The fourth appointed by his office was,
Poor prifoners to relieve with gracious ayd.
And captives to redeem with price of brass,
From Turks and Sarazins, which them had ftayd
And though they faulty were, yet well he wayd,
That God to us forgiveth every howre
Much more than that, why they in bands were laid,
And he that harrow'd hell with heavy stowre,
The faulty fouls from thence brought to his heavenly XLI.
The fifth had charge, fick perfons to attend,
And comfort thofe in point of death which lay
For them most needeth comfort in the end,
When fin, and hell, and death do most dismay
The feeble foul departing hence away.
All is but loft, that living we bestow,
If not well ended at our dying day.
O man! have mind of that last bitter throw ;
For as the tree does fall, fo lyes it ever low.
XLII.
The fixth had charge of them now being dead,
In feemly fort their corfes to engrave,
And deck with dainty flowres their bridal bed,
That to their heavenly spouse both sweet and brave
They might appear, when he their fouls fhall fave,
The wondrous workmanship of Gods own mould,
Whose face he made all beafts to fear, and gave
All in his hand, even dead we honour fhould.
Ah dearest God me grant, I dead be not defould.
XLIII.
The feventh, now after death and burial done,
Had charge the tender orphans of the dead
And widows ayd, leaft they should be undone :
In face of judgment he their right would plead,
Ne ought the powre of mighty men did dread
In their defence, nor would for gold or fee
Be won their rightful caufes down to tread :
And when they stood in moft neceffitee,
He did fupply their want, and gave them ever free.
There when the Elfin Knight arrived was,
The firft and chiefeft of the feven, whofe care
Was guests to welcome, towards him did pass:
Where seeing Mercy that his fteps up-bare,
And always led; to her with reverence rare
He humbly louted in meek lowliness,
And feemly welcome for her did prepare:
For of their order fhe was patronefs,
Albe Chariffa were their chiefeft founderefs.
XLV.
There she awhile him ftays, himself to rest,
That to the reft more able he might be:
During which time, in every good beheft,
And godly work of alms and charity,
She him inftructed with great industry;
Shortly therein fo perfect he became,
That from the firft unto the last degree,
His mortal Life he learned had to frame
In holy righteoufnefs, without rebuke or blame.
XLVI.
Thenceforward, by that painful way they pass,
Forth to an hill that was both fteep and high;
On top whereof a facred chapel was,
And eke a little hermitage thereby,
Wherein an aged holy man did lie,
That day and night faid his devotion,
Ne other worldly bufinefs did apply;
His name was heavenly Contemplation :
Of God and goodness was his meditation.
XLVII.
Great grace that old man to him given had;
For God he often faw from heavens height.
All were his earthly eyen both blunt and bad,
And through great age had loft their kindly fight,
Yet wondrous quick and pierceant was his spright,
As Eagles eye, that can behold the fun.
That hill they scale with all their powre and might;
That his frail thighs nigh weary and fordone
Gan fail; but by her help the top at last he wone.
VOL. I.
XLVIII.
There they do find that godly aged Sire,
With fnowy locks adown his fhoulders fhed,
As hoary froft with fpangles doth attire
The moffy branches of an Oak half dead.
Each bone might through his body well be read,
And every finew feen through his long faft:
For nought he car'd his carcass long unfed;
His mind was full of fpiritual repast,
And pyn'd his flesh, to keep his body low and chaft.
XLIX.
Who when these two approaching he efpide,
At their first presence grew agrieved fore,1
That forct him lay his heavenly thoughts aside:
And had he not that Dame refpected more,
Whom highly he did reverence and adore, r
He would not once have moved for the Knight.
They him faluted ftanding far afore;
Who well them greeting, humbly did requight,
And asked to what end they clomb that tedious. height,
What end (quoth fhe) fhould cause us take fuch pain,
But that fame end, which every living wight
Should make his mark? high heaven to attain..
Is not from hence the way that leadeth right
To that most glorious houfe, that gliftreth bright
With burning ftars, and ever-living fire,
Whereof the keys are to thy hand behight
By wife Fidelia? fhe doth thee require,
To fhew it to this Knight, according his defire.
LI.
Thrice happy man, faid then the father grave,
Whose ftaggering steps thy fteady hand doth lead,
And fhews the way, his finful foul to fave:
Who better can the way to heaven aread,
Than thou thyfelf, that was both born and bred
In heavenly throne, where thousand Angels fhine?
Thou doft the prayers of the righteous feed
Prefent before the majefty divine,
And his avenging wrath to clemency incline..
Yet fince thou bidft, thy pleasure shall be done.
Then come thou man of earth, and fee the way
That never yet was feen of Fairies fon,
That never leads the traveller aftray;
But after labours long, and fad delay,
Brings them to joyous reft, and endless blifs.
But first, thou must a feafon faft and pray,
Till from her bands the fpright affoyled is,
And have her strength recur'd from frail infirmities.
LIII.
That done, he leads him to the highest mount,
Such one, as that fame mighty man of God,
That blood-red billows like a walled front
On either fide difparted with his rod,
Till that his army dry-foot through them yod,
Dwelt forty days upon; where writ in ftone
With bloody letters by the hand of God,
The bitter doom of death and baleful mone
He did receive, whiles flashing fire about him fhone.
LIV.
Or like that facred hill, whofe head full high,
Adorn'd with fruitful Olives all around,
Is, as it were for endless memory
Of that dear Lord, who oft thereon was found,
For ever with a flowry girlond crown'd:
Or like that pleasant mount, that is for ay
Through famous Poets verfe each where renown'd,
On which the thrice three learned Ladies play Their heavenly notes, and make full many a lovely lay.
From thence, far off he unto him did shew
A little path that was both steep and long,
Which to a goodly city led his view,
Whole walls and towres were builded high and strong
Of pearl and precious stone, that earthly tong
Cannot defcribe, nor wit of man can tell;
Too high a ditty for my fimple fong:
The city of the great King hight it well,
Wherein eternal peace and happinefs doth dwell:
As he thereon ftood gazing, he might fee
The bleffed Angels to and fro defcend
From highest heaven, in gladfome company,
And with great joy into that city wend,
As commonly as friend does with his friend.
Whereat he wondred much, and 'gan enquere,
What stately building durst so high extend,
Her lofty towres unto the starry sphere,
And what unknowen nation there empeopled were.
LVII.
Fair Knight (quoth he) Jerufalem that is,
The new Jerufalem that God has built,
For those to dwell in that are chofen his,
His chofen people, purg'd from finful guilt,
With pretious blood, which cruelly was spilt
On curfed tree, of that unfpotted Lamb,
That for the fins of all the world was kilt:
Now are they faints all in that city sam,
More dear unto their God, than younglings to their dam.
LVIII.
Till now, faid then the Knight, I weened well,
That great Cleopolis, where I have been,
In which that faireft Fairy Queen doth dwell
The fairest city was, that might be seen;
And that bright towre all built of chrystal clean,
Panthea, feem'd the brightest thing that was:
But now by proof all otherwife I ween;
For, this great city, that does far furpass,
And this bright Angels towre,quite dims that towre of glass.
LIX.
Moft true, then faid the holy aged Man;
Yet is Cleopolis, for earthly frame,
The faireft piece, that eye beholden can:
And well befeems all Knights of noble name,
That covet in th' immortal book of fame
To be eternized, that fame to haunt,
And doen their fervice to that foveraine Dame,
That glory does to them for guerdon grant:
For fhe is heavenly born, and heaven may justly vaun
|