Who it to rob and ransack did intend.
Then Mammon, turning to that warrior, said:
"Lo, here the worldës bless! lo, here the end
To which all men do aim, rich to be made!
Such grace now to be happy is before thee laid."
He brought him, through a darksome narrow strayt,
To a broad gate all built of beaten gold:
The gate was open; but therein did wait
A sturdy villain, striding stiff and bold,
As if the Highest God defy he would:
In his right hand an iron club he held
But he himself was all of golden mould,
Yet had both life and sense, and well could weld
That cursed weapon, when his cruel foes he quell'd.
He brought him in. The room was large and wide,
As it some guild or solemn temple were;
Many great golden pillars did up-bear
The massy roof, and riches huge sustain;
And every pillar decked was full dear
With crowns and diadems, and titles vain,
Which mortal princes wore while they on earth did reign.
A route of people there assembled were,
Of every sort and nation under sky
Which with great uproar pressed to draw near
To th' upper part, where was advanced high
A stately siege of sovran majesty;
And thereon sat a woman gorgeous gay,
And richly clad in robes of royalty,
That never earthly prince in such array
His glory did enhance, and pompous pride display.
Her face right wondrous fair did seem to be,
That her broad beauties beam great brightness threw
Through the dim shade, that all men might it see;
Yet was not that same her own native hue
"And all that press did round about her swell
To catchen hold of that long chain, thereby
To climb aloft, and others to excell:
That was Ambition, rash desire to sty,
And every link thereof a step of dignity."
After the drawing by Walter Crane. By permission of Messrs. George Allen & Co.
But wrought by art and counterfeited shew,
Thereby more lovers unto her to call;
Natheless most heavenly fair in deed and view
She by creation was, till she did fall;
Thenceforth she sought for helps to cloak her crime withal.
There, as in glist'ring glory she did sit,
She held a great gold chain y-linked well,
Whose upper end to highest heaven was knit,
And lower part did reach to lowest hell;
And all that press did round about her swell
To catchen hold of that long chain, thereby
To climb aloft, and others to excell:
That was Ambition, rash desire to sty1,
And every link thereof a step of dignity.
Which whenas Guyon saw, he gan enquire,
What meant that press about that lady's throne,
And what she was that did so high aspire?
Him Mammon answered: "That goodly one
Whom all that folk with such contention
Do flock about, my dear, my daughter is;2
Honour and dignity from her alone
Derived are, and all this worldës bliss,
For which ye men do strive; few get, but many miss. From "The Faerie Queene”, Book II, Canto VII.
Him forth thence led
Through grisly shadows by a beaten path
Into a garden goodly garnished
With herbs and fruits, whose kinds mote not be redd3:
Not such as earth out of her fruitful womb
Throws forth to men, sweet and well savoured,
2 Urd, goddess of fate, is Mimer's daughter.
But direful deadly black, both leaf and bloom,
Fit to adorn the dead and deck the dreary tomb.
The garden of Proserpina1 this hight:
And in the midst thereof a silver seat,
With a thick arbour goodly over dight,
In which she often used from open heat
Herself to shroud, and pleasures to entreat:
Next thereunto did grow a goodly tree
With branches broad dispread and body great,
Cloathed with leaves, that none the wood might see
And laden all with fruit as thick as it might be.
Their fruit were golden apples glist'ring bright
That goodly was their glory to behold;
On earth like never grew, no living wight
Like ever saw, but they from hence were sold.
The war-like elf much wondered at this tree2,
So fair and great, that shadowed all the ground;
And his broad branches laden with rich fee
Did stretch themselves, without the utmost bound
Of this great garden, compassed with a mound. . .
Which to behold he clomb up to the bank;
And, looking down, saw many damned wights
In those sad waves, which direful deadly stank,
Plonged continually of cruel sprites,
That with their piteous cries and yelling shrightes3,
They made the further shore resounden wide:
Amongst the rest of those same rueful sights
One cursed creature he by chance espied
That drenched lay full deep under the garden side.
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