The foolish man thereat woxe wondrous blith,
As if the word so spoken were halfe donne,
And humbly thanked him a thousand sith
That had from death to life him newly wonne.
Tho forth the boaster marching brave begonne
His stolen steed to thunder furiously,
As if he Heaven and Heil would over-ronne,
And all the world confound with cruelty;
That much Malbecco ioyed in his iollity.
Thus long they three together traveiled,
They all agree, and forward them addrest:
"Ah! but," said crafty Trompart, "weete ye well,
That yonder in that wastefull wildernesse
Huge monsters haunt, and many dangers dwell;
Dragons, and minotaures, and feendes of Hell,
And many wilde woodmen which robbe and rend
All traveilers; therefore advise ye well,
Before ye enterprise that way to wend:
One may his journey bring too soone to evill end."
Malbecco stopt in great astonishment,
Through many a wood and many an uncouth way, And, with pale eyes fast fixed on the rest,
To seeke his wife that was far wandered:
But those two sought nought but the present pray,
To weete, the treasure which he did bewray,
On which their eies and harts were wholly sett,
With purpose how they might it best betray;
For, sith the howre that first he did them lett
The same behold, therwith their keene desires were
whett.
It fortuned, as they together far'd,
They spide where Paridell came pricking fast
Upon the plaine, the which himselfe prepar'd
To giust with that brave straunger knight a cast,
As on adventure by the way he past:
Alone he rode without his paragone;
For, having filcht her bells, her up he cast
To the wide world, and lett her fly alone;
He nould be clogd: so had he served many one.
The gentle lady, loose at randon lefte,
Their counsell crav'd in daunger imminent.
Said Trompart; "You, that are the most opprest
With burdein of great treasure, I thinke best
Here for to stay in safetie bebynd:
My lord and I will search the wide forest."
That counsell pleased not Malbeccoes mynd;
For he was much afraid himselfe alone to fynd.
"Then is it best," said he, "that ye doe leave
Your treasure here in some security,
Either fast closed in some hollow greave,
Or buried in the ground from ieopardy,
Till we returne againe in safety:
As for us two, least doubt of us ye have,
Hence farre away we will blyndfolded ly,
Ne privy bee unto your treasures grave." [brave.
It pleased; so he did: then they march forward
Now when amid the thickest woodes they were,
They heard a noyse of many bagpipes shrill,
The greene-wood long did walke, and wander wide And shrieking hububs them approching nere,
At wilde adventure, like a forlorne wefte;
Till on a day the Satyres her espide
Straying alone withouten groome or guide:
Her up they tooke, and with them home her ledd,
With them as housewife ever to abide, [bredd;
To milk their gotes, and make them cheese and
And every one as commune good her handeled:
That shortly she Malbecco has forgott,
And eke sir Paridell all were he deare;
Who from her went to seeke another lott,
And now by fortune was arrived here,
Where those two guilers with Malbecco were.
Soone as the old man saw sir Paridell,
He fainted, and was almost dead with feare,
Ne word he had to speake his griefe to tell,
But to him louted low, and greeted goodly well;
And, after, asked him for Hellenore:
"I take no keepe of her," sayd Paridell,
"She wonneth in the forrest there before."
So forth he rode as his adventure fell;
The whiles the boaster from his loftie sell
Faynd to alight, something amisse to mend ;
But the fresh swayne would not his leasure dwell,
But went his way; whom when he passed kend,
He up remounted light, and after faind to wend.
"Perdy nay," said Malbecco, "shall ye not;
But let him passe as lightly as he came :
For litle good of him is to be got,
And mickle perill to bee put to shame.
But let us goe to secke my dearest dame,
Whom he hath left in yonder forest wyld:
For of her safety in great doubt I ame,
Least salvage beastes her person have despoyld:
Then all the world is lost, and we in vaine have toyld!"
Which all the forest did with horrour fill:
That dreadfull sound the bosters hart did thrill
With such amazment, that in hast he fledd,
Ne ever looked back for good or ill;
And after him eke fearefull Trompart spedd:
The old man could not fly, but fell to ground half
dedd:
Yet afterwardes, close creeping as he might,
He in a bush did hyde his fearefull hedd.
