The diftant hills rebellow'd all around.
"Arrest, Sir Knight, it cried, thy fond career,
"Nor with prefumptuous disobedience wound
“That aweful majesty which all revere !
"In my commands, Sir Knight, the voice of nations hear!" XXXIX.
Quick turn'd the KNIGHT, and faw upon the plain,
Advancing tow❜rds him with impetuous gate,
And visage all inflam'd with fierce disdain,
A monftrous GIANT, on whofe brow elate
Shone the bright enfign of imperial state;
Albeit lawful kingdom he had none;
But laws and kingdoms wont he oft create,
And oft'times over both erect his throne,
While fenates, priests, and kings, his a fov'ran fceptre own.
XL.
CUSTOM he hight; and aye in every land
Ufurp'd dominion with defpotic sway
O'er all he holds; and to his high command
Constrains ev'n stubborn Nature to obey;
Whom difpoffeffing oft, he doth assay
To govern in her right: and with a pace
So foft and gentle doth he win his way,
That she unwares is caught in his embrace,
And tho' deflower'd and thrall'd nought feels her foul dif
For nurt'ring, even from their tend'reft age,
The docile fons of men withouten pain,
By disciplines and rules to every stage
Of life accommodate, he doth them train
Infenfibly to wear and hug his chain.
Alfe his behefts or gentle or fevere,
Or good or noxious, rational or vain,
He craftily perfuades them to revere,
As inftitutions fage, and venerable lear.
XLII.
Protector therefore of that forked bill,
And mighty patron of thofe Sifters Nine,
Who there enthron'd, wih many a copious rill,
Feed the full streams, that through the valley fhine,
He deemed was; and aye with rites divine,
b Like those which Sparta's hardy race of yore
Where wont perform at fell Diana's fhrine,
He doth constrain his vaffals to adore
Perforce their facred names, and learn their facred lore.
XLIII.
And to the FAIRY KNIGHT now drawing near,
With voice terrific and imperious mien,
(All was he wont less dreadful to appear,
When known, and practifed than at diftance feen)
b The Lacedemonians, in order to make their children hardy, and endure pain with conftancy and courage, were accustomed to cause them to be fcourged very feverely. And 1 myself (says Plutarch, in his Life
And kingly stretching forth his fceptre sheen,
Him he commandeth, upon threat'ned pain
Of his displeasure high and vengeance keen,
From his rebellious purpofe to refrain,
And all due honours pay to Learning's rev'rend train.
XLIV.
So faying, and forestalling all reply,
His peremptory hand without delay,
As one who little cared to justify
His princely will, long us'd to boundless fway,
Upon the Fairy Youth with great difmay
In every quaking limb convuls'd he lay'd:
And proudly ftalking o'er the verdant lay,
Him to thofe fcientific fireams convey'd,
With many his young compeers therein to be embay'd.
The KNIGHT his tender fon's distressful stour
Perceiving, fwift to his affistance 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 rafh prefumption; and with courage true,
Rather than step from Virtue's paths afide,
Oft had he fingly fcorn'd his all-difmaying pride.
of Lycurgus) have seen several of them endure whipping to death, at the foot of the altar of Diana furnamed Orthia.
And now, difdaining parle, his courfer hot
He fiercely prick'd, and couch'd his vengeful spear;
Where-with the GIANT he fo rudely smot,
That him perforce constrain'd to f wend arrear.
Who, much abash'd at such rebuke severe,
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 boldest & fone.
XLVII.
With that enormous mace the FAIRY KNIGHT
So fore he h bet, that all his armour bray'd,
To pieces well-nigh riven with the might
Of fo tempeftuous ftrokes; but He was ftay'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.
Then fwiftly drawing forth his
trenchant blade, High o'er his head he held his fenceless shield;
And warily fore-casting to evade
The GIANT's furious arm, about him wheel'd
f Wend arrear, move backwards.
Bet, beat; bray'd, refounded,
g Fone, foes. i Trenchant, cutting.
With restless steps aye traverfing the field.
And ever as his foe's intemperate pride,
Through rage defenceless, mote advantage yield,
With his sharp sword so oft he did him * gride,
That his gold-sandal'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 1 pight
The forts of life: ne ever to confound
With utter ruin, and abolish quite
A power so puiffant by his single might
Did he prefume to hope: Himself 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.
So well he warded, and so fiercely prefs'd
His foe, that weary wex'd he of the fray;
Yet nould he algates lower his haughty crest;
But masking in contempt his fore dismay,
Disdainfully releas'd the trembling prey,
As one unworthy of his princely care;
Then proudly cafting on the warlike" fay
A fimile of fcorn and pity, through the air
'Gan blow his fhrilling horn; the blast was heard afar.
k Gride, cut, hack. would not by any means.
1 Pight, placed.
Fay, fairy.
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