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VII.

In vain he fears that which he cannot fhone:
For who wotes not, that womans fubtilties
Can guilen Argus, when the lift mifdone?
It is not iron bands, nor hundred eyes,
Nor brazen walls, nor many wakeful spyes,
That can withhold her wilful wandring feet;
But faft good will with gentle courtefies,
And timely service to her pleasures meet,
May her perhaps contain, that elfe would algates flect.
VIII.

Then is he not more mad, faid Paridell,

That hath himself unto fuch fervice fold,
In doleful thraldom all his days to dwell?
For fure a fool I do him firmly hold,

That loves his fetters, though they were of gold.
But why do we devife of others ill,

Whiles thus we fuffer this fame dotard old
To keep us out, in fcorn of his own will,
And rather do not ranfack all, and himself kill?
IX.

Nay let us firft, faid Satyrane, intreat

The man by gentle means, to let us in,
And afterwards affray with cruel threat,
Ere that we to efforce it do begin :
Then if all fail, we will by force it win,
And eke reward the wretch for his mesprise,
As may be worthy of his heinous fin.

That counsel pleas'd: Then Paridell did rife,
And to the caftle gate approcht in quiet wife.
X.

Whereat foft knocking, entrance he defir'd.
The good-man felf (which then the Porter playd)
Him answered, that all were now retir'd
Unto their reft; and all the keys conveyd
Unto their maifter, who in bed was layd,
That none him durft awake out of his dream;
And therefore them of patience gently prayd.
Then Paridell began to change his theme,

And threatned him with force, and punishment extreme.

XI.

But all in vain; for nought mote him relent.
And now fo long before the wicket fast
They waited, that the night was forward spent ;
And the fair welkin, foully over-cast,
Gan blowen up a bitter ftormy blast,
With showre and hail fo horrible and dred,
That this fair many were compel'd at laft
To fly for fuccour to a little fhed,

The which befide the gate for fwine was ordered.
XII.

It fortuned, foon after they were gone,

Another Knight, whom tempeft thither brought, Came to that caftle; and with earnest mone, Like as the reft, late entrance dear befought: But like fo as the reft, he prayd for nought; For flatly he of entrance was refus'd. 1 Sorely thereat he was difpleas'd, and thought How to avenge himself fo fore abus'd, And evermore the Carle of courtefie accus'd. XIII.

But to avoid th'intolerable ftowre,

He was compel'd to feek fome refuge near,
And to that fhed (to fhrowd him from the fhowre)
He came, which full of guests he found whylear,
So as he was not let to enter there;

Whereat he 'gan to wex exceeding wroth,
And fwore that he would lodge with them yfere,
Or them diflodge, all were they liefe or loth;
And them defied each, and fo defide them both.
XIV.

Both were full loth to leave that needful tent,
And both full loth in darknefs to debate;
Yet both full liefe him lodging to have lent,
And both full liefe his boatting to abate;
But chiefly Paridell his heart did grate,
To hear him threaten fo defpightfully,
As if he did a Dog to kennel rate,

That durft not bark; and rarher had he dye,
Than when he was defide, in coward corner lye.

XV.

Tho hastily remounting to his fteed,

He forth iffu'd; like as a boiftrous wind,
Which in th'earths hollow caves hath long been hid,
And shut up faft within her prifons blind,
Makes the huge element against her kind
To move, and tremble as it were aghast,
Untill that it an iffue forth may find;

Then forth it breaks, and with his furious blaft Confounds both land and seas, and skies doth over-cast. XVI.

Their fteel-head fpears they ftrongly coucht, and met
Together with impetuous rage and force;
That with the terrour of their fierce affret,
They rudely drove to ground both man and horfe,
That each (awhile) lay like a fenfeless corse:
But Paridell, fore bruifed with the blow,
Could not arife, the counterchange to fcorce,
Till that young Squire him reared from below;
Then drew he his bright fword, and 'gan about him throw.
XVII.

