So th' one for wrong, the other strives for right; And each to deadly shame would drive his foe: The cruell steele so greedily doth bight In tender flesh, that streames of blood down flow; With which the armes, that earst so bright did show, Into a pure vermillion now are dyde. Great ruth in all the gazers harts did grow, Seeing the gored woundes to gape so wyde, That victory they dare not wish to either side. 10 At last the Paynim chaunst to cast his eye, 11"Goe, caytive Elfe, him quickly overtake, The false Duessa, "Thine the shield, and I, and all!” 1 German, brother. He is addressing himself, - -"Doest (thou] thy forces slake? 12 Soone as the Faerie heard his Ladie speake, Tho, mov'd with wrath, and shame, and ladies sake, Of all attonce he cast2 avengd to be, And with so' exceeding furie at him strake, That forced him to stoupe upon his knee: Had he not stouped so, he should have cloven bee. 13 And to him said: "Goe now, proud miscreant, But vanisht is. But answer none shrowd. receives; the darknes him does 14 In haste Duessa from her place arose, And to him running sayd: "O prowest knight, Let now abate the terrour of your might, 1 Tho, then. 2 Cast, considered how. 3 Prowest, bravest. Have borne him hence to Plutoes balefull bowres : The conquest yours; I yours; the shield and glory yours!" 15 Not all so satisfide, with greedy eye He sought, all round about, his thristy blade And to him brought the shield, the cause of enmitie. 16 Wherewith he goeth to that soveraine Queene; And, falling her before on lowly knee, To her makes present of his service seene 1: Which she accepts with thankes and goodly gree, Greatly advauncing his gay chevalree: So marcheth home, and by her takes the Knight, Whom all the people followe with great glee, Shouting, and clapping all their hands on hight, That all the ayre it fils, and flyes to heaven bright. 17 Home is he brought, and layd in sumptuous bed: To salve his hurts, that yet still freshly bled. 1 Seene, tried. 8 Advauncing, extolling. And all the while most heavenly melody 18 As when a wearie traveiler, that strayes Which, in false griefe hyding his harmefull guile, His mournefull plight, is swallowd up unwares; Forgetfull of his owne, that mindes anothers cares. 19 So wept Duessa untill eventyde, That shyning lampes in Ioves high house were light: Then forth she rose, ne lenger would abide; But comes unto the place, where th' Hethen Knight, In slombring swownd nigh voyd of vitall spright. Lay cover'd with inchaunted cloud all day: Whom when she found, as she him left in plight, To wayle his wofull case she would not stay, But to the easterne coast of heaven makes speedy way; 20 Where griesly Night, with visage deadly sad, That Phoebus chearefull face durst never vew, And in a foule blacke pitchy mantle clad, She findes forth comming from her darksome mew 2; 1 To divide a melody is to make variations upon it. 2 Mew, place of confinement. Where she all day did hide her hated hew. Already harnessed for iourney new, And cole-blacke steedes yborne of hellish brood, That on their rusty bits did champ, as they were wood.1 21 Who when she saw Duessa, sunny bright, 92 She stayd; and foorth Duessa gan proceede: "O Thou, most auncient grandmother of all, More old then Jove, whom thou at first didst breede, Or that great house of gods cælestiall; Which wast begot in Demogorgons hall,2 And sawst the secrets of the world unmade; Why suffredst thou thy nephewes3 deare to fall With Elfin sword, most shamefully betrade? Lo where the stout Sansioy doth sleepe in deadly shade! 23"And, him before, I saw with bitter eyes The bold Sansfoy shrinck underneath his speare; 1 Wood, mad. 2 I. e. in chaos. 8 Nephewes, descendants. |