Which whenas he perceiv'd he thus bespake; "Faire Lady, let it not you seeme disgrace To beare this burden on your dainty backe;

Myselfe will beare a part, coportion 1 of your packe.2 ”

XLVIII.

So off he did his shield, and downeward layd
Upon the ground, like to an hollow beare 3;
And powring balme, which he had long purvayd,
Into his wounds, him up thereon did reare,

And twixt them both with parted paines did beare,
Twixt life and death, not knowing what was donne :
Thence they him carried to a Castle neare,

In which a worthy auncient Knight did wonne 4: Where what ensu'd shall in next Canto be begonne.

1 Coportion, equal portion.
2 Packe, burden.

3 Beare, bier.

4 Wonne, dwell.

XLVIII. 3.- Long purrayd.] Provided long before.

CANTO III.

Calidore brings Priscilla home;
Pursues the Blatant Beast:
Saves Sérena, whilest Calepine
By Turpine is opprest.

I.

TRUE is, that whilome1 that good Poet sayd,
The gentle minde by gentle deeds is knowne:
For a man by nothing is so well bewrayd
As by his manners; in which plaine is showne
Of what degree and what race he is growne:
For seldome seene a trotting stalion get
An ambling colt, that is his proper owne:
So seldome seene that one in basenesse set

Doth noble courage shew with curteous manners met.

II.

But evermore contráry hath bene tryde,2

That gentle bloud will gentle manners breed;

As well may be in Calidore descryde,

By late ensample of that courteous deed

1 Whilome, formerly.

2 Tryde, experienced.

I. 1.

That good Poet.] Probably Chaucer, who, in his "Wife of Bath's Tale," has the line

"That he is gentil that doth gentil dedis."

I. 8. In basenesse set.] Placed in a low condition, or rank in

life.

Done to that wounded Knight in his great need,
Whom on his backe he bore, till he him brought
Unto the Castle where they had decreed:

There of the Knight, the which that Castle ought,1
To make abode that night he greatly was besought.

III.

He was to weete a man of full ripe yeares,

That in his youth had bene of mickle might,
And borne great sway in armes amongst his peares ;
But now weake age had dimd his candlelight :
Yet was he courteous still to every wight,
And loved all that did to armes incline;
And was the Father of that wounded Knight,
Whom Calidore thus carried on his chine 3;
And Aldus was his name; and his sonnes, Aladine.

IV.

Who when he saw his sonne so ill bedight

With bleeding wounds, brought home upon a beare
By a faire Lady and a straunger Knight,

Was inly touched with compassion deare,

And deare affection of so dolefull dreare,4

That he these words burst forth; "Ah! sory 5 Boy! Is this the hope that to my hoary heare

Thou brings? aie me! is this the timely ioy, Which I expected long, now turnd to sad annoy?

V.

"Such is the weakenesse of all mortall hope; So tickle is the state of earthly things;

1 Ought, owned. 3 Chine, back.
2 Mickle, much. 4 Dreare, horror.

5 Sory, unhappy.

Tickle, uncertain.

III. 4.- Dimd his candlelight.] Dimmed the light of his understanding.

That, ere they come unto their aymed scope,1 They fall too short of our fraile reckonings, And bring us bale and bitter sorrowings, Instead of comfort which we should embrace: This is the state of Keasers and of Kings! Let none therefore, that is in meaner place, Too greatly grieve at any his unlucky case!"

VI.

So well and wisely did that good old Knight
Temper his griefe, and turned it to cheare,

To cheare his guests whom he had stayd2 that night,
And make their welcome to them well appeare:
That to Sir Calidore was easie geare3;

But that faire Lady would be cheard for nought,
But sigh'd and sorrow'd for her Lover deare,
And inly did afflict her pensive thought

With thinking to what case her name should now be brought:

VII.

For she was daughter to a noble Lord

Which dwelt thereby, who sought her to affy 4

To a great Pere; but she did disaccord,

Ne could her liking to his love apply,

But lov'd this fresh young Knight who dwelt her ny,

The lusty 5 Aladine, though meaner borne

And of lesse livelood and hability,

Yet full of valour the which did adorne

6

His meanesse much, and make her th' others riches scorne.

VIII.

So, having both found fit occasion,

Aymed scope, mark or point aimed at.

2 Stayd, caused to stay.

3 Easic geare, an easy task.

4 Affy, marry.

5 Lusty, handsome.

• Meanesse, humble birth.

They met together in that lucklesse glade;
Where that proud Knight in his presumption

The gentle Aladine did earst invade,
Being unarm'd and set in secret shade.
Whereof she now bethinking, gan t' advize

How great a hazard she at earst1 had made
Of her good fame; and further gan devize
How she the blame might salve with coloured disguize.

IX.

But Calidore with all good courtesie

Fain'd her to frolicke, and to put away

The pensive fit of her melancholie;

And that old Knight by all meanes did assay

To make them both as merry as he may.

So they the evening past till time of rest;

When Calidore in seemly good array

Unto his bowre2 was brought, and there undrest

Did sleepe all night through weary travell3 of his quest.1

X.

But faire Priscilla (so that Lady hight 5)
Would to no bed, nor take no kindely sleepe,
But by her wounded Love did watch all night,
And all the night for bitter anguish weepe,

6

And with her teares his wounds did wash and steepe. So well she washt them, and so well she wacht him, That of the deadly swound, in which full deepe He drenched was, she at the length dispacht him, And drove away the stound which mortally attacht him.

1 At earst, lately. 2 Boure, chamber.

4 Quest, expedition.

6 Wacht, watched.

3 Travell, toil, weariness. Hight, was called.

7 Stound, peril.

IX. 2.- Fain'd her to frolicke.] Desired her to be cheerful.