At length a shepheard, which thereby did keepe
His fleecie flocke upon the playnes around,
Led with the Infants cry that loud did weepe,
Came to the place; where when he wrapped found
Th' abandond spoyle, he softly it unbound;
And, seeing there that did him pittie sore,
He tooke it up and in his mantle wound;
So home unto his honest wife it bore,
Who as her owne it nurst and named evermore.
Thus long continu'd Claribell a thrall,
And Bellamour in bands; till that her syre
Departed life, and left unto them all:
Then all the stormes of fortunes former yre
Were turnd, and they to freedome did retyre.
Thenceforth they ioy'd in happinesse together,
And lived long in peace and love entyre,
Without disquiet or dislike of ether,
Till time that Calidore brought Pastorella thether.
Both whom they goodly well did entertaine;
For Bellamour knew Calidore right well,
And loved for his prowesse, sith1 they twaine
Long since had fought in field: als Claribell
Ne lesse did tender the faire Pastorell,
Seeing her weake and wan through durance long.
There they awhile together thus did dwell
That did him pittie sore.] That which did greatly move
In much delight, and many ioyes among,
Untill the Damzell gan to wex more sound and strong.
Tho1 gan
Sir Calidore him to advize 2
Of his first quest, which he had long forlore,
Asham'd to thinke how he that enterprize,
The which the Faery Queene had long afore
Bequeath'd to him, forslacked 3 had so sore;
That much he feared least reproachfull blame
With foule dishonour him mote blot therefore;
Besides the losse of so much loos 4 and fame,
As through the world thereby should glorifie his name.
Therefore, resolving to returne in hast
Unto so great atchievement, he bethought
To leave his Love, now perill being past,
With Claribell; whylest he that Monster sought
Throughout the world, and to destruction brought.
So taking leave of his faire Pastorell,
Whom to recomfort all the meanes he wrought,
With thanks to Bellamour and Claribell,
He went forth on his quest, and did that him befell.
But first, ere I doe his adventures tell
In this exploite, me needeth to declare
What did betide 5 to the faire Pastorell,
During his absence left in heavy care,
Through daily mourning and nightlý misfare 6:
Yet did that auncient Matrone all she might,
3 Forslacked, delayed. Betide, happen.
2 Him to adrize, bethink himself.
Loos, (los, Fr.,) praise. Misfare, mishap, misfortune.
To cherish her with all things choice and rare; And her owne handmayd, that Melissa hight,1 Appointed to attend her dewly day and night.
Who in a morning, when this Maiden faire
Was dighting her, having her snowy brest
As yet not laced, nor her golden haire
Into their comely tresses dewly drest,
Chaunst to espy upon her yvory chest
The rosie marke, which she remembred well
That litle Infant had, which forth she kest,3
The daughter of her Lady Claribell,
The which she bore the whiles in prison she did dwell.
Which well avizing, streight she gan to cast
In her conceiptfull mynd that this faire Mayd
Was that same Infant, which so long sith 5 past
She in the open fields had loosely layd
To Fortunes spoile, unable it to ayd:
So, full of ioy, streight forth she ran in hast
Unto her Mistresse, being halfe dismayd,
To tell her, how the heavens had her graste,
To save her Chylde, which in Misfortunes mouth was plaste.
The sober Mother, seeing such her mood,
Yet knowing not what meant that sodaine thro,7
Askt her, how mote her words be understood,
And what the matter was that mov'd her so.
"My liefe," sayd she, “ye know that long ygo,
'Hight, was called. Avizing, viewing.
5 Sith, since. 7 Thro, throw, excitement.
• Graste, graced, favored. 8 Liefe, love.
Whilest ye in durance dwelt, ye to me gave
A little Mayde, the which ye chylded 1 tho2;
The same againe if now ye list to have,
The same is yonder Lady, whom High God did save."
Much was the Lady troubled at that speach,
And gan to question streight how she it knew.
"Most certaine markes," sayd she, "do me it teach;
For on her breast I with these eyes did vew
The litle purple rose which thereon grew,
Whereof her name ye then to her did give.
Besides, her countenaunce and her likely hew,
Matched with equall years, do surely prieve 3
That yond1 same is your Daughter sure, which yet doth live."
The Matrone stayd no lenger to enquire,
But forth in hast ran to the straunger Mayd;
Whom catching greedily, for great desire
Rent up her brest, and bosome open layd,
In which that rose she plainely saw displayd:
Then, her embracing twixt her armës twaine,
She long so held, and softly weeping sayd;
"And livest thou, my Daughter, now againe?
And art thou yet alive, whom dead I long did faine"?"
Tho2 further asking her of sundry things,
And times comparing with their accidents,
She found at last, by very certaine signes
Chylded, gave birth to. 2 Tho, then.
XVIII. 8.—Matched with equall years.] Corresponding with the distance of time.
And speaking markes of passed monuments,
That this young Mayd, whom chance to her presents,
Is her owne Daughter, her owne Infant deare.
Tho, wondring long at those so straunge events,
A thousand times she her embraced nere,
With many a joyfull kisse and many a melting teare.
Whoever is the mother of one chylde,
Which having thought long dead she fyndes alive,
Let her by proofe of that which she hath fylde2
In her owne breast, this Mothers ioy descrive 3:
For other none such passion can contrive 4
In perfect forme, as this good Lady felt,
When she so faire a Daughter saw survive,
As Pastorella was; that nigh she swelt 5
For passing ioy, which did all into pitty melt.
Thence running forth unto her loved Lord,
She unto him recounted all that fell:
Who, ioyning ioy with her in one accord,
Acknowledg'd, for his owne, faire Pastorell.
There leave we them in ioy, and let us tell
Of Calidore; who, seeking all this while
That monstrous Beast by finall force to quell,
Through every place with restlesse paine and toile
Him follow'd by the tract of his outragious spoile.
Through all estates he found that he had past,
In which he many massacres had left,
1 Tho, then.
2 Fylde, felt.
3 Descrive, describe.
• Contrive, conceive.
5 Swelt, fainted.
6 Quell, subdue.
7 Tract, trace, mark.
8 Estates, ranks of life.
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