I

I shall resolve or backe to turne againe,

here with yourselfe some small repose obtaine.

may

XXXII.
"Not that the burden of so bold a guest
Shall chargefull be, or chaunge to you at all;
For your meane food shall be my daily feast,
And this your cabin both my bowre1 and hall:
Besides, for recompence hereof, I shall
You well reward, and golden guerdon give,
That may perhaps you better much withall,
And in this quiet make you safer live.”

So forth he drew much gold, and toward him it drive.2

XXXIII.

But the good man, nought tempted with the offer
Of his rich mould, did thrust it farre away,

And thus bespake; "Sir Knight, your bounteous proffer Be farre fro me, to whom ye ill display

That mucky3 masse, the cause of mens decay,4

That mote empaire my peace with daungers dread :
But, if ye algates covet to assay

This simple sort of life that shepheards lead,

Be it your owne: our rudenesse to yourselfe aread."

XXXIV.

So there that night Sir Calidore did dwell,

And long while after, whilest him list remaine,
Dayly beholding the faire Pastorell,

And feeding on the bayt of his owne bane:

1 Bowre, chamber.

2 Drive, drove, pushed.

3 Mucky, filthy, polluting.

4 Decay, destruction.

5 Algates, at all events.

XXXIII. 9.- Our rudenesse to yourselfe aread.] Teach yourself, or acquire, our rude habits of life

During which time he did her entertaine
With all kind courtesies he could invent;
And every day, her companie to gaine,
When to the field she went, he with her went :
So for to quench his fire he did it more augment.

XXXV.

But she that never had acquainted beene
With such quient1 usage, fit for queens and kings,
Ne ever had such knightly service seene;
But, being bred under base shepheards wings,
Had ever learn'd to love the lowly things;
Did litle whit regard his courteous guize,
But cared more for Colins carolings

Then all that he could doe, or e'er devize;

2

His layes, his loves, his lookes, she did them all despize.

XXXVI.

Which Calidore perceiving, thought it best
To chaunge the manner of his loftie looke,
And doffing his bright armes himselfe addrest
In shepheards weed; and in his hand he tooke,
Instead of steele-head speare, a shepheards hooke;
That who had seene him then, would have bethought
On Phrygian Paris by Plexippus brooke,
When he the love of fayre Benone sought,

What time the Golden Apple was unto him brought.

XXXVII.

So being clad unto the fields he went

Quient, quaint, nice. 2 Then, than. 3 Doffing, putting off.

XXXVI. 3. — Addrest.] Church suggests that the poet might have written he drest for addrest.

XXXVI. 8. — Fayre Benone.] This is undoubtedly a mistake for Enone. Of Plexippus brooke I can give no explanation.

With the faire Pastorella every day,

And kept her sheepe with diligent attent,
Watching to drive the ravenous wolfe away,

The whylest at pleasure she mote sport and play;
And every evening helping them to fold⚫

And otherwhiles, for need, he did assay

In his strong hand their rugged teats to hold,

And out of them to presse the milke: Love so much could.

XXXVIII.

Which seeing Coridon, who her likewise

Long time had lov'd, and hop'd her love to gaine,
He much was troubled at that Straungers guize,
And many gealous thoughts conceiv'd in vaine,
That this of all his labour and long paine
Should reap the harvest ere it ripened were;

That made him scoule, and pout, and oft complaine

Of Pastorell to all the shepheards there,

That she did love a stranger swayne then 1 him more dere.

XXXIX.

And ever, when he came in companie

Where Calidore was present, he would loure

And byte his lip, and even for gealousie
Was readie oft his owne hart to devoure,
Impatient of any paramoure:
Who on the other side did seeme so farre
From malicing, or grudging his good houre,3
That, all he could, he graced him with her,
Ne ever shewed signe of rancour or of iarre.1

XL.

And oft, when Coridon unto her brought

2 Malicing, regarding with ill will.
4 Iarre, jar, contention.

1 Then, than.
3 Good houre, good fortune.

Or litle sparrowes stolen from their nest,

Or wanton squirrels in the woods farre sought,
Or other daintie thing for her addrest,1

He would commend his guift, and make the best:
Yet she no whit his presents did regard,

Ne him could find to fancie in her brest:

This new-come Shepheard had his market mard. Old love is litle worth when new is more prefard.

XLI.

One day, whenas the shepheard swaynes together Were met to make their sports and merrie glee, As they are wont in faire sunshynie weather, The whiles their flockes in shadowes shrouded bee; They fell to daunce: Then did they all agree That Colin Clout should pipe, as one most fit; And Calidore should lead the ring, as hee That most in Pastorellaes grace did sit: Thereat frown'd Coridon, and his lip closely bit.

XLII.

But Calidore, of courteous inclination,
Tooke Coridon and set him in his place,

That he should lead the daunce, as was his fashion;
For Coridon could daunce, and trimly trace;

And whenas Pastorella, him to grace,

Her flowry garlond tooke from her owne head,

And plast on his, he did it soone displace,
And did it put on Coridons instead:

Then Coridon woxe frollicke, that earst seemed dead.

Addrest, intended.

2 Earst, before.

He is supposed to represent the poet

XLI. 6. Colin Clout.] himself.

XLII. 4. — Trimly trace.] Gracefully move or step.

XLIII.

Another time, whenas they did dispose
To practise games and maisteries to try,
They for their judge did Pastorella chose;
A garland was the meed of victory :
There Coridon, forth stepping, openly
Did chalenge Calidore to wrestling game;
For he, through long and perfect industry,

[shame.

Therein well practisd was, and in the same Thought sure t' avenge his grudge, and worke his foe great

XLIV.

But Calidore he greatly did mistake;

For he was strong and mightily stiffe pight,
That with one fall his necke he almost brake;
And, had he not upon him fallen light,
His dearest ioynt he sure had broken quight.
Then was the oaken crowne by Pastorell
Given to Calidore as his due right;
But he, that did in courtesie excell,
Gave it to Coridon, and said he wonne it well.

XLV.

Thus did the gentle Knight himselfe abeare1
Amongst that rusticke rout in all his deeds,
That even they, the which his rivals were,
Could not maligne him, but commend him needs:
For courtesie amongst the rudest breeds

Good will and favour: So it surely wrought

With this faire Mayd, and in her mynde the seeds
Of perfect love did sow, that last forth brought

The fruite of ioy and blisse, though long time dearely bought.

1 Abeare, bear, conduct.

XLIV. 2.-Stiffe pight.] Firmly fixed.

XLV. 9.-Bought.] Church would substitute sought for bought.