And, whenso of his hand the pledge she raught, The guilty cup she fained to mistake, And in her lap did shed her idle draught, Shewing desire her inward flame to slake. By such close signes they secret way did make Unto their wils, and one eies watch escape: Two eies him needeth, for to watch and wake, Who lovers will deceive. Thus was the ape, By their faire handling, put into Malbeccoes cape. Now, when of meats and drinks they had their fill, Porpose was moved by that gentle dame Unto those knights adventurous, to tell
Of deeds of armes which unto them became, And every one his kindred and his name. Then Paridell, in whom a kindly pride
Of gratious speach and skill his words to frame Abounded, being glad of so fitte tide
Him to commend to her, thus spake, of al well eide:
Troy, that art now nought but an idle name, And in thine ashes buried low dost lie, Though whilome far much greater then thy fame, Before that angry gods and cruell skie Upon thee heapt a direful destinie; What boots it boast thy glorious descent, And fetch from Heven thy great genealogie, Sith all thy worthie prayses being blent
Their ofspring hath embaste, and later glory shent!
"Most famous worthy of the world, by whome That warre was kindled which did Troy inflame, And stately towres of Ilion whilóme Brought unto balefull ruine, was by name Sir Paris far renowmd through noble fame; Who, through great prowesse and bold hardinesse, From Lacedaemon fetcht the fayrest dame That ever Greece did boast, or knight possesse, Whom Venus to him gave for meed of worthinesse;
"Fayre Helene, flowre of beautie excellent, And girlond of the mighty conquerours, That madest many ladies deare lament The heavie losse of their brave paramours, Which they far off beheld from Trojan toures, And saw the fieldes of faire Scamander strowne With carcases of noble warrioures
Whose fruitlesse lives were under furrow sowne, And Xanthus sandy bankes with blood all overflowne !
"From him my linage I derive aright, Who long before the ten yeares siege of Troy, Whiles yet on Ida he a shepeheard hight, On faire Oenone got a lovely boy, Whom, for remembrance of her passed ioy, She, of his father, Parius did name; Who, after Greekes did Priams realme destroy, Gathred the Trojan reliques sav'd from flame, And, with them sayling thence, to th' isle of Paros
"That was by him cald Paros, which before Hight Nausa; there he many yeares did raine, And built Nausicle by the Pontick shore; The which he dying lefte next in remaine To Paridas his sonne,
From whom I Paridel by kin descend: But, for faire ladies love and glories gaine, My native soile have lefte, my dayes to spend In seewing deeds of armes, my lives and labors end."
Whenas the noble Britomart heard tell Of Trojan warres and Priams citie sackt, (The rueful! story of sir Paridell) She was empassiond at that piteons act, With zelous envy of Greekes cruell fact Against that nation, from whose race of old She heard that she was lineally extract: For noble Britons sprong from Trojans bold, And Troynovant was built of old Troyes ashes cold. Then, sighing soft awhile, at last she thus: "O lamentable fall of famous towne, Which raignd so many yeares victorious, And of all Asie bore the soveraine crowne, In one sad night consumd and throwen downe! What stony hart, that heares thy haplesse fate, Is not impierst with deepe compassiowne, And makes ensample of mans wretched state, That floures so fresh at morne, and fades at evening late!
"Behold, sir, how your pitifull complaint Hath fownd another partner of your payne: For nothing may impresse so deare constraint As countries cause, and commune foes disdayne. But, if it should not grieve you backe agayne To turne your course, I would to heare desyre What to Aeneas fell; sith that men sayne He was not in the cities wofull fyre Consum'd, but did himselfe to safety retyre."
"Anchyses sonne begott of Venus fayre," Said he, "out of the flames for safegard fled, And with a remnant did to sea repayre; Where he, through fatall errour long was led Full many yeares, and weetlesse wandered From shore to shore emongst the Lybick sandes, Ere rest he fownd: much there he suffered, And many perilles past in forreine landes, [handes: To save his people sad from victours vengefull
"At last in Latium he did arryve, Where he with cruell warre was entertaind Of th' inland folke which sought him backe to drive, Till he with old Latinus was constraind To contract wedlock, so the fates ordaind; Wedlocke contract in blood, and eke in blood Accomplished; that many deare complaind: The rivall slaine, the victour (through the flood Escaped hardly) hardly praisd his wedlock good.
