XLVI.

Night was far spent; and now in ocean deep
Orion, flying fast from hissing Snake,
His flaming head did hasten for to steep,
When of his pitteous tale he end did make:
Whilst with delight of that he wisely spake
Those guestes beguyled did beguyle their eyes
Of kindly sleepe, that did them overtake.

At last, when they had markt the chaunged skyes,

They wist their houre was spent; then each to rest him

hyes.*

XLVI. 2.

- Orion, &c.] "The constellation of Orion sets when that of the Scorpion arises." - CHURCH.

XLVI. 2.- From hissing Snake.] The constellation of the Scorpion.

* Spenser, in his letter to Sir Walter Raleigh, states that a palmer appeared at the court of the Faerie Queene, bearing a babe with bloody hands, whose parents had fallen victims to Acrasia, and that the adventure of subduing her was consequently assigned to Sir Guyon; but from Sir Guyon's own account, it seems that the palmer came alone to the court of the Faerie Queene, and complained of Acrasia, and that he fell in with the babe and its parents after he had set forth upon the adventure.

CANTO III.

Vaine Braggadocchio, getting Guy-
ons horse, is made the scorne
Of knighthood trew; and is of fayre
Belphœbe fowle forlorne.

I.

SOONE as the morrow fayre with purple beames Disperst the shadowes of the misty night, And Titan, playing on the eastern streames, Gan cleare the deawy ayre with springing light; Sir Guyon, mindfull of his vow yplight,' Uprose from drowsie couch, and him addrest Unto the iourney which he had behight 2: His puissant armes about his noble brest, And many-folded shield he bound about his wrest.

II.

Then, taking congé 3 of that Virgin pure,
The bloody-handed Babe unto her truth
Did earnestly committ, and her coniure
In vertuous lore to traine his tender youth,
And all that gentle noriture 4 insu'th 5;
And that, so soone as ryper yeares he raught,6

1 Yplight, plighted.

2 Behight, promised.

3 Congé, farewell.

Arg. 4.

VOL. I.

4 Noriture, nurture.

5 Ensu'th, follows, belongs to. • Raught, reached.

- Fowle forlorne.] Is left in disgrace by Belphœbe.

26

He might, for memory of that dayes ruth,1
Be called Ruddymane; and thereby taught

T' avenge his parents death on them that had it wrought.

So forth he far'd, as now befell, on foot,

Sith his good steed is lately from him gone;
Patience perforce: helplesse what may it boot
To frett for anger, or for griefe to mone?
His Palmer now shall foot no more alone.
So fortune wrought, as under greene woodes syde
He lately heard that dying Lady grone,

He left his steed without, and speare besyde,
And rushed in on foot to ayd her ere she dyde.

4

IV.

The whyles a Lossell 3 wandring by the way,
One that to bountie never cast his mynd,
Ne thought of honour ever did assay
His baser brest, but in his kestrell kynd 5
A pleasing vaine of glory he did fynd,

To which his flowing toung and troublous 6 spright
Gave him great ayd, and made him more inclynd;
He, that brave steed their finding ready dight,
Purloynd both steed and speare, and ran away full light.

V.

Now gan his hart all swell in iollity,

And of himselfe great hope and help conceiv'd,

1 Ruth, sorrow.

2 Sith, since.

4 Bountie, goodness.

5 Kestrell kynd, base nature.

3 Lossell, loose person.

6 Troublous, restless.

II. 8.— Ruddymane.] Ruddymane means bloody-handed.

III. 2.

IV. 5.

- Sith his good steed.] See canto II. stanza XI.

-A pleasing vaine, &c.] He felt a pleasing glow of selfcomplacency.

That puffed up with smoke of vanity,

And with selfe-loved personage deceiv'd,
He gan to hope of men to be receiv'd

For such, as he him thought, or faine would bee:
But for1 in Court gay portaunce2 he perceiv'd,
And gallant shew to be in greatest gree,3
Eftsoonesto Court he cast 5 t'advaunce his first degree.

way

V1.

And by the he chaunced to espy
One sitting ydle on a sunny banck,

To whom avaunting 6 in great bravery,

As peacocke that his painted plumes doth pranck,"
He smote his courser in the trembling flanck,

And to him threatned his hart-thrilling speare:

8

The seely man, seeing him ryde so ranck9

And ayme at him, fell flat to ground for feare,

And crying, "Mercy," loud, his pitious handes gan reare.

VII.

Thereat the Scarcrow wexed wondrous prowd,
Through fortune of his first adventure fayre,
And with big thundring voice revyld him lowd;
"Vile caytive, vassall of dread and despayre,
Unworthie of the commune breathed ayre,
Why livest thou, dead dog, a lenger 10 day,
And doest not unto death thyselfe prepayre?
Dy, or thyselfe my captive yield for ay:

Great favour I thee graunt for aunswere thus to stay."

VIII.

'Hold, O deare Lord, hold your dead-doing hand,”.

1 But for, because.

2 Portaunce, demeanor.
3 Gree, favor.

• Eftsoones, immediately.
5 Cast, purposed.

• Avaunting, advancing.

7 Pranck, display.

8 Seely, silly.

9 Ranck, fierce.
10 Lenger, longer.

Then loud he cryde, "I am your humble thrall."
"Ah wretch," quoth he, "thy destinies withstand
My wrathfull will, and doe for mercy call.
I give thee life: Therefore prostrated fall,
And kisse my stirrup; that thy homage bee."
The Miser1 threw himselfe, as an offall,
Streight at his foot in base humilitee,

And cleeped him his liege, to hold of him in fee.

IX.

So happy peace they made and faire accord.

3

Eftsoones this Liegeman gan to wexe more bold,
And, when he felt the folly of his Lord,
In his owne kind he gan himselfe unfold:
For he was wylie witted, and growne old

4

In cunning sleightes and practick knavery.
From that day forth he cast for to uphold
His ydle humour with fine flattery,
And blow the bellowes to his swelling vanity.

X.

Trompart, fitt man for Braggadochio

To serve at Court in view of vaunting eye;
Vaine-glorious man, when fluttring wind does blow
In his light winges, is lifted up to skye;

The scorne of knighthood and trew chevalrye,

1 Miser, miserable person.
2 Cleeped, called.

3 Eftsoones, immediately.
• Cast, resolved.

VIII. 9.-And cleeped him, &c.] He acknowledged himself to be his vassal, as if he had been his tenant, and held lands of him as his liege lord.

IX. 8.- His.] Braggadochio's.

X. 1.— Trompart.] Trompart means deceiver, and he plays the part of a base flatterer. The name of Braggadochio expresses the quality he is intended to represent.