a

Nor cared she her course for to apply:
For it was taught the way, which she would have,
And both from rocks and fats itself could wisely

[save:
And all the way, the wanton damsel found
New mirth, her passenger to entertain :
For, she in pleasant purpose did abound,
And greatly joyed merry tales to feign,
Of which a storehouse did with her remain :
Yet seemed, nothing well they her became ;
For, all her words she drown'd with laughter vain,
And wanted grace in utt'ring of the same,
That turned all her pleasance to a scoffing game.
And other whiles vain lays she would devise,
As her fantastic wit did most delight.
Sometimes her head she fondly would aguise
With gaudy garlands, or fresh flowrets dight
About her neck, or rings of rushes plight;
Sometimes to do him laugh, she would essay
To laugh at shaking of the leaves light,
Or to behold the water work, and play
About her little frigate therein making way.
Her light behaviour, and loose dalliance,
Gave wondrous great contentment to the knight,
That of his way he had no souvenance,
Nor care of vow'd revenge, and cruel fight,
But to weak wench did yield his martial might.
So easy was to quench his flamed mind
With one sweet drop of sensual delight:
So easy is t'appease the stormy wind
Of malice in the calm of pleasant womankind.
Divers discourses in their way they spent;
Mongst which Cymochles of her questioned,
Both what she was, and what that usage meant,
Which in her cot she daily practised.
Vain man, said she, that would'st be reckoned
A stranger in thy home, and ignorant
Of Phedria (for so my name is read)
Of Phedria, thine own fellow servant;
For thou to serve Acrasia thyself dost vaunt.

It was a chosen plot of fertile land,
Amongst wide waves set like a little nest;
As if it had by Nature's cunning hand,
Been choicely picked out from all the rest,
And laid forth for ensample of the best :
No dainty flower or herb that grows on ground,
No arboret with painted blossoms drest,
And smelling sweet, but there it might be found
To bud out fair, and her sweet smells throw all

(around.
No tree, whose branches did not bravely spring ;
No branch, whereon a fine bird did not sit ;
No bird, but did her shrill notes sweetly sing;
No song, but did contain a lovely dit:
Trees, branches, birds, and songs, were framed fit
For to allure frail mind to careless ease;
Careless the man soon wax, and his weak wit
Was overcome of thing that did him please ;
So pleased, did his wrathsul purpose fair appease.
Thus when she had his eyes and senses fed
With false delights, and fill'd with pleasures väin,
Into a shady dale she soft him led,
And laid him down upon a grassy plain ;
And her sweet self, without dread or disdain,
She set beside, laying his head disarın'd
In her loose lap, it softly to sustain,
Where soon he slumber'd, fearing not be harmid,
The while with a loud lay she thus him sweetly

(charm’d.
“ Behold! O man, that toilsome pains dost take,
The flowers, the fields, and all that pleasant grows,
How they themselves do thine ensample make,
While nothing envious Nature them forth throws
Out of her fruitful lap; how, no man knows,
They spring, they bud, they blossom fresh and fair,
And deck the world with their rich pompous shows;
Yet no man for them taketh pains or care,
Yet no man to them can his careful pains compare.
“ The lily, lady of the flowering field,
The flower de luce her lovely paramour,
Bid thee to them thy fruitless labours yield,
And soon leave off this toilsome weary stour ;
Lo, lo, how brave she decks her bounteous bower,
With silken curtains and gold coverlets,
Therein to shroud her sumptuous belamour,
Yet neither spins nor cards, nor cares nor frets,
But to her mother Nature all her care she lets.

In this wide inland sea, that hight by name
The Idle Lake, my wandring ship I rove,
That knows her port, and thither sails by aim,
Nor care, nor fear I, how the wind do blow,
Or whether swift I wend, or whether slow :
Both slow and swift alike do serve my turn,
Nor swelling Neptnne, nor loud thund’ring Jove,
can change my cheer, or make me ever mourn ;
My little boat can safely pass this perilous bourne.
While thus she talked, and while thus she toy'd,
They were far past the passage which he spake,
And came unto an island waste and void,
That floated in the midst of that great lake:
There her smart gondola her port did make,
And that gay pair issuing on the shore
Disburdened her. Their way they forward take,
Into the land that lay them fair before, [store.
Whoxe pleasanceshe him shew'd, and plentiful great

“ Why then dost thou, O man, that of them all
Art lord, and eke of nature sovereign,
Wilfully make thyself a wretched thrall,
And waste thy joyous hours in needless pain,
Seeking for danger and adventures vain ?
What boots it all to have, and nothing use?
Who shall him rue, that swimming in the main,
Will die for thirst, and water doth refuse?
Refuse such fruitless toil, and present pleasures