"Yet, after all, he victour did survive, And with Latinus did the kingdom part: But after, when both nations gan to strive. Into their names the title to convart, His sonne Iülus did from thence depart With all the warlike youth of Troians bloud, And in Long Alba plast his throne apart; Where faire it florished and long time stoud, Till Romulus, renewing it, to Rome removd."
"There; there," said Britomart, "afresh appeard The glory of the later world to spring, And Troy againe out of her dust was reard To sitt in second seat of soveraine king Of all the world, under her governing. But a third kingdom yet is to arise Out of the Troians scattered ofspring, That, in all glory and great enterprise, Both first and second Troy shail dare to equalise.
"It Troynovant is hight, that with the waves Of wealthy Thamis washed is along,
Upon whose stubborne neck (whereat he raves With roring rage, and sore himselfe does throng, That all men feare to tempt his billowes strong) She fastned hath her foot; which stands so by, That it a wonder of the world is song
In forreine landes; and all, which passen by, Beholding it from farre doe think it threates the skye.
"The Troian Brute did first that citie fownd, And Hygate made the meare thereof by west, And Overt-gate by north: that is the bownd Toward the land; two rivers bownd the rest. So huge a scope at first him seemed best, To be the compasse of his kingdomes seat: So huge a mind could not in lesser rest, Ne in sinall meares containe his glory great, That Albion had conquered first by warlike feat."
"Ah! fairest lady-knight," said Paridell, "Pardon I pray my heedlesse oversight, Who had forgot that whylome I heard tell From aged Mnemon; for my wits beene light. Indeed he said, if I remember right,
That of the antique Trojan stocke there grew Another plant, that raught to wondrous hight, And far abroad his mighty braunches threw Into the utmost angle of the world he knew.
"For that same Brute, whom much he did advaunce In all his speach, was Sylvius his sonne, Whom having slain through luckles arrowes glaunce, He fled for feare of that he had misdonne, Or els for shame, so fowle reproch to shonne, And with him ledd to sea an youthly trayne; Where wearie wandring they long time did wonne, And many fortunes prov'd in th' ocean mayne, And great adventures found, that now were long to
"At last by fatall course they driven were Into an island spatious and brode, The furthest north that did to them appeare: Which, after rest, they, seeking farre abrode, Found it the fittest soyle for their abode, Fruitfull of all thinges fitt for living foode, But wholy waste and void of peoples trode, Save an huge nation of the geaunts broode That fed on living flesh, and dronck mens vitall blood.
"Whom he, through wearie wars and labours long, Subdewd with losse of many Britons bold: In which the great Goëmagot of strong Corineus, and Coulin of Debon old,
Were overthrowne and laide on th' earth full cold, Which quaked under their so hideous masse: A famous history to bee enrold
In everlasting moniments of brasse,
That all the antique worthies merits far did passe.
"His worke great Troynovant, his worke is eke Faire Lincolne, both renowned far away; That who from east to west will endlong seeke, Cannot two fairer cities find this day, Except Cleopolis; so heard I say
Old Mnemon: therefore, sir, I greet you well Your countrey kin; and you entyrely pray Of pardon for the strife, which late befell Betwixt us both unknowne." So ended Paridell.
But all the while, that he these speeches spent, Upon his lips hong faire dame Hellenore With vigilant regard and dew attent, Fashioning worldes of fancies evermore
In her fraile witt, that now her quite forlore : The whiles unwares away her wondring eye And greedy eares her weake hart from her bore: Which he perceiving, ever privily,
In speaking, many false belgardes at her let fly.
So long these knightes discoursed diversly Of straunge affaires, and noble hardiment, Which they had past with mickle jeopardy, That now the humid night was farforth spent, And hevenly lampes were halfendeale ybrent: Which th' old man sceing wel, who too long thought Every discourse, and every argument, Which by the houres he measured, besought Them go to rest. So all unto their bowres were brought.
