LVI.

So downe he fell, and forth his life did breath,
That vanifht into smoke and cloudes swift;
So downe he fell, that th' earth him underneath
Did grone, as feeble fo great load to lift;
So downe he fell, as an huge rocky clift,
Whose false foundation waves have washt away,
With dreadfull poyfe is from the mayneland rift,
And rolling downe, great Neptune doth difmay;
So downe he fell, and like an heaped mountaine
lay.

LY.

The knight hin felf even trembled at his fall,
So huge and horrible a mass it feemd,
And his deare lady, that beheld it all,
Durft not approach for dread, which she misdeemd;
But yet at laft, whenas the direfull feend
She faw not stirre, off-shaking vaine affright,
She nigher drew, and saw that ioyous end;
Then God the prayfd, and thankt her faithfull
knight,

That had atchievde so great a conqueft by his might.

BOOK 1.

BEHOLD I fee the haven nigh at hand
To which I meane my wearie courfe to bend ;
Vere the maine fhete, and beare up with the land,
The which afore is fayrly to be kend,
And seemeth safe from storms, that may offend :
There this fayre virgin wearie of her way,
Muft landed bee, now at her iourneyes end;
There cke my feeble barke a while may stay,
Till mery wynd and weather call her thence away.

Scarfely had Phoebus in the glooming Eaft
Yett harneffed his fyrie-footed teeme,
Ne reard above the earth his flaming creaft,
When the last deadly fmoke aloft did fteeme
That figne of last-out-breathed life did feeme
Unto the watchman on the caftle-wall,
Who thereby dead that balefull beast did deeme,
And to his lord and lady lowd gan call

To tell how he had feene the dragon's fatall fall.

IV.

Then gan triumphant trompets fownd on hye,
That fent to heven the ecchoed report
Of their new ioy, and happie victory
Gainst him that had them long oppreft with torty
And faft imprisoned in fieged fort.

Then all the people, as in folemne feast,
To him affembled with one full confort,
Reioycing at the fall of that great beaft,
From whofe eternall bondage now they were
releast.

Forth came that auncient lord and aged queene,
Arayd in antique robes downe to the grownd
And fad habilements right well befeene:
A noble crew about them waited rownd,
Of fage and fober peres, all gravely gownd;
Whom far before did march a goodly band
Of tall young men, all hable armes to found,
But now they laurel braunches bore in hand;
Glad figne of victory and peace in all their land

VI.

Unto that doughtie conquerour they came,
And him before themselves proftrating low,
Their lord and patrone loud did him proclame,
And at his feet their lawrell boughes did throw.
Soone after them, all dauncing on a row,
The comely virgins came, with girlands dight,
As fresh as flowres in meadow greene doe grow,
When morning deaw upon their leaves doth light,
And in their hands fweet timbrells all upheld on

bight.

Of cafe or reft I may not yet devize,

For by the faith, which I to armes have plight, I bownden am, ttreight after this emprize,

(As that your daughter can ye well advize)' "Backe to retourne to that great Faery Queene, "And her to ferve fixe yeares in warlike wize

"And now it feemes that fhe fuborned hath "This crafty meffenger with letters vaine, "To worke new woe and unprovided scath, "By breaking of the band betwixt us twaine; "Wherein the used hath the practicke paine "Of this falfe footman, clockt with fimpleneffe, "Whome if ye please for to discover plaine, "Ye fhall him Archimago find, I gheffe,

His owne two hands the holy knotts did knitt,
That none but death for ever can divide;
His owne two hands, for fuch a turne most fit,
The houfling fire did kindle and provide,
And holy water thereon fprinckled wide;
At which the bushy teade a groome did light,
And facred lamp in fecret chamber hide,
Where it fhould not be quenched day nor night,
For feare of evil fates, but burnen ever bright.
XXXVIII.

Then gan they fprinckle all the posts with wine,
And made great feast to solemnize that day;
They all perfumde with frankincenfe divine,
And precious odours fetcht from far away,
That all the houfe did sweat with great aray;
And all the while fweet Musicke did apply
Her curious skill the warbling notes to play,
To drive away the dull melancholy,
The whiles one fung a fong of love and iollity.

"leffe."

XXXV.

The king was greatly moved at her fpeach,
And all with fuddein indignation fraight,
Bad on that meffenger rude hands to reach.
Eftfoones the gard, which on his ftate did wait,
Attacht that faytor falfe, and bound him strait;
Who feemingly forely chauffed at his band,
As chained beare, whom cruell dogs doe bait,

fold.

XLI.

Her loyous prefence and fweet company
In full content he there did long enioy;
Ne wicked envy, ne vile gealofy,
His deare delights were hable to annoy :
Yet fwimming in that fea of blissful ioy,
He nought forgott how he whilome had fworne,
In cafe he coulde that monftrous beast destroy,