" O. but I feare the fickle freakes," quoth the, "Of Fortune falfe, and oddes of armes in field." "Why, Dame," quoth he, “ what oddes can ever bee "Where both doe fight alike to win or yield?" "And for his fake have felt full many an heavie" Yea, but," quoth fhe," he beares a charmed fhield, "And eke enchaunted armes, that none can perce; "Ne nune can wound the man that does them wield." "Charmd or enchaunted," answerd he then ferce, "I no whit reck; ne you the like need to reherce: LI. "His worthie fhield, whom he with guilefull fnare" But, fair Fideffa! fithens Fortune's guile, "Or enimies powre, hath now captived you, "Returne from whence ye came, and reft a while, "Till morrow next that I the clfe fubdew, "And with Sansfoyes dead dowry you endew.” "Ay me, that is a double death," the faid, "With proud foes fight my forrow to renew: "Where ever yet I be, my fecret aidę "Shall follow you." So paffing forth the him obaid, In flombring fwawnd nigh voyd of vitall spright, Lay cover'd with inchaunted cloud all day; Whom when the found, as the him left in plight, To wayle his wofull cafe fhe would not stay, "Or breake the chayne of ftrong Neceffitee, "Which fast is tyde to love's eternall feat? "The fonnes of Day he favoureth, I fee, "And by my ruines thinkes to make them great : But to the cafterne coast of heaven makes speedy" To make one great by others loffe is bad excheat. way: XX. Where griefly Night, with vifage deadly fad, And cole-blacke steedes yborne of hellish brood, That on their rusty bits did champ, as they were wood, XXI. Who when the faw Duefla funny bright, XXII. She flayd, and foorth Dueffa gan proceede, "O thou moft auncient grandmother of all! "More old than love, whom thou at first didft "breede, "Or that great house of gods cæleftiall, "Which was begot in Damogorgon's hall, "And fawft the fecrets of the world unmade; "Why fuffredit thou thy nephewes deare to fall "With Elfin fword, moft fhamefully betrayde? "Lo where the ftout Sanfioy doth flcepe in deadly "fhade. XXIII. "And him before I faw with bitter eyes "The bold Sansfoy fhrinck underneath his fpeare; "And now the pray of fowles in field he lyes, "Nor wayld of friends, nor layd on groning beare, "That whylome was to me too dearely deare. "O what of gods then boots it to be borne, "If old Aveugles fonnes fo evill heare? "Or who fhall not great Nightes children fcorne, "When two of three her nephews are fo fowle "forlorne? XXIV. "Up then; up, dreary Dame, of darknes queene, “Go gather up the reliques of thy race, "Or else goe them avenge, and let be feene "That dreaded Night in brightest day hath place, "And can the children of fayre Light deface." Her feeling fpeaches fome compaflion mov'd In hart, and chaunge in that great mother's face: Yet pitty in her hart was never prov'd 'Till then; for evermore fhe hated, never lov'd: XXV. And faid, "Deare Daughter! rightly may I rew "The fall of famous children borne of mee, "And good fucceffes which their focs enfew; "But who can turne the ftreame of Destinee, XXVI. "Yet fhall they not escape fo freely all, "For fome fhall pay the price of others guilt; "And he, the man that made Sansfoy to fall, "Shall with his owne blood price that he hath spilt. "But what art thou that telft of nephews kilt?" "I, that do feeme not I, Dueffa ame, Quoth the," however now in garments gilt, "And gorgeous gold arrayd, I to thee came; "Ducffa I, the daughter of Deceipt and Shame. "Not fo," quoth fhe; "but fith that heaven's "king "From hope of heaven hath thee excluded quight, "Why feareft thou, that canft not hope for thing? "And feareft not that more thee hurten might, "Now in the powre of everlafting Night? "Go to then, O thou far-renowned fonne "Of great Apolo! fhew thy famous might "In medicine, that els hath to thee wonne "Great pains, and greater praife, both never to be "donne." XLIV. Her words prevaild; and then the learned leach |