31 Kings, queens, lords, ladies, knights, and damsels

gent,1

Were heaped together with the vulgar sort,
And mingled with the rascal rabblement,2
Without respect of person or of port,3

To show Dan Cupid's pow'r and great effórt :
And round about a border was entrailed 5
Of broken bows and arrows shivered short;
And a long bloody river through them railed,
So lively, and so like, that living sense it failed.7

9

8

6

32 And at the upper end of that fair rowme
There was an altar built of precious stone
Of passing value and of great renowme, 10
On which there stood an image all alone.
Of massy gold, which with his own light shone;
And wings it had with sundry colours dight,"
More sundry colours then the proud pavone
Bears in his boasted fan, or Iris 13 bright,
When her discoloured bow she spreads through

heaven's height.

33 Blindfold he was; and in his cruel fist
A mortal 14 bow and arrows keen did hold,

12

18 Iris, the goddess of the rainbow.

14 Mortal, death-giving.

With which he shot at random when him list,1
Some headed with sad 2 lead, some with pure gold;
(Ah! man, beware how thou those darts behold!)
A wounded dragon under him did lie,

Whose hideous tail his left foot did enfold,

And with a shaft was shot through either eye,
That no man forth might draw, ne no man remedy.

34 And underneath his feet was written thus:
Unto the victor of the gods this be;

And all the people in that ample house
Did to that image bow their humble knee,
And oft committed foul idolatree.

That wondrous sight fair Britomart amazed,
Ne seeing could her wonder satisfy,

But ever more and more upon it gazed,

The whiles the passing brightness her frail senses dazed.

35 Tho, as she backward cast her busy eye
To search each secret of that goodly stead,
Over the door thus written she did spy:
She oft and oft it over read,
Yet could not find what sense it figurèd:

Be bold.

But whatso were therein or writ or meant,
She was no whit thereby discouragèd

From prosecuting of her first intent,

But forward with bold steps into the next room went.

1 When him list, i.e. when he

desired.

2 Sad, heavy.

3 Tho, then.

4 Stead, place.

36 Much fairer then the former was that room.
And richlier, by many parts1 arrayed;
For not with arras made in painful loom,
But with pure gold, it all was overlaid,

Wrought with wild antics 2 which their follies played In the rich metal, as they living were:

A thousand monstrous forms therein were made, Such as false Love doth oft upon him wear;

For Love in thousand monstrous forms doth oft

appear.

37 And, all about, the glist'ring walls were hong With warlike spoils and with victorious praise Of mighty conquerors and captains strong, Which were whilóm captivèd in their days To cruel Love, and wrought their own decays 3: Their swerds and spears were broke, and hauberks 5 rent,

And their proud girlonds of triumphant bays

Trodden in dust with fury insolent,

To show the victor's might and merciless intent.

38 The warlike maid, beholding earnestly
The goodly ordinance 6 of this rich place,
Did greatly wonder; ne could satisfy
Her greedy eyes with gazing a long space :
But more she marvelled that no footing's trace
Nor wight appeared, but wasteful emptiness

And solemn silence over all that place:

Strange thing it seemed, that none was to possess
So rich purveyance,1 ne them keep with carefulness.

39 And, as she looked about, she did behold

How over that same door was likewise writ,
Be bold, Be bold, and everywhere, Be bold;
That much she mused, yet could not construe it
By any riddling skill or common wit.

At last she spied at that room's upper end
Another iron door, on which was writ,

Be not too bold; whereto though she did bend
Her earnest mind, yet wist not what it might
intend.

40 Thus she there waited until eventide,
Yet living creature none she saw appear.
And now sad3 shadows gan the world to hide
From mortal view, and wrap in darkness drear;
Yet nould she d'off her weary arms, for fear
Of secret danger, ne let sleep oppress
Her heavy eyes with nature's burden dear,
But drew herself aside in sickerness,5

And her well pointed weapons did about her dress.6

1 Purveyance, furniture.

2 Wist, knew.

8 Sad, heavy.

4 Nould she d'off, i.e. she would not take off.

5 Sickerness, safety.

6 Dress, dispose.

VIII.

Britomart witnesses the Mask of Cupid and frees Amoret from the power of the enchanter.

I THO, whenas cheerless night ycovered had
Fair heaven with an universal cloud,

That1 every wight dismayed with darkness sad 2
In silence and in sleep themselves did shroud,
She heard a shrilling trumpet sound aloud,
Sign of nigh battaill, or got victory :

Nought therewith daunted was her courage proud,
But rather stirred to cruel enmity,

Expecting ever when some foe she might descry.

2 With that, an hideous storm of wind arose,
With dreadful thunder and lightning atwixt,
And an earthquake, as if it straight would lose 3
The world's foundations from his centre fixed:
A direful stench of smoke and sulphur mixed
Ensued, whose noyance 5 filled the fearful stead
From the fourth hour of night until the sixt;
Yet the bold Britoness was nought ydread,7
Though much emmoved, but steadfast still persé-
verèd.

1 That, so that.

2 Sad, heavy.

3 Lose, loosen.

4 Ensued, followed.

5 Noyance, annoyance.

6 Stead, place.

7 Ydread, terrified.

8 Emmoved, moved.