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In his strong armes he stifly him embraste,
Who him gain-striving nought at all prevaild ;
For all his power was utterly defaste,
And furious fitts at earst quite weren quaild:
Oft he re'nforst, and oft his forces fayld,
Yet yield he would not, nor his rancor slacke.
Then him to ground he cast, and rudely hayld,
And both his hands fast bound behind his backe,
And both his feet in fetters to an yron racke.

With hundred yron chaines he did him bind,
And hundred knots, that did him sore constraine :
Yet his great yron teeth he still did grind
And grimly gnash, threatning revenge in vaino:
His burning eyen, whom bloody strakes did staine,
Stared full wide, and threw forth sparkes of fyre;
And, more for ranck despight then for great paine,
Shakt his long locks colourd like copper-wyre,
And bitt his tawny beard to shew his raging yre.

Thus whenas Guyon Furor had captivd,
Turning about he saw that wretched squyre,
Whom that mad man of life nigh late deprivd,
Lying on ground, all soild with blood and myre:
Whom whenas he perceived to respyre,
He gan to comfort, and his woundes to dresse.
Being at last recured, he gan inquyre
What hard mishap him brought to such distresse,
And made that caytives thrall, the thrall of wretch-
ednesse.

With hart then throbbing, and with watry eyes,
"Fayre sir," quoth he, "what man can shun the hap,
That hidden lyes unwares him to surprise?
Misfortune waites advantage to entrap
The man most wary in her whelming lap.
So me weake wretch, of many weakest one,
Unweeting and unware of such mishap,
She brought to mischiefe through occasion,
Where this same wicked villein did me light upon.

"It was a faithlesse squire, that was the sourse
Of all my sorrow and of these sad teares,
With whom from tender dug of commune nourse
Attonce I was upbrought; and eft, when yeares
More rype us reason lent to chose our peares,
Ourselves in league of vowed love we knitt;
In which we long time, without gealous feares
Or faultie thoughts, contynewd as was fitt;
And, for my part I vow, dissembled not a whitt.

"It was my fortune, commune to that age,
To love a lady fayre of great degree,
The which was borne of noble parentage,
And set in highest seat of dignitee,
Yet seemd no lesse to love then lovd to bee:
Long I her serv'd, and found her faithfull still,
Ne ever thing could cause us disagree:
Love, that two barts makes one, makes eke one will:
Each strove to please, and others pleasure to fulfill.

"My friend, hight Philemon, I did partake
Of all my love and all my privitie;
Who greatly joyous seemed for my sake,
And gratious to that lady, as to mee;
Ne ever wight, that mote so welcome bee
As he to her, withouten blott or blame;
Ne ever thing, that she could think or see,
But unto him she would impart the same:

O wretched man, that would abuse so gentle dame!

"At last such grace I found, and meanes I wrought,
That I that lady to my spouse had wonne;
Accord of friendes, consent of parents sought,
Affyaunce made, my happinesse begonne,
There wanted nought but few rites to be donne,
Which mariage make: that day too farre did seeme!
Most ioyous man, on whom the shining Sunne
Did shew his face, myselfe I did esteeme,

And that my falser friend did no less ioyous deeme.

"But, ere that wished day his beame disclosd,
He, either envying my toward good,
Or of himselfe to treason ill disposd,
One day unto me came in friendly mood,
And told, for secret, how he understood
That lady, whom I had to me assynd,
Had both des aind her honorable blood,
And eke the faith which she to me did bynd;
And therefore wisht me stay, till I more truth
should fynd.

"The gnawing anguish, and sharp gelosy,
Which his sad speach infixed in my brest,
Ranckled so sore, and festred inwardly,
That my engreeved mind could find no rest,
Till that the truth thereof I did out wrest;
And him besought, by that same sacred band
Betwixt us both, to counsell me the best:
He then with solemne oath and plighted hand
Assurd, ere long the truth to let me understand.

