Or haft thou, Lord, of good mens cause no heed?

Or doth thy iuftice fleepe and filent ly? What booteth then the good and righteous deed,

If goodneffe find no grace, nor righteousnesse no meed !

X.

"If good find grace, and righteousnes reward,
Why then is Amoret in caytive band,
Sith that more bounteous creature never far'd
On foot upon the face of living land!
Or if that hevenly iuftice may withstand
The wrongfull outrage of unrighteous men,
Why then is Bufirane with wicked hand
Suffred, thefe feven monethes day, in fecret den
My Lady and my Love fo cruelly to pen!

XI.

"My Lady and my Love is cruelly pend In dolefull darkenes from the vew of day, Whileft deadly torments doe her chaft breft rend,

And the fharpe fteele doth rive her hart in tway,

XI. 1.

is cruelly pend] So Spenfer's own editions, and that of 1751, read. The folios and Hughes, "cruell' pend." CHURCH.

Mr. Upton follows the original reading; and obferves that "cruelly is to be pronounced fhort, or to be flurred, as if only of two fyllables." Tonfon's edition in 1758 prints it cru'lly.

TODD.

All for the Scudamore will not denay.

Yet thou, vile man, vile Scudamore, art found,

Ne canft her ayde, ne canft her foe dismay; Unworthy wretch to tread upon the ground, For whom so faire a Lady feeles fo fore a wound."

XII.

There an huge heape of fingulfes did oppreffe His ftrugling foule, and fwelling throbs empeach

His foltring toung with pangs of drerineffe, Choking the remnant of his plaintife speach, As if his dayes were come to their last reach. Which when she heard, and faw the ghaftly fit Threatning into his life to make a breach, Both with great ruth and terrour she was fmit, Fearing leaft from her cage the wearie foule would flit.

XIII.

Tho, ftouping downe, she him amoved light; Who, therewith fomewhat starting, up gan looke,

And seeing him behind a stranger Knight, Whereas no living creature he mistooke, With great indignaunce he that fight forfooke, And, downe againe himselfe difdainefully

XII. 1.

fingulfes] Singultes in the folios, from the Lat. fingultus, fobs or fighs; which Mr. Upton commends, yet follows the original spelling fingulfes; as do alfo the editions of 1751 and Tonfon's in 1758. Tood.

Abiecting, th' earth with his faire forhead ftrooke:

Which the bold Virgin seeing, gan apply Fit medcine to his griefe, and fpake thus

courtesly;

XIV.

"Ah! gentle Knight, whose deepe-conceived griefe

Well seemes t'exceede the powre of patience, Yet, if that hevenly grace fome good reliefe You fend, submit you to High Providence ; And ever, in your noble hart, prepenfe, 'That all the forrow in the world is leffe Then vertues might and values confidence: For who nill bide the burden of diftreffe, Muft not here thinke to live; for life is wretchedneffe.

XV.

"Therefore, faire Sir, doe comfort to you take,

XIV. 5.

or, prius perpende. JORTIN.

prepenfe] Perpende tecum,

This word prepenfe is an old English verb for to confider; as in Hawes's Hist. of Graunde Amoure, 1554. Sign. C. ii. "they nothing prepence

"How cruell death dothe them fore enfue." TODD. XIV. 7. and values confidence:] So all the editions. It should be “valour's confidence;" that is, virtue and valour are able to fubdue the greatest affliction. CHURCH. Value is put for valour. See the note on valew, F. Q. ii. vi. 29. Spenfer fometimes fpells it valew. UPTON.

XIV. 9. - for life is wretchedneffe.] Just so says Solon to Crefus, in Herodotus, I. 32. Ουτω ὤν, Κροῖσε, πᾶν ἐςὶ, άνθρωπος συμφορή. JORTIN.

XV. 1. Therefore, faire Sir, doe comfort to you take,] None of the books read, due. UPTON.

And freely read what wicked felon fo
Hath outrag'd you, and thrald your gentle
Make.

Perhaps this hand may help to ease your woe,
And wreake your forrow on your cruell foe;
At least it faire endevour will apply."

Thofe feeling words fo neare the quicke
did goe,

That up his head he reared eafily;

And, leaning on his elbowe, these few words

lett fly:

XVI.

"What boots it plaine that cannot be redrest, And fow vaine forrow in a fruitleffe eare;

Sith powre of hand, nor fkill of learned breft, Ne worldly price, cannot redeeme my Deare Out of her thraldome and continuall feare! For he, the tyrant, which her hath in ward By ftrong enchauntments and blacke magicke leare,

Hath in a dungeon deepe her close embard, And many dreadfull feends hath pointed to her gard.

XVII.

"There he tormenteth her most terribly,

And day and night afflicts with mortall paine, Because to yield him love she doth deny, Once to me yold, not to be yolde againe : But yet by torture he would her constraine

Love to conceive in her difdainfull breft; Till fo fhe doe, fhe muft in doole remaine, Ne may by living meanes be thence releft: What boots it then to plaine that cannot be redreft!"

XVIII.

With this fad herfall of his heavy streffe
The warlike Damzell was empaffiond fore,
And fayd; "Sir Knight, your caufe is
nothing leffe

Then is your forrow certes, if not more;
For nothing fo much pitty doth implore
As gentle Ladyes helpleffe mifery:
But yet, if please ye liften to my lore,
I will, with proofe of laft extremity,
Deliver her fro thence, or with her for you dy."

XIX.

"Ah! gentleft Knight alive," fayd Scudamore, What huge heroicke magnanimity

Dwells in thy bounteous breft? what couldst

thou more,

If thee were thine, and thou as now am I?
O fpare thy happy daies, and them apply
To better boot; but let me die that ought;
More is more loffe; one is enough to dy!"
"Life is not loft," faid fhe," for which is
bought

XVIII. 1.

herfall of his heavy ftreffe] Re

hearful, relation, of his diftrefs. CHURCH.