The jolly Satyres full of fresh delight
Came dauncing forth, and with them nimbly ledd
Faire Helenore with girlonds all bespredd,
Whom their May-lady they had newly made:,
Shee, proude of that new honour which they redd,
And of their lovely fellowship full glade,
Daunst lively, and her face did with a lawrell shade.
The silly man that in the thickett lay
Saw all this goodly sport, and grieved sore;
Yet durst he not against it doe or say,
But did his hart with bitter thoughts engore,
To see th' unkindnes of his Hellenore.
All day they daunced with great lustyhedd,
And with their horned feet the greene gras wore;
The whites their gotes upon the brouzes fedd,
Till drouping Phoebus gau to hyde his golden hedd.
Tho up they gan their mery pypes to trusse,
And all their goodly heardes did gather rownd;
But every Satyre first did give a busse
To Hellenore; so busses did abound.
Now gan the humid vapour shed the grownd
With perly deaw, and th' Earthes gloomy shade
Did dim the brightnesse of the welkin rownd,
That every bird and beast awarned made [invade.
To shrowd themselves, while sleep their sences did
But, through long anguish and selfe-murd'ring
He was so wasted and forpined quight, [thought,
That all his substance was consum'd to nought,
And nothing left but like an aery spright;
That on the rockes he fell so flit and light,
That he thereby receiv'd no hurt at all;
But chaunced on a craggy cliff to light;
Whence he with crooked clawes so long did crall,
But hearken to his lore, and all his counsell hyde. That at the last he found a cave with entrance small:
Britomart chaceth Ollyphant; Findes Scudamour distrest: Assayes the house of Busyrane, Where Loves spoyles are exprest.
O HATEFULL hellish snake! what Furie furst
Brought thee from balefull house of Proserpine,
Where in her bosome she thee long had nurst,
And fostred up with bitter milke of tine;
Fowle Gealosy! that turnest love divine
To ioylesse dread, and mak'st the loving hart
With hatefull thoughts to languish and to pine,
And feed itselfe with selfe-consuming smart,
Of all the passions in the mind thou vilest art!
O let him far be banished away,
And in his stead let Love for ever dwell!
Sweete Love, that doth his golden wings embay
In blessed nectar and pure Pleasures well,
Untroubled of vile feare or bitter fell.
And ye, faire ladies, that your kingdomes make
In th' harts of men, them governe wisely well,
And of faire Britomart ensample take,
That was as trew in love as turtle to her make.
Who with sir Satyrane, as earst ye red,
Forth ryding from Malbeccoes hostlesse hous,
Far off aspyde a young man, the which fled
From an huge geaunt, that with hideous
And hatefull outrage long him chaced thus;
It was that Ollyphant, the brother deare
Of that Argantè vile and vitious,
From whom the Squyre of Dames was reft whylere;
This all as bad as she, and worse, if worse ought
For as the sister did in feminine
And filthy lust exceede all womankinde;
So he surpassed his sex masculine,
In beastly use, all that I ever finde:
Whom when as Britomart beheld behinde
The fearefull boy so greedily poursew,
She was emmoved in her noble minde
T'employ her puissaunce to his reskew,
And pricked fiercely forward where she did him vew.
Ne was sir Satyrane her far behinde,
But with like fiercenesse did ensew the chace:
Whom when the gyaunt saw, he soone resinde
His former suit, and from them fled apace:
They after both, and boldly bad him bace,
And each did strive the other to outgoe;
But he them both outran a wondrous space,
For he was long, and swift as any roe,
Fayre Britomart so long him followed,
That she at last came to a fountaine sheare,
By which there lay a knight all wallowed
Upon the grassy ground, and by him neare
His haberieon, his helmet, and his speare:
A little off, his shield was rudely throwne,
On which the winged boy in colours cleare
Depeincted was, full easie to be knowne,
And he thereby, wherever it in field was showne.
