The Canterbury tales and Faerie queene &c., &c., &c., ed. for popular perusal with current illustrations and explanatory notes, by D. Laing Purves.

488 THE -.FAERIZE QUEEN., I[BOOK V.
Of both their beauties to make pa ragon1 But with his heels so sorely he him strake,
And trial, whether should the honour-get. That all his ribs he quite in pieces broke,
Straightway, so soon as both together met, That never word from that day forth he spoke.
Th' enchanted damsel vanish'd into naught: Another, that would seem to have more wit,
Her snowy substance melted as with heat, Him by the bright embroider'd headstall took:
Nor of that goodly hue2 remained aught But by the shoulder him so sore he bit,
But th' empty girdle which about'her waist was That he him maimed quite, and all his shoulder
wrought. split.
As when the daughter of Thaumantes fair 3 Nor he his mouth would open unto wight,
Hath in a watery cloud displayed wide Until that Guyon's self unto him spake,
Her goodly bow, which painty the liquid air, And called Brigadore (so was he hight);
That all men wonder at her colours' pride; Whose voice so soon as he did undertake,6
All suddenly, ere one can look aside, Eftsoons he stood as still as any stake,
The glorious picture vanisheth away, And suffer'd all his secret mark to see;
Nor any token doth thereof abide: And, when as he him nam'd, for joy he brake
So did this lady's goodly form decay, His bands, and follow'd him with gladful glee,
And into nothing go, ere one could it bewray. And frisk'd, and flung aloft, and louted 7 low on
All were stricken with great astonishment; knee.
and Braggadocio himself, for grief and despair, ed to.gg - 2. I, Artegall therefore adjudged the steed to
stood "like a living corpse, immoveable."
Guyon, and told the braggart to fare on foot
But Artegall that golden belt uptook, till he had gained a horse. Braggadocio, howThe which of all her spoil was only left; ever, foully reviled the judge and disdained his
Which was not hers, as many it mistook, judgment; and Artegall was about to draw
But Florimell's own girdle, from her reft sword upon him, when Guyon restrained the
While she was flying, like a weary weft,4 Knight with the reflection that it would ill
From thatfoul monster which did her compel become the judge of their equity to wreak his
To perils great; which he unbuckling eft 5 wrath on such a churl, whose open shame was
Presented to the fairest Florimell; his sufficient punishment.
Who round about her tender waist it fitted well.
So did he mitigate Sir Artegall;
Full many ladies often had assay'd But Talus by the back the boaster hent,s
About their middles that fair belt to knit; And, drawing him out of the open hall,
And many a one suppos'd to be a maid: Upon him did inflict this punishment:
Yet it to none of all their loins would fit, First he his beard did shave, and foully shent; 9
Till Florimell about her fasten'd it. Then from him reft his shield, and it reverst,
Such power it had, that to no woman's waist And blotted out his arms with falsehood blent;10
By any skill or labour it would fit, -And himself baffled,1 and his arms unherst;
Unless that she Were continent and chaste; And broke his sword in twain, and all his armour
But it would loose or break, that many had sperst.l3
disgrac'd.
Now came forth Sir Guyon from the press, to The while his guileful groom 14 was fled away;
claim his own good steed, which the braggart But vain it was to think from him to fly:
had stolen when its owner left it to go to the Who overtaking him did disarray,
relief of Amavia (see canto i., book ii.); and And all his face deform'd with infamy,
after "'great hurly-burly " in the hall had been And out of court him scourged openly.
appeased- by Artegall, the Knight of Temper- So ought all faitours,l5 that true knighthood
ance related the circumstances under which shame,
he had lost the horse, and vainly challenged the And arms dishonour with base villainy,
cowardly thief to combat. Artegall-though From all brave knights be banish'd with depronouncing that Braggadocio's refusal to fight fame:
was sufficient proof that he was in the wrbng- For oft their lewdness 7 blotteth good deserts
asked Guyon what privy tokens the steed bore; with blame.
and he answered that "within his mouth a Much mirth arose over the nmasking of these
Much mirth arose over-the u'maskino of these
black spot doth appear, shap'd like a horse's counterfeits; and the poet leaves all the comshoe, who list to seek it there." pany in pleasure and repast-" taking usury of
Whereof to make due trial one did take time forepast " with all rare delights-to follow
The horse in hand, within his mouth to look: Artegall.
1 Comparison. 2 Form, aspect. 9 Disgraced. 10 Stained.
3 Iris, or the rainbow; the daughter of Thaumas. 11 Treated with ignominy. 12 Defaced.
4. Waif. 5 Quickly. 13 Scattered. 14 Trompart.
6 Hear. 5 Deceivers. 16 Infamy.
7 Bende,. 8 Seized. 17 Wickedness.