, in one combin'd;
And eke all Strangers in that Region
Arriving, to his Kine for Food affign'd;
The fairest Kine alive, but of the fierceft kind.
For, they were all, they fay, of purple hue,
Kept by a Cow-herd, hight Eurytion,
A cruel Carle, the which all Strangers flew,
Ne day nor night did fleep, t' attend them on,
But walkt about them ever and anon
With his two-headed Dog, that Orthrus hight;
Ortbrus begotten by great Typhaon,
And foul Echidna, in the House of Night;
But Hercules them all did overcome in Fight.
XI.
His Son was this Geryoneo hight:
Who, after that his monftrous Father fell
Under Alcides' Club, ftraight took his flight
From that fad Land, where he his Sire did quell,
And came to this, where Belge then did dwell,
And flourish in all Wealth and Happiness,
Being then new-made Widow (as befel)
After her noble Husband's late Decease;
Which gave beginning to her Woe and Wretchedness.
Then this bold Tyrant, of her Widow-head
Taking advantage, and her yet fresh Woes,
Himself and Service to her offered,
Her to defend against all foreign Foes,
That should their Power against her Right oppofe. Whereof fhe glad, now needing ftrong defence, Him entertain'd, and did her Champion chufe: Which long he us'd with careful diligence, The better to confirm her fearless Confidence. XIII.
By means whereof fhe did at last commit All to his hands, and gave him fovereign Power To do whatever he thought good or fit. Which having got, he 'gan forth from that hour To ftir up Strife, and many a tragick Stowre, Giving her dearest Children one by one Unto a dreadful Monster to devour, And fetting up an Idol of his own, The Image of his monftrous Parent Geryone. XIV.
So tyrannizing, and oppreffing all,
The woeful Widow had no means now left,
But unto gracious great Mercilla call
For aid, against that cruel Tyrant's Theft,
Ere all her Children he from her had reft.
Therefore these two, her eldest Sons, the fent
To feek for Succour of this Lady's Gieft:
To whom their Suit they humbly did prefent,
In th' hearing of full many Knights and Ladies gent.
XV.
Amongst the which, then fortuned to be
The noble Briton Prince, with his brave Peer;
Who when he none of all thofe Knights did fee
Haftily bent that Enterprize to hear,
Nor undertake the fame, for coward Fear,
He stepped forth with Courage bold and great,
Admir'd of all the rest in presence there,
And humbly 'gan that mighty Queen entreat,
To grant him that Adventure for his former Feat.
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