And, whenso of his hand the pledge she raught,
The guilty cup she fained to mistake,
And in her lap did shed her idle draught,
Shewing desire her inward flame to slake.
By such close signes they secret way did make
Unto their wils, and one eies watch escape:
Two eies him needeth, for to watch and wake,
Who lovers will deceive. Thus was the ape,
By their faire handling, put into Malbeccoes cape.
Now, when of meats and drinks they had their fill,
Porpose was moved by that gentle dame
Unto those knights adventurous, to tell

Of deeds of armes which unto them became,
And every one his kindred and his name.
Then Paridell, in whom a kindly pride

Of gratious speach and skill his words to frame
Abounded, being glad of so fitte tide

Him to commend to her, thus spake, of al well eide:

Troy, that art now nought but an idle name, And in thine ashes buried low dost lie, Though whilome far much greater then thy fame, Before that angry gods and cruell skie Upon thee heapt a direful destinie; What boots it boast thy glorious descent, And fetch from Heven thy great genealogie, Sith all thy worthie prayses being blent

Their ofspring hath embaste, and later glory shent!

"Most famous worthy of the world, by whome
That warre was kindled which did Troy inflame,
And stately towres of Ilion whilóme
Brought unto balefull ruine, was by name
Sir Paris far renowmd through noble fame;
Who, through great prowesse and bold hardinesse,
From Lacedaemon fetcht the fayrest dame
That ever Greece did boast, or knight possesse,
Whom Venus to him gave for meed of worthinesse;

"Fayre Helene, flowre of beautie excellent,
And girlond of the mighty conquerours,
That madest many ladies deare lament
The heavie losse of their brave paramours,
Which they far off beheld from Trojan toures,
And saw the fieldes of faire Scamander strowne
With carcases of noble warrioures

Whose fruitlesse lives were under furrow sowne, And Xanthus sandy bankes with blood all overflowne !

"From him my linage I derive aright,
Who long before the ten yeares siege of Troy,
Whiles yet on Ida he a shepeheard hight,
On faire Oenone got a lovely boy,
Whom, for remembrance of her passed ioy,
She, of his father, Parius did name;
Who, after Greekes did Priams realme destroy,
Gathred the Trojan reliques sav'd from flame,
And, with them sayling thence, to th' isle of Paros

came.

"That was by him cald Paros, which before
Hight Nausa; there he many yeares did raine,
And built Nausicle by the Pontick shore;
The which he dying lefte next in remaine
To Paridas his sonne,

From whom I Paridel by kin descend:
But, for faire ladies love and glories gaine,
My native soile have lefte, my dayes to spend
In seewing deeds of armes, my lives and labors end."

Whenas the noble Britomart heard tell
Of Trojan warres and Priams citie sackt,
(The rueful! story of sir Paridell)
She was empassiond at that piteons act,
With zelous envy of Greekes cruell fact
Against that nation, from whose race of old
She heard that she was lineally extract:
For noble Britons sprong from Trojans bold,
And Troynovant was built of old Troyes ashes cold.
Then, sighing soft awhile, at last she thus:
"O lamentable fall of famous towne,
Which raignd so many yeares victorious,
And of all Asie bore the soveraine crowne,
In one sad night consumd and throwen downe!
What stony hart, that heares thy haplesse fate,
Is not impierst with deepe compassiowne,
And makes ensample of mans wretched state,
That floures so fresh at morne, and fades at evening
late!

"Behold, sir, how your pitifull complaint
Hath fownd another partner of your payne:
For nothing may impresse so deare constraint
As countries cause, and commune foes disdayne.
But, if it should not grieve you backe agayne
To turne your course, I would to heare desyre
What to Aeneas fell; sith that men sayne
He was not in the cities wofull fyre
Consum'd, but did himselfe to safety retyre."

