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

CANTO XI.] THE FAERIE QUEEN. 539
this while Pastorella was defended by the cap- could not save her. With great difficulty he
tain, who minded more her safety than him- persuaded the coward Corydon to guide him to
self; but at last he was slain and laid on the thievish abode; and then both set out disground, yet holding fast in his arms the maiden, guised as shepherds, though Calidore wore his
whom the wound that ended his life had pierced arms under his garments. Approaching the
through the arm, and thrown into deadly swoon. robbers' isle, they saw flocks and shepherds, to
The captain dead, the fray ceased, and the whom they drew near to make inquiries; but
candles were relit. to their surprise they found that the flocks were
Their captain there they cruelly found kill'd, their own, kept by some of the robbers themAnd in his arms the dreary dying maid, selves, for want of herds Corydon recognised
Like a sweet angel'twixt two clouds uphild; with tears his own sheep, and besought Calidore
Her lovely light was dimmed and decay'd to slay the robbers-who slept soundly in the
XWith cloud of death upon her eyes displayd; shade of the bushes-and take away the spoil.
Yet did the cloud make even that dimm'd light But Calidore had secretly made in his mind "a
Seem much more lovely in that darkness laid; farther purpose," and would not slay them,
And'twixt the twinkling of her eyelids bright "but, gently waking them, gave them the time
To spark out little beams, like stars in foggy o ay.
night. Then, sitting down by them upon the green,
Finding her still alive, the robbers busily ap-Of sundry things he purpose 3 gan to feign,
plied themselves " to call the soul back to her That he by them might certain tidings ween
home again;" at last they restored the maiden Of Pastorell, were she alive or slain:
to a sense of her desolate and perilous position,'Mongstwhichthethievesthemquestionedagain,
bereaved of all her friends and left a second What mister men,4 and eke from whence, they
spoil in the hands of those who had " renew'd were.
her death by timely death denying;" and they To whom they answer'd, as did appertain,
left her in charge of one of their number, "the That they were poor herdgrooms, the which
best of many worst," who much molested her whilere5
with unkind disdain and cruel rigour, scarcely Had from their masters fled, and now sought
yielding her due food or timely rest, or suffering hire elsewhere.
her painful festered wound to be dressed. Mean- Whereof right glad they seem'd, and offer made
time Calidore had suffered the direst agony since To hire them well if they their flocks would
the day on which, returning from the chase, he keep:
found his cottage spoiled and his love reft away; For they themselves were evil grooms, they said,
"'he chaf'd, he griev'd, he fretted, and he Unwont with herds to watch, or pasture sheep,
sigh'd," and fared like a furious wild bear But to foray the land, or scour the deep.
whose whelps are stolen in her absence. Thereto they soon agreed, and earnest took
Nor wight he found to whom he might complain, To keep their flocks for little hire and cheap;
Nor wight he found of whom he might inquire; For they for better hire did shortly look:
That more increas'd the anguish of his pain: So there all day they bode, till light the sky
forsook.
He sought the woods, but no man could see orsoo
there; When towards darksome night it drew, the
He sought the plains, but could no tidings hear: thieves brought the new shepherds to their hellThe woods did naught but echoes vain rebound; ish den; and soon the strangers became acThe plains all waste and empty did appear; quainted with all the secrets of the band, learnWhere wont the shepherds oft their pipes re- ing, greatly to Calidore's joy, that Pastorella
sound, still lived. At dead of night, when all the
And feed a hundred flocks, there now not one thieves were buried in sleep, Calidore armed
he found. himself with "a sword of meanest sort," which
At last, "with ragged weeds, and locks upstar- he had obtained by diligent search; and he went
ing high," Corydon came in view, and soon had "straight to the captain's nest." They found
told all the sad story of the robbers' cavern- the cave fast; but Calidore, with resistless
nay, more, confidently affirming that Pastorella might, burst open the door, awakening the
was dead; for what could her defender, the thief who guarded Pastorella-and who, runcaptain, do against them all alone: "it could ning to the entrance, was instantly slain. Alnot boot; needs must she die at last!" For most dead with fear at the new uproar, Pasa while Calidore's heart was deadened and his torella heard Calidore calling on her name,
wit distracted by the tidings; but when his recognised his voice, and was suddenly revived
grief had spent itself in beatings of his head and and thrilled with wondrous joy; like a tempestbreast, in cursings of heaven and wishes that he tost mariner, looking into the very jaws of death,
had been near to his mistress in her peril, the who "at length espies at hand the happy coast."
Knight began to devise means of avenging Pas- Her gentle heart, that now long season past
torella's death, if she were dead; or saving her Had never joyance felt nor cheerful thought,
life, if life yet lasted; or dying with her, if he Began some smack of comfort new to taste,
1 Upheld. 2 Saluted them. 3 Conversation. 4 What manner of men. 5 Lately.