"Ere long with like againe he boorded mee,
Saying, he now had boulted all the floure,
And that it was a groome of base degree,
Which of my love was partner paramoure:
Who used in a darkesome inner bowre

Her oft to meete: which better to approve,
He promised to bring me at that howre,
When I should see that would me nearer move,
And drive me to withdraw my blind abused love.

"This gracelesse man, for furtherance of his guile,
Did court the handmayd of my lady deare,
Who, glad t' embosome his affection vile,
Did all she might more pleasing to appeare.
One day, to worke her to his will more neare,
He woo'd her thus; Pryené,' (so she hight)
'What great despight doth Fortune to thee beare,
Thus lowly to abase thy beautie bright,
That it should not deface all others lesser light?
"But if she had her least helpe to thee lent,
T' adorne thy forme according thy desart,
Their blazing pride thou wouldest soone have blent,
And staynd their prayses with thy least good part;
Ne should faire Claribell with all her art,
Tho' she thy lady be, approch thee neare:
For proofe thereof, this evening, as thou art,
Aray thyselfe in her most gorgeous geare,
That I may more delight in thy embracement deare.'

"The mayden, proud through praise and mad through love,

Him hearkned to, and soone herselfe arayd;
The whiles to me the treachour did remove
His craftie engin; and, as he had sayd,
Me leading, in a secret corner layd,
The sad spectatour of my tragedie:
Where left, he went, and his owne false part playd,
Disguised like that groome of base degree,
Whom he had feignd th' abuser of my love to bee.

"Estsoones he came unto th' appointed place,
And with him brought Pryené, rich arayd,
In Claribellaes clothes: her proper face
Inot descerned in that darkesome shade,
But weend it was my love with whom he playd.
Ab, God! what horrour and tormenting griefe
My hart, my handes, mine eies, and all assayd!
Me liefer were ten thousand deathës priefe

Then wounde of gealous worme, and shame of such repr.efe.

"I home retourning, fraught with fowle despight,
And chawing vengeauuce all the way I went,
Soone as my loathed love appeard in sight,
With wrathful hand I slew her innocent;
That after soone I dearely did lament:
For, when the cause of that outrageous deede
Demnaunded I made plaine and evident,

Her faultie handmayd, which that bale did breede, Confest how Philemon her wrought to chaunge her weede.

"Which when I heard, with horrible affright
And hellish fury all enragd, I sought
Upon myselfe that vengeable despight
To punish: yet it better first I thought

To wreake my wrath on him, that first it wrought:
To Philemon, false faytour Philemon,
I cast to pay that I so dearely bought:
Of deadly drugs I gave him drinke anon,
And washt away his guilt with guilty potion.

"Thus heaping crime on crime, and griefe on griefe,
To losse of love adioyning losse of frend,
I meant to purge both with a third mischiefe,
And in my woes beginner it to end :

That was Pryené; she did first offend,

She last should smart: with which cruell intent,
When I at her my murdrous blade did bend,
She fled away with ghastly dreriment,
And I, poursewing my fell purpose, after went.

"Feare gave her winges, and rage enforst my flight;
Through woods and plaines so long I did her chace,
Till this mad man, whom your victorious might
Hath now fast bound, me met in middle space:
As I her, so he me poursewd apace,
And shortly overtooke: I, breathing yre,
Sore chauffed at my stay in such a cace,
And with my heat kindled his cruell fyre; [spyre.
Which kindled once, his mother did more rage in-
"Betwixt them both they have me doen to dye,
Through wounds, and strokes, and stubborne handël-
That death were better then such agony,
As griefe and fury unto me did bring;
Of which in me yet stickes the mortall sting,
That during life will never be appeasd!"
When he thus ended had his sorrowing,
Said Guyon; "Squyre, sore have ye beene diseasd;
But all your hurts may soone through temperance
be easd."

