The Poetical Works of - OUDL Home

Cant XI FAERIE
55
The knight himselfe euen trembled at his fall
So huge and horrible a masse it seem'd ,
And his deare Ladie, that beheld it all,
Durst not approch for dread, which she mis
deem'd,
But yet at last, when as the direfull feend
She saw not stirre, off shaking vaine affright,
She nigher drew, and saw that loyous end
Then God she praysd, and thankt her faithfull
knight,
'That had atchieu'd so great a conquest by his
might
Cant XII
Fatre Vna to Hie Redcrosse knight
beirouthed is with to3y
Though false Duessa it to barrc
her false sleights doe imploy
I
Behold I see the hauen nigh at hand,
TO which I meane my wearie course to bend ,
Vere the maineshcte,and beare vp with the land,
The which afore is fairely to be kcnd,
And seemeth saft from stormea, that may offend,
There this faire virgin wearie of her way
Must landed be, now at her rourneyes end
There eke my feeble barke a while may stay,
Till merry wind and weather call her thence
away 2
Scarsely had Phabus in the glooming East
Yet liarncssed his fine footed teeme,
Ne reard aboue the earth his flaming creast,
When the last deadly smoke aloft did steeme,
That signe of last outbreathed life did seeme
Vnto the watchman on the castle will,
Who there bydead that bale ful lBeast did deeme,
And to his Lord and Ladie lowd gan call,
To tell,how he had scene the Dragons fatall fall
3
Vprose with hastie loy, and feeble speed
That aged Sire, the Lord of all that land,
And looked forth, to weet, if true indeede
Those tydings were, as he did vnderstand,
Which whenas true by trvall he out fond,
He bad to open wyde his brazen gate,
Which long timehadbeneshut,and out of hond
Proclaymedioyand peace through all his state,
For dead now was their foe, which them for
rayed late
Gainst him, that had them long opprest with
And fast imprisoned in sieged fort [tort,
Then all the people, as in solemne feast,
To him assembled with one full consort,
Reioycing at the fall of that great beast,
Prom whose eternall bondage now they were
releast
5
Forth came that auncient Lord and aged Queene,
Arayd in antique robes downe to the ground,
And sad habiliments right well beseene,
A noble crew about them waited round
Of sage and sober Peres, all grauely gownd,
Whom farre before did march a goodly band
Of tall young men, all hable armes to sownd,
But now they laurell braunches bore in hand ,
Glad signe of victone and peace in all their land
6
Vnto that doughtie Conquerour they came,
And him before themselues prostrating low,
1 heir Lord and Patroneloud did himproclame,
And at his feet their laurell boughes did throw
Soone after them all dauncmg on a row
The comely virgins came, with girlands dight,
As fresh as flowres in medow greene do grow,
W hen morning deaw vpon their leaues doth light
And in their hands sweet Timbrels all vpheld on
bight
7
And them before, the fry of children young
Iheirwantonsportsandchildishmirthdidplay,
4nd to the Maydens sounding tymbrels sung
In well attuned notes, a loyous lay,
And made dehghtfull musicke all the way,
Vntill they came, where that faire virgin stood,
As hire Diana in fresh sommers day
BeltoldsherNymphes.enraung'dinshadiewood,
Some wrestle, some do run, some bathe in
chnstall flood
8
So she beheld those maydens menment
With chearefull vew, who when to her thev
came,
Themselues to ground w ith gratious humblesse
And her ador'd by honorable name, [bent,
Lifting to heaucn her euerlasting fame
Then on her head they set a girland greene,
And crow ned her t wi xt earnest and t wixt game,
Who in her selfe resemblance well beseene,
Did seeme such, as she was, a goodly maiden
Queene