And some of cats, that wrawling1 still did cry;
And some of beares, that groynd 2 continually;
And some of tygres, that did seeme to gren3
And snar at all that ever passed by:

But most of them were tongues of mortall men, Which spake reprochfully, not caring where nor

when.

28 And them amongst were mingled here and there
The tongues of serpents, with three-forked stings,
That spat out poyson, and gore-bloudy gere,5
At all that came within his ravenings;
And spake licentious words and hatefull things
Of good and bad alike, of low and hie,

6

Ne kesars spared he a whit, nor kings;

But either blotted them with infamie,

Or bit them with his banefull teeth of iniury.

29 But Calidore, thereof no whit afrayd,
Rencountred him with so impetuous might,
That th' outrage of his violence he stayd,
And bet abacke threatning in vaine to bite,
And spitting forth the poyson of his spight,
That fomed all about his bloody iawes:
Tho, rearing up his former feete on hight,
He rampt upon him with his ravenous pawes,

As if he would have rent him with his cruell

30 But he right well aware, his rage to ward,
Did cast his shield atweene; and, therewithall
Putting his puissaunce forth, pursu'd so hard,
That backeward he enforced him to fall;
And, being downe, ere he new helpe could call,
His shield he on him threw, and fast downe held;
Like as a bullocke, that, in bloudy stall,

Of butchers balefull hand to ground is feld,
Is forcibly kept downe, till he be throughly queld.

31 Full cruelly the Beast did rage and rore

To be downe held, and maystred so with might, That he gan fret and fome out bloudy gore, Striving in vaine to rere himselfe upright: For still, the more he strove, the more the Knight Did him suppresse, and forcibly subdew; That made him almost mad for fell despight: He grind, hee bit, he scratcht, he venim threw, And fared1 like a feend right horrible in hew:

32 Or like the hell-borne Hydra, which they faine That great Alcides whilome overthrew,

After that he had labourd long in vaine Το crop his thousand heads, the which still new Forth budded, and in greater number grew. Such was the fury of this hellish beast, Whilest Calidore him under him downe threw; Who nathëmore his heavy load releast, But aye, the more he rag'd, the more his

powre

in

creast.

1 Fared, acted.

33 Tho, when the Beast saw he mote nought availe
By force, he gan his hundred tongues apply,
And sharpely at him to revile and raile
With bitter termes of shamefull infamy;
Oft interlacing many a forged lie,

Whose like he never once did speake, nor heare,
Nor ever thought thing so unworthily:

Yet did he nought, for all that, him forbeare, But strained him so streightly1 that he chokt him

neare.

34 At last, when as he found his force to shrincke
And rage to quaile, he took a muzzell strong
Of surest yron made with many a lincke;
Therewith he mured2 up his mouth along,
And therein shut up his blasphemous tong,
For never more defaming gentle knight,
Or unto lovely lady doing wrong:

And thereunto a great long chaine he tight,*
With which he drew him forth, even in his own de

spight.

35 Like as whylóme that strong Tirynthian swaine
Brought forth with him the dreadfull dog of hell
Against his will fast bound in yron chaine,
And roring horribly did him compell

To see the hatefull sunne, that he might tell

1 Streightly, closely.

2 Mured, closed.

8 I. e. to prevent, &c.

4 Tight, tied.

XXXV. 1 - Like as, &c.] The reference is of course to the legend of Hercules and Cerberus.

To griesly Pluto what on earth was donne,

And to the other damned ghosts which dwell

For aye in darkenesse which day-light doth shonne : So led this knight his captyve with like conquest

wonne.

36 Yet greatly did the Beast repine1 at those Straunge bands, whose like till then he never bore, Ne ever any durst till then impose;

And chauffed inly, seeing now no more

Him liberty was left aloud to rore:

Yet durst he not draw backe, nor once withstand The proved powre of noble Calidore;

But trembled underneath his mighty hand,

And like a fearefull dog him followed through the land.

37 Him through all Faery Land he follow'd so, As if he learned had obedience long,

That all the people, whereso he did go,

Out of their townes did round about him throng,
To see him leade that beast in bondage strong,

And, seeing it, much wondred at the sight;
And all such persons as he earst did wrong
Reioyced much to see his captive plight,

And much admyr'd' the Beast, but more admyr'd2 the
Knight.

33 Thus was this monster, by the maystrings might Of doughty Calidore, supprest and tamed,

That never more he mote endammadge wight

1 Repine, fret.

2 Admyr'd, wondered at.

VOL. IV.

14

8 Maystring, mastering.

With his vile tongue, which many had defamed, And many causelesse caused to be blamed: So did he eeke long after this remaine, Untill that, (whether wicked fate so framed Or fault of men,) he broke his yron chaine, And got into the world at liberty againe.

39 Thenceforth more mischiefe and more scath1 he wrought

To mortall men then he had done before;
Ne ever could, by any, more be brought
Into like bands, ne maystred any more:
Albe that, long time after Calidore,
The good Sir Pelleas him tooke in hand,
And after him Sir Lamoracke of yore,

And all his brethren borne in Britaine land; Yet none of them could ever bring him into band.

40 So now he raungeth through the world againe,
And rageth sore in each degree and state;
Ne any is that may him now restraine,
He growen is so great and strong of late,
Barking and biting all that him doe bate,2
Albe they worthy blame, or cleare of crime;
Ne spareth he most learned wits to rate,
Ne spareth he the gentle poets rime;
But rends, without regard of person or of time.

11 Ne may this homely verse, of many meanest, Hope to escape his venemous despite,

1 Scath, injury.

2 Bate, bait.

8 Albe they, whether they be.