Prince Arthur takes the enterprize
For Belgee for to fight;
Gerioneos fenefchall
He flayes in Belge's right.
SOME clarkes doe doubt in their devicefull art Whether this heavenly thing whereof I treat, To weeten Mercie, be of luftice part,
Or drawne forth from her by divine extreate: This well I wote that fure she is as great, And meriteth to have as high a place, Sith in th' Almighties everlasting seat
She first was bred, and borne of heavenly race, From thence pour'd down on men by influence of grace.
For if that vertue be of fo great might, Which from iuft verdict will for nothing start, But to preferve inviolated right
Oft fpilles the principall to fave the part; So much more then is that of powre and art, That feckes to save the fubiect of her skill, Yet never doth from doome of right depart; As it is greater prayse to save then spill, And better to reforme then to cut off the ill.
Who then can thee, Mercilla, throughly prayse, That herein docft all earthly princes pas ? What heavenly Mufe fhall thy great honour rayfe
Up to the skies, whence first deriv'd it was, And now on earth itselfe enlarged has
From th' utmoft brinke of the Armericke fhore Unto the margent of the Molucas?
"Thofe nations faire thy iuftice do adore,
Much more it praysed was of those two knights, The noble prince and righteous Artegall, When they had feene and heard her doome arights
Against Dueffa, damned by them all,
But by her tempred without griefe or gall, Till strong constraint did her thereto enforce ; And yet even then ruing her wilfull fall With more then needfull naturall remorse, And yeelding the last honour to her wretched corfe.
During all which those knighs continu'd there. Both doing and receiving curtefies
Of that great ladie, who with goodly chere Them entertayn'd, fit for their dignities, Approving dayly to their noble eyes Royall examples of her mercies rare, And worthie paterns of her clemencies, Which till this day mongst many living are, Who them to their pofterities doe still declare.
Amongst the rest, which in that space befell, There came two fpringals of full tender yeares, Farre thence from forrein land where they did dwell,
To feeke for fuccour of her and of her peares, With humble prayers and intreatfull teares, Sent by their mother, who a widow was, Wrapt in great dolours and in deadly feares
But thine owne people do thy mercy prayfe much By a strong tyrant, who invaded has
Her land, and flaine her children ruefully, alas!
That to thofe fennes for faftneffe fhe did fly, And there herfelfe did hyde from his hard ty-
There he he found in forrow and dismay, All folitarie without living wight, For all her other children through affray Had hid themselves, or taken further flight; And cke herfelfe through fudden strange affright, When one in armes fhe faw, began to fly : But when her owne two fonnes she had in fight, She gan take hart and looke up ioyfully, For well the wift this knight came fuccour to supply:
And running unto them with greedy ioyes, Fell ftraight about their neckes as they did kneele, And bursting forth in teares, "Ah! my fweet "Boyes!"
Sayd fhe, " yet now I gin new life to fecle, "And feeble fpirits, that gan faint and reele, "Now rife againe at this your ioyous fight: "Alreadie feemes that Fortune's headlong wheele "Begins to turne, and funne to shine more bright "Then it was wont, through comfort of this noble "knight."
Then turning unto him; " And you, Sir Knight," Said fhe," that taken have this toylefome paine "For wretched woman, miserable wight, "May you in heaven immortall guerdon gaine "For fo great travell as you do sustaine; "For other meede may hope for none of mee, "To whom nought elfe but bare life doth re"maine;
"And that fo wretched one, as ye do fee "Is liker lingring death then loathed life to bee."
Much was he moved with her piteous plight, And low difmounting from his loftie fteede, Gan to recomfort her all that he might, Seeking to drive away deepe-rooted dreede With hope of helpe in that her greatest neede; So thence he wifhed her with him to wend Unto fome place where they mote reft and feede, And the take comfort, which God now did fend : Good hart in evils doth the evils much amend. XXIII.
"Ay mc!" fayd fhe," and whither shall I goe? "Are not all places full of forraine powres ? "My pallaces poffeffed of my foe,
"My cities fackt, and their sky-threatning towres "Raced and made fmooth fields now full of "flowres?
"Onely thefe marifhes and myrie bogs, "In which the fearefull cwftes do build their "bowres,
"Yeeld me an hoftry mongst the croking frogs, "And harbour here in fafety from thofe ravenous dogs."
"Nathleffe," faid he, "deare Ladie! with me 66 goe,
"Some place fhall us receive and harbour yield;
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