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

CANTO X.] THE FAERIE QUEEN. 535
the monster without ceasing, and entangled in Either to dance, when they to dance would fain,
the toils of love, means to prosecute the quest Or else to course about their bases light; 9
no more; he has another game in view, and will Nor aught there wanted which for pleasure
rather rest among the rustic sort, than hunt might
after shadows vain " of courtly favour, fed with Desird be, or thence to banish bale; 10
light report of ev'ry blast, and sailing always So pleasantly the hill with equal height
in the port." Nor does the poet think that the Did seem to overlook the lowly vale;
Knight is greatly to be blamed for stooping from Therefore it rightly called was Mount Acidale."
so high to so low a step; for who, having once Theysay that Venus, when she did dispose
tasted the happy peace of humility, and proved Herself to pleasance, used to resort
the perfect pleasures which grow among poor Unto this place, and therein to repose
swains, would ever delight in the painted show And rest herself as in a gladsome port,
of false bliss, set in courts "for stales 2 t' entrap Or with the Graces the re to play and sport;
unwary fools in their eternal bales?" Cytheron2 though in it
That ev'n her own Cytheron, though in it
For what hath all that goodly glorious gaze She used most to keep her royal court
Like to one sight which Calidore did view? And in her sov'reign majesty to sit,
The glance whereof their dimmed eyes would She in regard hereof refus'd and thought unfit.
daze,4
Unto this place when as the Elfin Knight
That never more they should endure the shew Unto this place when as the Elfin Knight
Of that sunshine that makes them look askew: Approach'd hm seemd that the merry sound
Of a shrill pipe he playing heard on height,
Nor aught, in all that world of beauties rare, And many feet fast thumping th' hollow ground,
(Save only Gloriana's heavenly hue,
T(Save only Gtloriana's heaveanly hue, That through the woods their echo did rebound.
To which what can compare?) can it compare; He nigher drew to weet what might i be:
He nigher drew to weet 13 what might it be:
The which, as cometh now by course, I will de- There he a troop of ladies dancing found
clare.
d^^'fl~are.! Full merrily, and making gladful glee,
One day, as he did range the fields abroad, And in the midst a shepherd piping he did see.
Whilst his fair Pastorella was elsewhere, He durst not enter into th' open green,
He chanc'd to come, far from all people's trode F dread of them unwares to be descried,
Unto a place whose pleasance did appear For breaking of their dance, if he were seen;
To pass all others on the earth which were: But in the covert of the wood did bide,
For all that ever was, by Nature's skill, Beholding all, yet of them unespied.
Devis'd to work delight, was gather'd there, There he did see that4 pleasd much his sight
And there by her were poured forth at fill, That even he himself his eyes envied;
As if, this to adorn, she all the rest did pill7 A hundred naked maidens lily white
It was a hill plac'd in an open plain, All ranged in a ring and dancing in delight.
That round about was border'd with a wood All they without werera d in a ring,
Of matchless height, that seem'd th' earth to And danced round; but in the midst of them
disdain; Three other ladies did both dance and sing,
In which all trees of honour stately stood, he rest them roun abou did hem,
And did all winterasinsummerbud, The whilst the rest them round about did hem,
And did all winter as in summer bud, And like a garland did in compass stem:15
Spreading pavilions for the birds to bower,8 And in the midst of those same three was
Which in their lower branches sung aloud plac'd
And in their tops the soaring hawk did tower, Another damsel, as a precious gem
Sitting like king of fowls in majesty and power: Amidst a ring most richly well enchas'd,
And, at the foot thereof, a gentle flood That with her goodly presence all the rest much
His silver waves did softly tumble down, grac'd.
Unmarr'd with ragged moss or filthy mud; Look! how the crown, which Ariadne wore
Nor might wild beasts, nor might the ruder Up her ivory forehead, tha same day
clown,'~That Theseus her unto his bridal bore,
Thereto approach; nor filth might therein When the bold Centaurs made that bloody fray
drown: With the fierce Lapiths, which did them disBut Nymphs and Faeries by the banks did sit may,16
In the woods' shade which did the waters crown, Being now placed in the firmament,
Keeping all noisome things away from it, Through the bright heaven doth her beams disAnd to the water's fall tuning their accents fit. play,
And on the top thereof a spacious plain And is unto the stars an ornament,
Did spread itself, to serve to all delight, Which round about her move in order excellent.
1 Obliged, even while apparently safe in the port (of 9 To sport at the game called prison-base, or prisonoffice or favour), to make all the efforts and'practise bars.
all the vigilance that would be needed on the open sea. o1 Sorrow. 11 See note 8, page 455.
2 Decoys. 3 Ruin. 12 The island of Cythera is meant; but Spenser follows
4 Dazzle. 5 Askance. his great exemplar, Chaucer, in confounding Mount
6 Path, thoroughfare. Cithseron with the isle of Cythera. See note 2, page
7 Spoil, pillage; French, "piller." 36; and note 23, page 201. 13 Learn.
8 Inhabit. 14 That which. 15 Enclosed in a circle. 16 Defeat.