CANTO V.

The Salvage serves Serena well,
Till she Prince Arthure fynd;
Who her, together with his Squyre,
With th' Hermit leaves behynd.

I.

O WHAT an easie thing is to descry

The gentle bloud, however it be wrapt
In sad misfortunes foule deformity

And wretched sorrowes, which have often hapt!
For howsoever it may grow mis-shapt,

Like this Wyld Man being undisciplynd,
That to all vertue it may seeme unapt;

Yet will it show some sparkes of gentle mynd,

And at the last breake forth in his owne proper kynd.

II.

That plainely may in this Wyld Man be red,1
Who, though he were still in this desert wood,
Mongst salvage beasts, both rudely borne and bred,
Ne ever saw faire guize, ne learned good,
Yet shewd some token of his gentle blood
By gentle usage of that wretched Dame:
For certes2 he was borne of noble blood,
However by hard hap he hether came;

As ye may know, when time shall be to tell the same.

1 Red, perceived.

2 Certes, certainly.

II. 9. As ye may know, &c.] It was probably the poet's intention

III.

Who, whenas now long time he lacked had
The good Sir Calepine, that farre was strayd,
Did wexe exceeding sorrow full and sad,
As he of some misfortune were afrayd;
And, leaving there this Ladie all dismayd,
Went forth streightway into the forrest wyde
To seeke if he perchance asleep were layd,
Or whatso else were unto him betyde:

He sought him farre and neare, yet him no where he spyde.

IV.

1

Tho, backe returning to that sorie Dame,

He shewed semblant 2 of exceeding mone

By speaking signes, as he them best could frame,
Now wringing both his wretched hands in one,
Now beating his hard head upon a stone,
That ruth 3 it was to see him so lament:

By which she well perceiving what was done, Gan teare her hayre and all her garments rent, And beat her breast, and piteously herselfe torment.

V.

Upon the ground herselfe she fiercely threw,
Regardlesse of her wounds yet bleeding rife,4
That with their bloud did all the flore imbrew,
As if her breast new launcht with murdrous knife
Would streight dislodge the wretched wearie Life:
There she long groveling and deepe groning lay,
As if her vitall powers were at strife

Tho, then.

2 Semblant, appearance.

3 Ruth, pity.

Rife, abundantly.

to tell the origin of this wild man in some one of the six last books of the Faerie Queene.

With stronger Death, and feared their decay: Such were this Ladies pangs and dolorous assay.1

VI.

Whom when the Salvage saw so sore distrest,
He reared her up from the bloudie ground,
And sought, by all the meanes that he could best,
Her to recure out of that stony swound,
And staunch the bleeding of her dreary wound:
Yet nould she be recomforted for nought,

Nor cease her sorrow and impatient stound,2 But day and night did vexe her carefull thought, And ever more and more her owne affliction wrought.

VII.

At length, whenas no hope of his retourne

She saw now left, she cast to leave the place, And wend 3 abrode, though feeble and forlorne, To seeke some comfort in that sorie case: His steede, now strong through rest so long a space, Well as she could she got, and did bedight *; And being thereon mounted forth did pace Withouten guide her to conduct aright, Or guard her to defend from bold oppressors might.

VIII.

Whom when her Host saw readie to depart,
He would not suffer her alone to fare,
But
gan himselfe addresse to take her part.
Those warlike armes, which Calepine whyleare 5
Had left behind, he eftsoones prepare,
And put them all about himself unfit,

6

gan

1 Dolorous assay, grievous attack or affliction. Stound, affliction.

Whyleare, before.

3 Wend, go. 4 Bedight, equip.

6

• Eftsoones, immediately.

His shield, his helmet, and his curats bare,
But without sword upon his thigh to sit;
Sir Calepine himselfe away had hidden it.

IX.

So forth they traveld an uneven 2 payre
That mote to all men seeme an uncouth 3 sight;

4

A Salvage Man matcht with a Ladie fayre
That rather seem'd the conquest of his might
Gotten by spoyle then purchaced aright:
But he did her attend most carefully,
And faithfully did serve both day and night
Withouten thought of shame or villeny,
Ne ever shewed signe of foule disloyalty.

X.

Upon a day, as on their way they went,
It chaunst some furniture about her steed

To be disordred by some accident; Which to redresse she did th' assistance need Of this her Groome; which he by signes did reede 5; And streight his combrous armes aside did lay Upon the ground, withouten doubt or dreed; And, in his homely wize, began to assay T' amend what was amisse, and put in right aray.

XI.

Bout which whilest he was busied thus hard,
Lo! where a Knight, together with his Squire,
All arm'd to point came ryding thetherward;
Which seemed, by their portance and attire,
To be two Errant Knights, that did inquire

6

1 Curats, cuirasses.

2 Uneven, unsuitably matched.

3 Uncouth, strange.

▲ Then, than.

5 Reede, perceive.

6 Portance, deportment.

After adventures, where they mote them get: Those were to weet (if that ye it require) Prince Arthur and young Timias, which met By straunge occasion, that here needs forth be set.

XII.

After that Timias had againe recured1
The favour of Belphebe, as ye heard,
And of her grace did stand againe assured,
To happie blisse he was full high uprear'd,
Nether of envy nor of chaunge afeard:
Though many foes did him maligne therefore,
And with uniust detraction him did beard;
Yet he himselfe so well and wisely bore,
That in her soveraine lyking he dwelt evermore.

XIII.

But, of them all which did his ruine seeke,
Three mightie enemies did him most despight,
Three mightie ones, and cruell minded eeke,
That him not onely sought by open might
To overthrow, but to supplant by slight:
The first of them by name was cald Despetto,
Exceeding all the rest in powre and hight;

The second, not so strong but wize, Decetto;

The third, nor strong nor wise but spightfullest, Defetto.

XIV.

Oftimes their sundry powres they did employ,

1 Recured, recovered.

XII. 1.- Timias had againe recured.] "When Sir Walter Raleigh had recovered again the favor of Queen Elizabeth." — UPTON. XII. 2.-As ye heard.] See book IV. canto VIII.

XIII. 6.- Despetto.] Despetto means malice; Decetto, deceit; Defetto, defamation.