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

354 THE FAERJE QUEEN. [BOOK I.
But clothes meet to keep keen cold away, Then she a while him stays, himself to rest,
And naked nature sepmly to aray; That to the rest 12 more able he might be:
With which bare wretched wightll he daily clad, During which time in every good behest,18
The images of God in earthly clay; And godly work of alms and charity,
And, if that no spare clothes to give he had, She him instructed with great industry.
His own coathe would cut, and it distribute glad. Shortly, therein so perfect he became,
his ofice ws That, from the first unto the last degree,
The fourth~ appointed by Hhis offce was His mortal life he learned had to frame
Poor prisoners to relieve with gracious aid,
oorpsoners to relieve witgracioaid, In holy righteousness, without rebuke or blame.
And captives to redeem with price of brass
From Turks and Saracens, which them had Thence forward by that painful way they pass
stay'd; 2 Forth to a hill, that was both steep and high;
And though they faulty were, yet well he On top whereof a sacred chapel was,
weigh'd,3 And eke a little hermitage thereby,
That God to us forgiveth every hour Wherein an aged holy man did lie,
Muchmorethanthatwhytheyinbandswerelaid; That day and night said his devoti6n,
And He, that harrow'd 4 hell with heavy stowre,r Nor other worldly business did apply: 14
The faulty souls from thence brought to his His name was Heavenly Contemplation;
heav'nly bow'r. Of God and goodness was his meditati6n.
The fifth had charge sick persons to attend, Great grace that old man to him given had;
And comfort those in point of death which lay; For God he bften saw from heaven's height:
For them most needeth comfort in the end, All 15 were his earthly eyne both blunt and bad,
When Sin, and Hell, and Death, do most dismay And through great age had lost their kindly 6
The feeble soul departing hence away. sight,
All is but lost, that living we bestow, Yet wondrous quick and piercing was his sprite,l7
If not well ended at our dying day. As eagle's eye, that can behold the sun.
O man! have mind of that last bitter throe: That hill they scale with all their pow'r and
For as the tree does fall, so lies it ever low. might,
The sixth had charge of them now being dead, That his frail thighs, nigh weary and fordone,18
In seemly sort their corses to engrave, Gan fail; but, by her help, the top at last he won.
And deck with dainty flow'rs their bridal bed, There they do find that godly aged sire,
That to their heav'nly spouse both sweet and With snowy locks adown his shoulders shed;
brave As hoary frost with spangles doth attire
They might appear, when He their souls shall The mossy branches of an oak half dead.
save. Each bone might through his bodywell be read, 1
The wondrous workmanship of God's own And every sinew seen, through his long fast:
mould,7 For naught he car'd his carcase long unfed;
Whose face He made all beasts to fear, and gave His mind was full of spiritual repast,
All in his hand, ev'n dead we honour should. And pin'd his flesh to keep his body low and
Ah, dearest God, me grant I dead be not de- chaste.
foul'd! 8 Who, when these two approaching he espied,
The sev'nth, now after death and burial done, At their first presence grew aggrieved20 sore,
Had charge the tender orphans of the dead That forc'd him lay his heav'nly thoughts aside;
And widows aid, lest they should be undone: And had he not that Dame respected more,
In face of judgment he their right would plead, Whom highly he did reverence and adore,,Nor aught the power of mighty men did dread He would not once have moved for the Knight.
In their defence; nor would for gold or fee They him saluted, standing far afore;
Be won their rightful causes down to tread: Who, well them greeting, humbly did requite,2
And, when they stood in most necessity, And asked, to what end they clomb that tedious
He did supply their want, and gave them ever height.
free. "What end," quoth she, " should cause us take
There when the Elfin Knight arrived was, such pain,
The first and chiefest of the sev'n, whose care But that same end, which every living wight
Was guests to welcome, toward him did pass; Should make his mark,-high heaven to attain?
Where seeing Mercy, that his steps upbare Is not from hence the way that leadeth right
And always led, to her with reverence rare Tothat mostglorioushouse, that glist'nethbright
He humbly louted o, in meek lowliness, With burning stars and ever-living fire,
And seemly welcome did for her prepare: Whereof the keys are to thy hand behight 2
For of their Order she was patroness, By wise Fidelia? She doth thee require
All be "1 Charissa were their chiefest founderess. To showit to thisKnight, according23 his desire."
1 Mortals. 11 Although. 12 The remainder of his task.
2 Detained. 3 Considered. 13 Commandment. 14 Attend to.
4 Ravaged. See note 11, page 51. 15 Although. 16 Natural.
5 Assault. 6 Bury. 17 Spirit. 18 Exhausted.
7 Image. a Outraged, insulted. 19 Perceived. 20 Distressed, vexed.
9 Bounteously. 1o Bowed, made reverence. 21 Respond. 22 Entrusted. 23 Granting.