"Anchyses sonne begott of Venus fayre,"
Said he, "out of the flames for safegard fled,
And with a remnant did to sea repayre;
Where he, through fatall errour long was led
Full many yeares, and weetlesse wandered
From shore to shore emongst the Lybick sandes,
Ere rest he fownd: much there he suffered,
And many perilles past in forreine landes, [handes:
To save his people sad from victours vengefull

"At last in Latium he did arryve,
Where he with cruell warre was entertaind
Of th' inland folke which sought him backe to drive,
Till he with old Latinus was constraind
To contract wedlock, so the fates ordaind;
Wedlocke contract in blood, and eke in blood
Accomplished; that many deare complaind:
The rivall slaine, the victour (through the flood
Escaped hardly) hardly praisd his wedlock good.

"Yet, after all, he victour did survive,
And with Latinus did the kingdom part:
But after, when both nations gan to strive.
Into their names the title to convart,
His sonne Iülus did from thence depart
With all the warlike youth of Troians bloud,
And in Long Alba plast his throne apart;
Where faire it florished and long time stoud,
Till Romulus, renewing it, to Rome removd."

"There; there," said Britomart, "afresh appeard
The glory of the later world to spring,
And Troy againe out of her dust was reard
To sitt in second seat of soveraine king
Of all the world, under her governing.
But a third kingdom yet is to arise
Out of the Troians scattered ofspring,
That, in all glory and great enterprise,
Both first and second Troy shail dare to equalise.

"It Troynovant is hight, that with the waves Of wealthy Thamis washed is along,

Upon whose stubborne neck (whereat he raves With roring rage, and sore himselfe does throng, That all men feare to tempt his billowes strong) She fastned hath her foot; which stands so by, That it a wonder of the world is song

In forreine landes; and all, which passen by,
Beholding it from farre doe think it threates the skye.

"The Troian Brute did first that citie fownd,
And Hygate made the meare thereof by west,
And Overt-gate by north: that is the bownd
Toward the land; two rivers bownd the rest.
So huge a scope at first him seemed best,
To be the compasse of his kingdomes seat:
So huge a mind could not in lesser rest,
Ne in sinall meares containe his glory great,
That Albion had conquered first by warlike feat."

"Ah! fairest lady-knight," said Paridell,
"Pardon I pray my heedlesse oversight,
Who had forgot that whylome I heard tell
From aged Mnemon; for my wits beene light.
Indeed he said, if I remember right,

That of the antique Trojan stocke there grew
Another plant, that raught to wondrous hight,
And far abroad his mighty braunches threw
Into the utmost angle of the world he knew.

"For that same Brute, whom much he did advaunce
In all his speach, was Sylvius his sonne,
Whom having slain through luckles arrowes glaunce,
He fled for feare of that he had misdonne,
Or els for shame, so fowle reproch to shonne,
And with him ledd to sea an youthly trayne;
Where wearie wandring they long time did wonne,
And many fortunes prov'd in th' ocean mayne,
And great adventures found, that now were long to

sayne.

"At last by fatall course they driven were
Into an island spatious and brode,
The furthest north that did to them appeare:
Which, after rest, they, seeking farre abrode,
Found it the fittest soyle for their abode,
Fruitfull of all thinges fitt for living foode,
But wholy waste and void of peoples trode,
Save an huge nation of the geaunts broode
That fed on living flesh, and dronck mens vitall blood.

"Whom he, through wearie wars and labours long,
Subdewd with losse of many Britons bold:
In which the great Goëmagot of strong
Corineus, and Coulin of Debon old,

Were overthrowne and laide on th' earth full cold,
Which quaked under their so hideous masse:
A famous history to bee enrold

In everlasting moniments of brasse,

That all the antique worthies merits far did passe.

"His worke great Troynovant, his worke is eke
Faire Lincolne, both renowned far away;
That who from east to west will endlong seeke,
Cannot two fairer cities find this day,
Except Cleopolis; so heard I say

Old Mnemon: therefore, sir, I greet you well
Your countrey kin; and you entyrely pray
Of pardon for the strife, which late befell
Betwixt us both unknowne." So ended Paridell.

