XLIV.

So faying and foreftalling all reply,
His peremptory hand without delay,
As one who little cared to juftify

His princely will, long us'd to boundless sway,
Upon the Fairy Youth with great dismay
In every quaking limb convuls'd, he lay'd:
And proudly stalking o'er the verdant lay,
Him to thofe fcientific ftreams convey'd,

With many his young compeers therein to be Pembay'd.

XLV.

The KNIGHT his tender fon's diftrefsful' ftour
Perceiving, swift to his affiftance flew:

Ne vainly stay'd to deprecate that pow'r,

Which from fubmiffion aye more haughty grew.
For that proud GIANT's force he wifely knew,
Not to be meanly dreaded, nor defy'd
With rash prefumption; and with courage true,
Rather than step from Virtue's path aside,
Oft had he fingly fcorn'd his all-difmaying pride.
XLVI.

And now, difdaining parle, his courfer hot

He fiercely prick'd, and couch'd his vengeful spear;

1

Where-with the GIANT he fo rudely fmot,
That him perforce constrain'd to 'wend arrear.
Who, much abash'd at such rebuke fevere,
Yet his accustom❜d pride recov'ring foon,
Forth-with his maffy fceptre 'gan up-rear;
For other warlike weapon he had none,

Ne other him behoved to quell his boldeft' fone.
XLVII.

With that enormous mace the FAIRY KNIGHT

t

So fore he bet, that all his armour' bray'd,

To pieces well-nigh riven with the might
Of so tempeftuous ftrokes; but He was stay'd,
And ever with deliberate valour weigh'd
The fudden changes of the doubtful fray;
From cautious prudence oft deriving aid,
When force unequal did him hard affay :
So lightly from his fteed he leapt upon the lay.
XLVIII.

Then swiftly drawing forth his " trenchant blade,
High o'er his head he held his fenceful fhield;
And warily fore-casting to evade

The GIANT's furious arm, about him wheel'd

With restless steps aye traversing the field.

Wend arrear, move backwards.
Bet, beat; bray'd, refounded.

C 3

• Fone, foes. "Trenchant, cutting.

And

And ever as his foe's intemperate pride,
Through rage defenceless, mote advantage yield,

With his sharp sword so oft he did him ˇ gride, That his gold-fandal'd feet in crimson floods were dyed. XLIX.

His bafer parts he maim'd with many a wound;

But far above his utmost reach were * pight

The forts of life: ne ever to confound

With utter ruin, and abolish quite

A power so puissant by his fingle might
Did he presume to hope: Himfelf alone
From lawless force to free, in bloody fight

He stood; content to bow to CUSTOM's throne,
SO REASON Mote not blush his fov'ran rule to own.

L.

So well he warded, and fo fiercely prefs'd

His foe, that weary wex'd he of the fray;
Yet nould he algates lower his haughty creft;
But masking in contempt his fore difmay,
Disdainfully releas'd the trembling prey,
As one unworthy of his princely care;
Then proudly cafting on the warlike fay

A fmile of fcorn and pity, through the air

'Gan blow his shrilling horn; the blast was heard afar.

* Pight, placed.

Fay, fairy.

* Gride, cut, hack.
Nould he algates, would not by any means.

LI.

Eftfoons aftonish'd at th' alarming found,
The fignal of distress and hoftile wrong,
Confufedly trooping from all quarters round,
Came pouring o'er the plain a numerous throng
Of every sex and order, old and

young; The vaffals of great CUSTOM's wide domain, Who to his lore inur'd by ufage long,

His every fummons heard with pleasure fain,
And felt his every wound with fympathetic pain.
LII.

They, when their bleeding king they did behold,
And faw an armed KNIGHT him standing near,
Attended by that Palmer fage and bold;

Whofe vent'rous fearch of devious Truth while-ere
Spread through the realms of Learning horrors drear,
Y-feized were at first with terrors great;

And in their boding hearts began to fear,
Diffention factious, controverfial hate,

And innovations ftrange in CUSTOM's peaceful state.

LIII.

But when they faw the KNIGHT his fauchion fheathe, And climbing to his fteed march thence away, With all his hoftile train, they 'gan to breathe With freer fpirit, and with aspect gay

Soon chaced the gathering clouds of black affray,
Alfe their great monarch, cheared with the view
Of myriads, who confefs his fov'ran fway,
His ruffled pride began to plume anew;
And on his bugle clear a strain of triumph blew.
LIV.

There-at the multitude, that stood around,
Sent up at once a univerfal roar

Of boisterous joy: the fudden-bursting found
Like the explosion of a warlike store

a

Of nitrous grain, th' afflicted welkin tore.

Then turning towards the KNIGHT, with fcoffings lewd, Heart-piercing infults, and revilings fore,

Loud bursts of laughter vain, and hiffes rude,

As through the throng he pass'd, his parting fteps pur

LV.

Alfe from that forked bill the boasted seat
Of ftudious Peace and mild Philofophy,
Indignant murmurs mote be heard to threat,
Mustering their rage; eke baleful Infamy,
Rouz'd from her den of base obscurity

By those fame Maidens Nine, began to found
Her brazen trump of black'ning obloquy :

[fued.

While Satire, with dark clouds encompaft round,

Sharp, fecret arrows fhot, and aim'd his back to wound.