Charm'd those wild beasts that rag'd with furie mad; [did ly. Then Guyon askt, what meant those beastes which there LXXXV. Sayd he; "These seeming beasts are men in deed, According to their mindes like monstruous.' LXXXVI. Streightway he with his vertuous staffe them strooke, Yet being men they did unmanly looke, And stared ghastly; some for inward shame, But one above the rest in speciall 4 That had an hog beene late, hight 5 Grylle by name, That had from hoggish forme him brought to naturall. 1 Lad, led. 2 Whylome, formerly. 4 In speciall, especially. 5 Hight, called. 6 Miscall, abuse. LXXXVI. 7.- Hight Grylle.] In a dialogue by Plutarch, Gryllus, a companion of Ulysses, who had been changed into a swine by Circe, holds a conversation with him, and refuses to be restored to his human shape. LXXXVII. Saide Guyon; "See the mind of beastly man, That now he chooseth with vile difference To whom the Palmer thus; "The donghill kinde Let Gryll be Gryll, and have his hoggish minde; THE THIRDE BOOKE OF THE FAERIE QUEENE CONTAYNING THE LEGEND OF BRITOMARTIS, OR OF CHASTITY. I. IT falls me here to write of Chastity, That fayrest vertue, far above the rest : II. But living art may not least part expresse, His dædale 3 hand would faile and greatly faynt, 1 Sith, since. 2 All, although. 3 Dædale, skilful. 1.1. It falls me here to write of Chastity.] The subject of this book enables the poet, in his introduction, to pay some delicate com. pliments to the "Virgin Queen," to whom it is addressed. And her perfections with his error taynt: So hard a workemanship adventure darre, For fear through want of words her excellence to marre. III. How then shall I, apprentice of the skill That whilome in divinest wits did rayne, Presume so high to stretch mine humble quill? IV. But if in living colours, and right hew, Thyselfe thou covet to see pictured, Who can it doe more lively, or more trew, His Cynthia, his heavens fayrest light? III. 4. Daynt, dainty. 2 Whilome, formerly. 3 Sith, since. 4 Then, than. Luckelesse lot.] Luckless, because he apprehends he shall not do justice to the subject. IV. 5. A gracious servaunt.] This was Sir Walter Raleigh, who wrote a poem eulogizing Queen Elizabeth, called "Cynthia." V. But let that same delitious poet lend A little leave unto a rusticke Muse To sing his Mistresse prayse; and let him mend, If ought amis her liking may abuse: Ne let his fayrest Cynthia refuse In mirrours more then one herselfe to see; Or in Belphœbe fashioned to bee; In th' one her rule, in th' other her rare chastitee. 1 Then, than. |