Paridell rapeth Hellenore; Malbecco her poursewes;
Fynds emongst Satyres, whence with him To turne she doth refuse.
THE morrow next, so soone as Phoebus lamp Bewrayed had the world with early light, And fresh Aurora had the shady damp Out of the goodly Heven amoved quight, Faire Britomart and that same Faery kuight Uprose, forth on their journey for to wend: But Paridell complaynd, that his late fight "With Britomart so sore did him offend, That ryde he could not till his hurts he did amend.
So foorth they far'd; but he behind them stayd, Maulgre his host, who grudged grivously To house a guest that would be needes obayd, And of his owne hit lefte not liberty: Might wanting measure moveth surquedry. Two things he feared, but the third was death; That fiers youngmans unruly maystery; His money, which he lov'd as living breath; [eath. And his faire wife, whom honest long he kept un-
But patience perforce; he must abie What fortune and his fate on him will lay: Fond is the feare that findes no remedie. Yet warily he watcheth every way, By which he feareth evill happen may; So th' evill thinkes by watching to prevent: Ne doth he suffer her, nor night nor day, Out of his sight herselfe once to absent : So doth he punish her, and eke himself torment.
But Paridell kept better watch then hee, A fit occasion for his turne to finde. False Love! why do men say thou canst not see, And in their foolish fancy feigne thee blinde, That with thy charmes the sharpest sight doest
And to thy will abuse? Thou walkest free, And seest every secret of the minde; Thou seest all, yet none at all sees thee: All that is by the working of thy deitee.
So perfect in that art was Paridell, That he Malbeccoes halfen eye did wyle; His halfen eye he wiled wondrous well, And Hellenors both eyes did eke beguyle, Both eyes and hart attonce, during the whyle That he there soiourned his woundes to heale; That Cupid selfe, it seeing, close did smyle To weet how he her love away did steale, [veale. And bad that none their ioyous treason should re-
The learned lover lost no time nor tyde That least avantage mote to him afford, Yet bore so faire a sayle, that none espyde His secret drift till he her layd abord. Whenso in open place and commune bord He fortun'd her to meet, with commune speach He courted her; yet bayted every word, That his ungentle hoste n'ote him appeach Of vile ungentlenesse or hospitages breach.
But when apart (if ever her apart He found) then his false engins fast he plyde, And all the sleights unbosomd in his hart: He sigh'd, he sobd, he swownd, he perdy dyde, And cast himselfe on ground her fast besyde: Tho, when againe he him bethought to live, He wept, and wayld, and false laments belyde, Saying, but if she mercie would him give, That he mote algates dye, yet did his death forgive.
And otherwhyles with amorous delights And pleasing toyes he would her entertaine; Now singing sweetly to surprize her sprights, Now making layes of love, and lovers paine, Bransles, ballads, virelayes, and verses vaine; Oft purposes, oft riddles, he devysd,
And thousands like which flowed in his braine, With which he fed her fancy, and entysd
To take to his new love, and leave her old despysd.
And every where he might, and everie while He did her service dewtifull, and sewd
At hand with humble pride and pleasing guile; So closely yet, that hone but she it vewd, Who well perceived all, and all indewd Thus finely did he his false nets dispred, With which he many weake harts had subdewd Of yore, and many had ylike misled :
What wonder then if she were likewise carried?
No fort so fensible, no wals so strong, But that continuall battery will rive, Or daily siege, through dispurvayauuce long And lacke of reskewes, will to parley drive; And peece, that unto parley care will give, Will shortly yield itselfe, and will be made The vassall of the victors will bylive: That stratageme had oftentimes assayd This crafty paramoure, and now it plaine display'd:
For through his traines be her intrapped hath, That she her love and hart hath wholy sold To him without regard of gaine, or scath, Or care of credite, or of husband old, Whom she hath vow'd to dub a fayre cucquóld. Nought wants but time and place, which shortly
Devized hath, and to her lover told.
It pleased well: so well they both agree; So readie rype to ill, ill wemens counsels bee!