But all the while, that he these speeches spent,
Upon his lips hong faire dame Hellenore
With vigilant regard and dew attent,
Fashioning worldes of fancies evermore

In her fraile witt, that now her quite forlore :
The whiles unwares away her wondring eye
And greedy eares her weake hart from her bore:
Which he perceiving, ever privily,

In speaking, many false belgardes at her let fly.

So long these knightes discoursed diversly
Of straunge affaires, and noble hardiment,
Which they had past with mickle jeopardy,
That now the humid night was farforth spent,
And hevenly lampes were halfendeale ybrent:
Which th' old man sceing wel, who too long thought
Every discourse, and every argument,
Which by the houres he measured, besought
Them go to rest. So all unto their bowres were
brought.

CANTO X.

Paridell rapeth Hellenore;
Malbecco her poursewes;

Fynds emongst Satyres, whence with him
To turne she doth refuse.

THE morrow next, so soone as Phoebus lamp
Bewrayed had the world with early light,
And fresh Aurora had the shady damp
Out of the goodly Heven amoved quight,
Faire Britomart and that same Faery kuight
Uprose, forth on their journey for to wend:
But Paridell complaynd, that his late fight
"With Britomart so sore did him offend,
That ryde he could not till his hurts he did amend.

So foorth they far'd; but he behind them stayd,
Maulgre his host, who grudged grivously
To house a guest that would be needes obayd,
And of his owne hit lefte not liberty:
Might wanting measure moveth surquedry.
Two things he feared, but the third was death;
That fiers youngmans unruly maystery;
His money, which he lov'd as living breath; [eath.
And his faire wife, whom honest long he kept un-

But patience perforce; he must abie
What fortune and his fate on him will lay:
Fond is the feare that findes no remedie.
Yet warily he watcheth every way,
By which he feareth evill happen may;
So th' evill thinkes by watching to prevent:
Ne doth he suffer her, nor night nor day,
Out of his sight herselfe once to absent :
So doth he punish her, and eke himself torment.

But Paridell kept better watch then hee,
A fit occasion for his turne to finde.
False Love! why do men say thou canst not see,
And in their foolish fancy feigne thee blinde,
That with thy charmes the sharpest sight doest

binde,

And to thy will abuse? Thou walkest free,
And seest every secret of the minde;
Thou seest all, yet none at all sees thee:
All that is by the working of thy deitee.

At last resolving, like a pilgrim pore,

To search her forth whereso she might be fond,
And bearing with him treasure in close store,
The rest he leaves in ground: so takes in hond
To seeke her endlong both by sea and lond.
Long he her sought, he sought her far and nere,
And every where that he mote understond
Of knights and ladies any meetings were;
And of each one he mett he tidings did inquere.

But all in vaine; his woman was to wise
Ever to come into his clouch againe,
And hee too simple ever to surprise
The jolly Paridell, for all his paine.
One day, as he forpassed by the plaine
With weary pace, he far away espide
A couple, seeming well to be his twaine,
Which hoved close under a forest side,

As if they lay in wait, or els themselves did hide.

Well weened hee that those the same mote bee;
And, as he better did their shape avize,
Him seemed more their maner did agree;
For th' one was armed all in warlike wize,
Whom to be Paridell he did devize;
And th' other, al yclad in garments light
Discolourd like to womanish disguise,
He did resemble to his lady bright;

And ever his faint hart much earned at the sight:

And ever faine he towards them would goe,
But yet durst not for dread approchen nie,
But stood aloofe, unweeting what to doe;
Till that prickt forth with loves extremity,
That is the father of fowle gealosy,
He closely nearer crept the truth to weet:
But, as he nigher drew, he easily

Might scere that it was not his sweetest sweet,
Ne yet her belamour, the partner of his sheet:

But it was scornefull Braggadochio,
That with his servant Trompart hoverd there,
Sith late he fled from his too earnest foe:
Whom such whenas Malbecco spyed clere,
He turned backe, and would have fled arere ;
Till Trompart, ronning hastely, him did stay
And bad before his soveraine lord appere:
That was him loth, yet durst he not gainesay,
And comming him before low louted on the lay.

