He left three fons, the which in order reign'd, And all their offspring, in their due descents, Ev'n feven hundred Princes, which maintain'd With mighty deeds their fundry governments; That were too long their infinite contents Here to record, ne much material :
Yet fhould they be moft famous monuments, And brave enfample both of martial And civil rule, to Kings and states imperial. LXXV.
After all these Elficleos did reign, The wife Elficleos in great majesty, Who mightily that fcepter did fuftain, And with rich fpoils and famous victory, Did high advance the crown of Faëry: He left two fons, of which fair Elferon, The eldest brother did untimely dye; Whose empty place the mighty Oberon Doubly fupplide, in fpoufal and dominion. LXXVI.
Great was his powre and glory, over all Which him before that facred feat did fill, That yet remains his wide memorial: He dying, left the fairest Tanaquill, Him to fucceed therein, by his last will: Fairer and nobler liveth none this houre, Ne like in grace, ne like in learned skill; Therefore they Glorian call that glorious flowre, Long mayst thou Glorian live, in glory and great powre, LXXVII.
Beguil'd thus with delight of novelties, And natural defire of countries state, So long they read in thofe antiquities, That how the time was fled, they quite forgate, Till gentle Alma feeing it fo late,
Perforce their studies broke, and them befought To think, how fupper did them long await: So half unwilling from their books them brought, And fairly feasted, as fo noble Knights he ought.
The enemies of Temperance Befiege her dwelling place:
Prince Arthur them repells, and foul Maleger doth deface.
'HAT war fo cruel, or what fiege fo fore, As that, which strong affections do apply, Against the fort of reafon evermore
To bring the foul into captivity! Their force is fiercer through infirmity Of the frail flesh, relenting to their rage, And exercise most bitter tyranny
Upon the parts, brought into their bondage; No wretchedness is like to finful villenage.
But in a body, which doth freely yield His parts to reafons rule obedient,
And letteth her that ought the fcepter wield, All happy peace and goodly government Is fettled there in fure establishment;
There Alma, like a virgin Queen moft bright, Doth flourish in all beauty excellent;
And to her guests doth bounteous banquet dight, Attempred goodly well for health and for delight. III.
Early before the morn with crimson ray,
The windows of bright heaven open'd had, Through which into the world the dawning day Might look, that maketh every creature glad, Uprofe Sir Guyon, in bright armour clad, And to his purpos'd journey him prepar❜d: With him the Palmer eke, in habit fad, Himfelf addreft to that adventure hard: So to the rivers fide they both together far'd.
Where them awaited ready at the ford The Ferryman, as Alma had behight,
With his well rigged boat: They go abord, And he eftfoons 'gan launch his bark forthright. Ere long they rowed were quite out of fight, And faft the land behind them fled away.
But let them pafs, whiles wind and weather right Do serve their turns: here I awhile must stay, To fee a cruel fight doen by the Prince this day.
For all fo foon as Guyon thence was gone Upon his voyage with his trufty guide, That wicked band of villains fresh begun That castle to affail on every fide,
And lay ftrong fiege about it far and wide. So huge and infinite their numbers were, That all the land they under them did hide; So foul and ugly, that exceeding fear
Their vifages impreft, when they approched near, VI.
Them in twelve troops their captain did difpart, And round about in fitteft fteads did place, Where each might beft offend his proper part, And his contrary object moft deface, As every one feem'd meeteft in that cafe. Seven of the fame against the castle gate, In strong entrenchments he did closely place, Which with inceffant force and endless hate, They battred day and night, and entrance did awaite. VII.
The other five, five fundry ways he fet,
Against the five great bulwarks of that pile; And unto each a bulwark did arret, T'affail with open force or hidden guile, In hope thereof to win victorious spoil. They all that charge did fervently apply, With greedy malice and importune toil, And planted there their huge artillery, With which they daily made moft dreadful battery.
VIII.
The first troop was a monftrous rabblement Of foul mihapen wights, of which some were Headed like Owls, with beaks uncomely bent, Others like Dogs, others like Gryphons dreare, And fome had wings, and fome had claws to tear, And every one of them had Lynces eyes, And every one did bow and arrows bear; All thofe were lawless lufts, corrupt envies, And covetous afpects, all cruel enemies.
Those fame against the bulwark of the fight Did lay ftrong fiege, and battailous affault, Ne once did yield it refpit day nor night: But foon as Titan 'gan his head exault, And foon again as he his light withhault, Their wicked engins they against it bent: That is each thing, by which the eyes may fault; But two than all more huge and violent, Beauty, and money, they that bulwark forely rent. X.
The second bulwark was the Hearing fenfe,
Gainst which the fecond troop deffignment makes; Deformed creatures, in ftrange difference,
Some having heads like Harts, fome like to Snakes, Some like wild Boars late rouz'd out of the brakes; Slanderous reproches, and foul infamies,
Leafings, backbitings, and vain-glorious crakes, Bad counfels, praises, and falfe flatteries, All those against that Fort did bend their batteries. XI.
Likewise that same third fort, that is the Smell, Of that third troop was cruelly affay'd:
Whofe hideous shapes were like to fiends of hell, Some like to Hounds, fome like to Apes difmay'd, Some like to Puttocks, all in plumes array'd: All fhapt according their conditions,
For by thofe ugly forms weren pourtray'd Foolish delights and fond abufions,
Which do that fenfe befiege with light illufions.
And that fourth band, which cruel battry bent, Against the fourth bulwark, that is the Tafte, Was as the reft, a gryfie rabblement, Some mouth'd like greedy Oftriges, fome faft Like loathly Toades, fome fashion'd in the waist Like fwine; for, fo deform'd is luxury : Surfeit, mifdiet, and unthrifty waste, Vain feasts, and idle fuperfluity: All those this fenfes fort affail inceffantly.
But the fifth troop moft horrible of hue,
And fierce of force, was dreadful to report : For fome like fnails, fome did like fpiders fhew And fome like ugly Urchins thick and short: They cruelly affailed that fifth fort,
Armed with darts of fenfual delight,
With ftings of carnal luft, and ftrong effort Of feeling pleasures, with which day and night Against that fame fifth bulwark they continued fight. XIV.
Thus these twelve troops with dreadful puiffance Against that castle restlefs fiege did lay, And evermore their hideous ordinance Upon the bulwarks cruelly did play, That now it 'gan to threaten near decay: And evermore their wicked Capitain Provoked them the breaches to affay,
Sometimes with threats, fometimes with hope of gain, Which by the ranfack of that place they should attain. XV.
On t'other fide, th' affieged caftles ward
Their ftedfaft ftonds did mightily maintain,, And many bold repulfe, and many hard Atchievement wrought with peril and with pain, That goodly frame from ruin to fuftain: And those two brethren Giants did defend The walls fo ftoutly with their sturdy main, That never entrance any durft pretend,
But they to direful death their groaning ghosts did
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