[chuse,"
By this, she had him lulled fast asleep,
That of no worldly thing care did take ;
Then she with liquors strong his eyes did steep,

They forward

pass, nor Guyon yet spake word, Till that they came unto an iron door, Which to them opened of its own accord, And shew'd of riches such exceeding store, As eye of man did never see before; Nor ever could within one place be found,

Though all the wealth, which is, or was of yore, No yate, but like one, being goodly dight
Could gathered be through all the world around, With boughs and branches, which did broad dilate
And that above were added to that under ground. Their clasping arms, in wanton wreathingsintricate.
The charge thereof unto a covetous spright

So fashioned a porch with rare device,
Commanded was, who thereby did attend,

Arch'd over head with an embracing vine, And warily awaited day and night,

Whose bunches hanging down seem’d to entice From other covetous fiends it to defend,

All passers by, to taste their luscious wine, Who it to rob and ransack did intend.

And did themselves into their hands incline, Then Mammon, turning to that warrior, said; As freely offering to be gathered: “ Lo, here the worldes bliss; lo, here the end, Some deep empurpled as the hyacint, To which all men do aim, rich to be made:

Some as the ruby, laughing sweetly red, Such grace now to be happy, is before thee laid.”

Some like fair emeralds, not yet well ripened. “ Certes” (said he) “ I n'ill thine offered grače,

And them amongst, some were of burnish'd gold, Nor to be made so happy do intend;

So made by art, to beautify the rest, Another bliss before mine eyes I place,

Which did themselves amongst the leaves enfold, Another happiness, another end.

As lurking from the view of covetous guest, To them that list these base regards I lend:

That the weak boughs, with so rich load opprest, But I in arms, and in atchievements brave,

Did bow adown, as overburdened. Do rather chuse my flitting hours to spend,

Under that porch a comely dame did rest, And to be lord of those, that riches have, [slave.” | Clad in fair weeds, but foul disordered, [head. Than them to have myself, and be their servile And garments loose, that seem'd unmeet for womau

THE BOWER OF BLISS.
Thus being enter'd, they behold around
A large and spacious plain, on every side
Strowed with pleasance, whose fair grassy ground
Mantled with green, and goodly beautified
With all the ornaments of Flora's pride,
Wherewith her mother Art, as half in scorn
Of niggard Nature, like a pompous bride
Did deck her, and too lavishly adorn, (morn.
When forth from virgin bower she comes in th’early

In her left hand a cup of gold she held,
And with her right the riper fruit did reach,
Whose sappy liquor that with fullness swell'd
Into her cup she squeez'd, with dainty breach
Of her fine fingers, without foul impeach,
That so fair wine-press made the wine more sweet;
Thereof she us'd to give to drink to each,
Whom passing by she happened to meet:
It was her guise all strangers goodly so to greet.

Thereto the heavens always jovial
Look'd on them lovely still in stedfast state,
Nor suffered storm nor frost on them to fall,
Their tender buds or leaves to violate,
Nor scorching heat, nor cold intemperate,
Taflict the creatures, which therein did dwell,
But the mild air with season moderate
Gently attemper'd and dispos d so well,
That still it breathed forth sweet spirit and whole-

some smell;

So she to Guyon offered it to taste;
Who taking it out of her tender hand,
The cup to ground did violently cast,
That all in pieces it was broken found;
And with the liquor stained all the land:
Whereat Excess exceedingly was wroth,
Yet no'te the same amend, nor yet withstand,
But suffered him to pass, all were she loth;
Who, not regarding her displeasure, forward goʻih.
There the most dainty paradise on ground,
Itself doth offer to his sober

eye,
In which all pleasures plenteously abound,
And none does others' happiness envy:
The painted Auwers, the trees upshooting high,
The dales for shade, the hills for breathing space,
The trembling groves, the chrystal running by;
And that, which all fair works doth most aggrace,
The art, which all that wrought,appeared in no place.

More sweet and wholesome than the pleasant hill
Of Rhodope, on which the nymph that bore
A giant babe, herself for grief did kill;
Or the Thessalian Tempe, where of yore
Fair Daphne Phæbus' heart with love did gore;
Or Ida, where the Gods lov’d to repair,
Whenever they their heavenly bowers furlore;
Or sweet Parnass, the haunt of Muses fair;
Or Eden, if that aught with Eden might compare.

Much wonder'd Guyon at the fair aspect
Of that sweet place, yet suffered no delight
To sink into his sense, nor mind affect,
But passed forth, and look'd still forward right,
Bridling his will, and mastering his might:
Till that he came unto another ga..,

One would have thought (so cunningly the rude
And scorned parts were mingled with the fine)
That nature had for wantonness ensued
Art, and that art at nature did repine ;
So striving each th' other to undermine,
Each did the other's work more beautify;
So differing both in wills, agreed in fine:
So all agreed through sweet diversity,
This garden to adorn with all variety.

