That all fo foone as he by wit or art
Could that atchieue, whereto he did aspire,
He vnto her would fpeedily reuert:
No longer space thereto he did defire,
But till the horned moone three courfes did expire.
With which she for the prefent was appeased,
And yeelded leaue, how euer malcontent
She inly were, and in her mind displeased.
So early in the morrow next he went
Forth on his way, to which he was ybent.
Ne wight him to attend, or way to guide,
As whylome was the custome ancient
Mongft Knights, when on aduentures they did ride, Saue that the algates him a while accompanide.
And by the way she sundry purpose found
Of this or that, the time for to delay,
And of the perils whereto he was bound,
The feare whereof feem'd much her to affray :
But all she did was but to weare out day.
Full oftentimes fhe leaue of him did take;
And eft againe deuiz'd fome what to say,
Which the forgot, whereby excufe to make:
So loth she was his companie for to forfake.
At last when all her speeches fhe had spent,
And new occafion fayld her more to find,
She left him to his fortunes gouernment,
And backe returned with right heauie mind,
1. 396, 'on': 1. 414,, for period (.).
To Scudamour, who she had left behind :
With whom she went to feeke faire Amoret,
Her fecond care, though in another kind;
For vertues onely fake, which doth beget
True loue and faithfull friendship, she by her did set.
Backe to that defert forreft they retyred,
Where forie Britomart had loft her late; There they her fought, and euery where inquired, Where they might tydings get of her estate; Yet found they none. But by what haplesse fate, Or hard misfortune fhe was thence conuayd, And ftolne away from her beloued mate, Were long to tell; therefore I here will stay Vntill another tyde, that I it finish may. /
1. 415, whom': ib., : for,: 11. 418-19, (which . friendship).
Amoret rapt by greedie luft
Belphebe faues from dread:
The Squire her loues, and being blam'd
his dayes in dole doth lead.
Reat God of loue, that with thy cruell darts,
Doeft conquer greateft conquerors on ground,
And fetft thy kingdome in the captiue harts
Of Kings and Keafars, to thy feruice bound,
What glorie, or what guerdon haft thou found
In feeble Ladies tyranning fo fore;
And adding anguish to the bitter wound,
With which their liues thou lanchedft long afore,
By heaping stormes of trouble on them daily more?
So whylome didft thou to faire Florimell;
And fo and so to noble Britomart:
So doeft thou now to her, of whom I tell,
The louely Amoret, whofe gentle hart
Thou martyreft with forow and with smart,
In faluage forrefts, and in deferts wide,
With Beares and Tygers taking heauie part,
1. 3, Belphabe,' and for,-accepted: 1. 6, 'darts'-accepted for 'dart' of '96: 1. 13, launcedft.'
Withouten comfort, and withouten guide,
That pittie is to heare the perils, which the tride.
So foone as fhe with that braue Britoneffe
Had left that Turneyment for beauties prise,
They trauel'd long; that now for wearinesse,
Both of the way, and warlike exercise,
Both / through a forest ryding did deuise
T'alight, and reft their wearie limbs awhile.
There heauie fleepe the eye-lids did furprise
Of Britomart after long tedious toyle,
That did her passed paines in quiet rest affoyle.
The whiles faire Amoret, of nought affeard,
Walkt through the wood, for pleasure, or for need;
When fuddenly behind her backe she heard
One rushing forth out of the thickest weed,
That ere fhe backe could turne to taken heed,
Had vnawares her snatched vp from ground.
Feebly the fhriekt, but fo feebly indeed,
That Britomart heard not the fhrilling found,
There where through weary trauel she lay fleeping soud.
It was to weet a wilde and faluage man,
Yet was no man, but onely like in shape,
And eke in ftature higher by a span,
All ouergrowne with haire, that could awhape
An hardy hart; and his wide mouth did gape
With huge great teeth, like to a tusked Bore:
For he liu'd all on rauin and on rape
Of men and beasts; and fed on fleshly gore,
The figne whereof yet ftain'd his bloudy lips afore. 50
1. 26, ; for,-accepted: 1. 33 (of nought affeard): 1. 46, ; after 'hart.
His neather lip was not like man nor beast,
But like a wide deepe poke, downe hanging low,
In which he wont the relickes of his feast,
And cruell fpoyle, which he had spard, to stow:
And ouer it his huge great nofe did grow,
Full dreadfully empurpled all with bloud;
And downe both fides two wide long eares did glow, And raught downe to his wafte, when vp he stood, More great then th'eares of Elephants by Indus flood. /
His waft was with a wreath of yuie greene
Engirt about, ne other garment wore :
For all his haire was like a garment feene;
And in his hand a tall young oake he bore,
Whose knottie fnags were fharpned all afore,
And beath'd in fire for steele to be in sted.
But whence he was, or of what wombe ybore,
Of beafts, or of the earth, I haue not red:
But certes was with milke of Wolues and Tygres fed.
This vgly creature in his armes her snatcht,
And through the forreft bore her quite away,
With briers and bushes all to rent and scratcht;
Ne care he had, ne pittie of the pray,
Which many a knight had sought so many a day.
He stayed not, but in his armes her bearing
Ran, till he came to th'end of all his way,
Vnto his caue, farre from all peoples hearing, (fearing. And there he threw her in, nought feeling, ne nought
For fhe deare Ladie all the way was dead,
Whileft he in armes her bore; but when she felt
1. 76,, after 'caue'—accepted: 1. 78, (deare Lady).
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