Darke was the evening, fit for lovers stealth. When chaunst Malbecco busie be elsewhere, She to his closet went, where all his wealth Lay hid; thereof she countlesse summes did reare, The which she meant away with her to beare; The rest she fyr'd, for sport or for despight: As Hellene, when she saw aloft appeare The Troiane flames and reach to Hevens hight, Did clap her hands, and ioyed at that doleful sight;
The second Hellene, fayre dame Hellenore, The whiles her husband ran with sory haste To quench the flames which she had tyn'd before, Laught at his foolish labour spent in waste, And ran into her lovers armes right fast; Where streight embraced she to him did cry And call alowd for helpe, ere helpe were past; For lo! that guest did beare her forcibly, And meant to ravish her, that rather had to dy!
The wretched man hearing her call for ayd, And ready seeing him with her to fly, In his disquiet mind was much dismayd: But when againe he backward cast his eye, And saw the wicked fire so furiously Consume his hart, and scorch his idoles face, He was therewith distressed diversely, Ne wist he how to turne, nor to what place: Was never wretched man in such a wofull cace.
Ay when to him she cryde, to her he turnd, And left the fire; love, money overcame: But when he marked how his money burnd, He left his wife; money did love disclame: Both was he loth to loose his loved dame, And loth to leave his liefest pelfe behinde; Yet, sith he n'ote savę both, he sav'd that same Which was the dearest to his dounghill minde, The god of his desire, the ioy of misers blinde.
Thus whilest all things in troublous uprore were, And all men busie to suppresse the flame, The loving couple neede no reskew feare, But leasure had and liberty to frame Their purpost flight, free from all mens reclame; And Night, the patronesse of love-stealth fayre, Gave them safe conduct till to end they came; So beene they gone yfere, a wanton payre Of lovers loosely knit, where list them to repayre,
Soone as the cruell flames yslaked were, Malbecco, seeing how his losse did lye,
Out of the flames which he had quencht whylere, Into huge waves of griefe and gealosye Full deepe emplonged was, and drowned nye Twixt inward doole and felonous despight: He rav'd, he wept, he stampt, he lowd did cry; And all the passions, that in man may light, Did him attonce oppresse, and vex his caytive spright.
Long thus he chawd the cud of inward griefe, And did consume his gall with anguish sore: Still when he mused on his late mischiefe, Then still the smart thereof increased more, And seemd more grievous then it was before: At last when sorrow he saw booted nought, Ne griefe might not his love to him restore, He gan devise how her he reskew mought; Ten thousand wayes he cast in his confused thought
At last resolving, like a pilgrim pore,
To search her forth whereso she might be fond, And bearing with him treasure in close store, The rest he leaves in ground: so takes in hond To seeke her endlong both by sea and lond. Long he her sought, he sought her far and nere, And every where that he mote understond Of knights and ladies any meetings were; And of each one he mett he tidings did inquere.
But all in vaine; his woman was to wise Ever to come into his clouch againe, And hee too simple ever to surprise The jolly Paridell, for all his paine. One day, as he forpassed by the plaine With weary pace, he far away espide A couple, seeming well to be his twaine, Which hoved close under a forest side,
As if they lay in wait, or els themselves did hide.
Well weened hee that those the same mote bee; And, as he better did their shape avize, Him seemed more their maner did agree; For th' one was armed all in warlike wize, Whom to be Paridell he did devize; And th' other, al yclad in garments light Discolourd like to womanish disguise, He did resemble to his lady bright;
And ever his faint hart much earned at the sight:
And ever faine he towards them would goe, But yet durst not for dread approchen nie, But stood aloofe, unweeting what to doe; Till that prickt forth with loves extremity, That is the father of fowle gealosy, He closely nearer crept the truth to weet: But, as he nigher drew, he easily
Might scere that it was not his sweetest sweet, Ne yet her belamour, the partner of his sheet:
But it was scornefull Braggadochio, That with his servant Trompart hoverd there, Sith late he fled from his too earnest foe: Whom such whenas Malbecco spyed clere, He turned backe, and would have fled arere ; Till Trompart, ronning hastely, him did stay And bad before his soveraine lord appere: That was him loth, yet durst he not gainesay, And comming him before low louted on the lay.
