VI.

They passing by, that grisely mouth did see
Sucking the seas into his entralles deepe,
That seemd more horrible than hell to bee,
Or that darke dreadfull hole of Tartare steepe,
Through which the damned ghosts doen often creepe
Backe to the world, bad livers to torment;
But nought that falles into this direfull deepe,
Ne that approcheth nigh the wide descent,

May backe retourne, but is condemned to be drent.
VII.

On th' other side they saw that perilous rocke,
Threatning itselfe on them to ruinate,

On whose sharp cliftes the ribs of vessels broke,
And shivered ships, which had beene wrecked late,
Yet stuck with carcases exanimate

Of such as, having all their substance spent
In wanton ioys and lustes intemperate,
Did afterwardes make shipwrack violent
Both of their life and fame, for ever fowly blent.
VIII.

Forthy this hight the Rock of vile Reproch,
A daungerous and detestable place,

To which nor fish nor fowle did once approch,
But yelling meawes, with seagulles hoars and bace,
And cormoyraunts, with birds of ravenous race,
Which still sat wayting on that wastfull clift
For spoile of wretches, whose unhappy cace,
After lost credit and consumed thrift,

At last them driven hath to this despairefull drift.

IX.

The palmer seeing them in safetie past,

Thus saide; "Behold th'ensamples in our sightes "Of lustful luxurie and thriftlesse wast. "What now is left of miserable wightes, "Which spent their looser daies in leud delightes, "But shame and sad reproch, here to be red

"By these rent reliques speaking their ill plightes? "Let all that live hereby be counselled [dread." "To shunne Rock of Reproch, and it as death to X.

So forth they rowed, and that ferryman

With his stiffe oares did brush the sea so strong,
That the hoare waters from his frigot ran,
And the light bubles daunced all along,
Whiles the salt brine out of the billowes sprong.
At last far off they many islandes spy
On every side floting the floodes emong;
Then said the knight, "Lo I the land descry,
"Therefore, oid Syre, thy course doe thereunto ap-

"That may not bee," said then the ferryman, "Least we unweeting hap to be fordonne; "For those same islands, seeming now and than, "Are not firme land, nor any certein wonne, "But stragling plots, which to and fro doe ronne "In the wide waters; therefore are they hight "TheWandring Islands; therefore doe them shonne; "For they have oft drawne many a wandring wight "Into most deadly daunger and distressed plight.

XII

"Yet well they seeme to him that farre doth vew "Both faire and fruitfull, and the grownd dispred "With grassy greene of delectable hew; "And the tall trees, with leaves appareled, "Are deckt with blossoms dyde in white and red, · "That mote the passengers thereto allure;

But whosoever once hath fastened "His foot thereon may never it recure, "But wandreth evermore uncertein and unsure.

XIII.

"As th'Isle of Delos whylome, men report,
"Amid thÆgean sea long time did stray,
"Ne made for shipping any certeine port,
"Till that Latona, traveiling that way,
"Flying from Iunoes wrath and hard assay,
"Of her fayre twins was there delivered,
"Which afterwards did rule the night and day;
"Thenceforth it firmely was established,
"And for Apolloes temple highly herried.”
XIV.

They to him hearken, as beseemeth meete,
And passe on forward: so their way does ly,
That one of those same islands, which doe fleet
In the wide sea, they needes must passen by,
Which seemd so sweet and pleasaunt to the eye,
That it would tempt a man to touchen there:
Upon the banck they sitting did espy
A daintie damsell dressing of her heare,
By whom a little skippet floting did appeare.

XV.

She them espying loud to them can call,
Bidding them nigher draw unto the shore,
For she had cause to busy them withall,
And therewith lowdly laught; but nathemore
Would they once turne, but kept on as afore:
Which when she saw, she left her lockes undight,
And running to her boat withouten ore,

From the departing land it launched light, [might.
And after them did drive with all her power and
XVI.

Whom overtaking, she in merry sort
Them gan to bord, and purpose diversly,
Now faining dalliaunce and wanton sport,
Now throwing forth lewd wordes immodestly;
Till that the palmer gan full bitterly
Her to rebuke for being loose and light;
Which not abiding, but more scornfully
Scoffing at him that did her iustly wite,

Sheturnd her bote about, and from them rowed quite.
XVII.

That was the wanton Phædria, which late

Did ferry him over the Idle lake;

Whom nought regarding, they kept on their gate,
And all her vaine allurements did forsake:
When them the wary boteman thus bespake;
"Here now behoveth us well to avyse,

"And of our safety good heede to take,
"For here before a perlous passage lyes,

[dies:

"Where many mermayds haunt, making false melo

Volume III.

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XVIII.

"But by the way there is a great quicksand,
"And a whirlepoole of hidden ieopardy,
"Therefore, Sir Palmer, keepe an even hand,
"For twixt them both the narrow way doth ly."
Scarce had he saide, when hard at hand they spy
That quicksand nigh, with water covered,
But by the checked wave they did descry
It plaine, and by the sea discoloured;

It called was the Quickesand of Unthriftyhed.
XIX.

They passing by, a goodly ship did see,
Laden from far with precious merchandize,
And bravely furnished as ship might bee,
Which through great disaventure, or mesprize,
Herselfe had ronne into that hazardize;

Whose mariners and merchants with much toyle
Labour'd in vaine to have recur'd their prize,
And the rich wares to save from pitteous spoyle;
But neither toyle nor traveill might her backe recoyle.
XX.

On th' other side they see that perilous poole,
That called was the Whirlepoole of Decay,
In which full many had with haplesse doole
Beene suncke, of whom no memorie did stay;
Whose circled waters rapt with whirling sway,
Like to a restlesse wheele, still ronning round,
Did covet, as they passed by that way,

To draw their bote within the utmost bound

Of his wide labyrinth, and then to have them dround.