His face upon the grownd did groveling ly,
As if he had beene slombring in the shade;
That the brave mayd would not for courtesy
Out of his quiet slomber him abrade,
Nor seeme too suddeinly him to invade :
Still as she stood, she heard with grievous throb
Him grone, as if his hart were peeces made,
And with most painefull pangs to sigh and sob,
That pitty did the virgins hart of patience rob.
At last forth breaking into bitter plaintes
He sayd; "O soverayne Lord, that sit'st on bye
And raingst in bli emongst thy blessed saintes,
How suffrest thou such shamefull cruelty
So long unwreaked of thine enimy!
Or hast thou, Lord, of good mens cause no heed?
Or doth thy justice sleepe and silent ly?
What booteth then the good and righteous deed,
If goodnesse find no grace, nor righteousnesse no
meed!
"If good find grace, and righteousnes reward,
Why then is Amoret in caytive band,
Sith that more bounteous creature never far'd
On foot upon the face of living land?
Or if that hevenly iustice may withstand
The wrongfull outrage of unrighteous men,
Why then is Busirane with wicked hand
Suffred, these seven monethes day, in secret den
My lady and my love so cruelly to pen?"
"My lady and my love is cruelly pend
In dolefull darkenes from the vew of day,
Whilest deadly torments doe her chast brest rend,
And the sharpe steele doth rive her hart in tway,
All for she Scudamore will not denay.
Yet thou, vile man, vile Scudamore, art sound,
Ne canst her ayde, ne canst her foe dismay;
Unworthy wretch to tread upon the ground,
For whom so faire a lady feeles so sore a wound."
There an huge heape of singulfes did oppresse
His strugling soule, and swelling throbs empeach
His foltring toung with pangs of drerinesse,
Choking the remnant of his plaintife speach,
As if his dayes were come to their last reach.
Which when she heard, and saw the ghastly fit
Threatning into his life to make a breach,
Both with great ruth and terrour she was smit,
And now made better speed t' escape his feared foe. Fearing least from her cage thewearie soulewould flit.
It was not Satyrane, whom he did feare,
But Britomart the flowre of chastity;
For he the powre of chaste hands might not beare,
But alwayes did their dread encounter fly:
And now so fast his feet he did apply,
That he gas gotten to a forrest neare,
Where he is shrowded in security.
The wood they enter, and search everie where;
They searched diversely; so both divided were.
Tho, stouping downe, she him amoved light;
Who, therewith somewhat starting, up gan looke,
And seeing him behind a stranger knight,
Whereas no living creature he mistooke,
With great indignaunce he that sight forsooke,
And, downe againe himselfe disdainefully
Abiecting, th' earth with his faire forhead strooke:
Which the bold virgin seeing, gan apply
Fit medcine to his griefe, and spake thus courtesly:
"Ah! gentle knight, whose deepe-conceived griefe
Well seemes t' exceede the powre of patience,
Yet, if that hevenly grace some good reliefe
You send, submit you to high Providence;
And ever, in your noble hart, prepense,
That all the sorrow in the world is lesse
Then vertues might and values confidence:
For who nill bide the burden of distresse, [nesse.
Must not here thinke to live; for life is wretched-
"Therefore, faire sir, doe comfort to you take,
And freely read what wicked felon so
Hath outrag'd you, and thrald your gentle make.
Perhaps this hand may help to ease your woe,
And wreake your sorrow on your cruell foe;
At least it faire endevour will apply."
Those feeling words so neare the quicke did goe,
That up his head he reared easily;
And, leaning on his elbowe, these few words lett fly:
"What boots it plaine that cannot be redrest,
And sow vaine sorrow in a fruitlesse eare;
Sith powre of hand, nor skill of learned brest,
Ne worldly price, cannot redeeme my deare
Out of her thraldome and continuall feare!
For he, the tyrant, which her hath in ward
By strong enchauntments and blacke magicke leare,
Hath in a dungeon deepe her close embard,
Aud many dreadfull feends hath pointed to her gard.
"There he tormenteth her most terribly,
And day and night afflicts with mortall paine,
Because to yield him love she doth deny,
Once to me yold, not to be yolde againe :
But yet by torture he would her constraine
Love to conceive in her disdainfull brest;
Till so she doe, she must in doole remaine,
Ne may by living meanes be thence relest:
What boots it then to plaine that cannot be redrest!"
