And eke his cave in which they both were bond: And breathed forth with blast of bitter wind; At which he wondred much when all those Which passing through the eares would pierce signes he fond.
And evermore he greatly did desire
To know what Virgin did them thence unbind,
And oft of them did earnestly inquire,
Where was her won, and how he mote her find.
But, when as nought according to his mind
He could out-learne, he them from ground did
No service lothsome to a gentle kind, [reare,
And on his warlike beast them both did beare,
Himselfe by them on foot to succour them
from feare.
So when that forrest they had passed well,
A litle cotage farre away they spide,
To which they drew ere night upon them fell;
And entring in found none therein abide,
But one old woman sitting there beside
Upon the ground in ragged rude attyre,
With filthy lockes about her scattered wide,
Gnawing her nayles for felnesse and for yre,
And there out sucking venime to her parts en-
tyre.
A foule and loathly creature sure in sight,
And in conditions to be loath'd no lesse;
For she was stuft with rancour and despight
Up to the throat, that oft with bitternesse
It forth would breake, and gush in great excesse,
Pouring out streames of poyson and of gall
Gainst all that truth or vertue doe professe;
Whom she with leasings lewdly did miscall
And wickedly backbite: Her name
Sclaunder call.
the hart, [kind; And wound the soule it selfe with griefe unFor, like the stings of aspes that kill with smart, [inner part.
Her spightfull words did pricke and wound the
Here, well I weene, when as these rimes be red
With misregard, that some rash-witted wight, Whose looser thought will lightly be misled, men These gentle Ladies will misdeeme too light For thus conversing with this noble Knight; Sith now of dayes such temperance is rare And hard to finde, that heat of youthfull spright For ought will from his greedie pleasure spare: More hard for hungry steed t' abstaine from pleasant lare.
Her nature is all goodnesse to abuse,
And causelesse crimes continually to frame,
With which she guiltlesse persons may accuse,
And steale away the crowne of their good name:
Ne ever Knight so bold, ne ever Dame
So chast and loyall liv'd, but she would strive
With forged cause them falsely to defame;
Ne ever thing so well was doen alive,
But she with blame would blot, and of due
praise deprive.
Ne each of other feared fraud or tort,
But did in safe securitie abide,
Withouten perill of the stronger pride: [old,
But when the world woxe old, it woxe warre
(Whereof it hight) and, having shortly tride
The traines of wit, in wickednesse woxe bold,
And dared of all sinnes the secrets to unfold.
Then beautie, which was made to represent.
The great Creatours owne resemblance bright,
Unto abuse of lawlesse lust was lent,
And made the baite of bestiall delight:
Then faire grew foule, and foule grew faire in
sight;
[man,
And that, which wont to vanquish God and
Was made the vassall of the victors might;
Then did her glorious flowre wex dead and
Despisd and troden downe of all that over-ran.
And now it is so utterly decayd,
That any bud thereof doth scarse remaine,
But-if few plants, preserv'd through heavenly
ayd,
In Princes Court doe hap to sprout againe,
Dew'd with her drops of bountie Soveraine,
Which from that goodly glorious flowre pro- At length they spide where towards them
ceed, Sprung of the auncient stocke of Princes A Squire came gallopping, as he would flie, Now th' onely remnant of that royall breed, Bearing a litle Dwarfe before his steed, Whose noble kind at first was sure of heavenly That all the way full loud for aide did crie, That seem'd his shrikes would rend the brasen skie:
Whom after did a mightie man pursew,
Ryding upon a Dromedare on hie,
Of stature huge, and horrible of hew,
That would have maz'd a man his dreadfull
face to vew:
For from his fearefull eyes two fierie beames,
More sharpe then points of needles, did proceede,
Shooting forth farre away two flaming streames,
Full of sad powre, that poysnous bale did
breede
To all that on him lookt without good heed,
And secretly his enemies did slay:
Like as the Basiliske, of serpents seede,
From powrefull eyes close venim doth convay
Into the lookers hart, and killeth farre away.
He all the way did rage at that same Squire,
And after him full many threatnings threw,
With curses vaine in his avengefull ire;
But none of them (so fast away he flew)
But, when he to himselfe returnd againe, All full of rage he gan to curse and sweare, And vow by Mahoune that he should be slaine.
With that his murdrous mace he up did reare, That seemed nought the souse thereof could beare,
And therewith smote at him with all his might;
But, ere that it to him approched neare,
The royall child with readie quicke foresight
Did shun the proofe thereof, and it avoyded Though namelesse there his bodie now doth
'Therefore Corflambo was he cald aright, lie;
Yet hath he left one daughter that is hight
The faire Poana, who seemes outwardly
So faire as ever yet saw living eie;
And were her vertue like her beautie bright,
She were as faire as any under skie:
But ah! she given is to vaine delight,
And walke about her gardens of delight,
Having a keeper still with him in place;
Which keeper is this Dwarfe, her dearling base,
To whom the keyes of every prison dore
By her committed be, of speciall grace,
And at his will may whom he list restore,
And eke too loose of life, and eke of love too And whom he list reserve to be afflicted more.
And undiscerned forth with him did pas. And me pursew'd; but nathemore would I There with great joyance and with gladsome Forgoe the purchase of my gotten pray, Of faire Poana I received was, [glee But have perforce him hether brought away:' Thus as they talked; loe! where nigh at hand Those Ladies two, yet doubtfull through dismay;
And oft imbrast, as if that I were hee, And with kind words accoyd, vowing love to mee.
'Which I, that was not bent to former love
As was my friend that had her long refus'd,
Did well accept, as well it did behove,
And to the present neede it wisely usd.
My former hardnesse first I faire excusd;
And after promist large amends to make.
With such smooth termes her error I abusd
To my friends good more then for mine owne
sake,
For whose sole libertie I love and life did stake.
"Thenceforth I found more favour at her hand, That to her Dwarfe, which had me in his charge,
She bad to lighten my too heavie band,
And graunt more scope to me to walke at large.
So on a day, as by the flowrie marge
Of a fresh streame I with that Elfe did play,
Finding no meanes how I might us enlarge,
But if that Dwarfe I could with me convay,
I lightly snatcht him up and with me bore
"Thereat he shriekt aloud, that with his cry The Tyrant selfe came forth with yelling bray,
In presence came, desirous t' understand Tydings of all which there had hapned on the land.
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