The Poetical Works of - OUDL Home

Cant VI FAERIE QVEENE 361
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One day, as he was searching of their wounds,
He found that they had festred priuily,
And ranckiing inward with vnruly stounds,
The inner parts now gan to putrify,
That quite they seem'd past helpe of surgery,
And rather needed to be disciplinde
With holesome reede of sad sobriety,
To rule the stubborne rage of passion blinde
Giue salues to euery sore, but counsell to the
minde 6
So taking them apart into his cell,
He to that point fit speaches gan to frame,
As he the art of words knew wondrous well,
And eke could doe, as well as say the same,
And thus he to them sayd, Faire daughter
Dame,
And you faire sonne, which here thus long now
he
In piteous languor, since ye hither came,
In vaine of me ye hope for remedie,
And I likewise in vaine doe salues to you applie
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For in your selfe your onely helpe doth he,
To heale your selues, and must proceed alone
From your owne will, to cure your maiadie
Who can him cure, that will be cur'd of none ?
If therefore health ye seeke, obserue this one
First learne your outward sences to refraine
From things, that stirre vp fraile affection ,
Your eies, your eares, your tongue, your talk
restraine
From that they most affect, and in due termes
containe 8
For from those outward sences ill affected,
The seede of all this euill first doth spring,
Which at the first before it had infected,
Mote easie be supprest with little thing
But being growen strong, it forth doth bring
Sorrow, and anguish, and impatient paine
In th'inner parts, and lastly scattering
Contagious poyson close through euery vaine,
Itneuerrests,till it haue wrought hisfinall bane
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For that beastes teeth, which wounded you
tofore,
Are so exceeding venemous and keene,
Made all of rusty yron, ranckling sore,
That where they bite, it booteth not to weene
With salue, or antidote, or other mene
It euer to amend ne maruaile ought,
For that same beast was bred of hellish strene,
And long in darksome Slygian den vpbrought,
Begot of foule Lchidna, as in bookes is taught
N
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Echidna is a Monster direfull dred,
Whom Gods doe hate, and heauens abhoi to see,
So hideous is her shape, so huge her hed,
That euen the hellish fiends affrighted bee
At sight thereof, and from her presence flee
Yet did her face and former parts professe
A faire young Mayden, full of comely glee,
But all her hinder parts did plaine expresse
A monstrous Dragon, full of fearefull vghnesse
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To her the Gods, for her so dreadfull face,
In fearefull darkenesse, furthest from the slue,
And from the earth, appointed haue her place,
Mongst rocks and caues, where she enrold doth
he
In hideous horrour and obscurity,
Wasting the strength of her lmmortall age
There did Typhaon with her company,
Cruell Typhaon, whose tempestuous rage
Make th'heauens tremble oft, and him with
vowes asswage 12
Of that commixtion they did then beget
This hellish Dog, that hight the Blatant Beast,
A wicked Monster, that his tongue doth whet
Gainst all, both good and bad, both most and
least,
And poures his poysnous gall forth to infest
The noblest wights with notable defame
Ne euer Knight, that bore so lofty creast,
Ne euer Lady of so honest name,
But he them spotted with reproch, or secrete
shame
In vaine therefore it were, with medicine
To goe about to salue such kynd of sore,
That rather needes wise read and discipline,
Then outward salues, that may augment it
more
Aye me (sayd then Serena sighing sore)
What hope of helpe doth then for vs remaine,
If that no salues may vs to health restore ?
Butsith we needgood counsell(sayd the swaine)
Aread good sire, some counsell, that may vs
sustaine
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The best (sayd he) that I can you aduize,
Is to auoide the occasion of the ill
For when the cause, whence euill doth arize,
Remoued is, th'effect surceaseth still
Abstaine from pleasure,and restraine your will,
Subdue desire, and bridle loose delight,
Vse scanted diet, and forbeare your fill,
Shun secresie, and talke in open sight
So shall you soone repaire your present euill
plight
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