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The feventh, now after death and buriall done, Had charge the tender orphans of the dead,

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THE FAERY QUEENE,

And wydowes ayd, least they should be undone :
In face of judgement he their right would plead,
Ne ought the powre of mighty men did dread
In their defence, nor would for gold or fee
Be wonne their rightfull caufes downe to tread,
And when they stood in most neceffitee,

He did fupply their want, and gave them ever free.

XLIV.

There when the Elfin Knight arrived was,
The first and chiefeft of the feven, whofe care
Was guests to welcome, towardes him did pas,
Where feeing Mercie, that his fteps upbare,
And alwaies led, to her with reverence rare
He humbly louted in mecke lowlineffe,
And feemely welcome for her did prepare;
For of their order she was patroneffe,
Albe Chariffa were their chiefeft foundereffe.

XLV.

There the awhile him flayes, himselfe to reft,
That to the reft more hable he might bee;
During which time, in every good beheft,
And godly worke of almes and charitee,
Shee him instructed with great induftree:
Shortly therein fo perfe&t he became,
That from the first unto the last degree,
"His mortali life he learned had to frame
In holy righteoufneffe, without rebuke or blame.

XLVI.

Thence forward by that painfull way they pas
Forth to an hill, that was both steepe and hy,
On top whereof a facred chappell was,
And eke a litle hermitage thereby,
Wherein an aged holy man did ly,
That day and night faid his devotion,
No other worldly bufincfs did apply;
His name was hevenly Contemplation;
Of God and goodnes was his meditation.

XLVII

Great grace that old man to him given had,
For God he often faw from heaven's hight;
All were his earthly tien both blunt and bad,
And through great age had lost their kindly fight,
Yet wondrous quick and perfiunt was his fpright,
As cagles eie, that can behold the funne.
That hill they feale with all their powre and might,
That his fraile thighes, nigh weary and fordonne,
Gan faile, but by her helpe the top at last he wonne.

XLVIII.

There they do find that godly aged fire,
With fnowy lockes adowne his fhoulders fhed,
As hoary froft with fpangles doth attire
The moffy braunches of an oke halfe ded.
Each bone might through his body well be red,
And every finew feene, through his long faft;
For n ught he car'd his carcas long unfed;
His mind was full of fpirituail repat,
And pynd his flefh to keep his body low and chaft.

XI IX.

Who when these two approching he aspide,
At their first prefence grew agrieved fore,
That foft him lay his hevenly thoughts afide;
✔nd had he not that dame refpected more,
Whom highly he did reverence and adore,
He would not once have moved for the knight.

They him faluted standing far afore,
Who well them greeting, humbly did requight
And asked to what end they clomb that tedious
hight?

L.

"What end," quoth she. “should cause us take
"fuch paine,

"But that fame end, which every living wight
"Should make his ma ke, high heaven to attaine?
"Is not from hence the way that leadeth right
"To that most glorious house, that gliftreth bright
"With burning ftarres and ever-living fire,
"Whereof the keies are to thy hand behight
"By wife Fidelia? shee doth thee require
"To fhew it to this knight, according his desire.”

LI.

"Thrice happy man!" faid then the father grave, "Whose staggering steps thy steady hand doth "lead,

"And fhewes the way his finfull foule to save,
"Who better can the way to heaven aread

"Then thou thyfelfe, that was both borne and bred
"In hevenly throne, where thousand angels shine?
"Thou doeft the praiers of the righteous fead
"Prefent before the Maiefty divine,

"And his avenging wrath to clemency incline.

LII.

"Yet fince thou bidst, thy pleasure shal be donne.
"Then come, thou Man of Earth! and see the way
"That never yet was seene of Faries fonne,
"That never leads the traveiler astray;
"But after labors long, and fad delay,

"Brings them to ioyous reft and endleffe blis.
"But first thou must a feafon fast and pray,

"Till from her bands the fpright affoiled is,
"And have her strength recur'd from fraile in-
"firmitis."

LIII.

That done, he leads them to the highest mount,
Such one as that fame mighty man of God,
That blood-red billowes like a walled front
On either fide diiparted with his rod,
Till that his army dry-foot through them yod,
Dwelt forty daies upon; where, writt in ftone
With bloody letters by the hand of God,
The bitter dome of death ard balefull mone
He did receive, whiles fafhing fire about him
fhone;

LIV.

Or like that facred hill, whofe head full hie,
Adornd with fruitfull olives all arownd,
Is, as it were for endleffe memory
Of that deare Lord who oft thereon was fownd,
For ever with a flowring girlond crownd:
Or like that plealaunt mount, that is for ay
Through famous poets verfe each where renownd
On which the thrife three learned ladies play
Their hevenly no:es, and make full many a lovely
lay,

LV.

From thence, far off he unto him did shew
A little path that was both keepe and long,
Which to a goodly citty led his vew,
Whofe wals and towres were builded high and

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LXI. "Then feek this path that I to thee prefage, "Which after all to heaven fhail thee fend; "Then peaceably thy painefull pilgrimage "To yonder fame Hierufalem doe bend, "Where is for thee ordaind a blessed end; "For thou emongst thofe faints, whom thou doest fee,

"Shalt be a faint, and thine owne nation's frend "And patrone: thou Saint George fhalt called bee, "Saint George of mery England, the figne of vic"torce."

LXII.

"Unworthy wretch," quoth he, “of so great 66 grace,

"How dare I thinke fuch glory to attaine?" "These that have it attaynd were in like cace," Quoth he," as wretched, and liv'd in like paine." "But deeds of armes must I at last be faine, "And ladies love, to leave, fo dearely bought?" "What need of armes where peace doth ay re"maine,"

Said he, " and battailes none are to be fought? "As for loofe loves they are vaine, and vanish into nought."

LXIII.

"O let me not," quoth he, " then turne againe "Backe to the world, whofe ioyes fo fruitleffe are, "But let me here for aie in peace remain, "Or freightway on that laft long voiage fare, "That nothing may my present hope empare.” "That may not be," fa.d he, " ne maift thou yitt "Forgoe that royal maides bequeathed care, "Who did her caufe into thy hand committ, "Till from her curfed foe thou have her freely quitt."

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LXIV.

"Then fhall I foone," quoth he, "fo God me 66 grace,

"Abett that virgin's cause difconfolate, "And fhortly back returne unto this place, "To walke this way in pilgrim's poore estate. "But now aread, old Father, why of late "Didst thou behight me borne of English blood, "Whom all a Faeries fonne doen nominate?" "That word fhall I," faid he, "avouchen good, "Sith to thee is unknowne the cradle of thy "brood.

LXV.

"For well I wote thou springft from ancient race "Of Saxon kinges, that have with mightie hand, "And many bloody battles fought in place, "High reard their royall throne in Britane land, "And vanquifht them, unable to withstand: "From thence a Faery thee unweeting reft, "There as thou flepft in tender fwadling band, "And her bafe Elfin brood there for thee left: "Such men do chaungelings call, so chaungd by "F.eries theit.

LXVI.

"Thence the thee brought into this Faery Lond, "And in an heaped turrow did thee hyde, "Where thee a ploughman all unweeting fond, "As he his toylefome teme that way did guyde,

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