No More Learning

405

XLVI

A ruefull sight, as could be seene with eie;
Of whom he learned had in secret wise
The hidden cause of their captivitie,
How mortgaging their lives to Covetise,
Through wastfull Pride and wanton Riotise, 410
They were by law of that proud Tyrannesse,
Provokt with Wrath, and Envies false surmise,
Condemned to that Dongeon mercilesse,
Where they should live in woe, and die in wretchednesse.

XLVII

There was that great proud king of Babylon,? 415
That would compell all nations to adore,
And him as onely God to call upon,
Till through celestiall doome throwne out of dore,
Into an Oxe he was transform'd of yore:
There also was king Croesus,? that enhaunst 420
His hart too high through his great riches store;
And proud Antiochus,? the which advaunst
His cursed hand gainst God and on his altars daunst.

XLVIII

And them long time before, great Nimrod? was,
That first the world with sword and fire warrayd; 425
And after him old Ninus? farre did pas
In princely pompe, of all the world obayd;
There also was that mightie Monarch? layd
Low under all, yet above all in pride,
That name of native syre did fowle upbrayd, 430
And would as Ammons sonne be magnifide,
Till scornd of God and man a shamefull death he dide.

XLIX

All these together in one heape were throwne,
Like carkases of beasts in butchers stall.
And in another corner wide were strowne 435
The antique ruines of the Romaines fall:
Great Romulus? the Grandsyre of them all,
Proud Tarquin,? and too lordly Lentulus,?
Stout Scipio,? and stubborne Hanniball,?
Ambitious Sylla,? and sterne Marius,? 440
High Caesar,? great Pompey,? and fierce Antonius. ?

L

Amongst these mightie men were wemen mixt,
Proud wemen, vaine, forgetfull of their yoke:
The bold Semiramis,? whose sides transfixt
With sonnes own blade, her fowle reproches spoke; 445
Faire Sthenoboea,? that her selfe did choke
With wilfull cord, for wanting of her will;
High minded Cleopatra,? that with stroke
Of Aspes sting her selfe did stoutly kill:
And thousands moe the like, that did that dongeon fill; 450

LI

Besides the endlesse routs of wretched thralles,
Which thither were assembled day by day,
From all the world after their wofull falles
Through wicked pride, and wasted wealthes decay.
But most of all, which in the Dongeon lay, 455
Fell from high Princes courts, or Ladies bowres;
Where they in idle pompe, or wanton play,
Consumed had their goods, and thriftlesse howres,
And lastly throwne themselves into these heavy stowres.

LII

Whose case when as the carefull Dwarfe had tould, 460
And made ensample of their mournefull sight
Unto his maister, he no lenger would
There dwell in perill of like painefull plight,
But early rose, and ere that dawning light
Discovered had the world to heaven wyde, 465
He by a privie Posterne tooke his flight,
That of no envious eyes he mote be spyde:
For doubtlesse death ensewd, if any him descryde.

LIII

Scarse could he footing find in that fowle way,
For many corses, like a great Lay-stall, 470
Of murdred men which therein strowed lay,
Without remorse, or decent funerall:
Which all through that great Princesse pride did fall
And came to shamefull end. And them beside
Forth ryding underneath the castell wall, 475
A donghill of dead carkases he spide,
The dreadfull spectacle of that sad house of Pride.

* * * * *

CANTO VI

From lawlesse lust by wondrous grace
fayre Una is releast:
Whom salvage nation does adore,
and learnes her wise beheast.

I

As when a ship, that flyes faire under saile,
An hidden rocke escaped hath unwares,
That lay in waite her wrack for to bewaile,
The Marriner yet halfe amazed stares
At perill past, and yet in doubt ne dares 5
To joy at his foole-happie oversight:
So doubly is distrest twixt joy and cares
The dreadlesse courage of this Elfin knight,
Having escapt so sad ensamples in his sight.