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

CANTO vI.] THR -FA RE QUEEN. 459
When Britomart with sharp adviseful eye Of noble minds, derived from above,
Beheld the lovely face of Artegall, Which, being knit with virtue,'never will reTemper'd with sternness and stout majesty, move.
She gan eftsoons it to her mind to call "Andyou, fair Lady-Knight, my dearest Dame,
To be the same which, in her father's hall, Relent the rigour of your wrathful will,
Long since in that enchanted glass she saw: Whose fire were better turn'd to other flame;
Therewith her wrathful courage gan appall, And, wiping out remembrance of all ill,
And haughty spirits meekly to adaw,2 Grant him your grace; but so that he fulfil
That her enhancd 3 hand she down gan soft The penance which ye shall to him impart;7
withdraw. For lovers' heav'n must pass by sorrow's hell."
Yet she it forc'd to have again upheld, Thereat full inly blushd Britomart;
As feigning choler which was turn'd to cold: But Artegall, close-smiling,8 joy'd in secret
But ever, when his visage she beheld, heart.
Her hand fell down, and would no longer hold Yet durst he not make love so suddenly,
The wrathful weapon gainst his count'nance Nor think th' affection of her heart to draw
bold: From one to other so quite contrary:
But, when in vain to fight she oft assay'd, Besides her modest countenance he saw
She arm'd her tongue, and thought at him to So goodly grave, and full of princely awe,
scold: That it his ranging fancy did refrain,
Nathless her tongue not to her will obey'd, And looser thoughts to lawful bounds withdraw;
But brought forth speeches mild when she would Whereby the passion grew more fierce and fain,l
have missaid.4 Like to a stubborn steed whom strong hand
would restrain.
Scudamour, inly glad to find that Atd's tale ou rern
of Amoret's infidelity was false, congratulated Scudamour now asked for news of his AmoSir Artegall by name on his submission to a ret; but Britomart could give him none. She
lady, since he had been wont to despise them had done all in her power to preserve the lady
all: from peril and fear, after they had quitted the
scene of tournament:
Soon as she heard the name of Artegall,
Her heart did leap, and all her heart-strings "Till on a day, as through a desert wild
tremble We travelled, both weary of the way,
For sudden joy and secret fear withal; We did alight, and sat in shadow mild;
And all her vital powers, with motion nimble, Where fearless I to sleep me down did lay:
To succour it themselves gan there assemble; But, when as I did out of sleep abray,lThat by the swift recourse of flushing blood I found her not where I her left whilere,l2
Right plain appear'd, though she it would dis- But thought she wander'd was, or gone astray:
semble, I call'd her loud, I sought her far and near;
And feignid still her former angry mood, But nowhere could her find, nor tidings of her
Thinking to hide the depth by troubling of the hear."
flood. The Knight, his heart thrilled with point of
When Glauce thus gan wisely all upknit; deadly fear, stood pale and senseless, and was
"Ye gentle knights, whom fortune here hathto be comforted only by Britomarts assurance
brought that she would not leave him till Amoret had
To be spectators of this uncouth fit5 been recovered or avenged. Then they 61a proWhich secret fate hath in this lady wrought ceeded to a resting-place pointed out by ArteAgainst the course of kind,6 ne marvel naught; gall, where they were handsomely entertained,
Nor thenceforth fear the thing that hitherto until they recovered from their wounds and
Hathtroubledbothyourmindswithidlethought, weariness.
Fearing lest she your loves away should woo; In all which time Sir Artegall made way
Feared in vain, since means ye see there wants Unto the love of noble Britomart,
thereto. And with meek service and much suit did lay
"And you, Sir Artegall, the Salvage Knight, Continual siege unto her gentle heart;
Henceforth may not disdain that woman's Which, being whilom lanc'd with lovely dart,l1
hand - More eath 14 was new impression to receive;
Hath conquer'd you anew in second fight: However she her pain'd 15 with womanish art
For whilom they have conquer'd sea, and land, To hide her wound, that none might it perceive:
And heav'nitself, that naught may them with- Vain is the art that seeks itself for to deceive.
stand: So well he woo'd her, and so well he wrought
Nor henceforth be rebellious unto love, her,
That is the crown of knighthood and the band With fair entreaty and sweet blandishment,
1 Observant. 9 From one extreme to the other-from hate to love.
2 Lower. 3 Uplifted. 10 Eager. 11 Awake.
4 Spoken harshly. 5 Strange passion, 12 A little while before.
6 Nature. 7 Apportion. 13 Being long before pierced with the dart of love.
8 Secretly smiling. 14 Easy. 16 Strove.
y - -