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32 THE I BOOK OF THE Cant VI.
Thereby so fearelesse, and so fell he grew
That his owne sire and muster of his guise
Did often tremble at his horrid vew,
And oft for dread of hurt would him aduise,
The angry beasts not rashly to despise,
Nort too much to prouoke, for he would learne
The Lyor stoup to him in lowly wise,
(A lesson hard) and make the Libbard sterne
Leaue roaring, when in rage he for reuenge did
earne
26
And for to make his powre approued more,
Wyld beasts in yron yokes he would compell,
The spotted Panther, and the tusked Bore,
The Pardale swift, and the Tigre cruell,
The Antelope, and Wolfe both fierce and fell,
And them constraine in equall teme to draw
Such ioy he had, their stubborne harts to quell,
And sturdie courage tame with dreadfull aw,
That his beheast they feared, as a tyrans law
30
Yet euermore it was his manner faire,
After long labours and aduentures spent,
Vnto those natiue woods for to repaire,
To see his sire and of spring auncient
And now he thither came for like intent,
I Where he vnwares the fairest Vna found,
Straunge Lady, in so straunge habiliment,
Teaching the Satyres, which her sat around,
Trew sacred lore, which from her sweet lips did
redound
31
He wondred at her wisedome heauenly rare,
Whose like in womens wit he neuer knew,
And when her curteous deeds he did compare,
Gan her admire, and her sad sorrowcs rew,
Blaming of Fortune, which such troubles
threw,
And 10yd to make proofe of her crueltie
On gentle Dame, so hurtlesse, and so trew
l Thenceforth he kept her goodly company,
And learnd her discipline of faith and veritie
27
His loumg mother came vpon a day
32
Vnto the woods, to see her hide sonne , But she all vowd vnto the Redcrosse knight,
And chaunst vnwares to meet him in the way, His wandnng perill closely did lament,
After his sportes, and cruell pastime donne, Ne in this new acquaintaunce could delight,
When after him a Lyonesse did runne, But her deare heart with anguish did torment,
That roaring all with rage, did lowd requere And all her wit in secret counsels spent,
Her children deare, whom he aw ay had wonne How to escape At last in pnuie wise
The Lyon whelpes she saw how he did bearc, To Salyrane she shewed her intent,
And lull in rugged armes, withouten childish , Who glad to gain such fauour, gan deuise,
feare
How with that pensiue Maid he best might
28
thence arise
The fearefull Dame all quaked at the sight,
33
And turning backe, gan fast to fly away, 1 So on a day when Satyres all were gone,
Vntill with loue reuokt from vaine affright, To do their seruice to Syluanus old,
She hardly yet perswaded was to stay, The gentle virgin left behind alone
And then to him these womanish words gan He led away with courage stout and bold
say,
Too late it was,\fo Satyres to be told,
Ah Salyrane, my dearhng, and my loy, Or euer hope recouer her agame
For loue of me leaue off this dreadfull play , In vaine he seekes that hauing cannot hold
To dally thus with death, is no fit toy, p So fast he carried her with carefull paine,
Go find some other play-fellowes, mine own That they the woods are past, and comt now to
sweet boy
the plaine
29
34
In these and like delights of bloudy game The better part now of the lingring day,
He trayned was, till ryper yeares he raught, They traueild had, when as they farre espide
And there aboede Whilst any beast of name IA weane wight forwandnng by the way,
Walkt in that forest, whom he had not taught I And towards him they gan in hast to ride,
To feare his force and then his courage haught To weet of newes, that did abroad betide,
Desird of forreine foemen to be knowne, Or tydmgs of her knight of the Redcrosse
And far abroad forstraunge aduentures sought But he them spying, gan to turne aside,
In which his might was neuer ouerthrowne, For feare as seemd, or for some feigned losse,
But through all Faery lond his famous worth More greedy they of newes, fast towards him do
was blown I | crosse