§ 55. Faith.

And vexeth so, that makes her eat her gall.
For when she wanteth other things to eat,
She feeds on her own maw unnatural,
And of her own foule entrailes makes her meat;
Meat fit for such a monster's monstrous diat.
And if she hapt of any good to hear,
That had to any body happily betid, [teare
Then would she inly fret, and grieve, and
Her flesh for felness, which she inward hid:
But if she heard of ill that any did,

Or harm that any had, then would she make Great cheare, like one unto a banquet bid;

And in another's loss great pleasure take, As she had got thereby, and gained a great stake.

§ 53. Error.

THIS is a wandring wood, this Error's den; A monster vile, whom God and man does hate.

By which he saw the ugly monster plaine, Half like a serpent horribly displaide.

But th' other half did woman's shape retaine, Most lothsome, filthy, foul, and full of vile disdaine.

As she lay upon the dirtie grownd,
Her huge long taile her den all over-spread,

Yet was in knots and many boughs upwound,

Pointed with mortal sting. Of her there bred A thousand young ones, and she daily fed,

Sucking upon her poisonous dugs, each one Of sundry shape, yet all ill-favoured:

Soon as that uncouth light upon then shone, Into her mouth they crept, and suddain all were gone.

§ 54. Excess.

BUT young Perissa was of other mind, Full of disport, still laughing, loosely light, And quite contrary to her sister's kind; No measure in her mood, no rule of right, But poured out in pleasure and delight; In wine and meats she flow'd above the bank,

And in excess exceeded her own might;

In sumptuous tire she joy'd herself to prank;

But of her love to lavish, little have she thank.

Another.

UNDER that porch a comely dame did rest, Clad in faire weedes, but foule disordered, And garments loose, that seem'd unneet for womanhood.

In her left hand a cup of gold she held, And with her right the riper fruit did reach, Whoes sappy liquor with that fullness swell'd,

Into her cup she screws, with dainty breach Of her fine fingers, without foule impeach, That so faire wine-press made the wine more sweet;

Thereof she us'd to give to drink to each, Whome passing by she happened to meet: It was her guise, all strangers goodly so to greet.

sight,

Or which the eldest, that Fidelia hight, Like sunny beames threw from her crystal face, That could have daz'd the rash beholder's [light. And round her head did shine like heaven's She was arraid all in lily white, And in her right hand bore a cup of gold,

With wine and water fill'd up to the height, in which a serpent did himself enfold, That horror made to all that did behold;

But she no whit did change her constant mood;

And in her other hand she fast did hold

A book that was both sign'd and seal'd with blood,

Wherein dark things were writ, hard to be understood.

Or the same daintie lad that was so deare

To great Alcides, that when as he did hide, He wailed woman-like with many a teare, And every wood and every valley wide He fill'd with Hylas' name, the nymphes eke Hylas cride.

His garment neither was of silk nor say, But painted plumes in goodly order dight, Like as the sun-burnt Indians do array Their tawny bodies in their proudest plight: As those same plumes, so seem'd he vain and light,

That by his gate might easily appeare: For still he far'd as dancing in delight, And in his hand a windy fan did beare, That in the idle aire he mov'd still here and there.

§ 59. Ship.

As when a ship that flies fair under saile,
And hidden rock escap'd hath unawares,
That lay in wait her wrack to bewaile,
The mariner yet half amazed stares
At peril past, and yet it doubt ne dares
To joy at his fool-happy over-sight.
Another.

As a tall ship tossed in troublous seas, Whome raging winds, thereating to make the prey

Of the rough rocks, do diversly disease, Meets two contrary billows by the way, That her on either side do sore assay,

And boast to swallow her in greedy grave; She, scorning both their spights, does make

wide way,

And with her breast breaking the foamy wave, Does ride on both their backs, and faire herself doth save.

§ 60. Feeling.

BUT the fift troupe most horrible of hue, And fierce of force, was dreadful to reporte: For some like snails, some did like spiders shew,

And some like ugly urchins, thick and short; They cruelly assailed that fift fort,

Armed with darts of sensuall delight, With stings of carnall lust, and strong effort Of feeling pleasure, with which day and night Against that same fift bulwark they continued fight.

Slandrous reproches, and foule infamies, Leasings, back bitings, and vain glorious crakes, Bad counsels, prayses, and false flatteries, All those against that fort did build their batteries.

$73. Hermitage.

A LITTLE lowly hermitage it was,
Down in a dale hard by a forest side,
Farre from resort of people that did pass
In travell to and fro: a little wide
There was an holy chapell edified,

Wherein the hermit duly went to say
His holy things cach morn and evening tide:
Thereby a crystal streame did gently play,
Which from a sacred fountain welled forth
away.

He thence led me into this hermitage, Letting his steeds to graze upon the green; Small was his house, and like a little cage, For his own turne, yet inly neat and clean, Deckt with green boughes, and flowers gay

seene;

be

Therein he them full faire did entertaine, Not with such forged showes, as fitter beene For courting fools that courtisies would faine, But with entire affection, and appearance plaine.