And those two froward fifters (their fair loves)
Came with them eke (all were they wondrous loth)
And fained chear, as for the time behoves;
But could not colour yet fo well the troth,
But that their natures bad appeard in both:
For both did at their fecond fifter grutch,
And inly grieve, as doth an hidden moth
The inner garment fret, not th❜utter touch; [much. One thought their chear too little, the other thought too XXXV.
Eliffa (fo the eldest hight) did deem
Such entertainment bafe, ne ought would eat, Ne ought would speak, but evermore did feem As difcontent for want of mirth or meat No folace could her Paramour intreat Her once to fhew, ne court, nor dalliance: But with bent lowring browes, as fhe would threat, She fcould, and frownd with froward countenance, Unworthy of fair Ladies comely governaunce. XXXVI.
But young Periffa was of other mind,
Full of difport, ftill laughing, loosely light,
And quite contrary to her filters kind;
No measure in her mood, no rule of right,
But poured out in pleasure and delight;
In wine and meats fhe flow'd above the bank,
And in excess exceeded her own might;
In fumptuous tire the joy'd her felf to prank :
But of her love too lavifh (little have fhe thank.)
XXXVII.
Faft by her fide did fit the bold Sans-loy,
Fit mate for fuch a mincing mineon,
Who in her loofenefs took exceeding joy;
Might not be found a franker franion,
Of her lewd parts to make companion;
But Hudibras, more like a Malecontent,
Did fee and grieve at his bold fashion;
Hardly could he endure his hardiment,
Yet ftill he fat, and inly did himself torment.
Betwixt them both the fair Medina fate,
With fober grace and goodly carriage:
With equal measure fhe did moderate
The ftrong extremities of their outrage;
That froward pair fhe ever would affwage;
When they would strive due reason to exceed ;
But that fame froward twain would accourage,
And of her plenty add unto their need:
So kept fhe them in order, and herself in heed.
XXXIX.
Thus fairly she attempered her feast,
And pleas'd them all with meet fatiety.
At laft, when luft of meat and drink was ceaft,
She Guyon dear befought of courtefie,
To tell from whence he came through jeopardy,
And whither now on new adventure bound.
Who with bold grace, and comely gravity,
Drawing to him the eyes of all around,
From lofty fiege began these words aloud to found;
This thy demand, O Lady, doth revive
Fresh memory in me of that great Queen,
Great and most glorious virgin Queen alive,
That with her foveraine powre, and fcepter fheen,
All Fairy lond does peaceable fufteen.
In wideft Ocean fhe her throne does rear,
That over all the earth it may be feen;
As morning fun her beams difpredden clear: And in her face, fair peace and mercy doth appear. XLI.
In her the riches of all heavenly grace
In chief degrees are heaped up on high:
And all, that elfe this worlds enclosure bace
Hath great or glorious in mortal eye,
Adorns the person of her Majefty;
That men beholding fo great excellence,
And rare perfection in mortality,
Do her adore with facred reverence,
As th' Idol of her makers great magnificence.
To her, I homage and my service owe,
In number of the nobleft Knights on ground,
Mongft whom, on me fhe deigned to beftowe
Order of Maydenbead, the most renown'd,
That may this day in all the world be found:
A yearly folemn feaft fhe wonts to make
The day that first doth lead the year around
To which all Knights of worth and courage bold
Refort to hear of ftrange adventures to be told.
XLIII.
There this old Palmer fhew'd himself that day,
And to that mighty Princefs did complain
Of grievous mifchiefs, which a wicked Fay
Had wrought, and many whelm'd in deadly pain,
Whereof he crav'd redrefs. My Soveraine,
Whofe glory is in gracious deeds, and joys
Throughout the world her mercy to maintain,
Eftfoons devis'd redrefs for fuch annoys;
Me (all unfit for fo great purpose) fhe employs.
XLIV.
Now hath fair Phebe with her filver face
Thrice feen the fhadows of the neather world,
Sith laft I left that honourable place,
In which her royal prefence is inrold;
Ne ever fhall I reft in houfe nor hold,
Till I that falfe Acrafia have won ;
Of whofe foul deeds (too hideous to be told)
I witness am, and this their wretched fon.
Whole woeful parents fhe hath wickedly fordon.
XLV.
Tell on, fair Sir, faid fhe, that doleful tale,
From which fad ruth does feem you to reftrain,
That we may pity fuch unhappy baie,
And learn from pleafures poyion to abstain;
Ill, by enfample, good doth often gain.
Then forward he his purpose 'gan purfew,
And told the ftory of the mortal pain,
Which Mordant and Amavia did rew;
As with lamenting eyes himself did lately view.
Night was far spent, and now in Ocean deep
Orion, flying faft from hiffing fnake,
His flaming head did haften for to steep,
When of his pitious tale he end did make;
Whilft with delight of that he wifely fpake,
Thole guests beguiled, did beguile their eyes
Of kindly fleep, that did them overtake.
At laft, when they had markt the changed skyes, They wift their hour was fpent; then each to reft him hies.
Vain Braggadochio, getting Guyons
Horfe, is made the fcorn
Of Knighthood true, and is of fair
Belphoebe foul forlorn.
Oon as the morrow fair with purple beams
Difperft the fhadows of the misty night,
And Titan playing on the Eastern streams,
Can clear the dewy air with springing light,
Sir Guyon, mindful of his vow yplight,
Uprofe from drowfie couch, and him addreft
Unto the journey which he had behight:
His puiffant arms about his noble breast,
And many-folded fhield he bound about his wreft.
II.
Then taking Congé of that virgin pure,
The bloody-handed babe unto her truth
Did earnestly commit, and her conjure,
In vertuous lore to train his tender youth,
And all that gentle nouriture enfu’th :
And that fo foon as riper years he raught,
He might for memory of that days ruth,
Be called Ruddymane, and thereby taught,
T'avenge his parents death, on them that had it wrought.
III.
So forth he far'd, as now befell, on foot,
Sith his good steed is lately from him gone:
Patience perforce; helpless what may it boot
To fret for anger, or for grief to mone?
His Palmer now fhall foot no more alone :
So fortune wrought, as under green woods fide
He lately heard that dying Lady grone,
He left his fteed without, and fpear befide,
And rushed in on foot, to ayd her ere fhe dide.
IV.
The whiles, a lofell wandring by the way,
One that to bounty never caft his mind,
Ne thought of honour ever did affay
His bafer breast, but in his keftrell kind
A pleafing vein of glory he did find,
To which his flowing tongue, and troublous fpright Gave him great aid, and made him more inclin'd: He that brave steed there finding ready dight, Purloynd both steed and fpear, and ran away full light.
Now 'gan his heart all fwell in jollity,
And of himself great hope and help conceiv'd,
That puffed up with fmoak of vanity,
And with felf-loved perfonage deceiv'd,
He 'gan to hope, of men to be receiv'd
For fuch, as he him thought, or fain would be:
But for in court gay portaunce he perceiv'd,
And gallant fhew to be in greatest gree,
Eftfoons to court he caft t'advaunce his firft degree.
And by the way he chaunced to efpy
One fitting idle on a funny bank,
To whom avaunting in great bravery,
As Peacock, that his painted plumes doth prank, He fmote his courfer in the trembling flank, And to him threatned his heart-thrilling spear: The feely man, feeing him ride fo rank, And aym at him, fell flat to ground for fear, And crying mercy, loud, his pitious hands 'gan rear.
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