But he doth with his raging brand divide [wide. Their thickest troops, and round about him scatt'reth
Like as a lion mongst an herd of deer,
Disperseth them to catch his choicest prey;
So did he fly amongst them here and there,
And all that near him came did hew and slay,
Till he had strow'd with bodies all the way;
That none his danger daring to abide,
Fled from his wrath, and did themselves convey,
Into their caves, their heads from death to hide,
any left that victory to him envíed.
Then, back returning to his dearest dear, He her gan to recomfort, all he might, With gladful speeches and with lovely cheer; And forth her bringing to the joyous light, Whereof she long had lack'd the wishful sight, Devis'd all goodly means from her to drive The sad remembrance of her wretched plight: So her uneath1 at last he did revive, difficulty. That long had lain dead, and made again alive.
This done, into those thievish dens he went,
And thence did all the spoils and treasures take,
Which they from many, long had robb'd and rent:
But Fortune now the victor's meed did make;
Of which the best he did his love betake;2
And also all those flocks, which they before
Had reft from Melibee and from his make,3
He did them all to Coridon restore:
So drove them all away, and his love with him bore.
Fair Pastorella by great hap
Her parents understands.
Calidore doth the Blatant Beast
Subdue, and bind in bands.
LIKE as a ship, that through the ocean wide
Directs her course unto one certain coast,
Is met of many a counter wind and tide,
With which her winged speed is let1 and crost,
And she herself in stormy surges tost;
Yet, making many a borde2 and many a bay,
Still winneth way, ne hath her compass lost;
Right so it fares with me in this long way,
Whose course is often stay'd, yet never is astray.
For all that hitherto hath long delay'd
This gentle Knight from suing3 his first quest,
Though out of course, yet hath not been mis-said,
To shew the courtesy by him profest
Even unto the lowest and the least.
But now I come into my course again,
To his achievement of the Blatant Beast;
Who all this while at will did range and reign,
Whilst none was him to stop, nor none him to restrain.
Sir Calidore, when thus he now had raught5
Fair Pastorella from those brigands' power,
Unto the Castle of Belgard her brought,
Whereof was lord the good Sir Bellamour;
Who whilome was, in his youth's freshest flow'r, Former A lusty knight as ever wielded spear,
And had enduréd many a dreadful stoure
In bloody battle for a lady dear,
The fairest lady then of all that living were:
Her name was Claribell; whose father hight1
The Lord of many islands, far renown'd
For his great riches and his greater might:
He, through the wealth wherein he did abound,
This daughter thought in wedlock to have bound
Unto the Prince of Pictland, bord' ring near;
But she, whose sides before with secret wound
Of love to Bellamour empiercéd were,
By all means shunn'd to match with any foreign fere.
And Bellamour again so well her pleas'd
With daily service and attendance due,
That of her love he was entirely seiz'd,3
And closely did her wed, but known to few:
Which when her father understood, he grew
In so great rage that them in dungeon deep
Without compassion cruelly he threw;
Yet did so straitly 5 them asunder keep,
That neither could to company of th' other creep.
Nathless Sir Bellamour, whether through grace,
Or secret gifts, so with his keepers wrought,
That to his love sometimes he came in place;
Whereof her womb unwist to wight was fraught,
And in due time a maiden child forth brought:
Which she straightway (for dread lest if her sire
Should know thereof to slay he would have sought)
Deliver'd to her handmaid, that for hire
She should it cause be foster'd under strange attire.
The trusty damsel bearing it abroad
Into the empty fields, where living wight
Might not bewray the secret of her load,
She forth gan lay unto the open light
The little babe, to take thereof a sight:
Whom whilst she did with watʼry eyne behold,
Upon the little breast, like crystal bright,
She might perceive a little purple mold,1
That like a rose her silken leaves did fair unfold.
Well she it mark'd, and pitiéd the more,
Yet could not remedy her wretched case;
But, closing it again like as before,
Bedew'd with tears there left it in the place;
Yet left not quite, but drew a little space
Behind the bushes, where she her did hide,
To weet2 what mortal hand, or heav'n's grace,
Would for the wretched infant's help provide;
For which it loudly call'd, and pitifully cried.
At length a shepherd, which thereby did keep
His fleecy flock upon the plains around,
Led with the infant's cry that loud did weep,
Came to the place; where when he wrapped found
Th' abandon'd spoil, he softly it unbound;
And, seeing there that did him pity sore,
He took it up and in his mantle wound;
So home unto his honest wife it bore,
Who as her own it nurs'd and naméd evermore.
Thus long continu'd Claribell a thrall,
And Bellamour in bands; till that her sire
Departed life, and left unto them all :
Then all the storms of fortune's former ire
Were turn'd, and they to freedom did retire.
Thenceforth they joy'd in happiness together,
And livéd long in peace and love entire,
Without disquiet or dislike of either,
Till time that Calidore brought Pastorella thither.
Both whom they goodly well did entertain;
For Bellamour knew Calidore right well,
And loved for his prowess, sith they twain
Long since had fought in field: als1 Claribell
Ne less did tender the fair Pastorell,
Seeing her weak and wan through durance long.
There they awhile together thus did dwell
In much delight, and many joys among,
Until the damsel gan to wax more sound and strong.
Then gan Sir Calidore him to advise 2
Of his first quest, which he had long forlore,
Asham'd to think how he that enterprise,
The which the Faery Queen had long afore
Bequeath'd to him, forslackéd3 had so sore;
That much he feared lest reproachful blame
With foul dishonour him might blot therefore;
Besides the loss of so much loos1 and fame,
As through the world thereby should glorify his name.
Therefore, resolving to return in hast
Unto so great achievement, he bethought
To leave his love, now peril being past,
With Claribell; whilst he that monster sought
Throughout the world, and to destruction brought.
So taking leave of his fair Pastorell,
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