With this sad hersall of his heavy stresse The warlike damzell was empassiond sore,
There they dismounting drew their weapons bold,
And stoutly came unto the castle gate,
Whereas no gate they found them to withhold,
Nor ward to waite at morne and evening late;
But in the porch, that did them sore amate,
A flaming fire ymixt with smouldry smoke
And stinking sulphure, that with griesly hate
And dreadfull horror did all entraunce choke,
Enforced them their forward footing to revoke.
Greatly thereat was Britomart dismayd, Ne in that stownd wist how herselfe to beare; For daunger vaine it were to have assayd That cruell element, which all things feare, Ne none can suffer to approachen neare: And, turning backe to Scudamour, thus sayd; "What monstrous enmity provoke we heare? Foolhardy as th' Earthes children, the which made | Batteill against the gods, so we a god invade.
"Daunger without discretion to attempt,
Inglorious, beast-like, is: therefore, sir Knight,
Aread what course of you is safest dempt,
And how we with our foe may come to fight."
"This is," quoth he, "the dolorous despight,
Which earst to you I playnd: for neither may
This fire be quencht by auy witt or might,
Ne yet by any meanes remov'd away;
So mighty be th' enchauntments which the same
do stay.
"What is there ells but cease these fruitlesse paines,
And leave me to my former languishing!
Faire Amorett must dwell in wicked chaines,
And Scudamore here die with sorrowing!"
And sayd; "Sir Knight, your cause is nothing lesse Her ample shield she threw before her face,
And her swords point directing forward right
Assayld the flame; the which eftesoones gave place,
And did itselfe divide with equall space,
That through she passed; as a thonder-bolt
Perceth the yielding ayre, and doth displace
The soring clouds into sad showres ymolt;
So to her yold the flames, and did their force revolt.
Whom whenas Scudamour saw past the fire
Safe and untoucht, he likewise gan assay
With greedy will and envious desire,
And bad the stubborne flames to yield him way:
But cruell Mulciber would not obay
His threatfull pride, but did the more augment
His mighty rage, and with imperious sway
Him forst, maulgre his ferceness, to relent,
And backe retire all scorcht and pitifully brent.
With huge impatience he inly swelt,
More for great sorrow that he could not pas
Then for the burning torment which he felt;
That with fell woodnes he effierced was,
And wilfully him throwing on the gras
Did beat and bounse his head and brest full sore:
The whiles the championesse now entred has
The utmost rowme, and past the foremost dore;
The utmost rowme abounding with all precious store:
For, round about, the walls yclothed were
With goodly arras of great maiesty,
Woven with gold and silke so close and nere
That the rich metall lurked privily,
As faining to be hidd from envious eye;
Yet here, and there, and every where, unwares
It shewd itselfe and shone unwillingly;
Like to' a discolourd snake, whose hidden snares Through the greene gras his long bright burnisht back declares.
And in those tapets weren fashioned
Many faire pourtraicts, and many a faire feate;
And all of love, and al of lusty-hed,
As seemed by their semblaunt, did entreat:
And eke all Cupids warres they did repeate,
And cruell battailes, which he whilome fought
Gainst all the gods to make his empire great;
Besides the huge massacres, which he wrought
On mighty kings and kesars into thraldome brought.
Therein was writt how often thondring Iove
Had felt the point of his hart-percing dart,
And, leaving Heavens kingdome, here did rove
In straunge disguize, to slake his scalding smart;
Now, like a ram, faire Helle to pervart,
Now, like a bull, Europa to withdraw:
Ah, how the fearefall ladies tender hart
Did lively seeme to tremble, when she saw
The huge seas under her t' obay her servaunts law!
Soone after that, into a golden showre
Himselfe he chaung'd, faire Danaë to vew;
And through the roofe of her strong brasen towre
Did raine into her lap an hony dew;
The whiles her foolish garde, that litle knew
Of such deceipt, kept th' yron dore fast bard,
And watcht that none should enter nor issew;
Vaine was the watch, and bootlesse all the ward,
Whenas the god to golden hew himselfe transfard.