The boaster at him sternely bent his browe,
As if he could have kild him with his looke,
That to the ground him meekely made to bowe,
And awful! terror deepe into him strooke,
That every member of his body quooke.
Said he, "Thou man of nought! what doest thou
Unfitly furnisht with thy bag and booke,
Where I expected one with shield and spere
To prove some deeds of armes upon an equall pere?"

The wretched man at his imperious speach
Was all abasht, and low prostrating said;
"Good sir, let not my rudenes be no breach
Unto your patience, ne be ill ypaid;
For I unwares this way by fortune straid,
A silly pilgrim driven to distresse,

[here

That seeke a lady'-There he suddein staid,
And did the rest with grievous sighes suppresse,
While teares stood in his cies, few drops of bitter-

nesse.

"What lady ?"—" Man," said Trompart, "take good hart,

And tell thy griefe, if any hidden lye:
Was never better time to shew thy smart
Then now that noble succor is thee by,
That is the whole worlds commune remedy."
That chearful word his weak heart much did cheare,
And with vaine hope his spirits faint supply,
That bold he sayd: "O most redoubted pere,
Vouchsafe with mild regard a wretches cace to heare."

Then sighing sore," It is not long," saide hee,
"Sith I enioyd the gentlest dame alive;
Of whom a knight, (no knight at all perdee,
But shame of all that doe for honor strive)
By treacherous deceipt did me deprive;
Through open outrage he her bore away,
And with fowle force unto his will did drive;
Which al good knights, that armes do bear this day,
Are bownd for to revenge and punish if they may.

"And you, most noble lord, that can and dare
Redresse the wrong of miserable wight,
Cannot employ your most victorious speare
In better quarrell then defence of right,
And for a lady gainst a faithlesse knight:
So shall your glory be advanced much,
And all faire ladies magnify your might,
And eke myselfe, albee I simple such, [rich."
Your worthy paine shall wel reward with guerdon

With that, out of his bouget forth he drew
Great store of treasure, therewith him to tempt;
But he on it lookt scornefully askew,
As much disdeigning to be so misdempt,
Or a war-monger to be basely nempt;
And sayd; "Thy offers base I greatly loth,
And eke thy words uncourteous and unkempt:
I tread in dust thee and thy money both; [wroth.
That, were it not for shame"-So turned from him

But Trompart, that his maistres humor knew
In lofty looks to hide an humble minde,
Was inly tickled with that golden vew,
And in his eare him rownded close behinde:
Yet stoupt he not, but lay still in the winde,
Waiting advauntage on the pray to sease;
Till Trompart, lowly to the grownd inclinde,
Besought him his great corage to appease,
And pardon simple man that rash did him displease.

Big looking like a doughty doucëpere,
At last he thus; "Thou clod of vilest clay,
I pardon yield, and with thy rudenes beare;
But weete henceforth, that all that golden pray,
And all that els the vaine world vaunten may,
I loath as doung, ne deeme my dew reward:
Fame is my meed, and glory vertuous pay:
But minds of mortall men are muchell mard [gard.
And mov'd amisse with massy mucks unmeet re-

"And more; I graunt to thy great misery
Gratious respect; thy wife shall backe be sent:
And that vile knight, whoever that he bee,
Which bath thy lady reft and knighthood shent,
By Sanglamort my sword, whose deadly dent
The blood hath of so many thousands shedd, .
I sweare ere long shall dearely it repent;
Ne he twixt Heven and Earth shall hide his hedd,
But soone he shall be fownd, and shortly doen be

dedd."