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Cant IIII. FAERIE QVEENE 89
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Betwixt them both, they haue me doen to dye,
Through wounds, and strokes, and stubborne
handehng,
That death were better, then such agony,
As gnefe and furie vnto me did bring,
Of which in me yet stickes the mortall sting,
That during life will neuer be appeasd
When he thus ended had his sorrowing,
Said Guyon,Squire.sore haue ye beene diseasd,
But all your hurts may soone through temper.
ance be easd 34
Then gan the Palmer thus, Most wretched man,
That to affections does the bridle lend,
In their beginning they are weake and wan,
But soone through suff'ranee grew to fearefull
end, [contend
Whiles they are weake betimes with them
For when they once to perfect strength do grow,
Strong warres they make,and cruell battry bend
Gainst fort of Reason, it to ouerthrow
Wrath, gelosie, griefe, loue this Squire haue
layd thus low
35
Wrath, gealosie, griefe, loue do thus expell .
Wrath is a fire, and gealosie a weede,
Griefe is a flood, and loue a monster fell,
The fire of sparkes, the weede of little seede,
The flood of drop, the Monster filth did breede
But sparks, seed, drops, and filth do thus delay,
The sparks soone quench, the springing seed
outweed,
The drops dry vp, and filth wipe cleane away
So shall wrath, gealosie, griefe, loue dye and
decay 36
V nlucky Squire (said Guyon) sith thou hast
Falne into mischiefe through intemperaunce,
Henceforth takeheedeof thatthou nowhastpast,
And guide thy wayes with wane gouernaunce,
Least worse betide thee by some later chaunce
But read how art thou nam'd,andof what kin
Phedon I hight (quoth he) and do aduaunce
Mine auncestry from famous Coradm,
Who first to rayse our house to honour did begin
37
Thus as he spake, lo far away they spyde
A varlet running towards hastily,
Whose flying feet so fast their way applyde,
That round about a cloud of dust did fly,
Which mingled all withsweate.did dim his eye
Hesooneapproched,panting breathlesse,whot,
And all so soyld, that none could him descry ,
His countenaunce was bold, and bashed not
For Guyons lookes, but scornefull eyglaunce at
him shot
38
Behind his backe he bore a brasen shield,
On which was drawen faire, in colours fit,
A flaming fire in midst of bioudy field,
And round about the wreath this word was writ,
Burnt J do burne Right well beseemed it,
To be the shield of some redoubted knight,
And in his hand two darts exceeding flit,
And deadly sharpe he held, whose heads were
dight
In poyson and in bloud, of malice and despight
39
When he in presence came, to Guyon first
He boldly spake, Sir knight, if knight thou bee,
Abandon this forestalled place at erst,
For feare of further harme, I counsell thee,
Or bide the chaunce at thine owne leoperdie
The knight at his great boldnesse wondered,
And though he scornd his idle vanitie,
Yet mildly him to purpose answered ,
For not to grow of nought he it coniectured
40
Varlet, this place most dew to me I deeme,
Yielded by him, that held it forcibly
But whence should come that harme, which
thou doest seeme
To threat to him, that mindshis chaunce t'abye
Perdy (said he) here comes, and is hard by
A knight of wondrous powre, and great assay,
That neuer yet encountred enemy,
But did him deadly daunt, or fowle dismay,
Ne thou for better hope, if thou his presence stay
41
How hight he then (said Guyon) and from
whence ?
Pyrochles is his name, renowmed farre
For his bold feats and hardy confidence,
Full oft approu'd in many a cruell warre,
The brother of Cymochks, both which arre
The sonnes of old Aerates and Despight,
Aerates sonne of Phlegeton and lane ,
But Phlegeton is sonne of Herebus and Night,
But Herebus sonne of Aetermite is hight
42
So from immortall race he does proceede,
That mortall hands may not withstand his
might,
Drad for his dernng do, and bloudy deed,
For all in bloud and spoile is his delight
His am I Alin, his in wrong and right,
That matter make for him to worke vpon
And stirre him vp to strife and cruell fight
Fly therefore, fly this fearefull stead anon,
Least thy foolhardize worke thy sad confusion