Cant. III. Merlin bewrayes to Britomart, The state of Arthegall. And shews the famous Progeny Which from them springen shall. [1] M O o st sacred fyre, that burnest mightily In liuing living brests, ykindled first aboue above , Emongst th’eternall spheres and lamping sky, And thence pourd into men, which men call Loue Love ; 426 The third Booke of Cant. III. Full Not that same, which doth base affections moue move In brutish mindes, and filthy lust inflame, But that sweete fit, that doth true beautie loue love , And choseth vertue for his dearest Dame, Dame. Whence spring all noble deedes and neuer never dying fame: [2] Well did Antiquity a God thee deeme, That ouer over mortall mindes hast so great might, To order them, as best to thee doth seeme, And all their actions to direct aright; The fatall purpose of diuine divine foresight, Thou doest effect in destined descents, Through deepe impression of thy secret might, And stirredst vp up th’Heroes high intents, Which the late world admyres for wõdrous wondrous moniments. monimẽts. moniments. monimẽts moniments [3] But thy dredd dartes in none doe triumph more, Ne brauer braver proofe in any, of thy powre Shew’dst thou, 1590.bk3.III.iii.3.3. then: than then than in this royall Maid of yore, Making her seeke an vnknowne unknowne Paramoure, From the worlds end, through many a bitter stowre: From whose two loynes thou afterwardes did rayse Most famous fruites of matrimoniall bowre, Which through the earth haue have spredd their liuing living (prayse, That fame in tromp of gold eternally displayes. [4] Begin then, O my dearest sacred Dame, Daughter of Phœbus and of Memorye, That doest ennoble with immortall name The warlike Worthies, from antiquitye, In thy great volume of Eternitye: Begin, O Clio, and recount from hence My glorious Soueraines Soveraines goodly auncestrye, Till that by dew degrees and long protense pretence , Thou haue have it lastly brought vnto unto her Excellence. 427 the Faery Queene. Cant.III. From [5] Full many wayes within her troubled mind, Old Glauce cast, to cure this Ladies griefe: Full many waies she sought, but none could find, Nor herbes, nor charmes, nor counsel that is chiefe, And choisest med’cine for sick harts reliefe: For thy great care she tooke, and greater feare, Least that it should her turne to fowle repriefe, And sore reproch, when so her father deare Should of his dearest daughters hard misfortune heare. [6] At last she her auisde avisde , that he, which made That mirrhour, wherein the sicke Damosell So straungely vewed her straunge louers lovers shade, To weet, the learned Merlin, well could tell, Vnder Under what coast of heauen heaven the man did dwell, And by what means his loue love might best be wrought: For though beyond the Africk Ismael, Or th’Indian Peru he were, she thought Him forth through infinite endeuour endevour to haue have sought. [7] Forthwith them selues selves disguising both in straunge And base atyre, that none might them bewray, To Maridunum, that is now by chaunge Of name Cayr-Merdin cald, they tooke their way: There the wise Merlin whylome wont (they say) To make his wonne, low vnderneath underneath the ground, In a deepe delue delve , farre from the vew of day, That of no liuing living wight he mote be found, When so he coũseld counseld with his sprights encõpast encompast round. [8] And if thou euer ever happen that same way To traueill traveill , go to see that dreadfull place: It is an hideous hollow caue cave (they say) Vnder Under a Rock that lyes a litle space 428 The third Booke of Cant. III. For From the swift Barry, tombling downe apace, Emongst the woody hilles of Dyneuowre Dynevowre : But dare thou not, I charge, in any cace, To enter into that same balefull Bowre, For feare the cruell Feendes should thee vnwares unwares de-(uowre. de-(vowre. [9] But standing high aloft, low lay thine eare, And there such ghastly noyse of yron chaines, And brasen Caudrons thou shalt rombling heare, Which thousand sprights with long enduring paines Doe tosse, that