X Led with delight, they thus beguile the way, That which of them to take, in diverse doubt they been. At last resolving forward still to fare, Till that some end they finde or in or out, That path they take, that beaten seemd most bare, And like to lead the labyrinth about; Which when by tract they hunted had throughout, At length it brought them to a hollow cave, Amid the thickest woods. The Champion stout Eftsoones dismounted from his courser brave, And to the Dwarfe a while his needlesse spere he gave. Be well aware, quoth then that Ladie milde, xi xii Least suddaine mischiefe ye too rash provoke : Vertue gives her selfe light, through darkenesse for to wade. The Fight with the Dragon Book I, Canto XI HIGH time now gan it wex for Una faire, Deare knight, as deare, as ever knight was deare, High heaven behold the tedious toyle, ye for me take. Now are we come unto my native soyle, And to the place, where all our perils dwell; Here haunts that feend, and does his dayly spoyle, The sparke of noble courage now awake, Above all knights on earth, that batteill undertake. And pointing forth, lo yonder is (said she) The brasen towre in which my parents deare The watchman wayting tydings glad to heare, Unto you bring, to ease you of your misery. i ii iii With that they heard a roaring hideous sound, Of a great hill, himselfe like a great hill. Those glistring armes, that heaven with light did fill, He rousd himselfe full blith, and hastned them untill. Then bad the knight his Lady yede aloofe, She him obayd, and turned a little wyde. That warlike hands ennoblest with immortall name; O gently come into my feeble brest, Come gently, but not with that mighty rage, Thou doest awake, sleepe never he so sownd, And scared nations doest with horrour sterne astownd. iv V vi Faire Goddesse lay that furious fit aside, Till I of warres and bloudy Mars do sing, And Briton fields with Sarazin bloud bedyde, Twixt that great faery Queene and Paynim king, vii That with their horrour heaven and earth did ring, A worke of labour long, and endlesse prayse: But now a while let downe that haughtie string, And to my tunes thy second tenor rayse, That I this man of God his godly armes may blaze. By this the dreadfull Beast drew nigh to hand, His body monstrous, horrible, and vast, viii Which to increase his wondrous greatnesse more, Was swolne with wrath, and poyson, and with bloudy gore. And over, all with brasen scales was armd, ix That nought mote perce, ne might his corse be harmd With dint of sword, nor push of pointed speare; Which as an Eagle, seeing pray appeare, His aery plumes doth rouze, full rudely dight, For as the clashing of an Armour bright, Such noyse his rouzed scales did send unto the knight. His flaggy wings when forth he did display, Were like two sayles, in which the hollow wynd Is gathered full, and worketh speedy way: And eke the pennes, that did his pineons bynd, Were like mayne-yards, with flying canvas lynd, With which whenas him list the ayre to beat, And there by force unwonted passage find, The cloudes before him fled for terrour great, And all the heavens stood still amazed with his threat. X |