35 Cambelloes sister was fayre Canacee,
That was the learnedst ladie in her dayes,
Well seene1 in everie science that mote bee,
And every secret worke of natures wayes;
In wittie riddles, and in wise soothsayes;

In power of herbes, and tunes of beasts and burds;

And, that augmented all her other prayse,

She modest was in all her deedes and words,

And wondrous chast of life, yet lov'd of knights and lords.

36 Full many lords and many knights her loved,
Yet she to none of them her liking lent,

Ne ever was with fond affection moved,
But rul'd her thoughts with goodly governement,
For dread of blame and honours blemishment;
And eke unto her lookes a law she made,
That none of them once out of order went,
But, like to warie centonels well stayd,

Still watcht on every side, of secret foes affrayd.

37 So much the more as she refusd to love,
So much the more she loved was and sought,
That oftentimes unquiet strife did move
Amongst her lovers, and great quarrels wrought;
That oft for her in bloudie armes they fought.
Which whenas Cambell, that was stout and wise,
Perceiv'd would breede great mischiefe, he be-
thought

1 Seene, skilled.

How to prevent the perill that mote rise,

And turne both him and her to honour in this wise.

38 One day, when all that troupe of warlike wooers
Assembled were, to weet whose she should bee,
All mightie men and dreadfull derring-dooers,1
(The harder it to make them well agree,)
Amongst them all this end he did decree;
That, of them all which love to her did make,
They by consent should chose the stoutest three
That with himselfe should combat for her sake,
And of them all the victour should his sister take.

39 Bold was the chalenge, as himselfe was bold,
And courage2 full of haughtie hardiment,
Approved oft in perils manifold,

Which he atchiev'd to his great ornament:
But yet his sisters skill unto him lent
Most confidence and hope of happie speed,
Conceived by a Ring which she him sent,

That, mongst the manie vertues which we reed, Had power to staunch al wounds that mortally did

bleed.

40 Well was that rings great vertue knowen to all;
That dread thereof, and his redoubted might,
Did all that youthly rout so much appall,
That none of them durst undertake the fight:
More wise they weend to make of love delight,
Then life to hazard for faire ladies looke;

1 I. e. doers of daring deeds.

2 Courage, heart.

And yet uncertaine by such outward sight,

Though for her sake they all that perill tooke, Whether she would them love, or in her liking brooke.

41 Amongst those knights there were three brethren

bold,

Three bolder brethren never were yborne, Borne of one mother in one happie mold, Borne at one burden in one happie morne; Thrise happie mother, and thrise happie morne, That bore three such, three such not to be fond ! Her name was Agapè, whose children werne1 All three as one; the first hight Priamond, The second Dyamond, the youngest Triamond.

42 Stout 2 Priamond, but not so strong to strike;
Strong Diamond, but not so stout a knight;
But Triamond was stout and strong alike:
On horsebacke used Triamond to fight,
And Priamond on foote had more delight;
But horse and foote knew Diamond to wield:

3

With curtaxe used Diamond to smite,

And Triamond to handle speare and shield, But speare and curtaxe both usd Priamond in field.

43 These three did love each other dearely well,
And with so firme affection were allyde,

As if but one soule in them all did dwell,
Which did her powre into three parts divyde;

1 Werne, were. 2 Stout, bold.

3 Curtaxe, cutlass, a short cutting-sword.

Like three faire branches budding farre and wide, That from one roote deriv'd their vitall sap:

And, like that roote that doth her life divide,

Their mother was; and had full blessed hap These three so noble babes to bring forth at one clap.

44 Their mother was a Fay, and had the skill
Of secret things, and all the powres of nature,
Which she by art could use unto her will,
And to her service bind each living creature,
Through secret understanding of their feature.1
Thereto she was right faire, whenso her face
She list discover, and of goodly stature;

But she, as Fayes are wont, in privie place Did spend her dayes, and lov'd in forests wyld to space.2

45 There on a day a noble youthly Knight,
Seeking adventures in the salvage wood,
Did by great fortune get of her the sight,
As she sate carelesse by a cristall flood,
Combing her golden lockes, as seemd her good;
And unawares upon her laying hold,

That strove in vaine him long to have withstood,
Oppressed her, and there (as it is told)

Got these three lovely babes, that prov'd three champions bold:

46 Which she with her long fostred in that wood, Till that to ripenesse of mans state they grew:

1 Feature, make, character.

2 Space, walk, roam.

Then, shewing forth signes of their fathers blood, They loved armes, and knighthood did ensew,1 Seeking adventures where they anie knew. Which when their mother saw, she gan to dout 2 Their safetie; least by searching daungers new, And rash provoking perils all about,

Their days mote be abridged through their corage

stout.

8

47 Therefore desirous th' end of all their dayes
To know, and them t' enlarge with long extent,
By wondrous skill and many hidden wayes
To the Three Fatall Sisters house she went.
Farre under ground from tract of living went,
Downe in the bottome of the deepe abysse,
Where Demogorgon, in dull darknesse pent,
Farre from the view of gods and heavens blis
The hideous Chaos keepes, their dreadfull dwelling is.

48 There she them found all sitting round about
The direfull distaffe standing in the mid,
And with unwearied fingers drawing out
The lines of life, from living knowledge hid.
Sad Clotho held the rocke, the whiles the thrid
By griesly Lachesis was spun with paine,
That cruell Atropos eftsoones undid,

With cursed knife cutting the twist in twaine: Most wretched men, whose dayes depend on thrids so vaine !

1 Ensew, follow.
2 Dout, fear for.

8 Went, way, path.

4 Rocke, distaff.