it will stonn thy feeble braines, And oftentimes great grones, & and grieuous grievous stownds, When too huge toile and labour them constraines: And oftentimes loud strokes, and ringing sowndes From vnder under that deepe Rock most horribly rebowndes. [10] The cause some say is this: A litle whyle Before that Merlin dyde, he did intend, A brasen wall in compas to compyle About Cairmardin, and did it commend Vnto Unto these Sprights, to bring to perfect end. During which worke the Lady of the Lake, Whom long he lou’d lov’d , for him in hast did send, Who thereby forst his workemen to forsake, Them bownd till his retourne, their labour not to slake. [11] In the meane time through that false Ladies traine, He was surprisd, and buried vnder under beare, Ne euer ever to his worke returnd againe: Nath’lesse those feends may not their work forbeare, So greatly his commandement they feare, But there doe toyle and traueile traveile day and night, Vntill Untill that brasen wall they vp up doe reare: For Merlin had in Magick more insight, 1590.bk3.III.iii.11.9. Then: Than Then Than euer ever him before or after liuing living wight. 429 the Faerie Queene. Cant. III. Were [12] For he by wordes could call out of the sky Both Sunne and Moone, and make them him obay: The Land to sea, and sea to maineland dry, And darksom night he eke could turne to day: Huge hostes of men he could alone dismay, And hostes of men of meanest thinges could frame, When so him list his enimies to fray: That to this day for terror of his fame, The feends do quake, whẽ when any him to them does name. [13] And sooth, men say that he was not the sonne Of mortall Syre, or other liuing living wight, But wondrously begotten, and begonne By false illusion of a guilefull Spright, On a faire Lady Nonne, that whilome hight Matilda, daughter to Pubidius, Who was the Lord of Mathraual Mathraval by right, And coosen vnto unto king Ambrosius: Whence he indued was with skill so merueilous merveilous . [14] They here ariuing ariving , staid a while without, Ne durst aduenture adventure rashly in to wend, But of their first intent gan make new dout For dread of daunger, which it might portend: Vntill Untill the hardy Mayd (with loue love to frend) First entering, the dreadfull Mage there fownd Deepe busied bout worke of wondrous end, And writing straunge characters in the grownd, With which the stubborne feendes he to his seruice service (bownd. [15] He nought was moued moved at their entraunce bold: For of their comming well he wist afore, Yet list them bid their businesse to vnfold unfold , As if ought in this world in secrete store 430 The third Booke of Cant. III. The Were from him hidden, or vnknowne unknowne of yore. Then Glauce thus, let Let not it thee offend, That we thus rashly through thy darksom dore, Vnwares Unwares haue have prest: for either fatall end, Or other mightie cause vs us two did hether send. [16] He bad tell on; And then she thus began. Now haue have three Moones with borrowd brothers (light, Thrise shined faire, and thrise seemd dim and wan, Sith a sore euill evill , which this virgin bright Tormenteth, and doth plonge in dolefull plight, First rooting tooke; but what thing it mote bee, Or whence it sprong, I can not read aright: But this I read, that but if remedee, Thou her afford, full shortly I her dead shall see. [17] Therewith th’Enchaunter softly gan to smyle At her smooth speeches, weeting inly well, That she to him dissembled womanish guyle, And to her said, Beldame, by that ye tell, More neede of leach-crafte hath your Damozell, 1590.bk3.III.iii.17.6. Then: Than Then Than of my skill: who helpe may haue have elswhere, In vaine seekes wonders out of Magick spell. Th’old womã woman wox half blanck, those words to heare; And yet was loth to let her purpose plaine appeare. [18] And to him said, Yf any leaches skill, Or other learned meanes could haue have redrest This my deare daughters deepe engraffed ill, Certes I should be loth thee to molest: But this sad euill evill , which doth her infest, Doth course of naturall cause farre exceed, And housed is within her hollow brest, That either seemes some cursed witches deed, Or euill evill spright, that in her doth such torment breed. 