And in the midst of all, a fountain stood,

Abash'd, that her a stranger did avise: Of richest substance that on earth might be, But th' other rather higher did arise, So pure and shiny, that the silver flood

And her two lily paps aloft display'd, Through every channel running one might see; And all that might his melting heart entice Most goodly it with pure imagery

To her delights, she unto him betray'd: Was overwrought, and shapes of naked boys, The rest hid underneath, him more desirous made. Of which some seem'd with lively jollity To fly about, playing their wanton toys,

With that, the other likewise up arose, While others did themselves embathe in liquid joys. And her fair locks, which formerly were bound

Up in one knot, she low adown did loose: And over all, of purest gold, was spread

Which, flowing long and thick, her cloth'd around A trail of ivy in his native hue:

And th' ivory in golden mantle gown’d: For, the rich metal was so coloured,

So that fair spectacle from him was reft, That wight, who did not well advis’d it view, Yet that which reft it, no less fair was found : Would surely deem it to be ivy true:

So hid in locks and waves from lookers' theft, Low his lascivious arins adown did creep,

Nought but her lovely face she for his looking left. That themselves dipping in the silver dew, Their fleecy flowers they tenderly did steep, [weep. Withal she laughed, and she blush'd withal, Which drops of chrystal seem'd for wantonness to That blushing to her laughter gave more grace,

And laughter to her blushing, as did fall: Infinite streams continually did well

Now when they spied the knight to slack his pace, Out of this fountain, sweet and fair to see,

Them to behold, and in his sparkling face The which into an ample laver fell,

The secret signs of kindled lust appear, And shortly grew to so great quantity,

Their wanton merriments they did increase, That like a little lake it seem'd to be;

Aud to him beckoned, to approach more near, (rear. Whose depth exceeded not three cubits height, And shew'd him many sights that courage cold could That through the waves one might the bottoin see, All pav'd beneath with jasper shining bright, On which when gazing him the Palmer saw, That seem'd the fountain in that sea did sail upright.

He much rebuked those wandering eyes of his,

And, counsel'd well, him forward thence did draw. And all the margin round about was set,

Now are they come nigh to the Bower of Bliss, With shady laurel trees, thence to defend

Of her fond favourites so nam'd amiss : The sunny beams, which on the billows bet,

When thus the Palmer; “ Now, Sir, well avise; And those which therein bathed, might offend. For, here the end of all our travel is : As Guyon happened by the same to wend,

Here wonnes Acrasia, whom we must surprise, Two naked damsels he therein espied,

Else she will slip away, and all our drift despise.” Which therein bathing, seemed to contend, And wrestle wantonly, nor cared to hide [eyed. Eftsoons they heard a most melodious sound Their dainty parts from view of any which them Of all that might delight a dainty ear,

Such as at once might not on living ground, Sometimes the one would lift the other quite Save in this paradise, be heard elsewhere: Above the waters, and then down again

Right hard it was for wight which did it hear, Hier plunge, as over mastered by might,

To read what manner music that might be: Where both awhile would covered remain,

For, all that pleasing is to living ear, And each the other from to rise restrain;

Was there consorted in one harmony, The while their snowy limbs, as through a veil, Birds, voices, instruments, winds, waters, all agree. So through the chrystal waves appeared plain; Then suddenly both would themselves unhele, The joyous birds, shrouded in chearful shade, And th' amorous sweet spoils to greedy eyes reveal.

Their notes unto the voice attempered sweet;

Th' angelical soft trembling voices made
As that fair star, the messenger

of
morn,

To th' instruments divine respondence meet:
His dewy face out of the sea doth rear:

The silver sounding instruments did meet Or, as the Cyprian goddess, newly born

With the base murmurs of the water's fall: Of th' ocean's fruitful froth, did first appear: The water's fall with difference discreet, Such seemed they, and so their yellow hair

Now soft, now loud, unto the wind did call: Chrystalline humour dropped down

арасе.

The gentle warbling wind low answered to all.
Whom such when Guyon saw, he drew him near,
And somewhat gan relent his earnest pace ;

There, whence that music seemed heard to be,
His stubborn breast gan secret pleasance to embrace.

Was the fair Witch, herself now solacing

With a new lover, whom through sorcery The wanton maidens him espying, stood

And witchcraft, she from far did thither bring; Cazing awhile at his unwonted guise;

There she had him now laid aslumbering, Then th' one herself low ducked in the food, In secret shade, after long wanton joys: