Though all the wealth, which is, or was of yöre, No gate, but like one, being goodly dight
Could gathered be through all the world around, With bouglis and branches, which did broad dilate
And that above were added to that under ground. Their clasping arms, in wanton wreathings intricate.

And in the midst of all, a fountain stood,

Abash'd, that her a stranger did avise: Of richest substance that on earth might be, But th' other rather higher did arise, So pure and shiny, that the silver flood

And her two lily paps aloft display'd, Through every channel running one might see; And all that might his melting heart entice Most goodly it with pure imagery

To her delights, she unto him betray'd: Was overwrought, and shapes of naked boys, The rest hid underneath, him more desirous made. Of which some seem'd with lively jollity To fly about, playing their wanton toys,

With that, the other likewise up arose, While others did themselves embathe in liquid joys. And her fair locks, which formerly were bound

Up in one knot, she low adown did loose: And over all, of purest gold, was spread

Which, flowing long and thick, her cloth'd around A trail of ivy in his native hue:

And th' ivory in golden mantle gown’d: For, the rich metal was so coloured,

So that fair spectacle from him was reft, That wight, who did not well advis’d it view, Yet that which reft it, no less fair was found : Would surely deem it to be ivy true:

So hid in locks and waves from lookers' theft, Low his lascivious arins adown did creep,

Nought but her lovely face she for his looking left. That themselves dipping in the silver dew, Their fleecy flowers they tenderly did steep, [weep. Withal she laughed, and she blush'd withal, Which drops of chrystal seem'd for wantonness to That blushing to her laughter gave more grace,

And laughter to her blushing, as did fall: Infinite streams continually did well

Now when they spied the knight to slack his pace, Out of this fountain, sweet and fair to see,

Them to behold, and in his sparkling face The which into an ample laver fell,

The secret signs of kindled lust appear, And shortly grew to so great quantity,

Their wanton merriments they did increase, That like a little lake it seem'd to be;

Aud to him beckoned, to approach more near, (rear. Whose depth exceeded not three cubits height, And shew'd him many sights that courage cold could That through the waves one might the bottoin see, All pav'd beneath with jasper shining bright, On which when gazing him the Palmer saw, That seem'd the fountain in that sea did sail upright.

He much rebuked those wandering eyes of his,

And, counsel'd well, him forward thence did draw. And all the margin round about was set,

Now are they come nigh to the Bower of Bliss, With shady laurel trees, thence to defend

Of her fond favourites so nam'd amiss : The sunny beams, which on the billows bet,

When thus the Palmer; “ Now, Sir, well avise; And those which therein bathed, might offend. For, here the end of all our travel is : As Guyon happened by the same to wend,

Here wonnes Acrasia, whom we must surprise, Two naked damsels he therein espied,

Else she will slip away, and all our drift despise.” Which therein bathing, seemed to contend, And wrestle wantonly, nor cared to hide [eyed. Eftsoons they heard a most melodious sound Their dainty parts from view of any which them Of all that might delight a dainty ear,

Such as at once might not on living ground, Sometimes the one would lift the other quite Save in this paradise, be heard elsewhere: Above the waters, and then down again

Right hard it was for wight which did it hear, Hier plunge, as over mastered by might,

To read what manner music that might be: Where both awhile would covered remain,

For, all that pleasing is to living ear, And each the other from to rise restrain;

Was there consorted in one harmony, The while their snowy limbs, as through a veil, Birds, voices, instruments, winds, waters, all agree. So through the chrystal waves appeared plain; Then suddenly both would themselves unhele, The joyous birds, shrouded in chearful shade, And th' amorous sweet spoils to greedy eyes reveal.

Their notes unto the voice attempered sweet;

Th' angelical soft trembling voices made
As that fair star, the messenger

of
morn,

To th' instruments divine respondence meet:
His dewy face out of the sea doth rear:

The silver sounding instruments did meet Or, as the Cyprian goddess, newly born

With the base murmurs of the water's fall: Of th' ocean's fruitful froth, did first appear: The water's fall with difference discreet, Such seemed they, and so their yellow hair

Now soft, now loud, unto the wind did call: Chrystalline humour dropped down

арасе.

The gentle warbling wind low answered to all.
Whom such when Guyon saw, he drew him near,
And somewhat gan relent his earnest pace ;

There, whence that music seemed heard to be,
His stubborn breast gan secret pleasance to embrace.

Was the fair Witch, herself now solacing

With a new lover, whom through sorcery The wanton maidens him espying, stood

And witchcraft, she from far did thither bring; Cazing awhile at his unwonted guise;

There she had him now laid aslumbering, Then th' one herself low ducked in the food, In secret shade, after long wanton joys:

While round about them pleasantly did sing The young man sleeping by her, seem'd to be
Many fair ladies, and lascivious boys,

Some goodly swain of honourable place,
Thatever mix'd their song with light licentious toys. That certes it great pity was to see

Him his nobility so foul deface; And all the while, right over him she hung,

A sweet regard, and amiable grace, With her false eyes fast fixed in his sight,

Mixed with manly sternness, did appear As seeking medecine, whence she was stung,

Yet sleeping in his well proportion’d face, Or greedily depasturing delight:

And on his tender lips the downy hair (bear. And oft inclining down with kisses light,

Did now but freshly spring, and silken blossoms For fear of waking him, his lips bedew'd, And through his humid eyes did suck his spright, His warlike arms (the idle instruments Quite molten into lust and pleasure lewd ;

Of sleeping praise) were hung upon a tree, Wherewith she sighed soft, as if his case she rued. And his brave shield (full of old moniments)

Was foully ras'd, that none the signs might see; The while, some one did chaunt this lovely lay;

Nor for them, nor for honour cared he, “ Ah see, whose fair thing dost fain to see,

Nor aught that did to his advancement tend ; In springing flower the image of thy day;

But in lewd loves, and wasteful luxury, Ah see the virgin rose, how sweetly she

His days, his goods, his body he did spend : Doth first peep forth with bashful modesty,

O horrible enchantment, that him so did blend! That fairer seems, the less ye see her may; Lo, see soon after, how more bold and free

The noble elf and careful palmer drew Her bared bosom she doth broad display;

So nigh them (minding nought but lustful game) Lo, see soon after, how she fades and falls away. That sudden forth they on them rush'd, and threw

A subtle net, which only for the same “So passeth, in the passing of a day,

The skilful palmer formally did frame. Of mortal life the leaf, the bud, the flower,

So held them under fast, the while the rest Nor more doth flourish after first decay,

Fled all away for fear of fouler shame. That erst was sought to deck both bed and bower The fair Enchantress, so unwares opprest, [wrest. Of many a lady, and many a paramour :

Tried all her arts, and all her sleights, thence out to Gather therefore the rose, hile yet is prime, For soon comes age, that will her pride deflower: And eke her lover strove: but all in vain; Gather the rose of love, while yet is time,

For, that same net so cunningly was wound, While loving thou mayst loved be with equal crime.” That neither guile nor force might it distrain.

They took them both, and both them strongly bound He ceas’d, and then gan all the quire of birds

In captive bands, which there they ready found: Their divers notes t'attune unto his lay,

But her in chains of adamant he tied; As in approvance of his pleasing words.

For nothing else might keep her safe and sound; The constant pair heard all that he did say,

But Verdant (so he hight) he soon untied, Yet swerved not, but kept their forward way, And counsel sage instead thereof to him applied. Through many covert groves, and thickets close, In which they creeping did at last display

But all those pleasant bowers, and palace brave, That wanton lady, with her lover loose,

Guyon broke down, with rigor pitiless; Whose sleepy head she in her lap did soft dispose. Nor aught their goodly workmanskip might save

Them from the tempest of his wrathfulness, Upon a bed of roses she was laid,

But that their bliss he turn'd to balefulness : As faint through heat, or dight to pleasant sin,

Their groves he fell’d, their gardens did deface, And was array'd, or rather disarray'd,

Their arbors spoil'd, their cabinets suppress, All in a veil of silk and silver thin,

Their banquet-houses burn, their buildings rase, That hid no whit her alabaster skin,

And of the fairest late, now made the foulest place. But rather shew'd more white, if more might be: More subtle web Arachne cannot spin, Nor the fine nets, which oft we woven see

THE FACULTIES OF THE MIND. Of scorched dew do not in th' air more lightly flee.

Nor can I tell, nor can I stay to tell

This part's great workmanship, and wondrous power, Her snowy breast was bare to ready spoil

That all this other world's work doth excel, Of hungry eyes which n'ote therewith be fillid; And yet through languor of her late sweet toil, Therein were divers rooms, and divers stages, Few drops, more clear than nectar, forth distillid, But three the chiefest, and of greatest power, That like pure orient pearls adown it trillid: In which there dwelt three honourable sages, And her fair eyes sweet smiling in delight

The wisest men (I ween) that lived in their ages. Moisten'd their fiery beams, with which she thrillid Frail hearts, yet quenched not; like starry light, Not he whom Greece (the nurse of all good arts) Which sparkling on the silent waves, does seem By Phæbus' doom, the wisest thought alive, more bright.

Might be compar'd to these by many parts:

*

*

*

Nor that sage Pylian sire, which did survive His goodly reason, and grave personage,
Three ages, such as mortal men contrive,

That his disciples both desir'd to be ; (three. By whose advice old Priam's city fell,

But Alma thence them led to th' hindmost room of With these in praise of policies might strive. These three in these three rooms did sundry dwell,

That chamber seemed ruinous and old, And counselled fair Alma, how to govern well.

And therefore was removed far behind;

Yet were the walls, that did the same uphold, The first of them could things to come foresee: Right firm and strong, though somewhat they The next, could of things present best advise;

declin'd; The third, things past could keep in memory: And therein sate an old old man, half blind, So that no time, nor reason could arise,

And all decrepid in his feeble corse, But that the same could one of these comprise. Yet lively vigor rested in his mind, For thy, the first did in the fore part sit,

And recompenced him with a better scorce: That nought might hinder his quick prejudice: Weak body well is chang'd for mind's redoubled He had a sharp foresight, and working wit,

[force. That never idle was, nor once could rest a whit.

This man of infinite remembrance was,

And things foregone through many ages held, His chamber was dispainted all within,

Which he recorded still as they did pass, With sundry colours, in the which were writ Nor suffered them to perish through long eld, Infinite shapes of things dispersed thin;

As all things else, the which this world doth weld, Some such as in the world were never yet,

But laid them up in his immortal scrine, Nor can devised be of mortal wit;

Where they for ever uncorrupted dwellid;
Some daily seen, and knowen by their names, The wars he well remembered of king Nine,
Such as in idle fantasies do flit:

Of old Assaracus, and Inachus divine.
Infernal hags,centaurs, fiends, hippodames, (dames.
Apes, lions, eagles, owls, fools, lovers, children,

The years of Nestor nothing were to his,

Nor yet Methusalem, though longest liv'd; And all the chamber filled was with flies,

For, he remembered both their infancies: Which buzzed all about, and made such sound, Nor wonder then, if that he were depriv'd That they encumbered all men's ears and eyes, Of native strength now, that he them surviv'd. Like many swarms of bees assembled round, His chamber all was hung about with rolls, After their hives with honey do abound:

And old records from ancient times deriv’d, All those were idle thoughts and phantasies, Some made in books, some in long parchment scrolls Devices, dreams, opinions unsound,

That were all worm-eater, and full of canker holes. Shows, visions, soothsays, and prophecies; And all that feigned is, as leasings, tales, and lies.

THE DEFEAT OF MARINELL. Amongst them all sate he which wonned there, Eftsoons her goodly shield addressing fair, That hight Phantastes by his nature true;

That mortal spear she in her hand did take, A man of years yet fresh, as might appear,

And unto battle did herself prepare. Of swarth complexion, and of crabbed hue, The knight, approaching, sternly her bespake; That him full of melancholy did shew;

“Sir knight, that dost thy voyage rashly make Bent hollow beetle brow, sharp staring eyes, By this forbidden way in my despite, That mad or foolish seem'd: one by his view Nor dost by others' death example take, Might deem him born with ill disposed skies, I read thee soon retire, while thou hast might, When oblique Saturn sate in th' house of agonies. Least afterwards it be too late to take thy flight.” Whom Alma having shewed to her guests, (walls Ythrill d with deep disdain of his proud threat, Thence brought them to the second room, whose She shortly thus; “fly they, that need to fly; Were painted fair with memorable gestes

Words fearen babes. I mean not thee intreat Of famous wisards, and with picturals

To pass; but maugre thee will pass or die." Of magistrates, of courts, of tribunals,

Nor longer staid for th' other to reply, Of commonwealths, of states, of policy,

But with sharp spear the rest made dearly known. Of laws, of judgements, and of decretals;

Strongly the strange knight ran, and sturdily All arts, all science, all philosophy,

Struck her full on the breast, that made her down And all that in the world was aye thought wittily.

