Some prancke1 their ruffes; and others trimly dight Their gay attyre: each others greater pride does spight.

XV.

Goodly they all that Knight doe entertayne, Right glad with him to have increast their crew; But to Duess' each one himselfe did payne All kindnesse and faire courtesie to shew; For in that court whylome 3 her well they knew: Yet the stout Faery mongst the middest crowd Thought all their glorie vaine in knightly vew, And that great Princesse too exceeding prowd, That to strange Knight no better countenance allowd.

XVI.

Suddein upriseth from her stately place

The roiall Dame, and for her coche doth call:
All hurtlen forth; and she, with princely pace,
As faire Aurora, in her purple pall,

Out of the east the dawning day doth call,

So forth she comes; her brightnes brode doth blaze.
The heapes of people, thronging in the hall,

Doe ride each other, upon her to gaze:

Her glorious glitterand light doth all mens eies amaze.

XVII.

So forth she comes, and to her coche does clyme,
Adorned all with gold and girlonds gay,

That seemd as fresh as Flora in her prime;

And strove to match, in roiall rich array,

Great Iunoes golden chayre; 5 the which, they say,

XIV. 9.

1 Prancke, adjust.

2 Payne, exert.

3 Whylome, formerly.

4 Hurtlen, rush.

5 Chayre, chariot.

Each others greater pride does spight.] Each one is an

noyed by the greater attractions of another.

The gods stand gazing on, when she does ride To loves high hous through hevens bras-paved way, Drawne of fayre pecocks, that excell in pride, And full of Argus eyes their tayles dispredden wide.

XVIII.

But this was drawne of six unequall beasts,
On which her six sage counsellours did ryde,
Taught to obay their bestiall beheasts,
With like conditions to their kindes applyde:
Of which the first, that all the rest did guyde,
Was sluggish Idlenesse, the nourse of sin ;
Upon a slouthfull asse he chose to ryde,
Arayd in habit blacke, and amis1 thin;
Like to an holy monck, the service to begin.

XIX.

And in his hand his portesse 2 still he bare,
That much was worne, but therein little redd;
For of devotion he had little care,

Still drownd in sleepe and most of his daies dedd:
Scarse could he once uphold his heavie hedd,
To looken whether it were night or day.
May seeme the wayne 3 was very evil ledd,
When such an one had guiding of the way,

That knew not, whether right he went or else astray.

XX.

From worldly cares himselfe he did esloyne,4

And greatly shunned manly exercise;

1 Amis, robe.

2 Portesse, breviary.

Six sage

3 Wayne, chariot.

4 Esloyne, withdraw.

XVIII. 2.. counsellours.] Pride is one of the seven deadly sins, and her six counsellors are the other six. The description of these vices contains some of Spenser's most striking excellences and defects-his vivid coloring and matchless power of personification, and his occasional coarseness of expression.

From everie worke he chalenged essoyne,1
For contemplation sake: yet otherwise
His life he led in lawlesse riotise;

By which he grew to grievous malady:
For in his lustlesse 2 limbs, through evill guise,
A shaking fever raignd continually:

Such one was Idlenesse, first of this company.

XXI.

And by his side rode loathsome Gluttony,
Deformed creature, on a filthie swyne ;.
His belly was upblowne with luxury,

And eke with fatnesse swollen were his eyne;
And like a crane his necke was long and fyne,
With which he swallowed up excessive feast,
For want whereof poore people oft did pyne:
And all the way, most like a brutish beast,
He spued up his gorge, that all did him deteast.

XXII.

In greene vine leaves he was right fitly clad;
For other clothes he could not wear for heate:
And on his head an yvie girland had,

From under which fast trickled downe the sweat:

Still as he rode, he somewhat still did eat,
And in his hand did beare a bouzing can,3

Of which he supt so oft, that on his seat
His dronken corse he scarse upholden can:
In shape and life more like a monster then a man.

XXIII.

Unfit he was for any worldly thing,
And eke unhable once to stirre or go;
Not meet to be of counsell to a king,

1 Essoyne, excuse.

2 Lustlesse, feeble.

3 Bouzing can, a drinking-can.

Whose mind in meat and drinke was drowned so,
That from his frend he seledome knew his fo:
Full of diseases was his carcas blew,

And a dry dropsie through his flesh did flow,
Which by misdiet daily greater grew;

Such one was Gluttony, the second of that crew.

XXIV.

And next to him rode lustfull Lechery
Upon a bearded gote, whose rugged heare,
And whally1 eies, (the signe of gelosy,)
Was like the person selfe, whom he did beare:
Who rough, and blacke, and filthy, did appeare;
Unseemely man to please faire Ladies eye:
Yet he of Ladies oft was loved deare,

When fairer faces were bid standen by:

O who does know the bent of womens fantasy!

XXV.

In a greene gowne he clothed was full faire, Which underneath did hide his filthinesse ; And in his hand a burning hart he bare, Full of vaine follies and new-fanglenesse ; For he was false, and fraught with ficklenesse; And learned had to love with secret lookes ; And well could daunce; and sing with ruefulnesse; And fortunes tell; and read in loving bookes: And thousand other waies, to bait his fleshly hookes.

XXVI.

Inconstant man, that loved all he saw,
And lusted after all, that he did love;

1 Whally, marked with streaks.

XXIV. 1.- Lechery.] "After Glotonie cometh Lecherie, for these two sinnes been so nigh cosins, that oft time thei wol nat depart." CHAUCER.

Ne would his looser life be tide to law,

But ioyd weake wemens hearts to tempt, and prove, If from their loyall loves he might them move: Which lewdnes fild him with reprochfull pain' Of that foule evill, which all men reprove, That rotts the marrow, and consumes the braine: Such one was Lechery, the third of all this traine.

XXVII.

And greedy Avarice by him did ride,
Upon a camell loaden all with gold:

Two iron coffers hong on either side,

With precious metall full as they might hold;

And in his lap an heap of coine he told;

For of his wicked pelf his god he made,

And unto hell him selfe for money sold:

Accursed usury was all his trade;

And right and wrong ylike in equall ballaunce waide.

XXVIII.

His life was nigh unto deaths dore yplaste1; And thread-bare cote, and cobled shoes, hee ware; Ne scarse good morsell all his life did taste; But both from backe and belly still did spare, To fill his bags, and richesse to compare 2 Yet childe ne kinsman living had he none To leave them to; but thorough daily care To get, and nightly feare to lose his owne, He led a wretched life, unto himselfe unknowne.

XXIX.

Most wretched wight, whom nothing might suffise; Whose greedy lust did lacke in greatest store;

Whose need had end, but no end covetise3;

1 Yplaste, reduced.

3 Covetise, covetousness.

2 Compare, procure.