IX.

"Which when I red, my heart did inly earne, "And pant with hope of that adventure's hap, "Ne stayed further newes thereof to learne, "But with my speare upon the shield did rap, "That all the castle ringed with the clap: "Streight forth issewd a knight all arm'd to proofe, "And bravely mounted to his most mishap, "Who staying nought to question from aloofe, "Ran fierce at me, that fire glaunst from his horse's

X.

[hoofe.

"Whom boldly I encountred (as I could) "And by good fortune shortly him unseated: "Eftsoones out sprung two more of equall mould, "But I them both with equall hap defeated; "So all the twenty I likewise entreated, "And left them groning there upon the plaine ; "Then preaching to the pillour, I repeated "The read thereof for guerdon of my paine, “ And taking downe the shield, with me did it re

XI.

"So forth without impediment I past,

"Till to the bridge's utter gate I came,

[taine.

"The which I found sure lockt and chained fast: "I knockt, but no man answerd me by name; "I cald, but no man answerd to my clame; "Yet I persever'd still to knocke and call, "Till at the last I spide within the same,

"Where one stood peeping through a crevis small, "To whom I cald aloud, halfe angry therewithall.

XII.

"That was to weet the porter of the place, "Unto whose trust the charge thereof was lent; "His name was Doubt, that had a double face, "Th' one forward looking, th' other backeward "Therein resembling Ianus auncient, [bent, "Which hath in charge the ingate of the yeare; "And evermore his eyes about him went, "As if some proved perill he did feare, [appeare. "Or did misdoubt some ill whose cause did not XIII.

"On th' one side he, on th' other sate Delay, "Behind the gate, that none her might espy; "Whose manner was all passengers to stay, "And entertaine with her occasions sly, "Through which some lost great hope unheedily, "Which never they recover might againe, "And others quite excluded forth did ly, "Long languishing there in unpittied paine, "And seeking often entraunce afterwards in vaine.

XIV

"Me when as he had privily espide

Bearing the shield which I had conquerd late, "He kend it streight, and to me opened wide: "So in I past, and streight he closed the gate. "But being in, Delay in close awaite

"Caught hold on me, and thought my steps to stay, Feigning full many a fond excuse to prate,

"And time to steale, the threasure of man's day, "Whose smallest minute lost,no riches render may.

XV.

"But by no meanes my way I would forslow, "For ought that ever she could doe or say, "But from my lofty steede dismounting low, "Past forth on foote, beholding all the way "The goodly workes and stones of rich assay "Cast into sundry shapes by wondrous skill, "That like on earth no where I recken may; "And underneath the river rolling still, [man's will. "With murmure soft, that seem'd to serve the workXVI.

" Thence forth I passed to the second gate, "The Gate of Good Desert, whose goodly pride "And costly frame were long here to relate; "The same to all stoode alwaies open wide "But in the porch did evermore abide "An hideous giant, dreadfull to behold, "That stopt the entraunce with his spacious stride, "And with the terrour of his countenance bold "Full many did affray, that else faine enter would: XVII.

"His name was Daunger, dreaded over all, "Who day and night did watch and duely ward, "From fearefull cowards entrance to forstall, "And faint-heart fooles, whom shew of perill hard "Could terrifie from Fortune's faire adward; "For oftentimes faint hearts at first espiall "Of his grim face were from approaching scard; "Unworthy they of grace, whom one deniall “Excludes from fairest hope withouten further triall. Volume IV.

U

XVIII.

"Yet many doughty warriours often tride "In greater perils to be stout and bold, "Durst not the sternnesse of his looke abide ; "But soone as they his countenance did behold, "Began to faint, and feele their corage cold : "Againe some other, that in hard assaies "Were cowards knowne, and little count did hold "Either through gifts, or guile, or such like waies, "Crept in by stouping low, or stealing of the kaies. XIX.

"But I, though meanest man of many moe, "Yet much disdaining unto him to lout, "Or creepe betweene his legs, so in to goe, "Resolv'd him to assault with manhood stout, "And either beat him in or drive him out. "Eftsoones advauncing that enchaunted shield, "With all my might I gan to lay about, "Which when he saw, the glaive which he did wield "He gan forthwith t'avale, and way unto me yield. XX.

"So as I entred I did backward looke

"For feare of harme, that might lie hidden there, "And loe his hind-parts, whereof heed I tooke, "Much more deformed, fearfull, ugly, were "Then all his former parts did earst appere; "For Hatred, Murther, Treason, and Despight, "With many moe lay in ambushment there, "Awayting to entrap the warelesse wight, [sight. "Which did not them prevent with vigilant fore

XXI.

"Thus having past all perill, I was come "Within the compasse of that Island's space, "The which did seeme unto my simple doome "The onely pleasant and delightfull place "That ever trodden was of footing's trace; "For all that Nature by her mother wit "Could frame in earth, and forme of substance base, "Was there; and all that Nature did omit, "Art, playing second Nature's part, supplyed it.

XXII.

"No tree that is of count in greenewood growes, "From lowest iuniper to ceder tall,

"No flowre in field, that daintie odour throwes, "And deckes his branch with blossomes over all, "But there was planted or grew naturall; "Nor sense of man so coy and curious nice, "But there mote find to please itselfe withall; "Nor hart could wish for any queint device, "But there it present was, and did fraile sense entice. XXIII.

"In such luxurious plentie of all pleasure, "It seem'd a second Paradise to ghesse, "So lavishly enricht with Nature's threasure, "That if the happie soules which doe possesse "Th' Elysian Fields, and live in lasting blesse, "Should happen this with living eye to see, "They soone would loath their lesser happinesse, "And wish to life return'd againe to bee,

"That in this ioyous place theymote have ioyance free.