Cant. X.
the Faery Queene.
143
In which his torment often was so great,That like a Lyon he would cry and rore,And rend his flesh, and his owne synewes eat.His owne deare Vna hearing euermoreHis ruefull shriekes and gronings, often toreHer guiltlesse garments, and her golden heare,For pitty of his payne and anguish sore;Yet all with patience wisely she did beare;For well she wist, his cryme could els be neuer cleare.
Whom thus recouer'd by wise Patience,And trew Repentaunce they to Vna brought;Who ioyous of his cured conscience,Him dearely kist, and fayrely eke besoughtHimselfe to chearish, and consuming thoughtTo put away out of his carefull brest.By this Charissa, late in child-bed brought,Was woxen strong, and left her fruitfull nest;To her fayre Vna brought this vnacquainted guest.
She was a woman in her freshest age,Of wondrous beauty, and of bounty rare,With goodly grace and comely personage,That was on earth not easie to compare;Full of great loue, but Cupids wanton snareAs hell she hated, chaste in worke and will;Her necke and brests were euer open bare,That ay thereof her babes might sucke their fill;The rest was all in yellow robes arayed still.
A multitude of babes about her hong,Playing their sportes, that ioyd her to behold;Whom still she fed, whiles they were weak & young,But thrust them forth still, as they wexed old:
And
