32 Her gracious words their rancour did appall,
And suncke so deepe into their boyling brests,
That downe they lett their cruell weapons fall,
And lowly did abase their loftie crests
To her faire presence and discrete behests.
Then she began a treaty to procure,
And stablish terms betwixt both their requests,
That as a law for ever should endure;
Which to observe in word of knights they did assure.
33 Which to confirme and fast to bind their league,
After their weary sweat and bloudy toile,
She then besought, during their quiet treague,
Into her lodging to repair a while,
To rest themselves, and grace to reconcile.
They soone consent: so forth with her they fare,
Where they are well receivd and made to spoile
Themselves of soiled armes, and to prepare
Their minds to pleasure, and their mouths to dainty fare.
34 And those two froward sisters, their faire loves
Came with them eke, all were they wondrous loth,
And fained cheare, as for the time behoves,
But could not colour yet so well the troth,
But that their natures bad appeard in both:
For both did at their second sister grutch,
And inly grieve, as doth an hidden moth
The inner garment fret, not th' utter touch;
One thought her cheare too litle, th' other thought too mutch.
35 Elissa (so the eldest hight) did deeme
Such entertainment base, ne ought would eat,
Ne ought would speake, but evermore did seeme
As discontent for want of merth or meat;
No solace could her paramour intreat
Her once to show, ne court, nor dalliance,
But with bent lowring browes, as she would threat, She scould, and frownd with froward countenaunce, Unworthy of faire ladies comely governaunce.
36 But young Perissa was of other mind,
Full of disport, still laughing, loosely light,
And quite contrary to her sisters kind;
No measure in her mood, no rule of right,
But poured out in pleasure and delight;
In wine and meats she flowd above the bancke,
And in excesse exceeded her owne might;
In sumptuous tire she joyd her self to pranck, But of her love too lavish (little have she thancke)!
37 Fast by her side did sitt the bold Sans-loy,
Fit mate for such a mincing mineon,
Who in her loosenesse tooke exceeding joy;
Might not be found a franker franion,
Of her lewd parts to make companion;
But Huddibras, more like a malecontent,
Did see and grieve at his bold fashion;
Hardly could he endure his hardiment,
Yett still he sat, and inly did him selfe torment.
38 Betwixt them both the faire Medina sate
With sober grace and goodly carriage:
With equall measure she did moderate
The strong extremities of their outrage;
That forward paire she ever would asswage,
When they would strive dew reason to exceed;
But that same froward twaine would accourage,
And of her plenty add unto their need:
So kept she them in order, and her selfe in heed.
39 Thus fairely she attempered her feast,
And pleasd them all with meete satiety:
At last when lust of meat and drinke was ceast,
She Guyon deare besought of curtesie
To tell from whence he came through jeopardie,
And whether now on new adventure bound.
Who with bold grace, and comely gravitie,
Drawing to him the eies of all around,
From lofty siege began these words aloud to sound.
40 This thy demaund, O lady, doth revive Fresh memory in me of that great queene, Great and most glorious virgin queene alive,
That with her soveraigne powre, and scepter shene,
All Faery lond does peaceably sustene.
In widest ocean she her throne does reare,
That over all the earth it may be seene;
As morning sunne her beams dispredden cleare, And in her face faire peace, and mercy doth appeare.
41 In her the richesse of all heavenly grace
In chiefe degree are heaped up on hye:
And all that els this worlds enclosure bace,
Hath great or glorious in mortall eye
Adornes the person of her majestie;
That men beholding so great excellence,
And rare perfection in mortalitie;
Do her adore with sacred reverence,
As th' idole of her makers great magnificence.
42 To her I homage and my service owe,
In number of the noblest knights on ground,
Mongst whom on me she deigned to bestowe
Order of maydenhead, the most renownd,
That may this day in all the world be found:
An yearely solemne feast she wontes to make,
The day that first doth lead the yeare around;
To which all knights of worth and courage bold
Resort, to heare of straunge adventures to be told.
43 There this old palmer shewd himselfe that day,
And to that mighty princesse did complaine
Of grievous mischiefes, which a wicked Fay
Had wrought, and many whelmd in deadly paine,
Whereof he crav'd redresse. My soveraine,
Whose glory is in gracious deeds, and joyes
Throughout the world her mercy to maintaine,
Eftsoones devisd redresse for such annoyes;
Me all unfitt for so great purpose she employes.
44 Now hath faire Phebe with her silver face
Thrise seene the shadowes of the neather world,
Sith last I left that honorable place,
In which her royall presence is enrold;
Ne ever shall I rest in house nor hold,
Till I that false Acrasia have wonne;
Of whose fowle deedes, too hideous to be told,
I witnesse am, and this their wretched sonne
Whose wofull parents she hath wickedly fordonne.
45 Tell on, fayre sir, said she, that dolefull tale,
From which sad ruth does seeme you to restraine,
That we may pitty such unhappy bale,
And learne from pleasures poyson to abstaine:
Ill by ensample good doth often gayne.
Then forward he his purpose gan pursew,
And told the story of the mortall payne,
Which Mordant and Amavia did rew;
As with lamenting eyes himselfe did lately vew.
46 Night was far spent, and now in ocean deepe
Orion, flying fast from hissing snake,
His flaming head did hasten for to steepe,
When of his pitteous tale he end did make;
Whilest with delight of that he wisely spake
Those guestes beguiled did beguile their eyes
Of kindly sleepe, that did them overtake.
At last when they had markt the chaunged skyes,
They wist their houre was spent; then each to rest him hyes.
Vaine Braggadocchio, getting Guyons
borse is made the scorne
Of knighthood trew, and is of fayre
Belphoebe fowle forlorne.
I SOONE as the morrow faire with purple beames
Disperst the shadowes of the mistie night,
And Titan playing on the eastern streames,
Gan cleare the deawy ayre with springing light,
Sir Guyon mindfull of his vow yplight,
Uprose from drowsie couch, and him addrest
Unto the journey which he had behight:
His puissant armes about his noble brest,
And many-folded shield he bound about his wrest.
2 Then, taking congé of that virgin pure,
The bloudy-handed babe unto her truth
Did earnestly commit, and her conjure
In vertuous lore to traine his tender youth,
And all that gentle noriture ensu'th;
And that so soone as ryper yeares he raught,
He might, for memory of that dayes ruth,
Be called Ruddymane, and thereby taught
T'avenge his parents death on them, that had it wrought.
3 So forth he far'd, as now befell, on foot,
Sith his good steed is lately from him gone;
Patience perforce; helplesse what may it boot
To fret for anger, or for griefe to mone?
His palmer now shall foot no more alone:
So fortune wrought, as under greene woods syde
He lately heard that dying lady grone,
He left his steed without, and speare besyde,
And rushed in on foot to ayd her, ere she dyde.
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