Them to betake unto their kindly rest:
Eftesoones1 long waxen torches weren light
Unto their bowres 2 to guyden every guest:
Tho,3 when the Britonesse saw all the rest
Avoided quite, she gan herselfe despoile,
And safe committ to her soft fethered nest;

Wher through long watch, and late daies weary toile, She soundly slept, and carefull thoughts did quite assoile.*

LIX.

Now whenas all the world in silence deepe
Yshrowded was, and every mortall wight
Was drowned in the depth of deadly sleepe;
Faire Malecasta, whose engrieved spright
Could find no rest in such perplexed plight,
Lightly arose out of her wearie bed,

And, under the blacke vele of guilty night,
Her with a scarlott mantle covered

That was with gold and ermines faire enveloped.

LX.

Then panting softe, and trembling every ioynt,
Her fearfull feete towards the bowre 5 she mov'd,
Where she for secret purpose did appoynt
To lodge the warlike Maide, unwisely loov'd;
And, to her bed approching, first she proov'd
Whether she slept or wakte: with her softe hand
She softely felt if any member moov'd,

1 Eftesoones, immediately.

2 Bowres, chambers.

3 Tho, then.

LVIII. 5.

all the rest

4 Assoile, put off.

5 Bowre, chamber.

Avoided quite.] That all the others had departed, or,

that she was alone.

And lent her wary eare to understand

If any puffe of breath or signe of sence shee fond.

LXI.

Which whenas none she fond, with easy shifte,
For feare least her unwares she should abrayd,1
Th' embroder'd quilt she lightly up did liste,
And by her side herselfe she softly layd,
Of every finest fingers touch affrayd;
Ne any noise she made, ne worde she spake,
But inly sighd. At last the royall Mayd
Out of her quiet slomber did awake,

And chaungd her weary side the better ease to take.

LXII.

Where feeling one close couched by her side, She lightly lept out of her filed 2 bedd, And to her weapon ran, in minde to gride 3 The loathed leachour: but the Dame, halfe dedd Through suddeine feare and ghastly drerihedd,5 Did shrieke alowd, that through the hous it rong, And the whole family therewith adredd 5 Rashly out of their rouzed couches sprong, And to the troubled chamber all in armes did throng.

LXIII.

And those sixe Knightes, that Ladies champions, And eke the Redcrosse Knight ran to the stownd,7 Halfe armd and halfe unarmd, with them attons: Where when confusedly they came, they fownd

Abrayd, awake.

2 Filed, defiled.

3 Gride, pierce.

4 Drerihedd, horror.

Adredd, disturbed.

Rashly, inconsiderately.

7 Stound, alarm.

8 Attons, together.

LXI. 1. — Easy shifte.] Light movement.

Their Lady lying on the sencelesse grownd:

On th' other side they saw the warlike Mayd
Al in her snow-white smocke, with locks unbownd,
Threatning the point of her avenging blade ;
That with so troublous terror they were all dismayd.

LXIV.

About their Ladye first they flockt arownd;
Whom having laid in comfortable couch,
Shortly they reard out of her frosen swownd;
And afterwardes they gan with fowle reproch
To stirre up strife, and troublous contecke1 broch 2:
But, by ensample of the last dayes losse,
None of them rashly durst to her approch,

Ne in so glorious spoile themselves embosse3:

Her succourd eke the Champion of the Bloody Crossc.

LXV.

But one of those sixe knights, Gardantè hight,*
Drew out a deadly bow and arrow keene,
Which forth he sent with felonous despight 5
And fell intent against the Virgin sheene 6:
The mortall steele stayd not till it was seene
To gore her side; yet was the wound not deepe,
But lightly rased her soft silken skin,

That drops of purple blood thereout did weepe, Which did her lilly smock with staines of vermeil steep.

LXIII. 5.— Lying on the sencelesse grownd.] Lying senseless on the floor.

And with her flaming sword about her layd,

That none of them foule mischiefe could eschew,1
But with her dreadfull strokes were all dismayd:
Here, tl.ere, and every where, about her swayd
Her wrathfull steele, that none mote it abyde;
And eke the Redcrosse Knight gave her good ayd,
Ay ioyning foot to foot, and syde to syde;

That in short space their foes they have quite terrifyde.

LXVII.

Tho, whenas all were put to shamefull flight,
The noble Britomartis her arayd,

And her bright armes about her body dight 3:

4

For nothing would she lenger there be stayd,
Where so loose life, and so ungentle trade,5

Was usd of Knightes and Ladies seeming gent 7:

8

So, earely, ere the grosse earthes gryesy shade

Was all disperst out of the firmament,

They tooke their steeds, and forth upon their iourney went.

1 Eschew, avoid.

2 Tho, then.

3 Dight, put on.

4 Lenger, longer.

5 Trade, treatment, conduct.

• Of, by.

7 Gent, courteous.

Gryesy, moist, or foggy.

Quite terrifyde.] Frightened away, or driven off.

CANTO II.

The Redcrosse Knight to Britomart

Describeth Artegall:

The wondrous Myrrhour, by which she

In love with him did fall.

I.

HERE have I cause in men iust blame to find,
That in their proper praise too partiall bee,
And not indifferent to woman kind,

To whom no share in armes and chevalree
They doe impart, ne maken memoree
Of their brave gestes 2 and prowesse martiall:
Scarse doe they spare to one, or two, or three,

Rowme in their writtes 3; yet the same writing small Does all their deedes deface, and dims their glories all.

II.

But by record of antique times I finde

That wemen wont in warres to beare most sway,
And to all great exploites themselves inclin❜d,
Of which they still the girlond bore away;
Till envious men, fearing their rules decay,
Gan coyne streight lawes to curb their liberty:
Yet, sith 5 they warlike armes have laide away,

1 Indifferent, impartial.

2 Gestes, deeds.

Writtes, writings.

4

▲ Streight, strict.

5 Sith, since.

II. 5. — Their rules decay.] The decline of their own authority.