But lo, the Gods, that mortal follies view,
Did worthily revenge this maidens pride;
And nought regarding her so goodly hue,
Did laugh at her that many did deride,
Whilft he did weep, of no man mercifide.
For on a day, when Cupid kept his court,
As he is wont at each Saint Valentide,
Unto the which all Lovers do refort,
That of their loves fuccefs they there may make report;
XXXIII.
It fortun'd then, that when the rolls were read,
In which the names of all Loves folk were fil'd,
That many there were miffing, which were dead,
Or kept in bands, or from their Loves exil'd,
Or by fome other violence defpoil'd.
Which whenas Cupid heard, he wexed wroth,
And doubting to be wronged, or beguil'd,
He bade his eyes to be unblindfold both,
That he might fee his men, and mufter them by oath.
XXXIV.
Then found he many miffing of his crew,
Which wont do fuit and fervice to his might,
Of whom what was becomen, no man knew.
Therefore a Jury was impannel'd straight,
T'enquire of them, whether by force or fleight,
Or their own guilt, they were away convey❜d.
To whom foul Infamy and fell Despight
Gave evidence, that they were all betrayd,
And murdred cruelly by a rebellious Maid.
XXXV.
Fair Mirabella was her name, whereby
Of all thofe crimes the there indited was:
All which when Cupid heard, he by and by
In great difpleasure, will'd a Capias
Should iffue forth, t'attach that fcornful Lafs.
The warrant ftraight was made, and therewithall.
A Bayliff errant forth in poft did pass,
Whom they by name their Portamour did call;
He which doth fummon Lovers to Loves judgment hall.
The Damzel was attacht, and fhortly brought
Unto the bar, whereas fhe was arraign'd:
But she thereto nould plead nor answer ought
Even for stubborn pride, which her restrain'd.
So judgment paft, as is by law ordain'd
In cafes like; which when at last she saw,
Her stubborn heart, which love before difdain'd,
'Gan stoop, and falling down with humble awe,
Cry'd mercy, to abate th' extremity of law.
The fon of Venus, who is mild by kind
But where he is provokt with peevishness,
Unto her prayers piteously inclin’d,
And did the rigour of his doom repress;
Yet not fo freely but that nathelefs
He unto her a penance did impofe :
Which was that through this worlds wide wilderness
She wander fhould in company of those,
Till fhe had fav'd fo many Loves as fhe did lofe.
XXXVIII.
So now fhe had been wandring two whole years
Throughout the world, in this uncomely cafe,
Wafting her goodly hue in heavy tears,
And her good days in dolorous difgrace :
Yet had the not, in all these two years fpace,
Saved but two; yet in two years before,
Through her defpiteous pride, whilft love lackt place,
She had deftroyed two and twenty more.
[fore? Aye me! how could her love make half amends there
And now he was upon the weary way,
Whenas the gentle Squire, with fair Serene,
Met her in fuch miffeeming foul array;
The whiles, that mighty man did her demean
With all the evil terms and cruel mean
That he could make; And eke that angry Fool,
Which follow'd her, with curfed hands unclean
Whipping her horfe, did with his smarting tool
Oft whip her dainty felf, and much augment her dool.
Ne ought it mote avail her to entreat
The one or th' other, better her to use:
For both fo wilful were and obftinate,
That all her piteous plaint they did refuse,
And rather did the more her beat and bruife.
But most, the former villain, which did lead
Her tireling Jade, was bent her to abuse;
Who though the were with weariness nigh dead,
Yet would not let her light, nor reft a little ftead.
XLI.
For he was stern and terrible by nature,
And eke of perfon huge and hideous,
Exceeding much the measure of mans ftature,
And rather like a Giant monftruous.
For footh he was defcended of the house
Of thofe old Giants, which did wars darrain
Against the heaven in order battailous,
And Sib to great Orgolio, which was flain
By Arthur, whenas Unas Knight he did maintain.
XLII.
His looks were dreadful, and his fiery eyes
(Like two great beacons) glared bright and wide,
Glauncing askew, as if his enemies
He fcorned in his over-weening pride;
And talking stately, like a Crane, did ftride
At every step upon the tip-toes high:
And all the way he went on every fide
He gaz'd about, and ftared horribly,
As if he with his looks would all men terrify.
XLIII.
He wore no armour, ne for none did care,
As no whit dreading any living wight;
But in a jacket quilted richly rare,
Upon checklaton, he was ftrangely dight,
And on his head a roll of linnen plight,
Like to the Moors of Malabar he wore ;
With which his locks, as black as pitchy night, Were bound about, and voided from before, And in his hand a mighty iron club he bore.
This was Disdain, who led that Ladies horfe
Through thick and thin, through mountains and through
Compelling her, where fhe would not, by force,
Haling her palfrey by the hempen reins.
But that fame Fool, which moft increast her pains,
Was Scorn, who having in his hand a whip,
Her therewith yirks, and ftill when the complains,
The more he laughs, and does her clofely quip,
To fee her fore lament, and bite her tender lip.
Whose cruel handling when that Squire beheld,
And faw thofe villains her fo vilely use,
His gentle heart with indignation swell'd,
And could no longer bear fo great abuse,
As fuch a Lady fo to beat and bruise;
But to him stepping, fuch a ftroke him lent,
The furc'd him th'halter from his hand to loofe,
And maugre all his might, back to relent:
Elfe had he furely there been flain, or fouly fhent.
XLVI.
The villain, wroth for greeting him fo fore,
Gather'd himself together foon again;
And with his iron batton which he bore,
Let drive at him fo dreadfully amain,
That for his fafety he did him constrain
To give him ground, and shift to every fide.
Rather than once his burden to fuftain:
For bootless thing him feemed to abide
So mighty blows, or prove the puiffance of his pride.
XLVII.
Like as a Maftiff, having at a bay
A falvage Bull, whofe cruel horns do threat
Defperate danger, if he them affay,
Traceth his ground, and round about doth beat,
To fpy where he may fome advantage get;
The whiles the beast doth rage and loudly rore:
So did the Squire the whiles the Carle did fret,
And fume in his difdainful mind the more,
And oftentimes by Turmagant and Mahound fwore.
Nath'lefs, fo fharply ftill he him purfu'd,
That at advantage him at last he took,
When his foot flipt (that flip he dearly ru'd)
And with his iron club to ground him ftrook;
Where ftill he lay, ne out of fwoun awook,
Till heavy hand the Carle upon him laid,
And bound him faft: Tho when he up did look,
And faw himself captiv'd, he was difmaid,
powre had to withstand, ne hope of any aid.,
XLIX.
Then up he made him rife, and forward fare,
Led in a rope, which both his hands did bind;
Ne ought that Fool for pity did him spare;
But with his whip him following behind,
Him often fcourg'd, and forc'd his feet to find:
And otherwhiles, with bitter mocks and mows
He would him fcorn, that to his gentle mind
Was much more grievous than the others blows:
Words fharply wound, but greatest grief of fcorning grows.
The fair Serena when fhe faw him fall
Under that villains club, then surely thought
That flain he was, or made a wretched thrall,
And fled away with all the speed she mought,
To feek for fafety, which long time she sought;
And paft through many perils by the way,
Ere the again to Calepine was brought:
The which difcourfe as now I muft delay,
Till Mirabellas fortunes I do further say.
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