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188 THE III BOOKE OF THE Cant VIII
48
Which words when Paridell had heard, his hew
Gan greatly chaunge, and seem'd dismayd to
bee,
Then said, Faire Sir, how may I weene it trew,
That ye doe tell in such vncertamtee ?
Or speake ye of report, or did ye see [sore ?
lust cause of dread, that makes ye doubt so
For perdie else how mote it euer bee,
That euer hand should dare for to engore
Her noble bloud ? the heauens such crueltie
abhore
49
These eyes did see, that they will euer rew
T'haue seene, (quoth he) when as a monstrous
beast
The Palfrey, whereon she did trauell, slew,
And of his bowels made his bloudie feast
Which speaking token shcweth at the least
Her certame losse, if not her sure decay
Besides, that more suspition encreast,
I found her golden girdle cast astray,
Distaynd with durt and bloud, as rehque of the
pray 50
Aye me, (said Pandell) the Signes be sad,
And but God turne the same to good soothsay,
That Ladies safetie is sore to be drad
Yet will I not forsake my forward way,
Till tnall doe more certame truth bewray
Faire Sir (quoth he) well may it you succeed,
Ne long shall Satyrane behind you stay,
But to the rest, which in this Quest proceed
My labour adde, and be partake of their speed
51
Ye noble knights (said then the Squire of Dames)
Well may ye speed in so praiseworthy paine
But sith the Sunne now ginnes to slake his
beames,
In deawy vapours of the westerne mame,
And lose the teme out of his weary waine,
Mote not mishke you also to abate
Your zealous hast, till morrow next againe
Both light of heauen, and strength of men relate
Which if ye please, to yonder castle turne your
gate 52
That counsell pleased well, so all yfere
Forth marched to a Castle them before,
Where soone arriumg, they restrained were
Of readie entrance, which ought euermore
To errant knights be commun wondrous sore
Thereat displeasd they were, till that young
Squire
Gan them informe the cause, why thatsamedore
Was shut to all, which lodging did desire
The which tolet youweet, will furthertimerequire
Cant IX
Malbecco will no straunge knights host,
For peeuish gealosie:
Paridell giusts with Britomart:
Both shew their auncestrie
1
Redoubted knights, and honorable Dames,
To whom I leuell all my labours end,
Right sore I feare, least with vnworthy blames
This odious argument my rimes should shend,
Or ought your goodly patience offend,
Whiles of a wanton Lady I do write,
Which with her loose incontinence doth blend
The shyning glory of your soueraigne light,
And knighthood fowle defaced by a faithlesse
knight
2
But neuer let th'ensample of the bad
Offend the good for good by paragone
Of euill, may more notably be rad,
Aswhiteseemesfairer,machtwithblackeattone,
Ne all are shamed by the fault of one
For lo m heauen, whereas all goodnesse is,
Emongst the Angels, a whole legione
Of wicked Sprights did fall from happy bhs,
What wonder then, if one of women all did mis?
3
Then listen Lordings, if ye list to weet
The cause, why Satyrane and Paridell
Mote not be entertaynd, as seemed meet,
Into that Castle (as that Squire does tell)
Therein a cancred crabbed Carle does dwell,
That has no skill of Court nor courtesie,
Ne cares, what men say of him ill or well,
For all his dayes he drownes m pnuitie,
Yet has full large to hue, and spend at hbertie
4
But all his mind is set on mucky pelfe,
To hoord vp heapes of euill gotten masse,
For which he others wrongs, and wreckes him
selfe ,
Yet is he hncked to a louely lasse,
Whose beauty doth her bounty far surpasse,
The which to him both far vnequall yeares,
And also far vnhke conditions has ,
For she does my to play emongst her peares,
And to be free from hard restraint and gealous
feares