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

CANTO IV.] THE FAERIE QUEEN. 325
To Jove's high house through heav'n's brass- Which by misdiet daily greater grew;
paved way, Such one was Gluttony, the second of that crew.
Drawn of fair peacocks, that excel in pride, And next to him rode lustful Lechery
And fullof Argus' eyestheirtailsdispreadenwide. Upon a beaded goat, whose rugged hair
But this 1 was drawn of six unequal beasts, And whally12 eyes (the sign of jealousy),
On which her six sage councillors did ride, Was like the person's self whom he did bear:
Taught to obey their bestial behests, Who rough, and black, and filthy, did appear;
With like conditions to their kinds applied: Unseemly man to please fair lady's eye:
Of which the first, that all the rest did guide, Yet he of ladies oft was loved dear,
Was sluggish Idleness, the nurse of sin; When fairer faces were bid standen by:
Upon a slothful ass he chose to ride, O who does know the bent of women's fantasy!
Array'd in habit black, and amice 2 thin; In a green gown he clothed was full fair,
Like to a holy monk, the service to begin. Which underneath did hide his filthiness;
And in his hand his portess 3 still he bare, And in his hand a burning heart he bare,
That much was worn, but therein little read; Full of vain follies and newfangleness
For of devotion he had little care, For he was false, and fraught with fickleness;
Still drown'd in sleep, and most of his days dead: And learned had to love with secret looks;
Scarce could he once uphold his heavy head, Andwellcould dance;and sing withruefulness;13
To looken whether it were night or day. And fortunes tell; and read in loving books:
May seem the wain 4 was very evil led, And thousand other ways, to bait his fleshly
When such an one had guiding of the way, hooks.
That knew not whether right he went or else Inconstant man, that loved all he saw,
astray. And lusted after all that he did love;
Nor would his looser life be tied to law,
From worldly cares himself he did esloyne,5 to
And greatly shnnd manly exercise;., But joy'd weak women's hearts to tempt and
And greatly shunned manly exercise; poe
From every work he challenged essoyne,6 prove,
For contevplation sake: yeh t otherwise If from their loyal loves he might them move:
For contemplation sake: yet otherwiseich lewdness fill'd him with reproachful pain
His life he led in lawless riotise;7 a
His life he led in lawless riotise;Of that foul evil, which all men reprove,
By which he grew to grievous malady: that fou evil, which all men reprove,
By which he grew to grievous malady: That rots the marrow and consumes the brain:
For in his lustless 9 limbs, through evil guise, Such one was Lecheryt he third of this train
A shaking fever reign'dcontinullly: Such one was Lechery, the third ofallthis train.
A shaking fever reign'd continually:
Such one was Idleness, first of this company. And greedy Avarice by him did ride
An by hs l e Upon a camel loaded all with gold:
And by his side rode loathsome Gluttony, To iron coffers hung on either side
Deformed creature, on a filthy swine; With precious metal full as they might hold;
His belly was upblown with luxury, And in his lap a heap of coin he told;
And eke with fatness swollen were his eyne; For of his wicked pelf his god he made
And like a crane his neck was long and fine, And unto hell himself for money sold
With which he swallow'd up excessive feast, Accursed usury was all his trade
For want whereof poor people oft did pine: And right and wrong alike in equal balance
And all the way, most like a brutish beast, weigh'd.
He spued up his gorge,10 that all did him detest. i i
His life was nigh unto death's door y-plac'd;
In green vine leaves he was right fitly clad; And thread-bare coat and cobbled shoes he ware;
For other clothes he could not wear for heat: Nor scarce good morsel all his life did taste;
And on his head an ivy garland had, But both from back and belly still did spare
From under which fast trickled down the sweat: To fill his bags, and riches to compare: 14
Still as he rode, he somewhat still did eat, Yet child nor kinsman living had he none
And in his hand did bear a boozing can,1 To leave them to; but thorough daily care
Of which he supp'd so oft, that on his seat To get, and nightly fear to lose, his own,
His drunken corse he scarce upholden can: He led a wretched life, unto himself unknown.
In shape andlifemore like a monster than a man. Mostwretched wight, whom nothin might sufUnfit he was for any worldly thing, fice;
And eke unable once to stir or go; Whose greedy lust did lack in greatest store;
Not meet to be of counsel to a king, Whose need had end, but no end covetise; 1
Whose mind in meat and drinkwas drownid so, Whose wealth was want; whose plenty made
That from his friend he seldom knew his foe: him poor;
Full of diseases was his carcase blue, Who had enough, yet wished ever more:
And a dry dropsy through his flesh did flow, A vile disease; and eke in foot and hand
I Lucifera's car. The Princess and her councillors 8 Sickness. 9 Feeble; opposite of " lusty."
are the seven cardinal sins, the principal and root of lo That with which he had gorged himself.
which, as the Parson in the Canterbury Tales has said, 11 A drinking can.
is Pride. See page 193. 2 Robe. 12 Streaky or greenish-white eyes, like those of a
3 Breviary. 4 Chariot. wall-eyed horse; Shakespeare uses "wall-eyed" as a
5 Withdraw; French, "eloigner." term of reproach. 13 Touchingly,
6 Excuse, exoneration; French, "essoine " or "ex- 14 Latin, " comparare," to procure, obtain,
oine." 7 Riot. 15 His covetousness.