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

34 THE FAERIE QUEEN. [BOOK ITn
"kept in secret mew;" and he led the incredu- Nor darkness him nor danger might dismay.
lous Knight through the thick covert, to a dark- Soon as he enter'd was, the door straightway
some way, deep descending through the hollow Did shut, and from behind it forth there leapt
ground, "that was with dread and horror com- An ugly fiend, more foul than dismal day;
passed around." The which with monstrous stalk 6 behind him
At length they came into a larger space, stept,
That stretch'd itself into an ample plain ever as he went due watch upon him kept.
Through which a beaten broad highwfy did Well hoped he ere long that hardy guest,trace,' If ever covetous hand, or lustful eye
That straight did lead to Pluto's grisly reign: Or lips, he laid onthing that lik'd him best,
By that wayside there sat infernal Pain, Or ever sleep his eye-strings did untie,And fast beside him sat tumultuous Strife; Should be hisprey: and therefore still on high
The one in hand an iron whip did strain, He over him did hold his cruel claws
The other brandishedd a bloody knife; Threat'ning with greedy gripe to do 7 him die,
And both did gnash their teeth, and both did And rend in pieces with his ravenous paws
threaten life. If ever he transgress'd the fatal Stygian laws.
On th' other side in one cons6rt 2 there sate
Cruel Revenge, and rancorous Despite, That House's form within was rude and strong,
Disloyal Treason, and heart-burning lHate; Like a huge cave hewn out of rocky clift,
But gnawing Jealousy, out of their sight From whose rough vault the ragged breaches 8
Sitting alone, his bitter lips did bite; hung
And trembling Fear still to and fro did fly, Emboss'd with massy gold of glorious gift,
Andfound no place where safe he shroud him And with rich metal loaded every rift,'mJight-: That heavy ruin they did seem to threat;
Lamenting Sorrow did in darkness lie; And over them Arachne high did lift
AndShame his ugly face didhide from living eye. Her cunning web, and spread her subtile net,
An. Sm. uEnwrapped in foul smoke and clouds more black
And over them sad Horror, with grim hue, than jet
Did alway soar, beating his iron wings;
And after him owls and night-ravens flew, Both roof, and floor, and walls, were all of gold,
The hateful messengers of heavy things, But overgrown with dust and old decay,'Of death and dolour telling sad tidings; And hid in darkness, that none could behold
While sad Celeno,3 sitting on a clift,4 The hue thereof: for view of cheerful day
A song of bale 5 and bitter sorrow sings, Did never in that House itself display,
That heart of flint asunder could have rift; But a faint shadow of uncertain light;
Which having ended, after him she flieth swift. Such as a lamp, whose life does fade away;
Or as the moon, clothed with cloudy night,
All these before the gates of Pluto lay;
All these before the gates of Pluto lay; Does shew to him that walks in fear and sad
By whom they passing spake unto them naught. afrigt
But th' Elfin Knight with wonder all the way
Did feed his eyes, and fill'd his inner thought. In all that room was nothing to be seen
At last him to a little door he brought, But huge great iron chests, and coffers strong,
That to the gate of hell, which gaped wide, All barr'd with double bands, that none could
Was next adjoining, nor them parted aught: ween 11
Betwixt them both was but a little stride, Them to enforce by violence or wrong;
That did the House of Riches from hell-mouth' On ev'ry side they placed were along.
divide. But all the ground with skulls was scattered,
Before the door sat self-consuming Care, And dead men's bones, which round about were
Day and night keeping wary watch and ward, flung;
For fear lest Force or Fraud should unaware Whose lives, it seemed, whilom there were shed,
Break in, and spoil the treasure there in guard: nd their vile carcases now left unburied.
Nor would he suffer Sleep once thitherward' They forward pass; nor Guyon yet spoke word,
Approach, although his drowsy den were next: Till that they came unto an iron door,
For next to Death is Sleep to be compar'd; Which to them opend of is own accord
Therefore his house is unto his annext: And showd of riches such exceding store
Here Sleep, there Riches, and Hell-gate them As eye of man did never see before,
both betw~ixt.'~both betwixt.~ Nor ever could within one place be found,
So-soon as Mammon there arriv'd, the door Though all the wealth which is, or was of yore,
To him did open and afforded way: Could gather'd be through all the world around,
Him follow'd eke Sir Guyon evermore, And that above were added to that under ground:
1 Pass, traverse. 10 Arachne was a Lydian maiden, who excelled in
2 All together, in one group. weaving, and so enraged Minerva by the superior
3 Celvano, one of the Harpies. excellence of her work in a trial of skill, that the god.
4 Clif. 5 Calamity. dess rent the web in pieces. Arachne, in despair,
6 Stride. 7 Make. hanged herself; and she was changed into a spider-.
SReents or projecting points of the rock. the rote into the spider's thread,
9 Crevice. l1 Think,