[ing,

Then gan the palmer thus; "Most wretched man,
That to affections does the bridle lend!
In their beginning they are weake and wan,
But soone through suff rance growe to fearefull end:
Whiles they are weake, betimes with them contend;
For, when they once to perfect strength do grow,
Strong warres they make, and cruell battry bend
Gainst fort of Reason, it to overthrow: [thus low.
Wrath, Gelosy, Griefe, Love, this squyre have laide

"Wrath, Gealosie, Griefe, Love, do thus expell:
Wrath is a fire; and Gealosie a weede;
Griefe is a flood; and Love a monster fell;
The fire of sparkes, the weede of little seede,
The flood of drops, the monster filth did breede:
But sparks, seed, drops, and filth, do thus delay;
The sparks soone quench, the springing seed outweed,
The drops dry up, and filth wipe cleane away:
So shall Wrath, Gealosy, Griefe, Love, die and de-
cay.”

"Unlucky squire," saide Guyon, "sith thou hast
Falne into mischiefe through intemperaunce,
Henceforth take heede of that thou now hast past,
And guyde thy wales with warie governaunce,
Least worse betide thee by some later chaunce.
But read how art thou nam'd, and of what kin.'
"Phaon I hight," quoth he, " and do advaunce
Mine auncestry from famous Coradin,
Who first to rayse our house to honour did begin."

Thus as he spake, lo! far away they spyde
A varlet ronning towardes hastily,
Whose flying feet so fast their way applyde,
That round about a cloud of dust did fly,
Which, mingled all with sweate, did dim his eye.
He soone approched, panting, breathlesse, whot,
And all so soyld, that none could him descry;
His countenaunce was bold, and bashed not
For Guyons lookes, but scornefull ey-glaunce at
him shot.

Behind his backe he bore a brasen shield,
On which was drawen faire, in colours fit,
A flaming fire in midst of bloody field,

And round about the wreath this word was writ,
Burnt I doe burne: right well beseemed it.
To be the shield of some redoubted knight:
And in his hand two dartes exceeding flit
And deadly sharp he held, whose heads were dight
In poyson and in blood of malice and despight.
When he in presence came, to Guyon first
He boldly spake; "Sir Knight, if knight thou bee,
Abandon this forestalled place at erst,

For feare of further harme, I counsell thee;
Or bide the chaunce at thine owne ieopardee."
The knight at his great boldnesse wondered;
And, though he scorn'd his ydle vanitee,
Yet mildly him to purpose answered;
For not to grow of nought he is coniectured;
"Varlet, this place most dew to me I deeme,
Yielded by him that held it forcibly:
But whence shold come that harme, which thou
dost seeme

66

To threat to him that mindes his chaunce t'abye?"
Perdy," sayd he, "here comes, and is hard by,
A knight of wondrous powre and great assay,
That never yet encountred enemy,
But did him deadly daunt, or fowle dismay;
Ne thou for better hope, if thou his presence stay."
"How hight he," then sayd Guyon, "and from
"Pyrochles is his name, renowmed farre [whence?"
For his bold feates and hardy confidence,
Full oft approvd in many a cruell warre;
The brother of Cymochles; both which arre
The sonnes of old Acrates and Despight;
Acrates, sonne of Phlegeton and Iarre;
But Phlegeton is sonne of Herebus and Night;
But Herebus sonue of Aeteraitie is hight,

So from immortall race he does proceede,
That mortall hands may not withstand his might,
Drad for his derring doe and bloody deed;
For all in blood and spoile is his delight.
His am I Atiu, his in wrong and right,
That matter make for him to worke upon,
And stirre him up to strife and cruell fight.
Fly therefore, fly this fearefull stead anon,
Least thy foolhardize worke thy sad confusion."

"His be that care, whom most it doth concerne,"
Sayd he: "but whether with such hasty flight
Art thou now bownd? for well mote I discerne
Great cause, that carries thee so swifte and light."
"My lord," quoth he, "me sent, and streight be-
To seeke Occasion, where so she bee:
For he is all disposd to bloody fight,

[hight

And breathes out wrath and hainous crueltee; Hard is his hap, that first fals in his ieopardee."

