She foon forgot she was another's wife,
And granted with me to defert the plain.
Are fuch enfamples emong women rife?
If fo, my Columbel I ne'er fhall gain,

But hunt around the world, and find my labours vain.
XIII.

My lips I 'gan to royne in fell despite,

And forth I rushed from her false embrace,
Thro' the thick wood I wander'd day and night,

Ne met I living creature face to face :
At length a rifing city far I trace;

Thither in hopes my hafty steps I bend.
Perchaunce, thought I, true Virtue may embrace
The courtly dome, and from the country wend.
Thus, where we leaft expect, we often find a friend.
XIV.

At e'en the town I reach'd and eke a hall,

Which waxen tapers made as light as day;
Fair jovifaunce fat on the face of all,

And to the daunce the sprightly minstrels play,
Each feem'd as fportive as the wanton jay.
The dame, who own'd the house, was paffing old,
And had, it feems, that morning dealt away
To her kind grandfon many bags of gold,
Who took a bonnibel to haven and to hold.

XV. The

XV.

The bride was named Viola the fair,
The loaded rofiere is not half fo sweet.
Aye, aye, quoth I, enfamples are but rare
To find fo many charms in one discreet;
With you, fair lafs, I mean not now to treat.
The springal was in wholesom luftihed,

And him by name of Pamphilus they greet;
He was to doughty chevifance ybred,

Yet oft in courtly halls the active measure led.
XVI.

The auncient dame they do Avara call,
And much the hobled as she trod the ground;
Yet many angels in her crumenal,

If fair report fpeaks true, were always found.
Where riches flow there virtues too abound.
Her pannikel was as a badger grey,

And, as she walk'd the company around,
It nodded with fuch force, that, by my fay,
I thought it meant to fly from her old crag away.
XVII.

The lofty roof was fretted o'er with gold,
And all around, the walls depeinten were
With many hiftories of times of old,

Which brought not muchel credit to the fair.

There

There Leda held her fwan, with fhoulders bare, And here the dame of Ephefus was found, Lick other dames, whom my kind tongue fhall fpare, And here ftood Helen for her charms renown'd, Who foon her lord forfook, when the a leman found. XVII.

And many a beauteous dame and courtly knight

Came there the nuptials to celebrate :

Some vers'd to wing from bow the nimble flight,
Some the near foe with brondir'n to amate;
Me too they welcome to the hall of state;
With bel accoil they wished me to take
A round or two, and chuse me out a mate:
But my fond love which nothing could aflake,
Caus'd me to flight them all, for Columbella's fake.
XIX.

And now to artful steps the floor rebounds,
In graceful ease the shining beavys move,
The noice like thunder at a distance sounds.
Mean time I fat beneath a proud alcove,
And told Avara gentle tales of love.
Thought I, in eld the passions are more tame,
And here by craft I may fuccessful prove;
For the perforce must now be void of blame
As wife Ulyffes' wife, Penelope by Lame.

XX.

Ne wants the gelt, which oft the mind misleads
To actions which it otherwife would fhun.
The courtier lythe, if right report areeds,
Will unawhap'd to feize his vantage run ;
And fo will moft men underneath the fun,
Or be they patriot call'd, or bard, or knight;
But when they once the gilded prize have won,
They seek to clear their name, with fhame bedight:
Befits to scour the steel, when rust offends the fight.
XXI.

At ev'ry word I faid fhe look'd afkaunce,
Then faid, in unfoot whispers, Fye! Sir, fye!
And turn'd as tho' fhe feem'd to mind the daunce,
Nathlefs on me fhe, caft a languid eye:

Blift by thy form, my liefeft life, quoth I,
Caft your belgards upon an humble flave:

From love, alass! in vain my heart would fly;
Then with a word thy quailing leman fave,
For if you frown, perdie, you doom me to the grave.
XXII.

It hap'd by chaunce the faw a golden heart
With flaming diamonds around befet;

This, the whole guerdon of my tedious fmart,
I, on a time, from Columbel did get.

As

As fimple birds are caught in fowler's net,
And 'cause they see no danger none they fear,
Ev'n fo Avara her eyen here did set,

And turned round and whisper'd in mine ear,

Give me that di'mond heart, and be mine leman dear. XXIII.

I started from the couch where I was pight, And thus I her befpake with muchel rage, Avaunt, thou faytor false, thou imp of night! I hate myself, that I fhould thus engage, On any terms, to treat with wrizled age. So, forth I flung, and left the frowy witch To share her bed with coachman, groom or page ; The caftle too I quit, mine ire was fich, And out I fet again, tho' night was dark as pitch. XXIV.

But did I here relate, Sir Satyrane,

The many weary miles I've travelled,

What dangers I've affoil'd, yet all in vain,
(For, by my truth, but ill my days I've fped)
Your hair would stand upright upon your head.
Three hundred virtuous females fide by fide,
By me to Columbella must be led:

Can

you direct me where for fuch to ride?

I cannot, in good footh, the courteous knight reply'd.