But this was drawne of six vnequall beasts,
On which her six sage Counsellours did ryde,
Taught to obay their bestiall beheasts,
With like conditions to their kinds applyde :
Of which the first, that all the rest did guyde,
Was sluggish Idlenesse the nourse of sin;
Vpon a slouthfull Asse he chose to ryde,
Arayd in habit blacke, and amis thin,
Like to an holy Monck, the seruice to begin.
And in his hand his Portesse still he bare,
That much was worne, but therein little red,
For of deuotion he had little care,
Still drownd in sleepe, and most of his dayes
ded;
Scarse could he once vphold his heauie hed, To looken, whether it were night or day : May seeme the wayne was very euill led, When such an one had guiding of the way, That knew not, whether right he went, or else astray.
From worldly cares himselfe he did esloyne,
And greatly shunned manly exercise,
From euery worke he chalenged essoyne,
For contemplation sake: yet otherwise,
His life he led in lawlesse riotise;
By which he grew to grieuous malady;
For in his lustlesse limbs through euill guise
A shaking feuer raignd continually :
Such one was Idlenesse, first of this company.
And by his side rode loathsome Gluttony,
Deformed creature, on a filthie swyne,
His belly was vp-blowne with luxury,
And eke with fatnesse swollen were his eyne,
And like a Crane his necke was long and fyne,
With which he swallowd vp excessiue feast,
For want whereof poore people oft did pyne;
And all the way, most like a brutish beast,
He spued vp his gorge, that all did himdeteast.
In greene vine leaues he was right fitly clad; For other clothes he could not weare for heat, And on his head an yuie girland had,
From vnder which fast trickled downe the
Still as he rode, he somewhat still did eat, And in his hand did beare a bouzing can, Of which he supt so oft, that on his seat His dronken corse he scarse vpholden can, In shape and life more like a monster, then a
And him beside rides fierce reuenging Wrath,
Vpon a Lion, loth for to be led;
So hauing solaced themselues a space
With pleasaunce of the breathing fields yfed,
They backe returned to the Princely Place;
Whereas an errant knight in armes ycled,
And heathnish shield, wherein with letters red
Was writ Sans ioy, they new arriued find :
Enflam'd with fury and fiers hardy-hed,
He seemd in hart to harbour thoughts vnkind,
And in his hand a burning brond he hath,
The which he brandisheth about his hed;
His eyes did hurle forth sparkles fiery red,
And stared sterne on all, that him beheld,
As ashes pale of hew and seeming ded;
And on his dagger still his hand he held,
Trembling through hasty rage, when choler in And nourish bloudy vengeaunce in his bitter
him sweld.
Who when the shamed shield of slaine Sans foy
He spide with that same Faery champions page,
Bewraying him, that did of late destroy
His eldest brother, burning all with rage
He to him leapt, and that same enuious gage
Of victors glory from him snatcht away:
But th'Elfin knight, which ought that warlike
But threw his gauntlet as a sacred pledge,
His cause in combat the next day to try:
So been they parted both, with harts on edge, To be aueng'd each on his enimy.
At last when perils all I weened past,
That night they pas in ioy and iollity,
And hop'd to reape the crop of all my care,
Into new woes vnweeting I was cast,
By this false faytor, who vnworthy ware
His
For Steward was excessiue Gluttonie,
That of his plenty poured forth to all;
Me silly maid away with him he bare,
And euer since hath kept in darksome caue,
worthy shield, whom he with guilefull snare Feasting and courting both in bowre and hall; Entrappedslew, and brought to shamefullgraue.
Which doen, the Chamberlain Slowth did to rest For that I would not yeeld, that to Sans-foy them call.
O but I feare the fickle freakes (quoth shee) Of fortune false, and oddes of armes in field. Why dame (quoth he) what oddes can euer bee, Where both do fight alike, to win or yield ? Yea but (quoth she) he beares a charmed shield, And eke enchaunted armes, that none can perce, Ne none can wound the man, that does them wield.
Charmd or enchaunted (answerd he then ferce) I no whit reck, ne you the like need to reherce.
But faire Fidessa, sithens fortunes guile,
Or enimies powre hath now captiued you,
Returne from whence ye came, and rest a while
Till morrow next, that I the Elfe subdew,
And with Sans-foyes dead dowry you endew.
Ay me, that is a double death (she said)
With proud foes sight my sorrow to renew :
Where euer yet I be, my secrete aid
Shall follow you. So passing forth she him obaid.
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