Behinde him was Reproch, Repentance, Shame; Reproch the first, Shame next, Repent behind: Repentance feeble, sorrowfull, and lame: Reproch despightfull, carelesse, and vnkind; Shame most ill fauourd, bestiall, and blind : Shame lowrd, Repentance sigh'd, Reproch did scould; [twind, Reproch sharpe stings, Repentance whips enShame burningbrond-yronsin herhand didhold: All three to each vnlike, yet all made in one mould. 25

And after them a rude confused rout

Of persons flockt, whose names is hard to read:
Emongst them was sterne Strife, and Anger
Vnquiet Care, and fond Vnthriftihead, [stout,
Lewd Losse of Time, and Sorrow seeming dead,
Inconstant Chaunge, and false Disloyallie,
Consuming Riotise, and guilty Dread
Of heauenly vengeance, faint Infirmitie,
Vile Pouertie, and lastly Death with infamie.
26

There were full many moe like maladies,
Whose names and natures I note readen well;
So many moe, as there be phantasies
In wauering wemens wit, that none can tell,
Or paines in loue, or punishments in hell;
All which disguized marcht in masking wise,
About the chamber with that Damozell,
And then returned, hauing marched thrise,
Into the inner roome, from whence they first did
rise.

27

So soone as they were in, the dore streight way Fast locked, driuen with that stormy blast, Which first it opened; and bore all away. Then the braue Maid, which all this while was plast

In secret shade, and saw both first and last, Issewed forth, and went vnto the dore, To enter in, but found it locked fast : It vaine she thought with rigorous vprore For to efforce, when charmes had closed it afore.

28

Where force might not auaile, there sleights and

art

She cast to vse, both fit for hard emprize; For thy from that same roome not to depart Till morrow next, she did her selfe auize, When that same Maskeagaine shouldforth arize. The morrow next appeard with ioyous cheare, Calling men to their daily exercize,

Then she, as morrow fresh, her selfe did reare Out of her secret stand, that day for to out

weare.

29

All that day she outwore in wandering,
And gazing on that Chambers ornament,
Till that againe the second euening
Her couered with her sable vestiment,
Wherewith the worlds faire beautie she hath
blent:

Then when the second watch was almost past, That brasen dore flew open, and in went Bold Britomart, as she had late forecast, Neither of idle shewes, nor of false charmes aghast.

30

So soone as she was entred, round about
She cast her eies, to see what was become
Of all those persons, which she saw without :
Butlo, they streight were vanisht all and some,
Ne liuing wight she saw in all that roome,
Saue that same woefull Ladie, both whose hands
Were bounden fast, that did her ill become,
And her small wast girt round with yron bands,
Vnto a brasen pillour, by the which she stands.
31

And her before the vile Enchaunter sate,
Figuring straunge characters of his art,
With liuing bloud he those characters wrate,
Dreadfully dropping from her dying hart,
Seeming transfixed with a cruell dart,
And all perforce to make her him to loque.
Ah who can loue the worker of her smart?
A thousand charmes he formerly did proue;
Yet thousand charmes could not her stedfast
heart remoue.

32

Soone as that virgin knight he saw in place,
His wicked bookes in hast he ouerthrew,
Not caring his long labours to deface,
And fiercely ronning to that Lady trew,
A murdrous knife out of his pocket drew,
The which he thought, for villeinous despight,
In her tormented bodie to embrew:

But the stout Damzell to him leaping light, His cursed hand withheld, and maistered his might.

36

41

Whom of all liuing wights she loued best. Then laid the noble Championesse strong hond. Vpon th'enchaunter, which had her distrest So sore, and with foule outrages opprest: With that great chaine, wherewith not long ygo He bound that pitteous Lady prisoner, now relest,

And captiue with her led to wretchednesse and Himselfe she bound, more worthy to be so,

Wo.

42

Returning backe, those goodly roomes, which

erst