Decline her head.
Of those that room was full: and them among But she against him in the shield did smite
There sate a man of ripe and perfect age,

With so fierce fury and great puissance, [quite, Who did them meditate all his life long,

That through his three square scutcheon piercing That through continual practise and usage, And through his mailed hauberk, by mischance He now was grown right wise, and wondrous sage. The wicked steel through his left side did glance; Great pleasure had those stranger knights to see

Him so transfixed she before her bore

Beyond his croup the length of all her lance, Shortly upon that shore, there heaped was
Till sadly sousing on the sandy shore,

Exceeding riches and all precious things,
He tumbled on an heap, and wallow'd in his gore. The spoil of all the world, that it did pass

The wealth of th' East, and pomp of Persian Kings; Like as the sacred Ox that careless stands,

Gold, amber, ivory, pearls, owches, rings, With gilded horns, and flow'ry garlands crown'd, And all that else was precious and dear, Proud of his dying honor and dear bands,

The sea unto him voluntary brings ; While th' altars fine with frankincense around,

That shortly he a great lord did appear,
All suddenly with mortal stroke astound

As was in all the land of fairy, or elsewhere.
Doth grovelling fall, and with his streaming gore
Distains the pillars, and the holy ground,

Thereto he was a doughty dreaded knight,
And the fair flowers, that decked him before; Tried often to the scathe of many dear,
So fell proud Marinell upon the precious shore. That none in equal arms him matchen might:

The which his mother seeing, gan to fear
The martial maid staid not him to lament,

Least his too haughty hardiness might rear But forward rode, and kept her ready way

Some hard mishap, in bazard of his life : Along the strond: which as she overwent,

For this she oft him counsel'd to forbear She saw bestrewed all with rich array

The bloody battle, and to stir up strife,
Of pearls and precious stones of great assay,

But after all his war, to rest his weary knise.
And all the gravel mix'd with golden ore ;
Whereat she wondered much, but would not stay

And for his more assurance, she enquir'd
For gold, or pearls, or precious stones an hour,

One day of Proteus by his mighty spell But them despised all; for all was in her power. (For Proteus was with prophecy inspir’d) While thus he lay in deadly 'stonishment,

Her dear son's destiny to her to tell,

And the sad end of her sweet Marinell.
Tidings hereof came to his mother's ear;
His mother was the black-brow'd Cymoent,

Who, through foresight of his eternal skill,
The daughter of great Nereus, which did bear

Bade her from womankind to keep him well: This warlike son unto an earthly peer,

For of a woman he should have much ilt; The famous Dumarin: who on a day

A virgin strange and stout him should dismay or kill. Finding the nymph asleep in secret where

For this she gave him warning every day, As he by chance did wander that same way,

The love of women not to entertain; Was taken with her love, and by her closely lay.

A lesson too too hard for living clay, There he this knight of her begot; whom born.

From love in course of nature to refrain: She of his father Marinell did name,

Yet he his mother's love did well retain, And in a rocky cave as wight forlorn,

And ever from fair ladies' love did fly; Long time she fostered up, till he became

Yet many ladies fair did ost complain,
A mighty man at arms, and mickle fame

That they for love of him would algates die;
Did get through great adventures by him done: Die, whoso list for him, he was love's enemy.
For never man he suffered by that same
Rich strond to travel, whereas he did wonne,

But ah, who can deceive his destiny,
But that he must do battle with the sea nymph's son.

Or ween by warning to avoid his fate;

That when he sleeps in most security, An hundred knights of honorable name

And safest seems, him soonest doth amate, He had subdued, and them his vassals made, And findeth due effect or soon or late ! That through all fairy land his noble fame

So feeble is the power of fleshly arm. Now blazed was, and fear did all invade,

His mother bade him women's love to late, That none durst passen through that perilous glade: For she of women's force did fear ne lærm; And to advance his name and glory more,

So weening to have arm'd him, she did quite disarm. Her sea-god sire she dearly did persuade Tendow her son with treasure and rich store, This was that woman, this that deadly wound, 'Bove all the sons that were of earthly wombs y bore. That Proteus prophecied should him dismay,

The which his mother vainly did expound, The god did grant his daughter's dear demand,

To be heart-wounding love, which should essay To doen his nephew in all riches flow;

To bring her son unto his last decay. Eftsoons his heaped waves he did command,

So tickle be the terms of mortal state, Out of their hollow bosom forth to throw

And full of subtle sophisms, which do play All the huge treasure, which the sea below

With double senses, and with false debate,
Had in his greedy gulf devoured deep,

T” approve the unknown purpose of eternal fate.
And him enriched through the overthrow
And wrecks of many wretches, which did weep Too true the famous Marinell it found,
And often wail their wealth, which he from them Who through late trial on that wealthy strand

Inglorious now lies in senseless swound,

did keep