But th' only good that growes of passed feare. Her wrizled skin, as rough as maple rind,
Is to be wise, and ware of like agein.
This daies ensample hath this lesson deare
Deepe written in my heart with yron pen,

So scabby was that would have loathd all
womankind.

That blisse may not abide in state of mortall

men.

XLV

|_ Henceforth, Sir knight, take to you wonted strength,

And maister these mishaps with patient might.
Loe! where your foe lies strecht in monstrous
length;

And loe! that wicked woman in your sight,
The roote of all your care and wretched plight.
Now in your powre, to let her live, or die.'
To doe her die,' (quoth Una) ' were despight,
And shame t'avenge so weake an enimy;
But spoile her of her scarlot robe, and let her
fly.'

XLVI

So, as she bad, that witch they disaraid,
And robd of roiall robes, and purple pall,
And ornaments that richly were displaid;
Ne spared they to strip her naked all.
Then, when they had despoyld her tire and call,

Such as she was their eies might her behold,
That her misshaped parts did them appall:
A loathly, wrinckled hag, ill favoured, old,
Whose secret filth good manners biddeth not
be told.

XLVII

Her crafty head was altogether bald,
And, as in hate of honorable eld,

Was overgrowne with scurfe and filthy cald;
Her teeth out of her rotten gummes were feld,
And her sowre breath abhominably smeld;
| Her dried dugs, lyke bladders lacking wind,

XLVIII

Her neather parts, the shame of all her kind,
My chaster Muse for shame doth blush to
write:
But at her rompe she growing had behind
A foxes taile, with dong all fowly dight;
And eke her feete most monstrous were in sight;
For one of them was like an Eagles claw,
With griping talaunts armd to greedy fight,
The other like a beares uneven paw,
More ugly shape yet never living creature saw.

XLIX

Which when the knights beheld amazd they

were,

And wondred at so fowle deformed wight.
Such then,' (said Una.) · as she seemeth here,
Such is the face of fals hood: such the sight
Of fowle Duessa, when her borrowed light
Is laid away, and counterfesaunce knowne.'
Thus when they had the witch disrobed quight,
And all her filthy feature open showne,
They let her goe at will, and wander waies
unknowne.

Ꮮ

Shee, flying fast from heavens hated face,
And from the world that her discovered wide,
Fled to the wastfull wildernesse apace,
From living eies her open shame to hide,
And lurkt in rocks and caves, long unes pide.
But that faire crew of knights, and Una faire,
Did in that castle afterwards abide,

To rest them selves, and weary powres repaire;

Hong downe, and filthy matter from them Where store they fownd of al that dainty was weld;

I

CANTO IX.

and rare.

His loves and lignage Arthure tells:
The knights knitt friendly bands:
Sir Trevisan flies from Despeyre,
Whom Redcros knight withstands.

O GOODLY golden chayne, wherewith yfere
The vertues linked are in lovely wize;
And noble mindes of yore allyed were,
In brave poursuitt of chevalrous emprize,
That none did others safety despize,
Nor aid envy to him in need that stands;
But friendly each did others praise devize,
How to advaunce with favourable hands,
As this good Prince redeemd the Redcrosse,
knight from bands.

: Who when their powres, empayrd through |
labor long,

With dew repast they had recured well,
And that weake captive wight now wexed
strong.

Them list no lenger there at leasure dwell,
But forward fare as their adventures fell:
But, ere they parted, Una faire besought
That straunger knight his name and nation
tell;

Least so great good, as he for her had wrought, With forced fury following his behest,
Should die unknown, and buried be in thankles
thought.

III

Me hither brought by wayes yet never found,
You to have helpt I hold my selfe yet blest."
Ah! courteous Knight,' (quoth she) 'what
secret wound
[ground?'

'Faire virgin,' (said the Prince,) 'yee me Could ever find to grieve the gentlest hart on

require

For on a day, prickt forth with jollitee
Of looser life and heat of hardiment,
Raunging the forest wide on courser free,
The fields, the floods, the heavens, with one
consent,

Was firmest fixt in myne extremest case.
And you, my Lord, the Patrone of my life,
Of that great Queene may well gaine worthie
grace,

[intent. For onely worthie you through prowes priefe, Did seeme to laugh on me, and favour mine Yf living man mote worthie be to be her liefe.'

XXI

Thus as he spake, his visage wexed pale,
And chaunge of hew great passion did bewray;
Yett still he strove to cloke his inward bale,
And hide the smoke that did his fire display,
Till gentle Una thus to him gan say:
‘O happy Queene of Faeries! that hast fownd,
Mongst many, one that with his prowesse may
Defend thine honour, and thy foes confownd.
True loves are often sown, but seldom grow And with his winged heeles did tread the wynd,

on grownd.'

XVII

'Thine, ()! then,' said the gentle Redcrosse
knight,

'Next to that Ladies love, shalbe the place,
O fayrest virgin! full of heavenly light,
Whose wondrous faith, exceeding earthly race,

So as they traveild, lo! they gan espy
An armed knight towards them gallop fast,
That seemed from some feared foe to fly,
Or other griesly thing that him aghast.
Still as he fledd his eye was backward cast,
As if his feare still followed him behynd:
Als flew his steed as he his bandes had brast,
As he had beene a fole of Pegasus his kynd.

XXII

Nigh as he drew, they might perceive his head To bee unarmd, and curld uncombed heares Upstaring stiffe, dis maid with uncouth dread : Nor drop of blood in all his face appeares,

And am I now in safetie sure,' (quoth he) 'From him that would have forced me to dye? And is the point of death now turnd fro mee, That I may tell this haplesse history?' [nye.' 'Fear nought,' (quoth he) 'no daunger now is Then shall I you recount a ruefull cace,' (Said he) the which with this unlucky eye I late beheld; and, had not greater grace Me reft from it, had bene partaker of the place.

XXVII

'How may a man,' (said he) 'with idle speach Be wonne to spoyle the Castle of his health?' 'I wote,' (quoth he) whom tryall late did teach,

That like would not for all this worldes wealth. 'I lately chaunst (Would I had never His subtile tong like dropping honny mealt'h

chaunst!)

With a fayre knight to keepen companee,
Sir Terwin hight, that well himselfe advaunst
In all affayres, and was both bold and free,

Into the heart, and searcheth every vaine;
That, ere one be aware, by secret stealth
His powre is reft, and weaknes doth remaine.
O! never, Sir, desire to try his guilefull traine.'

[intent. For onely worthie you through prowes priefe, Did seeme to laugh on me, and favour mine Yf living man mote worthie be to be her liefe.'