Tassonian's Melancholy For every substaunce is conditioned Emongst the shady leaves, their sweet abode, To chaunge her hew, and sondry formes to don, And their trew loves without suspition tell Meet for her temper and complexion: There is continuall Spring, and harvest there Continuall, both meeting at one tyme; For both the boughes doe laughing blossoms beare, And with fresh colours decke the wanton Pryme, And eke attonce the heavy trees they clyme, And sooth, it seemes, they say; for he may not In balefull night where all thinges are forgot: All be he subject to mortalitie, But well I weene, ye first desire to learne Whom with his brethren Timias slew, befell: Hither great Venus brought this infant fayre, And from Prince Arthure fled with wings of The yonger daughter of Chrysogonee, idle feare. I CANTO VII. The witches sonne loves Florimell: LIKE as an Hynd forth singled from the heard, That hath escaped from a ravenous beast, Yet flyes away of her owne feete afeard, And every leafe, that shaketh with the least Murmure of winde, her terror hath encreast; So fledd fayre Florimell from her vaine feare, Did seeme to be the same which she escapt whileare. So long as breath and hable puissaunce IV VIII At last, turning her feare to foolish wrath, She askt, what devill had her thither brought, And who she was, and what unwonted path Had guided her, unwelcomed, unsought? which the Damzell, full of doubtfull Her mildly answer'd: 'Beldame, be not wroth And, forst t' alight, on foot mote algates Unto your dwelling, ignorant and loth, fare A traveiler unwonted to such way: Need teacheth her this lesson hard and rare, overcame. V That crave but rowme to rest while tempest overblo'th.' IX With that adowne out of her christall evne Through the tops of the high trees she did descry A litle smoke, whose vapour thin and light Eftsoones her steps she thereunto applyd, VI There in a gloomy hollow glen she found Tho gan she gather up her garments rent, And her loose lockes to dight in order dew Far from all neighbours, that her divelish With golden wreath and gorgeous ornament ; deedes Whom such whenas the wicked Hag did vew, Yet had he not the hart, nor hardiment, XVII Oft from the forrest wildings he did bring, Whose sides empurpled were with smyling red; And oft young birds, which he had taught to sing, His maistresse praises sweetly caroled: He brought to her in bands, as conquered XVIII But, past a while, when she fit season saw To leave that desert mansion, she cast In secret wize herselfe thence to withdraw, For feare of mischiefe, which she did forecast Might by the witch or by her sonne compast. Her wearie Palfrey, closely as she might, Now well recovered after long repast, In his proud furnitures she freshly dight, His late miswandred wayes now to remeasure right. XIX And earely, ere the dawning day appear'd, She forth issewed, and on her journey went: She went in perill, of each noyse affeard, And of each shade that did it selfe present; For still she feared to be overhent Of that vile hag, or her uncivile sonne; Who when, too late awaking, well they kent That their fayre guest was gone, they both begonne [undonne. To make exceeding mone, as they had been XX But that lewd lover did the most lament For her depart, that ever man did heare: He knockt his brest with desperate intent, And scratcht his face, and with his teeth did teare His rugged flesh, and rent his ragged heare; That his sad mother, seeing his sore plight, Was greatly woe begon, and gan to feare Least his fraile senses were emperisht quight, And love to frenzy turnd, sith love is franticke hight. |