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requere.

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Soone as she parted thence, the fearefull twaine, That blind old woman and her daughter deare Came forth, and finding Kirkrapine there slaine, For anguish great they gan to rend their heare, And beat their brests, and naked flesh to teare. And when they both had wept and wayld their fill,

Then forth they ranne like two amazed deare, Halfe mad through malice, and reuenging will, To follow her, that was the causer of their ill.

Whom ouertaking, they gan loudly bray,
With hollow howling, and lamenting cry,
Shamefully at her rayling all the way,
And her accusing of dishonesty,
That was the flowre of faith and chastity;
And still amidst her rayling, she did pray,
That plagues, and mischiefs, and long misery
Might fall on her, and follow all the way,
And that in endlesse error she might euer stray.

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But when she saw her prayers nought preuaile,
She backe returned with some labour lost;
And in the way as she did weepe and waile,
A knight her met in mighty armes embost,
Yet knight was not for all his bragging bost,
But subtill Archimag, that Vna sought
By traynes into new troubles to haue tost:
Of that old woman tydings he besought,

If that of such a Ladie she could tellen ought.

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Therewith she gan her passion to renew, And cry, and curse, and raile, and rend her heare,

Saying, that harlot she too lately knew, That causd her shed so many a bitter teare, And so forth told the story of her feare : Much seemed he to mone her haplesse chaunce, And after for that Ladie did inquere; Which being taught, he forward gan aduaunce His fair enchaunted steed, and eke his charmed launce.

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Ere long he came, where Vna traueild slow, And that wilde Champion wayting her besyde: Whom seeing such, for dread he durst not show Himselfe too nigh at hand, but turned wyde Vnto an hill; from whence when she him spyde, By his like seeming shield, her knight by name She weend it was, and towards him gan ryde: Approching nigh, she wist it was the same, And with faire fearefull humblesse towards him

shee came.

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And weeping said, Ah my long lacked Lord,
Where haue ye bene thus long out of my sight?
Much feared I to haue bene quite abhord,
Or ought haue done, that ye displeasen might,
That should as death vnto my deare hart light:
For since mine eye your ioyous sight did mis,
My chearefull day is turnd to chearelesse night,
And eke my night of death the shadow is;
But welcome now my light, and shining lampe

of blis.

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Who after that he had faire Vna lorne,
Through light misdeeming of her loialtie,
And false Duessa in her sted had borne,
Called Fidess', and so supposd to bee ;
Long with her traueild, till at last they see
A goodly building, brauely garnished,
The house of mightie Prince it seemd to bee:
And towards it a broad high way that led,
All bare through peoples feet, which thither

traueiled.

3

Great troupes of people traueild thitherward
Both day and night, of each degree and place,
But few returned, hauing scaped hard,
With balefull beggerie, or foule disgrace,
Which euer after in most wretched case,
Like loathsome lazars, by the hedges lay.
Thither Duessa bad him bend his pace :
For she is wearie of the toilesome way,
And also nigh consumed is the lingring day.

4

A stately Pallace built of squared bricke, Which cunningly was without morter laid, Whose wals were high, but nothing strong, nor thick,

And golden foile all ouer them displaid,

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rayne;

That purest skye with brightnesse they dis- Proud of such glory and aduancement vaine, maid:

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Of Lordes and Ladies stood on euery side,

While flashing beames do daze his feeble eyen, He leaues the welkin way most beaten plaine, And rapt with whirling wheeles, inflames the skyen,

With fire not made to burne, but fairely for to shyne.

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And proud Lucifera men did her call,
[be,
That made her selfe a Queene, and crownd to
Yet rightfull kingdome she had none at all,
Ne heritage of natiue soueraintie,
But did vsurpe with wrong and tyrannie
Vpon the scepter, which she now did hold :
Ne ruld her Realmes with lawes, but pollicie,
And strong aduizement of six wisards old.

Which with their presence faire, the place much | That with their counsels bad her kingdome did beautifide.

vphold.

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