"Mad man," said then the palmer, "that does Occasion to wrath, and cause of strife; [seeke❘ Shee comes unsought, and shonned followes eke. Happy! who can abstaine, when Rancor rife Kindies revenge, and threats his rusty knife: Woe never wants, where every cause is caught; And rash Occasion makes unquiet life!" [sought," "Then loe! wher bound she sits, whom thou hast Said Guyon; "let that message to thy lord be brought."

That when the varlett heard and saw, streightway
He wexed wondrous wroth, and said; "Vile knight,
That knights and knighthood doest with shame up-
bray,

And shewst th' ensample of thy childishe might,
With silly weake old woman thus to fight!
Great glory and gay spoile sure hast thou gott,
And stoutly prov'd thy puissaunce here in sight!
That shall Pyrochles well requite, I wott,
And with thy blood abolish so reprochfull blott."

With that, one of his thrillant darts he threw,
Headed with yre and vengeable despight:
The quivering steele his aymed end wel knew,
And to his brest itselfe intended right:
But he was wary, and, ere it empight

In the meant marke, advaunst his shield atween,
On which it seizing no way enter might,
But backe rebownding left the forckhead keene;
Eftsoones he fled away, and might no where be

seene.

CANTO V.

Pyrochles does with Guyon fight,

And Furors chayne untyes,

Who him sore wounds; whiles Atin to
Cymochles for ayd flyes.

WHOEVER doth to Temperaunce apply
H's stedfast life, and all his actions frame,
Trust me, shal find no greater enimy,
Then stubborne Perturbation, to the same;
To which right wel the wise doe give that name;
For it the goodly peace of staied mindes
Does overthrow, and troublous warre proclame:
His owne woes author, who so bound it findes,
As did Pyrochles, and it wilfully unbindes.

But lightly shunned it; and, passing by,
With his bright blade did smite at him so fell,
That the sharpe steele, arriving forcibly
On his broad shield, bitt not, but glauncing fell
On his horse necke before the quilted sell,
And from the head the body sundred quight:
So him dismounted low he did compell
On foot with him to matchen equall fight;
The truncked beast fast bleeding did him fowly dight.

Sore bruzed with the fall he slow uprose,
And all enraged thus him loudly shent;
"Disleall knight, whose coward corage chose
To wreake itselfe on beast all innocent,
And shund the marke at which it should be ment;
Therby thine armes seem strong, but manhood

frayl:

So hast thou oft with guile thine honor blent;
But litle may such guile thee now avayl,
If wonted force and fortune doe me not much fayl."

With that he drew his flaming sword, and strooke
At him so fiercely, that the upper marge
Of his sevenfolded shield away it tooke,
And, glauncing on his helmet, made a large
And open gash therein: were not his targe
That broke the violence of his intent,
The weary sowle from thence it would discharge;
Nathelesse so sore a buff to him it lent,
That made him reele, and to his brest his bever bent.

Exceeding wroth was Guyon at that blow,
And much ashamd that stroke of living arme
Should him dismay, and make him stoup so low,
Though otherwise it did him litle harme:
Tho, hurling high his yron-braced arme,
He smote so manly on his shoulder plate,
That all his left side it did quite disarme;
Yet there the steel stayd not, but inly bate
Deepe in his flesh, and opened wide a red floodgate.

Deadly dismayd with horror of that dint
Pyrochles was, and grieved eke entyre;
Yet nathëmore did it his fury stint,
But added flame unto his former fire,
That wel-nigh molt his hart in raging yre:
Ne thenceforth his approved skill, to ward,
Or strike, or hurtle rownd in warlike gyre,
Remembred he, ne car'd for his saufgard,
But rudely rag'd, and like a cruell tygre far'd.