431 the Faery Queene. Cant. III. For Ee [19] The wisard could no lenger beare her bord, But brusting forth in laughter, to her sayd; Glauce, what needes this colourable word, To cloke the cause, that hath it selfe bewrayd? Ne ye fayre Britomartis, thus arayd, More hidden are, 1590.bk3.III.iii.19.6. then: than then than Sunne in cloudy vele; Whom thy good fortune, hauing having fate obayd, Hath hether brought, for succour to appele: The which the powres to thee are pleased to reuele revele . [20] The doubtfull Mayd, seeing her selfe descryde, Was all abasht, and her pure yuory yvory Into a cleare Carnation suddeine dyde; As fayre Aurora rysing hastily, Doth by her blushing tell, that she did lye All night in old Tithonus frosen bed, Whereof she seemes ashamed inwardly. But her olde Nourse was nought dishartened, But vauntage made of that, which Merlin had ared. [21] And sayd, Sith then thou knowest all our griefe, (For what doest not thou knowe?) of grace I pray, Pitty our playnt, and yield vs us meet reliefe. With that the Prophet still awhile did stay, And then his spirite thus gan foorth display; Most noble Virgin, that by fatall lore Hast learn’d to loue love , let no whit thee dismay The hard beginne, that meetes thee in the dore, And with sharpe fits thy tender hart oppresseth sore. [22] For so must all things excellent begin, And eke enrooted deepe must be that Tree, Whose big embodied braunches shall not lin, Till they to heuens hevens hight forth stretched bee. 432 The third Booke of Cant. III. The For from thy wombe a famous Progenee Shall spring, out of the auncient Troian Trojan blood, Which shall reuiue revive the sleeping memoree Of those same antique Peres, the heuens hevens brood, Which Greeke Greece & and Asian riuers rivers stayned with their blood. [23] Renowmed kings, and sacred Emperours, Thy fruitfull Ofspring, shall from thee descend; Braue Brave Captaines, and most mighty warriours, That shall their conquests through all lands extend, And their decayed kingdomes shall amend: The feeble Britons, broken with long warre, They shall vpreare upreare , and mightily defend Against their forren foe, that commes from farre, Till vniuersall universall peace compound all ciuill civill iarre jarre . [24] It was not, Britomart, thy wandring eye, Glauncing vnwares unwares in charmed looking glas, But the streight course of heuenly hevenly destiny, Led with eternall prouidence providence , that has Guyded thy glaunce, to bring his will to pas: Ne is thy fate, ne is thy fortune ill, To loue love the prowest knight, that euer ever was. Therefore submit thy wayes vnto unto his will, And doe by all dew meanes thy destiny fulfill. [25] But read (saide Glauce) thou Magitian What meanes shall she out seeke, or what waies take? How shall she know, how shall she finde the man? Or what needes her to toyle, sith fates can make Way for themselues themselves , their purpose to pertake? Then Merlin thus, Indeede the fates are firme, And may not shrinck, though all the world do shake: Yet ought mens good endeuours endevours them confirme, And guyde the heauenly heavenly causes to their constant terme. 433 the Faerie Queene. Cant. III. Of Ee 2 [26] The man whom heauens heavens haue have ordaynd to bee The spouse of Britomart, is Arthegall: He wonneth in the land of Fayeree, Yet is no Fary borne, ne sib at all To Elfes, but sprong of seed terrestriall, And whylome by false Faries stolne away, Whyles yet in infant cradle he did crall; Ne other to himselfe is knowne this day, But that he by an Elfe was gotten of a Fay. [27] But sooth he is the sonne of Gorlois, And brother vnto unto Cador Cornish king, And for his warlike feates renowmed is, From where the day out of the sea doth spring, Vntill Untill the closure of the Euening Evening . From thence, him firmely bound with faithfull band, To