He had not trayned bene in chevalree.
Which well that valiaunt courser did discerne;
For he despisd to tread in dew degree,

But chaufd and fom'd with corage fiers and sterne, And to be easd of that base burden still did erne.1

1 Erne, yearn, or desire.

XLVI. 5. He had not trayned, &c.] In the education of the knight, great attention was paid to horsemanship, and if a person did not ride well, it was a proof that he had not received a knightly training.

CANTO IV.

Guyon does Furor bind in chaines,
And stops Occasion:
Delivers Phaon, and therefore
By Strife is rayld uppon.

I.

In brave poursuitt of honorable deed,
There is I know not what great difference
Betweene the vulgar and the noble seed,
Which unto things of valorous pretence
Seemes to be borne by native influence;
As feates of armes; and love to entertaine :
But chiefly skill to ride seemes a science
Proper to gentle blood: Some others faine

To menage steeds, as did this Vaunter; but in vaine.

II.

But he, the rightfull owner of that steede,
Who well could menage and subdew his pride,
The whiles on foot was forced for to yeed1
With that blacke Palmer, his most trusty guide,
Who suffred not his wandring feete to slide;
But when strong passion, or weake fleshlinesse,
Would from the right way seeke to draw him wide,

1 Yeed, go.

II. 1. — But he, &c.] The adventures of Sir Guyon are resumed from canto III. stanza III.

He would, through temperaunce and stedfastnesse, Teach him the weak to strengthen, and the strong suppresse.

III.

It fortuned, forth faring on his way,
He saw from far, or seemed for to see,
Some troublous uprore or contentious fray,
Whereto he drew in hast it to agree.1
A Mad Man, or that feigned mad to bee,
Drew by the heare along upon the grownd

A handsom Stripling with great crueltee,

Whom sore he bett, and gor'd with many a wownd,

That cheekes with teares, and sydes with blood, did all

abownd.

IV.

And him behynd a wicked Hag did stalke,
In ragged robes and filthy disaray;

Her other leg was lame, that she no'te 2 walke,
But on a staffe her feeble steps did stay:
Her lockes, that loathly were and hoarie gray,
Grew all afore, and loosly hong unrold;
But all behinde was bald, and worne away,
That none thereof could ever taken hold ;
And eke her face ill-favour'd, full of wrinckles old.

V.

3

And, ever as she went, her toung did walke
In fowle reproch and termes of vile despight,
Provoking him, by her outrageous talke,

1 Agree, settle.

2 No'te, could not.

3 Walke, move.

IV. 3.- Other leg.] Left leg.

IV. 6.

Grew all afore.] Time is also represented in pictures as

having hair only on the front of his head; whence the expression of 'taking time by the forelock.'

To heape more vengeance on that wretched wight:

Sometimes she raught him stones, wherwith to smite;
Sometimes her staffe, though it her one leg were,
Withouten which she could not goe upright;
Ne any evil meanes she did forbeare,

That might him move to wrath, and indignation reare.

VI.

The noble Guyon, mov'd with great remorse,
Approching, first the Hag did thrust away;
And after, adding more impetuous forse,
His mighty hands did on the Madman lay,
And pluckt him backe; who, all on fire streightway,
Against him turning all his fell intent,

With beastly brutish rage gan him assay,2

And smott, and bitt, and kickt, and scratcht, and rent, And did he wist not what in his avengëment.

VII.

And sure he was a man of mickle might,
Had he had governaunce it well to guyde:
But, when the frantick fitt inflamd his spright,

His force was vaine, and strooke more often wyde

Then at the aymed marke which he had eyde:
And oft himselfe he chaunst to hurt unwares,

Whylest reason, blent 3 through passion, nought descryde; But, as a blindfold bull, at random fares,

And where he hits nought knowes, and whom he hurts nought cares.

VIII.

His rude assault and rugged handëling

Straunge seemed to the Knight, that aye with foe
In fayre defence and goodly menaging

1 Raught, reached. 2 Assay, attack. 3 Blent, blinded.

Of armes was wont to fight; yet nathëmoe1
Was he abashed now, not fighting so ;

But, more enfierced through his currish play,2
Him sternly grypt, and, hailing 3 to and fro,
To overthrow him strongly did assay,

But overthrew himselfe unwares, and lower 4 lay:

IX.

And being downe, the Villein sore did beate
And bruze with clownish fistes his manly face:
And eke the Hag, with many a bitter threat,
Still cald upon to kill him in the place.
With whose reproch, and odious menace,
The Knight emboyling 5 in his haughtie hart
Knitt all his forces, and gan soone unbrace
His grasping hold: so lightly did upstart,
And drew his deadly weapon to maintaine his part.

X.

Which when the Palmer saw, he loudly cryde,

"Not so, O Guyon, never thinke that so

That Monster can be maistred or destroyd:

He is not, ah! he is not such a foe,

As steele can wound, or strength can overthroe.
That same is Furor, cursed cruell wight,

That unto knighthood workes much shame and woe; And that same Hag, his aged mother, hight 6 Occasion; the roote of all wrath and despight.

XI.

"With her, whoso will raging Furor tame,

IX. 4.- In the place.] At once; in the place where he was.