'No lesse did Daunger threaten me with dread, [From The Faerie Queene, Bk. vi.] THE QUELLING OF THE BLATANT BEAST. Through all estates he found that he had past, In which he many massacres had left, And to the Clergy now was come at last; In which such spoile, such havocke, and such theft At length into a Monastere did light, Where he him found despoyling all with maine and might. Into their cloysters now he broken had, Through which the Monckes he chaced here and there, From thence into the sacred Church he broke, And th' Images, for all their goodly hew, Did cast to ground, whilest none was them to rew; 1 dormitories. So all confounded and disordered therc: Knowing his fatall hand by former feare; Him in a narrow place he overtooke, And fierce assailing forst him turne againe: v And therein were a thousand tongs empight But most of them were tongues of mortall men, And them amongst were mingled here and there The tongues of Serpents, with three forked stings, That spat out poyson, and gore-bloudy gere, At all that came within his ravenings; And spake licentious words and hatefull things Of good and bad alike, of low and hie, Ne Kesars spared he a whit, nor Kings; But either blotted them with infamie, Or bit them with his banefull teeth of injury. Full cruelly the Beast did rage and rore To be downe held, and maystred so with might, Striving in vaine to rere him selfe upright: For still, the more he strove, the more the Knight Did him suppresse, and forcibly subdew, Or like the hell-borne Hydra, which they faine That great Alcides whilome overthrew, After that he had labourd long in vaine To crop his thousand heads, the which still new Whilest Calidore him under him downe threw ; Who nathemore his heavy load releast, But aye, the more he rag'd, the more his powre increast. Tho, when the Beast saw he mote nought availe By force, he gan his hundred tongues apply, And sharpely at him to revile and raile With bitter termes of shamefull infamy; Oft interlacing many a forged lie, Whose like he never once did speake, nor heare, Nor ever thought thing so unworthily: Yet did he nought, for all that, him forbeare, But strained him so streightly that he chokt him neare. At last, when as he found his force to shrincke And thereunto a great long chaine he tight, With which he drew him forth, even in his own despight. Like as whylome that strong Tirynthian swaine To see the hatefull sunne, that he might tell To griesly Pluto what on earth was donne, For aye in darkenesse, which day-light doth shonne : Yet greatly did the Beast repine at those And chauffed inly, seeing now no more Him liberty was left aloud to rore: Yet durst he not draw backe, nor once withstand The proved powre of noble Calidore, But trembled underneath his mighty hand, And like a fearefull dog him followed through the land. Him through all Faery land he follow'd so, As if he learned had obedience long, That all the people, where so he did go, Out of their townes did round about him throng, Rejoyced much to see his captive plight, And much admyr'd the Beast, but more admyr'd the Knight. Thus was this Monster, by the maystring might Of doughty Calidore, supprest and tamed, That never more he mote endammadge wight * * * * * So now he raungeth through the world againe, Albe they worthy blame, or cleare of crime: Ne may this homely verse, of many meanest, More then my former writs, all were they cleanest Therefore do you, my rimes, keep better measure, And seeke to please; that now is counted wise mens threasure. [From Bk. vii. (posthumous).] CLAIMS OF MUTABILITY PLEADED BEFORE NATURE. 'Yet mauger Jove, and all his gods beside, I do possesse the worlds most regiment; As if ye please it into parts divide, And every parts inholders to convent, And, first, the Earth (great mother of us all) Yet is she chang'd in part, and eeke in generall: So turne they still about, and change in restlesse wise. 'As for her tenants, that is, man and beasts, The beasts we daily see massacred dy As thralls and vassals unto mens beheasts; |