stone,

XX

And eke, through feare, as white as whales bone: At last, as nigh out of the wood she came,
Her garments all were wrought of beaten gold, A stately Castle far away she spyde,
And all her steed with tinsell trappings shone, To which her steps directly she did frame.
Which fledd so fast that nothing mote him hold, That Castle was most goodly edifyde,
And scarse them leasure gave her passing to

behold.

XVI

Still as she fledd her eye she backward threw,
As fearing evill that poursewd her fast:
And her faire yellow locks behind her flew,
Loosely disperst with puff of every blast:

And plaste for pleasure nigh that forrest syde;
But faire before the gate a spatious playne,
Mantled with greene, it selfe did spredden wyde,
On which she saw six knights, that did dar-

And we your liegemen faith unto you plight.' And wooed him her Paramoure to bee,
So underneath her feet their swords they mard, 'Now making girlonds of each flowre that grew,
And, after, her besought, well as they might, To crowne his golden lockes with honour dew;
To enter in and reape the dew reward. Now leading him into a secret shade [vew,
She graunted; and then in they all together From his Beauperes, and from bright heavens
far'd.
Where him to sleepe she gently would per-
swade,

ΧΧΧΙ

These stranger knights, through passing,|
forth were led

Into an inner rowme, whose royaltee
And rich purveyance might uneath be red;
Mote Princes place be seeme so deckt to bee.
Which stately manner whenas they did see,
The image of superfluous riotize,

So did she steale his heedelesse hart away,
And joyd his love in secret unespyde:
To hunt the salvage beast in forrest wyde
But for she saw him bent to cruell play,
Dreadfull of daunger that mote him betyde,
She oft and oft adviz'd him to refraine
From chase of greater beastes, whose brutish
pryde

Mote breede him scath unwares but all in
vaine;
[doth ordaine?
For who can shun the chance that dest'ny

XXXVIII

Lo! where beyond he lyeth languishing, Deadly engored of a great wilde Bore; And by his side the Goddesse groveling Makes for him endlesse mone, and evermore [devize. With her soft garment wipes away the gole Might be maintaynd, and each gan diversely Which staynes his snowy skin with hatefull

Exceeding much the state of meane degree, They greatly wondred whence so sumptuous guize

XXXIV

The wals were round about appareiled
With costly clothes of Arras and of Toure;
In which with cunning hand was pourtrahed
The love of Venus and her Paramoure,
The fayre Adonis, turned to a flowre,
A worke of rare device and wondrous wit.
First did it shew the bitter balefull stowre,
Which her essayd with many a fervent fit,
When first her tender hart was with his beautie
smit.

XXXV

Then with what sleights and sweet allurements she

Entyst the Boy, as well that art she knew,

hew:

But, when she saw no helpe might him restore,
Him to a dainty flowre she did transmew,
Which in that cloth was wrought as if it lively
grew.

XXXIX

So was that chamber clad in goodly wize:
And rownd about it many beds were light,
As whylome was the antique worldes guize,
Some for untimely ease, some for delight,
As pleased them to use that use it might;
And all was full of Damzels and of Squyres,
Dauncing and reveling both day and night,
And swimming deepe in sensuall desyres;
And Cupid still emongest them kindled lustfull

fyres.

XL

in fee.

Now were they liegmen to this Ladie free, And all the while sweet Musicke did divide | And her knights service ought, to hold of her Her looser notes with Lydian harmony; And all the while sweet birdes thereto applide Their daintie layes and dulcet melody, Ay caroling of love and jollity,

That wonder was to heare their trim consort. Which when those knights beheld, with scornefull eye

They sdeigned such lascivious disport,

XLV

The first of them by name Gardantè hight,
The second was Parlantè, a bold knight;
A jolly person, and of comely vew;
And next to him Jocante did ensew;
Basciante did him selfe most courteous shew;
But fierce Bacchantè seemd too fell and keene;

And loath'd the loose demeanure of that wan- And yett in armes Noctantè greater grew :

ton sort.

All were faire knights, and goodly well beseene; But to faire Britomart they all but shadowes beene.

XLVI

For shee was full of amiable grace
And manly terror mixed therewithall;
That as the one stird up affections bace,
So th' other did mens rash desires apall,
And hold them backe that would in error fall:
As hee that hath espide a vermeill Rose,
To which sharp thornes and breres the way
forstall,

Dare not for dread his hardy hand expose,
But wishing it far off his ydle wish doth lose.

XLVII

Whom when the Lady saw so faire a wight,
All ignorant of her contrary sex,
(For shee her weend a fresh and lusty knight,)
Shee greatly gan enamoured to wex
And with vaine thoughts her falsed fancy vex:
Her fickle hart conceived hasty fyre,
Like sparkes of fire which fall in sclender flex,
That shortly brent into extreme desyre,
And ransackt all her veines with passion entyre.

XLVIII

Eftsoones shee grew to great impatience,
And into termes of open outrage brust,
That plaine discovered her incontinence;
Ne reckt shee who her meaning did mistrust,
For she was given all to fle hly lust,
And poured forth in sensuall delight,
That all regard of shame she had discust,
And meet respect of honor putt to flight:
So shamelesse beauty soone bec mes a loathly
sight.

XLIX

Faire Ladies, that to love captived arre.
And chaste desires doe nourish in your mind,
Let not her fault your sweete affections marre,
Ne blott the bounty of all womankind. [tind:
'Mongst thousands good one wanton Dame to
Emongst the Roses grow some wicked weeds:
For this was not to love, but lust, inclind;