The warlike Mayde beholding earnestly
The goodly ordinance of this rich place,
Did greatly wonder, ne could fatisfie
Her greedy eyes with gazing a long space :
But more she meruaild that no footings trace,
Nor wight appear'd, but waftefull emptineffe,
And folemne filence ouer all that place :
Straunge thing it seem'd, that none was to possesse
So rich purueyance, ne them keepe with carefulnesse.

And as she lookt about, she did behold,

How ouer that fame dore was likewife writ,
Be bold, be bold, and euery where Be bold,
That much she muz'd, yet could not conftrue it
By any ridling skill, or commune wit.

At last she spyde at that roomes vpper end,
Another yron dore, on which was writ,

Be not too bold; whereto though she did bend

480

Her earnest mind, yet wist not what it might intend.

Thus fhe there waited vntill euentyde,

490

Yet liuing creature none she saw appeare:
And now fad fhadowes gan the world to hyde,
From mortall vew, and wrap in darkenesse dreare;
Yet nould she d'off her weary armes, for feare
Of fecret daunger, ne let fleepe oppreffe
Her heauy eyes with natures burdein deare,
But drew her felfe afide in sickernesse,

And her welpointed weapons did about her dresse. / 500

1. 474, Mayd': 1. 475, ordinaunce

Place: 1. 476,, after 'wonder-accepted: ib., 'fatiffy': 1. 482, 'purueyaunce': 1. 485, 'bolde' (bis): 1. 491, 'minde': 1. 492, 'wayted': 1. 495, ‘darkenes.'

Cant. XII.

The mafke of Cupid, and th'enchaunted
Chamber are displayd,

Whence Britomart redeemes faire

Amoret, through charmes decayd.

ΤΗ

Ho when as cheareleffe Night ycouered had Faire heauen with an vniuerfall cloud, That euery wight difmayd with darkneffe fad, In filence and in fleepe themfelues did shroud, She heard a fhrilling Trompet found aloud, Signe of nigh battell, or got victory; Nought therewith daunted was her courage proud, But rather stird to cruell enmity,

Expecting euer, when some foe fhe might descry.

With that, an hideous storme of winde arose,
With dreadfull thunder and lightning atwixt,
And an earth-quake, as if it ftreight would lofe
The worlds foundations from his centre fixt;
A direfull stench of smoke and fulphure mixt
Enfewd, whose noyance fild the fearefull sted,
From the fourth houre of night vntill the fixt;

ΙΟ

20

1. 2, 'enchanted': 1. 7, Fayre . . . clowd,' and so 'w' for 'u'in stanza's rhyme-words: 1. 8, 'darkenes': 1. 11, 'battaill': 1. 17, 'earthquake': 1. 20, noyaunce': 1. 21, 'howre.'

Yet the bold Britonesse was nought ydred, Though much emmou'd, but fstedfast still perfeuered.

All fuddenly a ftormy whirlwind blew

Throughout the house, that clapped euery dore,
With which that yron wicket open flew,

As it with mightie leuers had bene tore :
And forth iffewd, as on the ready flore
Of fome Theatre, a graue perfonage,

That in his hand a branch of laurell bore,
With comely haueour and count'nance fage,
Yclad in costly garments, fit for tragicke Stage.

Proceeding to the midft, he still did ftand,

As if in mind he fomewhat had to say,
And to the vulgar beckning with his hand,
In figne of filence, as to heare a play,
By liuely actions he gan bewray
Some argument of matter passioned;
Which doen, he backe retyred foft away,
And passing by, his name discouered,
Eafe, on his robe in golden letters cyphered.

The noble Mayd, still standing, all this vewd,
And merueild at his strange intendiment ;
With that a joyous fellowship iffewd
Of Minstrals, making goodly meriment,
With wanton Bardes, and Rymers impudent,
All which together fung full chearefully
A lay of loues delight, with sweet confent:

30

40

1. 24, 'fuddeinly' : 1. 27, 'mighty': 1. 28, 'yffewd. . . readie': 1. 30, 'braunch': 1. 33, ‘flil': 1. 34, ' minde': 1. 35, 'vulgare': 1. 42,, added after Standing': 1. 43, straunge ': 1. 45, ‘Minftrales': 1. 47, ‘song': 1. 48, ' concent.'

After whom marcht a iolly company,

In manner of a maske, enranged orderly.

The whiles a most delitious harmony,

In full ftraunge notes was sweetly heard to found, That the rare sweetnesse of the melody

The feeble senses wholly did confound,

And the fraile foule in deepe delight nigh dround : And when it ceaft, fhrill trompets loud did bray, That their report did farre away rebound, And when they ceaft, it gan againe to play, The whiles the maskers marched forth in trim aray./

The first was Fancy, like a louely boy,

Of rare afpect, and beautie without peare;
Matchable either to that ympe of Troy,

Whom Ioue did loue, and chose his cup to beare,
Or that fame daintie lad, which was fo deare

To great Alcides, that when as he dyde,
He wailed womanlike with many a teare,

And euery wood, and euery valley wyde

50

60

He fild with Hylas name; the Nymphes eke Hylas cryde.

His garment neither was of filke nor fay,

But painted plumes, in goodly order dight,
Like as the funburnt Indians do aray

Their tawney bodies, in their proudest plight :

70

As those same plumes, so seemd he vaine and light, That by his gate might easily appeare;

For ftill he far'd as dauncing in delight,

1. 54, 'fences wholy': 1. 55, ‘frayle . . . drownd': 1. 56, 'lowd': 1. 57, 'far': 1. 60, 'Boy': l. 61,, for ;: 1. 67, 'word,' and not noted in 'Faults escaped': 1. 69, ' nether' : 1. 70, ‘paynted.

And in his hand a windy fan did beare,

That in the idle aire he mou'd still here and there.

And him befide marcht amorous Defyre,

Who feemd of riper yeares, then th'other Swaine,
Yet was that other swayne this elders fyre,
And gaue him being, commune to them twaine :
His garment was disguised very vaine,

And his embrodered Bonet sat awry ;

85

Twixt both his hands few sparkes he close did straine, Which still he blew, and kindled bufily,

That foone they life conceiu'd, & forth in flames did fly.

Next after him went Doubt, who was yclad
In a difcolour'd cote, of ftraunge disguyse,
That at his backe a brode Capuccio had,
And fleeues dependant Albanese-wyse:
He/lookt afkew with his mistrustfull eyes,
And nicely trode, as thornes lay in his way,
Or that the flore to fhrinke he did auyfe,
And on a broken reed 'he ftill did ftay

His feeble steps, which fhrunke, when hard theron he lay.

With him went Daunger, cloth' in ragged weed,

90

Made of Beares skin, that him more dreadfull made, Yet his owne face was dreadfull, ne did need Straunge horrour, to deforme his griefly fhade;

1. 77, 'ydle ayre': 1. 79, ryper': ib., 'Swayne,' and so 'y' for 'i' in stanza's rhyme-words: 1. 80, 'other' in 1609-accepted for 'others' of '90 and '96: 1. 82, ‘disguysed' : 1."84, ‘Sparks': 1. 86, ' and': 1. 90, ‘dependaunt': 1. 92, ' nycely': L. 94,, after 'Stay' : 1. 95, ‘fhrunck': 1. 99,, for ; .