Cant. I.

ΙΟ

15

5

And as she lay vpon the durtie ground,
Her huge long taile her den all ouerspred,
Yet was in knots and many boughtes vpwound,
Pointed with mortall sting. Of her there bred
A thousand yong ones, which she dayly fed,
Sucking vpon her poisonous dugs, eachone
Of sundry shapes, yet all ill fauored:
Soone as that vncouth light vpon them shone,
Into her mouth they crept, and suddain all
were gone.
16

Their dam vpstart, out of her den effraide,
And rushed forth, hurling her hideous taile
About her cursed head, whose folds displaid
Were stretcht now forth at length without
entraile.

She lookt about, and seeing one in mayle Armed to point, sought backe to turne againe; For light she hated as the deadly bale, Ay wont in desert darknesse to remaine, Where plaine none might her see, nor she see any plaine.

17

Which when the valiant Elfe perceiu'd, he lept As Lyon fierce vpon the flying pray,

And with his trenchand blade her boldly kept Therewith enrag'd she loudly gan to bray, From turning backe, and forced her to stay : And turning fierce, her speckled taile aduaunst, Threatning her angry sting, him to dismay : Who nought aghast,his mightie hand enhaunst: The stroke down from her head vnto her shoulder glaunst.

Therewith she spewd out of her filthy maw
A floud of poyson horrible and blacke,
Full of great lumpes of flesh and gobbets raw,
Which stunck so vildly, that it forst him slacke
His grasping hold, and from her turne him backe:
Her vomit full of bookes and papers was,
With loathly frogs and toades, which eyes did
lacke,

And creeping sought way in the weedy gras: Her filthy parbreake all the place defiled has.

Her scattred brood, soone as their Paren
They saw so rudely falling to the grou
Groning full deadly, all with troublous
Gathred themselues about her body ro
Weening their wonted entrance to haue
At her wide mouth: but being there wit
They flocked all about her bleeding wo
And sucked vp their dying mothers blo
Making her death their life, and eke he
their good.
26

That detestable sight him much amazd
To see th'vnkindly Impes of heauen a
Deuoure their dam; on whom while so h
Hauing all satisfide their bloudy thurs
Their bellies swolne he saw with fulnesse
And bowels gushing forth: well worth
Of such as drunke her life,the which them
Now needeth him no lenger labour spe
His foes haue slaine themselues, with wh
should contend.

27

His Ladie seeing all, that chaunst, from Approcht in hast to greet his victorie, And said, Faire knight, borne vnder starre,

Who see your vanquisht foes before yo Well worthy be you of that Armorie, Wherein ye haue great glory wonne th And proou'd your strength on a strong Your first aduenture: many such I pr And henceforth euer wish, that like suc

His Ladie seeing all, that chaunst, from farre
Approcht in hast to greet his victorie,
And said, Faire knight, borne vnder happy
starre,

Who see your vanquisht foes before you lye ;
Well worthy be you of that Armorie,
Wherein ye haue great glory wonne this day,
And proou'd your strength on a strong enimie,
Your first aduenture: many such I pray,
And henceforth euer wish, that like succeed it
may.
28

Then mounted he vpon his Steede againe,

And with the Lady backward sought to wend; That path he kept, which beaten was most plaine,

Ne euer would to any by-way bend,
But still did follow one vnto the end,
The which at last out of the wood them
brought.

So forward on his way (with God to frend) He passed forth, and new aduenture sought; Long way he trauelled, before he heard of ought.

29

At length they chaunst to meet vpon the way
An aged Sire, in long blacke weedes yclad,
His feete all bare, his beard all hoarie gray,
And by his belt his booke he hanging had
Sober he seemde, and very sagely sad,
And to the ground his eyes were lowly bent,
Simple in shew, and voyde of malice bad,
And all the way he prayed, as he went,
And often knockt his brest, as one that did
repent.