Wont on a staffe his feeble steps to stay,

Hight1 Humilta. They passe in, stouping low; For streight and narrow was the way which he did show.

VI.

Each goodly thing is hardest to begin;

But, entred in, a spatious court they see,

Both plaine and pleasaunt to be walked in ;

Where them does meete a francklin 2 faire and free,

And enterteines with comely courteous glee;

His name was Zele, that him right well became:
For in his speaches and behaveour hee

Did labour lively to expresse the same,

And gladly did them guide, till to the hall they came.

VII.

There fayrely them receives a gentle squyre,
Of myld demeanure and rare courtesee,
Right cleanly clad in comely sad 3 attyre:

In word and deede that shewd great modestee,
And knew his good to all of each degree;
Hight Reverence: He them with speaches meet
Does faire entreat; no courting nicetee,

But simple, trew, and eke unfained sweet,

As might become a squyre so great persons to greet.

VIII.

And afterwardes them to his Dame he leades,
That aged Dame, the Lady of the place,
Who all this while was busy at her beades;
Which doen, shee up arose with seemely grace,

'Hight, named. 2 Francklin, a country gentleman.

3 Sad, grave.

"Strait is the gate and nar

row is the way that leadeth unto life."-MATT. vii. 14.

VII. 5.- Knew his good, &c.] Knew how to behave suitably.

And toward them full matronely did pace.
Where, when that fairest Una she beheld,
Whom well she knew to spring from hevenly race,
Her heart with ioy unwonted inly sweld,

As feeling wondrous comfort in her weaker eld1:

IX.

And, her embracing, said; "O happy earth,
Whereon thy innocent feet doe ever tread!
Most vertuous Virgin, borne of hevenly berth,
That, to redeeme thy woefull Parents head
From tyrans rage and ever-dying dread,

Hast wandred through the world now long a day,
Yett ceassest not thy weary soles to lead ;

What grace hath thee now hether brought this way? Or doen thy feeble feet unweeting hether stray?

X.

Straunge thing it is an errant Knight to see
Here in this place; or any other wight,
That hether turnes his steps: So few there bee,
That chose the narrow path, or seeke the right!
All keepe the broad high way, and take delight
With many rather for to goe astray,

And be partakers of their evill plight,

Then with a few to walke the rightest way : O! foolish men, why hast ye to your own decay?"

XI.

Thy selfe to see, and tyred limbes to rest,
O Matrone sage," quoth she, "I hether came;
And this good Knight his way with me addrest,
Ledd with thy prayses, and broad-blazed fame,

1 Eld, age.

2 Unweeting, unknowing.

IX. 5.-Ever-dying dread.] The perpetual fear of death.

That up to heven is blowne."

The auncient Dame

Him goodly greeted in her modest guyse,
And enterteynd them both, as best became,
With all the court'sies that she could devyse,
Ne wanted ought to shew her bounteous or wise.

XII.

Thus as they gan of sondrie thinges devise,
Loe! two most goodly Virgins came in place,
Ylinked arme in arme, in lovely wise;
With countenaunce demure, and modest grace,
They numbred even steps and equall pace:
Of which the eldest, that Fidelia hight,1
Like sunny beames threw from her christall face
That could have dazd 2 the rash beholders sight,

And round about her head did shine like hevens light.

XIII.

She was araied all in lilly white,

And in her right hand bore a cup of gold,
With wine and water fild up to the hight,
In which a serpent did himselfe enfold,
That horrour made to all that did behold;

But she no whitt did chaunge her constant mood:
And in her other hand she fast did hold

1 Hight, was called.

2 Dazd, dazzled.

XII. 8.- That.] That is put for that which.

XIII. 1. She was araied, &c.] Faith is dressed in white, of which color are the robes of saints and angels, and this is expressive of her celestial purity. She holds in her hand the New Testament, to which is applied the expression used by St. Peter of St. Paul's Epistles, 2 PET. iii. 16.

XIII. 4.

A serpent.] The serpent was emblematic of health; and the restoring and healing power of Faith is here alluded to. The reader will recollect the brazen serpent lifted up in the wilderness, and the application of it by our Savior, JOHN iii. 14.

A Booke, that was both signd and seald with blood; Wherein darke things were writt, hard to be understood.

XIV.

Her younger sister, that Speranza hight,1
Was clad in blew, that her beseemed well;
Not all so chearefull seemed she of sight,
As was her sister; whether dread did dwell
Or anguish in her hart, is hard to tell:
Upon her arme a silver anchor lay,
Whereon she leaned ever, as befell;
And ever up to heven, as she did pray,
Her steadfast

eyes were bent, ne swarved other way.

XV.

They, seeing Una, towardes her gan wend,
Who them encounters with like courtesee;
Many kind speeches they betweene them spend,
And greatly ioy each other for to see:
Then to the Knight with shamefast modestie
They turne themselves, at Unaes meeke request,
And him salute with well beseeming glee;
Who faire them quites,2 as him beseemed best,
And goodly gan discourse of many a noble gest.3

XVI.

Then Una thus; "But she, your sister deare,
The deare Charissa, where is she become?

Or wants she health, or busie is elswhere?"

"Ah! no," said they, "but forth she may not come; For she of late is lightned of her wombe,

And hath encreast the world with one sonne more,

1

Hight, was called.

2

Quites, salutes in return. 3 Gest, action.

XIV. 2. Was clad in blew.] Blue, the color of the heavens, has always been deemed the appropriate livery of Hope.

That her to see should be but troublesome."

"Indeed," quoth she, "that should her trouble sore; But thankt be God, and her encrease so evermore!"

XVII.

Then said the aged Cælia; "Deare dame,
And you, good Sir, I wote that of youre toyle
And labors long, through which ye hether came,
Ye both forwearied be: therefore a whyle

I read1 you rest, and to your bowres 2 recoyle.3"
Then called she a groome, that forth him ledd
Into a goodly lodge, and gan despoile

Of puissant armes, and laid in easie bedd:

His name was meeke Obedience rightfully aredd.4

XVIII.

Now when their wearie limbes with kindly rest,
And bodies were refresht with dew repast,
Fayre Una gan Fidelia fayre request,

To have her Knight into her Schoolehous plaste,
That of her heavenly learning he might taste,
And heare the wisedom of her wordes divine.
She graunted; and that Knight so much agraste,5
That she him taught celestiall discipline,

And opened his dull eyes, that light mote in them shine.

XIX.

And that her sacred Booke, with blood ywritt,

That none could reade except she did them teach,

She unto him disclosed every whitt ;

6

And heavenly documents thereout did preach,
That weaker witt of man could never reach;

Aredd, declared.

3 Recoyle, retire.

So much agraste, showed him so much grace.

• Documents, instructions.