Then was he turnd into a snowy swan,
To win faire Leda to his lovely trade:
O wondrous skill, and sweet wit of the man,
That her in daffadilies sleeping made
From scorching heat her daintie limbes to shade!
Whiles the proud bird, ruffing his fethers wyde
And brushing his faire brest, did her invade,
She slept; yet twixt her eielids closely spyde
How towards her he rusht, and smiled at his pryde,
Then shewd it how the Thebane Semelee,
Deceivd of gealous Iuno, did require
To see him in his soverayne maiestee
Armd with his thunderbolts and lightning fire,
Whens dearely she with death bought her desire.
But faire Alcmena better match did make,
loying his love in likenes more entire:
Three nights in one they say that for her sake
He then did put, her pleasures lenger to partake.
Twice was he seene in soaring eagles shape,
And with wide winges to beat the buxome ayre:
Once, when he with Asterie did scape;
Againe, whenas the Trojane boy so fayre
He snatcht from Ida hill, and with him bare:
Wondrous delight it was there to behould
How the rude shepheards after him did stare,
Trembling through feare least down he fallen should,
And often to him calling to take surer hould.
In Satyres shape Antiopa he snatcht; And like a fire, when he Aegin' assayd:
A shepeheard, when Mnemosyne he catcht;
And like a serpent to the Thracian mayd. [playd,
Whyles thus on Earth great love these pageaunts
The winged boy did thrust into his throne,
And, scoffing, thus unto his mother sayd;
Lo! now the Hevens obey to me alone, [gone." And take me for their love, whiles love to Earth is
And thou, faire Phoebus, in thy colours bright
Wast there enwoven, and the sad distresse
In which that boy thee plonged, for despight
That thou bewray'dst his mothers wantonnesse,
When she with Mars was meynt in ioyfulnesse:
Forthy he thrild thee with a leaden dart
To love fair Daphne, which thee loved lesse;
Lesse she thee lov'd than was thy iust desart,
Yet was thy love her death, and her death was thy
So lovedst thou the lusty Hyacinct;
So lovedst thou the faire Coronis deare:
Yet both are of thy haplesse hand extinct;
Yet both in flowres doe live, and love thee beare,
The one a paunce, the other a sweete-breare:
For griefe whereof, ye mote have lively seeue
The god himselfe rending his golden heare,
And breaking quite his gariond ever greene,
With other signes of sorrow and impatient teene.
Both for those two, and for his owne deare sonne,
The sonne of Climene, he did repent;
Who, bold to guide the charet of the Sunne,
Himselfe in thousand peeces fondly rent,
And all the world with flashing fiër brent;
So like, that all the walle did seeme to flame.
Yet cruell Cupid, not herewith content,
Forst him eftsoones to follow other game,
And love a shepheards daughter for his dearest dame.
He loved Isse for his dearest dame,
And for her sake her cattell fedd awhile,
And for her sake a cowbeard vile became:
The servant of Admetus, cowheard vile,
Whiles that from Heaven he suffered exile.
Long were to tell his other lovely fitt;
Now, like a lyon hunting after spoile;
Now, like a hag; now, like a faulcon flit:
All which in that faire arras was most lively writ.
Next unto him was Neptune pictured,
In his divine resemblaunce wondrous lyke:
His face was rugged, and his hoarie hed
Dropped with brackish deaw; his threeforkt pyke
He stearnly shooke, and therewith fierce did stryke
The raging billowes, that on every syde
They trembling stood, and made a long broad dyke,
That bis swift charet might have passage wyde
Which foure great hippodames did draw in teme-
wise tyde.
His seahorses did seeme to snort amayne,
And from their nosethrilles blow the brynie streame,
That made the sparckling waves to smoke agayne
And flame with gold; but the white fomy creame
Did shine with silver, and shoot forth his beame:
The god himselfe did pensive seeme and sad,
And hong adowne his head as he did dreame;
For privy love his brest empierced had,
Ne ought but deare Bisaltis ay could make him glad.
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