Protector therefore of that forked bill,
And mighty patron of those Sifters Nine,
Who there enthron'd, with many a copious rill
Feed the full streams, that through the valley fhine,
He deemed was; and aye with rites divine,
Like those, which Sparta's hardy race of yore
Were 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 lefs dreadful to appear,
When known and practised than at distance feen)
And kingly stretching forth his sceptre sheen,
Him he commandeth, upon threat'ned pain
Of his displeasure high and vengeance keen,
From his rebellious purpose to refrain,
And all due honours pay to Learning's rev'rend train.
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 I myself (fays Plutarch, in his life of Lycurgus) have seen several of them - endure whipping to death, at the foot of the altar of Diana furnamed Orthia.
So faying and foreftalling all reply,
His peremptory hand without delay,
As one who little cared to justify
His princely will, long us'd to boundless sway,
Upon the Fairy Youth with great dismay
In every quaking limb convuls'd, he lay'd:
And proudly stalking o'er the verdant lay,
Him to thofe scientific ftreams convey'd,
With
many his
young compeers therein to be Pembay'd.
XLV.
The KNIGHT his tender fon's distressful' ftour
Perceiving, fwift to his affiftance 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 rash prefumption; and with courage true,
Rather than step from Virtue's path aside,
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 spear;
Stour, trouble, misfortune, &c.
Where-with the GIANT he fo rudely fmot,
That him perforce constrain'd to 'wend arrear.
Who, much abash'd at such rebuke fevere,
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' bet, that all his armour' bray'd,
To pieces well-nigh riven with the might
Of so tempeftuous 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 assay :
So lightly from his steed 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 fore-cafting to evade
The GIANT's furious arm, about him wheel'd
With restless steps aye traverfing the field.
Wend arrear, move backwards.
Bet, beat; bray'd, refounded.
• Fone, foes. Trenchant, cutting.
And ever as his foe's intemperate pride,
Through rage defenceless, mote advantage yield,
With his sharp fword so oft he did him " gride,
That his gold-fandal'd feet in crimson floods were dyed.
XLIX.
His bafer parts he maim'd with
he maim'd with many a wound;
But far above his utmost reach were pight
The forts of life: ne ever to confound
With utter ruin, and abolish quite
A power fo puiffant by his fingle 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 fo fiercely prefs'd
His foe, that weary wex'd he of the fray;
Yet nould he algates lower his haughty creft;
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 fmile of fcorn and pity, through the air
'Gan blow his fhrilling horn; the blast was heard afar.
Gride, cut, hack. * Pight, placed. Nould he algates, would not by any means.
Eftfoons aftonish'd at th' alarming found,
The fignal of diftrefs and hoftile wrong,
Confusedly trooping from all quarters round,
Came pouring o'er the plain a numerous throng
Of every sex 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 sympathetic pain.
LII.
They, when their bleeding king they did behold,
And faw an armed KNIGHT him standing near,
Attended by that Palmer fage and bold;
Whofe vent'rous 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, controversial hate,
And innovations strange in CUSTOM's peaceful state.
LIII.
But when they faw the KNIGHT his fauchion sheathe,
And climbing to his steed march thence away,
With all his hoftile train, they 'gan to breathe
With freer fpirit, and with afpect gay
|