Nay, nay, thou greedy Tantalus (quoth he)
Abide the fortune of thy prefent fate;
And unto all that live in high degree,
Enfample be of mind intemperate,
To teach them how to use their prefent ftate..
Then 'gan the curfed wretch aloud to cry,
Accufing highest Jove, and Gods ingrate,
And eke blafpheming heaven bitterly,
As author of unjustice, there to let him dye.
LXI.
He lookt a little further, and efpide
Another wretch, whofe carkafs deep was drent
Within the river, which the fame did hide :
But both his hands, moft filthy feculent,
Above the water were on high extent,
And feignd to wash themselves inceffantly;
Yet nothing cleaner were for fuch intent,
But rather fouler feemed to the eye;
So loft his labour vain and idle industry.
LXII.
The Knight him calling, asked who he was,
Who lifting up his head, him anfwerd thus:
I Pilate am, the falfeft Judge, alas,
And most unjust, that by unrighteous
And wicked doom, to Jews defpiteous
Deliver'd up the Lord of life to dye,
And did acquit a murdrer felonous;
The whiles my hands I wafht in purity,
The whiles my foul was foyld with foul iniquity.
LXIII.
Infinite more tormented in like pain,
He there beheld, too long here to be told : Ne Mammon would there let him long remain, For terrour of the tortures manifold, In which the damned fouls he did behold,. But roughly him befpake. Thou fearful fool, Why takest not of that fame fruit of gold, Ne fittest down on that fame filver stool, To reft thy weary perfon in the fhadow cool?
All which he did, to do him deadly fall
In frail intemperance through finful bait;
To which if he enclined had at all,
That dreadful fiend, which did behind him wait,
Would him have rent in thousand pieces ftrait;
But he was wary-wife in all his way,
And well perceived his deceitful sleight,
Ne fuffered luft his fafety to betray;
So goodly did beguile the guiler of the prey.
And now he has fo long remained there,
That vital powres 'gan wex both weak and wan,
For want of food, and fleep; which two upbear,
Like mighty pillars, this frail life of man,
That none without the fame enduren can.
For now three days of men were full outwrought,
Since he this hardy enterprise began:
Forthy great Mammon fairly he befought,
Into the world to guide him back, as he him brought.
LXVI.
The God, though loth, yet was conftrain'd t'obey:
For longer time, than that, no living wight,
Below the earth, might fuffred be to ftay:
So back again him brought to living light.
But all fo foon as his enfeebled fpright
Gan fuck this vital air into his breaft,
As overcome with too exceeding might,
The life did flit away out of her nest,
And all his fenfes were with deadly fit oppreft
Sir Guyon, laid in fwown, is by
Acrates Sons defpoild,
Whom Arthur foon bath refkewed
And Paynim brethren foild,
And is there care in heaven? and is there love'
In heavenly fpirits to thefe creatures base,
That may compaffion of their evils move?
There is elfe much more wretched were the cafe
Of men, than beafts. But O th' exceeding grace
Of highest God! that loves his creatures fo,
And all his works with mercy doth embrace,
That bleffed Angels he fends to and fro,
To ferve to wicked man, to ferve his wicked foe.
How oft do they their filver bowers leave,
To come to fuccour us, that fuccour want?
How oft do they, with golden pinions, cleave
The flitting fkies, like flying pursuivant,
Against foul fiends to aid us militant?
They for us fight, they watch and duly ward,
And their bright fquadrons round about us plant,
And all for love, and nothing for reward:
O why should heavenly God to men have fuch regard ?
III.
During the while that Guyon did abide
In Mammon's houfe, the Palmer, whom whylere
That wanton maid of paffage had denide,
By further fearch had paffage found elsewhere;
And being on his way approached near,
Where Guyon lay in traunce, when fuddainly
He heard a voice, that called loud and clear,
Come hither, hither, O come haftily;
That all the fields refounded with the ruefull cry.'
IV.
The Palmer lent his ear unto the noise,
To weet who called fo importunely:
Again he heard a more efforced voice,
That bade him come in hafte. He by and by
His feeble feet directed to the cry;
Which to that fhady delve him brought at last,
Where Mammon earft did fun his treasury:
There the good Guyon he found flumbring fast
In fenfeless dream; which fight at firft him fore aghaft,
Befide his head there fate a fair young man,
Of wondrous beauty, and of freshest years
Whose tender bud to bloffom new began,
And flourish fair above his equal peers;
His fnowy front curled with golden hairs,
Like Phœbus face adorn'd with funny rays,
Divinely fhone, and two fharp winged fhears,
Decked with diverfe plumes, like painted Jays,
Were fixed at his back, to cut his airy ways.
VI,
Like as Cupido on Idean hill,
When having laid his cruel bow away,
And mortal arrows, wherewith he doth fill
The world with murdrous fpoyls and bloody prey,
With his fair mother he him dights to play,
And with his goodly fifters, Graces three;
The Goddess pleafed with his wanton play,
Suffers herself through fleep beguil'd to be,
The whiles the other Ladies mind their merry glee.
VII.
Whom when the Palmer faw, abafht he was
Through fear and wonder, that he nought could fay,
Till him the child befpoke, long lackt, alas,
Hath been thy faithful aid in hard assay,
Whiles deadly fit thy pupil doth difmay.
Behold this heavy fight, thou reverend Sire,
But dread of death and dolour do away;
For life ere long fhall to her home retire,
And he that breathlefs feems, fhall courage bold refpire,
The charge which God doth unto me arret,
Of his dear fafety, I to thee commend
Yet will I not forgo, ne yet forget
The care thereof (myfelf) unto the end,
But evermore him fuccour, and defend
Against his foe and mine: watch thou I pray ;
For evil is at hand him to offend.
So having faid, eftfoons he 'gan difplay
His painted nimble wings, and vanitht quite away..
The Palmer feeing his left empty place,
And his flow eyes beguiled of their fight, Woxe fore affraid, and standing still a space, Gaz'd after him, as fowl efcapt by flight; At last, him turning to his charge behight, With trembling hand his troubled pulfe 'gan try; Where finding life not yet diflodged quight, He much rejoyct, and courd it tenderly, As chicken newly hatcht, from dreaded destiny.
At laft he fpide where towards him did
Two Paynim Knights, all arm'd as bright as fky,
And them befide an aged Sire did trace,
And far before a light-foot page did fly,
That breathed ftrife and troublous enmity;
Those were the two fons of Acrates old,
Who meeting earft with Archimago fly,
Foreby that idle ftrond, of him were told,
That he, which earft them combatted, was Guyon bold.
XI.
Which to avenge on him they dearly vow'd,
Where-ever that on ground they mote him find;
Falfe Archimage provokt their courage proud,
And ftrife-full Atin in their ftubborn mind
Coals of contention and hot vengeance tind.
Now been they come whereas the Palmer fate,
Keeping that flumbred corfe to him affign'd;
Well knew they both his perfon, fith of late
With him in bloody arms they rashly did debate,
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