And as her Squyre attend her carefully.

Tho to their ready Steedes they clombe full light, And through back waies, that none might them espy, Covered with fecret cloud of filent night,

Themselves they forth convaid, and passed forward right. 62.

Ne refted they, till that to Faery lond

They came, as Merlin them directed late :

Where, meeting with this Redcroffe Knight, she fond Of diverse thinges difcourfes to dilate,

But most of Arthegall and his estate.

At laft their wayes fo fell, that they mote part:
Then each to other, well affectionate,
Friendship profeffed with unfained hart.

The Redcroffe Knight diverst, but forth rode Britomart."

b The Redcroffe Knight diverft, but forth rode Britomart.] We hear no more of St. George in the remaining Books, only mentioned by the bye in F. Q. v. iii. 53. The poet's defign feems plainly to bring all the various knights together, before the poem concluded, at the Court of the Fairy Queen. UPTON. "Diverst" is diverged, took a different, or diverse way, while Britomart proceeded straight forward. Todd collects needlefs authorities to fhow that "diverst means diverted.

C.

HERE is the Antique glory now become, That whylome wont in wemen to appeare ?a

Where be the brave atchievements doen

by fome?

Where be the batteilles, where the fhield and fpeare, And all the conquefts which them high did reare, That matter made for famous Poets verfe,

And boaftfull men fo oft abafht to heare?

Beene they all dead, and laide in dolefull herfe, Or doen they onely fleepe, and fhall againe reverse ? b

2.

If they be dead, then woe is me therefore;

a Where is the Antique glory now become,

That whylome wont in wemen to appeare? &c.] This introduction in praise of women feems to be enlarged from that of Ariofto, C. xx. 1:

"La donne antiche hanno mirabil cofe," &c.

In F. Q. iii. ii. 1. [p. 362.] he has touched upon the fame argument:"Here have I caufe in men juft blame to find," &c.

b and fall againe reverfe.] Return. 48, [this vol. p. 18.] CHURCH.

T. WARTON.

See the note on F. Q. i. ix.

But if they fleepe, O let them foone awake!
For all too long I burne with envy

fore

To heare the warlike feates which Homere fpake
Of bold Penthefilee, which made a lake

Of Greekish blood fo ofte in Trojan plaine:
But when I reade, how ftout Debora strake
Proud Sifera; and how Camill' hath flained
The huge Orfilochus, I fwell with great difdaine.

3.

Yet these, and all that els had puiffaunce,
Cannot with noble Britomart compare,
Afwell for glorie of great valiaunce,
As for pure chastitee and vertue rare,

That all her goodly deedes do well declare.

Well worthie stock, from which the branches fprong That in late yeares fo faire a bloffome bare,

As thee, O Queene! the matter of my fong, Whose lignage from this Lady I derive along.

4.

Who when, through fpeaches with the Redcroffe Knight, She learned had th' eftate of Arthegall,

And in each point her felfe informd aright,

A friendly league of love perpetuall

She with him bound, and Congé tooke withall: Then he forth on his journey did proceede, To feeke adventures which mote him befall, And win him worship through his warlike deed, Which alwaies of his paines he made the chiefeft meed.

5.

But Britomart kept on her former course,

bow ftout Debora ftrake, &c.] It was through her means, and Barak's, that Sifera was discomfited; but it was Jael that "ftrake" the nail into his temples: Judg. iv. 21.

UPTON.

d and how Camill' bath flaine.] Camilla, who flew the huge Orfilochus, as mentioned in Virgil, Æn. xi. 690. UPTON.

Ne ever dofte her armes, but all the way

Grew penfive through that amarous discourse,
By which the Redcroffe knight did earst display
Her lovers fhape and chevalrous aray:

A thousand thoughts fhe fashiond in her mind,
And in her feigning fancie did pourtray

Him fuch as fitteft fhe for love could find,
Wife, warlike, perfonable, courteous, and kind.

6.

With fuch felfe-pleafing thoughts her wound fhe fedd,
And thought fo to beguile her grievous smart;
But fo her smart was much more grievous bredd,
And the deepe wound more deep engord her hart,
That nought but death her dolour mote depart.
So forth fhe rode, without repofe or reft,
Searching all lands and each remotest part,
Following the guydance of her blinded guest,
Till that to the feacoast at length she her addrest.

7.

There she alighted from her light-foot beaft,
And fitting downe upon the rocky shore,
Badd her old Squyre unlace her lofty creaft :
Tho having vewd awhile the furges hore
That gainst the craggy clifts did loudly rore,
And in their raging furquedry difdaynd
That the faft earth affronted them fo fore,
And their devouring covetize reftraynd;
Thereat fhe fighed deepe, and after thus complaynd.

e

8.

Huge fea of forrow and tempeftuous griefe,

fbe for love could find.] It is "be for love could find” in the 4to. 1590 only. The emendation was first made in the 4to. 1596, and all the folios adopted it. C.

f affronted them fo fore.] Oppofed, [refifted them in front.] See the note on affront, F. Q. i. viii. 13, [vol. i. p. 306.] TODD.

Wherein my feeble barke is toffed long Far from the hoped haven of reliefe, Why doe thy cruel billowes beat so strong, And thy moyft mountaines each on others throng, Threatning to swallow up my fearefull lyfe? O! doe thy cruell wrath and spightfull wrong At length allay, and ftint thy ftormy ftrife, Which in thy troubled bowels raignes and rageth ryfe.

9.

"For els my feeble vessell, crazd and crackt

Through thy ftrong buffets and outrageous blowes, Cannot endure, but needes it must be wrackt On the rough rocks, or on the fandy fhallowes, The whiles that love it fteres, and fortune rowes: Love, my lewd Pilott," hath a restleffe minde; And fortune, Boteswaine, no afsurance knowes; But faile withouten starres gainst tyde and winde : How can they other doe, fith both are bold and blinde?

IO.

"Thou God of windes, that raigneft in the feas,
That raigneft alfo in the Continent,

At last blow up fome gentle gale of ease,
The which may bring my ship, ere it be rent,
Unto the gladsome port of her intent.
Then, when I fhall my selfe in safety see,

A table, for eternall moniment

Of thy great grace and my great jeopardee, Great Neptune, I avow to hallow unto thee!"

II.

Then fighing foftly fore, and inly deepe,

8 Which in thy troubled bowels.] So the 4to. 1590: later editions, without neceffity, fubftitute thefe for "thy." C.

h Love, my lewd Pilott.] The word "lewd" had three fignifications in the time of Spenfer-ignorant, wicked, and luftful: the poet may have intended to apply it in a double, or treble sense to love. C.