Sith otherwise he could not mend thing past;

Or, if it to revenge he were too weake,

Then for to die with her, and his lives threed to breake.

XXXV.

Tho3 Coridon he prayd, sith 1 he well knew The readie way unto that theevish wonne,1 To wend 5 with him, and be his conduct 6 trew Unto the place, to see what should be donne: But he, whose hart through feare was late fordonne,7 Would not for ought be drawne to former drede; But by all meanes the daunger knowne did shonne: Yet Calidore so well him wrought with meed, And faire bespoke with words, that he at last agreed.

XXXVI.

So forth they goe together (God before)

8

Both clad in shepheards weeds agreeably,9 And both with shepheards hookes; but Calidore Had, underneath, him armed privily: Tho, to the place when they approached nye, They chaunst, upon an hill not farre away, Some flockes of sheepe and shepheards to espy; To whom they both agreed to take their way, In hope there newes to learne, how they mote best assay.

XXXVII.

There did they find, that which they did not feare,10 The self-same flocks the which those Theeves had reft

1 Sith, since.

2 Then, than.

3 Tho, then.

Wonne, dwelling.

5 Wend, go.

6 Conduct, conductor.
Fordonne, undone.

8 Weeds, dress.

9 Agreeably, alike.

10 Feare, anticipate.

XXXVI. 1.— God before.] With the assistance of God.

From Melibee and from themselves whyleare1;

And certaine of the Theeves there by them left,

The which, for want of heards,2 themselves then kept: Right well knew Coridon his owne late sheepe,

And, seeing them, for tender pittie wept:

But, when he saw the Theeves which did them keepe, His hart gan fayle, albe 3 he saw them all asleepe.

XXXVIII.

But Calidore recomforting his griefe,

Though not his feare; for nought may feare disswade;
Him hardly forward drew, whereas the thiefe
Lay sleeping soundly in the bushes shade,
Whom Coridon him counseld to invade
Now all unwares, and take the spoyle away;

4

But he, that in his mind had closely made

A further purpose, would not so them slay,
But gently waking them gave them the time of day.

XXXIX.

Tho, sitting downe by them upon the greene,
Of sundrie things he purpose 6 gan to faine,

That he by them might certaine tydings weene

Of Pastorell, were she alive or slaine:

Mongst which the Theeves them questioned againe,
What mister men,7 and eke from whence they were.
To whom they answer'd, as did appertaine,

1 Whyleare, formerly.

2 Heards, herdsmen.

3 Albe, although.

4 Closely, secretly.

5 Tho, then.

• Purpose, conversation.
7 Mister men, sort of men.

XXXVIII. 9. Gave them the time of day.] A proverbial expression, equivalent to, "he saluted or addressed them," still in use in New England.

XXXIX. 7. — As did appertaine.] "As was suitable both to their dress and to Calidore's design."— CHURCH.

That they were poore heardgroomes,' the which whylere 2 Had from their maisters fled, and now sought hyre elswhere.

XL.

Whereof right glad they seem'd, and offer made

To hyre them well if they their flockes would keepe:
For they themselves were evill 3 groomes, they sayd,
Unwont with heards to watch, or pasture sheepe,

But to forray the land, or scoure the deepe.
Thereto they soone agreed, and earnest tooke
To keepe their flockes for litle hyre and chepe;
For they for better hyre did shortly looke:

So there all day they bode,5 till light the sky forsooke.

6

XLI.

Tho, whenas towards darksome night it drew,

Unto their hellish dens those Theeves them brought;

Where shortly they in great acquaintance grew,
And all the secrets of their entrayles sought:
There did they find, contrárie to their thought,
That Pastorell yet liv'd; but all the rest
Were dead, right so as Coridon had taught:
Whereof they both full glad and blyth did rest,
But chiefly Calidore, whom griefe had most possest.

XLII.

At length, when they occasion fittest found,

In dead of night, when all the Theeves did rest
After a late forray, and slept full sound,

Sir Calidore him arm'd, as he thought best;

1 Heardgroomes, keepers of herds.

2 Whylere, formerly.

3 Evill, poor, unskilful.

4 Forray, ravage.

5 Bode, abode, remained.
6 Tho, then.

XL. 6. — Earnest.] Something to make the contract binding. XLI. 4.- Secrets of their entrayles.] Their most hidden secrets.

Having of late by diligent inquest

Provided him a sword of meanest sort;

With which he streight went to the Captaines nest: But Coridon durst not with him consort,

Ne durst abide behind for dread of worse effort.

XLIII.

When to the cave they came, they found it fast: But Calidore with huge resistlesse might The dores assayled, and the locks upbrast1: With noyse whereof the theefe awaking light 2 Unto the entrance ran; where the bold Knight Encountring him with small resistence slew: The whiles faire Pastorell through great affright Was almost dead, misdoubting least of new 3 Some uprore were like that which lately she did vew.

XLIV.

But whenas Calidore was comen in,

And gan aloud for Pastorell to call,

Knowing his voice, although not heard long sin," She sudden was revived therewithall,

And wondrous ioy felt in her spirits thrall.5

Like him that being long in tempest tost,

Looking each houre into Deathes mouth to fall, At length espyes at hand the happie cost,

On which he safety hopes that earst feard to be lost.

XLV.

Her gentle hart, that now long season past

Had never ioyance felt nor chearefull thought,
Began some smacke of comfort new
to tast,

1 Upbrast, burst open.
2 Light, lightly, nimbly.
3 Of new, anew, again.
Sin, since.

5 Thrall, thrill.

6 Looking, expecting.
7 Earst, before.

8 New, anew.

1

Like lyfeful heat to nummed senses brought,

And life to feele that long for death had sought:
Ne lesse in hart reioyced Calidore,

When he her found; but, like to one distraught 2
And robd of reason, towards her him bore;

A thousand times embrast, and kist a thousand more.

XLVI.

But now by this, with noyse of late uprore,
The hue and cry was raysed all about;
And all the Brigants flocking in great store
Unto the cave gan preasse,3 nought having dout
Of that was doen,1 and entred in a rout.
But Calidore in th' entry close 5 did stand,
And, entertayning them with courage stout,
Still slew the formost that came first to hand;
So long, till all the entry was with bodies mand."

8

XLVII.

Tho, when no more could nigh to him approch,
He breath'd his sword, and rested him till day;
Which when he spyde upon the earth t'encroch,
Through the dead carcases he made his way,
Mongst which he found a sword of better say,"
With which he forth went into th' open light,

Where all the rest for him did readie stay,
And, fierce assayling him, with all their might
Gan all upon him lay: there gan a dreadfull fight.