The Poetical Works of - OUDL Home

328 THE V BOOKE OF THE Cant XI
34
Then all the people, which beheld that day,
Gan shout aloud, that vnto heauen it rong,
And all the damzels of that towne in ray,
Came dauncing forth, and loyous carrols song
So him they led through all their streetes along,
Crowned with girlonds of immortall baies,
And all the vulgar did about them throng,
To see the man, whose euerlasting praise
They all were bound to all posterities to raise
There he with Beige did a while remaine,
Making great feast and loyous merriment,
Vntill he had her settled in her raine,
With safe assuraunce and establishment
Then to his first emprize his mind he lent, |
Full loath to Beige, and to all the rest
Of whom yet taking leaue, thenceforth he
went
And to his former lourney him addrest,
On which long way he rode, ne euer day did rest
39
For she presuming on th'appomted tyde,
In which ye promist, as ye were a Knight,
To meete her at the saluage Hands syde,
And then and there for tnall of her right
With her vnnghteous enemy to fight,
Did thither come, where she afrayd of nought,
By guilefull treason and by subtill slight
Surprized was, and to Grantorto brought,
Who her imprisond hath, and her life often
sought 40
And now he hath to her prefixt a day,
By which if that no champion doe appeare,
Which will her cause in battailous array
Against him lustifie, and proue her cleare
Of all those crimes, that he gainst her doth
reare,
She death shall by Those tidings sad
Did much abash Sir Ariegall to heare,
And grieued sore, that through his fault she
had
Fallen into that Tyrants hand and vsage bad
36
But turne we now to noble Artegall,
41
Then thus replide , Now sure and by my life,
Who haumg left Merctlla, streight way went Too much am I to blame for that faire Maide,
On his first quest, the which him forth did call, That haue her drawne to all this troublous
To weet to worke Irenaes franchisement, strife,
And eke Grantor toes worthy punishment Through promise to afford her timely aide,
So forth he fared as his manner was, Which by default I haue not yet defraide
With onely Talus waytmg diligent,
But witnesse vnto me, ye heauens, that know
Through many perils and much wav did pas, How cleare I am from blame of this vpbraide
Till nigh vnto the place at length approcht For ye into like thraldome me did throw,
he has
And kept from complishing the faith, which
37
I did owe
There as he traueld by the way, he met
42
An aged wight, wayfaring all alone, But now aread, Sir Sergts, how long space,
Whothrough hisyeares longsmce aside had set Hath he her lent, a Champion to prouide ?
The vse of armes, and battell quite forgone Ten daies (quoth he) he graunted hathof grace,
To whom as he approcht, he knew anone, For that he weeneth well, before that tide
That it was he which whilome did attend None can haue tidings to assist her side
On faire Irene in her affliction,
For all the shores, which to the sea accoste,
When first to Faery court he saw her wend, He day and night doth ward both farand wide,
Vnto his souerame Queene her suite for to That none can there arnue without an hoste
commend
So her he deemes already but a damned ghoste
38
43
Whom by his name saluting, thus he gan , Now turne agame (Sir Ariegall then sayd)
Hade good Sir Sergis, truest Knight aliue, For if I hue till those ten daies haue end,
Well tnde in all thy Ladies troubles than, Assure your selfe, Sir Knight, she shall haue
When her that Tyrant did of Crowne depnue, ayd,
What new ocasion doth thee hither drjue, Though I this dearest life for her doe spend
Whiles she alone is left, and thou here found ? So backeward he attone with him did wend
Or is she thrall, or doth she not suruiue ? Tho as they rode together on their way,
To whom he thus , She liueth sure and sound , A rout of people they before them kend,
But by that Tyrant is in wretched thraldome Flocking together in confusde array,
bound
i As if that there were some tumultuous affray.