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

CANTO II.]'THE FAERIE QUEEN. 319
Whether in beauty's glory did exceed; "We may not change," quoth he, "this evil
A rosy garland was the victor's meed. plight,
Both seem'd to win, and both seem'd won to be; Till we be bathed in a living well:
So hard the discord was to be agreed. That is the term prescribed by the spell."
Fraelissa 1 was as fair as fair might be, "O how," said he, "might I that well out find,
And ever false Duessa seem'd as fair as she. That may restore you to your wonted well? "12
"The wicked witch, now seeing all this while Time ad suff fates to former kind
The doubtful balance equally to sway, Shall us restore; none else from hence may us
The doubtful balance equally to sway,
What not by right she cast 2 to win by guile; unb
And, b her hellish science, rais'd straightway The false Duessa, now Fidessa hight,l5
A foggy mist that overcast the day, HJeard how in vain Fradubio did lament,
And a dull blast that, breathing on her face, And knew well all was true. But the good
Dimmed her former beauty's shining ray, Knight,
And with foul ugly form did her disgrace Full of sad fear and ghastly dreariment,l1
Then was she fair alone, when none was fair in When all this speech the living tree had spent,
place. The bleeding bough did thrust into the ground,
"Then cried she out,'Fy, fy, deformed wight, Tha from the blood he might be innocent,
Whose borrow'd beauty now appeareth plain And with fresh clay did close the wooden wound:
To have before bewitched all men's sight: Then, turning to his lady, dead with fear her
O leave her soon, or let her soon be slain!'oun
Her loathly visage viewing with disdain, Her seeming dead he found with feigned fear,
Eftsoons 4 I thought her such as she me told, As all unweeting 17 of that 18 well she knew;
And would have kill'd her; butwith feigned pain And pain'd himself with busy care to rear
The false witch did my wrathful hand withhold: Her out of careless swoon. Her eyelids blue,
So left her, where she now is turn'd to treen And dimmed sight with pale and deadly hue,
mould.5 At last she up gan lift; with trembling cheer
"Thenceforth I took Duessa for my dame, Her up he took (too simple and too true),
Andinthewitch,unweeting6 joy'd longti And oft her kiss'd. At length, all passed fear,
iNor ever wist but that she was the same: He set her on her steed, and forward forth did
Nor ever wist but that she was the same: b.....
Till on a day,(that day is ev'ry prime,7
When witches wont do penance for their crime),
I chanc'd to see her in her proper hue,
Bathing herself in origan 8 and thyme:
A filthy foul old woman I did view, CANTO III.
That ever to have touch'd her I did deadly rue.
Forsaken Truth long seeks hier Love,
"Her nether parts, misshapen, monstruous, en h long see
Were hid in water, that I could not see; Mars blind Devotion's mart, andfaIls
But they did seem more foul and hideous In hand of lechour vild.l9
Than woman's shape man would believe to be.
Thenceforth from her most beastly company NAUGHT is thereunder heav'n'swide hollowness
I gan refrain, in mind to slip away, That moves more dear compassi6n of mind,
Soon as appear'd safe opportunity; Than beauty brought t' unworthy wretchedness
For danger great, if not assur'd decay,9 Through envy's snares, orfortune's freaks unkind.
I jsaw before mine eyes, if I were known'to I, whether lately through her brightness blind,
stray. Or through allegiance, and fast fealty,
"The devilish hag, by changes of my cheer,o0 Which I do owe unto all womankind,
Perceiv'd my thought; and, drown'd in sleepy Feel my heart piercid with so great agony,
night, When such I see, that all for pity I could die.
With wicked herbs and ointments did besmear And now it is empassiond 20 so deep
My body, all through charms and magic might, For fairest Una's sake, of whom I sing,
That all my senses were bereaved quite: That myfrail eyesthese lines with tears do steep,
Then brought she me into this desert waste, To think how she, through guileful handeling,
And by my wretched lover's side me pight; 1 Thoughtrueastouch,2lthoughdaughterof aking,
Where now enclos'd in wooden walls full fast, Though fair as ever living wight was fair,
Banish'd from living wights, our weary days Though nor in word nor deed ill meriting,
we waste." Is from her Knight divorced in despair,
"Buthowlongtime," said thenthe ElfinKnight, And her due loves deriv'd22 to that vile witch's
"Are you in this misformid house to dwell?" share.
1 Frail. 2 Planned, sought." 12 Welfare, weal 13 Fulfilled, satisfied.
3 In the place, beside her. 14 Nature.'15 Called.
4 Immediately.'5 Shape of a tree. 16 Sorrow, terror. 17 Ignorant.
6 Unsuspecting. 7 Spring. 18 That which. 19 Vile.
8 Wild or bastard marjoram. 9 Certain ruin. 20 Moved. 21 The touchstone.
10 Demeanour 11 Fixed, pitched. 22 Drawn away.