Into the heart, and searcheth every vaine; XXXII. "Certes," sayd he, " hence shall I never rest, Till I that Treachours art have heard and tryde: And you, Sir Knight, whose name mote I request, Of grace do me unto his cabin guyde." "I, that hight Trevisan," quoth he, "will ryde, Against my liking, backe to doe you grace: But not for gold nor glee will I abyde By you, when ye arrive in that same place; For lever had I die then 3 see his deadly face." XXXIII. Ere long they come, where that same wicked wight His dwelling has, low in an hollow cave, Far underneath a craggy cliff ypight,4 Darke, dolefull, dreary, like a greedy grave, That still for carrion carcases doth crave: On top whereof ay dwelt the ghastly owle, Shrieking his balefull note, which ever drave Far from that haunt all other chearefull fowle; And all about it wandring ghostes did wayle and howle: XXXIV. And all about old stockes and stubs of trees, 1 Hight, am named. * Lerer, rather. 3 Then, than. Ragged rocky knees, rough points or projections of rock. Whose carcases were scattred on the greene, And throwne about the cliffs. Arrived there, That bare-head Knight, for dread and dolefull teene,1 Would faine have fled, ne durst approachen neare ; But th' other forst him staye, and comforted in feare. XXXV. That darkesome cave they enter, where they find 2 His griesie lockes, long growen and unbound, And hid his face; through which his hollow eyne His raw-bone cheekes, through penurie and pine, XXXVI. His garment, nought but many ragged clouts, XXXVII. Which piteous spectacle, approving trew Whenas the gentle Redcrosse Knight did vew ; With firie zeale he burnt in courage bold 1 Teene, trouble. 2 Griesie, greasy or filthy. 3 As, as if. Him to avenge, before his blood were cold; What justice can but iudge against thee right, [sight?" With thine owne blood to price1 his blood, here shed in XXXVIII. "What franticke fit," quoth he, "hath thus distraught Thee, foolish man, so rash a doome to give? But he should dye, who merites not to live? XXXIX. "Who travailes by the wearie wandring way, XL. "He there does now enioy eternall rest And happy ease, which thou doest want and And further from it daily wanderest: crave, What if some little payne the passage have, 1 Price, atone for. 2 Uneath, scarcely. 3 Fond, foolish. Is not short payne well borne, that bringes long ease, Ease after warre, death after life, does greatly please." XLI. The Knight much wondred at his suddeine wit, And sayd; "The terme of life is limited, Ne may a man prolong, nor shorten, it: The souldier may not move from watchfull sted,1 XLII. "Is not His deed, whatever thing is donne In heaven and earth? Did not He all create Are written sure, and have their certein date. Who then can strive with strong necessitie, That holds the world in his still chaunging state; Or shunne the death ordaynd by destinie? When houre of death is come, let none aske whence, nor why. XLIII. "The lenger life, I wote the greater sin; The greater sin, the greater punishment : All those great battels, which thou boasts to win 1 Sted, station. 2 Bed, orders. 3 Points, appoints. 4 Roome, place. 5 Droome, drum. 6 Wote, deem. For life must life, and blood must blood, repay. For he that once hath missed the right way, The further he doth goe, the further he doth stray; XLIV. "Then doe no further goe, no further stray; Th' ill to prevent, that life ensewen1 may. Feare, sicknesse, age, losse, labour, sorrow, strife, All which, and thousands mo,3 do make a loathsome life. XLV. "Thou, wretched man, of death hast greatest need, If in true ballaunce thou wilt weigh thy state; For never Knight, that dared warlike deed, More luckless dissaventures 4 did amate 5: Witnes the dungeon deepe, wherein of late Thy life shutt up for death so oft did call ; And though good lucke prolonged hath thy date, Yet death then would the like mishaps forestall, Into the which hereafter thou maist happen fall. XLVI. "Why then doest thou, O man of sin, desire 1 Ensewen, follow. 2 Rife, abundantly. 3 Mo, more. Amate, subdue. |