XLII.

Protector therefore of that forked hill,

And mighty patron of thofe Sifters Nine,

Who, there enthron'd, with many a copious rill
Feed the full ftreams, that through the valley shine,
He deemed was; and aye with rites divine,
* Like thofe, which Sparta's hardy race of
Were wont perform at fell Diana's fhrine,
He doth conftrain his vaffals to adore

yore

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 lefs dreadful to appear,
When known and practis'd then at distance seen)
And kingly ftretching forth his fceptre sheen,
Him he commandeth, upon threaten'd pain
Of his difpleasure high and vengeance keen,
From his rebellious purpose to refrain,

And all due honours pay to Learning's reverend train.
XLIV.

So faying, and foreftalling all reply,

His peremptory hand without delay,
As one who little car'd to justify

His princely will, long us'd to boundless sway,
Upon

* The Lacedemonians, in order to make their children hardy, and endure pain with conftancy and courage, were accustomed to caufe them to be fcourged very feverely. And I myself (fays Plutarch, in his life of Lycurgus) have feen feveral of them endure whipping to death, at the foot of the altar of Diana, furnamed Orthia.

Upon the Fairy Youth with great dismay
In every quaking limb convuls'd, he lay'd:
And proudly talking o'er the verdant lay,
Him to thofe fcientific ftreams convey'd,

**

With many his young compeers therein to be † embay’d.

XLV.

The Knight his tender fon's distressful four
Perceiving, fwift to his affiftance flew :

Ne vainly stay'd to deprecate that power,
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.

XLVI.

And now, difdaining parle, his courfer hot
He fiercely prick'd, and couch'd his vengeful fpear;
Where-with the giant he fo rudely smot,

That him perforce conftrain'd to || wend arrear.
Who, much abafh'd at fuch rebuke fevere,
Yet his accuftom'd pride recovering foon,
Forth with his maffy fceptre 'gan up-rear;
For other warlike weapon he had none,
Ne other him behov'd to quell his boldest § fone.

Lay, mead.

XLVII. With

+ Embay'd, bathed, dipt.

* Stour, trouble, misfortune, &c.
Wend arrear, move backwards.

Fone, foess

XLVII.

With that enormous mace the Fairy Knight
So fore he bet, that all his armour † bray'd,
To pieces well-nigh riven with the might
Of fo tempestuous 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 shield;

And warily forecasting to evade

The giant's furious arm about him wheel'd, With reftlefs fteps aye traverfing the field. And ever as his foe's intemperate pride, Through rage defenceless, mote advantage yield, With his fharp fword so oft he did him || gride, That his gold-fandal'd feet in crimfon floods were dy'd.

XLIX.

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

But far above his utmost reach were § pight
The forts of life: ne never to confound
With utter ruin, and abolish quite

*Bet, beat. + Bray'd, refounded.

↑ Trenchant, cutting.

Pight, placed.

A power

Gride, cut, hack.

A power fo puiffant by his fingle might
Did he prefume to hope: himself alone
From lawlefs force to free, in bloody fight
He stood; content to bow to Custom's throne,
So reafon mote not blush his fovran rule to own.

L..

So well he warded, and fo fiercely prefs'd His foe, that weary vex'd he of the fray; Yet nould he algates lower his haughty creft; But making in contempt his fore dismay, Difdainfully 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 fhrilling horn; the blast was heard afar.

LI.

Eftfoons aftonith'd at th' alarming found, The fignal of distress and hoftile wrong, Confus'dly trooping from all quarters round Came pouring o'er the plain a numerous throng Of every fex and order, old and young ; The vaffals of great Custom's wide domain, Who, to his lore inur'd by usage long, His every fummons heard with pleasure fain, And felt his every wound with fympathetic pain.. LII. They,

*Nould he algates, would not by any means. Fay, fairy.

LII.

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

Whofe venturous fearch of devious truth while-ere
Spread through the realms of learning horrors drear,
Y-feized were at firft 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 chac'd the gathering clouds of black affray.
Alfe their great monarch, cheared with the view
Of myriads, who confess his sovran sway,
His ruffled pride began to płume anew;

And on his bugle clear a strain of triumph blew.
LIV.

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

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

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 hisses rude,

As through the throng he pafs'd, his parting fteps purfued,

• Welkin, fky.

LV. Alk