The boaster at him sternely bent his browe, As if he could have kild him with his looke, That to the ground him meekely made to bowe, And awful! terror deepe into him strooke, That every member of his body quooke. Said he, "Thou man of nought! what doest thou Unfitly furnisht with thy bag and booke, Where I expected one with shield and spere To prove some deeds of armes upon an equall pere?"
The wretched man at his imperious speach Was all abasht, and low prostrating said; "Good sir, let not my rudenes be no breach Unto your patience, ne be ill ypaid; For I unwares this way by fortune straid, A silly pilgrim driven to distresse,
That seeke a lady'-There he suddein staid, And did the rest with grievous sighes suppresse, While teares stood in his cies, few drops of bitter-
"What lady ?"—" Man," said Trompart, "take good hart,
And tell thy griefe, if any hidden lye: Was never better time to shew thy smart Then now that noble succor is thee by, That is the whole worlds commune remedy." That chearful word his weak heart much did cheare, And with vaine hope his spirits faint supply, That bold he sayd: "O most redoubted pere, Vouchsafe with mild regard a wretches cace to heare."
Then sighing sore," It is not long," saide hee, "Sith I enioyd the gentlest dame alive; Of whom a knight, (no knight at all perdee, But shame of all that doe for honor strive) By treacherous deceipt did me deprive; Through open outrage he her bore away, And with fowle force unto his will did drive; Which al good knights, that armes do bear this day, Are bownd for to revenge and punish if they may.
"And you, most noble lord, that can and dare Redresse the wrong of miserable wight, Cannot employ your most victorious speare In better quarrell then defence of right, And for a lady gainst a faithlesse knight: So shall your glory be advanced much, And all faire ladies magnify your might, And eke myselfe, albee I simple such, [rich." Your worthy paine shall wel reward with guerdon
With that, out of his bouget forth he drew Great store of treasure, therewith him to tempt; But he on it lookt scornefully askew, As much disdeigning to be so misdempt, Or a war-monger to be basely nempt; And sayd; "Thy offers base I greatly loth, And eke thy words uncourteous and unkempt: I tread in dust thee and thy money both; [wroth. That, were it not for shame"-So turned from him
But Trompart, that his maistres humor knew In lofty looks to hide an humble minde, Was inly tickled with that golden vew, And in his eare him rownded close behinde: Yet stoupt he not, but lay still in the winde, Waiting advauntage on the pray to sease; Till Trompart, lowly to the grownd inclinde, Besought him his great corage to appease, And pardon simple man that rash did him displease.
Big looking like a doughty doucëpere, At last he thus; "Thou clod of vilest clay, I pardon yield, and with thy rudenes beare; But weete henceforth, that all that golden pray, And all that els the vaine world vaunten may, I loath as doung, ne deeme my dew reward: Fame is my meed, and glory vertuous pay: But minds of mortall men are muchell mard [gard. And mov'd amisse with massy mucks unmeet re-
"And more; I graunt to thy great misery Gratious respect; thy wife shall backe be sent: And that vile knight, whoever that he bee, Which bath thy lady reft and knighthood shent, By Sanglamort my sword, whose deadly dent The blood hath of so many thousands shedd, . I sweare ere long shall dearely it repent; Ne he twixt Heven and Earth shall hide his hedd, But soone he shall be fownd, and shortly doen be
The foolish man thereat woxe wondrous blith, As if the word so spoken were halfe donne, And humbly thanked him a thousand sith That had from death to life him newly wonne. Tho forth the boaster marching brave begonne His stolen steed to thunder furiously, As if he Heaven and Hell would over-ronne, And all the world confound with cruelty; That much Malbecco ioyed in his iollity.
Thus long they three together traveiled,
They all agree, and forward them addrest: "Ah! but," said crafty Trompart, "weete ye well, That yonder in that wasteful! wildernesse Huge monsters haunt, and many dangers dwell; Dragons, and minotaures, and feendes of Hell, And many wilde woodmen which robbe and rend All traveilers; therefore advise ye well, Before ye enterprise that way to wend:
One may his journey bring too soone to evill end."