this his natiue native soyle thou backe shalt bring, Strongly to ayde his countrey, to withstand The powre of forreine Paynims, which invade thy land. [28] Great ayd thereto his mighty puissaunce, And dreaded name shall giue give in that sad day: Where also proofe of thy prow valiaunce Thou then shalt make, t’increase thy louers lovers pray. Long time ye both in armes shall beare great sway, Till thy wombes burden thee from them do call, And his last fate him from thee take away, Too rathe cut off by practise criminall, Of secrete foes, that him shall make in mischiefe fall. [29] With Where thee yet shall he leaue leave for memory Of his late puissaunce, his ymage Image dead, That liuing living him in all actiuity activity To thee shall represent. He from the head 434 The third Booke of Cant. III. All Of his coosen Constantius without dread Shall take the crowne, that was his fathers right, And therewith crowne himselfe in th’others stead: Then shall he issew forth with dreadfull might, Against his Saxon foes in bloody field to fight. [30] Like as a Lyon, that in drowsie caue cave Hath long time slept, himselfe so shall he shake, And comming forth, shall spred his banner braue brave Ouer Over the troubled South, that it shall make The warlike Mertians for feare to quake: Thrise shall he fight with them, and twise shall win, But the third time shall fayre accordaunce make: And if he then with victorie can lin, He shall his dayes with peace bring to his earthly In. [31] His sonne, hight Vortipore, shall him succeede In kingdome, but not in felicity; Yet shall he long time warre with happy speed, And with great honour many batteills try: But at the last to th’importunity Of froward fortune shall be forst to yield. But his sonne Malgo shall full mightily Auenge Avenge his fathers losse, with speare and shield, And his proud foes discomfit in victorious field. [32] Behold the man, and tell me Britomart, If ay more goodly creature thou didst see; How like a Gyaunt in each manly part Beares he himselfe with portly maiestee majestee , That one of th’old Heroes seemes to bee: He the six Islands, comprouinciall comprovinciall In auncient times vnto unto great Britainee, Shall to the same reduce, and to him call Their sondry kings to doe their homage seuerall severall . 435 the Faery Queene. Cant.III. But Ee 3 [33] All which his sonne Careticus awhile Shall well defend, and Saxons powre suppresse, Vntill Untill a straunger king from vnknowne unknowne soyle Arriuing Arriving , him with multitude oppresse; Great Gormond, hauing having with huge mightinesse Ireland ſubdewd subdewd ſubdeʍd subdeʍd ſubdewd subdewd , and therein fixt his throne, Like a swift Otter, fell through emptinesse, Shall ouerswim overswim the sea with many one Of his Norueyses Norveyses , to assist the Britons fone. [34] He in his furie all shall ouerronne overronne , And holy Church with faithlesse handes deface, That thy sad people vtterly utterly fordonne, Shall to the vtmost utmost mountaines fly apace: Was neuer never so great waste in any place, Nor so fowle outrage autrage doen by liuing living men: For all thy Citties they shall sacke and race, And the greene grasse, that groweth, they shall bren, That euen even the wilde beast shall dy in starued starved den. [35] Whiles thus thy the Britons doe in languour pine, Proud Etheldred shall from the North arise, Seruing Serving th’ambitious will of Augustine, And passing Dee with hardy enterprise, Shall backe repulse the valiaunt Brockwell twise, And Bangor with massacred Martyrs fill; But the third time shall rew his foolhardise: For Cadwan pittying his peoples ill, Shall stoutly him defeat, and thousand Saxons kill. [36] But after him, Cadwallin mightily On his sonne Edwin all those wrongs shall wreake; Ne shall auaile availe the wicked sorcery Of falſe false falfe Pellite, his purposes to breake, 436 The third Booke of Cant. III. Then But him shall slay, and on a gallowes bleak Shall giue give th’enchaunter his vnhappy unhappy hire: Then shall the Britons, late dismayd and weake, From their long vassallage gin to respire, And on their Paynim foes auenge avenge their ranckled ire. [37] Ne shall he yet his wrath so mitigate, Till both the sonnes of Edwin he haue have slayne, Offricke and Osricke, twinnes vnfortunate unfortunate , Both slaine in battaile vpon upon Layburne playne, Together with the king of Louthiane, Hight Adin, and the king of Orkeny, Both ioynt joynt partakers of their the fatall payne: But Penda, fearefull of like desteny, Shall yield him selfe his liegeman, and sweare fealty. [38] Him shall he make his fatall Instrument, T’afflict the other Saxons vnsubdewd unsubdewd ; He marching forth with fury insolent Against the good king Oswald, who indewd With heauenly heavenly powre, and by Angels reskewd, Al holding crosses in their hands on hye, Shall him defeate withouten blood imbrewd: Of which, that field for endlesse memory, Shall Hevenfield be cald to all posterity. [39] Whereat Cadwallin wroth, shall forth issew, And an huge hoste into Northumber lead, With which he godly Oswald shall subdew, And crowne with martiredome his sacred head. Whose brother Oswin, daunted with like dread, With price of siluer silver shall his kingdome buy, And Penda seeking him adowne to tread, Shall tread adowne, and doe him fowly dye, But shall with guifts gifts guif⁀ts guifts his Lord Cadwallin pacify. 437 the Faery Queene. Cant. III. Ah Ee 4 [40] Then shall Cadwallin die, and then the raine Of Britons eke with him attonce shall dye; Ne shall the good Cadwallader with paine, Or powre, be hable it to remedy, When the full time prefixt by destiny, Shalbe expird of Britons regiment. For heuen heven it selfe shall their successe enuy envy , And them with plagues and murrins pestilent Consume, till all their warlike puissaunce be spent. [41] Yet after all these sorrowes, and huge hills Of dying people, during eight yeares space, Cadwallader not yielding to his ills, From Armoricke, where long in wretched cace He liu’d liv’d , retourning to his natiue native place, Shalbe by vision staide from his intent: For th’ heauens heavens haue have decreed, to displace The Britons, for their sinnes dew punishment, And to the Saxons ouer over -give their gouernment government . [42] Then woe, and woe, and euerlasting everlasting woe, Be to the Briton babe, that shalbe borne, To liue live in thraldome of his fathers foe; Late king, now captiue captive , late lord, now forlorne, The worlds reproch, the cruell victors scorne, Banisht from princely bowre to wasteful wood: O who shal helpe me to lament, and mourne The royall seed, the antique Troian Trojan blood, Whose empire Empire lenger here, 1590.bk3.III.iii.42.9. then: than then than euer ever any stood. [43] The Damzell was full deepe empassioned, Both for his griefe, and for her peoples sake, Whose future woes so plaine he fashioned, And sighing sore, at length him thus bespake; 438 The third Booke of Cant. III. Yet Ah but will heuens hevens fury neuer never slake, Nor vengeaunce huge relent it selfe at last? Will not long misery late mercy make, But shall their name for euer ever be defaste, And quite from off th’earth from of th’earth from th’earth their memory be raste? [44] Nay but the terme (sayd he) is limited, That in this thraldome Britons shall abide, And the iust just reuolution revolution measured, That they as Straungers shalbe notifide. For twise fowre hundreth yeares ſ⁀halbe ſupplide yeares shalbe supplide ſ⁀hal be full ſupplide shalbe full supplide ſ⁀halbe ſupplide shalbe supplide , Ere they vnto their unto their to former rule restor’d shalbee. And their importune fates all satisfide: Yet during this their most obscuritee, Their beames shall ofte breake forth, that men thẽ them faire (may see. [45] For Rhodoricke, whose surname shalbe Great, Shall of him selfe a braue brave ensample shew, That Saxon kings his frendship shall intreat; And Howell Dha shall goodly well indew The saluage salvage minds with skill of iust just and trew; Then Griffyth Conan also shall vp up reare His dreaded head, and the old sparkes renew Of natiue native corage, that his foes shall feare, Least back againe the kingdom he from them should (beare. [46] Ne shall the Saxons selues selves all peaceably Enioy Enjoy the crowne, which they from Britons wonne First ill, and after ruled wickedly: For ere two hundred yeares be full outronne outrunne ouerronne overronne , There shall a Rauen Raven far from rising Sunne, With his wide wings vpon upon them fiercely fly, And bid his faithlesse chickens oueronne overonne The fruitfull plaines, and with fell cruelty, In their auenge avenge , tread downe the victors surquedry. 493 the Faery Queene: Cant. III. Which [47] Yet shall a third both these, and thine subdew; There shall a Lion from the sea-bord wood Of Neustria come roring, with a crew Of hungry whelpes, his battailous bold brood, Whose clawes were newly dipt in cruddy blood, That from the Daniske Tyrants head shall rend Th’ vsurped usurped crowne, as if that he were wood, And the spoile of the countrey conquered Emongst his young ones shall diuide divide with bountyhed. [48] Tho when the terme is full accomplishid, There shall a sparke of fire, which hath long-while Bene in his ashes raked vp up , and hid, Bee freshly kindled in the fruitfull Ile Of Mona, where it lurked in exile; Which shall breake forth into bright burning flame, And reach into the house, that beares the stile Of roiall maiesty majesty and soueraine soveraine name; So shall the Briton blood their crowne agayn reclame. [49] Thenceforth Thǝnceforth Thenceforth eternall vnion union shall be made Betweene the nations different afore, And sacred Peace shall louingly lovingly persuade The warlike minds, to learne her goodly lore, And ciuile civile armes to exercise no more: Then shall a royall Virgin raine, which shall Stretch her white rod ouer over the Belgicke shore, And the great Castle smite so sore with all, That it shall make him shake, and shortly learn to fall. [50] But yet the end is not. There Merlin stayd, As ouercomen overcomen of the spirites powre, Or other ghastly spectacle dismayd, That secretly he saw, yet note discoure: 440 The third Booke of Cant. III And Which suddein fitt, and halfe extatick stoure When the two fearefull wemen saw, they grew Greatly confused in behaueoure behaveoure ; At last the fury past, to former hew Hee She Shee turnd againe, and chearfull looks did ſ⁀hew. looks did shew. looks as earst did ſ⁀hew looks as earst did shew [51] Then, when them selues selves they well instructed had Of all, that needed them to be inquird, They both conceiuing conceiving hope of comfort glad, With lighter hearts vnto unto their home retird; Where they in secret counsell close conspird, How to effect so hard an enterprize, And to possesse the purpose they desird: Now this, now that twixt them they did deuize devize , And diuerse diverse plots did frame, to maske in strãge strange diſguiſe disguise deviſe devise deuiſe deuise deviſe devise . [52] At last the Nourse in her foolhardy wit Conceiud Conceivd a bold deuise devise , and thus bespake; Daughter, I deeme that counsel aye most fit, That of the time doth dew aduauntage advauntage take; Ye see that good king Vther Uther now doth make Strong warre vpon upon the Paynim brethren, hight Octa and Oza, whome hee lately brake Beside Cayr Verolame, in victorious fight, That now all Britany Britannie Britanie doth burne in armes bright. [53] That therefore nought our passage may empeach, Let vs us in feigned armes our selues selves disguize, And our weake hands ( need makes good ſchollers need makes good schollers whom need new ſtrength s⁀hall whom need new strength shall ) teach (teach. The dreadful speare and shield to exercize: Ne certes daughter that same warlike wize I weene, would you misseeme; for ye beene tall, And large of limbe, t’atchieue t’atchieve an hard emprize, Ne ought ye want, but skil, which practize small Wil bring, and shortly make you a mayd Martiall. 441 the Faery Queene. Cant. III. That [54] And sooth, it ought your corage much inflame, To heare so often, in that royall hous, From whence to none inferior ye came: Bards tell of many wemen valorous, Which haue have full many feats aduenturous adventurous , Performd, in paragone of proudest men: The bold Bunduca, whose victorious Exployts made Rome to quake, stout Guendolen, Renowmed Martia, and redoubted Emmilen. [55] And that, which more 1590.bk3.III.iii.55.1. then: than then than all the rest may sway sway, Late dayes ensample, which these eyes beheld, In the last field before Meneuia Menevia Which Vther Uther with those forrein Pagans held, I saw a Saxon Virgin, the which feld Great Vlfin Ulfin thrise vpon upon the bloodly playne, And had not Carados her hand withheld From rash reuenge revenge , she had him surely slayne, Yet Carados himselfe from her escapt with payne. [56] Ah read, (quoth Britomart) how is she hight? Fayre Angela (quoth she) men do her call, No whit lesse fayre, 1590.bk3.III.iii.56.3. then: than then than terrible in fight: She hath the leading of a Martiall And mightie people, dreaded more 1590.bk3.III.iii.56.5. then: than then than all The other Saxons, which doe for her sake And loue love , themselues themselves of her name Angles call. Therefore faire Infant her ensample make Vnto Unto thy selfe, and equall corage to thee take. [57] Her harty wordes so deepe into the mynd Of the yong Damzell sunke, that great desire Of warlike armes in her forthwith they tynd, And generous stout courage did inspyre, 442 The third Booke of Cant. III. Thus That she resolu’d resolv’d , vnweeting unweeting vnmeeting unmeeting to her Syre, Aduent’rous Advent’rous knighthood on her selfe to don, And counseld with her Nourse, her Maides attyre To turne into a massy habergeon, And bad her all things put in readinesse anon. [58] Th’old woman nought, that needed, did omit; But all thinges did conueniently conveniently conuiently conviently puruay purvay : It fortuned (so time their turne did fitt) A band of Britons ryding on forray Few dayes dryes before, had gotten a great pray Of Saxon goods, emongst the which was seene A goodly Armour, and full rich aray, Which long’d to Angela, the Saxon Queene, All fretted round with gold, and goodly wel beseene. [59] The same, with all the other ornaments, King Ryence caused to be hanged hy In his chiefe Church, for endlesse moniments Of his successe and gladfull victory: Of which her selfe auising avising readily, In th’ euening evening late old Glauce thether led Faire Britomart, and that same Armory Downe taking, her therein appareled, Well as she might, & and with braue brave bauldrick garnished. [60] Beside those armes there stood a mightie speare, Which Bladud made by Magick art of yore, And vsd usd the same in batteill aye to beare; Sith which it had beene here preseru’d preserv’d in store, For his great vertues proued proved long afore: For neuer never wight so fast in sell could sit, But him perforce vnto unto the ground it bore: Both speare she tooke, and shield, which hong by it; Both speare & and shield of great powre, for her purpose f⁀it. fit. f⁀it fit 443 the Faery Queene. Cant. III. Cant. [61] Thus when she had the virgin all arayd, Another harnesse, which did hang thereby, About her selfe she dight, that the yong Mayd She might in equall armes accompany, And as her Squyre attend her carefully: Tho to their ready Steedes they clombe full light, And through back waies, that none might thẽ them espy, Couered Covered with secret cloud of silent night, Themselues Themselves they forth conuaid convaid , & and passed forward right. [62] Ne rested they, till that to Faery lond They came, as Merlin them directed late: Where meeting with this Redcrosse knight, she fond Of diuerse diverse thinges discourses to dilate, But most of Arthegall, and his estate. At last their wayes so fell, that they mote part: Then each to other well affectionate, Frendship professed with vnfained unfained hart, The Redcrosse knight diuerst diverst , but forth rode Britomart.

444 The third Booke of Cant.IIII. That