But Satyrane, forth ftepping, did them stay,
And with fair treaty pacifide their ire;
Then, when they were accorded from the fray,
Against that caftles Lord they 'gan confpire,
To heap on him due vengeance for his hire,
They been agreed, and to the gates they go..
To burn the fame with unquenchable fire,

And that uncourteous Carle (their common foe)
To do foul death to dye, or wrap in grievous woe.
XVIII.

Malbecco feeing them refolv'd indeed

To flame the gates, and hearing them to call
For fire in earneft, ran with fearful speed;
And to them calling from the castle wall,
Befought them humbly, him to bear withall,
As ignorant of fervants bad abuse,

And flack attendance unto ftrangers call.
The Knights were willing all things to excufe,
Though nought believ'd, and entrance late did not refufe.

XIX.

They been ybrought into a comely bowre,
And ferv'd of all things that mote needful be;
Yet fecretly their hoft did on them lowre,
And welcom❜d more for fear than charity;
But they diffembled what they did not fee,
And welcomed themfelves. Each 'gan undight
Their garments wet, and weary armour free,
To dry themselves by Vulcans flaming light,
And eke their lately bruized parts to bring in plight.
XX.

And eke that stranger Knight, emongst the rest,
Was for like need enforft to difarray:
Tho whenas vailed was her lofty creft,
Her golden locks, that were in tramels gay
Up-bounden, did themselves adown difplay,
And raught unto her heels; like funny beams
That in a cloud their light did long time stay,
Their vapour vaded, fhew their golden gleams,
And through the perfent air fhoot forth their azure ftreams.
XXI.

She alfo doft her heavy haberjeon,

Which the fair feature of her limbs did hide;
And her well plighted frock, which fhe did won
To tuck about her fhort when the did ride,
She low let fall, that flow'd from her lank fide
Down to her foot, with carelefs modefty.
Then of them all the plainly was efpide
To be a woman-wight (unwift to be)
The fairest woman-wight that ever eye did fee.
XXII.

Like as Minerva, being late return'd

From flaughter of the giants conquered; Where proud Encelade, whofe wide nofethrills burn'd With breathed flames, like to a furnace red, Transfixed with her fpear, down tumbled dead From top of Hemus, by him heaped high; Hath loos'd her helmet from her lofty head, And her Gorgonian fhield 'gins to unty From her left arm, to reft in glorious victory.

XXIII.

Which whenas they beheld, they fmitten were
With great amazement of fo wondrous fight;
And each on other, and they all on her
Stood gazing, as if fuddain great affright
Had them furpriz'd. At laft, avifing right,
Her goodly perfonage and glorious hew,
Which they fo much miftook, they took delight
In their first errour, and yet ftill anew

With wonder of her beauty fed their hungry view.
XXIV.

Yet n'ote their hungry view be fatisfide;
But seeing, still the more defir'd to fee,
And ever firmly fixed did abide

In contemplation of divinity:

But moft they marvaild at her chevalry
And noble prowess, which they had approv'd,
That much they fain'd to know who fhe mote be;
Yet none of all them her thereof amov'd,
Yet every one her likt, and every one her lov'd.
XXV.

And Paridell, though partly difcontent,
With his late fall, and foul indignity,
Yet was foon won his malice to relent,
Through gracious regard of her fair eye,
And knightly worth, which he too late did try,
Yet tryed did adore. Supper was dight;
Then they Malbecco pray'd of courtesy,
That of his Lady they might have the fight,
And company at meat, to do them more delight.
XXVI.

But he, to fhift their curious request,

'Gan caufen why fhe could not come in place;
Her crazed health, her late recourse to reft,
And humid evening, ill for fick folks cafe:
But none of thofe excufes could take place;
Ne would they eat till fhe in prefence came.
She came in prefence with right comely grace,
And fairly them faluted, as became,

And fhew'd her felf in all a gentle courteous Dame.

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