Malbecco stopt in great astonishment,
Through many a wood and many an uncouth way, And, with pale eyes fast fixed on the rest, To seeke his wife that was far wandered:
But those two sought nought but the present pray, To weete, the treasure which he did bewray, On which their eies and harts were wholly sett, With purpose how they might it best betray; For, sith the howre that first he did them lett The same behold, therwith their keene desires were whett.
It fortuned, as they together far'd,
They spide where Paridell came pricking fast Upon the plaine, the which himselfe prepar'd
To giust with that brave straunger knight a cast, As on adventure by the way he past: Alone he rode without his paragone;
For, having filcht her bells, her up he cast To the wide world, and lett her fly alone;
He nould be clogd: so had he served many one.
The gentle lady, loose at randon lefte,
Their counsell crav'd in daunger imminent. Said Trompart; "You, that are the most opprest With burdein of great treasure, I thinke best Here for to stay in safetie behynd:
My lord and I will search the wide forest." That counsell pleased not Malbeccoes mynd; For he was much afraid himselfe alone to fynd.
"Then is it best," said he, " that ye doe leave Your treasure here in some security, Either fast closed in some hollow greave, Or buried in the ground from ieopardy, Till we returne againe in safety:
As for us two, least doubt of us ye have, Hence farre away we will blyndfolded ly, Ne privy bee unto your treasures grave." [brave. It pleased; so he did: then they march forward
Now when amid the thickest woodes they were, They heard a noyse of many bagpipes shrill,
The greene-wood long did walke, and wander wide And shrieking hububs them approching nere,
At wilde adventure, like a forlorne wefte; Till on a day the Satyres her espide Straying alone withouten groome or guide: Her up they tooke, and with them home her ledd, With them as housewife ever to abide, [bredd; To milk their gotes, and make them cheese and And every one as commune good her hande!ed:
That shortly she Malbecco has forgott, And eke sir Paridell all were he deare; Who from her went to seeke another lott, And now by fortune was arrived here, Where those two guilers with Malbecco were. Soone as the old man saw sir Paridell, He fainted, and was almost dead with feare, Ne word he had to speake his griefe to tell, But to him louted low, and greeted goodly well;
And, after, asked him for Hellenore: "I take no keepe of her," sayd Paridell, "She wonneth in the forrest there before." So forth he rode as his adventure fell; The whiles the boaster from his loftie sell Faynd to alight, something amisse to mend ; But the fresh swayne would not his leasure dwell, But went his way; whom when he passed kend, He up remounted light, and after faind to wend.
"Perdy nay," said Malbecco, "shall ye not; But let him passe as lightly as he came : For litle good of him is to be got, And mickle perill to bee put to shame. But let us goe to seeke my dearest dame, Whom he hath left in yonder forest wyld: For of her safety in great doubt I ame, Least salvage beastes her person have despoyld: Then allthe world is lost, and we in vaine have toyld!"
Which all the forest did with horrour fill: That dreadfull sound the bosters hart did thrill With such amazment, that in hast he fledd, Ne ever looked back for good or ill; And after him eke fearefull Trompart spedd: The old man could not fly, but fell to ground half dedd:
Yet afterwardes, close creeping as he might, He in a bush did hyde his fearefull hedd. The jolly Satyres full of fresh delight Came dauncing forth, and with them nimbly ledd Faire Helenore with girlonds all bespredd, Whom their May-lady they had newly made: Shee, proude of that new honour which they redd, And of their lovely fellowship full glade, Daunst lively, and her face did with a lawrell shade.
The silly man that in the thickett lay Saw all this goodly sport, and grieved sore; Yet durst he not against it doe or say, But did his hart with bitter thoughts engore, To see th' unkindnes of his Hellenore. All day they danced with great lustyhedd, And with their horned feet the greene gras wore ; The whiles their gotes upon the brouzes fedd, Till drouping Phoebus gan to hyde his golden hedd.
Tho up they gan their mery pypes to trusse, And all their goodly heardes did gather rownd; But every Satyre first did give a busse To Hellenore; so busses did abound. Now gan the humid vapour shed the grownd With perly deaw, and th' Earthës gloomy shade Did dim the brightnesse of the welkin rownd, That every bird and beast awarned made [invade. To shrowd themselves, while sleep their sences did
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